1

What has gone before

Denandsor, the City of Makers, was as unprotected from the Great Contagion as the rest of Creation. In a moment of desperation, the daimyo (whose name was erased from the
city's archives), combined two artifacts which had been relegated to the vaults beneath the governmental manse for being too dangerous to use. The first, a winner of a Calibrationthemed ingenuity contest, was designed as the ultimate distress signal for a demon to use. This alabaster egg poured vitriol when broken, which would then seep into the user and
determine which demon was most suited to solve the problem foremost in his mind. In this case it was Sharima, the Inward-Facing Wall, Third Soul of Malfeas who had the power
to keep Denandsor free of the touch of the oncoming plague.
Not knowing what would be summoned, but knowing that it was unlikely to be trustworthy, the daimyo hoped to secure the demon's aid with the second part of his desperate plan:
The Heart of Indrani. Created by the great craftsman Mobellus Tor, this small blue diamond was as innocuous as it was insidious. Over the course of a conversation it sent out
pulses of irresistable comfort and joy, eventually instilling love for the holder into the listener.

2
But Malfean love is a brutal and possessive beast. Though it worked, and Sharima was convinced to save the city from the encroaching disaster, she chose to twist the daimyo's
desires and keep him to herself. She first convinced him to make her owner of the city, so that her powers could be fully used to protect it. Then she declared all citizens of
Denandsor to be exiles and trespassers, killing most of them instantly, and all of them within seconds. She next barred the governmental district from the inside, decreeing that
none should leave so that the daimyo would be trapped with her, to have and to hold, til death do they part.
The daimyo is long since dead, having refused to consummate their unholy and unwanted union with a transformation to Akuma but Sharima is there still, barred within her own
cell. After the daimyo's death, Sharima mourned for seven times seven years, and when her mourning was done she decided that it was time to leave this place and return to
Malfeas. The treaty with the solars had given her great power to trap anyone and anything, even herself, but it was not within her power to grant freedom. And so she sits inside the
manse of The Empty City, waiting for a Lawgiver to come and say the words which will free her.

Guardians
Every district has access to the city's guardians: automata designed to keep the peace during times of prosperity, and defend it in times of war. In general, each district has access to
six full patrols, with each patrol being made up of 4 standard guardians and one leader (a.k.a Sergeant). These patrols are divided into three shifts of two patrols each. On their
shift, each patrol splits into three groups. Two of the standard units patrol one-fourth of each district, while the sergeants maintain a position in between the two in case their
assistance is required.
A patrol's standard response is to first warn the offender. If the suspect takes any actions other than immediate surrender, the two guardians will attack. The remainder will have
already headed towards the incident, though this may not be possible in busier times. They will join any fight in progress, or return to their patrols if the situation is under control.
In addition, each district has access to one High Threat Response team, which is called upon in the event that heavy (a.k.a. Exalted) resistance is encountered. These teams
typically stay stationed near the city center, but their speed enables them to respond rapidly when needed. Should any animas flare, or obvious charms (including sprcery) be used,
they will immediately respond to the call and head towards the disturbance. They will activate their cross-phase sensors (sight and sound) and Essence Shield Projectors on the
approach, and then divide into their positions as explained in their stat block.
Traps
Any building with a security system of difficulty 4 or higher will have activated defense systems (i.e. traps). The effects of the trap can be generated randomly here or here. The
difficulty to detect, resist, or avoid a defense mechanism is equal to the difficulty of the attached security system - 1. Damaging effects deal a base [Difficulty x 2] damage, or just
[Difficulty] if the damage is aggravated. Effects with an unspecified duration last one day per level of failure when resisted or avoided.
Creatures

Abyssals

o
o
o
o

Bard Of Unwelcomed Mornings (Daybreak) 32

Despicable Lies (Midnight)33
Lady of Mazes (Dusk)33
The Harbinger of the Ghost-Cold Winds (Day) 34

Guardians
o HTR 31
o Patrol 30
o Pilot 5
Other

o
o
o
o
o
o

Fruggio Peleps 6
Servants of the Red Bird 19
Sharima, The Inward-Facing Wall, Third Soul of Malfeas 23
Sondok 13
The Brothers Incongruous 11
Tomb of Keening Spirits 15

Districts
01) Wall 3

02) Gate 3
03) Transportation 3-5
04) Talisman Row 6-7
05) Energy Particle Research Lab 7-8
06) Crystal & Glass 9
07) Tombs 9 to 18
08) Entertainment 19
09) Government 19 to 23
10) Overseer 24
11) The Crash 24
12) Entertainment 19
12) Shogunate Barracks
13) Craft 24 to 26
14) Merchant 27

15) Religious 27
16) Craft 24 to 26
17) Library 27-28
18) Wyld-Crafting 28-29
19) Hospital 20
Manses

o
o

Factory-Cathedral of Galatia 26
The Manse of Denandsor 20

The Walls of Denandsor (1)

History: The walls of Denandsor were crafted to withstand any attack, and yet they could do nothing to protect the city in its hour of need.
Appearance: Beaten and weatherworn, the walls of Denandsor have withstood the test of time. Massive beyond belief for many, the walls
were intended not only to defend the city should someone be foolish enough to attack, but also to be a statement of strength and unassailability.
The engineering feat required to craft such a massive and solid piece of unbroken stone, let alone one that still stands after centuries of neglect,
seems to make that statement quite easily.
Central Feature: The most prominent feature of the walls is the gates.
Guardians: The city has long been too low on resources to bother stationing any guardians at the walls.
Stats: The walls have a soak of 24L / 30B and 100 health levels. 100 levels of damage opens a hole large enough for a man to pass through.
Climbing their marred surfaces requires a Dexterity + Athletics (2) test.
Scene 1: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
Five miles outside of the walls, the Miasmas effect can be felt. Shortly thereafter it becomes strong enough to drive away even the bravest
mortal hero (see The Scavenger Lands, pg. 131).
The Gates of Denandsor (2)
History: The Gates of Denandsor were never tested while the city was alive. They were constructed for war but none ever dared attack the City
of Makers for fear of the citizens ingenuity. Since it fell, they have been not needed to be tested. The gates are as they were when the daimyo
unleashed Shamira: wide open and welcoming to all comers.
Appearance: The arches of Denandsors gates are tall enough to accommodate any manner of creature that might be used for transport or
trade, as well as any vehicle likely to try to pass through them. Likewise, they are wide enough for three yeddim to pass through
simultaneously.
Guardians: The city has long been too low on resources to bother stationing any guardians at the gates.
Stats: The gates have a soak of 30L / 40B and 150 health levels. 150 levels of damage opens a hole large enough for a man to pass through.
Climbing their marred surfaces requires a Dexterity + Athletics (2) test. However, as they stand wide open, this toughness has not mattered in
centuries.
Transportation District (3)
History: The Solar Deliberative looked to Denandsor for more than just trinkets and fineries. A large part of Creation's trade rested on the
shoulders of vessels created here, and an even larger part depended on moving the aforementioned trinkets from one side of the world to the
other. Because of this, the City of Maker's transportation district was many-faceted. Along with simple mooring and resupply, Denandsor
offered creation and repair of some of the most magnificent air ships ever to grace Creation.
Appearance: The transportation district is marked by incredibly tall spires, stretching far above every other building in the city. Each spire
ends in a skyhook, or several skyhooks on metal "branches" for those spires intended to hold smaller craft. Likewise, the buildings on the
ground are much larger than the buildings in other districts (barring the Wyld-District itself). These construction yards and dry docks were the
heart of the shipping industry for Denandsor. The PCs can see dozens of small first age flying craft docked, and many more that have fallen
below onto the ground that are heavily damaged and various wreckage is spattered everywhere. (These are mostly Chariots of the Infinite
Heavens)

4
Central Feature: In the center of the district lies a huge square field of shining steel 500 yards per side. A large but intricate pattern of bronze,
opal, and jet lines shows traffic lanes for vessels of various size to land and take off. In this field, the PCs can see a damaged Deliberative
Class Airliner (think Ocean Liner) simply a massive behemoth in size, this vessel sailed around creation as a Tourist Vessel for the ultra
Wealthy in the High First Age. In the Low First Age, it was used as a military cargo/troop transport vessel. Repair Rating: 5. It will require
significant time to repair, as its bulk is too massive to fit in any workshop. It will however, fit in a large enough Factory Cathedral. (however, it
needs to be fixed enough to be moved in one)

Investigation inside
will reveal many dead and very well equipped mortal (easily 1000 gunzosho & ashigaru outfits, excellent quality weapons and shock lances)
terrestrial soldiers. (Dozens of SHP, AP, Daiklaives & various weapons, essence cannons, Common and Noble WSs, unique ingredients,
common alchemical ingredients, jade, silver, bits of starmetal, soulsteel, orichalcum, and moonsilver, terrestrial power armor, etc.) The ship
itself has no natural repair rating, however the Dozen Lightning Ballistae and Medium Implosion Bows do. Further investigation reveals that
the ship was unaffected by the contagion (and stayed aloft to avoid it), and were heading to fight the fair folk and were flying over Denandsor
when the recording abruptly ends)
Guardians: As replacement units have dwindled over the centuries, the transportation district's supply of guardians has dwindled as well
(mostly due to the warbirds). It can call upon the HTR teamof the entertainment district if the pilots prove not to be up to the task of caging in
trespassers.
Scene 1: Entrance and Role-playing Challenge
Finding one's way into the transportation district is simple. Directly off the main road from the Southeast gate, one merely need walk near or fly
over to see the area and the single gate leading in. This gate, and the fence it grants access though, is made of gleaming steal and has 20 soak
and hardness, as well as 30 health levels. Built to make screening visitors and cargo easier, the only gate in or out of the district is guarded by a
bureaucrat-bot named Serb.
Serb protects the gate like a mother hen, whirring to life whenever a living organism approaches within 30 feet of the entrance to the district.
He politely requests the visitor's papers if they are entering, or their manifests and passes if they are leaving. Should the person be unable to
provide them, he will summon a patrol of guardians. If the visitor is merely unable to provide the paperwork, they will be used as intimidation
first. If combat does break out, Serb's self-preservation algorithms are keen. He has no attacks capable of threatening an Exalt, nor can he
withstand any but the weakest of hits (Soak 2L/2B, 3 health levels). However, his DV is 7 and he will make the best use of cover possible,
hiding inside his office for 100% cover, (DV 11) then using furnishings for 90% cover (DV 10) until help arrives.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
Beneath the air strip lies the true treasure of the transportation district. It is here that repairs and new construction happened, and where master
shipwrights from all over Creation came to gaze in awe at the work of Alem Tor. Finding the entrances is easy, one merely needs to traverse
the outer section of the wall to come to a door marked "No Admittance" in Old Realm. Should one successfully bypass the locks (Wits +
Larceny, difficulty 7), one can then enter the under-tunnels of the Transportation district. Alternatively, a massive double door opens outward to
allow vessels to be brought in for repair, but opening it from the outside would require a feat of strength with a combined Strength + Athletics
total of 50. This underground area contains a dozen Flawless (+2 dice to crafting rolls) workshop and a 4 Dot workshop for repairs. (only +1

5
diff) Also down here is the hearthstone to the Level 4 Air Manse in Alem Tors personal workshop.
From beneath the air strip the metal ground cover is transparent, allowing easy viewing of damaged vessels. Beneath there, one finds the
hallways and workshops, as well as the activated defense systems of the airstrip. Finding the route to Alem's labs is an extended Intellegence +
Survival (5, 25, ten minutes) test. Each interval encounters a single difficulty 6 trap.
Scene 3: Red Herring
Inside a warehouse can be found the half-destroyed husk of a Manta Class Transport (WotLA pg. 37). Though incredibly valuable, it is highly
damaged and will require a medium sized repair crew to rebuild it, along with materials that can be found in the rest of the city.
Scene 4: Conflict
Leaving the underground area is much harder than getting in. Though the traps found on the way in will not be much of a threat, Alem Tor
reprogrammed two warbirds for defense. One has the weaponry listed for anti-infantry work, while the other is armed for aerial dueling. Both
are piloted by a pilot automaton.
Pilot Automaton
These pilots defend the airstrip and underground complex, ensuring that nobody leaves with stolen gear. They maintain as much distance as
possible and focus on flying foes first. If the pilot or vehicle is reduced to 5 health levels or less, it will attempt a ram attack versus the slowestseeming target.
One is armed with a warstrider fire lance, while the other two are armed with an implosion bow.
Charm
Attribute
Augmentation
Accelerated
Response System
Multi-Armed
Frame
Cross-Phase
Scanner
Reaction
Enhancers
Celerity-Enabling
Module
Essence Shield
Projector

Cost
2+m

Aim-Calibrating
Sensors
Dedicated
Harmonic
Targeting

1+m

2m
-

Type
Reflexive
(Step 1)
Reflexive
(Step 2)
-

2m / Simple
sense
2m/die Reflexive

Duration
(Essence)
Actions
Instant

Effect
Add one dot per 2 motes to Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina. Up to the base attribute can
be added.
Allows a single parry or dodge at full DV.

Lower multi-action penalties by two.

One Scene Every two motes attunes one of the guards senses to the spiritual, allowing them to
sense immaterial beings. No ability to affect them is granted.
Instant
Adds one die per 2 motes spent to Join Battle, to a maximum of Wits (6) dice.

5m, 1w Extra-Action Instant

1+m,
1+w

3m

Grants Essence (4) extra physical actions. Total DV penalty is the highest of the actions
taken.
Simple
One Scene Increases armor soak by +1L/+1B per mote spent. Can also create a shield that grants +1
DV per 2 motes spent. No more than Stamina + Essence (11) motes can be spent
activating the projector, and activating in both modes requires 2 Willpower rather than 1.
Supplemental Instant
Each mote negates one die of environmental penalties. Each 2 motes negates one point
of external penalties from environmental effects.
Supplemental Instant
The augmented missile can strike no one and nothing but the target, ignoring cover and
bystanders.

Join Battle: 11 Attacks:

Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 19, Damage 12L (16L with a dive), Defense -, Rate 1
Ram: Speed 6, Accuracy 16, Damage 22L (to target, pilot, and warbird), Defense -, Rate 1
Fire Lance (Streamer): Speed 4, Accuracy 17, Damage 18L, Defense -, Range 250, Rate 2, 15 motes of fuel in reservoir
Fire Lance (Fan): Speed 5, Accuracy 19 (cannot be blocked), Damage 12L (up to 20' diameter), Defense -, Range 125, Rate 1, 15 motes of fuel
in reservoir
Medium Essence Cannon: Speed 5, Accuracy 16, Damage 20BP, Defense -, Range 125, Rate 1, 30 motes in reservoir
- human sized targets roll [Dexterity or Stamina] + Athletics (3) or be knocked back 4 yards and prone, difficulty is 1 for horse sized creatures,
or 5 for very small ones.
Soak: 18L/23B (Armor plating, 15L/17B, Hardness: 8L/8B) Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 7 (+1 height, +2 cover from below or +1 cover from other directions) Willpower: 10 (0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal
of authority)
Essence: 3 Motes: 30 (regains 4 motes per hour, or 6 motes per minute when plugged into a precinct house)
Speed: 60/120mph (180/360mph in steep dive)

6
Maneuverability: +3R (Lore 1, Ride 2), 16 dice for maneuvers, Ride DV =(7+6+3+3)/2=10
Endurance: Tied into the city's power grid, and will not operate outside of the city without modifications and a level 2+ hearthstone.
Armor: 10L/15B Health Levels: U/ U/ U/ U/ U/ U/ U/ U/ U/ U/ M/ M/ M/ M/ M/ C/ C/ C/ C/ I/ I/ D
M (Minor Damage): 1/2 speed and maneuverability, -1 external penalty to piloting rolls
C (Critical Damage): 1/4 speed, Maneuverability 0, -3 external penalty to piloting rolls, piloting rolls necessary to avoid crashing
Other Notes: Riders have 75% cover from below and 50% cover from all other directions. First Age models have cannon weapons and do not
need maintenance.
Scene 5: Plot Twist
Atop the spires of the airstrip is a rating 4 Air manse. It has Habilitability and Geomantic Relay , and with all points being
dedicated to the Manse of Denandsor. The hearthstone is a Stone of Air-Walking (Oadenol's 88). Any attempt to access the blue jade shell of
the manse without prominently displaying the hearthstone will attract the warbirds if they have not already been destroyed.
The true treasure lies within the workshop where a Sky chariot was being repaired. The craftsman Alem Tor, cousin to Mobellus, keeps plans
for many vessels. His records include design documents for first Age versions of almost every skyship created in Denandsor. (All from WotLA,
and beyond.) There are also much-read plans for the superior Kireeki class Skyreme designs, though building one is another matter entirely.
(4) Talisman Row
History: Though not as lucrative as the artifact trade, nor as popular as jewels and furniture, the art of thaumaturgy did not go ignored in the
City of Makers. Thaumaturgists who were not up to the competitive nature of the trade in Sperimin came to Denandsor to ply their trade. If
they were good enough.
Appearance: Most of the buildings are empty except for dust, having been filled with organic furniture and ingredients. A few even rotted
away themselves, having been grown as biological homes for the most naturalist of the craftsmen.
Central Feature: The most prominent feature in the thaumaturgy district is the Dome of Astrology. One hundred yards on a side, the dome was
home to great workers of the Art of Astrology. Inside is a clockwork marvel: a planetarium capable of tracking the skies of Creation and the
constant rise and fall of stars within it.
Guardians: With Fruggio the last known citizen of the city, the patrols around his home have been beefed up. Talisman row sports three shifts
of three patrols each, and an extra unit in the High Threat Response Team.
Scene 1: Red Herring
Most of the thaumaturgical materials have been lost to time, having long since rotted despite the preservatives. Those which consisted solely of
inorganic parts still remain, and all manner of charms and ungeants can be found.
Scene 2: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
Stalking the streets of the thaumaturgical district is Peleps Fruggio, an insane Dragon-Blooded survivor. Kept alive by potions and oils, he is
addicted to the ___ and is rarely found far from the source: an automated system that condenses the ingredients he finds in the crystal and glass
district. It is these liquids that give him life and the mental strength to resist the miasma, so he does whatever he needs to in order to defend
them from all interlopers. As the sole surviving citizen of Denandsor, he can be of great service if somehow cured, but doing so will be
difficult, as he will call a patrol as soon as he encounters anything alive, and will fight as tenaciously as his thaumaturgically enhanced Valor
would suggest.
Scene 3: Plot Twist
The true treasure of this district lies within the tomes and personal data assistants found throughout the region. A dedicated searcher can find
procedures for all of the thaumaturgical rituals in the Exalted core rulebook and Oadenol's Codex. So well laid out are these procedures that the
experience cost for learning them is only 2/3 normal.
For thaumaturgists, the Dome of Astrology is also a major find. So accurate are its measurements that it counts as a perfect tool (granting +3
dice), and any stunts performed using it grant successes rather than bonus dice.
Peleps Fruggio
Peleps Fruggio is a haggard man. Though thaumaturgic potions keep him alive well beyond his years, his body is wracked by an unnatural
combination of youth and age. Cracked and leather skin covers a well-toned body, both of which do little to hone his warped mind. Centuries of
addiction to Celestial Lions Blood (see below), reliance on Age Negating Elixir (see below), and living within the Miasma have destroyed his
spirit. Now Fruggio is a shell of a man, living only to live another day, and seeing anyone and everything that is not one of his automaton allies
as a villainous fiend come to steal his secrets.

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Motivation: Live forever.
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5; Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2; Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 3, Valor 2 Abilities: Athletics 5, Awareness 3, Craft 3 (Water +3), Dodge 6 (Traps +2),
Integrity 5, Investigation 3 (Searching for ingredients +2), Larceny 3, Linguistics 2 (Native: Old Realm; Forest-tongue, High Realm), Martial
Arts 1, Melee 6 (katar +2), Occult 5 (Alchemy +3), Presence 2, Resistance 4, Stealth 3 (Urban +3), Survival 5, Thrown 5 (Automatons +3)
Powers / Abilities
Automatons: Fruggio has lived in Denandsor for a looong time, and in that time he has managed to acquire three automaton assassins (WotLA
p. 101). Only one of them is a five-dot assassin capable of inject mote-disrupting venom. The other two are three-dot versions with standard
venom. He typically deploys these as thrown weapons with a -3 accuracy penalty (stats below). A successful hit indicates that the assassin has
latched onto the target and bitten them, effectively letting them use Fruggios accuracy in place of their own on their primary attack.
Citizenship: Citizenship in Denandsor has its privileges, especially when youre the only one. If Fruggio is damaged by violence, or if he calls
out to them, a patrol of guardians will arrive and Join Battle 1d10 ticks later.
Thaumaturgic Spoils of Denandsor: Fruggio has access to the wealth of potions and talismans of the district. Celestial Lions Blood and Age
Negating Elixir keep him alive and living here, but they are just a touch of what he can access. At any given time he will also have two
draughts of an inorganic compound similar to Celestial Wine, a dose of Final Vengeance (OC 131), a dose of Draught of Blessed Respite (OC
130) used once per week to get a truly restful sleep, Eagles Eye Potions for all five senses (OC 130), three capsules of Ardent Embrace Resin
(OC 131), a Magnificent Antivenin (OC 131), three doses of 8-Scream Devil Powder (WotLA 74). He also has talismans against every possible
creature type, though he usually does not bother to carry one. Finally, he has a good luck charm which will prevent two botches, and a
walkaway charm which will negate three damage from a single attack.
Charm
Cost
Type
DurationEffect
Air Anima
0 or 5m Scene
Triple leap distance, +6 DV vs. Thrown and Archery attacks
First (Ability)
1m/2
Reflexive (Step
+2 dice per mote, up to (Ability) dice. Melee, Dodge, Athletics, Larceny, Thrown,
Instant
Excellency
dice
1 or 2)
Survival, Occult
Whirlwind Shield
3m
Simple
Scene
-6 dice from ranged attacks
Form
Deadly Blades of the 3m /
Create up to 6 weapons, all with full dice pool. A hit target is at -2 dice to their next
Simple
Instant
Five Dragons
weapon
action from buffeting winds.
Air Armor Technique 5m
Simple
Scene
+5L/5B armor soak, +3 more vs. ranged
Essence Disruption
Awareness + Essence (3), then Willpower + Essence (their Essence) to add 1 + 1/extra
4+m, 1w Simple
30 ticks
Attack
mote (max 6) to the cost of all charms used by the target
Safety Among
Reflexive (Step
4m, 1w
Instant If DV = targets pool, attack misses and is aimed at another target.
Enemies
2)
Elemental Defense
Negates archery attacks, unarmed attackers take 4 bashing levels, +2 to soak vs. non6m
Simple
Scene
Technique
magical materials, and +2 DV vs. hand-to-hand attacks
Unassailable Body of
Reflexive (Step
4m, 1w
Instant Perfectly dodge an attack not made from Earth or a large Overwhelming weapon.
Air
5)
Unassailable Body of
Reflexive (Step
5m, 1w
Instant Perfectly dodge an attack not made of fire.
Wood
5)
When an unassailable body is use, can explode doing 6L levels to all in 30 yards, and
Evasive Elemental
Permanent
subtracting 2 dice from their next action. After the damage is dealt, can reform
Dispersion
anywhere in the radius.
These are only the most prominent of Fruggios combat charms. He also has all prerequisites for the above charms, as well as an arsenal of
larceny and survival-oriented charms, which have helped him to survive alone in the Empty city for centuries.
Join Battle: 7 Attacks:
Gloves of Martial Readiness: Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 11L, Defense 10 (includes +2 cover), Rate 3
Deadly Blades: Speed 5, Accuracy 19, Damage 11L, Defense -, Rate 1-6
Soak: 20L/18B (Pierced: 13L/12B; Silken Armor 5L/3B, Discreet Essence Armor 5L/5B, Air Armor 5L/5B, Hardness: 2L/2B) Health
Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 10 (includes +2 cover), gets +1 DDV vs. traps Willpower: 8 Essence: 6 Motes: 48 (60)
(5) Energy Particle Research Laboratory
History: Denandsor claims home to the finest energy particle research lab ever devised. It is here that the smallest particle of matter, the mote,
was discovered. And it is here that scientists attempted to break the mote down smaller to see what it was composed of, a theoretical particle
called, somewhat whimsically, narrativium. It was believed that narrativium is the portion of the mote which responds to the will of an Essence
user, thus following that being's personal narrative.
The lab was shut down shortly after the Usurpation, and marked as off limits to everyone and everything. The subjects being researched here,

8
and the dangers involved in the particle accelerator, were too great to risk. Now death traps and powerful guardians lie between the doors and
anyone wishing to recreate those experiments.
Appearance: The outside of the lab is crystal and silver, like the buildings around it. However, it is a small, squat building unlike most of the
rising spires of Denandsor. Surrounding it, raised on crystalline stilts, is the ten foot diameter donut-like heart of the particle accelerator.
Central Feature: The most prominent feature of the energy Particle Research lab is the accelerator, a jade, orichalcum, and moonsilver.
Currently silent like the rest of the city, it hums to life when in use, resonating with the surrounding buildings to play a crescendo of glorious
song as the experiment draws closer to fruition.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The doors to the laboratory are barred, double-locked, and reinforced. The old realm danger markings (Intelligence + Linguistics (2) to
recognize) proclaim no admittance for everyone and point to the presence of dangerous magical contaminants. The multiple locks require three
separate Intelligence + Larceny checks at difficulties of 5, 6, and 7 respectively. Failing one sends a silent alarm which will summon two
patrols of guardians, and causes an inner blast door to fall down, making entry much more difficult should the locks be successfully
disengaged.
The complex itself is a network of five interconnected rating 1 elemental manses (one per element). Each was built with reduced Hearthstone
, Geomantic Relay (2 to the lab, 1 to the city's manse, and Network Node . A rating 2 Sidereal manse with Geomantic Node (10) connects
them all. The central manse's hearthstone is set into the experiment's control panel, and is a Gem of Omens. The manse itself has the following
qualities: Self-Stabilizing , Network Node (10), Archive (, Essence Flow), Mela's Sweet Whisper , Central Control , and Ability
Enlightenment (, Occult, Lore, Craft (Magitech), and Socialize).
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
The experiment was shut down just prior to being run, but will require some work to understand and get it up and running again. Deciphering
the notes and determining the goal of the experiment requires an extended Intelligence + Craft (Magitech) roll at difficulty 3 which requires 20
threshold successes. The interval for this test is one hour. After that, reconstructing the experiment itself is fairly easy, requiring only a single
successful Perception + Investigation check at difficulty 4 to find the notes and an Intelligence + Larceny check, difficulty 5, to get them from
the locked case.
Scene 3: Red Herring
The notes indicate that starting the experiment requires the expenditure of 10 motes from the lead scientist. While this is true, the notes do not
mention that this will begin a chain reaction which will drain the scientist of all of their motes. This is a normal and expected result, but was
inadvertently left out of the notes and may cause a wary individual to cancel the experiment before it can get fully underway.
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
Should the experiment reach its expected conclusion, the crescendo of sound outside will reach a climax and then stop abruptly as the nighindestructible ring of the particle accelerator shatters and explodes, hurling debris out as far as a mile and laying waste to the entire
neighborhood. Worse than this, the unforeseen result of the successful experiment is the knowledge that narrativium does exist, and it responds
to the will of Essence-users because it is alive. The energy release from the experiment disrupts the energy of the surrounding area, causing the
underlying narrativium to be stripped bare of its usual essence shell. Naked and scared, the narrativium combines into a conglomerate ooze-like
entity and seeks out any essence users it can find in order to drain them of their motes through an unintentionally deadly process. If not
stopped, the Basal Aggregate Narrativium Entity will eventually expand to cover Denandsor, drawing curious explorers, and expanding further
when those explorers are essence users which can also be devoured.
B.A.N.E.
The Basal Aggregate Narrativium Entity, or B.A.N.E., is created through disastrous success while seeking to collide motes at high enough
velocity to break them apart and discover their component parts. This amorphous mass of barely visible matter is hungry for essence, and will
not stop unless destroyed or satiated. And it is never satiated.
Attributes: Strength 0, Dexterity 10, Stamina 6; Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 1; Perception 6, Intelligence 1, Wits 5 Virtues:
Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 1, Valor 3
Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 3, Dodge 6, Integrity 5, Martial Arts 7, Resistance 4, Stealth 6
Special Abilities
Glop: The B.A.N.E.s touch violently rips motes out of Essence users, causing damage and feeding the creature in the process. A successful hit
drains the target of 5 motes, plus one mote per threshold success. Only soak derived from the five magical materials can prevent this mote
drain, and the B.A.N.E. will always drain a minimum number of motes equal to its essence or the amount the target has remaining. The
B.A.N.E. gains these motes for itself, though it has no charms to use them on. Each five motes gained increases its radius by one foot, and each
fifteen motes gained increases its essence by one. In addition, the violent removal of a targets essence causes excruciating pain and ruptures
cells. For each mote lost, the target suffers one die of bashing damage. This damage can only be soaked with natural sources.

9
Physical Immunity: The B.A.N.E. is completely immune to physical harm from any artifact weapon. Essence-based weapons which strike it are
drained of motes equal to their attunement cost, feeding the B.A.N.E. as mentioned above and breaking the attunement. An unattuned weapon
can still be used, but its accuracy bonus drops drastically (by at least 3, but the amount depends on the size of the weapon). Ranged attacks
which are fueled by essence likewise do no damage, and feed the B.A.N.E. a number of motes equal to half the cost of each shot.
A B.A.N.E. can be dispersed by interaction with effects designed to channel motes. The primary method is to touch it with a hearthstone,
causing a reversed polarity shift which pushes parts of the creature through the conduit and into the manse which generated the stone. This
causes minor damage to the manses hearth room (Repair 1 to fix), and destroys the hearthstone in the process (though it can be regrown). It
also deals a number of levels of damage to the B.A.N.E. equal to the rating of the hearthstone. A weapon with an embedded hearthstone can
cause this effect, otherwise it can be accomplished with a hit from a thrown attack.
Join Battle: 8 Attacks: Glop: Speed 4, Accuracy 19, Damage 5 motes, Defense -, Rate 2
Soak: 0L/0B Health Levels: -0/-0/-0/-0/-0/-0/-0/-0/-0/-0/Incap
Dodge DV: 9 Willpower: 6 Essence: 2 Motes: 0
Scene 5: Reward
Rumination over the implications of the experiment (Intelligence + Magitech (4)) will enable an involved scientist or one with detailed notes to
devise a new form of artifact, capable of increasing the communication levels between an essence user and the narrativium around them. A
four-dot artifact built using blue jade, moonsilver, and orichalcum, this headset enables an attuned wearer to spend one willpower as a
miscellaneous action to open a mental channel to the narrativium in the surrounding area. With his interaction with the underlying structure of
motes thus enhanced, all charms and artifact activations performed during the current scene have their costs reduced by one to a minimum of
one. Attunement costs 5 motes.
(6) Crystal and Glass District
History: The crystal and glass district is much like the rest of the craft districts, except in appearance. Separated geographically in order to
meld better with the aesthetics of the city, the district was (as can be expected) home to the greatest crystal and glass crafters of the First Age.
Here such wonders as the control panels of sky chariots and recorders of everlasting glories were created and can be found.
Appearance: Today the district is in disarray, as it becomes harder and harder for Peleps Fruggio to find the ingredients he needs to make his
life- and valor-sustaining potions. Shattered shards of broken walls and windows line the sidewalks, and many buildings stand empty and open,
their non-magical treasures ripe for the picking.
Central Feature: The glass and crystal district radiates out from a central spire, the manse of the Enlightened Craftsman.
Guardians: the Crystal and Glass district has no guardians assigned to it. Over the centuries Fruggio has slowly destroyed them from surprise,
and the Abyssals led by Harbinger of the Ghost-Cold Winds recently destroyed the HTR team.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The entrances to the manse are nigh-indestructible, with 100 health levels required to break a hole, and 21L/29B soak. The lock requires a
difficulty 7 Wits + Larceny roll to bypass, with failure alerting a guardian patrol.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
Two of the manse's traps (see below) must be bypassed to reach the control room. If any are set off, a patrol of guardians is summoned.
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
The circle of Abyssals currently exploring the city have come to the crystal and glass district to find the cause for the recent destruction and see
if it is a tool or a threat. Though they haven't found Fruggio yet, they have set up camp in this manse, and will do their best to cause trouble for
anyone entering the district. Their actions depend entirely on how careful the party is, but they will avoid death at all costs, preferring a guerilla
war if the circle is stronger than them (or anywhere near their power level).
Scene 5: Plot Twist or reward
The manse has the following powers: (Earth, 3 Dots)
Well-Flavored Aspect, granting a +1 die bonus to an Earth-aspected hearthstone bearer
Ability Enlightenment, giving the manse four automatic successes for Craft (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water)
Minor Tricks and Traps, including difficulty 2/5 traps such as trapdoors that imprison the intruder until guardians arrive, and a
springing pallet that catapults a victim out of the workroom and through a hole in the ceiling, where a 20 yard fall awaits.
A central control room where the hearthstone bearer can activate or deactivate the defenses, and interact with the manse through a
control panel, setting it to reserach or design using its innate abilities.

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The hearthstone used to rest in a jade hearthstone amulet next to a workbench. The owner's body has long since disintegrated, but the halffinished flask he was working on would be worth a resources 5 purchase if finished [Craft (Earth) difficulty 5, total of 20 threshold successes
needed, 1 week interval]. It now resides in Bard of Unwelcome Morning's pocket.
(7) The Tomb District
History: As with all things, even Lawgivers and their mates die. When they died in Denandsor and had no prior arrangements, it was up to the
Tombs District to grant them an eternal home. Most craftsmen designed their own tombs, but when that was not the case, a city-wide contest
was held for the honor of creating the most intricate and deadly resting place possible.
Appearance: Despite the varied nature of the tombs themselves, great pain was taken to ensure that the overall look and feel of the district was
not disjointed. As such, a few of the more egregious offenses against uniformity were built underground. The worst offender, the Calibration
Tomb, was banished from the city altogether except during the days of Calibration, when its dcor was more fitting.
Central Feature: The Tomb District has no outstanding central feature. Rather, each tomb is in its own area, and is the most prominent piece
of landscape there.
Guardians: Self-defending as it is, the Tomb District has a much smaller retinue of guards, and they are tasked only with attacking any who
would attempt to vandalize a tomb. Grave robbers are welcome, and not hindered as long as they restrain themselves to tombs designed by the
occupant. It was deemed a failure of the craftsman should a tomb be despoiled, and that failure is its own punishment.
Tomb of Night
History: There is no Tomb of Night in Denandsor. It certainly looks like there is, but Leland Bjor did not wish for his final resting place to be
so mundane. Instead he bankrupted himself and his family to find, build a gate to, and then protect a powerful manse deep in the Southern
Desert. Surrounding the gate in a bubble of impenetrable darkness, he was then ready for death, knowing that his manse's guardian would kill
those few workers entrusted with the secret of its location once they had brought his remains through. Though their bindings have long since
fallen, the powerful spirits set to guard the manse now see it as their home, and are loathe to allow and strangers in.
Appearance: In Denandsor, the Tomb of Night looks like nothing more than a solid black ball of lightlessness in the middle of a featureless
field.
Central Feature: Though it cannot be seen, even with magical sight, the Tomb's central feature is a circular Gate of Auspicious Passage that
almost silently hums to life whenever a creature enters the protective bubble of darkness around it.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The bubble of blackness encircling the Tomb cannot be seen through by any means. Even sorcerous sight is blocked by the sheer power
involved in removing all light from an area for all eternity. Those viewing it with sorcerous sight can decipher that it is merely the cessation of
light and sound and is not, in and of itself, dangerous.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
Four feet inside the bubble of blackness, an explorer steps through the gate and finds himself thousands of miles to the South and deep beneath
the earth. A second bubble extends here, however, so this is only noticable to those who have some magical means of determining their location
in Creation. Those passing through with sorcerous sight will see the flavor of the motes in the air around them change to be aspected closer to
Fire and Earth, but that is unlikely to give anything away (Wits + the lower of Occult and Survival, difficulty 5). Those who have been in
Denandsor longer than a day will notice the immediate cessation of the Miasma's effects, which may provide a clue that they have travelled (+2
dice to the check).
Scene 3: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
Another few steps in and the trap is sprung. The protection of the darkness and silence ceases abruptly as the intruder finds himself in a brightly
lit cavern, besieged by the Hidden Oasis's guardians, The Brothers Incongruous. The Brothers begin by by blocking off escape and cutting any
lifelines.

11

The Brothers Incongruous

Summoned to Creation, warped by powerful sorcery, and bound as Guardians for the Hidden Oasis, The Brothers Incongruous were once
powerful elementals on their way to becoming respected lesser dragons. Their century of servitude to Leland Bjor has left them out of touch
with Heaven. They spend most days relearning the ropes and the new power structures of Yu-Shan in the hopes of regaining their former glory.
Their nights are spent in their home in the Hidden Oasis.
Should the alarms be tripped, Jirlee and Kir'tuk are immediately alerted that intruders have entered the darkness of the Tomb of Night, and they
Hurry Home immediately to defend it against intruders. The instant an intruder leaves the darkness, any lifelines he has are cut by the most
appropriate brother's elemental control whether it be burnt through, cut by a metallic blade, or warped itself if they chose to use a metallic
means of finding their way back home. Having already formed into a unit, the brothers will then fight tooth and nail to ensure that the prize
they slaved away in boredom for centuries stays theirs. Whichever brother wears the hearthstone will initially act as commander, with the other
acting as a hero.
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 8, Stamina 7; Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3; Perception 6, Intelligence 4, Wits 7
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 2, Valor 5 Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 4, Dodge 4, Integrity 3, Investigation 2,
Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: Flametongue, Forest-tongue, Riverspeak) 3, Lore 1, Martial Arts 4 (Claws +3), Medicine 1, Melee 7
(appropriate weapon +3), Occult 3, Presence 4 (Intimidation +3), Resistance 4, Thrown 4 (Axe +2), War 3
Charms:
Affinity (Element) ControlEarth (Jalree), Fire (Kir'tuk)
Destiny SponsorshipA Brother Incongruous cannot die permanently unless the other brother is killed as well. He will rise the next dawn fully
healed.
Divine Prerogative The Brothers Incongruous cannot be swayed from their guardianship
Essence Plethora10 extra motes
Translocate The Brother changes place with his sibling. This may be accompanied by a reflexive Charisma + War (Magnitude - Drill) roll to
become the commander of a unit being run by the targetted brother.
Intrusion-Sensing Method The Brothers sense when an intruder steps on or otherwise touches their element.
Landscape Travel Both brothers can swim through lava as if it were water.
Principle of MotionEach brother maintains up to 9 banked actions
Sheathing the Material FormResists heat and flame (Kir'tuk) or metal (Jalree)
Sworn Brothers' Oath As part of their agreed servitude, Jirlee and Kirtuk repeatedly swore oaths to protect and defend the other, giving them
an Oathbond rating of 10 as described in the Manual of Exalted Powers: Dragon-Blooded (p. 122). Should one of them somehow violate the
oath, the anima power of an Essence 5 Zenith (who is long since reincarnated) will enforce 5 botches at some point in the near future.
Join Battle: 11
Attacks:
Flaming Green Jade Reaper Daiklave (Kir'tuk): Speed 3, Accuracy 21, Damage 12L, Parry DV 9, Rate 3
Ultra-heavy Red Jade Grand Grimcleaver (Jirlee ): Speed 6, Accuracy 19, Damage 24LP, Parry DV 8, Rate 2
Soak: 14L/16B (reinforced starmetal breastplate, 10L/9B, Hardness: 7L/7B, -1 mobility penalty, 1 fatigue)
-- applies a -1 external penalty to rolled damage
-- If Jirlee wears the hearthstone, those attacking him with a weapon must make a Willpower (3) test or drop it. If they succeed, they take
1L/action, Trauma 1.
-- If Kir'tuk wears the hearthstone, his movement rate is halved (round down), and all damage dice rolled against him are also halved (roll up).

12
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Dodge DV: 8 Willpower: 9 Essence: 5 Essence Pool: 100
Dual Earth Fire Manse 4 Dots: (Powers Great Veil of Shadow, Comfort Zone, Magical Conveniences)
Stone of Solid Fire This red-hot stone does not burn anyone who is attuned to the manse, but any who are not and touch it take 4L heat
damage per action (Trauma 3). To an attuned bearer with the hearthstone socketed, it can take on either the aspect of a Fire Dragon's Scale
(Oadenol's Codex p. 93) or a Gemstone of the White Jade Tree. Changing the stone's aspect is a miscellaneous action that requires an
Intelligence + Occult or Lore (2) test.
When Jirlee bears the stone, he typically has it constantly set to the Fire aspect, whereas Kir'tuk prefers to have the stone in its earthen form.
Scene 4: Plot Twist or reward
The manse and its unique hearthstone are the only records to be found in the Tomb of Night, all other valuables belonging to the Bjor clan having been sold or traded in order to
build it. However, apart from the uniqueness of a dual-aspected manse, the process by which it was created can be divined through study of its geomancy with an extended
Intelligence + Lore test (3, 60 threshold successes, one month). This will allow the character to create other dual-aspected manses through applied geomancy, albeit at +1 difficulty.
A dual-aspected manse produces a single dual-aspected hearthstone whose rating is two dots below what would normally be created by the manse (minimum 0). Changing between
aspects requires a miscellaneous action and a successful Intelligence + Lore (2) check. The PCs will find themselves on the hard east edge of the deep southern desert near the
mountain range.

The Garden of Bertrand

History: Bertrand Tolucius was a respected bio-technician focusing on plants and herbal enhancements. He was also a devout Zenith priest of
the Unconquered Sun. His garden tomb reflects that motif in uncharacteristically deadly fashion.
Appearance: The Garden of Bertrand differs greatly in appearance depending on whether it is day or night. At night it is cold and stony,
devoid of life. During the day it overflows with vibrant green vines and brilliant orange flowers.
Central Feature: The most prominent feature of the tomb are the magically altered flowers that grow on it during the day. A single one is so
beautiful and fragrant that a life specimen would sell for Resources 2 to a collector, assuming one could be found capable of surviving the
pollen. If the seller has contacts with assassins or other frequent users of poisons, a single flower would sell for Resources 3 and provide one
dose of the toxic pollen. After death the flowers rapidly decay into rich fertilizer, worth only Resources 1 per pound, though the process itself
might be of interest to a modern bio-magical researcher.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
During the day the outer walls are guarded by beautiful but deadly flowers whose pollen stirs at the slightest breeze and has the following stats:
Name
Damage Toxicity Tolerance Penalty Resources
Bertrand's POllen 4Ll/action 3
-3
3
During the night the outer walls are solid stone, but far from defenseless. An invisible aura stretches out from them to a distance of two yards,
calcifying everything nearby. This is an environmental effect with the following stats:
Name
Damage Trauma
Calcification Field */action 4
Each action that the victim does not resist the Traum of the calcification field he loses one dot of Dexterity. A victim reduced to zero Dexterity
is immediately petrified, his flesh and insides turned permanently to stone. Those who survive regain one dot of Dexterity per day.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
The lock on the tomb door is three layers deep, and each one is progressively harder to bypass, starting at difficulty 4 and finishing at 6. Each
attempt exposes the thief to one dose of pollen or one action within the calcification field.
The door or walls can be destroyed, though they have 18L/21B soak and 80 health levels. Without a weapon longer than six feet long, the thief
will still be forced to endure pollen or the field.
Scene 3: Red Herring
Inside the tomb the opposite spectrum of the outer guardian will be found, thus its walls will sprout pollen-laced flowers during the night or
radiate the intruder with a calcification field during the day. In either case, the danger only extends inward six feet from the wall of the seven
yard square chamber.
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
Should the sarcophagus in the center be disturbed, a magical trap will be sprung, summoning elementals to defend the tomb. During the day
two thunderbirds are summoned, and they have been instructed to perform knockback attacks to ensure their foes strike the walls as often as
possible. This gives them a -2 external penalty to their attacks but doubles the knockback distance. Though not immune to the pollen, these
specific spirits have the Resistance excellency in place of Athletics, and use it liberally.

13
At night, three Jokun are summoned, witht he same knockback instructions. Their earthly nature does not make them immune to the
calcification field, but increases the interval to two action, meaning they must somehow be unable to leave it before it will affect them.
Scene 5: Reward
Apart from the sale of the flowers, raiders of Bertrand's tomb will find little of value. Most of the things Bertrand was buried with were his
biotech creations which were designed to live there for millenia, but died instantly when Sharima unleashed her ultimate defense against the
Contagion. However, there are still a few things remaining.
Bertrand's Resplendent Recorder of Glories was active while he did much of his development. Studying it can cut the interval for designing the
following biogenesis artifacts to days rather than the usual base interval for their rating: Builder Bugs (Artifact 3), Illuthritae (Artifact 5), and
Lodestar (Artifact 5). A prospective crafter would still require biomagitech laboratories (available from the hospital district).

Calibration Tomb
History: The Calibration Tomb was designed during the same contest as the distress signal the daimyo used to summon Sharima. It did not fit
the architecture of the surrounding plots however, and was almost disqualified. However, the ingenuity that went into it was so compelling, and
the designer so well-liked, that it was allowed to stay. However, it is banished to Malfeas except during Calibration, when it reappears in the
Tombs District, fitting the time if not the surrounding buildings.
Appearance: The Calibration Tomb is a spire 300 feet tall made entirely of still-living demonic hands, their claws constantly carrying them up
and over each other, or dragging nearby rivals for the heights down. Because of this, the walls seem to constantly undulate when viewed at a
distance, and any stepping too close are likely to be grabbed.
Central Feature: The gruesome outer wall is the central feature and primary defense of the tomb, constantly grasping for living flesh to tear
apart. There is at least one incident documented in the library where a child on a school outing to the tombs district was caught and torn apart
before his classmates could react. The teacher was fired immediately, but permission slips had been signed so no action was taken against the
builder's estate.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The wall of the tomb constantly tries to grab anyone within a few feet, so that other clawed hands may tear them apart. The entrance to the
tomb is on the solidified vitriol roof, and so grave robbers must contend with the wall. Climbing the tower requires both a Strength + Athletics
(3) test every round to make progress, and a Strength + Martial Arts (5) test every round to not be grabbed. Those who fail the second test are
grabbed, and can look forward to being mauled for 5L environmental damage every round until they escape. Those who fail the first test fall to
the earth unless they also fail the second, in which case they are grabbed and held upside-down, suffering a -2 internal penalty to escape
attempts. Flying to the top is possible, though anyone stepping foot on the surface of the roof without any of the oozey residue from the clawed
walls triggers a blast of wind that deals 15B piercing damage and knocks the flier back 5 yards per point of damage dealt.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
The false entrance on the top is hidden, requiring a Perception + Investigation (3) roll to find. A roll at difficulty 5 finds the true entrance.
Scene 3: Red Herring
Behind the false entrance is a large block of vitriol shaped like a sarcophagus. It is solidified until touched, at which point it turns back to liquid
form and fills the floor of the room to a one foot depth. At the same time, the block of vitriol acting as a cieling liquefies as well, completing
the room's immersion. Those in the room take environmental damage as per an Acid Bath (5L/action, Trauma 5), blinded, and trapped as
another block of solid stone slides into place above them. Escape requires finding the block while blinded (Perception + Investigation,
difficulty 3, with a -2 external penalty for no visibility). Once found, it can be broken through, though it has 15L/21B soak and requires 80
health levels of damage to destroy. Any nonmagical gear covered by the vitriol takes on a demonic aspect pleasing to the Yozis. Gear made
from the Magical Materials has a 1-in-10 chance of being likewise affected, though material made of Moonsilver will revert to its normal form
when next exposed to the light of the full moon.
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
The true crypt is guarded by Sondok, She Who Stands In Doorways, and the Warden Soul of Ligier. She was bound by the Eclipse crafter's oath
to defend the crypt for 5 days out of every year, and in return she would be rewarded with use of the tower while it is banished to Malfeas.
Sondok

14

Ligier crafts many instruments of worth, and he owns many treasures that are precious to him. Sondok, his Warden soul, formed to protect
those things he holds dear. Her demeanor is as cold and hard as her black iron blades, save for when intruders threaten that which is in her care.
Then her anger blazes up like the fires of her progenitors forge.
She is of no great stature, but Sondok looms larger than life, moving with a tigers feral grace. Dried blood streaks her face, her nails are bloodcrusted talons, and her teeth come to points. A black tattoo resembling a birds claw marks her left breast, concealed beneath dark red leathers
and raiment of midnight silk. A decaying brown dog-spirit named Biryu paces endlessly at her heels. Under her golden wolf-ears crown, strung
with braids of garnet twisted like tree roots, her hair forms a cloud of ebon fibers so fine they cannot be distinguished as individual strands. Her
eyes, if one dares look into them, are pools of blood filled with alien stars.
In the South of Creation, a ritual to beckon Sondok is well known to the Yozi-worshiping Cult of Darknesss Unseeing Eye, which she founded
centuries ago. Although political subversion lies beyond her usual domain, she strengthens the cult as best she may, forging it into another
weapon with which to safeguard her makers interests. Only once has She-Who-Stands-In-Doorways shown fondness for anyone born of
Creation. Less than 20 years ago, a Dragon-Blooded sorcerer wooed Sondok and fathered a child upon her. Their daughter, Silla, hides
somewhere in the River Provinceperhaps in Nexus itself. Aside from a birthmark of a birds claw, Silla seems no more than a DragonBlooded girl, but the dying stars of Malfeas know that Sondok can only truly die after being washed in her daughters blood. Sondok guards the
girls identity and location with mad fury. Despite her love for Sillas father, it is said that she killed (or possibly only imprisoned) him to
protect their daughters anonymity.
Summoning: (Obscurity 1/4) Sorcerers summon Sondok to guard their homes and treasures or to train them in the arts of war. On moonless
nights beneath the stars, blood sacrifices in her name open the way for her to enter Creation.
Motivation: To secure those things entrusted to her care. Sondoks Intimacies include whatever currently lies within her care, Ligier and his
treasures, locks, sentinels, the Cult of Darknesss Unseeing Eye, her daughter and the childs father.
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 8, Stamina 7; Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3; Perception 6, Intelligence 4, Wits 7
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 2, Valor 5 Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 4, Dodge 4, Integrity 3, Investigation 2,
Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: Flametongue, Forest-tongue, Riverspeak) 3, Lore 1, Martial Arts 4 (Claws +3), Medicine 1, Melee 7
(Axe +1, Sword +2), Occult 3, Presence 4 (Intimidation +3), Resistance 4, Thrown 4 (Axe +2), War 3 Backgrounds: Allies 1, Backing 3,
Contacts 4, Cult 3, Familiar 1, Followers 3, Resources 2
Charms:
Affinity (Element) ControlEarth, Fire
Destiny SponsorshipSondok cannot die permanently until drenched in her daughters blood
Divine PrerogativeShe-Who-Stands-In-Doorways cannot be swayed from her guardianship
Harrow the MindConvinces intruders to turn back
Intrusion-Sensing MethodSondok knows when her charges are tampered with
Landscape TravelWalk across lava as though it were solid stone
Paper Tiger ArrangementConceals that which Sondok guards
Principle of MotionSondok maintains up to 10 banked actions 5m, 1w
Sheathing the Material FormResists heat and flame
Weather ControlDisperses clouds from the night sky
Words of PowerExcoriates those who would trespass upon that which she wards

15
Join Battle: 11 Attacks:
Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 17, Damage 10L, Parry DV 9, Rate 3
Infernal Straight Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 20, Damage 10L, Parry DV 9, Rate 2
Infernal Axe (melee): Speed 4, Accuracy 18, Damage 12L, Parry DV 7, Rate 2
Infernal Axe (thrown): Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 10L, Rate 2, Range 10
10L/12B vs P
Soak: 16L/18B (Infernal reinforced breastplate, 12L/11B, Hardness: 8L/8B, -1 mobility penalty, 1 fatigue value)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Dodge DV: 9 Willpower: 10 Essence: 5 Essence Pool: 45
Other Notes: When the stars shine down from a cloudless sky, Sondok receives a one-die bonus to all rolls.
Scene 5: Plot Twist or reward
In Malfeas the tower absorbs demonic energy and focuses it onto the rooftop, where any spirit charms used have their mote costs halved and
the user's effective Essence doubled for any effects that depend on Essence. Though unlikely to be useful to non-Infernal PCs, this could be
bartered into a servitude effect as the original crafter did.
In the true tomb lies the sarcophagus of the maker. The body is perfectly preserved by the sarcophagus itself (which functions equally well on
any dead matter and holds up to six and a half feet by three feet by two feet of material), but quite dead. He wears a Resplendent Personal
Assistant but his body itself holds the most valuable treasures in the crypt.
A staunch transhumanist, this tomb's crafter had all four limbs, both eyes, and one ear replaced with prosthetics of clockwork elegance. Though
sized for him, they could be resized with a Medicine (4, 10 total successes, 1 week) test followed by a Craft (Biotech) (3, 10 total successes, 1
week) test. Their enhancements are as follows:
Part Rating Enhancements
+2 to feats of strength using it, +1 Dexterity using it (only applies to attacks with small weapons or in tight quarters where the full
Arms x 2
body cannot be used
+2 to feats of Strength using it which can stack with arms but deals 1 unsoakable level of Bashing damage due to stress, +1 yard
Legs x 2
to all movement rates
Eyes
+1 to visual Perception tests, ignores low-light penalties, and provides Essence Sight for one minute at the cost of one mote.
+1 to audio Pereption tests, allows the character to ignore up to 2 dice worth of distraction or distance penalties to audio
Ear
Perception tests (WotLA p. 85). This allows the user to see through darkness, fog, mist, and other obstructions up to one inch
thick, aleit in surreal hues making color discernment impossible.
Tomb of Keening Spirits
History: Though perhaps even he was not aware of it, Cubub Ogar's first incarnation was called Honest, for he knew the truth of everyone.
Honest's personal truth was avarice, and he studied it like a science. It was this that led him to force his way into the Black Nadir concordant
and wrest the secrets of Necromancy from the first of the Neverborn. And though his past name may have died, Cubub Ogar's lust for power
and curiosity of the Underworld drove him in his last life as well. A necromancer of great skill, unbelievable to many, Cubub Ogar had a secret,
and it was buried with him.
Appearance: The Tomb of Keening spirits looks almost exactly like the mausoleums of the least influencial residents of the tomb district.
Were it not for the ring of twelve black-robed specters that sing ancient tales of death and pain around it every night, it would not be noticed
amidst the throng of non-Solar tombs.
Central Feature: The spirits that surround the tomb are draped in black robes that barely hide their pale hands. Their voices rise in a constant
cycle of the same fourteen epic tales, constantly sung and audible from a block away.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The first thing a tomb raider must overcome is the singing of the specters. This consists of a droning that puts anyone who both hears it and
sees the specters to sleep for an hour unless they have a mental Dodge DV of 8 or higher. Those who succumb and do not have a Dodge MDV
or 6 or higher will never awaken unless forced (by sustaining at east one level of Lethal damage).
Keening Spirits
The guardians of the Tomb of Keening Spirits are necromantically altered Mortwights, given greater strength, horns, wings, and an increased
potency in the realms of Creation.
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5; Charisma 2, Manipulation 4, Appearance 1; Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4 Virtues:
Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 1, Valor 4 Abilities: Archery 2, Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 2 (Chains +3), Dodge 4,
Integrity 2, Martial Arts 4, Occult 1, Performance 1 (Ghastly Displays +3), Presence 3 (Torture +2), Stealth 2, Survival 1 (Training Hungry
Ghosts +3), War 3

16
Arcanoi

Cost Type

Duration

Effect
Simple
Moons
One night per
2m
(Speed 3,
See in Darkness as in full moonlight
Cold Glow
success
DV -0)
Black
Fills a 10' radius sphere with inky blackness, which blinds all but ghosts. Can be brought down
8m
Breath of
Simple
Scene
earlier by the flaring of a Solar's banner. Adding 1 Willpower to the cost allows the specter to
(+1w)
the Abyss
move the sphere up to 5 yards as a Miscellaneous action.
Essence chains which look like the characters of Cubub Ogar's name move out to ensnare a foe.
5 ticks per
They have accuracy 12 and cannot be blocked without a stunt. A hit binds the target's legs, arms,
Essence
5m
Simple
success
or other limbs tightly. Bound legs or wings reduce movement to 1/5 normal. Bound arms prevents
Binding
(ignoring DV) their movement except for the target's hands or fingers. Breaking them requires a feat of strength
equivelent to breaking out of a pair of manacles (difficulty 14).
Join Battle: 7 Attacks:
Horns: Speed 5, Accuracy 12, Damage 8L, Parry DV , Rate 2
Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 13, Damage 7L, Parry DV 6, Rate 3
Clinch (not chains): Speed 6, Accuracy 13, Damage 7B, Parry DV , Rate 1
Soak: 3L/5B Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Dodge DV: 6 Willpower: 7 Essence: 2 Motes: 59
Other Notes: The keening spirits have wings, and can fly at up to three times their normal movement rate in combat.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
The door to the tomb is locked and controlled by a password. The password is always the name of the epic tale currently being sung. Those
who know the secret may bypass the lock with an Intelligence + Lore (3) test. Those who do not must contend with a Wits + Larceny (5) test
instead. As usual, a failure sets off an alarm and summons a patrol of guardians (who are immune to the keening of the spirits).
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
Should the door be breached the spirits will attack, throwing back their robes to reveal necromantic grafts of horns and wings. They are merely
a distraction, however. The tomb itself is actually a partially buried necromantic war machine, which will rise and attack as soon as the spirits
call to it. Should its true power be realized via an Intelligence + Occult (7) or Intelligence + Craft (Necrotech) (5) test, the character will know
that the tomb is a necromantic beast on par with anything a Deathlord could create. Whether Cubab Ogar is a Deathlord in this time or not is
left as a matter of speculation.
Tomb of Keening Spirits
The Tomb of Keening Spirits is a powerful necromantic war machine, created by Cubab Ogar and enhanced via all three circles of necromantic
magic.
Attributes: Strength 11, Dexterity 7, Stamina 11; Charisma 0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 1; Perception 2, Intelligence 1, Wits 3
Abilities:Athletics 15, Awareness 15, Martial Arts 15, Resistance 15
Join Battle: 18 Attacks: Charging Slam: Speed 4, Accuracy 26, Damage 44BP/8, Parry DV 11, Rate 3
-- The tomb's attack is a charging slam, dififcult to avoid because of the hing's suprising speed.
-- Its parry DV represent a rapid spinning and twirling, which catches opponents; attacks on the various crennelations and decorations that
adorn its walls and cielings.
Soak: 21L/31B (Pierced 21L/31B; Magically Enhanced Stone and Flesh Walls 10L/20B; Hardness 21)
Health Levels: -0 x 1 /-1 x 16 /-2 x 32 /-4 /Incap Dodge DV: 0 Willpower: 10 Essence: 1 Motes: 59
Other Notes:
Altered Mobility- Due to the cumulative effects of its enhancements, the Tomb of Keening Spirits has a walking movement rate of only 5 yards
per tick, but can leap up to 48 yards vertically or 96 yards horizontally.
Stench The player of anyone fighting hand to hand with a necrotech creation must make a successful (Stamina + Resistance) roll, difficulty
2, for his character each action, lest the dice pools for the characters actions suffer a -2 internal penalty due to nausea at the creations stench.
After the player rolls three threshold successes, the shock of the smell wears off and the characters player does not need to continue making
rolls.
Severed bonds- Creation-based hearthstones lose their connection with their manses within 10 yards of the Tomb of Keening Spirits.
Fortune's Inauspicious Nadir- With a miscellaneous action, the tomb can fill the area around it out to a 10 yard radius with billowing black fog.
Though not thick enough to hamper vision, any living creature that inhales the fog suffers bad luck for the remainder of the day, increasing the
target number on their dice to 8.
The Tomb of Keening Spirits is a Coil rank 15 necromantic engine built with the following modifications:

Big x 10 (20 pts): +10 Strength, +10 Stamina, +10 x -1 and 10 x -2 health levels, -10 internal penalty to stealth, -10 Dodge DV
Undead Dexterity x 3 (6 pts): +3 Dexterity
Dark Fortitude x 6 (6 pts): + 6x -1 and 12 x -2 health levels

17

Funereal Armor x 10 (10 pts): +20B and 10L soak

Heavy Plate (1 pt): Hardness = Lethal soak, -1 Mobility penalty
Solid (3 pts): Soaks lethal with its full stamina, -1 Mobility penalty
Unholy Leap (1 pt): Double jumping distances

It's natural attacks have the following augmentations:

Unholy Speed x 3 (3 pts): -3 Speed

Unholy Accuracy x 4 (4 pts): +4 accuracy
Unholy Damage x 10 (10 pts): +30 damage
Unholy Rate x 2 (2 pts): +2 Rate
Overwhelming Attack x 8 (8 pts.): Attack is Overwhelming 8
Piercing Attack (1 point): The attack is piercing
Believing his death was drawing near, Cubab went even farther than most would in creating a walking war machine. He permanently imbued it
with two iterations of Oblivion's Avatar, as described above. The lower radius for the Fortune's Inauspicious Nadir is intentional. Cubab knew
the tomb would be demolished if it became a threat to the surrounding area, so he modified his casting of the spell.
Scene 5: Plot Twist or reward
Those who successfully breech the walls of the walking tomb will soon learn how the Solar was able to so thoroughly master the Necromantic
arts. Draped over him as a funeral shawl is the Mantle of Soot, which grants the wearer access to a level of Necromancy one level higher than
normal and increases his effective Essence by five for the purposes of casting Necromantic spells. Clutched in his crossed arms is the original
copy of the Skull Diary, which details his rise all the way to the Void circle and would aid anyone capable of learning Necromancy to selfinitiate. The versions floating around Creation and the Underworld are copies of the duplicate he gave to his apprentice, from which he greedily
removed the most powerful rituals, thus ensuring that the student would never usurp the master.
Tomb of Eternal Flame
History: The Tomb of Eternal Flame almost did not pass the approval process. Originally it was designed to be taller than the Calibration
Tomb, but that was deemed to be too much of a danger to incoming airships, so the design was shortened drastically, and is now only three
stories tall.
Appearance: From the outside the Tomb of Eternal Flame looks like a square column of red and blue flames, with a door made out of flames
in the side facing the street. Central Feature: Umm, the building made of fire?
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The entire building is its own guardian. Simply being within ten feet of it is the equivilent of a bon fire (Damage 4L/Action, Trauma 3).
Touching the walls, door, or floor raises the effect to 6L/Action damage, Trauma 4. Being inside the tomb subjects the thief to a 6Ll/Action,
Trauma 4 environment.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
The front door is protected by a difficulty 5 lock which is hot enough to destroy most sets of tools. Each floor is likewise protected.
Additionally, a character not protected from glaring light suffers a -2 internal penalty to any task requiring vision (including picking locks).
Scene 3: Plot Twist or reward
The maker's tomb is at the top of the tower, and contains a translucent blue ice sarcophagus crafted entirely from nevermelting ice mined near
the Elemental Pole of Air. Though the sarcophagus and anything in it cannot be harmed by the roaring inferno around it, that protection ends
for the contents should it be opened. The body inside will immediately burst into flames, as will the golden torc it wears (Resources 4 item if
not lost). Delicate magitech gear will also be damaged, requiring repairs before functioning. This includes a cache egg capable of storing one
cubic yard, two Lightning Boxes, and a rod of cleansing the body. Finally, there is an ultimate document in the sarcophagus as well, but it will
be instantly destroyed if the sarcophagus is opened within twenty feet of the tomb's raging walls of fire.
Tomb of Candle-Eyed Skulls
History: Despite appearance, the Tomb of Candle-Eyed Skulls has nothing to do with necromancy. Its creator, Frantello Gart, was a higly
skilled and respected magitech designer specializing in weapons research. For personal reason (i.e. he was a jackass) he did not get along well
with the ruling class in Sperimin, and so chose to live in the less warlike City of Makers instead. Frantello pioneered the science of weapons
miniaturization, and it shows in his tomb.
Appearance: The Tomb of Candle-Eyed Skulls is a pyramid of skulls whose eyes constantly burn with an inner flame. Though the skulls are
only two layers thick, perfect placement and alignment of the skulls on the inner wall gives the illusion that all four feet of the walls' thickness
is comprised of the grisly remains of prior tomb robbers.

18
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The door to the tomb is unhidden and unlocked. At night a bound spirit opens the door a crack, inviting wouldbe thieves in. But getting to that
door is another matter entirely. Whenever anything living and sentient approaches within 10 yards of the tomb, the skulls unleash the power of
the miniaturized essence cannons hidden in their eye socket behind eternally burning flames.
Each wall of the tomb can fire up to 30 shots at once, though no more than 5 will focus on a single man-sized target. Increase this to 10 if the
target is larger than man-sized, 20 if they are huge, and all 30 if they are larger than that. All of the shots in a single action are considered to be
coordinated, lowering the target's DV by an amount equal to the number of shots fired. The skulls have the following traits:
Candle-Eyed Skull: Speed 5, Accuracy 11 (including +2 from accuracy bonus), Damage 6LP, Defense -, Range 10, Rate 1
Should a skull be removed and the miniaturized Essence Cannon be retrieved from it, it will have the above traits, and may be strapped to a
wielder's palm, adding 3 dice to any attempt to hide it as long as their hand is closed ina fist, and negating the normal -2 die penalty for
readying a weapon. However, any tasks performed using the hand will be at -2 dice due to the awkwardness of trying to grip another item
around the small weapon's faceplate. Removing an Essence Cannon requires a Craft (Magitech) (3) roll to not damage it), and one minute of
time during which the character will be fired upon by as many of the wall's cannons as can target him. Each miniaturized cannon is considered
a one-dot artifact. The four tomb walls contain a total of 120 of the cannons.
Scene 3: Red Herring
Frantello was buried with his Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor with Essence Wings, Enhanced Healing, and Explosive Protection upgrades.
His Fiery Solar Cannon and Foe-Clearing Halberd also rest eternally at his side. However, the versions that appear in this tomb are all trapped.
The battle armor will explode the first time the essence wings are activated, dealing 20L to the wearer (without the battle armor's soak). The
first two shots fired from the cannon will work perfectly, but the third will completely drain the user's mote pool and convert that energy
directly into a fiery burst that destroys the cannon and deals 1L per 2 motes to the holder. This small blast only damages the hand, however, and
a person who takes enough damage to kill them will be knocked to incapaitated and lose their hand as a crippling effect. The Foe-Clearing
Halberd functions normally until the blast function is activated. Instead of pointing outward, the blast focuses itself inward, causing damage
and knockback (straight backward) as normal, but to the wielder rather than his foes.
Noticing these intentional defects requires a reflexive Intelligence + Craft (Magitech, 4) roll the first time the item is investigated. The user gets
another chance (using Wits + Craft (Magitech, 4)) the first time they would trigger an item's defect. If they succeed they can cancel the action
(still taking the DV penalty) and avoid the harmful effects.
Scene 5: Reward
The true tomb of Frantello Gart rests beneath the bit of floor under the trapped body, and requires a Perception + Larceny (6) test to find. A
diligent searcher is rewarded with untrapped versions of every item found in the outer tomb.
Entertainment District (8)
History: The entertainment district is where the lawgivers and their servants went to unwind. It is here that many of them died that day, and
here where centuries of explorers have found magical and nonmagical treasures just waiting to be picked up and walked off with.
Appearance: Las Vegas gone dark. What was once a roaring hub of vice, vicariousness, and vitality is now a hollowed out shell. Only the Red
Bird, a massive casino made of red jade and ruby, still lights up the night sky and fills the streets with music. But even there something is
wrong, and before getting to the casino, the visitor can tell what it is: no human voice intrudes upon that music. There is no laughter, no flicker
as courtesans dance across lights, nor anything else to suggest that the Red Bird is as alive as it pretends to be.
Central Feature: The Red Bird is the most prominent feature of the district, especially at night when its untiring spirit servants coax it to life.
Its music can be heard in every adjacent district (The Tombs, Talisman Row, and one of the Craft Districts). It can even be heard just outside
the walls of the southern gate.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
Entry to the Red Bird is not only simple, its pleasant. The visitor finds their coat whisked away to a nearby cloakroom as a drink menu wafts
across the room and hovers near their hands expectantly. The disembodied voice of aservitor asks if they have any musical requests, though it
regrets to inform them that no singer is available this evening. Any song dating back to the First Age is availabe, though anything newer is not.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
The servitors are extremely hlpful, but have lost all sense of customer preservation over the years of being trapped within the miasma.
Unbeknownst to them, the liquor is ancient and has turned to poison (Damage 4L/action, Toxicity 3, Penalty -2). Food is unavailable, though
they will craft something looking vaguely like what is ordered using whatever ingredients they can find including sealing putty for walls,
ground glass, and various other chemicals for color and flavor. Anyone unknowing or foolish enough to taste the stuff (Perception + Craft
(Water) 2 to recognize it as dangerous) will suffer the effects of a poison whose traits are identical to the one above.

19
Should the customers try to leave, the servants will be distraught. They were created to serve and have had nobody to minister to for centuries.
They will plead with the characters to stay (entering social combat, albeit with no means of unnatural mental influence this will most likely
only serve to weaken the targets to the miasma, forcing them to flee sooner). If that fails, they will resort to force.
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
Should they be forced to by a character who refuses to live out the rest of their lives in unsanitary and poisonous comfort, the servants will
attack with the intent of capturing the visitors. They will use only clinches and bashing attacks, ganging up on characters to ensure the best
odds of getting at least one new resident guest.
Servants of the Red Bird.htm
The Servants of the Red Bird are automata with limited, and warped, intelligence. They were designed to function as the perfect domestic
force: out of sight and out of mind except when needed, at which point they spring into action to meet their charges' needs. Now though, the
miasma of Denandsor has driven them mad, and they have gone from wanting to serve to a pathological need for it, and will do anything to
ensure that they have someone to administer care to, even if it has to be convalescent.
Join Battle: 7 Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 5, Damage 3B, Parry DV 2, Rate 3
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 4, Damage 3B, Parry DV , Rate 1 Soak: 3L/5B (Sturdy Shell 2L/2B)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-3/Incap
Dodge DV: 4 Willpower: 5 (0 vs. wearer of the manse's Hearthstone) Essence: 1
Other notes: In order to keep the servants from blocking a patron's view, they were each crafted to be completely invisible, though they were each given a red ruby on a gold chain
to wear around their neck so those same patrons would also know that help was nearby. Since the fall of Denandsor they have taken to mostly leaving their necklaces off though, as
it helps them to find and maintain people they can "serve."

Scene 5: Reward
The Red Bird is a Rating 3 Fire Manse with a Prism of Focused Passion as its hearthstone. The stone is lying in its red jade amulet on the floor
on the stage, where it fell when the owner died. The manse was built with Reduced Hearthstone , Magical Conveniences , Geomantic Relay
(both points dedicated to the Manse of Denandsor), and Bound Servant Force . Any servants lost in batte are gone forever, but the rest will
recover within months of the miasma being gone, and remain to fulfill their prior duties.
(9) Government District
History: Mostly controlled by terrestrials, Denandsor's government during the First Age was as efficient as its craftsmen, and almost solely
focused on the furtherance of beauty. They even went so far as to evict entire neighborhoods if the aesthetics were unpleasing. However, even
though it was primarily the dragon-blooded who controlled the day-to-day affairs of state, all final power rested in the hands of the current
Daimyo, who was always a Solar prior to the Usurpation.
All that changed when the Contagion hit. It was here that Shamira was first released, and here where her influence was strongest. Shamira's
coming ruptured the hearts and souls of every person in the capital complex instantly, but it did not kill them. Their souls still linger, drawn
together to defend their mistress's sanctum.
Appearance:The once magnificent outer shell of the crystal roof that covers the govermental district reflects its current state of affairs.
Overwhelmed by the continuous accumulation of dirt, debris, and damage; a small swarm of diligent cleaning automatons work futilely to
restore it to its once glorious sheen.
Central Feature: Inside the dome, several municipal buildings stand untouched by the passing of years, but the thing that instantly grabs a
visitor's eye is the Manse of Denandsor and its two warstrider-sized guardians. The manse itself is an adamant building with orichalcum and
starmetal inlays whose design appears very Roman. Columns of jade rise up before solid Orichalcum doors. But one does not simply walk into
the Manse of Denandsor.
Guardians: The government district is well-protected, with an extra patrol on each shift and an extra two units in the HTR team. Should any
attack be made on the government district, the units currently recharging will be brought to alert, though it takes ten minutes for them to extract
themselves from the recharging stations below the manse and make it to the surface.
Scene 1: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
Caught and refracted by the adamant dome, Sharima's miasma is stronger in the governmental district than elsewhere. While the effects remain
the same, the social attack of the miasma uses 18 dice.
Scene 2: Entrance And Guardian
Intruders within the district will be approached within a minute by an entire patrol of guardians (4 standard and one sergeant). Should they be
unable to provide a reason for being there, they will be asked politely to leave. Disobedience results in combat, and should any spells or charms

20
be used, the summoning of a High Threat Response team that will arrive in five ticks and roll Join Battle. In the distance, harp music faintly
plays
Scene 3: Red Herring
The outer buildings of the government district control the power grid, and other city-wide services. A Wits + Larceny (7) check grants one
access to the system, as does bearing the hearthstone of the manse. Once inside, a person can shut off or restore power to specific district (or
even houses).
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
Sharima has placed her own guardians in the outer streets surrounding the Manse of Denandsor, an Angyalaka These two pair up to dissuade all
who would come to the Manse by entering social combat. Even if the demons are unable to dissuade the intruders, it is likely that the
distraction they cause will allow the miasma to drive them away, as it makes its attack on the 7th long tick and every 15 long ticks thereafter.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5; Charisma 5, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3; Perception 5,
Intelligence 2, Wits 2
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5, Temperance 4, Valor 2 Abilities: Athletics 1, Awareness 3, Dodge 4,
Integrity 1, Linguistics 5, Lore 4, Occult 4, Performance 5 (Harp +3), Presence 5, Resistance 2 (Playing Forever
+3), Socialize 1
Charms:
HoodwinkThere are a thousand tricks in the music of the angyalkae, most drawn from the soul of the listener The spirit spends as many
motes as it wants. It then counts (motes spent) successes on a special social attack, which can only be made during the tick that an opponent
acts, and can only be defended against by the targets Dodge Mental Defense Value. If the spirit is successful, the target suffers a -2 internal
penalty to all actions that tick. On a threshold of 5, the target becomes Inactive; at 7, the target forgets where he is and what he was doing,
and cannot recall anything about the past scene. This most potent effect usually fades after the target takes (spirits Essence) actions, but
mortals must spend one Willpower before they can begin to recover at all. Finally, until the targets next action, he must make a (Perception +
Awareness) roll with a difficulty equal to the threshold to perceive any of the spirits attacks against him.

Join Battle: 5 Attacks: Hair Whip: Speed 5, Accuracy 6, Damage 3L, Parry DV 5, Rate 2, Tags D,R Soak: 3L/5B
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/ Incap Dodge DV: 6 Willpower: 9 Essence: 2 Essence
Pool: 25
Other Notes: Even without using its Charms, an angyalkas music typically evokes some response in its listeners. The effects of this are
best resolved by roleplay, or avoided with a successful Temperance roll.
The angyalaka will begin by activating Subtle Whisper as the characters approach, and then proceed to playher harp with more abandon. In a
moment of distraction (Manipulation + Socialize) she will cover the entrance to the manse with an illusion of the entrance of the manse,
making it appear as if it is several feet farther away than it is. This will have the affect of causing the guardians to activate sooner than
expected, and in an unseen manner, perhaps provoking unexpected attacks from them (Perception + Awareness (4) discerns the attack if the
illusion has not been seen through).
Scene 5: Plot Twist
Those making it through the governmental district succeeds in earning a very strong possibility of death, as they find themselves before the
gates of The Manse of Denandsor.
The Manse of Denandsor
The manse of Denandsor is at the center of a large network of manses in the city, including the Energy Particle Research facility, which was
almost wholly repurposed to serving it. As such it has many more features than a typical rating 5 Solar manse: a total of 33 points, allocated as
follows:
Comfort Zone Magical Conveniences (lights, doors, training room, recorders, kitchen) Life-Sustaining (DotFA 100) 1 Ultra-Deadly
Trap Workshop Manse (Magitech) Chasm of the Material Integrated Essence Artillery (10 dots of large scale essence weapons)
Ability Enlightenment (Investigation, Socialize, Marksmanship, Presence) Indestructible Sentient (all mental attributes and all social
and mental abilitires at 5, as well as marksmanship 5; its motivation is to serve hearthstone bearer and defend the manse)
History: The Manse of Denandsor was the home of the ruler of the City of Makers. Though the meat of the government lived in the buildings
of the surrounding district and was managed by the Terrestrials, the Solar lord of the city had the final say on anything, and could overrule them
without cause or warning. It was a rare occurrence though, for the city was too valuable to the merchant princes who pushed the buttons of the
bureaucrats who pushed the paper to allow anything drastically unpopular occur.
Appearance: Denandsor Manse is a structure of supreme elegance in flawless harmony with the flow of Essence through the city and the
surrounding lands. The building itself looks like a carving of living Lotus flower surrounded by a huge garden. Its superlative geomantic profile
is reflected in the fact that its garden has grown huge and lush since the Contagion, a primeval forest behind walls. Its ponds still contain large,
healthy water lilies and thriving populations of koi.

21
Central Feature: Though impossible to see from outside or in, the manse's central feature for centuries was GUARD (Guardian Undermind
And Resource Distributor), the artifical intelligence which controls all of the city's automata as well as the power grid. In the Age of Sorrows,
the position of most important inhabitant of the manse is vied for by Sharima, the Inward-Facing Wall, Third Soul of Malfeas and the cause of
all the city's woes.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The manse's entrance is guarded at all times by the ever-alert Shield of the Beatific Conduit and Swift Death to Treachery, the paired winners
of the second to last guardian design contest (see The Factory-Cathedral of Galatia for the most recent). They wait patiently for any visitors to
attempt to pass without the proper authorization. Of course, since all of the people whose signatures they recognize died centuries ago, that
authorization will be almost impossible to obtain.
Manse Guardian
The guardians of the Manse of Denandsor are massive automata similar to noble warstriders made of a dark steel with red or blue highlights.
Their 20-plus foot frames bely their speed, and anyone daring to enter the manse without a proper permit must contend with the martial arts
skills of the two guardians, who were designed to accentuate each other's abilities. The larger of the two, known as Shield of the Beatific
Conduit, uses the maneuvers of the Falling Blossom Style to interpose itself between the smaller one and attackers. The smaller of the two,
known as Swift Death to Treachery, can then focus solely on offense, using its Essence Cannon and accompanying charms to lay waste to any
who would threaten the Manse.
Shield's typical strategy involves ensuring it goes first by spending 8 motes to gain 4 extra dice on the join battle roll, and then using its first
action to activate Falling Blossom Form. When its wound penalties reach -2, it uses its third combo to negate those penalties and still be able to
defend Sword. Until that point, it activates its first combo every round, interposing itself between attacks against Sword and spending 5 motes
to activate its Electronic Onslaught Dynamo.

Shield of the Beatific Conduit

Attributes: Strength 12, Dexterity 8, Stamina 12; Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 6; Perception 7, Intelligence 3, Wits 7 Abilities:
Athletics 8, Awareness 7, Dodge 5, Integrity 8, Linguistics 2 (Native: Old Realm; Forest-tongue, High Realm), Martial Arts 7 (Knife +3),
Melee 5, Presence 5, Resistance 8
Charm
Cost
Type
Duration Effect
Living Shield
1m
Reflexive (Step Instant
Interpose itself between an attacker and Swift Death, if the latter is within 20 yards
Technique
2)
vertically or 40 yards horizontally. The attack now targets Shield, who is at -1 DV.
Dual Scarlet
1m and Supplemental Instant
Convert one die of raw damage to an automatic success per mote and lethal health level
Blossom
1lhl / die
taken.
Technique
Strength of Faith 1m / die, Simple
Scene
Ignore one die of wound penalties per mote spent.
Meditation
1w
Attribute
2+m
Reflexive (Step (Essence) Add one dot per 2 motes to Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina. Up to the base attribute can
Augmentation
1 or 2)
Actions
be added.
Accelerated
2m
Reflexive (Step Instant
Allows a single parry or dodge at full DV.
Response System
2)
Cross-Phase
2m /
Simple
One Scene Every two motes attunes one of the guards senses to the spiritual, allowing them to
Scanner
sense
sense immaterial beings. No ability to affect them is granted.
Reaction
2m/die Reflexive
Instant
Adds one die per 2 motes spent to Join Battle, to a maximum of Wits (7) dice.
Enhancers
Celerity-Enabling 5m, 1w Extra-Action Instant
Grants Essence (5) extra physical actions. Total DV penalty is the highest of the actions
Module
taken.
Electrification
1+m
Reflexive (StepInstant
Shield may spend up to 12 motes when making an attack to add a seperate damage pool

22
Onslaught
Dynamo

1 or 2)
of 1L or 2B per mote spent. If the attack hits, this secondary damage must be soaked
separately, with only natural soak. When attacked with a natural or metallic weapon,
Shield may charge the parrying or struck surface with up to 6 motes, dealing damage to
the attacker as above.

Join Battle: 14 (+1 per 2m) Attacks: Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 18L/B, Defense 7, Rate 2
Orichalcum Knife: Speed 5, Accuracy 18, Damage 26L, Defense 10, Rate 2
Soak: 21L/32B Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 9 Willpower: 10 (0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal of authority)
Essence: 5 Motes: 50 (regains 4 motes per hour, or 6 motes per minute when slotted into the guard station)
Swift's strategy is very straight forward. It uses its first combo to maximize its Dexterity and make five attacks against the same target,
preferring to attack the one with the largest weapon unless another is plainly a bigger threat, and typically spends 3 motes per attack. If its
wound penalties reach -4, it begins using its pattern disruptor, spending 5 motes per attack. When its mote pools is under 25, it no longer uses
its Celerity Enhancing Module, instead performing five attack flurries, with the last two - three attacks spending the maximum number of
motes on its Essence Dampening Bolt upgrade.

Swift Death to Treachery

Attributes: Strength 8, Dexterity 12, Stamina 8; Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 6; Perception 7, Intelligence 3, Wits 7
Virtues: Automaton: Never fails Valor checks, never makes others
Abilities: Archery 7 (Essence Cannon +3), Athletics 8, Awareness 7, Dodge 6, Integrity 8, Linguistics 2 (Native: Old Realm; Forest-tongue,
High Realm), Martial Arts 5, Presence 5, Resistance 8
Charm
Attribute
Augmentation
Cross-Phase
Scanner
Reaction Enhancers
Celerity-Enabling
Module

Cost
2+m

Type
Reflexive (Step
1 or 2)
Simple

2m /
sense
2m/die Reflexive
5m, 1w Extra-Action

Duration
(Essence)
Actions
One Scene
Instant
Instant

Effect
Add one dot per 2 motes to Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina. Up to the base
attribute can be added.
Every two motes attunes one of the guards senses to the spiritual, allowing them
to sense immaterial beings. No ability to affect them is granted.
Adds one die per 2 motes spent to Join Battle, to a maximum of Wits (7) dice.
Grants Essence (5) extra physical actions. Total DV penalty is the highest of the
actions taken.

Join Battle: 14
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 18, Damage 8B, Defense 9, Rate 3
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 17, Damage 11B, Defense 8, Rate 2

23
Discreet Essence Cannon: Speed 5, Accuracy 26, Damage 2L per mote (max 13), Defense -, Range 250, Rate 5
Upgrades: Guidance Ray, Internal Battery (8 motes), Precision Beam (-2 damage to become piercing), stunning blot (3B per mote spent, and
any excess damage will not spill over), Essence Dampening Bolt (damage is +8 and can only be soaked with Essence, but drains motes rather
than inflicting health levels, motes drained are visibly stolen), Pattern Disrupter (1A per mote spent, only used when necessary as it obliterates
the soul of a slain victim)
Soak: 24L/33B (Armor plating 20L/25B)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 9 Willpower: 10 (0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal of authority)
Essence: 5 Motes: 50 (regains 4 motes per hour, or 6 motes per minute when slotted into the guard station)
Scene 2: Role-playing Challenge
Those entering the manse uninvited will immediately be questioned as to their purpose. In days gone by GUARD would have instantly
attacked, but the centuries of solitude except for the demon in the basement has left it desperate for anyone to find a fix. Even if it should see
through a lie and discern that the intruder is here to plunder, it may still be convinced that it was mistaken with a Manipulation + Presence (9)
roll.
Those found to be here for negative purposes will be attacked by the manse's internal security system. This includes a medium implosion bow
disguised as a statue of an elemental dragon made of light in the entryway, and two small essence cannons mounted outside the door to the
daimyo's chambers.
Weapon
Speed Accuracy
Damage
Rate
Implosion Bow 6
12 + 4 successes 20L/25B in a 7-yard radius 1
Essence Cannon 4
11 + 4 successes 15B piercing
1
Scene 3: Red Herring
The side chambers of the vaults include many dangerous artifacts from Denandsor's heyday. Activating any of these, assuming they have not
fallen in disrepair, will have dire consequences on an uninformed user. Be creative. >:-> (Soul Breakers, Storm Hammers, Dangerous Solar
Automata, a huge face welded to the floor {gateway to Autochthon}, etc
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
The vaults beneath Denandsor only open to the daimyo's seal, though it sits on his desk, beside a mouldering corpse that will crumble to dust if
touched. Sitting beside it is a memory crystal, used by the daimyo in his final days to tell his story. This points to Sharima, held inside a
Dissonance Engine in the vaults. She killed the city to stop the plague, and must be stopped if the city is ever to live again.
This is all true (though he fails to mention the hardships she put him through, nor how much he loved it). Beyond six enhanced sergeant-level
guardians (+4 to all dice pools, +2 to all static values, and +10 motes), Sharima waits with open arms for anyone who can penetrate her
chambers. She will smile, laugh, and engage in as much conversation as they wish, eschewing social combat but relying on her presence to
addict them.
Sharima, The Inward-Facing Wall

Demon of the Third Circle, Third Soul of Malfeas

Sharima is the beauty that binds, the wall that traps, and the love that clings. In Malfeas she is the outer wall that rings the city, and her inner
side holds the writhing bodies and countless corpses of demons who wandered too close to the barbed chains that adorn it. She is the
embodiment of Yozi captivity, and takes to her job gleefully.

24
When in Creation she usually takes the form of a comely young woman with clearly demonic horns and tail, telling no lies, but still drawing
men and women into eternal servitude to the darkness she calls a heart. Her smile and laugh give her an innocent air capable of overpowering
even the most paranoid of demon-haters, and Anathema hunters.
Summoning: (Obscurity 2/5) First Age sorcerers called Sharima for many reasons, most of which were base and easily discerned after a
momentary glance at the body she chooses. Some wiser Solars used her to pollute the hearts of their enemies, for once a being falls under the
sway of the Inward-Facing Wall, it is hard-pressed to find its way back to freedom. Most recently, she was summoned by the daimyo of
Denandsor during the Great Contagion, where she protected the city from the plague by killing every living creature inside of it. Her
manifestation in Creation resides there still today. When freed of her current captivity, she may sometimes appears when a person dies in
captivity after a lifetime of being held by a kidnapper whose motive was rooted in love.
Motivation: Bring all of Creation and Yu-Shan within the boundaries of her wall. Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Tmperance 5, Valor 2
Traits: 25 dice for all rolls involving emotion, physical affection, or defense; 18 dice for all other rolls.
Sample Powers:
Wrapped in Chains of the Heart With a touch, the Inward-Facing Wall can instill the self-perpetuated captivity that the Yozis experience into
another. This works as a Clinch attack per the standard rules, though victims attempt to break the hold using Willpower + Integrity + Essence
rather than with Strength + Athletics.
Freedom in Captivity Sharima's voice, laughter, and smile are highly addictive. Anyone who succumbs to this effect cannot stand to be
apart from her for even a minute unless she sends them away, in which case they will most likely spend that time apart pining for their lost joy.
Treat this as a miscellaneous action social attack using 18 dice. Resisting this unnatural mental influence costs 2 Willpower per scene, or 4
Willpower if the character wishes to actively harm Sharima. Once a total of 9 - (Victim's Willpower) scenes (minimum 1) have been spent
resisting, the character shales off the influence, though Sharima can reinstate it should they cross paths again.
It Also Faces Outward Sharima's greatest power lies not in holding others captive, but in ensuring that that captivity goes unmolested. As the
defensive wall that surrounds Malfeas, she has great ability to discern the weakness of an attacker (even an abstract or non-sentient one). This
is not as simple as creating a perfect defense, but rather takes the form of looking into the nature of the attacker and learning exactly what it
would take to keep it at bay; whether it be the capture and threatening of a loved one to hold back an angry Celestial, the destruction of an
enemy nation's economy to stop their armies, or the enlistment of a Zenith priest to defend against an encroaching undead horder. Enacting that
defense is another matter entirely, though Sharima is clever and sees as resources what others sometimes see as toys. To defend Denandsor
from the Contagion, she converted the city's power grid to expel radiation that killed every living creature within, then later to defend herself
against the loneliness of entrapment, she reverted those changes and converted the city's dissonance engine to spread fear (thus ensuring that
any capable of reaching her would also be worthy of sharing her time. Willpower: 8 Essence: 9
Scene 5: Plot Twist
The dissonance engine powers her miasmic field but also keeps her prisoner. Her bindings of love to the daimyo prevent her from destroying it,
but she has tired of her captivity and should anyone become addicted to her charms she will threaten to send them away forever if they do not
set her free. Once that happens she will take the addict with her and reward them with Akuma status before moving across the Scavenger Lands
in an orgy of destructive protection.
Scene 5.5: Reward
The City of Denandsor, and all of the troubles and prizes it brings.
(10) The Overseer
This is the Proto-Alchemical in my notes that is actually an Eclipse Caste Solar who has bizarrely modified himself using Sidereal Arcane
Fate charms to re-write who he is. Sidereals know they missed a couple Solars, but they have the damndest time remembering who this guy is.
Solars however, have no issues with this. The Overseer was in hibernation, and activated by the Governor during the contagion.
(11) The Crash
History: This flying pagoda fell to earth and crashed when its pilot died to Sharima's initial wave of death.
Appearance: A typical Traveling Pagoda (WotLA 45) is split in twain. The living quarters and the watchtower are over fifty yards apart and
facing different directions, having tumbled with they landed. A faintly glowing ooze drips out of the base of the larger section.
Central Feature: The ooze comes from the engine room in the basement of the living quarters, and is accessible through a trap door.
Guardians: None, as it is not deemed important. Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
There is no guardian, no puzzle, nor anything preventing the characters from examining the entirety of the pagoda and watchtower. Scene 2:
Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict

25
The ooze is the remnants of an essence cannister, now tainted with the miasma. It is only mildly toxic, though incredibly efficient at tearing
through the victim's mind.
Name
Damage Toxicity Tolerance Penalty Resources
Tainted Fuel 2L/minute 2
-7
2
Should they opt to take it, there is enough for 14 doses in the cannister.
Scene 5: Reward
The remains of the crew's gear is still aboard. 3 jade breastplates and 2 green jade blades are all that is left. The blades are meant for dire
lances, and will need mild work to get functional: Craft (Fire) (2, 5, 1 day).
(12) (west)
Another Entertainment District (Mortal Treasure, lots of $)
(12) Shogunate Barracks (east)
Appearance: An Urban Mini-Fortress, with beautiful and elegant carvings to the 5 Elemental Dragons on it.
Central Feature: Massive weaponry surrounding it. (Earth Aspect Level 4), Fortress, Armored x3, Integrated Weaponry. This is also the
location the PCs will be taken to if they end up being taken prisoner.
Guardians: 2 Sargeants who will call for back up if necessary.
Treasure: Suprisingly, very little. Some investigations yields that the entire legion here packed up to fight the fair folk once they began their
invasion. The PCs find 1 dead terrestrial, fully pimped out. (Terrestrial Battle Armor, FCH, HSBs, and a couple other minor artifacts, and 20
dead gunzosha.) What the PCs will find lots of are memory crystals of the Usurpation, Shogunate Battles, and piles of military history and
tactical manuals. (Resources 5x a lot)
(13 and 16) Craft District
History: The Craft Districts were the lifeblood of the City of Makers, where the finest craftsmen in the land came to study, excel, or learn
exactly how good they weren't. As the largest and most influencial sector, the crafts district also warranted to highest levels of overseer support.
Robberies here were as rare then as they are now.
Appearance: The streets are laid out according to the progression of sciences, with those crafters closest to main street representing the "base"
elemental crafts. Farther in the store progress to combination builders who focused on two or more crafts combined into a single product. Still
farther in one finds places where clockwork devices are built, magitech artifacts, and so on. Conspicuously absent are the crystal and glass
makers (who were so numerous they needed their own district) and the biotech facilities, deemed too potentially dangerous and housed closer
to the hospital district. Little trade was done here, as most of that occured through the skilled negotiators of the merchant district.
Central Feature: Each building is a unique reflection of its focus, with jewel-shaped filigree denoting the offices of a jeweler, clockwork
semi-mobile buildings showing the homes of automaton builders, etc. None of he buildings have names, nor do the streets. If you could not
find the building belonging to your desired Maker, you probably did not deserve to meet him and would be forced to seek out his wares in the
merchants' streets.
Largest of the buildings is the three-story tall warehouse-sized Factory Cathedral of Galatia. This semi-palatial residence was home to
automaton maker Galatia Marshe, three time winner of the annual defense force improvement contest. The giant building's walls are in constant
motion as gears turn and pistons pump. Though functional, the interweaving is also a symphony of elegant beauty. Craft District #16 has a
similar manse, but its guardians have been defeated by the Abyssal Party.
Guardians: Craft District 16 has had two patrols destroyed by the recent Abyssal invaders.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The streets are still watched at all times by wandering patrols, usually consisting of two guardians each. Should any crimes be witnessed, a full
patrol will be summoned as the criminals are ordered to stand down. If a battle escalates to the point that any anima banners flare or obvious
charms are used, a High Threat Response team will be dispatched. It will arrive within 6 ticks of the call, and immediately join battle. As the
makers of the guards, the citizens of this district had access to the newest and best models. All guards fought here will have a +1 die bonus to
all abilities.

26
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
The entrances to the buildings in the Craft Districts are all protected by security systems of at least difficulty 4 or higher, meaning they are all
also tied into the city's defense system. Failure to open a lock will sound an alarm, as will setting off the building's trap. A full patrol will arrive
to defend any house being breeched illegally.
Scene 5: Reward
Each unmolested building contains at least resources 3 worth of raw materials, finished goods, and works in progress. Others have been
ransacked, or contain greater treasures here. Roll percentile dice for each of the buildings entered.
Roll
01-20
26-75
76-90

Contents
Resources 3
Resources 4
Resources 5

Security Level
4
5 (50% partially bypassed)*
6 (20% partially bypassed)*
7 (5% partially bypassed)*
91-97 Resources 5x2
40% chance of a guardian**
98-100 Resources 5x3 plus 1d10 special ingredients 7 (85% chance of a guardian)**
* partially bypassed security means an entrance has been breeched but a trap was sprung, possibly leaving clues as to its nature, depending on
the trap's effects.
** A guardian is an automaton on par with a sergeant, but without the command-enhancing charm and an extra one die to all abilities and +1 to
all static values derived from them.
Factory-Cathedral of Galatia
The Factory-Cathedral of Galatia is a rating 5 Earth manse with Hearthstone Reduction , Factory Cathedral (), Guardian (), Bound
Servant (; Skirox, lesser God of technicians and craftsmen, catatonic and dormant inside his sanctum until the miasma is removed), and
Geomantic Relay (both points allocated to the Manse of Denandsor). The manses hearthstone is a rating 3 Jewel of the Masters Hand that
gives a +4 bonus to Craft (magitech), +2 bonus to other elemental crafts, and a +1 bonus to Craft (Fate, Necrotech, or Glamour).
History: The Factory-Cathedral of Galatia is where all of the city's defense automata were made, as well as many of its civilian models.
Housed within it are a few of the city's incredibly rare warfare projects.
Appearance: The three-story tall warehouse-sized Factory Cathedral of Galatia is a semi-palatial residence which was home to automaton
maker Galatia Marshe, three time winner of the annual defense force improvement contest. The giant building's walls are in constant motion as
gears turn and pistons pump. Though functional, the interweaving is also a symphony of elegant beauty.
Central Feature: The walls, both inside and outside, continuously move under the power of a self-repairing factory cathedral.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
The entrance is protected by a difficulty 8 lock and two difficulty 8 traps. The traps are changed by the automata servitors once every month,
and immediately after a threat has passed if someone attempts to breach the cathedral.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
Should someone come into contact with the walls, a thin layer of essence shield will flash and warn them off. Should they come into contact
with any significant amount of force (such as being thrown or knocked back), they will be caught in the gears and subjected to the damage.
Treat the walls as an environmental effect with a damage rating of 6L/action and trauma 4. Any character that takes damage from the walls is
caught. They are unable to pull themselves free until they manage to fully resist the walls' effects (i.e. get 8 successes on the resistance roll), or
until they make a successful Strength + Athletics (4) roll. Escaping through brute force subjects the character to one additional action worth of
damage, at +3L and +1 to the trauma roll as they are forced to tear themselves out of the grinders.
Scene 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict
The manse's guardian is a gargantuan, warstrider-sized beast that was slated to be the next guardian of the gates of the Manse of Denandsor.
Scene 5: Plot Twist. Should the intruders and building survive, they will be rewarded with access to a fully functional first age factory
cathedral. Should the miasma be removed, the factory's lesser god will awaken within a month, and venture out a month after that, offering his
services to the rescuers.
Galatia's Guardian
Galatia's guardian is a wonder of First Age technology. From its orichalcum horn to the liquid moonsilver pumping through its system, this
Rhinocerous-like automata has defended the factory cathedral since the fall of Denandsor. Though slated to become the next guardian of the
governmental manse, Denandsor became The Empty City before it got its promotion.

27
The guardian slams foes with its horn, performing knockback attacks to ensure they are caught in the wall. Once a foe is caught it does not
relent. Jade hooves and the horn revisit the now immobilized opponent to ensure he never gets free. Only once a foe is dead or has fled the
manse will it cease pursuit and redirect its attention to a new target.
Attributes: Strength 20, Dexterity 8, Stamina 20; Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 7; Perception 8, Intelligence 4, Wits 8 Abilities:
Athletics 10, Awareness 8, Integrity 9, Linguistics 1 (Native: Old Realm; High Realm), Martial Arts 10 (Gore +3), Presence 5 (Intimidation
+3), Resistance 10
Charm
Cost
Type
Duration Effect
Forceful Ram 2m
Supplemental
Instant A blast of force accompanies the attack, adding five dice of damage. If the attack hits,
the target is knocked back five yards.
Essence1m / 2B or Reflexive (Step 7) Instant Adds soak vs. an attack.
Infused Hide 1L soak
Force Shield 4m, 1w
Simple (Speed 5, Scene
A luminescent screen of essence adds 3 to the guardian's PDV.
DV -0)
Molten form 6m, 1w
Reflexive (Step 2) Action The guardian liquefies around an attack, providing a perfect defense again attacks that
cannot strike immaterial creatures. This lasts until the start of the guardian's next
action.
Cross-Phase 2m / sense Simple
One
Every two motes attunes one of the guards senses to the spiritual, allowing them to
Scanner
Scene
sense immaterial beings. No ability to affect them is granted.
Reaction
2m/die
Reflexive
Instant Adds one die per 2 motes spent to Join Battle, to a maximum of Wits (7) dice.
Enhancers
Join Battle: 16 Attacks: Orichalcum Gore: Speed 5, Accuracy 21, Damage 24LP, Defense 9, Rate 2
Trampling Jade Hooves: Speed 5, Accuracy 19, Damage 22B, Defense 9, Rate 1
Soak: 26L/38B (Pierced 20L/30B; Starmetal Hide 16L/18B; Hardness 10
-- Starmetal Hide applies a -1 external penalty to damage rolls
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 0 Willpower: 10 (0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal of authority or the cathedral's hearthstone)
Essence: 5 Motes: 50 (regains 10 motes per hour, or 16 motes per minute when slotted into the cathedral)
Other notes- The guardian's physical form is attuned to the moonsilver in its veins, granting it a limited for of shapechanging. This is denoted
by its perfect dodge charm above, and an ability to partially liquify itself. This allows it to move through the geared walls of the manse, though
it takes a -2 internal penalty to all actions if forced to fight while inside one. Had it transferred to the station of governmental guard, the walls
around the manse of Denandsor would have been refitted to function as those in the factory cathedrla, allowing it to employ its favorite tactics
there as well. The manse still contains plans and materials for this conversion, should the guardian somehow be overcome without destruction.

(14) Merchant District

History: Where they sold the stuff.
Appearance: lots of fancy, deserted shops. Some obviously ransacked, most not.
Central Feature: a huge emty square that used to house merchant tents and travelling bazas, but is now stark and empty. Guardians: As one
of the most targeted locales, the Merchant District has maintained a full set of guards, except for one HTR unit, which was sent to Talisman
Row to help defend Peleps Fruggio.
Scenes 1-5
See the Craft District, but ignore references to the manse and use the following chart.
Roll
01-20
26-75
76-90

Contents
Ransacked
Resources 3/4
Resources 5

Security Level
5 (previously bypassed)
6 (40% partially bypassed)*
7 (15% partially bypassed)*
8 (5% partially bypassed)*
91-97 Resources 5x2
60% chance of a guardian**
98-100 Resources 5x3 plus 1d10 artifacts*** 9 (100% chance of a guardian, 20% chance of two)**

28
*
Partially bypassed security means an entrance has been breeched but a trap was sprung, possibly leaving clues as to its nature, depending
on the trap's effects.
** A guardian is an automaton on par with a sergeant, but without the command-enhancing charm and an extra one die to all abilities and +1
to all static values derived from them.
*** All artifacts in a single store follow a specific trend. All but one artifact in the store will be rating 1. The other will be rating 2. Artifacts
rated higher were special order only.
(15) Religious District
Appearance: 5 Temples to the Elemental Dragons in the configuration of Creation, with an Ethereal Craftsman carving, that is a manse for the
City God. Scene 5: Plot Twist
City God's sanctum is Rating 3 Sidereal Manse Drawbacks Powers * Emerald Circle Feedback * The Eyeless Sight of Daana'd * Password
Activation Hearthstone * Guardian Gem
(17)Library District
History: The library of Denandsor is a vast repository of knowledge, streching through several large buildings over a campus which is over
three miles on a side. Here lies the collected knowledge of the City of Makers, mostly in the form of memory crystals and magitech teaching
devices. Craftsmen from all over Creation sold their businesses and families to spend a week traversing its halls.
Appearance: The library district looks much like a sprawling modern university's campus, except that the lack of life leaves the ground barren
and the walls free of the ivy one might expect.
Central Feature: The Central Repository is the largest of the buildings and sits at the geometric center of the pentagon that makes up this
district's boundaries. It's stained glass windows and stately architecture give it an old world feel of wisdom and knowledge. So well designed is
it that anyone seeing it for the first time much pay one willpower point to avoid standing awestruck for a moment.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
Entrance to the library's buildings is not free. Resources 3 will buy an individual four hours to peruse a particular tome. Higher fees can get one
access to the archives for as much as one week, though it would be an entire resources 5 purchase to do so. Payment also grants one access to
research assistants who can help one find what they are looking for, using their 7-die pool or offering up to 3 dice in aid checks for
investigation rolls made to find a specific subject.
Anyone trying to enter without authorization will trigger a standard patrol of guardians to their location, with the sergeant slot empty. Should
escalation be required, the library does not beat around the bush. Two full patrols and a high threat response team are summoned immediately
on the assumption that anyone willing to face a full patrol is capable of facing several. These reinforcements arrive twelve ticks after the battle
starts and roll Join Battle immediately, though they will guard if they go immediately, in order to give the trespassers a chance to come
peaceably.
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
Should one successfully defeat the defensive automata of a building, or sneak to an entrance (difficulty 4 to bypass the sensors), they will be
greeted with open doors. However, each shelf of tomes or tray of cystals can only be accessed with the proper keycard. The front desk of the
Central Repository has several large stacks of these keycards, but programming them requires access to the security station (a battle as above,
or difficulty 6 to stealthily enter).
Scene 3: Red Herring
Though all automata will direct visitors to the Central Repository, no actual information is stored here. Rather, the Central Respository houses
the indexes that point to where in the other buildings any bit of training or information can be found, as well as storing records of the day-today history of Denandsor up until the moment of the Fall. (technically records are stored up to the present, but apart from several failed attacks
on the library, no other districts have reported, so the records are very sparse.)
Scene 5: Reward
The library is its own reward. Once the security system is cracked, or bought past using the wealth of the Manse of Denandsor, the archives of a
millennium of celestial craftsmen are laid bare. A character can find a trainer here for any celestial charm not belonging to a combat skill (or
otherwise combat-related in the case of Lunars). All non-combat skills can be learned in half the time, along with all possible non-combative
specialties to the three-dot level. Finally, a locked and trapped (difficulty 10) vault in the College of Knowledge holds three different copies of
The Broken-Winged Crane, Daric's Laws of Magic, Oadenol's Codex, and a life-size holographic replica of Suman Tzung's The Art of Sorcery.
Unfortunately this last is a Repair 4 item and has long been disused, as the automata have no access to this vault.

(18)Wyld-Crafting District

29
History: Butted up against the Craft district, the Wyld-Crafting district was an excellent source of raw supplies throughout the city. Solars with
Wyld-Crafting Technique and Lunars with Graces and Fair Folk shaping charms used this region of trapped Wyld energy to create wonders and
parts for wonders. However, despite the speed and intricacy of the things that could be brought forth from this region, it never grew to be as
influential as the Craft District. Craftsmen lacking the charms to bend the Wyld to their will referred to the work done here as cheating, while
politicians and peace-keepers feared the roiling ball of pure chaos in the heart of the districts protective dome.
Appearance: The outer shell of the Wyld-Crafting District is a pure iron dome etched with protective sigils in all five shades of jade. It has a
radius of one mile, and only one entrance: a pair of thick iron doors flanked by the 12 tall frames of heavy guardians. Inside the doors is a 10
wide corridor that stretches all the way around the outer rim of the dome, adding one more layer of separation between the wyld pocket and
Creation.
Through the glass inner wall of the corridor, the wyld pocket can be seen, though its optical distortions (see below) are not apparent while the
viewer stands in Creation. The Wyld is laid out in three concentric rings: one mile of Bordermarch, three-fourths of a mile of Middlemarch, and
one-fourth of a mile of Deep Wyld. The only abnormal effect of the Bordermarches is the visual distortion. Apart from that it looks like a calm
plain with a small village of mud and grass huts, and roaming fields of six-legged buffalo. The Middlemarches maintain the visual distortion,
but here the surface of the plain rolls like the surface of a lake in a gentle breeze (Athletics 1 terrain). In the Deep Wyld, everything turns fluid.
The air is still breathable, albeit uncomfortably. It is even thick enough that one can swim in it (Dexterity + Athletics (2) check every round or
flounder in place, unable to move but still able to act.). Even space is fluid here, ebbing and flowing with imperceptible tides. When attempting
to move in the Deep Wyld, a Wits + Lore (5) roll allows the character to double their movement rate for one action. Failing the check leaves
their rate unchanged, while botching it leaves them caught in the center of a rapidly expanding bubble of distance, effectively immobile no
matter how fast they run. Gliding back and forth, but always in the exact geographical center of the zone, is a small (3 diameter) sphere of pure
wyld energy.
Central Feature: The most noticeable feature within the pocket itself is the optical distortion caused by the wyld energies (to simulate this,
stare at the rotating spirals center for approximately 30 seconds, then look elsewhere). This wavering and spiraling of light imposes a -1
external penalty on all actions taken inside the pocket, if those actions depend even partially on vision. This penalty also extends to defenses,
lowering DV values while within the boundaries of the district.
Scene 1: Entrance And Guardian
Getting into the district requires a pass from the daimyos office (impossible to get in this age), tricking the wyld-district guards via social
combat, or defeating the guards and the High Threat Response team that will respond six ticks after combat begins. Keep in mind that social
combat will lower an attackers MDV, making them more susceptible to the Miasma (an effect which occurs every 15 long ticks).
Scene 2: Puzzle Or Role-playing Challenge
As soon as they enter, the villagers inside the dome notice them. Squinting against the incoming light (if it is day) or peering into the darkness
(if night), they make their way singly and in groups to the transparent wall nearest the entrance. Once all thirty of the mildly-mutated men,
women, and children have seen the newcomers, calls of savior and prophesied redeemers will rise up. They will beg the characters to
rescue them from their imprisonment, though none of them is capable of withstanding the Miasma for more than a few minutes.
Scene 3: Red Herring
Hidden amidst the villagers is the body of Mobellus Tor, one of the original Solar citizens of Denandsor. He was trapped within the WyldCrafting District when the daimyo summoned Shamira, and though his crafting skill made founding the village possible, he has long since lost
his mind and subsequently killed himself.
Other Notes: Mobellus Tor has equipment on his body that gives the PCs access to (stored in elsewhere) a royal warstrider, a wrackstaff (with
inset gem of Grace and doubling as a metasorcerous phylactery (DotFA, Lords: 96)), silken armor, discrete essence armor, a Ring of Grace,
vestments of holy vigilance (DotFA: Lords, 96)
Scene 4: Plot Twist or Reward
Perusing the records in the Library District shows that this wyld pocket has been here longer than the city itself (Intelligence + Investigation
(2)). Cross-referencing that information with the volumes on heavenly law (Intelligence + Investigation (3)) shows that the law against working
with the Raksha did not exist at the time of Denandsors fall. This pocket is a suitable staging ground for a revived Enshrined Confederacy.
Anti-Wyld Guardian
Attributes: Strength 8, Dexterity 5, Stamina 8; Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 4; Perception 5,
Intelligence 3, Wits 3
Virtues: Automaton: Never fails Valor checks, never makes others
Abilities: Archery 7 (Essence Cannon +2), Athletics 5, Awareness 5, Dodge 6, Integrity 4, Linguistics 2 (Native:
Old Realm; Forest-tongue, High Realm), Martial Arts 7 (Claw +2), Presence 4, Resistance 6
Charm

Cost

Type

Duration

Effect

Strength Augmentation 2+m

Reflexive (Step 1)

30

(Essence) Actions

Tactical Analysis
Algorithms
Accelerated Response
System
Enhanced Articulation
Integrated Arsenal

2m

Reflexive

Instant

Add one dot per 2 motes to Strength, to a

maximum of 7 dots.
Learn the targets rating in anycombat trait/

2m

Reflexive

Instant

Allows a single parry or dodge at full DV.

Cross-Phase Scanner

2m / sense Simple

Lower multi-action penalties by one.

The weapons listed below are normally
stored inside the guards arms. Readying or
changing a weapon is reflexive action.
Every two motes attunes one of the guards
senses to the spiritual, allowing them to
sense immaterial beings. No ability to affect
them is granted.

One Scene

Join Battle: 8
Attacks:
Claw: Speed 4, Accuracy 15, Damage 14L, Defense 8, Rate 3
Essence Cannon: Speed , Accuracy , Damage L, Rate , Range
Soak: 22L/29B (Armor plating, 18L/21B, Hardness: 10L/10B)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 8 Willpower: 10(0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal of authority)
Essence: 4 Motes: 40 (regains 4 motes per hour, or 4 motes per minute when plugged into a precinct house)
Other Notes: An anti-wyld guardians physical attacks are forged from iron, and deal aggravated damage to Fair Folk, as well as
dispelling any glamour they touch. Should a fight with the guardians occur, they will almost certainly be joined quickly by at least one full
patrol (four guards and one sergeant).
(19) Hospital District
History: Where people got healed.
Appearance: Relaxing and Serene Organic buildings in a massive garden, in a prayer symbol to the Gods of Healing
Some of these buildings are Hospitals, others are Bio-Magical research facilities, unfortunately most of the
research has died.

Guard
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 4, Stamina 6; Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 4; Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
Abilities: Archery 5 (Firewand +2), Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Dodge 6, Integrity 2, Linguistics 2 (Native: Old Realm; Forest-tongue, High Realm), Martial Arts
6 (Chain +2), Melee 6 (Sword +2), Presence 1, Resistance 4, Stealth 3, War 3
Charm
Strength Augmentation
Tactical Analysis Algorithms
Accelerated Response
System
Enhanced Articulation
Integrated Arsenal

Cost
2+m
2m
2m

Type
Reflexive (Step 1)
Reflexive
Reflexive

Duration
(Essence) Actions
Instant
Instant

Effect
Add one dot per 2 motes to Strength, to a maximum of 7 dots.
Learn the targets rating in any combat trait
Allows a single parry or dodge at full DV.

Lower multi-action penalties by one.

The weapons listed below are normally stored inside the
guards arms. Readying or changing a weapon is reflexive
action.

Join Battle: 8 Attacks: Straight Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 16, Damage 11L, Defense 6, Rate 2
Fighting Chain (Bash): Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 14B, Defense 8, Rate 1

31
Fighting Chain (Clinch): Speed 6, Accuracy 15, Damage 12B, Defense -, Rate 1
Firewand: Speed 5, Accuracy 14, Damage 13L, Rate 2, Range 10
Long Bow: Speed 6, Accuracy 11, Damage 8L, Rate 3, Range 250
Soak: 15L/19B (Armor plating, 12L/13B, Hardness: 7L/7B) Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 5 Willpower: 10(0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal of authority)
Essence: 2 Motes: 20 (regains 4 motes per hour, or 4 motes per minute when plugged into a precinct house)
Other Notes: Denandsors guardians are adept at using flurries and coordinated attacks to weaken the defenses of their quarry. They were even known for
being able to defeat some of the Chosen when necessary.
Sergeant
The sergeant of a precinct usually looks like a slightly larger version of the model it commands, though its extra set of arms makes it easily recognizable.
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 6, Stamina 6; Charisma 3, Manipulation 1, Appearance 4; Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Abilities: Archery 5 (Firewand +3), Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Dodge 6, Integrity 4, Linguistics 2 (Native: Old Realm; Forest-tongue, High Realm), Martial Arts
6 (Chain +3), Melee 6 (Sword +3), Presence 3, Resistance 4, Stealth 3, War 4 (Small Units +2)
Charm
Cost
Type
Duration
Effect
Strength Augmentation
2+m
Reflexive (Step 1)
(Essence) Actions
Add one dot per 2 motes to Strength, to a maximum of 7 dots.
Tactical Analysis Algorithms 2m
Reflexive
Instant
Learn the targets rating in any combat trait
Accelerated Response
2m
Reflexive
Instant
Allows a single parry or dodge at full DV.
System
Multi-Armed Frame
Lower multi-action penalties by two.
Integrated Arsenal
The weapons listed below are normally stored inside the
guards arms. Readying or changing a weapon is reflexive
action.
Cross-Phase Scanner
2m / sense
Simple
One Scene
Every two motes attunes one of the guards senses to the
spiritual, allowing them to sense immaterial beings. No ability
to affect them is granted.
Reaction Enhancers
2m/die
Reflexive
Instant
Adds one die per 2 motes spent to Join Battle, to a maximum of
Wits (4) dice.
Celerity-Enabling Module
5m, 1w
Extra-Action
Instant
Grants Essence (3) extra physical actions. Total DV penalty is
the highest of the actions taken.
Essence Shield Projector
1+m, 1+w
Simple
One Scene
Increases armor soak by +1L/+1B per mote spent. Can also
create a shield that grants +1 DV per 2 motes spent. No more
than Stamina + Essence (9) motes can be spent activating the
projector, and activating in both modes requires 2 Willpower
rather than 1.
Synergy-Promoting Upgrade 1m / target
Reflexive
One Turn
The sergeant orders his units to perform a task that can
conceivably be completed within a single turn. Each unit
undertaking that task gains a +1 die bonus to all rolls made in
the attempt.
Join Battle: 9 Attacks: Straight Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 17, Damage 11L, Defense 7, Rate 2
Fighting Chain (Bash): Speed 5, Accuracy 17, Damage 14B, Defense 9, Rate 1
Fighting Chain (Clinch): Speed 6, Accuracy 17, Damage 12B, Defense -, Rate 1
Firewand: Speed 5, Accuracy 16, Damage 13L, Rate 2, Range 10
Long Bow: Speed 6, Accuracy 12, Damage 8L, Rate 3, Range 250
Soak: 18L/23B (Armor plating, 15L/17B, Hardness: 7L/7B) Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 8 Willpower: 10 (0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal of authority)
Essence: 3 Motes: 30 (regains 4 motes per hour, or 6 motes per minute when plugged into a precinct house)

High Threat Response

A High Threat Response team (HTR) is called by a patrol when it encounters celestial level resistance or any threat its algorithms tell it cannot
be alone. Like the standard patrol models' sergeants, each member of an HTR team has four arms in homage of the Unconquerable Sun.
However, they stand a full four feet higher than their lower ranked counterparts, and pack much more offense into their golden frames.
Each of the five members of an HTR has a role to fulfill: sniper, fire support, ground control, and commander. Typical formations involve one
of each role and an extra ground control member. However, these roles are not rigid, as every member of an HTR team is capable of filling
every role, from sniper to scout to front rank fighter and leader. Should one fall, another can take its place if tactically viable.
Sniper: Staying as distant as possible on a nearby rooftop, the sniper lands and immediately takes cover (+1-2 DV, Stealth roll). It then lays
down long-distance shots until attacked, whereupon it rejoins its unit in the most appropriate role to the situation. Note that due to high angles,
the knockback normally dealt by sniper mode may instead knock the target prone and deal (yards - 1) damage.
Fire support: Using its Celerity-Enhancing Module, the fire support unit maintains its distance while laying down a barrage of arrows on a
single target (preferably on that is giving a ground control unit difficulties). When motes or Willpower runs low (less than 50%) it switches to
ground control mode.

32
Ground Control: A ground control unit does its best to harass enemy ranged units, and alwas augments its devestating manthresher attacks
with full Attribute Augmentation on the first pass, and the Celerity Enabling Module thereafter (cycling every four rounds if necessary and
possible).
Commander: The commander acts as limited fire support, firing his pneumatic bow in sniper mode and ordering a combined attack against the
most dangerous-seeming foe.
Attributes: Strength 9, Dexterity 7, Stamina 7; Charisma 4, Manipulation 1, Appearance 4; Perception 6, Intelligence 4, Wits 6 Abilities:
Archery 6 (Bow +3), Athletics 5, Awareness 5, Dodge 6, Integrity 4, Linguistics 2 (Native: Old Realm; Forest-tongue, High Realm), Martial
Arts 6 (Thresher +3), Presence 3, Resistance 5, Stealth 5,War5(Small Units +3)
Charm
Cost
Type
Duration Effect
Attribute
2+m
Reflexive (Step (Essence) Add one dot per 2 motes to Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina. Up to the base
Augmentation
1)
Actions
attribute can be added.
Accelerated
2m
Reflexive (Step Instant
Allows a single parry or dodge at full DV.
Response System
2)
Multi-Armed
Lower multi-action penalties by two.
Frame
Cross-Phase
2m / sense Simple
One Scene Every two motes attunes one of the guards senses to the spiritual, allowing them
Scanner
to sense immaterial beings.
Reaction
2m/die
Reflexive
Instant
Adds one die per 2 motes spent to Join Battle, to a maximum of Wits (6) dice.
Enhancers
Celerity-Enabling 5m, 1w
Extra-Action
Instant
Grants Essence (4) extra physical actions. Total DV penalty is the highest of the
Module
actions taken.
Essence Shield
1+m, 1+w Simple
One Scene Increases armor soak by +1L/+1B per mote spent. Can also create a shield that
Projector
grants +1 DV per 2 motes spent. No more than Stamina + Essence (11) motes ,
2Will.
Aim-Calibrating 1+m
Supplemental Instant
Each mote negates one die of environmental penalties. Each 2 motes negates one
Sensors
point of external penalties from environmental effects.
Dedicated
3m
Supplemental Instant
The augmented missile can strike no one and nothing but the target, ignoring cover
Harmonic
and bystanders.
Targeting
Plasma Thruster 2m or 4m Simple or
Instant
For 2m, move up to Str x 50 yards in a stright line up to once per action. For 4m
Assembly
or 10m, 1w Supplemental
and 1w, can move up to Str x 30 yards and attack in a single action, doubling raw
damage. For 10m can engage long distance flight up to Str x 15 mph.
Join Battle: 11Attacks: Manthresher (2): Speed 4, Accuracy 19, Damage 17B, Defense 9, Rate 3 (6 total)
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 13, Damage 9BP, Defense
Repeating Pneumatic Bow (standard): Speed 6, Accuracy 22, Damage 9LP, Defense -, Range 400, Rate unlimited, 6 arrows, refilled at 2m each
Repeating Pneumatic Bow (sniper): Speed 5, Accuracy 22, Damage 17LP, Defense -, Range 1 mile, Rate 1, cannot be parried without a charm
or stunt; if it deals damage it continues in a straight line, losing one die of raw damage; deals 1 yard of knockback per die of damage after soak,
which may cause 1B per yard if it pushes the target into a barrier.
Soak: 21L/27B , 12L/16B vs P Hardness: 10L/10B Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 9 Willpower: 10 (0 against anyone bearing the daimyos seal of authority)
Essence: 4 Motes: 40 (regains 4 motes per hour, or 6 motes per minute when plugged into a precinct house)
Bard of Unwelcome Mornings

33
The Bard of Unwelcome Mornings prefers to spread his minions out in a fight, using them to surround his foes and keeping them close to
enemies to lessen the likelihood of them being struck by large area attacks. Though slow, Shattering Void Mirror is his favorite attack, and he
will use it whenever possible. His shambling undead are almost invariably little girls, for reasons best left outside the realm of conscious
thought.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4; Charisma 3, Manipulation 5, Appearance 2; Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 4 Virtues:
Compassion 1, Conviction 4, Temperance 4, Valor 2
Abilities: Athletics 1, Awareness 5 (Targetting +3), Craft 4, Dodge 4, Integrity 5, Investigation 5, Lore 5, Medicine 4, Occult 5, Resistance 4
Charm
Cost
Type
DurationEffect
First
1m per die
Reflexive Instant Buys one die per mote spent.
Awareness
(Step 1 or 2)
Excellency
Wounds Mean 4m
Reflexive Instant Perfect soak, but Bard must move away from the most dangerous opponent until his
Nothing
(Step 7)
defense refreshes twise.
Breath1m
Simple
Instant Perception + Lore to feed on a target within 40 yards. The attack is unexpected unless
Draining Prana
the target can see essence or makes a difficulty 5 Wits + Awareness roll. The attack deals
(successes) lethal damage, and can only be soaked with stamina as it directly targets the
soul. Bard regains one mote per health level inflicted.
Shattering
20m (12m with Sorcery
Instant The target's colors invert and their essence ruptures. They lose (Essence x 2) motes
Void Mirror hearthstone)
(peripheral first), and take a number of dice of lethal damage equal to their current health
levels, ignoring armor.
Flesh16m
Sorcery
Instant A 20 yard radius wave of essence sloughs away dead and living flesh. Dead flesh is
Sloughing
stripped away instantly, and living creatures suffer 18 dice of lethal damage unless they
Wave
use a perfect dodge.
Join Battle: 9 Attacks: Eyes of the Pyre Flame: Speed 5, Accuracy 11, Damage Pyre Flame Range 20, Rate 1
Soak: 16L/20B (Pierced: 11L/13B; Soulsteel Articulated Plate 14L/16B, Hardness 9L/9B)
Health Levels: -0/0/0/0/0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 4 (-2 mobility) Willpower: 8/6 (3 commited)
Essence: 4Motes: 52 (13 commited) 39/17 (may spend 3motes to shunt remaining damage dice to explode a zombie) per+aw/combat to notice
Other Notes: Bard's anima power removes 4 levels of damage from every attack while his anima banner is flaring, or allows him to spend five
motes for the same effect during step 10.
The Bard of Unwelcome Mornings has replaced his eyes with Eyes of the Pyre Flame (Artifact , Book of Bone and Ebony, pg. 72). He can
still see normally, and can also use the eyes to create pyre flame and spray it at his enemies (see The Black Treaties, pg. 55). This attack uses
Perception + Awareness to attack, and while it can be blocked, the blocking weapon will suffer the full effects of pyre flame. Extra successes on
the attack roll only increase the flame's damage on the first round of contact. Attunement costs 3 motes.
Bard also owns a Gem of Shadows (Artifact ). For an attuned wielder (4 motes), the gem can be commanded to flare and animate the
shadows of all creatures except the wielder within 20 yards. The shadows immediately attack the creature who cast them,using the full physical
attributes, but without any magical powers. Each shadow only has as many health levels as the gem's owner's Essence.
Bard's 15 zombies have the following stats:
Name Str/Dex/Sta Per/Int/Wits/Will Health Levels Attack (Spd/Acc/Dmg/Rate) Dodge DV/Soak
Zombie 5/2/3
2/1/3/10
-0/-1/-3/I
Fist: 5/4/4L/2
1 /1L/3B
Panolpy: Soulsteel Articulated Plate, Eyes of the Pyre Flame, Gem of Shadows, and a Key of Mastery attuned to Shattering Void Mirror that
lets him regain 6 motes per hour.
Despicable Lies

(DEAD)
Panolpy: Despicable Lies's lute is the equivilent or an Unsurpassed Sanxian, adding 2 successes to all Performance rolls. His hearthstone is a
Sphere of the Black Bard, an Abyssal equivilent of the Solar stone Sphere of Courtesans' Constellatio (+2 to Presence and Performance,
Appearance is always at least 3). His Ring of Flies requires a commitment of 3 motes.
Lady of Mazes

34

The Lady of Mazes summons her panoply for battle while simultaneously filling her foes' hearts with the certainty of their demise. She then
attacks with a nonstop barrage of attacks, dropping opponents as quickly as she can get to them.
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3; Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3; Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 3
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Dodge 4, Integrity 5, Melee 5 (Daiklaves +3), Performance 3, Resistance 4
Charm
Cost
Type
DurationEffect
First Melee
1m per die Reflexive
Instant Lady buys one die per mote spent.
Excellency
(Step 1 or 2)
Unfurling Iron
2m per
Extra Action Instant The Lady buys up to 5 attacks.
Lotus
attack
Resplendent
6+m, 1w Simple
Scene
The Lady create a blade of darkness whose stats are listed below.
Shadow Blade
Death Deflecting 3m
Reflexive
Instant Perfect parry. After activating this defense, The Lady's rage overwhelms her and she
Technique
(Step 2)
must attack the last creature to attack her with her most powerful attack, continuing
until her DV refreshes twice.
Inauspicious Inner 10m, 1w or Simple
Scene
The Lady of Mazes creates jet black armor which grants 10L/10B soak and 5
Aegis
13m, 1w
hardness. If she spends 13 motes she also creates a shield that grants +1 DV vs. melee
and +3 DV vs. ranged attacks.
Ominous Portent Permanent
Instant The Ladyof Mazes cannot be surprised if she would have any chance of detecting the
Method
attack, and does not have more than 6 Resonance.
Inescapable
5m, 1w
Reflexive
Scene
The Lady of Mazes rolls Charisma + Presence with 4 bonus successes. Any enemies
Massacre
with a lower Dodge MDV suffer a compulsion to remain and fight. Resisting the
Technique
compulsion for the scene costs 3 willpower.
Join Battle: 7 Attacks: Resplendent Shadow Blade: Speed 3, Accuracy 18, Damage 5L (+4L cold with Hearthstone), Defense 7 (8 with shield,
10 vs. ranged with shield), Rate infinite
Soak: 11L/13B (Pierced 6L/8B; Inausicious Inner Aegis 10L/10B, Hardness 5)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Dodge DV: 7 (8 with shield, 10 vs. Ranged with shield) Willpower: 8
Essence: 4 Motes: 60 (5 commited)
Other Notes: The Lady of Mazes's anima banner gives her a +2 DV bonus vs. opponents whose Valor is less than hers.
Panolpy: The Lady of Mazes's wears a girdle of skulls, which can be commanded to seperate and catch incoming missile attacks as per the
Dolorous Reflection spell but without the possibility of reflecting the attacks back at the attacker. It requires a commitment of 4 motes. Her
choker acts as a soulsteel Hearthstone Amulet, in which is mounted an Ice Gem. It adds 4L cold damage to her attacks and causes any who
strike her with unarmed attacks to take 5 dice of lethal damage. Her Perfected Boots requre a commitment of one mote and add 3 yards to her
move actions and 6 yards to her dashes, as well as keeping her feet comfortable and dry at all times. She also adds 2 to her Strength + Athletics
total for jumping.

The Harbinger of the Ghost-Cold Winds (albino with white hair) (DEAD)
Other Notes: The White Walker bears a strange artifact soulsteel compass that assists him in passing through the Labyrinth (adding three
successes to Survival rolls to do so), as well as a set of soulsteel hearthstone bracers set with a hearthstone that allows him to inflict lethal
damage with bare-handed attacks. Additionally, the White Walkers soulsteel razor claws drain four motes of Essence from with any attack that
deals at least one health level of damage.
The Wind That Shreds Ashen Petals

35

Wind that Shreds Ashen Petals is a handsome man, whose good looks hide a black heart. He revels in causing pain to others, preferably both at
a distance and from hiding, for he loathes pain himself. In battle he will hide in the open using Unseen Wisp Method. He will then pepper his
foe with arrows using unexpected attacks and his combo Rain of Soul Leeches, which turns a hail of arrows into a hail of leeches which latch
onto the target and burrow under, sending the essence they drain back to him though spiritual conduits. If an enemy determines his location, he
foregoes attacking to move away and hide again, doing everything in his power to not be hurt.
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3; Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4; Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 2
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 3, Valor 3
Abilities: Archery 5 (Powerbow +3), Athletics 4, Awareness 4, Dodge 5 (Multiple Opponents +2), Integrity 5, Martial Arts 3, Resistance 4
Charm
Cost Type
DurationEffect
First Archery
1m / Reflexive
Instant +1 die per mote
Excellency
die
Twisting Spiteful 4m
Supplemental Instant If the attack inflicts lethal or aggravated damage it burrows in. Removal is (Strength +
Shaft
[Medicine or Athletics]) (3) as a miscellaneous action. Deals 3L every tme the victim acts,
bypassing hardness.
Withering
2m / Extra Action Instant Make up to 5 archery attacks.
Feathered
attack
Maelstrom
Splinter of the Void 2m
Supplemental Instant Drain and absorb 4 motes if the attack hits.
Unseen Wisp
4m
Simple
One hour Become invisible to anyone without a Whispers rating. -2 external pentalty to notice her,
Method
can hide in the open, and +2 successes to stealth attempts to remain hidden.
Killing Words
1w
Permanent
Instant An ehanced social attack or unnatural charm must be resisted with lethal health levels
Technique
rather than Willpower.
Flitting Shadow
1m
Reflexive (StepInstant Defend against an attack with full Dodge DV.
Form
2)
Join Battle: 6 Attacks: Soulsteel Long Powerbow: Speed 6, Accuracy 19, Damage 13L, Defense -, Range 350, Rate 3
Soak: 13L/14B (Pierced 10L/12B ; Soulsteel Reinforced Breastplate 12L / 11B; Hardness 9L/9B) Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/4/Incap Dodge DV: 6 (7 with multiple opponents) Willpower: 7 Essence: 4 Motes: 20 / 45 (12 commited)
Other notes: Wind's day cast anima power allows him to prevent a power's payment from adding to his anima banner by spending an extra
mote, and shrouds him in darkness (-2 to notice him).
Panolpy: Wind's bow, Screaming Doom, functions as a soulsteel long powerbow. In addition, he can spend one essence when firing an arrow to
cause the mouths of the skulls that cover the bow to open and scream in agony. Any arrow fired thus turns the corpse of a mortal target into
feral walking dead. By spending 5 motes he can cause the corpse to rise under the control of a hungy ghost, with the same physical stats as the
victim, but an animal level intelligence. Corpses animated via the second power obey Wind completely. Only one zombie can be created per
turn. Mounted in the bow is a Gladestalker's Stone (already reflects in the above stats). He also has a Hearthstone Compass, currently empty.