Night Land
Open source p.2OSE NL · 3p
A WEIRD -FANTASY ROLEPLAYING SETTING - CONCEPT, WRITING & LAYOUT: Vasili Kaliman - ART: Andrew Walter - CARTOGRAPHY: Benjamin Marra INSPIRATION LITERATURE // Inferno by (1308-1314) by Dante Alighieri; Time and the Gods (1906) by Lord Dunsany; The Dream Cycle stories (1918-1932), and At The Mountains of Madness (1931) by H.P. Lovecraft; The Dark Eidelon (1935) by Clark Ashton Smith; Weird Tales pulp magazine run from 1923-1940 ; Imagery and concepts from the Dying Earth sub-genre of science-fiction, including authors Jack Vance, Frank Herbert, and Gene Wolfe. ART // Odilon Redon (1840-1914); H.R. Giger (1940-2014); Johfra Bosschart (1919-1998); Richard Corben (1940-2020). COMIC BOOKS // Planet Comics (Fiction House, 1940-1953); Weird Science and Weird Fantasy (EC Comics, 1950-1953); The Cursed Earth storyline from Judge Dredd in 2000AD (1978); The Eternals (Marvel Comics, 1977-1978) by Jack Kirby; Early issues of Heavy Metal (HM Communications, Inc, 1977-1980). TV SHOWS // Rod Serling's opening intro to The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-1964); The Herculoids (CBS, 1967-1969). POP CULTURE // The Bride from Bride of Frankenstein (directed by James Whale, 1935); The Monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey (directed by Stanley Kubrick, 1968); The UFO abductees emerging from the mothership in the closing sequence of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (directed by Steven Spielberg, 1977); The Diva from The Fifth Element (directed by Luc Besson, 1997); Sith Lords from the Star Wars Old Republic novels (2010-2012); The holographic galaxy map and Engineers from Prometheus (directed by Ridley Scott, 2012). SOUNDTRACK // Sabled Sun; Hilyard; Mount Shrine; Ugasanie; Northumbria; Ruptured World; Ager Sonus. RPGS // Gamma World 1e (TSR, 1978) by James M. Ward & Gary Jaquet, Empire of the Petal Throne (TSR, 1975) by M.A.R. Barker, Skyrealms of Jorune 1st and 2nd editions (Skyrealms Publishing Inc., 1984-1985) by various authors; H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands (Chaosium, 1986) by various authors; Carcosa (Lamentations of the Flame Princess, 2011) by Geoffrey McKinney; Numenera (Monte Cook Games, 2013) by Monte Cook; Peril on the Purple Planet for Dungeon Crawl Classics (Goodman Games, 2015) by Harley Stroh; Old-School Essentials (Necrotic Gnome, 2019) by Gavin Norman. GAMING IDEAS // Pointcrawl concept from The Hill Cantons blog by Chris Kutalik; Spark tables from Electric Bastionland by Chris McDowall; Reaction tables from both Troika! by Daniel Sell and Best Left Buried by Zachary Cox & Ben Brown. THANKS TO // Andrew Sternick for assistance with developing the three factions of Night Land. Old-School Essentials is a trademark of Necrotic Gnome. The trademark and Old-School Essentials logo are used with permission of Necrotic Gnome, under license. - PUBLISHER: This is a lovingly made production by Singing Flame, New York | Written between November 2020 – June 2021. © 2021 Vasili Kaliman & Singing Flame. Art © Andrew Walter. Cartography © Benjamin Marra.
The Adventure
Overview & introduction p.2
Credits
A WEIRD -FANTASY ROLEPLAYING SETTING
- CONCEPT, WRITING & LAYOUT: Vasili Kaliman
- ART: Andrew Walter
- CARTOGRAPHY: Benjamin Marra
INSPIRATION
LITERATURE // Inferno by (1308-1314) by Dante Alighieri; Time and the Gods (1906) by Lord Dunsany;
The Dream Cycle stories (1918-1932), and At The Mountains of Madness (1931) by H.P. Lovecraft;
The Dark Eidelon (1935) by Clark Ashton Smith; Weird Tales pulp magazine run from 1923-1940 ; Imagery and concepts
from the Dying Earth sub-genre of science-fiction, including authors Jack Vance, Frank Herbert, and Gene Wolfe.
ART // Odilon Redon (1840-1914); H.R. Giger (1940-2014); Johfra Bosschart (1919-1998); Richard Corben (1940-2020).
COMIC BOOKS // Planet Comics (Fiction House, 1940-1953); Weird Science and Weird Fantasy
(EC Comics, 1950-1953); The Cursed Earth storyline from Judge Dredd in 2000AD (1978); The Eternals
(Marvel Comics, 1977-1978) by Jack Kirby; Early issues of Heavy Metal (HM Communications, Inc, 1977-1980).
TV SHOWS // Rod Serling's opening intro to The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-1964); The Herculoids (CBS, 1967-1969).
POP CULTURE // The Bride from Bride of Frankenstein (directed by James Whale, 1935); The Monolith from
2001: A Space Odyssey (directed by Stanley Kubrick, 1968); The UFO abductees emerging from the mothership in the
closing sequence of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (directed by Steven Spielberg, 1977); The Diva from
The Fifth Element (directed by Luc Besson, 1997); Sith Lords from the Star Wars Old Republic novels (2010-2012);
The holographic galaxy map and Engineers from Prometheus (directed by Ridley Scott, 2012).
SOUNDTRACK // Sabled Sun; Hilyard; Mount Shrine; Ugasanie; Northumbria; Ruptured World; Ager Sonus.
RPGS // Gamma World 1e (TSR, 1978) by James M. Ward & Gary Jaquet, Empire of the Petal Throne (TSR, 1975)
by M.A.R. Barker, Skyrealms of Jorune 1st and 2nd editions (Skyrealms Publishing Inc., 1984-1985) by various authors;
H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands (Chaosium, 1986) by various authors; Carcosa (Lamentations of the Flame Princess, 2011)
by Geoffrey McKinney; Numenera (Monte Cook Games, 2013) by Monte Cook; Peril on the Purple Planet for Dungeon
Crawl Classics (Goodman Games, 2015) by Harley Stroh; Old-School Essentials (Necrotic Gnome, 2019) by Gavin Norman.
GAMING IDEAS // Pointcrawl concept from The Hill Cantons blog by Chris Kutalik; Spark tables from Electric Bastionland
by Chris McDowall; Reaction tables from both Troika! by Daniel Sell and Best Left Buried by Zachary Cox & Ben Brown.
THANKS TO // Andrew Sternick for assistance with developing the three factions of Night Land.
Old-School Essentials is a trademark of Necrotic Gnome.
The trademark and Old-School Essentials logo are used with permission of Necrotic Gnome, under license.
- PUBLISHER: This is a lovingly made production by Singing Flame, New York | Written between November 2020 – June 2021. © 2021 Vasili Kaliman & Singing Flame. Art © Andrew Walter. Cartography © Benjamin Marra.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
Night Land is a weird-fantasy setting for ORIGINAL FANTASY and OSR rule systems. It can be run as a stand-alone, or plugged into your current campaign world as a location players experience during as adventure. The stats within are suitable for CHARACTER LEVELS 2-3, and should be adjusted accordingly by referees for higher levels of play. Our suggested rule system is OLD-SCHOOL ESSENTIALS, utilizing both the CLASSIC FANTASY and ADVANCED FANTASY rules and supplements. Descriptions of spells used by NPCs in this setting can be found in the OSE rules. Monsters, magic items, and some spells in Night Land are original. AC 9 [11] is treated as unarmored.
WHAT IS NIGHT LAND?
Night Land is a realm where the sun has extinguished and its ashes lay strewn across a landscape. One after one, the stars in the universe are entering their ultimate stages of life, and existence is evaporating into memory. Night Land may take place far in the future, or even in the past. It is a dream-like realm existing without plot, which referees can weave to their will. The art by ANDREW WALTER should be used to stimulate the referee’s and players’ imagination.
THE POINTCRAWL
Night Land is presented as a POINTCRAWL, where players travel between nodes on the MAP [p.22–23] representing situations and locations of interest. The points can represent adventure sites, major encounters, or unusual landmarks and geography. The pointcrawl is an abstract system of organizing a map to keep land-based adventuring simple. Referees should adjust it for traditional hex-based play if preferred.
THE HOOK
If set in your campaign world, Night Land is a region that players may find themselves in during travel, always after the sun has set. They mysteriously cross the threshold, discovering themselves in an unfamiliar world. Night Land can manifest anywhere in time and space after twilight, allowing players to enter suddenly. Alternatively, players could reach Night Land through a portal, dreams, when a spell fails, it might be an uncharted region in their current world, or perhaps it's a location they appear in after their mortal bodies are slain during during an ill-fated encounter in an adventure. When entering Night Land, players arrive outside the entrance at LOCATION 1 [p.11].
TRAVELING BETWEEN LOCATIONS
Players travel between locations by PATHS, along with suggested travel times. Events such as random encounters may affect the time taken. Paths are roads, well-used throughout Night Land. If the referee adheres to the point-crawl method and players veer from paths, here are suggestions of what to do: The ashes might become too thick to wade through; terrifying beasts might be heard ahead to discourage them; they might reach an escarpment too steep to scale; or they may find themselves within a keyed location of the referee’s choosing.
POPULATION
Night Land is populated by three main FACTIONS [p.4-7], RESIDENTS [p.32], and BEASTS [p.36-42].
ILLUMINATION
An unmoving permanent full moon illuminates Night Land, bathing the region with a soft, blue-green light. The ambient glow enables partial and shadowy viewing within 60', and creates sharp, distinct silhouettes of forms in the distance. An artificial light source is recommended when traveling on paths, however, flammable substances such as wood and oil are limited, challenging to procure and costly. SUN SPRITES [p.40], the fey-like creatures, are also a source of illumination.
LINKS BETWEEN EVERYTHING
Two RELATIONSHIP MATRICES [p.43–44] provide links between factions and beasts, and connections between key locations. Use as a resource to understand conflicts, alliances, and develop these into hooks for adventures within Night Land.
AMBIANCE & THEMES
Melancholia, world-weariness, wounded innocence, reflection, entropy, exhaustion, romanticism, idealism, hope.
DEPARTING NIGHT LAND
There are a few ways players can depart from their expedition into Night Land. The first is to exit after the last encounter on the pointcrawl at LOCATION 17 [p.29]. Another is for the referee to create a magic portal in one of the encounter locations which transport the players to another adventure. A final method is whilst the party is walking on a path towards a location — the referee may choose to conclude the players' tour of Night Land for now. If this visit was a deviation, the path converts back to solid ground, and players return to the campaign world they knew prior, perhaps with the sun rising on the horizon. When players leave Night Land, it should dissolve behind them as they pass the threshold. They may enter Night Land again, but this should be at the referee's discretion, unless can players can discover or quest for it anew.
Random Events & Encounters p.8
Random events whilst traveling on Paths occur on 1–in–6 per hour, or at the referees discretion. Frequency of random events in Locations can be rolled at the referee's discretion, such as if the party revisits a location, spends too much time searching an area, or you'd prefer the dice to determine what happens next.
| Path (d100) | Location (d100) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 01–10 | 01-05 | NECRO DIVAS [p.6]. 1-5—hostile; 6—cowardly; 7—guarding; 8—distracted; 9-10—vulnerable. |
| 11-15 | 06–20 | SUNMOURNERS [p.4]. 1—bored; 2—distracted; 3—needy; 4—guarding; 5—scared; 7—watchful; 8-9—fleeing; 10—hostile. |
| 16-25 | 21–30 | CULT MEMBERS [p.31]. 1—hostile; 2—mocking; 3—transporting; 4—cautious; 5—probing; 6—searching; 7—probing; 8—drunk; 9—fleeing; 10—angry. |
| 26-30 | 31–65 | RESIDENTS [p.32]. 1-2—ambush; 2—scared; 3—asking; 4—friendly; 6—smug; 7—guarding; 8—offering; 9—mocking; 10—hostile; 11—playful; 12—obliging; 13—suspicious; 14—depraved; 15—distressed; 16—shocked; 17—wounded; 18—kind; 19—deceptive; 20—savage. |
| 31-40 | — | TWILIGHT VERMIN [p.42]. 1—7 hostile; 8—feasting; 9—stalking; 10—fleeing. |
| 41-45 | 66–70 | WINGED BEHEADERS [p.41]. 1-6—hostile; 7—laboring; 8—mating; 9—patrolling; 10—evading. |
| 46–50 | 71–75 | ASH GOLEMS [p.36]. 1-4—hostile; 3—wounded; 4—eating; 5—drunk; 6—fleeing; 7—ecstatic; 8-9—busy; 10—fascinated; 11—oblivious; 12—singing. |
| 51–55 | — | SHADOW WALKER [p.38]. 1-8—vicious; 9-10—oblivious. |
| — | 76–84 | SUN SPRITES [p.40]. 1-4—loving; 5—confused; 6—cautious; 7—distressed; 8—intrigued; 9-10—fleeing. |
| 56–60 | 85-90 | FACELESS DRIFTERS [p.37]. 1-5—ferocious; 6—confused; 7—evasive; 8—fleeing; 9—distressed; 10—guarding. |
| 61–65 | — | QUANTUM BLINKER [p.40]. 1-7—aggressive; 8—sleeping; 9—fleeing; 10—absorbing; 11-12—expanding. |
| 66–75 | — | PATH BECOMES 1—soggy ( hour to travel); 2—smooth, hard ( hour to travel); 3—rocky (climb, hours to travel); 4-5—thick ash ( hour to travel); 6—uncannily dark (roll again on this table). |
| 76–84 | — | SKY OR LAND EVENT 1—comet; 2—earthquake; 3—sinkhole; 4—ash storm; 5—ball lightning; 6—falling star; 7—dread silence; 8—static electricity; 9—falling star; 10—mad whispers; 11—lights in the sky; 12—red fog; 13—windstorm; 14—frostbite; 15—poison gas; 16—stellar alignment; 17—meteor shower; 18—avalanche; 19—violent wind; 20—voice of doom. |
| 85–89 | — | PATH LANDMARK 1—monolith with beam of light; 2—metallic flowers growing from ash; 3—excavated cemetery; 4—crumbling ruins; 5—organic structure; 6—inexplicable architecture; 7—remains of recent camp; 8—field of mist; 9—lair of beast; 10—hundreds of corpses; 11—overgrown tomb; 12—towering statue; 13—roadside memorial; 14—open sewer; 15—nest; 16—portal to another plane; 17—cryptic art; 18—twisted fauna; 19—aftermath of a battle; 20—macabre ritual site. CONFLICT (Roll 3 times and combine): |
| 90–94 | 91–94 | 1—Void Engineer; 2—Necro Diva; 3—Sunmourner; 4—Resident; 5—Ash Golem; 6—Winged Beheader; 7—Faceless Drifter; 8—NPC the party previously met; 9—Quantum Drifter; 10—Twilight Vermin. 1—stealing from; 2—slaying; 3—fleeing from; 4—aggressive towards; 5—guarding; 6—feeding on; 7—mating with; 8—sitting with; 9—defending; 10—capturing; 11—torturing; 12—defecating on; 13—beheading; 14—crying with; 15—teasing; 16—crawling with; 17—baptizing; 18—aiding; 19—studying; 20—worshiping. 1—Void Engineer; 2—Necro Diva; 3—Sunmourner; 4—Resident; 5—Ash Golem; 6—Winged Beheader; 7—Faceless Drifter; 8—NPC the party previously met; |
| — | 95–00 | 9—Cult member; 10—Twilight Vermin. LOCATION COMPLICATION 1—random PC slips and falls; 2—random light item blows away; 3—random weapon damaged; 4—party senses they are being tracked; 5—blinded by ash; 6—random PC damages footwear; 7—witness a shocking crime; 8—items missing, probably stolen; 9—random PC has been poisoned from last meal or item they came into contact with; 10—forced to leave location. |
| 95–00 | — | PATH COMPLICATION 1—random PC stumbles and slips and falls; 2—random light item blown away; 3—lost, add hours to find your way; 4—sun stones fade; 5—weapon dropped; 6—random PC blinded in one eye by flying debris; 7—random PC paralyzed; 8—dazed and confused, random PC has nervous breakdown, hours to recover; 9—party is confused, believes they're being followed; 10—food spoils; 11—forced to backtrack; 12—wound on random PC gets infected; 13—random item by party lost; 14—bodies fall from the sky; 15—paranoia, random PC goes temporarily insane and attacks an ally; 16-20—massive terrain obstacle. |
Sun Stones p.34
Sun Stones are magically created by Sunmourners from surviving fragments of the extinguished sun. There are many varieties, possessed by residents, factions, and cults. They are activated by igniting them with a flame, the vapor is then inhaled by the user or victim. Stones can be used once only. A selection is listed below. To generate a random stone, roll [].
Song Spells p.35
Spells are sung in Night Land. They increase in power level in line with the caster's level and should be customized accordingly by the referee.
Ashen Replicant
Accurate duplicate of caster, formed of solid ash. Hit points distributed equally, with shared abilities. Expires after spell duration has elapsed.
Distill Noise
Induces sound and noise to be transformed into a solid, creating non-magical items and objects of varying sizes and complexity. Can also work in reverse.
Doomed Waltz
Victim is charmed, exhibiting an undeniable urge to dance and begins doing so, complete with foot shuffling and tapping. They may dance to their death.
Dream Lullaby
Sends short message to others in form of a dream. Messenger enters a trance, appears in intended recipient’s dream at any distance, and delivers the message.
Heavenly Delusion
Victim possesses a paradisaic vision of Night Land, complete with a sun. The delirium is so overwhelming, victim may deteriorate into delusion and madness and not return.
Further spells
Roll to generate names of further spells. Determine outcomes based on combined results. These spells may be taught by qualified casters, found on scrolls, or be rumored to exist.
NEW SPELL NAME
| D8 | Word 1 | Word 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Necro | Mourning |
| 2 | Twilight | Transmutation |
| 3 | Nihilistic | Withering |
| 4 | Illusory | Immolation |
| 5 | Sunless | Regeneration |
| 6 | Nostalgic | Fertility |
| 7 | Void | Noise |
| 8 | Song | Absorption |
Open Gaming License p.45
OPEN GAMING LICENSE
DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY The names and descriptions of “Night Land”, “Sunmourners”, “Void Engineers”, “Necro Divas”, 'Faceless Drifter", "Quantum Blinker", "Shadow Walker", "Song Spells", "Sun Sprites", "Winged Beheader" and "Sun Stones" are Product Identity. “Trade dress” (fonts, layout, identifying marks, cover logo) are Product Identity. All artwork and cartography are Product Identity. DESIGNATION OF OPEN GAME CONTENT All text and tables not declared as product identity are Open Game Content. OPEN GAME LICENSE VERSION 1.0A The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/ or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), notation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content 5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content,
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Keyed entries (17)
1. 1. The Entrance to Night Land p.11
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD INTO A WEIRD REALM • PATH TO LOCATION 2
A 30' diameter PIT interrupts the path, shooting downwards to darkness. If the edges are surveyed, flashes of RADIANT COLOR sparkle within, rising like soap bubbles. Miniature SPHERES emerge, solid, one for each party member, depicting scenes from the PC's past, composed of moving images and sound. INSPIRATUS THE GATEKEEPER climbs out the hole nearby. [Illusionist 8th level, AC 5 [14], HD 8, HP 33, ATT 2 x poison dagger (/ and save or die). SPELLS: alter self; color spray; gaze reflection; hypnotism; magic mouth; solid fog]. Handsome, alluring, ageless. Welcomes party to Night Land, urges caution. Offers RUMORS [p.30] for trade, doesn't accept coins. Plunges back in the pit once he's chatted, or blinks out of existence, leaving behind the smell of burnt sugar. Dwells in the same dimension of sweet stuff as THE TOOTH FAIRY (see the adventure XANADU, also published by SINGING FLAME).
EVENTS & ENCOUNTERS NEARBY
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wounded SUNMOURNER [p.4], bite marks throughout their body, dying slowly. Was ambushed by a WINGED BEHEADER [p.41]. Begs to be carried to the SUNMOURNERS commune [location 2, p.12]. A reward awaits anyone who can preserve their life. |
| 2 | Three SKY CHARIOTS, soaring in the sky, flying in formation. Each has a long blazing trail of fire shooting from the rear. They are heading deep into Night Land. |
| 3 | The ground reverberates, an odor of electricity saturates the air. A SHADOW WALKER [p.38] approaches. Reaction []: 1-8—vicious; 9-10—oblivious. |
| 4 | A severe STORM can be heard from the direction the PCs originated . Thousands of red lightning bolts strike the ground per minute. It is advancing towards their location. |
| 5 | WINGED BEHEADERS [p.41], sitting on a pile of ruins. Reaction []: 1−7—hostile; 8—distressed; 9—wounded; 10—evading. |
| 6 | RESIDENTS [p.32], armed with missile weapons. Know RUMORS [p.30]. Reaction []: 1-2—ambush; 3—helpful; 4—friendly; 6—wounded; 7—inquisitive; 8—offering; 9—mocking; 10—confused; 11—playful; 12—obliging; 13—suspicious; 14—depraved; 15—crying; 16—shocked; 17—smug; 18—kind; 19—deceptive; 20—violent. |
2. 2. The Sunmourners p.12
A COMMUNE INHABITED BY A MAJOR FACTION • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 1, 3 & 8
A COMMUNE inhabited by SUNMOURNERS [p.4]. Visitors observe Sunmourners performing daily tasks, oblivious to foreigners. Guests are cordially greeted and scrutinized how they passed over the realm of SHADOW WALKERS [p.38] — an area on Night Land's outskirts— and survived. They share bread, tea, and teachings on the sublime, unknowable nature of SUN STONES [p.34]. Inexplicably, they are well-informed of the players' accomplishments and know many RUMORS [p.30] of Night Land's present intrigues.
NOTABLE SUNMOURNERS
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | ZIRA — Former wizard slayer. Disrespectful. Obsessive. Afraid of their uncontrollable powers. Claims to have been raised by space gods. Has invisible blood. Can't stop staring. Possessions: Pouch filled with rotten teeth. |
| 2 | TAHAN — Former map maker. Absurdly tall. Easily embarrassed. No memory of the past. Can chop off a finger and become invisible for an hour. Hates everyone. Possessions: Key to a family crypt. Lyrics and music to a song. Power: Eye carved into forehead, can read a creature's thoughts for one minute per day. |
| 3 | JULIUS — Former cult historian. Creepy. Kleptomaniac. Knows secret tunnels and ruins. Relishes watching executions. Enjoys a unique pastime. Possessions: A glass prism that emanates light if rubbed. A contract for murder. |
| 4 | ANIBAL — Former maker of religious symbols. Chatterbox. Probing. Sworn their life to the defense of the faction. Sleepless stimulant-addict. Carries their favored item. Possessions: An infinite inkwell. A piece of solidified sound. |
| 5 | SIDIRAN — Former ghost-hunter. Jovial. Sadistic. Is 2000 years old but looks 65. Can transform solids into liquids. Reverse engineers magical items. Possessions: A torn-up letter. A severed finger bearing a gold magical ring. |
| 6 | BRYAXIS — Former paladin. Ungrateful. Ambitious. Acquired hunger for Necro Diva flesh. Eerily lucky in endeavors. Concerned with their personal space. Possessions: A silver skull the size of a coin. A jar of face paint. |
HOOKS
| D4 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Destroy: A ladder within a hamlet of NECRO DIVAS [location 7, p.16] extends to the heavens. Entities descend from other planes, threatening Night Land's survival. |
| 2 | Rescue: SUNMOURNERS traveled to explore a recently discovered TOMB [location 6, p.15]. Communication with them through the DREAM LULLABY spell [p.35] has been lost. |
| 3 | Kill: A famous celebrity living within a PIT [location 17, p.29] must be destroyed. He cast a spell that made the sun flee, killing him will encourage the sun to return. |
| 4 | Deliver: Rare SUN STONES [p.34] must be retrieved from a group of CHAOS MESSIAHS [location 15, p.27] who map the night sky. It is imperative for the continuation of Night Land. |
3. 3. The Traders p.13
A MERCHANT CARAVAN WITH ITEMS FOR SALE • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 2, 10 & 5
On a trail by the side of ASH DUNES, a merchant caravan and their entourage are ahead. Rich soothing CHANTING can be heard as they approach. Escorts hold chains drawing a WHEELED CAGE, accompanied by ASH GOLEMS [p.36] serving as guards. They are traveling to to the SUNMOURNER commune [location 2, p.12] to solicit SUN STONES [p.34].
NOTEWORTHY MERCHANTS
| D4 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | RAHU SUD — Bureaucrat Inquisitor, AC 7 [12], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 2 x blow gun (/). Spell: hypnotic pattern, blur — Eyelids rotted away. Fast-talking. Walks with a cane. Conspiracy theorist determined to expose truths. Seeks destruction a landmark. Possessions: A magic whistle. Velvet blindfold. |
| 2 | AGÚST AVENTINIUS — Soil Protector, AC 6 [13], HD 3, HP 11, ATT 2 x scimitar (/). Spells: magic missile, levitate, ESP — Abnormally oversized skull. Covered in tattoos. Absent-minded. Has a fatal illness. Frightened by the PCs. Possessions: Three broken lock picks. A tiny cage. Power: Can evoke shards of light that scorch enemies. |
| 3 | TUKAARIA EPA — Armageddon Knight, AC 8 [11], HD 2, HP 6, ATT 2 x bola (/). Spell: wall of fog — Intolerant. Sniffs audibly. Brilliant innovator. Talks of dreams the PCs had the previous night. Hunting for a unique metal. Possessions: Unopened letter. Pouch filled with ash. Power: Can create a small sphere of wind to target an opponent. |
| 4 | LYDDA KSARDIR — Acrobat Gravedigger, AC 7 [12], HD 1, HP 4, ATT 1 x flail (). Spells: light, hold person — Agitated. Wears a wig. Drools from the mouth. Cannot hear or speak. Hasn't slept for years. Wears a cloak with odd symbols. Possessions: A vial of blood. A stone smoking pipe. Power: Can conjure a creature from a shadow. |
THEY ARE HAULING
| D4 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | FEAT MYSTERIONS, charged with the crime of looking for the secret of immortality. |
| 2 | AURA ZEALOTS, bodies marked with esoteric sigils cut into the skin. |
| 3 | A caged SUN DEMON with swarms of bugs following it. |
| 4 | babies to be baptized to at THE LAKE OF REDEMPTION [location 8, p.17]. |
THEY ARE PEDDLING
| D4 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | ITEM PAYMENT REQUESTED Keys that glow when evil is near. uses. A cup of spit. |
| 2 | Flutes made of a thigh bones, causes paralysis when played. Help with a prank. |
| 3 | Metal bars, impervious to damage. The PCs names, spoken in full. |
| 4 | Ash Golem liver. Eating it heals hp. The party’s fingerprints. |
4. 4. The Skies p.14
EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENA IN THE HEAVENS • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 8 & 12
Within a clearing, an ASH GOLEM [p.36] sits feasting on LACERATED HUMANS. Geothermal features such as geysers and hot MUD POOLS are nearby. other ASH GOLEMS [p.36] are soaking in one of the pools, chanting tender MELODIES to one another. Numerous SUN SPRITES [p.40] are fluttering above them, enthralled. Skies are continually clear here. This area is distinguished in Night Land as a convergence point of UNEXPLAINED aerial wonders.
OCCURRENCES IN THE SKY
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | SIGHT SOUND A person flying unaided Deafening roar |
| 2 | Rift opens, vile ooze pours through Repetitive droning |
| 3 | Swarm of jeweled insects Distant sonic boom |
| 4 | Comet with a long trail of fire Ethereal singing |
| 5 | Gargantuan flying creature Severe thunder |
| 6 | Ray of light from the heavens Otherworldly pipe music |
5. 5. The Vanishing Hypercube p.15
AN ENIGMATIC AND UNKNOWABLE OBJECT • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 3 & 10
A CUBIC STRUCTURE, 30' x 30' x 30'. It is impenetrable; radiating enlightenment, wholeness, and love. The FLAWLESS nature of the construct hints it is OTHERWORLDLY. Familiar to visitors, it enchants them with a sense of DEJA VU, perhaps a form they have encountered or entered already, without being able to place when. It is discoverable once only. Visitors departing and returning to the location at a later date realize it has vanished, with no trace it ever existed. If visitors touch the structure, make SAVE VS SPELLS or gain WIS for one day. Each resident of Night Land encounters this enigma once in their life.
6. 6. The Unearthed Tomb p.15
A NEWLY DISCOVERED TOMB • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 10, 11 & 12
Dispersed at the foot of an escarpment are the remnants of an ENCAMPMENT. The area is littered with foodstuffs and ruined equipment. The ambient illumination reveals a nearby POOL of gurgling, ashen mud. Close observation uncovers FOOTPRINTS in the ashes, pointing to an entrance in the escarpment. Inspection of the pool uncovers dead SUNMOURNERS [p.4], their heads removed. TWILIGHT VERMIN [p.42] arrive within minutes of players examining the scene.
EVENTS & ENCOUNTERS
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | A procession of the BLIGHTED HYPNOTISTS cult, walking in single file. They are []: 1—looking for recruits; 2—crazed, slaughtering everyone they encounter; 3—looking for help, one of them is dying; 4—build an unstoppable army to destroy the world. Powers: Can send weak telekinetic blasts at creatures within range. |
| 2 | WINGED BEHEADERS [p.41] circling above, producing a high-pitched shrilling sound. 70% chance of spotting the players each turn, after which they descend and attack. PCs killed have heads severed and stolen, bodies are dumped into the mud pool with other victims. |
| 3 | MELZAR — Fetishist Spellthief, AC 7 [12], HD 3, HP 11, ATT 1 x throwing axe (). Spells: slow poison, obscuring mist, produce flame — Double-headed, smokes a pipe from one head, exhales from the other. Can hold two conversations at once and also speak in unison. Pushing a wheelbarrow, looking to pull the bodies out of the pool and trade them as spare parts. Offers RUMORS [p.30] for price. Possession: Polished wooden flute. Hook: Talks effusively of a tea ceremony with the CHILDREN OF RAIN [location 11, p.20]. |
| 4 | A lone RESIDENT [p.32] walks by in tears. They are []: 1—fanatical holy person under the vow of silence; 2—healer who was the lone survivor of plague; 3—ambitious young upstart who recently learned a life lesson; 4—former paladin wearied by causes and killing. |
| 5-6 | associates of a HUNTING PARTY, cleaning carcasses of several ASH GOLEMS [p.36], cutting liver from their stomachs. Eating cooked liver heals hp. They are kind and helpful, give directions to anyone who addresses them in a similarly friendly manner. They know []: 1—this is the first time the players have been to Night Land; 2—the exit from Night Land is through THE TEA GARDENS [location 16, p.28], but most residents prefer to stay forever; 3—the real truth of what happened to the sun; 4—why Void Engineers exist. |
7. 7. The Necro Divas p.16
A LADDER MADE OF HAIR REACHING TO ANOTHER PLANE • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 9, 11 & 16
NECRO DIVAS [p.6] settle this modest hamlet. There are Divas here. They dwell in SIMPLE HUTS laid out in a circle, smooth as polished marble, composed of SOLIDIFIED SOUND. These have been sung into permanence by a DISTILL NOISE [p.35] spell. At the center of the huts, a LADDER composed of GOLDEN BRAIDED HAIR reaches toward the sky, vanishing into clouds. It radiates chaotic magic, leading to ANOTHER PLANE. Only Necro Divas can perform magic here. Divine or arcane words spoken by other casters fall to the ground as vapor, hardening in forms reflecting the meaning. These solid forms can be taken out of the hamlet, after which the spell regresses back into an ethereal substance and activates as normal.
8. 8. The Lake of Redemption p.17
A BODY OF WATER USED FOR BAPTISMS & FUNERALS • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 2, 4 & 12
A dense CLOUD hovers over this lake, from which water cascades. The dry air, smelling of ozone and fragrant nectar, stings eyes, throats, and irritates noses. A diverse assortment of RESIDENTS [p.32] are present, lined up at the lake’s edge to be BAPTIZED by SUNMOURN ERS [p.4]. Others hold REQUIEMS for loved ones, after which the dead are cast into the lake. Close inspection of the water exposes it’s a PUTRID bog of vile, fetid, greenish sludge. If water touches parts of the skin outside of the Sunmourners' baptism ritual, the smell doesn't leave, no matter how much you scrub, suffering a permanent to CHA, make save vs poison to avoid.
EVENTS & ENCOUNTERS
| D10 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | NECRO DIVAS [p.6], their faces half-submerged, drinking from its waters. |
| 2 | A group of RESIDENTS [p.32] performing a baptism with on dead child with two heads. One of the child's heads comes to life after the ceremony. |
| 3 | SHRINE REVOLUTIONARIES, AC 6 [13], HD 1, HP 4 each, ATT 1 x brass knuckles (). Shaved heads. Fingernails painted multiple colors. All have a habit of scratching themselves. They are: Worshiping a pile of human bones. Power: Can cause victims to lose control of their bowels. Selling: A magical contract whose contents can be enforced by gods. One use. Possessions: Loaded dice and marked playing cards. Forged jewelry. |
| 4 | A group of baby ASH GOLEMS [p.36], learning how to juggle. An angry mother emerges out of the lake to attack if they are approached. |
| 5 | SWARM PURISTS, AC 9 [10], HD 1, HP 2 each, ATT 1 x ice sword (), naked, covered in mud. They are kneeling and praying before giant eggs, which have a throbbing flesh membrane, ready to hatch. Power: Can pull moisture from thin air, forming it into a sword of solid ice. Hook: Members of their cult were recently poisoned by the CHILDREN OF RAIN [location 11, p.20]. They seek retribution. |
| 6 | RESIDENTS [p.32], cowering in a cage with feet hacked off so they can't escape. Left as a sacrifice to the MESMERIST TEMPLARS cult. Hook: The residents were captured whilst trying to break into THE RAINBOW CITADEL [location 9, p.18]. This is their punishment. |
| 7 | CREATION THEOCRATS, AC 7 [12], HD 1, HP 5 each, ATT 1 x trident (). They are purists. Recently discovered a strange mode of transportation. They wear symbols or marks of allegiance to a worthless cause. They idolize RASKOLNIKOV, a notorious moralist who lives in a PIT [location 17, p.29]. Possessions: Each has a human rib. Quirk: If hit by a piercing weapon, their flesh turns into gas and melts away. |
| 8 | A pile of dead bodies stacked neatly. They have moist green leaves sprouting through their cold skins, a rare occurrence in Night Land, as most plant life has long been extinct. |
| 9 | RESIDENTS [p.32], hauling dead bodies from the lake. They chop the bodies up in parts, re-stitch them together, and transport them to THE TEMPLE OF ETERNAL FLAME [location 10, p.19] as a sacrificial effigy. |
| 10 | Junkyard used as a dump for malfunctioning magic items such as swords, amulets, shields, and potions. |
9. 9. The Rainbow Citadel p.18
A STRUCTURE BUILT BY VOID ENGINEERS • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 7 & 11
This dismal plain comprises thousands of sculpted, MEGALITHIC HEADS, arranged with a well-defined sense of order. Many have OPEN MOUTHS a humanoid can enter. Amid the heads rises a CITADEL of staggering architectural craftsmanship, covered in an array of gears, levers, and cogs. Ambient light reflecting off the surface separates to produce miniature RAINBOWS. This area is swarming with SHADOW WALKERS [p.38], who have a 3–in–6 chance per turn of detecting the party.
EVENTS & ENCOUNTERS
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | KARTAR RAN — Symphony Mastermind, AC 9 [11], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 1 x bite (). Spells: fire trap, pass without a trace — Majestic storyteller. Begins following PCs and mimicking their movements. Wants: Lock of hair from the Necro Divas [location 7. p20], and has an item the PCs want. Possession: Glass bottle of deadly parasites. Vial of yellow powder. Quirk: Sweats tiny beads of silver. |
| 2 | RESIDENT [p.32] injured on the ground. They are: []: 1—ex paladin, bitter because of the past; 2—woman with strange powers, sick of voices in her head; 3—attractive, otherworldly beauty, sick of attention; 4—old wizard aspiring to perfect a magic potion formula, failing. |
| 3 | ODIUS CIMARUS — Nomad Lightbearer, AC 9 [11], HD 2, HP 7, ATT 1 x light mace ().Teeth have been sharpened with a file. Has x-ray vision. Is protecting a loved one who is imperiled. Possession: Set of runestones and Ouija board. Problem: Wants to get to an underground city that is rumored to have created a sun. Power: Can permanently drain the power of a magic item by touching it. |
| 4 | Roll for a RANDOM EVENT [p.23]. |
| 5 | members of the LIGHT LORDS, AC 7 [12], HD 1, HP 5 each, ATT 2 x whip (/). Spell: of them can cast light. They roam to breed monsters and spread fear. Secretly engaged in destroying archived material for a faction. Leader has access to worlds that exist in dreams. Possession: Small porcelain sculptures. Jars of live insects. Quirk: They burst into flames if killed, causing fire damage to anyone nearby. |
| 6 | THEODULF QUODIR — Restorationist, AC 7 [12], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 1 x pole arm (). Nostalgic. Steals to feed a habit. Discovered and named a distinguished location in Night Land. Once pursued a disastrous purpose. Power: Can create small, useless objects by spitting in their hand. |
SEARCHING INSIDE THE CARVED HEADS
| D10 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pouch of healing potions. |
| 2 | Clutch of eggs waiting to be hatched. |
| 3 | Heap of rusty, damaged weapons. |
| 4 | Sleeping ASH GOLEM [p.36]. It attacks. |
| 5 | mutilated corpses. |
| 6 | severed human heads. |
| 7 | Clay jars with scroll of religious texts. |
| 8 | Wooden box with a board-game. |
| 9 | Bale of dried narcotic plants. |
| 10 | Overflowing toilet pit. |
10. 10. The Temple of Eternal Flame p.19
A FLAME THAT BURNS ETERNALLY • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 3, 5 & 6
At the foot of an unscalable plateau stands a temple. Numerous PILGRIMS flock here to celebrate the last ETERNAL FLAME in Night Land. They pray to a statue of the SUN SLAYER within the temple. Once a day, the sojourners enact a RITUAL where they construct an effigy of the Sun Slayer from stitched body parts of the dead. They SACRIFICE the effigy in the eternal flame which burns outside the temple.
PILGRIMS OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE
| D10 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | WHO YOU SEE QUIRK ACTIVITY faceless people eyes sewn shut feasting |
| 2 | creatures made of bone in suits of rusted armor searching corpses |
| 3 | vengeful old women covered in bugs attending a dark liturgy |
| 4 | carnivorous thieves covered in bandages squabbling |
| 5 | chaotic elders wearing masks of the sun sleeping |
| 6 | miserable traders painted white making music |
| 7 | troubled brides clothed in golden velvet studying a glowing orb |
| 8 | mourners teeth filed to points searching through junk |
| 9 | hungry beggars in thick makeup drinking heavily |
| 10 | twisted preachers victims of severe burns covered in sharp crytsals |
YOU ARE APPROACHED BY
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | YACOB — Fungal Beggar. Unstable, terrified. Has a Heir to an oligarchy. Knows the local area. Is smitten heart of gold. with one of the PCs. |
| 2 | DORIUS — Spell Tactician. Loves gossip. Accompa- Can perform miracles. Needs a rare ingredient from a nied by an unusual animal. location of the Referee's choosing. |
| 3 | AKBAR — Tomb Divinate. Nervous habits, has Claims their birth was attended by celestials. Knows of spasms. Missing an arm. a priceless map held by an NPC. |
| 4 | SEM — Monolith Incanter. Deep booming voice. Over-explains everything, twice. Carries the burden of Dashing. Covered in butterflies. great personal loss. |
| 5 | BORILLUS — Dune Guardian. Smells. Gestures with Raised by doppelgangers. Survived a magical plague. hands when speaking. Delights in casting dark curses. |
| 6 | UNNI — Helix Hypnotist. Blinks continually. Two Wear clothes of the recently deceased. Collector of different exotic eye colors. fantastic tales, has many to tell. |
11. 11. The Children of Rain p.20
BEINGS OF WATER WHO CRAFT DELICIOUS TEA • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 6, 7, 9 & 14
Here rises a HONEYCOMBED SPIRE formed of solidified noise. It is controlled by a female tea cult called the CHILDREN OF RAIN, beings composed of pure water, draped in DAZZLING ROBES. They are idolized by RADIANCE BEGGARS [Assassins 2nd level, AC 6 [13], HD 2, HP 8 each, ATT 1 x nunchaku ()]. The cult is devoted to perfect the art of a TEA CEREMONY, welcoming visitors to experience their refreshing brews. They collect leaves from the TEA GARDENS [location 16, p.28]. If questioned, they proclaim to be humans who have transcended their once frail flesh’s inadequacies. They maintain a cruel sense of humor, and tell horribly offensive JOKES which induce physical pain.
NOTABLE CHILDREN OF RAIN
| D4 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | REENA — Former Abstraction Nethermancer, AC 2 [17], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 2 x nunckaku (/). Spells: hold person, confusion. Charming. Converses with an exotic accent. White noise is generated continuously above her head. Power: Can fade from sight. |
| 2 | TULASI — Former Spectre Healer, AC 4 [15], HD 4, HP 14, ATT 2 x scimitar (). Somber. Heretical opinions drove her away from home. Enjoys practicing a favorite skill, continually. Plunders graves in spare time. Power: Can warp metal with her touch. |
| 3 | VELANDRA — Former Vagabond Trader, AC 3 [16], HD 4, HP 14, ATT 2 x rapier () or throwing knife (). Has been betrayed by a close collaborator, want revenge. Casts tiny points of light wherever she looks. Power: Can compel people to perform acts against their will. |
| 4 | LATANA — Former Crypt Conjurer, AC 9 [11], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 1 x mortuary sword (). Spells: phantom speed, fear — Afflicted with misfortune due to past error. Analyses weaknesses of factions ands cults. Power: Can cause mutations by staring at people and blinking in certain patterns. Origin: Recently wandered out of THE FOG [location 12, p.24] |
TEA DRINKING EFFECTS
| D12 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vivid mirage, hinting of an event in the near future. |
| 2 | Confusion, you lose memory of the most recent hours. |
| 3 | Hardens skin, to AC hours. |
| 4 | You can speak any language you desire for hours. |
| 5 | You experience the presence of an inhuman, ancient intellect. |
| 6 | Grants single question answered by a Divine being. One use per lifetime. |
| 7 | Deep sleep for hours, you appear dead, with no life signs. |
| 8 | Euphoria, body emits light, visible for miles, to saves for hours. |
| 9 | You can see lies for hours. |
| 10 | Cast any number of 1st level spells for minutes. Each spell costs 1 hp. |
| 11 | Telekinetically transfer small objects at a distance of 30’ for hours. |
| 12 | Your mind expands, imparting + to INT, WIS and CHA for one day. |
12. 12. The Fog p.24
A VALLEY WHERE BEINGS EMERGE OR DISAPPEAR • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 4, 6 & 8
Nestled within a valley is a region thickly shrouded in BLUE FOG. While most travelers pass through without incident, many go missing each year, VANISHING without a trace. They emerge several days, months, or years later — without aging — and with no sense that time has elapsed.
EMERGING OUT OF THE FOG
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | TANITHA — Acid Warlock, AC 9 [11], HD 2, HP 6, ATT 1 x lance (). Repellent. Socially inept. Delights in casting dark curses. Hands are plated in gold. Possession: A velvet pouch packed with crushed glass. Knows: The exit from Night Land [location 17, p.29]. |
| 2 | Thousands of SUN SPRITES [p.40]. They rise into the sky like a swarm, soon evaporating into nothingness. |
| 3 | ZERI AHAMUS — Ectoplasm Wanderer, AC 9 [11], HD 1, HP 3, ATT 1 x scythe (). Spell: locate object, protection from evil — Steps clutching a cane. One established a covert fellowship. Can see beyond space and time. Possession: An invitation to a wedding. |
| 4 | member of the TORMENTOR INITIATE cult, resurfacing with extra limbs, encased in horrible infections. Power: Can transmute their fists into solid stone. |
| 5 | A mirror image of the party. They shuffle towards you, disappearing once they're near. |
| 6 | HUMANOID commuters arriving from the future. They wear clothing, equipment, and bear weapons unfamiliar to the PCs. They speak a language that can't be identified. They age rapidly, dying within hours. Everything, including their possessions, transforming to fine ash. |
ENTERING THE FOG
| D100 | Result |
|---|---|
| 01-50 | You emerge back out of the fog in []: 01-85— days; 86-90— months; 91-96— years; 97-99— decades; 00— centuries. |
| 51-55 | You observe yourself as a departed, wise spirit. Your spirit briefly gives you guidance on a life matter. |
| 56-60 | Drifting gardens of floating, liquid orbs in various sizes. |
| 61-65 | You notice beings made of light. That's the last image you retain. You now exit and days have passed. |
| 66-70 | The ghostly cries of deceased loved ones. |
| 71-80 | You emerge out of the pool near the UNEARTHED TOMB [location 6, p.15]. |
| 81-85 | The QUEEN SUN SPRITE which lays smaller sprites. |
| 86-90 | Clouds of lost memories, belonging to others who've entered the fog and disappeared. |
| 91-94 | Attacked by TWILIGHT VERMIN [p.42]. |
| 95-97 | An alternate plane full of QUANTUM BLINKERS [p.40]. |
| 98-00 | Planar disruption. Save or die. |
13. 13. The Crater of Eternal Recurrence p.25
A SCAR IN THE LANDSCAPE CAUSED BY A FAILED SUN • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 14, 15 & 16
Here is an awe-inspiring CRATER, etched deep into the ground, a mile in diameter. The surrounding atmosphere shimmers with a pulsing magenta ILLUMINATION. Ominous SKELETONS from a mixture of gargantuan creatures lay strewn within. Elaborate HOVERING MACHINES are terraforming the crater's floor, excavating ash, and knitting structures of mathematical impossibility. The machines periodically revert to an immaterial form of NOISE and VAPOR, then harden once again. They demolish what they have built once the area is constructed, and repeat the cycle. The crater draws TOURISTS that gather around the rim and behold the unparalleled spectacle. Polite questioning reveals one of the earliest ARTIFICIAL SUNS developed by the VOID ENGINEERS collapsed and impacted within this region eons ago, leaving behind this wound in the landscape.
AROUND THE CRATER’S EDGE
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Costumed dancers, chasing each other with sticks and demanding coins. Power: Can inscribe linked tattoos from Sunmourner blood, allow 2 people to communicate telepathically for one minute per day. |
| 2 | ASH GOLEMS [p.36] testing their strength, hurling large boulders into the crater. |
| 3 | SABBATIUS VATATZES — Transmorgrifist Psychic, AC 8 [11], HD 1, HP 6, ATT 1 x bolas (). Spell: Doomed ballet [p.39]. Wandering around the rim, speaking in tongues, holding a censer of incense. Intercepts PC with the highest CHA. Informs them they are fated to encounter a divine person, who is the love of their life. Power: Wields a magical dagger that slices through the air, tearing open a portal between two locations for one minute, large enough for creatures to walk through. |
| 4 | MELZAR — Maelstrom Tactician, AC 5 [14], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 1 x spiked gauntlet (). Wears armor made of bone. Circles the rim pushing his cart, selling bootlegged liver from Ash Golems (heals damage when fried and eaten). Aspires to go as far down into the crater as possible, to learn what is inside Night Land. Once trained disciples who explored the depths of the crater and vanished. Power: Can make himself look like he's in two places at once for 1 hour each day. |
| 5 | A party of ADVENTURERS who have recently passed the threshold into Night Land. They are []: 1—disoriented; 2—wounded, want help; 3—looking like they're dissolving away; 4—conversing in a language which is impossible to comprehend. |
| 6 | member of a CANNIBAL CULT. They are roasting human meat over SUN STONES [p.34] guzzling wine, and overflowing with joy, song, dancing, and merriment. They urge the party to connect with them though a shared meal. Selling: Red pills, that when ingested by a user, allows them to infiltrate the dreams of a target and plant suggestions for future actions. |
14. 14. The Storm of Tainted Sorcery p.27
A TURBULENT STORM WITH SUPERNATURAL EFFECTS • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 11, 13 & 15
A continuous STORM, lasting minutes per hour, inducing any metal objects to arch with erratic BLUE ENERGY. The storm radiates powerful CHAOTIC SORCERY. This ARCANE event was accidentally created by NECRO DIVAS [p.6], after a spell they cast became CORRUPTED. Any combat during this time is at –4 for ranged attacks, and casters must make a WIS or INT check when activating spells, or risk failure. Exposed metal items, such as weapons and armor, have a 10% chance of becoming WARPED and useless. Each PC must also roll save vs spells or experience a random effect.
STORM EFFECTS
| D8 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Flesh glows with a reddish hue, like a fading ember. Lasts 1 day. |
| 2 | Shrink to 2' in height. Lasts hours. |
| 3 | Extra-dimensional sight. You no longer see the physical world, but instead perceive another level of existence. Lasts 1 day. |
| 4 | Dust and ash fall constantly from your hands, legs and body. Lasts days. |
| 5 | You suffer one point of damage whenever entering a holy temple or sacred space. Also suffer an additional point of damage each turn you remain inside the space. Lasts days. |
| 6 | Skin can be passed through effortlessly, storing tiny items in your body. Lasts 1 day. |
| 7 | Diminished by corruption. Suffer a permanent loss of 1 point from abilities. |
| 8 | Fingers crackle with lightning, eyes radiate. You ignite paper by touching it and any metal weapon you use does an additional +1 damage. Lasts days. |
15. 15. The Chaos Messiahs & the Star Map p.27
A LUMINOUS HOLOGRAM DEPICTING THE NIGHT SKY • PATHS TO LOCATIONS 13 & 14
Several CHAOS MESSIAHS [Anti-Paladins 5th level, AC 4 [15], HD 5, HP 30 each, ATT 2 x executioner's sword () or 2 x meteor hammer ()] are meeting around a device that projects a three-dimensional HOLOGRAM of Night Land’s star system. It displays the positions of STARS throughout the galaxy that have exhausted their cores, along with those still enduring. The instrument also prophesizes the passage of heavenly bodies and how they influence people and events. Questioning informs the map is INCOMPLETE, and they are attempting to solve the ENGINEERING challenges with relocating Night Land to a location within the galaxy with an adolescent SUN. They obtained the star map from the CHILDREN OF RAIN [location 11, p.20] through winning a game of dice.
16. 16. The Tea Gardens p.28
A GARDEN OF DELIGHTS • MAP [P.22] • PATHS TO LOCATION 7, 13 & 17
This is a beautifully manicured classical GARDEN, brimming with diverse varieties of enchanted TEA PLANTS. The pathways are encrusted with glittering SUN STONES [p.34], creating a design of complex MAZES that reflect the cultural aesthetics and sacred symbolism of Night Land. The curator of the gardens is tea sommelier ANCIUS ATTALIATES [Maelstrom Tactician, AC 9 [11], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 1 x a bone whip (), stolen from NECRO DIVAS], who squats in an underground CRYPT. The sommelier lovingly tends to this region and has many TEA CULTS as patrons for his magical crops. Charmed to meet visitors, immaculately dressed, enjoys bursting into tears. Has blackmail material on several notorious figures. Warns of RASKOLNIKOV [location 17, p.29].
EVENTS & ENCOUNTERS
| D10 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | It rains droplets of light for minutes. When the rain touches a creature, it heals one point of damage for each minute spent under it. |
| 2 | Bones laid out in a mathematical sequence. A detect spell affirms this has been utilized for a summoning ceremony for beings from a version of Night Land which exists in a separate vibrational frequency. |
| 3 | A group of ASH GOLEMS [p.36] mindlessly dance to singing by NECRO DIVAS [p.6]. |
| 4 | A small pond of ashen mud, where a married couple lies inside. They dare not leave the pond, for dread and fear of the outside world. |
| 5 | Several creatures scurrying through, with bodies of beasts and heads of humans. |
| 6 | DORIOS EDER — Psychedelic Centurion, AC 9 [11], HD 2, HP 8, ATT 1 x bite () Possesses one arm. Distinguished teacher in an enlightening topic. Discovered a unique mutation in the tea plants. Power: Can instantly vanish from sight. Agenda: Aspiring to escape from Night Land. Possession: Pamphlet decrying moral decadence. |
| 7 | members of the WRETCHED PROSPECTORS cult, relaxing around a tree and engaged in a game of playing cards. They are: []: 1—soliciting secret decadent vices and inhuman pleasures; 2—seeking magic to restore their youth; 3—brutal murdering psychopaths who kill; 4—on a sacred quest seeking a relic and holy text; 5—on a journey to accomplish miracles; 6—corrupted by chaos and seeking a cause to die for. Power: Deal acid damage when grappling. |
| 8 | Roll for a RANDOM EVENT [p.8–9]. |
| 9 | A rival party of FIGHTERS, they are lost. They demand: []: 1—silver; 2—sacrifice; 3—help; 4—weapons. |
| 10 | members of the CELIBATE DOMINATORS cult. They are united because each deeply agonized from lost love. They are powerless to cope with new ideas. They are attempting to rescue one of their members from a desperate situation. Hook: One of them has stolen fantasies of a powerful person within a glass jar. Power: Can create ambient shadows by whistling. |
17. 17. The Pit of Raskolnikov p.29
THE RESIDENCE OF NIGHT LAND'S GREATEST CELEBRITY • PATHS TO LOCATION 16 & EXIT
On a path within THE TEA GARDENS [location 16, p.28] a despairing GRID SCAVENGER is seen ahead, dumping a barrow of human body parts into a pit, 30' in diameter and 10' depth. Close examination reveals this is the PUTRID CAVITY in which lives the celebrated moralist, logician, nihilist, and satirist RASKOLNIKOV [Magic-User 14th level, AC 3 [16], HD 14, HP 48, ATT by SPELLS: change self; push; magic missile; darkness 15' radius; magic mouth; scare; detect good; ray of enfeeblement; monster summoning V; polymorph other; reincarnation; control weather]. Once a brilliant VOID ENGINEER [p.7] he was cursed by SUNMOURNERS [p.4] whilst in a lucid dream, returning to the waking world as a cluster of eyeballs, sludge, and blood. He is a connoisseur of SUN STONES [p.34], many are buried within his mass. His sedating voice preaches COSMIC SECRETS to visitors, notably in exchange for SUNMOURNERS' body parts or SUN STONES, which he demands regardless before any can pass. The EXIT from Night Land lies beyond his pit. HE TEACHES []: 1 — love is not to be feared; 2 — force must overcome the strong; 3 — seeing through illusions to reach truth; 4 — necessary sacrifices to worship deities; 5 — how to endure in a purposeless universe; 6 — magic power through self-punishment; 7 — how a commoner can establish a kingdom within; 8 — only suffering is authentic; 9 — how to meet interdimensional beings in pleasure domes; 10 — cosmic secrets hidden within the forbidden and forgotten lore of Night Land.