Tir Nan Og

The Fey Reality

Jasyn Jones
1 Title
Tir Nan Og: The Fey Reality
Game Design: Jasyn Jones
Editing, Layout & Graphic Design: Jasyn Jones

Copyright © 2001-2007 by Jasyn Jones. All rights reserved. (See the copyright section
for Creative Commons licensing terms.)

Produced under license from West End Games.

These are original rules, intended for use with TORG: Roleplaying the Possibility Wars.
The most recent version of these rules (and other TORG resources) can be found on the
STORM KNIGHTS website:

http://darleyconsulting.com/games/stormknights/

TORG is ®, TM, & © 2007 by Purgatory Publishing, Inc. (See the copyright section for
more information.)

Updated: June 20, 2007

Introduction
Ages ago, magic was strong and legends
were true. Mages worked spells of power
“Short-lived humanity, who
and might and fantastic creatures of every they had ignored for so long,
kind abounded. Chief among these were a
race of fey immortals known as the Sídhe. had grown numerous and
Alien and aloof, the Sídhe were one
with the very essence of magic, their
strong and now wielded weap-
hearts, minds, and bodies quicksilver and ons of iron and steel, both of
chaotic. They wandered the world at the
dawn of time, heedless of danger or want, which were deadly to those of
as their powers could answer any possible faery blood.”
need.

1 T i r Nan O g
 Yet the age of magic passed and their
power passed with it. Short-lived human-
ity, who they had ignored for so long, had
grown numerous and strong and now
wielded weapons of iron and steel, both of
which were deadly to those of faery blood.
Shorn of their magic, they were left na-
ked and helpless in a world gone hostile
and cold. Slowly the Sídhe retreated in
the face of the growing might of men. This
world no longer held a place for them, so
they took refuge in another.
“Ages ago, magic was strong
and legends were true. Mages
worked spells of power and
might and fantastic creatures of
every kind abounded.”
Fragmentary tales spoke of an un-
earthly underground domain called Tir
Nan Og, a domain strong in the ancient
magics. It was the home of the fey- bog-
garts, goblins, leprechauns, gnomes, and
more- and the seat of the Seelie and Un-
seelie Courts.
This otherworldly realm was only tenu-
ously linked to our own. Travel between
the worlds was possible only in enchanted
places, and then only when magic grew
strong. In time, the way between the
worlds vanished, and the magical kingdom
of the Sídhe was lost to legend.
In the Near Now, the Possibility Wars
have remade the face of the Earth. The
fantasy realm of Aysle has invaded Britain
and Ireland, the magical power of the real-
ity bringing to life ancient and forgotten
legends.
Faery mounds have once again become more, the Sídhe wander the hills and vales
pathways between the lands of men and of the mortal world and men must again
the unearthly dominions of the fey. Once beware fairy gold and faery glammer.

Storm Knights 2
Axioms
Magic: 19
Magic is the lifeblood of the Land. This
pocket dimension has more magical en-
ergy flowing through it than Earth may
ever have had. Magical creatures of every
description abound, and enchanted groves
or transmuting springs are common.
Beings from Tir Nan Og all use magic
to some extent and magical effects are a
near-constant (see The Wonders of the
Land, below.) This potent magic is what
drew the Sídhe to the realm in the first
place, and its magic has been enhanced
and shaped by their highly magical na-
tures.
Though the Magic axiom is high, the
structured study of magical spells and the
methods to learn and cast them is un-
known. Nearly anything spells could do,
glammer can duplicate with greater safety
and less effort. Spellcasting is not contra-
dictory, and alien spellcasters can use their
magics here.
“Magic is the lifeblood of the
Land. Magical creatures of
every description abound, and
enchanted groves or transmut-
ing springs are common.”
Social: 5
The Sídhe have no real social structure,
being gathered into two loosely defined
bands, Light and Shadow. The Seelie
Court is a stronghold of Light, while the
Unseelie Court basks in Shadow. As the
Sídhe are the most powerful race of the
Land, most of the realm’s other intelligent
races tend to join one Court or the other.
3 T i r Nan O g
Sources and Inspiration
The following films, novels and short stories
all address themes and imagery appropriate for Tir
Nan Og.
Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist
“Labyrinth”, directed by Jim Henson and star-
ring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly.
“Legend”, directed by Ridley Scott and star-
ring Tom Cruise and Mia Sara.
Smith of Wootton Major, a non-Middle Earth
short story by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman.
Unlike the quicksilver faeries, who are
capable of flitting from Light to Shadow
and back again as mood and circumstance
allow, or the Sídhe, who are evenly di-
vided between the two, most races tend to
exhibit strong allegiance to one of the two
Courts. For instance, most leprechauns are
followers of the Light, while Goblins defi-
nitely prefer Shadow. A dark and vengeful
Leprechaun is possible, as is a kind and
generous Goblin, but both are exceedingly
rare.
In form, the two Courts resemble tribes,
though membership is based on morality
rather than heredity. Leadership of either
Court is determined on an ad hoc basis.
Courtiers of the Light tend to assign leader-
ship to inspiring or outstanding individu-
als. Those of Shadow seize power, relying
on intrigue, treachery and murder to ease
their path.
Concepts such as money, time or bor-
ders are alien to the Sídhe, and this situa-
tion might never change.
Spirit: 20
This reality is divided between the op-
posing moral and spiritual forces of Light
and Shadow. The high Spiritual axiom Unseelie cunning and ruthless. Many sto-
empowers each religion to an extent un- ries are told from opposing viewpoints, the
seen on Earth, and the ability of the faithful Seelie extolling the same individual the
to invoke obvious and powerful miracles Unseelie decry.
would astound most Earth preachers. The high Spirit axiom allows the laity to
Characters can gain faith adds in either invoke miracles, assuming a sufficient
faith (Light) or faith (Shadow). No being number gather together (see The Revised
worships both Light and Shadow, although and Expanded TORG Rulebook, pg. 228).
there are those who have wavered be- No special training is required, and any-
tween the two. Worshippers of both strive one with adds in the appropriate faith can
to embody and advance the faith. participate.
The worshippers There are no offi-
of Light celebrate “Light and Shadow both war for cial priests, but
life, benevolence, rather Champions
innocence, generos- the hearts of the inhabitants of Tir who embody the
ity and kindness. Nan Og. Light seeks to ennoble fullness of the Light
Conversely, the or the Shadows.
Shadowed celebrate and fortify, while Shadow seeks to These Champions
death, darkness, de- have the focus skill,
cay, cruelty and lust corrupt and seduce.” and thus can invoke
for power. These miracles in the ab-
faiths are inherently opposed to each sence of others of the faith. Champions,
other, and Light and Shadow are consid- then, are frequently called to go forth into
ered enemy mythos. lands where no faithful reside: the world of
Both Light and Shadow eschew holy men or strongholds of the enemy.
days, worship services and designated The Spiritual nature of this reality is re-
houses of worship. Religious devotion is flected in, and shaped by The Paths of
very much a matter of living the doctrine Light and Shadow, which World Law is
in everyday life. The low Social axiom explained below. In particular, this World
means that there are no organized congre- Law determines how characters gain adds
gations, priestly officials or compiled
books of doctrine.
Any gathering of the faithful offers a Sídhe Characters
chance to share insights and wisdom with At the gamemaster’s option, players can cre-
each other, reaffirm their spirituality and ate Sídhe characters.
recite the lore handed down from the past. Sídhe receive two enhancement packages,
In the main, this consists of tales that relate similar to elves in Aysle, and may put them on
the past doings of Champions and believ- any attribute, save Spirit. The packages have an
ers. Learning either religion is a gradual adventure cost of 2 Possibilities, 1 for each.
Sídhe cannot choose to limit an attribute. Sídhe
process of gleaning insight and guidance follow the rules for elves on the wasting disease,
from the myths of the past and the exam- and on reconnection.
ple of the living. Physically, Sídhe resemble tall, thin humans
The two Courts share a common body of unearthly and unnerving appearance, usually
of myths and legends, although the slant of with long tresses of blonde, silver or raven hair.
the stories vary greatly between the two. Their skin color can be of any shade, although a
tanned appearance is most common.
Seelie heroes are valiant and honorable,

Storm Knights 4
in faith and focus, and the requirements
for doing so.
Tech: 15
The Tech axiom of this reality is mostly
unused, as the inhabitants can produce
nearly anything they wish through glam-
mer. The Sídhe, by their nature, prefer to
use magic and eschew tools of any kind.
However, their time in the mortal realms
accustomed them to the use of a few
items, in particular bows, swords and ar-
mor.
These weapons and armor are primarily
used during the Wild Hunt, when a small
group of Sídhe band together to stalk and
kill one of the many monstrous denizens
of Shadow. The Seelie and the Unseelie
Courts both hold Wild Hunts, at the whim
of their current ruler. Very often, their op-
ponents are invited to participate, a shared
hunt and the feast thereafter being an ex-
cellent venue to scheme and intrigue.
The Sídhe have no technological base,
“Seelie heroes are valiant and
honorable, Unseelie cunning
and ruthless.”
no craftsmen, smithies, mines or smelters.
The weapons and armor they wield are
willed up out of nothing, by fairy glammer.
That said, once created they are mundane
weapons, indistinguishable from those
made by human hands (though far, far
World Laws
The World Laws of this reality highlight its
magical power and the nature of the strug-
gle between Light and Shadow. They act
to define the unique feel of Tir Nan Og,
enabling gamemasters to better portray it
during play.
5 T i r Nan O g
more ornate and refined). All metallic ob-
jects in this realm are either silver, gold or
orichalchum (a naturally occurring magi-
cal metal), as the Sídhe cannot touch or
“The worshippers of Light
celebrate life, benevolence, in-
nocence, generosity and kind-
ness. The Shadowed celebrate
death, darkness, decay, cruelty,
and lust for power.”
use iron and steel (see The Perils of Terror
and Joy, below).
The only other tools the Sídhe are ac-
customed to are their luxuries- sumptuous
beds, finely carved tables, ornate leaded
goblets, tapestries, carpets, paintings, illu-
minated manuscripts, cut gems and many
others. The Sídhe produce these through
acts of will and do not rely on natural re-
sources.
Though the Sídhe don’t use it to its full
extent, the Tech axiom supports the pres-
ence of any tools with the appropriate ax-
iom. Outsiders can bring arms and armor
into the Land with them, and they will
function normally. Likewise, despite lack-
ing the sensibilities and practices of tech-
nological development, the Sídhe could
duplicate any tool allowed by this axiom
(once they encounter it), simply by wish-
ing.
The Paths of Light and Shadow
Light and Shadow both war for the
hearts of the inhabitants of Tir Nan Og.
Light seeks to ennoble and fortify, while
Shadow seeks to corrupt and seduce. In
this reality, faith is not a matter of study or
effort, it is a reward for following the moral
principles of each religion.
In game terms, no Tir character can
spend Possibilities on the native faith skills.
If the gamemaster uses the optional rules
for learning or improving a skill by spend-
ing time, those rules cannot be used to
learn or improve the native faith skills.
Instead, each inhabitant of this cosm
earns faith adds by following the tenets of
Shadow or Light. Even those who do not
know the doctrines, or mean to worship
either, can gain faith adds in this manner.
This may potentially include mortals
who have wandered, knowingly or un-
knowingly, into the Land. Alien characters
with no faith of their own are affected by
this World Law, but those who have faith
adds in an alien religion are not.
Once an alien character gains adds in
faith (Light or Shadow), via the method
below, they can always be affected by this
World Law, even while in other realities. If
they lose all faith adds in either Light or
Shadow, or convert to an alien religion,
then this World Law will no longer affect
them.
At the end of every act, the gamemaster
must judge the actions of every character
affected by this World Law. If the charac-
ter strongly upheld and embodied the ten-
ets of Light or Shadow, by following the
essence of the faith in word and deed, the
“A dark and vengeful
Leprechaun is possible, as is a
kind and generous Goblin, but
both are exceedingly rare.”
gamemaster may award them a faith add
in the appropriate religion (Light or
Shadow). The character does not have to
pay for this add with possibilities or time.
If the character did not sufficiently embody
Storm Knights
either religion, then no faith adds are
awarded.
If the gamemaster cannot decide, and
would prefer to leave the matter to chance,
the chance that a character will gain an
appropriate add is False (15). No more
than 1 faith add can be gained during an
adventure (though each act presents an
opportunity to gain that one add).
Characters with adds in faith (Light)
who would gain an add in faith (Shadow),
as a consequence of their acting in a man-
ner consistent with Shadow, instead lose
an add of faith (Light). The opposite holds
true for characters who have faith
(Shadow) and would gain an add in faith
(Light): instead, they loose an add in faith
(Shadow).
Characters can lose 1 faith add per act,
with no limit on the number lost during a
module. A character with 3 adds in faith
(Shadow) who acts in accordance with
Light, can lose 1 add each act. If the
module has four or more acts, they can
lose all 3 Shadow adds and even gain 1
add in Light (though no more than that).
Characters can convert from Light to
Shadow, or the reverse, using the standard
6
rules for TORG. That is, faith adds in one
religion become faith adds in the other,
though 1 faith add is lost in the process of
conversion.
Each add in faith (Light or Shadow)
grants the faithful protection against the
hostile miracles and blandishments of the
enemy mythos. In accordance with the
standard TORG rules, when enacting a
miracle against those of the opposite faith,
the Difficulty is raised by the number of
faith adds the target possesses (pg. 124,
TORG Rulebook).
In addition, the faithful of Light and
Shadow can attempt to “cancel” the mira-
cles of the enemy faith, in a manner simi-
lar to an atheist canceling a miracle. For
rules on this, see pg. 125 of the TORG
Rulebook.
Each faith add a character has in Light
or Shadow confers a +1 Bonus Modifier to
all of his Charisma and Charisma-based
skill checks when dealing with those of the
same faith. Conversely, each add imposes
Portraying the Reality
These descriptions should provide enough
fodder or inspiration for gamemasters to portray
the highly magical and wondrous home of the
Sídhe. Adventures here should be both wondrous
and unsettling, with the Land’s glorious beauty
coupled with perilous dark.
When depicting the magical realm of Tir Nan
Og, gamemasters should feel free to alter the
character’s surroundings, property or person on a
whim. It is especially suitable to use such
changes as an opportunity to work some mischief
upon the hapless mortals. Such events should be
amusing, not endangering. There are treacherous
places in the Land, but on a whole its spirit is one
of puckish pranks and japery.
It often helps to limit the occurrence of such
events. While they should occur, as the very na-
ture of the Land demands it, used too frequently
they detract from the experience, rather than add-
ing to it. The first practical joke is amusing, the
second annoying and the fifth maddening. Mod-
eration is recommended.
7 T i r Nan O g
a -1 Bonus Modifier to the same attribute
and skill checks when dealing with a
member of the opposite faith.
Neither Light nor Shadow have or-
dained priests (as the low Social axiom
doesn’t support the concept). Instead,
“Among those of Shadow, it
is considered particularly deli-
cious to seduce a Champion of
Light into transgression.”
both depend on great heroes of their relig-
ion, called Champions.
When a character earns 6 adds in faith
(Light or Shadow), they are offered the
opportunity to become a Champion of the
faith. Typically, this involves a quest of
some kind, usually to defeat a Champion
of the enemy or to perform some other
great deed in support of the faith. Charac-
ters who succeed gain an add in focus.
Only Champions possess the focus skill.
Like faith, characters cannot spend
possibilities or time to improve their adds
in focus. Instead, each time the character
would be eligible to gain an add in their
faith skill, they may instead opt to gain an
add in focus. Similarly, whenever they
must lose an add in their faith skill, they
can opt to lose an add in focus instead. If
their faith adds drop below 6, they lose the
use of focus until they both raise their faith
adds to 6 (or higher) and complete an
atoning quest.
When the Champion's focus skill
reaches 6 adds, they are granted an artifact
of the faith. This may be a blessed item
(possibly offering a focus bonus, see pg.
225 of The Revised and Expanded TORG
Rulebook), knowledge of a spiritually sig-
nificant location, a fragment of lost doc-
trine or lore, a personal revelation or vi-
sion or any other spiritually significant ex-
perience or object.
Each Champion receives a unique arti-
fact, one tailored to that character. This
artifact fulfills some need the character
has, provides an answer to a prayer or
serves as the means for a Champion to
overcome some obstacle or challenge.
“ The wonders of the Land
are both terrible and marvelous,
offering mortals purest happi-
ness or darkest despair.”
The experience of receiving an artifact
is powerful and moving. It connects the
character to the living essence of his relig-
ion, enabling him to understand it better,
love it with a greater intensity and become
ever more dedicated to living its princi-
ples.
This intense experience increases the
Champion's faith skill by 1 add. In addi-
tion, the Champion may now perform one
miracle of his religion (chosen by the ga-
memaster) at will, without needing to
Storm Knights
make a focus check (although a faith total
is still required.)
A Champion who converts loses the
usual add in faith, an add in focus, their
ability to unerringly invoke a miracle, their
artifact of the faith and the extra faith add
it granted. If the Champion still has 6 or
more adds in focus, and converted to the
other Tir religion, they are usually pre-
sented with a quest enabling them to be-
come a Champion of their new faith.
Among those of Shadow, it is consid-
ered particularly delicious to seduce a
Champion of Light into transgression.
Similarly, redeeming a Champion of
Shadow is a honored accomplishment for
Champions of Light. Often, the quests
Champions receive involve just such an
endeavor.
The Wonders of the Land
The realm of Tir Nan Og is suffused
with beauty and majesty. Each twisting
cavern of the under-earth kingdom leads
somewhere new, drawing visitors onward
8
from one miraculous sight to the next. Its
endless halls house forests and plains,
mountain streams and glorious seashores,
towering dunes of driven sand and frozen
ruins half buried in ice. The trees bear
leaves of silver and gold, singing swallows
weep diamond tears and the whistling
wind whispers forgotten secrets in the ears
of passersby. The Land is filled with magic
and enchantment, and few mortals fail to
be charmed by its endless array of won-
ders.
Tir Nan Og is saturated with the glam-
mer of the Faien races. Their quicksilver
nature, by turns both enchanting and hor-
rifying, and their love of pranks and illu-
sions has left its mark on the reality of this
dimension.
The wonders of the Tir are produced
spontaneously, no guidance need be pro-
vided. This World Law molds ambient
magical energies to create dazzling scenes
of magic and beauty (or, in Shadow,
scenes of unthinkable darkness and terror).
Natives of this reality can summon
wonders at will, molding their surround-
ings to suit their desires. Worshippers of
Light craft groves, gardens and other
places of beauty and serenity. The Shad-
“Here, dreams are an active
force. They call out to the liv-
ing, singing soft songs of the
joys of sleep, drawing living
minds down the slope of con-
sciousness to dreaming’s ethe-
real palaces.”
owed contrive stark vistas teeming with
grotesque and terrifying sights.
Natives can call upon the power of
glammer, imposing their desires upon the
9 T i r Nan O g
physical world. This is a form of wish
magics, and gamemasters can use the
Wish Magic rules (on the STORM KNIGHTS
website) to model its effects. For the pur-
poses of the Wish Magic rules, the Magic
axiom of Tir Nan Og is effectively 28.
This form of Magic is available only to
natives of this reality and only while in this
pocket dimension. Outside the bounds of
their underworld home, the Sídhe are far
less powerful and far more vulnerable.
“ The realm of Tir Nan Og is
suffused with beauty and maj-
esty. The trees bear leaves of
silver and gold, singing swallows
weep diamond tears and the
whistling wind whispers forgot-
ten secrets in the ears of
passersby.”
Those who wander into this realm find
themselves at the mercy of the magics.
They have no control over the manifesta-
tions and often fall victim to subtle dan-
gers. Mortals must beware- glammer is
both beguiling and dangerous. (A more
full description of their nature and the
dangers they pose can be found below.)
If they've a mind, natives can free
trapped mortals, though most have no in-
terest in the doings of upworlders. Those
of the Light are most likely to aid the help-
less, while those of Shadow seek only to
torment them.
The Perils of Terror and Joy
Magic is chaos and so is the Land.
Mortals are meant for the world of men,
not the quicksilver realms of the fey. Those
who wander here uninvited court disaster
at every turn. It is only the strong willed
and pure in heart who can dare these
halls, and then only at great peril.
The caverns are many, and follow no
pattern or plan. More, they move about at
random, changing position and orienta-
tion, perhaps several times in a day. Even
if not moving, the caverns can change.
The walls vary in color and composi-
tion, archways and doors appear out of
nowhere and fade into nothingness and
the hall's shape can vary from moment to
moment. New rooms and new halls can
spontaneously form, while old ones simply
cease to be. These changes may be quick
and drastic or gradual and subtle. A room
may remain unaltered for generations, then
utterly change in an instant.
It is possible, though difficult, for mor-
tals to navigate the shifting halls (the Fey,
of course, can do so at will.) Finding the
way from one cavern to another is more a
matter of intuition than intelligence, as it is
the feel of the caverns that matters, not any
given transient physical details.
In game terms this is a Perception
check, although those characters with
scholar (Tir Nan Og lore) can substitute
that skill. This check must be made when
a character is attempting to find their way
through Tir Nan Og, or attempting to
leave. As indicated above, native charac-
ters never need make this check, nor do
alien characters who have become Cham-
“It is only the strong willed
and pure in heart who can dare
these halls, and then only at
great peril.”
pions.
The base Difficulty Number of this
check is a 15. The Success Levels gained
with this check are read on the chart
Storm Knights
Success
Result
Level
Character wanders for several
hours, can try again with a +2 DN
Failure
modifier (cumulative, each time
this result is achieved).
Character wanders for several
Failing
hours, can try again.
Character arrives at location after
Minimal
several hours.
Average Character arrives in about an hour.
Character arrives in about 30
Good
minutes.
Character arrives in about 10
Superior
minutes.
Character arrives in about 10
Spectacular minutes, and never needs to make
a check to find this location again.
above.
Other modifiers may apply, at the ga-
memaster’s discretion. The chart on the
following page gives some examples.
Obviously, it is far easier and quicker
for interlopers to be led than to find their
own way. Visitors to the dimension are
advised to cultivate friendships among the
Fey, that at least one willing guide may be
found.
Nor is the inconstant nature of the
Land its only peril. The caverns of the un-
derground realm can be terrible or mar-
velous in turn, offering mortals purest hap-
piness or darkest despair. Both are dan-
gerous to those unfamiliar with this realm.
Mortals are easily beguiled by beauty
and pleasure, and the lands of Light are
idyllic and paradisiacal, such that mortal
minds are benumbed by their glories.
Similarly, the haunts of Shadow are twisted
and abhorrent, paralyzing the mind with
10
 Success allows the character to break
Situation DN Mod. free, failure means they are trapped until
Character has been led to the rescued, either by a Sídhe or a companion
destination before (by a native -1 who succeeded in breaking free. Traveling
guide or another character). the Land alone is singularly dangerous.
Character has found this loca- Of all the pitfalls the Land offers, none
tion before (with a successful -3 are as unpredictable and deadly as the
check). Sídhe themselves. The Sídhe are immortal,
and spend the long years of their lives in
Character has never been to this
+3 planning and executing intricate maneu-
destination before.
vers in a contest for eminence and re-
Character has never been in Tir nown. Though Light opposes Shadow, the
+5
Nan Og before. two seldom meet in battle. More likely,
Destination has remained un- they match wits over a banquet, at a ball
-5 or during a Hunt. Their minds are subtle,
changed since last visit.
ancient and utterly inhuman.
Destination has greatly changed Their inhuman nature makes them dif-
+3
from last visit. ficult to understand, predict or manipulate.
Fey are actively seeking to hin- Sídhe have a +5 bonus when resisting hu-
+1 or higher
der progress. man attempts to trick, taunt, intimidate,
charm or persuade them. In combat, the
Character has adds in divina-
-3 Sídhe's unearthly tactics and unpredictable
tion magic.
maneuvers grant them a +3 bonus to de-
Character has faith adds in a - (number of fend against all maneuvers and physical
native religion. adds) attacks a mortal might attempt (magic,
miracles, psionics, and other non-physical
Character is on a Champion
-8 attacks are not affected).
quest.
The Sídhe are masters of glammer, and
Character is a Champion.
Automatic suc- can conjure nearly anything at will (see
cess the glammer rules, above). Fortunately for
mortals, the Sídhe's long association with
shock and revulsion at the mere sight of mankind has left them susceptible to cer-
them. Mortals who stumble upon either tain countermeasures. All of these are
are trapped, held fast in the grip of emo- highly offensive (save tale-swapping), and
tions far stronger than any they've experi- any Sídhe exposed to them will become
enced before. hostile (or, if already hostile, become an
These vastly divergent scenes both pose enemy.)
the same difficulty- in order to leave, one
must overcome the sensations that cloud “The Shadowed seize power
the mind. This requires a Mind (will- through intrigue, treachery, and
power) total, made against a Difficulty
Number of 12. If a Sídhe has purposely murder.”
crafted the region to trap mortals (not un- Sídhe can be affected by the ward en-
common, though more likely a ploy of emy miracle and cannot use their glammer
Shadow than of the Light), this Difficulty to affect those so protected. The warded
Number is 18.

11 T i r Nan O g
mortals cannot attack the Sídhe, and at-
tempting such an attack voids the miracle.
All fey are vulnerable to certain sub-
stances. Iron (or steel) is poison to them,
and weapons composed of these metals
have their Damage Value (and max. dam-
age, if applicable) increased by +3 against
“Sídhe are subtle, ancient,
and utterly inhuman.”
any fey.
Water blessed by a priest causes in-
tense pain, though no physical damage. A
vial of holy water has an Effect Value of
15, compared to the fey's Spirit or intimi-
The Dimension
Tir Nan Og is an underground realm of
twisting caverns and vast halls. In defi-
ance of logic or reason, the halls of the
realm seldom appear to be underground.
Instead, they are filled with what appear to
be fragments of other times and other
places.
In such halls, the sun may shine or
snow may fall
upon beaches,
hills, groves, can-
yons, ancient cas-
tles, small villages
or nearly anything
else. The terrain
usually appears as
a deciduous
woodland in late
fall, where stags
and other forest
animals roam
freely.
Only in the lands of Shadow does
desolation rule: nothing grows there, and
only the shadowed live there. The dark-
ened lands are desolate, gray, rocky, utterly
Storm Knights
dation, treated as an intimidation attempt.
The last way to counter a Sídhe is to
play upon their driving passion: a hunger
for stories. Sídhe love well-told stories,
especially ones they haven't heard before,
and relating a novel tale gains the teller
great renown and prestige. Stories are the
closest Sídhe society comes to money or
wealth.
Anyone who can present a Sídhe with
a novel tale, well told, can gain great fa-
vor. It is even possible to bargain with a
Sídhe by promising such a story, in return
for which the fey is bound to perform
some task. Sídhe tend to respond quite
poorly if cheated in such a transaction.
bereft of beauty.
In most places, the Land offers shelter
and food in such abundance as to defy
imagination. Scarcity, and hence trade, is
unknown. The trees of Tir Nan Og bear
leaves of living silver and gold, of a purity
nearly unknown in the world of mortals.
Wealth, it must be said, means nothing to
the Sídhe.
Apart from
rare- but brutal-
clashes between
the Courts, life in
Tir Nan Og is idyl-
lic. The Sídhe
rarely bear arms
other than to hunt
for food or for
sport. The Sídhe
spend their days in
wooing and feast-
ing, dancing and
singing. They treasure art and poetry, epic
tales and pithy anecdotes.
This world is the realm of the Sídhe,
and they have molded it to match their
12

The Land in Play
Almost any creature of myth can be found in
the Land. Both the Aysle Fantasy Sourcebook and
Creatures of Aysle contain many creatures appro-
priate for Tir Nan Og. However, undead and their
ilk don’t exist here. This doesn’t mean they can’t,
but Undeath is alien to the immortal Fey.
The arrival of Aysle opened many portals be-
tween Tir Nan Og and Earth, and many creatures
of the Land have crossed between the two worlds.
Rumor even has it that some of the Alfar who
have returned to Norway are from this realm.
Gates to Tir Nan Og are relatively common,
and can exist anywhere with a Magic axiom of 15
or higher. They are most common in Aysle, par-
ticularly in Ireland and Britain. Gates usually
take the form of either great caverns leading
down into the heart of the realm, or magical cir-
cles of stones or mushrooms, the fairy rings of
European lore.
Adventures in Tir Nan Og focus mainly on the
struggle to save the Land from either a High Lord
or the machinations of Shadow.
alien nature. The power of glammer fills
the dimension, and the Sídhe shape its
caverns and halls at will, as mood and im-
pulse dictate.
Glammer makes a mockery of mortal
concepts such as time, distance and direc-
tion. Exact measurements are useless in a
world where caverns can change size or
shape from moment to moment, where
archways may appear in the middle of a
previously blank wall and where passages
can twist about, shifting position as if they
were alive. There is little in Tir that holds
its form or place permanently.
Time may stop, run faster or slower or
seem to run in reverse. The seasons may
flit past, bringing bright sunshine, stinging
cold and warm spring rains all within a
few moments.
“Down” is a relative concept, and what
once was the floor may suddenly become
the ceiling (with disastrous results). Differ-
ent areas of a room might each define
“down” differently, making crossing such a
13
room a difficult task indeed.
The assumptions of biology and hered-
ity do not hold here. A tree might grow
from a green shoot to a mighty oak in a
matter of minutes, then fall and rot away
as quickly. Bushes may bear shimmering
fruits that, when fallen from the branch,
split open to reveal butterflies and dragon-
flies, their wings the same gossamer
shades as the fruit they sprang from.
Glammer is the substance of dreams
and desires and in Tir, dreams are an active
force. They call out to the living, singing
soft songs of the joys of sleep, drawing liv-
ing minds down the slope of conscious-
ness to dreaming’s ethereal palaces.
Whole years may elapse, while in sleep
they dream and dream, and the world
passes them by. Ofttimes dreamers awake,
and find their dreams come to life around
them. Worse, their nightmares may have
as well.
The Land responds oddly to wishes and
wants. The desperate and forlorn come
here often, chasing hope and fleeing de-
spair, for they know Faery glammer can
answer wishes, if chance favors and luck
holds true. If not, the questers’ pleas go
“Bushes bear shimmering
fruits that, when fallen from the
branch, split open to reveal but-
terflies and dragonflies, their
wings the same gossamer
shades as the fruit they sprang
from.”
unanswered and amongst the silent and
empty halls, they find nothing at all.
Just as this world responds to thought,
so too do thoughts respond to the world.
Itinerants and vagabonds find their mind
wandering, their thoughts becoming
T i r Nan O g
strange and all knowledge and memory of Even the living are subject to the quick-
who they were draining away, lost in a silver essence of magic. The creatures one
cloud of enchantment. meets may age or grow younger, taller or
Daydreams float on breezes and winds, shorter or even become other than that
daydreams that infect the minds of travel- which they were, all in a matter of mo-
ers with visions and fancies that seem im- ments.
portant, but which are as substantial as A burly oak was once a blacksmith, his
moonbeams. It muscular arms be-
takes a powerful come looming
will to focus the “The desperate and forlorn boughs. A feral
mind and ignore the come here often, chasing hope and wolf’s eyes evince a
lure of fanciful spark of intelli-
thoughts. fleeing despair, for they know gence, all that re-
Illusions abound
here, Faery magic
Faery glammer can answer wishes, mains of the mind
of a man. And in
shrouding the real if chance favors and luck holds the soft tinkling of a
with glammer. gently running
What appears to be true.” brook, one hears a
so, is very often not hint of the sweet
that at all. The precious gemstones litter- voice of a forgotten lover.
ing the floors may actually be priceless The wonders of the Land also include
jewels, or nothing more than stone and the manifold races of the fey. The fey are
dust. Banquet halls host feasts of surpass- inhuman and flighty, prone to sudden im-
ingly fine cuisine, that may actually be pulses and mad for jokes, pratfalls and tall
stale crusts and bits of moldy cheese. tales. Those who show patience, or re-
Golden treasures overflow from the pots of spond in kind, may win friends while the
Leprechauns, though what looks to be sullen and resentful are doomed to suffer
gold may be Faery gold, common lead more torment.
masked with veils of illusion.

Storm Knights 14
 Jasyn Jones’ STORM KNIGHTS

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Copyright
This electronic document (and all other contents of the STORM KNIGHTS website) is copy-
right © 2001-2007 by Jasyn Jones. All Rights Reserved (except as noted below).

This electronic document is released under a Creative Commons

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 license. The terms of this
license can be found at:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/

West End Games and Purgatory Publishing are hereby granted a license
to this electronic document under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution license. The terms of this license can be found at:
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In all cases, full attribution must be included in any derivative works, the text of which
must read:
Based on “Tir Nan Og” by Jasyn Jones, copyright © 2001-2007. Original article can
be found at:
http://darleyconsulting.com/games/stormknights/cosmverse/tirnanog.html

Image on pg. 2 detail from Rowland Wheelwright’s “Enid and Geraint”, ca. 1900.
Image on pg. 6 detail from John Bauer’s “The Changeling”, 1913.
Image on pg. 10 detail from Philips Wouwerman’s “Cavalry attacking Infantry”, 1668.
Image on pg. 13 “Resting” by Alan M. Clark, © 1989, used with permission.

These rules are based (in part) on material published in the following TORG rulebook(s):

TORG Boxed Set

Original Mythos and Game Design: Greg Gorden
Mythos/System Development: Douglas Kaufman, Bill Slavicek
 Additional Mythos/System Work: Christopher Kubasik, Ray Winninger, Paul Murphy

The Revised and Expanded TORG Rulebook, v. 1.5

Rule Book Design: Jim Ogle
Editing: Gareth Michael Skarka and Steven Marsh
Cloud tile, eternium pattern, and stone tablet background produced by Garrett Taylor:
http://www.db.erau.edu/~taylorg/torg/

TORG is ®, TM, & © 2007 by Purgatory Publishing, Inc.

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