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THE

Arsonists
Almanac
A Fanzine for roleplaying in the world of
Rowan, Rook and Decard’s
Spire: The City Must Fall RPG
Powered by the Resistance System

In This Issue
“The Mellified Man”
- A one-shot adventure

Issue 2 — Pay No Monies


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Contents Introduction
THE MELLIFIED MAN Spire: The City Must Fall RPG is a game of
revolution in the mile high city where the
A One-Shot Scenario for the SPIRE RPG
drow struggle to overthrow their elvin op-
pressers.
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Here in fanzine form is an extendable one-


Supper Club Menu Handout ……………………… 2 shot, The Mellified Man, that you can use to
introduce new players to the world of SPIRE,
Whats Going on ………………………………………………… 4 or simply cannibalise for you own ongoing
One-shot options …………………………………………… 5 games.

Briefing ………………………………………………………………… 5 You can find me on Twitter at @ComanFullard

Copyright
The Legendary Mellified Man ……………… 5
Opening Scene …………………………………………………… 6
The NPCs & their Factions …………………… 6
Spire: The City Must Fall RPG
Warehouse Content Generator ……………… 7
&
Random Knight Generator ………………………… 8
The Resistance System
Ephemera Club Invitation List ……… 13
are copyright of Rowan, Rook and Decard.
A Sticky End? ………………………………………………… 16
If you haven’t already purchased Spire, then
Pre-generated Characters …………………… 17
treat yourself and buy the game at
Inn of the Brittle Bow Map …………… 22
https://rowanrookanddecard.com/
Random Drow Generator …………………………… 23

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The Mellified Man
A One-Shot Scenario for the SPIRE RPG

What’s Going On? the Aelfir are revitalised. He has


organized a sensory coup, having
The Council of Seven is the face of hired the Azurite drow Mologa
Aelfir government in Spire, but a Milhouse (“the import and export of
complex dance of interested parties exotic rarities a particular special-
operate in the background trying to ity”) to secure a legendary confec-
corral power, craft policy & influ- tion, the Mellified Man. The Viscount
ence decisions. Clubs, drawing rooms is convinced that this will turn the
and private dining salons are the head of several key figures, gaining
battlefield on which this clandestine him unfettered access to the Nujab
political tug-of-war takes place. hinterland and the treasures that lie
Aelfir high society being what it is, therein, fueling his inevitable po-
the fashionable, wittiest, & most de- litical rise. Her Eminence Under-
bauched hold sway. Whoever can host Bishop Tiller-of-the-Palm-Trees has
the most outrageous party, deliver caught wind of this planned sensation
the purest experience or evoke the and will stop at nothing to spoil the
deepest emotion can capture the ear Viscounts plans.
of the Councils influential advisors.
But the Mellified Man might bring
Two rivals in particular are hotly other complications - its existence
competing for influence over the would be important to the Deep Apia-
course of the war in the Nujab. Vis- rists who will likely regard it as a
count Bright-Warden-of-the-Grey- holy artifact, the Morticians claim
Castle and Her Eminence, Under-Bishop the dead as their property and the
Tiller-of-the-Palm-Trees both have legendary preservation and healing
competing commercial interests in the properties of the Mellified Man are
benighted Nujab and each seeks to right in their bailiwick, the Knights
promote their own wealth while de- of St Gwylim, ostensibly hired to
stroying the other. provide security, aren’t above a lit-
tle larceny on the side, and agents
The Viscount has a plan - he hosts an of Plür are already searching for
exclusive, invite-only dining club, their purloined relic. On top of
where unusual and exotic delicacies that, the Mellified Man may not be,
are consumed and the jaded senses of strictly speaking, fully 100% dead.

4
One-Shot Options The Briefing
This scenario could be stretched into a The Ministry knows of the battle of
campaign, involving the factions on the influence between Viscount Bright-
Council, Deep Apiarists, morticians guild Warden-of-the-Grey-Castle & Under-
& trips up-city, but its designed as a Bishop Tiller-of-the-Palm-Trees. The
one-shot. It has a simple premise: the ministry would be quite happy to in-
characters must wreck the party being jure both politically. The success of
one does not necessarily guarantee
held by Viscount Bright-Warden-of-the-
the failure of the other.
Grey-Castle. Mix and reuse these elements
as your emerging story requires but I can The Ministry knows that things have
suggest the following initial configura- arrived at a turning point & that the
tions based on available session time: upcoming meeting of the “Ephemera
Up to Four Hours Game Time Supper Club” could well see the Vis-
count emerge with the most influence.
Start: Just before the Ephemera Supper They have heard whispers that the Az-
Club begins urite Mologa Milhouse has procured
something which will seal the Vis-
Locales: Inn of the Brittle Bow
counts favour with influential mem-
NPCs: Sharp-Sour-Cherry bers of the supper club.
The Viscount
Half The Guests The agents are charged with under-
The Knights of St. Gwylim standing what is happening & spoiling
The Under-Bishop the Viscounts reputation & thus his
influence. The Under-Bishop is to be
Up to Eight Hours Game Time
considered a “Target of Opportunity”
Start: 1 day before the Ephemera Sup- for similar reputational destruction
per Club meets or corruption. Above all the finger-
prints of the Ministry must not be
Additional Locales: attached to the downfall of either,
The Blue Bazaar
lest this become a source of sympathy
The Milhouse Emporium of Im-
ported Exotica
that could undermine the impact of
The Electrum Peace their fall from grace.
Additional NPCs:
Eadword Vale
Mologa Milhouse
Tel
All The Guests
The Legendary Mellified Man
Up to 12 Hours Game Time The Mellified Man is a human mummy
confection from faraway Plür. Legend
Start: Two days before the Ephemera tells of its incredible medicinal ef-
Supper Club meets fect. It is created by steeping a hu-
man in honey. The story goes that
Additional Locales:
The Blue Docks
some elderly men in far off Plür,
The Vermissian nearing the end of their lives, do-
Additional NPCs: nate themselves as a holy sacrifice
Stevedores of the Blue Docks to a process of mummification in hon-
The Band ey.
The Deep Apiarists
The mellification process starts be-
13 Hours Plus Game Time fore death. The votary stops eating
Start: Several days before the Ephemera any food other than honey, even bath-
Supper Club meets ing in the substance. Shortly, his
sweat and faeces would consist of
Additional Locales: honey &, when this diet finally
Amaranth proved fatal, the donor's body would
Additional NPCS: be placed in a honey filled stone
The Morticians Guild coffin with an inscription giving the
Agents of Plür year & month of burial.

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After a century or so, the seals are ing for the fact that those songs
removed & the contents turned into a would land her & her co-accused in
sort of confection reputedly capable jail. The Mellified Man is just such a
of healing broken limbs & so on. This deal.
confection would then be sold by
church representatives as a hard to Her problem is that she has over-
find medicine with a hefty price. None extended herself to such a degree that
have been seen for a century & never failure in this deal could bring utter
outside of Plür. ruin, pariah status & physical death.

If (when) the Mellified man should be- This azurite is almost the platonic
come animated it will have the follow- ideal of her class. A wheeler & a
ing attributes - every time it does dealer, unconcerned with misdemean-
stress it recovers and regenerates it- ours. She has only three great joys in
self by ½ the value of the stress life but she pursues each of these so
it inflicts. frequently that she is quite cheery in
person. Her joys are: the striking of
Difficulty: 2 a deal, the bending of a rule, & the
Resistance: 20 acquisition of wealth (primarily as a
Equipment: Honey slingshot (D3, means of keeping score).
Ranged, one shot) Suffocating grapple
(D3, Suffocating, ignores armour) She is currently carrying very limited
stock in her warehouse because her op-
erating capital is tied up in the Mel-
Opening Scene lified Man. She gets final full pay-
ment on delivery of the casket to the
A procession of aelfir & their attend- Inn of The Brittle Bow in the aelfir
enclave of Uptown. She has hired the
ants pass through the Blue Bazaar to-
Order of St. Gwylim to watch over her
wards the aelfir enclave of Uptown. warehouse (situated near their home
The crowd parts to let them past tavern, The Electrum Peace) & to se-
(driven back by the groups paid ruffi- curely transport the casket to the
ans, the Knights of the Order of St. Viscount in Uptown.
Gwylim). The procession are leaving
She wears a spectacularly vast, blue
the “Milhouse Emporium of Imported Ex- turban on which a flip down mask is
otica” where they had some dealings attached, allowing her to meet aelfir
with the proprietor. customers at only a moments notice.
The Turban is crowned with a silver
pyramid on which each of its four face
have been etched with an all seeing
eye. She is attended by her aide, a
NPCs & their factions loyal drow named Tel, who is rumored
to be quite handy with his fists (&
fancies himself a troubadour and la-
dies man).
Mologa Milhouse, Azurite
Mologa Milhouse
at large Difficulty: 0, (1 when negotiating)
Resistance: 5
“I swear on my broodmothers grave, Equipment: Blade of Unbalanced Scales
that I’d love to procure for you what- (D3 Blood & D3 Silver)
ever you desire, but if I get caught
traversing the border with contraband Tel (general dogsbody & minder)
they’ll stick me in the rendering vat. Difficulty: 0
Dying would ruin my living. So, it’ll Resistance: 8
cost you.” Equipment: Fists D4
Her goal is to carry off a deal so ri-
diculously risky & profitable that
songs would be sung about it, except-

6
Emporium of Imported Exotica & consequently the warehouse is weird-
ly empty except for a large locked
The warehouse of Mologa Milhouse is cage within the warehouse proper.
situated in the Blue Bazaar, catty-
corner to the inn, The Electrum Peace. This “Secure” area is dominated by a
Here Mologa stores a range of oddities stone casket (the current resting
that she has procured speculatively or place of the Mellified Man), which is
for specific customers (“suckers”). covered in inscriptions in the ancient
Usually it’s packed with boxes, casks, pictograms of Plür. The cage is lined
doo-dads, delicacies & various legally with some 20 smaller containers. Roll
dubious material. D20 on the table below if players
search through some containers. The
However, Mologa has invested nearly longer they linger the greater the
all her liquidity into obtaining the chance of being discovered.
Mellified man on behalf of her client
Roll a D20 on the Table of Exotica stored in the “Secure” area of the warehouse:

1.A sword, grimy from 6. A folio containing 14. A case of “Newt


viscera & showing some wear- ancient torn pages. The man- Cola” (addictive, alertness,
and-tear. The blade is uscript is stained in what temporary refresh, regain
engraved but in an unknown might be blood & is covered some stress, but lose double
language (BRUTAL but in strange symbols. stress 1D6 hours of game-
BLOODTHIRSTY curse: on (Insanity Lies Within, Gain time later)
fallout you must draw blood OCCULT & D6 MIND stress).
from whoever is nearest) 15. A box of brightly
7. A book - “The illustrated coloured & delicate
2. Fine silken shirts of field guide to gonne Parasols. Each is
diverse but gaudy colours maintenance” individually decorated. The
(finest silk spun from the handle of each detaches to
IRON SPIDERS of YS. Acts as 8. A printed pamphlet - “A reveal a stiletto blade (D4
ARMOUR 1 but take 1 stress walking Guide to the Glass PIERCING).
to SHADOW) City for pious pilgrims.”
16. Limbs from a variety of
3. Silver Candelabra 9. A Gnoll long-gun. Notches Cacti (succulents)
(Produces exceptional & have been cut into the side
portable light but is & the word “Thunderclap” has 17. A crate of animal hides
Haunted by the murdered been crudely carved into the - you do not recognise the
spirit of the aelf, Free- wooden body [LONG RANGE] creature but it appears to
Dominion-of-the-Brave, who be very tall with an
demands the bearer solves 10. A hyper-realistic unusually long neck. The
his murder to release his portrait of a massive hide is tan with brown
soul. Characters who Silverback Ape. It appears patches.
continue to ignore this plea to be drinking from a tea
will find the candelabra cup. Its face conveys 18. A crate of cleaned
begins to snuff out or light disdain & barely contained animal skulls. The skulls
up at increasingly rage. It appears to watch are all from large horned
inconvenient times) you as you move around the animals. (goats will flock
room. to you if you carry one
4. Spirits - the label shows whenever you suffer stress)
the symbol of Plür & reads 11. A box filled with sever-
“With added gönnepowder”. al containers of a variety 19. Selection of dried fun-
The liquid inside is oily & of spices - one, labelled gus (on consumption roll -
murky. (Potent alcohol: “Melange” allows you to on a critical success the
“diverse adverse effects may teleport up to 20 metres in mushroom was hallucinogenic
be expected on consumption” a random direction, (choose on a critical failure it was
At the next BLOOD fallout, the direction on a critical POISONOUS)
the character belches Success).
explosively & anyone nearby 20. A sealed bell-jar.
suffers D3 BLOOD stress) 12. Deck of Gnoll Tarot Inside a parrot sits &
cards watches you. Occasionally
5. Several jars of what is it makes a noise, but this
labelled as honey. Howwever, 13. A caged baby tiger. It is dampened by the glass.
each is unusally coloured, is sleeping & breathing The seal is wax, looks
some violently so. heavily. ancient & is unbroken.

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Sir Peregrine The
Specious, Grand Master of
the Order of St. Gwylim &
a Human
“I’m the strongest of the order, with
the sharpest-mind. And my breeding is
irreproachable. So tap that barrel and
drink up you dogs!” Ser Peregrine The Specious

More buccaneer than templar, Sir Pere-


grine The Specious is a smiling,
charming low-born thug who has risen Random Knight Generator—Roll 3D10’s
to influence in this small, but lucky
First Name: Order Honorific
order. Lucky because of the orders
fortuitous positioning in the inn, The Ser Alain The Bold
Electurm peace, which sits next to the
Blue Bazaar entrance to the aelfir en- Dam Elodie The Liar
clave of Uptown. He is primarily in- Ser Raoul The Bald
terested in keeping money flowing into
the tavern and the orders coffers. Ser Ozmont The Unusual
This allows him to keep the Duchess Dam Euphraize The Blade
out of his business while he positions
the Order of St. Gwylim to be the Ser Yvain The Blind
preeminent provider of “security ser-
Ser Ewart The Felonious
vices” to the Blue Market and Uptown.
Dam Lucie The Short
His problem is that the Blue Bazaar &
Uptown areas are broadly “open” to SerDam Zéile The Rotund
competition and there will be reper- Dam Agathe The Angry
cussions if he makes too much noise,
or too much obvious money.
Detail:
He will act to limit the interest of A broken lance (Brutal)
the Duchess, protect his income and
remain in control of the order. He is Horrific scarring on one side of their face
certainly not above stabbing his cli-
Rusted Pauldron (-1 armour)
ents in the back but only if he can do
so with complete anonymity, or plausi- Brightly painted shield device
bly frame someone else for his crimes.
Smoked glasses
Sir Peregrine sports a splendidly lux- A leather “fliers” cap, as favoured by Crowsmen
urious moustache. He smiles easily but
rarely is this reflected in his eyes. A lethal looking hook for a hand (D4 damage)
His pauldron is clean and decorated Armour polished to dazzling effect (+1
with the device of his order (an sil-
difficulty in well lit areas)
vered chalice, overflowing with a ruby
red liquid) which marks him as its Feverish (-1 resistance) - may be contagious
grand master.
Constantly unconsciously muttering profanities
Difficulty: 0 (1 when accompanied by 1
or more fellow knights) Difficulty: 0 (1 when confronted in the
Resistance: 9 “Electurm Peace”)
Equipment: Knight Quarter Plate
(Armour 3), sawn-off shotgun (D6, Resistance: 6
Ranged, one shot)
Equipment: Knight Quarter Plate (Armour
3), swords, lances, morning stars (D6,
Brutal), sawn-off shotgun (D6, Ranged,
one shot)

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Eadword is an enormous, ancient drow,
The Order of Saint Gwylim and former Sergeant of Arms of the Or-
der of St. Gwylim. He was forced to
Operating out of the tavern, The Elec- retire from the order having been
trum Peace, the order was dedicated to struck across the face with a broken
the memory of one Hieronymous Gwylim bottle during a particularly vibrant
(“Canonised”). brawl. His age and record mean he is
trusted by the order to act as their
As a result of an administrative error purser. His cousin is the innkeeper of
a century ago, he came into possession the Inn of The Brittle Bow in Uptown
of a magical chalice which would con- (the widow Sour-Sharp-Cherry) and it
stantly replenish itself with wine (or is through this fortuitous connection
so the story goes). Blessed Hieronmous that much business has been done.
drank himself to death in a decades
long fit of drunkenness & brawling so He is actively salting money away for
spectacular that several folk-songs his own imminent retirement. The only
still circulate regarding his exploits person Eadword genuinely trusts is his
(“The Red Nosed Ruffian”, “The Soused cousin, Sour-Sharp-Cherry, whom he in-
Joust”, “Punch-Drunk or Drunk-Drunk” tends to include in his retirement po-
etc.). lans.
St. Gwylim’s Chalice is long lost but His blinded & ruined eye still weeps,
it was inevitable that an order of trickling puss down his cheeks follow-
knights would eventually come together ing the line of his scars. Otherwise
in his memory. he wears a long apron typical of his
trade.

The Electrum Peace


The taverns sign sports a pale col-
oured coin, with bite marks. The coin
rests at the base of a Silvered Chal-
ice overflowing with a ruby red liq-
uid. A Knight of the Order of St.
Gwylim is always stationed at the door
on the lookout for trouble or an easy
mark.

The bar is surprisingly clean and well


-kept (notwithstanding the skeleton
perched in a dark corner - a holy rel-
ic of the order known as “The Satis-
fied Customer”). It even plays host to
the odd (some very odd) aelfir slum-
Eadword Vale, Head Barman ming it with the drow (where slumming
it means being ensconced in a private
& Purser for the Order of room attended by masked servants and
St. Gwylim surrounded by personal bodyguards
while members of the Order of St.
“I’m not a soldier no more, on account Gwylim scare away everyone from your
of my eye, but I still fight for the door).
order. Though my weapons be a stiff
bolt of gin, and a swift abacus.” The inn is busy and the clientele are
primarily masked servants who work in
His goal is to make the Order solvent Uptown (either permanent or transient)
and “save” enough for his own retire- as well as Azurites and porters from
ment (to the Silver Quarter) the nearby Blue Bazaar. The food is
simple but to a good standard, and two
His problem is that Ser Peregrin has musicians play in the back of the tav-
become suspicious of his self-dealing. ern on most nights.

9
“The Satisfied Customer” a holy relic of the Order of Saint Gwylim in The Electrum Peace

10
The Widow, Sour-Sharp- with accented colours of dark grey and
bright yellow. The topiary here is
Cherry, Innkeeper of the clipped to within an inch of its gar-
deners sanity. To cool the patrons
Inn of the Brittle Bow enormous blocks of ice are placed in
“Do not listen to my words with the the corners of each room. Ice-
intent to reply, but rather, with the sculptures act as centrepieces in most
of the main rooms. The Inn is built
intent to comply. Now fetch the next around an enclosed courtyard (planted
course and never look another patron with a type of sinuous blossom tree
in the mask again“ that’s been twisted & contorted so it
looks like a mockery of a screaming
humanoid which is hedged with some-
Her goal is to have just one “perfect” thing extremely thorny). Terrifying
day where no one needs to be told what “works-of-art” adorn every alcove.
to do.
The Inn has a long standing contract
Her problem is that having been with The Electrum Peace to supply ad-
trained to the most exacting standards ditional muscle, musicians & food when
she can find fault with the behaviour required. Eadword secretly takes a
of everyone around her, high-born or small percentage of this transaction
low, drow or aelf - as such she will for himself.
simply never be satisfied with the
performance of her staff.

In many ways she is the opposite to


her cousin Eadword. Nevertheless Sour- Viscount Bright-Warden-of-
Sharp-Cherry is genuinely fond of him. the-Grey-Castle
She would happily retire with him to
the Silver Quarter (scolding her serv- “Well, gosh, its like this, isn’t it?
ants as she now scolds her staff), but
It is simply about eminent domain.
does not believe either will ever af-
ford it and so she considers his ambi- Yes? The empire must naturally grow.
tions to be a charming folly. Locus germinari, and all that. And, of
course, fabulous wealth, what! Dulce
She wears a simple, but well made, et boni suci, as they say in ancient
dark grey gown, secured around the Destrayan”
waist with a broad, bright yellow
sash. Her hair is piled up on top of
her head (held in place with a long
sharp stiletto pin) and she wears the It is the Viscounts ultimate dream to
mask of Demure Compliance, coloured a be appointed to the council. Ful-
pale eggshell blue, downward facing filling this dream is years away, par-
eyes, small lips and rosy cheeks. The ticularly given his reputation, but
mask itself has a mechanism that, once the Viscount believes that being ap-
pushed, subtly tightens the mouth and pointed the role of Civilian Governor
narrows the eyes, giving her an angry of the Nujab and gaining personal ac-
countenance - she uses this when dis- cess to its great wealth will be a
ciplining her staff. significant step along the way.

Difficulty: 0 (1 when confronted in His problem is that though popular, he


the “Inn of the Brittle Bow”) is considered to be spectacularly un-
Resistance: 5 reliable & frivolous. His reputation
Equipment: Stiletto Hair Pin (D4, as someone who couldn’t arrange a
Piercing) wassail in an orchard means he is un-
likely to be recommended to high of-
fice. Hosting a “boffo” supper club
The Inn of The Brittle Bow has allowed him to combat this reputa-
tion. The consumption of the legendary
Situated within the aelfir enclave of Mellified Man should bring his efforts
Uptown, the Inn is decorated in the to a successful conclusion. He hopes
high & baroque style of the Alefir his old school rival, the Under-Bishop
11
chokes on it. Her Eminence knows that she herself is
not well liked, though she attributes
The Viscounts’ fuschia mask is a fig- this to jealousy at her own brilliance
urative representation of a boars head & standing in the community. She rea-
over the upper half of his face. Its sons that no one would waste effort
chinstrap has tusks attached so that disliking someone unimportant, one
as the Viscount speaks, roars or eats would just eliminate them & remove the
it appears as if the boar is doing irritation.
likewise. He wears a linen gown thrown
with apparent abandon over the body Aware of the Viscounts plans, she has
beneath … not dishevelled exactly, taken a room in the Inn directly above
more formally casual. the dining room. From here she intends
to summon a demon (she has already
drawn her summoning circle on the
The Ephemera Supper Club floor in salt - a ”Do Not Disturb”
sign hangs on her door) & cast it into
This is an “invitation only” gathering the Mellified Man in the room below.
of aelfir socialites interested in This should cause mayhem, a little
thrilling their senses through the loss of life & thoroughly thrash the
consumption of rare delicacies and Viscounts reputation.
risque experiences. The Ephemera Sup-
per Club meets in locations that are a Her problem is that it would be bad to
little out-of-the way from mainstream be overly associated with anything in
aelfir society, which affords the at- the occult sphere that wasn’t directly
tendees the latitude to gently trans- related to her religion. Summoning a
gress some mild social taboos. Each demon is definitely not considered to
member of the club generally takes be appropriate Under-Bishop behaviour.
turns to arrange (and indeed pay for) So she must not get caught.
a meeting, and they have complete con-
trol over the food, venue, entertain- The Under-Bishop habitually wears the
ment and other diversions. The Vis- domed Mitre of her office. It is red
count has run the last four soirees. but elaborately decorated in gold &
See page 13 for an invitation list. jewels. Her mask is part of the Mitre
& is secured over her entire face. It
is alabaster white and depicts a very
calm face, albeit one that is entirely
Her Eminence, Under-Bishop generic.
Tiller-of-the-Palm-Trees
The whole effect is somewhat upset-
“May the Sun burn your sins from the ting, and is more reminiscent of the
land of Destera & the skin from your contented smile of a serial killer who
bones!” has just skinned their latest victim.
She carries a tall crozier, the golden
She wants her faction to gain control head of which curls into an elaborate
of the temples of Nujab (& their con- blazing sun, with a ruby set in its
tents) once the place has been ade- Centre. The crozier conceals a shot-
quately pacified … achieving this will gun. She also wears her baroquely dec-
bring her significant advancement orated Vestments of the Sun.
within the church (perhaps even to the
highest levels) & will frustrate the Difficulty: 0
actions of the Viscount Bright-Warden- Resistance: 10
of-the-Grey-Castle, whom she has hated Equipment: Vestments of the Sun
ever since they matriculated together (Armour 3), edged weapon (D6, Brutal),
in their youth. handgun (D6, one shot)

Their rivalry is storied and long


lived. She cannot understand how some-
one so useless can be so well support-
ed.

12
EPHEMERA CLUB INVITATION LIST
1. 3.
Marshal Vine-of-the-Mountain-Chapel General Harshly-Breathes-the-Tiger
Ancient Military Governor of Aelfir Military General - with responsibility
Controlled Nujab for Special Forces operations in the
Nujab
“By St. Djingos Mask! Massacre is not
a dirty word sirrah. It is my ”I learned to master pain from a young
philosophy” age, at the tip of my mothers Sabre.
But I learned to master demons in the
Description: Epaulettes, a riding crop corps.”
& riding boots, a rifle green military
jacket (three parallel rows of silver Description: A fierce snarling ruby
buttons run down the right, middle and colored lizard. Black robes draped
left chest, each row of buttons sit on with chains crossing each shoulder ep-
parallel strips of dark green materi- aulet. Carries a spectacular Sabre
al) and the mask of a viscous jewel
toothed hound. Secret: Occultists - carries an eido-
lon at all times
Secret: Allergic to shellfish and a
host of other foods - he nevertheless Difficulty: 1
exposes himself to small amounts in Resistance: 10
order to stimulate his jaded senses Equipment: Sabre (D4)

Difficulty: 1 Accompanied by Drow Batman, Cpl Fin-


Resistance: 8 gerbone
Equipment: Riding Crop (D3) Difficulty: 0
Resistance: 5
Accompanied by Aide De Camp, Lt. Equipment: Cudgel (D4, Brutal)
Faithful-Strikes-Hammer
Difficulty: 0
Resistance: 5 4.
Equipment: Pistol (D4, Ranged) Wandering-Stars-Crawl-Slowly
Artist & respected cultural critic
2.
Consul Orchard-Conjures-Fruit “The purpose of art is to exacerbate
Senior Advisor to Lady Grendelmyn the natural order. In this case the
Stars-Softly-Shine of The Council elevation of the Aelfir above all
inferior races”
“Sadness is the sweetest emotion. The
drow are lucky to experience its Description: A featureless and amor-
exquisite flavour almost hourly” phous mask … it appears to be coated
in a swirling oily substance so that
Description: Mask bedecked with rip- it is constantly changing colour.
ened fruit - edible & poisonous mix. Draped in floor length black and white
Green robes trimmed with Gold thread. randomly patterned robes

Secret: Addicted to Blue Secret: Living spectacularly beyond


their means.
Difficulty: 0 (1 if he’s taken BLUE)
Resistance: 8 (5 if he’s taken BLUE) Difficulty: 0
Equipment: Dagger (D4) Resistance: 7
Equipment: Withering Tongue
Acccompanied by a drow personal assis-
tant, addressed simply as “Dear” by
the consul
Difficulty: 0
Resistance: 5
Equipment: Dagger (D4)
13
5. Accompanied by her personal augury,
Baroness Escapes-the-Catacomb-of-Flesh Wild-Winter-Flurry , constantly kill-
Undying noble of great wealth and fam- ing animals to study their entrails
ily connection for omens
Difficulty: 0
“Undying is not for everyone - least Resistance: 3
of all the lower orders. Surely death Equipment: The Telling Bones (D3 to
is something of a mercy for the vul- Mind)
gar”

Description: A full head mask that 7.


mimics an Owl. She wears a gossamer Horses-Sense-Your-Fear
gown hanging from her delicate bird Related to Archdeacon Many-the-
like frame, bedecked with gold jewel- Seedlings of the Council of Seven
lery, bracelets and other adornments.
“Ah the vicissitudes of the modern en-
Secret: Heart and organs are held by trepreneurial life are tied inexorably
the Morticians and she is utterly to the direction of the nation. My
their creature. business is merely an extension of the
state, so what is good for the state
Difficulty: 0 is good for me, and what is good for
Resistance: 10 me is good for the state.”
Equipment: Tiny pistol (D3 Ranged, one
-shot) Description: Ostentatiously dressed,
even for an Aelfir he drips with jew-
elry, status symbols & medals of
Accompanied by her feckless nephew state. His mask is reminiscent of a
Loudly-Screams-the-Fox roaring lion, with a long mane of hair
Difficulty: 0 (shaved from Gnoll P.O.W.s)
Resistance: 8
Equipment: Rusty Dagger (D3, Brutal) Secret: He gambled away a fortune,
deeply in debt & in desperate need of
a quick deal to reverse fortunes.
6.
Consul The-Pike-Rules-The-Shallows Difficulty: 0
Senior Advisor to Lord Errin Jubilant- Resistance: 6
the-Devoted of the Council of Seven Equipment: Spring mounted pistol hid-
den in sleeve (D3, one-shot)
“The future is written and if only we
could learn its secret language we Accompanied by a duellist, Mr. Barren,
should surely profit from it” passing as a personal assistant.
Difficulty: 1
Description: Soberly dressed - but Resistance: 10
without humility, the materials are Equipment: Duelling sword (D6, Pierc-
exquisitely expensive. The detailed ing)
embroidery is black on black and only
visible from close up - but clearly
done by a master of the art. The mask
is ostensibly plain, but carved from
the ivory tusk of some enormous mam-
mal. Carved into the centre of the
forehead is a closed-lidded third eye.

Secret: Obsessed with seeing the fu-


ture - but always doomed to failure

Difficulty: 0 (1 if accompanied by
Wild-Winter-Flurry)
Resistance: 7 Dining Room, The Inn of the Brittle Bow
Equipment: Ceremonial Mace (D6, Bru-
tal)

14
Carries a smoker which he often uses
to create a puff of smoke to disguise
his exit from a location.

Difficulty: 1
Resistance: 15
Equipment: Stiletto (1D6 Piercing),
Smoker (1D3, choking)

Wildish Adler - Mortician


“By the laws of this city, the dead
are at the disposal of the Morticians.
Give us our due or forfeit yourself to
the consequences of our disapproval”

All the dead belong to the Morticians


guild - and one way or the other they
collect whats owed. Her goal is to
seize the Mellified Man on behalf of
the morticians and learn its healing
Deep Apiarist comforting his hive secrets

Her problem is that as a junior morti-


cian, Wildish is yet to be fully in-
ducted into the mysteries of her sect.
It is in part why she has been en-
Roald Milan trusted with this relatively simple
task of confiscating a mummy. She
Deep Apiarist wants to prove her value to the morti-
“Your firearms are useless against my cians and will be steadfast in her
bees and your profanity offends me. loyalty to them and their perceived
Step away from that relic” aims.

Roald is offended by the use of the A tall gaunt ashen skinned drow, her
Mellified Man - it is a sacred thing face is painted bone white and black
to be treasured & respected. As such to give the impression of a living
It is his solemn goal to secure the skull.. Wildish dresses in the robes &
artefact so that he and his kind may chains of her office and carries a
pay homage to the sacrifice of the sickle.
original votive.
Difficulty: 1
His problem is that he has a somewhat Resistance: 15
distinctive and disturbing countenance Equipment: sickle (D6, Brutal)
and finds it hard to get others to co-
operate with him. He also knows that
once he acts he will face a stiff re- Agents of Plür
sponse - being attacked by a walking
bee-hive can galvanise remaining oppo- “For this insült to oür peoples and
nents into the most violent of re- traditions we will have oür Vengeance.
sponses. Let loose the Frogs of War!”

He is dressed head-to-toe in a hooded These agents have followed the trail


linen cloak, with a fine mesh hanging of the Mellified Man all the way from
across the face. The cloak is clasped the borders of their own land, across
shut with a broach designed like a the seas and up the river Zeph to the
stylized bee. A faint buzzing noise is city of SPIRE. Mingling with the ste-
heard wherever he goes. vedores of the Blue Docks they traced
the casket to Mologa Milhouse and fi-
15
nally to the Inn of the Brittle Bow. drop the unanimated mummy into the
They are motivated, ready for venge- Vermissian at the first opportuni-
ance and not too picky about who de- ty. This magically corrupted net-
serves to take a kicking. work infects and rejects the Melli-
fied Man (a symbol of order, heal-
When attacking to kill, each agents ing and purity in contrast to the
first act will be to vomit out 1D6 vermissian) - who erupts randomly
bright-red poisonous frogs. into the players pathway. This
won’t really ruin the party on its
Name: Jüno, Süsan, Eünice own because the rest of the menu is
Description: Nondescript clothes en- a triumph of aelfir sensationalism,
tirely appropriate to their location, AND there is now an angry “honey
but they speak to each other on the monster” roaming the Vermissian. If
croaks of their native language, and this happens early on in the sce-
each has large bulbous eyes nario have the Mellified Man turn
Difficulty: 0 (1 when in the presence up just as the Supper Club begins
of the Mellified Man) or wherever the characters are cel-
Resistance: 5 ebrating their “successful” mis-
Equipment: Ironteak Scale Vest (armour sion. If this happens during the
2), Infestation of tiny bright red Supper Club, then either the Deep
frogs (D3 Poisonous), Jagged Blade Apiarists or other Vermissian Sages
(D6, Brutal), Plowpipe (Poisonous, one turn-up and compel the characters
shot, ranged, D2) to scour the vermissian to find and
secure, or eliminate the now ani-
mated Mellified Man.
 The Agents of Plür, croaking their
arcane magics, raise the mummy and
run pel-mel through the streets to
a waiting boat on the docks. This
doesn’t necessarily ruin the party
if it happens quickly and with min-
imum of fuss within the precincts
of Uptown - it might reinforce that
what has been happening is enjoya-
bly scandalous - but it will make
an absolute mess of the docks. The
Knights of St. Gwylim might also
take this personally and could at-
tach blame to the characters.
 Deep Apiarist bees infest the mummy
creating a hind-mind driven entity.
Who knows what’ll happen then - but
A Sticky End? a lot of people are going to get
stung as this insectile hybrid
As this is a one-shot a quite satisfy- wields great destructive power.
ing conclusion would be some kind of This might actually ruin the party.
dramatic fracas involving an animated
and irate Mellified Man. Some reasons  The Morticians Guild seize the mum-
my and cut it open to understand
why this might happen, and their po-
its mysteries - at which point it
tential repercussions are outlined be-
low: wakes up and goes all “HONEY SMASH”
on them. This does not ruin the
party on its own and could bring
 The Under-Bishop summons a demon some political influence to the
into the Mellified Man and it runs Viscount via his “cooperation” with
amok - this lets the Viscount off the guild. It does present an op-
the hook as the devastation is far portunity for the characters to
beyond what the Under-Bishop imagi- travel up-spire (perhaps at the
nes leading either to her elimina- urging of the Deep Apiarists, who
tion as a political opponent or a might initiate the willing PC’s in-
cover-up and stalemate. to their secrets).
 The Vermissian Sage will absolutely
16
with your squire - a young dark elf
Pre-generated Characters serving you with an eye to becoming
a knight themselves some day. Name
them & say whether they’re idealis-
Ser Evrart “The Honest” tic or cynical.
 You have a bond with a drow NPC -
LaHitte name them when it becomes narrative-
ly convenient. You used to go drink-
Knight & Former Duellist ing together & still do on occasion.
“I’m a lover AND a fighter... Also a Describe the wildest thing you two
drinker, maybe a little bit of a got up to on one of your legendary
thief. And I’m partial to gambling … nights out.
what else? Did I mention fighting?” Equipment:
Knight quarter-plate (Armour 3, Heavy
Formerly dashing, now somewhat seedy Sword (D6), Gackler Pistol (D6, Bru-
Knight. While not quite past it, lets tal, Ranged, One-shot)
say your armour has a lot of dents &
you’re not sure its worth the effort Core Abilities:
to buff them out. Pubcrawler, Pick a Fight, Law of the
Docks
You are the last surviving free member
Low Abilities
of the Order of St. Lucious the Infirm
Carouse, Braggadocio, The Crowd Goes
(he couldn’t hold his drink so now you
Wild
have to). You home inn is “The Krakens
Arms” on the North Docks where you Medium Abilities
maintain a potentially fatal bar tab. Dirty fighting
You’ve seen your knightly brothers &
sisters taken & locked away in the
city jail. Were they innocent of their
crimes? No, almost certainly not. But
they were your family of sorts, & were
just unlucky to have been caught up in
a stupid aelfir feud between the Under
-Bishop Tiller-of-the-Palm-Trees and
the Viscount Bright-Warden-of-the-Grey
-Castle. Typical stuff really - you’ve
seen the aelfir’s kind of heedless de-
structive behaviour when you were a
duellist preserving & projecting the
honour of your aelfir mistress, Baron-
ess Escapes-the-Catacomb-of-Flesh. As
if honour is something that could ever
be preserved when you engage in these
meaningless aelfir squabbles.
Deuteria Adite
Resistances: Blood +2, (+3 armour),
Silver +2, Reputation +1 Azurite & Former Agent
Refresh: Engage in reckless excess. “The art of the deal is indeed the
Win a fight in front of a crowd. purest of all the arts - an expression
not only of our soul, but of the ten-
Skills sion within the interaction of all
Fight - Knack: roll with mastery when souls as we pursue our various goals”
dueling with sword, Compel, Deceive
You wear traditional blue garb deco-
Domain: High & Low Society, Crime rated with chains made from a differ-
Bonds: ent coins - but you also sport dyed
blue hair.
 You have an individual-level bond

17
You were formerly an agent for Wander- Low Abilities
ing-Stars-Crawl-Slowly, for whom you Ignoble Tactics, The Golden God’s Ar-
purchased art from a variety of legit- cana [Divine], Buy Friends [Divine]
imate & untrustworthy dealers. Your
parting was not amicable, having been Medium Abilities
accused of closing deals in a way that Azures Grace
did not meet with your masters approv-
al you were lashed prior to being
ejected from the aelfirs estate.

In truth you’d been embezzling from


them almost rapaciously and it was
probably lucky that you’d mastered
double entry bookkeeping to such a de-
gree that no one could decipher them
at all.

With this small nest-egg you set up


trading, but the joy of the deal had
been sucked out of you … now, what you
really wanted, was to pull down the
entire edifice of the aelfir estab-
lishment - and maybe smash Wandering-
Stars-Crawl-Slowly right in the teeth. Benart Guichet,
Vermissian Sage & Former
Resistances: Shadow +3, Silver +2,
Reputation +3 Spy
Refresh: Carry out a deal that bene- “I have always delighted in ferreting
fits you more than it does the other out secrets. To know something, previ-
party ously concealed, with the detailed
certainty of a train timetable - that
Skills Compel, Deceive is joy indeed.”

Domain: Crime, Commerce, High Society You were a spy for General Harshly-
Breathes-the-Tiger where you exulted
Bonds: in your ability to uncover the secrets
 You have an individual level debt of your masters enemies. As time
with Velina Chalk, a drow who smug- passed however you began to feel un-
gles things for a living. You got easy that the majority of your masters
them out of a tight spot in the enemies turned out to be drow & you a
past (involving a jade dragon and tool in their downfall.
some irate customs officials)
 You have a bond with one NPC that Relations with the General broke down
you may name when it becomes narra- & he ultimately “burned” you by re-
tively useful. You helped them out vealing your true identity to new-
of a debt. When you name them say found friends in the Vermissian Commu-
who and why they got into debt in nity. This was done as part of another
the first place. ongoing operation with zero regard for
your safety. It was merely the cost-of
Equipment: -doing-business for the General.
 Three sets of beautiful blue robes
Luckily your new friends were under-
and girdles, Golden necklaces, nose
standing, & having observed your natu-
-rings & bracelets bearing the sym-
ral interest in the mysteries of the
bol of Azur.
Vermissian, took you in & initiated
 A bodyguard (D6, Tiring) you into the “way of the rails”. It
was only a matter of time before the
Core Abilities: Ministry came calling to recruit your
Cut a Deal, Hearts Desire talents for the cause.

18
Resistances: Mind +3, Shadow +1, Blood Melisande Laurentian
+1, (+1 armour)
Idol & former Sage
Refresh: Uncover hidden information

Skills: “High-brow, low-brow or unibrow - you


Sneak, Deceive, Investigate, Compel, are my audience & I will enrapture
Fix you. This doesn’t happen by accident.
It is an act of my will, my talent &
Domains: Academia, Occult, Technology my insight into what makes the world
go round.”
Bonds:
 You have an individual-level bond You were destined for a lifetime in
with an academic, researcher or academia - you’d earned your place the
guardian of the Vault. Name them and hard way & you were happy in your ivo-
the speciality. ry tower. Happy that was, until you
 You have a bond with another NPC, to were ejected to make way for the half
be named when narratively convenient idiot Aelfir child of Marshal Vine-of-
- you know a secret about them. When the-Mountain-Chapel. It was the hard-
you name them, say what the secret est lesson of all, that no matter your
is, and whether they know you know merits the greatest of the drow would
it or not. forever be dirt under the feet of even
the least of the aelfir.
Equipment:
Dagger (D3, Concealable), Padded Vest Then & there you resolved to be the
(Armour 1) centre of your own pocket universe -
gathering followers & fans around you
through the force of your personality.
Core Abilities: Never again would you be considered
Back Door, The Vault, Obsessive Re- disposable. Never again would you be
searcher passed over. Never again would you be
told you were not worthy. The Minis-
Low Abilities: try’s goals align with your own - they
Find Connection - [Occult], Thorned work to elevate all drow - but you
Tongue - [Occult], That Didn’t Happen just want to make sure you elevate
- [Occult] yourself a little bit more.

Resistances: Silver +1, Mind+2, Repu-


Medium Abilities: tation +3
Vermissian Drop - [Occult]
Refresh: Someone feels deeply moved
when they witness your art

Skills Deceive, compel

Domain: Occult, High Society, Academia

Bonds:
 You have a street-level bond to your
adoring fans. Name three of them, and
what the group is most excited to see
next.
 You have a bond with an NPC which you
may declare during play when it is
most narratively convenient. You know
they have feelings for you, even if
they won’t admit it.

Equipment:
Several sets of flattering clothing

19
Tools to create or perform your cho- undeveloped psyche.
sen art
Small gifts and trinkets from your At last you were forced to track some
fans run-away servant child intent on es-
caping their durance with Viscount
A knife (D3, Concealable)
Bright-Warden-of-the-Grey-Castle. You
found her alright, what choice did you
Core Abilities:
have? What became of that child you do
Life & Soul of the Party. Glamour.
not know - but his terrified screaming
will live with you until your dying
Low Abilities
days.
Grace. Who are they? Disharmony

Medium Abilities Leaving your masters service, you en-


Spite tered the Ministry. It has provided
you with plenty of opportunities to
make some amends for your many sins.

Resistances: Silver +1, Mind +1, Shad-


ow +2, Blood +1

Refresh: Show someone they should not


have underestimated you

Skills:
Pursue, Sneak, Resist, Compel, Fight

Domains: High Society, Order, Academia

Bonds:
You have one street-level bond with
the servants of your old master. Name
three of them and describe their jobs,
and note down the masters name and the
worst thing they ever did to you or
someone else under their power.
You have a bond with an NPC, to be
named by you when it is narratively
convenient, who you assisted during
their durance. Who was it? How did you
help them out?

Equipment:
Your mask (describe it), Two sets of
Violent-Autumn-Antlers nice clothing (describe them), Servant
mask (carries the sign of your old
Masked & Former Hunter master), Hawking dueling pistol
(Damage D6, Piercing, Ranged, One-
shot)
“Nothing equals the thrill in stalking
your prey, finding them, undetected,
Core Abilities:
in some private moment. Moving invisi-
Smell Status, Servant to the High Ones
bly through the world, so that your
entire being is a lie of omission and
Low Abilities:
commission all at once.”
One of the staff, One Eye Open, Insti-
tutional Falsehood
You were the estate game-keeper for
Consul Orchard-Conjures-Fruit. The
Medium Abilities:
jaded aelfir could find no happiness
Mask of the Killer
or sadness and pushed you into ever
more outlandish hunts to stimulate his

20
Refresh: Bring a criminal to justice

Skills Sneak (knack), Fight (Knack),


Pursue

Domain: Crime, Low Society

Bonds:
 You have an individual bond with a
member of the downtrodden underclass.
Name them and name the things that’s
most important to them
 You have a bond with a drow NPC who
you rescued from a dangerous situa-
tion. Describe the situation they
found themselves in.

Equipment:
 Light leather armour (Armour 2)
 Ceremonial red binding ropes & mask
 Sturdy leather gloves
 Climbing gear and ropes
 God-Axe (D6, Bound)
Estienne Quartzite
Bound & former Killer Core Abilities:
Surprise Infiltration, Bound Blade

“Some people might ask who I am to Low Abilities


judge any individuals guilt … I am the The Secret of Binding (Divine), The
long dark incarnate. I have stared in- Secret of the Crowd (Divine), The Se-
to deaths teeth & tamed one of her cret of Lucky Breaks (Divine)
small Gods as my own. Some people
should know to shut up” Medium Abilities
The Saint of Blood
As an assassin for the industrialist
Horses-Sense-your-Fear you removed
stumbling blocks to his ongoing com-
mercial success. It was dirty work but
as it mostly involved killing other
aelf you were quite happy to partici-
pate. In the end of course your de-
tachment couldn’t last - it all came
home to a head when you were ordered
to kill a former servant of Consul The
-Pike-Rules-the-Shallows. You have no
idea why the innocent had to die or if
it was to the benefit or detriment of
the Consul - but die he did.

You’re past such shallow meaningless


murder now. Never again will someone
tell you who to kill because it is for
you to decide who is guilty and who is
not and you deliver judgement and sen-
tence accordingly.

Resistances: Blood +1, Mind +1, Repu-


tation +1, Shadow +3

21
22
Servants, Patrons, Stevedores & other Drow - Roll 4D20
First Name Second Name

1. Anais 8. Reine 15. Perceval 1. Esker 8. Cirque 15. Sichel-


wannen
2. Auréile 9. Victoire 16. Rogier 2. Gabbro 9. Diorite
16. Talus
3. Benoit 10. Alixandre 17. Sanson 3. Mantle 10. Hornblende
17. Vesicle
4. Clotilde 11. Galtier 18. Thiebut 4. Aphantic 11. Mafic
18. Syncline
5. Elanteen 12. Guidon 19. Huron 5. Augen 12. Moraine
19. Oxbow
6. Félize 13. vHeraut 20. Brandawn 6. Barasway 13. Olivine
20. Tourmaline
7. Mirille 14. Jask 7. Boudinage 14. Shale

Detail 8. White hair with a broad 14. Missing a shoe


streak of black
1. Hardhat, decorated with 15. Clothing spattered with
occult symbols 9. Heavy earrings made from a vivid purple stain
the canines of a large
2. Filthy red neckerchief. 16. Recently injured, bro-
mammal
ken & bleeding nose. Eye
3. Spectacles, with
10. Sequence of tattoos de- starting to swell.
cracked lens
picting the tale of
17. Entirely hairless
4. A belt runs across the Drowned King run up the
chest from shoulder to right arm, across the 18. Whispering prayers un-
hip - laden with tools shoulders and down the der breath & carrying
left arm religious symbols
5. Carrying a box of unfa-
miliar fruit 11. Obviously intoxicated 19. A third eye painted on
their forehead (with a
6. Bloodied hands 12. Carrying a Cargo Hook
goats pupil)
7. Cross-gartered yellow 13. Too many rings. Several
20. Swinging a chain with
stockings per finger
dozens of keys

Secret 7. Escaped criminal 15. Studying for entry into


university contrary to
1. Just stole something & 8. Likes shoes. Really,
parents wishes
is carrying those stolen really likes shoes. Not
goods right now a problem or anything. 16. Just figured it all out
Just, you know, really today Feeling very smug.
2. Formed a psychic link
likes shoes
with a skywhale - prone 17. Stultified by their
to periods of reverie 9. Incognito member of drab existence. Drawn to
Homelands Royalty on the any form of artistic ex-
3. Owes money to a bookie.
run from assassins. pression.
Desperate to resolve
this issue. Many little 10. Dust addict 18. On a dare, once stole a
mouths to feed at home piece of fruit from a
11. Former academic, fallen
merchant. Still wracked
4. Wealthy drow pretending from grace because of a
with guilt about this 10
poverty, in search of financial scandal
years later. Expects to
their parents murderer
12. Informer for the watch. be arrested at any mo-
5. Sincerely believes the ment.
13. Prestidigitation is
world is not round but a
their hobby. Carries a 19. En route to murder
Mobius strip. Cannot ex-
sleeping doves & several someone
plain why though
packs of cards up their
20. A Vyskant who wants you
6. Having a torrid affair sleeves.
to visit some lovely
with the spouse of the
14. Serial killer caves they know
last NPC encountered

23
@ComanFullard

24

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