Shattered Norns Supplement -- Background /Setting
Copyright 1992 by Stephen R. Marsh
ISLES OF THE TRIAD
--THE SECOND ISLAND
I. INTRODUCTION
The second island of the triad is shaped like a backwards
"L." The up stroke is tilted 10o to the right of a north/south
('d/lae) line. The base stroke goes west and up about 10o of the
east/west (T'/Sia) line. The base is approximately 300 miles
(500 kilometers), the up approximately 280 miles (467 kilometers)
in length. The Island is approximately 46,000 square miles.
II. BASIC GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS AND AREAS
Beginning at the surface, the strata are arrayed as follows:
sandstone (with some shale); limestone and dolomite; bituminous
shale and slate; granite, quartz and taconite; slate (with some
quartz), hessile, pentlandite and chromite; continental plate.
The lowest strata is quite deep.
The top of the up stroke is some forty miles wide at its
narrowest part (the rounded top) and slowly swells out to a width
of about 80 miles where the "L" bends west. The base is about 90
to 100 miles wide until it tapers off sharply at the west end.
Topologically there are the following regions:
North Swell. This covers the first (or top) eighty miles of
the up stroke and ends with a sharp drop of over a hundred feet.
The coast has a sharp drop as well, reminiscent of the cliffs of
Dover.
The Roll. In the relatively flat land south of the North
swell is a roll in the earth. This giant, gentle hill, breaks
the watersheds.
The Ripples. South of the Roll, are the Ripples. These are
a series of hills, similar to the "up-state" area of New York or
the western edge of Germany. The ripples run rather much from
the northwest to the southeast.
Framaine Plain. East of the Roll and the Ripples is Fra-
maine Plain. Starfish lake and The Whorl are the major features
that break the grasslands of the plain.
West of the Framaine is a great forest that slopes gently up
to Argaran, a large rounded bluff about forty miles across.
South Swell, a very gentle swell, finishes off the tip of
the base stroke leg of the second island.
III. SEACOAST AREAS
Beginning at the northern tip, the seacoast drops into
rather deep water. North Swell drops several hundred feet di-
rectly below the sea. Where the Swell ends a reef line begins
that extends from the plateau edge of North Swell to the city of
Noresca at the base or angle of the "L."
Within the oval formed by the coast and the reef are sand
barrens and a gently sloping shelf. The shelf continues out from
the reef, comes in sharply at Noresca and extends out on an east-
west line to the end of the island where it extends around the
South Swell. It comes in at the Barrens and then extends out,
with the renewed reef and island line that begins at Sia'ord and
continues to the beginning of the North Swell on the Northwest
coast.
The southern coast has no reef. It does have a gentle shelf
that extends out to forty to sixty miles at its widest, and
substantial sand barrens.
The Northern/Western coast area is substantially affected by
a chain of reefs, islands, islets, sand dunes, and other areas
that form a protecting coastal buffer. The shelf drops off
dramatically at the outer layer of this multilevel buffer zone
and is fairly gentle within it.
Seen from above the coastal areas, including the shelf,
appear much like a square with rounded corners. The reversed "L"
or / shape of the land sticks through the square's upper right
hand corner and touches the bottom right corner. It also touches
about one forth of the way up the left hand side of the square.
IV. CITIES
The North Swell has the Tirganeth Mines and the Sarad Mines.
Both are substantially abandoned delves. It also has the city of
Notch at the southwestern break in the land wall.
Due west from Notch, on the coast and off of the North
Swell, is Sorens. Sorens is situated at a river mouth for the
major drainage for everything north and east of The Roll.
Upstream of Sorens, where the rivers flowing from Avain and
The Notch meet, is Severed Pitch. Avain is due south of it,
along the river and Sa Nord is southeast, on the Eastern Coast.
The Roll contains Sorens Delve at its northern end and is
otherwise free of any substantial building or cities.
The Ripples have no cities or major towns. There are
several small villages and strongholds. Most of the southern
run-off from The Ripples passes out of the port Noresca. The
Southwest run-off passes through the port Nord Lae which sits at
the bottom of the Framaine Plain and the West of the Ripples.
Framaine Plain contains A Nord on the shore of Starfish
lake, E Nord on The Whorl (which is both a lake and rock forma-
tion stretching over a twenty mile area) and the city of Ostend
on the North.
Argaran forest has Sia'ord at the mouth of the Schied river.
Roth Ci'(east) and Twisted Bough (south) are both upstream from
the city of Sai'ord. While the coast south and west is a blasted
barren for forty to sixty miles, upstream from Twisted Bough and
at the base of the Argaran faded plateau/rounded hill are Karlan
(southwest) and the Noranon Mines.
South Swell, a very gentle swell, finishes off the tip of
the base stroke leg of the second island without any cities or
major towns.
V. OSTEND
Ostend the major city and center of the second island. It
is the reason this island is often known as Ostend Isle. The
city was founded before the great dark and survived the dark
intact. The protected intercoastal area was formed at the begin-
ning of the great dark and the earth fires that warmed it (long
since cooled) provided a great upswell in small life forms that
fed fish and sustained life.
It is currently regulated by a council. The government is a
representative oligarchy with some republican subsets. The
council seats are distributed as follows:
2 seats: for the six trading families.
1 seat: Clananaan family (an ancient family related to the
Witch of E'Nord)
1 seat: Arvan family (an ancient family related to one of
the extinguished five families).
1 seat: Fire Mage. (always a mage from the Fire society).
1 seat: Norns (by a priestess of Lorna).
1 seat: Grandmaster (A master from the Masterbuilder).
1 seat: The three lords (Three principalities of the south-
ern reaches).
The major council controls the city and trade arrangements.
There is an auxiliary council that seats the following
representative seats:
3 seats: The five families (the re-established connection)
1 seat: Asana (the cult center at Severed Pitch).
1 seat: Five Elements (the center at Sia'Ord).
1 seat: Feychild (the Fey Folk of Algrave Bridge).
1 seat: The Witch (E'Nord).
1 seat: The Dark Man (the Kar Manta West Realms).
1 seat: The Caran Tribe (Sea Trolls).
1 seat: The Cyan Tribe (Sea Trolls).
1 seat: The Running (Schied river werefolk).
3 seats: The Tsang Family (old nobility, black eyed albi-
nos).
3 seats: The Delves. (Ostend contains a Delve within the
walls.)
9 seats: The Commons (the city districts).
1 seat: The Lot (divination or manfriends).
The auxiliary council handles administrative tasks and
delegations over the area of Ostend's dominion. Areas are rotat-
ed so that each seat participates in administering a different
triad of areas every two years. (There are 27 administrative
areas. They are randomly grouped into nine districts every two
years. Each district has three seats that administer it.
Ostend's dominion controls the major trade with The Crown of
Tears, the fishing and farming of the intercoastal area (includ-
ing regulating and mediating sea troll and fey folk conflicts)
and the trade routes with E Nord, A Nord, Sorens Delve, Sorens
and Severed Pitch. It also extends to the western end of Fra-
maine Plain and the varied Tsang Family feudal realms. Avain has
made itself a part of Ostend's Dominion in return for counter-
force to incursions made from Notch.
Because of the trade routes and natural wind patterns,
almost all of the trade from the Five Families/Crown of Tears to
the first island of the triad stops over at Ostend.
VI. COMPARISONS
England is approximately 50,327 square miles, Ireland 27,137
square miles and Northern Ireland 5,258 square miles. The United
Kingdom is 94,399 square miles.
MYTH I
In the time before the beginning there was almost life in
the interdimensional chaos. A place of almost matter and almost
form, the chaos contains insufficient structure to support ra-
tional progression. Nothing therein had sufficient position to
have the necessary leverage to act.
Within the confusion, one (the first) followed the pattern
set before, cycle by cycle, time before time. One created peace
within itself by separating into two. As two it had leverage and
could both create and build, forming stability of concept.
Those that it met who followed also learned to become two.
From discordant nothing, the ability to act was born and hope
arose admidst the almost life.
For many who tasted hope, it was fleeting and only a pathway
to dispair. While any psuedolife could become two, only with
peace could the two act as one. Those with peace were able to
pass through the first and were born into the pattern formed when
the first became two.
From beings of light and knowledge, almost matter and almost
form, they became aware. From pseudolife they passed to intel-
ligence. By birth into the pattern they became intelligences
able to function from a place of peace. This joinder of light
and knowledge into sapience was the first breath of life from
pseudolife.
The first then moved on and learned to combine stability of
form with duality and peace. In creating stability of form it
cast the first shadow of what was to come. As each passed
through the first and was born into form, a shadow was cast. A
shadow structure was formed from the many births, one step re-
moved from chaos, separate but not permanent. This was the
second breath of formed life from the unformed.
The next step was the movement from shadow to substance, the
addition of matter to spirit. This was the creation of a dimen-
sional reality bounded by laws and founded in matter. From
shadow to substance. From intangible to tangible.
Such a project is near enough an Aleph sub zero infinity to
quality as worlds without number. Through the focus of their own
shadow selves, the first made themselves the core of a material
universe and began the creation of it, from the shape of the
shadow world, by bearing a material child into themselves and
from themselves. Half became a material son and half a spiritual
daughter, forecasting the final resolution.
Each shadow spirit born into matter would be divided, making
the focus (created by the one becoming two) complete. Each would
gain a body of matter, a focus of substance. Separated from that
body at some point, each would be made complete. This would be
the third breath of life.
At the end, after all had passed through matter to spirit
from shadow, each would be reformed into a whole, focused and
permanent being, gaining the last and final fourth breath of
life.
The universe created, over incredible time and by all manner
of shadow life, was large beyond comprehension. It was of fixed
matter, obeying laws and filled with the potential for life.
In form it followed the structure created by the original
spirit forms. In addition, as they cast shadows which became the
material universe, so the material universe cast a shadow which
is the world of dreams. In the world of dreams, following law
and in a stable fashion, matter is pliable. The levels of shad-
ow, matter and dreams were anchored by a fourth spiritual level
and framework designed to fold everything into itself at the
final day. Taken together they made a fourfold structure of real
law.
The pattern fulfilled itself. The Creatrix created, the
Builder formed and organized, and the two who were the first
passed through the stages into the core of the final folded
world. Their focus, the son and daughter, remained in the mate-
rial and the dream world as anchors to draw all the shadow life
forms through the structure to permanence at the end. The uni-
verse began.
Many were born, took their places as matter began to evolve,
and began the work of ordering and creating the worlds from raw
matter. As the great work began and the worlds began to form,
Teke;l Upharsin struck.
Teke;l was one who became two by example, but who refused to
be born or to accept peace. Twisted and alive, but mindless by
our standards, it formed a duality with Upharsin who was unwill-
ing to accept form. Together they forced the unliving birth of
S'baal. Teke;l spawned the unNamed, Upharsin the unFormed and
S'baal the unLiving. As a triad they formed an opposition to
matter, dream and spirit and sought to dissolve reality rather
than allow it to fold into its final fourfold permanence.
Simplified, it looks somewhat like this:
EXISTANCE
-1 chaos
0 shadow///waiting
1 material world///living -- where most play takes place
2 dream///learning/waiting
3 spirit///resting }the mythic worlds
4 final state
THE PATTERNMASTERS
The anti-pattern
-1 Teke;l -- the unNamed (in chaos), unBalanced (in shadow)
0 Upharsin -- the unFormed (in shadow), unFinished (in materi-
al)
1 S'baal -- the unLiving (in material), unReal (in dream)
The creating pattern
1 son (over material world)
2 daughter (over dream world)
3 father (over spirit world)
4 mother (gate to the final world)
THE POWERS
(these can be treated as gods with a small "g" and heros)
From the chaos world: unFinished and unBalanced Delictum
(injuries upon the world)
From the shadow world: The Tychistic Entities/Hegamons
(disorder)
From the material world: The Changing and other
Nomens/Masters (growth)
From the dream world: The Ordered Daemons/Lords (form)
From the spirit world: The Gomashtah (twisted) and the
Elachi (good). (decisions)
From the final world: The First, the Oenecius and the
Anatocici (True gods).
MYTH II
For a re-cap, this is how reality is posited to exist:
EXISTENCE
-1 chaos
multi-dimensional, unformed space. Chaos is a void filled
with unstable mass and without stable space-time or dimensions.
0 shadow///waiting
six-dimensional (*1 to *6), flat and ordered space. Shadow
is extremely ordered and exists only where it is filled. It has
four "normal" dimensions which comprise matter and spirit and it
also has time and a sixth dimension referred to as *6. All
movement in shadow takes place through *6 as all other dimensions
are filled.
1 material world///living -- where most play takes place
twelve+-dimensional (*0 to *5, *7 to *12, 12+). Except for
*12 and the three dimensions that we are accustomed to the dimen-
sions are rather flat, existing on the order of microspace. Some
of the microspace directional dimensions can be split or folded,
creating 12+ (generally defined as 12+ <na> where n = the dimen-
sion, a = letter for which split or fold, e.g. 12+ <9b>) dimen-
sions at specific locales. Most math works out reflecting 12
apparent dimensions (and not reflecting *12).
*12 was unfolded and is not flat. *12 is not contiguous at
all points and provides branch points for partial material worlds
and levels related to our own.
Note that the number and size of these "parallel worlds" is
extremely limited and can be measured by looking for the "miss-
ing" matter not accounted for by current physics. Paths through
*12 occasionally unfold *7, *8, *9, *10 and *11 with reductions
in various nuclear forces, electromagnetic forces and gravity.
Such paths are not necessarily time congruent.
2 dream///learning/waiting
One of the two mythic worlds, it is five dimensional (*5, *1
to *4). It has *5 in place of *0 and no *0 dimension. Contigu-
ous with the physical world it has strange topology (*5 is acces-
sible as a direction, *0 never is) and physical matter is not as
stable as it is in the material world.
3 spirit///resting
Another of the mythic worlds, it is n-dimensional (*5, *6 to
*12, *4 under special rules that make it a partially physical
dimension). In it *6 takes the place of *5 (which takes the
place of *0). No *1 to *3.
4 final state
Fully 12+-dimensional (*0 through *12+, fully multiplexed in
each dimension rather than flat or folded). It is incredibly
dense with matter and energy.
THE PATTERNMASTERS
These are powers, forces, etc. that can aid, help, or hinder
dependent on how they are invoked and why they are touched by the
circumstances.
The anti-pattern
Equivalent to evil gods, devils, demons, etc. The number in
front of each relates to the level of reality at which the anti-
pattern icon/master/god is native.
-1 Teke;l -- the unNamed (in chaos), unBalanced (in shadow)
Teke;l rules over and is the source of the chaos creatures
known as the unNamed and the shadow creatures unknown as the
unBalanced. Teke;l is a true chaos creature and resides in
chaos. It is the least substantial and the least sentient of the
the anti-pattern and the farthest from anything that mortals
might understand or recognize.
The unNamed come from outside (chaos itself and other reali-
ties) and are non-euclidean and without names. They have no
natural place in reality and are rejected by it and are damaged
by existence in dimensional space. They have no names.
The unBalanced are chaos creatures which do not have the
duality of balance that is required to be a natural portion of
reality. They are unstable.
Both of these are incomplete and alien chaos creatures.
0 Upharsin -- the unFormed (in shadow), unFinished (in materi-
al)
The unFormed are defiled creatures from shadow. Cold and
ever hungry, they haunt the interface of shadow and the mundane
world.
The unfinished are chaos creatures that have the two-part
balance but that do not have any finish. They are not finished
and are not truly sentient or alive.
The unFinished are chaos spawn from the spaces between the
planes. Our ordered existence is hostile to them. The running
sores, decaying bodies and deliquescing flesh of some creatures
is mute testimony to their origins and unfitness for this space.
1 S'baal -- the unLiving (in material), unReal (in dream)
The unLiving are antilife creatures antithetical to our
existence. Those creatures who merge the unLife with life are
the unDead. Most who appear to merge are actually husks with the
life eaten out of them and shadow memories leased to the antilife
forces within.
The unReal are embodied lies that have penetrated to the
dream levels.
The creating pattern (True Gods)
1 Son (over material world)
2 Daughter (over dream world)
3 Father (over spirit world)
4 Mother (gate to the final world)
THE POWERS
For both good and evil, the powers can be defined as fol-
lows:
From the chaos world: unFinished and unBalanced Delictum
(injuries upon the world)
These creatures are always powers for ill though conceivably
there might be some who are not powers for evil. Their presence
injures the world.
The Delictum are godlike entities of chaos who may be either
unFinished or unBalanced and who can benefit from worship, sacri-
fice and from being invoked into the material world.
They are typically identified by a name and the aspect or
power for which they are known. Some can invoke other Delictum
or create other names. Delictum have presences from the chaos
realms through to the dream realms.
From the shadow world: The Tychistic Entities/Hegamons
(disorder)
The Hegamons are Tychistic entities who are one step removed
form chaos and who are natural to the shadow world. They are
often paired with the forces of luck and fate represented by the
shadow norns.
The Hegamons are natural to this reality but very raw and
unblunted. They are creatures of elemental and emotional force
who represent forces that progress from shadow into reality.
Typically an Hegamon is identified by a name, a force and an
order. E.g. Irianton, the Ice Lord of Spears; Sefti, the Storm
Dictat of Stars.
From the material world: The Changing and other
Nomens/Masters (growth)
The Nomens are masters of various powers and forces. They
represent the powers of growth in the material world. Nomens
typically have the powers, attributes and manifestations that are
associated with gods, powers and mastery.
Nomens are masters of a particular force, skill or attrib-
ute. Specific nomens are channels for magical force/wisdom in
local areas and are paired with relevant norns for such areas.
The underlying power of Nomens comes from knowledge, mastery
and growth. Most Nomen are best thought of as heros.
From the dream world: The Ordered Daemons/ Lords (form)
Daemons and Lords are forces similar to angels and saints
and can be thought of as acting the same way. They provide aid
and succor because they exist to aid and succor
From the spirit world: The Gomashtah (twisted) and the
Elachi (good).(decisional powers)
The Gomashtah were polluted by the antipattern and are
twisted. The Elachi are purified from all chaos and are free.
Both have a great deal of raw power. Only the Gomashtah seek
worship.
All of these have a singular emotional theme. The Gomashtah
are immature in their formation and have uncontrolled and twisted
themes. The Elachi have bridled themes and deep maturity under
their control (e.g. twisted Rage vs Anger, twisted Lust vs
Passion, twisted Hate vs Love, etc.).
Both the Gomashtah and the Elachi wield a great deal of
coincidental power as the result of their ability to change
reality by the force of their presence and both tend to have
"minor" secondary themes attached to them.
From the final world: The First, the Oenecius and the
Anatocici (True gods)
These are true gods with the powers a modern would require
of a god.
THE FORCES ARRAYED
There are several sets of forces involved in the current
conflict. They can be broken down into the following groups:
Natural/unNatural
That is those who are natural to this realm and those who
are chaos derived.
Native/Foreign
Some chaos derived creatures have a long enough history on
earth to be considered natives, many natural creatures are for-
eign to earth. Foreign creatures are generally a greater threat
than native ones, though not always.
There are foriegn creatures of both chaos and nature that
seek to invade and consume planets and the life on them.
Magical/Technological
A common split. More relevant might be tychistic/virtuous.
Material/nonMaterial
The material world has a great deal of seepage from both the
shadow and the dream worlds.
MYTH III
Magic
Magic has multiple sources. Unrealized by many, magic has
more variety than technology.
In looking at magic it helps to review the power source, the
leverage, the methodology, and the rules that apply.
Power Sources
Magic can be powered by the magical energy that flows down
leynd lines, by the bio-energetic forces generated by living
creatures, by the strenghth of an individual's will or presence,
by an outside party (e.g. a sponsor), by rigid harmonic rules and
by access to Tychistic powers.
Notes
Generally, magic requires use of internal force to tap into
the Leynd or Tychistic forces available. Those forces are then
used to power the magic.
Leynd forces add to the power of the magic-user. Tychistic
forces increase the result of the magic worked. Most magic
involves both.
For magic without Leynd force available (as when the chaos
worm cut off the flow of force from the world tree), divide the
strength of the spell/etc. by 9. Thus a 9d6 energy blast would
do only 1d6. For magic without tychistic forces present (i.e.
when chaos is locked away from the world as happened during the
Teynd binding) divide the results by 9. Thus a 9 point energy
blast would do 1 point.
These results are culmulative. Should the magic go away
magical spells would have only .0123456790123 of their current
potency. Magic is vulnerable to interruptions of leynd lines and
force flows and master mages should be concerned about such
threats.
Methodology
Given power, as discussed above, magic can be worked in a
number of ways.
Conjuring is the use of the sixfold method to accomplish
matrix results. There are 36 basic results and 216 expanded
results available. Conjuring is a common magic in the dream
worlds. It is similar to normal spell casting in many ways even
though the methodology is dramatically different. (A form of
spell casting not found in RQ, see MISTWORLD).
Runecraft is the investment of self into elemental or ide-
alistic patterns and is often associated with spirits, sponsors
or gods who embody an elemental or idealistic pattern. (Rune
magic per RQ is worked this way).
Shamanism is the use of bound spirits to accomplish results.
It is similar to sorcery. (Shamanism per RQ is worked this way).
Shaping, often known as chaos shaping, involves the naming
and shaping of the raw stuff of chaos into forms in the material
world. (The summoning and binding of demons and virtues per
STORMBRINGER is a conceptualized form of shaping.)
Sorcery is the use of bound force to accomplish results.
Similar to shamanism. (new)
Summoning is the invoking of outside powers to do things for
the magician. Cf demonology, necromancy, etc. Similar to sha-
manism except that the forces are generally not bound. Often
seen in connection with a patron. (Some spells in CALL OF CTHU-
LU, RQ, etc. fit into this area).
Trylleri is the use of rules to shape and structure magical
force. This is what most people would think of when magic or
spell casting are thought of. Some degree of Trylleri is evi-
denced in any form of magic-use, but this term is generally used
to describe spell casting when magical energy goes in at one end
and an immediate result <e.g. a blast of magical energy, levita-
tion, or a wall of energy> comes out the energy. (RQIII sorcery)
Verasz or invokation is the embodiment or assumption of
forms of power. Cf avatars. Generally the magic-user takes upon
his or herself a form that has power. Similar to shapechanging
only this is self-changing -- with the associated risks and
difficulties. (new)
Witchcraft is the use of internal force to directly accom-
plish results. Interchangable with psionics. Similar to Tryl-
leri with a different source for the energy (internal vs exter-
nal) and generally different methods (witchcraft tends to be a
little slower). (new, RINGWORLD psionics also fit here).
Wizardry is the use of languages of power to invoke the
related elemental power. (cf Shattered Norns. New, rules were
published in TWH).
One should note that most methodologies can involve each
other. E.g. most Wizards are using trylleri to manipulate and
shape the elemental powers they have evoked. Most sorcerers do
not limit themselves to binding force. Etc.
Also, all magical results can be brought about by pure force
of presence and will (assuming enough of both). Many mythic
creatures work magical results by force of their will alone.
MYTH IV
THE NORNS
The Sa-Norns are a class of magical beings who function in
the worlds at the mechanical level. They are charged with insur-
ing that the mechanical matters of the transistion from shadow to
real to dream to final stage all occur as they should.
The Sa-Norns with which most people are concerned are the
Allethae, commonly just called Norns, and work in groups of 5 or
7. They are assigned to planetary systems and are commonly seen
as the power of fate.
The Allethae Norns are always female. They can concieve at
any time, but cannot bear children unless ritually and formally
married. Norns generally consort with transitional male Nomens,
though they may ally with other male Powers. Relationships
involving Norns are never casual and generally are permanent.
Each group of 5 or 7 Norns has a relationship with a group
of 5 or 7 male Powers. The Norns will have creative or genera-
tive archtypes (e.g. "the weaver") and the Powers magical or
elemental ones (e.g. darkness). The Norns and Powers form into a
unit of function centered like a star, with each Norn and her
Leman forming a point. In this relationship they order the
transition from shadow and the local development and structure of
space. It is merely co-incidental that the Norns tend to operate
from stellar masses and can tap into local ones for raw power as
needed.
Each Norn will concieve children in this relationship, with
the children being both the female Norns and male pre-generative
Powers. While they are conceived at this point, the children do
not gain physical bodies.
Instead, the children's shadow selves will fully manifest
and they are raised and trained while in a bodiless state, func-
tioning as children, aids and friends to the conceiving pair.
This not-yet-born but fully present state gives the children
amazing flexibility and access into the realms of shadow and the
means to bypass almost all sorcerous wards.
When each Norn's responsibilities finish (generally over a
period measured by the lifespan(s) of the planet(s) for which the
Norn is responsible), the Norn and the Leman consumate their
relationship by marriage. The children embody (are born) imme-
diately upon the marriage being finalized and then take up their
parent's place or places in the metaphysical structure.
While awaiting birth the children will have already estab-
lished relationships and will have been trained for their duties
and immediately after birth the children form up stars with the
partners of their choices, taking over the sheparding of yet
another planetary system and its shadows.
The Norns are not the forces of fate. There is no "fate" as
that word is understood by mortals. The Norns serve no fate,
they create no future. In spite of this seeming lack of con-
straint upon free will, the shape of the shadow world and the way
it is born into the natural world can create exteme pressures
that are often worse to defy.
The technical difference between fate and the pressure of
formed shadow is that fate forces things towards an end while
shadow merely provides pressure. The entire matter is active
rather than rigidly passive.
MYTH V
I. The Friendly Powers
The flygjurri (that made/formed of fylgjur) of the norns
took on shape to lead men into the world in order to begin the
third cycle. The alfheim opened to admit the dwarves. At this
opening the Couranth took final offense, for they saw men and
dwarves as usurpers.
The offense of the Couranth led to open betrayal. Tekel
embodied through Upharsin and personally breached the walls of
the world. From his excrement spawned those who marred the
fylgjurrii.
Oir (dark/death), the hunter and net master was scarred by
the scorpion crab (fire/chaos).
Wod (air/spirit), the spearing spirit master was poisoned by
the snail (dark).
Was (earth/stasis), foundation building swordweilder was
swallowed by the hound (air/chaos).
Roth (water/disorder), stormy axeswinger, was crushed by the
worm (earth/chaos).
Arsh (fire/harmony), lyric archer was seized by the kraken
(water/chaos).
Each of the fylgjurri was marred before it had passed its
secrets on to man. Similarly, the alfheim were set upon by the
undead sleeping earth powers and drained before they passed their
secrets on to the dwarves.
The families of man were scattered and many of the first
fathers were slain. Elovare, shifter and first friend formed a
bridge for his brethern and Ar Lukaih led men to the refuge of
the islands of the crown of tears.
Elovare taught men to deal with the walking powers of shadow
fall. Elsewhere he established other legends and everywhere he
taught the fast magics.
Then Wakanda borke the hythn and the light came. Elovare
established paths across the seas and laid out the pattern known
as his hidden work. Neth Hadeth gave iron weapons to men (as did
Kazedan to the dwarves). The expansion began.
At every turn men and the Couranth battled, made temporary
peace and exchanged hostages. Elovare beat the Couranth four
times and the fifth was betrayed to them. The spawn fed on
Elovare and many great manfriends were slain.
Elovare then finished his hidden work, for his shifting as
he was consumed changed the spawn and made them unable to bind
themselves within the framework of the world. As they were cast
out unbound Elovare was remade and passed on.
Ar Lukaih perished in destroying Modnir's tower but regained
Elovare's many colored shirt. The five families received this
last gift and from it wove the first spirit shirts made by men.
History begins to become accurate about this time.
With the passing of the spawn, the bridges were discovered
(i.e. formalized) and were revealed as the hidden work of the
fylgjurrii.
Wod formed the safe path for man to follow after death.
Arsh formed the way of return from the dark (the path that
Wakanda took in bringing back the sun).
Was formed the link between man and dog, that dogs were
bound to serve men.
Roth formed the channel for the distryr of berserkergang.
Oir became the net for the hearth and forge fires that serve
men and he became the key to the wild fires.
II. The Folk
A. Middle Kindred or Fey Folk
The middle kindreds, or fey folk, are scattered over the
great forest, part of the mountains of the spine, a bit of the
coast and some of the plains. At one time they completely held
all of the great forest. They are arrayed in gatherings which
are similar to tribal groups.
The forest wardens are city states comprised of fey folk and
have protected client states and colonies.
Some of the middle kindreds are allied with the human hold-
ings and a fairly large amount exist as small scattered groups.
A historically significant number of the middle kindreds have
dwelt with the sea and earth folk.
B. The High Kindreds
The High Kindreds are arrayed by nests. A nest is a close
family grouping or a set of interrelated family groups. A free
nest is independent and may have more than one family group tied
into the bloodline that defines the nest. Allied nests are tied
to other nests by bonds of family, politics, magic and personal
obligation. They are in groups of three to twelve nests, each
nest having ten to sixty members.
Broken nests are families that do not have a proper nest (a
true or proper nest is a ritual place of power as well as a
nest). Such families have only mundane rally points. Wanderers
are a significant portion of the broken nest population, conduct-
ing some trade, living among humans, etc.
C. Humans
Human families are more like clans. Only three of the Five
Families survived the long night and the binding. Mainlanders
have holdings on the mainland. Dependent lines form the bulk of
the farmers and fishers. Broken lines are really only large
extended family groups, most of which have become artisans,
masons, and other crafters. The broken lines function like trade
guilds.
D. The earth folk dwell mostly in cities called delves. The
deep delves are more than 500 feet below ground and follow deep
veins in the earth. Many reach over 5,000 feet in depth.
The middle delves are between 500 and 200 feet in depth and
are generally allied with a mining point. Surface delves reach
from 200 to 0 feet in depth. Almost all snow dwarves live in
surface delves.
Broken delves are ones that have failed either in size or
strength of the numbers and economic power necessary to be a true
delve. Independent earth folk are those who choose not to dwell
within the delves.
The independents are those who choose not to dwell within
formal delves. Together with the wanderers they form the adven-
turing and the trade groups. Fane masters have turned success-
fully to the old magic.
E. Sea Folk.
The sea folk have three fixed cities where the sea is natu-
rally bountious. They also have groups who follow the great
schools of fish. The city dwellers are similar to the Cherokee
or the Five Nations, the school followers are similar to the
Cheyenne.
Many of the sea folk have ties with either mainlander humans
or the five families, serving as military or paramilitary units
in return for sturctured leadership, training and food.
A significant number choose to wander, trapping, trading,
working, fishing, moving. Some serve the Tiev.
MYTH VI
I. The Norns in the Beginning
Five of the lesser ones of power made a loom, and with it
they and their lemans wove a world. They were:
Kaiel (the cyclic) with Haran (fire)
Thayla (the patterner) with L'nerea (water)
Gayla (the molder/potter) with Azael (earth)
Michla (the dreamer) with Nial the Adroit (air)
Lorna (the weaver) with Adeth (dark).
They exercised their powers in order and the elements of the
world were organized in sequence. In the dark they rested and
then invoked the Azura. With the Azura came stars (fire), tides
(water), winds (air), and seasons (dark). Many who came slept,
abiding their time. The high kindreds awoke and joined with
their masters.
Haran brought the Phoenix to serve Kaiel, L'nerea brought
the Sidh Rishae to serve Thayla, Azeal brought the condors (with
their clouds upon the mountains) to serve Gayla, Nial brought
eagles to serve Michla and Adeth brough Halcyon to serve Lorna.
The Creatrix' nature spirits bore the fey folk (the middle
kindreds) into the world to tend it and awoke the lesser kin-
dreds.
To places not yet alive the dwarves, brethern of the nymphs
and children of the Master Builder, brough form. Deep they
delved. Men served in the wild places to tame and bind that
which had forgotten its place.
Matched in all of these realms were the Couranth, the shad-
ows of the Norns and the Fylgjurrii, the fetch-like other selves
of the leman.
The Couranth prepared the shadows and the Fylgjurrii bridged
the path from potential to life.
II. The Betrayal
The Couranth ceased to tend their shadows and scorned the
unions and services that the others joined in. They sought their
own will and consorted with the challenge of the abyss, feeling
slighted that they had only a portion of creation instead of all.
The Couranth entered into dreams and perverted many of the
sleepers. They twisted shadows and taught the Kar Manta to men.
In corrupting the Couranth, Upharsin triumphed.
III. The Transitions
When the third cycle was to begin Upharsin entered through
Kiel, shattering her into Alaeki, Asathar and Adrita. As his
excrement passed into the world his children by the powers he had
corrupted. These he called the Eord and led them from the wild
places by the Kar Manta.
The old moon fled, failing as daughter, wife and mother and
allowing the hythn to manifest, blocking the sun. Kaiel's
natures were reversed and became the devouring mother, the be-
traying wife and the incestuous daughter. Haran's talisman,
Weordinsguard cast beyond the world and he was vanquished.
Thayla was able to hide within the pattern of the world,
though as the world suffers so does she. L'nerea became Orman
Ts'goth, the hard ruler of the seas, and with Swan (one of the
white swords) he was able to prevent the spread of the Eord into
the oceans. However, the seas took of his violent nature and the
Eord poisoned the oceans with blood.
Gayla cast many servents from the clay of the world but was
finally betrayed and consumed by the Dorodling. Her leman became
Kazedan the Stunted whose hands are hammers and whose power lies
within himself.
Within the deep earth he found/created/summoned his brothers
who buried much corruption and ruined other corrupt things upon
their forges. Together they armed the dwarves.
Michla was riven into parts, but was saved as a dream es-
sence within all the dreams of the world. Nial was slain and his
weapon Lirolee Everbright was lost.
Lorna became one with the loom of the world and became a
channel for the fates she weaves. Her leman became Neth Hadeth
and kept Nightengale. Long he roamed the world, slaying with the
force of terror in the endless night. He summoned men from
beyond the world to fight with him. For a time they stood
against the Eord, but at last they were pressed beyond the sea to
the islands of the crown of tears where Orman Ts'goth sheltered
them.
Nial was reborn into the world without form as the wild
hunter and led all the slain souls of the oath broken into bat-
tle. The soul of evey oath bound traitor is his slave. With the
winds he scoured the world, casting the myriads of dead out of
the world of the living into the world of judgment.
IV. The Return from the Dark.
In the dark Upharsin ruled through his spawn. He taught
perversions and his creatures, the Couranth, feasted upon the
hearts of the living. Those men that sought him he turned upon
the Kli-yeth path of the Kar Manta. Chaos stalked the long
night.
At this time Ar Lukaih I inspired the five families. They
and their totems were:
Fire: the star cross
Water: the blue man
Air: the winged lion
Dark: the silver badger
Earth: shad eagle
Ar Lukaih I reminded men of the things Elovare had taught
and ended slave holding among the folk and Elovare was betrayed
and consumed by the Spawn.
Thus finished the secret work and Wakanda, the sun spirit
and agent of the White God, entered into the world, breaking the
last link of the Spawn and of Upharsin.
True light freed the moon spirit and each of the norns and
the nomen were wereforged and reborn.
MYTH VII
Mythline:
I. Creation
A. The Norns
B. Their Leman
C. Servitors
D. The Peoples
E.
II. The Long Night
A. The corruption of the Couranth
B. The entrance of Tekel
C. Spawn, filth, the Kar Manta
D. Shattering of the Norns
The human families that colonized Shattered Norns as allies
and servents of the Norns entered as a fully civilized high
culture with a broad range of magics and magical technologies.
The dark night came as rather a surprise. It was sudden and
direct and accompanied by incredible levels of power. The Norns
were shattered and the families were riven.
The flight to the Crown of Tears was a true retreat. The
survivors dug in on distant islands and were battered by assaults
conducted by a number of evil powers and creatures. Most moved
underground in the beginning.
Luckily the powers of the sea remained virtually uncorrupt-
ed. Kraken moved, blocking sea travel, but unable to make seri-
ous assaults on the land. The Kraken were almost as serious a
threat to the Eord as they were to the Five.
III. The Ravaging
A. Retreat of Man
B. Decimation of the Fey Folk
C. The Delves of the Dwarves
D. The internal wars of the Eord
Men had retreated to the Islands. Those who did not make
the retreat were scattered and hunted. Some became corrupted and
many became undead. Almost all cultivation was of sea foods or
in small sheltered (and magically enhanced) gardens.
The Fey Folk retreated to their forests. Less than one in
ten would survive the wars and magical conflicts.
The Dwarves dug in. Many delves were destroyed by Gnarls,
but many Gnarls were slain by Dwarves. The Delves went deeper
and deeper and the Eord found it unprofitable to attempt the
Delves.
The various races and factions of the Eord began to fight
among themselves. A great deal of magical energy and will had
been expended in creating the Eord and their patrons found them-
selves subject to magical manipulation and control.
The darkness lasted somewheres between one and ten thousand
years. Time was distorted in the long night so that no accurate
record exists of the "real" time that passed.
IV. The Rebirth
A. Wakanda returns
B. Elovare breaks the sea lock
C. Neth Hadeth restores iron to man
D. The expansion
Wakanda "returned" as the Sun Spirit and brought back the
sun. The effect on the Eord and the rest was dramatic. Thou-
sands of Kar Manta perished in the light. Sun Spears fell like
rain on Kraken. Millions went insane or blind.
In this time period Elovare broke the sea lock that had kept
men sealed on their islands. Neth Hadeth retaught iron and steel
work to men. And the clans began to venture over the seas.
After all, for the last five or six hundred years the as-
saults by the Eord on the islands were almost non-existant.
Populations had grown steadily and more and more magic was recov-
ered. The Crown of Tears was literally bursting at the seams
with excess humanity on the five major islands.
V. The Wars
A. Kraken
B. Worm
C. Snail
Each of the chaos gods that remained were wounded and dri-
ven. Three specific conflicts are notable because those gods
retained significant presences.
VI. The Collapse
A. Elovare Betrayed (reprise)
B. The Eord resurge
C. The Spawn unbound.
The expansion faltered and collapsed within one generation
(about twenty or thirty years). Generations of the Eord were
born that could tolerate sunlight and who were not made from
shock. The Kar Manta learned to adapt and the Couranth succeeded
in besting Elovare (through treason).
At this time men were carving out empires on the Mainland,
colonizing the two or three hundred habitable small islands in
the Crown of Tears and taking risks. Humanity was overextended
and its enemies had taken a full generation to prepare.
VII. Near History
A. Elovare carries the spawn beyond the world
B. Neth Hadeth gives man forged steel
C. Elovare's last gift (spirit shirts)
D. The merchant families
E. The second expansion.
The current time is the second expansion. It is about three
generations since the collapse. Contact with the surviving petty
kingdoms on the mainland has been established, the three southern
islands are back in contact with the rest of humanity and things
are fairly stable. The spawn being carried beyond the edge of
the world has deprived the spawn of their control of the Eord and
so the Eord once again move without central guiding force and
direction.
The main clan lines are still orgainized, but the merchant
families (often groups of lesser cadet lines) have become more
important. The pace is slower, less organized (on a grand scale)
and steadier.
CULTURE I
Rough draft essay on the stages of life and on the standard
child rearing practices.
The standard human cultures of Shattered Norns follow a very
basic child rearing and passage into adulthood pattern.
A. Ages from birth to the fifth birthday (0-5), are re-
ferred to by a word that means young child or baby stage. This
stage begins with the child receiving its birth gift (usually a
one point rune magic tie to the man-rune). The birth gift re-
sults in a healthier and happier child (and is the reason for the
higher requisites of humans in Shattered Norns over the requi-
sites generated by the standard rules).
At this age a child has no responsibilities except for play
and some self-care. The child is expected to learn some societal
basics. Various relatives of the child have specific responsi-
bilities for teaching numbers, letters, colors, religious and
basic historical facts. This stage lasts from birth to the fifth
birthday.
B. from 5-10 the individual is referred to by a word that
means child stage. At the fifth birthday a child celebrates its
new status and often receives the second childhood gift. This is
often a one point rune magic cast on the child or a specific sum
of money set aside against the child's future training needs.
At these ages a child is considered a true child and has
specific chores and expectations made of it. Children of these
ages are capable of earning their keep and will have specific
duties and chores taking up about five hours a day.
The child is also expected to learn basic cultural knowl-
edge, to fulfill duties in copying books and other writings and
to learn to act and play co-operatively. Children learn to read
and write more fully by copying basic societal texts (the Five
Families lack printing presses) and learn a variety of drills and
methods of teamwork by playing co-operatively.
This stage lasts from the fifth birthday to the tenth birth-
day. Children are often taught and kept in groups by tutors or
teachers retained by co-operatives, clans or families. Occasion-
ally a town will choose the teachers.
C. 10-15, youth stage. While the child has learned to see
future consequences and is reponsible sometime before this age,
at ten years of age children are inducted as youths and treated
as being responsible for the consequences of many of their own
actions. A youth has limited ability to contract and to give
consent for various things (such as giving consent to some work
tasks, etc.).
At this age a child is ready for near fostering (often for
alternate weeks or every other month) among the families of a
foster group, for specific duties and tasks and to be taught the
basics of the family trade or craft in addition to group instruc-
tion with other children. Members of related or allied lines
often live near each other and have traditional rotating care
arrangements where all of the children in an age group rotate
together and then where the youths engage in near fostering.
At the end of this stage a youth may receive a one POW point
binding magic such as a spirit shirt or the battle enchantment.
Spirit shirts are described elsewheres.
The battle enchantment gives an individual "homeopathic" hit
points rather than hit locations. It is described elsewheres,
but one under the battle enchantment rarely breaks bones, loses
limbs or takes any specific damage from weapons. The enchantment
is of more use to farmers and fishers than to warriors.
D. 15-20, apprentice stage. Once a child has had its
fifteenth birthday it is old enough to be apprenticed. Often
apprenticeships are to others in the same trade or craft and to
individuals in the same fostering group. Apprenticeships are
usually decided and thought over during the youth stage from ten
to fifteen.
At fifteen a child is a young adult, ready for the duties
and privileges of that age category.
At twenty a child is an adult, ready for marriage and other
responsibilities. At twenty a child has ability to contract for
most (but not all) results.
E. 20-25, journeyman stage. At this time apprentices are
often traded with other masters for the journeyman stage of their
training and status. The individual continues to be trained in
the craft or trade but also begins to experience a great deal of
freedom and self-direction. Some journeyers spend 90% or more of
their time away from their craft master. Most spend at least 20%
of their time away.
F. From the twentififth birthday on an adult is considered
a full adult. Those who have not found a place or family often
choose this time to attempt to establish themselves, find a new
trade route, etc. Most adventurers are of this age or older.
In a guild the time from twentififth to thirtyfifth birthday
is a time of probationary association.
G. At about the thirtyfifth birthday individuals are
expected to begin child-rearing and other responsible endeavors.
In a guild the time of the thirtyfifth birthday is the time when
one gains full rights, status and is accepted as having a voice
or right to be heard as an equal.
H. Note that the extended times are influenced by the
magic available to the culture and its effect on aging. Average
lifespan is from 110 to 120 years of age, normal childbearing
periods in a person's life run from thirtyfive to fiftyfive years
of age, with childrearing running to seventyfive years of age.
Individuals remain hale and productive to about ninetyfive
years of age, and generally productive, though in physical de-
cline, to death.
CULTURE II
The islands of the crown of tears are very fertile and this
affects population distribution. A single family that is farm-
ing/fishing/etc. full-time can support itself and two to two and
a half other families with sufficient reserves for bad seasons.
Approximately one third of the population herds, fishes or farms
full-time, another third has some gardenning or small culture
herding (including fowls).
Magic and a rich enviroment can do wonders.
Consider, to feed a normal human for one year takes 250
pounds of grain, 20 pounds of honey, 5 pounds of salt and 200
pounds of milk products. In our world in 1910, to produce 2,000
pounds of tubers took twelve hours of work. 2,000 pounds of
potatoes took twenty-five hours of work. 2,000 pounds of wheat
took one hundred hours of work. Today, with mechanical help
approximating the magical resources of an integrated society,
that same 2,000 pounds takes 1.5 hours for tubers, 4 hours for
potatoes and 7 hours for wheat.
Assuming 52 weeks to a year and ten work hours to a week, a
farmer has 520 hours of work. A single farmer can produce at
least 15,000 pounds of food. That means that a single farmer can
feed about 50 people, albeit rather poorly and blandly. Assuming
ten people to a family, with only one worker, that farmer can
feed ten families with thirty free hours a week (on a forty hour
week) for other endeavors and an additional ten to thirty hours a
week of specific endeavors.
The average farmer works twenty hours a week to feed approx-
imately 30 people well. A family usually has five to ten in the
immediate unit, which contribute another twenty hours a week.
The rest of the time is spent in crafts, childrearing and
training (about twenty hours a week in various training matters).
As to food, note that tubers produce about 20 tons per acre,
peas & wheat produce about a ton per acre, corn & rice produce
about three tons per acre.
In Shattered Norns the following are common crops:
CROP (USE) SOIL, NOTES
Buckwheat (for honey production of 300 pounds per acre)
Shallow soils, a common rotation crop
Cattails (~Pennisetum glaucum)
Wetlands and wet soils. Similar to corn.
Thistle Flax (for oil, paper, ink, cloth)
Dry soils, cool weather, often a first crop.
Wheat (food crop)
All soils, a common rotation crop.
Rye/Triticale (food crop)
Used to smother weeds, for rotations, in loam soils, coarse
sandy soils (that will not support other crops), a very hardy
crop and a mainstay. The Triticale is a truebreeding hybrid.
These are often grown mixed with other crops for animal forage.
On a clover/rye crop. 3,000 pounds of milk products per month can
be generated per acre during the spring/summer/fall seasons.
Oats (food crop/straw crop)
White, red, grey and yellow oats are all grown.
Tubers (food crop)
Loams and fine sands.
Foxtail (a millet/proso type grain)(food crop)
All soils except coarse sand. Cream, orange, purple and fox
red colors.
Bulbs and Bulb Grasses (Orchids, Onions, Garlics, etc.)
These are grown widely.
Fruit (bushes, vines and trees)
Various species are found, mostly limited to narrow locales.
However, citreines (a tree similar to orange or lemon trees)
are found widely as are a variety of thorny berry bushes.
In addition, Mint, Anethum, Wormseed, Quinona, Brassica,
Absinth, Safflower, Sunflower, Goldenrod, Koksaghyz (a Russian
Dandelion grown for rubber 60 pounds per acre. 60 pounds will
also smelt about 50 pounds of steel from iron), Chicory and
Pyrethium all enjoy significant cultivation.
Ramie is grown for rope and a lustrous cloth.
Willow hair (a type of seaweed) is grown for cloth (it
produces yards long fibers very similar to cotton) as is Shffra
(another seaweed from which the Shattered Norns silk is woven).
Several seaweeds are grown as food crops at a density of produc-
tion equal to two to six times that of tubers.
Domestic Quail, Ducks and Prarie Chickens are grown for meat
(at a conversion of two pounds of grain = one pound meat -- the
same as modern chickens). Cattle, sheep and some goats are kept
for milk and hair (wool) but are not considered a regular meat
crop. Most meat in diets comes from birds and fish.
CULTURE III
COMMON COLOR ASSOCIATIONS
These colors are traditional with the families of the five
and do not have strong significance outside of the islands and
lands of the five.
The five tend to wear white/natural colored fabrics trimmed
in the appropriate colors. Full clans use both colors, cadet
lines use one of the two colors associated with the color of the
clan sept's element.
light dark element
blue indigo air
aqua green water
yellow brown earth
orange saffron fire
red purple dark
In addition:
clear violet spirit
grey black shadow
CLAN ORGANIZATION
The basic unit of a Clan is its Families. These are extend-
ed Families of three generations each. The nuclear families that
comprise the Families usually have from five to ten members.
Families often adopt parental/child units from each other and
fostering is common. Adopted and foster children are included in
the nuclear family size. <true genetic size is quite smaller>
Familes are arrayed in Lines that go back two or three more
generations. It is quite common for Lines to merge and to shift.
Lines are grouped into Branches related by decent from a
common blood/adoption/marriage ancestor. The Branches compose a
clan. The Clans and their cadets are arrayed in Septs and the
Septs compose Khodochs. When one talks of one of the Five Fa-
milies one is actually talking about one of the Five Septs that
control the islands of the Crown of Tears.
Each Sept of the Five Families has an island that it is
centered on, with branches on other islands. The word Khodoch is
used in two fashions. One is to describe the Sept with all of
its units -- including those on other islands and the mainland.
The other is to describe the unity or federation of all the
Septs.
There are other unities besides the Khodoch of the Five
Families/Crown of Tears, but none are as complete.
DREAM I
THE DREAM WORLD(S)
The level of reality between the material and spiritual
worlds is commonly referred to as the Dream world. It has many
levels. The major ones are:
A) The threshold, a mutable or grey level;
B) The mirror, a reflective or parallel level;
C) The ancient, a semi-independent dream world;
D) The sunken, the dark side of the semi-independent dream
world;
E) The outland, the boundry with Spirit, having two parts,
1) paradise, a resting place,
2) realm of the banished, a holding place.
The Threshold
This is the level of inchoate dreams. The dead from the
material world first pass to here as do normal dreamers when they
sleep.
The threshold is always incomplete, never finished, never
stable. It is a place of shades, ghosts, lost feelings, mis-
placed memories and never realized expectations.
The predominate color of the threshold is grey, followed by
muted black and white. Physical laws as we think of them are
very loosely applied in the threshold.
The Mirror
This is a reflective or parallel level, reflecting, with
shades of past dreams and future glories, the present world.
Many fled here during the time of the Teynd and their in-
fluence still remains. The mirror is littered with the reflec-
tions of things that might have been and the hidden souls of men,
colored and altered with the overlays of magic, science and dream
selves of those who fled here a thousand or so centuries ago.
For rules governing various physical locations, use the
following rules:
This level is covered with anomalous outcroppings.
The Ancient
This level is a dream world somewhat independent from the
material world. It does not reflect or mirror the material world
but is home to many dreamers. True dreamers who are not tied to
the material world come here.
I use Chaosium's dream world for this level to save work and
because the Chaosium did an incredibly good job with their pro-
duct.
The ancient is the repository for the solid, powerful and
enduring dreams of the ages and the great dreamers.
The Sunken
This is the dark side of the semi-independent dream world.
It covers the tunnels of the ghouls, the chaos plagues, the
depths filled with bones, the Cthuloid mythos creatures lurking
in the depths and the worms chewing at the root of the world.
The sunken is the repository for the sordid, weak and cor-
rupt dreams of the ages and is the septic tank of dreams, forming
an area for the malignant things of dreams to decompose without
harming anything but themselves. Harmless unless one falls into
it. The sunken provides rich new loam for dreaming once it has
broken down and disintegrated the elements that have fallen into
it.
The Outland
This is the dream side of the boundry with Spirit and is
divided into two parts that are in the same space: paradise, a
resting place for those ready to progress, and realm of the
banished, a holding place for those who are twisted.
In many ways these are heaven and hell, except that they are
not permanent, being stopping places, and the division occurs on
the basis of whether one is twisted or not. The outland is a
giant filter where individuals filter themselves.
Only the irrevocably dead enter the outland.
GODS I
I. Lesser Gods
A. Oir (dark/death), the hunter and net master was scarred
by the scorpion crab (fire/chaos). Oir became the net for the
violent use of hearth and forge fires that serve men and he
became the key to the wild fires. For Runequest purposes his
rune is now DEATH.
B. Wod (air/spirit), the spearing spirit master was poi-
soned by the snail (dark). Wod formed the safe path for man to
follow after death. For Runequest purposes, his rune is now
SPIRIT.
C. Was (earth/stasis), foundation building sword wielder
was swallowed by the hound (air/chaos). Was formed the link
between man and dog, that dogs were bound to serve men. For
Runequest purposes, his rune is now BEAST.
D. Roth (water/disorder), stormy axeswinger, was crushed
by the worm (earth/chaos). Roth formed the channel for the
distryr of berserkergang. For Runequest purposes his rune is now
DISORDER
E. Arsh (fire/harmony), lyric archer was seized by the
kraken (water/chaos). Arsh formed the way of return from the
dark (the path that Wakanda took in bringing back the sun). For
Runequest purposes his rune is now HARMONY.
F. Elovare's Archamnii. Various heros whose runes are MASTERY,
MAGIC.
G. Ar Lukaih (everborn). His runes (in all of his guises and
lives) are MAN, INFINITY.
II. Greater Gods
The Great Gods are all paired.
A. Kaiel (the cyclic) with Haran (fire). Haran is now
Fire//pyromancy//Wakanda the Sun Spirit//Phoenix lord. Their
runes are CYCLE (replaces MOON in Shattered Norns), TRUTH and
FIRE.
Wakanda is aided by Anthasis and the Phoenix against his
enemies A;-baath (snail lord) and Om''loch (battle lord).
Kaiel is opposed by the false moon shadows, Alaeki (the
devouring mother), Asathar (the betraying wife) and Adrita (the
incestuous daughter).
B. Thayla (the patterned) with L'nerea (water). L'nerea is now
Water//okeomancy//Orman Ts'goth//Sidh Rishae liege. Orman Ts'-
goth is also Orman-Arath (water seeping through stone) and Orman-
Tageth (water hidden in stone) as his alternate selves.
Their runes are STASIS, SPIRIT and WATER.
He faces the Kraken as his enemy.
Thayla is opposed by the Twisted Shadow (a Chaos Shadow).
C. Gayla (the molder/potter) with Azael (earth). Azael is now
Earth//geomancy//Azeal/Kazedan the Stunted//Condor friend.
Kazedan is now both Kazedan and his twin Glomar forge lord.
Their runes are PLANT, FERTILITY and EARTH.
Kazedan fights the Worm and its cult.
Gayla is opposed by the Gnarls.
D. Michla (the dreamer) with Nial the Adroit (air). Nail is
now Air//aeromancy//Arens the Hunter//Eagles master.
Their runes are ILLUSION, DISORDER and AIR
Nail is opposed by the Raven Lord.
Michla is opposed by the Gibbereth and their master.
E. Lorna (the weaver) with Adeth (dark). Adeth is now
Dark/skotomancy//Neth Hadeth Reaver//Halcyon spirit.
Their runes are LAW, LEFT (the left-handed path rune, equiv-
ilent in some ways to DRAGONEWT) and DARK.
They have all chaos tainted forces as enemies.
III. The Great Gods
These are rarely worshiped. Only their commonly known Rune
associations are given.
A. The Master Builder
LAW/TRUTH/INFINITY
B. The Creatrix
FERTILITY/HARMONY/INFINITY
C. The White God, Elovare's patron.
MASTERY/SPIRIT/SHADOW
D. The Hidden Sister, Ar Lukaih's patron.
MAN/MAGIC/DREAM
IV. Evil/Chaos Powers and Gods
A. Lesser Chaos Powers
1. The Scorpion crab (FIRE/CHAOS). It is embodied by
Om''loch the battle lord.
2. The Snail (DARK/CHAOS). Note that A;-baath is the
snail lord or the current (and sentient) embodiment of this
primal power.
3. The Hound (air/chaos) is no longer a chaos creature.
Its place was taken by the Couranth Founder (Raven Lord) who is
also (AIR/CHAOS).
4. The Worm (EARTH/CHAOS). This power spawns many locii
that embody it.
5. The Kraken (WATER/CHAOS). This power spawns many locii
that embody it.
6. The Gnarls (EARTH/SPIRIT/CHAOS). These are semi-sleep-
ing powers.
7. The Gibbereth (spirit/chaos).
B. Greater Chaos Powers
1. The false moon shadows, 1) Alaeki (the devouring moth-
er), 2) Asathar (the betraying wife) and 3) Adrita (the incestu-
ous daughter).
These are all CYCLE/CHAOS. In addition, Aleaki is DEATH,
Asathar is ILLUSION and ADRITA is DISORDER.
4. The Twisted Shadow SHADOW/ CHAOS
C. The Great Chaos Powers:
1. Teke;l -- the master and spawner of the unNamed (of the
chaos realms) and the unBalanced (of shadow). CHAOS/CHAOS,
SHADOW and
2. Upharsin -- the source and focus of the unFormed (in
shadow) and the unFinished (in material). In Shattered Norns
Teke;l and S'baal are manifestations of Upharsin. CHAOS, LEFT
and MASTERY.
3 S'baal -- the sovereign and crux of the unLiving (in
material) and the unReal (in dream). CHAOS, SPIRIT and DEATH.
V. Various Powers
(Note that many of these do not manifest in the physical
world and are included here for completeness).
A. From the chaos world: unFinished and unBalanced Delic-
tum (injuries upon the world).
B. From the shadow world: The Tychistic Entities/Hegamons
(disorder).
C. From the material world: The Changing and other No-
mens/Masters (growth).
D. From the dream world: The Ordered Daemons/Lords
(form).
E. From the spirit world: The Gomashtah (twisted) and the
Elachi (good) (decisions).
F. From the final world: The First (the Creatrix and the
Master Builder), the Oenecius and the Anatocici (True gods).
CREATURE I
CREATURE II
CREATURE III