1
INTRODUCTION
Time of Judgement is the first official adventure taking place
in the world of Fyera.
The adventure was created for the purposes of the Open
Beta Testing of the world setting Soulmist: A Journey from
Darkness to Light and is available for free to the global
community.
Time of Judgement consists of four (4) limited-duration
adventures (one shots) which can either take place inde-
pendently or sequentially. In other words, they were cre-
ated to be flexible, and can be played in any of the follow-
ing ways:
a) Independently, by choosing any one of the 4 stories of
your choice.
b) Sequentially, by starting from the first story and pro-
gressing towards the fourth.
c) In tandem, where four (4) groups of players can each
select one story and explore it.
In closing, we would like to inform players that the story
contains interactive elements. Players who participate in
the Open Beta will have the option of “voting” on the di-
rection of the story upon finishing the adventure.
THE PLOT
In the city of Nalda, capital of the Lumen and metropo-
lis of the Lands of the Old Days, a very important trial is
unfolding.
The entirety of the Court of Justice is astir; the trial of the
Templar and Third Lieutenant Quinlan Narmer continues
for a third consecutive turn of the hourglass.
2
The famous Templar is accused of committing grand trea-
son and possibly conspiring with the forces of darkness,
due to ties to a series of controversial events.
The same man recently returned to Nalda as the sole sur-
vivor of a team of select and experienced adventurers.
His many skills and contributions to the cause of light
throughout the years cannot be understated. And yet, his
involvement in a recent series of strange, recurring events
– in which he played a key role – has called into question
his faith and dedication to the fight against the darkness.
Thus, the man finds himself on the stand of the most
powerful tribunal of Fyera, trying to assert his innocence
before the Grand Judge of the Light against a staggering
charge sheet which connects all these recurring “coinci-
dences”.
The case is highly unusual and convoluted. There is a lot
more at stake than the life of an officer of the Legislative
Order: the very reputation and integrity of the entire Lu-
men society in the eyes of the other nations hangs in the
balance. Alhough there is ample evidence on both sides,
neither has enough to build a definitive case that con-
demns or exonerates Lieutenant Quinlan. And so, caught
in a stalemate, the Grand Judge reaches an unprecedented
verdict.
He… summons some of the Lumen nobles observing the
trial to sit as jurors, and decide the fate of the Lieutenant
themselves!
And so, our characters will journey through the eyes of
the jurors, along a series of important and controversial
points in time. They will live through what really hap-
pened, put the pieces of the puzzle together, and reach
the final verdict that determines the innocence or guilt of
the accused.
The players will have the option to choose one of the avail-
able premade characters included in the bundle and play
as the companions of Quinlan, from Nalda all the way to
the Darklands, where their quest will take them.
Each group of players will choose one of the four avail-
able stories, and upon completing it, will discuss among
themselves and decide how the juror who witnessed that
particular “moment” will vote.
This vote can be submitted on the game’s website, on the
link https://soulmist.gr/timeofjudgement and the re-
sults of the vote at the end of the Kickstarter campaign
will decide the fate of Quinlan and the outcome of the sto-
ry, which will, in turn, influence major events in the world
of Fyera.
THE WORLD
The game takes place in a fantastical world called Fyera.
Fyera was once an enviable planet with seas, rivers, trop-
ical forests, mountains and evergreen plains. Its various
societies and civilizations lived in relative peace until a
catastrophic upheaval befell the land, which the inhabi-
tants dubbed Ruination.
The earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions and mis-
cellaneous natural disasters that ensued lasted for months.
When, at last, things simmered down, nothing was as it
had once been, least of all Fyera herself. The rate of its or-
bit shifted, becoming slower; so much so that it synced up
with the Sun. This resulted in one side of the planet being
constantly cast in light, while the other side was shrouded
in eternal darkness…
But that darkness did not come alone. Beings and crea-
tures, beyond anyone’s imagination or worst nightmares,
emerged in the dark corners of Fyera. To this day, these
creatures seek to assert supremacy, while the old peoples
of the world struggle to contain them, understand them,
and eliminate them.
The territories which remained in the light are called
Lands of the Old Days, but they are nothing like what
they once used to be. Seas, rivers and lakes either reced-
ed or outright evaporated; the majority of the flora was
wiped out by the drought and constant sunlight; and only
a few places remaining unchanged, mostly near whatever
waters remained, while the surviving plant life preserves
itself through a magical variant of photosynthesis.
The realms between these lands of constant light and the
part of the world that is in utter darkness are called Pen-
umbra. Penumbra is draped in eternal twilight, which gets
brighter the further west one travels, and dimmer if you
travel east. These regions are covered by jungles, tropical
forests or expansive mountain ranges, depending on how
far north or south you happen to be.
Finally, the lands covered in darkness are aptly named
Darklands – a name that they earn to the fullest.
This game is essentially about the continuous and unend-
ing struggle of old civilizations for survival, the clash of
two worlds, and the journey from the light into the heart
of darkness!
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SOULMIST AND THE NEBULA OF
SOULS
Every living being in Fyera carries a flame within it. The
actions of each individual determine the intensity of that
flame. Those who choose a shallow, inoffensive life have
a small, simmering fire within. Conversely, those whose
actions have a significant impact on the story possess a
mighty, raging flame.
At the same time, if these actions lean towards good, that
flame sparkles with a brilliant gold-white lustre. How-
ever, in those whose thoughts and deeds spread misery,
pain or death, their flame grows darker, until it turns pitch
black.
The gauge of this dark influence – the measurement of
how much the dark has left its fingerprints on a soul, in
other words – is called Erebos.
As they depart from life, these flames abandon the mortal
shell they were encased in, to join with an invisible nebula
referred to as the Nebula of Souls, or alternatively, Soul-
mist. The sum of these souls, these Soulsparks, determines
the balance of the world in a very real way. If Soulmist fills
up with dark Soulsparks, things will not bode well for the
following years. If, on the other hand, the souls of those
who lived a good life are more plentiful, good things can
be expected to come.
In this way, the world of Fyera is a place where both the
players and the peoples that inhabit it determine their
own fates, rather than being beholden to cryptic, divine
entities beyond our understanding.
EREBOS
Erebos reflects the influence of the Darkness and its con-
sequences on Fyera. After all, nothing remained utterly
unaffected by the appearance and spread of the Darkness:
neither the world with its many diverse landscapes, nor
the souls of mortal folk.
Erebos does not depict how good or evil a character is
(as good and evil are very relative concepts in Fyera). It
reflects how much their soul, heart and mind have been
marked by the influence of the Darkness.
Good people happen to do bad deeds and vice versa. The
world around you will experience these deeds, and treat
you accordingly. But only Erebos can describe what hap-
pens inside the Soulspark of a person.
A character with high Erebos is not necessarily a monster,
but they have certainly lived through so many harsh and
difficult experiences, so much darkness and death, that
their imprints are indelibly left on the flame of their soul.
Conversely, a character with a low Erebos may well be
“evil” but they certainly have been exposed to actions and
results that will carry around like weights until the end of
their life.

What does ‘gaining an Erebos level’ mean for
someone? Do they become corrupted? Do they die?
The answer is no. As we have mentioned earlier,
the Darkness affects everything around it. This,
however, doesn’t necessarily mean that it has cor-
rupted it completely. Gaining the first Erebos lev-
els means that your prolonged or intense contact
with the Darkness has left its mark upon your soul
– dark blotches that have stained the gold-and-
white flame of your soul, but have not managed
to snuff it or turn it black.
However, the more a character continues to ex-
pose themselves to the Darkness, or the more
their actions link to it, things change. At Erebos
levels 5 and 6, a character affected by the darkness
instinctively and unconsciously begins to mutate
and embrace the dark aspect of his flame. What
follows is delusions, voices in the head, inexplica-
ble rage, depression and despair.
On the 10th Erebos level the character has almost
completely succumbed to the darkness. The voices
inside their head and the delusions start becoming
more real, and so vivid and intimidating that they
can issue commands to the character, which are
hard to resist. Very few have ever returned from
this path, while most have permanently passed
over to the side of Darkness.
On the table below you will find a detailed anal-
ysis of the effects of each Erebos level on living
organisms.
Conditions
As you progress in Erebos levels, you gain conditions re-
flecting your state of mind. The higher the Erebos level,
the higher the toll the events you have witnessed or com-
mitted have taken on your soul. Some of these afflictions
might even be permanent and should always relate to the
way your character has been broken.
Work with your GM, and ask the other players too, when
choosing this condition, as all ought be comfortable and
considerate with one another. These conditions are intro-
duced to offer more drama in the story and try to ground
it with real consequences, but the priority is to enjoy your-
selves.
At any time this system comes in the way having fun, talk
to the rest of the table and make the necessary changes
without any hesitation.
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Erebos Effects
Erebos Description Effect
Level
Your soulspark is pure and untouched No effect
1 by the darkness. You have lived a peace-
ful and quiet life.
You haven’t seen much, but still who No effect
2 doesn’t have at least one horrible
memory.
Well, life is good and all that, but some No effect
times it has a way of distorting even her
3
most beutiful faces.
You still try to have a positive outlook No effect
4 on the world, but damn, some days its
getting realy hard.
You have seen a lot. An essential part of Separation,
your soul has darkened and the world Panic, Insomnia,
5
around you isn’t the same anymore. Nightmares
There is a place inside your heart that No effect
continues to shine light, but you are not
6
sure why.
Maybe you feel like drowning or maybe Shock, Depres-
7 you try not feel at all. But one thing you sion, Identity
fell for certain. Cold lonely darkness.
Most of the times you fear that the Mania, Illusions
8 darkness will swallow you whole. You
know you should try to get away, but…
you maybe kind of like it?
One step away. Every living moment is Delirium,
9 a nightmare. You want to stop the pain. Madness
Maybe if you take the step it will stop.
No one can say that has come thus far
10 and came back to tell the tale. I bet you ?
wanna know how it feels, right?
Separation: You feel an intense longing for company espe-
cially for the people close to you. Whenever you are alone,
without the company of a party member or a friend, tre-
mendous fear overcomes your body. If you spend a Fate
point, you can resist that fear for 1 hour, otherwise you
must search and find your companions. While in this state
of fear you cannot add your proficiency bonus to any roll,
until you reunite with your party or a close friend.
Panic: Sometimes some situations are very difficult to
handle. When you face very emotional situations, your
mind becomes enveloped in panic. You cannot breath
properly, you are disoriented and you want to leave im-
mediately. While in this state your first priority is to run
away, and until you do you cannot add your proficiency
bonus to any roll. You can spend a fate point to negate the
effects for 10 minutes.
Insomnia: You want sleep but its very difficult for you to
relax. Whenever you sleep make a d20 roll, if the result is
lower than your Erebos level, for the next five days your
insomnia takes hold. While in this state you cannot rest
properly, and you need a long rest to enjoy the benefits of
a short rest. A short rest does not occur any benefits.
Nightmares: You are mind is troubled and your dreams
even more. Whenever you sleep make a d20 roll, if the re-
sult is lower than your Erebos level, for the next five days
nightmares trouble your dreams. While in this state you
permanently have at least one exhaustion level and every
social interaction is penalized by your Erebos level.
Shock: The horrible memories of the past always seem to
haunt you. Whenever you make a Trauma roll, regardless
of the result, flashes of the past surface your mind. When
this happens you recluse to yourself, and you are unable
to make any actions for the next 10 minutes. You can post-
pone the effects for 5 minutes by spending a Fate point.
Depression: The slow departure from this world. Every
time you awaken from sleep make a d20 roll, if the result
is lower than your Erebos level, you sink on a state of de-
pression for the next 5 days. This state is characterized by
low self-esteem, self-neglect and disinterest in any activi-
ty previously thought to be pleasurable. While you are in
this state, all social roles and any Wisdom saving throws
are penalized by your Erebos level.
Identity: Your consciousness has split in two distinct per-
sonalities. When you take this condition choose three new
backgrounds for your second personality and talk with
your GM to define it more precisely. Whenever any other
condition you might have takes effect, you may opt to ne-
glect their effects and instead let your second personality
take hold for 1 hour. Your second personality should have
very distinct goals and preferably goals in opposition to
your standard personality.
Mania: At the edge of yourself there is always an almost
primal sense of survival. Whenever any other condition
you might have takes effect, you may opt to neglect their
effects and instead let your self into a manic rage for 10
minutes. While in this state you attack any creature in
your vicinity in the most brutal way possible.
Illusions: Your eyes might trick you, or the darkness
might play with you, or maybe only know you see the
world as it is. Two times per long rest you witness horri-
fying audio-visual illusions. You can spend a Fate point to
recognize there are unreal, but otherwise you must act as
if they were real.
Delirium: Some believe that an evil spirit has taken hold
of you, others believe you are becoming one yourself.
Whenever any other conditions you might have take ef-
fect, instead of the normal effects, you fall into a trance-
like state unable to move or make any action. While in
this state, everything in your vicinity starts to shake, and
through your mouth unknown words start to form. You
remain in that state for 1 minute, and after it you have
no memory of the event. Anyone witnessing you becomes
immediately terrified and must make a DC 18 Wisdom
saving throw to take any action.
Madness: Nothing is the same anymore and you might
not even notice that. You are at a constant state of mad-
ness, your mind has lost almost all its lucidity. Otherwise,
you are unable to act in the appropriate way in any situa-
tion. If you must be silent you sing, if you must fight you
dance, if you must be courteous you insult.
By spending a Fate point you can act appropriately in a
situation, but still you are far from normal. When you re-
ceive this condition, you simultaneously lose any other
conditions you might have.
5
At every Erebos level increase, the GM might, as well as
giving these permanent conditions to the players, also
give some of them for a short period of time. If the GM
thinks that a particular act was especially traumatizing,
they should give one of the conditions above for a few
days.
This short period of time should be adjusted according
to the needs of your campaign, but usually occurs for 5
to 10 days. For example, if a player, with Erebos level 2,
witnesses a village getting massacred and they receive an
Erebos level because of it, the GM might also give you the
Shock condition for a few days.
These non-permanent conditions shouldn’t be abused,
and mostly be given to players with low Erebos level,
when they experience an extraordinary situation. The
purpose of this rule is to drive the punch of a very brutal
event, not to encumber the players with conditions.
Trauma
Whenever a character performs an act or find themselves
in a situation that could negatively mark their flame, they
will be called upon to roll a Trauma Roll, whose difficulty
will be determined by the importance of that act/circum-
stance.
There are three categories, divided into Minor (DC 8),
Moderate (DC 13) and Major (DC18). Add the character’s
Erebos level to this roll. For example, if a character aban-
dons her companions to certain death in the Darklands, in
a moment of fear and despair, this is considered a Major
Act, and the player should be asked to roll a trauma roll
DC18 [1d20 + 4 (where 4 is the character’s existing Erebos
Level)]. If the player succeeds on this roll they do not gain
an Erebos Level, though this does not of course mean that
the event went unnoticed.
Conversely, if the roll is a failure, the event will forever
scar the character’s soul, darkening her flame and weigh-
ing on her consciousness for a long time; in short, she
gains an Erebos Level. Whenever an act’s severity is re-
duced bellow Minor, the roll is an automatic success.
Soulscars
Scars can be found in two places, in bodies and in car-
casses. Not much can be said about the carcasses, the only
thing they can be useful for is in pointing out how their
host died. In bodies, however, scars have a lot to offer.
They begin as wounds and always hurt upon their cre-
ation. Some stop quickly, while others take their time. But
whatever the case, the scar is what remains after the pain
has subsided, a token of the memories and the experience
it holds within. The Warlords, fighters of the Yildrasyr,
measure a warrior’s skill by the scars on their body. But
what about the scars on their soul?
Soulscars are the wounds of the soul that have been healed
and have left their scars as both a memento and a lesson to
their host. Soulscars carry, not only the individual experi-
ence, but also the collective experience of a tribe, a dynas-
ty, or even an entire culture. It is the lesson learned and
experienced by someone else before us, so that we don’t
have to go through it.
A soulscar represents a specific action that under normal Fate Pool
circumstances would cause the character to roll for Trau-
ma. In this particular action, the character with a soulscar FP Calculation
is so “familiar” with the situation, that the act itself no Area lvl Example White FP Black FP
longer affects them as much as it would affect anyone else
performing it. In effect, a soulscar reduces the trauma cat- 1 City in LoOD, full of 2 X Players +2 CPEL -2
egory by a step. platinum soulsparks,
untouched by the
Darkness
For example, if a Red Scarab Assassin with a soulscar in
assassination, kills a target under a contract, the act is re- 2 Distant Area in LoOD, 2 X Players +1 CPEL - 1
duced from moderate to minor, making it quite difficult sunny desert or
to gain an erebos level from such activities. But if he steals wasteland
the only food from a beggar and subsequently the begar 3 Eldrasyr Forests/ 2 X Players +1 CPEL - 1
loses his life from starvation then he will definitely roll Primus Western
for moderate or major act without any favor from his scar. Borders, Penumbra’s
Monuments
Each player upon character creation starts with 2 Soul- 4 Eldrasyr Forests/ 2 X Players CPEL + 0
cars and chooses one more for every 2 Erebos levels they Primus Western
acquire. The Soulscars should be created based upon Borders/ Penumbra’s
the backround of a character and their experiences and Monuments
should reflect specific instances that the character ap- 5 Darklands Outskirts/ 2 X Players CPEL+ 1/Player
proaches with a relative apathy. Always consult with Lands before the
your GM before making these decisions and help each Cressets
other explore the ways the character has evolved, and the 6 Deep Darklands / 1 X Players CPEL+ 1/Player
ways she could continue to evolve. You should use only a Ancient Underground
few words to describe a character’s Soulscar, but always Unexplored areas of
keep in mind the broader environment in which they ex- Fyera
ist. A Soulspark in violence, for example, is a very broad
term to be eligible, but a specific type of violence is.
Calculating & Using Fate Points According
Destiny to Area Erebos Level
Every person has a purpose in the world. Or so they think. When players interact with an area, whether by simply
Whatever the case, people believe in greater powers or visiting a city to rest, or even when they’ve engaged in
roles that they must support or fulfil. And this believe, combat, the StoryTeller creates the Fate Pool of this scene,
this extraordinary determination to “do the right thing”, which is determined by 3 factors: The Area Erebos Level,
leads many people to extreme lengths to achieve their
missions or duties. the number of players, and the total sum of Erebos Level
of the group.
In the road to fulfilling her destiny a character may stum-
ble upon terrible circumstances or be forced to commit
terrible acts, but the knowledge that things happened for The Fate Pool is always created at the start of the scene,
a greater purpose, is a soothing drug and makes many before any action, and has the following characteristics.
people sleep better at night. • It is shared: Every player, NPC, even the encounters
themselves have access to it.
Whenever a Trauma roll occurs in the pursuit of a charac-
ters Destiny, the severity of the act is reduced by one step. • It has colorations: The Fate Pool is made up of black
and white Fate Points. Each player has access to the
Erebos and Areas colorations that aligns with their Soulspark (player
characters have access to white, encounters have ac-
The Erebos Level of each area is determined by the cor- cess to black).
relations of “colors” of the Soulmist in the area, but also
by the duration of these correlations. • It grants abilities and boons: By spending Fate
Points, players activate important abilities of their
Areas located in the light, cities, villages, and generally characters. The same, of course, applies to the Story-
places which contain large numbers of “pure” souls have Teller and the encounters.
lower Erebor Levels, while areas in Penumbra, ancient
and mysterious locations, unexplored trails and even ter- Spending Fate Points:
ritories which have fallen under the sway of the Darkness 1. Activate an ability or feat with a Fate Point re-
have average or even high Erebos Levels. quirement.
The Darklands constitute categories of their own as they 2. Reroll any die once, except while rolling for Ere-
belong to the highest Levels, five and six. bos.
3. Add or subtract 1 from any die (decide after the
roll, but before the outcome of the action)
4. Negate the effects of a single condition for 1 turn.

6
MAGIC
Each culture is affected by Soulmist, but also by the flame
within itself, differently. Exposure to Soulmist has, for ex-
ample, granted Lumens the ability to see across time, into
the past or future, and has bestowed immortality upon the
Primus. There are, however, certain special individuals
within each culture who use their Soulsparks to actively
influence Soulmist. These are the mages.
Mages, given time and enough practice and research,
learn, not only how to keep their flame lit, but how to
channel it into their bodies, giving them the ability to see
and even touch Soulmist. By touching Soulmist, a mage
can absorb a part of it, like cotton candy wrapped around
a wooden stick, with one and only restriction. Each per-
son’s Soulspark can only touch and “magnetize” the part
of Soulmist that shares the same color.
Thus, a mage with a pure flame can only draw and handle
the gold-and-white portions of Soulmist, while a creature
of Darkness that utilizes magic, touches only the black
repositories of Soulmist. In fact, scholars and academics
of the darkness believe that the creatures of Darkness are
born dead and unmoving, and it is only by being imbued
with dark Soulsparks that they come alive again.
Therefore, by utilizing the reservoir that they collect by
drawing upon Soulmist, mages call forth the pertinent in-
vocations and rituals to convert it into “spells”. In other
words, they shape it according to the need of each situa-
tion. The stronger the mage, the greater amounts of Soul-
mist they can handle. But of course, nothing in this world
is without its price, and this especially applies to magic.
Soulmist is finite.
It is only refreshed by the influx of new soulsparks, the
flow of which is never regular. In addition, as has been
mentioned before, the proportions of colors in the Soul-
mist have various effects on the entire world.
If one “side” abuses its magic, then not only is the amount
of available magic for that side lessened, but also, until
that magic is replenished, the composition of the Nebula
is going to change, as the other side will claim a greater
proportion of Soulmist – which, of course, will also have
various consequences on the world at large.
PROHIBITED SPELLS
Deep in the shadows of Fyera, there exist sorcerers and
witches who dabble in the secrets of the occult and the
forbidden. They channel the blackness of their soul and
the souls around them to release terrible magic unto the
world. These spell-casters, also known as black acolytes
or dark petitioners, defilers and darklings, do not only
possess knowledge of prohibited magic from ages past,
but also how to sacrifice their own life force, or that of
their enemies, in order to invoke this magic.
Prohibited spells can be learned by both mist weavers and
spiritualists, but witch doctors especially can make good
use of them in their quest to use the powers of their ene-
mies against them. What does the darkness fear if not that
which lurks within it?
7
Prohibited spells are forgotten by Fyera herself, so learn-
ing one is not as simple as selecting it as your new spell
when leveling up or when first creating your character.
You must research each prohibited spell to gather the nec-
essary information to look for it in the world. Prohibited
spells can be awarded to spell-casting player characters as
quest rewards or favors from powerful NPCs instead of
magical items or currency.
Most of them are still hidden in tombs, dungeons and lairs
of dangerous creatures, but a few have also found them-
selves to civilized society. Researching prohibited spells
requires an intelligence (erebos lore) check against a DC
of 15 + the spell’s level. Success on this check means that
the player character is aware of the spell’s existence and
what little and scarce information there is on how to begin
looking for it.
Of course, another spell-caster can teach a prohibited spell
they know to the player character as well. Most of them
keep their occult knowledge to themselves, but witch doc-
tors especially pass their dark secrets to the next genera-
tion as a black lantern to wield in war against the Dark-
lands.
When a spell-caster learns a prohibited spell, their soul-
spark blackens as their very understanding of the natural
word is expanded and light is shed on the darkest corners
of Fyera and revealing her deepest secrets.
Learning a prohibited spell triggers a moderate or ma-
jor trauma roll and you add the prohibited spell’s level
to the DC. The invokers of prohibited magic must trade
light for darkness, by spending a white fate point every
time they cast a prohibited spell. Dark acolytes willingly
open their minds to the erebos, welcoming its whispers
as omens of power. If a spell-caster uses prohibited magic
without spending white fate points, they suffer the Taint-
ed condition. While a character is Tainted, they do not
need to spend white fate points in order to use prohibited
magic. Finally, the erebos level of the character must be
equal to or higher than the prohibited spell’s level.
Tainted
Whereas mist weavers and spiritualists look to the Nebu-
la of Souls in order to invoke their magic, a dark acolyte
peers deep within themselves looking for pieces to sacri-
fice in exchange for power.
They willingly blacken their soulsparks in order to chan-
nel the power of erebos itself against the world. While a
character is tainted and suffers a trauma roll, increase its
severity by 1 step.
Every single prohibited spell the dark acolyte invokes, is
just another inch closer to being completely taken over by
the erebos.
Finally, when you cast prohibited spells, the white fate
point you spent to cast the spell turns into a black fate
point, instead of just vanishing. The condition is lost if the
Tainted character spends a full day without using prohib-
ited spells.

Lumen
“Come forward, stranger. You can-
not hide from the light. I know you
did not steal that cow, specifically.
I see it. As for the one hiding behind
the fence, that day.. Our Templars
will ensure that justice will be
served.”
- Elazatar, Judge of Light
On the surface, Lumens resemble ordi-
nary humans. However, they are not. Lu-
mens are special thanks to their ability
to “glimpse” into the past and future. By
knowing exactly where and when they
want to look, their mind can travel
through time to witness what hap-
pened, or what will happen.
Of course, this incredibly
potent ability does not come with-
out an equally hefty price.
As they travel across time, their bodies follow their minds,
undergoing the same temporal journey. In other words…
they age. As powerful as their gift may appear, it has fre-
quently proven fatal.
8
Many Lumen youths have succumbed to
temptation, ending up wasting valuable
years of their lives for trivial things that
they considered important (first loves,
various tests, careers, etc).
Lumens had to learn the hard way how
to moderate the use of their power. For
this reason, they tend to recognize and
respect those who spend their years for
the greater good, rather than indulg-
ing personal goals.
Lumens love order, and fear any-
thing that they cannot foresee. For
this reason, they have created a rig-
id hierarchical society. Their profit
comes primarily from divination,
as well as the exercise of their judi-
ciary system, which they offer as a
paid service, with customers from
every corner of Fyera. All
of the above means that
the Lumen population is
either very young or very aged.
The vast majority of Lumens live in Nalda, which they re-
gard as the de facto capital of Fyera. Their territory covers
the entire northern portion of the Lands of the Old Days.
Their relations with the Primus, their neighbours, are
tense, to say the least.
 Avernians
“Fang, Beak, Tail or Claw, you do
not choose. The spirit chooses you,
and when it does, your journey
to ascension begins. Decide wisely
when you will chant and when
you will growl, but when you do,
do it loudly”
-General Grayskin the Mammoth,
The last commander of the Royal
Pack
Avernians are more than simply people
who can transform into animals.
When an Avernian turns 6, a local sha-
man of his community will perform a
ritual, invoking the spirit animals. The young
Avernian’s mind, vigor, willpower, cunning – as
well as other individual qualities – will attract the
animal that will seek to link with them. From that
moment on, a spiritual bond is formed, which de-
velops in both ways – beast and man alike – with
the goal of achieving spiritual unity. This oneness
of the soul is the raison d’etre of each Avernian.
Their kinship with their animal spirits imbues them
with abilities and skills which allow them to develop
in multifarious ways, ranging from mighty war-
riors (bears, tigers, etc), dexterous trackers
and thieves (rats, hawks etc) to talented en-
gineers (foxes, squirrels etc).
9
The Avernians were a very proud
race, whose significance in main-
taining equilibrium in the world
was crucial. Their exploits and
deeds adorn the brightest pag-
es in the history books of Fyera.
However, a dreadful event that
happened 60 years ago cost
them the most talented and
powerful members of their soci-
ety. Although the memory of this
tragic event remains, the Averni-
ans as a people are in decline.
The spirits of powerful animals
are growing exceedingly rare, and
cities and harbors are rife with crime
and anarchy. It is in the more rural,
agrarian areas that a relative normalcy is
maintained, and the Avernians’ identity as
a people is preserved.
Their demesne, which consists of a num-
ber of cities and villages, stretches along
the southern part of the Lands of the Old
Days. As a people, Avernians tend to get
along with all others, although in recent
years they are being regarded somewhat
unfavorably.

DraesyR
For the Draesyrs, nature is the
Alpha and the Omega.
In this context, nature refers to
more than verdant woods and
wild animals. The Draesyrs re-
spect nature regardless of what
form it takes; they are a part of it,
and are connected to it, in all its
forms.
As a people, the Draesyrs are
diverse. Druids traversing sun-
kissed meadows and plains.
Respectable healers, tending to
the wounded and the ill in their
huts. Rangers, witches and prac-
titioners, enclosed in forests that
predate time itself, or else, in hid-
den caverns by the mountaintops.
Scouts, warriors and fanatics, who
confront the darkness by embracing
it.
Shortly after the advent of the
Darkness, there was a schism in the
Draesyr society. The many tribes
that comprise it disagreed on wheth-
er – and how – they should confront
the Darkness. Eventually, the tribes
were forced to split.
10
Those who advocated for a more passive stance
remained in the brighter half of Penumbra.
They were named Eldrasyr (“free under the
High Chieftain’s roof”), while the tribes that
moved to the borders of the Darklands to do
battle against the darkness were named Yil-
drasyr (“free under the starry sky”).
EldrasyR
“You do not need to seek for the
Truth. Open your ears, listen to
the wind and the moving leaves,
pick up a rock and look under it,
follow the sand waves. Mother
Fyera gives the answers at every
step”.
-Malef Sandborn
For the Eldrasyrs, things are simple and
clear. Nature is the highest being, and
determines the lives of all. They know
that all changes in the natural world are
violent and subversive.
Thunderstorms can be terrifying
and unbearable at times, but they
are necessary all the same.
Only by weathering and The ‘bright’ siblings of the Yildrasyrs
defeating these storms treat them as the black sheep of their
can you enjoy the fruit people. In reality, they could rather
of the harvest that will be said to resemble black stallions,
be yielded by the rain. considering how much effort it takes
The Eldrasyrs approach to rear and tame them.
their struggle with the
Darkness in the same The schism had a profound effect on
way. It is the transito- the life of the Yildrasyrs and the tribes
ry decision of nature’s that comprise them. Many of them
design, which they can- had to abandon their earth and move
not fully comprehend, to strange, unfamiliar and at times bar-
but must weather all ren lands.
the same. They must
endure, not seek to de- The burden of defending these territo-
stroy. ries, the daily contact with the creatures
of the Darklands, and their prolonged
For the time being, stay in the dark and twilight, have had
history has vindicated such a profound effect on their souls,
their stance. Their life- that you can recognize a Yildrasyrs at
style is mostly tribal, but first glance.
they also have one major
city inside the jungle. Their commerce relies mostly on
rare ingredients that grow solely
They primarily trade in herbs, seeds and medical in their lands, as well as the sale
mixtures. of “trophies” from the creatures
they confront.
Other nations treat them with
great reluctance, as many believe they are close to be-

Yildrasyr coming indistinguishable from the thing they are fighting

“Nature always had its way of healing itself.
At first we thought that way was the Cata-
clysm. But then, we realized that it was us.”
-Grand Sepherd of the Mountain Peak
against.
In truth, they have paid a dear price – paid in blood – to
defend these borders, and things would have been very
different were it not for their contribution.

11
 Primus At the same time, they
have instilled a culture
and mindset in humans
based on reward. “Do
“We were deprived the light what you know, and do
and our homeland. Our immor- it well, whether you are
tality is being wasted. We live a warrior, a blacksmith
in darkness to make sure that
darkness does not prevail. Stand or a steward; and if you
next to us willingly or I’ll see do, the Primus Lords will
to it that you serve for an eter- recognize your efforts,
nity.” and reward you with
eternal life.”
-Jarvis II, Awakened among the
Eternals Thus, the humans who
live in these lands be-
lieve that their life may
No one can say with certainty whether the continue even after
Primus were always like this, or whether death, assuming
they evolved to what they are today. their life is worthy
of it.
They are what we would call ‘Vampires’ in
our world, with the difference that the Prim-
us do not hide, nor do they lurk in the shad-
ows. On the contrary, they are the masters
and overlords of their domain. The Primus act as the defenders of the northern borders
of the Darklands, fending off every assault of the forces
Undying and ageless, they sustain themselves by drinking of Darkness at a great cost. At the same time, they carry
blood, which bestows them various abilities. They only out raids of their own into the Darklands, seeking to fa-
make up 10% of the population of the north, and have a miliarize themselves with the enemy, seize territories and,
symbiotic sort of relationship with humans. ultimately, find the source of this evil.

In fact, it is considered ‘proper’ for the Primus to feed off Their economic activities mostly draw on the trade of pre-
of them. In essence, they live among humans as gods, en- cious stones and metals from the mines that exist in the
suring the survival and safety of their mortal flock in ex- area, which is exceedingly profitable indeed, thanks to the
change for their servitude. remarkably cheap labour of this nation…

12
PRELUDE FOR ALL ACTS
The court room is jam-packed with people. In an effort
to combat overcrowding, the authorities have instated a
ticket for those who wished to attend the trial. Despite this
forbidding fee, the grandiose hall is filled up to the brim
with Lumen nobles, powerful merchants and curious
scandalmongers and gossips with coin to throw around.
Thick white marble tiles, inlaid with yellow-and-gold wa-
ter that resembles flowing veins of gold, adorn the entire
hall. The harmony of this radiant stream is disturbed by
the statues of various ancient legislators, positioned along
the walls to the side, and four golden pillars located at the
center of the hall, symbolizing the four powers of Lumen
society.
The main part of the court room is covered by series of
carved wooden seats for the audience. The less “for-
tunate” observers get to stand around those seated in a
throng that winds all the way to the exit. At the depths of
the hall, on an elevated platform, sits the judges’ bench.
Built out of red granite and adorned with the golden scale
and piercing sunrays, it is a symbol of the authority of the
judicial branch of the Lumens. The Grand Judge, the the
public prosecutor and the rest of the judges sit behind it.
The trial has been going on for days. Today is the day that
the public prosecutor will make his case. The High Inquis-
itor who has taken up this task is relentless. He hammers
the accused, Lieutenant Quinlan, with an endless barrage
of questions and accusations – a condemnation of the
Lieutenant for the blame he holds over the events that
happened. The Lieutenant himself is standing, expres-
sionless and direct, answering every question in a low
voice and ignoring the insults, ironic remarks and overall
demeanor.
Everyone in the court room is starting to get uncomfort-
able. The heat is unbearable, the process labyrinthine and
meandering, and public sentiment is mixed. Everyone
knew Quinlan. He was well-liked and respectable by most
Lumens of the city, especially those who had worked with
him.
13
On the other hand, the coincidences were indeed too
many; too many questions demanding an answer, too
many blurry points; and the High Inquisitor’s rhetoric
was so artful, so inflamed, that it really made one think
Quinlan is the source of all evil and the cause for all our
woes. Everyone in the hall showed their exhaustion and
uncertainty clear on their face – all, except for one…
Grand Judge Eartha Leece sat at the center of the judg-
es’ bench – silent, haughty, and intimidating. Her pris-
tine ebon skin glistened in the distance, creating a strong
contrast with the golden jewellery adorning her body.
Her silken attire, though barely visible behind the desk,
betrayed an exceeding opulence, and the metallic ring em-
bracing her neck put the finishing touch on her remark-
able figure. When she faintly lifted her left hand, everyone
in the court room fell silent.
“We have all devoted a valuable portion of our time to shed light
on this unique case. The facts have been set forth, the pertinent
opinions have been heard. And yet, we are still in the dark. We
cannot seem to reach a final verdict that affirms the events of
the past, and decrees decisively what must happen in the future.
The gift of sight will not give us the answer we need, for we
cannot know for a certainty what the time juncture that will
exonerate or condemn the accused is.
Taking these facts into account, and with the authority vested
in me by my position, I shall make use of the ancient institution
of the jury, as was legislated in the year 146 and written in
paragraphs ‘64 & ‘65 of Volume 7 of the Constitution of the
Legislative Branch.
Therefore, based on this list of attendees and selected through
random process, I call upon (players’ names) to step forward
and be seated on the desk to the side.
According to the other jurors’ and my judgement, there are four
critical junctures in time that both can and need to be clari-
fied. I therefore call upon these jurors to each select a point in
time that they desire, use their gift of sight to glimpse into these
moments… and when done, to address the court room and rec-
ommend a verdict that eill condemn or exonerate Lieutenant
Quinlan Narmer.”
NOTABLE NPC’s
Templar Quinlan Narmer – (Lumen)
Third Lieutenant of the Legislative Order
Lieutenant Quinlan is a middle-aged man of medium
height, with long, shoulder-length white hair and a white
beard. His green-blue eyes have a piercing, intimidating
quality. His face, parched and wrinkled, betrays the bur-
den of dozens of battles, along with the composed and
moderate usage of the Lumen gift of sight. When he isn’t
clad in his heavy silvered armor and the trademark shield
of his Order, he wears plain leather trousers and loose
shirts.
14
Quinlan was born and raised in Nalda. His family was not
particularly well-to-do; his mother worked as a cleaning
maid at various merchant stalls of the outer ring’s mar-
ketplace, while his father was a soldier in the regular gar-
rison.
In the final few clashes following the 2nd War of Shame,
Quinlan was orphaned of his father, who died in the
northwest border in an engagement with the Primus.
The government then took up the affair of Quinlan’s ad-
mission into the regular army, where the youth quickly
distinguished himself with his skills and gift in leader-
ship. Some years later, he won a scholarship in the Tem-
plar academies, and thus began a brilliant career as a war-
rior of the executive pillar.
It was in his first few missions in the borders of the Dark-
lands that Quinlan met his companions (and the protago-
nists of our adventure). They became an inseparable team
of travelling adventurers. Quinlan feels a great deal of
respect and camaraderie towards his companions, which
he expresses without restraint when in private. In pub-
lic, however, when in the “outside” world and especially
around his subordinate soldiers, he projects intense grit
and a grim severity, as his position demands, and com-
mands respect.
When interacting with others he is never ironic and
doesn’t ramble unnecessarily. He tries to be curt in con-
versation, and composed even when under the most com-
plicated situations.

Scout Silas Hadesh Saginash – (Primus)

Scouts’ Rising Star – Darklands Cartographer

Silas Saginash is one of the young up-and-coming stars of

his dynasty and a valuable tool for the scouts’ caste.
He is thin, with pale greyish skin and almost always
on alert. The countless hours he’s spent in the hostile
realms of the Darklands have caused him to walk oddly,
with knees bent and torso leaning forward. He is always
dressed in dark outfits, and drapes himself in a cloak that
covers him from head to toe, making him stand out like
a sore thumb in the city of Nalda; but he blends in seam-
lessly in the dark and shady corners of Fyera, where he is
used to spending his days.
For the last 45 years of his life – ever since he gained the
title of Scout – he has clocked in twice as many hours map-
ping and charting the unexplored corners of the Dark-
lands than the average Scout (excepting the more expe-
rienced veterans who venture out in larger expeditions).
The results of his work have made him quite well-known
considering his youth… but they also seem to have left an
unexpected mark on the political chessboard of the dy-
nasties, something that has displeased the Caestian and
Felin Scouts.
When the Lumens came asking for a Scout, his superi-
ors, eager to see him stumble and fall, wasted no time in
thrusting the task onto him. Thus, Silas found himself in
a precarious position, taking on a mission to the lands of
daylight, which are out of his comfort zone – and indeed,
a place he has never even visited in his life.
Silas will never insult someone unless he has a very good
And yet, whatever qualms he may have, Silas is loyal – reason, and is willing to give way in any dispute, provided
and ambitious. He knows that to succeed would be a great it does not cross the limits of his disposition as a Primus.
boost to his prestige, and foster good will with a nation
whose relations with the Primus are fraught, to say the
least.
15
He devotes himself to his mission without allowing for His build is rather bulkier than most Lumens. His sun-
distractions to get in the way, but when it comes to social burnt skin, beefy muscles and deliberately unshaved face,
situations he tends to be aloof and terse – unless, of course, make him look like the bouncer at some cheap hostel. He’s
it relates to his mission, which is none other than tracking gotten rid of his armor, but a keen observer would be able
the Shadows which stole the Quill of a Thousand Paths. to tell that the middle layers of fabric of his clothing are
those of the outfit of a Lumen soldier.
Soldier Bolivar Jickens – (Lumen) He tries to appear at ease with his surroundings, but
Lumen Soldier – Deserter again, an insightful individual could observe the exact op-
posite based on his demeanor.
Soldier Bolivar was
there that day. The In stressful situations, where his identity, past and mo-
day that the Shadows tives are at risk of being exposed, Bolivar is likely to be
attacked the Hall of very agitated and behave in a crude and strange manner.
the Order of the Loom He will look to escape such situations at the earliest op-
and stole the mysteri- portunity, even if doing so would put his very life in dan-
ous item. To be pre- ger.
cise, he was one of
the few who survived
the brief but brutal Lord Volante Caestus Dastimus (Primus)
slaughter despite Blood Prince – Viceroy of Routh Anem
the fact that his shift
placed him in the line
of danger.
Bolivar knew that,
sooner or later, the In-
quisitors would sum-
mon him for an inter-
rogation. He knew he
couldn’t stay in the
capital any longer. So,
he set off on less trodden paths, to realms where Lumens
rarely venture to…

Viceroy Volante is one of the most influential figures of

Fyera. Despite his appearance hinting at a young adult, in
truth his ‘life” spans over 210 years.
He is tall, slightly built, and in excellent shape, with a
well-sculpted body like an ancient statue, draped in care-
fully selected garb that enhances the haughtiness of his
mien. His attire consists of heavy silks laced with gems
of precious stones and gold embroidery. Despite this, the
outfit has been designed in such a way as not to restrict
his movement. His sleek, silvery white hair reaches to his
waist, where a pair of long, thin blades hang from his belt.
There is an impish twinkle to his gaze, as though he is
cooking up some mischief, and is always eager to prove
his superiority to anyone who regards him with anything
but utmost submissiveness.
His unparalleled ability in the art of the blade, combined
with the primacy of his bloodline – which is the largest
and most powerful caste of the Primus – have created an
explosive mixture of megalomania and narcissism. For
anybody else, this mixture would have been catastrophic
– but not for Lord Volante. The man appears more than
capable of meeting the high demands of the political game
of the society of the Primus.

16
 Anyone who crosses the line will be put in their place,
whether through public humiliation, or other means, as-
suming cooler heads do not intervene to de-escalate…

Yejida Furaha – (Yildrasyr)

Witch Doctor – Outpost Chieftain

Lord Volante’s day-to-day is very linear (and has been for

decades). Whether that involves confronting the forces
of darkness or dancing the intricate political dance that
a man of his bloodline ought to, it has become his life.
As such, anything but that seems alien and irritating. He
struggles to interact with other races, as well as anybody
he deems his ‘inferior’. This difficulty is not owed solely to
his individual character, but also to the color of his inner
flame – the flame of his Soulspark – which has started to
darken considerably.
Volante tries to rationalize to himself that harshness and
severity are necessary traits of any leader – but conve-
niently ignores that they are also trademark signs of suc-
cumbing to the influence of the darkness…
At any rate, Lord Volante will have no issue keeping up
appearances, as is expected of his status as Viceroy, but
will brook no insult whatsoever.
17
Yejide is a weary Yildrasyr of the Black Feather tribe. Her
parents, both of them warriors dedicated to the battle
against the Darkness, would often rush into the Dark-
lands to confront the creatures within.
She lost her parents in such a battle, while she herself, a
mere child, was strapped to her mother’s back (a tradi-
tional way for Yildrasyr parents to carry their young).
Before she even properly knew how to walk, she had to
crawl and stumble her way out of the Darklands and to
the safety of the borders, where she was picked up by the
border guards.
The young girl’s impressive achievement did not go un-
noticed. The chief of the tribe itself took Yejide under his
wing and raised her as his own child. When she got older,
she was educated in the affairs of the soul and became a
revered Witch Doctor. Every time she is asked how she
managed to escape, she claims her ancestors guided her
steps from up high. In reality, she was a babe who read the
stars and saw Soulmist. For as long as she can remember,
Yejide never stopped going back into the Darklands.
Twice she has been taken captive and managed to escape
both times, returning to her village – while sending as
many souls back to the Soulmist as she could.
Draesyr bards and storytellers claim she even faced off
against a Dark Saint and lived to tell the tale. However,
nothing is without its cost…
All these battles and hardships have not left Yejide’s soul
and mind unaffected. The torturous ordeals she under-
went, the horrors and death that have surrounded her
since she was a child, have left indelible marks on her
Soulspark. First came the living nightmares; later, hallu-
cinations, catatonia and isolation. Her bright siblings of
the Eldrasyrs tried to alleviate her burdens, but were un-
successful.
18
The finishing blow came when the new chief of the tribe
judged that she would no longer be allowed to raid into
the Darklands, as she was too unstable and could prove
dangerous for her own team. Being rather old by now,
and way too proud to bear such a stigma in her homeland,
she left. She traveled halfway across the world and ended
up in the northernmost outpost of the lands of the Primus,
a place that felt more familiar than home itself. There, she
offers her services to those who would need them.
Appearance-wise, she looks like an 85-year old woman
– though she is not a day older than 50. Her ebon skin
is weathered, worn and wrinkled, and she is so thin that
she resembles a skeleton. The tattered rags that she has for
clothes fail to hide the dozens of stigmata she has all over
her body. The darkwood staff she holds in her right hand,
adorned with strange fetishes, betrays her identity, while
her hair is long and black.
Yejide has trouble interacting with simple folk. Usually,
one has to rack their brain to put together the words that
she spews as sentences. True to the old ways of the Yil-
drasyrs, she is remarkably hard to hold a lengthy conver-
sation with.
On a sufficiently high Insight roll one can sense that the
few scattered words she speaks are, not only anything but
nonsensical, but contain profound ideas and valuable in-
formation for those who know how to interpret them.
ACT NO. 1 – THE CALAMITY
NPCs:
First Lieutenant Quinlan “Brightshield” Narmer
High Inquisitor Heathcliff Umbar
INTRODUCTION
The party briefly visits the city of Nalda to rest and resup-
ply for the long journey north, to the borders of the Dark-
lands. They decide to visit their old friend and travelling
companion, Quinlan, whose ascension in the hierarchy of
Nalda – and the responsibilities that came with it – forced
him to leave his wandering days behind.
Before meeting with Quinlan, they are picked up by a Ci-
cerone (freelancers or city-appointed tour guides), who
helps guide them around the city, do a little bit of sight-
seeing and visit some notable landmarks. While strolling
through the city, they notice a merchant standing in a back
alley surrounded by three thugs. With a successful Insight
check (DC 12), they understand through their body lan-
guage that they are harassing the merchant. If they de-
cide to intervene the thugs will quickly flee, before one
of them threatens the merchant to do what he is told. The
thugs will quickly leave the back alley and disappear in
the large crowd on the busy streets of Nalda.
Upon talking with the merchant, whose name is Stelan,
the players will learn that the thugs were selling him pro-
tection, but now they are demanding an amount of gold
that he cannot afford unless he sells his shop. He tells
them that they are aiming to take his shop through this
extortion, since the prospective buyer is a man named
Dussan, a cousin of one of the thugs. He will further ex-
plain how the judicial system works, and how he is unable
to pay the Judges.
The players will now be confronted by a choice. They could
pay a Judge on the merchant’s behalf, in which case they
will be unable to resupply sufficiently for their journey.
Alternatively, they could confront the criminals, which
carries the risk of getting in trouble with the authorities.
Finally, they could talk to Quinlan about it, who, as they
know, has become Head of the Guard in Nalda. If there
is an Inquisitor in the party, they will know that Quin-
lan is their best option. In either case, Quinlan reaches out
and talks to them, either through the Court (if the players
choose the first option), or through the guards who try to
stop them as they attempt to confront the criminals..
Upon learning that his old travelling companions are in
town, Lieutenant Quinlan decides to give them a tour
around the Headquarters of the Weaving Order, where
he is stationed as head of the guard, and also introduces
them to a good Judge who may help the merchant with
his predicament. (A player can attempt an Academics
or Traditions check with DC 12 to understand this goes
against the proper rules of entry, but since Quinlan is in
charge, it’s probably not a problem). Initially the party is
in the recreation area of the guard’s barracks, where they
are welcomed with a feast and drinks. While there, they
are notified that the Judge will be a little late.
. There’s little more to the place besides wooden chairs, a
large wooden table, an ice-box for preserving foods and
drinks and some fruit.
19
Nalda – The World’s Capital
Nalda is the largest city in Fyera, in both area and
population. It is located on the banks of a river that
flows into the Unsalted Sea, in a round fringe of
ground, built in such a way that the river embraces
almost the entire city, filling it with life and offering
a degree of natural protection.
Four colossal cylindrical towers stand at each of
the city’s four sides, with similar foundations but
different design at the tops. Each of the towers
hosts one of the branches of government, and to-
gether they represent the four pillars of govern-
mental power that keep Lumen society stable and
firm across time. On the inside of each tower, tens
of mirrors are placed from the base all the way to
the roof, harmoniously arrayed one after the other.
The same number of mirrors, the same distance be-
tween them, and completely aligned.
At the city centre lies the Momentum Palace, a
square building thousands of square miles across
that hosts, among other things, the science and
research departments of the Lumens, recreation
halls, bathrooms, shopping centres as well as the
residences of many of Nalda’s elite. At the centre
of the palace is a cylindrical void that forms a mar-
ble square-skylight, where the statues of the active
leaders of the four pillars stand, as well as the statue
of the first Hermit, arranged in a cyclical formation.
A gargantuan arched dome looms at the roof of
the Palace, decorated with metal parts depicting
astrological symbols, which lead to a large cres-
cent-shaped space with a glass interior. A beam
of light is artfully reflected from the crescent at
the highest point of the city to the mirrors of the
four towers. In this way, the beam of light passes
through the city hundreds of times before ending
up at its point of origin, transforming the city into
a giant clock. This is how time is measured in the
world and as long as Nalda exists, so will there be
a way to accurately measure the passage of time.
The mechanisms of the multilevel dome of the cen-
tral building are designed to create an artificial pe-
riod of “night-time” for a certain amount of time
each day, by having the dome be covered by mas-
sive metal sheets which block the passage of light.
Naturally, such a luxury as “artificial night” is only
afforded to the elites that actually live in the dome;
the average citizen is either forced to get used to the
light, or has to improvise in various ways in order
to get some respite from it.
In fact, in an attempt to make these class conflicts
even more pronounced, the city authorities have
imposed a “shadow tax”, a law which has been in
effect for centuries now. Every permanent canopy
that prevents or limits the constant exposure to
sunlight – whether that is from metal sheets (for the
elite) or tents or shutters, is subject to a… special
tax. Thus, merely by taking a stroll around the city
one can discern the financial status of each house
owner by how many “shadow-havens” they can af-
ford. Those in the lower layers are forced to make
do by wearing exceedingly thin clothes and scarves
and creating impermanent settlements out of fab-
rics and tree branches.
 In time, the application of this measure brought
about another stereotype. The color of one’s skin has
become an indicator of financial situation and there-
fore, status. Darker skin, therefore, implies a larger
exposure to the sun, and thus a lower financial sta-
tus; pale skin, on the other hand, indicates a certain
financial well-being and the luxuries that this noble
status affords.

Despite all that, as far as non-citizens of Nalda are

concerned, anyone who lives within the city’s walls
is essentially a privileged metropolitan. The layout
and fortifications of the city help reinforce this belief,
as they have gathered a huge number of people in a
single area surrounded by walls.

The walls in question are massive, stonewrought,

and envelop the periphery of the city. Two large,
imposing bridges cross the broad river outside the
city, connecting Nalda with the outside world. Mean-
while, an enormous gate stands at the entrance of the
city by the river bank, which stays open throughout
the passing of seasons, and only closes to commem-
orate the black anniversary. This is the Gate of Light
and Time.

Houses, laboratories, and shops are arrayed through-

out the entire stretch of the city. Its many neighbor-
hoods and districts are densely populated and paved
in an orderly and well-structured manner. Four gar-
dens located at various points in the city break the
monotony of buildings. Notable buildings include
universities, the court house, the aqueduct and the
Hall of Oracles.

At this point, the players can dedicate some time to get

acclimated, exchange a few words, do a little roleplay and
generally develop their characters.
Afterward, they begin the tour of the building. The de-
scriptions of the various rooms are free-form, and can be
aided with the help of the map given below. While the
characters are shown a variety of interesting things, they
also notice a lack of guards in the area, and slowly begin
to realize that something is amiss.
The hall room hosts a number of paintings by famous art-
ists as well as exhibitions of relics belonging to famous
Oracles of the past. To the left of the entrance, there are
two nearly empty cups of water, while whoever succeeds
on an Investigation roll (DC 15) will notice a few drops of
blood in the corner in the same direction.
The door to the left is locked and leads t o a small storage
room, while the door on the far side of the room leads
to the “chamber of the loom”, a rather peculiar building.
That room has a very particular function that the Oracles
of the Weaving Order use it for
It is the room where they try to “glimpse” into selected pe-
riods in time and space in order to find important poten-
tial future events, positive or negative, which might affect
society as a whole, and attempt to either bring them about
faster, or prevent them entirely. The round altar located at
the center of the room is madwhile eight peculiar chairs
are positioned around the altar, with a rearward inclina-
tion.

19
20
The corpses of two guards can be found in the left cor-
ner of the room, as if somebody barely had enough time
to hide them. Suddenly, two shadowy creatures emerge
from the only door that exists in that corner of the room,
and approach the party.
The very fact that there are Shadows inside the Lands of
the Old Days is in itself absurd. It is, to be fair, a dark,
well-shaded place, as it is quite high in the city’s hierarchy
and is under constant guard. The “chamber of the loom”,
for example, does not have a single window, as the rites
that take place there demand very high concentration, and
nothing must be allowed to disturb the oracles as they at-
tempt to glimpse into the future.
In the ensuing fight, the players will soon realize there are
quite a few Shadows in the building, and the battle will
not be an easy one at all.
An observant player will understand that there is a sort
of method to the Shadows’ actions; they appear to be try-
ing to flee the building, and are simply fighting whatever
stands in their way.
QUESTIONS
When everyone recovers from the mayhem that took place
and the higher-ups in the city are informed, it is already
too late. The Shadows have fled the city and the military
is trying to track them down. High Inquisitor Heathcliff
Umbar, who takes on the case, receives the testimonies of
Quinlan and the players.
Quinlan’s initiative to open the exit door is the primary
event that has divided opinions and, in turn, created a lot
of questions. Was he in on it from the start? Why did he
go against the rules and regulations and take his old com-
panions on a tour of a highly restricted area? Were they in
on it too? How did the Shadows know where to find the
item that went missing in the attack? What do they want
with it?
Did he open the door to save his companions, or to pro-
vide an exit path for the Shadows? For some, this simple
act might be considered a mere attempt to protect life…
while for others, it might be considered treason.

Combat and Tactics

A great darkness will appear within the room and
yellow eyes will suddenly lock onto the characters.
The Shadows will divide the party using Darkness,
try to isolate characters towards the shadow and in-
timidate them with telepathy.
They will hide, they will heal and they will fight
dirty.
The battle continues in every room of that floor, as
Shadows seem to emerge out of every nook and
cranny. The players will have to try their hardest to
keep them at bay, as things turn dire. As all seems
to be lost, Quinlan opens the double doors of the
main entrance in an attempt to usher in some light
and weaken the Shadows enough to hopefully save
our heroes.
The light indeed seems to bother and harm the
Shadows for a few heartbeats, providing respite
for the heroes. The battle continues, away from the
sunlight. Just as the Shadows begin realizing that
perhaps the scales have tipped against them, some-
thing unexpected happens.
All the Shadows dart towards the exit! The first
wave is completely obliterated by the light; those
that follow are singed, and it appears that all of
them have encircled one of the Shadows with their
“bodies”, as if to protect it from the sun.
No matter how hard the players try, they are un-
able to completely eliminate the Shadows, as the
light does not shine beyond the first few steps of the
stairs, and the Shadows manage to escape.

21
Act No. 2 – The Shadow Hunt
NPCs
First Lieutenant Quinlan “Brightshield” Narmer
Scout Silas Hadesh Saginash
Soldier Bolivar Jickens
Rose Lemer - Lumen Inquisitor
Gelwuin Elthen - Eldrasyr Assassin
Introduction
The characters have just survived an attack that took
place in the Headquarters of the Weaving Order, which
they visited as Lieutenant Quinlan’s guests. The sentries
on duty were found dead, while vaguely humanoid crea-
tures made of shadow burst from various rooms of the
building, attacked our heroes, and barely managed to es-
cape, thanks to a controversial decision taken by Quinlan,
who opened the doors to the main entrance.
The High Inquisitor who took on the case received testi-
monies from everyone present, literally bombarding them
with questions and asking for clarifications on the tiniest
details. Lieutenant Quinlan asks the city authorities to put
together a squad to track, hunt down, and bring the crea-
tures that attacked the Weaving Order to justice. Despite
the High Inquisitor’s heavy objections and demands that
Lieutenant Quinlan be dismissed from the case, the au-
thorities give Quinlan the opportunity to “fix” the situa-
tion and restore order, as well as his own name.
Without wasting any time, Quinlan asks his travelling
companions to become a team once more, as the circum-
stances warrant it, and aid him in this quest. At the same
time, he uses the central administration of Nalda to re-
quest assistance from the Primus in tracking down these
creatures. The Primus respond to the Lumens’ request by
assigning Silas Hadesh Saginash, a talented Scout with
plenty of experience with the Darklands and its denizens,
to the Lieutenant’s service. (If there is anybody who could
track down and hunt Shadows, it would definitely be a
Primus Scout, and Silas is one of the best).
While waiting for Silas to arrive, the players prepare for
the journey by stocking up on the necessary gear and
provisions. They are interrupted by a report that reaches
the party’s hands, concerning a dead guard found on the
northeastern borders of Nalda, en route to the borders be-
tween the Lumen and Primus dominions.
Our story begins with the players on that spot where the
unfortunate guard was found murdered, a precious few
minutes before the arrival of the Scout Silas.
The Hunt Begins
Our characters find themselves in a rocky, deserted area,
covered in red soil, just shy of the Lumen-Primus borders.
Around 500 metres east of the road, a rocky cluster rises,
approximately 20 metres high and a kilometre long, like a
large, upside down ship in the middle of the desert. At the
base of the cluster, underneath the shade it creates, there
are two large storehouses.
One containing grain, and the other salted meat, these
storehouses are mostly used for resupplying purposes by
the border guard. The permanent shade created by the
rocky complex is ideal for preserving provisions.
22
Right next to the storehouses there is a wooden structure,
no taller than 2 and a half metres tall. With a quick glance
and a little common sense, one can understand it is meant
to be a rudimentary outpost, designed to serve the need
for lodging for a pair of sentries.
The characters have the opportunity to chat with the two
sentries currently on shift at the outpost. One of them, a
young lad, came as a replacement after the unfortunate
incident, while the other is the man who found the un-
fortunate guard’s corpse. He is open to answering the
group’s questions and will show them to the back side of
the building, where he found the corpse.
The place is narrow, caught between the rocks and the
wooden tower, and there is little to see beyond a few
empty buckets, brooms, and sundry tools. With a success-
ful Perception roll (DC 15) the characters can spot a small
tunnel-hole inside the boulder, very close to the earth, and
with such a diametre as to make it hard to believe an adult
could fit inside it.
Lumen Oracular Ability
If there is a Lumen inside the party willing to attempt
to travel to the estimated time of the murder, he will
clearly see Shadows emerging from that hole, attacking
the guard and killing him, then hurling themselves onto
him and sucking a black essence from his body.
Shortly afterward, they dive back into the tunnel and
disappear. With a successful Erebos Lore (DC 17) check,
players will learn that Shadows feed on melanin, which
explains why the corpse was pale as a sheet when it was
found.
Somewhere at this point, Scout Silas arrives. After the nec-
essary introductions have been made, Quinlan examines
that same spot and informs the group of the incident in
brief detail. He hypothesizes that the Shadows came out
because they needed to feed, and went back into the tun-
nel once they had done so, to continue their journey.
The guard informs them that the outpost is equipped with
maps outlining all the underground passages of the area,
which are made by the famed Avernian Miners’ Guild.
All the critical junctures are well-fortified, but smaller en-
try points such as this are left unattended, as they are too
small to pose any real danger.
Upon consultting the maps, the heroes realize that there is
no charted exit point for this small tunnel-hole, aside from
the very end, tens of kilometres away, deep into Penum-
bra, in Primus territory.
Silas and Quinlan propose the same thing that is crossing
everyone’s minds in that moment – for the party to hurry
towards that exit point, hoping to catch up with the Shad-
ows before they emerge from the passage. Thus, the party
begins its journey towards the lands of the Primus.
Penumbra
The lands of the Primus are dull, dreary, and quite bar-
ren. Light has slowly started to abandon this realm, as a
cold, silent twilight waxes. The thickets and groves that lie
scattered across a handful of mountainsides are made up
of tall pine trees, sycamores and firs. It isn’t uncommon
for players to encounter old, withered and dead forests in
their passing. Two days of hiking later, they arrive at an
inn. Its very presence, smoke pouring out of the chimney
and all, helps break the dreary monotony of the landscape
around them.
The Merchants
As the team trudges on along the solitary path deeper
and deeper into Penumbra, they encounter a cart, parked
along the side of the road. A thick canvas, fixed to three
thin steel stilts, covers its rear. The horses are still fastened
to a nearby tree, but there is no trace of camping gear If
they decide to check out the cart, they will find a young
woman named Rose, as well as her husband Jasper, the
latter being injured and in a state of torpor. Rose will ex-
plain that they are merchants headed for the city of Kael
Anosh, but they were attacked a few hours prior.
She claims that, while the cart was bounding along the
road, everything suddenly went dark; and for a while af-
ter, she could hear nothing but the cries of her husband.
After a few minutes of absolute terror, the dim light of
Penumbra returned, and she found Jasper next to her, un-
conscious. In the distance, she could barely make out a
shadowy figure disappearing behind a hill.
With an Insight check (DC 15) the players understand that
Rose is hiding an important piece of information. An In-
vestigation check (DC 12) on the cart and perimetre con-
firms that there were signs of struggle in the area. If they
succeed on this check by 5 or more, they can make out the
tracks of four individuals.
23
If one of the players also succeeded on the check for the
dead guard in the prior encounter, they will recognize
that the tracks of one of the individuals here correspond
to those of the Shadows. In order to follow the tracks of
the Assassin, they will need to succeed on a Perception
check (DC 15). If the players choose to trust Rose, she will
attempt to slow them down in order to reach the inn first.
If they give her no other choice, she will offer to tag along
with them on the way there.
Rose Lemer - Lumen Inquisitor
Rose works for Judge Benthin. She has been informed by
the Judge regarding the events at Nalda. The Judge, sus-
pecting that Lumen traitors were involved in the theft of
the Quill, has ordered Rose to investigate. She has main-
tained the persona of a merchant for quite a few years,
and has amassed a significant number of underground
connections. Using these connections, she spread the ru-
mor that she is in possession of the Quill, and almost im-
mediately, found an interested party reaching out.
Curiously, the prospective buyer turned out to be a guard
of the Weaving Order, who is currently waiting for her at
the World’s End Inn, far from the prying eyes of the Lu-
mens. Rose, who is quite experienced in Lumen schemes,
knows not to trust anybody and will attempt to hide her
identity at any cost. She recognizes Quinlan, and is suspi-
cious of him.
Gelwuin Elthen - Eldrasyr Assassin
Rose’s hired bodyguard. He’s hiding in the foliage of a tree
away from the cart, on Rose’s orders. If she is convinced
that the team is not a threat to her, she will signal him to
reveal himself. If the party attempts to use violence, the
assassin will attack them.

Alternate Options
• 1st Possibility
The players allow Rose to continue her journey. The
cart will overtake them and reach the inn first.
• 2nd Possibility
The players travel with her. The cart has room for two
people in the front. Rose will attempt to ride at the helm
together with Gelwuin. If someone wants to sit along-
side her, Gelwuin will reluctantly accept. Everyone else
will take a seat at the rear.
There they will find a number of sealed wooden boxes
with numbers on them. Upon a successful Investigation
check (DC 10) the players realize the box with the num-
ber 7 is missing. If they decide to comb the place they
will find a box, much smaller than the rest, tucked away
in a corner.
If Gelwuin is with them, he will attempt to stop them
from snooping around them, and opening the box after-
ward. Inside the box they find a quill.
The Inn
The World’s End Inn is so named because, for the people
who live in the lands of the Primus, it is the last vestige of
civilization prior to the border. It’s a wooden, two-story
building, though the fireplace and the chimney are made
of stone, and are located in the outer part of the inn, as if
they were built at a later point. The peculiar grey color of
the wood makes it seem even older than it is, while the
light that pours in through the windows gives an air of
warmth and coziness in the cold and inhospitable steppe.
Silas makes it clear that this is the only place nearby where
they can rest and catch a breath. The group will have to
decide if they want to stay the night or merely restock on
provisions and continue along its path.
Upon entering the inn, the characters notice that most of
the tables are empty.
24
23
There are two parties, both eating some soup with boiled
beef near the hearth; a man sitting alone nearby, having
a beer; and two small children, jousting with the inn’s
brooms right next to the staircase that leads to the first
floor.
The place is warm enough, but the players immediate-
ly sense the smell of burning material that pervades the
room, that mostly comes from the fireplace, as well as the
inn’s kitchen, which is located right behind the bar count-
er. The plump innkeeper, Quora, warmly welcomes the
visitors, wiping her hands on her dress if the need for a
handshake arises.
As soon as the door closes behind you, Quinlan draws his
weapon and walks briskly up to the man sitting alone,
who freezes up at the sight of the travellers.
With a successful Insight check (DC 15) the players will
recall that this man is not as unfamiliar as it may appear.
He is one of the guards stationed at the building of the
Weaving Order, and they had even briefly encountered
him in the lounge room when they first met up with Quin-
lan back in Nalda. The man hastily rises, leaving his cloak,
weapons and sundry belongings behind on the table,
and darts, looking for a way out. Quinlan will give pur-
suit, shouting after him: “What are you doing here, you
knave?” Possibly the players might join in on the chase,
which will prove rather easy indeed.
As soon as Quinlan or the party gets their hands on the
suspect and pacify the tension by giving the appropriate
explanations, it is time for answers. In truth, there are a
number of questions that occur to you which demand an
answer. How did the guard survive? Why did he not re-
port to the authorities? How did he manage to get here so
quickly? Why did he escape Nalda like a fugitive? These,
and other questions, may present themselves to the party.
The terrified guard answers to these questions with vague
answers and excuses. He tries to avoid being clear and
keeps mincing his words.
Around this time, the innkeeper heads to the exit and com-
mands the children to head upstairs (to protect them from
anything unsavory that might ensue), while she herself
goes to fetch some firewood for the hearth. A few seconds
later, her screams can be heard from outside, as a Shadow-
hound tears into her flesh. Immediately, two more of the
beasts barge into the inn, growling and baring their fangs,
while a third jumps in through a side-window.
Inside the inn there are a number of civilians, including
two young children who just heard their mother scream-
ing in agony. Appraising the situation, the characters real-
ize they have a responsibility to protect the innocents, pri-
oritizing the children above all (including the suspect). If
they prioritize their own survival, or securing the suspect,
at the cost of the other human lives that cannot defend
themselves, they must give a Wisdom saving throw (DC
15) to avoid taking an Erebos Point.
While the fight rages, the children will cry and call out
for their mothers, while the men who were eating calmly
on their tables will try to protect themselves using those
same tables, or anything else they can reach for – stools,
chairs, the counter, and so forth.
Throughout the battle, Silas throws himself at the Shad-
owhounds, possibly sustaininig serious injuries in the
meantime, while Quinlan protects the innocents and the
guard. At this point, the guard seizes the opportunity to
play his last card. He tries to escape, which plays out in
one of the following ways:
• The guard will grab his sword, if it is still within his
reach on the table, where his stuff was left. Otherwise,
he will grab the shortsword on Quinlan’s belt and attack.
In this scenario, Quinlan will fight back, and the ensuing
struggle will most likely end with the guard dead, with
Quinlan’s sword thrust into his heart or head (as during
the battle, and with the hounds attacking the civilians, it is
hard for one to maintain a level head)
• The guard does not attack Quinlan but manages to flee
through the broken window, the door or in some other
way.
• The guard is torn to pieces by the Shadowhounds, either
inside the inn, or as he attempts to flee. You may notice
a slight delay on Quinlan’s hand in attempting to rescue
the man.
After the battle is finished, the characters realize the inn-
keeper lies dead on the entrance, Silas is heavily wound-
ed, and the guard is gone (one way or the other) without
the characters managing to gain any sort of concrete an-
swer to their questions.
With a rudimentary search on the guard’s belongings or
on the floor, the players will find a plain note with an ad-
dress written on it. If there is a Primus in the party, they
will recognize that it is the address to a place in the capi-
tal of the Prmus, Routh Anem. Otherwise, Silas will give
them that information in a moment of clarity, as he strug-
gles to cope with his pain and wounds.

Questions
Did Quinlan play a role in the guard’s death? Was there
something about the incident that never came to light?
Could his messy end have been avoided?

25
Act No 3 – The Unholy Capital
NPCs
First Lieutenant Quinlan “Brightshield” Narmer
Scout Silas Hadesh Saginash
Lord Volante Caestus Dastinus
Dark Knight-Seneschal Barca Caestus
Majordomo Alexandrinus
Knight-Seneschal Barca Caestus
Primus Dark Knight
Guard-Captain Barca is the quintessential Primus
knight, perhaps to a fault. Always armed and armored,
polite and honest, he values his sense of honor greatly.
He would rather tell the truth, even if it makes others
uncomfortable, than offer a harmless lie to placate their
sentiments.
He is cold, though cordial, towards Lumens, while he
feels rather fascinated by Yildrasyrs and Avernians,
believing that they possess a sense of nobility, albeit a
barbaric and primitive one. He has an undying devo-
tion to the Primus throne, which is also arguably the
easiest way to offend him – by insulting or demeaning
the throne itself. If someone shows a less-than-appro-
rpiate amount of respect and deference to the throne,
Barca will emphatically refuse to offer any kind of aid
to that person.
Majordomo Alexandrinus - Diplomat
A trusted agent of the palace, Alexandrinus was born to
a small dynasty, and ascended the hierarchy of the Pri-
mus through his observant nature and ability to choose
his words carefully.
When not at the Red Throne or carrying out orders, he
is very polite. He tries not to rule anything out with re-
gards to his job and tries to separate personal sentiment
from duty. He is particularly cordial towards Lumens,
believing that they are a force which – even if it cannot
be befriended – should at the very least remain an ally,
if they hope to triumph against the dark.
Unusually short and jovial for a Primus, he is perhaps
the least intimidating figure in the palace… however,
that is by the Majordomo’s own design. If he is treated
in a manner befitting to his position, he may be inclined
to help the characters out during their audience with
the Blood Prince.
Introduction
The characters have been embroiled in a very peculiar ad-
venture, which has led them on the road in an attempt
to solve the case, and exonerate themselves and their old
companion Quinlan.
Upon arriving in the Lumen capital of Nalda, the charac-
ters decide to visit their old friend and travelling compan-
ion Quinlan, who is currently serving as Lieutenant in the
executive branch.
26
Quinlan invites them to the Headquarters of the Weav-
ing Order, where he has been stationed as captain of the
guard; he welcomes them, and shows them around the
building. Soon they are set upon by a group of dark crea-
tures which, after a fierce fight ensues, nevertheless man-
age to escape the city.
With the city’s endorsement, the party decides to track
these creatures down. Aided by Lieutenant Quinlan and
a Primus Scout named Silas, the party follows the trail,
which takes them to Penumbra and the lands of the Pri-
mus. They decide to rest at an inn, but they happen upon
one of the guards who was stationed at the Weaving Or-
der the day of the attack.
Before they have time to interrogate him, however, they
are beset by a pack of rabid Shadow Hounds, which burst
into the inn and start wreaking havoc. In the ensuing bat-
tle, the heroes, who are struggling to protect the civilians
while also fending off the Shadow Hounds, end up losing
the guard, and the only piece of evidence they are left with
is a note with an address written on it – an address that
points to the capital of the Primus, Routh Anem.
With Scout Silas heavily injured, they must decide on the
course of their journey in order to succeed on their mis-
sion.
Travelling to Routh Anem
Wrapping up on their brief but eventful break at the
World’s End inn, the players are called to decide whether
they will make a beeline for the exit of the tunnel complex
in hopes of catching up to the Shadows, or whether they
will head for the Primus capital instead.
The Underground Passage
In the event that they choose to try their luck by following
the passage, the characters will need more time to get to
the exit of the tunnel, on account of Silas’ injuries. Howev-
er, thanks to his guidance and with a Survival check (DC
13) they succeed.
They arrive at a small, rough ravine, filled with low veg-
etation and old, isolated trees. They deduce that a river
flowed by this place once; but no more. This place has
been dry for a long, long time – possibly as far back as the
Ruination.
With a successful Investigation check (DC 15) they man-
age to find the tunnel exit that they are looking for. Thanks
to whatever help the Scout can offer in his condition, the
party soon realizes they were too late. There are visible
tracks leading out of the tunnel exit, which quickly be-
come impossible to discern thanks to the peculiarity of the
earth itself, as well as the Shadows’ natural proclivity for
stealth.
Unfortunately, the trail has gone cold, and the players
have no choice but to follow the address of the note, in
hopes that the two cases will be linked at some point, and
that the thread will begin to unravel.
The journey to the capital of the Primus is not a long one.
It has its own challenges, owing partly to their wounded
Scout, but at least there will be no unexpected adventures
on their path.
Shortly after their departure from the inn, the players can
look south to see the Onyx Flower, the fabled tower of
the city of Kael Anosh, the de facto capital of sorcery in
Fyera. As they leave it behind them, they venture deeper
into Penumbra, as a deepening darkness descends around
them. The journey lasts several turns of the hourglass, and
the party is now walking under a vast, starlit sky.
At this point, the steppes have been left behind and re-
placed by rocky, mountainous expanses. Suddenly, the
main road coils around the base of a mountain and leads
to a spacious crossing between two mountains that flank
it from the left and right. In the distance, a row of stakes
can be seen right in front of a small pit, no more than 1
metre deep.
Behind this makeshift stockade the characters can discern
figures, lightly geared and armed with halberds. They will
stop the party, but as soon as Silas is mentioned or joins
the conversation, they will apologize for their carelessness
and allow them to go about their way without asking for
any further explanation.
In case there is a Primus Dark Knight in the party, the sol-
diers – who would recognize such an individual on sight
– will pull the stakes from the ground and drop a small
wooden bridge over the pit, before lining themselves up
and giving the Dark Knight a formal salute. They will
stand perfectly still and silent, and will not answer any
questions unless asked by Silas or the Dark Knight them-
selves.
If questioned by anyone else they will silently glance at
the Primus nearest to them, as if waiting for permission to
address the questioner.
27
Behind a row of large rocks, the characters can barely
make out a few tents and a large bell, probably intend-
ed to function as an alarm using the natural echo of the
ravine. If the characters attempt to inspect the soldiers, a
successful Perception check (DC 14) will yield that around
one in four is undead (black lips, not breathing, visible
wounds around the neck).
Before long, the dark capital makes its appearance on the
gloomy horizon.
Before they enter the capital, Silas will secretly ask Quin-
lan if he can feed off him, if he is still injured. With a Per-
ception check (DC 12) the characters will hear that it is a
matter of pride for him not to come back injured when the
mission he was sent on was considered to be danger-free.
If the characters intervene, Quinlan will emphatically
shoot down any offer for anyone else to bear this respon-
sibility, as Silas was under his command at the time.
Routh Anem
This city has no walls whatsoever! Its houses, shops
and laboratories are scattered around the city’s pe-
riphery, creating an immense complex of buildings
and neighborhoods with a huge range of architectur-
al styles.
The city is built at the far end of a gorge, on a “natural
dead end” which concludes on a towering boulder
that curves along its base. It is on this massive curve
that the castle of the dark capital is built, its imposing
black walls rising as high as the eye can see.

The black metal of the Primus that serves as the foun-
dation of the castle is made up of various sharp, an-
gular vertices, protruding towers and various works
of art in Gothic rhythm. The monotony of black is
broken by oversized gems and precious stones, art-
fully positioned at strategic locations along the walls,
as well as large, impressive works of stained glass.
The city may lack walls, but it certainly does not lack
a city watch. Before the first buildings appear on the
horizon, the watch forms a natural line of defense.
Teams of patrolling watchmen plug the holes in this
line along its diametre.
Inside the city, the characters can make out inhabi-
tants of three categories. The majority of the citizens
are humans (a bit paler than average, perhaps, but
humans nonetheless), while the undead form the oth-
er major category. Fallen citizens who won the right
and privilege of resurrection, these individuals were
brought back by the Primus Necromancers in order
to offer their services even after death.
The third, smallest, but most important category are
the Primus. Vampires, the undisputed nobility that
lords over this land, they stand at the very top of the
hierarchical pyramid.
The party, Quinlan and Silas talks to the city watch. It is
quickly made clear that anyone who is injured must seek
the care of the city’s healers, while the rest will be granted
audience with the Viceroy.
When the city watch notices the party, the thumping of a
drum is heard; the sound is followed by the thunderous
gallop of a heavy horse. The characters find themselves in
front of one of the city’s gatekeepers. For although Routh
Anem lacks walls (and thus, gates), the title remains as a
relic from the time the old capital.
Dark Knight Gregorius approaches and introduces him-
self (mounted on his steed if there is no Dark Knight in
the party; dismounted and addressing him if there is).
He tactfully asks the party for the purpose of their visit.
If there is a Dark Knight in the party, he appoints him or
her in charge of the party until they present themselves to
Majordomo Alexinus. Otherwise, he appoints two of his
guards to guide the party to the Majordomo, reassuring
them that they are not being detained, but simply escorted
to their destination.
Before reaching the gate of the peculiar stronghold, the
party arrives at the city square, which is surrounded by
the manors and manses of various Primus nobles. The
sounds of running water fill the air as you traverse the
square, finding mostly Primus aristocrats, warriors and
necromancers, as well as their undead attendants. The at-
mosphere is light enough, but anyone who is not a Primus
can’t help but feel uneasy with so many Primus and un-
dead servants all around them.
It is a singular event for someone, especially a non-Prim-
us, to stand before the Red Throne. The players know they
will encounter some very important Primus nobles, per-
haps even a Primus Lord, creatures that have lived many
decades, perhaps even centuries, and which likely possess
quite a few eccentricities and idiosyncrasies.
28
They must therefore prepare accordingly for this occa-
sion, and choose their words very carefully, as Primus are
notorious for their arrogance.
After entering the building, you encounter several Pri-
mus in the lobby, mainly warriors who look like they’ve
come here for a reason. If the players approach the war-
riors (who, admittedly, do not look too keen to socialize
with strangers) they may roll a Persuasion check (DC 14;
Primus characters roll with advantage). If they succeed,
they learn that a few turns of the hourglass ago, a band of
twelve Primus returned from the Darklands, where they
had spent quite a long time. Most of the warriors present
had come to honor this band of twelve, as well as learn
about their condition and the situation of the members of
their Houses.
Among these warriors, one stands out – a massive, and
quite hefty for a Primus individual, fully clad in iron mail,
and barefaced, which makes him even more terrifying
to behold. His name is Barca and he is the leader of the
Crimson Guard, as well as the Viceroy’s right hand. Par-
adoxically, he is courteous and friendly when interacting
with strangers, although he does maintain a formal tone
towards Lumens, which may betray his feelings towards
them. He is willing to answer whatever question the char-
acters may have, even those relating to the fall of the old
city and the “new” dark capital. He himself considers it
only a matter of time – and sacrifice – before the old city
is reclaimed. He will attempt to keep the characters preoc-
cupied for as long as possible, having noticed that Major-
domo Alexandrinus is observing them, and intending to
give the man as much time as he needs.
If there is a Dark Knight in the party, he will eye them up
and down before greeting them, trying to figure out who
they are. After quite a bit of murmuring, where he rules
out various candidates, he will finally figure it out, and
thus greet the Dark Knight by name, saluting him with his
right hand forming a fist over his heart.
(If the Dark Knight is using the ‘Summer Child’ back-
ground, then the other Primus will look down on them,
and the whispers that surround them will become increas-
ingly insulting, especially if the Dark Knight attempts to
partake in the political scene of the night. If they oversteps
some invisible boundary they will be rebuked, and may
face comments such as “it is best for a ‘sun-bathed’ not to
speak of matters of the Darklands).
If Silas is injured, Barca will command him to report to the
healers immediately, and, upon sniffing the air, will turn
to observe the characters one by one. He will turn to Silas
and ask him if he fed off Quinlan. After Silas reluctantly
admits to the fact, Barca sternly advises Quinlan to follow
Silas in seeking out the healers, obviously offended by Si-
las’ action.
If any of the characters inspects their surroundings for any
reason, with a successful Perception check (DC 14) they
will notice an unarmed Primus not far from where they
are, dressed in opulent silks and observing them.
The Primus will approach them with excessive cordiality
and ask them their names and their reasons for being in
the city. He will evade any questions and requests the
characters may have, stating that he is unable to give any
conclusive answer this day, due to the imminent audience
with the Blood Prince.
Following this, he will taketake them aside, to a chamber
with drinkable water for them to sate their thirst, as well
as four undead stewards to groom them into a present-
able state before they appear before the court. The char-
acters will have their hair, armor and boots attended to
with supreme care, enhanced by decades of experience
in grooming. In the end, a youthful-looking undead will
inform them that the time has come, and lead them to the
throne room.
The most important decision the characters must make
will pertain the note they found at the World’s End inn.
They may choose to inform the city authorities regarding
the address written on the note, as well as the urgency
of investigating that address. After all, if a party of for-
eign travellers were to break into the house of a citizen of
Routh Anem without his invitation, it might spell a lot of
trouble – and not just for them, either. A scenario like this
could easily unravel into a serious diplomatic incident.
On the other hand, informing the authorities and asking
for a formal permit to investigate is a gamble in itself.
There is no way of knowing how that situation would
unfold. At any rate, it is a decision that will decide the
outcome of the adventure, and the characters will need to
decide on the path they will choose during the audience.
There are 2 Primus NPCs who could prove helpful in one
way or another, provided the players manage to approach
and make a strong impression on them.
The first is a captain of the city watch by the name of Ad-
amari Angelicus, who ranks directly below the command-
er of the royal guard. He will give them a letter meant for
a lieutenant Scout by the border, which instructs the Scout
to give the players a special map of the area.
The second is an elegant and stylish aristocrat named Car-
milla Gloria II, who seems to have her eye on them in the
aftermath of the audience, while at the same time social-
izing with various high-ranking officials of the city watch.
During the audience, there was an undercurrent of dislike
by Viceroy Volante towards her person when she tried to
speak up at a particular moment (Empathy DC 13). If they
approach her, she tells them that she has a personal in-
terest in the area, and if they agreed to tell her what they
found there before leaving the city, she will arrange for
them to take a Primus soldier with them who will provide
assistance.
In truth, she owns some estates in the area and is curious
to see what really happened. If they show they are trust-
worthy, she will tell them that if they come to her first
when they find out what happened down there, her re-
ward will include a little extra something.
The reward is a peculiar purple seed, lined with bulbous
veins, which beats like a heart every few seconds. She ex-
plains that it is a very particular seed, which even Herbal-
ists don’t know how to reproduce. Just a piece of the seed
is enough for a mortal to experience – for a few fleeting
moments – the splendid grandeur of being a Primus.
[Bloodvein Pear]
This peculiar fruit grows in specially cultivated brusheries
in the great city of the Onyx Flower. In fact, Primus bota-
nologists do not have full control over growing this fruit,
since it is a somewhat rare mutation that happens with
a particular type of shrub, which withers and dies after
producing this fruit. The Bloodvein Pear allows a non-Pri-
29
mus character who eats it to enjoy the benefits of the Pri-
mus. Until your next long rest, you gain a +1 bonus to two
attributes of your choice, one mental and one physical.
Furthermore, during your next long rest, you need only
sleep half the normal amount for a character of your race.
While the effects of the fruit are active, your character can
sustain themselves on the blood of mortals. Each time you
feed, replenish 1 hit die worth of HP.
However, feeding just once is enough to instill an addic-
tion in you, suffering the drawbacks of being a Primus.
While these effects persist, the mere sight of blood forces
a Will saving throw (DC 12 +2 for each time you have al-
ready drunk blood) or your character feels compelled to
sate themselves with blood.
The Red Throne
The players enter the “Castle” of the city and are led to
the Chamber of the Red Throne. As they approach it, they
are able to fully experience the sumptuous, sorcerous and
sinister allure of a Primus Powerbase.
The throne room is round and sheltered by walls of dark,
intricately carved stone, which is etched with various lux-
uriant engravings. The banners of the extant and still ac-
tive dynasties hang languidly from the walls, whose sizes
and quality of fabrics serve as hints as to the power and
prestige of each dynasty.
The centre of the room is not domed by a ceiling on the
first floor. The circular corridor that is formed on the first
floor is supported by columns of black granite which are
positioned at regular intervals. Each column is graven
with the likeness of a Primus Eternal – the ancient progen-
itors of this mysterious race.
The throne itself stands at the centre of the room. An
oversized behemoth made of metal, it has a solid founda-
tion that is built into the ground itself, while the corners
of its high back are sharp, like downcast canines. A deep
crimson ruby is embedded at the centre of the back of the
Throne, with the emblem of the Primus carved around it.
The seven steps that lead to the first floor stop abruptly at
the midway point between the floor and the throne. There
is one single step that connects this midway point with
the Throne, perhaps as a symbol of how impossible it is
for those at the base of the steps to reach it. On each of
these steps there is a pair of armed Primus warriors posi-
tioned along the left and right flank. These warriors wear
the red cloaks of the Crimson Guard, the royal guard led
by Barca.
Polygonal platforms stick out from the ring of the first
floor. Some of these pulpits are already occupied by what
the characters can reasonably assume are influential Pri-
mus nobles. Their cold, piercing gaze washes over those
below them, creating a sense of inferiority on those who
are on the receiving end of this silent, implicit judgement.
There are two Primus at the very centre of the room, at
the feet of the throne itself. They look visibly weathered,
clad in armour worn by countless cracks and dents, and
armed with weapons and shields, which they have placed
at their feet before them. They are both kneeling before the
throne, heads tilted back and eyes set on Viceroy Volante.
They are both silent, utterly transfixed by his speech and
at the mercy of his will, as gladiators forced to make peace
with the death-blow of the blade.
Audience
In order for this character to be conveyed appropriately,
we advise that his background (presented above) is read
carefully. The characters enter the throne room in the
middle of Volante’s speech. His words carry as if they are
coming from every corner of the room, and echo clearly,
like a bell in a temple made of marble. The room is perfect-
ly still and hangs on his every word. His speech is steady
and leaves no space between his words.
“There is no dishonour on you, or your companions. The road to
Victory over the enemy is long, and paved with the sacrifices of
heroes. The knowledge of the terrain you brought us today adds
yet another piece to the puzzle of our success. A piece caked in
blood, as all others have been so far. Our dead will be exalted as
befits them. The members of their Houses will bear the right to
wear the crimson in Routh Anem, from this moment until the
end of time.
As for you, brave Primus warriors – stand upright! It does not
behoove you to kneel this day. Go forth! You have won your rest
a thousandfold. Knight-Seneschal Barca has charged himself
with your care, as well as the crimson tears that shall henceforth
adorn your breasts.”
With these words, the two warriors rise, and though
slightly confused, extend their blades towards Volante,
which draws a wave of applause from the pulpits. This
applause is, in turn, immediately drowned out by the
clangor of weapons on shields and the rhythmic stomping
of spears against the ground. This exaltation of arms is
joined by cries of praise in the harsh tongue of the Primus,
which do not cease even after the two warriors salute and
turn around to march out of the room.
Only the intervention of Majordomo Alexandrinus man-
ages to allay the commotion. Slamming his caduceus staff
against the marble floor, he challenges the honour of at-
tendants with cries of “Remember where you are! Behave
in accordance with your blood, if you are worthy of it!
Silence! You stand before the Red Throne!” After absolute
silence has prevailed, he will take his place at the foot of
the throne and proclaim: “The next subject of the day.
These individuals present themselves before Lord Volan-
te, and humbly ask his permission to remain in the city
under his protection.” He calls out the characters’ names
one by one, starting with the names of the Primus and Yil-
drasyrs, and then moving to the Avernians, Eldrasyrs and
Lumens, accompanying each name with the appropriate
titles. He leaves the two absentees for last, citing force ma-
jeure, and Knight-Seneschal Barca’s orders to justify their
absence.
Each character has the option to either kneel before the
Red Throne, or find some other way to honour him by
performing a Persuasion check (DC 12). A description
of the character’s actions that shows complete respect is
treated as a successful roll, and if they ask for the Major-
domo’s help, he will whisper corrections, offering advan-
tage to their rolls. His instructions are aimed at displaying
the highest respect possible to the Viceroy. Each success-
ful roll predisposes Volante more positively towards the
group, while each unsuccessful roll is treated as an insult
to his name.
Lord Volante himself will remain silent, but his body lan-
guage will clearly show his displeasure, if he deems their
gestures insufficient, or alternatively his satisfaction if he
is given the respect he deserves.
30
Initially, Alexandrinus will speak on behalf of the throne,
and will firmly stress the characters’ place in the city. He
will act as a mediator, attempting to aid the adventur-
ers, especially if he has garnered a positive impression of
them.
If Silas entered the city injured, Alexandrinus will briefly
mention it, as he believes it improper for the Primus to
send a Scout to the aid of the Lumens, and for him to come
back bearing wounds. He considers it their job to ensure
the Scout’s well-being, as every proper group does.
Moving forward, he will ask the adventurers how they
ended up here, and to tell the court more on the matter of
the attack. If the players are honest, it will count in their
favour to the end of gaining the Lord’s permission to stay
in the city.
If the characters willingly and respectfully offer to share
the details of their mission, Lord Volante will raise his
hand, which will be followed by the sound of the Ma-
jordomo’s staff stamping against the floor; the latter will
then call for the room to be cleared, save for the nobles
on the pulpits. This will surprise the attendants and cause
quite a bit of chatter, but in the end, they will acquiesce to
the Lord’s demands.
With an air of smug haughtiness, Lord Volante congrat-
ulates the party on being wise enough to understand
they need his unique knowledge. His monologue initial-
ly seems almost delirious, as he talks about what a great
weapon it is in the hands of the Enemy, and how much it
could change the balance of the world. Despite whatev-
er confusion his ramblings may cause, the party quickly
catches on to the meaning of his words. Lord Volante ex-
presses his fear that the Darkness has aligned itself with
a Lumen whose oracular talent is quite singular; or else,
that it has managed to find a way to emulate the prophet-
ic powers of the Lumen race. Using the Quill, they may
have access to all the Lumen prophecies that have been
recorded to date.
Then, he will ask if the party knows why the Shadows
have stolen the Quill of a Thousand Paths from the Weav-
ing Order. From the ensuing discussion – and assuming
the party succeeds at a Persuasion check (DC 16) the play-
ers find out that according to the Primus’ information, the
Shadows stole the Quill with which the Oracles wrote all
the important moments prophesized in the future.
If the group chooses to bring up the note with the ad-
dress and asks for permission to investigate (depending
on the party’s honesty on the above question), Volante’s
answer will depend on a few things. In one case, he may
give them permission to investigate, thinking that it will
alleviate any suspicion that there is a Primus citizen who
consorts with the Darkness. In the other scenario, he will
only allow them to enter if accompanied by members of
the city watch.
In the event that the players act rashly, such as by insult-
ing or provoking his wrath, then he will grant them per-
mission to stay in the city for no more than 24 hours. If
they stick around for even a moment longer, they will be
thrown into the dungeons.
The audience concludes with the Viceroy ordering his ser-
vants to provide the party with shelter and food as befits
any guest (unless they behaved in a disrespectful manner,
as described above).
Dorgo’s Street Safehouse
The house whose address is written on the note is located
on the eastern side of the city, by the commoners’ district
near the rocks on the right side of the ravine.
If the players have gotten the Viceroy’s permission they
can enter undisturbed. Alternatively, they will have to
concoct a plan to get inside without being seen. The house
is stone-wrought and low-ceilinged. Aside from two firm-
ly shut windows on the front, and a small chimney of rot-
ten wood on the roof, there is little else for the characters
to see from the outside. Inside the house lives a family of
locals, who treat our characters with excessive servility,
unless they break into the place, in which case they will
demand explanations.
The family consists of a man and a woman, dressed in
plain, frugal everyday clothes. They look almost pathet-
ic as they stand before our heroes. Based on the things
found around the house, but also off a possible conversa-
tion they might strike with the residents, the players find
that the family is in the leatherworking business. There is
also a child’s bed, but no sign of a child. With an Investi-
gation check (DC 13) the players find stoneworking tools
(a chisel, a hammer, a pickaxe, etc) , which are of course
completely unrelated to their profession, while a roll of 16
or higher will reveal a trapdoor hidden under the ashes of
the fireplace.
If the characters try other methods (Intimidation or Per-
suasion DC 15), the couple will reveal the trapdoor, and
admit – with quivering lips – that a man appeared at
their doorstep, telling them that their child had been kid-
napped. If they wanted to get their daughter back, they
were to allow the man’s associates to finish construction
of a tunnel that would lead to their house, and to never tell
anybody about it. Quinlan immediately rushes to inspect
the trapdoor. The passage is narrow and barely enough
to fit an erect human, especially someone in heavy armor.
31
If someone else insists on going in first, Quinlan will nev-
ertheless still attempt to enter the trapdoor, invoking the
need to rescue the girl and unravel the thread that has been
woven. Inside, the passage is absolutely dark. Occasional-
ly you happen upon narrow side-passages connecting to
the main one. Before they’ve gotten any further than a few
metres in, the sound of battle coming from where Quin-
lan is rouses the group to action. Before they have time to
respond and deflect the barrage of small arrows that falls
upon them, Quinlan has disappeared into the darkness.
If the players attempt to follow Quinlan or stay in the pas-
sage, they will be attacked by Dark Zealots. The tunnel
will collapse and they will have to fight to the death, as
there is no chance of escape. If any of the Dark Zealots
is taken hostage, they will confess that the Darkness has
infiltrated everything, and that they were commanded to
guard the place for anyone who might want to cross from
the Darklands into the world of light. The only other thing
they will reveal is where the tunnel ultimately leads.
In case that none of them Dark Zealots are left alive, the
characters can gather information to help them with the
case from various expects around the city who are famil-
iar with the Darklands. These experts will be able to de-
duce where the tunnel leads based on the clothing and
emblems found on the Dark Zealots.
Questions
What happened to Quinlan? Was he abducted? Did he
die? Or was this whole thing staged so that he could cross
to the other side of the tunnel?
Act No 4 – Into the Darklands
NPCs
First Lieutenant Quinlan “Brightshield” Narmer
Yejide Furaha, Outpost Chieftain
Astorian Caestus Eleth, Primus Dark Knight
Introduction
The characters have been embroiled in a very peculiar ad-
venture, which has led them on the road in an attempt
to solve the case, and exonerate themselves and their old
companion Quinlan.
Upon arriving in the Lumen capital of Nalda, the charac-
ters decide to visit their old friend and travelling compan-
ion Quinlan, who is currently serving as Lieutenant in the
executive branch. Quinlan invites them to the Headquar-
ters of the Weaving Order, where he has been stationed as
captain of the guard; he welcomes them, and shows them
around the building. Soon they are set upon by a group of
dark creatures which, after a fierce fight ensues, neverthe-
less manage to escape the city.
With the city’s endorsement, the party decides to track
these creatures down. Aided by Lieutenant Quinlan and
a Primus Scout named Silas, the party follows the trail,
which takes them to Penumbra and the lands of the Pri-
mus. They decide to rest at an inn, but they happen upon
one of the guards who was stationed at the Weaving Or-
der the day of the attack.
Before they have time to interrogate him, however, they
are beset by a pack of rabid Shadow Hounds, which burst
into the inn and start wreaking havoc. In the ensuing bat-
tle, the heroes, who are struggling to protect the civilians
while also fending off the Shadow Hounds, end up losing
the guard, and the only piece of evidence they are left with
is a note with an address written on it – an address that
points to the capital of the Primus, Routh Anem.
The characters follow the trail and travel to the Primus
capital, where they are granted an audience with the lead-
ership of the city. Afterward, they end up in the house
whose address was written on the note and discover that
the inhabitants were maintaining a tunnel under the or-
ders of a group of Dark Zealots who had kidnapped their
daughter. The heroes enter the tunnel, where a struggle
occurs, resulting in the tunnel’s collapse and Quinlan’s
disappearance.
The players will have to make the grim choice to travel
to the Darklands, to the place where they guess the Dark
Zealots used to dwell. Their objective is to find answers
regarding the Shadows, the missing child, as well as
Quinlan’s mysterious disappearance.
The Beginning of the End
The characters have left behind the unpleasant events of
Dorgo’s Street and are now heading to the borders be-
tween the civilized world and the Darklands.
The authorities of Routh Anem have supplied the party
with the necessary paperwork that will grant them access
to the Darklands. The party has also been given an abun-
dance of tips, suggestions and advice, as well as ample
provisions for the journey.
32
Finally, they have been reassured that those in charge at
the borderlands will definitely recognize the emblems and
other paraphernalia they picked up off the Dark Zealots,
as well as where they likely reside.
And so, our characters depart Routh Anem. Their desti-
nation is a small outpost to the northeast, which also hap-
pens to be the closest border to the accursed land.
If one had never been to these parts before, they would
surely think that these must be the Darklands; however,
our characters are experienced fighters and it is not their
first time approaching the dark realm. The Darkness is
thick and all-encompassing, while the only source of light
comes from the hundreds of stars that litter the dark sky.
Gradually, the cold intensifies, piercing the body like dag-
gers, and white clouds begin taking form from the breaths
of those who breathe. They cross savage, mountainous
landscapes, following a narrow trail across an increasing-
ly inhospitable realm.
Two turns of the hourglass later, the outpost begins to
emerge at the end of a hill, causing a few hopeful notes to
disrupt the suffocating bleakness of the journey.
Route A: To Camp Vidal
The group travels from Routh Anem to Camp Vidal, one
of the biggest Primus military outposts at the border. [Tra-
ditions or History (DC 13): Vidal was an old Primus gen-
eral who died in the battle for their old capital city. Thanks
to his efforts, many Primus were able to live that day. One
of the most famous Blood Princes of all time, it is said that
he was unparalleled with the sword, able to cut his foes
from afar. The DC for this check is reduced by 5 for Prim-
us characters. If a player beats the DC by 5 or more, they
also know that his body was never recovered. Survivors
of the battle spoke about a whirlwind of shadows and
blood that overtook the city before they fled. Could it be
true that he embraced the darkness to protect his people?]
While travelling to the farthest reaches of northern Pen-
umbra, it is as if the world stands still. Not a sound can
be heard except from that made by the party themselves.
Animals start growing scarcer and scarcer; the trees and
flowers have a grotesque look about them, as trees turn
black and their leaves seem to be made of ash. The tall
grass is destroyed as the party moves through, leaving
only dust behind. However, fungi have started appearing
much more frequently in these lands, untouched by dark-
ness.
Their presence allows some animals to stay in these en-
vironment. There is a battle going on in these lands, a
battle for the natural world that Fyera herself is fighting.
[Nature (DC 15): Wildlife is significantly reduced be-
cause most herbivores cannot sustain themselves on the
corrupted flora, which means that they have left for an
environment that suits them better, and so the carnivores
have followed them. However, over a small span of time
a few herbivores – mainly rodent types – have been able
to adapt their diet to sustain themselves purely on fungi,
without any apparent side effects.]
The party can push forward to Camp Vidal, which they
can reach if they exert themselves for a few hours. If they
decide to rest here instead, they can find a fungal grove
with a DC 12 Survival check. If they bring out their food
and start eating, a swarm of rodents begins circling them
for the food.
They are not harmful to the party, but they are a bit dis-
ruptive to their rest. If they do nothing, the characters
wake up with a level of exhaustion from the constant
struggle of having to keep the rodents away from their
food and other supplies. [Nature (DC 20): If they examine
a dead rodent, they will find that small fungi are growing
inside their head. It appears that the rodents who started
eating the fungi developed some sort of symbiotic bond
with them and have developed a hive mind of sorts. Who
or what controls them is another matter entirely. A sin-
gle properly cooked rodent of this kind provides enough
nourishment for a whole day.]
If they investigate around the grove (Investigation DC 12)
the party finds themselves upon a very grotesque scene:
tens of dead rodents, whose skin and fur is completely
drained of all color. Their corpses form a trail that breaks
away from their path towards Camp Vidal.
[DC 15 Erebos: This is the signature feeding style of the
Shadows they have been chasing. Could it mean that they
came this way? If you beat the DC by 5, you also real-
ize that there are between 6 to 8 Shadows travelling here,
based on the amount of corpses drained.]
[DC 12 Survival: The path formed by the drained corpses
leads deep into the mountains above Camp Vidal. Follow-
ing them might earn the party some time, but it is much
more dangerous. If you beat the DC by 5, you also find
tracks le
Route B: To the Underpass
The party keeps close to the trail they found in the grove,
and find themselves north of the camp, on the foothills of
a mountain range. There are much fewer animal corpses
in the vicinity, but a Nature check (DC 13) reveals that
the melanin has been drained from the plant life instead.
Following the drained plants once again leads the party
into the entrance of a cave that goes into the mountains. It
is a cold and humid place with numerous interconnected
tunnels.
Utilizing the sounds of the cave, ,as well as the flow of
water wherever they are lucky to see it, they can make a
Survival check (DC 13) to find an exit. In the middle of tra-
versing through the cave, they find a perfect place to rest.
If they begin to make camp, they soon realize it might not
be so perfect. Adventuring gear, along with the bones and
other body parts of dead explorers, can be seen once some
light is cast, or a character with darkvision makes some
sort of skill check to determine the safety of the area (such
as an Investigation or Perception check, with DC 12). 50
ft of rope, two grappling hooks and two potions of un-
known effect can be pillaged from the party of long-dead
adventurers.
If the party spends a short rest, they move on safely. If
they spend a long rest, they are ambushed during their
rest. The last watch needs to make a Perception check
(contested by the stealth of their enemies) to determine
their awareness.

33
After their battle with the Cimmerian Sentry Spiders, the
party [Perception DC 17] begins hearing rattling and skit-
tering sounds from the depths below as the other dark
creatures of these caves have been notified of their pres-
ence, so they must make a run for it. If they throw a light
source, they can see tens of Flesh Hunters as well as a few
Sentry Spiders making their way to their location. The
Sentry Spiders feast on some Flesh Hunters while climb-
ing. While attempting to escape, the party must quickly
decide what to take from their camp (if they laid any stuff
down) and what path to take.
A natural-made bridge extends to the east into a vast tun-
nel, otherwise they can follow one of the many smaller
tunnels to the north. The bridge takes them very close to
the Broodmother, however it also allows them to sneak
past the Centurions – and what’s more, the Flesh Hunters
dare not approach this area. The braver Flesh Hunters are
instantly devoured by the Centurions. The passive Per-
ception of the Centurions is 16. The smaller tunnels divide
the horde that is after them, but they may have to battle
some other Flesh Hunters or an additional sentry spider
before finding the exit.
They make it past the Centurions and the hordes of dark
creatures and follow brooks of shimmering water [Intelli-
gence check (DC 12) or Nature check (DC 15) to remember
the vein of Fyera they found in a previous cave. This is the
same one.] which finally leads to an exit. The party find
themselves in a very tight and asphyxiating gorge. The
path itself is 10-ft in width and extends for about 3 miles
in both directions. If they go south, they find themselves
in a forest which leads to Camp Vidal (Survival DC 14).
If they go north, they find the carcass of a Sentry Spider,
drained of its melanin, and are eventually led to a valley,
slowly leaving the mountain behind them. At the end of
the valley, atop a small hill there is a mighty fortress.
The Last Border
The outpost is quite unremarkable relative to the signifi-
cance of its purpose. To be accurate, it is little more than a
two-story wooden building that functions as a headquar-
ters; the dormitories, which extend to the west; a tiny inn
where the soldiers likely pass the time; and a cluster of
makeshift wooden fences, which provides some rudimen-
tary protection.
The overwhelming majority of the unit is made up of
mortal Primus and undead. The Avernians come second,
which seem to be a cohesive unit, with a few specific indi-
viduals standing out with the trademark aura of a veter-
an. The Draesyr present can be counted in one hand, while
none of the people you meet seems to be a Lumen.
The travelers are welcomed by Astorian Caestus Eleth, an
imposing Primus Dark Knight clad in sturdy plate mail,
who towers like a giant above the rest of the host. He de-
mands an explanation for their presence there, but once
he sees the paperwork he welcomes them to the outpost.
After a brief tour of the place, the Dark Knight allows
them to prepare for their upcoming journey. If the players
ask his help regarding the Zealot markings and the place
they are looking for, he will refer them to Yejide Furaha, a
Yildrasyr Witch Doctor who is quite knowledgeable about
the followers of the Darkness.
34
They would be wise to visit her regardless, as she will
“perform the necessary rites that will allow them to begin
their journey.”
The lower-ranking officers eventually take the party to
Yejide’s dwelling. It is a cave, almost hidden at the base of
a hill to the west, it has no door or anything of the sort to
cover it. Only a makeshift curtain made of animal leather
that is stiched together falls over the entrance.
When you enter, a warm breeze suddenly blows on your
face, filling your nostrils with a strange scent. It is the
scent of… the old, the primitive. The smell of soil, and
Mother Fyera. These rocks have never been touched by
a pickaxe. At some points, the stone was sharp, made so
by the touch of time. Runes adorned the dark grey shell,
runes and scattered ideograms.
What little light exists in the cave comes from the over-
sized skulls of some birds, the scalps of which have been
cut off, while a small lit fuse floats in fish oil.
Route A: Camp Vidal
Makeshift settlements and trenches, erected with max-
imum efficiency make up the border outposts. Signs of
light and civilization, however sparse, are there. A con-
stant struggle to maintain their position, despite countless
casualties and a general sense of gloom and despair, aptly
describes these settlements and the soldiers posted there.
What breaks the strange silence and sadness of the place
is the presence and influence of adventurers.
People of all races and lands that delve into the Dark-
lands, not out of duty – though not necessarily without it
either – but out of nostalgia for a better place, out of hope
for a better future, and a deep burning desire to make a
change. Adventurers are those whose Soulsparks burn
brightly into the dark of night. Although their being there
is disruptive, they have an effect around them that even
the faintest Soulspark among the soldiers can feel.
Of course, while the soldiers love adventuring stories,
their superiors seldom do. People of just as bright sparks,
who chose responsibility and duty over inconsequential
heroism. The borderlands are wild, they are untamed,
they are struggling. In Fyera’s darkest hours, all band to-
gether.
Places of Interest
The Central Outpost – The soldiers sleep on the sec-
ond floor of this wooden building, while the main floor
is used for storage and an office space for the scouts to
make their famous maps. Head Scout Adrian, the Captain
of the Second Order of the Border Guard, can be found
here, working deep into the night, tweaking and fixing his
maps based on what newest information was brought in
by scouting parties and adventurers. It is obvious he lacks
energy and enthusiasm when the party encounters him,
but he does not hesitate to offer what aid he can. He will
find a map to fit their needs, clear them for a few days’
worth of supplies as well as standard issue black lanterns.
The outpost has a back door leading to a makeshift clinic,
where a single Eldrasyr doctor can be found, tending to
tens of bodies alone. Most of the patients are young ad-
venturers who doubtless thought they could brave the
Darklands with sword and mettle alone.
The Clinic – Kiarra, the resident healer of Camp Vidal,
does not seem to pay any attention to the party as they en-
ter her clinic, as she is busy tending to some very particu-
lar wounds on a Lumen novice. Small golem-like creatures
made of vines and leaves can be seen moving around the
clinic, providing some aid to the patients and bringing her
whatever she needs at any moment.
As for the Lumen, his whole thorax has burst out of his
chest and is gnawing at him, and her healing spells seem
to only work temporarily. In desperation she screams at the
party to go look for a certain flower, just beyond the gate to
the Darklands, which ironically grows near corpses. [Sur-
vival or Nature (DC 15) to find this flower. If a Herbalist is
in the party, that Dc is 8.]
If they help her, she brews a concoction that puts the poor
Lumen to sleep and then approaches them. She is a very
timid middle-aged woman, with black hair and eyes that
show a profound sadness. The amount of people she has
lost to the forces of Darkness cannot be understated, and
it shows on her very Soulspark, which is a dull grey. She is
willing to accept help from anyone offering (Medicine DC
15 to provide meaningful help. If you use spell slots or con-
sumables to aid the patients then she warms up to you.) To
anyone who went to look for the flower, she gives a potion
of healing (2d8+4 hp).
To anyone who helped with the patients, she gives 1d4+2
dried berries. Each berry restores a number of hit points as
if you had spent one of your Hit Dice to heal when resting.
If they already met the adventurers at the Makeshift Tavern,
they recognize the Lumen that she must put to sleep with
the flower they found for her is the one from the adventur-
ers’ story. If they come back later, the Lumen is awake, but
delirious. He warns them that the food is full of worms, that
the beds are made of iron spikes and that the walls are filled
with eyes and fangs and claws ready to devour them. RUN!
The Makeshift Tavern – A sad tune can be heard coming
from the tavern, which is essentially a big tent filled with ta-
bles and chairs. One of the undead soldiers is singing about
bygone times, homes that are far away, and broken hearts.
Nostalgia and melancholy fill the room, but the patrons
seem to be enjoying themselves.
Among the undead and living soldiers enjoying a break
from their duties is an adventuring company, which can be
found at one of the tables. A towering Warlord whose bone
armor is as grotesque as it is exotic, with his gigantic black-
ened bone axe resting beside him. The only Lumen that can
be found in this camp, an Engineer, is sitting next to the
Warlord. And finally, as the party enters the tavern, so does
a veritable beast of a man – an Avernian with thick, grey
skin and a pair of horns coming out of his elongated, rhi-
no-like face. It is truly a rare sight to see an Avernian whose
spirit animal is so majestic and powerful. The very presence
of the adventurers inspires others to shoot for greatness. He
sits with the Warlord and the Engineer, who are playing
some sort of game of chance using dice made of bones.
If the players approach these adventurers, they are offered
to gamble. Each player stakes something of value, and the
winning party takes all. (Each character rolls a flat d20, and
the highest roll wins. A player can choose to roll Sleight of
Hand against a DC of 15 to gain advantage on the flat roll.
Other characters can contest with Insight and if the player is
caught, they suffer disadvantage on the flat roll.)
35
Yansa (Avernian Pack Alpha) puts down a strange contrap-
tion, a flare. [Academics (DC 15) to know that once lit, it cre-
ates an immense burst of light that can drive even some of
the scarier monsters roaming the Darklands. The flare lasts
for 10 rounds.]
Baku (Yildrasyr Warlord) puts down a bone dagger with a
black tip. Anyone wielding it suffers a -2 penalty on attack
rolls, but it deals 2d4+2 points of damage and successful
attacks bleed an enemy for an additional 1d4 damage.
Providence (Lumen Engineer) puts down a mechanical de-
vice that has some metallic wire spring-loaded and can be
used to create a perimeter around the sleeping party, so that
when somebody crosses the perimeter and fails their Reflex
save, they trip the wire, triggering the mechanism of the de-
vice. The device makes a lot of noise and rapidly pulls back
the wire, causing the triggering creature to take 3d6 points
of slashing damage and fall prone.
While talking with this party of veterans, the characters are
given some general advice on how to survive in the Dark-
lands, and they find out a bit of their backstory. They came
back from a trip in the Darklands with a bunch of newbies,
but at the last moment they were ambushed by Shadows;
and while an experienced adventurer knows when the
darkness is baiting them, a new one does not. They urged
the two Lumens and the Avernian to immediately head for
the camp, but they did not listen. The Avernian, and one
of the Lumens, fell to the corrupting touch of the Shadows,
while the other Lumen was violently beaten up and is now
fighting for his life at the clinic. Yansa wishes the party good
luck and tells them they should get some rest and seek the
Witch of the Cave the next day, so they can get marked and
finally leave.
The Avernian Tent – To the left of the central building, there
is a humongous circus-like tent that is filled with Avernians
of various types and looks. In direct contrast with the sad
tunes of the tavern, here only happy song and dance can
be heard and seen. If the party joins in, the Avernians glad-
ly welcome them. Spending the night here allows a player
character to lose 1 Erebos point. Also, these Avernians all
have wares to sell.
Additionally, if there’s a Pyromancer in the party and he is
friendly with them, they will give him some free explosive
devices: 1 x Mine, 2 x Flash Bombs and 4 x Vials of Adhesive
Goo.
The Witch’s Cave – A curtain covers the entrance, made of
animal leather that is stiched together. Within the cave is a
green flame that gives off a faint, dim light. If the players en-
ter, they find the old Witch carving some talismans made of
bone and leathers. The cave is surrounded by shelves filled
with strange and occult ingredients (Erebos DC 20: They are
used in prohibited magic. This DC is 10 for Witch Doctors
or other casters who can use prohibited magic). If an Inquis-
itor attempts to detect her Erebos level, all light in the cave
is suddenly snuffed out and deep darkness surrounds him
for a moment. She knows that the darkness is coming to
get her, but she will do anything in her power to help those
who opposite it until her very last moment.
If the party has Yildrasyr characters, or if they have made
an impression on her, she will offer the party protective tal-
ismans that mask their smell for two days from the various
dark monsters that rely on smell instead of sight.
 Yejide Furaha
Despite her odd manners, Witch Doctor Yejide is
otherwise hospitable and friendly. Her aura, the
way she speeks and her manners hint at something
dark and otherworldly, yet at the same time she
treats the travellers as a mother would her child on
its first day at school.
She will answer all the characters’ questions in her
own way, after learning their names and mission
first.
Based on the emblems they show her and their
descriptions of the Zealots, she responds with con-
fidence as to the path they must follow. They be-
long to a team of renegades, men and women who
embraced their dark side and found themselves
under the sway of the darkness. They were forced
to move to the Darklands as there was no place
for them behind the borders, and it was there that
they fully lost themselves, in service of the Dark
Apostles. Their headquarters was right over the
mountains (which explains the tunnels) in an old
abandoned Primus building which, four hundred
years ago (when it was built) used to serve as the
primary facility that “cared” for those who had lost
their minds.
Nevertheless, she is perplexed, as these places
had been cleared by expeditions that she herself
had participated in a few years ago. As far as she
knows, only a handful of Yormoths (Flesh Hunters)
now wander those parts, but it is something worth
investigating all the same.
Thankfully, the place is quite close, situated before
the Cressets of Vigil, and therefore the odds of sur-
vival are quite high.
She asks them to give some of their blood so that
the necessary spells can be cast. This is something
that everyone who seeks to cross the borderlands
goes through. In case the players wonder what
this blood tribute is about, she informs them that a
small portion of that blood goes to the Blood Mages,
which allows them to verify that it is indeed them
upon their return. Another portion of the blood is
used by Yejide herself, allowing her to sense if your
life-thread is cut while beyond the borders. Yejide
casts the necessary spells, mixing the characters’
blood with various other ingredients in a stone
bowl, and marks your foreheads with her bloodied
fingers.
If the players are cooperative and friendly towards
her, and assuming there is at least one Draesyr
present, Yejide will grab a handful of soil from the
earth, plunge it in some entrails of unknown origin
that are hanging somewhere nearby and blow it off
her palm in frotn of each one of the characters.
If the players let her, they will see the soil fly off
her hand as if it were dust, and stick to their bodies
through some magical means. They gain a “crust of
skin” made of mud.
With a successful Erebos Lore check (DC 15) the
players know that this spell masks their scent and
acts as a means of warding off the Flesh Hunters
who dwell in the area, since they have no eyes, but
rather use scent and hearing to track down their
prey.
36
The characters can also learn this piece of informa-
tion by asking the Witch, who adds that they would
be well advised to try to remain unseen as much as
they can, and to avoid any and all battles if possi-
ble.
With these words of advice, the players depart her
cave, and are ready to cross the walls that lead to
the Darklands, and the place they are looking for.
Requiem
Leaving Camp Vidal behind them, the party slowly be-
gins to make their way into the Darklands. Moving past
the corpse-filled trenches, those with a brighter outlook
on life might find their willpower sapping away as they
must walk on corpses to even begin their journey. Crushed
bones, flayed skin, and desecrated bodies of all races litter
this mass grave.
Following the map given to them by the Lieutenant Scout,
they find themselves awfully close to a swamp that reeks
of sulfur. Bellowing roars from deep within might deter
the party from moving closer. To their right, they can see a
forest in the distance, the trees of which have no leaves and
have trunks in the shape of crucified bodies. Their branch-
es moving in the wind, they have face-like hollows that
scream deep into the night.
If the party moves closer to investigate, they find the bod-
ies of adventurers hanging from the tree branches, put up
as warnings and reminders of where they are. The grass
below the trees has turned into a deep crimson colour due
to the blood that was drained from the corpses. An Inves-
tigation check (DC 14) reveals to the party a few corpses
whose melanin has been drained. Following these corpses
leads to the foothills of a mountain. They can go through
the mountain by entering the gorge that precedes it, or fur-
ther investigate the swamp on their left.
Circling the Mountain: This is the path of least resistance.
A few Flesh Hunters gang up on the party before they can
see the Fortress of Gor’akk with their own eyes, but other-
wise nothing of note happens.
Through the Gorge: This is the quickest path to the for-
tress. However, they are attacked from above by two Cim-
merian Sentry Spiders (look below for statistics). They first
use their umbral webbing to pull one or two enemies to
their side before engaging the rest of the party. They can
find Flesh Hunter remains further ahead, probably the din-
ner of the Sentry Spiders.
The Mysterious Swamp: The most dangerous and least
effective path. A sentient, carnivorous plant lives at the
centre of the swamp and its influence and reach extend
throughout its entirety. The party can constantly see vines
and roots moving about where they shouldn’t, shadows
slithering in the corner of their eye.
To reach the island at the centre of the swamp, they must
go through the boggy water. Doing this without some sort
of boat or shaft is borderline suicidal.
The Fortress of Gor’Akk the Ravenous
In the distance, the party can see for the first time in hours
or days the lanterns of their allies. The fortress before
them was built by a very famous Warlord, who wished
not only to tame the Darklands, but indeed to conquer
them. For a very short time, he had dark creatures enlist-
ed in his warbands, before they inevitably betrayed him
and feasted upon his body [Traditions of History (DC 14)].
His tribe was either completely annihilated, or perhaps a
worse fate befell them.
Nearing the fortress, the party can see silhouettes by the
door as well as windows. In total, 8 undead guards are
keeping watch for the night. If the guards are approached
peacefully, they will inquire about the party’s business,
but will not put up much resistance in their requests for
shelter or information. If the party attacks, then it becomes
a combat encounter.
They are invited into the fortress and are shown to a vast
dining room filled with food. They are left to their own
devices to eat and discuss. After a while, Chief Herbalist
Nyela appears in the room and explains how they came
upon this fortress and why it is important to occupy it. She
explains that she is part of a scouting expedition meant
to update maps as well as create lines of communication
with Camp Vidal and the rest of the border settlements,
as well as between adventuring parties. It is a huge oper-
ation whose ultimate goal is to create the conditions that
will allow them to push the Cressets even further into the
Darklands.
[She shows them where the soldiers would sleep if they
were alive, and leaves them to rest. If they decide to sleep
with no watch, during the night they are restrained and
taken to the underground jail. An opposed Perception
check at disadvantage is required to notice the attempt
to imprison them, and a Constitution save (DC 14) is re-
quired to avoid the effects of the poison they are hit with.]
If they decide not to rest, they are not ambushed, but
they may make the same Perception check to notice the
attempt to ambush and poison them as they release some
spores in the room that release poisonous gases. Moving
out from the room, they encounter four guards (two melee
and two ranged) who begin to show their true forms to
the party. As their forms begin to shift to faceless cloaked
figures, the state of the fortress itself begins to rapidly de-
grade. The floor begins to crack, the stairs break apart and
debris falls from the ceiling. A Reflex save (DC 14) negates
2d8 bludgeoning damage every 1d4 rounds. The Harvest-
ers move to attack the party, and within their shadowy
cloaks, the party can see the tortured faces of their previ-
ous victims. After they defeat them and move to the base
floor, 2 more guards await along with the supposed Chief
Herbalist Nyela. She creates one Necrotic Cystflower to
delay the party and moves into her study. Following her to the study, they find an open passage to
an underground lair filled with prison cells that are so
Velvet Cystflower: This red seed blossoms into a medi- tight that the prisoners cannot freely move, but their flesh
um-sized flower in a square adjacent to you, whose petals and bones are rubbed against the old stone walls, rend-
have various velvet undertones and constantly seem to ing them in the process. This agonizing procedure does
be dripping a crimson liquid. At the end of each of your not allow them to sleep, nor is it painful enough to fully
turns, this flower can make a ranged attack against a crea- stay awake. They drift between consciousness and uncon-
ture with an attack bonus of +6. If successful, it spits a sciousness. Attempting to communicate with one of them
velvety acid at your enemies, melting their skin. The at- riles them up, as more and more prisoners scream and
tack deals 3d4 points of necrotic damage and a creature beg for the quick release of death. There are 12 prisoners
covered by the acid takes 3 additional damage at the end in total, of which the 8 scream for a merciful death from
of the Herbalist’s turn. It takes an action and a Medicine the party. Three of them are undead guards in disguise
check (DC 15) to wipe it off your skin. and the last one is Quinlan. The Herbalist is nowhere to
be seen.
37
Quinlan is standing proudly, parts of his armor being
crushed into his body due to the lack of space in the cell.
Barely able to speak, he decides that the party is an illu-
sion and spits at them, hurling insults their way. The par-
ty must find a way to prove to Quinlan that they are here
to save him. That said, if they just break open the door and
carry him outside, Quinlan does not have the strength to
resist. If they give him healing items such as dried berries,
he requires about 40 hit points to reach his maximum, but
if 20 hit points are healed he is able to walk and run with
no penalty.
[If the party was kidnapped, they find themselves in the
cells and are still able to communicate with Quinlan. It is
almost impossible to break open a cell door due to the po-
sition of their bodies. Every hour trapped this way deals
1d4 points of piercing damage. Every day spent there
causes one exhaustion level. However, while brute force
from the inside of the cell is not effective, finesse and mag-
ic is the way to go. Sleight of Hand, Acrobatics followed
by an attack or a magic spell should be enough to break
open the cell with a DC of 15 to 18, depending on your
desired difficulty.]
Once they make their way to the base level of the Fortress
again, the whole place is twisted and turned into a ruinous
relic of the past. The walls are broken apart, the furniture
has rotten away and the Harvesters that were defeated are
slowly rising back to “life”. The party can attempt to stop
this procedure (Erebos Lore DC 16: Their cloak must be
burnt away and their weapons somehow destroyed).
Outside the fortress, the entire area is much more sinister
than before. The wind seems to carry some dark and ma-
levolent whispers with it. Once they are out the door, the
Herbalist appears once again as her form begins to shift
as well, and as her illusion wears off, so does the illusion
surrounding the castle.
38
The Fortress itself is but a remnant of what it was while
the illusion persisted, casting a dark shadow on the valley
before it. Every light source is extinguished and the valley
itself gathers a poisonous and gaseous wind. It becomes
hard to breathe. A stable next to the Fortress has 1d4 sick-
ly undead horses that can be ridden with a successful Ere-
bos Lore check followed by a Nature check (both DC 13).
Once the party begins to make their escape, with Quinlan
behind them, they can hear the sounds of a chariot mov-
ing closer and closer. As they make their way towards the
mountain, their horses, one by one, begin to fall apart into
pieces. Those left behind can slowly see the chariot, with
a hooded figure atop it. The creatures moving the char-
iots are humanoids, previous adventurers now turned
into slaves of the dark forces. As Quinlan’s horse also be-
gins to fall in the distance, the party holds their ground
as Quinlan slowly fades from sight. The Saint of Deceit
commends them on their bravery, as everything turns to
pitch black darkness.
The Lumen Jury that were witnessing these events are
forcefully ejected from the vision. A sinister whisper is all
that lingers on their mind: “Thank you for your service,
soldiers of the light.”
Questions
Was that indeed Quinlan, or was he just a trick of the
mind, along with the other prisoners?
Did he die fighting in the tunnel, or was he an ally of the
Darkness from the start?
Did he lead his companions through this entire journey
with the intent to kill them, or was he simply never even
there, and it was a dark, malevolent being instead, pulling
strings as it lured these unfortunate adventurers to their
doom?
 Author : Little Mike

Co - Authors :
Dimokritos Saloustros
John Rodis
George Kanatelias

Contributors :
Nikos Kastrinakis
Andreas Vourdoumpas

Soulmist: Time of Judgement is a Quickstart Reference & a free to play Open Beta Adventure.
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39
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through the use of the Open Gaming License, Version 1.0a. This ma-
terial is being released using the Open Gaming License Version 1.0a
and you should read and understand the terms of that license before
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The text of the Open Gaming License itself is not Open Game Content.
Instructions on using the License are provided within the License it-
self.
The following items are designated Product Identity, as defined in
Section 1(e) of the Open Game License Version 1.0a, and are subject
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Content: Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon
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Ysgard, Ever Changing Chaos of Limbo, Windswept Depths of Pan-
demonium, Infinite Layers of the Abyss, Tarterian Depths of Carceri,
Gray Waste of Hades, Bleak Eternity of Gehenna, Nine Hells of Baa-
tor, Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus,
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yuan ti.
All of the rest of the SRD5 is Open Game Content as described in
Section 1(d) of the License. The terms of the Open Gaming License
Version 1.0a are as follows:
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and
is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights
Reserved.
1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trade-
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processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody
the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any
additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the
Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including
translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifical-
ly excludesProduct Identity.
(e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names,logos
and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures char-
acters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents,
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ical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic de-
signs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly iden-
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which specifically excludes the Open GameContent; (f) “Trademark”
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Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products
contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”,
“Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, mod-
ify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game
Content. (h) “You”
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that
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Used under and in terms of this License.
40
You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use.
No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as
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applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indi-
cate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
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free, non exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use,
the Open Game Content.
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original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your
Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient
rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
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NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPY-
RIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modi-
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in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as
expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the own-
er of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Prod-
uct Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge
to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product
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8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must
clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing
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Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License
with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
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Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You
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12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any
of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open
Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regu-
lation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail
to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30
days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive
the termination of this License. Reformation: If any provision of this
License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed
only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000,
Wizards of the Coast, LLC.
System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the
Coast,
Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney
Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cor-
dell, Chris
Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary
Gygax and Dave Arneson.
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