Stories From Both Sides Of The Red Desert

A Portrait of Lady D'Angelic

The King of California is pleased to announce his engagement to the Lady D'Angelica, the daughter of the Emerald Queen of the Queendom of Seattle. With this union, California will strengthen its position in the Americas. Your well wishes and prayers will be welcome on the day of their marriage, the Summer Solstice as a sign that the sun shall never set upon their conjoined kingdoms.

Scion/Demon

The red star 'Wormwood' continues to burn not only in the night skies, but now it burns even during the middle of the day. Reports flood in from both worlds of entire towns disappearing, monstrous children being born, animals screaming words of prophetic scripture, and other such disturbing events. Out of the east comes an army clothed in crimson, their leader called is The Vermillion Queen. Towns and cities are destroyed and depopulated in a flurry of violence and atrocities. Those who do not die in the ensuing battles are subjected to indescribable horrors before being put to the sword.

Vampires

With the red star and the chaos it has created, credible news is next to impossible to find. Through the the miasma comes a single tale, whose consistency across tellings lends credence to its claims. In the city of Carthage waves of twisted monsters are leaving the city to enslave mortals, bringing tens of thousands mortals to Carthage. Once within Carthage the mortals are placed in concentration camps to be food for their vampiric masters.

Werefolk

Pentex, the most hated name of Gaea’s trusted servants, has made itself known among the natural places in both the worlds of The Empire and Aunios. Forests are being razed, while men of a vile nature lay in wait to ambush the werefolk and kinfolk with silvered weapons and poison chemical bombs. Near the city of Temperance, the townfolk have just noticed plumes of smoke coming from the direction of the Joshua Forest. 

The Beings of Spirit and Numina

 

- Prometheus Industries' Handy Guide For Personal Enlightenment

Lexicon of Important Terms

Fractal – An individual who is part of a group of similar or identical identities that span across a single Universal Hyper-Sphere.

Wave-Form (Wave) – An individual who is part of a group of individuals with similar to disparate identities, these identities are linked across multiple Universal Hyper-Spheres. The nature of these links between these individuals is still a topic of research for Prometheus Industries.

World – A single universe or a single Earth, in the case of micro-universes.

Universal Hyper-Sphere – A four-dimensional sphere comprised of universes equally spaced from one another. From the perspective of each universe, that universe appears to be in the center of the sphere when viewed from a three-dimensional perspective. There are ten Universal Hyper-Spheres that comprise the entirety of the known multiverse.

Enlightenment – Enlightenment is a state of being that occurs when an individual (Fractal or Wave) integrates one or more of their identities with themselves. The means of integration can vary between individuals, it is best to consult your local psychopomp.

Psychopomp – An individual who guides others towards one of the three paths of Enlightenment.

List of Useful Narcotics

Can D – This drug dampens the links between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, causing vivid hallucinations. The hallucinations help 'resolve' SVP's (Sensory Void Phenomena) into non-detrimental stimuli.

Chew Z – A deliriant that afflicts users with hallucinatory flashbacks to pleasant past experiences. Temporary behavioral abnormality is exhibited while under the influence. The stupor it induces reduces the impact of SVP's (Sensory Void Phenomena).

JJ – 180 (Jay – Jay) – Crystalline narcotic substance with similar effects to barbiturates; when injected, causes a stuporous mental coma and involuntary stimulation of the user's motor functions and reflex system resulting in compulsive wandering. The stupor it induces reduces the impact of SVP's (Sensory Void Phenomena).

J – 3T (Jet) – A hallucinogenic drug typically dispensed as a powder to be ingested or snorted.The hallucinations help 'resolve' SVP's (Sensory Void Phenomena) into non-detrimental stimuli.

Train

Avatar: Jim

Form and Function: The train embodies complete order, enlightenment only through specific knowledge, and the immutability of the past. The train ferries its occupants to where they should be, rather than where they wish to be. Those that seek this path find themselves with too many choices or none at all.

Taxi

Avatar: Randy

Form and Function: The taxi embodies balance, enlightenment through guided personal experience, and the mutability of the present (within reason). The taxi ferries its occupants to where they want to be, eventually, though they may take the passengers to a few other places first. Those that seek this path know their final destination, though not the steps needed to reach it.

Alleyway

Avatar: Robert

Form and Function: The alleyway embodies complete freedom, personal enlightenment, and the power to completely shape the future. The alleyway can take the traveler anywhere they wish, as long as they know path to get there. Those that seek this path know where they wish to go and how to get there.

Ferried by a swarm of insects, their sonorous drone alerting everyone in the area, a red crystal skull is dropped in front of Adam's manse. When approached by anyone from the party the skull lights up with a deep crimson light, and with the light comes a message: “ You have called, thus I answer. Sundown tomorrow evening one mile beyond the last home on southern tip of the town. If you do not meet me at that time, I will burn down Temperance.” At the end of its message the skull explodes into dozens of crystal insects that fly away.

 These pictures were taken within the tower. She states that she found the 'control room' through a door in the 'lobby', all of the meters appeared to be functioning. According to Hedwig, her hand was able to enter the courtyard that held the tower through a corner of an alley. She states that once the hand entered the courtyard, time began to proceed at different rates with time moving faster inside. She wants to talk to the party about the other things she experienced.

Demon Relic Spear

This spear measures 6 ½ ft in length, weighing roughly ten pounds. It appears to be made of some sort of semi-transparent crimson glass, though it is more resilient than the strongest steel. The spear is capable of firing a concentrated blast of divine/demonic wrath. These spears were commonly carried by rank and file infantry soldiers during the Great War.

System: Spend one Faith Point (or 1 Willpower if not a demon/angel) and roll Dexterity + Athletics (diff. 6). The character may target any individual or object within a range in yards equal to her Faith score (Or permanent Willpower if not a demon/angel). Every success generated by the roll inflicts one level of aggravated damage.

Melee:

Damage: Str + 3L

Difficulty: 6

Notes: Requires two hands to wield properly. If you wish to wield it one handed, the weapon difficulty increases to 7.

In Progress – The party has begun investigating the mystery.

Open – The party has yet to look into this event.

The Judge – A bald, insane giant has been terrorizing the town at the behest of Ol' King Cole. Who will stop the madness? - In Progress

The Sphere – The great sphere in the desert is said to be an observatory as well as a means of transportation. What other secrets does this strange monument hold? - In Progress

The Tower – A gigantic tower has been glimpsed at the center of the city. Hedwig has used some of her machine abilities to explore the structure. What did she find? - In Progress

The Tale of Two Countries – Representatives from The Democratic Cleromarchy of Nevada and The Meritocracy of Tijuana have come to Temperance in order draw it into the fold. With a town full or lonely miners, which will they choose? In progress

The Alleyway to The Temple – A dead end alley actually ends in a dimensional portal to a strange temple devoted to a goddess. It's head priestess devotes herself to freeing prostitutes and other women from their plights. What secrets does this ruined temple hold? In Progress

The Created Creator – Evidence and testimony sugguests that The Father is just the creation of an even larger being. Angels have been exiled for knowing too much, and further acts of barbarism continue in His name. What further horrors are in store? In Progress

The Exiled and Unwanted – Seven different sentient species are congregating outside of the town in the Shadow Realm. They state that their worlds were destroyed by fire from the sky. Will your world be next? In Progress

Glimpsed from the corners of eyes, or split second apparitions, a tower looms from the center of Temperance. The sightings never last more than an instant, but the immensity of the tower is immediately apparent. Easily 800 feet tall, it always appears to be nested within the center of the city. Only the strange and unique seem to catch these sightings of the monolithic structure in the distance, yet none have visited; perhaps those who have are remaining silent for their own reasons.

This government is ruled through a house of representatives who's representatives are chosen first through tests then through popular votes. All possible candidates from the various states are first given civil service aptitude tests based on resource management and economic theory. Those with the top 5 scores are then put on the ballot for the people to choose from. Representative Xavier Quesnay has been sent to see if Temperance would like to join the Meritocracy of Tijuana. 

This government is ruled through a combination of chance and democracy. The people choose representatives who cast lots or use cards to determine the final outcome of a vote. Those who have the majority of votes receive the best odds, with fate deciding the final outcome. Representatives are chosen through votes to decide who gets the best odds, with the final say being given to chance and the skill of the gamblers. Representatives gamble amongst themselves for the rights to particular laws, usually the rights belong first to the representative who introduced the law to the house of representatives. Those that own the rights receive a percentage of the fines and fees take from violators. Naturally gambling plays an integral part in the Cleromarchy's culture, with games of chance being given even religious significance. Two representatives have been sent to see if the small country of Temperance would like to join them: Cleromarch Vance Aldones and Cleromarch Cassilda Carcosa. 

It has been two weeks since the battle for independence and two major events have occurred in the intervening days:

Thorny vines now wind through the empty spaces between buildings as well as invade once placid gardens and parks. The vines sprout fragrant black roses, that draw the eye as well as the nose. Unfortunately, the flowers as well as their thorns are poisonous to the extreme. Those that consume the buds or are injured by the thorns experience a host of symptoms: fever, chills, profuse sweating, erratic heartbeat, and vomiting. If Chelation agents are not administered within the first 12 hours of exposure, death is a likelihood. 

The previous night a number of falling stars were seen to streak through the sky and impact within miles of the town. Those who witnessed the event have stated that the falling streaks of light were humanoid in shape. Witnesses have stated that they have seen a number of men and women wandering through the desert without aim, nude and lightly injured.