“Now, I agree that while this might be an unsatisfactory story, it remains the most famous of Viola Lembi’s career. I prefer to tell it as a reminder that one needn’t accomplish epic deeds to be remembered. But, perhaps a tale more attention grabbing then? Of backstabbing adventurers, driven by greed to their own doom. This, friends, is a tale of the Fingers In Ice; a known, yet unknown collective of cutthroat treasure hunters. And one unlucky innocent.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 11/11/24
“Jiang Dun was a humble baker; a gnome who never got up to much of note. She was satisfied to operate and manage the ancestral bakery as her family had done for generations before, training her apprentice, and believing that the bloodline ended with her and her lack of desire to find a partner. One day, in her second year, she received a letter. All gilded and ostentatious, with no details other than a time and place: 27 Rosette Way, Diadem, Nuvain. One month. 5pm.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 12/11/24
“Now, like a lot of the Gnomish folk, Jiang possessed a curiosity beyond most others. So given the mysterious missive, she handed the bakery over earlier than planned, and took her savings on a ship bound to cross the Yanade Ocean, with the continent of Sou’je as its destination. With luck at her side, she managed the trip through to Nuvain with a day to spare. It seems that the letter writer had anticipated the journey’s length. Now to find the meeting place.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 13/11/24
“Locals will know that the Diadem district are where the richest and most self-important live, and the address listed lived up to that expectation. A far cry from the usual places known to a humble baker. Inside, an eclectic gathering of folks from all over, of all races and creeds, all worn in the open. When Jiang entered, presenting the invitation, all discussion stopped as the guests noticed the stranger among them. Suddenly, a bell rang from within.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 14/11/24
“The gathered attendees moved further in, ignoring Jiang. Who of course, followed. Before them was a lavish banquet table, and an impeccably dressed Tiefling man. He gestured widely to the table, and spoke.
‘Friends, it is my honour to present the first EVER retirement dinner of the illustrious Fingers In Ice.’
The crowd murmured and gasped in shock. The man went to continue, but faltered, noticing Jiang.
‘Ah, but it appears not all of us are well acquainted, no?’”
#Bardvember #Lore24 15/11/24
“The man gave an elaborate bow.
‘I am Sirmeros Albez, Director of the Adventuring Troupe known as the Fingers In Ice.’
A few people chuckled at the obvious joke.
‘And you, my dear?’
Jiang hesitated briefly before replying nervously.
‘Well Jiang,’ the man continued ‘your good fortune brings you here with us today for my retirement. Normally, the way one becomes Director is to kill the previous one. But you all, not one, could ever get me.’
The smug grin was obvious.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 16/11/24
“He continued. ‘As a token of my appreciation for your ineptitude, each of you will receive a gift from my treasury. IF you can find it.’
He snapped his fingers, and one of his servants distributed an envelope to each guest in turn, including Jiang.
‘What you have there is a rough map to where you will find your treasure. Find it, then you may return here to have it unsealed. Now, knowing you, I have put no restriction on who claims what, so take what you can!’”
#Bardvember #Lore24 17/11/24
“‘Ah, with two exceptions. Skarde, and Jiang. If you kill anyone you forfeit, and if anyone kills either of them, you also forfeit. Bounties will be placed on the offender’s head. Clear?’
He pointed towards an imposing Goliath man who looked disappointed at the statement, as well as Jiang. All eyes turned, as if considering her in a new, and troubling light.
‘But please, be seated, and the banquet shall begin!’
With a clap, food and drink appeared out of thin air.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 18/11/24
“‘Please enjoy, but first: a toast!’
Sirmeros raised a glass, joined by many of the guests.
‘May we all get exactly what we deserve; and no less.’
His smirking face was the last thing Jiang saw before a sudden cracking noise filled the room and the world went pitch black. The sounds of commotion and noise drowned the senses as she could feel people moving around her.
And then, the darkness lifted. Sirmeros lay facedown in his soup, a dagger in his back.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 19/11/24
“Before Jiang could register much of her surroundings, a small chaos broke out. Arguments and declarations that someone or another has been the one to strike the fatal blow; small scuffles and skirmishes between others with curious or anticipatory onlookers.
‘HEY!’ A loud shout brought the room to a still.
‘Go ahead.’ Skarde, who had called the attention gave the serving attendant the floor.
‘Thank you. As I was trying to say, Master Albez prepared for this.’”
#Bardvember #Lore24 20/11/24
“‘The Master’s instructions were that, in the event of his early demise, the person who retrieved the most items and had them successfully authenticated would become his rightful successor.’
There was a pause as the crowd took this information in, then a mad scramble for the exits as the greed fever took over.
‘You.’ A voice spoke, startling Jiang. Skarde stood in front of her.
‘Your artifact is also in the Brightfields, no? Mine too. Let us work together.’”
#Bardvember #Lore24 21/11/24
“Even if it was all a joke, that amount of people was enough to make Jiang nervous, so she agreed. Skarde nodded stoically and gestures for her to follow as he left the hall. Upon their exit, her withdrew a scroll from his pack, and unfurled it.
‘What’s that for?’ Jiang asked him.
‘Safe passage. It’s a favour owed.’ He replied.
Muttering arcane words, the scroll burned in his hands and a golden shimmer appeared in.
‘Come.’ was all he said, and Jiang followed.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 22/11/24
“With a single step that felt like stumbling, Jiang crossed through the hole in reality. From evening in Nuvain to the surreal sunshine of the Brightfields, Jiang’s stomach took a moment to settle. Skarde had already started walking, leading her to run to catch up.
‘Yes?’ He asked.
‘Um, I’m not really an adventurer or anything, so I was wondering if you could help?’
With a sigh and a grunt. Skarde picked Jiang up and sat her on his shoulder, to compare maps.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 23/11/24
“Now here I must apologise, as I have been sworn to secrecy by my lord to not reveal the exact details, but the pair each needed to handle a task of importance before they would be allowed to leave with their respective prizes. Rules of the Fey can be quite troublesome to deal with, but it’s worse to break them. Regardless, with Skarde’s help, Jiang managed to retrieve her assigned treasure: A horn that gave her claws of a bear, and made her invisible in low light.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 24/11/24
“Skarde’s treasure proved useful as well, as it wielded the power of planar travel. He seemed disappointed, as Jiang suspected he would have preferred something more lethal.
Now, some of our patrons here might know this, but the flow of time between here and the Brightfields isn’t always consistent. So when he and Jiang arrived back at Nuvain, she was shocked to learn that a year had passed in the week they had been gone. The two made their way back to the estate.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 25/11/24
“The servant answered the door and allowed them entry. While they made their way through the house, being led to a subterranean chamber, they learned that the survivors of the gathering, for there had been many conflicts, had already had their prizes authenticated. The last remaining were in their hands, and the contest could not be declared until then.
Inside the room, a large crystal stood on a pedestal, with the corpse of Sirmeros laid in a coffin underneath.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 26/11/24
“‘If you would, please place your item next to the Authenticator Gem, so that we can release it to you, and declare the winner of the contest.’
Jiang stepped forward, uncomfortable around the corpse, but Skarde remained stationary.
‘Sir?’ the servant asked, sounding a little impatient.
‘Come and take it.’ was all Skarde said.
Having become accustomed a bit to her companion, Jiang walked over to him to try and comfort any fears. He just looked at her, bemused.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 27/11/24
“‘You take it.’ He grunted, handing over the miniature chair model. Jiang asked if he was sure, which Skarde only responded to with a nod.
She was swiftly ushered to the Gem’s side, and placed the chair next to her horn. The two glowed and elevated from the pedestal. Suddenly, a raspy laugh came from the corpse. Raspy at first, but strengthening as the decay reversed, and Sirmeros started to float out of the coffin, looking younger by the second.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 28/11/24
1/2
“‘Trap!’ Skarde yelled, dashing forward. He grabbed Jiang and leapt clear as a blast of magic scorched the ground where she had been a moment before. The servant cursed, and the pieces filled in. There was never meant to be a winner. Each of the items, while useful in their own right, could combine to resurrect, and rejuvenate Sirmeros. Any who returned would be killed to keep the secret.
But Jiang made a mistake. She broke free and grabbed her earned horn.
‘No!’”
#Bardvember #Lore24
2/2
“In a blinding flash, she was flung against the wall, and knocked unconscious.
She awoke, struggling to move, feeling so very tired. Rolling over, she saw herself somehow, giant and confused. The other Jiang came over to her, and picked her up. It was hard to look around, but she saw herself in an unfamiliar body, and two infants struggling in puddles of clothing.
‘Jiang? Are you in there?’ The other Jiang asked.
She tried to reply, but couldn’t form words.”
#Bardvember #Lore24 29/11/24
1/2
“Frustrated, Jiang nodded. She even tried pointing to herself and to the double, who thankfully seemed to get the message.
‘I think I understand what happened, if not how. One moment.’ The other Jiang placed her down, fetched a knife from one of the piles of clothes, and plunged it into the hearts of the other two infants before picking her up again.
‘That handles Sirmeros and his butler. Lucky you were here. It’s Skarde, but I guess you are now, and I’m Jiang.’”
“‘If you gnomes weren’t born as adults, we would be in worse trouble. And since I’ve killed Sirmeros, I suppose I’m the Director. So much for that so-called competition.’
Skarde smiled, using Jiang’s face.
‘You have a much longer life ahead than you had, and I have no idea how to reverse it. Let me train you, so that you might inherit this position when you grow up, and I reach the end of your lifespan. We both have a lot to learn about how to be us again.’”
#Bardvember #Lore24 30/11/24
1/2
“And so here ends the tale of Skarde Nuvain, Director of the Fingers in Ice, a treasure hunter group that certainly doesn’t exist, and how he learned to be a successful leader and fighter beyond reproach thanks to his instructor and right-hand, Jiang Twiceborn. Jiang, who as far as records show, lived longer than any Gnome, but was nothing more than a simple baker.
Or so the story goes, anyway…
If you appreciated these tales tonight, please tip your serving staff!”
The three biggest cultural advances? First, there’s the diversification of the arts in Muchen after the collapse of the Opera House and rebuilding efforts, allowing the furthering and growth of alternate performing art forms.
Second, there’s creation of the Omens Of The End card game by Cliffdive of Nonjasseum. A collectable card game with a fun playstyle.
And third, I would say the development of Wichi as a getaway town for those interested in the romantic pursuits.
I suppose this one depends on what you would consider “not meant to meddle with”. Anyone who serves The Voices should raise a few eyebrows. Some would also question the reinvestment of manasteel coming from the mining of Nuvain to be included in that, considering the town history or world history. I think the less obvious answer though would be people who insist on trying to investigate Lym. Anything that’s trying to keep you away that much can’t be good…
Obtaining cursed, yet powerful artifacts mostly depends on your desired effort, and preferences. If you weren’t attached to “sword” specifically, it’s relatively easy. You would just need to steal it from the captain of the Nuvain Night Watch, difficulty 5/10. Or you could become a Cursebearer, if your will is strong enough to resist the Midasean curse, at a 3/10.
Sword specifically though? There’s rumours of a gladiatorial prize that would count. 8/10 at a minimum…
So for simplicity’s sake, I’ve been keeping the ancestry names the same as expected, to guide some of the mental shortcutting. But as each will be different to the “normal” versions, I will be rebranding them for the collected edition.
Dwarf - Shojai
Elf - Saelam
Gnome - Djagun
Goblin - Zjagon
Aarakocra - Torito
Warforged - Dunbow
Kobold - Fasidi
Genasi - Saffardi
Kenku - Kuzoku
Centaur - Kifardi
Dragonborn - Taniin
Plasmoid - Ingune
Autognome - Jiyi
Orc - Jashidi
Tiefling - Ortusi
Aasimar - Kadensi
Halfling - Orjasa
Half Orc - Orshada
Half Elf - Kalaemo
Human - Kashojo
Goliath - Katono
Tortle - Rasudo
Eladrin - Ela’adun
Fairy - Fa’ari
Tabaxi - Tobakksi
These names will go into effect after the year’s end, to coincide with planned mechanical updates.
There’s actually quite a few to choose from, depending on where in the world you want to be or be from, or what background you envision, or even what class you want to play!
From the gladiatorial stables of Nonjasseum, the bandit gangs of Danis, Queensguard of Dun, mobs of Inssè, the cults of Aguè, the merchants and pirates of Port Pinako, the plethora of guilds of Nuvain, or even the treasure hunting Fingers In Ice.
And that’s just the start; there’s plenty of choice!
Ah, an age-old philosophical question. Popular theory suggests the former, that Mother and Father came to the place where #Matea was made, and worked on it together before creating Daughter, Sister, and Brother as their domains became necessary. However, there is a belief out there that posits the latter as the true origin; that mortal kind were the originators, creating the Divinities from their own needs and desires via prayer. This is a fringe belief however.
The funny thing is, that the Divinities have done all these at one point! First, they would intervene, being directly involved with the lives they’ve created and nurtured. Then, there was the Family War which I believe counts as a disaster. Following the War, the Divinities retreated from the world, only maintaining contact through their priests. In the aftermath of the Fall, they sent avatars to bestow the Divine Shards to mortalkind. Since, they are content to observe.
As is the way of mortalkind, each citizen would likely raise the flag of their home city as the greatest, due to a sense of tribalism and national pride. But there are legitimate contenders for that throne, if you put personal feeling aside. First, you have Dun. Former afterthought, it was the city that got dealt the luckiest hand after the Fall, owing to the nearby crash of Silwa’na. Others would posit Nuvain; an impressive city built on, and with the blessings of a hero.
If you value a sword as your weapon of choice, and fancy pursuing a legend in the hopes of obtaining something unique and powerful, your first port of call would likely be Nonjasseum. Not only is it a city dedicated to gladiators and other warriors, it boasts a community of retirees of the arena who may or may not have tales to tell of their prior exploits. What better place to learn of a legend than FROM a legend?
The dolphinfolk of Gomun once hosted the most renowned magical academy of all of #Matea, taking in students from all over the world. Since Rakhada’s Folly, they have exiled all visitors, and maintained a radio silence with land dwellers, refusing to make contact. Some suspect the city has fallen to some catastrophe, but are unable to communicate.
And though sapience is questionable now, rumours persist of survivors of the Gunsul Citadel, twisted by the oceanic depths.
Both the fishing and mining industries are impacted by circumstantial wildlife, but not severely enough to halt them. Mining has fallen off with the drop of technology level due to the Fall, but fishing remains the same. Of course, you still have to check walls for Mites as you dig, you still have to be wary of Saylen while trawling for freshwater horses, the worms, the sharks, and all manner of mundane creatures. It’s simply a known occupational hazard.
The common belief is that when Mother and Father made the first mortals, they bestowed the gift of language, leading to Dwarves developing the Common tongue. This broke off into Elvish, Gnomish, and Goblin. The Genasi pioneered the Elemental tongue, while Kobolds invented Kobold. While Dragonborn took Kobold for their own, Orcs developed it into Orcish.
Tieflings and Aasimar worked their native tongue into the derivatives of Infernal and Celestial.
Once upon a time, during the Family War, such a feat would have been possible, with the rift to Ta’terra allowing Maag’s forces to walk the lands of #Matea. Since then, the gate has been sealed. There is no Heaven equivalent; walkable or otherwise.
While this wasn’t part of the question specifically, traversal to the elemental planes can be done on foot. They’re each complicated in their own way, but it’s doable.
I think that the end of the world was depicted quite differently before the Fall. Perhaps a climate disaster like an eternal ice age. Since, though, I think people would worry about the same thing happening again, with destruction raining down from the sky, as essential structure literally melts away. It all gets very existential and body horror, so best left to vagaries that echo the moments of apocalyptic aftermath.
A lot of the big settlements are divided by ocean, which makes traversal solely by foot a little difficult. But not all. To walk from Nuvain to Umpton, for example is a journey of about 3 weeks for the average traveler. Hiring riding crabs can reduce that safely to 1 week, or 3 days at top speed, if you were to push them to their limits.
At the height of magitech advancement, the journey would’ve taken under three hours by crabless wagon.
The Tabaxi, and subsequently the Brightfields, the Nowhere Between, the Eladrin and the Fairyfolk, are connected to #Matea and exist solely because of folklore. Outside of that however, there has been some establishment of folktales because of existing phenomena or creatures, but mostly as a way of explaining or warning. The same way mothers would warn children of dark forests, or you hear a “friend of a friend” play around with mirrors by candlelight.
The most common crop of food is corn, making it a staple across the world. But it’s not an exclusive commodity. Different regions have their strengths and environmental differences, leading to the development of a variety of crops for the population to foster. Rice is second on the list, followed by soybeans, and barley.
The dietary variety keeps growing when you start adding different types of food, of course, but that is a list too long to add.
Technically, the answer to this is both yes and no simultaneously. Rakhada’s Folly sent the technological level of #Matea back to a level unseen by most of the living races. While scavenging ruins helped bolster the early days of rediscovery, it’s been a hard journey to slowly claw the way back up that mountain, and the world is far from where it was. Imagine if you were suddenly sent back in time to, essentially, the Stone Age; how well could you adapt?
There are three types of lies: Conflablated, Revisionist, and Retroactive. The first, dealing with false memory and the “decay” of oral history mostly covers the smaller aspects of life before the proliferation of the written word. Revisionistic lies are those concerning the expansion and development of particular empires and regions, and how they were definitely easy and not at all horrible war crimes. Retroactive lies are largely now true Tabaxi origin stories.
The current Colosseum Champion is Tavdan Springcourt, an Eladrin ranger and scout. Their mobility and fighting style has confounded many combatants of the more usual frontline methodology. Though some people make arguments for some of the enforcers working in the gangs of Agùe, given their constant need to assert domain of their leaders resulting in more frequent clashes to build their experience. The choice then is one of preference of notoriety and fame.
For studying the physiology, scholars of Beastology recommend the Refuse Elementals you might encounter in the larger cities or perhaps the Crystal Beast of Bul-Ji-Ma. Personal safety and sense of preservation recommended. For the more metaphysical elements, scholars caution to recommend visits to Cinera or Lym, as their danger levels are not fully explored. Safest suggestion was to explore tales of the Maiden of Ice of Wichi.
Above all, stay safe.
One of the first design ideas for this challenge was actually trying to transpose the published campaigns into #Matea for ease of DM usage.
With that in mind:
•Hoard of the Dragon Queen/The Rise of Tiamat - Paana-Dûl
•Princes of the Apocalypse/Out of the Abyss - Gunsul
•Curse of Strahd - Prison Island of Dosoga
•Storm King’s Thunder - Junalla
•Tales from the Yawning Portal - Dun
•Tomb of Annihilation - Pobari Desert
•Waterdeep: Dragon Heist/Dungeon of the Mad Mage - Danis
•Ghosts of Saltmarsh - Port Pinako
•Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus - Inssè and Aguè
•Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden - Chidabo
•Candlekeep Mysteries - Gomun
•Wild Beyond the Witchlight - The Brightfields
•Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk - Gylead
It’s always a risk that when you delve deeper into any pursuit, you become more consumed by it. But this is more of a present danger with those of the Mutable Soul. Some find their forms restrictive, and the freedom gained by assuming an alternative form addictive in a way, eventually losing themselves as the magic takes hold firmer. Some find the balance of controlling multiple options too hard, and loosen their grip, becoming a loose fusion of all they know.
Most of the technological advancements have been alternate ways of doing things that were done before the Fall, but without the functionality of manasteel. The three biggest innovations have been the cultivation of the crab as a household animal, the recreation of long haul ship hulls, and the harnessing of gas power in the capital of Dun. The system is still relatively new and not without safety concerns, and is dependent on natural pockets.
Ooh, that is an interesting question. On one hand, Dun is the closest to “modern” standards of living, given its bounty of post-Fall recovery efforts. But on the other, Nuvain is such a unique place, it’s hard to find reasons against it. So the question is if you want to get as close to your usual life as possible, or if you want to go as far in the opposite direction as you can. On the whole, I think I’d go for Nuvain. Living on a giant statue? How good!?
Farmstones is about the closest comparison, though it much more resembles Go than Chess. Originating from a child not realising the stones on a rough map were for marking property boundaries and planting furrows, the game slowly caught on among the working folk until it was popularised by the nobility, viewed as an aspirational skill. During #Matea’s height, people shared (with little success) their ideas of customisation and variant rules via wireless communities.
Of the two, the Divinities of #Matea better resemble the Greek pantheon than the Roman, but it’s still lacking as a comparison. Students of religion typically agree that the universe existed before Father’s arrival to the space where He would start his work, but the world did not. After several failed attempts, Mother came to offer aid, resulting in the current incarnation of the world. So in a sense, it is both Creatio ex nihilo and Creatio ex materia simultaneously.
Yang Chunaal was born to Ren and Sun Chunaal in the usual fashion. He expressed an interest early in the hospitality industry, which disappointed his father, Ren, who had hoped Yang would follow his footsteps as a hunter. At two months old, he picked up a part-time job at the Apex Resort bar, learning the trade. On his first birthday, he applied for the position of the prestigious Stargazer Hotel in Wichi, and was surprised to be hired for the role.
A week later, he met Mo Muchen, a fellow gnome on her dream vacation. The two hit it off almost instantly, and were wed a month later. The pair even had a daughter, who they named Yao. On a trip between Wichi and Chunaal, to source a shipment of wine, Yang was caught in a blizzard, losing the path. Luckily, he was rescued by a kind lady who was in the area exercising her crab. Unfortunately, the lady turned out to be the Maiden of Ice, and Yang was devoured.
#Matea started as a vague image of what would be the Citadels falling from the sky as calamity rained down. D&D 5th Edition provides a good skeleton to build from, but I feel that “sword & sorcery” is a little too limiting. So I borrowed elements of the aesthetics from the formative RPGs of my youth: Final Fantasy 6-9. The advanced society of Esthar from 8 fits pre-Fall Matea, while Lindblum and Vector fit the most advanced levels afterwards.
I would ask what is Wizardly Magic if not Folk Magic that’s been written down and then practiced over and over? They each draw from Mother’s Weave; the arcane web that makes contact with every aspect of #Matea, and which was Her contribution to the creation of the world. I think the biggest differential factor is scale. Folk Magic, I believe, works mostly on mundane or small things. Conversely, Scholar Magic concerns itself with the grander aspects.
Biologically, each of the races of #Matea go through adolescence, except the Gnomes, who are born fully mature and the Warforged, Plasmoids, and Autognomes, who are created rather than born. As for the specific “teenage” mindset, the lineage of Goblins have a strict child/adult delineation, which carries on through the bloodline. With those exceptions mentioned, “teenagers” exist in the other heritages across the world.
Shards System