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