™

Vergence
Vergence ™

Preview

A Roleplaying
Game of
Dimensional
Conflict and
Family Drama

By Small Cool Games™

 Vergence Role-Playing Game
This is a free preview copy of Vergence. Thanks for checking it out and please share it with others!

Credits
◆ Game design, cover art, layout, interior art: David Rourke.
Email: smallcoolgames@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/SmallCoolGames1
Storefront: smallcoolgames.itch.io
◆ Forged in the Dark system: John Harper.
◆ Illustrations: Billy A. (page 52), Russell Clark (page 88), David Coast (page 100), Jim Cooper (page 68),
currens (page 56), Iftekhar Uddin Emon (page 237), Mark Frost (page 72), ImaArtist (pages 76 and
96), Stefan Keller (pages 1, 41, 134, 152, 157, 213, 244, and 250), Mysticartdesign (back cover), Enrique
Meseguer (verso page 1, 7 and 92) Mi Minhaz (page 174), Artie Navarre (page 147), Raphael Ofagbe
(page 121), Tannetje Riek (page 84), and xresch (page 198).
◆ Icons: The Noun Project.
◆ Typefaces: Absolute Empire by Wahyu Eka Prasetya, Vollkorn by Friedrich Althausen, and SF Pro
by Apple.
◆ Software: Adobe Creative Suite and Google Sheets.
◆ Playtesters: Ken Burnside, Michael Christiansen, Harry Coins, Comprehensible, Raven Daegmorgan,
Jarred Davis, Travis DeVoll, Navi Drake, Shawn Drake, Dusk Bunny, Melanie Estes, Sam Gorton,
Skelpie Limmer, LonkSane, Kirsten Rourke, and Jacob Segal.
◆ Thanks: To the hack talk discussion participants at the Blades in the Dark Discord, Kirsten Rourke
for all her support and encouragement, Travis DeVoll for collaborative feedback, Jarred Davis for
expanding on Serpentine life, and John Harper for creating the Forged in the Dark game engine and
releasing it for public use.

Legal Stuff
This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.
com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper,
and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
Blades in the Dark™ is a trademark of One Seven Design. The Forged in the Dark
Logo is © One Seven Design, and is used with permission.
All parts of this work other than those derived from Blades in the Dark are © 2020–2023 by Small Cool
Games.™ Vergence™ is a trademark of Small Cool Games.
 Contents
Intro 1 Beast Rider .................................................... 77
Shaman ........................................................... 81
About the Game ..............................................1
Shapeshifter ................................................. 85
Basics 7 Conqueror ...................................................... 89
Building Blocks ...............................................7 Oracle .............................................................. 93
Actions and Attributes .............................. 11 Trickster ......................................................... 97
Stress ............................................................... 13 Challenge and
Action Rolls ................................................... 13 Alliance 100
Setting Position ........................................... 17
Alliance Creation ...................................... 100
Setting Effect ................................................ 17
Upgrades ...................................................... 102
Consequences ............................................... 19
Cohorts ......................................................... 103
Resistance ...................................................... 21
Dark Conspiracy........................................ 105
PC Death ......................................................... 23
Expedition ................................................... 109
Power Level ................................................... 23
Game of Houses ......................................... 112
Progress Clocks ............................................ 24
Grand Tour .................................................. 115
Flashbacks ..................................................... 25
Masked Ball ................................................. 118
Fortune Rolls ................................................ 26
Pursuit........................................................... 122
Teamwork ...................................................... 27
Siege ............................................................... 124
Conflict Between PCs ................................. 29
Succession.................................................... 129
Gathering Information ............................. 29
Equipment and Wealth ............................. 31 The Power 134
Factions........................................................... 32
Worlds ........................................................... 134
Favor ................................................................ 33
World Walking ........................................... 135
Getting Help From NPCs .......................... 34
Voidstones.................................................... 141
Advancement and Change ....................... 35
Other Abilities............................................ 143
Endings and New Beginnings................. 36
The Blood ..................................................... 143
Example of Play........................................... 37
The Remaking ............................................ 144
Characters 41 The Death Surge ........................................ 146
Character Creation ..................................... 41 Operations 147
Adept ............................................................... 53
Engagement Rolls ..................................... 147
Explorer .......................................................... 57
Battles............................................................ 150
Heir .................................................................. 61
Aeronaut......................................................... 65 Resting and Scheming152
Stormcaster ................................................... 69 The Rest Phase ........................................... 152
Storm knight ................................................ 73 The Scheming Phase ................................ 153
Playing the Game 157
Tone and Edginess ................................... 157
Player Best Practices ................................ 158
Playing a Vergence Character ............... 159
Using the Game Rules.............................. 162
Actions .......................................................... 163
Managing Mode Splits ............................ 172
Players........................................................... 172
People and Places 174
The Umbra ................................................... 174
The Caverns of Agoros ............................ 176
The Maelstrom ........................................... 181
The Serpent ................................................. 186
Inter-World Factions ............................... 190
Anchors......................................................... 190
Rumors ......................................................... 197
Running the Game 198
What Does the GM Do? ........................... 198
GM Principles............................................. 205
GM Prep........................................................ 206
The Umbra ................................................... 206
Managing Modes of Play........................ 208
Conflict ......................................................... 208
Running the
Challenge 213
Structuring the Challenge ..................... 213
Running the Dark Conspiracy ............. 216
Running the Expedition ......................... 219
Running the Game of Houses............... 224
Running the Grand Tour ....................... 225
Running the Masked Ball....................... 227
Running the Pursuit ................................ 229
Running the Siege..................................... 231
Running the Succession ......................... 234
Making Changes 237
The Setting................................................... 237
Creating Your Own Challenge .............. 238
New Character and Alliance Options 239
Optional Rules ........................................... 241
Tables 244
Random Complications .......................... 244
Notable Characters ................................... 245
Random Umbra Encounters ................. 246
Places in the Umbra ................................. 247
Creatures ...................................................... 248
Names ............................................................ 249
For System Veterans 250
Index 251
Vergence
Preview

About this Preview

W Vergence is
elcome to Vergence, the tabletop role-
playing game of dimensional conflict and
family drama. Crowdfunding
This freely available preview showcases much on Backerkit!
of the full game. It’s intended to illustrate how it
leverages the mechanics of the Forged in the Dark We are running a crowdfunding campaign for
game engine to explore the themes of dimen- Vergence on Backerkit. We are raising money
sional fantasy and cosmic powers. to pay to bring the game to completion with
printed books, great art, and several awesome
A couple of things this is not: stretch goals.
◆ This is not the full game. The complete game We’d love to have your support. We want to provide
contains all of the game rules, playsheets, you with an amazing game you can enjoy with
challenges, setting information, player info, your friends.
GM advice, random tables, and everything
else you need to play the game. Back the full game here:
◆ This is not a playable quick start. While this
document gives you some sample pages to look
at, you can’t play using just the information
vergencerpg.com
contained here (well, you could try, but you’d
have to make a lot up).
◆ This is not final. The game is in development.
You’re looking at draft pages; some things will
surely change before it’s done.
 Intro
About the Game
V ergence is a game of dimensional conflict
and family drama.
It’s about exploration, investigation, intrigue,
power, scheming, and discovery.
It’s a dimensional fantasy game about people
with cosmic powers and extraordinary abilities.
Our heroes are drawn together from across
the multiverse to cope with challenges they
can’t manage by themselves. During play they
will discover their own bonds of friendship
and loyalty.
They may encounter assassins, noble houses,
strange worlds, conspiracies, shapeshifters,
sorcerers, scheming courtiers, armadas, rulers,
rebels, sky ships, monstrosities, trading empires,
family secrets, hidden fortresses, vendettas,
alliances, betrayals, mysteries, and annoying
siblings.
Vergence is a roleplaying game for about 3–6
players (one of whom acts as the game moder-
ator), using a version of the Forged in the Dark rule
system. You will create dynamic player characters
with deep connections to each other and to the
game world. The mechanics allow you to collabo-
ratively drive the fiction toward a dramatic, tense,
and satisfying narrative.
You might…
◆ Lead a fleet of skyships in rebellion against the
Sovran of All Skies.
◆ Set off on a quest through the Umbra, tra-
versing from one world to the next, on the trail
of an ancient Beast that predates the existence
of the multiverse.
◆ Rescue a small(ish) dragon from the Royal
Menagerie.
◆ Broker peace between two clans at war within
the Blood of the Serpent.
◆ Prevent your cousin, the heir to the throne,
from gambling away his regalia.
◆ Explore the remains of a broken Vergence that
once ruled ten thousand worlds.
◆ Find a way to get Morgaine, Dominus of the
Empyrean Knights, to challenge you to a duel.
Then win.
◆ Respond to the sudden death of the Queen of
Agoros by supporting a claimant to the throne
(perhaps a PC) against an alliance of scheming
factions.
◆ Discover who has placed your favorite aunt
into magical stasis and figure out how to
release her.
1
The Setting
There are infinite worlds—so many and so varied
that virtually anything you can imagine exists
somewhere. The player characters are extraor-
dinary people who have inherited the ability to
travel among these worlds and manipulate reality.
The Umbra
Think of all the worlds of the multiverse as if laid
out on a flat surface, with those most similar to
each other closer together. This expanse is called
the Umbra.
You travel through the Umbra by moving (walking,
riding an animal, driving a car, flying) while
visualizing a small change in the world. Around
that bend in the road will be a small inn. As you
go around that bend, you use your Power to make
it appear, just as you imagined. In doing so, shift
from one world to another.
By making one small change after another, you
can find any place, person, or thing of your desire.
If you have been to a place before, you can find it
again, or any variation on it that you can imagine.
You can find places with any set of physical laws,
any history, any culture. All of them are available
to you.
After a long journey, Amiris wants to find a comfort-
able place to rest, but there isn’t anything like that
close by in this world. She uses her Power to look for
a small weakness between worlds. She walks forward,
concentrating. After a short while, she senses a gap
and visualizes reaching into it and opening it up. She
steps through to a slightly different place. Just as she
imagined, there is a small copse of trees here where
there was none before.
This is closer to what she wants, but she’s not there
yet. She creates another opening and in the next world
there is a road next to the trees. Another transition,
and as she walks forward she sees a small inn next to
the road. One more shift, and there is a stack of coins
(the kind they use here), sitting next to that tree…
2 Intro
Vergences
Across the vastness of the Umbra flow lines of
dimensional energy that concentrate and inter-
sect at places of great power called Vergences.
Because the Power runs in families, each Vergence
is associated with a particular ruling bloodline.
Those with the right kinship can attune to the
center of that Vergence, greatly boosting their
inherited abilities. A bloodline with the Power, in
control of a Vergence, can achieve a position of
preeminence among many worlds.
There are a three known Vergences: the Caverns
of Agoros, the Serpent, and the Maelstrom. These
places have large populations, each ruled by a
noble bloodline that has the ability to make full
use of its Power. Lots of other people live in each
Vergence, but do not have this Power.
Touchstones
When you’re thinking about the game or pitching
it to others, here are some influences you can use
to relate it to things they might be familiar with.
This game and its setting are not quite like any of
these sources, but referencing them can give you
a starting point for discussion.
◆ Chronicles of Amber (story series by Roger
Zelazny) and the Amber Diceless Roleplaying
Game (by Erik Wujcik).
◆ Eternal Champion Sequence (story series by
Michael Moorcock).
◆ Everway (roleplaying game by Jonathan Tweet).
◆ Glory Road (novel by Robert Heinlein).
◆ His Dark Materials (story series by Phillip
Pullman).
◆ Kill 6 Billion Demons (web comic) and
Broken Worlds (roleplaying game) by Tom
Parkinson-Morgan.
◆ Myst (video game series by Robyn and Rand
Miller).
◆ Nobilis (roleplaying game by Jenna Katerin
Moran).
What You Need
to Play
When you get together to play a game of Vergence,
you'll need a few things.
Friends (Or at Least
Acquaintances)
You'll need some interested people who want to
play together. There are two roles to take.
◆ Players. About two to five players will take
the role of player characters (PCs) in the story.
Their job is to each create and embody an
engaging protagonist, making decisions about
how that person deals with the difficulties pre-
sented in the game.
◆ Game moderator. One player will take the
role of game moderator (GM). The job of the
GM is to manage the world around the player
characters. When the PCs take risks or engage
in conflict, the GM describes the action and
makes judgments about what happens.
Nowadays, people play games like this in a couple
of ways. Which you use determines what you
need for play.
If You’re Playing in Person
◆ A printed or digital copy of this book.
◆ Printed or digital copies of playbooks and hand-
outs. You can find digital sheets for Vergence at
this link: https://bit.ly/VergenceSheets.
◆ Six sided dice. Three or four per player is best
(you can also use a dice rolling app).
◆ Blank paper, index cards, pens or pencils.
If You’re Playing Online
◆ A communication system. Video conferencing
works well, but you can also go voice-only.
There are online systems that are built spe-
cifically for roleplaying games (called “virtual
table tops”), but you can use whatever confer-
encing system you like.
Intro
◆ A way to roll dice. Each player can have a set
of physical dice to roll, or you can use a digital
dice roller or app (if you type “roll 2d6” in the
Google search box, it will roll two six sided
dice).
◆ A copy of this book, handouts, and digital
character sheets (see above).
Sessions and Campaigns
Each session of Vergence is likely to last about 3–4
hours (but some groups like to play all day, which
is fine if you have the stamina). A campaign
(series of sessions) can last anywhere from one
session to 20, 30, or more, depending on interest
and availability.
Community
If you'd like to talk about this game with users
and developers, get and share information,
find online players, or just hang out, please
come join our Discord server using this link:
https://bit.ly/SmallCoolGamesDiscord.
The Characters
The player characters (PCs) come from the noble
houses of different Vergences. Their abilities
allow them to travel between worlds and to attune
to the center of their Vergence.
When you create a character, you’ll choose which
Vergence bloodline to belong to. Each bloodline
has three playbooks to pick from. Your playbook
gives you access to a set of special abilities. Here
are the bloodlines and associated playbooks:
The Caverns of Agoros
Agoros is an underground world
consisting of caves filled with
cities, towns, and farmland connected b y
pneumatic trains. It operates on steampunk
technology powered by the Orb, a glowing source
of Power within its central cavern. It is ruled by
Queen Inhedron and a power structure of ruling
families, guilds, and cartels. Agoros oversees
a great trading network extending through
the Umbra.
3
These playbooks are available to Agorian
characters:
◆ Adept: Channel and manipulate arcane
dimensional Powers.
◆ Explorer: Develop trading networks and
make contact with new worlds.
◆ Heir: Use political connections as the scion of
a noble house.
The Maelstrom
The Maelstrom is a great storm system
with a civilization centered on floating
citadels, crossed by fleets of sky ships. These
playbooks are available to Maelstrom characters:
◆ Aeronaut: Captain a dimensional skyship
across the Umbra.
◆ Stormcaster: Call upon the power of the
Maelstrom to manipulate storms and winds.
◆ Storm Knight: Play a powerful warrior with
mystic storm abilities.
The Serpent
The Serpent is a living creature, about
1000 miles long, traveling endlessly
through the Umbra. Millions of
people and creatures live on and
within the Serpent.
These playbooks are available to Serpent
characters:
◆ Beast Rider: Befriend and ride strange crea-
tures through the Umbra.
◆ Shaman: Harness your mystical connections
with the Serpent.
◆ Shapeshifter: Use the power of the Serpent to
control your own physical form.
The Lost
Sometimes, a member of a bloodline
leaves an unknown child out in the
Umbra. These are the Lost. Some of
the Lost discover how to use their own
birthright powers.
4 Intro
These playbooks are available to Lost characters:
◆ Conqueror: Lead warriors and armies across
the Umbra.
◆ Oracle: Connect with the underlying nature of
reality and see what others do not.
◆ Trickster: Influence and confuse, play tricks
and mind games.
The Challenge
The PCs have cosmic powers and can travel to any
place of their desire. What draws them together?
To answer that question, the group (players and
GM) will choose a challenge. This is a threat or
set of problems that gives the PCs a reason to
form an alliance to work on common goals.
These challenges are available:
◆ Dark Conspiracy: A secret faction has come
out of the shadows to attack the players, their
homelands, and their friends.
◆ Expedition: The PCs will join a venture to
explore an ancient and forbidden place that
was once a Vergence.
◆ Game of Houses: The PCs each have reason to
support a noble house within a Vergence. They
will be given a series of tasks for the purpose
of protecting that house and advancing its
interests.
◆ Grand Tour: The PCs have been invited
on a tour of interesting places all over the
multiverse.
◆ Masked Ball: The PCs will be attending
the Agorian Royal Masked Ball, where they
will engage in courtly intrigue and political
maneuvering.
◆ Pursuit: In this short challenge intended for
just one or a few sessions, the PCs are in pur-
suit across the Umbra to catch a villain who
has committed a terrible crime.
◆ Siege: The PCs are trapped in a city that is
under inter-dimensional attack.
◆ Succession: The throne of a Vergence is sud-
denly empty and the PCs have a stake in who
takes it.
Action Summary
You will find more detailed information on the nine actions starting on page 163 . Here is a summary.
Command
Compel swift obedience.
You might intimidate a
faction leader, force the
council to declare you
innocent, or lead warriors
into battle. You could try
to get the Queen to give
you support (but Persuade
might be better).
Engage
Contend physically
against an opponent.
You might duel with a
sword, fire your rifle at
enemy troops, or seize an
advantageous position
in battle. You could try
to wrestle someone to the
ground (but Overpower
might be better).
Study
Acquire and synthesize
critical information.
You might identify a weak-
ness in enemy defenses,
figure out the best way to
sneak into the fortress, or
research someone's history.
You could try to devise a
battle plan (but Contrive
might be better).
12
Contrive
Implement a clever
strategy.
You might use misinfor-
mation to turn a neutral
faction, set up a clever
ambush, or distract the
guards. You could try to
decipher an inscription
(but Study might be better).
Overpower
Employ brute physical
force.
You might smash down a
door, create chaos to make
a distraction, or put some-
one into a choke hold. You
could try to overwhelm an
enemy with sheer force in
battle (but Engage might
be better).
Traverse
Move with skill and
finesse.
You might sneak past a
guard, travel from one
world to the next, or leap
across rooftops. You could
try to jump off a building
to stab a giant monster in
the eye (but Engage might
be better).
Basics
Craft
Create or modify phys-
ical objects.
You might give an item
arcane properties, bypass a
security system, or harden
a city wall. You could try to
create a portal to another
world (but Warp might
be better).
Persuade
Influence with charm,
guile, argument, or
oration.
You might lie convincingly,
get someone to think your
idea is theirs, or argue
a compelling case. You
could try to get troops to
follow you into battle (but
Command might be better).
Warp
Reach out with the
Power to sense or
manipulate.
You might find a weak point
between worlds or detect
echoes of the Power in
nearby parts of the Umbra.
You could try to activate an
arcane artifact (but Craft
might be better).
Equipment and Wealth
PCs can obtain almost any item they desire. All
they have to do is travel in the Umbra, imagining
the thing they want, until they find it just sitting
there for the taking. Wealth is also effectively
infinite. They can have as much of any kind of
money, valuables, or token of exchange they wish.
Because the Power is so potent in granting
possession of whatever a PC wants, equipment
is not that important in this game. For the most
part, PCs are assumed to have brought whatever
could reasonably have been anticipated with the
information they have available.
During play, we won’t concern ourselves too
much about kind and quality of equipment, since
PCs can get what works best for them (that’s part
of why they get potency when their quality level
is higher than that of the opposition). When it
makes a difference, you can establish the specific
equipment carried through free play or flash-
backs (page 25).
If the player wants to have brought along a
particularly unlikely piece of equipment, the
GM can call for a flashback, with a stress cost
if appropriate (page 25).
World walkers usually choose equipment that is
reliable across different environments. High tech
items are useful in worlds where they work, but
dead weight in places where they don’t. Magical
items may be locally effective, but not useful in
other places. A sword, on the other hand, will
serve its purpose almost anywhere. A flying beast
or armored vehicle can’t carry you where the
physics don’t allow it, but a riding beast with legs
can go most places you can.
Equipment does make a difference when a char-
acter needs something unanticipated, but doesn’t
have the opportunity to acquire it.
Basics
Athena and Jodre are fighting a masked stranger who,
they believe, is the key to finding out who murdered
their uncle. They are in a low tech world and all armed
with melee weapons. After Athena manages to get in
a cut to the masked figure’s arm, the stranger pulls a
stone from his pocket. A gate appears and the stranger
disappears into it. Before it can fade, they both
leap through.
But it’s a trap! They find themselves in a large, fea-
tureless white room, facing soldiers in powered battle
armor and armed with gatling cannons. “Surrender or
die,” the stranger tells them. “I don’t really care which.”
When equipment matters, the GM will consider
that in determining position, effect, and conse-
quences. In the example above, the PCs are in a
very tight spot. If it turns into a fight, they’re likely
to start at Desperate position and Zero effect.
Encumbrance
You can carry as much on your person as seems
reasonable. If you’re carrying a lot of weight or
bulk, the GM might call for an action roll when
that would not otherwise be required, or adjust
position or effect to represent how loaded down
you are. NPCs might also take notice if you’re
wearing armor, armed with unusual or disal-
lowed weapons, or carrying a lot of stuff.
GM: Load and encumbrance are handled
informally in this game. Don’t suddenly
impose penalties on a player for declaring a
lot of gear. If a character seems loaded down
with a lot of stuff, discuss it with the player
and incorporate that into the fiction and
stakes of die rolls where appropriate.
In practice, since the game doesn’t put a lot of
emphasis on detailed equipment inventories,
players usually don’t, either. Most of their
capabilities are represented by action ratings
and special abilities.
31
Factions
A faction is a group or organization with the
potential to significantly affect the plot of the
game. The PCs are the most important faction.
They will interact with other factions: making
enemies, gaining favor, and creating alliances.
Cohorts (page 103) are factions that the
PCs control directly. A cohort can be a single
person (an agent) or a group (a contingent).
Factions have three basic characteristics: quality,
scope, and expertises. Many faction leaders
are detailed in the People and Places chapter
(page 174). (The GM can choose to have any of
that information turn out to be incorrect.)
GM: Much of the game involves interac-
tion with factions. The players have family
connections among the Vergence factions
and are likely to find themselves aligned with
some factions and at odds with others. Don’t
hesitate to incorporate leaders and factions
into the action of the game.
Faction
Leadership
In Vergence, factions are usually represented most
visibly by th leader of the faction. There are, of
course, other members of that faction that PCs
can interact with, but if they want the whole
faction on their side, they will need to deal with
the leader.
Some factions have no single leader, or the
titular leader is not really in charge. Control
could be distributed, contested, or in disarray. If
so, gaining influence might require dealing with
more than one NPC.
Quality
Quality is a measure of highest level of capa-
bility that a faction can effectively bring to
bear. Faction quality is rated from 1 to 4. Higher
quality factions are overall more capable and can
call on the most competent, well-trained, and
32
well-equipped individuals. The highest quality
factions have central cadres consisting of people
from Vergence bloodlines (quality level 2 or 3).
Empowered enemies of great capability might be
at quality level 3 or even 4.
The Crimson Guard of Agoros consists of the most elite
warriors of the kingdom (quality level 1), led by loyal
Bloodline members of the Royal Family (quality level 2
and 3). The Crimson Guard is quality 3.
Rank and file members of a faction will often be
one or possibly two quality levels lower than the
base (maximum) quality of that faction.
Scope
Scope is a measure of f the scale and breadth of
faction operations. Faction scope is rated on a
scale from 1 to 5.
A faction of lower scope operates more locally,
with smaller numbers, on fewer worlds, and with
less adaptability to various kinds of operations.
A faction of higher scope is larger and operates
more broadly. While scope is not explicitly a
measure of numbers, an organization of larger
scope likely has more members than one of lesser
scope (if only because it takes more people to do
more things and operate in more locations).
The Heralds are an interdimensional organization
functioning as negotiators and information brokers.
They operate in all of the major Vergences and fre-
quently travel throughout the Umbra along pathways,
maintaining an unmatched network of communica-
tion among worlds. The Heralds are scope 5.
Faction Expertise
Each faction has one or more areas of expertise.
Factions operate at their full quality and scope
rating when operating within their expertise.
Outside of their expertise, they operate at one
or more levels lower (as determined by the GM).
Here is a list of common expertises, but you can
add others if needed.
Basics
◆ Crime ◆ Mercantile
◆ Culture ◆ Military
◆ Espionage ◆ Magic
◆ Government ◆ Religion
◆ High tech ◆ Smuggling
◆ Interdimensional ◆ Special operations
Faction
Effectiveness
When considering the effectiveness of a faction,
use the faction’s quality if the most important
factor is the ability of the most capable core
members of the faction. Use the faction’s scope
when the scale and breadth of faction operations
make the most difference. Consider expertise
if a faction is operating outside of its normal
capabilities.
Favor
The bloodline characters of Vergences have all the
money and wealth they want, so they do not care
about those things. Instead, they trade in favor.
When those of the blood aid each other, they
keep track. The greater the aid, the more that can
be asked in return. If favor is owed, it is a severe
breach of honor and protocol to refuse to return it.
Even among deadly enemies, favor is acknowl-
edged and repaid (sometimes with gritted teeth).
In the midst of battle, opponents have been
known to call in favors from their enemies. Canny
leaders know to research the favors owed by and
to those under their command, in order to avoid
surprises or achieve unexpected advantages.
Within the game, favor is measured numerically.
When the PCs provide assistance to an important
NPC or faction, they gain favor with them. Favor
is an abstract representation of obligation and
debts of honor.
Basics
◆ If you get into fight with the Ghan’s bodyguard, you
are acting against the quality of his faction
◆ If you send an army to conquer the Ghan’s domain,
you are acting against the scope of his faction.
A faction might take action that is beyond its
expertise (such as a consortium that specializes in
commerce finding itself involved in interdimen-
sional warfare). When that happens, the GM can
apply a -1d or -2d penalty to the roll, depending
on the circumstances.
If two or more factions are operating together as
allies, the GM will start with the best quality or
scope between them (as appropriate). If they are
likely to compliment each other, the GM can add
a +1d or even +2d bonus to reflect their combined
abilities. Use the fortune roll to determine how
well the faction’s actions have gone.
Earning Favor
The alliance can earn favor via in-game actions
during free play or operations; or during the
scheming phase via the Earn Favor action
(page 155).
A representative of the Heralds asks that the PCs per-
form a scouting mission. They agree. When the PCs
return with valuable information, they earn 4 favor
with the Heralds, which is recorded on the Favor
Tracking Sheet.
How Much Favor to Award
The GM should award favor when a faction has
reason to acknowledge an obligation to the PCs.
The amount is decided by the GM, with this table
as a general guide.
33
Storm Knight by Mark Frost
The Maelstrom
Storm knight
The Storm fills you and surrounds you, even in moments of calm.
You are trained warrior of the Storm,
having traveled far and proven your
worth in many battles. Perhaps you
have been a mercenary or pirate. Or
you have served your noble house in
war. As a noble of the blood, you've
chosen a much more difficult path than
you needed to, devoting yourself to devel-
oping your prowess.
Play a Storm Knight if you want to be a formidable
combatant with mystic powers.
Starting Actions
􀜞􀜞􀧙 Engage
􀜞􀧙􀧙 Traverse
Storm knight Bonds
Fill in a bond with at least one other PC. You can
use these sample bond statements, change them,
or make up different ones if you prefer.
◆ “[Name] and I fought a duel once over some
offense I no longer quite remember. We have
since developed respect for one another. Who
won? Ask [Name].”
◆ “I'm not actually quite sure why, but when
[Name] has called, I have always been there
to help.”
◆ “[Name] and I have a mutual enemy. Our rea-
sons to seek revenge are different, but we are
united in this goal.”
Storm knight
Default Ability
Storm Rider
You have ridden the Maelstrom and
stared into the Eye. It has ripped you
asunder and remade you. Its winds fill
your lungs, invigorate your blood, and give you
the Power to travel between worlds. When you
manifest your Power, your eyes blaze, lightning
crackles around you, and winds stir.
Storm knight
Special Abilities
Battleforged
You’ve learned from the best. In a fight, you can
flash back to a hard lesson you learned from a
teacher or opponent. Choose one: you discover a
weakness you can exploit—a cohort under your
control rolls at +1d—gain defense against phys-
ical -or- arcane attacks—assist an ally at no
stress cost—escape unscathed—learn something
you can use the next time you are in this kind
of fight.
Briefly describe your painful lesson (what
happened and with whom). Choose one
advantage you gain from your flashback.
The first use of this ability in a fight will cost
0 stress, but after that the GM will assess a
cost for multiple battleforged flashbacks in
one scene.
73
Comrade
When you lead a group action, you get +1d. You
have defense against any consequences you
suffer from group actions or protecting another
character.
Group actions are a way for multiple charac-
ters to work together on a single action. See
page 28 for more information.
Deadshot
When employing a ranged weapon, you have
potency and can fire with accuracy at up to
maximum range. When you push yourself
while employing a ranged weapon, you can hit
the weakest spot—perform a trick shot—avoid
detection if firing from concealment—use it
unimpaired in close quarters or while grappling.
When you push yourself, you also get the regu-
lar effects of pushing (+1d or increased effect).
Empowered Artifact
You are the keeper of an ancient and powerful
artifact. Describe it and pick two advantages:
can throw concussive blasts—armor provides
defense against cutting or thrusting attacks—
can sense that which is concealed or invisible
nearby—eagle eyes—can turn you into an insub-
stantial creature of air for a few moments.
It could be a gauntlet, a sword, a wand, a
feather, a magical ring, a pair of shoes, a
stone attached to your forehead a shield, or
something else. How did you acquire it?
Invest another special ability in your artifact
to give it two additional advantages.
Indomitable
You are undeterred by obstacles or odds. Penalties
from harm are one level less severe (though
level 4 harm is still fatal). If you are exhausted,
you get defense against any kind of harm.
You cannot make a resistance roll if you are
exhausted, but having protection means that
the severity level of harm is automatically
reduced by one level.
74
Leap On the Wind
Within an atmosphere, you can call upon the
wind to help you perform otherwise impossible
athletic maneuvers. You can’t fly, but you can
make prodigious jumps and can fall from any
height without harm.
Using this ability doesn’t cost stress and in
normal circumstances won’t require a roll.
When things are especially difficult or there
is notable opposition, the GM may call for
a roll.
Lightning Warrior
You can spend 1 stress to imbue your body and
equipment with empowered electrical energy,
giving you potency in close combat against
vulnerable enemies and the ability to strike
even those who are insubstantial or protected by
arcane shielding.
An enemy is vulnerable if unshielded from
electrical effects. Your empowered energy can
last up to several minutes, if you choose. You
might also use this ability in clever ways, such
as to short out high tech equipment or push a
jolt of electricity into a pool of water or other
conductive material.
Warbird
You have a large bird of prey as your companion
and mount. It is a quality level 2 agent with
expertise as a battle mount. Pick two:—can speak
with you telepathically—its claws can penetrate
almost any armor—fast and agile—vicious and
terrifying—can travel through the Umbra on its
own.
Invest another special ability in your warbird
to give it two additional advantages.
Warriors
You have a contingent of loyal warriors from a
storm world near the Maelstrom. They are scope 1
and quality level 1, with military expertise.
Pick two additional abilities: quality 2—huge
and fierce—have their own warbirds—expert
scouts—can adapt to any kind of tech — athletic
and quick—very well armored.
Characters
 The warriors are yours separately from the
alliance, though you may instruct them to
follow the orders of others. Invest another
special ability in your warriors to give them
two additional characteristics

[Veteran Ability]
When you first create your character, one of your
three special abilities can be taken from another
playbook of the same bloodline.
Later on, when you gain an additional special
ability through advancement, it can be from
your playbook or any other from your blood-
line. Explain how it makes sense in the fiction
for you to do this.

Characters 75
 The Serpent
Shaman
You have opened your soul to the Blood of the Serpent. What has it
taught you?
The Heartsblood has consumed you, poisoned
you, dissolved you into a mush of blood and
organs, and remade you. While others look
back on that experience with horror, you
have continued to explore the power of the
Serpent's blood, whatever the cost.
You have learned many of the secrets of the
Serpent's rituals. You understand the desires
of the Serpent and the vast ecology of creatures
who live on and within it.
Play the Shaman if you want to find the way that
lies beyond rational understanding.
Starting Actions
􀜞􀜞􀧙 Warp
􀜞􀧙􀧙 Contrive
Shaman Bonds
Fill in a bond with at least one other PC. You can
use these sample bond statements, change them,
or make up different ones if you prefer.
◆ “The Serpent told me I would have to trust
[Name] with my life one day.”
◆ “[Name] and I have known each other for many
years. Perhaps now we will each actually learn
who the other is.”
◆ “[Name] once rescued a close friend of mine
from a terrible fate.”
Shaman Default
Ability
Serpent Mage
You have drunk the heartsblood of the
Serpent and it has remade you. The blood
fills your veins with the Power, granting you
world-walking abilities. When you mani-
fest your Power, your eyes become black
hypnotic pits and writhing tendrils of light
and dark surround you.
Shaman Special
Abilities
Afflict
Catch the eye of a target and draw a sign of doom
in the air. Describe a terrible and fearful vision
the target experiences. This is a psychic attack on
the person’s mind.
When used successfully, this power can cause
psychic effects in the form of emotional
manipulation (fear, rage, etc.), confusion,
seizures, or even death.
Blood Blade
You have an empowered edged weapon, forged
with the Blood of the Serpent. Choose two advan-
tages: potency against arcane enemies—can cut
holes in reality, allowing you to pass through
barriers without leaving a mark—if it has ever
touched a drop of someone’s blood, it can point
81
toward them no matter where they are—if you
strike with it you can choose to cause psychic
harm, leaving no physical mark.
In the hands of anyone else, this is just a
normal weapon. It is special only when you
wield it. What kind of blade is it? A knife? A
spear?
Invest another special ability in your blade to
give it two additional advantages.
Blood Magic
You can infuse your Serpent-empowered blood
into an object, imbuing it with arcane proper-
ties such as potency against the werewolves of
a particular world, a magically strong door lock,
or sleeping potion. These properties dissipate
with world shifting, but you can make the effect
permanent with a project. Blood magic effects
are lessened in Vergences and other places of
stronger reality.
The exact properties that can be created
are negotiated with the GM, and may vary
with the characteristics of whatever Umbra
wold you are in. In a challenging situation,
you’ll usually make an action roll with
Craft to determine the effectiveness of your
blood magic.
You can find more information about projects
on page 156.
Eyes of Darkness
When you extend your senses outward, your eyes
become pits of absolute darkness. You can see
without light and sense that which is mystical or
not in true form. You can reach your senses out to
the world you are in and to nearby worlds, and
can initiate psychic contact or observe emotional
states of those you can sense. You can surround
yourself in a veil of darkness, giving potency
when you conceal yourself in shadows.
Foresee
Take a flashback at 0 stress cost and make an
action roll at +1d to contrive with the spirits
within the blood of the Serpent. On a success,
you’ve foreseen and planned for what is happening
82
now. You gain potency on actions reflecting your
foreknowledge.
This ability allows you to take setup actions
at +1d using your connection to the Serpent.
If a consequence results from your roll, you
might anger a spirit, misread portents, or
find yourself swearing to perform a service
for a spirit.
Healing Balm
Spread your balm onto a wound and conduct a
brief ritual. Make a Risky action roll and, if
successful, you reduce its severity by one level.
During a scheming phase, your presence counts
as being in a special medical facility for anyone
taking a recover action.
You can only reduce the severity of a wound
if there is an empty box below it. For example,
if all level 1 and 2 boxes were filled, you’d need
to remove a level 1 harm (opening up a level 1
harm box) before you could use your balm on
a level 2 wound.
Consequences from the roll can affect either
the caster or the target and can include extra
stress cost, taking more time and ticking a
troublesome clock, harm to the caster, or
suffering from a magical compulsion for a
few hours (such as to speak only in rhyme or
to turn only in a leftward direction).
See page 153 for more about recovery
actions and special medical facilities.
Step Sideways
You can step into the Otherworld. In this dark
and eerie place, the normal world is ghostly and
immaterial, while to those in the normal world
you are ethereal. At other layers of this place are
strange creatures, echoes of possible futures, and
ancient gods. It is possible but difficult to lead
others into the Otherworld.
The GM and players can work out exactly
what the Otherworld is and what can be found
there. You might encounter alternate realities
or other versions of people you know (includ-
ing, perhaps, yourself), or who have died.
There might be other strange inhabitants,
Characters
 along with ancient spirits and fragments of
gods left over from previous versions of the
current reality.
Summon
You can summon a spirit from within the Blood
of the Serpent. It appears after a ritual requiring
several hours. Name the spirit and bargain with
it to perform a service for you. The greater the
service, the greater the price you will have to pay.
A spirit might answer a question about
something otherwise hidden, transport you
and a few companions to a guarded location,
distract a host of enemies while you sneak
past, or some other service. You and the GM
will determine the scope of what is possible.
The spirit will always demand something in
return. Depending on how great a service is
performed, this could be giving up half your
own blood (level 3 harm), going on a quest
within the body of the Serpent, accepting a
behavioral compulsion such as being unable
to enter a dwelling without invitation, or
other payment.
Characters
Tulpa
You have made a creature from your own dreams
and the Blood of the Serpent. It is quality level 2
and has one expertise. Pick two: insubstantial, but
visible to you—hypnotic eyes—can strike terror—
you can sense through its senses—you can use
your mystical powers from the tulpa’s body—an
additional expertise.
How does your tulpa manifest? Which of your
dreams did you create if from? How does it
reflect fragments of your memories, desires,
and fears?
Invest another special ability in your tulpa to
give it two additional characteristics.
[Veteran Ability]
When you first create your character, one of your
three special abilities can be taken from another
playbook of the same bloodline.
Later on, when you gain an additional special
ability through advancement, it can be from
your playbook or any other from your blood-
line. Explain how it makes sense in the fiction
for you to do this.
83
Challenge
and Alliance

Alliance Creation
I n addition to creating their own individual
player characters, the players will also be
choosing a challenge and forming an alliance.
Players: Creating characters and choosing a
challenge can happen together. Think about
which challenges you are interested when
In doing so, they will decide on the kinds of choosing your playbook. Think about which
resources they, as a group, can bring to bear to playbook you want to play when choosing
address that challenge. the challenge. Everyone will tend to have a
better time when characters and challenge
GM: You and all the other players get a say
are chosen as part of the same discussion.
in choosing the challenge. If there are chal-
lenges you don't feel up to running or that are
not interesting to you, make sure the group
knows that. Depending on how many sessions
1. Choose the
the group intends to play, some challenges Challenge
will be a better fit than others. The choice of
The players (including the GM) will decide on the
challenge should be a group consensus.
challenge you will face. The challenge determines
These choices will set up the overall tone and what brings the PCs together and holds them
theme of the game, so it’s best if everyone is together despite any rivalries they might have.
involved in making decisions. Don’t overthink it,
Challenges are about the goals you have, the oppo-
but do try to find a set of options that everyone
sition you will face, and the kinds of settings or
think is fun and can get excited about.
situations you will play out during the campaign.
These challenges are available:

100

An unknown enemy has chosen
Dark to act directly and violently
Conspiracy against the PCs and all they
hold dear.
The PCs are part of a journey of
Expedition exploration to an ancient and
forbidden world.
Game of The PCs undertake a series of
missions to support a chosen
Houses Vergence faction.
The PCs have accepted an
Grand invitation to participate in
Tour a journey to visit interesting
places all over the multiverse.
The PCs will attend a Royal
Masked Masked Ball and try to
accomplish various goals
Ball without ruining their
reputations.
The PCs chase a vile enemy
Pursuit through the Umbra. What
happens if they catch up?
The PCs are trapped in a
Siege city under siege. They must
fight, escape, or go over to the
other side.
The throne of a Vergence is
unexpectedly empty. The
Succession PCs have a strong interest
in determining who is
the successor.
Talk with the other players about which challenge
you are most interested in. As you do, it’s also a
good idea to consider how many sessions you’re
looking to play: some of the challenges are better
suited to longer or shorter campaigns.
◆ If you want a one shot (single session) game,
choose the Pursuit.
◆ If you want a game that lasts 2–4 sessions,
choose Expedition, Masked Ball, Pursuit, or
Siege.
◆ If you want an episodic game that can last any
number of sessions, choose Game of Houses
or Grand Tour.
Challenge and Alliance
◆ If you want a somewhat longer game (4–10
sessions), choose Dark Conspiracy, Masked
Ball, Expedition, Siege, or Succession.
◆ If you want an extended campaign (6–20 or
more sessions), choose Dark Conspiracy
or consider how a medium length challenge
might be extended.
Keep discussing until you come to consensus on
which challenge the group thinks would be the
most fun and best suited for the kind of game you
want to play. But don’t get caught up in analysis
paralysis: any of the challenges will allow you to
guide the narrative. They are not pre-planned
scenarios. And they’re all fun.
GM: Guidance on presenting and elabo-
rating on each challenge is provided later,
in the section on how to run the challenge
(page 213). This current chapter gets the
challenge set up. While that chapter is not
secret from the players, it is really written for
the GM.
2. Set Up the
Alliance
Each challenge type has prompts to identify why
PCs are joining the alliance. What harm has been
done or what threat is perceived? What are the
character's motivations?
The setup lays out what the PCs know at the start
of the game, gives them motivation to act, and
provides a reason why they will work together.
Read through the setup information for the chal-
lenge you have chosen, responding to prompts
for each PC. When you’re done, you should know
who the other PCs are, why they are together, and
what kinds of action they will be called to at the
beginning of the game.
Also note bonds between PCs. How do you know
each other? How do your bonds integrate with
this type of challenge?
101
3. Choose
Starting
Upgrades
An upgrade is an asset or advantage that helps
the alliance. The challenge setup pages will tell
you whether there are any preselected upgrades
for the alliance and how many additional
upgrade points you can spend at game start (if
any). Most challenges start with upgrades, but
Pursuit does not. You can pick upgrades from any
on the challenge sheet.
When selecting upgrades, think about where
they come from and how they reflect the
PC's background and history.
Upgrades
Here is a list of standard upgrades. Each type of
alliance may have some or all of these, as well as
specific upgrades for their challenge type.
If the alliance has a base, the players can define
what that world is like, who lives there, etc.
Resource
Upgrades
◆ Blocked Base: Entry, exit, and communica-
tion to and from your base is blocked to anyone
you don't give permission to. Cost 1.
◆ Guarded Base: Your base is guarded by a con-
tingent of quality level 1 and scope 4. This
contingent cannot move from the world of the
base, however. Cost 1.
◆ Hospital: When you recover in your base, you
always count as being in a special medical
facility and can roll for extra healing. Cost 1.
◆ Pathways: You have established secret path-
ways that lead to and from your base out into
the Umbra. Cost 1.
102 Challenge and Alliance
Alliance Creation
Summary
1 Choose a challenge. The challenge is what
drives the formation of your alliance and
will determine the primary challenges that arise
during play.
2
Set up the alliance. Introduce the player
characters and say why each of them is
joining the alliance. Also note who has bonds to
which other PCs.
3 Choose starting upgrades. The information
on your specific challenge will tell you how
many preselected upgrades you start with and
how many other upgrades you can choose from
the alliance sheet.
◆ Sanctuary: When members of the alliance
rest or scheme in their base, they recover an
extra 2 stress. Cost 1.
◆ Secret Base: Your base is hidden from anyone
searching for it through the Umbra. Cost 1.
◆ Voidstones: You have a cache of voidstones:
one per PC. They are ready to be attuned. Cost 2.
See page 141 to learn about voidstones.
Training Upgrades
◆ Empowered: Each PC in the alliance can
choose an additional special ability. Cost 4.
◆ Hardened: Each PC in the alliance gets
+1 stress box. Cost 3 (once only).
◆ Experienced: Each PC in the alliance can add
one dot to any action rating. They don't all
have to choose the same one. Cost 4.
Challenge
Masked Ball
The PCs will be attending a royal masked ball. There will be intrigue,
romance, perhaps dueling, possibly murder. And yes, dancing.
Blue and Lisabet join the dance, moving smoothly into
the intricate pattern. There are a hundred pairs on the
floor of the main ballroom, passing and turning in
rhythm to the exquisite performance of the musicians
in the balconies above.
Although the dancers are costumed and masked, they
have little trouble making out their target. Nika is the
Dominus of the Citadel of Kor, visiting Agoros from
the Maelstrom. She’s dancing with some foppish local
courtier who seems quite taken with her.
Lisabet calculates a dance pattern that will lead them
into an interception and nudges her partner in that
direction. They will need to plant the incriminating
letter on Nika without her noticing. That’s going to be
difficult, but they have a plan…
The Masked Ball challenge begins with each
player being invited or obligated to attend a
formal party at the royal palace in Agoros. They
will participate in the ball over multiple days,
attempting to accomplish one or more goals.
Choose this challenge if you want short-ish game
(2-5 sessions) with intrigue, revelry, politics, and
shenanigans.
GM: A guide to running the Masked Ball
starts on page 227.
118
Setup
The masked ball is an important event that all of
the PCs will be attending.
Establishing
Details for the Ball
Go around the group and ask each player to
provide one detail about the Ball, it’s traditions,
its current fashion, etc.
For example, a player might say that the Masked
Ball is held only once every 12 years, or that the
fashion this year is for men to be costumed with a
springtime theme and women to wear an autumn
theme, or that the first dance is always for foreign
visitors. If the group thinks it would be fun to add
more details than just one per PC, it’s OK to do
another round or so, but stop before it gets to be
too much to keep track of.
The rest of the group can call bogus on a detail
if it is irreconcilable with already established
facts or it makes things less fun.
After the players create a few details, the GM
can add other information to establish what
the Masked Ball is and the kinds of customs or
protocol that seem interesting and relevant as the
game begins.
PC Goals
The PCs will have one or more goals they are
attempting to accomplish. Select goals using the
table provided, or make up your own.
◆ If you want a short game that can be wrapped
up in a couple of sessions, then one or two
goals for the whole group is a good number.
◆ If you want a somewhat longer game, go with
one goal per player.
◆ If you want a longer game, each player should
have a goal, and the group as a whole can have
one or two additional goals.
Once you decide on the number of goals, pick
which PCs will have a goal. You can have the
players who express interest do that, or you can
use a random method such as picking marked
slips of paper from a bag.
For each goal, the Masked Ball is the best (or only)
opportunity for success. Any PC without a goal is
part of the alliance to help the others (perhaps
to repay a debt or favor). Lean on established
bonds, kinship among PCs, or just owing favors
to provide motivation for PCs who do not have a
specific goal.
To select a goal, you can roll randomly on the PC
Goals table (discarding any repeated results that
don’t make sense). If you prefer, you can also just
pick a goal that looks interesting or make up your
own.
The players decide the reason why their charac-
ters have these goals. If they can’t think of a good
one right now, they pick or make a roll on the
following table. A result such as “love” or “coerced”
may need supporting details in order to make
sense.

Pick from the table, invent an interesting goal, or roll (1d for vertical and 1d for horizontal).

PC Goals for the Masked Ball

1–2 3–4 5–6
Someone you like very much
Retrieve a book from a secret
is in love with you. Set that Discover who murdered your
1 and forgotten library hidden
person up with someone else uncle.
somewhere in the palace.
who is worthy.
Provoke Morgaine, Dominus
Plant forged documents in the Ensure that an incriminating
of the Empyrean Knights,
2 office of the Commander of letter is found on the person
into challenging you to a duel.
the Crimson Guard. of Sir Nethelon.
Then win.

Set up your cousin Tretheen Quietly assassinate Find a patron to support your
3 with Sir Vadren. They Kaledra, Primus of the Blue venture (arts, exploration,
currently hate each other. underworld faction. mystical, etc.).

Ensure that Duchess

Provoke a diplomatic crisis Steal a cache of documents
Kyneth of Tresol is publicly
4 between Agoros and the from the Queen’s private
humiliated, but that it cannot
Maelstrom. office.
be traced to you.
You believe that someone You deepest desire is to woo
Arrange for your incredibly
unknown plans to assassinate a special person who does
5 shy cousin to recite a poem
Duchess Kelso at the ball. not know you well. Win that
before the Queen.
Prevent this. person's heart.
At midnight, arrange for
Steal a specific sculpture from Rescue a (relatively) small
an extremely chaotic and
6 the gardens and replace it dragon from the royal
distracting scene to break out.
with a replica. menagerie.
Avoid blame.

Challenge and Alliance 119


PC Goal Motivations
1 Revenge
2 Help your family or faction
3 Coerced
4 Help a relative or friend
5 Pay off a debt
6 Love
Forming the
Alliance
For this alliance, the PCs are assumed to be friends
or allies. They will all attend the ball in an effort to
accomplish each of the group’s goals. In the first
scene, they will meet together to plan how they
can mutually assist each other.
Special Rules
◆ The Masked Ball challenge does not have stan-
dard upgrades available. Use only the upgrades
listed below.
◆ During the Ball itself, the PCs will normally
be able to take a rest after each night of the
ball. They will probably not be able to take a
scheming phase until after the ball is over.
Upgrades
Starting Upgrades
You start with these two upgrades automatically.
They are already marked on the Alliance sheet.
◆ Luxury Apartments: When restoring stress
in their own quarters, all members of the alli-
ance recover 3 extra stress.
◆ Voidstones: You have a cache of voidstones:
one per PC. They are already attuned to any
subject you have access to.
120 Challenge and Alliance
See page 141 to learn about voidstones.
They are, if you wish, already attuned to any
subjects you could reasonably have been able
to focus on. If you want one or more of them
to be blank, ready to attune, that’s also OK.
In addition to starting upgrades, you have
3 upgrade points to spend from the Masked Ball
alliance sheet.
Available Upgrades
Only the following upgrades are available for this
alliance type.
Cohorts
◆ Cohort: You can recruit agents or contingents
normally. See page 103 for more informa-
tion. Standard costs apply.
Team Abilities
◆ Counter-Espionage: All PCs and any con-
tingent with the espionage expertise in your
alliance get +1d to gather information rolls
designed to find traitors, moles, or double
agents. Cost 2.
◆ Disguise: Any or all PCs have expert and
discrete help in setting themselves up to go
to the ball disguised as someone else, with
appropriate identification. You have potency
in convincing others that you are someone you
are not when using a prepared disguise. Cost 2.
◆ Surveillance: When gathering information
by observing or casing a location for the pur-
pose of planning an operation, you and your
cohorts have potency. Cost 2.
Alliance Upgrades
◆ Courtly Dance: All of the PCs have learned
to perform the full range of traditional and
currently fashionable dances correctly and
gracefully. Cost 1.
◆ Friends Among the Crimson Guard: You
don’t know everyone in the Guard, but you do
have friends. Everyone in the alliance has been
introduced to (and shared drinks with) several
of the Guard members who will be on duty
during the Ball. Cost 1.
The Power

Worlds
The Umbra Anchors
T he Umbra is an infinite expanse of worlds.
These worlds exist in every imaginable
combination. Alternate earths, places with vastly
Throughout the Umbra are smaller centers
of Power, called Anchors. An Anchor is like a
Vergence, but less so. Each Anchor is set within
different physical laws, places inconceivably a world and has some source of Power, but that
strange—all are out there ready to be found. source is not strong enough to confer full world
walking abilities or other strong applications of
Each world is “next to” others that are slightly
the Power. Nevertheless, inhabitants of Anchors
different. Move further away and the differences
can learn to manipulate Power and can be capable
increase. Move far enough and you can find just
and formidable on their home ground. A few
about anything
Anchors, such as the Great Herd or the Legion, are
mobile. They have a source of Power that moves
Vergences with them from world to world (as the Serpent
also does).
Within the Umbra exist places of great Power with
a higher level of attunement to the underlying
structure of reality. These are Vergences, and at The Void
the core of each is an object of vast Power. These
If you travel far enough in any direction in the
cores are unique—the Eye of the Maelstrom, the
Umbra, through places far beyond the “normal”
Heart of the Serpent, the Orb of Agoros, but they
realms where the rules of cause and effect are
each represent the convergence of the structure of
comprehensible, there is a place of howling chaos
Power throughout the Umbra. Surrounding each
called the Void. No one is known to have survived
core is a world with its own rules, where manip-
entry into this zone of impossibility. Even
ulation of reality and probability is more difficult
approaching it is hellaciously dangerous. Near
than in the mundane worlds of the Umbra.
the border of the Void is a fortress town called
Fringe, from which edgewalkers set out to search
for treasures.

134
World Walking
Those with Power have the ability to freely travel
from one world to another through the Umbra.
To do this, begin by imagining a place of your
desire. Where do you want to go? In what ways
is it different from the place you’re in now?
Visualize a place, next door to this one, that would
be a step closer to the place of your desire. Find a
weakness in the boundaries of this world that lies
in that direction, open that into a doorway, and
step through.
This is mainly an intuitive process. You think of
where to go, reach that way, find a gap between
worlds, and go through. Now you’re closer. Do
that again, and again, and as you do you find your
surroundings getting more and more like your
destination. Eventually, you arrive in the world
you had imagined.
The greater the differences between the world you
are in and the world you desire, the more shifts
will be required to get there. A place that is just
a shift or two away can take just a few minutes.
A place completely different from your current
location can take days or weeks to get to.
If you are restrained in some way and unable
to move in the world you are in now, it becomes
difficult or impossible to transition to the next
world. Thus, the easiest way to keep someone with
the Power from world walking is to restrain their
movement or put them into a small enough cell.
Travel
When traveling through the Umbra, there is a
simple procedure to follow. There are five steps
(some of which repeat).
1. The Players Choose the
Destination and Pace
The destination is the location the PCs are trying
to get to.
The players also choose the pace. They can
travel slowly, moving through worlds that are
comfortable and safe. Or they can hurry toward
The Power
the destination, always taking the quickest path
without worrying about risk or comfort.
The pace is relaxed, steady, or rushed. The faster
the pace, the more quickly you’ll go but the more
risk you will take.
2. The GM Sets a Number
of Obstacles
The GM decides how many obstacles the group
will face on their journey: 0, 1, 2, or 3. The number
of obstacles is based on distance through the
Umbra and whether there is opposition or diffi-
culty involved in the journey.
GM: More than three obstacles per journey
tends to bog the game down. Don’t get too
concerned about how much time is taken: a
journey could be anything from a few hours
to a month. Just think about how consequen-
tial the trip is and set a number of obstacles
that fits the story.
If you just want to narrate the journey and not
bother with die rolls, the number of obstacles
can be zero.
Each obstacle will present a problem or danger
that must be overcome. The GM can say what
form the obstacle takes or ask the players for
ideas (but has veto power if needed).
GM: There’s one obstacle between you and Shroud.
What do you think it is?
Nate: Maybe as we transition into the next dimension,
it’s dark and suddenly there’s are many weird, hypnotic
lights moving out in the darkness. The empowered can
stay focused, but our allies start to walk like zombies
toward them.
GM: Love it!
If you need to invent details about the places you
travel through, you can make random rolls on the
Worlds and Places in the Umbra (page 247) or
Creatures (page 248) tables.
135
3. A PC Leads the Group
For each obstacle, choose one PC to lead a group
action (page 28) to overcome or bypass it. This
is an action roll.
◆ The goal will generally be to pass the obstacle.
◆ The player states how the group is trying to
pass the obstacle and which action rating best
reflects that approach.
◆ The GM sets the stakes. By default, the pace
establishes the position:
⚫ Relaxed pace = controlled position.
⚫ Steady pace = risky position.
⚫ Rushed pace = desperate position.
◆ Assisting, pushing, Devil’s bargains, etc., all
work the same as any other action roll.
◆ Any mixed or full success at standard effect
allows the group to pass that obstacle. Limited
effect means the obstacle is only partially
overcome and someone else will need to lead
the rest of the way. Great or extreme effect
means that the group has moved very quickly
(so the GM will apply fewer ticks to trouble-
some clocks in step 5).
◆ A failure means that a different PC will need
to lead the group and try some other approach.
4. A Different PC Leads
Past Each Obstacle
When journeying, the PCs must take turns
leading the way. After you take a turn, you can’t
do it again until all the other PCs have each led
the group past an obstacle.
5. The Group Arrives and the GM
Ticks Troublesome Clocks
Once the group has passed the final obstacle, they
arrive at the destination.
Upon arrival, the GM ticks any troublesome
clocks representing impending threats or the
actions of enemies. The number of ticks applied
depends on the distance traveled and the pace
the players chose. A faster pace means more risk,
but arriving more quickly and fewer ticks on trou-
blesome clocks. These clock ticks can’t be resisted.
136
GM: Who will lead the group through the world of
darkness with the hypnotic eyes? They’re pulling your
cohorts away from you into the night.
Josh: Severan will do that. I’ll use my authority as an
Agorian High Commander to rally them back so we
can push through to the next world.
GM: Sounds like Persuade? Command?
Josh: Oh, I am totally commanding them.
GM: Sounds good. That’s a risky/standard roll.
Standard will get you past the hypnotic eyes, whatever
they are. But you might lose some of your troops.
Sample Obstacles
A range of incredibly high mountains, too high
to fly over, extending through many worlds
across the group’s path.
A world of absolute darkness, dimming even
the brightest light, with phantom psychic
predators.
Giant machines wander the landscape,
ever-hungry.
A hanged woman beseeches the group for help.
Is it a trap?
A world in which the PC’s memories create
alternate versions of those most important
to them.
The Queen of the Ice Giants demands tribute
before the group may pass.
Volcanic eruptions blast downward from a
rocky sky.
Vampiric bat-like creatures, each with a needle-
sharp proboscis.
Thousands of meteors screech across a
multicolored sky, but some of them change
direction to aim at the group.
Ambush predators fire sticky nets across great
distances.
An endless ruined city creates mazes from
which escape is nearly impossible.
Everyone is filled with a sense of paranoia.
Something wants them to harm each other.
The Power
 How Long Does It Take?
The standard travel procedure abstracts
travel time and is really only concerned with
obstacles and ticking of clock segments. But
it can sometimes help to know about how
long it takes to get somewhere.
That depends. It takes about a week to travel
the Great Tormillian Way between Agoros
and the Maelstrom. It takes months to go
from one end of the Umbra to the other. It
takes about a week, at a steady pace, to go
from Koth to the Serpent.
Larger groups, slower pace, dealing with
problems, or other delays can make travel
slower. A rushed pace, while riskier, gets you
there faster.
Major Encounters
The basic travel procedure assumes that each
obstacle can be overcome with a single action
roll. If there is reason for a major event, such as
the alliance’s nemesis staging an ambush while
the group travels through the Umbra, it’s OK for
the GM to turn that encounter into an operation,
potentially with a whole series of action rolls.
Travel
Consequences
When a travel roll generates a consequence, the
GM will decide what that is depending on the
situation.
Common kinds of travel consequences include:
◆ Harm to a PC: Some environmental hazard,
creature, or enemy causes harm.
◆ Harm to allies or cohorts: NPCs traveling
with the PCs suffer harm.
◆ Loss of resources: The PCs lose access to their
riding animals, vehicles, rations, equipment,
etc. They can go get more in the Umbra, of
course, but that will take more time. Or they
can press on without those resources, poten-
tially affecting the position or effect level of
later rolls.
The Power
◆ Clocks: Tick or create a clock representing
some kind of trouble: the PCs are being fol-
lowed, enemy factions are advancing their
own plans, travel is delayed, etc.
◆ Voidstone connection: Someone unfriendly
contacts a PC or NPC via voidstone.
◆ Meet a contact: A significant NPC arranges
to meet up with the group as they travel. This
could become a major encounter.
The player can, of course, resist any of these
consequences.
Shifting to or
From a Vergence
Shifting directly near a Vergence is quite chal-
lenging, especially right near the core of that
Vergence: the Orb of Agoros, the Eye of the
Maelstrom, the Heart of the Serpent. Reality is
more firm in these places, so opening gaps is
harder. Distance from the source of Power makes
traveling difficult, but less so. The usual approach
is to travel physically away from the source until
shifting becomes more practical.
Anchors present similar difficulties, but to a lesser
degree.
A simple way to reflect this in game terms is to call
for action rolls when shifting in or near the core
of a Vergence. Here are some situations that could
come up, with suggestions for how the GM might
set the stakes.
◆ Shifting near a Vergence core might start at
Zero effect and require Great effect to achieve
a shift.
◆ Shifting 10 miles from a core might start at
Limited effect and require Great effect.
◆ Shifting 100 miles from a core might start at
Standard effect and require Standard effect.
◆ Shifting in an Anchor might start at Limited
effect and require Standard effect.
If the PCs have advantages such as plenty of
time to prepare or no pressure, adjust the stakes
accordingly—but shifting close to a source of
Power will still be a challenge.
137
 Aside from world walking, other uses of the
Power, such as those that depend on the PC’s
special abilities, may be riskier and more
difficult near large Vergence Power sources.
Such use tends to be noticeable, since there
are lots of empowered individuals nearby
who are sensitive to warping of reality.
Finding People
and Things
Since the Power lets you travel to a place of your
desire, it is possible to visualize a person or thing
that you want and travel there. If it’s someone or
something that you are imagining from scratch
(for example, you just decide you want to meet
a lady with green eyes in a blue dress), you can
choose exactly what you are looking for, “creating”
it by finding it within the infinity of the Umbra.
You can find any mundane thing you can imagine.
This approach does not allow you to “create”
something of significant Power (although you
can find a simulacrum). However, if something
of Power already exists in the Umbra, you can go
toward it. To do so, you envision that thing, and
gradually shift from world to world until you get
to where it is. If your half sister is missing and
you search for her, you can do that. But you can’t
decide where she is. By visualizing your sister and
moving toward her, you will eventually find your-
self in her location. If she is being held captive in
an alien fortress, you will travel to where she is
imprisoned.
If someone is moving among worlds, you can
follow. If they’re running away, you can chase
(this can be resolved with competing clocks). But
it can be dangerous to do that, because you can be
led into a trap, or a series of traps.
Hiding in the
Umbra
It is possible to hide in the Umbra, even when
empowered individuals are looking for you. PCs
can hide themselves or anything else (even a
whole world) via a project during the scheming
phase (page 156). The more clock segments the
138
project involves, the harder it will be to find that
which is hidden. Some places in the Umbra, such
as Shroud (page 195) make it naturally easier to
hide.
A PC can attempt to find something hidden via a
series of action rolls while traveling through the
Umbra. The stakes are established based on the
difficulty of the task. Typically there will be a clock
that must be filled in. When that is completed,
that which was lost has been found.
Language and
Communication
The people of each of the Vergences speak
mutually comprehensible dialects of a common
language called Speech.
Throughout the Umbra, there are infinite
languages. Unless they specifically intend
otherwise, world walkers will normally guide
themselves toward places where the locals are
conversant in Speech (although it might be called
something else).
Bloodline characters, being highly intelligent and
experienced with travel, learn languages quickly
when they need to.
Time
Time moves linearly and at a constant pace across
the Umbra. You can find a world in which time
flows at different rates, or even a world where you
travel back in time, but when you exit that world
you will find that time has passed at a constant
rate on the outside, even if it appeared to move
differently for you while you were there. No one
has ever found a world in which they could travel
backward in the overall time flow of the cosmos.
The reckoning of time from one Vergence to
another varies. There is always something similar
to a day, although it’s called a beat in the Serpent,
a cycle in Agoros, or a sleep in the Maelstrom.
There are ways to account for longer chunks of
time, but for simplicity we can just reference
weeks, months, and years as our equivalent
translations.
The Power
Means of
Locomotion
You can, of course, simply walk from one transi-
tion to another as you travel between worlds. To
move a bit more quickly and comfortably, you can
get a riding animal. If you find yourself without
a mount, you can begin your journey by seeking
one out and then proceeding from there.
Some groups like to travel by air. Usually that
works fine, but there are worlds where that
will cause problems. The local physics might
not allow aircraft to work. If the PCs are on
flying beasts, they may find worlds (such as
th Earth you are presumably reading this
on), where physics doesn’t work well with
the physiology of large animals that can
carry people and cargo. Sometimes, flying
is not a viable strategy and that itself may
present obstacles.
In places where flying is viable, the obstacles
the GM presents
The obstacles the GM presents to a fliers will
need to differ somewhat from a group trav-
eling by land. That could involve encounters
with flying creatures or sentients, environ-
mental hazards, a mountain range that goes
higher than the atmosphere, physical laws
that make flying difficult or impossible,
mystical barriers, ranged attacks from the
ground, and so on.
You can also use a vehicle. A motorcycle, car, train,
ship, airplane, dirigible, spaceship, or any other
imaginable vehicle can be used to travel between
worlds. You’ll need to limit your movement to
worlds in which your vehicle is able to function
properly.
Note that physical speed doesn’t affect how
quickly you move through the Umbra. The
important thing is how you manage shifts from
one world to the next. You can do that just as well
while walking as while in a supersonic jet—you’ll
get to your destination in the Umbra just as fast
either way.
The Power
Conditions
Across Worlds
The natural laws of one world can differ in subtle
or substantial ways from those of other worlds.
The more technologically sophisticated a device,
the less likely that it will work in a different world
with different rules.
If you are traveling from one place to another, you
can choose to adjust your route so that your gear
is functional in each world you pass through. That
may slow you down quite significantly, however,
since you have to select each world not just for
existing in the direction “toward” your destina-
tion, but also for compatibility with the tech you
want to use. This is effective when traveling slow
and easy, but not fast and hard.
If your destination is one that you have chosen,
you can decide what the rules are and make sure
your tech is compatible. But if it’s an already
established world, or one where someone else has
chosen the local conditions, your tech will work
only if fits into those local rules.
Most bloodline individuals who travel among
worlds become expert at adapting to local
environments. They learn to never depend on
advanced technology, magic, or any other tool
that requires specific local conditions. A gun
works in some places, but a blade works almost
everywhere. Those with the Power trust riding
beasts, swords, and crossbows over guns, blaster
pistols, pickup trucks, or spacecraft. But also, they
have been to many worlds and seen many things.
They’ve encountered myriad kinds of technology
and magic and they know how to figure out what
to do with it.
Bringing Others
With You
You can use the Power to bring friends along on
your travels. Those without the Power can follow
you through the gaps you establish between
worlds.
139
If it’s a large group, you’ll need to stay by the
doorway to keep it from closing. You won’t be able
to find or create a new opening until all of your
companions are through. If something happens
to disrupt your concentration, the doorway will
close and you’ll need to find your friends again.
It is possible to guide any number of companions
across worlds. Even an army can travel with you,
but if you are the only one with the Power in the
group, you’ll move very slowly as you create a
doorway, keep it open until everyone is through,
find the next doorway, hold it open as the travel,
and so on until you reach your destination. It
would be easy for an enemy with the Power to
disrupt such a large group. Generally, the only
practical way to lead a large army (or fleet, etc.)
through the Umbra is with many empowered
individuals working cooperatively to make that
happen. Even so, there are serious logistical and
tactical challenges.
More often, those with the Power prefer to lead
smaller, well-trained groups. An elite team can
move faster and is much harder to interfere with.
Similarly, it’s easier to move a small squadron of
ships, planes, or spacecraft than a large fleet.
Pathways
It is possible to create persistent pathways
through the Umbra that lead from one place to
another. Once created, others can follow such a
pathway even if they are without the Power.
When the PCs travel by following a well-es-
tablished pathway, the GM can reduce the
number of obstacles (potentially to zero) and
assume that travel is faster (so fewer ticks are
applied to troublesome clocks).
Pathways will fade without regular maintenance.
That requires of someone with the Power to walk
the pathway slowly, reinforcing each transition
between worlds. Each major Vergence has a
number of pathways established that it keeps
maintained. For a mundane person, a well-main-
tained pathway is fairly easy to follow. The less
140
traveled routes are more tenuous and difficult,
with disorienting transitions and many hazards.
Pathways are easier to ruin than they are to build.
Those with the Power can disrupt the connec-
tions between worlds that a pathway depends on,
create traps or barriers that make travel difficult,
or even divert a pathway through different worlds
with very different inhabitants or rules of exis-
tence. Mainstream pathways must be guarded
against tampering. Less known pathways are
often kept hidden so that they are less vulnerable
to interference.
Roads
With enough sustained and consistent effort, a
pathway can be can be upgraded to a road. A road
is designed to make it easy to engage in large scale
travel and trade across many worlds. Typically,
roads take a longer route to maintain consistent
conditions (climate, gravity, atmosphere, phys-
ical laws, etc.). They may be strewn with inns, way
stations, and other conveniences. They may be set
up to allow vehicles such as cars, trains, aircraft,
or spacecraft to be used across a long series of
transitions. Sometimes the craft are especially
designed to adapt to differing conditions, such
as having both steam engines for low tech worlds
and an electric motor for higher tech locations.
Alternately, it might be normal to change from
one method of transportation to another as
conditions change.
The Tormillian Way
The most established umbral road is the Great
Tormilian Way, which runs from Terminus
(a world just outside the Caverns of Agoros),
through many connected worlds, all the way to
the storm worlds next to the Maelstrom.
Travel along the Tormillian Way is via trains,
wagons, suborbital spacecraft, and palanquins
carried by giants. To keep the Way running, teams
of empowered world walkers travel along the
road, reinforcing each transition and ensuring
that the entire route is stable.
The Power
People and
Places

T his chapter provides a guide to the most rele-

vant and well known locations and people in
the Vergence setting. The factions are each repre-
sented by the main NPC in charge of the faction,
with other important NPCs also detailed.
The information on scope, quality, expertise,
etc., refers to the faction, not the person. So, for
example, when it says that Queen Inhedron is
scope 3, that means she is in direct control of her
own personal faction of scope 3.
GM: What is presented in this chapter is
based on public knowledge and reputation.
Appearances should sometimes be deceiving.
Depending on which challenge is being played,
some NPCs and their factions might be
secretly very different from the public
version described here. The leader presented
in the description may actually be only a
figurehead, or the leader's personality might
only be a façade. Actual quality or scope could
be higher or lower than is generally believed.

The Umbra
The Umbra is an infinite multiverse in which
virtually all possible worlds exist. It is impossible
to make an accurate map of the Umbra because it
exists in a multidimensional geometry that shifts
and flows over time.
We can make a diagram of Vergences, Anchors,
and other places in the Umbra. On a flat surface,
it can represent spacial relationships only very
approximately, but it can give a sense of how one
might travel from place to place.
World walkers can move between any two imag-
inable places by progressively shifting from one
universe to the next. Each of the three Vergences
is connected by a roadway between universes.
The Great Tormillian Way between Agoros and
the Maelstrom is the most developed of these,
but there are other roadways that allow trans-
port between important locations, even by those
without the Power.

174
 a
t h i s is !
e m ber: t a map
Rem am, no
r
diag

People and Places 175

The Maelstrom
The Maelstrom is world of primal storms
which have raged for millennia across
thousands of miles of sky under a sun
that provides unrelenting daylight.
There is no land or sea, only infinite sky.
Within this sky are countless ecosystems
of flying, gliding, and floating creatures
ranging in size from tiny sky-krill to miles-
long floaters who themselves host millions of
smaller animals.
Inhabitants of the Maelstrom live within floating
cities and other airborne habitations. These
places have no set location but
instead travel in great orbits
along great streams
of air and storm.
Ashkelon
􀢚 Natresk
Tarsis
􀢚 Denishu
The Eye 􀢚
Etheria
􀢚
Rebel
Strongholds
People and Places
Stormcasters, who can summon and
control storms, can change the paths of
great air-streams and thereby influence
the paths taken by citadels and other
habitations.
The politics of the Maelstrom are as
stormy as its environment. The myriad
noble houses, citadels, trade federations, reli-
gious cults, nomadic tribes, villages, sky fleets,
pirate clans, and guilds, bicker and compete with
each other, following arcane laws and customs.
There is a complex system of informal courts
and lawsuits, which sometimes break
down into violence
and feuding.
􀢚
Deselon
􀢚
Nesin
􀢚
181
Over this the Sovran, Ruslan, lays claim, but his
rule is limited and shaky. The Sovran commands
a powerful fleet and a strong alliance, but is
opposed by a rival claimant, Anastasia, who has
friends in many places.
The situation has been in stalemate for a number
of years, neither side able to achieve a decisive
advantage. Both sides currently observe a de facto
hostile truce, broken by espionage, skirmishes,
betrayals, and political maneuvering.
Maelstrom Factions
Here are some of the most important and dramat-
ically interesting factions of the Maelstrom.
House Modren
Ruslan, the Sovran, leads the ruling house of the
Maelstrom. The ruling house includes much of
the mechanisms of government: royal guards, a
judiciary, bureaucracy, etc.
Ruslan has been Sovran for 12 years and is still
working to establish legitimacy and networks of
alliance. He spends much of his time traveling
throughout the Maelstrom, visiting citadels,
meeting with union bosses, making himself
available to citizens. Last year he survived a
serious assassination attempt that he has yet to
fully recover from.
Leader: Ruslan (competent, diligent, beset)
Quality: 2
Scope: 3
Expertise: Government, military,
inter-dimensional
The Rebellion
Anastasia’s family and that of Ruslan, the Sovran,
have been in opposition for centuries. When he
won the throne, she and her allies revolteds. Since
then, she’s set up a government in exile, some-
times maintaining a fragile peace, sometimes
actively at war with the Sovran’s forces.
Anastasia controls a number of worlds in the
Umbra near the Maelstrom, as well as several
small citadels within the Maelstrom itself. Both
sides maintain extensive spy networks among
182 People and Places
each other’s ranks and throughout the near
Umbra. Several noble houses are thought to
be sympathetic to Anastasia’s cause and many
younger members of those houses have joined
with her.
Leader: Anastasia (proud, ambitious, canny)
Quality: 2
Scope: 3
Expertise: Military, government, espionage
The Empyrean Knights
The Empyrean Knights are an ancient order of
warriors, based in the mighty citadel of Ashkelon.
Long ago they pledged loyalty to the Sovran in
exchange for relative independence in ordering
their own affairs. In addition to their fortress they
maintain chapter houses in locations throughout
the Maelstrom and nearby storm worlds.
Morgaine has been Dominus of the Knights
for more than 50 years. She is known to be
hard and strict, but unflinchingly fair. She has
expanded the Empyrean Knights’ reputation for
honor and competence as warriors, strategists,
and mediators.
Leader: Morgaine (unflinching, capable,
honorable)
Quality: 3
Scope: 2
Expertise: Special operations, inter-
dimensional, military
Natresk
Natresk is the greatest of the citadels of the
Maelstrom. It is a vast sky city, home to millions
of people native to the Maelstrom and gathered
from many parts of the Umbra. Alecto is a careful
administrator, thought to have many secrets.
Leader: Alecto (competent, careful, secretive)
Quality: 2
Scope: 3
Expertise: Government, mercantile,
underworld
The Sky Fleet
The Sky Fleet patrols throughout the Maelstrom
in great warships imbued with Lift. Because
the Maelstrom has been in a state of civil war
for years, the Sky Fleet is a critical asset for the
Sovran’s government, maintaining a strong
presence throughout the Maelstrom and nearby
storm worlds. It is composed of many small fast
frigates and cruisers, backed up by much larger,
slower, and well-armed battleships.
Admiral Belen is friendly and jovial, with a love of
parties, fine liquor and revelry. He is also, however,
known for toughness and political acumen. Belen
is a close ally of the Sovran, who maintains tight
connections to the Sky Fleet.
Leader: Belen (jovial, strategic, tough)
Quality: 2
Scope: 3
Expertise: Military
Denishu
Denishu is the citadel that orbits closest to the
Eye. This region is wracked by the most chaotic
storms in the Maelstrom. As the gateway to the
Eye, Denishu is a key prize in any contest for
overall control of the Maelstrom. It filled with
priests, mystics, papacies, monks, and prophets,
all insisting that they have secret knowledge
about the power of the Eye. They argue frequently
in the many open plazas spread through the city
and meet in conclaves to work out minor points
of doctrine. Choral music sung by various sects
fills Denishu at all times. Over this the noble
bloodlines impose a government led by Zavia, a
competent administrator who generally manages
to maintain order.
Leader: Zavia (taciturn, blunt, astute)
Quality: 2
Scope: 3
Expertise: Religion, Military
People and Places
The Red Fleet
Stavros is the leader of a large outlaw sky fleet.
At various times they act as raiders, mercenaries,
traders, or allies of convenience to different
factions. Stavros is an expert at being just useful
enough to various power blocs that it is not worth
the commitment of resources that would be
necessary to hunt down his fleet and wipe it out.
The Red Fleet maintains many small bases and
repair facilities in the Umbra and nearby storm
worlds. They have a network of informants to
ensure they know when to strike, negotiate,
or flee.
Leader: Stavros (flamboyant, aggressive,
confident)
Quality: 2
Scope: 3
Expertise: Military, Criminal
The Sky Traders
The Sky Traders are a league of aligned trading
organizations that dominates much of the trade
between the major citadels of the Maelstrom and
storm worlds. They also collaborate in managing
the Maelstrom end of the great Tormillian
Way. They cooperate and compete with the Blue
Diamond Corporation of Agoros.
Jalel, its leader, is an experienced and canny
trader. She came up through the ranks, eventually
leading a challenge to the previous entrenched
and sclerotic leadership that used corrupt tactics
to try to retain power. Through populist policies
and careful strategy she attained leadership four
years ago, but there are still sub factions within
the Traders who resent her and would take her
down if they could.
Leader: Jalel (canny, energetic, talkative)
Quality: 2
Scope: 4
Expertise: Mercantile, Interdimensional
183
Maelstrom Life
Social Classes
The people of the Maelstrom reside
in great floating metropolises, towns,
citadels, and small sky villages. Each
habitation has a way to stay afloat despite
gravity—usually Lift provided by storm-
casters, but in some cases other methods such
as leviathan bladders, dirigibles, etc.
Each habitation has its own culture, traditions,
laws, festivals, and economy. These places trade
extensively across the Maelstrom, but there are
also many isolated communities that want little
to do with outsiders.
Any habitation has commoners and leaders,
sometimes claiming noble heritage. The larger
citadels and domains are usually ruled by blood-
line families. Commoners work at occupations
such as crafter, builder, hunter, animal tender,
hunter, servant, fall rescuer, trader, etc.
There is a strong culture of egalitarianism within
much of the Maelstrom. Commoners do not bow
down and there is a long history of rebellions
and resistance to authority. The workers in many
locations are organized into guilds or trade
unions, while other places have traditions of
worker-owned companies.
Noble bloodline families maintain a struc-
ture of patronage based on the wealth they
generate through the sky fleets that trade with
other worlds in the Umbra. Commoners join
these ventures as sky sailors, traders, servants,
and soldiers.
Food and Drink
Staple foods in the Maelstrom are grown within
a community or gathered from the bounty of the
sky. Every community has gardens and small
herds of animals and flying creatures.
Sky hunters travel out from communities on
skycraft, gliders, and flying animals. They
capture small creatures in nets and hunt larger
ones with harpoons and other devices. They
also land upon some of the larger leviathans to
184 People and Places
harvest the creatures and plant life that
grow upon them, relieving them of para-
sites and overgrowth in the process.
Arts
While many kinds of decorative crafts
are practiced in the Maelstrom, the prime
method of artistic expression is song. The
origins of the tradition of singing are thought to
go back to early religious practices of placation
to and reverence for storm gods. There are many
singing traditions involving individual, choral,
and operatic forms. Singing can be a capella or
accompanied by a wide range of instruments.
Religion
There are many religious traditions practiced
throughout the Maelstrom. Some involve
worship of pantheons of storm and sky gods.
Many others are centered on the Eye or on the
teachings of prophets, martyrs, and messiahs.
You can find many small religious communi-
ties out in the sky of the Maelstrom, quietly
(or not so quietly) practicing esoteric religions.
Periodically a charismatic cult leader rises up
and threatens to become a major force, but thus
far the noble houses have mostly kept that under
control.
The most mainstream religious practices are
centered upon the Eye, along with a variety
of religious practices and customs existing in
semi-harmony with each other. There are sects,
monastic orders, nunneries, priesthoods, papa-
cies, and mystics all intersecting in their worship
of the Eye and the spirits of the Storm. Many of
these build their main temples in Denishu, the
citadel mostly closely orbiting the Eye.
Time
The Maelstrom exists under a sun that circles
around the sky but never goes down. Time is
counted in watches: three per day. Possibly due to
long-ago influence from Agoros, longer periods
are usually counted as days and months.
The Storm Worlds
Surrounding the Maelstrom within the
Umbra are hundreds of worlds that share
some its physical characteristics. These
are the Storm Worlds.
Those closest to the Maelstrom are sky
worlds without any kind of surface.
Further away, the nature of each world
may be different, with a surface, planetary
bodies, rotating galactic clouds, or other orga-
nizing structure. Most have physical laws similar
to those of the Maelstrom, allowing limited
technology and storm-based magical powers,
including Lift and sky ships.
The Storm Worlds connect to the Maelstrom via
pathways leading from one world to another,
accessible to those who do not possess the Power.
There are networks of trade, travel, and migra-
tion, with occasional conflict, war, and conquest.
This interdimensional navigation system has
grown organically, without an overarching plan,
extending outward into the Umbra. The greatest
and most-used pathways lead to the Great
Tormillian Way, which connects the Maelstrom
and the Caverns of Agoros. Other pathways lead
chaotically across the Storm Worlds.
Some Storm Worlds and pathways are under
the control of one or more Maelstrom factions.
Because Maelstrom politics are often chaotic,
these factions compete for dominance over path-
ways and the worlds they lead to. Storm World
factions also play a role in Maelstrom affairs, with
periodic influxes of new trade, threats, creatures,
prophets, leaders, mercenaries, refugees, cultural
trends, and immigration. Rebellious Maelstrom
factions, most led by Anastasia, maintain strong-
holds through many of the Storm Worlds.
The default version of the Maelstrom is too
chaotic to establish an empire among the
Storm Worlds. But you might prefer a darker,
more imperial version. In that scenario, the
Sovran maintains control of Storm Worlds
with fleets of sky ships, puppet governments,
and spy networks.
People and Places
Hidekai
This is a well-guarded world with strong
ties of blood and loyalty to Anastasia,
the rebel claimant to the throne of the
Maelstrom. Hidekai is a storm world of
open skies that lies above an underworld
of dark, poisonous clouds and tentacled
monsters. A series of great obelisks rise
up into the sky, each constantly surrounded by
coruscations of lightning. Some obelisks have
been turned into mighty fortresses, while others
destroy all who approach them. The population
of Hidekai livess on these obelisks and in villages
and towns built upon mats of floating vegetation.º
Gaeta
Reflecting the structure of the Maelstrom, Gaeta
is a storm world with a gigantic cyclone at its
center, constantly pulling debris and unwary
sky ships into itself. It has many citadels ruled
by warlords in a state of shifting alliances and
constant warfare.
Jereden
A storm world ruled by an old and doddering
king, Jereden has always been a loyal ally of the
Maelstrom Sovran. In recent years a prophet
named Zaha has become a powerful force in
Jereden. Her followers now number in the
millions, believing that she is the true voice of
god. Her cult has been exported to other storm
worlds and has even begun to make inroads
among commoners within the Maelstrom.
Strasta
This is a storm world filled with small drifting
planets that each have local gravity yet repel
each other with a sort of reverse magnetic force.
There is atmosphere throughout Strasta, but the
only gravity is near a planet. People travel from
planet to planet by launching themselves upward
on balloons and then using captured flying crea-
tures or following wind currents.
185
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