Compass of Terrestrial Directions 5 - The North

The North is home to
THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, VOL. V — THE NORTH

one of Creation’s harshest
environments, and its savage TM
predators, deadly winters and

scarcity of resources would
be challenging enough, even
without the additional threats
posed by marauding barbarians,
seductive Winter Folk and the
frozen dead. Defying both the
elements and the region’s many
threats, though, a myriad of
states, large and small, have
succeeded in wresting order
from a chaotic wilderness and
forging a stable home for their
subjects. Will the returned
Lawgivers seek to maintain these
fragile metropolises, or will they
be drawn to the banner of the
Solar Bull of the North, who
seems determined to plunge the
entire North into war?
The fifth of five Terrestrial Direction books

devoted to fleshing out the bare bones of
Creation presented in the Exalted core book,
this supplement includes the following:
• Details of Whitewall, Gethamane, the Haslanti
League and other Northern nations
• Mass combat stats for the myriad of Northern
powers as well as dominion traits for the Mandate
of Heaven
• Traits for the North’s native gods and beasts
ISBN: 978-1-58846-379-1 WW80204 $24.99 U.S.

52499
WHITE WOLF
WW80204
9 781588 463791 w w w .w hite-w olf.c om / exa lte d

PRINTED IN U.S.A.
blue flower (order #1639287) 7

The North is home to
THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, VOL. V — THE NORTH

one of Creation’s harshest
environments, and its savage TM
predators, deadly winters and

scarcity of resources would
be challenging enough, even
without the additional threats
posed by marauding barbarians,
seductive Winter Folk and the
frozen dead. Defying both the
elements and the region’s many
threats, though, a myriad of
states, large and small, have
succeeded in wresting order
from a chaotic wilderness and
forging a stable home for their
subjects. Will the returned
Lawgivers seek to maintain these
fragile metropolises, or will they
be drawn to the banner of the
Solar Bull of the North, who
seems determined to plunge the
entire North into war?
The fifth of five Terrestrial Direction books

devoted to fleshing out the bare bones of
Creation presented in the Exalted core book,
this supplement includes the following:
• Details of Whitewall, Gethamane, the Haslanti
League and other Northern nations
• Mass combat stats for the myriad of Northern
powers as well as dominion traits for the Mandate
of Heaven
• Traits for the North’s native gods and beasts
ISBN: 978-1-58846-379-1 WW80204 $24.99 U.S.

52499
WHITE WOLF
WW80204
9 781588 463791 w w w .w hite-w olf.c om / exa lte d

PRINTED IN U.S.A.
blue flower (order #1639287) 71.35.121.104

TM
BY MICHAEL KESSLER, PRISCILLA KIM, ERIC MINTON,

DEAN SHOMSHAK AND JOHN SNEAD

CREDITS
Authors: Michael Kessler, Priscilla Kim, Eric Minton, Dean COMING NEXT:
Shomshak and John Snead
Comic Scripter: Carl Bowen
Developers: John Chambers and Dean Shomshak
Editor: Carl Bowen
Art Direction and Layout: Brian Glass
Artists: Gordon Benetto, Ed Bourelle, Leanne Buckley,
Andrew Hepworth, Imaginary Friends Studio (with Chris,
Jennyson, Lan Jun ‘Junkman’ Kang, Leos ‘Okita’ Ng and
Zid), Priscilla Kim, Saana ‘Kiyo’ Lappalainen, Pasi Pitkanen,
UDON (with Steven Cummings, Andre Mina, Saejin Oh,
Eric Vedder and Joe Vriens)
Cover Art: Groundbreakers Studio (with Brian Valeza)
NOW AVAILABLE IN THIS SERIES:

THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS,
VOL. 1 — THE SCAVENGER LANDS THE MANUAL OF EXALTED POWER—
THE ALCHEMICALS
THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, Designed before the Primordial War but never built,
VOL. II — THE WEST Alchemical templates inspired the Exalts fielded by the
Incarnae. Siding against his brethren, Autochthon heard
THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, the Curse directed by the slain Primordials at the Chosen
VOL. III — THE EAST and watched it slowly twist their minds. Knowing it was only
a matter of time before their paranoia was directed at him,
THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, he gathered thousands of worshippers inside him and fled
VOL. IV — THE SOUTH Elsewhere to escape the fate of the other Primordials. There,
the mortals built an advanced civilization, and to preserve
THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, it, Autochthon finally built his prototype Champions. Ever
VOL. V — THE NORTH since, the Alchemocal Exalted have kept the Eight Nations
safe. But as Autochthon’s health deteriorates, the threats
the Alchemicals face grow ever greater. Can they save
their world-god, or has Autochthon’s flight led only to his
demise?
© 2009 CCP hf. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher
is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may
be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf and Exalted are registered trademarks of CCP hf. All
rights reserved. The Compass of Terrestrial Directions, the Scavenger Lands, the West, the East, the
South, the North, the Manual of Exalted Power the Dragon-Blooded, the Manual of Exalted Power
the Lunars, the Manual of Exalted Power the Sidereals, the Manual of Exalted Power the Abyssals,
the Manual of Exalted Power the Infernals, the Compass of Celestial Directions, the Blessed Isle, the
Wyld, Yu-Shan, the Underworld, Malfeas, the Books of Sorcery, Wonders of the Lost Age, the White
and Black Treatises, Oadenol’s Codex, the Roll of Glorious Divinity I, the Roll of Glorious Divinity
II, Scroll of the Monk, Scroll of the Monk the Imperfect Lotus, Scroll of Kings, Scroll of Fallen Races,
Dreams of the First Age, the Age of Sorrows and the Second Age of Man are trademarks of CCP hf. All
rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by CCP hf.
The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to
the trademark or copyright concerned.
This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters, and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature
content. Reader discretion is advised.
Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.com//
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4
CHAPTER ONE: WORDS ON THE WIND 8
CHAPTER TWO: THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 17
CHAPTER THREE: THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 33
CHAPTER FOUR: AIR BOATS AND AMBITION 51
CHAPTER FIVE: CIVILIZATION AND BARBARISM 70
CHAPTER SIX: SUN AND ICE 104
CHAPTER SEVEN: GODS AND MONSTERS OF THE NORTH 120

4
INTRODUCTION
Day after day, throughout the winter,

We hardened ourselves to live by bluest reason
In a world of wind and frost.
—Wallace Stevens, “Meditations Celestial & Terrestrial”
Of the five directions of Creation, the North is the Chapter One: Words on the Wind
coldest and wildest. Every year, frigid winds sweep out The book begins with a history of the North. In the
from the Elemental Pole of Air to cover the North in ice ancient past, this direction saw some of Creation’s greatest
and snow. Farming is difficult there except along the coasts wonders—and suffered some of Creation’s greatest disasters.
and in a few sheltered locations, which limits the growth of Civilization slowly rebuilds itself in the North, but it may
civilization. Nevertheless, a number of powerful states have yet all crumble and blow away.
grown in the North—and the barbarian tribes who live by Chapter Two: The Once-Holy City
hunting and gathering have their own points of interest. The city of Whitewall was built long ago as a shrine to
In the Time of Tumult, they all need heroes. the Unconquered Sun, but fell into apostasy and ruin. The
city’s divine rulers, the Syndics, have restored Whitewall
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK as a bastion of safety and civilization in the North, but
The Compass of Terrestrial Directions, Vol. V—The powerful, uncanny foes surround Whitewall and seek the
North is a setting book for the Exalted game. It gives play- city’s ruin.
ers and Storytellers an overview of the North’s people and Chapter Three: The City Under the Mountain
places, from the tribes of the icewalker barbarians to the Centuries ago, refugees discovered and settled a lost
fortress-city of Whitewall. If you want to create a character subterranean city. Gethamane supplies food and shelter from
from the North or set a series in this region of wind and all the North’s dangers. Yet, monsters sometimes rise from
frost, this book gives you the background to do so. the tunnels that stretch out beneath the city’s deepest layers.
INTRODUCTION 5
The people of Gethamane live on top of horror and danger culture holding greater subtleties than most civilized folk
beyond their imagining. imagine. The North also holds many little city-states and
Chapter Four: Air Boats and Ambition minor tribes… not all of them human.
The Haslanti League began as an alliance of barbarian Chapter Six: Sun and Ice
tribes and has grown into a huge (if sparsely populated) In 10 years, the Solar warlord called the Bull of the
nation. Technological innovations such as air boats and North forged icewalker tribes into an army that defeated
iceships make the League a great military power. As the the Realm and wrested an empire from the North. This
Haslanti seek a middle path between civilization and chapter provides a glimpse of Yurgen Kaneko’s dominion.
barbarism, they feel both the temptations and burdens of The Bull wants to conquer the world and restore the Old
imperial power. Realm—but beyond his drive to conquer, can he and his
Chapter Five: Civilization and Barbarism fellow Solars also rule?
This chapter describes Northern cultures that never Chapter Seven: Gods and Monsters of the North
became great nations, but could if given the chance. The From the great Celestial gods of war to malevolent Wyld
Deshan states, satrapies of the Realm, live in brutal slavery, barbarians, a wide variety of spirits, mortals and monsters
while an equally brutal rebellion builds. Shanarinara finds shape life in the North. The Compass of Celestial Direc-
unexpected challenges to its democratic traditions in wealth tions, Vol. V—The North concludes with a selection of
that attracts a surge of immigrants. Meanwhile, the icewalker people and creatures that may become friends or foes to
barbarians continue to live in small, nomadic bands, their the Exalted.
6
INTRODUCTION 7
8

CHAPTER ONE
WORDS ON THE WIND
The North has always been a land of survival rather One of them, Shanarinara, now rises to prominence. The
than grace. Summers are short; winters are long and cruel. River of Tears runs south from the White Sea to the Yanaze
The North stretches from the Inland Sea to the Elemental River in the Scavenger Lands. Several small city-states cluster
Pole of Air, bounded on the east by the forests of Halta and beside its brackish waters.
on the west by the Great Western Ocean. The mildest areas To the north, the White Sea caps the boundary of what
lie around the Inland Sea, where numerous small kingdoms most would consider the habitable areas of the North. The
and city-states squabble among themselves for a few miles of Great Ice stretches farther beyond that, all howling snow and
territory. Many of them accept the Realm’s yoke. glaciers, to the Elemental Pole of Air itself. And yet, mortal
Mountain ranges slant northeast across the mainland men live in this seemingly barren waste. The iceships of the
from the Inland Sea to the White Sea. The Dehennen Haslanti skim across the frozen surface, and barbarian tribes
Mountains separate the Kunlun Desert from the Inland hunt seals and whales.
Sea littoral. The range ends in the knot of the Black Crag The Realm holds limited sway over the North—in part
Mountains, whose valleys shelter the cities of Whitewall because the Scarlet Dynasty, for many years, did not care
and Fella, while the city of Gethamane burrows into one of enough to conquer the region. Long winters, harsh weather
the Northern peaks. Eastward from the mountains spreads and frozen earth made the land an unpleasant place to live,
a broad region of steppes, evergreen forest, low hills and offering little luxury or riches for the Dynasts. The North
marshy lowlands, with the high tundra of the Ice Plains at does supply large quantities of furs and ivory to other parts
their center. The icewalker barbarians dominate this land, of Creation, however, and lucrative mines of diamonds and
though a number of small countries survive in the interior. blue jade lie beneath the snow. The Far North is also the
CHAPTER ONE • WORDS ON THE WIND 9

only source of feathersteel—a metal as strong as iron, at a Whatever the truth is, the North was always the most
third of the weight. savage of lands, where civilization came last. The Dragon
Unfortunately for the Realm, such treasures either have Kings ventured northward long before humanity existed,
formidable defenders or are widely dispersed. Whitewall’s roosting high in the Northern mountains or racing across
Syndics, the mountain fastness of Gethamane, the faraway, the plains. Humanity followed reluctantly, often as refugees
decentralized Haslanti League and the ferocious icewalkers pushed from the richer lands of the East. Once in the North,
control many such resources. Over the centuries, all four though, they adapted swiftly—or died. Some became nomads
have amply demonstrated that they can protect themselves. and followed the herds of reindeer and mammoth. Others
On top of these mundane obstacles, the North holds pow- turned to wresting crops from the tough ground. Violence
erful nations of cunning and cruel Fair Folk, Wyld-twisted and warfare broke out frequently, as different groups sought
barbarians of implacable savagery and shadowlands haunted to carve out their own territories. Strength of arm ruled,
by powerful ghosts. The Realm’s leaders deem the cost to rather than diplomacy. Meanwhile, the winged Pterok breed
exceed the rewards. This suits the independent Northerners of Dragon King soared over it all, watching humanity with
well enough. amused dispassion.
Then the gods rose up to make war against their cre-
PREHISTORY AND THE FIRST AGE ators. Primordial, Exalt and mortal alike watered the land
A Northern myth says that when the Primordials first with their blood. The death of each Primordial changed
came into existence, they exhaled. The cold of their breath the face of the land, wiping out entire cities, shattering
created the first elemental pole, the Pole of Air, and the land mountains and tearing valleys where none had been before.
crystallized into existence from that point. The icewalkers The Exalted shaped the land too, sometimes using it as a
tell a different tale, of a land already locked in ice until First weapon: The sorcerer-engineer Racha Weaver-of-Truths
Father came with his flaming sword and freed the world from built the Spidersilk Dam at the mouth of the White Sea
cold. A third myth tells how Mela’s hatching creating the to destroy Ta’akozoka, the Great Tentacled One from the
North. These myths and many more form a fluid, shifting Sea, draining away the waters that gave the Primordial life.
cloud of legend surrounding the region’s origins. After years of cataclysmic battles, the Exalted humbled the
10

Primordials and locked them away, before turning to rebuild the dead stained the new seafloor with shadowlands, where
the ravaged world. ghosts wandered in the lightless depths among the walls of
their broken cities.
THE AGE OF SPLENDOR Many other cities fared no better. Tzatli fell amid arcs
No part of Creation escaped the imperious gaze of its of splintering lightning and buried itself in the ice, its evacu-
Exalted rulers, but the Solar Deliberative ruled the North with ees scattering to the winds. The sorcerer Oa-Té staged his
a lighter hand than in other regions. The Exalted frequently last stand in the reality-fixing city of Opal Spire, where he
felt the area held the last true wildernesses within the civilized summoned the behemoth Vorvin-Derlin, Slayer of Armies.
empire of the Lawgivers. More than one area avoided falling Weakened by battle, the sorcerer lost control of the monster.
under the Deliberative’s rule, with many more attracting only It consumed him and went berserk. Exalted and mortals
light attention from the central government. both had to abandon the city as unrecoverable. The City of
Still, to say that the North was the wildest territory in the Mountain Gateway suddenly went silent. No refugees
the Age of Splendor is only to say that it had comparatively fled the city, and Heaven itself does not know the fate of its
fewer cities. The Deliberative still transformed the face of the vanished inhabitants.
North with vast terraforming and climate change projects. Even those places that escaped outright destruction
The White Valley Province in particular, fertilized by the felt the effects. Blood ran red through the shining streets of
corpse of Ta’akozoka, yielded lush crops. To increase the Whitewall as Bronze Faction conspirators felled its beloved
arable land, the Deliberative gouged huge valleys into the rulers, Queen Tenrae and her consort Den’rahin. Wrathful
White Valley’s upper slopes—the greenfields—geomantically Lawgivers out for vengeance all but depopulated Meteor’s
shaped to concentrate the sun’s warmth. Eye, the foremost university for astrological studies and the
The Solars crafted wondrous cities, as well. Among them favored city of Sidereals in Creation. The golden arch of
were the city of Ondar Shambal, a prayer to the Unconquered Brahm’s Bridge, spanning hundreds of miles over the Inland
Sun crafted in stone; the City of the Mountain Gateway, a Sea, took legions of mortals with it when it crumbled into the
hub that connected all the directions of Creation and Yu- water. Fragments of gold and sparkling Essence lit the sea for
Shan; the flying city of Tzatli, borne aloft by crackling ropes three weeks before the last vestige vanished entirely.
of lightning; and countless others, the least of which would
put any Second Age metropolis to shame. THE SHOGUNATE
Regardless, civilization lay lightly in some areas. Lunars After they slew the last of the Lawgivers, the Dragon-
and adventurous young Solars favored the North because of Blooded turned their attention to consolidating their rule.
the abundant wilderness areas. The unforgiving steppes and The Shogunate did its best to maintain the farms of the North,
blizzards, along with stranger landscapes sculpted by terraform- but the fighting had broken too many of the engines that
ing engines, offered challenges for restless young Exalted that kept the land warm and fertile. The Dragon-Blooded could
they could find nowhere else. No wonder, then, that people maintain them, but they lacked the knowledge to repair them
who felt less than thrilled by the Deliberative often gathered or to create new ones. With the cataclysmic breaking of the
in the North. The population of these areas swelled as the Spidersilk Dam, the North lost its primary breadbasket. The
High First Age decayed, the madness of the Solars grew more breakdown of the climate-control engines led to the loss of
apparent and the disaffected sought any place where they even more farmland. Year by year, the ice crept farther south,
might escape the excesses of the Lawgivers. frost seeping into the ground, roads and aqueducts crumbling
It would not be the last time the North became a and decaying. The Shogunate slowly relinquished its hold
refuge. on the further reaches of the North to focus on the warmer
and more populous areas near the Inland Sea. With much of
THE USURPATION the land and the great cities wrecked, the wider reaches of
When the Dragon-Blooded and their Sidereal allies North simply did not have much to offer the Shogunate for
struck, many Solars fled to the North for the same reasons the trouble it took to bring the territory under control.
as earlier refugees. Famed architect Kal Bax erected a hidden Of course, the Shogunate never abandoned the land en-
manse somewhere in the farthest North, where he hid with 11 tirely. The areas bordering the River of Tears received special
companions to vanish from the pages of history. Other Law- attention. While the inrushing White Sea had drowned the
givers and their Lunar consorts returned to their home cities lake that used to be the source of the River of Tears, it left
for a last stand, or fled and turned to fight when they could the river itself intact, though tainted by the salt from the
run no more. The Solar First Sun’s Cry broke the Spidersilk new sea. The Shogunate built special manses along the upper
Dam in a spiteful deathblow, releasing the Great Western reaches of the river that strained the salt from its waters. In
Ocean into the White Valley to drown his attackers—and time, the riverbanks became arable once more. Cities such
the millions that lived in the valley. All the cities along as Plenilune arose, flourishing through the trade of salt and
the White Valley died in the onslaught, their shining tow- traffic between the White Sea and the Yanaze River.
ers shattered beneath titanic waves. The pain and terror of

Regardless of its successes, however, the Shogunate The first major power arose when the Syndics arrived
lived in the perpetual shadow of its predecessor. Its at- in Whitewall in RY 71, taking over the city as its protec-
tempts to erase the legacy of the Solars frequently ended tors. A few years later, they negotiated the Thousand-Year
badly. Whitewall never took well to the Dragon-Blooded Pact with the local Deathlords, Fair Folk and barbarian
regents, as their former rulers had evinced little of the tribes, making sure that the Traveler’s Road remained
madness that overtook the other Solars. Consequently, sacrosanct and free of violence. With their safety ensured
early attempts to destroy Solar iconography and monu- by the Road, traders began to flow between Whitewall
ments met with near-riots. Not far away, the psychotic and its coastal satellite of Wallport, bringing renewed
Anjei Marama ran an extermination camp to destroy all prosperity to the city.
the biological creations and servitor races of the Solars, Further settlements began to grow around fortu-
as well as merely mortal loyalists. It served its bloody itous points of shelter and food. North of Whitewall, a
purpose. The millions of deaths also created the largest ragged coalition of refugees stumbled across an empty
shadowland in the North. The Shogunate simply lacked city beneath a mountain, the lost remnant of an Age
the time and resources to combat the spread of Marama’s past. Finding the place safe, warm and supplied with
Fell and a host of other, smaller problems. food from enchanted fungus gardens deep within the
mountain, they stayed and named the new settlement
THE GREAT CONTAGION Gethamane. Another small village of refugees coalesced
Then the Contagion struck, overwhelming all that
around the sheltered dell of Inara, whose hot springs
the Shogunate could do. Northern city folk crowded
once made it a favored getaway for the Dragon-Blooded.
together for warmth and safety, and the disease spread
Those hot springs now formed a reliable source of water
among them like wildfire. Entire quarters died in a night.
and warmth for the refugees. Shattered Fellara revived
Refugees found nowhere to turn, as the sickness touched
as Fella, a ragged shantytown of wooden shacks and
nearly every traveler who fled for parts unknown. Even
incongruously advanced medical technology salvaged
Whitewall, with the powerful protections woven on it
from the First Age medical school in the heart of the
from the Solars of Ages past, fell victim.
old city. Communities sprang up everywhere humanity
The Fair Folk invaded at the height of the plague. The
could scratch out a living, but for many years, no state
raksha swept southward from the Wyld, killing those who
grew larger than a few townships across.
had not been lucky enough to die in the Contagion. They
all but depopulated the upper reaches of the North, drawing THE EMPIRE OF BAGRASH KÖL
eddies of the Wyld after them. The advance legions of the And then the mortal sorcerer Bagrash Köl arose,
Shogunate slowed the raksha but could not stop them. The wielding the Eye of Autochthon. With this staggeringly
armies of Creation and the Wyld clashed on the steppes, powerful artifact, he carved an entire nation from the
over the ice, in the mountains. They waged the fiercest Northern Wyld, forcibly taming the boundaries of Cre-
of battles in the cities themselves, as cataphractoi leaped ation to his will. He called thousands of barbarians and
from the roofs and talons of soldiers swirled through the peasants to his service, crushing resistance by force. The
streets to meet them. In the city of Fellara, some say, the sorcerer lavished gifts upon those he favored, wonders
Fair Folk wove a story of destruction so potent that it lev- whose like had not been seen since the Old Realm, and
eled the entire city and continues to repeat itself to this sent destruction upon those who displeased him. In the
day, the very stones refusing to believe that they can and wake of his floating citadel, chaos stilled. Fields bloomed,
should bond with one another. The raksha danced around herds multiplied, and the people blessed Bagrash Köl for
Whitewall and laughed among the corpses in Plenilune, his generosity… if they wanted to live. At its height,
believing Creation on the verge of destruction. Bagrash Köl’s domain surpassed even the fledgling Scarlet
Empire in size and grandeur. The Realm’s leaders watched
STARTING ANEW in fear, and the Scarlet Empress readied herself to use
Then an ambitious young captain of the Ninth the Imperial Manse, should Bagrash Köl move toward
Legion took control of the ancient Lawgivers’ mightiest the Blessed Isle.
weapon and destroyed the Fair Folk invasion. Few in the It never came to that. Quite abruptly, the sorcerer
North objected to the rise of the Scarlet Empress. Here vanished. The last time he appeared in public, he stormed
and there, a lone Shogunate officer decided to carve out out of the tributary city of Amathis, leaving glittering
a kingdom for himself, but such territories never extended quartz statues behind him. Two weeks later, his palace
more than a few days’ travel across. Some of the survivors crashed to the ground, fragments scattering on the
abandoned civilization completely: They pacted with the winds. The Wyld swiftly roiled over the land Köl had
divine avatars of the mammoth, reindeer, musk ox and wrested from it. Only a few hundred refugees reached the
other Northern beasts to survive as nomadic hunters, and people living farther south, to tell them of the sorcer-
became the ancestors of the icewalker barbarians. ous empire’s doom. Of the Eye, there was no sign. The
12

evidence of Bagrash Köl’s short-lived empire vanished force. The newly formed Haslanti League swiftly reclaimed
within months, lost to the Wyld. Northern folk still tell their nascent cities and drove out the Guild.
stories of the sorcerer, however, and the glory, madness Nations across the North viewed the precipitously
and terror of his reign. growing new power with alarm. The Scarlet Empress took
more direct action. Correctly perceiving the new League to
THE GUILD CREEPS NORTH be the work of Anathema, she sent Immaculate monks to
One effect lingered, however: the presence of the hunt the being responsible. The Immaculates never found
Guild. When Köl established his empire, the Guild did not Gerd Marrow-Eater or his Lunar compatriots, however.
yet have a strong presence in the North. Brem Marst, the Indeed, the monks indirectly strengthened the League
organization’s founder, leaped at the opportunity to trade by humbling the lesser local spirits, freeing the Haslanti
with the growing kingdom. The success of the Guild in people from their demands.
the following years attracted the sorcerer’s attention, and The Guild, naturally, took the greatest offense. In
Marst received a personal invitation to Köl’s palace. retaliation, it pressured Gethamane and the city-states of
The merchant, though quite elderly by then, accepted the River of Tears—the League’s nearest neighbors of any
the invitation and arrived at the palace with great pomp. power—to cut the Haslanti off from its commerce. Guild
One week later, he departed with much less fanfare. Marst leaders hoped the League would then have to accept the
never revealed what he saw on his visit. In the following Guild as a trade middleman once more. In response, the
months, though, he quietly removed the Guild’s assets from Haslanti besieged Gethamane.
Köl’s empire, shifting them to other Northern kingdoms. As a proving ground for the newborn Haslanti League’s
Within two years, the empire imploded. will and tenacity, the war succeeded admirably. While
The Guild flourished in the aftermath, however, the Haslanti could not enter Gethamane, neither could
expanding to fill the commercial gap left by the loss of the Guild. Eventually, the Guild gave in and settled for
the North’s largest state. It took a special interest in the limited trade. The effective defeat of the Guild reduced its
areas bordering the former empire and on the Great Ice, power in the North for decades thereafter and solidified
seeking lost treasures and artifacts of power. The Guild the status of the Haslanti League as a nation to reckon
began to dominate large areas on both the Inland Sea coast with—especially given the air-boat technologies that the
and the eastern end of the White Sea, setting up virtual League developed during the war.
tribute states. While Cherak avoided this fate through its
connection to the Realm, the Guild and the Realm would THE WYLDFOG WAR
butt heads several times over who controlled a given city For centuries, distance, the short season for warfare
on the Inland Sea. and enemies from outside kept Northern folk from bat-
Beyond clashing with the Guild and securing a hold tling each other on any large scale. The most widespread
on several coastal states, though, the Realm did not trouble threat to face the North since Bagrash Köl came when
itself overmuch with the North. Immaculates would occa- the first Wyldfog—literal pockets of the Wyld that blew
sionally sweep through a region, humbling the local spirits about with the wind—rolled down from the north in RY
for a time. Less often, a Wyld Hunt would go out at the 674. Wyldfogs swept in unpredictable eddies across the
signs of an Anathema. One such campaign slew Arvida of North, moving villages, turning trees into stone, ice or
the Crescent Eye, the Lunar patron of the Haslanti tribes living flesh, and warping people and animals into mon-
around the White Sea. The ensuing madness of the Haslanti sters. Gethamane alone escaped its effects. Everywhere
tribes gave the Guild a chance to move in, taking over else suffered: The Haslanti League, as the northernmost
the rudimentary Haslanti towns and bringing the Guild’s state, bore the brunt of the storms of transformation. The
usual influx of slaves and drugs. Along the Inland Sea, Fair Folk used the opportunity to strike, and as many souls
meanwhile, the Realm and the Guild reached a truce by were lost to the predatory raksha as to the Wyldfogs. The
which the Guild received a monopoly on importing drugs Fair Folk attacks and the Wyldfogs ended only through a
to the Realm’s satrapies. long campaign by the Lunar Exalted.
THE RISE OF THE HASLANTI LEAGUE THE BULL OF THE NORTH
The Guild’s dominance planted the seeds of rebellion. In RY 757, an aging icewalker walked into the
Sick of the Guild’s demands for tribute, the Haslanti took winter and returned touched by the Unconquered Sun.
to guerilla warfare, eventually confining the Guild to only Yurgen Kaneko, the Bull of the North, forged a number
a few trading camps along the White Sea. The rebellion of icewalker tribes into an army. He tested that army by
came to a head in RY 582 when Gerd Marrow-Eater, a conquering a number of minor city-states. Then he struck
No Moon, called the Haslanti chiefs to the Twisted Stone eastward in a campaign that ended with the destruction of
Convocation. He convinced the Haslanti tribes that the the Tepet legions in the Battle of Futile Blood. (See The
time had come for them to unite and remove the Guild by Compass of Terrestrial Directions, Vol. III—The East,

pp. 13-14, for more on the Linowan War.) Only then did city a Guild stronghold in truth, while the Bull is armed
Creation at large become aware of the power raising its with unknown Solar might.
head in the North. The Haslanti League becomes restless, feeling the
conflict between its current civilized status and its barbar-
THE PRESENT ian roots. Grown arrogant in its successful defeat of all
These days, leaders throughout the North wonder the conflicts to arise in its history, it seeks now to expand
what the Bull will do next. Still other tensions bubble its borders and eyes Whitewall on the horizon. Haslanti
beneath the surface, however. leaders have no quarrel with Gethamane, having learned
The Coastal Satrapies of the Realm struggle to hold from the Gethamane War that the underground city is
their people in bondage. As an experiment in social con- impossible to invade.
trol, the Realm enslaved almost the entire population and The icewalkers face choices and possibilities they
addicted them to drugs to keep them docile. Nevertheless, never imagined. The Bull of the North offers empire to
unrest grows. people who hitherto lived in small tribes. Many tribes flock
Gethamane has few outright enemies, though many to his banner, but at least as many now fear the Bull and
desire the city. It maintains polite but distant relations seek to preserve their old customs.
with most states: They have nothing Gethamane es- Shanarinara begins to feel cramped. This alliance of
pecially needs, and Gethamane feels safe in remaining democratic city-states envies the success of the Haslanti
neutral. Given the insularity of the city and the safety of League and wants to imitate its expansion but lacks the
its underground location, many citizens fear the enemies Haslanti’s military technology (and secret Lunar patron-
that come from the deep rather than the enemies outside. age). Recently, agents of the Lover Clad in the Raiment
Only the Guild and the Bull of the North particularly of Tears have come courting. The nation’s senate has yet
trouble Gethamane. The Guild conspires to make the to turn them away.
14

Whitewall plays a riskier game of diplomacy than Whitewall—the violent ghosts of Marama’s Fell slowly
Gethamane. While the city’s fabled walls protect it from gather beneath the leadership of Thrice-Dread Achiba,
many threats, Whitewall cannot simply shut out the a monstrous ghost of uncommon cunning and charisma
world. It depends upon both the power of the Syndics and (see The Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol. IV—The
the lifeline of the Traveler’s Road. Should that lifeline Underworld, pp. 109-110).
be disrupted, the consequences would be disastrous. The Nestled among the great nations and far-flung cul-
power of the Syndics seems unlikely to wane soon, but tures, many little countries and tribes struggle to survive
they have never fought against the Realm. The Empress and find their way in the Time of Tumult. Many of them
knew the true identities of the Syndics and knew bet- make deals with other powers… or have such partner-
ter than to test their power. The Dynasts who currently ships thrust upon them. On the River of Tears, the effete
squabble over her throne remain ignorant. Some feel that city-states of Plenilune and the Saltspire League bow to
a bold strike, such as taking over a long-independent but the barbarian Bull of the North. The fierce sea rovers
prosperous city, could bring them sufficient prestige to of Karn on Malice Bay find themselves caught between
seize the throne. the Haslanti League, the Bull of the North and the Tear
The Deathlords play an undeniable part in the political Eaters, and their potent ancestral ghosts can no longer
game. In the Northwest, the Bishop of the Chalcedony protect them. They find new hope through the leadership
Thurible already wields great influence over the cities of of their bold new king—unaware that he is the Bull’s
the Kunlun region through his religious tracts. He dreams agent. At the other end of the North, the Zalvenesh
of spreading his Silent Meadow of Dust until it meets dive for First Age artifacts at the mouth of the White
Marama’s Fell, covering half the North in shadowland. Sea, enduring the icy waters with the help of their gods.
In the Northeast, the Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears The seafarers of Rajtul Island survive through their own
rules the nation of Gradafes in all but name. More impor- strange partnership with the arcane elkmen. Whether
tantly, the terrifying Tear Eater tribes work her will. This they live in a great city or a reindeer-skin tent, the people
in turn gives her effective rule of a wide region, as many of the North vow to endure whatever fate brings them,
city-states pay tribute to avoid the ravages of the death- as they have always done.
worshiping barbarians. Lastly—but of greatest concern to
TIMELINE
Realm
Year Event
8 Refugees settle in a valley of hot springs and ruined spas, beginning the town of Inara.
71 Yo-Ping, Luranume and Uvanavu assume the guise of the Syndics and take over the city of Whitewall.
73 The Syndics negotiate the Thousand-Year Pact with the Deathlords, Fair Folk and barbarians.
102 Bethan Redeye and a group of refugees stumble across the remains of the City of the Mountain Gateway
and its gardens. They rename it Gethamane.
146 Bagrash Köl uses the Eye of Autochthon to build a great kingdom in the North, which grows larger than
the Realm of the time.
150 The Guild opens trade with Bagrash Köl.
174 Brem Marst receives an invitation from Köl and visits the sorcerer at his palace. Afterward, the Guild
quietly moves personnel and supplies from Bagrash Köl’s kingdom.
176 Bagrash Köl vanishes, his palace crashing to the earth; the Wyld swallows his kingdom.
366 Icewalker attacks prompt Inara and several other towns to confederate, leading to republic of Shanari-
nara.
412 Immaculate monks kill Arvida of the Crescent Eye, goddess of the Haslanti tribes. Haslanti Time of Mad-
ness begins.
433 Icehome founded.
468 Cholistan destroyed by detonation of a long-abandoned manse. The Silent Meadow of Dust shadowland
forms around its ruins.

TIMELINE CONTINUED
Realm
Year Event
500 Guild approaches Haslan tribes in the Four Camps.
580 Guild confined to the Four Camps and a few minor trading centers along the coast.
582 Gerd Marrow-Eater calls the Twisted Stone Convocation. Haslanti conquer the Four Camps, thrice led by
Gerd. Council of Oligarchs established.
586 Gethamane War begins.
593 Gethamane War ends; Guild gives in and agrees to limited trade with the new Haslanti League.
674 Salvaged First Age device destroys Liriel-Anneth. Start of Wyldfog War as Wyld storms blow through the
North.
722 Founding of Crystal.
726 Flintbeak Nightingale disperses last Wyldfog five miles from Icehome.
727 Tin and jade discovered in the hills of Shanarinara.
731 Tzatli rediscovered near Diamond Hearth.
752 Exaltation of Samea of the Blackwater Mammoth Tribe.
757 Varajtul launch strike southeast out of Kunlun region.
758 Exaltation of Yurgen Kaneko, the Bull of the North. He promptly kills the Wyld Hunt sent against him
and begins gathering icewalker tribes into an army.
759 Battle of Five Fangs: Realm legions defend a small client state against the Varajtul. The five-day-long stand
breaks Varajtul forces, ending the cannibal invasion.
760 Plenilune surrenders to the Bull; his icewalkers conquer the Saltspire League.
761 Linowan War begins with the Bull’s attack on Rokan-jin and Talinin.
763 The Scarlet Empress vanishes.
764 Yurgen Kaneko and his armies slaughter the Tepet legions at the Battle of Futile Blood.
765 Saltspire League cities rebel against icewalker tribute.
766 Raneth of Diamond Hearth arrives in Plenilune as its Bull-appointed governor and retakes the city.
767 Nalla Bloodaxe elected king of Karn; opens “negotiations” with Yurgen Kaneko.
768 Present day.
16

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 17
CHAPTER TWO
THE ONCE-HOLY CITY
Deep in the Northern interior, shining walls encircle Unconquered Sun. Its monks and nuns farmed to support
the direction’s largest city. Whitewall exists surrounded by themselves. They made their labor a form of prayer and planted
barbarians, a vast shadowland and a powerful enclave of circular fields as living mandalas to glorify Heaven’s King.
Fair Folk. Despite their environment and hostile neighbors, A Zenith Caste Lawgiver called Righteous Guide founded
however, the people of Whitewall live in greater safety and and led the monastery.
comfort than do most people of Creation. They attribute The religious community outgrew four monasteries, the
much of their good fortune to the three powerful gods who last the size of a town. Righteous Guide proposed to make
rule them. Whitewallers also credit their own hard work, the fifth monastery an entire city, designed as a gigantic
their self-discipline and their eternal vigilance against un- mandala to focus and magnify the prayers of the residents.
canny foes. Most of all, they know their security depends And so it was done.
on the city’s eponymous walls. Not only is the snow-white The new city of Ondar Shambal became one of the
circuit high and thick enough to defeat any barbarian horde, greatest wonders of Creation—not for its size (Creation held
ancient blessings prevent any unholy creature from entering many larger cities), nor for its splendor (though it was beauti-
the city. Yet, very few Whitewallers know the truth behind ful), nor for the technology of its construction (most of the
the miracle they’ve inherited from the First Age. work was actually done by hand). No, the miracle of Ondar
Shambal was that every step of its building was a prayer. The
HISTORY masons who quarried white granite from nearby hills dedicated
Whitewall’s history began shortly after the end of each strike of their chisels to the Unconquered Sun. The
the Primordial War, with a monastery for devotees of the carvers and polishers sang hymns as they worked. Righteous
18
Guide himself hallowed each stone as
it was laid. Graven bands of scriptures
and sutras ran along the city’s streets,
and mosaics of precious stone adorned
the walls with images of devotion. The
city’s center held a magnificent temple-
manse to the Unconquered Sun. High,
strong walls bounded Ondar Shambal in
a perfect circle—not for defense, but to
complete the shining city as the image
of the sun. The labor took decades, but
gods and mortals agreed: Creation held
no holier place than Ondar Shambal.
The Unconquered Sun himself blessed
the city at its dedication.
Hundreds of thousands of acolytes
lived in Ondar Shambal, and millions of
pilgrims visited every year. Many folk—
mortals, Exalts and spirits alike—also
made pious gifts to Ondar Shambal, to be
named in the city’s prayers or just to be
part of its holiness. An earth elemental
opened a network of caverns beneath
the city as extra storage space. A goddess
of hot springs created baths for pilgrims.
The Bureau of Seasons tempered the
region’s weather, while agricultural gods
blessed the farmlands. The monastery-
city became far richer and more luxurious
than anyone expected or intended.
Righteous Guide left Ondar Sham-
bal to build a sacred road from the city
to the Inland Sea coast as a private
devotional labor to fill his old age and
retirement from leading the city. In his
absence, the Holy City became worldlier.
The priests, monks and nuns spent less
time praying and working, and more time
arguing theology and administering the
city’s vast wealth. Feasting replaced fast-
ing. The prayer wheels still turned—spun
by pilgrims who paid for the privilege.
When Righteous Guide returned 300
years later along the road built by his
hands alone, he found his monastic city
turned greedy, lazy and impious.
The old Zenith Caste spent a full
month in rage and despair, whipping
himself to the bone in penitential grief
as he prayed for guidance and forgive-
ness. In the end, though, he scourged
the worst of the fallen nuns and monks
from Ondar Shambal before leaving the
city forever. To the Solar Deliberative
in Meru, he condemned Ondar Shambal

as apostate. Donations and pilgrims ceased at once, and the the angry ghosts of the long-since-decommissioned Camp
city was almost abandoned. 17 (now named Marama’s Fell after its late commandant,
Still, Ondar Shambal remained a well-constructed city Anjei Marama), the surviving lords of the Fair Folk and the
with fertile farmland, so people gradually returned. The new nascent Realm. While his empire still stood, they even paid
settlers included a young Twilight Caste named Tenrae and tribute to the sorcerer Bagrash Köl. Through the centuries
her Lunar husband Den’Rahin. They claimed Ondar Shambal of the Second Age, Whitewall has stood as a bastion of
as their own, renamed it Whitewall and repopulated it as civilization in the North—but always afraid of the enemies
an ordinary city. The nearby mountains turned out to hold beyond the city walls.
metal ores and several rare minerals, including blue jade, so
to farming, the inhabitants added mining and metalwork
as occupations.
HIDDEN HISTORY
The Shogunate tried to destroy records of White-
Under the Exalted couple’s leadership, Whitewall
wall’s glorious origin as Ondar Shambal and paint its
attained a comfortable prosperity. Tenrae and Den’Rahin
Celestial Exalted residents as megalomaniacs, tyrants
governed with a light but responsible hand. Whitewall folk
and perverts. When the Syndics took over, they purged
agreed the pair represented the very models of what a Law-
the city archives of these false tales, but also of a good
giver and Steward should be.
deal of authentic Shogunate history. During both
The Bronze Faction found no malcontents among White-
purges, however, people loyal to the old regime hid
wall’s Dragon-Blooded, and so, the usurping Sidereals had to
books that supported the history they believed.
murder Tenrae and Den’Rahin personally, in full knowledge
More of Ondar Shambal survives than one might
that they slew the innocent. The fighting destroyed a third of
expect. The Shogunate’s founders feared to demolish
the city and killed thousands. Afterward, the new Shogunate
too much of the Unconquered Sun’s own city or to
brutally suppressed Whitewallers who remained loyal to their
remove too much of the city’s old religious imagery.
slain rulers. People who didn’t succumb to mind-affecting
Instead, the usurpers filled carvings and covered murals
Charms or believe propaganda about “newly revealed crimes”
and mosaics with white concrete. For instance, the
learned to stay silent… or they would go to the other city,
city’s famous walls used to bear carved scenes of the
whose sole occupation was murder.
Unconquered Sun’s deeds and allegories of his rule in
Southeast of Whitewall, the Shogunate built an immense
Heaven. People who recycle the stone from damaged
prison camp for the altered humans, artificial life forms and
buildings (mostly in Foretown) often find old concrete
loyalists of the Solar Deliberative. Prisoners from throughout
flaking off to reveal bits of inscriptions or bas-reliefs.
Creation funneled into Camp 17, where they dug mass graves
The Whitewall College of Architecture carefully re-
that they themselves would fill. The camp soon became a
cords these architectural fragments. So far, the Syndics
shadowland haunted by the ghosts of its victims.
find it politically inadvisable to attempt widespread
Whitewall learned to obey the Shogunate, but never to
removal of the masking concrete and restoration of
love it—not with Camp 17 next door as proof of the regime’s
the images beneath.
origin. The Dragon-Blooded did their utmost to hide the city’s
past, though, by burning chronicles, filling in carvings and
painting over murals and mosaics of the Unconquered Sun.
Despite the defacement, remnant holiness made Whitewall
one of the last cities to fall to the Great Contagion. When
GEOGRAPHY
Whitewall is the North’s largest city-state. It occupies
the pestilence came, though, Whitewall suffered a death toll a broad valley between southern spurs of the Black Crag
as high as anywhere else. The sanctity of the city’s walls held, Mountains. A patchwork of farms and orchards fills the val-
too: The invading Fair Folk besieged Whitewall, but never ley, but the surrounding foothills are dark with fir and pine.
entered. Ironically, the city also saved its enemies, for the Beyond them rise the glacier-clad mountain peaks. Winter
Realm Defense Grid spared everything within a mile of the lasts through six months of the year, with a short autumn and
city’s sacred bounds. a long, cool spring. The city itself is almost 10 miles across,
After the Great Contagion receded, three powerful while the valley in which it sits is 40 miles wide. Whitewall’s
gods came to the derelict city. They called themselves the rule extends, loosely, along the famous Traveler’s Road to the
Syndics and manifested as figures with flesh of clear ice over satellite town of Wallport on the Inland Sea coast.
silver bones. Behind their shared mask, however, the Syndics
were Luranume, God of Luck; Uvanavu, God of Health; THE CITY
and Yo-Ping, God of Peace. (See The Compass of Celestial At 15 yards high and six yards thick, the walls of White-
Directions, Vol. III—Yu-Shan, pp. 142, 152 and 156-157, wall are probably the tallest, strongest walls in the North. They
for descriptions of these gods.) present a sheer, shining barrier to the outside world. A single
The Syndics rallied the remnant population and invited gate pierces the wall, leading to the Traveler’s Road. Inside,
refugees to settle. They also negotiated peace treaties with buildings show blank white façades to the streets, with strong
20
shutters and doors of bronze-bound wood. Architecture varies and clerks who work in Foretown prefer the cheaper lodgings
widely: The tallest buildings date back to the Old Realm, of Midtown. The district also holds the Jewelers’ College and
with elaborate, layered spires. Newer construction ranges the College of Agriculture. Many First Age buildings still
from three to five stories tall, with simpler designs but oc- stand in Midtown, albeit remodeled and repurposed. Butcher
cupying older foundations. The streets no longer follow their shops and bakeries occupy ancient chantries, while monastic
original strict plan of radiating rectangular neighborhoods cells have become apartments.
with broad plazas between them, but Whitewall remains a Whitewall’s tallest building is a Solar temple-manse in
clean, well-constructed city. the exact city center. Its gilded spires and friezes remain un-
defiled, still proclaiming the glory of the Unconquered Sun.
The Dragon-Blooded tried to occupy the heart of Whitewall,
THE POWER OF THE WALL but the manse fought them off, its defenses adapting to each
The city wall has 14L/20B soak and 50/100 new attack. (The Shogunate could have destroyed the manse
health levels (see Exalted, pp. 153–154). The powers but realized that doing so would reduce the region’s economic
of ghosts, demons, Fair Folk and other creatures of value.) The Syndics couldn’t claim the manse either. It ac-
darkness cannot affect them in any way, and these cepts no one but Lawgivers as residents.
creatures cannot cross the wall to enter the city un-
less invited in. For instance, if a nemissary had itself
flung over the wall by catapult (yes, it’s been tried), THE CENTRAL TEMPLE
the corpse it possesses would follow its trajectory and Solar Manse •••••
splat on a street or building, but the ghost would find Whitewall’s central temple-manse caps a level-5
itself ejected from the corpse in midair. Tunneling Solar demesne, but produces only a three-dot hearth-
under the wall doesn’t help, either: The ban extends stone, a Gem of Grace that grants a one-die bonus
below the surface, too. Only a citizen—a person who to all Charisma or Manipulation rolls. Much of the
sincerely considers Whitewall her home—can issue a manse’s power goes to defending itself. Chapter Two
valid invitation of ingress. of The Books of Sorcery, Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex
explains manse Creation Points and powers.
Game Effects: (Manse’s rating of 5 x 2) + 2 (for
a reduced hearthstone) = 12 Creation Points. It is, of
FORETOWN course, a Temple Manse (3 points). It also has Ability
Whitewallers divide their city based on proximity to the
Enlightenment (Investigation, Larceny, Occult and War
single gate. The southern third, nearest the gate, they call
to analyze intruders and prepare suitable countermea-
Foretown. As the sector that foreign traders first see when
sures; 3 points, since this is a favored power for Solar
they enter Whitewall, Foretown naturally holds the high-
manses). It has Ultra-Deadly Traps (3 points), further
est proportion of shops and markets. Jewelers, swordsmiths
enhanced by a unique Adaptive Defense (+2 points) to
and other artisans congregate in Foretown. So do the city’s
tailor and relocate lethal surprises. A Comfort Zone (1
stables, teahouses and caravansaries. The district also holds
point) supplies warmth, Essence lighting, running water
Whitewall’s college of mining and metallurgy. Very little First
and other amenities in the apartment for the manse’s
Age construction survives in Foretown, with most buildings
owner. Finally, another unique four-point power aug-
there less than five centuries old.
ments the soil’s fertility throughout Whitewall’s valley.
Foretown becomes Whitewall’s busiest district in sum-
The total surpasses the manse’s available Creation
mer, when foreign and local merchants crowd the bazaars.
Points—but this was, after all, one of the greatest
“Market season” exposes Whitewallers to people from
works of the Old Realm, built using techniques that
throughout Creation—and their cuisine as well, thanks to
modern geomancers can scarcely imagine.
the food kiosks scattered between the vendors’ stalls. At
the season’s height, the commercial fair spreads outside the
gate to form a town of tents and wagons. Armed guards and
innumerable torches discourage the Fair Folk and the dead AFTON
from raiding the encampment after the sun sets and the gate The district farthest from the city gate holds the Syn-
shuts. Every year, though, a few furtive merchants slip into dics’ hall and the upper crust of Whitewall society. Wealthy
the night. Whitewall folk prefer not to know what these magnates, the most skilled armorers and jewelers and high-
merchants offer to their uncanny partners, or what they ranking officers of Whitewall’s elite military and police
receive in return. force, the Guardians, live in Afton. A variety of small gods,
supernatural half-breeds and a few outcaste Dragon-Blooded
MIDTOWN join them, as do various ambassadors. The district also holds
Farmers and miners live in the middle third of Whitewall, the Whitewall College of Architecture and the Lotus Mind
as do brewers, carpenters and other tradesmen. Many artisans College of Thaumaturgical Sciences.

UNDERTON the Syndics, certain fae lords and at least one Deathlord.
An orderly system of tunnels and caverns underlies (Ruvia, god of roads and chief minister of the Golden Barque
Whitewall, forming a district whose name the locals of Heaven in the Bureau of Destiny, claims that he actually
pronounce “Unt’n.” Technically, it’s a slum inhabited by wove this curse into the road’s fate.) The pact has just over
Whitewall’s poorest folk… but it’s a slum with the warm 200 years to go before the fae and the Deathlords can demand
golden glow of an Old Realm lighting system that no longer a re-negotiation.
functions in the rest of the city. Underton stays warm, too,
and residents never need to worry about the weather. Yet,
Underton really wasn’t designed as a place for people to RULES OF THE ROAD
live. Underton folk have jobs such as street sweeper, garbage Any human who commits violence while on the
hauler and day laborer (not to mention mugger, pickpocket Holy Road—Exalted or not—suffers a Compulsion
and shoplifter). effect to kill himself by hanging, while the dead are
Underton also holds the city’s public baths, so the dis- compelled to accept Lethe and Fair Folk are com-
trict sees a steady stream of foot traffic from the surface. The pelled to abandon their corporeal forms and depart
Guardians patrol frequently to preserve the peace and order Creation. There is no avoiding the curse: Setting foot
for the bathers. Underton folk can use the baths too—at on the road means accepting the terms of the safe-
night, when they won’t disturb higher-class folk. conduct pact. Violators can resist by spending one
Willpower point per hour. The Exalted and spirits
BEYOND THE WALLS break the Compulsion after four hours. Mortals, the
Large, multi-family farmhouses dot the valley around dead and the fae must spend eight Willpower to free
Whitewall, with mining and logging camps in the hills and themselves. If they lack sufficient Willpower… too
mountains beyond. Most of these are seasonally occupied: The bad. Even success means losing a dot of permanent
residents move into the city in winter and return in the spring Willpower, from the terrible struggle.
to work the land and the mines. Every habitation is strongly The roadside pillars once did more than illu-
fortified and carries every protection against the Fair Folk and minate the Traveler’s Road. Their golden glow also
the dead that Whitewall’s thaumaturges can devise. seared the dead and undead as an environmental
THE TRAVELER’S ROAD effect (2A/action, Trauma 5). Each pair of lights can
In the Old Realm, the road from Whitewall to the In- be considered a one-dot artifact for purposes of repair-
land Sea coast was called the Holy Road. Nowadays, people ing them. They must remain attached to the road,
call it the Traveler’s Road or the Great Northern Road. At though—they do not function anywhere else.
20 yards wide, it remains the largest road in the North. Its
white granite pavement shows little wear despite centuries
of use. Bridges cross a few small streams along the way. The MARAMA’S FELL
blessing on the road keeps it relatively warm in the depths The Traveler’s Road crosses a tongue of Marama’s Fell.
of winter, as if the sun shone on it all the time, and the road The road itself stays part of Creation at night, so people
stays free of snow, ice and debris despite the fiercest storms who die on this section of road still cannot become ghosts.
and blizzards. Every 40 yards, the road runs between pairs Anyone who steps off the Holy Road at night, however,
of stone pillars topped with inward-facing crescents. These enters the Underworld.
crescents once lit the roadway, but the enchantment stopped Along this section of road and around this tongue of
working centuries ago. the shadowland, the Syndics erect small fanes dedicated
The Traveler’s Road carries subtler and stronger enchant- to numerous gods of life, joy, fertility and similar concepts.
ments as well. The soul of any human who dies on the road Whitewallers call them the resplendent chrysanthemum
immediately enters Lethe. Moreover, any mortal traveler shrines. The Syndics reward families that hold weddings,
who attacks anyone else on the road feels an overwhelm- conceptions, births and birthday celebrations at these shrines.
ing compulsion thereafter to hang himself from a pillar or Not only does the family receive a modest cash award (of
convenient tree. The dead and the raksha travel the Holy Resources • value), but the Syndics bless them with a year
Road as well. Ghosts who attack other travelers are cast into and a day of exceptional health (two bonus dice to all rolls
Lethe, while Fair Folk are hurled into the Deep Wyld. No for resisting disease). Over time, the shrines push back the
one knows what would happen to a god, elemental, demon or shadowland’s borders. Where once the shadowland crossed
Exalt who broke the road’s curse of safe conduct—it’s never 50 miles of road and extended 100 miles beyond it to the
happened as far as anyone knows—but the consequences West, it now darkens only 20 miles of road.
would surely be dire. The denizens of Marama’s Fell tear down the shrines
Whitewallers know the road’s curse as the Thousand- every winter, but the Whitewallers rebuild and re-consecrate
Year Pact, negotiated at the start of the Second Age between them every spring. The expedition to restore the resplendent
22
chrysanthemum shrines sets out on the first day of Ascending and for the sake of comfort and safety, Whitewallers accept
Earth (though snow generally still covers the ground) and is some grim necessities.
a major festival in Whitewall.
WALLPORT
LIFE BEHIND WALLS
The constant danger beyond the walls shapes Whitewall’s
At its southern terminus, the Traveler’s Road enters culture in many ways, not all of them obvious. For one thing,
another circuit of white granite walls: Wallport, Whitewall’s Whitewallers place a high value on civility. Good manners
filthy, stunted brother. These walls are only seven yards enable 700,000 people to stay shut in the city through the
high and two yards thick, with a third of the circle cut off long winter without driving each other crazy. Whitewall’s
by the black basalt cliffs of the coast. The Essence-powered law even includes a special class of misdemeanors called
elevators that once moved people and cargo between the “offenses against public civility.” These offenses include just
city and the harbor no longer function. Instead, steps and about anything that could irritate another person, from poor
ramps descend about 20 yards to a lower city built on the hygiene to loud quarreling. Hostile or eccentric behavior can
narrow strip of waterfront. bankrupt a Whitewaller through fines or eventually lead to
Upper Wallport was a wealthy and beautiful town dur- banishment.
ing the First Age, while Lower Wallport was as seedy as any Public intoxication is, of course, an offense against
waterfront in Creation. The old walls remain, but now, both public civility. Virtually all drugs are legal in Whitewall,
halves of the town abound in brothels, saloons and gambling but apart from alcohol, they are so heavily taxed that few
dens. The harbor can accommodate just four large merchant people indulge heavily or often. Smuggling to evade these
ships at a time, which prevents Wallport from growing any import duties is one of the few forms of organized crime to
larger. Many ships have sunk while waiting their turn out in afflict Whitewall. If people want to get drunk or stoned in
the stormy Northern sea. private, though, that’s their own business.
About 2,000 people live in Wallport—mostly stevedores, Privacy is another way that Whitewallers preserve
barkeeps, prostitutes and other people who cater to the ships their precious social stability. Whitewallers prefer not to
that come to trade with distant Whitewall. Men outnumber show strong emotions in public or to ask too closely about
women more than three to one. Most Wallport folk come another person’s private life. They smile more than they
from Whitewall, either willingly or through exile. They are laugh and weep only behind closed doors. Outsiders often
a rough lot, often drunk or drugged when they aren’t work- find Whitewallers a bit stuffy—but very polite.
ing. Every Whitewaller knows that Wallport is a cesspit for In sharp contrast to their strict and sober code of public
dumping malcontents and failures. The town guards ignore conduct, anything goes in the privacy of a Whitewaller’s
most crimes but deal harshly with anyone who threatens home. As long as no one gets hurt (who didn’t want to be)
Whitewall’s commerce. and the city’s defense is not compromised, what happens
The cesspit analogy is more than metaphor, too. Half behind closed doors is no one else’s business. An invitation
a mile west of Wallport, a large pipe spits Whitewall’s sew- to enter a Whitewaller’s home—to come inside her family’s
age into the sea, washed out by the runoff from the baths set of walls—shows that she considers you a trustworthy
and the city water system. The sewage from 700,000 people friend for life. Foreigners who receive this rare privilege are
makes Wallport stink. The Essence converters along the sometimes surprised to find that in contrast to their exteriors
700-mile pipe that once transformed raw sewage to a pure of stark white stone and concrete, Whitewall homes have
and sparkling waterfall have not functioned since the time cheery and colorful interiors, with brightly painted furniture
of the Great Contagion. and patterned rugs on the floors.
Whitewallers do much of their socializing in the city’s
SOCIETY many large teahouses. Local folk prefer to conduct business
Whitewallers know they are luckier than most people meetings at one of these establishments over a meal and, of
in Creation. Most Whitewallers are middle class: not rich course, tea. Whitewallers take their tea hot, with milk and
enough to live in splendor but not worried about starving. butter. If they drink tea with someone they don’t know, they
They can afford life’s decencies, such as shoes, two changes pay close attention to his reaction to this local idiosyncrasy.
of clothes, rugs on the floor and a cast-iron stove to heat a If he shows surprise at these additions to his drink, he might
sturdy, draft-free home. Whitewallers drink clean water and just be a traveler newly arrived in the city… or maybe he’s
walk clean, safe streets. In many parts of Creation, even rich not human at all.
people cannot say as much.
Their love of safety and prosperity does not make THE PUBLIC BATHS
Whitewallers cowardly. They are disciplined, not docile. After their enchanted walls, many Whitewallers would
Every Whitewaller learns at a young age that their security call the city’s public baths its greatest treasure. A spring of
depends on a strictly ordered society that everyone must hot water and steam feeds a large complex of bathing pools.
work to maintain. No one is above this duty or below it… The Syndics endorse cleanliness as an important contributor

to public health and wellbeing, and so, Whitewallers regard
frequent bathing as part of good citizenship. (The city’s many CALIBRATION BABIES
soap makers wish that visiting barbarians would buy their Whitewallers believe that making love during
product as readily.) For a modest fee, bathers can hire an Calibration repels the evil powers that roam during
attendant to scrub them, shave them, massage them, anoint those uncanny days. This results in a surge of births
them with scented oils or pamper them in other ways. nine months later. The birthrate stays high through
The baths come second only to the teahouses as a place the next six months, from children conceived dur-
to socialize. Children bathe in one area, adults of marrying ing the long winter when people spend most of their
age in another, and elders in a third. Within those zones, time indoors.
Whitewallers congregate in ad-hoc groups of friends, rela-
tives, neighbors or co-workers. For all their public reserve,
Whitewallers consider it perfectly natural to see each other
naked at the baths. show contempt for their neighbors. Poor Whitewallers wear
Adolescents and young adults often use distant, steam- mended castoff clothes and live in tunnels, but even beggars
shrouded alcoves as trysting spots. Parents and grandparents do not cringe, abase themselves for a crust of bread or scream
shake their heads and cluck their tongues at the moral turpi- abuse when denied a coin. Rich man and beggar both know
tude of the young, but that’s just part of growing older. Odds that their life could depend on the other’s vigilance and skill
are, they had their first liaisons in the same alcoves. The baths at defending the city.
have become a standard part of Whitewall courtship rituals… Whitewallers also enjoy considerable social mobility.
and if the steam ever clears for a moment and Whitewallers The Syndics make sure that any hardworking Whitewaller
see activities the participants meant to be private, they has a chance to improve her lot in life: If a poor Whitewaller
pretend not to see and don’t gossip afterward. cannot reach the middle class, at least her children might.
At least, not in public. Attaining genuine wealth requires extraordinary skill as a
jeweler, merchant or savant, extraordinary luck as a miner
SOCIAL CLASSES or extraordinary courage in the Guardians. Nevertheless, a
Whitewall has its rich and poor. Wealthy Whitewallers few Whitewallers become very rich.
enjoy luxuries such as jewels, fine tapestries and delicacies The Syndics do not permit the development of a seg-
from distant lands, but they do not flaunt their riches or regated, closed aristocracy, though. One device is charity.
24
The Syndics give divine blessings to Whitewallers who Logging is a related industry. In addition to construction,
donate large sums to hospitals and schools for the poor, the Whitewallers cut a lot of timber to reinforce mineshafts.
resplendent chrysanthemum shrines and other philanthropic Even more wood goes to make charcoal for smelting ores,
ventures. Conversely, Whitewallers who conspicuously show with pitch and turpentine as by-products. (Impurities in the
that they care more for their own fortune than the good of coal make it unsuitable for metallurgy.)
the city find themselves not enjoying their wealth and not
keeping it very long. They are, after all, ruled by gods who
ARTIFICE, ENCHANTMENT AND EDUCATION
Whitewall’s abundant and diverse ores make the city
command luck, health and peace… and can deny these
a center for fine metalwork. The constant need for defense
boons if they choose.
gave rise to a large arms industry, producing all manner
MAKING A LIVING of weapons and armor. The smiths produce other preci-
Whitewallers enjoy unusual prosperity for Northern folk. sion metalwork too, including navigational instruments.
They owe the relative comfort of their lives to a great deal The city also has a large and related industry of jewelers,
of hard work and careful exploitation of their resources, as gem cutters and gem engravers, with lens grinding as a
well as the safety provided by their walls. recent spin-off.
Whitewall possesses a significant population of thau-
FARMING maturges, with special emphasis on metallurgical alchemy,
More than half of all Whitewallers engage in some aspect enchantment, warding and exorcism. Between them,
of farming. Many of them live in the city and commute daily Whitewall’s elite artisans and thaumaturges produce a wide
to the nearer fields and orchards. Staple crops include barley, variety of talismans, warding amulets and similar minor
oats, peas and potatoes, but Whitewallers also raise cold- wonders. They also produce many superior weapons and
tolerant root crops such as radishes, turnips and sugar beets. armor, from perfect blades to spears enchanted to wound
Extensive orchards produce apples and cherries, from which ghosts. Their supply of jade and other occult minerals
Whitewallers produce excellent cider and cherry wine. even enables them to produce a small number of daiklaves,
The outermost fields, which are the most difficult to powerbows and other artifact weapons and armor.
tend safely, generally grow alfalfa and hay for livestock. For Such industries require an educated populace.
safety, Whitewallers raise a third of their livestock inside Whitewall has a comprehensive system of public primary
the city walls. This costs more, but some enemy spitefully education. At least 90 percent of the population can read
destroys a sheepfold, cattle barn, henhouse or pigpen every and write, even among the poor—a feat few societies in
year, no matter how well the Whitewallers guard and ward Creation can equal (or want to). Colleges of agriculture,
them. Such difficulties make meat an expensive treat for architecture, mining and metallurgy, lapidary and thau-
many Whitewallers. maturgy supply higher education for Whitewallers who
MINING seek and can afford it. The Syndics (aided by local philan-
Other Whitewallers work in the mines. The hills and thropists) offer scholarships for exceptionally promising
mountains produce abundant iron and silver ore, with lead but poor students, on the explicit grounds that such skills
as a frequent by-product. Coal mines supply Whitewall are a vital strategic asset for the city. Precision metalwork
with fuel. The quarries for white granite dating to the city’s and a literate population incidentally lead to a publishing
construction remain in use. Most importantly, several First industry that prints using movable type. Folk throughout
Age mines still produce white and blue jade. Other mines the North say you can recognize a traveling Whitewaller
produce gemstones or rare ores used to produce high-quality by the book in her saddlebags… and that she thinks you’re
alloys. A few minerals have esoteric uses in alchemy and an ignorant savage.
crafting artifacts, such as pitchblende and realgar. One mine COMMERCE
produces the crystals used to fashion concussive Essence Most of Whitewall’s trade goes South along the
cannons (see The Books of Sorcery, Vol. I—Wonders of Traveler’s Road. The rest goes North along a pass that
the Lost Age, p. 131). Mining is dangerous for Whitewallers leads to Fella and points beyond, notably Gethamane
due to the mines’ distance from the safety of the city, but and Shanarinara. Whitewall barely feeds itself, though it
the profits justify the risks. manages to export limited quantities of farm products—
Some mines date back to the Old Realm. These notably a superior cherry wine much prized in the Realm.
often retain Essence lighting, air conditioning and other Whitewall exports a great deal of metal, though, from raw
conveniences—even maps drawn long ago by elementals, ingots to costly mechanical toys and jewelry. The city even
showing where to find veins of desired minerals. Some of mints its own silver dinars and dirhams, modeled on those
these mines are for minerals whose use Creation has forgot- of the Scavenger Lands. In fact, Whitewall is the chief
ten. The newer mines present the usual hazards of working source of money in the North. (Within the city, though,
in cramped spaces underground, such as firedamp, flooding most Whitewallers buy and sell using paper scrip modeled
and collapse. on that of the Realm.) Jade is certainly Whitewall’s most

profitable export, with the Realm as chief purchaser. Factors
from Lookshy and the Realm alike frequently visit to buy PRAYER IN WHITEWALL
jade and other rare minerals used in alchemy, enchant- The spiritually active architecture, block-by-
ment and crafting magitech devices. block consecration and mandala layout of Ondar
Shambal once acted to multiply the power of the
RELIGION AND THE SUPERNATURAL inhabitants’ prayers. Immense hidden mechanisms
Most Whitewallers worship the Syndics. (They do not
even turned buildings and entire neighborhoods
know the true identities of the three gods, but that doesn’t
as gigantic slow prayer wheels. Broken, defaced
stop their prayers from reaching the proper destination.)
and partially rebuilt, Whitewall still somewhat
Most homes include a cabinet-sized shrine to the three,
magnifies the Essence that a god receives from
in which the gods are represented by a glass and silver-
the inhabitants’ prayers. In rules terms, this simply
gilt oil lamp with three wicks, backed by a white wheel
means that a god with worshipers in Whitewall
with eight spokes. The Syndics claim only to be the city’s
needs somewhat fewer people to achieve a given
caretakers, however. They are not the gods of Whitewall,
Cult rating. In most cases, this has no effect on play.
only gods in Whitewall—a distinction the Syndics insist
Prayers conducted in Afton, however, have their
that Whitewallers observe even in casual conversation.
difficulty reduced by two because of the relatively
So as not to provoke the Realm, the Syndics do not
intact sacred architecture. In Midtown, prayer roll
name the god of Whitewall. The pristine Solar manse in
difficulties decrease by one.
the city center makes this god’s identity abundantly clear,
though. A significant number of Whitewall’s inhabitants
revere the Unconquered Sun. They particularly honor
him as the bringer of springtime and the end of the long, in the city, though. By law, sorcerers must assist the
deadly winter. Whitewallers also worship major Celestial Guardians by enchanting weapons and joining in battles
deities associated with their professions. For instance, against fae, ghosts and other uncanny foes.
everyone in Whitewall’s elite warrior-police force offers ESSENCE CHANNELERS
at least token reverence to Voharun and Nasamara, the The Syndics welcome any Terrestrial Exalt who
chief gods of Northern war. chooses to dwell in Whitewall. The Dragon-Blooded
Yet, Whitewallers feel little need to propitiate the bless the city by their presence, as the Immaculate Order
Terrestrial small gods of their locale—not when three teaches. Nevertheless, any Dynast or outcaste who tries
powerful gods rule them in the King of Heaven’s own to attract worship finds no takers in Whitewall.
city. For example, miners regularly treat with earth el- The Syndics also tolerate Solar Anathema to a shocking
ementals and small gods of mountains and minerals, but degree. The Eclipse Caste called Rune, who now occupies
those miners invoke the authority of Celestial gods such the temple-manse, is merely the latest Solar to Exalt in
as the Jade Goddesses and the threat of retribution from Whitewall. A Dawn Caste called Macha Pethisdottir holds
the Syndics. an officer’s commission in the Guardians. Immaculate
The Syndics permit the Immaculate Order to preach historians note that two or three Whitewallers became
within Whitewall, and the city has a number of small Anathema every century, and while the Syndics did not
fanes (mostly in Foretown, but also one attached to the bar the Wyld Hunt, they never helped, either. Time and
Realm’s embassy and a charity hospital in Underton). again, Solar Anathema grew powerful in Whitewall and
After seven centuries, though, Immaculate missionaries were slain only with great difficulty after long pursuit.
have converted only a few Whitewallers. The reasons are simple: The Syndics never aban-
That aside, the Syndics strictly forbid any propitiation doned hope of a Solar resurgence. They exploited Solars
of creatures of darkness. City officials diligently investigate who Exalted in their city, while hoping they would
any rumor about worship of demons, Fair Folk and the dead. draw the Unconquered Sun’s attention to Creation in
Even a small offering to an ancestor’s ghost carries a fine, general and Whitewall in particular. The Syndics also
while persistent ancestor worship brings summer exile. used their contacts in the Bureau of Destiny to raise the
Whitewallers know that ghosts can lie, while demons and odds of Creation’s few free Solar Exaltations finding
the fae do little else. Any bid for worship is most likely a hosts within Whitewall.
plot to bring creatures of darkness into the city. Yet, the Syndics never extended such favor to Lunar
MAGIC Exalted, whom they view as barbaric, or the hidden Side-
In contrast to Whitewall’s abundance of thaumaturges real Exalted. The Syndics pull every string they have to
and arcane artisans, the city lacks a school of sorcery (al- discourage Viziers from visiting Whitewall—even Sidereals
though the Syndics would like to get one). A number of in the Gold Faction—and to encourage them to leave.
sorcerers—chiefly outcaste Terrestrial Exalted—practice The three gods greatly fear the consequences should the
26
Bureau of Destiny discover their thoroughly illegal rule
of a city in Creation. GOVERNMENT
The Exalted are not the only channelers of Essence in The Syndics act as Whitewall’s ultimate guarantors
Whitewall. The Lotus Mind Academy regularly enlight- of civic order. They ordained the city’s government and
ens the Essence of its graduates. With intense training, wrote its laws, and no one else can legally change them.
Guardians also enlighten their Essence so they can wield All three Syndics must reach consensus to pass a new law.
artifact weapons and armor. A number of renegade small Three people—even three powerful gods—cannot do all
gods and elementals dwell in Whitewall too. the administrative work of running a large city, though,
Despite the hostility between Whitewall and its and the Syndics have other responsibilities elsewhere.
uncanny neighbors, proximity leads to a small but steady Therefore, they delegate most of city governance to a cadre
stream of Ghost-Blooded and Fae-Blooded mortals. Such of judges and a civil service of inspectors. For military
half-breeds have only one real choice in Whitewall: join- power, Whitewall has its professional city guard (prosai-
ing the Guardians. Any half-breed who does not devote cally called the Guardians) and its large militia.
her life to protecting the city is suspected of working for A brief civil charter sets forth the basic laws of
her inhuman parent. Whitewall. Children must memorize the charter by age
12, and failure to do so results in a fine to their parents.
THE THOUSAND-YEAR PACT Outsiders who want to become citizens must memorize
As one of their first acts, the Syndics negotiated a treaty the charter as well. Few Whitewallers find this difficult,
with the ghosts of Marama’s Fell and with the local raksha, for the charter is only a few pages long. In Whitewall, no
called the Winter Folk. By treaty, neither side shall attack one can legitimately plead ignorance of the law.
the other. As token of this agreement, Whitewall yearly
sets out 24 prisoners—a dozen each for the fae and the THE SYNDICS
dead. No one really knows what happens to these sacrifices When in Whitewall, the Syndics reside in a large
in the night, but there’s an awful lot of screaming. Such temple-palace in Afton. This happens to be in the largest
is the price of Whitewall’s continued safety. intact block of Old Realm buildings, which still magnify
the efficacy (and Essence) of prayer to some degree. The

Syndics receive a wealth of prayer from Whitewall that few honestly and without reservation, which can lead to sur-
gods can equal. In return, the Syndics keep Whitewall well prising (if not always relevant) discoveries about citizens.
policed and peaceful, hygienically clean and sufficiently The judges record every decision of the Syndics as a body
lucky to avoid random disasters. So far, the three gods have of precedent for their own verdicts.
managed to hide their role as the Syndics well enough to
avoid Celestial audits and grave censure (since their activi-
PUNISHMENTS
For minor crimes, up to theft and public brawling,
ties as the Syndics break many of Heaven’s laws).
Whitewall holds a token fine and public shaming as suf-
While the three gods enjoy the intensity of prayer
ficient punishment. Greater crimes incur correspondingly
from Whitewall, in the long term, they want to restore
higher fines. Major crimes result in exile. Repeated lesser
Ondar Shambal. The Syndics already have plans to rebuild
crimes can also bring expulsion, as a judge decides that a
the city section by section, using both salvaged stone and
person is just too much trouble to allow in the city. Exiles
new granite from the old quarries. For full efficacy, though,
may be jailed in sections of Underton until the time comes
they need a Zenith Caste to bless each block as it is laid.
for expulsion.
They hope that by restoring Whitewall’s spiritual power,
This punishment further divides into summer and
they can draw the Unconquered Sun’s attention back to
winter exile. An exile found guilty of armed robbery,
Creation and obtain his support in spreading Whitewall’s
repeated shoplifting, purveying phony enchantments,
peace and order to the rest of Creation.
negligent homicide or the like leaves the city in high sum-
JUDGES mer, with a pack of whatever food, clothing and money
Whitewall’s system of law and justice emphasizes he can carry on his own back. Summer exiles leave the
arbitration among competing interests. Therefore, while city at dawn. Grave crimes, such as rape, murder, owning
the Syndics write the laws, judges implement and apply slaves or bringing creatures of darkness into the city, result
them. Not only do judges try criminal cases and assign in winter exile. These people leave the city at dusk in the
punishments to lawbreakers, they hear civil disputes on depths of winter, with nothing but the clothes on their
subjects ranging from divorce to water rights. Judges have backs. Few survive even a single night.
wide latitude in how to apply the laws. The most heinous criminals are reserved for the yearly
When disputes involve spirits, the Exalted or gov- sacrifice to the Fair Folk and the dead. Compared to this,
ernment officials—or if the case is otherwise strange or winter exile is a mercy. Only after the sacrifice do the
difficult—the judges refer the case to the Syndics. The remaining criminals suffer winter exile.
three gods magically compel everyone in a case to speak
INSPECTORS
Whitewall’s inspectors handle most of the day-to-day
administration of the city, from collecting taxes to testing
artifacts and talismans to see if their bear genuine enchant-
THE HARPIST ments. These officials inspect goods for quality and value,
Despite Whitewall’s hatred and fear of the inspect buildings for structural integrity and inspect the
unholy, one demon constantly resides in the heart streets for cleanliness, among many other duties.
of civil power. The city’s thaumaturges summoned Inspectors handle the city government’s finances and
an angyalka demon (see The Books of Sorcery, paperwork. For physical labor, the appropriate office hires
Vol. V—The Roll of Glorious Divinity II, pp. local companies. Some of Whitewall’s largest businesses
72–74) and fettered it with orichalcum chains. (apart from farming and mining) perform civic services
All day, every day, it plays the harp of Time in the such as street sweeping, garbage collection and lighting
chamber of the Syndics. the coal-fired lanterns mounted at intersections of the
Only the Syndics know the reason for their main streets.
eldritch harpist: An angyalka’s music reminds Most of the inspectors’ work is rather dull. Not all
listeners of who they are. Without this reminder, the city’s uncanny foes go on instant rampages once they
the Syndics might forget that they are three gods sneak inside, though. Inspectors must go everywhere in
working in close partnership, but retaining personal Whitewall, and so, sometimes, they discover unholy threats
interests and duties outside their shared masquerade. gaining strength in disused tunnels or other nooks and
Without the angyalka they might merge into a single crannies. The city honors their memories.
three-bodied deity, bound to Whitewall alone.
The angyalka, called Ethernais, does not mind WHITEWALL’S MILITARY
her captivity. An angyalka who ceased to play music The Syndics decreed that Whitewall should not
would cease to exist, and the Syndics’ palace is far have a large, standing military. Apart from the cost of
more comfortable than Malfeas. feeding, housing and training large numbers of soldiers,
the Syndics do not want a powerful military class that can
28
develop goals and ambitions of its own. Yet, the Syndics the Syndics, Guardians tend to be the most personally
also recognize that Whitewall occupies an exceptionally powerful inhabitants of Whitewall.
dangerous part of Creation. Guardians serve as Whitewall’s police, operating from
The Syndics resolve this dilemma through a two-tier 28 precinct houses (including four in Underton). Like the
military. Every able-bodied adult Whitewaller belongs to militia, they train in squads of five and maniples of 50,
the city’s militia, but this huge force mobilizes only dur- but they have no standing cohorts. Every maniple has a
ing emergencies. The city’s Guardians are highly trained lochagos as a commander; higher ranks include centurion
and superbly equipped, but relatively few in numbers. (commanding two maniples) and dekarch (commanding
What’s more, the Guardians spend most of their time as 10 maniples, equal to a general). Guardians walk their
Whitewall’s police, mingling with the people instead of beats, break up scuffles, hunt for thieves and perform other
set apart from them. law-enforcement functions. A squad of five Guardians
has more than enough power to quell most disturbances.
MILITIA What’s more, they train to question witnesses and gather
From ages 17 to 37, every Whitewaller who can fight,
evidence for the judges, giving Whitewall its reputation
male or female, serves in the city’s militia. Each citizen
as a city of stern-but-fair justice.
receives a number, from 1 to 28. On that day of each
When creatures of darkness rampage through White-
month from Descending Earth through Ascending Air,
wall, the Guardians coordinate the search and battle the
they report to one of the city’s training fields for drill. As
invaders. Maniples can also launch sorties outside the city
their instructors tell them, “If you can swing a hoe, you
to punish barbarians, ghosts or Fair Folk for their attacks
can swing a halberd.” Many citizens train with weapons
on travelers, farmers, miners or other people who lack the
based on the tools they use in their work: picks for min-
safety of the city’s walls. The Guardians never attempt to
ers, axes for woodcutters, bill-hooks for orchardists, and
defeat any of Whitewall’s enemies outright (for that would
so on. Other citizens train with spears or straight swords.
break the Thousand-Year Pact beyond repair), but tit-for-
Militia members also learn to wield a missile weapon such
tat raids show that the city remains vigilant.
as a javelin or bow. They wear breastplates and pot helms,
and may carry shields.
Militia members train and operate in squads of five,
maniples of 50 or cohorts of 1,000, with one additional
BEHEMOTH HUNTS
The Guardians’ greatest tests come when the
corporal for every squad and a captain (called a lochagos)
Fair Folk shape behemoths in their Wyld zones and
for each maniple. Guardians act as officers and instructors
send them rampaging toward the city or the mining
for the cohorts and maniples. While the members of a
camps. When that happens, the Syndics assemble the
maniple usually come from a single neighborhood, each
most powerful of the Guardians—including sworn
cohort mixes citizens from throughout the city in fine
brotherhoods of outcaste Dragon-Blooded—to battle
disregard for social classes.
the monster. The Syndics also try to recruit any other
Since Whitewall doesn’t fight many wars, the mi-
puissant warriors in town, whatever their origin, from
litia most often acts as backup for the Guardians when
visiting Dynasts to visiting Anathema. So far, they
a creature of darkness invades the city. The one-day-a-
have never needed to try fitting both sorts of Exalted
month warriors cannot realistically fight such foes, but
into the same band of monster hunters.
that day’s militia members can spread through the city
to keep watch and back up Guardians who search from
building to building.
GUARDIANS ARTILLERY
The 6,000 Guardians are highly trained professional Whitewall’s artisans build excellent siege engines,
fighters. In addition to mortal heroes, their ranks include though the city uses such weapons for defense more than
outcaste Dragon-Blooded, spirits, God-Bloods and mor- attack. The walls are just barely wide enough to accom-
tals who had their Essence enlightened by the Syndics. modate a heavy ballista or onager (see Scroll of Kings,
What’s more, Guardians carry high-quality weapons pp. 137–138). An iron track on top of the city wall carries
and armor. Every Guardian carries at least one superior at least 60 of these weapons. Heavy, greased tarps protect
weapon of fine quality, and many of them surpass this the weapons from the weather when they are not in use.
with exceptional weapons, or even perfect weapons or In addition to heavy iron bolts and balls, Whitewallers use
artifacts. Their weapons might also carry sorcerous or catapults to spread iron caltrops when Fair Folk attack or
thaumaturgical enchantments. Armor is of similar qual- to launch bags of salt to discourage ghosts. Flaming balls
ity. As a final benefit, most Guardians carry at least one of straw and pitch often intimidate attacking barbarians.
talisman, potion or spiritual endowment, courtesy of The militia includes a cohort of artillerists who drill with
Whitewall’s thaumaturges and the Syndics. Not counting these wall-mounted weapons.

FOREIGN RELATIONS Whitewall law forbids importing anything grown in
The Syndics keep Whitewall strictly neutral—a de- Gethamane’s fungus gardens, and doing so is grounds for
clared enemy to no one, but conversely an ally to no one. summer exile.
The city-state exchanges ambassadors with the Realm, In opening diplomatic relations with the Haslanti
Gethamane, Shanarinara and the Haslanti League, but League, the Syndics look toward the future. They foresee
offers no one any special concessions. the League becoming the dominant power in the North
Early in her reign, the Empress demanded fealty and want to create a history of cordial relations. White-
from Whitewall. The Syndics revealed their identities to wall’s smiths and jewelers also want to obtain Haslanti
her and let her know that attacks on Whitewall would feathersteel and gems.
result in the Realm losing its health, peace and luck. The The only nation that Whitewall actively courts,
Empress settled for token gestures of deference, such as though, is distant Lookshy. Whitewall’s merchants would
an occasional exchange of minor gifts. Even that much love to increase sales of rare minerals to the Seventh
stopped after her disappearance. The Syndics also permit- Legion. The Guardians, artisans and savants, for various
ted Wyld Hunts to operate in Whitewall, though without reasons, want to create their own magitech industries and
any assistance from the Guardians. That privilege has not see Lookshy as the only feasible source of sample weapons
been officially revoked. It remains to be seen what happens and lore. So far, the Seventh Legion shows no interest in
when the North’s chief officer of the Hunt (well known expanding commerce or sharing secrets.
as a raging zealot) learns that the Syndics now employ at ICEWALKERS
least two Anathema. Whitewall interacts with the icewalkers rather more
Whitewall has fairly friendly relations with Getha- than it wants. Charitable Whitewallers call icewalkers
mane, based largely on their common interest in avoiding “rustic,” but most think of them as contemptible savages.
foreign entanglements. The city-states trade a bit, For their part, icewalkers generally think of Whitewallers
Whitewall’s cider, grain and vegetables for Gethamane’s as pampered cowards. Still… icewalkers covet Whitewall’s
own strange ores and gems—but Whitewallers believe weapons, armor, ornaments and tools. A few times every
Gethamane is cursed, and they trade away Gethamane’s year, icewalker tribes camp outside the city in hopes of
violet diamonds and other products to other partners. trading their meat, furs and mammoth ivory. In winter,
30
tribes sometimes merely seek grain and fodder. Faced The icy cruelty and subtle guile of the Winter Folk
with starvation, tribes will trade even First Age artifacts are exceptional even for the fae. Not only do they stalk
they found (or stole, or killed for) for a fraction of their and kill vulnerable Whitewallers, they regularly dazzle and
true value. deceive mortals into helping them enter the city. This
On occasion, the Syndics hire icewalker tribes as makes the Winter Folk the most hated of Whitewall’s
mercenaries to harry other foes—bandits, Wyld barbar- foes. Whitewall not only equips its own soldiers with iron
ians, marauding hobgoblins and the like. The icewalkers weapons, the city sells fae-killing iron at very reasonable
hate being used in this fashion but many see this as the prices to icewalkers and, indeed, anyone else within several
best of bad options. hundred miles who wants to kill Fair Folk.
Every visit by a tribe includes at least one barbarian
who flies a glider over the city walls, just to show they
RUNE
The city recently gained a powerful diplomatic advan-
can do this. If the pilot lands in the city, the Guardians
tage. A young Whitewaller named Rune recently Exalted
round him up and throw him out but inflict no further
as an Eclipse Caste. He has a history with the Winter
punishment.
Folk: The raksha noble Lios seduced Rune into bringing
Rarely, young Whitewallers rebel against the stifling
him into the city. When Rune suffered winter exile as a
safety of their city and try to join an icewalker tribe. The
result of the raksha’s rampage, the raksha mocked and
icewalkers do not encourage this but sometimes accept a
tormented him—and when Rune struck back, he Exalted.
young man or woman who bears excellent weapons and
In the Syndics’ name, Rune walks where mortals dare not.
armor. Many such adventurers die, and the icewalkers keep
It remains to be seen whether he can produce true peace
their stuff. The survivors usually return to Whitewall after
between Whitewall and its neighbors, but he has given
a few months or a year, with exciting stories to tell but
his oath to try.
eager to return to a “boring” life in the city.
CREATURES OF DARKNESS SAMPLE COMBAT UNITS
Whitewall’s most important relationships, however, Scroll of Kings supplies sample maniples of White-
are with its unholy neighbors. Of course, all sides break wall’s militia and Guardians (see Scroll of Kings, pp.
the Thousand-Year Pact. The raksha and the dead con- 69–70). Whitewall has enough outcaste Terrestrial Exalted
stantly try to sneak into the city for a rampage and attack to field a few sworn brotherhoods (see Scroll of Kings, p.
Whitewallers caught insufficiently defended. The Guard- 124), and the same write-up could represent elite squads
ians raid the Winter Folk and the ghosts in retaliation. of minor elementals, God-Bloods or enlightened mortal
If either the fae or the dead were better organized, they martial artists, with some reduction in the unit’s Might.
might attempt all-out war. As it is, various factions harass WHITEWALL 14TH COHORT
the city when they do not fight each other. Whitewall’s Description: If Whitewall faces all-out war, the Syn-
cunning diplomats sometimes bribe or dupe one group of dics call up both the militia and the Guardians to form
enemies into attacking another. So far, no leader among cohorts of 1,020 militia members, with 20 Guardians as
the creatures of darkness has attempted a genuine peace lieutenants and a Guardian centurion in command. The
with Whitewall. cohort gains further
The ghosts (and other creatures) of Marama’s Fell tend advantages from divine
to be savage but divided into many small gangs or tribes blessings, thaumaturgy
that battle each other as much as they threaten White- or exploiting the weak-
wall or anyone else. Two Deathlords—the Bishop of the nesses of supernatural
Chalcedony Thurible and the Lover Clad in Raiment of foes—iron against the
Tears—wield some limited influence in the shadowland, Fair Folk, or bags of
and the Syndics made their crucial treaties with them. salt to make barriers
Still, the Fell is largely anarchic. (See The Compass of the dead cannot cross.
Celestial Directions, Vol. IV—The Underworld for a These provide the co-
description of Marama’s Fell, starting on p. 108.) hort with its Might.
The raksha called the Winter Folk are the city’s most Commanding Officer:
organized and persistent foes. These fae operate from a Centurion Raneka
freehold just 50 miles west by northwest of Whitewall, in Armor Color: Bronzed
an extensive Wyld zone. Their coldly beautiful cataphra- steel breastplate over
ctoi, clad in armor of ice and frost, lead hobgoblins with warm woolen garments,
wolfish features or that look like jagged ice-sculptures of pot helm with a raven
misshapen children. The Winter Folk also ride reindeer feather
and use ice weasels as hunting beasts.

Motto: “No Passing the Wall” Formation: The cohort’s commander is a heketa, a type of
General Makeup: 1,040 infantry with diverse weapons and water elemental (described on pp. 125–126 of The Books
self bows of Sorcery, Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious Divinity I), who
Overall Quality: Fair escaped the rule of the heketa’s monarch and mother, Ogime
Magnitude: 6 the Frog Queen. Raneka became a warrior and a citizen of
Drill: 2 Whitewall. She creates and directs rainstorms to hinder
Close Combat Attack: 2 Close Combat Damage: 3 Whitewall’s foes. The cohort additionally has six relays,
Ranged Attack: 1 Ranged Damage: 2 three sorcerers and three heroes, the latter six all Guardians
Endurance: 8 Might: 1 Armor: 2 (-1 mobility) of lochagos rank. Whitewall’s troops move easily between
Morale: 2 relaxed and close formation.
Whitewall, a Magnitude 4 Dominion

Military: 3 Government: 2 Culture: 2
Abilities: Awareness 3 (Superior Diplomats +3), Bureaucracy 3, Craft 3, Integrity 3, Investigation 3, Occult 4
(Savant Academy +1, Supernatural Etiquette +2), Stealth 1, War 3 (Creatures of Darkness +2)
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 2, Temperance 4, Valor 2
Virtue Flaw: Temperance Current Limit: 2
Willpower: 7
Bonus Points: 20 External Bonus Points: 12
Notes: Whitewall’s bonus points go to one dot each of Bureaucracy, Integrity, Investigation, Occult and War. Its
external bonus points come from its trade relations and its ability to manipulate its hostile neighbors. These points
go to an added dot of Awareness, and the Awareness, Occult and War specialties. The Syndics are all sorcerers
with legitimacy.
In Limit Break, Whitewall’s people become convinced that whatever problems they face come from their unholy
neighbors and wrack their own society with a witch-hunt in search of collaborators within the city.
32
CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 33
CHAPTER THREE
THE CITY UNDER THE

MOUNTAIN
Four hundred miles north of Whitewall, some 80,000 a city within a mountain as a trade and diplomatic nexus
people live in the small city of Gethamane. Their subterranean with the Mountain Folk and other strange inhabitants of the
city grants them unmatched protection from the perils of the caverns far below Creation. Indeed, a great deal of contact
North. Living in the heart of a mountain, Gethamanians with the underdwellers took place there. The Deliberative
do not fear winter storms or barbarian attacks. Supernatu- chose the location because of the Celestial Gate to Yu-Shan
ral gardens remove the threat of starvation. Nevertheless, lodged in the underways beneath the mountain. As a bonus,
Gethamanians live in fear. The circling tunnels of their a colony of Pteroks—a winged race of the prehuman Dragon
city connect to an immeasurably vaster, deeper labyrinth Kings—lived on the mountain’s heights. The subterranean
of underways beneath Creation—and from these nighted metropolis was also called Six Gates. In addition to the Ce-
caverns come horror. As much as anyone else in the North, lestial Gate, the city held a black jade portal to the tunnels
Gethamanians require constant vigilance to survive. of the Mountain Folk and four immense doors of jade and
orichalcum steel that led into the mountain from north,
HISTORY south, west and east.
Like many of Creation’s great cities, Gethamane began Nothing exciting happened at Six Gates for more than
in the First Age. Its history, however, is stranger than most. a thousand years. No Solars were in town when the Usurpa-
Perhaps it’s a good thing the Gethamanians don’t know it. tion began. The Dragon-Blooded easily blocked any contact
with the rest of Creation. By the time any loyalists in the
THE FIRST AGE city might have objected, most of the Lawgivers were dead.
Gethamane was originally called the City of the Moun- Only the Pteroks knew what was happening, and they flew
tain Gateway. The Solar Deliberative ostensibly tunneled away and out of history.
34
Shortly thereafter, the City of the Mountain Gateway the underdwellers, destroying whole cities’ worth of the
died. When the founders of the new Shogunate realized Mountain Folk and other races. When the blood of almost
that their conspirators in the city had not restored contact, 300 Solars fell on Creation’s soil, the Essence-taste of its
a Dragon-Blooded team investigated. They found the city’s progenitor’s killers roused Vodak from slumber.
gates sealed but everyone gone. Not even corpses remained. The Mountain Folk conceived a desperate plan to trap
So, a group of Sidereal Exalted came to Six Gates. Neither the hekatonkhire. As the Dragon-Blooded and Sidereals
Charms, sorcery nor the Loom of Fate gave any clue to what stalked and battled the last of the Lawgivers, the Mountain
happened. The city’s past seemed as thoroughly eradicated Folk captured numerous Solar offspring. They used the Golden
as its inhabitants. Children as bait, luring Vodak to Six Gates. It arrived hungry.
The Shogunate stripped everything valuable and por- While the monster swept through the city like a silver ocean
table from the City of the Mountain Gateway, then sealed of death and madness, the greatest savants and sorcerers of the
it. No one entered for several centuries and the city was Mountain Folk cast their spells and activated potent artifacts.
forgotten. After six days spent devouring the city’s population, body
and soul, Vodak returned to the depths to rest and digest its
THE SECRET PAST meal—and found it could not leave.
Six Gates was a lot more than a trade nexus between the The hekatonkhire now lurks in the deepest caverns be-
Old Realm and the underdwellers. Its true purpose was one low Gethamane, deeper even than the underdwellers know.
of the most closely guarded secrets of the Solar Deliberative. When it sleeps, its dreams call to the underdwellers and fill
The city’s connection to Creation’s underways, however, them with its own hunger, hate and rage. When it wakes,
brought about its doom. By now, discovering the truth would the terror of its presence drives underdwellers to flee the
be extraordinarily difficult. depths into the city. Sometimes it reconstructs past victims
REALITY ENGINES from its own spectral flesh and plays murderous games with
Back in the Old Realm, a perceptive geomancer them. Vodak refrains from invading Gethamane for now,
might observe that the City of the Mountain Gateway’s fearing the possibility of further traps. That may change…
combination of a high peak, a connection to Heaven and especially if Vodak scents Solar blood.
alignments to the cardinal directions appears at one other
location: the Imperial Mountain, the axis of Creation itself.
This was no accident. Deep in the highest-security areas of
the city—areas never shown on any map, hidden with the
VODAK AND THE REALITY ENGINES
The Mountain Folk had few options in binding
help of the Maiden of Secrets herself—the Deliberative
Vodak: They decided that nothing less than a city
emplaced 25 reality engines. These devices, the height of
could distract the hekatonkhire long enough for them
Old Realm magitech, emulate the Elemental Pole of Earth
to cast their spells, and few cities connected to Cre-
by stabilizing reality against the Wyld. If some unimaginable
ation’s underways. Storytellers might decide, however,
catastrophe overwhelmed the Blessed Isle, these engines
that it was no coincidence the Jadeborn sacrificed a
could turn the mountain of Six Gates into a replacement
city stocked with reality engines. Conceivably, the
Elemental Pole of Earth, around which Creation could
Mountain Folk knew about the secret devices, used
regain its stability.
Vodak’s attack as cover to seize them and re-tuned
More than half the population of Six Gates was Dragon-
them to supercharge their spells. Characters who
Blooded or God-Blooded. A great many of them functioned
discover the reality engines and remove them to use
as guards, whatever their official duties were. Neither the
against the Wyld could unwittingly release Vodak
Mountain Folk nor anyone else was supposed to know what
on Creation.
the small city held.
Storytellers might prefer instead that the Moun-
These reality engines still exist in a ring between the
tain Folk did not know about the reality engines. In
Garden District and the underways. The entrances are virtu-
this alternative, if the Mountain Folk had conferred
ally undetectable and open only to a Solar’s anima. Further
with the Solar Deliberative, they could have lured the
defenses protect the vaults of each machine.
hekatonkhire into a trap: Once Vodak was between
THE ULTIMATE HORROR the reality engines, these mighty artifacts would have
The second secret of Gethamane began with the Primor- created a space that was too real for the spectral horror
dial War. When the first Primordial died, its dying Essence to exist. But that didn’t happen, and Six Gates died
and alien ichor generated a new entity: a hekatonkhire, or because of the bitter history between the Jadeborn
ghost-behemoth. Most hekatonkhires dwell in the Under- and the Sun’s Chosen.
world, but the one called Vodak exists simultaneously in Either choice presents opportunities for Storytell-
the Underworld and Creation. Vodak took shelter in the ers. Decide for yourself which (if either) is true.
underways. Every few centuries, Vodak woke to prey upon

REESETTLEMENT
SETT
TLEMENT
The GrGre
Great
eat Conta
Contagion did not affect the City of
thee Mountain
Mountaiin Gatewa
Gateway, because nothing lived there. If
thee invading
invading Fair Folk noticed the empty subterranean
city,
city
tyy, they did not ente
enter.
A century after tthe Contagion, though, a band
of ref
refugees
e ugees fled North
North, beset by plague, starvation and
savage
savaageg WylWyld
ylld barbaria
barbarians. Their God-Blooded leader,
Bethan
Beth han Redeye, led them through the Black Crag
Mountains
Moun untains in hopes of
un o finding safety in some whaling
village
villagge on the White Se Sea. Instead they found a cave that
turned
tuurnede out to be a minor
ed min tunnel into the abandoned
city. As A an alternativ
alternative to starving, freezing or being
eaten n by Wyld barbabarbarians, the uncanny city looked
pretty
prettyty good. They named the city Gethamane—
Old Realm
R alm for “Sanctuary,”
Re “Sa in hopes that naming
itt thus in the language
lang of Heaven might provide
a good omen.
The
T e refugees
Th fugees lived
refu
fu live off whatever game they could
catch in the mountains
mou until they discovered the
city’s
ciity’s magical
magica Gardens. Fortunately, the Gar-
dens
d ns are remarkably
de rem easy to operate. Within
a month, the
th Gardens produced edible fungi
and moss and
an the refugees became settlers.
Not
Not even the discovery of the dangers in the
lower tunnels could ppersuade them to leave. Bethan
Redeye
R deye worked out a ssystem of allocating daily shares
Re
of food from the Gard Gardens and whatever hunters and
gatherers found outside.
outside This system eventually became
known
kn o n as the Dole. Life
now Li was still hard, though, for the
Gethamanians
G thamanian had little with which to work
Ge
besides
b sides wood,
be woo leather, bone and stone.
COMING OF THE GUILD

For many
m years, the rest of Creation
did not know
k about Gethamane. That
changed w when the Guild started send-
ing
in caravans into the North. One caravan
ng caravan
met a group of hunters from Gethamane.
The caravan’s factor
fa quickly realized that the
subterranean city w would make an excellent base
for ventures through the North. He also
for trading ventu
saw
s w the Gethamanians’
sa Getha lack of outside sources
of food,
food, clothing
clot and other commodities.
Bethan Redeye
Red (then in her 70s, and still
leading
l ading the
le th Gethamanians) traded food
supplies
supplies and
an animal pelts for cloth, spices
and metal
meta goods, beginning the city’s
partnership
partnersh with the Guild… but she
didn’t let
l the Guild know about the
buried Gardens.
G (The Guild found out
eventually,
eventua of course.)
To keep the Guild from subvert-
ing and absorbing Gethamane, Bethan
36
made the Dole contingent on labor for the city. What’s more, Garden District, with the Gardens themselves at the cen-
she decreed that no one could stay in the city for more than ter. Proximity to the source of the Dole makes the Garden
a month unless a Gethamanian family adopted them and District the most prestigious sector of Gethamane, while the
they entered the Dole’s labor register. Adopted citizens could Upper Ring’s distance renders it the least desirable place to
pay in jade or goods instead of labor, though. The system live in the city.
discouraged Guildsmen from building strong connections
in Gethamane, and the ones who did paid dearly for the
ENTERING GETHAMANE
The north and south sides of Gethamane’s mountain
privilege of long-term residence.
hold sets of immense steel doors, a foot thick and gleaming
Bethan Redeye died at age 93, survived by two husbands
the distinctive hues of jade and orichalcum alloys: pale blue
and a dozen children. She trained all her children in ad-
in the north and reddish in the south. They are immune to
ministration, but named her second son Gerath as her heir.
all Shaping effects, whether sorcery, Charms or the powers
The office of Master or Mistress of Gethamane has stayed
of the Fair Folk. Inside, large wheels move stout bars to lock
in Bethan’s line ever since.
or unseal the gates.
TO THE PRESENT Beyond each gate stretches a tunnel 50 yards long, 10
Gethamane grew slowly but steadily. In time, it formed yards wide and 10 yards high. The tunnel ends in a large
relationships with other Northern societies, usually with the antechamber with heavy portcullises of orichalcum-infused
Guild as go-between. In RY 586, this policy drew Gethamane adamant at either end. Guards constantly man these posts.
into a trade war with the nascent Haslanti League. On the They never raise both portcullises at the same time. Cunning
whole, though, Gethamane enjoyed a remarkably placid his- mechanisms, activated from the guard post, are intended
tory. Its people have no desire to conquer others—that would to collapse the entrance tunnels in the event of a breach.
mean leaving the mountain. No one else, not even the Empress, (Obviously, these have never been tested.)
ever found an effective way to attack Gethamane. The antechamber guards record the names and brief
The disappearance of the Empress and the rise of the descriptions of every visitor to Gethamane. Free visitors must
Bull of the North troubles some Gethamanians. The current pay a silver dinar to enter. Slaves pay half a dinar (a conces-
Mistress of Gethamane, Katrin Jadehand, and her advisors sion to the Guild). Visitors short of cash can register to pay
draw up contingency plans for situations ranging from an through labor: Plenty of menial tasks always need doing, such
attack by the Bull to a takeover bid by the Guild. Most as cleaning passages. Slave caravans usually pay for the slaves’
Gethamanians, however, figure that the city can ride out any entrance in this manner. No one enters the city without reg-
crisis the way it always has before: Expel any troublesome istration, though. Guards quickly move in to capture anyone
outsiders, shut the impregnable doors, live off the Gardens who makes a ruckus, while drumbeats signal for reinforcements
and wait a few years. They don’t like to remember that the and a runner races to the Guard’s headquarters.
greatest threat to Gethamane has always come from the About half a mile further up the mountain, a dozen
endless dark tunnels underneath. small tunnels lead from the icy slope to clusters of chambers
and from there to the Temple District and Upper Ring.
GEOGRAPHY These passages are all well camouflaged. Over the centu-
ries, the Gethamanians also installed a variety of locking
Gethamane does not pretend to control any territory
beyond the slopes of its own mountain, but its hunters and cast-iron doors, false tunnels, dropfalls and other traps for
gatherers see most of what happens within the nearest 20 uninvited visitors. The mountainside chambers bear various
miles or so. The hunters sometimes venture farther, out of
the mountains and all the way to the White Sea shore.
Sheltered valleys within the mountains sometimes THE MISSING ENTRANCES
hold patches of taiga that the Gethamanians cultivate and What happened to the eastern and western
harvest with care—a tree can take 50 years to grow 10 feet entrances to the City Under the Mountain? They
high. Tundra covers the lower mountain slopes with hardy still exist. Landslides covered them long ago, but the
lichen, moss and patches of grass and herbs. The icy upper early explorers soon found the passages to them. Some
slopes are nearly barren. This far into the North, in a direct settlers proposed excavating these entrances, but the
line from the Elemental Pole of Air, winter lasts much of the Gethamanians eventually decided to leave them hid-
year and the growing season is just three months long. den. In fact, they walled off the tunnels and plastered
over the walls. Only the Mistress and members of her
THE SUBTERRANEAN CITY advisory Council know about the spare entrances. If
Everything important about Gethamane is underground. something should prevent the Gethamanians from
The city consists of five layers: the Temple District at the using any other exit from the city, they can excavate
top; the Upper Ring below that; the central Guild District; the buried gateways in a matter of days.
the Outer Ring, by far the largest sector of the city; and the

inscriptions in a script unlike that found anywhere else in the Gethamanians learned centuries ago that removing a crystal
city. Centuries ago, a visiting savant of the Realm identified from its setting darkens it forever.
it as the High Holy Speech of the Dragon Kings, and chiefly For water, Gethamane has at least four large public
consisting of heretical prayers to the Unconquered Sun. fountains on each level. Citizens draw off water as needed.
The Outer Ring additionally has two still-working bathhouses
CONSTRUCTION whose large, tiled pools magically heat the water in them.
Most Gethamanian tunnels are square or rectangular.
Two others no longer function. Unfortunately, most of the
The floors and ceilings are the mountain’s own dark gray stone,
city’s internal plumbing corroded to uselessness during the
plain and slightly rough. Other forms of stone or concrete
long vacancy. Gethamanians make do with chamber pots
sometimes cover the walls. Smaller rooms tend to be plain, but
and rather stinky non-flushing commodes.
intricate and beautiful geometric carvings adorn the walls of
larger passages and chambers. Some rooms have stone doors; THE UNDERWAYS
others have new makeshift doors of wood or leather. At least a dozen tunnels descend from the Garden District
Gethamane’s current population exceeds that of the and the Outer Ring into deeper layers, called the underways.
old City of the Mountain Gateway. Many Gethamanians Rounded tubes and irregular caverns replace Gethamane’s
live in apartments formed by partitioning larger chambers square corridors and circular or rectangular chambers. The
or passages. Wealthy families mark their compound with rock darkens from gray to black. The highest layers of the
screens of metal or elaborately painted wood. The poor make underways continue the concentric circular design of the
do with makeshifts such as leather, cloth, paper or scraps of city, but the deeper reaches become twisting, apparently
wood salvaged from a merchant’s cart. random tunnels and caverns with no limit ever discovered.
UTILITIES The underways have no light crystals.
Large crystals of pale violet set in the walls and ceiling People do not live in the underways, but horrible and
emit a clear white light. The crystals glow brightly during the deadly creatures sometimes emerge from them to attack
day outside and dim when night falls. Still, the crystals stay the people of Gethamane. Every entrance to the under-
bright enough for most people to continue working. Guards ways has a gate of iron bars—but that doesn’t stop every
can patrol, farmers can work in the Gardens, merchants can potential intruder.
haggle and artisans can work on all but the most demanding Despite the danger, people sometimes come long
tasks. Gethamane stays active all day and all night. People distances to visit the underways. Sometimes they return
sleep to fit their work schedule. with treasures: strange artifacts, jewels—such as vibrantly
Gethamanians cover the crystals if they want darkness, violet diamonds—and rare ores hacked from the walls of
but few people outside the visitors’ section ever do so. Most distant caverns. Explorers even find small quantities of
Gethamanians are used to constant light: True darkness soulsteel. Sometimes, of course, explorers do not return
frightens them. Damaging the crystals is a major offense. at all. Gethamane’s leaders permit these explorations, in
return for half of whatever valuables the explorers bring
out of the underways.
LOST MAGITECH
For an Old Realm metropolis, Gethamane shows
SOCIETY
Gethamane is one of Creation’s most orderly societies.
a distinct lack of Essence-powered conveniences. The security of the Dole keeps Gethamanians in their city,
Only the light-crystals and the Gardens remain, but organizing the production and distribution of so much
for only they were both durable enough to resist food from a single source requires extensive control of people’s
Vodak’s passage and impossible for the Shogunate lives. Gethamanians register their occupations and record
to remove. (In the centuries when the city was every hour of labor to justify their daily ration of fungus
sealed, creatures from the underways might also from the Gardens. What the clerks don’t know, spies must
have scavenged the city.) discover, for Gethamane cannot afford any disruption. Any
Nevertheless, the city is woven with hidden civil unrest could not only leave people starving, it could
Essence accumulators and conduits, which all still leave the city vulnerable to invasion from below.
function. Of the tens of thousands of jade-alloy plugs Like most societies, Gethamane has its divisions of class,
that once dispensed the Essence, only a few hundred wealth and occupation. It has a literally stratified society.
remain (mostly in the Temple District and Garden The wealthiest Gethamanians live nearest the all-important
District). These can still power any magitech device Gardens in the city’s lowest level. Middle-class citizens
capable of connecting to them, as if each was a one- chiefly dwell in the Outer Ring. The Upper Ring receives
dot hearthstone. Essence-channeling people cannot Gethamane’s poor.
use the plugs: They function only for devices. Six great divisions of labor, based on activities vital
for the city’s survival, provide an alternative set of social
38
SECRETS OF THE UNDERWAYS
The underways are not entirely natural. The
Mountain Folk used to inhabit the upper layers, and
someone familiar with the Jadeborn can recognize the
workmanship of these tunnels and chambers. (Inciden-
tally, this is why the Gethamanians cannot simply wall
off the underways: The City of the Mountain Gateway’s
air circulation system extended to the Mountain Folk
districts of the city. Sealing the tunnels would disrupt
that system, eventually rendering the entire city unin-
habitable. Early Gethamanians learned this the hard
way.) Many of the artifacts found in the underways are
Mountain Folk workmanship.
Races and creatures of which humanity knows al-
most nothing, such as the centipede-like and savagely
bestial cthritae and the eldritch underfolk, shaped other
parts of the underways. Most of these “darkbrood” are
more or less hostile to humans while entities such as
the Leech Gods are utterly malignant. Vodak’s presence
subtly draws the most malevolent of these creatures and
inflames them with hatred of Gethamane; but most of
the gems and ores found by explorers come from mines
initiated by underdwellers. Some of the creatures that
attack Gethamane, however, are underdwellers slain
and reconstructed by Vodak. The hekatonkhire itself
created the soulsteel found in certain underways, as the
intensity of its necrotic Essence transforms veins of iron
ore when it passes.
Scroll of Fallen Races is the principal source of
information about the Mountain Folk. See also Dreams
of the First Age: Book Two—Lords of Creation, pages
118–121 for brief treatments of the Mountain Folk and
underfolk, while The Books of Sorcery, Vol. IV—The
Roll of Glorious Divinity I describes the monstrous Leech
Gods on pages 69–70.
classes or interest groups that cut across divisions of income. THE PEOPLE
The farmers maintain the magical Gardens. Hunters and Gethamanians do not look like other Northerners.
gatherers bring additional food and other commodities from At least half the people never go outside, giving their skin
outside. The Guard preserves civic order and defends against an unnatural pallor. Only the hunters and gatherers, who
the monsters of the underways. Artisans fashion the tools must spend much of their time outdoors, show color in their
and implements needed for daily life. Merchants trade with cheeks, roughened skin or other signs of exposure to sun
the Guild and other outsiders. A large administration of and weather.
clerks and bureaucrats keeps everyone else working together A hundred yards of insulating stone and the heat of
efficiently—or at least tries. Gethamanians often follow the 80,000 bodies keep Gethamane warm. Within the city,
same occupation as their parents.

Gethamanians dress lightly. Most citizens wear cotton or LEISURE
silk robes or tunics and trousers. Guards wear tunics and Citizens who perform sufficient labor to earn their Dole
trousers under their armor, though they also wear boots can do whatever they want with any spare time. Respectable
instead of the usual soft slippers. Farmers wear simple pastimes include quiet exercise, productive crafts (the current
brown robes. Hunters and gatherers, of course, need heavy fad is carving imported driftwood), watching morally uplifting
wool, fur and leather when they go outside. Regardless plays and writing pastiches of barbarian epics about honor
of occupation, Gethamanians prefer deep colors, grays, and virtue. Gethamanians also enjoy music, favoring wind
black or brown. They reserve brightly hued clothing for instruments or soft string instruments. Music never includes
the bedchamber. drums: Such instruments are reserved for the Guard’s use.
FAMILIES AND ADOPTION Lives constrained by tunnel walls, crowded families,
Family and class intertwine in Gethamane. The pros- dependence on the Dole and vigilance against invading
perous folk of the Outer Ring and Garden District generally horrors result in many Gethamanians feeling the need for
belong to clans who number in the hundreds and occupy stronger and stranger release from tension. Behind closed
large sectors of tunnels and chambers. The poorer folk of the doors (or pulled screens) they take a wide variety of drugs,
Upper Ring still manage to live as extended families with from imported opium and qat to hallucinogenic local mush-
dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins and kin all together. Quite rooms. Casual sex, quite outside of marriage, is also common.
simply, it takes a degree of wealth to acquire enough space Some Gethamanians seek pain instead of pleasure, leading
for a family to stay together; but a family that stays together to private sessions of torture between consenting (or pay-
can also economize through hand-me-down clothing, stack- ing) adults. Scarification is currently fashionable, sometimes
ing relatives in bunk beds instead of renting more space and undertaken using drugs to intensify the pain.
similar expedients. The truly poor live in whatever disused Gethamanians are quite strict, though, that indecorous
corners of the city they can find. Their children are lucky if amusements not leave a mark or disturb the neighbors. Even
they can stay with their parents until adulthood. Many waifs the young who want to shock their parents keep their scars
make their own way in the city because their parents are too or welts hidden beneath clothing, so they can show a placid,
poor to care for them. pale and unmarked face in public. Likewise, Gethamanians
Gethamanians reckon descent through the female line, only complain about a neighbor who copulates with imported
though a woman’s current husband is legally the father of all goats if he doesn’t keep the noise down. The great unwritten
her children. Families often adopt children too, a custom that law of Gethamane is simply this: Don’t make a fuss. Don’t
began as a way to make sure that orphans—future workers— disturb the functioning of the city. And, don’t be loud. Many
would survive and to provide childless couples with heirs to ears are listening… and no matter what you do or where you
care for them in their old age. Now the custom has a life do it, you want to hear the distant alarm-drum or the nearby
of its own, and most large families include a few adopted hiss or scuttling that means the horrors are loose and you
members. Adoption ends all ties to the former family, legally must run or fight for your life.
and (Gethamanians hope) emotionally. FOREIGNERS
Gethamane doesn’t treat unions between cousins While Gethamane has its poor, people from outside
as incest but forbids unions between adopted siblings. the city form the true underclass. By law, foreigners can
Constant adoption prevents serious inbreeding, but many stay in Gethamane for just one month a year, and they are
tragic plays deal with youths who fall in love with adopted strongly encouraged to stay in the Guild District. (Visitors
siblings. (Such plays usually end with murderous rampages who wander soon find Guards asking, with edged politeness,
and suicide, or one lover nobly choosing exile. Comedies if they are lost. Visitors who wander near the Gardens find
end with one lover adopted into a different family, making Guards drawing steel on them.) Shopkeepers overcharge
their marriage permissible.) them. Other Gethamanians treat them rudely. Even the
When a Gethamanian of humble birth shows great skill beggars who smile and plead for coins then sneer and mock
and dedication, a wealthy and socially prominent family may when no outsiders watch them. Foreigners stand out. They
adopt her. Not only does this provide Gethamane with a lack the subterranean pallor, the clothes, the accent and ways
unique form of social mobility, it prevents the leading families of speaking that characterize a Gethamanian.
from becoming stagnant and complacent. The only way a foreigner can stay indefinitely in
Most citizens are known by their personal name followed Gethamane is for a native family to adopt them. Even
by a family name. For extra formality, Gethamanians give marriage does not suffice: Gethamane does not recognize
a person’s name followed by “of the such-and-such family.” marriages to outsiders. Someone must attest that she takes
Distinguished Gethamanians add a descriptive epithet, the the foreigner as a son or daughter. The adopted outsider
way Bethan was called Redeye or the current Mistress Katrin then must register for the Dole and turn in timesheets that
is called Jadehand for the martial prowess she showed during prove her daily labor, just like every other citizen. Such
her youth as a Guard. adopted citizens still endure chaffing and snubs for a while,
40
but they eventually learn to fit in and other Gethamanians The harvest goes to depots where the farmers issue
learn to recognize them. the Dole. Minor administrators check the identity of each
Very few foreigners win adoption into Gethamanian claimant and issue the requisite amount of food for the
society. Families reserve adoption as a reward for outsid- citizen’s family. Several Guards stand watch at every depot.
ers who make themselves truly beloved or who perform These parts of the Garden District stay constantly busy, with
extraordinary services for the city. The Guild has tried for queues of people waiting for the Dole and actors, musicians
centuries to get agents adopted into Gethamane. So far, and other entertainers hoping to make a bit of silver by
the result has been not the subversion of Gethamane but amusing them.
the disgrace of any family the Guild bribed or deluded into The core of the Gardens holds a knot of small, oddly
performing the adoption. shaped caves with a pedestal in the center. The fungi overflow
the trays here to cover the floor and walls, though never the
pedestal. Glyphs engraved on the pedestal make the Garden’s
GUILD AMBITIONS basic operation obvious to anyone who studies them. Back
In case it needs to be said, the Guild wants Getha- in the first Age, a Dragon-Blooded manager of the Gardens
mane. The Guild already uses the city as its hub for wrote these instructions using the Craft Icon Charm (see
commerce in the Far North. The residency rules, how- The Manual of Exalted Power—The Dragon-Blooded,
ever, inhibit factors from building long-term business p. 130). Advanced procedures (involving alchemical treat-
relationships. Over the centuries, many factors have ments, special lighting conditions and the like) enable the
drawn up plans for using the secure location and food Gardens to produce any sort of vegetable matter, but these
supply of Gethamane as the anchor for a commercial are scribed on the walls in ordinary Old Realm script—and
empire in the North. For instance, one plan calls for bioengineering jargon that few people in the Second Age
using troops from Gethamane to secure the bay to the could possibly understand.
North and turn it into a home port for an ice ship fleet Over the centuries, the Gethamanians figured out that
that could contest Haslanti dominance in the White this cave is a powerful manse (Earth ••••), whose power is
Sea. Such plans remain idle fancies, however, unless entirely devoted to fueling the Gardens’ magical fecundity.
the Guild can bend Gethamane to its will. It has no known hearthstone.
THE FARMER CULT

MAKING A LIVING The Gethamanians do not realize that the Gardens’
However strange Gethamane seems to outsiders, its manse is damaged. It hasn’t suffered any sort of power
people still need to eat, craft tools and otherwise secure their failure, but spending too much time in the Gardens
livelihoods—even if they do things a little differently. can affect a person’s mind. Affected people become
FARMING obsessed with providing the Gardens with… richer
The Gardens occupy a complex of long, dark caves. compost. A secret cult among the farmers conducts
The entrances have light crystals, but the Gardens them- human sacrifices. Now and then, a criminal sentenced
selves are dark except for faint luminous streaks that mark to work in the Gardens suffers a “fatal accident” that
the edges of paths and growing fields. Various sorts of fungi leaves him spread-eagled over a tray, bled dry and
grow in shallow, bathtub-sized trays set in the floor. Only emasculated before the body is discovered.
a few trays are cracked and no longer function. The entire Only senior farmers participate in the cult. The
circular array of chambers is two miles wide—probably the Mistress and several other leading citizens know about
most productive acreage in Creation. The dung and offal the cult but choose not to get involved. The older
that the farmers dump in the trays are wholly inadequate to farmers believe they must propitiate the Gardens and
sustain the mushrooms and other fungi that grow with un- the gods of fungi in this manner. Other Gethamanians
natural speed to feed tens of thousands of people every day. believe the farmers and fear to change any of their
Despite the unsavory fertilizer, the farmers keep the rest of traditions. An expert in geomancy or Craft (Genesis)
the Gardens swept and scrubbed spotlessly clean. who examines the Gardens’ instructions can tell that
The farmers do not speak much as they work. Some the sacrifices are completely unnecessary.
farmers push barrows full of dung through the narrow
paths between trays, then spread this fertilizer over the
chosen beds. Other farmers add bits of the fungi they HUNTING AND GATHERING
intend to grow or add water from wheeled tanks. A few The hunters and gatherers supply far less food than the
hours later, the farmers trundle past with a new set of Gardens, but other Gethamanians value their contribution
barrows for the harvest. a great deal. The Gethamanians could live exclusively on

fungi from the Gardens (and have in the past, for years at a COMMERCE
time) but the hunters and gathers supply flavor. The hunters Guards direct all visitors to the Guild District of Getha-
bag reindeer, ducks and other game. The gatherers collect mane, the site of most of the city’s commerce. Each of the 20
edible lichen, berries, bulbs from winter-hardy herbs and passages to this district has a Guard post. Three large central
other foodstuffs. Hunters and gatherers can keep a fifth of caves hold the principal markets. The next rings out serve
what they bring to the city, to feed to their own family or sell. as warehouses. Beyond them lie accommodations for visitors
The rest goes to the Garden District depots for distribution and whatever Gethamanians (chiefly merchants and artisans)
as part of the Dole. choose to live near the places where they trade. The Guild
Over the centuries, the hunters and gatherers absorbed claims a large sector for its own caravans. Lesser merchants
just about every trade that involves bringing raw materials and miscellaneous travelers rent rooms from the Guild or
into Gethamane. For instance, Gethamanians consider log- from Gethamanian owners. Some visitors just camp in the
ging a form of gathering. warehouses or disused corridors.
Some Gethamanians keep sheep and goats. During the The Guard watches the Guild District closely. Guards
brief summer, their herds graze on the mountain slopes. at each entrance keep careful records of everyone who enters
The animals spend the long winter inside the city with and leaves, and what they bring to the city. In daily sweeps
their owners, though. Gethamanians usually pen these through the district, the Guard seeks and removes people
animals in sections of the Upper Ring, among the poor. who overstay their one-month welcome. Guards also remind
Their owners harvest huge amounts of hay to feed their visitors who have a day or two to go that they should prepare
beasts over the winter; as a result, animal husbandry is also to leave soon. The Guild District sees a constant turnover
treated as gathering. as traders come and go.
Five large warehouse-chambers, spaced around the Up-
per Ring, are kept cold with ice brought from outside. The THE THREE MARKETS
city owns these chilled warehouses. Any Gethamanian can As its name suggests, the Food Market sells food, in
store food here, at a cost of one-twentieth the food’s value bulk or retail. Many enterprising citizens have set up snack
(or of the food itself). Hunters and gatherers often use this bars and cooking stalls. The large stalls for imported raw,
option, since keeping large amounts of valuable meat or processed or preserved foods occupy the center of the cave.
vegetables in one’s home invites thievery. Plenty of Guards Further out lie smaller stalls for cooking services or luxury
patrol the warehouses to protect their contents. The cor- foods (including wine and beer). The northern end of the
ridors near the warehouses bustle with merchants, beggars, great circular chamber holds stalls for drugs and medicines.
hunters, gatherers and other citizens trying to strike deals. The largest stall belongs to the city of Gethamane itself. It
Wealthy Gethamanians can enjoy fresh reindeer steaks with sells food from the fungal gardens at a low price to undercut
cloudberry jelly. The poor hustle for suspiciously overripe most of the other food stalls, and bring more revenue to the
snowshoe hare carcasses. It’s no accident that the poor folk city government.
of the Upper Ring suffer rates of food poisoning much higher The Metal Market deals in goods made of metal or
than in the rest of Gethamane. stone, both raw materials and finished products. Naturally,
Mining, too, is considered a form of gathering. Getha- weapons and armor make up a good bit of the business.
mane operates a few small mines for copper, salt and mica. Some artisans set up shop in the market itself to forge
The Guild operates several more, and Gethamane still gets items to order, keeping the market both smoky and
most of its metal from the Guild. noisy. The Metal Market is also the traditional spot to
sell treasures recovered from the underways, even in the
(admittedly rare) cases when such items are not mineral
in nature.
COOKERY The Wood Market began by selling timber, firewood
Much of the Dole is simply washed, sliced, and furniture. It then branched out into cloth and by now
spiced and eaten raw. Living underground limits has become a catchall for any commodity or service that
Gethamanian cooking: The ventilation system doesn’t deal with food or metal. Knowledge is the Wood
cannot handle a lot of smoke. People often stir-fry Market’s most distinctive trade: petty thaumaturges,
their food using dried grass for short bursts of intense charm-sellers and diviners, guides to the city and the
heat. They also pack slow-burning, nearly smokeless surrounding countryside, books, and of course “true and
fuel such as dried peat within a heavy crock and verifiable” maps to the underways. The Guard turns a blind
place a smaller pot within it. Gethamanians often eye to such frauds, as Gethamanians believe that anyone
freeze-dry foodstuff on the windswept mountain stupid enough to fall for such a scam deserves whatever
heights, then reconstitute it by stewing it in such a happens to him.
“Gethamane oven.” In contrast to Gethamane’s usual mania for control, the
city lets merchants hash out for themselves who parks their
42
stall where. The Guild naturally has the largest stalls in the RELIGION AND THE SUPERNATURAL
best locations. All stalls are made of wood. Some trading Most Gethamanians are not very religious. They leave
groups arrange to use a stall in shifts as they enter and leave such matters to priestly professionals. Gethamane’s own gods
the city, so they can keep a good location. Some stalls stay make few demands—they haven’t even given their names—
in the same location for decades, which brings considerable and other gods show little interest in the City Under the
respect to their owners. Mountain. Worshipers of other gods can set up shrines in the
TRIBUNAL CAVE Guild District. The city sets aside several rooms for visitors
The most opulent chamber in the Guild District is to dress in whatever temporary temple trappings they want.
reserved for consultations between Guild factors and local Only Immaculate shrines are not allowed—a centuries-old
officials, or any merchants whose wealth or power earn holdover from an encounter with exceptionally high-handed
them the Guild’s respect. Ornate gilded tables, chairs and missionaries that went badly. Shrines are forbidden elsewhere
divans, costly silks and brocades, ornaments of porcelain in the city (though the Guards ignore portable traveler’s
and jade and other fripperies serve to impress visitors shrines unless they want an excuse to harass a visitor). As
with the Guild’s wealth. Costly liquors and exotic drugs long as worshipers do not break Gethamane’s civil laws, the
impair a visitor’s judgment in other ways. The Guild can city government turns a blind eye.
also bring in superb courtesans or anything or anyone else TEMPLES TO UNKNOWN GODS
needed to bedazzle or befuddle a target. Meetings range Gethamane’s temples consist of three spacious rooms near
from staid discussions of tariffs and commercial law to the top of the mountain. Their walls bear jewel-encrusted
wild debauches—with a contract and pen offered at a carvings of mountains and strange flying creatures. (The
strategic moment. decorations include tiny quantities of moonsilver, starmetal,
The Guild uses its own mercenaries to protect Tribunal orichalcum and jade, but extracting a useful amount would
Cave, and keeps the city Guard away as much as possible. take days of very public effort.) Blue-white Essence fires burn
Naturally, the Guard takes every excuse to search Tribunal above the three circular altars.
Cave. Indeed, the Guard takes any chance to ransack Guild People who enter the temples feel an eerie sense of being
quarters in search of incriminating documents or other evi- watched, but no deity has ever manifested. Those who sleep in
dence of misbehavior.

a temple experience vivid, confusing dreams, often of frantic mandalas or their liturgies, but they feel driven to perform
searching or desperate flight. Some dreamers find answers to both. Afterward, they clean and polish the temples.
questions that bothered them. This is the chief reason why The acolytes themselves have no hierarchy. The Master
Gethamanians visit the temples. More likely, dreamers spend or Mistress of Gethamane appoints a High Priest or Priestess,
the next few nights in sleepless anticipation or dread. A few just so the city’s Council has a single person with which to
feel called to serve as priests. A very few wake in screaming work. Gethamanians call the other priests Father or Mother,
terror. They cannot remember their dreams but cannot bear regardless of their age.
to spend another minute in the city. Gethamanians know In addition to propitiating Gethamane’s nameless gods
that such people may injure or kill themselves if kept from and assisting people who want to dream in the temples, the
escaping. Fortunately, they seem to recover their wits once priests act as exorcists. When Gethamanians feel that some
they depart and can no longer see the mountain. malign influence affects their lives, they call in a priest to
Gethamanians do not become priests deliberately. The conduct banishing rituals. These ceremonies involve lots
priesthood began early in the settlement of Gethamane, of community participation. When the malign influence
when a few loners who slept in the temples then told Bethan is a grudge between neighbors, the shared ritual can help
Redeye that they had to serve in the temples instead of doing ease the conflict. Yet, some priests study the thaumatur-
other work. The first Mistress of Gethamane acquiesced. All gical Art of Warding and Exorcism (see The Books of
subsequent priests have been similarly dream-called. Priests Sorcery, Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex, pp. 141–144) in
receive a share in the Dole equal to that of a mid-ranking case the malign influence is a rampaging demon or other
Guard or farmer. supernatural horror.
Priests abandon their old lives. They offer flowers and
animal blood on the altars. Late at night, the priests cover
THE DEAD
By law, Gethamanians cremate their dead in the
the temple floors with complex designs drawn in ink, colored
Essence-fires of the temples. Families keep the ashes in small
sand or, occasionally, their own blood, while chanting in an
ornamental boxes, scatter them on the mountain slope or add
unknown tongue. The priests cannot explain either their
them to the fertilizer for the Gardens. Some families do not
want to relinquish the bodies of their loved ones, however,
leading to a small industry of illicit embalming and taxidermy.
These families bribe suitable bureaucrats to attest to a body’s
SECRETS OF THE TEMPLES cremation, then actually have the corpse preserved. Now
The source of the chants and mandalas is obscure
and then, an embalmed (or stuffed) corpse is discovered in
but not unknowable: The liturgies are in High Holy
a hidden room or secreted in a family’s quarters. This always
Speech, the language of the Dragon Kings. The temple
leads to a search of the area for other bodies and the arrest of
walls portray members of the Pterok breed of this
everyone involved. No one knows the full extent of mortuary
ancient, nearly extinct race. The inscriptions found
crime, but it is especially common among the rich families
in the chambers used by the hunters and gatherers are
of Gethamane, who can afford the needed bribery and have
likewise written in this obscure tongue. The priests’
the space to hide their ancestors.
mandalas, however, come from the practices of the
Despite this illicit ancestor reverence, Gethamane has
Mountain Folk.
no true ancestor cult. This is because Gethamane has no
Each of the three temples houses a god of air, sky
ghosts at all. Gethamanians accept this as normal.
and flight. The Solars who built Gethamane recruited
these three small gods to circulate the city’s air and
keep it fresh. When the City of the Mountain Gate-
way died, the gods lost all their worshippers; the gods
found no help in Yu-Shan, for the other gods were GHOSTS IN GETHAMANE
preoccupied with the Usurpation and losses among Few of the materialistic Gethamanians become
their own worshipers. So the three gods waited in their ghosts after death. They never last long if they do.
temples, alone and slowly going mad, but continuing Vodak spawns numerous smaller versions of itself that
their duty. sweep through Gethamane’s counterpart in the Under-
The gods try to touch the minds of sleepers and world, and immaterially through the city in Creation.
help them with their problems, but they aren’t very Those with Essence senses (such as All-Encompassing
good at it. Some dreamers catch a bit of the gods’ Sorcerer’s Sight) occasionally see a wash of silver move
insanity and feel compelled to serve as their priests. swiftly through a room or corridor. The rush affects
Others receive the gods’ memories of the First Age nothing in the material world, but any immaterial
city’s extermination by Vodak. This drives them mad creature is most likely doomed. In the Underworld,
with the need to flee. Vodak’s spawn devour any ghost within minutes.
44
THE EXALTED AND OTHER ESSENCE WIELDERS to earn their Dole, and minor lawbreakers who pay their debt
Gethamanians do not much like the Terrestrial Exalted, to society as unskilled labor or nursing staff, assist the staff
chiefly because of high-handed Immaculates and Dynasts. They of priests and healers. The hospice sees a constant stream of
also know the danger of showing such dislike. The Dragon- sick and injured poor people from the Upper Ring. The Jade
Blooded rarely stay in Gethamane for long, though. They have Hospice does not have the best-trained staff of Gethamane’s
bad dreams as the maddened gods clumsily try to warn them hospitals, but it currently has the most reliable funding. Its
and, through them, the long-dead Solar Deliberative. director, the matronly Enath Daur, comes from a leading
The people have no experience with other Exalted—that farmer family. She also holds a Council seat, where she works
they know about—so they base their opinions on stories. to improve the lot of Upper Ring folk, or at least make sure
They fear the Lunar Exalted as patrons of the icewalkers and they are not further marginalized.
other barbarians. The Bull of the North is distant but sounds THE JANISSARY VAULT
dangerous. Of course, Gethamanians have no knowledge of Not everyone in Gethamane relies on the Guard for
the Sidereals. Other Exalted are too new for Gethamanians their safety. The Janissary Vault, located in the Outer Ring,
to know about them. Any Exalted who visit Gethamane, supplies warriors, bodyguards and assorted muscle for hire. Its
or Exalt among them, could determine how the people feel owner, the melodramatically named Vaultmaster (and yes,
about their kind for centuries to come. he goes masked) says that his service would never consider
Gethamane’s hunters and gatherers occasionally en- doing anything against the laws of Gethamane. Neverthe-
counter the Fair Folk. The tales of the survivors ensure the less, a sufficiently discreet client can arrange for any sort of
Gethamanians’ thorough hatred and fear of the raksha. For- thuggery short of murder. Many people suspect the Janissary
tunately for Gethamane, the local Fair Folk have no desire to Vault is a front for the Guild (mercenaries being one of the
enter a city that gives them the creeping horrors—not even Guild’s core businesses). The Guild would like to own the
fae who normally might relish such a strange and dramatic Janissary Vault, but the business has stayed independent
emotion. Fair Folk blame this aversion on the city’s jade since it began 50 years ago.
and orichalcum gates, not on quiescent reality engines or The Vault’s mercenaries are about evenly divided
an instinctual sense for Vodak’s presence. between outsiders who managed to wangle adoption into
Demons rarely enter Gethamane—most likely sum- Gethamanian families, and Gethamanians who were expelled
moned or sent there on a mission by a sorcerer or thaumaturge. from the Guard or who found its standards of courage and
Gethamanians abhor demons as much as most people do. discipline too difficult. Janissaries receive little respect, for
Demons also seem to loathe Gethamane, and do not linger they are not duty-bound to run toward monsters. Gethamane’s
even when they have the chance. They feel something im- government does not accept Vault employment as any sort
mensely darker and more dangerous than themselves lurking of service to the city, greatly limiting their Dole ration.
nearby. Gods and elementals avoid the city for the same Mistress Katrin and the Council would like an excuse to
reason, though none of these spirits can find the ultimate shut down the Janissary Vault, or at least force it to register
source of the terrifying Essence. every job and client.
Gethamane’s limited contact with supernatural creatures
means the city has almost no God-Blooded citizens or other THE PHILOSOPHY CELL
half-breed channelers of Essence. Gethamanians rarely try to A collection of public meeting rooms in the Outer Ring
enlighten their own Essence either, due to their cultural isola- hosts an informal club of amateur intellectuals and pseudo-
tion and lack of any institution to encourage this practice. intellectuals. Members range from young people who want
The Guard wants to recruit thaumaturges for the en- to pick up some radical ideas with which to shock their
chantments, talismans and alchemical medicines they can parents, to careful scholars of Gethamane’s many myster-
provide. The city has few skilled thaumaturges, though. ies. In between are unlicensed thaumaturges, drug addicts,
Thaumaturgically proficient outsiders who want to join the devotees of self-created religions and people who just want
Guard can easily wangle adoption into a family with strong to argue. Most members are harmless and frivolous. A few
traditions of Guard membership. regulars are serious and capable savants, varying widely in
their ethics—from Serret of the Bethanites, a painstaking
DISREPUTABLE FOLK amateur historian of the city, to the alchemist Tazar Pellan,
Most Gethamanians like to think of their society as who tests his concoctions on people who want “mystical
prosperous and orderly, controlled and smugly secure. Nev- experiences,” to Damaithe Yarni, a thaumaturge and closet
ertheless, the city has its poor, its discontented and indeed demonologist.
its actively criminal.
THE RAT’S NEST
THE JADE HOSPICE A gang of juvenile thieves makes its clubhouse in an
Not far from the temples lies Gethamane’s largest charity abandoned, junk-filled storehouse in the eastern sector of
hospital, the Jade Hospice. Citizens who volunteer as a way the Outer Ring. Most of the children come from middle- or

upper-class families and think that their “Society of Thieves” institutions. Indeed, custom holds that a Bethanite who wants
is all a grand game organized by their leader, Jaxar. The to administer some aspect of city life should have practiced
children commit petty thefts, pull pranks and generally it as well. Most of all, though, Gethamane needs educated
cause mischief. clerks and shrewd negotiators to distribute the Dole and deal
The children know that Jaxar isn’t really a fellow child, with Guild. Some members of the clan choose occupations
but they don’t think of her as really a grown-up, either. Jaxar ranging from painter to swordsman, but they all start by
is a dwarf with a preternaturally youthful face… and she works learning arithmetic, reading and writing.
for the Guild. The children do not realize that the gossip Gethamane’s current ruler is Katrin Jadehand, a woman
they pass to their young-old playmate goes to the Guild— in her 50s who has been Mistress for 10 years. She was both
or that exposure of their naughty deeds could disgrace their the previous Master’s choice and a popular favorite. Katrin
families. Jaxar watches their parents to gauge who she could spends a great deal of time pondering how best to assure her
blackmail through their children’s misdeeds. She expects city’s stability and survival. While she pragmatically realizes
to build a cadre of citizens in Gethamane’s upper class who that Gethamane might need to ally with some greater power,
serve the Guild to avoid disgrace. she would rather avoid this—and she will try not to accept
any alliance that she cannot afford to break later.
SEVENTH HALL
Despite their poverty, the Rasri family of dung-carriers, THE INTELLIGENCERS
sweepers and garbage pickers have held this set of chambers Everyone in Gethamane knows that Bethanite family
in the Upper Ring for many years. They now use the Seventh members pass information to the city’s Mistress. To learn
Hall as the meeting place for a conspiracy of other poor and what citizens and visitors don’t want the government to
discontented Gethamanians. The conspirators are angry know, the Mistress has spies called Intelligencers. Undercover
with the city’s government and want to replace it with the informants are difficult to recruit, though. Adopted outsiders
Guild. They imagine that they would get rich if they could can’t pass for native Gethamanians, and the strong tradition
own slaves to do the drudgery they currently perform, and of family loyalty means that few Gethamanians would serve
that the Guild could make Gethamane the mightiest nation the Mistress ahead of their own kin.
of the North. Family patriarch and conspiracy leader Yftar The Head Intelligencer, a man called Shakan who poses
Rasri seeks Guild support for his conspiracy. So far, the Guild as a Deputy Almoner in the Dole administration, solves this
rejects his advances as obvious attempts at entrapment. problem through blackmail. His agents all watch for criminal
activity. Shakan then threatens the criminal with exposure
GOVERNMENT and attendant disgrace to her family. Once a blackmail victim
Administering the Dole requires a small army of petty works as an informer, she is caught: Gethamanians despise
bureaucrats, who monitor every citizen’s activities to make the Intelligencers, so an exposed agent suffers worse ostracism
sure that she deserves her share of the fungus gardens’ bounty. than she might have received from her original crime.
In some ways, however, Gethamane’s government remains Shakan has agents throughout Gethamanian society. He
that of a small town. At its heart, the city’s government con- has no agents among the priests, whose religious obsessions
sists of a leader, an old, rich and powerful extended family, sever them from most aspects of mundane life. The Head
and a small group of cronies. Intelligencer has a few spies among foreign merchants, but
he does not trust them very much. Shakan very much wants
THE RULING CLASS to recruit informants within the Guild, as he does not trust
The descendants of Bethan Redeye still rule Gethamane. the merchant princes one bit.
The city’s monarch, called the Master or Mistress, chooses a
successor from the Bethanite clan—usually a son, daughter, THE COUNCIL
niece or nephew, but sometimes from remote cousins. The The Mistress of Gethamane appoints a committee of
monarch always must have a designated heir, though the 15 advisors: three each from the city guards, the farmers,
designation can be changed at whim. In Gethamane’s only the hunters and gatherers, the artisans and the merchants.
recorded coup attempt, the disgruntled Mineko Threebrand of Bethan Redeye began the custom and now no one would
the Guard tried poisoning all the then-Master’s close relatives. dream of challenging it. The Council meets three times a
The Master quickly adopted three leading Gethamanians (all month, though the Mistress can call for special sessions.
remotely descended from Bethan Redeye) as his offspring to These advisors have no official power, but serving as
replenish the clan. Today, the Bethanites number more than the voices for their occupations gives Council members
2,000—all of them potential heirs. great prestige and influence. Any member of their interest
Most Bethanites work as administrators, magistrates, group who wants to lobby the Mistress does it through his
accountants and scribes. They form much of the city’s civil delegates. On the other hand, a shrewd Mistress knows that
service. Bethanites often undergo basic training as guards she must keep the five great factions happy, and so treats
or farmers as well, the better to deal with those important her Council with respect. Mistress Katrin often acts more as
46
a mediator between the delegates than as an autocrat (and parties are culpable, as when a quarrel escalates to a public fight
some past Masters and Mistresses became virtual puppets of and no one can prove who started it). Maiming, accidental
powerful Councils). death and rape result in major fining, a long period of hard
Council members hold their posts until they die, resign labor, exile or some combination of the three. Murderers are
or are fired by the city’s Mistress. When a faction loses a condemned to permanent hard labor, exile or execution. A
delegate, senior faction members offer the Mistress a list dead victim’s share of any restitution goes to her family. In
of possible replacements. The Mistress then selects a new cases of homicide, proof of self-defense or extreme provoca-
Council member from the list. Vacancies on the Council tion can reduce a sentence but not eliminate it completely:
result in a frenzy of politicking from the faction in ques- Gethamane cannot tolerate the loss of any citizen’s labor.
tion, from other Council members seeking the appointment
of allies and from the Guild. In the event that all three of
THE SECOND RULE
Jade pays for jade: All crimes of theft or other trespass on
a faction’s posts fall vacant, the Mistress can appoint new
another’s goods shall be repaid twofold, once to the victim and
delegates without consultation, as the city most likely faces
once to the city.
an immediate crisis.
This law covers all forms of theft, including forms of fraud
THE ADMINISTRATION such as giving short weight or delivering goods of lower quality
All of Gethamane’s government offices occupy the outer than promised. Damaging a person’s possessions (including
circles of the Garden District. Each location actually consists slaves) also falls under this law. Under the Second Rule, it’s a
of several large rooms and corridors. Here, clerks keep the crime to charge outsiders less than a citizen of Gethamane—
Dole lists and records of visitors to the city. The Council this is stealing from the city’s prosperity as a whole. The city’s
meets in one large chamber, adorned with portraits of past magistrates and accountants measure losses to the last grain
Masters and Mistresses. Citizens can visit the Hall of Records of jade and insist on precise repayment, though transactions
and Hall of Maps to check on property lines. (Outsiders can use the Guild’s silver more often than jade.
consult these records as well, for a small fee.) Magistrates re-
solve civil disputes and try criminal cases in the Courthouse.
THE THIRD RULE
What we have, we hold: All crimes of trespass on another’s
Children who receive any education beyond basic literacy
domain shall be paid for by a gift of land in turn, or the Dole shall
and arithmetic go to a school connected to the City Library.
be remitted and the trespasser cast forth to starve.
Bethanites staff many of the government posts but at least a
If people who dislike each other cannot escape each
third of the clerks and officials come from other families.
other’s company, their enmity can escalate to murder.
Even more than the rest of Gethamane, the administra-
Gethamanians, therefore, value privacy as much as life and
tive areas stay busy all the time. Each shift of functionaries
property, and trespass on another family’s territory becomes
simply takes the desks vacated by the shift before them.
a serious crime. Gethamanians treat malicious gossip about
Children attend school in shifts as well, and mobs of chil-
another person’s activities as a form of trespass.
dren surge through the tunnels at each shift change. Only
When two disputing parties share a property line, the
the Council doesn’t work around the clock, though sessions
penalty usually consists of moving that boundary by a foot or
may last for days as members debate especially knotty or
two to give the victim a section of the trespasser’s territory.
contentious issues.
This results in many instances of two families sharing a room,
The Garden District includes the rooms and offices of
with screens set up to give them an illusion of privacy. It can,
Gethamane’s ruler, passed from Master to Mistress for cen-
indeed, be grounds for lawsuit to respond to anything one
turies. It’s a point of pride to change as little as possible from
hears on the other side of such a screen… though noise of a
Bethan Redeye’s original sparse furniture and belongings.
sufficient volume (or sufficiently disturbing nature) that it
LAW AND CRIME cannot be ignored is also an offense. When disputants do not
Gethamane’s law centers on the Three Rules set down share a boundary, the city confiscates part of the trespasser’s
by Bethan Redeye. Both civil disputes and criminal trials property, then allows her family to “buy it back” and pays
often hinge on whether or how one of the Three Rules was the resulting silver to the plaintiff’s family.
broken. Gethamanians are strict about privacy and property,
but not insane. The Guard can go anywhere in pursuit of a
THE FIRST RULE monster from the underways, and people fleeing a monster
Blood pays for blood, but it must serve the city: All crimes likewise have a right to cross another family’s property. (In-
of personal assault shall be paid as debts to Gethamane, and deed, a civic defense crisis trumps all questions of privacy
Gethamane shall reimburse the victim in turn. and territory.) Families usually forgive trespass by children
The First Rule covers all assaults on another person, from when a game of hide-and-seek gets out of hand (though
public brawling to rape or murder. Minor assaults are punished their parents might be notified). Persistent trespass by older
by fining or a period of forced labor. Half the proceeds go to children can result in lawsuit, though, and the child’s family
the victim and half to the city (or all to the city when both suffers significant disgrace.

Trespass becomes treason where the Gardens are con- Judges actually regard exile as a merciful punishment, and
cerned. Any citizen who helps outsiders enter the Gardens often use it to punish crimes of passion. An exile can even
commits a crime comparable to murder, for they endanger serve his sentence in Gethamane’s mines, and so remain
the city itself. loosely connected to the city. Temporary exile usually lasts
five years. After that, the criminal can resume his place in
TRIAL AND PUNISHMENT the city and among his family.
Trials take place in the Courthouse, a set of variously-sized
chambers. Three magistrates hear every case: a professional SLAVERY IN GETHAMANE
judge who is usually a Bethanite, a senior Guard and a senior Even though lawbreakers can be sentenced to a life of
farmer. The accused and the plaintiff both state their cases hard labor in the Gardens, Gethamane forbids individuals
to the panel of judges. If a plaintiff cannot speak on her own from owning slaves. Any labor must be hired, and hiring an
behalf, a relative or Guard can become her advocate (the outsider carries a hefty tariff. Gerath, the second Master, made
latter usually in cases of homicide). Gethamane’s courts ac- this law so that citizens could find work and to forestall slave
cept information obtained by magic or bound demons. The uprisings. Some merchants lobby to repeal this law, but most
three judges deliberate on the evidence, consult precedents Gethamanians want to preserve tradition. They identify slavery
and deliver a verdict and sentence. Any attempt to influ- with the Guild, and while Gethamanians know the Guild is
ence a judge, whether by bribery, threats or magic, is a major necessary, they also know the Guild is not their friend.
personal assault and punished accordingly. Gethamane’s law does not emancipate slaves who enter
Judges reserve execution as their ultimate sanction. the city, however. Therefore, Guild caravans regularly bring
More often, a murderer, traitor or other major felon is coffles of slaves through Gethamane. The Second Rule applies
blinded, branded and condemned to work to slaves within the city, and so the Guard can prevent serious
in the Gardens for the rest of his life. cruelty to slaves. If Guards witness beatings or other mistreat-
(Which might not be that ment, they can and do arrest everyone in sight on charges of
long, as such convicts be- “damaging another person’s property.” The
come favorite owner of the slaves
victims of the then must testify
farmer cult.) that he was damaging
48
his own property, or ordered another person to do so on his ema,” but anyone who can massacre Dynasts—hitherto the
behalf. No one suffers any punishment in such cases, but the city’s standard for powerful, erratic individuals—is a danger
confusion and delay caused by the trial does not help a slave the Gethamanians don’t want to face. Some Council members
caravan’s profits or reputation. believe the city can shut its doors and defy the Bull, just as it
Under the Second Rule, Gethamanians cannot claim has defied every other threat. Others are not so sure, fearing
animals that escape their pens: They must return the beast that the Anathema warlord could break the gates like a paper
to its owner. The Guard, however, seldom chooses to help screen. They all agree that Gethamane must learn more and
owners find slaves who escape in Gethamane. An escaped acquire whatever power and allies it can find.
slave who is adopted into a citizen family also leaves the
Second Rule’s purview, as she becomes a citizen herself. THE GUARD
Gethamane includes a few abolitionists who encourage slaves Gethamane has no army as such, only a Guard that keeps
to escape and come to them for adoption, though the city order and defends against creatures from the underways. At
government does not encourage this practice. 5,000 soldiers, the Guard is quite a formidable force for a
small city—but the Guard has no experience operating in
FOREIGN RELATIONS groups larger than the 20-man platoons. Guards wear red
Gethamane has little direct contact with the rest of lamellar armor and carry target shields blazoned with a white
Creation. Few Gethamanians travel, and few other people mountain on a red field. They favor heavy weapons such as
want to visit this remote bastion of civilization. No one can sledges, great axes and pickaxes—the sort of weapons that can
conquer Gethamane, and Gethamane cannot threaten any- hack, pierce and crush eldritch horrors. When riots erupt in
one else. Most Gethamanians know very little about the rest the Guild District or elsewhere, half the responding Guards
of Creation. Gethamane’s Mistress and Council now believe, carry leather-padded clubs, but the Guard never operates
however, that they must learn a great deal more about their without the threat of lethal force and big damage.
neighbors… particularly the Bull of the North. The Guard’s overall commander occupies a Guardhall in
The Realm never troubled Gethamane. Dynasts oc- the Garden District. Here the Guard trains, gathers to orga-
casionally visited to seek treasure in the underways, and nize hunts for invading monsters and imprisons lawbreakers.
far-traveling legions occasionally bought provisions at Unlike the subdued tones of the rest of Gethamane, bright
Gethamane, but the city never paid tribute. The Empress red pennants mark all entrances to the Guardhall. Doors in
once commissioned her strategoi to evaluate Gethamane for this complex are always high-quality iron.
conquest: These worthies concluded that the feat was possible The current Captain of the Guard, Golden Stag, is of ice-
for the Dynasty but not worth the trouble. Past Masters and walker descent, abandoned by his tribe as a child and adopted
Mistresses did not flaunt their defiance of the Realm, so the by a poor Gethamane family. Every other sentence or so, he
Empress never felt the need to make an example of the city. reminds people how he worked his way up the ranks. Golden
Since the Empress’s disappearance, no one in the Realm pays Stag is now in his 50s, a good leader of soldiers and convinced
much attention to the remote subterranean city. he has plenty of time before he needs to train a successor.
Whitewall is the closest that Gethamane comes to an Beneath Golden Stag are the North Gate and South
ally. Neither city has many other neighbors (that are hu- Gate Captains. The South Gate Captain, Mindros Yami,
man, at least). Gethamane’s leaders cultivate merchants stands out for his refusal to accept bribes from merchants.
from Whitewall just to remind the Guild that they can be The North Gate Captain, Gavne Wheelright, came from an
replaced; and it’s often cheaper to buy Whitewall’s metalwork artisan family but joined the Guards to avenge the death of
directly than through Guild intermediaries. his wife at the claws of underdwellers. A traveling Immaculate
Gethamane has an unfortunate history with the Haslanti monk also converted Gavne. He lobbies (though not loudly)
League, and Guildsmen still disparage the Haslanti. Never- for the Council to permit an Immaculate shrine. These three
theless, the Mistress and Council now seek better relations officers command various district and shift lieutenants, and
with the League as another alternative to the Guild. Guard posts are spread throughout the city.
Every year or two, an icewalker tribe follows a mammoth Each Guard post has a large drum mounted on the wall.
or reindeer herd through Gethamane’s territory. Gethamane’s In any disturbance, one soldier beats a signal on the drum to
hunters pick off straggling beasts, which the icewalkers do not alert other posts of the nature and location of the trouble,
like. On the other hand, Gethamanians sometimes trade with and to call for backup if this seems prudent. In the case of
icewalkers for meat, furs, hides, horn and ivory; but much of major disturbances such as monsters from the underways,
this trade goes through the Guild. (The walrus-hunters along riots or rampaging Exalts, a runner is additionally sent to the
the coast form a notable exception. Gethamane’s hunters Guardhall with a report and a request for full mobilization.
trade with these barbarians directly.) A few hundred Guards bunk in the Guardhouse at all times,
Even the isolationist Gethamanians hear stories about ready to go wherever they are needed.
the Bull of the North, and what they hear frightens the city’s Despite the high death rate that Guards suffer in monster
leaders. They don’t credit Realm propaganda about “Anath- attacks, the organization never lacks for recruits. In part, this

comes from the high prestige of the job (and high ration of the Might by one, treating its superior command of the territory
Dole). Less nobly, Guards receive greater opportunities to meet as a form of special equipment. In any case, ranged combat
outsiders… and collect small gifts and gratuities from them is effectively impossible in a citywide fight.
in return for assistance with the city’s bureaucracy. Golden Commanding Officer: Golden Stag
Stag cycles his soldiers through gate duty so everyone gets Armor Color: Red; target shield bears a white mountain
a fair share. Large bribes, however, or attempts to subvert a on a red field
Guard into serious breaches of the law, constitute “injury to Motto: “Let none of them survive!”
the city” and result in the Guard’s arrest if he is caught. General Makeup: 5,000 medium infantry with lamellar
armor and slotted helms, half carrying great axes and half
SAMPLE COMBAT UNITS with pickaxes and target shields
See pages 71–72 of Scroll of Kings for a sample Guard Overall Quality: Elite
platoon (Magnitude 2). All Guards have a Strength of at least Magnitude: 8
3 and are well-trained troops. Unfortunately, they have no Drill: 1
training at fighting in larger units than a platoon—in most Close Combat at Attack: 4 Close Combat Damage: 3
of Gethamane, it just isn’t possible to gather more soldiers in Ranged Attack: ck: — Ranged Damage: —
one place—and so cannot deploy units of higher Magnitude. Endurance: 5 Might: 1 Armor: 2 (-3
When several platoons act together, an overall commander mobility) Morale: 4
must attempt to coordinate them. So far, Gethamane has never Formation: Each platoon has a sergeant
fought an enemy that it could not defeat in this manner. hat signals other platoons
and a relay that
THE GUARD ENTIRE eats. All the soldiers are
using drumbeats.
Still… what if such an enemy did appear—an enemy heroic mortals.ls. Talismans, thauma-
that somehow could penetrate the jade-steel gates, or a major hantments on weapons
turgical enchantments
invasion from the underways? In such a case, the entire Guard raining at surrounding
and special training
might need to function as a single combat unit, against a and ganging up on foes supply the
single other combat unit of invaders. The Guard would suffer unit’s Might. t. While individual
from its lack of training at large-scale tactics and inability to platoons nor- or-
concentrate its forces, reducing its effective Drill. Then again, mally fight in
the enemy could not concentrate his forces either. The battle on,
close formation,
would consist of house-to-house (or cave-to-cave) fighting. in a citywide ide
The Guard, however, would frequently gain the advan- battle they aree ef-
tages of hard cover and fortification (see Scroll of Kings, ck in
fectively stuck
p. 12) from their superior knowledge of Gethamane’s tun- skirmish formation.
mation.
nels. Gethamane’s people could also turn their partitions So are their enemies,
nemies, as
into engineered obstacles comparable to fields of stakes or troops scatterr through the
brushwood-filled moats (see Scroll of Kings, p. 114). For a tunnels.
simpler approach, a Storyteller could simply raise the Guard’s
Gethamane, a Magnitude 3 Dominion

Abilities: Awareness 1, Bureaucracy 5, Craft 2 (Self-Sufficiency +2), Integrity 3 (Secret Police +1, Tight-Knit Heritage +2),
Investigation 4 (Conduct Interviews +1, Due Diligence +2), Occult 1, War 2 (Impregnable Defense +3)
Willpower: 7
Notes: Gethamane pays little heed to the rest of Creation, and has little capacity to influence everyone else. On the
other hand, it’s exceedingly difficult to obtain any leverage on Gethamane. The dominion’s external bonus points
come entirely from its alliance with the Guild and other merchants. These points pay for Gethamane’s single dot
of Awareness and a second dot of Craft. Gethamane’s bonus points go to a second dot of War and the dominion’s
many specialties. Gethamane has no savants or sorcerers.
In Limit Break, Gethamane resolves its internal conflicts by returning to its principles of absolute self-sufficiency
and absolute social control. The government expels all outsiders, locks the gates and forces the population to live
on the Dole for at least a season, and maybe as long as a year.
50
CHAPTER FOUR • AIR BOATS AND AMBITION 51
CHAPTER FOUR
AIR BOATS AND

AMBITION
No one in the North can survive alone. To the tribes 412. The shock of losing their deity plunged the Haslan
that formed the Haslanti League, however, rule by distant tribes into chaos and despair. Chiefs, shamans and whole
lords and impersonal laws meant slavery. Their confedera- bands sold themselves to the Fair Folk, to small gods or to
tion seeks a balance between the power of a unified state other Exalted, destroyed themselves in senseless vendettas or
and the intimacy and immediacy of tribal life. After 200 surrendered to the madness of the Wyld. Some believe the
years of improvisation and muddling through, the League savage, mute barbarians called the hushed ones (see p. XX)
has solidified and grown enough to become a major power descend from one such Wyld-maddened band.
in the North.
EMERGENCE
HISTORY Eventually, some bands settled in the comparatively
warm and fertile valleys called greenfields, and built villages
Four centuries ago, the Haslanti people consisted of
three related tribes of nomads that lived around the eastern (though they called them “camps” to avoid the lingering stig-
end of the White Sea. The Haslanesh bands followed the ma of town-dwelling). Tuskstad, Windcreche, Fort Bear and
herds of mammoth that they hunted. The Haslanahsa herded Icehome—known collectively as the Four Camps—emerged
reindeer. The Haslanosha herded elk. They all worshiped as centers of trade between tribes, bands and foreigners.
the Bear Woman, Arvida of the Crescent Eye, Goddess of The Guild encouraged this trend. These merchants
99 Forms, who forbade them to build towns. traded steel weapons, tools and foreign luxuries for ivory,
The goddess of the Haslan tribes was actually an old timber, woolen cloth, furs and leather. They taught the
and powerful Lunar Exalt. In RY 404, the Immaculate Order greenfield settlers to farm as well as graze their herds. They
began a Wyld Hunt that ended with Arvida’s death in RY also bade the Haslan to mine the North for gems and metals.
52
to a long-forbidden cave on the north shore of the White
SECRET HISTORY Sea. There, the explorers found a wonder: a First Age ship
The most ancient Haslanti legends say their on metal runners, built to skate on ice. The tribe copied the
ancestors came from a land even further north, where design. Iceboats carried the rebellion throughout the Haslan
they lived on an island in the sky. The legends are true: tribes until the Guild was secure only in the Four Camps.
Their ancestors came from the flying city of Tzatli, a In RY 580, talking eagles visited the chiefs and shamans
wonder of the Old Realm. Tzatli crashed during the of 40 Haslan bands. The eagles called them to an ancient and
Usurpation, and the survivors steadily moved south broken beacon of the First Age that overlooked the White Sea.
during the Shogunate period until they reached the At the Lighthouse of Twisted Stone, the leaders found Gerd
White Sea. They owed their survival through the Marrow-Eater, a Lunar of the No Moon Caste. He challenged,
Great Contagion and Fair Folk invasion to Arvida. fought and defeated the greatest champions of the Haslan,
She also kept them from following the arch-sorcerer but killed none. He took only the tip of each warrior’s little
Bagrash Köl, who still haunts Haslanti folktales as a finger on the left hand as token of his victory.
mad, demonic tyrant. Having established his credentials, Gerd called the
See The Manual of Exalted Power—The chiefs to a conclave. He pointed out that the Haslan people
Lunars, Chapter Two, for more about Arvida and outnumbered the Guildsmen more than 100 to one. Why
subsequent Lunar efforts to shape Haslanti culture. should they not rule their own lands? If the tribes fought as
one, they could defeat any invader. Then Gerd delivered a
final astonishment by refusing the chiefs who hailed him as
their king and god. He would not rule them. Three times
Whenever the Haslan balked at such a change to their he would lead them in battle, but the final victory would be
livelihood, the Guild brought in slaves… or mercenaries. their own. The Haslan would seize their own destiny and
Trade became tribute. Guild factors bought the favor of live as they chose, taking whatever elements they wanted
chiefs and set tribes warring against each other from civilization and tribal life. In three days of spirited
to take slaves. argument, the chiefs forged a covenant to unite the
The Haslan hated their masters and three Haslan tribes into one Haslanti nation.
learned to fight back. They could not defeat As Gerd promised, he led them three
the Guild’s mercenaries, but they could times to conquer Tuskstad, Fort Bear
launch guerilla raids. More importantly and Windcreche. By RY 583, the
perhaps, they could simply retreat into Haslanti were ready to attack Ice-
the Northern wilderness where home. Gerd helped the chiefs devise
the Guild could not find them. a battle-plan but departed be-
The tundra and taiga fore the attack. TThe
he Haslanti
were theirs. Soon, so took Icehome after 12
was the Great Ice be- days of fierce fighting,
yond the White Sea. and 12 chiefs died in
A shaman’s dream- commanding the
quest called a Haslanti horde.
group of Haslan The surviving,
victorious chiefs
found Gerd wait-
ing for them atop
the Guild’s fortress.
The Lunar spoke:

“You lost 12 chiefs, and so your nation will always have
12 chiefs to sit in council and judgment. As long as you FEATHERSTEEL
talk everything out before you fight, everything you can The League’s famous aerial vehicles would not
see from here, and more, shall belong to the League of the be possible without feathersteel, a metal available
Haslanti forever.” naturally in the Far North and in a few Air-aspected
And then, Gerd Marrow-Eater became an eagle and demesnes. Feathersteel is as strong as normal steel, at
flew away. a third the weight. It also resists rust. It results when
Air-aspected Essence saturates iron ore for centuries,
TRIALS OF A NEW NATION with a touch of Wyld to fuse incompatible properties.
Of course, the emergence of a powerful new nation in
Feathersteel ore weighs less than iron ore but seems
the North upset many established powers.
otherwise identical. The metal reveals its properties
The Scarlet Empress shrewdly judged that her legions
only when smelted. The Old Realm also manufac-
would not do well in the icy Northlands. Instead, she sent a
tured feathersteel. Much of Tzatli’s lower levels were
large contingent of Immaculate monks. She hoped that killing
constructed from feathersteel, making it the League’s
the Lunar Anathema and defeating patron gods would throw
single largest source of the metal.
the Haslanti into disarray as Arvida’s death had done, making
The Haslanti League controls much of the
the Haslanti an easy conquest. Yet, although the Immaculates
North’s known feathersteel mines and sells very little
freed many nearby tribes from burdensome obligations to
of the highly strategic metal. Making objects from
local gods, they never found Gerd and the effort failed. The
feathersteel adds one dot to the cost in the North, two
freed tribes responded by joining the League. The Immaculate
dots elsewhere in Creation. Feathersteel weapons and
Order has conducted several Haslanti crusades, converting
armor are exceptional due to their reduced weight.
few while provoking great irritation at the Realm.
The Guild tried to cut the new League off from trade
with other Northern states, notably Cherak and Gethamane.
In this way, the Guild’s leaders hoped to force the Haslanti sea, whales break ships, and ice cracks to plunge travelers
to accept the Guild as middlemen. The Guild actually man- in the frigid waters. Cold winds never stop blowing. The
aged to create a war between the League and Gethamane. Haslanti live across a huge and varied land, though, from
Both sides found the war singularly futile, as neither could bustling new cities to barren glaciers. The League dominates
harm the other in any way. Indeed, the Guild suffered most the eastern half of the White Sea, though not the area where
from the loss of Gethamane’s warehouse facilities during Malice Bay drains the sea into the River of Tears.
the years of the war.
A new threat appeared inn RY 674. For reasons that ENVIRONMENTS
remain unknown, long-lasting Wyld storms wandered across The Haslanti live in four distinct territories: greenfields,
Haslanti territory. Where these Wyldfogs passed, new islands emeralds, the Outwall and the Great Ice. Each environment
appeared in the White Sea and others vanished. Winds car- presents its own challenges and opportunities.
ried entire farms hundreds of miles from their old locations. GREENFIELDS
Weird new plants and animals appeared. Whole bands simply The Exalted of the Old Realm used mighty energies to
vanished. Several Lunar Exalted came to the League’s aid blast wide valleys from the Northern rock. The depth of the
by dispersing Wyldfogs. The Lunar called Flintbeak Night- valleys protected their floors from Northern gales while their
ingale dispersed the last Wyldfog in RY 726, just five miles shape concentrates summer sun, leaving them several degrees
from Icehome. warmer than the surrounding land. Soil was laid across their
The League also made important new discoveries. The bottoms; small lakes and streams watered them; mines and
war with Gethamane spurred the Haslanti to build the first quarries pierced their sides. The White Sea and Malice Bay
of their famous air boats, based in part on another First Age drowned many of these valleys, but dozens survive in the Age
model. What’s more, explorers on the Great Ice followed of Sorrows. The Haslanti call them “greenfields.” Icehome
songlines—ancient tribal narratives of paths and landmarks— Greenfield, the largest, extends nearly 100 miles long and 35
back to the ruins of Tzatli. miles wide. Sunset Greenfield, on the verge of Gethamane’s
The Haslanti League is still growing and developing. Its territory, is only two and a half miles long.
people believe they have no limits. Farm and pasture cover most of the Haslanti greenfields.
Wealthy folk keep gardens. Orchards and other cultivated
GEOGRAPHY trees help to break the wind and protect the soil, as well as
The Haslanti live in a harsh land. In summer, swarms providing wood, fruit and nuts. Greenfield dwellers graze
of flies and mosquitoes bear plague and can sting a man to sheep, goats, cattle and the ubiquitous Northern reindeer.
death. In winter, blizzards can pile snowdrifts 50 feet high. No Haslanti would describe their lives as easy, but
Much of the land stays frozen beneath the top foot or so. At greenfield dwellers can produce enough food to support
54
villages and small towns. The town usually occupies a hill Tribes of the Haslanti (though the actual number exceeds
or a cliff that overlooks both the valley and the nearby sea. 150). The herdfolk move throughout Haslanti territory, and
Most towns have stone walls, though Kaet’s Landing, east of they know the land better than anyone else.
Icehome, is actually cut into the valley’s cliff face. On the League’s southern border, the tundra gives way
to taiga of dwarf willows and evergreens. Herdfolk often
EMERALDS drive (or follow) their animals into this transitional zone
From hard experience, the Haslanti know that Northern
during winter. Here, they encounter icewalkers. The division
gales can strip away soil and blow entire farms away. Dozens of
between icewalker and Outwall tribe is as ill-defined as the
greenfields lie bare and ruined across the North. Sometimes,
border itself, for the tribes intermarry a good deal.
however, the soil collects in a pocket or sheltered location.
The Haslanti call these little patches of soil “emeralds.” THE GREAT ICE
Emeralds range in size from tiny plots that can support The White Sea stays frozen much of the year. Ice covers
only a farmstead or two, to a few that are large enough to its northern shore year round. The ice cap beyond the sea
sustain small towns. A dozen families, however, are a typi- goes on for thousands of miles, split by huge peninsulas of
cal population for an emerald. Most emeralds last just a few the Wyld. The Great Ice seems barren at first sight, but the
decades before the wind carries the soil away once more. The Haslanti wring a living from even this hostile realm. Fish
Haslanti learned how to break the wind using stone walls and seals, walrus and whales inhabit the White Sea, acces-
or trees, though, and how to plant ground cover that binds sible in the summer months or by cracking the ice with huge
the soil. Through careful husbandry, some emeralds have catapult-like machines of strong timbers and tension bands
now lasted 100 years. of mammoth sinew. Rocky coasts and skerries hold oysters,
Settling an emerald requires enormous labor. Before mussels and other shellfish. Where the Wyld has blown,
winter comes, the settlers must build windbreaks, walls and oyster harvesters sometimes discover opals and diamonds
a house, transplant small trees from a greenfield, and sow that grew like pearls.
fast-growing grasses. If they’re lucky, they manage this in time Mining is possible in the Great Ice as well. Rocky islets
to bring in a few sheep or goats. Settlers must then defend in the White Sea yield amethyst, amber, turquoise and to-
their new homestead against wild animals, hostile barbarians paz. Diamond Hearth takes its name not from glittering ice
and even the Fair Folk. Too many people and animals can crystals but actual deposits of diamonds.
overuse the land so the denuded soil blows away; too few Strangest of all, silt and wind-blown seeds can collect in
settlers leave the emerald vulnerable to incursion. a crevasse to form an emerald, albeit one consisting of tundra
Small as they are, emeralds play a vital role in the Haslanti moss and lichen rather than crops and trees. The Haslanti
League. The population rises; but the greenfields don’t get graze small herds of reindeer in these icebound oases. The
any larger. A steady stream of younger sons and daughters emeralds become refuges and supply depots for people who
with no land to inherit fan out in search of emeralds they live and work on the glaciers.
can claim as their own. Emeralds also serve as way stations
on trade routes and fortresses against invaders. HASLANTI HOUSING
The human geography of the League features many forms
of housing. Some Haslanti live in the same longhouses of
GREEN MEN AND SOIL-STEALERS logs and sod found throughout the North. Others, especially
Emeralds give rise to two unique Haslanti profes- among Outwall tribes, favor the aghar, a dome-shaped tent
sions. Green men collect mosses, grasses, insects and made of animal hide stretched on frameworks of bone or
other small plants and animals to distribute between willow. Villages feature L-shaped homes with the barn for
emeralds, helping each little patch of land’s ecosystem the animals built in. Two (or sometimes four) such houses
become more robust and diverse. Soil-stealers raid typically share a courtyard. A significant fraction of the
smaller emeralds to enslave the settlers, steal their League’s population now lives in barges called iceholts that
animals and cart away topsoil. In Haslanti tales, these spend summers on the Great Ice and then migrate south in
villains often work for bandits who occupy large and winter to visit the League’s cities. Fisher-folk build clusters
secret emeralds. of huts on rocky islands in the White Sea during the runs of
salmon and tuna, or for gathering shellfish.
Haslanti yeomen often have two homes. In summer,
THE OUTWALL they live in a rural steading where they engage in farming,
Haslanti farmers call the tundra beyond their greenfields goat-ranching, mining or some other resource-producing
and emeralds the Outwall. Thick brambles, hardy grasses, activity. In winter, the Haslanti move to a home in a town
moss and lichen cover this land; trees are stunted to mere or city. Affluent families might own an extensive home in
shrubs. Herds of reindeer, elk, musk ox and mammoth browse the city, but many Haslanti spend the winter in crowded
the tundra, though, and these animals support the Hundred townhouses or apartments.

Heavy snowfall means that most Haslanti homes have The Artisan’s Precinct is located between the Old
both a “summer door” at ground level and a “winter door” Market District and the western headland of the harbor’s
one story up. Haslanti towns go a step further with two-layer entrance. In this district, most homes follow the Haslanti
streets. Covered arcades along the streets become tunnels plan of an L-shaped compound with a workshop as well as a
under the snow in winter, while people also walk on the residence and a barn or stable. The artisans range from makers
packed snow itself. Prosperous towns build the arcades stur- of Outwall tents to armorers and jewelers. Residents do not
dily enough for the roofs to function as streets year-round, like foreigners. If they want to do business with outlanders,
with bridges crossing from roof to roof wherever somebody they go to the Old Market District.
feels like building one. Although it’s within the city walls, the Orchard Quarter
chiefly consists of garden plots, fruit and nut orchards and
ICEHOME meadows studded with beehives. Narrow lanes and low stone
The League’s capital is also its largest city—too large, walls separate the plots. The farmers, orchardists and bee-
some Haslanti think, and too soft. About 250,000 people live keepers of the Quarter produce the greenfield’s best honey,
in Icehome Greenfield. Half of them live in Icehome itself. fruit, nuts and cider, chiefly for export.
The city outgrew its walls decades ago, and no one wants to The land would be worth much more turned into homes
pay for building a larger circuit. Several walled villages hold and businesses, but ancestral rights and cultural quirks preserve
the rest of the population. it as it is. Icehomers like keeping a bit of the countryside in
Cliffs more than 100 feet high surround the greenfield. their city. In summer, children run wild through the Quarter
A river stair-steps down the cliff in five waterfalls, each of as they chase rabbits and squirrels, stalk each other and am-
which now turns the wheels of massive mills. The river feeds bush visitors with toy spears and bows with padded arrows.
a network of irrigation canals throughout the 100-mile val- They also raid the orchards and gardens, but most farmers
ley. In winter, the frozen canals become the road network, figure they lose less to the children than they would to the
as well as the scene of ice-skating contests. During summer, rabbits and squirrels. Beehives and angry farmers provide mild
people use gravel roads. Rough stone walls line the roads and threats to provide lessons about stealth and prudence. Ripe
mark property lines. The greenfield includes several managed fruit, dripping honeycomb and the purses of careless visitors
forests as well as farms and pasture. provide lessons about the rewards of bold opportunism. Thus
A notch in the valley’s northern end admits a mile-long do urban Haslanti maintain roots to their barbarian past.
tongue of the White Sea. This harbor stays frozen nine months The Little Outwall consists of all Icehome that grew
of the year. The city of Icehome occupies the harbor’s west outside the city walls. It resembles the docks, though the
bank. Icehome has several distinct neighborhoods. mixture of cheap apartments, squatter’s tents, whorehouses
The Docks can accommodate up to 500 vessels, from and warehouses is more chaotic.
personal skiffs to iceholt barges, on seven massive, granite
piers and dozens of smaller, wooden quays. The shore holds THE CITADEL
a jumble of buildings ranging from reindeer-hide tents to The Citadel looms over Icehome atop the western
great stone warehouses. The streets are slushy mud in spring, headland of the harbor. The Haslanti razed the Guild’s
sticky mud in summer and frozen mud in winter. Shipbuilding fortress and replaced it with a cyclopean stone wall around
and warehouse facilities dominate the northern third of the five buildings, all built of white marble instead of Icehome’s
district. The middle third features taverns, hostels and other usual black or gray granite.
businesses that cater to merchants and sailors. Segregating The Longhouse holds the meeting chamber for the
slaughterhouses, tanneries, blubber-rendering plants and League’s guiding Council of Oligarchs. The white marble
other odorous businesses in the southern third does little to building surrounds an old-fashioned longhouse built from
protect the rest of the city from the smells. wood, horn and animal hide, meant to remind the 12 delegates
The Old Market District consists of 20 blocks of two- how the Haslanti began. Foreign ambassadors also spend their
level streets with five large courtyards. Red tile roofs adorn first night in the city sleeping in the Longhouse… at least if
the stone and brick buildings, with tents and huts scattered they want the Oligarchs to see them as friends.
higgledy-piggledy across the rooftops and the arcades. Two- The House of the Oligarchs bends around the Longhouse
thirds of Icehome’s people keep winter apartments in the in a U-shape. A gallery with many glass windows connects
Old Market District. Abundant common rooms, dance halls 12 comfortable apartments for the Oligarchs, as well as pri-
and other amusements cater to them. As Icehome’s business vate meeting rooms. Some delegates prefer homes of greater
center, the district includes shops, banks, trading-houses and luxury within the city. Others make a point of living in the
caravansaries. Foreigners often find the Old Market District Oligarchs’ House to show reverence for tradition.
the most accessible, understandable part of Icehome and the The Treasury appears as just a small beehive-shaped
League in general… until they see a government official building half-sunk in the headland’s granite. That build-
refereeing a duel, or some other reminder that the Haslanti ing is merely a reception office. The real treasury consists
remain half barbarian. of a labyrinth hewn from the granite behind and beneath
56
the building. The public can visit the galleries of official
archives and museums full of trophies and mementos of NATIONAL HEROES
League victories. Other sections, definitely not public, hold Gerd and his Lunar allies pressured the Haslanti’s
the League’s central bank reserve and emergency fund: 100 leading gods to enchant the nine Tholoi. Any song
talents of jade and 12,000 silver talents, plus miscellaneous or tale of an interred hero’s deeds performed in one
loot. No single person is supposed to know every secret of Tholos echoes in the other eight. The gods have
the Treasury’s vaults and defenses. changed but the enchantment remains. The Tholoi
The Pantheon of the Ennead stands at the northernmost remind the Haslanti that the glory of the League rests
point of the Citadel. Gold, silver, precious stones, costly im- in the triumphs and tragedies of individuals; but also
ported silk and brocade hangings adorn the League’s national that the Haslanti are one people, with equal claim
temple. Niches hold military trophies as well as relics such on the deeds of all their heroes.
as one of Gerd Marrow-Eater’s feathers and the preserved
head of an Immaculate monk. Having a memento of one’s
deeds placed in the Pantheon is a much greater honor than OTHER CITIES
an exhibit in the Treasury. The other eight Haslanti cities vary in their wealth,
The Tholos stands next to the Treasury. This smaller favored industries and attitudes toward membership in the
building resembles an oversized aghar wrought in marble. League. Their varied histories and characters can only be
(The League’s eight other cities hold similar domed shrines.) suggested here.
A symbolic national hearth flame burns in each Tholos.
Stone plaques bear the names of Haslanti heroes and their CRYSTAL
bodies rest in crypts below the floor. A secret adytum holds The League’s only non-walled city began just 46 years
the Twisted Stone Covenant, a complex net of knots, shells, ago, in a greenfield accessible only by air boat. So far north
beads and bones that encodes the Haslanti constitution. and nearly surrounded by the Great Ice, even greenfields
Whereas the Pantheon honors the gods and the rest of the produce little more than moss and dwarf willows as forage
Citadel honors the state, the Tholos honors the national for reindeer and goats; Crystal must import much of its food.
history, tradition and character. Fifteen thousand Haslanti live in town and another 15,000
in villages.

Crystal lives by mining feathersteel from the greenfield’s
walls and First Age relics from ruins caught in the ice. Many
residents hope for a lucky strike that makes them rich enough
DEATH AMID DIAMONDS
Some 20,000 of Diamond Hearth’s residents are
to leave Crystal. Merchants and tradesmen who cater to
slaves—15,000 human and 5,000 captured beastmen
the miners and treasure hunters make up the second bloc
or Wyld barbarians. They die in droves from overwork,
of Crystal society.
mining accidents, exposure and the casual cruelty of
The streets of Crystal form a square grid modeled on an
other miners. Brawls, accidents, drink and drugs give
imperial legion’s camp. The central square holds the main
free miners a fearsome death rate as well. Corpses do
market; government buildings and major businesses line the
not rot in this cold, dry land, and no one wastes valu-
main north-south and east-west avenues. The city’s Common
able time digging graves in the frozen ground anyway.
Council finds it must manage Crystal with greater rigor than
Diamond Hearth simply throws its dead into some
usual for the Haslanti, due to the expenses and logistical
nearby ice caves and played-out mineshafts.
difficulties of keeping 30,000 people alive and not killing
Two corpse dumps have become small shadow-
each other every time someone finds a First Age table-knife.
lands, and they will not be the last. Hungry ghosts
Not everyone in Crystal likes having a police force, claim
and the angry spirits of dead slaves slip through to
registration forms and other tokens of civilization. In the
the mortal world. Worse, the miners and their ghosts
League at large, Crystal has a reputation as “tight-assed.”
have roused Shogun Widowmaker, an ancient and
The Common Council knows that Crystal needs support
powerful ghost from Tzatli. Diamond Hearth teeters
from the rest of the League to survive; Crystal’s delegate to
on the brink of terror that its people cannot imagine.
the Oligarchs always lobbies for more taxes to pay for more
See The Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol.
air boats and, incidentally, more subsidies for Crystal.
IV—The Underworld, pages 107 and 143–144 for
DIAMOND HEARTH more about Tzatli in the Underworld, and its cold-
The League’s northernmost city occupies an appar- hearted master.
ently natural greenfield—a valley surrounded by hills, kept
ice-free by a freak of geomancy. Explorers found Diamond
Hearth’s valley by following ancient songlines in search of
their ancestors’ legendary home. They also found the ruins narrow, three-story houses with blue slate roofs. Many
of Tzatli buried in the ice, and they found diamonds in the homes have shops, restaurants and hostels on their ground
gravel from melting glaciers. floor, sometimes joined by glassed-in arcades. Fair Isle lives
Now, 80,000 people live in a constant near-riot as they by trade and servicing the people who work on the Great
rip wealth from the frozen ground. Half the people live in Ice. Anyone bound to or from Diamond Hearth travels by
Diamond Hearth itself. The other half live in mining and pros- way of Fair Isle.
pecting camps scattered across a more than 100-mile radius. The League forcibly annexed Fair Isle as a way station for
In addition to diamonds, feathersteel and First Age artifacts, exploration, trade and war in the western half of the White
people seek unmelting ice and other treasures wrought by Sea and the Great Ice. At the time, the island supported
the mingled power of Wyld storms and the Elemental Pole about 1,000 people. As compensation, Fair Isle received an
of Air. (For a description of unmelting ice, see The Compass Oligarch’s seat three decades ago. The League made Fair
of Celestial Directions, Vol. II—The Wyld, p. 69.) Isle prosperous, but some people still resent the conquest.
Haslanti who struck it rich gave Diamond Hearth a few Everyone agrees, however, that every person must work, hard,
dozen stately stone homes. The rest of Diamond Hearth is a to keep their precious soil from blowing away. The Twenty
shantytown built from old packing crates, canvas or reindeer- Matriarchs who tend the Tholos and act as local government
hide tarpaulins, with frozen mud streets. While reindeer and are notorious through the League for ordering the public
goats forage in the valley, Diamond Hearth could not survive humiliation of slackers and sluggards—for instance, ordering
without frequent air boat deliveries of supplies. The profit them whipped through the streets.
from Diamond Hearth justifies the expense. FORT BEAR
Every family or sworn band of partners works for itself, and Twelve thousand Haslanti live in Fort Bear, with another
to Hell with tribal ties or other loyalties. Diamond Hearth’s 40,000 herdfolk and farmers in the Outwall nearby. The town
city council is just a caucus of the richest inhabitants, who takes its name from a massive outcropping of white limestone
make deals to benefit themselves and harm their rivals. shaped like a sleeping frost bear. It was a center for Arvida’s
FAIR ISLE cult and many Haslanti nomads still hold the rock sacred.
The smallest city-state in the League has just 20,000 Crypts hewn in its base remain the favored burial place for
inhabitants on a modest island in the White Sea. Fair Isle clan chiefs, while the city Tholos faces the bear’s mouth. The
holds the League’s largest emerald, a green valley between permanent residents include many shamans associated with the
ice-clad hills. Behind its red stone wall, the town features White Bear’s sacred places, as well as infirm tribal elders.
58
The yearly festival of the Fort Bear Assembly attracts berm 20 feet high, topped with wooden stakes. Only the
more than 40 Outwall tribes, adding almost 20,000 tempo- two gatehouses, the Tholos and the longhouse of the city-
rary residents. The influx also brings foreign and Haslanti state’s leader are built of stone; the rest of Tuskstad consists
merchants for a huge, three-week trade fair. (The Haltans of wooden buildings and aghar tents. In summer, Tuskstad
and Linowans always fight; the Saltspire merchants act like reeks of tanning mammoth-hides, seal skins and drying fish
they’ve done everyone a favor just by showing up.) Fort Bear and meat. There’s money in Tuskstad, though, from mam-
challenges Icehome’s commercial dominance as well as its moth and walrus ivory.
status as the spiritual center of the League. The Laughing Winds tribe has dominated Tuskstad’s
small greenfield for more than 80 years. The woman Bel-
IRONFALL lowing Mammoth occupies the city longhouse as ruler of the
The Haslanti League’s chief industrial center occupies
city, even as her husband rules the tribe as its chief. Tuskstad
its second-largest greenfield. Fully 100,000 Haslanti live in
remains extremely tribal, with no clear division between the
the greenfield, its surrounding emeralds and Outwall. They
Haslanti clans and other tribes of herders and hunters.
support 65,000 townsfolk, of whom 20,000 are slaves. Iron
and feathersteel mines riddle the greenfield’s cliffs. The city WINDCRECHE
itself is built on the greenfield cliffs to exploit water power This city-state occupies a narrow valley—a half-drowned
from the cataracts of the Breakstone River. A pall of black greenfield—at the northeast corner of the White Sea. It
smoke rises from the city. Black slag from the foundries paves has an excellent, ever-frozen harbor for iceships: Dozens
the streets and is mixed with clay for building-bricks. The of iceholt barges can lodge at Windcreche’s wharves. The
clang of hammers on metal and ore resounds day and night, large central square doubles as the town’s main market and
for the mill-wheels do not rest. a landing point for air boats.
Ironfall’s people tend to be dour, conservative and Agriculture doesn’t work well this close to the Great Ice.
hidebound. While they consider themselves loyal Haslanti, Instead, the city-state concentrates on herding reindeer and
they suspect Outwall folk of stealing metalwork and of hunting seal and walrus. It is also the League’s chief whal-
hating Ironfall for its settled prosperity. (Outwall folk do ing port. By gathering sedge grass during the brief summer,
want the metal, but think the city is dirty, smelly and dull.) however, Windcreche maintains a dairy industry. The dwarf
Instead of tumultuous chiefs and duels of honor, Ironfall has cattle of Windcreche stand just three feet high but give
a mayor and a town council of wealthy master-smiths and the sweetest milk in Creation. Tycoons of the Scavenger
merchants. A yearly assembly authorizes every decision the Lands and the Realm pay enormous sums for Windcreche’s
council makes. butter-cheese.
Only 9,000 people live in Windcreche proper, in a
SHIELD jumble of tightly packed stone buildings behind rough-
The city-state of Shield occupies a large but damaged
hewn city walls. Plaster mixed with walrus blood covers
greenfield with low, eroding cliffs and thin soil. Only 5,000
Windcreche walls; the red-brown color makes them easier
people live in the town of Shield, behind a low and badly built
to spot and follow during snowstorms. The town is full of
city wall. Twenty thousand live in the rest of the greenfield
rendering plants turning whale and walrus blubber into fuel
and 100,000 live in the Outwall as herders, emerald-farmers,
oil for air boats and domestic lamps. Many other businesses
fishers or miners. Mines in the nearby hills yield tin and
likewise service air boats or produce parts for the League’s
copper, but the bronze industry declines as mines play out
most famous vehicles.
one by one. The largest and tallest structure in Shield is
the Guild’s three-story caravansary, two miles outside the
city. The League’s fleets of air boats and iceships both use
THE HASLANTI PEOPLE
From the Great Ice to the greenfields, the Haslanti live
Shield as a home port, but the crews do not mingle much
in a tremendously varied environment and make their liv-
with the Shieldings. The outer reaches of the city-state suf-
ing in equally varied ways. Haslanti individuals range from
fer frequent attacks from both icewalkers and the terrifying,
illiterate nomads to suave diplomats. A number of common
death-worshiping barbarians of the Tear Eater tribes.
threads, however, bind the Haslanti together.
Despite the relative poverty of Shield, the inhabitants
consider themselves fortunate in their freedom and solidarity. COMPETITION AND COOPERATION
Shieldings move easily between greenfield, emerald and Out- The harsh and hungry North easily leads people to view
wall—not to mention the fishing boats, shellfish-harvesting outsiders as a threat—or as prey. Yet, a community survives
stations and mining camps—and most clans have members only through shared labor and loyalty. Both forces, coopera-
scattered throughout environments and occupations. tion and competition, work powerfully in Haslanti culture
TUSKSTAD to pull the League together and drive it apart.
Haslanti mammoth-hunters now concentrate around In all the vast League, no single community has every-
this western city-state. The town of 15,000 has an earthen thing it needs. The townsfolk need the meat from Outwall

hunters and herders as well as the produce grown in the hold the money in escrow, and return it to the challenger
greenfields and emeralds, with fish, shellfish, seal and whale if everyone survives. The winner in a fatal duel also be-
meat from the White Sea for variety. The nomads do not comes responsible for the loser’s family, if the loser was
have the time to mine the metals they need for weapons and the principle breadwinner. Compensation can take the
tools. Everyone covets the jewels and feathersteel mined form of a payment in silver, or adopting the loser’s family
on the Great Ice. The cities need each other as well. Other into your own household.
city-states cannot get by without the metal of Ironfall and Dueling is not a license for murder. Anyone who kills
Shield, or Tuskstad’s wealth of ivory, or the commerce outside of the rules for dueling becomes an outlaw. The
of Icehome and Fort Bear. Most Haslanti recognize that victim’s family can kill the murderer out of hand. So can
they are wealthier, more comfortable and more powerful bounty hunters or anyone who attests to a chief that he
together than apart. had a grudge against the killer.
The Haslanti cannot ignore the major differences be-
tween them, though. More and more, Haslanti townsfolk live FAMILY AND FOSTERING
by trade as merchants, artisans, even clerks—an occupation The Haslanti counter the divisions in their society
that their barbarian tradition dismisses as disgustingly effete. through ties of kinship, marriage and business. Haslanti
They want the rest of the League to feed them, but country parents often loan out their (frequently numerous) children
folk often feel unappreciated by their city cousins. Iron tools to distant relatives, friends of friends and other people, to
and silver coins are not payment enough. Meanwhile, the learn other trades and acquire commodities the parents
greenfield and emerald farmers have very different notions lack. For instance, a man in a reindeer-herding Outwall
about land and property than the nomads who view all tribe might send two children to live with his wife’s
Creation as grazing land for their herds. For their part, the farmer cousin, while another child apprentices with a
Haslanti who live on the Great Ice want higher pay, better whaler acquaintance and a fourth child is indentured to
food, improved equipment and more frequent air boat and a blacksmith to repay a debt. A Haslanti extended family
iceship visits to their fishing stations, iceholts and mining often has members scattered through many segments of
camps. Oh, and a lot more respect for the incredible hard- the League’s society.
ship they endure. Bringing it full circle, the townsfolk often Such connections also diversify a family’s economic
regard the people from the Outwall and the Great Ice as base. Through the year, a family’s storerooms fill with
crude and demanding. ingots of iron and barrels of whale oil, salt fish and apples,
rounds of cheese, bags of turnips and iceship sails. Such
DUELING provisions feed the family through the winter when the
Gerd Marrow-Eater told the assembled Haslan chiefs family reunites in its town home, or are traded to other
and shamans to talk before they fought. Chiefs, shamans or families.
other respected elders judge legal or personal disputes, hear
testimony from witnesses, argue precedents and seek a fair FEASTING AND OTHER SOCIALIZING
resolution or appropriate punishment. Nevertheless, Haslanti Winter naturally becomes the Haslanti season for get-
often find that they do not want to talk out their differences. ting together with other people. Haslanti often postpone
Instead, they fight duels. weddings, funerals, baby namings and other important
Haslanti usually have weapons on hand. If not, they events until winter, so all the friends and relatives can at-
readily turn to fisticuffs and wrestling. Duels for honor end tend. A summer wedding, spring funeral or the like indicates
when one participant surrenders—but some disputes must conflict in the family: At least one family disapproved of
end in death. Haslanti traditionally fought duels in lonely the wedding, or the dead man was despised.
locations. (The colloquial expression for fighting a duel is still A town of any size includes at least one assembly
to “take a walk by the stream”… a walk by two from which hall for rent, if people lack the space for a large gather-
only one returns.) Nowadays, duels often take place in public ing. In addition to family rituals, these halls see dances,
with seconds, referees and cheering spectators. epic song-cycle performances, and a lot of straightforward
Dueling follows a formal code. The aggrieved person partying.
issues the challenge. The person challenged can either Whatever its nature, any successful social event must
apologize for the insult or accept the challenge and perhaps include lots of food and drink. Even a small occasion calls
throw in a few fresh taunts and boasts. Each duelist then for a feast that sets the tables groaning under the weight,
finds an arbitrator. The two arbitrators select a location and with variety as well as quantity. Meat? The League has elk,
time. A duel can take place no more than four days after reindeer, mammoth, mutton, goat, whale, seal and salmon,
the challenge. among others. Cheese? The League produces more than
The challenger incidentally must pay in advance 80 varieties from all the mammals they domesticate and
for a funeral, whether his enemy’s or his own. (Even in a few they don’t. (Haslanti wit: How do you make mam-
a duel of honor, accidents happen.) The two arbitrators moth cheese? Well, first you milk the mammoth… very
60
carefully.) They have 29 traditional forms of bread, from GODS AND WORSHIP
flat bread to honeyed puffballs. Other common items of Several times in Haslanti history, Immaculate mis-
diet include potatoes, turnips, beets and other root veg- sionaries tried to convert the Haslanti by destroying or
etables, milk, yogurt, apples, walnuts, honey, porridge, spicy humiliating their gods. They failed to kill Gerd Marrow-Eat-
pickled cabbage and fish transformed into a gelatinous, er as they slew his predecessor Arvida. Several decades ago,
evil-smelling mass through preservation with lye. Even the Immaculate Order launched a series of four crusades.
Haslanti require copious libations of beer, mead or hard The monks called out the people’s gods by threatening their
cider in order to eat it, but no feast is complete without shrines, festivals and worshipers—and then they beat the
this test of gastronomic fortitude. tar out of the gods. Some gods submitted; others hid. Few
STRANGERS emerged unscathed. The Immaculates broke the people’s
The Haslanti do not show such extravagance to people faith in many of their gods, but that didn’t convince the
they do not know well. While strangers in a Haslanti Haslanti to accept Immaculate doctrine.
community can usually count on a roof, a bed and a meal, Instead, the Haslanti turned to gods who managed to
they won’t receive the best bed or a feast. avoid or outmaneuver the monks. The result was a new
The visitors also will be put to work. All Haslanti national pantheon, the Ennead, composed of three divine
believe in hard work: They need to, to survive. Able hands triads: the gods of ice, fate and dream (fully described in
do not stay idle. Even the sick can knit or carve ivory. Chapter Seven). The Haslanti still make token offerings
A foreign visitor who does not know Northern ways can and prayers to formerly prominent gods of hunting, fishing,
still haul in nets, chop wood or shoo the gulls from a rack fertility, war and the like, but without much reverence.
of drying fish. Older Haslanti view the defeated gods with indulgent pity,
as if the gods were once-great warriors now enfeebled by
RELIGION AND THE SUPERNATURAL age. The young have started telling jokes. Only the Outwall
The Haslanti do not consider themselves a “spiritual” tribes retain much interest in petty local spirits, and only
people. They do not care about abstruse doctrines or mys- because they still must deal with these erratic powers.
tical enlightenment. No, they take the same hardheaded, Loss of reverence for local Terrestrial gods also leads
practical approach to the supernatural as they do with to interest in the great Celestial gods. The Haslanti re-
everything else. The Haslanti know their friends, their foes gard Luna as too great to hear mortal prayers, but many
and what’s useful. still honor her. Voharun and Nasamara, the twin gods

of Northern warfare, also claim many devotees. Totemic Haslanti tell many tales about Dreamseers who nipped
gods of reindeer, mammoth, whales and other beasts vendettas in the bud or exposed hidden crimes by recog-
important to life in the North—called the Animal Mas- nizing clues within dreams. Traveling Dreamseers often
ters by the icewalkers—retain strong cults among the memorize especially vivid or meaningful dreams they hear
Outwall tribes. and repeat them for the edification and entertainment of
Formal worship takes place weekly in a god-house. A other communities.
Haslanti god-house has an outer porch to shield worship-
ers from the weather, an inner porch where they remove
ESSENCE CHANNELERS
Most Haslanti know that the Chosen of Luna helped
muddy boots and snow-soaked parkas, and a hearth room
and guided them several times in their history: Arvida,
to warm and freshen up before facing the gods. Inside,
Gerd, Flintbeak Nightingale, and a few others. While
niches or pedestals in a godhome chamber hold idols,
they associate slain Arvida with their archaic gods, Gerd
icons or symbolic images of the gods. (Symbols such as a
and others form part of the civic pantheon. From such
spear tipped with a silver icicle for Master Winter are the
examples, the Haslanti revere the Lunar Exalted.
most traditional; accurate portraits become increasingly
They do not much like the Terrestrial Exalted.
popular.) Greenfield folk build wood or stone temples.
Although the League has its share of outcaste Dragon-
Outwall god-houses are tents of bone and leather. In small
Blooded, such individuals gain no status just for being
hamlets or iceholts, the god-house often shrinks to a single
Exalted. The Haslanti have too many bitter memories
room, or even a cupboard for an isolated farmstead.
of Dragon-Blooded monks bullying them and their gods.
Spoken prayers tend to be short, formal and recited by
Outcaste Terrestrials can (and often do) become great
rote. Afterward, worshipers feast in honor of the gods, with
heroes to the League, their deeds recited in the Tholoi
much toasting. At each toast to a god, an officiating shaman
while they live, but they must work for respect and prove
or elder pours a bit of liquor into the hearth fire.
their patriotism over and over again.
ANCESTORS AND CIVIC FAITH The Haslanti lack experience with other Exalted. The
The Haslanti respect the dead but rarely worship them. example of the Bull of the North makes many Haslanti
In the modern League, the latent ancestor cult turned into wary of the new Solar Exalted, but they’ll wait and see.
the civic religion of the Tholos—patriotic ceremonies to Whoever serves the League and the people will earn
honor dead heroes. Some Haslanti now care more about their favor.
worship in the Tholos than worship in the god-house. Despite turning away from worship of small gods, the
Heroes who endure as ghosts may encourage this trend. Haslanti deal with a variety of local spirits. Some contacts
Yet, just as many Haslanti resist taking the final step result in God-Blooded offspring. As with the Terrestrial
toward a national ancestor cult. They associate necrolatry Exalted, the Haslanti give such power-blessed folk a chance
with enemies such as the Tear Eaters and the North’s two to prove their worth as individuals.
Deathlords. Nevertheless, the Deathlords occasionally ex- Of course, the Haslanti share the hatred and fear that
ploit this nascent civic faith to ensnare Haslanti. Isolated the Winter Folk inspire among so many Northerners. It
communities have sacrificed babies to dead heroes—or would take extraordinary effort for any raksha to earn a
ghosts they thought were dead heroes—while retired old personal exception to this general prejudice.
warriors and shamans have frozen to death in hopes of
becoming potent ancestral spirits.
MAGIC
On one hand, Haslanti tradition associates sorcery
HASLANTI DREAMS with Lunars, the Realm and Bagrash Köl. Mere mor-
Dreams form the third strand of religious life. Haslanti tals should avoid it. On the other hand, their shamans
discuss their dreams over breakfast, with debate about maintain a long tradition of folk thaumaturgy. Haslanti
their meaning. After all, gods often send messages in shamans chiefly employ the Arts of Spirit Beckoning,
dreams. From Icehome to the Outwall, people often paint Warding and Exorcism, as well as Enchantment for mak-
memorable dreams on the walls of their homes, or tattoo ing simple talismans. Among these wide-ranging people,
symbolic reminders on their skins. however, one can also find shamans who practice other
A class of shamans called Dreamseers specializes in Arts. (See Chapter Three of The Books of Sorcery, Vol.
dream interpretation. A Dreamseer wears a conical red III—Oadenol’s Codex and pp. 137–139 of Exalted for
hat that resemble hallucinogenic mushrooms found in descriptions of these Arts.)
the tundra, and tattoos the rune for “dream” under his or As the Haslanti experiment with gliders, metal alloys
her right eye. Dreamseers supplement their training and and other technologies, interest grows in all applied natu-
intuition with the Zedakha, a book that describes and ral sciences. Haslanti engineers now study metallurgical
analyzes over 10,000 dream symbols. They decode dreams alchemy and other arts they must know to repair and du-
with great skill, whether the dreams come as messages plicate the technomagical artifacts they pull from First Age
from spirits or simply from the unconscious mind: The ruins. Icehome even has a public school of thaumaturgy,
62
the Scriptorium of the Northern Sky. (See The Manual of
Exalted Power—The Sidereals, pp. 76–77, for a descrip- EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULES
tion of this arcane academy.) The Haslanti government Not every city-state follows this plan. Fair Isle
welcomes foreign thaumaturges who are willing to pledge and Diamond Hearth have no Outwall. As a result,
their loyalty to the League. Fair Isle alternates its assemblies between the town
and ad hoc gatherings of fishers, whalers and miners
GOVERNMENT on the Great Ice. Diamond Hearth holds all its as-
The Haslanti League is a federal state—more than a semblies in town, and they’re shams anyway.
confederation, for a central government wields significant
authority, but the nine city-states retain major powers of
their own. The Haslanti jerry-rigged the system from tribal
put the matter to the Oligarchs. This council also oversees
custom and bits of political and legal theory that filtered
the League’s military in defending the League, the diplomatic
north from the Scavenger Lands and Cherak. The result
corps in dealing with other nations, and the treasury in coin-
incorporates tribal chiefs and constitutional law, democratic
ing the League’s money.
assemblies and divine fiat.
An Oligarch must be native-born Haslanti, over the
THE CITY-STATES age of 45, with a record of at least 10 successful arbitrations
To people from points south, most of the League’s cit- in disputes where at least a talent of silver was at stake (or
ies look more like towns. Nevertheless, each member city goods of equivalent value; this includes capital criminal
has title to a section of Outwall that could be a good-sized cases). Her city-state’s four assemblies must then elect her to
country anywhere else. Borders are wiggly, fuzzy and shift- the post. Since each segment of Haslanti society wants one
ing, as city-states hash out who owns a particular emerald, of its own in the job, choosing an Oligarch can take years in
salmon stream or deposit of ore. some cases. The haphazard electoral process usually begins
Each city-state also receives any islands off its coast and a three years before a current Oligarch runs out her 18-year
section of the White Sea’s northern coast for about 100 miles term. No Oligarch can serve two terms.
inland. Everything beyond that is open territory, available Most Haslanti city-states hold one seat each on the
to whoever wants to stake a claim, in whatever quantity he Council of Oligarchs. Icehome and Ironfall each receive two
can hold. The White Sea itself is common to all fishers and seats, due to their greater population. The 12th Oligarch,
whalers, as well. No city-state can forbid travel through its who serves as the council’s president, is elected by a special
territory. The nomad herdfolk and Great Ice prospectors insist process. The other 11 Oligarchs submit a list of seven nomi-
on the right of all Haslanti to go anywhere in the League, as nees to a special college of Dreamseers. The Dreamseers go
long as they do not take the resources of its owners. to Twisted Stone, where they meet the gods. These gods
For a legislature, each city-state has four district as- then select the 12th Oligarch.
semblies per year, according to the formula: “One for the Many Haslanti know that the committee of gods includes
greenfield, one for the sea and two for the Outwall.” One the Haslanti Ennead and a number of totem animal avatars.
assembly meets in the city itself, one among the people of Very few mortals know that Lunar Exalted also attend.
the Great Ice and two among the emerald-dwellers and POLITICAL PARTIES
nomads. Every sector of Haslanti society thus receives due Three factions emerged among the Oligarchs and
representation. Any citizen can attend, speak and vote, though among politically minded Haslanti in general.
tribe or clan chiefs, shamans, wealthy merchants and other The Deft Hands resist central authority, foreign trade
community leaders dominate the proceedings. and urbanization, supporting tribal authority and tradi-
Provincial assemblies can pass any law that does not tion instead. While members of this party could hardly be
contradict the League’s constitution, the Twisted Stone Ac- called pacifists (they generally support dueling and tribal
cords. No law becomes valid, however, until greenfield, Great rights to vendetta), they oppose aggression against the
Ice and Outwall assemblies all pass the law by majority vote. League’s tribal neighbors. In assemblies and the Council,
After all, what’s good for greenfield folk might not be good the Deft Hands try to steer more wealth from the cities and
for an iceholt or a wandering tribe of mammoth-hunters. wealthy landholders to the Outwall tribes and emeralds.
The Haslanti do not pass new laws quickly. They view wealth as belonging to the community, the
way a whole tribe owns and manages a herd of reindeer
THE COUNCIL OF OLIGARCHS or mammoth, rather than something individuals amass
The supreme authority in League government shows
and keep for themselves.
legislative and executive aspects, but it fundamentally acts
Ivory Smile, the current President of the Council,
as a high court for the Haslanti city-states, towns and tribes.
also leads the Deft Hands faction among the Oligarchs.
When someone claims that a law of her district violates the
She is 86 years old, with bright black eyes in a wrinkled
Twisted Stone Accords, or two city-states have a dispute, they
brown face. Her hair remains dark (thanks to dye) and

her name proved prophetic, as her teeth are now walrus- to the League’s problems: for instance, buying food from
ivory dentures. Ivory Smile is a shrewd judge of character points south. Members of the party even advocate closer
and truthfulness, as well as an able mediator. Many of her ties to the Guild.
colleagues wish she were gone. Jurgan Einarson, the senior Oligarch from Icehome,
The Landless Men favor militarism, especially against has thinning gray hair and pale skin. He was a successful
the Tear Eaters and icewalkers, in order to obtain more merchant before his election 10 years ago. Not surprisingly,
land for farming, hunting and grazing. The Haslanti he leads the Profitable Men in the Council. Jurgan wants
have done well for themselves in the last century… so the rich to stay rich and the League to stay at peace.
well that the League suffers a surfeit of young men and The three parties form constantly shifting coalitions
women with no hope of obtaining farms or herds of their as members see common interests on some issues, while
own. What are they to do? At best, they join the military opposing each other overall. The Deft Hands and Land-
or move into the cities to become artisans, clerks or less Men both oppose the Profitable Men because the two
shopkeepers—and the League still, somehow, has to feed parties want to keep the Haslanti rural. The Profitable
them. At worst, the landless become brigands or other Men, however, sometimes favor war to gain exploitable
sorts of troublemakers. Most Landless Men advocate resources (including slaves). The Deft Hands and Profit-
greater central control of the League, as part of their able Men disagree on almost everything, but individuals
program for military expansion. sometimes cooperate against the Landless Men’s push to
Greya Thold, the Oligarch from Crystal, leads the increase the power of the Oligarchs.
Landless party. She is 46 years old, with short gray hair
and a rather homely face, but she speaks in a soft and
THE ARCHON
The Haslanti despise the notion of monarchy, but
persuasive voice. Crystal has many landless descendants
they do have a ceremonial head of state, the Archon. The
from the Wyldfog Wars; it also suffers frequent attacks from
Council elects a retired Oligarch to this office. In her six-
the Tear Eaters. Greya sees military action as a solution
year term of office, the Archon spends much of her time
to both problems.
traveling though the League, visiting towns and tribes as
The Profitable Men favor trade and the right of
a goodwill ambassador from the central government. The
individuals to gather all the wealth they can. The party
current Archon, an elderly woman named Whispering
finds its greatest strength in the cities and among the
Gale, nears the end of her term in office.
miners. The Profitable Men see commerce as the solution
64
In her travels, the Archon presides over 18–20 hand-to-hand weapons, the Haslanti prefer swords (es-
provincial assemblies a year. While the Archon cannot pecially great swords), spears and axes. Most Haslanti
openly support or oppose laws, she can influence League can use a bow as well. They prefer long bows, but the
governance through the laws she chooses to forward from Fyrd equips itself with crossbows as fast as the League
assembly to assembly or province to province. The mere can manufacture them.
fact that an Archon reports on the laws debated by another General Bjorn Varjnison holds overall command of
city-state’s assemblies suggest that the issue is important the Fyrd and the local militias, with the full confidence
to the League as a whole. of the Oligarchs and all the provincial assemblies. This
broad-shouldered, brown-bearded son of an Ironfall farmer
THE LEAGUE’S MILITARY looks somewhat eccentric as he stalks about, smoking a
Most Haslanti know how to fight. When wolves or long white clay pipe and muttering to himself, but he
bandits attack, a farmer or nomad must deal with the situ- single-handedly killed a snow lion and possesses a keen
ation himself. Anyone might need to fight a duel too. strategic mind. He is also the grandson of one of the
Every Haslanti, therefore, is potentially part of the Lunars in the Twisted Stone Conclave, and regularly
national militia. Most young men and women also spend confers with that body as well as the Haslanti government.
tours of duty as full-time soldiers in their community’s local General Varjnison lobbies to build the League’s military
militia. (The usual tour consists of two months a year, for still further. Powerful as it is, thanks to its remarkable
at least four years between the ages of 16 and 25.) A vil- mobility, he fears it could not save the League from the
lage or tribe might muster several dozen soldiers mounted Bull of the North or a mass assault from the necromantic
on elk or reindeer and a half-dozen glider-borne scouts. Tear Eater tribes.
A greenfield’s militia numbers in the hundreds to 1,000
full-time soldiers (even more for Icehome). Greenfield THE ICE SQUADRON
militias also include a few iceships and a few dozen glider For a sea that stays frozen most of the year, the
pilots. Of course, any militia can easily call up many more Haslanti navy sails iceships. The Ice Squadron includes
people from the community—most Haslanti consider a small number of ordinary sailing ships and galleys for
themselves militia reservists. use in summer, when the southern reaches of the White
Local militias, however, cannot fight real wars. To Sea break into pack ice and open water, but the League’s
this end, the League created three distinct military forces: naval power is much reduced for this season. The iceships
the Fyrd, the Ice Squadron and the Wind Fleet. These go into dry-dock or head to ports on the Great Ice. For the
three forces serve the Council of Oligarchs rather than rest of the year, the League owns the White Sea. Not so
the city-states. Though small, they make a formidable many people realize that iceships can leave the frozen sea
combination. Until the Bull of the North’s rise, no one in to sail up frozen rivers, or across ice-covered tundra—until
the North could surpass the League at projecting military a Haslanti battle group sails up to their camp or fortress,
power at a distance. perhaps 100 miles inland. Haslanti iceships also sail across
the smoother portions of the Great Ice.
THE FYRD The Ice Squadron has nine cruisers: two outfitted
Each city-state donates troops to a full-time army for as troop transports (each can carry a dragon of Fyrd
the entire League. On average, each city-state sends about soldiers), seven equipped with artillery that ranges from
1,000 soldiers, who serve two-year hitches. The Fyrd’s ballistae to concussive Essence cannon. They are named
officer corps consists of another 1,000 or so full-time, for the nine city-states of the League. Nine smaller ships
professional soldiers. called coasters can each carry a talon of fully equipped
The Fyrd operates in 500-man dragons, 250-man wings troops, while another 27 patrol coasters each carry a pair
or 125-man talons, as needed. Fyrd units police greenfields of heavy ballistae.
in partnership with the local militia, chase bandits and All sailors in the Ice Squadron are volunteers who
battle invading barbarians, hobgoblins and other enemies. already served in their local militias. The captains and
In a crisis, the Fyrd can draft all local militias. officers are career military men and women. Each captain
Most Fyrd members can ride elk or reindeer, though runs an independent command, with no division of the
they typically dismount for battle; the League has little fleet into battle groups. When a mission calls for more than
real cavalry. Many soldiers also know how to use skis or one ship, the Ice Squadron’s admiral, Blue Dragonfish,
snowshoes. The Council of Oligarchs would like all Fyrd orders the captains to work together—most likely with
troops to receive glider and parachute training, but that the admiral himself in overall command. Blue Dragonfish,
day is far off. For now, the League trains only a few dragons a Haslanti-born outcaste Terrestrial Exalt, stays in the
of such elite troops. field whenever possible. If the Oligarchs manage to trap
Fyrd soldiers often wear chain shirts or hauberks; him behind his desk, one of his vice-admirals commands
any Haslanti soldier wears at least a buff jacket. For the battle group.

THE WIND FLEET THE EARS OF THE NORTH
The League’s third military service, the Wind Fleet, The Haslanti League does not rely exclusively on
now forms the core of Haslanti military planning. This armed might to protect itself and defeat its enemies.
service is the League’s air force—the largest air force in Much to the surprise of many outsiders, the League also
Creation, with 150 air boats of the second class and 112 fields a remarkably skilled espionage service called the
enormous air boats of the first class. Each air boat carries Ears of the North. Some of the League’s enemies—Guild
a complement of sailors as well as gliders, paratroopers, infiltrators, the Fair Folk’s ravagers and Dynastic Houses
archers and various weapons to drop on enemies. Sailors attempting private imperialism, to name a few—strike
are professional soldiers. Glider pilots, paratroopers and from the shadows and must be fought the same way. The
on-board archers come from the Fyrd. These elite airborne League recruits its spies during their military training, but
soldiers operate in 25-man scales. Even the first-class air the Ears range from commandos to linguists and engineers.
boats can carry just five scales of troops. As usual for the Haslanti, though, nothing works quite
The Wind Admiralty consists of the Wind Admiral the way civilized folk expect.
herself and eight vice-admirals. Each city-state contributes
one admiral, who oversees any Wind Fleet operations THE GRANDMOTHERS
over that territory. Wind Admiral Twenty-One Kestrels Perhaps the biggest and most bizarre secret of the Ears
is the slender, middle-aged granddaughter of the air is who runs the agency. A few dozen old women meet
boat’s inventor: She regards the Wind Fleet as a family regularly at a certain teahouse in the small greenfield of
legacy. Administering the fleet takes so much of her time, Bertran’s Ford, near Icehome. Some days, 30 old biddies
though, that Twenty-One Kestrels hardly ever gets to fly show up to chat about this and that; other days, only four
anymore—much to her chagrin. or five. They are the directors and operations board for the
Large as it is, the Wind Fleet is stretched woefully Ears. The notion boggles the mind of Realm and Guild
thin and the League builds new air boats as fast as it spies who seek the Ears’ secrets.
can. There are no civilian air boats. Most times, nearly a These are, however, the shrewdest old ladies in the
third of the fleet is in maintenance, while the rest carries League. Each of them lost a child and a grandchild in the
supplies from Icehome to Crystal and Diamond Hearth. League’s service. Each was invited to join by the exist-
These cities would starve without their supply runs, so ing membership. They come from every sector of League
the League seldom can spare many air boats for war. Then society. In their long lives, they have seen every aspect
again, the League has not yet faced a battle that called of the human condition. They know what people do, and
for more than a few air boats: Being able to hover 1,000 why. Oh, the Grandmothers include experts on balance
feet above an enemy, dropping fire bombs and paratrooper of trade, military strategy, politics and the like—but so
commandos, is a big advantage. The Wind Fleet specializes often, a situation boils down to a few people driven by
in rapid responses, ferrying commandos at speed to trouble ambition, lust, jealousy, face-saving or other all-too-
spots. Whether barbarian encampment or rude fortress, human motives.
most other Northerners simply don’t know how to fight The five branches of the Ears report to the Grand-
death from the skies. mothers through various (and devious) channels. The
Grandmothers report to the Oligarchs and whoever those
worthies think needs to know. Afterward, new directives
flow from the teahouse.
HASLANTI VEHICLES
For complete descriptions of iceships, air
boats, gliders and parachutes, see Scroll of Kings,
pages 148–153. In brief, iceships resemble ordinary
A FINAL SECRET
The grandmothers don’t know it themselves,
sailing ships fitted with large steel runners so they
but one of their number is a Chosen of Luna. Keen-
skate across the ice. Air boats are hot-air dirigible
Eyed Snowcat reports the Ears’ findings and deeds
balloons equipped with sails and pedal-powered
to the Twisted Stone Conclave, and acts to hide
propellers. Lift comes from burning kerosene or
and protect the Grandmothers from the League’s
whale oil. A gondola of wood, wicker, feathersteel
enemies. She is 86 years old, but only looks 86 be-
and bamboo carries the crew, troops, gliders and
cause of her shapeshifting. Haslanti-born herself,
cargo. A second class air boat has a gas bag 300
she sees no conflict between defending the League
feet long, while a first class air boat has a gas bag
and her Exalted role as a Steward of Creation.
450 feet long and a three-deck gondola.
66
THE BLOODED HAWKS
The first branch of the Ears operates in “fists” of five
agents or “double fists” of 10. Blooded Hawks conduct raids
(often by glider) to destroy enemy supplies, kill commanders
and otherwise impair an enemy’s readiness to fight. Some
agents also act as infiltrators and military advisors, plant-
ing themselves within Guild caravans, tribes or villages
as needed. They guide and assist leaders friendly to the
Haslanti and make trouble for the League’s foes.
The Blooded Hawks number about 200, and have
six air boats second class for rapid transportation. Several
dozen stay on call for immediate deployment. Another few
dozen are on extended missions throughout the League’s
sphere of interest.
THE CUNNING DANCERS
The analytical branch of the Ears strives to figure out
what the League’s enemies are doing or planning, and
to conceal the League’s intentions from those enemies.
Their numbers include code-breakers and code-makers,
linguists, Dreamseers and thaumaturges, as well as experts
on a wide variety of other topics. Information sources
range from military documents captured by the Blooded
Hawks to court gossip heard by the Soothing Speakers.
The Cunning Dancers know quite a bit about events and
personalities around the League’s margins. The analysts
work especially hard to keep tabs on the Guild, though
the Bull of the North recently eclipsed that old foe as a
topic of concern.
Most of the time, Cunning Dancers stay in the
League’s cities, where they also work as traders, interpret-
ers, savants or other diverse occupations. Individuals may
go on field missions, though, when other agents need an
expert on hand.
THE SHAPERS OF FORM
The third branch of the Ears pulls double duty as
crafters of cunning devices and crafters of disinformation.
The two fields sometimes overlap, as when the Ears of the
North want to fake a troop movement. The Shapers of
Form invented the folding glider, the miniature crossbow,
the fire mine and many other wondrous devices. Important
subsidiary groups at Windcreche and Ironfall study First
Age devices and try to duplicate their effects with Second
Age materials and techniques.
THE SHADOW KNIVES
Whereas the Blooded Hawk may kill as part of com-
mando raids, assassination is the principal duty of the
Shadow Knives. These agents know a wide variety of
methods for killing the League’s enemies, from bludgeons
to poisoned cups. They are also skilled at breaking and
entering, disguise, social graces and whatever else they
need to approach a target. Most of them know a craft or
form of entertainment to use as part of a cover identity.

Shadow Knives rarely operate in teams larger than a single ceives a hereditary suspicion, reinforced by many instance
fist. The agency includes a number of God-Blooded opera- of catching the merchants in sharp practice. The Haslanti
tives as well as the vengeful spirit of an emerald destroyed don’t hold grudges against the icewalkers, Gethamane
by the Guild, but most members are human. or most anyone else in the North, however, no matter
how many little wars they have fought. Haslanti enjoy
THE SOOTHING SPEAKERS a good scrap.
The full name of the Ears’ final branch is the Speak-
Beyond their immediate neighbors, the Haslanti
ers of Zephyr and Storm. The Soothing Speakers are the
scorn the Realm. They know the Realm chiefly through
Ears’ largest branch, for it includes the entire Haslanti
overbearing Immaculate missionaries, and they hold a
diplomatic corps. Of course, an actual Haslanti mission
grudge. The Haslanti do not believe the Realm can ever
includes several other people than the known ambassador
attack them, though. Yet, Haslanti get along well with
and support staff. A cook or teamster might have a secret
Linowan—the two demi-barbarian peoples understand
duty to gather information in wine shops, gambling dens
each other very well.
and other places where they can learn the temper of the
The most aggressive Haslanti leaders lobby for a
common people… and perhaps encourage the servants of
campaign against Whitewall. These Haslanti have noth-
the great to speak more than is prudent.
ing against Whitewall, they simply believe that a short
airborne campaign can bully the North’s richest city-state
into paying tribute and giving sweet trade concessions to
THE SIXTH BRANCH Haslanti merchants. No one imagines they can actually
A member of the Ears of the North recently conquer and occupy Whitewall.
Exalted as a member of the Night Caste. The The sudden rise of the Bull of the North presents
Grandmothers do not particularly like Elias Tre- the Haslanti with the first neighbor in a century who
malion. He seems overly concerned with his own inspires actual concern. Haslanti strategists continue to
comforts, and the Grandmothers don’t like having assume that the League will enjoy air superiority in any
him removed from the chain of command to act war, but they doubt that the Fyrd could defeat the Bull’s
as a unique special operative for the Oligarchs. icewalkers. The Ears of the North now devote much of
Nevertheless, Tremalion gets results no mortal their efforts to infiltrating the Bull’s empire, learning his
could equal. When the Grandmothers decide they intentions and capabilities, and preventing him from at-
can trust him, Tremalion will meet them and learn tacking the League.
the true leaders of the Ears of the North. (If he SAMPLE COMBATT UNITS
doesn’t discover it himself.) For sample unitss of the Fyrd, the
Ice Squadron and the Wind
Fleet, see pages 74–76 6 of Scroll
of Kings. The units off icewalk-
FOREIGN RELATIONS er tribe militia and icewalker
ewalker
The Haslanti League is pushy. The Outwall tribes glider commandos (see
want more grazing land. The merchants want more com- Scroll of Kings,
merce, at greater advantage to themselves. The military pp. 78–79) can also
commanders want to make shows of strength. The poli- represent a Haslanti tii
ticians and diplomats want respect from other nations. local militia or Wind
None of this necessarily makes the League hostile—very Fleet glider commandos.
ndos.
few Haslanti are flaming imperialists—but the Haslanti
feel large and in charge. And, why not? They wrested FYRD/WIND FLEETT JOINT
a mighty nation from tundra and glacier. They can go TASK FORCE
anywhere, sailing their air boats over any border. The The three Haslanti lanti military
Haslanti feel they are winners, and they want the rest of forces rarely act alone.. The League’s
Creation to know it. strategic doctrine callss for simulta-
Despite their aggression, the Haslanti count few neous use of two or threeree militaries
people as genuine enemies. They hate the Wyld barbar- against the foe, preferably
ably including
ians, the Tear Eaters and the necromantic corsairs of Karn air support from the Wind Fleet. A
(described in Chapter Six) because these people attack typical joint task force might involve
the Haslanti and taint themselves through contact with one or more wings off the Fyrd sup-
uncanny forces. The Haslanti hate the Northern Fair Folk ported by air boats and d gliders. The
because the raksha eat their souls. The Guild merely re- Wind Fleet soldiers drop
op cal
caltrops,
altrops, fire
68
grenades or other unpleasantness on the enemy while the weapons; plus two second-class air boats and 12 gliders. Only
Fyrd engages on the ground. This could be treated as two half the troops carry bows or crossbows.
combat units acting together—or the air support could Overall Quality: Good
be treated as special equipment appended to the larger Magnitude: 7
ground force, increasing its Might. Drill: 2
The League might send a Joint Task Force such as Close Combat Attack: 3
this one to besiege an entire city or a barbarian horde. Close Combat Damage: 3
The task force consists of a dragon of Fyrd troops supple- Ranged Attack: 2
mented by another dragon’s worth of local militia and two Ranged Damage: 1
second-class air boats, themselves capable of launching a Endurance: 5 Might: 1
dozen gliders. Armor: 2 (-3 mobility penalty) Morale: 3
Commanding Officer: Colonel Swantje Ennesdottir Formation: Use of great swords, axes and other weapons
Armor Color: Mottled gray and white surcoat with various that require a lot of space prevents the troops from fighting
heraldic images in close formation; they usually stick to relaxed formation.
Motto: “Victory for the League” Colonel Ennesdottir has seven relays (including one on each
General Makeup: 2,000 mixed infantry with equal num- air boat) who send messages by waving colored flags. The air
bers wearing chain hauberks or buff jackets, with slotted or boats also carry two of her five heroes, and two artillerists
pot helms; armed with great swords, axes, spears and other who function as sorcerers. Her remaining three heroes each
command dragons of ground troops.
The Haslanti League, a Magnitude 6 Dominion

Abilities: Awareness 4, Bureaucracy 2 (Diverse Economy +2), Craft 3, Integrity 3, Investigation 3 (Superior spies +3),
Occult 3, Performance 4, Presence 2, Stealth 3 (Calculated Assassination +2), War 4 (Surprise Attack +1, Winter
Warfare +2)
Virtue Flaw: Valor Current Limit: 1
Willpower: 9
Notes: The Haslanti League is a federation of Magnitude 3–4 city-states; they add up to a Magnitude 6 domin-
ion because of the League’s extraordinary scale, diversity and vigor. Some of the Oligarchs or Grandmothers are
savants. Members of the Twisted Stone Conclave could act as sorcerers, but only Gerd Marrow-Eater could do
so with legitimacy, as the League’s greatest legendary hero returned.
The League’s bonus points go to one dot each of Compassion, Conviction, Craft and Integrity, as well as the In-
vestigation, Stealth and War specialties. External bonus points come from the League’s secret Lunar backers, the
Haslanti Ennead and (though the Haslanti would hate to admit it) the Guild. They go to a dot of Willpower (for the
Haslanti sense of manifest destiny), one dot each of Awareness and Occult, and the Bureaucracy specialties.
In Limit Break, the aggressive tendencies of the Haslanti run out of control. City-states attack neighbor tribes
and countries, while Haslanti factions fight each other.

70
CHAPTER FIVE
CIVILIZATION AND
BARBARISM
The North holds many societies besides the three most two of these satrapies, a coalition of patrician families owns
well known to outsiders: Whitewall, Gethamane and the a third, and the Thousand Scales owns the fourth. And,
Haslanti League. Some of these societies’ folk are civilized, “owns” is the correct word—not “administers,” “exploits” or
in that they build cities. Others are barbarians, living only in even “rules”—for virtually everyone in these four satrapies is
villages or as nomads. A few are not human. Some struggle to a slave. In the four Deshan satrapies, slaves even own other
become something new and greater; others struggle to hold slaves… but a tiny class of people from the Realm owns
what they have and cling to the past. None of them escape them all. Although they cover only small portions of the
the Time of Tumult. Deshan, they give the region its other name among Realm
inhabitants: the Slave Coast.
DESHAN: THE COASTAL The Realm values the Deshan satrapies quite highly.
They are not the richest of the Realm’s possessions in the
SLAVE STATES Threshold. They do not produce the jade of Harborhead or
The north coast of the Inland Sea is sometimes called the silk of An-Teng, while the little province of the Lap
the Deshan. It holds a multitude of little kingdoms and surpasses the agricultural output of all four satrapies put
city-states, all more or less influenced by the Realm. Aside together. Nevertheless, the Deshan’s vegetables, grain and
from Cherak (which effectively is part of the Realm), the meat help to feed the Realm and keep food prices low, and
largest and richest of these provinces are four satrapies of the the Realm will not give them up lightly. The Realm might
Realm—though they remain small and poor compared to not have much choice, though, for all four satrapies currently
most prefectures on the Blessed Isle. Dynastic families own move toward rebellion.

HISTORY The Thousand Scales and many of the Realm’s generals
The Deshan satrapies’ unusual form of government be- deemed the campaign a success. The slave system continues
gan about 300 years ago, in the aftermath of the Unbroken there to this day. Yet, the Scarlet Empress considered the
Rushes Rebellion. A director of the All-Seeing Eye, working magnitude of the revolts that could erupt on the Blessed Isle
with three senior officials of the Thousand Scales, devised a if she tried to import the system. She also recognized that,
radical plan. To prevent future disturbances, these officials while the Deshan satrapies became docile, they never would
recommended enslaving virtually the entire population of reach their full potential for profit. The Empress understood
the Realm and making them all property of the Great Houses that even the most well-fed and seemingly contented slaves do
and the patricians. not excel as much in commerce and invention as the free—
The Scarlet Empress thought the idea might work, especially when the slaves must live on the edge of stupor or
but she also saw the difficulties of controlling such a great the edge of withdrawal. A few patricians still wish they could
number of slaves. In fact, she thought it likely that enslav- rule entire provinces of slaves, but most of the Realm’s political
ing the Realm’s entire population overnight would bring a and economic theorists think the Deshan experiment hasn’t
rebellion that would dwarf every previous revolt. To test gone terribly well. Even with omnipresent drugs and continued
this idea and to avoid worrying the Blessed Isle’s inhabitants military occupation, slave revolts still occur regularly.
that they might soon become slaves, the Empress ordered GEOGRAPHY
the ministers to implement their plan in four newly pacified The four satrapies are scattered across the length of the
Northern provinces. Deshan, with sizeable gaps between them. No province ex-
The experiment did not occur peacefully. Three of the tends more than 200 miles along the coast. A cadet branch of
four capitals of the coastal satrapies rose up in rebellion against House Ledaal owns the westernmost satrapy, Dehenna. The
the enslavement decrees, as did a substantial portion of the satrapy lodges between the Dehennen Mountains and the
rural population. The military campaign to suppress the revolt, Inland Sea. It leads the satrapies in mining. East of Dehenna
known as the Enslavement War, lasted for almost 25 years. lies Inahjal, ruled by the Ambrim, Jesk and Therusa families—
The conflict ended only when the Scarlet Empire’s overseers the descendants of the three Thousand Scales officials who
found that they could pacify the populace through drugs. implemented the enslavement plan and received Inahjal as
72
a reward. Immediately east of Wallport, the satrapy of Serrat triumvirate representing the Ambrim, Jesk and Therusa
functions under the direct administration of the Thousand families descended from the three ministers. No triumvir
Scales but also has strong loyalty to House Ragara. House serves for more than 10 years, though, so no family has a
Peleps owns and rules Amber River, the largest and most chance to dominate through the longevity of a Dragon-
prosperous of the four states, not far from Cherak. Blooded representative. The Empress gave the Thousand
Huge commercial farms called latifundiae cover most Scales the privilege of appointing its own satrap to Serrat…
of the four satrapies. A latifundia has a population ranging except the political infighting among the various bureau
between 300 and 3,000. Each province also has a capital city chiefs meant they always needed her to break their deadlocks
that shares its name, with a population of 60,000 to 100,000, when choosing one.
and one to three lesser cities with populations of 10,000 to
30,000. There are no towns, villages or small farms, for the A DRUGGED POPULACE
provincial overlords fear that rebellious slaves could too Legally defining everyone as property does not itself
easily overwhelm such settlements. suffice to render hundreds of thousands of people powerless.
The “Deshan System” would not function without the fact
NATIONS OF SLAVES that opium and marijuana can grow in the coastal North.
Although hundreds of miles separate the Deshan The quality is not high, but the consumers do not care. The
provinces, all four resemble each other a great deal. In each provinces also pay the Guild to import prodigious quantities
satrapy, only a few thousand inhabitants are free. Within of qat, cocaine and other drugs.
their number, a few dozen free and exceptionally wealthy In the hundreds of latifundiae, the landowners (or more
citizens—mostly Realm patricians, with a few Dynasts and likely, their slave estate managers) issue the field hands a
Dragon-Blooded “lost eggs” from the North—own the rest daily ration of opium. The slave-owners also reward especially
of the population. Slaves work the fields of the latifundiae. diligent slaves with cocaine, hashish or qat.
More than that, though, all the scribes and clerks, merchants, The Slave Coast overlords see the problems caused by
artisans and managers are slaves too. A single Dynast or drug use on such a massive scale. Scholars associated with the
patrician might own an entire town, from the wealthiest Thousand Scales calculate that agricultural production would
merchant to the lowliest kitchen cleaner. rise significantly if the labor force were not drugged. Yet, they
In these lands, slaves can own other slaves. A Dynast or also calculate that slave revolts would counter any profits from
patrician can own thousands of agricultural slaves directly, as removing the drugs. As it stands, most of the slaves become
well as latifundia managers, senior merchants and artisans. docile laborers who eagerly await their daily drug ration and
In turn, the shopkeepers and artisans own their apprentices, work to earn extra intoxicants. Slave revolts still occur, but
assistants and servants, while estate managers own their over- they rarely spread beyond a single latifundia or a single district
seers. Apart from the agricultural slaves, the higher a slave’s of a city. Most of the slaves are simply too apathetic to pick up
status is, the fewer owners he has. In the provincial cities, arms against their masters. Most of the field hands and urban
skilled and educated slaves are generally owned directly. In laborers happily spend their meager free time in a drug-induced
contrast, the poorest and least skilled servants might have stupor. Few have the energy or desire to plot against their
three or even four owners. For instance, a kitchen slave might masters. At least, that’s what the owners hope.
belong to an apprentice clerk in a business, who belongs to a Of course, owners can also discipline their slaves through
senior accountant, who belongs to a merchant factor, who is their control of the drug supply. If productivity drops,
owned directly by a Dynast or patrician overlord. they end the drug ration and let withdrawal provide the
In some ways, universal slavery makes management incentive to work harder. Cutting the drug supply doesn’t
of the satrapies exceptionally simple because the actual always end a slave revolt, but the owners know where the
citizenry numbers just a few thousand. The Realm’s satrap slaves will go: to the warehouses filled with crates of the
rules directly, rather than through a native figurehead. She drugs they crave.
governs the free populace. The slaves merely obey orders. The aspect of the Deshan System the Realm’s lead-
A slave can request things of his master but has no rights ers most dislike, indeed, is the influence it confers on the
and no power at all. Guild. In return for not contesting the Realm’s control of
what drugs it permits on the Blessed Isle, House Cynis and
THE SATRAPS House Peleps both granted the Guild a monopoly on foreign
The four provinces are also unusual in that the Empress
drug supplies to the Slave Coast. The two Dynastic Houses
pledged the post of satrap to particular groups. The satrap
make certain that the Deshan overlords do not buy their
of Dehenna always comes from the Pechenga household of
drugs from anyone else.
the Great House of Ledaal. That lineage owns Dehenna.
House Peleps owns Amber River, and while it does not get AGRICULTURAL SLAVES AND URBAN LABOR
to choose the satraps, the Empress would appoint a satrap Every morning, half-drugged slaves shuffle out of dor-
only from that House. Inahjal has a collective satrapy, a mitories that are locked and guarded at night. These slaves

spend their days growing barley, rye, oats, potatoes, cabbages, CRIMES BETWEEN SLAVES
turnips and other cold-tolerant grains and vegetables for The provincial overlords do not much care what happens
the Realm. They also tend chickens, goats, pigs, sheep and between slaves. When two slaves quarrel and neither slave
cattle. If they produce too little, their own rations of food owns the other, the only question is whether either one of
and drugs suffer. Most slaves fear losing the drugs more than them caused significant property damage. If they didn’t, the
they fear losing a meal. masters let them work it out themselves. If they did, then it
The cities of Dehenna, Amber River, Inahjal and Serrat becomes a matter for their owners to work out—one master
hold thousands of unskilled workers whose lives are nearly as paying the other for the destruction of her property. The
hard as that of a field hand. They dig, carry, load and unload, slave who caused the damage is flogged at the very least.
sweep, pump bellows and do all the other dull, hard work needed Killing another slave, except in obvious self-defense, counts
to maintain a city. They, too, receive drug rations as long as as property destruction.
they work hard enough. Dehenna also sends thousands of slaves Since slaves have no real property of their own, theft
to toil in its mines for iron, copper, gold and marble. from a slave is theft from his owner, and receives as much
About eight in 10 of the Deshan slaves do hard, unskilled attention as that owner cares to bestow. A Dynast doesn’t
labor in the firms, mines and cities. Another one in 10 are care if one clerk steals another clerk’s life savings. There is
guards and overseers who keep them in line. The remaining no real system of slave courts, since slaves lack the freedom
tenth do everything else. and the free time to create anything like this. Instead, there
SKILLED SLAVES are slaves whom other slaves go to as mediators, but none of
Overseers and administrators keep an eye out for young their rulings carry any force of law.
slaves who seem cleverer than the rest. They train these slaves Of course, a slave can go to his owner and ask for her
for skilled work in the cities or as personal servants. Most help. Yet, “going to master” for anything less than grand
house slaves and urban slaves descend from other slaves who theft, rape or major assault earns the hatred and contempt of
work in these positions, but a steady trickle of Deshanites the other slaves. Slaves cannot protect their friends against
leaves the fields for less strenuous labor. Conversely, if a young abuse by their owner, or any free citizen, but they beat other
slave proves too dull or disobedient, his masters force-feed slaves. A slave who wrongs someone with especially skilled
him opium until he becomes both addicted and docile. Then, and loyal friends might vanish entirely, with the other slaves
out to the fields he goes. planting evidence that the offender escaped.
Personal servants such as cooks or valets, as well as slaves SLAVE AGAINST FREE
who work skilled jobs—scribes, physicians, potters and the Owners can do nearly anything to their slaves, short of
other occupations found in every town—cannot do their killing them. Anything a slave owns, her master can take.
jobs in an opium stupor. Instead, they receive other rewards An owner can beat his slaves at will. Owners must petition
and privileges. They can own slaves and property. They can their satrap for permission to execute slaves in the higher
earn money. They can even become wealthy. grades without cause, however. A consistent pattern of
Yet, they are not in any way free. They must still petition disobedience, openly talking about rebellion and any sort
their masters to change jobs or cities, just as they must give of violence against a slave owner or overseer all provide
a portion of all monies they make to their masters. For no grounds for execution without appeal—and if a free owner
reason, their master can order them to a new city or a new says that a dead slave committed such offenses, the satrap
job—or permanently maim them. probably won’t bother to investigate.
When they have the chance, some of these comparatively The knottiest problems arise between free folk and
privileged slaves drug themselves as heavily as the lowliest slaves they do not own. While killing, crippling or seri-
agricultural thrall. Others take out their fear and frustration ously injuring another citizen’s slave is a crime, stealing
on the flesh of their own slaves. A well known maxim of from a slave or roughing one up only becomes a crime if
the Slave Coast is that having a master who is free is always a free owner complains to the satrap. As a result, slaves
better than a master who is a slave, because a master who is often suffer minor beatings, petty theft and rape from
free does not try to prove she is better than her slaves; she free folk.
simply knows this is true. Many assaults upon slaves come from the local legion-
naires. Soldiers often see wealthy slaves who have far more
A SEMBLANCE OF LAW than they do, and they see the possibility of stealing some
Dynasts, soldiers and other émigrés to the Deshan sa-
of that wealth with little fear of punishment. A slave has
trapies officially live under Realm law. In practice, they can
the right to defend himself against a free citizen who tries
do whatever they want as long as agricultural quotas are met
to kill him, but not to inflict any harm in return. If a slave
and no other residents of the Realm suffer harm. Meanwhile,
kills or seriously injures any free citizen—no matter what the
slaves are all property. Even wealthy slaves who own a dozen
provocation—then the satrap orders the slave to be maimed
or more slaves have few rights.
if not executed. After all, letting a slave get away with
74
harming a member of the ruling and owning class would set maculate leaders know that the slaves’ anger and despair leads
a bad precedent. It might give other slaves ideas… them into heresy, while drugging them to stupor prevents
slaves from proper performance of the Diligent Practices.
RAW FORCE Privately, many monks feel deep misgivings at the Deshan
The Deshan overlords do not rely only on drugs to keep System. The Scarlet Dynasty ordains it, though, so no abo-
their slave nations in line. The Eighth Legion of the Scarlet litionist movement has arisen… yet.
Empire garrisons all four provinces. Each satrap can call on
at least one dragon of troops in the province’s capital city,
while each latifundia hosts at least one scale of troops. These FAITH OF SLAVERS
well-armed and well-trained soldiers prevent most slaves Since the Deshan satrapies are wholly owned
from open revolt through their mere presence. On seasonal subsidiaries of the Scarlet Empire, the Immaculate
holidays, the local troops assemble and parade through the Doctrine is the only legal faith. As usual, the monks
streets to reassure the masters and to intimidate the slaves. conduct rites to honor cooperative gods. Much to
Every city also has a native militia of slave-soldiers, called the distaste of some, that includes Rabszolga, God
mamluks. The mamluks do not receive the high-quality arms of Slaves (see pp. 58–60 of The Books of Sorcery,
and training of Realm legionnaires. They train to massacre Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious Divinity I); Burning
rioters, not to fight battles against other soldiers. When a slave Feather, Lady of Intoxicants (see pp. 49–50 ibid.); and
state faces attack from outside its borders, though, the Eighth Golden Reverie, God of Euphoria (see pp. 138–139
drafts the mamluks as arrow fodder to throw at the enemy while of The Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol. III—
the legionnaires maneuver to strike a decisive blow. Satraps Yu-Shan). The three gods like the Deshan provinces
also find the mamluks useful when they want to stun enemies very much and have even told certain members of the
through horrors, such as by impaling everyone in a village, Immaculate Order and the Scarlet Dynasty that they
right down to the children. Given the right doses of the right will retaliate against any attempt to end the Deshan
drugs, mamluks will commit any atrocity—and enjoy it. System. The patricians and Dynasts who own the
JACKALS provinces also like the system very much and demand
Specially trained slave hunters, colloquially called that their local Immaculates conduct appropriate
jackals, help keep slaves in line. Of all the slaves in the ceremonies to honor the three divine patrons.
Deshan, the jackals hold the highest rank. They are also
the most hated people in the satrapies. They take the job
in full knowledge that every other slave would kill them if BUILDING FOR SECURITY
they had the chance. The rural villas on the latifundiae are all built like for-
They are also the only slaves who can legally earn their tresses, with thick stone walls and narrow, barred windows.
freedom. (Masters can free any slaves they choose, but no Soldiers patrol them, inside and outside, day and night.
law obligates them to do so no matter what a slave’s achieve- During the night, the soldiers lock the field hands in large
ments.) Slave hunters earn their freedom after they work at barracoons with bars on the windows and guards stationed
the job for at least 15 years and capture a sufficient number outside. What’s more, animal trainers release large, fierce dogs
of slaves. While a handful of slave hunters occasionally let or other lethal pets at night (for instance, a Dynast might set
a small number of slaves who touch their hearts go free, her simhata on guard). These beasts roam the fields and open
most jackals are grim, merciless and indeed sadistic pursuers. spaces, attacking anyone they find out late at night except for
Jackals readily track escaped slaves to the ends of Creation, Dynasts and a few servants whom the beasts have been trained
in the knowledge that the more slaves they capture, the to spare. Runaway agricultural slaves who do not manage to
sooner they go free. leave the fields of the latifundia far behind before nightfall
are often mauled or devoured by these animals.
THE IMMACULATE ORDER The cities of the slave states are equally secure. Each is
The Wyld Hunt remains strong in the four slave prov- divided into walled districts: as few as nine or as many as 100
inces. Immaculate leaders fear that a slave will draw a foul (for the city of Amber River). The walls between districts are
Second Breath as one of the Anathema, or that one of the usually four yards high and at least two yards thick, made of
Anathema will see an opportunity to turn a country’s mass stone or brick. Each district has just one or two main streets
of slaves into his own private and horrifically loyal army. that pass through gateways between districts. At night,
Naturally, the local Immaculate monks spend much of Realm soldiers close and lock heavy gates of ironbound wood
their time enforcing religious purity among the slaves. The between the districts. City guards man small doorways next
civil and religious leaders punish the worship of Anathema, to the gates, for citizens and slaves with special passes that
demons, Deathlords or Fair Folk as severely as they punish permit travel at night.
slave revolts: Every captured cultist dies as a public example In the event of a riot, plague or some other major distur-
to other slaves. Nevertheless, such cults keep appearing. Im- bance, the soldiers close and lock all the doors and gates to

the affected districts, and on all of the adjacent districts. This
confines the rioters and enables the city’s y entire militia to
concentrate on one or two districts. If riots or ot
other troubles
become serious enough, the militia can set fire to an entire
district. This swiftly ends a riot, one way or ano
another, as the
slaves either rush to put out the fire or burn. KiKilling rioters
through a holocaust supplies a grim warning to the rest of
the city’s slaves about the results of disobedienc
disobedience.
SLAVE REVOLTS
Despite all the drugs and harsh punishments, slave revolts
steadily increase in the Deshan satrapies. Betwee
Between the disap-
pearance of the Empress and the Bull of the North
North’s victories,
the Scarlet Empire no longer looks invincible. D Dehenna and
Amber River both saw large revolts in the last year
year, and rumors
speak of an even larger revolt building in Serrat
Serrat.
Most revolts are mere riots. One slave snaps an
and lashes out
in rage. Other slaves join in. The authorities usual
usually quell such
riots within hours or, at most, days. Planned rebell
rebellions happen
less often but become much more difficult to qu quell.
BRUTALITY
Slaves who join in a spontaneous riot have a chance to
live if they immediately surrender when the milmilitia appears.
Most rioters suffer nothing worse than flogging. Otherwise,
the militia kills them all.
Slaves who deliberately rebel know that th they will most
likely all die. Burning an entire district alive is only one
of the horrific punishments that await slaves who revolt.
Other common fates include mass impalemen
impalement, death by
flogging and grotesquely elaborate executions that do not
bear description.
Knowing what awaits them, rebel slaves ty typically fight
to the death. They also exact terrible vengea
vengeance on any
slave owners they capture: torture (likely includ
including rape for
women), mutilation and eventual death. In most cases, rebel-
lious slaves only manage to capture privileged, h high-ranking
slaves and a few mortal patricians. Only a large, ex
exceptionally
well-trained and fanatical band of slaves could capture one
of the Terrestrial Exalted. More likely, the Drag
Dragon-Blooded
either win free of their attackers—or go down figfighting, since
they know what the slaves will do to them.
TREACHERY
A slave has only two ways to survive part
participation in
a revolt. The first way is to surrender in the m
middle of the
revolt and betray fellow slaves to their capture and death.
Slaves who do this usually lose status. For the n
next decade,
a traitor also cannot hold any job where he ccould find a
chance to harm his master. Such slaves are
not otherwise punished. Yet, slaves who
inform their masters about an up-
comingg slave revolt
76
They then do their best to free others slaves and, whenever
WHEN THE LOWEST KILL THE HIGHEST possible, add them to their numbers. The rebels also kill
Slaves have successfully killed Dynasts only a or terrorize slave owners. They are especially hard on the
few times in the three centuries since the inception wealthy, privileged slaves who own other slaves. Although
of the grand Deshan experiment—in half the cases, all of these rebels dream of killing a patrician or even one of
killing them in their sleep—but these events become the Dragon-Blooded, most of them know that they have little
legends passed down through generations of slaves. chance of doing so. Even if they did, the Realm would hunt
Just showing that one knows such stories can result them even more intensively than it does now. Therefore,
in a slave having her tongue cut out. they settle for killing the enemies they can reach.
With tales of Solar Anathema appearing through- With each villa burned, each storehouse looted or
out the Threshold, though, even the doughtiest slave-owner slain, the rebels leave the mark of a handprint in
Dynasts now watch their slaves with dread. When will blood. Patricians and especially the wealthier, slave-owning
one of them draw a foul Second Breath as Anathema? slaves now fear that mark as the sign of an organized rebel
Or, when will one of the Anathema come to the Slave movement within all four satrapies.
Coast and suddenly transform legions of drug-fuddled In reality, the Bloody Hand rebels consist of dozens of
slaves into skilled and terrible warriors? So far, rumors small and completely separate bands. The few dozen rebels
of Anathema activity usually turn out to be nothing in each band try to fight the slave owners in their region.
more than drunken tales, scare stories or wishful They heard stories about other rebels using the Bloody Hand
thinking on the part of slaves. So far… mark and thought it sounded like a good idea.
Some of these bands would like to contact other rebels.
Most of their attempts end in disaster. They find a slave who
receive luxuries and higher status positions. If the informer says she knows another Bloody Hand group but actually leads
averts a major revolt, the satrap might even free him. the rebels into a trap. The local militia and legionnaires then
Naturally, the incentives to treachery make planning a hunt down and destroy the rebel village.
slave revolt an exercise in paranoia. Who can a leader trust? Within their own area, though, the most skilled of these
rebels can sow terror. They deliver a few dozen slaves a year
FLIGHT TO FREEDOM from bondage. Sometimes, they even make the most fear-
The other way to survive a slave revolt is to escape into
ful slave owners a bit more reluctant to abuse their slaves.
territory beyond the Realm’s reach. Even without revolts,
Although slaves face death if they display the symbol, many
hundreds of slaves break and run for freedom every year.
Deshanites dream of the Bloody Hand. They feel a thrill
If slaves stay on the Inland Sea coast, however, jackals
of hope whenever they see it boldly emblazoned on the
usually find them sooner or later. Slaves who head into
doorway of a wealthy and cruel slave, who now lies dead in
the Northern interior must contend with a harsh climate,
her private garden, while her personal slaves race across the
fierce beasts and barbarians with scarcely more pity—for
border to freedom.
a start. If a slave is very lucky, she finds a community that
takes her in. UNDEAD TROUBLES
Slaves from Inahjal and Serrat usually head for White- The slave states face an additional problem aside from
wall. If they reach it before jackals catch them, the Syndics slave revolts. Tortured and murdered slaves regularly leave
take them in. Slaves from other satrapies face greater dif- behind ghosts—hungry or otherwise. Exorcists from the
ficulty but sometimes find a haven in other Northern cities, Realm try to bind slaves in death as they were in life, bury-
towns or tribes. They strive only to make a living and a life ing them behind lines of salt and thaumaturgical wards.
in freedom… and to avoid the jackals. Rebellious slaves often try to evade these rules. Some slaves
hope to create ghosts to attack their masters. Others simply
REBEL POCKETS want their departed relatives and loved ones to rest in free
Some escaped slaves do not believe they can find a
earth and not a graveyard specially designed as a prison for
refuge. Others feel too much hatred to abandon the Slave
slaves. Of course, the Dynasts are not foolish enough to
Coast completely, or they feel called to help other slaves
teach thaumaturgy to even the most trusted slaves. The
escape. These escaped slaves build small, hidden villages in
Realm instead employs several hundred thaumaturges from
the hills. Here, they subsist on stolen food, whatever they
the Blessed Isle.
can hunt or gather, and the meager supplies that a few of
the braver slaves slip to them in secret. FELL NEIGHBOR
They don’t just survive, though. They fight back. The Slave States all guard their borders with watchtowers,
fences and patrols of dogs and slave-soldiers. At the northern
THE BLOODY HAND border of Serrat, however, the border guards do not go out after
Escaped slaves who return to the satrapies steal weap-
dark—for Serrat lies due south of the immense and terrible
ons from militia barracks or from Realm soldiers they kill.

shadowland of Marama’s Fell. The Fell itself is hundreds of MAMLUK MILITIA
miles from Serrat’s northern frontier, but its influence reaches Description: The slave-soldiers of the Deshan rarely
much further in the Underworld. Ghosts and the walking operate in units smaller than scales of 50 (for quelling minor
dead frequently swarm out of smaller, nearer shadowlands. riots) or wings of 250 (for slaughtering a village of escaped
The thaumaturges of Serrat do their best to foretell attacks slaves). Mamluks sometimes act as light infantry auxiliaries
and beat back the restless dead. The local Immaculate con- for the legionnaires. They do not train much with missile
tingent includes several monks who specially train to fight weapons, as their masters dislike handing out weapons with
the dead. Even the Immaculates, though, hesitate to enter which slaves can attack their owners at a distance. Mamluks
the shadowland itself—and no jackal would dare this. This can rise to the rank of scalelord, but their talonlords and
offers escaped slaves a terrifying choice if they cannot reach winglords are always Realm legionnaires.
the Traveler’s Road to Whitewall. The following sample talon comes from Amber River,
SHADOWTOWNS but mamluks from throughout the Slave Coast are identical.
A few slaves attempt to escape through shadowlands, It could be the guards at a latifundia, the garrison of a border
traveling along the edges and fearing the dead almost as much fort or (raising the Magnitude) the complete militia of one
as they fear the brutal thugs who hunt them. A few survive of the smaller Slave Coast cities. By reducing the Magnitude
to tell hair-raising tales. These heroes often win names for to 2 and raising Morale to 4, it can also represent an entire
themselves in the free nations to the North, but most would Bloody Hand gang of escaped slaves.
never consider entering a shadowland again. Commanding Officer: Talonlord Peleps Nyla
Once in a while, though, clever and desperate slaves Armor Color: Amber buff jacket with blue Peleps mon
make deals with one or more ghost gangs from Marama’s Motto: “Surrender or die!”
Fell. They win the right for groups of escapes slaves to live General Makeup: 100 light infantry wearing buff jackets
in a shadowland controlled by the gang. In return, the and pot helms, armed with chopping swords, truncheons,
escaped slaves and their descendants must deliver living self bows and frog crotch arrows.
sacrifices to the ghosts. Some shadowtown folk venture Overall Quality: Fair
back into Serrat to capture various hated individuals such Magnitude: 3
as jackals, overseers or other privileged slaves. Others hold
lotteries when they cannot capture sufficient enemies as
victims. The people of a particularly debased shadowtown
might decide that they don’t care anymore about freeing
slaves or revenge on their former masters. Instead, they help
slaves escape—perhaps claiming allegiance to the Bloody
Hand—but deliver their fellows from slavery to the altars
and mouths of the dead.
Just a year ago, a Bloody Hand group did something its
members swore never to do: betrayed a former slave. The
rebels discovered that a shadowtown had reached this nadir
of corruption, luring slaves to their death. The rebels sent an
anonymous message to the local garrison, giving the loca-
tion of the shadowtown and its activities. The Wyld Hunt
swept in… and half the Immaculate monks never returned.
The villagers had more than ghosts as allies. The surviving
monks told of encountering one of the dark and dreadful
new Anathema—a deathknight.
SAMPLE COMBAT UNITS

Each Deshan satrapy hosts various dragons, talons and
scales of Imperial medium and heavy infantry. Examples of
such units appear on pages 68–72 of The Compass of Ce-
lestial Directions, Vol. I—The Blessed Isle. The Eighth
Legion has no special equipment—they’ve never needed it
to crush slave revolts or to repel barbarian attacks—but each
satrapy’s contingent includes a talon of special winter-trained
troops. Use the Vermilion Legion Wing traits, but reduce
its Magnitude to 3.
78
Drill: 1 and burn until soldiers move in to kill ththem, or they find
Close Combat Attack: k: 3 the collective good sense to run. Their rag
rage, however, gives
Close Combat Damage: age: 3 them a semblance of courage.
Ranged Attack: 1 Commanding Officer: None
Ranged Attack Damage: age: 2 Armor Color: None
Endurance: 4 Might: ght: 0 Motto: Incoherent shouting
Armor: 1 (-1 mobility)ty) Morale: 2 General Makeup: 30 to 60 furious men an and women with no
Formation: Mamluks ks don’t want to get armor, carrying knives, improvised clubs an
and other weapons
too far from each other,
her, but lack the of convenience.
training to fight effectively
tively in close Overall Quality: Poor
formation. They alwaysways fight in Magnitude: 2
relaxed formation, whenen they aren’t Drill: 0
milling about in confusion.
sion. Talon- Close Combat Attack: 2
lord Nyla might have three slave Close Combat Damag
Damage: 2
scalelords as heroes, but
ut no relays Ranged Attack: 1
and definitely no sorcerers.
cerers. Ranged Attack Damag
Damage: 1
Endurance: 4 Might: 0
SLAVE RIOTERS Armor: 0 Morale: 4
Description: Thehe most
Formation: Unordered. The
common combat unit nit
rioters hhave no special
in the Slave Coast is
characters.
charact
simply a mob of slaves
ves
that exploded in rage.
ge.
The slaves kill, loott
The Deshan Satrapies,

rapies,
Magnitude 3 Dominions
minions
Military: 2 Culture: 2 Government: 1
Abilities: Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 2, Integrity (Secret Police +1), Investigation 2 (Informants +1), Performance 1
(Quell the Populace +2), Presence 1, Stealth 1, War 3
Limit Break: Conviction Current Limit: 5
Willpower: 7
Notes: The Slave Coast satrapies each have the population to be Magnitude 3 or even 4, but their Magnitude
suffers because most of the population loathes its own country. They stay only because of drug addiction and fear.
The satrapies are functionally identical.
Each satrapy invests its 10 bonus points in one dot each of Awareness and Bureaucracy, as well as the Integrity and
Investigation specialties. Their external bonus points come from the provinces’ close connection to the Realm.
They pay for a dot of War and the Performance specialties.
In Limit Break, a province experiences a massive slave revolt, as the population’s hatred overcomes its fear of its
masters and of losing its drug supply. Such is the profound dysfunction of the Slave Coast that the satrapies’ Limit
never drops below 2. Their current Limit represents the growing instability as the Bloody Hand gains recruits,
the shadowtowns forge closer relations with the ghosts of Marama’s Fell and the Scarlet Empire’s reputation for
invincibility fades.
tory, no one had much reason to pay attention to the small,

SHANARINARA inland nation. In the last six decades, however, the Shanari
True nations grow sparse in the Northern interior, but discovered modest deposits of jade and fairly large deposits
they do exist. The state of Shanarinara emerged just recently of tin in their territory. Twenty years ago, they also found
as an important power in the North. For much of its his- something no one even thought possible: a deposit of soulsteel.

These discoveries brought a great increase in Shanarinara’s As Shanarinara grows in wealth, its leaders grow in
wealth, and even greater changes to their society. In their local ambition. They hope to expand their country considerably.
Time of Tumult, the citizens of Shanarinara find themselves Every direction they look, however, they see powerful and
caught between greater forces than they imagine. established rivals. Perhaps more importantly, their new wealth
attracts large numbers of fortune hunters, to the extent that
HISTORY immigrants and their offspring now account for a significant
No awe-inspiring ruins hint at what Shanarinara might fraction of the population. The Shanari now face choices
have been like in the High First Age. Indeed, until recently, they barely know how to define.
the Shanari did not know there was a High First Age. The
oldest structures in their country date from the Shogunate
period: a spa complex built to exploit a valley’s natural hot
springs. By Shogunate standards, these were modest facilities
SECRET OF THE SOULSTEEL
Soulsteel does not naturally occur in Creation.
where middle-class mortals and lower-rank Terrestrial Exalted
Ever. It comes from the Underworld, and is made by
came on vacation. The Fair Folk smashed the hotels and baths
some rather ghastly processes that all involve ghosts.
on their way toward the Blessed Isle, and the Empress dealt
So how does Shanarinara have a soulsteel mine?
more damage as she scourged the invaders from beyond back
That is for the Storyteller to decide. Creation
toward Creation’s rim. Nevertheless, they seemed very fine
holds many mysteries. The soulsteel might result from
to refugees of the plague and war. The hot springs, which
the actions of a Primordial. (For instance, Autochthon
made the valley several degrees warmer than the surrounding
used soulsteel to build his pattern spiders before the
country, seemed even better. The damaged buildings became
Underworld ever existed.) Maybe a Primordial or
the start of the farming town of Inara. Other farming villages
one of its component souls died in Shanarinara, and
sprang up in the region soon after.
its death left the soulsteel behind. Maybe something
The villages governed themselves through councils of
from the Underworld is seeping into Creation, and as
elders and votes among the people. They stayed independent
the miners dig deeper, they come closer to letting it
for centuries—sometimes fighting tiny wars against each
break through. Invent a reason that serves the pur-
other, sometimes trading their goods at Inara. About 400
poses of your Exalted series, or leave it as a mystery
years ago, however, an upsurge of attacks by icewalkers led to
never to be solved.
the villages confederating for defense. While Inara naturally
dominated the confederation as the largest community, the
other Shanari insisted on a democracy of communities, car-
rying the traditions of votes and councils to a higher level of SHANARI NATION
organization. The confederacy of Shanarinara suffered two Shanarinara occupies a region of low but rugged hills
episodes of monarchy when warlords seized power, but neither and broad valleys, about 200 miles east of the Black Crag
lasted long. (The second warlord, the renegade Dynast Iselsi Mountains and about midway between the White Sea and
Krelen, died when Shanari assassins smothered him in his Inland Sea coasts. The country forms an irregular blob some
sleep.) Over time, the confederation became tighter until 300 miles from east to west and 160 miles from north to
the Shanari thought of themselves as a single state. south. The Fellish River flows through Shanarinara on its
In RY 714, a Shanari prospector found a large deposit of way from the Black Crag Mountains to the White Sea and
tin ore in a range of low hills. Over the next few decades, other the Haslanti town of White Ribs, but the shallow, rocky
miners found additional ore deposits, including a deposit of blue river is not navigable. The central government meets in
jade. The Shanari had little experience with managing large, Inara, located near the middle of the country but not on the
deep mines and so, they turned to the Guild. The Guild took Fellish River. Of late, the Shanari have built small, stone
its cut, as it always does, but cautious and stubborn negotiators forts along the hills that form their borders.
made sure that much of the wealth stayed at home.
Twenty years ago, the Guild also pressured the Shanari MAKING A LIVING
government to let it mine the newly discovered soulsteel— The Shanari live at the northern extreme for growing
but then, the Shanari council received an unexpected the hardiest varieties of oats and rye. The land also supports
embassy from a nation so distant no one had ever heard herds of domestic musk ox. Many Shanari still live in farm-
of it. Ambassadors from the far land of Gradafes said that ing and herding villages. These villages start as rectangular
they knew far more than the Guild about how to handle blocks of houses surrounding a courtyard, with thick outer
soulsteel and offered a higher price for the grim metal. Only walls of stone and sod. Villages grow by adding more blocks
years after the Shanari struck their deal did they learn that of houses with narrow passages between the courtyards. The
the ambassadors represented not the king of Gradafes but Shanari used the courtyards as corrals for their musk ox herds
that country’s uncrowned mistress, the Lover Clad in the to protect them from icewalker raids. Shanari cities still
Raiment of Tears. follow this basic plan: Although cobblestone streets divide
80
the city into blocks, each block is a maze of courtyards and also choose a small council of officials—the Selectmen—to
narrow passages. Urban homes keep their doors facing a carry out the results of these votes and to handle relations
courtyard. Only shops, factories and other places of business with the national government.
ever face the street. Shanarinara’s growing cities continue this pattern. Large
Nowadays, more than a dozen mines of tin (and lesser settlements are divided into wards of about 5,000 inhabitants
quantities of lead and silver) dot the hills of Shanarinara. The who mostly live and work together. These residents vote on
country’s single jade mine is not very large—Whitewall has all major issues, just like the inhabitants of smaller towns. In
six larger jade mines—but the royalties paid by the Guild for addition, the Selectmen they elect have the additional duty of
the jade alone are more money than older Shanari imagined working with the councils of the other wards. The assembled
could exist in the world. ward councils of a city form that city’s central government.
Unfortunately, none of the ore deposits turned out to be In both small towns and large cities, the town or ward
as large as the Shanari or the Guild thought. Two tin mines council democratically elects a single Selectman to travel to
have already played out, and the mining savants estimate that Inara to sit on the national Senate. Every urban ward, town
the others will be exhausted within another 50 years. The and group of villages in the nation has a delegate. Every
jade mine will likely play out sooner. No one can guess the month, the Senate elects a new Secretary—the closest the
extent of the soulsteel deposit, and the miners from Gradafes nation comes to a head of state.
remove the metal slowly. Prospectors have already found The large and often raucous Shanarinara Senate governs
hints of additional ores—some tin, also iron, copper and a the entire nation. This form of government usually results in
little silver—beyond the nation’s borders. The icewalkers, slow decisions and extensive compromise. When the interests
however, still control these territories. of the various Senators all line up, though, they can act with
unexpected speed and with full confidence that their constitu-
GOVERNMENT ents will back their actions. Indeed, national crises sometimes
Direct democracy endures as the standard form of
stampede the Senators into decisions they later regret.
government for every community of less than 5,000. The
inhabitants of towns and villages gather together and vote on COMMUNICATION
every important issue. Every year, immediately after Calibra- In the last 50 years, the national government has used
tion, the inhabitants of every town and collection of villages its new wealth to build a heliograph network between every

significant town. The ordinary heliograph towers are supple- Dragons have the job of dealing with local small gods and
mented by stationary hot-air balloons (a technology inspired elementals (and are well paid for it).
by seeing Haslanti air boats), which rise more than 1,000 The Shanari have little experience with the Exalted.
feet on their sturdy rope tethers. Observers bearing spyglasses Rarely, a Dynast or an outcaste adventurer passed through
ascend in these balloons and can see far-off messages being and usually made a bad impression. On the rare occasions
relayed. They also spot many distant problems such as grass when a Shanari drew the Second Breath as a Terrestrial, she
fires, large caravans and bandit gangs. As a result, towns and was strongly encouraged to seek her destiny elsewhere. The
cities can share important information quite rapidly. few encounters between the Shanari and the Lunar Exalted
The Shanari want to copy Haslanti air boats, but they also involved icewalkers, so the Shanari have an even worse
haven’t worked out the rigging and propeller systems yet. (As view of Luna’s Chosen. Their most visible example of the
inland people, they have a lot of catching up to do with sails.) new Solar Exalted is the Bull of the North, who frightens
So far, they manage only hot-air balloons. When the wind them terribly. A fellow called the Prince of Shadows passed
is right, however, local traders can send messages and fairly through briefly on business for the Lover, however, and he
small cargoes in these balloons. The government pays for seemed quite charming. Shanarinara has few native God-
thaumaturges skilled in the Art of Weather Working or the Blooded and no other native Essence channelers.
Art of Elemental Summoning (see The Books of Sorcery, The nation does hire many foreign thaumaturges, who
Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex, pp. 136 and 144) to make sure perform a wide variety of functions. The most important
its balloon-borne couriers have a favorable wind. functions involve summoning elementals to assist in mining,
Even with the best weather control, these vessels are building, weather control and other forms of civil engineering.
considerably slower and carry much less than Haslanti air The Senate recently established a National College of Thau-
boats. Nevertheless, Shanarinara now has weekly air travel maturgy and offers excellent salaries to potential teachers.
between Inara and the other main cities, going both ways.
These measures further unify Shanarinara and increase the IMMIGRANT NATION
nation’s power. Local Guild factors scribble excited messages Historically, Shanarinara was a nation with a relatively
to their leaders in Nexus about the commercial possibilities low and highly self-sufficient population. That has drasti-
of long-range balloon transport of small, ultra-high-value cally changed within the last several decades. The nation
commodities such as jewels, artifacts and hearthstones. found itself with more money and more work to do than
people to do it.
THE NEW MODEL ARMY First, the Shanarinara Senate began hiring engineers and
Each town and rural farming region once organized its planners from Nexus and other distant nations. The Senate
own militia to fight off barbarians and the walking dead. The initially sought out experts from distant lands to avoid hiring
Senate soon found that these forces did not suffice to defend anyone who might serve potential rivals or competitors, such
the country against bandits eager to take the new wealth for as the Haslanti League. These experts designed factories with
themselves. The Guild rented them mercenaries. A bright simple assembly lines and significantly improved agricultural
Senator realized, however, that it could be very foolish to production through basic weather control, increased labor
rely exclusively on the Guild for defense. As a result, the and better plows, harrows and other devices that Scavenger
Senate began hiring its own mercenaries—not to fight, but to Lands farmers had used for centuries. Within 15 years, these
train the Shanari. Today, a modest standing army trained in efforts began to pay off, and Shanarinara became far more
Scavenger Lands tactics and organization—the New Model prosperous than it had been previously.
Army—supplements the militias. Shanarinara still cannot For such an isolated little country, word spread with
conquer any of its neighbors, but it can now defend itself amazing speed that Shanarinara would pay for workers. First
from the icewalkers. a trickle of poor people came, seeking their fortunes. The
RELIGION AND THE SUPERNATURAL trickle grew into a stream, a river… The Guild offered to
Shanarinara has never felt much influence from the sell slaves but found its caravans under attack by convoys of
Realm, but its people worship the Immaculate Dragons would-be workers anxious not to be undercut. Thirty years
nonetheless—a leftover bit of Shogunate culture. Their faith ago, a canny Guild factor gave up and put herself at the head
has nothing to do with the Dragon-Blooded, and they deny of the parade. Every year, poor people in Nexus, Port Calin,
the immanent divinity of the Scarlet Dynasty and the Em- Mishaka and other teeming cities of the Scavenger Lands
press. Instead, they revere the Dragons as Creation’s supreme pay the Guild their life’s savings to join a caravan bound for
elemental powers. Missionaries from the Immaculate Order Shanarinara, the Land of Opportunity and Treasure Chest
periodically tried to push the Shanari into true Immaculate of the North!
faith, but the Shanari always slid back to their folk religion. One in 10 Shanari came to the country within the
As farmers, naturally they revere Sextes Jylis, the Dragon last 30 years or are descended from people who did. What’s
of Wood, above the rest, but the new importance of mining more, these immigrants swell the nation’s previously small
leads to increasing worship of Pasiap as well. Priests of the urban population. Sixty years ago, only one in 20 Shanari
82
lived in towns or cities. Today, that number has risen to brawls. Hundreds of immigrants are beaten each year. Now
one in seven. Inara, the nation’s largest metropolis, has a and then, angry young men burn down a shop owned by
population of 250,000 and growing. The government also successful immigrants.
finds the manpower to embark on large public works, such Yet, only native Shanari can vote. There have been
as trading roads meant to connect Inara to Fella, Gethamane several proposals to expand voting rights to everyone born in
and White Ribs—none completed yet. Shanarinara, but the conservative inhabitants of the nation’s
A fraction of these immigrants are highly skilled and small farming towns strongly oppose these measures. This
well paid experts such as thaumaturges, doctors, artisans and gives immigrants grounds for resentment in return.
engineers. These experts have become an exotic upper class.
They remain distinct from Shanarinara’s native upper class
THE GRADAFES WARD
Most wards and immigrant ghettos act like invisible
of landowners, merchants, priests and local artisans. Many
barriers. The Nexus folk just don’t mix with the Calinti
of these wealthy new residents intend to stay only a decade
much, and none of the Scavenger Lands immigrants have
or so before they return to their homelands. If they intend to
much good to say about the Haslanti—some of them live
stay, they often make an effort to fit in. They do not much
in tents. One small neighborhood, however, surrounds itself
threaten the existing social order. The position of the poorer
with high brick walls. Here dwell a few thousand rather pale
immigrants is far less secure.
people from Gradafes… and no one else. The Lover Clad
Most immigrants are semi-skilled laborers who toil in
in the Raiment of Tears sent them to work in the soulsteel
the workshops and factories of the growing cities or in the
mine. The miners work in shifts, two weeks on and six weeks
mines. Most of them come from the Scavenger Lands and
off. They spend their off period in Inara. First, only men
speak Riverspeak, not Skytongue. They live in their own
came. As the years passed, though, the miners sent for their
urban neighborhoods.
wives and children.
Some members of the local lower class resent the jobs
The largest building in the Gradafes Ward is a temple
that these laborers supposedly take away from them. Crime
of the dead, following that country’s version of the ancestor
has risen since the old days, too. The most common source
cult. The second-largest building is the Gradafes embassy.
of local dissatisfaction, though, is simply that the immigrants
Neither one looks very fancy, or obviously ominous, but few
are not part of Shanari culture. Everything from their food
Shanari would want to step into either of them.
to their faiths is radically different. Many older Shanari fear
As part of her embassy, the Lover sent a few dozen
their country will lose its native culture under the influx
Ghost-Blooded exorcists. These exorcists perform certain
of foreigners and their alien cultures. These conservative
special functions in mining the soulsteel. They also help
residents view the spread of foreign restaurants and foreign
keep Shanarinara free from the restless dead. The country’s
entertainment with a mixture of alarm and disgust.
border lies more than 100 miles from Marama’s Fell, but that
INARA isn’t enough to prevent all incursions.
The capital of Shanarinara used to be a small and quiet Older Shanari abhor the idea of dealing with the dead
city with a population of only 50,000. People still enjoyed and their allies. The inhabitants on the country’s southwestern
the hot springs. The city was also a center for the manu- margin, however, fear the restless dead of the Fell. Although
facture of distinctive Shanarinaran pottery. Today, Inara is many of these farmers and herders feel uncomfortable with
the most cosmopolitan city in a nation that is profoundly the Gradafesese, they also feel grateful for the wardings that
not used to being cosmopolitan. Almost a fifth of Inara’s keep their towns free from spectral invasions. Debate about
population is foreign born—this, in the capital itself! Here, the risks and desirability of dealing with Gradafes and its
the disruptions to Shanarinaran life show themselves at mysterious mistress forms a subject of discussions and argu-
their most extreme. ments in the homes, taverns and Senate of Shanarinara.
The Guild leases a full district of the city covering
more than a square mile in area. Inara is the primary point FOREIGN RELATIONS AND THE FUTURE
of trade between Shanarinara and the Guild, as well as the Shanarinara has tasted wealth and power for the first
center for the influx and adoption of foreign luxuries by time, and many inhabitants wish to expand and stabilize
the local populace. Wealthy Shanarinarans living in Inara their gains. Unfortunately, the nation’s population is
now regularly own silks and clocks from the Realm, exotic relatively small and not well equipped for war. Knowing
Haltan woodwork and occasionally even glasswork imported this, the Senate seeks allies. Gethamane and Fella seem
from the South. like the nearest and safest allies, but also the least useful.
To many older or rural residents of Shanarinara, Inara Whitewall expresses interest in increasing trade, though,
has become a symbol of the foreign corruption that has in- while seeming distant enough not to become a threat. The
vaded this land. Young working-class Shanari who come to Haslanti League also makes overtures, but the Shanari
Inara often resent the many foreign workers who live here. suspect the aggressive Haslanti see their rich little country
They show their resentment through petty vandalism and as a plum to pluck.

The Shanari have no desire to ally with the Realm. for new lands to settle and exploit makes the Lover’s offers
Their new wealth led to the first attention they ever re- even more tempting. The Lover is sufficiently patient to
ceived from the Scarlet Empire, and it came in the form accept refusal in the short term, but several of her agents
of Dynastic ambassadors with an Imperial legion at their already operate in Shanarinara, working to convince the
back, demanding tribute. The Shanari paid. Some Shanari populace to accept her offer.
suspect that only their location on the far side of Marama’s
Fell prevented the country from becoming a satrapy. The SAMPLE COMBAT UNITS
Shanari accurately perceive Cherak, Amber River and Serrat The Whitewall militia unit found on page 69 of Scroll
as puppets of the Realm. of Kings can adequately represent the modestly trained,
The rise of the Bull of the North presents Shanarinara lightly armed volunteer soldiers of Shanarinaran town
with a neighbor they fear at least as much as the Realm. and village militias. The New Model Army is considerably
The Bull’s nascent empire is still hundreds of miles from more professional.
Shanarinara’s border… but that didn’t help the Linowan, The New Model Army consists of 12 dragons (so far)
now did it? Ranches on n the country’s
country s eastern of about 500 men each. These dragons can divide into
margin have already suffered
red raids from icewalkers wings, talons and so on, following the usual pattern de-
loyal to the Bull. Many in this nation fear rived from Shogunate and Realm legions. Shanarinara
et his sights on
that the Bull will soon set uses modern names for officers, though: sergeants
Shanarinara’s rough butt fertile land nds.
s..
lands. leading fangs, lieutenants commanding scales
Some Shanari politicians ns seriously and captains leading talons. Majors command
nttry
debate whether the country r should wings and colonels command whole dragons.
ce and offer
preemptively sue for peace The New Model Army has a single general,
tribute to the Bull, lest he conquer Thara Talhasina.
them outright. NEW MODEL ARMY
Indeed, Shanarinara’s
ra’s closest
ally is a country fewer than
han a dozen
FOURTH DRAGON
Description: Sol-
Shanari have ever visited:
d: Gradafes.
diers of the Fourth Dragon
The Lover’s home lies many thou-
ride to battle but dismount
sands of miles away,
to fight. The New Model
and so, the Shanari
Army still experiments with
imagine it could not
what mounts to use, horses
possibly become a
or reindeer, so the Fourth has
threat. The Lover Clad
two talons of each. New Model
in the Raiment of Tearss encourages
Army soldiers train equally
this notion.
with spears, swords and bows. The
The Shanari wouldd like to expand
Shanari have long experience of the
their country. The icewalkers
alkers are their ch
cchief
ieef
need to shoot marauding icewalkers.
obstacle. A number of icewalker tribes rregu- egu-
Commanding Officer: Colonel Azil Izane
larly pass by Shanarinara’s
ra’s fr
ffringes,
inges, and
n tthey
nd heey
Armor Color: Green and silver
massacre homesteads established
ablisheh d outsidee tthe
he
Motto: “Live and Die Free!”
country’s borders. Onlyy sustained warfare
General Makeup: 500 medium infantry armed with
could end this threat. If Shanarinara could
spears, straight swords and long bows with broadhead arrows;
do this, they would find other powerful countries
they wear lamellar armor and slotted helms.
contesting their control of the new territories: the Haslanti
Overall Quality: Good
League to the north, Amber River to the southeast, possibly
Magnitude: 5
Whitewall to the west, certainly the Bull of the North to
Drill: 3
the east. The southwest lies open already, but few Shanari
Close Combat Attack: 3 Close Combat Damage: 2
want to move closer to Marama’s Fell. The ambassadors
Ranged Attack: 3 Ranged Attack Damage: 2
from Gradafes hint, however, that the Lover might be able
Endurance: 8 Might: 0 Armor: 2 (-2 mobility)
to show them ways to deal with this problem. Maybe even
Morale: 3
with the Bull of the North…
Formation: Shanarinara military units fight in a basic pha-
Many Senators now seriously ponder deepening their
lanx formation, with swordsmen attacking enemies who get
ties with the Deathlord, even though they now have some
past the guarding spearmen. Before armies close, everyone
idea what a Deathlord is. They fear nearby threats more than
shoots arrows. In large battles, auxiliary units of local militia
they fear the far-removed Deathlord who has never set foot
back them up.
in their country (to their knowledge). The Shanari’s hunger
84
Shanarinara, a Magnitude 4 Domain
Military: 2 Culture: 2 Government: 3
Abilities: Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 2, Craft 3, Integrity 3 (Tight-Knit Heritage +2), Investigation 1, Occult 1,
Performance 2 (Rousing Rhetoric +1), Presence 1, Stealth 1, War 3 (Slash and Burn Tactics +1)
Limit Break: Temperance Current Limit: 2
Willpower: 9
Notes: Shanarinara is a growing and expansionist state. Its own bonus points are invested in two dots of Will-
power, a dot of War and its two specialties. Its six external bonus points come from its (so far) very loose alliance
with Gradafes and the Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears, as well as the Guild. These points go to another dot of
Willpower. In Limit Break, Shanarinara sends its armies and hordes of settlers out to claim nearby lands and fight
the icewalkers and anyone else who gets in their way.
food becomes available at different times of the year. This

THE ICEWALKER BARBARIANS nomadic lifestyle shapes many aspects of their culture—
A great many Northerners do not live in nations at all. including how they deal with other people.
Indeed, some folk despise the idea of nations and cities. The
icewalkers are the largest group of these barbarians, and the TOTEM ANIMALS
most determined in their conscious rejection of civilization. Each icewalker tribe both hunts and reveres a specific
Although outsiders often think of them as a single people, totem animal that supplies the tribe with food and other useful
the icewalkers actually consist of hundreds of tribes scattered items, such as hides or sinew. Inland icewalkers have totems
across the North. The tribes share many cultural traits, but such as reindeer, elk, moose, musk ox, wooly rhinoceros or
each tribe is fully independent from all others. Tribes may mammoth. Coastal icewalkers hunt and worship seal, walrus
make treaties with other tribes that travel through the same and whale totems, or salmon along the Inland Sea or the
portions of the North, but one of the central tenets of icewalker Great Western Ocean.
life is that each tribe stays in control of its own destiny. An icewalker tribe has a complex relationship with its
Every tribe tells its own story about its origin. Most of totem. The totem animal is the tribe’s primary food animal
the stories concern heroes who are among the last people and the chief source for hides and other commodities. Every
left alive after a great cataclysm—a faint folk memory of the tribe knows how to make the fullest use of its totem—meat,
Great Contagion and the Fair Folk invasion. This is the closest milk (if applicable), skin, bones, everything. Inland tribes
the icewalkers come to a shared history. Literate Northern follow herds of their sacred animal, while coastal tribes plan
folk never paid enough attention to the icewalkers to record their journeys according to salmon runs in different rivers, the
their history, either. All that anyone can say for certain is migrations of whales or breeding cycles of seals or walrus.
that icewalker culture arose in the centuries after the Great A tribe also has obligations to its totem animal. The
Contagion and that the founders of the first tribes made pacts tribe cannot over-hunt or over-fish without angering the
with totem-gods of various Northern animals. animal’s avatar god (as well as endangering the tribe’s future
Icewalker geography is similarly uncertain, for all the food supply). Neither can the tribe hunt without need, allow
tribes wander to some degree. Some follow a regular year-long the totem animal to suffer or kill the young or mothers with
circuit through a few locations, such as the seal-hunting tribes young. The tribe also tries to protect its animal from other
that move north and south across the White Sea. Other tribes predators. Icewalker scouts often travel ahead of a herd to
have moved thousands of miles over the centuries, gradually look for potential dangers or the best forage, and the tribe
shifting their hunting-grounds to follow herds of reindeer, steers the herd accordingly.
mammoth or other beasts. One can say only that a particular The most unusual icewalkers live on the permanent ice
tribe currently moves about within a particular area—which sheets along the northern coast of the White Sea. Below them
might cover hundreds or thousands of miles. lie frigid waters whose embrace kills any who fall in within
minutes. Tribes that live at the very edge of the ice take to
MAKING A LIVING the ocean in boats made of skin to hunt their totem animals,
Icewalkers live principally by hunting and gathering, the whale or walrus. Barbarians who live farther from the
and usually on the move. The animals on which their liveli- edge of the ice always have seal as their totem. They hunt
hood depends are all migratory or seasonal, so the icewalkers their prey by lying in wait at the breathing holes that seals
perforce must follow a herd or travel between locations where use when they venture beneath the ice in search of fish.

Such tribes, whose members truly live up to their name
as icewalkers, find their own ways to help their totem ani-
mals. For instance, the seal hunters use bow-drills of stone
and whalebone to cut new breathing-holes in the ice, while
the walrus hunters protect those animals’ birthing grounds
from hungry ice bears. The whalers’ shamans assist their
totem animals in mystic ways they keep secret even from
their own tribes.
A tribe’s totem animal becomes the center of its religious
life as well as its livelihood. Long ago, the ancestors of each
tribe forged a covenant with the divine avatar of their totem
animal. Icewalkers collectively refer to their pantheon of
avatars as the Animal Masters. A tribe worships the Animal
Master of its totem above all other gods. Every hunt begins
and ends with a prayer acknowledging the tribe’s dependence
on its Animal Master, thanking the god for past bounty and
hoping for continued favor.
Icewalkers do not live exclusively on their totem ani-
mals, of course. They hunt other animals when they get the
chance—mostly small game such as hares, ducks or trout,
in their seasons—while coastal icewalkers gather shellfish.
Icewalkers also gather berries, herbs, tubers, edible lichens
and other plants. When members of one tribe hunt a totem
animal not their own, though, they take care to pray to the
appropriate Animal Master for permission and to offer suit-
able thanks after a successful hunt.
ACROSS THE FROZEN NORTH
The animals that icewalkers hunt do not stop moving
in winter, and thus did the icewalkers gain their name. They
travel when snow and ice cover the North and civilized
folk stay close to their hearth-fires. Of all Northerners,
only the Haslanti surpass the icewalkers at transportation
technology… and the Haslanti began by learning from the
icewalkers.
For personal transportation, icewalkers use snowshoes
and skis. Snowshoes merely reduce the penalties for trying
to walk through snow (described on page 114 of Scroll of
Kings). Skis enable short bursts of downhill speed, but are
more difficult to use.
In rules terms, skis require a minimum Athletics of 3 to
use, as per the rules for unstable footing on p. 155 of Exalted, or
a character can buy one Athletics specialty in skis to use them
without need for dice rolls. Skis add to a character’s downhill
movement—the Storyteller determines how much, based on
terrain, but rarely more than +6 yards—and the character
must use a Dash action rather than a Move action.
Some icewalkers know how to ride. Horses survive only
in the southern limits of their range, while hardy ponies can
endure winters north to Whitewall or thereabouts. Only elk
or reindeer can flourish as far north as the White Sea coast.
Tribes who take these beasts as their totem never ride them.
For instance, a tribe that domesticates reindeer to ride might
hunt elk, or vice-versa, but using a totem animal to hunt its
kin would offend its god.
86
designed for raiding and exploration, these tribes also use
slow, wide iceships that carry all of their possessions, includ-
TOTEM COMPANIONS ing their dogs and other domestic animals. When the tribe
Once in a while, special totem animals become
comes to a good campsite, they anchor their iceships and
the companions of truly heroic icewalkers. When a
set up camp.
hero does a great service to the totem animal or the
Icewalkers also manufacture both one- and two-person
animal avatar (for instance, saving a reindeer herd
gliders and use them for scouting and various forms of aerial
from a pack of predators), the avatar sometimes sends
attacks. Anywhere they find cliffs or glacial edges near settle-
this hero a companion animal. Totem companions
ments or caravan routes that icewalkers wish to raid, they
have human intelligence. They can speak and under-
launch their cunningly made gliders of willow, hide and bone.
stand mortal speech. Instead of being a prey animal,
After scouting their target, the icewalkers launch their best
it becomes a member of the tribe. Anyone with such
warriors to glide down to the target, jump free of the glider
a companion is almost certainly either a tribal chief
as it lands and attack. Above them, younger warriors in two-
or shaman. Chiefs with such companions will never
person gliders carry skilled archers and javelin throwers. The
be deposed, unless they offend their companions or
pilot steers the glider, while the archer or javelineer rains
their animal avatars. In such cases, their animals
death on their enemies. Even the most skillful pilot, however,
repudiate them and might attempt to kill them.
cannot keep a glider aloft for more than a few hours.
In rules terms, totem companions have Intel-
ligence and Willpower equal to that of a heroic
mortal, and Physical and Social Attributes one
higher than normal for their kind. They heal and ICEWALKER TRAVEL
resist disease, infection and bleeding as well as one Travel Type Hourly Daily Weekly Monthly
of the Exalted and add half their Stamina to their Cargo Dog Sled 6 30 150 350
lethal soak. Totem companions are always purchased
Fast Dog Sled 10 50 250 600
as allies and not familiars or followers.
The greatest totem companions are the avatar’s Iceship 6 125 800 2,400
God-Blooded children, who have enlightened Es- Glider 25 — — —
sence and can learn spirit Charms. These mighty
creatures only become the companions of the greatest
God-Blooded or Exalted icewalkers.
THE WEALTH OF NOMADS
Icewalkers cannot own more than they can carry, but they
All icewalker tribes use sleds, sleighs and sledges. The do not consider themselves poor. Due to their arrangement
latter vehicle resembles a sled or sleigh but has flat runners, with their totems, the tribes rarely lack for food. They risk
like skis. A sledge can travel on smooth ground such as peat- starvation only in the depths of winter, when the animals
bog or tundra, though they work better on snow. Icewalkers themselves risk death, or through the action of spirits—an
who ride horses, ponies, elk or reindeer also harness these offended Animal Master or perhaps a god that seeks to extort
animals to their vehicles, but dogs are more common. Many worship. The Winter Folk also work to freeze and starve their
clans of icewalkers follow their sacred herds by riding on chief mortal foes.
large dogsleds designed to carry tents, the young, the elderly A tribe’s quest for food and other necessary materials
and all of the necessities of life. Hunters and scouts use also leaves plenty of time for other activities. For instance,
lightweight one- or two-person dogsleds to travel on ahead, old icewalkers can teach the tribe’s epics to the young while
swiftly searching out both dangers and sources of additional they gather berries, or a team of duck hunters can plan daring
food. Icewalkers also use these two-person dogsleds in battle, raids while they trek to a distant lake. What’s more, large
with one icewalker driving and the other throwing javelins meat animals can feed a family for several days, leaving time
or shooting a bow. (See pp. 147–148 of Scroll of Kings for for other activities. During festivals, icewalkers enjoy berry
descriptions and traits of dogsleds and sleighs; sledges use wine, spruce beer and fermented milk as well as a variety of
the same traits.) hallucinogens. Icewalker tribes also hold elaborate storytelling
Farther north, some icewalkers use iceships. These ves- contests, recounting both traditional epics and recent deeds.
sels are smaller than Haslanti iceships (no larger than small Many icewalkers can sing as well as play bone flutes, small
coasters—see Scroll of Kings, p. 146) and slower, since they drums or fiddles. When several tribes meet on friendly terms,
generally use stone, bone or ivory runners instead of high- the resulting festival can last for several days.
grade steel. Still, they travel as much as 125 miles a day. A Regardless of what animal they follow, all icewalkers stay
few of the larger and wealthier tribes near the White Sea highly mobile. Some totem animals spend several months in
now travel primarily by iceship. In addition to small skiffs one location to breed or take refuge from the cold, but this

is the longest that icewalkers stay in one spot. Even during The shaman stands alone. Icewalkers understand that
such extended stays, icewalkers live in temporary or portable they need their shamans, but few wish to become one.
dwellings. Most icewalker live in hide tents or hide-lined Most icewalkers dream of a life of heroic battles—not of
igloos. Despite civilized imaginings about dirty barbarians negotiating the alien and dangerous world of gods and
shivering in the cold, these small homes stay surprisingly elementals.
snug, warm and largely free of vermin. Icewalkers also make Most shamans bear some visible mark that sets them
most of their clothing of leather and fur, and ornament it apart, such as a deformity or a physical feature that indicates
with quilting, appliqué and stitching with plant fibers or a touch of divine ancestry—though never Wyld mutations.
dyed porcupine quills. Icewalkers kill any of their kind who shows the Wyld’s taint.
If a totem animal pauses for more than a few weeks in Other shamans are set apart by strange behavior, if not actual
its wanderings, a tribe might settle long enough to forge madness or disorders such as epilepsy. Shamans can be male
metal—mostly for weapons. Icewalkers also have access to or female, but often dress as the other sex: They live between
ivory, amber and other precious materials and can trade them categories in every way they can.
to settled peoples for fine metal tools and weapons. What ice- Icewalker shamans talk with the gods and elementals
walkers can’t obtain through trade, they usually acquire from of the North. Most importantly, they deal with the divine
townsfolk through raiding or extortion. This combination of avatar of the tribe’s totem animal. Becoming a shaman
raiding and trading enables many icewalkers to own weapons requires extensive training by an older shaman, but the
and tools as fine as those in most parts of Creation. Chiefs, only indispensable qualification is acceptance by the tribe’s
shamans and heroes regularly possess excellent equipment, Animal Master. The god sometimes visits a tribal member
as well as the occasional artifact. Icewalkers must possess far in a vision and selects her to become the next shaman. This
fewer goods than city dwellers—so they insist that whatever person must then be trained, but she becomes a shaman
they do own must be durable and well made. They do not with that first vision. Similarly, the Animal Master can
want anything more. Icewalkers cherish their mobility and refuse even the most qualified and well-trained prospec-
freedom, and most of them see civilized peoples as enslaved tive shaman. If this happens, this person cannot become
by their possessions as much as by their superiors. the tribe’s shaman.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
An icewalker tribe has two leaders, a chief and a shaman.
The chief bears principle responsibility for hunting, raiding FAILED SHAMANS
and resolving conflicts based on pride and honor. The sha- A would-be shaman had best accept her Animal
man deals with spiritual issues, from interceding with the Master’s rejection humbly and gracefully. Icewalker
tribe’s totem-god to resolving hidden grudges, grief and other legends tell of many embittered would-be shamans
emotional problems that are not easily faced head-on. who turned to the Fair Folk, the dead or the Wyld
and became monstrous villains. A tribe watches a
CHIEFS rejected candidate closely for signs of such debase-
An icewalker tribe chooses its chief by acclamation.
ment and drives her out on the least suspicion. Of
The chief is, by definition, the most respected and trusted
course, such hostile expectations easily become self-
individual in the tribe. The tribe follows him (chiefs are usu-
fulfilling prophecies.
ally male) because they trust and respect him. He has proven
Would-be shamans can also turn to chiminage.
himself repeatedly through successful hunts and battles. His
This practice involves selling oneself to a spirit: not just
own prestige makes him the arbiter of prestige and honor for
worshiping it, but directly working its will, providing
other tribal members. It helps if the chief also has a ready
outrageous sacrifices and even allowing it to possess
wit and force of personality.
one’s body. Icewalkers consider chiminage a debased
There are no formal elections for chief. Chiefs continue
practice, and their Animal Masters never demand it.
in their office until they step down, often after some serious
Other barbarian tribes sometimes have chiminage
failure, or when a challenger wins the approval of most of the
shamans, though. Chiminage is not intrinsically
tribe. Challenging a popular or successful chief is considered
evil, but it violates the laws of Heaven, so spirits
both foolish and wrong. Anyone who attempts to challenge a
who demand chiminage rarely do so for benevolent
chief’s position and fails to become the new chief is mocked
reasons. Of course, the icewalkers are also most likely
and derided as both overconfident and disrespectful.
to come into conflict with chiminage shamans who
SHAMANS serve the most hostile and demanding of Northern
The chief forms the apex of a system of prestige based on spirits. Icewalkers, therefore, often assume that any
strength, skill and charisma. They are admired and envied. chiminage shaman must be the demented slave of a
Every tribe has several warriors who hope to become chiefs malignant master.
themselves. It’s a common ambition for the young.
88
The Animal Master becomes the shaman’s patron and LEADERSHIP DISPUTES
helps her deal with other spirits. Small gods and elementals Ideally, both the chief and the shaman approve every
do not want to anger powerful totem-gods by showing dis- major decision made in an icewalker tribe. In any immediate
respect to shamans… at least, that’s the threat the shaman crisis, the chief can override the commands of the shaman.
makes to recalcitrant spirits. Once the crisis is over, though, the dispute must be resolved
Icewalker shamans also study thaumaturgy. They favor in front of the entire tribe. If the two leaders cannot reach an
the Art of Spirit Beckoning for wheedling or extorting favors agreement, then the members of the tribe hear both positions
from small gods, or the Art of Elemental Summoning for treat- and choose the leader to follow by acclaim.
ing with that class of spirits. The Art of Husbandry enables a The tribe often determines whom to follow based upon
shaman to call prey animals, repel dangerous beasts, heal and some combination of the leader’s popularity and rhetorical
assist the tribe’s totem animal—and has darker uses, such as skill. That often means the tribe sides with the already-popular
beckoning enemies into danger. Of all paths, however, the chief. If, however, the shaman acts on the direct request of
icewalkers most value the Art of Warding and Exorcism for the the tribe’s Animal Master and the chief disagrees, the tribe
protection it gives against hostile spirits and malign forces. almost always ignores the chief and follows its shaman. Chiefs
Most of all, the shaman leads the tribe in worship of who do not acknowledge that they overstepped their author-
its Animal Master and delivering suitable honors to other ity by going against the wishes of the tribe’s totem spirit are
totem-gods as needed. The shaman propounds and enforces expected to step down at once.
the rules for proper treatment of the tribe’s totem animal. If
the tribe breaks its covenant, the shaman must perform suit- DIVIDING A TRIBE
able sacrifices: usually the bodies of animals that prey upon or When severe and lasting enmities disrupt a tribe, the
compete with the totem animal or, on rare occasion, the lives icewalkers have two options.
of the tribe members or outsiders who offended the Animal Sometimes, disputes arise from a single individual or a
Master through deliberate cruelty or needless slaughter of its handful of individuals whom no one else follows or agrees
totem animal. Angering the totem-god results in harsh and with. Such troublemakers can try to find another tribe to
immediate penalties ranging from prevention of successful take them in, or they can be driven out to survive as best as
hunts, to striking the shaman down where she stands. they can. If the troublemakers seem violent or dangerous,

they are likely killed. The icewalkers feel it is imprudent to RELATIONS WITH OUTSIDERS
allow enemies who know their ways to go free. Outsiders rarely understand that, unless icewalkers have
In contrast, if a dispute actually divides the tribe, with become corrupted by civilization or tainted by the Wyld,
many partisans on both sides, then the tribe splits in half. these barbarians divide everyone outside of their tribe into
Each member or family decides which group to follow. Most four separate categories: kinfolk, respected outsiders, lesser
often, the shaman goes with one group and the current chief outsiders and debased outsiders. Whenever an icewalker
with another, but both can go with one group. In either case, encounters a stranger, she must decide what category the
the group without a chief is expected to choose one before stranger occupies. Most icewalkers choose how to treat
the actual split occurs, and the existing shaman is expected strangers within a few minutes of encountering them, and
to help the other new tribe find a new shaman. The two icewalkers change this view only when they face proof of
groups travel together until both of them have both of their particularly heroic, craven or repugnant behavior.
necessary leaders. Yet, they pitch their tents or igloos a dozen
or so yards apart and interact as little as possible. KINFOLK: TRIBES OF THE SAME TOTEMS
Once both groups have a shaman and a chief and can All tribes who share the same totem regard one another
survive on their own, they part as amicably as they can. Wise as distant kin, though not so close that they cannot marry.
and competent chiefs and shamans of such tribes always do Each tribe remains separate, however. While tribes of the
their best to see that the two new tribes can turn to one same totem can work together for a variety of goals—for
another for help if either faces serious troubles. instance, assaulting a nest of hobgoblins—these alliances do
In addition, icewalkers believe that a tribe should split not last long. They cannot, for each tribe must eventually
whenever it grows to more than 300 adults. Even if the tribe break camp to follow its own herd.
suffers no major problems, the chief and shaman begin making Beyond such alliances, each tribe stays answerable only
plans to make their tribe into two new tribes. The icewalkers to its members. Any tribe that attempts to control other
know from experience that a single herd or hunting territory tribes of the same totem would be considered to emulate
can support a certain number of people, and no more. the corrupt ways of civilized peoples by trying to enslave
the other tribe. Accusations of this sort of behavior are
the single greatest cause of raiding and feuds between
ESSENCE WIELDERS tribes who share the same totem. Most icewalkers prefer
Icewalker shamans sometimes receive an enlight- to marry outside of their tribe, but they prefer to marry
ened Essence as a gift from their Animal Master, but icewalkers from tribes that share the same totem. Such
this comes as a special favor to a shaman who already a bride or groom faces no change in loyalties from one
shows remarkable talent and devotion. God-Blooded Animal Master to another.
shamans also possess enlightened Essence, and add RESPECTED OUTSIDERS
spirit Charms to their thaumaturgy. Relations between icewalker tribes that follow different
A very few icewalkers take the Second Breath as totems are far less close. While all icewalkers respect fellow
outcaste Terrestrial Exalted, completely at random. barbarians who adhere to their basic beliefs and way of life,
The icewalkers cannot deny the prowess of such heroes, icewalkers do not regard tribes with different totems as their
but often feel that their elemental power implicitly kin. In especially prosperous or desperate times, tribes who
challenges the respect due to the Animal Masters. follow different animals might ally with one another. Yet, if
Exalted icewalkers find themselves pushed to leave two herds of different animals compete for the same scarce
their tribes for the lonely life of a wandering monster food, the two tribes can become bitter enemies who slaughter
slayer, honored by all but at home with none. The their rival’s people and animals. Unless an icewalker tribe
icewalkers also produce Lunar Exalted, who quickly somehow shows itself to be corrupt, however, all icewalker
learn that the Changing Lady chose them for duties tribes classify each other as respected outsiders.
that extend beyond one tribe. Still, such Lunars often Icewalkers also use this category for people who follow
feel protective of their old tribe even centuries later. different customs but whom they nevertheless see as showing
The Silver Pact itself has influenced icewalker culture both strength and honor. Regardless of such peoples’ origin,
to strengthen its hatred of creatures of darkness. icewalkers treat such respected outsiders as the equals of their
Four icewalkers recently Exalted as Solars. Yurgen own tribe. While equals sometimes quarrel and even brutally
Kaneko, the Bull of the North, is only the best known slay one another, they deserve respect. In addition to other
of them. The other three are part of his circle. They of their tribes, icewalkers generally regard the Haslanti and
are changing the North—as described in Chapter a few of the smaller Northern groups, such as the coastal
Six. Many icewalkers hope that no more of their kind fishers, as respected outsiders. Individuals can also become
Exalt as “Lawgivers,” for their laws seem contrary to respected outsiders by showing strength, courage, honor and
icewalker tradition. skill at living in the wilderness.
90
Of course, respected outsiders can fight. Yet, icewalk- icewalkers as dangerous savages because icewalkers so often
ers believe that conflicts with respected outsiders should decide that other folk are weak enough to rob—and therefore
not last long and neither side should hold a grudge. After deserve no respect. Icewalkers regularly trade with large cit-
all, people do what they must for survival and for honor. ies such as Whitewall, or with the Guild’s largest caravans,
Once the cause of a dispute is removed—say, by one tribe because they sensibly realize that they cannot possibly win
defeating the other in battle and claiming a patch of graz- a fight with such people.
ing land—then both sides can go about their presumably During lean years or exceptionally long or harsh winters,
honorable ways. icewalkers become fierce bandits who lay siege to villages
As a result, icewalkers allow respected outsiders to retreat and demand much of their foodstuffs, leaving only the ab-
or to conditionally, and honorably, surrender. Attempting solute minimum necessary for survival. (They leave that
to deprive a respected outsider of his honor or freedom is much only because they fear that a village of people who
considered a debased act—no better than cannibalism. Ice- starve to death filled with hate could become a shadowland
walkers general avoid stealing from respected outsiders. They or some similar horror. Their legends tell of villages giving
expect that other icewalkers and similar groups can defend themselves to Deathlords, demons or the Fair Folk to obtain
their own goods and suitably punish the thieves. revenge.) Villages and towns who comply with the icewalk-
ers’ demands are left unharmed, if hungry and destitute. The
icewalkers massacre townsfolk who try to fight back, however.
Icewalkers lack all compassion for lesser outsiders who fight
NON-ALIGNED ICEWALKERS AND THE BULL back but fail to defeat them. The fiercest and most brutal
OF THE NORTH icewalker tribes sometimes kill all of a town’s inhabitants
Icewalkers had legends of a great leader who would and pile their severed heads in a pyramid in the middle of
unite the tribes, but they imagined something like a the town square.
brief, heroic campaign to exterminate Wyld barbarians If townspeople defend themselves against an icewalker
once and for all or to loot all the soft city dwellers— attack but then surrender, most icewalkers only kill individuals
not to found an empire! Then the Bull of the North who actually killed one or more icewalkers. If the icewalkers
appeared and attracted scores of tribes to his banner. instead defeat and capture their foes, or if the townspeople
Many of the tribes not under the Bull’s influence attacked the icewalkers preemptively, the barbarians become
believe that he has made his followers into something far more liberal in their definition of whom they treat as a
other than icewalkers. Icewalkers do not band together threat. They may well kill all adults, adopt any children into
in vast numbers under a single leader. Instead, each their tribe and offer adolescents a choice between death or
tribe is effectively a large family that survives on its joining their ranks. Other tribes take adult survivors captive
own. Icewalkers who do not currently follow the Bull and sell them as slaves to the Guild or to the Haslanti. Since
of the North grow increasingly wary of his influence. lesser outsiders are already weak, servile and, in a sense, sub-
While no icewalker is foolish or desperate enough to human, icewalkers see no dishonor in enslaving them.
attack him, many chiefs and shamans counsel their Many small or isolated Northern settlements simply
tribes to stay out of the Bull’s alliance. The most pay off icewalker tribes who visit them. The icewalkers take
strident voices say the tribes that follow the Bull have care never to leave these towns completely destitute. They
become just as servile as the coastal peoples who bow leave the town the bare minimum it needs to survive, so the
their necks to the Realm. tribe can harvest them again. Icewalkers also see no honor
in killing lesser outsiders without need. It’s no crime, but it’s
nothing to brag about either.
LESSER OUTSIDERS Icewalkers sometimes present their demand for trib-
Most people—especially most townsfolk and farm- ute as payment to protect the town from rival tribes or
ers—fall into the icewalkers’ category of lesser outsiders. other marauders. In reality, this payment is little more than
Icewalkers believe that such folk are seriously deficient extortion—the town or village pays the icewalker tribe not
in honor, strength and overall worth. Lesser outsiders are to attack them. Still, the payment really might protect the
weak, however, not abhorrent. People who live as slaves or community from other icewalker tribes. The extorting tribe
servants or who otherwise let a powerful central authority gives the settlement a large and colorful banner signifying
push them around deserve pity at best, contempt at worst. which tribe the town has paid. Other icewalker tribes, and
So does anyone in good health who cannot survive out in in fact other barbarians, then know that attacking the vil-
the wilderness. lage would show serious disrespect to the other tribe… and
Icewalkers see nothing wrong with robbing lesser outsid- the tribe would have to fight them or lose face. Wise village
ers whenever the need and the opportunity presents itself. leaders try to avoid paying smaller or weaker icewalker tribes,
They trade with lesser outsiders, however, if doing so seems since larger and more powerful tribes typically ignore such
safer or easier. Most civilized people in the North see the banners and extort their own tribute.

Few settlements attempt to forge icewalker banners Icewalkers have many songs and stories about mighty
to avoid attack. Any icewalker tribe would slaughter a and heroic battles with powerful and intractable respected
community they caught in such a deception. All but the outsiders, but their most heroic sagas deal with battles
largest of the Guilds’ caravans fly icewalker banners, since against debased outsiders. These sagas often have the
the Guild regularly pays the largest local icewalker tribes same basic story. A hero or band of heroes battles a huge
for the right to send their caravans through their territory. number of debased outsiders. Through their skill, courage
Although doing so costs a lot, Guild factors understand that and guile, they kill seemingly overwhelming numbers of
paying tribute costs less than constantly fighting off bands foes. Then, the hero fights the greatest champion of the
of well-armed barbarians. debased outsiders and dies after striking a mortal blow to
Relations between icewalkers and lesser outsiders are not this terrible monster.
always so harsh. Particularly in a good year, icewalkers might
feel that townsfolk just aren’t worth the trouble of robbing. GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH
Individual icewalkers might also take a liking to individual Icewalkers regard battling Wyld barbarians, the Fair
lesser outsiders, such as a smith who sells fine weapons, a Folk and the walking dead as their sacred duty. Yet the tribes
village that lets a reindeer herd graze the stubble of its fields don’t care about protecting the North’s cities and civilized
or a woman who likes to bed brave, strong icewalker men. peoples. (They have little respect for civilized ways and
The icewalkers just don’t respect these people very much believe that other peoples should take care of themselves.)
and unconsciously slip minor insults into their speech when Instead, they concern themselves with protecting the land,
talking to or about them. their totem animals and their own kind. Many icewalkers
realize, however, that they help protect other folk from these
monsters as well.
ICEWALKERS AND SLAVERY Killing monstrous beasts and debased outsiders is the
Icewalkers do not practice slavery. The custom just surest way for an icewalker to gain status and fame. While
doesn’t work for people who live on the move, with no a group of skilled hunters or fishers who come back with
members to spare guarding someone who doesn’t want many pounds of salmon or caribou meat is warmly greeted,
to stay in the tribe. Icewalkers also feel disgust for the hunters who return with a Varajtul barbarian’s furred and
cowardice of a slave who had a chance to escape but fanged head or the severed hands of the walking dead receive
did not. Icewalkers captured in war make notably bad greater acclaim. Such heroes are awarded special tattoos, and
slaves. The Guild has learned to sell captured icewalk- their deeds can lead to other rewards, such as better weapons,
ers to the Fair Folk or to gladiator pits, because no one marriage into high-status families and, most of all, the right
else will take them. to command a team of icewalker warriors in battle. Chiefs
often wear cloaks of dense white or pale blue fur made from
Varajtul pelts they collected themselves.
DEBASED OUTSIDERS Such rewards lead many young icewalkers to spend
While the icewalkers regard most settled folk as lesser weeks at a time traveling far from their tribes’ campsites,
beings, they feel fury and hatred for their chief rivals, the searching for dread beasts (such as those described in Chapter
Wyld-tainted barbarians of the Far North. Icewalkers are Seven), hobgoblins or other menacing creatures. Foolish
extremely suspicious of anything that is not fully human or young icewalkers never return because they encountered a
anyone who serves monstrous beings such as the Deathlords large group of monsters and allowed their desire for glory to
or the Fair Folk. Wyld barbarians, ravagers, hobgoblins and lead them to their deaths. Others take greater care, return
the restless dead are all anathema to the icewalkers. They to their tribe and gather additional warriors for a carefully
classify all such monstrosities as debased outsiders. Anyone planned raid. The fact that both the Fair Folk and their
who practices cannibalism or who worships creatures of ravager servants often carry exotic and valuable weapons
darkness also counts as debased outsiders. and gear, and even Wyld barbarians and the walking dead
Icewalkers see debased outsiders as affronts to the correct may possess various valuable trinkets, only increases the
order of the world. All right-thinking icewalkers try to kill enthusiasm for such hunts.
debased outsiders on sight. When faced with overwhelming While icewalkers know that no one asks them to rid
odds, icewalkers lose no honor by retreating from or avoid- the Northlands of monsters, many icewalkers use the fact
ing such enemies—but honorable icewalkers then tell their that they do so as a justification for some of their raiding and
tribes what they saw and try to find some way to destroy extortion. In isolated regions, communities occasionally pay
these beings later. Icewalkers are not suicidal or foolish. the icewalkers tribute in honest gratitude for saving them
Even the bravest do not march into the Wyld in search of from creatures that could easily have overrun them.
Fair Folk to kill or storm the fortress of a Deathlord. They all Most of the direction’s civilized inhabitants are pleased
agree, however, that any icewalker who dies killing debased that the icewalkers are so happy to slaughter the various mon-
outsiders has died a hero. sters that infest the North, especially since many such attacks
92
also result in large numbers of dead icewalkers. The leaders armor, and armed with chopping swords and bows or spears
of Whitewall, Cherak and other Northern states resist calls and javelins.
to exterminate marauding icewalker tribes. Aside from the Overall Quality: Good
likelihood that any such attempt could result in the attackers’ Magnitude: 3
being declared debased outsiders—and thus attracting more Drill: 2
icewalkers—the leaders of these nations remind their people Close Combat Attack: 4 Close Combat Damage: 3
that the icewalkers help to destroy much worse threats to Ranged Attack: 3 Ranged Damage: 2
Northern mortals. The Haslanti even pay small bounties to Endurance: 6 Might: 1 Armor: 2 (-1 mobility)
icewalkers who arrive bearing recent remains of monsters Morale: 3
they have killed. While no civilized people other than the Formation: Icewalkers excel at ambushes, but when battle
Haslanti have anything positive to say about the icewalkers, begins, they throw javelins, fire bows and then all charge into
almost everyone prefers them to the walking dead, the savage battle in skirmish formation. Chief Largent is an extraordi-
Varajtul cannibals or similar inhuman creatures. nary warrior—near the limit of what mortals can achieve
without Essence—and also rides an intelligent mammoth
MAMMOTH TOTEM RAIDING PARTY companion into battle.
Description: This band consists of 90 savage icewalker
warriors. The tribe’s chief often leads such a major raiding
party. Most bands also include a shaman who provides the
MINOR CULTURES
In addition to powerful or widespread cultures such as
best warriors with various talismans. A major raiding party
Whitewall, the Haslanti or the icewalkers, the North holds
also likely includes a dozen or two warriors who have trained
a multitude of small, localized cultures. These folk do not
to use two-person gliders for reconnaissance, surprise attacks
shift the course of empires. At least, they never have yet…
and aerial bombardment. The glider-born commandos, more
In the Time of Tumult, however, who can say what modest
than the limited supply of talismans or other thaumaturgical
town or tribe might rise to power or become crucial to the
equipment, accounts for the unit’s Might.
ambitions of people mightier than themselves?
Commanding Officer: Chief Largent Terrorslayer
Armor Color: Widely varied scavenged and stolen armor FELLA
Motto: “Mammoth! Mammoth! Mammoth!” In the First Age, the city of Fellara was famous for
General Makeup: 90 savage barbarians wearing a mixture its medical school, the precision machinery created in its
of buff jackets, breastplates and stolen Imperial lamellar factories and its traditional of democratic self-government.
This skill in medicine persisted through the Low First Age.
The medical school grew into a great university, and Fellara
grew into one of the leading cities of the North. That medical
skill served Fellara well during the Great Contagion. Slightly
more than a quarter of Fellara’s population survived due to
the tireless efforts of its physicians. Unfortunately, the city’s
prominence made it an attractive target for the Fair Folk and,
consequently, for the Empress’s counterattack.
No one really knows who or what damaged the Essence
flows around Fellara. Some Fellans believe the Fair Folk cursed
their city so that it could never be rebuilt. Others say that,
when the Realm Defense Grid destroyed a powerful Earth
manse and the city’s factory-cathedrals, the local Essence
flows were corrupted. Whatever the reason, all of Fellara’s
buildings were utterly destroyed, and Fellara became the City
of Broken Walls. To this day, no stone will rest on another for
more than an hour. After this time, any walls—even simple
piles of stone—inevitably topple and scatter.
Between the Great Contagion, the Fair Folk invasion and
the Empress’s counterattack, very few Fellarans survived into
the Second Age. Their numbers included a few dozen physi-
cians, though, who vowed to keep their knowledge alive. They
and their assistants built a large hospital complex half a mile
outside the old city’s boundaries, in an area where stone build-
ings were still possible. Other survivors refused to leave their
city and adapted to the new rules that governed their home.

Within the boundaries of the old city, these survivors built a the hospital of Fellara. During the Second Age, he has taken
new city from wood, sod and bone. In time, refugees arrived a far more active roll in the hospital. His daughter Jerva has
and made the new town of Fella their home. run the hospital for the last 550 years.
Patients come to Fella Hospital from across the North.
THE FLAMES OF FELLA Conversely, journeymen doctors from Fella Hospital must
As they rebuilt, residents of both the hospital and the
travel and live among other peoples for at least seven years,
town discovered yet another peculiar result of the region’s
to learn more about the wide variety of disease and health
Essence curse. For seven miles beyond the boundaries of the
found across the North. Some set up permanent clinics in
old city, any fire that is lit outdoors has a significant chance
other Northern cities, but most successful journeymen return
of spreading rapidly. The corrupted local Essence flows cause
to Fella Hospital. Rulers and wealthy patrons from across the
the fire to flare up, expand and become somewhat animate.
North all want a doctor from Fella in their retinue. In return,
Affected fires jump toward any nearby source of fuel to set
these patrons not only pay their doctor well, they must also
them alight as well.
make periodic donations to Fella Hospital. The hospital enjoys
Since even a small campfire could potentially send
sufficient funding that it can accept many indigent patients.
tongues of hungry flame up to 10 yards away, the Fellans
Affluent patients must pay for their care, but the poor are
have strict laws about lighting fires. Lighting fires indoors is
treated for free. Fellan law mandates that all patients receive
safe, since buildings provide sufficient geomantic shielding to
equal treatment, regardless of their wealth or status.
protect the fire. Deliberately lighting any fire outside a build-
The hospital makes additional money by training
ing, however, is punishable by fines and public flogging. The
physicians from other nations. Many of the best doctors in
Fellans treat repeat offenses as arson—a capital offense.
Gethamane, Whitewall and the Haslanti League spent at least
Many outsiders consider these penalties to be overly
a few years learning in Fella. The coveted, glowing Essence-
harsh, but anyone who has seen the devastation that even
tattoo of a Fella-qualified doctor guarantees any physician
a small campfire can cause understands the reason for these
an excellent living anywhere in the North.
laws. Still, the corrupted Essence flows have one advantage:
Fellan-qualified physicians are all thaumaturges. In ad-
The icewalkers won’t come near Fella, for they regard the
dition to mundane medical techniques, they possess at least
region as cursed. That alone provided sufficient reason for
the Initiate Degree in the Art of Alchemy (see The Books
people to stay in Fella.
of Sorcery, Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex, pp. 129– 132).
Today, Fella has a population of 50,000. Some 12,000
Senior physicians are Masters in this Art. The doctors learn
Fellans are in some way connected to the famous hospital.
only the Art’s pharmaceutical and medical formulas, but they
The rest of the Fellan economy rests on raising potatoes,
have developed an enormous number of alchemical drugs and
goats and musk oxen. Not surprisingly, Fella also produces
treatments. In fact, the hospital is one of the few places in
fine decorative woodwork. The city also reclaimed Fellara’s
Creation one can obtain treatment for exotic magical diseases
old prominence for metalwork, thanks to local iron mines—
such as Green Rage, Grinning Fool Death and White Sun Sick-
though smelters and forges require special geomantically
ness. (See The Manual of Exalted Power—The Lunars, pp.
stable designs to keep the intense fires from running out of
212–213, and Scroll of the Monk, pp. 124–129 and 153–154,
control. While the city is too small to compete with Whitewall
for more on these and other magical diseases.) Yet, physicians
in the fields of weapons and armor, Fella has established a
generally do not possess enlightened Essence.
niche as a source of precision instruments and clockwork.
Its artisans make Creation’s best medical instruments from HOSPITAL SECURITY
Whitewall jade and Haslanti feathersteel. Its lens- and gear- The government of Fella sees to the protection of the
grinding facilities are also the best in the North. city of Fella, but Jerva protects her hospital. Jerva is a skilled
Politically, the hospital and the city function as separate Terrestrial Circle sorcerer, and she has bound a dozen First
entities. The city of Fella retains its history of democracy: An Circle demons to serve as hospital security. These demons
elected council of 15 citizens governs the city. Only people have strict instructions to capture alive anyone who attacks
who actually live within Fella can vote. Eight thousand of or steals from the hospital or who harms any of its medical
the 50,000 residents of Fella and Fella Hospital actually live personnel or patients. Captured criminals who know the fate
in the hospital complex and therefore cannot vote. The awaiting them generally attempt suicide. The demons are
rest cast ballots in elections held every year immediately ordered to prevent this. The demons turn injured attackers
after Calibration. over to the doctors for treatment of any injuries they sus-
tained in capture. Then, Jerva reviews the current status of
FELLA HOSPITAL the hospital and medicine generally throughout the North
Fella Hospital still trains the finest doctors in the North.
and determines what disease or type of injury is most in need
Like so many things in the Age of Sorrows, the hospital owes
of immediate research.
its success to the breakdown of old rules. Jerva, the surgeon-
She then uses her Charms and her demons to induce
director of the Fella Hospital is the immortal daughter of
these diseases, injuries or other conditions in the captured
Felkis, the Northern god of healing. Felkis used to patronize
94
attackers. These injuries or diseases are usually life threaten- Divinity I) to assess the likelihood of their repeating an at-
ing (if they weren’t, they wouldn’t need research), and Jerva tempt to rob or harm the hospital, or attempt revenge. Those
makes no effort to reduce the pain or horror of the process. whom she feels certain will flee and never return, she sets
Then she turns the now badly injured or desperately ill free as a warning to others. The rest she sends back to the
criminals over to her staff for treatment. All but the newest doctors with a new illness or injury. Few who survive two
and most naïve doctors know the source of these “patients,” rounds of these medical horrors want to do anything other
but they also understand the value of keeping their hospital than beg to be freed and then leave Fella forever.
and its patients safe. The doctors do their best to save the The system works so well that the city of Fella now
injured or diseased criminals, giving them excellent care, remands all capital offenders—murderers, rapists, arson-
while also learning from treating these injuries or illnesses. ists and the like—to Fella Hospital for treatment of their
The fact that almost half of these criminals survive their criminality. Jerva looks forward to a golden age of medical
ordeal is a testament to the skill and dedication of the doc- research for the benefit of Creation. Her close friend Ragara
tors of Fella. Bhagwei, Dominie of the Heptagram and the Realm’s most
Jerva then interviews criminals who survive. She uses accomplished Dragon-Blooded physician, plans to visit Fella
Foretell the Future and Memory Mirror (see pp. 148–149 of Hospital for his own research. He intends to seek a cure for
The Books of Sorcery, Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious nothing less than the Great Contagion.
Fella, a Magnitude 3 Dominion

Abilities: Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 2, Craft 3 (Medical Assistance +1), Integrity 1, Investigation 3, Occult 2
(Savant Academy +2), Performance 1, Presence 2 (Shows of Benevolence +3), Stealth 1, War 1
Virtue Flaw: Compassion Current Limit: 1
Willpower: 7
Notes: Fella interacts with other societies chiefly through its trade in precision metalwork and through its famous
hospital. Whitewall is its closest ally. Bonus points pay for additional dots of Craft, Investigation and Presence, as
well as the Craft and Occult specialties. Fella’s external bonus points come from its relationship to Whitewall and
from physicians traveling to and from the hospital. These points go toward a dot of Willpower and the Presence spe-
cialties. In Limit Break, the people rebel against the dominance of the hospital and burn the town down in a riot.
THE ZALVENESH DIVERS toward what is now Haslanti territory… and then, in the
The mighty peninsula between the Inland Sea and immense back-splash, carried it back again. The sea floor
the White Sea ends in a rugged cape—a mixture of bar- around the mouth of the White Sea is thus littered with
ren, rocky hills, tundra and sheltered pockets of stunted fragments of the Old Realm.
spruce, larch and willow. Here the White Sea gives way ZALVENESH LIFE
to the Great Western Ocean. Ice covers the sea only in The Zalvenesh live in villages whose population rarely
winter, and that ice consists of floes and pack ice rather exceeds 1,000. They surround the villages with dry-stone
than a solid sheet. walls to protect them against the Varajtul barbarians, who
A hardy folk called the Zalvenesh live on this coast. threaten the Zalvenesh at all times and roam unchecked
They make their livelihood by fishing and hunting whales, in winter. The Zalvenesh build their houses, however,
narwhales and seals. These people also supplement their from whalebone tightly bound with leather thongs. Each
diets with shellfish and the edible roots and berries found town consists of dozens of these bone longhouses along
in the sheltered upland dells. with tanning huts, smokehouses, a smithy and other build-
Perhaps the most important aspect of this region, ings. The Zalvenesh lack sufficient wood for building, so
however, lies beneath the waves. What is now the narrow they make their fishing longboats from bone and leather
neck of the White Sea once held the Spidersilk Dam, a as well. Similarly, every Zalven wears waterproof clothing
great wonder of the Old Realm. At the time, the White Sea stitched from sealskin.
was dry land and densely populated. When the Spidersilk A council of retired longboat captains rules each vil-
Dam broke, a wall of water annihilated the glittering cities lage. This council deals with most civil matters, making
of the White Valley, sweeping their shattered wreckage decisions based on custom and arguments from everyone

concerned. A captain’s place in the village council, and therefore a potential priest if the existing office holder
though, depends entirely on whether the rest of the vil- steps down or dies. When a priest needs replacement, the
lagers respect his opinion. The townspeople openly mock most powerful Zal-Kelementi compete with one another
captains who displease them. If a captain does not change for the honor of having one of their children become the
his ways, the townspeople stand up and walk out of the next priest.
longhouse when that captain speaks. If most of the town The Zal-Kelementi have little interest in governing the
leaves the longhouse, this captain loses all authority until villages. They exert themselves only in matters that affect
he convinces the populace that he deserves their respect their worship, their pleasures or their particular purviews.
once more. If anyone tries to harm them or steal their offerings, they
causally smite the offender. Otherwise, they leave mortal
VILLAGE GODS disputes and mortal laws to mortals.
The captains, however, are not the most important
people in town. Long ago, the Zalvenesh made pacts DIVING FOR ARTIFACTS
with a dozen or so small gods of sea and ice. Each village The rest of Creation would ignore the Zalvenesh
worships several of these gods, but reveres one god above except that these folk dive into the icy waters and bring
the rest. These gods, the Zal-Kelementi, have no other out relics of the High First Age. Perhaps once in 20 years,
worshipers. They make sure that every village receives a someone finds an artifact with meaningful power, such as
visit from at least one god a season. In the larger towns, a daiklave or a prayer transceiver module (see The Books
a god might actually live in a temple of ornately carved of Sorcery, Vol. I—Wonders of the Lost Age, p. 61).
whalebone and narwhale ivory, and mingle with worship- Only simple, sturdy artifacts made of magical materials
ers daily. One of the Zal-Kelementi certainly shows up for survived the deluge intact, though. More often, the divers
any major festival, at which the god oversees a feast and bring up First Age trinkets such as adamant table knives,
consumes truly divine portions of whatever intoxicants or twisted bits of jade, orichalcum or other remains of
are available. wrecked artifacts.
The Zalvenesh have a somewhat irreverent reverence
for their gods. It’s hard to feel too much awe when you’ve GIFTS OF THE GODS
seen your god passed out drunk. Nevertheless, the people Outsiders who see Zalvenesh dive naked into waters
highly value the Zal-Kelementi. The gods are their best that ought to kill them in a minute sometimes think the
defense against the Varajtul, the Fair Folk and other un- Wyld must have tainted them. Actually, the divers endure
canny dangers. While the Zal-Kelementi prefer to laze in the frigid waters through divine blessings. Some divers are
their temples, enjoying the rustic luxuries their worship- themselves God-Blooded. They can spend as much time
ers provide, they are still gods and capable of impressive, as they want searching the sea floor, because they are the
intimidating displays of wrath and power. Fortunately for offspring of a sea god. The rest receive blessings from their
the Zalvenesh, their gods also figured out that oppressing village’s god or from God-Blooded friends.
and exploiting the villagers doesn’t work well. Rival gods Specifically, the Charm is a form of Endowment (see
would step in, offer more protection and kindlier treatment The Books of Sorcery, Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious
and usurp their worship. Divinity I, p. 146). Some gods grant a scene-long immunity
The exceptionally close connections between the to cold or the ability to hold one’s breath, equivalent to the
Zalvenesh and their petty pantheon also result in the birth Wyld pox Air Adaptation or Water Adaptation (described
of many God-Blooded mortals. Each village has a priest on pp. 145–146 of The Compass of Celestial Directions,
to tend its temple, and that priest is always God-Blooded. Vol. II—The Wyld). Other gods endow a mortal with the
Moreover, the priest’s divine father or mother becomes effects identical to those of Hardship-Surviving Mendi-
the principle deity of that village. This gives the gods an cant Spirit and Element-Resisting Prana (see Exalted, p.
incentive to keep producing by-blows. Indeed, one of 210) or Northern Mastery Technique (see The Manual
the chief village festivals is an annual “sacred marriage” of Exalted Power—The Lunars, pp. 157–158). These
(though it’s really a one-night stand) between the god Charms have an Indefinite duration, and so, the endow-
and a selected mortal. ment is more or less permanent, but the god must spend
Priest or not, God-Blooded Zalvenesh learn Charms the Essence of the emulated Charm as well as the Essence
from their divine parents. With these, the God-Blooded for the Endowment. Since none of the Zal-Kelementi are
defend the village when a god isn’t available. Priests also very powerful, they can confer these greater Endowments
act as judges and mediators, especially when disputes only to mortals who already meet the Survival or Stamina
threaten to split the council of captains. There’s always a minimum of the emulated Charm.
contest of power—maybe subtle, maybe overt—between THE ARTIFACT TRADE
the captains and the priest. The rivalry tends to become Traders who visit the Zalvenesh sell them medicines,
strongest when one of the captains is herself God-Blooded, liquor, foodstuffs and goods made from metal or wood. In
96
return, the merchants acquire baleen, bone and blubber, DOLPHIN HELPERS
expertly tanned whale and seal leather, narwhale and walrus As a final curiosity of the Zalvenesh, tame dolphins
ivory and other goods from the sea. What they really want, aid the divers and fishers. Most of these dolphins are as
though, are First Age artifacts. Even scrap of orichalcum smart and capable of understanding speech as a four-year-
is a minor treasure, and the divers occasionally make in- old child. They are also easy to train and become valued
credible finds. Therefore, traders come regularly from the companions to divers and fishers. A few of the dolphins
Guild, Coral, the Haslanti League and the Blessed Isle to possess fully human intelligence. Together, dolphins and
see what the divers have brought out of the sea. Zalvenesh can catch more fish than either could alone, and
A village’s patron god always gets first choice of the dolphins regard searching for artifacts as a fun game.
whatever the divers salvage, so working artifacts usually The dolphins arise from a final blessing of the gods.
go to the Zal-Kelementi instead of the merchants. Yet, a The Zal-Kelementi taught their children a thaumaturgical
god might decide that she wants a trader’s bolt of finest Procedure for transmigrating human souls into animals.
Chiaroscuran brocade to drape about her temple more Devotees of Voharun, the Northern War God, occasionally
than she wants a powerbow. use this Procedure to transmigrate into ravens when they
CREATIVE RECYCLING die in battle (as described on p. 61 of Scroll of Kings).
Sometimes, the Zalvenesh find their own uses for When Zalvenesh leaders believe they shall soon die, they
salvaged items. Most notably, divers sometimes find large may ask a priest to place their soul into the body of a young
and nearly indestructible pieces of First Age vehicles and dolphin. The Zalven thus gains a second life in the sea.
shipping containers. The Zalvenesh incorporate such frag- Their offspring somehow inherit intelligence closer to
ments into their boats. For instance, divers have found that of a human than that of an animal. For this reason,
dozens of large ovoid shipping containers that snap apart the Zalvenesh view all the dolphins as part of their tribe,
into a pair of curving shells. Each shell easily becomes a and killing a dolphin is considered murder.
nearly indestructible dory, though a god must first pierce Such transmigrations violate the laws of Heaven, but
the gleaming shell to permit installation of rowlocks or Heaven has larger concerns than the customs of an obscure
a mast. tribe at the edge of Creation. What’s more, a Zalven who
attains a second life as a dolphin nevertheless re-enters the

cycle of reincarnation after her second death. Should the Zalvenesh country and have extensive stands of evergreen
Zalvenesh come under Heaven’s scrutiny, though, their timber, which enables the Rajtali to build longhouses
gods could face capital sanctions—even though technically, of wood instead of whalebone huts. Whenever possible,
the mortals perform the transmigrations themselves. they build their villages on narrow spits and peninsulas,
reducing the area they must defend against hobgoblins or
RAJTUL ISLAND Varajtul savages. They also hunt and gather wild foods in
Less than 100 miles off the Northwest coast lies an the inland forests and meadows but take care to return to
immense island—almost a subcontinent. During the High their villages before dark.
First Age, this was Pear Isle, a fair and lovely land. Its capi- A typical Rajtali village has a few hundred human
tal city of Varajtul had a reputation as one of Creation’s inhabitants. One to four dozen elkmen live in their own
most elegant cities, with a beautiful language all its own houses, separated from the human community by not less
and an exceptionally refined cuisine. than 20 yards and not more than 100 yards. The humans
The destruction of the local weather control network and elkmen work together on many projects but also take
at the close of the Age made the island colder and windier. care not to mingle too closely.
The Second Age has long forgotten the ruins of Varajtul. Each village has a mortal chief with an informal council
Today, that name belongs to a mass of Wyld-twisted can- of elders. The village high priest is always an elkman. The
nibals, the monstrous descendents of the inhabitants of other elkmen provide supernatural services: thaumaturgical
this island. These savage beings have spread across the weather-working and whale-calling, wards against the Fair
North (see p. 71 of The Compass of Celestial Directions, Folk and the Wyld, blessings against disease and injury,
Vol. II—The Wyld for a description of their culture, and negotiations with spirits and exorcism of ghosts. While
pp. 97–98 of The Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol. Rajtali may become priests or thaumaturges in their own
IV—The Underworld for the reasons behind some of their right (usually with help from an elkman), these humans
bloodier customs). These Wyld barbarians still speak the believe that enlightened Essence and the higher magic arts
language of their forebears, they have… interesting ideas are taboo for mortals. They regard all Exalted as unlawfully
about cuisine, and they consider themselves the only truly wielding power that rightfully belongs to elkmen and the
cultured people in Creation. spirits. The elkmen rarely abuse their privileged place
The Varajtul barbarians are not the island’s only in Rajtali culture, for they remember that the humans
inhabitants, though. A powerful Fair Folk tribe called outnumber them 10 to one.
the Seven Stormwinds claims a portion of the island’s
northeast coast. And despite these inhuman threats, a GREATER EXERCISES OF POWER
number of human cultures also survive on Rajtul Island. The most powerful elkmen can summon and bind
Of these, the Rajtali sailors are the most widespread. This elementals and First Circle demons, whether by sorcery
maritime folk live along the south coasts of Rajtul Island or thaumaturgy. Every Rajtali village has at least a few of
and on its neighboring islands of Ravanna, Lakshadi and these spirits bound to serve as its protectors—and power-
Shriranga. The Rajtali have close cultural connections to ful protectors they are. Faced with a squad of blood-apes
the Zalvenesh of the mainland. Like those people, they or a pack of brine curs (see The Books of sorcery, Vol.
survive with the help of magically powerful allies: in their IV—The Roll of Glorious Divinity I, pp. 124–125), even
case, elkmen. a horde of Wyld barbarians or a Fair Folk noble might
The elkmen are one of the less common breeds of decide to seek easier prey elsewhere. Meanwhile, villages
Northern beastmen. They stand out from other beastmen often have a bound undertow (see The Books of Sorcery,
in that they all possess enlightened Essence as their birth- Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious Divinity I, pp. 127–128)
right. People across the North know elkmen as strange, protecting it from attack by sea.
enigmatic and mystical beings. Most elkmen are at least FAR TRAVELS
thaumaturges, while some of them learn sorcery, super- Protected by thaumaturgy and bound spirits, the Rajtali
natural martial arts or even necromancy. Some bargain dare to travel far in their longships and dories. Any ship
with spirits for Charms that they store within talismans, going out for more than a day has an elkman on board as the
though elkmen cannot personally learn spirit Charms. (For crew’s magician and spirit dealer. Not only do the Rajtali
more about elkmen, including rules for elkman characters, fish and hunt whales far from shore, they sail as far as the
see The Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol. II—The Neck, the Deshan and the islands west of the Blessed Isle.
Wyld, pp. 71 and 159.) They have a justified reputation throughout the Northwest
DUAL VILLAGES as great sailors whom it is prudent not to attack. The bold
The Rajtali live primarily as fishers and whalers, pirates of Coral generally let a longship pass unmolested
so naturally, they build their villages near the seashore. if they see the looming, antlered silhouette of an elkman
The four islands where they dwell are not quite so icy as standing at the prow. Odds are, the sailors have a spirit
ally and a variety of talismans and blessings.
98
When Rajtali choose to trade, they offer narwhal ivory,
baleen, ambergris and the amber that they sometimes find
in the streams of their islands. The elkmen supply minor
talismans as trade items too, and the other human cultures
of the islands rely on Rajtali middlemen for their com-
merce. Rajtali talismans made from carved whale teeth
are much esteemed in the North and West. (The elkmen
do good work.) In return, Rajtali traders seek metalwork,
cloth, spices and wine. Thanks to the influence of the
elkmen, Rajtali sailors would rather trade than fight, but
both humans and elkmen fight with terrible fury when they
must. Ports and people who make enemies of the Rajtali
suffer pirate attacks from them for years to come.
The Rajtali consider the interiors of their own islands
to be far more dangerous than the open sea. If they must
venture inland for more than a few hours at a time—say,
to mine ore or gather foodstuffs in bulk—they go in large
numbers, armed to the teeth and with every magical
protection the elkmen can provide. At that, they still
might suffer losses from Varajtul and Fair Folk attacks.
The Rajtali much prefer to gain inland commodities from
people who already live there and know the dangers. At
sea, they consider the Kaigani berg riders (see pp. 153–154
of The Compass of Terrestrial Directions, Vol. II—The
West) to be their greatest foes. As greater numbers of these
malevolent Wyld barbarians sail out of the Far North, the
Rajtali might face the first true war that forces them to
act as one people. as well as functioning as sorcerers in the mass combat sys-
RAJTALI PIRATE RAIDING PARTY tem) and two heroes. The elkmen defer to Captain Herak
Description: This raiding party consists of a band of because of his greater combat experience and strategic
42 mortal Rajtali sailors and four elkmen. They sail in a expertise, but the human sailors readily follow the elkman
longship with sails and oars. Such a party might venture out heroes if Captain Herak falls.
to attack and rob a community that treated Rajtali sailors
badly in the past, or to hunt a camp of Wyld barbarians or HORRORS OUT OF TIME
hobgoblins. The soldiers all carry minor talismans, while Whitewall and Gethamane are only the most promi-
the elkman sorcerers have conjured a water or air elemental nent examples of Northern states that survive with the
to assist and protect the crew. (The elemental functions as help of relics from the Old Realm. Not every wonder of
special equipment rather than a direct combatant.) the lost age is useful or desirable, though. In fact, some
Commanding Officer: Captain Herak are deadly dangerous.
Armor Color: Black and Green LIRIEL-ANNETH
Motto: “For Glory and for Home.” The Zalvenesh find very few large or powerful artifacts,
General Makeup: 40 mortals in buff jackets armed with but they occasionally pull genuine wonders from the sea.
axes and javelins, plus four elkmen wearing buff jackets One such artifact now provides a cautionary tale to all of
and carrying great axes. the coastal peoples.
Overall Quality: Good The Zalvenesh once had a city. The port of Liriel-
Magnitude: 2 Anneth was neither a very large city, nor a place of
Drill: 2 wonders. The Shogunate built it of plain local stone,
Close Combat Attack: 3 Close Combat Damage: 3 with no Essence devices. Liriel-Anneth also showed the
Ranged Attack: 3 Ranged Attack Damage: 2 damage inflicted by centuries of residents with minimal
Endurance: 6 Might: 2 Armor: 1 (-1 mobil- skill at masonry. Still, it was their city, where their chiefs
ity) Morale: 3 gathered to honor their gods and where ships from far
Formation: The sailors fight in skirmish or relaxed for- lands dropped anchor.
mation. In addition to Captain Herak, the band has four Ninety years ago, a Zalvenesh diver found a large,
special characters, all elkmen: two sorcerers (real sorcerers, intact artifact several dozen miles offshore. The strangely

LIRIEL-ANNETH MUTANTS
The people of Liriel-Anneth have the Air Adaptation, Night Vision and Scales mutations, the Cannibalism
derangement at debility strength, and the Obsession derangement (to worship and serve the serpents) at deformity
strength. Otherwise, they are humans with traits comparable to regular troops (see Exalted, p. 279). The snakes
have these traits:
Str/Dex/Sta Per/Int/Wits/Will Health Levels Attack (Spd/Acc/Dmg/Rate) Dodge DV/Soak
3/3/3 3/2/3/4 -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/I Bite: 6/6/3L + poison*/2 3/1L/3B
Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Dodge 4, Martial Arts 3, Presence 2 (Intimidation +3), Resistance 1, Stealth
3, Survival 2 (Cold +3)
*Poison is equal to coral snake venom (see Exalted, p. 131).
shaped mass of metal and crystal was the size of a small hut. The inhabitants of Liriel-Anneth have the eyes and
A team of divers pulled it to the surface using dozens of skins of serpents and can see in the dark as well as cats.
large, air-filled bladders. They brought it to Liriel-Anneth. Fortunately, these twisted mortals never stray beyond
The Guild kept a scavenger-savant in residence. She the reach of the Liriel-Anneth mechanism. The golden
pronounced the device intact and probably functional; at serpents cannot leave the city, since they would fade to
least, the three sockets in the device still held Essence- nothingness the instant they ventured beyond the device’s
producing hearthstones. Still, it seemed to need extra area of affect. The Zalvenesh and other inhabitants of the
Essence to start it up. The scavenger thought it looked Northwest coast avoid Liriel-Anneth. Sailors have been
somewhat like drawings she had seen of one of the Old known to let their leaking boats sink, so they die in the
Realm’s greatest wonders, a reality engine—a device to freezing waters, rather than land near the cursed town.
fix reality and repel the Wyld. She and a God-Blooded
priest finally managed to start it up. THE INVISIBLE FORTRESS
The scavenger was almost right. The divers found an The North holds many mysteries and dangers. One of
experimental device meant to turn reality malleable over the greatest is also one of the least known—a perilous relic
a wide area, duplicating the power of an unshaped raksha of the Old Realm that waits to ensnare and destroy the
and then congeal reality again into a new form: not a Exalted. Ironically, this trap began as a place of refuge.
reality engine, but a reality-altering engine. Perhaps the TALE OF THE FORTRESS
ancient Lawgivers intended it for exotic entertainments. Most of Creation’s truly powerful manses date back to
Perhaps it was a weapon. the Old Realm. Of all the savant-architects of that glori-
The Liriel-Anneth device might have suffered damage ous Age, none surpassed the Twilight Caste called Kal
the scavenger lord could not detect. Certainly, the power- Bax. The Usurpation did not take this Copper Spider by
ful device was never meant for operation by mere mortals. surprise. He and his 11 cronies vanished before the eyes
Whatever the reason, the activated device covered the of the assassins sent to kill them. Only decades later did
entire city with a warped and terrible dream. the Sidereal called the Green Lady produce convincing
During the day, shadows blanket an area three miles evidence of their deaths.
wide—the entire city of Liriel-Anneth and then some. On The 12 Solars did not really die, of course. The para-
the brightest sunny days, the region stays only as light as noid Kal Bax had prepared a secret hideaway: a fortress
early twilight, and the interiors of buildings never become in a remote location, built by demons and hidden by
brighter than nights of the full moon. The Liriel-Anneth powerful magic so that even the Loom of Fate could not
mechanism also created dozens of intelligent and hungry find it. The 12 chose to wait out the fighting in his Invis-
golden-bodied serpents, each of them as thick as a man’s ible Fortress. They expected that the other Solars would
leg and 15 feet long. quash the rebellion or that they themselves would make
Several hundred people of Liriel-Anneth could not a triumphant return to lead the new generation of Solar
escape in time and suffered a terrible transformation. They Exalted to victory. Only, the Solars lost the civil war and
come out only at night, for even the dimmed daylight of their Exaltations did not take new hosts. Years of hiding
the city causes them pain. They are completely insane turned to decades, then centuries… The betrayed demon
and worship these serpents as their gods. These wretches laborers bred to become an army the Solars no longer had
attempt to capture any intruders and feed them to the the power to defeat.
serpents. The inhabitants of the cursed town also feed on Trapped together, not daring to leave their refuge,
captives that the serpents seem slow to devour. the 12 Solars died one by one. Kal Bax died first, of old
100
age. As cabin fever, despair and the Great Curse took Kal Bax summoned to build the Invisible Fortress still live
their toll, the Solars murdered each other one by one, or in this area, bound by his magic. The demons have built
killed themselves. Three hundred years after the Usurpa- their own village, an eldritch bit of Malfeas in Creation that
tion, Bax’s apprentice Ozandus Pal died of starvation, they call Gate. Although the demons despise all Exalted,
mad and alone. they might make a deal with one who promised to find and
And the Fortress waited for new occupants to claim destroy the runestone that binds them to Creation. As a
and to kill. further peril, the demons’ ruler, Corr’dal the Slug Mother
(see p. XX), has bred with local fauna to produce entire
NEARBY TERRITORIES races of devil beasts, the ice eaters (described on pp. 59–60
Absolutely no one knows the current location of
of The Manual of Exalted Power—The Infernals). Ice
the Invisible Fortress. Bax didn’t tell his cronies, and
eaters often wander away from the Demonlands to menace
the Fair Folk invasion moved the Fortress thousands of
other regions of the North.
miles from its original location. Larquen Quen, the Solar
The demons are the last entities in Creation who
who became the Mask of Winters, lived and died in the
know what the Invisible Fortress contains. Even they do
Invisible Fortress, but he thinks it was lost to the Wyld.
not know everything, but they know that other Exalted
The Fortress currently occupies a barren valley amidst a
have found the Fortress over the centuries, and none who
rugged mountain range, somewhere northeast of Linowan
entered ever came out again.
territory. The nearest human community is the town of
Wangler’s Knob, located on a side-road to a First Age THE FORTRESS ITSELF
highway called the Road to the End of the World. The Invisible Fortress is a massive stone mansion (as
From Wangler’s Knob, an explorer would have to tra- well as a powerful manse) half-sunk into a cliff face. It has
verse at least 200 miles of arctic forest and icy mountains four stories, counting the attic and cellar. By standards
holding perils such as the voiceless cannibals called hushed of the Old Realm, it was a rustic lodge. Most folk of the
ones, the gigantic predators called great-terrors and the Threshold, however, would find it grand and luxurious,
sly, savage yetis (all described in Chapter Seven). what with its Essence lighting, hot and cold running water
The area of mountain and tundra within 50 miles of and a cunning system of speaking tubes between chambers.
the Invisible Fortress are the Demonlands. The demons that The amenities and furniture are worn and scarred from

centuries of use. The demons cannot destroy their creation, It caps a level-5 Earth-aspected demesne, and it produces
however, because the Fortress’s magical defenses against a three-dot hearthstone, but the Fortress requires far
them still work just fine. more creation points to describe than permitted by the
Even in decrepitude, the Invisible Fortress holds manse-creation rules in Chapter Two of The Books of
wonders. The sentimental keepsakes, tools and amuse- Sorcery, Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex. Yet, those rules do
ments of its residents are precious artifacts in the Second not account for manses built by multiple Adamant Circle
Age. When their clothing wore out, one of the Solars sorcerers, Solar artisans of comparable power and a small
built a machine to spin rock into thread. Weary of their horde of demons. The inhabitants added more powers
surroundings, they painted landscapes they could enter as over the centuries. This list does not include the Final
if they were real. The Fortress still has a staff of servants, Retreat beneath the fortress. That labyrinth is not part
both automatons and spirits—the latter, the Solars’ mor- of the manse itself.
tal retainers whom they transformed into small gods by The Invisible Fortress has these powers:
sorcery. The manse’s powerful, built-in Essence weapons • Comfort Zone (1 point): The Invisible Fortress stays
remain intact, just waiting for a Solar to operate them. A comfortable even in the coldest Northern blizzard.
great lens shows any Essence use within 50 miles of the • Magical Conveniences (1 point): The Invisible
Fortress. The greatest wonder of the Fortress, however, Fortress has magical lights, a freezer, hot baths and a staff
may be its Guardian, an artificial intelligence infused into of magical servants.
the manse’s structure. • Password Activation (1 point): Various locks and
The greatest treasures, and the most obvious dangers, amenities require a person attuned to the manse to com-
lie beneath the Invisible Fortress. As the Solars died, the mit a mote of Essence.
survivors buried them in the cellar. Some of the tombs • Archive (2 points): Hidden in the Fortress is Kal
remain intact, with minor artifacts interred as grave goods Bax’s book on advanced manse design. The Invisible
and simple traps to protect the occupants. These are just Fortress used to hold a great deal more information, but
a foretaste of the Fortress’s secrets, though. the documents are all in fragments now.
The Solars thought that perhaps the Fortress itself did • Dangerous Traps (2 points): The tombs in the cel-
not provide sufficient protection against Dragon-Blooded lars have a number of traps.
assassins, and so, they dug the Final Retreat beneath the • Mela’s Sweet Whispers (2 points): The manse’s
manse. This maze of blind alleys, false sanctuaries and network of speaking-tubes enables speech between any
hidden passages holds the most horribly lethal traps and rooms in the fortress, and a way for the Guardian to speak
automata that a group of elder Lawgivers could devise. to residents.
Examples include: • Pasiap’s Buried Whiskers (1 point for Earth aspect):
• A giant automaton spider that spins webs of steel The Guardian’s senses extend 2,500 yards outward from
• A room where a persistent version of the Death of the manse.
Obsidian Butterflies spell attacks anyone who enters • Veil of Shadow (2 points): This power manifests
• A jade magnet that pulls anyone carrying significant in a non-standard way. The manse does not confuse the
quantities of jade up to the ceiling before dropping them perceptions of anyone within it, but it prevents people
into a pit filled with adamant spikes outside from seeing, hearing or scrying anything inside.
• A permanently bound earth elemental who tries The manse itself is completely invisible to geomantic
to entomb intruders by filling the room they occupy with detection.
stone • Armored (3 points): The thick granite of its external
• Tapestries that, like the paintings in the Fortress, walls gives the Invisible Fortress 14A/14L/21B soak.
contain pocket worlds… and portals to Oblivion • Bound Servant Force (3 points): The Invisible
• A teleportation trap that sends its victims to a Fortress holds many automatons, some of them dedicated
random location in the frozen mountains around the protectors and others servants that can be adapted for
Fortress—naked—with their possession transported to combat.
the final chamber of the Final Retreat • Guardian (3 points): The Guardian of the Fortress
The last chamber of the Final Retreat holds a treasure has powers comparable to a Second Circle demon.
trove of the Solars’ most potent artifacts. It also holds the • Integrated Essence Artillery (4 points x3): The
mummified remains of Ozandus Pal, his master Bax’s singing Invisible Fortress has 30 points’ worth of built-in artifacts
staff and the hearthstone for the Invisible Fortress. of attack and defense.
• Outside Fate (4 points): Kal Bax’s demonic artisans
POWERS OF THE INVISIBLE FORTRESS placed the Invisible Fortress outside the purview of the
The Invisible Fortress is far more powerful than any
Loom of Fate and its Sidereal tenders.
manse that people can build in the Second Age, surpassing
• Otherworld Gate (5 points): The Guardian occupies
all but a handful of manses built in the High First Age.
a duplicate manse, a sort of spirit sanctum on the other
102
side of the mirrors within the Invisible Fortress. This The Guardian has many powers of its own. It sees
Elsewhere zone has no reality outside the manse and the and hears everything that happens in the manse. Only
consciousness of the Guardian. the Final Retreat is beyond the Guardian’s awareness
• Outside Worlds Within (5 points): Over the cen- or power. It can implant dreams in sleeping minds, at-
turies, the resident Solars used powerful Charms to create tack within dreams or attempt to drive a person mad
pocket realities within the Invisible Fortress. through massive psychic assault. It controls all the
• Sentient (5 points): The Guardian arises from the manse’s defenses and automaton servants; it can even
Essence of the Invisible Fortress itself. Destroying the possess the servitor-spirits, forcing them to attack visitors
current Guardian does not remove the manse’s capacity or feed them lies without the servants’ awareness. The
for sentience. It merely forces the Invisible Fortress to Guardian can materialize small objects or animate and
draft one of the servant spirits as the new vehicle for its control parts of the manse; for instance, animating the
consciousness, and a new personality. orichalcum-threaded, ornamental bronze vines that run
Total: 52 creation points. through the manse and using them to slash at visitors with
The hearthstone of the Invisible Fortress enables its razor-edged leaves. It has even learned to manipulate the
bearer to suppress his anima banner. When determining manse’s own Essence, tithing a share of any Essence that
whether the character’s anima becomes active, divide the visitors use within the structure or adjusting the Essence
number of motes of Peripheral Essence she has spent by that an attuned person can gain from the manse. When
two and apply that number to the Anima Banner chart. it wants to attract nearby Exalted, it briefly deactivates
the Veil of Shadows to send a massive Essence-flare,
THE GUARDIAN showing them the way.
The Solars gave the Invisible Fortress a sophisticated
The Guardian is a deceiver and manipulator of great
artificial intelligence as a majordomo. Perhaps they erred
subtlety, piling lie on lie to set visitors against each other.
in its construction; perhaps they built it too well. Over
All the while, it acts like a solicitous, slightly befuddled
the centuries, the Guardian learned from the example of
old fussbudget of a servant who scolds Exalted visitors
its creators. It learned to manipulate and to kill. Over the
if they step outside without warm coats and galoshes.
centuries, a few Exalted did find the Invisible Fortress.
It seems eager to serve Exalted masters once more,
The Guardian lured them in, set them quarreling and
especially Lawgivers, but this wonder of the lost age is
either killed them or drove them to kill each other. As
utterly evil.
its “guests” fought and died, the Guardian fed on their
Essence and grew stronger.

104
CHAPTER SIX
SUN AND ICE
Northern seers have long prophesied the coming of At the heart of the empire, beyond the hills and rivers
a warlord who would unite the icewalker tribes and bring and taiga, rises the sweeping emptiness of the ice plains. The
the entire North beneath his heel. Now, at long last, Bull’s icewalker subjects call this high tundra home. They
that prophecy stands on the brink of fulfillment. Yurgen spend their summers on the plains, following the great herds
Kaneko, the Bull of the North, has gathered the tribes. that they hunt and worship.
With the aid of his Solar circle, he has begun the work of Most of the empire’s population, however, clusters along
carving out an empire. By definition, however, an empire the shores of Malice Bay and the northern stretches of the
encompasses many peoples with diverse cultures, histories River of Tears. A dozen small city-states have fallen to the
and ambitions. Yurgen Kaneko has his empire: It remains Bull’s armies, along with countless villages and towns. He has,
to be seen whether he can keep it against opposition from as yet, avoided direct confrontation with the Haslanti League,
without and within. but such a conflict seems like only a matter of time.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE EMPIRE HOW THE EMPIRE WAS WON

Yurgen Kaneko, an aged hunter of the Whistling Plains
The Bull’s dominion stretches across the northern and
eastern Threshold, covering a territory too large, too thinly Elk tribe, found himself reborn when he gained the Solar
spread, for any single ruler to command with ease. Its terrain Exaltation. His brain filled with visions of the High First Age,
includes meandering coastlines spattered with islands, frosty he set out to unite the world under his banner. Gathering the
pine forests, rich river valleys, uninhabited mountain ranges other icewalker tribes proved easy enough, as they had no truck
and vast, marshy plains. with the Immaculate Order and its tales of the Anathema.

He fended off the Wyld Hunt as well. Equipped with Solar fared poorly for a time. With the Empress’s disappearance in
might and stolen jade, an army at his back, the young-old RY 763, however, the legions lost logistical support, while
Dawn Caste moved north and east, away from the Realm’s the sundering of the Jade Prison brought several young Solars
legions, to capture lesser Northern states whose manpower into the Bull’s fold. Within a year, the Bull broke the Tepet
might swell his forces. legions at the Battle of Futile Blood. (For more information
Samea of the Blackwater Mammoth tribe became the on the eastern war, see The Compass of Terrestrial Direc-
first Exalt to join the Bull. An orphaned young wise woman, tions, Vol. III—The East, pp. 13–14.)
Samea gave all her love to her people and her homeland, Yurgen Kaneko has since returned to the North to extend
and that love drew the Solar Exaltation to her. Embracing his territory there and further consolidate his conquered prov-
her newfound power, she turned to the spirits for knowledge inces. He has replenished the empire’s military reserves, which
and companionship, and delved into the ruins of the First now exceed their totals at the start of the Linowan War. With
Age in search of ancient lore. Samea had already become an the Scarlet Empire in disarray and no sign of the Empress’s
accomplished sorceress when she found the newly Exalted return, he stands poised to strike at the major Northern powers
Yurgen Kaneko. Seeing him as a kindred spirit whose ambi- and bring the entire direction under his sway.
tions lay parallel to her own, the precocious Zenith Caste
joined him, trained him, aided him in his efforts and guided
FOREIGN RELATIONS
The Bull’s empire has made overtures to the surrounding
him toward lost cities to loot and shadowlands and freeholds
major states. Kaneko is no fool. Despite his circle’s super-
to raze. Together, they laid the foundations of an empire
natural strengths, he knows that a war on many fronts will
distant from a sluggish and ignorant Realm.
overwhelm his dominion. He sends the Eclipse Caste ice-
So successful were their initial efforts in the remote North
walker called Fear-Eater as an emissary to seek non-aggression
that they set their sights on a greater prize: the Scavenger
pacts with his neighbors, hoping to buy time to winnow his
Lands. Their road to victory ran straight through the expan-
rivals before they join forces against him.
sive Linowan nation. In RY 761, the two gathered their best
Kaneko has few takers, though, and none among the
troops and a number of Dragon-Blooded recruits. Through
greater nations of the North. Leaders of other countries are
sorcery, they brought an army hundreds of miles to assault
too scared. The few who know the power of an Eclipse Caste
the Rokan-Jin and Talinin nations south of Linowan. The
to create binding oaths and treaties also fear that Kaneko
Linowan called on their old alliance with the Realm, and so,
would find a loophole in any non-aggression pact and attack
the Tepet legions met the icewalkers in battle. The icewalkers
them at will.
106
While they raid the occasional village or town, walled cit-
STORYTELLING: FUTURE PATHS ies lie beyond their reach, for they lack the technology to
build artillery and the food reserves to manage a siege. Most
FOR THE BULL
importantly, they lack a formal chain of command. A skilled
Every other country in Creation that appears in
war chief names experienced men as his officers and assigns
the Compass of Terrestrial Directions series has no
them specific tasks before a battle or signals them amid the
accompanying Storyteller advice, on the presump-
fray by horn or banner. If the chief falls, the tribe retreats in
tion that Storytellers can figure out for themselves
disarray, and if his tribe joins forces with another, each war
what to do with the settings provided. The Bull of the
chief chooses his own strategy.
North’s empire, however, presents a unique case. In no
other country in Creation can the players’ characters HOW THEY HAVE CHANGED
interact with a powerful, established circle of Solar As a Dawn Caste Solar, Yurgen Kaneko grasps the
Exalted. What’s more, the Bull’s decision of what to principles of war to an extent impossible for mortal men. He
do next cannot help but have a tremendous impact saw the military weaknesses of the icewalker system—the
on an Exalted series set in the North. As such, it rests system into which he was born—with instinctive clarity. A
with each Storyteller to determine the Bull’s course well-educated and charismatic mortal general might forge
of action and his ultimate goals. a group of icewalker tribes into an army over a generation.
A Storyteller with no special role planned for the The Bull is no longer a mortal. Backed by the power of his
Bull should leave him in the background so he doesn’t Charms, he took a little over a year.
steal the thunder from the players’ characters. Entangle The Blackwater Mammoth tribe, which adopted the
him in opposing some major threat to Creation that Bull after his Exaltation, forms the core of his army. Months
stands apart from the players’ current troubles, such of steady training backed by Solar War Charms honed their
as a Fair Folk incursion or a Deathlord’s scheme. A skills and taught them to fight as one. These warriors formed
circle seeking support from the Bull must first aid him the cadre that trained the rest of the icewalker horde. Endless
in his own efforts. military drills have ingrained new ways of fighting into the
The Bull also makes an excellent adversary, ca- most stubborn icewalkers. They fight in close formation when
pable of crushing incautious Terrestrials or standing the situation warrants, follow a strict chain of command,
up to a circle of Celestial Exalts. Perhaps the players’ and ignore the old divisions and rivalries between the tribes.
characters’ homeland stands in his war machine’s path, Where a member of an Elk tribe might once have attacked a
or he brooks no opposition to his empire and forces Musk Ox tribesman on sight, now they fight side by side.
all other Exalts to follow him or die. The icewalker tribes have changed in far broader and
Lastly, the Bull’s might makes him an excellent deeper ways than mere tactical considerations, as well. The
target to demonstrate a villain’s power. The demise Bull’s efforts reshaped their entire society. War dominates their
of the world’s foremost Solar warlord at the hands of mental and social sphere. Training starts at birth: Children
a Deathlord, elder Lunar or Infernal Exalt could fulfill learn to hold toy swords and spears before they can walk or
many functions. It would remove a potential ally whose speak. Their oral culture remains, but the old tales of hunting
power would overshadow the players’ characters, it and beast spirits give way to stories of war and the Unconquered
would play up his killer’s strength, and it would create a Sun. The young absorb a broader education than the icewalk-
dynamic power vacuum in the North where ambitious ers ever needed or knew before, training them to become part
characters can pick up the pieces. of an advanced military machine. Their curriculum includes
history, foreign cultures, languages and mathematics.
The decade of upheaval tears deep rifts through icewalker
culture. While icewalker elders still adhere to the old ways
THE BULL’S ICEWALKERS as best they can, the younger generation views the world
In just 10 years, the icewalker tribes that follow Yurgen through a lens of war and conquest, and those in their 20s lie
Kaneko have seen tremendous changes in their society. He uncomfortably between ways of thinking. The herds lose their
took a score of extended families of herders and hunters, their powerful spiritual significance to the tribes, becoming little
individualistic nature only loosely reined in by a system of more than sources of meat on the hoof. Hostility between
face and respect for age, and welded them into a fighting force tribes with rival animal totems has been suppressed. All agree
capable of facing Realm legions on an equal footing. in public on the unity of the beast totems, but elders seethe
WHAT THEY WERE and mutter to one another in their tents, while some parents
Traditional icewalkers have little experience of organized teach their children a quiet and secret hate.
warfare. They own no settlements and raise no fortifications. GOVERNANCE
They bring their herds with them, or follow wherever the The Bull’s icewalkers retain their old tribal structure.
animals go, so they have no understanding of supply lines. Few of the old chiefs remain, though. Those hostile to the

Solars were forced out, while others uncomfortable with the OLD LORE, NEW TOOLS
changes in icewalker society stepped down. Many others Yurgen’s inhuman grasp of tactics encompasses countless
died in battle pursuing Yurgen’s dream of conquest. Most weapons, environments and circumstances that no longer
of the icewalker chieftains today are young. Well trained exist in Creation. Nonetheless, the stratagems employed in
and broadly educated, they nonetheless lack life experi- the High First Age provide inspiration for the wars of the
ence, and their loyalty to their Solar masters is absolute. Age of Sorrows. These techniques supplement the traditional
They see themselves as officers in an army, not champions icewalker methods found in Scroll of Kings, pages 77–79.
of their tribes.
Conquered domains retain the trappings of their old LOGISTICS
governments, with figurehead rulers selected for their mal- The Bull takes steps to speed the flow of troops and goods
leability. In each city-state or province, the true power rests through his empire. Icewalker scouts and glider pilots, inured
with a military governor supported by an icewalker garrison. to the cold and dangers of the North, explore and map poorly
Like the tribal chiefs, most icewalker governors are young, charted regions. Conquered peoples build and expand old
educated but untested. Their reactions to violent uprisings roads as civic works projects. To keep roads clear in winter
are anybody’s guess. or to make new ones, mammoths fitted with snowplows
carve paths through the tallest snowdrifts. These provide a
significant mobility advantage over other Northerners, most
of whom resist traveling at all in winter. Using the Complex
STORYTELLING II: NEW BREEDS OF BULL Travel rules (see Exalted, pp. 266–267), treat the old roads
While the canonical Bull of the North is a as highways and mammoth-carved routes as trails.
Dawn Caste Solar whose Exaltation predates the Food and many other supplies are scarce in the North.
opening of the Jade Prison, individual Storytellers The empire struggles to maintain good relations with the
may change his nature and power level to better fit Guild, giving it good prices on furs, ivory, salt and the booty
whatever plots or themes are central to their games. of the empire’s wars of expansion in exchange for rivers of
Examples follow: grain and iron. The icewalker herds form a traveling food
The Silver Bull: Yurgen Kaneko’s stubborn supply that the armies can draw upon during a siege, albeit
refusal to bow to age and loneliness drew the Lunar with the risk of antagonizing the herds’ totem spirits. The
Exaltation to him. As a bull-totem Full Moon Lu- Bull also presses local savants into service to raise the fertility
nar, he leads the icewalkers to victory over the soft of crops and herds, and to enchant traps to attract animals
civilized folk of the North, aided by the No Moon and nets to catch fish.
sorceress Samea. SUPERNATURAL ENTITIES
The Black Bull: Embittered by age and loneli- Samea serves as the Bull’s intermediary with the spirit
ness, Yurgen sought his own death in the shadowlands. world. She has gathered many allies to their cause, not least
With his last breath, he discovered that he still valued of them the animal avatars (see The Books of Sorcery,
life. The Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears came to Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious Divinity I, pp. 56–57).
him then, and he accepted the Last Breath as a Dusk The gods of the Threshold hold little love for the Realm
Caste Abyssal. His circlemates, all young Solars, obey and its Immaculates. They are easily persuaded to back a
the one who holds them in thrall, the snow-witch Solar circle willing to provide them with a steady supply
Samea—a disguise worn by the Lover herself. of prayer. These gods guide and encourage their followers
The Bull of Tales: For centuries, Northerners to back the Bull of the North. At least one city, Damanara
told stories of a mighty hero who would unite the of the Azure Banners, submitted to the Bull’s armies when
icewalkers and lead them to conquer the civilized priests of gods allied with Samea opened the city’s gates in
lands. Dreams of this hero drifted into the Wyld, the dead of night.
where they congealed into a mighty Fair Folk noble. Samea also regularly summons elementals to serve in
With his bride, the Golden Crone, the Bull of Tales battle. Huraka guide allied ships, while thunderbirds blow
enthralls several young Solars to join his crusade. enemies off course and onto rocky shoals. Garda birds set
The Old Bull: Two centuries ago, the Realm’s woodlands ablaze, and sobeksis redirect their home rivers or
legions broke the nascent empire of the Anathema part them to allow troops to ford. Kri unleash avalanches to
Jochim and harried him from his stronghold. Jochim seal mountain passes, burying those within.
fled into the Wyld. Now he has returned to reclaim Other supernatural creatures serve unwillingly or un-
what was his… and to gain revenge. The Old Bull wittingly. Samea binds Second Circle demons to battle on
is an elder Dawn Caste with an Essence of 6. He ter- Kaneko’s behalf. Kaneko does not mind misdirecting enemy
rifies his circlemates, who hope only to ameliorate forces into shadowlands or Wyld zones to be torn apart by
his excesses. their inhabitants. Likewise, his circlemate Nalla has, on more
than one occasion, infiltrated bands of elementals or Fair
108
Folk and incited them to attack an enemy. Lastly, the Bull’s an (Intelligence + Lore) roll, the designer may move the time
scouts keep careful track of every behemoth within range to detonation on the Essence Buildup chart up or down one
of his empire. If circumstances warrant, he or a circlemate level. Most importantly, perhaps, the designer can include a
wrangle a behemoth and send it stampeding toward a luck- switch—a single log pushed into place, a canal gate opened
less enemy army or city. or the like—to initiate the Essence accumulation, enabling
her to build the rune in advance and then detonate the
GEOMANTICALLY DETONATED DEMESNES demesne at a later time.
Geomancers can accidentally tangle the Essence of a
demesne, causing the Essence to build into a devastating THE BULL’S CIRCLE
explosion. Reckless geomancers can do this on purpose, us- Six Solar Exalts comprise the Bull’s circle. Two of them,
ing the Procedure called the Open-Eyed Dive Meditation the icewalkers Crimson Antler and Fear-Eater, stand watch
(see The Books of Sorcery, Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex, on the empire’s Eastern territories, maintaining order in
pp. 51–52). Samea found an improved method. the conquered tribes and warding off hostilities from the
Controlled detonation of a demesne requires an enor- Linowan. Two others, Raneth of Diamond Hearth and Nalla
mous contiguous rune to capture and channel the demesne’s Bloodaxe, deal with specific problems within the Northern
Essence. This rune may be formed from shaped blocks of stone, territories. Yurgen and Samea travel about the entire empire,
freshly cut logs, water-filled moats or any other components reinforcing the icewalkers’ devotion and preparing for the
big enough to contain powerful Essence flows. Designing next stage of their conquest.
and building the rune follows the same rules as building a
manse (see Exalted, p. 133), except that Resources costs are SAMPLE COMBAT UNIT: SNOW BLOSSOM
reduced by two and construction time is measured in weeks MUSK OX TRIBE
instead of years. Description: One of many icewalker tribes reformed
Once the rune is complete, Essence accumulates within by the Bull, the Snow Blossom Musk Ox serve as medium
its confines. This follows the rules for Essence buildup (see infantry. All adults in the tribe possess tiger warrior training,
The Books of Sorcery, Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex, pp. making them among the Bull’s most elite units.
50–51). The rune’s designer may set its configuration to gather Commanding Officer: War Chief Salak
Essence more quickly or slowly. For every three successes on Armor Color: Black with white and gold trim

Motto: “Victory for the he
STORYTELLING III: SCALING THE CIRCLE Musk Ox! Victory for or
Players’ characters in the North and East may the Unconquered Sun!” !”
well come into contact with Yurgen and his circle at General Makeup: 300 00
some point. Unlike the setting’s great powers—the medium infantry in la- a-
Scarlet Empire, the Silver Pact, the Deathlords, the mellar armor, wool and nd
Yozis and such—the Bull’s dominion is active and furs; each carries a spear,ar,
aggressive. Players and Storytellers alike must factor target shield and longbow ow
its presence into their plans. As such, Storytellers with broadhead arrowss
can adjust the power level of the Bull and his circle Overall Quality: Elite
to better match that of a given series. Magnitude: 5
Kaneko has had a decade to loot the ruins and Drill: 5
treasure vaults of the North. To strengthen him, give Close Combat Attack:: 4
him artifacts and hearthstones appropriate to his needs: Close Combat Damage: e: 3
orichalcum superheavy plate, a daiklave of conquest, a Ranged Attack: 4
gem of adamant skin or even a royal warstrider. A few Ranged Damage: 2
Charms, such as Tiger Warrior Training Technique, Endurance: 6 ht:1
Might:
will greatly strengthen his armies. Any number of Armor: 2 (-2 mobility))
other young Solars might enter his service too. For Morale: 4
pre-generated traits, see the sample Lawgivers in the Formation: The tribe con-
Exalted Storytellers Companion, pages. 124-125. sists of four talons, each ch of
To weaken the Bull, instead of reducing his traits, which is subdivided into
undermine his support structure. This reduces his scales and fangs. War Chief
ability to affect the setting and adds new threads to Salak commands thee first
the story. Perhaps Samea dies in the Battle of Futile talon. A subchief hero ro leads
Blood, or Crimson Antler and Fear-Eater defect to each of the others and can split
the service of the Lover Clad in the Raiment of it off as a separate unit. Five relays
Tears. Likewise, major reverses in the Northern or carry winding horns and musk-ox banners. Two of the tribe’s
Eastern campaigns reduce his dominion’s Magnitude, most gifted archers act as sorcerers. All but the commander,
stripping away manpower and tying up his entire sub-chiefs and archers are extras. A blessing from the Musk
circle indefinitely. Ox animal avatar provides supernatural Might.
The Empire of the Bull, a Magnitude 5 Dominion

Abilities: Awareness 2 (Icewalker Scouts +2), Bureaucracy 2 (Military Governors +1), Craft 2 (Fortification Effort +1,
Road-Building +2), Integrity 1 (Garrisons +2), Investigation 1, Occult 3 (Sorcery +2, Spirit Allies +1), Performance 2
(Stirring Oratory +1), Presence 4, Stealth 2, War 5 (First Age Tactics +1, Overwhelming Force +1)
Willpower: 7
Notes: Yurgen Kaneko is the empire’s legitimate sorcerer. His circlemates also function as sorcerers, while savants
could appear among the rulers of any conquered state or tribe in the empire. The Bull’s dominion teeters on the
cusp of Magnitude 6. Conquest of a major power, such as Whitewall or Linowan, will push it over the edge. The
dominion’s bonus points go towards its specialties and an additional dot each of Stealth and Conviction. Assembled
by force and the threat of force, the empire has little else to keep it together. In Limit Break, its conquered states
rebel against their occupiers.
banks of the River of Tears, stretch pale expanses of high-

THE ICE PLAINS land tundra that burgeon with vibrant green grasses only
Between the White Sea and the Inland Sea, from the in the brief Northern summer. The icewalkers call the Ice
crags above Whitewall to the taiga that girds the marshy Plains home. Even those in service to the Bull still spend
110
their summers on the plains, following the great herds they passage leading to a great central courtyard. The manse’s
hunt and worship. magic fills it with sunlight and warmth even in the depths of
Although they lack the fertility of warmer climes, the winter. The common areas are richly furnished. In addition
Ice Plains are no desert. Grasses sprout from the chill earth to their native furs and ivories, its residents cram its halls
along with dwarf shrubs, mosses and lichens. Below a few and common chambers with the booty of a dozen plundered
yards, though, the ground stays perpetually frozen. There is city-states.
little precipitation, but the perpetual cold of the long winters The Mother’s Hearth is a three-dot Solar manse with
prevents snow from melting, so even light flurries accumulate the powers Comfort Zone (1 pt.), Magical Conveniences (1
into snowdrifts. The summer thaw softens the land into one pt.), Well-Flavored Aspect (1 pt.) and Temple Manse (3 pts.).
vast swamp dotted with lakes. These lakes freeze over when Both Samea and the Bull of the North have attuned to it,
the cold returns, forming the expanses of ice that give the and Samea holds its hearthstone, a gem of sorcery (see The
plains their name. Books of Sorcery, Vol. III—Oadenol’s Codex, p. 107).
Frigid winds blow steadily across the plains throughout Roughly 100 people inhabit the Mother’s Hearth on
the long Northern winter. Gusts whip the drifts into snow a permanent basis, all of them icewalkers. A few foreign
devils and send travelers stumbling. Shrubs grow with their merchants have petitioned Samea for residency, but she has
branches swept back in the direction of the wind. refused them all. Transient residents range widely in numbers.
Only a few animals endure the harsh conditions of the At quiet times, there might be no more than a dozen pilgrims,
Ice Plains. Fish inhabit the few large lakes that don’t freeze traders or foreign scholars present, while a large gathering of
solid in the depths of winter, while birds and insects migrate tribes swells the settlement’s population into the thousands.
to the marshes in the summer. Squirrels and bears hibernate The manse itself has room for 100 guests to lodge in comfort,
through the cold, emerging only when the weather warms. or up to 500 in cramped conditions. Another 1,000 can cram
A few larger animals inhabit the plains throughout the year. themselves into the domed central courtyard. Any additional
Lemmings and hares provide prey for foxes and owls, while visitors must pitch their tents outdoors.
packs of wolves and snow hunters compete with icewalker
tribes to hunt the great herds of mammoth, caribou, moose,
PEOPLE OF THE HEARTH
The Hearth’s handful of permanent inhabitants tends
musk oxen and elk.
toward the aged and sedentary. Some spend their days engaged
THE MOTHER’S HEARTH in handicrafts—painting leather, sewing furs, carving bone
When Samea traveled to the heart of the Ice Plains in and the like—while others devote themselves to prayer. All
search of greater enlightenment, she found a demesne where spend a great deal of time sharing stories, for this is both a
the sun blazed upon the snow in pillars of golden light. When pastime and a responsibility among the icewalker tribes, and
she settled there to meditate upon the Unconquered Sun, the folk of the Hearth come from many different tribes, each
the Mammoth tribes followed, and when the herds moved with their own tales and histories. Music also fills the manse.
on, many tribesmen remained to feed and protect her. After Drums beat, hands clap, and many voices rise together in
she emerged from her contemplation, the icewalkers marked song, their words echoing through the glittering halls.
the place as holy. Her followers raised a shrine to her upon Small gods throng to the Mother’s Hearth, though few
her departure and took pilgrimages there to make offerings stay long or manifest themselves to its residents. A notable
in her name. Others came to trade goods and stories with exception is Tianlang, a lion dog (see The Books of Sorcery,
the pilgrims and with each other. Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious Divinity I, pp. 45–46).
Both Yurgen and Samea saw the value of a central meeting Unemployed by Heaven for centuries, Tianlang lorded it over
place for the tribes. Once she had mastered Celestial Circle the farmers of a poor Northern village until Samea lectured
sorcery, the Zenith raised a Solar manse wherein visiting him into submission. His sense of honor restored by her words,
tribes could meet and dwell out of the plains’ bitter chill. he guards the manse as a favor to its mistress.
Its rooms and halls slowly filled over the years as artisans, SPIRIT GUESTS
shamans and elders settled there on a permanent or semi- The Hearth’s eight towers are off limits to most of its
permanent basis. Now, almost a decade later, the place forms residents. Each contains a luxurious bedchamber and other
a small self-contained town amidst the ice, where Samea amenities. Samea resides in one. She reserves the others for
rules as priestess-queen. her circlemates and visiting gods. The towers generally stand
THE MANSE empty in her absence, but when she is present, powerful
The great marble dome of the Mother’s Hearth rises Terrestrial gods often seek audience with her. Some wish to
amidst the Ice Plains, its snowy flanks blending in with the bargain with her on their own behalf or on behalf of their
tundra landscape. Eight gold-peaked minarets rise from its worshipers. Others are curious to meet the reborn Solars and
sloping walls. Gates of yellow wood open in each of the learn their motivations.
four directions, and each gate leads into a broad, door-lined Samea’s most persistent guests are the animal avatars.
The Bull has transformed icewalker society, and the avatars

have yet to come to terms with the effects of these changes on of the Unconquered Sun (save, of course, for herself), she
their rivalries and relationships. Emissaries from the North’s most often employs her Underling-Promoting Touch upon
many national and tribal gods likewise gather here to discuss Adare, a former elder of her own Blackwater Mammoth tribe
the growth of the places under their protection. More than whom she remembers fondly from her childhood.
once, Autumn Frost (see p. XX) has visited surreptitiously. Visitors who behave courteously have little to fear in
Whether she comes as a representative of the Haslanti pan- the Hearth. Simple rules bind residents and outsiders alike:
theon or on her own behalf is not yet known. Do no harm to others; offer aid to those in need; respect the
customs of hospitality. Those who cannot abide by these
AUTHORITY AND GOVERNANCE restrictions suffer whatever penalty Samea or her priestesses
Samea’s word is law among the icewalkers, and doubly
choose to mete out, ranging from asking for an apology to
so at the Hearth. She has never claimed any title among her
exile from the Hearth.
people. Nonetheless, they call her the Mother of All Tribes
Exile is a surprisingly potent punishment. Samea’s
and worship her as a living goddess. In addition to obeying
presence so affects those around her that her absence aches
her instructions, they do their best to guess at her unspoken
like a phantom limb. Exile also serves to protect. Not only
desires, often gathering outside her presence to discuss the
can the banished do no more harm to the community, but
interpretation of a mood, a turn of phrase or a gesture.
if a mortal’s actions move Samea to violence, how could he
The Mother often travels abroad. She finds many de-
survive her anger?
mands on her time, from the Bull’s wars to incursions by the
Of the few that have left the Hearth in exile, most were
walking dead and the Fair Folk. When she is absent or when
banished in Samea’s absence or when she was calm. Two,
she is too engrossed in her sorcerous studies or her meditations
however, she expelled in the heat of anger, and the super-
to deal with her people, her priestesses minister to them in
natural power of her wrath forever branded their souls. For
her stead. Samea has chosen five so far, selecting from the
good or ill, they seek to shape the world to match the marks
visiting tribes those who seem quick-witted, generous of spirit
she left upon them, wandering across the North to preach
and without strong attachments to individuals or families.
subservience—or opposition—to the Solar Exalted.
Though she insists there is no seniority among the priestesses
The Mother’s Hearth, a Magnitude 2 Dominion

Abilities: Awareness 1 (Pilgrims +2), Craft 1 (Foreign Merchants +1), Integrity 2 (Religious Edict +1, Tight-Knit
Culture +1), Investigation 1, Occult 2 (Animal Avatars +2), Performance 2 (Icewalkers +3), Presence 1 (Icewalk-
ers +3)
Virtue Flaw: Compassion Current Limit: 1
Willpower: 6
Notes: The Hearth’s Magnitude, unusually high for its size, stems from its centrality, its large transient population
and its significance to the Bull’s icewalker tribes. Samea is the dominion’s legitimate sorcerer, while her priestesses
act as savants. The dominion’s bonus points are tied up in its specialties, as are the external bonus points it gains
from foreign traders and influence over the icewalker tribes. The folk of the Mother’s Hearth pride themselves on
their devotion and spirituality. When the settlement enters Limit Break, its people refuse to accept culpability for
its ills. Instead, they blame everything on a scapegoat and exile him or her from the community.
ite promontories called the Pillars of Futility, and narrows

THE RIVER OF TEARS somewhat as it travels south. Sandy beaches and salt marshes
The Wyld overflows with prodigies. In the Bordermarches, spread outward from its banks.
some rivers run uphill or out of the sea. Deep inside Creation, That river’s broad, shallow valley is as fecund as any
the River of Tears does both. It is a vast and extravagant relic marsh or seashore. Insects buzz and hum thickly, especially at
of the Old Realm. A hundred brilliant cities once sparkled sunset. Gulls and river ducks dive into tidal pools to feed on
along its length, but it now lies far from the heart of civiliza- fish and crabs, while hares, moose and deer graze amidst the
tion, and what few cities remain are shabby and old. Even sedge. Few of the native wolves and lynx remain to compete
the magic that once kept its waters pure is failing. with hunters and trappers. The largest predators one is likely
The River of Tears is two miles wide even at its source, to encounter are otters and foxes.
where Malice Bay’s waters flow between the towering gran-
112
Travel in the region has its perils, though. Many native PLENILUNE
elementals and lesser gods remain irritable about the salt in- The city of Plenilune has long overflowed its original
fusing their lands, and Immaculate monks capable of keeping island onto both banks of the River of Tears. A tangle of
them in line have been in short supply since the Empress’s city walls from various expansions and imperial periods
disappearance. Mortals who encounter ill-tempered paludal partition the eastern and western sprawls into districts. A
spirits are advised to make offerings of pure water, pumice hereditary baron rules each district and exacts a toll from
and silver—or failing that, to run very fast. all who pass through the district’s gates. In the sprawls, low
HISTORY OF THE RIVER OF TEARS buildings of wood and stone totter over winding streets and
During the High First Age, the River of Tears chan- press together around plazas, bazaars and webs of shadowy
neled water from Frost Lake uphill to the Yanaze. The alleyways. The central island, called the Larkbright, grows
immense Spidersilk Dam, which controlled the flow of upward rather than outward. Its high stone turrets house the
water from the Great Western Ocean into Frost Lake, city’s wealthy, from nobles and merchants to thaumaturges
turned the water fresh and pure. The White Valley between and scavenger lords.
the dam and the River of Tears blossomed into one of the THE PEOPLE OF PLENILUNE
breadbaskets of the Old Realm, and shining cities grew Rather than ethnicity or caste, Plenilunars judge people
along its riverbanks. on the basis of rank and wealth, which are two sides of the same
A Solar Exalt demolished Spidersilk Dam in the Usur- coin in a city wherein almost any office can be bought for a
pation, sweeping away the army raised against him. The high enough price. The city holds a smattering of superhuman
resulting deluge also flooded the White Valley and drowned and inhuman beings—outcaste Dragon-Blooded, beastmen,
millions of innocent people. The surge pressed its way up Demon-Bloods, Wyld mutants and even Fair Folk—but
the River of Tears, smashing city after city until it faded just they fare no better than mortals unless they demonstrate an
short of Sijan. The magics sustaining the river’s flow remained aptitude for business, guile or theft.
unbroken. Its waters settled into their original course, flowing Instead of a standing army, Plenilune’s noble houses hold
past seaweed-draped ruins and fields choked with salt. long-term contract with mercenary bands, most of which have
The Shogunate worked to mend the broken region. served so long their service has become hereditary. Mercenary
Dragon-Blooded engineers raised the Saltspires, five desali- watchmen police the streets on behalf of their lords. Many
nation manses on artificial islands along the river’s upper are prone to violence against the underclass, and almost all
reaches, to extract the salt from its waters so that it might are corrupt. Other mercenaries guard caravans against raids
run fresh and pure again. They seeded the shores with plants and defend the city itself in time of war. Plenilune avoids
such as saltberry and forsake-me-never that drew impurities real military action whenever possible, however. Its lords
from the soil. Civilization slowly returned. Cities grew again, would rather pay tribute to enemies than risk defeat… or
farms spread across flood-carved marshes and cargo vessels worse, disruption of trade.
sailed up and down between the White Sea and the Yanaze. Plenilune’s wealth draws more than its share of avari-
The region nonetheless remained a backwater where civiliza- cious thaumaturges, particularly those adept in alchemy and
tion clung to the riverbanks without making deep inroads enchantment. Sorcerers find their services even more wel-
into the hinterlands. come, while the rare artisan of artifacts can name her price.
When the Great Contagion struck, the River of Tears In the city’s oldest and wealthiest districts, enchanted lamps
suffered less than some parts of the Threshold. Mortals died light the streets and keyed wards guard every manor gate and
by the millions, and the Fair Folk harried the survivors, but treasure vault. Destitute neighborhoods suffer the dark side
the Saltspires held mountains of extracted salt with which of magic. Sorcerers and thaumaturges send demons to seize
to ward off hungry ghosts and salt the shadowlands that orphans and vagrants for their experiments, then discard
sprang up in the Contagion’s wake. When the Contagion their half-formed creations in the same way.
ended, the survivors settled around the Saltspires and built
new cities on their islands and the surrounding riverbanks
SALT AND THE GUILD
Guild caravans visit Plenilune twice a year on their way
to harvest the salt churned out by the manses.
to and from the North, purchasing salt from the city gov-
The Saltspire cities grew rich and powerful, but they
ernment to sell to the people of the Northern interior and
turned against each other instead of confederating, squander-
the teeming cities of the Scavenger Lands. The Guild sells
ing their wealth in incessant petty wars. Their manses fell
foodstuffs, metals and luxury goods in return. In addition, the
into disrepair, leaving the river brackish down to the Yanaze.
Guild both buys and sells slaves. As no citizen of Plenilune
Only the manse at Plenilune, the southernmost Saltspire
may be held in slavery within the city, impoverished citizens
city, remained intact. The other cities finally leagued against
and prisoners are sold at the Far Market, held three miles
Plenilune as it gained the economic upper hand. Matters
outside the city limits. Foreign slaves are fair game, though,
remained so until the Bull came. Plenilune surrendered to
and Guild factors sell them freely inside the city.
his armies and now lives under his protection.

Plenilune’s people grant Guildsmen a great deal of re- Though the individual cities have simpler governments
spect. Money is power, and the Guild has plenty of both. The than Plenilune, the labyrinth of bilateral treaties and pacts
city’s current Guild factor, Jaya of Port Calin, made herself that unites them in a confederation is downright Byzantine.
a major player in city politics. The Bull’s viceroy Raneth Raneth has visited each city and brought their governments
suspects her of involvement in plots against his rule, but he to heel, but he has not had the opportunity to investigate
cannot pressure her directly. If the Guild stopped buying their leadership fully or mold the mood of their citizens.
Plenilune’s salt in bulk, the city’s commerce would wither. Whatever distaste the League cities feel for the Bull and his
Raneth currently investigates ways to blackmail or otherwise empire, it pales before their anger at being ranked below
compel Jaya into cooperation. Plenilune in importance. A serious, large-scale uprising
seems inevitable.
THE PLENILUNE MANSE
Symbol of the city’s power and decay, the Plenilune CONQUEST AND UPRISING
Manse’s twisted spire of greenish marble rises from the Historically, an autarch of the royal line ruled Plenilune,
Larkbright to cast its shadow across the streets below. The though more as figurehead than leader. De facto authority
spire climbs 20 stories in smooth, sweeping seashell curves. rested with an elaborate bureaucratic oligarchy of several
A cloud of mist forever enshrouds its peak. On stormy nights overlapping ministries controlled by councils of nobles,
and during Calibration, lightning flickers through the cloud merchants and Guildsmen.
with a drumming of thunder. So much powdery, crystalline When the Bull’s icewalker hordes swept in, Plenilune’s
salt accumulates in its cellars that it covers the Larkbright’s autarch, Gravis IV, surrendered immediately. He hoped to
streets like snow, crunching underfoot on dry summer days suborn the intruders when circumstances proved amenable or
and melting the ice in winter. simply outwait them until their empire collapsed. The city’s
Plenilune’s royal family has lived in the manse for oligarchs agreed. Gravis and his party negotiated a treaty with
centuries, while their retainers inhabit a complex of lesser their besiegers, leaving the autarch on his throne while the
structures outside. Traditionally, no other may dwell or la- Bull moved northward to besiege the Saltspire League.
bor within the manse for more than a year of each decade. So matters proceeded until the Bull’s war against the
The Essence of the manse marks its inhabitants: Those of Linowan. Yurgen Kaneko demanded tribute to fund his war
the royal line live long, though they change with age into effort. Plenilune’s government tried to squeeze the money
something not quite human. from an already downtrodden populace, which immediately
The Plenilune Manse is a two-dot Water manse with rebelled. A few oligarchs perished in riots and fires. The rest
the powers Essence Vents (1 pt.) and a variant of Water counseled the autarch to proclaimed independence from the
Dragon’s Will (3 pts.) that extracts a fraction of the salt from Bull’s empire, execute a few purported “foreign agents” and
the water that flows past the Larkbright. Raneth, the only cut taxes to just above their prior levels. Emboldened, the
person currently attuned to the manse, holds its hearthstone, cities of the Saltspire League likewise rose up and expelled
a mind-cleansing gem (see The Books of Sorcery, Vol. the icewalker garrisons left to keep them under control.
III—Oadenol’s Codex, p. 96).
The city’s growth has warped the local Essence flows WEBS OF CONSPIRACY
so the manse no longer fully caps the underlying demesne. In RY 766, the Bull’s viceroy Raneth of Diamond Hearth
Essence escapes the top of the structure in harmless dis- arrived at Plenilune with a small icewalker entourage. He
plays of mist and storm. Over a span of two decades, the forced entry to the city by shattering the main gate of the
manse’s mortal denizens gain the Longevity and Water western sprawl with a portable Essence weapon. Using social
Adaptation poxes, the Gills affliction and two deficiency- Charms to gather a mob and push forward to the Larkbright,
level derangements, usually Obsession (wealth) and a he then forced entrance to the Plenilune Saltspire and con-
Phobia. (See Exalted, pp. 288-289, The Manual of Exalted fronted the autarch. Perceiving the autarch’s complicity in
Power—The Lunars, pp. 209-210, and The Compass of the city’s rebellion, Raneth killed the man in front of his
Celestial Directions, Vol. II—The Wyld, pp. 145-146 court and claimed the throne for himself.
and 149, for details.) Although all of the city’s oligarchs denied involvement
in seditious activities, Raneth’s Charms saw through to the
THE SALTSPIRE LEAGUE truth. He placed them all under house arrest. Commerce
The other four cities in the Saltspire League resemble immediately ground to a halt. Without the oligarchs—the
Plenilune in broad structure. Each city is built around an city’s aristocrats, leading merchants and senior bureaucrats—
island-borne desalination manse and has spilled out onto Plenilune couldn’t function. The next week, Raneth released
the river’s banks. Two of the manses are Water aspected, everyone but the rebellion’s ringleaders, whom he executed
while the other two are Wood aspected. All have suffered with great fanfare in the Plaza of Black Doves.
significant damage over the years, so their collective salt Cowed, the oligarchs kept a low profile and waited for
output is less than half of Plenilune’s. the Bull’s emissary to go away. Raneth stayed. Moreover, he
114
redirected city funds to his research, funds that the oligarchs arming local garrisons and levies. In a nearby warehouse,
would normally skim off the top. They tired of his intrusions carpenters turn out struts for the growing 300-foot skeleton
into their affairs. Nobles nursed ambitions of autarchy, while of an air boat.
friends and relatives of those executed in the initial purge Raneth also plans to repair the Saltspire League’s four
craved vengeance. Assassins were bought, sent, died. A desalination manses. He intends to start with the two that
second purge followed. seem the least damaged—those belonging to the cities Astra-
Unwilling to remain hostage any longer to the oligarchs’ gal and Porcellana. These plans go against his instructions,
intransigence, Raneth set about reorganizing the city’s govern- however. Restoring those manses would destabilize the region
ment. He stripped the ministerial councils of their authority. both economically and politically and enrage the Plenilunars
Nobles find themselves replaced by handpicked civil officials. by stripping their city of its dominant position. But how can
Soldiers seize the assets of troublesome merchants. Bureaucrats he leave such things broken?
divide consortiums into smaller businesses that are easier to
manage. With power slipping from their grasp, the oligarchs
have little left to lose. PROTOTYPES
When building a prototype of a new or unfamiliar
RANETH’S PERSONAL PROJECTS device, increase the difficulty of the Craft roll by
Although he’s more investigator than artisan, Raneth
five. Prototypes may still be fine or exceptional if
belongs to the Twilight Caste. Craftsmanship is in his blood.
the artisan attains the necessary threshold successes
Moreover, his early life among the Haslanti familiarized him
over and above the increased difficulty.
with his people’s innovations and taught him the military
value of clever machines. He’s never done more than fire
a crossbow and ride an air boat, but his Craft Excellencies
enable him to recall every visible detail of these devices and SAMPLE COMBAT UNIT: PLENILUNE URBAN GUARDS
reconstruct them in his workshop. Raneth has already built Description: These traits represent a scale of Plenilunar
a working crossbow and trained a pair of Plenilunar artisans hereditary mercenary watchmen in service to one of the
in its manufacture. While the weapon is of little use to bow- city’s noble houses.
trained icewalkers, Raneth believes it will be invaluable in Commanding Officer: Varies

Armor Color: Dark gray, with blazon and trim matching
the insignia of the scale’s employer
Motto: Varies
General Makeup: 25 mortal soldiers equipped with pikes
and cudgels, wearing reinforced buff jackets and plumed
helmets.
Overall Quality: Fair
Magnitude: 2
Drill: 3
Close Combat Attack: 3 Close Combat Damage: 3
Ranged Attack: — Ranged Damage: —
Endurance: 5 Might: 0 Armor: 2 (-2 mobility)
Morale: 2
Formation: A unit of urban guards typically takes on relaxed
formation while on the parade ground or marching through
the streets to enforce curfew, while moving into close forma-
tion to subdue obdurate workers with their cudgels or hold
back rioters with a thicket of spears. Such units rarely possess
any special characters beyond their commander.
Plenilune, a Magnitude 4 Dominion

Abilities: Awareness 2 (Links with the Guild +1), Bureaucracy 3 (Interlocking Bureaucracies +3), Craft 3 (Salt
Trade +3), Integrity 1, Investigation 2, Occult 3 (Thaumaturges +2), Performance 3, Presence 2 (Extravagant
Tribute +2, Organized Crime +1), Stealth 2 (Assassins +1), War 1 (Mercenaries +2, Defense +1)
Virtue Flaw: Conviction Current Limit: 1
Willpower: 6
Notes: Raneth of Diamond Hearth rules Plenilune as a legitimate sorcerer. Savants could come from anywhere:
leading merchants, outcaste Dragon-Bloods, mercenary captains, charismatic young nobles, priests, thaumaturges,
rabble-rousers and insurrectionists. The domain’s bonus points go toward specialties and an additional dot each
of Bureaucracy, Craft and Occult. Its external bonus points come from its salt-fueled trade arrangements and go
to its Craft, Presence and War specialties. An inward-looking city at the best of times, Plenilune deals with Limit
Break by withdrawing into itself and ignoring events beyond its walls, no matter how tumultuous.
The Saltspire League, a Magnitude 4 Dominion
Abilities: Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 3 (Treaties +1), Craft 4, Integrity 2 (Cosmopolitan +1), Investigation 2
(Intra-League Spying +3), Occult 1, Performance 2 (Anti-Plenilune Propaganda +2), Presence 2, Stealth 2, War 2
(Mercenaries +1)
Willpower: 6
Notes: The Saltspire League lacks a legitimate sorcerer, though each city’s leader vies for the position. The
dominion’s bonus points go toward specialties and an additional dot each of Bureaucracy, Craft and War. The
cities of the League dwell upon their own past heydays, and only their shared resentment of Plenilune holds them
together. In Limit Break, the League cities fear that one of their own number is gaining ascendancy over the rest
and turn against it. Should the League gain ascendance over Plenilune, it splinters into lesser dominions as each
city reasserts its independence.
116
The proud Karnese do not subsist only on these
MALICE BAY sedentary pursuits. When the weather warms, between
Ragged cliffs rise from the shores of Malice Bay. In this sowing and reaping, they set out in their eagle-prowed
realm of struggle, mortals battle the cold, the Wyld and each ships to harry the merchants of the White Sea and the
other. Even the land fights a long, losing battle against the folk of the River of Tears, plundering laden ships and
sea as the waves gnaw endlessly at the receding cliffs and coastal towns alike. They likewise war against those few
pummel the broken rocks at their feet. neighboring kingdoms not yet absorbed by the Haslanti
Rugged terrain typifies the landscape. Deep, ridged League or the Bull of the North. No boy of Karn can be
valleys and fjords pierce the cliff walls that hem in the counted a man until he has spent a summer a-roving and
bay’s icy waters, splitting off thousands of small, high- bloodied his blade in battle.
walled islands from the mainland. The countryside unfurls A thane rules each fastness, commanding his extended
inland like a rumpled quilt, its ridges and great rolling clan and thralls by right of personal strength and the
downs rising above a patchwork of green woods and vales, support of his ancestors. Each thane may call up a peas-
blue lakes and the dull scattered colors of heath, bog and ant levy from his holding’s farmers and fishermen. The
fen. Cities are few and stunted, rarely growing larger than king maintains the only standing army in Karn, consist-
walled towns, and they serve more as fortresses for petty ing of skilled warriors from every clan that have sworn
kings than as centers of culture. Fishing and mining villages themselves to his personal service. This force serves little
predominate. Food is a precious commodity, as is the iron more than a ceremonial purpose for respected kings, while
needed to make war on one’s neighbors, civilized traders unpopular rulers must suppress uprisings among their own
and Wyld-spawn. rebellious thanes.
As with the rest of the northern coast, Malice Bay
has long and bitter winters, while the summers are all too RELIGION AND MAGIC
short. Nonetheless, life abounds. The waters teem with Karn’s people worship their ancestors. Bleak temples
fish: trout, perch, fat blue salmon and ferocious pike as stand on the heights above coastal settlements. Here,
large as a man. Bears and seals dwell by the shore, while priestesses venerate their most ancient forebears, whose
deer, elk, moose and caribou graze inland. Black eagles potent Arcanoi make them like unto gods to their people.
rule the sky, preying on grouse, fox and hare, while gray These mighty ghosts walk the land during Calibration and
wolves and great-terrors hunt the larger beasts of the land, at other times of ill omen. Clothed in phantasmal flesh,
including humans. they utter prophecies, grant boons and punish those who
The peoples of Malice Bay are hardy, truculent folk. transgressed against the traditions of Karn. Some engage in
A score of petty kingdoms brawl over territory, treasure ritual congress with their clergy or lie with their worshipers,
and blood feuds both old and new. Sometimes, a single resulting in Ghost-Blooded offspring. The temples raise
leader can unite several kingdoms for a few generations, but these haunted children, locally called starka. Trained in
these pocket empires inevitably fall apart due to escalating thaumaturgy and history, the starka form a separate class
vendettas or the machinations of ambitious nobles. of witches and savants. Common folk view them as a breed
apart and show them both respect and fear.
KARN Lesser ancestors serve as tutelary spirits. Some lie
The kingdom of Karn stands out from the rest of the buried beneath their homes, bringing good fortune and
Bull’s dominion. It is the most far-flung of his Northern counseling their descendants in dreams. Others remain
territories, lying north and east of the central Ice Plains.
Its people are the fiercest within his dominion, its ships
the most feared. Most curious of all, Karn remains unaware ANCESTRAL TALISMANS
that it has been conquered. The starka learn the Art of Enchantment in
Karn clutches the eastern shore of Malice Bay. The the temples of the dead, and they use the remains
kingdom comprises a dozen modest towns and two-score of the dead to imbue objects with power. Newly
villages and fastnesses, most within a day’s travel of the enchanted weapons or vessels are typically excep-
coast. Fishing ships ply the waters. Farmers sow barley tional (see Exalted, p, 365), while those at least a
for beer and plant parsnips, turnips and other vegetables century old or containing the remains of five ances-
that endure the region’s cold climate. Miners pull iron tors become perfect (see Exalted, p. 366). Homes
and copper from a range of crumbling, heather-capped most typically act as talismans against disease (see
hills that overlook the sea. Traders procure ivory and furs Exalted, p. 379) for their inhabitants. An ancestral
from inland tribes and carry their wares across the water. talisman serves as a Fetter for every ghost whose
Even children do their part, combing the strand for amber remains are bound into it.
and ambergris.

tied to the ships they sailed in life. The starka weave the their harbor. Karn’s king and his heirs perished in the
hair of the dead into ropes and sails, caulk seams with battle, while Nalla’s carefully planned heroism extracted
their flesh and alloy their ground bones with iron to make enough of the Karnese fleet from the trap to make him
rivets. Portable Fetters rest in a coffer of black ash wood at a hero. When the Karnese high council of nobles and
the foot of the mast. These ship-bound dead fill sails with priests gathered to elect a new king, Nalla’s name was at
ghost winds and lash out at enemies with spectral claws the top of the list.
and nightmare visions. Karnese weapons are likewise holy For the past two years, Nalla has led the Karnese in
heirlooms. Each contains ancestral finger bones and has war after war against their neighbors. In addition to his
the hair of the dead wrapped around its grip. personal skill at arms, he’s ensured victory by thoroughly
investigating the terrain, bribing enemy lords into turn-
KARN’S ENEMIES ing coat and, when necessary, undermining the enemy
The shores of Malice Bay are no place for the weak.
through espionage—burning down barracks, poisoning
The Karnese strive against all manner of foes: Wyld barbar-
food supplies and murdering opposing champions, advisors
ians and beastmen occasionally venture far enough from
and princes in their beds.
their hunting grounds to attack Karn, while neighboring
While Karn’s people are too proud to submit easily
kingdoms send raiding parties in revenge for prior Karnese
to foreign governance, Nalla has opened “negotiations”
attacks. Raids on Haslanti shipping draw particularly
with official emissaries from the Bull. In his name, Karn
bloody reprisals. Expansionists in the League have their
has agreed to a loose military alliance. Nalla expects to
eye on Karn and consider escalation.
bring the kingdom wholly into the fold within the next
Most of all, Karn struggles with the Tear Eater tribes of
few years, with none of the losses and rebellions that
the Northeastern steppes. (Just because they both worship
would follow a military conquest. He builds up Karn’s fleet
their ancestors does not make them friends.) The Karnese
strength in the meantime, including a handful of iceships,
must repel at least one attack by Tear Eater raiders and
to provide a ready-made navy when the Bull moves against
their zombies each year. Showing fear in the face of the
the Haslanti League.
dead shames one’s entire family, even more than fear in
the face of the living, for one should trust the power of SAMPLE COMBAT UNIT: KARNESE REAVERS
one’s ancestors to ward off the dead. Description: Whether mounted on horseback or aboard a
For all their courage and ferocity in battle, the Karnese longship, Karn’s warriors make lightning strikes against lightly
continue to lose ground to the Tear Eaters. They win most defended settlements which they pillage for treasure and slaves.
of their battles, but their casualties add up. Several outly-
ing farmsteads and communities have been overwhelmed
and annihilated in recent years. Fortunately, the tide is
turning due to the valor of their new king, Nalla Bloodaxe,
whose fury on the battlefield has bloodied the noses of
the Tear Eaters and scattered their raiding parties to the
four winds.
CONQUEST FROM WITHIN
After aiding the Bull in the Linowan War, Nalla set
himself the task of expanding the empire. Yurgen Kaneko
decided that he wanted a naval presence on the White Sea
and suggested that Nalla acquire one. Nalla traveled to
Karn and assumed the charming moniker of “Bloodaxe.” In
the guise of a young Karnese warrior, he insinuated himself
into the retinue of King Skor Ironhand. Nalla Bloodaxe
rose swiftly in prestige from victories against neighboring
kingdoms and marauding Tear Eater barbarians. Within a
year, he stood at Skor’s right hand, outstripping even the
king’s own sons in the hearts of the people.
When the next raiding season began, Nalla joined
Skor Ironhand and his sons on their longship as they
went reaving on Malice Bay. By subtle means, he passed
messages to contacts in the city-state of Tarrack, another
of the Bull’s conquests, warning them of an attack that
he himself had suggested to Skor. Tarrack’s generals un-
leashed their ambush as the Karnese raiding fleet entered
118
They return to their families outside of raiding season; each Magnitude: 2
village is home to at least one scale of reavers, while a large Drill: 2
town might muster a full dragon of troops if attacked. Close Combat Attack: 3 Close Combat Damage: 4
Commanding Officer: Varies Ranged Attack: 2 Ranged Damage: 2
Armor Color: Browned iron chain hauberk over warm, Endurance: 5 Might: 1 Armor: 2 (-3 mobility)
brightly colored wool Morale: 4
Motto: “Blood for our ancestors!” Formation: Usually relaxed, though they become unordered
General Makeup: 40 raiders wearing chain hauberks and when they spot easy prey. The band’s three most respected
pot helms, carrying talismanic great axes and longbows with warriors act as heroes, while a single starka thaumaturge
broadhead arrows functions as a sorcerer. All but the commander and sorcerer
Overall Quality: Excellent are extras.
Karn, a Magnitude 4 Dominion

Abilities: Awareness 1, Bureaucracy 1, Craft 1 (Shipbuilding +2), Integrity 3 (Unquestioned Traditions +2), In-
vestigation 1, Occult 2 (Ancestors +1, Starka +2), Performance 2 (Call to Battle +2), Presence 3, Stealth 2, War 4
(Lightning Raid +2, Slash & Burn Tactics +1)
Willpower: 8
Notes: Nalla is the domain’s legitimate sorcerer. Karn’s bonus points are tied up in two dots of War and the spe-
cialties. Its external bonus points, derived from the support of its ancestors, provide its Investigation and Occult
specialties. The kingdom’s Valor Virtue Flaw represents its people’s quick and violent temper. When it enters Limit
Break, its inhabitants turn their anger against any apparent target, whether neighboring towns, foreign merchants
or each other.

120
CHAPTER SEVEN
GODS AND MONSTERS OF

THE NORTH
The North is a harsh, lonely place, where only the fit and have done so for as long as anyone in Creation or Yu-
and strong can survive. Gods do not coddle their flock, and Shan can remember.
champions respect only ingenuity and strength. Voharun and Nasamara play no favorites among the
armies and warriors of the North. They prize selfless valor in
GODS OF THE NORTH combat, but rarely intervene in mortal battles. When they
Northerners have a curious relationship with their gods. do, they act to make sure that mortals settle their conflicts
Because worshipers are scarce and death is so near, their gods fairly and that parties foreign to the North keep their dis-
are much more protective. Such “protection” comes with a tance. The gods never offer strategic advice to either side
caveat, however: Most gods do not directly shield mortals in a conflict, though they might aid petitioners who defend
from the many dangers in their lives. To do so would be to Creation against the dead or creatures out of the Wyld.
do them a grave injustice. Their protection usually takes Now and then, they punish particularly annoying, gutless
more abstract form, such as object lessons in proper behavior or (especially) treacherous petitioners.
or tests of fortitude, as mortals are made to survive in the The gods quarrel in a brotherly way about who is older
face of seemingly random destructive events. Rather than (and therefore preeminent) and often observe battles to-
demanding servitude, the gods of the North tend to want to gether. They share their temples, which usually have small
help, as protectors or advisors. separate shrines for each. Legend calls them brothers—twins,
in fact—who represent the glory and tragedy of war. One
THE TWIN GODS OF WAR cannot exist without the other.
The North has two chief war gods, Voharun and Nasa- Nearly all Northern warriors and their families honor
mara, who share equal authority and are worshiped together both Voharun, the Battle Crow, and Nasamara, the Falcon
throughout the North. They preside over all local war gods, of Glory. Their devotees hope to prove their worth through

selfless acts of bravery. Northern forces tend to ignore an The Feaster on the Slain manifests as a tall, slender
enemies’ greater numbers and superior equipment as ir- man with smooth jet-black skin and unblinking yellow eyes
relevant when they vie for the Twins’ attention. If they that stare from under his beaked raven mask. No power can
win, Nasamara will recognize their courage and prowess. If remove the mask; it’s part of him. If Voharun wants, he grows
they fall, Voharun will see that they are not forgotten. The birdlike talons on his fingers to inflict lethal damage. He also
priests of the Twins tell warriors to face both possibilities manifests in the form of an ordinary-looking raven.
with stoic resolve. Sanctum: Voharun’s heavenly abode is the Raven’s Roost,
For more information on the Northern war gods, see a fortress of slick black mirrors whose 23 towers all rise to
Scroll of Kings, pages 60–61. meet in one sharp spire. Only one door, which is invisible
VOHARUN, THE BATTLE CROW and opens only at Voharun’s command, admits visitors. The
Some war gods pine for the glories of the Old Realm. rest of the exterior is slick, with no handholds. No windows
Voharun, called Feaster on the Slain, does not. He recognizes show from the outside, but Voharun can pass or see through
the grandeur and drama of bygone battles, but he prefers the any of the walls. At Voharun’s touch, any of the palace’s
smaller, desperate personal struggles of present-day warriors. walls can display any current or past battle in the North,
Voharun savors the small acts of heroism that lie behind with as much detail as the god requires. Outside the Roost,
great victories. He also has particular affection for conquered snow falls perpetually on a landscape of ice. Inside, Voharun’s
armies that fought valiantly, for Voharun is the god of fallen servitor-gods, masked and feathered like their master, verify
soldiers. The Feaster on the Slain makes few demands, but and record the deeds of fallen warriors.
he insists that victors treat the enemy’s dead with as much Motivation: To see that war dead receive fitting honors and
respect as their own. After all, a soldier who exults in victory to protect the North from invaders from outside Creation.
today could become food for crows tomorrow. Most of all, Attributes: Strength 10, Dexterity 8, Stamina 11; Charisma 8,
Voharun admires mortal soldiers who pit themselves against Manipulation 9, Appearance 7; Perception 7, Intelligence 7,
supernatural foes in full knowledge that they have very little Wits 6
chance of survival. Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 2, Temperance 4,
Voharun excels as a bureaucratic warrior. He uses his Valor 5
influence in the Celestial Bureaucracy to protect the North Abilities: Archery 5, Athletics 5, Awareness 8, Bureaucracy 8,
from a variety of troubles. Recently, he has campaigned Dodge 5, Integrity 7, Investigation 4, Linguistics (Native: Old
against the Bureau of Seasons and the Wind Masters of the Realm; Others: High Realm, Northern Barbarian Tongues,
North for their undue influence in military matters (as the Skytongue) 6, Lore 6 (Military History +2), Martial Arts 7,
outcome of the region’s wars so often depend on vagaries Melee 7 (Straight Sword +3), Occult 3, Performance 5, Pres-
of weather). He also works to protect his and Nasamara’s ence 5, Resistance 7, Socialize 8, Survival 5, War 9
position from the occasional upstart challenger. Most of his Backgrounds: Allies 5, Artifact 3, Artifact 3, Backing 5,
efforts, both in Yu-Shan and in Creation, take place behind Celestial Manse 4, Contacts (Within Heaven) 5, Contacts
the scenes. When Voharun must appear in Creation, he (Within Creation) 5, Cult 5, Followers 5, Salary 5, Sanc-
usually does so through his raven manifestation. He never tum 5
shows his true face to a mortal. Charms: As an ancient, powerful god, Voharun knows most
The Solar Exalted do not have Voharun’s explicit standard Charms. Some of his more notable ones include:
favor, as he considers their time long passed. He does not Art of Meditative Discussion—Voharun knows every Charm of
hate them, however, and might support a Solar under the this unusual Celestial Martial Art. (See pp. 18–21 of Scroll
right circumstances, such as those heroes who battle the Fair of the Monk: The Imperfect Lotus.)
Folk or powerful Wyld creatures. He will never aid Abyssal Blessing of Heroic Retirement—Champions who impress
Exalted. Voharun admires the Lunar Exalted, though, for Voharun during their career are rewarded with good health
their long struggle to defend Creation’s borders. for the rest of their natural lives. The blessing instantly
Voharun tries not to let his feelings color his treatment alleviates any wounds and other physical health problems.
of the North’s indigenous Terrestrial Exalted. After the Great In addition, Stamina rolls receive a one-die bonus and all
Contagion, Voharun begged Tachi-Kun, the Central God diseases affect the target at -1 Virulence for the rest of his
of Exalted Warfare, to assist the North in its struggle against life. Costs 10 motes.
otherworldly creatures. The Blessed Isle’s war god failed to Domain Manipulation Scenario—Voharun is a raven god as
send the requested aid, either personally or through the Scarlet well as a war god, so he may control such birds. Indeed, he
Dynasty. Since then, Voharun has made no bones about his can control any birds that come to a battlefield to feed on
dislike for Tachi-Kun. Voharun would never challenge him the dead.
directly, but he has at times severely inconvenienced Tachi- Essence Plethora (x4)—Voharun has 40 extra motes of Es-
Kun and his minions in Yu-Shan with blizzards of writs and sence, due to far-ranging worship in the North.
suits. Voharun does not welcome armies from the Blessed Isle Host of Spirits—Though he does periodically appear in person,
unless they come to (finally) answer the call for aid. Voharun usually works his will in Creation through black
122
raven avatars with 20-foot wingspans. Voharun invests his by the Exalted. The specific boon is based on the situation
avatars with the Charms necessary for their missions. A raven but usually amounts to additional dots in Strength, Wits,
avatar may also take the form of a flock of 20 normal-sized Valor or Willpower.
ravens, as it suits the god. Costs three motes per avatar. First (Ability) Excellency—Archery, Dodge, Integrity, Martial
Hurry Home—Voharun can transport himself to any site of Arts, Melee, Socialize, Stealth, War
battle in the North. In Yu-Shan he can use this Charm to Second (Ability) Excellency—Archery, Dodge, Integrity,
return to the Raven’s Roost. Martial Arts, Melee, Socialize, Stealth, War
Materialize—Costs 85 motes. Third (Ability) Excellency—Archery, Dodge, Integrity, Martial
Plague of Menaces—Voharun may curse traitors who betray Arts, Melee, Socialize, Stealth, War
their country or the North in general, especially those siding Divine (Ability) Subordination—Stealth, War
with the North’s enemies outside Creation. A raven con- Join Battle: 14
stantly follows a cursed individual. This raven calls attention Attacks:
to him at inopportune times, steals his weapons and food, Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 16, Damage 10B/L, Parry DV 9,
delivers damning evidence to his enemies and otherwise Rate 3
disrupts his life. Mortals recognize the raven as a token of Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 13B/L, Parry DV 7,
divine wrath. The only way to escape this curse is to leave Rate 2
the North entirely (though the raven will be waiting for the Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 17, Damage 10B/L, Parry DV —,
target when he returns). Voharun seldom renounces this Rate 1, Tags P
curse, even when the recipient goes to extraordinary lengths Straight Sword (Raven’s Claw): Speed 4, Accuracy 20,
to make up for his wrongdoing. The Battle Crow might also Damage 13L, Parry DV 10, Rate 2
strengthen his curse by judicial use of the Male- Soak: 18L/23B (Robes of office, 12L/12B)
diction and Scourge Charms. Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-
Shapechange—Voharun can assume 2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
the form of a raven ranging in Dodge DV: 10
size from normal for the breed Willpower: 10
to one that dwarfs even his Essence: 7
enormous avatars. Essence Pool: 160
Touch of Divinity/ Other Notes: Voharun’s
Touch of Eternity— sword, Raven’s
Voharun watches Claw, ignores
the enterprise of war an opponent’s
closely, and rewards non-super-
soldiers who fight natural soak.
bravely and against Voharun
the odds. He is espe- can animate
cially fond of granting a maximum
boons of power to of 35 raven
otherwise normal, non- avatars
powered mortals who at one
display courage and clever- time.
ness in the midst of battle These
and defy certain death creatures can
by attempting feats be invested with
usually accom- Willpower and
plished only Charms, at Vohar-
un’s discretion.

NASAMARA, THE FALCON OF GLORY guistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: High Realm, Northern
Nasamara is the god of Northern armies and their cham- Barbarian Tongues, Riverspeak, Skytongue) 4, Lore 5, Martial
pions. While his position requires him to oversee all aspects Arts 7, Melee 8 (Great Axe +2), Occult 1, Performance 5,
of war to some degree (as is the case with all the directional Presence 7, Resistance 7, Socialize 6, Survival 5, War 10
war gods), he pays special heed to the heroes who stand out Backgrounds: Allies 5, Artifact 5, Artifact 3, Backing 5,
for their courage, prowess and cunning. Northerners believe Celestial Manse 5, Contacts 5, Cult 4, Followers 5, Salary 5,
that Nasamara embodies fame and the desire for fame. They Sanctum 5
strive to win eternal glory in his name. Charms:
Nasamara visits Creation often. He flies high above Art of Forceful Declaration—Nasamara knows every Charm of
battles, looking for heroes. When he sees a particularly in- this unusual Celestial Martial Art. (See pp. 15–18 of Scroll
genious strategy or especially gallant deed, he might grant of the Monk: The Imperfect Lotus.)
a minor dice bonus the next time it is used. In this way, he Divine Decree—Nasamara sanctifies alliances and truces.
encourages Northerners to take greater risks. He does not Through his will, agreements between armies gain the force
take sides, however. While he has the power to do virtually of divine law. Attempting to circumvent such an alliance is
anything in the domain of war, he very rarely intervenes a serious offense likely to incur the war god’s wrath.
beyond the scale of individual warriors unless mortals fight Domain Manipulation Scenario—Nasamara is a falcon god as
Creation’s supernatural foes. well as a war god. As such, he can control hawks and falcons,
The politics of Yu-Shan bore Nasamara, so he leaves and only the animal avatar of such birds can overrule him.
bureaucratic infighting to Voharun. On the other hand, he Essence Plethora (x4)—Nasamara has 40 extra motes of Es-
doesn’t hesitate to barge into another god’s sanctum and chal- sence, due to far-ranging worship in the North.
lenge him to a duel. The Falcon of Glory is also somewhat loud Host of Spirits—Nasamara sometimes works his will in
and brash. He loves celebrations, and his fortress frequently Creation through bronze-feathered falcon avatars with 20-
hosts parties in honor of great battles of the past. foot wingspans, or normal falcons if Nasamara wants to be
While Voharun dislikes the Scarlet Empire, Nasamara inconspicuous. Nasamara invests his avatars with the Charms
and Tachi-Kun understand each other well—though they necessary for their missions. Costs three motes per avatar.
disagree who claims authority over Exalted heroes in the Hurry Home—Nasamara can immediately transport himself
North. Nasamara also has fond memories of the Solar Exalted to any site of battle in the North. In Yu-Shan, he can use
and welcomes their return. He believes the Bull of the North this Charm to return to the Falcon’s Nest.
is the region’s best hope for defeating Creation’s enemies and Materialize—Costs 85 motes.
watches his army with great interest. Many Lunar Exalted Measure the Wind—Nasamara routinely surveys battlefields
have also earned the god’s admiration. Indeed, Nasamara for Essence wielders to better gauge how evenly matched
counts Siakal, Western Goddess of Sharks and Slaughter, as armies are at the start of a battle.
his only real enemy among the Exalted or gods of war. Plague of Menaces—Craven armies who disgrace the North
Nasamara manifests as a muscular, bronze-skinned man with treacherous acts receive Nasamara’s curse. Such armies
who goes falcon-masked (and at times falcon-shaped). He suffer debilitating sickness (-1 Magnitude), low morale (-1
can grow talons on his fingers if he wants, in order to inflict Morale) and disorganization (-1 Drill). This curse follows
lethal damage. the army for all time. The only way to end the curse is to
Sanctum: The Falcon’s Nest in Yu-Shan is a stone fortress disband the army entirely. If the cursed force is a city’s army,
dedicated to war and victory, surrounded by miles of icy any army that that city raises will invoke the curse. Nasamara
tundra. From his floating golden throne, Nasamara can in- can lift the curse himself, of course, but he has rarely done
stantly know the details of any ongoing battle in the North. so. Costs five motes.
Nasamara staffs the Falcon’s Nest with winged war spirits Principle of Motion—Nasamara keeps 10 extra actions
called nasmaru. These spirits have instinctive mastery over stored.
all melee weapons, with Melee 5. A dozen or so nasmaru Shapechange—Nasamara can assume the form of a falcon
continually attend Nasamara in Yu-Shan. of any size.
Motivation: To promote glorious deeds of arms in the North Symbol of Invincible Authority—Nasamara may stride through
and to prevent invasion. ongoing battles without suffering any harm. Even intentional
Attributes: Strength 12, Dexterity 8, Stamina 11; Charisma 7, attacks against him fail if they come from participants in the
Manipulation 6, Appearance 6; Perception 7, Intelligence 6, battle. This Charm ceases operation as soon as hostilities
Wits 7 end. A warrior may still challenge the Falcon of Glory to
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 4, Temperance 2, a personal duel. In that case, the Charm’s effects extend to
Valor 5 Nasamara’s opponent as long as their duel lasts.
Abilities: Archery 5, Athletics 5 (Flying +2), Awareness 7, Touch of Divinity—When an army fights forces from out-
Bureaucracy 6, Dodge 6, Integrity 7, Investigation 2, Lin- side Creation, the Falcon of Glory may grant it a +1 or +2
Might bonus for the duration of the battle. Nasamara usually
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reserves this Charm for situations when the invading army Essence: 7 Essence Pool: 160
is much more powerful than the defenders. This Charm Other Notes: Nasamara possesses the Jacket of Bronze
costs eight motes and two Willpower per points of Might Feathers, a dapper jacket that looks like it could not possibly
granted. Armies so blessed also suffer no exhaustion penal- provide meaningful defense. Reaching inside it, however,
ties for the battle. Nasamara may draw forth his divine axe or any mundane
First (Ability) Excellency—Archery, Dodge, Integrity, Martial personal weapon he chooses.
Arts, Melee, Stealth, War Nasamara can animate a maximum of 35 falcon avatars at
Second (Ability) Excellency—Archery, Dodge, Integrity, one time. These creatures can be invested with Willpower
Martial Arts, Melee, Stealth, War and Charms, at Nasamara’s discretion.
Third (Ability) Excellency—Archery, Dodge, Integrity, Martial
Arts, Melee, Stealth, War THE HASLANTI ENNEAD
Divine (Ability) Subordination—Melee, War When the Wyld Hunt slew Arvida of the Crescent Eye,
Join Battle: 14 the Realm began centuries of religious upheaval that might
Attacks: not be ended yet. Several times now, the Haslanti have seen
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 16, Damage 12B/L, Parry DV 8, Immaculate monks defeat and humiliate their gods. Some
Rate 3 among the small gods formed triads for mutual protections
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 15B/L, Parry DV 7, and to consolidate their power. Many triads formed, but only
Rate 2 three remain. The three triads of Ice, Fate and Dreams rose
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 19, Damage 12B/L, Parry DV —, to prominence over the past century, as the Haslanti shifted
Rate 1, Tags P their focus from defeated gods to new ones who had avoided
Great Axe (The Falcon’s Beak): Speed 5, Accuracy 20, conflict with the Immaculates. These triads became known
Damage 21L, Parry DV 8, Rate 2 collectively as the Ennead.
Composite Bow: Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 14L, Range 350, The Ennead as a whole respects Haslanti strength and
Rate 3 ingenuity and refrains from heavy-handed control over its
Soak: 26L/36B (Jacket of Bronze Feathers, 20L/25B) worshipers. The League’s secret Lunar patrons, the Twisted
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/- Stone Conclave, convinced the Ennead that people can and
2/-2/-4/Incap must do things for themselves. The Ennead offers guidance
Dodge DV: 11 Willpower: 10 and works to personify and enforce Haslanti social order.
THE HOUSE OF THE NINE HEARTHS OF EMERALD AND SILVER

One of the Ennead’s innovations is a group sanctum. Seventy-six years ago, the Ennead’s petition for suitable
quarters in Yu-Shan was rejected. The nine irked gods pooled their resources to create their own “heavenly” abode
in Creation, not far from the 29th Celestial Gate. The House of the Nine Hearths of Emerald and Silver is a group
sanctum where the whole pantheon can live and hold court. Many in the Celestial Bureaucracy decry the Ennead’s
actions as unauthorized and presumptuous (as the authorized Haslanti gods still live and maintain their Celestial
status in the Bureau of Humanity). What’s worse, spirits across the Northeast increasingly take their disputes and
petitions to the Ennead for resolution, instead of the proper authorities in Yu-Shan. As of yet, however, Heaven
has levied no official sanctions against the nine gods.
Some of the Ennead’s gods retain private sanctums throughout the eastern North, as the Ennead rarely convenes
as a group. Most of them visit the House at least five times a year, though. The Triad of Fate resides exclusively in
the House of Nine Hearths. The House has a rating of Sanctum 4 and is a two-dot, Air-aspected manse.
The House has three wings, one for each of the triads. Each wing consists of the gods’ living quarters, servant’s
quarters, kitchens, offices and workrooms, a grand dining hall and a courtroom with three hearths, each of which
bears its god’s symbol. When one of the gods is in residence, the god’s hearth lights itself. Around the House spreads
several miles of idealized tundra in a perpetual early summer, full of wild flowers and grazing reindeer and mammoth,
but without mosquitoes. Three trilithons—doorways made of stone slabs laid across megalithic uprights—provide
access to the sanctum, for those who can pass spirit doors.
The House of the Nine Hearths of Emerald and Silver accepts mortal visitors and petitioners, but only those
who regularly worship the Ennead. A petitioner’s player must succeed at a prayer roll (see Exalted, p. 132), but
devout Haslanti receive two bonus successes. Those who force their way into the sanctum find the mammoth
charging to trample them, while the reindeer show mouths full of fangs and attack using the traits for omen dogs
(see Exalted, p. 348).

These gods want a strong nation of worshipers… but also a can take it from them) or scatters the reindeer so the pursu-
resilient society that is not too dependent on their favors. ing herdsman finds a new emerald. Sometimes, he levies
This goal is partially self serving. If the Haslanti do not survive his blessing on people who strive too much for safety and
as a culture, the gods will lose much of their own power. As security. Autumn Frost does appreciate prayers, however.
a result, the nine gods usually wield their influence subtly, Ardent devotees are more likely to find their way through
without blatant displays of power. life’s dangers.
Like the people they cultivate, the Haslanti gods are Travelers, gamblers and those who hope for romance pray
practical and unpretentious. They care more about doing to Autumn Frost for luck. So do people who search for lost
their jobs and their own survival—since Immaculate cru- things. Nearly every Haslanti offers him prayers at one time
saders could return any time—than celebrating their own or another, though. Only the most timid cowards and those
grandeur. None of them consider themselves above knocking who fear the god himself refuse to speak his name. Haslanti
on a worshiper’s door to offer praise, judgment, rebuke or folk never pray to Autumn Frost for luck in battle. They would
just a chat to remind the Haslanti that their gods do indeed rather keep the god’s involvement in life-or-death situations
pay attention. to a minimum, given his/her unpredictability.
The Ennead is a new and largely untested order in the Autumn Frost changes appearance and even gender. He/
North and remains somewhat volatile. The triads could she usually dresses in warm layers of bright blue wool and
change due to divine whim, Celestial diktat, personal conflict warm fur but goes open-coated, with a broad, sly smile and
or the death of member gods. Still, the nine gods have few wide, ever-youthful eyes. The god frequents gambling houses
rivalries among one another. They accept that their spheres and wanders lonely roads in search of optimistic risk-takers
of influence overlap somewhat. There is simply no time for who seem game for a challenge.
bickering. Their people face a constant struggle to survive, Sanctum: The odds are against anyone finding Autumn
and so does the Ennead. Certain powerful personages do not Frost’s modest forest lodge. It exists in between the cracks of
like the idea of a mixed group of Terrestrial and Celestial probability. There is always an extremely slight chance that it
gods forming a syndicate that operates outside the accepted waits around the next bend in the road or over the next ridge,
procedures of Heaven or Creation. but most visitors come upon it only if Autumn Frost wills it.
The place itself is a small, comfortably furnished house. Visi-
THE TRIAD OF ICE tors who peek behind closet doors, under rugs or in bushels
The Ennead’s gods of ice oversee forces that influence of fruit, inevitably find some lost, forgotten trinket.
the lives of every Haslanti. Winter weather can destroy a Motivation: To encourage risk as the only way the Haslanti
household as assuredly as any bandit or invader, but it also will achieve their full potential.
protects the League from its enemies. The killing cold also Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5; Charisma 3,
opens the way to the riches of the Great Ice. While winter Manipulation 7, Appearance 5; Perception 5, Intelligence 4,
can isolate a household from other people, it also forces the Wits 5
isolated people to learn loyalty to one another. The Haslanti Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 4, Temperance 3,
view the Triad of Ice as governing the ambiguous forces of Valor 3
danger and opportunity. Abilities: Awareness 4, Bureaucracy 5, Dodge 4, Integrity 3,
AUTUMN FROST Investigation 3, Larceny 4, Linguistics (Native: Old Realm;
Autumn Frost has steadfastly avoided the Immaculates Others: High Realm, Low Realm, Northern Barbarian
at every turn. Even when surrounded, even when cornered, Tongues, Skytongue) 4, Lore 3, Martial Arts 2, Melee 2, Oc-
he has always found a way out despite overwhelming odds. cult 4, Performance 5, Presence 5, Resistance 3, Socialize 5,
For that is Autumn Frost’s story. He plays the odds, takes Stealth 5, War 1
unbelievable chances, activates probabilities of success and Backgrounds: Allies 2, Artifact 4, Backing 2, Contacts 3,
guarantees the odds of failure for his enemies. Salary 2, Sanctum 2 (Autumn Frost’s Lodge), Sanctum 4
The Haslanti regard an early frost as an apt symbol (House of the Nine Hearths)
for the uncertainties of their lives. A frost before harvest Charms:
can doom a farmer, but open the White Sea to iceships. Banish—Autumn Frost can remove unwanted guests from
Therefore, one must be ready to change plans and leap for his/her mansion for 12 motes and one Willpower.
new opportunities as they arise. You still might die, but if Benefaction—All Encompassing. Autumn Frost gifts those
you’re strong, determined and cunning enough, you might who take great risks with a one-die bonus on all rolls for one
win a fortune. scene. This Charm costs 15 motes and one Willpower.
The trickster of the Ennead sometimes rewards Haslanti Calculated Order of Immediate Action—There is always the
who take chances at great stakes with boons of luck. Whether chance that the thing you need is nearby, just as there is
this is good luck or bad, the person must work out for himself. always the possibility that it isn’t where you thought you
He lures in the bandits who carry a fortune in jade (if you put it. The Haslanti don’t believe that they ever just lose
anything. In their lore, Autumn Frost takes them. Or gives
126
them back. He/she also provides new things, such as that Soak: 11L/16B (Heavy clothing, 2L/5B, and Vest of Chance,
trusty blade just when you thought you were done for. Au- 6L/6B)
tumn Frost can create or destroy items at up to Power Level Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
3. These items tend to be useful. Autumn Frost creates or Dodge DV: 7 Willpower: 8
removes objects to test someone or even the odds in some Essence: 5 Essence Pool: 90
way, to see how or if they can succeed with or without some Other Notes: Those attacking Autumn Frost often suffer
item. Destroyed items are usually re-created and returned, wildly bad luck thanks to his Vest of Chance. This garment of
though it could be a long wait. woven starmetal resonates with the Loom of Fate to decreases
Call—Autumn Frost can instantly contact any other member the odds of any attack touching the god. It subtracts three
of the Triad of Ice. Costs one mote. successes from attack rolls, and if this removes all successes,
Divine Decree—By spending 10 motes and one Willpower, the roll becomes a botch.
Autumn Frost easily rearranges probability in situations
where odds are clearly defined, such as in games of chance.
LADY CHIMNEY DRAFT
Lady Chimney Draft is the goddess of the chill that
He/she can, for instance, change the odds of rolling snake-
comes when a guest enters a house and of the warmth that
eyes on a pair of six-sided dice to 100 percent or make it
comes of trust and companionship. She watches over guest-
virtually impossible for a coin to land on “tails,” changing
host relationships and hospitality between neighbors, friends
it from 1 in 2 to 1 in 1,000. With more effort, he/she can
and strangers. Lady Chimney Draft also oversees marriages,
change the odds of anything at all occurring, making it nigh
divorces and adoptions, none of which can be recognized
on impossible to find the road home or very likely that you
without her priests’ ratification and seal.
come upon a reliable guide. He cannot make anything oc-
The obeisance of the Haslanti delights her, while being
cur directly, though. He can only make events likely or not
inhospitable toward guests or neighbors or failing to honor
likely, to varying degrees.
one’s own marriage vows brings out her chill resentment.
Dreamscape—Autumn Frost appears to his/her priests, en-
She is proper and well mannered, always following the same
couraging them to trust that all that happens does so for the
rules of hospitality that she demands of mortals. Shows of
greater good. Costs one mote.
reverence make her politely giddy; bad manners provoke
Host of Spirits—Costs three motes per copy.
an icy, but well-spoken, disdain. In addition to demanding
Hoodwink—Autumn Frost keeps many pranks and weird feats
good manners, she is unfailingly critical to those who make
up his sleeve designed specifically to stun and bewilder the
illegal or unreasonable requests of their hosts or guests. She
target into inaction.
has little sympathy for those who make illogical, brazen or
Hurry Home—For five motes, Autumn Frost can return to his
shameless excuses for lack of hospitality.
lodge, to the House of the Nine Hearths or to the location
Haslanti pray to Lady Chimney Draft at harvest time
of any game of chance in the Haslanti League.
and when bringing in a catch, always making sure to save a
Impromptu Messenger—Autumn Frost delights in putting
portion of their stores for neighbors and itinerant strangers
words in people’s mouths. Sometimes, people find themselves
who come to their house. They also pray to her when lighting
tongue-tied, and Autumn Frost provides them with dialogue.
their hearths, that she might keep the chill at bay and not
This can be an apropos explanation, a sorely unfortunate
allow the fires to die. Traders often pay special reverence to
accusation or any other brief statement that makes life
Lady Chimney Draft, as they often find themselves subject
interesting for the target—never when nothing is at stake.
to the hospitality of strangers. Ivrieinen of the Triad of Fate
Costs five motes.
delegates to the other goddess some work regarding suitable
Intrusion-Seeking Method—Autumn Frost can detect when
marriages. While Lady Chimney Draft normally only ratifies
someone finds his forest lodge.
marriages, she does sometimes help to bring suitable couples
Materialize—Costs 65 motes.
together, as per Ivrieinen’s instructions.
Measure the Wind—Autumn Frost naturally likes to know if
Lady Chimney Draft manifests as a middle-aged, hardy
any odds-upsetting people are around. Costs one mote.
woman with white-blonde hair and deep, grandmotherly
Principle of Motion—Autumn Frost keeps eight extra actions
wrinkles around a prim smile. She wears plain clothes com-
stored.
mon to Haslanti women and often travels hand-in-hand with
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Larceny, Presence
her consort, Master Winter. She is no great fighter, relying
Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Larceny, Presence
on Master Winter and Autumn Frost for protection.
Third (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Larceny, Presence
Sanctum: Lady Chimney Draft dwells with Master Winter
Join Battle: 9
in his castle.
Attacks:
Motivation: To safeguard the rules of hospitality.
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 3B, Parry DV 5, Rate 3
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5; Charisma 4,
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 6B, Parry DV 3, Rate 2
Manipulation 6, Appearance 5; Perception 5, Intelligence 5,
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 7, Damage 3B, Parry DV —,
Wits 4
Rate 1

Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 3, Draft must physically attend the wedding to use this Charm.
Valor 2 Costs 10 motes.
Abilities: Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 5, Dodge 2, Integ- Endowment—People who excel at hospitality might receive
rity 3, Investigation 4, Larceny 1, Linguistics (Native: Old a boon of one additional dot of Presence or Appearance for
Realm; Others: High Realm, Northern Barbarian Tongues, one of their children.
Skytongue) 3, Lore 4, Martial Arts 1, Medicine 3, Melee 1, Hurry Home—Lady Chimney Draft can return to Master
Occult 4, Performance 5, Presence 5, Resistance 3, Socialize 5, Winter’s castle or the House of the Nine Hearths, or instantly
Survival 3 transport to any Haslanti house that has a guest.
Backgrounds: Allies 2, Backing 2, Contacts 3, Manse 2, Materialize—Costs 60 motes.
Manse 4, Salary 3, Sanctum 3 (Winter Fastness), Sanctum 4 Principle of Motion—Lady Chimney Draft keeps eight extra
(House of the Nine Hearths) actions stored.
Charms: Pyre of Camaraderie Meditation—In this version of Subtle
Banish the Vulgar—For 12 motes, Lady Chimney Draft can Whisper, Lady Chimney Draft lends Essence to a bonfire,
deny entrance to any Haslanti house, from a single home to hearth or campfire around which people meet, increasing
(for especially troublesome offenders) all Haslanti houses. the agreeableness of all.
Affected persons simply cannot pass through any door to any Spice of Custodial Delectation—Lady Chimney Draft often visits
lived-in house. They find the door closed and locked, even the homes of her priests and relishes their hospitality.
if it was open a second before and doesn’t have a lock. The Vengeful Gift Technique—Those who anger, insult or seriously
same applies for windows and chimneys. displease Lady Chimney Draft through grudging, resentful
Call—For one mote, Lady Chimney Draft can instantly hospitality receive a gift of food—perhaps a basket at their
contact any other member of the Triad of Ice. door containing all of the target’s favorite dishes. The bas-
Consecrate Marriage—Lady Chimney Draft consecrates ket will not be depleted for as long as the target, who never
Haslanti marriages in the same manner that Eclipse Caste feels full, eats of it. This food carries the god’s curse, which
Solars sanctify agreements, with the same consequences transforms the eater while he sleeps into a twisted cripple,
for people who violate their marriage vows. Lady Chimney suffering -2 Appearance and additional disabling effects
128
(see Exalted, p.152) at the Storyteller’s discretion. This effect environs. Terrible winter storms reign over the region for
cannot heal naturally and cannot be reversed by any spirit miles around, further obscuring its location and discouraging
of less than Essence 4. unwanted visitors. It is a level-4 Air manse as well. Master
Words of Power—Individuals who persistently test Lady Winter also visits the House of the Nine Hearths of Emerald
Chimney Draft’s patience receive a personal visit from the and Silver.
lady, who righteously dresses them down, dealing damage Motivation: To prepare the Haslanti for any and all dan-
as she does so. gers.
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Presence, Socialize Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5; Charisma 3,
Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Presence, Socialize Manipulation 5, Appearance 5; Perception 5, Intelligence 4,
Third (Ability) Excellency—Awareness Wits 5
Divine (Ability) Subordination—Awareness, Presence Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5, Temperance 1,
Join Battle: 9 Valor 3
Attacks: Abilities: Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 5, Dodge 3, Integrity 3,
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 3B, Parry DV 4, Rate 3 Investigation 4, Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others:
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 6, Damage 6B, Parry DV 2, Rate 2 Haslanti Barbarian Tongues, High Realm, Skytongue) 3, Lore 4,
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 6, Damage 3B, Parry DV —, Martial Arts 4, Melee 4 (Cudgel +2), Occult 4, Performance 4,
Rate 1, Tags P Presence 5, Resistance 4, Socialize 4, Survival 5 (The Far
Soak: 13L/15B (Robes of office, 10L/10B) North +4), Thrown 4 (Ice Shuriken +2), War 3
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Backgrounds: Allies 3, Artifact 4, Backing 3, Contacts 3,
Dodge DV: 6 Willpower: 8 Cult 3, Manse 4, Salary 3, Sanctum 3 (Winter Fastness),
Essence: 4 Essence Pool: 80 Sanctum 4 (House of the Nine Hearths)
Other Notes: None Charms:
Affinity Water Control—Master Winter can freeze water
MASTER WINTER and manipulate it as snow or ice. He cannot manipulate
In the new Haslanti order, Master Winter is the god of
water in liquid form apart from freezing it, however. The
preparedness and settled accounts, of the dangers of winter
environmental hazards he can create are limited to snow,
and the terrible storms it brings. He has no pity for people
sleet and hail storms (and he cannot make them toxic). His
who do not make necessary provision for the future, but he
elemental weapon is expressed by a breath of bitter cold
behaves kindly to sensible, reliable and conscientious folk.
snow and ice.
Winter is the time for hardworking folk to enjoy the fruits
Amethyst Awareness—Costs six motes.
of their labors.
Banish—Master Winter can forcibly remove anyone from
In winter, the god walks throughout Haslanti lands
his castle.
with his tally sticks and account books, recording snowfall
Calculated Order of Immediate Action—Master Winter can
and noting the movements of clouds for his reports to the
create a smaller version of his sanctum anywhere he finds
Bureau of Seasons. During the summer months, he stays in
sufficient ice and snow. To do so requires five invocations of
his castle, patiently crafting snowflakes and frost crystals
the Charm, each costing 10 motes and one Willpower.
with hammer and chisel.
Call—For one mote, Master Winter can instantly contact
Master Winter leads the Triad of Ice, setting their overall
any other member of the Triad of Ice.
agenda and laying preparations against attack from any front,
Elemental Expression—Master Winter can amplify the effects
with thousands of emergency disaster policies committed
of snow, ice and freezing wind as the elemental power.
to memory. As the most formidable of the three, he is also
Essence Bite—Touching or being touched by Master Winter
their protector.
(including attacks using melee weapons) incurs lethal cold
The Haslanti pray to Master Winter for foresight in
damage, at a cost of two motes per die. Master Winter can use
warfare, when planting crops, when making or seeking a
this Charm in concert with Freezing Attack Technique.
loan, and in all cases when planning or preparing for the
Essence Plethora—Master Winter has 10 extra motes of Es-
future. They also speak his name at births, that an infant will
sence.
grow up to be industrious and responsible; and at deaths, to
Freezing Attack Technique—For six motes, Master Winter
prepare a spirit for its next journey.
can, with any successful attack, freeze the target in place.
Master Winter is the oldest-looking of the triad, with
This Charm does not affect targets with an Essence higher
a long, icicle beard, cloud-white hair and frost breath. He
than 5. Other targets’ players must roll (Stamina + Resis-
wears blue robes, a cloak of steel snowflakes and warm,
tance) with an external penalty equal to Master Winter’s
furred boots.
Valor (3). Failure means the target is covered in thick ice
Sanctum: Master Winter’s castle, the Winter Fastness, is a
and frost and suffers a -3 penalty to all non-reflexive dice
giant fortress made entirely of ice, hidden among mountains
pools for the duration of the scene or until Master Winter
in the Far North. Many wind spirits guard the castle and its
releases the target.

Hurry Home—Master Winter can instantly return to his combat. Those with characters possessing a natural or Charm-
castle, to the House of the Nine Hearths or to any location based resistance to cold effects suffer a one-die penalty instead.
suffering a winter storm. Targets struck by the cudgel also receive one automatic level of
Impenetrable Frost Barrier—This Charm duplicates the Ter- lethal damage before soak is applied and damage is calculated.
restrial Circle spell of the same name. Costs 12 motes. This damage is not included in the normal damage dealt by
Invulnerable Skin of Ice—This Charm emulates the Terrestrial the cudgel. Activating the cudgel for one scene costs Master
Circle spell Invulnerable Skin of Bronze. For 10 motes Master Winter one mote (20 motes for anyone else).
Winter gains +5L/10B soak and +5L/5B Hardness, as his skin
hardens into magical ice. His Martial Arts attacks deal two THE TRIAD OF DREAMS
extra dice of damage, and he weighs an extra 50 pounds. The Triad of Dreams oversees the realms of fears, delu-
Materialize—Costs 65 motes. sions and aspirations as well as literal sleep and dreaming.
Principle of Motion—Master Winter keeps eight extra ac- It is the weakest triad as a whole, but its deities wield great
tions stored. influence in the daily lives of the Haslanti people. The first
Shards of Winter—Master Winter can produce ice shuriken god in the triad is a spirit of worry and dismay who feeds on
at will. One mote creates four ice shuriken. nightmares. The second watches over people who work for
Storm Manipulation Scenario—Master Winter makes sure their dreams and seek their destinies. The last reminds mortals
that communities that do not prepare for the winter suffer of the need for rest and the value of dreams and fantasy.
for it. For 12 motes, he sends freezing winds, and great quan- CARRION CROW
tities of blinding snow blanket an area one mile in radius. Carrion Crow is the Haslanti goddess of nightmares and
This inflicts a -2 external penalty on all actions for anyone winter terrors, as well as disease, famine and murder. She
caught in the blizzard. The god returns to the site several watches over old resentments, nursed grudges and domestic
times during the winter to repeat the chastisement. Master violence, and eases the aged and infirm toward death.
Winter also uses this power against enemy armies, spirits or Carrion Crow is Master Winter’s daughter. The Haslanti
the Exalted. Exalted of greater than Essence 5 may negate consider her a springtime goddess, as she consumes the car-
the effects for themselves by displaying their animal banner rion left after the winter thaw. At the first sign of spring, her
if no other means are available. worshipers leave her rotten food from their winter larders
Storm-Shuttle Passport—For eight motes and one Willpower, outside their doors. In this way, Carrion Crow helps limit
Master Winter can ride the winds. the spread of disease. Some tribes pray for her aid in battle
Symbol of Invincible Authority—Master Winter is naturally (imagining that she has some connection to Voharun) or
immune to all cold effects. for protection against sickness.
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Investigation, Presence Haslanti who declare blood feuds or carry lesser hatreds
Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Investigation, must disclose their resentment to Carrion Crow and pray
Presence for her blessing and for advice. Carrion Crow records these
Third (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Investigation, Pres- disclosures in her black books. Carrion Crow favors mortals
ence who diligently report their disagreements (even if they never
Divine (Ability) Subordination—Awareness, Investigation act on them) and who deal responsibly with carrion. Mortals
Join Battle: 10 who do not want to carry their grudges to the point of vio-
Attacks: lence can ask Carrion Crow to chastise their enemy through
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 6B, Parry DV 6, a nightmare. Many a vendetta is nipped in the bud when a
Rate 3 Haslanti first realizes that his horrible dreams come because
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 9B, Parry DV 4, Rate 2 he insulted or injured another person without meaning to do
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 10, Damage 6B, Parry DV —, so then apologizes. Yet, mortals who practice violence with-
Rate 1 out prayerful reflection earn Carrion Crow’s ire. Vendettas
Cudgel of Adamant Hoarfrost: Speed 5, Accuracy 16, Dam- originating or acted upon while Carrion Crow sleeps through
age 12L, Parry DV 4, Rate 2 the winter may go undocumented for weeks, resulting in a
Ice Shuriken: Speed 4, Accuracy 11, Damage 8L, Range 50, fair number of reprimands and a few serious punishments
Rate 4 every year. (The mortals should have waited.)
Soak: 18L/25B (Cloak of Iron Snowflakes, 15L/20B) If a worshiper prays for Carrion Crow’s direct intercession,
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap she may take on a vendetta herself. She first uses Dreamscape
Dodge DV: 7 Willpower: 8 to appear to and interrogate all concerned parties. If Carrion
Essence: 5 Essence Pool: 100 Crow decides that the petitioner’s desire for revenge arises
Other Notes: Master Winter’s Cudgel of Adamant Hoarfrost from a genuinely heinous crime against him, she person-
glows a deep blue when used in battle. Players of enemies ally metes out appropriate justice as she deems fit. Carrion
attempting to strike Master Winter while the cudgel is thus Crow then notifies all concerned mortals in their dreams
active suffer a two-die penalty to all rolls for the duration of
130
that she has rendered her punishment, and she declares the act without first reporting their resentment to the god. In the
vendetta resolved. As with the rest of the Ennead, however, latter case, Carrion Crow uses the dream to deliver a social
Carrion Crow believes that mortals should usually deal with attack through a nightmare about the target’s being punished.
their own problems. She assumes a vendetta only when no The recipients of nightmares do not regain Willpower from
mortal revenge is possible or to punish extraordinary crimes that night’s unquiet sleep.
in humorously horrible ways. Essence Plethora—Carrion Crow has 10 extra motes of
Although the Haslanti people see Carrion Crow as a god Essence.
of nightmare, they do not necessarily fear her. They know Harrow the Mind—Carrion Crow enforces resolved resent-
full well that terrible things happen. While most Haslanti ments with this Charm and uses it to ease people toward
try their best not to anger Carrion Crow, they accept her accepting death. She typically uses this Charm in concert
nightmares and random disasters as a part of life. with Subtle Whisper.
Carrion Crow appears as a naked old woman with pale Hurry Home—For five motes, Carrion Crow can return to
skin, a crow’s head and black feathers on her arms and hands. her nest or to the House of the Nine Hearths.
Her hands are like a crow’s claws. She is the oldest and most Intrusion-Sensing Method—Carrion Crow knows instantly
powerful of the Triad of Dreams, having been a fixture in the when vendettas consecrated to her have been completed or
lives of the Northern tribes for over 1,000 years. if the offended person receives an apology.
Sanctum: Carrion Crow’s nest in Creation is located on an Landscape Hide—When Carrion Crow hibernates through
island cave. It is a giant structure woven from the tightly the winter, she becomes one with her nest.
packed live branches of massive growing trees, with hundreds Loom Stride—Carrion Crow appears and disappears like a
of “rooms” on multiple levels. The area reeks of carrion and dream.
death and is overrun with carrion-eating beasts who feast Malediction of Disease—Carrion Crow carries disease in her
on rotting flesh. body. When Melee or Martial Arts attacks strike her (whether
Motivation: To enforce the proper execution of revenge. she takes damage or not), a noxious cloud engulfs the attacker
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4; Charisma 2, and infects him with Carrion Plague (functionally identical
Manipulation 5, Appearance 5; Perception 4, Intelligence 5, to plague, as described on p. 353 of Exalted, but the victim
Wits 4 stinks of rotting flesh). In addition, the target suffers lethal
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 4, Temperance 4, health level loss, bypassing armor, as per the Essence Bite
Valor 2 Charm. Costs three motes per health level of damage.
Abilities: Athletics 2 (Flying +2), Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 4, Materialize—Costs 55 motes.
Dodge 3 (Flying +2), Integrity 3, Investigation 5, Larceny 4, Principle of Motion—Carrion Crow keeps five extra actions
Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: High Realm, Low stored.
Realm, Northern Barbarian Tongues, Skytongue) 4, Lore 4, Spice of Custodial Delectation—Carrion Crow gains Essence
Martial Arts 3, Occult 3, Performance 5, Presence 5, Resis- when worshipers report their resentments through prayer and
tance 3, Socialize 3, War 1 also when they offer her their spoiled food and carrion.
Backgrounds: Allies 2, Backing 2, Contacts 2, Cult 2, Salary 2, Subtle Whisper—Typically used to deliver Harrow the Mind
Sanctum 2 (Carrion Crow’s Nest), Sanctum 4 (House of without it being obvious.
the Nine Hearths) First (Ability) Excellency—Investigation, Performance,
Charms: Presence
Bane Weapon—When acting upon a mortal’s resentment, Second (Ability) Excellency—Investigation, Performance,
Carrion Crow’s claws become weapons that ignore the target’s Presence
soak and hardness. Costs five motes. Third (Ability) Excellency—Investigation, Performance,
Banish—Carrion Crow can eject unwanted guests from her Presence
nest for 12 motes and one Willpower. Divine (Ability) Subordination—Performance, Presence
Calculated Order of Immediate Action—Carrion Crow uses Join Battle: 9
this Charm to accelerate the spread of disease from neglected Attacks:
carrion, spoiled food and other filth. Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 5B, Parry DV 5, Rate 3
Claws of the Crow—Spending 10 motes, Carrion Crow Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 7B, Parry DV 3, Rate 2
transforms her hands into giant crow’s claws, with effects Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 8, Damage 4B, Parry DV —,
similar to the Terrestrial Circle spell Wood Dragon’s Claw Rate 1, Tags P
(see Exalted, p. 254). Soak: 6L/8B (Divine skin, 4L/4B)
Domain Manipulation Scenario—Carrion Crow can cause or Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
quell disease, famine, decay or vendettas. Dodge DV: 6 (7 when flying) Willpower: 7
Dreamscape—Carrion Crow invades the dreams of the Essence: 4 Essence Pool: 85
Haslanti regularly for many reasons, but usually to advise a Other Notes: Carrion Crow can fly at five times her ground
supplicant or to punish mortals who committed some vengeful movement rates.

OWL FROM OUT OF THE EAST
Owl from out of the East manifests as an enormous
O
horned
horne owl with a nine-foot wingspan. He once served the
Horned
Horne Judge, a venerable god of law and oaths among
the Outwall
O tribes, and was promoted and installed in the
Ennead
Ennea a mere 50 years ago. Owl is the Haslanti god of
consummation
consu and completion, rewarding those who strive
to achieve
ach their dreams. His worshipers see him as a divinity
of prosperity
pro and call upon him to aid them in business, law
and social
so endeavors.
Owl promotes the value of good, just laws, for an orderly
O
society
societ gives the best chance for many people to realize their
dreams.
dream He punishes magistrates who do not interpret laws
honestly
hones and citizens who do not obey them. Owl also tells
the Haslanti
H to develop careful and prudent plans for real-
izing ttheir dreams and then to stick to them. Mortals pray
to Owl
Ow for inspiration, that they may find clever ideas and
solutions
solutio in their problems. Owl particularly admires the
Haslanti
Hasla engineers and visits the air boat shipyards at least
once a year.
Sanctum:
Sanct Owl from out of the East returns to the House of
the Nine
N Hearths of Emerald and Silver periodically. Being
ever wwatchful, he does not otherwise maintain a sanctum.
Motivation:
Motiv To make sure that mortals follow their plans
to completion.
com
Attributes:
Attrib Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5; Charisma 3,
Manipulation
Manip 5, Appearance 5; Perception 4, Intelligence 4,
Wits 4
Virtues:
Virtu Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 1,
Valor 4
Abilities:
Abilit Athletics 2 (Flying +2), Awareness 4, Bureaucracy 5,
Craft (Wood) 2, Dodge 4 (Flying +2), Integrity 4, Investiga-
tion 2,
2 Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: High Realm,
Low Realm,
R Northern Barbarian Tongues, Riverspeak, Sky-
tongue)
tongu 5, Lore 4, Martial Arts 4, Occult 3, Performance 5,
Presence
Presen 5, Resistance 3, Socialize 4, War 2
Backgrounds:
Backg Allies 2, Backing 2, Contacts 3, Salary 2,
Sanctum
Sanct 4 (House of the Nine Hearths)
Charms:
Charm
Benefaction—Favored
Benefa priests and judges who pray for wisdom
may rreceive one additional dot of Wits.
Calculated
Calcu Order of Immediate Action—Owl can complete any
project
projec in an instant, just as another person planned it. If the
plan was
w not sound in the first place, the project fails.
Doma Manipulation Scenario—Owl may exert his influence
Domain
in the realm of justice, courts and law; he can use this Charm
in either
eith the six-mote or 12-mote forms.
Dreamscape—Owl
Dream delivers advice or warns of his displeasure
in divinely
div cryptic, symbolic fashion, but when worshipers
successfully
succes carry out a plan he may offer an “Attaboy” that
requires
requir no interpretation.
Geas—When
Geas— resolve seems lacking, Owl can force mortals
to carry
car through on their plans.
Hurry Home—Owl can transport himself to the House of
the Nine
N Hearths of Emerald and Silver.
132
Impromptu Messenger—For five motes, Owl can speak through need Snowshoe Hare’s favor if they want to send dreams.
his priests. He typically does so only when a public project is Other members of the Ennead can send whatever dreams they
failing or if some high-profile or important job isn’t getting please.) Despite this vast workload, Snowshoe Hare sleeps
done and needs to for the sake of the community’s survival. often. While doing so, he can visit the dreams of anyone
Intrusion-Sensing Method—Owl knows instantly when projects currently sleeping.
consecrated to him have been completed, or if they have Snowshoe Hare manifests as a large white rabbit with
been abandoned for more than one week. enormous ears and feet. Although he constantly moves from
Inspirational Endowment—Owl visits the target in his sleep and one job to another, he never seems hurried or overworked.
fires his imagination, revealing workable solution to difficult Sanctum: Snowshoe Hare sleeps in many deep warrens
or long-standing problems. For one scene in the next day, an throughout the Far North.
attempt by the target to find a solution to a problem receives Motivation: To promote the value of dreams and to provide
two bonus dice. Costs 12 motes, one Willpower. peaceful sleep.
Landscape Travel—Owl can fly at double speed for 4 Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 7, Stamina 5; Charisma 3,
motes. Manipulation 6, Appearance 4; Perception 4, Intelligence 4,
Materialize—Costs 60 motes. Wits 4
Melodious Diagnostic Report—Used to see how the Haslanti Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 4, Temperance 2,
League and the component city-states and tribes are doing Valor 2
at carrying out their plans. Abilities: Athletics 5, Awareness 4, Bureaucracy 5, Dodge 8,
Memory Mirror—Owl knows the true minds of his worship- Integrity 2, Investigation 2, Larceny 4, Linguistics (Native:
ers. He can search the memory of anyone who has prayed Old Realm; Others: High Realm, Northern Barbarian Tribes,
to him in the past 30 days. Skytongue) 3, Lore 4 (Dream Symbolism +3), Martial Arts 2,
Principle of Motion—Owl has eight actions stored. Occult 4, Performance 5 (Dream Narratives +3), Presence 4,
First (Ability) Excellency—Investigation, Presence Resistance 4, Socialize 5, Stealth 4, Survival 5
Second (Ability) Excellency—Investigation, Presence Backgrounds: Allies 3, Backing 3, Contacts 3, Cult 3, Sal-
Divine (Ability) Subordination—Investigation ary 3, Sanctum 3 (Dream Warrens), Sanctum 4 (House of
Join Battle: 8 the Nine Hearths)
Attacks: Charms:
Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 6L, Parry DV 5, Rate 3 Banish—Snowshoe Hare can banish sleepers from the
Bite: Speed 6, Accuracy 8, Damage 9L, Parry DV —, Rate 2 dreamscape.
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 9, Damage 5B, Parry DV —, Divine Decree—Snowshoe Hare may command lesser spirits
Rate 1, Tags P of sleep and dreams, such as dream flies (see pp. 35–36 of
Soak: 8L/12B (Tough feathers, 5L/7B) The Books of Sorcery, Vol. IV—The Roll of Glorious
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Divinity I).
Dodge DV: 6 (7 if flying) Willpower: 8 Domain Manipulation Scenario—Snowshoe Hare can make
Essence: 4 Essence Pool: 80 wholesale decrees regarding sleep and dreams such as, “The
Other Notes: Without using Charms, Owl from out of the citizens of Tuskstad shall not sleep for seven days.” While
East can fly at five times his ground movement rates. such a declaration seems like a punishment, sometimes such
is necessary in order for people to complete necessary tasks.
SNOWSHOE HARE AMONG BRAMBLES Hare has the power with such a declaration to negate all ill
With the death of the former Haslanti dream god,
effects resulting from lack of sleep.
Snowshoe Hare was promoted to the region’s principle god
Dreamscape—Snowshoe Hare molds the stuff of dreams to
of dreams. He ensures good sleep and pleasant dreams, and
his own specifications and can create as many autonomous
reminds his worshipers that rest and relaxation are neces-
dream-creatures that obey his will, as suits his whim. These
sary for health and a full, meaningful life. Pregnant Haslanti
are usually pleasant dreams.
women also pray to him nightly, as do laborers and hunters.
Endowment—All-Encompassing (but this does not cost
The Haslanti believe that catching sight of him while dream-
extra motes or Willpower, as it deals directly with the core
ing means good luck, but seeing him in the waking world is a
of Snowshoe Hare’s divine duties). Snowshoe Hare can is-
bad omen. Snowshoe Hare’s worshipers keep dream journals
sue endowments while the subject sleeps. A subject dreams
as a religious rite. Even more than most Haslanti, they seek
that he possesses such a gift, and he really does for one scene
visions of their destinies in their dreams.
after he wakes. Snowshoe Hare never spends more than
Snowshoe Hare has many responsibilities. In addition
15 motes on this Charm, though, so he grants only minor
to administering the realm of sleep for the nation, he also
endowments.
crafts and delivers dreams for many fellow Haslanti gods,
Enter Dream—For five motes, Snowshoe Hare can enter
who rely on his expertise to communicate their wishes and
any sleeping Haslanti’s dream. While doing so, Snowshoe
warnings. (Most of the now-neglected Haslanti gods now
Hare is dematerialized and cannot be harmed physically.

Once inside a dream, the god can travel to other dreams for Ivrieinen weaves the Tapestry of Fate such that Haslanti
an additional five motes, leave the dreamscape entirely for men and women find and recognize those who can become
one mote (emerging at the location of the sleeper), or use their friends and mates. She also draws apart people who
Hurry Home to return to his warren. would quarrel and bring discord to their communities if
Hurry Home—The god can instantly return to his dream- they married. She has few other concerns. While Ivrieinen
warren or to the House of the Nine Hearths. sometimes aids people trapped under Carrion Crow’s influ-
Impromptu Messenger—Mortals talk in their sleep to deliver ence, she cares most for those of marriageable age and their
messages from Snowshoe Hare. relationships with another.
Infallible Escape Method—This Charm is similar to the Charm The Lady Who Finds Good Partners seeks individuals
Slippery Escape Method (see Scroll of the Monk, p. 43). who would find joy and contentment together. Conversely,
How do you hold a dream? Ivrieinen works to quench passionate but turbulent love
Materialize—Costs 60 motes. affairs (which puts her at odds with several other gods in
Principle of Motion—Snowshoe Hare has eight actions her division). She also works with many other gods to
banked. implement her plans to unite or separate lovers. Snow-
Sudden Sleep Prana—Costs 3 motes. A target’s player must shoe Hare is one of her chief allies, fashioning dreams
roll (Willpower – Snowshoe Hare’s Essence of 4) or she im- for her daily.
mediately goes to sleep. Ivrieinen has little patience for anyone who interfere
Worldly Illusion—Snowshoe Hare can call other creatures with her plans. She issues mild reprimands to mortals
into a shared dream. or gods who push ill-suited lovers together… and much
First (Ability) Excellency—Lore, Performance, Stealth greater punishments to deliberate, repeat offenders. While
Second (Ability) Excellency—Lore, Performance, Stealth Ivrieinen never issues a fatal punishment, victims of her
Join Battle: 8 personal, extremely creative wrath often wish they were dead
Attacks: after she rips their lives apart. While the Haslanti think
Kick: Speed 4, Accuracy 8, Damage 4B, Parry DV 8, Rate 2 of Ivrieinen as a kindly god, she can destroy individuals,
Soak: 9L/11B (Evanescent substance, 6L/6B) families and entire communities by setting people against
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap each other. She is more manipulative than the rest of the
Dodge DV: 10 Willpower: 8 Ennead, though she takes particular exception to anyone
Essence: 4 Essence Pool: 80 pointing this out.
Other Notes: None Ivrieinen manifests as an old, grandmotherly woman
in a plain blue robe. She has a self-satisfied smile and
THE TRIAD OF FATE a twitching nose. Mortals usually cannot recognize her
The Haslanti do not think of fate as an inescapable due to camouflaging Charms, but attentive folk can spot
destiny. Their gods of fate exist as more of a balm to the Ivrieinen due to her small notebook in which she obses-
many misfortunes that the Haslanti suffer as a by-product sively writes.
of their environment and their history. They are the most Sanctum: Ivrieinen dwells in the House of the Nine Hearths
powerful members of the Ennead, and they assisted in of Emerald and Silver.
uniting the tribes in the first place. These gods are also Motivation: To preserve the Haslanti social order and prevent
the most influential, for nearly every Haslanti offers them domestic violence.
prayers and observances. The Triad of Fate commands a Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 6, Stamina 5; Charisma 5,
wide sphere of influence, affording it authority over many Manipulation 6, Appearance 4; Perception 6, Intelligence 6,
other gods. All three gods can be either positive or nega- Wits 6
tive influences on the Haslanti, able both to protect and Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 4,
to bring grave misfortune. Valor 1
The Immaculate crusaders tried to humble these three Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 6, Craft
gods but never succeeded. Even finding them proved im- (Fate) 5, Dodge 5, Integrity 6, Investigation 6, Larceny 3,
possible, for none of the Triad seem to ever stop moving Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: High Realm, Low
and working. They also have protection in Heaven. They Realm, Northern Barbarian Tribes, Riverspeak, Skytongue) 5,
are Terrestrial gods, but with powerful connections to the Lore 6, Martial Arts 3, Melee 5, Occult 3, Performance 5,
Loom of Fate. Yet, they suffer frequent interference from the Presence 6, Resistance 4, Socialize 4, War 1
Bureau of Destiny and cannot assist the Haslanti too much, Backgrounds: Allies 4, Backing 3, Contacts 4, Salary 4,
lest they suffer that Bureau’s wrath. Sanctum 4 (House of the Nine Hearths)
IVRIEINEN Charms:
The Lady Who Finds Good Partners and Shuts the Doors Amethyst Awareness—Little is hidden from agents of Fate.
of Infatuation Chrysalis of Preservation—Ivrieinen may crystallize loves and
enmities to transfer them from person to person.
134
Destiny Sponsorship—Ivrieinen gains extra defenses only Join Battle: 11
when she performs her specific duties with the acquiescence Attacks:
(if not blessing) of the Division of Serenity. Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 4B, Parry DV 6,
Divine Decree—Ivrieinen can arrange for far-flung individuals Rate 3
to meet if she considers them suited for one another. She can Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 7B, Parry DV 4, Rate 2
also decree that two individuals will never meet, or never Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 9, Damage 4B, Parry DV —,
meet again, with some assurance that the Bureau of Destiny Rate 1, Tags P
will not overrule her. Soak: 20L/22B (Celestial vestments, 10L/10B; Destiny
Domain Manipulation Scenario—Ivrieinen can manipulate Sponsorship, 7L/7B)
the bonds of affection on any scale, from couples to nations, Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
either strengthening them or replacing them with anger, Dodge DV: 9 Willpower: 9
jealousy and strife. Essence: 6 Essence Pool: 135
Emergency Prayer Relocation—Ivrieinen often visits mortal Other Notes: None
petitioners, though mortals often do not realize that she has
come in response to their prayers.
KIDILOS
The Lady Who Comforts the Living at the Bedside of the
Endowment—Ivrieinen can make her targets attractive or
Dying
unattractive without changing their overall appearance.
Kidilos works to help the Haslanti accept the realities of
She may add or remove one or two dots to Appearance or
death. She strives to lessen mortals’ grief and encourage them
increase Abilities to make the target more interesting to a
to make peace with one another before they die. Particularly
potential partner (say, an increase in Craft or Performance)
among the tribes, grief easily slides into an angry desire to
who appreciates the Ability in question. She does not grant
punish someone, anyone, for a death. The Haslanti have too
these boons lightly, however, and usually reserves them for
much work to do to waste time on extravagant mourning or
individuals whose relationship or lack thereof will have wide-
blood feuds. Although she is not an employee of the Division
ranging effects. Costs 15 motes and one Willpower.
of Endings, she often works with that Celestial office.
Essence Plethora (x3)—Ivrieinen has 30 extra motes of Es-
Kidilos may appear briefly to mortals who comfort the
sence.
dying, as well as to people who suffer overwhelming grief at
Hand of Destiny—If she must, Ivrieinen lets the Loom of
the death of a loved one. She never stays long in Creation,
Fate itself tell her what actions she and her subordinates
but her blessings and influence remain after she departs.
must take in order to bring about a happy union… or wreck
Most often, Kidilos comforts people through stories.
someone’s life.
She knows the tale of every battle and the name of every
Hurry Home—For five motes, Ivrieinen can transport herself
Haslanti who has died and under what conditions. With a
instantly to the nearest gate to Yu-Shan, to the House of
little effort she can scrutinize people’s minds and reconstruct
the Nine Hearths or to the sanctum of any other god in the
a narrative of a man’s life. This telling of tales is a sacred rite,
Ennead.
never interrupted, that can help or hinder the bereaved, but
always leaves some long-lasting effect.
Measure the Wind—Ivrieinen gauges the power of those she
Every spring, Carrion Crow identifies the dying and
must bless, or those who might oppose her mission.
helps Kidilos plan her overall route for the coming months.
Melodious Diagnostic Report—Difficult as mortals can be,
Snowshoe Hare assists her in sending reassuring dreams to
there is a solution to every problem. By spending 15 motes
the grieving.
and one Willpower, Ivrieinen can meditate upon a particular
Kidilos appears as a youthful woman dressed in the
problem involving her sphere and emerge after a few minutes
cold-weather gear of a Great Ice worker, with layer upon
with the solution.
layer of leather and wool, a fur parka and snow goggles. She
Natural Prognostication—Ivrieinen hints at Destiny’s plans,
swiftly glides along the snow on skis, stopping only as her
especially when a destiny involves personal relationships.
office dictates. Her eyes, should she reveal them to anyone,
Principle of Motion—Ivrieinen has nine actions saved.
are old and sad, containing the grief of centuries.
Shapechange—Ivrieinen often travels incognito in Cre-
Sanctum: Kidilos dwells in the House of the Nine Hearths
ation.
of Emerald and Silver.
Touch of Saturn—Can inflict Sickness effects. Cost varies.
Motivation: To console the bereaved and those who comfort
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Bureaucracy, Craft,
the dying.
Integrity, Investigation, Performance, Presence
Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Bureaucracy, Craft,
Wits 6
Third (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Bureaucracy, Craft,
Virtues: Compassion 5, Conviction 3, Temperance 4,
Valor 2
Divine (Ability) Subordination—Awareness, Craft, Integrity

Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 5, Dodge 6, target desires by rolling the target’s Conviction opposed by
Integrity 6, Investigation 4, Larceny 3, Linguistics (Native: Kidilos’s Compassion.
Old Realm; Others: High Realm, Low Realm, Northern First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Integrity, Lore,
Barbarian Tongues, Skytongue) 4, Lore 6, Martial Arts 4, Presence
Medicine 4, Melee 6, Occult 3, Performance 5 (Storytell- Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Integrity, Lore,
ing +2), Presence 5, Resistance 4, Socialize 3, Survival 5, Presence
War 1 Third (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Integrity, Lore,
Backgrounds: Allies 4, Artifact 4, Backing 3, Contacts 4, Presence
Salary 3, Sanctum 4 (House of the Nine Hearths) Divine (Ability) Subordination—Lore, Performance, Presence,
Charms: Survival
Amethyst Awareness—Little is hidden from agents of Fate. Join Battle: 11
Destiny Sponsorship—Kidilos gains extra defenses only when Attacks:
she performs her specific duties with the acquiescence (if not Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 11, Damage 6B, Parry DV 6,
the blessing) of the Division of Endings. Rate 3
Domain Manipulation Scenario—Kidilos can create or assuage Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 9B, Parry DV 4, Rate 2
grief on any scale, from individuals to nations. Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 10, Damage 6B, Parry DV —,
Emergency Prayer Relocation—Kidilos manifests wherever Rate 1, Tags P
mortals grieve and pray to her for comfort. Ice Pick (Warden of the Bereaved): Speed 5, Accuracy 15,
Geas—Grieving mortals sometimes pledge to perform certain Damage 11, Parry DV 8, Rate 2
deeds to commemorate a dead loved one. Kidilos can hold Soak: 21L/24B (Celestial vestments, 10L/10B; Destiny
them to even the most casual promise, or forbid them from Sponsorship, 8L/8B)
carrying out some foolish or wicked plan. Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Hand of Destiny—When all other methods fail, Kidilos lets Dodge DV: 9 Willpower: 9
the Loom of Fate itself tell her the way to assuage grief or Essence: 6 Essence Pool: 105
otherwise carry out her plans. Other Notes: Kidilos’s weapon, Warden of the Bereaved,
Hurry Home—Kidilos can transport herself instantly to the can calm passions, removing feeling of anger and sadness and
nearest gate to Yu-Shan, to the House of the Nine Hearths pain with a touch, leaving the target slightly euphoric, as the
or to the sanctum of any member of the Ennead. Solar Charm Touch of Blissful Release (see Exalted, p. 218).
Landscape Travel—Kidilos can travel over snow at double It affects immaterial being as the Spirit-Cutting Charm.
speed and gains a one-die bonus to all Dexterity rolls while
traveling on skis. Costs eight motes.
SPRING SNOWFALL
The Lady Who Reminds Us We Are Alive and Should
Laugh at Ourselves
Material Tribulation Divestment—Kidilos ends the power of
Spring Snowfall reminds the Haslanti to savor life—a
attacks upon her.
difficult task, given lives of hard work and much danger. She
Measure the Wind—When dealing with beings of power who
teaches through chance difficulties and surprising fortunes.
grieve, sometimes it’s prudent to know just how powerful
Spring Snowfall rivals Autumn Frost as a trickster, but she
they are.
disrupts lives specifically to shock people out of routines grown
Natural Prognostication—Kidilos hints at Destiny’s plans,
dull and onto new paths. She works closely with Autumn
especially when a destiny involves grief.
Frost in the summer months, when people spend more time
Principle of Motion—Kidilos has six extra actions saved.
outdoors and are most lively.
Spirit and Body Purification Touch—This Charm resembles
Spring Snowfall sends the bear who chases the washer-
the Martial Arts Charm described in Scroll of the Monk,
women up into the trees and the storm that ruins the days’
page 127. After a normal touch attempt, which may be
hunting prospects and forces guests to stay longer than expected.
dodged or parried normally, Kidilos’s player rolls (Presence
Nuisances, yes, but troubles people can confront squarely, and
+ Compassion) against a difficulty of the target’s Essence,
far better than the gray despair of unvarying toil. The Haslanti
adding four automatic successes. A successful roll cures the
tend to appreciate novelty as long as they get a good story out
target of all Sickness effects and physical diseases, and purges
of it. (Those washerwomen will get laughs from the story of
all poisons and drugs. Further, it negates all possession, con-
the bear for decades.) The goddess also has the power to pique
trol Charms and curses that do not originate from a god of
curiosity and wonder or to make people lose interest in what
the Ennead or a being of Essence 7 or higher. Finally, the
they’re doing. The Haslanti pray to Spring Snowfall that they
target feels a warm, almost euphoric feeling of acceptance
may find new challenges and meet them successfully.
and happiness.
Spring Snowfall appears as a matronly woman dressed
Weighing of the Heart—Kidilos attempts to ease the minds
in furs. She possesses a wry sense of humor and appreciates
of the bereaved by spinning a tale about the deceased’s
well-crafted jokes and riddles.
life. This Charm costs two motes and may be resisted if the
136
Sanctum: Spring Snowfall dwells in the House of the Nine
Hearths of Emerald and Silver.
Motivation: To give people occasional respite from labor
and boredom.
Wits 6
Valor 2
Abilities: Athletics 1, Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 6, Craft
(Fate) 4, Dodge 5, Integrity 6, Investigation 4, Larceny 4,
Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: High Realm, Low
Realm, Northern Barbarian Tribes, Skytongue) 4, Lore 3
(Zany Historical Incidents +3), Martial Arts 2, Melee 5,
Occult 4, Performance 6, Presence 6, Resistance 3, Social-
ize 5, War 1
Backgrounds: Allies 4, Backing 4, Contacts 4, Salary 3,
Sanctum 4 (House of the Nine Hearths)
Charms:
Amethyst Awareness—Little is hidden from agents of Fate.
Chrysalis of Preservation—Spring Snowfall captures events
that people will overlook or not appreciate at the time, to
release later when they can turn lives upside down.
Creation of Perfection—Spring Snowfall can adjust her cap-
tured events to make them less dangerous and more humorous
or instructive.
Destiny Sponsorship—Spring Snowfall gains extra defenses
only when she performs her specific duties with the acquies-
cence (if not the blessing) of the Division of Journeys.
Domain Manipulation Scenario—Spring Snowfall can provide
minor unexpected fortunes or difficulties. The latter are al-
most never dire or insurmountable, and the former are never
life-changing events. All of them offer a choice, however, an
opportunity to be seized and (usually) a welcome distraction
from backbreaking work.
Dreaded Embrace of Mundanity—Sometimes, failure is good
for the soul, especially for supernatural beings who are ac-
customed to succeeding through their use of Essence.
Emergency Prayer Relocation—Spring Snowfall projects herself
wherever mortals pray for something, anything, to jolt them
out of their current lives.
Hurry Home—Spring Snowfall can transport herself instantly
to the nearest gate to Yu-Shan, to the House of the Nine
Hearths or to the sanctum of any other Ennead member.
Measure the Wind—Spring Snowfall evaluates beings of power,
the better to guide her in disrupting their lives.
Melodious Diagnostic Report—Spring Snowfall can listen to
the world and find places where life has become oppressively
certain.
Natural Prognostication—Spring Snowfall hints at Destiny’s
plans, especially when a destiny involves disruptions to a
person’s life.
Principle of Motion—Spring Snowfall has eight extra actions
saved.

Symbol of Invincible Authority—Random trouble cannot harm Reshan of the Inward Breath constantly weeps corrosive
Spring Snowfall or interfere with her. She can only be af- black tears out of shame and guilt for not preventing the
fected by attacks or events specifically aimed at her. Costs old city’s fall. She believes Gethamane should stay empty,
10 motes, one Willpower. for she fears that Vodak will rise again and repeat its mas-
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Craft, Investigation, sacre. Her memories inflict madness on mortals who sleep
Lore, Presence, Resistance, Socialize, Survival in Gethamane’s temples, driving them to leave the city and
Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Craft, Investigation, never return. Reshan would shun any Solars who came to
Lore, Presence, Resistance, Socialize, Survival Gethamane, fearing that their presence and the protection
Third (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Craft, Investigation, they afford the city will encourage mortals to stay—and draw
Lore, Presence, Resistance, Socialize, Survival Vodak out of the depths.
Divine (Ability) Subordination—Awareness, Craft, Socialize Reshan sometimes takes the form of an old woman
Join Battle: 11 who leaves wet, black footprints as she walks through the
Attacks: underways.
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 5B, Parry DV 6, Rate 3 Metheris of the Still Sky once mediated between Tribbua
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 7B, Parry DV 5, Rate 2 and Reshan as the voice of reason that weighed the pros and
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 9, Damage 5B, Parry DV —, cons of a situation. He could not decide whether to fight Vodak
Rate 1 or flee and has remained paralyzed by indecision ever since.
Soak: 21L/24B (Celestial vestments, 10L/10B; Destiny While the prospect of Solars returning to Gethamane would
Sponsorship, 8L/8B) tempt him as much as it would Tribbua, he also shares Reshan’s
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap fear that any Exalted in Gethamane could awaken Vodak and
Dodge DV: 8 Willpower: 9 bring a new destruction. Metheris does not directly attempt to
Essence: 6 Essence Pool: 105 block any Exalted from entering the city, but he sends them
Other Notes: None many dreams filled with fear and a desire to leave.
Metheris manifests as a young boy, sometimes sitting
THE GODS OF GETHAMANE atop the mountain on windless days, gazing at the sky and
After the Solar Exalted excavated the City of the Moun- dreaming of Yu-Shan.
tain Gateway, they recruited three local gods to keep the air Sanctum: All three of Gethamane’s gods keep their sanctums
moving. The gods performed their tasks for centuries and in their individual temples. They own modest mansions in
enjoyed the prayers of a thriving, peaceful population. Dur- Yu-Shan but have not visited them since the Usurpation.
ing the Usurpation, however, the hekatonkhire Vodak swept Motivation: To keep the air moving and preserve Gethamane,
through the subterranean city. The gods sought the aid of the each in their own way.
Celestial Hierarchy, but their pleas went unanswered. (Heaven Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4; Charisma 3,
had bigger problems.) Alone and half-insane, they kept at the Manipulation 4, Appearance 3; Perception 4, Intelligence 4,
only task left to them: moving the air through their city. Wits 3
In time, mortals returned to the City of the Mountain Virtues: Compassion 4, Conviction 3, Temperance 4,
Gateway and named it Gethamane. A few people who slept Valor 3
in the empty temples were touched by the gods’ madness Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 4, Dodge 3, Integrity 1,
and became their priests. The Gethamanians do not know Investigation 3, Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; High
very much about their gods, though—not even their names. Realm, Northern Barbarian Tribes, Skytongue) 3, Lore 4
The three gods send strange visions to their priests but have (Gethamane +3), Martial Arts 4, Medicine 3, Melee 4,
forgotten how to speak or otherwise communicate clearly. Occult 3, Performance 4, Presence 3, Resistance 4, Social-
While they retain individual appearances and personalities, ize 3, Stealth 3
their capabilities have merged over the millennia. Backgrounds: Allies 2, Cult 3, Influence 2
Tribbua of the Outward Breath is the god of Gethama- Charms:
nian expansion. She wants Gethamane to interact more with Affinity (Element) Control—Air. As the stewards of Getha-
other nations through trade, treaty and immigration. The mane’s air circulation, they have total control over the air
Solars recruited Tribbua first. Of the three gods, she would and winds in the city, with all listed effects of this Charm.
work the hardest to bring Solars back to Gethamane… if Costs six motes.
she knew they existed. Amethyst Awareness—The gods of Gethamane perceive what
Tribbua sometimes manifests as a mortal woman who happens in their city, in all aspects of reality.
wanders through Gethamane’s markets, mutely admiring Call—Gethamane’s gods can communicate with one another
the imported fineries and travelers from afar. She sometimes wherever they go.
visits her priests in their dreams to couple with them. From Capture—If the gods truly wished to express their wrath, they
these unions, Tribbua bears little wind-spirit progeny that could capture the North’s icy gales and set them blowing
she releases on the mountainside. though Gethamane.
138
Dreamscape—This is now the only way Gethamane’s gods
know how to communicate. Their dreams are powerful despite
their incoherence, as vehicles for social attacks enhanced by
Presence Excellencies.
Essence Bite—If anyone strikes the gods, the gods can send
freezing winds blowing through the person’s bloodstream,
inflicting aggravated damage that bypasses armor. This costs
five motes per level of damage. The gods cannot inflict more
than two levels per attack.
Geas—Priests of these gods are usually under the influence
of this Charm in one way or another.
Hurry Home—The gods can move to any location in Getha-
mane or on its mountain.
Intrusion-Sensing Method—Gethamane’s gods know when
someone has entered one of their temples, or if beings of
power enter the city.
Landscape Hide—Gethamane’s gods are so attuned to their city
that they can subsume themselves within it indefinitely.
Measure the Wind—The gods evaluate the potential threat or
benefit of every creature of power that enters the city.
Mind-Knife Sacrament—The gods use this Charm to ordain
their priests and implant knowledge of their rites. Being in-
sane, the gods are not very good at this, and sometimes drive
mortals insane instead. Reshan sometimes uses this Charm
deliberately to force people out of Gethamane. None of the
gods use it to grant Ability or Virtue dots.
Memory Mirror—While visiting mortal dreams, the gods
tend to search through memories as well.
Principle of Motion—Gethamane’s gods each keep seven
extra actions saved.
Sense Domain—The gods monitor Gethamane’s air flow daily,
seeking the source of any disruptions.
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Presence
Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Presence
Join Battle: 7
Attacks:
REPLACING THE GODS

The Celestial Hierarchy ceased paying atten-
tion to Gethamane’s gods long ago (as they reported
directly to the Solar Exalted). If someone of high
enough authority learned of Gethamane’s spiritual
issues, however, someone might take action. Most
likely, the Bureau of Humanity would try to replace
the three with a single, more reliable god. Many
gods would love assignment to a growing city such as
Gethamane—a splendid chance to recruit worship-
pers. They would not be so enthusiastic if they knew
about Vodak…

Rate 1, Tags P
Maul: Speed 6, Accuracy 7, Damage 15B/4, Parry DV 3,
Rate 1, Tags 2,O,P,R
Soak: 10L/15B (Spirit robes, 8L/11B)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 6 Willpower: 8
Essence: 5 Essence Pool: 90
Other Notes: At will, each of the gods can materialize a
massive stone maul to use as a weapon.
HEROES OF THE NORTH

People tend to think of the North as a land of fierce
battle and the struggle for survival. Indeed, many North-
erners hold this view themselves. Yet, the North also holds
brilliant savants and subtle manipulators to equal any other
part of Creation.
THE BULL’S CIRCLE

Yurgen Kaneko’s success as a warlord does not rest
merely on his own prowess as a combatant and general. He
has attracted a cadre of other Exalted as well. Three Solar
Exalted stand out among his followers: the prophet-sorceress
Samea; the savant-inquisitor Raneth of Diamond Hearth;
and Nalla Bloodaxe, a spy who became a king.
SAMEA OF THE BLACKWATER MAMMOTH TRIBE
The entire Blackwater Mammoth tribe raised Samea after
the death of her parents. She became a skilled and highly
observant gatherer of wild foods, but her intellect demanded but she does not serve him. When she joins Kaneko in war
more. The Blackwater Mammoth icewalkers expected her to against civilized nations and calls forth demons to aid his
become a shaman when her curiosity led her to a meeting armies, she adds to the tally of debts he owes her, balancing
with a small god and her innocent charisma made the meeting them against the favors he has done for her and their people
friendly. Samea Exalted while she wandered alone, trying to in the past. Should the icewalkers come under threat, Samea
follow the path of a circling raptor, and the Unconquered Sun will call upon the Bull to repay those debts, no matter the
told her to restore the land to its First Age glories. Creation situation elsewhere in his empire.
revealed the power of sorcery to her as if every tree and beast, Even as a child, Samea commanded attention. Her stub-
rock and cloud had waited an Age to tell her their secrets. born bearing and haunted eyes compelled even those not of
Memories from the First Age guided her to long-forgotten her tribe to listen. As a Solar, her presence is supernatural.
libraries buried beneath the snow, further expanding her Those who hear her sermons find that her words haunt their
power. After a year of travel, Samea returned to her tribe as dreams. When she exercises her Charms, she burns her will
a powerful guardian. At first she was also feared as a witch, into the souls of her congregation. She does not use this power
but soon she was revered as a prophet. casually, but she has no scruples about employing it when
First and foremost, Samea acts as a guide and mother to the occasion warrants, as when she enjoins them to obey
her people. She now sees all icewalkers as her family. The what she sees as the Unconquered Sun’s will. Entire tribes of
Blackwater Mammoth folk are her brothers and sisters, her icewalkers obey her injunctions without thinking, her words
sons and daughters. All other icewalkers are her cousins. She echoing in their minds in lieu of their own thoughts.
holds herself responsible for their wellbeing. Likewise, the Ice For all her power, Samea still looks 17 years old. She has
Plains are her home, and she guards them zealously against flowing black hair, a delicate chin and a still-girlish figure.
the polluting forces of the Wyld and the dead. Her large, dark eyes, steady gaze and solemn expression,
Yurgen Kaneko, as a fellow icewalker, is Samea’s cousin. however, make people feel like they face someone very old
As the first Solar she ever met and her only Exalted companion and wise. When she runs, though, she hikes her felt skirt
for several years, he became her friend (though not, as many above her knees and seems like a girl again. Samea carries
have claimed, her lover). She respects his power and feels no weapons or armor—just a belt of gourds and pouches full
indebted to him as any friend might feel toward another, of her magical supplies.
140
Motivation: Extirpate all supernatural threats to her RANETH OF DIAMOND HEARTH
people. Born at the edge of the world, raised amid the cold
Caste: Zenith lawlessness of Diamond Hearth, Raneth craves civilization
Anima Banner: A blazing white tree with golden leaves. in spite of his own violent nature. His knack for machinery
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4; Charisma 5, lifted him from the drudgery of the mines and the violence
Manipulation 4, Appearance 3; Perception 4, Intelligence 3, of the dockside gangs, and it saved his life in buried Tzatli,
Wits 3 where he Exalted with an ancient Essence weapon in his
Virtues: Compassion 4, Conviction 2, Temperance 3, hand. Now he wishes to spread civilization to the edges of
Valor 2 Creation, at sword’s point if need be.
Virtue Flaw: Grandmother’s Scorn. When she sees those she Raneth enlisted with the Bull soon after the Second
cares for speak or act in a self-destructive manner (whether Breath. Aghast at the icewalkers’ primitive way of life, he
physically, intellectually or spiritually), roll Samea’s Com- designed their new educational curriculum and established
passion for her to gain Limit. In Limit Break, she confronts civil codes for their governors and garrisons. Despite his
her companions to prevent them from endangering or usefulness and idealism, his patronizing attitude grated on
degrading themselves, using any or all non-lethal means at Yurgen, Samea, Crimson Antler and Fear-Eater. Both as a
her disposal for one full day. When she controls this condi- reward and to get him out of their hair, the Bull sent Raneth
tion so as not to obstruct a greater goal, she confines herself to the empire’s greatest bastion of civilization: Plenilune.
to mercilessly haranguing her companions regarding their Raneth is of middling stature—making him short for a
foibles and flaws. Northerner—with a stocky frame and small, blunt features.
Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 1, Craft His black hair and eyes stand out sharply against his ivory-
(Wood) 2, Dodge 3, Integrity 4, Investigation 1, Linguistics pale skin. The pressures of government weigh him down;
(Native: Skytongue; Others: Old Realm, Riverspeak) 2, Lore 1, his expression is generally tight and humorless, and he paces
Martial Arts 4, Medicine 4, Occult 5, Performance 3 (Ora- like a caged beast.
tory +1), Presence 5 (Icewalkers +1), Resistance 4, Ride 1, Motivation: Restore the North to the glories of the First Age.
Socialize 3, Survival 3 (Frozen Wastes +2), War 2 Caste: Twilight
Backgrounds: Artifact 1, Allies 5, Cult 3, Followers 3, Influ- Anima Banner: A dragon scaled in blue and violet, its eyes
ence 4, Manse 3, Resources 4 as red as the setting sun. It exhales great gouts of golden fire
Charms: Ailment-Rectifying Method, Celestial Circle when Raneth is wounded or enraged.
Sorcery, Durability of Oak Meditation, First Martial Arts
Excellency, First Presence Excellency, Flawless Diagnosis
Technique, Infinite Presence Mastery, Iron Kettle Body, Iron
Skin Concentration, Majestic Radiant Presence, Ox-Body
Technique, Second Integrity Excellency, Spirit-Detecting
Glance, Terrestrial Circle Sorcery, Terrifying Apparition
of Glory, Underling Promoting Touch
Spells: Commanding the Beasts, Demon of the Second
Circle, Flight of the Brilliant Raptor, Incantation of Spiritual
Discretion, Infallible Messenger, Magma Kraken, Summon
Elemental, Swift Spirit of Winged Transportation
Join Battle: 5
Attacks:
Rate 1, Tags P
Soak: 2L/4B
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Essence: 4
Personal Essence: 21 Peripheral Essence: 47 (48)
Committed Essence: 1
Other Notes: Samea wears a hearthstone amulet set with
a gem of sorcery (see The Books of Sorcery, Vol. III—
Oadenol’s Codex, p. 107).

Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3; Charisma 2, NALLA BLOODAXE
Manipulation 3, Appearance 2; Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Nalla grew up in a potter’s household in civilized
Wits 2 Whitewall. Idealistic and aggressive, he fit poorly into his
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 3, home city’s constricted, humorless mold. After spending a
Valor 2 year among the icewalkers, young Nalla joined Whitewall’s
Virtue Flaw: Heart of Flint guardians. He then spent a decade hunting monsters that
Abilities: Archery 4 (Essence Weapons +2), Athletics 1, ventured too close to the city. He Exalted while hunting a
Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 3, Craft (Air) 5, Craft (Earth) 1, Winter Folk noble that had infiltrated Whitewall to stalk
Craft (Fire) 2, Craft (Magitech) 3, Craft (Wood) 2, Dodge 3, and kill its people in the night.
Integrity 2, Investigation 4, Linguistics (Native: Skytongue; The Syndics sought to retain Nalla’s services after his
Others: High Realm, Old Realm, Riverspeak) 3, Lore 3 (First Exaltation. Indeed, they still come to him in dreams to
Age +1, The North +1), Martial Arts 1, Melee 1 (Knives +2), remind him of his origins. The Bull of the North, however,
Occult 3, Presence 3, Resistance 2, Ride 1, Sail 1, Socialize 2, offered chances for adventure that the defense of his home
Survival 1, War 2 couldn’t match. Nalla saw the Linowan War as a great game,
Backgrounds: Artifact 5, Contacts 3, Followers 1, Influence 4, icewalkers he knew against Linowan he didn’t, while destroy-
Manse 2, Resources 5 ing the Tepet legions seemed like a righteous blow of free
Charms: Courtier’s Eye Technique, Durability-Enhancing Northern folk against the ham-fisted bullying of the distant
Technique, Essence Arrow Attack (Righteous Judgment Ar- Realm. Subverting Karn seemed like grand fun as well, and
row), First Archery Excellency, First Lore Excellency, Judge’s he played his part with cunning and skill.
Ear Technique, Object-Strengthening Touch, Ox-Body Nalla’s new life is bloody and harsh. While he admires
Technique, Second Bureaucracy Excellency, Second Craft the courage and self-reliance of the icewalkers, he never liked
Excellency, Second Dodge Excellency, Second Investigation their casual cruelty to other folk. Ten years as a guardian
Excellency, There Is No Wind, Third Craft Excellency, of Whitewall taught him fully to despise the brutality and
Whirling Brush Method bloodlust of Northern raiders. Nalla joined Yurgen Kaneko
Join Battle: 5 in part because he saw the Bull as championing the admirable
Attacks: aspects of icewalker culture, while curbing and civilizing the
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 6, Damage 2B, Parry DV 4, Rate 3 icewalkers in other ways. Now that he is one of those raiders,
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 5, Damage 5B, Parry DV 2, Rate 2 Nalla finds himself divided. Never has the order, peace and
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 5, Damage 2B, Parry DV —, prosperity of Whitewall looked better, but he also knows the
Rate 1, Tags P desperate uncertainty that drives bandits and barbarians—the
Perfect Knife: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 5L, Parry DV 5, fear of starvation and cold. The Karnese have become people
Rate 3 to him, not merely pawns in a game—and so have their foes.
Concussive Essence Cannon: Speed 4, Accuracy 11, Damage As a result, he wrestles with his own tactics. Where killing
10B, Rate 1, Range 50, Tags P barbarians once seemed little more to him than the putting
Exceptional Composite Bow: Speed 6, Accuracy 9, Damage 6L*, down of mad dogs, it begins to feel like murder.
Rate 4, Range 300 Nalla looks every inch the Northern warrior-hero.
* Uses frog crotch arrows; double target’s lethal soak from He stands taller than the typical Northerner, with broad
armor before applying damage.
Soak: 12L/12B (Black jade reinforced breastplate, 10L/9B,
Hardness: 8L/8B, -1 mobility penalty, fatigue value 1; and
shield, +1 difficulty to hit)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Essence: 3
Personal Essence: 16 Peripheral Essence: 32 (37)
Other Notes: Raneth wears a hearthstone amulet set with a
mind-cleansing gem (see The Books of Sorcery, Vol. III—
Oadenol’s Codex, p. 96). The bulbous wand he wields in battle
is a First Age relic: a very small concussive essence cannon (see
The Books of Sorcery, Vol. I—Wonders of the Lost Age,
p. 131). The weapon costs three motes to fire. The player of
a human-sized target struck by a blast must successfully roll
[(Dexterity or Stamina) + Athletics] against difficulty 3 or have
her character flung two yards back and knocked prone.
142
shoulders and muscular limbs, and he moves with an easy OTHER HEROES
grace. Wavy blond hair frames a broad, tanned face with The North has many heroes besides the Bull’s Circle. The
bright blue eyes and an expressive mouth that conveys his Lunar Exalted wield powerful influence in much of the North,
many moods: from infectious grins and warm smiles to black while outcaste Dragon-Blooded become champions of their
scowls or the teeth-bared grimace of a berserker’s fury. people. Even mortals can become key players in the North
Motivation: To outdo all rivals for feats of daring. through their extraordinary skills and sheer audacity.
Caste: Night
Anima Banner: A ghost-white lion with eyes of warm BLUE DRAGONFISH, HASLANTI ADMIRAL
gold. Admiral Blue Dragonfish has led the Haslanti Ice Squad-
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3; Charisma 4, ron for 60 years. As a Terrestrial Exalt in the prime of life at
Manipulation 2, Appearance 4; Perception 3, Intelligence 2, age 92, he expects to keep his post for another century or two.
Wits 3 This son of an emerald-holder from Shield held the tiller of
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 1, an iceship while still in his teens, and that’s when he took
Valor 4 the Second Breath. He joined the Ice Squadron in his 20s
Virtue Flaw: Foolhardy Contempt and rose rapidly through the ranks to become a scourge to
Abilities: Archery 2, Athletics 5 (Daredevil Feats +1), the League’s enemies and a living legend of the North.
Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 1, Dodge 4, Larceny 4, Linguistics Blue Dragonfish loves the chill wind in his hair and the
(Native: Skytongue; Others: Riverspeak) 1, Lore 1, Martial thunder in the hull of an iceship racing over frozen seas, not to
Arts 3, Melee 5, Occult 2, Performance 2, Presence 2, Re- mention the adventure of exploring the Great Ice and battling
sistance 2, Ride 1, Sail 2, Socialize 2, Stealth 3, Survival 2 the League’s foes. He becomes visibly uncomfortable after a
(The Far North +1), Thrown 2, War 3 few hours on land or amidst ordinary folk. The great Admiral
Backgrounds: Artifact 2, Contacts 3, Followers 3, Influence 4, has taken no wife and calls few men his close friends, though
Resources 5 he enjoys the unquestioned loyalty of his fleet. He could be-
Charms: Easily Overlooked Presence Method, Fire and Stones come a political player in the League but abhors politics and
Strike, First Athletics Excellency, First Melee Excellency, the minutia of formal regulations, paperwork and budgetary
First Presence Excellency, First War Excellency, Foe-Vaulting allocations (to the loss of the Ice Squadron’s funding). The
Method, Hungry Tiger Technique, Increasing Strength Ex- Realm itself has invited him to command one of its fleets, but
ercise, Lightning Speed, Monkey Leap Technique, Ox-Body his loyalty remains to his tribe and his nation. The frozen sea
Technique, Seven Shadow Evasion, Shadow Over Water is vast, and while Blue Dragonfish will live long, he will not
Join Battle: 6 live forever, and he hopes to see it all before he dies.
Attacks: The Admiral is a tall, stalwart man, with craggy features,
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 4B, Parry DV 5, Rate 3 skin the color of blue icebergs and a frosty white beard trimmed
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 7B, Parry DV 3, Rate 2 into two short points.
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 8, Damage 4B, Parry DV —, Motivation: To discover every wonder of the North. And
Rate 1, Tags P if it threatens the League, destroy it.
Axe: Speed 4, Accuracy 11, Damage 9L, Parry DV 4, Rate 2 Aspect: Air
Thrown Axe: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 7L, Rate 2, Anima Banner: Whorls of blue wind.
Range 10 Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3; Charisma 5,
White Jade Grimcleaver: Speed 5, Accuracy 12, Damage Manipulation 4, Appearance 4; Perception 4, Intelligence 3,
16L/4, Parry DV 5, Rate 2, Tags O Wits 4
Composite Bow: Speed 6, Accuracy 7, Damage 6L*, Rate 3, Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 2, Temperance 2,
Range 250 Valor 4
* Uses broadhead arrows. Abilities: Archery 3 (Powerbow +2), Athletics 3 (Movement
Soak: 6L/5B (Fine chain shirt, 4L/2B, fatigue value 1) On Ice +2), Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 1 (Escape Paperwork +2),
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Dodge 4, Integrity 2, Investigation 3, Linguistics (Native:
Dodge DV: 6 Willpower: 7 Skytongue; Other: Low Realm, Northern Barbarian Tribes) 2,
Essence: 3 Lore 3, Martial Arts 5, Melee 4, Presence 3, Resistance 2, Sail 5,
Personal Essence: 16 Peripheral Essence: 32 (37) Socialize 1, Stealth 2, War 3 (Ice Naval Strategy +2)
Committed Essence: 5 Backgrounds: Allies 4, Artifact 3, Command 5, Connec-
Other Notes: Nalla wields twin axes in combat, one for tions 2, Henchman 3, Manse 2, Reputation 3, Resources 3,
melee and the other for throwing. His grimcleaver, spoils Retainers 2
from the Tepet legions, hangs on the walls of his chambers Charms: Deck-Striding Technique, Dragon-Graced Arrow,
as a trophy. He uses it only in dire straits, for doing so would Elemental Bolt Attack, Feeling-the-Air Technique, Fine
reveal his Exalted nature. Passage Negotiating Style, First Archery Excellency, First
Dodge Excellency, First Martial Arts Excellency, First Me-

Other Notes: None
GERD MARROW-EATER
Gerd Marrow-Eater became a legendary warlord and
pillar of the Silver Pact by founding the Haslanti League.
He began as the son of a Haslanesh chief, born in the time
when the Guild cemented its power over the Haslan tribes.
He Exalted in RY 552, in his mid-20s, when mercenaries
attacked his family to drive them off land the Guild wanted.
The mercenaries crippled Gerd’s mother and tied Gerd to
a tree as they prepared for a torturous execution. Then, a
vision of soaring eagles overwhelmed Gerd. He broke free
and slew the mercenaries.
Gerd knew exactly what had happened to him, from
old legends of the Haslan tribes’ ancient patron, Arvida of
the Crescent Eye. So did the rest of his family. They were
tremendously proud but said as one that Gerd must leave
them to pursue his greater destiny.
The young Exalt spent the next 30 years learning the
arts of war and politics with the Silver Pact, that he might
lead his people against the Guild. The hardest lesson came,
however, from studying the career of Arvida. He concluded
that Arvida’s rule had nearly destroyed the Haslan people.
Gerd turned to the Thousand Streams River philosophy that,
while the Lunar Exalted bore a duty to foster new societies,
lee Excellency, First Sail Excellency, First War Excellency, they must not presume to rule. Lunars were the Stewards of
Five-Dragon Blocking Technique, Five-Dragon Claw, Five- Creation—not its masters.
Dragon Fist, Five-Dragon-Force Blow, Five-Dragon Fortitude, Every Haslanti child knows the tale of how Gerd called
Hurricane-Predicting Glance, Ox-Body Technique (x2), the leaders of their people to Twisted Stone and led the tribes
Safety Among Enemies, Storm-Outrunning Technique, to victory, leaving the final victory against the Guild for the
Sturdy Bulkhead Concentration, Swallows Defend the Nest, Haslanti warriors to achieve without his aid. Since then, Gerd
Terrestrial Archery Reinforcement, Terrestrial Sail Rein- has appeared but rarely to the Haslanti people, to discuss a
forcement, Third Sail Excellency, Third War Excellency knotty political problem perhaps or to rescue a family from
Combos: bandits because he was in the area. He has decided, though,
Fist of the Icy Seas (Five-Dragon Fist, Five-Dragon Claw) that the Haslanti League truly does not need him anymore.
The Ice Admiral’s Unstoppable Arrow (Dragon-Graced Gerd now seeks new challenges.
Arrow, Swallows Defend the Nest) Gerd currently claims a patch of mountains between
Sure Hand at the Tiller (Deck-Striding Technique, Sturdy Gethamane and Shanarinara as his personal domain. He
Bulkhead Concentration, Fine Passage Negotiating Style) watches the Guild (which he still despises) and watches the
Join Battle: 6 White Sea for invasions by the Northern Fair Folk or other
Attacks: Wyld forces. Gerd also breeds a legion of the North’s great
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 3B, Parry DV 5, Rate 3 eagles, pulling the species back from the brink of extinction,
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 6B, Parry DV 3, Rate 2 and confers with Silver Pact savants about the possibility
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 8, Damage 3B, Parry DV —, of raising the mighty birds to human intelligence, like the
Rate 1, Tags P sapient beasts of Halta.
Blue Jade Long Powerbow (Master Winter’s Teeth): Speed 5, Most of all, Gerd now serves as a mentor to younger
Accuracy 9, Damage 8L, Rate 3, Range 400 Lunars, delivering lectures on war, social engineering,
* Broadhead arrows shapeshifting or the other fields of Gerd’s expertise. Other
Soak: 5L/7B (Buff jacket, 3L/4B, -1 mobility penalty, fatigue members of Gerd’s former pack, the Twisted Stone Conclave,
value 2) sometimes assist with the training. Prospective students must
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap fight Gerd, as the Haslanti champions did at Twisted Stone.
Dodge DV: 5 Willpower: 6 Gerd does not kill his hopeful applicants, but he takes a joint
Essence: 4 from the little finger of the left hand of any he deems worthy
Personal Essence: 10 Peripheral Essence: 22 (28) to learn from him.
144
In return for training, Gerd sends his students on n
training missions of derring-do such as recovering lostt
artifacts, rescuing slaves from Guild caravans, thwartingg
plots by Deathlords, the Fair Folk and other dark powers, s,
and generally strengthening Creation’s defenses. Gerdd
ponders whether the Bull of the North is a fellow defender er
of Creation or one of the threats he must defend against.
If the Bull attacks the Haslanti League, he will make
Gerd his enemy.
Gerd Marrow-Eater can take the shape of an eagle,
wolf, blue whale, bear, elk and reindeer, among many
others. In his human form, he is a tall, surprisingly youthful--
looking man, with a clean-shaven face, dark eyes and long, g,
th
straight white hair. His war form stands over 10 feet tall, with
white feathers massed at his clawed hands and feet and on his
nti
head like hair and sideburns. He dresses in practical Haslanti
leathers and wool, donning armor if necessary.
Motivation: To build new societies free of the Guild.
Caste: Changing Moon
Anima Banner: Shifting silver and dark blue light reveals als
a soaring eagle.
Spirit Shape: Eagle
Tell: White eagle feathers on his extremities
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4; Charismaa 5
(Lead Troops +2), Manipulation 5 (Inspiring Oratory +2), 2)
Appearance 4; Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 4 Lodestone Reckoning Manner, Lunar Hero Form, Maintaining
Virtues: Compassion 4, Conviction 4, Temperance 4, the Pack, Meerkat Alertness Practice, Mirror Sight Dismay,
Valor 5 Moonlight Curtain Drawn, Nature-Reinforcing Allocation,
Virtue Flaw: The Curse of the Raging Bull North Mastery Technique, Ox-Body Technique (x3), Pack
Abilities: Archery 5, Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Craft (Wood) 2 Instinct Affirmation, Rabid Beast Attitude, School Becomes
(+2 Tattooing), Dodge 5, Integrity 3, Investigation 2, Lin- Shark Formation, School in the Reeds Technique, Second
guistics (Native: Skytongue; Others: Low Realm, Old Realm, Dexterity Excellency, Second Manipulation Excellency,
Northern Barbarian Tongues) 3, Lore 5, Martial Arts 5, Second Perception Excellency, Sense-Borrowing Method,
Melee 3, Occult 3, Performance 3 (Public Speaking +2), Sharing the Gifts of Luna, Steadfast Yeddim Meditation,
Presence 5, Resistance 5, Sail 3, Socialize 3, Stealth 5, Sur- Third Charisma Excellency, Third Manipulation Excel-
vival 5 (Far North +2), Thrown 3, War 4 lency, Third Perception Excellency, Third Wits Excellency,
Backgrounds: Allies 4 (Twisted Stone Conclave), Artifact 1, Thousand Claw Infliction, Topiary Culture Meditation,
Artifact 2, Backing 4 (Silver Pact), Cult 4, Followers 4, Watchful Spider Stance, Wolf Pack Training Technique,
Heart’s Blood 5, Manse 4, Reputation 4, Resources 3 Wyld-Sensing Instincts
Charms: Bruise-Relief Method, Cat-Face Presentation, Combos:
Charismatic Lunar Trick, Claws of the Silver Moon, Cobra The Eagle Regroups (First Charisma Excellency, First Manipu-
Hypnotic Method, Culling the Pride, Dog-Tongue Method, lation Excellency, Maintaining the Pack, School Becomes
Eagle Eye Advantage, External Hide Perfection, Eye of the Shark Formation, Third Manipulation Excellency)
Cat, False Burrow Pursuit, Finding the Needle’s Eye, First Knacks: Deadly Beastman Transformation*, Devastating Ogre
Charisma Excellency, First Intelligence Excellency, First Enhancement, Humble Mouse Shape, Internal Form Mastery,
Manipulation Excellency, First Stamina Excellency, First Mountainous Spirit Expression, Towering Beast Form
Strength Excellency, First Wits Excellency, Flawless Charisma * In his war form, Gerd receives +2 to his Strength, Dex-
Focus, Flawless Manipulation Focus, Foot-Trapping Counter, terity and Stamina, as well as the positive effects of the
Form-Fixing Method, Grandfather Spider Majesty, Halting the following mutations: Enhanced Senses (Sight), Feathers,
Scarlet Flow, Heightened Sight Method, Herd Reinforcement Glider, Talons.
Stance, Herd-Strengthening Invocation, Hide-Toughening Join Battle: 9
Essence, Instinct-Driven Beast Movement, Instinct Memory Attacks:
Insertion, Instinctive Charisma Unity, Instinctive Manipula- Human:
tion Unity, Instinctive Stamina Unity, Instinctive Strength Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 11, Damage 4B, Parry DV 6,
Unity, Keen Sight Technique, Lessons of the Winter Wolf, Rate 3

Rate 1
Moonsilver Short Powerbow (Arvida’s Bite): Speed 6, Ac-
curacy 13, Damage 8L*, Range 350, Rate 2
*Uses broadhead arrows.
War Form:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 13, Damage 6B, Parry DV 7,
Rate 3
Rate 1
Talons: Speed 5, Accuracy 13, Damage 7L, Parry DV 7,
Rate 3
Moonsilver Short Powerbow (Arvida’s Bite): Speed 6, Ac-
curacy 15, Damage 10L*, Range 350, Rate 2
*Uses broadhead arrows.
Soak: 7L/7B; 7L/9B in war form (Moonsilver chain shirt,
5L/3B; Hardness: 2L/2B)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/
Incap
Dodge DV: 7 (8 in war form) Willpower: 8
Essence: 4
Personal Essence: 20 Peripheral Essence: (52)
Committed Essence: 6 Motivation: To grab all the power, wealth and (especially!)
Other Notes: Gerd is a legendary personage in Haslanti respect that she can.
culture. Rolls for Haslanti characters to see and recognize Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3; Charisma 4,
his Tell are at +2 successes. Manipulation 4, Appearance 2; Perception 3, Intelligence 4,
Wits 5
JAXAR, AGENT OF THE GUILD Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 1, Temperance 3,
For the past five years, Jaxar has lived in Gethamane as an
Valor 2
agent for the Guild. She leads a gang of child-thieves, mostly
Abilities: Archery 3 (Flame Piece +2), Athletics 2, Aware-
from middle-to-upper classes, who have no idea how much
ness 3, Bureaucracy 3, Dodge 4, Integrity 3, Investigation 3,
power she has over them or how much trouble they make for
Larceny 4, Linguistics (Native: Riverspeak; Others: Guild
themselves. Jaxar’s recruits think that their “society of Thieves”
Cant, Low Realm, Skytongue) 3, Lore 2, Martial Arts 3,
is all a huge game. These children pass information to her from
Medicine 2, Melee 3 (Sai +2), Presence 3, Resistance 2,
all over the city. Their hideout is in an abandoned storehouse
Ride 2, Sail 1, Socialize 3, Stealth 4, Survival 3
and junkyard in the eastern sector of the Outer Ring.
Backgrounds: Allies 3, Artifact 1, Backing 3, Contacts 3
The Guild took Jaxar in, trained her and trusted her
Join Battle: 8
with important jobs, for which they pay her well. She is
Attacks:
a capable blackmailer and practiced psychologist, not to
mention a crack shot with a flame piece, and deals boldly
with criminals of all kinds. Jaxar feels more or less loyal to
the Guild, but she knows a good opportunity when she sees
Rate 1, Tags P
one. She could accept a better job elsewhere.
Sai: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 3L, Parry DV 5, Rate 3,
Jaxar avoided registering for the Dole, but she did not
Tags D,M
spend her time in the city in hiding. She knows most of
Flame Piece: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 8L, Rate 2,
Gethamane’s layout and neighborhoods. Some of her ex-
Range 8
periences in remote areas of Gethamane have been strange
Soak: 1L/4B (Rugged leather clothing, 1L/1B)
indeed, and she has glimpsed the city’s enigmatic gods.
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Jaxar is a 40-year-old mortal woman, a dwarf, with
a preternaturally youthful face. From a distance she can
Essence: 1
pass as a child, though up close an adult can recognize her
Other Notes: Jaxar owns a good luck charm that protects
true age. She has reddish-brown hair that she keeps neatly
her from one botch per story, and a potent walkaway that
trimmed in a bob.
negates two successes on a single damage roll per story.
146
proper lighting, but many shrouded ones show some telltale
DEMONS AND MONSTERS OF sign of their demonic origin such as small horns, inhuman
THE NORTH eyes or clawed fingers.
Ancient, forgotten demons and creatures touched by For more information on the Demon-Blooded, demon
the Wyld exist just beyond the sight of mortals. These are a pacts and infernal cults, see The Manual of Exalted Power—
few of the most dangerous. The Infernals and (for a demon’s-eye view of cults) The
Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol. V—Malfeas.
APHELIOTROPES, THE SHROUDED ONES Motivation: To bring down human civilization.
Derat Khan, a First Age general of the Dawn Caste,
came to hate the Unconquered Sun for abandoning the
Solar Exalted to the Usurpation. On the run and at death’s
Wits 3
door, he sold his soul to a Second Circle demon and was
thus infernally Exalted. From that day, Derat Khan became
Valor 3
a creature of hate, living only for revenge on the Uncon-
Abilities: Archery 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Dodge 4,
quered Sun, the Terrestrial Exalted and Creation itself. He
Integrity 3, Larceny 3, Linguistics (Native: Old Realm;
carved the abhorrent cavern-state of Keruzat Derat beneath
Others: Skytongue) 1, Lore 3 (Apheliotrope Legend +2),
a Northern mountain. Here, he spawned the spawned the
Martial Arts 3, Medicine 1 (Torture +2), Melee 4, Occult 4,
horrible apheliotropes, or shrouded ones, terrible creatures
Presence 2, Socialize 3, Stealth 4
with the shapes of men but the temperament and will of
Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 3, Followers 1–3, Re-
demons, to carry out his vengeance.
sources 1–3
The demon-bought Solar apparently died during the
Charms and Powers:
Shogunate, but his Demon-Blooded progeny lived on. For
Demonic Mutations—A typical shrouded one has no more
centuries, Keruzat Derat was the vilest pit in Creation, a
than a single pox to indicate his or her inhuman heritage,
place of unspeakable tortures and blasphemous debauches—a
but apheliotropes may possess other poxes, blights and afflic-
bit of Hell brought to Creation, or maybe even worse! The
tions, gaining the necessary bonus points through negative
apheliotropes made war on humanity, raiding and destroying
mutations. These mutations owe nothing to the Wyld,
towns and the armies sent against them, dragging their captives
but can be represented through the mutations found on
below to live the rest of their short existences as the shrouded
ones’ playthings. Even the Dragon-Blooded heroes of the
Shogunate could not defeat the Demon-Blooded horde.
Yet, the apheliotropes could not defeat the Great Con-
tagion. The shrouded ones’ decimation by plague and the
Fair Folk weakened their grip on the Far North. Then the
arch-sorcerer Bagrash Köl noticed that he had competition
in the North. The fierce hordes and demon-beasts of the
shrouded ones were no match for Bagrash Köl’s legions,
his sorcery and the omnipotent Eye of Autochthon. The
mountain of Keruzat Derat became a crater lined with glit-
tering crystal.
Since then, the descendants of the few surviving aph-
eliotropes have acted alone or in very small bands. They
move stealthily through human society, taking whatever
chance they find to lead mortals into demon worship. Derat
Khan is but a legend to his descendants, but the shrouded
ones still hope to bring about his final revenge. Just as Derat
Khan fixed demonic power in their blood, so too did he fix
obedience to the Yozis.
The shrouded ones are a hunted people, primarily by the
Haslanti and the icewalkers. Sometimes, apheliotropes attract
bands of lost, angry mortals who blame Creation and the gods
for some perceived wrong done to them. The shrouded ones
take what they can from such confused souls and inevitably
leave them much worse off than they were before.
Apheliotropes appear as strong humans wreathed in a
shroud of darkness. They can often pass for humans in the

pages 288–290 of Exalted, pages 206–210 of The Manual
of Exalted Power—The Lunars and pages 144–150 of The
Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol. II—The Wyld. A
selection of mutations specifically for Demon-Blooded and
akuma characters are found on pages 62–64 of The Manual
of Exalted Power—The Infernals.
Ebon Curtain—A permanent shadow surrounds apheliotropes
during the day, preventing sunlight from touching their
skin. By spending 10 motes, shrouded ones can expand and
intensify this shadow so that it obscures their features and
actions, resulting in bonus dice to Stealth rolls equal to (Es-
sence x 2). This effect lasts for one scene and has no effect
against the Charms of the Solar Exalted.
Enlightened Essence—All apheliotropes have Essence pools
as per the rules for spirit characters: (Essence x 10) + (Will-
power x 5) motes.
Landscape Hide—Shrouded ones can merge with shadows of
their size or greater. Costs six motes and one Willpower.
Malediction—Apheliotropes hate and are jealous of the works
of mortals. They may curse artisans and craftsmen by touch,
imposing a one-die penalty to all Craft rolls.
Measure the Wind—The shrouded ones like to know the
power of their victims or foes.
Ox-Body Technique—Apheliotropes have two extra -1
health levels.
Thaumaturgy—Some shrouded ones know one or more Arts,
especially the Arts of Alchemy, Demon Summoning and She now rules her brood, the demons called the Founders
Warding and Exorcism. (properly, the dal’sharr—see p. XX) and the devil beasts
Join Battle: 5 called ice eaters, from a throne of silver and bone. Corr’dal
Attacks: still seethes over Bax’s ancient betrayal. Since that time, she
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 4B, Parry DV 4, Rate 3 has hated all Solar Exalted. She desires above all to escape
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 6, Damage 7B, Parry DV 2, Rate 2 the Demonlands around the Invisible Fortress so she can
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 6, Damage 4B, Parry DV —, carry out her vengeance.
Rate 1, Tags P Corr’dal resembles a corpulent sluglike demon with black,
Chopping Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 8, Damage 9L/2, Parry hairless skin, a vaguely humanoid face and murky yellow eyes.
DV 4, Rate 2 She cannot move on her own, typically lying motionless on
Long Bow: Speed 6, Accuracy 6, Damage 6L*, Rate 3, her throne. Even speech is laborious for Corr’dal, but she
Range 200 has an astute and creative mind. Rather than talk aloud,
* Uses broadhead arrows. Corr’dal usually speaks through her dal’sharr vizier U’awa,
Soak: 8L/11B (Chain hauberk +6L/7B, -3 mobility penalty, who receives instructions from Corr’dal telepathically.
fatigue value 2) For a description of the ice eaters and rules for creat-
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap ing these devil beasts, see pages XX–XX of The Manual of
Dodge DV: 1 Willpower: 6 Exalted Power—The Infernals.
Essence: 1 Essence Pool: 40 Sanctum: Corr’dal lives in a huge tent in the Demonlands.
Other Notes: These traits represent a basic apheliotrope. Motivation: To escape the Demonlands and kill any Solar
These hereditary servants of the Yozis may acquire higher Exalted she meets… such as by sending them to their deaths
Essence and additional Charms through experience or as in the Invisible Fortress.
endowments from demon masters. Shrouded ones might also Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 0, Stamina 7; Charisma 2,
own artifacts, use poisoned weapons or otherwise improve Manipulation 2, Appearance 0; Perception 5, Intelligence 5,
their equipment. Wits 5
CORR’DAL, THE SLUG MOTHER Valor 2
This Second Circle demon led the horde of demons that Abilities: Awareness 4, Bureaucracy 4, Craft (Air) 5, Craft
the Solar architect Kal Bax summoned to build his Invisible (Earth) 5, Craft (Fate) 5, Integrity 5, Lore 5, Occult 5, Pres-
Fortress. Bax betrayed Corr’dal and bound her into Creation. ence 2, Resistance 3, Survival 2
148
Backgrounds: Cult 2, Followers 1 Corr’dal cannot dematerialize. The binding also limits her
Spirit Charms: powers in other ways. If freed, she would become far more
Amethyst Awareness—Founders perceive structures of Essence powerful and dangerous.
and other intangible things.
Chrysalis of Preservation—Corr’dal can materialize anything
THE FOUNDERS
The demon-children of Corr’dal now call themselves the
she can imagine and for which she possesses a relevant
Founders, to distinguish themselves from their mother’s half-
Craft Ability. These imaginings have even less reality than
animal offspring, the ice eaters. Demonology texts of the Old
the fantasies of the Fair Folk, however, for they do nothing
Realm call them the dal’sharr. That name is now forgotten
except remain solid.
in Malfeas as well as Creation, for the Solar architect Kal
Communion of the Spawn—Corr’dal can communicate tele-
Bax summoned the entire race of First Circle demons and
pathically with any of the Founders, at no Essence cost.
bound them to build his Invisible Fortress. Then he didn’t
Creation of Perfection—Corr’dal can shape Fate and Essence
let them return to Malfeas, lest they reveal the secret of his
with incredible skill. It’s how she and her progeny built the
hideaway’s location.
Invisible Fortress for Kal Bax and moved it and the surround-
The dal’sharr deeply dislike all Exalted, especially
ing territory outside Fate.
Solars.
Essence Bite—Those who strike Corr’dal are momentarily
A Founder has long, chitinous arms and legs attached to
engulfed in a misty green aura emanating from the demon.
a thick, slug-like torso. Their crescent-shaped heads feature
This cloud burns the attacker, dealing one die of lethal dam-
a grotesquely jutting chin and brow, narrow eyes and a wide
age per two motes spent.
mouth that always seems to smile. Founder skin color ranges
Essence Plethora (x3)—Corr’dal has 30 extra motes.
from light gray to pitch-black. These demons stand four and
Harrow the Mind—Corr’dal once could weave thoughts to
six feet tall. They are sexless and sterile. Most importantly,
make mortals believe almost anything. Kal Bax prudently
thought, they are master artisans of fate and Essence as well
crippled her facility with this power. If freed, Corr’dal’s
as stone and fine metalwork.
Manipulation and Presence would rise to the point where
Sanctum: The 500 or so dal’sharr live in a tent city they call
she could control all but the strongest minds.
Gate, in the Demonlands near the Invisible Fortress.
Host of Spirits—Corr’dal can evoke up to 15 copies of herself,
costing three motes each.
Measure the Wind—Corr’dal evaluates anyone she meets who
might have magical powers… especially the Exalted.
Possession—Corr’dal cannot use this Charm until she regains
her power to dematerialize.
Principle of Motion—Corr’dal has nine extra actions
banked.
Stoke the Flame—Inspires jealousy and greed.
Touch of Grace—Corr’dal can heal one health level of damage
by spending three motes and one Willpower.
Words of Power—In addition to the base cost of five motes,
Corr’dal must spend one additional Willpower to speak
aloud.
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Craft, Lore, Occult
Second (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Craft, Lore, Oc-
cult
Join Battle: 9
Attacks: None
Soak: 7L/10B (Tough hide, 3L/3B)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Other Notes: Corr’dal’s throne emits a miasma of dark Essence
that requires a successful (Perception + Occult) roll to sense,
originating from the various items hidden in its hollow seat.
Attempts to read Corr’dal’s mind (or any Founder’s in the
vicinity of the throne) suffers a -3 external penalty.
Due to the constraints placed on her by Bax’s binding,

Wits 3
Valor 4
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Craft (Air) 4, Craft
(Earth) 4, Craft (Fate) 4, Dodge 3, Integrity 3, Larceny 2,
Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Others: Skytongue) 1,
Martial Arts 4, Occult 3, Presence 2, Resistance 3, Stealth 3,
Survival 2
Spirit Charms:
Amethyst Awareness—Founders perceive structures of Essence
and other intangible things.
Chrysalis of Preservation—The Founders make their gorgeous
tent city out of Essence and their own imagination. While
the tents, implements and furnishings all seem quite solid,
they are nothing but crystallized imaginings, and the Founders
can dissolve or relocate the entire town in moments.
Creation of Perfection—Dal’sharr can shape Fate and Es-
sence with the same precision they might apply to stone or
metal. If they wanted, a group of Founders could pick up
a demesne by the edges and move its Essence somewhere
else. (Of course, the pool of Essence would dissipate soon
after the demons released it if they did not deposit it in a
geomantically suitable location.)
Essence Plethora (x2)—Dal’sharr have 20 extra motes.
Measure the Wind—The dal’sharr evaluate the power of Some people mistake the hushed ones’ silence for a lack
potential victims or foes. of intelligence, but these creatures have crafty minds that
Principle of Motion—A Founder typically keeps seven ac- can follow complex strategies. They also have no concept of
tions banked. mercy. There is no reasoning or bargaining with hushed ones.
Words of Power—Crafting words and Essence together, a No one can understand their cold, alien behavior.
Founder’s invective strikes as a physical blow. Hushed ones never fight fairly. They try to hide and
First (Ability) Excellency—Awareness, Craft attack from ambush, preferably in numbers great enough to
Join Battle: 6 give them an overwhelming advantage. Hushed ones also
Attacks: cause avalanches or build traps using spears, snares, pits and
Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 7L, Parry DV 5, Rate 3 dropfalls. Scroll of Kings describes many traps on pages
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 8, Damage 3B, Parry DV —, 153–157, and hushed ones know them all. A pack tries to
Rate 1 kill the strongest member of a group first, in hopes that they
Bite: Speed 6, Accuracy 8, Damage 8L, Parry DV —, Rate 1 can mop up the weaker prey later.
Soak: 6L/8B (Tough hide, 3L/3B) While hushed ones can survive on any food that normal
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap humans would eat, they prefer raw human flesh. Their lives
Dodge DV: 5 Willpower: 7 center on catching, killing and eating whatever victims they
Essence: 2 Essence Pool: 75 can find. When hushed ones take their prey alive, they drag
Other Notes: The dal’sharr are magically prevented from their victims back to their nests for the entire tribe to share
dematerializing. They must stay material until the runestone in the feast.
that binds them is destroyed. The most successful hushed one tribes keep herds of
captured humans in wide pits dug 20 feet deep, breaking their
HUSHED ONES victims’ arms and legs to further prevent escape. Hushed ones
These Wyld-corrupted creatures superficially resemble feed their herd sparingly on birds and worms, harvesting them
men and woman… except they go naked in the bitterest one at a time as needed. During the coldest nights, the hushed
cold and never utter a sound. Hushed ones live most of their ones dump heaps of dead leaves in the pits to keep the herd
lives hidden in Wyld pockets throughout the North, hunting warm enough to survive. A herd of a few dozen human captives
their prey with single-minded efficiency. can preserve a hushed one pack through the coldest months
and well into the spring, when hunting can begin again.
150
Of course, it is possible to rescue a pack’s captives. Long Bow: Speed 6, Accuracy 9, Damage 6L*, Rate 3,
This is best accomplished as soon as possible, for existence Range 200
in a herd pit quickly takes its toll on a victim’s mind and * Uses broadhead arrows
body. People rescued after several weeks of captivity rarely Soak: 5L/8B (Thick skin, 2L/2B)
speak again because of the horrors they have seen. Nor will Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/4/Incap
they easily walk again due to improperly healed bones and Dodge DV: 4 Willpower: 6
injuries sustained fighting the rest of the herd for scraps of Essence: 1
food. What’s more, captives eventually may experience one Other Notes: Hushed ones often hunt in partnership with
or more Wyld mutations (see Exalted, pp. 288–290, The ice hollows (see p. XX). The hushed ones’ Allies Background
Compass of Celestial Directions, Vol. II—The Wyld, reflects this cooperation.
pp. 144–151 and pp. 206–210 of The Manual of Exalted
Power—The Lunars).
MICE OF THE SUN
The Solar temple-manse at the heart of Whitewall
All hushed ones have long black hair on their heads.
may be Creation’s last pristine example of High First Age
Their smooth, white and unblemished skin stays cold to the
religious architecture. The numerous mosaics and bas-reliefs
touch. Their wounds heal quickly and never scar. Hushed
depicting the glory and deeds of the Unconquered Sun in-
ones are incredibly strong and have long sharp claws on their
clude numerous small figures of… mice. Such figures now
fingers. They prefer to use these natural weapons but can
puzzle savants of the Second Age. It has been too long since
use the weapons collected from prey if this gives them some
the Unconquered Sun sent his subtly powerful agents into
tactical advantage. When not in use, they bury their weapons
Creation—the mice of the sun.
in and around their nests. They never wear armor.
These rodents are somewhat larger than ordinary mice
Motivation: Hushed ones live only for the hunt.
but look otherwise ordinary. Only when the light strikes
them in the right way does the fur on their backs reflect the
eight-point symbol of their master.
Wits 5
While the mice possess a few supernatural talents,
their real power is to appear when and where a tiny action
Valor 5
could have enormous consequences. They gnaw through the
Abilities: Archery 4, Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Dodge 5,
warrior’s shield-strap so it breaks in the middle of a battle.
Integrity 5, Martial Arts 5, Medicine 3, Melee 5, Presence 2,
They guide the lost messenger who bears news of a noble’s
Resistance 2, Stealth 4, Survival 4, War 1 (Coordinate
treachery… or they carry a plague into the town that has
Attacks +3)
fallen into demon worship or other blasphemies.
Backgrounds: Allies 2
In the Old Realm, the mice of the sun occasionally as-
Wyld Mutations and Other Powers: Poxes: Claws, El-
sisted the Lawgivers. After the Usurpation, the supernatural
emental Adaptation (Air), Night Vision; Afflictions: Thick
rodents saw increasing use—especially after the Marama’s
Skin; Deficiencies: Disturbing Voice (Mute); Derangements:
Fell holocaust—to curb the excesses of the Dragon-Blooded
Cannibalism (deformity)
Shogunate. The Unconquered Sun abruptly ceased using
Hive Mind—Hushed ones do not need to speak. They share
his tiny minions after the Great Contagion, and some in
a hive mind that enables all of them to act as one. Whatever
Heaven believe the Deathlords somehow co-opted the mice
one of them knows, the rest of their pack knows as well.
for their own vile ends. With the return of the Lawgivers to
Packs become increasingly dangerous over time, from the
knowledge and experience of everyone in the pack’s history.
Represent this through higher War ratings. Hushed ones
routinely coordinate their attacks, surround opponents so
one of them can attack from behind, and practice similar
strategies.
Wyld Healing—While in the Bordermarches or deeper in the
Wyld, hushed ones heal one level of lethal damage every 30
minutes or one level of bashing damage every 15 minutes.
Join Battle: 8
Attacks:
Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 7L, Parry DV 5, Rate 3
Rate 1
Slashing Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 10, Damage 9L, Parry
DV 4, Rate 3

Creation, however, the King of Heaven might once more Attributes: Strength 50, Dexterity 1, Stamina 100; Charisma 1,
send the mice of the sun to assist his Chosen… or convey Manipulation 1, Appearance 1; Perception 1, Intelligence 1,
his displeasure. Wits 1
Motivation: To do the Unconquered Sun’s bidding. Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 2,
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 1; Charisma 2, Valor 2
Manipulation 2, Appearance 2; Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 1, Integrity 5, Martial
Wits 4 Arts 2, Presence 6
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5*, Temperance 3, Powers:
Valor 5* Aura of Frozen Fog—A cloud of frozen fog surrounds Mostath
* Cannot fail Conviction or Valor rolls. for one mile in all directions. Visibility within the cloud is
Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Dodge 4, Integrity 3, limited to 20 feet, and all Awareness and Perception rolls
Investigation 1, Larceny 3, Martial Arts 1, Resistance 3, suffer a -2 external penalty. See The Compass of Celestial
Stealth 5 Directions, Vol. II—The Wyld, pages 69–70, for additional
Powers: information on frozen fog.
Anima Banner—Mice of the sun can project the anima ban- Herder of Mountains—Mostath feels vibrations coursing
ner of any Solar Caste, making use of any anima effect for throughout Creation and instinctively knows the movements
the normal Essence cost. of all glaciers in the North, all of which are influenced to
Paw of Destiny—As Hand of Destiny, but at no Essence or varying degrees by the behemoth’s own slow course. It in-
Willpower cost. Mice of the sun always act instinctively to fallibly senses disruptions to the glaciers’ proper movement
fulfill some greater goal set by Heaven’s King. and changes course to set the situation right by the most
Join Battle: 7 direct route and at its swiftest speed (100 miles/year). This
Attacks: rare event results in environmental chaos along Mostath’s
Bite: Speed 4, Accuracy 5, Damage 2L, Parry DV —, Rate 1 course, with earthquakes, frozen fog banks, bizarre storms
Soak: 0L/2B and shifts in the landscape happening all around him. Such
Health Levels: -0/-1/-2/-4/Incap disruptions take time to repair as well, guaranteeing additional
Dodge DV: 5 Willpower: 8 visitations along the path for centuries to come—which
Other Notes: On rare occasions, the King of Heaven sends
a mouse of the sun to accompany an Exalt for a time. The
mouse functions as Familiar •••. Such assignments never last
long, however, and they happen when the Storyteller wants
them to. Mice of the sun are not appropriate as familiars for
starting characters.
MOUNT MOSTATH, THE HERDER OF MOUNTAINS
Mount Mostath is an ice-covered behemoth surrounded
by a veil of freezing fog. It looks like a mountain, except for
the tusks. Wyld barbarians worship the creature and follow
its wake of snow and ice as the behemoth “herds” glaciers and
the ice-clad mountains that it resembles. No one knows the
behemoth’s origin or why it shifts the paths of glaciers one way
or another. A few ancient shamans of the most remote barbar-
ian tribes know rituals to control Mount Mostath’s direction,
however, setting it on enemy towns or away from their own
villages, but otherwise the behemoth goes its own way.
The behemoth moves very slowly (100 miles/year), but
has nearly unstoppable strength. Mountains in the creature’s
path sense its coming and slowly move aside to make way,
sliding back into place after he passes (unless the behemoth
pushes them to stay in their new location). It is difficult to
get Mount Mostath’s attention, but if angered, it extrudes a
mighty trunk—like an elephant’s but immensely larger and
a mile long—and swats the irritation.
Motivation: To guide glaciers in their proper courses and
keep mountains in their proper places.
152
virtually dooms any attempts at civilization in these places
until Mount Mostath decides that every mountain and glacier
is in its proper place.
Join Battle: 2
Attacks:
Trample: Speed 9, Accuracy 1, Damage Special*, Parry DV 1,
Rate 1
* Anything that doesn’t get out of Mount Mostath’s way is
utterly crushed beneath its bulk or (if indestructible) driven
deep into the ground. Storytellers who need something
more definite can say the trample deals 100 levels (not
dice) of aggravated damage. A similar fate awaits anyone
who somehow manages to kill the behemoth, as it writhes
in its death-agonies.
Trunk: Speed 9, Accuracy 1, Damage 50L, Parry DV 1,
Rate 1
Soak: 50L/100B (Hardness: 50L/50B)
Health Levels: -0x50/-1x100/-2x100/-4x50/Incap
Essence: 8 Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Dodge 5, Integrity 2,
Other Notes: Mount Mostath is immune to all cold ef- Linguistics (Native: Unicorn Song; Others: Old Realm,
fects. The creature suffers no visibility penalty itself from Skytongue) 2, Martial Arts 4, Presence 4, Stealth 4, Sur-
the frozen fog. vival 4
Powers:
UNICORNS Aerial Gallop—In Creation, unicorns can gallop across chasms
These Wyld-spawned creatures resemble pure-white or run a few inches above rough terrain for six motes of commit-
horses with cloven hooves, a lion’s tail, featureless, glowing ted Essence and three additional motes per hour. In Rakshastan,
blue eyes and a yard-long, spiraling horn of translucent opal. they can run from one driftland to another or otherwise charge
Their voices sound like a sublime symphony, and their move- across the sky effortlessly (no Essence cost).
ments show a grace beyond anything possible in nature. A Sacred Mien—The grandeur and majesty of a unicorn’s ap-
unicorn’s otherworldly beauty stuns and entrances mortals pearance stuns would-be attackers. A would-be attacker
who cross their paths in the wilderness. The creatures are cannot even try to attack unless his player first succeeds
very intelligent and can speak. Some unicorns live in small at a Willpower roll for each attack (difficulty 1 for missile
groups, and unicorns who usually live alone may nevertheless weapons, 2 for Melee or Martial Arts combat). No roll is
gather to mate or sing. necessary to defend against an attacking unicorn.
Unicorns defend Bordermarch locations of great beauty Wyld Immunity—Unicorns are immune to Wyld mutation,
or power against anyone who would destroy, damage or shaping effects and works of glamour. Yet, they share the
reshape the land. These creatures can live anywhere in Fair Folk’s vulnerabilities to cold iron and to being bound
Creation, though, without heed to environmental dangers by their oaths.
such as extreme cold or heat and do not require food. Some Join Battle: 6
unicorns enjoy traveling throughout Creation. Attacks:
No power less than Solar Circle sorcery can control a Gore: Speed 3, Accuracy 12, Damage 16L, Parry DV 4,
unicorn’s behavior or even cause one to appear less than Rate 1
perfectly graceful and elegant. A unicorn held captive Kick: Speed 4, Accuracy 10, Damage 12L, Parry DV 4,
sickens and dies within weeks, but is soon reborn out of the Rate 2
Middlemarch ice. Some unicorns ally themselves with select Soak: 12L/16B (Iridescent white perfection, 8L/9B)
raksha nobles, Solar Exalted or truly heroic mortals (Familiar Health Levels: -0x3/-1x3/-2x3/-4/Incap
•••••)—a mark of high status among Fair Folk. Dodge DV: 6 Willpower: 8
Motivation: To guard the Wyld against intruders. Essence: 3 Essence Pool: 30
Attributes: Strength 8, Dexterity 4, Stamina 7; Charisma 4, Other Notes: None
Wits 3 VODAK
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 3, Few beings remember Vodak’s name. Those that do
Valor 4 never speak that name out of fear that doing so will awaken
the horror and cause it to rise once more.

Valor 2
Abilities: Awareness 5 (Sense Life +3), Dodge 1, Integrity 9,
Lore 4, Martial Arts 5, Occult 3, Presence 8
Backgrounds: Cult (Darkbroods) 5, Followers (Simulacra) 5
Powers:
Control Simulacra—For one mote, Vodak can issue a telepathic
order to one of its simulacra, regardless of distance. This is a
reflexive action. The simulacrum must obey the command
without exception. Alternatively, Vodak can spend a mote
to usurp the creature’s voice or senses for a scene.
Corrosive Contact—Any organic matter that touches Vodak
suffers damage equal to an acid bath (see Exalted, p. 131).
Armor does not protect against this environmental effect,
as Vodak’s plasm seeps past such barriers. Apply this dam-
age separately whenever Vodak successfully strikes with a
pseudopod or when a combatant strikes the hekatonkhire
with a Martial Arts attack.
Create Simulacra—Vodak can excrete a duplicate of any
being it has ever consumed. Such simulacra have the
memories of and act in the same manner as the original
beings. They might even believe they are the originals,
despite all evidence to the contrary. Vodak may take control
of its simulacra to alter their memories or make them do
whatever it pleases. Only one copy of any being can exist
at one time, however. This power costs two motes for every
Vodak is a hekatonkhire—a ghost-behemoth of bub- health level of the original being. These motes are commit-
bling, writhing quicksilver born from the spilled blood and ted until the simulacrum dies. When a simulacrum dies or
vitriolic hatred of the first Primordial to die. As the Primor- Vodak withdraws the committed Essence, the simulacrum
dial War continued, the beast devoured every living thing dissolves into a silvery powder.
it encountered, then swelled its mass further on the ghosts Devour Essence—When Vodak touches a being at the mo-
of the slain. Its cunning and evil grew as well until Vodak ment of death, it regains a number of motes equal to the
became an undulating lake of necrotic power. being’s (Stamina + Essence), after which the soul of the
Long ago, Vodak exterminated the city that later became being becomes a part of Vodak, lingering on in semi-aware
Gethamane, and the Mountain Folk sealed the hekatonkhire pain for eternity.
beneath the city. In time, mortals returned to Gethamane. Immortal—Mundane weapons cannot harm Vodak. Magical
Only the city’s broken gods remember the hekatonkhire, but weapons and effects can harm the hekatonkhire, but “killing”
those who delve into Gethamane’s deepest passages discover Vodak merely forces the hekatonkhire into quiescence for
that Vodak is by no means dormant. The horror still seeks a a century while it re-forms in the Labyrinth. Vodak can be
way to break the ancient seals that keep it imprisoned. destroyed permanently only by being cast into the Mouth
Vodak harbors an intense hatred for the Solar Exalted. It of Oblivion.
will use every malign power and every bit of cruel craftiness Interpenetrating Realities—Vodak exists simultaneously in
at its disposal to humiliate and torture them and anyone they Creation and the Underworld. It constantly perceives both
treasure in an elaborate, ritualistic play of madness, pain and worlds and can affect objects and entities in both.
death. Vodak has learned patience over the millennia and Telepathy—Vodak can project its thoughts into any sentient
can hold its rage in check—but if the binding magic breaks, being in line of sight. The target “hears” this projection as a
its unquenchable thirst for vengeance will overtake it. horrific, discordant cacophony of voices—those of Vodak’s
Motivation: To escape from its prison and destroy all that previous victims—that disorients as well as enthralls, such
lives. that all Awareness rolls suffer a –2 external penalty. Targets
Attributes: Strength 30, Dexterity 3, Stamina Immeasurable*; may respond telepathically if they choose. This power is com-
Charisma 1, Manipulation 4, Appearance 0; Perception 5, municative only—Vodak cannot use this power to control
Intelligence 4, Wits 3 a target. Characters can block out Vodak’s voice through a
*Vodak automatically succeeds in all rolls involving successful Willpower roll at difficulty 4.
Stamina. Join Battle: 8
154
Attacks:
Pseudopodia: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 30L + corrosion,
Parry DV 4, Rate 4
Soak: 30L/60B (Protean body)
Health Levels: -0x200/Quiescent
Other Notes: Vodak does not suffer normal progressive
dice penalties for taking multiple actions. Instead, it loses
one die for every non-reflexive action performed in a flurry
after the first.
Sunlight harms Vodak’s plasm, inflicting one level of aggra-
vated damage per five ticks of exposure. Vodak can take no
actions while exposed to sunlight except to retreat. Direct
sunlight also destroys Vodak’s simulacra, which dissolve into
silvery powder at its touch.
VORVIN-DERLIN, SLAYER OF ARMIES
The Primordial that would become Isidoros, the Black
Boar That Twists the Skies, forged the behemoth Vorvin-
Derlin from his own immortal sinew. The Primordial designed
the behemoth as a bizarre war engine that grew in power to
match the forces ranged against it. The greater the army, the
more surely the Slayer of Armies would annihilate it.
During the Primordial War, however, Vorvin-Derlin
could not calibrate its defenses appropriately to defeat Backgrounds: Manse 5 (Conduit to Isidoros restores Essence
the Exalted, whose might far outstretched their number. as a level-5 manse)
Time and again, the Slayer of Armies was destroyed, but Powers:
its dead husk drew fresh life from Creation itself, and it Barbed Surface—Anyone striking Vorvin-Derlin barehanded
rose again. The terms of Isidoros’s exile dictated that suffers 6L damage from its jagged metal flesh.
Vorvin-Derlin follow its master into banishment but Inexhaustible Defense—Vorvin-Derlin’s Defense Values
return when called as if it were a Second Circle demon. are not reduced by the behemoth making attacks (single
An accident during the Usurpation left Vorvin-Derlin or flurries) or other actions. Attackers can never reduce
masterless but buried in the ruined city of Opal Spire, Vorvin-Derlin’s DVs through onslaughts, coordinated at-
where it has waited ever since. tacks, attacking from behind or any other mundane tactic,
Vorvin-Derlin resembles a hollow humanoid cage of either. Charms that reduce a foe’s DV still function against
tarnished brass filigree that extrudes and retracts razor-sharp the Slayer of Armies.
barbs from its body with an insistent rhythm like that of a Gale of Barbs—With a wave of its hand, Vorvin-Derlin can
beating heart. The creature undulates and shifts its shape launch a volley of darts formed from its jagged metal flesh.
constantly as it moves, every step sinewy and hypnotic. It This attack has the same effect as the spell Death of Obsidian
retains this semi-humanoid shape as long as it must but Butterflies (see Exalted, p. 252), with an area of effect 30
prefers to envelop a living host as an exoskeleton. When the feet wide and 10 feet high. The attack roll is (Dexterity +
behemoth takes a host, red flames smolder in the gouged-out Thrown) and the base damage is 1L. Costs 15 motes.
pits of its vessel’s eyes. Verdigris coats every non-magical Mechanism’s Bane—Machines and First Age artifacts react
metal object within one mile of Vorvin-Derlin. unpredictably whenever Vorvin-Derlin comes within five
Motivation: To obey Isidoros and express its purpose by miles of them. The more sophisticated the device, the more
defeating armies and other powerful adversaries. likely it will exhibit some unexpected behavior. Every day,
Attributes: Strength 5*, Dexterity 5*, Stamina 5*; Charisma 1, for each artifact in range, roll a number of dice equal to the
Manipulation 1, Appearance 0; Perception 3*, Intelligence 2*, device’s Artifact rating. (Roll one die for water-mills and
Wits 5* other mundane mechanisms.) The number of successes
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 2*, Temperance 1*, indicates the degree of malfunction. If all dice are successes,
Valor 6 the device becomes inoperable and requires repair. N/A
Abilities: Athletics 10, Awareness 5, Dodge 10*, Martial Artifacts are not affected.
Arts 10*, Melee 10*, Presence 7 (Intimidation +3), Resis- Might of the Slaughterer—By spending five motes following
tance 10*, Stealth 5*, Survival 5*, Thrown 10*, War 10* a successful attack, Vorvin-Derlin draws blood from an

opponent it has not previously wounded and gains one ad-
ditional dot each of Strength, Dexterity, Stamina and Martial BEASTS OF THE NORTH
Arts. The behemoth loses the additional dice at the end of The North is a cold, harsh land, where only the most
the scene unless it spends five additional motes to retain the fearsome and dangerous creatures can survive.
bonus for a scene longer. ARCTIC
Nigh Unkillable—The behemoth possesses immortality on the DEMITAURS
scale of a Primordial. If slain, it reconstructs itself after one An arctic
year of quiescence. Short of being killed, it heals one level demitaur stands
of bashing damage every action, one level of lethal damage upright, with a
every minute and one level of aggravated damage every day. bull’s head, a
The creature is immune to all Sickness, Poison and Crippling quarterhorse’s
effects, whether natural or supernatural. Within a year, it legs and the
reverses all Shaping effects used against it. torso and arms
Primal Fusion—If in control of a clinch, Vorvin-Derlin can of a strong man,
spend 20 motes to engulf a living victim in a mass of spiked all covered in
filaments. The behemoth becomes a second skin, rooting itself thick, white fur.
deep into its victim’s bones and muscles. Creatures without Long, sharp fangs
an active Essence are instantly engulfed. Targets that channel protrude from
Essence can escape the behemoth’s grip through a successful the creature’s
(Stamina + Resistance) roll. If Vorvin-Derlin succeeds in mouth.
merging with a victim, it adds the host’s rating in any traits A r c t i c
marked with an asterisk in this write-up to its own rating demitaurs live
for the duration of the fusion (Conviction and Temperance primarily in secluded valleys where they graze on moss, grass,
have a maximum of 5, however). A subsumed victim loses twigs and lichens. When left alone, they hardly seem violent
control over her body, and the behemoth has access to all at all. When others encroach on their home, however, the
of her knowledge and memories. Vorvin-Derlin can release demitaurs enter a murderous frenzy. The herd leaves its valleys
hosts at will, usually to merge with a host of greater power. It in a wild rampage, trampling and attacking other creatures
leaves former hosts blind and horribly scarred (Appearance virtually at random, until they find another peaceful place.
1, plus effects of maiming and blindness). A demitaur attacks with its mighty fists and rugged
Turning Steel—If an attack roll against Vorvin-Derlin garners hooves, which can crush armor and weapons just as effectively
four or fewer successes, the behemoth maneuvers the attack as they can flesh and bone.
to strike an alternative target within five yards (but not the Weapon-Crushing Hooves: If the roll for a demitaur’s
original attacker). The new target may dodge or otherwise trample attack achieves three or more successes, the creature
defend against this attack normally. This power has no Es- strikes the target’s weapon. If the damage exceeds the required
sence cost and operates reflexively. (Strength + Athletics) total—8 for swords and most other
Join Battle: 10* metal weapons, 3 for wooden weapons such as bows—the
Attacks: weapon shatters. Also, the targeted character’s player must
Punch: Speed 4, Accuracy 16, Damage 9L, Parry DV 8*, succeed at a reflexive Strength roll (difficulty 1) or the
Rate 3 character is disarmed whether his weapon breaks or not. This
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 15, Damage 11L, Parry DV 6, ability of the arctic
Rate 2 demitaur has no
Barb Slash: Speed 3, Accuracy 17, Damage 10L, Parry DV 10, effect on unarmed
Rate 3 opponents or on
Soak: 16L/15B (Infernal brass body, 13L/10B) weapons made
Health Levels: -0*x5/-1*x6/-2*x7/-4/Quiescent from the magical
Dodge DV: 11 Willpower: 8 materials.
Other Notes: Some combat traits may need to be recalculated CTHRITAE
as a result of the behemoth using the powers Might of the Gethamane
Slaughterer and Primal Fusion. knows the cthritae
The behemoth cannot fail Valor rolls. all too well, as
Vorvin-Derlin is a Second Circle demon for the purposes they are among
of summoning, binding or banishing it through sorcery, but the most abundant
for no other purpose. horrors of the tun-
nels beneath the
156
city. A cthrita looks like a man-sized centipede carved of have snow-
onyx and black opal, whose massive mandibles drip with white fur.)
quicksilver. These creatures run on stone walls or ceilings as Roughened
easily as the floor—usually in packs of at least a dozen. They paws enable
can chew through rock at a rate of a foot an hour, but only great-terrors
do so if they know prey awaits beyond a barrier—so they will to lope over
chew through a door (they can smell people beyond it) but slippery ice.
will not spend weeks tunneling upwards toward Gethamane. In the dark,
(At least, not unless they are simulacra controlled by Vodak.) their eyes
Cthritae can see in complete darkness. catch any
Cthritae lack human intelligence but possess formidable light with a
instinctive cunning. Their motives are to feed and breed. fiery, orange
They can live on rock and water but prefer organic prey. glow.
Feeding cthritae rip their prey apart and roll in the bloody Male
remains in a sort of frenzy. Breeding cthritae sever a victim’s great-terrors
tendons and force eggs down the prey’s throat. The eggs hatch hunt alone.
within hours and devour their host from within, reaching The females
adult size in a day. gather in
packs of up
GREAT to half a
EAGLES dozen. All
These great-terrors growl, bark and whinny as they chase their
oversized prey. At the kill, a great-terror bays in a way that sounds
eagles hunt like maniacal laughter.
elk and rein- Few dare to hunt great-terrors. Not only are these crea-
deer the way tures fast, wily and extremely hardy, but great-terror meat
normal rap- tastes rotten (though it is harmless) and their oily, pungent
tors hunt pelts are nearly worthless. Big game hunters may seek the
rabbits and glory of slaying the North’s fiercest predator, though only
squirrels. Exalted hunters (such as a number of justly famous Dynasts)
Great eagles have much chance of killing great-terrors.
stand 10–12 A century ago, the Fair Folk raider called White Harper
feet tall with used glamour to enchant a large pack of great-terrors—the
wingspans only known case of anyone taming these beasts. White Harper
reaching 30 feet. Their feathers bear white and gray mark- used his great-terrors to gather slaves, jade and other treasures
ings. Although great eagles are one of the favorite totem as he carved out a sizeable domain. The Wyld Hunt did not
animals of the North, Guild-sponsored sport hunters have kill him directly… but wounded and weakened him enough
hunted them nearly to extinction. Gerd Marrow-Eater cur- that the great-terrors turned on the raksha and slew him.
rently works on restoring the species. He has bred and trained
a legion of them, quite probably the largest population of HORNED SNOW HUNTERS
great eagles left in Creation. Horned snow hunters (also called snow devils) roam the
Great eagles have the same traits as Metagalapan war- tundra and taiga of the Northeast but sometimes venture west
hawks (see The Compass of Terrestrial Directions, Vol. along the White Sea. Their blunt-jawed snout resembles that
III—The East, pp. 158 and 160). No one has tamed great of a dog, with sharp, cat-like teeth and fangs. Two horns point
eagles to bear riders, however, and no one could without forward like spears from the top of their long-eared heads.
using Charms. Silky white fur provides excellent camouflage in snow and
ice. Snow devils stand three to four feet at the shoulder and
GREAT-TERRORS can weigh up to 300 pounds. They are brilliant hunters who
These terrifying carnivores are the scourge of the North as display complex tactics of flanking, ambushing, baiting and
they feast on reindeer herds, mammoth and unlucky travelers corralling their prey.
or villagers. No prey smaller than a man is worth their trouble These creatures avoid humans, and attack them only if
to hunt. These gigantic hairy canine creatures grow 10–12 provoked or cornered. Humans do not return the favor. Horned
feet tall and about 16 feet long. A great-terror’s monstrous, snow hunters eat the same sort of animals that humans do.
fang-filled jaws can easily crush a man’s skull. Great-terrors Moreover, the snow devil has sweet and savory meat, luxuri-
have jaggedly striped brown or black pelts, matted into a ously soft and warm fur, strong sinews and tough bones suitable
crest along their backs. (In the extreme North, these beasts

for carving Ice hollows attack all warm-blooded creatures. They
into tools. usually do not attack cold-blooded creatures, which usually
No one go unmolested unless they provoke the ice hollows. Winter
actually Folk, hushed ones and similar Northern threats sometimes
tames a tame ice hollows and train them as one would a dog (control
horned snow rating 4; Familiar •••).
hunter, but
these crea-
ICE WEASELS
Ice weasels
tures do form
hunt through
rare hunting
the frozen for-
partnerships
est alone or in
with trusted
pairs. Adults
individuals.
grow three
This process
feet tall at the
takes months
shoulder and
or years of
reach 10 feet
patient effort
from nose to
to gain the
tail-tip. They
snow hunt-
have stark white
er’s trust.
fur and small,
The human hunters—usually Exalted but sometimes
black eyes. An
mortal—become legendary in the North and are highly
extraordinary
sought-after for ridding provinces of vermin and predators.
sense of smell
Snow hunters have a control rating of 5 and are Familiar
makes the ice
•••••. They cannot survive outside the frozen North,
weasel an ex-
suffering one die of bashing damage for each day in warm
cellent tracker,
surroundings. Unlike many Northern creatures, horned snow
even across
hunters are active from autumn through spring but hibernate
wide expanses. The Winter Folk sometimes domesticate
through the summer.
ice weasels and use them as hounds. Working in tandem, ice
ICE weasels can slay prey as large as a mammoth. Ice weasels are
HOLLOWS also hunted themselves for their soft, warm fur, which is one
T h e of the most expensive in Creation (requiring Resources •••
W y l d to purchase in the North and Resources •••• elsewhere).
spawned Jaw Lock: Ice weasels bring down their prey by locking
these crystal- their jaws on a leg or neck. This attack inflicts an addition
clear giant level of lethal damage automatically each action. After three
insects. De- actions the limb is severed. Only by breaking the creature’s
spite their jaw through a (Strength + Athletics) roll at difficulty 5 can
glassy ap- one release an ice
pearance weasel’s grip.
and spindly SHARD
legs, how-
ever, ice
BATS
These
hollows take
white-furred
a lot of dam-
bats hunt by
age to kill.
day, cam-
The insects
ouflaged
swiftly glide
against the
over the
snow-capped
snow and ice in search of warm-blooded prey. They often
mountains and
hunt near frozen lakes and rivers but avoid open water. An
the clouds in
ice hollow has huge mandibles with which to seize prey and
the sky. They
a long proboscis for sucking blood. After feeding, an ice hol-
stand two feet
low’s transparent body becomes threaded with crimson.
tall and have
158
an eight-foot wingspan, with sharp, gripping claws and tiny SPAWN OF
serrated teeth. The tips of their wings secrete a viscous bile VODAK
that freezes in the icy air, forming extremely sharp blades T h e
along the wings’ edges. A shard bat attacks by swooping past hekatonkhire
its prey to slash with its wings, but it must take a miscel- Vodak buds off
laneous action between attacks to wheel about for another small copies of
pass. Lacking this option, the bat can bite or claw. itself to sweep
Colonies of dozens of shard bats nest in Northern through Geth-
caves. The bats scour the frozen landscape for prey, using amane. These
echolocation to detect smaller rodents and birds. They usu- copies exist
ally hunt in packs of 10 or more, flying in perfect formation only in the
until they attack. Travelers in groups of four or more have Underworld’s
little to fear from shard bats, but these beasts may attack analogue to
smaller groups. Because shard bats rely heavily on surprise, Gethamane,
however, they usually seek other prey if the fight lasts more where they
than a minute. hunt ghosts.
Echolocation: Like normal bats, shard bats can sense When they de-
their surroundings by sending out pulses of sound too high- stroy a victim,
pitched for humans to hear and listening for the echoes. they return to
This echo sense is quite as accurate as sight. It can still be rejoin their creator and deliver their devoured Essence.
“blinded” by effects that cause deafness, though. Spawn have Essence 3 but no Essence pool. They try to
SNOW grapple victims. A victim takes no Strength-based dam-
LIONS age (for the spawn cannot exert physical force), but suffers
T h e s e environmental damage as if from an acid bath (see Exalted,
hulking preda- p. 131) for every action in which the spawn manages to
tors of the Far continue the clinch. Naturally, spawn of Vodak rely on their
North stand Dexterity for grappling attacks. A spawn of Vodak covers
10 feet at the an area 10 yards wide. It can initiate only one clinch per
shoulder, with action, but it can hold up to six victims at once without
razor-sharp suffering any penalty.
claws and YETI
teeth. Rear- Fierce and
ing upright, a strongly terri-
snow lion can torial, these
attack prey 20 cannibalistic
feet overhead. simians form
Their eyes are troupes of one
a hypnotic pale male and four
blue and their to six females,
coats are white or gray, with pale, mottled markings. plus young, all
Snow lions burrow deep in snowdrifts and lie in wait living in natu-
for prey to approach. Those who accidentally walk over a ral caves or in
snow lion’s burrow may cause it to collapse, falling into the frigid forests of
snow and ice with the snow lion. The victim takes 5B fall- the Northeast.
ing damage and the attentive snow lion can attempt one In addition to
unexpected attack. A snow lion can also attempt an ambush bearing and
by leaping out from a snowbank. Snow lions sometimes fol- rearing the yeti
low those who do not collapse their burrows, tracking prey young, the female yeti haunt the dangerous mountain passes
until they are asleep or some other opportune moment. and quiet woods in their territory, an area usually encompass-
Snow lions usually hunt alone. While they normally hunt ing a few square miles, while the male watches for unexpected
animals ranging from elk to mammoth, they regard humans dangers. Yeti are absolutely immune to cold.
as just more livestock.

Name Str/Dex/Sta Per/Int/ Health Attack Dodge DV/
Wits/Will Levels (Spd/Acc/ Soak
Dmg/Rate)
Arctic Demitaur 6/2/5 2/1/3/5 -0x2/-1x4/ Punch: 5/7/7B/3, 2/8L/13B
-2x4/-4/I Trample: 7/6/9B*/2
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 4, Dodge 3, Martial Arts 4, Presence 2 (Intimidation +2), Resistance 2 (Endure
Cold +3), Survival 5
Cthrita 2/3/2 3/1/2/3 -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/I Bite: 5/4/6L/2 2/4L/8B
Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 2, Dodge 2, Integrity 2 (Mindless Ferocity +3), Martial Arts 2, Resistance 3,
Stealth 3, Survival 1 (Underground +2)
Great-Terror 10/5/10 2/1/3/2 -0x4/-1x5/ Bite: 5/8/13L/2, 4/6L/10B
-2x5/-4/I Claw: 4/8/11L/3
Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 4, Dodge 3, Martial Arts 3, Presence 4 (Intimidation +3), Resistance (Endure
Cold +3), Stealth 4, Survival 5
Horned Snow Hunter 6/3/5 5/2/3/5 -0x2/-1x4/ Bite: 5/6/9L/1, 3/3L/6B
-2x4/-4x3/I Claw 4/8/7L/3, Gore: 5/6/9L/2
Abilities: Athletics 5, Awareness 3 (Hearing +2, Sight +1), Dodge 3, Martial Arts 3, Presence 2 (Intimidation +2),
Resistance 4 (Endure Cold +3), Stealth 4 (Ambush +2), Survival 4
Ice Hollow 4/4/4 2/1/3/3 -0/-1x6/-2x6/-4/I Bite: 5/9/5L/1 4/4L/5B
Abilities: Awareness 4, Dodge 4, Martial Arts 5, Presence 2, Resistance 5 (Cold +2), Stealth 5
Ice Weasel 4/6/4 3/1/2/5 -0/-1x4/-4/I Bite: 5/11/ 6/6L/10B
6L+jaw lock/1
Abilities: Athletics 6, Awareness 3, Dodge 6, Martial Arts 5, Resistance 3 (Endure Cold +3), Stealth 4 (In Snow +3),
Survival 4 (Sense Traps +3)
Shard Bat 1/5/3 3/1/3/3 -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/I Bite: 5/9/2L/1, 5/2L/6B
Claw 4/9/5L/3, Wing: 3/10/8L/2
Abilities: Athletics 5 (Flying +3), Awareness (Echolocation +3), Dodge 5, Martial Arts 4, Resistance 1 (Endure
Cold +3), Stealth 3, Survival 3
Snow Lion 10/3/8 4/1/3/3 -0/-1x4/-2x3/-4/I Bite: 5/7/14L/1, 2/4L/8B
Claw: 4/9/13L/3
Abilities: Athletics 3 (Tunnel Movement +3), Awareness (Interpret Snow Tremors +3), Dodge 2, Martial Arts 4,
Resistance 3 (Endure Cold +3), Stealth 3 (Ambush +3), Survival 3 (Dig Tunnels and Traps +3)
Spawn of Vodak 0/3/0 3/1/2/6 -0/-1x2/-2x2/I Envelop: 5/7/Special*/1 4/6L/6B
Abilities: Athletics 3, Dodge 5, Integrity 4, Martial Arts 4
Yeti 6/3/5 4/2/4/3 -0/-0/-1/-1/ Claw: 4/7/7L/2 3/2L/5B
-2/-2/-4/I Bite: 5/5/9L/1
Abilities: Awareness 4, Dodge 3, Integrity 2, Investigation 3, Martial Arts 3, Presence 2 (Intimidation +2),
Resistance 2, Stealth 4, Survival 5
160

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The North is home to

THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, VOL. V — THE NORTH

predators, deadly winters and

The fifth of five Terrestrial Direction books

ISBN: 978-1-58846-379-1 WW80204 $24.99 U.S.

9 781588 463791 w w w .w hite-w olf.c om / exa lte d

blue flower (order #1639287) 7

THE COMPASS OF TERRESTRIAL DIRECTIONS, VOL. V — THE NORTH

predators, deadly winters and

The fifth of five Terrestrial Direction books

ISBN: 978-1-58846-379-1 WW80204 $24.99 U.S.

9 781588 463791 w w w .w hite-w olf.c om / exa lte d

blue flower (order #1639287) 71.35.121.104

BY MICHAEL KESSLER, PRISCILLA KIM, ERIC MINTON,

blue flower (order #1639287) 7

NOW AVAILABLE IN THIS SERIES:

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Day after day, throughout the winter,

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WORDS ON THE WIND

CHAPTER ONE • WORDS ON THE WIND 9

blue flower (order #1639287) 7

blue flower (order #1639287) 7

CHAPTER ONE • WORDS ON THE WIND 11

blue flower (order #1639287) 7

blue flower (order #1639287) 7

CHAPTER ONE • WORDS ON THE WIND 13

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blue flower (order #1639287) 7

CHAPTER ONE • WORDS ON THE WIND 15

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blue flower (order #1639287) 7

THE ONCE-HOLY CITY

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 19

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 21

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 23

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 25

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 27

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 29

CHAPTER TWO • THE ONCE-HOLY CITY 31

Whitewall, a Magnitude 4 Dominion

THE CITY UNDER THE

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 35

COMING OF THE GUILD

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 37

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 39

THE FARMER CULT

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 41

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 43

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 45

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 47

CHAPTER THREE • THE CITY UNDER THE MOUNTAIN 49

Gethamane, a Magnitude 3 Dominion

AIR BOATS AND

CHAPTER FOUR • AIR BOATS AND AMBITION 53