A Kaos portal! And a big one at that!
Genrik is exploding with excitement and can barely concentrate to mark his map with the appropriate symbols. The air emerging from the gate is spicy, fetid, and warm. There’s a moistness to it I find discomfiting, but the promise of adventure… It’s inviting.
Joanne wants us to return to the Bura market we found three hours ago, to relative safety. Fyrn wants to step through the portal and find out what’s on the other side.
If we pass through here, we’ll be stepping into the unknown. Maybe to another strata, perhaps to a cave filled with poisonous gases. It could even be another world, if tales are to be believed.
But what might we find on the other side?
I feel the rumbling of something close, boring through the earth or marching through nearby tunnels.
.jpg)
Kaotic Sorcery
Kaos is everywhere in the World Below. It permeates the stone and air, infuses the water and darkness, and is part of every inhabitant whether they be plant, animal, or something stranger. Kaos grows stronger the deeper adventurers travel. The strongest form of raw Kaos known to anyone within the World Below emanates from the Well, but some whisper that even the Well isn’t the source of Kaos, as it’s close to the Well that Kaos and Abyssal energies crackle and crash in their permanent elemental battle. Yet, the Well is as close as living beings can come to pure Kaos without being torn apart and unmade — or worse, made into something alien and unknowable.
Many Paths teach their followers how to draw on Kaos in rote ways. Every creature from the World Below can draw on and use the Kaos saturating the world when needed, if they’re willing to accept the risk. Certainly, no one can ever draw on Kaos entirely safely — except perhaps the Well Liches. Sorceries are possessed only among the truly adventurous, who seek to master their world and overcome all adversities.
Playable characters possess Kaotic Sorceries as detailed in Character Creation. These can also be purchased through the expenditure of experience at the close of the Kalm if the character meets the prerequisites.
All player characters can use Kaos to activate mystical abilities that influence the world and themselves. Sorceries are dramatic manipulations of Kaos that require rolls to activate, with success, failure, and the possibility of Kaotic Retaliation always present.
The practices of Kaos-wielding are divided into Wisdoms, which bring order and structure to the Kaos from which they draw. Practitioners of these Wisdoms can purchase powers for which that they possess sufficient indoctrination into the mysteries of their profession. These powers are often utilitarian where prerequisites are low, allowing characters with that Wisdom to perform the duties expected of them. They become more remarkable and dramatic at higher ratings, and where requirements are stricter.
Each Sorcery belongs to a single Wisdom, but members of multiple Callings can access them at different times. This reflects the sharing of knowledge and Wisdoms among the peoples of the World Below. During character creation and with experience, characters may purchase Sorceries for which they meet the prerequisites. During the Kalm season, where characters are focused on the development of their Calling alone, they can only take a new Sorcery from within their Calling’s Wisdom.
Boh
Devout and faithful believers rely on Boh to enforce their beliefs and edicts through the power of Kaos. The Holy draw on Kaos to pass judgment, enforce edicts, and relieve suffering. Kaos channeled through Boh can elevate the downtrodden and strike down the mighty as the believer funnels Kaos through their faith to work an array of miracles. Healing and purification of the mind, body, even the environment is possible through Boh. However, this faith can also be utilized to punish or rebuke the wicked, driving the unholy away from the pious and inflicting grave and lasting harm to the enemies of the faithful.
Heliogy
Heliogy taps into Kaos’ ubiquity to sense beyond what is plainly seen, heard, tasted, touched, or smelled. Farsighters draw on Kaos to delve into the past or future, to look through darkness and impenetrable rock, or to hear whispered conversations as if they were plainly spoken. Kaos channeled through Heliogy goes beyond physical senses and enters the realm of the mind, allowing the Farsighter to communicate with strange animals that thrive in the caverns, to understand the needs and wants of others, and to build communities around themselves through this understanding.
Shykar
Hunters who study and practice Shykar learn to read the traces of Kaos left in the wake of almost all creatures in the World Below. Even the most light-footed creature barely touching the hardest stone leaves a fragment of their spoor for Hunters to follow. Similarly, the mix of Kaos with life’s energies trace understandable paths within the bodies of the Hunters’ prey, pooling and revealing a beast’s weaknesses even through the toughest of armor. The interactions of Kaos mingled with life and unliving stone weave tapestries across locations, revealing which creatures dwell close by, differentiating patterns of movement, and calculating who preys on whom.
Transmutation
Transmutation empowers Alchemists with command over the inanimate. Through channeling Kaos, Alchemists can safely grasp and manipulate materials that would strip the flesh from other characters and animate the inanimate into something close to living. They understand the elemental makeup of the world around them, the interactions of material, energy, and Kaos that combine to make the stone all around, the air needed to breathe, water to drink, and materials far rarer and with other valuable properties. The Alchemist’s workings can combine these materials in ways impossible for others to achieve, bringing malleability to the immovable, resistance to the immaterial, and combing the properties of different components.
Umbral
The Umbral Sorceries worked by Silhouettes deliver intimate control of the Kaos infusing their own bodies. Silhouettes channel Kaos to twist and contort their bodies into unnatural shapes and proportions, some believing Umbral Sorceries owe more to the Dark and the Abyss than they do Kaos from the Well. They can jellify their bones to fit through impossible gaps, stretch limbs to grasp at far objects, or dissipate the force of falling from high ledges. Silhouettes intimately understand the effects of poison on the body, allowing themselves a measure of immunity but also knowledge of how to concoct potions that interfere with biochemical functions in ways desired by the Silhouette, either to paralyze or murder, or perhaps simply interfere with the victim’s sight or hearing for a time. Silhouettes can manipulate shadows, drawing them in and cloaking themselves in the absence of light to hide from detection, or even travel through shadows at higher levels of mastery.
Kaos
Kaosists wield Kaos in as close to its wild form as they can while still bringing an element of predictability and repeatability. These Kaos powers straddle the line between Structured and Wild Kaos and bring greater inherent risk and uncertainty than those channeled by other Paths. However, the tradeoff that Kaosists happily accept is the potential to create and control even more powerful effects than followers of other Paths — assuming they don’t lose control and the Kaos doesn’t turn and retaliate against the caster.
Free of being filtered through aspects controlled by other practitioners, Kaos commands power over life and death, including in its purview the ability to heal and harm. Kaosists can also gain the ability to safely hold greater stores of the unpredictable energies within themselves, to channel these to craft powerful Kaos artifacts, open gates to connect far-flung locations, either for travel or to pass elemental energies through the passageways. The Kaosist’s connection to Kaos also allows them to detect and follow Kaos energies in the world, including an unerring sense of direction, as they always know where they are in relation to the Well.
Although Kaosists have the greatest control and command over this border between channeled and tethered, they don’t play in this space alone. Other Paths access and learn Kaos powers, though they require increased effort and cost, and do so at greater risk of calamity.
Kaosists risk destruction of mind, body, and soul through their tampering with barely restrained energies.
Channeling Structured Kaos
Characters can channel the Kaos surrounding them in structured forms known as the Wisdoms of Boh, Heliogy, Shykar, Transmutation, and Umbral. Using these Sorceries carries less risk than attempting to tether Wild Kaos, though any manipulation of Kaos has the potential to stir its Sorcery in undesired ways. Alchemists, Holies, Silhouettes, Farsighters, and Hunters all channel Kaos to manifest effects they’ve learned though experience and repetition.
If they meet the prerequisites, characters can gain new Sorceries during the Kalm.
To channel a Sorcery, players roll their character’s Skill + Attribute noted in the Sorcery’s prerequisites, adding the presence of any controlled Kaos objects or locations in within close range as Enhancement if the roll achieves at least one hit. The base difficulty for this roll is 1, and Complications may come via distracting environments, imminent threats, volatile Kaotic energies, the level of the strata on which the character is situated, or the character carrying injuries.
Kaos Wisdom
Wielding the Wisdom of Kaos follows the basic Sorcery mechanics as described previously, but the effort and concentration required means that Kaos Sorceries are always simple actions, and never reflexive, even where a Sorcery is classed as supplemental.
Unlike other Sorceries, the Kaos Wisdom doesn’t suffer Complications from the location’s Kaos level, instead gaining Enhancements from it.
If a non-Kaosist accesses the Kaos Wisdom, they can add no Enhancements, including from the environment.
Channeling Kaos, even with training and practice, is risky. The degree of severity by which Kaos Sorceries impact the caster can be greater than when casters funnel their Sorcery through other Wisdoms.
Sorceries
By channeling Kaos with will and wisdom, amazing magical effects are possible. Note that where Sorceries have a range of dots (such as Animate Corpse Minion, which ranges from • to ••••, each dot must be purchased separately, and they must be purchased in sequence). Though the Sorceries are divided into their Wisdom categories, some Sorceries are accessible to Callings not linked to their governing Wisdom, as per the prerequisites of each.
Boh
The Holy Wisdom of Boh concerns itself with healing, protection, blessings, and curses, the wielder’s devotion to their gods or philosophies granting strength of resolve. Strangely, Boh is the only Wisdom locked to a single Calling. This reality lends credence to the theory that Boh is not a product of Kaos, but of divine energies.
Chastise the Unholy (•••)
Wisdom: Boh Style: Supplemental
Prerequisites: Calling: Holy, Close Combat •••, Presence •••
Dice Pool: Close Combat + Might
This power allows the Holy to unleash divine vengeance on their enemies, ripping the flesh from their bones in a brutal display of righteous anger. The Holy makes a Close Combat attack against a target within close range who currently has the Branded Status Effect and is declared unholy. The target suffers 1 Injury and gains the Bleeding Status Effect.
Additional Tricks: Additional hits can be spent to increase the brutality of the blow. At a cost of 1 hit, the caster may add the Burning Status Effect to the target. The caster may also spend hits to purchase Melee Tricks or Universal Combat Tricks.
Flames of Judgment (••)
Wisdom: Boh Style: Supplemental
Prerequisites: Calling: Holy, Close Combat ••, Might •••
Dice Pool: Close Combat + Might
The Holy lashes out against their enemy with a fiery strike. The caster recites a prayer of condemnation and makes a Close Combat attack against a target within close range. If successful, the target gains the Burning Status Effect.
Additional Tricks: Additional hits can be spent to purchase Melee Tricks or Universal Combat Tricks.
Restore the Flesh (•••)
Wisdom: Boh Style: Simple
Prerequisites: Calling: Holy, Medicine •••, Composure ••
The Holy selects a target within close range who currently suffers from the Agony, Insensate, Branded, Burning, Liquified, Petrification, or Warped Status Effect, the caster perceives the cause of the Status Effect, and the fastest mundane means to resolve the Status Effect.
Additional Tricks: Additional hits can be spent to immediately end one identified Status Effect on the target at a cost of 2 hits per Status Effect resolved. The caster may also extend the effective range of this power by one range band per 2 hits spent on increasing the range.
Heliogy
The Farsighter Wisdom of Heliogy draws power all the way from the surface to the depths of the World Below, to grant divine insight and a druidic connection to the Vast Underneath.
Call Animal (•)
Wisdom: Heliogy Style: Simple
Prerequisites: Calling: Farsighter, Leadership ••, Presence ••; or Calling: Hunter, Survival ••, Manipulation ••; or Calling: Kaosist, Esoterica ••, Composure ••
The caster reaches out into the Kaos connecting all things and calls out for an animal to come to their aid. An animal using the Pest minion template arrives at the beginning of the caster’s next turn. The animal is friendly and follows the caster’s verbal instructions, acting on its own initiative. The animal remains until the end of the scene or until destroyed; whichever comes first. The caster may extend this duration by an additional scene by feeding the animal their blood, taking 1 Injury for each scene. If this effect’s duration is extended for a number of scenes equal to the animal’s desperation pool, the minion becomes hostile to the caster and their bondmates at the end of that scene. Otherwise, the animal runs away at the end of the story. Extending control in this fashion irritates the creature. While it remains obedient, the animal becomes aggressive, growling or nipping at the caster and their bondmates whenever not actively engaging another combatant.
Additional Tricks: Additional hits can be used to increase the minion template of the summoned animal. Each 2 hits spent in this fashion increases the template of the minion summoned by one step. The caster may also spend 2 hits to forge an unspoken bond with the creature. If they do, the animal gains the Branded Status Effect. While this effect persists, the animal follows unspoken commands and acts on its own initiative in the fashion dictated by the summoner.
Kaos
The wild and diverse Wisdom of Kaos is no true Wisdom. It’s the ability Kaosists call upon to channel that rawest of powers in the World Below: fundamental Kaos. The consequences for doing so can be dire. The vast majority of Kaos Sorceries utilize the Esoterica Skill.
Aegis (•)
Wisdom: Kaos Style: Supplemental
Prerequisites: Calling: Kaosist, Esoterica •, Resolve ••
Dice Pool: Esoterica + Resolve
One of the earliest effects a Kaosist learns is the art of channeling Kaos defensively. This Sorcery can be activated when using a defensive action, allowing the player to roll to purchase Defense Tricks as they mold ambient Kaos into protective forms, shields, or fields which appear with a dull indigo glow.
Additional Tricks: The caster can spend 1 hit to gain 1 dot of armor. The caster may also spend hits from this roll to purchase Defense Tricks. The wielder may spend 3 hits to add the Kaos Locked Status Effect. If purchased, the Kaos Locked Status Effect ends when the armor reaches 0 Health Levels or when the scene ends; whichever comes sooner.
Kaos Spear (•••)
Wisdom: Kaos Style: Simple
Prerequisites: Calling: Kaosist, Esoterica •••, Might ••••
With this Sorcery, the wielder summons a spear of raw Kaos in physical form. Flecks of every color of the rainbow dance along the spear’s length. The summoned spear is a weapon with the Reach tag. When the caster deals 1 Injury with this weapon, they may choose to inflict the Taxed Status Effect on the target. If they do, the Kaos Spear disappears.
Additional Tricks: Additional hits can be spent to add weapon tags to the Kaos Spear. The Brutal, Deadly, Piercing, and Versatile tags can be purchased for 1 hit each. For 2 hits, the caster can cause the spear to impart the Branded Status Effect when imparting the Taxed Status Effect on the target.
Umbral
The Silhouette Wisdom of Umbral empowers its casters’ desire to manipulate shadows, strike with deadly precision, and warp their own appearances to better disguise their motives.
Body of Sand (••••)
Wisdom: Umbral Style: Simple
Prerequisites: Calling: Kaosist, Esoterica •••, Dexterity •••; or; Calling: Silhouette, Athletics •••, Stamina •••
Upon activating this Sorcery, the caster gains the Liquified Status Effect for 2 rounds as their body transforms into a collection of animated grains of sand. This allows the Kaosist to squeeze through tight spaces, hide on a dirt floor, or avoid damaging effects.
Additional Tricks: The wielder may add rounds to the duration of this Sorcery at a rate of 1 round per hit. They may purchase the Kaos Locked Status Effect for 3 hits. If the caster has the Kaos Locked Status Effect already, they may spend 2 hits to add this Sorcery’s duration to the existing Kaos Locked Status Effect.
Shadow Wall (••••)
Wisdom: Umbral Style: Simple
Prerequisites: Calling: Silhouette, Larceny ••••, Resolve ••••
With this Sorcery, the wielder crystallizes the shadows in an area into a massive wall, large enough to surround everything within short range. The wall acts as heavy cover (10 Health), reaching up to a medium range height in an open cavern but stops when it contacts earth or stone in any direction, and has 2 armor to reflect its ability to withstand damage. Once reduced to 0 Health, the wall disappears. The wall can be placed anywhere within medium range of the caster or may be used to surround the caster and their companions within short range but is stationary once placed and remains until the end of the scene. The wielder may dismiss the wall at any time as a reflexive action, pulling the shadowy material into themselves and healing 1 Injury.
Additional Tricks: Additional hits from this roll may be spent to purchase armor tags for the wall, for 1 hit each. The caster may add the Kaos Locked Status Effect to the wall for 2 hits.
This is a tiny tiny excerpt from the Kaotic Sorcery chapter, which will be available to backers next Tuesday! If you haven't backed yet, join in and you'll have access to the entire draft manuscript before any pledges are processed or payments collected. We've released two sections so far, and have another three to go!
Plus backers can submit comments and questions in the Feedback Form, which will be used by editors and developers as they shepherd the manuscript through the next stages of editing and development!
Until then, let's continue to work our Kaos ritual and summon more and more backers to join our cause down in the deep!
#TheWorldBelow
