The Troubles of Humber
Troubled villagers of the Gloundan town of Humber suffer from attacks from the otherwise friendly scarmis living close by. The tauther heroes were sent out to investigate and found cleash and their human spies attempting to lay their hands on the artefacts of the Humber villagers. After some fighting and unifying of the Humber people, the heroes managed to route the cleash and freed the scarmis from their control.
Jorune 3650 PC
A rare and unusual adventure set 100 years into the future of Jorune. In a steam engine world of strangely reversed engineered technology and further advanced politics from the main campaign, the heroes played White Legion caji awakened from crystal keeper rods. It was a grim, dirty new world that I enjoyed playing.
The World of the Future:
After a brief but harsh war against the shanta, the Lisho-shafra, a truce had been negotiated, with the result of forbidden shantic lands being created where no humans were allowed. In order to protect themselves, humanity (with the help of Marec KreeKorrum's studies – see Unholy Staff adventure) had mastered warp mapping and hybrid isho/earth tech that could negate isho, prevent warps from opening etc.
After the war, shantas and humans began exchanging much information and help. Shantas accepted their position as a dwindling race and lived hidden away from human technology in their own lands. The shantic isho technology had risen once again to its peak and they still had the three great evids lying dormant. (Eelshon She-evid and two other were controlled in 3519 PC)
After a great internal strife between the ramian, two Hegemonys were created. The Drail Hegemony and the Voligire Hegemony.
Anasan rose to power as new ET caches were found in the aftermatch of the great Berella Conflict there. This buys new industry, workers, laws etc and the thivin slip in to become one of the rulers of this new great realm.
In 3572 PC a new Cleash Insurgence took place in Thantier. Cleash swarmed out of warps in the Sharras jungle lands and elsewhere and destroyed much of Thantier with the new spawned lamorri machine beasts and chemical warfare. The cleash laid siege to Tan-Iricid and the island fell after half a year. But before the fall, the thriddle destroyed the Mountain Crown taking many of the cleash invaders with it. The thriddle fled their island to be hosted by thivin, woffen, bronth, Burdothians and Jaspians mainly. In revenge the cleash desecrated Tan-Iricid and burnt most vegetation. Tan-Iricid became a barren island.
After 10 years of war, the united humans, Ca-Tra, Ca-Gobey and Cie-Ebba shantas, the Drail Hegemony and Iscin Races finally managed to destroy the cleash and freed the Ceridus region of the terror. The Ceridusian Empire rose form the ashes and took control of the more unscathed western regions and parts of southeastern Temauntro.
The cleash were pursued to the Ice Fields and all the nations sent their fleets to destroy the cleash once and for all. The united assault was however a disaster, as the climate and the ancient underground cleash fortification proved invincible. Only few survivors return from the icy north.
After stability had been reached in the ramian societies, the ramian Hegemonys began expanding slowly. In 3595 PC, synthetic shirm-eh was created. This increased the ramian expansion and Sharden was the first realm to be occupied by the Voligire Hegemony. Many realms protested, Dobre leading the diplomatic negotiations. After the woffen were stricken by a terrible plague and began dying in great numbers, the bronth focus turned toward Lundere. Accusations of ramian hands in the plague and the continuing incursions on tologran and woffen lands led to Dobre declaring war on the Voligire Hegemony. Soon Burdoth, Anasan, Ceridusian Empire and the Drail Hegemony are drawn into the conflict. The world is ravaged in the great Ramian World War (3603-09 PC).
After the conflict ended with the withdrawal of the Drail Hegemony from the conflict and the truce with the Voligire Hegemony, life on Jorune returned to normal.
After the chaos of the Ramian World War, the war torn Dobre dissolved to become the Dobren States, with only a few conflicts.
Also the Autonomous Human Collective was established as the southernmost Dobren State
In the time when the adventure was set, the ramian control a large part of the world ( Ponteer Battle Lands , S and NE Drail , NW Temauntro, Sillipus and Voligire). Dealings/diplomacy with humans is tense. Now, recently, huge, ugly factories new bulky technology and sklarm power (electricity) have appeared in the Voligire Hegemony. The ramian there have changed as they have fallen under the rule of foul lamorri essences jumping from body to body. Their Dark Guard with long black coats along with the growing ranks of ramian soldiers point a grim, dark and industrial Nazi picture of Voligire. Once on good terms after the Ramian World War, they have turned to evil and do not have the sentiment of the Drail Hegemony. Rumours say that they even have brought in cleash mercenaries from the north. With their synthetic shirm-eh and somehow changed disposition (fear removed) for shantas, the Voligire Hegemony threatens to plunge Jorune into a new Ramian World War.
The crugar still live relatively wild or serve as workers in factories. Some live in human cities, slums with much violence and crime. Their territories are seriously encroached by ramian in the north and humans in the south. Many rebellions and unrest take place yearly in Temauntro by crugar living in human and ramian lands.
Bronth have factories and high tech, but try to keep the link with nature. Dobre has extended into Lundere. Beautiful lands, but encroached by humans in southern Dobre - the Autonomous Human Collective. These are trouble-makers and a reason for intense political negotiations. The Dobren States wield big war-machines. Heavy tanks and armoured Crendorian Bears. Divided into four nations. One Dobren state (old Lundere) has made much contact with shantas and learnt much. Very harmonical.
Woffen are nearly extinct. Genetic detoriation and difficulty to breed combined with the terrible pestilence in 3586 PC wiped out most woffen.
Boccord live among humans. The boccord of Ros Crendor are currently enslaved by ramians, who occupied Ros Crendor suddenly and efficiently in 3624 PC. Many rebels exist led by the few surviving priestesses (whom the ramian tried to wipe out), but also many strange things walk the lands. The ramian awakened their old masters in Ros Crendor who took high positions in ramian caste system. Many scary boccord serve as Dark Guards and other servants. Many lamorri factories of Ros Crendor have recently re-opened.
Muadra are wise isho masters. A great cult exists in the Autonomous Human Collective known as the World Weavers. Masters of the hybrid technology, they are surrounded by much secrecy and many traditions and ceremonies. They have solved the warp mystery and mapped the warps mechanisms, protecting this secret with code keys etc. In new, great towers, they in reality rule the Autonomous Human Collective. Many other muadra serve their realms with their skills. However, rumours abound of a new plague that will make muadra isho illiterate.
Scarmis are virtually non-existent. They haven't been seen for ages and it is uknown what has caused the sudden demise. The blount and suffer the same fate, mainly due to prejudice, persecutions and loss of lands. Croid are however still found in the wilderness - as wild as ever. Some flock around human refuge areas, making life unsafe in poor urban areas, while others are allowed to live in peace in the Forbidden Shantic Lands. Some are used as bodyguards.
Tologra have all been annihilated by the ramian when they wouldn't succumb to their rule. Bronth and woffen fought the ramian long, but it was a fruitless battle. The foremath to the Ramian World War, when humans inevitably became involved. Sharden is now referred to as Chuu'l mak “The Dead Lands”
Thriddle still serve as advisors, teachers and gatherers of information. They suffered terribly during the Cleash Insurgence in 3598 PC, when the Mountain Crown was destroyed.
The cleash are seriously decimated but safe in their strongholds of the Ice Fields of Gilthaw.
Thivin have become the world's leading merchants. They live in great mansions and own some town centres. The thivin patriarchs of Anasan are extremely powerful, rivalling worldly leaders. The thivin are also many, as they procreate fastly. The thivin serve also as Jorunes largest group of clerks, yordeh and accountants.
The klades have been dismantled. Jaspian Trading Houses still exist (only five remain) and are also very powerful. They have monopolised air traffic, having assumed control of the new tepinna/crystal ships.
The greatest, most influential realms are the Dobren States, Burdoth, Corolia (last sagedom), Anasan, The Ceridusian Empire, The Drail Hegemony (still has old values and free of lamorri rule), The Voligire Hegemony (Vara-Ramcha), The Autonomous Human Collective, Tokirik Island Kingdom (out in the Eastern Sea – mainly salu) and The Shan.
Tech Level:
Steam engines and weird reversed engineering contraptions of bolt, steel, hardstone and strong seawood are blended with coal technology. Roughly Earth's 1890 with some high tech elements. Canals are abundant in N Burdoth , AHC, central Anasan and southern Khodre with long canal boats and meandering canal societies. Examples of other new tech stuff are:
Tepinna Schooners (Crude flying machines combining tepinna gas (zeppelins) and crystal schooner technology. Noisy engines and pilots with heavy gloves, scarves and glasses.Also known as “Teps”.)
Tepinna Speed Boats (similar to above)
Tepinna gas driven trains . Strange railways and huge, dangerous gas canisters on the monstrous locomotives.
Seawood (A species of wood that grows in the great underwater forests of the great Eastern Ocean . Very dense and fire resistant. Used for superior, armoured ships and larger machinery in combination with thombo oils. The reason of the great salu migration to the area and the foundation of the wealthy Tokirik Island Kingdom .)
Gunpowder (Old fashioned long barrel rifles (Fire Rifles) that take 2 rounds to load. Cannons also exist)
Harmonics (The radios of Jorune. Some are old fashioned radio waves –short range, others are crystal vibrators (true harmonics) with planetary/sho-sen range.)
The World Weavers have great isho tech and hybrid tech devices, such as:
Warp Generators (Creates warps of different sizes and stability - stabiliser built in -. Uses surrounding isho (if high or medium), or two small white activated crystals (if low isho).)
Warp Maps (actually over-sized medallions with complex keys that requires isho, a mechanical combination and tra-sense to operate. Crystal machinery inside will shatters if opened wrongly, making it useless. When opened, several handles can be moved around to triangulate warp routes. This requires tra-sense, isho and colour points to use. Also points to find open/opening warps in the vicinity -4 km. This requires tra-sense to see.)
Warp Destabilisers . (12' metal poles/towers surrounding and inside important towns, places etc. Blinks to show they're active. Invented during the human/shantic conflict. Found mainly in Burdoth, Ceridusian Empire, Anasan and AHC.
Isho Booster . (Devices strapped to body of weaver, collects strength from surrounding or special crystal packs. Enhances dyshas. Needs tra-sense and isho to activate before weave session starts. Only ½ isho needed for unweaving.)
Gliders . (Much like the shantic tech fliers. But, they can only control descent and levitate. Never ascend.)
Interferers . (Dysha shields of the better teps and other important craft or buildings. Interferes with incoming dyshas or isho storm discharges. Clear crystals and white crystals take the load.)
Isho Deflector Armour . (Enhanced white crystals and clear crystals. Rare and expensive)
Dysha Cannons (Much like the Isho booster. Its “loaded” by cajis and delivers dysha bolt effect at x10 with x10 range.
Copra Tracker (Hand held device that captures copra or can have one inserted (if stored in a copra crystal) and then track it up to 10 km, if the sho-sen and copra is strong)
Shyee Bomb (An isho devouring bomb (not physical effect) that steals all isho in the surrounding 100 m diameter area, leaving a sho-sen vacuum behind. All within loose all their isho, shantic tech will cease to function, crystal schooner will drop 100 m etc. All with 15 or more isho must roll 4d6 v isho stat or faint from the effect of loosing isho. The isho bomb can be drained for 1/3 of the isho devoured within 10 minutes.)
Ramian have invented a new, electrical technology under the guidance of their foul masters. It is referred to as Conduction by humans and Sklarrm in Rorch-ko. Gigantic power plants in ramian lands use a combination of electric and isho conduction.
Sklarrm swords (Cruel electro swords. Charged by a Sklarm battery held in belt. Cables connect sword to weird crystal/hardstone battery.)
Crey-Tchok (The communication devices with which ramian cities and lords communicate. Requires a sentient being to be transformed into the tortured communication device-being.
The adventure:
The heroes of this story were placed in Keeper Rods after their assault on a Berella base, where they had been infected by a deadly kind of nanites. They were awakened by the shantas of the Forbidden Shantic Lands to act as their emissaries to Burdoth. A new evil had arisen in the north in the form of the Voligire Hegemony and the shantas feared an invasion of their lands was imminent.
Journeying by warp, the heroes are soon attacked by World Weaver mercenaries paid to kill the shantic emissaries. Jumping and fleeing from the high towers of the World Weavers to the canals of Burdoth, the heroes pass Gilthaw War Memorials and see tepinna ships overhead. They are late shocked by the size and changes of New Ardoth where they are cured of their nanites.
Nevertheless, the caji troup prove to be powerful allies in the future power struggle and attend a meeting with the seclusive ambassador from the Drail Hegemony who reveals some of the dark plans of the Voligire Hegemony before he is murdered.
The Council of Five States called the Voligire ambassador and his dark guards, only to find new threats. The possibility of a new Ramian World War is later discussed in the forum.
Heeding the advice and clues provided by the Drail ambassador, the heroes and other agents of the Five States set out to find a way to halt the advancing Voligire Hegemony. Equipped with a strange artefact and clues left behind by the mad genius Dayvid Terra (see several adventures of the main campaign), the heroes followed ancient trails left by the Berella a century ago. Supposedly to a great and world changing gift that would provide its owner with great worldy power.
As the heroes needed all the Berella code keys taken by those who defeated the Berella, their quest took them across the Doben-al with the Doben Express train, to Corolia and then via the tightly controlled Ceridusian Empire to the haunted, chem-destroyed ruins of Lann haunted by a great winged kelenn beast. Having finally found all the code keys, the heroes set out for Vareech and the Drail Hegemony.
However, when sailing over the Ceridis Sea in Ceridusian tepinna ships, the heroes were attacked by ramian tepinna sklarm ships and winged natikvi, who forced them to crash in desolate Tan-Iricid. After a brief hunt, the heroes were taken prisoner and taken to Ponteer. There they saw the great Heavenly Tower but did not understand the purpose of this huge and uncompleted structure. As they awaited Voligiran ships in the harbour, saly suddenly attacked. Having been led there by shantas who traced the heroes' copras, the attack created enough diversion to free them.
Travelling in speed to the holy Ro-Shaschka mountain in Vareech, the heroes meet with several important ramian rulers and the avatar of their god Kaurr living among them. Having taken the body of a simple servitor creature, Kaurr explained how he (a lamorri essence) had been abandoned and isolated on the moon tra after the fall of the lamorri/cleash. He had watched over his simpler cousins, the ramians, over the millennia to come, shepherding them carefully when needed, his whispers heard by ramian rochka. Slowly he had learnt the humble compassion of the ramian, which his race had forgotten in their hubris. He had also begun to see the beauty of the world, although in very ramian eyes. Now, as his former allies began to awaken and take control of the world, he feared its demise. In order to preserve the ramian and the world, the humans and other races had to be sought out as allies.
Now, Kaurr presented the allies with a formidable chance and a weapon against his own kin. A spaceship left behind by the Berella in lost Millicom South. This was the treasure left behind by Dayvid and the chance for a new glorious future. However, Kaurr had understood that only humans could pilot it, so destiny forged an alliance between humans and ramian. If they managed to journey to Tra, a multitude of weapons could be at their disposal.
Travelling with the Drail ramians to the steaming jungles of Drail, the heroes were taken to the great temple to where the spaceship had been moved. But as the heroes were about to embark, a great cohort of Voligire ramians descended from tepinna warships. In a great showdown of fighting throughout the temple, the two fractions clashed. Sklarm sword fights were mixed with dysha duels. Leading the assault was the lamorri essence by the name of Sharkuul (see the Realm of Darkness adventure). But before all was lost, Kaurr avatar and the heroes managed to defeat Sharkuul and leave in the spaceship.
On route to misty Tra they saw their world fall away behind them and wondered if this would save the world, plunge it into chaos or even if they had been lured by Kaurr.
To this day they do not know, as a new chapter was turned in the great history of Jorune when they arrived on Tra ……….. |