A R O L E - P L AY I N G G A M E

BY KEITH SENKOWSKI
Written and Created by: Keith Senkowski
Edited by: George Pontikis
Layout and Design: Keith Senkowski
Cover Design: Keith Senkowski
Cover Art: Pat Loboyko
Cartography: Keith Senkowski
Interior Art:
Keith Senkowski (pages 3-6, 8-12, 14, 16, 18-19, 24, 26, 30, 31-33, 44, 47-
48, 51-52, 54-56, 58, 61, 64-65, 68-70, 73, 75-76, 78-81, 84-86, 88, 91-92,
95, 97, 100-101, 103-104, 107, 111)
Pat Loboyko (pages 1, 29, 34, 37, 43, 71, 74, 99, 102, 108, 113-114, 116)

Playtesters and Creative Consultants: John Bracich, Nathan Fairchild,

Jonathan Hawkins, Kevin Herbon, Andy Rabin, Jim Milak, Pete Sideris,
Mark Stasiorowski, and Jennifer Senkowski.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my mother and father for their support over the years. Without it I doubt this game would
have ever been completed. My wife also deserves a special thanks for the support as well as for being forced to
listen to me ramble on throughout the entire process. I would also like to thank my friends for putting up with this
game in its various stages of development. I know they would have rather played in a consistent game and not be
bombarded with new rules every time we got together. Finally, I would like to thank Ron Edwards and the folks at
the Forge for proving that independent publishing can be done and giving me some guidance on how.

Copyright 2004 by Keith Senkowski

All rights reserved.
The header and footer scrollwork is copyrighted by Dover Publications, Inc. 2001 and is used with permission.
Any mention of other copyrighted material is not a challenge to that copyright.
This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part including illustrations in any form, without written
permission from Keith Senkowski.
 TABLE OF C O N TE N TS

INTRODUCTION
CONSPIRACY OF SHADOWS ................................................ 5
CHAPTER ONE
THE PEOPLE OF POLIAN .................................................. 10
CHAPTER TWO
THE LANDSCAPE OF POLIAN ............................................. 33
CHAPTER THREE
CHARACTER CREATION ..................................................... 55
CHAPTER FOUR
THE MYSTIC ARTS...........................................................70
CHAPTER FIVE
THE RULES OF THE GAME.................................................81
CHAPTER SIX
CREATING A CONSPIRACY ..................................................101

INDEX ............................................................................ 117

 4
 Sergi Jalak was a young priest working as a librarian at the great
library of St. Ordu in Tyre in 769 when he rst stumbled across the journal of
Antonio de Ferarra. As the youngest priest in the library with the least amount
of inuence, he was charged with dusting the library, a less glamorous job
cannot be found in the great center of knowledge. While doing so he discovered
the journal, which had fallen behind several books. Whether out of curiosity
or boredom from his work, he stopped and began to read the book. What he
found within would change his life and the lives of many others forever.
Within the journal he read an account of a man driven mad by an
obsession with the truth. Antonio de Ferarra was a priest who worked as a
librarian at St. Ordu in the late 400s. He, unlike Sergi, was a priest of importance
who spent his days cataloging and collecting knowledge, not dusting books and
running errands. In his work he had found a pattern of events that when brought together
under the light revealed a disturbing truth.
Ferarra learned that there was a conspiracy afoot in the world that was seeking mankinds destruction. At the
heart of this conspiracy are demons. He believed, and the evidence he collected pointed in this direction, that demons had
been slowly seeping into the world from Infernum for years. Not only were they responsible for terrible deeds, their mere
presence seemed to corrupt the world, changing it to mirror their home. What their purpose was for coming to Polian he
could not decipher.
Yet, however terrifying a thought it was that demons had been populating the world, what truly shocked Sergi as
he read on was that Ferarra had identied human beings, both men and women, of all walks of life, have been helping
demons come to Polian unbound. He called these vile persons the Brotherhood, though he admitted he did not know their
true name, if they even had one, though he listed those whose names he had discovered.
This book gripped Sergi with a passion to know more. He quickly made his way to the archives to learn all he
could about this priest Ferarra, but he found no record of him. Confused he asked the archivist for aid. Neither of them
could nd any sign of this mysterious priest so Sergi left to go to his chambers, his mind reeling with questions.
Late that night he was awoken as two, what he could only assume where men, had broken in. They grabbed him,
bound his limbs and covered his head in a sack. The sack was soaked in some sort of elixir and soon the ght left him, only
to be replaced by sleep. When next he awoke he was sitting in a dark room tied to a chair. The only light was a dim candle
that was sitting next to Ferarras journal on a table at his side.
From the darkness surrounding him he began to hear questions from many dierent voices, some of which sounded
familiar. Where had he found the journal? Had he been looking for it? How much of it had he read? Who else had read
it?
Sergis head was like cotton and mumbled slurred replies that made no sense in response. He drifted in and out of
consciousness from time to time and was beaten for it. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he could not think straight and
his captures where getting frustrated with him.
After what seemed like hours to Sergi, one of his captors, whose voice he knew but could not place, announced that
he knew too much and could not be allowed to live. He heard the other voices in the dark speak of how they should dispose
of him and what sort of story should be circulated to explain his disappearance to others at St. Ordus. Then a crashing
noise cut through their conversation like a knife and then there was light.

5
 A door had been kicked open and light ooded into the room. Sergi saw a bold man with a mace in his hand
standing silhouetted in the light cascading in from doorway. About the room he saw men dressed in black robes with
hideous pale faces. The intruder startled them and they panicked. Other doors were thrown open and they ed. All
escaped the man with the maces wrath save one, whose head was crushed like an egg shell. Sergi saw his face fall away and
realized that it was a mask. The face of the dead man who wore it was that of the archivist he had gone to in search of
Antonio de Ferarra.
He looked up and nally saw the face of his rescuer. It was his brother Kazmir, who he later learned saw the two
men take him away when he was coming over to share a drink, as he always did when he was not o somewhere selling his
sword. He had trailed them into the catacombs that run for miles beneath the city, but lost them. Only by a bit of luck
did he nd them later when he stumbled into one of their centuries.
Together they ed to Kazmirs room at the Wooden Nail Inn where Sergi slept o the eects of the drugs he had
been given while his brother kept watch the night through. When he nally awoke he told his brother all he had learned
and showed him the journal. At rst Kazmir was skeptical, but as in all things that do not concern skill at arms, he
accepted his brothers information as truth.
Fearing for Sergis safety they ed Tyre that night never to return. They traveled to their homeland, Oldaska,
hounded all the while by agents of Sergis mysterious attackers. For years they moved from town to town, village to village,
never staying very long. It seemed that this Brotherhood had connections in every walk of life. They had been branded
murders by the church and both the local authorities and bounty hunters sought their heads. Often they encountered
assassins bent on sending them to the next life, but they also came across fell beings of a much darker design.
Yet, despite all this they made allies in their travels as well, such as Nelka the simple seamstress and Bar, the
grizzled blacksmith from Nalsza. Together they fought against the darkness, seeking the truth so that they could destroy it,
though eventually it consumed them. However they left behind a legacy that others now must carry as their standard in
this never ending war with the horrible conspiracy that works in the shadows of the world.

6
 On the continent of Polian strange things occur with an alarming rate. Towns suddenly become infested
with rats, only to have them all disappear days later. People sometimes disappear for days only to return a
completely changed person. Other times they disappear and are never heard from again. In some places, when
night falls, the land and even the very air seems to warp into a sinister parody of the daytime.
All of these events seem to go unacknowledged by the authorities, both secular and religious, but they do
occur. The people of the land are kept ignorant of the sinister forces that are shaping their world. However, a small
number of men and women have seen through the lies. They have discovered the conspiracy in the shadows that
works against humanity. They strive to know the truth.

How far are you willing to go to learn the truth?

In this role-playing game, the characters are people, not elves, dwarves or orcs. They are like you and I
only they live in a medieval world where dark supernatural forces conspire against humanity. Driven by a secret
knowledge of a hidden evil, they risk their lives searching for the truth about the conspiracy and a means to thwart
it.
Characters in this game are dierent from characters in most other games in that they are bound together
from the start with a common purpose. They have not chosen a life of adventure and glory, but have instead been
forced into a dangerous life by circumstance and fate. They lead a life of two extremes, living and working as most
do during the day. But at night, they venture out into the dark world of monstrous horror and human deceit.

The truth is waiting for you, but will you be able to handle it?

WHAT IS THE CONSPIRACY?

The heart of the game is that the characters are individuals who have banded together in an attempt to
discover the truth of a vile conspiracy that threatens mankind. They are alone in the world striving against an
unstoppable force of evil that knows their every move even before they make them. However, this game only
provides the framework, the nature of the conspiracy that is at work. It is up to the Game Master and the Players to
esh it out during game play. Below are some sample conspiracies utilizing these key traits:

The Orthodox Albinican Church has within it a cabal of sorcerers who secretly use it to gain power and wealth
while preparing the world for the Adversary, who will bring about an apocalypse.

An organization of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in the world have struck a bargain with the
demons of Infernum. In exchange for the right to survive as servants they now prepare the world for their arrival
by making it like the Infernum.

A supernatural monstrosity has slowly been populating the world with his spawn. By day they pass as normal
humans but at night they transform into blood drinking horrors. Together they work to make the world ready for
their open rule.

The conspiracy can take many forms and have many goals but all conspiracies share some of the same traits.
They are a mystery that none of the Players can fully see. Every question they ask, no matter what the answer may
be, always leads to more questions. They change the lives of individuals in drastic ways, but always they remain
invisible to the eyes of the uninitiated. Chapter Six has step by step instructions for creating your own Conspiracy
of Shadows story.

7
PARANOIA & HORROR
The Conspiracy of Shadows Role-playing Game is a game of paranoia and horror. It draws themes from
Gothic and pulp horror ction, conspiracy theories and the kinetic action found in modern horror-action lms and
places them squarely in a medieval world that is a dark reection of our own past. The Players and Game Master
alike will nd many similarities as well as many striking dierences between the continent of Polian and our own
medieval past.
At the heart of this genre is fear. Shock and gore are not the source of this fear, though they too have their
place in the setting. It is instead fear of a sinister unknown, the slow discovery of the truth and the constant belief
that something is out to get you. It is the slow revelation that the Players are helpless and at the same time masters
of their own fate. Like the protagonists in any good piece of conspiracy or horror ction they must eventually
confront the evil within as well as without, but the when and how of that confrontation is up to them.
This type of story, like that found in classic Gothic novels and shows like Kolchak: The Night Stalker, rely
on a terror that is shrouded in mystery. There is always a constant sense of danger and foreboding. Warnings are
given, but the characters still try to unravel the mystery, seduced by scraps of knowledge. In the end they discover
that the evil of the world is overwhelming and mankind is small, helpless and unaware of its doom. However, unlike
the often times maddening characters in ction who seem to simply give up, the characters in this game refuse to
give in and continue to ght the battle that needs to be fought, not just the one they can win.

USING THIS BOOK

The rules in this game are based on the kinds of dice normally found in board games. You will need pencils,
paper and at least one six-sided die, that is it. However, if you would like something more, there are many free items
found on our web site, like character sheets as well as game tips and an interactive forum where you can get your
questions answered. You can also join in discussions to tell us what you think of the game, and even nd players in
your area. Go to http://www.bobgoat.com.

8
 9
 The following section deals with the societies that
inhabit the continent of Polian. There is no actual game mechanic
information in this chapter. Instead you will nd details on many
aspects of the lives of the people that live there. These things are not
set in stone and Players and Game Masters should feel free to adjust
things as they see t.

Narrlachi Culture
The core of the Narrlachi society is the clan, a unit based upon a
patriarchy. The clans are grouped together into greater ethnic groups that
are often called tribes. Members of a clan are not permitted to intermarry
forcing the young men to choose their brides from other clans.
In their clans, polygamy is normal, though the rst wife is always the most important. The Narrlachi,
with the ban against intermarriage within the clan, required lots of women and abduction is very common. This
frequently causes feuds that used to turn into wars, but with the advent of the Great Khanate, wars have been
forbidden.
The Narrlachi are a short people with light brown skin. Their hair color tends to be jet black or a deep
brown and is worn long by the women and either close cropped or shaved o by the men. The men wear thick
mustaches and only the oldest wear a beard. They, like many tribal cultures, tattoo their bodies to commemorate
dierent events in their lives.
There are three major ethnic sub-groups amongst the Narrlachi: the Griks, Karna and Naltars. The
numerous Griks, famed for their swordsmanship, can be found throughout the Great Khanate. The Karna,
horsemen by nature, are generally found inland, such as central Tolor and Falkaz. Voru is where the Naltars have
made their home, where they have begun to adopt the cosmopolitan lifestyle of their Vorish subjects.
The Griks: The Griks were famous for being great swordsmen even before the Narrlachi conquered parts of
Polian. They excel at using the Narrlachi saber. These sabers, each forged in a unique style within each clan, are said
to be amongst the nest blades in the world, and a Griks warrior would never use any other melee weapon.
The Karna: It is often said that the Karna are half horse. They are not, but their skill with the horse is
beyond compare. They were born to ride horses upon the open plain. However they were not made for the open
ocean. Their lives spent in the great taiga of their homeland makes them ill equipped for the sights and sounds of
the sea.
The Naltars: The Naltars are said to be the greatest bowmen to walk the earth. Their skill in crafting and
using their famous horse bows is world renown. It is only surpassed by the unsettling aura they exude. Always in
their eyes is the look of a predator and one can almost smell the musk of the hunter on them.

1 0
SOCIAL HIERARCHY
The Narrlachi tribes have a social structure
that is reminiscent of the Valadarin clan structure
that was in place during the days following
the fall of the Torian Empire. It is made up
of independent patriarchal clans that govern
themselves. The dierence is that all the clans
answer to the khan who is the central authority on
all matters.
Narrlachi society is unique in that it has
adapted itself to accommodate the societies it has
conquered. Instead of simply regulating those who
are not Narrlachi to the role of slaves or outsiders
it has embraced them and places them into the
appropriate social class. It is also unique in that it
actually encourages and rewards those who seek to
nd a better place in society. Those who show skill
and ambition often move up the social ladder at a
quick pace.
Royal Family: At the top of the Narrlachi
social ladder is the royal family. They make up the
khans and chief administrators of their khanates.
They hold the power of life and death over their
subjects, but only in so far as their laws allow.
Unlike in other societies the law is separate from
the ruling class. All members of society are subject
to it.
Noyars: Beneath the royal family resides
the Noyars, a kind of nobility. They are made up
of the clan chiefs and military leaders. The clan
chiefs are elected for life to their position by all of
the men of majority age (16) in the clan. The military leaders are professional soldiers who have been promoted to
positions of leadership for their service and skill on the battleeld.
Bahadurs: The Bahadurs are at the next level of society. They are akin to the Vorish knight as they are a
noble class with a military background. Unlike the knight their wealth is not measured by the land they hold, as
only the khan owns the land, but by the number of horses in his herd. Some act as advisors to the Noyars and some
live the lives of wealthy ranchers, much like merchants of other cultures. Others travel the land in search of battle,
fame and glory. Their only responsibility is that they must serve in times of war at the behest of their betters.
Patricians: At the next level of Narrlachi society are the patricians and clergy. Patricians are merchants,
craftsmen and men of education who are not native Narrlachi. They often are the surviving middle class of
the nations the Narrlachi have conquered. They are awarded special respect for their skills and are often give
administrative positions within the khanate.
Clergy: The clergy is made up of the religious leaders of all the religions found within the khanate. They
are made up of Narrlachi and foreigners alike and worship many dierent gods. They are all regarded with respect,
regardless of the faith that they subscribe to. All of Narrlachi society gives special homage to men of the cloth.

1 1
 Peasants: The peasants of the Narrlachi are
similar in nature to the peasants found in Valadarin
society. Unlike the Valadarins, Narrlachi farmers are
the exception, not the rule. Most are nomads who herd
livestock, usually horses but also cattle. They are also
expected to know how to ght with spears and bows
from horseback, as all men of majority age join the
military in times of war.

CULTURE
Dress: Nobles and their bodyguards always travel
well-armed and rumors point towards them being the
spawn of demons. They often wear Lamellar or light
chain armor and heavy metal helmets. The warriors
carry several weapons at all times. The Narrlachi sword
and the light lance are their favored melee weapons, but
their skill with a composite bow from horseback is what
has helped to make them an enemy to be truly feared.
The common dress of these people is tight-tting
pants made of soft leather with white tunics made of silk
or cotton. Their boots reach up to their knees and their
cotton cloaks are always hooded and waterproof. In the
harshest winter months they also wear thick, fur-lined
robes and hats. When entering battle, they always paint
their faces with garish greens and reds, mimicking the
devils and demons they worship.
Art: The Narrlachi have very little art in the
traditional vein. They, like many tribal cultures, use
much more utilitarian pieces of art. They are particularly
adept at working in leather. This skin is used to decorate
their clothing, saddles and even the conical tents they use as homes. They are also well known for their skill at
tattooing, which is used as a ritual only for warriors.

NAMES
Narrlachi names are typically chosen from the names of ancestors. Occasionally they are named after events
or places. Narrlachi surnames are typically a reference to a physical characteristic, event, or ability such as Bear
slayer, Dead-eye and the Golden One,
Male Names: Aksel, Bar, Davri, Erdik, Felar, Griz, Harg, Kaza, Lukaz, Maraz, Nikar, Poz, Razar, Serg, Vlaz,
and Zavik
Female Names: Aksa, Bara, Dava, Erda, Fela, Griza, Hara, Lika, Mara, Nika, Poza, Risa, Saza, Talza, and
Zavia

1 2
 NODERIN PRONUNCIATION VALADARIN PRONUNCIATION
B, D, H, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, & Z are all B, D, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, & Z are all
pronounced the same as in English. pronounced the same as in English.

DJ = y in yet PK = f in fat A = a in father I = i in t

HV = qu in quick TJ = sh in sheep AJ = a in apple J = y in yet
KJ = g in good C = ts in cats O = oa in coat
CZ = ch in church RZ = s in pleasure
Vowels preceding or following a single consonant: DZ = ds SZ = sh in shut
A = a in father O = aw in law E = e in ten U = oo in boot
E= ee in feel EJ = a in take W = v in van
Vowels following consonant pairs: GZ = j in jam Y = ee in seen
A = a in land O = o in knot
E = e in bet Consonants at the end of a word:
Vowels that remain the same: B = p in plan W = w in win
AE = i in mile I = i in big D = t in tight Z = sh in shut
EI = ay in day U = ew in dew
VORISH PRONUNCIATION
SODERIN PRONUNCIATION B, D, F, G, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, & Z are all
G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, T, V, & Z are all pronounced the same as in English.
pronounced the same as in English.
A = a in father O = o in go
A = a in apple GK = nk in link AE = i in tie OE = oy in boy
AU = aw in saw I = ee in see AU = ow in cow QU = kw sound
B = ph in phone O = o in dog C = c in cats U = oo in crude
CZ = ch in church OU = oo in food E = ey in they V = W in wan
C = s in see Q = kh in khan H = ch in loch X = ks sound
D = th in then S = sh in shall I = ee in seen
E = e in let X = ks sound
EU = ew in dew Y = t in top after C NARRLACHI PRONUNCIATION
GG = ng in England Y = y in yet B, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, T, V, W & Z are all
pronounced the same as in English.

A = a in salt O = o in dog
C = s in see OH = oe in toe
D = th in then Q = kh in khan
E = e in let S = sh in shall
EY = ew in dew X = ks sound
I = ee in see Y = y in yet

1 3
NORDERIN CULTURE
The Norderins originated in the frigid North. Some of these tribes migrated to modern day Oldaska, some
to Voria, while others went as far south as modern day Eskar and Amdrus. Even today, many Norderin tribes still
migrate and settle throughout Polian.
Like other tribal people, their society is built on a warrior-based aristocracy, but to them men and women
have equal standing. This structure fosters independence which has made the creation and maintenance of a central
authority very dicult. All Noderin nobles see themselves as equal to any other and sometimes superior.
The Norderins were once famous for their blonde, nearly white hair. After centuries of colonizing other
lands this is no longer true, though children born with blonde-white hair are believed to be bound for greatness. All
hair and even skin colors are possible because of the mingling of the Noderins and the conquered. The one constant
is that all the warriors still wear their hair in a long single braid that is only cut upon defeat in battle.
There are four major ethnic subgroups found within the Norderin culture. The most famous are the Navari,
who make their home in the kingdom of Navaren, parts of western Oldaska and once forged a kingdom in western
Eskar, which eventually fell to their cousins, the Eskari. The Vor hating Isoli are also found in Navaren, but mainly
dwell on the islands that bear their name, the Isolas. Fearless,
and some say heartless, the Eskari rule the kingdom that bears
their name, Eskar, though their population bleeds into Amdrus
as well. The greatest seamen in the world, the Omerons, dwell
in the kingdom of Omeron as well as in the surrounding
Vorish duchies.
The Eskari: Most Eskari have lived all of their
lives in at of war with one enemy or another. They have
either been ghting with rival clans amongst their own
people and against the Navari or the Bravish people.
This constant warfare along with their religious beliefs
has hardened them to the idea of their own death.
Unfortunately this fearlessness has fostered an
environment in which it is much easier to engage in
cruel and heartless acts of violence.
The Isoli: Ethnic Isoli are well known for
their prociency with their weapon of choice, the
axe. Their renown skill most likely stems from
their unenviable location between the other
Noderin tribes and the Vors. Out of this has
grown an irrational hatred of the Vors which
seems to be held by all Isoli to one extent or
another.
The Navari: Ethnic Navari are
famous for their skill with their clan
weapon. This weapon is earned by adult
Navari through a dangerous and daring feat
in battle. After they have earned it they
seem to become complete warriors, virtually
unstoppable. If they are without the weapon,
they become a shell of their former selves.

1 4
 The Omerons: The Omerons have always been celebrated for their skills at sea. They seem born to the salty
air and rolling waves. Few can match their skills on or in the water. Unfortunately this skill does not translate well
on land where they seem a bit o the mark and even confused.

SOCIAL HIERARCHY
Noderin society is somewhat unique in Polian as it is split into three social groups. The three groups are
broken into those who ght, those who work, and those who serve. These three social groups have not changed for
thousands of years.
It is the only society to be without a distinct religious social class. This is mostly because of the lack of a
historical organized religion. Holy men of all kind within Noderin society are members of the social class they were
born into. Individuals are not prohibited from moving higher up the social ladder, but it is frowned upon when
Those Who Serve are freed.
Those Who Fight: In the old Noderin religion, the only way to reach heaven was to die in battle, which led
to the creation of a noble class made up entirely of professional soldiers. This tradition continues and the ruling
class of all Noderin societies is comprised of warrior families who distinguish themselves from one another with their
familys battle history. The constant ghting between the noble clans are especially vicious and no Noderin noble is
without a set of enemies.
Those Who Work: At the next level of society reside all the Noderin people who do not come from these
select families. This does not exclude them from being ghters, for all have some training in the art of battle,
but they make their living with other professions. Most are simple farmers and shermen, but others are skilled
craftsmen like boat wrights and blacksmiths.
Those Who Serve: Those who serve, or slaves populate the bottom of Noderin society. Most slaves are
captives that were taken in battle and forced into bondage. Some of them are of Noderin decent, but most are
foreigners or descendents of foreigners. It is a grave insult to capture instead of kill another Noderin in battle. Only
those that truly have contempt for their enemies take Noderin slaves.

CULTURE
Dress: Both men and women wear tight tting shirts and pants, most often made of oiled sealskin, as well as
thick wool or fur cloaks. Their clothes have been designed for the extreme weather of the far North, and even those
that live in warmer climes continue to wear tight tting outts similar to their northern cousins.
Art: The Noderins are skilled craftsmen experienced in nely made metalwork and intricate wood carvings.
They love complicated patterns that include twisting bodies of demonic and draconic gures. These threatening
gures are made to scare away evil spirits, and it is even illegal for ships captains to enter port with the ferocious
gures on his ship uncovered.

NAMES
Noderin rst names typically describe a specic natural feature such as green rolling hills or windswept elds.
Occasionally they describe important events, such as major battles. Noderin surnames are always the rst name of
the persons father plus a sux which designates that person a son (van) or a daughter (va).
Male Names: Apsel, Born, Davarn, Djan, Hapka, Hvinn, Kel, Knut, Kjustav, Lars, Maelz, Nils, Pedar,
Pkendol, Ronatj, Sven, Tal, Tjenn, and Vorno.
Female Names: Alma, Blenda, Dakjma, Djala, Hvibe, Kersten, Kjustava, Lora, Malena, Nanna, Petra,
Pkedja, Rakel, Svella, Tora, Tjana, Viveka, and Zora.

1 5
SODERIN CULTURE
The Soderins originated in the distant east, beyond the great mountains, much like the Valadarins. They
migrated to the southern and western portions of Polian, destroying and conquering the last remnants of the
Karthian Empire.
Like other tribes, the Soderins held the warrior in high esteem. This is no longer true as they have adopted
the reverence of education from the Karthian people they conquered. They have even gone so far as to adopt similar
military styles and are now prone to heavy protective armor.
When they rst invaded the Polian they looked similar to the Valadarins, but their conquest and
intermarriage with the Karthians lead to a rather drastic change in appearance. Their hair is almost always pitch
black, with men shaving their heads and women wearing it long. Their skin color ranges from a deep brown color
to a lighter cinnamon color, depending upon
how much their ancestors intermarried with the
Karthians.
Amongst the Soderin culture there are
four primary ethnic subgroups. The Bravs are the
second most populous subgroup, tend to be a bit
isolationist and are rarely found anywhere outside
of Amdrus and Eskar. Feared for their blood
lust and strength in battle, the numerous Malins
populate the Theocracy of Malindarov as well as
make their homes in parts of Amdrus, Tolor and
Wallavich. The Sarrlachi people, who retain a
tribal social structure that is similar to that of the
Narrlachi once made their home in what is now
northern Tolor and the lands of the Cup Knights,
but now can only be found in eastern Malindarov
and eastern Amdrus. The deep and dark forests
of Wallavich are where the Warrlachi, a religiously
mixed people, make their home.
The Malins: It is common knowledge
that the Malins relish the rush of battle more than
anyone. They seem to get more and more energized
the bloodier a battle gets. It is as if they get drawn
into a deadly dance by the death cries of their
defeated foes.
The Bravs: Ethnic Bravs are raised to
know and appreciate the rich folklore of their
people. They know the stories of their families,
villages, and people by heart. They take great pride
in this, however this pride has given way to belief
amongst Bravs that all other people are strange in
their ways. Often they are puzzled by the activities
of other cultures, even their cousins the Malins,
Warrlachi, and Sarrlachi.

1 6
 The Sarrlachi: The Sarrlachi are perhaps the last native tribal culture left in Polian. They still cling strongly
to their belief in the Old Azari religion. All of them have a totem spirit which is symbolized by a charm worn
around their neck. Unfortunately their faith and the general aura about them makes those who do not know them
uneasy in their presence. This has led to more than one Sarrlachi tribesmen being tried and executed as a witch.
The Warrlachi: The Warrlachi are perhaps the most well respected woodsmen in all of Polian and that their
wood lore is beyond compare. It has become their natural element so much and that they feel very uncomfortable
in wide open spaces. The great grassy elds of the Narrlachi Khanate and the wide open seas hold a place of dread in
their hearts.

SOCIAL HIERARCHY
Soderin society is based nearly entirely upon the tenants of the Amdati Church. It follows a strict patriarchal
caste structure that is broken into ve parts. No movement occurs between these castes and all attempts to subvert
them end in disaster.
Those who are born to a caste will live and die a member of that caste. Individuals a cannot marry or
socialize with members of other castes. However it is also the only society that embraces knowledge over skill at
arms, though that knowledge is held by only a select few.
Yudin Caste: At the top of the caste structure are the Yudin, the priests and scholars of Soderin society.
They are the only caste allowed to learn ancient Karthian, the language of knowledge and religion. Through this
knowledge they set down the laws and rule over the populous, who are taught to look to them as guides on the
proper way to live. They must follow these laws, at least in public, and never come into contact with a member
of any other caste save the Khlova. Nor can they share their knowledge with non-Yudin. If any of these laws are
broken they will be stigmatized and cast out, losing all that their rank entitles them to.
Khlova Caste: Beneath them are the Khlova, or warriors. They are the guardians of the people and the
maintainers of the order imposed by the Yudin. This mandate covers both foreign and domestic threats, as dictated
by the Yudin. They are not like the nobility of other cultures, but rather a caste of warriors who occupy many
dierent occupations, from army general to city guardsmen. Rarely are they literate, but nearly all have extensive
training in the ways of warfare. Only in the families that have come into contact with foreign nobles is there any
eort to gain an education.
Khorov Caste: The third level of society is occupied by the Khorov Caste. The Khorov Caste is made up
of the merchants, skilled craftsmen and moneylenders. They are often as well educated as members of the Yudin
Caste, because of the nature of their lifestyle. Many have been to foreign lands and some have even broken the ban
on learning because of their contact with others. Often they act as a bridge between the castes for they are the only
group that can freely associate with all members of society without suering from social stigmas. However it is from
this caste that much of the trouble occurs in Soderin society.
Savin Caste: The majority of the illiterate masses of Soderin Society is made up of the Savin caste. These
unskilled laborers are treated a little better than slaves of the other castes. Few have any form of meaningful
education or any source of true wealth. They, like the Yudin, Khorov, and Zhura Castes are forbidden to wield
weapons any larger than a knife.
Zhura Caste: The nal level of Soderin society is called the Zhura Caste. The Zhura Caste is made up of
foreigners. This includes diplomats and merchants. They have no legal status in Soderin society. All complaints
against those of the Zhura Caste are believed to be true regardless of the complainers caste or reputation.

1 7
CULTURE
Dress: Generally, both men and women wear billowing clothing. Men wear either robes or loose shirts and
pants made of cotton or wool. The women also wear robes, but also wear loose, single piece dresses that run nearly
to the ground. The wealthy often wear elaborately designed silk outts of a similar fashion. Both always wear a
head covering of some sort, usually head scarves or fur covered hats.
Art: The Soderins are famous for their subtle lacework ornamentation which they adorn their architecture.
They are also well known for the subtly designed rugs that they use for decoration and prayer. They are often richly
colored and depict religious scenes, which include religiously motivated battle scenes.

NAMES
Soderin rst names are typically the names of ancestors which usually mean something related to battle or
natural features of the world. These names are very similar to the names used by the Valadarins. However, their
surnames are based upon the surnames of ancient Karth, which begin with either al or el (al Ava or el Harim) and
end with a Karthian word.
Male Names: Anatoli, Borya, Czeslav, Danya, Edik, Fedor, Grisa, Ivan, jurg, Kostya, Lukasa, Misenka,
Nikoli, Petya, Rurik, Slavik, Tolya, Vladmir, Yuri, and Ziven
Female Names: Alla, Bodana, Czarlotta, Dasa, Eva, Fedora, Galina, Helina, Ivana, Jelena, Karina, Lilia,
Masa, Nesa, Olena, Pasa, Rane, Soa, Tasya, Velika, Yalena, and Zoya

1 8
VALADARIN CULTURE
The Valadarins originated in the far eastern
plains beyond the mountain borders of Polian.
They migrated and settled throughout norhtern
Polain The last major migration of Valadarins
occurred in the fth century when several tribes
moved west into what is now Taratha, Brekaw
and Jenka. This is commonly called the Great
Migration.
Most Valadarins have red-blonde hair,
though deep brown is also common. The men
wear their hair long and grow beards or long
mustaches. A few still maintain the ancient
practice of braiding their hair before combat.
Their complexion is medium to fair and most
often they have blue or brown eyes.
Amongst the Valadarin people their are six
major ethnic subgroups. The free spirited Dasians
are the most populous and can be found all over
the north. Life loving, the Rankians are also very
numerous and often well traveled, making their
homes in every Valadarin nation. The stubborn
Breks have staked their claim to Brekaw and can
rarely be found outside of it. The Jenks, whose
nobles are often called dog lords, are found mostly
in Jenka, though small pockets of them live in
neighboring countries. Scattered and subjugated,
the Toloskans still retain their cultural identity in
the lands of the Cup Knights and in Tolor. The
ethnically proud Taroths believe it is their divine
right to rule the other Valadarins, but as of now
are mainly found in Taratha and the lands of the Cup Knights.
The Breks: The Breks have always been raised to never end an important task until it is complete. They are
famous for their dogged determination when faced with opposition. When they set their minds to an action they
will see themselves dead before they fail at completing it. However this tends to give them tunnel vision when they
are pursuing a task and most tune out everything else.
The Dasians: The Dasians as a people are famous for their independent spirit. Each Dasian, man or
woman, has their own opinion and they will be damned if you are going to stop them from voicing it or believing
in it. This atmosphere as fostered some of the most brilliant innovations throughout history to come from these
people. The problem is that this independent streak makes them ill suited to working with others to the point where
they often become a distraction.
The Jenks: Jenks are commonly called the dog men by others. This name is tting as they are famous for
their love of all canines. Every Jenk have at least one dog or have possessed them in the past. It is often said that the
only compassion they have is for their canine companions. They are notorious for losing control of themselves when
they discover an individual has harmed a dog.

1 9
 2 0
 2 1
 The Rankians: Ethnic Rankians have for many years been a nomadic people. Their small clans roam the
countries of Polian, never staying in one place for any signicant length of time. Most non-Rankians view them as
thieves and marauders who have no respect for others. In fact they rarely steal from their own people, only non-
Rankians.
The Tarathans: Tarathans are well known for their extreme belief in survival of the ttest. Only the
strongest and heartiest Tarathan boys and girls ever make it to adulthood. This has kept their population from
growing quickly, if at all, but all who do survive are tougher than any other people. Their extreme views are not
taken well by others nor to the Tarathans have much patience for the weak.
The Toloskans: Ethnic Toloskans are famous for their ability to cultivate the land and raise livestock. When
Toloska was a country the nest agricultural products came from there. It is said that they are a people of the soil.
This also means that they are clannish and insular, often making it dicult for others, including other Toloskans, to
work with them.

SOCIAL HIERARCHY
Valadarin society evolved from the system of self ruling localized clans that was in place when they invaded
Polian. This decentralized structure did not create a framework for a system of vassalage with a channel for the
exercise of a central authority. Instead it gave rise to the current system of strong independent magnates who have
nearly equal standing with the king.
Valadarin society is unique in that it has a very large noble class. Of the entire population of the Valadarin
people, nearly twenty percent of them are from distinguished families, opposed to the more common ve percent
found in other societies. It is also possible for commoners to improve their station. It is not uncommon for men
to be declared members of the gentry after distinguishing themselves on the eld of battle. However, most gain the
status for their children by marrying into established families.
Gentry: In the Valadarin social structure the highest estate is that of the gentry, which itself has several
levels. At the top are the magnates who are are the true power in Valadarin society. They command vast estates,
control thousands of peasants through their rent and eld their own armies that often rival their kings. They act as
independent magistrates over their holdings with the power to change the law as they see t, but most uphold the
customary laws of their country.
Legally they are obligated to perform military service for the king and to support his court nancially.
They are also obligated to submit to his tribunals and to follow the edicts of his royal functionaries. This is rarely
consistently followed and magnates have even been known to ally with foreign powers from time to time.
The king is the next highest position in the social hierarchy. It can be an inherited position or an elected
position. In the case of an elected position only the gentry and the high-ranking members of the clergy may vote.
Because there is no system of fealty in Valadarin society, he must rely upon the good graces of the magnates, or
if he is lucky his own wealth. Royal control over a country therefore is dependent not on vassals but appointed
functionaries called Castilians. They exercise the judicial, administrative and military authority of the king.
The lesser gentry are at the next level of Valadarin society. They are broken into two groups, the landed and
the landless gentry. The landed gentry are families with proud names and small estates. Most often they are tied to
one of the magnate families that hold power in the country. The landless gentry are generally men of good lineage
without estates surviving as hanger-on or mercenaries. They are often used to ll the royal positions of territorial
governor, hetman (a military general), palace governor, palace functionary or warden (a regional constable).
Among the Valadarin nobility there is only one title, king. There is no belief in a system of variation
amongst the gentry. They are all equally members of the gentry. Titles such as duke, count or prince are only
conferred by other countries and the Holy Union of Voria. They have no meaning within Valadarin society.
Clergy: Below the gentry are the clergy, though they are often from the noble class. The clergy in Valadarin
society are the keepers and dispensers of knowledge and spirituality. It is at their great centers of learning that the

2 2
nobles and wealthy merchants send their children to study. Regardless of the faith they own vast estates, villages and
even towns, much like the magnates. The dierence is that the overseer of this wealth is appointed by his church
and does not inherit it. In some places they are the only individuals that can read and write, particularly in the
smaller communities. However they do exert great political power, since the Valadarin people are very devout in
their religious practices.
Middle Class: At the next level of Valadarin society are three distinct groups, all with equal standing. They
are the merchants, the craftsmen and the peasant landowners. Collectively they are often called the middle class.
Merchants in Valadarin Society are nobles without any title or respect. They are often well educated and in
many cases, wealthier than most nobles. They themselves can never become nobles because they run businesses that
are not honorable such as farming, lumber and mining. Often they marry their children into noble families, giving
them the title and respect their fathers could never get.
Craftsmen are also most often found in towns, own their own businesses and make up the third largest
portion of the Valadarin population (peasants are rst and the gentry second). They are skilled laborers that have
banded together as guilds to control the market for their goods and services. Some, particularly the most highly
skilled, become retainers of specic magnates or even the king, providing their service solely to their benefactor.
The peasant land owner is found only in rural regions. They or one of their ancestors gained their
independent land either from a clever service for the gentry or from acts of courage during times of war. But their
lives are lived on the edge of a knife. They are rarely able to turn any form of prot and must work very hard to
maintain their land. Even the smallest mishap is considered a major disaster.
Peasants: The lowest rung on the Valadarin social ladder is that of the peasant. They are the common folk
who work the land for the gentry of perform menial labor for the middle class. However they are not serfs, not
owned in any way and are not tied to the land. They, like any of the other classes, are free and able to rise above
their current station. Many distinguished families were founded on the hard work of an enterprising peasant.

CULTURE
Dress: The men wear long shirts, loose pants and billowing hooded cloaks made of cotton or wool. The
women wear long, single piece dresses of the same material. Their clothes are often covered in intricate designs,
many of pagan origin. The nobility is found of exotic clothes and furs which they import from the Unknowable
East. When they are gathered together they are often a fanfare of colors and bizarre, foreign fashions.
Art: The elaborate and colorful designs of Valadarin art obscures its practical origins. The early clans and
villages were often isolated forcing them to be self-sucient. Clothes and tools were made from local materials, but
were embellished with motifs and symbols of spiritual signicance. These practices are continued today in all aspects
of Valadarin art.

NAMES
Valadarin rst names are typically the names of ancestors which usually mean something related to battle or
natural features of the world. These names are often very similar to the names used by the Soderins. Their surnames
come in two forms. The most common is the name of a location plus a sux (ski) which means from. Other
surnames are simply clan names from the ancient days such as Piast and Howidz.
Male Names: Aleksander, Boryslaw, Dobry, Elek, Feliks, Gerik, Henryk, Jan, Kazamyrez, Ludwik, Marek,
Nikodem, Piotr, Radoslaw, Teodor, Wiktor, and Zygmunt.
Female Names: Anka, Basza, Dorota, Eva, Felka, Gutka, halina, Jadwiga, Kasia, Lilka, Marta, Nelka, Petra,
Rasia, Sylwia, Tesia, Wikta, and Zyta.

2 3
VORISH CULTURE
The Vors are the rst race of man to settle
in Polian. They built great city-states along side
the empires of Karth, Imrak and Monnot. These
create centers of culture eventually merged to form
the Vorian Empire.
Much has been lost about the history of
the Vors, but one constant seems to be their deep
spirituality. From its start the Vorian Empire was
the center of Albinicanism and its successor, the
Holy Union of Voria, continues this tradition.
The Vors of today look much as their
ancestors. Their skin ranges from a deep to light
olive color. Their hair tends to be darker, but
blonde and light brown hair is not uncommon.
The men wear their hair short, often with a beard
or mustache and the women wear their hair long
and often up.
There are only three ethnic subgroups
amongst the Vors, though they are a numerous
people. In the south the prideful Falchians rule
Falchia and serve in Falkaz. The prickly Radians
are found predominantly in what is now called
the Khanate of Voru, while their cousins, the ever
wary Torians, ll the Holy Union of Voria.
The Falchians: Falchians are a people
who believe with great pride that they are the
only culture of note in the world. When they are
together they are greatly enthused, for only Falchians understand what it means to be Falchian. The problem is that
they dismiss all other cultures as insignicant, making them a very dicult people for outsiders to work with.
The Radians: To Radians their honor is everything. They are well known for prickling at the slightest
tarnish on their honor. This does not mean that all Radians are honorable and wonderful people, but rather they all
hold their own code of honor in the highest of regard.
The Torians: The life of a Torian man or woman is fraught with violence. Blood feuds between families
great and small are a constant danger. From an early age they are taught to defend themselves with knives and their
bare hands if necessary. With this training in self-defense they also learn a healthy disdain for those not of Vorish
descent.

SOCIAL HIERARCHY
Vorish society is based upon the social structure of the Torian Empire and the clan structure of the
barbarians who toppled it. It has created a unique society that is not quite like their neighbors, but is also vastly
dierent from that of their ancestors.
To those who have little or nothing, Vorish society can be a harsh mistress. To those who have wealth and
title society, can be wonderful. It is unique in that the members of the clergy, despite their common education, are

2 4
ranked within society by what tier they came from. Priests who come from the knightly ranks maintain their social
status as do those who were once peasants. Only rarely does one move up the social ladder here.
Knight: At the top of Vorish society is the knight. They command all but the most powerful members of
the clergy and their only responsibility is to their family and its name. They despise the Freemen of society and
regard their peasants as property. Only their reputation is of any value to them and they guard it with their lives.
The knightly class is a combination of the traditional Valadarin gentry and the Vorian Patrician. From the
Valadarins the Vors adopted the practice of ghting from horseback and inherited rank. From the Patricians they
kept their control of economic institutions and interest in city life and politics.
Clergy: In Vorish society, the clergy spans the entire social ladder. Priests are found amongst the most
destitute peasants as well as at the right hand of kings. Their position in society molds their world view, with those
in the upper ranks concerned with power and politics while those at the bottom with feeding their congregation.
The Vorish clergy is a mirror for the rest of society.
The church has a special place in society and in some ways is society. Religion is the one thing that ties all
people together in Vorish society. All people belong to a religion. It is unthinkable to not be a part of one. This
along with the vast estates held by the church gives the clergy a unique place of power in society that often times
surpasses the power of the knights.
Freemen: At the next level of society is the freeman. Freemen are the few commoners that have won their
freedom from a life of servitude. They have either gained it through service to a benevolent knight or have taken
it by force living their life as a outlaw. Those who earn their freedom often become merchants, traveling through
Vorish society in ways they were forbidden when in the bondage of servitude. Those who have taken their freedom
either prey upon the rest of society or ght a losing battle to change the social order.
Peasants: The peasants occupy the very bottom of the Vorish social stratum. Generally they are hereditarily
attached to the manor of a lord in a state of semi-bondage. Their lives are essentially that of a slave. The dierence
is that they hold a body of rights under the law. A lord cannot harm or command peasants in actions outside of
their established role without just cause. This is however mostly an illusion as most lords see the peasants as their
personal property.

CULTURE
Dress: The men wear clothes that are comfortable, neither tight nor loose. Shirts with a vest, pants and a
jacket are the most common outts. Vorish women always wear long owing dresses and blouses. Silks are all in
vogue among the aristocracy, but most Vors wear linen or cotton.
Art: Most Vorish art is spawned out of the Albinican religion. On a whole that type of art, encompassing
paintings and sculpture, is treated with greater respect in Vorish lands. However, the upper classes have grown fond
of portraits and battle scenes extolling their greatness. That tradition of realistic portrayals can be traced back to the
age before the founding of the Vorian Empire.

NAMES
Vorish rst names are generally the names of ancestors whose true meaning are lost to time. However it is
most likely that they were originally descriptions of places, abilities or events. The surnames of the Vors are always
the name of the place of the persons birth. They use the word ca which means from or place of birth (ca
Morino or ca Lavrini).
Male Names: Adriano, Berto, Ciro, Diego, Edmundo, Federico, Grigorio, Hugo, Iago, Kemen, Lazaro,
Marco, Neto, Oro, Paz, Quinton, Ramiro, Santiago, Turi, Vincente, Xalbador, and Zago.
Female Names: Aida, Bella, Camila, Dia, Esma, Freira, Generosa, Honoria, Idonia, Kemena, Lucita,
Marcela, Neva, Olinda, Paz, Quinta, Ramira, Salvadora, Trella, Usoa, Vincenta, and Zita.

2 5
FAMILY LIFE
Family life diers from culture to culture but several constants are found throughout the land. Families
tend to be loyal and protective of one another. In most cases, men are the heads of the household and are expected
to support their families. Women usually run the household, raise the children and in some cases, maintain the
nances. Marriage is often sacred and very important, but rarely has anything to do with love. Most often their
true purpose is to strengthen the family line, to forge alliances, or
simply because of a lack of other prospects in a world where travel
for most people is rare. In many places they are arranged when
the intended are children. Children, who are considered adults at
the age of twelve, are expected to learn useful skills, either by an
apprenticeship, military service or by entering the clergy.
In the Vorish culture, small families comprised of a mother,
father and children are most often found. The nobility tend to be
a bit more clannish with large extended families, but that is the
exception. Women are never allowed to own property, but their
are rare exceptions amongst the nobility, and even then only in the
most powerful of families.
The Valadarin and the Soderin cultures all evolved from
a clan system and maintain some semblance of this with large
extended families. It is not uncommon to nd a mother, father,
children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all living under a
single roof. Among these people, women are only allowed to own
property if their husband has died and they have not remarried.
The Noderin and Narrlachi cultures maintain strong clan
cultures where large extended families live together. More often
than not it is not under one roof, but a series of nearby homes
and sometimes even whole villages. They are set apart from other
cultures in that women are considered equals to men. They have
the right to own property, divorce their husbands and are even
expected to bear arms in times of war.

CITIES, TOWNS & VILLAGES

During the misty past before the founding of the Vorian Empire, the land was dotted with cyclopean cities
overowing with people. It is said that in the city on which Tyre now stands there was a population of one million
souls. Today that has changed as most of the great cities were depopulated by the many waves of barbarians and the
shattering of these ancient kingdoms. Only in the Holy Union of Voria are large population centers beginning to
grow once again.
Their ruins are the last bit of the legacy of those time lost days that still lingers on. During the days before
the founding of Vorian Empire, before the coming of man, the cities of the ancients were centers of life and many
great advancements were made. Today, in the cities built on their ruins you can still nd shadows of this great past
in the form of open air markets, ancient monumental structures, access to freshwater and even waste disposal.
In the south, where the Karthian empire once stood, depopulation was so wide spread that the largest urban
center (Vladistock) only has a population of twenty-ve thousand opposed to Tyres ve hundered thousand people.
Most parts of these cities have been abandoned as there is not enough people to ll these sprawling metropolises.
They are not centers of life and commerce but decaying behemoths of a dierent age.

2 6
 Towns are the centers of most life in Polian. They are urban communities that do not boast a bishop of
either of the two major churches. Some are walled like the great cities in order to defend against marauders, but
most are without walls. They act primarily as market places for the surrounding countryside with populations
ranging from a thousand to ve thousand souls. Most are new and do not share the opulence of the northern cities
or the decay of the southern metropolises, though a few are built upon the ruins of the civilizations of the past.
Most people live in the many small villages that dot the countryside, mostly at crossroads. They are all very
small, some having no more than fty people living there at one time, but can grow as populous as ve hundred
souls.
In nearly every village a parish church or at least a small shrine can be found. There is rarely a priest, but
most receive one from the nearest town or city once a week to give service. A mill can also be found in every village.
They tend to be communal, run by the village as a whole. Occasionally, a shop or two can be found in these hamlets
as well.

LODGING
Inns and taverns have become more and more common as travel between regions become has more
important. In Voria, inns and hostels can be found in all the major cities. There a weary traveler can nd fresh
food, private rooms, stables, and sometimes even baths. In areas of high trac, such as crossroads and economically
important towns, smaller inns can be found, though they usually lack many of the services found in the cities.
Most Valadarin countries have fewer choices for inns as the population tends to be smaller and more rural.
Taverns are much more common, oering villagers, merchants, and students places to eat and drink. Taverns are
also popular places for individuals to conduct business, both of a legitimate and illegitimate nature.
In the South, inns are rare, but along the major trade routes caravansaries can be found. A caravansary is a
single building surrounded by a large courtyard meant for housing caravans. The building often contains a store, a
tavern, and occasionally other services.
In the Narrlachi Khanates, a system of way stations, called Karams can be found. Each Karam is a fortied
building that has a large stable and is only twenty-ve miles away from the another Karam. A detachment of ten
soldiers guard it as it is used by the khans as a communication network as well as way stops for travelers.

THE CALENDAR
The history of Polian is measured in a role
of years based upon the founding date of the Vorian
CALENDAR OF POLIAN MOONS IN A MONTH
Empire. The age is called the Age of Albin (AA) and (SODERIN PRONUNCIATION) (SODERIN PRONUNCIATION)
is only some 780 years old. Most records that date
before this time period have been lost or destroyed. SPRING NAVA 3 DAYS
The few that have been found, such as the infamous TAD, HAD & GAD VASA KRI 3 DAYS
book called the Nator, have convinced most scholars
SUMMER TED KAX 4 DAYS
that civilization is thousands of years old, and that
PAS, KAS & LAS VASA GEB 4 DAYS
each used its own dating system.
The people of Polian have also adopted the AUTUMN BESA 3 DAYS
Karthian calendar, which is a lunar calendar with MA, NA & RA TESA GEB 4 DAYS
thirteen months each of which is broken up into
WINTER ZECZ KAX 4 DAYS
eight segments of days called moons. The number
of days in a moon is either three or four, depending YACZ, TACZ, VACZ & ZACZ TESA KRI 3 DAYS
upon the moon.

2 7
RELIGION
Religion at its core, is a system of thought and belief that allows people to relate to one another as well as the
world as a whole. It is a powerful force in Polian. Few things are as important to society as religion and there is no
clear line dividing temporal life from religious life. To the average person in Polian Albin is a very real thing and he
is directly involved in their lives.

ALBINICANISM
Albinicanism is a religion that was founded in Voria by the followers of the prophet Melgarius. It is the
worlds most predominante religion and has been a powerful historical and cultural force on the continent of Polian.
It nds its origins in ancient Torian philosophy, Karthian institution building, and the time lost mystery religions
that ourished in Polian prior to the founding of the Vorian Empire. The combination of these inuences forged
the most powerful and most prevalent monotheistic religion the world has ever known.
From the classical Torian philosophers Albinicanism gained the concept of an immortal soul. It also uses
their writings as a foundation to prove that it is the only true faith. The combination of these two items create the
backbone of the entire religion, regardless of the branch.
The time lost mystery religions perhaps contributed the most to the faith. They gave it the concepts of a
god made esh, of physical acts to stimulate divine intervention, a fetish culture and ritual reenactments of the gods
actions. It also gained from these cults its scripture, a sense of history, a wrathful but caring god, a code of ethics,
and desire for social justice. It took the legends of the high god of these polytheistic traditions and molded them
into a singular vision, a message of salvation through faith.
The Karthian strength for institution building lent the most important aspects of structure and organization
that led to the various churches. From their model Albinicanism created a strict hierarchy; with a strong
administrative control and the right to exercise power, which was legitimized by the laws of man.
The central teachings of traditional Albinicanism are that the Albin, the lion-headed god, loves humanity,
forgives them for their sins and that by faith in him a person can achieve salvation and eternal life. This teaching
is embodied in the Holy Scriptures, particularly in the Book of Melgarius, but other texts, such as the Book of the
Magpie, are also accepted as sacred.
The development of Albinicanism as the most powerful and widespread religion came about in three stages.
The rst stage was the intensive missionary work done on the Valadarins. They were perhaps the easiest to convert as
there were many similarities between it and their shamanistic tradition. This was accomplished mostly by friars who
had a minimal education in the church teachings, but a re to convert.
The second stage in the growth of Albinicanism came from the radical take on the religion called Amdatism.
It has its basis in the messages of the prophets, the last being Dalthus, who founded the movement. Despite the
conict this movement created, it converted people rapidly. The fruit of this conict was a world sharply polarized
between the two branches of the faith. The north became the domain of the Orthodox Albinican Church and the
south the home of the Amdati Church.
The third stage grew out of the introduction of parish priests during the early stages of the Holy Union of
Voria. The nobility had been converted and granted the church land for churches and monasteries. The parishes
were then populated with priests drawn from the peasants. Like the friars before them they had a limited education,
but most were sent back to the communities they came from where they easily established a rapport.
These three stages have integrated Albinicanism into the daily life of the people of Polian. No other religion
has been as successful in spreading its belief system. All other religions have either been pushed to the far reaches of
society or been forgotten entirely.

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BELIEF IN POLIAN
The majority of the people of Polian
still believe in the power of the natural forces
their ancestors worshiped as gods. They are not
deliberately trying to hide pagan beliefs and see
themselves as good Albinicans. They have instead
adopted a dual faith that developed because the
circumstances of their conversions and the nature
of society.
Peasants are dependent on the fertility
of the land and are largely isolated from change.
This combined with the fact that for the rst one
hundred years of the spread of Albinicanism it was
largely conned to the nobility. The countryside
remained untouched by the faith until the growth
of the Amdati movement and the missionary work
that followed it polarized the land. However,
even after this rapid conversion of the common
people the church is not well represented in most
of the land because the country clergy is often ill
educated and treated with derision by the people.
This combination allowed for this dual faith to ourish. The people came to adapt the old beliefs to the new
religion, splitting them between the two categories of clean and unclean forces. The malign spirits of nature and the
dark gods of old became the unclean forces of the world and are now identied with the Adversary and his minions.
On the other side of the duality, the people now associate many of the old gods and benecial spirits with
the Albinican saints, angels and prophets. They even use the old rituals to call for aid and ward against evil, but now
instead of calling upon Paszun they call upon Lucius the prophet. The identication of Lucius and Paszun is a good
example of how many aspects of the old faiths and Albinicanism have merged.
Paszun was the old god of the storms and vengeance. It was believed that he rode a great storm cloud in
search of those that have betrayed their comrades. When he came upon them he would blast them with great bolts
of lightning. However, they did not die. Rather their souls traveled to the center of his great storm where they
powered his great chariot across the heavens as they slowly burned for all eternity.
Lucius was a prophet of Albin as well as the teacher and advisor to the great king Altrius of the ancient
kingdom of Vorta. He received a vision from Albin warning him of the coming of the Great Horde of Bagruush and
urged the king to make an alliance with the twelve kings of Comdach. All twelve swore an oath to come to the aid
of king Altrius should he need it.
When the Great Horde attacked, Altrius called for aid, but all he received was the heads of his messengers
returned to him. Vorta was crushed and king Altrius was slain because the twelve kings took money from the
Great Horde and broke their oaths. Lucius, enraged by the betrayal traveled to each of the twelve kingdoms in
turn. Before the halls of the kings he summoned forth the wrath of Albin who sent a great lightning storm, which
destroyed the kingdoms and their people for their betrayal.
The association of religious gures from the past with those of Albinicanism is not the only example of
this duality. The Albinican churches, unable to get the people to completely turn away from the old ways decided
it would be better to adopt them. Many of the old rituals were transformed to become Albinican rituals and
the churches also moved their holidays to coincide with those of the old faiths. The entire belief structure of the
Albinican world is now an amalgam of the old and the new.

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The Orthodox Albinican Church
The Orthodox Albinican Church is possibly the most powerful political and religious organization in the
world. Through its priests and sister organizations, it exerts incredible amounts of inuence on not only larger issues
between kings and countries, but also on the daily lives of its ock.
It is organized into parishes, each having a church and at least one priest. Parishes are then grouped into
diocese, the territory of a bishop. These dioceses are collectively overseen by an archbishop. The Patriarch of Tyre
then in turn oversees the archbishops. Monastic orders, like the Lionan Order, are overseen by an abbot who
answers to the archbishop of the region they are in. The militant orders, like the Order of the Sacred Cup, is
overseen by a Cleric-General, who answers directly to the Patriarch. All wandering friars, inquisitors, and witch
hunters are overseen by the Inquisitor-General, who also answers directly to the Patriarch. Finally the Patriarch is
the steward of the throne of the Holy Union of Voria, giving him vast political power.
The religious message of the Albinicans is that paradise is assured through the teachings and sacraments of
the church. These teachings are rather complex, requiring weekly instruction at church, and a person must receive
the sacraments of Birth Rites, Second Rites, Marriage Rites and Death Rites. They also believe that Albin took
human form as the man Kathar, founded the Orthodox Albinican Church, and chained the Adversary in Infernum
until Judgement Day. To them, the world and all its evilness was created by Albin as a test of humanities faith.
The recent loss of many Albinican countries to the Narrlachi has damaged much of the churchs inuence
and power base. Many Albinicans that once believed in the invincibility of their mother church have had that
illusion shattered. This has caused an alarming trend in the conquered nations of people turning to heretical beliefs.
However, most still cling to the dogma of the church. They scrape through their lives either unaware of
the crisis, or uncaring. Others have used the change to spur them to greater acts in the churchs name. Despite the
many losses, thousands still ock to join the crusade against the Narrlachi.

THE AMDATI CHURCH

The Amdati Church nearly rivals the Orthodox Albinican Church as a political and spiritual organization.
The High Theocrat of Malindarov is both the leader of the church and ruler of Malindarov, giving the church
massive amounts of inuence politically as well as the very lives of its parishioners.
Like its rival, the Amdati Church is built upon parishes made of a single church and at least one priest.
These parishes are grouped together into diocese which are overseen by bishops. The High Theocrat of Malindarov,
directly oversees the bishops. He also oversees three individuals who stand outside the hierarchy of the church, but
maintain church related organizations. They are called the Messengers of the Amdati who oversee the centers of
learning, militant orders and the judicial system of the theocracy as well as in other countries.
The religious message of Amdatism is that a person is guaranteed paradise for following the teaching of
Dalthus, the nal prophet of Albin. These teachings are not complex like those of the Orthodox Albinican Church.
If a person is conscientious, ethical, charitable, family-caring, and says his three daily prayers (at dawn, noon, and
dusk) with conviction, then paradise is assured. They, unlike other Albinicans, believe that the world was created by
Sait the Adversary, a dark twin of Albin. They believe that only the spirit, which was created by Albin, is pure and
that their bodies are tools of the Adversary. This is the main point of contention between the Amdati Church and
the Orthodox Albinican Church.
The church has lost some of its political clout with the recent conquest of the several kingdoms under the
protection of the Theocracy of Malindarov to the Narrlachi. Some of the nobles of Malindarov have turned their
back on the church and have embraced heretical beliefs, shaking the church to its core. Others have joined violent,
militant organizations like the dreaded Amdati Nizra, a cult of fanatical religious assassins.

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THE OLD FAITHS
There are only three other religions that still have a presence in Polian. Two of them, the Azari and Noderin
faiths have been around for thousands of years in one form or another. The third is the polytheistic tradition of the
Narrlachi, which also has existed for thousands of years amongst the Narrlachi tribes, but has only recently been
introduced to Polian.
The polytheistic Azari religion has its roots in the Karthian thirst for knowledge and the nature based faith
of the early Soderin invaders. These two belief structures complimented one another well and soon combined into
one religion. The followers of the Azari faith beleive that all humans are tied to the natural world and have a guiding
spirit. These spirits are the children of the two great gods, the Earth Mother and the Sky Father. However there is
also a pantheon of lesser gods that rule over everything from a particular hill to the underworld.
Azari, like most religions, fosters the belief that the deeds of a person are judged in the afterlife, determining
his nal destination. Today it is only practiced amongst the Sarrlachi people who are found in small rural pockets
in Falchia and eastern Amdrus. They continue to perform the rituals that were old when the Karthian people were
young.
The Norderin religion is perhaps the oldest in existence, having its roots in the practices of the degenrated
descendents of the First Men. It rose to prominence in the harsh Northlands and is based on the pursuit of
spiritual purity through battle and a cycle of reincarnation. This cycle can only end when the individual dies while
performing a great feat in battle. The soul then travels on to heaven to live in eternal bliss. This belief has survived
the coming of Albinicanism better than all other religions as it has no gods or spirits, only a singular belief. Today,
even the most devout Albinican of Noderin stock look at the world through a lens colored by the beliefs of their
ancestors.
The Narrlachi faith is newly arrived to Polian and can hardly be called a single religion. It is an amalgam of
many faiths. It accepts all gods from all religions equally. This wide open nature has made it easy for the members
of many dierent faiths to interact with one another. However it has also caused problems with those who believe in
monothesistic religions, as they refuse to accept any god but their own.

3 1
 3 2
 The kingdoms of Polian are varied and diverse in nature.
Though the terrain and climate is important, it is the people and
their history in this part of the world called Erd that truly matter. In
this chapter you will nd a brief description of the geography and
conditions of the entire continent as well as brief descriptions of each
country and a timeline of events.

GEOGRAPHY
The continent of Polian is located in the far western portion of the
supercontinent that covers the planet Erd. It is located in a northerly clime
and is surrounded by the Vorish, Vorian, Frosset, Dasian, and Skagi Seas. It
is also home to a large inland sea called the Bruti Sea. The chief river systems in Polian are the Falk, Vistula and
Horvad.
Polian is dominated by large mountain ranges, several of which separate the continent from the rest of Erd.
Most of these mountain ranges are part of a single chain, which scholars call the Vlaka (Boreni, Falch, and Maugis).
The continent is also home to the Iskargi, Baran, Goszin and Warsza Mountain ranges. The highest points in Polian
are Mount Drachin (22,848 ft) in the Baran Mountains and Mount Wulfrim (18,577 ft) in the Iskargi Mountains.
Polians lowest point (81 feet below sea level) is the surface of the Bruti Sea.
The majority of the land in Polian is on a central plain, called the Falk Plain, which stretches from the
Maugis Mountains in the south to the Vorish Sea and from the Baran Mountains in the west and the Narana plains
in the east. A large part of this plain is fertile soil, as well as vast prairies, forests and lakes.
Southwest of the Baran Mountains is the heavily forested Karoth region, which bleeds into the foothills of
the Maugis Mountians. North of the Baran Mountains is the Vistula River valley, which is a fertile and developed
region. To the west of this valley lies a great wilderness called the Dasian Frontier.
To the north of the continent lies the Glacia Peninsula which is covered in mountains and home to many
glaciers. Also to the north is the Vorish Island chain which is covered with mountains, forests and tundras.

CLIMATE
The climate of Polian varies from polar to temperate. The southwest and western parts have a mild, generally
humid climate. This area is inuenced by the Halinga current system, which brings warm water and air from the
far south. Central and southeastern Polian has a humid, continental-type climate with cool summers. The northern
parts, including parts of the Vorish Island chain and the Glacia Peninsula are generally of the subarctic climate, with
the extreme north being host to a harsh polar climate. However, despite the general consistency of the climate,
strange anomalies have been known to occur, particularly in the last two hundred years.

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HISTORY
The history of Polian is mostly lost
to time. It is know that it was once ruled
by an ancient and powerful race of people,
often called the First Men by scholars. It is
said that they wielded magic like men wield
swords, practiced dark rites, dealt with
unimaginable creatures from the Outer
Darkness and ruled empires that spanned
worlds, not just continents. For tens of
thousands of years they ruled the world
until a great cataclysm brought it all to an
end. Only weather beaten, cyclopean ruins
remain of their glory.
From the ashes of their empire,
great kingdoms arose. They were forged
by the diminished descendents of the First
Men and they spanned only continents,
not worlds. They continued many of the
practices of their ancestors and enslaved
mankind. They too ruled for thousands
of years, but their empires crumbled into
decadence and their slaves revolted bringing
them to an end.
Upon the ruins of these empires,
the rst kingdoms of men grew. They
carried names like Karth, Imrak and
Monnot, and ruled over a world in turmoil. However, they too fell under the heel of those they made slaves. The
great empire of the east, Imrak, collapsed some 800 years ago and the one time slaves spread about the world
bringing an end to the last empires and forged the kingdoms that now rule Polian today.

AMDRUS
Amdrus is a kingdom covered in verdant forests, rolling hills, and dark swamps. It was founded by the
Bravs, a nomadic tribe from the Unknowable East, who established the kingdom in the foothills of the Maugis
Mountains. This kingdom they forged would eventually become the starting point for the Amdati movement, an
Albinican sect that would grow to change the religious face of Polian.
Rise to Power: The Bravs came to prominence in the region under the leadership of Ivar the Bold in the
south. He led his people to conquer the Karthian kingdom of Sindjar and took control of the entire Maugis region
by defeating the army of Armen in 156. They continued to expand north to the Baran Mountains, west to the Skagi
Sea, and east to Falchia, founding many small kingdoms, including the dominant one, Amdrus, but the social order,
which was similar to that of the Valadarins, remained in place.
Wars of Religion: In 241, the Amdati Church was founded and led to a popular revolt under the command
of the priests of this new religion. The ruling warrior class either converted or was killed as the entire population
embraced this faith. In 262 when the war was over, all the Soderin nations, save Wallavich, subscribed to the new
religion.

3 4
 However this did not end the conict as the various Soderin kingdoms vied for control of the religion. In
270 the kingdom of Belyazny became the Theocracy of Malindarov and invaded Tecav and continued south after
its conquest. Ruriv II, the king of Amdrus organized a confederation of kings to ght against the growing might of
Malindarov. It was defeated in 275 at the Battle of Yuris Crossing and the Amdati Church moved to Malindarov,
marking a radical change in society as the priestly caste came to power. It also marked the decline of Amdrus as the
premiere Soderin power. However, since it has not been ravaged by war as the Theocracy of Malindarov was, its star
has begun to rise again, as it still is host to most of the Amdati holy sites.
Occult Lore: Long have the Bravs of Druss spoken in hushed tones of the strange and mysterious Sarrlachi
people to the east. Over campres in the dead of night many Bravs frighten each other with stories of these people
who are rumored to work strange and powerful magic, commanding the spirits of the world to do their bidding.
Those who wish to master the arts of magic often travel to learn from the great Sarrlachi shaman in the east.

BREKAW
Brekaw is a harsh land in northeastern Polian, covered by deep valleys and rugged hills. The hills are made
for sheep herding providing Brekaw with the wool that drives much of its economy. For most of its history, it was a
territory held by other nations or a chaotic mix of tribal clans and only recently became a cohesive unit.
A Time of Chaos: Brekaw was settled in the 2nd and 3rd centuries by Rankian and Brekish tribes, who
defeated the kingdom of Oldaska and took the land as their own. In these early days there was no central
government. Instead it was a collection of independent clan holdings that fought among themselves. The lack
of central government encouraged invasions from neighboring Oldaska, Taratha and Voria for hundreds of years.
During this time, the local rulers frequently shifted their allegiance to the invaders.
By the 500s, Brekaw had become a part of Oldaska once again, but during the chaos that occurred after the
death of King Casimir the Great, Taratha annexed it. In 618, Archduke Antonio ca Ranada defeated Taratha and
claimed Brekaw for the Holy Union of Voria. Vorish rule continued for fty years until 668 when it was annexed
by Jenka. However its disparate clans made it dicult to rule and seven years later it gained independence under
Ratibor Demmin (reigned 675-687), a powerful magnate.
During his reign, Ratibor, called the Crucifer, gained the reputation for being a bloodthirsty monster. He
led his people, the Breks, in a bloody campaign to subjugate their Rankian neighbors. The war resulted in his
crucixion of thousands of his subjects and the eventual expulsion of the Rankian people from Brekaw.
Forged Out of Chaos: After Ratibors reign Brekaws independence continued to be one of violence and
chaos and in 700 the magnates revolted against the king and plunged the country into a civil war. Six years later
the king was dead, but the magnates could not agree upon a suitable candidate to replace him. Oldaska invaded the
vulnerable nation, seeking to expand its power. However, Jon Teszen, a young member of the lesser gentry, was able
to defeat the army of Oldaska at the Battle of Galisz. After the battle the magnates were forced from the pressure of
a general revolt to elect him to the throne. Since that time his line has ruled the country well and even fought o
the Narrlachi when they tried to invade in 779.
Occult Lore: Minions of evil are not entirely unheard of in Brekaw. There are rumors of ghostly apparitions
haunting the backgrounds and ancient Vorian fortications of the county. Its known by a few that a necromancer
makes his home here, working his dark magic to create and army of zombie and skeletons to do his bidding.

CUP KNIGHTS
The territory that the Order of the Sacred Cup, or Cup Knights as they are often called, is a rugged
mountainous region best suited for goat herding, mining and logging. However there are some valleys that have
fertile soil which is covered with farms. Before the invasion by the Great Khanate, it also included rough plains that
were home to livestock herds and large farms, but now that land is theirs no more.

3 5
 It is a knightly order which mixes both Vorish and Valadarin military traditions, that was founded in
Taratha in 342 to act as the sword arm of the Orthodox Albinican Church. It is also an international organization
with possessions throughout Polian. Its chapter houses are home to knights, clerics, monks, and various support
personnel. Despite this, it still has a strong ethnic Tarothian identity and aggressively serves Tarothian territorial
ambitions.
Born in Battle: In 320, the Theocracy of Malindarov invaded and conquered the Toloskan provinces
of Araszo, Ledosk, Sarrlin, Warska and Zybeszko during its crusade to make the world Amdati. The Orthodox
Albincan Church tried to organize its own crusade to retake the lost lands, but was mostly unsuccessful. However,
in 342 the king of Taratha organized the Order of the Sacred Cup and tasked it with retaking the fallen territories.
Within ten years Ledosk was retaken and renamed it the Toloskan March. Slowly the order continued to
make more and more gains against the Amdati as it waged a continuous war with the support of the rest of the
north. In 385, Grandmaster Elek Varniski lead a successful siege on the city of Sawin which led to the reconquest of
Sarrlin. Twenty years later his successor, Alek Semeszko captured Warska after a three day long battle on the plains
outside the city. This marked a turning point in the reconquest, which ended in 580, two hundred and sixty years
after it fell to the Amdati.
Becoming a Kingdom: In 670, Grandmaster Jan Wlaka ocially accepted lordship over the Toloskan
March, which it had been policing for almost one hundred years. Eleven years later, it had halted the spread of
Amdatism into Toloska and forced the pagan Sarrlachi clans to retreat south. In 682, the knights invaded religiously
mixed Wallavich, but were repulsed at the town of Prisca by Wallachi armies under the command of Wladimir
Malenski. This put an end to their territorial expansion in the region, though not to their opening of chapter houses
in other nations.
The Narrlachi Wars: In 778, the Narrlachi conquered Toloska and moved onto the territory of the Cup
Knights, Jenka and Taratha. The war was long and hard fought. The knights were able to slow their expansion, but
not stop it. Their land would have eventually suered the same fate as Jenka if the Great Khan had not died, forcing
a withdrawal of the Narrlachi. Today they still ght skirmishes with the Great Khanate who sits on their border.
Occult Lore. The lands of the Cup Knights are haunted by the spirits of the dead. In some places, when
the moon is full, armies of ghostly men ght and die again. There is always the poor fool who has been trapped
out in the open during the full moon. Always it is said they are left mad and raving. The unlucky ones are killed
immediately, while those who somehow survive live on to tell all about what they have seen.

ESKAR
Eskar is a region of two distinct geographies. The islands to the west are rugged, hilly, and forested while
on the mainland the land is lightly wooded and at. In the west most people are livestock herders and in the east
traditional farmers.
History began in Eskar with the collapse of Karthian rule in the latter part of the 1st century caused by the
invasion and conquest of what is today called the Island of Salam by Soderin tribes. In Eskar, the Bravs and Malins
set up ve separate kingdoms, each ruled by an aristocracy made up of warriors, with a king at the head. This model
of government is nearly identical to that of the other kingdoms founded by the Soderins and Valadarins at this time.
The Early Soderins: The early kingdoms of Eskar included those founded by the Bravs in the north and
east of the island (Vanastack, Novich and Yarin), those founded by the Malins in the south (Vles and Kav), and the
surviving independent Karthian kingdom in the east (Alahb). After years of minor wars the kingdoms united to
elect a Vlava (high king), the rst of which was Vladik of Yarin. During the 200s he and his heirs dominated the
politics and fostered a culture of learning at their capital of Yavar. The 300s were dominated by the kings of Vles, of
whom the most famous was King Ivan the Cruel, who culminated his conquest of the kingdom of Alahb by staking
three thousand enemy soldiers outside of the city of Alah, ending any remnants of the Karthian society on the
island. However, upon his death, Vles weakened quickly and Novich became the dominant kingdom on the island

3 6
marking the end of the early Soderin Period.
The Novich Conquests: The beginning
of Novich rule marked a major turning point in
Eskars history. In 439, the Novich king, Wilvar
the Conqueror invaded and conquered the other
kingdoms on the island, beginning two centuries
of Novich rule. The Novich conquest did not,
however, end with the island. Wilvars descendants
continued his work by turning to the east and
the Kinsha Peninsula. There they landed in force
and conquered the many petty Bravish and Malin
kingdoms that occupied the region. By the time
the rst Eskari ships began to arrive on the land
that now bears their name, the Novich kingdom
spanned as far east as the modern Amdrus.
The Noderin Conquests: Slightly less
than two hundred years after the rule of Wilvar
the Conqueror, the Noderins invaded what is now
Eskar. In 570 the Navari tribesmen conquered the
former kingdoms of Vanastack and Yarin, renaming
them Poren. The Navari continued to expand,
taking more and more territory until King Javik
the Great of Novich beat them back and reclaimed
Poren. However, the victory was short-lived,
because a year after his death in 605, a fresh wave
of Noderins, calling themselves the Eskari landed
with a full-scale invasion of the Kinsha Peninsula.
This combined with a fresh wave of Navari raiders
landing on the Island of Salam brought an end to
the Novich kingdom, which was now split in two, Eskaren in the east and Poren in the west.
For ten years after the fall of the Novich kingdom, the two successor states, Eskaren and Poren fought one
another with neither nation gaining an upper hand. This war came to an end in 616 when Rudolf the Great, an
exiled Isoli prince landed at Runabirth, a key island that was sought after by both Eskaren and Poren. He defeated
both rulers, had their crowns forged into one great crown, and declared himself king of Eskar. His heirs still rule the
nation to this day, though they are in constant conict with the kings of Navaren and priest-kings of Amdrus.
Occult Lore: The Navari in western Eskar still speak of regaining their freedom from the Eskari. Legend
tells that the last Navari king, Wulgar the Grim, sleeps in his burial mound awaiting the right moment to rise up
and lead his people to freedom. Some scholars whisper that there is another part of the legend that is now forgotten.
They say he will rise up and lead an army of the dead to destroy all of the living and he will rule the land from a
throne made of the bones of his own people, the Navari.

FALCHIA
Falchia is a large country that is split by the great Falk River, its tributaries, and the Bruti Sea, named after a
now extinct culture whose only remains are the name of the vast inland sea and ruins along its coast. Its eastern and
southern borders are covered in mountains and hills and the rest of the country is covered in verdant river valleys,
deep forests, and open grassland.

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 The history of Falchia dates back to the regions conquest by the Vorish Empire under Titus Otho Cassium.
During the rule of the empire it was populated by the Falchians and Vorians, who conquered and destroyed the
native people known as the Bruti. However, Falchia was always the gateway to the distant east, which made it the
rst stopping point for the Valadarin and Soderin tribes during the Great Migration in the 1st Century, which
diversied the population.
The Deorhams: At the end of the 1st Century, the Falchian ruler Nevos Deorham united the Falchians and
Rankian tribes into a single kingdom and made Torlune his capital. He preceded his conquests with the shrewd
political move of converting to Albinicanism in the late 90s. This gained him the support of the bishops in Falchia
and with their blessing, he conquered Warva (an early Dasian kingdom) and then Rikidszar (an early Rankian
kingdom). Impressed by his accomplishments, the Vorian emperor, Lucinus Numerian (reigned 87-118) sent him
a gem-studded blade, which is still the symbol of royal authority in the kingdom, and elevated him above all other
kings by marrying him to his daughter, Lucrecia Numerian.
Upon Nevos death, according to ancient Falchian custom, his enormous kingdom, which covered modern
day Tolor, Falkaz and Falchia, was divided amongst his four sons. Lucius, the eldest, ruled Falchia from Torlune,
Willius ruled Warva, Gaius ruled Rikidszar, and Mercurius ruled Toloska. The brothers constantly warred with each
other and the kingdom remained divided until only Lucius was left alive. His descendents continued to rule the
kingdom, but poorly, as its borders slowly shrank to encompass only the regions of modern Falchia and Falkaz by
the early parts of the 4th Century.
Taddi Rule: The next to rule the kingdom was the House of Taddi. Geofrin Taddi was crowned and
anointed king of the Falchians in 351 after the last Deorham, Albinus II, was deposed in a bloody civil war that
lasted seven years. The Taddis gained their strong position from their desire to strengthen their ties to the Orthodox
Albinican Church which earned them the support of the bishops of the kingdom. This stimulated the spread of the

4 0
Albinican liturgy throughout Falchia as well as in neighboring kingdoms.
When Geon died in 368, Falchia was divided between his two sons, Falk and Nevosin. Upon Nevosins
death in 372, his widow and sons ed to Toloska, fearing imprisonment and even death at the hands of their uncle.
Falk invaded and conquered Toloska, incorporating it into his kingdom. When he died in 418, his empire was split
in two, with Toloska returning to Nevosins heirs and the rest coming under the rule of his son Falk II. However,
it was a kingdom in name only as Falk did not possess the abilities of his father and grandfather. Much of the
kingdom split into independent counties and principalities, like Viala, Gisorius, Brutinia and Guitainee.
Ghuan Rule: In 580, the last Taddi king died without an heir and Lorenz the Great, Duke of Brutinia, was
able to engineer his sons election to the throne of Falchia with the aid of the Archbishop of Alcona. Together they
swayed the Duke of Gisorius, the most powerful man in Falchia, to throw his weight behind the claim of the House
of Ghuan. Thus their rule began, but they had little power as the royal domain was small and weak, consisting of
the areas around Torlune, Alcona and Maddun.
Royal power remained weak until the late 600s when the Ghuans took steps to strengthen the authority of
the king and his domain. Falk IV, who reigned from 662 to 702, appointed local ocials as administrators for the
crown, similar in manner to what the Oldaskan kings had been doing for years. His son, Henri VI (702-737) won
the loyalty of the common man by issuing charters to towns, increasing their independence from the nobility. He
also established a national army, beholden to the crown.
However these actions were not enough to save Falchia from the invasion by the Great Khanate. Henri
VII, the king of Falchia was a simpleton and could not rally his nation against the Narrlachi. Lower Falchia was
completely lost along with much of the royal domain (Alcona and its surrounding region) in 777. Today his cousin,
Richard ca Leon, Duke of Guitainee, is the commander of the army and has eectively taken over the country. He
is disliked by the nobility, who tried to block his appointment and go out of their way to make his attempts to retake
Lower Falchia dicult.
Occult Lore: Stories have spread throughout the countryside that the real reason behind the death of the
Great Khan is that the king of Falchia hired a sorcerer to assassinate him. The common folk believe that the king
refused to pay the sorcerer after the deed was done and the sorcerer has vowed to destroy Falchia. They say that the
king, who now fears for his life, has sent out secret agents to nd the sorcerer who has seemingly disappeared.

THE GREAT KHANATE

The Great Khanate is a vast country that is covered by all sorts of terrain. It is home to taiga, tundra,
steppes, hilly regions, mountains, fertile valleys, and even an inland sea. The lands that it has dominated in Polian
are generally either great seas of waving grass or well forested and well settled lands.
The Narrlachi were once a nomadic people that traveled the great steppes in the Unknowable East before
uniting under Skorpa Khan in the mid part of the 8th century. For the most part his people live by herding horses
and occasionally raiding their neighbors. Religiously diverse, this has made them very tolerant of the religious
practices of the people they conquer, often making living under their yoke bearable.
The Great Khan: Skorpa was born to the khan of the Chaka clan of the Karna tribe. His parents were
brother and sister, which made him an abomination in the eyes of his people. For most of his young life he was the
subject of terrible cruelty because of this. However his life was not ended because his father was a well respected
leader among his people.
When he turned 26, his father died and the clan elected Zakula, his son from his second marriage, as
khan. Several weeks later, Zakula and his bodyguard were slain in a ambush and Skorpa assumed leadership of the
weakened clan.
Once in power he revolutionized how his people fought and began a long and bloody war with the
neighboring clans. By the time he was 28 he had become khan of all the Karna clans and on his 30th birthday he
was elected Khan of the Great Khanate of the Narrlachi.

4 1
 Road to Empire: In 757 Skorpa Khan was elected supreme ruler in a great assembly of clan chiefs. He
reorganized the army and set out to conquer the mysterious kingdoms that are found in the Unknowable East.
Between 759 and 771, the Great Khanate conquered all of the known kingdoms of the east, such as Thu, Lamoria,
Voth, and Yig, as well as many unknown to the people of Polian. Once all of the kingdoms of the Unknowable East
were under his rule he spent ve years consolidating his power and defeating quarrelsome chieftains.
After completing his conquest of the Unknowable East, Skorpa Khan turned his eye on Polian. He swept in
through the Boreni Mountains and defeated the Vorish armies of Moro, Annis, Medini, Borva and Enkara, adding
them to his vast empire. The invasion then shifted south and entered Falchia, taking Lower Falchia with ease and
continuing into Toloska, Jenka, and Taratha. It came to a halt with his death in 780 and a withdrawal was made
from Jenka, Taratha and Upper Falchia which had not been completely pacied. His khans now march on the
capital of Varkoru far to the east to elect a new Great Khan so they may once again continue their conquest of the
world.
Occult Lore (Falkaz): Deep in the heart of the khanate not many know of a fortress known as the Cask.
A great evil was defeated and imprisoned in the caves below this keep in the elder days of the First Men. Scholars
say that the current fortress is built upon the ruins of the original building that marks and guards the resting place
of this evil. The fearless Narrlachi avoid it at all costs, giving it miles of wide berth and making signs against evil
whenever they come within sight of it.
Occult Lore (Tolor): The khan put down a rebellion at the town of Csek and in the process the entire
town was laid to ruin. Rumors have begun to spread that the khans chief advisor, the priest Harg released a terrible
demon that killed every person in the town and burnt it to the ground. They now say that this demon escaped his
control and now wanders the countryside causing destruction and chaos everywhere it goes.
Occult Lore (Voru): There are whispers that a strange plague has begun to spread among the Narrlachi.
It is said that those aicted become anemic and seem to die of blood loss though there are no visible wounds on
the victims. Priests of the Orthodox Albinican Church have begun to preach that this is divine retribution sent to
bring the enemies of the church low. However, it is said that the Narrlachi are not the only ones succumbing to this
illness.

JENKA
Jenka is a heavily forested country that once boasted populous cities, country palaces and quaint villages.
Today many of these institutions have been destroyed in the wake of the Narrlachi invasion which laid the kingdom
to waste. Now it is most characterized by its savaged farmland and the deep forests that not even the Narrlachi
could penetrate.
Jenka is a unstable nation covering the Taurinus Forest and the Galisz River valley. Much of the territory of
Jenka was a part of the Vorian Empire called the Tauritus Province. During the Great Migration the territory was
occupied by many dierent tribes, most notably the Dasians, Breks, and Taroths.
Before the Jenks: The region that is now called Jenka was originally a part of the Oldaskan kingdom.
However, in 209, while Oldaska was warring with itself, a tribal people called the Kutri invaded. There had been
previous invasions by the Toloskans and Taroths, but they both came as invaders, not conquerors. The Kutri
respected the Torain and Oldaskan populous and did not commit wanton acts of destruction as they had come to
settle, not raid. Within a matter of a few years they conquered the region and established their capital at a town
called Brazado.
For several centuries the Kutri ruled the region, but throughout this time the remained aloof from their
populous. They did not intermarry with the natives and stayed a minority. This made their rule very fragile and
eventually collapsed in 511. According to legend the last Kurti king, Tarik the Impaler, violated the daughter of one
of his nobles, Marcus the Fair. Marcus called upon his neighbor, the king of Oldaska, to avenge the insult. Oldaska
invaded, defeated the small Kutri population and retook the region, holding it until the time of the Jenks.

4 2
 A Kingdom is Forged: In the late
5 Century the Jenks, newly arrived from the
th

Unknowable East, gained control of the region

and ravaged Oldaska and Taratha. Jenkish
raids continued until 560 when the Oldaskan
king, Casimir the Great, defeated them at the
Battle of Mazov. The Jenk chieftains, realizing
that they had nowhere left to migrate to, sent
an embassy to the king of Oldaska. Their
leader, Konrad the Short, was recognized as
the Duke of Jenka and made a vassal of the
king in exchange for agreeing to not keep
any Albinican slaves. To seal the bond he
married his grandson, Leszek the Pious, to the
daughter of the Duke of Galisz, chief vassal to
the king of Oldaska.
In 598 Leszek converted to
Albinicanism, prompted the conversion of
his people and broke from Oldaska which
prompted a short war. The war came to an
end when the Patriarch of Tyre brokered peace
between the two and crowned him King of the
Jenks. During his reign, the old faiths were
suppressed and modern Valadarin institutions
began to emerge.
After Leszeks death in 638, Jenka fell
into a period of internal strife, that would
become the normal state of aairs in the
kingdom, as the magnates struggled to claim
the throne. In spite of this ongoing struggle, Jenka experienced short periods of growth and stability under the rule
of Wartislaw II and Kazmirez I. They expanded Jenka into Brekaw, Wallavich, and Toloska, promoted trade and
spread the ministry of the Orthodox Albinican Church.
The Decline: Jenka decended even deeper into chaos under the rule of the mentally unstable Kazmirez II.
During his rule and the rule of his heirs Jenka became the battleeld for the rival countries of Oldaska and the Holy
Union of Voria. The Vorish Archduke Lucino ca Navoy himself even occupied the throne for a time and fractured
the country further by using it to reward his favorites with land grants. After his death in 751, Jenka regained its
independence, but the damage had been done as the magnates and foreign nobles still retained the power they had
gained under Vorish rule.
During the 8th Century Jenka suered, as did all of eastern Polian, from the Narrlachi invasion. The
Narrlachi ravaged the country, killing or enslaving nearly half the population. But in 780, following the death of the
Great Khan, the Narrlachi withdrew but Jenka still remains a fractured nation at the mercy of her magnates.
Occult Lore: Jenka has always been a land thought to be cursed. Ancient folktales speak of a demon
lord hiding in her dark forests. It is said that he prowls through the night, searching for sleeping children to give
nightmares to.

4 3
THE THEOCRACY OF
MALINDAROV
The Theocracy is a large country
that includes many dierent types of
terrain. The most common is fertile
elds for the growing of crops, but it
is also home to forests, mountains and
rough hills. In the south it is known
for its deep swamps where men fear to
tread.
The Theocracy of Malindarov
is a vast nation that covers all the land
between the Ivan River and the borders
of Amdrus and Falchia. Prior to the
Narrlachi invasion it also controlled
much of what is now southern Tolor.
Originally, the territory was home to
Karthain city-states. When the Malins
arrived, they conquered these cities
and warred with each other. Within a
matter of years several kingdoms formed
in the region, including Belyazny,
the birthplace of the Theocracy of
Malindarov.
Foundation: In 200, the Malin chieftain Bela the Wise came to the throne of Belyazny. Under his
guidance, his nation grew prosperous by embracing parts of the Karthian culture but still retaining the core of his
peoples society. However, his dream of a culture made of the best parts of two distinct societies did not outlive him
by very long. His son, Bela the Pious was the rst ruler outside of Amdrus to embrace the new Amdati religion,
which was violently opposed to anything of Karthian origin. It was his conversion that helped spread the faith
amongst the other Soderin nations and pave the way for the theocracy.
In 275, his grandson, Ivan the Zealot, took it upon himself to take command of the Amdati Church, which
he believed was in danger of being corrupted by staying in Amdrus. He declared himself the High Theocrat of
the Theocracy of Malindarov and invaded his neighbor, Tecav. Within two years he held all the territory between
Belyazny and Amdrus. The king of Amdrus, Ruriv II organized a confederation of the remaining free Soderin
kingdoms to stop him, but lost at the Battle of Yuris Crossing, ending any real resistance.
The Theocracy expanded even further, conquering all the Soderin nations except Amdrus, which it could
not fully defeat, and the Amdati Church moved to Malindarov. The Theocracy became the most powerful Amdati
nation and under the leadership of Ivans zealous heirs, it continued to try and spread the word.
Crusades: In 317 the Theocracy began a crusade to conquer and convert all of Polian by the sword. It sent
several armies to the north and the south, invading Wallavich, Toloska and Falchia. On a whole, these endeavours
were unsuccessful, but for almost 270 years it held key cities and fortications in the Orthodox Albinican world as
well as spread its faith to every part of Polian.
Narrlachi Wars: When the Narrlachi swept into Polian in 772, they were like nothing the people of the
continent had ever seen. The territories within the Theocracy that were east of the Baran Mountians quickly fell
along with their neighbors Toloska and Falchia. Malindarov is still reeling from the loss and the High Theocrat

4 4
Vladimir II fears that Amdrus will take advantage of the situation and try to exert control of the church which in
eect rules the people of the land.
Occult Lore (Belyazny): Belyazny has always been the source of myths and legends often told to scare little
children in order to keep them from wandering in the wilderness. Tales of men who can take the shape of wolves
and bears prowling for human esh are the most common. The most frightening is perhaps about the Polevoi, a
demon spirit that harvests souls with its great scythe. Some wonder if there isnt a bit of truth to these old stories.
Occult Lore (Tecav): Though it has been settled for centuries, most of Tecav is still a sprawling wilderness.
Some have claimed to have seen strange man-beasts lurk in these lands. They are described as looking and acting as
normal men do, but when the moon is full, they transform into horrid amalgams of man and beast. The people say
that when the wolves howl deep in the night, these creatures are not far.
Occult Lore (Medve): The hills of Medve are said to be haunted by the spirits of the Karthian dead. Long
ago when the Malins and Bravs rst invaded the Karthian kingdoms they were a brutal people who slew men,
women and children in the thousands. The ghosts of these poor souls are said to walk the land seeking retribution
from the descendents of their murderers.
Occult Lore (Kulraine): The Theocrat of Kulraine has recently set up his court in the winter palace of
the kings of Halab, an ancient Karthian kingdom. Word has spread that the souls of the slain now walk its halls.
Soldiers on guard duty are said to have seen reenactments of the sack of the palace by the Bravs and Malins played
out by ghosts of the tormented dead.
Occult Lore (Bravar): It is said that a strange plague has broke out amongst the people of Vilius. It leaves
its victims nearly drained of all the blood in their bodies with no apparent wounds. Hunters in the area believe its
origin to be supernatural.

NAVAREN
Navaren is made up of the rugged coastline of the Glacia Peninsula which is a maze of fjords and tiny
islands. The land is very harsh and cold with few places to grow crops but never in large numbers. In fact the
islands are generally better places to raise livestock and crops, though most of the population lives on the coastline
and makes its living shing.
Before recent times, Navaren was ruled by a collection of petty kings, with most of the political and martial
power in three dierent parts of the country, Kagerak in the west, Svalo in the east, and the Isola islands. It became
a true political entity in the late 500s with the rise of the Navari king Ealaric Bloodbeard.
Scourge of the North: For hundreds of years, the Noderin tribes of Navaren swept across northern Polian.
They came as raiders in search of plunder, explorers, settlers and even merchants. No region went untouched by
them in some way . Oldaska and Brekaw in particular were heavily colonized and traded with.
However, this activity was not by a unied nation of people, but by small groups, usually clans, that had
their own agendas and reasons for taking to the sea. During this time it was just as common for a Noderin raiding
party to attack a Noderin colony as it was to attack someone else. This all would change after the unication in the
mid 500s.
Unication: The unication of Navaren began when Ealric Bloodbeard of Svalo, defeated a confederation
of Omerons and Eskari kings at the Battle of Norsk in 566. Although he was also able to continue his conquests
and take the Isola Islands as well, he was unable to establish a lasting union and drove many clans from Navaren to
settle in Eskar. However, his son, Eadric was able to unify the quarrelsome clans of Navaren and establish a single
nation under the Eadrin Dynasty as Eadric heirs became to be known.
The Cerknaks: In 642 civil war broke out in Navaren when Magnus Winigas of Isola refused to pay
homage to the Navaren king Oswin. The country was torn apart as the clans used this as an excuse to settle old
blood feuds. The war lasted for 10 years and in the end there was a new line of kings, the Cerknaks.

4 5
 They were a clan of Eskari that did not ee during the unication of Navaren. Through the brilliant
leadership of Edwyg the Fat, there were able to defeat both the Winigas and Eadrin families and reunite the
kingdom. However, the disparate clans of Navaren still followed their own paths, which eventually led to the
destruction of the Cernaks at the hands of Cnut, the Bear of Norsk, who took the throne of Navaren for himself.
Under his rule, Navaren once again became a kingdom of many kings, not a unied nation.
Albinicanism and Order: In 712, Sweyn Gormva, nephew of Cnut, became king of Navaren. In his
youth he had converted to the teachings of the Orthodox Albinican Church and became the rst Albinican king of
Navaren. Under him, with the aid of the bishop of Marona, conversion began in earnest. He used the religion as a
unifying force and was able to bring some semblence of order to a people who thrive in chaos. His grandson now
rules and continues the work of his grandfather converting his people and trying to impose order.
Occult Lore: Not many know of the ancient magic of the Noderin Runecasters still surviving in Navaren.
These mystics are rumored to be able to sap the will of men, forcing them into servitude. They are believed to work
in secret cabals, controlling the fate of all who step upon Navarens soil.

OLDASKA
The kingdom of Oldaska is a vast swath of territory covered in mountains, rivers, forests and great rolling
plains. It was once home to what was once a large portion of the Vorian Empire as well as the Noderin kingdom of
Navara. It is so large, that despite centuries of settlement, much of it is still wild and untamed.
The kingdom of Oldaska is the oldest Valadarin kingdom in all of Polian. It was founded upon the heels of
the Great Migration by the Valadarin tribesmen in the year 82. At that time it covered modern day Brekaw as well
as parts of Tyre, Jenka and Taratha. It was then and still is the most powerful nation in the north.
Origins of Nationhood: Oldaskas rst king was Janus Czesk. He recognized the importance Albincanism
was for the development of his new kingdom and converted in 86. With the support of Vorish missionaries he
worked to convert his countrymen and gained the favor of the Patriarch of Tyre and the Emperor of Voria.
His heir was his eldest son, Wladyslaw the Bold, who expanded Oldaskas domains into the west under
the banner of Albin. Commanding a vast army and the respect of the Emperor of Voria, Licinius Numerian, he
marched into Navara, a Noderin kingdom in the west, and conquered it. After his success in Navara he turned his
eyes upon Tyre and entered into a war with his onetime ally, Voria. He nearly conquered the city, and was oered
a treaty in which he was crowned King of the Valadarins by the Patriarch of Tyre in 105. This granted him the
right to conquer all the other Valadarin nations that had begun to form, however he died before he could realize his
dream.
The Time of Troubles: When Wladyslaw died in 106, Oldaska quickly dissolved into regional factions. The
regions that are now Jenka, Brekaw and Taratha all fell to invading barbarians and the Dasians of Oldaska fought
among themselves. The 2nd Century also saw a widespread peasant uprising against the king, the gentry and the
Orthodox Albinican Church. The kings of Oldaska were forced to abandon territorial expansions and try to resolve
these internal conicts.
Oldaska did not see stability again until the 4th Century during the rule of Janik the Wise. He promoted
Albinicanism, repelled an expansion into Oldaska by the Holy Union of Voria and gained control over the
prosperous island of Strawa. However, his attempts to gain control over the ambitious and independent magnates
failed. Even when he split the nation into duchies ruled by his seven sons, he set the table for a violent struggle
amongst his heirs and their lines for the crown of Oldaska for 200 years.
Casimir the Great: Towards the end of the time of troubles, one leader came to stand out and brought peace
and stability to the country for the rst time since the death of Wladyslaw the Bold. Casimir Szobeski was elected to
the crown of Oldaska at the age of 18 by the magnates in the hope of having a puppet. He instead turned out to be
a strong leader that successfully defeated barbarian invasions and expanded the countrys territory to include Brekaw
and Jenka. However his reign, though glorious, was short and ended this short time of stability with his death.

4 6
 The Piasts: By the late 6th Century, Oldaska had fallen into the hands of Warrlachi rulers from Wallavich.
In 620, Artur Piast, a Oldaskan duke, assisted by the king of Jenka successfully opposed the Warrlachi and the
other Dasian dukes and seized the crown. He reigned for 15 years. His son, Jan, was even more successful and led
Oldaska to an age of stability and prosperity that continues today. During his reign he reorganized the constitution,
founded universities, encourage economic growth by granting charters to towns and married his daughters to the
most powerful families in the north to secure alliances.
Occult Lore (Oldaska): The land that Oldaska now covers was once the heart of the Vorian Empire. Some
people there can still trace their ancestry with much pride back to the Vorians who once ruled. These people have
never forgotten the stories of how they suered at the hands of the Valadarin invaders. It is rumored that some
maintain the cults of their ancestors, worshiping the Vorian gods of war, weather and the sun. Some believe that
they hold their rites in ancient ruins that still hold treasure from an age long gone.
Occult Lore (Strawa): Strawa has been the home to many strange individuals of all manners of religions.
Cults that worship demons are said to be a common but manageable problem for the island nation. However, it is
rumored that the spirit of the famous sorcerer, Vladimir Sarski, who was executed in 1131, is active and makes the
bowels of the city his home. The truth of this matter is not known, but even the cutthroats who make the island
their home shiver at the idea of that famous sorcerers spirit wandering the catacombs beneath the city.

4 7
OMERON
Omeron, originally called
Larippa, holds a strategic position
as the crossroads of what was once
the Vorian Empire which has
inuenced its history tremendously.
The kingdom covers the green and
hilly island of Larippa as well as the
southern portion of the Isle of Radu,
which shares a similar geography. It
is a valuable market for the exchange
of goods from the long distance trade
with the kingdoms of the Unknowable
East.
Early History: Larippa was
originally a part of the Vorian Empire,
populated primarily by Radians. In
68, Larippa fell to the Lotharians, a
small Valadarin tribe. They invaded
from what is today called Voru and
eight years they were conquered by the
Rankians. They were massacred and
nothing remains of their society today.
It did not stay in their hands
long though and in 135, Larippa was recaptured by General Leo Maxtenius of the Vorian Empire. It remained an
important part of the empire for several centuries because of its key location. Most of the trade with the southern
parts of the empire traveled through its ports.
In 427, Larippa changed hands again when the Holy Union of Voria was split by civil war. Marcus ca
Sabinia, the duke of Larippa, declared himself Emperor of Voria and war erupted. The admiral even called for aid
from Majmir, the king of Taratha, who took advantage of the oer and sent a conquering force to the island.
Tarothian Rule: The Taroths conquered the island in a matter of a few years and it became a part of what
was then called the Tarothan Empire. After 478, it became an independent kingdom taking the name Larippa and
the capital was moved from Lanium to Galania which grew to be a wonderful city, larger than any city in the north
save Tyre and Radu.
However, early in the 6th Century it entered a period of civil war. Two dierent families, one backed by
the Holy Union of Voria and the other by Taratha tore the country apart in their desire for power, making it very
vulnerable to the invasion by the Omerons. Galania was razed and the country was thrown into chaos.
Noderins: Noderin mercenaries had been in Voria ghting for the local rulers or themselves since 608,
made up of mostly Omerons. By 660, Tacred Agder, the Sea Wolf, and his brother Vikar had gained control of
southern Radu, a region called Leskara, when they turned their attention to prosperous Larippa. Vikar led the
conquest of Larippa, which began in the winter of 660 and ended with the fall of Lanium in 671.
In 727, the Sea Wolf s son, Finn ascended to the throne of Leskara. Three years later he also took the throne
of Larippa when his cousin died after a long illness. In 731 he was able to persuade Patriarch Pietro ca Borsa to
crown him king of the Kingdom of Omeron which included both Larippa and Leskara. This opened the door for
more Omerons to colonize the kingdom, changing it from a Vorish kingdom to a Noderin one. It remains that way
to this day.

4 8
 Occult Lore: It has been long been rumored that the King of Omeron is a sorcerer. Stories about him speak
of the great storm that came seemingly out of nowhere to shatter the invading eet from Radici against the rocks of
the coastline. Some believe he used his powers and demonic servants to create this freak storm to save his kingdom.
The people of the land would have no problem with this if not for the other more macabre stories that circulate
around him and his activities.

TARATHA
Taratha sits upon the We Plain along the western coast of the Vorish Sea. Most of the land is open grassland.
However there are pockets of hilly areas and small forests. The majority of the population lives on the coast or near
these pockets, leaving the harsh soil of the prairie alone.
It was formed from the Taroth and Ranki tribes who settled there in the 2nd Century. The Ranki led the way,
but soon fell from prominence as they were conquered by rst the Vorian Empire and then the Taroths tribes that
followed them.
Origins: In 151, the Taroths conquered the Vorian province Cesari, expanded south to the borders of
Falchia and west to the Little Situla River. At the same time the Rankians and their clans fell under the control of
the Empire of Voria and became a buer against the other Valadarin tribes.
During the 3rd Century, the Falchians pushed the Taroths north into Vorish territory and they began to ght
with the native Rankians. In 279, they moved back south to the We Plain and founded Taratha. The Archduke of
Voria, Tomaso ca Noano, tried to reestablish Vorish control over the Taroths and war ensued. In 290, a peace treaty
was signed in which Voria recognized Tarothian rule over the land for forty years. This rule became permanent
when the Taroths defeated the Vors at the battle of Vestos ten years after the treaty was signed.
The First Dynasty: During the 3rd Century, the Taroths controlled their Rankian subjects with a heavy
hand. Several rebellions occurred, but not once did the Rankians taste victory against the Taroths. In the end they
were forced to adopt a nomadic lifestyle in small clans, which they maintain to the modern day.
Ottovar, Tarathas rst great king, began his reign in the early 3rd Century. It was distinguished by military
successes abroad and the solidication of the central authority of the royal household. His army captured Adorno in
350 and killed the Vorish Archduke Nicolo ca Alenti. Shortly thereafter he became an Albinican and established a
lasting peace with the Holy Union of Voria.
For nearly 100 years Taratha became the leading force for the Orthodox Albinican Church. Its kings
organized crusades fought constantly with the Amdati invaders and even founded the Order of the Sacred Cup.
Throughout this time the country constantly expanded and contracted as the war went on. In the end, this constant
state of warfare brought about the end to Ottovars line and a second dynasty was formed.
The Second Dynasty: In 430 Majmir the Great was elected king of Taratha by the magnates. He was a
man more interested in worldly rather than spiritual gains and pulled the kingdoms support from the wars with
Malindarov, which led to more Amdati conquests. He instead turned his attention to his neighbors. By the end
of his reign he extended the state to include the modern day Jenka, Omeron and Brekaw and even outlawed the
practice of the Albinican religion.
The ban on Albinicanism did not outlive him and his son, Geza, reinstated the church in 465, but started
his own separate branch of the church so he could maintain control. Despite this control, he invited priests of the
Orthodox Albinican Church to come and teach the faith, as well as translate the holy texts of the religion into the
many Valadarin tongues. His son, Jutas, tried to banish the religion again, but was deposed by his brother Ladislas,
who allowed the religion to ourish and merged his church with the Orthodox Albinican Church.
However, his reign (493-527) was not a peaceful one. He frequently fought the Holy Union of Voria and
acquired more territory, expanding the Tarothian state to within miles of the holy city of Tyre. Tarothian culture
ourished and a constitution, similar to the one used in Oldaska, was written. By the end of his reign he declared
himself Emperor of the Valadarins.

4 9
 The Decline: After Ladislas death, the Tarothian empire began to crumble. It began when the Jenks
invaded and conquered the region of modern day Jenka in the 540s. The decline continued when in 580, the Holy
Union of Voria retook the area around the city of Tyre as well as several other territories they had lost. By 618
Brekaw was lost as well, and Taroth had receded to its current borders. The only bright spot during this period
was the transition of power to the Cup Knights in northwestern Toloska, a region long occupied by many dierent
armies.
In 776, the Narrlachi invaded and conquered much of southern Taratha as well as ran rampant over the
rest of the country. Taratha would have become a part of the Great Khanate if not for the death of the Great Khan
which forced the Narrlachi armies to withdraw. However, the Great Khanate did retain parts of Taratha, further
shrinking the once great power.
Occult Lore: Claims have been made for many years about the royal family being witches. This could
explain how they amassed their wealth and power, which is said to rival that of the Patriarch of Tyre. Many feel the
rumor may have its origin in the Order of the Sacred Cup who are known for their dim view of the current dynasty,
but all concede there could be some truth to it.

HOLY UNION OF VORIA

The Holy Union of Voria is a large territory that covers several smaller duchies in the far northeastern corner
of Polian. It is made up primarily of a series of islands and two small peninsulas that are home to many dierent
types of terrain. It was originally called the Empire of Voria, but was transformed into the Holy Union of Voria by
Albinus ca Borsa, the Patriarch of Tyre in 156, two years after the last emperor of Voria, Johannes Numerian died.
Foundation: The Vorian Empire was ocially founded in the rst year of the Age of Albin when Otho
Cassium was crowned after forty years of conquest in the city of Tyre. He had brought civilization to the lands that
are now the Holy Union, Voru and all the kingdoms north of the Baran Mountains. His son, Titus, continued to
forge an empire out of the chaos and destruction that ended the rst kingdoms of men. Under his guidance he
conquered what is now Falkaz, Tolor and Falchia. However his vast empire would not outlive him.
The Great Migration: In the last years of the 1st Century, the empire was rocked by the Great Migration.
Thousands of barbaric tribesmen who were the ancestors to modern Valadarin and Soderin cultures came hurtling
out of the distant east in search of land and stability. It is also rumored that they were eeing a great evil from an
earlier age. Whatever the true reason was for their coming, they tore apart the empire and gobbled up territory
steadily for many years until there was little territory on the mainland under Vorian rule.
A Grand Council: In 154, the last emperor of Voria died without an heir and the dukes of the empire could
not agree upon a successor. A civil war erupted and racked the country as the primary powers of the empire, Radu,
Radici, Dogana, and Flora, each sought to claim the throne for themselves. After two years of ghting, the Patriarch
of Tyre convinced them all to meet in Tyre to settle the dispute without further bloodshed.
After three weeks of arguing, the dukes and their subordinates from the many counties of the empire were
split down the middle on who the successor should be, the Duke of Radu or Dogana. The Patriarch was asked to
decide after they all vowed to stand by his decision. He instead reformed the government from an empire into a
union of countries. At the head of this union would be an Archduke, not an emperor. The Archduke would be
elected for life from amongst the nobility of the union, with the Patriarch being required to approve of the choice.
The Early Years: The restructuring of the empire came as a shock to the assembled nobles, but they had
given a solemn vow and not one had it in him to be the rst to break that oath. The Count of Leskara, Myron ca
Flavia, was elected to the throne mostly because the more powerful nobles thought that a noble with little backing
would not be able to control them. Despite the weakness of his military position, he was the perfect candidate,
being smart and charismatic.
Myron ca Flavia, with the aid of the Patriarch of Tyre was able to garner support among the lesser nobility,
who saw him as an opportunity to gain a say in the empire. He also had the support of the armies and navies of

5 0
the empire, who deferred to the Patriarch now that there was no emperor. When the Duke of Radici declared his
independence, Myron ca Flavia was more than able to bring him back into the fold and solidify the position of the
Archduke as the leader of the Union.
Golden Age: Throughout the years following the formation of the Union and leading up to the Narrlachi
invasion, the Union of Voria ourished culturally and sometimes militarily. It became the center of learning and
artistry as well as the power base for the Orthodox Albinican Church. However, the Union did not always remain
united. Several times dierent members tried to exert their independence or form their own empires. These
attempts to destroy the Union all failed because of capable Archdukes, Patriarchs or army generals.
During this time of cultural enlightenment, the territory of the Union uctuated. At times it controlled
Brekaw, parts of Taratha and Falchia. It lost all of these territorial gains to the growing Valadarin societies and even
lost the counties of Larippa and Leskara to invaders from Taratha and Navaren. These counties became the basis for
the kingdom of Omeron, which became a serious threat to Vorias control of the region as it was situated right in the
middle of the Union.

5 1
 Narrlachi Invasion: In 774 the Great Khanate invaded the County of Borva, changing the Union forever.
Within a year it was no more and soon the Counties of Annis, Moro, Medini and Enkara all fell to the Narrlachi.
The loss of these vast territories exacerbated the already strained relations among the most powerful provinces. The
Archduke is still ghting the Narrlachi to the best of his ability, but even if he succeeds in regaining the lost counties
the Union may still break up.
Occult Lore (Tial): Over the centuries the city of Tial has suered from a steady decline in its population.
In the year 20, when the city was called Corellina, she boasted a population of ve million souls. Today this vast
metropolis only houses 50,000 permanent residence. It is whispered that the reason for this is that some great
demon sleeps in the waters o shore. Old men speak of people hearing a voice in their head like the crashing surf
calling them to join it down in the deep black.
Occult Lore (Dogana): On the island of Dogana, deep within the Ice Pine forests lies a hidden valley. In
the center of this valley is said to be the ruins of a great city whose buildings are made of steel and shaped stone.
Strange spirits are said to haunt the ruins, possessing the bodies of those who enter, using them like tools, and
leaving them with shattered minds on the outskirts of the woods.
Occult Lore (Flora): Sailors speak with fear of getting their ships caught in the ice oes that begin to
form in the fall. It is not a fear of the cold or starvation but of what walks the ice in search of men. They say fell
amphibious beasts trek across the frozen wastes seeking the warmth only human esh can bring.
Occult Lore (Radici): Legend says that Radici was once home to a race of giants made of ice who fought
among themselves, saving the world from their mighty wrath. The inhabitants or Radici know better. They know
that it isnt a legend but a fact. From time to time they can hear their great war horns blowing and feel the earth
tremble when one is felled. They say only fools enter the frozen tundra in the north where these monsters have been
said to feast on entire villages.
Occult Lore (Radu): The Isle of Radu has had men living on it since before recorded history. It is said that
amidst the ruins of the earliest settlers, far in the remote parts of the country and deep below the cities, strange and
disturbing things occur. Few scholars have discovered that in the bowels of the land, below the countryside and
the cities, lies a vast network of tunnels. They are not natural formations, nor are they the work of men as they are
adorned with strange writings and murals of inhuman creatures.
Occult Lore (Tyre): The city of Tyre sits upon the foundation of the great Vorian capital of Tor. In ancient
times, before the coming of the Orthodox Albinican Church many cults populated the city. Today it is whispered
that the tortured souls of those the Albinicans slew as heretics when they took over the empire still cry out in
anguish. Others say it is not the voices of ghosts but the whispering of demons who control the church, steering all
towards damnation.

5 2
WALLAVICH
Wallavich straddles a series of valleys in which the Vistula River system drains. The land is dotted with lakes
and rivers. This lush region, once the Vorian province of Galatia, was conquered by the Warllachi tribes during the
early part of the 1st Century.
Formation: Unlike many of the successor states that rose up following the fall of the Vorian Empire,
Wallavich was rst ruled by the local Vorian nobility. An imperial general named Verus Ulpia was able to create
an alliance with the invaders and forge his own kingdom, which he named after the new people. He even took a
Wallachi name, Vladik Ulaczs when he was crowned king.
However, the Ulaczs Dynasty did not last longer than three generations. In 103 Kardam Dulo, a powerful
magnate, seized the throne from the royal family, plunging the country into civil war. In three years, all the
remaining members of the Ulacsz family either were killed or ed to Oldaska, taking with them the last remnants of
the Vorian Empire from Wallavich.
Instability: The reign of the Dulo Dynasty was the rst in a series of dynasties that ruled over a land
fractured by war. In 108, the Empire of Voria invaded Wallavich in an attempt to reclaim the lost Vorian Empire.
Though Voria was unable to conquer the Warrlachi in the thirty years the war lasted, it did have two major impacts
upon the society as a whole. The rst is that it converted the people of the territories it held during the war to the
Orthodox Albinican faith. Secondly, it weakened the central authority of the royal family. After the war was over,
the Dulos became little more than puppets for the magnates.
In 271, a civil war broke apart the country again as rival magnates fought to maintain control of the royal
dynasty. Five years later, the Dulo Dynasty was gone and the Kedon Dynasty, under Dava I (276-287) had taken its
place. The Kedon Dynasty was a much stronger dynasty and its rule was marked by a constant power struggle with
the magnates.
The country fell into a civil war again in 318 when the last Kedon died. Fifteen men were elected to the
throne by the gentry and the country was torn apart. For over one hundred years the war raged with no side ever
gaining enough power to maintain a hold on the crown. The situation was aggravated when its neighbors, Oldaska,
Belyazny, Taratha, and even the now distant Holy Union of Voria, began to mettle in the aair. Nobles made
alliances with whatever power they believed would support their claim on the throne.
In 485 the war nally came to an end when Constanz the Great (485-506) was able to seize and hold the
throne. During his reign he solidied the power of the king and codied a series of laws to help him and his heirs
administer the kingdom. He was even able to expand the countries borders into parts of modern day Jenka.
A New Order: In 505, Constanz II converted to Amdatism, which had been spreading throughout the
country since 320. After his fathers death in 506 he was crowned king and as his rst act he declared Amdatism to
be the state religion. However, the gentry was made primarily of warriors, and a complete conversion to Amdatism
would take away their power so they revolted. After ten years of ghting, peace was achieved and a strange dynamic
was created in Wallavich. Instead of a typical Amdati nation where the priests rule the entire country, only the royal
family could be members of the priestly class. This kept them in power and allowed the gentry to maintain their
position in society.
Wallavich continued down this path of duality, with both religions being practiced until the modern day.
This brought them into conict with their neighbors, both Amdati and Orthodox Albinican. However, Wallavich
weathered the storm well and even claimed the throne of Oldaska for a time. Today it is the only nation that truly
allows for all religions to be practiced with a minimum of stigma.
Occult Lore: Old women warn children about the Flawed One who sleeps beneath the ground of the
country. They say that the children must always be in bed on time because as the Flawed One sleeps, he dreams.
However, unlike their dreams, his become real and wander the land in search of little boys and girls out past their
bedtime to eat.

5 3
 5 4
 Creating a character is an art form. Various
elements are brought together to create a person made of pure
imagination. These elements are the Concept, Attributes, the
Cover, character renement and Cell creation he belongs to.
When brought together with the role a Player wishes to play, they
become a well dened character. Players should skim through this
chapter to get a better idea of the options available to them.

STEP ONE: THE CONCEPT

The concept of the character a Player would like to play is possibly
the most important element in the character creation process. It is the
blueprint for how to architect the other aspects of the character. The
concept is not just a guide; it is also the essence of the character.
Each character concept is made up of three parts, the characters Passion, Drive and Ethnicity. The
characters Passion are a body of tenants that he feels strongly about. The characters Drive is what motivated him to
join the ght against the evil conspiracy and his Ethnicity is his cultural identity.

CHARACTER CREATION OUTLINE

STEP ONE: THE CONCEPT
Passion, Drive and Ethnicity

STEP TWO: ATTRIBUTES

Fortitude, Reex, Knowledge and Temperament

STEP THREE: COVER

Skills and Social Status

STEP FOUR: CHARACTER REFINEMENT

Descriptors, Endurance Points, Gear, Languages, Vitality Levels and Witchblood

STEP FIVE: CELL CREATION

Assets, Origin and Asset Relationships and Kicker

5 5
PASSION
Passion is the heart of a characters emotional being. It is the idiosyncratic feelings of a person that
distinguish him from those around him. A characters Passion is an intense personal emotion, such as loyalty,
hatred or love. It denes who he truly is and what he really believes in at his core. It is the characters emotional
foundation that all of actions stem from.
When creating the character, the Player should clearly dene the characters Passion with either a single
sentence or a short paragraph. Some examples might be that a character has an undying loyalty to his brother,
despises the ignorance he encounters in the world or is unswerving in his devotion to the church. The reasons for
each example have to be fully eshed out, but that basic core idea creates a foundation for the character.
The characters Passion aects the game in that at each appropriate break in the story, each Player is assessed
by the group on how well he stayed true to his characters Passion. Those Players that stayed true to the characters
Passion gain the benet of refreshing their Destiny Pool. However, if the Player was not true to the characters
Passion the character permanently loses 1 Point from their Destiny Pool. If they have a zero for their Destiny Pool,
the pool now becomes -1. See Chapter Five for details on the use of Destiny Points and the Destiny Pool.

DRIVE
A characters Drive is what hurled him into the
struggle between a sinister conspiracy with hidden motives
and a few brave souls who seek to thwart it. It is always
an intense, emotion lled moment which was a turning
point in the characters life. It denes why he ghts the
conspiracy and often is a foundation for all of his actions.
When creating the character, the Player should
clearly dene the single event that brought him into the
ght with a short description. An example might be that
the character witnessed the elders of his town selling the young
children that had gone missing to a mysterious stranger. The
details should be eshed out with the Game Master and even the
other players. The event should be easy for the Game Master to tie in
with the type of evil Conspiracy he has envisioned as the enemy of the
characters.
During game play the character may get a bonus to his die rolls
equal to his Temperament Rank if the situation is tied to his Drive.
Using the example above, the character may get the bonus when he
is trying to save or defend children. He also may get the bonus when
is working against an authority that he has no respect for or believes
is involved in the conspiracy (like the village elders above). When a
character resolves his Drive (such as eliminating the village elders above),
two things can happen. The Player can either refocus the character and
give him a new Drive or he can retire the character from play.

5 6
ETHNICITY
Ethnicity is the heart of a peoples identity. It is the ethnic and cultural dierences that set them apart
from others. In the lands of Polian a persons ethnic identity is an important part of who he is. It denes where he
comes from, why he responds to situations in a certain way and has a strong bearing on what he cares about in life.
However, it is important to note that ethnicity is not tied to genetics. A person born of one Ethnicity but raised in
another would take on the traits of the one he is raised in. Individuals that are born to a mixed union and raised
in such an environment could take on the Ethnicity of both cultures. Players should read about each dierent
ethnicity in Chapter One and below to nd those that interest them most. They should also discuss with the Game
Master and each other the nature of the game they will be playing before choosing an ethnicity.

ETHNICITY* SYSTEM
BRAVS ALL BRAVS KNOW THE STORIES OF THEIR PEOPLE BY HEART.
BREKS BREKS STUBBORNLY REFUSE TO SURRENDER WHEN CORNERED AND FACING HOPELESS ODDS.
DASIANS DASIANS ARE ADEPT AT THEIR BEST WHEN THEY ARE WORKING IN COMPLETE SOLITUDE.
ESKARI THE ESKARI MASTER THEIR FEAR WELL IN BATTLE.
FALCHIANS FALCHIANS ARE ADEPT AT WORKING WELL WITH OTHER FALCHIANS.
GRIKS GRIKS ARE DEADLY WHEN THEY ARE WIELDING THE SABERS FORGED BY THEIR OWN CLAN.
ISOLI THE ISOLI ARE MASTERS AT THROWING THEIR HAND AXES AT THEIR FOES.
JENKS JENKS ARE MASTERS AT CARING FOR DOGS AND THEIR DOGS PERFORM BETTER THAN THE DOGS OF
OTHERS.

KARNA THE KARNA ARE MASTERS AT CARING FOR HORSES AND THEIR HORSES PERFORM BETTER THAT THE
HORSES OF OTHERS.

MALINS THE FURY OF A MALINS ATTACK INCREASES WHEN AT LEAST FOUR FOES HAVE FALLEN IN THAT BATTLE
TO HIM.

NALTARS NALTARS ARE MASTERS AT USING ANY BOW THEY THEMSELVES HAVE MADE.
NAVARI IN THEIR HANDS, THE NAVARI CLAN WEAPON IS TERRIBLY DEADLY.
OMERONS THERE ARE NO BETTER SAILORS IN THE WORLD THAN THE OMERON.
RADIANS RADIANS ARE PEOPLE TO BE FEARED WHEN THEY FIGHT TO REDEEM THEIR SLIGHTED HONOR.
RANKIANS THE CLEVER RANKIANS ARE ADEPT AT SCAVENGING FOR SUPPLIES ANYWHERE.
SARRLACHI THE SARRLACHI ARE EMPOWERED BY THEIR SPIRIT TOTEM IN A UNIQUE WAY. FOR EXAMPLE IF THE
TOTEM IS THE EAGLE, THEY MIGHT HAVE EXCELLENT LONG DISTANCE VISION.

TARATHANS TARATHANS ARE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR ENDURANCE IN HARSH ENVIRONMENTS.
TOLOSKANS THERE ARE NO BETTER FARMERS IN THE WORLD THAN THE TOLOSKANS.
TORIANS TORIANS ARE TO BE TRULY FEARED WHEN THEY ARE FIGHTING WITH KNIVES IN CLOSE COMBAT.
WARRLACHI THERE ARE NO BETTER HUNTERS IN THE WORLD THAN THE WARRLACHI.
* To get more information about each individual Ethnicity go to Chapter One.

5 7
STEP TWO: ATTRIBUTES
Attribute Ranks are a numerical representation
of a characters physical and mental abilities. They are
used in all aspects of dice rolling in one form or another.
There are four Attributes for every character. Players
have 11 points to divide amongst them but can have no
score higher than ve and each must have a minimum of
1 point in them. Players must spend all of their initial
11 points on them and each must have a Descriptor,
which are detailed later in the chapter. Details on how
to use Attributes in game play can be found in Chapter
Five.

FORTITUDE (FOR)
The Fortitude Rank is a representation of
the characters physical presence. It is how strong
the character is as well as how much punishment the
character can handle. When the character is created
the Player must also choose one Descriptor for this
Attribute. Some sample Descriptors are Can carry great
weaights like a pack mule, Can run great distances without
tiring, Punches harder than most, Vomits at the sight of
blood and Has arthritis in his left hand.

REFLEX (REF)
The Reex Rank is a representation of the characters grace, swiftness and general perception. When the
character is created the Player must also purchase one Descriptor for this Attribute. Some sample Descriptors are Is
faster than a deer for fty yards, Has sharp long-distance vision, His hands are clumsy when gripping an axe and Has bad
hearing in his right ear.

KNOWLEDGE (KNW)
The Knowledge Rank is a representation of the characters general intelligence. It is a measure of how book
smart the individual is as well as his common sense. When the character is created the Player must also purchase
one Descriptor for this Attribute. Some sample Descriptors are She knows the streets of Eskaru, Is an excellent
book learner, Learns languages easily, Has trouble remembering what he has read and Has a hard time learning verbal
information.

TEMPERAMENT (TEM)
The Temperament Rank is a representation of the characters personality. It is a measure of his personal will
as well as the strength of his personality. When the character is created the Player must also purchase one Descriptor
for this Attribute. Some sample Descriptors are He knows how to talk to sailors, She resists torture well, Always makes a
good rst impression, Has a strange nasally voice and He cant stand pain for very long.

5 8
STEP THREE: COVER
Generally, being a member of a secret organization bent on discovering the truth about a sinister conspiracy
and thwarting it is not an acceptable occupation. Also, the exposure of what the characters are trying to do opens
themselves and their loves ones to attack from the very powers they are trying to stop. Most characters will have a
life they live by day to nancially support their nighttime mission.
However, it is possible to play characters that have forsworn their former lives and have dedicated themselves
wholly to the destruction of the Conspiracy. Players that do not actively support their Cover create their characters
in the same manner as other characters, but once the story begins, they cannot call upon their Resource Rank to
purchase items and must make do with what they start with or seek alternate means of wealth.
Players must pick a profession or lifestyle that suits their character. Under this umbrella term the Player
determines his characters social status, background, occupation, general lifestyle and skills. Some sample covers
might be a blacksmith, a knight errant, a traveling minstrel or even a wandering friar. Anything is possible.
A characters skill selection is based upon his chosen Cover. A Player selects six skills that are appropriate to
the characters Cover and divides 17 points among them. However no score can start any higher than ve and each
skill selection must have a minimum of 1 point in them.

SOCIAL CLASS RESOURCES RELATIONSHIPS SOCIAL CLASS RESOURCES RELATIONSHIPS

Narrlachi Valadarin
Royalty 5 6 Magnates 6 6
Noyars 4 4 Royalty 6 6
Bahadurs 3 3 Landed Gentry 4 4
Patricians 4 6 Landless Gentry 3 3
Clergy 3 4 Clergy 4 5
Peasants 2 1 Merchants 4 5
Noderin Craftsmen 2 3
Those Who Fight 4 4 Peasant Land 3 2
Those Who Work 2 2 Owners
Those Who Serve 0 2 Peasants 1 1
Soderin Vorish
Yudin 5 4 Knights 5 4
Khlova 4 3 Clergy 4 5
Khorov 3 5 Freemen 2 3
Savin 1 2 Peasants 1 1

5 9
SKILLS
Skills are specic abilities the characters use in conjunction with Attributes. Below is a description of each
of the skills most common found in Polian. Players must spend all of their initial 17 points on them and each must
have a Descriptor, which are detailed later in the chapter. Details on how to use skills in game play can be found in
Chapter Five.

ACADEMICS (KNW)
Those who are lucky enough to attend a university an gain an education learn many disciples such as
theology, alchemy, astronomy, history and mathematics. This skill is used when any of that knowledge called into
play. Typically only the wealthy and the nobles of Polian can aord such an education. Some sample Descriptors
are Is an expert in making explosives, Is a master of Dasian history, Is well versed in the dealings with demons of ancient
Karth, Is terrible with accounting and Has trouble remembering which constellation is which.

SAMPLE ALCHEMICAL ITEMS

Acid: It is a substance that can dissolve many dierent materials, including skin. Typically it comes in
glass asks or vials. It does 3D6 points of damage for 2D6 rounds to the substance it comes in contact with. The
alchemist must have a Resource Rank of 3 to make this item.
Alchemist Fire: It is a volatile material that when it comes in contact with the air it bursts into ames,
burning at a great temperature. Typically it comes in porcelain or ceramic gallon jugs. It deals 3d6 points of
damage each round to everything in a 10 foot radius for 2D6 rounds. The alchemist must have a Resource Rank of
3 to make this item.
Curative: It is a liquid that helps heal an injured character. Typically it comes in metal or glass vials. It
grants a recently injured character 2D6 hit points and has a 50% chance (1-3 in a 2D6 roll) to stop all bleeding. It
can only be used once when a character is bleeding. The alchemist must have a Resource Rank of 3 to make this
item.
Eye Opener: It is a stimulant that is illegal in many nations. It typically comes as a metal vial lled with a
ne powder. When it is snorted the character receives a +2 to his Fortitude and Reex Ranks for 2D6 hours. Once
the time period is up he suers a -4 to all rolls for 2D6+2 hours. The alchemist must have a Resource Rank of 2 to
make this item.
Fire Stick: It is a small piece of wood with a substance at one end that if it is dry and rubbed against a rough
surface will burst into ames. It is normally used to start res. The alchemist must have a Resource Rank of one to
make this item.
Sleeping Potion: It is a substance that when swallowed forces a character to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The character is allowed to make a Fortitude Check with a -1 modier for every ounce swallowed to resist the eects.
If the character succumbs, he sleeps for 1 hour per dose. It typically comes in vials made of glass or metal. The
alchemist must have a Resource Rank of 2 to make this item.
Smoke Bomb: When used it blankets a ten foot area with a think cloud of sulfurous smoke. Anyone caught
in the area suer a -4 to all rolls that require sight. The cloud lasts for 2D6 rounds. It usually comes as a round clay
ball one inch thick. The alchemist must have a Resource Rank of 1 to make this item.

ARCHERY (REF)
Archery is the art, practice or skill of shooting with bows of all kinds. Characters are also skilled in the care
of bows and arrows, able to string and unstring one as well as make minor repairs. Some sample Descriptors are Is
an expert at hunting deer, Can quickly draw arrows from his quiver, Is a better shot from horseback, Must re very slowly
to hit and Is terrible at ring on living targets.

6 0
ARTISTRY (REF)
It is the ability to create beauty in an ugly world.
A character with this skill can paint, draw and even
sculpt, as well as identify the works of others. They are
the masters at giving ideas a physical form. A character
can identify techniques used, the creator of a work
and appraise the value of the artwork. Some sample
Descriptors are Is a master at oil painting, Her poetry makes
others weep, Can sketch a map from memory easily, Takes
forever to write anything of worth and Cuts himself every
time he sculpts in stone.

ATHLETICS
This skill grants characters a general prowess in
athletics. This is not only for competition. It is also a
measure of a characters ability to leap chasms, climb cli
faces, swim in a raging river and out run pursuers.
Some sample Descriptors are Can out swim a dolphin,
Can balance upon the most precarious of ledges, Her dancing
mesmerizes others, Has weak hands when under pressure and
He runs terribly slow.

BRAWLING
Brawling is the ability to ght with bare hands,
knives and other close combat weapons. Those skilled in
unarmed or small arms combat are as deadly as a skilled
swordsmen and should never be taken lightly.
Some sample Descriptors are Is deadly when ghting with a
knife against an opponent with a knife, Is skilled at stunning
his opponents, Is adept at disarming his opponents with his
whip, Has trouble dodging kicks and Has trouble brawling in a well lit area.

CRAFT
This skill covers the knowledge and ability to complete a highly skilled craft. When the skill is chosen, the
character must choose a specialization. This is their primary craft, but it does not preclude them from choosing
other specializations at a later date. A character can identify techniques used, appraise the value of the work, and
even use the skill to craft or repair an item in half the normal time. Some sample Descriptors are Is adept at crafting
horseshoes, Can improve the taste of even the worst dishes, His candles burn fteen minutes longer, His chairs are not very
sturdy and His glass bowls tend to have aws in them.

6 1
ETIQUETTE
This skill gives characters the knowledge and understanding of the proper forms of behavior required in
several dierent situations. This includes encounters with the nobility, clergy and more mundane encounters such
as with craftsmen, peasants or even thieves. Some sample Descriptors are Understands the politics of the local church,
Knows all the heraldry of his enemies by heart, Is well versed in the manners of the royal court of Falchia, Has trouble
remembering the right foreign custom and Always confuses the customs of Amdatism and Orthodox Albinicanism.

FOLKLORE
This skill is the knowledge of the stories and common history of a people or region. This includes local
myths as well as social religious and ethnic stories. Characters are also familiar with local superstitions, many of
which have a kernel of truth hidden among their lies and half truths. Some sample Descriptors are Knows the
Bravish customs of souther Eskar, Knows the history of the Glanna clan, Knows why the sacred forest is sacred, Always uses
the wrong Brekish ward against evil and Always confuses the Sarrlachi and Warrlachi eating customs.

Horsemanship
Anyone can sit on a horse, but only a character with horsemanship is able to perform daring and dangerous
acts. Characters are also familiar with the value of horseesh, their tack, basic care and can even spot common
sicknesses and defects. Some sample Descriptors are Can get his horse to jump farther than others can, Is a master at
using his horse as a weapon, Can get his horse to travel longer than most, Tends to get thrown from his mount and Horses
tend to not listen to him.

LARCENY
Characters with the larceny skill have the knowledge of and the ability to perform a wide range of criminal
enterprises. These abilities range from the physical, like climbing walls and picking locks to the mental, like fencing
stolen goods and knowing who to talk to when you want information. Some sample Descriptors are Is adept at
picking pockets, Is adept at moving about unnoticed, Can scale a wall like a spider, Couldnt forge his own name and Tends
to break his lock picks in the lock.

MELEE
This skill can be vital to a characters survival. Characters with this skill are capable of using a variety of
weapons and armor to defend themselves and attack others. They are also capable of improvising, turning common
items into weapons or protection. Some sample Descriptors are Is a master at using his mace from horseback, Is adept
at blocking with his axe in melee, Is adept at avoiding attacks, Has trouble attacking great weapons and Lets his guard
down when using a short sword.

MEDICINE
This skill gives characters the knowledge of the usage of various herbs, treatments and chemicals for the
healing of wounds. It includes knowledge of anatomy and surgery. When the medicine skill is used successfully
on an injured character, he recovers his Vitality Levels at three times the normal rate. However, an unskilled
practitioner can cause more harm than good and in some cases even kill their patients. Some sample Descriptors are
Is adept at closing sword wounds, Always seems to nd the right herbs at the right time, Her poisons tend to be more potent
than they should be, He is unskilled in the art of childbirth and He has very little understanding of anatomy.

6 2
PERFORMANCE
Performance is the ability to entertain others by conveying emotions, character traits playing musical
instruments or singing. This skill also includes the ability to create works of music, improvise and good actors can
even use the skill to impersonate another person. Some sample Descriptors are She is adept at making others laugh,
People often weep when they hear her sing, He can imitate any mans voice near to perfection, Dogs sing better than he does
and His acting is popular only with drunken sailors.

SURVIVAL
This is the knowledge and ability for ones self to endure in a wilderness setting for a certain period of time.
A check is only required if the situation is dire, like in the middle of a blizzard or if used for rst aid. Some sample
Descriptors are Is well versed in the habits of wild fowl, Knows how to build a shelter quickly, Is a ghost in the woods, Has
trouble starting res and Always mixes up his tracking signs.

STEP FOUR: CHARACTER REFINEMENT

There are several statistics that all characters have. They are either derived from a characters attribute scores
or are completely independent of all attributes. These items complete the individual character creation process.

DESCRIPTORS
All characters have Skill and Attribute Ranks. The thing that dierentiates them is their Descriptors.
Descriptors not only give the character depth and make each one unique, but also acts as a guide for the Game
Master for when to decide whether a characters attempt at an action should get a penalty or bonus. They must be
narrow in focus and not so broad that they cannot be easily dened. Each Trait (Attributes and Skills) must have a
Descriptor.
All Descriptors fall under two categories, positive or negative. Positive Descriptors give the character a
variable bonus to pertinent die rolls. Negative Descriptors give the character a variable negative modier to their die
rolls as well as one permanent Destiny Point to add to their Destiny Pool. See Chapter 5 for more details on the use
of Descriptors and Destiny Points.

ENDURANCE POINTS
A characters Endurance Points are the base number that determines how long a character can sustain himself
in combat. During battle it can go up and down according to actions the character takes as well as actions taken by
opponents. It is determined by taking the characters Temperament and Fortitude Ranks and adding the number
two. Chapter Five has more details on the use of a characters Endurance Points.

GEAR
No game is complete without arms and equipment. Based upon the characters Resource Rank Players may
use the items from the chart to the right as a guide to outt the characters. The Game Master and other Players
should be consulted on what equipment is available for the character.

6 3
LANGUAGES MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS RESOURCE REQUIREMENT
Armor 3 to 5
It is assumed that all characters can speak their native
tongues. Most will be able to speak other related languages Arrows (20) 1 to 2
and even a few will be able to read one if not more languages. Axe: Battle Axe 2 to 3
The Cover of the character should be used as a guide to Axe: Hand Axe 1 to 2
determine how many languages the character can speak and Barding 5 to 6
or read. The more educated the character and the higher Boat: Merchant 5 to 6
the characters social class the more likely he will know more Boat: Row 2 to 3
languages and be able to read. However it is nor a hard and Book 3 to 6
fast rule and each character should be considered individually. Cattle 2 to 3
Carriage 4 to 5
VITALITY LEVELS Cart 2 to 3
Chicken 1 to 2
A characters Vitality Level is a representation of the
Clothes: Cotton & Fur 2 to 3
physical stress his body can handle. All characters begin with
Clothes: Leather 3 to 4
a Vitality Level of ten plus the characters Fortitude Rank.
Clothes: Silk 4 or 5
This decreases as the character takes damage, to a minimum
of zero, which is death. Chapter Five has more information Clothes: Wool 1 to 2
on the use of a characters Vitality Levels. Crossbow 5 to 6
Dagger/Knife 1 to 2
Dog 2 to 3
WITCHBLOOD Falcon 3 to 4
The Player must decide whether or not the character Flail: Spiked 2 to 3
has witchblood. If it is decided that he does, the character Hammer: Maul 2 to 3
gains one of the Witchblood powers in Chapter Four. Playing Hammer: War 3 to 4
a character with the Witchblood can be lots of fun, but it Horsebow 3 to 4
is also very dangerous to the character. The Player should Horse: Riding 3 to 4
consult with the Game Master and the other Players before Horse: War 5 to 6
making this decision. Chapter Four has more information on
Lance 3 to 4
the use of the Witchblood powers.
Longbow 3 to 4
Mace 3 to 4
Map 1 to 3
Mule 2 to 3
Polearm 3 to 4
Pony 2 to 3
Rope 1 to 2
Spears 1 to 2
Shield 2 to 3
Swords: Great 4 to 5
Swords: Long & Saber 3 to 4
Swords: Short 2 to 3
Telescope 5 to 6
Tent 1 to 2
Tools 1 to 2
Wagon 3 to 4

6 4
SAMPLE CHARACTER
Name: Vladimir Shovan

Passion: He is a man of a singular devotion to the Amdati

Church, however he is also an alcoholic. His inability to
survive without drink weighs on his soul and impacts him in
everything he does.

Drive: He witnessed the orphanage and church that he grew

up in burn to the ground in a re. Only one person survived,
Father Vladick, who started the re. Vladimir faced this man
but was defeated by his supernatural abilities. He is now driven
to nd and destroy this abomination.

Ethnicity: The fury of a Malins attack increases when at least

four foes have fallen in that battle to him.

Cover: Mercenary
Social Class: Khlova (Resource Rank: 4, Relationship Rank: 3)
Witchblooded: Horror
Destiny Pool: 2

Fortitude: 4 (Immovable when he sets himself )

Reex: 3 (Quick wrists make his attacks quick)
Knowledge: 2 (He has trouble learning from written
instruction)
Temperament: 2 (Has no willpower to resist drinking too
much)
Endurance Points: 8
Vitality Levels: 14

Athletics: 4 (Is adept at charging his opponents)

Brawling: 4 (Can easily stun others with one punch)
Etiquette: 2 (Is skilled in the art of Falconry)
Melee: 5 (Is fearless when he has his personal sword and shield)
Survival: 3 (Adept at making shelters quickly)
Medicine: 2 (Adept at treating sword wounds)
Languages: Can speak and read Dasian. Is also familiar with Eskari, Bravish and Jenkish.

Gear: Battle Sword (Melee Range: Standard, +1 Attack Actions When Two Handed, +1 Damage vs. Hard Armor)
and Round Shield (+1 Defense Actions, -1 Attack Actions) given to him by Father Alexi, set of chain mail (Fortitude
Rank: 4, +1 EP per Action), Falcon (Andre), one-man tent, two torches, rope (20 feet), wool towel (3 ft long, 2 ft
wide) and his Horse (Vladimir Junior).

6 5
STEP FIVE: CELL CREATION
All characters in the Conspiracy of Shadows game are members of a Cell of truth seekers and monster
hunters. The nature of the cell depends upon the nature of the game. It might be a part of a network of Cells or it
might be the only source of hope in existence. The following steps are a guide to creating that Cell.

ASSETS
The rst step in Cell creation is to determine their assets. The characters must pool together their Resource
and Relationship Ranks and use those numbers to purchase their assets from the list below. The lists are just
guidelines and the specics of each should be determined by the Players and Game Master working together.

ALLIES
Allies are individuals who help and support the members of the Cell. They can be family members, friends
or even a local organization like a city watch. Most will not know the true nature of the members of the Cell,
but they are generally trustworthy and loyal to the characters. They can be very useful as they can have their own
contacts, allies and resources. They can be called upon when the characters are in need, however they are not at their
beck and call. Allies have their own lives and motivations that may preclude them from aiding the characters all the
time. It costs 2 Relationship Ranks and 2 Resource Ranks per Rank of Allies.

1) One Ally.
2) Two Allies.
3) Three Allies.
4) Four Allies or One Small Organization (i.e. priests at local church).
5) Five Allies or One Medium Sized Organization (i.e. small guild or merchant house).
6) Six Allies or One Large Organization (i.e. city watch or large merchant house).

REAL ESTATE
This is the base of operations and for some the home of the characters. It is here that they store all of their
resources, make their plans and even carry out some of their deeds in the ght against evil. Most Cells have fronts
to disguise their nature. No matter what the front is, only the members know the true nature of the real estate. It
costs 2 Resource Ranks per Rank of Real Estate.

1) A small shack or very rundown larger building.

2) A small cottage or a rundown larger building.
3) A single townhouse or a country farm.
4) Two or three small houses in a town or a larger townhouse.
5) A country mansion or several townhouses.
6) A country estate or a city mansion.

6 6
CONTACTS
Contacts are individuals that the characters can call upon for favors. Unlike allies, they cannot be called
upon for aid on a regular basis. Instead they are individuals that either have a working relationship with one or
more of the characters. They have no knowledge of the characters true purpose, and the Players must be careful not
to let these acquaintances know the truth. The nature of each of the contacts should be eshed out beforehand by
the Players and the Game Master. Each Rank of Contacts cost 1 Relationship Rank and 1 Resources Rank.

1) One Contact.
2) Two Contacts.
3) Three Contacts.
4) Four Contacts.
5) Five Contacts.
6) Six Contacts.

LIBRARY
Most Cells have a library of forbidden and rare occult tomes which they use in their war with evil. These
tomes are as much a danger as they are an asset. They are invaluable as they aid in learning the true nature and
weaknesses of their supernatural foes granting bonuses to related die rolls. They are dangerous in that the mere
possession of these items draw the supernatural out of the woodwork. Owning these items is also heresy and in
most places getting caught means torture and death. Acquiring these tomes is dicult and require knowing the
right people, as well as having the right amount of money. Each Rank of the Library costs both 3 Relationship
Ranks and 2 Resources Ranks.

1) Part of a rare scroll.

2) An incomplete book or complete scroll.
3) A complete copy of a rare tome, a few incomplete books, or several scrolls.
4) An original manuscript, a few rare copies, or many incomplete books and scrolls.
5) A small collection of originals, many rare copies, or a full library of incomplete books and scrolls.
6) An immense library of all of the above mentioned items.

MENTORS
Mentors are individuals who know the truth and have fought evil for quite some time, but have entered
retirement. They are characters themselves who once raised their sts and shook them in deance. Now they are
too old to carry on the war and make themselves useful by tutoring younger characters in the ways of battle. They
are a valuable resource to any Cell lucky enough to have them, for it is rare for a character to survive to old age.
Mentors cost 3 Relationship Ranks for every 1 Mentor Rank.

1) A character of some knowledge and resources.

2) A character of middling knowledge and resources.
3) A well-versed character with good knowledge and resources.
4) A well known character with excellent knowledge and resources.
5) A famous and powerful character with vast knowledge and quality resources.
6) A legend in his own time with unlimited knowledge and resources.

6 7
RETAINERS
Some Cells take on individuals to aid them in their war on evil. These are people who are privy to some of
the secrets the characters hold, but do not actively take part. They are the support sta of the Cell. These people
can be horse grooms, house servants and guardsmen. They are in the employ of the characters and are usually very
loyal, understanding that what their masters do is necessary, but do not understand the full details of their tasks.
Each Retainer costs 1 Relationship Rank and 2 Resources Ranks.

1) One Retainer.
2) Two Retainers.
3) Three Retainers.
4) Four Retainers.
5) Five Retainers.
6) Six Retainers.

ORIGIN AND ASSET RELATIONSHIPS

The next step in Cell creation is to determine the origin of the organization. How did the characters meet?
Why do they work together? Why do they possess the assets they now possess and how did they gain them? This
background information will not only help to dene the goals and relationships of the characters but will also give
the Game Master an idea of the type of game the
players want to play as well as story seeds.

THE KICKER
A Kicker is an event that
begins before play and leads right into
the game. A good example of a Kicker
is the beginning of most James Bond
movies. The movie starts with Bond
in the middle of a mission. Often this
mission seems completely unrelated to
the rest of the movie, but by the end
its importance is revealed.
The Players must come up with
an event that leads right into the game.
It can be anything but should not directly
conict with the type of Conspiracy the
Game Master has developed. For example,
the characters ally, Father Danya could
have sent them a note asking them to
break into a noblemans home and
steal a blasphemous artifact. The
game would then begin right as they
have slipped into the courtyard of the
noblemans home.

6 8
 6 9
 Most people in Polian dont realize it, but the world is a
mystical place. Men and women perform incredible acts based upon
their faith in their god and even in themselves. Others are born with
the blood of witches in their veins. There are also those who strive
for forbidden knowledge, gambling with their souls by summoning
and trying to control demons. Not all of these individuals are
involved with the Conspiracy of Shadows on either side but most
get drawn into it, like moths to a ame.

WHO ARE THE WITCHBLOOD?

Those who are called the Witchblood are said to be the distant
descendents of the First Men. Their blood sings with the power of their
ancestors. They have the potential to use their minds to aect the physical world as well as the minds of others.
There are fewer and fewer of the Witchblood in the world as the once proud bloodlines continue to die out.
Today the few that survive to come into their power often become marked as witches and sorcerers. They are hunted
and if caught, are slain before they can beget an heir and pass on their bloodline.

EVIL EYE
The Evil Eye power is perhaps the most feared ability of the Witchblood. With it the Witchblood can cause
a person to drop over and die in terrible agony. The use of this power is probably the primary reason they are feared,
hunted and executed.
System: When this power is used the Witchblood loses 6 Endurance Points for a 24 hour period. The target
must make a FOR/TEM Check against a FOR/TEM Check by the Witchblood. If the Check succeeds nothing
occurs, but if it is failed, the character drops over dead. Only a successful Medicine Check against the FOR/TEM
Check of the Witchblood can bring the character back if it is performed within three minutes. If the character
recovers he is considered to be at a Vitality Level of 1 and suers a permenant lost of 1 Fortitude Rank.

FAR SIGHT
This power allows the Witchblood the ability to see events as they unfold. The Witchblood only gets a
rough impression of what is going on at a location he designates. The information is clear allowing him to briey be
a voyeur of events that are transpiring in the present.
System: This power costs the Witchblood 1 Endurance Point from his total to perform. The Witchblood
can ask three questions about the location he is trying to remotely view, which the Game Master answers. However,
this power is very stressing on the Witchbloods body. After using it the Witchbloods Fortitude Rank is lowered by
one for 24 hours. All Character actions that rely on Fortitude are eect by this (including Endurance Points). If
this brings his Fortitude Rank to 0 or below, he laps into a coma for the 24 hour period.

7 0
FIRE DANCING
Pyrokinesis is the
ability to cause objects to
burst into ames. Most the
Witchblood can only start
res with materials that are
generally ammable (paper,
kindling, candle wicks etc.).
However it is rumored that
some the Witchblood have
been able to boil water and
burn esh.
System: For
ammable objects, a
Witchblood can cause them to
burst into ame by expending
1 Endurance Points from his
total. Less ammable simply
become warm to the touch.
If the Witchblood expends 3
Endurance Points from his total he can cause less ammable items to catch re (wet wood, boil water, scorch esh,
etc.). Living creatures that are attacked in this manner suer damage as normal. The Witchblood rolls his TEM/
FOR plus 2D6 for damage. All Endurance Points lost in the use of this power are regained after a 24 hour period.
The character also gets to add his Temperament Rank to his attempt to absorb damage from re.

FUTURE SIGHT
This power allows the Witchblood the ability to look briey into the future. The Witchblood only gets a
rough impression of what is going to happen at a location within the next few hours. The information is vague, like
an impression of violence brought on by three men or extreme passion between two lovers. However, the future is
not xed, and if one acts upon the information can change the precognition.
System: This power costs the Witchblood 1 Endurance Point from his total to perform. The Witchblood
can ask three questions about the future of the object or place that he is trying to see, which the Game Master
answers. However, this power is very stressing on the Witchbloods body. After using it the Witchbloods Fortitude
Rank is lowered by one for 24 hours. All Character actions that rely on Fortitude, including total Endurance Points,
are eected by this. If this brings his Fortitude Rank to 0 or below, he laps into a coma for the 24 hour period.

HEIGHTENED SENSES
Those Witchblood that have this power are physically a step above the rest of mankind. Their vision, sense
of smell, hearing, taste and even touch heightened to the level of an animal. The world is a vivid tapestry of color
that holds no secrets for them.
System: This power grants the Witchblood an additional 1D6 to all die rolls that have to do with the ve
senses. However, this also makes them more vulnerable to attacks upon their senses. They suer an additional die
in consequences from these attacks.

7 1
HORROR
This is one of the Witchbloods most powerful abilities. Through its use, the Witchblood is able to force
others to momentarily relive their worst nightmare. This sudden rush of terrible memories forces the target to stop
doing whatever it was doing and in some cases drives the character into a panic or frenzy.
System: This power costs the Witchblood 2 Endurance Point from his total to perform. The Endurance
Point will be regained after a 24 hour period. For this power to work successfully, the target must make a Horror
Check against a Diculty Rank set by a TEM/FOR Check made by the Witchblood. See Chapter Six for the
details of a failed Horror Check. If the target makes his Check nothing occurs.

MIND SPEACH
This power allows the Witchblood to communicate with another living being via there minds. The
two characters do not have to share a common language and the communication can go on for as long as the
Witchblood has the strength to maintain it. However the Witchblood must be careful as malevolent beings that
come into contact with human minds can shatter them.
System: The Witchblood must subtract 1 Endurance Point from his total for every round he wishes to
maintain the communication. Each round allows for one sentence to be sent and one to be received. If the
Witchblood contacts a malevolent mind, like that of a demon, he must make a Horror Check against the demons
Cunning Rank. If the Witchblood fails his Check nothing occurs.

PAST SIGHT
This power allows the Witchblood the ability to look briey into the past. The Witchblood only gets a solid
impression of what has happened at a location within the past few hours. From this information, the Witchblood
can recognize faces and events with ease.
System: This power costs the Witchblood 1 Endurance Point from his total to perform. The Witchblood
can ask three questions about the past of the object or place that he is trying to see, which the Game Master answers.
However, this power is very stressing on the Witchbloods body. After using it the Witchbloods Fortitude Rank is
lowered by one for 24 hours. All Character actions that rely on Fortitude, including total Endurance Points, are
eected by this. If this brings his Fortitude Rank to 0 or below, he laps into a coma for the 24 hour period.

SECOND SIGHT
This power allows the Witchblood to see without the benet of sight. He is not hindered by darkness or
blindness. The power also allows him to see things that would normally be invisible, such as spirits and demons.
System: When this power is activated, the Witchblood must decide how long he wishes to use the power.
For every hour he wishes to use the Second Sight he must subtract an Endurance Point from his total for a 24 hour
period.

SLEEP
The Sleep power lets the Witchblood force one or more target into a deep slumber. The target must be
within a few feet of the Witchblood for this power to aect him or her. They will sleep for several hours and cannot
be woken up.
System: The Witchblood must subtract 1 Endurance Point from his total per individual he is trying to put
to sleep. The Endurance Point will be regained after a 24 hour period. For this power to work successfully the

7 2
Witchblood must make a TEM/FOR Check against
a TEM/FOR Check made by the target. If the
Witchblood makes his Check, the target falls into an
deep slumber for as many minutes as the dierence
between the two rolls. If the Witchblood fails his
Check nothing occurs.

SPIRIT HANDS
The Telekinesis power allows the Witchblood
to manipulate matter with his mind. This can range
from levitating a candle, sliding of a coin across a table
or hurling a chair across the room. The target of this
power must be within the line of sight of the character.
System: A Witchblood must subtract 1
Endurance Point from his total for every 6 lbs. of
weight of the object he is trying to move. He can
maintain his hold on the object for as long as he
concentrates. The second he is struck or his vision is
impaired his concentration ends. He regains those
Endurance Points after a 24 hour period. If the object
is used as a weapon it deals 2D6 plus 1 point of damage
for every pound of weight (i.e., a 6 lb. rock deals
2D6+6).

SURGE
The Surge power gives the Witchblood a sudden
burst of inhuman strength and the ability to ignore
pain for a brief period of time. They seem to go beserk
and turn into unstoppable dynamos of destruction.
System: When this power is enacted, the Witchbloods Fortitude Rank doubles for the duration of the
battle. He also does not need to spend Endurance Points for the duration and ignores the eects of any wounds.
The only way to stop him is to kill him. However, at teh end of the battle his Fortitude Rank is halved for 24 hours
and he is unable to do anything for thirty minutes after the Surge ends.

TRANCE
The Trance power allows the Witchblood to control his bodily functions. He enters a meditative trance
which slows his heart, breathing, his need for food and even the process of aging. He will appear to others to be
dead unless they study him for at least one hour. Many of the Witchblood have used this power to escape their foes
by either playing dead or in extreme cases out living them.
System: A Witchblood must meditate for at 12 hours in order to enter a Trance. Once within the Trance
he appears to be dead and needs very little air to survive. The only thing that can end the Trance is the will of the
Witchblood or if he sueres any damage. Once he wakes he will be groggy and be unable to take any action for one
hour.

7 3
WHAT IS RITUAL MAGIC
Ritual magic is the use of specic rituals
to aect reality in such a way that you get the
desired results. Today there are few rituals left
to mankind. The most well known are those
practiced by priests and those that concern
specic demons from the Infernum. However
mankind once knew of many rituals that did
many dierent things, like heal the sick and see
far o distant places, but those skills are now
nearly all lost, though they occasionally appear
in rare books found in ancient ruins of a by gone
age.

ATONEMENT
Encounters with evil and even living life
in a violent and uncaring society can corrupt
the very soul of an individual. A character
may attempt to wipe the taint from the soul of
another and bring them back in touch with their
fellow man. This always includes a complex
cleansing ritual, which varies in its nature from
faith to faith. A sample is shown below:

The Sarrlachi ritual of Atonement takes three

hours and requires some preparation. The
person that the shaman is attempting to save
is placed naked upon a bed of rushes beneath the starlight. A great bonre is built next to him, close enough
where he can feel the ames. For the rst hour the shaman dances around both him and the re, chanting the
ancient prayers to the gods. In the second hour he begins to move in a gure eight around them, rattling his
bone rattle and throwing ground horse bone onto the person and the re. Finally, in the last hour, he kneels
next to the person, facing the re, and cries out to the heavens. He then marks in horse blood the ancient
tongue upon the naked body of the person.

System: The character must make an Academics Skill Check against a Diculty Rank of 18 plus the targets
Taint Rank. If successful the character is granted forgiveness and loses 1 Taint Rank (to a minimum of 1). The
ceremony cannot be performed again with this individual for at least 1 month. If the priest fails the Skill Check
nothing happens to either individual, the ritual simply fails to accomplish what it was meant to do.

7 4
BANISHING
The only way to be sure that a demon has been thwarted is to banish it. Banishing a demon is when a
sorcerer sends a demon back to its home in the Infernum. This is performed in a complex ritual that is unique to
each individual demon. The sorcerer must rst research the ritual needed and understand the true nature of the
demon he wishes to send back to the Infernum. Once he is satised with the knowledge he can attempt to banish it.
The specics of each ritual are unique. A sample banishing is as follows:

To banish Fadalaz, a circle must be drawn upon a wooden oor with a seven pointed star within to represent
his rank. Charcoal must be used for the circle and red chalk for the star. Outside of the circle the many symbols
inscribed in the book of Culla Dalann must be written down. Four lanterns burning lavender scented oils must
be placed at the four directions. Ground mistletoe must then be sprinkled over the star as the sorcerer intones
the words of banishment.

System: To banish a demon, the character must rst make an Academics Skill Check against the demons
Cunning Rank Check to determine the information needed for the ritual. If this is successful the character can
continue and try the ritual as normal. If the sorcerer fails in nding all he needs to know he continues as normal,
but the diculty of the spell is increased. It is up to the Game Master to determine by how much. Once the ritual
is completed, the character must make another Academics Skill Check against the demons Cunning Rank Check. If
successful the character has banished the demon back to Infernum. If he fails the character must make a TEM/FOR
Check against the demons Power Rank Check. If successful, the demon still remains within the world but does not
know who tried to banish it. However if, the character fails, the demon knows who tried to banish it and where
they are located.

7 5
BINDING
The only way to try and control a demon is to
bind it to a vessel. This means that the demon is forced
to inhabit an item or a creature, including the sorcerer
himself. This requires a summoned demon and a complex
ritual unique to the type of binding and the individual
demon. The sorcerer must rst research the ritual needed
and understand the nature of the demon he wishes to use
before performing the ritual. Once he is ready he can
try the ritual using the demon he has summoned. The
specics of the ritual are always dierent for each case. A
sample binding is as follows:

To bind Fadalaz to a skeleton so he may animate it a complete skeleton must rst be acquired. The sorcerer
must then mark the skeleton with charcoal using the runes found in the tome of Culla Dalann. Once this is
completed the spell found in the same book must be recited out loud.

There are two types of vessels a demon can be bound to: a host or an object. When a demon is bound to a
host it possesses that host in the same way an unbound demon can. While it is bound, it has complete control over
the body the host allowing it to interact with the physical world. However most rituals that imbue bodies with a
demon trap them within the host.
The second type of vessel a demon can be bound to, inanimate objects, is perhaps the most common.
When they are bound to objects they can confer their powers to the individual who possesses the object. However,
they cannot move about on their own and are limited in the amount of contact they have with the outside world.
Despite this helplessness they are no easier to command as they still retain their cunning and power.
The entire reason for binding a demon is to command it to do your bidding. This command can be a task,
such as dispatching a manifested demon to hunt a target, or a use of its powers for the sorcerers benet, such has
increasing his strength. Demons generally hate mortals and do not wish to aid them in any way (there are rare
exceptions), requiring a sorcerer to use his willpower to command it. This war of wills is instantaneous and if the
sorcerer wins the demon will perform the task he desires. If the demon wins the consequences can be dire.
System: To bind a demon, the character must rst successfully summon it. Once the summoning is
completed, the character must make another Academics Skill Check against the demons Cunning Rank Check. If
successful the character has bound the demon within the chosen vessel. It will be bound to that vessel until it is
destroyed. If he fails the demon is set free in the world and may then do as it pleases, which most often begins with
either possessing or destroying the sorcerer.
When a demon is bound to an object it becomes imbued with its power. Allowing the user of that item the
opportunity to use the powers of the demon. If it was specied within the binding ritual some demons bound to
objects may manifest themselves in the world for a short period of time. When they do so they possess their normal
abilities and stats as if they were free. However they can only manifest themselves for as many minutes as their
Power Rank. Those that cannot manifest themselves are still able to manipulate the outside world.
When a sorcerer wishes to command a demon to do his bidding and the demon is being uncooperative, the
character must make a FOR/TEM Check against the demons Cunning Rank Check. If successful the demon is
forced to comply. If the sorcerer fails the demon is free to act as it wishes for as many minutes as its Power Rank.
What the demon does during this time is up to the Game Master.

7 6
CONTACT
To harness the power of a demon, a character must rst contact that demon in the Infernum. This is either
the rst step in the process that will eventually lead to the binding of a demon or an overture that will lead to
striking a bargain with it. The sorcerer must know its name and nature, which includes the demons strengths and
weaknesses. This is most often found through intense research and the use of forbidden occult tomes. Once the
information is gathered the sorcerer must use a ritual to contact the demon. The specics of the spell vary from
situation to situation. A sample may be as follows:

To contact the demon Fadalaz an arcane circle must be drawn upon a wood oor using charcoal. On the
outside portion of the circle, the many symbols inscribed in the book of Culla Dalann must be written down.
The sorcerer must then write Fadalazs name in ancient Karthian on a tanned piece of cat skin using his own
blood. The skin is then lit are in the hand of the sorcerer by a candle made of the fat of a noble woman.
During all this, the sorcerer must chant Fadalazs name.

System: To contact a demon, the character must rst make a Academics Skill Check against the demons
Cunning Rank Check to determine the information needed for the ritual. If this is successful the character can
continue and try the ritual as normal. If the sorcerer fails in nding all he needs to know he continues as normal,
but the diculty of the spell is increased. It is up to the Game Master to determine by how much. Once the ritual
is completed, the character must make another Academics Skill Check against the demons Cunning Rank Check. If
successful the character has the demons attention and can strike up a dialogue or move on to summon the demon.
If he fails to contact the demon he suers a loss of one Temperament Rank for 24 hours.

EXORCISM
The exorcism is one of the most involving and stressful of all rituals a character can perform. It is extremely
dangerous as it opens up the character to the possessing spirit. A character who wishes to exorcise a spirit does not
know what the duration of the exorcism will be, since it depends upon the strength of the possessing spirit. Each
religious faith has its own rituals that need to be performed for the exorcism to work. A sample may be as follows:

The Orthodox Albinican Churchs ritual to exorcise demons is rather complicated and is rarely performed alone.
The priest performing it must rst gird himself with prayer and fasting for 24 hours before beginning. When
he begins he must have with him blessed oil, incense, water, the symbol of his faith, and the holy scripture. He
begins by lighting the incense, which must burn throughout the entire ceremony. He then places his holy symbol
onto the individual, anoints him with oil and says the Lenician Prayer. Once completed he then must begin
to read the scriptures from the beginning, sprinkling holy water on the individual at the appropriate moments
until the ritual is done.

System: Characters that wish to perform an exorcism must rst possess the skill Academics. The character
must make an Academics Skill Check against a Diculty Rank equal to the demons Power Rank. This Check
occurs at the end of the exorcism which lasts as many hours as the demons Cunning Rank. If the character fails, the
demon can try and possess him and he suers a negative 2 to his rolls to resist. If the character is successful the spirit
is forced out of the vessel it had possessed. This is a dangerous moment, for the spirit can attempt to enter the body
of those in the vicinity of the exorcism. All individuals, with the exception of the original vessel, must make a TEM/
FOR Check against the spirits Power Rank. The rst individual to fail becomes possessed. If no character fails, the
spirit is forced to ee the premises.

7 7
SANCTIFYING
Sanctifying a place, item or person is a dicult and time-
consuming process. Regardless of the origin of the ritual they take
at least an hour to perform, and most take even longer. The details
and length of each ritual is unique, as is the duration of its eects,
but the general outcome is the same. When it is complete the item,
person or place is sanctied. Sanctied items and places have great
power against supernatural evil. A sample may be as follows:

The Amdati Nizara use a complex ritual to sanctify a place as

holy. It is based partly upon their Soderin ancestors ancient
practices and partly upon the practices of their church. The entire
ritual takes seven days to complete where they work from sunrise
to sunset. Throughout that entire time, the performers of the
ritual may not eat and may drink only water brought up from a
well. The rst day they pray facing the east, kneeling upon carpets
they wove themselves. On the second day they pray in the same
manner facing the south. On the third day they must face the
west and on the fourth day the north. The fth day is marked by
the sprinkling of blessed water over the grounds as they chant the
Prayers of the Faithful. On the sixth day, they stand naked in the
center of the building, singing hymns to the greatness of Albin.
Finally on the seventh day they sit in silence, writing Albins
Prayer seven hundred and seventy-seven times.

System: Characters that wish to perform the ceremony of

sanctity must rst possess the skill Academics. The character must
make an Academics Skill Check against a Diculty Rank of 16. If successful the item or place is now sanctied.
If the roll fails, the character still believes that he was successful and will only nd out about his failure when the
sanctied item, person or location has an encounter with a force of evil.
The eects of the ritual work dierently on dierent things. Items and places that are sanctied deal damage
equal to the characters Temperament Rank to creatures with Power Ranks once every round. This damage stacks
with any other damage it may have taken that round. People that are sanctied gain a bonus to any of their die rolls
against a creature with a Power Rank equal to the Temperament Rank of the character that performed the ritual.

SUMMONS
The summons is a ritual that draws a specic demon into the world of men. This is the use of a ritual to
draw the demon from the Infernum into a controlled situation. It is a very dangerous act that requires lots of time
and preparation to perform. The sorcerer must rst fully research and understand the demon he wishes to summon
forth into the world. Once he gathers all of the information he can try to summon it by using a ritual. The specics
of the ritual are dierent for each individual demon, but it could work like the sample below:

7 8
 To summon the demon Fadalaz, a circle must be drawn upon a wooden oor with a seven pointed star within
it to represent his rank. Black charcoal must be used for the circle, but red chalk must be used for the star.
Outside of the circle the many symbols inscribed in the book of Culla Dalann must be written down. The
sorcerer must then ll a lead bowl with the blood of the three cats sacred to the gods of Karth. The bowl is then
heated to a boil with a candle made from the fat of a noble woman. All the while the sorcerer must chant the
Karthian words of summoning found in the text of Aklabar the Necromancer.

System: To summon a demon the character must rst successfully contact it. He then must make a
Academics Skill Check against the demons Cunning Rank Check to determine the information needed for the
ritual. If this is successful the character can continue and try the ritual as normal. If the sorcerer fails in nding all
he needs to know he continues as normal, but the diculty of the spell is increased. It is up to the Game Master
to determine by how much. Once the ritual is completed, the character must make another Academics Skill Check
against the demons Cunning Rank Check. If successful the character has summoned the demon and holds it
within the circle. It will remain in the circle for as long as the circle is not disturbed. If he fails the character must
make a TEM/FOR Check against the demons Power Rank Check. If he makes the check the demon is forced
back to Infernum, but the character loses a Temperament Rank for 24 hours. If the sorcerer fails the demon enters
the world unbound. It may then do as it pleases, which most often begins with either possessing or destroying the
sorcerer.

WARDS
This ritual commands an evil creature to ee a specic area. This is usually performed in a way that has the
character standing before the evil creature and boldly commanding it to be gone. The items and actual motions of
the ritual varies from culture to culture, but this short action always nets the same results.

Many Valadarins practice an ancient ward against evil. It has its roots
in their pagan days, but still works only now it utilizes the holy symbol of
Albin, a roaring lions head. The ritual is short, simply requiring them to
utter the words, guard me from this evil as they move their hand holding
the symbol back and forth across their chest, facing that which they fear.

System: Characters that wish to perform the

ceremony of atonement must rst possess the skill
Academics. The character must make an Academics
Skill Check against a Diculty Rank equal to the
Power Rank of the target. If successful, it cannot
come within a ten-foot radius of the character.
This ward lasts for as long as the character
continues the ritual. If at any time the
character breaks his concentration, or falters
in his actions, the eects come to an end.

7 9
 8 0
 This chapter covers the basic rule system that governs
the Conspiracy of Shadows game. The basic system consists
of rolling 6-sided dice to resolve actions and events that aect the
characters. These types of dice are just like the ones used in many
board games, or they can be purchased at any game store. You really
only need one, but it is kind of convenient for every Player to have
their own.
Dice rolling is only ever necessary when the success of an
antagonist or protagonist is in doubt. This is the games way of simulating
the chance everyone has to succeed or fail at any given action they take.
However there is no need to rely on dice rolls for all actions that have a
chance of failure. Some actions should be automatic.

CHARACTER TRAITS
Characters are described by the personality the Players create for them as well as the actions they take.
However, for the game mechanics they are described by their traits. Character Traits are a numerical representation
of the innate and learned abilities a character possesses. They range from 1 to 6, with 1 being poor or weak, and
6 being amazing and nearly superhuman. Most human beings fall somewhere in the middle, with 2 or 3 being an
average trait score.

DESCRIPTORS
As stated in Chapter Three, Descriptors are short descriptions that give the characters depth and help to
make each one unique. They are broken into two categories, Positive Descriptors and Negative Descriptors. They
function in two ways, allowing a character to suceed or fail unoppposed actions and grant the character a variable
modier to opposed actions. The variable modier is either an additional 1D6 or one fewer 1D6 for the Player to
roll for the action.For example, a character with the Brawling Descriptor of Dead-eye with a knife would allow the
character to automatically hit a bullseye while playing darts. However if he was attacking an opponent by throwing
his knife he would get the variable bonus, letting him roll 3D6 instead of 2D6 for the action.

TAKING ACTION
There are two basic types of actions that require dice rolls in the game: Attribute Checks and Skill Checks.
All three follow the same formula to resolve the action. Players roll a 2D6 and add it to the two pertinent numbers.
In the case of an Attribute Check it is the two Attribute Ranks related to the action. When a character is trying to
use a skill the two numbers are his Skill Rank and the Attribute Rank related to the action. If the character does
not have the skill, you only add the appropriate skill rank to the die roll. If the total number is higher than the
Diculty Rank of the task then the task succeeds. If it is equal to or lower than it the task fails and the character
suers the consequences (if any).

8 1
DIFFICULTY RANKS DIFFICULTY RANK
All actions that are taken in the game have a Diculty Rank. The Diculty 12 Mundane
Rank symbolizes the level of the challenge the action holds. There are two types of 15 Tough
Diculty Ranks, passive and active. Passive Diculty Ranks are set by the Game Master 18 Challenging
when the character is attempting a task that is not being challenged by a character or 21 Formidable
non-player character. The chart to the right shows the dierent levels of diculty.
24 Heroic
Active Diculty Ranks are set are from opposed actions, such as in combat. In
these cases the Diculty Rank is set by the die roll of the opposing character or non- 27 Super Heroic
player character. 30 Supernatural

AUTOMATIC SUCCESSES
There is no reason to roll dice for every action a character may take. Many actions should be accomplished
by characters automatically. A Game Master can determine if the action succeeds automatically in either of two
ways. The rst is simply common sense on the part of the Game Master and Players. If the action seems plausible
for a character to easily do so it may succeed automatically. The second method utilizes the mechanics. If the
characters traits that are being used for the task are equal to or greater than the Diculty Rank of the action, the
character succeeds automatically.

EXTENDED ACTIONS
Some actions may take longer for a character to succeed at than others. For example a character may be
trying to forge a sword or to research in a library. Such actions occur over extended periods of time. To determine
if a character succeeds at such actions requires several successes. In these cases the Game Master dictates how
many success the character will need in order to accomplish his task as well as what sort of time frame those success
represent. In the case of forging a sword, the Game Master could say that a character needs ten successes with each
representing a day of work. If the Player fails on any of his rolls, he is not forced to start over, only an additional
time frame is required. In this case one day is added to the overall length of time needed to accomplish a task.
There are also instances when a character may need several success over a short period of time. These are
usually high stress situations where a character is unable to take his time. An example of this might be that a
character is trying to scale a fty-foot cli to escape pursuit. The Game Master might dictate that the character
needs one success for every ten feet and that a failure means the character falls ten feet.

RESISTED ACTIONS
There are times when characters will have to act in opposition against other characters in the game. Combat
is the most common example of this, but other situations may be a character trying to keep a door closed or trying
see a hidden assassin. In these cases each Player rolls a dice for their action. Whoever has the highest total number
succeeds at his action. In the case of a tie, the character who is on the defensive, such has parrying a blow or hiding
from sight, wins. When there is no distinction between the two parties, such as in a tug of war situation, neither
side succeeds and there is a stalemate, forcing the Players to roll again. In these situations, time passes between rolls,
be it a few seconds, minutes or hours.

8 2
GROUP ACTIONS
There are many situations where characters might work together to accomplish a specic task. In these
situations, each character rolls as normal, but gains a +1 bonus for every two individuals that are working towards a
single goal. Searching for a book in a library, completing a magic ritual or collectively holding a door closed would
be examples of group actions.

CHARACTER IMPROVEMENT
As events unfold in a game, the characters will develop, grow and change, much like the characters in a
work of ction. Their Attribute and Skill Ranks will improve and they may even learn entirely new Skills. This
improvement is represented in one of two ways.
The rst way is through the course of the story. As the story progresses the character may accomplish various
personal goals stemming from the story, his Drive or Passion. When one of these goals are attained in the story the
Player is allowed to improve one Trait or gain a new Skill that is appropriate to the actions he took to accomplish the
goal.
The second way to improve a character is represented in the game mechanics called Dramatic Moments. It
is rooted in how a Player portrays his characters. A dramatic moment can be when a character is played in a creative
way, when a character is successful in some amazing feat or when that particular character was key to the groups
success for the story. The key element to any Dramatic Moment is that it is memorable to the Players. See the
examples below for a better understanding of what a Dramatic Moment can be.

Dirk, the swordsman from Alcona, sees his lover being taken away in a carriage by his enemy, Valmont. He
leaps onto a horse from the second story window of the inn he is staying at, forcing the rider o his mount. He
quickly gains control of the mount, tips his hat and apologizes with are to the owner, and speeds after the
carriage. Eventually he pulls alongside the carriage and leaps from his horse onto the roof. He quickly knocks
the driver o the carriage and takes over as the driver, steering it back towards the inn.

Ludwig and his companions have been discovered by the cult that they were seeking to destroy. In the middle
of the afternoon they are attacked by cultists and forced to defend themselves. Shortly after killing their would-
be assassins, the town guard arrives to arrest everyone involved for murder. Ludwig is able to fabricate a story
that convinces the guards that they are innocent while maintaining their cover. He is even able to form a new
contact in the town guards through this conversation.

Determining a Dramatic Moment is done by all the Players (including the Game Master) at any break in the
action of the story. One or more of the Players proposes that a character had a Dramatic Moment. The Players then
discuss it and decide as a group if the character did indeed have a Dramatic Moment by voting. If there is a tie the
Game Masters vote counts as two.
When it is decided that a character did have a Dramatic Moment, the Players and Game Master must also
agree upon what form the improvement takes. It can be a single improvement to a Trait, to multiple Traits, the
addition of a new Skill or ability (i.e., Witchblood powers) or a permanent Destiny Point added to the characters
Destiny Pool.

8 3
DESTINY POOLS
The Destiny Pool is a reservoir of points that the Player can use to add bonuses to his die rolls or to add
negative modiers to the die rolls of others. Destiny Points are spent during play to improve any die roll by one.
The Player declares that he is spending the points after roll and can spend as many points at a time as he likes.
When a Player takes a Negative Descriptor for his character he adds a Destiny Point to his base Destiny
Pool. If he does not choose a Negative Descriptor then his base Pool is zero. If a character gains a Negative
Descriptor from game play (such as a character being blinded) he adds a Destiny Point to his Destiny Pool.
Characters can also gain temporary Destiny Points to add to their Pools. One point is gained each time a
Player evokes the setting and narrates a part of the game. This can be a description of a specic action, recalling
a bit of the settings history in game play or just describing the characters surroundings in detail. Below are some
examples of this in play.

Jims character, Feliks, is in the middle of a ght with three brigands that accosted him on the road. Before
the ght even begins he says, The ickering light of the torch glimmers o of Feliks saber. The ne etching of
the great Dasian swordmaster Marik Zamiski can be briey seen when he salutes his foes before he wades into
them. Jim then rolls the dice and scores a hit after which he continues, Using the skills he learned at the feet
of his uncle Casimir, Feliks blade slips through the guard of the larger of the three assassins, slipping through his
ribs and into his heart, sending his soul on to be judged before gates of heaven.

The group has just arrived before the gates of the ancient
city of Vladistock. Pete, speaking as his character
Humberto, says, Gentlemen, do you see those
massive worn columns that ank the gate? They
are from the days of ancient Karth. While I was
studying at the University of Torlune I read how
the god-king Rashad el Setara brought them back
as spoils of war when he destroyed the civilization of
the Hinterites in the far south. It is believed that the
carvings, which as you can see are in the lost language of the
Hinterites, are spells of protection. I guess they didnt work
for the Hinterites, eh?

As can be seen above, each Player invented something based

upon the setting that gives him a temporary Destiny Point. These
points remain available to the Players to spend until the story comes to
a natural break point. A break point is a shift that brings the story into a
new direction, such as after the characters successfully bring down a vile
cult or decide to drop one course of action to engage in an unrelated
one. At such a time the characters Destiny Pool resets to his base
Pool, which is determined by the number of Negative Descriptors
he has chosen. All unused temporary Destiny Points are then
lost.

8 4
COMBAT
Combat in the Conspiracy of Shadows is
meant to be dangerous and grim while at the same time
allowing the characters to take actions they have seen
done in their favorite action movie. Every eort has
been made to try and meld these two schools together
to make a fun, fast-paced game element that
still retains many of the dangers that
real battle has.
To resolve combat
actions, Players must roll
dice in the same manner
they would for any other
resisted action. They
must take the two
pertinent Character
Traits (Reex +
Archery, Brawling
or Melee), add
them together
and roll a 2D6.
There are only two major
dierences. The rst is that combat is broken down into chunks of time and the
second is that there are many more situational modiers that can eect the roll.

TIME
Combat in the Conspiracy of Shadows is broken into two basic time increments in order to eectively
manage combat. The rst is simply called the Battle. The Battle does not have a set time and can last seconds,
minutes, or even hours in game time. It lasts for the entire time the characters are engaged in combat.
The second time increment is called a Round. A Round lasts anywhere between three to ten seconds. It is
not meant to be a set standard like a minute is, rather it is used in an attempt to separate the actions characters take
during a Battle. The length of a round should be decided upon by the Game Master before a Battle begins.

SURPRISE
When a Battle begins and a participant is not aware of an opponent, he is surprised. Determining who is
surprised and who is not depends upon circumstance. A character using the Stealth skill may get a surprise attack
upon an opponent. The attacker is allowed a free action which the defender is not allowed to react to. This action
happens prior to the rolling of Initiative. Once this single round is over, Initiative is determined and combat begins
as normal.

8 5
INITIATIVE
Prior to a Battle taking place, all of the participants must roll initiative to determine their initial order in
combat. This is accomplished by each Player rolling a 2D6 and adding it together with his Reex Rank. The person
with the highest total gains the number 1 and each roll below gets the next number in order (1,2,3,4 etc.). This is
called the Initiative Order. In the case of a tie, the character with the highest Reex Rank goes rst. If there is still a
tie after that the Game Master rolls a die and one Player calls odds or evens. If he is correct, he goes rst.
After the rst round of a Battle the initiative order can and does change, but it is not determined by a die
roll. Instead, at the start of each round, a character moves up or down in the initiative order based upon the success
of failure of his actions in the prior round. For each successful attack and defense a character makes, he moves
up one level in the Initiative Order. When a character fails in an attack or defense action he drops down in the
Initiative Order for each failure.
Characters can also buy a higher spot in the Initiative Order. This is accomplished by the character spending
Endurance Points to give him a higher rank in the Initiative Order. Each rank in the Initiative Order costs 1
Endurance Point. A character can do this at any time between the turns of the other characters. This may allow
him to step up on spot in the Initiative Order or even jump to the top. A character may spend as many Endurance
Points as he likes in this manner as long as he does not drop below one.

8 6
MOMENTUM
When it is a characters turn to act within the Initiative Order he has momentum. This means he may
perform as many actions as he is willing to spend Endurance Points on. He can run, draw his blade, and attack
multiple times against a single opponent and even multiple opponents. However the second he fails at any of his
actions he loses momentum and the next person in the Initiative Order gains momentum.

ENDURANCE POINTS
Endurance Points are the fuel that drive combat and are spent when a character attempts any action in
combat. A character starts a Battle with the full amount of his available Endurance Points. At the start of each
Round a character regains an equal amount of Endurance Points as his Fortitude Rank. However, this recovery
can never bring his total Endurance Points any higher than his normal maximum. Only situation bonuses from
successful actions in the prior Round can do that.
If at any point a character is reduced to 0 Endurance Points he is considered Staggered. This means he
cannot engage in any actions of any type until he recovers at the start of the next Round. If he is struck while
Staggered, the character must make a FOR/TEM Check against the total damage dealt by the attack. If he succeeds
he remains conscious but is still Staggered. If he fails in the check he collapses to the ground unconscious for as
many rounds as the damage dealt by the blow.
Keeping track of Endurance Points can be a bit rough on character sheets with the constant erasing and
writing over as combat progresses through a Battle. We recommend using counters to keep track of a characters
Endurance Points. These counters can be pennies, glass beads or even dice. Whatever you choose to use, counters
make keeping track of this information much easier.

EXCHANGING BLOWS
The exchanging of blows is the heart of combat. Characters attempt to strike their opponents and avoid
getting struck themselves. While this exchange follows the same unied dice mechanic the rest of the game uses, we
have decided to describe many of the conditional modiers here as well as what happens when a character is struck.

ATTACK ACTIONS
The two basic Attack Actions used in combat are hand-to-hand and missile. Hand-to-hand combat refers
to ghting with hand weapons or sts. The participants must be within reach of each other, which can be anything
from a few feet to several yards away. Missile combat refers to any form of armed combat that includes a weapon
that allows a character to strike from a distance, such as bows or javelins. Each of these actions cost at least 1
Endurance Point to attempt and are resolved by making a Skill Check against the targets opposing Skill Check. If
a character does not have the appropriate skill to attempt the action, he simply rolls a 2D6 their characters Reex
Rank.

DEFENSE ACTIONS
As with Attack Actions, there are two basic Defensive Actions, the parry and the evasion. A parry refers to
any attempt to deect the attack, either with a weapon or bare hands. This can be attempted against any form of
melee attack and against missile attacks if the character sees the attack coming. Evasion refers to any attempt to get
completely out of the way of an attack. Each of these actions cost 1 Endurance Point to attempt and are resolved by
making a Skill Check against the targets opposing Skill Check. If a character does not have an appropriate skill to
attempt the action he simply rolls a 2D6 plus his characters Reex Rank.

8 7
COMBOS
Combos are combinations of several actions that feed into each other. To create a combo, a character must
be successful in two or more consecutive actions within a single round and at least one of those actions has to be
from the Combat Maneuvers list. For example, a character that successfully binds his opponents weapon and then
successfully hits him would gain the benet of performing a combo. However, the combo does not have to be attack
actions. It can be defense actions or combinations of the two so long as the actions are consecutive within a round.
There is one main benet to the use of combos. After two successful actions, all other actions gain a die
bonus. For example, a character that successfully hits his opponent twice in a row would roll 3D6 instead of 2D6
for his third action. On his fourth action he would roll 4D6 and so on.

8 8
MULTIPLE OPPONENTS
Often in a Battle characters will be forced to face multiple opponents. This is a dicult situation to be in
and adds a level of complication to how the single character must ght. The basic rule is that when facing multiple
opponents, a character must spend one extra Endurance Point per action for every two opponents. This means if
a swordsman is facing three footpads he must spend 1 additional Endurance Point per action. If there were four
footpads the additional cost would be 2 per action.

MELEE RANGES
In melee combat there are several dierent ranges that a character can move in and out of. This type of
action is usually dictated by the weapon a character is using as well as the weapon an opponent is using. When a
character uses a weapon while he and his opponent are within its Melee Range and his opponent is using a weapon
not of that Range, he gains a +1 to all his die rolls for the dierence between the weapons. For example, if a
character is using a knife (Brawling Range) against an opponent that is using a poleaxe (Long Range) and they are
within Brawling Range of each other, the character with the knife gains a +3 to his actions and the character with
the poleaxe suers a -3 to his actions. Consult the chart to the right for each of the ranges.

COMBAT MANEUVERS
There are several dierent types of Attack and Defense Actions a character can take. Each of these come
with their own advantages, disadvantages, and Endurance Point costs. Any character can attempt any of these
maneuvers, but obviously the more skilled a character is, the more likely he will be successful. Listed below are all
the Attack and Defense Actions not covered above.

BEAT
Endurance Points: 1 Benet: Disables opponents weapon for one action.
The Beat Maneuver is when a character purposefully strikes at an opponents weapon to knock it out of
the way so his next attack is unhindered. This means that if the attack is successful, his opponent cannot use that
weapon against the very next attack coming from the attacker. It is often used as an opening move in a series of
attacks.

BIND
Endurance Points: 2 Benet: Disable an opponents weapon for a round.
The Bind Maneuver is when a character uses an o handed weapon (dagger, shield, etc.) to bind up an
opponents weapon to allow him to strike freely. The character rolls to attack as normal, and if successful, binds the
weapon. The opponent is now unable to use that weapon in any defense or attack actions for that round.

CHARGE
Endurance Points: 3 Benet: Charge into a foe to deal more damage.
When a character charges an opponent in Battle, he hustles and gains a +4 modier to the damage of the
attack. If riding a mount, add the mounts Fortitude Rank to the damage dealt. However, charging an opponent
leaves that character open to attacks and he suers a -4 to all of his Defense Actions for that round.

8 9
COUNTER
Endurance Points: 2 Benet: Block attack and quickly strike back.
The Counter Maneuver is when a character attempts to quickly parry an opponents attack and return with
a quick strike. This is a dicult Defensive Action that only master armsmen even try, let alone succeed. Characters
that do succeed gain an additional Endurance Point. However, the diculty of this action is so great that the
character suers a -2 for the roll.

DISARM
Endurance Points: 2 Benet: Takes or knocks away opponents weapon.
The Disarm Maneuver is when a character attempts to manipulate an opponents weapon in such a way that
he either takes the weapon from him or knocks it out of his hands. To accomplish this the attacker rolls to attack
as normal. However the defender must make a FOR/REF Check against the attack roll to fend it o. If the check
fails, the attacker successfully disarms his opponent.

DOUBLE SHOT
Endurance Points: 3 Benet: Fire/Throw two missile attacks against two dierent opponents simultaneously.
The Double Shot Maneuver is when a character attempt to attack two dierent opponents at the same time
with a missile weapon. This can be done by ring two arrows at once, throwing a weapon in such a manner that it
bounces o one target and then hits the other, or throwing two knives from one hand. The attacker rolls once for
his attack and the defenders each must roll separately to defend.

FEINT & STRIKE

Endurance Points: 2 Benet: Use misdirection to get through an opponents defenses.
The Feint and Strike Maneuver is when a character starts to attack in one direction to draw an opponent o
guard and then switch to another direction. This is a dicult but common maneuver. Characters gain a +1 to their
attack rolls when they are attempting this attack.

GRAPPLE
Endurance Points: 2/1 Benet: Restrain an opponent.
The Grapple Maneuver is when a Player attempts to restrain an opponent. The attacker makes an attack roll
as normal, spends 2 Endurance Points and if successful, the opponent is wrapped up by the attacker. The opponent
loses 2 Endurance Points each round from being grappled while the attacker only has to spend 1 to maintain his
hold. The grappled opponent suers a -2 to his actions while he is grappled, opening him to attacks by others,
including the character that is holding him. The grappled character can attempt to break free by making a FOR/
REF Check against a FOR/REF Check by the grappler.

HALF SWORD
Endurance Points: 1 Benet: Choke up on a weapon to change its Melee Range.
The Half Sword Maneuver is when a character chokes up on his weapon to lower its Melee Range by 1.
Weapons used in this manner suer a -2 to their damage rolls unless they are specically designed to be used in such
a manner.

9 0
STUNNING ATTACK
Endurance Points: 2 Benet: Knock out opponent.
The Stunning Attack is when a character tries to knock his opponent unconscious instead of kill him. In
this case, a successful attack reduces his opponents Endurance Points to zero. Follow the rules above concerning the
loss of Endurance Points.

TWIN STRIKE
Endurance Points: 3 Benet: Striking opponent with two weapons simultaneously.
The Twin Strike Maneuver is when a character attempts to strike with both weapons he has in his hands
at the same target simultaneously. This is a dicult maneuver to attempt, but it places opponents in a dicult
position. Defenders must either evade both attacks, parry both attacks if he has two weapons, or parry only one
attack and allow the other attack to go through.

VOLLEY
Endurance Points: 3 Benet: Firing two arrows at one target that strike simultaneously.
The Volley Maneuver is when a character res a bow twice with one attack against a single target, but both
attacks hit at the same moment. The rst shot is red on a large arc at the target and the second is red straight at
the target. The character rolls one attack roll for both attacks, but the target must deal with two attacks. This is
most often used against targets at a great distance. Each of the two attacks is considered to have done 2 more points
of damage than the normal attack roll.

Movement
Movement is the center of combat.
Characters move to engage in combat, to
disengage, to strike, to parry, to evade and
to even gain a better vantage. A character is
allowed to move to any of the Melee Ranges
without having to spend an Endurance
Point. However, this action gives the
opponent the opportunity to stop him by
making an attack roll. This does not shift
Momentum and still costs Endurance Points,
but if it is successful it is resolved as normal
and the struck character is unable to change
the Melee Range he is in.
If a character wishes to move further
than the standard ranges, he may hustle up
to 10 times his Reex Rank in feet at the
cost of a single Endurance Point in a single
round. If a character desires to run, he may
move up to 20 times his Reex Rank in feet
at the cost of 2 Endurance Points in a single
round.

9 1
DAMAGE VITALITY LEVELS
Vitality Levels are the measure of how much damage a character can BRUISED
take prior to losing consciousness and dying. In combat, damage is equal to the Level 7+ Nothing
dierence between the attack and defense rolls of the combatants. For example,
FLESH WOUNDS
if Jim rolls a13 for his attack roll and Mark rolls a10 for his defense roll, the
total damage subtracted from his Vitality Levels is 3. Consult the chart to the Level 6 -1 EP per Round
right to determine the eects of the damage. Level 5 -2 EP per Round
Level 4 -3 EP per Round
ABSORBING DAMAGE MORTAL WOUNDS
Characters can absorb some if not all of the damage they are dealt. Level 3 -4 EP per Round
When a character is struck, the Player adds together his Fortitude and his armors Level 2 -5 EP per Round
Fortitude Ranks (if applicable). The sum is then subtracted from the damage Level1 -6 EP per Round
dealt.
Level 0 Death
HEALING
Characters recover Vitality Levels slowly without medical attention. A character recovers Bruised damage at
a rate of 1 level every two days, Flesh Wounds recover at a rate of 1 per week and Mortal wounds recover at a rate of
1 level every three weeks. Characters that receive regular medical care during their recovery period heal in half the
time.

9 2
WEAPONS AND ARMOR
Most combat in the Conspiracy of Shadows, like any other medieval setting, relies upon specic weapons
and armor. Most weapons and armor were developed in response to each other. When a weapon improves to the
point where commonly used armor is no longer useful, the armor is improved. Conversely this also works in reverse
with weapons being improved in response to armor improvements. Below you will nd a list of the common types
of weapons and armor used on the continent of Polian.

WEAPONS
The type of weapon used by a soldier often depends on whether he is on foot or horseback. The extreme cost
of some weapons also plays a large role in a soldiers choice. Only the wealthy can aord the best weapons, though
occasionally weapons are supplied to soldiers by their lord. Training in the use of weapons is generally rare as well.
Only in Valadarin and Narrlachi countries are all men required to have some experience with the use of weapons.
Below are listed the descriptions of weapons, their melee range, and any modiers that the use of the
weapon has upon combat rolls. If the weapon is designed to be eectively thrown at a target it will include its range
information. Range is broken into the order of Short, Medium and Long. At medium range the weapon suers a
-2 modier to attack rolls and a -4 modier to damage rolls. When the target is at long range, the weapon suers a
-4 modier to attack rolls and a -6 modier to damage rolls.

AXE: BATTLE AXE

Melee Range: Standard Modiers: -2 Defense Actions, +2 Attack vs. Hard Armors
Though it has been a crucial weapon since the dark times before civilization, it wasnt until recent times that
the primitive axe reached its full potential. Since many swords are not as eective against fully armored knights, the
axe has become a favored weapon of the heavy cavalry.

AXE: HAND AXE

Melee Range: Brawling Range in Feet: 50/100/150 Modiers: -1 Defense Actions, +1 Attack vs Hard Armors
While the Norderin people are famous for their heavy axes, they also used smaller hand axes in combat.
This tradition has been carried on in the lands they settled, as it has now become a favorite back up weapon. It is
also very eective as a thrown weapon.

AXE: POLE AXE

Melee Range: Long Modiers: -1 Defense Actions, +3 Attack vs Hard Armors
The Warrlachian and Sarrlachian mercenaries are noted for their use of the battle axe and hand axe, so it is
no surprise that their polearm is in essence a pole axe. This weapon is not carried by the typical mercenary, but by
the captains of a company. It is a symbol of his authority as well as an eective close quarters weapon. The weapon
was designed for the user to be able to choke up when necessary. A minimum Fortitude Rank of 4 is required to use
this weapon.

CLUB: TYPICAL
Melee Range: Brawling Modiers: -1 Defense Actions, +1 Attack Actions
The club is perhaps the oldest weapon known to man. Any stout piece of wood can be used to crush the
skulls of ones enemies. Use the statistics of the club for any large item used to bludgeon a foe.

9 3
CLUB: WAR CLUB
Melee Range: Standard Modiers: +1 Attack Actions
Only mankind would want to improve upon a simple design for killing. The war club, while eective one
handed, is much more eective with two. The blows it delivers can crush helmets, batter shields and break bones
with ease. Most are made, but in Valadarin countries it has been the tradition of peasants to grow them by placing
bits of metal in a tree. As the tree grows, these pieces become a part of it and strengthen the wood. When the time
is right they cut it down and fashion it into a mighty weapon.

CROSSBOW
Range in Feet: 160/480/660 Modiers: +1 Attack Actions
This is a heavy and accurate weapon that is extremely eective against targets at close range. It takes very
little training to master and has been known to unhorse a knight in full armor. It takes 3-6 rounds to reload. A
character can spend 1 Endurance Point per round to lower the reload time by 1 round.

DAGGERS AND KNIVES

Melee Range: Brawling Range in Feet: 25/50/75 Modiers: -2 Attack vs Hard Armor
For most men, civilized or not, daggers and knives are as much an article of clothing as they are for self-
defense. In many cities, where weapons are not allowed to be worn, a knife can be the only line of defense. It can
also be thrown very eectively as well as serve utilitarian purposes, such as an implement for eating.
Daggers are often used in conjunction with other weapons, like short swords. Frequently, a well-dressed
Vorish gentleman will have his Gorbwon Sword hanging from his hip and his left-handed dagger carried on his
back. The purpose of this weapon is for defense rather than oense, though if the opportunity arose to strike with
it, a skilled swordsman would.

FLAIL: SPIKED FLAIL

Melee Range: Long Modiers: -4 Defense Actions, +2 Attack vs Hard Armor, Shields -4 to Parry
The ail is an example of the use of agricultural tools in times of war. The spiked ail is the nal step in the
evolution of this tool turned towards the pursuit of war. Not only does it break bones, but its spikes also makes it
hard for wounds to heal. It is a very dicult two-handed weapon to use and is terrible in defense, but is excellent
against opponents with shields.

HAMMER: MAUL
Melee Range: Long Modiers: -2 Defense Actions, +3 Attack vs Hard Armor
The maul is a large two-handed hammer that is used to drive stakes or wedges. It is often carried by militia
in times of war. A minimum Fortitude Rank of 4 is required to use this weapon eectively.

HAMMER: WARHAMMER
Melee Range: Standard Modiers: -1 Defense Actions, +3 Attack vs Hard Armor
A favored weapon of the light cavalry, it can deal devastating blows to armored men. Somewhat lighter
than the mace, it is very eective against troops in mail. Only the heaviest armor can stand up to the blows of a war
hammer.

9 4
 HORSEBOW
Range in Feet: 180/360/630 Modiers:
+1 Attack Actions
The Horsebow is a curved lamination
of wood, horn and sinew that can be red
from horseback. The Narrlachi horsemen
are known for their use of this weapon while
riding at a fast pace. It is said that with the
Horsebow, a Narrlachian can shoot as easily
behind him as well as in front of him.

JAVELIN
Melee Range: Standard Range in Feet: 40/80/120 Modiers: +1 Attack Actions
A javelin is a light throwing spear. It is a favorite weapon of the Falchians as well as some Narrlachi tribes. It
can also be used like a short spear in melee combat, but suers a -2 to Defense Actions.

LANCE
Melee Range: Extended Modiers: -4 Defense Actions
While the invention of the gun has impacted the use of the heavy cavalry charge, it has not lessened the
devastation it can cause. The heavy lance, used almost exclusively in Malindarov, has always been a part of such a
charge. In the kingdom of Daska, light cavalry rules the battleeld. The primary cavalry is this very long, but very
light lance. It was developed to strike at infantry wielding polearms and long spears without endangering the rider.
A minimum Fortitude Rank of 3 is required to use this weapon, but for purposes of damage see the Charging rule
earlier in this chapter.

LONGBOW
Range in Feet: 210/420/630 Modiers: None
The longbow is a massive, stout piece of wood that can only be red from a standing position. The Falchians
are well known for the use of this powerful weapon. Every commoner must be procient in its use under penalty of
imprisonment. It is so strong that it requires a minimum Fortitude score of 4 to use.

MACE
Melee Range: Standard Modiers: -1 Defense Actions, +2 Attack vs Hard Armors
A symbol or power since the dawn of civilization, the mace holds the twin advantages of simplicity and
durability. Unlike the sword or axe, a mace never needs sharpening and is very eective against mail armor. The
Daskan nobility are particularly fond of the mace, and often carried it as a defensive weapon.

POLEARMS
Melee Range: Extended Modiers: -1 Defense Actions, +1 Attack vs Hard Armors, +2 Attack Against a Charge
The polearm was developed for footmen in response to the increased use of cavalry. It was designed to give
foot soldiers a greater reach in order to not only fend o horsemen, but to successfully counteract their eectiveness
in battle. In Polian, the two most common polearms are the Halberd and the Partzam.

9 5
 The Halberd was developed to be carried by the personal guards of the Patriarch of the Albinican Church. It
is a devastating weapon and is eective against mounted men. The Partzam was developed for the same purpose, but
in Falchia. To prevent the wholesale slaughter of these troops, particularly from cavalry, the Partzam was developed.
A minimum Fortitude Rank of 3 and two hands are required to use a polearm.

SLINGS
Range in Feet: 120/240/360 Modiers: None
The sling is an ancient weapon used to hurl rocks and other small objects at opponents. It can be quite
eective and is relatively easy to master. When a bullet is used, the sling deals an additional +2 to the damage roll.

SPEARS
Melee Range: Extended Modiers: ++4 Attack Against a Charge
During the age of the Vorian Empire many weapons were developed, but the primary weapon of the infantry
was the spear. It is a heavy spear with a long metal blade that can be used to stab at close range, or set against the
charge of cavalry. All are equipped with a butt cap that protects the shaft and keeps it from splintering.

STAVES
Melee Range: Long Modiers: +1 Attack Actions, +2 Defense Actions
Every traveler is in need of self-defense, and the sta serves the dual purpose of being a weapon and an aid in
hiking across the land. It is said that the Rankian nomads have developed a ghting style based on the use of a sta.
In their hands is said to be as deadly as any blade.

SWORDS: GREAT
Melee Range: Long Modiers: +3 Attack Against a Charge
Wielded by the largest and strongest soldiers, these massive two-handed blades are used to break up the front
lines of an enemy. The most common is the Naraw Sword, used by the warriors of Malindarov. They are carried
by select soldiers who run up to the pike men and sweep of the heads of their spears. When the melee begins, the
soldier can choke up on the blade to use it with greater eect. A minimum Fortitude Rank of 4 is required to use
this weapon.

SWORDS: LONG
Melee Range: Standard Modiers: +2 Attack vs. Hard Armor
Long swords are light and fast, capable of handing out shearing blows, and come in two varieties in Polian.
The Battle Sword was designed to oppose mail armor and is very eective in that respect. It also has a sharpened
point so that it may be used as a stabbing implement. The Mey sword, on the other hand, is primarily used to make
sweeping cuts with one or two hands. Though it does have a functional point for thrusting, it is rarely used in such
a fashion.

Swords: Sabers
Melee Range: Standard Modiers: +1 Defense Actions, +3 Attack vs. Soft Armors
The saber is the primary weapon of the light cavalry found in many Valadarin countries and in the Narrlachi
countries. The Narrlachi style saber lends itself to an excellent slashing action, but also keeps the point sharp to use
in thrusts. The Valadarin style, called an Awiza, is capable of delivering a shearing cut as well as a draw cut, ending
the lives of enemies both on foot and on a horse.

9 6
SWORDS: SHORT
Melee Range: Standard Modiers: Falk Blade gains a +2 Attack vs Hard Armors
The short swords in Polian come primarily in three varieties, each with its own purpose and design. The
most common is called the Gorbwon. It is a short straight blade used for stabbing opponents and is often carried by
spearmen as a defensive weapon.
At sea, the most common weapon found on pirates and legitimate sailors is the Cutlass. It is short and light,
ideal for the close quarters of a ship. The basket hilt is also eective as an armored st, particularly when there is
limited room for maneuvering.
The Falk blade was developed as a slashing weapon against troops in mail armor. This single edged weapon
can deliver powerful blows. It has a wide thin blade, making it light and very fast.

Unarmed
Melee Range: Brawling Modiers: -4 to Attack
An unarmed attack can be any form of attack that uses the characters body. This can be a punch, kick,
headbutt, elbow strike and even an eye gouge. It takes many unarmed attacks to truly do permenant damage to an
opponent, regardless of the skill of the attacker.

ARMOR
Personal armor is an important part of war. Armor has developed and continues to develop in response to
weapons. Plate armor, for example, was developed in reaction to the growing use of the powerful crossbow. The use
of armor is also connected to the social
class of the warrior. Only the wealthiest
knight can aord the heaviest armor. It
is an embodiment of the warriors social
status.
Armor comes in two basic types,
the rst of which is soft armor, made
mostly of leather and fabric. And hard
armor, which is comprised mostly of
metal, such as iron, steel and bronze.
Each specic armor has an Fortitude
Rank, which is subtracted from damage
rolls to the part of the body protected by
the armor. Each style of the armor type
protects the body dierently. Shields work
in a similar fashion to weapons. They
provide a bonus to defense rolls when they
are used to deect attacks.

9 7
SOFT ARMOR: GAMBESONS
Fortitude Rank: 1 Coverage: Torso and Arms or Torso
Mail suits are not invulnerable, and it is always possible to penetrate one. Even if the blow does not
penetrate, it often drives the mail into the skin to cause a terrible wound. It is for this reason that the Gambeson, a
thick padded shirt, was invented. Some soldiers, and particularly sailors, who like the free movement it oers, wear
only the Gambeson. Unlike other armor types the Gambesons Fortitude Rank stacks with any armor worn over it.

SOFT ARMOR: JACKS

Fortitude Rank: 2 Coverage: Torso and Arms or Torso
Jacks are perhaps the most common type of armor found on the battleeld. It is inexpensive to make and
oers sturdy protection to foot soldiers. They are usually constructed from small metal or bone plates which are
stitched together between two pieces of canvas.

SOFT ARMOR: BRIGADINE

Fortitude Rank: 3 Coverage: Torso and Arms or Torso
Plate and mail armor is very expensive, meaning most soldiers would be without armor if an inexpensive
alternative did not arrive. Brigadine armor solves this problem well. It is made from hundreds of small overlapping
plates, attached by rivets to a canvas or suede backing. It is then covered with a textile, like canvas and even velvets,
creating a exible armor.

HARD ARMOR: HELMET

Fortitude Rank: 1 Coverage: Head Modiers: -1 to Reex Based Actions
The helmet is a key piece of armor that few warriors go without. They come in many styles and shapes,
but all serve the purpose of protecting the head. Its Fortitude Rank, like the Gambeson, stacks with other armors.
However that protection comes at a price, impairing the wearers vision and hearing in some manner or another.

HARD ARMOR: CHAIN MAIL

Fortitude Rank: 4 Coverage: Torso and Arms or Torso, Arms and Legs Modiers: +1 EP per Action
Developed early in history, the chain mail shirt is one of the most valued items a warrior can own. They
include a coif, a type of hood, which is worn over the head but under a helmet. It ends at mid thigh and has sleeves
that end just under the elbows.
HARD ARMOR: LAMELLAR
Fortitude Rank: 5 Coverage: Torso and Arms
The Vorian armies used this armor in ancient times. The Narrlachi often use this type of armor. Made of
small narrow plates that are laced together to create a series of overlapping rows on top of tough leather, this armor is
quite eective. Because of its design, it is very exible and easy to move in compared to other hard armor types.

HARD ARMOR: CUIRASS

Fortitude Rank: 6 Coverage: Torso Modiers: +1 EP per Action
This type of armor is a crucial item of defense during battle with other armies or simply brigands. It is
lightweight and allows excellent freedom of movement while still oering a substantial amount of protection.

9 8
SHIELD: ROUND
Modiers: +1 Defense Actions, -1 Attack Actions
The round steel shield is an excellent tool for soldiers that must crash through lines of pikemen. It is strong,
and relatively easy to maneuver with, but still hinders melee attacks.

SHIELD: KITE
Modiers: +2 Defense Actions, -2 Attack Actions
The shield is one of the oldest pieces of defensive equipment. The battle shield is wide with a at top and a
tapered bottom. It is most often made of metal with a leather arm strap on the interior. It is dicult to ght with a
shield and a weapon eectively.

SHIELD: BODY
Modiers: +3 Defense Actions, -3 Attack Actions, +1 EP per Action
The body shield is the largest shield that can be used by a soldier. It oers impressive protection and can
even be used to protect others that stand nearby. The largest draw back is the bulkiness of the shield makes hand-to-
hand combat dicult. A minimum Fortitude Rank of 4 is required to use this shield in battle.

9 9
 1 0 0
 Running a game for the rst time can be an intimidating
task. The job has a lot of responsibility. The Game Master must
not only create a story for the Players to play through, which is a
daunting task in itself, but is also responsible for making sure the
game is entertaining. This is no easy task, as everybodys idea of fun
may not be the same thing.
The following section oers an explanation on how to create a
story for the Conspiracy of Shadows Role-Playing Game. It is broken
into three steps with plenty of examples. Following that are extra rules
for the Game Master covering the environment, the corruption of the
souls of the characters and even a formula for creating supernatural threats.

CREATING A STORY
Creating the story can be a daunting task. The Game Master is tasked with developing a world lled with
interesting characters, awe inspiring settings and diabolical villains all while maintaining an exciting pace. The
following three steps are meant to be a guide to help you develop your stories.

PART 1: THE CONSPIRACY

The very rst step in creating a story in the Conspiracy of Shadows is to create the Conspiracy itself. This
book does not create a specic conspiracy for you to play, but rather gives you the tools and setting to create one of
your own. The Game Master needs to determine the type of conspiracy he wants the game to be centered around,
but in doing so he should take into account the style of game that the Players are going to want to play.
First you need to develop the power structure of the organization. The Game Master must determine who
are the groups involved, who is the core group and how the entire conspiracy is interconnected. The characters
will most likely not encounter this core group for a long time, if ever, but knowing who they are creates the entire
framework for the Game Master to build his conspiracy. Is there one central group, tow, or even several? If there are
multiple groups controlling the conspiracy are they ghting or are they cooperating? Are their multiple conspiracies,
and if so what are their relationships with one another like? Finally, is the core of this conspiracy made up of
humans, creatures that were once human or some other unfathomable supernatural threat?

The core of the conspiracy is the great Worm God, Gna-Acath. Beneath him are his children and his priesthood,
who compete for his favor. This competition sometimes breaks out into open conict.

Once the questions above are answered, you can move on to determining the purpose of this conspiracy.
This is perhaps the most important thing to decide. It inuences the types of sub-groups that the conspiracy
controls, the methods of its actions and the over all feel of the story. What is their ultimate goal? Are they trying
to covertly take over the world? Do they want to control all the criminal activity in the world? Do they want

1 0 1
to control the fate of mankind or destroy it? Perhaps
they wish to destroy something, like a specic human
institution. Finally, why do they seek this goal? What is
their motivation?

The purpose of this conspiracy is to create a near

permanent cloud cover over the world to make it habitable
for the Worm God and his progeny. This will plunge the
world into a perpetual twilight, which will allow hardy
creatures to survive, but allow the children of the Worm
God to thrive.

After the driving purpose behind the conspiracy

is determined, the Game Master must next determine
the size of this organization. If it is too small it might
be unable to achieve its goals and if its too big it would
be easy to discover and thwart. A happy medium must
be determined based upon the organizations goals. This
includes deciding upon the size of the inner circle that
rules it as well as the various levels below it.
Determining the size of the organization easily bleeds
into the nature of the conspiracys members. Who are
the members and how do they become members? Are
they all part of the same family, gaining their place in the
organization through heredity? They would be protected
from the inuence of outsiders but they run the chance
of having leaders who are unt physically, emotionally or
mentally. If the members are not part of the same family,
how do they recruit new members?

The inner circle of the organization is relatively small.

There are only perhaps a hundred of the Worm Gods
children in existence and perhaps a thousand human
members of his priesthood. The priesthood rarely recruits
from outside their families for fear of exposure.

At this point the conspiracy should be taking a

recognizable form. The core group and true purpose of
the organization exists and now the subordinate groups
that are controlled by the conspiracy must be determined.
They should be organizations that fall into line with the
goals of the overall organization. They each will have
their own goals and take action, overtly and covertly to
further their own goals as well as those of the conspiracy.
Their membership might be aware of their connection

1 0 2
to the conspiracy but most will not have any
clue. Some might even start their own sub-
conspiracies and believe that they are the real
movers and shakers of the world.
Once the sub-groups are determined
the Game Master must access how each of
these groups interacts with one another and
the conspiracy as a whole. Are they willing
pawns of the core group or do they do the
work without knowledge of who is in charge?
Do they cooperate with the other sub-groups
or even know of their existence? Some might
come into direct conict with the other groups
and even be orphaned by the conspiracy as a
whole.

The priesthood has its ngers in several of

the special societies of both Albinican Faiths,
mainly for the purpose of monitoring them
and gaining access to their resources. They
also control several merchant consortium,
which they use for transportation and
addition funds. The children of the Worm
God secretly control several small criminal
organizations, some bizarre cults and secretly
control the activities of the vampire Wiktor
Stazowski and his brood. None of these sub-
groups are willing participants and Wiktor
and his brood believe that the idea to blot out
the sun is theirs.

Finally, the Game Master must address

the issue of the resources of the conspiracy. The
issue is not the level of the resources that they
have available. They should have no limit to what they can acquire, rather it is the nature of their resources that
is important and from where. They might gain their nances from commercial consortium, a network of nobles,
the church, criminal organizations or even all of the above. This might give them access to technology beyond that
available to society at large, like armor, warships and even weapons like rearms. They may also be able to gain
access to magic rituals long lost to mankind. The possibilities are endless.

The conspiracy has unlimited access to funds and manpower through its various connections. It also has spent years
collecting ancient artifacts of power and texts concerning powerful magical rituals. The majority of these items
concern the weather and weather control.

1 0 3
PART TWO: THE CHARACTERS
The next step in the creation of the story is to determine
what the characters relationship is to the conspiracy. Though the
conspiracy is the framework of the story, it generally happens of
stage and behind the scenes. The characters are the protagonists and
their story is what takes place on stage. How much do they know
about the true workings of the conspiracy? Have they shed all forms
of a normal life and doggedly pursue their goals or do they try to
juggle a normal life with secret investigations into the conspiracy?
Once these questions are answered the Game Master and
Players should get together to create characters. This can be a time
consuming process, not only because of the detail required but also
because of the collaborative eort required to do it right. The nature
of the characters and the tone of the game should all be discussed as
a group well before play begins. However, once these details are in
place and the Players have come up with their kicker, the next step is
for the Game Master to create the story.

The characters know nothing of the true nature of the conspiracy.

They, while trying hard to live normal lives, have learned that
people have been disappearing for days at a time and then returning
completely changed in their manner and personality.

PART THREE: THE STORY

The very rst thing that needs to be determined when creating the actual story is to decide upon what will
happen. What are the goals of the story? Is it to uncover a small portion of the conspiracy? Perhaps it is to explain
a characters back-story or to ll the Players in on an important piece of the setting. It could even be completely
unrelated to the overall conspiracy.
Once the basic idea is decided upon, the length and pacing of the story needs to be formulated. Is it meant
to be a single, standalone episode in a greater series, like a TV show? Maybe it should be broken down into a
miniseries? Should it be paced like a movie, a novel or even a comic book? It could even be paced like a play with
three acts. Whatever the format, the pacing of the story should match the format it is trying to emulate.
All stories need and ending, and a role-playing game is no dierent. However, the type of ending varies
from story to story. First, is the ending a single event or a series of events? Does it resolve all the issues brought up
in the story, only a few issues or none at all? What types of ending events are needed?
If the story was action oriented it is only appropriate to end with a great ght scene. A mystery should end with a
great revelation and a morality play should end with the moral being readily revealed. This needs to be decided from
the onset because the Game Master should be reinforcing actions that will guide the story to this ending.

The goal of this rst story is to give them a brief glimpse of what is going on. The game is going to be run like
the rst series of a TV drama. Each episode will further the story in some way, but not always overtly. Some of
the episodes will continue into others, but there will be stand alone episodes. The whole season will end with the
revelation that their key ally has been orchestrating the entire thing form behind the scenes.

1 0 4
GAME MASTER RULES
The following section is lled with rules for a Game Master to use. Some are meant to add background and
extra drama to a game while others are there simply to make the Game Masters life easier. All the rules though, are
completely optional and should be used or discarded as the group sees t. However, this section is not only for the
Game Master. Players are encouraged to read through to get a better understanding of the game as well as to use the
rules to their own advantage.

DISEASE
Disease is a major part of the lives of the people of Polian. It runs rampant in the most populated areas
because of their unsanitary conditions and spread easily because of the lack of any true way to prevent them. There
are innumerable types of diseases found throughout Polian. Below are some of the most common.
System: A character that is suering from the eects of a disease may make a FOR/TEM Check against
the disease each day to ght them o. If the roll is successful for ve consecutive days, the character has beaten the
illness. However, if the character is under medical care, the healer can attempt to make a Medicine Skill Check as
well. It does not matter which character makes their roll for the ve days, as long as one does. If their is even one
failure, they must start over again.

CONSUMPTION
Consumption is a terrible wasting disease that eects the lungs. The common symptoms are a violent
cough, the spitting of blood, weight loss, chest pain and a hectic fever. There is no common belief behind its cause,
but most surgeons agree that it can sometimes be caught by breathing the same unltered air of the diseased.
System: Recovery has a Diculty Rank of 24. Characters suering from it lose 6 Endurance Points per
week. When the character reaches 0 Endurance Points, he is incapacitated and suers the loss of 3 Vitality Levels
per week until dead or cured.

DYSENTERY
It is an infection of the lower intestines. The most common symptoms are pain, fever and severe diarrhea,
which is often accompanied by blood and mucus. The common belief is that it is caused by a demonic parasite.
However, many surgeons believe that it is because of an imbalance of humors from diet.
System: Recovery has a Diculty Rank of 22. Characters suering from it lose 4 Endurance Points per day.
When the character reaches 0 Endurance Points he is incapacitated and suers the loss of 2 Vitality Levels per day
until dead or cured.

PLAGUE
It is a contagious, most often fatal disease that is characterized by chills, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and the
formation of buboes (inamed tender swelling of a lymph node usually in the groan or armpit). It is common belief
that the plague is a weapon used by the Narrlachi, as it has only recently appeared in Polian with their arrival.
System: Recovery has a Diculty Rank of 20. Characters suering from it lose 6 Endurance Points per day.
When the character reaches 0 Endurance Points, he is incapacitated and suers the same loss of Vitality Levels until
dead or cured.

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THE ENVIRONMENT
The environment can be just as dangerous to characters as the supernatural evil they ght. A character can
die just as easily by getting caught unprepared in a blinding blizzard as he can be rent apart by a manifested demon.
The information below details the hazards of the world that they live in.

DEHYDRATION
Dehydration is a relatively quick and horric way to die. Characters may nd themselves subjected to
extreme dehydration from events such as getting stranded at sea or even while being held captive by an enemy.
Denying prisoners water is often a method employed to make them more malleable to questioning.
System: A character can go one day plus 1 times his Fortitude Rank in hours without water. Characters that
are subjected to dehydration will lose all of his Endurance Points the second day. On the third day of dehydration,
he will lose 2 Vitality Levels and continue to lose 2 every day thereafter. Once the character receives water, his
Endurance Points return at a rate of 2 per day of drinking. All Vitality Levels lost from dehydration return at the
normal healing rate.

FIRE
Being set on re is a very painful and common way to be harmed. In a world lit by candles, hearths and
torches it is very easy for res to start and spread. Characters should always be aware of where they put their light
sources.
System: When a character is burnt he suers damage on a scale appropriate to the re. A candle causes 1D6
points of damage, a torch 2D6 points of damage and being thrust into a raging inferno could cause as much as 6D6
points of damage. Only a characters Fortitude Rank can be used to absorb the damage, not his armor.

STARVATION
Starvation is a slow and painful way to die. Characters may nd themselves subjected to extreme starvation
in events such as getting stranded in the wilderness without means or resources or even while being held captive by
an enemy. Denying prisoners food is often a method employed to make them more malleable to questioning.
System: A character can go three days without food. Characters that are subjected to starvation will lose 3
Endurance Points per day after the fourth day without food. This continues until the character reaches 0 Endurance
Points, at which point he will begin to lose Vitality Levels. Once the character receives food, his Endurance Points
return at a rate of 3 per day of eating. All Vitality Levels lost from starvation return at the normal healing rate.

WEATHER
Polian generally has a very cold climate. Much of the north is subject to very long and harsh winters and
even the south is sometimes hit with blinding blizzards. Prolonged exposure in such a harsh environment without
means or resources will result in pain and death. Even those few who survive are often permanently scarred by
frostbite.
System: An unprotected character in cold weather (0-40 F) will lose 4 Endurance Points an hour. Once
the character reaches 0 Endurance Points, he will begin to lose 1 Vitality Level per hour. In extreme cold weather
(below 0 F) the loss increases to every ten minutes. A successful Survival Skill Check will stave o the loss for
one time increment (one hour or ten minutes). The only way to end the eects is to nd shelter. Once safe from
the elements the character recovers Endurance Points at a rate of 1 per hour. Vitality Levels are recovered through
normal healing, but require a Medicine or Survival Skill Check (Diculty Rank 20) to begin the process. If it is
unsuccessful the character suers permanent damage due to frostbite.

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POISONS
Poisons are substances that cause injury, illness
and even death by their contact with human beings. This
contact can be ingestion and even simple skin contact.
Some even have benets to the ill in small doses, but all
can kill with the right amount. Listed below are several
common poisons and their eects.

ALCOHOL
Alcohol is the staple drink of all communities in Polian. In
most large communities it is safer to drink than the water because of
the insanitary conditions. Drinking large quantities of it, which is
often done, causes an impairment of motor functions and decision
making capabilities.
System: A character may drink as many alcoholic beverages per
hour as his Fortitude Rank without suering alcohol poisoning. Each
drink thereafter creates a cumulative -1 modier to all Reex, Temperament
and Knowledge based die rolls.

FOOD POISONING
In Polian there is no real concept of food hygiene, making food poisoning a very common and real threat
to the lives of the people. However, most people have had it and survived, building up an immunity to all but the
worst cases.
System: A character with food poisoning suers a loss of 5 Endurance Points from the violent vomiting
associated with it. This lasts for the duration of the poisoning, which is usually 24 to 48 hours long.

RICIN
Ricin is a poisonous extract from the castor bean. It can be made into the form of a powder, a mist or
dissolved in a liquid. Individuals exposed to it will suddenly develop a fever, diarrhea, a cough and excess uid in
their lungs. There is no known cure, but there are a few stories of people surviving exposure.
System: Recovery from Ricin poison works in the same fashion as recovery from diseases. Ricin poisoning
has a recovery Diculty Rank of 22. Characters suering from it lose 6 Endurance Points per 12 hour period.
When a character reaches 0 Endurance Points he is incapacitated and suers the same loss of Vitality Points until
dead or cured.

STRYCHNINE
Strychnine is a bitter drug derived from the Vomica trees found in Eskar and Amdrus. When used in small
doses it is a potent stimulant that heightens sensory awareness. If used as a poison, it results in violent convulsions
and diculty in breathing. Few survive the poisoning.
System: Recovery from Strychnine poison works in the same fashion as recovery from diseases. Strychnine
poisoning has a recovery Diculty Rank of 24. Characters suering from it lose 5 Endurance Points per every 12
hour period. When a character reaches 0 Endurance Points, he is incapacitated and suers the same loss of Vitality
Points until dead or cured. If used as a stimulant, the poison gives the character a +1 to all of his Perception based
actions.

1 0 7
GOON MECHANICS
Every great story has the hero pitted
against a great villain. This holds true for
adventures such as Treasure Island, mysteries
like The Hound of the Baskervilles, and
horror stories like Dracula. In all of these
stories, the villains often have hoards of goons
they throw against the hero. These goons
rarely can harm the hero, but he must ght
his way though them to get to his foe just the
same.
Role Playing Games often follow a
similar formula. There are heroes, villains
and nameless goons. The diculty is that in
a role playing game each goon must have stats
in order for the character to be able to ght
them. Creating this information can make a
lot of unnecessary work for a Game Master.
The following set of game mechanics
helps to alleviate a lot of that work. It allows
the Game Master to spend his energies on the
more important aspects of the adventures, as
well as gives him the ability to create enemies
on the y.

GOON STATISTICS
Goons only have a single stat to simplify their use and creation as well as a singular mechanic to determine
their success in actions. This allows for the creation of simple nameless adversaries that can be used as henchmen to
a villain or even an ally to the players. They can be customized and scaled to the ability of the characters.

Vitality Ranks: Instead of the standard Vitality Levels, Goons have a Vitality Rank. Instead of subtracting damage
from this number the Game Master would subtract the number of hits the Goon has taken. For example, most
Goons would only have a Vitality Rank of one. If he is successfully struck he would be dead. A stronger Goon
might have a Vitality Rank of 2 or 3 allowing him to take more punishment.

Quick Resolution Mechanic: The Quick Resolution Mechanic is used to resolve all actions taken by the Goons.
This includes Initiative, Attack Actions, Defense Actions, Attribute Checks, Damage rolls, Skill Checks and any
other die rolls. The Game Master must rst determine how competent the Goons are. The more competent they
are the more dice they get to use for the Quick Resolution Mechanics. For example, with an incompetent Goon,
the Game Master may only roll 2D6 for all of his die rolls, while an extremely capable goon he may roll 4D6.

1 0 8
HORROR
The world is a dangerous place, lled with evil men and dark entities beyond the comprehension of even the
most learned of professors. These forces that seek to harm mankind can cause most individuals to panic. In some
cases, encounters with evil, no matter its form, can cause lasting damage and even death.

MAKING HORROR CHECKS

Whenever a character is confronted with a HORRIFIC SITUATION DIFFICULTY RANK
powerful evil or horric situation, the player must make
KNW/TEM Check with a Diculty Rank decided Realize your own helplessness in 24
upon by the Game Master. He should also take into front of great evil.
account the type of character that is being aected. A Encounter the supernatural for the 21
warrior who has seen many battles would not be overly rst time.
disturbed by a horric battle scene, while his companion
who is a naive priest would blanche. This can warrant Witness a violent crime. 18
the character not making a check or getting a lower Cornered and against terrible odds 15
Diculty Rank for his check. The table to the right is
meant to be used as a guide.

COUNTERING HORROR
When a charismatic hero is around, it is much harder for others to succumb to the eects of witnessing a
horric situation. Those who normally would ee in terror or fall to the ground in tears will stand and ght in the
presence of such a man or woman.
When a character fails a Horror Check in the presence of an individual who has a Temperament Rank with
the Charisma focus, the character is allowed to make another Horror Check. This Horror Check is made using the
charismatic individuals Temperament Rank instead of the characters own Temperament Rank. This only works if
the charismatic individual did not fail his Horror Check.

THE EFFECTS OF HORROR Temperament Effects

If the Horror Check is failed the character Rank
suers from the side eects. How a character 1 Catatonic and unable to act or react for 3D6
reacts to horror is based upon his Temperament rounds
Rank. The table below shows what a character 2-3 Panics and only able to try and ee for 3D6
suers from after failing. If any of his allies have a rounds
Temperament Rank higher than his Temperament 4-5 Berserk and only able to attack, not defend
Rank, it is used for the purposes of determining for 3D6 rounds.
the eects.
6+ Controlled Terror and able to react but has a
1D6 to all actions for 3D6 rounds.

1 0 9
SUPERNATURAL THREATS
In the Conspiracy of Shadows, the supernatural is a serious threat to mankind. Creatures of inhuman
power stalk the night with their own unknowable purpose. They might be simply hunting mankind for prey,
the orchestrators of a vast conspiracy, pawns in a conspiracy or even completely unconcerned with the actions
of humanity. Whatever their purpose, each is a unique individual with its own personality, powers and needs.
Occasionally some supernatural threats will have spawn which will share many abilities with their progeny, but all
are unique in some manner. The creation process below is used for all forms of supernatural threats.

STEP ONE: MARK AND DRIVE

All supernatural threats often can take the form of more mundane creatures, like men, animals and even
plants. Regardless of this form, all have a Mark that gives them away. It can be a physical characteristic that
stays constant, like red eyes or a tattoo of a mystic symbol, or it can be an eect, like a smell or sound that always
accompanies them. Each Mark is unique to that threat with the exception of their spawn, who often share the same
Mark as their parent.
Supernatural Threats must also have a Drive. A threats Drive is similar to that of a characters, as it is their
reasoning and motivation for their actions in the story. However, a supernatural threats Drive is often vicious in
nature and they instead use their Cunning Rank to determine their bonus.

STEP TWO: POWERS AND WEAKNESSES

The next step in the creation of a supernatural threat is to choose its powers and weaknesses. Every threat
has at least two powers and at least one true weakness. These abilities can make them formidable opponents and
powerful allies for those willing to put their lives and souls in the hands of an inhuman monster. Most supernatural
threats that the characters might encounter in the game have powers and weaknesses from the following list, but
both the Players and Game Master are encouraged to create their own. To use these powers, or to take any action at
all, 2D6 is rolled and added to either the creatures Cunning or Power Rank. The Power Rank represents its physical
presence and its Cunning Rank its mental abilities.

AFFLICTIONS
Aictions are abilities that allow the demon to mark a target in some way. This is just as it states to be, a
mark upon the esh, something debilitating or even something benecial to the recipient. The delivery method of
the Aiction varies from creature to creature. It can be administered by touch, uids, gases or even words of power
spoken by the supernatural threat.
Unwilling targets of a creatures Aiction can try to resist the attack. To do so they must make a FOR/TEM
Check against the demons Power Rank Check. If successful the character is immune to that attack and cannot be
harmed by it for one minute. If it is a failure, the character suers the full eects of the Aiction.
Sensory: Sensory Aictions are when the supernatural threat impairs or improves a targets senses. This
can be sight, sound, speech, taste and even touch. It can be permanent or for a set period of time. If permanent is
chosen, it counts as two powers. Also, each sense aicted counts as an individual power.
Disease: Disease Aliations are when a supernatural threat passes on a disease to a target. The eects of the
disease are identical to those of a normally transmitted illness. Each disease counts as a separate power. There is a
short listing of common diseases and their eects earlier in this chapter.
Poison: Poison Aiction is when a supernatural threat is able to administer poison to a target. The eects
of the poison are identical to those of a normally administered poison. Each poison type counts as a separate power.
There is a short listing of common poisons and their eects earlier in this chapter.

1 1 0
 Mark: A Mark is some form of physical marking that is permanently fused to the skin of a target. This can
be a terrible scar meant as a punishment, or as a tattoo like marking used to signify the ownership the supernatural
threat maintains over an individual and allow it to know the whereabouts of his possession. It acts as a warning
either for individuals not to cross the creature or to not harm his property.

ATTACK
Attacks are abilities to cause direct physical harm to a character. This can take the form of claws, teeth,
spines that shoot out of its back or even a spiked tail. The possibilities are endless. Each individual type counts as
a separate power (i.e., claws count as 1) and must compare to a weapons statistics of some sort (i.e., claws function
like knives).

FORM
Form is the ability of a supernatural threat to alter his own form and the form of others. This can mean the
ability for the creature to take the form of an animal, many animals (including humans), plants, inanimate objects or
even taking the form of a specic creature. Conversely, this means a supernatural threat may be able to change the
shape of anything into one of those items as well. Each individual form counts as a single power.
Unwilling targets of a creatures power can try to resist the attack. To do so they must make a FOR/TEM
Check against the creatures Power Rank Check. If successful, the character is immune to that attack and cannot
be harmed by it for one minute. If it is a failure the character is transformed to whatever the supernatural threat
wishes.

1 1 1
GLAMOUR
Glamour is the ability of supernatural threat to create illusions to trick the eyes of others. This can take
many forms, such as creating darkness within a set area, creating a blinding light, turning invisible, appearing as
mortal or even creating a mirage of a city in the distance if so inclined. However, each individual Glamour counts as
a single power.
Unwilling targets of a supernatural threats Glamour power can try to see through the illusion. To do so they
must make a REF/KNW Check against the supernatural threats Cunning Rank. If successful the character is not
fooled by the creatures trick for one minute. If it is a failure the character is unable to see through the illusion and
cannot try to resist again until something changes in it.

HEALTH
The health power allows a demon to maintain its own well being as well as the well being of others. This
includes the ability to heal, having natural armor, natural resistances and even immunities against certain types
of attacks. However, when a supernatural threat heals a mortal it always takes a form that is painful and often
grotesque. Each individual ability counts as a single power.
Armor: A supernatural threat with armor is capable of absorbing damage from attacks. The creatures armor
functions in the same manner as armor functions for the characters.
Healing: A supernatural threat with healing is able to recover as many Vitality Levels in a single minute as
his Power Rank. A supernatural threat may also heal another in the same manner. What is required for the threat to
heal the target can vary, but it may include ingesting its blood, breathing in its breath, or simply being touched by
it. The ability to heal itself and the ability to heal others are two separate powers.
Immunity: Many supernatural threats are immune to specic forms of harm. The immunity can be very
specic or very general, such as weapons made of wood. Each individual immunity counts as a separate power.

MOVEMENT
Movement is the ability of the supernatural threat to move through space in non-standard ways. This can
take the form of great wings that allow it to y like a bird or the ability to teleport over distances by stepping into
shadows. The specics vary from creature to creature and each mode of transportation counts as one power.

POSSESSION
Many supernatural threats are so unlike humanity that they are not made of the same matter as mortals.
In fact they are often closer in makeup to the soul of human beings. Those inhuman monsters can turn into an
invisible mist and possess a mortal. The mortal must make a TEM/KNW Check against the creatures Power Rank.
If successful, the creature is hurled out and cannot try again for as many days as the mortals Temperament Rank.
Failure means the creature has entered the body and taken over. The mortal is unable to resist the creature until
something occurs to break its concentration.
While the supernatural threat is in command of the body, it uses its Power and Cunning Rank for all die
rolls. It also does not have to spend Endurance Points in combat. However it still uses the bodys Vitality Levels.
Once the bodys Vitality Levels reach zero it is destroyed and the creature is forced to manifest in the esh.

SPAWN
Many supernatural threats have the ability to create progeny with, either among their own kind or with
humans. This can take one of two forms, reproduction or infection. Each supernatural threat creates a unique
spawn and some even can control their spawn by force of will.
Infection: The creation of spawn through infection works by exchanging the humans soul for a portion of

1 1 2
 its own. The mortal then becomes similar
to its creator in most ways, but often suers
from more weaknesses. The infection
usually takes the form of some sort of
physical contact and results in the infected
soul falling under the monsters control.
Only individuals with truly iron wills can
survive the transformation and resist their
new master. A KNW/TEM Check needs to
be made against a Diculty Rank equal to
the creatures Cunning Rank Check.
Reproduction: Reproduction works
in the same manner as reproduction works
with normal member of a species the
supernatural threat is coupling with. This
requires the creature to take the form of the
mortal and engage in the sexual act. The
spawn usually takes the normal amount of
time for the species to gestate, however once
it is born, it usual matures twice as fast.
These spawn are very powerful, taking the
form of their mortal parent, but with the
powers and abilities of their supernatural
parent. They have wills of their own, and
though most become allies of their parent,
there have been tales of those who have
rebelled.

WITCHBLOOD POWERS
Many supernatural threats command
the same abilities those born a Witchblood
have. This begs the question what
connection do these monsters have to
mortals? Each Witchblood ability counts
as a separate power. Use a Cunning
Rank Check for all appropriate Checks
concerning the powers.

WEAKNESSES
All supernatural threats have at least
one weakness. They are not as all powerful
as they would like mortals to believe. The
weakness can take one of two forms, a true
weakness or a simple weakness. They take
an additional 2D6 points of damage from
their true weakness and take and additional

1 1 3
1D6 points of damage from their simple weakness. The weakness must be something specic, like water from fresh
melted snow, pure silver or cold-forged iron. It cal also be a specic form of attack, such as decapitation. Regardless
of the form it takes, the supernatural threat always takes damage from it regardless of any immunities it may have.

STEP FOUR: POWER & CUNNING

Once all of a supernatural threats powers and weaknesses are chosen, its Power and Cunning Ranks need
to be determined. To determine these two scores the number of powers is totaled up and divided between its Power
and Cunning Ranks. However, the supernatural threat also adds 2 to his Power Rank and 3 to his Cunning Rank.
These two numbers are used for the determination of all of his rolls, in and out of combat.

STEP FIVE: THE WAKE AND VITALITY

There are two other items that all
supernatural threats have in common. All
possess what is known as a Wake and all have
Vitality Levels. The Wake is a world disturbing
eect bought on by the very presence of the
supernatural threat and its Vitality Levels are
well beyond that of mere humans.
The Wake: All supernatural threats
have what is known as the Wake. The Wake
is the eect the creatures presence has upon
reality. All of these inhuman monstrosities
create a distortion, bending it unconsciously
to their wills. This can take a myriad of forms,
but each is unique in some way to the demon.
For some they make the area around them
distort visibly, like heat waves coming o of
stone. For others, the Wake is gut wrenching,
like the spontaneous creation of rats within a
500 yard radius of it. The more powerful the
supernatural threat is, the more powerful its
Wake is.
Vitality Levels: Supernatural threats,
like everything else in the world, have Vitality
Levels. However they generally have more.
To calculate the creatures Vitality Levels, take
its Power Rank and add ten. They are also
not penalized from loss of Vitality Levels like
humans as they are creatures not of this world and
do not suer from mortal frailties.

1 1 4
CHILD OF GNA-ACATH
Name: Shurgath
Drive: To build his own power base outside the control of his siblings and the priesthood
Mark: When in human form something always seems to be moving beneath his skin.
Appearance: His true form is that of a writhing mass of worms that are held together in a humanoid form.
Power Rank: 7
Cunning Rank: 9
Wake: Things always seem to be writhing in the shadows around him.
Vitality Levels: 17
Powers and Weaknesses: Aiction (Mark), Domination, Glamour (Look Human), Glamour (Hide in Darkness),
Healing (Self ), Immunity (Disease), Immunity (Blunt Attacks), Mind Speech, Second Sight, Simple Weakness
(Holy Water), Sleep, Spawn (Infection), True Weakness (Items Blessed by a True Saint).

Description: Shurgath is one of the unholy children of the God Worm, Gna-Acath. While he seeks the ultimate
goal of his progenitor, he intends to create his own little sub-kingdom well before the time of the Great Change.
He has spent the last several years grooming a cult of worshipers and infecting the people of a small town in Eskar.
Nearly half the town is in his thrall, but he does not realize that he too is being controlled by a secret member of the
priesthood of Gna-Acath that was sent to monitor him.

A DEMON
Name: Malicent
Drive: Raising tyrants to positions of power
Mark: One always sees the reection of a grinning skull when looking directly into his eyes.
Appearance: Malicents true from is a horric amalgam of a man, rat, raven and wolf.
Power Rank: 11
Cunning Rank: 13
Wake: Flocks of ravens and packs of rats always begin to migrate to the region he is in.
Vitality Levels: 21
Powers and Weaknesses: Aiction (Mark), Aiction (Sensory: Blindness), Attack (Bite), Attack (Claws), Horror,
Form (Flight of Ravens), Form (Pack of Rats), Form (Wolf ), Glamour (Self ), Glamour (Create Darkness), Glamour
(Hide in Darkness), Healing (Self ), Immunity (Poison), Immunity (Disease), Immunity (Normal Attacks), Mind
Speech, Movement (Teleport by Entering Shadows), Possession, Simple Weakness (Pure Silver), Simple Weakness
(Blessed Items), Spawn (Reproduction).

Description: Malicent is a powerful demon that only arrived on Polain within the past century. He arrived near
a small province in Western Daska and quickly possessed the body of the local magnate. He used the magnate to
impregnate the magnates wife and passed on his demonic heritage to the child. Once the child was born he vacated
the magnates body and used his Glamour to take the form of a grizzled old soldier so he may take a position in
the household. He watched his child, Wiktor, grow up and when his powers began to manifest themselves, he
revealed himself. Under his true fathers tutelage, Wiktor grew in his powers and began to use them to infect others.
Wiktors progeny slowly grew into and army, which Malicent uses to further his schemes.

1 1 5
TAINT
Taint is the representation of a characters
decent into damnation and often times insanity. Every
characters path is a unique to his personality and the
events of his life. The actions that bring a character
Taint are often quick and easy but are always counter
to the general ethical beliefs of his society. Murder,
rape, blasphemous acts and diabolical dealings are
often the most common actions that send a character
into the oblivion of Taint.
System: The rst time a character commits
a morally questionable act, the Game Master secretly
rolls 4D6. On a roll of 4 the character gains a Rank of
Taint. Every time thereafter that he commits a corrupt
act, the chance increases for a Rank of Taint by one
(second time a roll of 4 or 5, the third time a roll of 4-
6, etc.).
If a character gains a rank of Taint, the Game
Master and the Player must confer in private to
discuss the ramications of this in terms of both game
mechanics and how the character is role played. Taint
Ranks always bring with them a new ability as well as
a disability and once a character reaches a Taint Rank
of six, he fully succumbs to his evil impulses and is no
longer appropriate to be controlled by a Player. Below
is a sample path that a character might have gone
down.

TAINT RANK POSITIVE NEGATIVE

1 Relishes in bloodshed so much that his attacks
are more damaging when he is covered in the
blood of his enemies.
2 He can easily stun others with strikes form his
sts.
3 When he is harmed he becomes enraged and
strikes harder and faster at whoever harmed him.
4 He has become fearless while in the middle of
battle.
5 He is able to dodge all attacks, even those that
come at a surprise.
6 His mere presence strikes terror into the hearts
of those who see him in battle.
He can only engage in sexual acts if they
accompany violence.
He is restless, which causes frustration with all
non-combat activities.
Has become mentally unstable to the point of
being paranoid of his allies.
His sleep is troubled by nightmares making him
sluggish when not in the midst of combat.
He now hears voices during the day that urge
him deeper and deeper into depravity.
He desires only to kill others, in battle or
otherwise, so long as there is bloodshed.

1 1 6

A CUP KNIGHTS ..................................................................35-36
ACTIONS
ATTACK .............................................................................. 87
AUTOMATIC ........................................................................ 82
DEFENSE ................................................................. 87
EXTENDED .......................................................................... 82
GROUP ............................................................................... 83
RESISTED ............................................................................ 82
TAKING ACTIONS ................................................................ 81
ARMOR
HARD ARMOR ..................................................................... 98
SHIELD ............................................................................... 99
SOFT ARMOR ...................................................................... 98
ATTRIBUTES ............................................................................... 58
C THE CHARACTERS .............................................................. 104
CELL CREATION
ALLIES ................................................................................ 66
CONTACTS .......................................................................... 67
KICKER ............................................................................... 68
LIBRARY .............................................................................. 67
MENTORS ........................................................................... 67
ORIGIN .............................................................................. 68
REAL ESTATE ....................................................................... 66
RETAINERS .......................................................................... 68
CHARACTER IMPROVEMENT ........................................................ 83
CHARACTER TRAITS .................................................................... 81
COMBAT
ATTACK .............................................................................. 87
COMBOS ............................................................................. 88
DAMAGE ............................................................................. 92
DEFENSE ................................................................. 87
INITIATIVE .......................................................................... 86
MELEE RANGES .................................................................. 89
MOMENTUM ....................................................................... 87
MOVEMENT ........................................................................ 91
MULTIPLE OPPONENTS ....................................................... 89
TIME .................................................................................. 85
SURPRISE ............................................................................ 85
COMBAT MANEUVERS
BEAT................................................................................... 89
BIND .................................................................................. 89
CHARGE ............................................................................. 89
COUNTER ........................................................................... 90
DISARM .............................................................................. 90
DOUBLE SHOT .................................................................... 90
FEINT & STRIKE .................................................................. 90
GRAPPLE ................................................................... 90
HALF SWORD ...................................................................... 90
STUNNING ATTACK ............................................................. 91
TWIN STRIKE ...................................................................... 91
VOLLEY ............................................................................... 91
CONCEPT
DRIVE ................................................................................ 56
ETHNICITY ......................................................................... 57
PASSION .............................................................................. 56
COUNTRIES
AMDRUS ...........................................................................34-35
BREKAW .............................................................................. 35
ESKAR ...............................................................................36-37
FALCHIA.............................................................. ........37, 40-41
GREAT KHANATE, THE ......................................................41-42
JENKA ...............................................................................42-43
MALINDAROV, THE THEOCRACY OF ...................................44-45
NAVAREN ..........................................................................45-46
OLDASKA ..........................................................................46-47
OMERON ..........................................................................48-49
TARATHA...........................................................................49-50
VORIA, HOLY UNION OF ...................................................50-52
WALLAVICH......................................................................... 53
COVER ....................................................................................... 59
CREATING A STORY
THE CONSPIRACY .................................................... ......101-103
THE STORY ........................................................................ 104
CULTURE
NARRLACHI ......................................................................10-12
NODERIN .........................................................................14-15
SODERIN...........................................................................16-18
VALADARIN ............................................................. .....19,22-23
VORS ................................................................................24-25
D
DESCRIPTORS ...........................................................................63,81
DESTINY POOLS ......................................................................... 84
DIFFICULTY RANKS .................................................................... 82
E
ENDURANCE POINTS ................................................................63,87
ETHNICITY
BRAVS ...............................................................................16,57
BREKS ...............................................................................19,57
DASIANS ...........................................................................19,57
ESKARI..............................................................................14,57
FALCHIANS ........................................................................24,57
GRIKS ...............................................................................10,57
ISOLI ................................................................................14,57
JENKS ...............................................................................19,57
KARNA ..............................................................................10,57
MALINS ............................................................................16,57
NALTARS ...........................................................................10,57
NAVARI .............................................................................14,57
OMERONS .........................................................................15,57
RADIANS ...........................................................................24,57
RANKIANS .........................................................................22,57
SARRLACHI........................................................................16,57
TARATHANS .......................................................................22,57
TOLOSKANS .......................................................................22,57
TORIANS ...........................................................................24,57
WARRLACHI ......................................................................17,57
G
GAME MASTER RULES
DISEASE ............................................................................. 105
ENVIRONMENT, THE .......................................................... 106
 GOONS .............................................................................. 108
POISON .............................................................................. 107
GEAR .......................................................................................63-64
H SOCIAL HEIRARCHY
HORROR ................................................................................... 109
L VALADARIN .......................................................................22-23
LANGUAGES ................................................................................ 64
M POWER & CUNNING .......................................... ...........110-114
MAPS
ETHNIC ............................................................................20-21
POLITICAL.........................................................................38-39
WORLD ............................................................................... 40
N
NAMES
NARRLACHI ........................................................................ 12
NODERIN ........................................................................... 15
SODERIN............................................................................. 18
VALADARIN ......................................................................... 23
VORS .................................................................................. 25
P CLUB .................................................................................. 93
PRONUNCIATION ........................................................................ 13
R HAMMER ............................................................................ 94
RELIGION
ALBINICANISM ..................................................................28-29
AMDATI .............................................................................. 30
OLD FAITHS ....................................................................... 31
ORTHODOX ALBINICAN....................................................... 30
RITUAL MAGIC
ATONEMENT ....................................................................... 74
BANISHING ......................................................................... 75
BINDING............................................................................. 76
CONTACT ............................................................................ 77
EXORCISM ........................................................................... 77
SANCTIFYING ...................................................................... 78
SUMMONS .........................................................................78-79
WARDS ............................................................................... 79
S FUTURE SIGHT .................................................................... 71
SKILLS
ACADEMICS ......................................................................... 60
ARCHERY ............................................................................ 60
ARTISTRY ............................................................................ 61
ATHLETICS.......................................................................... 61
BRAWLING .......................................................................... 61
CRAFT ................................................................................ 61
ETIQUETTE ......................................................................... 62
FOLKLORE........................................................................... 62
HORSEMANSHIP .................................................................. 62
LARCENY............................................................................. 62
MELEE................................................................................ 62
MEDICINE .......................................................................... 62
PERFORMANCE .................................................................... 63
SURVIVAL ............................................................................ 63
NARRLACHI ......................................................................11-12
NODERIN ........................................................................... 15
SODERIN............................................................................. 17
VORS ................................................................................24-25
SUPERNATURAL THREATS
MARK & DRIVE.................................................................. 110
POWERS & WEAKNESSES ..................................................... 114
WAKE & VITALITY, THE ...................................................... 114
T
TAINT ....................................................................................... 116
V
VITALITY LEVELS ......................................................................64,92
W
WEAPONS
AXE .................................................................................... 93
CROSSBOW ......................................................................... 94
DAGGERS & KNIVES ............................................................ 94
FLAIL .................................................................................. 94
HORSEBOW ......................................................................... 95
JAVELIN............................................................................... 95
LANCE ................................................................................ 95
LONGBOW........................................................................... 95
MACE ................................................................................. 95
POLEARMS.........................................................................95-96
SLINGS................................................................................ 96
SPEARS................................................................................ 96
STAVES ................................................................................ 96
SWORDS ............................................................................96-97
UNARMED .......................................................................... 97
WITCHBLOOD ..........................................................................64,70
EVIL EYE ................................................................. 70
FAR SIGHT .......................................................................... 70
FIRE DANCING .................................................................... 71
HEIGHTENED SENSES .......................................................... 71
HORROR ............................................................................. 72
MIND SPEACH .................................................................... 72
PAST SIGHT......................................................................... 72
SECOND SIGHT ................................................................... 72
SLEEP ................................................................................. 72
SPIRIT HANDS .................................................................... 73
SURGE ................................................................................ 73
TRANCE .............................................................................. 73