Campaign - The Ghosts

The party comes together to track down the brother of a pair of siblings. It's revealed that the brother has come into possession of a great war axe, and he intends to reunite the legendary lost Ghosts, bringing about the end of the world.

Notes

The group can interact with as much or as little of this story as they want. In either case, these events will happen around them, but if they're there, obviously they can influence what happens.

This is designed as a framework of scenes, to progress an overall narrative and show what's happening in the world. However, feel free to use as much or as little of it as you want. It's your game. As long as you and your players are rolling dice and having fun, that's what matters most.

Act 1

Scene 1 - Panogne, Carinerino

The adventure begins in Pagone, the great capital city of Carinerino, home of the Lurniage. A huge, advanced metropolis, it's a home to advanced architecture, including the Basilica of Rael, the grand Palace of Industry (considered by many to be one of the great wonders of the world), and the Cortavano, Manor house of the Dami, built out in the waters off-shore. It's also home to the infamous Isle of Death, where those who catch plague are taken. The city extends out into the sea, features more than 400 bridges, and over 100 canals.

The city itself was built extending out into the sea, with great rows of buildings side by side, forming streets sometimes paved, more often with canals or simply the sea itself between them. The technology to do this was created by the Remin, the city's former inhabitants, who have been missing for several centuries. It's located on the south-west coast of Carinerino, around 40 miles from the southern-most point.

Having travelled to the Cortavano, the party meets with Maximilian and Inara Thorson, two Rikaffin from Caerlisin in Aeldshire. They are concerned for their younger brother, Tomlin, who recently went missing from Catsborough University, where he has been studying philosophy. Looking to hire a group of people to find him, they have followed the trail this far but not knowing how to progress further look to hire help to progress the search. It is with that in mind that they approached the Dami, a local Lurniage elder who has convened the party members.

By turns, Maximilian and Inara tell the group that they know their brother travelled here, and have heard rumours that he has since progressed to Vilaterina, slightly further along the south-west coast. They believe he may have gone to see Savannah Caithlen, the daughter of Lord and Lady Caithlen, with whom he's had a relationship recently. The other option is that he may have gone to Castelarchio, to see a Lurniage friend of his, named Shara'Than. They ask that one of them be allowed to accompany you, whilst the other heads back to report to the family on what's happened so far

Notes

Feel free to have the party explore Pagone before they head out. They'll likely want to do some shopping before they start the adventure proper. This is a good place to encourage RP between the group, and have them interact in a fairly safe environment.

Scene 2 - Castelarchio

Upon reaching the fort of Castelarchio, they quickly realise Tomlin is here. They find a young Lurniage with a vast sword, who it turns out is Shara'Than. He's wounded and laying by the side of the road, alongside four corpses.

Shara'Than explains Tomlin arrived and was halted by the village guards. Something happened and the situation escalated, and he attacked them. He gestures to the bodies, which have clearly taken wounds from an axe.

As they investigate, they find Tomlin standing in the village square, the axe in one hand and red smoke floating around the other. He says he was visited by a creature who told him to steal the axe and find the Ghost of Saris'Toth, retrieve it and meet them here.

He can be made to reveal Gavelloran's power is planar manipulation; it lets him jump between Planes. It also moves anything it touches to another Plane.

They also said it was his destiny to unite the Ghosts, and this is the start of his training. He slowly moves his fingers as if drumming on something with them, and the red mist moves into the axe, coalescing and turning into a solid, perfect ruby which slots into the axe handle.

A large man in black armour and robes will suddenly appear next to Tomlin, and congratulate him on completing the task. At this point, a Disapperature and an Azodin (Ethrey and Voices of Silent Friends, either of whom the group may have encountered) will appear on either side of the group.

If the group make any move to attack the robed figure, a staff will appear from a small cylinder in his hand, and he'll use it to knock them to the ground with a huge wave of pressure.

Tomlin tells the group that he's been chosen by one of the Triumvene for a great task. He apologises to his sibling for what's happened, and tells them to tell his family he loves them.

Both Tomlin and the robed figure will vanish, gone to a different place on a different Plane.

Pertinent Information

Castelarchio is a fortified village. More an extended castle-like structure, with tall walls, each with a single massive tower in the middle surrounding it, it's normally home to a Lurniage garrison. However, they're currently away on training exercises, so only around a dozen soldiers are currently resident, acting as a skeleton crew to keep the building and its lands ship-shape.

Saris'Toth takes the form of a ruby, which contains a glowing, swirling mist. It's rumoured to have manipulation powers over fire and air, and makes part of a set along with five other items and the war axe Gavelloran. There are legends around the Ghosts and axe, but no-one knows if they're true.

Gavelloran is rumoured to be able to cut through almost any material.

The Lurniage used to be enslaved by the Henagon, so bear that in mind with any interactions between Lurniage NPCs and Henagon PCs. On the flip side, Humans supported the Lurniage in their breakaway from the Henagon, and negotiated with the Marati the transfer of Carinerino to the Lurniage under the Treaty of Claudius.

Almost all of the capital city of Pagone and much of the surrounding towns and cities were built by the Remin, a race who vanished around 300 years ago. They were of a similar level of technology to the Hadas and Kabakuro. Where they went and what happened to them is unknown.

Scene 3 - Panogne, Carinerino

Ethrey and Voices of Silent Friends, an Azodin, appear near the group. If the group didn't do Act 1, Ethrey explains that the Ghost Saris'Toth has been stolen. It is the only one of six deeply magical items who's location was known, and that together with the war axe Gavelloran, they form a powerful weapon. She and Voices are part of a group called the Chevaliers d'or dedicated to making sure the pieces are never brought together. For tens of thousands of years they've been tracking the other Ghosts, but in more recent times, the group's numbers have dwindled, and they slowly lost track of them. This is something they're aiming to fix, as they believe someone is making a play to unite the pieces.

Voices is the intermediary between the group and all other worlds, and will be their contact if they take the task offered. They wish to recruit the group to stop Tomlin and find the other Ghosts, beginning with Zo'Kirrien'Paranur, a rod made of iron.

If they accept, Voices tells them to find Postumius Giol on the outskirts of the city of Ythamerial, the capital of Athirael, whom they believe to have information in where it is.

The group can take the quest, and travel there. Feel free to run events from the Events list whilst on the journey. Alternatively, if they avoid it, run something else in place of Scene 4.

Notes

This is a good point to run the Weeping Statue trilogy of events, shortly before the group head off

Scene 4 - Ythamerial, Athirael

Postumius either talks to the group, or another group hired by Ethrey if the players didn't do the opening to Scene 2. He explains that he knows the location of Zo'Kirrien'Paranur, which grants powers over manipulation of the ground. Should the group attempt to read the location directly from his mind, it'll be revealed that his Manipulation is creating a perfect, stable world around himself. It shuts down the powers of others nearby within 120' of him, as well as meaning there are no earthquakes, everything grows perfectly, food tastes better, snowflakes are all identical and perfect and so on.

He needs the group to retrieve his daughter, Trebellia, from indentured servitude to Theomerien Tanyth, a silk merchant in Ythamerial.

The obsequious functionary Estelar tells them Theomerien operates a minor but high-end silk production house on the 11th floor. They are outfitters to the Queen and King, as well as various nobles. If they go to the factory itself, they'll find four Lurniage; two spinners (Sebastianus and Egnatius) and two weavers (Rutiliana and Trebellia).

Trebellia is his best weaver, and worth around £500. There are also two Henagon assistants (Filvendor and Katyr), who deal with sales and oversee production.

It's then up to the group to find a way to get her away from Tanyth, and reunite her with Postumius. He then tells the group that around 150 years ago, his father was indentured to a Henagon explorer, Natharan, who went to climb the mountains in the west of Athirael. Their journey was hard, and made trickier by that, whilst the Henagon can survive cold to an extent, the cold-blooded Lurniage did very poorly in the mountain ranges. Finally abandoned by his master, he started to make his way back down, until he fell, exhausted, at the foot of the mountain.

In a dreamlike haze, he was visited by a Silacarius named Urruhurru. The creature nurtured him back to health, and told him the location of Zo'Kirrien'Paranur.

He reveals that it is now part of the coronation crown of the Henagon, having been forged into a ring of iron, forming its base. Also, the Henagon Emperors possess a book called A History and Lineage of the Ghosts of Power which holds information on where the other Ghosts used to be.

Scene 5 - Ythamerial, Athirael

Assuming the group are doing it, they make their way to the Imperial rooms, which cover the 20th and uppermost floor of Ythamerial. Depending on how and when they do it, they will find a random number of Henagon and Lurniage guards, with stats given on the next page.

The group look for the coronation crown, and whilst doing so find a beautiful, ancient book in the throne room. It's the Henagon holy book, used only by the Emperor, and the high priests of the Henagon. It sings into their minds and demands to be taken up. Rolls against it require a Fitness check. It charts the history of the Ghosts, until 1,017 years ago.

As they do, Tomlin appears. He also found Postumius and forced him to reveal where Zo'Kirrien'Paranur was. He therefore wants the group to hand over the one they've got. Ethrey and a Urruhurru also appear, materialising in the room.

Ethrey stands beside the group, whilst Urruhurru goes after Tomlin. The guards in the room go after the group. Each carries a mundane weapon of small to medium size, and a small shield.

Ethrey and Urruhurru buy time for the group to flee. Urruhurru holds her own, but Ethrey, whilst trying to fight, is injured. Voices' roars and casts something which tears into Tomlin, banishing him. Ethrey jumps herself back to her plane, badly wounded.

Urruhurru pulls them from Ythamerial and dumps them all outside the city, where Voices meets them moments later. He congratulates the group on finding Zo'Kirrien'Paranur, but worries that Tomlin now knows that they are going after the Ghosts too.

Urruhurru and Voices then discuss the situation, and ask the group to come with them. If they agree, with a sucking feeling and a flash of colour, they find themselves transported to the Golden Plane.

Pertinent Information

The group can use Zo'Kirrien'Paranur. It can alter anything made of stone or earth in form. Doing so requires a Narrative roll.

Ythamerial, Athirael, is the capital city of the Henagon empire, built around the vast Skytree Sarethymeriad. Over the centuries it has expanded out to also encompass the nearby Skytrees of Athnerian, Illuriul, Jahrethen and Limele, and is now the largest city in the Henagon empire by far. All are within a day of travel of Sarethymeriad.

Each tree has wide circular platforms built around the trunks, each of which supports a function of the city. The layers are:

Location: Sarethymeriad - 483ft

Layers 1-8: Residential
Layers 9-12: Textiles
Layers 13-15: Accounting & legal
Layers 16-18: Residential
Layer 20: Emperor's Court

Location: Athnerian - 351ft

Layers 1-6: Residential
Layers 7-12: Heavy industry
Layers 13, 14: Trade

Location: Illuriul - 276ft

Layers 1-6: Residential
Layers 7-11: Storage - weapons & armour

Location: Jahrethen - 190ft

Layers 1-5: Residential
Layers 6, 7: Science and research

Location: Limele - 251ft

Layers 1-9: Lurniage Residential (abandoned)
Layer 10: Slavemaster quarters

Act 2

Tomlin continues to track down the Ghosts, causing chaos wherever he goes. The purpose of the Ghosts and Gavelloran is revealed, as is the existence of a fourth god, the creator of the Triumvene.

Scene 1 - Chevaliers d'or HQ, City of Light and Sorrow

Assuming the group decide to aid Voices in his request, he brings them all to the Golden Plane and introduces them to some of the leadership of the Chevaliers d'or, protectors the Ghosts. They are:

Shovan, Octophele, 1.38 million years old, oracle
Pherenia Nimary Jorinie Saralim, Disapperature, 158,000 years old, High Queen of the Disapperatures
Memories Yet to Arrive, Azodin, 369,000 years old
Zeemar-Loya, Kinisepath, 39/257,000 years old, traveller
Norvat-Regar, Kinisepath, 56,963,000 years old, healer
Eaweri, Uffrith, 67,000 years old, politician
Heyayee, Squank, 161 years old, diplomat

They have found and hidden Perosediad'Juresithiar, a carved crystal skull, which can imbue inanimate objects with life bound to the creator, allowing for example, the creation of controllable gargoyles and statues.

They also outline the names of all the Ghosts and what they do:

Saris'Toth: a ruby controlling fire and air
Zo'Kirrien'Paranur: a rod of iron, controlling stone or earth
Perosediad'Juresithiar: a crystal skull, imbuing life
Imra'Sari'Lurini: a semi-solid ball of mist, controlling weather within 10 miles
Gaug'Istian: a red cape, with designs in golden thread in it, granting the wearer powers based on their emotional state
Urhoh'Niqui'Shar: a pen, which makes whatever you write, happen. Limited to a mile range, and cannot directly kill

He notes that Tomlin is going after the Ghosts, under the guidance of someone else. Also, he went to see his old master, Minds Joined in Song, who told him of the return of Manovelar. The three gods left hundreds of thousands of years ago. However, at least one has now come back.

Minds warns him to be careful. With someone seeking the Ghosts, and the return of one of the three gods, something big is coming. As such, the two agreed to start putting together an army, to fight against any aggressor, if it comes to that.

The other members of the Chevaliers don't take this well, but Voices points out that whatever is happening, this has to be just the beginning. If Manovelar is back, Garrian and Crahurnian can’t be far behind. They may have started to put out diplomatic feelers to avoid a conflict, but they need a fallback if the worst happens.

Either way, that's what he's doing, with or without their permission. He leaves, placing the group in the care of Saralim, who is Ethrey's aunt. When the group are done, Saralim jumps the group, along with her entourage, back to her palace.

She asks the group for the book, so the Disapperatures can study it. Also, she wishes to hire them to both hunt the other Ghosts while they negotiate with representatives of Phyverse to share information. Also, whilst they’re not going to open the old bridges across planes, they are sending envoys to Midplane to let the various peoples of the world know about Golden Plane and Phyverse. The Chevaliers believe the only way the various societal issues the Golden Plane is experiencing as a result of no-one aging can only be solved by their people accepting mortality again. They hope this may be the start of that.

The group also get word that Ethrey, whilst badly wounded, is recovering.

Pertinent Information

Whilst the group are here, they will de-age by one month for every day spent on the Golden Plane, until they reach the age at which their race is at its most physically fit, or they leave.

The group now know the location of three items - Perosediad'Juresithiar on the Golden Plane, Saris'Toth, which Tomlin controls, and Zo'Kirrien'Paranur which the group hopefully have, depending on what happened in the fight at the end of Act 1 Scene 5.

Scene 2 - Begureu

The group arrives at the meeting place chosen for the negotiations, back in Midplane in Begureu, home of the Morund Collective. Several members of the Chevaliers, along with leaders representing the main Golden Plane races have come too.

Whilst in their private quarters, Saralim states that the Knights of the Gold, the representatives of the Chevaliers on Midplane, have been watching the construction of the new skyship Skyfairer, and believe one of the Ghosts resides within it.

To protect the great skyship as it travels, the Nimps have used advanced technology never before seen in Midplane. Also, the Nimps are one of the few peoples to still travel frequently to Midplane, although prior to the announcement of their normal residence on Phyverse, it was assumed they were just very advanced, and slightly odd, much like the Hadas were.

If confronted about it, they will say that Hearie, who proposed the Skyfairer project, brought a device with her with the ability to still the air around it. This allows the ship to pilot in any weather. If the group learn this and tell Saralim, she will state that she believes it to be Imra'Sari'Lurini, the Ghost with power over weather. The group can try and recover it from the Skyfairer, or leave it to avoid attracting attention.

Pertinent Information

Hearie stole Imra'Sari'Lurini from her people's vaults, deep underground. She was able to trick the security systems into believing that she should have access, as she's an extraordinarily skilled thief. Should the group find her, she will confess, but ask for clemency. She’s spent her life helping develop Midplane, to make her for her crimes on her own Plane.

Scene 3

If the group don’t retrieve Imra'Sari'Lurinis, Tomlin will instead. In the aftermath, it’ll come to light that Saralim believed the device to be a Ghost. The Phyverse diplomats blame the Golden Plane for stealing it, whilst they in turn protest their innocence and blame the Phyverse peoples for not trying to track them down. Arguments and accusations are throw around left and right.

Whilst both groups retire for the evening, a hooded figure in a cowl and cloak appears, flanked by three companions. They assassinate everyone in their path, killing guards and staff on their way to the private chambers of the Phyverse leadership. At the same time, two figures dressed in high-tech armour attack the Golden Plane representatives. Chaos erupts everywhere. Ethrey tries to jump away, but fails. Saralim jumps in to defend her, but she’s blasted back. Ethrey is killed. Voices, along with the Squank and Uffrith delegates, start jumping the others away, and in the process goes to check on the Phyverse delegates. He realises what’s going on, and starts trying to rescue everyone, jumping as rapidly as he can, exhausting himself in the process.

Meanwhile, back in the fight, Saralim blazes with light and starts to lay into the attackers. They fight to a standstill, at which point Voices finally manages to jump back in with his reinforcements, all heavily armed. They include Funglin, Silacarius and a Malegaros. The attackers are forced to flee. This is all reported to the group the next day, by Saralim, who in doing so also relates the news of Ethrey’s death. She asks the group if they’d deputise for her, whilst she goes to bury Ethrey.

Pertinent Information

The theft of Imra'Sari'Lurinis has the obvious side effect of meaning that the Skyfairer no longer works in all weathers. However, it can still work in fair to moderate conditions.

Scene 4

After the fight, one of the Phyverse delegation notices that one of the Kabakuro delegation, Valarisian Theraso, has vanished. Theraso was a commander in the Grammat, the Kabakuro special forces, who left years ago for a quiet life in a rural province on Myra.

She was requested specifically for the delegation by the head of the Grammat, and though it seemed odd, it was accepted. One does not question the Grammat. The delegate suggests they try to find her.

If they want to go straight away, the party are jumped down to the Kabakuro capital city, Cassandra, on Xera.

It's a world of advanced technology where manipulations don't work. The Kabakuro kit them out with armour and weapons, and they go along with one of Theraso’s old associates, Masavar, to find her.

Pertinent Information

Masavar is Hadas, not Kabakuro, but was adopted by Kabakuro parents. Masavar is a codename, not her real name.

This is a good place to run the Phyverse events.

Scene 5

Eventually Masavar and the group catch up with Valarisian, who is working on a temple to Crahurnian. Her mind has been tampered with, but Masavar has medical technology which can help. Once she's better, she reveals that she was attacked by an unknown creature, with horns and an axe, backed up by creatures with advanced technology and incredible combat skills. She tried to fight but was subdued, and can't remember anything after that. If told the date, she says this happened around 3 months ago.

She accesses the camera logs from her house and shows the group who attacked him - it was Tomlin and a group of unknown others. They're not creatures from Phyverse or from Midplane. If the group have anyone from the Golden Plane with them, they can confirm that they're not from there either. They've come from somewhere unknown across the three planes.

One week later, Valarisian is been passed a message from Saralim. They are holding a summit to discuss what they've learned from A History and Lineage of the Ghosts of Power.

At the summit, Manovelar makes an appearance, and reveals that the Triumvene aren't the only creatures capable of creating universes - there was once a fourth being, the creator of the Triumvene. The Triumvene created the Ghosts out of the souls of their children, as a way of uniting their power in case it was ever required to battle each other or their creator. Although the Ghosts do things on their own, together they create a device to allow the members of the Triumvene to use their powers in concert. It states that it has contacted Garrian and Crahurnian, to use their powers in concert to look for anything out of place. It also apologises for being away for so long. They decided to step away and not interfere in the events of the planes after what happened with the Henagon and Lurniage.

When the three meet and look for something wrong, they discover another plane of existence, hidden from them individually. They name it Celestial, and tell the leaders of the three planes about it.

At which point, news reaches them all of a figure, found naked and alone.

Act 3

Tomlin has been abandoned by whomever was controlling him. The gods go to war, destroying Phyverse and the Golden Plane. The group discover the existence of a fourth plane of existence, and go there to steal back the last Ghost and end the war.

Scene 1 - Cassandra

Tomlin is found outside a small village of the Hadas. He is naked and unarmed, and has lost his mind. After he has been healed by Garrian, the group are contacted to come and question him, along with three members each of the Golden Plane and Phyverse.

Tomlin is brought to the group. He apologises to them, and he places his life in their hands. They’ve been chosen as his judges. They can send him to jail, kill him, set him free... Whatever judgement they pass, the leaders of all three Planes have agreed to abide by. Before that, he reveals everything he knows. Whomever it was that sent him on the mission to gather the Ghosts, stole both the items he had, and Gavelloran, before doing something to his mind. He can't remember anything after that. However, he can tell the group anything they wish to know about what happened previously.

After telling them all he can, he kneels in front of them, and waits whilst they discuss and decide on his judgement.

Afterwards, Manovelar appears to the group, and gives them Gavelloran and another Ghost. Something tried to move from his realm with them, and the last Ghost. He and the others fought, but were only able to retrieve two of the three items. One was still in the other creature's possession.

Pertinent Information

Tomlin's mind was tampered with when he was recruited to remove empathy. When he's healed, that part is also restored. Tomlin has done some pretty terrible things, and now feels the weight of his actions.

Feel free to run Tomlin however you'd like. You can make him pitiable, having been used, angry at those who used him, near suicidal at his actions, or a combination of those or other things. Run it in a way you believe will be challenging to your group, and force them to debate what happens to him next.

Scene 2 - Pagone, Carinerino

The Golden Plane and Phyverse are shattered by vast, trans-dimensional forces. As this happens, the Triumvene pull millions of beings from Phyverse to Midplane, and likewise around one million from the Golden Plane. The other two planes are removed from existence. Crahurnian appears and reveals that Midplane is under attack from their creator. However, the combined power of the Triumvene is enough to hold it off for now.

They also reveal that they could permanently stop their creator, if they had the last Ghost. However, that would mean creating a doorway to the new plane, and sending groups through to go and hunt it down. They will only be able to do that for a moment, as it means compromising the defence of Midplane.

Notes

Either the group can go, or alternatively they can stay and do something else. In either case, the next scenes happen, just to a group other than them.

Scene 3 - Dathikar, Celestial

A/the group arrive in the district of Dathikar, in Celestial. It's a beautiful place, where everyone is happy. It's like the Golden Plane, without the creepiness, and with technology like Phyverse.

The group explore it, and thanks to the open, innocent nature of the peoples of this plane, can learn that a new building is being constructed, known as the Fortress of Worlds, which will house the treasure of Celestial. There's going to be a grand opening of it in three days.

They can explore it, and discover pretty quickly that the treasure is the last Ghost - Urhoh'Niqui'Shar. The group then have to come up with a way to get it back. However, there's pretty clearly going to be a huge security presence constantly in place, and the layout of the Fortress is designed to be hugely defensible. It's planning time...

Pertinent Information

Celestial isn't a world, it's just a vast, unending expanse of land and seas and oceans, with a group of villages, towns and cities at its "centre". Dathikar is a district of museums and galleries in this conglomeration.

Scene 4 - Dathikar, Celestial

The attempt is made to steal back the last Ghost.

In either case, in the process of stealing the last Ghost, they are confronted by the avatar of the Creator as they reach it, a silver and gold form, which each person viewing it sees as its own race. It introduces itself as Creator.

It created Celestial to be a beautiful, perfect place, having watched the other planes. It believes both magic and science must exist, like Midplane, but that the peoples there, having full free will and the full range of emotions, including greed, envy, rage, fear and so on are tainted. This place was created as a perfect place with perfect people, and it certainly seems that way.

However, Creator also doesn't want to other beings in the Universe of planes to suffer, and so wishes to undo the other planes to remove suffering and grief. It asks them to go back where they came from, and allow it to end pain.

Moments later, it screams in pain and vanishes as the Triumvene renew their assault.

If the group decide to go along with the Creator’s plan, then they can go back without the Ghost, and the campaign ends with the erasure of Midplane, the Triumvene, and everyone on it. Celestial exists as a perfect place, where everyone gets their happily ever after, always.

Alternatively, they can try and steal it and call for Crahurnian to bring them home. If they fail to steal it, the same happens as if they decide to let the Creator have its way. Otherwise, they return with the pen Urhoh'Niqui'Shar. If the players didn't run this scene, it's stolen and returned to Midplane, along with the information on the Creator.

Scene 5

The group now have all the Ghosts and Gavelloran. The Triumvene bring them all to one place, and perform a ritual to combine themselves into one creature, which introduces itself as Unity, and summons the Creator in front of it.

They then ask what is the will of the combined peoples of Midplane with regards to Celestial, and Creator. Obviously Celestial could be left, destroyed, or merged with Midplane , or Midplane could merge with it. How that ends, what happens to Creator, and comes after, we leave to you and your group to decide. At this point, any influence we have over the story ends.

We wish you well in that final chapter and epilogue, and we hope you have enjoyed the story and its adventures with your players.