Hex Halls of the Endless Sphere
The precursors found sanctuary in the endless sphere below. Using a combination of Hex, Tech and Genius the first races dug deep and made safe their own kind. The Titans waged a war above, the only salvation to dig and dive deep into the black heart of the endless sphere. Caverns were discovered, hollowed out and mined. The tools by which the precursors would find sanctuary, behemoth-gyros and gear-walkers, fire-legs and piston-rivers, those machines still exist, humming steadily in the dark below.
The Endless Sphere
"...of which we know only a fraction. The propensity of the halls is only to confuse and confound-a Genius trick played by our ancestors to confuse the damnable Titans from finding our deepest sanctuaries. Fear not, follow the paths marked on your maps young ones, the Hexes in the Halls are their only to thwart and protect you from the black hellish tentacles of the Titans. Steer clear of the upper chambers! Only a fool would linger in the halls defiled by the natural light. Those caves besieged by surface light are deathtraps. Slithery things creep in from the surface and steal away the unwary to certain doom. Stay in the dark young souls and stay alive..."
Hex, Tech, & Genius
- Hex-the supernatural ability to manipulate the eldritch energies of the world. Hex comes in many forms-curses, glyphs, spells, wards, incantations, etc. The effectiveness and power of such Hexes are largely dependent on the inherent ability of the Sorcerer. Relics and artifacts from the Surface Times are also ways to increase Hex potency.
- Tech-Gears, Gyros, Mechs, Drills, Behemoths, Walkers, Fire-Legs, Piston-Rivers; all steam and Hex-powered tools from eons past. The variations of Tech are infinite, only the quantity of such machines is limited. They rarely run out of power-testament to the technological marvel of the Surface Times. A piece of Tech might be the lifeblood of a small village-a heat engine or a drill that provides mineral ore. The destruction of such a valuable piece of Tech might spell disaster for a village. Over the centuries the rarity of these machines has increased. But, new Machines are uncovered as new caves are dug, tombs unsealed and halls discovered.
- Genius-The preternatural ability of a small percentage of the population to understand engineering and mechanical functions. These are the mechanics, pilots, architects and engineers of the powerful guilds that rule the economy and society. The guilds have a monopoly on Tech for the most part. They are the ones scouring the darkest caves for new machines, the ones that operate the behemoths and particularly complicated Tech.
Example Races
- Cadaceans-A diminutive race of varying levels of demonic guise. Cadaceans are said to be the offspring of the Titans, lost in the caves 'neath the endless sphere. Millenia later, Cadaceans mix easily with other species and form a small minority in most settlements. Cadaceans find Hex work particularly enjoyable and are fine craftsmen.
- Primans-The most plentiful species beneath the sphere. Primans were once human, but a millennium spent in dark caverns has given them dark vision and made them more hardy. The species varies wildly in appearance and demeanor. Primans are skilled and efficient workers, administrators and fighters. They relish conquest and pillaging as much as developing societies.
- Kubolds-The lizard-like Kubold are on par with Cadaceans in stature and intellect-preferring Tech over Hex, however. The Kubold kingdoms are many, and the mob-like armies of the tribes often invade the upper halls of the Priman kingdoms. They are mortal enemies of the Faye.
- Faye-The philosophical Faye are not nearly numerous as the other races, their settlements few and far between. The cities they build are decidedly beautiful-preferring ascetic and form over function. They cultivate mosses, mushrooms and bio luminescent grasses to fill their halls with ethereal light.
- Hollowed-The treasonous souls that refuse to return to the light. The undead stalk those most distant halls, living quietly and unprovoked. They are empty shells of their former selves. Some enclaves have been established in Priman cities, but these are the subject of prejudice and avarice. The Hollowed are not easily provoked-but once the tide of the zombie horde is rolling, it will not stop.
Playing The Game
Construct a city-state or entire kingdom beneath the endless sphere. A combination of races is preferred in each territory-create your own or use/modify ones from above. Invent guilds/gods and religions as you see fit. Consider the nature of the setting-dark fantasy, subterranean, mythological past with elements of horror and mystery. At the onset of the game, it will be discovered that the stories of the ancient Titan War that drove people below is not exactly true-the surface will be discovered and explored/resettled. I am not necessarily looking to GM this game as supreme dictator-I want to play. I think we can all put on our big-boy pants and assume that everyone will be non-dickish. I have provided a setting framework with plenty of questions to be answered, ideas to be explored. Feel free to invent a NS for your concept or I can write one up for you. Questions? Interest? Claustrophobia?
