David Millians

Atyar the Horned Skull

This sect is what remains of the chaos cult that washed ashore near Kralorela with the skull of an ancient demon, Atyar. Found by an evil scholar and enshrined in catacombs deep below a Kralori city, the skull whispered evil thoughts and practices to its followers, creating a subversive cult among students in particular. It took a command of the Emperor and a massive purge to destroy this cult, though a few followers fled abroad. The followers of the skull now lurk in a few degenerate urban area cells and in Ignorance, of course. They have forgotten the location of the skull and survive through violence and fear. Most Kralori understand them to be servants of Sekever.

A common initiation requirement for a cell of the cult is to murder a noble or scholar, decapitate him, and throw the head into a house, preferably inhabited, that the initiate then sets alight.

Entry Requirements: Literacy 13

Abilities: Darktongue of Atyar, Doctrine of the Cult of Atyar, Doomed One of Atyar, Sneaky, Symbolic Sight, Use Garrote

Virtues: Cannibalistic, Cruel, Quiet, Suspicious, Violent

Grimoires:
Killer in Darkness (Final Garrote, Shadows, Silent Blade, Skin of Pitch)
The Vile Learning (Consume Mind, Dismiss Magic, Devour Book, Ingest Scroll, Mindlink)
The Whispers of the Horned Skull (Grow Horns, Heliophobia, Pyrophobia, Strike Fear)

Secret: Summon Voice of Atyar (This is a form of divination, in which the priest summons an avatar of the demon, which will answer three questions cryptically.)

Secret Requirements: All three grimoire ratings of 1W2 each.

Talismans: Followers of Atyar construct their talismans from bone (especially skulls) black stones, and scalps.

Holy Days: Night of the Skull (6/7/6)

Other Side: The Shadow Hell

Other Connections: Atyari develop few relationships outside of their cult.

Disadvantages: The Kralori government destroys them upon discovery.

August Dragon of Ting Shui

Imin Long, the Great Oracle of Ting Shui, sleeps near the city in its lair on the northern end of Hum Chang Island. He has woken four times in the last two millennia to prophesy freely for all and is expected to awake again soon.

Entry Requirements: Literacy 13, Pious 13

Abilities: Follower of the August Dragon of Ting Shui, Symbolic Sight

Virtues: Proud, Wise

Grimoires:
Words of the Dragon Oracle (Cast Fortune, Glimpse Future, Perceive Present with Clarity, Plumb Past)

Secret: Hear the Words of the August Dragon (This places a follower of the August Dragon into deeper communion with it and acts as an automatic augment to all trait associated with the dragon.)

Secret Requirements: Grimoire, Proud, and Wise at 1W2 each.

Talismans: Followers of the August Dragon usually use talismans in the form of jade images of the dragon.

Holy Days: Words of Wisdom Festival (6/2/3) celebrates the anniversary of the August Dragon’s most recent appearance. It is a time of supplication and prophecy.

Other Side: The August Dragon Node is the source of inspiration and magic for all of its followers.

Other Connections: The August Dragon is the patron and guardian of its city. All Kralori respect it for its wisdom and dedication to them.

Disadvantages: None

Bei Feng the Muter

Bei Feng is an ancient entity. Springing from the lips of the Cosmic Dragon before the creation of the universe, he lay quiescent until called upon by later Dragon Emperors to keeps secrets safe. He closes the mouths and even the minds of those who would divulge mysteries to those not ready for such knowledge. Only the greatest dragons can access that which he guards. Bodkartu is sometimes said to be his daughter.

Bei Feng exists in every silence and in every mute—his special servants—born to the Kralori. His image guards every major temple in the land, but he has no formal priesthood himself. Commoners and nobles alike have been known to call upon him in times of need, though not always with righteous or lofty goals.

Entry Requirements: Must undertake a silent vow of silence, at least for the duration of the magic sought from him.

Charms: Confuse Mind, Seal Lips

Spells: Erase a Thought, Wither Tongue

Bodkartu

Bodkartu is the fearsome sister of beloved Halisayan, so the sister-in-law of Emperor Thalurzni. When the emperor married his loyal wife, Bodkartu also joined his household, though she remained in her sister’s shadow, thus mostly out of sight. No one ever speaks of what happened to her, but she has always been wronged and vengeful. She nurses her anger and mysteries in the darkness, and when a target for her wrath becomes apparent, she strikes without remorse. Many times she preserved the dignity of her kinswoman and family, often at great sacrifice for herself.

Bodkartu is the goddess of secrets and forbidden lore, especially women’s lore. She answers the prayers of oppressed women with disease, poison, strangulation, and mysterious disappearances. Only six official, legal temples exist in Kralorela, but any woman may enter them, beg their intervention for some misdeed suffered, and know that her prayers will be answered. Small cells of her followers hide in most communities of any size, and they have been known to take matters into their own hands.

During the reign of ShangHsa May-His-Name-Be-Cursed, followers of Bodkartu, sanctioned or not, spearheaded much of the covert action against the False Dragon Ring. Emperor Godunya acknowledged their invaluable contribution but wisely maintained the ancient conditions upon their activity. They are said to guard some of his most secret plans and mysteries.

Mystically, Bodkartu is the guardian of secrets, and the wise often implore her mercy before their deepest meditations.

Entry Requirements: Be a wronged woman or a female guardian of secrets.

Abilities: Brew Poisons, Garrote, Initiate of Bodkartu, Mythology of Bodkartu, Member of [Coven], Strangulation

Virtues: Remorseless, Secretive, Self-Sacrificing

Affinities:
Curse (Curse Bowels, Curse of Fever, Curse of Impotence, Curse of Sores, Curse of Weakness)
Revenge (Extend Suffering, Find Oppressor, Sense Wronged Woman, Strike Fear Into the Hearts of Men)
Secret (Hide from Authority, Ward Place)

Secret:Secret of Bodkartu (Success against a challenge of 10W3 hides a secret forever; it is unknowable unless someone chooses to heroquest into Bodkartu’s Realm itself.)

Holy Days: Women’s Night (1/7/7) follows a day of role-reversals and feasting. Men know that their women judge them at this time, and few are willing to walk about on such nights.

Other Side: The Well of Darkness is said to contain Bodkartu’s lair, but no one is known to have returned from this place.

Other Connections: Other than those few in the official temples, Bodkartu cultists are loath to reveal themselves as what they are, but they often have connections throughout their area. A few are involved with the highest levels of government and the greatest secrets.

Disadvantages:Men fear them, and officials destroy illegal cells and their members whenever they find them.

Cho the Rocketeer

Master Cho was a dedicated servant of Emperor Thalurzni. Inspired by his master, he discovered the magic crystals of Kaisen Province and divined their nature and applications. He constructed many great creations, and his massive East Wind missiles and Eastern Sea rockets were instrumental in the many victories of Emperor Vayobi in his wars against the forces of corruption.

As tranquility returned to the heartlands of Kralorela, Master Cho turned his discoveries to more peaceful applications. Master Cho himself rode one of his rockets into the sky, where he still dwells today, and while the largest and most powerful crystals are no longer available, Kralori continue to use them in various military applications and for fireworks and firecrackers in celebrations and to drive away evil spirits.

Entry Requirements: Literate 13

Abilities: Doctrine of the Order of the Magic Crystal, Membership in the Order of the Magic Crystal, Symbolic Sight, Withstand Burns

Virtues: Focused

Grimoires:
Book of Crystals (Extract Crystal Ore, Refine Crystals, Sense Crystals)
Book of Explosives (Add Explosive Esthetics, Create Explosive, Create Rocket)

Secret: Blast Vice (Successful use of this ability augments an explosion by 5 against anything foreign and 10 against anyone or anything hostile to Kralorela.)

Secret Requirements: Book of Crystals and Books of Explosives grimoires and Focused at 1W2 each

Talismans: Rocketeers construct their talismans as golden amulets containing a few of their precious crystals.

Holy Days: Almost every major Kralori festival makes use of fireworks, and many smaller ceremonies, exorcisms, and rites of passage also include firecrackers. Every one of these events is a celebration of Master Cho. His own followers strive to create the most impressive and novel effects at such times, but most of their creations are used by the millions across the land.

Other Side: Cho dwells in his Star Rocket, which is visible in the night sky on rare occasions.

Other Connections: The order works with merchants to sell their most simple creations across the empire and to convey their more dangerous works to the War Dragons.

Disadvantages: Rocketeer mines and workshops are dangerous places, shunned by any neighbors and usually located far from communities of any size.