Elias’ Thoughts – Oh, what a difference three weeks makes! Some readers might recall the pains I took waaay back in Week 4 to differentiate between Survival and Ecology as I waxed poetic about outdoorsmanship vs. science and how desperately I wanted a sense of verisimilitude to be attached to each plant and animal… Well, that’s all over.
Introducing the new and improved *drum roll, please* Bushcraft! I think Evan and I have been transparent about how we’re still in rough draft days and just trying to create some cohesive building blocks… Well, Survival/Ecology didn’t make the cut. They’ve been combined and now we’ve got Bushcraft. Or maybe Woodscraft. Or Frontiersmanship!? The naming possibilities are endless but the uses are finite. Just how we like it around here.
Anyway! As promised, the plants and animals introduced during last week’s poison breakdown. You didn’t think I’d leave y’all hanging, did you? Enjoy!
Monday 2/12
Blightmoss: A thick mat of crimson moss, nearly always growing in a depression in the stone walls, as if in a naturally formed bowl. The area around the moss patch is markedly warmer and more humid than its surroundings.
Bushcraft: Interacting with moisture in the air, blightmoss turns its immediate surroundings slightly acidic, which helps break down whatever material it is growing on. A single clump of moss can be harvested per Bushcraft success, each clump is a Light item. The moss can be added to a Supply (water or food) source to purify it of toxins as the increased acidity destroys latent bacteria. Alternatively, a clump of moss can be extracted over a period of Rest, resulting in a single use of Toxicity 1 Blightmoss Extract. To create a poison with Toxicity 2, two clumps are needed as well as a successful Bushcraft check. Toxicity 3 requires three clumps of moss and two Bushcraft successes.
Tuesday 2/13
Mindknot Vine: Tortuously twisted creeping vines, climbing ever more vertical and carpeting anything they can grow over. The vines spread with alarming rapidity and can quickly subsume any material they find purchase on. Streaming bunches of purplish leaves hang from orange creepers, waving listlessly in the breeze. The plants release a constant susurrus whispering just at the edge of hearing, even when the wind dies down.
Bushcraft: Drawing closer to the vines reveal that the whispering noise is actually a myriad of layered voices all proclaiming death and ruination for anything that strays too close. Sleeping within 10 feet of Mindknot Vine prevents any of the benefits of a Rest Watch and upon waking causes one level of Exhaustion and Mental Strain to each individual attempting to Rest. A single Bushcraft success reveals that it is dangerous to sleep anywhere near the plant as the ceaseless whispering causes nightmares to infiltrate the resting mind.
With 2+ successes, the player knows that Mindknot Vine sap is used in the Babbling Ruin poison and can harvest a Toxicity 1 Babbling Ruin by slicing and draining a vine. More successes can either create a stronger poison (3 successes Toxicity 2, 4 successes Toxicity 3) or additional doses of Toxicity 1 Babbling Ruin. Successes beyond four give additional doses of Toxicity 1 Babbling Ruin.
Wednesday 2/14
Veiled Lily: A salmon colored, three-petaled flower bursts proudly from a small clump of green-gray leaves, the blossom large enough to barely fit into two cupped hands. Golden pollen falls in a seemingly endless cascade from prominent anthers, perfuming the air with the sweet and heavy scent of fecundity. A huge variety of pollinating insects roll languidly in the pollen collecting densely below the blooms, species that normally attack each other on sight apparently oblivious of their competitor’s presence.
Bushcraft: The insects trapped in the pollen seem stupefied and lulled into near unconsciousness. A successful Bushcraft check allows enough Supply (food), in the form of insects, to be harvested from the plant to sustain a single humanoid per watch, with each additional success providing Supply for a single additional humanoid.
Alternatively, the pollen can be collected in a vial and utilized as the poison Veiled Lily Pollen, with the Toxicity of the poison equaling the amount of Bushcraft successes rolled, up to Toxicity 3. Successes beyond three give additional doses of Toxicity 1 Veiled Lily Pollen.
Thursday 2/15
Basiloden – Subsisting almost entirely on Iron Bolete, the rough crystalline scales and jagged, grinding teeth of these lizards belies their gentle and (mostly) harmless nature. Constantly flicking their tongues to sample the air, Basiloden are able to locate stands of Iron Bolete from an incredible distance (even from across entire Regions) and use their flattened molars to grind the tough mushrooms into a digestible mush. While gentle by nature, Basiloden pursue Iron Bolete with an almost single-minded obsession and are quick to aggression should something come between them and their intended meal.
Some prospectors have begun to use Basiloden as a way to locate growths of Iron Bolete as the location of such a stand ensures that there are rich mineral veins running below the rocky exterior nearby. Doing so takes a knowledgeable individual, however, as many prospectors have made the mistake of approaching the mushrooms before the Basiloden has had their fill, and were mercilessly mauled as a result. Some travelers have also reported being attacked by Basiloden, but only when using Iron Bolete caps as supplemental armor. Recently, Basiloden have become the target of hunting expeditions as their teeth are used to create Basiloden’s Grip, a poison that is becoming extremely popular in certain circles of the criminal underworld.
Stats
HP: 4
NP: 2
Armor: 4
Attributes
Grit – 5
Finesse – 3
Logic – 2
Moxie – 2
Attacks:
- Crunch: The Basiloden bites a target within Engaged range with enough force to grind iron to dust. Make the attack with Base Dice 5 and Weapon Damage 2. If the attack has at least one success, the target’s worn Armor immediately degrades by 1, regardless if any Banes were rolled.
- Tail Swipe: The Basiloden swipes its tail at a target in Short range. Make the attack with Base Dice 4 and Weapon Damage 2. If successful, the target drops whatever it is carrying in its hands as the tail hits them across the upper body.
- Obsessed: The Basiloden senses Iron Bolete nearby and charges toward it. Target a player with Iron Bolete in their inventory or the nearest stand of Iron Bolete on the battlefield. If no such stand exists, roll 1d4 to determine the cardinal direction moved in (1 – North, 2 – East, 3 – South, 4 – West). Using a Fast Action and a Slow Action, the Basiloden moves up to three zones toward its target, any enemies in the path are knocked prone and take 1 damage, a successful Agility check negates being prone but damage is still taken.
Tactics: While not openly aggressive, Basiloden will defend themselves if attacked or if they perceive that a creature is trying to come between them and their food. If close enough, they will use Crunch to try to incapacitate their targets, resorting to Tail Swipe if their target is out of biting range. They are prone to charging with Obsessed the moment they sense Iron Bolete nearby, which sometimes allows them to escape a fight that might not be going their way.
If encountered in the wild, it is best to give Basiloden a wide berth as they are prone to suddenly charging the moment they find a trace Iron Bolete. If they do seem to be approaching aggressively, it’s best to check your pockets for any stray Iron Bolete caps as throwing them and running in the opposite direction might just save your life.
Friday 2/16
Skentu – Intelligent hunters capable of rapidly adapting their tactics depending on the need, these two legged avian-like creatures are some of the most successful predators in the Trench. Standing approximately 6 feet tall, Skentu are propelled by their powerful hind legs and are capable of running at incredible speeds. They often catch targets off guard by leaping much further than expected before tearing into their prey using their heavily clawed back feet or their viciously hooked beaks. While incapable of flight, it is thought their vestigial wings assist stabilizing them midair and help guide their jumping attacks.
Skentu have been known to attack humans, especially during times of environmental hardship. While fearsome to behold, most travelers actually hope that they lay eyes on Skentu when moving through their territory, as the common saying is that “If you can see a Skentu, it means you’re not their prey.” The Archive has recently shown a keen interest in Skentu and would undoubtedly pay handsomely for a live specimen. Their interest seems to be due to a recently discovered anti-mage poison they’d like to study that is made from ground Skentu leg scales, called Withered Breath.
Stats
HP: 6
NP: 3
Armor: 4 + 4 Dodge
Attributes
Grit – 4
Finesse – 8
Logic – 4
Moxie – 2
Special: Skentu are very agile and can use Dodge (+4) against an incoming attack they are aware of, once per round.
Attacks:
- Maul: The Skentu rakes its talons against a target in Engaged range. Make the attack with Base Dice 6 and Weapon Damage 2.
- Dust Volley: Rearing back, the Skentu claps its wings forward to kick up dust and debris against every target in Engaged range. Make the attack with Base Dice 5 and Weapon Damage 1. Any target hit by Dust Volley is Blind for one round.
- Leap: Leap toward a target within Long range and immediately use Maul against them. If the target was previously unaware of the Skentu, make the Maul attack with Base Dice 8 and Weapon Damage 3. Additionally, all targets within Engaged range of the Skentu when it uses Leap are immediately subjected to a use of Dust Volley, Blind targets do not get an immediate attack against the Skentu as it leaves their reach.
Tactics: Skentu prefer to stalk their prey and attack unaware targets with Leap followed up by Maul. If faced with a single target, they will continuously chase and Maul them until they are incapacitated. When surrounded, a Skentu will use Dust Volley to try to blind their attackers in an attempt to even the playing field. The ideal situation for the Skentu is being faced with multiple attackers that spread out over a wide area, allowing them to Leap from target to target, Maul’ing and Dust Volley’ing as they go.
Skentu are opportunistic by nature and prefer to target singular prey or prey in smaller groups. If the tide turns on them and they sustain too much damage, they will flee rather than risk death. Skentu will frequently attack by cover of night, when prey is asleep and undefended.
Saturday 2/17
Description: Armored Scutigen Venom is a paralytic agent that can result in the complete cessation of breathing function due to muscle paralysis. This poison is blessedly rare due to how difficult it is to obtain. Harvesting venom from Armored Scutigen is not easily done due to their diminutive size and penchant for hiding.
Application Method: Injury
Full Effect: The paralysis slowly takes hold of the entire body, the target suffers the Limited Effect of the poison but is also restricted to only 1 Action per turn, regardless of Fast or Slow. Persists for a number of Watches equal to Toxicity rating, if the poison extends past 1 Watch then the target begins to take 1 HP damage per Toxicity rating per Watch.
Limited Effect: Target’s leg muscles bind up, causing movement to become a Slow Action rather than a Fast Action. Persists for a number of Watches equal to Toxicity rating.
Sunday 2/18
Description: Spitfire Spark, a tea made by brewing leaves of Spitfire Cress, it is sometimes used in low doses as a recreational stimulant, allowing the drinker to overcome the results of a poor night’s rest. In higher doses, it robs the target of any hope of sleep for the night. The tea can be boiled down and the resultant powder used as an inhalant.
Application Method: Ingested or Inhaled
Full Effect: Target immediately suffers Limited Effect of this poison. The Full Effect is delayed until a number of Watches has elapsed equal to Toxicity, at which point the target loses the ability to fall asleep. Target suffers 1 NP damage per Toxicity for each Watch they are unable to sleep, persisting for a number of Watches equal to double Toxicity rating.
Limited Effect: Target can ignore an amount of Exhaustion and Mental Strain equal to Toxicity rating for a number of Watches equal to Toxicity rating. After the poison is treated or elapses, the amount of Exhaustion and Mental Strain ignored in this way is doubled and immediately returned to the target.
Evan’s Thoughts – Back in action with both a Protectorate Colonel and Bastille Judge. Lots of items, both magic and mundane, to help flesh out the personalities of the Colonels and the nature of the various district armies, themselves a reflection of their Colonel’s tendencies.
Stylistically I tend towards over writing, with the intent being to pare down from an excessive start to get to the lean, punchy center. Descriptions on these entries are maximalist, though I am trying to experiment with implication more and more. I have no idea how effective it is, but the process of developing as a writer has been just as enjoyable to me as the world building with these posts.
Monday 2/12
Occult Amplifier
Magic Item
Object
1 Slot
A small amulet, gleaming in unplaceable metallic tones. A small gemstone affixed at the center pulses with the heartbeat of the wearer.
The bearer of the amulet can amplify the range and/or effect of a spell cast within Medium Range of themselves as a Fast Action. The bearer takes as many points of HP damage as they desire without Breaking themself. For each point of damage the bearer sustained, the bearer can cause a spell of their choice cast within the next round to increase its range of effect by 1 range band, increase its range of influence by 1 range band, increase its damage by 2 points, and/or increase the magnitude of its effect by 1. The bearer can choose multiple amplifications or the same amplification multiple times if they spent multiple HP.
Tuesday 2/13
Erwin, Colonel of Herena: Leader of the fortified army of Herena, the technological marvel of the upper strata. A logistical genius specializing in cost-benefit maneuvering. He takes no action without careful valuation, weighing all options and considering each outcome until he feels certain of the probabilities. Like a cobra he bides his time, patiently waiting for the opportune moment before striking in a flurry of motion. As a product of the Protectorate system, a lust for violence courses through him, but he fulfills his needs indirectly. As part of his strategizing he builds in a maximal amount of bloodshed, ensuring the largest number of his enemies die in whatever actions he takes.
A manager of finance and supply above all else, Erwin abhors the continual waste of Peccatu’s potential. The human and material resources routinely thrown into the maw of its costly clashes grate at him. He knows those same resources, properly allocated and channeled, could be an unstoppable force. He is the only one with vision enough to both conceptualize the possibilities and realize such a scheme.
Consumed as he is by the continual analyses of his post and the hyper focus it entails, Erwin finds solace in a single joy: gambling. He retreats to the seediest inner reaches of Herena, mingling in secret amongst the peoples of his district to the Betting Rooms to cede control and ride the tides of uncalculated chance. Despite his analytical nature and better judgment, Erwin can’t resist an opportunity for chance, as long as the stakes are high enough. He never cheats, holding sacred the unfaltering justice of chance, though he will respond with unmitigated savagery towards anyone he discovers interfering with the odds.
The army of Herena is a moderate force, keeping a stable permanent presence while maintaining a sizable number of reserves that can be used to resupply the main army or swell their total numbers for a larger scale offensive. Breaching specialists, the force is adept at locating and dislodging entrenched enemies, reveling in the close quarters combat the invariably ensues. Heavily armored shock troops wearing Powered Exoskeletons conduct frontal assaults on fortified positions, sometimes entering through existing doors with Breaching Saws, other times brute forcing their way into structures with their amplified strength. Once engaged, soldiers gleefully dispatch enemies with Breaching Saws and the detonative payloads of Explosive Punch Guns. Erwin engages in careful conflicts with the forces above and below him, keeping the occult armies of Cyrus at bay with a mixture of measured bribery and sharp retaliations and the chaotic forces of Joan occupied with distracting thrusts into her territory. Erwin keeps tabs on people and objects in the neighboring districts that further his goals and makes calculated strikes to acquire them as necessary.
Erwin, Colonel of Herena
Cold, calculating, blunt
“Military affairs are merely a matter of finance.”
Stats
HP: 14
NP: 14
Armor: 10
Attributes
Grit: 15
Finesse: 13
Logic: 17
Moxie: 11
Gear:
- Powered Exoskeleton
- Breaching Saw
- Explosive Punch Gun
- Appraising Monocle
Wednesday 2/14
Powered Exoskeleton
Magic Item
Armor (10)
3 Slots
A fuel powered exoskeleton. Metal bones encase a frail operator, multiplying the killing efficiency of a single soldier to prodigious levels. Caustic smoke weeps from squealing joints, providing further cover.
Requires the roll of a Fuel Usage Die each day and whenever Fuel is rolled on the Hazard Die in order to operate the Powered Exoskeleton without penalty. Can use biological material at a rate of 1 slot of material/watch in place of Fuel, but this degrades the armor of the Powered Exoskeleton by 1 point per watch biological material is used. While not powered the armor still protects the wearer, but the wearer gains none of the armor’s other benefits and each watch they spend operating the armor without power causes 1 slot of exhaustion.
While fueled, the Powered Exoskeleton increases the wearer’s Grit by 4, allowing it to exceed the normal Attribute cap. This increased Grit includes an increase in inventory slots. The cloud of smoke generated by the Powered Exoskeleton causes all Marksmanship checks made against the wearer to be made with a -1 modifier. The armor causes no negative modifiers to other skills while powered.
“At least try to make it hurt.”
Thursday 2/15
Breaching Saw
Magic Weapon
Weapon (Durability 3, Damage 3)
2 Slots
A pole extended circular saw blade made for breaching. Powered by a miniaturized combustion engine, the whirling blade is as useful in close combat as it is at creating clever building entrances.
Consumes Ammunition to power the saw blade. In combat uses an Assault check to attack enemies in Engaged or Short Range. Can expend 1 durability to cut through any non-magic material. If used on an attack the damage inflicted as part of the attack ignores all armor.
“Anywhere can be a door with enough persistence.”
Friday 2/16
Explosive Punch Gun
Mundane Weapon
Weapon (Durability 1, Damage 3)
1 Slot
A specialized gauntlet affixed with an array of short slamfire shotgun barrels. Loaded with high powder shells, when the wearer punches an adversary the shells fire, letting off a small explosive charge.
Use Assault check to attack enemies in Engaged Range. On successful attack the explosive payload detonates, causing the target to take damage and be blown prone. Must reload after every successful attack.
“I might not need to make a mess to do the job, but damned if it’s not the most fun way to persuade compliance.”
Saturday 2/17
Appraising Monocle
Magic Item
Clothing (3)
1 Slot
A baroque style monocle shaped from a single piece of gold and elaborately engraved. The glass eyepiece seems to glint, even in the absence of light.
The wearer of the monocle can accurately assess the value of any object they look at. Additionally, the wearer can expend 1 durability to determine the value of a specific object to a specific person. This value is relative, accounting for sentimental and non-monetary value, potentially being expressed as a level of information or sacrifice.
“We’ve established you’re willing to part with your sentimentalities, now we are simply negotiating price.”
Sunday 2/18
Ehud, The Second Judge: One of the members of the Council of Twelve. Ehud speaks in lilting, melodic tones, an extension of his outward beauty. Ehud casually patrols the perimeter of the main cathedral, drinking in the architectural allures of the structure, far from the dirt and grime of the fields.
A delicate, elongated figure, Ehud stands 7 feet tall. He wraps himself in pristine alabaster robes that flow majestically about his form. Three oversized arms hang from his left shoulder, their fingertips nearly dragging the ground. The fingers all flex and twitch compulsively, working their way around hilts waiting to be manifested with a moment’s notice. A single, desiccated right arm is pinned to Ehud’s body, cradled by a delicate iron lace. Tight cherubic curls cascade from his head, spilling about his shoulders exquisitely. His eyes are the only thing that betray his penchant for inflicting extended suffering on those who would dare to defy the Bastille.
Ehud’s physical vanity extends into an arrogant belief in his own insurmountability. Despite his seemingly dainty form, he continually seeks conflict, albeit distant, against those resisting the edicts of the Bastille. Reveling in the agonies he inflicts, Ehud prefers to leave his quarry in crippled anguish rather than finish them off, returning repeatedly to savor the magnificence of the miseries he creates.
Ehud, The Second Judge
Stats
HP: 10
NP: 5
Armor: 0
Attributes
Grit: 6
Finesse: 14
Logic: 9
Moxie: 2
Special:
- Ehud is obsessed with cleanliness. If he is ever dirtied he will compulsively work to remove the offending substances, ignoring all else to purify his form of any contamination, which normally takes 1 round. Anyone hit by one of Ehud’s knives in Short or Engaged Range will cover him in a spray of blood, triggering his need to clean himself. Alternative forms of dirtying can be leveraged and may require more time to cleanse.
- Ehud’s three left arms can spontaneously manifest knives at will. Ehud is always considered to be armed as a result. These knives disintegrate to dust one round after leaving Ehud’s grasp.
- Each one of Ehud’s knives is coated in a virulent poison, Essence of Filth. Essence of Filth has a base Toxicity of 1. Any successful attack involving one of Ehud’s knives prompts an Endurance check from the victim to determine if they are affected by Essence of Filth. The full effects of the poison are listed below.
Attacks:
- Fan of Knives: Ehud throws his knives in an arcing halo around himself. This attack targets everyone within Medium Range of Ehud. Roll the attack with 6 Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2.
- Focused Fire: Ehud throws a stream of knives at a single target within Medium Range. Roll the attack with 8 Base Dice and Weapon Damage 4.
- Skewer: Ehud attempts to pin an enemy in Medium Range to another surface with one of his knives. Roll the attack with 8 Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2. If the attack is successful, the target is pinned to the nearest surface or the ground. This prevents the target from moving until the end of Ehud’s next turn, when the knife falls to dust.
- Precision Throw: Ehud throws a single knife at a target within Extreme Range. Roll the attack with 6 Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2.
- Concentrate: Ehud concentrates the poison on his current knives, raising its Toxicity rating by 1 for each round he spends using Concentrate.
- Curtain of Radiance: Ehud’s withered right arm lets off a brilliant flash, amplified by his pristine white robes. Roll the attack with 10 Base Dice and Weapon Damage 0. If the attack hits all targets in Short Range or closer are blinded for a round, making all checks involving sight with a -3 modifier.
Tactics: Ehud will track intruders or runaways of the Bastille from a distance. Before engaging he will Concentrate his Essence of Filth to Toxicity 3 for an opening salvo of Precision Throws to weaken foes before they can reach him. Preferring to keep his distance, Ehud will attempt to whittle down or outright eliminate foes from range using Precision Throw and Focused Fire to pick off individual targets. If large numbers close in on him, Ehud will attempt to wound as many as possible using his Fan of Knives. Preferring not to get into the thick of combat, Ehud will Skewer anyone that gets too close in order to keep himself clean. Finally, if overwhelmed Ehud will unleash his Curtain of Radiance to cover his flight from conflict.
Essence of Filth
Poison
Description: A concentrated oil of putridity that coats each of Ehud’s manifested knives. The wounds sustained by a target affected by the poison fester and burn, a persistent agony. It is unclear if Ehud himself produces this poison, or if the knives themselves secrete it. Regardless, it builds up in the system of anyone injured by Ehud’s knives. Unlike the knives, this poison can be harvested from one of the knives before it disintegrates via a successful Bushcraft check.
Application Method: Injury
Full Effect: The target gains an Amplification rating equal to the Toxicity of the poison with Duration 1. The Amplification rating increases each time the poison is applied. For each Amplification rating a target has, they take an additional point of damage each time they take damage.
Limited Effect: The target is incessantly pestered by cockroaches for 1 day afterwards, requiring a successful Resolve check in order to gain the benefits of sleep (regaining HP/NP and not incurring exhaustion) the next time they Rest.
The train keeps rolling with another week of Lore 24 in the books. This Thursday we will take another in depth look at a spell school with the second Mystic Primer entry and yet more Lore 24 next Monday.
If you’re finding this sometime in the future, please check out the Lore 24 Post Repository to see a roundup of all the posts in this series.
We actively encourage comments, questions, and feedback; we’re excited to be sharing our work and would love to chat about it with anyone who’s interested!
Retreat to the Trench 
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