Typhonian Reach
Contents
Introduction
Know, O Prince, that between the fall of the elder world and the coming of the great glaciers, there was an age undreamed of. An age of wonder and terror, when a newborn species of weak, ignorant, yet clever and ambitious apes gazed with fear... and avarice... upon the ruins of the world they had inherited by chance.
For uncounted epochs, monsters had crawled over the primeval earth, their wars and magics twisting land, sea, and sky. Yet all things end. Elder race warred with elder race, to their mutual downfall. Senescent species made horrible pacts with strange Powers to avoid decline. As elder things clung to life and power beyond their time, their wombs and cultures withered. The lands moved upon the waters, and monsters who had ruled over jungle and swamp shivered as the ice came. The life of monsters is as the life of stars, but even stars die. And finally the ancient world collapsed.
Continents broke; seas boiled as fangs of fire erupted from the deep; the stars of heaven lurched into new constellations. The elder masters' towers fell, their leviathan-gods retreated to nurse their wounds. From the heights of power and erudition, the elder lords were cast into savagery. And in the wreckage, the lowliest slaves... sequestered from the worst of the ruin as fodder for their masters' magics and military experiments... cast off their chains, went forth, and multiplied.
In only a handful of generations, mankind rose far: mastering fire and bronze, building cities in imitation of the prehumans', developing systems of writing and mathematics... and delving into the same dark sorceries that brought down their predecessors. Power fostered arrogance; wealth nurtured greed; the city walls that sheltered from the wilderness allowed vice to fester in their midst. And in their dark dens and hidden places, the surviving monsters of the elder world grinned in anticipation and stretched out their talons to goad man against his brother, that the world might be theirs once more.
Yet something happened unforeseen by man and monster alike. From among humans of all stations... from the mightiest hero-lugal to the merest slave... a divine spark alit in mortal clay. Human in form yet wielding the cosmic and elemental power of leviathans, these demigods went among the nations to work wonders and receive the awe of their fellows.
Did they defend their newborn species as guardians? Uplift and teach it as culture heroes? Oppress it as immortal tyrants? Fleece it as tricksters? Or betray their birth-kind to go among the elder races, not as slaves but as masters over a second age of monsters?
That tale remains to be told.
Player Characters
Ladies and gents, I'll clean this up later, but for now I just need a cut-and-pasted repository for tonight's dry run.
Ama (Jeremy Kopczynski) (Command, Fertility, Sun): The sun rises upon the Yayoi, and impurity withers in its light.
Strength: 10/0/11
Dexterity: 14/1/7 Constitution: 16/2/5 Intelligence: 13/1/9 Wisdom: 13/1/9 Charisma: 18/33
Saves: Hardiness: 13 Evasion: 14 Spirit: 12
Words: Command-Charisma 18 plus perfect communication. Gift: Bearer of the Scarlet Crown Fertility-Control of personal fertility plus immunity to plant based toxins Sun-Immunity to fire and perfect vision even if eyeballs removed. Gift: Body of Burning Light, Sunlight Sight, Purity of Brilliant Law, Hope of the Dawn.
Facts: Born among the Yayoi Sacrificial Priestess Fighter of Ogres
Weapons: Bow 1d8 ranged weapon Armor: Leather AC 7 Attack Bonus +1 Wealth: 0 Influence: 2 Dominion: 0 Effort: 2 Hit Points: 10
Anka (Marikir) (Death, Fertility, Health): From the dry lands the green breath blows.
Description Age: 25; Gender: Female; Hair: Black, unbraided, raggedly cut (sign of mourning); Eyes: Brown; Skin: Tan
Level: 1
Facts •Origin: Born to the migrating Tribes. •Profession: Gatherer, Wife, Mother •Relationship: Widow & Revered by the Tomb Lords.
Attributes
Strength 13 (+3) [Check: 8+] Dexterity 13 (+1) [Check: 8+] Constitution 18 (+3) [Check: 3+] Intelligence 10 (+0) [Check: 11+] Wisdom 16 (+2) [Check: 5+] Charisma 14 (+1) [Check: 7+]
Saving Throws
Hardiness: 12+ Evasion: 14+ Spirit: 13+
Combat
HP: 11 AC: 6 / 8 Fray Dice: 1d8
Base Attack Bonus: +1 Melee Attack Bonus: +2
Resources
Effort: 2 Influence: 2 Dominion: 0 Wealth: 0 Experience: 0
Words
Death Fertility Health
Gifts Death Keeper of the Graves (Lesser) Withholding the Mercy (Lesser)
Fertility Birth Blessing (Lesser) Unending Abundance (Greater)
Health Ender of Plagues (Lesser)
Equipment
Hand Sickle (Light – 1d6+1 damage) Knife (Light - 1d6+1 damage)
Illuminous the Arcane (lordmcdeath): (Knowledge, Sorcery, Time): The shape of things to come is unknown... yet He knows more than you.
HP: 9
AC: 2
Attributes Mod Checks Str 10 +0 11 Dex 13 +1 8 Con 14 +1 7 Int 18 +3 3 Wis 16 +2 5 Cha 13 +1 8
Facts -Born into the people of the volcano, awakened the mysteries of fire. (Familar with Cinnabar Order Magic) -Wandered the earth pursuing lost knowledge, a sage of the ancient and forbidden lore. -Saved from death by a healing adept. (Familar with the Merciful Hand)
Words Knowledge (Int 18, Revealing information) Sorcery (As Instant, Can have commit effort to cancel low magic or constructs) Time (Wis 16, Time Sense, Immunity to Scry and Time)
Divine Gifts -The Best-Laid Plans (Commit Effort for a day and lay out a plan, DM lays out most relevant unknown danger to goal. Once per goal, 1pt) -Exicision of Understanding (As an action remove memory of language, skill, event, or topic and the worthy may resist in Spirit, 1pt) -Adept of the Gate (4 Gate invocation, 1pt) -Adept of the Way (3 Way invocation, 2pt) -Immediate Foresight (AC 3, 1pt)
Saving Throw Hardiness 14 Evasion 12 Spirit 13
Effort 2 Wealth 0 Experience 0 Dominion 0 Influence 2
Invocations Barred Gate of Forbiddence (Cast someone out of a location, Spirit to resist) Kiss of the Crane (1d6 per level to arcane connection, Evasion for half, find target anywhere) Seal of Regnal Dominion (1 thrall per level, Spirit to resist) The Trumpet of Far Utterance (Communication between arcane link or close people, pass one 10 lbs object)
Path to the Bright Sanctum (Travel to prepared Sanctum) Sign of Avulsive Banishment (1d10 per level to any angel or uncreated, can be area effect, backlash if not) Sunder the Greater Spell (Make the spell not happen, 1d10 backlash for Gate or Way)
Weapon Throwing Knives (+2, 1d6)
Armor (None, Robe)
Pars (EngmaticOne) (Artifice, Earth, Endurance): All things of worth are forged from fire and earth. My hammer will make yet greater things.
Name: Pars
Age: 18 Gender: Male Hair: Black Eyes: Green Skin: Dark Tan
Level: 1
Facts •Origin: Commoner of Gath •Profession: Bronzesmith's Son •Relationship: Favored by the Priests of Jawa
Attributes
Strength 16 (+2) [Check: 5+] Dexterity 13 (+1) [Check: 8+] Constitution 16 (+2) [Check: 5+] Intelligence 16 (+2) [Check: 5+] Wisdom 14 (+1) [Check: 7+] Charisma 13 (+1) [Check: 8+]
Saving Throws
Hardiness: 13+ Evasion: 13+ Spirit: 14+
Combat
HP: 10 AC: 2
Base Attack Bonus: +1 Melee Attack Bonus: +3
Resources
Effort: 2 Influence: 2 Dominion: 0 Wealth: 0 Experience: 0
Words
Artifice Earth Endurance
Gifts Artifice
Perpetually Perfect [Greater] Ten Thousand Tools [Lesser]
Earth
Builder of Mountain Peaks [Greater]
Endurance
Body of Iron Will [Lesser]
Equipment
Hammer (Heavy – 1d10 damage)
Tarrlak Varr (CowboyEnergy) (Alacrity, Health, Sword): The mountain stands. And so do we.
Name: Tarrlak Vaar
Attributes: Strength: 16 (+2) (Check: 5) Dexterity: 16 (+2) (Check: 5) Wisdom: 13 (+1) (Check: 8) Constitution: 16 (+2) (Check: 5) Charisma: 10 (+0) (Check: 11) Intelligence: 8 (-1) (Check: 13)
Facts:
-Was a Martial Arts Teacher even before he became Godbound, and still is. -Created his own styles from observing nature in motion, such as the Lesser Strife of Broken Earth from the mountains themselves -He comes from the Mountain City-State of Tolundria,
Words: Sword, Alacrity, Health
Sword: Treats all melee attacks as magical, can never be disarmed, and can summon any weapon used before to their hand. Alacrity: Dex to 16, Never surprised, Health: Invincible defense against disease and poisons, can diagnose in an instant, Con to 16.
Gifts: Flickering Advance (Alacrity) Steel Without End (Sword) Nine Iron Walls (Sword) Shattering Hand (Sword, Greater) Intrinsic Health (Health) Lesser Strife of Broken Earth
Saving Throws: Hardiness: 13 Evasion: 13 Spirit: 14
Health: 12 Effort: 2 Wealth: 0 Influence: 2 Dominion: 0
Weapon: Fists Armour: Incredible martial arts skill
Description: Tarrlak Vaar looks like a dark brown-skinned man in his 50s, complete with a full black beard with streaks of gray in it, going with his long, equally graying hair and carefully styled mustaches. His dark eyes twinkle with jovial good humour as he overlooks his student's training in his dojo in Tolundria, The School of the Avalanche Fist, where the greatest fighters in the world are made (according to him, of course).
Even though he is in his fifties, he moves, breathes and...well, does everything with the ease of a man in the prime of his life. Even before he was bound to the word of Health, he was known for barely ever getting sick, of training well into the night, and of going out on long excursions deep into the wilderness with barely any supplies. Similarily, Tarrlack was a master of unarmed combat before he was bound to the Sword and Alacrity, but now his skills have gone deep into the uncanny. He casually parries the sword-swings of entire mobs of enemy soldiers, and disarms bow-men before they can even draw their strings back. Despite this, Tarrlack refuses to attack except out of defense of himself or of another, believing that unchecked aggression opens one's soul up to the corrupting influences that brought down the devil-kings and so many other strange beings.
Factions
Gath (EnigmaticOne) (Power 2 Cohesion 2 Action Die 1d8, XP 0, Dominion 2) The people of Gath reside in the north of the archipelago known as Typhon’s Wake, built into the foothills of the Zakros mountain range. Three different volcanoes exist within the chain, known in order of greatest to least size as: the King-Peak of Fire, the Lady-Peak of Fire, and the Child-Peak of Fire. The brooding volcanoes offer peril but also bounty: Copper ore and obsidian practically spill forth from the slopes to anoint the people of Gath, while the rich ash-nurtured soil gifts Gath’s farmers with abundance, including lush grapes for the making of amaranth wines treasured throughout the region.
Despite the fire of its mountains and the fire of its wines, what blazes brightest in Gath is the genius of Pars, its demigod prodigy-smith. Pars’ craftsmanship and inventive mind are inspiring a similar interest in Gath’s population.
Tolundria (CowboyEnergy) (Power 2, Cohesion 2, Action Die 1d8, XP 0, Dominion 2) In the mountains to the south of the great alluvial deltas stands a great peak of jagged granite, gazing contemptuously over the soft lowlands at its horizon. The farmers below make obeisance to the mountain, calling it Tolu-Gal, the Rock of Kings. And atop this peak dwell a people as hard as the rock of their home, as fierce as the gyre-hawks and gryphons of the surrounding range. Under the tutelage of the warmaster Tarlaak Vaar, these proud fighters test themselves against the unforgiving mountain, to become as stone, to break or be broken.
This is Tolundria, stranger. For your sake, may you come in peace.
The Tomb Lords and the Clans (Marikir) (Power 2, Cohesion 2, Action Die 1d8, XP 0, Dominion 2) A formerly migratory band of wandering clans came upon a small enclave of humans living in the mountains. These humans dwelt in what were called "the Tombs", a network of cyclopean ruins and caves in the mountain range and were dubbed the Tomb Lords by those they traded with. The Clans traded with the Tomb Lords for a time, having to settle there while the Winter swept through the area. Unfortunately for the Clans, a disease from the Tombs burst forth and proceeded to decimate (1 in 10) them.
One woman, a gatherer from the Clans, lost her entire family; both husbands, and two children. She nearly died as well, but something from the Tombs awoke in her instead the Words that she is learning to control.
The Tomb Lords, watching dispassionately and tending to and disposing of the dead, were stunned at her survival. Her gifts have now turned the tide of Death back and brought the concept of Planting and Agriculture to her Clan. Tired of moving from place to place, and weakened by the disease, the Clans were forced to stay. During this time, the Clans and the Tomb Lords have, with her influence, begun to integrate their ways. The Tomb Lords revere the dead and dispose of them in whatever way needed. They are a society of undertakers. The Clans have given the Tomb Lords a glimpse of a different way: A way of living for life, instead of death.
And in the middle of it all, a widow looks on, seeing the possibility of a new family in those around her with her guidance and these new powers.
Yayoi (Jeremy Kopcynski) (Power 2, Cohesion 2, Action Die 1d8) The island-dwelling Yayoi are a people in transition. Formerly foragers, they have recently discovered the arts of farming and bronze working. Besides the cultivated fields fishing is a major source of nutrition and also of superstitions as they brave the dangerous seas.
They are organized into several matrilineal clans and have recently begun to develop an elaborate social hierarchy based on personal honor and achievement. Politically Yayoi is a chiefdom and has recently elevated the high priestess-turned-demigoddess Ama to lead them.
In matters of religion they are led by priestesses and shamans who attempt to serve as intercessors between the people and anything viewed as supernatural. Until very recently, sacrifices of the high priestess was common.
Ashada, City of the Bitumen Kings (Power 2, Cohesion 2, Action Die 1d8, XP 0 [for purposes of measuring Power advancement], Dominion 2) Amid the Bone Sinks, where not even vultures go, the barren ground cracks like the face of a hierodule past their prime. The remains of monstrous beasts litter the desolation, participants in or victims of some elder war. Yet from the wounds that gouge the earth bubbles up the stinking black tar that has so enriched those with the fortitude to make the Bone Sinks their own. Bitumen: In the hands of skilled engineer-savants it serves purposes ranging from construction to fiery war.
The fractious oligarchs that jointly rule Ashada were no more than junior merchants, speculators, or less savory things before their rise, but their wealth has made them forget their station, and so they style themselves as Kings. There is little majestic about the trade in slaves bought as needed and sent to work the pits. They grow encrusted and befouled with the stuff, and they sicken and die within 18 moons, but that is the lot of slaves. And after all, it is only right that the pits be fed with those who work them, in payment to the bitumen-spirits for the extraction.
So, while Ashada is black and ugly and reeks of the underworld, within its asphalt walls are many beautiful things come to satisfy the urges and pleasures of the Kings.
The Locust Tribes (Power 2, Cohesion 2, Action Die 1d8, XP 0 [for purposes of measuring Power advancement], Dominion 2) Angels of desolation, the merciless, insatiable Locust Tribes ravage the east. Where the Locust Tribes overrun, nothing is left: that which is not taken is ritually destroyed, those who are not slain are left to face starvation.
Formerly a cluster of marginalized nomads, escaped slaves, and failed brigands forced into the unforgiving alkali barrens of Gepesh, the desperate pariahs of a hundred settlements have coalesced under Zum-Zum the Glutton, prophet of the ancient arthropod-god Girtab: Father-Mother of locusts, mantids, scorpions, and all stinging rapacious things.
The Tribes' raids are spearheaded by the cult’s most fanatical marauders. Giving themselves the ancient epithet of “thri-kreen,” or “hunger swarm,” these braves intoxicate themselves on blue mantis flesh and scorpion venom before launching their cannibalistic atrocities.
NPCs of Note
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Monsters
Ogres
Savage, degenerate, superstitious, and primitive, ogres lurk in small bands in the wilderness. They retain their ancestors' height (9-10') and strength, but the devil-kings' beauty has become ugliness and their intellect devolved to bestial rage. Prone to bouts of madness, killing and eating one another as readily as anything else, ogres are congenitally incapable of large-scale organization or planning; this gives smaller, weaker humans a fighting chance against the brutes. Despite their reduced mental state, they dimly remember what they once were... and what humanity was. And they hate. Woe to the human who falls into their clutches.
HD 4, AC 6 (hides + tough skin), Attack +6 (strong), Damage 1d8 +2 (strong), Morale 9 (savage but superstitious), Save 14+ (accursed - worse than normal), Move 30' run, Effort 1
Ogres commonly form Mobs; they are strong and ferocious enough to threaten even demigods and so have the Overwhelm ability.
Anakim (Ogre Magi)
Ancestors of the ogres, anakim were the first anthropoids to arise and challenge the monsters of the Elder World... though they were little less monstrous. In form they were near perfect: towering ur-hominids of sinister, satanic beauty, muscular and graceful (Araki's Pillar Men from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure mixed with Milton's Satan gives an idea). Combining unholy strength, magical might, and devious cunning, they beat back the declining elder prehumans, bound many lesser demons to service, made pacts with many leviathans, and carved out great holdings across the ancient world. Basically Moorcock's Melnibone or Howard's Acheron.
Yet in character they were cruel, decadent, arrogant, sadistic. Trusting their own kind but little (with good reason), engaging in vicious feuds and rivalries, they preferred to keep apart, each small cabal of devil-kings building its holdings on the backs of lesser primates raised as slaves. Practicing sorcery, breeding bizarre hybrid beasts, and trafficking with demons and leviathans, anakim sought ever greater power and knowledge: over their fellows, over the elder beast-gods, and most of all over life and death. Lacking the greater leviathans' divinity and immortality, they craved these things, and their laboratories echoed with the screams of their lesser kindred on whom they performed experiment after unholy experiment.
Their society destroyed itself in the Collapse; whatever they unleashed twisted the entire species, devolving them physically and mentally into the race of ogres. Only 1 in 100 ogre births produces a new anak. Intelligent enough to know the numbers no longer favor them, anakim lord over their brutish descendants as god-kings or, cloaked in illusion, walk among humans, undermining the new dominant species from within.
Common Anak: HD 8, AC 4 (medium armor, skill), Attack +10 x2 attacks, Damage 1d12, Morale 10, Save 11+, Move 30' run/45' flight, Effort 3. They have the powers attributed to AD&D ogre mages, but these are low-magic effects of limited use against a demigod.
Devil-King/Queen: An anak whose soul is sufficiently mighty to bear a spark of divinity. While they lack the sheer capability of human demigods (few have more than two Words, and they gain no benefit from cults except a boost to their overweening egos), they make up for it with power and malice. Each is built differently, but at a minimum you're looking at a splice of the Twisted Ogre (p. 151) and Greater Eldritch (p. 148) templates: 20+ HD, flight, 1d12 straight-damage melee and magic attacks, and usually some Sorcery and Deception Gifts plus a mystic Corona of Fury attack.
The Spawn of Yoji-Pang
Many leviathans cast their seed upon or took into themselves what they would, but none were so… energetic… as Yoji-Pang, the Abundant Lingam. A colossal, towering… (take an AD&D roper, splice it in whatever ways you care, or don’t care, to imagine with Revenge of the Overfiend, give it the Fertility Word, and grow it to 60’ tall)… Yoji-Pang was surprisingly popular among certain anak cliques of especial decadence. What transpired is best left unwritten.
What cannot be unmentioned is the fact that, while Yoji-Pang is little known in the current epoch, His spawn were of sufficient number and variety to plague the latter world.
Spawn of Yoji-Pang: I’m using Carcosa’s Spawn of Shub-Niggurath tables, which repurpose to Godbound with little effort.
Lesser Lingams (especially favored Spawn): AD&D ropers massaged to work for Godbound.
Astrology and Celestial Bodies
In the Upper Alluvial Plain is Nin-Sekeb, atop whose ziggurats the Wise cast their eyes upon the heavens. And this they say:
Of the Sun
The Sun is ardent, ever pursuing the Moon, which spurns the Sun's unwelcome heat. It is portended that the Sun has tired of the vain suit and casts eyes among the nations, taking brides and grooms from mortals fair of form and spirit.
Of the Moon
The Moon is vain and overfond of raiment, trying on and casting off dress and jewels and pigments in this manner: Coral, Yellow, Purple, Blue, Bronze, White, Silver, Scarlet, Green, Indigo, Copper, Gold.
Of the Eclipse
Sorcerers say that Typhon's mate, who went into the Tehom and so is called Tehom-Maat, reaches Her five maws from the Outer Waters in which She is trapped, and She would swallow the Sun or Moon that She might strengthen Herself upon its light and free herself from the dark Beyond. Yet ere She can do this thing, the Demons of the Tehom draw Her back once more.
The Three Comets
There is Notok-Tha, the White Comet, which portends the birth of marvels and monsters. Look not upon Her.
There is Notok-Ku, the Red Comet, which prophesies the coming of kings and queens. Cast thyself upon thy face, lest the eyes of kings and queens fall upon thee.
There is Notok-Zeb-Gul, the Green Comet, which bringeth lamentation upon the nations. Take up a goat that has not yet seen three moons and offer it to Notok-Zeb-Gul, lest thy kin have cause to lament thee.
The Seven Wandering Stars
Of wandering stars there are seven, and they are named:
- Yin, of the Near Circumference, That Delighteth in Laughter
- Yom, of the Near Circumference, That Delighteth in Virtue
- Yok, of the Near Circumference, That Delighteth in Wickedness
- Yan, of the Middle Circumference, That Delighteth in Violence
- Yish, of the Middle Circumference, That Delighteth in Wisdom
- Yeb, of the Distant Circumference, That Delighteth in Falsehood
- Far Yug, of which naught is known
The hierodules of each Wanderer wed themselves to their star, and to those who seeketh them out for congress they offer their star’s Delight.
Of the Fixed Signs
There are twelve fixed Signs: Sword, Sea-Goat, Scorpion, Vulture-Ox, Crowned Child, Beer-Barley, Ziggurat, Gryphon, Makara, Scylax, Vessel, Chariot. The Blasphemers who dwell in Ah-Mut claim the Ape was once among their number, but that he played a Trick and the other Signs cast him down.
Of the Fallen Signs
It is known that betimes a Sign grows weary of its endless course and falls in fire upon the earth. Go not upon the great pits where such marvels lie, for the metal being of Signs is wondrous hard yet sickens those who draw near it. None now have the secret of its working, though heroes betimes take up marvelous weapons made of this metal, forged in ancient days and borne by giant-kings of old.
Some doubt these tales, but who would gainsay the Wise?
