centica

Primer

A system-free RPG se ng for dark fantasy roleplay

 Centica Primer
Written by Contents
Alexander Wallis
Introduction 3
Lead Designers
Luke Maton Starchild 4
Christian Liberg
James Thomas Overview 7
Maark Abbott
Cosmology 8
Declan Tyrrell
Richard Writhen Themes 10
Concept Contributors Races 13
Lee Spragg
Aesc Adams Creatures 16
Anna Smith Spark
Bob Reinsch Strange Items 21
Sean Van Damme
Eric Lange
Key Locations 23
Wade Garret Teraphim Lords 25
Dawn McQueen Mortimer
Frank Hill Campaign 27
Eric Lange
Tasha Louise-Snook
Owen & Tom @CGCEmporium

Game Illustrators
Chevsy (cover and throughout)
Mia Mahoney (races)
Luke Cole (male Centic warrior)
Anastasia Ilicheva (Starchild)
Frances Archer (female Centic warrior)
Wyldraven (Forest of the Dead)
DeviantNepStock (frames)
Enquires: grimdark@orangehome.uk
Playtesters: Centica Primer is © Grimdark
Oliver, Andrew, Michael, Brad & Bradley
Games 2017, but can be shared
Beta-Readers freely. Art remains the copyright of
Rebecca Gray the respective artists.
Debdip Chakraborty
 Introduction
What is this product? How do I use this product?
Centica is a concise, system free, Have a read of the Overview and Key
campaign setting. This resource is Themes. Get a sense of the possibili-
designed for experienced Game ties for role-play and dramatic ad-
Masters, who don’t require any venture in Centica.
hand-holding. This is for those who Take whatever you find useful from
can customise their own campaigns the various sections. Everything is
from core concepts. chosen to be useful — no filler.
Centica does not provide a new rule- Review the Campaign chapter for
set, or the hundredth version of adventure ideas. If we can spur your
dwarves. Everything in Centica can imagination we’ve succeeded.
be integrated with your existing rule
system (or possibly setting) of If you like what you read, please
choice. leave us a review and share with
others. Cheers!
 Starchild
You awake, lurching in your bed as if thrown there. Sweat boils on your
face. Gasping breaths ripple your body. You emerge from an ocean of
dream.

The timbers of the elder’s yurt seem unreal. Hoarfrost makes ghostly the
juniper ceiling where crystal teardrops pause frozen above the bed.
Mounted war-masks hover, grim as would mourners around the dead.

Nightmares snap at your heels. Another night tortured by spectacular vio-

lence. Another night of spears and slaughter. Another morning fleshed
with heart’s ache.

‘Starchild, wake up.’

Your name, given at the rites of Tain-Centica, better suits a child than the
youth you are now. Rising, you stand a clear head taller than the crooked
elder, looking down at his wispy scalp. Sacred tattoos adorn your palms
and fingers, marking you a warrior of the tribe. Your limbs are strong
from the hunt, no stranger to sword and bow. No stranger to violence.

The elder regards you, mist forming on his lips as he shudders in the rav-
ening cold. Even his stare is predatory, a bird set to snag its prey.

‘It’s time,’ he tells you.

Feathers blow from the table. A dead owl lies beside a bone dagger, both
are white and red. The elder dips his thumb into the owl’s wound. When
pulled free it shines dark and wet.
‘Come,’ he beckons and runs the bloody thumb over your forehead and
chest. Blood slicks across your skin, hot oil on flesh. Unbidden, your
heart starts to thump, racing for battle.

‘Why?’ you wonder.

‘The Goddess fires you as an arrow, sharp in the midst of her foes.’

‘I’m leaving?’

For a moment the elder looks fatherly. His face, marked with ceremonial
scars, is softened by a watery eye. ‘I’ve found it,’ he whispers, as if you
weren’t the only people for miles. ‘That which will unify the tribes and un-
shackle us.’

Always the war. No time for gentle feeling. Since birth you’ve been forged
for it, a weapon to overthrow the invaders, to pit Centic courage against
Ivirate might.

Nothing for you but the war.

 Overview
A wild and mysterious land, home Now the Centics face the destruc-
to clans of sacred warriors, is in- tion of their culture. Storms thrash
vaded and occupied by a dominat- and boom as fleets of Ivirate war-
ing civilisation. The resulting de- ships darken the horizon.
filement of sacred sites releases
The banner of the Ivirate Fist is
forgotten threats, terrifying treas-
hoisted, as tribe after tribe is subju-
ures and paths to diabolic places.
gated by the invading forces. Those
CENTICA is a land bleeding from a who fight hardest are destroyed en-
thousand wounds. Its people, the tirely, the torch of freedom burning
Centics, are a feuding superstitious in their hearts.
race, ever tending the sacred pools
But the conquering Ivirate are more
as their ancestors admonished.
than just superior strategists, bol-
Blood sacrifice appeases the tribal
stered by sorcery and the strength
gods – warlike Centica and her demi
of half the world. In grotesque sanc-
-sons Conn and Colla.
tums they take guidance from a ser-
Centic warriors hunt through for- pent race, occupying the hidden de-
ests so dense that ancient ruins can grees of Ivirate governance. The in-
be chanced upon without warning. struction of the serpent lords is un-
Remnants of prehistoric Ish culture equivocal – the Centic religion is
fetch high prices at local and region- outlawed, the old ways forbidden,
al markets. At annual gatherings, the sacred pools defiled.
warriors gather for The Muster But beyond the holy waters lurk di-
where disputes are mitigated and mensions of soul-rending beauty
tournaments fought. Despite the di- and terror. Seductive realms of hor-
plomacy of the Hero-King, blood ror, hiding artefacts that might turn
strife runs deep. the tide of history.
 Cosmology
Centica is a strange and sacred The Beyond (realm)
land, located within a world
The Beyond is a maze of violence
known as Bellum Regno. This
world co-exists and clashes with and horror, an unending dungeon
older, darker realms. thick with abyssal tunnels, blood-
spattered cells and rotted gardens.
Bellum Regno
Petrified bodies dangle from crooked
The material realm where most of trees, shadows shriek and abomina-
the campaign’s action takes place. tions rip through the passageways.
The world is divided between na- Bed lam and but chery reign
tions governed by the Ivirate, un- throughout.
conquered lands, and contested is-
This parasitic dimension is ruled by
lands such as Centica.
the Teraphim Lords: sanity-
The Ivirate Empire is centred in Ul- crushing giants whose spawn flood
tra-Vira, a palatial island-city domi- the halls in waves of frenzied sav-
nated by a mysterious temple said agery.
to have arrived without the labour of
a single hand. Within its halls the
Snake Princes secretly direct the
history of the world.

The Sacred Pools

Believed to be tears of the Goddess,

these pools are rips in the cosmic
sea: portals to strange worlds. Cen-
tica is home to four such pools,
sites considered holy by Centics.
The Forest of the Dead (realm)
The resting place of souls, the grey
lands where skeletal leaves blow
restlessly from crooked trees.

The Forest is a woeful place where

spirits deteriorate, memories crum-
bling, until nothing but the merest
essence remains. Once consumed
by The Tree of the Dead, a soul may
be reborn to fight again.

Ultradia (realm)
A paradise realm, now near desert-
ed, where exalted beings — The Ul-
traphim — once pursued philoso-
phy, beauty and art. These immor-
tals built wondrous palaces, now
fallen to ruin; the labour of their
hearts become dust.
Amid the decay, a few Ultraphim
hide in isolation, shunning all con-
tact and determinedly avoiding the
risk of love.

Detritum (realm)
Outer chaos and darkness. The de-
caying fringe of all creation.
Detritum is an ever-changing land-
scape of primal energy, the refuse of
a cosmic event so terrible as to de-
form the laws governing matter.
 Themes
Tomb Raiding Under the Yoke
Ruins are all that remain of the Ish, Life under Ivirate rule is mean and
a race of aesthetes who perished in treacherous. The conquerors think
ritual suicide long before the Cen- to civilise the Centic barbarians
tics claimed the sacred land. through the destruction of their
faith. Druids and priests are
When an Ish tomb is discovered it burned, tribal warriors are enslaved
arouses both greed and fear. Exotic or butchered, their bodies hung as
relics may bring wonder and wealth, warnings to the restless. Ivirate
such as the ever-shimmering gown magistrates decree arbitrary laws,
of an entombed royal, a ghostly according to their own lack of con-
broach or a regal helmet that wears science.
as light as a cloth cap. Vaults con-
tain cuneiform tablets, bringing wis- Under such oppression, irrepressi-
dom to those who can decipher their ble Centics conspire to undermine
secrets. and thwart their rulers. Plotting and
worshipping in secret, they plan and
But these tombs are protected by execute dangerous acts of defiance.
insidious traps, for the Ish greatly
feared the defilement of their bodies. The most pressing concern is the or-
And terrible things have made a dination of new priests and druids
home in the undisturbed dark. and the re-sanctification of the
pools. Potential acolytes are smug-
Ruined Ish cities are shunned plac- gled to secret temples, where they
es. Where architecture and art once train under the tutelage of the few
flourished, now only decadence re- remaining druids — keepers of the
mains. old ways.

These, once marvellous, cities are

now overrun with bestial Garcain
‘Dog-Men.’ Roaming in packs they
hunt to sate their carnal appetites.
Restoration Blood Feuds
Some have escaped the Ivirate, to Despite Centica’s many external
establish new communities, far threats, the enmity between rival
away from enemy scouts. Such a tribes is implacable. Such bitterness
venture requires hardy souls, ready stems from ancient feuds (the origi-
to rebuild from nothing and face the nal slights long forgotten).
perils of untamed wilds.
Particular warriors are considered
Many skills are required to rebuild high value targets for vendetta. Al-
and prisoners must sometimes be most any tribe member will attempt
rescued in order to find appropriate- to undermine a rival, given oppor-
ly skilled allies. The threat of discov- tunity or provocation.
ery ensures that secrecy is vital to
every operation. For some warriors, clan disputes
supersede even the Ivirate invasion.
Spirit Quests Conquerors and creatures are just
The warrior goddess Centica, who another obstacle to their vengeance.
shares her name with the land,
nurses her wrath at the Ivirate inva- War
sion. Her demi-sons, Con and Colla, While some Centics have benefited
were heroes in ancient times, now from Ivirate rule, even helped op-
ascended to godhood. These venge- press their own brothers, most
ful spirits empower heroes to con- yearn to see their enemy destroyed.
front the island’s many threats.
Those who would liberate Centica
When a spirit quest is offered, the face a number of challenging con-
gods explode upon the senses of the cerns. Bickering tribes must forge
recipient, charging them to re- alliances, a new Hero-King appoint-
sanctify the sacred pools with Ivirate ed and strategies devised that will
blood, to venture to The Beyond or compete with Ivirate cunning. Dark
to slay a hated foe. treasures must be discovered and
retrieved for there to be any hope of
retaking the land.
The Beyond
The sacred pools, revered by Cen-
tics, are gateways to realms both
terrifying and beautiful. Blood ritu-
als prevent the incursion of hyper-
dimensional beings into the sacred
land. Bordering Centica is The Be-
yond, where glutinous Teraphim
stalk derelict palaces, feasting on
flesh and souls. These aberrations
evolve into increasingly exotic trans-
figurations. Small wonder that a fa-
natical cult worships their delirious
forms.

When Centica’s sacred rituals re-

main unobserved, Teraphim spawn
are vomited between worlds, bring-
ing death and horror to Centic and
Ivirate alike. These terrors wreak
catastrophic suffering and require
powerful forces to bring them down.

These malignant outer-realms also

hide fabulous artefacts — lethal
treasures that might turn the tide
against insurmountable foes. To at-
tain them, foolhardy heroes may
risk everything, daring to cross into
The Beyond.

Monster Hunters
Manifestations of The Beyond take
many forms and can be both subtle
and calamitous. Some Centics ap-
point themselves hunters of horrors,
travelling the land banishing Tera-
phim spawn.

TEIN-CENTICA — Festival. All candles and fires are put out, and only
‘need-fires’ light each region of Centica. A youth may learn druidry, if she
attempts to pass through the fire unscathed. Those who dare and fail be-
come taboo: never spoken to, or fed, by other Centics. But she who is
blessed to walk unscathed will be clothed in wisdom and respect.
 Races
Centic resources have been plundered and
Centics are a wild-spirited people, their heroes made offal in deadly
the caretakers of a sacred land. games of Skullrunner. Centic priests
Centics of all ages participate in have been hunted and destroyed,
great hunts, celebrate feats of cour- while those who succour the Imperi-
age and seek to outdo each other in um have obtained position and pow-
story-telling. They are a primal peo- er over their fellow citizens.
ple, fast to love and even faster to
anger. The Centic heart is filled with rage.

Organised in tribes, they pay close

attention to loyalty and hierarchy.
Tribal warriors compete for glory,
but would lay down their life for the
least of their kin.

Hunters track the most dangerous

prey, their prestige measured in the
quality of skins and skulls. Priests
pursue extremes of devotion that ex-
cruciate the soul.

Jewellery, craft and leather-working

are other hallmarks of Centic cul-
ture. There is joy in doing anything
well. Centic children follow the roles
of their parents, apprenticing at ear-
ly ages.

Since the arrival of the Ivirate, the

tribes have witnessed their culture
demolished. Under the lascivious
Arch-Magistrate, Centic temples
have become brothels, their
Vulgur
The Vulgur are a hedonistic, chalk
-pale race, from the citadel-cities
of Vulguria. Vulguria is Centica’s
closest neighbour and a centuries
old enemy, considered foul dishon-
ourable raiders.

Vulgurs are instantly recognisable,

not only by their ghostly complex-
ions, but by their eroded noses —
an effect of the myrrh snorted before
mating, athletics or battle.

Vulgurs wear dark cloaks and ar-

mour to better accentuate their
corpse-like appearance. Their habits
are strange, and their tastes maca-
bre, particularly as concerns the
dead.

Vulgurs surrendered their sover-

eignty to the Ivirate Empire without
bloodshed. The Vulgurian dukes
have been well-rewarded for their
capitulation — the myrrh runs
freely in Vulguria. SHINING ONES
Under Ivirate rule, Vulgurian sol- Vulgur venerate their dead,
diers assist in occupying Centica, a the ‘shining ones’ who are
task they relish. Shunned even by neither buried nor burned,
their Ivirate allies, Vulgurs never but instead embalmed and
miss the opportunity to enact cruel maintained by their families.
and unusual acts upon their Centic
Nobles can trace their noble
enemies.
ancestry, not through docu-
ments or word of mouth, but
by their possession of the
corpses of those who have
gone before.
High caste Vulgers invite
each other to come and ‘meet
the family.’
Ivirate
The Ivirate are not one race, but
rather an ever expanding horde,
absorbing conquered states into
their own. Ivirates include stocky
city-builders from the metropolis of
Ultra-Vira, lithe spear-men from
Choy, Fucian riders and many oth-
ers.

Rank and file Ivirate soldiers cele-

brate The Tithe, a legal document
that incentivises victory. The Tithe
promises one tenth, collectively or
individually, to troops who acquire
land, slaves or wealth in the Ivirate
name.

Ivirates are governed by regional

Magistrates, who report to Arch
Magistrates with nation-wide au-
thority. In the highest echelons of
Ivirate governance, an inhuman ca-
bal of Snake-Princes direct the war
against the world. However, only the
highest ranking Ivirates even know
of their existence. ‘MAGISTRATE’S LAW’
A phrase used by Ivirate sol-
The Ivirate determination to invade diers, when abusing their po-
and rule Centica presents a number sitions for amusement or
of challenges. Many of the head- gain. A hateful phrase to be
strong Centics would sooner die spat at Centic civilians when
than bend the knee. Corruption is Ivirate guards grow bored.
widespread, unspeakable horrors
ravage communities and an elusive F a mi l i es torn apart?
cult mutilates Centics and Ivirates ‘Magistrate’s Law.’ Centic ci-
alike. Within the Ivirate Empire, in- vilians murdered on a whim?
ternal strife and schisms abound as ‘Magistrate’s Law.’ Homes
resentments and rivalries breed. razed to the ground, women
mistreated and children or-
Arch-Magistrate Ehemiah clings to phaned - just more examples
power in Centica. He alone has the of ‘Magistrate’s Law.’
unbridled ambition to hold this un-
tamed land and subdue the rebel-
lious Centics.
 Creatures
Burstling (Teraphim-spawn) Chaotic Mass (Manifestation)
Deep within The Beyond, semi-
Burstlings resemble centipedes with sentient beings amass from the junk
glistening lubricated heads. They in- and debris on the edge of existence.
cubate within a human or animal Confused and playful kaleidoscopes
host, entering through any orifice. of matter, these innocent but dan-
gerous egos can be sources of won-
The host is increasingly uncomforta- der or peril.
ble, experiencing vomiting and diar-
rhoea. Stools become increasingly These manifestations are only capa-
watery, as the Burstling absorbs the ble of abstract thought. But they
matter it requires for metamorpho- may, without malice, cause great
sis. After days of intense absorption, harm with their spinning elemental
the Burstling cracks free from its halos.
human or animal cocoon, revealing
its evolved self: a towering metamer- Coldbrood (Manifestation)
ic worm packed with bone teeth. Storming through the bleak reaches
Remnants of the host, such as their of The Forests of the Dead, a troop
face and extremities, become living of wild-maned horses rush towards
parts of the Burstling’s perfected the scent of blood and sweat. Frost-
form. smoked beasts with silvery hair,
they are beautiful, deathless
In combat, these creatures attack mounts, lured by lust for human
with ribs-become-fangs, latching on- flesh.
to targets with an intractable bite.
The Burstling thrashes violently, When encountered, the Coldbrood
smashing its victim against rock, will first trample and then devour
tree or ground until a sopping husk any living creatures. Their brays
remains. and snorts signal appreciation of
the coming feast.
Dregs (Manifestation) Hjaelper (Teraphim spawn)
Despairing corpse-like figures, from Spider-predators of The Beyond,
The Beyond. These peaceful, harm- these thick-haired arachnids scuttle
less mourners are rarely violent un- across every surface, feasting upon
less riled up as a crowd. Dregs often decay. Whilst many of these crea-
mumble incoherently and may tures are no bigger than a warrior’s
evoke feelings of overwhelming de- fist, their size is relative only to their
pression when near. Too much diet, with some of the eldest achiev-
proximity to a Dreg, will mean los- ing grotesque proportions.
ing the will to do anything.
Hjaelpers are blind but grow a mass
Garcain ‘Dog-Men’ (Native creature) of ganglia upon their ‘faces’ with
Lurking in abandoned Ish ruins, which they sense suitable sources of
packs of Garcain — walking upright nourishment.
or on all fours — look for ways to
fulfil their base needs. These crea- They spurt a gluey discharge. These
tures could be mistaken for men but dollops fasten feet to floors, stick
up close their savage teeth and dog fingers together or fastened eyes
like noses create an uneasy impres- open or shut.
sion. Strong as men, and with more
primal cunning, Garcains are inca- If bitten by a Hjaelper, the hapless
pable of remorse or mercy as they adventure will first experience a
set upon the unwary. numbing sensation, spreading from
the wound. The Hjaelper injects a
Garcains attack with tooth and glistening fluid, fattening its target
claw. Some can clench weapons. for digestion. A bitten limb is use-
They are found in groups of six to less until the swelling is burst and
eighteen and strategize as a pack, the puss drained.
as they fall barking upon their foes.
Keeper (Manifestation) Many-Horror (Manifestation)
Keepers are an amalgamation of
bone and wood, as knotted and Horrifying aberrations from the el-
twisted in appearance as they are in dritch regions of The Beyond. Many-
nature. Restlessly these hulking Horrors are defined by the recur-
sentinels patrol the Forests of the rence of hundreds of identical limbs,
Dead, hostile to the intrusion of an- organs or other organic matter. A
ything living. It is said that even the many-horror could be a thousand-
dead fear their wandering gaze. eyed abomination or a fusion of fin-
gers, testes or lungs.
A Keeper seizes its target and uses
its considerable strength to pull
Snake Prince (Native Creature)
limbs from sockets or twist and tear
enemies apart. The Snake Princes form a secret
conclave who plot in the inner tem-
Since the defilement of the sacred ple of Ultra Vira. The true rulers of
pools, a Keeper may manifest in the Ivirate, these serpents are un-
Centica. Surrounded by abundant fathomably old, and their empire-
life, such a creature would be busy building precedes the ascension of
indeed. humankind.

Legion (Manifestation) The Snake Princes manipulate and

orchestrate, gradually bringing all
A Legion is, not one, but countless nations beneath their dominion. Yet
naked corpses that fuse together their existence is a secret, known
forming a giant of flesh and limbs only to the Arch-Magistrates who
collaborating to reach its goal. When appear to rule in their stead.
needed, the Legion can devolve into
smaller masses, to the point of sep- The Snake Princes have a sensual
arating into individual corpses. attraction to magic. They are high-
sorcerers, speakers of the arcane
These separations can act inde- language that deforms and reforms
pendent from the main body, but af- matter.
ter a time will seek to re-join the
whole. Though there have been re-
mote sightings of Legions, some be-
lieve these giants are themselves de-
volutions of one monumental crea-
ture.
Teraphim Teraphim Knights (Deformity)
The Teraphim are the masters of Once human knights, this cold-
The Beyond Their shapes are in- armoured faction are among the
credible to behold and their power most feared threats of The Beyond.
devastating to human minds. They
are things of myth, nightmare and Organised and ruthless, they ride to
madness. enforce the will of the Teraphim
Lord. Their voices are inhuman -
Each Teraphim is unique, being a stirring revulsion, their deeds less
composite of everything it has de- human still. Brutal and efficient
voured. The ultimate carnivores, they plunge through the Abyss,
Teraphim feast on both temporal overpowering intruders efficiently.
and spiritual matter.
Wielding veined swords, the knights
Hence a Teraphim Lord, could be a drain the blood of their victims, feel-
towering spectral giant, a cluster of ing their insatiable weapons.
heads with a whale-sized body or a
segmented writhing thing. If glimpsed in the material realm of
Centica, the presence of Teraphim
The Teraphim reign over different Knights denotes dire omens and
regions of The Beyond, commanding apocalyptic end-times.
the loyalty of their hideous spawn -
They horde artefacts of extraordi- Teraphim Cultist (Human)
nary power, treasures much desired A human cult has formed around
by men. the Teraphim Lords, in particular
the vile Lord Doomquiet, who in-
spires the mad, destitute and ban-
ished. Teraphim fanatics offer hu-
man sacrifice, steal children and
seek to defile Centica’s sacred pools.
In this they are unwittingly aided by
Ivirate forces.

Nevertheless Cultists are fiercely

hated by Centics and Ivirates alike,
and when discovered they are dealt
with severely.

Cultists prefer to act in secret and

may infiltrate tribes and military
units with their agents. Their
schemes involve sewing internal
strife and undermining all cultures
and civilisations.
The Tree of the Dead
A gargantuan tumour, whose roots
extend like veins through the For- SKULLRUNNER
ests of the Dead. The Tree of the A lethal game played by slaves
Dead is an immortal vampiric para- of the Ivirate. Rival gladiators
site, ever hungry for the nectar of are forced to brave trap-laded
life. If ensnared by the Tree’s roots, catacombs to compete for a sin-
the victim’s aging accelerates rapid- gle skull hidden within the
ly, decrepitude claiming once strong depths.
limbs.
Only one winner can survive
Communion with the Tree is possi- this contest, for which there
ble, and some have even ventured are no rules other than to re-
into this bleak realm to bargain for trieve the skull and survive.
a loved one’s resurrection. However, Many coins are won and lost
the price requested is usually too as Ivirate nobles bet on poten-
dire. tial winners, and watch Skull-
runner while eating from their
Ultraphim troughs.
A race of mythic super-beings,
whose beauty and character have
become archetypal, inspiring poets
and artists. Rid by passions no mor-
tal heart could muster, these time-
less entities have all but destroyed
themselves, their paradisiacal
realms reduced to ruin. They exist
now as ideas towards which heroes
and lovers strive. Their forms are
found in art and the myths whis-
pered by firelight. And perhaps, in
the remoteness of The Beyond, a
handful may still dwell in endless
solitude.

Encountering an Ultraphim is a pro-

found and unforgettable experience.
Humans are moved to tears, stung
by a childlike sense of wonder. To
look upon such perfection is to be-
come aware of one’s own loss of in-
nocence — how far fallen from
childish ideals. Some feel tainted by
the experience, others enlightened,
forgiven or reborn.
 Strange Items
The Cuneiform Immortal Sin
Ancient clay tablets, inscribed with Weapons have often become the
pictorial writing. Each contains a home of dark and malevolent enti-
fragment of the saga of King Erech, ties who have decided that death is
an early hero who campaigned not the end for them.
against Ishtor, a Teraphim who ter-
rorised early civilisation. Such is the reason for the existence
of Immortal Sin, a vicious looking
Detritum scimitar containing the soul of a no-
Ancient legends speak of the es- ble from the Centica-Ivirate conflict.
sence of creation, such tales re- The noble in question, High Lord
duced to little more than folklore Amara Kiran, made a deal with the
amongst Centic society. Could it be Imperium to be spared when they
that the essence of creation is more took Centica. She sold out her fami-
than a poetic metaphor? ly and city, giving the Imperium
plans to the sewers and the chang-
Detritum is a constantly shifting ing of the guard. This allowed Ivirate
substance akin to a precious metal, agents to breach the city and wreak
found in its namesake realm. A suf- havoc from within.
ficiently powerful will can bend De-
tritum to their command. But she was double-crossed, the
Ivirate, not wanting any loose ends.
Fetish Amara Kiran was a powerful spell-
An object, be it a doll or an antique caster, however, and bound her soul
jar, that has a particular resonance to a family heirloom. A scimitar
with a being in The Beyond. The made of exceptionally strong steel.
presence of a fetish can deteriorate Now she resides within it, compel-
the will of its owner. It can be used ling all who wield her to exact re-
by a cultist to willing surrender venge on the Ivirate.
their minds to mentoring from The
Beyond.
Locket of wailing agony Mask of Many Faces
A locket made from precious metal. A mask which always resembles the
Opening it releases the spine face of the last person who wore it,
chilling screams of a tormented granting uncanny similarity. When
soul. Hearing this cry can strike fear peeled off, the mask closes its eyes,
in the heart. its skin becoming pale as a corpse.

Lilest’s Chess Seed of decay

A macabre chess-set, each piece re- The Seed of Decay is a creation of
sembling a terrified soul. The board the Teraphim worshipping cult of
is decorated with Ivirate script. This Doomquiet. Once consumed the
occult treasure is used to converse seed poisons both spirit and flesh,
with the dead. becoming a beacon to the terrible
creatures from The Beyond.
Manflesh
Consumable favoured among the af- The consumer will be hunted relent-
fluent and psychotic. When con- lessly, never knowing rest. Where
sumed, the user feels a rush of they travel great horrors will follow.
strength and stamina, but at the
peril of their sanity. Ur Staff
A length of fused spine, almost the
Marrow Blade height of a man. The staff grants
A hidden knife stored in the marrow terrible wisdom to its owner, allow-
of its user. A rite is required to in- ing them to intuit the motivations of
sert the blade into its recipient. The others, the true nature of the world,
user speaks a sacred word chosen and their own psychological defi-
during the ritual and the blade may ciencies. Thus enlightened the bear-
be drawn from it’s sheath of flesh. er plunges into madness.
 Key Locations
Freechion - City The Sacred Pools
The first major Ivirate city to fall to Ever-glistening pools, whose waves
the Centic rebellion. However, tribal sing as they lap over burning light.
rivalry has made it impossible for
any coherent leadership to be in- For generations the Centics have
stalled. protected these pools, believed them
tear-drops of the Goddess Centica.
The city has nothing to unite it.
With a massive influx of warring ref- Under Ivirate rule the pools have
ugees stemming from crumbling been defiled, become gateways to
Ivirate stability, the city is collapsing The Beyond, through which adven-
under its new found freedom. turers may travel and cataclysmic
things emerge.
Nephal - City
A coastal fortress-city with ports de- The Teraphim Citadel -
livering rare and exotic goods found (The Beyond)
no-where else on the continent. A labyrinthine prison within the
A thriving black market trades heart of The Beyond. Sheer punish-
strange and hideous things, while ment and sadism await those whose
sailors regale with tales of disap- minds are not destroyed by the hor-
pearing islands and malformed sea- ror. Physical and mental mettle is
beasts. tested by the Teraphim and their
twisted abominations.
Protheria -City
The heart of Ivirate occupation. Tomb of the Hero King
Here, Arch-Magistrate Ehemiah or- Lost crypt of the first Hero King of
chestrates schemes to subdue the Centica. Its location vanished in the
headstrong Centics. The city is mists of history, the tomb is still
home to a colossal Skullrunner are- said to hold King-Bride, a sword
na, and the perpetual construction forged in the golden age of Ultradia.
of an incomparably grand temple.
Kealdhrôs -
The Beyond

At first glimpse, the Maelstrom re-

sembles a perpetually storm-tossed
sea whipped by howling winds. But A CONCEPTUAL WAR
Kealdhrôs is a sea of spirits. What The Ivirate dominate, not only
the naïve first take to be water is a with military force, but in their
roiling vastness of souls. Pale use of propaganda.
shapes form and dissolve with each
swell; distorted faces mouth word- Agents infiltrate societies they
lessly in breakers that crash and re- plan to undermine, spreading
cede upon midnight sand. narratives that frame re-
sistance as an act of social
Necromantic ships ply the treacher- and economic suicide.
ous currents of the Maelstrom –
crewed by the living and the dead This has been less successful
alike, the vessels sail between the in Centica than in other na-
worlds. Such ships are hunted and tions. The religion of the Cen-
sunk by goddess-fearing Centics. tics has been a fortification
against Ivirate lies, as is their
The wrack and spume that wash sense of tribal identity.
upon the dark strand is unwilling to
return. The ceaseless moan of the
spirits is almost deafening, and ris-
es in fervour in the presence of the
living.
 Teraphim Lords
Ultimately adventurers will need
to confront Teraphim Lords, lurk-
ing in The Beyond, if they are to
claim artefacts that will turn the
tide of war in Centica.
Teraphim Lords lurk in strange lairs
which express and amplify their
hideous natures. They are evolu-
tionary hyper -beings, having
adapted to and conquered an envi-
ronment which is persistently hos-
tile and changing.
Each Lord is protected by numerous
progeny, slavering through the maze
ruins of The Beyond.

Doomquiet
Doomquiet exemplifies the qualities
of the mightiest Teraphim. A blem-
ish haunting the edge of nightmare,
Doomquiet is a mental arachnid,
threading through the dreams of all
living things.

He exists in a realm of primal ten-

sion, where every sound grates up-
on the nerves of trespassers, where
anxieties are amplified into full-
blown psychological terror.

Groups turn upon one another, sui-

cide and madness overwhelm; all
confront their worst fears at the
sight of Doomquiet.
Doomquiet’s artefact is his horn, Raz'elium
which when blown shatters the mo- A mono-sentient collection of souls,
rale of all who hear it. Raz'elium likes to start his 'hunts'
on the mortal plane. He does this by
Oolsqa, The Maw of Truth pouring his essence into a corpse.

Mendicants brave weeks of hardship Though this body may be destroyed

for the chance to hear Oolsqa’s ter- this in truth causes no harm to
rible Truths Raz'elium. He incarnates repeatedly,
using different form to sate his
His gnarled body is a canvas of red many appetites.
ochre, worked in a tracery of scars Raz’elium’s artefact is The Penetra-
and shamanic scrawls. His human- tor: a spear whose haft is the white
oid trunk gives way to a slug-like of bleached bone, and whose tip
lower body. He leaves a glistening bleeds a blackened ooze into the
trail in his wake. Despite his form, world. Those impaled upon it are
he is capable of astonishing speed. condemned to never step on the
shortest path toward death, but will
Oolsqa’s head is an indistinct mass instead die in both agony and ecsta-
of rag-wrapped horns. From one eye sy. It is said that merely beholding it
socket seep tears of dark ichor. A causes one to lust unwholesomely
trio of chained slaves constantly col- for the suffering of others.
lect the vision-inducing fluid in sil-
ver bowls, serving out draughts to Zkarnak
the abject hiero-monarchs who Once a lord of men, Zkarnak was
gather about Oolsqa’s sanctuary loved by his people, but blighted by
an emptiness that peace could not
From the smoking rift of the Tera- harness.
phim Lord’s mouth emerge tantaliz-
ing secrets. His thunderous whis- When his lands were ablaze, the
pers appear as glowing sigils, each skies black with smoke,
one freighted with ancient wisdom, then the Teraphim came to him.
but liable to incinerate the unwary And what they offered brought de-
pilgrim who ventures too near. light to his eyes.

Oosqa’s artefact is Rraighav, a fear- The transfigured Zkarnak is a sen-

some axe fashioned to resemble a tient tower, bleeding with thousands
bat’s wing. It is said that the wielder of captured victims. The tower ad-
will write their own truth in a lan- vances over land, consuming villag-
guage of smoke, fire and blood. es and towns in its wake. Ever loud-
er grow the screams of its coming.

Zkarnak’s artefact is a brain, hidden

amid the thick of thrashing flesh.
Consuming this treasure will satisfy
the craving for perfect knowledge.
 Campaign
Adventure seeds for your campaign.

Early adventures Mid-Level adventures

The adventurers are young Centics, War is at hand. The adventures par-
hoping for tribal initiation at the ticipate in open warfare: a decisive
ceremony of Tein-Centica. They battle for their community.
must demonstrate their courage in a —
series of dangerous trials. The heroes seek to rescue prisoners
— held in an Ivirate fortress.
The heroes must journey to one of —
the sacred pools, where they will A Vulgur war-party, in allegiance
spend a season defending the wa- with the Ivirates, commit atrocities
ters. A small community has devel- against Centic communities. The de-
oped around the pool, providing in- file the dead and exhibit their corps-
trigue and trade. Ivirate occultists es, spurred by centuries of hate be-
seek to take possession of the sa- tween the rival nations.
cred site and invoke horrors from —
The Beyond. Terrible horrors have been un-
— leashed from an unsanctified pool.
A rival tribe, has a ordained a new Monsters stalk the land and heroes
leader, directing acts of plunder and are required to hunt and defeat
murder. The adventurers’ tribe is them.
drawn into an escalating vendetta. —
— Ivirates have retrieved a terrifying
The young initiates are instructed to weapon from The Beyond and plan
find a famous druid, now in hiding, to unleash it upon the people of
and seek her help in defending their Centica.
community against gathering foes. —
— The Goddess calls the adventures to
The adventures learn of an immi- embark upon a spirit quest, with
nent Ivirate attack and must race to great perils and rewards.
warn their home community.
High Level Adventures

The heroes are captured by Ivirates

and forced to play lethal games of
Skullrunner in their sepulchral are-
nas.
—
The enslaved heroes are bought be-
fore Arch-Magistrate Ehemiah and
learn of the Ivirates intention to win
favours from a Teraphim Lord.
—
The heroes are forced to fight each
other for the entertainment of Ivirate
nobles, whilst seeking a means of
escape.
—
The heroes seek an artefact that
might unite the tribes of Centica.
—
The heroes must travel into The Be-
yond and brave its horrors, to find
and defeat a Teraphim Lord.
—
The warlords of Centica must reach
agreement, and chose a new Hero SKULLRUNNER
King, if they are to unite against the
Ivirates, but some have grown rich A lethal game played by slaves
under Ivirate rule. of the Ivirate. Rival gladiators
— are forced to brave trap-laded
War begins in earnest. The adven- catacombs to compete for a
tures are generals in a campaign of single skull hidden within the
battle against foes, both military depths.
and supernatural, as they seek to Only one winner can survive
reclaim the sacred land. this contest, for which there
— are no rules other than to re-
The war spreads to foreign lands, trieve the skull and survive.
the adventurers take the battle to
the hidden rulers of the Ivirate. Many coins are won and lost
— as Ivirate nobles bet on poten-
Malevolent gods in The Beyond uni- tial winners, and watch Skull-
fy to infiltrate the mortal world, un- runner while eating from their
leashing a new dark age of horror. troughs.
 Random Encounters
ROLL D4
1. Roll on Table Locations Table: Items
2. Roll on Table Resources 1. Weapon
3. Roll on Table Items 2. Coins D100
4. Roll on Table Encounters 3. Clothing
4. Document
Table: Locations 5. Potion
1. Tomb 6. Chest
2. Temple 7. Key
3. Village 8. Bones
4. Hideout 9. Bones
5. Lair 10. Armour
6. Campsite
7. Ish Ruin Table: Encounters
8. Military station 1. Tribal warriors (rival)
9. Shrine 2. Ivirate Soldiers
10. Dungeon 3. Cultists
11. Lake 4. Garcain Dog-Men
12. Roll on Table: Rare Locations 5. Vulgur troops
6. Wolves
Table: Rare Locations 7. Bear
1. Ish City 8. Roll on Table: Odd Encounters
2. Sacred Pool
3. Teraphim Spawn Lair Table: Odd Encounters
4. Cultist base 1. Burstling
5. Battleground 2. Hjaelper
6. Sacrificial altar 3. Teraphim Knight
4. Ivirate Commander
Table: Resources 5. Tribal Champion
1. Herbs 6. Druid
2. Ore 7. Weird Teraphim spawn
3. Poison 8. Roll on Table: Rare Encounters
4. Fruit
5. Manflesh Table: Rare Encounters
6. Dung 1. Coldbrood
7. Well 2. Dregs
8. Eggs 3. Legion
9. Crops 4. Many Horror
10. Merchant 5. Keeper
6. Legion
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