Mazes and Minotaurs Houserule: Minor Interventions

Gonna be going on a vacation with my WIFE (new development!) and her family, and the people want Greek mythology, so I'm gonna be starting a Mazes and Minotaurs campaign (or maybe just doing a one shot). As a ruleset, it's worth giving a look: It's unserious, creative, seemingly very playable, and full of little editorial blurbs talking about the spurious history of the game and of gaming as a whole. Also it's free, and well laid out (even with its hilarious and/or cringeworthy clip-art illustrations). Since I'm going to run it, I wanted to write down a little houserule before I forget.

While it takes a priest to invoke the mighty Divine Intervention of one of the Olympian gods, the lesser gods of earth and sky, of virtue and happenstance, may be called forth by any character. To call a god, a character must perform an invocation lasting a full combat round and naming (if only vaguely) the god they desire to appear, and then must roll a d20, modified by their Luck, Level, and (in the case of Magicians) their class's Magical Talent (Orphic Voice, Elemental Mastery, etc.), against a target number of 20. An unmodified roll of 20 always succeeds.

On a success, the god named (or another appropriate god or spirit of the GM's choice) appears, "stepping out" onto the scene like an actor from the chorus or from some unseeable backstage. The character who invoked the god has, of course, no control over them whatsoever, and they are by default a neutral observer to the events before them (the GM might also make a reaction roll, if the god is fickle enough). They may be propitiated, however, to make them well-disposed to the invoker's requests (or, by contrast, offended, or propitiated by an enemy). The powers of the lesser gods are not to be taken lightly, though they tend to favor less spectacular displays of power than the Olympians. At least, they may replicate any effect of mortal magic (though tending towards their domain), and several more powerful and subtle effects, and cannot be killed by any mundane means.

On a failure, the god does not appear before mortal eyes (though the gods are always watching in matters of their concern). They cannot be invoked again for a nebulous and entirely arbitrary amount of time. Magicians of all types (who, of course, deal regularly with such spirits) may expend their Power points to reroll a failed invocation: 3 power points will allow a single reroll, while 6 power points (equivalent to a true Divine Intervention) ensures that the lesser god appears.

However, Magicians can only reroll invocations to lesser gods over which they have sway: Elementalists and Nymphs have sway over the elemental and natural gods of their domains, gods of rivers, winds, or flames; Lyrists and Sorcerers have sway over the gods of the human heart, personifications like Death, Justice, and Rage, as well as the shades of the dead; and Priests have sway over the gods who act as servants of their Patron god, such as the clouds of Zeus, the muses of Apollo, or the furies of Athena (as well as those gods who are the servants of all the gods, such as Iris or Hebe).

Lesser gods may also be propitiated through longer and more expensive invocations. These longer rites take 10 minutes, and include a sacrifice of some equivalent monetary value (whether through throwing gold in a lake, burning expensive incense, pouring expensive wine, or the slaughter of animals or people). This starts at 1 Gold Coin for a +1 bonus to the invocation roll (and to the reaction roll, if the GM makes one), and increases to +2 at 10 gold coins, +3 at 100 gold coins, etc.

This houserule I think takes care of a few big gaps in the original rules. Firstly, the lack of non-olympian god representation (common in Greek myth content from the nerds of the 80s). I feel that the common appearance of the gods of all sorts is an integral part of the feeling of a Greek myth or a Greek drama. It is a poor representation of Greek myth that does not allow the river Scamander to take offense to Achilles, or Right Logic and Wrong Logic to debate in the Academe of Socrates.

Secondly, the lack of non-combat spells for many of the magicians. An Elementalist of Air can call up winds to serve as a shield, but has no power to fill the sails of a trireme. A Sorcerer can command the living, but has no ability to perform that most basic form of hellenic magic which calls up the spirits of the dead. The Astute and GLOG-minded reader will notice parallels to the most prototypical and elegant GLOG magic ability. The ability to transform a physical task into a roleplay negotiation is probably one of the most fun magic rules ever written, in my opinion, and should probably be included in whatever setting has room for it (the prospect of persuading a Warp Drive occurs to me, and tantalizes). Fair credit to Loch as well, whose Magos was not far from my mind as I wrote this.

GLAUGUST TAX: SPELL(S) OF THE EVIL KING

I cannot, I think, elaborate all the spells of the evil king, but I can write one, with some wifely help.

Turquoise Doom
R: Touch T: Object, creature, or concept weighing less than 10^[dice] pounds D: Permanent
Encases the target in [sum] layers of beautiful and indestructible eggshell, blue like that of a robin (and also the size and weight of a robin's egg, no matter what is contained therin). Each layer may only be broken by genuine tears of sorrow for the thing contained therein. For each layer, a different person must weep. The tears don't need to fall onto the egg: it suffices that they fall on any earth worked by human hands. Laughter is nearly weightless, and your own death is around 1000 pounds. The EVIL KING's death is trapped this way, though none know it, and he considers it safe, since who on earth would cry over his death?

Fifth Fantasy Revised Classes

I fiddled with these ones a while ago but they never got typed up. Not playtested but I like them better.

Fighter

Paladin Journeyman

A Link type

Skills: Investigation, Sleight of Hand

Knack: Once per day, you can use an item without expending its uses, e.g. a potion remains undrunken, an arrow remains unshot. +1 use per day at every even level.

Weak Point: Once per fight, you can use a noncombat item to attack (anyone can do this but its especially good for you). For example, use a warming blanket to wrap an ice ghost, or throw a lantern at a monster. If it makes some amount of sense, it stuns the enemy for a round, in addition to whatever damage it might do. This might destroy the item. If it makes no sense, this ability isn't expended.

Ranger Cook

A Senshi type

Skills: Nature, Survival

Hearty Meal: When the party takes a rest and eats a meal prepared by the cook with fresh ingredients, they gain HP equal to the cook's level. If they would regain HD, they regain 1 extra.

Cookery: If the cook uses an edible elemental material to prepare a dish, their food gives one of these effects
- +2 to 1 stat (Fire -> STR, Ice -> CON, Storm -> AGI, Light -> PRE, Dark -> LOR)
- Resistance to damage of the opposing type (Fire -> Ice -> Storm -> Fire, Light -> Dark -> Light)

Rogue

Adept Bard

Leave the wizarding up to the wizards

Skills: Performance, Persuasion, History

Fame: When you would gain favor from a quest, you may spend a downtime action telling tales to gain double.

Rumor Mill: When you gather rumors as an action, you may spend 1 favor to do one of the following
- Learn 1d4 more rumors
- Learn if a rumor is True
- Spread one of your own rumors

New Rule: Favor

Favor is a measure of your standing in a town. It functions as a secondary currency to Guilders. When you forgo payment for a quest, or give gifts of magic items, you gain Favor in that town equal to the Guilder value. You receive a bonus to reaction rolls from townsfolk equal to your favor, up to a maximum of 6. By default you can only spend favor to receive hospitality, at a rate of one favor to four days. If you accrue negative favor (through overstaying your welcome or evil acts), there is a [negative favor] in 6 chance per week that you get run out of town (this is also checked whenver you enter town). Favor (and negative favor) for each town is halved at the Moonday, except for the town you are staying at for moonday.

Universal Subclasses

These can be taken by any class, and have unique names for the main class you take them with, given as Subclass (Fighter name, Rogue name, Mage name).

Beastmaster (Ranger, Tamer, Summoner)

Skills: Animal Handling, Insight

Friend to All: for Living creatures, you may cause them to reroll reaction and tatke the better result. A roll of 12 means they are friendly to you.

Heart Bond: With Any creature friendly to you, you may bond to it. You may only have one bond. It gets a bonus to HP and to your highest stat equal to your level (e.g. if you are level 3 and have AGI as your highest stat, it gains +3 to HP and AGI). It may take on an element you are proficient in, or an element of a material you give it. It will, generally, obey you. If it was summoned, the duration of the summoning is permanent.

Princeling (Knight, Marquise, Magister)

Skills: Persuasion, History

Noblesse: Choose one town as your domain. In your domain, you get +1 favor per quest, and you may gain favor for public works as though it were a gift. Favor does not decay for you at the summer moonday (since you are expected to be out adventuring), but is quartered at the winter moonday (because you should be at home).

De Jure: You may spend favor to attract merchants to your domain, and recruit townsfolk from it for adventures.

Acrobat (Dragoon, Assassin, Adept)

Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth

Leap: You may leap [10 + twice Level] Feet, vertically and horizontally (and both)

Evasion: While in light armor, double your AGI bonus for the purposes of AC.

LIBRA Houserules

Did some setting, now for some rules for my LIBRA game. Again, thanks to Archon. By the way, if you want more content easily insertable into this kind of game, check out some Black Books, Black Auctions, and Anomalous Media. Folks have been working on a lot of this sort of stuff, you'll have to search it out a bit.

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COMPOSURE
Characters have an attribute called Composure (CM). Psychics and Apsychs get 2dr and Friendlies and Freaks get 1dr of CM per template. Most WIS saves are replaced by CM saves, especially for psychic influence, and CM goes down by 1 for each unsuccessful save. At 0 CM, the psychic influence overwhelms you. You become Connected with whatever psychic force was influencing you (or something else if nothing in particular was influencing you). If your psyche is attacked again, you gain one of these madnesses:
1. Phobia. Of whatever just happened probably
2. Minor Hullucinations. Senses (listening at doors, telepathy, etc.) become unreliable.
3. Vacillation. One character you loved you now hate, and vice versa.
4. Nonverbal. Hope you like charades.
5. Delusion. Paranoia, megalomania, glass piano, etc.

Connections represent footholds that outside influences have in your mind. The GM can always tell you what your Connection would like you to do, and you can always resist, but once per mission per connection the GM can make resisting reduce your next draw by 1. If you have more Connections than maximum CM, you become unplayable as your core psyche is overwritten. But if you are careful, doing the will of alien gods and nefarious agencies can get you some fun prizes, you know. Lore and paratech and more powers.

Composure can be restored by a good nights sleep in a safe place. Madness can be cured with a week of rest (you don't actually have that mental illness, its just a psychic effect). Connections require more difficult methods.

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F R E A K
2dr HP, 1dr CM per template
A: Evolution
B+: Metamorphosis

Evolution
You get +2 to one stat of your choosing. Add 1 to a random stat for every mutation you have. You may start with up to 3 mutations.

Metamorphosis
When you gain this template, you gain as many mutations as you have mutations.

Note: If you ever have more mutations than your max HP, you become something totally inhuman (and unplayable). Also, unlike psychics, people might notice you just walking around. Writing a mutations list seems boring and there's already plenty of good ones.

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CATCHING 77 WINKS
Most people visit the dreamlands about once every two weeks. Most people don't remember it. Psychics can. To enter the dreamlands, any character who is either psychically active or has been there before (and remembers) makes a check drawing 1 + their maximum psychic potential, drawing twice as much if under the effect of certain drugs. That character may "bring along" a number of other willing people in their vicinity equal to their psychic potential (who can then bring along their own, who can bring along their own, in a daisy chain). The exception here is Apsychs, who can't enter it at all (they should have a dreamlands specific character to play though).

The Dreamlands is essentially a sword-and-sorcery setting overlaid on the world. Great ones and earth-bound gods, elven civilizations, Ynn, Pagana, Carcosa, throw whatever in. Everyone in the dreamlands has +1 psychic potential. You can always spend a psychic potential to try to wake up, making a check with your highest mental stat or LUCK. Wounds gained in the dreamlands don't stick, but Madness and Connection does. If you die in the dreamlands, you never wake up.

Obviously you can't bring back treasure from the Dreamlands, with very few exceptions, but you can learn lore, make deals, meet other psychics, kill people with your brain, edit the collective unconscious, etc. And if you do want the ancient artifacts you find there, you might be able to learn the location of their real-world counterparts.

Time passes very differently in the dreamlands, so you can adventure for a whole week before the night is over. Even though time passes much faster while dreaming, it doesn't pass much while you aren't dreaming, so you mostly "resume" when you go back, unless a whole week has passed in real life. When you enter the dreamlands, make a check with your highest mental stat or LUCK. If you succeed, you may decide to enter where you left, or at a nearby "acessible" location (e.g. you can't dream your way past a locked door, but you can get back out of a dungeon). If you fail, the GM decides.

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Excerpts from OSIRIS dossiers

Libra is a game by Archon's Court, where you play as psychic weirdos and the people who help them as they run from the government and investigate spooky stuff. I like it a lot, although the direction I want to take it is slightly different from the way that Archon took it.

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The "Polestar" is the codename used by agents for the black octohedron of unknown composition hovering ~100 kilometers above the south pole. Manned missions passing too close result in brain deterioration, coma, and death. Remote viewing, either by visual, technical, or paranormal means, for extended periods produces what OSIRIS terms as "Theurges". Theurges display reduced creativity, emotional intelligence, and linguistic ability, increased levels of physical and mathematical knowledge, and psychic dampening, and are perceived by baseline humans as "soulless puppets". Technology produced in collaboration with Theurges is the backbone of OSIRIS R&D, and they are present in OSIRIS field teams, security, as well as OSIRIS high command and shadow council.

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Psychic Phenomena are simply defined in opposition to Physical Phenomena. Where Physical Phenomena come about via physical means, the movements of atoms and the fundemental forces, Psychic Phenomena apparently do not come about by physical means. Often, this comes as a result of the influence of living beings, and comes in the form of causing change in a physical object at a distance (telekinesis) or perceiving something at a distance (telecognition) in a physically impossible way.

Paratechnology is any type of technology which works via means not currently physically understood. This includes Psychic means, but also highly advanced technology that functions via physical principles. OSIRIS strongly discourages staff from using the term "Magic" or any synonym thereof, to avoid superstitious and archaic attitudes which may prove inefficient or even deadly. Paratechnology is to be cautiously understood, not feared or adored.

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OSIRIS is aware of multiple similar scientific organizations supported by national governments. The National Institute of Coordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.), based in England, is a purely scientific organization with no political leanings. It has been totally subverted by OSIRIS since 1970, after Incident 280 ("The Elephant"). The main research interest of N.I.C.E. has been in contacting Macrobial entities and advancing human evolution. These projects are much smaller in scale than the LIBRA and VIRGO projects, and have been closely monitored and occasionally sabotaged by OSIRIS agents. OSIRIS High Command has designated N.I.C.E. a Eosphoros-class group.

The Technological and Scientific Academy for Neuroscience (T.S.A.N.) is a similar organization based in Japanese Taiwan. OSIRIS espionage and diplomacy has so far been unsuccessful in totally subverting T.S.A.N. to the same degree. T.S.A.N. research focuses on technological and paratechnological applications for the prosperity of imperial Japan. The technological advancements made by T.S.A.N. and their ability to detect and expel OSIRIS agents are likely due to Macrobial influence and significant precognitive ability throughout the organization. OSIRIS High Command has designated T.S.A.N. a Phaenon-class group.

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The term "Macrobe" is a shortening of Macrobiological Psychically Active Entity, coined by the scientist François Alcasan in 1962 to describe creatures larger than humans which possess psychic influence at least equivalent to psychically active humans, though often their psychic influence is much greater. This term has a deliberately wide application, anything from a psychic bear to a universal intelligence. Other terms used for these creatures (by non-OSIRIS groups) are M-Psychs, cryptids, and gods. OSIRIS strongly discourages staff from using terms that promote superstitious and archaic attitudes which may prove inefficient or even deadly.

In contrast to M-Psychs, Macrobiological Non-psychically Active Entities are also known to OSIRIS. OSIRIS promotes the use of the term "N-Psych" for such creatures, though "Monster" is acceptable in practice. Though both M-Psychs and N-Psychs may be refered to as Macrobes, traditionally Macrobe refers to M-Psychs, the description of which led the term to be coined. Parahumans are creatures outside of the species Homo Sapiens which nontheless possess human shape. Parahumans are often (but not always) psychically active, and some parahumans may also fall under the M-Psych or N-Psych categories.

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Luna, commonly known as the Moon, is a Macrobe in orbit around the Earth, and is the largest piece of pseudo-biological paratechnology known to humanity. She was built, or grown, for an unknown purpose sometime before the hadean era ended. Though possessing immense computational power and intelligence, her psychic field is comparatively weak for an entity of her size, and her personality appears to be mutable. She freely admits that she has been influenced strongly by humanity's perception of her over millions of years, and has become [a huge humanaboo lmaooo]. She does not drastically interfere with humanity, and apparently cannot do so, but appears occasionally through holographic projection (through fine manipulation of reflective moon dust), psychic contact, online personas, and physical avatars made by paratechnology given to devotees.

Known aliases include: Isis, Artemis, Diana, Gabriel (one of few male aliases), Princess Kaguya, the Lady of the Lake, Marilyn Monroe, Cate Blanchett, and indie Vtuber Annika Tsukihime. Aliases and avatars appear to be capable of independent action, and only able to communicate with Luna while the physical moon is in the sky. Luna is apparently in favor of the continued existence of human society and normalcy, though is willing to impart some knowledge to those who have already seen through normalcy according to her whims. She is an incredibly good actor, and none of her aliases have substantially broken normalcy in the modern day. She is most commonly described as bubbly, personable, coy, and condescending, and often appears as a dead female loved one, preferentially white European, or else as an woman pleasing to the taste of her collocutor.

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Homo Abditus is a diverse mutated subspecies of Homo Sapiens. The most common English name for this group is "Elfs", though they are also called "Witches" and "Goblins", among other names. They are found globally in insular communities, hidden by paratechnological and psychic means. Anthropological studies suggest that Homo Abditus communities both manipulate and emulate local folklore to ensure that baseline humans perceived them as not real, not worth bothering, dangerous, harmless, and too mysterious to interfere with. Though Homo Abditus are a subspecies of Homo Sapiens, OSIRIS classes Homo Abditus as a Parahuman group.

Homo Abditus communities apparently all trace their ancestry back to a single source, a legendary ancestor or deity, possibly a Macrobe. The name of this ancestor in all communities seems to be linguistically descended from the obscure ugaritic deity Kothar Elhatu, the Wise Destroying-Lord of the Spear, who has apparently vanished "within". Their use of paratechnology relies on cryptic and closely guarded oral traditions. Interrogation of living specimens has proved unfeasible, and the paratechnology possessed by Homo Abditus communities is currently inaccessible to OSIRIS agents.

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The LIBRA project was a series of experiments conducted to attempt the artificial creation of psychically active humans. These tests relied on paratechnology salvaged from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, including psychoactive substances (Solutions B-F), paratechnological devices (Objects 54-60), and memetically active patterns (Motifs C1-C4). The LIBRA project was deemed a liability to normalcy in 20XX after [REDACTED] test subjects escaped. Subsequently, all test subjects still under OSIRIS supervision have been disposed of, and [REDACTED] escaped test subjects have been terminated.

Successful LIBRA test subjects display(ed) the following traits: Erratic Behavior, Narcissistic and megalomaniacal tendencies, increased artistic and theatric talent and tendencies, greatly increased psychic influence (both actual and potential), and being too damn annoying for a certain piece of self-righteous geometry. LIBRA test subject were all tattooed with a Libra constellation symbol on the nape of their neck, along with an identification number. LIBRA test subjects are all extremely dangerous. Sightings should be reported to OSIRIS security, and field teams without an OSIRIS Theurge present should not engage.

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"The Sleeper" is an entity that has been identified by a OSIRIS as a Macrobe, located in the Mohorovičić discontinuity below the Shetland islands. The Sleeper's psychic influence represents a global "background radiation", overlapping everywhere with the Human Collective Unconscious, if the two phenomena are not in fact the same. This fact has led to the identification of many Sleeper-inspired figures in folklore, fiction, and religion. Analysis of this folkloric evidence leads OSIRIS agents to believe the Sleeper physically resembles an squat, radially symmetric decapod of unknown size. Accounts of psychically sensitive individuals allege that the Sleeper maintains a psychic para-reality, the alleged "Dreamlands". No direct evidence for this has been found by OSIRIS scientists, and it is suspected that this phenomenon is in fact random hallucinations caused by prolonged psychic vulnerability.

The Anime Review Post 1

Anime.

The Eccentric Family

It's peak. A foolish tanuki gets himself into trouble. Watch it in the summer when the nights are warm, with some hot takeout.

The Elusive Samurai

The shogunate is in flames, and children play the great game called War. Banger opening.

Sonny Boy

An isekai, in a sense. Callous surrealism that twists my guts. Swiss Family Robinson as an absurdist bildungsroman. Can't say I recommend.

Sengoku Youko

Did you know that a shonen battle anime can be tightly paced? I didn't. Scratches the same itch as Inuyasha. I know it doesn't seem like it, but Shinsuke is the protagonist.

Zenshu

The fact that it is very stupid does not stop it from being peak.

Quality Assurance in Another World

Trapped in a video game, but they take that premise seriously. It has an OSR sensibility, to my eyes.

Onmyo Kaiten

20 plot twists in 12 episodes. Not surreal, simply manic. I have never played Genshin Impact, but I think this arose from the cursed dreams of a fervent devotee.

Log Horizon

Log Horizon is perhaps the only accurate depiction of the feeling of playing in a long running, kinda shitty boffer LARP with 30-50 people. If only the last season (so far) wasn't just filler. Watch in winter, and consider bygone friends and ended games.

I wonder if anyone will like this post.

Encompassing

Wise men have said that writing non-fiction is well worth the time. So I am doing that. This is simply a small essay that attempts to capture or describe a quality or motif that I find wonderful in art. I am no great scholar, so I merely present this to those wiser than I for consideration and inspiration. If I make claims of history or the science of art here, you may feel free to treat them as nonsensically as they strike you.

The topic of this ode is that quality for which I think the best name is "Encompassing". It is the attempt of a work of art to be universal, primarily by touching lightly on the fullness of a certain set of natural things. I think it is a good name, because contained within the word is a quite common application of the idea: to Encompass, circling around the cardinal directions, and thereby around the world.

I think that, even in saying this, examples are springing up in your mind, dear reader, but I will give my own examples of several works, mainly songs or poems, that possess this quality. The song that spurred this essay into being is a modern song set to old music, by John Renbourn, called "Wexford Lullaby". Woven throughout the song is that simple version of the motif which I have already discussed, the four cardinal directions. Yet that is not the only such set in the song.

A clear set can be found in the fifth and sixth stanzas (or the third verse, as I learned it), where we see the sun (both rising and setting), moon, and stars (or lack thereof). Even in those same stanzas, we see the Christian motif of the Nativity, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. Less overt and cleanly divided, but still quite clear, is the stages of life: infancy, youth, adulthood, and deathbed. And finally, merely the icing which coats and sweetens the cake, the many mentions of all sorts of natural environments: The sea, the hills, the fields, the forests, the sky, et cetera.

Of note is that all these sets are put in service of the theme of the work. They are not merely the listing of things, but emphasize the feeling of impending loss that the singer is expressing. I think this is something common to all encompassing works of good quality. They use these sets to apply the theme of the work, increasing its scale or applicability. The singer's loss becomes not only an individual emotion, but something that suffuses the world.

To me, an encompassing work has something of a medieval, or pre-medieval, feeling to it. It seems to evoke welsh triads, proverbs, and other poems meant to instruct the listener in lore and the ways of the world. It gives the impression of a kind of epic wisdom. The Rota Fortunae, the four humors and elements, the three primes of alchemy... I don't know if it was actually more common in the medieval period; I certainly see a good deal of modern works that involve it.

There's simple dyads as well, which don't often lose much potency for being simpler. Night and day, the living and the dead... I think about the stories in which the hero's great victories are told, but never without a mention of their eventual demise. The Psalms almost always speak of sorrow, then of joy, and often feature other encompassing sets as well.

A rarer kind of emcompassing, at least modernly, is ekphrastic. Consider the second stanza of the Song of Eärendil. In this case, the encompassing serves not to make the theme universal, but to make the theme comprehensive. It communicates that Eärendil is not merely impressive in a single aspect, but in all ways both he and his possessions are beautiful and noble (the set of Costly Materials is, of itself, a rare theme nowadays. You don't often hear a poem mentioning several different kinds of gems).

Another rare set, perhaps sensibly rare in the modern day, is the set of Trades. You may look to the mid-19th century "Song of the Lower Classes" for an example here: the Farmer, Miner, Builder, Weaver, and Soldier. Of course, the Trades as a set have become far too specialized and numerous to be encompassed in art without a considerable amount of cleverness (or tedium).

To touch briefly on one last example, the two famous sets of paintings by Thomas Cole, "The Course of Empire" and "The Voyage of Life" are great examples of encompassing works of visual art. There are, of course, many others. Many ancient triptychs seem made to touch briefly on everything. I have personally, in my travels, seen at least 5 different sets of statues for the Four Seasons.

I do not think that this quality of encompassing is necessary or overwhelmingly common. But it is certainly beautiful where it makes a fine appearance. I have read, seen, and heard many great works whose focus dwells totally on a single theme in a single instance. However, I think the idea is worth considering while you, dear reader, are creating your own art. To make a work encompassing can give it both a sense of perspective, and of great significance.

(Though, perhaps it is not necessary to explain in such detail to a reader of this blog the joys of making comprehensive lists or referencing reductionist classifications. Oh well!)

Dawn War: The Dawn Isles

 

The Dawn Isles are the numerous islands that dot the northeastern coast of the continent, but the term also function more generally as the name for the lands to the northeast. That is, anything north of Fairyland and east of Erathus. They tend to be somewhat craggy and mountainous, and, though most maps don't show it, the wilderness in that land is dangerous indeed.

Humans and the Elven races (that is, Fauns, Eladrin, and Elves) make up most of the population, but many of the nobles are Dragonborn. Dwarves and Tieflings are more likely to travel to the more metropolitan Erathus than remain in the small and quite literally insular towns of the Isles. 

Unlike the Three Kingdoms and Erathus, the Dawn Isles take a more neutral approach to divinity: there is a time to call on every god in turn. Their nobles often follow the strict codes of Bhamat or Erathus, while the common people most often turn to Primal Spirits and, indirectly, Melor. However, shrines to all of the gods may be found commonly, as well as euphemistic shrines to "the Bright Ones", the collective Lords of Hell.

There are three towns of notable size in the Dawn Isles: Ethonay, Temokulos, and Iamatou. Ethonay lies on the western shore of the mainland, closest to Erathus and distinctly in its sphere; Temokulos lies on the eastern shore, a strait away from its twin and rival, Iamatou. Around these, on the mainland and on the isles themselves, there are one or two dozen villages eking out a living in the wet, warm valleys. The people of this place are known to be artistic, tolerant, lying, impious, and fond of spice and ferment. They tell tall tales:

1. The slimes found in the countryside have recently been driven to a frenzy by demonic forces
2. There is an island of wise monks that can teach you Disciplines of Breath
3. The isle of Yvoth lies half in dream
4. The Lady of Ethonay slept with Erathus, and went mad because of it.
5. Goblins are what happens to a child when a fairy steals it.
6. Among the isles, you may sometimes find a prideful city that sunk beneath the waves ages ago.
7. Pirates leave the captives they don't care to kill to a monster that ensnares their minds.
8. The town of Tolann owes its wealth to a diabolic pact.
9. There is a well of eternal youth hidden somewhere in the isles.
10. There is a water dragon dwelling in one of the caves near fairyland.
11. Sometimes fox-fey disguise themselves as Avandrite way-priests to trick (and perhaps eat) the unwary.
12. There's a kind of fairy called Halflings, or Gnomes, who are so good at hiding that they always manage to slip behind a tree or stone when you would see them, and are known for thieving. 

DM Information
The dawn isles are what I intend to be the starting location of the campaign. They are a mix of Greek and Japanese influences. Between the main towns and in the isles is Flux Space, determined by the results of encounter rolls. When the party travels, roll a d6:

1. Encounter (see encounter table)
2. Spoor of encounter
3. Dungeon
4. Settlement
5. Resource Depletion
6. Weather Change

When players find a spoor, they can choose to follow it. When players find a dungeon or settlement, they can find their way back to it later (unless it magically moves around or is concealed). Simple stuff. 

Ethonay 

Ethonay is a strongly mercantile town with easy sea routes to Erathus, Fairyland, and the Three Kingdoms. It trades the luxuries of the Dawn Isles with the necessities of the rest of the world. At its heart is an impressive, domed Pantheon, with grand chapels celebrating, principally, Avandros, Erathus, Melor, and Bhamat, the patrons of peace and prosperity in the town. A chapel of similar scale for Pelora stands across the street. 

Desdemona, the Lady of Ethonay, is currently falling into tyranny that would make Bane cringe. This is due, in fact, to her recent pilgrimage to the Amethyst Citadel, where she was refused the rite of the Dragonborn due to the many criminals that take refuge in Ethonay from Erathus and other more stringent realms. It has not been terribly effective so far, but the underworld of the town is becoming wary of her increasingly random searches and increasingly violent interrogations.

As part of these reforms, Desdemona has put in place the beginnings of a compulsory education system, the Garden of Wisdom, into which her officials are starting to herd children. The purpose is not to give commoners knowledge of the facts of the world, but to remove them from Wicked Influences, such as parents and friends, and make them strong enough to Resist Evil and serve the Common Good. Attendance is still low, especially since the children keep getting stolen by Fairies (which gives the appearance, from the outside, that Desdemona might be killing them).

Temokulos 

Temokulos is pretty well known for producing adventurer types. It is also well known for picking the King by Lottery every year. The standard joke at every tavern is to give maudlin laments for a new adventurer, since they must be the poor, exiled king of Temokulos, chosen by fate and discarded by fate! The irony is that this system works so well that most adventurers leave out of sheer boredom, and being king of Temokulos comes with pretty much no downsides.

Temokulos primarily worships Avandros, though they have no temple to him in the white-washed town, only shrines at the indigo gates (including the large, though mostly ceremonial, Sea Gate). As such, it is generally held to be an auspicious place to set off on a Voyage, and has an enormous industry of expeditions into the isles and beyond. Common belief holds that Avandros taught songs to the sailors of Temokulos which charm windspirits and sea-serpents.

Gambling is, oddly enough, illegal in Temokulos, with the only exception being bets on the next king, which is wildly popular. This includes not only who the next king will be, but what they will do. The azure tiled House of Fate maintains the ledgers of these wagers. Of course, if you could in some way Influence the next king, or their policies, you could make a fortune, but doing that without alerting the Spies of the Noble Houses is fiendishly difficult.

Iamatou 

Iamatou is an island town, the twin of Temokulos. It is most notable as the eastern seat of the church of Pelora, from which the Archangel Daybreak attempts to orchestrate the conversion of the region. Aesthetically, Iamatou strongly contrasts with Temokulos: sailing the strait between them and seeing Temokulos' white houses and sapphire domes piled on one side and Iamatou's golden stone and soaring red spires on the other is considered one of the wonders of the world. Iamatou sees this as emblematic of their Strong Rivalry. Temokulos, alas, does not care.

Against the church of Pelora's influence wars the startlingly popular Dragon-King, the charismatic and half-monstrous* demigod of Tiamut. He is held to be a mediator and guardian against the Bright Ones; better by far to placate him and them than to let Daybreak turn the island into another battlefield. And he only occasionally devours his consorts.

(* The lower half, specifically) 

Iamatou, due to the sea currents around it, has numerous Sea Monsters wash up dead on its shores. These are the raw material it uses for its lucrative industry of Bone-carving and Scalemail. Iamotou scalemail is sold all over the world, being almost as tough as steel, but the best quality is found on the island itself.

Tyrnanokos 

Unknown to all, far in the east, is the hidden isle of Tyrnanokos, the land of the Young. It is the domain and grand experiment of the Witch-Queen Wee Jas, and the homeland of the strange race (found nowhere else) known as Halflings. The isle has a strong Enchantment placed upon it by its queen, that no one outside the isle can remember more than the vaguest details about it. Even looking right at it, the focus of sailors seems to slide off it, and they dismiss it as useless to visit. Hence, it has entered local legend, and remains undiscovered, despite being seen thousands of times.

The Halflings that inhabit it are indeed Half the size of a normal human. They also live Half as long. In this small time and small frame are compressed Great excesses of adventure, sorrow, love, learning, and all Human Things. They were made such by Wee Jas, and maintained by her. This land is their Paradise, tailored to their every need, not only for pleasure but also for pain and excitement. Most (but not all) Halflings who leave are often driven mad by the world, both its bustle and its boredom, and become Goblins.

Halflings are outside the normal Cycle of death and life. The spell Wee Jas maintains is so strong that even the Raven Prince has forgotten this place. This is by design. Here, it is Wee Jas who harvests Spirits, disintegrates them, and seeds them in the bodies of new mothers. Her Skeletal servants pluck spirits out of the dead and bring them to the Well of Power, where she stores their spirit-stuff and uses it to maintain her immortality, as well as the enchantment over the isle.

She intends to become the new Goddess of Humanity by, eventually, dipping herself in the Well of Power. Avandros has abandoned his children for the fairies, and Lolth hates them both; Pelora exploits them to high heaven; all the gods end their lives and destroy their spirits. But Wee Jas would see them Immortal. She would argue it is worth breaking a few eggs (which would be broken anyways) in the process. She is, in fact, incredibly amiable and beloved by her people. They even know of the Well, but accept it as part of the cycle of life.

The Well of Power is not yet sufficiently full. It might be in a Century, though there might be ways of speeding up the process. The well itself is pure crystal and must be kept carefully sterile. If even a bug got in, it would become a monster the size of a mountain. Those that do a great favor to the Witch-queen might be offered a single cup of Spirit (which would be a great deal of XP).

Dawn Isle Tables

Encounter table (2d6):
2. Storm dragon
3. Medusa guarding a bridge
4. Ogre Magi
5. 1d4 Avandrite way priests (might be foxes)
6. 1d6 Slimes
7. Recurring NPC
8. Goblins
9. Stymphalian Birds
10. Inevitable of Erathus pursuing fugitive
11. 1d4 Halfling questants
12. Divinity (1d4: 1. Pelora; 2. Avandros; 3. Sehanine; 4. Zehira)

Dawn isles villages (1d6):
1. Klerei, village with a prophetic serpent
2. Ra-ukki, ruled by a spider devil
3. Konkordia, half the year taken up by the Konkordian Games
4. Village with a master of the Discipline of River
5. Great Waytemple of Avandros
6. Tolann, Obscenely wealthy (but otherwise innocent) Hot springs village

Dawn isles islands (1d6):
1. Yvoth, of which half the island overlaps with the Gardens of Ynn
2. Time loop Atlantis, stuck on the day of destruction by Wee Jas as a divine distraction
3. Island of wise monkeys. Eating the food gives a permanent -1 INT, +1 STR or WIS. They know the Discipline of Breath
4. Island of the Lost, where things lost to the sea wash ashore
5. Island of lotus eaters
6. Big temple of Melor, run by giants

Dawn isles dungeons (1d6):
1. Hydra Den
2. Slime cave with rift to Shedakloh, the Pit of Slime, the abyssal domain of Jubilex
3. Minotaur labyrinth
4. Derelict shrine of the Bright Ones
5. Illusory dungeon, a trap by foxes
6. Horrible Goblin Drug Hole