jajagappa Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 (edited) Some years back I started a seafaring campaign centered on Maslo, particularly the Elamle peninsula. Didn't get real far, but the recent thread on what folk in Maslo look like reminded me that I did put together some odds-and-ends of myths and ideas. Part of my vision for Elamle was around the concept of the Right Sacrifice. The Sacrifice is a communication & exchange with the world of the Spirits. The Sacrifice energizes the Spirit World and the Spirit World consequently infuses the Mundane World with Life and Energy/Magic. The superstitions of the Elamle folk are connected to making the Right Sacrifice to maintain the balance with the Spirit World. Without Sacrifice, the Spirit World is not renewed in the right way, making beings of the spirit plane hostile and malevolent, warping the fabric of the Mundane World. The following are more conceptions or fragments of Elamle myths based on the different types of Right Sacrifice. Elamle and the Eight Villages of Sacrifice In Bayahote, the Sacrifice is of a limb, which is regrown, but the Limb establishes a link of the person to the earth and the trees. The person will feel harm to the earth/forest. In Neimingu, the Sacrifice is associated with the statue of Elamle and meeting the 294 conditions of the Oath of Elamle (the sacrifice broken into many smaller parts, perhaps each corresponding to a body part?). In Olyn, the Sacrifice is that of movement where the Citizens become like trees. All goes to this ultimate sacrifice and the spiritual connection of the Citizen. In Wendo, the elves have a dock and are part of the town. Undoubtedly, there is some additional element of the Sacrifice here as well. There were four other villages, now hidden [or just not named], which marked the other Sacrifices. One is on the Edrenlin Isles. One is near the Alyss River. One rises in the heart of the peninsula--the dock of the Sky Boat. One may have been carried off to Kumanku? In Onlaks, there is no equivalent of the Sacrifice and as a consequence the Sacrifice is the ritual devouring of humans by the jungle. The Hero to unite the land must find the Path of Elamle. Dimalanta and the Sacrifice of the Vadeli In the days when the foul Vadeli travelled the world, they came to Thinobuto. Dimalanta sought to end this threat. Dimalanta went to Bulayaom and found the Feathered Serpent of the Fiery Breath hidden within the stalk of the Star Reeds [rainbow?]. There was a contest and the Hero [Dimalanta, though possibly Thakinda] Sacrificed in such a way that the foul Vadeli were withered by the Fiery Breath and consumed by the Hungry Spirits and destroyed. When the foul Vadeli returned, Hoom Jhys called up this myth again to destroy the Fleet of the Vadeli. It was not that the Fleet of Maslo was destroyed, but that they had to participate in the Sacrifice to complete the task. Hoom Jhys should have been the Hero who made the Sacrifice, but being of Onlaks, who do not Sacrifice of themselves, the Sacrifice came from all the combined support. So the Vadeli were destroyed but Hoom Jhys survived to return to Maslo. Caylaota and the Fall of Hinaduc (Light of the Sorrow or the 'Idea') When the God Learners came and fashioned Umbertal, a Hero of Olyn (Caylaota) Sacrificed following the Way of Dimalanta and called forth the Spirit of the Dragon Breath to consume the Flame of Vadel. The Dragon Breath has since guarded the site and has been warded by the Flaming Serpents. Caylaota travelled the Shimmering Path of the Reflecting Lights and the Simmering Trail of Unyielding Tears to find the Dragon Breath Spirit hidden amidst the Sundering Blade Swamp. Caylaota and the Defeat of DucDucDa The Story of Caylaota and the defeat of the evil DucDucDa who watched the Spirit World with an always burning Eye. He went on the Trail of Simmering Tears and returned with the Dragon Breath to blind the Eye. He Sacrificed his own Eye to pass the Rocks of Blinding Rays and complete his task. He immediately appeared in the Western Half of Olyn and taught all within the Secret of the Laughing Tear. The followers of Caylaota cleansed the Rocks of Blinding Rays with the Serpents of the Flame. Edited March 3, 2018 by jajagappa 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 This was one of the early stops in the campaign: the Lighthouse of Umbertal. I think I was still using HQ1 at the time, so various resistances, etc. reflect that. The Lighthouse of Umbertal In the second age, the God Learners built a lighthouse on a high point rising above the coast from modern Olyn. The Lighthouse was tended by a God Learner and his 'pet'. He was a student of the ancient land of Thinobutu and their myths when not tending to the Guiding Light, a container of pure burning water taken after the Battle of Tanian's Victory. The God Learner experimented with myths of Thinobutu, trying to relate deities of Vithela to spirits of Miirdek and Pamaltela. The Closing crashed a great Dragonship against the coast, parts of which soared into the air and destroyed the Lighthouse of Umberwal. The lighthouse tower broke and fell, so there is a line formed from the broken 'base' room which included kitchen and other items; the bedroom with the 'pet' [Beast Rune]; the study of the God Learner with old broken artifacts (which the Waertagi will not want as cursed); and the Burning Room where the globe of light fell and spilled. The 'pet' may be a fairly unintelligent but long-living Timinit (a Lucan), or it may be some other wizardly construct. The Waertagi Story An old Waertagi (of the green-skinned kind) is seeking ways to reactivate and repair the ruined dragonships near the port of Olyn. He contacts human sailors to help gather parts which the local ludoch cannot reach. He seeks items from Old Jrustela and God Learners that can break God Learner curses on the wrecked ships and seeks help getting a 'treasure' he cannot otherwise obtain. He cannot reach it because: It's on land It's protected by local idol (which the folk of Olyn try not to awaken) It's affected by a God Learner curse (burning water?) The treasure is draconic in nature - a part of a wrecked dragon ship. He does not know what part, but thinks it is most likely one or more scales. He is persistent trying to get help -- he is obsessed with this task - and will offer 100 sea-metal coins per treasured item brought back. Minor Victory in Bargain can add 100 sea-metal coins per person as well Major Victory in Bargain can add a Coral Trident and a Dagger that suffers no Attack penalties when used in water He will try to curse those who won't help him -- though he is wary of anyone with ties to local spirits which could plague him or drive him out. The Ruins of Umbertal The treasure that the Waertagi seeks lies in a ruin from at least the time of the Closing, but may in fact be older. The Hidden Vale: The ruin is warded by the Idol of the Serpent of the Flaming Tongue The idol was established by a shaman of Olyn who sought to protect the town from the danger (and keep the townsfolk and elves from bringing danger upon others). It's spirit nature is hostile to sorcery and theistic followers. The warding is doubly set with two idols, one facing in, one facing out. Each warding manifests as a Serpent Spirit Guardian. Within the warded vale is a fragment of the Closing: it's like a piece of fog torn off and trapped here and the Open Seas ritual is needed to penetrate it. Without the ritual, the characters may be: 01-07: turned around and back where they started 08-12: violently forced back 13-17: attacked by sea creature(s) 18-19: encounter sea monster 20: on some other island elsewhere in the world Passing through the Closing leads them to the actual ruin. However, there are Rubble Runners feeding in vale off those creatures trapped in this bubble of the Closing The Ruins of Umbertal: This is an old ruin, a God Learner lighthouse, and may have other God Learner protections, traps, or monsters which have been forgotten. The Basement - dark rubble Contains a giant pile of rotted wood -- the home of the Lucan (or other 'pet') A small group of Rubble Runners also nests in holes in the basement and forage in the surrounding areas The Kitchen / Bedroom - collapsed largely to the south of the Basement The stairs are smashed -- this is where the Dragon's Claw hit This area had minimal items in it -- kitchenware and utensils, pots and pans, a sleeping pallet The Lucan largely worked here and still does, performing his daily tasks of cleaning and guarding the stairs from passage (though easy enough to go around) The Lucan has cleaned the room, pushing a great pile of cinders (dried dragon's blood) into one corner Beneath the sleeping pallet, the God Learner kept three items: A Spirit-Resisting Crystal +10 AP when defending against spirit attack A Spell-Enhancing Crystal +3 AP when casting a spell A Camouflage Cloak - Hide in Cover 10W The Study - The whole room has collapsed largely to the south of the Kitchen/Bedroom This was the God Learner's work room -- there is a great jumble of books and bookshelves, a broken desk and chair, and the Book Press which is tumbled over but functional, though not necessarily easy to start Book Press - Start Machine has Resistance 16 The room has been windblown so most cinders are along one wall covering an array of books and flasks The Burning Room - visibly bright from blue flame The room is filled with water that burns which is either: A lingering effect from a God Learner curse against the Dragonship A lingering effect from a God Learner artifact that spilled and still burns In the center of the room is the artifact desired There may be other Waertagi artifacts associated with the main relic (e.g. armor, weapons) There may be other God Learner items which were in the room before it was broken Need magic to protect from Burning Water (Fire); Or find a way to drain the water from the room The Dragon Ship Artifacts It's draconic and it's nature is draconic/mystic/unknowable It's aspect determines the effects on those who come close to it, touch it, etc. These effects are not necessarily harmful but more likely to affect personality traits, etc. The actual parts are: An eye -- would be large round object in Burning Room has Shifting Visions of past, present, future The Fall of the Boat Planet A Dwarf Ship at Sea The White Bear destroying the City of Wonders Errinoru sailing the Black Sea The Flight of the Red Dragon in the Dragonkill The Burning Waters of Tanian The Rise of the Boat Planet A Fireberg Red corsairs attacking a ship Sailing of the Golden Fleet The Crimson Bat eating Runegate 'Watches' the characters Impatient-Patient (3) Optimist-Pessimist (4) One or several scales -- would be large plates scattered around Reflective of magic, weapons The 'shell' - protection, separate among many Suspicious-Trusting (2) Clever-Dull (4) Teeth -- would be giant fang and many tooth fragments also scattered around the Study and Burning Room Can awaken or command serpent warrior(s) of any type (spirit, daimon, essence) Penetration and command Leader-Follower (2) Constructive-Destructive (4) The Left Claw -- would be giant claw which broke the tower Striking, walking The touch upon land/body Left-handed action Aggressive-Passive (1) Innovative-Conservative (4) A fin - would be like giant fan Moving within the world Directing flow of water/air Energetic-Lazy (1) Nervous-Calm (2) Other Notes: The God Learner was a scholar of eastern Pamaltelan mythos and he gathered relics, idols, etc. through which he tried to unify ideas of Miirdek, the Aldryami, and the Vithelans. Most of these relics were in the Study and were smashed or broken when the Study collapsed. Most typical are various broken clay statues, but also reed idols (from Miirdek), masks (from parts of Laskal), carved stone images of plants emerging from the dead. The God Learner also had a hobby -- was a collector of orchid and Sprite specimens of eastern Pamaltela, a specialty at which he was considered an expert. He had books in which he described Sprites and their characteristics [ala Spiderwick Book], books with 'pressed' Sprites, pinned up collections of dead Sprites, small drawers all carefully labelled, books with the taxonomic descent of Aldryami and Sprites, books on the Care and Feeding of Sprites, and several general works of Glorantha flora and fauna including: Glorantha Bestiary and Anaxial's Addendum. He had various gear which he used to collect the specimens which are still present in the study: A Sprite-catching Net - Small 10, Net Attack +4 Scrying Lens - See Sprites 18 Wand of Slowing - Slow Target 15 (if AP reduced to 0 when using Wand it must be recharged) Dust of Lethargy - Sloth 12 5 Assorted Crystals of 1d10 - each crystal will add its value to AP once, then must be recharged, one is flawed and will cause a character to acquire the trait: Obsessed with Sprites 1d20 There were a large number of flower pots, close to the windows, all of which had metal cages overtopping them. In the Study is a 'Book Press' - has the power Press Living Creature into Page 1W - creature must have Small characteristic to succeed Requires use of the Right Runes, but if successful will seal the creature into the page of the Book Page - Resist Wear and Tear 18 Plants/Sprites fp^cmy Animals f'^cmy Creatures will be sealed into Book unless the Runes are torn, which the page will resist 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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