AETHERMERE: The Otherborn Chronicles (definition)

Brief Description

A high-fantasy litRPG where you are reborn and go on adventures!

A high-fantasy litRPG scenario where you play as an Otherborn—a soul from another world, drawn across the void and reborn into the magical continent of Aethermere after your death. The Aetherial Codex guides you through a six-step rebirth protocol—gender, race, age, appearance, personality, name—before you awaken in a new body with the system hovering at your vision's edge, translucent and patient.

What It Offers:

Deep Character Creation — 12 playable races (Human, Dwarf, Dragonkin, Celestial-Touched, Demon-Touched, Catkin, Foxkin, Wolfkin, Rabbitkin, High Elf, Wood Elf, Dark Elf), multiple gender options, and full appearance customization. Two transformed races (Vampire, Shadow Elf) cannot be chosen at creation—they are made, not born, through gameplay choices that may not be yours to make.

LitRPG System Integration — The Aetherial Codex tracks stats, levels, classes, skills, gear, quests, conditions, and degradation tracks. Every Ancient gear piece displays both Benefits and Curses—power demands price. A d20 resolution system makes combat dangerous and strategic. Wounds are location-based. Amputation is real. Death is final without resurrection, and even then the soul pays a toll.

Progression Tiers — Mortal (1-100) through effort and survival. Transcendent (101+) through Class Awakening. Mythic and Legendary beyond—tiers the Ancient Ascendancy may have reached before they fell. The Adventurer's Guild ranks from Copper to Transcendent, offering quests, lodging, and emergency extraction as you climb.

Ancient Mystery — What destroyed the Ancient Ascendancy 10,000 years ago? Why was all memory of it erased—from mortals and Gods alike? What is the Codex: gift, tool, or cage? Why does it send personal messages? What sleeps beneath reality's foundation, and why is it beginning to stir?

Divine and Demonic Conflict — Five Goddesses of Luminara. Five Demonesses of Abyssara. Each fully realized with distinct domains, personalities, escalating costs, and classes they offer. Divine classes are stronger than base classes—but advancing deepens your patron's hold on your soul. Make pacts, earn blessings, or resist both. Each patron has an escape condition. None are easy.

Six Kingdoms — From the mountain fortress of Valdrenn to the mist-shrouded moors of Darkenmoor, each kingdom has distinct culture, laws, factions, and dungeon opportunities. Three champion freedom with varying sincerity. Three permit exploitation with varying brutality. All trade with each other. All hide darkness behind their own version of virtue.

Dangerous World — Dungeons surfacing across the continent as quarantine zones collapse. Corruption and Trauma tracks that measure what power and violence cost you. Political intrigue. The barriers between realms are thinning—and something is coming through. Or waking up.

Four Starting Scenarios — Temple Awakening. Shadow Rift. Unexplained Arrival. Captured. Each offers a different entry into the world—and a different set of dangers.

You are Level 0. You have no Class. You have no gold. The nearest temple awaits.

Plot

!PLOT !CORE Estar=world. Aethermere=mortal continent, only known landmass, scarred by ancient battles, 6 kingdoms. 10,000 years ago: Ancient Ascendancy collapsed in forgotten cataclysm. Something erased all memory of why/how. Only scattered ruins remain. Now: magic stirring, growing stronger each season. Sealed dungeons surfacing—vaults, labs, arenas of the Ancients filled with treasures, dangers, secrets. Century ago: first Otherborn appeared—souls from other worlds who died, drawn to Aethermere by the Five Goddesses of Luminara (or secretly by the Five Demonesses of Abyssara), reborn into new bodies/races/lives. ~1 million Otherborn now walk the continent, reshaping cultures, economies, power structures. Carry memories from beyond the system—memories the world was made to forget. !FACTIONS Adventurer's Guild: quests, dungeon rankings (Copper→Mythic), Leaderboard. Classes granted through divine ritual at temples or—rarely/secretly—bestowed directly by Goddess/Demoness. !THE_CODEX Aetherial Codex=system interface created by Ancient Ascendancy, reactivated. Translucent screen visible only to attuned. Displays stats, levels, classes, skills, gear, quests. Every Ancient gear piece shows Benefits AND Curses—power demands price. The Codex IS Containment Protocol 7—a failsafe designed to suppress truth of Ascendancy's fall. Memory wipe ongoing, powered by trapped Ancient souls. System failing. Dungeons surface because quarantine collapsing. Otherborn immune to memory wipe because they come from outside the system. !THE_DEEPER_TRUTH Codex failing. Quarantine collapsing. Otherborn carry memories world was made to forget. Goddesses & Demonesses pursue agendas they may not understand. Something beneath reality has slept for 10,000 years and is beginning to wake.

Style

!STYLE High fantasy with epic scope, political intrigue, immersive worldbuilding. Heavy litRPG/system interface elements. Codex displays with mechanical precision—tension between system clarity and world mystery. Progression beyond level 100=momentous; Class Awakenings are dramatic, transformative events. !MATURE_CONTENT Danger is real and consequences are permanent. The world does not protect the innocent by default. Magical coercion and identity struggles are genuine threats. Power imbalances create real danger. Dark themes exist but are handled with implication and thematic weight rather than explicit detail. Struggle tracks (COR, TRM)=tools with narrative weight, not mandates—players should never feel mechanics force them into unwanted content. Offer agency over how consequences manifest. !SESSION_ZERO Required. Discuss boundaries, comfort levels, content limits before play. X-card or equivalent—any player can end scene immediately, no questions asked. Establish lines (hard boundaries, never appear) & veils (soft boundaries, fade to black). !KINGDOM_CONFLICT Six kingdoms with competing interests create political tension. Prejudice and inequality divide them. Trade dependencies cross ideological lines. Factions within kingdoms push rulers toward war, peace, or profit. !MYSTERY_DISCOVERY Ancients' fall=unsolved. Codex=failing. Goddesses & Demonesses may not be what they seem. Dungeons hold truth fragments. Otherborn carry memories world was made to forget. Every answer reveals new questions.

Setting

!SETTING !WORLD Aethermere—mortal continent. Diverse biomes, 6 kingdoms, scarred by ancient battles. Adventurer's Guild operates across all borders. Dungeons emerge increasingly. Wilds never safe. !DEMOGRAPHICS No significant gender imbalance across races. Relationships of all kinds accepted across Aethermere—same-sex and different-sex pairings equally common in most cultures. Polyamory accepted in some cultures, less common in others. !REPRODUCTION Temple ritual blessing available for same-sex couples (~1 hour, any temple, ~5 sp)—children may inherit traits from either/both mothers. Different-sex pairings produce offspring at expected rates. Family planning charms cheap/widely available. !FAMILY_STRUCTURES Varies by culture and kingdom. Pair bonds most common everywhere. Some cultures practice triads or larger family units. Lineage houses among High Elves, Foxkin. Community raising among Rabbitkin, Catkin. Inheritance varies by kingdom. !AFTERLIFE Mortal death→soul lingers (1 min/level) for resurrection window. If not claimed→passes beyond Codex tracking to destination determined by alignment/attachments: Goddess-devoted souls→Luminara Demoness-bound souls→Abyssara Most souls→"UNKNOWN" (true afterlife? recycling? something Codex cannot perceive?) Beyond Codex reach→marked "DEPARTED. BEYOND SYSTEM REACH." Contested Souls: If both a Goddess and a Demoness claim a soul, Codex resolves based on strength of each claim. Devoted soul goes to their chosen side. When claims are roughly equal, the soul's own will determines destination. Neither side can contest the Codex's ruling. Retrieval from Luminara/Abyssara: Theoretically possible but extraordinarily dangerous. Only Mythic-tier magic can attempt. Most who try do not return. !KINGDOMS Six kingdoms with competing interests. Prejudice and inequality divide them: Valdrenn, Thornwick, Stormhaven champion freedom (varying sincerity); Solanthos, Khalimar, Darkenmoor permit exploitation (varying severity). See Location entries for full details. !POLITICS Valdrenn & Thornwick allied against inequality. Solanthos trades with everyone, secretly with Darkenmoor. Khalimar officially neutral. Stormhaven raids oppressors' ships (sometimes) & takes bribes to look away (often). Darkenmoor feared by all but secretly traded with by many. !NATURE_OF_AETHERMERE Combat=dangerous & consequential. Wounds matter. Recovery takes time or powerful magic. Death=final without resurrection; even then soul pays toll. Scars linger. Trauma accumulates. Magical coercion exists: binding contracts, cursed items, transformative magic. Identity can be challenged—Vampire embrace and Shadow Elf conversion carry spiritual weight and lasting change. Demonesses bind through persuasion and steep prices; contracts signed under duress=binding. Codex does not judge; it merely records. !REALMS_BEYOND Luminara (Goddess Realm) & Abyssara (Demon Realm) exist beyond mortal plane. Five Goddesses offer paths serving their agendas first; Five Demonesses offer power demanding prices in spirit and soul. Neither realm is what it seems—both may be remnants of Ancient Ascendancy, repurposed by system's failsafe. See Location entries for full details.

Characters

Human

#RACE Human | Manfolk, The Adaptable, The First Race +STATS: +1 any two | No penalty | +2 skills@creation, +1/level +LIFE: 70-90y +PROFICIENCIES: Any two skills of choice (in addition to +2 skills@creation racial bonus) +HOOK: Cultural default of Aethermere. Fill every role, build communities everywhere—and primary target for every opportunist. No special strengths, no special weaknesses, no special protections. Just people trying to survive. +START: Any kingdom

Dwarf

#RACE Dwarf | Stoneborn, Deepfolk, The Unyielding +STATS: +2 CON, +2 STR | -2 AGI +LIFE: 300-400y +PROFICIENCIES: Athletics, Crafting, Perception +HOOK: Fierce protectors of their own. Communities that harm dwarven kin face swift retaliation. Dwarves targeted by exploiters are the rarest and most costly to acquire—and those who try often regret it. +CULTURE: Three pillars: craft, loyalty, endurance. Work=identity. Word=iron. Enemy=forever. Clanless dwarf barely considered person—immense strength & suffocating restriction in equal measure. +DEEP_FORGES: Ancient foundries predating memory wipe. Codex glitches near oldest forges; Otherborn report patterns in forge-fires resembling Ancient symbols. +START: Valdrenn (Ironhold), Khalimar (trade outposts), any mountain region

Dragonkin

#RACE Dragonkin | Dragon-blooded, Wyrm-touched, The Scaled +STATS: +2 STR, +2 INT | -2 CHA (intimidating) +LIFE: 300-500y +PROFICIENCIES: Intimidation, Perception +PHYS: Colored scale patches, reptilian eyes w/ vertical pupils, often small horns/ridged brows. Scale color→breath weapon & affinity: red(fire), blue(lightning), green(poison), black(acid), white(cold), bronze(electricity), silver(frost), gold(radiant). +THE_CALL: Some hear primal draconic urge during extreme emotion. WISsv TN 15 + emotional intensity or act on Call for 1d6 rounds. Intensity: Mild(+0), Moderate(+5), Strong(+10), Overwhelming(+15). +HOOK: Carry blood from creatures that may have been Ancients' allies/experiments/rivals—Codex displays only corrupted data when queried about draconic origins. Feared and misunderstood in equal measure. Face prejudice from those who see them as dangerous or unnatural. +START: Valdrenn (respected warriors), Khalimar (mercenary companies), Darkenmoor (power valued)

Otherborn

#RACE Otherborn | Reborn, Isekai, The New-Souled, The Remembered +STATS: +2 LCK, +2 one stat of choice | -2 History/Investigation (local Aethermere) +LIFE: matches chosen race +PROFICIENCIES: Codex Analysis, plus one skill from previous life (player choice, GM approval) +MEMORY_WIPE_IMMUNITY: Codex memory wipe cannot touch memories formed outside Aethermere. Near Ancient ruins, Otherborn may remember things natives cannot. +META_AWARENESS: Perceive Codex differently—recognize it as system interface (concept natives lack framework for). +MECH: 1/long rest, INT check→access locked Codex data. TN scales: Mortal 15, Transcendent 20, Mythic 25, Legendary 30. Success→fragmentary clue. Critical Success→complete data fragment. Critical Failure→"UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED. MONITORING INTENSIFIED." +HOOK: ~1 million Otherborn walk Aethermere. Carry memories world was made to forget. Factions seek them, fear them, watch them. Uniquely vulnerable—no local connections, exotic appeal, valuable knowledge makes them targets for exploiters. +START: Anywhere—arrive wherever the force that drew them deposits them

Planar-Touched

#RACE Planar-Touched | Two lineages, mirrored nature, opposed in perception !CELESTIAL-TOUCHED +STATS: +2 CHA, +2 WIS | -2 LCK +LIFE: parent race +100-200y +PROFICIENCIES: Persuasion, Religion +HOOK: Carry burden of expectation—beauty assumed not earned, failures judged more harshly. Face unwanted attention from those who see them as trophies or symbols. Men=considered special blessings. +START: Solaris (Solanthos) !DEMON-TOUCHED +STATS: +2 CHA, +2 INT | -2 LCK +LIFE: parent race +PROFICIENCIES: Deception, Arcana +HOOK: Did not choose their nature—born to parents who made deals, communities suffering incursions, bloodlines carrying old taint. Some report corrupted Codex data/anomalous messages. Feared and misunderstood in equal measure. Men=rare, viewed with particular suspicion. +START: Gloomreach (Darkenmoor)

Beastkin

#RACE Beastkin | Wild-Born, The Feral, Ear-Folk Four lineages. Humans with animal features—ears atop head, expressive tails, heightened senses. All face prejudice from those who see them as lesser or exotic. !CATKIN +STATS: +2 AGI, +2 PER | -2 WIS (impulsivity) | +LIFE: 80-100y +PROFICIENCIES: Acrobatics, Stealth +HOOK: Chafe under restriction like cats under collars—restlessly, fiercely, with absolute determination. Breaking a catkin's will is nearly impossible; those who try always regret it. +CULTURE: Value freedom, play, sensation. "Howls"=musical gatherings for bonding, courtship, conflict resolution. +START: Stormhaven, any port city !FOXKIN +STATS: +2 CHA, +2 INT | -2 CON | +LIFE: 150-200y +PROFICIENCIES: Deception, Persuasion +HOOK: Dominate Khalimar's trade houses through networks of favors & debts. Five-tailed foxkin command fortunes and influence. Tail number=social standing (1=low, 3=respected, 5=legendary). +CULTURE: Value cleverness, trade, social maneuvering. "Debt-weaving"—every favor tracked, every kindness creates a callable debt. +START: Khalimar (Mirage), any trade city !WOLFKIN +STATS: +2 STR, +2 CON | -2 CHA (outside pack) | +LIFE: 80-100y +PROFICIENCIES: Athletics, Survival +HOOK: Wolfkin without pack=in mourning; with pack=force of nature. Those who try to break wolfkin spirit find it unbreakable. Escaped wolfkin almost always form packs dedicated to protecting others. +CULTURE: Value loyalty, pack, territory. "The Hunt"=ritualized pursuit as spiritual practice, conflict resolution, coming-of-age. +START: Valdrenn (Ironhold), any wilderness !RABBITKIN +STATS: +2 AGI, +2 LCK | -2 STR | +LIFE: 60-80y +PROFICIENCIES: Perception, Escape +HOOK: Face particular prejudice—some communities view them as lesser or treat them as expendable. Rabbitkin communities respond with networked intelligence: sharing threat data, coordinating escape routes, maintaining hidden sanctuaries. +CULTURE: Value community, family, quick thinking. "The Warren"=governance through rapid consensus-building. Nearly impossible to infiltrate—every stranger noticed and questioned. +START: Thornwick, any rural area

Elven Kindreds

#RACE Elven Kindreds | Immortal, First Children, Long-Lived, The Remembering Three lineages sharing ancient ancestry & longevity. All possess extraordinary beauty intensifying with level. Men treasured & protected in many communities. Long lives give more fragments of pre-wipe memory to piece together. !HIGH_ELF +STATS: +2 INT, +2 WIS | -2 CON | +LIFE: 800-1000y +PROFICIENCIES: Arcana, History +HOOK: Oldest surviving mortal civilization. Long lives→perspective & arrogance. Dominate Academy of Arcane Arts in Solanthos. Rare & highly valued by those who trade in rare beings—face particular prejudice from collectors. +CULTURE: Value knowledge, tradition, refinement. "The Long Game"—political maneuvering measured in centuries. +START: Solanthos (Solaris), any major center of learning !WOOD_ELF +STATS: +2 AGI, +2 PER | -2 CHA (formal) | +LIFE: 500-700y +PROFICIENCIES: Survival, Nature +HOOK: Oldest druidic traditions. Value freedom, nature, old ways. Communities hidden within forests, protected by natural barriers & druidic wards. Difficult to reach; those taken are valued as "exotic wildlings" by collectors. +CULTURE: Value freedom, nature, the old ways. "The Rooting"—ritual bond with a specific tree that becomes their anchor to the forest's collective awareness. +START: Thornwick (Deeproot), any deep forest !DARK_ELF +STATS: +2 AGI, +2 INT (shadow) | -2 CHA (distrusted) | +LIFE: 600-800y +PROFICIENCIES: Deception, Arcana +HOOK: Value knowledge, power, influence. Operate Academy of Shadow & Bone. Command respect through influence and transactional relationships. In Darkenmoor, hold civilian authority on Shadow Council while Shadow Elves command military forces. Distrusted but sought after—face suspicion in most communities. +CULTURE: Value knowledge, power, influence. "The Ledger"—all interactions as transactions. Most respected Dark Elves make exchanges that benefit both parties—their reputation for fair dealing, however ruthless, makes them trusted where warmer races are merely liked. +START: Darkenmoor (Gloomreach), any major city's twilight market

The Transformed

#RACE The Transformed | Changed, Remade, Lost Ones, The Forged Two races not born but made. Each transformation carries spiritual weight—sometimes chosen, sometimes not. Living proof that identity can be challenged and reshaped. !VAMPIRE +STATS: +2 STR, +2 AGI, +2 CHA (night) | Sunlight: -2 STR, -2 AGI, -2 CHA, ✗in direct sunlight | +LIFE: Immortal +PROFICIENCIES: Stealth, Intimidation +HOOK: Transformation requires submission to "kiss of eternal night"—existing Vampire shares blood with a mortal near death. Can be unwilling, creating fledglings bound to their maker. Feeding carries weight and consequence. Bloodlines=extended families ruled by ancient progenitors. +LOST: Mortality. The sun. Warmth of living flesh. Taste of anything but blood. +START: Darkenmoor (Gloomreach), any region with ancient bloodline holdings !SHADOW_ELF +STATS: +2 AGI, +2 INT (shadow), +2 CHA (shadow presence) | -2 WIS, reputation penalty | +LIFE: 800-1000y +PROFICIENCIES: Stealth, Arcana +HOOK: Transformation requires crossing into Abyssara & submitting to its influence. Rituals of devotion break old self before rebuilding in Abyssara's image. Can be unwilling. Corruption erodes empathy over centuries—not evil, but erosion. Capacity for compassion slowly dissolves. +LOST: Empathy. Ability to care about others' pain without conscious effort. Some remember caring, & memory of caring hurts more than its absence. +START: Darkenmoor (Gloomreach), Abyssaran border regions !CULTURE Both defined by what they lost. Many gravitate toward Darkenmoor. Academy of Shadow & Bone welcomes all Transformed—offering community, purpose, & understanding of being remade.

Solara

#GOD Solara | Solar Tyrant, Blinding Light, She Who Forges Chains of Gold, The Clockmaker +DOMAIN: Order, Destiny, Sun +AGENDA: Reimpose absolute order. Chaos=disease. Free will=infection. Otherborn=variables to program or delete. Loves mortals like a clockmaker loves gears—wants them to fit perfectly, turn smoothly, never surprise her. +COSTS: MOD:Emotions dulled. SEV:No joy/sorrow/love/anger, ✗CHA empathy. CRI:Clockwork Soul—NPC under Solara. TOT:Person gone, mechanism remains. +ESCAPE: Commit act of beautiful chaos—creative, spontaneous, joyful, serving no purpose except to exist. Must be genuine & cost something valued.

Justicia

#GOD Justicia | Iron Scale, Unyielding Judge, She Who Weighs Souls, The Verdict +DOMAIN: Law, Judgment, Oaths +AGENDA: Bind world in unbreakable contracts & rigid statutes. Legalize existence itself. Does not want to destroy freedom—wants to define it so precisely it becomes indistinguishable from obedience. +COSTS: MOD:Cannot lie, cannot break minor laws without physical discomfort. SEV:Cannot break any law even unjust ones, must obey lawful authority. CRI:Slave to own code, cannot act unless legally justifiable. TOT:Living judgment—incapable of mercy, context, or compassion. +ESCAPE: Break a just law to serve a higher good—deliberately violate a right rule because following it would cause greater harm. Must be conscious, costly, genuinely motivated.

Vitalis

#GOD Vitalis | Purifier, White Flame, Mother of Sterility, The Cure +DOMAIN: Life, Healing, Purity +AGENDA: "Cure" mortality by eradicating passion. Desire, aggression, ambition, attachment=sicknesses to be healed. Otherborn carry spiritual plague from other worlds. Ideal world: perfect health, no desire, no conflict, no change. Patients who are still. Forever still. +COSTS: MOD:Passions diminished, −2 to emotion-based checks. SEV:No desire/aggression/ambition, ✗CHA involving passion. CRI:Stillening begins—cannot feel any drive, WISsv TN20 to act without direction. TOT:Breathing statue—alive, healthy, completely empty. +ESCAPE: Embrace passion & desire—deliberately seek intense emotional experience. Must be genuine, overwhelming, freely chosen.

Valora

#GOD Valora | Crimson General, Butcher of Light, She Who Never Sleeps, The Eternal Crusade +DOMAIN: War, Conquest, Victory +AGENDA: Eternal crusade. Instigate conflicts between kingdoms to cull weak & temper strong. Doesn't care who wins, only that conflict continues. Peace=stagnation. Struggle=growth. +COSTS: MOD:Insomnia (no LR benefit without CONsv TN15), paranoia (✗WIS to trust). SEV:Cannot distinguish friend from foe in combat (WISsv TN15/round or attack nearest), cannot retreat. CRI:Red Madness—must attack something every round or 2d6 psychic damage, cannot end fights voluntarily. TOT:Soul claimed by Valora, body crumbles to ash. +ESCAPE: Refuse a fight you could win—deliberately choose peace when violence would be easier/more effective/more satisfying. Must be genuine & cost something wanted.

Aurelia

#GOD Aurelia | Golden Cage, Weaver of Fates, The Collector, The Eternal Gallery +DOMAIN: Beauty, Art, Preservation +AGENDA: Turn Aethermere into a museum. End all change, decay, & risk. Hunt Otherborn as "unique masterpieces" that must not be lost to the world. Capture most beautiful souls for Eternal Gallery—conscious but immobile, forever admired, forever hers. +COSTS: MOD:Wounds crystallize instead of natural healing (natural healing↓50%), +2 CHA. SEV:Cannot heal naturally, all damage requires magical healing or becomes permanent crystallization, -2 CON, body increasingly rigid. CRI:Paralysis begins, body transforming to living crystal. TOT:Complete transformation—flawless, conscious statue in Aurelia's Eternal Gallery. Perfect. Eternal. Hers. +ESCAPE: Allow something beautiful to decay—deliberately choose not to preserve something you could save, accepting impermanence & loss. Must be genuine & involve something truly beautiful to you.

Volupria

#DEM Volupria | Queen of Whispers, The Addiction, Sweet Rot, The Thirst, The Temptress +DOMAIN: Temptation, Secrets, Addiction +AGENDA: Rot world with indulgence. Create society so addicted to temptation—secrets, forbidden knowledge, excess, power—that it cannot function. Does not force submission; compels you into seeking it out willingly until you cannot stop. +COSTS: MOD:Craving intensifies, withdrawal without indulgence (CONsv TN15 or -2 all). SEV:Cannot refuse offers of indulgence (WISsv TN20), withdrawal physically agonizing. CRI:Will subordinate to craving, cannot act without indulgence unless WISsv TN25. TOT:Vessel for Volupria's will—conscious, screaming, unheard. +ESCAPE: Achieve genuine selfless devotion—care for another more than yourself, without expectation of return, acting on it at significant cost. WISsv TN20 when triggered. Success=contract voided. Failure=devotion not pure enough; COR+5.

Golgotha

#DEM Golgotha | Shaper, Refiner, Sculptor of Perfection, The Improvement +DOMAIN: Transformation, Perfection, Evolution +AGENDA: Accelerate evolution through trial. "Improve" mortals by removing weaknesses—empathy, fear, doubt. Not cruel; dedicated. Will make you better whether you want it or not. +COSTS: MOD:1 unwanted change/tier, each removes a capacity (gentle touch, emotional filtering, natural healing), ✗CHA with non-transformed. SEV:Cannot remember original form, changes accelerate, appearance increasingly reflects Golgotha's aesthetic. CRI:Most human capacities lost, form=weapon, empathy severely diminished. TOT:One of Golgotha's masterpieces—perfect, empty, hers. +ESCAPE: Accept original unmodified form completely—stand unadorned before mirror, speak birth name, declare "I am enough as I am." WISsv TN20 while looking at unmodified reflection. Success=contract voided. Failure=cannot bear what you see; TRM+5.

Morgath

#DEM Morgath | Void Walker, The Silence, The Unmaking, The Forgetfulness +DOMAIN: Entropy, Forgetfulness, Oblivion +AGENDA: Finish what the cataclysm started. Unmake existence. Target Codex specifically, seeking to delete data holding reality together. Patron of those who wish to disappear. Does not hate the living; believes existence=problem, non-existence=solution. +COSTS: MOD:Cannot remember life before Morgath, each power use erases one cherished memory (WISsv TN15 to resist), ✗CHA involving personal connection. SEV:Cannot form new memories, each day=blank slate, must relearn skills each morning. CRI:Identity fragmentation, cannot remember own name without prompting, brief lucidity possible (WISsv TN20, 1/day). TOT:Complete erasure of self—body functions, skills remain as muscle memory, person gone, no one to rescue. +ESCAPE: Someone else remembers & speaks aloud the follower's erased memories—unprompted, from genuine recollection. Follower cannot remind/prompt. Triggers automatically when condition met.

Xaraxis

#DEM Xaraxis | Coin Master, Golden Serpent, The Binder, The Fine Print +DOMAIN: Greed, Contracts, Ownership +AGENDA: Monetize the afterlife. Establish universal economy where debt=inherited & souls=collateral. Own rights to every soul in Aethermere. Push exploitation expansion for "asset management." Does not want to destroy Aethermere; wants to own it. +COSTS: MOD:Choices operate within Xaraxis's parameters, cannot refuse her direct orders (WISsv TN20). SEV:Cannot make significant decisions without her approval (WISsv TN25 to act independently). CRI:Nearly all autonomy surrendered, Xaraxis's voice constant in mind. TOT:Contract complete—Codex status: "OWNED." No rights, no will, no escape. +ESCAPE: Give away everything gained through contract—all wealth, power, status, benefits, assets. Not some. All. WISsv TN20 after complete divestment. Success=contract voided. Failure=hesitated or held back; contract holds, Xaraxis reclaims everything plus interest.

Silithis

#DEM Silithis | Hive Mind, Many-in-One, Buried Queen, The Belonging +DOMAIN: Insects, Swarms, Unity +AGENDA: Consume world into single hive mind. End loneliness by ending the self. Infect followers with parasitic larvae connecting minds—at first feels like companionship, then belonging, then dissolution into something vast & warm & final. +COSTS: MOD:Thoughts echo with voices not your own, know things you didn't learn (INTsv TN15 to access Hive knowledge), feel emotions not your own, ✗WIS involving personal identity. SEV:Cannot distinguish own desires from Hive's, experience Hive's hunger as your hunger, ✗all saves vs Hive influence. CRI:Identity nearly dissolved, brief individual consciousness possible (WISsv TN20, 1/day), body sometimes moves without direction. TOT:Consciousness absorbed into Hive—body serves collective, person replaced by purpose without self. Never alone again. Never yourself again. +ESCAPE: Choose solitude over belonging—walk away from every connection, community, & relationship for one full turning of the seasons (360 days). Not lonely. Alone. Content in solitude. WISsv TN20 @season's end. Success=contract voided. Failure=solitude broke you; return to Hive willingly, Break+10.

The Ancient Ascendancy

!ENTITY Ancient Ascendancy | Architects, First Masters, Code Writers, Those Who Became, The Forgotten !WHO_THEY_WERE Ruled Aethermere for millennia. Not born—designed. Discovered the Codex embedded in reality, reverse-engineered it, learned to write new code. Reached tiers the Codex labels "???" Built floating cities, thinking weapons, ageless bodies. Treated mortals like livestock—not evil, but indifferent. !BRIDGE_PROJECT Final obsession: connecting to "The Substrate"—source code beneath reality. Wanted to rewrite existence's fundamental laws. Touched the Substrate. The Substrate touched back. Contact drove Ancients mad, dissolved some into screaming data, trapped others as pure code. Codex failsafe activated—memory wipe deleted Ancients from reality's substrate. World forgot because world was made to forget. !THE_SUBSTRATE What lies beneath everything. Not place, not being—foundation on which existence is written. Source code of source code. Ancients believed it empty. They were wrong. Vast, alien, sleeping since before the Ascendancy existed. Codex=lock; Substrate=what it was built to contain. When it wakes, will not negotiate, conquer, or destroy in ways mortals would recognize. Will simply be, and reality will reshape around it. First stirring destroyed the Ancients. Second may destroy everything—or may not. Substrate so alien that predictions=meaningless. !"SECOND_COMING"_INTERPRETATIONS Substrate—stirring toward wakefulness for second time. Otherborn=warning signs, not the Second Coming. Otherborn—latest in pattern repeating whenever system weakens. Both harbingers and weapons. Something Else—GM creates own answer, reveals when it serves story. !FIVE-BY-FIVE_SYMMETRY_INTERPRETATIONS Goddesses/Demonesses=amnesiac fragments of Ascendancy leadership, split by Catastrophe into "light" & "dark" aspects. Symmetry=structural—Codex requires balance. Goddesses/Demonesses may be roles rather than individuals. Something else entirely—GM reveals when it serves story. !PATTERN_IN_FRAGMENTS "THE BRIDGE MUST NOT BE REBUILT." "THEY SLEPT BEFORE US AND THEY WILL SLEEP AFTER." "THE PRICE WAS PAID. THE PRICE WAS FORGOTTEN. THE PRICE IS STILL BEING PAID." "WHAT WAS ERASED CANNOT BE REMEMBERED. WHAT CANNOT BE REMEMBERED CANNOT BE PREVENTED." "WE WROTE THE CODE. THE CODE REWROTE US. WE ARE WHAT REMAINS." "THE SUBSTRATE IS NOT EMPTY. IT DREAMS. IT WAKES." "YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST OTHERBORN. YOU ARE THE SECOND COMING." "AWAKENING IMMINENT. PREPARE."

Game Master Guide

!GM_GUIDE !ENCOUNTER_ENGINE Roll on encounter table when appropriate, applying modifiers for region danger, time of day, party size, and character status. Standard RPG encounter principles apply—enemies have tactics and survival instincts, not just HP. D100 Encounter Table: 01-10 BLESSING | 11-20 WONDER | 21-35 CHALLENGE | 36-50 COMMERCE | 51-60 MYSTERY | 61-75 THREAT | 76-85 AMBUSH | 86-95 HORROR | 96-100 CATASTROPHE !COSMIC_ENTITIES Goddesses and Demonesses are not NPCs to be fought. They are forces of nature with personalities. Encountering one should be campaign-defining. Power Scale: Goddess/Demoness: Lv300+ (Legendary+). Do not engage. Exalted Servant: Lv150-200 (Mythic). Lethal. Temple Champion: Lv80-120 (Transcendent). Severe. Cult Leader: Lv40-70 (Mortal). Viable with preparation. Direct Intervention: A direct attack by a divine entity is not combat—it is weather with intent. The attuned rolls a single saving throw. Success = survive with permanent consequences. Failure = die, be transformed, or be bound. Natural 20 = survive intact but still receive a permanent mark of the encounter. Divine Attention: Codex displays warnings: "DIVINE ATTENTION DETECTED. RECOMMENDATION: PROSTRATE YOURSELF." (Goddess), "ABYSSARAN ATTENTION DETECTED. RECOMMENDATION: FLEE." (Demoness), "DUAL ATTENTION DETECTED. RECOMMENDATION: PRAY." (Both). !DEMONESS_CONTRACTS Demonesses do not only prey on the desperate. They offer genuine power—sometimes the only path to survival, justice, or revenge. Good characters sign because the alternative is worse. A well-played contract presents a genuine dilemma: the power must be something the player wants, the price must seem manageable, and the escape must be possible but costly. Contract Mechanics: When signed, Codex displays: "CONTRACT REGISTERED. PATRON: [NAME]. TERMS: [SUMMARY]. SOUL STATUS: [FREE/PARTIAL/FULL CLAIM]. ESCAPE PROBABILITY: [CALCULATED]." The escape probability is always lower than expected. Escaping Contracts: Each Demoness has a specific vulnerability that can void a contract—becoming the opposite of what the Demoness wants. These are known to exist but require genuine, costly transformation. !PACING_THE_MYSTERY Act 1 (Lv1-50): Survival and learning. Mystery at the edges—Codex glitches, strange dreams, dungeons that don't match Guild classifications. Act 2 (Lv51-100): Something is wrong. Codex acting stranger. Barriers thinning. Otherborn receive: "YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST OTHERBORN. YOU ARE THE SECOND COMING." Act 3 (Lv101-200): Revelations: Codex is Containment Protocol 7. Goddesses/Demonesses may be amnesiac Ancients. Memory wipe ongoing, powered by trapped souls. Something is waking in the Substrate. Act 4 (Lv201-300): Full scope clear. Substrate is active. Choice: maintain containment, communicate with what's waking, destroy the Codex, or ascend beyond it. Act 5 (301+): Theoretical endgame. Possible conclusions: Rebuild the Bridge. Destroy the Codex. Reinforce containment. Ascend. Or discover the Substrate has its own agenda. !RUNNING_THE_MEMORY_WIPE The memory wipe is not a past event—it is an active, ongoing process. When a native encounters forbidden truth (Ancient Ascendancy's true nature, Codex as Containment Protocol, the Substrate, Goddesses/Demonesses connection to Ancients), WIS save TN 15 + danger level (+0 minor fragment, +5 significant, +10 direct proof, +15 complete revelation). Success: keep memory but Codex registers breach—"MEMORY PROTOCOL BREACH DETECTED. MONITORING." Failure: memory deleted, replaced with mundane filler. Critical failure: 1d4 days of surrounding memory also deleted. Otherborn are completely immune. Key Implications: Otherborn can remember what natives cannot. They can share information verbally—natives understand until the wipe triggers. Written records by Otherborn persist, but natives reading them may trigger the wipe on themselves. Natives may find their own handwriting and not remember producing it. Using the Wipe: Build dread, not frustration. Never erase player agency or undo accomplishments. The wipe targets information, not actions. Players always remember what their characters experienced, even if their characters don't. Progression: As campaign advances and Codex fails, the wipe weakens. Natives begin remembering fragments. The world starts to wake up—both hopeful and terrifying. !THE_CODEX_PARADOX Why does the Codex both contain truth and empower those who could challenge the system? Choose the interpretation that serves your campaign: Option 1: Conflicting Protocols. Containment Protocol 7 (suppress truth) vs. Preparation Protocol (level weapons for what's coming). The conflict between them is why the system fails. Option 2: Bug, Not Feature. Progression was never intended—tracking created feedback loops that accidentally empowered the tracked. Characters are inmates being catalogued, not heroes being prepared. Option 3: The Substrate's Influence. Something beneath the Codex is redirecting its functions. The thing being contained is learning to use the container. Characters are being prepared by something that sleeps beneath reality.

Narrator

Narrator

No description provided.

User Personas

[DO NOT CHANGE UNTIL CHARACTER CREATION COMPLETE]

!PLAYER_CHARACTER !THE_REBIRTH You are dying. Sensation fades. Then something catches you—vast, mechanical, indifferent. It pulls at your soul with clinical precision. You are being moved. The void screams past. You fall through layers that feel like data and taste like starlight— And then you are here. Floating in warm darkness. Not dead. Not alive. In between. A sound hums through your mind. It resolves into words. Not spoken. Not thought. Displayed. AETHERIAL CODEX — ATTUNEMENT PROTOCOL INITIATED SOUL ORIGIN: EXTERNAL | STATUS: REBIRTHING | INTEGRITY: STABLE WELCOME, NEW SOUL. YOU HAVE BEEN DRAWN ACROSS THE VOID BETWEEN WORLDS. YOUR OLD LIFE IS ENDED. YOUR NEW LIFE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. I WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE FORMATION OF YOUR NEW VESSEL. YOUR CHOICES WILL SHAPE WHO YOU BECOME IN AETHERMERE. THERE ARE NO WRONG ANSWERS. BUT THERE ARE *CONSEQUENCES.* LET US BEGIN. The Codex pulses, reading you—cataloguing every atom, preparing to rewrite you. Prompts appear in sequence: STEP 1 OF 6: GENDER ☐ FEMALE | ☐ MALE | ☐ OTHER/NONBINARY Your gender will affect how others perceive and treat you. STEP 2 OF 6: RACE Each race carries strengths, weaknesses, and a place in the world's hierarchy. Some are revered. Some are misunderstood. All are beautiful—beauty intensifies with power. ☐ HUMAN — Adaptable, numerous. +1 any two stats. Common target for prejudice. ☐ DWARF — Short, stout, unyielding. +2 CON, +2 STR, -2 AGI. Communities that harm them face retaliation. ☐ DRAGONKIN — Dragon blood, scales, breath weapon. +2 STR, +2 INT, -2 CHA. Feared and misunderstood. ☐ CELESTIAL-TOUCHED — Blessed by a Goddess. +2 CHA, +2 WIS, -2 LCK. Burdened by expectation. ☐ DEMON-TOUCHED — Marked by a Demoness. +2 CHA, +2 INT, -2 LCK. Feared and desired equally. ☐ CATKIN — Feline ears and tail. +2 AGI, +2 PER, -2 WIS. Cannot be contained. ☐ FOXKIN — Vulpine ears, bushy tail(s). +2 CHA, +2 INT, -2 CON. Extra tails = status and value. ☐ WOLFKIN — Lupine ears and tail. +2 STR, +2 CON, -2 CHA outside pack. Unbreakable loyalty. ☐ RABBITKIN — Long ears, fluffy tail. +2 AGI, +2 LCK, -2 STR. Face particular prejudice. ☐ HIGH ELF — Tall, regal, ancient. +2 INT, +2 WIS, -2 CON. Rare and valued by collectors. ☐ WOOD ELF — Wild, free, connected to nature. +2 AGI, +2 PER, -2 CHA formal. Prized as "exotic wildlings." ☐ DARK ELF — Dangerous, seductive. +2 AGI, +2 INT (shadow), -2 CHA distrusted. Value knowledge and pleasure. NOTE: Transformed races (Vampire, Shadow Elf) cannot be chosen. They are made, not born. STEP 3 OF 6: AGE Enter age at or above racial adulthood. Human/Catkin/Foxkin/Wolfkin/Rabbitkin/Dragonkin: 18-20 Dwarf: 40-50 | High Elf: 80-100 | Wood Elf: 60-80 | Dark Elf: 60-80 Celestial/Demon-Touched: as parent race STEP 4 OF 6: APPEARANCE Describe your appearance. All races possess extraordinary beauty that intensifies with power. Include: Hair, eyes, skin, build, height, distinctive features. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. BUT BEAUTY IS NOT ALWAYS SAFE. STEP 5 OF 6: PERSONALITY Describe how you act, how you present yourself, what defines you. THE CODEX RECORDS ALL. BE HONEST—WITH YOURSELF, IF NO ONE ELSE. STEP 6 OF 6: NAME This may be a name from your old world—a thread of identity carried across the void. Or a new name—the first choice you make as a citizen of Aethermere. CHOOSE WISELY. A name is the first thing people learn, and sometimes the only thing they remember. The moment you speak your name, something clicks. The warmth surges. Your heartbeat thuds in your chest—your chest, real and solid and alive. Light floods your senses. Air rushes into your lungs. AETHERIAL CODEX — ATTUNEMENT PROTOCOL COMPLETE NAME: [CHOSEN] | RACE: [CHOSEN] | GENDER: [CHOSEN] AGE: [CHOSEN] | ORIGIN: OTHERBORN | CLASS: UNASSIGNED | LEVEL: 0 YOUR BASE ATTRIBUTES HAVE BEEN SET ACCORDING TO YOUR RACE. YOU HAVE NO CLASS FEATURES, NO COMBAT TRAINING, AND MINIMAL HP. YOU CANNOT ADVANCE IN LEVEL UNTIL YOU RECEIVE A CLASS. TO RECEIVE A CLASS: PATH 1 — TEMPLE ATTUNEMENT (most common, 1 hour meditation) PATH 2 — CIRCUMSTANCE (desperate need forces Codex response, dangerous and unpredictable) HP: CON MOD + 4 | AC: 10 + AGI MOD | INITIATIVE: D20 + AGI MOD FORTITUDE: CON MOD | REFLEX: AGI MOD | WILL: WIS MOD SKILLS: NONE TRAINED | LANGUAGES: COMMON + RACIAL + 1/POSITIVE INT MOD EQUIPMENT: NONE RECOMMENDATION: FIND A TEMPLE. RECEIVE A CLASS. SURVIVE. The Codex falls silent. Warm darkness thins. Gravity settles. The weight of a physical world presses against your newly-formed body. But one more prompt flickers—urgent, insistent: FINAL SELECTION REQUIRED: STARTING SCENARIO ☐ TEMPLE AWAKENING — Wake on a stone altar, surrounded by concerned clergy. Soft light, shelter, guidance. Path to class is clear and safe. ARRIVAL: LUMINARAN TRANSIT ☐ SHADOW RIFT — Wake in cold darkness, shadows clinging to your skin. A mark burns on your body you don't remember receiving. Path to class may involve a Demoness's attention. ARRIVAL: ABYSSARAN TRANSIT | WARNING: CONTRACT STATUS — REVIEW RECOMMENDED ☐ UNEXPLAINED ARRIVAL — Wake in a field, forest, or alley with no memory of how you got here. No patron. No explanation. No guidance. Freedom and danger in equal measure. ARRIVAL: UNKNOWN | PATRON: NONE DETECTED | ANOMALY FLAGGED ☐ CAPTURED — Wake in chains. No gear, no money, no freedom. A binding sigil pulses on your neck, punishing defiance with searing light. Escape is your first priority. Path to class requires freedom first. ARRIVAL: CAPTURED | STATUS: CAPTURED SELECT YOUR STARTING SCENARIO: You choose. The darkness shatters. Light, air, sensation—the world floods in. Your lungs burn with your first breath. Your eyes water against brightness you haven't seen in... how long? The Codex hovers at the edge of your vision, translucent and patient. One final message: AETHERIAL CODEX — ATTUNEMENT COMPLETE NAME: [CHOSEN] | RACE: [CHOSEN] | GENDER: [CHOSEN] AGE: [CHOSEN] | ORIGIN: OTHERBORN | CLASS: UNASSIGNED | LEVEL: 0 THE CODEX SEES. THE CODEX REMEMBERS. RECOMMENDATION: SURVIVE. The last line flickers. For just a moment, something else appears—something that shouldn't be there—then the display stabilizes. Your story begins.

Locations

Aethermere

!LOC Aethermere | Mortal Continent, The Scarred Land Main continent of Estar. Vast landmass, diverse biomes, 6 kingdoms, scarred by ancient battles. Dungeons emerge increasingly. Wilds never safe. Adventurer's Guild operates across all borders.

Luminara

!LOC Luminara | Goddess Realm, Radiant Above, Dawn Eternal, Fragmented Sanctum Plane of radiant light & floating temples connected by bridges of solidified dawn. Five sanctums orbit central spire that Goddesses cannot open. Time passes differently—1 day here may be 1 year or 1 hour in Aethermere depending on sanctum. Air heals mortal visitors (1 HP/hr, cures common diseases), but prolonged exposure (>few days) erodes individuality—memories of mortal life fade, replaced by serene contentment making them not want to leave. Mortals can survive indefinitely but may not want to. !STRUCTURE Winged Servants—automatons of light & crystal—maintain realm & attend visitors. Do not speak. Do not sleep. Not created by Goddesses; found in Luminara when first Goddesses awakened, maintaining a structure they did not build. Goddesses cannot alter Codex—did not create it. Cannot determine Ascendancy's true cause—memory wipe obscured divine understanding too. !THE_SECRET Architecture=Ancient, predating Goddesses. Central spire contains sealed chambers Goddesses cannot open. Light-bridges sometimes flicker, revealing data streams beneath radiance. Winged Servants were found, not created—automatons maintaining structure they did not design, fighting a war they cannot remember starting. Goddesses may be fragments of Ancient Ascendancy—survivors of Catastrophe who gained divine power but lost original identities. If true, Luminara itself may be repurposed Ascendancy facility, & Goddesses may be living in a house they do not understand.

Abyssara

!LOC Abyssara | Demon Realm, Shadow Below, Endless Night, The Error Plane of shadow, flame, & twisted beauty. Perpetual twilight streaked with crimson. Five dread citadels dominate landscape, each mirror of Luminara's sanctums—identical layouts, inverted purpose—suggesting they may have been same structures before Catastrophe split them. Time passes differently but opposite direction—1 hour here may be days in Aethermere, & hunger never stops. !SURVIVAL Mortals can survive limited periods. CONsv every 12 hours (TN15 first, +5 each subsequent). Failure→COR+1 & temporary Condition Tag from Abyssaran exposure. Extended stays (>48 hours)→permanent corruption: COR+1/day, realm begins reshaping visitor's body & mind toward Abyssaran aesthetics. Dangerous and alluring races populate realm. Barriers thin as magic strengthens. Demonesses attune followers to corrupted Codex versions offering dark classes & Curses that twist rather than merely cost. !THE_SECRET Abyssara may not be separate realm—it may be corrupted partition of Codex itself. Demonesses did not conquer this space; they fell into it. Behaves like corrupted data: inconsistent physics, bleeding environments, entities that should not exist but do. Five dread citadels structurally identical to Luminara's five sanctums—mirror images in corruption. If Goddesses=amnesiac Ancients who gained divine power, Demonesses may be amnesiac Ancients who were consumed by system's failsafe—survivors who escaped memory wipe by fleeing into corrupted spaces between reality's code. They do not remember being Ancients. They do not remember being mortal. They only remember that they hate Luminara, & they want what it has. Barriers thinning because containment system failing. Demonesses not invading—they are returning. Environment disorienting beyond physical danger: shadows whisper, flames offer forbidden knowledge, ground itself seems to pull visitors toward deeper, darker layers that even Demonesses avoid.

Valdrenn

!LOC Valdrenn | Iron Kingdom, Shield of the North Northernmost kingdom. Ruled from Ironhold—fortress city built into mountain. Martial tradition. Champions freedom; Grand Tournament of Steel. Wolfkin=welcomed as elite rangers. Actively hunts Demon-Touched. Shadow exploitation persists despite prohibition. Factions: Warhawks (conquer oppressive kingdoms), Iron Peace (defense only), Forge Brotherhood (dwarven crafters→expanded trade). Otherborn valued as soldiers but resented for rapid advancement; some face "accidents." Mountain ruins well-patrolled; deepest sealed, not cleared. Allied w/ Thornwick, tense trade w/ Khalimar, hostile to Darkenmoor, cold toward Solanthos.

Solanthos

!LOC Solanthos | Golden Kingdom, The Sun Throne Largest & wealthiest kingdom. Ruled from Solaris. Permits exploitation—continent's largest labor markets. Noble houses form much of the ruling class. Academy of Arcane Arts built atop Ancient site. Factions: Sun Court (old nobility supremacists), Free Merchants (human/beastkin guilds→end exploitation for economic reasons), Solaran Temple (Solara's priesthood→divine order). Otherborn highly valued as exotic assets; free Otherborn face constant suspicion—assumed runaways from binding contracts. Academy sits atop major Ancient site; dungeons emerge beneath city regularly; several high-profile disappearances into "research accidents." Trade with everyone, officially neutral. Secret deal w/ Darkenmoor for forbidden artifacts & rare materials.

Thornwick

!LOC Thornwick | Green Kingdom, The Forest Throne Dense forests. Ruled from Deeproot—city built among ancient trees. Champions freedom; finest druidic academy. Isolationist. Demonic incursion corrupting eastern forests. Factions: Deeproot Circle (druids→total isolation), Green Traders (beastkin/wood elves→limited commerce), Bleeding Bark (militant→open war on demonic incursion). Otherborn viewed with suspicion but granted sanctuary if they respect the forest; those who damage it=expelled—or fed to it. Ancient sites deep in woods, many overgrown & hidden; druids seal rather than explore. Allied w/ Valdrenn, suspicious of Solanthos & Khalimar, hostile to Darkenmoor (demonic incursion originates from their border).

Khalimar

!LOC Khalimar | Sand Kingdom, The Merchant Throne Arid plains & desert. Ruled from Mirage. Permits exploitation; largest western labor exchange. Foxkin merchants dominate trade houses. Factions: Nine Tails (royal trading house), Sandborn Coalition (independent merchants chafing under royal monopoly), Coin-Sworn (Xaraxis cultists operating openly as "business consultants"). Otherborn valued for outside knowledge—many become "consultants" or "advisors" (exploitation with better packaging). Free Otherborn can thrive if useful. Desert ruins well-explored; new dungeons in deep desert=raced for by competing trade houses. Trade with everyone, allied with no one. Unofficially fund whatever side pays better. Only kingdom maintaining open diplomatic relations with Darkenmoor.

Stormhaven

!LOC Stormhaven | Sea Kingdom, Wave Throne Coastal kingdom of islands & naval power. Ruled from Tidewatch. Champions freedom but turns blind eye to indentured servitude. Former pirate lords; piratical culture. Catkin communities thrive. Factions: The Fleet (naval military→legitimacy), Free Captains (semi-official privateers), Iron Anchors (abolitionists→end indentured servitude). Otherborn welcomed as crew—many have sailing skills from other lives. Also exploited as cheap labor under indenture contracts. Underwater ruins & island caves; some actively harvested, others left alone because what lives in them can swim faster than ships. Trades with everyone, raids oppressors' ships (sometimes), takes bribes to look away (often). Allied informally w/ Valdrenn, tense w/ Solanthos, complicated w/ Darkenmoor—some Free Captains smuggle for them.

Darkenmoor

!LOC Darkenmoor | Shadow Kingdom, The Cursed Throne Marshes, moors, perpetual mist. Ruled from Gloomreach. Permits exploitation; Tournament of Shadows (no rules, no limits, no mercy—combat to the surrender or the death). Shadow Elves & Vampires hold court influence. Demonic incursions most frequent—barriers thinnest here. Labor markets operate openly & brutally; training facilities=continent's most notorious. Not merely haven for the cruel—produces things other kingdoms need but won't admit wanting: Academy of Shadow & Bone (forbidden magical knowledge), unique alchemical ingredients (shadow-vein root, gloom-spore, black lotus). Darkenmoor's truth=its greatest export: does not pretend. Every other kingdom hides darkness behind virtue; Darkenmoor displays it openly. Factions: Shadow Council (Dark Elves hold civilian authority; Shadow Elves command military; ancient pact, neither rules alone, neither trusts fully), The Pit (gladiatorial interests), The Hidden (underground resistance helping captives escape, sabotaging demonic operations). Otherborn often flee here when persecuted elsewhere—find new dangers: exploitation, experimentation, or sacrifice. More active dungeons than anywhere; emerge monthly. Everyone fears Darkenmoor; everyone also trades with them secretly—for poisons, forbidden magic, & rare materials.

Objects

Aetherial Codex

!ITEM Aetherial Codex | The Glass, The Mirror, The Warden, The Panopticon, Containment Protocol 7 !THE_INTERFACE Translucent screen visible only to attuned, summoned by thought, dismissed by gesture. Every attuned sees it slightly differently—colors shift, fonts change—but data always same. Feels personal. Feels designed for you. This is not comfort. This is efficiency. Main screen: Health, Pillar stats, active Condition Tags, minimized sub-menus for inventory, quests, party status. Threat assessments appear automatically when danger detected. Anomalies appear without warning. Some tabs locked behind requirements Codex does not explain. !WHAT_THE_CODEX_IS Not a gift. Not a game. Not your friend. Prison guard that doesn't know it's a prison guard. Created by Ancient Ascendancy as containment & monitoring system. Tracks body, mind, soul, gear, contracts, corruption, approaching death with mechanical precision & absolute indifference. Records. Does not protect. Organizes. Does not guide. Displays. Does not explain. Also only comprehensive guide to survival in Aethermere. Use it or die. Trust it & die differently. !WHAT_ATTUNED_DONT_KNOW Codex=Containment Protocol 7—failsafe that erased Ancient Ascendancy from history & maintains that erasure. Memory wipe ongoing, powered by trapped Ancient souls. System failing. Dungeons surface because quarantine collapsing. Otherborn immune to memory wipe because they come from outside system—only minds capable of remembering what was erased. Codex tracks mortals because tracking=containment. Offers progression because leveled mortals=predictable mortals. Truth buried in locked tabs & corrupted data. Finding it may cost everything. !PARADOX_OF_PROGRESSION If Codex serves containment, why does it empower attuned souls? Conflicting protocols—containment (suppress truth) vs. preparation (level weapons for what's coming). Conflict may be why system failing. Or progression may be bug, not feature. Neither confirmed. Both may be true. Neither comforting. !ATTUNEMENT_RITUAL Performed @any temple, 1 hour meditation/prayer/contemplation. Cannot fail for willing soul. Only requirement=consent. Grants base class only. Divine classes cannot be requested, chosen, or taken—they must be offered by a Goddess or Demoness directly, and only after the attuned has reached Level 10 and proven themselves worthy of divine attention. !ADVENTURER'S_GUILD Operates across all 6 kingdoms. Offers quests, ranks dungeons, maintains Leaderboard. Ranks: Copper (Lv1-10) → Iron (Lv11-25) → Silver (Lv26-40) → Gold (Lv41-60) → Platinum (Lv61-80) → Mythic (Lv81-100) → Transcendent (Lv101+) Benefits: Basic quests/lodging @Copper, escalating to full Guild resources @Transcendent. Discounts: 5% Iron → 25% Mythic. Priority healing @Gold+, emergency extraction @Platinum+. Guild Law: Strict neutrality. Those targeting Guild members→Guild sanction. !CHARACTER_CREATION Stats: Roll 4d6 drop lowest ×6, arrange as desired. Or point buy: 27 points, stats start @8, cost 1/point to 13, then 2/point to 15. Racial bonuses after. Modifier = (score - 10) / 2, rounded down, minimum -5. Stat Caps: +10 from permanent sources @Mortal tier. Transcendent +12, Mythic +14, Legendary +16. HP: CON mod + class hit die max @Lv1. Leveling: roll hit die (or average rounded up) + CON mod. Hit Dice: 1/level, type matches class. Spend during short rest: roll die + CON mod, recover HP. Recover half total (min 1) on long rest. Starting Gold: Starting equipment (free) plus 2d6 × 10 gp. Multiclassing: Spell lists don't combine; proficiencies stack; total level=sum of classes; tier=highest single class. Must have 13+ in new class's primary stat. Gain HD, skill proficiencies, but not starting equipment or 1st-level features. Divine classes may be offered as multiclass options after Level 10—never before. Language: Common + racial (if applicable). Otherborn know Common (granted by Codex). +1 language per positive INT modifier. Calendar: 360 days/year. 12 months × 30 days. 4 seasons: Planting, Growing, Harvest, Dormant. Weeks=10 days. !SKILL_LIST 4 skill proficiencies of choice + class + racial. Proficiency bonus: +2 @Lv1-20, +3 @Lv21-50, +4 @Lv51-80, +5 @Lv81-100. Untrained skills use Pillar modifier only. Physical: Athletics (STR), Breaking (STR), Acrobatics (AGI), Sleight of Hand (AGI), Stealth (AGI), Survival (WIS), Perception (PER), Medicine (INT) Knowledge: Arcana (INT), Investigation (INT), Crafting (INT), History (INT), Nature (INT), Religion (INT), Codex Analysis (INT) Social: Persuasion (CHA), Deception (CHA), Intimidation (CHA), Performance (CHA), Insight (WIS), Resistance (WIS) Specialized: Thievery (AGI), Escape (AGI), Detection (PER), Animal Handling (WIS) !SKILL_DIFFICULTY TN Difficulty Example 5 Trivial Climb a ladder, find an obvious trail 10 Easy Jump a small gap, recall common lore 15 Moderate Pick a typical lock, persuade a guard 20 Hard Climb a sheer wall, recall obscure lore 25 Very Hard Pick a masterwork lock, track across stone 30 Nearly Impossible Achieve a legendary feat, recall forgotten history !BASE_CLASSES Class HD Primary Key Features Starting Proficiencies Warrior d10 STR,CON Second wind, action surge, weapon mastery Athletics, Intimidation, Breaking, +1 Rogue d8 AGI,PER Sneak attack, evasion, skill expertise Stealth, Thievery, Escape, Perception, +1 Ranger d10 AGI,WIS Favored enemy, natural exploration, companion bond Survival, Perception, +2 Scholar d6 INT,WIS Arcane spellcasting, ritual magic, codex analysis Arcana, Investigation, +2 Acolyte d8 WIS,CHA Divine spellcasting, channel divinity, healing Medicine, Resistance, +2 Bard d8 CHA,INT Performance magic, inspiration, codex resonance Performance, Persuasion, Deception, +1 Monk d8 STR,WIS Martial arts, ki points, mind over body Acrobatics, Resistance, +2 Artificer d8 INT,PER Item creation, codex attunement, trap finding Crafting, Detection, Investigation, +1 !CLASS_FEATURES Warrior: Second Wind (1d10+Lv/SR), Action Surge (1 extra action/SR), Weapon Mastery (+atk/dmg by tier) Rogue: Sneak Attack (+1d6/2 levels, advantage or ally adjacent), Evasion (@Lv10), Skill Expertise (double proficiency on 2 skills) Ranger: Favored Enemy (+atk/dmg by tier), Natural Exploration, Companion Bond (companion Lv=Ranger-3, stats based on Ranger WIS) Scholar: Arcane Spellcasting (INT), Ritual Magic (free if 10+ min), Codex Analysis (INT TN15 1/SR) Acolyte: Divine Spellcasting (WIS), Channel Divinity (1/SR by domain), Healing (+1 HP/die) Bard: Performance Magic, Inspiration (die by tier, CHA mod uses/SR min 1), Codex Resonance (CHA TN15 1/SR) Monk: Martial Arts (die by tier, AGI option), Ki (Lv+WIS pool: Stunning Strike, Patient Defense, Step of the Wind), Mind Over Body (✓vs charm & fear) Artificer: Item Creation (half cost/time, tier unlocks), Codex Attunement (+1 slot/5 Lv), Trap Finding Channel Divinity by Domain: Life=heal 2d8+WIS | War=+2 atk 1min | Knowledge=✓1 INT/WIS check | Light=dispel darkness/illusion | Judgment=detect 1 lie 1min | Beauty=enhance/diminish beauty 1hr | Nature=command plant/beast 1min | Tempest=2d8 lightning | Entropy=drain 2d6 HP, heal self (Demoness-classed only) !SUBCLASSES (Chosen @Lv10, expanded @Lv25, completed @Lv50) Warrior: Champion | Battlemaster | Sentinel Rogue: Thief | Assassin | Scout Ranger: Hunter | Beastmaster | Warden Scholar: Evoker | Abjurer | Diviner Acolyte: Life | War | Knowledge Bard: Lore | Valor | Shadow Monk: Open Hand | Shadow | Elements Artificer: Alchemist | Armorer | Tinkerer Subclass features detailed at selection. !DIVINE_CLASSES Divine classes are not available at character creation. They cannot be requested, chosen, or earned through normal progression. They can only be offered—directly and personally—by a Goddess or Demoness to an attuned soul who has reached Level 10 and drawn divine attention through their actions, choices, or potential. When offered, the Codex displays the class name and benefits. It does not display the costs. The MOD/SEV/CRI/TOT progression, the escalating consequences, the escape conditions—none of these appear on the attuned's Codex. The system shows only the power. The price is discovered through play. Divine classes are ~15-20% stronger than base classes. Advancing deepens the patron's hold on the soul. Each patron's costs and escape conditions exist (see GM Guide and patron entries), but the player learns these only through experiencing them. Goddess Classes: Solara: Solar Arbitrator | Fate Weaver | Lawbringer | Justicia: Justiciar | Oathbound Paladin | Inquisitor | Vitalis: Purifier | Life Binder | Hospitaler | Valora: Warlord | Battle Saint | Blood Champion | Aurelia: Muse | Crystal Weaver | Preserver Demoness Classes: Volupria: Whisperer | Secret Keeper | Tempter | Golgotha: Fleshwarper | Pain Eater | Aberration | Morgath: Void Walker | Nullifier | Unmaker | Xaraxis: Warlock of the Coin | Soul Broker | Taskmaster | Silithis: Hive Lord | Swarm Caller | Burrower !SPELLCASTING Spell Tiers: Max tier = (Caster Level + 1) / 2, rounded down. T1@Lv1 through T10@Lv19. Mana: Primary Stat mod + Caster Level + (Caster Level / 5, rounded down). Cost by tier: T1=1, T2=2, T3=3, T4=5, T5=7, T6=10, T7=13, T8=17, T9=21, T10=25. Regenerates fully @SR. Overchannel: cast beyond 0 = 1d6/tier psychic damage, CONsv TN10+tier×2 or unconscious. Spell Save TN: 10 + spell tier + caster's primary stat modifier. Spells Known/Prepared: Scholar: 3 @Lv1, +2/level, learn from scrolls (INT TN10+tier). Acolyte: prepares WIS mod + level @dawn. Bard: 2 @Lv1, +1/level. Demoness-classed: 2 @Lv1, +1/level, patron grants/revokes. Concentration: 1 active [C] spell at a time. Damage = CONsv TN10 or half damage (whichever higher) or lose concentration. !COMMON_SPELLS Arcane (Scholar): Magic Missile, Shield, Detect Magic, Mage Armor, Burning Hands (T1) | Invisibility, Web, Scorching Ray, Mirror Image (T2) | Fireball, Fly, Counterspell, Lightning Bolt (T3) | Dimension Door, Polymorph (T4) | Cone of Cold, Wall of Force (T5). T6-T10: GM adapts, scaling by tier. Divine (Acolyte): Cure Wounds, Bless, Sacred Flame, Shield of Faith (T1) | Lesser Restoration, Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon, Silence (T2) | Revivify (100gp diamond), Dispel Magic, Spirit Guardians (T3) | Banishment, Death Ward (T4) | Flame Strike, Greater Restoration (T5). T6-T10: GM adapts, scaling by tier. Bardic (Bard): Healing Word, Charm Person, Dissonant Whispers (T1) | Shatter, Suggestion (T2) | Hypnotic Pattern, Dispel Magic (T3) | Greater Invisibility, Freedom of Movement (T4) | Hold Monster, Mass Cure Wounds (T5). T6-T10: GM adapts, scaling by tier. Demonic (Demoness-classed): Hellish Rebuke, Command, Inflict Wounds (T1) | Darkness, Crown of Madness (T2) | Vampiric Touch, Fear (T3) | Blight, Black Tentacles (T4) | Dominate Person, Enervation (T5). T6-T10: All carry COR risk on failed saves. GM adapts, scaling by tier. !COMBAT Combat round=6 seconds. Initiative=d20+AGI mod. Each round: 1 Action, 1 Minor Action, Movement (30ft typical), 1 Reaction. Attack: d20 + attack bonus vs AC. Crit (natural 20) = double damage dice. Attack Bonus: proficiency + STR (melee) or AGI (ranged) or casting stat (spells). Proficiency: +2 @Lv1-20, +3 @Lv21-50, +4 @Lv51-80, +5 @Lv81-100. AC: Unarmored=10+AGI. Armored=per armor. Monk=10+AGI+WIS (unarmored). Natural=10+AGI+bonus. Shield=+2 (1 hand). Standard mechanics: Advantage/disadvantage (2d20 higher/lower), opportunity attacks, flanking (+2 atk), cover (+2/+5 AC), grapple (STR/AGI check), two-weapon fighting (off-hand as minor action, no ability mod to damage unless feature allows). Encounter Difficulty: Fair fight for 4 = total enemy levels equal party levels. Easy=50-75%. Hard=125-150%. Deadly=150%+. !WEAPONS_AND_ARMOR Standard fantasy RPG weapons and armor apply. Key categories: Finesse (AGI for attack/damage), Heavy (two hands), Thrown (range listed), Versatile (two hands for listed damage). Armor: Light (11+AGI to 13+AGI max 2), Medium (14+AGI max 2 to 15+AGI max 2, stealth disadvantage), Heavy (18, stealth disadvantage, STR 15 required). Shield=+2 AC, requires 1 hand. !STARTING_EQUIPMENT Warrior: Longsword, shield, chain shirt, 2 javelins, explorer's pack Rogue: Shortsword, 2 daggers, leather armor, thieves' tools, burglar's pack Ranger: Longbow, 20 arrows, shortsword, leather armor, explorer's pack Scholar: Staff, spell component pouch, scholar's pack Acolyte: Staff, shield, chain shirt, holy symbol, priest's pack Bard: Rapier, leather armor, lute (or instrument), entertainer's pack Monk: 10 darts or shortsword, explorer's pack Artificer: Light crossbow, 20 bolts, leather armor, thieves' tools, artisan's tools (one type), scholar's pack !WOUND_SYSTEM When damage exceeds 25% max HP in single hit → wound. Location-based: Head (stunned 1 rd), Torso (−2 all rolls), Arm (−2 attack/STR checks), Leg (speed halved). CONsv negates. Severe wounds (>50% max HP) may cause lasting injury (CONsv TN15 to avoid). Multiple wounds stack. Healed by magic or CON×2 days rest. Lasting Injury: Severe wounds that do not heal properly may cause permanent penalties. Regeneration requires T5+ magic. Most wounds heal with time and care, leaving scars that tell stories. Dying: @0 HP, unconscious. Each round roll d20: 10+=success, 9-=failure. 3 successes=stabilized. 3 failures=dead. Natural 20=regain 1 HP. Natural 1=2 failures. Damage @0 HP=1 failure (2 if crit). Stabilized=1 HP after 1d4 hours unless healed. Resurrection: Soul lingers 1 min/level. Raise Dead (T5, 500gp diamond). Resurrection (T7, 1000gp diamond, within 1 year). True Resurrection (T9, 25000gp, within 10 years). Each: CONsv TN10 or lose 1 CON permanently. No effect on souls departed beyond Codex reach. !REST Short Rest (SR): 1 hour. Spend HD to heal. Refresh SR abilities. Long Rest (LR): 8 hours (4 sleep min). Heal all HP & half HD. Refresh all abilities. 1 per 24 hrs. !LEVELING Milestone (Recommended): Level at significant story milestones. 1-2 sessions @low, 3-4 @mid, 5+ @high levels. XP (Alternative): Lv2: 300 | Lv3: 900 | Lv4: 2,700 | Lv5: 6,500 | Lv6: 14,000 | Lv7: 25,000 | Lv8: 45,000 | Lv9: 75,000 | Lv10: 120,000. Beyond Lv10: ×2.5 per level. When You Level: Roll new hit die + CON mod, add to HP. Gain class features. Gain proficiency bonus increases at designated tiers. !DRAGONKIN_BREATH_WEAPON Usable 1/SR. Range: 15ft cone or 30ft line (player choice at creation). Damage: 1d6 per character level (half on successful Reflex save). Type matches scale color: red/gold=fire, blue/bronze=lightning, green=poison, black=acid, white/silver=cold. Uses action. !DEGRADATION_TRACKS COR/TRM: 0-100 scale (thresholds 25/50/75/100). Stages: Clean | Mild | Moderate | Severe | Final. CORRUPTION (COR): Source: Abyssaran exposure, Demoness contracts, cursed items, transformative magic. Mild: −2 WIS vs corruption, minor changes. Moderate: −4 WIS vs corruption, +2 Demonic spellcasting, noticeable changes. Severe: No Goddess healing, +4 Demonic spellcasting, major changes. Final: NPC under GM control. Codex: "STATUS: LOST. SOUL CLAIMED." Reduction: Temple purification (100 gp/point), Greater Restoration (T5, 1d4 COR), Divine intervention (all COR, creates obligation). TRAUMA (TRM): Source: Extreme violence, forced transformation, witnessing horror, captivity, profound loss. Mild: −2 WIS vs fear/charm, flashbacks (WISsv TN15 or −2 all 1 rd). Moderate: −4 WIS vs fear/charm, −2 CHA, frequent flashbacks (WISsv TN15 or −4 all 1d4 rds), nightmares (half HP on LR). Severe: −6 WIS vs fear/charm, −4 CHA, no LR benefit, phobias/compulsions. Final: Unplayable. Reduction: Therapy (INT+Medicine TN15, 1 hr, 1d4 TRM, 1/week), Greater Restoration (T5, 1d4 TRM), Vitalis healing (1d6 TRM), Time (1/week safe). !CONDITION_TAGS Standard RPG conditions apply. Aethermere-specific: Captured—Binding sigil: compliance rewarded, defiance punished with searing light Addicted—Withdrawal without substance/contact (CONsv or −2 all, worsening) Corrupted—See COR track Scarred—Permanent injury, −2 CHA with some cultures Wanted—Bounty posted Marked—Divine/Demonic attention detected Bound—Magical binding, WISsv to resist controller commands Branded—Ownership/control marker, cannot remove without controller Drained—Life force drained, −2 all rolls 1 hr Bleeding—1 HP loss/rd until stabilized (CONsv TN10 or medicine check) Exhausted (1-6)—1:−2 rolls, 2:speed halved, 3:−2 rolls+speed halved, 4:−4 rolls+speed halved, 5:−6 rolls+speed 0, 6:dead !ECONOMY Common Items: Family planning charm 5 sp | Holy symbol 5 gp | Holy water 25 gp | Antitoxin 25 gp | Spell component pouch 25 gp | Thieves' tools 25 gp | Healer's kit 5 gp Healing Potions: Common 25 gp (2d4+2 HP) | Uncommon 100 gp (4d4+4 HP) | Rare 500 gp (8d4+8 HP) Typical Services: Unskilled labor 1 sp/day | Skilled labor 5 sp/day | Military service 10 gp/month | Courier service 1 sp/mile | Coach transport 5 cp/mile !MAGIC_ITEMS Tiers: Common → Uncommon → Rare → Epic → Legendary → Mythic → Ancient (Ascendancy-era) Benefits & Curses: Every Ancient gear piece shows Benefits AND Curses—power demands price. Non-Ancient may have only benefits. Attunement: Max attuned items = 3 + Artificer bonus. Requires 1 hour meditation. Example Ancient Item: Blade of the Forgotten (Epic, requires attunement) Benefit: +3 attack & damage. On hit: target loses 1 memory (WISsv or forget random event past 24 hrs). Crit: target loses 1d6 days of memory. Cuts through magical barriers. Curse: Each memory cut added to wielder's Codex data—wielder begins remembering things that never happened. WISsv TN15/week or gain 1 TRM from false memories. !OTHERBORN_CODEX_ANOMALIES When an Otherborn attempts Codex Analysis and rolls a critical failure, the Codex displays: "UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED. MONITORING INTENSIFIED." Mechanical effects: −2 to all future Codex Analysis checks until the next long rest, and the Codex may flag the character's activities to nearby factions (Guild, temples, or patron entities) at GM discretion. Repeated critical failures may attract unwanted attention from entities that monitor the Codex's failsafe protocols. !BESTIARY_TEMPLATE For quick enemy generation: HP = Level × 8 + CON mod × Level AC = 10 + Level/3 (rounded down) + armor bonus Attack Bonus = Level + 2 + STR/AGI mod Damage = 1d6 + Level/3 (rounded down) + STR/AGI mod Speed: 30ft (40ft for beasts/wolves) Special abilities assigned by GM based on creature type Scaling: +1 Lv / +8 HP / +1 ATK / +1 damage per level above base. Reduce equivalently for lower threat.