Arcadomai
A fantasy Risus setting created by
Dan Suptic ©2006
A note about Risus
Risus is a free and easy to learn role-playing game (created by S. John Ross) that is used to play Arcadomai. Simply go to the freebie page on http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm and download it there. The whole system is 6 pages long, and that's all you'll need to play. Download it, print it, heck, even put it in a nice 6-page binder. So long as you understand it, you'll be able to play Arcadomai.
"Such wonders. Such diversity. So many ideas, arts, and ways of life. And we spend it squabbling about city boundaries and taxes. My friends, or to those who hear my words, I leave to search for the one thing this place does not have - peace." last words, Dakar Frost, ex-politician.
An old world spins in the aether. Torn by magic, monsters, and the hands of men, this world is rugged, worn, and dangerous. 3 great continents mark the face of Arcadomai - the reasonable peaceful lands of Primeria, the savage and decaying lands of Sunder, and the world long strip of unearthly land known as Cicatrix. Men work, live, fight and die to make the world a better place (or at least their own part of the world). Aristocrats and politicians plan and plot with merciless efficiency. Warriors and adventurers seek fame and fortune battling monsters, fiends and other creatures of alien design. Wizards and sorcerers bend reality to their will. Thieves and beggars try to live day by day, scrounging up a few meager hex (the currency of Arcadomai). Metal and stone, wood and mana, compassion and greed - these are the building blocks of Arcadomai.
"She was a tall one, and a beauty too. I could tell she would be fun for a romp in the hay, if you catch my drift ~cough~. Didn't know until later she was a damned pyromancer ~sniff~. Oh well, any tryst you can walk away from..." Gulaviar Poetaro, bard.
Characters are created with a base of 10 dice. Advanced options I, II and III are all used. Lucky Shots and Questing Dice may also be used (from the Risus Compendium) at the GM's option. Gear and any spare hex should be determined by clichés chosen.
The dominant race of Arcadomai is Human. Countless wars, and natural human dominance has all but driven the other peaceful races from Arcadomai. Being an Elf or Dwarf is possible, but non-human races are regarded with great suspicion and dislike. Those races special skills and talents offset this animosity. GMs should remember to give extra perks to those who play a non human race - whatever seems appropriate to the race in question. Nimbleness for elves, sturdiness for dwarfs, etc. Of course, in Sunder, more bestial races seem to outnumber humans, and on Cicatrix it's hard to tell if the beings there are even sentient.
Language
Everyone in Arcadomai speaks the same language - a language so universal, the world doesn't even need a name for it. Other races may remember a word or 2 from their heritage, but usually not enough to have a full conversation in.
"What do you mean, 'What do you believe in?'" typically heard in conversations about religion
A long time ago, there was 3 gods. Beautiful Primiar, patient Scar, and selfish Rage. Primiar created the world with her will and curiosity. Scar slowly tamed and stitched the new creation into form and function, while Rage destroyed all that was unnecessary. It was balance, not perfect, but workable. After seeing races of man and beast rise and fall, and the slow degradation of harmony, the 3 gods grew tired and left Arcadomai. Now, the world runs on the powers that the gods left behind, the Light (from Primiar), the Grey (from Scar) and the Dark (from Rage). Religion is not diverse here - the gods don't even care to focus on Arcadomai anymore. There are only 3 outcomes to your death based on your actions in life. You can merge with the Light, the soothing, healing and positive force of Arcadomai. You can be pulled into the Dark, the hateful, destructive and negative force of Arcadomai. Or, you can be reborn through the Grey, the power of fate, destiny, and luck. Kind, good and just people merge with the Light, to further help and heal their family and friends from beyond. Evil, selfish and unjust people get pulled into the Dark, where their hateful energies can be driven into still living enemies. Those who are neither virtuous nor vile are pulled through the Grey, their life's experiences taken away, and are reborn into the world again.
"Do you see that? I've never seen anyone carry a two-handed claymore like that before. Five hex says he gets killed by the first guy he picks a fight with..." THUD "...you owe me five hex." Daeg the Rat, beggar, former mercenary
What follows are some more of the common combat oriented clichés found on Arcadomai. While not an exhaustive list, the clichés presented here are by far the most commonly seen.
Fighter - Generic fighter, can use weapons and armor and fists and feet.
Soldier - Highly trained fighter, able to also plan and strategize an attack
Barbarian - One who loses himself to the rage of battle; a truly frightening foe
Fencer - A swordsman with education, flair, and 3 1/2 feet of thin, pointy metal
Guard - A hired combatant, usually pestering adventurers about their habits
Mercenary - A hired combatant, usually pestering adventurers with their habits
Archer - A skilled person who can stop a fight before you get to him
Assassin - A frightful adversary who uses shadows and feints to land a killing blow
Brawler - Never unarmed, a warrior who uses his own body to hurt you
Paladin - A servant of the Light, his faith gives his weapons great strength
Skill Clichés
"Sure, being a peasant isn't the most interesting life. But when I look at those poor bastards who have to actually learn to read and write? Thank the Light my life's better than that!" Julia Gander, peasant
The clichés present here all focus on a particular skill. While certainly no list can encompass every skill worthy of focus, chances are that you'll run into a fair amount of the following people before you run into that Cat Choreographer.
Politician - One who can manipulate bureaucracy to incredible ends
Aristocrat - A ruler of a local area
Thief - One who sees your wealth, and seizes it well
Blacksmith - One who makes your weapons and armor
Merchant - Buy low and sell high. The merchant's credo
Sailor - He knows how to sail a vessel across the seas, and that's just useful
Bard - One who inspires with poem and song, even in situations that seem wrong
Teamster - Getting groups of animals working together is his occupation
Cooks - Give him random ingredients, he'll give you random ingredient stew
Farmer - He grows and cultivates what you eat
Peasant - Great for manual labor. Not so great for anything else
Scribe - Read stuff, write it down, hear stuff, write it down. Fun
"Typical ebb and flow in the Dark can be mixed with the vitalizing forces of the Light to generate effects both spontaneous and destructive. Here we have a great text detailing combat and tactical utility of the spell 'Fireball'" overheard in the Arcane College
Clichés present here are gathered through the understanding of the powers that still permeate the world. While any cliché can be a double pump cliché, magic clichés tend to be double pump much more than others. These clichés are the most studied, but others are certainly possible.
Pyromancer - A fire mage, able to cause great destruction
Cryomancer - An ice mage, subtle, clever and deadly
Hydromancer - A water mage, useful in many ways
Aeromancer - An air mage, can use the power of wind and lighting
Geomancer - An earth mage, can cause even the ground to betray you
Enchanter - Magic item maker, and someone who can turn you into a frog, too
Diviner - One who can read fate, fortune and destiny
Druid - Nature mage, the woods is their playground
Cleric - A healer, with enough training, can pull someone back to life
Necromancer - A user of Dark magic, creating undead and snuffing life is their skill
Telemancer - A force mage, can move people and things all about
Chronomancer - A time mage, folding cause and effect to his whim
Stasiomancer - An order mage, things always go smoothly for him
Chaomancer - A chaos mage. Every fight is different with her
Illusionist - An illusion mage. Hard to defeat when even your senses betray you
Summoner - A summoning mage. Able to call forth all sorts of interesting allies
Plunder
"Just 40 Hex, that's right 40 Hex for this authentic God crafted dagger. Yessir, it'll cut, slice, stab and puncture any beast, demon, monster or madman. No? How about 35 Hex? 30? Sir, this is a true God crafted....sir!" nameless merchant
There are three types of Bonus Gear in Arcadomai. + (number), + (number) pip, and + (number) dice. God crafted items simply refer to any item created in the times where the Gods still watched Arcadomai. These items will always have one of the 3 bonus types, along with the ability of being indestructible. Most God crafted items are weapons, armor, and magic staves, but it seems like everyone knows someone who knows someone who owns a God crafted mug or pair of sandals. Bonus equipment only add their bonus when used for their implied purpose - fighting for weapons, magic for staves, picking locks for lockpicks, etc.
+ (number) = These items add the number after the plus to the final result of the roll. A +2 sword adds 2 to the final result of any roll with the sword. While this definitely appears to be the weakest bonus, some items come with a great bonus of this type. Lord Gunther, mightiest Paladin in Arcadomai, carries a +16 greatsword. These items typically cost an additional 25 hex per bonus point.
+ (number) die or dice = These items add dice equal to the number whenever used. A +2 dice sword would add 2 dice to any roll used with it. These bonus dice don't add to your actual cliché - if you're a Guard (2), using a +2 dice sword, you still go down after you lose 2 dice. These items are powerfully helpful to those of low cliché levels, but become less important the higher that cliché becomes. These items typically cost an additional 100 hex per bonus die.
+ (number) pip = These items add the number for each dice rolled in the cliché using it. A +2 pip sword would add 2 for every cliché the wielder had in the appropriate cliché. Thus, a Soldier (3) would add a total of 6 to any combat roll involving the sword. In the hands of a trained person, this can easily become the best bonus for equipment. These items typically cost an additional 250 hex per bonus pip.
Hex
"Take away the happy looks on the crowd's faces. Take away the honorable and skilled combatants. Take away the cheers, the music, the food, and the glamour. All I love is the sound of hex being poured in my pockets" Darren Axesmith, arena master
Hex is the currency of Arcadomai. Hex (both singular and plural) are 1 inch wide hexagonal pieces of black glass inscribed magically with an amount (always 1, 5, 10 or 100). The pieces themselves are taken from the islands that surround the continent of Cicatrix. These islands (and Cicatrix itself if anyone is foolish enough to gather hex there) are composed entirely of this metal hard black glass. When enough Geomancer force is applied to it, it naturally breaks off in these hexagonal pieces. When new currency is needed, a team of soldiers sail to one of these islands, bring back some large chunks of it, and get it to one of the larger cities (usually Corlavi, the biggest city in Arcadomai) to be broken apart and inscribed. It takes a TN 25 Geomancer check to break a main chunk into the single hex pieces and a TN 25 Illusionist check to inscribe them properly. 130 years ago, an Enchanter infuses these pieces with a permanent mana supply (TN 30). Most shop keepers (at least on Primeria) are giving a null mana box (in exchange for slightly higher taxes) that will nullify any counterfeit coin put in it by dispelling the illusion cast on it. Since all currency now is made with it's own mana supply, real hex keep their illusionary notation in these boxes. Hex is the only official currency in Primeria, although bartering and IOUs are neither prosecuted nor uncommon. In Sunder, hex is nearly worthless; bartering, IOUs, blackmail and debt are much more useful currency. In Cicatrix, hex is pointless since 1 - the whole continent is made of it and 2 - there's nothing to buy there.
"This blade was given to me by my father, and to my father by his father before him. It shall go to you one day when I no longer need it's power. It has slain evil men and monstrous creatures by the thousands, and always has kept it's keen edge and perfect balance. Now, son, please describe to me exactly how this dagger was found stuck point up in the seat of your tutor's chair..." Johnathael Lighthand, former soldier
Most basic weapons are standard gear for clichés, and usually only cost 10 to 15 hex to replace if broken, stolen or lost. Bonus gear of all types is available for all cliché types, and follow normal equipment rules for prices of bonus die equipment. A unique set of weapons exists in this world - the Sledge Sword, the Hammer Axe, and the Twin Maul. Each of these swinging weapons has an additional piece coming off the hilt - a thin band of metal with a strong weight attached to the end. When swung, these weapons first hit their foe, and then the weight knocks in the blade or maul head, driving the weapon further into the foe. These items are +1 dice equipment, and normally cost around 50 to 75 hex. The only downside is if they're swung too hard - a roll of all 6's when used causes the extra weight to destroy the main weapon, making it useless. God crafted items are +1 pip items that never break or become dull. They usually range around the 150 to 200 hex range. Their only disadvantage is that they may not be further enchanted or improved.
Skill Gear
"I need some oil, metal springs, cogs, tension coils, glue, and flexible metal rods. Yes, this purchase is entirely legitimate." Saria the Quick, master thief
Like weapons, most skill gear (lockpicks, bard's instrument, etc.) is standard equipment, costing only about 10 to 15 hex to replace. Bonus gear of all types is available for all cliché types, and follow normal equipment rules for prices of bonus die equipment. 2 examples of bonus equipment follow.
Clockwork Lockpicks - +1 dice lockpicks. These lockpicks use a combination of springs, cogs, and coils set in a small wind up box. The thief inserts the correct picks into the box and lock, winds the box and then listens while 20 or 30 minutes of work clanks away in second.
Glass Lute - +4 lute. This lute is made of carefully blown and calibrated glass. The tunes it gives off are crystal clear, sharp and melodically perfect.
Magic Staves and Wands
"So I said 'If you want this ancient staff, you'll just have to take it from me!' What did he do, you say? He took it from me. Turns out it wasn't an ancient Necromancer staff at all....it was a curtain rod, ok? Shut up about it."
For magic staves , bonus gear of all types are available for all magical cliché types, and follow normal equipment rules for prices of bonus die equipment. Each staff is connected to a certain cliché of magic, and only adds it's bonus to that type of magic. Thus a Pyromancer staff only adds it's bonus to the Pyromancer cliché, etc etc.
Wands may be of any bonus type, but only cost 10 hex per +(number), 25 hex per +(number) dice, and 100 hex per +(number) pip. This is because wands only add their bonus to one particular spell, and only a mage of the appropriate type can use it. So only a Necromancer can use a +1 die Wand of Create Skeleton, and only an Aeromancer can use a +20 pip Wand of Create Soothing Breeze
Magic Cards
"I don't like them at all. Magical cards that can give powers to anyone who has them? We have enough trouble keeping law and order around here. Do I use them? Well, of course. But, see, I'm a guard. I'm a good guy." Thomak, city guard
Magic cards are enchanted slips of stiff parchment that have specific spells embedded in them. These can be used by anyone, and vanish after one use. The cost for magic cards varies widely, depending on what the spell does. A card of Minor Healing may be only 5 or 10 hex, while a card of Extremely Potent Explosions of Deadly Doom may cost a bit more. Combat oriented cards usually let the character act like a magic using cliché for one round, at a level determined by the power of the spell on the card. So, a card of Electrical Spark can let someone act as an Aeromancer (1) for a turn, while a card of Entomb in the Core of the World would let someone act as a Geomancer (6) for a turn. If you have at least 3 clichés total in mage clichés, you know what any card does when you see it. Anyone can use magic cards, but someone who has no magical clichés will have to either know what the card does and have it prepared in a certain place (left pocket is heal, right pocket is ice dagger) or they could just cast it blindly (I'm sure that could never go wrong). Mage characters that have 4 dice in one specific magic cliché can create cards. The mage specifies what spell he wants to inscribe, and what cliché level it will be. A mage may only make a certain number of cards a day - he cannot make more cliché levels of cards total than his mage cliché. So a Pyromancer (5) can create a total of 5 cliché levels worth of cards in a day.
Other Items
Other magic items (and mundane items too) exist in this world, of course. GMs are free to come up with anything that seems interesting and useful. A few items are presented here to help spark that imagination.
Hex Armor
This suit of armor is made entirely of uninscribed hex, fused together to fit an individual by a powerful Geomancer. It provides a +5 dice bonus to any combat situation where being almost unkillable is useful...which is pretty much any combat situation. It cost about 1500 hex to get a personalized suit made, even if you can find a suitably powerful Geomancer to take the time to make it for you.
Smoking Pipe
This pipe is enchanted to always be full of burning tobacco. It's always the favorite type of the smoker in question, and even persists in keeping lit in rains and high winds. A simple command word stops the tobacco from burning. These items cost about 20 hex.
Lucky Charm
This small charm gives the bearer a +1 die bonus to one roll. After that, the charm breaks and becomes useless. This plus one must be used before the dice are rolled. These charms are usually hex pieces that have been enchanted with a special luck symbol, and cost 5 hex.
Places
"I've been around Arcadomai, but I swear I'll never understand why every new place I find has higher inn prices..." Kara Steppes, traveler
The map to Arcadomai need not be precise. Cities, towns and areas of interest can be placed wherever the GM feels. That said, there are certain spots in Arcadomai that are iconic to this world.
Primeria
"I'd much rather live on Primeria than that horrible continent, Sunder. They've got horrible beast, robbers, thieves, and all sorts of unpleasantness. I'll gladly take life here, thank you." Irena DeVault, Corlavi citizen
Primeria was blessed by Primiar when she left the world, giving it's inhabitants a great feeling of peace and unity. Of course, over the countless ages, these feelings of cooperation and compassion have died down a bit, but Primeria is still the most civil of the three continents. The whole continent is ruled by the Council of 3, located in the city/state of Corlavi. The council consists of 3 members - a great politician, a great warrior, and a great mage. These positions change constantly, but the newcomer to any position must be personally approved by the holder of the current position. Underneath each main council member is their Council Advisory - other politicians, philosophers and other idea men and women who help the Council make and enforce decisions. The council usually promotes members of their own Council Advisory to take their place, but it is not unheard of to take exceptional people into their position. Most of the continent of Primeria is verdant grasslands, with some notable forests, lakes, and some mountains towards the north.
Corlavi
Corlavi is the greatest city in Arcadomai. It houses about 500,000 people, all from different walks in life. The housing districts range anywhere from cheap slums (20 hex a month for a small 2 bedroom) to giant mansions and manor houses (300 to 500 hex a month for the smaller ones. Larger mansions and manor houses almost always belong to royal or political families, and are available on heritage only). Arcadomai has many training facilities, from the royal guard barracks, to the towering Arcane College. Finding a job in Corlavi is easy - anyone is willing to hire simple labor for a few hex a day, and people with more professional goals will find great places to start almost any career imaginable. In the giant market square, there are literally hundreds of different shops selling anything imaginable. All the laws in Arcadomai originate from the great Council here, even though the laws are really only respected in Primeria. Adventure in Corlavi can keep a group of PCs busy for weeks. Even with the city guard making a great presence here, there's enough small time criminals to catch, outbreaks of monsters to contain and all sorts of odds and ends to tie up for anyone willing to sign on.
Talonstrike Mountains
The main mountain range in Primeria is about 3 days travel from Corlavi. These great mountains house a lot of interesting creatures, including the main population of Arcadomai's dragons. There are many caves, both up in the mountains and underneath them. A few clans of people live near the base of the mountains in a series of connected camps called Vailan. These people are always willing to house travelers, since most visitors come from Corlavi, bringing with them a lot of hex and dreams of fast riches in the mountains cave network. Adventurers must be wary of their travels here - it makes a short life to accidentally stumble upon a dragon's lair.
The Plains of Conviction
These great plains are dotted with old temples and churches dedicated to the old 3 gods of times past. Anything of value has been stripped from these once noble houses of worship. Once in a while, a group of people may make a pilgrimage here to pray to the gods, asking for their return. Most people scoff at anyone who thinks the gods would ever return to this neglected place.
Gravelight
This bizarre city is entirely composed of the undead, plus a few living guards borrowed from Corlavi. In the middle of this city stands a great obelisk of black stone, carved with many glowing runes and sigils. This obelisk is simply called the Gravestone, and emanates with a strange power. Any undead within 5 miles of this stone remember their entire life they had in perfect clarity. Therefore, the undead of Gravelight are content to live their unlives as they had in life. The Gravestone also supplies the undead's requirement for continued unlife. Thus, vampires don't need blood, ghosts don't need raw emotion, zombies don't need fresh flesh, etc. The town guards here are giving quite nice housing to stay in this land of the living dead. Their job is to corral any stray undead found outside of Gravelight into the city (so they stop causing trouble and just live like normal), and to stop anyone from destroying the Gravestone. A very powerful necromancer on Sunder loves sending ringers in to Gravelight in hopes of destroying the Gravestone and having the once controlled undead run amok. She sends in undead that were murderers or anarchists in life, and tells them she'll give them lichdom if the succeed. No one has thankfully even gotten close. Much to the disappointment of the peaceful undead, Gravelight has become a bit of a tourist attraction for the wealthy and the vogue. Right now, the current leader of Gravelight (a ghost named Fior Litar, a once powerful member of a royal family) is trying to get a law passed requiring that visitors have a special pass. While not disposed to dislike the living (a couple taverns in Gravelight even have potable water and non-perishable foods on demand), the undead are sick of being viewed as an exhibition. They just want to live in piece.
Port Towns
Port towns are plentiful on the edges of Primeria. The ones leading to the islands around Cicatrix bring in the raw hex for Corlavi to process. These port towns are built more like forts, in case creatures from Cicatrix find a way to hitch a ride back to Primeria. The port towns leading to Sunder take people with an exaggerated sense of adventure, and those criminals whose crimes are not ever, but likely to be repeated (repeated theft and vandalism, and certain crimes of passion). Being exiled to Sunder is a little embarrassing, but most common criminals get used to the lawless lands of Sunder pretty quick.
Other Places
Primeria has many towns and cities, and many other places of interest. When building places in Primeria, keep in mind that a respect for life and order permeates the general areas. Even dungeons and caves have a structure to them here.
Sunder
"I'd much rather live on Sunder than that boring continent, Primeria. There, it's all politics and rules. Nothing interesting ever happens, and you can't even come up with anything to do that doesn't break at least 5 laws. I'll gladly take life here, and the Dark can take those who think different." Vek Bloodpaw, Sunder barbarian
Scar left the world without so much as a backward glance. He felt that the people of the land now known as Sunder should be left to their own fates. When left to their own will, the people here became more savage and brutal - honor and prestige are foreign notions in Sunder. There is no law, other than what few rules and restrictions local rulers set up. It is a dangerous land to be a traveler in, as theft and murder are largely unchecked. The guards of Primeria make no presence here, as whoever has power in this land are the ones who rule. Most of the lands in Sunder are wastes of desert or swamp, with cities and towns springing up around any areas of drinkable water and usable vegetation.
Chaocisca
This is the largest and most hospitable city in Sunder. It is currently ruled by a warlord named Kurias. His law is simple - do what you like, but when times of war come, stand by my side. He constantly conducts small raids on nearby towns, and keeps those willing to fight as new soldiers for his city. Chaocisca is a port city, and most visitors come to Sunder through here. The city boasts a great arena, where most of it's populace spends it's free time. Bets are taken on winners, and the arena masters always find new and interesting monsters to fight. Once in a while, they sometimes even find a creature from Cicatrix that they can goad into battle. Housing here is cheap and dirty - the only nice place to live is in the fortress of Kurias. Shops sell whatever they can scrounge up, and usually have to be haggled down before prices look anything close to reasonable. It's unwise for visitors here to be out after dark, as thievery is rampart in this town. Most natives of Chaocisca know to carry expendable valuables for the thieves here. The city here also has a small non-human population. Half-orcs, goblins and even ogres and trolls can be seen from day to day. An assassins guild of elves also reside here, and a small group of gnomes and dwarves make their living by engineering the expansion of the city.
The Broken Lands
There was a time, long ago, when 3 archmages waged a great war against each other. They all perished in the final battle, but the lands are still devastated and the 3 great castles and their surrounding cities still lie in ruins. Lorua (a great Pyromancer) died when her castle was cast into a giant fissure. Her castle ruins are all underground, scattered in the bottom of a giant pit drilled into the earth by magic. Kato (a powerful Geomancer) died as demons summoned from some unknown realm swept through his castle, killing and eating most of the inhabitants. His castle stands well and whole, heavily populated by the furious devils who now roam the Broken Lands. Shilneous (a skillful Summoner) died as fireballs, flame spears and burning clouds rained upon his castle and lands. His castle reeks still of smoke, and the burnt and melted halls still hide great treasure. The land around this area is incredibly hostile. Mile deep fissures are everywhere, anything that grew has been burnt to ashes, and demons and devils freely roam the land. There is treasure here, but also great danger to those adventurers brave enough to search these lands.
The Necropolis, Termniar
This is what a city of the dead should look like. Built like a graveyard, this city hosts a varied range of powerful undead, all under the control of Marika. She is one of Arcadomai's most powerful necromancers, and has every undead creature here under her iron clad will. She revels in death, and wants nothing more than to take control of Gravelight and the undead there. Thankfully, she spends all her time trying to figure out new ways to cause Gravelight to fall, so the other residents of Sunder rarely see her legions outside the wall of Termniar. If Marika ever succeeds in taking control of Gravelight, all of Arcadomai will likely fall.
Other Places
Sunder has many small towns and villages and other interesting places. There are even small camps entirely composed of non-humans. When creating places in Sunder, keep in mind that the strong rule, and that chaos and conflict permeates the land here.
Cicatrix
"That place has creatures I could never imagine. By night, their howls and strange language dance on the air and chill the bones. I miss those I took with me, but am glad I returned to tell the tale. 12 hex? Thank you sir, just put it right in my cup here - I'd shake your hand if I still had arms. 4 more hex? You're a saint. May the Light be with you." Adam Tirkin, former adventurer
Cicatrix was formed when Rage attempted to destroy the world with his leaving. Rage pulled down a star from the heavens and crashed it into Arcadomai. This boiled the seas and left a world long continent of land dotted on each side with small islands composed of some unearthly material, known as hex. Whatever star Rage pulled down already teemed with life, and now the strange and alien creatures of Cicatrix call this place home. At night, wavering arcs of deep red and purple lights can be seen over the main lands of Cicatrix from the islands, and bizarre howls, groans and screams carry over the water from the large continent. No one knows what the denizens of Cicatrix are doing, and aside from the hex, there is nothing to be gained from travelling there. The only time anyone has anything to do with Cicatrix's natives are when they are sometimes found on the small islands or when a creature manages to make it's way to Primeria or Sunder.
The Fortress of Damnation
There exists one place of note on Cicatrix. The Fortress of Damnation is a giant building comprised entirely of hex that sits in the southern area of the continent. The only person who has ever seen it is a ghost name Rachela, who now resides in Gravelight and takes much coercion to even talk about it. Nothing is known about the fortress, for all who have even caught sight of it has been torn apart by the seemingly endless supply of guardians that surround it.
Creatures
"Can I keep it?" often heard request from children
Aside from mundane creatures like lions and wolves, Arcadomai hosts a number of unique creatures. The creatures below are present in whichever continent they are native to. In both Primeria and Sunder, any creature below may be found. In Cicatrix, non-native creatures tend to have very short life spans, and are not usually found here, save for a few bones. The dice presented for the creatures are the average dice for a creature of that species - they can certainly have more or less, depending on the age and skill of the individual. The creatures below are not a full list of Arcadomai's bestiary - anything the GM feels appropriate may be included.
Primeria
"Watch for turtles" a Primeria cautionary saying
Dragonblood Turtles
These turtles have dragon-like wings on their shells. They rarely fight, unless someone disturbs a nest. Then they take to the air, recede into their shell, and drop like a rock onto the interloper with surprising accuracy. On the first round of combat, they always pump their cliché up to the point of leaving them 1 die left (representing their dive bomb attack), then snap at the enemy on the ground.
Dragonblood Turtle
Accurate Rock-hard Projectile from the Skies (3)
Elder Dragonblood Turtle
Accurate Rock-hard Projectile from the Skies (5)
Dragon
Dragons come in all shapes and sizes, and all different types. They tend to be hostile and solitary, but a few goodhearted ones have been known to exist. They are all intelligent and cunning, and very protective of their homes. They usually reside in the Talonstrike Mountains. All their dice are double pump dice, and they are built like characters, save that they usually have more dice
Gorvexis
Acid Spewing Dragon [5]
Raging Reptilian Beast [4]
Wallcat
These bizarre cats are found in city areas. Not only are they smarter than regular cats, these cats can also walk on walls and ceilings. They make oblique surface to surface jumps, raking enemies with razor sharp claws. The can be identified from regular cats in that their tail splits in two from about 1/3 of the way to the end.
Wallcat
Gravity Defying Mass of Claws and Fur (2)
Golem
Golems are created by mages and usually perform menial tasks. While normally under the control of their creator, golems sometimes go berserk because of wayward spells or deliberate magical curses. Golems can be made from any solid material, but stone and wood are the most common. Golems can only be harmed by magic, or magically enchanted weapons - if you succeed a round of combat with a non-magical weapon, it only counts as a tie.
Wood Golem
Mindless and Powerful Automaton (2)
Stone Golem
Mindless and Powerful Automaton (3)
Steel Golem
Mindless and Powerful Automaton (4)
Gem Golem
Mindless and Powerful Automaton (6)
Burning Wasp
These little bastards ignite whatever they sting. While quite weak, their flammable venom lets them have a bonus in combat.
Burning Wasp
Stinging Insect with Flaming Venom (1) +2 dice
Sentipede
These man-sized centipedes tend toward the caverns and caves found in Primeria. They are intelligent, and can use weapons and armor. A few have even been found using enchanted gear. The walk on half their legs, and carry anything useful in the other half.
Sentipede
Man Sized Insect Warrior (3)
Sunder
"Oh, that's a good one! Catch it, it'll fight like mad!" Elvirae Crule, arena herder
Saddle Gator
These overgrown and surprisingly swift alligators have a dip in their back, perfect for sitting in. While normally violent and uncontrollable, they can be trained, if training is done from hatching. These make terrific mounts, and also capable combatants on their own. Most fighters who use them as mounts ride them quickly into battle, then dismount and fight alongside these creatures.
Saddle Gator, Untrained
Viscous Beast (4)
Saddle Gator, Trained
Viscous Mount (4)
Demons and Devils
Spawned from violent magic, demons and devils are drawn to places where they fit in. Demons and devils can be of any power and from any school of magic. The most commonly found are of the 4 basic elements - earth, air, fire and water. Demons and devils are immune to the magic that spawned them.
Fire Demon
Annoying Burning Pest (2)
Earth Devil
Obstinate Earthen Brawler (3)
Necro Demon
Ravenous Necrotic Horror (4)
Needle Crow
These avian menaces can shoot thin feather-like darts from their wings. They are almost always found in groups, yet always attack in single units. The razor sharp darts are easy to throw, giving the thrower a +1 to the combat cliché they use.
Needle Crow
Dangerous Arial Assailant (2) +1
Severing Spider
These giant spiders walk on legs that are sharp as daggers. The web they spin is so thin and strong that opposed to being stuck to it, it slices and impairs those who walk into it. These arachnids attack with their front two legs, puncturing and slicing any they see as prey. Their super sharp legs give them a +1 pip bonus, and small daggers made from their legs will have the same quality.
Severing Spider
Bladed Arachnid (3) +1 pip
Leaping Snake
These poison snakes can coil up and leap amazing distances to a foe. They usually pump 1 die up, strike and then recede and wait for their quarry to die. If anyone loses a cliché to a leaping snake, have them roll a die. On a 1-3 they are fine and may stop rolling. On a 4-6 they lose a cliché next turn, and must roll again on the next turn.
Leaping Snake
Venomous Snake (2)
Rat Dog
These large dogs have a head and a tail like a rat. They hunt in packs of 3 to 5, and can display cunning pack tactics. When rat dogs team up, they act as a PC team does. If a PC team is noticeable stronger than the rat dog team, they will divvy up and force the PCs to attack on a 1 to 1 basis
Rat Dog
Large Canine Vermin (3)
Cicatrix
"Where should I aim? It doesn't even have a head!" Broque Cleriman, archer
Thinglings
These creatures all have one leg that they hop around on, one arm with serrated claws and a clump in the middle with one eye. They attack in large swarms, and seem to be the most numerous creatures on Cicatrix. In battle, after all the PCs have done something, add 1 die to the cliché of the swarm - when fighting, these things keep coming from everywhere until brought down to zero dice, in which they finally leave.
Thingling Swarm
Nasty Swarm of Limbs (any number, usually starts around 3 or 4)
Hell Lanterns
These red glowing balls of light can teleport around the battlefield, confusing and annoying foes. They attack be firing red and purple beams of light that leave hexagonal shaped burns on the victim. These are nearly always found in groups of 3. Roll a die whenever a hell lantern would lose a cliché - on a 1-4 it loses a cliché like normal, on a 5-6 they teleport out of the way and keep the cliché.
Hell Lantern
Ball of Destructive Light (3)
Pounder
This large (20 ft tall) man shaped creature has 2 arms that end in giant fleshy mallets. Instead of a head, it has a tentacle ending with a ball of solid bone. These creatures attack by pounding whatever they sense into paste. They're never seen in groups or pairs, which is good, because they are almost unkillable.
Pounder
Huge Abomination with Many Ways to Pummel You (8)
Air Snake
This is a floating strip of flesh covered in many mouths, filled with jagged teeth. These things love wrapping around an opponent and chewing away.
Air Snake
Floating and Wrapping Toothy Snake-like Thing (4)
Hex Ray
These look like manta rays (that can fly through the air) with several barbed strands trailing behind them. They can also dive seamlessly through hex, which can make them annoying to fight. When down to one dice in their cliché, they always dive into the hex of Cicatrix and disappear. They attack by raking their barbed tails across their foes.
Hex Ray
Flying Manta Ray with Nasty Barbed Tails (4)
Walker
This house sized creature looks like a giant ball of heads with 5 very long and many jointed legs coming out of it. The heads laugh constantly while the spindly legs attack any who get near it. The legs end in metal hooves, and severely electrocute any that they touch. This electricity gives the walker a +1 die bonus
Walker
Electrified 5 Legged Freak (5) +1 die
Adventure Seeds
"I can't believe it! We found the lost tomb of Ol-Shar-Gyre! We're gonna be so rich! Right guys? Guys?" last words, Kelon Freeman, adventurer
What follows are adventure ideas, either to start a campaign with, or to add to an existing campaign. Each adventure presented here is geared towards a certain area, but the GM may feel free to adjust anything he sees fit.
Primeria
Wallcat Infestation
There's been a large number of wallcats found in Corlavi as of late. They're simply everywhere! They're hurting kids and peasants, eating the stocks of food and generally making life miserable for everyone. The PCs are hired to find out where these things are coming from and to put a stop to the inflow of unwelcome residents.
Needle in a Haystack
The PCs are hired to track down an undead creature that has been snuck into Gravelight to destroy it. In life, the man was a cunning assassin. In death, he looks just like every other skeleton in the city. The guard is currently busy dealing with a tide of thinglings that have swam to the mainland, so the PCs must root out this little troublemaker.
Dragon Problems
A daughter of a rich nobleman has been kidnapped by a dragon and taken to a cave in the Talonstrike Mountains! The PCs must rescue her. When they find the dragon, it seems that the girl and beast have fallen in love, and that the dragon is really a nice guy. When the nobleman learns of this, he berates the PCs for failing and hires a band of ruthless mercenaries from Sunder. The PCs must now work with the dragon to fend of the bounty hunters now on the way to slay it.
Sunder
Arena Battles
The PCs are in Sunder, and kidnapped by the arena master's servants. They are set up for battles in the arena. It starts out easy enough, but pretty soon the PCs should see that they are overmatched. They must find a way to escape, and to hopefully return to the main land. Some other prisoners may be willing to help, but in Sunder, there's always a price.
Getting the Goods
The PCs are hired by a local ruler to find a specific item in one of the ruined castles in the Broken Lands. Too bad he doesn't know which castle it was held in. The PCs must go from castle to castle, battling demons and devils on a quest to retrieve this item. Every ruined castle seems to point to the other ones as the final resting-place of this item. The PCs must solve ancient riddles and see through misdirection to find it.
Dawn of the Dead
A lot of undead have been seen in a seemingly useless area of land. They all bear the mark of Marika, and have been setting up something that looks like an excavation camp. The PCs must break into the camp, find out what's going on and stop it before it gets out of hand. Since the undead are already here, it may have gotten out of hand already.
Cicatrix
Lost
The PCs have been marooned on the main continent of Cicatrix. Whether through shipwreck or a teleporting spell that went foul, the PCs must somehow find a way back to their home. It will take a lot of swordplay to get through the natives of Cicatrix, and very clever thinking to find a way home.
The Fortress of Damnation
This is the ultimate adventure. Infiltrate the Fortress of Damnation, battle though tons of alien creatures, explore the catacombs and rooms of the fortress and return to tell the tale. Who knows what items of great power can be found within it's depths? This is only suitable to a group of very high-powered PCs.
Character Examples
"Keep an eye on these two. The one with the sword can cut you 100 times before you unsheathe whatever weapon you like, while the quiet one can freeze the blood in your body with a gesture of his hand." Big Brad, tavern owner
Here's a couple of ready to go adventures fit for the Arcadomai setting. They work great as an NPC team as well, to either help or hinder your PCs from their quest.
Reskori the Brave
Jovial Barbarian (4)
Trained Soldier (4)
Charming Story Teller (3)
Singer (1)
Hook - Lecherous - Reskori is always looking for a warm bed, it seems.
In any situation where an attractive lady is
present, he will always do what he believes will impress her the most.
Tale - Reskori was born in Vailan at the base of the Talonstrike Mountains. He was a very energetic lad, and learned the ways of the barbarian from an early age. Eager for adventure, he headed to Corlavi, where he begun training as a true soldier. After years of boring and routine work, he quit the army and began freelance work. He teamed up with Edgar and together have been making a very decent living as adventurers for hire. He's always looking for a lady to spend time with, and constantly pesters Edgar that he doesn't do the same. He sees Edgar as a boring and stuffy mage, but respects his magical skills greatly.
Edgar Cotrell
Condescending Cryomancer [4]
Condescending Scholar (4)
Hook - Neat freak - Edgar must have everything around him clean and
orderly. He is always cleaning something
and tends to annoy people with his perfectionism.
Tale - Edgar was born in Corlavi to a wealthy merchant family, and always taught to be cleanly. When he turned 14, he found he had magical skill, and was sent to the Arcane College. His perfectionist nature helped him greatly here, and he quickly learned the powerful art of Cryomancy. He also learned quite a bit of other useful information, and always has something to say about everything around him. He met Reskori after graduating, and teamed up with him to travel about the world. He can't stand his womanizing ways or his teasing, but does respect his skill with a blade.
Join us Again, Fellow Traveler
This concludes the world of Arcadomai. All it needs now is a group of adventures to delve into it, and a GM to steer the world in the best direction they feel. If you have any questions or comments, please email them to dsuptic@gmail.com
Adventure on, and may the Light guide you.