The Natural Fantasy Atlas for Fabula Ultima

# The Natural Fantasy Atlas

## For Fabula Ultima

The outside world is vast, and the sins of the past are many. Hold tight to each other and never stop dreaming!

Fabula Ultima will bring you into worlds deeply permeated by the cycles of time and nature, where young heroes face the consequences of past mistakes and demonstrate that history does not have to repeat itself, creating a brave future of coexistence, much like in classic JRPGs!

## What's Inside:

- Dive into a new JRPG subgenre based upon harmony and change with 4 new Classes (Floralist, Gourmet, Invoker, and Merchant) and new Heroic Skills to create even more combinations!
- 10 Natural Fantasy Locations: Archetypal settings with tips and hints for playing an intense natural fantasy campaign or which you can use as inspiration to breathe life into your world.
- Craft Equipment and Tools: Create weapons and tools with any materials you gather using the rules for custom crafting and forging.
- Introduce Quirks: Optional rules that add even more depth to your characters, taking a break to share a convivial moment with camp activities.
- 5 Villains: Challenging new bosses of increasing power to use in your adventures, providing your Players with tougher and more exciting challenges.
- 208 Full-Color Pages: Featuring manga and chibi-style illustrations from international artists.

ISBN 979-12-5598-104-6

A game by Emanuele Galletto | fabulaultima.com

Fabula Ultima © 2021-2026 Need Games and Rooster Games.
The Natural Fantasy Atlas - Fabula Ultima

# The Natural Fantasy Atlas

## For Fabula Ultima

### Embrace the Cycle of Nature

The outside world is vast, and the sins of the past are many. Hold tight to each other, and never stop dreaming! Fabula Ultima will bring you into worlds deeply permeated by the cycles of time and nature, where young heroes face the consequences of past mistakes and demonstrate that history does not have to repeat itself, creating a brave future of coexistence, much like in classic JRPGs!

## Key Features Include:

- Dive into a new JRPG subgenre

  Based upon harmony and change with 4 new Classes (Floralist, Gourmet, Invoker, and Merchant) and new Heroic Skills to create even more combinations!

- 10 Natural Fantasy Locations

  Archetypal settings with tips and hints for playing an intense natural fantasy campaign, or which you can use as inspiration to breathe life into your world.

- Craft Equipment and Tools

  Create equipment and tools with any materials you gather, using the rules for custom weapons and forging.

- Introduce Quirks

  Optional rules that add even more depth to your characters, allowing a break to share a convivial moment with camp activities.

- 5 Villains

  Challenging new bosses of increasing power to use in your adventures, providing your players with tougher and more exciting challenges.

- 208 Full-Color Pages

  Featuring manga and chibi-style illustrations from international artists.

ATLAS: NATURAL FANTASY

A game by Emanuele Galletto

ISBN 979-12-5598-104-6 | fabulaultima.com

© Fabula Ultima 2021-2026 Need Games and Rooster Games.

Document Content

# Document Content Extract

## Message

The outside world is vast and the sins of the past are many.

Hold tight to each other and never stop dreaming!

Credits

# CREDITS

Game Design, Writing, and Development

- Emanuele Galletto

Additional Writing

- Selene Dal Borgo
- Chris Pagliari

Art Direction

- Emanuele Galletto

Cover Artist

- Moryo

Interior Artists

- Michele Bellamoli
- Tuomas Korpi
- Lorenzo Magalotti
- Moryo
- Julian Seifert-Olszewski
- Catthy Trinh

Pixel Artists

- Emanuele Galletto
- Ben Henry
- Sascha Naderer

Damage Icons

- Lorc

Publisher

- Nicola Degobbis

Chief of Operations

- Marco Munari

Producer

- Alberto Orlandini

Translation

- Francesco Castelli

Editing

- Emanuele Galletto
- Neil Kingham

Sensitivity Reading

- Marta Palvarini

Graphic Design

- Emanuele Galletto
- Erica Viotto

Proofreading

- Giovanni Di Pietro
- Emanuele Galletto
- Marco Munari
- Alberto Orlandini
- Erica Viotto

ISBN: 979-12-5598-104-6

© 2026 Need Games and Rooster Games. Fabula Ultima © 2021-2026 Need Games and Rooster Games. Any unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted material is prohibited. This is a product of fiction. Any reference to people and events existing in the present, past or future is pure coincidence and not intended. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

# TABLE OF CONTENTS

## • 1. INTRODUCTION

## • 2. THE WORLD

## Character and Gameplay Guides

Introduction: Fabula Ultima Natural Fantasy Atlas

# The Mysteries of Ages Past Await You in the Fabula Ultima Natural Fantasy Atlas

This expansion to the Core Rulebook focuses on a genre mainly defined by truly ancient secrets, vast uncontaminated territories, heroes who are both humble and persistent, antagonists driven by unbridled curiosity (as well as by their fear of death and the unknown) and powerful manifestations of elemental forces.

This Atlas differs slightly from the Core Rulebook and the previous Atlases because its stories are usually far more delicate and less bombastic, but no less heroic – on the contrary, it deliberately explores the fundamental concepts at the roots of conflict in every other genre: community, harmony and coexistence.

Besides offering a brief introduction to the way we envision the natural fantasy genre, this Atlas provides advice and game materials for the Game Master and additional rules for Players, all in three simple chapters:

- The World: Provides valuable elements for creating natural fantasy settings, including 10 archetypal locations you can use as campaign elements or for inspiration, plus a list of new rare items and artifacts inspired by folklore and tradition.
- The Protagonists: Introduces 4 new Classes (Floralist, Gourmet, Invoker and Merchant). It also provides several optional rules (such as Camp Activities) to highlight moments of rest and bonding between Player Characters in the group.
- The Antagonists: Focuses on 5 Villains – pregenerated Bosses, each more fearsome than the last – that embody the challenges and obstacles of this journey.

When compared to the genres of high fantasy and techno fantasy covered in previous Atlases, Natural Fantasy is less frequently the focus of JRPG-style works, and this book doesn’t presume to be a complete guide to it. Some sections are tied more closely than others to their authors’ creative and philosophical inclinations: their goal is to provide advice and examples from the inspirational works (see page 207), useful both to those well-versed in this genre, and especially to those who have recently found their way to Fabula Ultima and JRPGs in general.

Just turn the page to learn more!

Defining Natural Fantasy: Fabula Ultima

# What Defines Fabula Ultima’s Natural Fantasy?

In this book, and in Fabula Ultima in general, the term “natural fantasy” indicates a series of specific elements that the authors feel are characteristic of a particular way of building stories and settings.

In brief, we are discussing the authors’ personal visions, which do not claim to be the absolute truth. Indeed, narrative genres have nebulous boundaries, and it would be impossible – maybe even irresponsible – to box them in too much.

What follows may help you to better understand the creative roots behind this book!

## Common People

The Player Characters (PCs) in a natural fantasy campaign are usually everyday people, albeit possessing some unusual abilities. Unlike princes, archmages, dark knights, or sky pirates found in other genres, these protagonists give way to roles such as explorers, alchemists, scholars, and wandering warriors.

These characters are often young and unaware of the great mysteries of the world, with the exception of a few fragmented legends which have scores of different interpretations. The focal points of the natural fantasy style revolve around:

- Rediscovery: The act of finding lost knowledge or places.
- Understanding & Empathy: Connecting deeply with the world and its inhabitants.
- Respect and Love: Showing reverence for the current world and its past history.

By looking for answers with curiosity and humility, we are guided toward a harmonious coexistence not only within ourselves but also with the world at large.

## The Mentor

While it is possible to play as a PC who "knows a lot," natural fantasy has established guidelines for this character type:

### Key Traits of the Natural Fantasy Mentor

- Reluctance to Share: They hesitate to give away their wisdom, often revealing vital information only when they find it absolutely crucial (an excellent way to spend Fabula Points).
- Interdependence: They are unable to solve the world’s problems without the rest of the group.

A classic example is an old scholar who discovers ancient power that could protect a region, only to find that this power is exclusive to a certain bloodline they are not part of.

Of course, the role of mentor should be limited to one character per group, usually the oldest. More often than not, this protagonist will end up having to reconsider how much they truly know and may even face a personal crisis, eventually finding the answers they need in their younger companions.

Chapter Introduction

# INTRODUCTION

> “Before deciding how to face this calamity, you should understand what created it.”

## VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT

Natural fantasy campaigns are often set in small regions or villages rather than entire continents and cities, but compensate for this “limited perspective” with vertical development: the current world was built upon countless layers of history, where terrible powers and wondrous magics are buried. These are truly ancient worlds, where the past is millennia away rather than centuries, so that the causes of today’s misfortunes are often incomprehensible.

## LIFE, DEATH, AND TRANSFORMATION

Natural fantasy mostly does away with epic and spectacular aesthetics, instead presenting Fabula Ultima’s thematic core in a visceral and sincere way, and involving the protagonists on an intimate and personal level: these are stories about the environment, life, and death. Like fairy tales, and the philosophies and traditions that inspired it, the natural fantasy style presents death as a necessary step for the world to regenerate – a terrible pain and yet an opportunity to appreciate life; a meaningful act which cannot be inflicted lightly, nor be stripped of its solemnity.

## MAIN REFERENCES

Here are some titles that shaped the artistic vision of this book:

- The Dusk trilogy (Ayesha, Escha & Logy, Shallie) from the Atelier series is without a doubt one of our main influences. It’s set on a dying world victim of the manipulations of ancient humans, a world that can only be revived thanks to the tenacity of a younger generation. The Ryza trilogy and the Sophie duology also influenced the aesthetics of this book.
- The Monster Hunter Stories series shares its setting with the famous Monster Hunter saga, but emphasizes cooperation between human and monster and the importance of preserving even the most dangerous species.
- Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu is a great example of a campaign that takes place in a short time frame, and is set in a relatively small place: a single village and the surrounding forests struggling against a terrible curse.
- Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl features a truly inspired cast of characters and a plot centered around the progressive discovery of the mysteries of the past. It also reinvents the concept of a post-apocalyptic world as a lush and verdant landscape.

The Eight Pillars of Fabula Ultima

# The Eight Pillars of Fabula Ultima

On page 14, the core concept is presented: Fabula Ultima’s Core Rulebook discusses the eight pillars that uphold its entire game experience. This Atlas builds on those elements in its own unique way.

## ANCIENT RUINS AND HARSH LANDS

This pillar plays an important role in the natural fantasy style: its protagonists often find themselves traversing vast uninhabited regions, where ground and roots merge with millennia-old ruins of the past.

### Thematic Detail Examples:

- The wind blows strong among the cavities of the jungle trees. Rumor has it that, in the past, a skilled navigator used the thermal updrafts to fly over the hunting grounds of the dynaguars and reach the Shattered City.
- The Orwie river’s spring is lost among the fog and the crevices of the Eastern Glacier. Its many waterfalls run between the colossal remains of the Stone Guardians that, according to legends, hold up the sky and prevent the stars from falling.
- The narrow strip of land connecting the Sparrow Coast to the archipelago can be crossed only at low tide, when the metal skeletons of the Airship Cemetery emerge from the waters and the forebearers’ machines awaken.

## A WORLD IN PERIL

In natural fantasy worlds, humanity is defined by its relationship to the creatures of wilderness: some coexist with them, others hunt them for food or protection.

Far more dangerous are those creatures born of ancient curses and experiments, not to mention any antagonists who want to make an improper or self-serving use of magic and technology from the past.

### Key Conflicts:

- Eager to gain the approval of the city and its Council, a young inventor decides to unearth and reactivate an ancient alchemical machine, unaware that its magical vibrations will once again lure the Calamity Serpent.
- One baby out of seven is born with a red horn sprouting from its forehead; flowers bloom without color, waters boil, and fire lashes out against those who attempt to wield it.
- Oracles claim that the cinder giant, whose spirit was dismembered and imprisoned in the temple of the Forbidden Valley so that humanity could tame fire and build forges, is finally enacting their revenge.

Source/Metadata: Natural Fantasy Pillars | ()
Natural Fantasy Campaign Concepts

# Introduction to Natural Fantasy Campaigns

## Clashing Communities

In natural fantasy campaigns, the clashes between different factions are often of a much smaller scale: tensions between neighboring villages or clans, and fights between humans and animals or spirits, or between opposing parties of the same people. In its darkest forms, such conflicts erupt into violence, expropriation, or even genocide.

Newly arrived in the village and terrified by a spiked wildcat sighted by his caravan during the journey, a nobleman has ordered the local hunters guild to exterminate all predators in the region. When they refuse to kill any creature that hasn’t attacked the settlement, the noble hires some mercenaries from the Citadel amidst the plains.

Only the Inara know the procedures required to activate the progenitors’ metal artifacts, which lie scattered around the archipelago. Driven by greed, the sheriffs of the capital infiltrate Inara settlements to extort information; one of these operations led to a terrible massacre of the natives.

## Everything Has a Soul

This pillar is both central and explicit in natural fantasy: the stream of souls manifests as elemental entities, animals or plants—veritable holy symbols that embody the life cycle of regeneration and transformation. The stream of souls is also among the main victims of the Villains’ actions.

Hell-bent on reuniting the fragments of her wife’s soul, scattered across the spirit world, the witch Ihimi bound her spirit to the Rain Tree. Two thousand years have passed and the stream of souls has stagnated: echoes of the departed roam the earth, clinging to the living and turning them into terrible monsters.

Just as the Progenitors cried their tears to create the ocean and gave their flesh to make the earth, the inhabitants of the Glass Isles accept that the nocturnal messengers devour the bodies of the departed and feast on the grief of the living, bringing both to the afterlife as nourishment and consolation for the ancestral spirits.

Furthermore, the four ancient trees of the region, also known as Vei Arbru, host the elemental essences of the seasons: each is kept safe by a guardian fairy that nurtures it both when it’s in bloom and when it withers before being born again.

The Chronicles of Magic and Technology

# MAGIC AND TECHNOLOGY

The juxtaposition of magic and technology is a powerful element of natural fantasy stories. Both have a light and dark side: magic is tied to natural elements, but it can also destabilize them, causing terrible catastrophes; technology – a reminder of the wars and destruction of the past – can be recovered and adapted, but it comes with the risk of repeating the same mistakes.

## The Necropolis

The Necropolis is a chasm spanning the size of an entire region, that goes down into the depths of the earth. Inside, magical energy – usually too rarefied to sustain any Ritual – can be used in full. Scholars call this phenomenon tomb radiation and it becomes more powerful the deeper you go.

## Travel Through Nature

Powered by a triple alchemical vapor-furnace and armed with massive steel spikes, automatic crossbows and mortars, the armored train crosses the vast forests of magical trees. It’s the only true connection between the various settlements of the region.

## Heroes of Many Sizes and Shapes

The natural fantasy genre focuses upon the difficult journey toward coexistence and harmony; as such, the Player Characters represent a fundamental opportunity to show how representatives of different people and cultures can learn from each other and, in a spirit of mutual respect, fight for the future together.

## Protagonists

- Bomiri: A young moth-girl from Mangrove Village. After the death of her elderly mentor, she fully devoted herself to studying herbalism and medicine, in an attempt to find a cure for the disease that killed her.
- Lovisa: When she was twelve years old, Lovisa got lost in the crevasses of the Mora glacier and was almost devoured by a young nagadon who was trapped in a cave with her. Despite being afraid, she gathered food for herself and the hatchling, later preventing the rescuers from killing him. Now they are inseparable and they carry letters, medicines and information across the entire valley.
- Yalsi: Famous among Inner Sea nomads for his generous and slightly-too-exuberant character, Yalsi the thief is wanted by the imperial navy for daring to rob a high official: hidden amidst gold coins was a strange necklace, which looks awfully familiar to the metallic heads buried among the hills of Yalsi’s native village.

The Heroes' Tale

# IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HEROES

## CHAPTER INTRODUCTION

Natural fantasy protagonists might not look as extraordinary as other heroes but, in reality, they embody the deepest meaning of heroism: humility, respect for life, looking for dialogue, choosing the hardest path, and fighting cruelty and ignorance with fiery compassion. From this point of view, the world has a desperate need for people like them.

When their village was destroyed by the hill clan during their hunt for miasma beasts, an old witch and a young blacksmith joined forces with a deserter and a wandering swordswoman in an attempt to outpace the army and prevent it from claiming a stone stele that, according to the seidr tradition, gives access to the power of the Triclopean God.

A mysterious and terrible virus, known as scarlet death, is infecting the predators of the region, prompting them to viciously maul weaker creatures and attack settlements. Catha, a Rasna warrior-poet, believes the epidemic originated at the brink of the continent in the dragon boneyards, where lay the remains of once-great creatures exterminated by the Ancients.

## MYSTERY, DISCOVERY AND GROWTH

Given its focus on stories about travel, exploration, and encounters between different people or discoveries from the ancient past, mysteries and growth are two key elements of natural fantasy. At the same time, this genre questions the consequences of the application of knowledge, and how it can be used for both good and evil.

Having reached the mechanical ruin buried among the dunes, the heroes discover that the great forest is part of an ancient project to cleanse the environment, started by a people who died out millennia ago. Its keeper is an artificial intelligence, meant to guide humanity in reconstruction, but turned cold and uncaring by loneliness.

Growing up in the tower-city of Ur, council inspector Kalia was soon met with the corruption rampant among her colleagues, who took advantage of their positions to extort money from villages in exchange for “protection”. Her principles will be harshly tested throughout the campaign, culminating in a fight with her superior officer, Corax, which will cause her to permanently do away with her badge and dedicate herself to helping others without the need for a fake authority to back her up.

> “This world is ancient and in no hurry.
> It reserves its deepest and most sincere affection
> for those who take time to understand and grow.”

Natural Fantasy Guidelines

# A RAW BEAUTY

The natural fantasy style relies on a careful balance between moments of calm, serenity and beauty, alternating with moments of raw and direct contact with the inevitable facts of life. Neither of these aspects can be sacrificed: keeping only the first means presenting a false and “sanitized” version of nature; keeping only the second leads to self-indulging morbidity.

This doesn’t mean that you have to include explicit or particularly gory descriptions. On the contrary, discussing how to handle scenes of violence and death is paramount, especially when they involve people or animals (see Core Rulebook, page 147).

## THE HUNT

Killing other living creatures to protect your community or provide resources is a common theme of natural fantasy and should be handled with care.

- Never minimize. Be it that of an animal, a plant, a person, or a spirit, death is a significant event that should be dignified. It should never be cold or systematic, especially in a natural fantasy game, where it should have ecological, emotional or spiritual consequences. As explained on page 86 of the Core Rulebook, there is no obligation to kill an enemy reduced to 0 Hit Points. It is a choice.
- Never demonize. If necessity demands it and proper respect is shown for the consequences, killing another creature to save lives, protect the ecosystem, or transform their body into nourishment, tools or instruments is an integral part of the cycle of life, not a violation.

## EVERY LIFE MATTERS

Even when the world revolves around the cyclical return of every lifeform to the stream of souls (one of the Eight Pillars of Fabula Ultima, as shown on page 9), one should never downplay the value of life. While it’s true that life (as a form of energy) lasts for eternity across countless incarnations, this life (the memories, personality, and feelings of a specific individual) is unique and irreplaceable, and the moment it leaves us should never not be seen as a tragedy.

### BEFORE WE START

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# COEXISTENCE DOESN’T MEAN SELF-ERASURE

In some stories, ecological themes are handled quite superficially: humanity is depicted as a parasite, technology as a source of corruption, and ancient lifestyles become romanticized and stereotyped, often without a solid historical or anthropological base. Although they provide fertile ground for Villains, such simplistic perspectives represent a form of cowardly nihilism.

What natural fantasy proposes is, instead, to make a humble and brave choice: our heroes must stop seeing themselves as masters or tormentors of nature, and remember they are merely one of its many expressions, embracing the responsibilities that arise from their ability to invent, create, and transform.

In short, we can coexist with the planet we live in precisely because we are humans, rather than in spite of it.

## CULTURAL INFLUENCES AND COLONIALISM

When we imagine a story centered around sharing and coexistence, we are often influenced by existing cultures that consider those principles as the foundation of their civilization, tradition, and philosophy. Historically, however, those same cultures have been targeted by violent and repressive colonialist politics, their voices silenced even in present day. Their characteristic cultural elements are often trivialized and reduced to mere appearances, robbed of their significance and made to conform to consumer logic, a surface representation that removes all introspective or revolutionary charge.

If you want to take inspiration from these cultures when you create new stories and characters, please strive not to repeat that harmful rhetoric:

- Look for detailed and not instrumentalized sources which present information with integrity and respect, without trivializing cultural complexities or reducing them to stereotypes.
- If your setting includes tribal cultures, or cultures inspired by real-world native populations, do not consign them to the role of enigmatic strangers, keepers of riches, threats or victims in need of help: make them full-fledged protagonists, avoiding recurring stereotypes like the mystic, the raider or the scout.
- Finally, make sure not to associate the search for harmony and spirituality with a forcibly ascetic, passive or impractical lifestyle; on the same count, do not associate it with a lack of interest in science and technology.

Document Analysis and Structure

# Project Requirements and Structural Guidelines

This document outlines the core guidelines for structuring and styling extracted textual content to ensure a professional, semantic, and highly readable web presentation.

1. Semantic HTML Structure: It is critical to use appropriate HTML tags like `<h1>`, `<p>`, `<ul>`, `<li>`, and `<strong>`. This ensures that the underlying structure accurately reflects the content's hierarchy for maximum accessibility and SEO performance.
2. Styling and Design Implementation: The presentation must incorporate styling using either inline CSS or a dedicated `<style>` block within the `<head>` section. This style guide requires modern sans-serif typography, clean margins, and a clear, predictable layout to enhance user experience.
3. Output Formatting Compliance: The final deliverable must consist of ONLY valid HTML code. Under no circumstances should markdown code block backticks (`<code></code>`) or extra conversational commentary be included in the resulting output, maintaining purity and structural integrity.

The World - Chapter Overview

# The World

This chapter provides a bird’s eye view of Fabula Ultima’s approach to natural fantasy worlds. Both Players and Game Masters are welcome to read it – it contains valuable tools for both roles.

The chapter is constructed as follows:

## Chapter Sections Overview

- Natural Fantasy Locations: This section helps you create natural fantasy regions, settlements and landmarks. It also provides ten in-depth examples of natural fantasy locations, each detailed first as a narrative archetype, and then as a collection of playable hooks.
- Conflicts: This section explores the conflicts typical of natural fantasy, from both narrative and rules perspectives.
- Magic and Rituals: This section delves into the role of magic and supernatural entities in natural fantasy worlds, and what they represent.
- Technology: This section provides ideas on how to frame the role of technology and craftsmanship in natural fantasy worlds, including new rules to create items from raw materials.
- Rare Items and Artifacts: The chapter’s last two sections focus on rare items and artifacts you might find in a natural fantasy setting. As well as general advice, there are also a number of ready-to-use item lists.

Natural Fantasy Locations

# Natural Fantasy Locations

During World Creation (see Core Rulebook, page 148) and play sessions, you will often be called upon to introduce new regions, towns, or interesting locations. This section contains advice and suggestions and discusses the mindset to adopt when creating natural fantasy locations, and then provides ten examples you can use in your campaigns or draw upon for inspiration.

## Ancient Roots, Future Branches

The key element that sets natural fantasy locations apart is simple, but should never be taken for granted – it’s the tension between a mostly forgotten past and an unpredictable future, a maelstrom of visions of ruin and hope.

- Roots in the past. Ancient events and their influence on the present might manifest in many different ways: from the complex religious traditions of a clan of hunters to the whispering ruins buried among the dunes of the desert. Every place has many stories to tell and lessons to teach those who explore it with an open mind, humility, and respect, accepting even its long silences.
- Branching toward the future. The future is unpredictable and not yet written: its potential might take the shape of a precious resource, a new generation able to break a millennia-old curse or even a small cub or hatchling, the last survivor of its kind.

To be narratively alive and inspired, a natural fantasy location should exist in the present, the liminal space between these vague extremes – showing the signs of a past not fully understood and holding in its hands a fragile future, which will blossom only if it’s protected without smothering it. We might say that:

If a location does not offer significant revelations about the world’s past or the traditions of its inhabitants, nor hides a potential that might bring joy or ruination, depending on how those same people cultivate it, then you need to put a bit more work into it.

However, remember that it is not just the Game Master who has the right and responsibility to create, describe, and enrich locations and areas in interesting ways. For instance, you can spend a Fabula Point to describe how your character hears a feeble voice coming from the nearby spring, despite the local elders believing its guardian spirit has long abandoned it – this is the kind of contribution that Players should provide often during the course of the game.

# THE WORLD

## COMPLEX CULTURES AND COMMUNITIES

Natural fantasy settings often cover a much smaller area compared to others, usually a single region or no more than two or three settlements. You might think that this limits the variety of situations and cultural contexts during the campaign, but in reality it’s an excellent opportunity to flesh them out and make them more complex, human, and multidimensional.

- Recurring characters. When playing in a limited setting, it’s very likely that the same character will appear over and over again, even after many sessions. Give each one a name and a face, learn to love them, showcase their merits and flaws, and do your best to make them grow and evolve as much as the protagonists.
- Humanity. No matter if they live in an elven village in the heart of the forest, are part of an ancient people in possession of extraordinary technologies, or inhabit an underwater city of fishpeople, each and every individual has feelings, an interest in unique forms of art and beauty, doubts, and curiosity, and behaves according to their own personal morality. No community should be a monolithic stereotype where everybody thinks in the same way.

We might say that natural fantasy replaces vastness with density: this style of narrative likes to take time to showcase, for better or worse, all the facets of each character and asks you, in a gentle but firm voice, not to draw hasty conclusions, but rather to love the world in all its complicated, ephemeral, and magnificent vibrancy.

## THE RECONSTRUCTION

Natural fantasy worlds have weathered many catastrophes – the ability to get back up after a disaster, to reinvent and rebuild a world together with those who surround us is a recurring theme, but it might take two opposite forms. This dualism is often mirrored in the locations and their inhabitants:

- Hope and adaptability. Some people don’t just survive in this new world, but find ways to gain strength and enthusiasm from it. They find new passion and emotion in an environment that tests them but they still respect the needs of nature.
- Reactionary nostalgia. At the same time, there are those who see reconstruction as a way to go back to the past, to dominate nature without taking into consideration how the world has changed, and how the past they idolize has brought them close to ruin once already. They chase an illusion that will cause untold damage.

Vertical Worlds: The Abyss Setting

# VERTICAL WORLDS

Some natural fantasy campaigns are characterized by a vertical exploration of the setting: the story often starts on the surface and develops underground, but the opposite is also possible.

For example, the campaign might focus on the long descent into the depths of a chasm containing a huge variety of ecosystems, or the gradual ascent of a world tree so vast its branches host entire regions, lakes and colossal ruins.

For the sake of brevity, no matter if the story develops toward the top or the bottom, from this point on this kind of setting is called “abyss”.

Although playing Fabula Ultima with an abyss setting isn’t much different from usual, there are a few adjustments to consider during World Creation (see Core Rulebook, page 148) and throughout the campaign.

## Abyss Setting Considerations

- World Creation. The flowchart on page 149 of the Core Rulebook should be replaced with that on the next page, designed specifically for this kind of campaign.
- Origins. The Player Characters’ birthplaces are almost never visited during this type of campaign, but the Origin Trait can be invoked as usual.
- Antagonists. The main Villain is often an environmental antagonist (see page 174) with a corrupting presence, but they might also be someone who exploited the group’s curiosity to open the way toward the heart of the abyss and its treasures.
- Traveling the abyss. Journeys across a single stratum follow the normal rules (see Core Rulebook, page 106), but moving between two adjacent strata requires some kind of connection, like a tower, a flight of stairs, or a frozen waterfall. In addition to the connections established during step 5 (see next page), your group might introduce or discover new passages and shortcuts during the campaign.
- Safe zones. To ensure that the group has a chance to rest, buy and sell items, or be rescued in the event of a total Surrender, make sure to periodically introduce safe havens across the various strata of the abyss, or include “fast travel” options to and from the main settlement (ancient elevators or portals are good options).

Visit www.fabulaultima.com to download the abyss sheet for this kind of campaign.

Campaign Design Blueprint: The Abyss

# Campaign Design Blueprint: The Abyss

## I. Conceptual Foundations (The Source)

What is the role of magic and technology in the starting settlement? How do common magical or technological applications differ from those found deep within the abyss?

- Consider if magic can only be used while inside the abyss.

## II. Structural Geometry (The Abyss Sheet)

1. Direction and Shape: Choose whether the abyss develops upward or downward. Is it a great chasm with an unseen bottom, or an endless tower stretching past the clouds? Has it been given a specific name?
2. The Starting Point: Place the starting settlement at either the top or the bottom of the abyssal sheet where the game begins. Each participant must contribute at least one NPC or landmark (e.g., a well-stocked general store, an archaeologist librarian).
3. The Heart Goal: At the opposite end sits the heart of the abyss and the campaign’s main goal. Define what it is: Is it a world-saving resource, the answer to a terrible question, or an entity that must be sealed?

## III. Depth Stratification (The Layers)

Create the strata of the abyss: Define five distinct areas that separate the starting settlement from the heart.

- For each stratum, provide a name and define its ecosystem, flora, and fauna.
- Ensure at least one connection is established between each pair of neighboring strata (including connections to the start and the heart).

## IV. History, Mystery, and Conflict

1. Lore & Enigma: For every stratum created, establish a historical event deeply ingrained in the settlement's memory, as well as an associated enigma or mystery. What kind of theories do the exploring parties hold about this mystery?
2. Threat Assessment: Create a distinct threat for each layer (environmental danger, curse, or monster). Note that the most terrifying threat should reside within the core heart—this can be broadly defined now or left until later in the campaign.

Environmental Design Concepts

# ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRASTS

One of the most effective ways to create a memorable natural fantasy location is to base the environment upon the contrast between two typically opposite natural elements, such as air and earth or ice and fire.

Common examples include icy plains dotted with bubbling geysers and rocky deserts swept by the wind, but you could also have oceanic depths inhabited by electric creatures.

In a similar vein, the contrast between old and new, artificial construction and natural regrowth, adds personality to a location and often provides clues about who lived here in the past and how things have changed over time. The result should be a form of dynamic balance, and can also elicit feelings of melancholy or wonder in the travelers.

For instance, a vast horizon of skeletal skyscrapers overgrown by vegetation and taken over by the nests of gigantic feathery creatures; or an endless grassland where herds of bovine calmly graze in the shadow of rusty, titanic war machines.

The goal of such a location isn’t purely visual – it represents a fragile environment that is worth protecting and a precarious peace that has been achieved, certainly not without pain, over the course of the centuries.

## FLORA, FAUNA, CONSTRUCTS, AND ELEMENTALS

Partially continuing from the points above one of the best ways to make a location look alive is to populate it with creatures whose appearance, behavior, and abilities are strictly tied to their environment.

- Beasts, monsters, and plants. These creatures might prove more or less aggressive – similar to the flora and fauna of our world, with just a few anomalies. Their behavior varies based upon instinct and habits – they may prove formidable opponents.
- Constructs. Relics who outlived their creators, constructs often lack a true conscience, acting according to pre-programmed routines. Even when aware and intelligent, they often speak ancient and almost forgotten languages.
- Elementals. Spirits of nature, fey creatures, and guardian presences all fall into this category. They are often peaceful or playful, but their deep, instinctive attunement with the stream of souls might easily lead to corruption.

# The World: Chapter Guide

Using the Sample Locations

The following pages contain ten complete natural fantasy locations, which you can draw ideas from or place directly in your campaign, both during and after World Creation – for example, when traversing an unexplored map region.

## Location Structure

Each location entry is structured to provide comprehensive details for running a session. The components are:

- At a glance. This box provides a synopsis of the location: its keywords, the themes it symbolizes, the terrain around it, and its elemental forces, as well as suggestions for dangers and discoveries in the area.
- Questions for the group. In Fabula Ultima, you should not introduce elements disconnected from the group. These questions give depth to the location and allow Players to have creative input. Usually, the Game Master will ask the questions – and they should make it a habit of doing so even when introducing locations that do not come from an Atlas.
- Typical features. This section provides examples of characters and other elements that can typically be found in this sort of location. Feel free to take these and use them in other similar locations of your own devising.
- Position. Here, you will find suggestions on where to place this type of location, both geographically and in the campaign’s timeline – towards a campaign’s start or end, for instance.
- The Villains' plans. This section provides suggestions on why Villains might be interested in this or other similar locations.
- Story hooks. Lastly, this rich section details points of interest ($$), mysteries (bb) and help requests ((??)), which the Game Master can use in whole or in part during play.

### Guidance for Players and Game Masters

Players and Game Masters alike are welcome to read these sample locations – they will help the group attune to the natural fantasy style, and can provide you with inspiration when needed.

Important Note: Do not take any of what follows as “canon” or “official”. You have full authority to modify any of these places as you see fit!

> “Change is the only true constant of life. Clinging to the past for fear of the present is just a slow death.”

Few truly know what lurks behind the quiet of this enigmatic place, lost in the depths of the forest. The locals never cross its threshold—even during celebrations—and the youngsters show great respect to those who dare enter just the first chamber. Moss and lichens cover the wall of the now forgotten Badger Temple… and its secret should be forgotten as well.

## BADGER TEMPLE AT A GLANCE

Keywords: curse, trial, seal.

Terrain:
  stone, vines, water. Common elements: L, D, E

Travel roll:
  d8. Rare elements: A, F

### Key Features

#### Dangers

- A huge sentient plant guarding the path.
- A magical mist that fools the senses.
- A barrier created by the statues that flank the entrance.

#### Discoveries

- A spirit protector of the forest.
- A plant with miraculous properties.
- A shrine hiding a prodigious blessing.

Themes:
  Facing one’s fears, gaining self-awareness and self-confidence, understanding the past to build the future.

### Structural Context

THE ANCIENT SHRINE / Badger Temple

THE ANCIENT SHRINE
/
Badger Temple

#### Additional Data

Ancient Shrine Details

# The World - Ancient Shrine Guide

## Typical Features

The typical Ancient Shrine should include at least one of these features:

- Creatures or spells to test those who enter.
- An incredibly ancient evil sealed inside.
- An artifact that belonged to a hero of the past.
- A legendary beast of great wisdom.

## Position

Frequently enough, the location of the Ancient Shrine is already known at the beginning of the campaign, but Player Characters might not be able to explore it in full and are forced to return later with an artifact or a magic password.

The Ancient Shrine might be where the prologue is set, when the protagonists – unaware of the original purpose of the structure and the unfortunate consequences of their curiosity – discover or awaken something truly ancient and dangerous.

## The Villains' Plans

Sometimes, the Ancient Shrine hides an artifact that a Villain wants but, for some reason, can’t reach. These Villains often wait for Player Characters to overcome the dangers of the Shrine, only to then waylay them. Otherwise, a major or supreme Villain might be sealed inside, patiently waiting.

## Possible Questions for the Group

These points are designed to prompt player discussion and mystery:

- A number of wooden statues dot the path to the temple. What do they represent? Why are they here?
- A number of frescoes decorate the temple walls, depicting an event so ancient it has been lost to time. What is it?
- The entrance to the temple is easy to find but the inner sanctum is well protected. How do you access it? What prevents you from reaching it?
- The Badger Temple hides an incredible secret. What is it? Who knows about it and what is its price?
- A terrible curse awaits those who desecrate the heart of the temple. What are its effects, and can you break it?

Story Hooks

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Badger Temple into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## The Hall of Trials

- Light and Darkness. A single torch shines true, revealing the living frescoes upon the walls – the shadows of four badgers, each bearing a small rattle, slide among the paintings. To continue, the PCs must collect the four rattles. Every time they roll a Check to try, the GM fills 1 section of an 8-section Clock. If the Clock is filled before they succeed, or if they attempt to use violence, a fearsome guardian emerges from the frescoes. What is it? Which of the PCs knows legends about its weak spot?
- Hall of Despair. This empty room seems endless. Every now and then, the pale image of a badger appears, beckoning the heroes to follow them in the darkness. The PCs have to fill a 6-section Clock to keep the spirit in sight and reach the exit. Whenever a PC fails a Check, frustration gets the better of them, causing them to suffer a random status effect among dazed, shaken, slow, and weak.
- The Door. The badger stops next to a great stone door covered in thorny vines, which can be removed either with a Ritual or by suffering a heavy loss of Hit Points. The badger glows with a feeble light, which restores all the PCs’ Mind Points.
- Dark Vines (The Rafflesia Encounter). Sprawling creepers and living vines fill the entire room. At the center, a massive, garish flower tinges the scene with scarlet and purple hues. A glowing bud dangles from one of the vines, right above the jaws of the plant-creature at the heart of the flower: its name is Rafflesia. Its stalk is covered in thorns, and the badger-spirits are trapped in its two creeping tentacles.
  - Properties: It’s Vulnerable to fire damage, Resistant to ice and bolt, and Absorbs light, thanks to the glowing bud, which also hypnotizes its targets, forcing them to attack the main body – those who charge into melee are punished by its thorns.
  - Challenge: If both tentacles are defeated, the twin badger spirits regain their powers and Rafflesia becomes Vulnerable to light damage. How did this creature evolve? How was it created? What is hidden at the center of the room?

The World: The Snake-Spirit

# THE WORLD

## Chapter B: The Snake-Spirit

A demon of ruin lies sealed in the heart of the temple, and an almost forgotten prophecy foretells that a descendant of the “snake lineage” will one day be able to free it. Key questions remain: What is known about this lineage? Who among the Player Characters has heard of it? Or, who among them will discover that they descend from it?

### Investigation Threads

- The treasure in the statue. In the bowels of the temple, wedged between the scales of a giant stone serpent, there is an ancient scepter, the Soulthorn—an artifact capable of imprisoning a soul. Only the chosen one can awaken its true power and free the snake-spirit. What would be the consequences of its use? If left to its own devices, what is the snake-spirit going to do once freed?
- An ancient pact. Although remembered as an evil being, the spirit actually taught humanity the arts of herbalism, medicine, and poison. However, their gifts were used to cause death and suffering, and, to atone, the spirit began devouring any pain and diseases they saw as born of their actions. As a last act, before corruption overcame them, they sealed themselves away in the temple, slowly losing all their memories.
- Recovered memories. By using the Soulthorn or coming into contact with the snake-spirit’s power, Player Characters may recover fragments of their memory and investigate further. What catastrophic event forced the spirit to cut all ties with the world? Which of their memories might restore their confidence?

## Zecar

An aristocratic fox-man named Zecar offers the Player Characters a lavish reward, provided they help him recover a family heirloom from the temple. Investigation involves:

- The sword of ages. Laying on a stone altar, this sword is an artifact that, according to legend, grants luck, fame, and wealth—but it’s protected by a seal. Who among the Player Characters knows how to break it?
- Unmasked! Zecar’s ancestry gained its nobility thanks to the sword, but his ancestors returned it to the temple, believing it was its rightful place. Once the blade is in his hands, the haughty fox-man turns out to be a minor Villain and uses an Ultima Point to escape. What are his intentions? Why was the sword returned? Which dark powers does it hide, and why is Zecar underestimating its influence?

> “A dark omen awaits, trapped in the depths.
> A pure heart will free it; a pure heart might defeat it.”

Breezeburg Hamlet Profile

# Breezeburg Hamlet

A secluded pocket of natural harmony.

## Community Profile

Many people stumble almost by accident into this small hamlet. Breezeburg is located among the rolling hills, far removed from the bustle of the capital, the major trade routes, and the general clamor of the outside world. On the surface, it presents an idyllic scene—almost drowsy and peaceful—that maximizes its few natural resources. The inhabitants have successfully learned how to deeply respect the gentle pace of nature and wind, living in a sustainable symbiosis with what their environment offers.

Keywords

community, quiet, wind

Terrain / Elements

- Primary: Hills, grasslands, brooks.
- Common elements: A, L, E (Suggests abundant access to these resources/materials).

Challenges & Lore

- Travel Roll: d8
- Rare Elements: B, F, D

## Local Hazards and Secrets

Dangers

- A foreboding presence residing in the nearby forest.
- A persistent swarm of crabby insects.
- The threat of a great thunderstorm incoming.

Discoveries & Themes

- Potential Discoveries: A hermit who retired here to hide an important secret, or an old ruined building lost in the untouched wilds.
- Underlying Themes: A simple life isn't always easy; confronting blissful ignorance and false security.

The World Guide - Sleepy Hamlet

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER NINE: TYPICAL FEATURES

The typical Sleepy Hamlet should include at least one of these features:

- A gentle, soothing landscape.
- An eager population, although unaware of the outside world.
- A wise person of few words.
- A small shrine tied to a forgotten legend.

## POSITION

The Sleepy Hamlet is a starting location par excellence – it could even be the birthplace of one or all protagonists (perhaps with the exception of one of them, an outsider whose sudden arrival puts events into motion). Our heroes might expect a happy welcome, unless some negative event undermines the locals’ trust. Even then, it should be possible to rebuild it.

## THE VILLAINS' PLANS

A place like Breezeburg is rarely relevant in the antagonists’ plans, unless they were born and raised there. Perhaps they were childhood friends of the eldest among Player Characters. More often, an antagonist might be looking for an item or a person that lives here, or the Hamlet might suffer collateral damage in the wake of the Villain’s plan or the catastrophe they unleashed.

## POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP

These questions can seed conflict and mystery:

- Breezeburg is isolated, but not forgotten – there is just nothing too remarkable here. Is it really such a happy place? What is about to change?
- Creatures that couldn’t live anywhere else proliferate here, thanks to the untouched wilderness. What makes them unique?
- The villagers live in harmony with the land, the flora, the fauna, and every other natural element. Where does this tradition come from?
- A gentle breeze keeps the windmill’s blades in constant motion. What traditions stem from this unusual situation?
- Although welcoming, the locals are very narrow-minded and suspicious about innovations. Why?

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Breezeburg into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## I. HIGHILL ROAD

The highest part of Breezeburg is dominated by the largest windmill, and the most important buildings in the settlement all lie just along this key road.

- The Windmills

  These massive structures work without pause; their huge blades spin constantly in the wind. They contribute to the survival of the small hamlet by powering both the irrigation system and millstones, but not all seem to serve the same purpose. What is the goal of these other windmills?

- The Blacksmith

  The small forge is the abode of a man tempered by his work and proud of it. The firelight makes his creations shine: tools for farming, for common use, and for artisans. There are no weapons, except an old sword hanging on the wall. What is the story behind it?

- The Inn (The Wind Strider)

  A modest inn stands along the road. The sign, creaking in the breeze, says “The Wind Strider.” Though rather small, it is warm and cozy. It’s quite rare for anyone to stop here: usually only one or two adventurers pass by looking for respite. Recently, though, a large group slept here—they looked like acolytes on a pilgrimage. Who were they? Why did they stop here of all places?

- The Temple

  Near the end of a forgotten track, at the highest spot in Breezeburg, there is a small, old temple, covered in moss. It has long-since been abandoned, yet a feeble heart pulses inside. If a Player Character gets close, a gentle, whisper-like breeze blows. Arcanists, Chimerists, Invokers, and Spiritists are the best suited to interact. Who lives in this temple? Why was it abandoned?

## II. WHISPERING MANOR

The mansion house belonging to Breezeburg’s only noble family is the most ancient building in the entire hamlet. According to the villagers, Whispering Manor has existed since the settlement’s foundation.

This large structure has three floors, rather distinctive sloping roofs, and a visible large balcony overlooking all of Breezeburg. But the most curious element is the great windmill on the roof, whose blades never move.

### Miscellaneous Note

The World Chapter Summary

# THE WORLD

CHAPTER SUMMARY

## Demetria

- Description: Demetria is the young daughter of the last laird of Breezeburg. She is secretly a minor Villain.
- Background: Following her father's death, she secluded herself in the manor. The villagers treat her with suspicion and spread rumors, though they do not bear ill toward her directly.
- Interaction: If the PCs meet her, Demetria is grumpy but not overtly hostile. She avoids discussing her decision and asks them to leave the manor, only using violence if absolutely necessary.

### Dark Secrets of Breezeburg

A long time ago, Demetria’s family captured Zephyr, the spirit of air, to gain the wind's favor for founding their hamlet. Demetria is deeply ashamed but rationalizes Zephyr’s captivity as a necessary evil for the community.

She feels undeserving of love from the villagers and overlooks that the spirits themselves have nurtured resentment over centuries. This accumulated power means they are poised to wipe the entire hamlet out.

## A Missing Friend

Mya, a child of the hamlet, has lost her cat, Ruby. Their usual play area was near the edge of the forest, and Mya is understandably afraid that Ruby got lost.

### Characters Involved

- Ruby: A young, snow-furred, and strangely silent cat that Mya found during spring. They instantly became inseparable, leading Mya to adopt and care for the cat, despite local suspicion toward stray animals.
- Fang: A massive feline beast living in the woods near Breezeburg. Although the inhabitants usually prefer peaceful interactions with local wildlife, Fang has recently become extremely irritable. He bears his name from a massive fang visible on the left side of his jaw. Fang is highly skilled, capable of inflicting 'slow' status effects with powerful claws and summoning allies with a roar.

### The Reunion (Plot Synopsis)

Fang is shown to be a loving father who lost his cherished cub during the last harsh winter. It is revealed that Ruby is actually the child of this powerful feline, reborn as a cait sith. In the forest heart, the heroes may witness a tender reunion between father and daughter.

If the group tries to retrieve Ruby, Fang will offer no mercy. The outcome depends heavily on the Player Characters' decisions and potentially on Ruby’s own intervention. Key questions arise: Does she remember her previous life? Can any PC (possibly a Chimerist) communicate with her? How will Mya react to this tense situation?

> “This isn’t a land of warriors and conquerors. We breathe the wind and live in harmony and with patience, following the old tradition.”

Source Material Note: ()

The Haunted Isle of Candle Bay

# The Haunted Isle

## Candle Bay

A haunted isle of steep inlets and rocky cliffs, Candle Bay is home to countless mysteries and legends. The island owes its name to flocks of ominous will-o-wisps that light up its nights, creating a somber and enigmatic atmosphere. Strange rumours abound of this grim and equally fascinating landscape, but even an unsettling children’s tale can conceal glimmers of truth...

## Candle Bay At A Glance

Keywords: ghosts, isolation, transgression.

- Terrain: thic*kets*, tombstones, reefs. Common elements: BID
- Travel Roll: d10. Rare elements: AL

Elements of the Island

- Dangers: A wrathful ghost that can’t find a way back, or a small abandoned temple infested with trickster spirits.
- Discoveries: A good luck charm, an ancient holy place, or a remote well that allows communication with the dead – for a price.

Themes

- Disturbed balance, respect for the past, and exploitation of resources.

## THE HAUNTED ISLAND

(A repeated or decorative title element)

### Visitor Information

Candle Bay (The Haunted Isle)

Haunted Island Lore

# The World: Haunted Islands

## Typical Features

The typical Haunted Island should include at least one of these features:

- An ancient cemetery or ruin haunted by ghosts.
- A small port or other settlement facing some sort of struggle.
- A cruel specter, whose name appears in many horror stories.
- A direct link with the stream of souls.

## Position

A Haunted Island might be part of the setting from the start, perhaps as a mystery and/or threat, or the group might land on its shores because of a danger or as a result of a Surrender. It’s usually the stage for an interlude or intermission, and as such can be used at any point in the campaign. More rarely, it could be the heroes’ final destination, especially if a powerful, corrupt creature made it their lair.

## The Villains’ Plans

In many cases, a location like Candle Bay acts as a subplot in and of itself and has its own local Villain (probably a minor Villain), although in some campaigns it might assume a more central role. An antagonist might attempt to harvest the energy of the restless spirits, or could even be a ghost themselves; or a terrible demon or monster might consume the dark energies of the island to enact a metamorphosis and reach their full potential.

## Possible Questions for the Group

- Colored lights brighten the sky over the bay during “the night of lamentation”. What characterizes this event?
- Since time immemorial, a majestic arc has dominated the great hill. Why was it built? What are the rumors about it?
- It looks like the bay is the home of a creature that can grant wishes. What is their true nature? What is the price of such a miracle?
- They say the island stands at a crossroad between the world of the living and the world of the dead. What is its nature? Who would you like to see once again?
- The spirit of a famous character of the past manifests on certain nights. Who are they? What do they have in common with one of you?

Story Hooks - Candle Bay

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Candle Bay into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## $ MINING VILLAGE

Rich in copper veins, but inexplicably abandoned, the island has become the destination for miners from all over the region.

- The dock. The bay’s cramped inlet presents the only possible dock for boats and small ships. During the night, however, the ground shakes and restless ghosts pour across the streets, imploring the miners to leave the island.
- The dig site. The miners’ countenances, marked by constant toil, betray their growing concerns, but Baron Darius (minor Villain) feverishly pushes them to keep mining copper. What does he crave (or fear) even more than the ghosts? Who among the miners is a familiar face for the PCs?
- The Baron. Descended from a local noble family, Darius the Boastful craves fame and power. Driven by a desire to emulate the deeds of his ancestors (or fearing to let his lineage down), he strong-armed the population into working without pause, challenging and defeating the specter haunting Candle Bay.
- The Centipede. Made sluggish by the magical purifying properties of copper veins present in the rock, a gigantic monster with almost impenetrable hide has slept under the island for centuries. When challenged, it unleashes seismic magic; its carapace regenerates each round and it can also separate parts of its body, which act autonomously in the form of soldier-rank enemies.

## THE SEVEN-TAILS’ FOREST

At the top of the hill, an ancient cemetery hosts the souls of the departed. At its center stands a great cherry tree, apparently weak and dying. A dark aura seeps from the earth and small will-o-wisps dance among the tombs, under the light of distant stars.

- Natsuki. In ancient times, the fox-demon Natsuki haunted the island. Attempts at fighting them all proved futile, until they fell in love with the young Soh and swore never to harm another human as long as he remained at their side. Determined to save his people, Soh bravely accepted this bond – his spirit still roams the forest, now only a pale blue flame. Did he regret his decision?

The World - Chapter Guide

# THE WORLD

## The Cemetery

Other spirits haunt the weathered tombstones. None remember who they were in life, and the inscriptions are almost unreadable. The Player Characters (PCs) may spend some time deciphering them and discover a secret:

- The people of the island built it as a ritual site which sends a portion of the departed’s spiritual energy to Soh’s soul, ensuring he continues in his duty even after death. However, the young man’s spirit is growing weaker. The party must investigate why.

## The Awakening

This section describes a critical plot development concerning Soh and Natsuki.

- Condition: If the bond between Soh and Natsuki is broken, the demon returns to torment the bay.
- Game Mechanic: The Game Master must create an “Awakening of the Seven-Tails” Clock with 8 sections. One section fills at the end of each scene or round during conflict with Natsuki.
- Escalation: Each section except the last represents the demon growing a new tail. Once the Clock is full, Natsuki becomes a major Villain.

### Combat Details (Natsuki)

- Offensive Ability: Natsuki can charm their enemies, inflicting Dazed and Weak status effects. Affected characters deal half damage to the demon.
- Vulnerability & Resistance: Vulnerable to air and light damage; Resistant to earth and lightning; can Absorb dark.

## Diana, the Ghost of the Reef

The Player Characters find a bottle abandoned on the beach containing a love letter. The addressee appears soon: Diana tells the heroes her story and asks for their help to reach a nearby atoll.

### Encounter Scenarios

- Stormy Sea (Diana & Talassia): For getting too close to the human world, the nymph Talassia was imprisoned inside the coral reef—this is how Diana eventually met her. She promised to visit daily, but an unexpected storm took the life of the young woman, leaving her stuck in the bay as a ghost, unable to fulfill her promise. How can the heroes help reunite them?
- The Sea Nymph (Talassia): A member of the sea people, Talassia has lived in the bay since time immemorial, but ancient and strict laws forbid the nymphs from interacting with surface dwellers, under penalty of being sent straight back to the stream of souls.
- A Happy Ending? (Reunion): Eventually, lacking any news of Diana, Talassia tried to contact her with a message in a bottle. If they are reunited, Talassia leaves the sea, stepping onto land and returning to the stream of souls together with her dearest Diana. The PCs can witness their last smiles... or perhaps the first of many.
- Player Choice: The characters may add a special Bond to the two lovers (this does not count towards the normal limit of six).

> "The waters of the bay show the reflection of two worlds; so close, yet so far apart. Reality doesn’t care if they are benevolent or malevolent. They will return."

Cerulean Jungle Lore Document

# CERULEAN JUNGLE AT A GLANCE

*(Context: The Eternal Forest)*

## Overview and Description

This enchanted place, characterized by the majesty of the jungle, is a realm where nature reigns supreme. It expresses a harmonious and unpredictable complexity that often challenges human understanding.

### The Ecosystem

Majestic trees reach toward the sky amidst roaring waterfalls. The jungle supports an extremely diverse fauna, including remnants of primeval epochs. Here, fairy spirits and arboreal creatures dance perpetually to the rhythm of the four seasons.

## Key Lore Details

Keywords: magic, nature, hidden truths.
Terrain Elements: water, moss roots. Common elements: I, E, T
Travel Rolls: d12. Rare elements: A, F, B

## Challenges and Discoveries

### ⚠️ Dangers

- A territorial creature protecting its nest.
- A thick jungle of carnivorous plants.
- Turbulent streams leading to a hazardous waterfall.

### ✨ Potential Discoveries

Travelers may encounter:

- An ancestral ruin overgrown by nature.
- The favorable intervention of fairies.
- An ancient creature believed to be extinct.

## Themes

The jungle embodies several powerful themes:

- The Majesty of the Jungle: Nature's overwhelming power.
- Feeling Small Compared to Nature: The scale difference between civilization and wilderness.
- Time Eventually Covers All: The inevitable cycle of decay and renewal.

The Eternal Forest - World Guide

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER 9: TYPICAL FEATURES

The typical Eternal Forest should include at least one of these features:

- Crystal-clear rivers forming majestic waterfalls.
- The remains of ancient paths, barely usable.
- Tunnels leading to enigmatic underground structures.
- A legendary animal of great wisdom.

## POSITION

Usually, the Eternal Forest occupies most of the map of the known lands: all who travel the continent have to cross it or sail its rivers. The Player Characters are likely to spend a lot of time in the shadow of its trees, exploring many different areas and stumbling upon dangers and discoveries that will change and evolve the forest over the course of the campaign. Who knows… maybe one day they might even reach those secrets hidden far below its roots!

## THE VILLAINS’ PLANS

The sheer size of the Eternal Forest makes it an ideal hideout for a Villain, who might also take advantage of it and ambush the heroes. Also, some antagonists will be interested in the treasures and the miraculous machines hidden in the depths of the forest – some out of greed, and some hoping to wield their powers for good, unaware of their collateral effects.

## POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP

- Navigating and surviving seem impossible, but the forest people live in complete symbiosis with nature. What is their secret?
- The locals don’t trust strangers. What do they fear? How can you gain acceptance from them?
- This place hosts a species considered extinct. What kind of creatures are they? What makes them special?
- A plant with miraculous properties grows only here. What are these properties? Who is looking for it, and why?
- Among the overgrown trees and shrubs, you find the remains of a mysterious creature. Is it possible that their kin are still alive?

Story Hooks: The Court of Seasons

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Cerulean Jungle into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## THE COURT OF SEASONS

A colossal tree rises at the foot of a majestic waterfall. Its trunk splits into four sections, each with different colored leaves, matching the season that rules it.

### The Spring Court

Denizens: The Sylphs (wind fairies). They are graceful and kind, always celebrating in a joyous atmosphere thanks to brightly colored flowers and reeds, and bright green leaves. Temperament: Lively and cheerful; the queen spreads joy wherever she goes and loves to watch court games.

Encounter Goal: Participate in the court games.
Reward: The PCs are rewarded with the Rebirth Leaf, a rare accessory that increases all healing received by 5.

### The Summer Court

Denizens: The fire Salamanders. They are famous for their exuberant and mischievous temperament, with a main color of red. Environment: A sweltering breeze makes this area extremely hot and causes the tree’s fruits to mature very quickly.

Encounter Goal: Take a rest in the hot springs.
Reward: The PCs can enjoy the hot springs, granting Resistance to fire damage until the end of the next conflict.

### The Autumn Court

Denizens: The earth Dryads. Characterized by yellow color, they are mild-mannered, calm, generous, but very shy. They feel the deepest connection with the tree.

Encounter Goal: Help them prepare for a winter that never comes.
Reward: The queen is mellow and agreeable, rewarding help with a set of Gnarled Armor, which Absorbs earth damage but makes the wearer Vulnerable to fire.

### The Winter Court

Denizens: The ice Undines. They are blue-colored, haughty, contemptuous, bold, prideful, and easy to offend. Environment: A chilling wind makes this area positively frigid; everything is covered in white snow, and the branches are withered.

Encounter Goal: Demonstrate that they meet the court’s high standards.
Reward: If successful, they receive the Tiara of Tears, a rare accessory that increases the wearer’s Willpower die by one size.

Echoing Ruins and Encounters

# THE WORLD - ECHOING RUINS

## The Ruins

The remains of ancient machines emerge from the undergrowth alongside the metal fuselage of a huge airship, now crushed by tree roots. The only creatures that live in these forgotten ruins are constructs, intent on an endless cycle of repairs.

### Key Discoveries and Mysteries

- Echoing Ruins: Ancient technology is preserved here. Deciphering the old logs and restarting the main console, the PCs discover that this technology is not from the known world. Which epoch does it come from?
- Lost Technology: Strange weapons and tools of unknown function lay under the dust inside the fuselage. The PCs might find rare pieces of equipment, recharge their Inventory Points, or decipher an ancient and forgotten alphabet. What kind of tools do they find? What were they designed for? How do they function?
- Cold Fusion: The belly of the ship hides an artifact that can generate infinite energy. The device now exists symbiotically with the last of the lumenflies, an ancient species of giant firefly considered extinct. The artifact’s heat is necessary for the eggs to hatch, but someone wants to use its power to fight a decisive battle. Who are they? Is it possible to find a compromise?

## PROTECTION WANTED

The heroes stumble upon a caravan of traveling merchants. They are not familiar with this region and they aren’t confident to continue without an escort.

### Imperatrix

This creature has ruled the skies of the Cerulean Jungle since time immemorial. Despite her fierce appearance, she prefers to nest up in the mountains and has never attacked the denizens of the forest... until now.

- Abilities: She boasts a terrifying dive attack that holds down the target until the end of the round, dealing damage and inflicting slow, but she can also breathe searing flames.
- Crisis Form: When in Crisis, she can hit up to two targets during a dive and inflict poisoned with her tail sting.
- Vulnerabilities/Resistances: She is Vulnerable to ice and bolt damage, but Immune to fire and poison.

### Something Unsaid

In a cage on the central cart is the Imperatrix’s offspring, which the merchants stole from the nest. Only the inestimable value of such a creature pushed them to take such a risk.

The Conflict: If the PCs discover the truth, the merchants try to buy their silence. If someone returns her lost hatchling, the mother returns to the mountains without causing further damage to the forest. What will the PCs do?

> “Respect nature and it will respect you. Trample even a single flower and it will take back what was stolen from it. Everything has a place in this ecosystem!”

The Eerie Village: Darkdepth

# The Eerie Village

## Darkdepth

Ancient legends tell of the strange village hidden in the darkest and humid depths of the great forest, inhabited by mysterious, inhuman creatures who appear as silent shadows when a traveler is in mortal danger, only to promptly drag their body into the murky depths of the undergrowth. This putrid and rotten place does not belong to the living, and no one returns from it.

### Darkdepth at a Glance

Keywords: hideout, quiet, transformation.

## Structural Elements

Terrain: bark, mud, moss. Common elements: E, D, T

Travel roll: d10. Rare elements: A, L

## Features and Concepts

### Dangers

- A corpse-eating monster defending its territory
- Clouds of choking spores
- A giant corrosive slime

### Discoveries

- A fungus with exceedingly rare properties
- A precious item left by a traveler
- A wellspring of pure water

### Themes

- Unusual customs
- New life born from death
- Coexisting with what we don’t fully understand

## Customer Inquiry

The World - Chapter Features

# The World

## Chapter 9: Typical Features of an Eerie Village

The typical Eerie Village should include at least one of these features:

- An ecological or spiritual role that scares or disgusts humans.
- A completely unique population.
- A natural or magical resource not found elsewhere.
- A protector figure with an inscrutable or difficult personality.

## Chapter 9: Location & Positioning

Locations like Darkdepth may appear as a discovery during a journey or be introduced with a Fabula Point, but more often they are a turning point of the campaign—an allegory of the main themes of the story that the group can engage with and even directly talk to.

For example, Darkdepth is linked to the fear of death and the instinctive repulsion for decay and rotting, in spite of the fact that these processes are inevitable and essential to creating new life.

## Chapter 9: The Villains’ Plans

Some Villains might see the Eerie Village as a precious source of power. Others might plan to destroy it to wipe out its influence over the environment—ignoring or underestimating the consequences of such an act. From this point of view, the Eerie Village symbolizes the need to learn why we have to protect what we don’t understand and, sometimes, even what scares us.

### Possible Questions for the Group:

- Which one of you has already explored these woods? Have you ever met or noticed the sinister presence of the legend?
- When these forests were still young, an unknown population lived here. Which one of you has heard of them or stumbled upon the ruins of their civilization?
- In the past, someone you knew got lost in these woods. Did they ever return? If yes, how did the experience change them?
- Who decided to make the forest paths secure once and for all? How? What danger are they underestimating?
- What dangerous creature roams in the muddy undergrowth?
- Who is offering to guide you through the forest?

### Summary Section: Darkdepth

(Note: The raw text suggests this section was repeated or contained supplementary material related to " ()")

Story Hooks: Darkdepth

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Darkdepth into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## Saprobes' Village

From outside, Darkdepth looks like the ruins of an ancient village, plunged in a murky hollow in the undergrowth. Some buildings are still visible in the dim light, their walls covered in mold and roofs swelling from spores and mucilage.

Key Story Elements:

- Far from the surface. Reaching Darkdepth isn’t easy: one must wade through the dense mud of the forest to a maze of underground caves, or follow the roots of centuries-old trees until light fades and air becomes suffocating. (Intrigue Questions: Who or what is going to guide the PCs to the village? What are their intentions?)
- The saprobes. The villagers are silent creatures who communicate using subtle movements and often remain immobile, as if they’re listening. They are vaguely humanoid in shape, but their decaying fungal bodies are all different. Many wear jewels created by stringing together the most disparate items; bone, wood, glass and ceramic are the most common, but some saprobes add metal pins and earrings to their gill caps. (Intrigue Questions: Which of the PCs recognizes a familiar symbol or item? Why does this disturb them?)
- Leto. Tall and thin, Leto distinguishes himself from the other saprobes with his interest in humans. He collects and preserves a great number of books and notes, going so far as to learn the basics of some languages and dialects. The PCs’ arrival excites and worries him at the same time: he’s willing to explain the nature and origin of saprobes, but he wants to know more about the surface world in exchange. He also asks the group not to reveal the location of Darkdepth to nearby villages, because he “learned from his books that humanity isn’t patient or sympathetic”. (Intrigue Questions: What is the saprobe's role? Why do they appear when someone’s life is in danger? What answers are hidden among Leto’s dusty tomes? What happened to the original inhabitants of Darkdepth?)
- Bargain Alley. The long hollow of a fallen tree has become a gathering place for saprobes, who come here to trade items of every sort – those found upon the corpses brought to Darkdepth. Some are really ancient, others extremely new. Saprobes don’t use money and are outraged if someone asks to buy some of the jewelry they adorn themselves with. (Intrigue Questions: Why is that? What kind of link do they have with the items they choose to wear?)

Transaction Note: ()
The World - Chapter Extracts
41

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER: The Depths of the Great Tree

Following a group of saprobes carrying a corpse to Darkdepths, the PCs venture among the giant roots of a titanic tree, completely covered with fungi. Its trunk, surrounded by glowing spores, merges with the cave’s ceiling and the surface ground.

- Marshille: Sitting among the depths of the roots is a giant woman with harsh, sharp features. She wears a cobweb tunic and a large fungal cap. Her pale fingers end in extremely long nails, with which she traces occult symbols in the air with fine precision. The giantess speaks many languages and introduces herself as “guest and sister” of the saprobes. Is she a descendant of the people that lived here in the past?
- Life in Death: Marshille has no problem explaining her role in Darkdepth: every creature that dies in the area is brought to her, so that her magic might breathe new life into the tree and the entire forest, not to mention the saprobes themselves. How do the PCs react to this revelation? Do they think that it is legitimate to deny the mourning families a final farewell for the good of the forest, considering those same families draw sustenance from its fruits?

## CHAPTER: The Drake Expedition

Seraphina Drake, a young and enterprising magician from the Central Academy, is organizing an expedition to locate Darkdepth and research the mysterious power that, according to her, controls life and death in the entire forest. She is offering a generous salary to those who escort her and ensure her safety.

- Mercenaries: Anxious for results, Seraphina hired some ex-military. Which of the PCs has dealt with them in the past? What burning defeat still torments these soldiers? Who is their leader and how long do they actually plan on following the magician’s orders?
- Henrietta Drake: Seraphina’s younger sister accompanies the expedition and handles logistics and upkeep, but she is concerned about her sister’s impatience and the mercenaries’ methods. Her blood ties with Seraphina make her an ideal hostage.
- Temptation: After reaching Darkdepth and discovering its ties with the life of the forest, the expedition breaks apart: Henrietta and the mercenaries have very different priorities and this will no doubt lead to a Villain emerging (maybe two, depending on the circumstances). Which side, if any, do the PCs take? Do the villagers have any chance to fight back? How will the forest react to this threat?

> “We do not feel joy in delivering your corpses to the roots of this old tree, but we do so with pride and respect, yes.”

Eisenstadt - City Guide

# Eisenstadt

## Overview

The great city of Eisenstadt rises magnificently among the hills, in stark contrast with the surrounding countryside, which has been progressively abandoned over the last few years and is riddled with windworn megaliths, crumbled mounds and abandoned iron mines.

As the seat of both the Alchemists’ College and the Government Bureau, it’s for all intents and purposes the industrial, political and economic capital of the region, not to mention the destination of all who seek a Special Alchemist License.

## Eisenstadt at a Glance

Keywords: elitism, progress, urbanism.

### Key Elements

- Terrain: hills, bridges, streets.
- Common elements: B, F, E
- Travel roll: d6.
- Rare elements: A, I

### Challenges & Opportunities

- Dangers: night haunts emerging from the mounds, a pair of big time swindlers, the eternal rival of one of the PCs.
- Discoveries: a young traveling merchant, 20% discounts all over the city, exclusive tickets to a private soiree.

### Themes

Explore themes relating to frantic and ambitious life, cold logic, and the forgotten truths and customs of the past.

#### Information

The World - Chapter Summary

# THE WORLD

## Chapter 9: Typical Features

The typical Central City should include at least one of these features:

- A school or academy that explores new disciplines.
- An enterprising but arrogant middle class.
- Traces of a past culture that very few talk about.
- A merchant quarter, the true hub of all major trade routes.

## Chapter 9: Position

A location like Eisenstadt often represents a transformative moment in the campaign. Here, the protagonists might find incomplete answers to some questions, meet new allies, and, perhaps, buy some brand new equipment and a flying or seaworthy transport.

The Central City is also a great opportunity to introduce new threats and start the second half of the campaign.

## Chapter 9: The Villains’ Plans

Eisenstadt is the largest city in the region, distinguished by its high technological level, easy access to numerous resources, and an ambitious and individualistic society: fertile ground for a Villain. This kind of location tends to present strictly humanoid antagonists, such as greedy merchants, callous industrialists, and alchemists or inventors willing to accept daunting risks in the name of progress.

## Possible Questions for the Group

These questions are designed to prompt roleplaying encounters and build tension:

- Which one of you has been to Eisenstadt before, and why? Has it changed much compared to your memories?
- The city is large and noisy. Which one of you feels lost? Who has that enthusiastic shine in their eyes?
- What is the most melancholic thing you saw crossing the hills around the city? Which of you knows the story of the people who lived there?
- Which of your friends do you expect to meet here?
- Did one of you attend the Alchemists’ College? Did any of the scholars there leave an impression? Why?
- What can you buy in this place?

Story Hooks Documentation

# Story Hooks

When bringing Eisenstadt into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## Alchemy & The Alchemists’ College

One of the most impressive buildings in Eisenstadt, the College was built on ancient foundations, but it has been renovated many times over the years to integrate special pipes and remedy a few “accidents” caused by overzealous researchers.

- The Commission: Led by Dean Elsholtz, this is a mandatory path required for receiving a Special License and freely practicing alchemy. The Commission replaced the previous individual apprenticeship system with a curriculum aimed at industrial development, removing most of the philosophical and anthropological studies, especially any reference to forbidden alchemical techniques. (Question prompts: Who among the PCs thinks this was a reprehensible decision? Who deems it reasonable or understandable?)
- The Classrooms: Ten ample halls, designed for both theoretical and practical lessons, occupy the third and fourth floor of the College. (Question prompts: What is the most unusual subject taught here? Which of the professors shows some interest in the Player Characters? Are there any known faces?)
- Highflame Library: As emphasized by its bright blue crest, the College considers knowledge similar to fire, and its purest expression is an intense but controlled flame, which gave name to this colossal library. (Question prompts: What legendary tome is kept here? Who can give permission to read it and who wants to prevent it at all cost? And why?)
- The Kiln: The College’s underground level includes a network of boilers which provide energy to the entire complex, along with a series of passages and rooms connected to the sewers, containing more-or-less stable remnants of old experiments. (Question prompts: Who or what guards this area? Who has an interest in recovering something from this maze of dangerous junk?)
- Inner Quarter: Just as thick walls separate Eisenstadt from the countryside, towering fences isolate the merchant and middle-class quarters from the College district. This area contains specialized stores, luxury apartments for the Dean and professors, plus a club for licensed alchemists. Almost no students live in this district.

Note:
Investigative Dossier

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER B: THE CROMLECH

These megalithic complexes are characteristic of the hills around Eisenstadt, but a few can also be found inside the city in public and private parks. The hill folks worship them, while the city folks disregard them.

### Investigation Points:

- Weathered words. Time almost completely wiped out the engravings on the megaliths, hiding their true meaning from scholars. However, rumor has it a miraculously intact stele can be found in the garden of Governor Bauer. Which of the PCs have studied these megaliths or encountered others like them? How can one visit the Governor’s estate?
- The pattern. Although only partial complexes have survived, the placement of the cromlech looks anything but random. According to local folklore, magical stones were used to commemorate the departed and honor the pact between humanity and fairy folk, not to mention ensuring the locals’ safety by keeping a dangerous nocturnal predator at bay. Who proposed conducting research on equal grounds with the local shepherds, but was mocked and ostracized? Which strange events seem to give them credit?

## THE HUNT FOR REDGLOVE ERIKA

The city watch captain has placed a 5000 zenit bounty on the head of the mysterious outlaw known as Redglove Erika, who is sabotaging kilns and alchemical factories across the region, recently striking at Eisenstadt itself.

### Investigation Points:

- Traces. Erika’s most recent attack was on an experimental boiler; as usual, the machinery was damaged beyond repair despite no one being harmed in the accident, and a scarlet-painted glove was found. What do the PCs think about it? Have any of them crossed paths with Erika in the past or suspect her true identity? What was the purpose of the experimental boiler, and what about it seems suspicious or questionable?
- Ashes. Erika (minor Villain) is a 60 year old alchemist, jaded and pessimistic, who considers the teachings of the College dangerously shallow and prefers to destroy the alchemical arts rather than letting a bunch of idiots (or worse, bureaucrats!) abuse them. In battle, she is flanked by spirits of air, fire, ice and earth, who make her immune to their respective elements and let her unleash elemental attacks that drain Mind Points and Inventory Points. Which of the PCs understands or approves of her actions? Is there anyone who might show her that people still respect alchemy in its true complexity, and rather than bury its darkest secrets would research them to better contrast their use?

“This morning we visited the Expo, boutique shopping in the afternoon, then a tour of the city walls and a night concert! Sleeping? Sleeping is for losers!”
The Golden City

# The Golden City

A vast city floating in the sky that escaped the unrelenting march of time – few know of its existence and even fewer how to reach it. Legend has it humans are the descendants of its mysterious inhabitants, keepers of lost secrets since the dawn of time. However, in the silent magnificence of this enchanted place lurks the gloom and sadness of an inhuman secret.

## Golden City At A Glance

Keywords: gloom, astonishment, emptiness.

### Key Attributes

- Terrain: buildings, gardens, stone
- Common elements: A, B, F
- Travel roll: d12. Rare elements: E, T
- Dangers: an illusory trap that locks the travelers in an endless mirage; the dormant security system that protects the city.
- Discoveries: an unknown artifact from a lost civilization, an ancient and forgotten technology, a primordial being and keeper of all lore.
- Themes: the wonders of the ancients, the creation outlasting the creators, the hidden rules of the world, the loneliness of immortals.

### The Remote Ruin

A secondary location/concept associated with the main city's mystery.

Document Reference: Golden City ()

Metadata Source: Inquiry

The World: Remote Ruins Guide

# THE WORLD

## Chapter Guide

Remote Ruins Gazetteer Entry

### TYPICAL FEATURES

The typical Remote Ruin should include at least one of these features:

- A unique defensive or cloaking system.
- An unbelievably ancient creature that protects part of the location.
- Great mosaics or paintings depicting the history of the world.
- An artifact that should have never been unearthed.

### POSITION

A Remote Ruin is a classic turning point – inaccessible to the protagonists for a good chunk of the story. Reaching it means finding a new perspective upon the world… and discovering its most ancient shadows.

This is rarely the end point of the adventure; on the contrary, this is where the protagonists fully realize the magnitude of their task, but they might come back here once they find a solution.

### THE VILLAINS’ PLANS

Usually, the Remote Ruin and its amazing secrets are the main objectives of one or more Villains from the beginning of the campaign. This could be the lair of some ancient evil, but it’s also possible that the entity living here is just gloomy and in pain, easy prey for the Villain’s deceptions.

If such a creature realizes that they have been used again, rage and desperation might turn them into a terrible scourge. Only the Player Characters can find a way to save the creature and the world.

### POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP

- What allows this place to float among the clouds? Why did time never touch the remains of this ancient civilization?
- A keeper ensures that none squander the secrets of the ancients by wasting them on deaf ears. Who are they? How do they fulfill their duty?
- This place reawakens some lost memories in you. Which one of you has been here before? If this was once your home, why did you leave?
- Strangers are forbidden to enter the city. How did you get in here? What is the penalty for trespassers?
- A deep sense of emptiness and gloom hangs in the air. What caused it? How do the inhabitants cope with it?

Story Hooks: Golden City

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Golden City into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## The Celestial Gardens

These magnificent vertical gardens climb up into the sky. Vibrant and gargantuan flowers of unusual colors, meandering vines, and other plants with incomprehensible genetics embellish streets and walls, but hidden within are the sad truths of a lost civilization. There isn’t even a drop of water. What is the secret of these plants’ vitality? Why does flora look so different in this place?

- ### The Unliving

  These mannequin-like creatures have been deprived of humanity. With pale and expressionless features, they aimlessly wander through streets and alleyways. Who are these creatures? For what purpose were they created?

- ### A Cruel Experiment

  Forced to wander eternally, a hybrid similar to a shapeless chimera slowly walks every path of the gardens. They have no defined shape, looking more like a heterogeneous mass of animal limbs. Their eyes look almost human and show sadness and resignation. If the PCs try to speak to them, a human head and torso rise from beneath the skin. The hybrid isn’t evil and fights only in self-defense (their attacks are unpredictable and their Affinities change every turn). What is the true nature of this experiment? Which animals made up their amorphous body?

- ### A Harsh Reality

  Paintings and frescoes decorate the gardens’ inner walls. Studying them for a while, Player Characters may discover a terrible truth about this experimental greenhouse: it was the theater of macabre and obsessive experimentation. Here, a now forgotten culture manipulated life itself and molded nature and humanity according to a very detailed plan. Who were they? What was their ultimate goal, and what interrupted their plan? Which of campaign’s main antagonists made such an obsession their own, to the point of trying to complete the work of these merciless visionaries?

## Not All That Glitters Is Gold

The glow of the Golden City shines beyond the clouds. Thousands of luminous particles shimmer among the ruins, residuum of the essences that have returned to the stream of souls. And yet, the heart of the city is grim and dark. The secret of its civilization must remain buried and no living being should ever set foot in the Golden City.

Lore Document Excerpt

# The World

## Chapter Synopsis

### Cradle of Life

The Golden City is where souls are purified and reprogrammed for their next birth according to a precise scheme. Instead of following the spontaneous chaos of nature, they are cleansed of all memories and forced to reincarnate according to the designs of an ancient entity, descendant of a forgotten people.

- Key Questions: Who were they? What caused their disappearance? Why did they manipulate the stream of souls to the point of replacing it?

## Entities & Conflicts

### Deus Ex (The Supreme Villain)

- Description: The heir to the will of the ancients appears as a colossal bronze statue—a humanoid angel with two feathered right wings, a female body, and a crying face in place of the left arm. Its true essence is sealed in its head, protected by a helmet that monitors all the city’s functions.
- Abilities/Threat: It has been draining the spirits of any intruders and turning them into pale shadows.
  - It is Immune to physical damage and alternates between Vulnerability and Absorption to light and dark each round, unleashing attacks based upon the Absorbed element and inflicting random status effects.
  - It controls the mechanical sentries of the entire Golden City and can spend Ultima Points to summon them.
- Narrative Hook: In reality, its spirit silently mourns its millennia-old separation from the stream of souls—can the Player Characters help them reunite with it, and how?

### Castaways of the Sky

- The Setup: Will and Orvy, two reckless aviators, lose control of their aerostat and crash among the ruins while escaping a deadly spirit. In helping them, the PCs become embroiled in a violent conflict.
- Necroptes (The Spirit): A ravenous winged spirit that can smell death and knows no remorse.
  - Tactics: Casts fire and air spells. Although fragile, it can strike down enemies in Crisis with its terrible Death spell, which reduces victims’ Hit Points to 0 if they were a multiple of 5.
  - Resistances/Weaknesses: Vulnerable to cold and light damage; Immune to earth and Absorbs dark.
- Conflict Resolution Points:
  - Collateral Damage: If the Necroptes isn’t defeated within 4 rounds of conflict, the aerostat becomes unusable due to collateral damage.
  - Rest in Peace: After the end of the conflict, Will and Orvy explain they are fulfilling their father’s last request: scattering his ashes from the highest point in the sky. If the aerostat is still serviceable, they take off; otherwise, can the PCs figure out an alternative solution?

> “This is where it all began – maybe for fun, boredom or desperation.
> The memory is lost, the truth ignored, and the answers denied.”

Lowtide: The Sunny Bay

# The Sunny Bay

## Lowtide

Overlooking the clear waters of a vast sea, Lowtide is a nostalgic place—a glimpse of life on the coast of an uncontaminated island. The crystalline waters and white sand paint the landscape with romantic hues. During half-moon nights, the waters withdraw, revealing secrets hidden beneath the waves that might surprise even the most well-traveled adventurers.

### LOWTIDE AT A GLANCE

Keywords
  curiosity, memories, rest.
Terrain
  sea, rocks, sand. Common elements: A, B, L
Travel Roll
  d8. Rare elements: I, D

#### Key Features

Dangers: | An unusually aggressive sea predator, sudden and dangerous marine currents of unknown origin.
Discoveries: | An ancient underwater temple spoken of in many myths and legends; the buried treasure of a famous pirate captain.
Themes: | Time spent together, childhood memories, dreams of adventure, mysterious horizons.

The World - Chapter 9

# CHAPTER 9: TYPICAL FEATURES

The typical Sunny Bay should include at least one of these features:

- A hidden beach, quite romantic, too.
- An underwater cave where mysterious plants grow.
- A cliff with an old lighthouse.
- A dangerous island that can be reached only under special conditions.

## POSITION

Locations like the Sunny Bay are often used at the start of the adventure. It might be a place where the people of the protagonists’ village gather and celebrate, or the stage for the first scenes of the campaign, perhaps during a test of courage when something goes horribly wrong, causing the PCs to work together for the first time.

## THE VILLAIN'S PLANS

Usually, a place such as Lowtide is of no consequence to the Villains, but it might provide the perfect opportunity to meet with an accomplice or kidnap some isolated and unaware individual. Over the course of the campaign, a Villain might land here or make the beach their lair, preventing the locals from entering, or turning it into a tourist trap, without any regard for the environment and the creatures that live here.

## POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP

- One of you was born on the island. What are your childhood memories? Why did you leave? What is your relationship with the locals?
- Once a year, on a special occasion, there is a traditional festival on the island. What is its meaning? What does it pay homage to?
- What does the low tide reveal at night? Why does this phenomenon happen only with the half-moon?
- What other kinds of creatures live on the island? What distinguishes their abodes? What kind of relationship do they have with humans?
- An ancient building lies undisturbed among the vegetation. What kind of structure is it? What was its function?

[Document Reference: Page 51] | [ ]
Story Hooks - Lore Document

52

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Lowtide into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## THE LIGHTHOUSE ON THE CLIFF

At the top of a cliff overlooking the sea, hidden by thick vegetation, is an old disused lighthouse—a picturesque and oft-forgotten sight.

Crab cave.

A partially submerged cave leads directly into the cliff. Giant crabs with strange carvings on their carapaces have taken refuge from the currents here. They aren’t aggressive, but react if someone attacks or gets too close. What is the meaning of those carvings? Has one of the PCs ever seen something similar?

The lighthouse.

This ancient building rises atop the cliff. Completely covered in creeping vines, it lies forgotten in this remote part of the promontory. It dates back to ancient times—perhaps it was built by the ancestors of the bay’s current residents. The lantern found at the top is decorated with strange paintings and frescoes, depicting a flaming bird. Who built the lighthouse? What was its original purpose?

Golden egg.

Resting on the old lantern’s base, this object is craved by researchers and smugglers. Nobody knows who the real owner is, nor how it came to be here, and none has been brave enough to move it. Gathering enough evidence, the Player Characters may discover that the tower was the nest of an ancient creature who used the lantern’s light as a waypoint to return home, but that fire has been out for a long time. What kind of egg is it? Where is the mother?

Curlybeard, the self-proclaimed Pirate King.

While inside the lantern room, an old sea dog looking for the egg (see above) attacks the PCs. He fights with an old pistol and a rusty cutlass, which can inflict weak. When he enters Crisis, the pirate grabs the egg and attempts to escape (a 4 section Clock, with one section automatically filled at the end of each round). As the singed beard might suggest, the pirate is Vulnerable to fire damage, but Resistant to ice and air. During the fight, the PCs feel the earth shake and the cries of a strange creature getting closer each round—perhaps the mother is coming back to protect the egg? If so, would she unleash her fury only upon Curlybeard? Or the protagonists as well?

The Coral Forest & Beyond

# The Coral Forest

At low tide, a thick coral forest emerges from the sea, painting the atmosphere with bright hues.

## Locations within the Labyrinth

- The coral labyrinth. It’s easy to get lost in this living maze. Finding the exit requires filling an 8 section Clock. Each time they fail, the PCs bump into an unwelcome snag, such as a shoal of marine creatures, sharp poisonous corals or they feel a terrible sense of disorientation (dazed status effect).
- The flooded temple. At the heart of the labyrinth lies an ancient ruin and in its main chamber, inaccessible to humans, is the ancient Horn of Tides. Built by an amphibious people that lived on the coast, the temple is now the lair of a giant moray eel. She isn’t aggressive, but values quiet, so she vehemently urges the PCs to face the Trial of Currents (see below) to recover the artifact… omitting a few details.
- The Trial. At the mercy of thundering currents, the heroes feel bitter memories emerging, but of what kind? Each Player Character that manages to explain how one of their Bonds would have helped on that occasion will slowly be cradled by currents, and led before the Horn. What kind of power does this artifact give?

## The Damaged Boat

Stranded on the coast, the unlucky fisherman Orus needs materials protected by dangerous plant creatures to fix his badly damaged boat.

### Potential Encounters

- Wood Guardians. If the PCs try to establish contact with the protectors of the forest, they are brought before the sacred tree, a millennia-old magnolia always in bloom. All living creatures in the area protect and worship it, grateful for its gifts. What can be discovered by communicating with the magnolia? What compromise does it offer?
- Violence is not the way. If the PCs try to use force to get wood for the fisherman, or if they try to get rid of the forest creatures, the voice of the sacred tree echoes in their mind, ordering them to stop. What punishment awaits them if they don’t comply?
- The fisherman’s gratitude. If the group returns empty handed, Orus understands the need to respect the local laws and thanks the PCs for their help, showing them the location of a mysterious island that doesn’t appear on any map. If they get the wood, he offers to take them to the island with his own boat. What kind of island is it? Which of the PCs has heard of it? What does it hide?

> “Whether it’s an object, a thought or a feeling, cast it in the sea. The waters will keep your secret.”

The Barren Wastes

# The Barren Wastes

A semi-arid, enigmatic expanse

Beyond the borders of known lands lies a barren waste, an arid desert. Under its reddish sands lie buried the remains of many failed attempts at surpassing humanity’s limits. However, this inhospitable territory isn’t completely devoid of life, and over the years, the local people have adapted to adversity, learning to survive and find beauty in this hostile and enigmatic land.

## Rocky Desert at a Glance

Keywords: ruin, survival, hope.

### Key Features

- Terrain: canyons, caves, dunes. Common elements: A, F, E
- Travel Roll: d20. Rare elements: I
- Dangers: a forgotten and extremely unstable alchemical experiment; a gargantuan sand scorpion; a sudden ambush by the desert raiders.
- Discoveries: a random encounter with an ascetic who knows the secrets of the desert; a safe refuge; a precious mineral sedimented over many centuries.

### Themes

The irreparable consequences of human arrogance, beautiful and merciless nature, finding strength in each other.

## THE BARREN WASTES

(Rocky Desert / Barren Waste)

The World - Barren Waste Lore

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER 9: TYPICAL FEATURES

The typical Barren Waste should include at least one of these features:

- A resourceful and ingenious nomad people.
- An unstable and dangerous elemental phenomenon.
- A roaming monstrous creature.
- The remains of an arrogant or unfortunate civilization.

## CHAPTER 9: POSITION

Often, the journey across the Barren Waste appears mid-adventure or in the second half, and represents a coming-of-age moment for the protagonists, as well as an occasion to consolidate their goals and friendship. By facing the desert and meeting those who have learned how to coexist with it, Player Characters learn to appreciate and respect even the cruelest and most inhospitable parts of their world—and how certain thresholds should never be crossed.

## CHAPTER 9: THE VILLAINS’ PLANS

Some Villains might use the Rocky Desert as their hideout or lair, or plan to use local resources, precious yet unstable, to the detriment of its people. A particularly ancient Villain might even remember when this was a prosperous land and become obsessed with mirages of past glory—or they might be a spirit born of the desperation of those who witnessed the catastrophe that made this territory arid and inhospitable.

### POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP

- An unusual phenomenon appears regularly in the desert. It’s known as “crimson rain,” but it’s not water. What is it?
- One of you knows the desert and how to navigate it. What’s your story? Do you have a contact that might help you cross it?
- Here and there, ruins of a lost civilization pierce the sand. Which people did they belong to? What is left of them?
- How did the desert people adapt to these arid lands? What threat makes it dangerous to cross the sands?
- An ancient alchemical project lays dormant under the sand. What is it? What was its purpose? Who is looking for it?

Story Hooks

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Rocky Desert into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## RUST SALT CANYON

An area of canyons filled with sharp rocks and salt crystals. Among sand and stone emerge grooves and metal remains of what seems to be a centuries-old railway, an attempt to connect settlements destroyed by the passing of time.

- Ancient railway. The ruins of this monumental endeavor have been almost completely dismantled and repurposed by the locals. In particular, its opaque metal is ideal to forge very robust tools and pieces of equipment.
- The desert people. Accustomed to the desert, the inhabitants have learned to appreciate what it has to offer and recognize beauty where others see only danger. They have a symbiotic relationship with the Rocksoarers, creatures unfit for hunting who instead feed upon the parasites found on desert whales, and also cultivate a variety of plants and shrubs unique to this region.
- A slice of paradise. If the locals consider them worthy of trust, the PCs are invited to witness a rare spectacle. In a specific location, under a sky of stars, they can hear the song of the desert whale, a majestic creature that lives under the sand, emerging only during the cold nights to draw breath. (Potential mystery: What is the relationship between the whales and the desert people? Why do they live only in a certain area?)
- The sea of sand. This endless waste is dangerous and impossible to cross on foot, but that doesn’t dissuade the desert people who, using swift, floating boats, constantly probe the sands looking for ancient relics. (Potential mystery: What are they really looking for? How do these vehicles work?)

## BURIED LABYRINTH

An obscure enigma is buried under the sand, in the heart of a maze of tunnels and underground roads. Narrow passages, theater to forgotten experiments, spread through the ground. Among flasks and alembics, enigmatic notes preserved in dusty diaries suggest the researchers were working on a device that could reverse the fortunes of the desert’s inhabitants.

Adventure Excerpt

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER

### The Condenser

This powerful artifact is the result of many years of secret experiments underground. It can extract all water contained in both organic and inorganic matter, making it dry and barren. The tank is inexplicably full. This device could be a game changer for the desert people, but nobody remembers how to use it. What are the PCs going to do? What are the potential consequences of using such a device?

- Failed experiment. The Condenser proved unstable and became a death sentence for the entire city. Stripped of all fluids, its inhabitants have been reduced to withered skeletons that slumber in undeath. They can survive without water and jealously guard their memories, especially those of their mistakes.
- The Nameless Queen. Once sovereign to the surface and first among alchemists, this minor Villain hides her mummified body under heavy, jeweled cloaks. Despite being an undead with murky memories, she still has a knack for the alchemical arts and can unleash devastating fire spells or summon servants of sand and bones, who explode when destroyed. If defeated, the Queen regains enough lucidity to answer a few questions before disintegrating.

## ❓ A RARE FLOWER

An old nomad from the village wishes to commemorate his late wife by planting the seed of an extraordinarily rare flower next to her tomb.

- Dalen. His weary body prevents him from traveling the desert alone, but his wisdom is without equal. Dalen is looking for the Snaplion, a flower that grows only in the heart of the Rocky Desert. It was his wife’s favorite, but those that blossomed next to her tomb have now withered. If the PCs agree to accompany him, they receive a +2 bonus to Open Checks to obtain information about the desert.
- Myrmidon. Similar to a giant antlion, this creature lays in ambush in a sandpit, luring prey with floral antennae. At the start of the conflict, Myrmidon inflicts slow on all enemies, then strikes with its powerful mandibles or the Guillotine spell (same as Omega; see Core Rulebook, page 193). It can burrow into the sand, drawing slow enemies into its maw, causing heavy damage. It is Immune to earth damage, Resistant to fire and Vulnerable to ice and air.
- Farewell. After defeating Myrmidon, it becomes clear there are no more Snaplions, outside of the fake flower the creature used as a lure. What are the PCs going to say to Dalen?

“The desert sand buries the mistakes of the past,
but it cannot erase them, only hide them.”

Vertigo Peak Dossier

# VERTIGO PEAK

## The Frozen Mountain

Vertigo Peak stands as the tallest mountain in a frozen and inhospitable range, constantly battered by unending storms that howl across its crevasses. It looms at the very edge of the continent.

Despite the eternal winter, specialized groups of seasoned hunters have adapted their lives to survive this hostile mountain, learning its brutal and harsh lessons. Concurrently, the local fauna evolves at frantic speed, struggling to keep pace with merciless environments and apex predators.

## Vertigo Peak at a Glance

Keywords: catastrophe, ice, silence.

### Key Elements

- Terrain: crevices, geysers, ice.
- Common Elements: A, I, D (Aid).
- Travel Roll Difficulty: d20.
- Rare Elements: F, T.

### Dangers & Discoveries

#### Dangers

- Thunder and lightning.
- A sudden landslide event.
- The unexpected evolution of a dangerous predator faced by the group.

#### Discoveries

- A safe camp situated deep amidst mountain crevasses.
- The remains of a unique creature, harvested for valuable materials.

### Overarching Themes

- Long journeys within extreme environments.
- Punishment corresponding to past mistakes.
- The difficulty and necessity of tough harmony.

Chapter Overview

# The World - Chapter Overview

## 9. Typical Features

The typical Freezing Mountain should include at least one of these features:

- A dangerous path in a state of disarray.
- A small settlement hiding ancient knowledge.
- An ancient structure, extremely hard to reach.
- A terrible beast that no hunter dares to face.

## 9. Position

Locations such as Vertigo Peak represent the climax of the adventure and the final test of the Player Character’s abilities. Unforgiving weather and dangerous creatures make this the ideal setting for the final act of a campaign. Furthermore, these locations are often situated near a corner of the map sheet, far from all the main settlements and shrouded in myth and legends.

## 9. The Villains’ Plans

Vertigo Peak is so remote and dangerous that a common Villain would hesitate to use it as their base of operation. It’s far more likely for it to be the abode of a simple and brutal threat, a terrible catastrophe looming over the rest of the world. The mountain might also be the birthplace of a recurring Villain, where the heroes can finally discover the antagonist’s past and understand how this merciless land shaped their motivations.

## Possible Questions for the Group

- This is an extremely coveted hunting reserve. Which of the local creatures threaten the ecosystem? What would happen if they were not contained?
- A recent and sudden climate shift wreaked havoc on the mountain. What was the cause? How did the toughest species adapt to it?
- A decaying structure towers among the clouds. What is it? What was its original function? Who or what occupies it now?
- To fend off local wildlife, the denizens of the region developed an ingenious defensive strategy. How does it work?
- Among local hunters, one shines for their skill. What do they have in common with one of you? What are they known for?

Story Hooks: Vertigo Peak

# STORY HOOKS

When bringing Vertigo Peak into play, the GM may use the following points to enrich the story by introducing artifacts, Villains, discoveries, and rewards.

## HUNTING VILLAGE

The inhabitants of this settlement work hard to preserve the delicate balance of the ecosystem, making sure the largest and most dangerous creatures don’t descend upon the valley, where the population won’t be able to fend them off.

- The hamlet. The local hunters learned not to waste anything, to use everything they harvest from their prey to show respect for their “sacrifice”. Despite their harsh and rough personalities, tempered by the difficulties and hardship that they endure, they offer shelter to the travelers. What are the key traditions of these people? Why did they adopt this particular philosophy?
- Dragon Fang. A gigantic weapon used to defend the village from aggressive creatures, this massive harpoon was fashioned from an ancient and unbreakable bone-like material, but the identity of the creature it comes from has been lost to time. What actually is the Dragon Fang? What creature did it belong to?
- The old hunter. His vast scars tell many stories, including those he is unwilling to share. This silent veteran was forced to retire after an unfortunate hunting accident – he was the sole survivor of the expedition, after which he became withdrawn and stopped talking. Who is this old hunter? What accident caused him to retire? What discovery caused him to mistrust everybody?

## CALAMITY KEEP

This vast and partially ruined castle was built over the original lair of the dragons, powerful creatures now forgotten among the echoes of the past. Only the boldest and most foolish dare trudge the path to this ancient building.

### Lost Path

Many are the dangers hidden along this route. To reach the castle, the PCs have to complete a 10 section Clock. With each failed Check, the Game Master introduces one of the dangers of Vertigo Peak – landslides, sudden fatigue, an abrupt snowstorm or a pack of opportunistic predators.

#### Information

World Excerpts

# The World (Chapter Excerpts)

## Key Locations and Phenomena

- The Great Hall. This massive hall has seen better days and, after a partial collapse, most of the exits are blocked. However, the main structure is solid and only a fool would blame its disrepair on the passage of time. Inside the castle, PCs can find weapons from ages past, brandished in an ancient battle. The keep also has ancient defense mechanisms, such as ballistae and arquebuses.
- Eternal Grudge. Scattered among the ruins, tapestries and trophies tell the tale of an age past, when dragons ruled the mountain – until some “champions” exterminated them… except for one, who fled into the northern mists. The last surviving knight, heavy with remorse, foresaw the creature’s return.

### Funeris (Major Villain)

In ancient times, this colossal demon experienced mankind’s vainglory firsthand. Being the last of their kind and tormented by the souls of dead dragons, they want revenge.

Enveloping the mountain’s side, Funeris is vast enough to be split into three parts: head, tail, and claws, each Resistant and Vulnerable to different elements (the color of the scales provides a clue).

- They can breathe fire, which ignores Resistances.
- They also use an explosive powder that increases the damage of subsequent attacks.
- The long tail strikes enemies with multi (3).
- The powerful claws can grab a PC, temporarily separating them from the rest of the group.

Combat Flow: Whenever a part is defeated, Funeris takes off and skips his turns, preparing to unleash a fearsome cataclysm. If the PCs fail to activate the keep’s defenses (a 6 section Clock) by the end of the following round, they all drop to 0 Hit Points. If they succeed, Funeris’ remaining parts re-enter the conflict.

## Character Encounters

### Albert

A young and inexperienced explorer-photographer, Albert isn’t equipped to face the mountain. He wants to make a name for himself photographing a rare animal that lives only here. Being too green to succeed, he asks the PCs for help.

Unwanted Attention: Albert isn’t evil, just dangerously naive. His articles caught the attention of hunters and trappers who want to make a trophy out of his next subject. Which infamous hunter is following his tracks? Which of the PCs has dealt with them in the past?

### Qilin

While exploring, the group is caught by a sudden snowstorm. A neigh cuts through the wind, but no horses live on Vertigo Peak – the PCs have stumbled upon a qilin, an ancient chimera with the body of a deer and the head of a unicorn.

- Who among them knows the nature of the qilins and their role as benevolent messengers?
- Which lucky event does this one foretell?
- Who reacts with suspicion or violence to them?

“The mountain is harsh but fair. No matter if predator or prey: the true sovereign of the food chain is adaptability.”

Natural Fantasy Conflicts

# The following pages provide suggestions to help you build natural fantasy conflicts

They explore these situations from a rules perspective – which the Core Rulebook also discusses at length from page 58 – but, more importantly, they focus on the narrative tensions at play during clashes between individuals or factions.

## Ignorance and Fear

Natural fantasy conflicts are extremely varied, but all share one common element: the will of one or more contenders to act before fully understanding the nature of the problem and the possible consequences. They often do so out of fear of what they don’t know how to control or understand.

The simple answers are seldom the correct ones. Prejudice and fear might cause irreparable damage but, at the same time, one can’t wait forever. This contradiction is at the heart of natural fantasy and something that has no simple solution – on the contrary, this particular style of game hinges upon doing your best, acting out of generosity and taking responsibility for your mistakes.

When creating situations based on these dynamics, you should pay attention to:

- Fear and shame. Someone feels in danger: it might just be due to survival instinct, but it can also arise out of fear of losing credibility, power, or control, or the growing realization that one’s worldview is naive or incomplete.
- Neglected teachings. Traditions, legends, stories, and relics remind us of similar situations from the past, but the factions or contenders involved are unaware of them, willfully ignore them or (even worse!) misinterpret them to fan the flames of conflict instead of solving it.
- Pride and prejudice. The contenders often have a shallow opinion of their adversaries, and stubbornly refuse any chance of compromise, convinced that their actions are an unfortunate necessity or inherently “righteous”.
- Long-term consequences. Every conflict is going to have an aftermath that the contenders do not understand or choose to ignore, usually because they believe it won’t really come to pass, won’t involve them directly or is preferable to any other alternative regardless.
- A glimmer of hope. In all these situations, there is always a chance for negotiation and dialogue that people are ignoring, and that is exactly where Player Characters come into play and show their support.

# MISTAKES OF THE PAST, HOPES OF THE PRESENT

## THE WORLD

Natural fantasy stories don’t focus just on the immediate and brutal pain caused by exploiting the land, oppressing people and uprooting traditions and cultures. On the contrary, they argue that such actions are going to have very long-term consequences, much longer than the life expectancy of those involved, and that to heal such wounds we will need not only the ability to understand and forgive, but also the self-awareness and courage to take a step back and change our point of view.

The price of past cruelties falls upon the people of the present, and the price of present cruelty will fall on the people of the future.

The recurring leitmotifs of the genre include neglectfulness, the rediscovery of ancient and terrible technologies, curses (often generational or cyclical), and the idea that the protagonists have to endure and overcome the consequences of the past, taking care not to cause the same suffering to future generations.

If you are running low on inspiration, you can rely upon some natural fantasy classics and their related conflicts:

- Catastrophic artifacts. Magical or technological items infused with almost miraculous powers reemerging from ancient times. They represent a temptation for both the hopeless and those who crave power and authority, but in both cases these tools will unleash a devastation that the planet was trying to forget.
- Punishment incarnate. Curses, plagues and epidemics might be the ecosystem’s answer to atrocities committed by civilizations past – they often force animals, spirits, and machines to act in a destructive manner, and assume a full physical form only towards the end of the campaign.
- Millennia-old progenies. Simple in terms of narrative premise yet extremely dangerous, these adversaries are the result of century-old (perhaps millennia-old) experiments to create better weapons or eliminate pollution and radiation. They might be biological creatures or huge out-of-control machines.

Further advice and suggestions on which Villains to use depending on the situation can be found in Chapter 4: Antagonists.

# The Price of Peace

The idea that natural fantasy must have a bucolic aesthetic and deal with small, peaceful villages is superficial to say the least. A large number of these stories take a different twist, highlighting the difficulties in human relationships.

Sometimes they are just the inner conflicts of a village or a family, but tales of violence and oppression between neighboring nations are equally common, not to mention the marginalization of one or more individuals who called local dogmas into question.

Traditions are important and they were probably created for a good reason, but this might not be the case any longer: blindly following them might lead to grave misjudgments. At the same time, discarding them for profit or power is equally cruel and irresponsible.

In line with the themes of change and coexistence that permeate the natural fantasy genre, peace isn’t static, but something that must be redefined day by day, based on new necessities, otherwise it becomes an oppressive silence.

## When Words Are Not Enough

Many natural fantasy conflicts involve factions who struggle to communicate. These disputes often take the form of wars between humans and animals, monsters, or spirits, but the idea also works in the case of rivalries or tension between nations that don’t speak the same language.

Some character options allow the PCs to communicate with usually unintelligible creatures and powers—for example, Elemental Harmony (see page 155), Feral Speech (see Core Rulebook, page 183) and some Rituals. These are excellent choices if you want one of the protagonists to act as a mediator.

However, you might avoid these options on purpose, so that the group has to struggle with the difficulties of communication (a character might acquire them later to show their evolution).

### Conflict Resolution & Understanding

- In such situations, it’s important to highlight the values of hospitality and understanding.
- If the story includes a presence considered “alien” or “outsider”, the heroes’ first instinct should be to suspend judgment to understand its point of view, needs, and necessities, instead of driving it back, fighting, or eliminating it.

Although defending oneself from a raging monster or making contact with destructive spirits is rather common (combat is a core part of Fabula Ultima after all), the real antagonist appears later, often under the guise of an evil influence that has corrupted peaceful creatures (see page 174).

A Cruel Curiosity

# THE WORLD

A CRUEL CURIOSITY

A lack of knowledge might spark a conflict, but seeking knowledge can take on dangerous forms when not accompanied by empathy and respect: it is fated to become a morbidly analytical pursuit.

This category include those “scientists” who demand answers and use any means necessary to reach them – vivisectioning living creatures and putting whole ecosystems under the microscope, destroying entire archaeological complexes and ancient ruins, or stealing the ritual objects and cultural heritage of an entire people just to catalog them in a university library or flaunt a collection.

In this regard, archaeology, botany and zoology are excellent starting points for a natural fantasy conflict. Even better if a member of the group practices one of these disciplines with both ethics and passion, or if they are a descendant of the culture under scrutiny. It’s a great way to flip the usual fantasy stereotype that depicts ancient ruins as completely detached from the current culture, promoting a false portrayal of archaeological research and its social and environmental impact.

Example: At the center of Irkalla lake is a millennia-old city-island whose name none remembers. Clattering constructs, protected by stone armor and animated by complex magics, wander across its labyrinthine canals. Along the southern coast is a village, inhabited by the descendants of the original builders: the local artisans adapted the wind motors recovered among the ruins and the Council is gathering explorers to discover the truth about their ancestors and the lights that appear over the lake during the night. However, some want to collect the maze’s treasures and sell them to the highest bidder, and others have the dangerous wish to see in action the miraculous weapons of light mentioned in the Irkallans’ poems.
Beasts and Monsters: A Guide

# BEASTS AND MONSTERS

The protagonists of Fabula Ultima are positive, heroic figures, who fight against the twisted ideologies and egotistic machination of the Villains. This premise is strictly linked to the idea that the antagonists are aware and in control of their actions, even when they don’t fully understand the consequences.

What happens when the antagonists are little more than animals or monstrous creatures that, acting on instinct or according to their life cycle, threaten the region or the protagonists’ community? In such a case, it’s legitimate to question how “heroic” it is to fight creatures who are just following their instincts or needs.

The works that inspired this Atlas approach this subject in a number of ways:

- Survival. This is the easiest approach, albeit a bit superficial and questionable, and it simply reassures the Players that their actions are justified: in these settings, humans are far less numerous than beasts and monsters, hence it’s sometimes necessary to fight and kill them.
- Conservation. In this approach, slightly more complex and thoughtful, it is legitimate to eliminate specific creatures that can cause massive damage to the entire ecosystem, making those specific creatures play the role of Villains.
- Exorcism. This approach is based upon the idea of fighting only creatures that are corrupted or infected by a magical influence or parasite, to purify them once they are weakened (in Fabula Ultima one can choose the fate of an enemy reduced to 0 Hit Points – death is not the rule). The source of such corruption is often an environmental antagonist (see page 174).
- Revenge. In this variant of the previous approaches, the heroes discover, often through the ability to communicate with beasts, that the terrible fury or corrupting influence was spawned from human atrocities, creating an age-old grudge that might take the shape of a major (or even supreme) Villain… and to make matters worse, our protagonists’ early actions might have contributed to such a disaster.

This Atlas cannot tell you which approach, or what relationship between humanity and nature, you should adopt. This is something your group should decide together. Nevertheless, remember that the nature of the struggle between humans and the world is a precise thematic choice that should never be trivialized.

Something Bitter or Melancholic

# SOMETHING BITTER OR MELANCHOLIC

Finally, all tense situations and conflict scenes in a natural fantasy campaign should have a bitter or melancholic aftertaste. This undertone highlights the torment of the antagonists, strengthens the bonds between the heroes and those who are in danger, or reiterates how the PCs are facing the consequences and paying the price of errors that were committed by the people of the past.

## Examples

Here are some examples of scenarios implementing this theme:

- To defeat the wrathful ice spirits, the Alderman’s daughter decided to wield an ancient relic with the power to destroy souls. She too is going to forfeit her own, but the clan will survive.
- The majestic Jade-Horned Lion nourishes the region by cyclically dying and being reborn; but his current incarnation became attached to a human orphan and rejected death, ultimately turning into a monster.
- A terrible disease strikes down settlements that surpass a certain technological level, or that dig up and activate the Progenitors’ machines.
- Cornered by new fishing regulations, the people of a Player Character’s native village accepted the thane’s money and allowed his men-at-arms to scour the forbidden ruins under the village.
- The heroes battle a beautiful and titanic plant monstrosity, contaminated by the experiments of a careless apprentice witch. The seed was planted by a young hunter to commemorate the death of his partner.
- Crossing the Bone Steppe at night is very dangerous – following the steps of the Warthog Goddess, whose wounds bleed continuously, restless spirits of animals killed by a now-forgotten Empire possess their own bones and assault the living.
- Born from an egg that hatched centuries after the extinction of her species and overwhelmed by desperation, the Magmamoth Queen devoured the ancient magic of the forest, until she became a veritable living hive.

> “I have no doubt that it is necessary.
> I just wish I wasn’t the one to carry this burden.”

Magic and Rituals Guide

# MAGIC AND RITUALS

In a natural fantasy campaign, magic is a field where the themes of balance, coexistence, mistakes, and punishment emerge at their strongest. Moreover, the relationship between humanity and supernatural creatures hinges on a few core assumptions, discussed in the following pages.

## MAGIC AS A NEGOTIATION

Magic represents the delicate relationship between humanity, the ecosystem, and the mysteries of life itself: it’s important to ask what is the source of the magical powers wielded by the characters and how such abilities might alter the existing balance.

The “Everything has a soul” pillar, from page 14 of the Core Rulebook, comes into its highest expression in natural fantasy – magic is alive, often incarnate as a local spirit or presence, and reacts according to its own will and personality.

Depending on which characters are involved in the campaign and what kind of threat they face, this approach might express itself in many ways and should influence the game mechanics. The following sections contain advice and considerations on how to handle these themes, which require special attention.

## SPIRITS, DEITIES, AND PRESENCES

“Divinity” isn’t something far away and limited to specific moments of prayer; it’s close, everyday, and omnipresent, but also extraordinary, sentient, and unpredictable. It’s part of everything on both an individual and universal level.

- Individual. Divine entities often appear as spirits or presences inhabiting a place, object, or creature. Sometimes they manifest as elemental beings, other times as demons born from a build-up of spiritual power or due to a creature’s extreme longevity, or as a conglomerate of magical energy, lacking a conscience but still “alive”.
- Universal. Divinity as a concept also represents the global, cyclical and interconnected totality of everything: a symphony of lives that are born, transformed and pass away, feeding upon and influencing each other. This universal dimension of the divine often appears in the guise of a spirit realm, permeating reality but visible only to a few.

We can say that magic draws power from a universal energy through an individual medium, but in doing so it causes immediate reactions on the individual level and/or long-term consequences on a universal scale.

The World: Favorable and Unfavorable Reactions

# CHAPTER 9: FAVORABLE AND UNFAVORABLE REACTIONS

Since both magic and the divine dwell in spirit form within places, items, and creatures, the use of spells, Rituals, and magic abilities – excluding those of the Invoker Class (see page 154), with its ability to harmonize with natural forces – might provoke a reaction from those very same spirits. The details of such events vary based on the character’s Identity and abilities used, but they often come into play as a consequence of Opportunities, Fabula Points, Sacrifices, Surrenders, or failed Rituals. The Game Master might also add favorable and unfavorable plot twists as they see fit.

Among the most fitting rules to use in these circumstances are harmful or beneficial environmental effects (see Core Rulebook, page 299), a sudden shift in the invocation wellsprings (see page 156) or, in the most extreme situations, the introduction of a new threat or danger.

## MEDIATION AND RITUALS

Following these premises, Rituals become a dialogue with the forces of nature and require self-discipline, empathy and preparation – they are often the exclusive prerogative of a single member of the group, trained in one or more disciplines:

- Chimerism, Elementalism, and Spiritism. These are the most common disciplines, associated with communicating and negotiating with the spirits of flora and fauna, the presences inhabiting the basic elements and the positive and negative influences that flow through all living creatures, respectively.
- Arcanism. When reimagined to fit a natural fantasy style, this discipline represents the ability to gain the favor of ancient protector spirits, keeping a fragment of their power inside any item they consider an appropriate vessel. This may include being hosted within the Arcanist’s own body, in the form of a tattoo, scarification or partial metamorphosis.
- Entropism and Ritualism. Finally, these disciplines are the most unusual and they are linked to a subject we will address on the following page: magic as a form of control.

Magic as Control - Guide Extract

# MAGIC AS CONTROL

If the magical arts represent a field defined by difficult compromise and negotiation between humanity and supernatural powers, it’s just a matter of time before someone tries to overstep these “limitations” and gain full control over these forces.

In natural fantasy worlds, magic is an allegory of life itself: the insidious desire to reject or eliminate its most complex and mysterious aspects – so that it operates “on a human scale”, following cold, predictable and standardized rules – sparked some of the most terrible atrocities during ancient times.

## Disciplines Focused on Control

Even in this case, some character options lend themselves more to this kind of magic, unconcerned with the balance of the ecosystem, focused on reaching a result without any regard for the consequences:

- Entropism. A complex discipline with unlimited potential, capable of manipulating time and space, Entropism is perfect as the legacy of a distant epoch, when extremely advanced civilizations made reckless mistakes for which the world is still paying the price. More often than not, the protagonists that wield Entropism are androids or experimental beings, awoken after millennia of stasis. It’s a kind of magic dramatically out of place, a relic of a different time that brings with it a warning about a calamity that might strike the world again.
- Ritualism. Precisely because of its relatively basic and approachable nature, this discipline is often assimilated with an academic or rationalist mindset, divorced from the spiritual implications and, in the end, reduced to a mere tool. If used in conjunction with technological sciences it can reactivate ancient machinery to take full control over the forces of nature or be used to unleash indiscriminate preemptive destruction against any threat, be it real or perceived.
- Classes. It might be interesting to employ Classes such as Tinkerer, Merchant (see page 158), Loremaster and Symbolist (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 146) to create a character with a cold, utilitarian view of magic at first – over the course of the campaign they will develop a more complex and nuanced perspective, recognizing and confronting the idea that magic is a living force that they have to coexist with.

## Conclusionary Concepts

Finally, we have to spend a few words on the most common variations of these concepts: deicide and fear of death.

The World - Chapter Excerpt

Page numbers/Context markers: 71 | W | 22 THE WORLD

# CHAPTER 9: DEICIDE

It might seem strange to so directly discuss the subject of killing a god, since Fabula Ultima draws its inspiration from a long video game tradition where the final antagonist is often a god-like entity with almost unlimited divine powers. However, in the natural fantasy genre, this dynamic is often turned upside down: the destruction of a god isn’t a rightful act of rebellion against a destiny that someone else already wrote, but rather a violent, ignorant and selfish act, showing a lack of empathy toward the spiritual world and driven by fear or greed.

Example: After ransacking the villages of the Great Taiga, the Shōgun didn’t find the fabled iron mines he was looking for. However, his agents sighted a creature known as Ōtetsuguma: a massive bear with metallic fur, who defeated scores of soldiers and mercenaries sent to capture her. Bent on defeating this threat and bringing a new trophy to his master, the Shōgun ignores the fact that the protector god of the region lives inside the bear: if she is killed before finding a successor, she won’t be able to awaken the spirits of flora and fauna in spring, condemning the Great Taiga to a never-ending winter.

## FEAR OF DEATH

One of the finest examples of the desire to control magic and nature is, without any shadow of a doubt, the quest for immortality, which often drives the actions of the main antagonist or is the foundation of one or more mysteries or threats. This endeavor is as futile as it is reckless: denying the reality of death or attempting to trick it and push it away, pollutes the cycle of life, causing spiritual stagnation and unleashing upon the world a calamity that will snuff out future generations.

Example: Ten thousand years ago, humanity fell victim to a fearsome epidemic. Fearing extinction, scientists dismembered the ancient Kalpavriksha tree and developed a synthetic forest to separate bodies and souls: instead of returning to the spiritual stream of the planet, these souls were put in stasis inside the network, waiting for it to birth a generation of clones, completely immune to the disease, to host them. However, the research team grossly underestimated humanity’s knack for survival: now, their descendants live in harmony with generations of clones discarded by the system, who developed individual souls in the meantime. Trapped in their stasis, the original souls became corrupted, making the resynchronization erratic and turning them into malevolent shape-shifting spirits.

> “He looked for immortality and it was granted to him.
> He broke the peace and peace was forever taken from him.”

Technology in Natural Fantasy

# Technology in Natural Fantasy

Contrary to what one might think, technology remains a core element of natural fantasy campaigns. However, its role may assume very different functions depending on how it is integrated into the setting.

## Machines of a Future Past

In the context of the natural fantasy world, technology represents both the endless possibilities of the future and the quiet warnings of the past—creating a thematic tension that can become the hinge of a narrative arc for characters built around the Tinkerer, Merchant (see page 158), or Loremaster Classes.

## Advice and Observations

Below are several pieces of advice and observations concerning this topic:

- Dangerous leaps. Recovering and studying technological relics from eras past offers a chance to accelerate the development of a community or settlement. However, doing so without weighing potential consequences might lead to a catastrophic outcome. The message of natural fantasy stories isn’t that technology is inherently malicious, but rather that its impact must be carefully evaluated: often, the wiser path is slower and more careful development, because taking every possible shortcut creates fertile ground for opportunists.
- Quest for coexistence. In line with the previous point, natural fantasy strongly critiques the idea of technology as a “victory over nature.” Even in a world where humanity lives surrounded by dense forests and wild animals, looking to rule over them rather than living in harmony means surrendering our hearts to despair. The path to coexistence is seldom peaceful, but there is a noticeable difference between protecting what you love and annihilating everything else.
- Tools of destruction and rebirth. Natural fantasy stories frequently depict the rediscovery or reactivation of a machine, device, or generator that provides extraordinary power... but also brought ruin upon its ancient creators. These technologies have an ambivalent role: they are gifts from the past just as much as they are its curse. They represent another chance, but if handled with arrogance or haste, they will inevitably lead to tragedy.

## Narrative Conflict

All these elements provide excellent ways to spark conflict—either between different factions hell-bent on using technology in divergent ways, or fundamentally between humans and the spirits of nature. Thanks to their long lives, these spirits remember perfectly the disasters of the past and consider current humans as childish and irresponsible as their ancestors, often leading them to choose a preemptive strike. Of course, many would regard such "unmotivated" attacks as another threat to be eradicated.

Natural Fantasy Worlds: Vehicles and Transports

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER: VEHICLES AND TRANSPORTS

Natural fantasy worlds are characterized by small or medium-sized settlements, dense forests and winding paths. Travelers journey on foot or with mounts, carts, or small boats. Flying vehicles and mounts are extremely rare, perhaps nonexistent. However, sometimes the remains of ancient technologies are combined and adapted to create ingenious rustic hybrids.

From a thematic perspective, traveling on foot is a slow but harmless choice, whereas using mounts or vehicles might be an act of violence against nature, depending on the character’s treatment of the animal or environment. The relationship between a character and their Faithful Companion (see Core Rulebook, page 217) is an excellent positive example, while destroying a forest to create a railroad is a classic example of cruelty toward the ecosystem.

## THE ROLE OF THE ARTISAN

The artisan is a very important figure in natural fantasy settings, and their social role can be characterized as mostly technical, mostly spiritual, or a balanced mixture of the two.

- Technical role. In this sense, the artisan has the knowledge and abilities to shape matter and create something new from it, giving form to an idea and finding innovative solutions to many problems.
- Spiritual role. From a magical and ritualist perspective, the artisan has the gift to mediate between the spirits and energies that inhabit matter, emphasizing their unique properties in the final object.

These transformative roles are inextricably intertwined, but some artisans focus more on one or the other.

Given their importance, the following pages present an updated version of the optional rules for materials and forging, originally introduced with the 2022 winter holidays bonus:

A Christmas Gift from Edgar!
Materials and Forging Rules

# Materials and Forging

This optional rule is especially fitting for natural fantasy stories, but it can be integrated into any campaign without any modification.

## Core Goals of the Rule

The module has four main goals:

- Define more precise guidelines for the value of materials than those provided in the Core Rulebook.
- Extend the use of gathered materials to the creation of equipment, instead of limiting it to selling, funding Projects or reducing the Mind Point cost of Rituals.
- Provide rules for characters that want to forge weapons, armor, shields and accessories. (The Project rules weren’t meant for this and they are quite unwieldy for blacksmiths, weaponsmiths, stylists, goldsmiths, and so on.)
- Allow Game Masters to offer forging materials instead of complete items when giving rewards. This not only saves time and energy better spent on designing adversaries and important items, but also provides a way to reward the Players even when the narrative situation doesn’t lend itself to “classic” rewards such as rare items, Inventory Points or money.

## 9 OBTAINING MATERIALS

The Core Rulebook already suggests that Game Masters include non-equipment items among rewards (see pages 264–265); forging materials follow those same rules and should be considered part of the session’s rewards. Each copy of a given material is a single-use item and has a value assigned by the GM (ideally between 500 and 3000 zenit).

### Example Scenario

Four level 12 Player Characters have defeated a colossal insect. An appropriate reward would amount to 1800 zenit in total, with no single item worth more than 1000 zenit. Since the group already recovered an *aegis gorgonis* (800 zenit; see Core Rulebook, page 283) shortly before the battle, the Game Master offers them a titan carapace (1000 zenit).

The Game Master is free to give materials any name and value, or use the table from page 78 onward to randomly generate them. The important thing to remember is that each material has to quite clearly inspire one or more possible uses.

The World - Chapter 9

# THE WORLD

## Chapter 9: PURCHASING AND SELLING MATERIALS

## Purchasing Materials (Section 9)

Characters may purchase any material available in their surroundings by spending an amount of zenit equal to its value. When it comes to Projects, step 3 on page 134 of the Core Rulebook abstracts this process, but the group might prefer to purchase specific materials and keep them for future use.

The Game Master has the final say on which materials can be bought in any given area, at which cost and in which quantity. However, they should involve Players who control characters from that region or have studied it, or who play Classes like Tinkerer, Merchant (see page 158), Loremaster, or Wayfarer.

## Selling Materials (Section 9)

If there is an artisan, merchant or other potential buyer available, Player Characters can usually sell materials at half their normal value in the same way as for normal items (see Core Rulebook, page 124).

Continuing from the previous example: if the group ever decides to sell that titan carapace they retrieved, they would earn 500 zenit.

On the other hand, using a material to cover the cost of a Project (see Core Rulebook, page 137) or to forge items as described on the next page will let you use its full value, showcasing its full potential.

### Ethical and Narrative Guidelines

These options involve PCs in the process of transformation, death, and rebirth typical of natural fantasy, but must not be used to reenact colonialist fantasies or gratuitous cruelties towards animals and living beings.

- Harvesting Remains: Harvesting the remains of a monster that threatened the village and using them to protect it is very different from hunting for others of the same species just to hoard materials. Finding resources should be a consequence of the story events, not a goal (you can leave that to the Villains!).
- Limitation: This system won’t suffer if you limit yourselves to inanimate materials such as minerals, fluids, scraps, fallen branches or leftover chrysalises.
- Dignity of Creation: When you create an item from the remains of a creature, strive to do so with the required dignity, creating something that pays homage to their original form, appearance, and nature.

#### Issues and Alternatives

Forging Process Rules

# Forging Rare Items

## The Forging Process

This optional rule makes it possible to spend materials to create new weapons, armor, shields, and accessories designed by the Players – as long as they meet at least one of the following conditions:

### Conditions for Success

- NPC Artisan Access: The group has access to an NPC artisan capable of creating the required item. (e.g., a blacksmith for armor or a tailor for a dress).
- Magical/Technological Device: The group has access to an artifact or other magical or technological device that can synthesize or transform objects.
- Player Expertise: The group includes at least one Player Character with the Tinkerer Class or an Identity that ties into a profession relevant to the item they want to create. (The Game Master has the final say, but they shouldn’t be too restrictive.)

Note: The forging process described below usually requires a single rest; keep in mind however that there is no limit to the number of items the group can forge during the same rest, provided they have all the appropriate materials and enough zenit to pay all required artisans.

## The Step-by-Step Forging Procedure

1. Drafting the Item: The group prepares a draft of the item they wish to create, using the rules in the Core Rulebook (see page 266 onward). The item’s total cost in zenit must be equal to or lower than (the highest level among PCs, multiplied by 60).

2. Cost Assessment: The Game Master decides whether the item has a cost appropriate to its effects and whether the provided materials are fit for forging it.

3. Providing Materials: The group also indicates which materials they will provide for forging it; their total value must be equal to or higher than the cost of the item (if higher, the materials will be completely expended anyway).

4. Revision Loop: If the Game Master proposes any changes, go back to step 1.

5. Completion: Once the Game Master approves the draft and proposed materials, the item can be created. If this is done by an artisan NPC, they will require payment equal to a tenth of the item’s total cost in zenit.

#### Order Details

Forging Rules Reference

Since the design and approval process for each item might require a fairly long conversation, it’s often a good idea to take care of forging during the downtime between sessions. However, it’s important that the group is in a situation that lets them rest between the end of a session and the start of the next (irrespective of when you decided to play the corresponding rest scene).

Continuing from the previous example: the group wants to use the titan carapace to craft a heavy weapon with the same profile as the Beowulf (see Core Rulebook, page 276), but capable of dealing air damage. The total cost is 660 zenit, well within the limit of 720 zenit derived from the group’s level of 12. The Game Master has no objections, so the item can be crafted by expending the material (worth 1000 zenit – 340 are wasted) and paying 66 zenit to a local weaponsmith. The Brynhild will be ready in a few hours!

Going strictly by the numbers, this process is far less convenient than a standard in-game reward, but it provides the group with the freedom to choose which item they create and gain access to. Moreover, finding a true rare item, instead of a simple raw material, becomes a very special moment, since its value will be slightly higher than anything the group might forge on their own.

## 9 INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER RULES

Like most optional rules tied to equipment, forging might raise a few questions. Here is a list of answers to the most common ones:

- Custom Weapons. The group can take advantage of the forging rules to create any kind of equipment, including custom weapons (see page 112). They just need to use the base version of a custom weapon in the draft, instead of an item from the basic equipment lists, and then apply the rules from page 266 of the Core Rulebook as usual.
- Technospheres. Weapons, armor and shields intended for technospheres (see Techno Fantasy Atlas, page 130) follow the standard rules for forging, but the only Qualities available are slots α, β, γ and δ.
- Pilot’s Modules. Weapon, armor and support modules (see Techno Fantasy Atlas, page 160) can be forged using these rules. Keep in mind that the base version of weapon and armor modules are worth about 500 zenit each (any modifications increase their cost in the same way as for rare items), while support modules are worth about 1000 zenit.

# Animal Classification Comparative Analysis

## Key Characteristics of Animal Groups

Taxon | Arthropods | Birds | Fishes
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. Antenna | Antenna |  | Bone
2. Carapace | Carapace | Cranium | Cartilage
3. Gland | Gland | Crest | Crest
4. Horn | Horn | Egg | Eggs
5. Leg | Leg | Feather | Fin
6. Mandible | Mandible | Membrane | Gland
7. Pincer | Pincer | Sac | Sac
8. Shell | Shell | Talon | Scale
9. Sting | Sting | Tendon | Spine
10. Web | Web | Wattle | Teeth

## Taxonomic Feature Comparison

Feature | Mammals | Mollusks | Reptiles
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. Claw | Claw | Antenna | Bone
2. Cranium | Cranium | Gland | Claw
3. Fang | Fang | Membrane | Cranium
4. Fur | Fur | Sac | Crest
5. Horn | Horn | Scale | Egg
6. Rib | Rib | Seashell | Fang
7. Tail | Tail | Shell | Gland
8. Tendons | Tendons | Slime | Scale
9. Vertebra | Vertebra | Sting | Spine
10. Whiskers | Whiskers | Tentacle | Tail

## Materials Generator

Index & Glossary

# CHAPTER

## Other Nature (d8 or d12, based upon the context)

Type: Fungal / Incorporeal Liquid

### Fungal

- Boletus
- Hen
- Honeyshroom
- Morel
- Mucilage
- Mushroom
- Oyster
- Truffle

### Incorporeal Liquid

- Ash
- Bubble
- Essence
- Gas
- Mirage
- Smoke
- Strand
- Vapor

### Properties

- Clot
- Drop
- Extract
- Fluid
- Ichor
- Oil
- Reagent
- Sludge

## Artificial Mineral Plant

1. Chain

- Core
- Fabric
- Gear
- Leather
- Lens
- Plate
- Propeller
- Rope
- Scrap
- Spring
- Valve

2. Block

- Charcoal
- Crystal
- Dust
- Fragment
- Gem
- Limestone
- Block
- Salt
- Stele
- Stone

3. Algae

- Bark
- Bramble
- Flower
- Berry
- Branch
- Fruit
- Plant
- Moss
- Root
- Thorn

1. Block (Restarting structure due to poor extraction)

- Algae
- Bark
- Crystal
- Bramble
- Flower
- Fruit
- Leaf
- Moss
- Petal
- Stone

“This mushroom here? They call it Faery Toadstool.
No. It’s not a good idea to pick it.”

Elemental Descriptors Index

# Elemental Descriptor Index

## (d6, based upon the element)

Air Bolt Dark

- 1. Cerulean
- 2. Dry
- 3. Emerald
- 4. Green
- 5. Hollow
- 6. Light

- 1. Amber
- 2. Conductive
- 3. Electrostatic
- 4. Magnetic
- 5. Thundering
- 6. Yellow

- 1. Amethyst
- 2. Astral
- 3. Colorless
- 4. Fragile
- 5. Ruined
- 6. Spectral

### Earth

- 1. Carved
- 2. Diamond
- 3. Fossil
- 4. Golden
- 5. Iron
- 6. Sandy

### Fire

- 1. Blazing
- 2. Explosive
- 3. Incendiary
- 4. Ruby
- 5. Scarlet
- 6. Stinging

### Ice

- 1. Arctic
- 2. Azure
- 3. Crystalline
- 4. Freezing
- 5. Frosty
- 6. Pale

## Light

- 1. Ethereal
- 2. Opaline
- 3. Royal
- 4. Shining
- 5. Silver
- 6. Transparent

## Poison

- 1. Corrosive
- 2. Infected
- 3. Speckled
- 4. Streaked
- 5. Toxic
- 6. Violet

## Water

- 1. Blue
- 2. Coral
- 3. Deepwater
- 4. Sapphire
- 5. Thin
- 6. Wet

### Details

Other Descriptors List
Page Context Header (81 | W 22 | THE WORLD)

# Other Descriptors (d10, based upon the function)

### Agility and Precision

- 1. Elastic
- 2. Glazed
- 3. Grim
- 4. Oily
- 5. Polished
- 6. Scrawny
- 7. Sharp
- 8. Slender
- 9. Slippery
- 10. Small

### Damage and Power

- 1. Bloated
- 2. Broken
- 3. Chipped
- 4. Colossal
- 5. Fermented
- 6. Heavy
- 7. Monstrous
- 8. Serrated
- 9. Sharp
- 10. Thick

### Protection

- 1. Ancient
- 2. Curly
- 3. Hardened
- 4. ??? (Implicit)
- 5. Holy
- 6. Colossal (Duplicated? Replicating text flow.)
- 7. Holy (Duplication observed in source)
- 8. ???
- 9. Regal / Rough
- 10. ???

### Recovery

- 1. Aromatic
- 2. Bitter
- 3. Blood
- 4. Fragrant
- 5. Fresh
- 6. Juicy
- 7. Purifying
- 8. Scarred
- 9. Smooth
- 10. Sweet

### Sabotage

- 1. Bitter
- 2. Dazzling
- 3. Echoing
- 4. Eerie
- 5. Hexed
- 6. Hooked
- 7. Irritating
- 8. Nauseating
- 9. Rusty
- 10. Sticky

### Support

- 1. Carved
- 2. Fairy
- 3. Glowing
- 4. Harmonious
- 5. Iridescent
- 6. Lucky
- 7. Magical
- 8. Noble
- 9. Soft
- 10. Warm

Natural Fantasy Equipment Tips

# Playing Natural Fantasy Equipment

Playing Fabula Ultima in a natural fantasy setting is an excellent opportunity to express your creativity and design pieces of equipment tied to folklore, exploration and the protagonists’ personality.

This section contains tips to help you imagine and describe compelling natural fantasy equipment, followed by a list of new rare items you can include in your campaign or use as inspiration.

## Ingenuity and Personality

In natural fantasy worlds, every item tells a story, highlighting the ingenuity and the craftsmanship of its creator, whether it’s a treasure from ages past or a trusty tool for adventurers.

- Past and Present. In natural fantasy campaigns, contemporary equipment often looks very down to earth and no-frills – not very memorable, perhaps, but solid and reliable. On the other hand, more elaborate and unusual pieces of equipment are often handed down from generation to generation, or retrieved from the depths of mysterious ruins and adapted to new uses. Firearms often fall in the last category and are a once-in-a-lifetime sight.
- Accessories of all kinds. Natural fantasy accessories can be divided into three main categories: precious jewelry created with highly refined craftsmanship and symbolic materials, like silver, iron, jade, bone, or the scales of a specific creature; lucky charms and other personal creations; and finally, practical tools that the characters carry for emergencies. This last category is of particular importance because of an underlying message: even the most humble tool can become powerful in the hands of a hero that deeply cares for it.
- Built with your own hands. One of the most distinctive design principles of natural fantasy is the ingenious combination of ancient technologies and recycled materials, such as repeating crossbows built with wood and bone, alchemical arquebuses, steam-powered devices, and blades forged with unknown alloys or components recovered from ancient constructs. These tools usually follow the standard profiles included in the Core Rulebook, but the most complex and unlikely weapons might require the custom weapon rules (see page 112).

In short, natural fantasy items should stand out for their practical appearance, handmade quality, the ability to merge ancient technologies and recycled materials, or reveal something about those who chose, created or gifted them.

## Rare Items

(The following section indicates a listing of rare items is forthcoming.)

A Story in Every Item
CHAPTER | A STORY IN EVERY ITEM

# When designing a rare item for a natural fantasy campaign, take some time to think about the story it tells:

what technique was required? What materials were used? Which places or creatures did they come from?

One of the core themes of natural fantasy is transformation, which can also be interpreted as the death or sacrifice of something in order for something else to exist. From this point of view, a character’s equipment is a collection of stories, taken from fragments of other beings’ lives and bodies.

The rules for creating rare items from materials (see page 76) offer an excellent opportunity to dive deep into this concept over the course of the campaign.

## Special Equipment

Characters with animal or plant-like features are rather common in the natural fantasy genre, and it might be interesting to create equipment tailor-made for them (perhaps using the custom weapon rules; see page 112), or give their pieces of equipment an unusual name and appearance.

Example: A spider-person using silk flails or elemental stingers; a flower fairy dressed in petals; an anthropomorphic cactus whose caps and berets are actually custom weapons that determine the profile of their needle spray.

## Historical, Folkloric, and Literary References

If you’re looking for a name for a natural fantasy item but you’re short on ideas, you might draw inspiration from items and creatures from folklore and literature, especially works tied to spirits, ghosts, or fairies, or you could pay homage to famous scholars, warriors, artisans and explorers from the real world.

Example Names: Bai Suzhen, Boggart, Bradamante, Cervantes, Csoma, Da Vinci, Earhart, Gentileschi, Grimm, Guðríðr, Gwyllion, Huolong, Kaguya, Oberon, Okiku, Qingzhao, Rembrandt, Shahrazād, Shiranui, T omoe, Vasilisa, Yoshizawa, Zaratan.

As usual, do your best to match each name with an item whose properties mirror the historical and cultural inspiration, rather than misrepresent it.

# SAMPLE NATURAL FANTASY RARE WEAPONS

Ladle Cost: 500 z | Attributes: (DEX + INS) (HR + 8) physical

Classification: Thrown • One-handed • Ranged

Description: If you have acquired the *Made with Love* Skill (see page 149), treat your Skill Level in it as if it were increased by 1 (up to a maximum of SL 4).

Camera Obscura Cost: 600 z | Attributes: (INS + INS) (HR + 6) dark

Classification: Arcane • Two-handed • Melee

- Special Rule: When you obtain a result of 13 or higher in a Check made to examine the profile of one or more enemies that you can see, if you have acquired the *Spell Mimic Skill* (see Core Rulebook, page 183), you can choose one of those enemies. If the chosen enemy knows one or more spells you may learn one of them as a Chimerist spell.

Memorialis W Cost: 700 z | Attributes: (DEX + MIG) +1 (HR + 12) physical

Classification: Spear • Two-handed • Melee

Description: When you use the *Ripples* Skill (see page 155), you recover 5 Mind Points.

Blazing Fan Cost: 800 z | Attributes: (DEX + MIG) +1 (HR + 6) fire

Classification: Brawling • One-handed • Melee

Description: Your invocations that target two or more creatures deal extra damage equal to your Skill Level in *Linked Invocations* (see page 155).

Derringer Cost: 800 z | Attributes: (DEX + INS) +1 (HR + 8) physical

Classification: Firearm • One-handed • Ranged

Description: The first attack you perform with this weapon during each scene deals 5 extra damage. Also, despite being based on the pistol’s profile, this isn’t considered a martial (W) weapon.

Bronze Libra Cost: 900 z | Attributes: (INS + INS) (HR + 6) earth

Classification: Arcane • Two-handed • Melee

Description: After you perform a Magic Check, if the value of one die is a multiple of the value of the other, you regain Inventory Points equal to (half your Skill Level in *Winds of Trade* (see page 159)).

Giant Fork W Cost: 1000 z | Attributes: (DEX + MIG) (HR + 16) physical

Classification: Spear • Two-handed • Melee

Description: When you use this weapon with the *Knife and Fork* Skill (see page 149), you may add the High Roll to the attack’s damage (you don’t have to treat it as being equal to 0).

(This entry appears to be a catalog identifier rather than an actual weapon profile, therefore only the name is styled as a main heading.)

Equipment & Weapon Catalog

# Weapons Catalog

Dagger
800 z (DEX + INS) +1 (HR + 8) poison
One-handed | Melee | Attacks with this weapon deal 5 extra damage as long as it’s not your turn.
Summer Masher
1300 z (MIG + MIG) (HR + 18) ice
Heavy | Two-handed | Melee |

When you hit only one creature with this weapon, if that creature belongs to the plant Species, the attack deals 10 extra damage. Then, if that creature is in Crisis, you and every ally who can see you recover an amount of Mind Points equal to your High Roll in the Accuracy Check.

Norimitsu
1400 z (DEX + INS) +1 (HR + 14) physical
Two-handed | Melee | Attacks with this weapon deal 6 extra damage to elite or champion-rank enemies.
The Barrel
1500 z (MIG + MIG) (HR + 18) physical
Heavy | Two-handed | Melee |

When you hit one or more creatures with this weapon, you may spend 1 Trade Point (see page 159). If you do, the attack deals extra damage equal to (your Skill Level in Private Stock, multiplied by 5).

Pinwheel Rod
1600 z (WLP + WLP) (HR + 6) air
Arcane | Two-handed | Melee |

As long as one of your spells or invocations (see page 156) deals air damage, it deals 10 extra damage.

Voltaic Hound
1600 z (DEX + INS) +1 (HR + 16) bolt
Firearm | Two-handed | Ranged |

After this weapon deals damage to one or more creatures, if at least one of those creatures is Vulnerable to bolt damage, you may deal 10 bolt damage to every enemy you can see.

Hirundo
1800 z (DEX + DEX) (HR + 12) light
Bow | Two-handed | Ranged |

After resolving your Encourage Skill (see Core Rulebook, page 201), you may perform a free attack with this weapon. If you do, treat your High Roll as 0 when calculating damage dealt by this attack.

## Sample Natural Fantasy Rare Weapons

Weapon | Cost/Stats | Damage Type | Attributes | Description
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Ladle | 500 z (DEX + INS) (HR + 8) | physical | Thrown | One-handed | Ranged | If you have acquired the Made with Love Skill (see page 149), treat your Skill Level in it as if it were increased by 1 (up to a maximum of SL 4).

Camera Obscura

600 z (INS + INS) (HR + 6)

dark

Arcane | Two-handed | Melee

When you obtain a result of 13 or higher in a Check made to examine the profile of one or more enemies that you can see, if you have acquired the Spell Mimic Skill (see Core Rulebook, page 183), you can choose one of those enemies. If the chosen enemy knows one or more spells you may learn one of them as a Chimerist spell.

Memorialis | 700 z (DEX + MIG) +1 (HR + 12) | physical | Spear | Two-handed | Melee | When you use the Ripples Skill (see page 155), you recover 5 Mind Points.
Blazing Fan | 800 z (DEX + MIG) +1 (HR + 6) | fire | Brawling | One-handed | Melee | Your invocations that target two or more creatures deal extra damage equal to your Skill Level in Linked Invocations (see page 155).
Derringer | 800 z (DEX + INS) +1 (HR + 8) | physical | Firearm | One-handed | Ranged | The first attack you perform with this weapon during each scene deals 5 extra damage. Also, despite being based on the pistol’s profile, this isn’t considered a martial (W) weapon.
Bronze Libra | 900 z (INS + INS) (HR + 6) | earth | Arcane | Two-handed | Melee | After you perform a Magic Check, if the value of one die is a multiple of the value of the other, you regain Inventory Points equal to (half your Skill Level in Winds of Trade (see page 159)).
Giant Fork | 100

86

## SAMPLE NATURAL FANTASY RARE ARMOR

ARMOR | COST | DEFENSE | MAGIC D. | INITIATIVE

### Woolly Cuirass

W 800 z
11 DEF
INS size -3
As long as you’re not in Crisis, you gain Resistance to ice damage and are immune to weak.

### Engineer Jacket

1000 z
DEX size +1
INS size +1 -1
When you use an elemental shard, you may deal its damage to each of up to three creatures you can see. Additionally, when you deal damage with an elemental shard, you deal 5 extra damage.

### Noble Dress

1600 z
DEX size +1
INS size +1 -
When an ally who is able to see you causes you to recover Hit Points, if you are in Crisis, that ally recovers 5 Mind Points.

### Apothecary Robes

1800 z
DEX size +1
INS size +2 -2
When you use the Potion Rain Skill (see Core Rulebook, page 211), the restoring effect is not halved.

### Fairy Tunic

2000 z
DEX size +1
INS size +2 -2
As long as you are affected by one or more spells with a duration of “Scene”, you gain a +2 bonus to Magic Defense.

## SAMPLE NATURAL FANTASY RARE SHIELDS

SHIELD | COST | DEFENSE | MAGIC D. | INITIATIVE

### Plate Manica

800 z
+2 DEF
-
As long as you have no martial armor and no other shield equipped, you may apply the effects of the Dodge Skill (see Core Rulebook, page 203).

### Lid Shield

1500 z
+2 DEF
+2 MAN
When you deal damage with a delicacy (see page 151), you deal 5 extra damage.

### Lily Vambrace

2000 z
+2 DEF
+2 MAN
If you have the Battle Gardening Skill (see page 139), you can use it when you plant a magiseed with the Graft Skill.

Inventory Catalog

# THE WORLD

## CHAPTER SAMPLE NATURAL FANTASY ACCESSORIES

Watering Can 500 z

When you perform a water invocation (see page 157), you may fill 1 section of the Growth Clock (see page 140) of a Player Character you can see.

Spicy Powder 600 z

When you deal damage using a delicacy or potion, you may change its type to fire. This effect may change the damage type dealt by the Expiration Date Skill (see page 159).

Dandelion Obi 700 z

When you perform an air invocation (see page 156), you may recover from a single status effect of your choice.

Clockwork Heart 800 z

You are Resistant to bolt and fire damage. If you enter Crisis, the effect of this accessory ceases until your next rest.

Needlefrog Mantle 900 z

When you deal poison damage to one or more creatures during a conflict, each of those creatures who loses Hit Points this way cannot recover Hit Points until the start of your next turn.

Handmade Scarf 1000 z

When you gain one or more Trade Points via the Real Treasure Skill (see page 159), you also gain 1 Fabula Point.

Fallen Leaf Amulet 1500 z

When you use the Tree of Life Skill (see page 139), if you are in Crisis and choose an ally you can see who is in Crisis, you and that ally both benefit from the Hit Point recovery granted by the Skill.

Eccentric’s Cookbook 1600 z

Once per rest, you may choose a single combination of two tastes whose effect you already discovered (see page 151). If you do, roll again to determine the effect of the combination, replacing the previous effect.

Natural Fantasy Artifacts

# ARTIFACTS

Natural fantasy campaigns boast a massive variety of artifacts. In line with the themes of this genre, their value doesn’t necessarily stem from their power, but rather from their cultural and sentimental value, as well as what they represent for those who inherited them or received them as a gift.

## VISIONS OF THE PAST

Natural fantasy artifacts are often very ancient and impossible to replicate in the current era. They include clues about the epochs they came from and were often the epicenter of terrible disasters and tragic mistakes that humanity barely remembers. It’s very likely that, driven by ambition or necessity, we repeat the errors that these artifacts were intended to warn us against, misinterpreting what little information is available or reinterpreting it at our convenience.

## INSTRUMENTS OF TRANSFORMATION

Some natural fantasy artifacts have the power to transform creatures, places and objects. These can be divided between allegories of inevitable change (if the transformation is spontaneous and uncontrolled) and temptations of control (if it can be directed or manipulated). How people react to the presence of such artifacts is a key aspect of natural fantasy storylines.

## DYNAMIC ARTIFACTS

More often than not, natural fantasy artifacts present a dynamic evolution: not only do we discover more about their role, but the artifacts themselves become progressively more powerful or take a new form, even in rule terms – they might become an ally or a vehicle, grant a new Skill, or create a Villain.

## RENUNCIATION, RESTITUTION AND CONSERVATION

Fabula Ultima often portrays artifacts as dangerous items that the heroes have to find before the Villains do. However, natural fantasy artifacts tend to have a cultural significance – they don’t belong in a museum, but rather, exactly where they are. The heroes shouldn’t seek to replace Villains as the possessors of such items, but rather ensure their restitution or that nobody takes them. Sometimes, this means renouncing a great power and trusting that others will keep it safe in the PCs’ absence – after all, humility, hope, and trust are core elements of natural fantasy protagonists.

Artifact Catalog Entries

## THE WORLD

Classification: CARDINAL KYLIX

Description: A large, shallow metal cup, freezing to the touch.

Legends tell of the Statue Civilization and their ability to extinguish any opposition or rage from elemental forces, making them docile and predictable – a power that, millennia ago, allowed them to build immense cities and create an unprecedented civilization. In this age of unpredictable and destructive natural phenomena, some regard that power as a source of hope and answers. Preserved in the hands of a colossal statue at the bottom of the Northern Chasm, this artifact whispers promises of control and safety, of a world where humanity will become master of land and sea. There is only one question it cannot answer: what will humans do when they have nothing to fear anymore, except each other?

## EGG OF ILLUYANKA

Description: A heavy and cumbersome egg with an extremely hard, striped shell.

Over the centuries, the mighty draconic creatures known as Illuyanka ruled over the Cedar Forest, discouraging any attempt to build a permanent settlement. But with the arrival of drought, the tribes of the plains formed an alliance, creating hunter cadres to exterminate the already-scarce Illuyanka, and cut down the forest to create new pastures. This egg is probably the last of its kind, preserved by the elven ascetics of the Yellowcape Clan in anticipation of a threat that, according to their oral tradition, will manifest when the egg hatches.

## GEMSHORN OF TRANQUILITY

Description: A flute carved from the horn of a cliffgoat.

When a cliffgoat reaches the end of their life and manages to serenely breathe their last, one of their horns might fall off. Once collected and crafted by a skilled artisan, the horn becomes a musical instrument with magical properties: if the flutist has good intentions, their music soothes the fear and rage of beast, monster and plant creatures (an effect equivalent to a Chimerism or Spiritism Ritual, but requiring neither Mind Points nor a Magic Check; however, during a conflict, it still needs a full Clock to activate).

Artifact Inventory

# Artifact Catalog

WAVENBELL

A brass bell decorated with a red ribbon.

According to some folk tales, if you help a silkie in danger or show her great respect and admiration, she might offer you a small decorated bell. Ringing it causes a house to appear nearby. It will be rustic, but welcoming and secure, and it’s protected by the silkie herself, in the guise of a tall, stern fairy with sapphire-colored hair.

You can rest here in complete security, but, at the end of the rest, you have to roll 1d6: with a 1 or 2, the silkie makes a peculiar (often bizarre) request of you. If the request isn’t satisfied, this artifact vanishes in a puff of leaves and dew.

KEYS OF THE HARMONIST

A large silver ring with nine keys of dull metal.

This artifact dates back to the time when the Harmonists undertook long journeys across the southern plateau, spending months in service to the animal spirit that, in turn, would reveal their name and give them part of their power. Today, the plateau is an icy waste and the heavy keys that held the spirits’ favor are blackened and inert.

Still, if a group of brave and honest heroes were to follow the pilgrimage’s path, showing their loyalty, that dormant power might be reawakened and the spirits could fight alongside humans once again, in the guise of Arcana that can be summoned by any member of the group (but not by two or more at once).

MOON MIRROR

A circular mirror of oxidized metal.

Found by one of the village’s founders in a very ancient tomb near the ocean, this mirror appears to be made out of an unknown metal which reflects moonlight with great intensity. At night, it allows the user to perform a Ritual as if they had acquired the Verdant Sway Skill (see page 139), without paying the Mind Point cost.

For this Ritual to succeed, the mirror must be oriented to reflect moonlight toward the plant. Sometimes, the reflected light causes vibrations and unpredictable movements in machines and armor. What is its secret?

Lore Entries Catalog

# THE WORLD

Volume 91 | Chapter/Section Marker (22)

## Reidy’s Journal

An old journal with thick pages, overflowing with notes. Written by a young and brilliant scholar during his final days, this massive journal is a rich anthology of legends, folklore and historical accounts.

Once per rest, the group may start a new search among its pages or continue a previous one. The Game Master assigns a Clock to each piece of research (the more obscure the information, the bigger the clock, from 4 to 10 sections) and Player Characters attempt a Group Check with DL 10 to make any progress. Once a research Clock is full, the Game Master provides a useful, reliable, and precise answer to the original question.

## Resin Tear

A curved sword carved from gleaming amber.

Unable to even dent the armor of the ape-people of Iron Mountain, the warriors of Oradh Kingdom felled the Thunder Forest’s trees, from youngest to oldest, sparing none but the millennia-old yew tree near the waterfall. From its hardened resin, boiling with sorrow, an Oradhan warrior carved a blade that could command lightning (similar to an Elementalism Ritual, but costing no Mind Points). Wielding it, he exterminated the ape-people and conquered their forge, whose secrets were stolen and acted as foundation to Oradhan’s military tradition. Ever since that moment, the spirits and beasts of land and sky are at war with the Oradh. The name of that warrior was hidden, since his lineage is cursed.

## Seal of the Second Sun

A delicate cylindrical seal made of lapis lazuli.

The embossed inscription on this artifact recites, in high-imperial register: “In the hands of the Winter Queen, a path opens to the new Sun”. Discovered by a young explorer lost in the underground necropolis of Abarsa, this artifact caught the attention of scholars and collectors, some drawing connections to the female statues lining the perimeter of a stone tower in the southern archipelago, dating back to the imperial age and the second ice age. A group of adventurers is organizing an expedition to the tower but, despite their protests, they have been forbidden from taking the cylinder with them.

### [Sidebar Data / Transaction Record]

## SKULL OF THE SALAMANDER-GODDESS

### A massive salamander skull with topaz teeth.

Stolen from the stone circle at the bottom of the valley of Three Volcanoes and brought before the Governor by an ambitious merchant, this massive fossil is under investigation by the Alchemists’ Guild, who are fascinated by its ability to emit heat and fuel flames in close proximity.

During these academic investigations, however, the scholars ignored the legends about this artifact, which represent the earthly bond of the elemental spirit that protects the Three Volcanoes – if the skull isn’t returned before the coming summer, She-Who-Breaks-the-Earth will rise and, unable to find her head, will roam across the world looking for it.

## SKY OIL

### A dense and viscous green liquid.

Having studied nature, the Ancients wished to rule it. Having ruled it, they wished to create it. Having created it, they wished to improve it. This mysterious liquid, which rains down from reddish clouds gathered over the ocean, is an extraordinary elemental conductor and the prime result of its creators’ boundless ambition.

This artifact transforms all it touches, following inscrutable logics, compressing millennia of evolution into mere hours and subjecting the victim to atrocious pain, as the mutations observed in the aviocetae of the Coral Coast amply demonstrated.

## THREE-KNOT ROPE

### A thick rigging rope with three very tight knots.

Created in ancient times by the fishermen of the Mist Isle, these magical ropes contained the essence of the wind in their knots.

- Undoing the first knot: Allows casting the Ventus spell (see Core Rulebook, page 189), ignoring its Mind Point cost.
- Undoing the second knot: Enables performing an Elementalism Ritual to control the wind, ignoring its Mind Point cost.
- The third and final knot: Rarely undone, grants an audience with the Wind Princess herself.

Only one Three-Knot Rope has survived to the current day and the art of their creation was lost during the occupation of the Mist Isle, currently reduced as a domain of the Dogado.

Artifact Compendium

# The World Compendium

[Page 93]

## TOME OF THE METEOR

Classification: Book / Magical Relic

A strange mechanism is encased in the cover of this heavy tome. One of the most discussed books in the Academy’s library, this tome presents detailed descriptions of improbable machines, alongside formulae and prayers to unknown entities. Even the cover is a mystery: lodged inside the wooden panel is an extraordinary clockwork device, with comet-shaped pointers moving at different speeds along a calendar, whose dates and seasons have nothing to do with ours.

Every self-respecting scholar dismisses this artifact as a very elaborate joke, but the most honest admit that they are a bit worried at the idea that the mechanism might stop someday.

## UNDOVEN

Description: A heavy metal contraption, similar to a portable oven. This relic from a distant time closely resembles a massive portable oven with a large front door.

This artifact possesses the extraordinary ability to disassemble any complex object into simple materials using heat. It can also self-recharge, though this process requires significant time.

### Usage

- Capacity: Once per rest, you may place any one piece of equipment (weapon, armor, shield, or accessory) inside the Undoven to gain two different materials (see page 74) with a combined value equal to that of the destroyed item.
- Question: What would happen if you put another artifact inside?

## WHITE MASK FRAGMENT

Description: The right half of a horned wooden mask.

Some stories tell of how the sculptor Acaunissa lost her inspiration. During a dream, a bat told her it was stuck at the bottom of Bone Valley and that only the Vulture King could grant it back to her. Her father forbade Acaunissa from leaving, but she ignored him and sculpted a white mask with two horns to trick the souls of the departed.

When she met the King, he told her the mask itself was proof her inspiration had never been lost in the first place. After her return, Acaunissa’s father punished her by breaking the mask, but the artist’s courage still permeates this fragment and no undead, except Villains, may harm the one who wears it.

“Perhaps due to our ability to communicate, we humans often deem our pain more significant than the far quieter pain of other creatures.”

Order Details
Document Header Metadata
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Customer Type:

Order Identifier:

Protagonists Guide

# Protagonists

This chapter is dedicated to the creation and growth of natural fantasy Player Characters – to take full advantage of its contents you have to pair it with the Press Start chapter of the Core Rulebook (from page 145 onward). All options contained here are designed to be compatible with those presented in other official Fabula Ultima Atlases. When deciding which additional mechanics to include in your Fabula Ultima campaigns, the whole group should consider what fits the narrative context and the needs of all who participate – take good care of your play experience!

This chapter contains two main sections:

## Natural Fantasy Heroes

Here you will find tips and suggestions for Players who are about to create a character and play in a natural fantasy campaign, including several examples of PCs that make use of the natural fantasy rules and options presented in the following pages.

## New Options

Here you will find new rules and mechanics designed for natural fantasy PCs but compatible with any Fabula Ultima campaign:

- Custom weapons. New rules to create unique and ingenious weapons.
- Natural Fantasy Quirks. New natural-fantasy-style mechanics that enrich and add depth to your characters.
- Camp Activities. A new optional rule to add mechanical depth to resting scenes.
- New Classes. Four new Classes focused on processes of growth and discovery: the prudent Floralist, the surprising Gourmet, the harmonious Invoker, and the dependable Merchant.
- New Heroic Skills. Twenty-one new Heroic Skills that augment the options found within the Core Rulebook and provide power-ups and support for the new Classes introduced in this Atlas.

— ()

# NATURAL FANTASY HEROES

The main characters of natural fantasy campaigns are extremely varied, and often seem indistinguishable from those found in high fantasy stories. However, we can still identify a number of recurring elements that make them stand out.

In many ways, almost every natural fantasy Player Character can be described as the “more restrained and less superheroic version” of another classic archetype from a different Fabula Ultima campaign. The core theme is always the same: the natural fantasy style starts from the same premises and key concepts outlined in the Core Rulebook, but makes the story more compact, simple (not simplistic), and familiar.

## BRAVERY AND INTROSPECTION

The natural fantasy style ties in strongly with ideas like the rediscovery of the past and the ability to coexist with the environment without suppressing it, but at the same time without letting ourselves be crushed by it. Of course, these elements are also a key part of our protagonists.

- Many questions. Even the quietest and most contemplative of natural fantasy characters is actually curious, often fascinated by the mysteries of the past and the wide world beyond the boundaries of their town or village. Of course, some of these heroes are timid or insecure, but in the recesses of their souls burn a craving for adventure and a fascination with mythology, legends and tales of people and places far away in time and space.
- Compassionate souls. Natural fantasy heroes often put themselves in someone else’s shoes, empathizing with others and being deeply affected by their suffering. Some might play the tough guy or appear cold because they were hurt one time too many, but this facade should crack over the course of the campaign, eventually crumbling once they face a situation that reopens old wounds.
- A steady heart. Despite living in an often dangerous and incomprehensible world, surrounded by a metaphorical and literal “dark forest”, these characters rally tightly together, finding strength to overcome fear and doubt in their fellow travelers.
- Ready to take a step back. While possessing all these qualities, natural fantasy heroes don’t demonstrate them all the time and are far from perfect – in fact, it is key to the development of the campaign that Players have their characters make mistakes and be forced to reckon with their own ignorance. This creates a chance for them to reevaluate themselves and others, rather than seek refuge within pride and fear. After all, seeking the truth means accepting that said truth might be painful.

Protagonists: A Dynamic Balance
Chapter Context
Protagonists
Page 97 / 33

# A Dynamic Balance

The various elements described in the previous page lead to a single, pivotal idea: balance. By this we don’t mean a static or artificial balance, a combination of order, immobility, and predictability, but rather the constantly shifting balance of nature, made of mistakes, joy, pain, regrets, and events both large and small, forming an interconnected network so vast that nobody can truly glimpse all its nuances. Being a natural fantasy hero means becoming an active and aware part of this cycle, protecting it from those who want to control or interrupt it out of fear.

## Friends and Family

In many campaigns of Fabula Ultima, the protagonists’ friends and families fade into the background or aren’t even mentioned unless they are key characters in the setting or, as is so very often the case, potential Villains. During a natural fantasy game, however, it’s a good idea to break away from this habit:

- Recurring NPCs. This option is ideal for campaigns that take place in a relatively small region: some NPCs might be childhood friends, relatives, or mentors to the protagonists. We should also see their evolution over the course of the story, without necessarily turning them into allies or antagonists.
- Bonds within the group. If the majority of the PCs come from the same community, it’s an excellent idea to represent their relationship using the Starting Bonds optional rule (see Core Rulebook, page 220). We recommend that you use negative as well as positive Bonds, to create more opportunities for character growth.

You can also establish that two or more Player Characters come from the same family, but if you do, make sure this relationship doesn’t mirror real life too closely and that it doesn’t create discomfort at the table.

## Sample Natural Fantasy Characters

The following pages provide profiles for ten Player Characters designed for natural fantasy contexts. In contrast to the new Classic Characters (see page 134), these examples focus on the thematic construction of the heroes and provide some tips on how to grow these characters and their role in the story.

All characters in the following pages use the optional rules for Quirks (see page 120) and some have Custom Weapons (see page 112).

# Akelarre

## Basic Information

Identity Clumsy
Role/Title Janara Apprentice
Theme Doubt
Origin Creektown
Quirk Flight
Signature Weapons Magic Pumpkins

## Character Narrative & History

Akelarre trained by Janara witches in the magical art since the age of seven. Akelarre abandoned his birth name and decided to dedicate his entire being to honoring the memory of his mentor, Hilda, who mysteriously disappeared during her pilgrimage to the remote Willow Island: a journey that, at the time, the young apprentice was considered too inexperienced to undertake.

Although Hilda was a very forgiving mentor and extraordinarily talented in magic (or rather, because of that!), Akelarre is plagued by Doubt and afraid that he will never measure up to her, so he still lives in her shadow.

## Skills & Purpose

- Classes: Floralist, Elementalist, and Wayfarer.
- Together with the rest of the group, the Player repurposed the Flight Quirk to represent his flying broom, a gift from Hilda.
- During the campaign, Akelarre’s Player should be the go-to person regarding witchcraft traditions and legends about Willow Island.

## Character Arc

Akelarre’s journey will deal with his insecurities and need for validation; his fellow travelers will play a pivotal role in helping him (or putting him to the test).

### Metadata

Character Profile: Apsu
[Page 99] | W33 PROTAGONISTS

# APSU

## BASIC INFORMATION

Identity: Waterfiend Hunter
Theme: Hope
Origin: Salt Hill
Quirk: Cursed
Signature Weapons: Short swords

## APSU IN DETAIL

Background & Skills

- The bards sing of another age, when humans waged war against the sea, using their machines to poison it. Since then, those who are born with blue hair are Cursed by the Old Woman of the Tide, scorned by the earth, and hounded by the ocean: their blood is saltwater.
- Able to see waterfiends due to his curse, Apsu earned his livelihood by catching and killing them, to extract drinking water from the remains. This brutal life was interrupted when he met an old oracle on the way to Ocean’s Mirror to negotiate a truce with the Old Woman of the Tide or, if necessary, kill her.
- Apsu is an Elementalist, Wayfarer and Weaponmaster, who uses Spellblade to cast powerful spells such as Thunderbolt, through his shortswords.
- Although his background and skill suggest a story of pain and violence, Apsu is an optimist who strives to see the silver lining in all things – his Hope theme makes him a real touchstone for the entire group.

Game Master Note: The GM should involve Apsu’s Player in establishing any information about the curse of blue hair and the water spirits, especially the most dangerous and aggressive ones.
Donna Maxwell Profile

# DONNA MAXWELL

## BASIC INFORMATION

Identity: Spark-spirit Huntress
Theme: Guilt
Origin: Illwind
Quirk: Ancient Weapon
Signature weapons: Seismic revolver

## DONNA IN DETAIL

### Backstory & Abilities

- Three years ago, a research team led by Donna Maxwell left the fortified citadel of Illwind for the ruins of the Celestial Labyrinth. Driven by arrogant curiosity, these scholars activated the ancestral mechanism which the Scripture calls the Matrix of Days, thereby freeing the Spark-spirit trapped in its engine and causing the destruction of Illwind.
- Armed with a seismic revolver found in the Labyrinth, Donna swore to find and kill the Spark-spirit before it could unleash its fury once more. She considers herself Guilty of making a disastrous mistake, and she isn’t wrong.
- Donna’s Classes are Loremaster, Sharpshooter, and Tinkerer. She uses a variety of infusions and capitalizes on her Insight thanks to Knowledge is Power.
- Donna’s Player should be the go-to person for everything related to Illwind and its researchers, not to mention the Celestial Labyrinth and the dreadful wonders it hides.
- Donna’s revolver is a powerful weapon that targets Magic Defense and deals 5 extra damage to elementals (a Quality valued at around 900 zenit), but it reacts unpredictably when near ancient machines and the ruins scattered across the entire region.

Character Profile: Lady Undersson

# LADY UNDERSSON

## Basic Information

Identity:
  Kind Android
Condition:
  Without Memory
Theme:
  Belonging
Origin:
  Ancient Ruins
Quirk:
  Underchild
Signature Weapons:
  Clockwork Keys

## LADY UNDERSSON In Detail

History & Lore:

- When the villagers found her, Lady Undersson was standing still, in absolute silence, in front of the evergreen tree next to the entrance of the ancient ruins. Devoid of any memory regarding her previous function, the android decided to help the villagers in their everyday chores, overcoming their initial hesitation due to their past experiences with machines from underground.
- Despite her desire to become part of the village community, Lady Undersson is plagued by short, fragmented visions of a hazy past that she cannot escape, and the looming feeling that she forgot something terrible.
- Lady Undersson is an Entropist and a Spiritist, who uses clockwork keys (see page 116) as her weapon of choice.
- The Game Master should consult with Lady Undersson’s Player for details regarding ruins and ancient machines.
- Over the course of the game, the Underchild Quirk allows Lady Undersson’s memories to become clearer and clearer until she remembers key information about a looming threat. It’s essential that this moment establishes once and for all a bond of trust between this PC and the rest of the group.

### Profile

Order Details:

Character Dossier: Laurence

# W LAURENCE

## BASIC INFORMATION

Identity: Chef and Former Hunter

Theme: Mercy

Origin: Village of Arca

Quirk: Big Bro

Signature Weapons: Sword and Shield

## LAURENCE IN DETAIL

### Backstory & Profile

- When Laurence was just an apprentice hunter, his squad cornered a powerful and regal wyvern in its lair and killed it. However, when the captain, who Laurence saw as his adoptive mother, went in and exterminated the entire brood, something in his soul snapped and he swore never to kill again.
- Recently, a mysterious force has been pushing beasts and monsters to attack human settlements, destroying vehicles, structures, and machinery with unprecedented ferocity. Laurence volunteered to accompany a team of heroes to discover what has caused such resentment.
- Laurence is a Gourmet, Guardian and Weaponmaster. His Big Bro Quirk makes him excel at supporting the entire group.
- The Game Master should consult Laurence’s Player when describing wild beasts and their habits, not to mention the tactics employed by the hunters of Arca.
- Due to his oath, Laurence was mocked and shunned by the hunters of Arca, and his old captain considers him her greatest disappointment. It’s up to the other Player Characters to help him when mentor and pupil inevitably clash again.

## Transaction Details

Character Dossier: Melissa Holtz

# MELISSA HOLTZ

Chapter 103 | 33 PROTAGONISTS

## BASIC INFORMATION

Identity: Exuberant Alchemist
Theme: Ambition
Origin: Eiche
Quirk: Traveling Workshop
Signature Weapons: Alchemical scepters

## MELISSA IN DETAIL

- In spite of her parents’ doubts, young Melissa worked hard and traveled far to discover the secret of alchemy, with the Ambition of attaining an official license and, upon her eventual return, bringing prosperity to the mountain hamlet of Eiche.
- Melissa saved her money to buy a cart, pulled by a mighty and loving auroch. This traveling workshop is full of mementos, notes and unusual ingredients.
- Melissa combines Gourmet, Spiritist and Sharpshooter: together with the rest of the group she adapted the Gourmet’s rules to represent alchemy, using five seasonal essences instead of tastes. Her alchemical scepters are custom arcane ranged weapons that she uses to fire her compounds, creating expanding clouds using Barrage.
- Taking inspiration from the wu xing’s Late Summer, Melissa’s Player and the rest of the group decided to add a fifth season to their setting, the Calm, which has its own seasonal essence and is a time of transition for the entire world when the elements coexist and combine in ways that are, so far, poorly understood.
- Melissa’s personal goals are rather simple, but the mystery of the Calm should have a deep influence on the story: of course, one or more Villains have plans for it.

Mylo Ulve Character Profile

# Mylo Ulve

(Page/Document Reference 104)

## Basic Information

Identity: Gentleman
Occupation/Role: Archaeologist
Theme: Justice
Origin: Zentralia
Quirk: Mysterious Grimoire
Signature Weapons: Elemental Rings

## Detailed Background

- An archaeology graduate from the Golden College, Mylo Ulve left the capital when the Senate closed the faculty and sold all exhibits to collectors to bankroll a new expansionist campaign to the West. Mylo was able to save only the Codex Rubrum, an extraordinary magical tome that sometimes answers the reader’s question in the language of the ancient civilization of Escria.
- The information in the Codex supports the College’s theories about Escria and the magical prowess of its Scribe-Priests, not to mention its downfall at the hands of the founders of Zentralia. Even more importantly, it completely invalidates the propaganda which presents the current aristocracy as scions of the glorious Escria.
- Mylo’s Classes are Loremaster, Tinkerer, and Wayfarer. He uses Alchemy and potions and is one among the very few Zentralians that understand the language of Escria.
- Mylo’s character should be the go-to person for everything related to the history of Zentralia and the fall of Escria (unless the group includes a descendant of the Escrians, of course).

### Character Goals

- Uncover the truth about the Codex Rubrum and Escria.
- Oppose the Zentralian nobles who crave the ancient magic of the Scribes.

Octavia - Protagonist Profile
Page 105 | W 33 PROTAGONISTS: OCTA VIA POLPI

## BASIC INFORMATION

Identity:
Proud Ocean Merchant
Theme:
Rebellion
Origin:
Yonaguni
Quirk:
Stubborn Scion
Signature Weapons:

- Reinforced Pipe

## OCTAVIA IN DETAIL

- The youngest offspring of the Polpi merchant clan, Octavia is a young oceanid, whose stubbornness and cutting humor hide a heart of gold. This spirit led her to rebel against her own family's ways of conducting business, prompting her decision to travel the surface world and build a commerce and communication network that addresses local needs—and outmaneuver her relatives in the process.
- Octavia is always accompanied by two tireless bodyguards: Crabecca and Breamthony. Breamthony shares some of her opinions about the rest of the family, while Crabecca remains constantly worried for her safety.
- Octavia’s shrewdness is well represented by her Merchant and Orator Classes. In times of emergency, she can deal substantial blows with her reinforced pipe (which utilizes the staff profile).

### Campaign Guidance Notes

- The Player should provide information about the Polpi clan, the oceanids, and the underwater territory of Yonaguni. This must include details regarding available transportation methods for surface-dwellers planning a visit.
- At the start of the campaign, Octavia is driven by her need for Rebellion. However, over the course of the game, she should realize the true nature of her feelings and demonstrate increased maturity.

Ruairi Character Profile

# Ruairi Character Profile

## Basic Information

Identity: Moth Court Outcast

Theme: Solitude

Origin: Hawthorn Forest

Quirk: Outcast Fairy

Signature Weapons: Floral greatswords

## Background & History

- Once upon a time, Ruairi was a noble warrior of the Moth Court, but he was exiled because of his love for the Raven Witch, Baobhan Sith. He wandered alone for centuries, only to eventually stumble upon the tomb of his soulmate. There, he fell into a deep slumber, until the arrival of a group of heroes with more enthusiasm than common sense roused him from sleep.
- Despite how much time has passed, Ruairi is still an exceptional fighter and many fairies remember his name; however, the relationship between humanity and the fairy realm has soured significantly, and both sides now look at him with suspicion.
- Ruairi wields a floral greatsword and combines the abilities of Floralist and Darkblade, in a contrasting image of fragile beauty and visceral sorrow. True to faefolk tradition, iron is his weakness.

## Story Details / GM Notes

- The Game Master should often consult Ruairi’s Player about all things related to the fairies’ society, tradition, and powers.
- Ruairi doesn’t like to talk about it, but fairies cannot die unless killed, and such must have been Baobhan Sith’s fate. One day, he’s going to discover who was responsible and, on that day, he might swear Vengeance or perhaps even turn into a Villain.

Metadata Source: ()

Tsukihime Character Profile
107 | W | 33 PROTAGONISTS

# TSUKIHIME

## BASIC INFORMATION

Identity:
  Incarnation of the Moon God
Theme:
  Duty
Origin:
  Second Moon
Quirk:
  The Long Dream
Signature weapons:
  Bows

## TSUKIHIME IN DETAIL

- According to legend, when a grave danger looms over the Land of Elms and the Second Moon shines blue, the Moon God incarnates in the world with the shooting of an arrow. This time, the guardian is a young woman of elegant bearing and brave heart, albeit a bit stubborn. The Priestess named her Tsukihime, or Moon Princess.
- Tsukihime’s Duty is to quell the restless spirits and purify the springs of the four rivers that cross the region. The task will prove much bigger than expected, and she cannot do it alone.
- The moon’s favor grants Tsukihime a special affinity toward nature – her Classes are Chimerist, Invoker and Sharpshooter.
- Tsukihime’s Player should be the go-to person for everything related to the Moon God, the Second Moon and the spirit world. At the same time, the Princess’ knowledge of human society is extremely limited and, above all, outdated.
- Every incarnation of the Moon God is destined to return to the stars once their purpose is fulfilled. Hence, it’s essential that Tsukihime and the rest of the group develop strong emotional bonds over the course of the campaign. Perhaps these bonds will be powerful enough to prevent a painful farewell.

Game Options Guide
108

# Chapter Focus: Campaign Options

From here on, the chapter focuses on new options and rules designed to enhance the natural fantasy vibes of your Fabula Ultima campaign. However, if the whole group agrees, you can use these options for any campaign.

These introductory pages provide preliminary information about the various options, in terms of both mechanics and play experience, to help you identify the most interesting ones for your game.

## CUSTOM WEAPONS

You can use this rule to create unusual weapons. It’s a simple and straightforward option with no profound gameplay implications – you can always leave it open to anyone who is interested.

## NATURAL FANTASY QUIRKS

This option is more complex and has a significant effect on character creation. If you use it, each Player Character gains a set of unique mechanics defining their abilities and role in the story.

- These effects are powerful, ranging from the ability to ignore Mind Point costs to brandishing a rare and ancient weapon.
- Use Quirks if you and your group are comfortable setting aside the power balance between characters in favor of strong characterization.
- This option works best in tight and collaborative groups and may be too complex if this is your first experience with the game.

## NEW OPTIONS

W

(Placeholder for content/detail regarding option.)

Protagonists - Camp Activities
109 | W 33 PROTAGONISTS

# CHAPTER CAMP ACTIVITIES

This new optional rule allows the group to put more emphasis on resting scenes – rather than just a simple narrative interlude used to create a new Bond or modify existing ones, they become a way to provide special benefits to the entire group or to specific allies.

In and of itself, this is a simple rule, but it adds a tangible benefit to the rest scenes which allows the group to showcase the personality and nature of each character.

Important Consideration: If you use this option, resting scenes will take a larger part of each session, on average, and you will need to keep track of which Activities have already been used and what their benefits are (these are often single-use).

## NEW CLASSIC CHARACTERS

These sample natural fantasy builds expand on those provided in the Core Rulebook (see page 172), expressing the full potential of this Atlas’ new Classes. You will also find two premade Groups to draw inspiration from – one features characters sharing a common Class, and the other with greater variety.

## NEW CLASSES

The Natural Fantasy Atlas introduces four new Classes for Player Characters. They are designed to interact normally with those found in the Core Rulebook and other expansions without any modifications. The following pages contain some practical tips for Players and Game Masters to get the most out of these new Classes.

## NEW HEROIC SKILLS

This last, lengthy section contains twenty-one new Heroic Skills. Some are tied to the new Classes introduced by this Atlas, but most add options for those found in the Core Rulebook.

> “I’ve never seen a flower like this.
> I wonder what its properties are!”

Character Class Descriptions

# FLORALIST

- Floralists shine both for the variety of effects they can unleash, and their efficiency – for all intents and purposes, the magiseeds are "automatic" secondary actions in addition to the character’s regular action. That being said, this Class requires good timing, because planting a magiseed one turn too late means wasting its potential.
- Although the Floralist’s baseline aesthetic is tied to seeds and plants, you can use this Class to represent any character that can summon temporary little helpers. You can go for a few simple cosmetic changes (algae, mushrooms, corals, etc.), or you could choose something like clockwork turrets, support drones or even familiars, sprites or imps!
- Usually, a Floralist’s abilities go way beyond those of a common gardener or botanist, and the Player should have final say when establishing any element of the setting tied to plants, forests, plant-related creatures, and enemies belonging to the plant Species.

## GOURMET

- This is a very peculiar Class, designed to mimic the experience of exploring and combining items in a videogame by trial and error, without being able to consult a precise guide. Its key feature is procedural gameplay. Every Gourmet is different from the last, despite using the same five flavors: in order to discover which role the character will play in the group, you must first and foremost play them.
- The Gourmet’s rules are based upon flavors, rather than specific ingredients. This makes it easy to use this Class to represent other specialists (like brewers, mixologists, confectioners or sushi chefs). You can also create strictly vegetarian or vegan menus. You may also adapt these rules to represent any character who combines materials or ingredients to create special effects, be they a chemist, an alchemist or a pyrotechnician – you only have to define five ingredient types, and voila!
- The preparation, presentation and consumption of food are pivotal elements of each and every culture, and embody the themes of transformation and interdependence that are the beating heart of the natural fantasy style. If your group includes the Gourmet, take your time to describe the most unusual delicacies, but also to reflect upon the deep implications of ending one life to feed another.

Character Archetypes: Protagonists

# 33 PROTAGONISTS

## Character Archetypes

## INVOKER

- Inspired by the geomancer archetype presented in some JRPGs, the Invoker never has access to their full range of abilities – instead, their invocations are based upon the elemental wellsprings available on the scene. To compensate, their cost in Mind Points is low and their effects are quite strong… not to mention the possibility of enhancing various kinds of damage with “Hex” invocations.
- The Ripples Skill is very powerful, but requires a synergy with at least one other member of the group who is able to capitalize upon the different types of damage: the obvious choice is an Elementalist, but Chanters, Dancers (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 136 and 142) and Espers (see Techno Fantasy Atlas, page 150) are not far behind.
- Far from being a mere gameplay rule, the fact Invokers don’t impose themselves upon the environment but rather adapt to it is a powerful thematic choice. It also creates a contrast with Elementalists, who have to spend vast amounts of Mind Points to reliably access whatever damage type they require. This tension, as well as the role of elemental creatures and the relationship between magical arts and ecology, are very interesting parts of the setting to explore.

## MERCHANT

- Although more compact than the previous three Classes, the Merchant shouldn’t be underestimated: Winds of Trade lets you introduce new NPCs and gives you access to the right tool at the right time, while the other Skills form an impressive support arsenal, especially for characters who heavily rely on Inventory Points, such as Tinkerers and Symbolists (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 146).
- A cornerstone of the Merchant is that it doesn’t focus on accumulating money, as shown by the Real Treasure Skill. The heroic nature of this Class hinges upon communication, contacts, and helping exchanges between distant people. It’s a quest for richness and prosperity, but in a human, cultural and communal sense.
- Merchants are curious, perceptive and very attentive individuals: some have traveled far and wide, others have accrued knowledge of every sort over the course of many negotiations, meetings and encounters. A Merchant’s Player should be involved in establishing setting elements such as trade routes, roads, relationships between people, and key resources, not to mention matters of etiquette, such as what would be the most fitting gift to present to a prominent public figure.

“You must be strong, yes! But also humble, and kind.

There is no other way for a better world.”

Custom Weapon Guide

# Custom Weapons

## Introduction

The majority of JRPG protagonists wield unique weapons that reflect their personal style and character identity. These custom creations range from battle umbrellas to gun axes, proving that no weapon concept is too impractical!

These following rules guide you in creating a personalized weapon for your hero during the character creation process. Later on, the Game Master may create rare versions of these weapons according to the standard rules found in the Core Rulebook (see page 268). Sample rare custom weapons can be viewed on subsequent pages.

Note: Custom weapons are not necessarily superior to normal basic weapons. Always choose your weapon based on what best fits your character's personal vision and lore.

## Creating a Custom Weapon

A custom weapon must adhere to the following foundational characteristics:

### Core Characteristics

- Category: Belongs to one Category of your choice (arcane, bow, brawling, dagger, firearm, flail, heavy, spear, sword, or thrown).
- Weapon Type: It is not inherently a martial weapon (W), but can become one depending on the customizations chosen.
- Hand Requirement: It must be a two-handed weapon and cannot benefit from the Monkey Grip Heroic Skill (Core Rulebook, page 238); thus, it always occupies both hand slots.
- Function: It functions as either a melee or a ranged weapon (your choice), regardless of the Category selected.
- Cost: The base cost is set at 300 zenit.
- Accuracy Check: Relies on either (DEX + INS) or (DEX + MIG) (your choice).
- Damage Output: Deals physical damage equal to (HR + 5).

### Customizations

Furthermore, a custom weapon is enhanced by receiving three customizations selected from the available list:

- Each customization can only be chosen once for any single custom weapon.
- Selecting a customization marked with W will classify the weapon as a martial type.
- If a customization includes the pronoun “you,” it refers directly to the character who equips the weapon.
- Be advised that some especially powerful customizations may count as two separate selections or increase the total cost of the custom weapon beyond the base price.

Weapon Customization Details

# WEAPON CUSTOMIZATIONS

Page 113

Accuracy Boost
  Adds a +2 bonus to the weapon’s Accuracy Check formula.

Defense Boost
  You gain a +2 bonus to Defense, and you are treated as having a shield equipped for the sake of your Skills (for instance, Defensive Mastery or Dodge – see Core Rulebook, pages 197 and 203).

Elemental
  Choose air, bolt, dark, earth, fire, ice, light or poison. The weapon now deals damage of the chosen type instead of physical, and also deals 2 extra damage.

Magic Defense Boost W
  You gain a +2 bonus to Magic Defense.

Powerful W
  The weapon deals 5 extra damage, or 7 extra damage if it is a heavy weapon.
  This customization is not available for arcane and dagger weapons, or for weapons with the quick customization (see below).

Quick (counts as two customizations) W
  When you perform the Attack action and choose to attack with this weapon, you may perform two attacks (against the same target or against different targets). If you do, both attacks follow the rules for two-weapon fighting (see Core Rulebook, page 69).

Transforming
  (Increases the custom weapon’s cost by 100 zenit)

  This weapon has a second form, which must be designed as a separate custom weapon, must have the transforming customization, and doesn’t cost you any zenit.

  While you have one of the two forms equipped, you can equip the other form whenever you want. During a conflict scene, you can only do so during your turn, while no other effect is being resolved, and only once per turn.

  If one or both of the forms are martial (W ), remember that you must have the appropriate Classes to equip them. Additionally, a transforming weapon can still only have one Quality (the Quality applies to both forms).

Custom Weapon Compatibility Guide

# Weapon Compatibility

Custom weapons allow you to create the most bizarre armaments you can imagine, but at the same time, efforts have been made to keep them somewhat balanced. For instance, one might argue that a quick and accurate custom weapon is always better than a pair of steel daggers, but there is a loss in flexibility because you can’t combine that custom weapon with a different weapon – there’s pros and cons to each choice.

## Transforming Weapons

The transforming customization is by far the most complex option provided by custom weapons. One important note, however: if one form of your weapon is a melee weapon and the other is a ranged weapon, or if they belong to different Categories, you only gain the benefits of one form at a time.

For instance, if you use a weapon with a melee form and a ranged form, you won’t be able to add both Powerful Shot and Powerful Strike to damage, or to Counterattack while simultaneously having Crossfire available.

A character wielding a transforming weapon is always free to decide which form they start with at the beginning of a conflict.

## Sample Natural Fantasy Custom Weapons

The following pages showcase a few examples of natural fantasy-style custom weapons, accompanied by possible rare evolutions. The following conditions apply:

- You may never wield a custom weapon in a single hand, not even decreasing its damage by 4 as indicated on page 268 of the Core Rulebook.
- When it comes to transforming weapons, any modification (extra damage, Qualities, Accuracy bonuses etc.) is automatically applied to both forms.

### Narrative Considerations

Sometimes, a Player Character’s custom weapon will have narrative weight (such as if it was obtained via the Ancient Weapon Quirk, on page 121). In that case, it can be a good idea to describe later rare variants as “upgrades” of the initial weapon, instead of completely different items (for instance, they might be described as ribbons attached to the hilt of a sword, or arrows with unique properties for a bow).

However, the rules and mechanics that govern items and equipment should not be altered.

Document Footer/Reference: ()
Protagonists Chapter 9
Chapter 9

# AUTODRIVERS

## Protagonists

Loud and powerful, these weapons were developed by the Merchant Chloe from just a sketch and a double-pressure tank. Built to process very tough material, rather than for combat, they nevertheless proved themselves as highly effective weapons, especially when combined with a host of experimental chemicals (see infusions, Core Rulebook, page 214).

### STAKE DRIVER W

The weapon’s basic form, worth 300 zenit.

#### Stats

- Accuracy: (DEX + INS) +2
- Damage: (HR + 10) physical

#### Specifications

- Spear
- Two-handed
- Melee
- No Quality.

This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and powerful customizations.

### AUTOSCRAPPER W

A possible rare evolution, worth 1400 zenit.

#### Stats

- Accuracy: (DEX + INS) +2
- Damage: (HR + 14) earth

#### Specifications

- Spear
- Two-handed
- Melee
- Effect: When you reduce an enemy to 0 Hit Points with this weapon, you gain a material, chosen by the Game Master, worth an amount of zenit equal to or less than (your Tinkerer level, multiplied by 100).

This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and powerful customizations.

“Oh! If we connect
the primary compressor
to the combustion chamber,
dividing the pressure
between the eight
secondary valves…
hehehe!”

# 9 CLOCKWORK KEYS

These special keys fit perfectly in Lady Undersson’s back socket (see page 101) and power the special electrical beam she fires from her chest.

### BRASS KEY Worth 300 zenit

The weapon’s basic form.

Accuracy: (DEX + INS)
Damage: (HR + 7) bolt

- Arcane
- Two-handed
- Ranged
- No Quality.

This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and elemental customizations.

### OXIDIZED KEY Worth 800 zenit

A possible rare evolution.

Accuracy: (DEX + INS)
Damage: (HR + 7) bolt

- Arcane
- Two-handed
- Ranged

Special Ability: All damage dealt by your spells becomes air and its type cannot change. When an ally present on the scene performs the Guard action, you may swap this clockwork key with a different one in your backpack.

This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and elemental customizations.

# 9 FLORAL SCISSORS

These huge scissor-swords are the weapon of choice of Jacek, the Floralist. They can chop even the toughest shrub with ease.

### ROSENSCHWERT Worth 300 zenit

The weapon’s basic form.

Accuracy: (DEX + INS)
Damage: (HR + 10) physical

- Sword
- Two-handed
- Melee
- No Quality.

This weapon has the accurate, magic defense boost and powerful customizations.

W ()
Page 117

# 33. PROTAGONISTS

## CRESCENT SCISSORS

A possible rare evolution, worth 1000 zenit.

### Basic Info

- Type: Sword
- Handling: Two-handed
- Combat Style: Melee

This weapon has the accurate, magic defense boost and powerful customizations.

### Form Details

#### Form I

- W Accuracy: (DEX + INS)
- Damage: (HR + 10) light

Unique Features: When you use the Graft Skill (see page 139), you may erase 1 section of your Growth Clock. • This weapon has the accurate, magic defense boost and powerful customizations.

## EYRE

For those who don’t sacrifice elegance, even during the most dangerous adventures.

The weapon’s basic form, worth 400 zenit.

### Form I

- W Accuracy: (DEX + INS)
- Damage: (HR + 5) physical

- Type: Dagger
- Handling: Two-handed
- Combat Style: Melee
- Quality: No Quality.

Features: This weapon has the defense boost, magic defense boost and transforming customizations.

### Form II

- W Accuracy: (DEX + INS) +2
- Damage: (HR + 10) physical

- Type: Firearm
- Handling: Two-handed
- Combat Style: Ranged
- Quality: No Quality.

Features: This weapon has the accurate, powerful and transforming customizations.

## EARNSHAW

A possible rare evolution, worth 1000 zenit.

### Form I

- W Accuracy: (DEX + INS)
- Damage: (HR + 9) dark

- Type: Dagger
- Handling: Two-handed
- Combat Style: Melee
- Unique Ability: As long as an ally you have a Bond of affection towards is present on the scene, damage dealt by this weapon ignores Immunities and Resistances.

Features: This weapon has the defense boost, magic defense boost and transforming customizations.

### Form II

- W Accuracy: (DEX + INS) +2
- Damage: (HR + 14) dark

- Type: Firearm
- Handling: Two-handed
- Combat Style: Ranged
- Unique Ability: As long as an ally you have a Bond of affection towards is present on the scene, damage dealt by this weapon ignores Immunities and Resistances.

Features: This weapon has the accurate, powerful and transforming customizations.

“The Lake Moth was one of the last spirits to fall prey to the Fury, and this metal harbors their last will.”

# Weapon Catalogue Excerpt

Page 118

## HEAVY ARBALESTS

These massive crossbows must be fitted to a tripod before shooting. They are built out of sheets of metal found in ancient ruins.

### GASTRAPHETES

Basic Form | Worth 300 Zenit

The weapon’s basic form.

- Accuracy: (DEX + MIG) +2
- Damage: (HR + 10) physical
- Attributes: Bow, Two-handed, Ranged, No Quality.

This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and powerful customizations.

### HELEPOLIS

Possible Rare Evolution | Worth 1600 Zenit

- Accuracy: (DEX + MIG) +2
- Damage: (HR + 14) fire
- Attributes: Bow, Two-handed, Ranged.

Deals 5 extra damage to creatures suffering from slow.

This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and powerful customizations.

## METEOR BELLS

The warrior-invokers who pass the trial of the Whispering Mountain wield these unusual weapons: a pair of massive, hallowed rattles, connected by a strong hemp rope or a heavy chain.

### COPPER RATTLES (Form I)

Basic Form | Worth 400 Zenit

- Accuracy: (DEX + MIG)
- Damage: (HR + 5) physical
- Attributes: Brawling, Two-handed, Melee, No Quality.

This weapon has the quick and transforming customizations.

### COPPER RATTLES (Form II)

Variant Upgrade | (No listed cost, assumes upgrade path)

- Accuracy: (DEX + MIG)
- Damage: (HR + 12) ice
- Attributes: Flail, Two-handed, Melee, No Quality.

This weapon has the elemental, powerful and transforming customizations.

W
Weapon Listings
Page 119

# PROTAGONISTS

## WATER TOLL

A possible rare evolution, worth 1500 zenit.

### Form I

Accuracy: (DEX + MIG)
Damage: (HR + 9) physical
Attributes: Brawling • Two-handed • Melee

- After you resolve one of your water invocations (see page 157), you may perform a free attack with this weapon. Treat your High Roll (HR) as 0 when calculating damage dealt by this attack.
- This weapon has the quick and transforming customizations.

### Form II

Accuracy: (DEX + MIG)
Damage: (HR + 16) ice
Attributes: Flail • Two-handed • Melee

- After you resolve one of your water invocations (see page 157), you may perform a free attack with this weapon. Treat your High Roll (HR) as 0 when calculating damage dealt by this attack.
- This weapon has the elemental, powerful and transforming customizations.

## SEEKER’S SHOVELS

The crystal-seekers from Rockvale learn how to handle these massive shovels from birth.

#### SHOVELPICK

(Basic Form), worth 300 zenit.

Accuracy: (DEX + MIG) +2
Damage: (HR + 12) physical
Attributes: Heavy • Two-handed • Melee

- No Quality.
- This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and powerful customizations.

#### VANGUARD SPADE

A possible rare evolution, worth 1300 zenit.

Accuracy: (DEX + MIG) +2
Damage: (HR + 16) physical
Attributes: Heavy • Two-handed • Melee

- You gain Resistance to earth damage. Additionally, when you suffer earth damage, you gain 50 zenit and regain 1 Inventory Point.
- This weapon has the accurate, defense boost and powerful customizations.

cc Weapon customizations are not part of its Qualities!
Quirks System Rules

# Quirks (Advanced Optional Rule)

Quirks are an advanced optional rule that provides strong thematic and mechanical options for Player Characters. The Quirks presented in these pages were written with a Natural Fantasy assumption, but may be used in any campaign; you may also use them as reference to create your own Quirks — but you should only use those if the rest of your group agrees to it.

## Rules and Guidelines

- A Player Character may only ever have one Quirk.
- If you use Quirks in your game, it is strongly suggested that each Player Character begins play with one; additionally, no two characters in the same group should have identical Quirks.
- On average, a group of Player Characters with access to Quirks will be able to tackle more challenging situations than what would be normal for their level.
- If it makes sense in the story, a character may lose their current Quirk and gain a different one — discuss this with the group.

USING QUIRKS IN YOUR GAME

Quirks should be seen as a mechanical and narrative reinforcement of your characters’ unique nature. Keep the following in mind:

## Key Considerations

- Shaping the Game: Even the less impactful Quirk is a powerful statement about your character and their role in the story. If you pick Ancient Weapon, that item will surely have narrative implications; if you go with The Long Dream, you are inviting the Game Master to create situations in which you’ll be pressed to use your powers. Quirks will take the already heroic Player Characters and kick them up a notch, which can prove a bit overwhelming. Think carefully before you use them!
- Freedom of Choice: You don’t need a Quirk for your character concept to be valid. If your Identity is “Barkville’s Firstborn”, you shouldn’t feel forced to pick Stubborn Scion for that Identity to be relevant to the story.
- Ideal Uses (What you should use Quirks for): Bringing interesting situations into play, giving your character unique issues to confront, providing additional mechanical support to your character’s Traits.
- Forbidden Uses (What you should never use Quirks for): Making your character stronger than the rest of the group, stealing the spotlight, bringing sensitive topics that make others uncomfortable into play.

## Natural Fantasy Quirks

(Note: The remaining text seems to be a citation or header fragment and is placed under context.)

W ()

Game Rules Summary

# Protagonists

Chapter 9: Ancient Weapon / Chapter

## Ancient Weapon

You don’t fear delving deep in the ancient ruins; from their cold tunnels you have retrieved an unusual weapon, which saved your life in more than one occasion. Where did you find it? When did you stumble upon a similar weapon, and who carried it?

- Custom Weapon Creation: Together with the rest of your group, create a rare custom weapon (see page 112) worth 1200 zenit or less.
- The weapon should have an especially unusual and technological appearance; making it a firearm and determining that similar items are rare and mysterious in your world is advised.

Game Master Complications:

Once per session (approximately four hours of play), the Game Master may give you 1 Fabula Point in order to have sudden complications arise due to the unique nature of the weapon (such as strange machines reacting to its presence, or monsters drawn to the special energy it emits). However, the weapon cannot be destroyed, damaged, lost, or stolen without your permission as a Player.

Arboreal

## The Arboreal Challenge

You are a sentient plant creature, with humanoid intelligence. Do you belong to a particular species, or are you one of a kind? How does your life cycle function? Do you resemble a specific type of plant, flower, or tree?

### Mandatory Choices

- Status Immunity: Choose a status effect (dazed, enraged, or shaken). You are immune to the chosen status effect.
- Vulnerability: You also gain Vulnerability to a damage type of your choice: air, bolt, earth, fire, or ice.
- Unique Spell Learning: You learn one NPC spell (pages 310-311 of the Core Rulebook; you cannot choose Devastation; if a Magic Check is required, use (INS + WLP)). Customize the spell as needed (name, damage type, status effects etc.).
- Sunlight Bonus: When you cast this spell while in sunlight, its total MP cost is reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 0 Mind Points).

Character Quirks Documentation

# Character Quirk Documentation

## 9 BIG BRO

Your travel companions know they can rely on you when it’s time to make camp and catch a precious breath among the constant pressure of your adventure. Who taught you to care for others? Is there anyone among the other Player Characters you see as a younger brother or sister? What special promise did you make them?

If your group’s campaign does not make use of the optional rule Camp Activities (see page 130), your character still gains access to it. Your character gains access to three Camp Activities instead of only two.

If you gain this Quirk during a campaign that already makes use of Camp Activities, you simply gain access to a single new Camp Activity of your choice.

- When you choose to perform Camp Activities during a Rest, choose one option:
- Perform two different Camp Activities, whose effects cannot be applied to the same creature; OR
- Perform the same Camp Activity twice, applying its effects to two different creatures.

## 9 CURSED

You bear the burden of a strange curse. Through which supernatural effects does it manifest? How did you become cursed? Did you bother a magical creature or explore a forbidden place? Who might tell you how to break it?

When you acquire this Quirk, describe the nature of your curse and tie it to one of the threats present in your world. Once this threat is resolved, you will finally have a chance to break free from the curse - describe how you expect this to happen.

Examples: nearby animals become aggressive; waters become treacherous when you swim or sail; invisible sprites misplace your belongings.

- When you are about to perform a Check, you may instead describe how your curse gets in the way and automatically roll a fumble (both dice are treated as if you had rolled a 1 on them). If you do, you receive 2 Fabula Points instead of 1, and generate an opportunity as normal.
- If you ever manage to break the curse, immediately gain a Heroic Skill of your choice (you may even choose a Heroic Skill whose requirements you do not satisfy, unless they include a Skill you don’t have). This includes choosing a Heroic Skill for a Class you do not have.

Character Quirk Guide

# PROTAGONISTS

## Chapter 9: Character Quirks

## Elemental Soul (Air, Bolt, Earth, Fire, or Ice)

You are deeply infused with the power of a natural element. Who among your forebears first received this magical spark? What troubles has it caused you?

Mechanics:

- Choose your elemental damage type: air, bolt, earth, fire, or ice.
- You gain Resistance to the chosen damage type; additionally, whenever you deal damage, you may change its type so that it matches your elemental damage type.
- However, you also gain Vulnerability to a different damage type chosen among those five.

You also gain the ability to perform Rituals of the Elementalism discipline, but only if those Rituals manipulate your chosen element (respectively air, electricity, earth/rock, fire, and ice/water).

## Flight

You belong to a unique heritage of humanoids who have the ability to fly or levitate. How does this work? Is it magical, or do you have wings? How did this particular advantage shape the history and society of your people? How do people usually react when they see you?

Benefits:

- You are able to fly. In addition to the obvious advantage in mobility, your melee attacks can target flying creatures and you cannot be targeted by melee attacks unless the attacker is flying or is somehow able to reach flying targets.

Limitations:

- While in Crisis or unable to fly freely (such as when you’re inside a vehicle designed for human-sized creatures or in a narrow corridor), you lose all benefits granted by this Quirk.
- Additionally, when you suffer air, bolt or ice damage during a conflict scene, you lose the benefits of this Quirk until the start of your next turn.

> “No blame in being afraid sometimes.
> That's why we stick together: so that our friends can be brave for us, when it happens.”

Mysterious Grimoire Quirk

# 9 MYSTERIOUS GRIMOIRE

You came into possession of an old and hefty magical tome; sometimes, scribbles and advice appear on its pages, helping you in your adventures. Where did you find it? What kind of personality emerges from the text’s style and tone?

As long as you have this Quirk, your grimoire is an indestructible artifact that cannot be lost or stolen unless as a consequence of Surrender.

Quirk Functionality

When your group stumbles upon a danger or discovery after a travel roll, you may ask the Game Master a single question concerning that danger or discovery (you may ask it immediately or save it for later); the Game Master answers truthfully and describes how the answer appears on your grimoire.

Once your grimoire has answered 10 questions, it almost shared all of its knowledge with you: choose one of the following options.

- Awakened Consciousness: You lose this Quirk and the grimoire turns into a Non-Player Character. Create this NPC together with the rest of your group, giving them a name and describing their appearance. They do not have an NPC profile and do not take part in Checks or conflicts, but they learn two spells of your choice among those found in the Elementalist, Entropist, and Spiritist lists (see Core Rulebook, pages 188, 192 and 208 respectively). Once per conflict, if requested, the NPC will cast one of these spells. Spells cast this way will be cast at the end of the current round, require no Mind Points, and use 2d10 for the Magic Check (if needed).
- Hidden Magic: You lose this Quirk, but your grimoire will still share a final and most powerful secret. You acquire a Heroic Skill of your choice among Comet, Extra Spells, Hope, and Volcano (see Core Rulebook from page 232 onwards; you may choose a Skill whose requirements you do not fulfill).

Alternative Use

You could also use this Quirk to introduce a new Player Character (and Player) in your group; if you do, the character who had taken this Quirk should receive the benefits listed by Hidden Magic instead of those in Awakened Conscience. Suggested Quirks for a Player Character brought into a campaign this way are Arboreal, Robot, The Beast Who Spoke, and The Long Dream.

Aftermath

Whatever your choice, the grimoire goes back to being a completely normal book and the Game Master chooses one option: the grimoire provides a key clue regarding a threat that is present in your world; or the grimoire reveals the existence of a new threat and provides a key clue about it.

Protagonist Guide
Page 125

# PROTAGONISTS

## Outcast Fairy

### Lore and Background

Once upon a time, you lived with your kin in the Realm of Fairies, in close contact with the stream of souls... but it has been long since you last visited. What went wrong? What is the state of the Realm at the moment? Who governs it?

You may always communicate with any creature belonging to the beast, elemental, and plant Species.

### Abilities

- Magic Spells: You learn one spell of your choice among those found in the Elementalist, Entropist, and Spiritist lists (see Core Rulebook, pages 188, 192 and 208 respectively).
- Rituals: Additionally, you gain the ability to perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Ritualism discipline. You may use these Rituals to transport creatures in and out of the Realm of Fairies.

### Weakness (Unique Flaw)

You also possess a unique weakness typical of fairies: decide it together with your group.

Weakness Mechanic: Once per session (approximately four hours of play), the Game Master may give you 1 Fabula Point in order to have sudden complications arise due to this weakness or have you automatically fail a Check. (The GM must do so before the Check is performed; both the Check’s Result and High Roll are treated as being 0).

Examples: You are allergic to iron; you must count all poured grains of sand or salt; if you see someone perform a specific gesture, you must do the same.

## Robot

### Lore and Background

You are an artificial body in which a mysterious life shines, lone descendant of an age lost to time. Do you look organic or mechanical? What prevents you from perceiving or communicating like a normal human would? What fragmented memories do you still hold from the time you were created?

### Mechanical Traits

- Status: You are not considered a living creature.
- Resistances/Immunities: You gain Immunity to poison damage, Resistance to earth damage, and are immune to the poisoned status effect.
- Sustenance: You do not need to breathe, eat or drink, but you still follow the normal rules for resting; you also recover Hit Points and recover from status effects as normal.

### Abilities

- Technical Proficiency Bonus: You gain a +2 bonus to all Checks you perform to examine or interact with machines, technology, and constructs (except for Accuracy Checks and Magic Checks).

Quirk Profile: Stubborn Scion

## 9 STUBBORN SCION

You hail from the wealthiest, most influential family in this region. On what do they base their fortune and reputation? Are you the only heir? What is it about your family you really can’t stand, and why did it lead you to join the other characters?

If you choose this Quirk during character creation, increase your initial savings (see Core Rulebook, page 165) by 1000 zenit.

### Companions: The Loyal Bodyguards

Additionally, you are accompanied by two fiercely loyal bodyguards: give them a name and describe their appearance. They do not have an NPC profile and never take part in Checks or conflicts, but you are inseparable and they somehow appear whenever you need their help.

- Be careful! When you suffer damage, you may halve it.
- Information Retrieval: During a Rest, you may ask the Game Master one question; they will answer truthfully.
- Elemental Damage Boost: When you create an elemental shard, you may have it deal extra damage equal to (5 + half your level).

Limitations and Shared Strain: Whenever you make use of one of these benefits, your bodyguards suffer 1d6 Fatigue Points. This fatigue is shared between bodyguards; it is not tracked individually. As long as they have 10 or more Fatigue Points, you cannot rely on them.

Recovery: At the end of each session (approximately four hours of play), your bodyguards recover from 1d6 Fatigue Points (to a minimum of zero).

### Thematic Considerations for Quirk Creation

Many Quirks bring complex themes to your table: for instance, The Long Dream presents a dynamic that can be dangerously close to that of a terminal illness; Robot, Outcast Fairy, The Beast Who Spoke and Underchild will likely lead to the character being seen as an anomaly or even as a threat; Stubborn Scion can involve generational conflict and toxic family pressure; Cursed or Survivor imply seriously traumatic experiences.

Player Safety Commitment: When you choose and customize your Quirks, commit to respecting the personal boundaries of those who play with you. Use lines and veils (see Core Rulebook, page 140) and be ready to pause the game if a scene is making someone uncomfortable. Be kind to each other, and be kind to yourselves.

Character Class Profiles
Page 127 | Chapter Navigation

# PROTAGONISTS

## 9. SURVIVOR

You are among the few who survived a natural catastrophe or the attack of a dreadful creature. Do you believe someone is responsible for this? Were you able to keep in contact with any other survivors? Do you think reconstruction is possible?

### Permanent Benefits

- Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points and maximum Mind Points by 5.

### Choose One Option:

- Gain the ability to equip martial melee and ranged weapons, martial armor, and martial shields;
  (*Restricts equipment choice*)
- Learn any one spell from the Elementalist or Spiritist lists.
- Permanently increase your maximum Inventory Points by 2.

## 9. THE BEAST WHO SPOKE

You belong to a long line of magical beasts who protected human villages over the centuries; nowadays, however, humanity has forgotten your role. Where do you make your nest? Do you know of any of your kind who are still alive? Who, among the other Player Characters, has shown interest or respect towards your nature?

### Restrictions & Bonuses

You may not equip any items, with the exception of accessories and weapon and armor modules (see Pilot Class, page 158 of the T echno Fantasy Atlas). However, as long as your armor slot is empty, you gain a +2 bonus to Defense and a +2 bonus to Magic Defense.

### Additional Benefits (Choose Two):

- You may also equip custom weapons (see page 112 for more).
- Spell Mastery: You learn one NPC spell (pages 310-311 of the Core Rulebook; you cannot choose the spell Devastation; if a Magic Check is required, use (MIG + WLP)): customize the spell as needed (name, damage type, status effects etc.).
- Unarmed Strikes: Your attacks with unarmed strikes deal 6 extra damage. This amount increases to 10 extra damage if you are level 30 or higher.

Character Lore & Mechanics

# THE LONG DREAM

Long ago, your spirit dwelled in nature; then, something brought you to take on a human form, but it won’t be forever. Was it a prayer or some kind of magic? What part of your appearance betrays your origin? Do you fear that last farewell?

## The Approaching Farewell

At the end of each session (approximately four hours of play), before assigning XP, roll 2d20. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your current character level, the last farewell approaches.

- When a rule or ability requires you to spend Hit Points, Mind Points, or Fabula Points, you may instead ignore that cost. If you do, the last farewell approaches.

At the end of a scene where you ignored a cost as described above, if the last farewell has approached at least 10 times already, the moment has come for you to leave the world of humans. You shall forever return to your original form as a natural and inanimate object: together with your group, take your time to roleplay one last bittersweet moment before you go.

The same happens if you Sacrifice yourself.

### Examples

- You might turn into a great guardian tree.
- Into a visage on the side of a cliff.
- Into a uniquely shaped rock, or into the brightest star in the sky.

A character whose last farewell has come is considered dead in game terms, and cannot be brought back.

However, from now on all Player Characters in the campaign (including your new character) will receive 1 additional Fabula Point at the start of each session (approximately four hours of play).

# TRAVELING WORKSHOP

You own a transport that also acts as your shop and laboratory. How did you obtain it? How does it move, and what energy fuels it? What makes it extremely recognizable? Normally, how do people react to its passage?

## Quirk Requirements

- You may only choose this Quirk if your character has acquired one or more Classes among Gourmet (see page 148) and Tinkerer (see Core Rulebook, page 210).

## Mechanics

- You obtain a land vehicle (see Core Rulebook, page 125). This vehicle is big enough to accommodate you and the rest of your group, plus two or three guests, but unfit for combat.
- If a Project requires a special ingredient or material, you may spend 1 Fabula Point to suddenly stumble upon something similar in your workshop; if you do, the invention must have a terrible flaw (see Core Rulebook, page 134).

Character Quirk Detail

# 33 PROTAGONISTS

## CHAPTER 9 UNDERCHILD

There isn’t much you remember about your past, but upon awakening you found yourself in the depths. Once you reached the surface, you realized you weren’t exactly like everyone else—you are spontaneously attuned to ancient technology and boast a strange power reserve you can draw from. Who was the first person you encountered? What items did you have with you? Are you afraid of regaining your memories?

### The Primal Attunement Quirk

When a rule or ability requires you to spend 100 or fewer Hit Points, Mind Points, or Inventory Points during a conflict, you may instead ignore that cost. If you do, you cannot ignore a cost this way again until the end of your next Rest.

#### Examples of Source:

- A magic gem hidden in your left eye.
- A power generator grafted to your arm.
- An arcane circuit that resembles an intricate tattoo.

Additionally, when you encounter a contraption or creature connected to ancient technology or to a ruins’ past, you may choose one option:

- Ask the Game Master its purpose;
  (or)
- Ask the Game Master what can activate it;
  (or)
- Ask the Game Master what can deactivate it.

The Game Master answers truthfully and you describe a brief flashback that reveals the answer.

After you receive an answer this way for the sixth time, you remember the real reason why you had been left dormant underground. The Game Master chooses one option:

- You remember a key clue regarding a threat that is present in your world;
  (or)
- You remember the existence of a new threat and receive a key clue about it.

Note: You will keep all benefits from this Quirk after this revelation (both the ability to ignore costs and to ask questions).

Camp Activities Rule
130 W

# Camp Activities

Camp Activities are an optional rule designed to give greater spotlight to resting scenes (see Core Rulebook, page 91) and provide more options in addition to just increasing or modifying Bonds. While they have been created with a natural fantasy tone in mind, they can be used in any campaign.

Using this rule will not make Player Characters especially more powerful than normal, but surely offers an improvement in flexibility.

## Choosing Camp Activities

If you use this optional rule, each Player Character gains access to two different Camp Activities, chosen during character creation from the list in the following pages.

- Make sure to avoid redundant Camp Activities within the same group.
- Choose Activities that fit your Player Character’s concept and Identity.

## Using Camp Activities

When Player Characters play a resting scene (be while inside a settlement or in the wilderness), each Player Character who takes part in it may perform one among the Camp Activities they have access to, describing it and applying its benefits to the chosen target.

It should be noted that each character may choose how to employ the resting scene, independently from everyone else.

Example: Brandon, Martha, and Ylua pause to rest in the city, spending 20 zenit each. They decide to play a resting scene inside the tavern; Brandon Sleeps Soundly to gain an additional action in the future, while Martha prepares a Double Portion for Ylua, who is often the target of the party’s healing spells. Seeing Martha’s kindness, Ylua decides to use this scene to Gather a few useful ingredients for the cook... hoping not to get into any trouble!
Whether they perform a Camp Activity or not, characters may still use the resting scene to adjust their Bonds (see Core Rulebook, page 91).

## Camp Activities

Camp Activity Benefits

# Keeping Track of the Benefits

Many Camp Activities provide a benefit that can be used only once before the next rest. To make sure you easily remember which characters have access to each specific benefit, you could use tokens, counters, or other small objects that express the personality of whatever Player Character performed the corresponding Camp Activity.

Example: Brandon’s player keeps track of Sleep Soundly using a pink plastic button; on the other hand, Martha’s player gives a little badge portraying a slice of cake to anyone who benefits from her Double Portion.

If the benefit carries over from one session to another, instead, you can simply take note of it in a clearly visible area on your character sheet!

## Camp Activity Target

- Camp Forge Yourself Choose one option:
  - You repair a damaged item owned by the group; or
  - You create a single basic weapon, armor, or shield of your choice (see pages 130-133 of the Core Rulebook) without paying its cost in zenit; or
  - You destroy a single piece of equipment owned by the group and obtain a material whose value is equal to the cost of the destroyed item (see page 74 for more information on materials).
- Cartography Yourself Once before the next rest, after your group makes a travel roll, you may reroll the die and keep the new result.
- Combat Lesson One ally Once before the next rest, after making an Accuracy Check or a Magic Check for an offensive spell (OO), the target may add a bonus of +4 to the Result of the Check.

Character Abilities & Skills
Page 132

# CAMP ACTIVITY TARGET

## Daydream Yourself

Once before the next rest, when you lose Hit Points for whatever reason, you may choose to halve that HP loss.

## Double Portion

One ally

Once before the next rest, if the target is about to recover Hit Points, they may double the amount of Hit Points recovered.

## Exploration Yourself or one ally

You spend your time looking for useful items; describe how, then roll 1d6.

- 1. Ouch! You recover half the normal amount of HP and MP during this rest.
- 2. Not what I was looking for... The target regains 2 Inventory Points.
- 3-5. Hoho, this can be useful! The target regains 3 Inventory Points.
- 6. Jackpot! The target regains 3 Inventory Points, and you also find an amount of zenit equal to (your character’s level × 50).

## Gathering

A character with the Gourmet Class

You look for ingredients in the area; describe how, then roll 1d6.

- 1. H-help! At the end of this rest, the entire group will be caught in an easy conflict against a threat whose level is equal to the group level.
- 2. Will these be okay... The target receives 2 ingredients with random tastes.
- 3-5. Looks tasty! The target receives 3 ingredients with random tastes.
- 6. Ah, these! The target receives 3 ingredients, each with a taste of their choice.

## Magic Lesson

One ally

Choose a single spell among those you know. Once before the next rest, the target may perform the Spell action to cast the spell you chose (they must still pay its MP cost and perform any Magic Checks as needed).

## Martial Practice

Yourself

Once before the next rest, when you perform an attack, you may grant that attack multi (2) or increase its multi property by one point.

### W

Character Abilities Reference

# PROTAGONISTS

## Chapter Activity Targets

Camp Activities & Abilities:

- Massage Target: One ally

  Once before the next rest, if the target is about to pay a Mind Point cost, they may halve that MP cost. This benefit cannot be applied to a Ritual’s MP cost.

- Midnight Oil Target: Yourself

  You generate 3 points of progress for a single Project of your choice.

- Pep Talk Target: One ally

  Once before the next rest, if the target is about to recover Mind Points, they may double the amount of Mind Points recovered.

- Planning Target: One ally

  Once before the next rest, after the target performs a Group Check as leader or performs a Check to examine someone or something, they may add a bonus of +4 to the Result of that Check.

- Sleep Soundly Target: Yourself

  Once before the next rest, you may perform an additional action on your turn during a conflict scene. This action must be used to perform the Equipment, Hinder, or Inventory action.

- Training Target: Yourself

  Once before the next rest, if you are about to suffer one or more status effects from the same source, you may instead choose not to suffer any of those status effects.

Note on Creation: You might create new Camp Activities for your characters; if you do so, try to keep them on the same power level as these. Then again, if your group has a passion for fantasy cooking, you might change this rule so that each Activity is instead a special dish created by your character, and always has one ally as the target—sharing is caring, after all!

## Options and Variants

# NEW CLASSIC CHARACTERS

## ELEMENTAL ACROBAT

Stats: Dexterity d10, Insight d6, Might d8, Willpower d8

- Fury (1 level): Indomitable Spirit
- Invoker (3 levels): Invocation (SL 2), Ripples
- Sharpshooter (1 level): Barrage

Equipment: Giant chakram (custom weapon, (DEX + MIG), thrown, ranged, accurate, defense boost, powerful), combat tunic. Zenit Cost: 120 zenit.

## FLUTIST MONK

Stats: Dexterity d6, Insight d8, Might d8, Willpower d10

- Invoker (3 levels): Invocation, Wellspring Expansion (SL 2)
- Spiritist (2 levels): Ritual Spiritism, Spiritual Magic (Cleanse)

Equipment: Staff (described as a magic flute!), sage robe. Zenit Cost: 270 zenit.

## FRONTIER RESEARCHER

Stats: Dexterity d8, Insight d10, Might d6, Willpower d8

- Loremaster (1 level): Quick Assessment
- Merchant (2 levels): I’ve Heard of It!, Winds of Trade
- Sharpshooter (2 levels): Crossfire, Warning Shot

Equipment: Twin pocket pistols (custom weapon, (DEX + INS), firearm, ranged, accurate, quick), travel garb. Zenit Cost: 170 zenit.

## GRINNING VETERAN

Stats: Dexterity d6, Insight d8, Might d10, Willpower d8

- Gourmet (3 levels): Cooking, Knife and Fork, Traveling Cook
- Guardian (1 level): Protect
- Weaponmaster (1 level): Bladestorm

Equipment: Waraxe, runic plate. Zenit Cost: 70 zenit.

## KEEPER OF THE SACRED TREE

Stats: Dexterity d6, Insight d6, Might d10, Willpower d10

- Arcanist (3 levels): Bind and Summon (Oak), Emergency Arcanum (SL 2)
- Invoker (2 levels): Invocation, Linked Invocation

Equipment: Staff, travel garb. Zenit Cost: 370 zenit.
Protagonist Dossier

# Protagonists Dossier

## LOTUS DUELIST

(DEXITY d10, INSIGHT d8, MIGHT d6, WILLPOWER d8)

Classes & Abilities:

- Elementalist (2 levels): Elemental Magic (Ventus), Spellblade
- Floralist (2 levels): Battle Gardening, Chloromancy (Ocean Lotus)
- Weaponmaster (1 level): Counterattack

Equipment:

- Water lily blade (custom weapon, DEX + INS), sword, melee, accurate, elemental (ice), magic defense boost
- Sage robe
- 70 zenit

## SHY APOTHECARY

(DEXITY d8, INSIGHT d10, MIGHT d8, WILLPOWER d6)

Classes & Abilities:

- Merchant (1 level): Expiration Date
- Tinkerer (4 levels): Potion Rain (SL 2), Visionary (SL 2)

Equipment:

- Tome, sage robe, 270 zenit

## SMALL MERCHANT

(DEXITY d6, INSIGHT d10, MIGHT d8, WILLPOWER d8)

Classes & Abilities:

- Merchant (2 levels): Real Treasure, Winds of Trade
- Wayfarer (3 levels): Faithful Companion (SL 3; a massive and cuddly creature who can tap into the PCs’ Trade Points to either negate all damage suffered by another creature, or deal elemental damage)

Equipment:

- Tome (described as an abacus!), silk shirt, 370 zenit

## TROUBLEMAKER ROGUE

(DEXITY d10, INSIGHT d8, MIGHT d8, WILLPOWER d6)

Classes & Abilities:

- Gourmet (2 levels): Cooking, Knife and Fork
- Rogue (1 level): High Speed
- Sharpshooter (2 levels): Barrage, Warning Shot

Equipment:

- Shortbow (described as a sling!), travel garb, 270 zenit. This character’s delicacies take the form of sling bullets with strange effects!

## TWILIGHT WITCH

(DEXITY d6, INSIGHT d10, MIGHT d6, WILLPOWER d10)

Classes & Abilities:

- Entropist (2 levels): Entropic Magic (SL 2: Dispel, Mirror)
- Floralist (3 levels): Battle Gardening, Chloromancy (Star Peony), Verdant Sway

Equipment:

- Tome, sage robe, 270 zenit.

Children's Friends: Character Details

# CHILDHOOD FRIENDS: WE HAVE A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD

Three young heroes accompany a mysterious elf on a pilgrimage to discover the meaning of the sudden visions that plague her. The upbeat squire and the young herbalist are flexible characters, capable of dealing damage as well as supporting their allies with magiseeds and the Breach and Encourage Skills. The rowdy miner hits hard but, above all else, she is of great help during travel and can get useful information everywhere she goes!

### ✨ MYSTERIOUS ELF

- Dexterity d10, Insight d10, Might d6, Willpower d6
- Levels/Skills:

- Chimerist (1 level): Feral Speech
- Loremaster (2 levels): Flash of Insight (SL 2)
- Sharpshooter (2 levels): Barrage, Warning Shot

Equipment: Shortbow, sage robe, 170 zenit.

### ⛏️ ROWDY MINER

- Dexterity d6, Insight d8, Might d10, Willpower d8
- Levels/Skills:

- Fury (1 level): Provoke
- Merchant (1 level): Winds of Trade
- Wayfarer (3 levels): Tavern Talk, Treasure Hunter, Well-Traveled

Equipment: Waraxe (described as a pickaxe!), bronze plate, 120 zenit.

### ⚔️ UPBEAT SQUIRE

- Dexterity d10, Insight d6, Might d8, Willpower d8
- Levels/Skills:

- Orator (2 levels): Encourage (SL 2)
- Weaponmaster (3 levels): Bone Crusher, Breach, Melee Weapon Mastery

Equipment: Bronze sword, travel garb, runic shield, 120 zenit.

### 🌿 YOUNG HERBALIST

- Dexterity d6, Insight d8, Might d8, Willpower d10
- Levels/Skills:

- Elementalist (2 levels): Elemental Magic (Terra), Magical Artillery
- Floralist (3 levels): Chloromancy (SL 2: Prancing Dandelion, Remedy Lily), Graft

Equipment: Staff, sage robe, 270 zenit.

Protagonists Index
Chapter 137 | Protagonists Index

# THE KITCHEN BRIGADE

“Despite the same world awaiting them, each would learn a different lesson from it.”

## Overview

This group explores the Gourmet Class in many different ways: since each character’s cookbook sheet is personal and independent, the same combinations yield different results depending on who uses them!

### DEEP-FRY ARTIST

70 zenit
Attributes: Dexterity d8, Insight d8, Might d10, Willpower d6

#### Proficiencies & Skills

- Fury (1 level): Withstand
- Gourmet (2 levels): Cooking, Salt and Pepper
- Guardian (2 levels): Bodyguard, Protect

Weapon: Wok shield (custom weapon)

(DEX + MIG), brawling, melee, defense boost, elemental (fire), magic defense boost

Gear: Bronze plate, silk shirt

### INFUSION MASTER

170 zenit
Attributes: Dexterity d8, Insight d8, Might d8, Willpower d8

#### Proficiencies & Skills

- Gourmet (2 levels): Cooking, Knife and Fork
- Sharpshooter (2 levels): Barrage, Ranged Weapon Mastery
- Tinkerer (1 level): Gadgets (Basic Infusions)

Weapon: Kettle (custom weapon)

(DEX + INS), firearm, ranged, accurate, magic defense boost, powerful

Gear: Silk shirt

### PICKLER

70 zenit
Attributes: Dexterity d6, Insight d10, Might d8, Willpower d8

#### Proficiencies & Skills

- Entropist (1 level): Entropic Magic (Stop)
- Gourmet (2 levels): Cooking, Traveling Cook
- Merchant (2 levels): Private Stock, Winds of Trade

Weapon: Blast chiller (custom weapon)

(DEX + INS), dagger, melee, accurate, defense boost, elemental (ice)

Gear: Sage robe

### STREET COOK

270 zenit
Attributes: Dexterity d8, Insight d8, Might d6, Willpower d10

#### Proficiencies & Skills

- Gourmet (2 levels): Cooking, Made with Love
- Orator (2 levels): My Trust in You, Unexpected Ally
- Wayfarer (1 level): Tavern Talk

Weapon: Staff (described as a fan!) Gear: Sage robe
Floralist Role Profile

# FLORALIST

Associated Roles:

- Bloomblade
- Gardener
- Herbalist
- Floralist

> "There is no rose without thorns."

Spiritual energy flows strongly within plants, thanks to their direct connection to our earth. Growing from this encounter are magiseeds, gifted with the unique ability to thrive on spiritual energy and blossom into a majestic yet ephemeral triumph of magic.

## The Art of Floralism

Floralists possess specialized knowledge allowing them to identify and cultivate these strange seeds. These magiseeds grant a large variety of profound benefits, enabling their combination with all sorts of disciplines—from advanced martial arts techniques to complex magical practices. A true floralist must understand both the botanical nature of the bloom and the energetic resonance required for its proper mastery.

Order Details:
Prologue Character Sheet

# CHAPTER 139

## W / PROTAGONISTS

FLORALIST FREE BENEFITS

### BATTLE GARDENING (çç3)

After you plant a magiseed through the Chloromancy Skill (not when using Graft), you may choose one option:

- Perform a free attack with an equipped weapon; or
- Perform the Spell action for free, casting a spell with a total Mind Point cost equal to or lower than (5 + (SL × 5)) (you must still pay its MP cost).

Note: Treat the High Roll (HR) of your Accuracy Check or Magic Check as being equal to 0 when determining damage dealt by this attack or spell.

### CHLOROMANCY (çç10)

Each time you acquire this Skill, you discover a new type of magiseed from the list found in the next pages.

During a conflict, if there are no magiseeds in your garden, you may use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to plant a magiseed of a type you have discovered. The rules for the garden and for magiseed growth can be found in the next pages.

### GRAFT

As long as there is a magiseed in your garden and 1 or more sections of your Growth Clock are filled, you may use an action to remove that magiseed from your garden: if you do, plant a different magiseed among those you have discovered (keep the current filled sections of your Growth Clock unchanged).

### TREE OF LIFE (çç5)

When a magiseed is removed from your garden, you may choose one creature you can see: if that creature is in Crisis, they recover (5 + (SL × 5)) Hit Points.

### VERDANT SWAY

You gain the ability to perform Rituals of the Ritualism discipline; additionally, you may use Ritualism to create, animate, and/or control vegetation, pollen, spores, and toxins (but you cannot create nor control plant-Species NPCs this way).

### Character Reflection

- When did you first discover a magiseed, and where?
- Who taught you how to tend to plants and flowers?
- How did you implement magiseeds in your combat style?
- Are there many practicing your art, or are you the exception?

Magiseed Lore Document

# Magiseed Mechanics

## THE GARDEN

When you plant a magiseed, it takes root in your garden until removed. Your garden is an abstract space whose appearance varies depending on your character’s look: it might be a pot on their back, a gap along their blade, or even the ground under their feet.

- Capacity Limit: Your garden can only contain one magiseed at a time.
- Reset Mechanic: Any magiseeds in your garden are automatically removed at the end of each scene.

## THE GROWTH CLOCK

When you acquire the Chloromancy Skill, you also receive a Growth Clock which is present only during conflict scenes and represents the cycle of life in your garden.

### Growth Clock Rules

- Your Growth Clock has 4 sections, and it begins each scene empty.
- End-of-Turn Sequence: At the end of your turn, follow these steps:
  1. If a magiseed is present in your garden, fill 1 section of your Growth Clock.
  2. Then, if there is still a magiseed and that magiseed has an "at the end of your turn" effect, apply that effect.
- Completion/Reset: When you fill the fourth section of your Growth Clock, remove the magiseed in your garden, then erase all sections of your Growth Clock.
- Restriction: Sections of your Growth Clock may not be filled nor erased in any way other than described above, through Brambleheart and Green Thumb (pages 162 and 166), or through effects that explicitly affect Growth Clocks.

## MAGISEED EFFECTS

Magiseeds can have passive effects, or have effects that trigger at the end of your turn, after your Growth Clock has increased.

### Application Rules

- The effects of a magiseed apply only while it is present in your garden.
- The effect varies depending on the current number of filled sections in your Growth Clock (T).
- Precision: You must apply the effect corresponding to the exact number of currently filled sections, not any effect above or below it.

### Level Modification Rules

If a magiseed’s effect:

- Deals damage, it deals 5 extra damage if you are level 30 or higher.
- Causes Hit Point and/or Mind Point loss and/or recovery, the amount increases by 10 if you are level 30 or higher.

## MAGISEEDS

Magiseed List

# Magiseed List

Below and in the next pages, you will find a list of standard magiseeds that each Floralist can discover by investing levels into the Chloromancy Skill.

Your group can also collaboratively create new magiseeds, and the Game Master may opt to include them among rewards, obtained independently of your investment in Chloromancy. Each magiseed is worth approximately 1000 zenit; try your best to keep these new magiseeds on a similar power to those on the standard list.

## ARCTIC NARCISSUS

★

It stubbornly survives in frozen territories.

T EFFECT

- 0-1: You are Resistant to earth and ice damage.
- 2-3: You and your allies present on the scene are Resistant to earth and ice damage.

## BLAZING CHRYSANTHEMUM

★

Its thick petals resemble an erupting volcano.

T EFFECT

1-3: At the end of your turn, choose earth or fire. Until you use this effect again or this magiseed is no longer in your garden, all damage dealt by you and every ally present on the scene becomes the chosen type; its type cannot change, and it ignores Resistances.

## DESERT DAHLIA

★

A tenacious plant, it doesn’t fear the dryness of dunes.

T EFFECT

- 0-1: You are Resistant to air and fire damage.
- 2-3: You and your allies present on the scene are Resistant to air and fire damage.

W

## GOLDEN GINKGO

Its vibrantly colored leaves represent tenacity.

T EFFECT

- At the end of your turn, you and every ally you can see recover from dazed, enraged, and shaken.
- At the end of your turn, you and every ally you can see recover an amount of Mind Points equal to (5 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy).

W

## GRAVE ASPHODEL

Solemn and elegant, it embodies death’s ineluctability.

T EFFECT

- At the end of your turn, you may choose an enemy you can see. If you do, that enemy suffers shaken.
- At the end of your turn, every enemy you can see suffers shaken.
- At the end of your turn, you deal an amount of dark damage equal to (15 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy) to each enemy you can see who is suffering from shaken.

W

## HERMIT IRIS

Its leaves carry whispers of ancient knowledge.

T EFFECT

- At the end of your turn, choose an enemy you can see. The Game Master reveals its Level, Rank, Species, maximum Hit Points, maximum Mind Points, Traits, Attributes, Defense, and Magic Defense.
- At the end of your turn, choose an enemy you can see. The Game Master reveals its Level, Rank, Species, maximum Hit Points, maximum Mind Points, Traits, Attributes, Defense, Magic Defense, and Affinities.

Magiseed Catalog

# M A G I S E E D

## A Comprehensive Catalog

### Protagonists

HOOKLEAF NIGHTSHADE

Its purplish berries contain a deadly magical venom.

T EFFECT 0-1: All damage you deal becomes poison, its type cannot change, and it ignores Immunities and Resistances. 2-3: All damage you deal becomes poison, its type cannot change, and it ignores Immunities and Resistances. Additionally, when you deal poison damage for the first time during your turn, you deal extra damage equal to (your Skill Level in Chloromancy) and each creature that lost Hit Points this way suffers poisoned.
HORNED HAWTHORN

Favored by witches and surgeons alike for its purifying properties.

T EFFECT 0-1: You are Resistant to dark and poison damage. 2-3: You and your allies present on the scene are Resistant to dark and poison damage.
LUNAR MAGNOLIA

It blooms in the darkest hours of the night.

T EFFECT 1-3: At the end of your turn, choose ice or light. Until you use this effect again or this magiseed is no longer in your garden, all damage dealt by you and every ally present on the scene becomes the chosen type, its type cannot change, and it ignores Resistances.

Botanical Entries Reference
144 W

## OCEAN LOTUS

A graceful symbol of serenity and wisdom.

T EFFECT

- 0-1: You are immune to dazed and slow.
- 2: You treat your Dexterity and Insight as being one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12).
- 3: You and every ally you can see treat your Dexterity and Insight as being one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12).

## PILGRIM GAZALIA

Its flamboyant corolla is synonymous with abundance.

T EFFECT

- 1-2: At the end of your turn, choose yourself or another Player Character you can see. The chosen character regains 2 Inventory Points.
- 3: At the end of your turn, you and every other Player Character you can see regain 1 Inventory Point.

## PRANCING DANDELION

A symbol of energy and vivacity, it spreads seeds through stormy winds.

T EFFECT

- 1-3: At the end of your turn, choose air or bolt. Until you use this effect again or this magiseed is no longer in your garden, all damage dealt by you and every ally present on the scene becomes the chosen type, its type cannot change, and it ignores Resistances.

### W

Protagonists Abilities

# 33 PROTAGONISTS

### REGAL PROTEA

A colorful and tenacious flower, favored by an ancient dynasty.

#### T EFFECT

1. You are immune to shaken and weak.
2. You treat your Might and Willpower as being one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12).
3. You and every ally you can see treat your Might and Willpower as being one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12).

### REMEDY LILY

Its elegant flowers filter and purify spiritual energy.

#### T EFFECT

1. At the end of your turn, you and every ally you can see recover from poisoned, slow, and weak.
2. At the end of your turn, you and every ally you can see recover an amount of Hit Points equal to (15 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy).

### SERRATED ROSE

Its thorns form a tangle equally breathtaking and dangerous.

#### T EFFECT

1. At the end of your turn, you may choose an enemy you can see. If you do, that enemy suffers slow.
2. At the end of your turn, every enemy you can see suffers slow.
3. At the end of your turn, you deal an amount of physical damage equal to (15 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy) to each enemy you can see who is suffering from slow.

Botanical Entries
W

## SILVER STRELITZIA

Its silvery blossoms are easily mistaken for jewels.

T EFFECT

1. You are Resistant to bolt and light damage.
2. You and your allies present on the scene are Resistant to bolt and light damage.

W

## STAR PEONY

It silently gazes into celestial depths.

T EFFECT

1. At the end of your turn, you may choose an enemy you can see. If you do, that enemy suffers dazed.
2. At the end of your turn, every enemy you can see suffers dazed.
3. At the end of your turn, you deal an amount of light damage equal to (15 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy) to each enemy you can see who is suffering from dazed.

W

## STRIPED ORCHID

Each segment of this plant is covered in toxins.

T EFFECT

1. At the end of your turn, you may choose an enemy you can see. If you do, that enemy suffers weak.
2. At the end of your turn, every enemy you can see suffers weak.
3. At the end of your turn, you deal an amount of poison damage equal to (15 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy) to each enemy you can see who is suffering from weak.

Protagonist Abilities Guide
Page 147 | W

# PROTAGONISTS

## CHAPTER WARDWATTLE

### WARDWATTLE

A tangle of robust branches, whose thorns spread powerful poison.

EFFECT

1. You are Resistant to physical damage.
2. You are Resistant to physical damage. Additionally, after a creature hits you with a melee attack, you deal an amount of physical damage to that creature equal to (5 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy) (after their attack was resolved).
3. You are Resistant to physical damage. Additionally, after a creature hits you with a melee attack, you deal an amount of physical damage to that creature equal to (5 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy), and then deal an amount of poison damage to that creature equal to (5 + your Skill Level in Chloromancy) (both these damage instances happen after that creature’s attack was resolved).

### WRATHFUL CARNATION

Despite their beauty, its yellow flowers emit an irritatingly pungent smell.

EFFECT

- When this magiseed leaves your garden, choose up to one enemy you can see. Until the end of your next turn, when the chosen enemy performs an attack or casts an offensive spell (OO), they must include you among the targets of that attack or spell (if able).
- At the end of your turn, you may remove this magiseed from your garden; if you do, erase all sections of your Growth Clock.

Gourmet Profession Entry

# GOURMET

ALSO: Brewer, Chef, Patissier

### Definition and Skills

Cooking may be considered a common skill, but Gourmets refine their knowledge of foodstuffs to a level that is nothing short of supernatural: they refine the art of extracting spiritual energies from every ingredient, infusing meals with powerful magical effects!

### Way of Life

While most Gourmets are content with simply settling down in a town or village and making a living off their skills, some wander the world in a lifelong search for new ingredients.

> "A true chef respects the nature of that which they transform."

Page 148
Protagonists - Gourmet Skills

# 33 PROTAGONISTS

Page 149 | Gourmet Chapter

## ⭐ GOURMET FREE BENEFITS

- Inventory Points: Permanently increase your maximum Inventory Points by 2.
- Project Creation: You may start Projects to create unique foods and drinks; they are always consumable, and their area is based on the number and type of creatures you need to nourish.

## 🍖 GOURMET SKILLS

### COOKING

(çç5)

When you rest inside a settlement, you gain (SL) ingredients (see next page).

You may use an action and combine 2 or 3 ingredients to prepare a delicacy (see next page). You choose one option: you apply its effects to yourself or an ally you can see; or you perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped. This attack deals no damage, but you apply the delicacy’s effects to each enemy hit by the attack.

Ingredients Capacity: You may carry up to 10 + (SL × 5) ingredients, and they will never spoil until you use them; if you take this Skill during character creation, you begin play with ten ingredients with random tastes.

### KNIFE AND FORK

(N/A)

When you perform the free attack granted by the Cooking Skill, if you combined no more than 2 ingredients, you may have the attack deal damage as normal. If you do, you treat your High Roll (HR) as 0 when calculating damage dealt by this attack.

### MADE WITH LOVE

(çç3)

When you use the Cooking Skill and choose to apply the effects of the delicacy to yourself or an ally you can see, you may spend up to (SL × 10) MP. For every 10 MP you spend this way, apply the delicacy’s effects to an additional ally you can see.

### SALT AND PEPPER

(N/A)

When you prepare a delicacy, you may spend 2 Inventory Points: if you do, change the taste of one ingredient to a different taste of your choice.

### TRAVELING COOK

(çç3)

After each travel roll, if you acquired the Cooking Skill, you gain (SL × 2) ingredients.

#### Narrative Prompts:

- Who taught you how to cook? What is your relationship with your teacher?
- Is your craft something revolutionary, or is it an established field of work?
- What does your cooking look like? Which tools do you use?
- What legendary recipe or ingredient are you looking for?

The Gourmet Class Cookbook

# Ingredients & Delicacies

The Gourmet Class is designed around experimenting with new taste combinations, as well as using these combinations to come up with a variety of strategies. To help you keep track of all this information, you can use a cookbook sheet, which can be downloaded from fabulaultima.com.

## Gaining Ingredients

You will normally receive ingredients through the Cooking and Traveling Cook Skills; you might also receive them as rewards during play. When you obtain an ingredient, you’re never too sure what it will taste like—roll a d6 to determine the ingredient’s taste using the table below, then describe its appearance and give it a name.

You may also purchase ingredients from stall, shops or merchants: The price is 10 zenit for an ingredient with a random taste, or 20 zenit for an ingredient with a taste of your choice.

## Ingredient Taste

- 1. Bitter
- 2. Salty
- 3. Sour
- 4. Sweet
- 5. Umami
- 6. Your choice

## Example

After traversing the Petrified Forest, you gain two ingredients thanks to the Traveling Cook Skill. You roll a 1 and 5 for their tastes, which means one tastes bitter and the other tastes umami.

You decide to call the first ingredient “Fossil Honey” and the second ingredient “Stonebark Shroom”. You record both of them on your cookbook sheet, placing them in the matching taste columns.

Cooking Skill Delicacies

## Delicacies (Cooking Skill)

When you use the Cooking Skill, you combine two or three ingredients to generate a special delicacy with powerful effects that will be applied to its targets.

### Rules of Creation

- Every different combination of two tastes (even if it’s the same taste used twice!) will add an effect to the delicacy.
- When you combine two tastes you never combined before, determine the effect of that combination by rolling a d12 and consulting the chart on the next page; most entries also require you to make a choice (such as a specific damage type or status effect). Once you’re done, record the resulting effect on your cookbook sheet: from this moment on, that taste combination will always produce that exact effect when you use it.
- No two combinations of tastes in your cookbook sheet can have identical effects. When you determine the effect of a new combination, you must make your choices in such a way that the resulting effect has no precedents (for instance, by selecting a different damage type or status effect); if you can’t, reroll the d12.
- When completed, your cookbook sheet will feature a total of 15 effects, one for each possible pair of tastes.

### Example Usage

Consider the following scenario:

You combine three ingredients, one of them salty and two of them bitter. The resulting delicacy features two combinations (bitter + bitter and bitter + salty), which means it will have two different effects.

In the past, you combined bitter + bitter and rolled a 4, meaning the effect allows for MP recovery; conversely, you never combined bitter + salty before, so you must determine this combination’s effect by rolling dice.

You roll a 1, and must choose a status effect for this effect; since you already chose recovery from weak for the sour + sweet combination in the past, you decide to opt for dazed. From now on, the bitter + salty combination will always allow you to heal the target from dazed.

Now that you’ve done this, you know that your delicacy allows every target to heal from the dazed status effect and also recover 40 Mind Points.

### Important Notes

- Delicacies created through the Cooking Skill have an immediate effect and are then destroyed; if you want to prepare foods with unique effects and use them later, you must instead use the rules for Projects (see Core Rulebook, page 134).

Delicacy Effect

# DELICACY EFFECT

Combination effect

1. Each of this delicacy’s targets recovers from the (choose one: dazed; enraged; poisoned; shaken; slow; weak) status effect.
2. Each of this delicacy’s targets suffers the (choose one: dazed; shaken; slow; weak) status effect.
3. Each of this delicacy’s targets recovers 40 Hit Points. This amount increases to 50 if you are level 30 or higher.
4. Each of this delicacy’s targets recovers 40 Mind Points. This amount increases to 50 if you are level 30 or higher.
5. This delicacy deals 20 (choose one: air; bolt; earth; fire; ice; poison) damage to each of its targets. This amount increases to 30 damage if you are level 30 or higher.
6. Until the end of your next turn, every source that deals (choose one: air; bolt; earth; fire; ice; poison) damage deals 5 extra damage to each of this delicacy’s targets.
7. Each of this delicacy’s targets cannot perform the Guard action during their next turn.
8. Each of this delicacy’s targets cannot perform the Spell action during their next turn.
9. Each of this delicacy’s targets cannot perform the Skill action during their next turn.
10. Each of this delicacy’s targets gains Resistance to (choose one: air; bolt; earth; fire; ice; poison) damage until the end of your next turn.
11. Each of this delicacy’s targets treats their (choose one: Dexterity; Insight; Might; Willpower) as if it were one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12) until the end of your next turn.
12. During the next turn of each of this delicacy’s targets, all damage they deal becomes (choose one: air; bolt; earth; fire; ice; poison) and its type cannot change.

Special Rules of Effects

# Protagonists

Page 153 | Chapter Rules

## Special Rules of Effects

Delicacies and their effects follow a few unique rules:

- Each delicacy always features one, two, or three effects, depending on which taste combinations you used (the effects may also be four or six if you use the All You Can Eat Heroic Skill, on page 161); you decide in which order to apply these effects, and may choose to forgo any number of them (this choice must be exactly the same for all targets of the delicacy).
- Effects 5 to 12 can only be applied during conflict scenes.
- A delicacy can only have one type 5 effect (which is to say, a damage-dealing effect); if a delicacy has two or more type 5 effects due to the taste combinations you used, you must choose one of them and forgo the others.
- A delicacy can only have one type 12 effect (which is to say, a damage type-changing effect); if a delicacy has two or more type 12 effects due to the taste combinations you used, you must choose one of them and forgo the others.

Other than that, all of a delicacy’s effects are cumulative, and will be fully applied to each of its target.

Example: If you obtain a type 2 effect on sweet + umami, a type 5 effect on bitter + umami, and a type 9 effect on bitter + sweet, the delicacy created combining these tastes will be able to deal damage, inflict a status effect, and also prevent the use of Skill actions for a brief period!

## And Finally, A Bit of Advice!

This Class is quite atypical: there is no real way to perfectly control the role your character will cover, because your abilities are procedurally generated over the course of the campaign. However, remember that you may prepare delicacies outside of conflict scenes: it will cost you some ingredients, true, but you will be able to “scout” the effects ahead of time and avoid trial and error during a critical situation.

Other than that, pay attention to which effects best synergize with each other and with the rest of your group, and take advantage of the multi property to apply the same delicacy to two or more enemies!

Character Profile Extracts

## Invoker

Summary: Ascetic, Channeler, Five-Soul Master

Invokers research the innate energy of souls and the way it spontaneously flows and manifests throughout their surroundings. Even if their art relies on calling upon the power of the elements, they adapt to the existing power sources rather than force an unnatural outcome and upset the flow of spirits.

That said, Invokers remain formidable adventurers: they boast great flexibility and a unique affinity for elemental creatures.

"Wish not for control, but understanding."

## Ascetic, Channeler, Five-Soul Master

This profile description appears fragmented in the source material, suggesting it may be an alternative or expanded title for a similar class to Invoker.

This section appears to be metadata regarding an order or transactional entry, rather than character lore.

Page 155 | W 33 PROTAGONISTS CHAPTER

# INVOKER

## FREE BENEFITS

- Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points or Mind Points by 5 (your choice).

## ELEMENTAL HARMONY (çç2)

You may always communicate with creatures of the elemental Species.

When you restore a creature’s Hit Points with an invocation or spell, if an elemental is present on the scene, the restored amount is increased by (SL × 5).

## INVOCATION (çç3)

You may use an action and spend 5 Mind Points to perform an invocation, drawing energy from one of the wellsprings present on the scene (see next page). Your (SL) in this Skill determines which invocations you have access to.

## LINKED INVOCATION (çç3)

When you perform an invocation, you may spend up to (SL × 10) additional Mind Points. For every 10 Mind Points you spend this way, the invocation may target an additional creature you can see.

## RIPPLES (çç5)

After an enemy you can see loses Hit Points due to damage dealt by one of your allies, if that damage was increased by one or more of your “hex” invocations, you may perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped. This attack may only target that enemy, and receives a bonus equal to (SL) to its Accuracy Check; if it is successful, all its damage becomes of the same type dealt by your ally, and all “hex” invocations present on its target end immediately after the attack has been resolved.

If two or more enemies trigger this Skill at the same time, you can perform a free attack against each of them, in whatever order you prefer.

## WELLSPRING EXPANSION (çç5)

As long as you have a weapon belonging to the arcane, bow, brawling, flail, sword, or thrown Category equipped, your “blast” invocations deal (SL) extra damage, and the extra damage granted by your “hex” invocations is increased by (SL).

## Character Background

### Personal Queries

- How did you develop the art of invocation?
- Is there a spirit or elemental creature you have a special bond towards?
- How do your invocations manifest?
- Are your abilities relatively common, or are you the exception?

Wellsprings and Invocations Reference

# Wellsprings and Invocations

## Determining Available Wellsprings

During each scene, your surroundings grant you two different wellsprings. The Game Master tells you what these are. Remember to describe how wellsprings manifest in the scene; they may be natural features, objects, or even creatures.

Example: During a battle taking place on a steam-powered airship amidst stormy clouds, any two of air, fire, lightning and water would make sense.

## Performing an Invocation

When you perform an invocation, choose one option you have access to among those in the table below (provided the corresponding wellspring is available in the scene); then, apply its effects to one creature you can see.

### Determining Access

- Skill Level Check: Your Skill Level in the Invocation Skill determines which invocations you have access to:
- (SL 1) enables “blast” invocations.
- (SL 2) enables “blast” and “hex” invocations.
- (SL 3) gives you access to all invocations.

Example: If air and earth wellsprings are available and your Skill Level is 2, you have access to Aero Blast, Aero Hex, Geo Blast, and Geo Hex.

### Scaling Effects (Level Bonuses)

Invocation effects scale with character level:

- If an invocation deals damage, it will deal 5 extra damage if you are level 20 or higher, or 10 extra damage if you are level 40 or higher.
- Similarly, if an invocation causes the target to recover Hit Points or lose Mind Points, the amount will increase by 10 if you are level 20 or higher, or by 20 if you are level 40 or higher.

## Wellsprings and Invocations

### Air Wellspring (Damage Type: Air)

- Aero Blast: You deal 20 air damage to the target.
- Aero Hex: Until the start of your next turn, the target suffers 5 extra damage from all sources that deal bolt and fire damage.
- Breeze: The target recovers 30 Hit Points.
- Twister: You deal 10 air damage to the target, and they suffer dazed.

Wellsprings and Invocations

# PROTAGONISTS

## WELLSPRINGS AND INVOCATIONS

### Earth Wellspring

(Damage Type: Earth)

- Geo Blast: You deal 20 earth damage to the target.
- Geo Hex: Until the start of your next turn, the target suffers 5 extra damage from all sources that deal air and ice damage.
- Growth: The target recovers 30 Hit Points.
- Quicksand: You deal 10 earth damage to the target, and they suffer slow.

### Fire Wellspring

(Damage Type: Fire)

- Pyro Blast: You deal 20 fire damage to the target.
- Pyro Hex: Until the start of your next turn, the target suffers 5 extra damage from all sources that deal earth and ice damage.
- Burst: You deal 10 fire damage to the target, and they suffer shaken.
- Smoke: The target loses 20 Mind Points and also suffers weak.

### Lightning Wellspring

(Damage Type: Bolt)

- Electro Blast: You deal 20 bolt damage to the target.
- Electro Hex: Until the start of your next turn, the target suffers 5 extra damage from all sources that deal earth and fire damage.
- Static: You deal 10 bolt damage to the target, and they suffer slow.
- Thunder: The target loses 20 Mind Points and also suffers dazed.

### Water Wellspring

(Damage Type: Ice)

- Hydro Blast: You deal 20 ice damage to the target.
- Hydro Hex: Until the start of your next turn, the target suffers 5 extra damage from all sources that deal air and bolt damage.
- Chill: The target loses 20 Mind Points and also suffers shaken.
- Frostbite: You deal 10 ice damage to the target, and they suffer weak.

Merchant Entry

# W158

## Merchant

AKA:

Antiquarian, Collector, Pharmacist

Even in worlds rife with great magic, wealth and money are very influential. Trade and commerce are one key aspect to the development of nations and kingdoms, and Merchants are quite aware of this power.

It might seem strange for a Merchant to be treated on par with a hero: and yet, those who resist the temptation of greed and rely on commerce to foster exchanges of ideas and dialogue between distant people truly are fighting their very own revolution.

### A Point of Consideration

First of all, think:

- how will this help people in need?

Document Source: ()
Merchant Skills Profile

# PROTAGONISTS

## Merchant Free Benefits & Skills

### Merchants: Core Abilities

- Basic Inventory Improvement: Permanently increase your maximum Inventory Points by 2.

## MERCHANT SKILLS

### When a potion or delicacy (see page 151) you created that does not deal damage causes one or more creatures to recover Hit Points,

You may instead have it deal poison damage equal to (half your level + (SL × 10)) to each of those creatures. This damage’s type cannot change, and it is halved if you are dealing damage to two or more creatures.

### I’VE HEARD OF IT!

After you or an ally who is able to hear and understand you roll dice for a Check to examine a creature, item, or location, you may spend 1 Trade Point to grant a bonus equal to (SL × 2) to the Result of that Check.

### PRIVATE STOCK

When you or another Player Character spend (SL + 2) or fewer Inventory Points, you may spend 1 Trade Point to ignore that cost.

### REAL TREASURE

Once per session, when you help an NPC or community defeat greed and corruption, improve their quality of life, or coexist with other creatures, if you have acquired the Winds of Trade Skill, you gain (SL + 1) Trade Points.

### WINDS OF TRADE

After you rest in an area where commerce is possible, you gain (SL + 1) Trade Points. You may never have more than (SL + 3) Trade Points; if you acquire this Skill during character creation, you begin play with 2 Trade Points.

Advanced Use: During a non-conflict scene, you may spend 2 Trade Points to choose one option:

- You create a material or rare item approved by the Game Master whose value in zenit is equal to or lower than (your level, multiplied by 30);
  OR
- You create an NPC that lives nearby and explain their occupation as well as how you met them, then the Game Master tells you what they require in exchange for their services.

## Character Connections

When developing your character background, consider these questions:

- Who introduced you to the art of commerce? Is it a family business?
- Would this world be better without money? If so, why are you still a merchant?
- What do you love about commerce? And what do you despise about it?
- Do you have a business rival? What is your relationship with them?

#### Interaction

Reference:

Heroic Skills Reference

# Heroic Skills Reference

These heroic skills are added to the list in the Core Rulebook (see page 232).

Note: The description text provided appears highly fragmented, suggesting specific context within the source material. Structures have been inferred based on typical rulebook layouts.

## Heroic Skills with Class Mastery Requirements

All You Can Eat Gourmet
(No Specific Classes Listed)

Combine four ingredients into a delicacy.

Refraction
Classes: Arcanist, Spiritist

Improves Aura and Barrier, and punishes enemies who damage protected targets.

Bend Magic
Classes: Elementalist, Entropist, Invoker, Symbolist

React to enemy spells with your invocations.

Brambleheart
Classes: Darkblade, Floralist

Your brambles protect you and react to enemy attacks.

Brave Bash
Classes: Commander, Fury, Guardian, Pilot, Weaponmaster

Use Bone Crusher to challenge foes with a shield, then deal additional damage.

Cheer Up!
Classes: Chanter, Esper, Orator

Improves My Trust in You.

Chimeric Soul
Classes: Chimerist, Mutant

Casting Chimerist spells grants benefits based on the Species.

Cleansing Moonlight
Classes: Entropist, Spiritist

Your spells can remove status effects and spells from targets.

Ephemeral Tranquility
Classes: Dancer, Esper, Rogue, Spiritist, Symbolist

Improves Hallucination and T orpor, and cleanses status effects to cause HP loss.

Fitcast
Classes: Chimerist, Darkblade, Esper, Fury, Wayfarer

Use Might for Magic Checks, and treat weapons relying on Might as being arcane.

For a Better Future
Classes: Merchant

Use Trade Points instead of Fabula Points and improve settlements with donations.

## Natural Fantasy Heroic Skills

( - No Specific Classes Listed)

(No detailed description provided in the source text.)

# PROTAGONISTS

## HEROIC SKILL

Greater Chloromancy Floralist

Increase magiseed effects and manipulate vegetation.

Green Thumb Floralist

Quicken or delay the growth of your magiseeds.

Inner Wellspring Invoker

Carry an elemental wellspring of your choice within yourself.

Power Nap Guardian, Merchant, Wayfarer

Take a little nap during a conflict to regain your energies.

Side by Side Wayfarer

Improve your synergy with your Faithful Companion.

Silent Hunter Rogue, Sharpshooter, Weaponmaster

Improve High Speed with bows, spears, and thrown weapons, and deny free attacks.

Skillful Dosage Gourmet, Loremaster, Merchant, Tinkerer

Delicacies, potions and spells heal above maximum HP and MP.

Specialty of the House Gourmet

Prepare a unique delicacy with alternative effects.

Strength of Five Wellsprings Invoker

Invocations improve Attributes.

Wise Counsel Commander, Loremaster, Orator

Your Support Checks grant extra benefits to the leader.

## ALL YOU CAN EAT

Requirements: You must have mastered the Gourmet Class.

Once per scene when you use the Cooking Skill, you may combine four ingredients into a delicacy (thus ignoring the normal limit of three ingredients). Other than that, the delicacy follows the normal rules.

Spellbook Extracts 162

## AURAMANCER’S REFRACTION

### Requirements

You must have mastered one or more Classes among Arcanist and Spiritist, and must have learned the Aura spell and/or the Barrier spell.

Choose a damage type among air, bolt, earth, fire, ice, and light.

#### Effect

When an enemy you can see deals damage to one or more creatures who are affected by an Aura and/or Barrier spell you cast, the damage suffered by each of those creatures is reduced by an amount equal to (half your level in the Spiritist Class) or to (your level, divided by 10) (use whichever value is higher; this reduction is applied before damage Affinities). Then, you may deal an amount of damage of the chosen type equal to (half your level) to that enemy. If you do, you cannot deal damage this way until the start of your next turn.

## BEND MAGIC

### Requirements

You must have mastered one or more Classes among Elementalist, Entropist, Invoker, and Symbolist (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 146), and must have acquired the Invocation Skill.

#### Effect

After an enemy you can see hits or misses you with an offensive spell (OO ), if the Result of their Magic Check was an even number, you may immediately use the Invocation Skill for free (after the spell has been fully resolved) to perform an invocation you have access to against that enemy, without spending Mind Points. This invocation must not be a “hex”, and it may target only that enemy (you cannot use the Linked Invocation Skill with it).

## BRAMBLEHEART

### Requirements

You must have mastered one or more classes among Darkblade and Floralist, and must have acquired the Chloromancy Skill.

#### Effects

- You are Resistant to light damage and poison damage.
- After you lose Hit Points, if you are in Crisis and a magiseed is present in your garden, you may fill 1 section of your Growth Clock.
- Additionally, when you use the Shadow Strike Skill, you may have your attack deal poison damage instead of dark damage (the damage type still cannot be changed). If you do, your Shadow Strike deals extra damage equal to (twice the number of filled sections in your Growth Clock).

Skill and Class Descriptions

# Advanced Skill Descriptions

## BRAVE BASH

Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes among Commander (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 140), Fury, Guardian, Pilot (see Techno Fantasy Atlas, page 158), and Weaponmaster.

When you use the Bone Crusher Skill, if your attack targets only one creature and you have a shield equipped, you may challenge that creature until the end of your next turn. The challenge also ends if that creature is challenged by someone else, or if you challenge another creature.

The creature you are challenging must include you among the targets of their attacks and offensive spells (OO), if able; additionally, once per turn (including other creatures’ turns), when you deal damage to the creature you are challenging with a free attack using a one-handed melee weapon, or with a custom weapon belonging to the dagger or sword Category, you may deal 5 extra damage to that creature.

### CHEER UP!

Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes among Chanter (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 136), Esper (see Techno Fantasy Atlas, page 150) and Orator, and must have acquired the My Trust in You Skill.

When you use My Trust in You on another Player Character, that character chooses Dexterity, Insight, Might, or Willpower: they treat the chosen Attribute as being increased by one die size (up to a maximum of d12) until the end of the scene or until you use My Trust in You on them again.

### CHIMERIC SOUL

Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes among Chimerist and Mutant (see Techno Fantasy Atlas, page 154), and must have acquired the Spell Mimic Skill.

When you cast one of your Chimerist spells, you gain a benefit based on the Species of the creature you originally learned that spell from. Choose one option: you gain Resistance to both damage types associated with that Species; or when you deal damage of a type associated with that Species, you deal 5 extra damage. The chosen benefit lasts until the end of the scene, or until you cast a Chimerist spell again.

The damage types associated to each Species are:

- Air and ice (beast)
- Earth and poison (construct)
- Fire and ice (demon)
- Air and bolt (elemental)
- Bolt and fire (monster)
- Earth and light (plant)
- Dark and poison (undead)

Character Abilities Dossier

# Character Abilities Dossier

Page 164

## CLEANSING MOONLIGHT

Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes among Entropist and Spiritist.

When you hit one or more creatures with an offensive spell (OO ), if you have an arcane weapon equipped and the High Roll of your Magic Check is 8 or higher, you may have each of those creatures no longer be affected by all spells with a duration of “Scene” that are currently affecting them.

When you cast a spell targeting one or more allies, if you have an arcane weapon equipped, you may choose one status effect among: dazed, enraged, poisoned, shaken, slow, and weak. If you do, each target recovers from the chosen status effect.

## EPHEMERAL TRANQUILITY

Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes among Dancer (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 142), Esper (see T echno Fantasy Atlas, page 150), Rogue, Spiritist, and Symbolist (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 146).

When you cast the Hallucination or Torpor spells (see Core Rulebook, page 208-209), you may apply both status effects to each target hit by the spell.

During a conflict, you may use an action and spend up to 20 Mind Points. For every 10 Mind Points spent this way, you may choose a different enemy you can see who is suffering from two or more status effects. Every enemy chosen this way recovers from all status effects and loses an amount of Hit Points equal to (half your level + (the number of status effects that enemy recovered from this way, multiplied by 10)).

Then, you recover 20 Mind Points for each of those enemies that entered Crisis or was reduced to 0 Hit Points by this effect.

## FITCAST

Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes among Chimerist, Darkblade, Esper (see T echno Fantasy Atlas, page 150), Fury, and Wayfarer.

When you perform a Magic Check for a spell or Ritual, you may replace one of the Attributes with Might (such as (MIG + MIG) for a Chimerism Ritual).

As long as the Accuracy formula of a weapon you have equipped includes Might, you may treat that weapon as also belonging to the arcane Category for the purpose of Skills and effects that require it.

Chapter Expansion Rules

# CHAPTER FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Requirements: You must have mastered the Merchant Class, and must have acquired the Real Treasure and Winds of Trade Skills.

## Trading and Point Mechanics

When you need to spend one or more Fabula Points, if you are not spending them to alter the story (see Core Rulebook, page 98), you may spend that many Trade Points instead. Describe which memories of your trades and journeys give you strength!

Additionally, when you gain two or more Trade Points through the Real Treasure or Winds of Trade Skills, you may choose to gain exactly 1 Trade Point instead. If you do, follow these steps:

- Choose a settlement within 1 travel day of your position and increase its prosperity by an amount equal to (your Skill Level in Winds of Trade + your Skill Level in Real Treasure).
- A settlement’s prosperity starts at 0 and has no upper limit.

## Prosperity Effects

The chart below indicates the effects of your donations on the settlement and on anything within 1 travel day of it.

Minimum Prosperity | Effect within 1 Travel Day
--- | ---
10 or more | When you or an ally need to pay a cost in zenit, whatever the reason, that cost is halved.
15 or more | People gladly accommodate you and your allies: while in this area, you can always rest freely, without spending zenit. Furthermore, any travel rolls made in this area never use a die greater than d8.
20 or more | When a Villain in this area spends Ultima Points, they must spend twice as many Ultima Points.

## GREATER CHLOROMANCY

Requirements: You must have mastered the Floralist Class.

Once per turn when a magiseed leaves your garden, if that magiseed has one or more "at the end of your turn" effects, you may spend 20 Mind Points. If you do, reproduce one of those effects (you may also choose an effect that doesn’t match the current sections of your Growth Clock).

Additionally, if you have acquired the Verdant Sway Skill, your Rituals can now also influence and control soldier-Rank creatures belonging to the plant Species (but you are still unable to create them).

Skill Descriptions

# GREEN THUMB

## Requirements

you must have mastered the Floralist Class.

## Effect

When you fill 1 or more sections of your Growth Clock, you may choose one option:

- You fill 1 additional section of your Growth Clock;
- Or you fill 1 fewer section of your Growth Clock (to a minimum of 0 sections filled).

If you do, you cannot use this effect again until after your Growth Clock has become completely empty.

Additionally, damage dealt by your magiseeds ignores Resistances.

# INNER WELLSPRING

## Requirements

you must have mastered the Invoker Class.

## Effect

When you acquire this Heroic Skill and whenever you rest, you may choose one wellspring: air, earth, fire, lightning, or water. If you do, you gain the following benefits until your next rest:

- You always treat the chosen wellspring as being available during each scene, in addition to whatever wellsprings are already available.
- You may perform Rituals of the Elementalism discipline, but only if those Rituals manipulate the element of the chosen wellspring.
- You gain Resistance to the damage type corresponding to the chosen wellspring.
- When you deal damage, you may change its type to the one corresponding to the chosen wellspring. If you do, that damage ignores Resistances.

# POWER NAP

## Requirements

you must have mastered one or more Classes among Guardian, Merchant, and Wayfarer.

## Effect

On your turn during a conflict, you may use an action to recover an amount of Hit Points and Mind Points equal to (20 + half your level) and also recover from all status effects. If you do:

- Your turn ends immediately;
- You lose the ability to hear and see;
- Your Defense and Magic Defense scores become equal to 5 and cannot be modified in any way (but you may still use the Protect Skill from the Guardian Class, if you have acquired it!).

These penalties last until the start of your next turn, until after you lose Hit Points, or until after you are hit by an attack or offensive spell.

Character Skills Documentation

# Advanced Character Skills Overview

## 33PROTAGONISTS

Requirements: you must have mastered the Wayfarer Class, and must have acquired the Faithful Companion Skill.

When your companion deals damage, they deal 5 extra damage.

When your companion performs a Check, you may spend 1 Fabula Point and invoke one of your companion’s Traits in order to let them reroll one or both dice (as per the rules on page 46 of the Core Rulebook).

After you use the Faithful Companion Skill to have your companion perform an action during your turn, you may choose one option (after the companion’s action has been resolved):

- You and your companion each recover 10 Mind Points;
  (OR)
- The first time you or your companion perform a Check before the end of your next turn, that Check gains a bonus equal to (your Skill Level in Faithful Companion).

## SILENT HUNTER

Requirements: you must have mastered one or more Classes among Rogue, Sharpshooter, and Weaponmaster, and must have acquired the High Speed Skill.

When you use the High Speed Skill to perform a free attack with a weapon belonging to the bow, spear, or thrown Category, the attack deals extra damage equal to (your Skill Level in the High Speed Skill, multiplied by 5).

Additionally, when you attack one or more creatures with a weapon that belongs to the bow, spear, or thrown Category, those creatures cannot perform free attacks until the end of the current turn.

## SKILLFUL DOSAGE

Requirements: you must have mastered one or more Classes among Gourmet, Loremaster, Merchant, and Tinkerer.

Potions and delicacies you create, as well as spells you cast, can now cause creatures to recover Hit Points and Mind Points beyond their maximum HP and MP scores.

This cannot cause a creature’s current HP and/or MP to go above 150% of the respective maximum scores; at the end of each scene, if the current Hit Points and/or Mind Points of a creature are still above their maximum scores, they become equal to the maximum score.

SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE Ability
168

# SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE

Requirements: You must have mastered the Gourmet Class.

When you acquire this Heroic Skill, choose three different tastes among bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami. Then, choose three different effects among the following:

Selectable Effects:

- You deal 20 (choose one: dark, light) damage to each of this delicacy’s targets. This amount increases to 30 damage if you are level 30 or higher. Choose the type of this effect when you acquire this Heroic Skill.
- During the next turn of each of this delicacy’s targets, all damage they deal becomes (choose one: dark, light) and its type cannot change. Choose the type of this effect when you acquire this Heroic Skill.
- For each of this delicacy’s targets, if they are affected by one or more spells with a duration of “Scene”, instead they are no longer affected by any of those spells.
- Choose yourself or an ally you can see. For each of this delicacy’s targets, the next time that target performs an attack or casts an offensive spell (OO) before the end of this scene, they must include the chosen creature among the targets of that attack or spell (if able).
- Each of this delicacy’s targets suffers enraged.
- Each of this delicacy’s targets suffers poisoned.
- Each of this delicacy’s targets recovers 30 Hit Points and 30 Mind Points, or 40 Hit Points and 40 Mind Points if you are level 30 or higher.
- Each of this delicacy’s targets recovers from a single status of their choice.
- Each of this delicacy’s targets recovers from dazed, enraged, and shaken.
- Each of this delicacy’s targets recovers from poisoned, slow, and weak.

Advanced Activation (Ingredient Mastery)

When you create a delicacy using exactly 3 ingredients during a conflict, if each ingredient matches a different taste among those chosen when you acquired this Heroic Skill, you may ignore all of that delicacy’s normal effects. If you do, you may instead apply one, two, or all the effects you chose when you acquired this Heroic Skill.

W
Character Skill Descriptions

# PROTAGONISTS CHAPTER

## Strength of Five Wellsprings

Requirements: You must have mastered the Invoker Class.

After you perform an invocation during a conflict, you and up to one ally you can see increase one of your Attributes’ die sizes by one (up to a maximum of d12). This increase lasts until the end of the scene or until you use this Skill again, and the Attribute is based on the wellspring you invoked:

- Air: Insight
- Earth: One Attribute of your choice
- Fire: Dexterity
- Lightning: Might
- Water: Willpower

## Wise Counsel

Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes among Commander (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 140), Loremaster, and Orator.

### Support Check Modification

When you perform a Support Check, if the leader of the Group Check can hear and understand you, you may use (INS + INS), (INS + WLP), or (WLP + WLP) instead of the normal Attributes required by the Support Check.

Describe how you offer your advice!

### Teamwork Boost

Additionally, when you use the teamwork option (see Core Rulebook, page 76) to support another Player Character’s Check during their turn in a conflict scene, you may spend 10 Mind Points. If you do, choose up to two of the following benefits:

- That character recovers 20 Mind Points.
- That character recovers from dazed, enraged and shaken.
- At the end of that character’s turn, choose one option: perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped; or perform the Spell action for free, casting a spell whose total MP cost is equal to or lower than 20.
- If that character succeeds on their Check and the Check allows them to fill or erase one or more sections of a Clock, they may fill or erase 1 additional section of it.

[Unrelated Metadata/Fluff]

"Silver Fork Style, Secret Technique: Spaghetti Spinner!"

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```html
Antagonists Chapter

# ANTAGONISTS

This book’s fourth and final chapter delves into the creation of natural fantasy enemy NPCs – especially Villains. Game Masters can combine it with similar advice from the Core Rulebook (mostly from page 292 onwards) to plan riveting conflict scenes for all game levels. As usual, you can use the material as is or adapt it to your liking by following the advice below.

## NATURAL FANTASY VILLAINS

An introductory section containing tips and advice for creating and playing pivotal antagonists in the natural fantasy style.

## VILLAIN EXAMPLES

Five different enemy NPCs – one each for levels 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 – that make ideal natural fantasy Villains. For each, you’ll find this information:

- History. The Villain’s base concept and possible backstory.
- Profile. The Villain’s statistics, as described on page 320 of the Core Rulebook.
- Tactics. The Villain’s preferred combat tactics.
- Extra content. One or more additional ideas, including tips for modifying the Villain’s profile, possible supporting enemies, and even additional phases (see Core Rulebook, page 301) that you can use during conflicts.

These Villains were designed to spark the Game Master’s imagination and assume a group of 4 well-rounded PCs. Remember that some of their abilities might not conform to the standard cost for NPC Skills (see Core Rulebook, page 303) and that you’ll likely need to tweak these Villains before adding them to your campaign. To balance things out, consider your Player Characters’ capacities and then modify any opposing Affinities, immunities to status effects, damage types, or other parameters that could be frustrating to deal with or unsuitable for your group’s campaign.

```

# Natural Fantasy Villains

When you create a natural fantasy antagonist, the information on page 254 of the Core Rulebook is an excellent starting point, but there are a few extra things to remember, just as there are for Player Characters.

## Basic Principles

The natural fantasy genre presents a significant variety of archetypal Villains, but we can still infer some common key traits:

- A link to the past. These antagonists have one or more elements that link them to the past of the setting: some are obsessed by ancient legends; others crave power and authority lent by millennia-old magics and technologies, or want to wipe out every last trace of them; finally, some are entities who survived an ancient calamity or were created in the distant past.
- Familiar concepts. A natural fantasy antagonist’s motivations and origin are often linked to needs, feelings, doubts, or emergencies that you might have had a brush with at least once in your personal life. As much as this might unsettle you, a part of you should be able to understand, perhaps at an instinctual level, what these Villains represent.
- Catastrophic results. When a natural fantasy Villain reaches their goals, the consequences are devastating: be it the awakening of a truly ancient danger, a permanent alteration to the ecosystem, or the extermination of entire communities, the Villain’s victory will tear open a wound in this world.

The Game Master is given three main tools for introducing these Villains into the narrative and diving deep into their origins and objectives:

- Stories, relics and traditions. If a Villain is the incarnation of an ancient danger, references to their existence should gradually appear during the campaign: these sources are often vague or partly contradictory – fertile ground for studies and speculations.
- Game Master scenes. Above all else, these scenes are useful to add depth to the antagonists, revealing their doubts and hesitations. When dealing with Villains that are closer in nature to a cataclysm or a supernatural presence, these scenes can show omens of their arrival and a growing sense of foreboding.
- Conflicts. During conflicts, natural fantasy Villains tend to fully embrace one of two extremes: some speak openly with the protagonists, explaining their reasons, while others march forward, undeterred and silent, toward their objective.

# ANTAGONISTS

## CHAPTER: THE FOUR ARCHETYPES

In natural fantasy, Villains often fit into one of four recurring types, with some very distinctive characteristics.

### THE ARROGANT

This Villain is driven by ego: craving power, money and/or knowledge, they never stop to consider the destructive consequences of their actions and see the world as something to examine, dissect, exploit, and optimize.

Examples:

- an adventurer willing to commit any kind of atrocity to collect valuable trophies;
- a pioneer ready to destroy the ecosystem to build roads and railways.

### THE PROTECTOR

This Villain wants to protect one community at the detriment of another. They believe they are doing what is necessary and, if defeated, might even become an ally.

Examples:

- a warrior looking for an ancient weapon that will let him impose a truce between clans;
- a huntress who wants to exterminate every predator in the continent.

### THE OUTSIDER

Either supernatural or artificial, this antagonist follows a personal and unfathomable logic. They rarely speak, and when they do it muddies the waters even more, or they quote events, rules or information completely unknown to the characters.

Examples:

- a demon or ghost coming to reclaim a tribute in accordance with a forgotten tradition;
- an artificial intelligence reawakened in the wrong age.

### THE CATASTROPHE

This Villain could be a monster, a beast, an elemental phenomenon, a disease, or even an expanding ecosystem (see next page). They are the incarnation of a looming disaster and there is no chance for parlay.

Examples:

- a scourge created by a cyclical curse;
- an infection that corrupts animals and plants, turning them into abominations;
- a wandering volcano close to erupting.

Environmental Antagonists Mechanics

# Environmental Antagonists

Sometimes, natural fantasy Villains manifest in the form of miasmas, curses and afflictions that change any ecosystem their influence spreads to. It should be noted that the antagonist is not the environment itself, but rather whatever force is corrupting it – this is often the result of actions by the world’s ancient’s inhabitants.

This isn’t a struggle between people and nature, but a war where both, side by side, face the consequences of a tragic, faded past, in an attempt to understand it so that it doesn’t repeat itself. Among the most common environmental antagonists are magical phenomena, curses, elemental imbalances, and diseases born of ancient experiments.

## Game Rules Mechanics

When it comes to game rules, these Villains offer some interesting possibilities:

- Environmental Effects. The environment itself might add special effects during conflicts: a corrupting miasma that damages any creature suffering from a specific status effect at the end of each round, a magical desertification that halves any healing received by living creatures, or an elemental aura that empowers or weakens a specific type of damage. These effects can be very powerful and should be considered an additional enemy for the sake of conflict building.
- Shared Ultima Points. The most dangerous creatures among those affected by the corruption might be able to spend Ultima Points from the Villain’s pool to invoke Traits and Recover (see Core Rulebook, page 101). They shouldn’t be able to Escape, but they are considered Villains for the purpose of Skills and game effects.
- Fabula Points and Atmosphere. If a Villain manifests through environmental corruption, the Player Characters should receive a Fabula Point every time their influence become especially noticeable, for example in the guise of a terrible omen or when a creature is shown to be a thrall to the Villain’s will (see Shared Ultima Points above). Game Master scenes are particularly useful for this purpose.
- Final Battle. Usually, an environmental antagonist cannot be confronted directly until the protagonists reach their core or incarnation and free the region from their influence – a liberation that is sometimes only temporary.
- Altered Wellsprings. This is a very specific option, but if your group includes a character that can use invocations (see page 156), the Villain’s influence might create new wellsprings outside of the standard list or, perhaps, alter the existing wellsprings over the course of a conflict.

Antagonist Design Tips

# ANTAGONISTS

## Chapter: On a Smaller Scale

One recurring element of natural fantasy campaigns is that they limit themselves to a rather small space and time frame: pretty often, a natural fantasy Villain might renounce their goal or be permanently defeated after just one or two confrontations.

From this point of view, the number of Ultima Points available to these Villains might become a problem: a Villain might have 5 or 6 Ultima Points left when their story has reached a satisfying conclusion in terms of narrative. This problem might present itself in any short campaign, but the usual pace of natural fantasy games makes it more noticeable.

Here is some advice to offset it:

- Avoid supreme Villains. If you foresee a short and focused campaign set in a small region, you can easily limit yourself to a few minor Villains and a single major Villain, without resorting to supreme Villains. If you change your mind, you can always call for an escalation (see Core Rulebook, page 102).
- Make Villains fearsome. Spend Ultima Points every time a Villain fails a Check, misses a target, or is afflicted by two or more status effects; every now and then, do it even when they succeed, just to improve the Result or the High Roll!
- Fiction first. If the Player Characters’ actions create a situation where the Villain no longer has a reason to act (a rather common occurrence in natural fantasy, where many antagonists are driven by very simple needs), it’s not wrong to discard all the remaining Ultima Points and stop considering this character a Villain.

## Subverting The Premises

Natural fantasy campaigns offer excellent chances to subvert many conventions of the JRPG genre and design Villains who are essentially invincible if battle against them is approached as usual (for example, the Heart of Eldgren on page 205).

### Examples of Subversion:

- A ghost that, if defeated, comes back to haunt the village at night, unless someone returns a specific item to them.
- A monster under a curse who, if brought to 0 Hit Points without purifying them first via a Ritual or Project, completely loses their conscience and becomes an abomination.
- A truly ancient android who, when in Crisis, automatically Surrenders if convinced to trust humanity via a Clock.

> “You humans have a habit of considering cruel what is merely equitable. For years you stole my children, and now I shall steal yours.”

Note: The following text appears separated from the main narrative content.

# The Mystery of the Mountains of Edessa

## Geological and Biological Overview

The Mountains of Edessa are famous for their electrore formations, which create a rather unique biome. However, recent lowering of temperatures across the region—caused by mysterious turbulence from the west—has significantly reduced the charge stored within this mineral. This deterioration has negatively impacted the flora native to the area and forced many local species to migrate.

Among these migrating species are the exceedingly rare Thunder Spiders. Usually peaceful, once outside their natural habitat, these huge arthropods become extremely ravenous. They eat constantly and grow beyond measure. This accelerated growth is not only painful but also makes them even more aggressive.

## The Threat of Tonitranea Rex

A truly gigantic specimen was recently spotted in the valley—one so ferocious that it forced the population of nearby villages to flee their homes. The residents speak with a mix of fear and respect about the Tonitranea Rex, known as the Lord of Thunder. Its hunting ground grows by the day, threatening not just the people of the valley but the balance of the region’s entire ecosystem.

## Guest Information

Creature Tactics: Tonitranea Rex

# TONITRANEA REX’S TACTICS

During conflicts, the Tonitranea Rex uses its heightened mobility to disorient enemies and take them down. This gigantic arthropod is made up of three parts, each with its own profile: the Head, the Thorax with its long legs, and the massive Abdomen covered with electrostatic spines. In order to defeat the creature, all three must be reduced to 0 Hit Points.

## Turn Order Abilities

The attack sequence follows a strict schedule across four turns:

- On the first enemy turn of each round: If at least two enemies aren’t suffering from slow, the Abdomen uses Paralyzing Silk against all enemies. Otherwise, if it doesn’t have enough Mind Points or if it’s electrified, the Abdomen uses Trampling Slam against as many random targets as possible (this causes the Thorax to stop dangling and the Abdomen to stop being electrified).
- On the second enemy turn: The Thorax uses Predator Ascent to start dangling if it’s an odd-numbered round, or Electrostatic Charge if it’s an even-numbered round. If it doesn’t have enough Mind Points, it uses Lightning Claw against as many random targets as possible.
- On the third enemy turn of each round: The Head uses Toxic Spit against a random target.
- On the fourth enemy turn of each round: The Thorax acts again, using Lightning Claw against as many random targets as possible.

## Ultima Point Usage and Synergy

Since Head, Thorax and Abdomen are all parts of the Tonitranea, each of them has access to the Villain’s Ultima Points pool, with two critical caveats:

- If one part spends 1 Ultima Point to recover from all status effects and recover 50 Mind Points, all parts gain these benefits.
- If one part spends 1 Ultima Point to Escape from the scene, all parts escape immediately together.

## Engagement Rules

- On the Hunt: If engaged while on the hunt, the T onitranea Rex uses Ultima Points to Invoke a Trait every time it misses one or more targets in Crisis, but always keeps 1 Ultima Point to Escape to its lair.
- In the Lair: If engaged within the lair, however, the creature spends Ultima Points more liberally and uses them to activate the Survival Instinct special rule (see Thorax).

## Additional Details

- Minor Villain: 5 Ultima Points; Champion 2 (worth 2 soldiers)

Monster Stat Blocks

## ABDOMEN Lv 5 • MONSTER

### Core Stats

DEX d8 INS d6 MIG d10 WLP d8

### Vitals & Attributes

HP: 60 MP: 30 DEF: +0 M. DEF: +0 P A R S B IM: d E V U F VU i l T RS

### Basic Attacks

Trampling Slam (DEX + MIG) (HR + 5) physical damage. If the Abdomen is electrified this attack deals 10 extra damage and all its damage becomes bolt; if the Thorax is dangling, this attack gains multi (2). After this attack is resolved, the Thorax stops dangling and the Abdomen is no longer electrified.

### Spells

- Paralyzing Silk (Cost: 20 MP | Type: Special | Instantaneous)
  Every enemy the Abdomen can see suffers slow.

### Special Rules

- Electrostatic Spines After a creature hits the Abdomen with a melee attack, if the Abdomen is electrified, it deals 5 bolt damage to that creature (after the attack has been resolved).
- Grounding If the Abdomen suffers earth damage when electrified, it stops being electrified.
- Limb The Abdomen is immune to dazed, enraged and shaken.

## HEAD Lv 5 • MONSTER

Traits: frail, lucifuge, poisonous, protected.

### Core Stats

DEX d8 INS d10 MIG d6 WLP d8

### Vitals & Attributes

HP: 40 MP: 20 DEF: +0 M. DEF: +0 P V U A R S B RS d e f i L T IM

### Basic Attacks

Toxic Spit (DEX + MIG) +3 (HR + 10) poison damage.

### Special Rules

- Wall of Legs During a conflict, as long as the Thorax isn’t dangling, the Head is invisible to enemies.

W ()
T onitranea Rex - Character Profile

# ANTAGONISTS

## THORAX (Champion 2) Lv 5 • MONSTER

Traits: armored, coordinated, electrostatic, ravenous.

DEX d8 | INS d8 | MIG d8 | WLP d8 | HP 100 • MP 50 | Init. 10

DEF +2 | M. DEF +1 | p A RS B IM d E VU f ii VU l T RS

## BASIC ATTACKS

- Lightning Leg (DEX + MIG) +3 • (HR + 5) bolt damage; if the Thorax is dangling, damage dealt by this attack ignores Resistances. This attack has multi (2), but it can only target two enemies provided they are both suffering from slow.

## OTHER ACTIONS

- Electrostatic Charge The Thorax can use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to rub its back legs along the Abdomen, creating an electrostatic cloud. If it does, the Abdomen (see page 178) becomes electrified.
- Predator Ascent The Thorax can use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to climb up the webs and become dangling until it suffers fire damage, ice damage, or damage of a type it is Vulnerable to; the Thorax also stops dangling after the Abdomen (see page 178) uses Trampling Slam. As long as the Thorax is dangling, no part of the T onitranea Rex (Abdomen, Head and Thorax) can be targeted with melee attacks unless the attacker is flying or able to target flying creatures.

## SPECIAL RULES

- Limb The Thorax is immune to dazed, enraged and shaken.
- Survival Instinct At the end of each round, if the T onitranea Rex is within its lair and the Abdomen and/or the Head are at 0 Hit Points, the Thorax must spend 1 Ultima Point to gather its strength and bring both parts back into the scene, each with a number of Hit Points equal to their Crisis value, but suffering from no status effects and at full Mind Points.

HANDLING THE PARTS OF THE TONITRANEA REX
Although the various parts of this Villain have individual profiles, in narrative terms they are actually a single entity: for this reason, when one is reduced to 0 Hit Points and/or leaves the conflict, they should be described as grievously wounded or exhausted, not dead. At the same time, their senses are based on the T onitranea Rex as a whole (for example, defeating the Head does not impair the “sight” of the other parts, which can target their enemies normally).

> “Listen to me, lass, stay away from that creature: lightning will reach you long before you hear the Lord of Thunder.”

Multi-Part Enemies Guide

# Multi-Part Enemies

The concept of multi-part enemies is built according to an idea common to both JRPGs and beat ‘em up games: a boss that appears as a single body, but with a variety of minor parts that can be targeted and damaged individually, to destroy, stun, or immobilize them for a certain amount of time.

This method offers a number of advantages:

- It safeguards the value of multi-target abilities; those same abilities would otherwise be wasted against a solitary champion-rank enemy.
- It prevents the battle from becoming too long, since the number of enemies goes down bit by bit when the various parts are reduced to 0 Hit Points.
- It provides a lot more personality to enemies with a monstrous anatomy, making each section of their bodies a mini-enemy that supports or synergizes with the others, and these interactions show the nature, instincts, and habits of said creature.
- It allows the Game Master to add regeneration rules that set the pace of the conflict and push the Players to make significant tactical decisions: do they want to eliminate the more aggressive secondary parts first, knowing that they might come back later? Or do they focus on the main body?

## Enemy Composition Rules

As a rule of thumb, an enemy built according to this logic includes:

Main Body. An elite or champion rank NPC that, usually, has support abilities and an action or special rule that allows it to bring the other parts back into the scene (usually when the main body enters Crisis for the first time or at a set point each round). Sometimes (but not always!), defeating the main body causes the remaining parts to immediately leave the conflict. Parts. Each section of the creature that plays a pivotal role in their tactics has a separate profile, usually of soldier rank. Some parts are built for offense (such as the head of a dragon, a robot’s ventral turret, or a manticore’s spiked tail) and others for defense (such as an energy barrier generator, a claw shielding the body, or a floating ring).

In most instances, the ideal composition is a champion rank main body which replaces a number of soldiers equal to the PCs on the scene minus 1, accompanied by two soldier rank parts. However, as usual, you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment. The following page presents some ideas to play with!

Adversary Dossier

# Chapter 9: Antagonists Dossier

Adversary Index (44)

### Ancient Robot

The outer shell of this complex adversary is the Armor (soldier) with high Defenses and Hit Points, flanked by two Armaments (soldier). These Armaments are more fragile but capable of unleashing attacks and spells.

Inside resides a Core (elite), which is completely invulnerable as long as the Armor remains on the scene. This Core creates a new Armament at the end of each round if fewer than two exist. Both the initial and subsequent Armaments are chosen at random from a six-option list, each possessing different Affinities and offensive capabilities.

If the Core is reduced to 0 Hit Points, the entire robot deactivates immediately.

### Magmasaur

This adversary consists of three primary components: a Body (elite), a Head (elite), and a powerful Tail (soldier).

- The Tail attacks with large swipes and can even inflict a status effect, but it cannot be regenerated if defeated.
- The Head can cause grievous injuries with its bite and flaming breath.
- The Body strikes with sharp claws or, if in Crisis, a powerful body slam.

Furthermore, at the end of each round, complex regeneration occurs: If the Head is defeated but not the Body, the Head returns to the scene with Hit Points equal to its Crisis value. The same revival mechanic applies to the Body if it is defeated while the Head remains active.

### Storm Spirit

In contrast to previous examples, this adversary comprises three parts of the same rank: the Essence of Lightning (soldier), which uses electric attacks and spells; the Essence of Air (soldier), which inflicts status effects like slow or weak; and the Essence of Water (soldier), which heals the other parts' Hit Points and Mind Points.

These three Essences maintain a delicate balance. However, if one Essence is defeated, the remaining Essences become significantly more powerful, doubling both their maximum and current Hit Points, not to mention increasing their number of turns starting from the next round!

Document Snippet.
182 W

# Node and Dylon

Born and raised in the lake village of Turva, Node and Dylon have been inseparable since birth: together, the young human and the sea tiger learned how to sail the narrow canals, swim against the current, and survive among the waters. Side by side, they became the most respected pair of hunters in the village, protecting it from dangers, delivering letters and messages to nearby settlements, and obtaining food, medicines, and other resources.

Everything changed during a particularly long hunting trip, when a ravenous and overgrown eelfang attacked their group: miraculously escaping the carnage, the two hunters developed a grudge against the beast, despite the warning of their old mentor, Stelarcte, and her stern exhortation to remember the souls of the fallen without bringing further torment to them. The duo left Turva for many months, trained hard, and finally faced and killed the beast, exacting their revenge.

Alas, awaiting their return was a gruesome silence: the village had been reduced to ashes, destroyed by a migrating lava beast. Node and Dylon came to a grim realization: a world populated by monsters of such power would never be safe for humanity, and the only way to save as many lives as possible was to preemptively hunt down and kill these creatures. None but them can bear such a burden, but, as always, having each other to rely upon will be enough.

## Details

Node and Dylon's Tactics

# 44 ANTAGONISTS

## Node and Dylon’s Tactics

Node and Dylon add an environmental effect to every conflict they take part in, the tide. At the start of the conflict, the tide is high and it remains so as long as neither of them is in Crisis; as soon as either of them is in Crisis, the tide becomes low.

### Environmental Turns

1. First Enemy Turn: Node uses Hunting Horn if he has enough Mind Points and hasn’t used it so far. Otherwise, he uses Hunter’s Bow, prioritizing targets suffering from weak (during high tide) or slow (during low tide).
2. Second Enemy Turn: Dylon uses Rock Toss against a random target. If he doesn’t have enough Mind Points he uses Sea Fin against a random target.
3. Third Enemy Turn: Node acts again, using Net Throw against as many random targets as possible, prioritizing those suffering from weak during high tide.
4. Fourth Enemy Turn: Dylon uses Coordinated Action, prioritizing enemies suffering from weak. Node’s free attack (during high tide) targets a random enemy instead. If Dylon doesn’t have enough Mind Points, he uses Sea Fin instead, always prioritizing weak targets.

## Symbiosis and Shared Resources

Node and Dylon are friends who share every aspect of their lives: for this reason they have a single pool of Ultima Points and each can spend them to Invoke a Trait or Recover; if one spends an Ultima Point to Escape, both leave the scene safely.

The goal of this rule is to highlight how deep the symbiosis and harmony of this duo run, creating a stark contrast with the mission they undertook: they are clearly able to show care and tenderness, but they decided to discard these feelings when looking at one of their prey.

## Tactical Adjustments

### Initial Conflict (Player Characters)

- Mindset: They do not view the Player Characters as worthy opponents, but rather as naive and headstrong people who don’t understand the importance of their mission.
- Ultima Point Usage: They spend Ultima Points to Recover only when suffering from 3 or more status effects, and they always keep 1 Ultima Point to Escape as soon as one of them is reduced to 0 Hit Points (ignore the *I’ll Avenge You!* special rules).

### Subsequent Battles

In subsequent battles, however, they consider the PCs a grave danger to their mission and spend Ultima Points to Invoke a Trait every time they fail a Check.

Minor Villain | (5 Ultima Points) | Both Elite
Character Dossier

# Node (Elite Character Profile)

## Basic Attributes

### Core Stats

- DEX d10
- INS d6
- MIG d8
- WLP d8
- HP 120
- MP 60
- Init. 10

### Defense & Equipment

- DEF +1, M. DEF +1
- Equipment: Short bow, travel garb.
- Skills: RS d E VU F / RS I VU l t

## Attacks and Abilities

### Basic Attacks

- Net Throw
  (DEX + MIG) +4 • (HR + 5) physical damage. (Multi: 2)
- Hunter’s Bow
  (DEX + DEX) +4 • (HR + 8) physical damage.
  - *Effect:* If the tide is high and the target is suffering from weak, this attack deals 5 extra damage.
  - *Effect:* If the tide is low, the target suffers slow.

### Spells

- Hunting Horn
  10 × T MP • Up to three creatures • Scene.
  *Effect:* Until this spell ends, each target gains a +1 bonus to Accuracy Checks.

### Special Rules & Mechanics

- High Tide Style: When the tide is high, Node’s attacks always treat the target’s Defense as being equal to their current Might die size.
- I’ll Avenge You!: When Dylon (see next page) is reduced to 0 Hit Points, Node recovers from all status effects and loses all his Vulnerabilities. After that, the tide becomes high again.
- Low Tide Speed: When the tide is low, all damage dealt to Node by creatures suffering from slow is reduced by 5 (before applying Affinities).

## The Tide and Flow of the Battle

Node and Dylon’s special mechanic revolves around the tide: this kind of additional rule is excellent to add “phases” to a conflict without tying them to a specific adversary. It’s also an interesting way to add a back-and-forth pace to the scene, to reveal something about the enemies’ personality, and to ensure they can’t benefit from all their skills at the same time, which could make them too overwhelming or frustrating.

The best way to keep track of these effects is a physical reminder, like a coin to flip or a card to rotate (this last prop can easily represent a cycle of four phases, for example).

Character Dossier & Reflection
ANTAGONISTS (Chapter)

## DYLON PROFILE

“We don’t expect gratitude. Nonetheless, we know what must be done.”

DYLON (Elite)
Level: 10 • Race: BEAST

Traits: imposing, protective, seaborn, staunch.

#### Combat Stats

DEX / INS / MIG / WLP / HP: d6 / d8 / d10 / d8 / 140
MP / Init.: 70 MP / 60 Init. 9
DEF / M. DEF: +2 / +1 p a B

VU d E RS F VU I RS l t

## Abilities

### Basic Attacks

Sea Fin

- (INS + MIG) +1 attack.
- (HR + 5) ice damage.
- Condition: If the tide is high, the target suffers weak.
- *Note:* If the tide is low, the target won’t be able to see Node (see previous page) until Dylon uses Sea Fin again.

### Spells

Rock Toss (OO)

- (MIG + WLP) +1 attack, 5 MP cost. One creature target. Instantaneous.
- Dylon deals (HR + 10) earth damage to the target.

### Other Actions

Coordinated Action (SS)

Dylon can use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to perform a free attack with Sea Fin, treating the High Roll as 0 when calculating damage. After this attack is resolved:

- If the tide is high: Node (see previous page) performs a free attack with Hunter’s Bow, treating the High Roll as 0.
- If the tide is low: Node recovers 10 Hit Points instead.

## Special Rules

- High Tide Strength: When the tide is high, all damage dealt by Dylon ignores Resistances.
- I’ll Avenge You!: When Node (see previous page) is reduced to 0 Hit Points, Dylon recovers from all status effects and loses all his Vulnerabilities. After that, the tide becomes high again.
- Low Tide Tenacity: When the tide is low, Dylon becomes Resistant to physical damage.

### A Reflection In Two Parts

While the T onitranea Rex (see page 176) is a terrible predator that upsets the ecosystem, Node and Dylon showcase how pain and tragedy might warp protective instincts into extremism – a preemptive and short-sighted hunt, fueled by fear rather than understanding. However, the village of Turva and their mentor cultivated a diametrically opposite philosophy, one that still endures in the powerful bond between Node and Dylon: it’s not too late, and the Player Characters might be able to bring those feelings back to surface before they drown in a sea of bitterness.

Brightvale Chronicle

# The Legend of Brightvale

Legends say that once upon a time, at the foot of a mountain in the Northlands, there was a village called Brightvale, because of its verdant territory and favorable climate. The people of the village were united, kind, welcoming, and loved life above all else – in fact, they were healthy and very long-lived.

## The Shadow of Immortality

However, this longevity made every bereavement excruciating: the villagers would cry and try to comfort each other as the faint light of the Funerary Lantern guided the procession. Both the living and the dead only wished to be able to remain with their loved ones forever, and this is how some souls managed to find a way back, guided by the Lantern itself. The people thought it was a miracle, unaware of the looming danger: in order to remain among the living against the natural order of things, those spirits were consuming the life of their loved ones.

As more and more people died, just as many spirits joined the village. And year after year, those souls gradually forgot who they were, until they became faint presences, attracted like moths to the light of the Lantern. In the end, they turned into pale flames thirsting for life.

## The Transformation

Eventually, the spirits overtook the village, and Brightvale itself – now the epicentre of this warping of the natural order – was reborn as a terrible serpentine monstrosity that withers everything it touches, constantly chasing the Lantern that the naive villagers put all their faith into.

Customer Correspondence:
Antagonists Tactics

# ANTAGONISTS

Major Villain (10 Ultima Points); Champion 3 (worth 3 soldiers)

## BRIGHTVALE’S TACTICS: PHASE 1

The battle with Brightvale is divided in two parts. During the first, the heroes have to climb the lengthy Back of Brightvale, trying to reach the head, while harassed by Will-o-Wisps attracted by their life energy (at the start of the conflict there are two Will-o-Wisps).

Actions per Round:

- On the first enemy turn of each round, the Back of Brightvale uses Compact Terrain (if it is not in Crisis or already under its effect). Otherwise, if it has 40 or more Mind Points, it uses Silent Recall, targeting as many Will-o-Wisps as possible, making them shoot Pale Flame against random targets. If neither of these conditions is true, the Back performs the Guard action instead (be aware that its effect lasts only until the start of the Back’s next turn in this round).
- On the second enemy turn, the Back of Brightvale uses Unstable Ground against two random targets.
- Then, all Will-o-Wisps present on the scene perform their turns, using Grave Whispers against a random target, prioritizing those with the highest current Hit Points. If they lack the Mind Points, they use Pale Flame against a random target instead.
- On the last enemy turn of the round, if it has enough Mind Points, the Back of Brightvale uses Sandy Dive, otherwise it uses Stolen Strength.
- At the end of each round, if there are less than two Will-o-Wisps present on the scene, a new Will-o-Wisp joins the conflict.

Note: In this phase, the Back of Brightvale doesn’t use Ultima Points – from a certain point of view, it hasn’t even noticed the characters yet.

When the Back reaches 0 Hit Points, the body of Brightvale breaks apart and the gargantuan creature plummets to the ground. Now the heroes can move to the second half of this battle, against the Head of Brightvale and the Funerary Lantern hanging in front of it (see page 190).

Post-Phase Actions:

- We encourage you to give the Player Characters one round of free actions to catch their breath and get ready for the next part of the battle.
- The conflict scene does not end and it’s not necessary to roll initiative again, but all remaining Will-o-Wisps fade away, leaving the scene.

— () —

# The Back of Brightvale

A powerful, ancient location utilized as a source of abilities.

## Core Statistics

DEX d8
INS d8
MIG d12
WLP d6
HP 300
MP 150
Init.11

## Abilities and Actions

### Basic Attacks

M Unstable Terrain

A powerful burst of earth damage. Deals (MIG + MIG) +2, or (HR + 10) earth damage. This attack has multi (2).

### Spells

Compact Terrain

Cost: 5 MP | Type: Self | Scene.

Until this spell ends, the Back of Brightvale gains Resistance to physical damage. This spell ends if the Back goes into Crisis. The Back cannot cast this spell while in Crisis.

Silent Call

Cost: 10 × T MP | Targets: Up to two creatures | Nature: Instantaneous.

Each target may perform a free attack with an equipped weapon (or basic attack if an NPC). If they do, treat the High Roll as 0 when calculating damage.

### Other Actions

Sandy Dive

The Back of Brightvale can use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to dive under the desert sand and suddenly reemerge. If it does, all enemies present on the scene must perform a Group Check (INS + MIG) with DL 10. Failure deals 15 earth damage to each enemy seen, and those enemies suffer **shaken**.

Stolen Strength

The Back of Brightvale can use an action to steal energy from the shattered souls that surround it. Each Will-o-Wisp on the scene loses 20 Hit Points; then, the Back of Brightvale recovers 20 Mind Points for each Will-o-Wisp that lost Hit Points this way.

## Special Rules

- Construct: The Back of Brightvale is immune to poisoned.
- Sand and Dust: At the end of each of its turns, if the Back of Brightvale is in Crisis, it loses 10 Hit Points as its body slowly falls apart. If it reaches 0 Hit Points this way, all of its enemies plummet to the ground, suffering 20 physical damage.
- Without Conscience: The Back of Brightvale is immune to dazed, enraged and shaken.

Will-o-Wisp Profile
Chapter Title Placeholder Page 189

# WILL-O-WISP

## Lv 20 • UNDEAD

The remains of the inhabitants of Brightvale, the Will-o-Wisps crave the energy of the living and float around the creature that was once their home. Traits: empty, faint, incomplete, whispering.

## Characteristics & Stats

DEX d12
INS d8
MIG d6
WLP d8

HP: 70 • MP: 35

Init. 9
DEF +0 / M. DEF +0
P RS A VU B RS D IM E RS F RS I VU L VU T IM

### Combat Details

BASIC ATTACKS
M Pale Flame • (DEX + WLP) +2 • (HR + 10) fire damage.

### SPELLS

Grave Whispers OO • (INS + WLP) +5 • 5 MP • One creature • Instantaneous. Deals (HR + 15) dark damage to the target.

## Special Rules

- Embrace the End: As long as there are at least two Will-o-Wisps on the scene, Grave Whispers deals 5 extra damage.
- Feeble Flame: When a Will-o-Wisp suffers damage it is Vulnerable to, it loses all Mind Points and suffers dazed, shaken, slow and weak.
- Flying: See Core Rulebook, page 307.
- Parasitic Flame: When one or more enemies recover Mind Points, they regain only half the normal amount and each Will-o-Wisp recovers 999 Mind Points (if there are two or more Will-o-Wisps on the scene, this effect triggers only once).
- Undead: The Will-o-Wisp is immune to poisoned and HP recovery may harm it (see Core Rulebook, page 305).

## Lore Entry: Undead Adversaries in Natural Fantasy

Clinging to life so fiercely that one becomes undead is a classic of the high fantasy genre: ancient warlocks becoming abominable liches, entire spectral armies forced by ancient oaths to emerge from their graves, and so on. Brightvale frames this idea in a natural fantasy context, adding a touch of horror – the love of a steadfast community turned to unhealthy attachment and misfortune. This adversary doesn’t have any evil plan or grand ambitions, it lacks even a real conscience – it’s considered a Villain because it embodies the villagers’ fear and refusal to accept the natural order of life.

“Nothing remains of those ancient lands. Only sand, silence and a pale light far, far away.”
Document Analysis

# Brightvale’s Tactics (Phase 2)

W
BRIGHTVALE’S TACTICS (PHASE 2)

The heroes must now face what is left of the souls of the villagers, still tied to the world of the living by the pale light of the Funerary Lantern.

## Enemy Turn Sequence

- On the first enemy turn of each round, the Head of Brightvale resolves Unnatural Presence, then uses Gravesand Jaws against a random target.
- On the second enemy turn, if it has less than 30 Mind Points, the Head spends 1 Ultima Point to recover; otherwise, it uses Dust to Dust against a random target.
- On the third enemy turn, the Lantern uses Follow Me… against a PC that is not under its effect yet, prioritizing those with the highest current Might. If it lacks the required Mind Points, it uses Dim Light against random targets.
- On the fourth enemy turn, if it has enough Mind Points, the Head uses Ancient Desires; otherwise, it uses Gravesand Jaws against a random target.

In this phase, the Head of Brightvale doesn’t spend Ultima Points as long as the Lantern is lit – but when it becomes extinguished, the Head spends them liberally to strike its enemies.

## FUNERARY LANTERN Lv 20 • CONSTRUCT

Traits: ancient, faint, fragile, hypnotic.

DEX d8
INS d8
MIG d6
WLP d12
HP 70
MP 35
Init. 8
DEF +0
M. DEF +0
p a b
D VU E RS f I VU L AB T IM

### BASIC ATTACKS

Dim Light • (WLP + WLP) +2 • (HR + 10) light damage. This attack has multi (2).

### SPELLS

Follow Me... OO • (INS + WLP) +2 • 10 MP • One creature.
Description: All damage dealt by the target becomes light and its damage type cannot be changed. After the target takes a turn, this spell ends.

### SPECIAL RULES

Construct: The Funerary Lantern is immune to poisoned.
Quiet in the Dark: When the Funerary Lantern is reduced to 0 Hit Points, if it was lit, it becomes extinguished and its current Hit Points become 1. As long as it is extinguished, the Lantern cannot regain or lose Hit Points, nor perform any actions or free attacks.
Head of Brightvale Stat Block

# The Head of Brightvale

Classification: Champion (Chapter 3) | Undead

Level: Lv 20

Traits: apathetic, empty, hypnotized, quiet.

## Stats

DEX d8
INS d6
MIG d8
WLP d12
HP: 240
MP: 120
Init.: 180
Initiative: 10

### Defense

DEF: +0
M. DEF: +0
A/V/U/B/IM: D IM E IM f I VU L VU T IM

## Attacks & Abilities

### Basic Attacks

#### Gravesand Jaws

Calculation: (DEX + MIG) +2 | Damage: (HR + 10) earth damage.

*If the Funerary Lantern is extinguished, this attack deals 5 extra damage.*

### Spells

#### Dust to Dust (OO)

Cost: (MIG + WLP) +5 | 10 MP | Target: One creature | Action: Instantaneous.

The Head of Brightvale deals (HR + 20) earth damage to the target, and the target suffers weak.

### Other Actions

#### Ancient Desires

The Head of Brightvale may use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to choose one:

- If the Funerary Lantern is extinguished, it becomes lit and regains 35 Hit Points.
- If the Funerary Lantern is lit, it recovers 35 Hit Points and performs a free attack using Dim Light.

## Special Rules

- Desperation: When the Head of Brightvale loses Hit Points from a recovery effect because of the Undead rule, if the Funerary Lantern is extinguished, the Head loses an amount of Hit Points equal to those it would have recovered (instead of half).
- Life Craving: After a Player Character spends a Fabula Point to Invoke a Trait, if the Funerary Lantern is lit, the Head of Brightvale recovers 10 Hit Points and that PC becomes feeble until the Lantern is extinguished. A feeble PC cannot invoke their Traits.
- Symbol of Attachment: As long as the Funerary Lantern is lit, the current Hit Points of the Head of Brightvale cannot be lower than 1.
- Undead: The Head of Brightvale is immune to poisoned and HP recovery may harm it (see Core Rulebook, page 305).
- Unnatural Presence: At the start of each of the Head of Brightvale’s first turn during each round, if no Player Character is suffering from shaken and the Funerary Lantern is lit, all Player Characters on the scene become shaken.

Titania, Queen of Fairies

# Titania, Queen of Fairies

Many legends tell how dangerous it is to strike a deal with fairies, the ancient beings who rule the woods of the shire. And with good reason. It’s not their cunning, nor their knack of twisting every word to their own desires that makes them so fearsome; no, their most terrible weapon is time itself.

Mortals age and die, and their descendants often forget the ancient oaths or turn them into mere tales. But the fairy beings are untouched by the flow of the years and, if someone denies them their due, their fury is inextinguishable.

## The Pact of Frosthill

The villagers of Frosthill struck one such deal with Titania, the Queen of Fairies: every year, the Queen would grant plentiful crops and peaceful pastures but, in exchange, the inhabitants had to gift them three seeds from their favorite peach tree.

For three generations the villagers kept their word, but gradually forgot the true meaning of the ceremony, until they eventually disregarded it completely. And so the fury of the Queen struck them down, causing the flora of the same fields and pastures they had nurtured for years to grow beyond measure. This created a gigantic plant maze that has held the inhabitants hostage ever since, for the amusement of the fairy court. It’s a magical domain, where day, night, and climate answer to Queen’s every whim.

Information:
The Queen of Fairies - Antagonists
193

# ANTAGONISTS

## THE QUEEN OF FAIRIES

Titania is an atypical antagonist who might assume one of two symmetrical forms, the Queen of Midday or the Queen of Midnight, alongside their corresponding mischievous court.

Form Changes and Rules:

- If the characters challenge Titania, the fae monarch enters the fray as the Queen of Midday, accompanied by two Sun Poppies.
- When reduced to 0 Hit Points in either form, Titania uses the Dawn or Dusk special rule (see upcoming pages) to assume their opposite form.
- After each shift, Titania is considered a new creature in terms of rules, with full Hit Points and Mind Points, and no lingering status effects. Any and all spells that affected the other form end, and any symbol (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 148) is removed. It’s possible to steal from them twice using Soul Steal (see Core Rulebook, page 203), once per form.

From the perspective of Titania and their court, our heroes are a form of entertainment, so a sacrifice is not available in this conflict, but it is possible to perform some deeds to gain the favor of the court (the amount of favor granted is shown in brackets in the list below). The Game Master has to reveal this information as soon as someone fulfills a deed but the full list must be kept secret. Each deed provides favor only once.

Deeds to Gain Favor (Favor gained is in brackets):

- Combo Breaker (+1). Titania cannot perform any action during their turn.
- Fourth Wall (+1). A Player (yes, a Player, not a character!) makes Titania laugh.
- Inconceivable! (+1). A PC wins an Opposed Check where Titania uses the bonus of Aspect of the Queen or Aspect of the Huntress.
- Insubordination (+1). A character with the Outcast Fairy Quirk (see page 125) causes one of Titania’s forms to enter Crisis.
- Look Out, My Queen! (+1). A character uses the Protect Skill (see Core Rulebook, page 197) to shield Titania from danger.
- One Hundred to Zero (+1). A PC reduces an enemy from maximum HP to 0 HP.
- To Persist is Human (+1). Titania has used both Weird Mind and Eternal Body.
- What a Boom! (+1). A PC brings two or more enemies to 0 HP in a single turn.
- Planned Defeat (+2). One Player Character surrenders.
- Spirit of the Underdog (+2). Titania has reached 0 Hit Points once in each form.

If the PCs accumulate 6 or more favor, Titania loses all their Ultima Points and the conflict ends: the Queen is now willing to negotiate with the group.

Major Villain
(10 Ultima Points); Variable rank (see below)
VS.

# Queen of Midday

(Champion 3) Lv 30 • ELEMENTAL

Traits: ethereal, fickle, gracious, shimmering.

## Statistics

DEX d8
INS d10
MIG d8
WLP d8
HP 300
MP 150
Init. / Def. 160 / +1

## Combat Details

MP Capacity:
  12
DEF: +1 | M. DEF: +2 | PRS: A IM b D VU E VU F IM I VU L AB T IM

## Basic Attacks

- Royal Fan (DEX + INS) +3 • (HR + 10) air damage and the target suffers slow.

## Spells

- Solar Mantle [Requires OO]

  (INS + WLP) +3 • 10 × T MP • Up to three creatures • Instantaneous.

  Titania deals (HR + 20) light damage to each target.

## Other Actions

- Fairy Decree
  [Free Action] Titania may use an action to impose one of the following decrees, ending any previous one; after that, they perform a free attack with Royal Fan against a random target.
  - Season of the Opposites: When an enemy performs a Check (but not Open or Opposed), they succeed if the Result is lower than the Difficulty Level, instead of equal or higher.
  - Mirror Mirror: When an enemy has to choose one or more targets for an effect, they have to do so randomly among the eligible targets.
  - Law of the Fairies: When an enemy performs an Opposed Check, the Queen chooses which Attributes they use.
- Radiant Bloom [Spend 20 Mind Points]

  Titania may use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to make all Sun Poppies (see next page) bloom. If no Sun Poppy is present, a new one enters the conflict and immediately blooms.

## Special Rules

- Aspect of the Queen: Titania gains +3 to all Opposed Checks concerning fairies or diplomacy.
- Dusk: When Titania is reduced to 0 Hit Points in her Queen of Midday form, she must spend 1 Ultima Point to call forth the night. She and any remaining Sun Poppies leave the conflict. At the end of the current round, she returns as the Queen of Midnight accompanied by two Moon Orchids (see page 197). If they have no Ultima Points left, Titania surrenders.
- Elemental: Titania is immune to poisoned.
- Weird Mind: At the start of each of her turns, if she is suffering from dazed and/or shaken, she recovers from these status effects and regains 10 Mind Points.

# SUN POPPY

Lv 30 • ELEMENTAL

Lazy fairies with the form of multicolored flowers, who blissfully bask in the presence of their radiant Queen.

Traits: ephemeral, lazy, multicolored, shining.

## Statistics

DEX d8 | INS d10 | MIG d8 | WLP d8

HP: 100 • MP: 50 | Init. 9

DEF +1 M. DEF +2 p A RS b D VU e F RS I VU L IM T IM

## Actions and Abilities

### Basic Attacks

#### Diurnal Caress

(DEX + WLP) +6 • (HR + 10) light damage. The next time the target suffers light damage during this round, they suffer 5 extra damage.

### Other Actions

#### Sweet Oblivion

The Sun Poppy may use an action to drain enemies of their strength. Each enemy the Sun Poppy can see loses 20 Mind Points.

## Special Rules

- Elemental: The Sun Poppy is immune to poisoned.
- Energized Awakening: When the Sun Poppy is reduced to 0 Hit Points, all enemies present on the scene regain 30 Mind Points.
- Kissed by the Sun: As long as she is in bloom and Titania is not in Crisis, the Sun Poppy loses her Vulnerabilities to ice and dark damage.
- Withering Heat: After the Sun Poppy loses Hit Points due to damage of a type she is Vulnerable to, or loses any amount of Mind Points, if she is in bloom, she stops being in bloom.

## TITANIA, QUEEN OF MIDDAY’S TACTICS

- On the first enemy turn of the round, Titania uses Fairy Decree to impose one of their decrees, in cyclical order: Season of the Opposites, Mirror Mirror, Law of the Fairies, then Season of the Opposites again and so on.
- On the second enemy turn, if they have enough Mind Points, Titania uses Radiant Bloom, otherwise they attack a random target with Royal Fan.
- Next, all Sun Poppies perform their turns. The first (if present) uses Sweet Oblivion, the second (if present) uses Diurnal Caress against a random target.
- On the final enemy turn, Titania uses Solar Mantle on as many enemies as possible. If they have less than 10 Mind Points, they spend 1 Ultima Point to Recover instead.

> “Evil? Me? Nonsense. I was simply denied what was agreed upon.”

Character Profile: Queen of Midnight

# Queen of Midnight

**Champion Tier 3 • Elemental Traits:** brutal, merciless, mercurial, regal.

## Attributes & Stats

DEX: d10 INS: d8 MIG: d8 WLP: d8
HP: 300 MP: 150 Initiative: 160
DEF/M. DEF: +0 / +0
PRS A VU b D AB E IM F VU I IM L VU T IM: (Placeholder for complex stats)

## Basic Attacks

- Fairy Arrow • (DEX + MIG) +3 • Deals (HR + 15) ice damage.

## Spells & Abilities

### Lunar Blanket (Spell)

- Type: Instantaneous
  Cost: 10 MP • (INS + MIG) +3
  Effect: Titania deals (HR + 20) dark damage to the target, and the target suffers weak.

### Other Actions

- Gaunt Bloom (Action/Passive)
  Titania may use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to make all Moon Orchids (see next page) bloom. If there is no Moon Orchid present on the scene, a new one enters the conflict and immediately blooms.
- Wild Hunt (Action)
  Titania may use an action to declare one of the following hunts, ending the effects of any previous one; after that, they perform a free attack with Fairy Arrow against a random target.
  - Hound the Prey: Titania and the Moon Orchids (see next page) deal 5 extra damage against weak targets.
  - Gathering Horn: Titania chooses a Moon Orchid (see next page) present on the scene, who performs his turn immediately after Titania’s this round (following the tactics on next page).
  - Thrill of the Hunt: The next time a source deals damage to Titania and/or one or more Moon Orchids, that source deals no damage instead.

## Special Rules

- Aspect of the Huntress: Titania gains +3 to all Opposed Checks concerning swiftness, accuracy or giving chase.
- Dawn: When Titania is reduced to 0 Hit Points in the Queen of Midnight form, they have to spend 1 Ultima Point to call forth the day. In doing so, Titania and any remaining Moon Orchids (see next page) leave the conflict. At the end of the current round, Titania returns to the conflict as the Queen of Midday accompanied by two Sun Poppies (see page 195). If they have no Ultima Points left, Titania surrenders.
- Elemental: Titania is immune to poisoned.
- Eternal Body: At the start of each of their turns, if Titania is suffering from slow and/or weak, they recover from these status effects and regain 10 Mind Points.

Character Profile Sheet

# MOON ORCHID

Level 30 • ELEMENTAL

Fierce and devout fairies in the shape of delicate flowers. They use their razor-sharp petals to hunt the prey chosen by the Queen.

Traits: ephemeral, frantic, lethal, pure.

## Stats & Attributes

Core Stats

- DEX d10
- INS d8
- MIG d8
- WLP d8
- HP: 100
- MP: 50
- Init: 9

Defensive/Offensive Stats

- DEF: +2
- M. DEF: +1
- p A V U b D I M E R S f I R S L V U T IM (This appears to be an acronym key)
- BASIC ATTACKS (See details below)

## Abilities & Actions

### ⚔️ Basic Attacks

- Nocturnal Laceration: (DEX + MIG) +6 • (HR + 10) dark damage. If the Moon Orchid is in bloom, this attack deals 5 extra damage.

### ✨ Other Actions

- SS Rude Awakening: The Moon Orchid may use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to deal 10 dark damage to every enemy he can see.

### 🌿 Special Rules

- Elemental: The Moon Orchid is immune to poisoned.
- Ephemeral Beauty: As long as he is in bloom, the Moon Orchid becomes Vulnerable to physical damage.
- Fragile Frost: After the Moon Orchid loses Hit Points due to damage of a type he is Vulnerable to, or loses any amount of Mind Points, if he is in bloom, he stops being in bloom.
- Moon Kiss: As long as at least one Moon Orchid is in bloom, Titania loses their Vulnerabilities to fire and light damage.

## 👑 TITANIA, QUEEN OF MIDNIGHT’S TACTICS

- On the first enemy turn of each round, Titania uses Wild Hunt to declare one of their hunts, in cyclical order: Hound the Prey, Gathering Horn, Thrill of the Hunt, then Hound the Prey again and so on.
- On the second enemy turn, if they have enough Mind Points, Titania uses Gaunt Bloom, otherwise they attack a random target with Fairy Arrow.
- Next, all Moon Orchids perform their turns. The first (if present) uses Rude Awakening, the second (if present) uses Nocturnal Laceration against a random target.
- On the final enemy turn, Titania uses Lunar Blanket on as many targets as possible. If the Queen has less than 10 Mind Points, they spend 1 Ultima Point to Recover instead.

The Chronicles of Eldgren

# The Awakening of Eldgren

Millennia ago, the great forest of **Eldgren** gracefully welcomed those who proved themselves worthy of its favor. After overcoming the tests imposed by the guardian spirits, worthy mortals received the great tree’s blessings—so that entities dwelling in the earth, the stone, among the branches, and in the streams would heed their words and prayers.

Unfortunately, an ancient civilization, whose erudition was matched only by their fear of the unknown, decided that these superstitions were obsolete and dangerous. They believed such a power had to be grasped and controlled. They started many wars, but left precious few accounts. The forest was reduced to a smoldering waste, but even less remained of those short-sighted people.

## The Lingering Scars

However, the spirits never left their home: over the centuries, they healed the earth and new life blossomed in Eldgren. The superficial wounds were mended, but the rage and the resentment for the mortals’ actions still burned in the depths, like buried embers, slowly poisoning the heart of the forest, and allowing an invisible parasite to make its nest within it.

When young humans, oblivious to what had transpired, set foot among the trees once again, Eldgren remained silent, waiting. When some of them pushed deeper, studying the broken ruins of those ancient people, Eldgren waited. But when the first trees were felled, the spirits decided that these mortals were the same as their ancestors and, if left unchecked, the tragedies of the past would repeat themselves.

## The Reckoning

Ash swept away, embers roar hateful once again: the ancient guardians of the forest are ablaze with a ghostly and vengeful fire, while millennia-old trees entwine their branches and shake the ground to uproot the human threat once and for all… even at the cost of snuffing out hundreds.

Not all is lost: a minuscule fragment of Eldgren’s ancient heart managed to escape desperation and traveled beyond the boundaries of the forest, looking for heroes who can heal its suffering…

> “What do you know about pain? Of suffering?
> Your ancestors committed unforgivable crimes.
> You will be given no chance to repeat them!”

Chapter Layout
199
W

# 44 ANTAGONISTS

CHAPTER

— CHAPTER —

## Content Flow Placeholder

This section would typically contain the main body text of the chapter. Based on the raw extract, this area represents the core content related to "Antagonists."

The Forest's Trial - Campaign Guide

## THE FOREST'S TRIAL

Context:

In this first phase, the characters delve into the forest, hoping to stop it before it unleashes its rage on nearby villages.

### Narrative Development

From a narrative perspective, the last non-corrupted shard of the heart of the forest guided the PCs here. The shard might be an NPC, but it would be better if they are a Player Character who has remembered the true nature of their mission. Such a revelation might be triggered with a Fabula Point or with a Quirk like Underchild (see page 129), or introduced by the awakening of the Mysterious Grimoire Quirk (see page 124).

Another interesting option is the revelation that a PC’s Faithful Companion (see Core Rulebook, page 217) is much more than a common animal.

Environmental Rules

In this phase, the forest is an environmental element; it doesn’t take part in the conflict nor use any Ultima Points. The main threat is the Ashen Rådande (see page 201), who hinder the heroes while they undertake the ancient trials of Eldgren.

## The Trials

Sequence and Mechanics

The trials take place at the end of each round, in the following order:

- Trial of Strength (first round). Each PC must perform a (MIG + WLP) Check with Difficulty Level 10. For each success, the group accrue 1 Trial Point, but those who fail lose half of their current Hit Points.
- Trial of Remembrance (second round). Each PC can choose one of their Bonds and give it to the Forest; that Bond cannot be invoked until the end of the scene. Each PC who chooses to give one of their Bonds must recount one campaign event linked to it, and then roll their highest base Attribute die, adding the strength of the gifted Bond, accruing 1 Trial Point, plus another one if the result is 10 or higher. Each PC that doesn’t give a Bond fails the trial and becomes coveted by the Rådande until the end of the Scene.
- Trial of Unity (third round). Each PC rolls their lowest base Attribute die. If the result is equal to or lower than that PC’s total number of Bonds, the group accrue 1 Trial Point. If the result is higher, the PC loses half of their current Mind Points.

Conclusion: At the end of the fourth round, if the group has accrued a number of Trial Points equal to or higher than (the number of Player Characters, multiplied by 3), the ancestral magic recognizes their valor and brings them before the Ancient (see page 202). Otherwise, a strange spell drops them at the edge of the forest and they will be able to face the Ancient only later; meanwhile, Eldgren will have started rampaging across the countryside.

## W ELDGREN • PHASE 1

Ashen Rådande Profile

# ASHEN RÅDANDE

Lv 40 • PLANT

## Description

Once guardians of the forest, now they are driven by the gut-wrenching hatred that burns in their hearts.

Traits: merciless, poisoned, scorched, terrifying.

### Attributes

- DEX d10
- INS d12
- MIG d8
- WLP d6
- HP 120 • 60 MP
- Init. 11

### Defense & Attacks

- DEF +0
- M. DEF +0
- p A VU b d E RS F IM I VU l T RS (Placeholder for complex stats)

### Special Class Stats

- Basic Damage: Fan the Flames • (DEX + MIG) +4 • (HR + 20) fire damage. After resolving this attack, if the target wasn’t coveted, the Ashen Rådande loses 10 Hit Points.
- Shared T orment OO • (INS + WLP) +7 • 20 MP • One creature • Instantaneous. Both the Ashen Rådande and the target suffer poisoned.

## Special Rules

- Harrowing Rage: As long as the Ashen Rådande is poisoned, all damage they deal ignores Immunities and Resistances.
- Plant: The Ashen Rådande is immune to dazed, enraged, and shaken.
- Trial by Fire: When the Ashen Rådande is reduced to 0 Hit Points, Player Characters receive 1 Trial Point.

## Ashen Rådande Tactics

At the start of the conflict, a number of Rådande equal to the number of PCs minus 1 enter the scene. The forest spirits’ grudge drives them to push intruders away, preventing them from even attempting to demonstrate that they are worthy of Eldgren’s trust and respect.

Behavior:

- On their turn, if they are not poisoned, a Rådande uses Shared T orment against a random target, prioritizing those who are not poisoned already.
- If poisoned, the Rådande uses Fan the Flames against a random target, prioritizing coveted ones.
- Also, every time a Player Character fails one of the three trials of the spirits, another Rådande immediately joins the conflict (up to a maximum number of Rådande equal to how many were present at the start of the conflict).

#### Villain Status

Major Villain (10 Ultima Points); Variable rank (see below)

Source Data: ()

# Eldgren's Tactics: The Ancient

## The Encounter

At this point, the PCs have to face Eldgren in all her rage, under the guise of the ancient and colossal guardian of the forest: a towering wooden colossus, similar to a giant moose with blazing antlers.

## Conflict Setup

This conflict can either immediately follow the trials (described in the previous pages) or occur later on if the characters failed the trials or didn't reach the forest before it animated and began its march of destruction. In the first case, you should make sure that the PCs have enough time to reorganize and use potions or other abilities to regain strength; in the second, if the group took a really long time to arrive, this battle might include a Clock representing the progressive destruction of a settlement or a region, automatically filling by one section at the end of each round.

## Ancient Abilities

In the form of the Ancient, Eldgren is powerful and unrelenting, but quite predictable. Her turn actions follow a five-turn cycle:

- On her first turn: If two or less PCs are enraged, Eldgren uses Rekindle the Embers; otherwise, she uses Scorching Gaze against a random target. If she doesn’t have enough Mind Points, she uses Ashen Antlers against a random target.
- On her second turn: Eldgren uses Toxic Despair against as many random targets as possible, prioritizing those already poisoned.
- On her third turn: Eldgren uses Scorching Gaze against a random target; if she doesn’t have enough Mind Points, she spends 1 Ultima Point to Recover.
- On her fourth turn: Eldgren uses Ashen Antlers against a random target.
- On her fifth turn: Eldgren uses Thousand-year Fury against the enemy toward which she bears a grudge. If she doesn’t have a grudge against anyone, she attacks a random target with Ashen Antlers instead.

### Mechanics and Outcome

- Ultima Points (UP): In this phase, Eldgren spends Ultima Points to Invoke a Trait every time she fails a Magic Check to cast one of her offensive spells (OO), or to Recover during her third turn.
- Collapse Condition: Once reduced to 0 Hit Points, the Ancient collapses to the ground and stops moving, leaving the Heart of the Forest exposed (see page 204).

Character Profile Sheet

# ELDGREN, THE ANCIENT

(Champion 5) | Level 40

Class/Archetype: PLANT
Traits: ashen, immense, resentful, tortured.

## Core Statistics

DEX: d6 | INS: d8 | MIG: d12

WLP: d10 | HP: 700 • 350 MP

Init: 12 | DEF: +0 | M. DEF: +0

Attacks: p A VU B RS d E VU F IM I RS l T AB

## Basic Actions

- M Ashen Antlers
  (MIG + MIG) +4 | (HR + 20) fire damage.
  If Eldgren bears a grudge, this attack deals 5 extra damage. If this attack misses while bearing a grudge, she loses 30 Hit Points after resolving the attack.
- Toxic Despair
  (INS + MIG) +4 | (HR + 15) poison damage. This attack has multi (2). If a creature hit by this attack is suffering from poisoned, they suffer shaken and weak.

## Spells

- Rekindle the Embers
  (MIG + WLP) +4 | 10 × T MP • Up to three creatures • Instantaneous.
  Each target suffers enraged.
- Scorching Gaze
  (MIG + WLP) +4 | 10 MP • One creature • Instantaneous.
  Eldgren deals (HR + 25) fire damage to the target, and the target suffers shaken.

## Other Actions

- Thousand-year Fury
  Eldgren may use an action to deal 30 damage to the creature toward which she bears a grudge, plus 10 extra damage for every other time she has used this action since the start of the scene. Then, Eldgren stops bearing her grudge. Damage dealt by this action has no type and thus ignores Affinities.

## Special Abilities & Conditions

- Ancestral Grudge: When an enemy causes Eldgren to lose Hit Points, she starts bearing a grudge toward them. She can bear only one grudge at a time. If Eldgren recovers Hit Points while bearing a grudge, instead she recovers no Hit Points and stops bearing a grudge.
- Misery: Eldgren is immune to poisoned. As long as there are two or more creatures suffering from poisoned present on the scene, Eldgren may treat her Defense and Magic Defense scores as being equal to 13.
- Plant: Eldgren is immune to dazed, enraged, and shaken.
- Suffering Exhale: When Eldgren enters Crisis for the first time during a scene, all creatures present on the scene suffer poisoned.
- Tough Grudge: As long as she bears a grudge, Eldgren gains Immunity to all damage types except air and earth.

[ ()] - Data extracted from PDF document.
The Heart of the Forest

# ELDGREN’S TACTICS: THE HEART OF THE FOREST

In this phase, the characters are face-to-face with the pulsing Heart of the Forest, and at last they have the chance to heal it, removing the mysterious and invisible parasite that infested it.

## Core Conflict Mechanics

### The Heart's Limitations

This conflict is based upon a special rule designed to showcase the narrative through the game mechanics:

- The Heart enters the scene with current Hit Points equal to 1 and its Hit Points cannot go below 1.
- If the Heart’s current Hit Points become equal to or greater than 480, it loses all Ultima Points and Surrenders immediately.

### Slumbering Hope Clock

This scene also includes a “Slumbering Hope” Clock with 4 sections, visible to all participants. This Clock can be filled or emptied only in the following ways:

- When a Player Character present on the scene spends 1 Fabula Point to invoke a Theme of Belonging, Hope, Justice or Mercy, fill 1 section of the Clock.
- At the start of the fourth enemy turn (see below) of the round, if the Clock is full, empty it. If you do, the Heart regains 40 Hit Points and 40 Mind Points, and it doesn’t perform any action this turn.

## The Heart's Strict Cycle of Play

The Heart follows a very strict cycle of play:

- On the first enemy turn: The Heart uses Flame of Remembrance during odd-numbered rounds or Avenging Miasma during even-numbered rounds, both against random targets.
- On the second enemy turn: If it has enough Mind Points, the Heart uses Aura of Desperation during odd-numbered rounds, or Ashen Breath during even-numbered rounds. If it lacks the required Mind Points, it uses Avenging Miasma against random targets.
- On the third enemy turn: The Heart uses Ancient Vitality or, if it doesn’t have enough Mind Points, a Recovery action. If it doesn’t have any Ultima Points left, it uses Flame of Remembrance against a random target.
- On the fourth enemy turn: Check the “Slumbering Hope” Clock (see above). If the Clock isn’t empty and the Heart is not in Crisis, it uses Parasite Grasp. If the Heart is in Crisis and/or it doesn’t have enough Mind Points, it uses Flame of Remembrance against a random target.

# The Heart

## (Champion 4)

Once the living core of Eldgren, the Heart is covered by the withered remains of the Rådande who died to protect it.

### Traits

Burning, **Desperate**, **Millennia-old**, **Resentful**.

## Core Stats

DEX: d8
INS: d10
MIG: d8
WLP: d10
HP: 480 • MP: 240
Init: 13

### Defenses & Combat

DEF: +0 | M. DEF: +0 | P AB A AB B AB D AB E AB F AB I AB L AB T AB

## Basic Attacks

- M Flame of Remembrance (INS + MIG) +7 • (HR + 15) fire damage.
  After resolving this attack, if the Accuracy Check’s High Roll was even, the Heart regains 20 Hit Points, otherwise, it loses 20 Hit Points.
- Avenging Miasma (INS + WLP) +7 • (HR + 15) poison damage.
  This attack has multi (2).

## Spells

- Ashen Breath (OO)
  Requires (INS + WLP) +4 | Cost: 10 MP | Target: One creature | Type: Instantaneous. The Heart deals (HR + 25) fire damage to the target.
- Aura of Desperation
  Cost: 20 MP | Type: Special | Instantaneous. Every creature able to see the Heart suffers shaken.
- Parasite Grasp
  Cost: 30 MP | Type: Special | Instantaneous. The mysterious infection nestled in the Heart of Eldgren spreads, causing it to spasm violently: the Heart loses the exact amount of Hit Points required to enter Crisis. After that, the Heart deals poison damage equal to (the amount of Hit Points lost with this spell divided by the number of creatures present on the scene) to each creature present on the scene (including itself).

  (Warning: If a Player Character learns this spell with spell Mimic, they immediately lose all their Fabula Points and suffer enraged. If the campaign continues, the group might even have that character evolve into a Villain.)

## Other Actions

- Ancestral Vitality
  The Heart may use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to stop being affected by any spell with duration “Scene” and any “hex” invocations (see page 156).

## Special Rules

- Parasitic Despair
  As long as it is not in Crisis, the Heart is treated as having neutral Affinity (-) to all types of damage.
- Plant
  The Heart is immune to dazed, enraged, and shaken.

Index Directory

# Index Directory

## A

- abyss sheet 18
- artifacts 88

## B

- Badger Temple 22
- Breezeburg 26
- Brightvale 186

## C

- Camp Activities 130
- Candle Bay 30
- Cerulean Jungle 34
- classic characters 134
- conflicts 62
- cookbook sheet 150
- custom weapons 112

## D

- Darkdepth 38
- delicacy 151–152
- Dylon 182

## E

- Eisenstadt 42
- Eldgren 198
- environmental antagonist 174

## F

- Floralist 138
- forging 74

## G

- garden 140
- Golden City 46
- Gourmet 148
- Growth Clock 140

## H

- Heroic Skills 160

## I

- invocation 156
- Invoker 154

## L

- Lowtide 50

## M

- magiseed 140
- materials 74, 78
- Merchant 158
- multi-part enemies 180

## N

- natural fantasy locations 16
- natural fantasy Pillars 8
- Node 182

## Q

- Quirks 120

## R

- rare items 82

- accessories: 87

  rare armor: 86

  rare shields: 86

  rare weapons: 84

- Rocky Desert 54

## S

- sample natural fantasy characters 97

## T

- Titania, Queen of Fairies 192
- T onitranea Rex 176
- Trade Points 159

## V

- vertical development worlds 18
- Vertigo Peak 58

## W

- wellspring 156

Inspirations and Credits

207

# INSPIRATIONAL WORKS

## Gaming Inspirations

A vast collection of influences drawn from various titles and developers, including:

- Atelier (Dusk trilogy, Ryza Trilogy and Sophie duology) by Gust and Koei Tecmo
- Bistro Heroes by Team Tapas
- Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City and Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl by Atlus
- Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles by Square Enix
- Harvestella by Live Wire Inc. and Square Enix
- The Horizon series by Guerrilla Games
- Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian by Team Ico
- Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu by Genki
- The Monster Hunter Stories series by Capcom and Marvelous Inc.
- Ōkami and Ōkamiden by Capcom
- The Rune Factory series by Marvelous Inc.
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild, Tears of the Kingdom and The Wind Waker by Nintendo
- Wild Arms 3 by Media Vision
- Wild Hearts by Omega Force

## Non-Videogame Inspiration

Drawing inspiration beyond video games from authors, manga, and historical media:

- Dungeon Meshi by Ryoko Kui
- Earthborne Rangers by Earthborne Games
- Frieren – Beyond Journey’s End by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe
- Laputa – Castle in the Sky by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli
- Made in Abyss by Akihito Tsukushi
- Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki and Topcraft
- Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli
- Seirei no Moribito by Nahoko Uehashi
- Symbaroum by Mattias Johnsson and Mattias Lilja
- The Dragon, the Hero and the Courier by Yamada Gregorius
- The Fire Hunter by Rieko Hinata and Akihiro Yamada
- The Wildsea by Felix Isaacs
- Trigun by Yasuhiro Nightow
- Magic: The Gathering settings including the Ikoria, Lorwyn and Zendikar and Rei Nakazawa’s flavor texts for the Kamigawa set.

## CREDITS

### Acknowledgements

Special thanks to:

- Nicola Degobbis, Chris Pagliari, Marco Munari, Alberto Orlandini, Marta Palvarini, Matteo Pedroni, Selene Dal Borgo and Erica Viotto for their direct contribution to this volume.

Thanks also to the many patrons who continue to support this project worldwide:

- Alberto “107”, Alena, Anise, Francesco Castelli, Pieralberto Cavallo, Cryo, Dracoknight, Lassic, Libro, Chiara Listo, Andrea Lucca, Monowave, Nadia, Nicola Marchi, Nitro, Diego Proietti Petretti, Claudio Pustorino, Rosencranz, Claudio Serena, Stepnix, Tails, Tekko!, Triex and Giuseppe Vitale for precious advice and observations.
- Also thanks to Ali A Olomi, Ancient Americas, Rhystic Studies, Spice8Rack, and The Asians Represent Podcast for their invaluable contents.

### Community Support

Thank you also to the Fabula Ultima and Rooster Games communities: during the development months you have provided tireless insights and precious opinions on our playtest content – and special thanks to our hard-working mods Alberto “107”, Chris, Cryo, Nadia and Stepnix.

### Final Thanks

And finally, a special thank you goes to Reidy, Will, and their play groups. Whatever awaits us at the journey’s end, I believe we will play together, again and again.

Document Summary

# Our Story

This endeavor will bring new kindness and positive change.

We are dedicated to sharing our story of impact and community growth. Our goal is to bring renewed kindness to all.

## Customer Details

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