G+ Necro: So I had a run-in with one of these guys...

Was posting something on Xitter about spiders and cool things, and went searching through my Google+ archive for something I'd written back in the day and found this old hunk of gold. Figured seeing as we lost so much when G+ closed down it was worth a repost here. Might do some more of these....

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photo by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos

So I had a run-in with one of these guys yesterday. We've bought a house in the Upper Blue Mountains but couldn't move in this year cause of special needs schooling for one of our boys. But I'm doing the maintenance on the house while we rent it out, and while carrying rubble from A to B, saw a redback poking out of its hidey-hole positioned far too close to the front door for my liking. Kids n' stuff. So as she (the big ones are always shes) broke Article 4 of The Human-Spider Covenant (Being Seen Sticking Fangs Into Prey) she had to go.

The nest was at ground level underneath the outward projection of a rain gutter running down the wall, so there was access from either side,  and I stuck a nice long stick in to clean it out. And out she came: the biggest Redback I've ever seen. And I felt like a bit of prick for squashing her, but yeah it's a risk I'm not willing to take. And I had to do the eggsacs in too (more on that in a bit). So apologies to the Spider Spirits but obviously if she's that big then things are good in spiderland (and there are lots of other awesome spiders around the place, especially the little Jumping Spiders, which I love).

And then suddenly there's another redback out the other side. Quite surprised (both of us, I believe). Just as big. More apologies to Spider Spirit, but pop (and really it did).

Anyway the point of this heroic tale of Jez vs The Land of Poison and Fire is that it got me thinking about monstrous encounters (it was a long drive home) and how to take what I saw and what I read up about redbacks last night (cause curious) and make the encounters more complex and varied.

I'm of little doubt that some if not all of these ideas have probably been brought up before, but eh. I feel compelled. I'm also bitter that +Ian Johnson took his blog down cause he wrote two amazing posts about how to run giant spiders as pure murderfreaks (in fact +Reynaldo Madriñan if you speak with him can you ask him if I can repost them? they were really great).

So yeah:

Tag Team. The first thing that I noticed was that there were dozens of ants hanging out in the spider's lair. Not as food (though I'm sure a few get picked off for snack time) but as live-in cleaners and scavengers, picking up the husks of the dead and polishing off what the redbacks couldn't devour. I don't know what direct benefit this offered the redbacks - maybe it kept their webs cleaner for longer so the spiders didn't need to spend as much energy in replacing their webs? - but clearly there was some sort of mutually beneficial arrangement. Obviously the ants wouldn't rush out to defend the spiders against humans, but against smaller foes (and redbacks do have then, see below) maybe? D&Ding it up, there should be more symbiotic arrangements between different types of monsters. I keep thinking of kobolds and dragons (it's an easy one) co-habiting, the dragon gets cleaned and their lair tidied, and probably worshipped while it's at it which is always nice, and has a cohort of guardians to protect it while it slumbers, and in return they get protection plus scraps from fallen heroes and other foes.

Hunter Hunter. This is for the aussies... but you know how we generally like daddy long leg spiders cause they're a) harmless to humans b) eat mozzies? Well it turns out they actively hunt redbacks. Their long narrow legs are hard to hit with the redback bite, and they get a huge reach advantage over the smaller redback, so they are usually first to hit with a web attack that entangles the redback. I haven't seen any daddy longlegs up at the house, I'm thinking of bringing a catch of them up next time. ANYWAY. the idea here is predator predators, and the idea that they fear something that's actually quite innocuous to humans. The hunterhunter could be interacted with by the adventurers, convinced to attack their common foe. 

Dimorphism. Female redbacks grow up to 14mm in body length, males only up to 4mm. Really common among spiders and insects. I like the idea of the adventurers slaying a monster, thinking that they've done an awesome job finishing off the beastie, only to find the much much larger female emerging to find her mate in pieces. I did this once, where some space explorers crashlanded on an alien world, and encountered some aggressive large xenos that they dispatched pretty quick... only to find they'd killed a gang of cocky teens, and the adult of the species were suitably bigger and angrier.

Boltholes. Most creatures would rather avoid a fight than pick one, (unless they're hungry, hunting or fucking funnelwebs) and redbacks usually have boltholes in their webs that lead to places of safety. Monster lairs should have them, too.

Bizarre eggs. I find the near perfect spheres of redback eggsacs strangely artistic, and maybe monsters lairs should be strewn with bizarre geometric things that turn out to be full of little monsterbabes.

Sexual cannibalism. Redbacks are one of the few spiders that practice sexual cannibalism ("I'm gonna eat you out tonight, honey") and it's not a case of "fuckfuckfuckIhopeshedoesn'teatmethistime". Instead males actively encourage the females to eat them by positioning themselves near the mandibles. How to gameify this? no idea, but eh, it's weird (but not as weird as the hermaphroditic Glaucus Sea Dragons, who try to eat their mate's genitalia first to see who gets to be the dude in this coupling).

There's More Than One. Seriously this was the thing that tripped me up most. Finding the second one after I thought the job was done. Which is weird, cause most of the info I read up on last night said that females will fight and eat each other. I guess the ecology around the house was rich enough that they didn't have to. But if you have a monster plaguing the area, not letting on that there's more than one until after the party has spent all its resources taking down the first one will screw them good.

Poisons and How They Should Really Work. A redback bite is powerful enough to liquify the innards of its prey within 20 mins, affect a human for several days (and the bite is often not noticed at the time). None of this Save vs Poison or lose 2 points of Con. If you got bit by a giant redback and you fail your save, the inside of your sword arm should be jelly within 2d6 rounds. Permanently. Also the bite of a redback causes profuse sweating in a localised area around the bite. If a monster of arcane origins manages to bite you, weird arcane shit happens to the bite area for several days.

Anwyay that's all I got. Redbacks suck (but no-one's died from a redback since 1956) but they're horribly awesome, and I wish Peter Jackson had used them as the inspiration for Shelob instead of the stockier spider he went with!

Originally posted on G+, 1st Feb 2016.

Star Wars JezD6 RPG – Fillable Character Sheet PDF

I've updated the custom D6 Character Sheets I use for my Star Wars RPGs to be fillable forms, to aid with online play. Included with the optional static Defense scores for fast play. You can get them here:

Star Wars D6 Essentials Fillable Character Sheet PDF

And the always-being-tinkered-with Star Wars D6 Rules Essentials you can still get here:

Star Wars D6 Rules Essentials

Bewdy.

Kids Star Wars RPGs: Death and Sacrifice

‪In a Star Wars RPG, if you were truly adhering to the tropes of the saga, would you remove player character death from the game? Or only allow “heroic sacrifice” where the PCs opt to die to ensure the mission succeeds, or maximum dramatic impact?

 ‬

‪I’m just mulling it over for the SW Kids RPG which is on my mind. Like aside from Rogue One, the only “PC” deaths are from the big three at the end of the saga, or Kenobi. They’re all sacrificial deaths i.e. they willingly risked death for a cause.‬

‪The Rogue One team do so to get the Death Star Plans, Kenobi to allow Luke to escape, Han to save his son, Luke to save Leia and the Resistance, Leia (sadly forced) to something something not quite sure Ben Solo. They’ve all chosen their deaths.‬

‪I feel like if anything Erik Jensen's It Gets Worse Rules from Wampus Country are more applicable. In defeat Star Wars PCs should be captured, imprisoned, their ship taken, lose a limb, lose a family heirloom, they drop their shipment, lose their home planet...‬

‪Which opens up new avenues for adventure and character growth instead of shutting down the game for that player. Like I love the risk of death in my D&D games, it makes combat more thrilling and survival that much sweeter, but I just don’t think that it is the best approach here.‬

‪Especially when dealing with a game aimed at younger players. If they put their creativity into a cool hero only to be cut down by a stray Stormtrooper laser (it does happen to everyone else in the Star Wars galaxy) then you’re basically shooting down their creativity and fun.‬

‪So yeah I think that with this particular game I think that’s the approach I’ll be taking.‬

‪I wonder where L3-37 fits in this approach though?‬

‪Like she totally buys it in a rando shout out on Kessel. She’s fighting for A Cause (Robot Freedom) but it’s not like, if she was a PC, the player would have said I’m cool with sacrificing her at this moment. But they give her death purpose — and let her live on in the Falcon. ‬

‪Which is super creepy weird on one level, the idea that the Falcon is now infused with the persona of droid rights activist but is doomed to be an ownable, gamble-able, punchable object for the rest of her days, but also it lets her “live on” in the “game”.‬

‪Her demise gives the Falcon the navigational abilities that end up being put to good use (eventually) as the workhorse of the Rebellion and the Resistance. From an RPG point of view the character’s death furthers The Cause (in a very roundabout way). ‬

Anyway: character death in a Star Wars Kids RPG. Avoid, use It Gets Worse, or if somehow unavoidable make it meaningful. And if they are Force Sensitive give’em a chance to live on in spirit. They’ll be chuffed to see old friends again.

(Originally posted as a thread on Twitter, which is pretty useless. Blogs FTW).

FLINTLOCK FANTASY: Episode III Play Report!

The third session began with the early morning light streaming into an abandoned Tylluan eyrie over the Northern Slums of Malazar. The gang had fled to the eyrie after the events of the previous session (which you can read about here). The players and characters were:

- Gabby as Lucinda Martin, the gifted budding alchemist who ran the tavern
- Tom as Nym the Mog, the curious investigator cat who shared Lucinda's love of chemistry
- Kurt as Ramon Sánchez de Castille, a recovering veteran of the Siege of Lapramada
- Gus as Pedro the Bruxi, an aspiring and helpful naval gunner rat who'd befriended Ramon on his return journey (Gus was unfortunately still being eaten by his children and unable to attend).

After much discussion about what they should do, it was decided that they would make the journey through the slums to the Castigardo, the huge and ominous prison that squatted upon the banks of the river near the heart of the city. Their hope lay in bribing their way inside so they could speak with Nym's Mog mentor Viski Padipurr, who had been incarcerated after the Machetza Gang had sold him out to the Crown authorities. Viski the one who had given Nym the Stone Book for safekeeping, and perhaps he could tell them more about where he had acquired it. Lucinda and Nym were both in favour of studying the book further, but Ramon was firmly in favour of destroying it. Eventually they persuaded him from doing so, and they emerged from the eyrie into a blistering sun. It was going to be a swelteringly hot day.

Disguising themselves somewhat to avoid the searching eyes of Lady Regretta and the Machetzas, they descended into the stinking streets of the city and hailed a gondola to ferry them over to the Castigardo Slums. The picked up a few supplies from street vendors, cut through several bazaars then arrived the outer gates of the Castigardo, which sat at the end of a narrow peninsula jutting into the river.

Luck was on their side as they approached the gatehouse: a young bravo had left his jacket undone in the heat, and as the three past by him, they could see a large machette hanging on the inside of his jacket. He was a Machetza, and they quickly realised that the gang they had tangled with over the book during the eclipse on the previous day (see here) must have been staking out the prison in the hope that Nym would eventually try to make contact with his imprisoned master. Warily the three pressed on to the gatehouse; the prison might afford them their only protection.

Luck was also on their side when they spoke to the guard. He was friendly and willing to help them after they slipped him a generous bribe, and he led them in through the gates. There was a small plaza between the gatehouse and the prison itself, and to one side lay a wharf where prisoners were brought straight from the courthouse down river. But in front of them loomed the thick and oppressive walls of black granite. The dark entrance was open, and distant screams all wailing came from within.

A second guard, much larger and crueler than the guard at the gate, took more bribing before he was willing to fetch Viski for them. They were led to a small stone room, barren save for a wooden table and benches, where they were to meet with Viski; Ramon did not wish to be trapped inside, and waited in the hallway.

Eventually Viski was brought before Nym and Lucinda, and he was a sorry sight. His once lustrous white gold fur was dank with blood from savage cuts, his claws removed, even his fangs snapped. It was clear Viski had suffered greatly, and that he was barely hanging on. It seemed that anger and a thirst for revenge had kept him alive, and coherent.

Viski was able to tell them about where he had acquired the Stone Book. He had learned that an Agent of the Crown was bringing in an artefact recovered from the Stonelands far to the north, and purchased by the Crown from an auctioneer in The Citadel (a free city in the middle of the continent that was responsible for the Aurora Arcana that protected all the nations of Thaumatria). He had learned who the agent was and when the ship she was sailing on was to arrive in Malazar, ambushed her shortly after she arrived, and stole the book.

But he nearly failed: as he made his escape she transformed into something huge and monstrous that could have easily been the Hydiac — the monster that had been plaguing the city for the last two weeks. The agent's name was Zumi Juso, and if she was working for the Crown, then they too must be after the Stone Book, and that would explain the presence of the Leech-eyed Man and the Slavering Boxthing interrogating them at the Wandering Arms.

Viski begged them to do everything they could to free him, and Nym promised that he would, but their time was up. Nym slipped his mentor a bottle of wine just before the guards returned, and escorted him back to his cell. If they were to buy his freedom, it would cost them at least 500 crowns in bribes, money none of them had.

Yet they had more pressing problems: the Machetza waiting for them outside the gates of the Castigardo. But they were able to give them the slip by hailing a gondola to take them from the prison wharf, and were able to cross back into the network of canals and disappear before the four boatloads of machette-wielding thugs caught up with them.

The heat weighed heavy on the city, but the gang decided to press on with finding out more of the various plots afoot by heading to a friend of Ramon's — one Coravo la Brana, a fellow duelist he had met while at University, and had encountered shortly after Ramon had returned from the war.

As they made their way through the city they stopped tp refresh by a fountain nearest to the old walls, by the gate that separated the Northern Slums from the Old City. As they washed down Lucinda spotted a most unusual sight in the form a tall man in crimson robe and crimson wide-brim hat: an Inquisitor of Carcassara. Greatly feared, the crowd parted around him, before he headed further into the Northern Slums. Was he here for them?

They quickly made their way through the heart of the city to the university district where they called up the residence of Coravo La Brana. According to his Bruxi servant, Master La Brana would not return til nightfall, but had left instructions that should Ramon visit he should be welcomed into his home and all his needs catered for.

La Brana lived in a well appointed apartment near the University, and lived comfortably. They rested, away from the heat of the day in the cool rooms, but Lucinda asked the Bruxi servant to visit the nearby alchemist's shop and purchase some supplies. An hour later the servant returned with a hefty wooden box on a strapped frame: it was a portable alchemist's lab, which she would swiftly put to good use.

Her examination of the goods was cut short by the sound of a carriage arriving at speed down in the stables. It was La Brana, staggering up the stairs and clutching a bloodsoaked shirt, and pale from loss of blood. They quickly guided him to his bed, and Lucinda examined the wound: a deep cut on his flank that showed bone. But she had been well trained as a surgeon, and set about healing him. As she operated, she asked Ramon if her patient could be trusted. Ramon said yes: Coravo La Brana had hired both Ramon and his companion Pedro to watch over Lucinda and protect her from harm. Lucinda confronted him. Was La Brana responsible for the wanted posters of the woman named Valentina de Camondo — her true identity?

In his delirium La Brana was loose-tongued and revealed much that perhaps he should not. He was not responsible for them, but had been ordered by her father Lord Vincent de Camondo to watch over and protect her. Was her father responsible for the posters? Not at all, according to La Brana. Her father wanted nothing more than for his daughter to live the life she wanted, and if that meant living in hiding away from her family and its business, then all he wanted was her safety. So who was it that had ordered the wanted posters distributed around the city? La Brana did not know. He also, in his delirium, did not recognise Lucinda as the woman he was meant to protect.

The pain of the wound was beginning to take a hold, as was the alcohol he was using as a sedative, but La Brana was able to tell them where he had acquired the wound. In exchange for Ramon's protection of Lucinda, La Brana agreed that he would investigate the murder of Ramon's father, who had been killed the night Ramon had returned from the war while Ramon was visiting. Assassins had broken into the house, and attacked Ramon's father Lord Eduardo Perez de Castille believing he was alone: but Ramon witnessed the attack, and overheard the killers talking about a job for a "Señor Mendez" before making good his escape. La Brana had learned that someone was hoping to lay charges against Ramon for his father's death, and the two had agreed that Ramon should stay away from his father's home and that La Brana should investigate on his behalf. He was at the premises this very afternoon when he was attacked inside the house, but he was a gifted student of the dueling arts, and had managed to cut his way through the gang of bravos and return here. At that point La Brana pulled out a small book, sea-green in cover: it was a journal, and La Brana insisted that Ramon read it.

THE LAST JOURNAL OF LORD EDUARDO PEREZ DE CASTILLE
(written in second person cause it was originally for Ramon's player Kurt).

https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/255236661/a5-journal-notebook-vintage-journal

Your father's private journal is quite new, it only goes back several months of events and thoughts.

The journal is a sea-green hardbound book of considerable quality. The first entry is three months old.

In amongst the details of day to day mundanity of appointments and gatherings, it details the observations of a old, broken man, who seems very sad, and full of regrets that he could not live up to the greatness of his father and grandfather in managing the shipyards.

You knew your father was quite artistic, and there are sketches throughout of various shipyard scenes, portraits of people he met with, and Malazari street scenes.

It also contains sketches throughout of dragonflies, birds, and seedpods, as well as what appears to be the vivisection of a Tylluan Owl Man. Particular detail is paid to the musculature and bone structure of the wing.

There are also pictures of the windmills that line the canals north of the city and this winery hillsides around the old estate.

On the few occasions he mentions the Church it is in disparaging terms.

There are a number of meetings listed, with several businessmen at various places, including — now this is interesting — he talks about a meeting with Lord Vincent de Camondo, Lucinda's father. He speaks of him in very familiar terms, very informal, and he recounts telling de Camondo that "the project could not proceed without the intervention of the gods. What Vincent asks for is simply impossible. A lifetime of work and failure is all I have to show for it." There is then a short memo: "maybe the gods could help? Voroshka?"

He also details a number of meetings with your eldest brother at the estate, the sickly Comte Santiago Sebastien de Castille, and has brief summaries of their meetings, the last of which was several days before he died.

They seem to be working very hard towards ensuring that the family shipyards remain the the de Castille family, but as it was being run by your sister Condesa Mariana Sofia de la Sablonnière up til the day she died, there is an attempt being made to claim control of the shipyards by her husband Conde Louis Pierre Ancillon de la Sablonnière, who your father now holds in very low regard.

He also details his attempts to bring his remaining family back to Malazar to lay a counterclaims to the company, his frustrations in your youngest sister who has refused to co-operate, and his vexations in finding both you and your other brothers. He specifically mentions pulling strings with various friends in the military to have you and your brothers recalled from the Siege of Lapramada, several times over the last six months, and his puzzlement on why these requests have all failed. Your brothers had died prior to the first entry in this journal, but his grief over their deaths looms over everything, and it's clear he was desperately hoping that you would return to solve all the inheritance issues.

His last entry is one full of joy and honesty: he has learned that you are to be transferred back from Lapramada arriving the day after tomorrow, and his journal entry reads like he was taking notes for a speech that he was preparing for you, but never gave due to his murder. In summary:

"My son, I know that the weight of familial expectations has been heavy on the shoulders of all my children, and that the day to day cut and thrust of our business is far from romantic. It is no wonder that you and most of your siblings have fled to the far corners of the world. But I know of the unique burden that you have carried, that drove you away, and the shame dark wounds my own cowardice inflicted upon you. You had the strength and courage to show the greatest of mercies when I did not, and you spared your mother the greatest of pains where I could not. Be not ashamed of what you have done, for you have shown your true qualities and kindness. You are to be lauded for your deeds, not held to account for them. If I seem a drunken fool, it is because I am. But you did not put me on that path. Do not follow my path, and seek for treasures in the bottom of the bottle. Do not follow my path, and seek for wisdom at the bottom of the sea."

The last two sentences have been struck through.


REWARDS:

Loot:
Ramon acquired his father's Journal

Experience:
Visiting Viski and the Castigardo: 150XP/3 = 50 each
Evading the Machetza Gang: 150XP/3 = 50 each
Rendevouz with Coravo La Blana: 150XP/3 = 50 each
Additional RP awards: 100 each

TOTAL XP = 250XP each

FLINTLOCK FANTASY: Episode II Play Report!

The second session kicked off with the aftermath of the Machetza showdown and monstrous attack at the Welcome Arms (which you can read about HERE). The players and characters were:

- Gabby as Lucinda Martin, the gifted budding alchemist who ran the tavern
- Tom as Nym the Mog, the curious investigator cat who shared Lucinda's love of chemistry
- Kurt as Ramon Sánchez de Castille, a recovering veteran of the Siege of Lapramada
- Gus as Pedro the Bruxi, an aspiring and helpful naval gunner rat who'd befriended Ramon on his return journey (Gus was unfortunately eaten by his children and unable attend).

Members of the Malazar City Guard finally arrived at the Welcome Arms to begin their investigations, and as Lucinda hurried out to meet them, she suggested that Nym leave the Stone Book somewhere safe and secure. She did not see him place it in the vault and lock it; she truly did not know what happened to it when the guards spoke at length with her. They asked many questions about the Machetzas, the woman who vanished before Lucinda's eyes, and the location of the book that the gang wanted. Gabby proved surprisingly wily and cunning and palyed Lucinda very well, evading the questions and steering their inquiries as best she could. She handed them the tavern's books so they could see who else was staying there: Ramon had not given his last name, and Pedro the Bruxi wasn't even on the books. Which was for the best, for he was no where to be seen.

The three guards clearly weren't that interested in the case, asking routine questions and failing to notice Ramon's lies. Likewise with Nym, who suggested that the book was actually gambling ring, not some arcane tome. (Nice time to roll a 1 there, sergeant). But they were advised to remain in the tavern overnight, in case there were further inquiries.

And there were, but not in any official capacity: Lucinda caught a fresh faced young man by the name of Jonas, asking too many questions in the post-eclipse revelries. She escorted him to the guards upstairs, who instantly recognised him: he was an inquirer from one of the new boletins that had begun printing the news for mass consumption, and he was eager to learn what had happened.

Meanwhile Nym ducked out into the afternoon to see if he could find a safehouse for them to stay. Ramon was certain that the Machetzas would return, and it would be best not to be at the Welcome Arms when they did. Nym uncovered two possible locations to lay low: an old store room above an obscurio shop, and the eyrie of a Tylluan family that had been missing at sea for some time. Both showed signs of possible occupation by others (orphan beggars above the store, and hints of a heretical church gathering at the eyrie) but both could be dealt with. With a claw Nym carved a message for the heretics "leave this place or you will be reported to the authorities", hoping that threat was enough to scare them off.

When he returned to the Welcome Arms the mood had soured. Lady Margarié Regretta, the owner of the tavern and inn, had arrived and was grilling Lucinda about the tragic events, giving her a very loud dressing down in the backroom behind the bar. She was deeply upset by the death of Largo the bouncer, but also by the sudden attention the Welcome Arms was now receiving, when it had until now maintained a reputation as a quiet discrete location to gather. As the manager of the tavern Lady Regretta held Lucinda to be personally responsible, and believed that her new friends Nym, Ramon and Pedro had brought the tavern low. Lucinda offered to resign, but she did not find out if Lady Regretta accept it it for a number of city guards entered unannounced.

The guards were followed by two golden-caped cazadors. One was the tall Tylluan owl-man bearing a single scimitar: Nym had encountered him on the rooftops during the Machetza attack. The other a scarred and weary man laden with pistols and blades. The Tylluan stepped forward and in a croaky voice apologised for the intrusion, then directed all present to sit at the bar table before him. Ramon made a point of limping over in pain. Nym, Lucinda and Lady Regretta joined him, as well as the few other patrons present. Pedro was nowhere to be seen.

Then eight heavy cowled monks entered, wearing only the indigo robes of the Malazari royalty, and between them they carried a tall but narrow sedan box on two rods. Black lacquered, gold trimmed, adorned with the symbol of the lamprey, and completely enclosed with carved wooden screens it was clearly carrying a highborn noble. But the hideous ragged breathing that gurgled slowly within, and the strange stink that washed over them marked the passenger as something other.

Besides the sedan walked another monk, indistinguishable from the rest, save for when he pulled back his cowl and raised his head to address those gathered before him, who recoiled when they saw that instead of eyes, two leeches squirmed beneath his brow, growing from under his eyelids, searching and seeking for something. When he spoke, his voice was kind but distant, but the breathing within the box quickened its pace.

"Tell me... of the Hydiac."

Each person present who had encountered the creature had a sudden flash of memory. The creature had escape the tavern not hours before, and the recollections where still fresh. For Ramon it was the sight of the mass of tooth and tentacle, eye and maw, where but a moment before the mysterious woman slumped over, pinned to the wall by Ramon's blade. For Nym it was the bulging wall of bestial flesh filling the doorway to his room, flexing its horrendous musculature and ripping the side of the tavern apart as it fled.

The Tylluan cazador tilted his head, shuddered, then spoke next, in complete unison with the leech-eyed man as the gurgling behind them bubbled and frothed.

"Tell me of the woman."

Lucinda's mind flooded with memory from the bar fight. She was grabbing the volatile liquors from the end bar, glanced over at the woman: plainly dressed, a fishmonger perhaps, but her hair in an unfashionable bob haircut. But she was muttering something quietly to herself, and her hands... shimmered. And then she vanished. Ramon saw her up close again, in the last moment before the woman... changed. Her weathered face slackening as she slipped from consciousness. Every detail of her face revealed for an instant. Nym recalled how she stood at the doorway to his room, demanding the book he had in his arms, her own arms shimmering with the speed of their shaking.

The weapon-laden cazador now joined the chorus. The thing in the sedan, clearly controlling them, panting under the effort.

"Tell me of the Book."

Lucinda's and Ramon's recollections were indistinct, flashes of the conversation two hours prior in the secret backroom of the Welcome Arms, Lucinda suggesting to Nym that he store it someplace safe. But Nym's recollections were crystal clear: he had studied if for several days since it came into his paws, and his last memory was of placing the book in the storage vault and shutting the door. He could hear the latches lock with a click as he shut it.

The Tylluan cazador shook his head then asked to be taken to the vault. Lady Regretta rose and under protest led him downstairs to where the book was stored. The rest waited uncomfortably; the book had already drawn far too much trouble from powerful members of Malazari society and they were eager to be parted from it (though Nym was keen to learn the rest of its contents first).

A scream came from downstairs. Lady Regretta rushed back up. "The book! It's been stolen!"

The laboured breath within the sedan was almost ecstatic.

"Tell me who stole the Book."

But no-one had any inkling who could have done it. They were almost relieved instead, for whoever had taken it would now become the focus of this interrogation, not them. Whoever the thief was, they were not present.

The gurgling slowed, relinquishing its grip on the cazadors' voices. The Tylluan bowed curtly, apologised once more for the intrusion, and then the leech-eyed man escorted his horrid master off the premises and out into the streets of Malazar, followed by the retinue of guards and the cazadors.

Everyone in the Welcome Arms was greatly relieved by their departure. Ramon was especially unsettled by the leech-eyed man. What the hell was that thing? But it was Lady Regretta who was first to act.

She gave orders for the Welcome Arms to be shut for the night, and then made it quite plain that Lucinda, Nym and Ramon were to return to her townhouse and join her for the evening to discuss what had happened. Sensing this to was an order and not an offer, the three gathered their possessions then climbed up into the waiting carriage outside.

The carriage cut across the city, leaving the Northern Slums, crossed several canals, reached the old walls that guarded the heart of the metropolis where it drove past arenas and auditoriums and entered a salubrious neighbourhood down towards the main docks. Here the tall streets were clean and patrolled by private guards. The carriage pulled into a narrow gate beside a beautiful terrace; Nym drank in the details, his heart filling with envy, but Ramon was suspicious of such wealth and wondered where it came from.

Servants greeted them at the door, and they were ushered into a resplendent lounge. And there, getting to his feet, was their friend Pedro. In his arms was the book.

"I did as your Ladyship asked of me and emptied the vault," he explained. "Everything is here." He pointed to the files of paperwork and locked boxes on the lounge table before him.

Lady Regretta smiled and thanked him, then made it clear to the four of them that whatever was in that book she wanted to know. If the Hydiac wanted it, if the Machetzas wanted it, and now if the Malazari Crown wanted it, then whatever it was it was extremely valuable. She wanted to know how it came into their possession: Nym explained that his long time mentor Viski Padipurr had given it to him for safe keeping after a deal of some sort between him and the Machetzas went bad. "The Master Thief?" she asked, seeming to know the famous Mog. Nym nodded.

In the end a deal was struck whereby Nym and Lucinda would use their alchemical extracts to help them comprehend the contents of the book, and Ramon and Pedro would be responsible for their safety. She would pay them handsomely for their efforts, and they were welcome to stay at her terrace for now.

It had been a long day, and a tiring night, and the four were shown to their rooms; the book was returned to Nym. But they met one last time before sleep, eager to discuss the situation in private. They were unsure of what they were being dragged into, or of Lady Regretta's intentions. She was a war profiteer and arms dealer of some sort, and they did not believe they could trust her. But the bargain had been struck, the accommodation much to Nym's liking, and the pay was very, very good.

In the morning they set to work translating. Nym and Lucinda were able to brew four strange concoctions that enabled the eyes to make sense of strange languages, and they were able to comprehend the contents of ten pages or so with each brew. Gingerly they turned the petrified pages, handling with great care so as not to snap them off at the spine. And over the next few days this is what they learned:

The book was titled "THEORETICA ON THE DESIGN OF THE DEMONLOCK FIREARM & THE MEANS TO ACQUIRE ITS BASE MATERIALS" by Doctor Palso Anduriac, and was written in the Luzori language in the city of Kvantio. Everyone new that name: it was the cursed city where the Stoneland Wastes were born, where everything within one hundred miles was completely turned to stone. Brave adventurers would enter the Stoneland Wastes, and bring out relics and remnants of that lost city. This book was clearly an artefact from one such expedition.

(The book is fully detailed HERE.)

In summary, the illuminated manuscript was a treatise examining the current state of firearm technology in Thaumatria, and suggested a dangerous by highly effective means to improve it and gain an edge in the arms race that gripped the nations of the continent.

It contained blueprints and instructions on how to construct what it called a Demonlock Pistol, that was capable of using Demonstone Powder to greatly increase the firepower of current weapons. The pistol itself was an impressive but mundane design, but the methods of obtaining Demonstone Powder were outright heretical. First one must summon a demon of the Jugger Behem. Then one must have it petrified by the gaze of a gorgon from the southern continent. Grinding down the petrified demon into a fine powder produced the desired compound. It was a wild and outlandish proposition, but according to the account given in the final chapter of the book, four Demonstone Pistols were made and a batch of Demonstone Powder successfully acquired.

Part of the book was definitely arcane in nature. The chapter on summoning Jugger Behem — a tract that was so dangerous mere possession of it would warrant execution — was the source of the emanations, written with another's hand, and it was Lucinda who noticed that in the monstrous marginalia was a completely blank circle, whereas the circles on various other pages were filled with strange sigils. She was unsure what this meant.

While this research was being conducted, Ramon was becoming increasingly frustrated. His suspicions of Lady Regretta were growing in spite of her increasing generosities. He had seen things during the Siege of Lapramada that had deeply troubled him, and he could not shake his fears. But his ruminations were interrupted when a Bruxi messenger, who had been sent to the Welcome Arms and escorted here by one of Lady Regretta's servants, arrived with a communique from a friend in the city, warning him of impending threats.

Ramon voiced his concerns with his friends during a break in their research, and Lucinda decided it was time to reveal something disturbing that was likely to be connected to this dark trade in arcane weapons. She had been tracking the machinations of the de Camondo family for some time. They were prestigious arms dealers that manufactured artillery for the Malazari Crown — Ramon and Pedro recognised the name from the stamp on the side of many a fine cannon. It was possible that the book detailing the construction of Demonlock weapons was destined for them. She knew the de Camondos were working towards a major weapons delivery due a month from now, and that they had been buying up large quantities of condemned criminals from the Malazari slave markets. She was yet to see how all the pieces connected, but she was sure there was one.

At that moment a servant interrupted: there was someone to see Lucinda at the front door. Warily Lucinda opened it, only to find the Bruxi messenger who had delivered Ramon's letter earlier that day. The Bruxi held up a rolled piece of parchment, unfurled it, and compared the illustration of the woman upon it with Lucinda. Someone had posted a bounty on her, and the keen-eyed Bruxi had spotted her before. With a quick bow and a word of thanks he darted off into the darkness.

Lucinda rushed back in, warning her friends that they had to leave immediately. They gathered up their possessions, taking the book with them, but left incomplete notes behind for Lady Regretta. They also left a message explaining that they would return is several days, and would complete the translation then, for they suspected that Regretta would be a fine ally and terrible enemy.

As they scarpered back across the city to the safety of the more familiar Northern Slums, Lucinda grabbed one of the numerous wanted posters that had been plastered on the side of a wall: 500 crowns were offered for the capture and safe return of one Valentina de Camondo. "That's me," she said.

Nym led the four of them up into the rooftops of the slums, and into the abandoned Tylluan eyrie he had discovered before. For the moment they were safe. But clearly not for long...

REWARDS:

Loot:
Everyone receives 50 crowns each as payment from Lady Regretta
Ramon and Pedro also receive an additional 50 crowns for other services
The Stone Book remains in your possession
Nym stole a cushion
(the coins taken from the Machetzas was given to Lady Regretta to pay for Largo's funeral)


Experience:
Encounter with the Leech-eyed Man and his Master: 300XP/4 = 75 each
Translating the Stone Book: 600XP/4 = 150 each

TOTAL XP = 225XP each

FLINTLOCK FANTASY: Campaign Notes VII: The Book of Stone

The book is titled "THEORETICA ON THE DESIGN OF THE DEMONLOCK FIREARM & THE MEANS TO ACQUIRE ITS BASE MATERIALS" by Doctor Palso Anduriac, published by University of Kvantio in the year 406CC (some six years ago and after the advent of the printing press; why it is illuminated by hand and not printed en masse is not stated). It is written entirely in Luzori; while the script used is identical to that used in Malazari and Thaumatri, the language is quite different.

Given the petrified nature of the book it is very fragile. Every bit of it has been transformed into grantite or shale, and the ink has turned to veins of obsidian and other semi-precious stones. Whenever it is opened, the reader must make a Reflex Save DC 12 or 1d10 pages will snap away from the spine (roll d8 to see from which section); a second Reflex Save DC 12 is required or the pages shatter entirely.

The book is 160 pages long and contains an introduction followed by six and one sections:

The Introduction includes a beautiful title page and a very brief description of the contents of the book, as well as dedications and notes of thanks and support aimed at high ranking members of the Kvantio scientific community. (4 pages)

Part One is an overview and analysis of the history and current development of firearm technology on the Thaumatrian continent, including its weaknesses and shortcomings. Reading this section will grant +1 Rank in Knowledge (Firearms). (28 pages)

Part Two describes the means not only to overcome these deficiencies but to increase the effectiveness and range through the use of the demonlock firearm mechanism. (16 pages)

Part Three contains technical information on the construction of the demonlock mechanism, as well as the formula required to prepare the demonstone powder. A character skilled with Craft (firearms) will be able to follow these instructions to create a prototype demonlock pistol, though it is a DC25 Craft check. A character skilled with Craft (alchemy) will be able to follow these instructions to create demonstone powder, though its ingredients are very difficult to find… (32 pages).

Part Four contains the process by which demonstone powder can be acquired. This section of the book delves deeply into heretical theories and sorcerous magic, for it involves the ritual summoning of Jugger Behem to this world – a heinous sin in the eyes of almost all faiths and states. It follows the ritual with further arcane practices to bind and hold the summoned creature to your whim. This information was provided by a high ranking Jugger Behem cultist name Zarin Chereti; his very words are included, with a notably different style. Reading this section will grant +1 Rank in Knowledge (Jugger Behem). (32 pages).

Part Five details the final essential component in the construction of demonstone powder: a gorgon from the southern continent must be acquired and persuaded to turn the summoned Jugger Behem to stone. Treating with the barbaric gorgons is considered treason by most nations. Means are given as to the methods of possible contact and what might persuade a gorgon to perform the required services. Reading this section will grant +1 Rank in Knowledge (Gorgons). (16 pages)

Part Six is an account of the manufacture of a prototype demonlock pistol and the first attempt at manufacturing demonstone powder. Utilising the eye carved from the face of living gorgon and embedded in the flesh from the Gift of the Giver, the summoned demon was petrified and the demonstone ground into powder. Combined with the superior demonlock firing mechanism, the experiment is a complete success. Four prototypes were made; one was given to the University of Kvantio as thanks for their ongoing support; the fate of the other three is not mentioned. Reading this section will grant +1 Rank in Craft (Demonlock Firearms). (24 pages)

Part Six and One is a list that the author has created of various, gunsmiths, weapons dealers, suppliers and craftsfolk in Luzori and Radahu, as well as countries further afield that may prove useful in the proposed endeavour. The de Camondo family of Malazar is prominently mentioned. The details are current as of the year 406CC, only 6 years out of date. (8 pages)

Should the book be subjected to detect magic or identify spells, they will reveal the book does possess a magical aura: conjuration magic is present, of moderate power. If the reader does not speak Luzori, each use of a comprehend languages extract will enable the reader to understand 10 pages at 1st level.

SPOILERS No peeking, players! (highlight to read): Part 4 is the most dangerous to read: the cultist Chereti provided the information under duress, and for his sufferings he decided to have his revenge by secretly including arcane summoning rituals in written form. Hidden in the illuminated marginalia are the Jugger sigils: all they require is the touch of the living to activate. Once activated the sigils vanish from the page, leaving blank circles in their absence. There are two blank circles already evident. Anyone reading this section must make a Perception check DC 20 to notice and realise that the sigils have dark implications; failure requires a Reflex Save DC 15 to avoid accidentally triggering one of the symbols. If triggered, a Jugger Behem emerges from the pages to attack the reader. The book contained 5 sets of summoning sigils; two have been activated already.

FLINTLOCK FANTASY: Campaign Notes VI: Gambling

LEVIATHAN RISING

In Thaumatrian culture the number 7 is considered bad luck, for it is the number of the Leviathans that nearly destroyed civilization centuries ago. Many Thaumatrians avoid the number all together; instead it is common to say “six and one”, for it acknowledges the Gift of the Carcassanc, one of the seven Leviathans that redeemed itself through noble sacrifice.

These Thaumatrian customs are reflected in a simple dice game called Leviathan Rising.

Leviathan Rising is a game of chance where players roll two six-sided dice – one Red, and one Black – and hope the total of the two dice is one of the preferred results. Each round the preferred results change, and the the odds of failure increases.

Before the game starts, all players agree on an buy-in amount that they must pay to qualify for the game.

Once everyone has paid their buy-in amount into the pool, all the players rolls 2d6 and tally the result; the player with the highest roll goes first, and play goes clockwise round the group.

In the first round, every player rolls 2d6 and adds them together. If the result is a 7 it is a failure, unless the roll is Black 6 Red 1, and they are out of the game. If the result is a success, they remain in the game and must roll again in the following round.

In the following rounds the Leviathan rises: the odds of failure increase, as listed below:

ROUND 1: “LEVIATHAN RISING” (86.11% / 31 in 36 chance of success):
If a player rolls a total of 7 they fail, UNLESS the result is Black 6 and Red 1.

ROUND 2: “SIX N’ EIGHTS” (58.33% / 21 in 36 chance of success):
If a player rolls a total of 6, 7, or 8 they fail, UNLESS the result is Black 6 and Red 1.

ROUND 3 “FIVE N’ NINES” (36.11% / 13 in 36 chance of success):
If a player rolls a total of 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 they fail, UNLESS the result is Black 6 and Red 1.

ROUND 4 “FOUR N’ TENS” (19.44% / 7 in 36 chance of success):
If a player rolls a total of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 they fail, UNLESS the result is Black 6 and Red 1.

ROUND 5 “THREE’LEVENS” (8.33% / 3 in 36 chance of success):
If a player rolls a total of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 they fail, UNLESS the result is Black 6 and Red 1.

ROUND 6 “TWO N’ TWELVES” or “SACRICARNE” (2.78% / 1 in 36 chance of success):
If a player rolls any result that is not a Black 6 and Red 1, they fail.

If only one player rolls a successful result in the round: they claim the pool of bets as their winnings.

If more than one player rolls a successful result in the round: they qualify for the following round.

If no player rolls a successful result and everyone fails: the game restarts at round 1 with the unclaimed bets going into the next pool. Every player who wishes to continue must pay the buy-in amount into the pool again and the game restarts, with players rolling to see who goes first as above.

The game is repeated until there is only one winner. If player leaves the game they forfeit any claim to the winnings or their bets. There is a long standing tradition of the winner sacrificing the original buy-in amount and giving it to the first player to get knocked out of the game, or should that player not be available, given as a donation to the nearest Church of Carcassara.

WORKING THE GAME

Leviathan Rising is entirely a game of chance; there is little player skill involved, and that’s part of its attraction: most people believe that it is impossible to cheat at the game.

They are wrong.

Skilled gamblers know how to nurture the dice so that they roll more favourably. It is very hard to do, and as each throw of the dice is heavily scrutinised, even harder to do without being seen. A Sleight of Hand check vs the opponent’s Perception check is required. Sharp-eyed onlookers may also make a Perception check. The Sleight of Hand check has a DC 20 or it has no effect at all. If successful, the player may choose to turn one the dice onto one adjacent face. If the result is 30+ the player may choose to turn both dice onto one adjacent face.

Additionally some gamblers like to use loaded dice that have a preference for a particular result. As everyone would benefit from their use, those that like to use loaded dice prefer to slip them into play only later on in the game, usually when there are only one or two other players still remaining. A Sleight of Hand check vs the opponent’s Perception check is required. Sharp-eyed onlookers may also make a Perception check. The Sleight of Hand check has a DC 15 or the player is unable to switch in their preferred dice and must continue play as normal.

Most Thaumatrians consider Leviathan Rising to be almost sacred game, and should a player be caught cheating they are very likely to be forced to duel their accuser to maintain their honour.

Many a fool has died in this way.

______________________________________________________________________

If anyone with more gambling skills than me thinks they can see problems or bits that don't work, lemme know so i can make this better!

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FLINTLOCK FANTASY: Campaign Notes V: Languages

I previewed some of this last week; here's the complete list of languages spoken on the Thaumatrian Continent.


HUMAN LANGUAGES

Thaumatrian:
As the official language of the Thuamatrian Empire, it is used in almost every region of the continent. It originated within the Thaum Clade of the hero Verlauha, and its alphabet has been appropriated by most other human languages. It is used in the twin Empires of Thaum, Xylano, The Corbando, Estrello, and the Citadel.

Malazari:
A distinct regional Clade-born language used in Malazar that incorporates much of the vocabulary of Thaumatrian. Passionately spoken, vibrant, with distinct sibilants and trills.

Carnigan:
A distinct regional Clade-born language used in Carniga and Carniga Verdad that incorporates much of the vocabulary of Thaumatrian. Forcefully delivered, somewhat harsh and powerful.

Vulg:
A distinct regional Clade-born language used in Vulg, Klulsatra and the Vulgo Venganza that incorporates much of the vocabulary of Thaumatrian. Very rounded sounds, using lips to full effect to give each syllable a sonic journey and punctuated with flicks of the tongue.

Luzori:
A distinct regional Clade-born language used in Luzori and Rahadu that incorporates much of the vocabulary of Thaumatrian. Complicated intricacies and harmonics are used to give this a very melodious and shrill speech.

Arkharni:
The origins of this language are unclear, though some claim it is the original language used by the Arkharnen deities when they shared The Garden with humans and taught them all they know. Slow and sonorous in its delivery, many of its sounds are onomatopoeic representations of the natural world. Its written form is very slow to produce, relying on cultivation of natural forms into symbolic shapes. It is most commonly used in Arkhanya and the Lumin Concessions.


HUMAN DIALECTS

High Thaumatrian:
The archaic language used among noble clades for arcane purposes.

Gutterspit:
Street slang.

Canti:
Criminal groups use their own slang and symbols to convey covert meanings.

Shanti:
Mariner slang.

Silbari:
A melodic whistling song-like dialect that travels over considerable distances.


NON-HUMAN LANGUAGES

Bruxi:
The grinding, chittering language used by the Bruxi. Humans and Mogs are capable of clumsy attempts at speaking it but it is relatively easy to understand. It is currently developing its own written form based on gnaw marks and scratches.

The Forked Tongue:
A melange of True Gorgon and Thaumatrian that both humans and gorgons are capable of expressing, born from the slave pits of the Viperium. It uses a hybrid of Thaumatrian alphabet and the shapes of True Gorgon heat-glyphs to give it its own unique written form.

Jugger:
The hideous speech of the Jugger Behem; a deep and terrible cacophony of animalistic screams and howls that also incorporates blood-letting for emphasis. It has no written form, though the blood-letting does convey different meaning by location on the body.

Moggi:
A sensuous language that requires body contact to fully express subtle nuances. It has no fixed written form, stealing from local alphabets to convey any written concepts. Licking, growling, purring and nipping are all part of the language.

True Gorgon:
A complicated combination of sounds and heat that only gorgons and their reptilian brethren can properly sense. Masterful control of fire is used to create simmering heat-glyphs that may qualify as a symbolic language.

Tylluani:
The cries and calls of bird songs, as spoken by the owl-like Tylluan. A very difficult language for others to learn to speak, though they can learn to understand. An alphabet born from gouges and claw cuts is used to convey simpler messages, but the more advanced concepts have no written equivalent.


IN MALAZAR CITY...

...Malazari is by far the most widely used language, known by almost all. Official state documents and edicts still make use of Thaumatrian, but this is considered an archaic custom by most.

Bruxi, Moggi, and Tylluani are common in the ghettos, and the local Gutterspit and Canti are peppered with words borrowed from all three languages. Shanti is widely spoken in the docks and harbours.

Given the nation’s close proximity to the Gorgon Conquests, it is possible to learn the Forked Tongue from experienced mariners and soldiers.

Other languages are taught at various schools, the most popular being Carnigan due to its position on the northern border, and of course the various occupational jargons are taught as part of trade apprentices and service.

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FLINTLOCK FANTASY: Campaign Notes IV: Cosmology

When I ain't playing RPGs I'm a passionate astronomer, so world building a celestial cosmology is like crossing the streams for me. Imagining what it would be like to live on a world with two moons, what that would do to geography, the oceans, eclipses, the night, how two worlds in the heavens might inspire or terrify... that sort of thing is my jam. So forgive me if I go a little overboard with this stuff.

THE WORLD ABOVE

The Sun: Zul, the Brilliant Star

The First World: ..... Varca, the Desire, gold with lust
The Second World: ..... Garn, the Fury, red with rage
The Third World: ..... Arkha, the Wandering Home, where you live
– The First Moon: ..... Rindat, the Threat Unseen, small, pale, and riddled with mysteries
– The Second Moon: ..... Lumin, the Threat Expectant, large, silver, and shrouded in dust
The Ring: ..... The Rings of Ui-garn, the world that is no more, scattered like the dead
The Fifth World: ..... Hri-nah, the Shame, burning with failure
The Sixth World: ..... Shar-nah, the Regret, blue with misgivings
The Lost World: ..... Karn, the Exile, unwanted, unwelcome, and not seen for centuries

The Comets: ..... The Messengers of Hail, harbingers of tumult and change

The Stars: ..... Scintillaria, The Watchers, white with death, the souls of those who have gone
The Constellations: ..... Groups of Scintillaria, bound by familial bonds.
The Zodiac: ..... The Thirteen, each representing one of the Great Clades of the Thaumaturges

Aurora Arcanus: ..... Skyfire from the arcane barrier that encircles the continent of Thaumatria.

In Malazar City...

...Astromancers gather at the newly constructed Star Island Observatory to study the heavens. Prior to its official opening, astromancers practiced their arts from the upper reaches of the Cathedral of the Redeemer, and from the observatory run by the University of Malazar. A number of nobles also field private observatories on their estates. Light pollution is a growing problem, and the University operates a second observatory on the heights of the hills to the north of the city.

The lensing technology used to produce telescopes has been in practice for only several decades, and the Star Island Observatory houses the largest telescope ever built. Spyglasses are available from several merchants near the military docks, and while they are very expensive their use has proven very advantageous as sea.

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS

The worlds of the Zul planetary system orbit their star in a pattern known as orbital resonance, with a ratio of 2:1. This makes predictions of conjuntions and alignments fairly straightforward.

PLANET (ORBITAL PERIOD)
1. Varca (1/4 Arkhan year - 91 days)
2. Garn (1/2 Arkhan year - (182 days)
3. ARKA (1 Year - 364 days)
4. Rings of Ui-garn (—)
5. Hri-nah (8 Arkhan Years)
6. Shar-nah (16 Arkhan Years)
?. Karmn (unknown)

The lack of a planet with a 4 year orbital period is a mystery to Astromancers.

Understanding the motions of the planets is vital to the prediction of eclipse events, for it is during these times that fell creatures appear, bringing death and ruin with them.

In Malazar City...

...A number of Malazar merchants place great importance on the visibility of Varca the Desire in the sky, claiming it holds great influence over the success of their endeavours. A brilliant golden light, it is sometimes visible in the hour after sunset or before the dawn and its sight is considered a blessing.

Matadors, cazadors, gladiators, soldiers and duelists hold the position of Garn the Fury important to their trade. A smouldering hunk of red that glares down from the skies, like Varca it too is only visible around dusk and dawn, though it will linger for much longer and is seen more often.

The Rings of Ui-garn trace a faint line of light across the night, and evenly divide the sky in two. Their position relevant to the stars does not change, but their angle and height slowly oscillates over the course of the year. In Malazar, vows sworn and contracts made during the months where Uigarn are highest are considered far more binding and strong.

Hri-nah the Shame is like a flickering flame in the night sky, and its presence implies failure for creative pursuits. In Malazar artisans, artists and builders have been known to refuse work or to halt projects for up to six and one months if the planet is present in their family constellation.

The first rising of Blue Shar-nah in the night sky is a time of consideration and contemplation, studying the choices and mistakes made of the last year, especially by leaders and politicians in Malazar. Decisions made after much consideration in the light of Blue Shar-nah are far more likely to be the correct choice.

CHRONOLOGY

MONTH	NAME OF MONTH	TEMP. IN MALAZAR	SEASON	NOTES
1	Verlauhia	Cool	Winter	Starts on Winter Solstice
2	Nephidia	Cool	Winter
3	Draharmia	Mild	Spring	Starts with Sacricarne
4	Mephia	Mild	Spring	Spring Equinox 1st quarter of month
5	Nebria	Warm	Spring
6	Sulia	Hot	Summer
7	Orchalia	Very Hot	Summer	Summer Solstice in middle of month
8	Eltemia	Very Hot	Summer
9	Udiimia	Hot	Summer
10	Lulkhia	Hot	Autumn	Autumn Equinox 3rd quarter of month
11	Bolakia	Warm	Autumn
12	Vereenia	Mild	Autumn	Ends with Malazar Foundation
12	Thaumia	Mild	Winter	Ends on Winter Solstice

On Arkha each day is 26 hours long, each week is 6 and 1 days long, each month is 4 weeks long, each year is 364 days long.

The small pale moon of Ridat also takes 28 days to orbit Arkha; its tidelocked to Arkha and always shows the same side towards the planet.

The large silver moon of Lumin takes 91 days to orbit Arkha, and each day on Lumin lasts 13 Arkhan days.

Most Thaumatrian cultures use a week consisting of 6 and 1 days, with work being conducted on each day save the last, which is a day of religious observances and rest.

In Malazar City...

...Chronomancers — a specialist field of Astromancy — are responsible for tracking time and informing the city of its daily progress. The Star Island Observatory has a time ball and bells that are activated on the hour every hour, and are used to calibrate navigation system and track hours of employ in the city’s factories. Chronomancers track the movement of the stars above to gauge their time pieces and citizenry often use notched time candles around the home to mark the passage of time.

Each solstice and equinox is a time for celebration, and the coming of the New Year is the greatest. Sacricarne — the day when the Gift of the Carcassara was received — is revered and rejoiced on the first day of spring, and the Founding of Malazar is acknowledged on the last day of autumn. Each event is celebrated with religous observances for the pious, and masquerades, music, parades, parties, and monstromaquias for the rest.

During the summer months the population escapes the heat of the day by returning home for siestas. Merchants and businesses open much earlier, shut for the middle of the day, reopen in the afternoon, and close much later in the evening.

ECLIPSES & THEIR IMPORTANCE

The world of Arkha has two moons, and with five or more planets they orbit Zul, the brilliant star at the heart of the system. As such, solar, planetary and lunar alignments — when three or more celestial objects from a straight line with each other — occur a number of times each year. When these alignments are particularly close, and one of the celestial objects involved includes Zul, then there is a chance that an eclipse will occur. The shadows cast by the celestial object closest to Zul fall upon the surface of the celestial object further from Zul. This is an eclipse.

For those who live on Arkha:

• a solar eclipse occurs when either one of the moons Lumin or Rindat, or one of the planets passes between Arkha and Zul and their shadow falls upon Arkha’s surface
• a lunar eclipse occurs when one of the moons passes into Arkha’s shadow
• a planetary eclipse occurs when one of the planets passes into Arkha’s shadow
• a lesser eclispe involves Arkha and only one of its two moons or a single planet
• a greater eclipse is much rarer, requiring the alignment of Zul with Arkha and both its moons, or one moon and a single planet
• a grand eclipse is rarer still, requiring the alignment of Zul with Arkha, both its moons, and one or more planets
• the Great Conjunction has never been witnessed, only hypothesised, and involves the alignment of all the celestial objects that orbit Zul

Understanding and predicting the occurrence of eclipses is of vital importance: when an eclipse occurs, arcane portals open upon the surface of Arkha. Though these portals come terrible creatures from some alien planet or plane of existence, monsters that seek only to kill all they encounter.

Astromancers have become very skilled at predicting solar and lunar eclipses that involve Arkha’s moons of Lumin and Rindat, less so when eclipses involve one of the other planets. While they can warn when an eclipse will happen, they have yet to understand where on the surface the portals will open.

In Malazar City...

...Astromancers publish an almanac of celestial events and eclipses each year known as The Ecliptica, forewarning the populace of what to expect and when. During times of eclipse, the city shuts down the day prior to ready itself for the possibility of portals opening within the city borders. Curfews are established, allowing only those on military or official business permission to travel. State-sanctioned cazadors sweep the city, hunting down ecliptids to capture for the arenas. It is a time of tension, and if no portal appears that tension is released at the end of the eclipse with impromptu celebrations. The city reopens the following morning, and life carries on...

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