Version 3.

Rime Lore Contents

Introduction to Rime ........................................ Page 4 Time and Orbit ................................................ Page 4-7 Orbit Seasons Time The Calendar Continents: ...................................................... Page 7-9 Sovreignous The Scarred Lands The Statuary Glascan Summit Iceplane Sovreignous Provinces: ................................... Page 10-13 Everlast Woods Divines Reserve Norvask Haven The Leylands The Ivory Reach Sky-Climb Mountains The Dry Divide Scarred Lands Regions: .................................. Page 13-16 Red Dust Run The Sea of Stone The Deeprift Coldhaunch The Steambreach Left-Claw Right-Claw The Ebon Stand The Fangs of Rime Cities and Places of Interest.................................. Page 16-25 Sanctus Whitehowl Valleys End New Preciphillie The Ruins of Preciphillie Haven Wildlife Park Yehoven Palthgar Core The Leyhalls Lockdown Northlight DremLok The Hunts The Mother Den The Trial Rise Veins of The Lifebringer

Races: ................................................................... Page 26-38 Humans Fenrye (Gnolls) Vermus Ley-Risen (Risen) The Formless Skitaxie Cheydao The Immortals (The Dragon Knights) Life on Rime.........................................................Page 38- 64 Under-population Survival Routine Economy Transport and Travelling Education Equality Crime, Law and Order Provisions Stones, Metals and other Materials Technology, Weaponry, Research and Development Healthcare and Poisons Traditions and Holidays Media and Entertainment Politics Relationships and Sexuality Plants: ............................................................... Page Honeysweets Rotswells Vayli Pods Crimberries Pepberries Taepah Rustoak Blossomers Shatterers Blue Dash Grey Rise Wild Parket Pollup Fraygray Cleanweed Thraybell Blinker Milkstem Arkan Fruit Easer Tran-quill Bale Root (Poison Use) Witherack (Drug Use) Popshrooms (Drug Use) Jerryrig (Drug Use) Histax (Drug Use)

Animals ........................................................ Page Sleeper Skald Vizeer Quartza Dream Toad Sledder Obsidian Crawler Zoec Skathe Abyssei Loomer Quilk Vampire Syse Clubber Squill Bekapi Dragon Pinestrider Reicher Kyne Hopflop Thermotus Tuft Crab Swarmander Wyte Dweller Crab Ivorn Presider Moko Serephin Nimbeep Deadtropede Cazak Jurnice Moss Moose Saberl Vex-Eye Bask Collector Ursoroc Sryke Snapper Kleptho Yi Surelock Krondor Rainbowfin Torruto Quish Serpyr Skullok Black Watershadow Starl Salvelinus Cold World Warblers Pucks Ember Shrikes Gleam Guppies Great Pectus Clockwork Owl Berry Beetle Droeba Mimicect Dorcie Sleight Spider Dectopus Woolorth Serrate Breach Whale Giggoth Scim Hog Whale Squid (Kraken) Armadro Colossal Depth Maw (Leviathan) Factions and Groups ................................................. Page Wolfbane Pact Bandits The Beyond Wranglers The Faithful The Sightless Inquisition The Leyborn The Palecallers Biolifters The Wicker Witches The Drelalti ForgeWorks Mechanical Empathy Hunters Den Watchers The Reth Fakree (The Packless Ones) The Dancing Dusk The Gracing Dawn The Equalisers The Afflicted The Recollectors The Lorebringers

Important Names and Individuals ................................................... Page King Hearken Murran High General Alexandros Leonine (General Wolfbane.) Lorebringer Alpha Ashwake. Lorebringer Huntmaster Chillsire. Lorebringer Cassidy Scorne. Lorebringer Equili Brium Morgarth Farl. Lorebringer Gray Koramas. Lorebringer King Rorik Murran. Whitefang. Lorebringer Raphael Bladesinger. Lorebringer The Divines...................................................................................Page Luma Hyde Glace Nox Korl Driff Matern The Ley..........................................................................................Page The Leyweave Leylines Pyro Hydro Geo Aero Cryo Bio Necro Leylords Ghosts and The Pale......................................................................Page The Pale Spirits Echoes Vengers Omens Important Historical Events..............................................................Page The Planetary Shift Unknown DL The Disappearance of the Lysus Unknown DL The Divine Intervention 0LW The Faith War 160LW to 200LW The Birth of The Fenrye - 200LW The Necroley War 407LW to 409LW Foundation of Sanctus and The Wranglers 413LW The Leyborn Act and The Watchful Councils Formation- 432LW The Leyhalls Construction- 496LW Norvask Independence- 572LW The Rise of the Formless 600LW The Ashen Unity 618LW King Rells Capture- 635 LW The First Hunt 718LW Ink the Starls Ascension 747LW The Bloodmoon Era (Current) 777LW

Rime Lore Introduction You know that phrase people use when they express how unlikely something is? When Hell Freezes Over, thats what they say. Sure, Johnny, you can take me to the dance, when hell freezes over. Charming, I know... But heres the beauty of it. Looks like a lot of bold individuals will be doing a lot of unlikely things... because Hell has frozen over... In fact, hell freezes over farl damn year. Trust me... Weve all seen it Rime... Thats the name of this world. Appropriate, yes? Just to clarify, thats Rime, the kind of ice, not Rhyme, the use of poetic sound similarity. Rime has a minor elliptic orbit, according to the scientists that live in the biggest houses in the biggest cities. Thats the name given to worlds that, during their hasty trip around the systems star, they have a slight gravitational slingshot irregularity... Now I mean SLIGHT, here. The planet remains... hospitable, just about... but for half of our year, were further from the sun, and the oceans become solid. Harsh conditions sire a harsh learning environment. In a world where plants often struggle to grow, a fierce bunch of predators out there will happily chow you down just to preserve their own existence. If the cold and the local fauna dont kill you, then we have a fine selection of bandits and murderous cults who fend for themselves by making sure others cant fend for themselves... And then theres the war between the monsters that live across the sea; the Fenrye. Every full moon heralds an attack, somehow, somewhere. Our forces are spread thin to keep everything in check and preserving the faint illusion of safety and peace... Not the mention the ley, the rogue gods, the Formless, the Wranglers... Its not a question of being afraid or not anymore... its simply a matter of choosing which things scare you most. How do we survive? The same way anything survives in extreme conditions: We adapt, we evolve. We use our brains and our bodies. We fight and we flee, we learn of our threats and we strategise. Or at least, we try. Theres been so much conflict, so much blood, that right now, there aint even that many of us left. Were living on a continent that could support eighty million of us, and yet theres less than two million. Whole towns empty, whole villages taken over by scavengers and criminals. Were hanging on by our fingers while everything else stomps at them with plated boots, and were doing our best not to let go. Time and Orbit Orbit At some point in its shrouded past, an event occurred on Rimes surface, causing it to veer off from its regular circular orbit. Rime has a slightly elliptic orbit. In other words, its annual path is oval shaped, carrying the world further from the sun during one half and closer during the second. It is a constant state of minor slingshot motion. Rime takes three hundred and fifty four days to complete a single orbit, fifty percent of which the world is frozen due to its distance from the sun. All life on Rime revolves around surviving these one hundred and seventy seven days of frozen winds and deadly cold.

The Seasons Lumina Lumina is the two months of the year in which Rime is closest to the sun. The world heats rapidly due to the ellipsoid orbit during Thaw, and by the time it has reached Lumina, it remains fairly level as it reaches the centre point of the orbit and then begins to move away again. Lumina is sunny and warm with occasional showers and storms. During Lumina, the landmass of Rime is significantly lesser than it would be in the colder seasons due to the lack of ice. Temperatures average in at about twenty two to twenty five degrees centigrade and the continent of Sovreignous blooms with short life flowers with incredibly vibrant colours in order to attract insects and spread their pollen as fast as possible before the snow returns. Similarly, many of the flowers give off a strong fragrance, giving whole continents a perfumery scent. Many insects and creatures come out during Lumina that are dormant throughout the rest of the year. Kyne are the most famous creatures to appear during the season. On the other hand, sleepers go to hibernate during the warmest months, making many of the forests a much safer place to be. With the more hospitable weather, and a lack of certain dangerous creatures, Lumina is the safest and most pleasant season of the year. Glaze Glaze is the name given to the season consisting of the two months in which Rime resumes its departure from the suns graceful warmth. In Glaze, the water evaporated during Lumina falls again as freezing rain, hail and snow which blankets most of the world. The waters of rivers and oceans alike begin to freeze. Temperatures drop from 20 degrees to -15 degrees in just sixty days. The sleepers awaken, jurnice babies are born and many animals begin their cycles of adaptation in order to survive the cold of Glacenox. Glacenox Glacenox, named after the gods of ice and death to translate to The Cold Dark is the longest season of the year. Rimes ellipsoid orbit takes the world far from the sun in a long circular bend. For six months, the world is frozen and the light is faded. Temperatures plummet from -15 degrees to -35 to -50 degrees. The snow from Glaze remains, reflecting what little heat arrives back out of the atmosphere, and many predators find their prime in the treacherous conditions. During Glacenox, there is actually very little rainfall or snowfall, but biting winds can kick the snow up, especially in the flatter areas of Rime, causing large and dangerous blizzards. During Glacenox, The Faithful depart on an icebreaking ship to light the fires of Northlight. Glacenox is a difficult part of the year for anything to live through, be it animal, humanoid or plant, but every single living creature on Rimes life is built around adapting in order to endure the Cold Dark. Thaw Thaw is the two months in which Glacenox fades and Rime begins its approach to the sun once again. While Glacenox is the hardest to endure simply due to the amount of time it lasts, Thaw is

actually the most destructive season. The rapid increase in temperature from -15 degrees back towards 15-20 degrees causes the snow to rapidly melt and a wave of inconsistent moisture to enter the atmosphere. With the dramatic change in humidity, Thaw will always yield terrible storms, some of which can utterly destroy entire crop fields and even injure or kill people with bolts of lightning striking suits of armour and metal tools/weapons. These storms occur globally, although are significantly less dangerous over the dryer areas of Rime. The Time The races of Sovreignous use a numeric chronological system originally founded by the vermus. Its a relatively new system and a lot of people were perfectly happy just guessing what the time was before, but they eventually yielded to the concept of hours and minutes in a day with the invention of clocks. Saying this, however, clocks are actually still exceedingly rare and only made use of by eccentric bell tower keepers called chrono-masters. For most in Sovreignous, the time of day is a matter of shadows and guesswork, although thanks to the vermus, their guesses are now in numeric form. Every day is broken into four quarters; Dawn, Midday, Dusk and Night, and these quarters are signalled by bell towers in most settlements. The ringing of the bells will change as the year goes on and as the temperature rises and falls. During Glacenox, the bell for Dusk and Night is rung much earlier, signalling its time to get home to the warmth before you freeze. The year has been recorded in such a way since The Immortals departed following the Faith Wars end. It was crucial that everyone knew when Glacenox would start and end, so the year was divided up into seven sections, each containing a certain amount of days and nights. Glacenox is both a season and a yearly section, containing one hundred and seventy seven days. The other six sections are divided up, but have a culmination of one hundred and seventy seven days as well. Three sections contain twenty nine days and three contain thirty. In the current year, for example, the date would be 56th Glacenox 777LW LW means leywoven, and these two letters have been placed at the end of the year ever since The Divines first appeared and ushered in recorded history. While Glacenox is considered a month, a month is also a unit of time, measuring to twenty nine or thirty days. A week is unit of time translating to seven days. A week has no other significance, as the days are not named, only numbered. The fenryes time system is much simpler. They acknowledge the coming and going of Glacenox based on the light of the day. Their months are based entirely on lunar cycles. A month has no predetermined amount of days; instead, the fenrye merely keep an eye on the moons activity, predict a full moon several days in advance and then start a brand new lunar cycle. This event is called a bloodmoon, and is also when the fenrye launch their attacks. Mostly full moons only occur once a month, but if the full moon is very early in the month, there can be another before it ends. A full moon usually takes from 27-29 days to come around again. Fenrye do not keep track of the year in the way humans do. When a new bloodmoon passes, they simply refer to it as The 553rd cycle replacing that number with the appropriate one. Days are called moons, and a new day starts when the sun rises. For example, the fifth day following the fortieth full moon would be called The 5th moon of the 40th cycle

The Calendar The months, or sections, of the human calendar go in this order: Hyus 29 days. Thaw begins. Driffury 30 days. Thaw fades. Blossom 29 days. Lumina begins. Lumos 30 days. Lumina fades. Kormag 29 days. Glaze begins. Cryosis 30 days. Glaze fades. Glacenox 177 days. Glacenox rules.

Continents Sovreignous If one were to divide the world into chaos and peace, Sovreignous would be the land of peace. Although nothing is this black and white, Sovreignous inhabitants have managed to successfully find a healthy balance with each other and the beasts they share the land with. Roughly fifty percent of the land is covered by vegetation and forests while the deserts and mountains consume the rest of the space. Primary home of the humans and adopted home of the vermus, Sovreignous is named as such to symbolise its ruling kingdom. The west is home to Sanctus, the human capital and the one true bastion of civilised and progressively developing culture. Sanctus sits within Rimes largest known forest; The Everlast Woods. The Everlast Woods neighbours the walled in province known as Divines Reserve. To the north, in Norvask, seclusion and harsh conditions have driven the residents to mild savagery. The centre is home to the salt flats of the Dry Divide. Southeast of the Divide is Haven, the mysterious province locked in perpetual Lumina by some unseen force. From Havens southern coast, one can make out the fabled Leylands, the island in which Leyborn are brought to in order to avoid contact with population centres. Beyond the eastern coast, the island of Quarantine sits. Mostly the east is mountainous, with The Sky Climb Mountains to the southeast, and The Ivory Reach to the northeast. The beasts of Sovreignous are varied. Some are dangerous, such as the Sleeper, which are large enough to prey on humans while other creatures are more docile, such as the tameable Woolorths and an assortment of small birds. Sovreignous is healthier than its neighbour continents, and has also been home to civilisation for the longest amount of time. The Scarred Lands Across the ocean from Sovreignous are the rocky, inhospitable planes of The Scarred Lands. Home to the Fenrye, and a shocking number of vicious and dangerous beasts, The Scarred Lands is in a constant state of conflict and struggles for survival. Trees only dot the landscape, as most of it is unsuitable for plant life to grow. Only the most tenacious of flora can sprout through the stone and dust. The beasts are as vicious as the Fenrye. In a land which balance is constantly swayed through bloodshed, the creatures have evolved to be bigger, badder and more dangerous than others in order to force their way higher on the food chain. In a land with a certain lack of vegetation, there is a lack of herbivores, which means anything, or anyone is a potential meal.

The Fenrye are a species which revolve around domination, strength and survival of the fittest. Skirmishes and occasional full blown wars have scarred the ground in every conceivable way, hence the name The Scarred Lands. The centre is home to Whitehowl, the primary Fenrye capital and invasion point docks called Hunts are on each corner of the continent, allowing the Fenrye to dispatch from any point and keep their attack pattern completely irregular. Volcanic activity, mainly in the south, has created a number of fissures, steam pools and igneous stone formations following eruptions. While most volcanoes lie dormant now, The Trial Rise, the tallest mountain of Rime and largest volcano, still smoulders away twenty four seven, the ash cloud it billows forth visible for miles around. Whitehowl sits centred within The Red Dust Run, a sanguine sandy region. South of the run looms The Fangs of Rime, Rimes largest mountain range. Beyond them to the south, the volcanic activity has created The Steambreach, which neighbours the freezing cold region of Coldhaunch, which brushes elbows with Iceplane. To the northwest and south west are the Left Claw and The Right Claw, two cliffy regions with similar structure but vastly different ecosystems. To the North, beyond the gigantic chasm known as the Deeprift (formed, assumedly by natural flowing water currents), and the Sea of Stone, region filled with weathered and eroded boulders and monolithic structures, is a second Fenrye capital, called Dremlok. There is also a single small island off the northern coast, known as The Ebon Stand. The Statuary Back when the leylines were first woven into the land, there was an initial burst of energy in a few localised areas which caused pulses of water, fire and air. No one was hurt in these events, but the largest one occurred on a small continent in the frozen north. A high concentration of bioley lines beneath the soil of the land reacted aggressively with one another as they were forged, causing an eruption of creation itself. An entire jungle sprung forth from the glazed soil overnight. Bizarre and spontaneous creatures, pieced together by the unbridled energies, climbed up into the world and the natives became infused with Materns powers. When the immortals influence faded after the Faith War, the power of the biolines waned and faded. Glacenox returned and the forest and nearly everything that walked within it froze with remarkable speed. The Climate Jungle was renamed to the Statuary, and those walking through it can see the jungle preserved and captured just as it was, only through fogged glass. A few temples and ruins of the surface dwelling natives can be found between the frozen trees and vines, but very little life exists there now. The Cheydao, the native race of the Statuary, moved below ground once the surface became uninhabitable and made a subterranean cave-city, which they named Veins of the Lifebringer. Every living resident of The Statuary has been either altered or created by the ley, and each species has many mutated variants, including the Cheydao. Glascan Glascan is a smaller, flatter northern tundra continent with very few distinguishable features. It has a human presence with a unique culture in addition to it being a pass-through point for pilgrims from Sovreignous, and its also served as a popular destination for criminals on the run to hide at. It

served as a deployment point during the necroley war for a detachment of Farls warriors with intent to destroy the Northlight tower. Glascan was where the war finally ended when Vermus and Human soldiers ambushed the necroley settlement which was constructed there. Glascan is mostly composed of shrubs with scattered vegetation, although there is some volcanic activity that has produced pleasant hot pools that many animals enjoy. Glascadians are sturdy and adapted individuals. They are well known for their resilience to the cold and being able to drink most folk under the table. Their diets are usually quite fatty, so not all a lot of them arent in the best of shape. Glascadian towns are composed of small rounded buildings made mostly from river mud bricks. They try to position these towns near rivers so they can fish and ice fish whenever they need to. Glascan is home to a number of wild mammals, mostly herbivores which feed on the shrubs and lichen, but there are also fish and crab eaters that roam the coast. Perhaps the most notable of the roaming creatures are the bekapi, which travel in herds large enough to seemingly shake the ground. Some Glascan mammals are hexapods, walking with six legs. The six legged structure is somewhat unique to Glascans ecosystem, but there are some others in The Scarred Lands. Summit Summit named so due to its location at the top of the world. Summit is a barren, flat, frozen wasteland with a solid layer of ice, sometimes up to five miles thick in areas. The region is rich in natural resources which lie untapped below the nearly indestructible crust. The humans desire to harvest the mineral and fuel deposits surpasses those of the Fenrye, who have little need for it. The most distinguishing feature of Summit is the pilgrims lighthouse tower, Northlight, which sits over the northern pole at the highest point in the world. The only hunted animals that live in Summit dwell around the coasts where they feast on a plentiful supply of fish. People speak in whispers of enormous beasts that roam the wastes, however, beasts that old dominion over the entire continent. The people call them The Presiders.

Iceplane Iceplane is assumed to be the literal polar opposite to Summit, and has a minor Fenrye presence due to the Bone Bridge which links Iceplane to the Scarred Lands. While the glacier ice can be incredibly thick in places, Iceplane has a large number of deceptively thin sheets covering deep hollows in the ice. These hollows are all linked to a network of burrowed tunnels dug out by the fierce hive insectoid creatures known as Snow Serephins. The Fenrye occasionally hunt them for sport, despite the high mortality rate of these games. The Serephins have devoured every single surface dwelling creature, making Iceplane the most seemingly lifeless place on the planet, despite the fact it is in fact, one of the most inhabited. During the Necroley War, Iceplane was assaulted by Farls forces and the Southlight Tower was destroyed. It was never rebuilt, and remains a shattered husk to this day. Iceplane has an unnaturally thick field of clouds that block the suns rays all year round, making it incredibly cold and inhospitable. The continent has never been fully mapped or explored.

Sovreignous Provinces Everlast Woods Everlast Woods is a quaint forest, famous for the vibrant transitions of colour during the dramatic seasonal shifts. Sanctus, the human capital, is positioned in the southern end of the forest, making it the Everlast Woods the most populated region in Sovreignous. Roads weave through the woods, connecting a number of villages and towns with varying size. Everlast is widely considered the most tenacious region in the world, due to its ability to sustain a wide array of life in the harshest conditions (Hence the name). The most dangerous creature that dwells between the trees is the hibernal lumbering Sleeper, while other more harmless creatures appear at different times of the year. A notable species that appears in many pieces of human and vermus lore is the Kyne, a wispy, docile floating creature that appears during Lumina with a lifespan of just three days. The people of The Everlast Woods are known for being rural, a little wild, badly educated and favouring the wrong side of the law. There are many exceptions to this rule, as it is just a simple stereotype. They are country folk though, and have a distinctive accent which makes nobles turn their noses away in disgust. Divines Reserve As the last true bastion of the worlds Faithful, The Divines Reserve serves as a dispatch point for pilgrims and a place of peace and worship. The capital of the region, named Chapel, has churches to every single Immortal responsible for forging the leylines. Leyborn occasionally seek refuge within Divines Reserve, as they are considered gifts from the Gods and are fiercely protected by the more aggressive Faithful. Divines Reserve is surrounded by a wooden wall named The Draconian Wall to keep out Wranglers, but it has so far proved to be fairly ineffective to their expertise and skills. There is also a harbour called Lumas Beckon, which is used as a set-sail point for Pilgrims wishing to travel to Glascan and reach Northlight. The Divines Reserve contains many other smaller towns as well, in addition to small forests, lakes, farmlands and a small vermus sanctuary. It is a nice place to live, but the religious belief is recommended to avoid persecution. Norvask Norvask is a cold, lightly forested land in the north. Over the years it has become secluded from the civilised ways of Sanctus humans due to severed trade routes and paranoia from the monarchs. This has made the denizens of Norvask adopt a harsher, survivalist culture. While the land is far from war ravaged, its common to see bandits and vigilantes facing off with one another and one cant walk into a tavern without expecting a good brawl. Novaskans do not take kindly to strangers and have developed a fairly strong territorial attitude. While Norvask is not totally lawless, the rules are a lot looser than they are in Sanctus, or indeed

anywhere else on the continent. There are no trials or lawyers and the concept of an eye for an eye is considered social protocol. Reasonless assault and murder is not tolerated, and is dealt with swiftly and lethally. Wild Woolorths roam the grassy plains between the forests which are used as mounts for the humans. Woolorths provide a reason for humans of the civil lands to travel to Norvask, as they are worth a lot of money if captured and broken in. Another reason is to attend Norvasks Proving events; combat and agility testing tournaments with prestigious title rewards and healthy cash prizes. The capital of Norvask is called Valleys End. Haven The mysterious region of Haven is a lush, grassy area with glades and lakes and beautiful flowery clearings dotted throughout. The most striking thing about Haven is its weather. As if affected by some sort of localised power, Haven is always warm. It is in a permanent state of Lumina, which attracts sapients from all over the continent. The paradise is a popular holiday destination, if you can ignore the Wranglers roaming around, desperately trying to locate the source of the unnatural pleasantness. Haven is the home of many animals. As with The Everlast Woods, Kyne also glide through the region. The difference is, in Haven, they are a lot larger and live for seven days at a time. Haven used to be known as The Fields of Old until its unnatural transformation in 735 LW. Technically, Haven is recently founded. Before the perpetual Lumina took over, The Fields of Old were quite barren and boring. The only points of interest were the great tree and a few towns. Yehoven was thought to be dead, standing in The Fields with stripped branches and no signs of growth. Despite its pleasant ambience and highly desirable unnatural warmth, Haven harbours a strong military presence. The place is controlled at the boarders to stop people flooding in and overcrowding, and boarder control forces will charge hefty sums for anyone wishing to make a home there. Since the fixed state of Lumina is almost certainly the result of an unseen ley force, Haven is considered highly suspect and dangerous by The Wolfbane Pact, but not really by anyone else. Haven has several small and very expensive settlements dotted around, some of which are more holiday resorts than anything else. The civilian capital sits within a beautiful clearing in a ring-shaped forest. Named Glade, the town sits around the trunk of one of Rimes largest trees, visible for miles around. The residents call the tree Yehovon, an ancient word that translates into Bloodline, or more relevantly; The Family Tree. It is unknown how it grew, but it is possible it has something to do with Havens seasonal stillness. Since Havens transformation, however, Yehoven has pulled herself back seemingly from the grave, and blossoms once again. Another point of interest in Haven is the mysterious town of Seclude, and the famous Haven Wildlife Park. The reserve is a zoo-like attraction with animals kept in healthy conditions from all over the world, including The Scarred Lands. Leyland The small island off the coast of Haven known as Leyland (Or sometimes The Leylands) is where all nearly all captured leyborn are sent to in order to prevent their powers being exposed to the general populace. A single, large town, named Manceweave, is where all the leyborn live, under the vigilant

and constant watch of Wrangler guards. The Leyhalls is where they are trained, usually for military purposes. More and more leyborn are being forced into the army with morale and standard soldiers at an all-time low due to the Beast War. Leyland rarely gets the worst of Glacenoxs cold. The area is quite pleasant with many plants, some unique to the island. Pyroborn are often recruited to keep the Leylands warm at all times of the year, and aeroborn are employed to fight off blizzards to keep the snow from settling upon the land. The Leylands have very few animals, mostly just hopflops and a few species of warbler. Some new species are occasionally introduced so they can eventually become part of the Ley-Risen project. The Leyhalls are also Sovreignouss main source of ley-based technology and advances. The Ley-risen are all made within The Leyhalls, as are some pieces of equipment with ley infusions. The Ivory Reach The slowly ascending mountainous area of The Ivory Reach is considered an extension of Norvask on some maps, and its very own region on others. At the peak of the Reachs highest mountain is the near mythical secluded fortress of Palthgar, the supposed home of the legendary Palecallers. The Ivory Reach gains its name from the thick layer of snow that covers most of the mountain stone. The region itself is fairly safe, with only the cold and the biting winds providing a sure threat. People have been known to disappear from the Reach, however. Wildlife experts have located tracks of an unidentified species but have no information about them. They call them the Ivorn. A winding and treacherous mountain path weaves through the entire region like a snake. The path is often ravaged by strong winds, small avalanches and rockslides. This path leads all the way up to Palthgar, starting at the rear end of Shadowfell, a Norvaskan village. Sky-Climb Mountains The second largest mountain range on Rime (after The Fangs of Rime), The Sky-Climb Mountains are the most unexplored and therefore, most unknown region of the land. The mountains are dangerous and steep, unable to scale without the recent developments in technology. They have a bladed appearance from a distance which makes them intimidating. The caves between the natural towers and in the various valleys are home to Loomers, a giant humanoid race with an attack on sight psychology. Unknown to the humans, a Fenrye camp, known as Rethgor in their tongue, is nestled deep in the mountains. The Packless Fenrye have lost their right to fight the humans for some reason or another, so they remain in exile in this settlement. The Dry Divide The lifeless salt flats of the Dry Divide rose up from the ocean overnight in 600 LW with the aid of the unfathomable power of The Formless. The monolithic Formless citadel, Core, is positioned exactly in the Divides centre. As it is a recent addition to the world, no beasts have evolved to survive within the Divide, so it remains lifeless and untouched, indented only by the bee-line like tracks of the machine-like Formless. When the Divide ascended, an island based city called Preciphillie was destroyed by mass floods, and most of its population were killed. The ruins of Preciphillie now act as a staging ground for

marauders and bandits. The Ruins of Preciphillie is infamous for its enormous arena coliseum crudely constructed by its new residents. The survivors of the disaster founded New Preciphillie, which is south of Core and the ruins. A human settlement, called Outstretch, was established thirty years after the Divide rose from the ocean. Its mainly used to house researchers and scientists who work restlessly to figure out the purpose and reasoning behind the Formless actions. Quarantine The island off the eastern coast previously known as The Treyland Isle has since been locked down and renamed after a contagious disease swept across it. Quarantine is a military locked down island with a few thousand residents, all of which are infected with a tenacious leyborn strain of the common cold virus. The Afflicted are not in a state of crippling sickness, and most of them have lived with the illness for a long time without much fuss. They occasionally have episodes in which the virus manifests through its leytype and causes problems. A man can sneeze and cough up fire, for example, likely severely damaging his throat. The strain often claims lives in the end, and so the illness has been contained on the island with no access in or out, other than highly defended and sterile supply ships. The Afflicteds minds have been warped ever so slightly by the leyborn virus. They feel compelled to spread the illness to anyone who isnt infected. While frantically trying to spread their sickness, however, they often accidently (but savagely) kill the people they are after. For this reason, Quarantine is covered in mesh fence tunnels and armoured bunkers to prevent contact with the roaming habitants. The capital of Quarantine is a large prison block-like building made of cast iron and stone, named Lockdown. Lockdown not only serves to contain rampaging afflicted, but also doubles up as Sovreignouss highest security prison. The water dividing Quarantine from the mainland is infested with all sorts of nasty things, including developing abyssei moving from the Eternal Flow lake to the sea.

The Scarred Lands Regions Red Dust Run Tinted a deep sanguine by the minerals and sandstone in the area, The Red Dust Run is almost completely barren with just a number of shrubs and spinney plants that litter the landscape. Mesas and intricately and naturally designed arches and stone structures can be seen dotted around, all as red as the ground they loom over. The region is frequently ravaged by dust storms known to the Fenrye as bloodblinds. Whitehowl sits roughly in the centre of the Red Dust Run, visible for miles around due to its towering lupine statues. A few Fenrye settlements are placed tactically around the Run to ensure it can be defended if needed. The Fenrye share the Red Dust Run with a number of animals, most of which are large

enough to kill them. Gigantic arthropod creatures called Deadtropedes skitter about and large, quadrupedal scaly carnivores with deadly quills known as Cazak gallop through the region. The Sea of Stone The Sea of Stone is a fairly flat region gaining its name from the fascinating rock formations that stretch for miles around. Tall needles and pillars with stones balanced delicately on top, enormous and tiny archways and stacked towers are just a few of the things you pass by when walking through the region. Some of the designs of the stone structures are advanced enough to bring into question the whereabouts of their origin. Its still unknown whether the rocks naturally weathered away over time due to the strong winds or if some sort of intelligent force was and potentially is still at work. The Sea of Stone is the only other place in the world other than Iceplane to be infested with the Serephins, a different breed called Stone Serephins. They live below the surface in a tunnel hive and set pitfall traps for prey, making The Sea of Stone a dangerous place to be.

The Deeprift The Deeprift is the largest canyon on Rime, home to the widest river on Rime. It almost completely sunders The Scarred Lands in two, dividing the northern part of the continent from the southern. It stretches from east to west, deep enough for sea water to pass through one end and flow through the entirety. A number of flimsy, rickety rope bridges were built to grant Fenrye passage from one side to the other following the Banner War. The Dremlok aging trials revolve around the Sea of Stone and end with traversing over the Deeprift without the aid of bridges. A few creatures live in the river in the belly of Deeprift. Since the current flowing in from the sea carries in an assortment of tasty fish, reptilian hulks called Basks lie with their huge jaws open, chomping down anything that flows in. It is rare that victims of the Deeprift survive. Coldhaunch Coldhaunch is covered by a thick blanket of snow throughout the year and is home to a few hot springs which the Fenrye greatly enjoy. The springs are cause by volcanic activity in the region which is also behind the siring of The Steambreach, its neighbour. Coldhaunchs location in the far south and its general temperature are the reason behind its name. Its considered one of the safer regions in The Scarred Lands, due to the Fenryes ability to move swiftly through the snow and escape any immediate threat. Fenrye hailing from Coldhaunch have much thicker fur than their brothers from the north, giving them a slightly fluffy appearance which may earn them teasing nicknames. Snow zoec and small syse are quite common in Coldhaunch. The top of the food chain is dominated by the carnivorous, thick-furred saberls. The Steambreach A rocky, mossy land where one must watch their step. Cracks and fissures pose a tripping risk every few yards and some of them can play host to a vicious spray of scolding steam. Geysers and bubbling pools billow it forth, making visibility fairly low, especially during the colder months of Rime. Some of

the pools are incredibly dangerous due to their acidic properties gained from the sulphurous gasses the water fused with on its way to the surface. Intelligent beasts called Skalds have a tendency to prey on smaller, armoured critters and cook them in the intense heat of the pools. A few insect mounds and hives can be found in the Steambreach as well, them taking a liking to the humid environment. Nearly all mammals and reptiles in the Steambreach have armoured plates on their back and limbs to shield themselves from the scolding heat of the geysers. Left-Claw The Left Claw is one of two cliffy regions found on the western side of the continent. It ascends fairly rapidly as you move into the region, dropping away quite suddenly on all sides to reveal breathtaking views of the ocean. On clear nights, the moons reflection from the tides is a sight revered by most Fenrye and there is a settlement near the cliffs named LumasMey (translating into Moon Bound) which acts as a hub for those wishing to view it. The Left-Claw has shrunken in size over the years due to cliff-side erosion. There are no remarkable beasts worth mentioning, just a few grazing mammals and a host of colourful sea birds.

Right-Claw The Right-Claw is the second high rising cliff dominated region which is way up in the north western corner. If the Left-Claw is meant for celebration and relaxation, then the Right-Claw is its opposite. The Right-Claw of the Scarred Lands is where disgraced Fenrye are sent to either die or prove their worth. The eco-system of the region is in a constant state of conflict with itself. There are no plants or herbivores, only scores of pack animals which fight one another for survival and food. The land is treacherous with jagged rocks, sea mist and frequent windy conditions. The Ebon Stand The Ebon Stand is a small island just off the Eastern coast of The Scarred Lands and is globally recognised as one of the most significant war advantage points on Rime. The Ebon Stand gains its name from the jet black stone its made of. Ebonstone, as its called, is the strongest manipulative material on the face of the planet. Considered unbreakable by everything other than itself, Ebonstone is valued for its place in the battlefield, which makes it a constant hotspot for medium scale skirmishes between the humans and the Fenrye. Control of the Ebonstone mines shifts every few months, the longest grip over it being a full year, by the humans. The glassy, smooth ground of The Ebon Stand can prove slippery. The land itself looks crystalline, as if it was formed entirely underground and then raised up. Caves and smooth, flat mini mesas dot the small island. Some small burrows are home to the only animal that make the island their home, Obsidian Crawlers. A single fortified settlement called Blackhold serves as a smelting and forging point for the minerals once they are mined by ebonstone pickaxes. This holds inhabitants shift from Fenrye to Human and back again on a regular basis.

The Fangs of Rime The Fangs of Rime is the largest mountain range on the world, and home to the largest mountain, The Trial Rise. Oxygen is scarce upon the higher peaks, some of which are active volcanoes. Rich mineral deposits are at the base of the mountains which the Fenrye occasionally mine. The Fangs were named as such by the Fenrye due simply to their resemblance to fangs, large, cone shaped spikes, giving the horizon a lower jaw. The Fangs of Rime are incredibly dangerous, not just because of the loose stones, the potential volcanic activity and the lack of oxygen, but also due to the beasts that have evolved to make the Fangs their home. A few loomers can be found here and there, but the most terrifying of all the creatures comes in the form of the dreaded Krondor; the largest predator on Rime. Due to their extreme hostility, The Fenrye use The Fangs as a base for the Trials of Aging. In the southern side of the mountain range, a deep cave can be found. The Mother Den, as its known, is the confirmed location of the Life Immortal, Matern, who guides her people in the form of a giant wolf. This is the only known immortal location since they were forced into hiding.

Cities and Places of Interest Sanctus Sanctus is the largest city on Rime that flies the Wolfbane banner and its positioned near the western coast of Sovreignous in Everlast Woods. Central base of furthering in technology and science and capital of the Humans and Vermus, Sanctus is a large, walled stone city with a population of about three hundred and fifty thousand. The city is divided up into districts with a sewer system that runs below. The city has running water, street lights and a busy atmosphere during the day. There are two market districts, one each for upper and lower classes, and a number of residential districts. Theres also a highly protected Royal District, home to the Kings Palace, which has been closed off by the paranoid monarch since the war began. The Industrial District is where the smelting and forging take place, among other things: The entire area has low visibility due to the choking smog. Finally theres the Green District, which acts as a relaxing park and sits roughly in the city centre. Like almost every other town and city in Rime, Sanctus is littered with empty houses that used to belong to the victims of war, nature and time. There are no slums in Sanctus but there is a difference between the different districts. The working class citizens tend to live in poorer conditions, but they still receive running water and protection from the town guards. Those fortunate enough to dwell in the noble quarters live in an almost uninterrupted state of luxury. The Vermus are not banned from walking the streets of Sanctus, but they are not allowed to take up residency on the surface due to the laws passed on after Bladesinger assassinated the ruling king. The way they are treated within the city walls varies from person to person. Some people consider them beasts, like the Fenrye, and have developed a hate for them while some treat them as they would treat any friend. Either way, there is a large vermus sanctuary in the sewer tunnels below the citys streets with access hatches in every district. The crime rate in Sanctus is fairly low, with most criminals choosing to do their business outside the city walls. There are taverns which can occasionally yield the drunk and disorderly and a few hidden

dens for thieves but Sanctus is fairly well protected and defended. The best thieves are always Vermus, and they have become somewhat infamous. The day before a Bloodmoon is when the city is most chaotic. Citizens are forced inside and a cruel but effective curfew is placed into effect to ensure the invading Fenrye cannot secure any kills. Anyone found on the streets is quickly arrested or even killed and turrets are set up along the city walls. The gates are sealed, disallowing entry or exit and the access points to the sewers are all sealed to stop the Vermus from surfacing. Normality is restored once the night is over. Sanctus has a certain kingdomy feel. There are banners and guards in shining armour around pretty much every corner. The trade is rich and in constant flow, and the white stone walls and guard towers provide a sense of security to those walking the cobbled streets. Whitehowl Whitehowl is the Fenrye capital, constructed by those loyal to Whitefang in his honour. It stands a formidable sight in the centre of Red Dust Run, the most prominent features being the Three Guardians; giant marble statues that tower over the city, all expertly crafted into the shapes of lupine faces. With a population of roughly two hundred thousand, Whitehowl maintains its headcount at this level due to the hastened birth-rate to match the death rate of the warmongering beast race. Whitehowl is walled in on three sides. The fourth side opens out onto the world. Whitefang, the citys founder, stated that it was a challenge to all those whod dare try to take the territory from his people. The open stretch that faces out into the world is always heavily defended by shift changing Fenrye soldiers. This area is known as The Blood Line, and is in a near constant state of conflict due to invading beasts, rival packs and the incredibly rare Wolfbane Pact assault. At the base of the furthest back Guardian statue is the Alpha Den; a giant brazier lit building with a bone clad throne looming over an arena pit, in which the Alpha faces multiple challenges every day. Spectator stands circle it for the more significant fights which residents might enjoy viewing. Houses are not built for the sake of luxury or homeliness. They are made only to keep the cold out and act as shelter from the bloodblind dust storms. The heavily insulated buildings are constructed wherever there is room; on the ground, slung against the city walls, some even hanging on wires and planks a few dozen metres up. The city is a huge fire hazard so flames are generally disallowed around the city except in the Alpha Den and at the Blood Line. There are also a few large shrines to The Den Mother scattered about the city The city is not the go to point for weapon forging and resource refining, as this is all done at the various Hunt points around the continent. Whitehowls main purpose is for housing defenders, and acting as a symbol of power to the rest of the rival packs. Its also where the Alphas Huntmasters meet and discuss the future of their people. Whitehowl has no real industrial significance and every Fenrye is expected to fend for itself by hunting in the wild. There are no shops or money as the Fenrye will help their pack members survive without motivation. Occasional challenges and fights occur within the streets but these are not stopped or even discouraged by the locals. There are a number of designated areas for combat to

take place within the city walls, most of which are small pits, dwarves in comparison to the Alphas Ring. There is an area at the summit of some stone steps with slightly more classy housing. This is for war veterans, huntmasters, lorebringers and leyborn, all of which are highly honoured amongst the Fenrye and treated with the upmost respect. This quarter is called Sha kry Gomal; which means The Rest of Champions. Valleys End Valleys End is a public admitting but heavily barricaded region capital with a population of about one hundred thousand. As the largest city in Norvask, its also the home of the regions ruling council and their Jarl (leader). Valleys End is named as such due to its location at the end of a valley, where the two mountain ranges from either side (The Ivory Reach and The Sky-Climbs) open up onto the coast. Valleys End is surrounded by stake-like barricades. The houses are all made from wood brought in from lumber mills around the region, many of them with detailed story carvings in their surfaces. Trophy kills are a frequent sight, many of them mounted upon external house walls as a statement to the familys strength. There are mead halls and long houses for social events, all of which have the same wooden hatched feel. The citizens of Valleys End are often garbed in loose leathers and animal pelts and have short, distrustful tempers. Valleys End and indeed all of Norvask has a sales based economy. There are markets and shops for people to sell food and other items from, but there is only a very loose system in place to prevent crime. The people of Norvask have a strong belief in an eye for an eye, and so revenge is an acceptable motive for breaking the lore. Citizens are expected to fend off petty criminals but there are guards in place which mercilessly execute people who commit acts of major violence without motive. There are no trials or lawyers in Valleys End, only swift and brutal justice. While nowhere near as violent as Whitehowl, brawls frequently break out on the street and in the taverns and drinking halls. People tend not to look the other way if insults are exchanged. They wouldnt want to seem weak now, would they? New Preciphillie When the Dry Divide rose from the ocean, it caused floods of biblical proportions. More than small villages were wiped out, and Preciphillie is testament to this. The entire city, with an advanced, aesthetically superior architecture to any other city on Rime, was almost completely destroyed by the vicious waves that pulsed forth from the elevating land mass. Thousands of people lost their lives, and considerably more lost their homes. New Preciphillie was founded roughly ten years after the city was destroyed in the southern part of The Dry Divide. The residents of the city are mostly survivors of the disaster; light brown skinned humans called Preciphs by others. The culture of Preciphillie differs greatly to Valleys End and Sanctus. The architecture is ornamental and towering. Typically, the higher you are from the ground, the more money you were seen to have. A dwellers social and economic status is conveyed in a literal manner. There are local sultans who rule over the citys many districts from a marvellous palace (an exact replica of the previously destroyed one) but they, in turn, still answer to the King of

Sovreignous. The streets of Preciphillie can be dangerous. Many of the survivors could not afford to start a new life of comfort, so they are forced to live in slums, most of which are in fairly dreadful condition. Markets line almost every street which attracts swarms of rats, and disease can be quite serious if it starts to spread through these poorer areas. The richer areas are gilded with gold and dotted with spires. They tower over the slums, shadowing them, almost intentionally. Class has always been an important and obvious factor of Preciphilles culture, while be it perhaps an unpleasant one. There are guards, but they, like most services in Preciphillie, are owned by the richer residents. Almost everything is privatised or made exclusive, but crime is fought on most occasions. There will likely never be enough guards to stop it all, however, as New Preciphillie has the highest crime rate on the continent, as Valleys Ends crimes dont technically count as crimes. New Preciphillie boasts a population of roughly one hundred and fifty thousand The Ruins of Preciphillie New Preciphillie was, of course, based on its original wondrous gem of the Divide. Since the Formlesss arrival, however, Old Preciphillie has lain in ruins, which were, over time, gradually inhabited by most unsavoury individuals, cults, gangs and marauders. The Ruins have become infamous due to a crudely built centre piece which attracts aspiring warriors from all around the world, including fenrye; The Ring of Ruin. The Ring of Ruin is a colossal arena, which has been in development for hundreds of years, and still is to this day. The bandits are constantly making adjustments to their beloved coliseum to keep coin rolling in and themselves entertained. The inner walls of the arena itself are lined with the bones of fallen combatants. People fight in the arena for money, glory, fame, and, for some unfortunates, freedom. Its not unusual for bandits to throw their captives into the Ring, or to sell their captives to the gladiator traders. Within the ring, they face Rimes fiercest beasts, along with just standard sapient humanoids. There are champions, but they are incredibly rare. A champion of The Ring of Ruin is often named a Lorebringer, should they hold their title for an admirable amount of time. Along with the arena, The Ruins of Preciphillie also act as a hub for slave trading, harbouring fugitives (including Leyborn on the run from Wranglers) and it also serves as a simple home for some of the most villainous and wretched people Rime has to offer. The Ruins, as one can imagine, have no authority. They answer to no one except themselves or their clan leaders. The Wolfbane Pact wouldnt dare assault such a place with their numbers already dwindling from the Beast war, meaning that the cesspit of Rime is allowed to bubble over and provide a threat to everything around it. Haven Wildlife Park The Wildlife Park in central Haven was only founded after the permanent seasonal shift of 735 LW. It originally began as an aviary where pet starls and ember shrikes were grown, raised and trained, but soon it began to take on other animals too. Soon, people from all over the continent were asking for jobs to get a hands on experience with animals theyd never even seen before. Not too long after that, people wanted to just come and observe the beasts, and make a few sketches for books and

other materials. The simple aviary evolved and expanded. Funded by the kingdom, it became an attraction for all to see. The Wildlife Park is divided into dozens of enclosures, some large, some small, depending on the beast it houses. Handlers and hunters make a name for themselves working with the animals that live within the enclosures. Catching Rimes animals alive is considerably more difficult than killing them. Some truly heroic individuals have even brought back creatures from across the sea, braving fenrye scouts to capture some of The Scarred Lands inhabitants. The Wildlife Park has provided an abundance of knowledge, and most of the known material in this documents bestiary is material gathered from that zoo. The keepers seek to provide each enclosure with a mating pair of each species, although this is more difficult than it seems. Capturing one sleeper was hard enough, and capturing a second could jeopardise the safety of the first if they fall out. The zoo takes pride in its wide diversity of beasts, and has an open contract with the wranglers and biolifters of The Leyhalls. Many of the ley-risen that walk Sovreignous were born within the parks enclosures before being shipped off to the laboratories. Along with sealed enclosures, there are also some open ones which act as petting zoos for the more friendly species of Rime, such as nimbeep, bekapi and hopflops. The Park contains almost every animal in the bestiary with an exception to; krondor, kyne, loomers, thermotus, presiders and most of the large aquatic creatures. There is a water-filled tank which contains some dorcies, however. Yehoven Yehoven is considered to be the largest tree on Rime, measuring in at around four hundred metres in height and a one hundred metre diameter. Its thought to be a one of a kind species but its possible there are more, or were more, hidden somewhere else. Until forty years ago, Yehovens branches were brown and lifeless, with no sign of further growth. However, when The Fields of Old became Haven, Yehoven sprung back into life. It blossomed and leaves began to grow once again. Birds returned to its branches and it became a symbol of life to Havens residents. A village named Glade formed at Yehovens roots, inhabited by those humbled by the trees impressive presence. No one knows Yehovens significance, or if indeed it has any at all. Its thought by some that the tree is more than just a tree, with some sort of cryptic purpose. Bioborn captives passing by Yehoven while being escorted to the Leylands have described a beautiful, captivating and powerful aura emitting from the trees core, but this is assumed to simply be a result of Yehovens size rather than anything else. Yehovens wood is tough and stringy, and doesnt burn overly well either. It has no real practical use. The people of Glade tend to forbid anyone seeking to cut large chunks from the trunk or roots. Yehoven sometimes leaks large globules of resin which is used to hold Glades houses together. The villagers also keep the land fertile and fresh for their livestock, and share a mutually beneficial relationship with the tree that towers over them. Climbing Yehoven is considered a mighty challenge, taken by few. No one has ever reached the top, usually deterred by resin or loose chunks of bark. Yehoven is ancient for Bloodline, or The Family Tree.

Palthgar Palthgar is the name given to the secluded and silent fortress way up near the peaks of The Ivory Reach. Very little is publically known about this fort like structure except no one has ever been seen leaving or entering. It is widely speculated that it is the home of the incredibly elusive Doomsayers, The Palecallers. With this reason under their belt, Wranglers have tried to infiltrate Palthgar but have only ever succeeded once, over 400 years ago, where they managed to kill Palecaller Lorebringer, Grey Koramas. With no real confirmed Palecaller appearances recorded since, some people assume their faction was disbanded following the death of their leader, and Palthgar has been abandoned ever since. There are steps that led up to the fort which are icy and treacherous and the gate itself is made of ebonstone, making it unbreakable. Other than Wranglers, some treasure hunters and scavengers have tried to infiltrate the extravagant fort, but, more often than not, they are never seen again. Survivors speak of creatures in the Reach that snatched their comrades but theyve never been able to describe them in any detail. These mysterious creatures are referred to as Ivorn, and some people believe they protect Palthgar. Core Firstly named Core by a human philosopher, the assumed capital of The Formless sits in the exact mathematical centre of The Dry Divide. Core is featureless and monolithic, made entirely out of smooth, black, reflective stone. Its made up of simple shapes, a large cuboid as the base with a ringed halo like structure protruding from the walls and reaching up high above it. Finally, a single perfect sphere sits is suspended in the centre of the ring. To this day, no one knows what keeps it there. The Formless come from sliding doors at the foot of the monolith, which fit absolutely seamlessly with the stone around it. When the doors arent open, they are completely invisible. A few mischievous humans once entered Core while the Formless were leaving. The Formless made no attempts to stop them, but the doors sealed behind the intruders. One month later, the doors opened again and as The Formless left, the intruders marched out with them, as robotic and rigid as the rest of the crowd. They were taken aside by their friends and with a few days of shouting at their faces for them to snap out of it, eventually they did. They regained their normal personalities but with no recollection of what happened within Core. No one has dared enter since. The Leyhalls On The Leylands Island is an interesting human built construction called The Leyhalls. Built by experimental architects to maintain a friendly atmosphere but also act as a containment building, The Leyhalls is in the shape of a puzzle cube, with giant inscribed tiles and symbols. The architects said it would add a sense of mystery and discovery while also being pleasing to look at. The design was approved by the current king and the Leyhalls were built just under three hundred years ago.

The insides of the Leyhalls resemble a laboratory complex. The walls are sterile and white with a lot of mirrors and glass observation chambers. The leyborn are treated fairly, but they are constantly monitored while unleashing their abilities on the training targets. The idea of the Leyhalls came to Rufus when a leyborn saved his life. In a time of crisis, he decided it would be incredibly useful to have the power of the leyborn at his peoples disposal, so long as it was properly trained, handled and deployed. The Leyhalls were built for this purpose, to teach Leyborn how to safely use their abilities in a secure and secluded environment. All leyborn except necroborn are allowed to train here. No leyborn are forced to train but the instructors find that most of them do, as it grants them a chance to not only use their powers for a purpose, but also lets them visit the mainland every now and again in order to do so. The Leyhalls are also the production point for Ley-risen. All ley-risen are born within the Leyhalls, unless somehow a bioborn performs the ascension process upon an animal outside of the complex. Lockdown Lockdown is the worlds largest prison complex, tucked away on the plagued island of Quarantine. Lockdown was built during Rorik IIs psychotic reign, and its size will likely always be too big to fill even half way. Lockdown is dark and frightening within, with distant rattles of chains and sorrowful moans. It lacks the life of most inland prisons, due to its size and small population. Most of the cell blocks are empty, home only to the skittering syse and insects. The complex contains only a handful of guards, as no one would be stupid enough to try and break out. If they escaped, theyd have to contend with both the infested waters, and The Afflicted of Quarantine, not to mention passing the coastal defences of the mainland. Individuals are sent to Lockdown when they have committed truly atrocious crimes, and the death penalty just aint cruel enough. When a normal prison is too kind, or when they cause too much trouble under normal confinement, they are sent to this metal and stone hell. There is no need for torture, or for guards to periodically enact their own form of justice, as the solitude and frightening ambience of the complex is easily punishment enough. Many inmates report seeing ghosts and other horrifying visions. They are fed daily by masked guards who are under orders to never speak a word to inmates. The masks are to severe their contact from humanity just a little bit more. Everything about Lockdown is catered to gradually send a man insane, to totally ruin him before he withers away into the afterlife. Some rights activists thoroughly oppose Lockdowns existence, but its hard to argue that someone deserves death over life. If a criminal is sentenced to Lockdown, they will remain there for the rest of their life. Very few precautions are made to prevent suicides, but the prisoners are occasionally teased with the prospect of freedom. They are granted the illusion of fairly low security. There are only a handful of guards, and the bars could maybe be broken after several years of filing. Even if stepping outside means being torn apart by the Afflicted, theyll still try it if it means a final glimpse of sunlight. Some inmates and guards die in unusual circumstances after reporting sights of terrifying humanoid walking corpses. The Lockdown Omens are now infamous continent-wide. The guards of Lockdown must undergo psychological analysis periodically to ensure they are also not losing their minds. A Lockdown guard can work for a total of a single well paid year before being

banned from the field of prison guard duty for the remainder of their life. They are informed of this limit before they begin. Lockdown remains a frightening thought, a deterrent to really make criminals think twice. Pact officers will often use Lockdown as a threat to those being incompliant. Northlight Northlight is a large lighthouse tower that sits over the Northern Pole of Rime. It was constructed by the surviving Faithful of the Faith War when the ellipsoid orbit was restored and Rime began to periodically move further from its star once again, causing temperatures to plummet, globally. Northlight was placed on the highest point of the world, with another, Southlight, placed on the lowest. Every Glacenox, the fires are lit in an attempt to guide the Immortals back to their world and once again end The Cold Dark. During the Necroley war, Northlight and Southlight were targeted by Farls forces who strongly believed the lighthouse towers were actually responsible for summer Lumina each year. Pilgrims from the Faithful controlled region of Divines Reserve make a journey to Northlight every year to light the fires. It has become less of a necessity and more of a tradition, but its still an important one for the Faithful. DremLok DremLok is the Fenrye capital of the north, with a population of about thirty five thousand. Its a simple but large settlement built around the same time as Whitehowl but with nowhere near as much conviction and dedication. Since the Union War, DremLok has no Alpha. Everyone in the city is considered equal aside from the monitoring Huntmasters who keep a watchful and diplomatic eye over the horde on behalf of Alpha Ashwake. DremLok translates into No Peace. The city feels a little suppressed, way up in the north and under constant surveillance. Its hard to and to escape from due to its position just beyond The Sea of Stone with the ravenous Serephins. Again, since the Union war, residents of DremLok have been forced to have their young participate in the Trials of Aging. Since the Trial Rise is much further away from DremLok than it is from Whitehowl, however, pups from DremLok take their trials in the Sea of Stone and must traverse The Deeprift in order to succeed. Ironically, by making themselves strong enough to fight the serephin with these trials, they actually end up providing them with over half their food. DremLok is similar to Whitehowl when it comes to laws and the views of honour fighting, but it is considered a lower value target and is not targeted by raiders nearly as much. DremLok is famous for its ranged combatants. DremLok fenrye are often issued with lightweight streamlined javelins and trained how to throw them with pinpoint accuracy. Whitehowl soldiers prefer to get up close and personal. The Hunts Scattered along the east coast of the Scarred lands are four heavily guarded military outposts. Hunt Bravo, Hunt Echo, Hunt Delta and Hunt Omega. The four are very similarly built with very similar operations commencing within. All of them are equipped with smelting and forging facilities, a dock

(as they are all on the shoreline), armouries, barracks, lumber mills, training grounds and a swarm of Fenrye ready to be deployed every month. Fresh recruits poor into the Hunts every ten days, often coming straight from their Trials of Aging with a pack theyve formed a strong bond with. Many Fenrye choose to raise young before heading off into battle as well, however, as they believe it is important to keep a bloodline maintained. At the Hunts, Fenrye are taught all about humans and vermus; how to fight them, how to trick them, what to target and what to avoid. Then, once a month, the most promising individuals are sent out into the world, always in their original packs using swiftly constructed boats. (They are swiftly constructed because the fenrye do not expect to see them again). During Glacenox, the fenrye will use cazak pulled sleds, or just walk across the seas on foot. The Hunts are invasion points. The bestial soldiers deployed from them are forever known as Hunters, and they have an almost 100% casualty rate. The purpose of the Hunter is to strike fear, and keep the human population stable and low. They are not expected to survive once they have achieved their goal. The Mother Den Materns Den can be entered via and enormous rocky maw in the base of the Fangs of Rime. The Mother Den is under constant guard by elite fenrye leyborn guards called Den Watchers and they defend the Great Wolf inside with fanatical devotion. The cave is far from inconspicuous. Approaching, youd spot it a mile off due to the heavy amount of light that pours from the caves entrance. This is due to the pyroborn inside that conjure flames, along with dozens of large fire braziers to keep the Den warm. The Immortals struggle to survive in cold conditions, as they are cold blooded, so Matern needs a constant supply of heat, even under her thick white coat. The Den is also conveniently near a magma spring which aids in the warmth. All Fenrye are welcome in The Mother Den as Matern tries to keep all of her children in the same equal light. Matern does however favour the Alpha above all others and has been known to grant them boons and blessings to make them incredibly strong and tenacious. Not wanting to upset the equilibrium of her beloved Fenrye, however, Matern does limit these blessings to ensure there is always only one that wields them. If a fenrye visits The Mother Den, it is usually either to ask for advice, have a wound or sickness healed or just to simply look upon her. The Mother Den is a high priority target by the Wolfbane Pact, although they have never come close to getting inside. The Trial Rise The Trial Rise is the highest and most dangerous mountain on Rime. Along with the perilous jagged rocks and a certain lack of protrusions to confidently grab hold of, The Trial Rise is also an active volcano which continuously spews a choking smoke and hurls boulders the size of men from its crater. The Trial Rise is estimated to be about seven thousand two hundred and twelve metres high. The Trial Rise was named so by the fenrye, who use the volcanic mountain as a way of proving their strength. Once a pup reaches adolescence, they are forced to climb to the summit of The Trial Rise

and gather some of the magma from the summit crater in a unique vessel. The bones of Fenrye no doubt litter the snowy peaks of The Trial Rise. Snow only remains during Glacenox however, since the region is quite dry. There is never snow near the summit, due to the heat given off by the magma and vents. Veins of The Lifebringer Veins of The Lifebringer is a network of tunnels beneath the Statuary, home to a race known as the Cheydao, who are nearly 100% bioborn. The Veins contain the highest concentration of leyborn on the planet, but due to the continents seclusion, detaining them and taking them to ANOTHER island would be pointless and inefficient. The Statuary therefore remains untouched by Wranglers, or indeed any other race other than the natives. The Veins are filled with intricately designed hovels which stick to the wall like glowing barnacles and bioluminescent fungi line the corridor like tunnels. Stalactites and stalagmites stretch up and down the passages, and the centre, known as The Heart, is a giant open space with accommodations latched to the walls in a beautiful glowing circle around a glistening frozen tree. This glazed tree is called The Lifebringer, named after Materns title due to its ability to always stay alive and always yield fruit, despite its icy condition.

Races Humans The humans on Rime average in at about five foot ten once in adulthood for the males and around five foot four for females. Humans have survived on Rime without an effective natural defence against the cold by using their intelligence and ambition. Humans die of old age usually around eighty five, but some have gone on to live for longer. The oldest recorded human on Rime died aged one hundred and eleven. Due to the two major wars of Rimes past, the human population is barely holding on, with less than 1.3 million people. The humans of Norvask and Glascan are more resilient to cold and damage, but overall, humans are considered flimsy and fairly easy to kill by the other races. Although some humans can take a fenrye on hand to hand, they are renowned for their ability to excel in ranged combat. Most Wolfbane soldiers use crossbows and some of the master marksmen are provided with percussion cap pistols or rifles. Currently, however, guns are not produced for mass use, as they currently have too many potential flaws. The humans would call themselves the truly civilised and most refined culture on Rime, with good reason too. While many races on Rime concentrate solely on survival, humans have a tendency to concentrate on development. They have a much higher interest in science, technology, medicine and philosophy than any other race and have slowly been progressing for around seven hundred years. The humans are the primary and founding race of The Wolfbane Pact. The technology as of late has developed in leaps and bounds due to the desperation brought on by the years of fenrye invasion. Sadly, this has also made most of that technology fall into the category

of weapons. The humans, while not the strongest or fastest warriors, are the best at finding new ways to kill each other and their enemies. Humans have a distinct curiosity and lust for knowledge, and they tend not to bulk in one area. They spread, either for the sake of finding a new place to live or to explore new lands. They are more cautious than other races also, choosing to focus more on defensive measures than offensive ones. That said, statistically, they are still the most self destructive out of all the others. Fenrye do attack one another a lot, but only on a smaller scale and for honourable challenges. Humans have been known to kill one another for greed, lust and occasionally just enjoyment (although this is rare). With no fur, like most of the beast races, humans have found ways to adapt to the freezing cold of Rime. They have a solid understanding of many of the worlds animals; to the extent with some where taming them has been possible. Intellect wise, humans might seem quite smart. They write a lot, publish books and papers, they produce plays and exchange information via conversation on a daily basis. Socially they vary, some being very confident and friendly, while others are shy and reclusive. Variety is a factor in humans that is small in some of the other races. Humans have a tendency to follow trends and share opinions which can conflict with others. Humans also have multiple religions and beliefs which can divide them. Many humans are afraid of seeming different from others. Humans are afraid of change, and often afraid of things they do not understand. Most men and woman also have a perfectly rational fear of pain and death. They have an almost inherit fear of leyborn since the Necroley War, and, for this reason, leyborn are exiled and sent to live in solitude. Necroborn are to be killed on recognition with absolutely no exceptions. Humans use a coin currency to make transactions with one another. Services and material trading require coins called Sancs. The humans of Rime mostly look to their king for guidance and leadership, but there is also a council that helps decide rules and new laws, along with other important things like taxes and development. A new king takes the throne when the previous one stands down or dies. Kings are always decided via blood and the crown remains within the same family. The present king chooses his advisors from a wide selection of non-biased individuals and the council is formed. Fenrye (Gnolls) The Fenrye are lupine/hyenine humanoids with males standing at an average of about six and a half feet and the females at about six two. Like humans, they have two arms and two legs but their skeletal structure and face are very different. Like wolves, fenrye have haunches which they can bend back on in order to run on all fours. Their faces are very similar to that of a wolfs with a muzzle and large fangs designed for a carnivorous appetite. Their hands and feet are longer and wider than a humans and are both home to three inch long claws designed for combat. The wideness of their paws increases their surface area, making it easier during Glacenox to traverse over the snow. They have a few layers of quite fine fur and the males occasionally have mane like quiffs going from their head and down their spine. While never that muscular, the males are bulkier than the females, but the females are faster. All fenrye have quite brushy tails and pointy ears as well.

Fenrye wear clothes and armour, just like humans do, except they worry less about their image and more about what suits the situation best. Light leather armour for scouting, heavier plates for direct combat, usually a standard but protective animal hide chest piece for when just being idle or travelling, considering how dangerous the Scarred Lands are. A lot of fenrye can often be seen with charms or trophies around their necks or on their wrists. Culturally, the fenrye differ from the humans in many ways. The fenrye were built by Matern for the sake of war and revenge and this is shown in their behaviour and in certain elements of their anatomy. A litter of fenrye takes about six months to gestate and an average of three in born per birth. With the races fairly high death rate, the high birth-rate is needed to maintain and bolster the population. When a Fenrye is born, it is raised in a home by its mother like any other mammal. They are fed milk and then move onto a carnivorous diet after their teeth have fully developed (this takes about eighteen weeks). Choosing the name of a fenrye is similar to the human custom initially. Fenrye will have a first name and a last name; the first name is chosen by the parents and the last is passed down from the bloodline. Differently from humans however, a fenryes name is considered a pending placeholder for the true name. A fenryes true name comes into light when they prove they are worthy of it. For example, the current Alphas original name was Jezar Frakzae, but when he became the new Alpha after demonstrating his powers as a pyromancer, he became Alpha Ashwake, for ashes are all he leaves in his path. Without an abrupt, forced death, your average fenrye will live to the age of about seventy and reach maturity at around sixteen. Its customary to train your children in the ways of combat, agility and precision from a young age. Most parents start home schooling their kids as soon as they can walk on two legs. The full and brutal training starts at the age of about five or six. When they reach maturity, a fenrye is forced to depart from their family and divided into a large pack consisting of about twelve members. They are given a few days to come to terms with the sudden change and to get to know their new pack members, and then they are sent on their Trials of Aging. The Trials were founded nearly three hundred years ago by a ruling Alpha who felt that the previous Alphas protection had made them too soft. To put it simply, The Trials of Aging is a dangerous, life threatening task which all fenrye now perform in order to root out the weaklings via natural selection and survival of the fittest. It is assumed that the fenrye who die on their Trials would not be fit to continue their bloodline. Only the strong and/or the intelligent fenrye can survive the Trials and these survivors have proven themselves worthy of breeding rights and warrior rights. The Trials of Aging have a fairly high mortality rate. Out of the twelve that participate in a pack, an average of five makes it back. There have been exceptional cases. There have been two occasions in the past where every single pack member returned alive, and there has been one case where only one successfully came home. The packs are designed to teach the fenrye how to operate as a team. Fenrye are never deployed alone. Depending on the origin of the pack, the Trials differ. The fenrye of Whitehowl are asked to climb The Trial Rise volcano and gather some of the molten stone from its summit. This takes about seven days to complete, but varies with the weather conditions. It takes several days to reach the

mountains base, another few days to actually ascend it and can take anywhere from days to minutes to get down, depending on how the pack decide to do it. The quickest recorded ascent and descent of The Trial Rise was performed by the Shattered Skies pack, in which they did it in just over seventeen hours with the aid of an aeroborn. Once The Trials of Aging have been completed, fenrye are given a choice. Ultimately, they are normally obliged to fight in The Beast War at some point, but they are allowed to delay their deployment in order to breed with other members of their pack. Fenrye are not usually permitted to breed outside of their pack, as the packs are hand selected originally by huntmasters to ensure genetic diversity. Packs lacking males or lacking females are usually sent straight to the Hunts for further training and prepared for deployment. Packs are never split up, and if one couple within it decides they want to delay their deployment, the others must either convince them otherwise or stay with them. If there are not enough females for or the males (or vice versa) then Huntmasters will take males and females stranded in other packs and introduce them, ensuring first of course that they are compatible and wont produce flawed offspring. Parents will stick with their children until they are old enough to take the trials too. During this time, they are also expected to take up other roles in the community, acting as smiths, leatherworkers, defenders, etc. After this step is taken or skipped, the fenrye are sent to Hunts in the same packs they performed The Trials of Aging with where they are trained further and eventually shipped to human lands during a Bloodmoon: A full moon over Sovreignous which heralds the assault of a random location in the human kingdom. These monthly, varying attacks are designed to keep the human defences spread out, and also act as a fear tactic. A bloodmoon assault is considered acceptable if at least five humans are killed. A bloodmoon assault is considered gone well if at least thirty humans are killed. A bloodmoon assault is considered actually successful if fifty humans are killed, and then the warriors return home. A bloodmoon assault rarely succeeds fully. The Fenrye have been chipping away at their morale for fifty years, gradually building up their people and steadily increasing in power as their natural selection increases their strength while disallowing the humans the chance to do the same. The war will end when The Den Mother wishes it so. There is only a small amount of forced authority in the fenrye pecking order. The Alphas word is law, as he is the direct link to Matern. Fenrye that do not follow the alphas rule are challengers that will be fought in honourable combat or exiled for treachery. Aside from the alpha, there are huntmasters. Huntmasters are sort of like council members, usually selected after demonstrating their strength in one way or another. Huntmasters are always incredibly dangerous in combat. Many of them have earned their title from being part of a number of successful bloodmoon assaults, while others have defended their people valorously from the various threats Rime has to offer. The most famous Huntmaster is Alpha Ashwakes right-hand man, Chillsire. Huntmasters have a range of jobs, as mentioned above. On top of pack selection and council decisions, huntmasters are also in charge of the Hunts (hence the name). They teach fenrye how to fight and defeat humans and vermus. Fenrye have no money, as they believe all of their people should hunt, feed and defend themselves, but there are individuals in the community who offer services to their people free of charge.

They fight with one another quite a lot, either for training purposes or because of a challenge. All Fenrye settlements and cities will have combat pits and arenas for this purpose. A fight does not have to be to the death, but it can often escalate into this. An Alpha challenge is always to the death. No exceptions. The only way to assign a new alpha is in the arena, either by defeating the current ruling Alpha, or, in the event the alpha dies by other means or goes missing, all aspiring alphas climb into The Alpha Ring and face off against one another in a massive battle. The last one standing becomes the next Alpha. Alphas are nearly always granted the gift of immortality by Matern herself, possessing eternal youth and immunity to disease. The purpose of this is simple, to act as proof of the fenryes system of evolution. As the fenryes life style progressively roots out the weaker members of the species, strength becomes more and more inherit in newborns and in training. The idea is that, with the alphas not dying of old age or sickness, they can only be defeated by a fenrye stronger than they are. Ergo, the alphas will get stronger every generation or so as the species does. Despite their bestial and savage nature and appearance, the fenrye are actually strongly religious. Nearly everything they do, they do for their goddess, and have no quarrel telling their enemies this. They struggle to understand the concept of morality, however, with absolutely no confliction or remorse when it comes to slaughtering unarmed innocents. It is possible for a fenrye to feel guilt and mercy, but these fenrye are often left behind or exiled. Exiled fenrye are called The Reth Fakree, and live in Sovreignous, secretly. Fenrye are exiled if they are unable to carry out their goddess wish, or if they refuse a challenge. Leyborn are highly honoured amongst the fenrye, as they have access to levels of power most of them cannot reach. They consider leyborn to be gifts from Matern, which does have an element of truth behind it, as she is one of the seven original Leyweavers. In combat, fenrye are quick, vicious and precise. They strike at a point and do not remain to take pride of their kill; simply moving onto the next one. If they are facing off against a beast, they do take trophies. They use an assortment of weapons, usually specialising in a certain one by the time they are fifteen. They traverse a battlefield very quickly on all fours and have enough agility to spring themselves off of walls and buildings when attacking human settlements. Personality wise, fenrye can vary but perhaps not as much as humans. In a civilisation thats very closed off from other races, fenrye can be influenced by other cultures if learning more about them. Fenrye are incredibly loyal to their packs and even more so to their mates. Once a male and female has been paired up, they will remain that way for the rest of their lives. They have a social side and talk with one another on a regular basis, but they have less need for things to entertain them, such as theatres and bars. Fenrye do not drink alcohol. Most of them also dont read either but plenty of them play, especially when they are younger. Vermus A second, much smaller beast race, The Vermus are otter like humanoids with long bodies and relatively short limbs. The males stand at about two foot ten, while the females average at two feet seven. They have short, stubby muzzles with little black noses and long, pointed whiskers. Above this there are small ring shaped ears. Their eyes are like black beads, their mouths home to a number of

sharp little teeth and they have a slinky, slender form with glossy waterproof fur. They have a long, smooth tail which tends to sway behind them or drag along the floor. Vermus have a lifespan of about forty years and the females will birth an average of two pups in their life. The task of child care normally falls entirely to a female as the males will often say it ties them down. Female vermus are good mothers and they bring up their children with a soft and nurturing love. They do however not believe in baby talk. All babies are spoken to like adults, so their vocabulary is honed early on. The children tend to get up to mischief at the age of about seven and they subconsciously hone all the skills theyll need in their adult life. They are not trained by anyone other than themselves. Vermus are a little clumsy on two feet, since their legs are so stubby. When wanting to move anywhere quickly, they move on all fours in a bouncing wave like fashion. They stand tend to stand on two legs when either being stationary, idle or engaging in conversation. The males tend to walk into bars and such on two legs also to make a good first impression to the ladies. Vermus do have hands that support the gripping of objects such as swords. While untrained vermus are rarely at their prime on land, all vermus can swim incredibly well and with great swiftness. They use their aquatic abilities to catch fish, spearing them with a sharp, fanged bite to the back. They use their strong tails to propel themselves through water with enough force to allow them to move even up strong rivers with relative ease. The vermus are the second race of The Wolfbane Pact, siding with the humans in the Beast War when their own people took causalities in the first contact with the Fenrye. Names are quite important to the vermus. They are usually unique to the individual, based on traits or events that they have or have occurred. When a vermus is born, they will initially have no last name, but their parents will give them a first name which they will keep for the rest of their life. Their last name, or Court Name, must be earned or acquired in some specific way and then presented to The Court (the vermus ruling group) by someone other than the one the name is being chosen for. This way, names are not picked out of preference or arrogance, but by what they mean to the community. These names will not necessarily be good ones, but they are always representative of the holders personality, occupation or former accomplishments. Such names include; Tunnelrunner, Bladesinger, Gavelart, Weaver, Humancourt and Leylover. Vermus are refugees, all of them. Their capital (assuming there ever was one) was destroyed long before recorded history. As far back as records go, the Vermus have always been at the humans side. They were a great help in the Necroley War and, for this reason, they were initially allowed to live within the city of Sanctus. Since then however, new rules have come into place following the assassination of a king, and all Vermus are forced to live in the sewers of the city now. They are allowed to walk the streets, but cannot take up residence on the surface. Vermus are incredibly charming by nature, speaking with flawless vocabulary and the ability to know just what to say to make a situation sway in their favour. They are the founders of the common tongue known as Civil which is spoken throughout Rime. They are very charismatic and a silver tongue is something that comes naturally to them. This also however can make them seem untrustworthy, as Vermus are also excellent liars. With their small stature and amazing flexibility, the Vermus often use this to become master thieves, assassins, rogues and spies. Although their skill set

and anatomy caters perfectly for a life of crime, not all Vermus decide to go down this route. Vermus are typically not villainous in nature, but they do what they can to get by. Other than assassins, vermus have the lowest murder rate amongst all the races. Most do not believe in violence and are usually quite docile. Many humans do not trust vermus, shunning them and bullying them from the city surface if they emerge. The vermus do not hate the humans, nor however do they hate the fenrye. The humans have money, however, which makes them better company. On the other hand, many humans find that vermus add quaint pleasantness to the city with their charms. Its fairly rare to see more than one vermus in one place at one time unless you go down to the sewers themselves. Vermus often wear very fancy clothes. They quite like military and navy jackets and are often seen wearing large hats with frilly, extravagant feathers. Their more authoritative figures wear big (and occasionally ridiculous) wigs. Vermus are typically quite posh and a little bit pedantic. They are also, however, very flirtatious, especially the males. It is not uncommon for a vermus to wander into a tavern and take a seat next to a human female and chat them up in the most charming way possible. Vermus are always bold and confident, but the males are notorious womanisers and the females arent much better. Vermus only permanently pair up if true love is discovered. While Vermus are bound by human laws, they have their own trial system which takes place in the cisterns. These trials are exclusively for Vermus and are only called if the case is truly severe. There is no capital punishment, but vermus found guilty are asked to leave sanctuary and disallowed access again until they have proven they can be trusted. There are four vermus sanctuaries in the world, the largest being the Sanctus sewers. There are three others, one in the crypts of Chapel, a large longhouse in Valleys End and a recent one in Glade forest in Haven. Couriers travel between the sanctuaries on occasion to transfer news about the other areas but other than that, contact between them is quite limited. Vermus are not religious. They are very rational and logical. There are some vermus faithful, but its mostly humans. Like all sentient creatures, vermus can be leyborn. Unlike humans, vermus do not fear leyborn. They are however still under the laws of humans and therefore, subjected to snatching by Wranglers. In combat, Vermus are swift and have an almost playful attitude. They enjoy playing an opponents weaknesses, especially if they are big and bulky. They also tend to call out a sequence of perfectly formed hurtful taunts which send their opponents into a rage, causing them to become more predictable. Weapon wise, they use small swords; cutlasses, scimitars and rapiers, mainly. Like the humans, Vermus also use Sancs as a currency. Although they do have to follow the laws and rules of the current ruling king, vermus have their own leadership roles in their sanctuaries. The vermus in charge of the sanctuaries form up a body called The Court. In this court, there are four Jurists and a High Judge. These individuals are picked via a simple popularity contest. They can have absolutely no previous experience in leadership or law, so long as the people believe they can demonstrate capability within these fields. The current vermus High Judge of the Sanctus Sanctuary is Quinn Gavelart.

Vermus live all over Sovreignous and Glascan. Their numbers arent on the rise, and in ratio to the humans, there are even less of them. No one is entirely sure how many vermus there are on the known world, but its thought to be somewhere between three and four hundred thousand. They have no knowledge or lore regarding their origin, but some believe their home lies beyond Iceplane. Ley-Risen (Risen) Rime, being an under populated world due to the harshness of the climate, the frequent, deadly wars, and the vicious local wildlife, is occasionally in need of literal reinforcement. The introduction of the Risen was a temporary and controversial tactic introduced by The Royal Council during the cold months of 747 LW, thirty nine years after the start of the Beast War, which was already crippling soldier numbers. As part of the Wranglers reintegration program of certain safe leyborn into society, some of the more powerful and well trained bioborn casters were given the task of creating new life to bolster the ranks of the Wolfbane Pact. No matter how many of them tried, or cooperated together, they never had enough power to create something from nothing. It seemed this power was reserved only for the Goddess Matern herself, but playing on this concept, they came to another form of experimentation. For over two years, they toiled away, draining their energy to critical levels in attempts to create chimeras and bestial monstrosities that could be used to fight the fenrye, but, the subjects nearly always showed signs of extreme aggression and disobedience, and had to be terminated. On one such event, just seconds before the termination was scheduled to happen, an adult male starl (see the bestiary) cried out for help in a civil tongue. It soon became clear that this onyx bird was not talking using mimicry, but had actually taught itself the language of the humans that had been twisting his genetic code and anatomical structure with the powers of the ley. Ink, as he came to be known following his much less preferred title; Subject 2449, is generally considered to be the first genuine ley-risen. His ability to communicate with and understand the humanoid races of Sovreignous birthed a new branch of experimentation revolving around taking simple animals from the wild and raising them into sapience with the ley. Anatomical changes occasionally had to be made to compensate for larger brain sizes or practicality, but most of them look essentially the same: All quadrupeds are still quadrupeds, all winged creatures still have wings, and their physicalities have only changed slightly. All Ley-Risen are gifted with new vocal chords similar to that of either a humans (if they are a mammal) or a parrots (if they are avian or reptilian). Almost any animal is eligible for the ley-risen process, although the bioraisers tend to prefer to begin the year long procedure at a young age. Once converted, ley-risen are put to work. In addition, ley-risen life expectancy is much higher than the base species. Ley-risen will live for a minimum of forty years, but as they are still quite new to Rime, no one yet knows how long they can actually live for; as none have died from old age yet. The ley-risen are not paid or rewarded for their service. They are effectively slaves, and are treated mostly as second class citizens, despite the fact they have the knowledge and sensory capabilities to perceive this. When it comes to status, the still quite rare ley-risen are even lower on the scale than vermus are to most people. As theyve only been around for three decades, no one has really gotten

used to their presence, and most people are still quite unsettled by the prospect of animals talking and having lives just like theirs. They are however extremely good at what they do. A woolorth is still a woolorth, no matter what mind it has. An extra level of intelligence means its able to pull a cart huge distances without having to be monitored. An order is given and away itll go. A sleeper converted into sapience could be a brutal warrior against fenrye onslaughts. Other animals with natural tools/weapons also make for good guardians and defenders. Jurnice stags with their antlers sharpened can charge down some unsuspecting fenrye. All known ley-risen are registered and monitored. All known ley-risen reside in Sovreignous, but its possible some have escaped to other parts of Rime. A ley-risen escapee is effectively a thief of itself. Ley-risen, being animals in the minds of most, can still be intellectual property. They can belong to someone, and ergo, can be stolen. Typically risen will belong to the Pact, but they are occasionally sold to rich nobles and the much rarer, equality unions. Run-away ley-risen are not really a threat to anyone. They tend to be quite docile for the most part, although there have been incidents and casualties in the past. Rogue ley-risen can be seen all over Sovreignous, although they are still quite rare. There arent masses of Ley-Risen, but there are enough of them around, especially in largely populated areas, such as cities. Its rare to see them alone, although some of them to make attempts to go rogue. Some bandit clans even recruit runaways, although their treatment of them isnt usually much different to that of the Pact. Some people and many ley-risen have battled with political forces of Sanctus for years, attempting to get Ley-Risen recognised as full class citizens. They have the minds to perceive as humans do; they think and feel and act just as they do, thus qualifying to them to accepted as People. The claims and theories are usually swiftly dismissed with an answer as such as We made them. They should be grateful for what they have. The Ley-Risen have no leadership roles or positions of power. They dont interact with one another much, although enjoy to do so when given the opportunity. The risen socialise and play in similar ways to humans, and often engage in similar activities, such as sport. They have a wide range of personalities, accents and mannerisms, just as youd expect from any of Rimes races. Their sapience can either be appreciated or resented; some of them are thankful for their elevation while others miss the innocence of their former life and fall into depression. Where relationships are regarded, ley-risen will not maintain any sort of attraction to the species they are part of, unless another one of their kind is also converted. In rare conditions, they have also courted with some of the humanoid races of Rime. The Formless At the literal strike of midnight at the start of the new century, give or take a few seconds, a low rumble shook the continent of Sovreignous. The previously horse-shoe shaped continent was transformed as an enormous salt flat rose from the depths of the ocean and fused with the land around it. Sea water cascaded in all directions, causing major floods in some of the nearby settlements (and totally destroying the island city of Preciphillie) and the foreboding monolith, Core, climbed from the ground like something forcing its way from a grave.

Six hours later, doors slid open and they appeared. Humanoids, garbed in cloaks, wrapped in garments, faces covered by hoods and drapes. Every inch of their body was shrouded, giving them a ghostly apparel. When lifting their hoods, their actual faces are covered by bandages. Their robes were dark purple in colour with woven patterns in the fabric but other than this, they were featureless. They were Formless. They exited their monolith and spread out, calmly walking in perfect synchronisation with each other. At roughly nine in the morning, they arrived at human settlements around the world. They proceeded to pick things up, hammers, rakes, barrels and simply turn away, walking off with them. The humans were outraged. They attacked the invaders, punched them, stabbed them with swords, but the Formless did not stop. They never spoke, they never showed any pain and they never slowed down. Once they had stripped the villages of items, a single Formless approached from the rear of the group in each settlement, placing a heavy chest filled with riches in the exact mathematical centre. If there was a house there, theyd walk inside it and place the chest there. Gold, jewels, relics, all sorts of precious items were given over, and then they left, taking the villagers belongings with them. It was a trade: An involuntary trade. Thirty days later, the same thing occurred again. The Formless returned. They took more objects, (mostly tools, pots and pans, things that contained metal) offered more gold, then left. Considering they had returned at exactly the same time, just one month later, the ruling Queen couldnt help but notice a potential pattern. So, once another thirty days had passed, she put a plan into action. An hour before the predicted Formless encounter, Queen Ellias ordered that iron ingots and a few broken tools be placed on the road theyd enter from in every village. As anticipated, the Formless did indeed arrive again. They accepted the offering, scooping up tools and ingots from the pile and wandering off, silently. In some villages, they took a few extra objects from the people still. In some others, they left some of the offering behind. After careful deduction, Ellias realised they took exactly the same amount of weight in metals from each village on each of their appearances. From that point onwards, the exact amount the Formless needed was calculated after a few more visits, and until this day, every month, (except for Glacenox which is divided into six formless visits) on the same day, at the same time, an offering is placed for the Formless to accept. No one knows what they do with the metal they take, and all attempts to find out have failed. They remain a mystery to the people of Rime, and many scholars and scientists are determined to crack the case of The Core. The Formless arrival dates are as follows: 1st Hyus 1st Driffury 1st Blossom 1st Lumos 1st Kormag 1st Cryosis 1st Glacenox 31st Glacenox 60th Glacenox 90th Glacenox

119th Glacenox 149th Glacenox Skitaxie The crustaceous humanoid race known as the skitaxie is one of the few common enemies shared between the continents of Rime. Like many of Rimes threats, the skitaxie have made their dent in the human population, and have become another part of Sovreignouss and The Scarred Lands routine for survival. The Skitaxie have a hulking, menacing appearance, although most people will often hear them before they see them. They stand at about three metres, towering over humans and fenrye. They have an aesthetic with similarities to arachnids but also crustaceans. They all have armoured skeletons with varying colours, mostly black, blue, dark green and dark red. They have carnivorous mandibles hooked to their lower jaw and a total of six, dark, red iris eyes, two of which are upon stalks, giving them three hundred and sixty degree vision. Their armoured torso thins towards the abdomen before bending back to form a sort of abdomen. The abdomen is plated, and home to six pointed legs which are perfect for digging into ice and walking upon it without slipping, assuming enough force is applied to the step. They have two arms also, one tipped with a crab-like claw, and the other with a very humanoid hand with five solid fingers. They occasionally wear additional pieces of clothing and have been known to accessorise. They occasionally drape decorative weeds or coral upon their shells, but have never been seen wearing anything advanced. When they invade, they can be seen carrying weapons, mostly spears made from rocks and, if theyve hunted well enough, blades claimed from other sapient races. Skitaxie, like many creatures on Rime, have a technique for surviving Rimes unstable weather. Being primarily aquatic creatures, one might expect them to linger beneath the frozen oceans of Glacenox. This is, however, the time they are most active upon the surface. When the oceans form a thick layer of ice on their crests, they break through and form external outposts mostly upon The Ink-Dark Sea, outposts which they use as invasion preparation points and ambushing posts for Bloodmoon hunters, crossing over from The Scarred Lands. Once they have a crude settlement, theyll usually form up in groups of ten or twelve and move inland, killing and bagging any living creature that could be used for food. They are slow upon land, and quite easy to elude, but they can overwhelm with sheer numbers. Once theyve claimed enough meat, they will return it to their settlement and feed their allies. Dissections showed the skitaxie to be omnivores, which irritatingly to the population of Rime, means that their taste for meat is an unnecessary one. Survivors of skitaxie attacks have all reported the same gleeful looks and excited clacking of claws. Its not just for business, its for pleasure too. During Glacenox, the sound of their clicking is one humans, vermus, fenrye and ley-risen all know how to react to; tell the nearest town guard or pack member. A few well placed bullets can pierce even the bulkiest of exo-skeletons. Fenrye struggle to fight the skitaxie a little more, their much more rudimentary weapons mostly proving ineffective. They usually roll up bastilles, enlist the aid of leyborn, or brutally outnumber skitaxie warriors to defeat them.

Skitaxie guard an interesting secret: They can only reproduce in freshwater. While males hunt, fertilised females will find their way inland and will stealthily lay their eggs within lakes at the summit of rivers, not too dissimilarly from salmon. Also like salmon, once they process is completed, they die, leaving their bodies to decompose for their hatchlings to consume upon emerging from the eggs. Also unknown to the people of Rime is the fact that skitaxie younglings are in fact abyssei, a beast they mostly consider to be completely unrelated, despite a few similarities in appearance. (See abyssei) They have a city deep beneath the Ink-Dark which no one aside from its inhabitants have laid eyes upon. It has a name no mammal can truly pronounce, but in the clicking tongue of the skitaxie, it translates to Lost-To-Them. This sprawling underwater city of coral and weeds and ruin serves as a home for hundreds of thousands of Skitaxie, and there are many more like it across the globe. The skitaxie have become just another threat to keep an eye out for during Glacenox. They are part of the routine, part of the considerations when defences are built, and part of the curses that escape the lips of every man and woman who look upon their home world with distain. Cheydao The Cheydao are a race the people have Rime have barely even glimpsed. They live exclusively in the inhospitable continent of The Statuary, and are mostly very elusive when humanoids arrive by boat to harvest some of the jungles riches. Sketches and descriptions have been provided which many people refuse to believe. Its said a cheydaos skin is as white as the snow. They are around seven to eight feet tall, very skinny and gangly with their skeletal structure often visible through their flesh, and the top half of their faces seem to be home to plate-like crystalline formations which cover their eyes, nose and forehead. Their heads are quite pointed, and is rounded off with a large leaf cutter style mouth. It is unknown if the cheydao are blind, or if they can see through the icy slab upon their heads. Either way, they are perfectly capable of navigating through a dense forest without bumping or tripping. They havent been seen wearing armour before, and usually settle for tribal paint and simple rags to cover extremities. A cheydao is warm blooded, and their hearts beat twice as fast as a humans to keep their larger, more powerful bodies healthy. The cheydao have never attacked anyone, and in turn have never been attacked. In some rare, wild stories, the cheydao have apparently saved humans and fenrye from some of The Statuarys more deadly predators. Every member of the cheydao species is born a bioborn, and the species has been twisted by the ley over years to become the perfect survivors. Their seemingly thin skin has almost bullet-proof properties and their muscles and bones support supernatural agility, speed and strength. In addition, they are the only known mammal that is capable of re-growing lost limbs. Their digestive system supports the consumption of very little food types, and a cheydao will usually spend their entire life feeding only upon the arkan fruit of the Lifebringer Tree. Thankfully, the tree within their subterranean home grows fruit all year round. The caverns they reside within are warmed by chemical reactions within luminescent plants, and they remain perpetually pleasant. This does mean a cheydaos resistance to cold is even weaker than a humans, however, due to a lack of exposure over the centuries. A cheydao lives for around a hundred years, and they reach adult hood at around ten years old. A baby cheydao initially lives on milk, as is the norm for mammalian creatures, and they are weaned

onto arkan fruit at the age of eight months. With age comes wisdom, and typically the older you are in cheydao culture, the more respected you are. The Veins are divided into district-like branches, all of which have a single leader for the people to consult if they have any issues or questions. The cheydao do not speak civil or ancient; instead using an entirely separate language untouched by the rest of civilisation. Currently there exists only two or three in the entire world capable of translating it, but its not beyond comprehension like the clicking skitaxie language is. A cheydaos voice has a strange crystalline chime that seems to ring along with their words. They use this chime for certain accents and emphasis. A cheydaos name is given by the mother and confirmed when she carves the name upon the bark of the Lifebringer. The enormous tree currently displays thousands of names; all of which it is the sole creator of. The cheydao worship their tree as a god or goddess, which in turn means their religion is the result of Materns influence. It is unknown whether or not Matern knows of these people or has any input in their lives as she does the fenrye. They have a mostly docile and friendly culture, with no internal struggles or conflict. The cheydao live peacefully with one another, with no health problems, no disease and no shortages of resources. Their birth rate is quite slow but the Veins will support many more cheydao before overpopulation becomes an issue. Large communities gather on a nightly basis to exchange stories and engage in friendly conversation around a fire. Despite the fact they exist purely because of a giant tree, the cheydao have no real interest in the trees that exist above their heads; on the surface. The human and fenrye lumbering operations do not bother them, and will continue to not bother them provided they dont target what lies below. Should that occur, the cheydao are more than capable of protecting themselves. The cheydao have learnt to deal with dangers due to their three brother species that also exist within the continent. Being a race that likely mutated from a mindless animal during the Leyweave, the cheydao are just one of four major results the accident yielded. In addition to the peaceful cheydao, there are also the vicious, screaming hunters; the Sryke, the heavy aggressive bark eaters; the Kleptho, and the canopy dwelling glider scavengers; the Yi. All three brother races are below the level of sapience, but they can all be extremely dangerous when they want to be. No cheydao has yet to exist in the southern lands, but it may happen one day, provided they have a plentiful and consistent supply of arkan fruit. The Immortals (The Dragon Knights) The Immortals are another beast race, and resemble large humanoid reptiles. There are only seven recorded in history, all of which are a different colour, which suggests they have a wide variety of potential apparels. Most Immortals have scaly, talon tipped wings on their backs and most of them have a lighter shade of their dominant colour which travels from their neck and down to their stomach or pelvis. On their hands and feet, they have short talons. They stand at about seven to eight feet, both male and female and have no confirmed lifespan. They apparently live forever. Their scales are fairly thin, especially on their heads. The males tend to have quills and spines while the females are more elegant and smooth. Both males and females have thick tails with a shaped spike on the end, which can be fashioned into shapes that represent the immortals essence.

The Immortals all dressed quite differently when they were about. Some of them wore long, gilded robes, while others wore decorative and shiny plate mail pieces. They all use elaborately cut weapons with engravings and a personalised style and for this reason, some philosophers titled them The Dragon Knights, named after the small pests that dart about northern Sovreignous which they bare a resemblance to. Immortals are immortal, not invincible (this is an assumption). They can die if somehow mortally wounded, but they have miraculously fast regeneration abilities. They have demonstrated weakness to certain things before, however, particularly the cold. They are cold blooded and can only survive by absorbing warmth from either the sun or other local heat sources. It is unknown how Immortals reproduce, but it is assumed they lay eggs. Their coupling has never been witnessed as they are reclusive about their personal life. The immortals are immensely powerful. Each of the recorded Immortals or The Divines, as the Faithful call them, are in tuned to elements and powers of reality. They can control life, death, temperature, matter and weather, to mention just a few things. The seven Divines appeared nearly eight hundred years ago and ushered in recorded history with the Leyweave. A web of their power was spread around known Rime, netting it in place and reality during the warmest point of the year, and thus, the ravages of Glacenox ceased. Rime became a tranquil haven for one hundred and twenty years before something happened. Leyborn began to appear. Mothers who unknowingly birthed their children over the invisible strings of energy of the Leyweave net found that their children were developing powers not dissimilar from the Divines themselves, just on a smaller scale. This frightened the humans and many of them began to use it as an excuse to turn against their Gods. A war broke out between those who still believed in their gods, and those who wished them to stop passing their powers onto their children. The Immortals refused to take part in the war, despite the fact that their combined strength could have ended it in days. All seven of them were incredibly patient and forgiving, with no desire to attack the people they had been trying to help. When their Faithful were defeated, the Immortals saw no reason to continue offering their aid, however. Humans had killed and made attempts on their lives due to an accidental and unforeseen consequence of the Leyweave. For this reason, they left, going into hiding and allowing their influence to fade. Rime fell back into its ellipsoid orbit and Glacenox returned. Even with them gone however, the remnants of the leylines still remain, and leyborn are still present. Life on Rime Under-population Rime may seem to have a lot of history, but it has only been five hundred years since the gods vanished. The Faith War that banished them claimed the lives of over ninety percent of all of Rimes current sapient population. Hundreds of thousands of homes were left uninhabited and hundreds of

villages turned into ghost towns for scavengers. With the gods gone, and the sudden slip back into the frozen Glacenox weather that the gods had been holding back with their powers, even more of Rimes population succumbed. The generation was unprepared for Rimes routines, and it was an incredibly dark time for humans and vermus alike. Those that survived taught techniques to their children, and the headcount was stabilised at around two million. The humans and vermus struggled through Rimes cruel nature and against her other inhabitants, but no one was expecting another war to bloom, as there was no one to fight. Just two hundred years after The Faith War, however, in 407LW, Morgarth Farl showed his hand; an army of farmed necroborn, only about two hundred strong, but a force deadly enough to sleep across the land, causing death and destruction to everything they encountered. Without the aid of the previously quite passive vermus, the humans may have faced extinction entirely. It was the finality of The Palecallers that brought the war to a close in Glascan, however, but not before the necroswarm had halved the population yet again. With less than a million humans and vermus left to walk Rime, and with the fenrye population unknowingly booming miles and miles to the west, Sovreignous was in dire peril. A baby boom was encouraged as soon as Sanctus was founded. In the peace in the aftermath of the necroley war (before the riots), the population of humans and vermus were once again on the rise, although not hugely so. Rime is always claiming lives, but thanks to technological advances and a better education system founded by the Kingdom, death by Rime is becoming less of an issue. The attacks from Skitaxie were less of a problem with the invention of rifles and gunpowder, the weather became manageable after hundreds of years of adaptation, and things were starting to look up. Then the Formless came. Preciphillie and dozens of other towns and settlements were destroyed by surging waves and rising landmass. Many more humans died, although a sizable bulk did manage to swim from the wreckage of their former home. The survivors of the disaster began development of a new city, and refugees and homeless individuals from all over Rime came to assist in its construction. For the next one hundred years, there was relative peace, until the fenryes first invasion. Once a month, sometimes twice, roughly every twenty eight days, the fenrye send a pack of experienced, highly trained soldiers into a Sovreignous or Glascan settlement. In the first few years of the Beast War, defences were poor, and fenrye slaughtered thousands if not more humans, indiscriminately, for the glory of the Goddess. During the Beast War, the Ley-raising project was launched in an attempt to combat the problem. The project is passively underway, and has been so for thirty(ish) years. (see Ley-risen) The humans and vermus have been barraged with threats throughout recorded history. Since the Faith War, their numbers have been too diminished to defend themselves properly from threats, resulting in a steady decline over time caused by stand alone events. There are still entire towns which are completely empty, home to nothing now except squatting bandits and scavengers. (See factions) A ride along a main road can feel lonely at times, as contact with another human is scarce,

at best. Sovreignous is a big place, capable of supporting the lives of eighty million, but currently, it serves to house just 1.8 million sapient beings. The Scarred Lands plays host to the fenrye; roughly seven hundred thousand of them. However, unlike humans and vermus, every single fenrye knows how to fight and have the will to fight, meaning they have a military advantage. They have not taken a hit to their numbers since they were first created by Matern. Survival It was Darwin who once said; It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. This couldnt be more true upon the surface of Rime. Everything on Rime is about adapting to what she can throw at you, and every plant, animal, man and woman knows this. Rime is frozen for half of the year, with temperatures plummeting to below 30 degrees Celsius. Every living organism on the planet has adapted and evolved to live through the ravages of Glacenox and emerge unscathed on the other side. Starting with simple organisms, plants have evolved to grow and bloom incredibly quickly during the two brightest, warmest months of the year. In this short sixty day period, insects and birds feed upon the berries and nectar provided and ensure fertilised seeds are properly distributed. Forests become vibrant with colour and a plethora of smells, some nice, some foul flood the senses. Once the seeds are in the ground, they will not begin the gestation process until the snow of Glacenox has fallen, and then melted eight months later. Trees of Rime are hardy enough to continue growing throughout the cold and the dark, their leaves booming with chlorophyll to absorb even the faintest light and provide enough energy for the plant to sustain its own life. Animals and Ley-risen survive Glacenox through a wide variety of tactics; some simply shelter, or huddle together (like the bekapi). Some simply grow a heavy fur coat and wait it out with sheer tenacity (such as the woolorth) some hibernate, some keep warm using the body temperature of their kills, some unique animals, such as the quish, simply allow their bodies to freeze and are placed in a state of cryostasis, able to thaw once the warmth returns and continue with their life as if nothing happened. The one thing the animals all have in common is they adapt to fight off or evade the cold. A human could not survive the ocean freezing temperatures without some thick layers. In Glacenox, wearing furs and woolly boots/gloves is essential for survival. Indoors, it is practically mandatory for a roaring fire to be kept going consistently for many months and heavy insulation within every wall. Poorly insulated buildings can kill, so things like that are important. Most people are kitted out with basic cold weather survival gear, such as thermal flasks, snow shoes and hatchets for cutting dead wood on the go for fires. Vermus can survive in the snow and freezing temperatures with just their fur for a time. They are sturdier against the cold than humans, but even they will succumb if overly exposed. Vermus will spend the majority of Glacenox below ground or within buildings, but have to gear up less when travelling outside for short periods of time. Fenrye are more tenacious still. They will dress up warmly, which stacks in heat nicely with their thick Glacenox fur, but they will happily spend days and days in the biting void of heat. This is

required especially during Bloodmoon hunts in Glacenox, which have them cross the frozen seas either on foot or pulled by Cazak sleds. Routine Continuing from the survival section, most living things on Rime fall into a routine; a list of actions they must periodically perform every year to ensure survival, to ward off nasty surprises, to keep up the offensive pressure, or to defend from attackers. Aside from the obvious routines that come with the rapid and monumental shifts in weather, such as the hastily constructed defences before the predicted storms of Thaw, or the stockpiling of food and resources for the remorseless Glacenox, there are other routines followed by many other animals and humanoids which neighbouring species must be aware of. For example, the blood moon events are a thing of predictable routine. The humans know that every full moon, the fenrye will attack, somehow, somewhere. Every night before the full moon, Wolfbane Pact guards, soldiers and wranglers will place every major settlement under lockdown and defend it. Only one of these towns will be attacked, but in order to be safe, the Pact spreads its forces thin to defend as much ground as they possibly can. This is a routine for both Sovreignous and The Scarred Lands. The fenrye perform this act every cycle to KEEP Wolfbane Pact forces spread thin, to keep their morale down, and to make holes in their population and defences. Another thing that happens every month at exactly the same day every year is the visits from the Formless. Every night, before the Formless arrive, an offering must be placed for them to stop them from going into peoples houses and taking anything metal they can lay their shrouded mitts on. This offering usually consists of broken tools and a few ingots, and is always paid for in gold, jewels and other items of value, which in turn can usually be exchanged for more metal goods. The collection of metal must be weighed on a set of scales before being placed, as the Formless always take the same amount of metal each time. Of course, Rime has routine within its economy and such. People open their stalls and stores from dawn till dusk. There are market places and civic buildings with designated opening times, but the real routine comes with the more core aspects of survival. Economy On Sovreignous in particular, there is a very evident class system, which in turn raises a range of economic issues and opens opportunities. Wealth is just as important to humans and vermus as it is to any sapient race you might expect. Coins, (known as Sancs) are used in varying numbers to purchase goods from traders, who would have previously purchased their goods from suppliers. The quality of the produce or product determines the price at all stages of the process. Gold is not a rare metal on Sovreignous. The Formless especially provide valuables in heavy abundance during their monthly trade visits, but most of this gold is claimed by the kingdom and stored in a treasury. Very little actually finds its way to the towns and settlements unless their economy needs to be bought out to prevent a collapse. This seizing of valuables also keeps the

economy at the same level, as giving buckets and buckets of gold to the local populace would do nothing but diminish its value. People work for money, mostly. Theyll get a job and will work most days unless conditions are too harsh for it. Rime has no rest day, as Rime is not that forgiving. Jobs payout a pouch of coins on a daily basis (this can vary greatly from a few coins to a chest, depending on what the job actually is) and this money is used, in turn, to purchase the essentials a man or woman would need to survive. Dried food is essential for everyone on Rime to survive the nutrient void of Glacenox. People will shop for food, tools, clothes, firewood (another useful provision) and other things that will help them endure. Those with spare income, usually coming from a risky or perhaps political job, will be able to afford more luxurious items, such as advanced indoor plumbing, flintlock weaponry, professionally manufactured toys and games for children and clothes made from the hides of some of Rimes most fearsome creatures. Houses are not expensive on Rime. Homelessness simply isnt an issue as there are so many empty houses to fill. There are people in the estate business, but they will be happy to let their properties go for cheap if it means filling a home and gaining a bit of cash. Homes do of course occasionally reach an unaffordable level, but most of these will be ideally located in noble districts, which are exclusively reserved for the rich. Most of your standard single floored cabins will not cost you more than the price of a woolorth or carriage. Houses in cities are more expensive, especially the ones in the richer districts. Building your own custom house is far more expensive, as wood is of high value when its as a loose material, and stone is still tricky to work with due to technological limitations. Lumber can almost be considered a currency in its own right. A family without a heavily insulated home will need stacks and stacks of firewood to burn throughout the Cold Dark. Many families will have a designated member to cut wood down for them to avoid having to pay, but not everyone can do this, and not everyone would want to. Rime is a dangerous place for a lumberjack. Charcoal can be created from wood using a slow heating process which is starved of oxygen. Piles of wood are stacked and then covered with clay, hay, dirt and soil to allow no air to breach the burner. These stacks are created and tended to be charcoal experts called colliers. Charcoal is essential for things like metal forging, but its also used as another, more expensive means of staying warm during Glacenox. Coal is also extracted from mines and burnt in houses but it is far less accessible. Coal is mostly burned in the houses of the rich, or maybe the houses of some dishonest miners. Its also useful in the blacksmithing industry, particularly in refineries and smelters. Vermus and Ley-Risen use the same currency as humans, and will work for the money provided they are able to find jobs. Ley-risen especially have difficulties, as they are mostly used as slaves and people will either pay them very little, or simply refuse them payment outright. Many victims of persecution and prejudice fall into a life of crime. If the people of Sovreignous cannot acquire a tool or product through traditional and legal means, there are dozens of black market traders that will vendor off pretty much anything for a decent price, along with some unique commodities you wouldnt find anywhere else, such as birth control

medicine and other illegal drugs. Some black market weapon traders will also sell guns for a cheaper price than those permitted to do so. Fenrye do not have an economy in the traditional sense. They have no money or currency, just a synergy with one another which leads to all the roles needed being filled. Theyll take it in turns to perform guard duties or to train pups, to forge weapons or to fletch arrows. Every fenrye is expected to have a fairly broad range of skills, and they are all expected to pull their weight. On the rare occasion a fenrye is accused of slacking, he will be forced to work triple shifts, or simply be exiled or executed. Transport and Travelling Theres one way on Rime to ensure you can get from A to B, and thats using your legs. Walking is the most popular mode of transport. You wont see automotive vehicles anywhere, as they simply do not exist. When walking through snow, humans will make use of wide surface snow-shoes to stop them sinking and hindering their movements. Vermus can travel with impressive speed on all fours, and in snowy conditions, they can toboggan on their bellies to efficiently conserve energy while on the go. Fenrye have wide paws and powerful haunches, along with unmatched stamina and tenacity. Of course, sometimes your own two feet wont be enough, and thats where animals come in. Sovreignous dwellers use woolorths for transport, if they can afford them. These horse-like creatures have a thick coat of fur and locomotive capabilities that never give. They will walk, trot, canter or gallop wherever you need them too. They are also superb at pulling large wheeled weights, meaning a pair of them can pull a carriage, while four of them can haul a years worth of mining. Humans and vermus also make use of lupine-like creatures known as sledders during the frozen months. Sledders excel upon snowy surfaces and can drag heavy loads when in pack formation.(See bestiary for more info) Fenrye have no access to woolorths, and so they make use of cazak, reptilian pack animals. A pack of cazak working as a team can pull sleds across the frozen seas. Fenrye use these beasts when performing a bloodmoon hunt during Glacenox. When the seas are accessible, ships and boats are used. Boats vary in size, and are relatively rare, due to their cost. Boats are pricey to build as the lumber required is, as previously mentioned, very expensive. Education Education on Sovreignous prioritises one thing over all else; survival. Theres a short, mandatory three year schooling process for all human and vermus children, which they begin at the age of five or six and finish at eight or nine (Vermus start at two or three). Humans and vermus share these classes in some schools and are separated in others. Exposure Training, as the learning process is named, covers the basics and a few of the advanced aspects of surviving Rimes inhospitable ways. Children are taught how to react accordingly to certain threats, what to do in certain situations, what to wear and do during Glacenox, and some basic self defence techniques (among other things). Some of these lessons include how to elude certain predators and how to climb trees. Children are also taught a phrase to use against the occasionally quite predictable fenrye to initiate an

honourable challenge which will halt the interference of other honour-bound fenrye during a one on one fight. Once this course is completed, every child should have an understanding of Rimes threats, and should be at least a little more prepared for the horrors she will throw at them. Children from wealthier backgrounds can go onto further education in much more traditional schools, where they are taught maths, science, language, history, geography and more. Education of this calibre is expensive, and the majority of children will never experience it. Ley-Risen younglings are schooled immediately after their conversion is completed, effectively indoctrinating them. Ley-risen will be expected to believe that existence to them will always be one of servitude and gratitude, and, for the most part, they will indeed accept this as truth, for a time at least. Fenrye are educated in much more brutal way. From the moment they can walk, fenrye are trained in the arts of fray and war. They are given a choice of weapons, which are usually too big for them to wield without losing balance, and once their choice is made, thats it; this will be their speciality, their style, and their life. Pups are trained rigorously by their parents, most of them being better fighters at the age of eleven than most humans are at the age of thirty. At sixteen to eighteen years of age, the fenrye are sent off on the first true test, The Trials of Aging. All of their training has been for this moment. The young fenrye will be expected to perform a brutal and challenging task in a pack theyve never met before. This experience binds them to their squad, and they become another permanent part of their life. Those that survive the trials return home, where they can either reproduce, or go straight to deployment. If they choose to be deployed, they will have to attend their nearest Hunt. For no more than a few lunar cycles, fenrye are taught everything there is to know about the anatomy and techniques of humans and vermus. They are schooled in countless ways to kill them, to outsmart them, to ambush them, and predict their moves. Most importantly, they are taught to die with honour, and without fear. A fenrye with fear is a failure. It is a sign to the humans that they can falter, which would make their entire Bloodmoon campaign pointless. Other than this, fenrye receive no formal education. The majority of them cant read, or even count. There are exceptions, of course, especially those exiled to Sovreignous, The Reth Fakree. Equality Its not known where the elitism of the humans first began. The vermus are an older species than the humans, but they are always the ones that feel the weight of inequality. There are many more humans than vermus, and the vermus are smaller in stature. Theyre known to live in sewers (although they only do this because they were ordered to by the king) and their status is not helped by their infamy as tricksters and scoundrels. In the line of monarchs to rule over Sovreignous, some have granted full rights to the vermus, while some have stripped them completely. The most recent tyrant to take the throne was Rorik II, a man who ordered all vermus within the city walls were to be executed unless they leave by sundown. He, like many others, considered the vermus to be vermin, as their name might suggest. He was assassinated by a vermus twenty one years into his reign, and this, while ending the tyrants rule and granting the vermus some of their rights back, sadly resulted in even more fear and hate directed towards them. It was at this point they were ordered to erect

their own home within the sewers, out of sight, out of mind. Outside the walls of Sanctus, and beyond the trees of Everlast, vermus are generally better appreciated and respected, but there will always be bigotry from the humans, just as there is occasionally bigotry from any race. This is of course nothing in comparison to the views upon ley-risen. Ley-risen have existed for thirty years, and in that time, have been considered as nothing more than animals by the majority of the human population. Rimes humans have always been incredibly slow to accept change, and often very quick to reject it. There are not enough ley-risen for their voices to be heard, although they have begun to realise there is more to life than simple oppression and manual labour. The inequality does not just span to the other races of Rime, however, as humans have their own internal class system. The rich are better educated, live in fancier homes, possess stronger weapons and will probably survive for the longest. They consider themselves better than the middle or working class citizens, to only some objection. The leyborn are also not treated as equals, although for a different reason. Wranglers strip leyborn of their basic human rights the moment they catch them. Leyborn can be tortured, locked away and executed without a trial, as can those associated with them, so long as the wranglers file a report stating they were a danger to the kingdom. Fenrye have only a few aspects of inferiority and superiority; everyone is inferior to the Alpha, but everyone has the potential to become one. Along with the rule of Matern and the alpha, there are also huntmasters that act as lieutenants, advisers and war tacticians. Fenrye are expected to follow their orders. There are no leaders within the trials of aging packs. They are expected to work as one, without the need for dominion. The fenrye do not consider the humans to be inferior, merely targets. They destroy the men of Sovreignous as their Goddess wishes it so, and her word is law. Crime, Law and Order Law on Rime may seem unnecessary; one might hope everyone pulls together in a world overrun by crisis, but this is far from the truth. Criminality is something that is incredibly common on Rime, especially in the east (Although in Norvask, its hard to tell the difference between a friendly scrap and attempted murder). Bandits and rogue fenrye tribes can be found all over their home continents. The Preciphillie Ruins in The Dry Divide serves as a sort of hub for thirty percent of all criminal activity on Sovreignous, but there are infamous bandit clans and a few skilled highway men that patrol the roads and ambush caravans all over the place. Crime is spawned mostly by desperation, initially. People run out of money and are unable to afford food during Glacenox. They are too afraid to hunt for their own, or cut their own wood, so they snatch a coin purse from an old womans outstretched hand and it all escalates from there. Wanted criminals have places to confide in, places to hide, or to be accepted. Bandit clans (See factions) recruit any sort of scum they can find if it means getting another pair of arms to wield a sword. If theres nowhere in Sovreignous to hide, theyll flee to Glascan, a place with virtually no law and order, due to a lack of Wolfbane Pact enforcers. Officers of the Pact are what keep the law. If someone commits a crime in their jurisdiction, they are permitted to make an arrest. If the perpetrator gets away, and the crime is serious enough, sketches and wanted posters are released for bounty hunters to collect. If the crime borders on extreme, such

as attempted treason, then a detachment of Pact soldiers and wranglers along with seeker starls will be deployed to hunt the suspect down. Weapons are something of a confliction when it comes to legal representation. On one hand, weapons can lead to murder, but on the other, they are effectively essential when roaming the wilds and fending off Rimes many criminals. In most places, including Sanctus, youll be able to walk around with a sword on your belt without guards so much as batting an eyelash. Youll start to turn a few more heads if youre seen with a gun. Guns are a little illegal in some places, and perfectly acceptable in others. So long as you keep it in your holster when in public areas, youll generally be just fine. Selling guns on the other hand without a Wolfbane Pact permit is strictly illegal. Guns are reserved exclusively for soldiers and wranglers if possible, but they do occasionally find their way into the hands of others, sometimes through purely innocent means, such as hand-me-downs. Some areas will partake in slavery; capturing humans, vermus and fenrye and forcing them to work without pay. Slavery is illegal in every part of Sovreignous, and is always the result of criminal organisations taking citizens against their will. In addition to being used for manual labour, slaves are also sometimes forced to fight in makeshift arenas for entertainment. The best slave fighters get to test their mettle in the worlds greatest and most deadly arena; The Ring of Ruin. Involvement in slavery, particularly in the buying and selling of them, can result in heavy jail sentences, or worse, depending on the case. When a criminal is arrested in Sovreignous, be they human, vermus or ley-risen (assuming the leyrisen isnt shot on sight), they are given a chance to confess. If they deny they carried out the crime, additional evidence is sought for in the form of alibis, witness statements and clues at the scene. Pact detectives investigate what they can, and if they cant dig up anything suspicious, the suspect is free to go. If they can pull up substantial evidence, the suspect is tried and sentenced accordingly. There are no lawyers and no jury in a trial, it is merely a chance for the suspect to justify his actions and attempt to reduce his sentence, or on exceptional cases, even relieve himself of it entirely. A single judge, (usually a vermus) carries out the sentence. If simple officers and guards arent enough to deal with a crime, wranglers are brought in. If the crime has anything to do with leyborn activity, multiple wranglers are brought in. As it is a crime to harbour, assist or associate yourself with a leyborn, you can be taken into custody for merely talking to one, even if you didnt know their true identity. Suspects in leyborn cases are often taken from the usual cells by wranglers and whisked away to the Leylands for further interrogation and higher security. Laws in Sovreignous other than the leyborn based ones include what one might expect; assault, murder, attempted murder, stealing, vandalism, etc. Birth control pills are banned by law and if youre found to have taken it, you tend to get around thirty days in a poorly conditioned cell. Dealing witherack pills can get you up to six months. These same rules apply to most other drugs as well, aside from histax (see plants), which can have you locked away indefinitely due to its danger, or even executed. Execution is an uncommon but very real sentence passed upon those truly deserving. Executions are public, but out of the way, so no one is forced to watch them if they dont want to. Traditionally, its

to the gallows with the criminals, although disgraced soldiers and captured fenrye face firing lines instead, as a symbol of respect for their service, either way. In the extremely rare circumstance where even the death penalty is too good for someone, they will be sent to the horrific prison of Lockdown on Quarantine. In The Scarred Lands, there is also a law and order system, but rather than being enforced by a select group of trained individuals, it is enforced by the entire fenrye community. Laws in cities such as Whitehowl include; speaking against the alpha, killing without honour, disobeying the word of The Den Mother and disgracing yourself in battle. Sympathising with the enemy is not against the law, but it is heavily frowned upon, and occasionally results in exile. It is rare in the fenrye community to have thieves, as everything effectively belongs to everyone. Fights break out often, the fenrye being overly active and aggressive creatures, but these are not discouraged. Fights settle disputes. So long as the fight meets the conditions of honour (informing your opponent before making your first strike, for example) then, no matter the outcome, no one will interfere. This, incidentally, includes the scenario in which one combatant kills the other. Rogue tribes with their own agendas are not under Whitehowls banner. This makes them heretics for turning their backs on their creator, and they must die a heretics death. Rogue tribes, if their location is determined, will suffer crushing assaults from overwhelming numbers of fenrye. Provisions Food and drink is something everyone needs, but not something everyone has. For the most part, rations are quite well spread. Theres enough meat to go around the diminished population, so long as theyve got the coin, and if they cant afford it, they should get a bow and go hunting. Agricultural sights and farms are all over the flat, grassy lands of Norvask and The Divines Reserve, growing enough fruit and vegetables to supply the entire continent. If a farmers crops are failing, he can send a letter to Sanctus to requisition a bioborn nurturer from the Leylands and this keeps the trade line nice and stable. Dried food is created in massive bulks by special teams in enormous smokehouses called smokers and distributed to vendors around Sovreignous and Glascan in exchange for sancs. Their customers, the citizens, will then usually buy about five days worth of food and ten days of Glacenox rations with their money. The idea is that by the time Glacenox arrives, you wont have to do anymore shopping to live out the cold and winds and can happily remain indoors where its safe. Richer nobles and the like can afford fresh food at any time of the year, and farmers can kill their own livestock and cook to their hearts content if they have the necessary income already. The most consumed piece of food on Rime is dried beef from moko and venison from jurnice. Dairy products from moko milk are also popular, such as cheese. During Lumina, fishing boats can be sent out for a few catches. Fish are a delicacy further inland, as there currently exists no means of preserving them in transport during the warm months, and during the icy cold of Glacenox, the seas are frozen and fish are almost totally unreachable. There are mills and fields which cultivate and grind wheat to make flour, but bread goes stale quite quickly so its not ideal for ration storage. For sweeteners, humans and vermus use small sugary pods found all over the world called Vayli pods, along with an assortment of berries. Fruit can also

be harvested from the extraordinary range of pine trees. Pine trees provide nuts and fruit, and many of them also have a soft, vitamin rich layer beneath their bark which can be stripped off and eaten raw, called cambium. There are professional chefs and even a few restaurants which people will travel to from across the provinces to try the food of. Humans like to expand, as they do with most of their trades, and are constantly experimenting with new ways to create new flavours with exciting new ingredients. For homes that dont have clean plumbing systems maintained by vermus below ground, water can be distilled and consumed. Water is very cheap and often made from melted snow, but during the warmer months, it can be purchased from vendors but customers are expected to bring their own vessels, such as waterskins or bottles. Milk can be drunk, although moko milk is very thick and not overly appealing to the senses on its own. Alcohol is very popular, and theres usually at least one tavern in every major and minor settlement. Not only does alcohol induce a pleasant feeling and occasionally make its consumers forget the world and enjoy themselves for a while, it also grants a feeling of warmth, which is incredibly appealing during the colder months. Firebrand whiskey is an example of a stronger drink, while butterhop ale is a tamer, tasty one. While all races on Rime share a fairly similar diet and taste, the fenrye struggle to feed themselves the most. They dont have livestock or farms, and they are also primarily carnivorous (they can eat other foods, but dont get the sustenance they fully need.) All of their meat must be hunted, which is risky, considering this is the same mindset most of the potential meals share. All fenrye are expected to make their own kills and eat their own meals. In The Scarred Lands, the fenrye have to eat things that would quite happily eat them right back, but there is a healthy abundance of these threats lurking about. They are quite partial to the eggs of deadtropedes, also. Fenrye have a powerful immune system, thanks to their flawless genetic code, meaning they have no qualms drinking from rivers and pools that humans and vermus would shy away from. It is worth mentioning that fenrye do not consume sapient beings, contrary to popular belief. A fenrye has never eaten another fenrye, or a human, or a vermus. Stones, Metals and other Materials Rime has a lot of materials that one might expect; many of them are part of the periodic table we are all familiar with and so are not worth going into. There are dozens more however with mysterious origins and fantastical properties, some of which are listed here: Ebonstone: Ebonstone is from the small island off the northern coast of The Scarred Lands, The Ebon Stand. Ebonstone, also occasionally referred to as obsidian due to its glassy black colour and texture, has properties that make it almost totally indestructible. Additionally, when sharpened, ebonstone weapons have a blade capable of piercing and cutting chain mail and thick hides like they were butter. Another property is its ability to retain a cosy heat for up to a month, making filed down ebonstone accessories popular in the colder months of Rime. With all of these positive conditions, one would expect a catch, and one is right, there are some. Ebonstone is incredibly difficult to mine, and can only be realistically mined by a pick made from the same material. The first ebonstone picks were made from loose rocks and snatched from the jaws of obsidian crawlers (See bestiary). This

was an impractical way of acquiring the precious stone, and so mining operations were put into place once the salvaged rocks had been melted down into moulds and forged into weapons. The melting process is also taxing. Ebonstone has a melting point of around 2,000 degrees centigrade (500 more than iron). This means smelters have to be worked overtime and fed a lot of fuel before ebonstone is ready to manipulate. Even with these flaws, its still highly competed for, and The Ebon Stand is in a near constant state of competition between fenrye and Wolfbane Pact forces Ivoryon: Ivoryon is a mysterious metal found only upon the snowy peaks of the worlds tallest mountains. It is not overly difficult to mine, and, assuming you have the stamina to reach it, not overly difficult to locate. While it blends into the snow with a glinting pale white, it has a consistently vibrating atomic structure, meaning it hums when even slightly disturbed by the wind. The harmonic chime of ivoryon is one easily identifiable, due to its serene and peaceful air about it. Ivoryon is a precious metal, and very expensive. Some of the finest pieces of jewellery uses cuts of ivoryon, which is quite easily to manipulate and melt, but strong enough once solid to serve a variety of purposes. Ivoryon is also distinctive to the touch, in that it always feels quite cold, even on a warm day. No one is quite sure of this, and people have pointed to supernatural causes. The Faithful would have others believe that Ivoryon is in fact not metal, but the shed scales of Glace himself. Ivoryon has served as the metal of choice by the legendary Palecallers when it comes to forging weapons and armour. Lilikine: One of the few liquid metals, along with mercury, lilikine is a receptive, reactive substance. It has significance on Rime as it expands and retracts very quickly when exposed to changes in temperature, making it an ideal choice to mix with mercury to make a thermometer with superior accuracy to a normal mercury one. Lilikine is distinctive in look and behaviour. From a glance, it looks solid and thick, bronze in colour, but give it the opportunity and it will slip and slide over a surface if it is so much as skewed at a slight angle. Its not something found intentionally, and was discovered by accident during a coal mining dig. Since no deposits have been found other than the single one in a Norvask cliff side, it is assumed the metal is exceedingly rare. Fortunately, the deposit found was a large one, and is to this day, not depleted. Similarly to mercury, lilikine is toxic to ingest (but then a lot of metals are). Saying this however, when mixed into compounds, it can have applications in areas such as medicine, particularly vaccinations against diseases. Core Stone: Very little is known about the material which makes up the walls and doors of the monolith; Core. Whatever it is, it appears to be even stronger than Ebonstone, and nothing has even come close to making a dent in its reflective, pristine, black, shiny surface. Leyrock: Leyrock is the conjured earth of a geoborn hardened to an impossible atomic structural strength. While geoborn are typically very docile and peaceful, they have fought wranglers in the past. Geoborn cannot alter their own forms, but they can conjure shields and weapons made from leyrock, and use them to devastating effect. Leyrock could, in theory, be used in other practices, but

something about its atomic structure needs a level of consistent channelling and concentration from its creator, like holding a ball of sand in your hand. Lumitek: Lumitek, when mined and unrefined, seems like a perfectly ordinary stone. Its just about distinguishable from its slightly soft texture, like an alkali metal. Lumitek is another one of the mysterious metals with outstanding properties, if handled in the correct way. Once it has undergone a filing, cleaning and refining process, lumitek loses its grimy first skin and becomes extremely reactive to simple air. While it does not explode, or even create much heat, lumitek chunks glows with a brilliant, but temporary light, before being once again encased in a blackened skin. When lumitek is dried in smokehouses and ground into a dense powder under water (with the consistency of sand, so it does not float) its reaction lasts considerably longer. Even then, however, its not long enough to be considered a viable light source for towns and villages, but the powder is stored within sealed tubes and used as glowsticks by explorers. Other inventors are constantly searching for new ways to make use of lumiteks brilliant glow. Dryon: Dryon is a remarkably fragile but heavy metal found usually as bladed shards in stone deposits only a few metres below the soil. Dryons most famous use currently is being the source of ammunition for the powerful sunderer weapons. Dryon is easily manipulated by blacksmiths. It can be melted down and moulded with relative easy, making it an ideal choice for gliding and sculptors, on occasion. Once cold however, while it can still take a fair amount of pressure and survive a tough impact, as soon as it is heated, even for a moment, it becomes as fragile as a ceramic vase. For this reason, dryon spheres are usually placed within sunderers or even cannons, where the heat combined with the force of the shot sends a deadly surge of shattered, sharp-edged metal in a short range cone. Aquaplume: A soft alkali metal, Aquaplume is only found in very dry areas, such as below deserts and thirsty plains. Aquaplume is a dull grey when originally dug up, usually found in quite large deposits. It can be cleaned by simply gently filing the protective first layer off with a knife, and can even be moulded into shapes to fit a purpose. Once cleaned, it has a chromatic silver sheen, a little bit like aluminium. Aquaplumes most notable property is its violent reaction to moisture. Aquaplume is highly explosive when exposed to virtually any kind of liquid. Its not an ideal choice for members of the military forces as rain can blow up an entire stock, or any troops carrying them, but its used in some mining operations and occasionally weaponised by dare devils. When covered in water, aquaplume fizzes for about ten seconds before exploding with greater force than gunpowder. A fifty centimetre cube would be enough to level most buildings and expose ore veins, but its explosion is hard to control and occasionally hard to predict. Sometimes the fizzing duration is longer or shorter, giving enemies a chance to run away, or not enough time for its primer to escape. Aquaplume can occasionally be found in some drugs and medicines, but mostly its use is prohibited. While not illegal to carry chunks of untreated aquaplume, if you walk through a town or city with something that explodes if it gets wet on you, youll likely have it confiscated and receive a heavy fine. Cast: A clay-like substance extracted from river and lake beds, cast has some interesting properties that make it a very versatile material. Cast is usually a brown or terracotta colour, both after and

before extraction. It can be dug out with a trowel or shovel with ease and is generally quite cheap on the markets as a trade material. Cast can be used to make pots and plates and other simple objects by simply sculpting it into shapes. The mud is soft and easy to work with, and once its been fired in an oven or simply left in the sun, it becomes solid. Some primitive machines and siege engines use ceramic parts made from cast, as it is cheap, quick and reliable. Cast is just a ceramic material, however, and it will shatter if enough force is applied. A cast jar will not survive a four foot drop onto a stone floor, or a bullet for that matter, meaning its not ideal for armour or weapons. That said, cast does have an interesting property that makes it valuable in the military. Cast is incredibly shock absorbent. A man wearing a cast helmet can be smashed over the head with a warhammer, and, although the helmet will be obliterated, the man will barely feel a thing. Cast projectiles fired from guns are good dummy bullets, never penetrating the skin but causing some nasty incapacitating bruises. In sieges, the military hollow out giant cast balls and fill them with five or so soldiers. These crash pods are then fired from catapults, where they shatter within enemy ranks and deploy soldiers. The soldiers arent harmed by the impact, as the ball shatters around them and absorbs all of the energy in the process. Rustoak: A solid and powerful wood with properties superior to that of iron and steel. Rustoak is harvested from the frozen region of The Statuary, and requires a perilous journey to reach it. It is normally fairly rare to see objects made of rustoak, and rarer still to see weapons and armour crafted from it, but they are around, and favoured by some truly deadly warriors. (See plants for more info) Braid: Braid is a material made up of thick braids of taepah fibres. Braid only restricts movement a little, and doesnt make noise when worn, making it an ideal choice for rogues and assassins who wish to upgrade from their normal animal hides or leathers. While taepah is not hard to find, and grows all over the world, handling it and then braiding it is a craft that takes years to master, and there are only a handful of true experts on Rime. (See plants; taepah for more info) Amber: Amber is a wondrous material found only in the deep snows and caverns of Iceplane (for some unknown reason) While amber can be found in miniscule deposits around any region that was once home to a forest, Iceplane has mysterious amber deposits that can reach up to fifteen metres in diameter. Amber is mostly used for jewellery, but it can be cut and hallowed to make incredibly durable and powerful weapons and armour. A knight in a full suit of amber armour is a sight to behold. The material is a beautiful golden-orange colour, slightly translucent so it refracts light in the sun. Within, one can usually make out insects, frozen in time, potentially thousands if not tens of thousands years old. Amber is not meant to be smelted or melted. It can be broken down with intense heat like most metals, but it will not harden again, and will simply become ancient sap. Anyone holding an amber weapon or wearing amber armour is likely in possession an object made from a material thats older than anything else theyve seen before. As mentioned before, this strengthened amber is only found in Iceplane in large deposits, meaning those who want it have to brave the pitfall traps of the snow serephin. Amber can be extracted with picks, although this does damage it quite badly, making it awkward for a crafter to work with. Experts of the trade will extract amber from deposits using super-heated blades and delicate

chiselling motions. While theres a lot of amber in Iceplane, most folk wont dare to risk their lives to claim it. Amber is, for this reason, quite rare in the public sector, and quite expensive. Carapace: Carapace is a material used almost exclusively in warfare and conflict, thanks to its fenrysian origin. Carapace is, as you might have guessed, made of the carapaces of large insects, specifically stone serephin from The Sea of Stone. The shells that make up the bulk of the armour plates and weapons have a jagged, stony texture which can blend perfectly into rocky environments. The material is also very strong; not as strong as amber, but then fenrye arent very good at handling amber, so they settle for this instead. Carapace requires almost no expertise to treat and craft into tools of war. The plates can literally be torn off the corpses of serephin, sharpened and then stuck onto sticks, and thats a spear. It does have the camouflage appeal to it too, but since Sovreignous is quite a green and pleasant continent in comparison to The Scarred Lands, carapace armour doesnt usually provide much camouflage across the seas. Carapace weapons and armour have come into the possession of humans, looted from the corpses of dead fenrye hunters. Zealite: Zealite is a volatile and curious metal that is found in deep deposits around Rime. Zealite is usually accidently stumbled upon when mining for iron and other common resources in deep mines. It can often be mistaken for gold when unrefined. As an untreated ore, it has a very slight gold glint. Prospectors look for the telltale signs when identifying the ore, the main one being a simple bite to test the density and strength. Gold is quite soft, while zealite is as hard as metals come. Once enough zealite has been found, it can be refined and treated. Zealite is illegal in most cities and towns due to its unique and unpredictable property. Once zealite has been refined and crafted into something, it has a chromatic golden gleam, and from a glance, seems quite ordinary, if not a bit garish and unnecessary. Unseen to the eye however is the passive chemical reaction taking place as normal air comes into contact with the metal. Something about zealite causes hydrogen and oxygen to split from the rest of the compound into a flammable but invisible separate airborne compound. If zealite is ever exposed to a naked flame, no matter if it the size of a bonfire or a spark from a piece of flint, this gas will ignite, and passively burn so long as there is air to transmute. With this showy reaction, there are some practical uses for zealite, the most popular one being combat. Special suits of zealite armour can burn permanently during a battle without harming the soldier within. Zealite weapons, such as swords also catch alight, and can deal some horrific burns along with standard cutting damage. A full suit of zealite armour usually has a pair of gauntlets with a flint plate on the thumb and middle finger. When the wearer clicks his fingers, a small spark will ignite the gas, turning him into a flaming behemoth. A sword can usually be lit by banging it against a stone or metal surface to generate sparks, but some people carry a small dagger with them to drag along the zealite blade to create this effect. Zealite is very strong, and has this burning property, but it is not without its flaws. Once zealite has begun to burn, it is genuinely very difficult to put it out. Total submersion in water or snow, or complete starvation of air to transmute are currently the only ways to stop the flames. Since the reaction is so volatile also, even a single candle can set zealite armour off, meaning wearing a suit in a tavern for instance, with a burning hearth, could result in the entire place being reduced accidently reduced to ash.

Zealite was given its name by the Faithful, as something about a burning warrior with a burning sword conveys a sort of religious image. Euhedrac: Euhedrac is the collective name given to a group of euhedral crystals, found mostly in volcanic areas and deep glacial caves. Euhedrac is mostly well known for its ability to craft euhedral gear. Rimes crystals can be cultivated and grown, not too dissimilarly from farming. Some large fragments of the original crystal is required. The growing process works by pouring powdered crystal dust of a single variety into a trough of water, before adding several large chunks of the same crystal. The presence of this father crystal invokes the growth and spread of the smaller ones. The process takes a few months, but once it is complete, youll have a crystal brick with smooth, flat, polygonal edges. Once the crystal growing process had been discovered and mastered, the cultivators sough to find ways they could use it. The crystal was strong against melee weapons, and could take a hit with a sword just fine and a blunt weapon quite well. Shooting the crystal with bullets or bolts however almost always shattered the surface, making it not entirely ideal for combat. Nevertheless, armourers started growing the crystals into moulds and preparing it for combat. It did not take more than a year for people to work out what to do with it to make it more durable and battle-ready. The moulds were designed with hollow ridges between two layers of protective crystal. Once the piece of armour or weapon was complete, the crafters would pour in through a single hole a mixture of lilikine along with some melted iron, all slightly thickened with simple sawdust. The melted iron means the thick but flowing liquid needs to maintain constant heat. Fortunately most crystals on Rime are impossibly good insulators, able to maintain the heat within its layers for a still undetermined amount of time (Its over ten years). The aesthetic result is a translucent, stylised piece of equipment with sharp but polyhedral edges and faces, with a sort of animated texture as people can see the liquid metal flowing within. The practical result is something that can take both a swing from a melee weapon, and when hit by a bullet, the first layer of crystal will likely shatter, but the bullet will be caught in the viscous metal. When the first layer of crystal is shattered, the metal will start to slowly leak out. It almost always freezes before it seeps too much, forming a blockade around the bullet hole. Within euhedral weapons, the liquid metal is used to distribute weight during a swing to make a swords tip have a little more weight, and therefore cutting power. This can result in losing balance though, and requires practice to use effectively. There are many types of euhedral crystals that are used in this crafting process. The most popular one is blaze quartz, due to its ease to locate. There is also pireite, cyan, thystist, coal calcite and pale halite. With the wide range of crystals to choose from, euhedral armours and weapons can come in a variety of different colours. Euhedral weapons and armour are often a little uncomfortable to use, and can be awkward to craft. With their garish colours and style, they are not favoured by most wanting to make an intimidating impression. They are occasionally worn as showy pieces of armour by nobles to fancy parties and the like, however. Despite its strength, the largest market of euhedral gear is probably those who will never use it in combat.

Blight Iron: Blight iron is found mostly in mountainous regions, but has been located under water a few times as well. It has a sickly green colour but its molecular structure and strength has been related to iron by multiple metal experts, so thats where it got its name, along with its slightly dizzying property. Blight iron, no matter whether it is in its unrefined ore form, or smelted into ingots and crafted into weapons, has the same effect on almost every living thing on Rime. Something about an organic body rejects blight iron. A single touch can cause symptoms not too dissimilar from an allergic reaction. Handling it carefully with gloves and masks can help avoid the reaction while working with blight iron, but once its weaponised, and struck against or stabbed into flesh, the reaction can be much more serious. A single cut from a blight iron blade can send people into anaphylactic shock less than a minute after the wound is sustained. For this reason, blight iron is illegal outside of the military. People do not make armour out of blight iron, although it is possible. I dont think I have to explain why it might be a bad idea, though. Blight iron can also be ground into very small files and mixed into liquid to make poison. Wranglers may also scatter blight iron dust into the face of leyborn to disable their vision. Noctium: Noctium is an extremely rare metal, possibly the rarest desirable metal in the world. Mines exist all over the world, and noctium has been found in less than 1% of them. Noctium seems to exist in small deposits. Theyve been found along leylines in the past but theres no way of confirming if this has something to do with its creation. Most people believe that the divines have something to do with noctium due to its properties that no one can fully explain. Noctiums most famous property is its ability to disrupt the atomic structure of solids and liquids. The touch of a piece of refined noctium can temporarily make even ebonstone as brittle as glass. Water moves away from it also, meaning you can take a walk through a lake and not get wet if wearing a noctium suit. A man with a noctium warhammer could, theoretically, smash through the walls of a castle, or shoot down a krondor with a noctium bolt (the disrupted wings would be unable to sustain the birds weight). Despite this wondrous and devastating property, however, the use of noctium is mostly viewed as a taboo, and is illegal in all but absolutely exceptional circumstances. The reason being, noctium has a mind. Noctium forms a sort of symbiotic relationship with its wielder or wearer, effectively becoming an extension of their psyche. Noctium has a leaking effect that reaches into your very mentality. Depending on its origin point (most humans believe it has something to do with which leyline it is mined from) noctium will have varying effects on its hosts personality. While these effects are not always dangerous (sometimes they will make its wielder more whimsical, playful or patient) they can occasionally make their wielder short tempered, aggressive, overly passionate or even murderous. Some accounts report noctium swords literally hungering for victims, driving their owners into committing acts of extreme violence. Some weapons might be totally different, holding an air of pacifism and stopping its host from delivering a killing blow. While noctium does not talk in the traditional sense, it is capable of having a voice that only its host can hear. No one knows if noctium is truly alive, or just a remnant of the divines power. Noctium is a dark, inky blue in colour, with small, iridescent, oily pools which resemble small impurities. When staring into these reflective blemishes, people can occasionally see visions or living

reflections staring back at them. Noctium can be melted down and moulded like most traditional metals. Most people do not make armour out of noctium, as it requires a great deal, and theres the issue of disrupting whatever is inside the armour as well as whats on the outside. Since a single deposit of noctium does not contain enough for a full suit of armour, wearing a full suit could result in four or five separate extensions of your psyche. It could result in four or five voices all telling you what to do, and manipulating your personality. Youd essentially become a puppet to the metal itself, losing all you are... On the other hand, youd be able to run through brick walls and reduce a man to pulp by charging into him. Your call.

Technology, Weaponry, Research and Development While the fenrye are perfectly happy living in their primitive huts and jabbing one another with spears made from pointy rocks, the people of Sovreignous have been moving forward. They believe technological and scientific progression is the key to making Rime a more suitable place to live. Humans especially are intelligent with their research and have been making advances in many fields for the past few centuries. Desperation brings spurts of inspiration and advancement, and since the Beast War began, there have been some impressive innovations. While a great deal of Rimes engineers and creative minds are working on new ways to fight and kill their enemies, there are also those who would seek to improve the lives of every citizen with the sancs to afford it. Humans study medicine, they explore distant lands to map them, and they often experiment with new ideas. These fruitful efforts have yielded advanced indoor plumbing, percussion cap weaponry and efficient coal mining facilities in the last century alone, among other things. All races on Rime have a basic to advanced understanding of forges, and are able to craft metals by refining ore dug from mines. Weapons are a long way from being perfect, but engineers and smiths work tirelessly to hammer out the flaws in the flintlock weaponry. Percussion caps were introduced to prevent firearms from becoming ineffective in the rain. However, they are still very slow to load, and expensive to produce, meaning only the deserving soldiers or richest nobles can afford to have them. Gunsmiths need a permit to produce guns, and their sales must be monitored to ensure a lack of firearms in the criminal community. In extremely rare circumstances, expert smiths may discover and patent something special. One such example is the six chambered revolver pistol, a design so exclusive, most people will go their whole lives without ever seeing it in action. Only four of them exist in the world presently, the most infamous one being Cassidy Scornes sidearm. Humans are on the way to perfecting heavy, immobile automatic rapid fire turret units with rotating barrels to be placed along the walls of settlements to fend off defenders. These repeater turrets are high priority targets by the fenrye. There have also been some jumps in navy warfare; with the introduction of the hull fitted cannons and the shoreline long nines. Wranglers have some unique and cutting edge gear which they use to hunt leyborn. While most of them favour sedative tipped crossbows and percussion cap pistols, they also make use of curious contraptions used to obscure the senses of their targets. Such devices include smoke grenades and

nerve gas canisters. They also use bolas projectiles, and net guns to restrict their targets movements. The currently most used weapons on Rime are: Swords: Long, bladed weapons with a huge variety of style, shape, weight and length. Daggers: Short bladed weapons for extreme close quarters. Axes: Hacking tools good for getting a bit of extra weight on a swing and splitting skulls. Maces: Blunt, one handed weapons to swing and break your targets. Warhammers: Giant hammers with enough weight behind a swing to shatter bones. Staves: Reinforced sticks which can concuss or even kill in the right hands. Pole-Arms: Staves only with sharp appendiges. Can be used for melee combat or for throwing. Blade Caps: These moulded metallic hood-like blades are designed by ley-risen, for ley-risen. Blade caps can be fitted onto claws, fangs and other natural weapons, such as antlers to give them more cutting power. Fenrye can also make use of these. Longbow: A large, flexible wooden framed bow used for long range combat and hunting. Shortbow: Smaller variant of the bow. Can be pulled back with less tension and fired more efficiently at close range. Light Crossbow: One handed ranged weapons that launch bolts at high speed with a mechanical release Heavy Crossbow: Same as the light, only much larger. Held in two hands with more power behind the shot. Glaive-Thrower: A glaive thrower is another mechanically launching ranged weapon, except rather than firing bolts, it fires discs with five curved stretching blades fixed to the rim. As the glaive is shot from its loading point, one of the arms is caught upon a sturdy, small blockade, causing the glaive to leave the weapons barrel, spinning at high speed. A spinning glaive travelling at high velocity has been known to split people in half, remove limbs and cut through multiple enemies simultaneously. The weapon is large, requiring two hands to hold, and it is rather expensive to replace the ammunition for it, so it is advised the glaives are recovered. Siege Weapons: Bastilles, trebuchets, catapults, all of them were made use of during the wars. They are rarely used in 777LW, but soldiers will roll them out to fortified locations if they must, to purge a bandit infested ruin, for instance. Rifles: Large, percussion cap or flintlock rifles. They do a lot of damage, and have good control, but they create a lot of smoke and take ages to reload. The reloading process involves manually replacing the powder and the bullet, then stuffing them down into the guns barrel with a long pole. Pistols: Similarly to rifles, pistols take a long time to reload. Their range isnt as long as the rifles, but a talented dual wielder could carry a pair of these into battle, or maybe even four of them to flick between. Sunderers: Sunderers are heavy, reinforced tubular hand-held cannons. They use spherical projectiles made of Dryon, which shatter when the gunpowder is ignited by a large percussion cap. The fragmented remains come flying from the sunderers barrel in a spread formation, shredding anything in its path. They have a very short range, however, and take time to reload, like the other firearms. Heavy Sunderers: The sunderers big daddy is twice the size, and takes projectiles the size of a small bowling ball. Anyone unfortunate enough to stare down the barrel of a heavy sunderer will likely never live to speak of it. Heavy sunderers are pretty big, and awkward to move around, as is their ammo supply. They also take twice as long to reload as the smaller variants.

Repeater Turrets: Repeaters are mounted weapons usually used for city defence. They are too large for a man to realistically carry around, so they must be fixed in place and fired via a crank wheel. The crank wheel with its flintlock mechanism ignites the gunpowder stored in dozens of small tubes, one at a time, causing the gun to rotate and fire once every third of a second. Cannons: A cannon is not picky with what it fires. Effectively a cannon is a large tube with a gunpowder charge stuck inside. While traditionally, a cannon will fire cannon balls (heavy cast iron spheres about the size of a football) they can also fire pretty much whatever its loader desires. They are incredibly heavy and difficult to move, usually rolling around on a pair of wheels. Cannons are typically used upon battlefields, or in navy warfare; they are not known for their precision, so they require a large target. Some of the more powerful cannons, like the long nines, used for shore defence, have a range of over a mile. Other note-worthy inventions include Thermal flasks: Specially insulated containers capable of keeping a warm drink or loosely structured food hot for days at a time. Smoke houses: Large scale cabins and huts filled with racks of meat which is exposed to copious amounts of smoke until its dried and ready for storage. Charcoal burners: Less of an invention and more of a stack, charcoal burners are oxygen starved improvised furnaces that turn lumber into charcoal. Clocks: Clocks, (time keeping devices), are extremely rare, and only made use of by chrono-masters, but its possible they will slowly integrate their way into society. Blasting Charges: Blasting charges were made for mining operations, but have been used for military purposes as well. They produce a large explosion when triggered via gunpowder trail. Ley-Risen: Technically, ley-risen are a recent invention Matches: Handy little things when it comes to lightning a fire, matches were invented thirty years before the start of the Beast War, in the late 600s LW. Printing Press: News is spread through Rime via printed pages with information typed upon it, and occasionally hand drawn illustrations. Telescopes: Essential devices for spotting threats over long distances. Most explorers and adventurers will carry a scope. Atmospheric Thermometers (atmometer): Devices designed to read the airs temperature, and detect any sudden changes that could lead to storms or blizzards. Atmometers are filled with a mercury-lilikine compound which is extremely sensitive to temperatures, and incredibly reactive. As it senses a change in temperature, it expands very slightly and fills a glass tube with measurements etched into its surface. Compass: A small pocket device made with magnets and iron, it has an arrow which always points north. People can use this to navigate through blizzards when the sky is impossible to view, sometimes with the aid of a map. Cinderstone: Less of an invention and more of a stone cut into a shape, cinderstones are filed down, pebble-like blocks of ebonstone that is unsuitable for forging. Ebonstone is capable of storing and retaining heat for up to thirty days, making it an ideal accessory for people to wear around their necks and within their clothes to stay warm. Cinderstones are typically sold and recharged by blacksmiths at their very own forge. Waterskins: waterskins a small, flexible, leathery vessels made from the bladders of moko. Waterskins are designed to store water inside with minimal chance of leaking. As an added bonus, moko bladders are very well insulated and can retain heat for several days (although not as long as

thermic-flasks). Glowsticks: Useful for diving or exploration, glowsticks are small, flexible tubes which house a chemical reaction that produces light. Lumitek dust is stored within an internal and fragile glass tube. The external casing is made from a translucent moko intestine tied off at both ends. The organ is air and liquid tight, but contains an ample supply of oxygen within, ready to be used for the reaction. A tiny metal ball is also within the container, and when the glowstick is shaken, the ball shatters the glass tube, releases the powder, and creates a glow with the chemical reaction. Glowsticks are cheap to produce and can be bought in bulk for explorers. Loom: A loom is a large but simple device used for weaving. It can vary in size but its purpose is essentially the same; to hold and apply tension to one set of threads while another is interwoven through it. Healthcare and Poisons With the constant wars and dangerous beasts, there are two things on Rime that have advanced more than others: One is weaponry, the other is medicine. Healthcare is of surprisingly good quality with mostly quite a low mortality rate. The people of Rime have a firm understanding of how infections occur, and how to go about preventing them (although fenrye are naturally much more resistant to this sort of thing). Humans in particular can make excellent surgeons as well, with a full understanding of the bodys working organs. Brain surgery is not something that exists or has ever been attempted, and the same applies to surgical processes that require small cameras, such as keyhole surgery. Pulling a bullet from a wound and fixing a lung is something just about within a decent surgeons range, however. Standard medical procedures in Sovreignous are mostly free of charge. There are walk-in clinics in every major settlement, and some minor ones too. The Wolfbane Pact and the Ruling Council funds these general practices mostly with the gold acquired from Formless trades. There is nothing to be gained from allowing people to fall ill and restricting medicine only to the rich, as the population needs to rise, not fall. The clinics offer a range of services, from immunisation, to antibiotics, to painkillers, to medical advice. Surgery takes place in larger clinics and usually has a short waiting list. Almost all medicine prescribed on Rime are herbal remedies. There are many botanists who spend their entire lives cataloguing and testing the medicinal properties of various trees and plants. Painkillers can be derived from the bark of some trees, while antibiotics are extracted from some coral, and also forms of mould. There are currently no forms of medical prosthetics, meaning if a limb is lost, there is not really a replacement to be offered. Some people who have lost hands may stick a crude, primitive object on their stump, such as a hook or blade, however. When science isnt enough, however, there are usually bioborn healers forced into surveyed, unpaid employment within some of the clinics. Bioborn have the ability to cure almost any physical injury or disease with just a touch. Since a lot of people fear leyborn, however, they are still more of an alternate choice of treatment. The fenrye rely almost exclusively on bioborn shamans to fix their injuries. They do have a basic understanding of medicine, but would rather trust their fate to the ley. Tragically stricken fenrye (such as one whos lost both his legs, or dying of a horrible disease) will make a pilgrimage to The Mother Den. Matern rarely turns away her children, and will heal them with divine power capable of restoring limbs and adding years onto life expectancy.

There are some medical procedures that require payment on Sovreignous. Appearance improving or altering surgical operations are not widely practiced, but some rather eccentric doctors have grasped the concept of it. Psychotherapy is often a little bit costly too, it being a very specific and fairly rare practice. Dentistry and veterinarian operations also cost a few sancs, but its enough for most people to be able to afford it. In addition to the above medical resources available to the public, the people of Sovreignous also have access to bandages, disinfectant, adrenaline shots (to help with severe allergic reactions), burn ointment/salves, anti-coagulants (to stop clotting) and antidotes for certain poisons. Most of these are derived from animals, plants or minerals. The afore mentioned poisons are usually the result of the dark-side of medicinal studies. When searching for properties that heal the sick, one may also stumble across some that kill folk dead. Here is a brief list of some of the poisons and weaponised drugs people use on Rime; Serephin Venom: Serephin venom is acquired with great difficulty from the dripping mandibles of a preferably dead serephin. Serephin venom can paralyse its victim once it gets into the bloodstream, disallowing all forms of movement and communication aside from the blinking of eyes. The effects are rarely fatal, and, assuming the immobilised victim is not killed before the effects ware off, they will do so about twenty minutes after the initial dose is administered. There is an antidote for this poison. Blight Iron: When mixed into solutions or inhaled as a dust, blight iron is considered as a poison. Since blight iron causes anaphylactic shock, its effects can be fought off with a powerful adrenaline shot. Without this shot, the victim will likely go into seizures before their heart fails. Shriek: Shriek is a hallucinogenic poison extracted from a bale root. When either ingested or injected, the victim will start to witness horrifying, twisted images which will likely send him or her into fits of screaming and cowering. Shriek has never been known to cause actual bodily harm, but it can lead to acts of defensive aggression and mental trauma. Shriek has no antidote, but fortunately only lasts around ten minutes, and takes around two before the victim starts displaying symptoms. Dream: A second, friendlier hallucinogen and that invokes more pleasant visions, as opposed to the horrifying ones shriek does. This poison is a contact based one, absorbed directly through the skin. It is acquired from dream toads; a curious amphibious creature that lives in the damp areas of Everlast Woods. The effects of dream often wear off after ten minutes. Azophene: Azophene is a fast acting sedative created with a compound of various herbal extracts. Not really a poison but it is favoured by assassins with blow darts to keep things clean and not build up a mass of bodies. Azophene knocks out its target for up to two hours. Azophene can cause death if overdosed. Dozophene: Effectively the toned down version of Azophene, Dozophene, if got into the system subtly, will give people the impression that their tiredness came naturally. It will make them sleepy, but wont fully knock them out. Its used by doctors to treat anxiety and in some other psychiatric treatments. Dusk: Dusk is a form of cyanide extracted from the stones of pine peaches. While useless at a distance, getting a victim to ingest dusk will likely kill them in less than two minutes. Dusk works extremely fast, shutting down the organs one by one in a short but excruciatingly painful spree. An antidote does exist, but it must be taken within a minute of the pain first striking to allow the body to fight the poison off.

Traditions and Holidays On a world where breaks cant be caught and recorded history is only eight hundred years old, there isnt a lot in the way of holidays and traditions... although every tradition has to start somehow, and this is no exception for some. While one could argue that the routine of Rime is a tradition in itself, its not one people enjoy or even do by will. Something that defies this is the pilgrimage performed by The Faithful of The Divines Reserve every year at the start of Glaze. The Pilgrimage to Northlight is very much a tradition, granted its only about five hundred years old. When The Divines first disappeared, the sun drifted away from Rime and The Faithful, who considered the sun to be another aspect of Lumas miraculous power, assumed their goddess had lost her way. They constructed two lighthouses, one at where they considered the North Pole was, and one at where they considered the South Pole was. They had no compasses at the time, and made their estimates through guesswork and heat alone. As it turns out, they were very accurate with the construction of Northlight. Southlight was destroyed in the Necroley War before any readings could be made, and no one dare approach the ruins due to the serephin that now surround it. With the lighthouses built, they lit the beacons atop their summits and waited for the sun to return, hoping she would see the light, and find her way home. It seemed to work, as Glacenox ended and heat returned. It took several years for everyone to realise that this was simply how the annual cycle worked now, and that their lighthouses had nothing to do with it, but even now, every year, before the seas freeze, a group of Faithful is sent to Northlight to set the beacon aflame. The pilgrimage has become less a thing of desperation and pleading, and more a thing of representing ones faith, and experiencing the world they fought and died to defend. Pilgrims are often quite young, and have no way of returning home once their journey is complete until Lumina returns and the seas thaw once again. Theyll usually hold up in Glascan until they are ready to leave. The vermus have the traditions that come with their naming conventions as mentioned in their race description, and fenrye have these traditions too, along with their Trials of Aging, and their ways of honour that bind them. Here are some more holiday and traditional events with brief summaries for the people of Rime: Darken Sky Festival: This Sovreignous one day holiday event occurs on the last day of Kormag. Feasts are usually thrown in which people gorge themselves and eat all of the fresh food that will go bad in Glacenox to ensure it is not wasted. Once Kormag has passed, most plants will simply not grow. The Burning Gnoll Festival(Wolfbane Pact): A recent tradition of only seventy years, every year, on the final day of Glacenox, a crowd gathers and witnesses the burning of a large fenrye effigy in the Sanctus courtyards. This morale boosting event is both for the people of Sovreignous, and to discourage the fenrye by showing they do not fear, and they emerge from the dark stronger than ever. The Sledder Derby: During Glacenox each year occurs a racing tournament. The Sledder Derby is a series of fast paced sled-dog races with a ladder system to dictate the victors and runners up. The derby has a reasonable entry fee which goes towards funding the event and feeding the dogs, but also towards a sizeable prize cash out to the winner at the end. Champions are obligated to race

again each year, or their title is forfeit. The Sledder Derby typically takes place at the very start of Glacenox, after the snow has fallen but not before it gets too cold. The Norvask Proving: Another annual event; The Norvask Proving is a combat and archery tournament hosted, as you might expect, in Norvask. The tournament comes into action in the final twelve days of Lumina, just as Glaze starts to creep in. Events include archery, armed melee combat, unarmed melee combat and physical agility. The tournament is funded by Valleys Ends jarl, and occurs just outside the city walls with many seats for spectators. The four winners are granted prestigious titles, along with a healthy cash sum. The End Game: The End Game is a hunting event held at different times of the year, once every one or two years. The End Games consistency depends on whether or not a vex-eye is caught. Vex-eye population is at an all time low, and they have always been infamously difficult to catch. If one is successfully caught and caged, The End Game event can be hosted. The End Game is a hunting competition. The captive vex-eye is released, given an hours head start, and then teams of hunters or individual hunters will fan out, track the beast and catch it. The hunter that successfully fells the vex-eye will be rewarded handsomely with their vex-eye trophy, and a sizable cash sum. The End Game is not for the light hearted or weak, however. Not only is one exposed to the wilderness and weather, but the vex-eye itself has claimed the lives of many inexperienced hunters. The End Game was technically banned in most parts of the kingdom around two hundred years ago, but its still hosted on occasion. The Alpha Arena (Fenrye): The Alpha Arena is a spectacle most fenrye will never witness. When the alpha is killed indirectly, or through means considered generally dishonourable, an arena match is held in which every fenrye who considers himself worthy of leadership will enter. Once the horn is blown, a battle will commence within. The last fenrye standing will be the new Alpha. The Bladesong(Vermus): The Bladesong is an annual event held discreetly by the vermus within their catacombs and sanctuaries. They sing songs to pay respect to Raphael Bladesinger, the assassin of the tyrannical human king, Rorik II. This event always occurs on the day the deed was committed, Blossom 24th. Media and Entertainment Keeping up with the local news is easy. Thanks to the invention of printing presses, fliers, leaflets and newspapers are in moderated abundance (the printing industry is monitored to ensure their lumber usage is fair and reasonable). In the warmer months, you may or may not get town criers to update those who cannot read on the whereabouts of a bounty target, or the opening of a new gallery. Town criers run on donations by citizens only, and are not paid for by the Council, but their goal is to ensure everyone knows whats happening on Rime, whether they can read or not. Fun is occasionally something the people of Rime get to experience, and if its not fun then perhaps its simply relaxation. There are ways of passing the time when cooped away before a fire while the world outside freezes. Children typically run around and play games like youd expect. They are particularly fond of quish and kyne (See bestiary) and will occasionally bring them home as pets, to the usual disgruntlement of the parents for having another mouth to feed. When growing up however, this simplistic form of play loses its appeal, and the adults of Rime look to a variety of other cultural texts and media for stimulation. While vermus, with all of their charm

and sophistication, actually dont require much in the way of social stimuli, humans will take to books, theatrical plays, and other forms of art. Drawing and painting is popular amongst people of all ages, and is encouraged by most, perceived as a delightful burst of expression in what could be a much danker world. Local taverns provide much needed relaxation and socialising. Alcohol consumption relaxes and brightens moods, as do drinking games, of which there are many, especially in Norvask. Music is also well sought after. Not many people play instruments but most will greatly appreciate those who do. There are a number of instruments on Rime. Stringed instruments are the most common, such as the wishbone, a Y shaped frame with tuned strings between the two branches and small buttons on the base to place further tension upon them for different sounds. Another example is the blade-edged lute, part instrument, part weapon, favoured by travelling bards. A normal lute has a wide base, but a blade-edged lute is no thicker than a sword, which it can double up as if held at the right angle. A long, sharpened blade is welded to one side of the stringed neck, with a gap to allow fingers to hit the chords. They are difficult to play, and risky too, as a slip can cut you, or worse. There are also a range of percussion instruments like drums and shakers, and also some wind instruments, like wooden whittled flutes. There are also some alternative instruments, such as crystal-keys; a sort of piano in which the keys do not strike tense wires, but strike crystals of various size and density, making a reverberating and pleasing tune. Ley-risen and vermus do not need as much to keep themselves entertained. Vermus enjoy the street life, and they enjoy conversation. Theyll happy natter away to one another for hours on end. They love arguments and debates, be they with friends or strangers, and a lot of them also partake in parkour; street running. Ley-risen can, with a little concentration, see the potential for fun from the most simplistic and tiny things. A pile of leaves to a ley-risen saberl can provide a fantastic game, as can a pinecone shaped like a ball. While they may seem intelligent, they are able to get in touch with their bestial routes on occasion, and find ways to enjoy life as a beast perhaps should. There are some illegal drugs made from plant extracts that can induce dizzying and exciting highs with bright colours when burned and inhaled or simply eaten. The two main ones are called Jerryrig and Popshrooms. (See plants) Fenrye enjoy watching fights. Combat settles most disputes in The Scarred Lands, and Whitehowl, being a relatively cramped environment, will often offer a range of spectators to even small-scale tussles. Larger matches, such as Alpha challenges and Alpha arenas attracted hundreds if not thousands of spectators which pour into the stands of the alpha arena to watch what could be their new leader. Fenrye enjoy the thrill of the hunt much more than humans and vermus do as well. Their inability to feel fear in most scenarios grants them courage and a little bit of recklessness. They hunt their bestial prey with a smile on their muzzle, and making a tough kill earns them a trophy from the corpse. Fenrye do not enjoy killing humans. They do it because it is their purpose to, and because the Goddess wishes it so.

Politics

Politics in Sovreignous are regarded as everything by some and nothing by most others. You wont see any sort of politician outside of Sanctus unless under exceptional circumstances. Sovreignous is a monarchy: The crown had remained in the bloodline since the kingdom was first founded, and over the years, the rule has passed to leaders regarded as heroes and nobles, to those regarded as tyrants and fools. Anger was first seeded into the hearts of the human and vermus populace when the first king of Sanctus, Rorik Murran, had a war hero executed due to his leyborn origin. Two years of nonredeeming decisions eventually resulted in continent wide riots. Sanctus was stormed, and Rorik was forced to surrender. Rorik was, for the most part, a good leader, and there were many still loyal to the monarchy, so the protesters found a midway point to solve their problems. Under signed agreement, Rorik, and all his future bloodline leaders, would be forced to take on a Watchful Council. All of his or her decisions would have to be cleared by a second ruling body before being put into practice. This rule still stands today in Sovreignous, although every member of the ruling council is now part of The Wolfbane Pact. In the current era, the councils main decisions revolve around preparing defensive and offensive operations against the fenrye, although they also have their hands on The Wranglers strings, meaning the leyborn fates are theirs as well. The fenrye have no such need for councils. They have their alpha, and they have their goddess. Their word is law. To defy either of them is punishable by either exile or death. A new alpha is named when the original falls in combat. They cannot die of old age, or natural causes, thanks to Materns blessing. The vermus have a separate board of leadership. This however is only used for decisions internally embedded in the vermus culture, such as naming ceremonies and economies within the sewer districts the vermus dwell within. They mostly have no say what happens in Sanctus, or anything above surface, unless a vermus is a member of the Watchful Council. Quinn Gavelarts signature is upon The Wolfbane Pact, however, which is what forged the military alliance between the vermus people, and the humans of Rime. Relationships and Sexuality Naturally, sharing your body heat on Rime can mean a number of different things. The world is a cruel, unforgiving place and many people take solace in the few pleasures they can freely indulge in. Birth control, while heavily frowned upon by those who wish to see Rimes population on the rise again, does exist, in the form of a black market-sold pill made from the extract of a slightly poisonous dried coral called witherack. Amorous activity is not unusual amongst the sapient races of Rime, with a slight exception for the fenrye. Fenrye form a bond with the first person they mate with and will remain fiercely loyalty to him or her until death. All sapient races are capable of enjoying sex, although humans and vermus tend to have a more casual view upon it. Ley-risen do not mate with members of their own species unless they have gone through the same mental conversion process they have. The majority of sexual activities are kept within a single race, but its not considered overly unusual for humans to occasionally hook up with vermus, their conflicting anatomy meaning no expensive birth control medicine is required. The more adventurous individuals may also become intimate with ley-risen, or, in exceptional and rare circumstances, a fenrye. Prostitution and brothels are only illegal if birth control is involved; the authorities dont care

how its done, so long as a baby is made to add to the population. Same sex relationships are also not frowned upon. However, there is heavy pressure placed upon same sex couples to adopt children as they cannot produce them themselves. There are always plenty of homeless children in orphanages who have lost their parents to Rimes many dangers. Occasionally through the ice and the blood, people will meet other people and form a genuine loving bond. Marriage is not something to skip and dance around on Rime; if you love someone, you tend to marry them. Tradition states you propose marriage to your lover by presenting them with an engagement ring. The ring can be made of anything, and is merely symbolic. Weddings can be done in one of two ways; you can have a simple wedding with vows and guests, maybe a feast and a theme selected by the couple within a civic building, or you can have a Faithful wedding which is executed in a church of The Divines, usually Driff or Matern. There is no social stigma for having a child before marriage, or engaging in intimate activities before marriage.

Languages There are only two major languages on Rime, but their use, pronunciation and accent can varies greatly in different parts of the continents. The two primary languages have been given multiple names over the years. Civil The language of Sovreignous, which was originally crafted by the Vermus who taught the newer human species, is named Civil. As weavers of the common word, the Vermus are naturally much better at using the language. Vermus wrote Pact dictionaries and created the written word. Civil is a fairly simplistic language, although in the paws of a vermus, it can be used to express untold beauty with elegance and grace, while a human might just state It looks nice. The language has also been called human, common, vermus and Sovereign. Some words of note include a commonly used curse word amongst humans and vermus: Farl, which is the last name of a terrible villain, now recycled to express disgust, horror or distain. Often a few words are uttered to the Seven Divines in times of distress or excitement, even by those who are not Faithful.

Ancient The fenrye were taught to use a dead, forgotten language by their creator, Matern, to ensure their total separation from the human race, a language known as Ancient. Their tongue is sharp and difficult to master to anyone not born into it. Pronunciation of certain letters, such as K and R are exaggerated which makes every word seem more aggressive. A lot of words end in sharp or blunt letters which makes the language awkward to utilise. It does not flow naturally to most who would be willing to learn it, outside of the fenrye culture. A single word can also have multiple meanings depending on where it sits within a sentence and the vocal delivery of it, making it tricky to identify what a fenrye is saying.

Human scholars have been trying to learn how to speak and read Ancient for some time, but so far, they have been struggling. Fenrye refuse to translate for them when captured, and often end their own lives with the first opportunity. Here are a few words that have been translated successfully. Most languages on Rime were derived from Ancient, but it has long since transformed upon Sovreignous. Mey Bound Glace Cold, Frost, Ice Lunus Moon. Forrak Precipice, Edge Korn Blood, Red, Sanguine Drem War, Battle, Conflict Lok Prepared, Ready Yuul Rest (death?) Nox Death, Darkness Krel Claim, Take Gor Brother Krosi Heat Lune Light, Sun Kren Earth, Stone. Gol Tides, Sea Mork- Bones, Body. Reth Individual, Person, One Fakree Exile, Disgraced Eon - Life Gorl Mother, guardian Fey Of Cazar Human Mork Crack, Fissure, Pit Nok You, They, It, He, She Chrone Time Meah Sister. Rassha- Storm Tek Gift Nuus Leader, Monarch, Alpha Lah Me, I, Us, Our

Plants Pines Pine trees are the most numerous tree on Rime. With their evergreen capabilities, pines can survive all year round and photosynthesise even the dim light of Glacenox. Since Rimes pines are so core to its eco-system, there are many different variants which cover the roles of the trees were familiar with. While Earth has around 110 species of pine, Rime has over three thousand, growing in almost all parts of the world (although they are much rarer in The Scarred Lands), some drastically different to others, some as pointy and normal as one might expect. Pines shed leaves and needles throughout the year but never all in one go. The majority of pines are needle growers, but there are some unique variants that create waxy flat leaves too. Along with leaves, pines are traditionally thought to grow pinecones and a range of edible nuts. While this is true for many of the pine species, they also fill in the role of fruit distributers. Around four hundred of the pines are fruit pines. They traditionally grow their fruit for the sake of seed distribution during Lumina and drop them as Glaze starts to creep in. In growing both fruit and nuts for the humans of Rime to eat, many pines also have a white under layer behind their bark (called cambium) which is rich in vitamin A and C, and also edible. Pines are softwood trees, making them not ideal for burning or charcoal creation, but they do suffice if no other trees can be acquired. Pinewood is good for crafting furniture and surfaces for houses once coated in a resistant varnish. They grow very quickly and are hard to kill, with some species

reaching heights of over ninety metres. Most are somewhere between ten and forty, though. They also have a lifespan that can range from one hundred to two thousand years, meaning some pines on Rime have existed longer than recorded history. In addition to their uses as food sources and timber, pines are also very resinous. They produce a sticky resin which can be collected and used in varnishes, glue, and preservers. Amber is the fossilised form of pine resin. To name a few of Rimes pines; Dark pine, blackjack pine, sugar pine, pale pine, snapper pine, apple pine, noble pine, sky pine (worlds tallest), bull pine, peach pine (peaches can be eaten, but their stones contain a form of cyanide favoured by assassins), blake pine, brittle pine, scrub pine.

Honeysweets Honeysweets are a sickly, sweet smelling orange and yellow plant that grows in the Everlast Woods and Haven. Their sweet smell is used to compete with the rest of the floral environment they grow with. It secretes a syrupy substance which butterflies and bees in particular very much enjoy, and during their visit to this sweet treat, they pick up the necessary ingredients for pollination. Humans used to use this syrup for cooking cakes and other deserts, but have recently stopped handling Honeysweets due to the scents tendency to linger. Insects from up to three hundred metres away tend to swarm around those that have been in close contact with honeysweet plants and it usually takes a few days for these effects to wear off. Most people sustain at least a few stings or bites from over enthusiastic bugs. Honeysweets only bloom in Blossom and Lumina, and cannot survive for more than sixty days. Rotswells Rotswells grow in the Everlast Woods during Lumina, usually towards the end of the dying season. This has always been regarded as morbidly appropriate, since the Rotswell emits a horrific smell of rotting flesh, not to dissimilar to a sun baked mass grave. They attract flies and other putrescence loving insects which carry their pollen to other rotswells. Rotswells have a disguising appearance, usually a nauseous green or yellow. They resemble large bulbs and have a passive, pulsating motion caused by the noxious chemical reactions within. They survive for around eight days before bursting or eroding away. Vayli Pods Vayli pods were the replacement for honeysweet syrup once humans needed a new sweetener for their food. Vayli stems grow all over Rime, but mostly prefer the grassy areas. They resemble small stems with milky white pods hanging from tiny little branches. These pods are delicious, containing the seeds of the plant which are eaten by animals and birds before being deposited somewhere else for them to grow. Vayli pods have a distinct aroma and a pleasing flavour. They are sweet and blend well with other recipes, making them an ideal and much less harrowing replacement for honeysweets.

Vayli stems grow all year round, but their growth is stunted and often invisible under the sheets of snow during Glacenox. Some burrowing animals can still dig down to find them, however. Crimberries Crimberries are a tasty, sharp red berry that grows on bushes exclusively during the colder months of the year, making it one of the only plants to do so. Crimberries, like many of Rimes plants are tough. One could argue crimberries are tougher than your average plant, and perhaps more intelligent, however. While crimberry bushes take around a year to grow, once they have fully formed, there is hardly a force on Rime that can kill them except the ravages of time. Crimberry bushes lie dormant until Glacenox is approaching, before they begin to sprout dozens of bright red berries. With the distinct lack of competition for the plant, rich nutrients are at its disposal, allowing for fast growth and high quality fruits and seeds. The birds and animals are drawn to the deep reds in the sea of white snow, and the seeds of the fruit are distributed nicely. Crimberry bushes also make for excellent hiding places and ambush points for berry beetles. In sapient culture, crimberries are used as a tasty alternative to dried meat during Glacenox. They have a sharp, pleasing taste and are perfect for things like pies or puddings. Pepberries Pepberries are named so due to their fiery spicy aftertaste. They are small, oval shaped and green in colour. Pepberries arent as sort after as crimberries by the people of Rime, but they are used in some spices and seasoning. Eating too many can cause digestive distress and so most people stay away from them, but taken into moderation, pepberries are perfectly safe. Pepberries, unlike crimberries, do not grow in Glacenox, and their bushes have a simple annual life cycle; they do not survive Glacenox at its peak. Quish and jurnice are quite fond of pepberries, quish in particular. Quish will spend most of their active life gathering pepberries from bushes and then defending them quite obviously for as long as they can, as they will act as their rations for the rest of the year. Taepah Taepah is a strong plant that grows all year round and resembles spear-like stalks that sprout directly upwards from healthy soil. It ranges in colour from a pale green to a sandy brown. Taepah has a place in Sovreignous culture, due to its versatility when handled in certain ways. Taepahs stems are lined with fine but tough fibres which can be extracted and then woven into cloth, rope and other materials using a loom. Its seeds can also be cooked and used as a food supply, and taepah oil can also be obtained if the seeds are ground up and strained. The oil can be used in cooking, but also as a medicinal ingredient, an ingredient for skin care and hair products, and also if left long enough, can be used as a varnish for wood. Taepahs fibres, once woven into several layers, can be stronger than most animal hides. For this reason, it is often woven into strong, slightly thick braids and shaped into suits of armour favoured by scouts and assassins. If handled expertly, taepah can be stronger than iron. Since its fabric, it can

be dyed easily so it has customisable elements, and its also a stronger (but more expensive) supplement for bow strings, replacing linen. Once braided into an armour, the armour is simply called Braid. Rustoak Rustoak is a tree that grows (or rather grew) exclusively in the flash frozen continent; The Statuary. Rustoak is a tree that boasts extraordinary strength and durability, requiring more than just iron and steel to cut it. Since every Rustoak is now dead, technically the species is extinct, but their solid, lifeless, frozen husks still stand in the thousands all around The Statuary. Rustoak first began to grow during the divine intervention. The Statuary has (for an unknown reason) an incredibly high density of bioley lines. The trees were bolstered by these lines, becoming harder than steel as they grew. When the cold returned, The Statuary, secluded high in the far northern seas of Rime lost temperature at a phenomenal rate. Within days the entire continent was encased in ice, and most living things upon the surface suffered a quick death. The rustoak still stands, but it did not survive the cold. The bravest traders and smiths may journey to the statuary to collect some rustoak logs. They are usually kitted out with superior lumberjack gear, such as ebonstone axes, since normal iron and steel axes just wont cut it, literally. Once rustoak has been harvested and thawed, talented sculptors with the right tools can fashion all sorts of objects from it, including weapons and armour. The trees name comes from its colour. Rustoak is an almost metallic, weathered red. Its texture in the wild is rough and ridged, but once it has undergone the right treatment, it can be smoothened down into armour, with flexible joints usually made from leather, like most armour. The tip can also be sharpened into blades, or shaped into solid, blunt weaponry, such as maces. Blossomers Blossomers are a large group of flowers that sprout exclusively during late Thaw and Lumina, before dying out as Glaze washes away the colours. Blossomers fall into this group if they are pleasing aesthetically, but have no astounding or useful alchemical properties. Blossomers come in a wide range of vibrant colours and generate a host of interesting scents. They make the air of Lumina forests and grasslands very fragrant and cause havoc for anyone with hay fever. They make for beautiful bouquets and romantic gestures but are not sort after by any doctor or alchemist. Sometimes their petals are used as confetti or for symbolic scattering, such as during weddings. Some blossomer petals are edible but they dont provide one with much of a meal. Blossomers have a place in culture, usually in artwork and romantic stories. They are also laid upon gravestones, kept inside houses as decoration, worn as hair accessories and occasionally mashed up to make pigments for dyes and paints. To name a few blossomers; gold rose, zoecglove, sunjoy, cardinal, tulip, snowbell, scrubshrub, tiebloom, bayark, black trew and sanguine. Shatterers

Shatters are another family of flowers containing hundreds of individual species that primarily start to grow from mid to late Lumina. They are quite tall with initially sturdy and waxy leaves, and make ideal homes for insects. Shatterers are not overly colourful and are outclassed by blossomers both visually and by smell, but shatterers have a way of reproducing without the pollen distributing flying insects. Shatters will grow closely together thanks to their seed distribution system, and they will attract tiny beetles and leaf eaters. Unlike most plants, shatterers store their seeds and reproductive organs in their leaves themselves. Insects travelling from one plant to another will involuntarily pollinate them. New patches of shatterers are often established when leaves break off in the wind and fly away. When Glacenox rolls in, the hollow leaves become thin and very brittle. They freeze completely after a time, and will literally shatter at the slightest disturbance, scattering the seeds in close proximity. The seeds will endure until it is their time to grow, rooting in once the snow melts and sprouting very quickly. While the plants only survive for one seasonal cycle, they can reproduce very quickly. Some shatterers have protective stinging needles on their stems to deter larger predators. Before they freeze, shatterers can be picked by sapients and ground down into tea or stew. While quite tasteless, the plant can provide an adequate meal. The shatterer family includes: Stingers, blue-blue, frao, royal frao, stemna, scatti, giant splinter (the largest in the family, with leaves one metre long) and the thrice-point. Blue Dash Blue dash is a pale blue flower with a yellow core that grows upon mountain sides. It is notoriously hard to harvest due to its tendency to grow at high altitudes. Blue dash is tenacious and can survive all year round. Blue dash is one of the core ingredients for adrenaline, as it has properties that increase heart rates and banish fatigue. Blue dash on its own can be chewed upon and swallowed as a sort of pep pill, giving even tired individuals plenty of energy for up to an hour. These bursts of energy end as abruptly as they begin however, and people can experience crashes of tiredness in moments. Blue dash is often sold on the market for relatively high prices. Since its quite rare and hard to acquire, it will only be found in upstanding and well respected alchemical stores, and maybe a few specifically tailored market stalls here and there. Grey Rise Grey rise is very similar to blue dash, and likely a member of the same family. The petals pigment is the only real difference, in that it is an ashen grey rather than a pale blue. Grey rise does not grow in mountainous areas, but it does grow on coastal cliffs. Its waking effects are not as potent and it is not valued on its own, but when mixed with blue dash and maybe some taepah extract or pollup oil, it can create adrenaline; a medicine capable of saving lives when injected. Grey rise tends to only grow for the unfrozen six months. Wild Parket

Wild Parket resembles a flat green wrinkled leaf, and it grows on forest floors and occasionally in rural fields. Wild parket is not overly rare and has a distinct smell that can help one find it. It has no culinary use, despite its smell, but it does have an interesting neutralising property. One of wild parkets survival techniques is to destroy foreign substances and organisms to minimise its risk of infection by any sort of plant related disease. Fortunately for sapients, this neutralising power also applies to chemicals, and can act as an antibody when mixed with animal or insect venoms. To create a cure for serephin venom, for example, you need a serephin venom extract and some wild parket paste. Once mixed together, the parket learns how to neutralise this particular venom very quickly, making it one of the few plants where the adaptation to new conditions is actually observable. This anti-venom paste can be dried and condensed into pills or into a serum that can be injected. Note, wild parket medicine has no effect on things such as shriek, dusk and azophene, and seems to only work for venoms. Pollup Pollups are small spherical mushrooms that grow on deadwood. They resemble leathery footballs with a single hole in the top which the pollup uses to distribute spores. They thrive during damp conditions and can mostly be found during Thaw, but will be around all year in either a healthy or frozen state. Pollups have medicinal value, in that their oil acts as a hastening catalyst. Pollups can be plucked from their roots and squeezed to extract a slippery oil substance. This oil can be mixed in with many alchemical recipes to make it more effective, or to make the substance brew faster. Pollup oil is even essential for some recipes, including sedatives, digestive aids and adrenaline. The oil has absolutely no use as a source of fire, and cooking with it taints the food. Fraygray Fraygrays are just a head above standard blossomers due to their illustrious smell. Fraygrays smell so good that they are a desirable commodity amongst the people of Rime. Fraygrays are a bright pink in colour and theyre mostly found in Haven, although they have been found scattered in other areas too. Their flower is a curvaceous bell shape with a number of large stigmas that protrude from the top. Fraygrays can be turned into perfumes or air fresheners to banish bad smells or make you seem more attractive. They have no medicinal or culinary value, and are purely for use in the cosmetic industry. Cleanweed Cleanweed is a weed that can always be found near other plants. It likes to grow in gardens and in verdant farmlands where it can drain the resources of other nearby vegetation. It looks very normal at a first glance, resembling most weeds; a small green leafy plant. Upon closer inspection however, its possible to distinguish purple veins that cover the leaves. Cleanweed is highly valued in the medical industry, as its leaves can be used as antibiotics when turned into paste and mixed with water. Cleanweed salves can be applied to recent wounds and they will stop infection from occurring or spreading. Unfortunately, if cleanweed is applied too late,

it cant do anything inside the body as antibodies kill it. It has never yielded positive results when injected or ingested. Thraybell Thraybell is a spikey, spiny bell shaped plant with hollow point quills covering its entire anatomy. Thraybells grow in the wild exclusively during Thaw, which can be a problem considering their medicinal use. Thraybells are usually cultivated and grown within during other parts of the year greenhouses, tended to by pharmaceutical employees. Thraybell quills inject a small amount of extremely painful venom into anyone that touches it. Ironically, however, it can be sliced, diced, ground up in water and boiled before being dried and turned into painkiller pills. These pills are fast and effective, but the thraybells require careful precision to clip without hurting yourself. Thrabells stings usually swell up and cause massive discomfort for several days after the pain has dissipated. Blinker Blinkers are withered looking orange flowers that like to grow in swampy conditions, or occasionally by riversides. Blinkers can be used in cooking as they have a similar taste and texture to onions when fried, but they are also valued in cosmetics as they possess a property that can reduce the appearance of scars. This only works for some individuals; people with fair skin will likely see no results from blinker cream. This cream can be made with milkstem extract and blinker extract. Blinkers gain their name from their eye watering presence. Blinker pollen reacts with the water in eyes and causes a mild string and tears to well. This is only a minor inconvenience and has no lasting damage, usually wearing off after less than a minute. If eyes start to sting when roaming through swamp areas, however, blinker flowers are almost certainly the culprit. Milkstem Milkstem grows at riversides and resembles green and white bamboo like canes or reeds. It grows vertically upwards with a tough outer shell and requires a heavy intake of water to survive, meaning it goes either goes dormant or dies once the rivers have frozen. Milkstems grow very small seedy flowers from their main bodies during Lumina which they use to reproduce with. Milkstems gain their name from the sap-like substance that forms within. Milkstems contain a creamy white substance that is a perfect base ingredient for moisturisers, hair care products and other cosmetic substances. They require a hatchet or machete to cut, although strong individuals may be capable of snapping them with their hands alone. Milkstem cream is quite expensive, as it is simply not necessary and can be awkward to find. There are many merchants who make a healthy living from milkstem products. Arkan Fruit The arkan fruit is the fruit that drops from the enormous branches of the Lifebringer tree in the cheydao home caverns. The fruit is about the size of an adult humans head, with a ridged blue skin and a sweet yellow flesh within. The fruit is edible to all races but is the primary and perhaps only thing the cheydao will eat for all their adult lives. The arkan fruit is unique to this single tree,

warped and mutated by the abundance of leylines that go through its roots. Its possible the seeds, when planted in a fertile ground, will produce more of these trees, but as of yet, the southern people have yet to acquire any. The fruit possess some medicinal properties, according to myths and folklore. Its said that a single bite can cure serious ailments and aid in healing. The fruit may even be some sort of miracle cure, but its impossible to find south of The Statuary and fiercely defended by the tenacious cheydao people. Easer Easer is a scrub growing plant, usually found in some parts of The Scarred Lands in most predominantly in Glascan. From a distance, easer just resembles standard scrubshrubs or moss, usually growing straight from the ground or occasionally sprawled across stones. The only distinguishing feature is its very small purple impurities within the mossy green mass. Many things are not for eating in Rime, and digestive distress or food poisoning is not entirely uncommon. Easer extract mixed with pollup oil has so far proven to be the best cure for stomach related ailments. It is sold by merchants or, like all medicine, provided to patients for free by doctors providing they require it. Its a very simple medicine to create, but the prospect of travelling to other continents just to acquire a bit of easer can be considered absurd. There are some farms and greenhouses that cultivate easer in Sovreignous. Tran-quill Tran-quills are feathered reed-like plants that grow mostly around still bodies of water, such as lakes. They have a small plume of furry seeds that grow from the head and disperse in the wind, and a thin but firm stem that can resist storms and aggressive waves kicked up by violent weather within lakes. Tran-quills are given their name thanks to their soothing and calming property. For many years, tranquills have been chewed upon to help people battle insomnia. You do not swallow tran-quills, only chew them until their sugary sweet resin has all but been used. Tran-quill resin can be used in sedatives, such as azophene and dozophene. Tran-quills secondary use is as a building material. Some farmers grow tran-quills in huge beds and use their waterproof bodies to create thatched roves and fishing boats. Bale Root (Poison Use) Bale root is not technically a root at all, but resembles one when found. Bale root is an ugly creeping vine-like parasitic weed that usually grows at the feet of unfortunate trees and bushes. Its brown in colour with red tinges. Bale root survives throughout the year by feeding off the nutrients gathered by more adapted plant-life. It does this by sneaking fibrous tendrils inside the roots and stems of rivals. To stop itself from being eaten by other animals (due to its low and vulnerable position) bale root produces a toxin within its skin. This poison, while not fatal, acts a hallucinogen. When animals take a bite out of a bale root, they are usually stricken with panic by wild, frightening visions. Eating

almost instantly becomes the last thing on their mind, and they will usually flee in whatever direction they turn to first. Even the seeds which bale root distributes from pods on its body once fertilised by insects contain traces of the chemical. This hallucinogenic material has come to be known as shriek, and has found its way into Rimes arsenal of weapons. Shriek is noisy and not at all subtle, as it sends its victims into screaming fits of terror for around three minutes. Its usually used to make distractions or as a torture method.

Witherack (Drug Use) Witherack is a coral that grows at the bottom of the sea, but no more than a mile from shore. It is a dark, waxy yellow in colour and forms fan-like leaves up to a metre wide. The fans are complex and quite beautiful with thousands of little branches and bones that weave together like brush strokes on a painting. It photosynthesises, and can live and grow off the tiniest shafts of light through the thick layers of ice that Glacenox brings. It could not live any deeper than it does, however. On Sovreignous, witherack is sought after for one reason; something about its chemical formula poisons the body in such a way that it becomes temporarily infertile. When witherack is picked, dried, powdered and condensed into pills, it can be taken by females as birth control following or before sex to prevent fertilisation and pregnancy. Its a birth control pill, if processed in the correct way. Birth control pills are banned on Rime, as The Wolfbane Pact wants the population to grow. Due to their location, Witherack is hard to acquire. Strong vermus swimmers during the warmer months are the only real logical choice, and they ensure they are paid well for their services. Popshrooms (Drug Use) Popshrooms, or to use their real name Trelian Toadstools, are small capped fungi that grow at the base of trees in Haven and southern Norvask. They are a faded purple in colour, and have your average mushroom anatomy; a single stem with thread thin roots below the surface. They reproduce with spores and flourish during damp conditions, meaning they mostly grow during Thaw and earlier Lumina. What makes them special is the effect they seem to have an almost any sapient or sentient mind. The mushrooms act as mild hallucinogenic, granting a feeling of total intoxication and wonder. You take popshrooms orally, simply eating them straight from the ground for maximum effect (they can be dried and preserved for use throughout the year, but some of their strength is lost). Popshrooms can send their consumers on a wild adventure through a land of exciting sounds, sights, tastes and smells. In truth, most popshroom users will flail on the floor while their senses escort them elsewhere. On the negative side, popshrooms leave an absolutely dreadful aftertaste that can last for six hours, and taking too many of them has been confirmed to cause some brain damage. Animals have been seen to experience the same sensation as humanoids when eating the mushroom, and their drug-addled stumbling has been the source of some of Rimes biggest laughs.

Popshrooms are illegal, and also mildly addictive. Taking them will only earn you a small sentence, if you are caught, but selling them can have you locked away for six months. Jerryrig (Drug Use) Jerryrig, named after the discoverer of the plants effect, Jeremy Rigarous, is a parasitic root-like plant that can occasionally be found sprawling over the exposed roots of larger trees, such as pines. The jerryrig latches itself onto a competing plant and digs its way inside, penetrating thick roots over the course of a few months. Once the growth is complete, it will settle and simply sap the water and nutrients directly from its host. The jerryrig has leaves initially, but these are shed as soon as it has found a suitable victim. A jerryrigs life naturally depends on the tree its latched too. If attached to an Everlast Pine, it will not die in Glacenox. If its attached to a simple oak, then when the oak sheds its leaves and goes dormant, the parasite will wither, and die. Funnily enough, these deceased jerryrigs are exactly what people want. When they are alive and well, they dont share the same properties. Only in death and slight decay do they become suitable for recreational use. Note, they can be severed from their host manually and left to die, also. A dried jerryrig can be ground into a powder, placed in bowl or the chamber of a pipe, ignited, and then the smoke inhaled. The effect is not as powerful as the popshrooms, but that is why it is perhaps more popular. Smoking a jerry, as the phrase says, is relaxing, calming. It invokes a feeling of peace and balance with ones self. It can increase ones concentration on the littlest thing, turn people philosophical and also heightens senses. It can also induce numbness, paranoia, lethargy and is the suspected cause of some throat conditions. It is also addictive, more so than popshrooms. Dealing and smoking jerryrig is illegal, punishable by a small fine, although some doctors are trying to find ways of incorporating it into medical procedures as a painkiller. Histax (Drug Use) Histax is another drug plant, and one most people avoid. Histax grows all over the world, straight from the soil, and resembles a barbed, grey blade of grass. It is subtle, rare, and in field, its extremely difficult to find. It took people years of research to make the connections to work out where and why histax grew in such a way, but finally, they worked it out: Histax grows on necroley lines, and nowhere else. While this may be a way of finding and locking down all the necroley lines, its not sign enough to really help. A few strands of grey in a sea of green are hard to locate. Histax is, for this reason, usually plucked from already bordered off necroley lines by botanical experts whom apparently also happen to be able to breach a wrangler secured perimeter. A few blades of histax can fetch a substantial price on the black market. Histax can be ingested or ground into an oily substance and then injected with a syringe for maximum effect. Histax will damn near knock a man out cold half of the time, and turn him into a dangerous lunatic the other. Its effects vary from blurred vision, drowsiness and voices in the head to violent, realistic visions, entirely bodily spasms and murderous thoughts. Histax has been known to trigger horrific reactions, from bloody murder, to its consumers clawing at their own faces until they reach the bone, to minds being totally and permanently lost in a single dose. Why then is there a demand for it, one might ask?

Because so many people on Rime feel they have something to prove. They hear stories, tall tales about the worlds most powerful drug. Theyve taken everything else, so why should they fear this one? Of course, once theyve had a single dose, thats it, they will be addicted for life. Histax is wildly, unnaturally addictive. Even a single blade is enough to drive you to insanity with withdrawal if you dont get another fix. Histax is incredibly illegal, and dealing it is punishable by death, while taking it is punishable by a life sentence (although many argue death would be fairer.)

Creatures (Any of the land dwelling beasts listed below are eligible for ley-rising unless otherwise stated) Sleeper Native to the various forests of Sovreignous, particularly Everlast Woods, sleepers are five feet tall mammals which can weigh in at about three hundred kilos (With the males being a little heavier and bulkier than the females). Sleepers (also occasionally called trolls) are lumbering, bestial humanoids with long, hulking arms they use for movement and attacking. Sleepers also have very thick, white, ragged and often bloodstained fur (which they clean in the snow before hunting to keep their camouflage up). A sleepers arms can pack a swing strong enough to break ribs and dent armour. They use this immense strength to hunt and to fling themselves through the snow at a rapid speed. Sleepers mostly feast on meat, but they have been seen eating berries before. They eat snow when they are thirsty. They are aggressive and very territorial, ergo, they have absolutely no problem attacking humans, even when they are in groups. Sleepers are solitary creatures, pairing up just once a year during Glacenox when the females go into season. Males locate a female and then fiercely defend them from any other males wishing to claim her until she is no longer in heat, and then they wander off and leave her. Sleepers gain their name from their hibernal patterns. During Glacenox, they are awake. They hunt in the snow, using their white fur as camouflage and their muscular advantage to chase down their prey easier. During Lumina, they sleep, usually in caves and caverns. This is when they are most vulnerable, and naturally, this is when the humans choose to hunt them. While not being completely defenceless (as Sleepers are ironically quite light sleepers) they are disorientated for a few hours after waking from hibernation which makes them easier to defeat. Females also birth their young during this hibernation period. Sleepers have fairly poor eyesight, instead relying on their other senses. Vizeer TO BE FILLED Dream Toad

Dream toads are yellow and green amphibians that live exclusively in the Everlast Woods. Dream toads are only the size of a mans fist, but they have a striking appearance due to their orb-like eyes. Their eyes sit atop their heads, squashing down periodically when the creature blinks. They seem to have no iris or pupil as a normal eye would, instead being filled with a strange flowing liquid that resembles red ink in pale water. The lines and patterns it forms are quite hypnotic and intriguing to watch, although no one is sure of their purpose. It is thought it has something to do with confusing predators, or maybe even attracting mates. Other than this distinguishing feature, dream toads have the same physicalities as most toads; dry warty skin, elastic tongues and long springy back legs to help them crawl and hop. Dream toads feed on insects, but theyve been known to scavenge and nip scraps of flesh from dead mammals and birds. They have a long sticky tongue which they can propel from their mouths to catch their prey. They prefer aquatic environments, and can usually be found in the more swampy regions of the woods, but also on occasion in beds of reeds at riversides. They mate and spawn in water when the world is at its warmest, but struggle greatly to stay alive as Glacenox rolls in. Dream toads are hibernal, and also burrowers when they need to be. They will dig deep into soft soil to avoid the frost line, and use the energy gathered from feeding to sleep Glacenox away. A secretion from their skin acts as a perfect antifreeze. Dream toads gain their name from their unusual defence mechanism. They are able to produce a stimulating hallucinogen from their skin; a contact poison that will afflict any it touches. The predator that tries to take a bite is immediately surrounded, not by things they fear, but by things they love. They fall into a state of overwhelming happiness, forgetting their meal and interacting with their visions. The toad is able to escape, and climb a tree where it will be safe. The effects of the hallucinogen usually wear off after about ten minutes. This hallucinogen is named Dream. It can be harvested by alchemists and animal experts and used in its raw form as a poison, or converted into medicines to combat night terrors and extreme depression. Dream toads are often kept as pets by those who enjoy the intoxicating effects of their secreted drug. Dream, like many drugs, can be highly addictive and difficult to kick. As previously mentioned, dream can also be used as antifreeze, be it a risky one at that. Obsidian Crawler Perhaps the best living example of You are what you eat, Obsidian Crawlers are reclusive, quadrupedal creatures that live upon the little stony island, The Ebon Stand. They are relatively stubby and small with curved claws and tails to help them grip onto the smooth rocks. Amazingly enough, their bodies seem to be infused with ebonstone, making them nearly indestructible. It is unknown how this came to be, but the creatures seem to eat chunks of ebonstone and then secrete it through their skin where it hardens into smooth, scale like plates. Obsidian Crawlers have the potential to be incredibly dangerous due to their ebonstone claws, but fortunately they are actually very docile and shy. They tend to scurry in and out of hovels and holes when humans or fenrye approach. No vessel can hold them, as their claws can cut through anything and they can only be killed by ebonstone weapons, assuming the wielders can actually get close them. They move very quickly and over slippery terrain, its hard to keep up with them. It is assumed

that they take some sort of sustenance from their rocky meal, as they have never been seen eating anything else. They are not picky about their mates and seem to just hook up with a partner indiscriminately. Based on the fact that they birth their young and do not lay eggs or spawn, they are assumed to be mammals, despite their scaly appearance. Baby crawlers are soft until their teeth develop and they can eat some ebonstone. Abyssei Abyssei are fresh water dwelling predators infamous for their ambush tactics on unsuspecting creatures and humanoids alike wading in the shallows of lakes. They have a frightening and unnatural appearance, leading to them being the centre piece of many folktales, myths and legends. There are some who believe Abyssei are the vengeful servants of the old God, Hyde. Abyssei have a disturbing appearance. They have crustacean and insectoid elements with antennae, large black eyes (with red irises), facial tentacles which almost resemble a beard with a pair of small mandibles beneath them, a single crab-like claw and a thin, bony exoskeleton that gives them a starved, skeletal appearance, especially around the waist and chest area. They have two arms, (one with a claw and the other with a hand) since their upper bodies are somewhat humanoid, but their lower body is that of a fishs or an eels, with a long tail with many vertebrae for swimming rapidly and with maximum precision. Their elbows, head and spin all display dark fins and their tails have silver or onyx scales. It is assumed they display only dark colours to mask their approach when hunting. Abyssei tend to only be a threat during the warmer months of the year when the surface of fresh water lakes are in a liquid state. During Lumina and the later parts of Blossom, Abyssei hunt by lingering near the edges of large bodies of fresh water. When animals come to drink, or when a human foolishly stumbles into the shallows, they strike with expertly timed coordination, snatching every available target simultaneously and dragging them into the depths with force so strong, resistance is almost utterly futile. Rather than using physical injury to kill their prey, abyssei tend to simply drown their victims before binding them at the lakes bed using algae or stones (showing their intelligence). This stops their preys bodies from floating away and allows its degradation and decay to come to pass without extra effort. Abyssei jaws do not cater for large meals. Similarly to some crabs, they wait for their food to degrade before they can consume it. This is helpful during Glacenox, as when the lake freezes over, there is no more food to gather, meaning that the food captured during Lumina, or indeed food captured several years ago will be just about ready for consumption. Abyessi can go for up to twenty days without food, but their diet does need to be sustained all year, meaning that their stored rations have to be plentiful in every season, and every Lumina must yield a healthy amount of drowned victims. So far, theyve survived without much difficulty. Abysseis social side is undocumented, but its thought that their mating system is not too dissimilar from fishes, with fairly indiscriminate egg fertilisation and deep water hatching. The truth is very different, however, as Abyssei are actually the young of Skitaxie. They only remain in this fish-like state for ten to fifteen years before leaving their lake through a steam and swimming down it until they reach the ocean, where their metamorphosis begins. (See Skitaxie)

Abyssei cannot be ley-risen, as they are effectively already sapient, or at least on their way to being so. Loomer Loomers are giant humanoids that can range from anywhere from fifteen feet to thirty feet. Loomers typically live in the mountains but occasionally can be spotted roaming the lands in search of food. They are considered beasts by most people rather than sapient beings due to their inability to talk or seemingly have any solid culture. Loomers are very muscular with dull, blue/white skin, quite exaggerated facial features e.g large nose, large ears, and a cruel temper. Loomers will normally be seen wearing animal skins, crudely and poorly peeled off their kills with little ability to actually heat anyone up. To remain warm, loomers need only rely on the thin layer of blubber like insulation on the inside of their skin. There is no negotiating with loomers, despite the fact they do occasionally trade things with one another. Loomers attack anything other than their own kind on sight, seemingly for their own amusement half the time. They tend to use heavy clubs and mauls to crush their prey, often underestimating their own brute force and mashing it beyond use and recognition. Loomers are notoriously stupid, even given their slightly intelligent looking apparel and habits. The most notorious loomer that ever lived was called Thunder, and he was responsible for amplifying the Thaw storms of 496 LW using the powers of the aeroley. Thunder was the largest leyborn ever recorded, and was killed by Wranglers after the storms had subsided. Since Loomers are not technically animals, they cannot be ley-risen. Vampire Syse There are many different species of syse on Rime. Syse are very small mammals that are often treated as pests in the common household. Syse possess some similarities to the common mouse, a creature most are familiar with on Rime. Syse are mostly very unique and abstract, however. Unlike most mammals, syse have six legs which they use to skitter about at incredible speed. They are very furry with giant eyes that helps them see in their dark environment and long whiskers that they use as an extra sensory organ. At just a glance, most people would mistake a syse as a cockroach or some other large insect, but their fur and large tail is enough to give them away. Syse are not classed as insects as they give birth and do not lay eggs. Most syse are vegetarians, like mice. There is however one species that is almost globally hated. The parasitic vampire syse feeds on the blood of other mammals, including people. They come out at night, like the other species, but, instead of searching for fruit and nuts, they go in search of large mammals, preferably ones that are asleep. Similarly to snakes, vampire syse can detect infrared signals using their wide, flat noses to locate blood hot spots, such as the throat. After feeding, they tend to leave a distinctive pair of puncture marks surrounded by a red ring. The mark itches for several days thanks to the anticoagulant the vampire syse injects as it feeds. Vampire syse are timid. They never feed on anything thats awake or active, like a leech or mosquito might. Extreme hunger might lead them to attempt it, but it usually ends badly. Most vampire syse are killed on sight.

When feeding on cattle, a vampire syse can become a petri dish of diseases, the main one being a disease called bloodfever, which can be transferred to humans and fenrye (but not vermus) if they are bitten. Bloodfever, as you might expect, causes the body temperature to rise dramatically as the immune system tries to fight it off. The body becomes dehydrated and wounds take longer to heal. Bloodfever is rarely fatal, and can be treated with a herbal remedy, but it can make people feel incredibly ill. All syse live either underground or in buildings to survive Glacenox. They do not hibernate. Squill Squill are predominantly tree dwelling mammals with thin brown fur, spindly tails, powerful jaws lined with flat molars and a slight bat-like anatomy complete with a membrane connecting their wrists to their hips. Squill are incredibly light, despite their size (roughly as big as a chimpanzee) thanks to hollow bones compensating for the added weight of their muscles. Squill have long, powerful claws which allow them to excel at climbing. They are herbivores, with a taste for bark, fern leaves and other wooden objects and surfaces. While theyll happily stay in a fern tree and chew on the delicious energy rich greens for days at a time, they have the ability to leap or even glide from treetop to tree top without much fear of injury. Their jaws are more mobile than a humans, allowing for a grinding motion which can quickly deconstruct even tough bark. Squill have superb eyesight, being mostly a nocturnal creature. Before Glacenox hits, Squill use sawdust from their meals to create an insulated nest within a tree hollow, fatten themselves up, and then hibernate. If possible, they will find a mating partner during their treetop travels and the females will be fertilised before she settles in her hovel. Her babies will be born before Glacenox is over, and by the time it has passed, they will have enough thin fur and climbing practice from the hollows internal walls to survive externally. Squill have a place in culture as pests. They mostly dwell in the northern parts of the Everlast Woods, but theres also a healthy number of them living in the forests within The Divines Reserve. They are occasionally known for bravely approaching human settlements on foot and hooking themselves to their cabins, where theyll enjoy a few days of gnawing until they are discouraged from the wall by a few dozen jabs with a large stick. Squill are usually cowardly, but once they latch onto something they like, it is hard to scare them off without inflicting minor pain. They have no real natural predators and not enough meat on them to be hunted by humans. A sleeper might get lucky and find one of their hidey holes, but its unlikely. In recorded history, squill have never caused any serious or even deliberate damage to a sapient being. Dragon Dragons are very small winged lacertine creatures that act as pests and pets in the region of Divines Reserve. They are reptilian, with tiny scales that cover their entire body. They have two legs, but an additional pair of hands on their wings, with similar anatomy to a bat. They use their wings as an additional pair of limbs when walking or bounding. Most of the time, however, they spend flying. Their leathery wings are capable of great speed and manoeuvrability. They have forked tongues, sharp features, small horns and spikes here and there, particularly on their spines and muzzles, and a long tail with an arrow-shaped tip. They come in a variety of colours; white, green, red, black, blue,

silver and brown. They are roughly the same size as a medium sized bird; about half a foot in width and height. Dragons can be quite stupid and irritating to the people of Divines Reserve, but they are considered holy by the residents due to their slight resemblance to old depictions of the gods. They fly around in small numbers, harassing villagers and tackling one another out of the sky. Up to twenty of them can perch upon the roofs of homes or civic buildings, making a racket and a mess. They are carnivorous, feeding mostly on insects and the scraps of meat that people throw to them. They have an incredibly long lifespan, and a very infrequent breeding pattern. Their mating is one of the few things they are quite private about, but its thought the females only come in heat once every ten years or so, and when they lay a clutch of eggs five to six eggs, only two or three of these will hatch, meaning the amount of dragons in The Reserve is not exactly on the rise. It is not known exactly how long a dragon can live for, but its thought to be somewhere close to one hundred years. Dragons mate for life, and the moment their mate dies, they will stop eating and eventually die themselves. Dragons stew a chemical formula in a separate organ connected to their stomachs, called a flame bladder. Not only does this allow them to stay warm all year round, but it also enables them the ability to spit streams of flaming liquid up to three metres from their mouth. Their throats, mouths and bodies in general are totally fireproof. Their breath is hot enough to ignite buildings and burn flesh, but when concentrated, it can also heat metal to a suitable temperature for forging. While dragons can be tamed, it is very difficult, as they are quite stubborn, very obnoxious and relatively thick. With the right incentive (food) they can be taught to become a forge hand, or even a weapon. A dragon must also never be taken from its mate, which means anyone hoping to tame one will often have to tame two simultaneously; a most tricky task. In addition to their irritating behaviour, dragons are also very loud, despite their size. They screech and squeal a lot, especially when no one is giving them attention. This can make them awkward to carry around in the wilds, as they will attract unwanted attention. Many towns have precautions and rules against pet dragons, as they can be quite destructive if their fire falls on the wrong building and spreads. Kyne Kyne are one of the most confusing life forms on Rime. They come out during Lumina and survive for a period of three days before mysteriously fading into nothing. Kyne do not have any identifiable features. They look like ghostly, glowing, wispy shapes which drift through forest regions, leaving a gentle trail of glowing dust in their wake. They do not appear to eat, sleep or socialise in any way. They are a gold and silver in colour, with some people speculating that this is perhaps to differentiate genders. Scientists discovered that the glowing dust left by kyne is actually a cloud of spore like eggs. They appear to drift around the forest, assumedly being fertilised by dust produced by the opposite sex. The fertilised eggs then float around for the entire year, surviving extreme cold temperatures and storms. They then seem to rapidly develop and appear in the forests when the weather is once again warm enough. In Haven, Kyne are much larger than the ones found in Everlast Woods and Norvask. They also live for seven days and are more numerous.

Children quite like kyne and sometimes catch them in jars to use as temporary nightlights. Kyne cannot be ley-risen, as no one, not even bioborn, fully understands their anatomy. Hopflop Hopflops are small, fuzzy hopping creatures with large paws to traverse across snow, beady black noses and eyes, snowy white fur, and, most charismatically, gigantic floppy ears that trail along the ground behind them. Hopflops are vegetarians that roam grassy and forested lands all over Rime; including Everlast Woods, Haven, Norvask, The Leylands and The Divines Reserve. Snowy hopflops also live in Coldhaunch. They typically eat grass, vegetables and flowers and are burrowers, digging tunnels and dens with little clawed paws which they live in to survive the nights and retreat to when escaping predators. Hopflops have an incredibly fast pulse, which is useful for keeping them warm and energetic, but they also have another interesting technique to endure Glacenox. During periods of rest, usually at night when it is coldest, hopflops use their long ears as a thermal blanket. Their ears contain many blood vessels which, along with the accelerated heart beat rates, make them quite warm. Hopflops are stereotypically incredibly enthusiastic breeders, and overly amorous individuals can be referred to as hopflops. Hopflops breed at all times of the year with absolutely no discrimination as to what with (with any luck, its another hopflop.) They reproduce at such a rate that sometimes culling is required to keep their numbers in check, and stop them from overwhelming farmers and devouring their crops. Hopflop babies only take around sixty days to develop within the womb before they are born, and then only have to reach an age of four months before they are capable of breeding too. Hopflops are very fast upon land and have lightning reflexes. Their meat is tasty, and sapients hunt hopflops usually using traps, such a snares, rather than weapons. Hopflop feet are occasionally kept by superstitious people as good luck charms. They are sometimes also kept as pets. Swarmander Swarmanders are one of the few reptiles that live within Sovreignous, and one of fewer still globally with a short annual life cycle. Swarmander males have red and yellow skin, while females have blue and green. They are very easily distinguishable with certain larcertine features; the long face, beady eyes, long slender tails and general skeletal structure. They are only about six inches long and three thick, and so they can be tricky to find alone, even with their colourful hues. Swarmanders however, as their name may suggest, do not travel alone. Swarmanders have a single year life cycle. Their eggs thaw once the heat starts to creep back in following Glacenox, and they all hatch within days of one another; hundreds of thousands of them. They have a single goal until the cold creeps back in again and kills them all; eat as much as they can and fertilise as many females as possible. Swarmanders wash across the continent in seas of colour, devouring all crops they can find like a plague of locusts. They are the bane of a good harvest, and precautions are taken every year to avoid total loss of vegetable and wheat. Sometimes these precautions can kill two birds with one

stone, as not only can giant nets keep swarmanders out of fields, but also snare them. Swarmanders are quite delicious when glazed in honey and roasted. They can also be dried and used as a snack all year round. Some swarmancers set bait specifically for catching these creatures in large numbers before selling them at local markets. As Glaze starts to creep in, the swarm retreats to a secluded area, usually in the forests. Once there, they breed for several days in a mass mating frenzy, distributing eggs in small burrows, under logs and rocks, or even into bodies of running water. These eggs are extremely resilient and can endure any weather. Hundreds of them can be scooped up at a time by humans looking to make a lizard egg meal, and lots of birds enjoy them too, but no matter how many are eaten, there will always be hundreds of thousands more ready to hatch when the heat returns. When Glacenox returns, every single swarmander dies. New repellent measures are always in development to ward away swarmanders swarms. Wyte Wytes are nocturnal mammalian aerial carnivores that hail from the mountainous region of SkyClimb. They can be found occasionally in Norvask, however, as this is where they perform their nightly hunt. Wytes are one and a half metres in length, with an extra metre added on for their barbed tail. Their bodies are very low to the ground, as if always ready to pounce. They are furry quadrupedal creatures with anatomy not too dissimilar from a felines, with a few obvious exceptions. From their front legs to their body are membranes which can unfold into a pair of wings. These wings grant the power of flight and gliding, although there are some manoeuvrability issues at times. Their fur is jet black in colour so they blend in well with the night. Atop their muzzled heads are a pair of very large ears; ears they need, as they are blind. They have no eyes where their eyes should be, but they do have a nose and a mouth, filled with long, piercing fangs. On land, they can run quite fast with a flowing motion. Their large, muscular shoulders give them a slightly hunched appearance. Their tail is long and thick with no fur upon its second half; just a large streamline barb which they occasionally use when fighting. Wytes live in the hollow icy caves of Sky-Climb Mountains. The caves are always filled with a deafening constant stream of screeches and squeaks, as up to two hundred of them can share a single cave. If there is no place on the floor to sit, then they will cling to walls and even hang from the ceiling. Males and females share caves. Females will usually all go into heat at around the same time and males will usually climb through them, trying to impregnate as many as they can while others around them do the same. Females emit a unique frequency squeak when they are ready to mate, which will attract several males. Wytes are sonar hunters. They emit ultra sonic sounds from their mouths, and use an internal display to map out their surroundings. This allows them to navigate and to hunt effectively without needing eyesight. A wytes hearing is unmatched by any other creature on Rime. Ley-risen wyte have reported to hearing conversations over two miles away. They are carnivorous hunters, choosing swooping and snatching techniques over all others. They will either dive in and carry their victim off in their mouths, or they will perform an aerial takedown and puncture core arteries with their large fangs while pinning their prey. The way they hunt depends on the size of their prey. They can hunt smaller animals, like hopflop, zoec and birds (they catch birds in flight), but they will also go for

larger prey if that fails, including giggoth calves, moko, nimbeep and even saberls. Theyve been known to prey on people in the past too. When their prey resists, or they cannot get a clean bite, they will use their barbed tail as a second weapon. Wyte have a very fast heart rate which keeps their very warm blood pumping rapidly around their body at all times. They can resist the cold of Glacenox admirably well, but blizzards and storms are enough to bring them out of the air and crashing to the ground. Wytes are a danger to the population of Sovreignous, and so they are periodically culled, making mankind their only real threat. The fenrye exiles of Rethgor will hunt wytes for food, but their meat can be riddled with diseases which the human immune system cannot fight off, so they are not hunted by Sovreignouss natives, only fenrye. The humans cull wytes with blight iron dust inside wide spread explosives. Their lack of eyesight can be easy to deceive on occasion too, and farmers being harassed by wyte attacks will place fake livestock in their fields, covered with traps. When the wyte comes in for the strike, it may be the last thing it does. Its rare, but wyte can be tamed. In some cases, they have even been ridden by vermus, but arent quite strong enough to support a humans weight. Ivorn Very little is known about ivorn. Many people deny their existence entirely as there have never been any reported sightings. Supposedly, they live in The Ivory Reach, likely camouflaged extremely well to have avoided detection for this long. Its unknown if they are mammalian, insectoid, avian or reptilian, but sometimes strange tracks can be found in the snow. These tracks have a bizarre tendency to simply stop, suggesting that ivorn have either the ability to fly, jump great distances, or simply disappear completely. Another strange thing about ivorn tracks is the lack of consistency; sometimes they are quadrupedal, sometimes, bipedal, sometimes dots as if made by a large arachnid or insect, sometimes hoofed, sometimes clawed, sometimes taloned, sometimes just a long jagged line, as if something was dragged. They are always quite large, easily larger than a human. Predictions place them at around ten feet in height, and a dozen or so in width, but this varies from track to track. There has never been any sign of the people who went missing aside from a few pieces of equipment or baggage left behind during what must have been the ambush. Theres never blood at the scene, but occasionally signs of a struggle. The reach has never been fully explored, and its possible there is evidence of what happened to those who went missing stored away somewhere, but short expeditions have revealed nothing. To this day, many folktales surround the mysterious ivorn, particularly in the town of Shadowfell. Villagers will often warn people away from the treacherous winding road that leads up to Palthgar, but they rarely listen. Moko Moko are large, fatty even-toed ungulate mammals with thick, rugged, matted fur, dull black eyes and a slightly boring nature. Since Moko are perfectly safe, not overly timid, and taste pretty good, they are the primary source of food on Rime, among other things. Moko outnumber humans greatly,

thanks to the high demand of milk, their thick, warm hides, their meat, and various other body parts, such as their bladders for making waterskins. Moko have been a part of human and vermus life since before recorded history. It seems there have always been millions of them, roaming the fields and the farms, chewing away slowly. Moko have a reputation for simply just not giving a damn about anything. If it snows, they dont care. If it storms, they dont care. If you run at them, they dont care. If they are accidently set on fire, they dont care. Moko just do not care, which makes them perfect for their purpose. Moko have an insatiable appetite, and feast on grass and plants throughout the day. They sleep standing up, and can be pushed over for the sake of humour. They dont care when this happens, and will lie there for the duration of the night until it is time to eat again. Moko have a very normal breeding cycle. They typically mate during Glacenox and birth during Thaw, although they dont really care when or how it happens. Bulls compete for cows, but they dont really seem to care if they win or lose, so the fights are half assed and ridiculous. Calves learn to walk quite quickly, and learn not to care about anything even faster. During and following pregnancy, Moko produce very fatty milk, which is perfect for their young but not ideal for the people of Rime. It makes a perfect cheese, and can be drunk by itself, but it tastes and feels rather foul going down. Moko arent that protective of their children. They can be maternal on occasion but most of the time, they dont really care. When they reach a decent age and size, moko are usually slaughtered, their meat cut and then dried in a smokehouse. If it can be helped, no part of their body will be wasted. Their hides are sent to tanners and their horns and bones are sent to make charcoal. Their water proof stomachs and bladders can be used for insulated waterskins, and their other organs can be used for bait for hunting other animals. Their hooves can be boiled into glue, and their tendons turned into strings. No one is sure if they care about this or not. A lot of animal activists worry that the mokos carelessness comes from what could be literally thousands of years of a fairly menial life. Others think moko are just stupid.

Nimbeep Nimbeep are woolly creatures classified as livestock in all major inhabited regions of Rime. They are grazers and like to eat grass and shrubs. Their numbers are lower in The Scarred Lands as there is less vegetation, but the ones in fenrye captivity are fed well with gathered shrubs from Red Dust Run, The Left Claw and The Steambreach. In Sovreignous, they can happily survive on the plentiful supply of grass within their enclosed fields. Nimbeep are incredibly fluffy initially. They grow the thickest known fleece on the planet, thicker even than jurnice babies. The wool never stops growing throughout Glacenox, engulfing their body and restricting their movements, keeping them toasty warm but often quite hungry. They have very low bodies and short legs but large torsos and high spines. They move in similar ways to lizards, with quite splayed strides. They even have a similar body length in relative to their heads to lizards, but they are not reptilian in any way, as they are warm blooded mammals. The females heads are black

with a smooth but fuzzy muzzle. The males are similar, except they have a pair of curved horns which they use for rutting. Nimbeep survive Glacenox by sheltering inside their own woolly fleece as previously mentioned. Feeding is difficult and awkward, but thanks to their low bodies, it is possible. They have absolutely no chance of escaping predators, but they usually move in large numbers so as to not be too threatened individually. The gestation period for nimbeeps is quite long, around half a year. They mate in Glaze and give birth in Thaw, giving their newborn lambs enough time to develop and grow a new fleece before Glacenox returns. Of course, the adults have to grow back their fleeces quickly too, as they will often be sheered by the people of Rime to make clothes and comfortable fillings for bedding, among other things. Their wool comes in white, brown or black. Nimbeep are also sometimes killed for their meat, but most arent overly fond of it. Nimbeep lambs are tastier, but their numbers must be monitored to maintain a flock with a healthy head count. Many are lost to predators each year. Jurnice Jurnice are herbivores that roam the grassy plains of Sovreignous and occasionally the forests in small herds of four or five. They are quick to scare and mostly avoid contact with all other species. They are hoofed mammals with spindly but strong legs, a head with eyes on either side so they can spot predators easier and the males have large antlers which they use to challenge one another to gain control of female herds. The females are a light brown in colour with a few dark stripes on their back for minor camouflage. The males are a darker brown with lighter stripes. Jurnice usually breed during Thaw and early Lumina and they give birth as the snow starts to fall again. Calves take a few days to grow an extremely thick layer of white fur which actually completely restricts movements. While you might think this is impractical, think again, for the fur is so fluffy and textured in a unique way, that it tricks predators into thinking they are just balls of snow. Mothers carry their fluff ball calves around in their mouths and put them down when they wish to socialise or feed. With their camouflage, they are less likely to be picked off by a stealthy carnivore. As a jurnice matures, it loses its white fur and a thick, brown coat sprouts in its place. A jurnice mother is considered dangerous, as they fly into a maternal rage if their babys location is compromised. Jurnice venison is a popular food source during Glacenox once it has been dried and preserved. Moss Moose Native to the grassy and forested regions of Haven, moss moose are masters of camouflage with a truly natural appearance. Moss Moose are fairly large ungulates, and part of the same family as jurnice. The main differences to jurnice is in their size, their coats and their antlers. Moss moose are around fifty percent larger in all dimensions than a jurnice. When they are first born, their pelt is a dark brown, but before they are over a year old, it is covered in a fine, fuzzy green moss. Something about secretions on the coat helps cultivate certain plant life, and moss in particular grows all over their body. Their antlers are different too; much more gnarled, wild and wooden. From a glance, or even close inspection, they have a startling resemblance to simple tree branches. A moss moose staying perfectly still at the foot of a tree can be very difficult to spot.

Moss moose are herbivores, and since they live in Haven, their only natural predators are the sapients. They are shy and reclusive however, and like to hide away where no one can see them. They are very private creatures, rarely travelling in groups and steering clear of all population centres. Moss moose are grazers, and although they enjoy the shade of trees, they will often spend time basking in the sun to allow the plants covering their body to photosynthesise and stay healthy. Males will search for females twice a year, battling other males for a single female with their wooden antlers. Moss moose no longer have to worry about the cold of Glacenox since it has been mysteriously banished from the region. Before Haven became what it is, moss moose camouflage was largely useless during Glacenox. Like Jurnice, moss moose mothers will be extremely protective of their children, and will charge at those who get too close. They are powerful enough to crush people quite easily, so its advised to steer clear of them during these times. Moss moose babies are not born during Glacenox like jurnice babies are, however. They are born during Thaw, and have always been. Moss moose babies never had the fluffy white coat that jurnice babies have upon birth. Moss moose have a number of good cuts of meat to choose from, so they are hunted for that. Their meat is slightly tougher than jurnice meat so demand isnt quite as popular. Its fortunate, because even experienced hunters can have difficulty locating them. Vex-Eye Vex-Eye are one of the rarest species on the planet, with hunting driving them to near extinction in the wild. Vex-Eye are long, slender mammals with flexible bodies and fairly long, spindly but powerful legs, quite long faces and a long spindly tail. Despite appearance, they share similar anatomy and movement with felines. They are described as elongated reichers on occasion, with their stretched muzzles and tail that matches their body in length. Like cats, they also have retractable claws and close, dense fur. Their fur is not overly thick. Vex-Eye are a metre in height and a little over two metres in length, not including the tail; easily large enough to take down a human. Vex-Eye live in northern Sovreignous, mostly in the Everlast Woods. If reichers are the masters of ambush, vex-eye are the masters of stealth. Not only can they move with total silence, carefully stepping over and around twigs and dry leaves, they can also camouflage themselves with altering pigments in their fur and skin. Vex-eyes are the only mammals with the ability to change their appearance so rapidly to match any background and blend in perfectly. Whether its grass, snow, stone or even a brick wall, they can create patterns and colours in their fur to match. They are carnivores and will spend a few hours every day hunting. Usually vex-eye will be content eating small animals such as hopflops, but there was a time where they would work in groups to take down large quantities of livestock. While vex-eye are often quite solitary, they do enjoy each others company and have been observed working together during a hunt. Males scent mark their territories and females scent mark where males have marked, showing their availability. The pair eventually meet up (this can take days depending on the size of the territory) and mate. The females young will be born roughly one hundred and eighty days later. Males can fight over

territories but these disputes are rarely dangerous and often resolved within a few seconds. Vex-eye know when to back down. Vex-eye sleep up trees and are generally terrific climbers. During Glacenox, they spend a great deal of their time plucking smaller animals and making a nest-like home with them, usually within high hollows in tree trunks. Vex-Eye, despite their size, can cram themselves quite easily into spaces as small as bins. Theyve been known to spend months right under humans noses, sometimes even sharing houses with them without being spotted. Vex-Eye rarely attack people, but will do when threatened, and with lethal force. Due to this, and their tendency to eat moko and nimbeep, farmers and hunters placed traps all over the vex-eyes natural habitat, killing many of them. Killing a vex-eye three hundred years ago was no real feat due to their numbers, but now they have become desirable game since their numbers have dropped. Overtime, Vex-eye have adapted and grown smarter. Traps no longer fool them and they must be brought down personally. A vex-eyes pelt is very valuable, and permanently maintains whatever colour or pattern they had been using at the time of death. Incredibly talented hunters capture vex-eye alive and sell them to the hosts of The End Game. The End Game is a hunting competition in which a group of hunters compete against one another to kill the vex-eye, which is released into the wild and given a one hour head start. Whoever brings the vex-eye down is given a cash reward, and permitted to keep the beast as their trophy, or sell its hide for additional coins. Collector Ursoroc Ursorocs are large predatory mammals that walk on four powerful legs. They have a fat body, sharp claws on their feet, pointed, triangular ears, a stumpy slightly human-like face, a pair of slitted nostrils on a sharp nose, several layers of brown or black fur and a very small rounded tail. They are two metres in length, and a metre in height, but they can stand on their hind legs to intimidate and to challenge, reaching up to three metres when stretching. Ursorocs are omnivores; they will eat almost anything. Their diet consists primarily of rainbowfin torruto, which they catch while they swim upstream during late Thaw. They will also eat nuts, grass, fruit, molluscs, rodents, members of the deer family, livestock, and smaller predators too. Despite their size, they can run faster than most people, easily at around thirty miles an hour. They can chase down their prey and deliver crushing strikes with their heavy paws and claws. When fishing, they simply stand in parts of the river where the torruto will need to jump, such as rapids and waterfalls. They will then snap the fish from the air as they jump. This has a fairly low success rating, but they always catch enough to eat eventually, and after enough attempts. Ursorocs are hibernal, and spend all of Glacenox asleep. In the time they are awake, they do three things; they eat, they mate, and they collect, hence their name. Rather than owning a territory as one might expect, males instead collect objects and items to impress females. Whichever ursoroc has the best things wins the best female. Ursorocs can travel for miles and miles to find the perfect thing for their sweetheart. Their searches will often lead them into towns and villages, where they will search through human and vermus belongings to find something of intrigue. Collector ursorocs on the hunt for good things can be as comedic as they can be terrifying. They will often store some of their gathered objects on their head or draped across their body. One might be charged at by a

seven hundred pound ursoroc wearing a sauce pan on his head and holding a pair of woolorth shoes in his mouth. Ursorocs will place their gathered things in a small mound upon the best patch of ground they can earn. Some males will fight over these patches, while others will settle for a simple one. Females will judge the things, usually by sniffing them and biting them. If the female is pleased by the things, then she will allow the male to mate with her, and her cubs will be born during the hibernation period. Ursorocs can and will attack sapients if they have a good reason. Whether they are provoked, or the person has something they want, or they are just very hungry, they have been known to kill villagers before. The best defence against an ursoroc is to throw whatever youre carrying at their feet and hope thats what they were after. If youre unlucky, theyll be after your clothes. If youre very unlucky, theyll be after your head. Vermus in particular have a hatred of ursorocs, as they occasionally have to give up their expensive attire to escape them. Their hides are strong, warm and expensive, so they are occasionally worth killing them for. Their meat can be used, but rarely is as it has no real discernible qualities, and is a little tasteless. Collector ursorocs can be found in Norvask, Everlast Woods and Haven during the warmer months. During Glacenox, they hibernate in the mountains of Sky-Climb and The Ivory Reach. Snapper Snappers are shelled reptiles with a sharp beak, four stumpy legs and retractable tails and necks to allow them to withdraw into their shell. Snappers are a metre long, and about half as thick. They stand half a metre from the ground, from their bellies that are just above the floor to the tip of their plated shell. Their head, legs and tails are covered with silver scales. Snappers are all silver in colour, with grey shells. Ice crystals form upon their shells and serves as superb camouflage. During Lumina, their camouflage is less effective, so they bury themselves in leaves and branches. Snappers are ambush predators. They lie in wait with their wide mouths open. Sat upon their tongues are strange wiggling worm-like formations which the snapper can control. Small burrowing critters will come to investigate, and sometimes birds will fly down to catch what they think are worms. As soon as the small worms sense any foreign touch, the snappers jaws snap shut with lightning speed and extreme force. The snap can shatter bones and bend iron. Creatures are killed instantly, unless their leg is caught. In cases where the kill is not made, the snapper will advance, snapping further. Snappers are one of the only known reptiles that can produce body heat internally. This allows them to stay below a layer of snow for days on end without freezing to death as most reptiles would. This heat can attract zoec, and those zoec will sometimes dig head first to find snappers. This often ends badly for the zoec, and thus they are below snappers on the food chain. Snappers move very slowly, and when they are moving, they are usually searching for a place to settle, a river to get a drink, or searching for a mate. Both the males and females engage in this search actively. Females lay clutches of around two hundred eggs once they have mated. Like the snappers themselves, the eggs have their own generated heat. Baby snappers are initially herbivores, only taking on their parents carnivorous diet once theyve reached an adequate size and developed cold resistance.

Snappers very rarely kill sapients. Sometimes people do walk into the consuming traps of the snapper jaws, but in a worst case scenario, theyll only lose their foot, rather than their lives. Snapper shells can be hollowed out and turned into large bowls or trays; perfect for cooking in or storing items. Snapper meat can be eaten, but there arent many cuts that suffice as a meal. Most snapper meat is used in soups or stews. Snapper eggs are a delicacy in some areas of Rime. Snappers live in The Everlast Woods, in Right-Claw and some in Norvask. Surelock Surelocks are bipedal reptiles with a curious anatomical structure and a terrifying reputation. They have no necks, just a body perched upon two large and very powerful legs. Their body extends forward with their jaws pointing directly ahead of them. Their spines are adorned with small plates and their balance is aided by a large tail that drags along the floor behind them. Their jaws can open very wide, diagonally upwards across their body and stopping only a few inches before the spine. When they yawn or bite, their mouth resembles a bin lid, or a treasure chest; swinging on a pair of small hinges and muscles in the cheek bones. Their two flat feet are wide, granting a good surface area; something they need to stop themselves sinking through the snow when they hop across it. Their leg muscles are powerful enough to propel them exceedingly well, and they can jump up around five times their own body height. Their scales are a faded silver-blue, and their other details come in ranges of orange, yellow, gold and red. They have quite a docile and ditsy appearance. Some may even call them cute, until they open their mouths and reveal four rows of razor sharp teeth. Surelocks travel primarily by hopping, but they can also waddle about. Surelocks are about the same size as a sledder dog, with their heads normally level with an adult humans pelvis or stomach. Surelocks have superb powers of deduction and understanding. Its not known whether or not this stems from intelligence or simple evolutionary knowledge, but they are able to identify the weak points and flaws on any living creature with just a few seconds in its presence. Surelocks live through anticipation. They predict movements with a foresight unmatched by any other creature on the planet. They associate the slightest twinge in a muscle with a certain action, and can avoid or counter it very quickly, and almost without fail. They are carnivorous, and can bring down prey three or four times their size with their fast thinking and their secret weapon: Surelock jaws are immensely powerful. They can lock onto their preys weak point and simply not let go. Their crushing force is enough to either cripple or kill their prey, through shattered bones, ruptured organs or suffocation. Once their prey is dead, they rip small parts off and eat quite slowly. Smaller animals such as hopflops and syse can be swallowed whole. Surelocks are cold blooded, and lack the ability to generate their own body heat. Surelocks originally hailed from warm volcanic regions where there were lots of warm rocks to lie on. For the past seven hundred years or so however, theyve moved into other parts of the world. With no warm stones to lie on, theyve learnt to find warmth in other ways. Surelocks are dangerous, dangerous enough for people to be too afraid to attack them when they hop into their towns. During Glacenox, there are plenty of fires for people to keep warm by. Surelocks like warm things, so much so that they will literally share a humans house in for the frozen half of the year. They can be slightly obnoxious house guests, often gathering warm things such as kettles and storing them in a corner. People dont dare to steal the kettle back, as they are afraid of the creatures combat capabilities. Once the

world warms up, the surelock will usually leave. They very rarely kill sapients unless provoked, as humans make nice warm things. Surelocks only breed once a year. The females are always on heat, inconveniently, in Glacenox, which means the eggs have to be incubated thoroughly. Once surelocks have mated with a female, the female will lay eggs, either on a warm rock or in someones house, depending on where they live. The surelock females living in urban environments will then extinguish a fire, or find one thats already burnt out. They will fill their mouths with the warm embers, before going back to their eggs and storing them in their mouths too. They will need to regularly find new embers to keep the eggs warm. They must do this for about one hundred days, with only short intervals without the eggs for resting and eating. They refuse to leave their eggs unattended for long. Each clutch contains about a dozen eggs. Surelocks are feared by most, but as previously mentioned, never attack people unless provoked. Their brains are considered to have mystical, magical properties by some alchemists and wicker witches when consumed. Their meat has a bad taste, and their body parts have no proven medicinal value. When living, however, surelocks have a much more certain use. If captured and tamed, surelocks are invaluable hunting companions. They can bring down some of Rimes most deadly hunters, such as sleepers, with a high success rating. Surelocks will never truly be tamed however until they are dominated, and attempting domination is easily enough to provoke an attack. Only very experienced handlers with years of experience with animals attempt to tame surelocks. Surelocks are originally from The Steambreach, Glascan and The Sky-Climb Mountains. Since their spread however, they now live in Norvask, Coldhaunch, Left-Claw, Everlast Woods and Haven. Krondor Krondor are perhaps the most dangerous (and certainly the largest) land/air predators on the planet. To put it simply, Krondor are enormous birds of prey with a wingspan of roughly sixty metres, talons big enough to scoop up whales and a flap strong enough to knock down buildings. They only live in The Fangs of Rime where they build giant nests upon mountain peaks, but they are large enough to be able to hunt in the entire continent. Krondors are the second largest animal on Rime, beat only in size by the colossal depth maws that dwell within oceans. Krondor females are brown in colour with dappled patterns on their wings and underside. Their beaks and feet are a grey, fading to black at the tip. Males look similar, except they have white hoods over their heads and their tail feathers have white tips. Krondor are one of the few things fenrye are afraid of, and to kill a krondor is something that can nearly instantaneously earn you the title Huntmaster. Krondor attacks are a constant threat in The Scarred Lands, as it is nearly impossible to build defences against them. They are fairly rare, with only about one hundred of them in the wild (the world cannot sustain more than this). Although they are endangered, the fenrye would not miss their existence. Krondor are not only killed by fenrye, as they occasionally get caught up in fights with one another too. In a species where females are hard to find, males will battle one another fiercely to earn the nest of one. Krondor do not get up if they crash land, the weight of the impact being too much for their skeletal structure.

Along with this, krondor also have difficulty reproducing. Females only have a few short windows every year in which they can mate. Mating is also difficult, as mounting a female like most birds do poses a crushing risk. In order to mate, krondor have to ascend to a high altitude and then hook together while falling through the air. This faith dive has claimed the lives of inexperienced krondor on occasions as they plummet into the ground before completing the ritual. With the above reasons, its easy to understand why the krondor havent dominated the world by now. They are also typical animals, in that they choose to always nest in the same region, despite having the ability to live almost anywhere in the world. The Fangs of Rime can only contain so many Krondor, and when they run out of room, they kill one another to claim nesting areas. Krondor can live for two hundred years, but in the wild, theyll normally die before they reach eighty. Krondor can lay many eggs during their life, but only a few of them will successfully hatch, and then only a few of them will successfully survive. A krondor lays a maximum of two eggs per clutch and an egg is the size of a human, weighing in at about fifty two kilograms. The most famous krondor currently on Rime is called The Shadowcast, and he is the only krondor in history to be tamed and used in battle. A krondor has never been made a ley-risen, and due to their size and danger, likely never will. Quish Quish are a child favourite amongst the humans and vermus, due to their comical nature and appearance. Bright orange in colour and with what can only be described as an almost spherical body, quish (or quishies) are flightless birds that are local to Everlast Woods and Divines Reserve. Along with the orange body, male quish also have colourful tails which they use for courting females, along with a ridiculous dance which involves flopping onto their fat bellies and slinking around. Quish cannot fly and in order to traverse large distances quickly, they tend to roll down slopes and hills, pushing themselves along flat ground with stubby little wings. Quish can clumsily hop around on tiny legs but only over small objects. They mostly just sit around lazily in one area unless threatened, in which case, they make somewhat vain efforts to escape. Quish do not have feathers on their body; they instead have a thin furry skin with a thick layer of fat behind it. Quish live on pepberries gathered during the blossoms of Lumina. During this season, they roam around, plucking pepberries from hedges and stashing them away in concealed hidey holes. This stash is what they will live off for the rest of the year round, assuming it isnt found by some other greedy quish, or indeed a completely different species (jurnice quite like berries too). Quish have a fairly nonconventional technique to elude predators. Quish tend to position their roosts and nests at the edges of hills, cliffs, ravines, etc. Since quish cannot fly, and cannot run, quish tend to use their spherical forms to traverse great distances in a hurry. When a predator approaches, they will push themselves from the ledge and roll to safety. Sadly, quish have no understanding of depth or height, and these ledges can vary from a few metres, to coastal cliffs with fatal drops. Quish are often the victim of their own stupidity. A quishies call sounds like a man blowing a raspberry, much to the amusement of Rimes residents. They are stupid and easy to hunt and catch, but they are numerous enough for this not to endanger their species.

Skullok Skullok birds are large, long necked and long legged flightless birds. They are occasionally also referred to as traipsers, as they are almost always on the move. Skullok birds stand at about six to eight feet when stretched to full height. They have an oily residue on their skin, feathers and beak that makes their bodies very waterproof. The very little water that isnt repelled reacts with the resin, and generates heat to avoid loss of temperature through toes and through their heads when they fish. Their necks and legs have a thin layer of felt-like fur, and their large, ridged heads are mostly bold. Their bodies however are home to two large, fluffy wings and a thick coat of warm feathers that helps them survive Glacenox. Skullok males are black and red in colour, while females are only black. Skullok birds take their names from their hunting habits. Their skulls are some of the hardest in the entire animal kingdom, which is handy as they need to breach sheets of ice to reach their food; fish. skulloks will bang their heads against ice sheets until they break through, and then they will keep their head submerged for long periods of time. They can hold their breath for an impressive twenty minutes, and their chemical coating helps them stay warm. Skulloks have strange and quite grotesque tongues which they wiggle within salt or fresh water. Fish will perceive their tongues as some sort of worm, and will come to investigate. When they touch the tongue, the bird will snap its beak shut and pull its meal from the water. In warmer months, they do not have to break the ice, and hunting is considerably easier. Skullok birds breed very quickly, and lay about five eggs every thirty days, be they fertilised or not. The eggs are as large as a babys head. In the wild, skulloks will form large flocks consisting of several males and many more females. Males will mate with females frequently, and the females will assume their eggs to be fertilised, laying them in downy nests and incubating them with their warm bodies. Skulloks are shy and docile. When wrestled, they can deliver quite a fierce kick, but in fight or flight situations, they will usually run. Sovreignous farmers will breed groups of skullok in captivity. They typically neuter some of the males and keep some of them fertile, meaning theres a steady supply of both fertile and infertile eggs. The fertilised eggs can be sold to other skullok farms and hatch into chicks, while the infertile eggs can be cooked in a variety of ways to please the people of Rime. Skulloks live for around ten years, a short time considering their size. They prefer grasslands within reach of the coast, meaning their numbers are at their best in the wild in northern Norvask and Divines Reserve. Skullok farms can be found all over Sovreignous and Glascan, however. Starl Starls are a small, jet black bird of prey with ghostly white eyes and dark, iridescent plumage which reveals other colours when reflecting the sunlight. There are no distinctions between males and females. They are about a foot tall with a wing span of around three feet. They have curved beaks and talons and a haunting call which sounds a little bit like a loud sequence of whispers. Starls can be found all over Sovreignous. They are easy to see and distinguish from the ground as they can be seen circling alone when hunting. Like most birds of prey, they have flawless vision, able to spot the smallest of animals from hundreds of feet up. When they do so, they proceed to dive

bomb downwards at around two hundred mph. They pin their prey to the ground, incapacitate it quickly, then take off to eat it in a solitary place where they cannot be caught by land prowling predators. Starls are one of the most intelligent non-sapient species on Rime, though one might not assume this from first glances. Starls have shown the ability to use tools to acquire food from places they would normally be unable to, such as using sticks to jab at mice hiding in small burrows (even going to lengths such as sharpening them first to act as a spear). They also, when in captivity, have the ability to learn and associate sounds and words with different things. They can mimic voices and, for example, ask for food by shouting WANT FOOD! at their owners, learning this from owners previously saying Do you want some food and then associating the events that followed with the satisfying of hunger. Starls are used in a variety of tasks when tamed by humans or vermus. They can be used to make hasty deliveries or to catch unwanted pests on private property. Some humans have even taught them how to scout for certain threats, associating certain words with different creatures. A starl might be sent out to look for sleepers, returning once he or she has found one and shouting sleeper! The Starl will then guide the hunter to his prey and be rewarded a treat for its efforts. Starls live for up to forty years, and so have quite a long time to produce a fair amount of offspring. They tend to lay around two to three eggs per clutch, most of which do not survive the first year or so due to the cold or a sudden lack of food. The starl population is a matter of little concern, however. It remains healthy and stable, as they are usually able to endure the cold of Glacenox by building fluffy nests and are difficult for predators to catch. Starls made for the first ley-risen, their extreme intelligence and vocal chords already capable of speech making them ideal choices for initial experimentation. Cold World Warblers Cold world warblers are a family of small birds distinct by their bright colours and tuneful calls. There are currently around forty five different kinds that live in Sovreignous and about thirteen different kinds in The Scarred Lands. While many of these birds do not share much in common, the members of the warbler families will usually share one or two similarities, the most obvious one being the size. Most of the birds are insectivores, although some prefer berries. All warblers live in insulated nests throughout Glacenox, going out only for a few minutes at a time to locate what food they can. They tend to hatch chicks during Thaw, allowing them to fledge before Glacenox returns. Most cold world warblers are quite vocal, and sing loudly from dawn till dusk for the sake of attracting mates or securing territory. Some warblers can gather in enormous flocks and make colourful displays in the sky when they fly together. Typically, however, the males are much more colourful than the females. Warblers are rarely kept as pets. They arent very entertaining and suffer in captivity. They are occasionally used in mines as a precaution in case an invisible and toxic gas leaks from a source. Their feathers are often collected by vermus and used in clothing (mostly hats). Heres just a few different kinds of cold world warbler:

Emerald Warbler, Leafy Warbler, Dry Warbler, Cect Warbler, Everlast Warbler, Glacenox Warbler, Korl Warbler, Echo Warbler, Pale Warbler, Cardinal Warbler, Black Cowl Warbler. Ember Shrikes Ember Shrikes are a family of bird with very distinctive features. From a glance, your average ember shrike is quite bland in colour, usually browns, greys, whites and blacks. They are fairly small, smaller than a starl, for example. They have a curved, hook pointed beak which is perfect for gripping their living prey and the males often have brown or black caps over their heads. Ember shrikes exist all over Rime, with nineteen different species living on Sovreignous, fifteen in Scarred Lands and four in Glascan. What makes an ember shrike unique are two things: One is the way they hunt. Ember shrikes are carnivorous, and mostly feed on small invertebrates and tiny mammals, such as syse. While this may not seem unusual initially, the distinguishable part of their hunt is how they deposit their kill. Once theyve captured and incapacitated their prey, either through tiring it out or simply snapping its neck, they carry it off to a nearby thorn bush. Thorny plants exist all over the world and a shrike will memorise the location of the ones nearest its home. The shrike will impale its catch upon the thorns, making it easy to tear chunks off, and also keeping their food nicely out of reach of other predators. The other, much more famous feature is from where their name originates. Ember Shrikes have powder down feathers which produce a fine body-coating dust, and they do this on a daily basis. As night starts to fall, and temperatures plummet, an ember shrike will vibrate its feathers to create a miniscule electrical charge. This charge is enough to excite the reactive chemicals within the waxy powder, and the particles effectively ignite with a warm, pleasant heat, and a visually pleasing glow. The vibrant glow of ember shrikes varies from species to species, and is thought to be a way of distinguishing one from the other, as the light is not only used for warmth, but also to attract mates. A tree at night may play host to dozens of shining lights escaping hollows and nestled between the leaves. When the sun rises again and it becomes warm enough, ember shrikes will cease their vibrations and will wash their feathers in a river, or in the snow. The burnt powder will be wiped away and refreshed before the night returns. During this cleansing process, ember shrikes are easy to catch. With a lack of effective and cheap means of lighting towns and cities, many human and fenrye settlements will have birdcages as opposed to candle-lit lanterns. These cages will usually house two ember shrikes. The birds are fed daily during the day, and given a means to bathe the burnt powder from their wings. Using these creatures, it means the candles dont need to be lit as the evening approaches and risk exposure to the elements. It also abolishes the chance of winds blowing the candles out. Some examples of ember shrikes include: Great brown shrike, grey-crest shrike, cyan-night shrike, crimson-gleam shrike, glass-tipped shrike and the golden shrike. Clockwork Owl Roughly eighty years ago, the last of Rimes owl species; the fray owl, went extinct through overhunting, deforestation and being outcompeted by more desirable birds, like starls. The fray owls were majestic and pretty nocturnal hunters, with a dappled brown and black pattern on their

feathers, large beady black eyes, and the ability to rotate their heads one hundred and ninety degrees both left and right. They could also tilt their heads around a hundred degrees to their side, thanks to their bone structure. The owls were incredibly soft, resulting in soundless flight. Their hearing was excellent, and they required total silence from their wing beats for the small creatures on the ground below to be audible. While the owls were excellent hunters, they sadly also tasted quite good, and were somewhat predictable with their nesting. Their numbers steadily declined for hundreds of years until their eventual extinction in the wild. A few still exist in captivity within Havens Wildlife Reserve. It was upon visiting this sanctuary that Lawrence and Lilly Sparklight, the two technologically adept vermus and founders of Mechanical Empathy, vowed to somehow remedy the beautiful creatures loss. Mechanical Empathy have created a lot of eccentric and occasionally brilliant devices, but none are more bizarre or complex than the patented clockwork owl. The clockwork owls first started appearing in the wilds of Everlast and Divines Reserve at night. With the veil of darkness covering the land, eye witnesses thought the fray owls had made an impressive comeback. From a distance and through darkness, they looked like perfectly normal owls, soaring through the air silently, and occasionally letting out their distinctive hoot. It wasnt until one of them malfunctioned and was found by a wandering hunter that they realised. These owls werent real, they were machines. A clockwork owls shape is quite similar to your standard owls. They do not, however, have any feathers. Their casing is made up of a lightweight metal with some sort of plastic window on their chest that allows one to see the cogs and gears turning within. Their eyes are large lenses with a brass rim, and they are extremely reflective, bouncing back any light that hits them to give an eerie owl-like impression at night. Their wings are constructed from incredibly lightweight metal frames, with a light leather-like material webbing. They can beat their wings very quickly and glide relatively well. Their most prominent feature however is the large key on their back, which can be turned to power them up. Clockwork owls possess similar head rotation abilities to normal owls, except without limit. Their necks are fitted with a ball socket, meaning they can rotate their heads three hundred and sixty degrees without any risk. The clockwork owls come out at night, and return, presumably, to The Hall of Intrigue when dawn starts to rise. Within The Hall, their keys are likely turned for the duration of the day by employees or machines, prepping them for the next night. Clockwork owls have been seen hunting. They are able to catch small rodents, but it is unknown what they do with them. Berry Beetle Berry Beetles are an interesting insect which a fascinating tactic for survival, hence earning their place in the bestiary. As their name would suggest, berry beetles resemble berries. They are bright red and almost perfectly spherical, their abdomen seamlessly fitting with the rest of the body to form a smooth ball. Berry beetles are parasites. They feed off of living creatures by latching on and sucking their blood, but first they need to approach their marks without being detected. Berry beetles are well aware of

their appearance, evidently, as they have developed an ambush technique, by hiding within crimberry bushes and climbing upon birds and beasts as they approach to feed. On rare occasions, they can also latch onto sapient creatures, but they drop off after about half an hour. Similarly to vampire syse, they use infrared vision to detect blood hotspots once they are upon their victims body. As they reach their designated target, they dig their entire head in and begin the draining process. Their abdomen swells to three times their original size before they detach. While one might assume berry beetles feed off blood purely for the sake of sustenance, this isnt true. While blood does serve the bulk of their diet, they also benefit from the heat provided from their meal. Berry Beetles have an insulated, reflective inner body, which acts as a sort of thermal flask, only a dozen times more effective. A single feed can keep a berry beetle alive throughout the entirety of Glacenox, but they do need to feed before the temperatures plummet too much, or they will freeze to death, as most of them do. Naturally, the females will lay hundreds of eggs to give her offspring a fighting chance, and there will usually be at least some survivors, as crimberries are a main source of nutrition for all sorts of critters throughout the Cold Dark. Mimicect Mimicects are hive mind, hive dwelling flying insects that live all over the world. Mimicects are essential to the ecosystem, providing over a third of the worlds pollination. In addition, they are also important to the sapients of Rime, who enjoy the sickly honey that mimicects produce within their hives using nectar. Mimicects are very small, no bigger than a beetle or a coin. They are quite round, with a predominantly black furry body with thin, vivid orange stripes. They have large round plate-shaped eyes with dozens of lenses, six spindly legs and a visible sting on their abdomens. Their wings are transparent and delicate, but are capable of beating at speeds too fast to currently record. Mimicects have their own monarchy within the hive, as most hive creatures do. A single breeding parent, known as the queen, produces more mimicects for the hive, some of which become soldiers and some of which become workers. Soldiers defend the hive and workers collect and treat nectar. The nectar is turned into honey, which is fed to the baby larva. When its time for a new queen to take over, a single grub is fed instead with royal jelly, invoking a metamorphosis which turns them into the new queen. The old queen is banished, and will either go off to make a new hive with a handful of subjects, or will die in the cold of Glacenox. Mimicects gain their name from their curious defensive ability. In a similar way to some animals, mimicects seek to make themselves bigger to ward away predators. Mimicects are capable of observing roaming creatures or even sapients. Once they have an understanding of their form, and have analysed their actions, mimicect swarms are capable of rebuilding this creature, and even mimicking their movements, creating full walks, runs and other motions. A mimicect swarm can turn into a full sized jurnice and charge at humans to scare them off, or even turn into a human to frighten away animals. If this fails, mimicects stings contain a potent alkali solution which causes mild pain, which they can strike with repeatedly. A few dozen stings are painful, but not life

threatening. However, they can sting hundreds of times a minute in large numbers, and this could very well kill even the hardiest of invaders. Mimicect hives can survive Glacenox, so long as the insects have gathered enough nectar to eat. They freeze within minutes when leaving the safety of the hive, but when inside, mimicects all vibrate their bodies in unison to heat the hive up. There are several different species of mimicect, some of them larger and more dangerous than others. The common mimicect is no bigger than a thimble, and lives in Sovreignouss forested and grassland regions. Red mimicects live in Red Dust Run, and are larger in size. The largest and most dangerous species lives in The Right Claw, the aggressive claimer mimicects. Mimicect honey is very sweet and perfect for desserts, glazes and treats. Its also proven effective against sore throats. Sapients search for mimicect hives, which resemble large pinecone shaped bulbs. They are usually positioned out of reach of predators; hanging from tree branches or built into hollows. Sometimes, mimicects will create hives inside houses and barns. Honey can be extracted by opening the hive and removing honeycombs. This is incredibly dangerous without protective gear, however. Apiarists create, tend to and trade mimicect hives in ideally built square boxes, making honey comb extraction incredibly easy, and minimising the damage to the hive when removed. Blowing smoke upon the hives in advance calms and confuses the insects, making extraction safer. Sleight Spider Sleight spiders are arachnid creatures with a similar appearance to what one might expect. They have eight hairy legs, a dozen beady eyes, two large fangs, a body and an abdomen. Sleight spiders have a slightly more ghastly appearance than most spiders however thanks to their bizarre elongated faces and fangs with multiple hinging joints. The fact they are the size of dinner plates doesnt help either. Sleight spiders are quite slender and long as opposed to being fat and stubby, like a tarantula would be. They mostly live in Norvask, but can be found all over Sovreignous and even in Glascan. Sleight spiders are furry and dusky in colour. They blend exceptionally well into dark corners and shadowed areas, coming out mostly at night to feed. They like to pick flesh from sleeping victims. They do this by injecting a venom into their targets body with their fangs; a venom with anaesthesia properties. Once the victims body part is numb, they start to chew for what can be hours. People have woken up in the morning before to find these creatures still upon their body. Its been described as one of the most traumatic things to experience, and also poses a high infection risk if left untreated. Fortunately, sleight spiders very rarely kill people. Anything much smaller however can be at risk. Sleight spiders are particularly fond of syse, small birds and swarmanders, as they are nice and easy to overwhelm and eat. Theyve killed animals as large as sledders in the past, and if they choose to eat at a humans or vermuss neck, they may never wake up. Sleight spiders are given their name due to their stealthy nature. They are the masters of covert technique. In classic spider fashion, the females are much larger than the males, and have a more insatiable appetite. When they mate with males, they eat them before going off to create egg sacks the size of apples to birth their young in. Sleight spiders lay hundreds of thousands of eggs which hatch into hundreds of thousands of baby spiders. Most of these never survive their first Glacenox, but the

ones that do master the same technique used by their parents; sheltering in the warmth of more adapted creatures, such as moko. Sleight spider venom is highly desirable in medicine, as it can be used as anaesthetic during surgery. Woolorth Woolorths are long faced, hoofed plain runners that are regularly used as means of hasty transit by humans. Woolorths are quadrupedal mammals. They are muscular, powerful and very fast on land. Their fairly long body is covered with a thick, rugged, matted coat with hangs from them in clumped threads. They are vegetarians, and grazers, hailing from the grassland region of Norvask where they have plenty to eat, and plenty of room to run. Woolorths stand at a little less than two metres (around eighteen hands) Woolorths are heavily integrated into sapient culture as they are one of the main forms of transportation. They are incredibly strong, meaning even a heavy human does not even slow them down. As well as being excellent mounts, woolorths also excel at pulling heavy loads. A pair of woolorths can pull loads equal to thirty tonnes before taking a hit on their speed. Woolorths live to about forty, but are fully capable of supporting a humans weight before their second birthday. A woolorth can gallop at thirty miles an hour on a flat surface and they can continue to do so for quite a long time. Catching a woolorth is a skill practiced mainly by Norvaskans, as they originate from this region. People from other parts of the world occasionally travel to Norvask in an attempt to wrangle themselves a new mount, either to keep or sell, but to actually catch and break a woolorth is difficult, considering their strength and size. The only way to break in and tame a woolorth is to get onto their back and stay there while it bucks. Eventually, once this has been done enough times and it has been rewarded for its good behaviour, a woolorth is considered suitable for use. The hardest part is getting on a woolorths back for the first time. Without a paddock to contain them, they can outrun any humans wishing to catch them. To catch a woolorth, you have to get the drop on them... literally. Dropping from an elevated, concealed position and onto their back has proven the most effective way of catching a woolorth. An armoured woolorth is a formidable opponent in combat, able to steamroller their way through battlefields. Giggoth Giggoths are mammoth-sized ungulates that wander grassy plains. Giggoths are long, wide and muscular, with four very thick but quite short legs, a small wiry tail and a large head. The head is home to a pair of sharp and very long ivory horns that protrude from the bridge of the nose, either pointing directly forward, or curving upwards to point at the sky. The males usually have curved horns, as they provide more surface area and are better for attacking and defending other males. The females have sharp spear-like horns so they can defend their young and attack smaller predators with charging thrusts. A giggoths entire body is covered with thick matted brown fur, like a woolorths. They have a long fringe which often drops charismatically in front of their eyes, giving them a slightly dopey appearance. The fur is long enough to reach the ground as it hangs from their body, sometimes completely hiding their legs when stationary. They have a long square muzzle,

quite fat lips and a large tongue which are all useful for grazing. A giggoth male can reach six metres in height, and around fifteen in length. The females are slightly smaller, usually four metres in height and thirteen in length. They weigh around nine thousand kilos. Giggoths are vegetarians, and are mostly quite docile. They tolerate the presence of almost any smaller animal, and are eternally patient. The females travel in large herds, usually containing twenty to thirty members of varying ages. Calves stay with their mothers and rely on them for around two years. If its a female calf, it will likely stay with the herd for the rest of its life. If its a male, it will leave on its own accord at the age of three. Males wonder about in solitude for most of their life. The only time they find groups of females again is when its time to breed. They are driven into a testosterone heavy frenzy, and they excitably chase after females in a clumsy display. Females can easily push them away if they dont want to mate, but there will usually be at least one in a group that is willing. Calves develop for an entire year before they are birthed, and every adult female in the herd will be willing to nurse and protect a child thats part of it. When giggoths are babies, this is basically the only time in their life where they are at risk from predators such as saberls. Almost any large predator in the animal kingdom has been willing to take a shot at giggoth babies, including saberls, reicher, thermotus, vex-eye and sleepers. The only predators to hunt full sized giggoths are man, and krondor. Giggoths can endure Glacenox very well, thanks to their woolly coat. They feed almost exclusively on grass, but will also eat branches and anything else they find on the snows surface. They can dig with their horns to reach plants beneath it too. In culture, giggoths have their uses. Their dung is often collected and burnt as an alternative heat source; their heavy vegetarian diet giving it great combustibility. They are occasionally hunted for their fur to make cloaks, coats and blankets too, but due to their size, they can be hard to bring down and are often not worth the effort. Sometimes giggoths can be found already dead, in which case their fur and skins will be harvested once the herd has moved on. Their horns are made of ivory, and are very valuable. Ivory is used in extravagant furniture, jewelry and other forms of crafting and artwork. Some myths also state that eating a pill made from powdered giggoth horn can provide limitless stamina for a short time. A myth surrounds giggoths that they have eidetic memory, and simply never forget. They can supposedly recognise any face from any point in their life, and react accordingly. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen. Giggoths live in Norvask, Glascan, Coldhaunch and Left-Claw. Scim Hog Scim hogs are large, muscular and furry herbivores that roam forested areas and occasionally mountainous regions. They have four podgy but practical legs, powerful shoulders, small heads, small tails and short tempers. Their most prominent feature is the large curved blade-like horn that extends from the bridge of the nose to a short way down the spine. These crescent, scimitar shaped horns are where the hogs get their name. Scim hogs are usually dark grey in colour, with some brown impurities here and there. They weigh around four hundred kilos, and rarely stand at over one and a quarter metres in height. They are about one and a half metres long.

Scim hogs are known well for their unbreakable spirit and unstoppable force when charging. It is very hard to scare them, and somehow even harder to kill them. A scim hog can be riddled with gunshot wounds and arrows and still it will press on, unfazed. They have multiple back up organs if some are damaged, with intelligent redirection systems within their bodies to make sure everything is working. Their skulls are as thick as tables, thick enough to stop even bullets. Their one weak point is their underbelly, which they do well in keeping unexposed. Scim hogs are omnivorous feeders; they enjoy mushrooms and moss, but also particularly like eating honey. Theyll also eat bark, eggs and small molluscs. They will never kill a mammal or large reptile for food, but may do it out of defence. Scim hog females and hoglets travel in family-tight groups, feeding together and socialising with one another with a series of low grunts and brushes. The females are distinguishable from their much smaller scimitar horn. When babies are young, their coats are lighter with a striped pattern to provide camouflage. They lose this pattern at about eight months old. Males travel alone, occasionally meeting up to contest over groups of located females. Scim hogs battle with their bladed horns and inflict terrible wounds upon one another. Their high tolerance to infection and disease helps them recover without issue, however. Males will mate with every female in a group before moving on. He has no input into the raising of his children. Scim hogs can shrug off the cold of Glacenox as if it were a light breeze. Their muscular structure and resistance allows them to continue life as normal, although they must dig through the snow to reach their meals once it has fallen. The horns, when tilted sideways, can act as helpful shovels to speed this process up. All scim hogs keep their horns sharp at all times by scraping them against rocks, and occasionally with a partner. Scim hog meat is a favourite amongst fenrye and Norvaskans. Roasted hog is carved for feasts and banquets, often served with pine apples. Hunting and killing scim hogs is difficult and dangerous, however, usually done within the safety of trees, or behind a field of traps. If a scim hog successfully charges a person down, that person is likely not going home. They gore their victims with their horns, often removing limbs or horribly damaging the torso. They rarely settle for simply felling their attacker as well, relentlessly slicing and dicing them until they are an unrecognisable mess. Their horns are not stronger than iron or steel, and are therefore a poor substitute for weaponry. They do make a good trophy, however. Scim hogs are found in Norvask, Sky-Climb Mountains, The Fangs of Rime and the northern parts of The Sea of Stone. Armadro Being one of the only small mammals in The Scarred Lands, armadros are built with defence in mind. They are only a few feet high and weigh about sixty pounds, but their bodies are covered in thick, protective plates. They resemble balls in shape, with pointy little snouts emerging from one end and a long, slender tail from the other. They walk around on four stubby legs, but cannot move very quickly. When curling up, they resemble rocks due to the jagged, stony texture of their plates. Armadros are native to The Steambreach, but can be found in Left-Claw and Coldhaunch too.

Armadros feed on lichen that grows around the rims of the steaming pools. They also consume insects from the various mounds and hills that litter the southern Scarred Lands. They have a few natural predators, the skald being their main one. When threatened, an armadro curls up into a tight, rocky ball, making them both protected and camouflaged. There isnt a creature on Rime that can penetrate an armadros defences with tooth and claw (Although krondor can swallow them whole). Skalds have developed an interesting tactic when wanting to eat the soft parts of armadros, however (more information on this below). Birthing up to four pups a year, the armadro species is far from endangered. They tend to inhabit burrowing grounds, a bit like rabbits. Armadro pups resemble pebbles initially, which provides excellent camouflage in the rocky areas of the Breach. Their stony apparel is however more than simply aesthetic, and they are effectively as hard as a rock. The only creature to find such a thing appetising is its second primary predator; the quartza (see below.) Its not unusual to see many armadros in one flat, open space, but their interaction doesnt extend much beyond mating a few times a year and occasionally sharing food. Armadros survive Glacenox in a similar fashion to most creatures that live in the Steambreach; by taking up residence near the heated pools. As burrowing creatures, they tend create tunnels that are adjacent to the steam vents and pools and live in them when it gets colder, coming out for food when they are hungry. Skald A skald is a creature native to the Steambreach and has developed fascinating techniques in which to hunt in its natural habitat. A skald is a hunched, heavy, bipedal, carnivorous mammal with armoured, jagged plates on its back, shoulders, legs and arms. Skalds stand up to three metres in height and weigh around three thousand pounds. They are fairly dull to look at, colour wise. Their bellies and faces are a sandy brown, while they plates are a much darker, muddy brown. They have a long pair of arms, using their fists to act as a second pair of legs, not unlike sleepers. A fairly thin layer of fur is on their front side (they do not need thick fur as they survive the cold by sitting near the steam vents and pools.) Skalds have long, almost camel like faces with tiny stumpy horns and large, jagged teeth between their strong, square jaws. Skalds are intelligent with a decent understanding of how to use the heat of the Steambreach to their advantage. Their primary prey is the Armadros, but due to the defences of their food, they have to use an alternate means of breaching it when their teeth just dont do the job. Armadros roll up into armoured balls, making them an inconsumable snack. In order to open them up their muscles must relax, ergo, they must die. Skalds have learnt that not even the thick plates of armadros can withstand the ferocious heat of the geysers and volcanic pools, so they take the balled up animals to these points and quite literally cook them. Inexperienced skalds occasionally lose their meals in the bubbling pools, but once they have perfected their technique, they can competently feed themselves without harming themselves or going hungry due to slippery fingers. Skalds typically roam the Steambreach alone, although new mothers can occasionally be seen with skaldlings. Skalds have a similar mating cycle to sleepers (in that the males acquire a mate and then defend her during her active season). Skalds do not hibernate, however, as they survive Glacenox by remaining in close proximity to the vents and pools.

Skalds are not considered a threat by the fenrye. While they do not fear the gnolls, skalds seem to not be bothered about their presence. Daring fenrye have ridden on the back of skalds without them displaying any sort of aggressive or even irritated response. Quartza Quartza are large, reptilian quadrupeds that live within The Steambreach. Their names stem from the fact their backs and a large portion of their heads are home to quartz-like crystal formations which they cultivate and grow for defensive purposes. Quartza are around four metres long and weigh in at around three thousand kilos. They have four thick legs, a large crystal formation upon their heads to act as a ramming plate, and three long horns on their faces. The males are larger and heavier than the females, but they are similar, aesthetically. Quartza are, despite what their appearance suggests, meat eaters. Primarily, they feed on armadro babies, with rare incidents in which they feed on adults. Quartza drink from the volcanic pools that dot the Steambreach, effectively filling their bellies with burning sulphuric acid. While this might seem suicidal, their digestive systems are practically armoured, and they benefit from the solutions consumption. Not only does it provide the quartza with the digestive properties they need to swallow the solid armadro pups, but it also allows them to create the magnificent crystals on their bodies. Quartza have high concentrations of copper within their bloodstream. They also are one of the few but not only creatures on Rime that can generate an electric charge within their own bodies for warmth. In addition to this internal reaction warming their reptilian bodies, they can also use it to create copper sulphate crystals and spread them through their skin onto their bodies. The crystals are a brilliant shade of sapphire blue, although hold no value in jewel crafting. The crystals attract mates, and provide an extra layer of defence against some of The Scarred Lands larger predators, such as krondor (although not an overly effective one). A quartza female has a fairly long window once a year in which they are fertile, usually in Glaze. Eggs are laid a few days after mating and the eggs take around one hundred days to hatch, often incubated by the vents and pools of the Breach. Males will battle for females with their crystalline crests, and the loser will submit when their crest shatters. A quartza will live for around fifty years. They are occasionally hunted by fenrye for their meat and eggs but are usually an inefficient choice when it comes to hunting; a lot of their meat is tainted by the copper and sulphur. Sledder Sledders are best known for their place amongst mankind as domesticated lupine-like creatures. Sledders are hexapod mammals that mainly hail from the continent of Glascan, although lately, due to mass importing and releasing, they have had a minor presence in the Norvask wilderness. Sledders have six large paws, a tough hide, long rugged fur, a fanged muzzle, pointed ears, a bushy tail and deep blue eyes. Their fur can be a number of different colours and shades, but typically contains no markings; only block colours. Sledders excel at moving through snowy conditions, which provides almost no hindrance to them thanks to a light body weight and a widely spread surface area thanks to their extra pair of limbs. They bark and howl to one another as forms of communication and are generally incredibly social

animals. In the wild, they almost always travel in packs, unless exiled for breaking the rules. Packs contain either one, or a number of alpha males and females that exclusively breed. Packs will occasionally accept members from other packs to ensure genetic diversity, but they will only take as many as they can sustain with successful hunts. Sledders hold large territories which they scent mark the borders of. Rival packs entering these territories will likely either be chased out, or will take over by defeating the current owners. Sledder pack fights can contain dozens, sometimes even hundreds of members. Sledders are very expressive with their faces and body language. They wag their tails when they are happy, and hang their heads when they are sad. They avoid eye contact when they feel guilty and tilt their heads when they are confused or curious. They are quite intelligent, and have been quite accepting of sapient presence. In the wild, sledders are carnivorous, but when domesticated, they will eat most vegetables too. They hunt in packs and use tactical formations and manoeuvres to surround and single out weakened members of bekapi herds and young pinestriders. They in turn are occasionally hunted by reichers. Sledders do not survive Glacenox well alone, and like to huddle up during cold spikes. Their fur is good at keeping them warm, although, thanks to their intelligence, they often like to make use of camp fires, making them one of the few animals that are instead attracted by fires, not warded away. Sledders are often caught or bred in captivity to use domestically. Not only are they loyal and loving pets, but they are also excellent at pulling sleds; something they thoroughly enjoy. Pack sledders are an essential means of transport when trying to traverse through extremely snow packed areas, as even woolorths can struggle. Sledders can be taught tricks if given a little incentive, but they can also become very dependent on their master, and will pine and chew things when they are not around. Zoec Zoec are small carnivores, some of the smallest mammalian carnivores there are. Their anatomy is not too dissimilar from sledders, with long muzzles, haunches and sharp canines, but they are about half the size. Their fur is usually bicoloured, with a lick of colour on their upper body and a snowy white on their underbelly and chin. They have long, pointed ears, a brushy tail and a small but sensitive black nose. Their upper body colours come in colours of red, white or silvery-grey, depending on their home (Snow zoec are pure white). Zoec are at their prime in the snow, although they can hunt just fine in warmer months too. Their long ears contain sensitive hairs which vibrate at the slightest disturbance. They can identify the source of a noise and locate it even when its below two metres of snow. They are excellent diggers and very light on their feet, able to leap up, punch through the snow and dig rapidly to reach their meal before its aware of whats happening. Their winding, dexterous bodies can also fit in hopflop burrows, when they want a very easy meal. When zoec are not hunting, they flatten their ears down to lock out the noises around them. In addition to their heightened sense of hearing, zoec also have infrared vision. They can detect pockets of warmth from dozens of metres away and close in. Their eyes also have telescopic lenses, allowing them to effectively zoom in their sights. These functions

can help them find shelter, prey, or a mate. Since zoec are typically solitary creatures, actually searching for a mate is something they have to engage in. While zoec can dig perfectly well, theyll often settle for the burrows of other creatures. Females will leave scent marks at her burrows entrance to lull males in. Zoec cubs only take three months to be born, and a female produces an average of three cubs per litter. Both the male and female will stay with their cubs for about half a year before they go off once again. A male will never breed with the same female twice. It is unknown why they do this, but assumed it has something to do with genetic diversity. Zoec exist all over the world, in every continent. They are hardy, tenacious and cunning, proving difficult to catch. They are hunted by larger predators, such as saberl, reicher, cazak and sleepers. Zoec will feed on almost any mammal smaller than them, mostly hopflops and syse. They shelter for large periods during Glacenox, often sharing their body heat with a located mate, and only bringing the cubs outside when Thaw arrives. In culture, zoec are not overly sought after. They have very little meat on the bones and very little fur. Their pelts and tails are occasionally used in scarves by nobles. Since they are smart, and difficult to trap or shoot, most people consider them simply not worth the effort. Skathe Skathes are serpentine, winding, limbless creatures with a carnivorous diet and a broad range of sub species within the single group. Skathes move by slithering forward, the many muscles in their bodies allowing them to effectively push themselves coil by coil. They are strange to look at, as they are almost completely flat. Even the largest of skathe species will be as flat as a plank, no matter what the length from head to tail is. Skathes are reptilian, and therefore coldblooded. They require a present heat source during Glacenox, or they die. Skathes live in both Sovreignous and The Scarred Lands. There are around a dozen separate species in Red Dust Run and The Steambreach alone. Sovreignouss skathes are less dangerous and smaller than Scarred Lands. The largest Sovreignous dwelling scathe is the bind coiler, a constrictor that doesnt hunt humans, but can hunt vermus. The largest in the world is the Kidna coiler, a red and black skathe in Red Dust Run that reaches six metres in length and can swallow multiple fenrye with ease. Skathe come with many different patterns, colours and textures. They come with different hunting techniques, venoms and sizes. Some skathe hunt their prey with paralytic toxins in their venom, designed to keep the victim alive, but immobilise it. Some, usually the larger ones, prefer to constrict their prey until it is unconscious. Skathe have an interesting internal anatomy with slight resemblance to some plant life. Their stomachs stretch through most of their body, and are lined with fine fragile needles, all containing more paralytic toxins. Skathe like to consume their prey alive, and keep it alive for several days within their bodies as they very slowly digest them. This way, not only do they benefit from the meal, but they also maintain their victims body heat for longer. Their organs are well insulated, and a few meals can be all they need to keep them warm throughout Glacenox. Skathes have forked tongues which they periodically thrust from their mouths to taste the air and the ambience. This sense of theirs lets them detect encroaching heat sources. Their eyesight is rather poor, but this sense makes up for it.

Skathes cannot move very well once theyve eaten, and so prefer to do so in the sanctity of an underground burrow. Larger skathes can consume entire jurnice and other similar animals, and must do this on the surface, completely exposed to others. Skathes can unhinge their jaw bones to swallow large prey, and their flat bodies possess impressive flexibility, allowing them to swallow animals larger than themselves. Of course, they cannot be flat when beasts are within them, so they stand out much more. Skathe females are also more visible when they are producing eggs to fertilise. They do this once a year. Male skathes will mate with females and fertilise the eggs, which will then be laid underground and left. They hatch once theyve detected warm conditions after about four months of development. The temperature the eggs are kept in determines what the gender of the skathes will be when they emerge. Lower temperatures produces males, and slightly higher ones produce females. All the eggs of a single clutch will be one gender. Skathes are typically broken up into two classes; venomous hunters (lashers) and constrictor hunters (coilers). Both possess the same feeding patterns once their prey is immobilised, however. They can both cause serious damage to sapients before the actual swallowing part begins. Constrictors break bones and rupture internal organs, while an overdose of a venomous skathes venom can send people into an irreversible state of paralysis. They are generally quite hated animals. Skathe skin is sometimes used in boots and gloves, and their venom is used in an antivenin for skathe bites. Its poison is sometimes used by assassins, similarly to serephin venom. Quilk Quilk are spiny quadrupedal mammals that live in the Scarred Lands exclusively, mainly Red Dust Run and just north of The Sea of Stone. They are quite small, about the size of an adolescent sledder. Their furry body is covered with two cones of long, sharp, pointed quills. The first quill is on their head, and stretches back to their pelvis. The second cone stretches from their pelvis down to their tail. Their brushy tails drag along the ground behind them. They have cute black wet noses and fuzzy inquisitive faces. They look far too innocent to be living in The Scarred Lands, but they are perfectly capable of defending themselves thanks to their sharp spines. Quilk have around forty thousand quills on their body at a time, some very large, most only a few inches. The quills grow over time, but are shed when they grow too big. They can control these quills individually, fanning them out to totally defend their body from predators. When a predator approaches, they turn their back on them, fan their quills out and keep every part of them covered. If a predator goes in to bite them, they can detach their quills the moment they embed in their attackers body. Each of a quilks quills are tipped with a nasty bacteria, which can attack the immune system of creatures it infects and makes them sick. This process takes several days, but it still adds an extra layer of danger to creatures that would dare hunt them. Quilk females are able to lift their quills high enough to allow a male to mount them and mate with them without inflicting severe harm on themselves. They go into heat for almost the entirety of Glaze, and actively search for a male, leaving scent marks to make them easier to locate. Mostly they roam the lands alone, or in very small groups. They spend all day searching for molluscs to eat and water to drink.

During Glacenox, Quilk hibernate in burrows they dig themselves. During this hibernation period, the females will give birth to their young and nurse them, the whole family emerging from under the ground once heat and light returns to the land. Quilk are occasionally hunted by fenrye, for both the small amount of meat they have on them, and for their bacteria tipped quills. In times where theyve exhausted their ammo supply, the quills can be used as arrows, fired from a bow. They are also an essential part of some ceremonial outfits and armours. Clubber Clubbers are aquatic coast dwelling pinneped mammals (mammals with fins for feet). There are four known variants of clubbers, all of which share common anatomy and similar behaviour. Your standard clubber is a blubbery, clumsy, long bodied creature with a very fine, almost nonexistent waterproof felt layer over their entire body. When on land, they flop comically about by pushing themselves forward with their fins. When in water, their movements are much more graceful and swift. Clubbers are usually quite docile with big, black, round eyes that gives them an inquisitive and cute expression. In some areas of the coast, they have no natural predators and will happily approach humans to get a closer look. Clubber pups are very fluffy, and adorable, but dont learn how to swim until about twenty five days after birth, which leaves them vulnerable. All clubbers are carnivorous, and they live on a diet of crustaceans and fish. Fish can be caught with ease while swimming, and clubbers will occasionally work in small groups to manipulate large salt water schools and maximise their catch. Crabs and such on the other hand are more of a luxury food, but can be difficult to crack with teeth alone. It is through the means of breaching these crabs shells that clubbers earn their name. Clubbers collect pieces of driftwood and wield them in their mouths. Using their fins when on land, they push themselves upright for a few seconds before bringing the driftwood down with the force of their own bodyweight. This clubbing technique is enough to shatter the tough carapaces of tuft crabs and other small crustaceous animals. Clubbers can also use this technique to attack people if they feel threatened, and in rare incidents have been known to break bones, such as ribs. Bekapi Bekapi are thin furred quadrupedal ungulates native to the tundras of Glascan. Bekapi are a dark brown/black in colour with small, coiled horns and spindly but agile bodies. They have a lighter underside and the males have scruffy little manes. Unlike most mammals, both males and females grow horns, however, the male horns are developed for fighting while the female ones are for defending their flanks. Bekapi have an extremely strong bond with their herd which makes them difficult to hunt. When threatened, they do not stampede like you might expect: Instead, they group together, forming a ring around their young and weak. If predators approach, they attack with their horns before reforming the line. The trick for sledders and reichers that hunt them is to bring down the prey before they can form these ranks.

Bekapi herds can contain thousands of members. They use this to their advantage in the biting cold of Glascan, huddling together to stay warm as they move around the continent, grazing. They have shifts on the outside of the huddle, changing regularly to ensure everyone remains warm and not left on the edge too long. The herds are divided into sections only visible to the herd itself. These sections contain a host of females and one dominant male. Males fight over control of groups of females within the large herd. Baby bekapi learn to walk five seconds after they are born, and, after doing so, they remain under their mothers spindly legs and sync their movements with hers, ensuring they do not get trampled by other members of the herd. When on the move, Bekapi herds are described as earth shaking. Pinestrider Pinestriders are one of the tallest mammals on the planet, thanks to their long striped necks. They reach about fifteen to twenty feet in height, with their necks and legs making up the majority of this. Their legs are thin and gangly, but powerful, and their long stride enables them a fifteen foot hoofed stride, and the ability to run at over thirty miles an hour. Pinestriders have a thin layer of brown fur that covers their body. Their legs are almost furless, and are a sandy tan colour. Their necks are striped with black lines over a light brown field. Their faces are a little woolorth like with fairly long muzzles, but their lips are bigger and hide a fifteen inch tongue behind them. They have thick, ridged, curved horns on their head, not dissimilar from a rams. Pinestriders are herbivores that dwell within Glascan. They feed mostly on pine trees, approaching them and stripping the needles away with their rough tongues and strong jaws. When striders drink, they have to splay their long legs out to lower their body enough for their heads to reach rivers and snow. Other than eating, pinestriders dont do much else. They spend twenty hours of the day eating, sleeping only for very short intervals, always while standing up. They do everything while standing up, including give birth (babies fall about seven feet when they are born). Pinestriders travel in groups of about ten. These groups can consist of all females, all males, or a group of females with a single dominant male. Males compete for female domination by battling one another with vicious strikes from their muscular necks, accompanied by butts from their horns. These battles can cause serious spinal injuries or even break the animals neck. Pinestrider females enter season twice a year, and the gestation period is one of the longer ones on Rime, taking around fourteen months. It is not fully known how pinestriders endure Glacenox so exceptionally well. They simply never show signs of adaptation or preparation, and continue their routine activities as they would any time of the year. With a lack of thick fur, and no unusual means of stopping the cold from killing them, their technique remains a mystery. It is assumed to have something to do with their unusually large hearts, which weigh in at around thirty pounds and can be three feet long. Pinestriders are hard to hunt for other beasts of Glascan. Their only real natural predators are reichers, but a single kick from a pinestrider female is enough to kill anything that draws near. Sledders dont dare go for them, much preferring the predictable nature of bekapi. Pinestriders will always attack predators if they have young with them, and have been known to attack people

(although this is rarer). They have no place in Scarred Lands or Sovreignous culture, and are not hunted for any traditional reasons. Reicher There are two different variants of reichers; scrub reichers and ash reichers. Reichers are fearsome feline beasts with a slight resemblance to a saberl, except more slender and a thinner hide. They are smaller than saberls, and lack the large curved tusk fangs, but their main difference is the addition of an extra pair of legs. Reichers, like most Glascan animals, are hexapods. They use six legs to cover ground very quickly and manoeuvre through tricky environments with great precision. Scrub reichers are a sandy brown with grey stripes along their spine, while ash reichers are the opposite; dominant grey colours with brown stripes. They have a long, expressive tail which they flick in certain ways to communicate with other members of their species. Scrub reichers live in Glascan, while ash reichers live in Coldhaunch and The Steambreach. They are mostly solitary creatures, only pairing up to mate before splitting once again. They are warm blooded and lack blubber and thick fur, so instead they keep themselves warm and dry by finding deep volcanic veins, pools and pockets of warmth within caves. The males attract females using a variety of low purrs and growls, and general scent marking using pheromone glands. Reichers are dangerous, although not as dangerous as saberls. The main threat comes from their ability to stealthily take down their prey without being detected. They are much more sneaky than most of Rimes animals, making use of some decent camouflage and whatever foliage they can find to create perfect ambush points. They are capable of lying in wait for the perfect opportunity for two days before they need to leave for water and rest. They have brought down humans, vermus and even fenrye in the past, but mostly hunt on smaller mammals, such as bekapi and clubber pups. They are also quite fond of bird eggs, and possess the agile means to climb trees and pilfer them from nests. In Sovreignous culture, reichers are considered lucky. Virtually any part of them can be sold as a good luck charm, and its believed seeing one on the prowl provides one with good fortune. They have earnt the nickname Fortune Prowlers because of this. Some fenrye have domesticated reichers in the past and used them in battle. Thermotus Thermotus are one of the only reptiles that live outside of The Scarred Lands. Its thought they migrated to Glascan across the frozen seas at one point, but this is just folk lore and wild speculation. Thermotus are large, lumbering six legged lizards, roughly a metre in width and three and a half in length. They feature a large sail-like formation on their back constructed from heat conductive spines to maximise their surface area as they bathe in the sun, but the sun is not enough for a reptile to survive in the cold north. That is why the thermotus have a unique survival technique, made use of by no other known species on Rime. They use the leylines. Or rather, they make use of a single leyline, a pyroley line.

The thermotus reside mostly within the ruins of the Necroley war, sheltering from the blizzards and cold winds when they can. In the few short months of relative heat can reach Glascan, they mate within the burrows of the ruins, and then head off on a short migration. This reptilian march merges with other groups and families of thermotus from all over the continent as they all congregate to a single location, a fairly inconspicuous piece of land somewhere in Glascans centre. The years of periodic thermotus activity in the area has given it a unique aesthetic and scent, making it easy to find. A thermotus female locks onto the nesting site it was born at, and lays its eggs in exactly the same place its own once rested. Inaccurate thermotus will have hatchlings emerge away from the leyline, and they will not survive. The pyroley has become essential for the thermotuss survival. Assuming the hatching process all goes swimmingly, thermotus will grow and lead relatively normal lives in lounges (collective noun). When Glacenox strikes, they will use their pyroley abilities to remain warm. When fights break out, or they have to act in self defence, the thermotus are capable of conjuring flame to ward off or burn their attackers. With the ley in their blood to keep them warm, they can march to the shores of Glascan and hunt their favourite food; Tuft Crabs. More ambitious lounges will hunt down bekapi, cutting off their escape with walls of fire and cooking them alive. To this day, the tundra of Glascan is littered with charred stains and blackened shrubs. As the thermotus activity remains fairly out of the way, and doesnt endanger human or vermus lives, the Kingdom does not risk its wranglers. There are too many of them infesting the ruins for a group of wranglers to leave unscathed, and theres no point sacrificing resources for something that hasnt and will likely never cause any harm. Attempts have been made to capture thermotus to use them as ley-risen, but their pyroborn powers have always been too difficult to contain over the one year conversion period. Tuft Crab While Rime plays host to a number of crustaceous species, one of the more notable is the quaint little tuft crab. Tuft crabs live mainly on the coastlines of Glascan, but can be found as far north as Summit. Tuft crabs are distinguishable by an element crucial to their very being; they are hairy. While some might assume the hair is to contain heat, this is not the case. The crabs are cold blooded, but are also extremely resilient to the cold. The reason they have hair is to grant them buoyancy. Tuft crabs are omnivores, but they also have filter feeder capabilities, and during the warmer months, their diet consists tiny photosynthetic microorganisms in the ocean. These miniscule creatures float near the surface of the sea, and so the tuft crabs, with their buoyant fur, float in wait for them, funnelling any they can find into their snapping maws. During Glacenox, the seas are solid and their usual food source is inaccessible, so the tuft crabs kill two birds with one stone in a single, risky manoeuvre. They migrate, travelling away from the shores to the western cliffs of Glascan. On their journey, their heightened senses are able to pick up traces of decaying meat in the air, left by thermotus or simply bekapi that succumbed to age or cold. These corpses serve as waypoints for which the tuft crabs to have a quick snack at, replenish their energy, and continue their trek. The journey takes about eleven to fifteen days of sleepless skittering until they reach the cliffs, and the spawning pools at their base. The slightly volcanic landscape has

yielded a single cluster of mild hot springs for which the tuft crabs to deposit their fertilised eggs into, with mating occurring either days or just a few hours beforehand. With the deposit complete, the tuft crabs leave, one by one. Some of them being picked off by predators, but the majority survive. The crabs will continue to roam Glascan and feed from decaying corpses until the oceans begin to thaw again. When they sense the rising temperature, they stroll on back to the ocean, where they may or may not meet their children who would have hatched just days before. The fur on tuft crabs shells deters some predators, but is merely just a nuisance to others. Some predators have been known to scrape the fur off with rocks or claws before cracking them open and eating them. Humans of Glascan occasionally eat tuft crabs, but they arent the best crab; their meat is very tough and a little tasteless, but they suffice as a last resort meal. There are plenty of other crabs that dwell on Rime, but tuft crabs are the only ones with fur. Dwelling Crab TO BE FILLED Presider The fearsome, mysterious and enormous beasts that preside over the northern continent, Summit, the presiders are the embodiment of fear and loss. Originally starting out as just a childrens story, presiders were supposedly giant monsters that stomped the frozen wastes of the northern pole, waiting for travellers to lose their way before horribly goring them. The tale was intended to discourage travelling and keep children safe, but from every story comes at least a hint of truth. Presiders stand at around thirty feet tall; hunched muscular creatures with four limbs, two arms and two legs. Similarly to skalds, they walk with their fists. Dissimilarly, they are capable of moving at impressive speeds, and even dashing on two legs if they need to. Presiders are usually caked in the frozen blood of their victims and prey, giving them a sanguine tint on their normally perfectly white fur. Even with their huge form, they are capable of disappearing into the snow by merely lying down, resembling a snow drift or rock from a distance. Presiders have two pairs of gleaming, hateful eyes and mouths slightly out of proportion with the rest of their face, giving them a monstrous and almost unnatural grin. Their smiles show hundreds of thin, bladed fangs, often stained from recent meals. Their breath is foul and brings tears to the eyes. Their spines jut from their skin, creating bony formations from their neck to the end of their long, dragging tail. The outwards sides of their thighs have curled, ridged bone formations, as do the rears of their elbows. When they rear, massive talons are visible on their four thick fingers. They have two very large horns that curve back from their foreheads and protect their scalps, and large, flat, black noses; one of the only naturally dark features on their body. There appears to be no sexual dimorphism in the species. Most of the presiders lives are undocumented, as is most of their behavioural patterns. It is known that they primarily hunt clubbers on the Summit coast, and can go without eating for many months. It is also known they have no qualms actively hunting anything smaller than them, including humans. Every few years, one enters Glascan, looking for food. The draconian bridge is just large enough for

them to utilise, and their attacks upon Glascan settlements have been recorded in history. Survivors are usually traumatised remnants that the beast ignored once hed had his fill. Presiders dwell within Summit, a place of almost perpetual silence, other than the wind. Presiders, for this reason, are not fond of loud, unexpected noises, and they have proven to be a good way of scaring them off. Presiders are infamously hard to kill. They dont seem to register pain and their height makes it very tricky to reach vital organs without being crushed. In recorded history, a presider has never been killed, only scared away by loud sounds. No presider has ever been captured, or converted into a ley-risen. Serephin The destructive insects, the serephins, are dangerous hive mind predators with a land scarring tenacity and persistency. Serephins are burrowers, living below the ground in a maze of clawed tunnels. They are carnivorous and crawl around on four pointed claws with two scythe-bladed arms they hold out before them. They have hard carapace with a plastic-like texture, no eyes (as they are blind) but long, pointed faces with beaks, behind which are rows of paralytic poison laced teeth. They also have abdomens which are often decorated with striped patterns. The queens have swollen abdomens and their carapace can open up to reveal a pair of wings. Normal drones and soldiers do not have wings. A standard serephin drone is about two metres wide (from claw to end of abdomen) and one and a half metres tall. The queen can be up to six metres tall, just under twenty feet. Serephins eat anything meat related, but their main diet consists of small, almost microscopic organisms that live in the underground trickling rivers their hive is built over. Serephin corpses are dismembered and deposited into these streams by other drones to feed these organisms and maintain their numbers. Serephin appear to be genderless with an exception for the royal guards and the hive queens. The queens are the only members of the hive that can reproduce. Her children are assigned roles (possibly via their gender as with other hive insects, but this is unknown). Most become worker drones, while a select few are chosen as royal guards, which act as defenders. The queen is initially fertilised by a royal guard of her choice, which she devours following the act of mating. When the queen has reached a certain age, her workers make around six queen cells in her quarters wall. A grub is placed in each cell and fed a special diet of royal jelly secreted by the queen. On this diet, the grubs develop differently and become queens. The first one to mature kills its rivals and then replaces the current queen, who promptly leaves the hive with a group of workers and guards. Although the tunnels beneath the earths surface are usually all connected, they can expand over entire continents or regions. This naturally means that they cannot be monitored by a single queen. Hives are typically around three miles wide. Every time a hive ends, another one begins until the entire continent is infested. A queen inhabits the core of each hive, ergo, a queen can be found every few miles along an infested region. Serephin infested regions are normally ghostly silent, as they consume every living creature on the surface. They hunt surface walkers by tunnelling right up to the land, then leaving a thin layer of

earth intact, ready to give away under the slightest inkling of weight. These pitfall traps are nearly invisible, especially in Iceplane. Once their prey has fallen, they incapacitate it with their poison and consume it, usually while its still breathing and silently darting its eyes from left to right. There are two types of known serephin; snow serephin and stone serephin. They both have very similar behaviour but differ in appearance slightly: Snow serephin are pale, white, silver and black in colour with a hint of pale blue on their smooth carapace. Stone serephin on the other had have a much more jagged appearance. They are brown and grey in colour, usually with crusty formations on their exterior armour. Deadtropede Deadtropedes are six metre long arthropod creatures with ninety large, clawed legs, feelers on their heads and a two inch thick carapace. There are half a metre thick and very difficult to kill, making them a mild threat to the Fenrye. They have a pair of pincers which they use to grip prey while they take chunks out of it with their large, jagged teeth. They have a pair of bright orange eyes which they use to locate abnormalities (such as life forms or corpses) in the usually barren area they live in. Deadtropedes roam the loose soil of the Red Dust Run. They are burrowers by nature, digging themselves a hasty pit whenever they need to escape dangers and blood blinds. Deadtropedes are typically scavengers, but they do take chunks out of other animals and people if they get an opportunity. Death by deadtropede is incredibly rare, as they usually withdraw after one bite. They can survive on minimal sustenance for months, so one bite is all they need. Adult deadtropedes lay eggs in burrowed tunnels and defend them by lying half in, half out of their nests and snapping at the heels of anything that comes close. They are a surprising nuisance to the fenrye, but ironically, this act of defence actually puts them more at risk, since deadtropede eggs are considered tasty by Whitehowls residents, and the adult deadtropedes merely reveal the location of their nests by assaulting those who come near. Baby deadtropedes eat their egg shells when they hatch and then emerge from their nest, skittering out in all directions. They tend to find somewhere dark and shadowed where they remain until their size increases and armour develops (E.G, under a rock) Cazak Cazak are reptilian pack animals, also native to Red Dust Run. Their bone structure differs greatly from most reptiles: Indeed, they have closer resemblances to wolves than lizards, especially in the way their legs are formed and move. They have talon adorned paws upon four haunched legs, scaly bodies, long, stubby faces which are home to block colour black eyes, slitted nostrils and large fanged mouths. The males have colourful fan shaped crests which form a semi circle over their head and down to their small round ears. They do not have tails. Cazak vary in colour but are mostly shades of dark brown, tan and green. A cazak is just slightly bigger than a wolf. Cazak are predatory, like most animals in The Scarred Lands. They are not overly strong, instead choosing to rely on their speed and numbers. A cazak can run as fast as a woolorth, but only for about a minute before the lactic acid disables their muscles. Cazak are fiercely territorial, holding territories that can be up to a hundred miles wide. Packs cannot monitor their entire territory constantly, so the land is contested frequently.

Packs of cazak tend to contain around fifteen members, two of which are the matriarch and patriarch. The dominant pair will not mate if their pack is at maximum capacity to avoid having issues feeding everyone. When numbers are needed to rise, either to make up for losses, or to compete with another pack, they will mate. Since the female lays around eight eggs per clutch (which is defended ferociously by the entire pack) if all the eggs are considered fertile, the pack will become unbalanced and will need too much food to sustain itself. If too many hatchlings emerge from the nest, the pack elects adult members to be exiled. This is usually decided simply by age; ergo, the eldest of the cazak are honourably discharged. Cazak are also exiled if they breed with members within the pack, or if they consume too much food. These exiles roam the Red Dust Run alone and have a high fatality rate due to their inability to hunt alone and poor defence capabilities. When two exiles of different packs meet, they either fight (if its two males or two females) or form a new mating couple (if its a male and a female). The outcome is a brand new pack, and thus, genetic diversity is maintained and the species remains pure. Cazak use synchronised tactics to hunt down their prey and to face off against rivals. Their talents in both team work and combat have earned them a place in the fenryes respect. Some Cazak are even tamed to serve as loyal companions. Cazak survive Glacenox by absorbing heat from their fallen prey. Saberl Saberls are large feline predators that roam the flat tundras and forests of Norvask. They are large, bulky and muscular with short, powerful legs, two large eight inch tusk-like fangs and a short temper. Saberls are typically tan in colour, but they can also be black and white. They are the largest cat species on Rime, standing at about eighty centimetres from the ground with a body length of just under three metres. They weigh around three hundred and thirty kilograms. Saberls are solitary creatures. They much prefer the hunt alone, using ambush tactics and sheer brute force to down their prey and piece their throats with their large fangs. Saberls are incredibly confident with an iron will and tenacious attitude. They will happily try to take down prey much larger than themselves and will throw themselves into situations where they are fiercely outnumbered. For this reason, they are considered the most dangerous animal in Norvask. There are over fifty reported deaths by saberl every year in Norvask, which, unfortunately, makes them a prime target for trophy hunting. Saberl heads are mounted on the walls of Norvask long houses fairly frequently. Man is the only natural predator of saberls. They eat quish, jurnice, woolorths (if they can catch them) and basically anything else they can bring down. Although they are often alone, saberls do pair up for a few dozen days every year in order to mate. They are incredibly affectionate with their mate for the time they spend together and they defend each other fiercely from even minor threats. There isnt a lot of competition for females as the males are killed more frequently, making their numbers significantly lower. Saberls do not fight one another, ever, unless to play or to learn. This makes them one of the only known mammals to have this behaviour. For this reason, saberls are almost globally famous as they are the most non selfdestructive species on the entire planet. If two males should desire the same female, they somehow decide it through what appears to be a staring contest. Scientists believe theres probably a lot more

to it than this, but they tend to just sit opposite one another and stare for what can be up to five days until one of them yields and goes off for food/water. Mothers will nurse and watch their cubs, teaching them how to hunt and what to eat once their teeth have sprouted. Once they are old enough to hunt for themselves, the mothers give them a loving embrace and then an encouraging nudge with her nose to make them wander away. This is considered one of the more emotional displays from the animal kingdom. Saberls survive Glacenox through sheer force of will and with a thick woolly coat. Recently, a separate species of snowy saberl has been discovered in Coldhaunch. Bask Basks are a large, six legged, hulking, reptilian monstrosities with next to no practical mobility what so ever. They are a browny green in colour, although their bodies are usually caked in mud so its difficult to tell. They are about two metres wide and five metres long, from snout to tail. They weigh over a ton when they reach full maturity. They resemble large rocks from an overhead view, which is mostly the perspective they are seen at. They do not have teeth, instead just incredibly strong jaws. They have two small, lazy eyes which flick around occasionally, jagged spines along their barnacle covered backs and a breath foul enough to knock someone unconscious. Basks are stationary feeders. They lie in the fast but moderately shallow currents of the Deeprifts salt water river and open their mouths as wide as they can. Although they are meant to eat fish, they will eat anything larger than a field mouse while blocking the actual water with a fairly complex internal filter system. The back of their mouths close up like food gates until something thuds against it. They then release it and swallow whatever has caused the disturbance. Some sea water and silt gets in but their digestive systems can handle it. This does mean however that occasionally they will open their hatches for things like rocks or pieces of seaweed. Their stomach acid has a PH scale lower than one, meaning it is incredibly corrosive. Anything that survives the trip into the basks belly will not survive for long. Basks will eat anything that falls into the currents of the Deeprift, including fully grown fenrye. Since fenrye are a little bit too large to fit entirely, basks will (as they do with all large prey) snap their jaws down with unstoppable force, breaking bones into fragments in less than a second. They will then secrete some of their acid into their mouths, not too dissimilarly from a carnivorous plant, in order to digest whatever has fallen in. Note that occasionally, only the victims arm or leg maybe be caught, and if it isnt just torn straight off, they have to endure the agony of one of their limbs being digested before they can escape. While basks use their six legs normally for digging themselves in and enduring the fast glowing currents, they can use them to approach members of the opposite sex and initiate an incredibly clunky and ungraceful mating ritual. The males will open their mouths wide to express an interest in a female, and if the female is receptive, she will return the yawn. They usually go to one of the small islands to mate. The females are, somehow, sturdy enough to take the males weight. The female lays around a dozen eggs once she has mated and then leaves them on a rocky ledge or island. A bask egg is about the size of a pineapple. They are expected to fend for themselves when they hatch, much like turtles. When a bask does hatch, it is too small to resist the currents. Baby

basks are swept down the river, where they have a fairly high chance of becoming another basks dinner. If they make it to the other end and enter the ocean, they can swim freely using their strong tails. They catch and live off of tiny fish and crustaceans until they are mature and heavy enough to return to the Deeprift to adopt the same feeding techniques their parents use. Basks survive Glacenox by doing very little. The river they live in usually freezes and they are occasionally buried under a few feet of snow. They enter a state of frozen hibernation, waking up when they are freed from their cold tombs and resuming their eating habits. It is not entirely uncommon for husks never to wake up, however. Sryke The sryke are humanoid predatory hunters that dart through the jungle of the Statuary. As a variant of the cheydao race, they resemble the cheydao in some major ways, but differ in others. Sryke mouths and faces are the most differing feature. Their mouths are wider, and filled with carnivorous fangs. Their eyes and noses are also exposed, unlike they cheydao whom have their faces covered by icy plates. The sryke are tall, gangly and slightly skeletal in appearance, but they still have the oval-shaped plate at the top of their heads, as all of the cheydao cousins do. The sryke are animalistic mammals but its thought they have an understanding of the concept of fire, as flames have been seen burning from their dens in temples to keep them warm. Sryke possess the ability to shriek in any conceivable and some inconceivable tones. The power of sounds and frequency is something not fully understood or documented, but they are able to incapacitate or even paralyse their prey with high pitched screeches. A sryke is not a silent hunter, and one can always hear them coming. Their screams echo through the forest minutes before they arrive, and they are not beyond hunting and killing the sapient races of Rime, should they dare to enter the Statuary. Mostly sryke lives are undocumented. A female has never been seen by southern eyes, as the males are the only ones that hunt. Its assumed the females remain within the large temples that can be found throughout the jungle. Whether or not the sryke created these temples is unknown, but they appear to lack the sophistication to construct something so wondrous. When catching their prey, sryke will typically snap the necks. They feed exclusively on the other humanoid species that roam the Statuary, including the cheydao and anyone else who travels there on an expedition. Kleptho The Kleptho are another variant of the cheydao; a much larger and bulkier one, at that. Like the others, they have a distinctive oval plate on their heads, two arms and two legs. The similarities stop here, however. Kleptho are huge and hunched with bark-like shielding on their backs, limbs and chest. They usually travel on two feet, but can also dash using their thick fists as additional feet. The kleptho are not carnivorous, feeding only on the bark of trees. Their jaws carry several tonnes of pressure which allows them to take large chunks out of solid trees and chew them down into easy to swallow pieces. They are however extremely aggressive and territorial, and will not even hesitate to assault intruders with their powerful limbs and jaws, however.

Kleptho burrow to stay warm. The caverns beneath the continent are perpetually warm thanks to the heat radiating plant life the cheydao share it with, and the kleptho take from this only what they need, preferring to avoid the cheydao themselves. They are private and reclusive most of the time, and when they are on the surface, they are typically only there to feed. They are hunted by the screeching sryke, not yet evolving enough to fully resist the incapacitating frequencies at the hunters commands. Kleptho females are indistinguishable from the males: So much so in fact that the creatures themselves have difficulty identifying one another. Their mating ritual is clumsy and confusing, with many inquisitive grunts to acquire confirmation. Kleptho are closer to sapients than they are to animals, but they are still not on the same level of intellect as the sryke, and certainly not the fully sapient cheydao. Yi The Yi are the final major variant of the cheydao. They are also the smallest, the tallest being around one metre in height. Like the other variants, they have two arms, two legs and an oval plate on their forehead. Unlike the others, they have a thin membrane that stretches between their wrists and their legs. They use this membrane to glide from tree, favouring the top of the canopy to avoid predators and threats in general. The facial features are smaller on yi, with tiny eyes and nostrils and a thin line for a mouth. When opening their jaws, three rows of tiny but strong teeth are revealed; perfect for ripping into tough flesh. The yi have claws specifically designed for climbing and share the same three fingered primordial digits as the other variants to allow hasty movement through the canopy. The females are distinguishable by mammary glands on their chests, roughly where youd expect them on a human. Of the three major variants, the Yi are arguably the most intelligent. They build crude constructions upon the tree tops and warm them with pilfered plants from the Veins of The Lifebringer. While its thought the yi used to use fires in their treehouses, its widely believed that after a good portion of them burnt to death in blazing infernos of misfortune, they promptly learnt their lessons. The yi glide from tree to tree, surveying the forest floor below. They are scavengers and have never been seen attacking live prey. They are not very aggressive and will typically flee when approached by humans, but they must come down to ground level to feed on the remains of sryke meals and victims of old age and disease. While feeding they try to stay alert, as this is where they are at their most vulnerable. Their only natural predator is the sryke, and with luck, they can hear the beasts approaching and scale the trees before too much harm befalls them. Sryke have been known to paralyse yi mid-climb with their voices and send them thudding to the jungle floor where they are helplessly devoured. The yi are not dangerous at all, but the cheydao regard them as pests due to their thieving nature. Their reproductive aspects of life all take place in the unreachable Statuary branches and have thus not begin recorded. Rainbowfin Torruto There are several kinds of torruto fish, all of which share some common similarities. They are all fresh water fish with coloured bodies and glittering dorsal fins. The rainbowfin torruto differs as its

colours are much more prominent, not to mention the fact its much rarer. Rainbowfin Torruto have distributable scales which they can flick from their body to create a colourful powder. As they usually live in bodies of running water, this powder can flow downstream and attract nearby females or ward away nearby males. They do this during Glaze mostly, before the rivers freeze. With any luck, a female will find the male and the two of them will share a cold-proof burrow for the remainder of the cold season. Torruto create burrows by projecting water from their mouths like a hose, eroding away the riverbed and digging slowly down. With a mate, this task is much easier. Once burrowed, the couple will wait for the heat to return and the rivers to thaw. Once thawed, the torruto will swim upstream with their partner until they reach the origin pools, where they will breed. Catching a rainbowfin is quite an accomplishment. Not only are they nearly fifteen inches long, and quite strong, but they are also very rare. All torruto are large enough to feed a family, but their scales are also used for alchemical catalysts to hasten chemical reactions. The rainbowfins glittering scale dust can also be used in some cosmetic products, and in fireworks. Serpyr Serpyr are eel-like freshwater creatures with long tails and large buccal funnel mouths with circular rows of sharp hook-shaped teeth. There are several kinds of serpyr, some of which are parasitic and some of which maintain energy exclusively through filter feeding. Serpyr live in the deepest, darkest depths of Sovreignouss biggest freshwater lakes. Parasitic serpyr are quite small, and can often be found latched onto larger fish with their horrible funnel-shaped mouths. They survive by sucking blood and maintaining energy through consistent feeding. Non-parasitic serpyr feed on small organisms living within the water. They can convert the energy gained from food into heat, and do not need to go dormant during Glacenox. Smaller fish often gravitate to serpyr, as they are like little radiators. Serpyr arent fussy about when they mate. Fertilised females will locate small hiding spots for their eggs, lay them, and then will never tend to them again. Serpyr are incredibly easy to bait, zooming towards anything with a distinguishable glint. They jump at any opportunity to latch onto something shinier than themselves, including fishing hooks. They are not very tasty, and arent in huge demand around Sovreignous, but they suffice for a hungry fisherman who is just looking to feed himself or his family. Filter serpyr also like shiny objects, but are much larger and stronger. Sometimes fishing rods are lost to these fish, or even entire people thrown into the water; a deadly consequence is the water is plagued by abyssei. Black Watershadow Watershadows are very common freshwater fish, distinguishable from their ghostly white dorsal fins, pectoral fins and caudal fin. Watershadows are about six inches long when fully grown, given their name because of their resemblance when looking into the water from above. Watershadows can be found in rivers during warmer months, but the best way to find them is in lakes inhabited by serpyr.

Watershadows dont have any truly interesting properties or features. They are quite easy to catch with fishing nets as they travel in medium sized schools, and during Glacenox they surround filter feeder serpyr and live off the generated heat. Watershadows make up the majority of Rimes fish trade. They are caught in large numbers in fishing towns such as Lakebank and have a perfectly fine taste. During Glacenox, holes can be drilled in the ice and a line cast through it to catch them individually, as netting would be impossible. Salvelinus Salvelinus are relatively common river dwelling fish that possess the capability to survive in both fresh water and salt water environments. They are long and grey with large lower jaws and a visible overbite. They are primarily insectivores, feeding off of bugs that land upon the waters surface, but they will not object to eating other small fish, or even baby waterfowl. Salvelinus are about ten inches long. Salvelinus can be difficult to catch for amateur fishermen. They require fairly tasty meat bait, and can muster up a hell of a pull, capable of snapping rods and lines. If caught, they are large enough to feed an individual for several days. Their taste is a little bland but when seasoned, they can make a very high quality meal. Salvelinus cannot be found in freshwater during Glacenox. Just before the rivers freeze, all salvelinus retreat to salt water bodies and dive as deep as they can, along with several other species that they survive on for the duration of The Cold Dark. They also reproduce during this period, and their young are originally born into salt water. Pucks Pucks are long, cylindrical freshwater fish that prefer still bodies of water and swamp areas with plenty of insects. Pucks look like thick reeds or strings from a distance, weaving through the water with their long tails and bodies. Their mouths are like pipes or nozzles that extend from their face which they use to suck small insects from the waters surface. Pucks are about eight inches in length and can swallow quite large insects, but theyll also occasionally suck parasites off of larger fish. Pucks are black and white in colour with long stripes that run the entire length of their body and small ridges along their backs. Its hard to get a puck to bite a fishing rod, as they dont have teeth. The best way to catch them is to disturb the waters surface with a light object, such as a feather, and then ready yourself with a net or harpoon. When they come up to investigate the potential meal, you make the catch. You must be fast, however, as pucks can move incredibly quickly. Pucks possess impressive regeneration abilities which scientists have been trying to harness. Only a single medicine has been derived from their bodies so far; a cure for the bone attacking disease calcocis, but research is constantly ongoing. Pucks can be pickled in vinegar and served in jars as a chewy snack. Gleam Guppies Gleam guppies are freshwater fish with photosynthetic abilities and the capability to surviving the entire freezing and thawing process almost always without failure. Gleam guppies are very small,

usually one or two inches in length. They have large eyes and green-blue bodies. In sunlight, they glimmer and shine, making them easy to spot. They travel in large schools containing hundreds of members, usually in rivers and lakes. Since gleam guppies require literally no maintenance, they are often caught and used for aesthetic treatment in towns and cities. They look great in water features, such as fountains, and when the fountain freezes, no one has to worry about them dying as they just come back when the water returns. As mentioned before, gleam guppies do not eat. Like plants or some microorganisms of the sea, they gather energy from sunlight. Gleam guppies are also asexual, and reproduce without the need of an opposite gender. They have a life span of about a year. Gleam guppies are not a practical meal but they are occasionally cooked in oil and served as a side dish. Great Pectus The great pectus is a large salt water fish that is never really found closer than a mile from the coast, meaning fishing boats are required to catch it. They are about two to three feet long and incredibly strong. They have quite a dull appearance with simple silver scales and a pink under belly. Their dorsal thins contain black quills, but other than that, their size is the only really distinguishable feature. Great pectus feed on smaller fish, but also small crabs and cephalopods. They breed and spawn during the warmer months relatively close to the surface, and this is the best time to catch them. Great pectus are usually caught with fishing nets and boat mounted winches, as using a fishing rod is far too strenuous. They have a distinctive and pleasant taste, especially when the meat is shredded and preserved in oil. The meat can also make pectus steaks, although these do not keep for long. Droeba Droeba are curious, gelatinous creatures that live in salt water just off the coast. From a glance, they resemble formless oozes with no real features. At closer inspection however... they resemble formless oozes with no real features. Droeba are considered living and aware creatures however, as they seem to fulfil the needs that every living creature does: They eat, they sleep and they seem to excrete. Sometimes you can see the silhouettes of their victims trapped within their bodies. Droeba consume small crustaceans and other creatures, such as starfish, by slowly oozing over them while they rest. Their bodies contain some sort of digestive properties which slowly corrode anything that is trapped within. They have periods of rest and have been captured and their starvation has been recorded. It is still unknown how they function however, and theyve been filed as another one of Rimes mysteries. Droebas acidic bodies can be used in alchemy, particularly in the production of coloured and flammable gels. Dorcie Dorcies are friendly salt water mammals with rubbery blue skin, grey under bellies, long rounded beaks, small sharp teeth and flippers on their tails (flukes) and sides. They have a big smile, beady, expressive eyes and blow holes with they use to take deep breaths on the surface before diving.

Their beaks tip is home to a coiled, drill-like horn which they use to breach thin sheets of ice during Glacenox in order to access pockets of air. Dorcies eat smaller fish, and are usually about two metres in length. Dorcies are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, matched closely with the starls. While they dont possess the power of speech, they do have some mimicry abilities. Dorcies can mimic the sounds of other fish and crustaceans to attract their respective predators and devour them. In addition, dorcies have shown their ability to solve complex problems and even use tools to achieve certain goals. Dorcies are very friendly to anything they dont eat. They regularly socialise with other mammals within their territories, often through aquatic tricks and intricate clicking noises which they use to communicate with one another. Dorcies give birth during the warmer months when theres no sheet ice upon the central oceans. This gives the babies plenty of time to develop their drill horns, although theyll stay with their parents and respective pods for up to four years. Dectopus Dectopuses are a species of cephalopod containing about eighty variants. They range from being a single foot in length as the smallest to about five foot in length as the largest (this can be extended to eight to fourteen feet if they stretch their limbs out as far as they can.) All dectopuses are salt water dwellers. Dectopuses have dome shaped heads and squishy bodies which are home to ten long, suction pad covered limbs. They have a single beak on the base of their heads which is the only part of their body thats solid, meaning that if anything is smaller than this beak, they can squeeze through it. Dectopuss skin contains colour shifting properties, giving them the ability to blend into almost any environment and place ambushes for small crabs which is their main source of food. They hunt by using their strong arms and beak to pry the shells from their prey and eat the meaty parts within. Dectopuses have dexterous limbs which they can use to carry and manipulate tools, such as a rusty sunken bucket to use as a hiding place. Dectopuses typically move around by walking along the ocean floor, but they can also propel themselves forward by thrusting all ten of their arms behind them, rhythmically. They shoot forward head first, like a torpedo. Some variants of the dectopus can also release clouds of ink as a deterrent for predators. They are fascinating creatures with amplified senses, capable of tasting through touch and seeing levels of the electromagnetic spectrum that most creatures arent capable of. Dectopuses breed using a breeding arm. One of their ten arms contains sperm packets which they impregnate females with. Once fertilised, the females can lay around two hundred thousand eggs at once (A lot of them dont survive, and become snacks for other fish). Dectopuses are the most intelligent invertebrates on the planet, showing signs of advanced memory, problem solving, and rapid learning. They live for anywhere between six months and six years. They dont need to take protective measures over Glacenox as they already spend their entire lives in the oceans depths. Sometimes they move closer to the coast to hunt coastal crabs and find shellfish. In culture, they are occasionally hunted by deepwater divers. Vermus fathom hunters have to swim quickly and spear them. Caging them doesnt work, as they always find a way out. Once killed,

dectopuses arms can be cut into rings and preserved in vinegar, fried, or just eaten raw. The ink is also useful for writing and dark pigments. Serrate Serrates are large salt water fish, around two metres from tip to tip. They gain their name from big, flat, bill-like formations on their noses which are adorned with hooked teeth. They use the saw to slash at their prey and defend themselves from predators. Serrates are grey and white in colour, not too dissimilar from a shark. Their skin is course and rough and their pectoral fins are more like extensions of their body, like skirts. They have a pair of dorsal fins on their tails, but none on their backs. Their mouths are on the lower side of their body, like a rays. Serrates are quite rare in the wild and infamously difficult to catch. They are quite tasty but thats not the reason people try to catch them. Catching a serrate in the wild is a sort of milestone within the fishing community. Serrates are rarely eaten, and instead kept as a trophy on a wall. The serrates saw can fetch a price, but most folk who caught one would be unwilling to part with it. Serrates live mostly in the north, feeding on anything thats smaller than it. Many larger species, such as dorcies, are riddled with scars and cuts where theyve tussled with serrate in the past. They are very resilient to temperature changes and need no defensive techniques to survive Glacenox. Breach Whale There are a number of species of breach whale that roam the seas, all of which are as gentle and docile as the next. There are around twenty different known species of whale which range from three meters in length to fifty metres. Most whales are filter feeders, feeding on tiny schools of fish. Like dorcies, they are mammals and require air on a regular occasion. Unlike dorcies, the do not have a drill on their face to crack the ice. Instead, they all have solid ridges and plates on their spines, which stretch down to the top of their foreheads. They breach tough ice sheets by surfacing as they normally would, smashing against the ice with their protected body. Breach Whales have hurt people on very rare, unlucky incidents where people have been walking across the sheet ice and whales have accidently and ignorantly shattered it beneath their feet. Similarly to dorcies, breach whales birth their young during the warmer seasons, and the babies stay with their parents for over four years. They have a haunting, high pitched call which can be heard for miles around if your head is below the surface of the water. Whale songs are used to communicate with fellow breach whales. Smaller breach whale variants travel in pods, but they all share similar diets. They are filter feeders, devouring tiny little fish in enormous schools. There are a few whales which eat larger fish, but nothing larger than pectus. Breach whales only have three natural predators. In addition to fishing krondor, they are hunted by whale squid, and also depth maws. Humans have hunted and killed whales before with harpoon guns. Their oil can be used for cosmetic products and also be burnt as a source of energy. Whale Squid (Kraken)

There is only one kind of whale squid; but they are numerous enough to give all the whale variants a run for their money. Whale squids, otherwise known as kraken, are enormous tentacled cephalopods with a cone-like cap upon their head, a single, staring eye on each side and deadly hooks on every extending limb. Whale squid are large, but not gargantuan. They are around twenty five to forty feet from head to tentacle tip. Whale squid are brown and white in colour, although their eyes are pure black and white. Their heads are ever so slightly transparent, and you can make out the organs within if given the right light. Whale squid hunt whales primarily, and not always successfully. Whales are strong, strong enough to beat a whale squid into submission if they are one of the larger species. Many larger whales have scars or even severed hooks embedded within their bodies from battles with whale squid. Whale squid have also been successfully hunted, but not necessarily intentionally. Whale squid are not strong enough to breach the frozen sheets of Glacenox, but during the warmer months they have attacked and even destroyed ships before. The people of Rime call them kraken. A kraken attack can be a harrowing and terrifying experience. They tend to attack with their tentacles first, constricting and collapsing ships and devouring anything organic with a sharp snapping beak. If successfully killed during these attacks, whale squids possess several interesting alchemical properties in their blood and organs. Their regeneration abilities are even more prominent than pucks, and easier to create a medicine from. If more whale squid could be successfully hunted and their essence extracted, its thought people will have a medicine with rejuvenation capabilities that can restore lost cells. Its just a theory currently. Whale squid are only naturally hunted by depth maws and krondor. Colossal Depth Maw (Leviathan) Depth maws are the largest creatures on Rime. Depth maws resemble gigantic serpentine creatures with teeth the size of small buildings, multi-lens eyes the size of drawn carriages, and an appetite that can never be satisfied. Depth maws is where the phrase theres always a bigger fish comes to an end. Leviathans are absolutely huge, but their entire body never leaves the water, so they may seem smaller than they appear at times. Fully grown depth maws are around one hundred metres in length, and thirty in width. They have large spines, fins and ridges on their backs with trail all the way down to the tips of their tails. They propel themselves forward with two large pectoral fins and strong, coiling latches from the immense tail. They also have a pair of legs rather than pelvis thins which they use to kick for a bit of extra speed. Two large tendrils hang from their lower jaws which trail along behind them as they swim. Their tail flicks disturb the very tides themselves, and their shadows beneath the waves are usually an omen of imminent demise. Saying that however, depth maws have saved the lives of sailors under attack by some of Rimes other enormous predators, including kraken and even krondor. One account reports of a krondor being snatched from the air by a depth maw and pulled below the surface, never to be seen again. The ship made the rest of its journey without delay. Depth maws will eat anything and everything, from fish, to kraken, to rocks, to entire ships. Their stomach acid is strong enough to break down any solid material in minutes, if not seconds. Since they are so large, your best chance of survival if encountering one of these at sea is to make yourself

as small as possible to avoid looking like a satisfying meal. Sometimes abandoning the ship is the best course of action. Despite their size, depth maws appear to need very little food to actually survive. Its not known how this is possible, but it is assumed they get their sustenance from an unknown, unrecorded source. They very rarely come up high enough to target ships, or smash through the ice to attack those walking across it. Indeed, most of the time, its like they dont even exist and not even a telltale sign is visible. Most believe that their descriptions are probably exaggerated, as something so large could surely not be possible. The last recorded depth maw attack was over five years ago, and reports on that are sketchy at best. Sometimes mysterious holes do appear in the ice, but it could be caused by anything. If they do exist, it is assume they have mating patterns not too dissimilarly from snakes, coiling around one another and fertilising the female. Depth maw eggs have never been found, and neither have baby depth maws. Their life span is unknown. Most of their behaviour is unknown. Factions and Groups Wolfbane Pact The Wolfbane Pact is the name given to the stable alliance between vermus and human military and political forces of Sovreignous. The Pact was signed into existence after the first three Fenrye attacks, in which both human and vermus causalities were taken. People would state that the day the Pact was signed, was the day the war truly began. In light of the Beast War, a loyal alliance had to be stricken. The world had been without conflict since the Necroley War, the only other event in which vermus swore loyalty to the humans. Now, in this new age of bloodshed, King Hearken Murran and High Judge Quinn Gavelart signed the Wolfbane Pact and had their soldiers train tirelessly in the ways of combating the vicious fenrye. The Wolfbane Pact is a well structured and organised military force. Each recruit, be they vermus or human, is given a standard set of regulation armour and weapons. They wear a tabard over their uniform with the crest of the Wolfbane Pact upon it; a silver cracked wolf skull upon a black background. The Pact has a standard military ranking system: Private, Private First Class, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, General and High General. Every rank answers to the king, naturally, but the king speaks through the Wolfbane Pacts true leader, High General Alexandros Leonine. Members of the Wolfbane Pact are briefed in fenrye anatomy and techniques to use against them. Every soldier is expected to pass a few fairly easy trials to prove they wont be a threat to their allies and once they have graduated, they are deployed in cities and towns all around Sovreignous, Glascan and The Ebon Stand where they defend citizens and resources from the blood moon hunters. Significant members of the Wolfbane Pact are recognised by the medals pinned to their tabards. These medals display either the rank of the wearer, or a feat of strength/achievement they have earned or displayed. For example, expert marksmen in the Wolfbane Pact earn a sharpshooter medal. When they earn this medal, they are given rare and intricately designed percussion cap pistols. Expert swordsmen earn a knight medal, and are given ebonstone weapons. The rarest and expensive equipment is always reserved for those who have proven they can wield it.

All city guards and human law enforcement officers are part of the Pact. Norvask has a Wolfbane Pact presence and soldiers inhabit their cities, but the region is not controlled by the kingdom, so the Pact has little authority there. Every day before the bloodmoon, Wolfbane Pact soldiers enforce curfews upon the streets of every settlement and set up barricades and projectile turrets, awaiting the fenryes arrival. Only one or two of these settlements will be attacked, but they never know which ones, so they all have to prepare an equal defence and thin out their numbers slightly. They have orders to attack anything on the streets during a bloodmoon so its crucial everyone stays indoors. Fenrye will occasionally defeat the Pacts forces and overrun a town, while, more often, the Pact will in fact defeat the fenrye before they can cause too much damage. The Pact is a military force, but also a force that governs and directs almost every aspect of modern day life. They are upholders of the law, they are the eyes and ears of the king and his advisors, and they play roles economics, politics, security, health care, transport, employment and education. Simply put, you do not have to be a soldier to be part of the Pact. Almost anyone governed directly by the kingdom is technically part of The Pact. It is the cement that holds society together and keeps it networked. The Wolfbane Pact is the more civilised side of the war. It is them verses the savages of The Scarred Lands. Their technology is superior, their defences are more organised and one day, they shall march upon the Fenryes homeland and put down their wretched Den Mother! Bandits Mainly a problem in Sovreignous, but also in the Scarred Lands regions (in the form of renegade fenrye), bandits are a constant menace to the inhabitants ways of life. To put it simply, bandits are either individuals or groups of individuals that resort to a life of dishonour and crime in order to gain what they wish. Bandits do not dress extravagantly, usually wearing loose fitting leather harnesses, fur coats, cloaks and large buckled belts. Some of the more brutal ones will wear the bones of their enemies or have tally marks cut into their skin to symbolise their kill count. They are nearly always seen with weapons which range from simple kitchen knives to bastard swords, from slingshots to spring lock crossbows. Bandits are selfish, greedy and often have no qualms about taking the lives of innocent people in order to increase their wealth. They typically roam the more barren areas of the continents, away from the preying eyes of the city and town guards. They ambush trade caravans on frequent occasions and have even been so bold as to assault Wolfbane Pact patrols in order to acquire their weapons and armour (although this rarely works in their favour). Bandits come in all shapes, sizes and races. There are many different groups or clans as they prefer which are always in fierce competition with one another. Bandits compete with one another over territories and potential marks, often coming to fatal blows and medium scale skirmishes. Bandits are their own worst enemy with constant internal betrayal, their lack of boundaries making them a danger to even their best friends: If they have something someone else wants, and there is money involved in the equation, someones head may end up on a pike.

Bandits live in hastily constructed and heavily barricaded camps. They tend to pack up and move to a new location once the opportunities of an area have gone dry. Every clan has a bandit leader, or chief, but his authority is equalled only to his ability to kill all those who try to betray him. The largest current bandit clan is called The Bloodied Sons, and is held up in the biggest known bandit settlement; a massive fortified and previously abandoned castle, now named Bjorns Fort after their leader, Bjorn Malakide. The Bloodied Sons have a victim record so high it can no longer be recorded. They are too dug into the fort for it to be practical for the law enforcers of Norvask to force them out without heavy siege engines, which would be risky to wheel out of Valleys End should they fall into the hands of the bandits. For these reasons, the bandit clan has been able to intercept caravans and disrupt military operations for many years, only growing in size and power as they receive more recruits and goods. They may one day be large enough to take Valleys End and then who knows what else. The Beyond The Beyond is the name given to the wild fraction of sapient individuals that have never been touched by civilisation. The Beyond only live in unexplored parts of Rime, such as certain territories within several mountain ranges. They often find their ways into children stories and intriguing myths, often depicted as raging savages with a hunger for human flesh. While its true that people have died at the hands of the beyond, theres nothing to indicate that they are all inherently evil. They are typically very territorial individuals, usually wearing thick hides and wielding primitive, simple weapons, such as stone spears. They have been known to hunt in groups and with animals, and some sources report they worship statues of the Divines, likely visited by them during their reign. The beyond speak their own nameless language, often one unique to each tribe. They operate with a sort of hierarchy, with a leader figure known as a khan. They practice some elements of crude magic, usually completely unassisted by the ley. Its mostly perceived as superstitious nonsense to appease the gods. All beyond are very well adapted to the cold, having lived without the technological advances of civilisation. The beyonds motives for their attacks of strangers remain a mystery. Its thought by some that its simply a matter of settling territorial disputes, while others think it may have something to do with blood sacrifices. Most attempts to communicate with the beyond have ended prematurely. They are either hostile and violent, or frightened and uncooperative. The beyond have two known settlements in Sovreignous; one in the depths of the Ivory Reach, and another in the central Sky-Climb Mountains. There are also more in the uninfested part of Iceplane, and there may be more elsewhere. Sometimes members of The Beyond will leave their people and join Sovreignouss society. The world is strange and confusing to them for some time, until they are assimilated into it and became acceptable sapient beings. Scavengers

Some consider it stealing, while others are happy to claim that they sure as farl wont need it anymore but all in all, scavengers are essentially all the same. Rime has seen more wars, battles, natural disasters and death than an astrologer has stars. Naturally, this leaves a lot of unclaimed goods lying around for no one to take. Thats where the vultures of sapience swoop in. Scavengers make their money by delving into destroyed towns and investigating new or ancient ruins in attempts to find relics or items of value. Scavengers lead dangerous lives, as its not uncommon for the source of a towns destruction to linger, and if it wasnt a sleeper that killed a family, then he may well be attracted to the smell of their bodies. The life of a scavenger is risky, daring, maybe even heroic in some eyes, but through most, its disrespectful. People earn their own ways through Rime before fate takes them, and Scavengers live off the misfortune of their own people. To the objection of some, being a scavenger is not actually illegal. Selling your find to criminal organisations is, but The Wolfbane Pact does not put laws against scavenging in hopes that some of the victims of tragedy will have a way of giving back to the community even after they pass on. Scavenger activity is monitored, if possible. Their lives are effectively forfeit as soon as they step foot inside a ghost town, and they will receive no help from Pact soldiers, but if they make a nice find and wish to be paid for their recovery services, this is perfectly acceptable. The magnitude of a catastrophe, and the size of the village it occurred in can attract different kinds and different numbers of scavengers. If an entire, well structured and well populated town like Lakebank was destroyed, there would be dozens, if not hundreds of scavengers to clear out the ruins, loot the valuables and squabble over who gets what. Smaller scale incidents, such as a farm going quiet, will only attract one or two scavengers. Most scavengers are not villainous. A lot of them are opportunist jerks, and a lot of them would punch their friend over a shiny picture frame, but they would avoid killing, and if theyd made a mistake, and the farm was actually fine, theyd apologise, pay for any damages and be on their way. There are exceptions, of course; you dont become a scavenger by getting appraised or passing a test, you either do it, or you dont, and those who do it might be good or bad. A scavengers rep is important, however. A good rep with the Wolfbane Pact will get you news in advance of places that have gone dark, so long as you trade exclusively and fairly with the kingdom. Scavengers are usually kitted out in light armour, and dont make attempts to hide their identity. Scavengers work in the graves of others, which means they are exposed to ghost activity. Of all occupations, scavenger is one of the most likely to expose you to an omen (See ghosts) Wranglers The Wranglers is the name given to the group that was formed after The Necroley War over three hundred years ago. The job of a Wrangler is simple; to hunt out and contain or destroy all leyborn in Sovreignous. They operate in secret and with almost mechanical precision and efficiency. They have a license to kill anyone and anything that obstructs their goal, which makes them give off a fairly terrifying presence to the locals when they are in town. Wranglers tend to wear long, dragging dusters, large brimmed hats that hide the top half of their face and weapons which one can make out behind the folds of their coats. Their coats have large,

pointed collars which conceal their identity further. They give off a distinctive clink as they walk; either emitted from the bullets or coins in their pockets or by the woolorth spurs on their boots. They have identification passes on them at all times which can grant them access to almost anywhere in the entire kingdom. To enter very important or high security areas, they are expected to show their faces to match the photograph on their passes. Wranglers are always human. As Leyborn are incredibly dangerous when they want to be, the Wranglers were formed under the order of the first human king to be Rorik Murran. Initially, they were to be used as soldiers, combating the remaining Necroley forces with a unique set of techniques designed to disorientate and then incapacitate them before they could use their casts. However, when the last of the necroborn were finally destroyed, Rorik demanded the rest of the leyborn be killed as well, stating they are a direct breach of his peoples safety. The Wranglers proceed to reluctantly perform their new duties. Men, women and children alike, most of which had never harmed a soul, were put to the sword. The Wranglers quickly become feared, accused of being monsters, and with good reason. They began to wear their shrouding outfits to better suit the role and to give themselves an illusion of inner peace. The Wranglers were briefly disbanded following the events of 427LW, in which they tracked down the Necroley War hero, Gray Koramas, and killed him. The citizens rioted and King Rorik was coerced into taking on a ruling council to help govern his decisions to ensure these massacres would never occur again. Incidentally, this is how the human council was first formed. The ruling council decided that killing leyborn was far too extreme, but their threat could not be ignored. The Wranglers returned after a year of debating, and were given new objectives. Instead of killing most leyborn, they were to prioritise their capture and deportation to the Leylands, an island off the coast of southern Sovreignous. Necro leyborn are still killed on sight, as they always descend into madness and become a great threat. As previously mentioned, however, Wranglers do have a license to end anyone who obstructs their goals or resists their arrests. Wranglers do not hide their identities for the sake of their organisation or even for the sake of their missions. They do it to preserve what humanity they have left. When the hat and collar goes on, they enter a different life in which mercy and remorse cannot be accepted. When they take it off, they usually want to be normal again. Of course, this isnt always the case, as many Wranglers are cruel, malicious, and completely dedicated to the cause. One such example of this is the current Wrangler leader and Lorebringer, Cassidy Scorne. Wranglers are used in nearly every situation that involves leyborn. There is usually at least one Wrangler stationed in every major settlement during a bloodmoon, in case a leyborn fenrye turns up. They are occasionally sent into the walled in region of Divines Reserve, where they are treated as devils and blasphemers. In combat, Wranglers are a force to be reckoned with. They use an assortment of curious devices used to nullify the senses and defuse the threat of leyborn casts, including dart guns, smoke bombs and flash bangs. Along with these gadgets, they also use standard issue percussion cap pistols and wrist blades hidden beneath their coat sleeves. They are experts in hand to hand combat with extensive knowledge of anatomy for every single dangerous creature in the world. They can cause temporarily paralysis using pressure points and nerve attacks and know how knock the consciousness out of anyone in just a few seconds. Wranglers usually work alone, using Starls to

deliver and receive orders to their allies. For larger scale missions, they work in deadly teams of around four or five and for necroley missions, they can gather in groups of dozens at a time. Another job of the Wranglers is to section off locations with known leylines running through them. This means that entire blocks of Sanctus have been walled off, houses have been burnt to the ground and barbed wire fences litter the continent to keep those from birthing their young upon the lines. The Wrangler organisation contains about eighty active members, with another forty that closely guard the leyborn settlements and Leyhalls upon their secluded island. Their deployment HQ is at The Export, in Haven. This is also where new wranglers are trained. All new wranglers are children, as their line of work requires a huge amount of skill which children can pick up on a lot faster than adults. You cannot begin training over the age of twelve. The Faithful Hundreds of years ago, there was a war known as The Faith War, a huge continent consuming battle between those who wished to see the gods gone forever, and those who fiercely defended them. These defenders were known as The Faithful; highly religious but not necessarily fanatical voluntary servants of the seven Immortals. The Faithful were never asked to fight by the gods. On the contrary, in fact, the seven disapproved of the needless bloodshed, but they refused to interfere in a situation which could only be resolved with the total annihilation of one side. The Faithful lost the war after over forty years of fighting. With no one left to believe in them, and no one left who actually wanted them there, the Immortals scattered and went into hiding, thus granting victory to the other side. The Faithful have dwindled but managed to endure the lack of their gods. The descendents of the ones that survived the war, the current Faithful dwell within the walled region of Divines Reserve, where their praying and culture cant be obstructed or abused. As most humans still believe the leyborn are cursed, they are still happy that the Immortals are gone, despite the fact that their disappearance allowed Rime to fall back into its periodically freezing orbit. The Faithful however, are not. Their capital, named Chapel, is roughly in the centre of the Divines Reserve and it has seven churches, one for each of the divines. They have a number of sermons every day and let it be publically known the gods still have those loyal to them, in an attempt, perhaps, to bring them back. The most significant event in a Faithfuls life is the Northlight Pilgrimage; a journey to the top of the world to light the fires of Northlight. These powerful flames are designed to guide the immortals back to their world; a light in the darkness of Glacenox. Although this was the actual true and ignorant intention of the Faithful when Northlight was first constructed, over the years, they have come to accept that their gods are not returning. They still perform the pilgrimage however, but for a different reason: A gesture of unfurled faith to their brothers and to the world. They risk their lives for what they believe in, for what they have faith in. Most Faithful are human, but there are a small amount of vermus living in the Divine Reserves Sanctuary.

The Sightless Inquisition The Inquisition was founded just over four hundred and fifty years ago, somewhere in the fourth recorded century. Lore texts state the human responsible for orchestrating and initiating the cults formation was named Tobias Dravin, a Faithful whose loyalty to the missing Divines was unmatched. Tobias had intended to locate the Seven with the aid of anyone else willing to lend their time. He was sure that if he could just find them once again, he could persuade them to return, even in the shadow of the terrible Faith War. The group tirelessly searched for five decades and accomplished nothing. They found no trace of the Divines, as most expected of them. With their efforts seemingly in vain, the very existence of The Seven began to be questioned. How could it be that something with such strong influence could disappear so quickly? Was it possible that the texts detailing The Divine Intervention were simply myths and fairy tales? The Inquisition was on the verge of disbanding, when suddenly there was a revelation. It came in the form of a blind mans account, a vagrant who swore on his life hed met one of the Divines in the forest, felt their presence and heard their voice. Naturally his stories were dismissed as attention seeking nonsense by most, but Tobias chose to believe the mans words. He took the vagrant in and had him explain the events in more detail. It soon became apparent that the vagrants senses excluding his vision were far more honed and powerful than that of a normal humans. In his lack of vision, his body had sought to find other methods of perception. That, thought Tobias, is the way he would find The Divines. Sight either would not suffice, or was simply a lie. To creatures as powerful as the ones they sought, it would be so easy to deceive the sense of sight with simple visual illusions. They had to be smarter, and they had to overcome their need to see in such a linear and simple way. They had to become sightless. In the hundreds of years that followed, the cults members either wear blindfolds or blind themselves. Some join already blind, wounded in battle or born with defect. The cults base of operations exists in northern Norvask, referred to as The Blind Mans Recluse. Within, the cult trains, meditates and works. The body of Tobias and the vagrant are entombed in elegant crypts below. The borderline fanatics train each day, honing their remaining senses to near super-human levels. They learn to sense the slightest shift in temperature, or gentle lick of an unnatural wind. They learn to sense instead of seeing. Vermus and ley-risen occasionally join as well. On rare occasion, cultists will return from trips reporting they have indeed met The Divines. No one can prove whether or not they speak the truth, however, as they always seem to be alone when it happens. The Leyborn Less of a faction and more a group of afflicted individuals, a leyborn is someone who was born over one of the energy infused leylines that form an intricate web around the globe. There are seven different types of leyline, each crafted by a different immortal. When mothers give birth to their children, the moment of lifes true creation causes a reaction in the slightly dormant power beneath them. The newly born child is infused with the essence of the weave and starts to show signs of their

predicament fairly early on in life. When matured, a leyborn can learn to control his or her abilities, and can become either monumentally helpful to the world, or incredibly dangerous to the people on it. Leyborn are treated and received differently in different cultures. Due to the Necroley War, a war in which Morgarth Farl, a necro leyborn, farmed himself an army by orchestrating births upon known necroley lines, the humans are cautious around leyborn in general, while some just despise their kind completely. In Sovreignous, most leyborn humans and vermus are deported to a high security island called The Leylands, after rules changed and Wranglers were ordered not to kill them anymore (if they could find an alternative). The fenrye on the other hand, welcome and praise the leyborn, revering them as gifts from Matern and allowing them to flourish into strong and reliable warriors. The Faithful defend the leyborn, as they are vessels of the gods power. They are free to enter the Divines Reserve, but Wranglers will often invade when given an opportunity and pull the sheltering leyborn from the Faithfuls grasp. Different leylines affect the leyborn in different ways. The most dangerous leyborn are those infused with the necroley, the power of death. To no fault of their own, most of these individuals will gradually lose their mind and become a danger to society. Wranglers are ordered to kill necroborn on sight, as they possess they ability to kill others with a single glance. Those infused with the bioley, on the other hand, will usually be gentle by nature with an interest in preserving the worlds balance and creatures that roam upon it. The leylines do not only affect sapient creatures either: Creatures as small as mice have been recorded, conjuring tiny earthquakes to knock food off of traps. Leyborn animals are usually killed by Wranglers. In 495LW, the current ruling king, Rufus Murran, had his life saved by a mysterious leyborn. His savoir was allowed to leave without any harassment from the Wranglers and it made Rufus think about how else the leyborn could be an aid to his people, instead of just being on some secluded island. A year later, the strongest storm ever recorded hit the entire continent, destroying crops and levelling settlements. With his faith still strong in the leyborn, he set up a new program to train them how to safely use their abilities and deploy them where needed. The Leyhalls were built and the leyborn have been learning how to control their powers there ever since. Leyborn have been deployed since for military purposes, for healing scars in the land and for aiding the sick, to name just a few things. They are still however always detained and are not permitted to live anywhere else other than the island. The leylines weave all over the world in no real organised pattern, and at some miniscule points, they cross, forming a cocktail of energy. Those born over these intersecting leylines become infused with two or even more different ley types, and thus become incredibly powerful. One such example is below. The Palecallers The Palecallers are a nearly mythical organisation that supposedly lives in the impenetrable fortress upon the tallest mountain of the Ivory Reach, Palthgar. There have only been two loosely confirmed events in the past which the Palecallers were involved in. The first was the Necroley War, in which a war hero named Gray Koramas defeated Morgarth Farl. Koramas was presumed to be a palecaller.

The second occasion is when the stranger saved king Rufus from his imminent demise. Although he never claimed to be a palecaller, he did mention his origins were from Palthgar. The Palecallers appear to be heralds of terrible things to come. They only appear when something dreadful is either currently happening, or is about to happen. They are more than mere mad prophets, however, as during the Necroley War, they have proven to be the most formidable warriors Rime has to offer. Palecallers are leyborn, but they are an incredibly rare kind. A palecaller is created when a child is born over both a cryo line and a necro line simultaneously. Something about this particular combination defuses the pending insanity that necro lines usually inflict and grants the ability to perceive and commune with the spirit realm known as The Pale. The Pale is a spectral, phased plain where the spirits of the dead can be safely carried away before they fade. It was crafted during the Faith War by Glace and Nox, the gods of Cold and Death (which is believed to explain why the combination of cryo and necro lines has this affect on people) The Palecallers are wardens and maintainers of The Pale. It is their job to ensure the spirits of the dead gain their rest, as spirits that linger for too long can become something far more sinister. In order to become a Palecaller, you must have both of the ley mentioned above, and you must also, at some point, die, and be resuscitated in order to form a link between the spiritual and mortal realms. There is an initiation trial that new Palecallers face in which they are forced to sit in the biting called of The Ivory Reach until the cold stops their heart. Many initiates do not survive this trial. Once the recruitment conditions are met, Palecallers possess the ability to commune and interact with the deceased, to use icy casts and to forge familiars using the fabric of The Pale. These familiars are always personal in some way and unique to the Palecaller who created them, but there have been occasions where a deceased Palecallers familiar has reappeared years later and joined a new recruit. These familiars can phase in and out of their realm and usually take the form of beasts. Only Palecallers can speak with them. The most famous familiar that ever existed was the one belonging to the legendary Gray Koramas, a spectral, magnificent owl named Talazon. Biolifters The biolifters are a division of the Wolfbane Pact devoted to bolstering its numbers by lifting animals into sapient beings and setting them to work for the general populace. Biolifters were first founded in 747LW. By this time, bioborn were already in hospitals and general practices all over the continent, and the King decided something had to be done regarding Sovreignouss dropping numbers. In a moment of controversial enlightenment, he thought back to the very beasts that were hounding his nation, the fenrye. Bestial though they may be, the fenrye were fully capable of amassing armies, forging weapons, sailing boats and apparently being much better at this war than they were. Hed heard rumours of the fenryes origin, and so decided that he could perhaps generate his own vicious army to fight against Materns. He had wranglers gather dozens of bioborn within The Leyhalls and demanded that they build him an army. Attempts to create life from scratch ultimately either failed, or yielded very unimpressive results (spores and other microorganisms). Enraged, the king had the wranglers bring in beasts to

use as a sort of basis. His logic was that if they couldnt create life, then perhaps they could manipulate it into something useful. For fifteen months, the ley-rise project underwent constant supervision. Many beasts were culled after transforming into hideous amalgamations or failed chimeras. The pain inflicted was contained within the walls of The Leyhalls, as news of these operations reaching the public would undoubtedly be cause for protests. Bioborn would occasionally drop out of the operation and be bullied into silence before being replaced, but eventually, their efforts yielded some potentially pleasing results. During Glacenox of 748LW, a biolifter successfully brought an adult male Starl into a level of sapience. He was no monster, and would not be able to defend a town against the fenrye menace, but he was the first truly sapient animal they had ever created. He passed every test they gave him with flying colours, making moral choices and going so far as to question life and death, before questioning other peoples outlooks upon these very subjects. Ink, as the starl was named, was a success. Rather than being put to manual labour as the king had desired, Ink became a figure head for the Ley-Risen operation. The project was opened to public eyes, and while many opposed it, many others agreed with King Hearkens idea; they needed more hands, needed more eyes, needed more of everything, really. Using Ink and his handler as a place to work from, the lifters moved to other animals. Within two years, theyd converted jurnice, woolorths, saberls and bekapi. The conversion process at its safest takes about a year to complete, but with ample instruction and operation, its very rare that it fails now. With the project open to public eyes, Hearken abandoned his idea to create super monsters and worked with what he had, setting the ley-risen to work and requisitioning many more. Within ten years, ley-risen were walking the streets of every major city. Most of the biolifters are still confined to their island, but their creations roam Sovreignous. That isnt to say they have freedom; they are effectively slaves, but even now, they toil to complete more ambitious projects.

The Wicker Witches The wicker witches of Sovreignous are strange, mysterious individuals that focus their lives on ritualistic magic and incantations that do not involve the ley. They would swear they possess genuine power but have so far failed to provide any conclusive proof. They can either live alone, or in groups. The two largest wicker witch inhabited villages are Mistgrove and Glade. Despite their name, the wicker witches are not exclusively female. The title witch can be applied to males just as it can to females. The wicker part of their name comes the fact they burn wicker as part of their rituals, wicker often woven into some shape or construct. The wicker witches are often perceived as crude and primitive. They live mostly in straw, wicker or mud huts, and object to using standard construction materials. They often like to build in swampy areas, and their homes can often be seen balanced on stilts. They believe mining stone scars the land, and only cut down trees when absolutely necessary. They are usually quite obsessed with the preservation of nature, willing to become part of it in order to do so. They will often speak of how

their magical powers is gifted to them by Rime herself, believing that the world is some sort of living entity that provides her most loyal inhabitants with the powers of healing, foresight and other miraculous abilities. The wicker witches often have frolicking festivities within the forests that they dwell. They will build enormous fires which take days to burn down, all using materials scavenged rather than harvested. They will use the flames to prophesise, before scattering the ashes into the woodlands to fertilise the surrounding soil. Wicker Witches are never hostile and always welcome strangers with open arms. They invite others to join in their festive activities, that they may better open their eyes to the worlds plight. Some of them are trained in combat, but no more than you would expect from a village filled with normal innocent civilians. The wicker witches have not been hassled by soldiers or wranglers for a long time, as their magic has no similarities to the ley, and is likely the result of fanatical belief, intoxication and indoctrination. The wicker witches have no real uniform to recognise them by, but they often wear organic materials, and very rarely hides or skins. A lot of their clothes are woven from taepah. They also can be seen with ash paintings on their bodies and faces shortly after and during flame festivals. The Drelalti Founded only around forty years ago, in 736 LW, The Drelalti is one of the few groups that still experiments with medicinal theories and exotic ingredients within alchemy. Alchemy has been declared by the Wolfbane Pact to be a dying practice. With many remedies already extracted from certain roots and leaves, professional doctors are content, and see no need for further experimentation. The Drelalti disagree. The Drelalti was formed by a group of twelve individuals made up of humans and vermus. The Founders, as they came to be known, were all wealthy and talented doctors that wished to continue progression in the medicinal field. They commissioned an alchemy lab to be built in Valleys End, and recruited only the best of the best to join their ranks. To this day, the Drelalti has around one hundred and fifty members scattered around the continent. Despite their initial and somewhat noble intentions, the Drelalti have made very through genuine medical breakthroughs. They were responsible for the antidote for the cyanide poison; dusk, and a few antivenins, but they are mostly remembered due to their failures, and their attempts to peddle them. Many of the Drelalti members will try to sell their creations as miracle cures and invigorating elixirs. While the gullible will drink these solutions down, and claim the effects to be genuine, most will perceive the Drelalti as liars and tricksters. The Drelalti have made several poisons in their time, and there are rumours that crossing or wronging them can result in being killed via poisons dropped into their drinks. While most people dont fear the Drelalti, they tend to avoid angering them, just to avoid the rumoured risk. The Founders are all quite aged now, and within Valleys End, them and their children are treated almost as royalty. The word Drelalti comes from Ancient tongue, meaning cure, or remedy. A member of the group can usually be recognised by the curious pendent they wear around their necks on a gold chain. The

pendent is a glass shape, either a sphere, cube, pyramid or diamond, depending on the individuals rank within the group. Within these glass vessels will be a few shards of a dark blue metal. This metal is the alchemical wonder; Noctium, although in tiny fragments, it is not harmful or dangerous.

ForgeWorks ForgeWorks can be considered to be Rimes first real mass production company, along with being the first ever trade union. ForgeWorks brings many talented blacksmiths together, where knowledge and materials are exchanged in order to make a single working business. All members of ForgeWorks are provided with materials with which to craft with. When the blacksmiths sell their creations, they give a cut back to ForgeWorks which is, in turn, used to purchase and distribute more materials. This system cycles around, generating a healthy profit each year. ForgeWorks was founded in 680 LW by a single entrepreneur named Jak Astly. The vision was to create a friendly hub for blacksmiths to join and cooperate with without having to worry about competing with others or the fluctuating prices of crafting materials. After around ten years of struggling and earning the favour of dozens of smiths around the world, his vision finally became a reality, and ForgeWorks was born. ForgeWorks blacksmiths are scattered all over the civil continents, and they keep in contact via starl deliveries and caravan trades. The company has its own range of carriages and carts to keep the supplies running, but this also doubles up as a taxi service for paying travellers. This means that not only do ForgeWorks provide a large sum of the wars weapons, armour and equipment, but they simultaneously also provide the world with most of its public transport. Jak Astly died in 724 LW, but the company has moved down to his grandson now, Peter Astly. The company is well respected and is thought to be the largest and richest organisation currently on Rime. For a time, ForgeWorks have been trying to expand into tailoring and media. ForgeWorks members are not obliged to indicate their status within the organisation, but they can be recognised by a metal pin depicting a hammer and anvil. Every major town or city has at least one ForgeWorks smith. A lot of people choose them, as they have the most materials, but their prices are usually much steeper to compensate for their lost cut. ForgeWorks has a central head quarters in Sanctus, a building that towers over most others in the industrial district. Mechanical Empathy The technology guild of Mechanical Empathy is run by a group of unhinged and eccentric individuals, with a married vermus couple at the very top. Lawrence and Lilly Sparklight first earned their conjoined courtnames by scampering the catacombs of Sanctus, usually wielding curious and wondrous mechanical devices. They were friends since the age of three, and by the age of eight, they had installed the first electric bulb lights within a few areas of the Sanctus sewers. Rather than pursuing electricity created through contained, charged alkali solutions, they instead tinkered with every other concept that came to mind, spontaneously crafting devices such as whisks, tiny steam powered ships, telescopes and the cleftyspink (the cleftyspink never really took off). To this day, the Sparklights two most famous inventions are used by the Wolfbane Pacts wranglers and soldiers;

percussion cap firearms and single handed crossbows. They are also credited for the construction of clockwork owls. The pair had already crafted some incredible devices before theyd even come to the decision of forming a guild. It wasnt until 721 LW that the pair decided they wanted a legacy. Already quite aged and greying, the couple invited all aspiring minds to come and present their latest and greatest inventions to an inspection board, consisting of just them. Those with the most promising ideas and inventions were let into the guild, and secret productions started immediately. Using their money from their arms deals, the Sparklights were able to purchase a manor house near The Draconian Walls external side, and fence it off from the public. The manor became a compound, filled with whirring and grinding and surges of raw energy that lit up the windows. In 725 LW, however, the gates to the compound slammed closed, and have apparently remained closed since. The Sparklights were never seen again. The guild still works within the compound, but no one ever sees anyone enter or leave through the gates. The sound of machinery can be heard faintly in the distance. Attempts to contact the Sparklights all failed, and now fifty years later, its assumed they are long dead; vermus only living for around forty years, and they were in their late thirties when they vanished. Every now and again, a package will arrive at a location containing a device with technology surpassing the present days. It is assumed that Mechanical Empathy are still operating within The Hall of Intrigue, and are just as eccentric as its founders were. Hunters If The Wolfbane Pact is the blue team, then the fenrye Hunters are the red team. Hunters is the name given to fenrye soldiers who have completed their trials of aging, formed into a tight bonded pack and are ready to die for their goddess. Hunters are trained by highly experienced huntmasters in the ways of fighting humans and vermus. Once they are ready, they will be deployed upon the human lands during a bloodmoon in a random location to keep the humans on edge and scattered. Hunters have an incredibly high mortality rate. As they only attack in small groups, they usually get massacred before they can do much damage to a fortified settlement. There are occasions in which they defeat all of a towns defenders and successfully slaughter its denizens before going home. The purpose of a Hunter is to strike fear, not necessarily to survive. They attack every full moon, kill a few members of the Wolfbane Pact, keep the humans from concentrating too much on offense and more on defence while natural selection slowly makes them stronger and their numbers grow overtime. Since the trials route out the weak, and the strongest usually remain home for a while to breed, only more strength can rise. That is the logic of the fenrye. A hunter does not wear much in the way of armour, usually just a few straps to hold trophies and some trousers. They use whatever weapon they are most comfortable with. A hunt is considered successful if fifty humans are killed. If this number has not been reached and there are still people alive in the target town, they are not permitted to leave. Once they go past this number, they can leave and return home. Successfully completing multiple hunts will earn a hunter the Huntmaster rank, granting him privileges and dominion over all the others.

During the warmer seasons of the year, hunters will be dispatched on boats from the four Hunts, sailing to a secluded point on the coast and approaching the nearest settlement on foot. During late Glaze and Glacenox, the fenrye have to adapt. If they choose to use boats still, they will need the aid of leyborn to clear the ice. Should no leyborn be available, they will walk across the solid seas and approach Sovreignous on foot, or use sleds pulled by tamed cazak. On some occasions, The Shadowcast will be used to deploy fenrye from the sky, and sometimes cazak teams will pull the hunters on an assortment of sleds. Some hunters are leyborn, and they are lethal when blood lusting. Wranglers are usually on standby during a bloodmoon to take out any leyborn fenrye, but even they struggle. Den Watchers Den Watchers are leyborn defenders of Matern that live within the Mother Den, hence the name. They are the elite warriors tasked with defending a goddess from The Wolfbane Pact, not that any attack has ever even come close to her lair. They are usually adorned in ceremonial style plate armour which makes them look lumbering and formidable. They wear full face metal masks over their muzzles, large, spiked pauldrons and tend to favour the spear over any other weapon. The den watchers are mostly pyroborn, and they take it in turns to use their abilities to keep the large cave as warm and pleasant as possible. Since their goddess is cold blooded, it is crucial that they keep her warm as much as they can. They are infinitely patient, but quick to strike out at any potential intruder, including the lands many predators. Matern treats the watchers as her children, as she does with all fenrye, occasionally letting one or two of them drop their formal guard and sit with her for a bit to exchange a bit of friendly conversation. On some days she even lets them sleep against her side, using her as a giant divine pillow. Den Watchers are picked specifically by Matern in order to guard her. It is a great honour to be chosen and she selects her defenders by watching her children perform in their lives and then sending a message to the Alpha to give them the good news. The Reth Fakree (The Packless Ones) The Packless fenrye are fenrye who have been exiled from The Scarred Lands for one of the following reasons: They broke loyalty to their pack, they backed down from an honourable challenge, they disobeyed the Alphas rule or spoke ill of Matern. Most fenrye are killed as opposed to being exiled, but sometimes death is too good for them, and sometimes death seems too harsh. The rules of the fenrye suggest that exile is worse than death, but at the same time, they would not want to kill someone who had proven to be great and noble in the past. The Packless are expected to leave and fall to the humans in mortal combat, but in truth, most of the Reth Fakree cease their fighting completely. There is a lone camp in the mountains of Sovreignous in which the exiles reside in a state of guilt and internal confliction. These are the only fenrye that may

ever align themselves with humans for one reason or another (there have been fenrye Palecallers, for example). The camp is secret, and the humans have no idea that any fenrye dwell in their land. Their ignorance is welcomed by the exiles, who have no real wish to conflict further without the blessing of their beloved Den Mother. Most exiles try to find a new purpose for themselves but this is difficult in a land which treats them with absolute hostility. The Dancing Dusk The Dancing Dusk is a cult led by a mysterious woman named Equili. The cult is dedicated to snuffing out the light when it overwhelms the world. Primarily an organisation built for housing assassins, the Dancing Dusk is the counterpart to its brother guild, The Gracing Dawn. The cults leader Equili, has a strong belief in the concept of balance, and thus, the Dancing Dusk was formed to keep the world from becoming too bright. Too much hope makes people lazy. Too many heroes makes them careless. Too much kindness causes weakness. The Dancing Dusk does not accept contracts or payment, like other assassins might. Instead, they merely pick off targets they deem fit and accept payment in the form of their victims belongings. The cult accepts all races, and is only about thirty years old. Although the cult members themselves may be cruel and vicious, Equili herself maintains what she believes to be a level of pure neutrality, only striking out light when it blinds people away from the real world. The Dancing Dusk will target individuals that spread too much hope, that make people too happy (in their eyes). These people include politicians with exciting promises, doctors with medical breakthroughs, and of course, heroes. The Gracing Dawn The Gracing Dawn is the brother guild of The Dancing Dusk. It is run by Brium, Equilis brother, and is, it put it simply, the exact opposite of its partner. The Gracing Dawn and The Dancing Dusk are not rivals. They work together in order to maintain balance. The Dancing Dusk strikes out the light, while The Gracing Dawn banishes the darkness, its members seeking out those who would perform acts of evil and destroying them. As with The Dusk, they do not strike out of hate or desire to do good. They merely wish to keep the world at a safe level of light and darkness. Too much darkness makes people lose hope, turning them into slaves of their own doubts. Too much death makes people live in fear, destroying their will and productivity. Too many villains and they will lose faith in their own kind, eradicating their desire to perform as part of the community. Like the Dusk, they are not contracted or paid, they merely take what they can off of those they purge from the world. The Gracing Dawn will target individuals that wreak havoc and spread fear and doubt into the hearts of the people of Rime. These people include bandits, thieves, liars and tyrants. Both of the organisations are considered hostile and dangerous by The Wolfbane Pact, and are both considered enemies of the kingdom, due to their odd, hypocritical allegiance which reeks of insanity. The Equalisers

The Equalisers are an anarchic organisation born with the purpose of fighting the system of inequality put into place by the humans. The members consist mostly of vermus and ley-risen, but also some humans who fully support the cause. The Equalisers were founded during the tyrannical reign of Rorik II by vermus exiles. They harboured the legendary assassin Raphael Bladesinger for quite some time before he finally killed the king and was executed shortly afterwards. The Equalisers did not disband after this, however, as the vermus will still considered unequal, forced to make their homes below the streets of Sanctus rather than upon them. They remember everything they did for the humans, and how dead the humans would be without them, and for this reason, they strike out where they can to tip the hierarchy in a more balanced position. The Equalisers are mostly quite docile, and will usually engage in harmless but fiery debates. They will object to elitism wherever they can, attempting to stomp it out before it can flourish in some cities and towns. In times where their efforts are completely ignored or scoffed at, it is not unusual for The Equalisers to commit acts of vandalism and violence. Recently, The Equalisers have began inviting the oppressed ley-risen to join their ranks. The ley-risen are often grateful to receive an opportunity to oppose the demeaning system theyve been forced to the bottom of from the moment of sapience. The Equalisers have a small presence in each of the vermus sanctuaries, but their largest bastion lies in Norvask, in an old Necroley War fort. The fort is crumbling, and so symbolically, The Equalisers named it Hierarchy. The Afflicted Two hundred and seventeen years ago, the island known as The Treyland Isle was sectioned off from the mainland, locked down and renamed Quarantine. A plague had swept across the island. The illness warped the minds of those it entered, forcing them to infect others against their will. The plague spread through germs in the mouth, through coughs, through sneezes, through exchange of saliva. When the afflicted individuals had no one to infect, their minds were their own. They could continue a relatively normal life. As soon as a non-infected individual appeared however, something clicked in their minds and forced them into a bestial fury. While infection is in mind, when multiple Afflicted charge a single man and jump on him, they will often be the death of him. Their savagery has claimed many ill-prepared lives, but sometimes they will simply transfer the infection, apologise and glumly wander off. The plague that affected these people came to be called The Strain. The worse thing about it is that the virus is leyborn. The Strain is the only known account of a leyborn virus, and its highly likely that this leyborn property is what causes the viruss intelligent design and will-breaking properties. In addition to this spreading, the virus will almost always eventually cause violent ley-episodes. Those afflicted will burst into flames or freeze on the spot, their lives often being claimed in the process. Since these events usually take many years occur, the afflicted are able to live and even reproduce to keep a steady population upon Quarantine, much to the disgruntlement of the Kingdom. All attempts to eradicate the disease permanently have failed, and so now The Afflicted dwell upon it. Quarantine has become a home for a whole new race of people; people with no control over a

volatile ley type that brews within them. When they interact with one another, they are fine, casual, even friendly. They speak and act as any normal person would. When a stranger appears however, the virus takes over, and they feel compelled to infect them in any way they can. For this reason, The Afflicted can never leave the island. A cure is supposedly in development, but it has been for fifty years and is showing no signs of completion any time soon. In appearance, The Afflicted dont look too unusual until the later stages of the virus. Before the virus causes fatal episodes, the individuals start to take on frightening characteristics of whatever ley infects them. If its pyroley, their skin displays glowing cracks and they exhale smoke from their mouths. With hydroley, they seem to leak a fluid from unknown sources, and with geoley, their bodies begin to take on the properties of stone. The Recollectors The Recollectors are an adventurous historian organisation dedicated to pulling away the veil that shrouds Rimes mysterious past (although you can also get stand-alone recollectors). Recollectors have a difficult and dangerous job which can be harrowing and exciting at times, and delicate and boring at others. Recollectors are expected to have an admirable cocktail of skills to help them on their travels. A recollector is, primarily, supposed to have; an understanding of archaeological sites and digs, knowledge of Rimes history, the ability to read/write and a good, upstanding reputation with the civilised forces and groups of Sovreignous. Secondary skills should include the ability to fight and defend yourself, a fairly high level of intelligence, advanced exposure training and a degree of physical fitness. Being a recollector is demanding. Groups will work into the late hours of night, even during Glacenox to uncover potential sites before they are once again covered by snow. As they primarily work outside, they have to occasionally fend off hungry animals or murderous bandit tribes. They will document everything significant they find with a charcoal pencil and paper and their field notes will be compiled at one of their four small bases. Recollectors work mostly to hunt out relics and artefacts from a time before recorded history. The people of Rime are anxious to know about their origin, and also wish for the mystery to be solved regarding their predecessors, an advanced species that inhabited the continents before they did. The lysus, as the recollectors have come to call them, have ruins scattered around the planet, although so far, they have never found one of their skeletons or depictions of their appearance. The secrets of the lysus are occasionally guarded by traps of vast technological superiority to that of the current generation of humans or fenrye. They are usually triggered by sparks of power conjured through kinetic energy, mostly heavy pressure pads linked to thrusting spears, poison darts, advanced gunpowder technology and other deadly things. These traps can occasionally be dismantled and knowledge extrapolated from their mechanisms, but the recollectors are mostly after what the traps are guarding. Some ancient texts have been located and translated, but theyve always been very old and hard to draw much information from. The language etched onto the tablets is referred to simply as Ancient, the same language spoken by the fenrye.

Recollectors are well paid by The Watchful Council for any light they are able to shed upon Rimes history. A recollector can be human or vermus, and its not unusual for them to recruit ley-risen labourers or guardians. Blasphemous, exiled fenrye with a lust for knowledge may also join on digs and excavations, although this must be done in secret. The Lorebringers Lorebringer is a title given to someone who has used their strength in mind or in body to literally force their way into the history of Rime, in other words, bringing lore to the world. Lorebringers are revered or feared amongst every race on the planet as it is a global custom in every culture. Even the gods fear lorebringers, despite the fact they are all lorebringers too. There is no ritual or ceremony or any sort of event to commemorate the creation of a lorebringer. A lorebringers existence is well known enough for this not to be needed. The title of lorebringer is never biased, being given to those even of pure villainy, so long as they have somehow earned it. Even men as monstrous as Morgarth Farl have been granted the title of lorebringer, as he was powerful enough and intelligent enough to force a war to last for two years using only a few hundred soldiers. A lorebringer is not necessarily a hero, he can also be a villain, a leader, anyone who has stood out in history as someone who shaped the world or invokes feelings within the general populace. The name of a Lorebringer can be spoken in Rime and everyone will know it, and everyone will respect it, be it for good, or for evil.

Important Names and Individuals

King Hearken Murran King Hearken is the current ruling monarch of Sovreignous. He has dominion over all but one of the regions, with Norvask separating from the kingdom during the tyrannical rule of one of his predecessors, Rorik II. Hearken is old and withered with wispy grey hair and an expression that conveys fatigue and worry almost permanently stretched upon his face. Hes always seen with his gemstone crown and wears a fine assortment of robes and capes with frilly mantles. His eyes are grey and a little bit lifeless but his voice is commanding and earns respect. Hearken has been ruling for an impressive sixty one years, and has reached the age of eighty six, taking the throne in 716LW when he was just twenty five years old. He only ruled in peace for two years before the first contact with the fenrye in 718LW. He has been in a state of war inflicted paranoia ever since. The fenrye perceive him as the humans alpha, which makes him a high priority target. Hearken very rarely leaves his heavily defended throne room when hes awake and never leaves his castle.

In his time ruling, he has increased Sanctus security fivefold, implemented the no man on the streets during a bloodmoon rule, founded the Wolfbane Pact (with the co-signature of High Judge Quinn), increased the number of Wranglers in Sovreignous to combat the deadly fenrye leyborn, concentrated the furthering of technology solely on weaponry and defensive tools, ordered a number of attacks upon the fenrye homeland, successfully reopened some trade routes with the people of Norvask (in the agreement between the two regions which allowed Wolfbane Pact soldiers to be stationed in Valleys End) and increased taxes significantly in the city of Sanctus and the towns that surround it in order to fund the war. It would be fair to say Hearken is not an overly popular king, in comparison to some of the ones that ruled in the past. He is by no means a tyrant, but he has been living and ruling over a kingdom at war for sixty years. The constant thought of his people in conflict has weathered at the poor mans mind, reducing him to someone who is quick to anger and has no qualms about concentrating defences on himself rather than the land he rules. He can be fairly careless for a king, but his decisions have kept the kingdom alive, which makes him a good but not necessarily likable leader. Hearken has two sons which are both eligible for the throne. Prince Rell II is twenty nine, and Prince Jurik is thirty eight. There are rumours however that neither of them will take the throne when the king passes, allowing the crown to fall out of the bloodline for the first time in recorded history. Citizens believe that Hearken may pass rule over to his war general and right hand man, Alexandros Leonine. Hearken is not married, as kings and queens of Sovreignous are not allowed to marry so the concept of power does not corrupt those without the Murran blood. High General Alexandros Leonine (General Wolfbane.) Lorebringer The Wolfbane Pact has had nine leaders since it was founded. The first eight died in combat just a few years after taking charge, while the ninth still lives today, striking a vicious blow into the morale of even the unwavering fenrye. High General Alexandros Leonine is a warrior of pure strength, valour and dedication with flawless leadership skills and an expertise in combat which has earned him a Lorebringer title. The high general is usually seen wearing a large set of knightly ebon armour with gold trimming. He always wears a generals tabard over his chest and has a beautifully decorated sword and shield with him at all times, both of which adorn the crest of the Pact. When not in combat, he usually wears a long, dark red cloak. He has a long mane of dazzling white hair, part of which is usually bound into a pony tail and a small goatee style beard. His eyes are a faded blue and contain a lively fire which raises the spirits of his soldiers. The left side of his face has three parallel clawed scars inflicted by his rival, Huntmaster Chillsire. Leonine is in his mid sixties, after taking the reins of the Wolfbane Pact while just thirty two years old. Hes been commanding the legions of Sovreignous for thirty three years, repelling many fenrye invasions in his reign, some of which he did singlehandedly. Leonine has led several assaults upon The Scarred Lands also, but, although he has killed many fenrye, his forces have never managed to breach the defences of Whitehowl or The Mother Den. Leonine has killed and defeated literally thousands of fenrye in his time with sheer technique and an understanding of the fenrye culture. He challenges them as they would each other before facing off and duels them to the death. Although of course, the fenrye do not always play fair, this is not an

issue for him either, as he has been known to survive and defeat entire packs on his own even when they attack as one. Despite his old age, he is in very good shape, able to lift his heavy sword and shield way over his head with no difficulty. He has killed fifteen huntmasters during his role as high general, one of which he did bare handed. The only fenrye ever to survive a direct and accepted challenge from Leonine is Chillsire: The two of them fought on the cliffs of Tideguard for over an hour, until Chillsire slashed a mighty attack across his face and kicked him from the cliffs summit in the moment of disorientation. Assuming his prey was dead, Chillsire retreated back to the safety of his home land on the back of The Shadowcast. Leonine survived, but only just, washing up on the shores. It took him months to recover, in which time the bloodmoon attacks grew more vicious. Incredibly, however, he returned, appearing one night at Sanctus Docks five lunar cycles later, during another one of Chillsires invasions. The huntmaster was so stunned by the generals miraculous survival that he fled, almost instantly once Leonine had destroyed his Hunters. Chillsire never spoke of his cowardice to the Alpha. Leonine has been married to a field surgeon named Catherine for fifteen years after she saved his life, being the one who found him washed up on the beach and tending to his wounds. Having maintained his position while remaining almost exclusively intact, Leonine is exalted amongst humans, vermus and even fenrye as the general who cannot die. Leonines ability to strike fear into the hearts of foes as unwavering as Chillsire has marked him down in history as a Lorebringer. Alpha Ashwake. Lorebringer Alpha Ashwake is the current leader of the Scarred Lands Fenrye. It is his job to keep his people disciplined and in line while maintaining and creating new customs and traditions to ensure the fenrye grow stronger with time. As the Alpha, he is a direct link to the goddess Matern, and has been granted immunity from things such as aging and illness. So far, Alpha Ashwake has ruled his people for one hundred and ninety seven years, making him the age of two hundred and twenty four. Ashwake has an appropriately coloured ashy grey fur which has red ink patterns painted upon it in parts. Alpha Ashwake wears simple attire, considering his status, choosing only to garb himself in hide armour and leaving most of his body exposed. His upper legs and pelvis are covered up by loose fitting leathers, while his haunches and paws remain exposed and he usually wears a few harness style straps with a centre buckle across his chest. The straps go over his shoulders and down his back. On his wrists are some spiked, armoured bracers which he uses for parrying in combat. He also has a pair of spiked plates on his knees and a protective armoured pad on his left shoulder, which defends him slightly as he favours this side in combat. Ashwake can often be seen with smoke billowing from his occasionally glowing red claws. His tail yields small clouds of ash when he flicks it. Ashwake became Alpha of the fenrye after the previous alpha, Moonbound, died following him receiving grievous injuries in the Union War. He faced off against two dozen other potential alphas in the Alpha Arena, a pit fight scenario which is held when a new leader cannot be decided directly for one reason or another. The young fenrye entered the arena as Jezar Frakzae, but decimated his opponents with his pyroley abilities, emerging from the smouldering pit as Alpha Ashwake. His strength earned the immediate respect amongst his people, but Ashwakes reign was only just beginning.

As a strong supporter of the previous Alpha, Moonbound, Ashwake decided to continue his endeavour, returning to the northern regions of The Scarred Lands to unite the fenrye there under the banner of Whitehowl. Matern had told the previous alphas of the humans, and indeed showed visions to Ashwake as well, firmly seeding the idea in his head that he needed loyalty from Dremlok in order to have a fighting chance against their forces and superior technology. Once again, the packs of the north descended, attacking Ashwake and his soldiers with an overwhelmingly large number of vicious defenders. Using his powers and skills as a warrior and tactician, Ashwake managed to repel the forces of Dremlok and take the city for himself, slaying their current alpha and taking his place. With both major fenrye settlements under control by the same leader, Ashwake could begin the process of creating invasion forces to deliver the wrath of Matern to those who had wronged her. Seventeen years after the Union War, travelling king Rell Murrans exploration ship broke upon the jagged coasts of the Scarred Lands. Fenrye scouts brought the humans to Ashwake, who had a dungeon hastily constructed in which to contain and interrogate them within. Ashwake had already received a number of messages from Matern, informing him of the humans lifestyle, culture and weaponry, but he had no current knowledge of the whereabouts of their major settlements. The fenrye learnt much from their captives, including the locations of most of the towns and cities. They also had a chance to study the human form first hand and learn how to abuse its fragility. Under the alphas command, the Hunts were constructed and the Beast War began at the order from Matern which was channelled through Ashwake. To this day, Ashwake is the second fenrye in history to ever directly encounter The Den Mother outside of her den, as she came to visit him one night to brief him personally. Ashwakes decisions have brought the world to its knees. As one of the most powerful leyborn that has ever lived, and the first fenrye ever to survive the free for all Alpha Arena, he has scorched his way into history with nothing but his strength and unyielding desire to serve his goddess. He is a Lorebringer, without a doubt. Huntmaster Chillsire. Lorebringer Huntmaster Chillsire is the most respected and revered huntmaster the fenrye has to offer for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, Chillsire is a cryo leyborn, possessing the ability to freeze his enemies solid, conjure up icy weapons and solidify the waters for fenrye to traverse over. As huntmaster, it is Chillsires job train new hunters and to occasionally lead bloodmoon assaults, as well as to act as advisor to the Alpha. The huntmasters fur is as black as night with a crystalline white gaze. Chillsire is always seen with a pale blue/silver set of thick platemail armour and in battle he wears an intimidating snarling metal mask. Hes usually seen with a pair of steaming glacial swords which he uses in battle (although he is equally as deadly with his powers and his claws). He always has a large, ornamental horn strapped around his waist. Chillsire is thirty three years old and is in incredibly good shape, despite his many years of battling the humans. As with all huntmasters, the title had to initially be earned, even with a leyborn as powerful as Chillsire. Originally named Marh Trazen, Chillsire passed the Trials of Aging with his pack at an above

average speed, despite losing nine of the twelve members, all of which to krondor attacks. While his team members vowed revenge upon the beasts that had savaged their numbers, Chillsire couldnt help but marvel at the power the beasts possessed. The other two remaining members of Chillsires pack were a male and female. The two of them paired up with each other and chose to produce offspring, delaying their deployment into human lands. Chillsire was irritated by this decision, his bloodlust raging within him. He told himself that this opportunity to improve the fenryes armies should not pass by unheeded, and with that, he departed to the Fangs of Rime with a suicidal objective in mind. To tame and control a krondor. Chillsire studied the beasts for several years while his pack was on standby, his cryoborn abilities granting him immunity to the cold. He came close to death many times, being assumed as such by all of his people (as he did not return home for rest). He survived by taking the rations from the failed, dead Trials of Aging participants that the krondor brought to their nests. Chillsire took interest in a particular male krondor that lived upon one of the walls of The Trial Rise. He was a young krondor, with a brand new nest constructed from the roofs of many buildings. Chillsire approached the young male one day, bringing him an offering of food (in the form of a loomers arm). Naturally, the krondor tried to kill and devour him, to which Chillsire responded with a cruel, icy punishment. This continued for about two hours before the krondor gave up his attacks, taking note of the fact that a lack of his own aggression ceased that of the invader. The food was much easier to eat when the two of them werent fighting, also. Curious indeed, the bird seemed to think. Chillsire left without any pursuit, a smirk upon his muzzle. The next day, her returned, this time hauling a much larger piece of loomer meat behind him. The young krondor responded with no aggression, demonstrating the fast learning capabilities of the species. As before, once the treat had been accepted, Chillsire left again. He would need a better treat for his next goal... Two days later (doubling the time between treats to test the species memory) Chillsire brought with him an adult skald, frozen solid with the aid of a few allies (to test the beasts ability to deal with a larger group and other fenrye). The krondor grew restless and prepared to attack, but he was calmed by Chillsires presence. Chillsire was able to touch the giant creature for the first time, patting his beak as he leant down to greet his friend. This act of trust was rewarded with a tasty skald meal. These baby steps continued for a few months, with the krondor eventually becoming comfortable enough with Chillsires presence to allow him to spend time in his nest or even mount his back. Being so small, however, it was difficult to get the bird to take flight without using his powers. He associated words with actions, initially using blasts of frost energy to get the krondor to take flight and feeding him once hed done so. After two lunar cycles of this, the krondor could recognise around ten commands. Chillsire was confident in his friends restraint. It was time to challenge the alpha...

The skies over Whitehowl darkened as the gargantuan bird perched atop one of the stone guardians. The defenders aimed their bows, holding their fire as they saw Chillsire upon the beasts back, calling down to the city ASHWAKE! MATCH YOUR STRENGTH WITH MINE! Ashwake emerged from his alpha den. While not declining the challenge, he did ask Chillsire to reconsider, considering a victory on either part would result in the loss of a valuable ally to the fenrye and a vessel of the goddess power. Chillsire, who was incredibly dedicated to the wellbeing of his people, struck a deal with the Alpha, ensuring his status would be significantly higher than that of the standard Whitehowl citizen or soldier. While not being the first huntmaster ever to exist, Chillsire is generally considered to be the strongest one that ever lived. With his krondor mount, named The Shadowcast, Chillsire has led many successful bloodmoon raids and, to this day, is the only fenrye ever to meet The High General in combat and emerged victorious. Chillsire currently has no mate, and, due to the loss of his pack, has no plans to find one, but he will always be remembered as the first man to tame Rimes largest predator, and feared as a fenrye Lorebringer. Cassidy Scorne. Lorebringer Greatly feared by allies and enemies alike, Cassidy Scorne is the female leader of the Wranglers. Mostly, the Wranglers are all equal in rank taking orders directly from the king or council and dividing the work between them. However, when they need leadership, Scorne is the one to dish it out. She is responsible for directing Wranglers to their new goals, making important decisions which affect their organisation and she also acts as the cruel face behind their campaign: She appears on all the anti-leyborn posters and in public speeches with orders to yield them to the Wranglers custody. Cassidy has blood red hair, a stern but not unattractive face and a slim, slightly seductive figure. Her outfit is similar to the rest of the wranglers, except she is usually a lot more exposed, having quite a low cut top to reveal some cleavage. Her belly is also usually exposed, leading down to some leather trousers. Shes almost always seen with a large brimmed hat and a long trench coat, except hers are pitch black in colour, as opposed to the brown most wranglers wear. A pair of holsters is strapped to her belt and the inside pockets of her jacket are filled with contraptions and devices she uses to hunt. Like other wranglers, she clinks as she walks due to her large heeled, spurred boots. Scorne is the only wrangler who doesnt wear a mask. She makes no attempts to conceal her face. The fact of the matter is, she is more intimidating if people know who she is. She has no concerns about alienating her image by becoming some sort of monster, as she enjoys it. Scorne is a classic power hoarder who enjoys playing the bad guy in the eyes of the public, but she does her job extremely well. Shes thirty years old, and has been leading the Wranglers for six years. Like all Wranglers, she was trained from a child, enrolling in the recruitment program when she was just five years old after both her parents were drowned by a bandit hydroborn. Scorne became the leader of the Wranglers (The Vaquero) after showing extreme talent and aptitude in every field of training and demonstrating it to the ruling council along with nine other applicants to the leader position. New leaders are always picked by the king and the council following a sort of private talent show where they speak about what they want to do and change, and showcase a number of their talents. While all the other applicants merely leapt around,

shooting targets and attacking thin air, Cassidy brought in a crate, containing (much to the surprise of everyone in the court room) the hydroborn that killed her parents. Scorne released the leyborn and proceeded to toy with him while she fought him, narrating her actions and explaining his weaknesses all in an incredibly showy way. While impressed, the council feared for their safety. One of them called out Restrain him, Scorne! She smirked at the council, muttering Oh... Ill do better than that... and with one quick movement, she broke his neck with a flat fisted strike to the jugular. There are some people that cannot be saved, my lords. In endin them... I save many others. Yall need someone who will do whats necessary... Yall need someone who dont got a clouded judgement... Sometimes, ya gotta accept, its us or them... and I aint afraid to do my grizzly part to stop these monsters roamin free... It wouldnt be entirely accurate to say that Cassidy Scorne made the wranglers more of a threat once she took charge. Indeed, she herself does not always kill leyborn (although she does have a higher tendency to resort to lethal means than others), but she harbours a deep hate for their kind, and this is portrayed on her public campaigns. The fear for leyborn is once again on the rise due to her propaganda, and the fact fenrye use leyborn against the humans is simply adding more wood to the fire. In combat, Scorne relies on her array of devices matched with her cunning, speed and dexterity. Her weapons of choice are the duel pistols she carries with her at all times, and when fighting particularly dangerous leyborn, such as necroborn, she will use smoke screens and tiny shrapnel bombs. She also occasionally carries a custom built rifle on her back, which she uses to pick off targets too dangerous to approach from afar. In her twelve years of being an official Wrangler, and six years of being their leader, Cassidy has captured over one hundred leyborn, nearly twice as much as most of her peers. She has killed about fifty, ten times as much as most of her peers (most Wranglers kill very little.) Her expertise in combat and her ability to bring down even fenrye leyborn in just a few minutes has earned her a Lorebringer title. Equili Little is known about the leader of The Dancing Dusk. As the entire organisation is wanted by law officials, Equili keeps herself to the shadows, directing her assassins mostly via letters and dead drops. It is known she is a female, and a human, and is sister to the leader of The Gracing Dawn, Brium. It is highly unlikely that Equili is her real name, considering she works with her brother to create Equilibrium. She has never been seen by public eye, and the scarce amount of information about her has come from dossiers taken from deceased Dusk assassins. She seems to display no feelings about her targets and her briefings are always very direct, blunt and neutral, as if she were a machine just assigning a task to another. Equili is generally considered to be insane, but not the raving lunatic kind; more the quiet, gently bubbling away maniac who uses a mixture of absolutely flawless logic with bizarre motives and reasoning. Brium

Brium is the name of the male leader of The Gracing Dawn. Like his sister, Equili, there is very little publically known about him. While his organisation purges evil, they are extremely far from what you might call good. Brium is also considered an enemy of Sovreignous, due to his bizarre allegiance with The Dancing Dusk, and his organisations occasionally very unjust justice. Under Briums order, the zealots of The Gracing Dawn will kill corrupt politicians and thieves but will also sometimes take smaller scale problems under their wings, killing people for committing acts of adultery or vandalism. Naturally, this makes Brium just as wanted as his sister, due to his extreme measures and acts of misguided vigilantism. Brium has supposedly been captured once by city guards. He was a thin, almost malnourished looking young man with straight white hair, a serious and calm expression and possessed a silence that screams caution to everyone around him. The suspect claimed he was not Brium, and that Brium was, in fact, the organisation in essence. There were dozens of him, all of them ready to lay their life down for the cause. While this man still ages in Sanctus dungeons, The Gracing Dawn activity continues, leading most officials to believe that he is indeed telling the truth, and he is not the true Brium. Morgarth Farl. Lorebringer Morgarth Farl (349 LW 409 LW) is widely considered to be the most destructive and dangerous mortal man that ever lived. If it werent for Farls actions in life, the leyborn would likely be considered harmless and the Wranglers would not exist. Farls infamy comes from his instrumental role in The Necroley War as the enemy armys creator and leader. Farl was born unknowingly upon a large necroley line that stretched through the town of Aaemas. He had quite an unremarkable childhood, doing very well in school, finding it a little difficult to make friends on most occasions due to his slightly intimidating presence. He was a handsome teenager with spiky black hair and a mysterious attitude which got the attention of numerous females. At the same time however, he repelled people with his creepy tendency to stray towards the topic of death, decay and other morbid, easily avoidable conversational hazards. By the time he was about sixteen, Farl was already starting to slip into insanity, as all necroley do, usually around this time. While to him, his decisions to study the concept of death seemed like his choice, it was in fact born with him, fused with his blood the moment he drew his first breath. Aged seventeen, Farl discovered the first levels of his power, when a bird on his windowsill refused to shut up at the early hours of the morning. When he sat up in his bed and yelled BE SILENT! the bird fell over, dead. Farl began to experiment with his dark gift soon after this incident, going out into the hazardous woods of Everlast and snuffing the life from fully grown creatures with just a finger clink. He studied the tomes of the leylines extensively, building upon his already vast knowledge. Before his eighteenth birthday, Farl had already killed his first human; a mugger who had tried to relieve him of his possessions. Naturally, this didnt aid much in the way Farl perceived humanity. When he was eighteen, Farls mind finally cracked. His obsession with death led him to the desired goal of a doomed planet where only death may rule and only those who rule death itself can dwell. He conceived the notion of a new army, a world changing army, composed of soldiers capable of

defeating a hundred men each. It would be an army that would bear dominion over death itself; an army of Necroborn. Using his abilities, Farl tracked the necroley line he was born upon and innocently orchestrated it for the next forty years so that people would birth their children upon it. He did this by making certain homes available upon the line (by persuading previous owners to leave), by having a small hospital built upon the line, with the birthing ward directly over it, and by occasionally just idly leading women in labour upon the line with. He took the necroborns under his wing once they were in their teens and, with the aid of the ley essence that flowed within them, he opened their eyes to the possibilities of a new world. In 407 LW, Farl announced his operation complete. In this slightly more primitive world, many people believed that Northlight and Southlight were responsible for banishing Glacenox every year. Farl sought to end their hope and bring about eternal darkness by destroying the two towers. During the Glacenox of the same year, the War began as necroley warriors obliterated the only lightly defended Southlight tower. Skirmishes erupted all over Sovreignous and Glascan as Farl moved his forces around and struck at those who would cause resistance. For two years, he remained behind the lines with only a few hundred necroborn soldiers, all of them capable of killing with a single glance. Tens of thousands of vermus and human soldiers fell to the miniscule but deadly forces of Morgarth, but he dared not attack Northlight, where the cold and blinding blizzards could disrupt his armys senses, without destroying all that might stop him in healthier conditions. Farl was furious when Glacenox ended once again, even after they destroyed Southlight. He spent the next year forcing his troops north, more battles, more death, more destruction, only losing a couple or so soldiers every time conflict arose (usually due to well aimed arrows or from sneaky ambushes) As Glacenox began to fall once again on the second year, Farls army arrived in Glascan, ready to move upon Northlight and destroy it once and for all. During the march north, however, their army became shrouded with an unnatural blizzard. In their blinded state, the necroborn were vulnerable, only able to direct their deathly casts upon those they could actually see. In the confusion, vermus assassins were deployed and began to pick off the necroborn soldiers one by one. In mere seconds, more damage had been done to Farls army than it had received in two years. Arrows hailed from the skies once the vermus pulled out and five, armoured strangers marched into the blizzard, cutting down the insane doom bringers with extravagant weapons and ethereal animals at their heels. As his army fell around him, Farl roared in disbelief focusing a terrible cast to eradicate all life on the continent. It was at this point, in Glascan, in 409 LW, Gray Koramas the Palecaller struck down Farl with a mighty enchanted blow, interrupting his cast and ending The Necroley War. That was the end of Morgarth Farl, as told in songs, stories, and documents. Farls terrible power made him the focal point on many pieces of historically relevant media. His infamy made him internationally feared, and his name still strikes a wavering chord in the hearts of many humans and vermus alike. He is a Lorebringer by all rights, despite his undisputable villainy. Gray Koramas. Lorebringer

Gray Koramas (356 LW 427 LW) is most famous for his part in The Necroley War, where he executed the powerful necroborn leader, Morgarth Farl, and ended the war. Very little is known about Grays history, which is perfectly normal considering he is part of the Palecallers, one of the most reclusive and secretive organisations on Rime. In his life, Gray only had extended encounter with the people of Rime, which was when he met up with Roriks army in Glascan and organised its soldiers into an effective tactical war machine, capable of decimating the necroborn forces with a little help from the powers of The Palecallers. It is said in some old texts that Gray had an appearance that demanded respect. He was in his fifties when he appeared during the war with silver hair, an incredibly pale complexion and sharp grey eyes. Like the other Palecallers, he wore armour inspired by the Immortals design. He was always followed by or playing taxi to a large, spectral owl whom he introduced as his familiar, Talazon. While the Palecallers would never normally intervene in the disputes of the common man, Gray announced to the resisting side of the Necroley War that The Pale itself was swelling once again with the heavy weight of the restless dead. He would have the war end, so that he and his allies could once again restore a spiritual balance to the world of Rime. While initially branded insane and brash, the armies of Rorik fell in line after Koramas demonstrated his power, conjuring a blinding blizzard (an ability he would use later to eradicate the army of Farl). During the final battle, Gray cut his way through the necroborn soldiers and pluged his sword into the heart of Morgarth Farl, interrupting a cast that would have turned the entire continent into a lifeless wasteland. When the snowy veil cleared, Morgarths fouls lay dead, and the Palecallers were gone. Gray and the other heroes were not seen by public eye again, and indeed, no news was heard regarding them for twenty years. During the rise of Sanctus however, in 427 LW, a team of Wranglers rode into town, holding high the head of Gray Koramas and a number of other Palecallers. Gray met his end at the hands of leyborn hunters at the age of seventy one. His death invoked much fury in the general populace, which led to the great uprising of Sanctus. Rules were changed, a council was put in place and the Wranglers were temporarily disbanded. Although he was not very well known, and he only popped up in history once or twice, his power and tactical expertise ended a two year long war in just under an hour, making him a war hero, and more importantly, a Lorebringer. King Rorik Murran. Rorik Murran (378 LW 461 LW) earned his fame during The Necroley War, following which he founded the kingdom of Sovreignous and directed the construction of the first major fortified city, Sanctus. In his rule, Rorik wrote many laws, perhaps the most significant one being the zero tolerance of leyborn rule. As resistance dwindled during the war with Farls forces, Rorik Murran took charge of the surviving forces and led a series of attacks upon the necroborn operations. Under Rorik Murrans charge, the Iceplane HQ of the necroborn army was obliterated in a swiftly executed ambush.

Even though Rorik was a talented tactician, however, he never actually led a successful attack against the encroaching forces of Farl. There was literally nothing they could throw at the necroborn warriors that would incapacitate them fast enough to prevent them from casting their necrotic spells and silencing entire platoons with a single glance. It wasnt until the final assault upon Morgarths army in Glascan that Murrans soldiers actually did some damage. Under the helpful watch and direction of The Palecallers, Rorik Murrans legion of vermus and humans successfully brought an abrupt and well justified end to the necroborn menace. Due to his status as a well respected leader following the aftermath of the war, Rorik led a large group of survivors to the Everlast Woods and suggested they form a new civilisation; a bastion of hope and discipline to ensure that humans and vermus would have some sort of banner to unite under and a motive to fight for. Roriks loyal followers suggested a kingdom which he should lead, to which Rorik accepted the charge and, along with his men, began construction of Sanctus, the first human city in 413 LW. It took six years for Sanctus to achieve city status, and it wasnt until then that Rorik was officially crowned as the first human king. With more soldiers and resources than all over regions of Sovreignous, Murran had his men scatter outwards and spread the word of this new development, inviting the neighbour provinces to join the kingdom. All of them, even Norvask, accepted. Rorik, who was still cautious about the leyborn threat, decided that all leyborn needed to be eliminated, and there needed to be systems in place to train soldier to specialise in leyborn combat. Thus, The Wranglers were founded (although back then, they were much less technologically advanced). Wranglers were initially told to kill all leyborn, but these rules had to be rethought when the death of Gray Koramas at the hands of the wranglers caused kingdom wide riots. Roriks fort was invaded by angry activists in 429 LW with demands that Roriks decisions go through evaluation by a second party before being exacted upon the community. Rorik remained in power, but had to remain under the watchful gaze of a brand new council. Leyborn were not killed anymore, but were captured and sent to the Leylands. Rorik ruled without any more problems for the rest of his life, and had two children from the same woman, Thia and Rufus (both of which would rule at some point in their lives). Rorik died of natural causes in 461 LW, aged eighty three. Whitefang. Lorebringer Whitefang (344 LW 490 LW) is the name of the first ever fenrye alpha, handpicked by Matern herself and imbued with enough power to restore order to the savage and reckless populace. Using his strength of mind and body, Whitefang successfully defeated all those who would stand against him and earned the respect of his people, forming the Whitehowl tribe and finally bringing a degree of order to South and central Scarred Lands, much to the delight of the fenryes creator. Back before the time of alphas, the fenrye were uncontrollable, lashing out at one another for food and other things like common animals. Their unbound and violent nature meant their numbers were hastily dropping, and Matern lacked the strength to create another species from scratch. She desperately flicked through a number of possible solutions. For two hundred years, she tried and failed, going out into the fields of blood in her divine wolf form and trying to stop the conflict with

her own demonstration of power. While this worked for smaller groups, it was difficult to spread her influence to the more highly contested fenrye territories, regions where even gods would be attacked on sight for trespassing. She tried using her powers to show her true intentions, but she was incredibly drained after constructing and maintaining the first of the fenrye. In 368 LW, an exhausted Matern stumbled across a crude wooden fort, filled with about forty fenrye. She was surprised at their organisation and patience; none of them were attacking one another and, as she approached, none of them sought to kill her. The gates opened and a commanding looking fenrye walked out, his fur as white as snow with blood red symbols painted onto his body. He walked right up to Matern, pulling out a large sword from a crude leather scabbard (again, something that surprised Matern who had never seen the fenrye develop tools or weapons) and he plunged it into the ground before her nose, dropping to one knee and bowing his head. Eonfeygorl... It is you, kezuk, mey khan. We have waited for your arrival. Come Matern followed the leading fenrye, baffled by this development. It turned out this fenrye, Whitefang, had heard of Materns endeavours all around The Scarred Lands from his scouts. They had waited in their fort for her to arrive so that they may protect her when she came, and that they would carry her word to the four corners of the land. Whitefang was strong, strong enough to earn the respect of his followers, all of which were ready to die for him, and share his beliefs while doing so. Matern was stunned: This mortal, a creation of her own, had earned more respect than her without any godly powers or miracles, instead, using his iron will, his leadership skills and, of course, his common ground with the others, in that he was also a fenrye, not a giant wolf. Matern couldnt help but wonder how fast Whitefangs reputation would grow should he be imbued with the bioley. She was eager to find out. Whitefang graciously accepted Materns gift, being granted immortality and immunity to all sickness and disease. His already honed body was improved even more, making him faster and stronger and increased regeneration abilities meant any wounds inflicted would close much more rapidly than those of a standard fenrye. With his new power, Matern granted Whitefang the title of Alpha, the true and absolute leader of the fenrye. She tasked him with uniting The Scarred Lands under a single goal and leader, bringing discipline and order to her children. Whitefang took his forty followers and set out on his god given goal with almost fanatical devotion. Over the next forty years, Whitefang built up a formidable force, striking down all those that resisted until only those faithful to Matern remained. Matern travelled with him for the most part to act as proof of his messages. She watched with pride as Whitefang became something she could never dream of becoming, and as he gradually swept up every fenrye in the land, Matern started to direct Whitefang on how he could help his people develop, culturally. Whitefangs immortality allowed him to age way passed one hundred, bolstering his reputation even more, considering he still looked so young. Under his and Materns direction, the city of Whitehowl began its first stages of construction, with the ivorstone guardians looming over it, warding away invaders and beckoning forth those wishing to become part of this new order. In 435 LW, the city was completed, and became the official seat of the alpha. Matern meanwhile withdrew to a cave below the mountains, as all mothers must leave their children at some point, else they become too reliant.

In his reign, Whitefang fathered and trained fifteen sons and daughters, most of which became important figures in society (especially Moonbound, who would become the Alpha one day). Whitefang was an excellent leader, and under his charge, the fenrye became much more advanced. They were at balance with one another, sharing with each other to ensure everyone got what they needed and advancing into the early stages of industrial crafting. They still fought with one another, but never on the same scale as before. Whitefang faced many challengers for his throne, and he defeated them all, until 490 LW, when Razjek Stonemaw arrived at the Alphas Arena. Whitefang underestimated his challenger perhaps, due to his fairly brash and overly bold attitude, accepting the challenge and stepping into the arena... But Razjek was no mere fenrye: he had seen every horror The Scarred Lands had to offer, exploring the entire continent before his challenge and defeating every foe that thought to make him dinner. He was a formidable opponent, and it took Whitefang perhaps ten seconds too late to realise this, as he was inflicted with a minor wound upon his arm fairly early into the fight which gave Razjek the upper hand. With a vicious disarm and a sweeping kick, Razjek floored Whitefang and placed his sword to his throat. Whitefangs wide eyed and shocked expression was replaced by one of a peaceful transcendence. This generation yielded you, friend. May we continue to evolve... for the Den Mother. Razjek gave him a quick salute before slaying him, quickly and painlessly. Razjek became the new alpha, and would later introduce the Trials of Aging to support Whitefangs last wish. Matern grieved the loss of her favoured child for quite some time, refusing to grant Razjek the powers she had planned to gift every alpha with. It is for this reason, perhaps, that Razjek only ruled for thirty seven years, while Whitefang ruled for one hundred and twenty two years. His strength and leadership will always be revered amongst the fenrye and respected by human scholars who learnt of his existence through texts, and that is why he is a Lorebringer. Raphael Bladesinger. Lorebringer Raphael Bladesinger (541 LW 572 LW) is the most famous vermus ever to live. While not his only living accomplishment, Bladesinger is most famous for his martyrdom for the sake of his people, as he assassinated the tyrannical king, Rorik II, in 572 LW before yielding to trial and execution. Raphael, before taking up the guise of The Bladesinger, was an average height vermus with slick, brown fur, long, slightly curled whiskers, and a smile charming enough to make ladies swoon. He often wore quite dark, long jackets which he kept open at the front and usually had a large, feathered hat on his head. Raphael was born in Sanctus while King Rufus was in power. He grew up in a nice little surface based cottage and spent his childhood days practicing free running style stunts across the city, leaping up and across buildings and flipping over walls and pedestrians, much to the amusement of most humans in the city. Raphael was incredibly popular amongst the humans, despite his difference in species. He was very charming (perhaps even more so than most vermus) and unlike most vermus, he was very charitable, offering services to orphanages and bringing food to the homeless fairly frequently (although some people believe he did this to impress the ladies). When Raphael was just ten years old (which is about twenty in human years as Vermus have much shorter lives) in 551 LW, King Rorik II came into power after Rufus died of a sickness. Roriks first

command was that all vermus be ejected from the city and attacked on sight like The animals they are. The corrupted council had likely been bribed into allowing this law be put in place, and the city guard reluctantly set about abducting and exiling vermus that dwelled within the walls, wounding and even killing a few that resisted. In just a few days, the vermus had their lives completely changed. Raphael lost two friends to the guards violence, although he faced none himself. Raphael was quite acquainted with the city guards, and they didnt show him any aggression. However, they stated that rules are rules and Raphael was banished along with all the others. Raphael swore to the guards as they escorted him through the gates that he would not allow the acts of a selfish, greedy prejudice miscreant to impose himself in such outlandish ways. Confused by the language, the guards thought nothing of it, and with a tip of his hat and a Good day, Sirs Raphael disappeared into the night. Raphael trained himself vigorously over the course of the next five years, becoming a master of the sword and the shadow. Once his skills were unmatched, he set about on his long mission to bring down the man who had destroyed the lives of his friends. Raphael meticulously planned every single step of his campaign: First, he would have to root out the corruption in the council. Then, he would have to learn of the castles security and guard shifts from the guard captains... and finally, he would have to sneak into Rorik IIs chamber while he slept, wake him up, and persuade him to allow the vermus into the city once again. Raphael quickly became a dark legend within the city once he had put his plan into action. He would appear mysteriously in the rooms of council members, wearing a mask over his eyes and a cheeky grin on his lips, pressing a sword to their throat and monologging the way only a vermus can. His sword hummed a chiming tune as he waved it through the air while he spoke, something he accidently discovered and found quite pleasing. With this development, he always ended his confrontations with Remedy your ways or The Bladesinger will return... Wanted posters cropped up all over town, all with masked pictures of The Bladesinger, but the council members got the message. One by one, Raphael won them over with his intimidation. As they were instrumental in forwarding new laws, he had to make sure they would agree with Rorik when he once again allowed the vermus entry. After a few years of carefully executed infiltrations, he also acquired the guard shift schedules by pick pocketing a captain during a lively city festival. By this time, Rorik II had tried to forward a number of other cruel laws, but the council had refused to put them forward due to The Bladesingers influence. The King was growing angry, but also cautious. He increased the security of his fort greatly, forcing Raphael to hold his next move for another three years while he planned and surveyed every aspect of the defences. Then, in 572 LW, Raphael finally made his move. He slipped through the exterior guardsman by climbing in through the sewers. Once inside the fort, he stuck to the shadows, climbing along supporting overhead beams and timing every movement with the predictable patrol routes of the guards. When arriving at Rorik IIs quarters, he knocked out the two stationed guards using bolas and picked the lock, slipping inside and closing the door behind him.

Rorik II woke up to see the vermus standing over him, his rapier blade pressed over his heart. Bladesinger made his demands, asking for Rorik to end this madness and once again allow his people in the city. He was incredibly calm, not raising his voice once and trying to appeal to the kings sense of reason. It didnt take long for him to realise he was wasting his time. Rorik scoffed in his face, stating he would never withdraw the law, and that this was the exact reason for his initial decision. Raphael begged him to reconsider, even removing his mask as a gesture of good will, but Rorik remained as stubborn as ever. Raphael let out a soft sigh, asking Then you would make me gamble on Sanctus next ruler? Rorik replied Your kind will never set foot in the city again if you kill me. You will be branded treasonous Raphael stared for a long time, before saying, calmly I shall take my chances. His sword pierced the tyrants heart, and ended his reign. The next morning, guards broke into Rorik IIs room to find their king dead and Raphael sat on the end of the bed he was lying on. Raphael bit his lip, pointing his thumb to the deceased monarch and saying Would you believe me if I told you he tripped and fell? Raphael did not escape for one clear reason. He was the embodiment of the vermus desperation. The mad kings corruption had led the vermus into resorting to actions as low and sad as this, just to survive, and for no good reason. In his trial, when asked why he did it, Raphael answered I killed more than a man, I ended a tyrants insanity, and not a single one of you in this room will ever be able to look me in the eye and brand me a bearer of deception. Raphael was of course found guilty of high treason and scheduled for execution, but while he sat in his cell, the new queen approached him and spoke to him through the bars. Queen Ellias, a kind and noble woman, asked Raphael what she could do to put his mind at rest. Raphael asked only that the vermus be allowed back into Sanctus without the fear of violence and judgement. Ellias stated that the city would not be able to sustain the sudden return of the vermus after twenty one years; there would be no where for them to take up residence. Raphael suggested the sewers below, easily roomy enough for a vermus population to dwell, so long as they were allowed to trade with humans on the surface and granted access to the rest of the city whenever they wanted, just not allowed to take up residence, if that was such an issue. Ellias agreed and departed, apologising for his fate, but the law cannot be ignored for any man. As the crossbow firing line prepared to fire upon Raphael in a public execution the following day, there was a commotion which caused a short delay. The five ruling vermus members (The Court) pushed their ways through the crowd and, with the Queens permission, they climbed upon the platform the bound assassin was standing upon. He was surprised to see them, but even more surprised by what they did next. The Court surrounded Raphael, and the High Judge spoke State your name Raphael Present your chosen court name Raphael blinked, but remained silent, in a state of shock. The judge smiled and continued Bladesinger. Very well. In light of your utterly selfless and singlehanded attempts to restore the vermus position in Sanctus, under the guise of a symbol to represent our plight, I motion that the name Bladesinger be gifted upon you. The four jurists nodded Agreed they all said, simultaneously. Raphael remained silent, his eyes glistening slightly Motion carried. You shall forever be Raphael Bladesinger, hero of the vermus and Lorebringer...

This I swear The five of them bowed their heads before leaping down from the platform, joining the rest of the spectators. Raphaels stunned expression transformed into a wide grin and he turned towards the firing line. The last words he ever spoke are as followed: Do not miss, chaps... Or The Bladesinger will return...

The Divines The Divines otherwise known as the Immortals (see in the Race section for more information about their anatomy and appearance) are the ley gods. The remaining Divines were thought to be eggs that mysteriously only hatched nearly nine hundred years ago, but its possible they have been around for much longer. Luma Luma is the human name given to the divine of flame and generator of the pyroley. The majority of Lumas body was a blazing shade of seductive red while her chest, neck and belly were a pale peach colour. She had a slim, slender figure and her eyes glowed like the sun. She wore a low cut, long, silky dress which brushed the ground gently as she walked and an extravagant collar which had two decorative formations suspended on either side of her head. Her wings were slightly transparent, so you could see the light passing through them as she flew. She was often seen with a staff with a chakra like symbol on the end which closely resembled the sun. It is said in old texts that she literally radiated light, illuminating dark areas with her body and wings. To the fenrye, she is known as Lunelahtek. She has also been referred to as The Light in The Darkness, and The Skyguard (as the faithful believe she is/is responsible for the Sun.) Luma had a fiery personality (no pun intended). She was very alive and active, always very busy. She had a seductive but excitable voice, even when interacting with humans. It was almost impossible to imagine her being sad, as she was the very embodiment of joy, passion and desire. Whilst this was the case, she also carried a degree of passive (or sometimes straight out) aggression. She liked to get what she wanted. Luma was usually very kind and gifted those loyal to her with conjured riches and friendly compliments. She was also quick to retaliate to those that threw negative comments here way. Luma was however the first and to this day, only known Divine ever to kill a mortal, which she did immediately after she was stabbed in the chest by him. Luma possessed the power to bring warmth to entire regions of the continent. On a darker note, she also has the power to ignite the atmosphere and destroy the planet. She of course would never do this. Hyde Hyde is the human name of the divine of the waters, and the creator of the hydroley. Hyde is a dark, inky blue in colour with cyan patterns along his back and the top of his head. He had a wavey, coral like spiny build which travels down the back of his head (and presumably down his back too). He had sharp facial features and his eyes burnt a bright aqua blue. His wings seemed to always be dripping, as if hed just climbed out from the ocean. Hyde was usually seen clad in long leather coats, often disguising some powerful armour. Atop his head sat a tricorn hat, and strapped across his chest were

a number of weapons; weapons which changed throughout the eras as new technology came into force. In the fenrye tongue, Hyde is known as Torrentmeygol. He is also sometimes called The Deep One and The Tidal Breath. Similarly to the tides, Hydes personality was infamously inconsistent. He had a tendency to be as calm as a Lumina breeze one minute, and then as furious as a Thaws storm in the next. Like the other immortals, he never harmed a mortal, but he was frequently responsible for small scraps amongst his divine allies for occasionally completely insignificant reasons. Hydes short temper was almost comical in nature, his ability to instantly shift between happy and angry becoming the thing people most identified him with. Hydes power over Rimes water extends beyond the obvious. Other than being able to conjure gigantic tidal waves and summon monsoon level storms, he can also twist entire lakes into aquatic sculptures and manipulate the water within a mortals body, using it as a weapon. Hydes presence has been reported by seafarers during the warmer months. Through the lips of manic sailors, rumours spread that Hyde sails the high seas, armed with modern technology, hunting for ships to plunder. His ship, The Prime Directive, is said to fly the Deep Ones Sigil in tattered strands. Glace Glace, known as Krosinox to the fenrye, is the divine of cold. He is the creator of the cryoley, and cocreator of The Pale. Glace is a silvery white in scale colour, and he was described as quite resplendent, as his scales were very reflective and glinted like a sheet of snow. He has an icy, glowing white pair of eyes. He has some transparent quills on his head which look similar to icicles and a slightly bearded dragon like series of spikes on his chin. Similarly to Hyde, Glace also wears armour. Glaces armour is lighter than Hydes however, leaving most of his arms exposed still, revealing some bladed edges on his elbows. His armour gives him a slightly more relaxed demeanour, despite the fact it is heavily engraved with a symmetrical ceremonial pattern. Glaces body is nearly always steaming and his breath always comes out in clouds, even on the warmest of days. His stare sends shivers quite literally down a persons spine, and his glassy wing beats send a flurry of snow in all directions. Glace was usually seen with a pair of decorative, glacial swords strapped to his hips. Glace, due to his appearance and his instrumental role in the construction and creation of The Pale, is often known as The Pale One, The Palemaster, and The Cold. Glace had a very calm and wise personality. Despite his occasionally very cold attitude towards the mortals, he cared for their wellbeing and famously took a deep interest in their afterlife, along with his best friend and fellow divine, Nox. While fairly patient, Glace was known to act swiftly in order to remedy potential problems with Rime. His creation of The Pale was probably the most significant of all these acts, as The Pale saved the world from flooding with the vengeful spirits of the war dead. It is speculated by some that Glace is still responsible for The Pales preservation, and is therefore dwelling within Palthgar, directing the actions of his Palecallers. While Glace possesses the obvious powers of the cryoley, such as freezing and conjuring icy objects, he also has the ability see and communicate with the spirits of the dead. This is due to his ability to lower his body temperature to levels where his heart almost stops beating, thus forming a

connection between the spiritual realm and the mortal one. On a more godly scale, Glace can flash freeze entire regions or armies, turning them into statuaries. Nox Nox is the divine of death, and is the only creature capable of safely controlling the necroley in its raw, undiluted form without falling to madness. Noxs scales were charcoal black with silver, scar like streaks dotted over his face, arms, legs, chest, back and tail. His eyes were black also, making them hard to make out within the shadows of his face, but they were beady and reflective, thus making them not overly difficult to find. Nox was described to emit a sinister, wispy black aura that seemed to form shapes as it floated away from the gods body like smoke. The aura resembles ink in water, only it moves through the air instead. Nox was often seen wearing a hood with a pair of thick, bone pauldrens and a cloak which covered some sinister, ebonstone armour. His wings are tattered with a soft, grey dappled pattern upon them. On his back or in his hands, he was occasionally seen with an enormous, intimidating scythe. While never actually seen using it, it earned him the title of Harvester. He is also known as The Ender, and the fenrye call him Noctahmork. Despite being the master of death, Nox was actually quite docile. He was always a little unhinged but he never harmed a human or vermus in his time in Sovreignous. Along with his friend, Glace, Nox created The Pale during the Faith War in order to safely hold and carry the overwhelmingly large number of restless dead. While not directly causing it, Nox was deeply fascinated death, and considered it an honour to experience it. His presence was described as unnerving, maybe even a little frightening, despite his docility. Nox had a tendency to tell stories that seemed to have no real ending, instead bursting into rants and tangents that gave off the impression he was on a permanent road to insanity. He however never succumbed... Or at least showed signs that he did. He also had a frightening cackle, often in response to his own horrible jokes. He found ways to inject humour into most aspects of life, and even death. Noxs power is unstoppable. He can make entire armies fall to the ground, dead, with just a click of his scaly fingers. Like Glace, he can also communicate and interact with the spirits of the dead. Unlike Glace, he does not need to slow his heart in order to do it, as it comes naturally to him. Korl Korl is the divine of stone, and is responsible for the creation of the geoley. Korl was a muddy brown in colour with a sandstone shade and texture upon the scales on his belly and underside of his arms. His scales were very rocky to the eyes and to the touch, giving him the appearance of a statue if he remained perfectly still. He had a pair of dead, stone eyes which would grind against their sockets as he slowly looked around, and clouds of dust billowed from his body whenever he moved his arms and legs. Korls wings, although supported by stone bones, had an incredibly strong sheet of flexible leathery material, granting even him the power of flight when beat hard enough. In his spine between his wings were a series of jagged purple crystals and the rough, spiked formations in his limbs seemed totally random, as if caused by some internal cataclysm. While he did not wear armour, the stones formed a sort of bulk around him that were roughly shaped into an outfit. He did not carry a weapon, as he could shape his limbs into any form he wishes. The ground rumbled as Korl walked, leading to him gaining the title of The Quaker. He is also known as the Earthmaster to the Faithful, and KrenNuus to the fenrye.

Korl is enduring and patient, as the earth is. He speaks very slowly, and struggles to feel any sort of passion or emotion without a very gradual build up. He was one of the few immortals who had very little extended interaction with mankind. Korl does not do anything unless it is simply needs to be done. He never took much time for himself, instead dedicating his life to preserving the land in whatever way he could. When the world had no need for him, Korl simply stopped moving, rooting himself in place and remaining a statue into he was required again. The longest recorded Korl freeze was two years and forty nine days, and he apparently froze in the centre of a town, acting as a sort of monument until he was ready to move on. Korls power to shape and control the earth is mighty. He can raise and destroy entire mountains in minutes, pull magma from the worlds core, and open fissures and chasms miles deep and wide. It is said by some that Korl is responsible for the Deeprift in The Scarred Lands, but it is unknown as to why. Driff The divine of the winds, Driff, otherwise known as The Wind Whisperer, The Great Storm and Rasshamey, is the mistress of the aeroley. The main difference between Driff and the others is that she usually had no wings. When she wished to fly, wings made of a wispy, windy energy sprouted from her back. Driff was a pure, milky white in colour, her scales being even brighter than Glaces. Like Luma, she had a smooth body, head and tail, with weaving black patterns which flowed over her form and occasionally moved and coiled into different shapes. She wore silver armour which is cut in the middle just below her breasts, leaving her belly exposed. The bottom half of her body was also covered in armour, although there are symmetrically placed holes in the legs to add to her beautiful elegance. A small, invisible vortex pretty much always swirled around Driff, picking up small pieces of dirt and dust and whirling them around her body. Driff did not have glowing eyes, and her irises were a deep yellow. Driff has a pair of short swords strapped to her back in a cross. Driff had a whimsical and slightly unpredictable personality. She had a tendency to speak in mysterious and cryptic metaphors, making her occasionally quite difficult to comprehend. She was playful and delightfully random, often being referred to as childish. She would also spontaneously trail off mid sentence when something caught her attention, something which wasnt always visible to everyone else. Although she was fairly juvenile in nature, Driff was instrumental in the leyweave and had quite extensive sessions of interaction with the humans. She took time to play with the children when she was not preoccupied and was probably the most loved out of all of the divines. Driff, although being incredibly kind an innocent in nature, can conjure up hurricane level storms and manipulate particles in the air in order to create bolts of lightning. She can also send even heavy objects soaring off onto the horizon with just a wave of her hand. Matern Matern, the divine of life, was arguably the most powerful of the seven gods. As the sire of the bioley, Matern possesses the ability to manipulate and even create life in unfathomable ways. Materns default, dragon knight form is emerald green, with a much paler green on her front side. She has large yellow dots on her darker shaded areas and black tints around her eyes. The eyes themselves are mostly black with bright white reptilian pupils. Matern is slightly bulkier than Driff and Luma, but she still has quite a slim and attractive figure. She has more of an intimidating aura

around her, as she is incredibly protective of the ones faithful to her, giving her a maternal rage should they come to harm. Matern, unlike the others, did not wear clothes and if she was ever in her lacertine form, she was usually completely naked, occasionally with some plants and roots covering up some of her more intimate areas. More often than not, however, Matern appeared in the form of various animals, or even in human or vermus form. To the Faithful, Matern is known as the Lifebringer. Matern was stern but loving in nature. Out of all the divines, she was the most protective of the mortals. She took many precautions and performed many actions to better their lives and ensure they lived it to its maximum potential. She kept an ever watchful eye upon them and learnt as much as she could about them by assuming mortal forms and blending into society. She healed the sick and nourished the needy, bolstered failing crops and fortified weakened livestock, improving the life of all humans and vermus exponentially. However, following the events of The Faith War in which all of the divines were forced into hiding, Matern took the mortals betrayal the hardest. She had dedicated her very existence into helping them, and it still wasnt enough to prevent their destructive tendencies from exiling their only protectors. Matern was more than just upset; she was furious. So many of the Faithful who died defending her were like children to her, and they died needlessly because of the superstitious idiocy of heretics. When her children lost the war, she could think of nothing but revenge. Matern moved to the Scarred Lands and burnt an incredibly large portion of her divine power on creating a brand new warrior race, dedicated to the destruction of those that betrayed her, the Fenrye. Matern transformed into a great wolf and walked among her new creations. She became Eonfeygorl, The Den Mother, and has been honing the fenrye to the perfect war machines ever since their creation. This makes Matern the only divine whose location is publically known.

Ley Ley is the spiritual, mystical and physical essence that brews within every single immortal. Ley can come in many different types and forms and can have diverse effects upon the wielders and the environment that is exposed to it. Ley is an energy that cannot manifest in its true form unless it lives within an active host. In special conditions, E.G. the creation of life, ley can fuse with creatures other than the immortals and create leyborn. While ley gifts its hosts with powerful casts, it can also have effects on their personality. The Leyweave When the divines first appeared and made themselves known to the mortal races of Rime, they stated how the reoccurring cold made life unnecessarily difficult, and inquired as to whether or not they would be allowed to bring the remorseless seasons to an end by locking Rime firmly in its warmest months. Once the divines had received consent, they performed The Leyweave. They Leyweave had one simple purpose, to bind Rime firmly in place, freezing it in space during Lumina. The seven divines powers were a cocktail of elements which made up the very fabric of reality. Life, death, fire, water, earth, air, cold, heat, light and dark were all fused into a special network; a series of invisible strings of energy that were woven into the world itself, crisscrossing

over one another and forming a sort of net. Rime was literally and figuratively caught in a web of energy. To summarise, the Leyweave is both the name given to the act of creating the leylines, and also the name given to the culminated and complete number of lines that run all over the world. The Leyweave became inactive when the seven divines were forced to go into hiding following the events of The Faith War, and as its power faded, Rime fell back into its hostile orbit. The leylines still hold the dormant ley energies to this day, however. Leylines There are seven different types of leyline, all of which make up the network, or The Leyweave, as its formally known as. Leylines vary in length, width and power, but all of them follow a similar pattern. You could argue that there is only one leyline of each type, which stretches around the globe in one long erratic pattern. Leylines are never curved; they always stretch a distance ranging from twelve metres to one hundred and fifty metres before jarring off in a different direction, moving around the entire world, occasionally intersecting with others until it rejoins at the origin point. There are no ways of recording the size and length of most stretches of leyline aside from waiting for people to be born upon them and observing them in case they show signs of developing powers. Some leylines can be detected through other means (thermometers, land scars, etc). Since the exile of the Divines, the leylines have lost a great deal of their energy, needing a catalyst of sorts in order to trigger a reaction, although it is believed by some scientists that the leylines can occasionally pulse in some way, affecting the environment on a small, often unnoticeable scale. The creation of life is one such catalyst. When someone or something is born upon one of the invisible leylines, there is a burst of unseen energy within the newborn, and their blood and soul is fused with the ley the line harbours. These leyborn initially show no signs of being any different from a normal baby, and continue to remain perfectly normal until mid teens. Leyborn usually discover their true nature in an accidental cast of ley power, triggered by stress, fear or anger. In Sovreignous, humans try to fence in and deny access to all known leylines. This has led to a number of scattered walled in areas that litter the eight regions of the continent. In The Scarred Lands, leylines are not something that is publically known about. While the fenrye adore the leyborn and respect their powers greatly, they have very little understanding as to how these powers are acquired. Matern possesses the knowledge, of course, but after the Necroley War, a war which even she heard of in her secluded mother den, she became somewhat tentative. Considering the fenrye are big fans of power, and would no doubt enjoy creating many more leyborn, Matern keeps the secret of the lines away from them as an act of love and protection. The seven types of ley have different affects on those who play host to them. The types are as followed. Pyro Pyroley is the ley of fire, light and warmth. Pyroley lines are of fairly low threat, and have a jagged pattern which cuts through the entirety of Rime. It has been determined that pyroley lines have been the source of some small scale forest fires and patches of charred earth, although no one has ever been harmed.

Pyroborn usually show the first signs of power at around fifteen, usually through glowing brightly and unexpectedly during a state of relaxation. Pyroborn are often extroverts: They tend to be very cheerful and occasionally quite lustful and desiring in nature. The ley within them gives them a joyful or seductive nature which can vary in intensity from person to person and from day to day. A trained pyroborn can conjure flames with their hands and can incinerate and conflagrate targets with just a thought. They can also add warmth to their surroundings and can illuminate certain areas with glowing orbs and a light that radiates from their bodies. Due to their pleasant nature, pyroborn are usually not very dangerous, although they can be if something they desperately want eludes them. Jealously and unanswered lust can invoke anger within pyroborn, causing them to ignite buildings and harm others. The most famous pyroborn currently on Rime is the Lorebringer and current fenrye leader, Alpha Ashwake. Through meditation and vigorous training, Ashwake overcame the personality traits that often accompany the pyroborn powers. The creator of the pyroley is Luma. Hydro Hydroley is the ley of water. Hydroley lines are in a much higher concentration over the seas of Rime, but they do cross over land in many locations. Unknown may these locations be, the presence of hydroborn in both Scarred Lands and Sovreignous provides undeniable proof of this fact. Hydroley lines are considered medium threat by wranglers, and have been known to make the ground slightly damp in places they are a little unstable. Hydroborn can go their entire lives without realising what they are. They start to display signs of their abilities usually when surrounded by large quantities of water, such as the sea, or a lake. The youngest revealed hydroborn was just five years old, when she fell into a lake and nearly drowned, using casts to save herself. Hydroley casts can be quite dangerous, but they are very situational. A hydroborn can only truly be at their maximum potential when surrounded by water, or when standing in the rain. They can manipulate the water in peoples bodies and drown them in their own fluids (something which nearly every hydroborn will at least consider in their life, due to their unpredictable nature). Hydroborn can anger quite quickly, making them quite difficult to befriend, and they tend to fight back when wranglers try to take them away, hence the higher threat level. Overall though, they do tend to be quite friendly and fairly reasonable. There are currently no famous or infamous hydroborn on Rime, although there are around ninety in The Leylands under the watchful eye of the wranglers. The creator of the hydroley is Hyde. Geo Geoley is the ley of earth and stone. Geoley lines are in slightly higher concentration in mountainous and rocky areas, such as the Sea of Stone and The Sky-Climb Mountains, but they are fairly consistent all over the world. Unstable geoley lines have been known to cause small cracks in the

earth, but have never harmed anyone. Geoley lines are considered extremely low threat, but geoborn individuals are still taken away like all leyborn are. Geoborn are stereotypically very harmless. They are tend to be calm and fairly docile by nature, often choosing to live in seclusion for unexplained reasons. Sapient geoborn rarely display their powers during their life time but it is possible to identify them based on their personality alone. Animal geoborn are usually a little more active and occasionally quite dangerous. It is harder for the ley to twist the nature behaviour of beasts for an unknown reason. If Geoborn do discover their powers accidentally, they tend to keep it hidden. Geoborn are the hardest leyborn to identify, and there are only around forty of them currently living in the Leylands (although it is thought that there are many more roaming free). When discovering their powers, geoborn can cause local earth quakes, open the ground beneath targets, break apart and forge together stones and twist geological masses into interesting shapes. Unlike the geoleys creator, however, geoborn cannot alter their own forms. One of the most famous geoborn that ever lived was a jurnice in The Everlast Woods, who would use localised tremors to knock tasty green leaves out of trees, and built stone walls around her children. She came to be known as the Stone Mother, until she was killed by wranglers. The creator of the geoley is Korl. Aero Aeroley is the ley of wind, air and weather. Aeroley lines are slightly different to the other lines, in that they tend to remain relatively near to the equator in a high weaving concentration. Aeroley lines are difficult to locate, as even when they are unstable, they only give off a faint gust of wind which you can barely feel upon your skin. Aeroley lines are of medium threat to the wranglers, due to its tendency to manifest with relative ease. At some stage in an aeroborns life, usually fairly early (around thirteen or fourteen) their powers will become apparent to them. Aeroborn can involuntarily detect imminent changes in the weather and the atmosphere. This sixth sense is usually related to an aeroborn, which either the wielder of the ley will find out sooner or later, or someone else will point it out, almost like diagnosing an illness after someone displays certain symptoms. Once an aeroborn has a grasp on their identity, they can learn to control their casts with relative ease. Air surrounds them at all times, so there are always opportunities to practice manipulating it. Personality wise, along with the strange ability to sense a change in the weather, aeroborn seem fairly whimsical and distant. They are often considered fairly eccentric or even insane, but are typically friendly by nature. At a young age, aeroborn will often have imaginary friends, and for some, this never changes. A fully matured and controlled aeroborn can twist the weather in the heavens, conjure lightning bolts and strong, incapacitating gusts of wind. Those who practice extensively can even learn to fly, making being an aeroborn the Rime equivalent of being a super hero. Naturally, all the children want to be one. There have been two famous aeroborn, on opposite sides of the moral scale. King Rell Murran was the first ever and so far only leyborn king ever to rule Sovreignous. He used his abilities to become an admiral of his own fleet, twisting the winds to fill the sails of his ships. The second aeroborn was a

loomer named Thunder that dwelled in the mountains of Sky-Climb, who used his incredibly powerful casts to bring about the destructive Thaw storm of 496 LW. He was killed by Wranglers after the storms subsided. It is unknown whether he called the storms deliberately or accidently. The creator of the aeroley is Driff.

Cryo Cryoley is the ley of cold and ice. Due to its moderate similarity and past association with necroley, cryoley is considered high threat by wranglers. Cryoley lines have no real discernible pattern, similarly to pyroley lines. They are also hard to detect and locate, but using thermometers with a sensitive receiver, one can detect a minor drop in temperature over particularly powerful cryoley lines. A cryoborns personality will rarely indicate to his true nature, as many people can act as a cryoborn would without the ley clouding their minds. Cryoborn are cold and calculating but also fairly arrogant and sarcastic. Saying that however, cryoborn can also be very wise with their logic, but they are not afraid to burden those with it, even if not required. Cryoborn are not entirely difficult to identify, due to their comfort in cold conditions. They cannot endure any hostile weather thrown at them, but they are much more resilient to the biting lows of Glacenox. They often have quite cold bodies and their hands make people squirm and shiver. A cryoborn can usually use their mechanical logic to figure out their gift before their twentieth birthday. They are also notoriously difficult to locate should they wish to hide from wranglers. When in control of their casts, a cryoborn can freeze anything so long as there is moisture in either the air or in their target. They can construct bladed walls of spiked ice to discourage or deter foes, and can conjure up weapons and tools made from a high density, nearly indestructible ice. The most famous cryoborn is Huntmaster Chillsire, the leading huntmaster of the fenrye and first tamer of the krondor. The creator of the cryoley is Glace Bio Bioley is the ley of life, and is the easiest leyline to track and locate. Bioley lines are all over Rime, particularly under areas which have a higher density of vegetation. In the top corner of Rime, on the continent known as The Statuary, there is an incredibly high concentration of bioley lines, which, when active, sprouted an entire jungle which almost flash froze during the return of Glacenox. Bioley lines often super fertilise the ground they run across, causing grass and plants to grow in a long green streak. Bioley is considered low threat, as its powers are mostly used in healing, strengthening and nurturing. Bioborn tend to be selfless, loving and kind. They typically have an interest in living things, usually taking up becoming experts in a respective field, such as botanists or entomologists. Bioborn usually discover their ley essence at a young age when certain living organisms react differently to them.

Animals in particular react peculiarly to bioborn, often following them around and responding to their orders as if they were trained. To humans, vermus and fenrye, bioborn can have an alluring effect. They can seem very attractive or just pleasant to have around. Bioborn are usually very social and have many friends. A bioborns arsenal mainly consists of casts which aid and fix living things. Bioborn can heal wounds, sometimes life threatening ones if they are powerful enough. They can also cure diseases, nourish failing crops, calm and control beasts, manipulate the minds of sapient beings and the most talented bioborn can actually create life (although only on a small scale; E.G. grass, insects.). The two most sought after bioborn abilities which eludes most are the shape-shifting ability which Matern used almost constantly, and the ability to pull animals into sapience, as mentioned under Biolifters. Some bioborn have been able to change themselves into beasts, but to great risk. Its not unusual for them to become stuck in that form for many days or even months. Also, a poorly executed shift can result in organs being misplaced which leads to a fairly quick and painful death. There are currently over two hundred bioborn on the Leylands, many of which are being trained as healers for the war. The creator of the bioley is Matern. Necro Necroley is the ley of death and darkness, and is rated extremely high threat on the wrangler chart. Necroley lines follow a different pattern to the other leylines. Necroley lines stretch for miles and miles before changing direction. This makes them easier to track, and easier to build around to avoid people being born upon them. However, necroley lines do not give away any signs of their presence. Highly defended, closed of sections of land mark the presence of known necroley lines, but even then there are still plenty of them out there, still concealed. Necroborn are the most dangerous individuals on the planet. The necroley is a powerful, near uncontrollable force. It is the end of all things, including the host it possesses, more often than not. While none of the leys were ever meant to be wielded by mortals, necroley is the finest example of this point. Necroley will begin to drive its hosts insane before they reach eighteen. As they begin their descent into madness, necroborn develop a deep fascination with all things morbid: death, decay, darkness, despair, and usually find themselves holding grudges and picking out enemies. A necroborns true identity is revealed either when people pick up on their rapidly shifting personality, or if they discover it themselves by accidently snuffing the life from something or someone in a moment of rage. A necroborns power stirs a deep fear inside every sensible human, vermus and fenrye. While they are not as varied as some of the other ley types, a necroborn can kill anything with just a flick of their wrist from a frightening range. A single necroborn soldier during the necroley war could kill hundreds of enemies before falling, but they have a disadvantage when they cannot see, as their casts only work on those within their vision or line of sight. Along with these death dealing casts, necroborn can also see and on some occasions, communicate with The Pale and the spirits within it. Necroborn are killed upon positive identification. They are not detained and transported to the Leylands like other leyborn are, as they would pose a threat to the others. After they lose their

minds, necroborn have a compulsive need to kill, which made them a formidable army during the war. The most famous necroborn ever to live was Morgarth Farl, the leader of the necroborn army during the war. Nox is the creator of the necroley.

Leylords A leylord is a cocktail of two or more ley in a single individual, created when said individual is born over a point in which two or more different leylines intersect. Although most of the possible leylord types have never existed, scholars have logged titles for each and every duo ley possibility. Pyro + Hydro = Steamweaver Pyro + Geo = Volcanist Pyro + Aero = Smokeweaver Pyro + Cryo = Melter Pyro + Bio = Phoenix Pyro + Necro = Hellbearer Hydro + Geo = Mudder Hydro + Aero = Mistweaver Hydro + Cryo = Flowfreeze Hydro + Bio = Siren Hydro + Necro = Tsunamist Geo + Aero = Dust Devil Geo + Cryo = Shatterer Geo + Bio = Warden Geo + Necro = Tombstone Aero + Cryo = Hail Lord Aero + Bio = Angel Aero + Necro = Reaper Cryo + Bio = Preserver Cryo + Necro = Palecaller Bio + Necro = Divine Aspect Although it will likely never occur, a leyborn containing three or more ley types will be referred to as a leymaster.

Ghosts and The Pale The Pale The Pale is an out of phase spiritual plain of existence crafted by Glace and Nox during the Faith War to safely channel the souls of the war dead to a state of peace.

During the war, the two divines couldnt help but notice the heavy sense of unrest in the air. People were dying in such large amounts and many of them were not passing on, especially those who were fighting to defend something they believed so strongly in. It was as if the spirits did not want to leave and the world was growing heavy under their combined weight. The immortals could feel it, pressing against their minds like a bad omen; the world was dying and something had to be done. Glace and Nox decided to create a new realm in which the restless dead could manifest. The idea was that this realm would act as a point between death itself and the realm beyond where the souls of the deceased go to rest. It was a channel, but also a gateway and a point in which they could briefly maintain their personalities and individuality and come to terms with what had happened instead of being cruelly thrown into mindless unrest. For every day of the war, Glace and Nox roamed The Pale, granting peace to the Faithful who had died for them and even to those who had fought against them. Rime became less burdened as the souls of the dead were no longer lingering like an invisible cloud, and after many years, the war ended. The immortals were forced into hiding, but not before Glace founded the Palecallers: The wardens of the Pale who would commune with those who cannot find rest due to unfinished business. The Palecallers were designed to be carriers of the spirits desires, fulfilling their final wishes and ensuring they could pass onto the next plain safely and peacefully. Palthgar became a beacon of hope for the spirits still aware of their surroundings. Whenever the ghosts wanted something to be done, and could not speak to anyone living, they went to The Palecallers and filed their last order. It quickly became clear why Nox and Glace created The Pale, as spirits unattended to degrade into sinister and dangerous entities. It is unclear how the issue of spirit degradation was avoided before the Pale was constructed, but scholars believe it may have been an unintended side effect of the original Leyweave. The Immortals, while trying to make the world a better place, may have unwillingly crafted a net in which the spirits of the dead can get caught in, and thus, they built up into an unstable mass that could have destroyed the world. Another theory (and a much more poetic one, told of in stories and songs) is that the land of rest and paradise, known as Benedis, became overflowed during the Necroley War, thus leading to spirits flooding out and washing up on Rimes near physical plane. The spirits, angry by their disallowed entry, wreaked havoc upon the world, thus leading to Glaces and Noxs intervention. Within The Pale, there are four different kinds of ghost, starting off at spirit or echo before deteriorating into vengers and omens. Spirits Spirits are the most common entity that dwells within The Pale. A spirit is a transparent likeness of the formerly living man or woman which retains all memories, thoughts and awareness. A spirit has freedom to roam the world as an invisible watcher, able to act and perceive as they normally would and interact with any other spirits trapped in The Pale too. Spirits can travel rapidly to any point in the world, and can be seen by those with necroley within them. Naturally, this includes Palecallers and any other cocktail leyborn containing the necroley. Spirits think and act like any other living person, but they all have one thing in common: Unfinished business. A spirit will only manifest in this form if they have a reason to remain on Rime. Without a

reason, they simply pass onto whatever the true afterlife holds, as do they should their unfinished business be completed. Most spirits will wander without much purpose or hope for some time until they encounter another spirit with news of The Palecallers. Spirits will usually travel to Palthgar in order to gain help with their unfinished business, although some do not, choosing to remain elsewhere for other reasons, such as wanting to see their children grow up. While spirits have their business sorted by Palecallers, in a mutual exchange, the spirits are sent out into the world to locate more spirits and tell them of Palthgars activities. They are also asked to look out for any echoes which cannot find the Palecallers themselves.

Echoes An echo is a form of spirit with a totally different behaviour. While echoes resemble spirits (in that they look like transparent humanoids) they do not retain their free will or their awareness. You cannot communicate with an echo as you would a spirit, as echoes are just shells of what they used to be. Similarly to spirits, echoes always have unfinished business, something which is often incredibly hard to find out what it is, considering asking them usually just triggers a wave of cryptic nonsense and a long, cold stare. Echoes usually remain in one place; either a place that was significant to them in life, or the spot where they died. An echo is made either when a spirit waits too long to have its business finished, and its mind is lost, or if someone dies in a particularly harrowing or mind destroying way. Echoes cannot seek out The Palecallers, so the Palecallers have to go out and find them themselves, usually recruiting spirits to do the hunt for them. While echoes are not dangerous, they can be if left for too long in their sorrowful state, as they deteriorate further into vengers. Vengers A venger is the first of the four stages of ghost that can interact with the normal living, and not in a pleasant way. Vengers are echoes which are imbued with a raging violence, brought on perhaps by the fact that no one came to help them. Vengers are not picky with their targets, but they tend to go after those they knew in life, those who were responsible for their death, or those who simply live near the echoes lingering location. Vengers have a frightening appearance to those that can see them. They still resemble their former selves, but with an element of rotting on their bodies. They are very pale, usually with dark, black eyes and they start to display signs of the thing that killed them: For example, if they were killed by an arrow to the heart, the arrow would be visible. A venger can move around the world freely, but never move far from their initial linger point. They can manipulate physical objects and hurl them around to strike the living. They do not appear to the normal living, but can toy with the environment to occasionally reveal their presence, using classic horror techniques such as making the walls drip blood or having words scratched into solid surfaces.

Vengers rarely actually kill people, but they can do some serious damage, especially if one of their hurled objects strikes a child or elderly person. Palecallers are dispatched in secret to hastily deal with vengers when they learn of their presence, before they degrade further and become their ultimate and terrifying form. Omens Omens are the final level of ghost, the ultimate manifestation of hatred, betrayal and rage. By the time a spirit becomes an omen, it holds nothing of what it used to be bar the desire to enact vengeance upon the living for their unrelenting neglect. Similarly to vengers, omens never stray far from their initial linger point, which spells doom for those that dwell nearby. Omens are the only form of ghosts that can actually physically appear before living eyes. They are absolutely horrifying in appearance, with eyeless sockets, distorted facial features, a ghostly pale complexion with rotting skin and teeth, blackened finger nails and greasy hair. Like vengers, they also display their means of death. Even then though, they still very slightly resemble their old selves. When an omen appears before someone, a sort of countdown clock is initiated. They can invade peoples homes or ambush them outside, occasionally from a far away distance, staring from the window of a house or from the other side of a river, perhaps. If you do not actually see the omen, the countdown is not initiated; however, they are very good at positioning themselves in a place where their target will find them. Five days is usually the amount of time it takes for the omens doom clock to reach zero. Once an omen has been seen, sometime after, the one who saw them will die, in some unpredictable and occasionally gruesome way. Whether from some sudden illness, by accident or spontaneously murdered by some assailant, seers of the omen will always die... unless of course, the omen is destroyed before the countdown ends. Omens are calmer than vengers. They do not throw objects around, but they are ten times more dangerous. They can appear to the same person multiple times during the five day count down and torment them but they only seem to target one person at a time. Omen behaviours can vary slightly: They can target specific individuals for some reason significant only to them. Some omens will only target women, some will only target children, and some will only target soldiers while some will just mindlessly target anyone in their vicinity. By the time an omen is unleashed, unfinished business no longer bothers them. The only way to grant them rest is to destroy them using necroley casts. Major Historical Events and Lore Rime is millions if not billions of years old, but the more primitive races on its surface have been far too pre-occupied with survival than recording history. It wasnt until The Seven Divines revealed themselves to the humans and vermus that history finally began to be written down. The historians effectively started a new slate, detailing major events in history over the next 700 years. This recorded part of history is known as Ley-Woven, hence the LW that follows the years when written. The millions of years before this time occurred are known as Dry-Ley due to the lack of leylines, and are indicated to with a DL symbol. Currently, no DL dates can be determined, but with

advances in technology, it is possible the people of Rime will one day discover how they came to be, and what, if anything, came before them. The Planetary Shift Unknown DL It is assumed Rime long, long ago had a consistent and stable orbit, which allowed life to initially flourish and grow. While its possible Rime has always had its irregular orbit, like many other planets in the galaxy have, historians and philosophers cling onto the theory that something caused Rime to veer off its usual course. They cannot begin to fathom what had enough force and strength to move the mass of an entire planet, however. The Disappearance of the Lysus Unknown DL Ruins of a previous species can occasionally be excavated by Recollectors. Something killed the lysus, and its possible the shift of Rime in space caused this extinction. So far, no depictions or skeletal remains have been located, however. The Divine Intervention 0LW Just under eight hundred years ago, The Immortals appeared all over Sovreignous. The seven reptilian humanoids arrived in the warmer months and they were initially greeted by hostility and fear. They defused these objections by simply being helpful. There were around seventy or eighty million humans living on Sovreignous at the time, all within quite primitive but well adapted little villages and towns. The Divines improved the lives of every one of them. They grew crops, healed the sick, built walls and towers, calmed the storms and provided everyone with enough resources and provisions to lead happy, almost care free lives. They were adored by everyone, as not only were their benefactors helpful, they were also quite pleasant to be around. The Divines were good conversationalists and were overall very well spoken and friendly. Driff would spend hours playing with the children of villages, while Hyde would vigilantly march around and defend anyone from threats. Matern was the kindest of all though, taking every hour of her days to sit with the ones she was helping and talk over their problems and concerns with them. When it became apparent that Glacenox would dampen the worlds spirits, the Divines set to work, creating The Ley-Weave. It took eight days of concentration and casting, in which they barely moved an inch and spoke to no one. The invisible leylines carried out their purpose, and once they had netted Rime in space, the immortals returned to their caring duties. When Glacenox never came, the people were ecstatic. A world in perpetual summer confused the vicious animals, such as the sleepers, making them practically harmless. Flowers bloomed all year around, and the amount of crops to harvest was enough to feed everyone for free. A religion quickly formed, and The Faithful worshipped The Divines. The Divines never once condoned or demanded this, but they appreciated it. They would always speak to their worshippers as equals and often dismiss formalities. The Faith War 160LW to 200LW They say all good things must come to an end, and this was no exception. One hundred and twenty years into the peace and prosperity of the Divines presence, the first of the leyborn began to appear.

When parents witnessed their children possessing the ability to conjure fire, or even control death, concerns started to rise. They pleaded for the Divines to inform them what was going on, and to their horror, the seven immortals had absolutely no idea. It was clear that people were being born with the power of the gods in their grasp, but they did not know what the cause was. The Divines set to work discovering the source of the issue, and to their surprise, they realised it was the Ley-Weave, the very thing that was making their people so happy. They called for an audience and told their people the news. They apologised, and regretfully informed them that the leylines were here to stay, and that leyborn would be something that would simply have to be monitored and looked after. Opinions split the humans and vermus down the middle; Millions thought this was a simple and necessary sacrifice to keep Glacenox at bay, while others were disgusted at the notion their own children were feeling the effects of their gods plunders. As time went on, tensions grew as more and more leyborn began to appear. When the first of the necroborn reached maturity, and began killing dozens of innocent people, the divines had to act. They cut down the rampaging adolescents with efficiency and formidable power, showing the already wavering population their terrifying combat capabilities. During a public address in 160LW, the first recorded incident of a man attacking the Divines occurred. A single father of a culled necroborn ran at Luma with a knife, and in what some would call self defence, and what others would call murder, she incinerated him after the knife pierced her chest. Luma survived, but this act of martyrdom (or savagery) showed the gods were capable of bleeding, and the fear was defused. Not long after, more of the Divines began to face hostilities while performing their helpful duties. They apparently killed no one else, and instead took to the skies and fled. Their mercy was juxtaposed with their power, causing continent wide divides. Generations had loved The Divines and wanted to defend them, while others were afraid of what taboo sorcery they would cast next. Escalations rose over the next few years until the entire continent was in a state of all out war. The Faithful wore the colours of their gods while their opposition, known as The Reclaimers wore tabards decorated with a reptilian skull (a trend that returned for the Wolfbane Pact years later). Everyone had something to fight for, and a world to save, and so very few of Rimes people refused to enter the fray. The war was absolutely devastating to both sides, destroying and ending the lives of sixty million men, women and children of humans and vermus alike. The war lasted for forty years, until the Faithful were finally defeated. The Divines never intervened, but were occasionally visible, overseeing the battles with saddened expressions. Once the final battle in the fields of Norvask was over, and the last of the Faithfuls warriors fell, the Divines vanished, splitting up and spreading themselves around the globe. To this day, hardly a soul knows their locations, with the exception of Matern, who made her position quite well known. The Birth of The Fenrye - 200LW Matern, grief-stricken and enraged at the prospect of so many of what she considered her own children to die at the hands of hateful fools, fled to the Scarred Lands and plotted enacting revenge. Shed seen mankinds fury at its height, and she feared for what else they would destroy before their time was done. If they wanted war and chaos, she thought, then that would be the very thing that tore them from this world, replaced with new order, and respect for their benefactors.

Permanently exhausting a large fraction of her power, Matern created a new sapient species; the fenrye. The fenrye were slightly based upon the humans of Sovreignous; they had their bipedal legs, their capability of speech, their opposable thumbs and fingers for holding tools and weapons, but with the rest of the anatomy, she structured it anew. Fenrye were made to be more like animals, not people, with fanged muzzles, powerful haunches, fur, claws and pointed ears. The fenrye were initially savage and hard to control, but over time, they would become some of the most efficient, effective and honourable warriors to walk Rimes surface. They would become a sign of unity. They would not war with themselves, and most importantly, they would not feel fear. Fear is what destroyed the humans and vermus. Fear in the fenrye community would be totally intolerable. The Necroley War 407LW to 409LW Just when the Sovreignous population had managed to creep its way up to about four million, Morgarth Farl played his hand. Morgarth Farl, a young, intelligent man, was corrupted by the necroley in his system which in turn, used his intelligence to spread the energy to others. Farl had a maternity ward built upon a necroley line using his wealth and contacts and over the course of twenty years, people from all over the continent to use the wards advanced resources. Farl grew himself an army of necroborn, and recruited them one by one. The ley pulled them to a matching state of mind, and in 407LW, he put his plan into action. Around two hundred necroborn formed a single unit and began to march from town to town, levelling buildings and killing everyone in their path like a swarm of locusts. Since Farl was never interrogated or questioned, his motives behind the wave of destruction was never fully revealed, but its thought global annihilation was generally in mind. In 408LW, the necroborn army destroyed Southlight. Its not entirely certain why they did this, but it became clear that their campaign would next carry them to Northlight. The Divines Reserve was also hit incredibly hard, leading some to believe that they were targeting the Faithful and the creations of the Faithful. Before they could reach Northlight, they had to go through Glascan. Their Glascan campaign lasted for a few months, in which they purged the continent and built outposts. For a time, Glascan was completely under necroborn control. It is assumed they were preparing for the northern expedition. During this downtime, the remaining vermus and humans, led by a group of Palecallers assaulted the necroborn under the cover of a blizzard which shrouded their vision and made it difficult to fight back. With the superior tactical direction by Grey Koramas, a Palecaller, the war ended in Glascan when Morgarth Farl was executed on the battlefield. The necroborn army had halved the already dwindling population, reducing it to close to one million. To this day, Morgarth Farl remains a figure of historical importance, and his name has become a curse word used when agitated, upset or disgusted. Foundation of Sanctus and The Wranglers 413LW With the hate for leyborn still quite firmly trapped in the hearts of the shattered population, many individuals came together to found a city. They formed under the banner of Rorik Murran, a well

respected military general who survived the Necroley War. With his direction and aid, the people built a settlement, which, over the many years would eventually become the magnificent stone city known as Sanctus. As the people built, they lived in a constant state of fear. Anyone could have been a leyborn, and after the months of burning bodies left by the necroborn army, tensions were high. Rorik was perhaps the most vigilant, having seen the fiends in battle. As his people worked, he founded an organisation that would be trained in the arts of leyborn hunting, utilising the advice The Palecallers had given him about shrouding the senses. The Wranglers were put to work once they had been trained extensively. They tirelessly patrolled the roads and villages of Rime, rooting out any unusual activity they could. Confirmed leyborn were cut down without hesitation, or sent off to facilities for research. They learnt to act without proof, often killing based on simple hunches and intuition. Naturally, this became a prospect almost as terrifying as the leyborn themselves. Nevertheless, the wranglers were born, and to this day, they have never wavered from their goal of snuffing out the leyborn activity that could harm the public.

The Leyborn Act and The Watchful Councils Formation- 432LW By the time The Leyborn Act came into being, Sanctus had reached city status, and Rorik had been crowned king. The Wranglers had continued their bloody path throughout the continents and as fear for leyborn dropped, fear of them steadily increased. There had been no more serious leyborn incidents since the war had ended, and witnesses would often report on the wranglers total lack of mercy even without confrontation. People began consider the leyborn as victims rather than monsters, and their rights started to be questioned. The straw that broke this camels back was when Wranglers stormed Palthgar, the home of The Palecallers and executed its residents, including the war hero that defeated Morgarth Farl, Grey Koramas. The people were outraged at this betrayal. Their king had ordered his wranglers to kill all leyborn, not even making exceptions for those that saved the lives of every last living soul in Sovreignous. Something had to be done to ensure his power was not abused, and that passive, harmless leyborn received at least some fair treatment. Rioting citizens stormed the streets of Sanctus. They breached the inner walls of Roriks castle and claimed his throne room while he sat within. Rorik did not order his soldiers to attack, and fortunately, was very receptive to his peoples cries. He simply issued a warning that their act may bare the fruit which would decimate their numbers yet again, but he willingly carried out The Leyborn Act. Leyborn from this point on would not simply be killed on sight, unless they were identified to be necroborn. Leyborn would instead be transported to an island off the southern coast, where they would live normal, non-destructive lives under the vigilance of his wrangler guards.

The people approved of the decision, but they also demanded to have a more permanent say in the kingdoms development. Through this desire, The Watchful Council was implemented, a cycling group of individuals which served as advisors, and made the decision making much more democratic. In the present day, both of these laws still exist, although the current Watchful Council is believed to be corrupted by greed and fear of fenrye. The Leyhalls Construction- 496LW King Rufus, Roriks youngest son, had faith in the leyborn after one saved his life just years before. When Thaws storms came in the year 496, they were the most destructive ever recorded. Entire crops were obliterated, towns were flooded and countless people were left homeless and hungry. Rufus, rather than simply relying on the tenacity of his people like his predecessors may have, decided to take a different approach. Rufus ordered that leyborn be brought in from The Leylands and escorted to his throne room. The Wranglers advised heavily against this, but they obeyed, eventually. With the leyborn lined up before him, Rufus got down from his throne, issued the men and woman a bow and pleaded them for their help. With their powers of restoration and manipulation of matter, they would have Sovreignous up and functioning again in no time. The chosen leyborn accepted the opportunity to help, gratefully, finally being given a chance to step off that island. They were still prisoners, under the constant watch of wrangler guards, but with their help, Sovreignous persevered. The damage was restored, the crops were healed, the floods were banished and the land was made inhabitable once again. With the project being such a success, Rufus took it another step further. He ordered a facility to be constructed upon The Leylands, known as The Leyhalls. This building would house research and training materials for leyborn to practice and control their abilities in order for them to be stable enough for use in the rest of the world. The Leyhalls would become a place of great scientific significance overtime, as the leyborn casts opened doors which were previously impossible to reach. The Leyhalls construction was completed in 500LW. Norvask Independence- 572LW In 551 LW, King Rufus, a well respected and benevolent king, died of an unidentified but a fairly ordinary illness. His successor, King Rorik II, was Sovreignouss first true tyrant. His rule was cruel, and it was his influence that first created the inequality that is forced upon vermus citizens. King Rorik II prioritised only the rich nobles of Sanctus, concentrating all of the kingdoms resources to improving the quality of city dwellers and fiercely neglecting all settlements outside of the capitals walls. Trade routes were cut off, and the royal guard and enforcers of the law were all pulled from posts around the continent to turn Sanctus into a discreet police state. The vermus was banished from the city, and during their plots and schemes that would eventuate in Rorik IIs assassination, the other parts of the world suffered a total loss of law and order. Norvask in particular, a region already hardened by cruel conditions and vicious wildlife, became more and more independent, rejecting the very concept of law after just a few years. Vigilantism and the concept of an eye for an eye became the cultural norm. Norvask became independent, completely

secluded from the rest of the human kingdom. Law enforcers were usually attacked on sight, including wranglers. Many wranglers and guards performing routine checkups were killed; overwhelmed by those who would no longer accept their enforcing regime. Even after Rorik II was assassinated by Raphael Bladesinger, and trade routes we re-established under command of his sister, Queen Elias, Norvask still rejected the rules of the kingdom and crushed anyone who forced them upon them. With nearly half of the farmlands on the continent within Norvask, however, the queen decided to let the babies have their bottles in order to keep a steady and healthy supply of vegetables and crops flowing through the other provinces.

The Rise of the Formless 600LW At the stroke of midnight, at the turn of the 600 year of the ley woven age, a terrible thunder shook the continent. Quakes erupted through every region of Sovreignous. The ocean pulsed and the animals coward. At this time, Sovreignous was a horse-shoe shaped. The Dry Divide did not exist before this moment, but at the turn of the 7th century, it rose from the depths of the ocean. The Dry Divides ascension brought torrents of water with it which cascaded in all directions, destroying many settlements and drowning countless individuals. The island city of Preciphillie was hit the worst, being positioned directly above The Divide. The entire city was levelled, and many people lost their lives. The salt water tainted the land it washed over, killing vegetation an expanding what would soon become The Dry Divide. In the mathematical centre of this new landmass, a gargantuan, glassy smooth stone monument rose from the ground. The Core, as it came to be known, is made of a stone too hard to cut or analyse with a reflective sheen and absolutely seamless features. The structure is simple; a large rectangle with a single halo that stretches from its top. Oddly however, suspended within this halo is a large stone sphere. No known force is capable of suspending such a large and assumingly heavy object. It simply unnaturally defies the laws of known physics. No one knows of its significance to this day, however. A few hours after the Cores rise, mysterious doors slid open. The shrouded figures of The Formless emerged upon land for the first time through these openings, branching out in disciplined union and formation. They moved to every major settlement with pinpoint accuracy, claiming metallic objects, sometimes right from the hands of the villagers wielding them. They never once stopped, never once faltered. They could not be killed or even slowed by attacks, often confiscating the metal weapons used and wandering off with them. Once theyd stolen enough metal, they placed chests full of gold, jewels and expensive objects in the mathematical centre of every settlement. Its not known how many formless exist within The Core, but its thought to be in the hundreds of thousands. They return every thirty days, always exiting and arriving at exactly the same time, as if programmed by some mechanical intelligence. They always take the same amount of metal in weight every appearance. Queen Ellias organised metal deposits to be dropped off in the centre of every village every thirty days to allow villagers to hold onto their items. To this day, The Formless still appear, on the same twelve days every year. They are clearly synced with the humans in some way, knowing the locations of their homes, and even syncing with their fairly recent measures of recording time. To this day, however, The Formless are considered Rimes greatest current mystery.

The Ashen Unity 618LW Meanwhile, across the seas, several fenrye leaders had already been and gone. Following the rule of Alpha Razjek, and his ultimate death at the hands of Whitefangs son, Alpha Moonbound sought to unite the largest fenrye settlements under a single banner. He received this divine goal directly from Matern herself, who wanted her children to cease their squabbles amongst one another, as any parent would. Moonbound and his army successfully united the south with the continents centre. With his displays of power, and blessings from Matern. Once hed gained the support of Coldhaunch and The Steambreach, Moonbound trekked north to the second largest fenrye city, known as Dremlok. DremLok had its own Alpha that went by the name of Lykorger. Lykorger and his pack denied Moonbound entry into the city, proclaiming that he would always have absolute dominion over his territory, not Moonbound and not Matern. What followed was a brewing storm. Moonbounds objective was clear, and his people began to settle on the northern side of The Deeprift. Tensions grew over several decades as more and more of Moonbounds people settled, creating villages and camps. Tensions rose over several decades until they snapped. A war erupted over The Sea of Stone; a terrible battle between the northern fenrye, the southern fenrye and the stone serephin that swarmed across the fields, disturbed by the conflict. The victory went to the north, and Alpha Moonbound was critically injured by Lykoger himself. His remaining soldiers carried his broken body back to Whitehowl, where he later died in the care of a dozen shamans. The first Alpha Arena was announced by a grieving Matern to choose a new leader. In the dusty remains of the battle that took place within the ring, Alpha Ashwake emerged triumphant. His goals matched Moonbound; a fenrye he greatly admired. In addition to Moonbounds strength, he also possessed the powers of the pyroley. It took around thirty years for Whitehowl to muster up enough strength for a second invasion, and DremLoks forces had greatly increased in this time. Even so, Ashwake led the attack through The Sea of Stone. Through superior tactics, and his own intense fiery powers, Ashwakes army destroyed the opposition. Lykoger, who was aged and frail at this point, declared his defeat and surrendered his forces and legions to Ashwake, before disappearing into The Right Claw to seek a good death. With the entirety of The Scarred Lands under a single ruler and cause, Matern began to plan her invasion. This event of unity was known as The Ashen Unity. King Rells Capture- 635 LW Even with her Divine intellect and power, Matern was not capable of seeing the world through eyes other than her own. She could not leave her children to investigate how the humans had developed, and for a time she felt a little helpless. It wasnt until Rell Murran, current king of Sovreignous, wrecked his ship upon the jagged coasts of The Red Dust Run that she had a reliable source of information. King Rell was a very popular, very friendly king of the people. Being an aeroborn, however, he was always very adventurous and playful. He took heavy and personal interest in the pursuit of his

peoples knowledge, and volunteered personally to venture into unknown territory on a sturdy ship, known as The Winds Servant. Contact was lost with him soon after, and a new monarch came into power soon after. No one ever knew what happened to King Rell or his crew. In truth, King Rell was apprehended by The Den Mother, her Alpha and her royal guards. He and his crew were transported in secret to The Mother Den, where they were caged and held as prisoners. King Rell was a firm believer of The Divines, and he was honoured to meet the Goddess, although he was much less honoured by the several years of torture the den watchers inflicted upon him and his crew in order to extract information. Rell would have told Matern everything, but she told him her reasoning beforehand. Matern loathes forms of deception, and she wanted to grant her ex-child a chance to understand. He naturally resisted, and torture was eventually necessary. The crew would go on to release details of life upon Sovreignous: Towns, technology, weapons, healthcare, trade routes, and defences... everything an army would need to stage a successful invasion. Rell never talked, but his crew said enough. It is not known what became of him following these events. It is assumed the fenrye executed him as soon as his use had expired, but there has never been confirmation of this. With the information acquired, Matern and Ashwake directed their people into building the four Hunts. These hunts would act as invasion points, placed strategically upon each corner of The Scarred Lands. The First Hunt 718LW After nearly a century of construction, training, and tactical planning, the first Bloodmoon hunt was launched from Hunt Beta. Alpha Ashwake, who had been granted immortality by Matern decades ago, gave the go ahead and sent a pack of twelve fenrye directly to Sanctus docks aboard a crude ship, based upon The Wind Servants design. The docks ushered in the ship as they would any other, but were totally unprepared for the beasts that leapt from its deck. The fenrye pack, even in their small number, killed many humans and vermus as they stormed through the countryside and towards the city. In their onslaught, they killed one hundred and seventy eight unarmed civilians, and forty six armed guards. The Bloodmoon Hunters were eventually put down by a repeater turret upon the Sanctus gates; a detail that Rells crew kindly left out of their accounts. Their bodies were gathered and dissected, and as much information as possible was processed about these strange creatures. Humans and vermus took to calling them gnolls. The king gave an official statement the next day, declaring these beasts, whatever they were, enemies of the kingdom. From this point on, anything even sharing their resemblance should be shot and killed on sight. Depictions were placed around the cities and villages; pictures of this new potential threat. From that point onwards, the fenrye would attack again, always on a full moon. Their attacks became more scattered; reports coming in from all over the continent. They had shown signs of intelligence and speech, leaving messages here and there and sometimes overheard by stealthy scouts who eluded them during the hunts. Their true names revealed themselves; the fenrye. Their goal, the eradication of the humans and vermus. Their origin, another continent neighbouring Sovreignous, discovered by cartographers. Everything they did, they did for Eonfeygorl, a goddess whom bore resemblance to the old lore about the Goddess Matern. Scholars naturally assumed this was an act of revenge and no one ever questioned it.

The Bloodmoon Era had begun. The Wolfbane Pact was formed. Measures were put into place to ensure the fenryes periodic, fear sowing invasions were failures, but there were always some that slipped through the net. The fanatical fenrye never stopped, never surrendered and never showed mercy. Their ongoing task to keep the human forces scattered, fearful and within disarray is going exactly as planned. They need only receive the order to commence the final mass invasion... but it has yet to come for unknown reasons. Ink the Starls Ascension 747LW With the wars, the crime, the fenrye hunts and the general hostility of Rimes nature, the human and vermus population were in a state of slow decline. People were dying, and every time someone died, there were less potential soldiers, farmers and hunters to sustain and protect the rest of the community. King Hearken Murran gave the go ahead on a new operation to commence within the Leyhalls; an operation dedicated to the production of a new species that could coincide with the humans. They would use their captured bioborn to create life, just as Matern had done before them. Many years of experimentation passed. The bioborn worked tirelessly under the scrutinise, cruel gaze of the wranglers to produce an entirely new being that would solve Rimes under-population problems, but the breakthrough never came. It seemed as if only the Divines were capable of such incredible power. When this failed, the bioborn were forced to work on already existing species instead. They sought to create powerful chimeras. They spliced species together, creating horrific abominations, usually with violent tendencies. Most of them were put down, but its thought some of them escaped into the wilds. During experimentation, all the restrictions were lifted, all of the rules removed. Bioborn were actively encouraged (if not forced) to simply pour their power into any animals brought in. More beasts were inhumanely put down during these experiments, but during 747 LW, just moments before a long term subject was about to be exterminated, he spoke. The subject in question was a starl; a black carrion bird capable of mimicry. The speech was nearly dismissed as one of the sounds the bird had heard, but it quickly became apparent that he was forming these words on his own accord, with total understanding of them. The starls life was spared, and his notes collected from over a year of experimentation were distributed to others around the Leyhalls complex. The bioborn had discovered not a way to create monsters of battle, but they had found a way to pull animals from sentience in sapience. Ink, as the starl was soon to be named, was the worlds first ley-risen. He was presented to the king, and taken on a sort of tour around the continent by hopeful campaigners who sort to ease the new ley-risen into society without too much fuss. Animals capable of thinking like humans and vermus were capable of performing tasks like them. They could become farmers and hunters, even soldiers, so long as they were kept in check, and they knew who their masters were. Ink was fairly unhappy with the way he was being sold to people. He faced prejudice and opposition on a daily basis. He was called a monster, an abomination. The people rejected him, and all others like him in the masses. Even today, the ley-risen population is likely only tolerated due to the state of desperation Sovreignous has been battered into. The ley-risen are still treated as second class citizens, put into work almost as soon as they leave the laboratories. Some of them, however, have fought against the system they were born into, and have adopted their own lives, their own

independence. Ink was not only the first ley-risen, but he was also the first to escape captivity. No one knows where he currently resides. The Bloodmoon Era (Current) 777LW The Bloodmoon Era has lasted fifty nine years so far. The Bloodmoon Era will only end when either the fenrye destroy the Wolfbane Pact, or the Pact eradicates the fenrye. Its assumed the war will end with the total destruction of one side or the other. The Bloodmoon Era gains its name from the significance of the full moon for both The Scarred Lands and Sovreignous. Every full moon, known as a bloodmoon, heralds another hunt, or attack from the fenrye. The Bloodmoon Hunts have become another part of Rimes routine. They occur roughly every twenty nine days, always at night when the moon is up. Every major and most minor settlements have Bloodmoon defences and protocols. Civilians are usually forced inside hours before the moon comes up, and arrested on sight if they walk the streets during this curfew. There are fenrye which roam the wilderness following successful hunts, but usually there are no survivors. The Bloodmoon Era is not all about the fenrye, however. The people of Rime have to juggle the Bloodmoons with other threats too, some of which are quite recent. The Formless come on the same days every year and must be presented with chunks of metal to prevent them stealing from the locals. The skitaxie still move inland during Glacenox to hunt, the threat of wranglers and leyborn are constant, and the strange rise of mysterious deaths and curious sightings seem to be on the rise. The people of Rime have culture. They socialise, they perform, they fall in love, they breed, they create, they develop, they celebrate, they mourn, they lie, they cheat, they build, they spread, they attack, they defend and they survive. Life on Rime is normal to them. Everything they see is something someone has seen before... well mostly. Rimes inhospitable nature, combined with her cryptic mysteries and constant warfare make up the bulk of what truly defines the current era: The Bloodmoon Era.

Rime as a Game Setting

From this point on, the lore will be put on hold. The following sections are all about the unique aspects of Rime have been integrated into mechanics. These areas will contain character generation information, game mechanics, stats and prices for weapons and gear, potential scenarios for campaigns and NPC templates. Rime uses a percentile dice rolling system, meaning most checks will be out of one hundred. On occasion, a D10 will also be used for things like damage (where 100 is a little too much). A player should only need d10s to play, as should a GM (although it is up to them whether or not any other dice should be implemented for certain rules.

Typically, a dice roll will be performed whenever a player is trying to perform a task that has a chance of failure. Walking, for example, would not require a roll, while repairing a broken tool, or attacking a beast, would. As with most table top RPGs, Rime is expected to have a focus on a team of characters controlled by 4-6 players as they adventure through the inhospitable frozen wastes in search of knowledge, fame, money or glory. Any story can be told in an RPG, but that doesnt mean a game should be restricted to a single plot. Sub plots in the forms of miniquests make the world more dynamic, and give the players more ways of interacting with NPCs and areas. In Rime, when your party walks into a tavern, it should not just be static room with static actors. A simple look around may reveal a drunk harassing a woman, a man experiencing trouble with debt collectors, or an unreasonable landlord evicting a tenant. As a table top game, you can approach any of these situations as a force of good, or as a total jerk just looking to make a few extra coins. All approaches and ideas should be possible, so long as your character can pull them off.

Character Generation
This is a step by step guide that will take you through the simple character generation process. By the end of this section, you should have a character capable of performing and surviving on Rime. Sections Attributes The core stats of your character broken down into Strength(STR), Dexterity(DEX), Awareness (AWA), Intelligence(INT), Charisma(CHA), Willpower(WIL) and Adaptability (ADA). Concept The concept of your character, while being handy to have in mind right at the beginning, is best left until after the attribute points have been distributed so you can apply bonuses and penalties based on things like race. This section includes the race, the origin and faction of your character. The concept of your character determines the initial health points. Skills The chosen skills of your character which ultimately decides how he or she performs in certain tasks. The higher the skill, the higher the chance of success when executing the relevant check. Traits The little or large aspects of a character which brings them to life and makes them unique. Positive traits which provide bonuses must be balanced with negative traits which provide penalties. At least two minor or one major trait must be chosen, which in turn, must be balanced by a counterpart. Final touches Deciding things like your starting weapons and armour will be here. Players should expect to not have incredibly valuable gear initially, although this is up to the GM.

Attributes

Your attributes are the core stats that make up your character, and are the base for every skill in the game. There are seven attributes in total, and most players should not expect to have high figures in every one. You are given a pool of points to distribute between the seven attributes with a maximum and minimum number to stay within. Before distribution, every character will initially have 10 points in each attribute. Five is the minimum, while thirty five is usually the maximum, although some traits and racial bonuses may bypass this. The seven attributes are as follows;

Strength (STR)
The strength attribute determines how physically strong your character is. Major differences in this attribute will determine whether or not your character excels at lifting heavy objects, swinging weapons, throwing punches, throwing objects, climbing and grappling.

Dexterity (DEX)
Dexterity helps with actions that require agility, finesse, precision and speed. High dexterity may mean your character aptly perform tasks involving shooting, free running, dodging, infiltrating or tasks that require delicacy, such as pick pocketing.

Intelligence (INT)
Intelligence in a character will be useful when carrying out an action that may require academic training or knowledge. Intelligent characters will find it easier to gather or recall information, investigate scenes, learn additional languages for translation, craft items, create something artistic and also perform complex surgical or scientific procedures.

Awareness (AWA)
Awareness is handy when it comes to spotting or noticing things that others might not. A stealth check is opposed with a perception check, for example. Awareness contributes to skills such as perception, but also is the base skill for mount and vehicle transit.

Charisma (CHA)
The charisma attribute determines how well your character fares in social situations. Charisma contributes towards skills such as persuasion, intimidation and deception. Charisma does not alter your physical appearance, and if you keep your mouth shut, charisma will likely not affect your standing with anyone.

Willpower (WIL)
Willpower determines your characters ability to hold their nerve in tense or frightening situations, their tenacity and their mental strength. Willpower is something everyone on Rime needs in order to get through the day. Fear is something many creatures thrive upon, and willpower may help overcome it. Willpower may also help you detect and sense things with intuition. In a fenrye,

willpower represents your ability to smell fear. In addition, Willpower is also the base attribute for discipline and ley casts.

Adaptability (ADA)
Adaptability covers the skills which help you survive whatever Rimes wilderness can throw at you. It is generally believed on Rime that the only way to stay alive is to stay one step ahead of everything else, to adapt, hence the attributes name. Adaptability based skills include tracking, survival, animal handling, field first aid, trapping and navigation.
Attribute 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50+ Strength Pathetic Weak Average Well built Strong Powerful Bestial Olympian Impossible Godly Dexterity Sluggish Slow Average Reactive Quick Agile Lightning Synaptic Prescient Unfathomable Intelligence Stupid Dim Average Bright Educated Intelligent Brilliant Extraordinary Genius Mastermind Awareness Ignorant Careless Average Noticing Perceptive Sharp Alert Eagle-eyed Attuned All seeing Charisma Pariah Awkward Average Pleasant Persuasive Manipulative Dazzling Mesmerising Hypnotic Celebrity Willpower Fragile Distracted Average Controlled Focused Lucid Resolute Unwavering Unbreakable Steel resolve Adaptability Unprepared Clumsy Average Able Coordinated Survivor Expert Naturalist Harmonised Evolved

Distributing Attributes
You will initially start out with 10 points in each attribute. You will then be provided will a pool of 70 points which you are free to distribute throughout the seven attributes. You can, if you wish to, 5 points from the base to reach the absolute minimum of 5 in order to gain 5 additional points. For example, if you initially remove 5 points from Intelligence, reducing it to 5, you may put those 5 points in another stat, such as Awareness. The maximum you can place in a single attribute is 35, but some traits or racial bonuses may bypass this cap. Here is an example of distribution STR 10 DEX 10 INT 10 AWA 10 CHA 10 WIL 10 ADA 10

The player may have made plans beforehand that he wants a character who excels at melee combat, and is as strong as an ox. Instantly he/she increases strength to 35, exhausting 25 of their points, bringing the total down to 45. In order to give the warrior the edge in melee combat, the player then decides to add 20 dexterity for dodging capabilities, bring the pool down to 25 points. The player decides his warrior does not need to be charismatic at all, removing 5 points from charisma to bring the pool up to 30. These 30 points are then distributed evenly through intelligence, awareness and adaptability. Willpower is left untouched. STR 35 DEX 30 INT 20 AWA 20 CHA 5 WIL 10 ADA 20

And thats the stats done. One the stats are finalised, they cannot be altered unless you gain evolution points.

Derived Attributes
Your derived attributes are not something you pick manually. As the name suggests, they are derived from your core attributes with a few sums. These derived attributes should probably be left until last, as you may also gain or lose attributes through faction, race and origin.

Initiative (INI)
Initiative is the main factor that decides who acts first in combat. It is decided by adding your dexterity to your awareness, and dividing the resulting number by 5. 30+20= 50/5=10. So the initiative of this example character is 10. During an initiative check, each combat participant makes an initiative roll with a D10. The result of this D10 is added to your characters initiative attribute, and the turn order is then decided, starting with the highest number and moving through to the lowest.

Health Points (HP)

Your HP is the stat which displays your current state of health. If youre on low HP, theres a good chance youre bleeding out with a hole or two in your body. If youre on 0 hp, youre dying, and youre not going anywhere without some serious help. Your hp is depleted when you take normal damage. The source of normal damage varies from anything capable of dealing serious and threatening injuries, such as blades, bullets, falling and fire. Your hp is derived from your strength + your willpower, then divided by 1.5. If the number is not a whole number, then it is rounded up. 35+10= 45/1.5= 30. This character has thirty health points, although origin and race may add more to this total. 30 life points may seem like a lot, but consider that guns can do 2D10 damage. If you have anything much lower than this, youll want to avoid being shot.

Endurance (SP)
Your endurance metre decides how many stun points you can take before you effectively fall into a coma. If you take large chunks of stun damage at once, you may be incapacitated or knocked unconscious temporarily. The Endurance metre is simply exactly the same as the Health Points. In this case, the character would have 30 endurance, meaning he/she could take up to 30 stun points before being placed into a coma. More information on this later.

Wound Threshold (WT)

If you take a large amount of damage from one attack, theres a chance youll sustain a wound. Wounds are serious injuries that hinder your ability to perform well. With each wound, youll take a -10 penalty to every physical roll you make. This stacks multiple times until the wound is healed through medical care. Your wound threshold is decided by taking your maximum HP and dividing it by 3.

30/3= 10. With a wound threshold of 10, the character must take a total of 10 damage or more in a single attack to sustain a single wound. If you drop below half hp through numerous attacks, you are considered injured, but this does not apply a wound.

Stun Threshold (ST)

Similar to your wound threshold, only it applies to your stun points rather than wound. The division is made in the same way as WT, and so it will match your wound thresholds number. In this case, it would be 10. If you take 10 stun damage from a single attack, you will become dazed, concussed or simply fall unconscious. The choice of which is left to the discretion of the GM, depending on the cause of the damage. Either way, the player will be incapacitated for one or more combat rounds, depending on how far over the threshold the stun points go.

Resistance (RES)
Your resistance is what determines your ability to resist certain things. Drugs, alcohol, chemicals and other toxins may call for a resistance check, but its also helpful when dragging yourself through a blizzard, or struggling to fight off the cold. Your resistance is derived from simply doubling your Adaptability attribute. 20+20=40. In this example character, the resistance is 40. In a resistance check, the player would have a 60% chance of failing, which is not ideal, but origin, race and traits may help improve this. Warm clothing and other things would also help against weather based rolls.

Stability (STA)
Your stability represents your mental integrity. If you witness something horrific or experience something traumatising, youll often be asked to make a willpower check to resist its influence upon your mentality. If you fail, then you lose stability points. Being reduced to 0 stability points will at the very least grant you the minor insanity perk. A GM may decide you turn your character into a hostile NPC if you get to -10, and that will likely be the end of them unless one of your party members is a psychotherapist. Your stability is your intelligence + your willpower. 20+10 = 30. Our character currently has a stability rating of thirty. If he was very unlucky, a single truly traumatising event could reduce him to 0 stability. A psychotherapist, either in or outside of the party, can help restore stability points, as can time (although this is a much slower process)

Trauma Threshold (TT)

Your trauma threshold represents the amount of mental trauma you can take in one go without sustaining a mental ailment or temporary psychotic disorder (More on these disorders later.) Again much like the stun and wound threshold, this stat is simply derived by taking your stability and dividing it. Rather than dividing it by 3, however, you divide it by 5. 30/3 = 6. Our character needs to take a total of 6 points of stability damage in one go in order to be afflicted with a short term mental disorder. Not bad, but some seriously traumatic events can have you roll up to 3d10 stability damage if you fail the willpower resistance roll. If you critically fail the willpower resistance roll, you gain a long term mental disorder.

Concept
Your character concept contains the more evident choices taken in character creation, such as race, origin and background. These selections may provide bonuses attributes, attribute penalties, traits, either negative or positive, or possibly skill bonuses. If the attribute penalties take you to 0, you will critically fail every roll that relies on the attribute by default.

Race
There are four playable races on Rime, although with some argument and careful persuasion, a player may be able to convince a GM to unlock one of the other races or players.

Human
The humans of Sovreignous remain the most numerous people on Rime despite having suffered massive losses through various wars. Humans take pride in their ability to further technology, having a natural affinity to science and mechanics which perplexes the other races. Humans are intelligent, but lack most of the natural defences that the animals and other races rely on. Humans must use their minds rather than their bodies to survive Glacenox. Humans also have tendencies towards self destructive means, and are ultimately responsible for bringing their own people to the brink of extinction. (Full lore found in Races section) Racial Attributes: +10 INT, +5 AWA, -5 ADA Racial Positive Traits: None Racial Negative Traits: None

Vermus
The dexterous otter-like vermus are renowned for their agility, grace and charm. While many vermus may face prejudice from humans, they are not generally hated by most, although they do have a reputation for leading lives of crime. Vermus are small, usually scaling a little below three feet, so naturally they are not the strongest of creatures, but for what they lack in strength, they make up for in speed, cunning and charisma. (Full lore found in Races section) Racial Attributes: +10 CHA, +5 DEX, -5 STR Racial Positive Traits: Small Stature, Adapted (Minor), Silver Tongue Racial Negative Traits: Unequal. Skill Bonus: +20 Swimming

Fenrye
The lupine race of The Scared Lands manufactured to destroy the humans, the fenrye are a warrior race to be reckoned with. With their indistinguishable fanged maws, clawed paws, furry bodies and imposing size, a fenrye can almost always be instantly recognised by any human or vermus, and a fenrye will normally be attacked on sight in Sovreignous. Players choosing to play a fenrye may find

they excel in combat, and can take more damage than the other choices, but as soon as they engage in a social situation, they will likely meet hostility, or at least alarm. Fenrye have been built specifically to endure Rimes cycle, and can survive the ravages of Glacenox for much longer than a vermus or human could. (Full lore found in Races section) Racial Attributes: +10 STR, +10 WIL, +5 ADA, -15 CHA (This does not apply when socialising with other fenrye) Racial Positive Traits: Adapted (Minor), Natural Weapon. Racial Negative Traits: Hated (Major), Honour bound (Major)(Cannot refuse a challenge)

Ley-Risen
The ley-risen are animals of Rime that have been dragged into sapience by means of bioborn raisers. They would have been effectively born into a laboratory after a year of mental manipulation, and, assuming they didnt escape or go AWOL, they would have been put to work. As a ley-risen, you have many choices available to you, as most of the animals are compatible with the process. Your bonuses and stats will vary, depending on what animal you chose, but two things all ley-risen have in common are their communication/vocalisation capabilities and lack of rights. People tend not to respect ley-risen, and so they take penalties in social interactions. (Full lore found in Races section. Full lore on the beasts found in the Bestiary)

Sleeper Racial Attributes: +15 STR, +15 ADA, -15 INT, -15 CHA, -15 DEX Racial Positive Traits: Adapted, Natural Weapon, Intimidating Presence. (Major) Racial Negative Traits: Unequal. Obsidian Crawlers Racial Attributes: +10 DEX, +5 ADA, -5 CHA Racial Positive Traits: Small Stature, Natural Armour (8). Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Picky Diet (Major) (Ebonstone Rock) Vampire Syse Racial Attributes: +10 DEX, +10 INT, -20 STR Racial Positive Traits: Tiny, Enhanced Vision (Thermal.) Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, On The Edge Squill Racial Attributes: +5 DEX, +5 INT, -5 STR Racial Positive Traits: Small Stature, Gliding Membrane. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal. Moko

Racial Attributes: +5 STR, +10 ADA, -15 INT, -5 DEX Racial Positive Traits: Adapted. (Minor) Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Slow Mind. Jurnice Racial Attributes: +5 STR, +5 ADA, +5 INT, -15 WIL Racial Positive Traits: Adapted (Minor), Natural Weapon. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Jumpy. Armadro Racial Attributes: +5 STR, +5 ADA, +5 INT, -5 WIL, -10 DEX. Racial Positive Traits: Small, Natural Armour (5, 10 if curled up.) Racial Negative Traits: Unequal. Skald Racial Attributes: +15 STR, +10 ADA, -15 DEX, -10 CHA Racial Positive Traits: Natural Armour (7). Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Large Stature. Bask Racial Attributes: +15 STR, +15 ADA, -15 DEX, -15 CHA Racial Positive Traits: Natural Weapon, Adapted (Major) Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Large Stature, Disgusting Presence.(Major) Cazak Racial Attributes: +5 STR, +5 INT, +10 DEX, -10 CHA, -5 WIL, Racial Positive Traits: Small Stature, Natural Weapon. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Phobia (Minor) (Solitude). Tuft Crab Racial Attributes: +10 STR, +5 WIL, +5 ADA, +5 CHA, -15 DEX, -10 INT Racial Positive Traits: Small Stature, Natural Armour (5), Natural Weapon. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Snails Pace. Bekapi Racial Attributes: +5 STR, +5 CHA, +5 DEX, -10 WIL Racial Positive Traits: Natural Weapon, Silver Tongue. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Phobia (Minor) (Solitude). Woolorth Racial Attributes: +10 STR, +10 ADA, -5 INT Racial Positive Traits: Adapted (Minor), Speedy.(Major) Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Large Stature.

Starl Racial Attributes: +10 INT, +5 DEX, -5 STR Racial Positive Traits: Flight, Small Stature. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal. Quish Racial Attributes: +5 ADA, +10 CHA, -10 INT, -5 STR, -5 DEX Racial Positive Traits: Adapted(Minor), Small Stature. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Clumsy.(Minor) Hopflop Racial Attributes: +10 CHA, +5 DEX, +5 ADA, -10 STR, -5 WIL Racial Positive Traits: Adapted (Minor), Small Stature. Racial Negative Traits: Cowardly (Minor), Unequal.

Deadtropedes Racial Attributes: +10 ADA, +5 STR, +10 WIL, -20 CHA. Racial Positive Traits: Adapted(Minor), Natural Weapon. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Disgusting Presence. Serephin Racial Attributes: +10 STR, +10 WIL, -20 CHA. Racial Positive Traits: Natural Weapon, Natural Toxin. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Disgusting Presence. Saberl Racial Attributes: +5 STR, +10 WIL, - 5 CHA, -5 INT Racial Positive Traits: Natural Weapon, Adapted (Minor), Intimidating Presence (Minor) Racial Negative Traits: Unequal. Reicher Racial Attributes: +10 DEX, +5 STR, -5 ADA, -5 WIL Racial Positive Traits: Feline Grace, Natural Weapon, Needless. Racial Negative Traits: Unequal Clubber Racial Attributes: +10 STR, +10 CHA, -10 DEX, -5 INT Racial Positive Traits: Adapted (Major), +20 to Blunt Weapons Racial Negative Traits: Snails Pace (On land), Unequal. Pinestrider

Racial Attributes: +10 STR, +10 ADA, -10 INT Racial Positive Traits: Adapted (Major), Natural Weapon Racial Negative Traits: Unequal, Large Stature. (If there is an animal missing from this list you wish to play as, please ask the GM, if its possible, to write you up some racial stats and traits.)

Origin
The origin of your character may have some influence into their attributes and skills. In this section, you decide where your character is born precisely by simply making a mark on a map. You receive some attributes based on the province or continent, but you also have a slim chance of being born onto a leyline. If you pick a birth spot, and that aligns with a leyline on the cover sheet, then your character will be a leyborn. You wont be told if you are a leyborn or not, as it is encouraged for the discovery to become a part of the campaigns progression and storyline. You pick only ONE of the following options. Once picked, you may be provided with a map to place a dot upon to specify precisely where your character was born. Through this process, it is decided if you are a leyborn or not. A race tag does not necessarily limit you, but it is recommended you stay within the tags. A GM may allow you to have an unusual origin if you provide a good enough character back-story or give a fair argument.

Sanctus (Human, Vermus) You have urban origins, hailing from the large, noble and well defended city of Sanctus. You are more used to a life of comfort, and have learnt that social acceptance is just as important as a mean left hook. Bonus: +5 CHA, +5 INT. Everlast Woods (Human, Vermus) You spent your childhood eluding Sleepers amongst the thick foliage of the worlds largest forest. You are attuned to your surroundings, and have a gift in detecting danger. Bonus +10 AWA. Divines Reserve (Human, Vermus) You were raised amongst the Faithful of Sovreignous, where you were schooled in Rimes history and taught that faith in the Divines is the only true way to ascend to Benedis. Bonus +5 WIL, +5 INT. Norvask/Valleys End (Human, Vermus) In Norvask, youve learnt that those who punch first should punch last. Combat and hunting is in your blood, along with a 0.9% alcohol impurity. Bonus: +5 STR, +5 ADA.

Haven (Human, Vermus) Having aged in Haven, the cold of the world took you initially off guard. You strove to learn all that was necessary to stay alive. You stepped out from your humble home, and perhaps it is fear of what Rime holds that keeps you on your guard. Bonus: +5 AWA, +5 INT. Sky-Climb Mountains (Human, Vermus, Fenrye) Either as a settler or an exile, you know what life is like upon the peaks of Sky-Climb, and that life is not a kind one. Youve had to learn to stay fast on your feet to elude the slow, hulking loomers, Youve learnt how to keep yourself hidden from their cruel gazes with survival techniques. Bonus: +5 DEX, +5 ADA The Ivory Reach (Human, Vermus) Born to pilgrims, hermits or adventurers in the shadow of Rimes mysterious and most famous pinnacle, the solitude and cold that would end the hardiest of men is something you can shrug off like a breeze. Bonus: +5 ADA, +5 WIL. The Dry Divide (Human, Vermus) As perhaps a Formless researcher, or a Preciphillie refugee, living in The Dry Divide provides challenges unique to anywhere else in Sovreignous. Youve had to rely on specialist survival skills to get by. Bonus: +10 ADA. New Preciphillie (Human, Vermus) In Preciphillie, you need either a quick tongue, or a quick pair of legs to spring yourself from the grips of the unreasonable law enforcement and cutthroat criminal organisations. Bonus: +5 CHA, +5 DEX. Ruins of Old Preciphillie (Human, Vermus, Fenrye) You were perhaps born into a bandit clan, or sold to one as a slave. Either way, you grew up in the savage, lawless ruins that even The Wolfbane Pact fear. In a place where anyone can end your life in a heartbeat, you learnt to hone your reflexes, and your ability to retaliate. Bonus: +5 STR, +5 DEX. Glascan (Human, Vermus) The flat, tundra region of Glascan demanded a high tolerance to the forces of nature. With the ghostly ruins of the Necroborn army just miles from your home, youve also learnt to live with concepts that would strike fear into the hearts of most. Bonus: +5 ADA, +5 AWA. Summit (Human, Vermus)

Living a Summit life is not a normal, nor a healthy one. The sun to you is something people should be grateful for, as you grew up without barely catching a glimpse of it through the near eternal blizzards and darkness. You and your resolve is hardened, perhaps even frozen solid. Bonus: +10 WIL. Iceplane (Human, Vermus, Fenrye) You grew up somehow eluding the infested caverns below your feet. Extensive experience in Iceplane has taught you to tread with extreme caution, as each delicate step could be your last. Bonus: +5 DEX, +5 AWA. Whitehowl (Fenrye) You, like most fenrye, originate from Whitehowl, the capital of The Scarred Lands. You live to serve your goddess with the throngs of those just like you, but you face challenges each day, and most of them require you to be in peak physical condition. Bonus: +5 STR, +5 DEX. Red Dust Run (Fenrye) Perhaps as a full time hunter for your people, or simply one who prefers a bit of solitude, you made your home in Red Dust Run, where you battled to keep your vision clear through the blood blinds, and your feet away from the snapping mandibles of burrowed deadtropedes. Bonus: +5 AWA, +5 DEX. Right-Claw (Fenrye) Its possible you went to the Right-Claw to die, but never found a good death, and the Scarred Lands graveyard become your new home. You are a force to be reckoned with, able to withstand whatever horrors this metal testing region has to throw at you. Bonus: +10 STR. Left-Claw (Fenrye) A fenrye of The Left-Claw is one more used to relaxation. What was meant to simply be a short vacation become permanent residence, and you took a less brutish approach to life which some fenrye may find distasteful, but some humans might consider as a good. Bonus: +5 INT, +5 CHA. The Steambreach (Fenrye) The Steambreach, while not overly dangerous, does have an array of environmental hazards to keep you on your toes. You grew up with know-how of the world; you know what geysers are ready to blow, even when shrouded in steam and snow, and you know how to use them to your advantage. Bonus: +5 ADA, +5 AWA. Coldhaunch (Fenrye) You come from the coldest region of The Scarred Lands, an area where the clouds are thick with an unnatural permanent smog, that drifts over from Iceplane. Your fur is longer than your battle

brothers, and may have earned you some hurtful nicknames, but you can endure Glacenox better than any of them. Bonus: +10 ADA The Sea of Stone (Fenrye) Another serephin infested region which, through years of training, has become a thing of mischievous gambling and sharpened senses. Youve got a nose for pitfall traps, and the brains to elude them. Bonus: +5 INT, +5 AWA. The Fangs of Rime (Fenrye) As a fenrye, you fear perhaps one thing above all else; The Krondor. As a fenrye that originates from The Fangs of Rime themselves, you do not. The blue-whale sized birds of prey do not even make you flinch, and you happily lived just below their beaks, out of sight. Your bravery could well be the thing of legends. Bonus: +10 WIL. DremLok (Fenrye) While Whitehowl soldiers favour the sword and the spear primarily for melee combat, DremLok fenrye are usually trained with lighter, javelin type pikes with a design making them ideal for throwing. You may have plenty of melee experience, but the distinctive accuracy of a DremLok fenryes thrown spear is infamous in the current war. Bonus +10 DEX. The Leylands (Ley-Risen) One day you were dragged into sapience and experienced a truly aware state of mind for the first time. The clinical surfaces of a laboratory greeted you, along with a number of humans, who made no hesitation in telling you your job description and setting you to work. The rising process was not an overly harrowing one, and you were born with a certain level of intellect by default. Ley-Risen can pick one of the following origin options Bonus 1. +5 INT, +5 AWA Bonus 2: +10 INT Bonus 3: +5 INT, + 5 WIL Bonus 4: +5 AWA, +5 WIL

Background
Your background is the final part of your character concept. This background can be your current life status, or one you have extensive experience of. Your background may provide you with some bonus attributes, but it also contributes to your starting gear, and even traits. Citizen (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen)

If youve come from a fairly normal, law abiding background, then youve likely taken on the routine that Rime demands. You know how life works and youve successfully eluded those that would end it. Youve got a range of basic skills that help you survive and lead a normal life. Bonus: +20 Animal Handling, +20 Survival Skills. Wolfbane Pact (Human, Vermus, Ley-Risen) You have served or currently serve in the Wolfbane Pact military, as either a soldier or as a supporting role, such as medic or scout. Youve received extensive schooling in fenrye anatomy and have likely been issued with some standard issue weapons and armour. Bonus: Anatomical Expertise Trait (Fenrye). Gear: Iron Chainmail. Crossbow or Steel Weapon. Nobility (Humans, Vermus) You come from a noble background, and have lived a cushy, wealthy life. When you step into the world, you take your wealth with you, along with some of your contacts. Bonus: Friends in High Places (Minor) Trait. Gear: +500 additional starting Sancs. Faithful (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen) Although youve never met them, and neither has anyone else alive, you hold a strong belief in the seven Divines. Faith in them is able to get your through hard times, as you are able to take solace and comfort in their ever watchful vision. Bonus: Religiosity Trait (Minor or Major. When picking major, you also gain Faithful priest garments.) +5 WIL. Bard (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen) Youre either a static or travelling musician/storyteller/performer. You have a diverse range of performance skills which you use to entertain and enthral loving audiences. Alternatively, you could be a terrible bard who merely lives the lifestyle and reaps the benefits. You will be recognised in your origin point. You may have made some obnoxious fans in your time, however. Bonus: +30 to two performance skills. Time in the spotlight trait (Minor) Penalty: Number one Fan trait. (Minor) Criminal (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen, Fenrye) Youve ended up with a criminal background. You either struggled alone or served in a bandit clan, but either way youve seen your share of blood and picked your share of pockets. Your life has earned you some shady contacts and taught you how to identify your potential victims, but also damaged your reputation. Bonus: Friends in Low Places (Minor) Trait. Know Your Mark (Minor) Trait. Penalty: Bad Rep (Minor) Trait Prisoner (Human, Vermus, Ley-Risen) Youve done time, possibly a lot of it. The cold seclusion of captivity is something you never want to experience again, despite learning perhaps learning a thing or two. Your local rep is damaged as folk

know what you did, but prison toughened your resolve and made you appreciate the good things in life once you were out Bonus: Disciplined Trait. Penalty: Bad Rep (Minor) Trait. Scavengers (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen) Youve spent your life pursuing riches that folk probably dont need any more, seeing as they are dead, and all. You keep up to date with the latest news by default, as every opportunistic man or woman should. Youve also honed your senses to help you scavenge successfully... well... one of them, at least. Bonus: +50 Knowledge: Local Skill. Sharp Sense Trait (Minor) (Pick either sight, hearing, taste, smell or touch) Mercenary/ Bounty Hunter (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen, Fenrye) As a sword-for-hire, youve seen Rime at her worst, and tackled what she throws at you head on for a little coin in the pockets. For such a daring occupation, you need to be blessed with nerves of steel. The Sancs came in handy too, and youve got a small collection from your previous jobs. Bonus: Steady Calm Trait Gear: +250 starting Sancs. The Equalisers (Vermus, Ley-Risen) You do what you can to banish inequality where you can. Youre part of an organisation that will not stand for the oppressive regime put in place by the Wolfbane Pact or their elitist government. You dont mind humans, but if any of them treat you with disrespect, youll let them know that The Equalisers are their enemy. Bonus: Contacts Trait. +50 Knowledge: The System Penalty: System Fighter Trait. Recollectors (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen) As a recollector, youve learnt to trust your instinct, especially when delving into ancient ruins to locate its secrets. Youre well equipped for such a task as well, although not even all the armour in the world could protect you from some of the traps youve eluded. Bonus: Gut Instinct (Minor) Trait Gear: Leather Armour, 10 glow sticks. Vagrancy (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen, Fenrye) Either by choice or sheer misfortune, your home is not one that limits you to a single building. Indeed, the entire wilderness has been your home for some time. You have been hardened by your experiences alone in the wilds, and it is something you are now attuned with. Bonus: Nature Lover (Major) Trait. (Specify a biome) Traveller (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen, Fenrye) Youre always on the move. You travel from place to place, either for the sake of daring adventure, sating curiosity or simply harmless pastime. You rarely travelled alone, however, as your noble steed

was always there to share your burdens and carry you on your way. Bonus: +50 Knowledge: Culture Skill. Gear: Woolorth. The Beyond (Humans, Vermus, Fenrye) You come from one of the unexplored regions of Rime, part of a sprawling community untouched by civilisation. Youve learnt to survive without the aid of technology, and learnt to navigate without the aid of maps. Upon entering the strange world of civilisation, however, youre ignorant and somewhat naive. Bonus: Star Guide trait. +20 Survival Skills. Penalty: World Naivety Trait The Drelalti (Humans, Vermus, Ley-Risen) You are part of a famous alchemical organisation. Youve earned your place amongst some of the best botanists and medicinal theorists on the planet. Your skills as an alchemist are versatile and exotic, although not always totally honest. The Drelalti are perceived by many to be con masters and swindlers. Bonus: +15 Crafting: Alchemy. +20 Knowledge: Botany Gear: Drelalti pendent. ForgeWorks (Human, Vermus, Ley-Risen) Youve been taken under the wing of ForgeWorks, the worlds most prestigious blacksmithing community. Youre able to acquire goods from ForgeWorks members for free, but youre always obligated to pay a fraction of your crafts earnings to the union. Bonus: Supply Line (Minor) Trait - ForgeWorks. +15 Crafting: Blacksmithing Penalty: Financial Obligation (Minor) Trait 50% of blacksmithing income goes to ForgeWorks. Mechanical Empathy (Human, Vermus, Ley-Risen) Youre a member of Mechanical Empathy, a curious and intriguing organisation dedicated to technological advances. Your craft has been described by some as genius, and by others as unnatural, or sinful. Bonus: Creative Genius (Minor) Trait +15 Crafting: Engineering Penalty: Unappreciated Status Trait. (Faithful and naturalists) Hunter (Fenrye) As a fenrye hunter, you have already engaged in the hunt. You either succeeded, and now dwell upon Sovreignous after purging a settlement from human scum, or your attack failed... and rather than dying for your goddess, you fled, like a coward. Either way, you received the same training as everyone else in your pack. You know how to fight your enemies, and you have the equipment to do it. Bonus: Anatomical Expertise Trait (Humans). Gear: Hide Armour. Steel weapon of your choice. Den Watcher (Fenrye)

You are one of the few fenrye to have seen Matern with your two eyes. You may are also one of the few to be banished by her, due to what could be an act of betrayal, or disobedience. Either way, you now no longer serve her as a guardian, and instead use the skills you gained for other actions. As a former den watcher, you learnt to always be aware, and to never be surprised. You were also kitted out in ceremonial armour. Bonus: Always Alert Trait. Gear: Ceremonial Armour. (Iron) RethFakree (Fenrye) If you live upon Sovreignous, there is a fine chance you were exiled here. The RethFakree mostly live within The Sky-Climb Mountains, if they are not off seeking for a good death. If you were not part of the hunt, and did not protect Matern personally, then you are simply an exile. You brought no weapons with you, so youve come to rely on your speed, and your claws. Bonus: Speedy (Major) Trait. Test Subject (Ley-Risen, possibly fenrye) You were either born in captivity, or you were seized from your home for testing. Either way, youve seen enough sterile white surfaces and glinting metallic tools to last a lifetime. This background only applies to those who underwent surgical experimentation. Most ley-risen are created and released without ever cutting into them, as the process is done with leycasts. There are exceptions however, and those exceptions will likely witness traumatic visions for the rest of their life, but they have trained extensively to ensure that they never EVER undergo such horrors again. Bonus: Combat Artist Trait. Penalty: Traumatic Visions Trait. Sewer Runner (Vermus, Small Ley-Risen) Youve spent your entire childhood and adult life in the subterranean tunnels beneath cities and towns. As a sewer runner, most surface dwellers have likely never seen you. Your eyes are naturally accustomed to the dark, and you can see further in a gloomy environment than most. Bonus: Night Eyes Trait Fathom Hunter (Vermus, Aquatic Ley-Risen) You are a fathom hunter; an individual with a very special set of skills that allows you to harvest coral and hunt aquatic animals without any sort of diving gear. Youve likely made a fair amount of money in your time, and your swimming skills are legendary. Bonus: Swimming +50. Gear: +100 sancs.

Skills
You have a wide variety of skills to choose from, and every skill has a base attribute that its derived from initially. If you have 30 Charisma, for example, all of your charisma based skills, such as diplomacy, will automatically be put up to 30 without any charge.

You can add a maximum of 30 points to any skill, meaning your attributes are important for the character you want to play. If you have only 5 charisma, youre not ever going to get above 35 in social skills during character generation. If you have 50 strength, however, then youll be able to get your unarmed skill up to a massive 85. Just be aware of the penalties for having no stats in other areas. Here is a quick list of the skills, followed by a more detailed description of each. (ADA)Animal Handling (INT)Artistry (Specialisation Skill) (STR)Climb (DEX)Covert (INT)Crafting (Specialisation Skill) (CHA)Deception (INT)Demolitions (No Defaulting) (CHA)Diplomacy (WIL)Discipline (DEX)Disable (DEX)Fray (DEX)Free-Running (CHA)Intimidation (INT)Medicine (Specialisation Skill) (STR)Melee Blade (Defaulting Specialisation Skill) (STR)Melee Blunt (Defaulting Specialisation Skill) (STR)Melee - Special/Improvised (Specialisation Skill) (AWA)Perception (INT)Performance (Specialisation Skill) (INT)Profession (Defaulting Specialisation Skill) (DEX)Ranged Weapon Force (Defaulting Specialisation Skill) (DEX)Ranged Weapon Mechanical (DEX)Ranged Weapon Powder (DEX)Ranged Weapon Thrown (AWA)Riding (WIL)Sense (DEX)Sleight of Hand (ADA)Survival (Specialisation Skill) (STR)Swim (STR)Unarmed

(INT) Knowledge (Knowledge Skill) Specialisation Skills If a skill is a specialisation skill, that means its such a broad area that you need to specify a skill within the category. For example, if you take crafting, you MUST pick a specialisation to go with it. Such specialisations could include; Alchemy, Smithing, Leatherworking, Cooking, etc. Specialisation

Skills are affected by your base attribute as any other skills are. If you pick Crafting: Cooking, and your intelligence is 30, then you will have an initial starting skill of cooking: 30. You can add up to thirty points to this skill, reaching a total of sixty. Specialisation Skills are the only skills that can be taken more than once. You can take up to three specialisations per specialisation skill, but they must all be raised with individual points. It will cost thirty points for each specialisation to raise them all by thirty points, naturally. You can of course feel free to distribute your points a little more erratically, perhaps having 20 additional points in cooking, 25 in smithing and only ten in fletching. The book will list a number of potential specialisations to choose from, but if there are any skills it does not cover, players are encouraged to come up with their own, with consent from the GM, of course. Defaulting If you have no skill points in a skill you are asked to make a check for; for example, youd like to climb a wall, but you have no points in climbing, you make a defaulting check. A defaulting check is where you simply try to roll a number below that of your base attribute with a D100. For climbing, youd roll a D100 to try and score below your strength attribute, as strength is the base attribute for climbing. All normal specialisation skills have a no defaulting rule, as does demolitions. Melee blade, melee blunt and ranged force skills are exceptions to this rule. This represents something that simply cannot be done without at least basic training. You cannot craft something if you have absolutely no experience in crafting. You cannot survive alone in the wilderness without any previous experience of it. Even a score as little as five or ten points will allow you to utilise the skill however, along with its attribute base. Defaulting Specialisation Skills There are three exceptions to the no defaulting specialisation skill rule; melee; blade, melee; blunt and ranged; force. Since you can extrapolate at least some skills from your strength, and ability in other weapons, you are able to pick a specialisation in, say, a sword, but still default to your base stat when using a weapon youre not as comfortable with, such as a dagger. The same applies from switching to a longbow to a shortbow, but you can also get an idea of the force required behind an attack with other blowpipe weapons by defaulting to your dexterity stat. Like other specialisation skills, you can take a total of three fields within it. Knowledge Skills A knowledge skill is effectively a free skill. Enjoy it, you lucky person. Your knowledge skill represents your knowledge of a certain subject, as everyone has something they can natter on about for hours. You start off with one knowledge skill (A gm may let a player have two or even three if they make a good argument) and the points are automatically your intelligence +40. If you have 35 intelligence, and you want knowledge in culture, for example, you will have a 75 in culture knowledge. This could come in handy when trying to identify rituals, markings or other culturally significant things. Distributing Skill Points

You have 350 skill points to distribute between. The 30 skills, and as previously mentioned, up to 90 points can be placed into various specialisation skills (30 points for each field). If you have the Skilled major trait, then you can add up to 35 points, rather than 30.

(ADA)Animal Handling
Your animal handling skill determines how effectively you can manipulate, empathise with and tend to animals. While this does not include riding animals, it does include breaking them so they allow a mounted passenger, or training them to attack your enemies. Animal handling covers a general and generous range of skills, including zoology, vetting, wrangling, training and animal empathy. Naturally training an animal to perform certain tasks is not something you can do in a single day. If wishing to train an animal, you must spend time doing so every day for thirty days. For each point of intelligence the animal has, you may remove one day from this time. A starl, with intelligence of 15, for example, would only need 15 days of training before it was ready for work. The full list of animals and their attributes are in the NPCs section. Examples of actions: Easy: Identifying a relatively famous or obvious beast in the wild or in captivity. Get an already trained animal to perform tricks or tasks. Average: Treating and stitching up the wound on a woolorths body. Teach a beast to respond to basic commands. Hard: Releasing a wild saberl from a bear trap without provoking or scaring him, treating his injuries and sending him on his way.

(INT)Artistry (Specialisation Skill)

Artistry is simply creating something that could be interpreted as art by either a professional or by the general public. Artistry is a specialisation skill, meaning that you are required to pick a specific field within the skill. You can pick up to three. Artistry can be useful in Rime as a means of making money or earning a good name. Since no cameras exist, a good artist is invaluable also for tracking down targets by drawing from memory. With Artistry, you can write a good novel or paint a beautiful landscape, create a theatrical script, or orchestrate (but not play) a haunting melody. Naturally, the magnitude of your success will determine the quality of your creation. If you fail horribly, you will create something vile, and likely still believe it has significant value. Examples of fields: Writer, painting, drawing, composing, sculpting, poetry, design. Examples of actions: Easy: Draw a crude picture of a man you had some extended contact with. Write a short poem on demand. Average: Create a picture to spark some public interest. Draw a detailed portrait with limited reference. Hard: Paint or write something well received by critics. Compose music that brings men to tears.

(STR)Climb

Climbing is a skill that barely needs explanation. This skill determines your ability to scale vertical or harshly sloped surfaces. You will make climb checks when ascending mountain walls, clambering up on top of objects such as the roof beams of a house, or possibly when, as a smaller character, you want to climb up the body of one of your enemies to get a stronger position. While critical and exceptional successes wont achieve much other than climbing a little quicker, a critical failure could result in you falling and taking damage. Examples of actions: Easy: Climb up a slightly wobbly ladder. Pull yourself over a small wall. Average: Scale a dangling rope. Climb the side of a mountain with full mountain climbing equipment. Hard: Climb a mountain without robes, pegs or picks. Ascend the external walls of a fort in order to infiltrate it.

(DEX)Covert
Your covert skill is your ability to move silently and without detection from others. With a strong skill point count in covert, you have a better chance of sneakily infiltrating an enemy fortification, or approaching a bandit camp without being seen or heard. Most covert checks will be opposed with perception checks from the people you are trying to sneak up on, or by. The better your roll, the harder it will be for them to detect you. If you successfully sneak up on an enemy with a sequence of decent covert checks, you will be able to make a melee attack upon them without allowing them to make defensive checks, and you will automatically bypass armour and deal full weapon damage for the sneak attack. Exceptional covert checks simply means a higher perception roll is required to detect you. If you roll a critical in covert, your enemy must match your critical status only higher in order to detect you. Critical failures will result in a stumble, and your position will be compromised. Examples of actions: Easy: Sneak through a noisy city or workshop. Blend into a large crowd. Average: Sneak through a building with no background noise. Conceal yourself in long grass or reeds. Hard: Sneak through a blanket of snow to approach a silent bandit camp. Blend into the shadows after enemies have been alerted to your presence.

(INT)Crafting (Specialisation Skill)

Crafting is another specialisation skill with an even broader range of fields to choose from. The skill crafting covers any field in which you create or modify something. This includes things like smithing, and alchemy, while also some things some people might overlook, such as cooking. Exceptional successes or critical successes while creating an object will result in one of above average quality, while critical failures will destroy your materials and possibly even injure you. Examples of fields: Alchemy, blacksmithing, cooking, engineering, leatherworking, tailoring Examples of actions Easy: Craft a simple woolorth shoe. Forge simple iron weapons. Cook a meal from decent ingredients. Average: Make garments fit for a noble, craft steel blades or complex crossbows.

Hard: Forge an ebonstone weapon, create ivoryon armour and accessories, bake critically acclaimed food from leftover scraps and craft ground breaking technological wonders.

(CHA)Deception
Your skill in deception determines your ability to trick and fool other NPCs or possibly even other players. Deception is needed if you want to tell a convincing lie, pull off a decent disguise or impersonate someone effectively. The difficulty of the roll usually depends on the gullibility of the target, and the magnitude of the quishcrap you are spouting. High value successes will make deceiving the less gullible possible. Serious failures will result in a gaping hole within your web of lies which most will find easily detectable. Examples of actions Easy: Convince a gullible individual that someone needs him outside so you can slip by. Pass a Pact officer a fake name without flinching. Average: Convince a bandit chief you are part of his clan. Fool numerous people at once with a convincing but fabricated story. Hard: Pass yourself off as a figure of authority or nobility amongst others. Fully and perfectly impersonate the accent and mannerisms of another. Make a disguise good enough to allow you access to restricted areas.

(INT)Demolitions (No Defaulting)

A very situational skill and one that requires training, demolitions is the art of priming, crafting and tactically placing explosive payloads and devices using black powder. Demolitions can be a risky skill to take, as you may struggle to find situations in which it is useful, but if you think hard enough, it is easily the most deadly in a combat situation, with most explosive devices dealing enough damage to incapacitate or kill any target within range. Crafting explosives falls into this category rather than the crafting skill to represent the truly unique skill set required. Exceptional successes or critical successes while crafting an explosive will result in a much more powerful and stable creation. Average successes will yield a bomb, but one that could prove dangerous, while total failures could result in detonation while crafting is in process. Examples of actions Easy: Craft a simple stick of dynamite or carry out a demolition on a solitary building. Average: Demolish a simple building in the middle of a city without it falling onto others. Craft a decent but not perfect powerful explosive charge. Hard: Create new groundbreaking explosive devices. Calculate the structural support of a palace and place bombs in the precisely correct locations to bring the whole thing down.

(CHA)Diplomacy
Diplomacy is all about the art of persuasion and negotiation. Diplomacy is what youll be required to roll a check on if you wish to bargain with a shopkeeper to get a lower price, or to plea your way past

guards while only using the truth and reason. Many individuals are less receptive to diplomacy than others, but never underestimate the power of a few well chosen words. A successful diplomacy check should grant you the response you were after. Some npcs will require a lower number than others to represent how stubborn they are. Failures will simply have your point dismissed, while critical failures could result in backfires in which you accidently insult the NPCs mother. Examples of actions Easy: Haggle for a slightly lower price on a simple tool or piece of food. Convince a roaming thief to leave you alone by handing him a reasonable bribe. Average: Persuade a tight-lipped individual to grant you some information. Talk your way past bouncers or guards of an exclusive party. Convince the same thief from before that you simply have no money, and get him to leave empty handed. Hard: Befriend a marauding bandit group by appealing to their interests and employing them with some well chosen promises. Convince the roaming thief to not only leave you alone, but to also give up his life of crime and pursue his dormant dream of becoming a cobbler.

(WIL)Discipline
Discipline is something that is greatly appreciated in the military forces of Rime, on both sides of the war. Discipline covers all sorts of skills from resisting interrogation, to performing interrogation, to concentrating in disruptive environments, to leadership and morale boosting. If you wish to lead a clan or party, and you want them to be more than just a rag-tag group of misfits, then you need discipline to keep them in line, and to keep their spirits up. Criticals are situational with discipline. If you critically succeed in an interrogation roll, then your captive will likely sing like a bird. If you fail, then you might end up making him laugh or even accidently killing him. Examples of actions Easy: Interrogate a lowly, untrained bandit. Read a book while the hustle and bustle of a marketplace surrounds you. Average: Boost the spirits of a group of soldiers. Break the spirit of a trained one. Hard: Convince simple villagers to take up arms against fenrye hunters. Resist expert torture with a smile on your face, or successfully interrogate a fenrye loyalist.

(DEX)Disable
Your disable skill determines your ability to disable devices. This includes lockpicking, trap disarming, safe cracking, and sabotaging any mechanical device or simple object you can think of. The disable skill goes quite nicely with sleight of hand, and covert. While the disable skill is ideal for infiltration without a lot of noise, its also great for planning and controlling events and ambushes before they are sprung. A recollector might want to consider some points in disable too, as many of the lysus ruins they investigate are riddled with traps.

Any success below the needed number will result in locks being opened or traps being disarmed. Failing only slightly will yield no results, while failing severely could break the pick in the lock, or trigger a trap accidently. On sabotage checks, the better the roll, the more you screw up the object youre targeting. Examples of actions Easy: Loosen a saddle so it slips off while its rider is mounted. Pick a simple lock. Average: Sabotage a carriages harness or wheels. Disable a simple lysus trap. Hard: Crack a high security safe. Disable complex mechanical traps and devices.

(DEX)Fray
Fray is an almost essential skill that allows you to dodge, block or parry attacks. A fray roll usually competes with an attack roll. Your opponent will roll to attack, and if they succeed, you may make a fray check. Using a fray check to dodge a direct attack from an opponent is an opposed action (see opposed actions) and works differently to most other skills. You try to roll under your fray skill as normal, and try to roll as low as you can, like normal. Once this check has been made, you simply calculate whoever is furthest from their skill, and the furthest from their skill succeeds. If your opponent rolls a critical, then you must also roll a critical, only a lower one. If you critically fail a dodge, then you may be subjected to further penalties, but this is up to the GM. Examples of actions Easy: Block a predictable swing. Dodge a projectile thrown by a child. Average: Parry away a bandits blade. Block a flying crossbow bolt. Hard: Dodge a fired bullet. Avoid a volley of arrows.

(DEX)Free-Running
Your ability to free-run will allow you to sprint exceptionally fast, perform acrobatic leaps and bounds, weave effectively and hastily through crowds, shimmy along narrow edges, squeeze through tight gaps and fall/dive greater distances without taking damage. It also helps you stay on both feet on slippery surfaces like ice. Criticals and exceptional successes will result in impressive acrobatic manoeuvres, while severe failures could result in falling, or worse. Examples of actions Easy: Play a game of hopscotch. Run quickly through an empty street. Average: Squeeze through small crevices in a cave. Leap over pressure plates and trip wires. Hard: Flip and dive through a grid of traps. Traverse across city rooftops without hesitation.

(CHA)Intimidation
When persuasion or deception doesnt quite cut it, you always have the option to appeal to your targets sense of fear. Your intimidation skill is your ability to frighten and unnerve others with words or gazes. Intimidation is either opposed with a willpower check, or simply has a margin of success

you must surpass. Once a target is intimidated, they will be much more susceptible to commands and reason. Critical successes when intimidating will likely shatter an NPCs bravery, effectively rendering them under your control for a time. Failures will fall flat, and will likely result in them not taking you seriously anymore. Examples of actions Easy: Scare a child. Intimidate a man youve already beaten to a pulp. Average: Unnerve a shopkeeper to get a better deal. Frighten petty and solitary criminals. Hard: Break the will of an entire bandit clan with just your presence. Intimidate a disciplined wrangler.

(INT)Medicine (Specialisation Skill)

Medicine covers a fairly wide range of skills, which is why it is a specialisation skill. Your medicine skill will be invaluable to a party of daring adventurers as it covers healing damage/replenishing lost health points. Medicine has multiple fields to choose from, some of which will be more useful in certain situations than others. A psychologist can solve your inner turmoil, but thats not going to help pull the bullet out of your chest. Medicine doesnt not cover veterinary practice, animal handling does. Examples of fields: Surgery, psychotherapy, general practice, pharmaceuticals, dentistry, toxicology. Examples of actions Easy: Seal a small wound. Identify a common illness from symptoms. Average: Stitch up a deep gash or identify a toxin that is poisoning someone through observation. Hard: Perform full surgery in a battlefield. Diagnose someone with the worlds rarest illness.

(STR)Melee Blade (Defaulting Specialisation Skill)

Your melee blade skill simply determines your ability to wield bladed weapons of all kind. This includes single handed weapons and heavy two-handed ones, so long as they require a general slashing motion. A master of blades can make use of basic bladed weapons, such as swords, axes, and daggers of varying sizes and weight. Being a specialisation skill, you must specify one or more types of bladed weapon to use, but you can default to your strength for any bladed weapons you are not trained in. Your melee blade skill will be the skill you use in melee combat whenever you are using a simple bladed weapon. Your rolls will likely be opposed by an opponents fray skill. Your blade skill determines whether or not you actually hit your target. It does not decide how much damage it deals, as that comes down to the damage value on the weapon. Rolling a crit will cause full weapon damage. Rolling an exceptional success will add two additional points of damage for every 10 points below the margin of success (This is an optional feature). Examples of fields: Axe, broadsword, dagger, scimitar, rapier, great sword, battle axe. Examples of actions Easy: Swing a sword or axe without dropping it. Cut a large, stationary target, like a log. Average: Competently engage in a sword fight with a bandit. Identify certain blades and techniques

from various cultural backgrounds. Hard: Execute showy and elegant techniques. Cut down multiple warriors at once without gaining even a scratch.

(STR)Melee Blunt(Defaulting Specialisation Skill)

Your melee blunt skill is similar to blade, except it applies to solid, blunt weapons. When talented in melee blunt, youll be able to effectively use bladeless weapons, such as maces, warhammers and staves. Being a specialisation skill, you must specify one or more types of blunt weapon to use, but you can default to your strength for any blunt weapons you are not trained in. When using the skills in combat, the same rules as melee blade apply. Examples of fields: Mace, warhammer, stave, club, baton. Examples of actions Easy: Crush a vegetable with a club, because you can. Shatter pieces of flimsy furniture. Average: Cave the skull of a bandit. Identify styles and origins of certain blunt weapons. Hard: Floor a group of bandits with a single swing. Send a single enemy flying into one of his friends.

(STR)Melee Special/Improvised (Specialisation Skill)

Your special melee skill covers virtually everything that isnt mentioned above. This skill represents your ability to use a weapon with a very particular skill set. Its possible the weapon is so unique that the public is totally unfamiliar with it, which could result in marvelling, or prejudice. Either way, with points in this specialisation skill, youll have the ability to use weapons that dont fit into the other two categories. Your weapon qualifies as an improvised weapon when it simply isnt a weapon, but youre using it as one, such as a shovel, or a large turnip. The unique special weapons will have their own damage values, and so rolls work identically. If players wish to have access to brand new weapons, they are simple and easy to create, and a GM should be flexible enough to build and stat them when asked, assuming the weapon fits within lore. Examples of fields: Pole-arms, whips, garrottes, nunchaku, pickaxe, flail, glaive, shovel. Examples of actions Easy: Poke a sleeping moko with a spear. Strike a slow moving or stationary object with a whip. Average: Trip a bandit with a whip around the ankles. Knock a man unconscious with common house hold items. Hard: Sling a bottle into your hand with a whip from across the room before striking a fenrye unconscious with it.

(AWA)Perception
Another fairly essential skill is perception, which effectively determines the strength of your senses. When you look around to spot something, take in a scent, or listen for sounds, you make a perception check. If you were blindfolded, you may be able to identify objects by touching them. If

your sense of taste is very sharp, you may be able to identify the contents of an unlabeled bottle by drinking it. Critical perception checks are rarely required unless you are competing with a critical covert roll. Examples of actions Easy: Spot a krondor approaching on a clear day. See a foreboding and dark storm brewing. Average: Make a full headcount in a bandit camp while sneaking in. Smell the wet fur of an animal before it pounces. Hard: Hear the faintest rustles in the grass at your feet. Single out ingredients in a cocktail. Estimate how many men sleep within a tent just by listening to their breathing.

(INT)Performance (Specialisation Skill)

To make use of performance, you must specialise into a field that that falls into the category. Performance covers pretty much anything that requires some talented, physical action often for the sake of entertainment of conveying an idea or information. When you sing, dance or play a musical instrument, you are performing. Finding a practical use for these talents is up to the player. Perhaps your party forms a band and makes money by playing in taverns around the region, building up a reputation until youre popular enough to infiltrate a nobles party to assassinate someone within. Successes and failures determine if you perform well or poorly. Critical successes and failures could result in incredible, tear jerking performances, while critical failures will cause your audience to reel in disgust and storm the stage. Examples of fields: Acting, singing, dancing, strings, percussion, wind, stand-up. Examples of actions Easy: Play a few chords on an instrument. Sing back up in a choir. Average: Play a pleasant song and sing along with it. Give a decent theatrical performance. Hard: Create an act that springs you to stardom. Make a whole auditorium cry. Execute an elegant, beautiful dance sequence upon a frozen lake.

(INT)Profession (Specialisation Skill)

Your profession skill is what you use when you want to execute an action which is or is derived from a profession; a skill set pulled from employment. This skill may tie in with crafting and survival with some fields, but also has unique ones. If you take both the blacksmith field in profession, and blacksmithing as a crafting specialisation, this will not increase the effectiveness of your skill, so dont do it. A GM should probably discourage players from taking three crafting skills and three profession ones, as this would simply be unrealistic and silly. Examples of field: Fisherman, politician, chef, tanner, fletcher, miner, librarian, collier, farmer, blacksmith, merchant, lumberjack, porter, shepherd. Examples of actions Easy: Fell a rotting tree. Herd a few sheep into a pen. Catch a fish with high quality bait. Average: Strip down a hide. Fill a sizable order from a client. Identify and extract a decent, common ore from a cliff edge.

Hard: Delicately mine valuable minerals. Vendor a worthless piece of trash for a healthy price. Catch a rare salt water fish through tiny hole in the frozen plates that cover the ocean.

(DEX)Ranged Weapon Force (Defaulting Specialisation Skill)

There are four ranged weapon types, all of which require a unique skill set to use. The first of these are the force weapons. Force weapons are weapons which require you to apply a force manually and directly in order to fire a projectile. Force weapons cover long bows, short bows, blowpipes and slingshots. Force weapons do not have their damage increased as you acquire upgrades like most weapons do, but they do gain greater range and become easier to handle. Projectiles tipped with stronger metals or more powerful toxins however do deal more damage, and have a higher armour penetration rating. Similarly to the melee weapons, arrows can be dodged. They are harder to dodge than swords, however at a close range. If an arrow is fired within five metres (five squares) the target takes a -20 rating to fray. Again similarly to melee, a critical projectile does full damage, and a projectiles will do two additional damage for every ten points you roll under your skill (This is an optional feature). Critical hits must be matched with a critical fray roll to avoid damage. As these weapons are quite varied, this is a specialisation skill. Examples of field: Longbow, shot bow, slingshots, blowpipes Examples of actions Easy: Hit the side of a barn. Draw and hold an arrow ready to fire. Average: Hit a human sized target. Bring down a grazing deer thats slowly on the move. Hard: Impale an apple upon a mans head. Win an archery contest.

(DEX)Ranged Weapon Mechanical

Mechanical weapons covers weapons with launch mechanisms that do not use combustion or gunpowder. Examples include glaive-throwers, two handed crossbows, one handed crossbows and most siege weapons, including bastilles and catapults. Mechanical weapons vary in damage, and have similar rules to the force weapons. They are however even harder to dodge, at any range as projectiles are fired very quickly. -30 to fray checks at any range. Examples of actions Easy: Strike a straw target. Calibrate and prime a siege weapon. Average: Kill a medium sized target with one or two shots. Competently dual wield crossbows. Hard: Slice multiple targets in half with a single launched glaive. Hit a target between the eyes from over fifty metres away.

(DEX)Ranged Weapon Powder

Powder weapons are weapons that use gunpowder and combustion to launch projectiles at incredibly high velocity. Most of Rimes powder weapons are still quite primitive. They can do huge damage per hit, but they take a turn to reload. Flintlock/percussion cap pistols and rifles require a

great deal of maintenance. In reality, reloading flintlock/percussion cap weaponry would take longer than the time it takes for a turn to pass, but for the sake of game play, they take a single turn to reload. In addition to flintlock/percussion cap pistols and rifles, powder weapons also cover repeater turrets, canons and sunderers. Bayonets on rifles require melee blade skill to use effectively. Bullets are usually impossible to dodge, but its possible for some, with Fray at -50. Bullets and sunderers especially do a great deal of damage, but you may be completely vulnerable while reloading. Heavy sunderers take two turns to reload, but a short range. More on this in the gear section. Examples of actions Easy: Know the basic mechanics of a gun and how to reload it. Hit a large target with a bullet. Average: Shoot a moving, average sized target. Operate a repeater turret or cannon. Maintain a rifle. Hard: Blast the wings off a fly. Shoot a targets head through a wall. Ricochet bullets around corners.

(DEX)Ranged Weapon Thrown

Ranged weapons thrown covers everything meant to be thrown and everything not meant to be. From tossing a ball to a child, to cutting through a bandits armour with a throwing knife, all throwing actions require a throwing check. Thrown weapons are easier to dodge than arrows, having only a -10 modifier to fray at a close range. When throwing an object with a base damage value, you simply roll that value to see the result. You cannot make more than one throwing action per turn unless the weapon is light weight and designed for throwing. Examples of actions Easy: Chuck a simple, safe object across a room to friend. Throw a paper ball into a bin. Average: Impale a soldier with a thrown javelin. Snare a targets legs with hurled bolas. Hard: Pin a bandit to the wall by his armour with throwing knives. Hurl a fan of knives that hits multiple targets at once.

(AWA)Riding
Your riding skill is simply your ability to ride all forms of bestial and bestial assisted transport. This includes mounted woolorths, but also woolorth pulled carts and carriages. The same applies to animal pulled sleds and, for the sake of playability, sailing boats. For casual traversing, its likely no rolls will be required. Riding will be more useful when moving at high speeds or controlling in harsh conditions. You may have to make riding checks when first mounting your woolorth, or initially pulling your boat out of port. Failures while moving at high speeds could be catastrophic, especially if youre trying to flee from something and you end up falling off your steed. Riding has very little tie in with animal handling. Many people know how to ride a trained woolorth, but very few know how to treat its injuries. Examples of actions Easy: Mount a trained, saddled woolorth. Handle a sled pack at slow speed.

Average: Ride a woolorth or sled at full speed. Manoeuvre a boat in agreeable conditions. Hard: Sail through brutal storm. Leap a chasm on the back of a woolorth.

(WIL)Sense
Sense is your ability to empathise and feel, rather than perceive. It represents your intuition and your ability to determine the motives of NPCs. Someone with a high skill sense skill may be capable of detecting a well concealed lie, or sensing the danger within an environment without even perceiving it. The strength of a players sense is of course decided by number of skill points in it, but also by the GM. A player may make a roll as they enter a dungeon. If the roll is below the skill margin, they may ask the GM if they sense anything. The GM can drop a few hints, nothing including spoilers, but enough to raise the players awareness to threats ahead. They may do a similar roll when engaging in conversation with an NPC to detect a lie. Examples of actions Easy: Get a bad vibe from a deserving action or environment. Average: Learn the basic methods of lie detection. Watch for ominous signs or omens in the world. Hard: Detect a lie from a man whom most consider a trustworthy fellow. Form a fully trustworthy gut instinct and know danger lies within a building youve not even entered.

(DEX)Sleight of Hand
Your sleight of hand skill determines your ability to perform subtle, stealthy actions with your fingers. A dexterous fingersmith can pick pockets, perform magic tricks or card tricks which could come in handy during gambling. You could hide a blade up your sleeve or slip a soldiers pistol from its holster. Sleight of hand checks with victims in mind are often opposed with perception checks, similarly to covert. Critical failures result in an obvious fumble, while critical successes are almost impossible to detect. Examples of actions Easy: Perform a simple card trick. Conceal a very small object on your person. Average: Pick a small object or coinpurse from an individual in a crowded street. Perform a complicated magic trick. Hard: Slip a weapon away from a wranglers holster. Stealthily remove a womans necklace while you talk to her.

(ADA)Survival (Specialisation Skill)

Survival is a skill that everyone on Rime needs, or they, at the very least need to know someone who possesses the knowledge required. Survival is a specialisation skill as it contains numerous fields. Surviving requires most things one might expect; food, water, warmth, a place to sleep. The survival skill grants you ways of acquiring these necessities.

Survival skills are rarely competed. Weather conditions and lighting conditions will make certain survival checks more difficult, but youll mostly just be trying to get below your skill. Unlike the other specialisation skills, taking a single specialisation in survival automatically grants you the very basic survival skills in addition to your specialisation field. These basic skills include; building campfires, constructing tents from pre-skinned hides, finding fresh water, distilling dirty water and very basic first aid, such as treating the first stages of hypothermia. Examples of fields: Tracking, trapping, skinning, foraging, navigating, botany. Examples of actions Easy: Start a fire in pleasant conditions. Treat very basic wounds with bandages and splints. Average: Find signs of animals living in the area, and track them to their dens. Trap a beast with snares. Cleanly kill a trapped animal and skin it. Identify wild plants and their properties. Hard: Successfully forage for rare, desirable plants. Sit alone in a Glacenox blizzard with nothing but the materials youve gathered in the wild. Trap and kill a sleeper for its pelt and meat. Navigate through a raging storm.

(STR)Swim
Your ability to swim is a situational one, but it may save you from drowning at some point. Vermus take pride in their inherit ability to swim well, but most others avoid it, especially in the colder parts of the year. Coral gathering does payout quite well, so there is an appeal to swimming for some opportunists, but most will go their whole lives without taking a dip in the ocean or the abyssei infested lakes. There are some pleasant bodies of water, but most of them are in Haven. Your swim skill also represents how well you can hold your breath beneath water. Swimming is never competed, but swimming against heavy tides or rough rapids will be more difficult and will require stronger rolls. Examples of actions Easy: Paddle through a still body of water without sinking like a stone. Hold your breath for a short time. Average: Swim against weak rapids and small coastal waves. Comfortably hold your breath for around a minute. Hard: Dive below stormy tides and swim against them with powerful strokes. Hold your breath for around three minutes.

(STR)Unarmed
Your unarmed skill is what you make checks on whenever you are punching, kicking, grabbing, head butting, biting, clawing, and generally performing aggressive physical action upon another without the use of a weapon. If you dont wish to deal heavy, fatal damage, then using your fists can exclusively deal stun damage. If your character has the natural weapon or iron fist trait, then you can choose to deal wound damage without holding a weapon. In order for unarmed to be a viable melee combat option which can upgrade along with the rest of the gear, your unarmed damage will increase with each new set of gloves or gauntlets. Similarly to

other weapons, your damage is increased by 2 points every ten points below the threshold you are. Alternatively, if you are a ley-risen or fenrye, you can use blade caps in various tiers to increase your damage. Blade caps count as light weapons, while gauntlets count as medium weight weapons. Examples of actions Easy: Smash through a plank with your fist. Wind an unsuspecting man with a crude kick to the groin. Average: Pick up a man and hurl him into a moko trough. Break a thugs arms with some powerful unarmed techniques. Hard: Punch out a woolorth. Drive your fist through a house wall and snap the neck of the man on the other side.

(INT) Knowledge (Knowledge Skill)

Your knowledge skill represents a single broad or narrow subject in which you are well studied in. Most individuals in fantasy worlds and indeed the real one will have at least one subject they are knowledgeable in. This skill represents that subject. Most players will either start with one or two knowledge fields. If you do not gain any knowledge skill bonuses from your character faction, then you will start with one, otherwise, two. Your knowledge skill is a little bit like a specialisation skill, in which you pick your own field. You do not put points into knowledge, as it is a separate skill altogether. Instead, you simply take your intelligence, and add fifty to it. If your character has intelligence of 15, for example, and you take knowledge: law, then you will have 65 points in knowledge law. Knowledge checks come into play when trying to recall or utilise information from your field. It is worth mentioning that these knowledge skills are purely academic. You cannot learn to swim by reading a book, and so, while taking knowledge: swimming may grant you knowledge of the worlds greatest swimmer, or the names of the various stroke types, it will not grant you or improve the ability to swim. Players are discouraged to take knowledge skills that are so broad, they cover what should be many different fields. You shouldnt take, for example, knowledge: Rime and automatically know everything about the planet. It doesnt work like that. Instead, narrow it down to things like the below examples. Examples of fields: Law, culture, firearms, criminal activity, art, mammals, local, politics, history, geography, science, language: civil, language: ancient, birds, ley, military. Examples of Action Average: Make use of your knowledge field to decipher, recall, identify and learn. Learning new knowledge skills Libraries are probably the best place to gather information to memorise. Learning a new knowledge skill will take around five to ten days of consistent studying from multiple sources. Party members can also share their own knowledge skills with others in assisted teaching sessions. If a party member is teaching another, then both of their downtime activity will be sacrificed, but learning will be twice as fast, usually being complete in three or four days.

Traits

Traits are aspects of a personality, physicality or mentality that build up a person and turn them into a character. Some traits will be of great assistance to you and your teammates, while others could prove to be a terrible (but often entertaining) hindrance. Naturally, no one is perfect, not even the pure blooded zealots of the fenrye, so your chosen positive traits will be balanced with your negative ones. There are four different kinds of trait in Rime; minor positive, major positive, minor negative and major negative. Positive traits cost points to purchase, while minor traits grant you extra points.

Trait Minor Positive Major Positive Minor Negative Major Negative

TP Cost -1 -2 +1 +2

You start off with 0 trait points of course, meaning you must purchase negative traits in order to gain positive ones. If you have received traits from your faction or race, these do not count towards the point count or the trait limit. If a trait is listed as natural then you cannot pick it. Natural traits are added exclusively as part of character generation as a racial bonus or penalty. If a trait is listed as both minor AND major, this means you are allowed to pick from two separate versions. If you gain the minor rank of a trait during character generation, then you must still spend 2 trait points to upgrade it to major.

Positive Traits
Adapted (Minor/ Major)
You are well adapted to Rimes cycle. You have either fur, blubber or other natural forms of insulation. You may also be accustomed to the cold and have built a hardy tolerance to it over time. Benefit: As a minor trait, you are basically adapted with a thin layer of insulation or light tolerance to exposure. You only roll 2D10 exposure loss when the GM calls for it. As a major trait, you have heavy protection from the cold, and only roll a single D10 exposure loss during the check.

Adaptive Camouflage (Natural)

You are able to alter the colour of your skin or fur in order to blend in seamlessly with the environment around you. This can either be done to mask an approach, or to conceal yourself when things get too heated Benefit: When standing perfectly still and activating your camouflage, you gain +30 to all covert checks. This cannot be done when in clear sight, but blocking line of sight with your opponent and activating it then is allowed, even in combat.

Alluring Presence (Minor/ Major)

You are handsome or beautiful to other members of your race or species, and possibly to members of others too. Its easy for you to get attention when you walk into a tavern, and you dont need to try nearly as hard to leave with a woman on your arm or a man chasing your shadow.

Benefit: As a minor trait, you are pretty or well built, giving you an attractive presence. You gain a +10 skill bonus to all acts in which your appearance would be a useful factor, such as seduction. As a major trait, you gain a +30 bonus, and can use plot points to simply lower your roll if it fails, rather than flipping the dice. The lowering rate is 1 plot point per 20 points. This rule only applies to skills alluring presence affects.

Always Alert (Minor)

You know Rime, and you know letting your guard down for just a minute could be seriously unwise. You keep your ears perked and your eyes darting from left to right at all times, ensuring that sneaking up on you is nearly impossible. Benefit: You cannot be hit by a sneak attack. You have a chance to make a fray check even when they successfully make it all the way to your back without detection.

Ambidextrous (Major)
Some people favour their right hand, some people favour their left. You think those people are strange, and you simply settled for both of them. You are equally skilled with both of your hands, meaning that not only are you probably quite a good juggler, but you can also dual wield without difficulty. Benefit: Instead of receiving the -40 offhand penalty in combat and delicate actions, you now only receive a -20 modifier.

Anatomical Expertise (Minor)

You know how a body works. Whether this is the body of another race or your own is up to you, but you can think of an advantage to it, either way. Through extensive studies, you have learnt how the organs work, where they are, and what it takes to either repair them, or stop them forever. Benefit: Pick a race or animal of Rime. Whatever you pick, you will gain a +10 skill modifier to either hurting them, or performing medical procedures upon them. You can take this trait more than once.

Animal Empathy (Minor)

Animals just really like you. Your friends have always told you their pets act differently around you. You feel at ease around domesticated beasts and indeed creatures of the wild, and they sense your lack of hostility. Benefit: You gain +15 to animal handling in circumstances where you can get them to share your presence. In some cases, you may not even have to roll for a wild animal to tolerate your presence.

Appreciated Status (Minor)

Youre part of a group or hold some sort of key item that makes people affiliate you with others. You may have a pendent, a tabard or some other indication towards your current status or employment that makes people appreciates you, and treat you kindly. Benefit: Choose a faction or organisation to side with. Through some indication, certain people will react positively to your status, granting you a +10 social modifier. This trait can be taken with unappreciated status.

Authoritative (Minor/ Major)

You are a figure of authority; perhaps a town guard or an officer in the military. Your rank or position can earn you respect amongst the common citizens. You may even, with the GMs consent, hold a position of significant military importance, such as a general or admiral. Benefit: As a minor trait, your position grants you a +10 modifier to all social rolls with an NPC that respects your authority. You will likely be something minor but still slightly important, such as a town guard. As a major trait, this modifier is raised to +30, and you will gain a more prestigious rank, such as guard captain, military general or fleet admiral, granting you possible dominion over soldiers with the consent of the GM.

Blender (Minor)
Youve always been very good at mingling. Once you walk into a crowd, you become part of it in such a way that others struggle to locate you. You mimic the actions of those around you, you pull up hoods and interact with others, seamlessly disappearing into the thralls. Benefit: You have an almost 100% success rating in covert rolls while youre blended with a crowd. A critical failure is the only thing that can stop this from succeeding. A normal failure will not.

Charger (Minor/ Major)

Combat and motion are made for each other, and you know this better than anyone. Youre a charger. That is to say, you like to run like a maniac into your opponent with brute force, and youre rather good at it too. Benefit: Youre an adept charger. As a minor trait, your charge action has a chance to knock your opponent prone, applying prone negative penalties if they fail their DEX check. As a major, you gain the benefits of the minor trait, but with an additional 1d10 damage applied to your charge bonus, bring it up to 2d10.

Combat Artist (Major)

You were born to fight, and you do it like a master. No matter your weapon of choice, you are able to flow with it from one action to another, from a single target to a second, without any difficulty or hesitation. Benefit: With combat artist, you can perform minor non-combat actions in the same turn as an attack action without receiving a penalty. For example, you can move behind cover, and then shoot over it in one turn without suffering a skill reduction.

Combat Improviser (Minor/Major)

Youre a flexible individual, with many talents, most of which come in the form of hitting and shooting people in exciting ways. Youre ready and able to try any weapon that falls into your hands, and youre a quick learner. Benefit: You can improvise with weapons youve never used. As a minor trait, you gain +5 when defaulting to an attribute for a weapon check. As a major trait, you gain +15 when defaulting. You do not gain any bonuses with weapons you put skill points in, even if its only 5 points. This trait ONLY applies to weapons you have no skill in.

Companion (Minor/ Major)

You have a faithful bestial best buddy. This animal has likely been with you for quite some time, and the two of you have forged a connection. You cant imagine life without your pet, and they will be loyal to you until death do you part. Benefit: As a minor trait, you gain a cosmetic friendly pet which you can teach a few tricks here and there. This might include a friendly sledder, a quish or another cheap animal. Your pet will listen to your commands and will rush to aid you when you are in trouble. As a major trait, you can gain a pet with more skills. You can also pick from a wider variety of species. This pet can be formidable in combat also, and will act alongside you, following your commands during fights. Major pets could include battle sledders, advanced starls, hardened woolorths, saberls, reichers, etc.

Contacts (Minor)
You have someone who is always only a letter away from providing you with the information you need. Its possible you keep a carrier starl with you at all times, ready to send him off with questions to your well-versed contact. Benefit: Contacts provides you with the ability to request information from a source. You must pick a source when you take this trait. Unlike Friends in high/low places, contacts can only provide you with information. On the plus side, you never need to worry about repaying them. You can do this once a day, but the message may take longer than that to reach your contact and be returned.

Controlled (Major)
You can measure the weight behind a swing and the angle of a weapon, and calculate the outcome of an impact before it happens. You can adjust expertly to deliver attacks you want. Benefit: With this trait, you are able to substitute physical damage for stun damage, making it much easier to play a non-lethal character. In addition, you also receive a small +5 bonus to all called shots.

Cover Breaker (Minor/Major)

Cover isnt enough to stop your weapon. They can run, but they certainly cant hide. With some sharp estimations, youre able to predict an enemys location behind cover and take the shot. Benefit: You can shoot at enemies behind cover more effectively than others. As a minor trait, you can outright ignore light cover (chairs, wooden pallets) and gain a +10 bonus to hitting all enemies behind medium, heavy and total cover. As a major trait, this bonus is increased to +20.

Creative Genius (Minor/ Major)

You are a talented and creative individual, and crafts such as alchemy and painting come naturally to you. Your mind is able to correct wrongs into rights, and make even pending failures into awe inspiring wonders. Benefit: Youre creative enough to eradicate mistakes in artistry and crafting checks and convert them into successes. As a minor trait, if flipping the dice wont work, you can use plot points to reduce 20 from your dice roll at the cost of 1 plot point per -20. As a major trait, you may then take your success, and use an additional 3 plot points to convert it into a critical success.

Crowd Controller (Minor/ Major)

Youre a talented fighter, and through years of experience, youve gained a level of heightened awareness whilst in conflict. Youre able to combat multiple opponents simultaneously without losing focus or making mistakes.

Benefit: Youre able to dodge effectively when attacked from multiple angles. As a minor trait, you take a -5 to your fray/parry checks per damage source as opposed to a -10. As a major trait, multiple source attack penalties are totally negated.

Disciplined (Minor)
You are trained to be patient, or perhaps just naturally so. You do not break as easily as most, and can endure much hardship before you yield. You can also tolerate your own brutal acts, so long as you have a justifying motive. Benefit: You gain +15 to all interrogation rolls, be you exacting them, or resisting them. You also gain +15 to checks of leadership. The bonus may also be applied in other situations at the request of a player and discretion of a GM.

Eidetic Memory (Minor)

Nothing slips through your memory. You can ace exams after reading a few books and you can remember the details upon a persons face from a single glance. Your eyes are like cameras, capturing every minor detail and storing it for later use. Benefit: You will not have to roll to make memory rolls, as your character can automatically remember anything theyve seen. You may also learn knowledge skills faster at the discretion of the GM.

Enhanced Vision (Natural)

You have vision which can access other areas of the electromagnetic spectrum that most creatures do not possess. You perceive the world through infrared, or perhaps ultraviolet. Your vision may also allow for telescopic capabilities. Benefit: Based on whatever vision type your character possesses, they gain a +20 modifier to all rolls in which that vision type would come in handy; E.G, a vampire syse detecting a concealed but warm body.

Fancy Education (Minor)

While most of Rimes residents got their basic survival skills at Exposure Training or during The Trials of Aging, you, or your parents, were able to use their time or money to school your further. Youre more intelligent than most, and possess more knowledge. Benefit: You can take one additional knowledge skill at character generation. For a simple intelligence check, you also gain a +10 modifier. This does not increase your INT attribute.

Favouritism (Minor)
You have something in your possession which you hold above all of your other worldly goods. You have a favourite thing, and it is the best thing out of all of the things. You likely give your object a name and recall its history, but most intriguingly of all is its tendency to always find you when you lose it. Benefit: Choose an object. This object will be of great solace to you when holding it, but in addition, you simply cant lose it. Even as you watch it tumble from a cliff into an empty abyss, sooner or later, itll turn up, maybe in a shop window or clasped in the arms of a child. Your object cannot be alive, but it can be a weapon, a piece of armour, or any other inanimate pieces of gear you may have started with.

Feline Grace (Minor)

Whether its through luck or years of careful training, you tend to always land on your feet, and without a scratch upon you. You can fall daunting distances and walk away from it like nothing happened. Benefit: If your character succeeds in free running in addition to this trait, they will never take fall damage unless the fall is considered fatal for any creature. Without a success in free running, you will still only take stun damage from falls.

Flexible (Minor/ Major)

You have a gymnasts or contortionists body. You are capable of accessing areas others cannot, or escaping from traps and devices that would leave others helpless. Benefit: As a minor trait, flexible allows you to squeeze through tight gaps with absolutely no penalty or chance of getting stuck. These tight areas may be in caves or ruins. You also receive a +10 modifier for rolls in which you fight of movement restrictions. As a major trait, you are bendier than a straw, capable of slipping out of handcuffs and releasing yourself from cave-ins. You gain a +30 modifier if the escaping check is not instantaneous for you. There may also be certain role-playing scenarios in which this trait can be used.

Flight (Natural)
You possess the power of flight, most likely from a pair of wings, but you may also be an aeroborn. You are able to traverse objects much more efficiently, and move greater distances both in and out of the fray. Benefit: You can fly. You can move up to 9 spaces per round rather than six. If moving at maximum sprint speed, you can move up to 18 spaces, but this disallows all other actions for the rest of the turn. You can also move over and land on top of objects without making a climb check.

Forecaster (Minor)
A single look to the sky, or a moment in the ambient temperature, and youre capable of predicting what the weather will do within the next three hours. Your talents are appreciated by farmers and hunters, as sudden changes in the weather can leave you trapped, battling for your life. With your foresight, you can prepare for weather before it strikes. Benefit: You can predict the weather three hours in advance of its arrival or dissipation. You need to be outside for this, or at least be able to see the sky through a window or open door.

Fortune Favoured (Minor/ Major)

Youre a jammy individual, or perhaps the divines are smiling upon you. Your luck knows no bounds and youve been able to successfully get through life without a great deal of mishaps. Benefit: You are lucky. As a minor trait, once per session you can re-roll the dice at no cost. As a major trait, you may do this twice per session.

Free Runner (Minor/ Major)

Youre a natural born sprinter, and difficult terrain is where youre at home. You can dash through, vault over and spring from obstacles in your path with minimal effort. Benefit: As a minor trait, during combat, you do not have to make free-running checks in order to pass over small pieces of awkward terrain, such as tables and bars. As a major trait, you gain the

ability to run up walls, meaning you can use free-running as opposed to climb, and also traverse over blockades and enemies in thin corridors. Youre able to wall run with a successful free-running check, and can do so as far as your minor action speed/2 (Default 3. Speedy Minor, 4. Speedy Major, 5)

Friends in High Places (Minor/ Major)

You possibly come from a noble or rich background, and at some point in your life, you made friends with some powerful families with enough cash to afford the fanciest of lifestyles. They may frown upon your current path, but will perform favours for you, should you ask politely. Benefit: You have contacts in the richest and most powerful families in Sovreignous. As a minor trait, you request a single, minor favour one per session. As a major trait, you may request a single major favour one per session. Failing to correctly acknowledge your favour, or make amends in some form of eventual repayment will result in this trait being taken from the player, to represent your noble contacts no longer wanting anything to do with you. Examples of minor favours would be; borrowing a cash lump worth 0-500 sancs, having guards look the other way while you perform petty crimes, being allowed into a moderately exclusive party, being delivered legal but expensive goods, hearing some gossip or local information. Examples of major favours include; borrowing a heavy cash lump worth 0-3000 sancs, being released from prison without charge, receiving clearance for some high security areas, being delivered extremely rare goods, gaining access to valuable and potentially dangerous information.

Friends in Low Places (Minor/ Major)

At some point in your past, you established connections to some of Rimes infamous organisations. You may have ties to a bandit clan, to one of the assassin guilds, or to some sort of criminal mastermind with seemingly limitless resources. Be warned, though, if you take out a loan, they will expect it back. Business is business. Benefit: You have contacts in the criminal underworld or from the dregs of society. As a minor trait, one a session you can call in a simple favour from some of your contacts, assuming you have the means of speaking to them. As a major trait, you may also call in a single favour, but this favour may be much larger. Examples for minor favours would be; taking out a loan worth 0-500 sancs, getting a small amount of backup from a bandit clan, selling some relatively cheap, pilfered items to a black market dealer, buying something illegal and cheap from a black market dealer. Examples of major favours include; taking out a loan worth 0-3000 sancs, aligning yourself with an entire criminal fighting force, organising a mass murder or high-class assassination, selling stolen and still hot items worth a fortune to the black market, and purchasing very illegal and hard to find weapons from criminals.

Gliding Membrane (Natural)

Your anatomy includes a membrane that stretches from your wrists to your hips. With it, you are able to glide great distances, but only when falling from an elevated position. Benefit: When leaping from an elevated area or object, you are able to fly for one turn, moving up to 12 spaces as a minor action, or 20 spaces as a full turn.

Gut Instinct (Minor/ Major)

You have incredible and trustworthy intuition skills. You are able to sense when something is a bad idea, or when someone has screwed you over. Benefit: You have a trustworthy instinct. As a minor trait, you gain +15 to intuition checks, such as sense. As a major trait, you are able to ask the GM one or more yes or no questions about a situation at the cost of a plot point. These questions increase in cost per session. The first will cost 1 plot point, the second will cost two, the third will cost three, and so on.

Hard Acceleration (Minor/Major)

You are able to break into full speed much faster than others, which enables you to build up momentum much faster. Using this in combat grants you wrecking ball capabilities. Benefit: You can accelerate quickly. As a minor trait, you can receive a charge bonus when within two squares of your opponent, rather than three. As a major trait, you can charge when just one square away from your opponent.

Heavy Tolerance (Minor)

You are anything but a lightweight. You can drink almost any man under the table, and youre pretty sure that drug addicts are just all talk. It takes a lot for you to feel the negative effects of most chemical or even toxic substances. Benefit: You gain a +15 modifier to resisting all chemical substances. This includes alcohol and other drugs, but also things such as poison darts. This resistance bonus is added onto your resistance derived attribute, so long as youre resisting something covered in the above.

Hunter (Minor)
Youve spent your life hunting a specific animal to make your ends meet. You know how to professionally and efficiently track, trap and bring down a specific kind of wild beast. Benefit: You know a certain animal inside out. You gain +15 to all rolls that involve that animal, be they survival or attack.

Improviser (Minor/ Major)

Youre pretty good at picking up things first time, and a lot of skills come naturally to you. Youre often able to effectively complete a task without any necessary training, so long as the task is something within reason. Benefit: Youre a sharp improviser. As a minor trait, you gain +5 to all non specialisation skill defaulting checks, such as diplomacy, covert, climbing and sense. As a major trait, you gain +10 to these defaulting checks. You do not gain a bonus in any skills you have distributed skill points into, even if its even 1. You do not gain a defaulting bonus in specialisation skills, such as crafting, performance and artistry.

Intimidating Presence (Minor/ Major)

You have a presence that sends the bravest of the brave packing. Something about your demeanour frightens folk, and makes them much more manipulative. It could be your eyes or your stature, but then it could just be the fact youre a clawed, fanged monster.

Benefit: Youre genuinely kinda scary. As a minor trait, you gain +10 to all intimidation checks. As a major trait, you gain +30, but you are also able to spend plot points on intimidation checks to lower a failing roll, at the cost of one plot point per 20 points.

Know It All (Minor/Major)

Youre practically a database of knowledge, both useful and pointless. Over the years, youve read countless books and heard endless tales, and now youre well versed in almost every topic on the planet. Pub quizzes, beware. Benefit: Youre a bit of a know-it-all. When taking this trait as a minor or major, you must remove your knowledge skills and replace them with Everything. As a minor trait, Everything will be your INT +5. As a major trait, Everything will be your INT +15. Making a successful knowledge roll in Everything will grant you knowledge in the topic at hand. This trait cannot be taken with Fancy Education.

Know your Mark (Minor)

You know how to size up a mark. You likely gained this skill from a street wise vermus or were schooled in the ways by a group of pick pockets. Either way, you know how to tell exactly what a man or woman has in their pockets just from a casual glance. Benefit: You may spend a single plot point to size up a mark, and get an idea of their current inventory. If you spend two plot points, you may be able to determine the true wealth of this individual, and work out what kind of things he has in his home. If it sounds desirable, you may follow him.

Leadership (Minor/ Major)

Youre a natural born leader. You know exactly what to say when your squad wallows in fear to get them back on their feet and charging into battle. Your words turn cowards into zealots, turn villagers into soldiers and turn warriors into unstoppable killing machines. Benefit: As a minor trait, once per session, you are able to perform a rousing speech to your party. This speech must be targeted at a specific and immediate goal, such as battling a bandit chief. Once their morale has been boosted, every player except the speaker will gain +15 to all skills until the goal is complete. As a major trait, you may use your own plot points to affect the actions of other players, even using them to reduce damage of another.

Lightning Reflexes (Major)

You are fast. When a noise sounds out, you are the first to turn your head. When a gunshot cracks through the silence, youve already hit the deck while everyone else bumbles around in confusion. Benefit: Your initiative dice score is doubled when rolled, giving you a maximum of 20 in addition to your regular derived attribute. You will also gain passive bonuses during most role playing scenarios where your reflexes will help you.

Light Sleeper (Minor)

No one can sneak up on you while you rest. The slightest creak of a floorboard, the smallest muffled footsteps in the snow, and youre up, weapon in hand, ready to face off against the intruder. Benefit: You sleep with one eye open. While sleeping, you maintain full perception abilities and can easily detect those who would seek to ambush you in your slumber.

Love (Minor/ Major)

You harbour a fascination or interest in something or someone in particular. Your love gives you something worth fighting for, whether its just a silly object, or another character within your story. Benefit: Your character loves something, and will fight for it. You must first specify what this love is; it could be a character, a type of cake, an animal, such as a pet, etc etc. As a minor trait, when your love interest is in danger, you gain a +10 to all skills for periods of time. This would include moments where youd maybe have to act to prevent an apocalypse, or just situations in which your love is singled out for a reason. As a major trait, this goes up to +20. This trait can be taken with emotional attachment.

Metropolitan (Minor/ Major)

You are at home within an urban environment. While some can navigate the wilds with expertise, you know how to do the same with cities, towns and villages. Benefit: As a minor trait, you gain +10 to all perception checks when in an urban area. As a major trait, you are more attuned to urban environments. You gain passively maintain a +15 bonus to all skills when in a village, town or city. Stand alone constructions and abandoned solitary houses will not grant you the bonus.

Moneyed (Minor/ Major)

You are a moneyed individual. You likely come from a noble family or a criminal background which earned you or is indeed still earning you sizable amounts of cash. You are delivered pouches of cash on a daily basis from your benefactors or from your own personal account. Benefit: As a minor trait, once a day, you roll a d100. Whatever that number is, a starl will deliver a pouch containing that many sancs to you. As a major trait, you roll 3d100 and combine the total.

Natural Armour (Natural)

You have a hide as tough as an old boot, a carapace stronger than stone or a thick outer shell that dampens all damage. Benefit: This is a racial trait. You will be given a number beside your racial trait in the race description. Whatever this number is, that is automatically added to your armour value.

Natural Toxin (Natural)

Your claws or jaws contain and brew a natural chemical which you can use to defend yourself, or assault your prey. Benefit: You have a toxic bite or scratch. Whenever you deal unarmed damage, the victim must make a resistance check or be afflicted with the toxins full affects. Natural Toxins: Serephin Venom: This paralytic toxin causes the victims muscles to seize after two turns if they fail the resistance check. Once the two turns have expired, the character will be incapable of movement or speech. They will be incapacitated for 1d10 turns.

Natural Weapon (Natural)

You have large claws or a bite powerful enough to do serious damage. Benefit: If you have a natural weapon, you have the choice on whether or not you use it in melee combat. In unarmed combat, you can deal either stun or wound damage. Natural weapon damage can be increased with blade caps; small metallic caps which are placed on and around talons, claws, antlers, fangs, etc.

Nature Lover (Minor/ Major)

You are truly at home in the wilderness. You may have lived here all your life, and you know whats unusual, and what is not. You are attuned and accustomed to life in the wild, and if something odd occurs, or if something approaches that is not a natural resident, its probable you will be the first to know Benefit: As a minor trait, you gain a +10 to all perception checks in outdoor, non-urban areas. If you have nature lover as a major trait, you gain +15 to perception checks, but also gain +15 to all skills in a certain biome of your choice. This can be things such as; tundra, forest, mountains, grass flats, desert, etc.

Needless (Minor)
You can endure hardship and resist starvation much more than most. Your ability to take areas out without food or rest is admirable, and your energy levels can stay nice and healthy for longer periods of time without sustenance. Benefit: Your needs are less severe than others. For you, it takes twice as long before you start feeling the effects of hunger and fatigue. This trait does not affect your thirst, and cannot be taken with the needy trait.

Night Eyes (Minor)

Darkness was just another problem you eventually overcame. You perhaps grew up in a sewer, or in caves, or are simply a classic night owl who is comfortable without light. Benefit: You can see further in the dark than most, and your eyes become accustomed to it much more quickly. You do not gain penalties to perception in dark areas. The skill may also be useful in some role playing scenarios.

Night Owl (Major)

You are at your prime beneath the stars. You know how to move and act in the cover of darkness to become one with the night itself. You likely prefer sleeping at daytime and enduring nights cold just for the thrill of the moons embrace. Benefit: You are night. From the moment the stars light the sky, you gain a +20 bonus to covert rolls, +20 to intimidation rolls, +20 to survival rolls and +10 to weapon rolls. You also gain all the benefits from the night eyes perk. This should not be taken with night eyes, as it will not stack.

Perpetual Smiling (Minor)

Youre an almost unnaturally cheerful person. Your smile and laugh is somewhat infectious, and most folk cant help but to smile back. Benefit: Youre generally a pleasant person to engage in conversation with. You gain a +15 modifier to social checks in which your contagiously happy behaviour is appreciated. This is a roleplay trait, and failing to adhere to it may result in the GM removing it.

Pinnacle of Health (Minor)

You do not get sick easily, and when you do, youre able to shrug off even crippling illnesses as if they were a common cold. Your immune system is something you brag about and something some may envy. Benefit: You can resist and fight off disease much more effectively than others. You gain +15 to rolls that will help you resist and fend off viruses, infections and other ailments.

Religiosity (Minor/ Major)

You are religious. Its mostly likely that your faith is shared by thousands, as you are part of the Faithful, but its also possible you are part of a smaller, lesser known cult or religion. Either way, you have a strong sense of belief in something which will help you through hardship. Benefit: You have faith in some sort of entity or multiple entities. As a minor trait, your belief will help you in willpower checks to resist mental degradation or even fear. You gain a +15 to WIL attribute checks. As a major trait, you are a figure of significance within your religion, such as a priest or monk. You will often be seen wearing religious symbols, and your position will be respected by those who share your beliefs. As a major trait, you keep the +15 to WIL checks, but also gain +30 to most social skills with those that respect you. This is a role-play trait, and players will be expected to show their characters faith in dialogue, especially if they have taken major. This does not increase your WIL attribute. It only adds to WIL attribute checks. (More on attribute checks in game rules)

Run and Gun (Major)

Youve perfected the art of firing ranged weapons whilst in motion. Why waste an attack of opportunity whilst dashing from cover to cover? Using this technique, you can draw closer to your target whilst keeping up the pressure. Benefit: When you run and make your ranged attack, youre able to make a double dexterity check immediately afterwards. If you succeed, you can continue running for as many squares as your minor action speed/2, rounding up. (Default: 3. Speedy minor, 4. Speedy major, 5.) When doing a run and gun, you cannot perform multiple attacks, called shots or aimed shots. You can still make the DEX check and escape even if your attack fails. If you fail the DEX check, you may trip up, or lose focus on your destination.

Sharp Sense (Minor/ Major)

One or more of your senses are sharper than the others. With this skill, you are able to detect things and properties with, and rely on a specific sense. Benefit: Pick one sense; sight, smell, hearing, taste or touch. With a minor enhancement to one of these, you gain +10 to perception checks that utilise this sense. With a major trait, you still pick only one, but picking sight will only grant you +20, while picking the other four will grant you +30. You are able to take this trait more than once.

Silver Tongue (Minor)

Something youll find in almost all vermus, and anyone extensive social skills is a silver tongue. A silver tongue allows you to make use of a broad vocabulary and social understanding to negotiate, bargain and persuade. Benefit: With the silver tongue trait, you gain a passive +10 to all diplomacy checks.

Situation Shooter (Minor/Major)

Youre an expert in ranged weapons and gunplay. Youre able to work in almost any situation, granted youve got the ammo for it. Benefit: Youre adept with ranged weapons, and can work with them with less penalties in certain crippling situations. As a minor trait, youre able to gain +20 to point blank rolls instead of +10, -25 to blind fire rolls instead of -30, and -25 to shooting from melee combat instead of -30. As a major trait, you gain +30 to point blank shots, -15 to blind fires and -15 to shooting from melee combat.

Skilled (Major)
Theres nothing you cant do well. Most skills come to you as naturally as breathing or walking does to most. You learn skills more effectively and can have a broader range than others. Benefit: Instead of a cap of 30 for increasing your skills, you have a cap of 35, meaning all of your chosen skills can be increased five points higher than normal. You also gain an additional 30 skill points to distribute. Skilled can be taken twice, but upon taking it a second time, you only gain another 30 skill points. The cap does not increase.

Slash and Dash (Major)

Movement and melee attacks come hand in hand, as far as youre concerned. In combat, you like to keep moving after youve hit your enemy, understandably. Theyd probably have retaliated anyway. Benefit: When you run and make your melee attack, youre able to make a double dexterity check immediately afterwards. If you succeed, you can dash away for as many squares as your minor action speed/2, rounding up. (Default: 3. Speedy minor, 4. Speedy major, 5.) When doing a slash and dash, you cannot gain charge attack bonuses, make called shots or perform multiple attacks. You can still make the DEX check and escape even if your attack fails. If you fail the DEX check, your enemy will keep up the pressure and disallow escape.

Small Stature (Natural)

Youre a little guy, most likely part of a smaller race or species. This has its uses, as youve learnt how to perform most of the actions a bigger person could probably do. Benefit: In addition to being able to fit in places larger races could not, all enemies also receive a -10 modifier to hitting you with both ranged and melee weapons.

Speedy (Minor/ Major)

You can run like the wind through any weather. Your legs are your prized possession. You are likely athletic and in a good physical condition, and this grants you the ability to move faster than most others. Benefit: As a minor trait, speedy allows you to move up to 7 squares as a minor action per turn, and 14 as a full action. As a major trait, speedy allows you to move 9 squares per minor action, and eighteen for full. This should not be taken with snails pace or flight traits. If you are paralysed or become an amputee, this trait is removed. Speedy also compliments other traits, such as Free Runner.

Star Guide (Minor)

Your navigation skill is unmatched, so long as the sun has set. You can use stars and constellations to navigate through featureless environments absolutely perfectly. Benefit: When the stars are up and visible, all navigation checks become instant successes unless you critically fail with a 99.

Steady Calm (Minor)

Youve seen it all before. Nothing scares you. Nothing makes you want to vomit. You can watch a man explode, the entrails dripping off your armour, and youll be able to shrug it off and carry on with your day. Benefit: You rarely feel fear, and you can shrug off surprises. You do not make a willpower attribute check in most conditions, but even you may eventually experience something that breaks your calm.

Steel Fists (Minor)

You have the ability to fracture bones and shatter lives with just the swing of your fist. Some folk would rather take a sword to the gut than one of your punches, as you have a reputation for doing more damage. Benefit: In unarmed combat, you have the ability to choose whether you deal average stun damage, or full wound damage. Your unarmed damage scales normally with the tier of your hand armour as usual.

Supply Line (Minor/ Major)

Through some means, youve managed to make friends or join an organisation that allows you to acquire certain goods for free from certain people. Your privileges, while slightly limited, will allow you to take materials for crafting away from store vendors without charge. Benefit: You have rights to free crafting supplies. As a minor trait, youre able to acquire cheap crafting materials from a single, small source on location, such as ForgeWorks, Drelalti, Wolfbane Pact, etc. As a major trait, you have the right to take expensive or illegal crafting materials from an organisation without charge.

Teacher (Minor/ Major)

As a teacher, you possess the same abilities as Rimes trainers. You can teach various skills, patents and techniques to your friends, and you can do it without demanding extortionate prices. Benefit: You are a trainer. Like Rimes trainers, you can teach people abilities you have yourself over the period of several months or weeks. As a minor trait, your teaching skills are on par with that of normal trainers. As a major skill, you can teach people new skills twice as fast, and possibly even teach abilities to people who dont meet the skill level requirements to even learn that ability.

Technologically Adept (Minor/ Major)

You know your way around pretty much any machine Rime can throw at you. From a bit of tinkering and a host of know-how, you can identify problems within mechanical devices and fix them accordingly, if youve got the tools and equipment for it. If it doesnt require a particular skillset, you may even be able to use technologically advanced items that no one else can. Benefit: Youre good with machines. As a minor trait, you can use your specialisation and knowledge skills to identify and fix problems within advanced machines youve never seen before.

You can also use plot points to fix these rolls at -20 per plot point. As a major trait, you can spend a single plot point to hear the machines voice. It will tell you what is wrong as clearly as it can, and you will know precisely what to do without rolling. It may also tell you how it works, or how you use it, if its a truly confusing piece of tech.

Time in the Spotlight (Minor/ Major)

Fame is a mistress you have courted with. Whether your name is a local legend, or a global one, somehow you have earned peoples respect and maybe a few of their hurled undergarments. Whether they love you for your artistry or respect or even fear you for your combat prowess, you are someone who the public know. Benefit: You are famous, somewhere. As a minor trait, your name carries weight in your home province. When travelling through your origin point, people will recognise you and will often be willing to help you. You gain +20 to relevant social skills with people from your home province. As a major trait, your name is one recognised globally. Even the fenrye across the sea have an inkling as to who you are. In addition to +20 to relevant social skills with anyone who recognises you, you can also spend a plot point to make an NPC recognise who you are, and reap the potential benefits. This is a role-play trait, and you may find your fame can help you in other ways as well as the simple ones provided here.

Time Keeper (Minor)

While clocks are quite rare on Rime, youve learnt the numeric minute/hour system flawlessly; so well in fact, that you are able to give the present time to the minute even when indoors, and in foreign areas. If youre knocked out, you need only look to the skies; to the position of the moon and sun to regain a grasp on the current time. Benefit: You always know what the local time it is, even when indoors, in a blizzard or on another continent. You have a firm grasp on timing, and can be the perfect countdown clock for things like explosives, or ambushes.

Tiny (Natural)
You are miniscule in size, difficult to spot and even more difficult to strike. Youre likely no bigger than a rodent or even an insect. Benefit: All people searching for you take a -20 modifier to their perception, and all people trying to hit you take a -20 modifier to their attack rolls.

Tough (Minor/ Major)

You are tenacious, probably because Rime demanded it of you. You are as enduring as a saberl with a thick skin to match. Benefit: As a minor trait, tough grants you two additional health points and two additional stun points. As a major trait, you gain four additional health points and four additional stun points.

Unfazed (Minor/ Major)

You are able to ignore some serious wounds. Your pain tolerance is exceptionally good, but it has its limits.

Benefit: As a minor trait, you are able to completely ignore the effect of one wound. As a major trait, you can ignore the effects of up to three wounds. You receive wounds when taking a sum of damage that surpasses your wound threshold.

Vocal Flexibility (Minor)

You have a flexible voice, capable of making interesting noises of extremely high and low pitches. Singing is something that comes naturally to you, but also youre very good at impressions. You can mimic voices and sometimes even trick people. Benefit: Your voice is easy to manipulate. You may make interesting noises or speak using the voice of another to deceive. You gain a +20 to deception checks if certain criteria are met (such as they cant see your face). You also gain +20 to singing.

Negative Traits
Achilles Heel (Minor/ Major)
Theres a certain part of your body which does not respond well to violence. You try to keep your integral flaw a secret, but every time your weak point is struck, you experience pain that is twice as bad, and you get a little dizzy. Penalty: You have a weak point that can be exploited by your enemies. Pick a body part, either one of your limbs, one of your hands, one of your feet, your stomach, your spine or your head (chest is not advised.) When enemies attack you, and your weak point isnt covered, they have a 1 in 12 chance of hitting it. As a minor trait, when your Achilles heel is damaged, you take as many stun points as you do wound in addition to the stun points lost from armour negation. As a major trait, all damage you take is doubled.

Addiction (Minor/ Major)

You are addicted to some sort of substance or action. You cant go for too long without getting your fix, and not getting said fix could result in consequences ranging from irritating to disastrous. Penalty: You are an addict. As a minor trait, this addiction will be something simple and not overly life altering. Going without whatever you are addicted to will eventually result in some small penalties to virtually all actions. Going for three days without satisfying you need will result in a -5 to all rolls. Six days will give you a -10 penalty, and anything beyond ten days will give you -15 to all rolls. As a major trait, your addiction is more serious. It could be a powerful drug, or simply a compelling need, but either way, you get the shakes without it and nothing can substitute. You take double the penalties to the minor traits over three, six and ten days, eventually reaching -30 to all rolls. Examples of addictions can include: a specific drug, gambling, a compulsion to commit aggressive acts, sex, pain, etc.

Allergy (Minor/ Major)

You are allergic to something, either slightly or incredibly so. Maybe the Lumina pollen makes you sneeze, or taking a bite out of a load of bread can cause pains in your stomach. Perhaps nuts make you swell up, or an insects sting can send you into anaphylactic shock. Ultimately, your body rejects something, or reacts to it badly.

Penalty: As a minor trait, your allergy is only a hindrance, and will likely cause sneezing, rashes and eyes watering. You take a -10 to most physical actions when exposed to the thing youre allergic too, such as furry animals or airborne pollen. As a major trait, your allergy is much more serious, and can even kill you. Every round youre exposed to your allergy, you take a single point of stun. In addition, you also take a -30 penalty to all actions. If your stun reaches 0, you start to take real damage instead and you fall into anaphylactic shock, unable to act. If exposed out of combat, you take one stun every minute.

Amnesia (Major)
You have no idea who you are, why youre here or what anything really is. You suffer from a severe case of memory loss, and everything about your personality, background and motives have been lost. You likely have no recollection of any of Rimes developments, and will likely be confused by simple objects such as mills, compasses and weapons. Penalty: You suffer from amnesia, a single or periodic loss of memory. You lose all of your knowledge skills and fail at using most technical objects until you gain an understanding of them (GM can decide this). Even when you have learnt all you can, you take a -20 to any actions that would require retaining technical knowledge.

Amorous (Minor)
Youre one of those men that women describe as a sexual fiend, or one of those women that men describe as awesome. You make no attempts to mask your amorous desires and will make advances upon members of your sexual preference without delay and without tact. Penalty: Once an NPC has been irritated by your amorous antics, you will take a -15 penalty to all social rolls directed at them.

Amputee (Minor)
Youve lost a single limb during your time on Rime. Its not an overly rare condition, as Rime has plenty of beasts that would happily tear off an appendage or two to get a good snack. Penalty: You have lost an arm, a leg, a hand or a foot. If youve lost a hand or arm, you cannot do anything requiring two hands. If you have lost a foot or leg, you take a hit to movement speed, and can only move four squares as a minor action per turn, or eight squares as a full action. You also suffer a -30 penalty to movement actions such as free-running. If only your hand is missing, and not your arm, there may be some sort of primitive prosthetic for you to use (such as a hook.) Note, this traits effects are also temporarily applied if any character receives any broken limbs.

Anger Issues (Minor/ Major)

Youve got a chip on your shoulder... or at least you did until you punched it away for invading your personal space. Your anger is not a thing youve ever been able to fully control. You tend to commit acts of rage or violence pretty much wherever you go. Penalty: You have a short fuse. As a minor trait, you cant walk away from insults or taunts without a successful willpower attribute check. As a major action, you simply dont get the option of resisting. In addition, if anybody hits you in combat, your fury will be directed upon him or her, and you will be unable to attack anybody else until that character lies at your feet in a bloody mess. This is a role-play trait, and the player is expected to carry it out in dialogue and such.

Animal Antipathy (Minor)

Animals really dont like you. Pet sledders growl at you, woolorths shy away from you and wild animals seem to always target you first when charging. Maybe its your hair or your smell, but either way, youve never got along with creatures and theyve never got along with you. Penalty: You take -15 to animal handling checks. In addition, animals may try and maul you first before your party members, and there may be cases during role play where your presence upsets animals to humorous consequences.

Bad Rep (Minor/ Major)

Folk know who you are, but not for a good reason. Youre a well-known criminal or con-artist, either with a jail sentence served or you were simply never caught. Most people disrespect you while some might fear you, but itll likely not be a fear youre capable of using against them. Penalty: You have a bad name and a whole pot of infamy. As a minor trait, everyone from your origin point knows who you are and what you did. You suffer a -20 social skill modifier to everyone you speak to from your home. As a major trait, your bad name precedes you all over the continent and possibly across the globe. You suffer a -30 social skill modifier to everyone who recognises you, and you must spend 2 plot points to make them think theyve made a mistake. This trait cannot be taken with the time in the spotlight trait.

Berserk (Major)
You are a berserker. Youre not just angry. Youre not just fearsome. You are rage incarnate, so long as the situation calls for it. As a berserker, youre quite calm in situations out of combat. Someone can throw an insult at you and youll chuckle and throw one back, all in good fun. As soon as the weapons come out though, the red mist descends. Penalty: During combat, you make periodic WIL checks to prevent yourself from charging into the fray with reckless disregard for your own safety. Your damage output is increased if you fail, as is your armour, but youll likely be the centre of several attacks.

Bestial (Minor. Fenrye or Ley-risen only)

You respond to your primal urges. You act animalistic and other members of your species or race would likely consider you deranged. You play with rubber balls, growl and snarl at people for little reason, and can be controlled by animal empathisers. Penalty: You are bestial. In situations where sapience is key, you may find yourself at a loss, instead grooming yourself or chasing a rabbit. You must make a WIL check to prevent yourself from acting like an animal in certain situations.

Blind (Major)
You were either blind at birth, or youve lost your sight through physical injury or degrading illness. You cannot see, at all, and likely need assistance navigating the world. You rely entirely on your other senses, and if you have points in perception, they will now cover only hearing, smell, touch and taste. Penalty: You are blind. You have difficulty navigating through virtually any space youre not familiar with, suffering a movement speed bonus. If you dont know where you are, you can only move 3 squares per turn, or six squares if you run in a random direction. In addition to this, you also suffer a -40 modifier to using ranged weapons.

Boring (Minor/Major)

Youre really dull... You perhaps speak in a droning voice, or go off on long boring anecdotes about the colour grey. You may or may not know youre boring, but doing exciting things just never really appealed to you. Penalty: You are boring. You may outright avoid doing anything thats interesting, instead preferring to lecture your allies on mundane topics. As a minor trait, you take -15 to social rolls against those you bore. As a major trait, your voice is so boring that no one can really follow what youre saying. Your voice, in larger doses, deals stun damage over time, which can invoke hostility against you.

Braggart (Minor)
Yup. Yup. That was you. That was you who did that thing. Let everyone know. Let them bask in your glory. You are worthy of their respect, be it through fear or admiration. They must know. They must know what you did! Penalty: You must make WIL checks to prevent yourself from blabbing on about your accomplishments, be they illegal or not. This can result in some fun situations, if you are very proud of something that others would hunt you for. The WIL checks can be either easy or normal difficulty depending on whats at stake if you open your trap.

Brutal Honesty (Minor)

You cannot lie, even when the situation desperately calls for it. You are as blunt as they come with the truth, and will not even make attempts to soften devastating blows to the families of deceased relatives. Penalty: You cannot tell lies, even when the player really wants to. With this trait, you cant lie, and likely contradict players that do. This is a role-play trait without any numbers or modifiers. The negativity comes from the fact that deceiving people isnt something you can even think of. This trait cannot be taken with the compulsive liar trait.

Call Card (Minor)

Your ego has power over your sensibility. Before you retreat from the scene of a crime, or leave the body of a target you have assassinated, you leave a symbol within or upon them; a signature sign which people can identify the culprit with. This way, you can take solace in the fact that no one will claim responsibility for your actions. Penalty: You leave a call card wherever you performed heroic or villainous acts. This can make you easy to track, and also potentially subject you to framing if someone else uses your sign.

Clown (Minor)
You struggle to find the sincerity in most situations. A mans mother has been torn apart by a vicious beast, and as he mourns, you tell her shes half of what she used to be. Naturally, this can piss people off. Penalty: You make jokes all the time, whether its in an inappropriate situation or not. You rarely mean ill, but you occasionally are met with undesirable reactions. If you tell a good joke at the right time, theres no harm done. You may even get a social bonus if the NPC likes it. If you upset someone with poor comic timing however, you will gain a -15 modifier to all social actions with them.

Clumsy (Minor/ Major)

You have two left feet and two left hands. Dexterous or careful acts are something people try to steer you clear of, as you have a wonderful tendency to screw them up, spectacularly. Penalty: As a minor trait, your clumsy ways will result in a -10 modifier to all delicate acts. As a major trait, in addition to the -10 modifier, a GM may ask you to make a dexterity check at any time. Failing it will result in clumsiness of a high calibre. You drop your sword, you break valuable objects, you fall down stairs and accidently slap people walking by when making larger hand gestures.

Colour-blind (Minor/ Major)

From birth, whether through genetic faults or natural order for some ley-risen, youre unable to perceive colours as well as others. In some severe cases, your vision may be totally monochromatic, rendering your ability to see colours beyond comprehension. Penalty: You are colour-blind. As a minor trait, your character will struggle to perceive and distinguish colours from one another. You take a -30 to all perception checks that involve colour identification. As a major trait, you can only perceive the world in black and white. You have no idea what red or blue is, and are unable to identify colours in any form.

Compulsive Liar (Minor)

Youre a great, lovable, honest and upstanding individual. Youd never tell a lie, even if it was to save your life. The very concept of deception to you seems-.... Oh fine, you lie all the time and anyone who knows you well will never, ever believe a word you say. Penalty: Youre a forked tongue liar. You have a compulsion to enhance the truth. Even when engaging in conversation with people you are friendly with, or people you cant afford to piss off, youll still lie through your teeth and not give a damn doing it. When trying to persuade people who know you with genuine truth, you suffer a -50 modifier to rolls. This trait cannot be taken with the brutal honesty trait.

Cowardly (Minor/ Major)

Youre as yellow as a wheat field, but thankfully you dont hear people say that, since youve usually run away. You are a coward, and most likely hate all forms of physical confrontation. The nearest exit is something you always keep in mind, and within a safe distance. Penalty: As a minor trait, you suffer a -10 penalty to all actions if you are in danger. As a major trait, in addition to the -10 penalty, when you are in danger, the GM can force you to make a willpower check. Failing this will throw you into retreat, and you will likely dart for the doorway or cram yourself into a hidey hole, crying. This trait cannot be taken with the steady calm trait.

Crude (Minor)
You spew forth foul language, disgusting jokes, tell inappropriate stories and wipe your nose with a nobles scarf. No matter where you are, or what the scene, youll always be there to lower the tone and the level of conversation. Penalty: You are a crude individual. Your unpleasant attitude and inappropriate behaviour will give you a -15 modifier to socialising with all upstanding, civilised people.

Deaf (Major)

You cannot hear. You were either born deaf, or you lost your ability to hear somewhere during your life on Rime. Youve likely learned how to lip read, or possibly perform sign language. Its possible that you can talk, although you have no idea what you can sound like. Naturally, your ability to hear is removed from your perception checks. Penalty: You are deaf. You cannot hear anything approaching. You may use a perception sight skill to read lips and understand what people are saying. The difficulty on this check depends on the circumstances.

Death Wish (Major)

You seek a good death at the hands of a worthy opponent or challenge. In your eyes, your life is already over, and you merely wish to go out fighting. You will never commit suicide, and you will put your all into hostile encounters, but you will embrace conflict and challenge without the slightest consideration for your wellbeing. Penalty: You have a death wish. You will actively engage in dangerous activities without a second thought. You care for the safety of others, but not for yourself. You will have no qualms sacrificing yourself to save a friend or ally, and will accept challenges from potentially deadly opponents. In some circumstances, you may be able to make challenging WIL checks to resist your desire to die.

Disgusting Presence (Minor)

You are foul to behold. You either look like a rotting mess or your smell like one. People just want to get the hell away from you when you step into the same room as them, and most of them will likely not be polite enough to tell you what the issue is. Penalty: You are disgusting, in one way or another. You suffer a -15 modifier to all social interactions, and some people will be compelled to remove you from certain areas to avoid upsetting others. This trait cannot be taken with the alluring presence trait.

Easily Distracted (Minor)

You are very easily dis-..... Oh.... Shiny... Penalty: Your attention can be short lived. You must make an awareness check when something more interesting appears to avoid you losing focus. If you lose focus, you take -15 modifier to all actions you were originally focusing on.

Elitist (Minor. Human only.)

You are part of the master race, and all other races are inferior. Youd rather avoid the scum sucking vermus or the ley-risen abominations, but if you must interact with them, youll be sure to let them know just how pathetic they are. Penalty: You treat characters with the unequal trait unequally. You easily offend NPCs and other characters, and suffer a -15 to all social checks with them once you have done so. If your character becomes friends with one of these unequal beings, then the social modifier is removed for that 1 individual.

Emotional Attachment (Minor)

You have a family back home, or a person you are strongly attached to/romantically involved with. Spending too long without them is painful, but you can just about manage it. What you cant handle well is the thought of them in trouble. If your family or loved one/s become endangered, you must rush to save them. Penalty: If your family or loved ones are in trouble, you need to help them. If you cant help them, you feel helpless, and must make periodic willpower checks to resist stability damage.

Fealty (Minor)
Youve sworn an oath of allegiance and loyalty to an individual or organisation, and will always do their bidding, no matter the cost. Your obedience is admirable, and perhaps borderline obsessive, but there may always be a chance for you to break your leash and work alone. Penalty: You fiercely serve someone, and will always heed their call. Choose an NPC, an organisation or another players character. You must now follow all commands given by your chosen entity. Should you wish to disobey, you must make a hard WIL check to do so.

Financial Obligation (Minor/ Major)

Youre a party in a contract which involves you paying a some to another party when certain conditions are met. Whether through your income, or your finds on your adventures, a chunk of your earnings, or perhaps even all of them, must be paid to someone else. Penalty: Youre in a binding contract, and must pay a sum when conditions are met. As a minor trait, the penalty is not as severe, and the conditions are reasonable; for example: 20% of all blacksmithing income goes to ForgeWorks, 30% of treasure gained from a lysus ruin is paid to The Recollectors. As a major trait, the contract is sterner. You may find yourself paying 50% of every shred of income you gain to a debt collector, or a villain to keep your family safe. Failure to meet the payments for both minor and major traits will result in consequence. The player and GM should decide together the details of the trait.

First Time for Everything(Minor/ Major)

Youll try anything at least once. Whether its drugs, food, performance, crafting, anything which wouldnt simply be suicidal, youll have a damn good crack at before forming a solid conclusion or opinion. Penalty: As a minor trait, youll have a go at simple, harmless things. Youll try exotic foods and youll accept some friendly invitations to have a go at new actions. As a major trait, youre more ambitious, and you will try almost anything at least once, including powerful drugs and thrill seeking stunts. You may make WIL checks to resist these events at the discretion of the GM.

God Complex (Major)

Youre an all-powerful super being. Unfortunately, youre the only one who really seems to appreciate this fact. Its not easy being immortal; it means you have to put yourself first to prevent any and all danger, but if its in the interests of your underlings, or friends, as they prefer to be known, then once more into the fray, dear boy! Penalty: You have no understanding of the concept of your own mortality. You are untouchable, unkillable, and every bullet that strikes your body only makes you stronger... until you die. Essentially, you suffer from a condition that makes one think oneself godly, and youll throw yourself into danger under the impression no harm can come of it. In addition to this being a roleplay trait, you will find it difficult to find a reason not to charge into the deadly fray. You may make tricky willpower checks to reassess the situation, occasionally.

Greedy (Minor)
Your greed always comes first. You will do whatever you can to grab a bit of cash off of anyone, whether that be through vendoring cheap crap, or simply stealing from helpless children or homeless vagrants. Penalty: You will jump at any opportunity to get a quick bit of money. No matter how much money you have, you will always want more. If offered a huge cash sum, you might even be persuaded to turn on your friends. This is a role-play trait, and playing it properly will earn you plot points, as all role-play traits do.

Gullible (Minor/ Major)

Youve gone through life as a naive individual. Countless folk have taken advantage of your inability to distinguish lies from truth, and youve likely been played more times than you can count. Youre just very trusting, perhaps believing everyone on Rime is good, deep down. A terrible man told you that, but youre pretty sure he was onto something there. Penalty: Youre a sucker, and you will believe what youre told most of the time. As a minor trait, you take a -15 modifier to sense checks, and will usually do as their told if given a good enough reason. If taken as a major trait, you are simply unable to make deductions like that. Whatever people tell you, its probably true, and youll go off and do potentially despicable things without realising it. As a role-play trait, youll be rewarded plot points for playing the gullible fool well.

Hate (Minor/ Major)

You harbour a deep and fiery hatred for something in particular. This hatred goes beyond fear, or distain. You do not just frown upon this thing, or shy away from it. Everything in your soul tells you this thing needs to be destroyed the moment its encountered. Penalty: You hate something in particular, which you must specify. This hatred can be something silly, or something serious. This trait is similar to phobia, except instead of being afraid, you want to ruin this thing. As a minor trait, you take -10 to all actions while in the proximity of your hated thing that is not in danger. This increases to -30 when you upgrade to major. Once your hate is endangered, and you are attacking it, this penalty goes away.

Hated (Minor/ Major)

Whatever youve done in the past, be it horrific, heinous crimes, or simply being born on the wrong side of the ocean, will result in you being absolutely and unanimously hated. If people dont attack you on sight, they will rush to find someone that will. Everyone is out to get you, as you are an enemy of the people, and should be put down. Penalty: You cannot engage in simple social situations without being subjected to violence. You can make attempts to shroud your identity, but your deception skill will determine your ability to hold this guise. It is not recommended you pick this trait as major, as it can restrict character and NPC interaction, but all fenrye have this major trait passively if they are upon Sovreignous, as would a human if within The Scarred Lands. As a minor trait, you are only hated by a specific group or race which you may specify. As a major trait, something you did, or simply what you are turns an entire continent against you.

Heavy Sleeper (Minor)

Nothing can wake you except the morning sun. Youve slept through musicals, tavern brawls and distant battles. Youve likely been subjected to some teasing, with your friends drawing upon your face when youre out like a light, but your heavy sleeping can also be a danger to you when camping in the wilds. Penalty: Nothing can wake you. While asleep, you cannot make any checks or rolls to detect an incoming presence, and neither can you detect their covert failures. Your friends can wake you with a few sharp slaps. This trait cannot be taken with the light sleeper trait.

Honour Bound (Minor/ Major)

You are bound by honourable law to carry out certain acts. You have a creed which cannot be broken, and those who would try to break it for you become your enemies temporarily. Whether its as simple as not shooting people in the back, or as dangerous as never refusing a challenge, you have your own rules, and you will never defy them. Penalty: As a minor trait, you have a simple, non-restrictive creed which makes sense. Perhaps you always help a woman in need, or you always let your enemy draw their weapon first. As a major trait, you are honour bound into performing potentially life threatening acts. You may be unable to refuse challenges, to ever flea from combat, or to ever leave a man behind, no matter how endangered they are. Players are encouraged to pick a single creed, but they can choose multiple should they tie together nicely. Fenrye are automatically given this trait as a racial, and they cannot refuse challenges.

Humourless (Minor)
You just dont get it. Everyones laughing around you, but youre pretty sure what that guy just says was downright rude. Perhaps he should be taught a lesson... or he should start explaining real soon. Penalty: You struggle to understand and make jokes. Youre naivety may get you into some awkward situations which could result in penalties to your social roles. You understand the concept of humour, and are likely quite forgiving of it, but until you know its a joke, it could be something much worse.

I Answer to No Man (Minor)

You reject authority in every form. When someone gives you a command, you do your best to disobey it, just to show the only boss of you is you. You may criticise others for following orders, and will never likely never them yourself. Youre not a hypocrite, after all... Or are you? Penalty: You strive to do the opposite of what youre told, and if not the opposite, then just something alternative. Even if the command issued is a flawless one, youll make a point of doing something differently. In order to follow a command, you must make a hard WIL check.

Illiterate (Minor)
You struggle with literary tasks such as reading and writing. Its not that uncommon for the people of Rime to never learn how to read and write, but its proven to be a big enough advantage for it to become standard practice in most households. Penalty: Without this trait, you can read and write just fine. With the trait, you must make an intelligence check to do so successfully. Failing the check will result in scribbles, or simply not understanding or even misinterpreting the text.

Insanity (Minor/ Major)

You have a few screws loose. You may have a lot of screws loose. You may speak in creepy, cryptic language which makes a lot of people uncomfortable, and be prone to committing maniacal acts such as dunking your face in rabbit hole, or stabbing a harmless civilian with an iron sword because you thought his iron blood count was a little low. Penalty: As a minor trait, youre creepy and weird, but youre just about stable. Your language and tone makes people feel uneasy, and you take a -20 modifier to all social interactions. As a major trait, you are quishcrap crazy. You see things other people dont, you spout out random outbursts, you can cause physical injury to others for motives youll never release or even become a liability to yourself, throwing yourself from balconies and claiming the sky will catch you. A GM is encouraged to give strange descriptions and details to a player with major insanity so their experience is different and the player has means to act totally unhinged. In addition to these hallucinations, you also receive -40 to all social interactions, as holding a conversation with you becomes frightening or frustrating. It is hard for an insane person to lose stability points, but when reduced, a loss of stability can make someone with the insanity trait much more dangerous.

Insomnia (Minor)
A good nights sleep is something that always manages to elude you. While your friends and family snore peacefully around you, you lie awake, unable to drift off, sometimes for days at a time. You are occasionally victim to the dizzying effects of sleep deprivation. Penalty: You suffer from insomnia. Every time you try and sleep, you make a d2 roll. Rolling 0-50 means you fall asleep. Rolling 51-99 means you stay awake. If you cannot sleep for several days, the rules from the fatigue table start to apply.

Jumpy (Minor)
Youve told all your friends that surprise birthday parties are not cool. You cant stand being on the receiving end of a sudden appearance or noise. You are as jumpy as a deer, and occasionally suffer the same paralytic shock moments. Penalty: When youre taken by surprise, you freak out. You either shout and flail around or you simply freeze on the spot like an animal trapped in approaching light. When surprised, you are incapacitated for d2 turns. Players should roll a d10 as usual. If its 5 or below, youre stuck for 1 turn. If its above five, youre stuck for 2 turns.

Kleptomaniac (Minor/ Major)

A lot of people have a lot of nice things. The only problem you have is that you currently dont possess literally every single one. You are obsessed with stealing. Pilfering from folks is what has got you by until this point, and its possible youve been caught in the act and arrested multiple times. You cant stop, regardless. You dont even need what youre taking, half the time, you just think you need it, and will never be able to explain why. Penalty: As a minor trait, your kleptomania will only drive you into taking small objects, hopefully when no one is looking. A GM can ask you to make a willpower check. Failing it will mean you want something, badly. As a major trait, your ambitions will be much larger, and failing your willpower check can set your gaze upon something as large as a woolorth pulled cart, or a shining chandelier hanging from a ballrooms ceiling. This is a role play trait, and individuals will be given plot points based on their reactionary actions, whether they are caught in the act or not.

Large Stature (Natural)

Youre big. Youre probably a ley-risen like a bask or skald, but youre big. Youre easier to spot and youre easier to hit. Thats it. Penalty: All enemies get a +10 modifier to hit you and a +10 modifier to spot you.

Lightweight (Minor)
Alcohol goes straight to your head, and poison goes straight to your heart. Youre not very tolerable to chemicals or toxins so even a child could out-drink you under the table. Penalty: You take a -15 modifier to resistance checks whenever you try to resist chemical substances, such as drugs or poisons. This trait cannot be taken with the heavy tolerance trait.

Limelight Dodger (Minor)

You desperately dont want to be famous. You just want to have a normal life with normal friends and a normal routine. You go out of your way to exclude yourself from the records when you perform heroic or villainous acts. Penalty: You hate the concept of fame. You will try your hardest to get your name removed from feats of heroism or villainy, sometimes going to extreme measures to do so. In cases where its applicable, you may roll WIL to resist your urges.

Limelight Chaser (Minor)

You desperately pursue fame and renown in every available form. You just want people to recognise your face with reverence, love or fear. You go out of your way to get your five seconds of fame and will ensure you have plenty of witnesses to behold your villainy or heroism. Penalty: You love the concept of fame. You will go out of your way to make a name for yourself and earn some sort of reputation; be it good or bad. In cases taken to the extreme, you may make a WIL check to resist your urges.

Mute (Major)
You were either born without the ability to speech, you lost it in an accident, or youve given it up for some personal reason. You cannot, or will not talk to anyone about anything. You may be capable of sign language but most people wont understand, so youll have to make do with various points and gestures. Penalty: You cannot communicate vocally. Without the power of speech, all NPCs and other players must make deductions based on the flailing of your hands. You can write notes of course if it helps convey your point.

Narcissism (Minor)
You dont give a crap about anyone else other than your own self. Why should you be exposed to danger because some other idiot got him or herself in trouble? Youve got to look out for number one. Penalty: You consider yourself above others, and will always put yourself first. When wanting to assist an endangered NPC or party member, you must make a double WIL check. Failing the check, you will simply dismiss the idea of helping them, as youve got to look out for yourself.

Needy (Minor)

You require more than most in order to get through the day. You are astounded by peoples ability to go without food or sleep for more than a day, and cant imagine a life in which your basic needs werent regularly and routinely satisfied. Penalty: Your needs are more severe than others. You take half the time to contract negative bonuses from both fatigue and hunger. Your thirst is not affected by this trait. This trait cannot be taken with the needless trait.

Nemesis (Minor/ Major)

At some point in the past, youve made yourself an enemy. This enemy will likely never stop, and never surrender. They are the ying to your yang, the heads to your tails, the cold to your warmth. You cannot exist without them, and they cannot exist without you. Youve likely battled dozens of times in various conditions of varying severity. Of course its possible you dont even know you have a nemesis, and theyve simply been biding their time for all these years, waiting for revenge. Penalty: You have a true enemy. Someone who hunts you down for no reason other than to fight you. Your relationship with your nemesis is one you cannot fully describe unless your rivalry is newly kindled. Your enemy will likely make an appearance once or twice a campaign where he or she will proceed to screw up any plans you had and likely pull you into conflict. As a major trait, your nemesis is a genuine threat that can potentially kill you or your party members if handled poorly.

Number one Fan (Minor/ Major)

You have a number one fan! And they are really bloody annoying. It seems like you cant go for a few days without this lunatic turning up to praise you and watch you as you work. Furthermore, he/she has a whole family of brothers and sisters ready to take the reins if something... happens to them. Penalty: You have a stalker... I mean fan. Your fan will follow you around, find you wherever you go and bask in your radiance. They may turn up at extremely inconvenient times, blowing your cover or acting as a liability to themselves. They will likely do whatever you tell them to, except it seems, going away. As a major trait, you have an entire fan club, with members all as equally enthusiastic and tenacious as the original fan.

Obstructive Morals (Minor)

Theres something immoral you dont like to do at all. Whether it has something to do with your religious standing or your upbringing, theres an act which you will avoid at all costs, and committing it will likely grant you inner turmoil. Penalty: Theres a certain act you dont like to do. This could be killing people, stealing from them, etc. If you dont like killing people then you can still fight, just as effectively as others. Youll likely aim for the legs and other non-lethal areas. If you accidently kill someone however, you take a -20 to all actions for the next few hours and also make a willpower check to avoid loss in stability. This example can be applied to other obstructive morals. If you are forced to steal something, and thats what you hate, you lose -20 to all actions for the next few hours and make a willpower check. If you commit the act you are opposed to, you receive these penalties, basically. You may also strongly oppose your partys actions if they wish to commit the act you hate.

Odd Compulsion (Minor/ Major)

You have an obsessive compulsion that you cant control. If something is untidy, you may feel compelled to clean it, even as guns fire around you. You may perform a small ritual every time a certain word is mentioned or you react to a certain stimuli. You may go through your partys gear

and sort it alphabetically or feel compelled to count something specific, like beads on a necklace, every time an opportunity presents itself. Penalty: The player should pick or create a compulsion for their character. This compulsion will then be taken into account by the player and the GM and should be adhered to whenever possible. It may or may not affect combat ability. A player may for example start cleaning a battlefield while a gunfight is in progress. A willpower check should be made if the player wishes to prevent this from happening. Whether the compulsion is a minor or major one is one that should be discussed with the GM. If its a harmless good luck ritual where you pat your head three times, then thats minor. If you feel compelled to act like a melodramatic villain, and announce all of your moves to your enemies before you act, that could be a major.

On The Edge (Major)

You are fragile and die easy, effectively living on the edge of oblivion when you go adventuring. What could only harm most individuals could well kill you, and what wouldnt even hinder others will split your lip and give you a ringing in your ears. Penalty: You have four less health points and four less stun points. This trait cannot be taken with the tough positive trait.

Overconfident (Minor)
You are a bold and brash individual. You dont believe in risks, because there arent any. Youre just too damn awesome to be in any danger so youll happily march into any threatening situation, potentially without any consideration beforehand. Penalty: The character is overconfident, and will perform acts that most wouldnt dare. If the party needs someone to do something dangerous, this character will always volunteer, even if they have no skill in the area. This role-play trait will reward you with plot points if carried out correctly.

Pacifist (Major)
You dont believe in combat or violence. Whether its through a religious pact, or you just think brutish behaviour is appalling, you have a reason to not engage in combat, and when you do, youre not very good at it. Penalty: Your character will try to avoid combat at all costs, much preferring that their party do the savage work for them. If they must fight, they take a -30 modifier to every single combat roll. You must also make an easy willpower check whenever performing an aggressive action to avoid freaking out.

Painless (Major)
Some call it a gift, some call it a curse. As a victim of this condition, you know very well that it is a curse. You cannot feel pain, you cannot feel anything upon your skin or within your body. You can have serious injuries inflicted upon you and have no idea they exist until its too late. Penalty: Your character can be wounded without them realising. A shot could penetrate their armour and they wont know until the armour comes off and the wound is revealed. They can bleed out, or be exposed to infection. On the plus side, your character ignores all penalties provided by wounds. The GM may hide from you your real hp on occasions, lying to you about what attacks you block or dodge, and what attacks breach your armour.

Paralysis (Minor/ Major)

Either through combat, an accident, or a genetic defect, youve lost the ability to use one or both of your legs. You require a crutch or a wheelchair to navigate Rime, with ski attachments to help traverse through snow. Penalty: As a minor trait, you lose control of one of your legs, and require additional support to stay upright (such as a crutch or stick). You struggle cannot move as quickly as others. Your movement speed during combat is reduced to 4 squares for a minor action, and 8 as a full complex action. You also take a -30 penalty to skills such as freerunning. As a major trait, freerunning, climbing and other bipedal skills are impossible. You cannot move without the aid of a wheelchair, and can only roll yourself 3 squares for minor actions, and 6 for a major one. If you are being pushed, you can move the same distance as the player who is pushing you.

Paranoid (Minor)
You dont just think everyone is watching you, you know everyone is watching you. Youre twitchy and a little weird even on the best of days, and your paranoia may get you into some serious trouble one day. Penalty: Your character suffers from paranoia. They will usually predict the worst of most situations, and will find excuses to point fingers and direct blame. If anybody mutters under their breath, or a couple whisper in the corner, you know its about you, and you may rise to find out what they are scheming. You suffer a -20 social modifier to all folk you do not trust, as they can see it in your behaviour and dont appreciate it.

Party Animal (Minor)

Youre a thrill seeker, but most of all, you just wanna have fun. You rarely miss an opportunity to attend a fancy ball or just have a few drinks with your friends. If you see something fun, youll want to engage with it; a parade, a feast, a sports game, anything. You cannot turn down invitations to go off and do a little partying, and you may sometimes find killjoy activities repellent. Penalty: You cannot turn down invitations to parties, balls or dances be they formal or informal. You love to engage in enjoyable activities and will often prioritise them over more pressing matters. To avoid doing this, you make a successful WIL check. You may also sometimes have to make WIL checks to do mundane activities, such as write letters, read books or research.

Phobia (Minor/ Major)

Theres something in the world that just repulses you. Youre either so afraid or disgusted by something that you take measures to avoid it, and cant operate correctly when in its presence. Phobias are often the result of past trauma, but they can also be seeded from childhood by rumours and stories Penalty: You are afraid of something. The player should pick this fear and then decide whether they are only slightly afraid of it (minor trait) or extremely afraid of it (major trait). As a minor trait, being exposed to your phobia, and keeping it within relatively close proximity will result in a -10 modifier to all actions. If you take phobia as a major trait, then you suffer a -30 modifier to all actions while in proximity of the subject, and may also have to make willpower checks to prevent loss of stability. Players can take this trait more than once, but should not use this just for the sake of getting more trait points.

Photosensitive (Minor/ Major)

Either through genetic flaw or a life in darkness, for some reason light is not something you can tolerate. You prefer to linger within the shadows, waiting for the dusk to creep in, as solar rays make you feel wrong. Penalty: Youre very sensitive to light. As a minor trait, the character will squint whenever in a well-lit area. Theyll take -10 to most physical and combat actions, as theyll be unable to fully see what theyre doing. As a major trait, light has an adverse effect on you, burning your eyes and skin. You take -30 to -50 to all actions while exposed to harmful rays. This trait can be combated with protective gear.

Picky Diet (Minor/ Major)

You only eat a certain kind of food, and without your food, you aint happy at all. Its possible youre a ley-born and your body is only capable of digesting a certain food, but its more than likely that youre just picky. Penalty: With this at minor level, youre probably a vegetarian or a carnivore. You only eat a certain kind of food, and will refuse to eat any others unless youre starving. If you are forced to eat a food you dont like, you will suffer -15 modifiers to all social and mental actions until you eat the food you like again. As a major trait, your food is brutally specific. You can only eat a certain thing for some strange or biological reason, and you cannot live without it. Rules from the hunger table apply found later on in the document.

Promise (Minor/ Major)

You have a promise to keep, and you will do so until the grave. The promise could be something small, or something major, but either way, theres something you either must or must not do. Penalty: Youve made a promise which you cannot break. As a minor trait, the promise can be something small, such as you will not steal, or you will protect an individual. As a major trait, the promise could involve a dangerous quest for revenge, or a journey to locate something or someone you promised to find.

Radicalism (Minor)
You strongly believe in something that others may not. Your beliefs are possibly sourced from childhood events or indoctrination, but either way, you firmly hold a truth in your heart which you will defend with tooth and claw if need be. Penalty: Pick a subject/belief. If anyone ever opposes that belief, you will be unable to stop yourself from sparking up an argument with them unless you use a plot point. You suffer a -20 modifier to social rolls with anyone you argue with over your radical belief.

Prejudice (Minor)
You aint fond of a certain type of people. Whether its those religious nuts, or those sewer running vermus, you cant help but treat them like the dirt they are whenever you get the chance. Penalty: Your character is compelled to treat a certain faction or race with disrespect and disgust. Once youve offended your prejudice faction or race, you will be unable to make diplomacy or deception rolls against them.

Shopaholic (Minor/ Major)

You need all of the things. Things are what make the world go round, not money, so you trade your money for things. You have an obsessive need to purchase objects of menial use; objects you simply do not need. You cant refuse a good bargain and you eagerly jump at the opportunity to purchase something exotic or exciting, such as a colourful rock. Your friends occasionally drag you away from stores, kicking and screaming. Penalty: As a minor trait, you will buy small objects of little use. You will be coaxed into doing so by crafty shopkeepers, although sometimes you will just look at something and, when failing a WIL check, you will want it. As a major trait, your compulsion is more extreme. You spend large amounts of money on truly ridiculous purchases and can be easily fooled by vendors peddling their useless crap.

Sickly (Minor)
People are always pointing out how youve always got a cough or a sniffle on. You can barely imagine what perfect health feels like because your immune system is weaker than a watered down whiskey. Penalty: You catch diseases and infections easier than others. You take -15 to resistance rolls when trying to fend off or avoid catching ailments.

Slow Mind (Minor)

Youre just not very bright. Youre quite dim and slow to react to most stimuli, and you misunderstand things quite easily. Its not that youre a total moron, or anything... Well... I mean it might be... Penalty: Youre not very intelligent. You lose your knowledge skill and all intelligence checks suffer a -10 modifier. This trait cannot be taken with the fancy education trait.

Snails Pace (Major)

You dont move very quickly. Perhaps your old or youre just a very slow ley-risen, but either way, you struggle to keep up with your teammates. This does not necessarily reduce your ability to jump or climb. Penalty: You are slow. You can only move three squares per turn as a minor action, and six per turn as a full action.

Socially Awkward (Minor)

You never really know what to say. Youre not really used to this whole talking malarkey, and could probably use a few pointers here and there. You usually embarrass yourself or say things youd expect from a bumbling buffoon, before realising your mistake and letting your face sink into your palm. Penalty: You dont know how to talk to people. You stutter and blurt out whats on your mind, occasionally to humorous effect. Some people find your awkward manner quite charming, while others think it unprofessional and irritating. You suffer a -10 modifier to intimidation and diplomacy to anyone who thinks you ridiculous.

Sore Thumb (Minor)

You have a very distinctive appearance which makes you easy to distinguish from a crowd or photograph. Your enemies might find it easier to find you by asking around the towns for someone who meets your unique description. Penalty: You stick out like a sore thumb. Enemies gain a +20 modifier when trying to find you in a crowd.

Squeamish (Minor)
Ewww. You hate all those yucky bugs and blood makes you dizzy. You know its only normal to be disgusted by small things like that, but no matter how many objections you make, people will always call you squeamish. Penalty: You hate things that would make a noble grimace. Small insects, mould, blood, scenes that are generally foul to the senses offend you more than most. You struggle to concentrate while in its presence, taking a -10 to all actions. In addition, you may outright refuse to perform certain tasks if it literally means getting your hands dirty.

Stone Buoyancy (Minor)

You cannot swim, at all. If you enter the water, you sink like a stone, and will require assistance or be at risk of drowning. Youre not afraid of water, nor do you naturally seek to avoid it, but youre likely cautious around it knowing your inability to traverse through it. Penalty: You cannot make swim checks and must use plot or shift points to save yourself when falling in a deep body of water. Alternatively, you can be saved by your party members.

Superstitious (Minor)
You believe very firmly in the concept of bad luck. You may be covered in small charms and have a dozen small ritual you perform to keep the luck on your side. If you see an omen of bad luck, your spirits are dampened, and you performance is subconsciously damaged. Penalty: Your superstition can lead you into turmoil. If you see a sign of bad luck, you will believe you have bad luck, and youll suffer a -10 penalty to all actions for the next few hours. Players are encouraged to create their own superstitions, but the average ones will still apply.

Technologically Inept (Minor)

What the hell do all these buttons do? What is that? Whats this thing? Why? WHY IS LIFE SO COMPLICATED?! LIFE SHOULD BE FAIR! AARRRRRRGRGGHHH! Penalty: Youre technologically inept, and have very little knowledge on how to make use of even simple pieces of fairly recent technology.

Sore Loser (Minor)

You love to win, and you hate to lose. You hate losing so much, in fact, that when you do, you feel the sting of defeat for days after defeat. You may find yourself occasionally cheating to ensure victory does not slide from your grasp. Penalty: You hate losing, and when you do, you do not get over it quickly. Following a defeat, roll a 1d10/2. For 1-5 days, your character will be in a foul mood, and will aggressively snap at strangers and friends alike, usually incurring a -20 to charisma checks. Furthermore, you gain -10 to all INT based skills whilst your mind is plagued with doubt.

System Fighter (Minor. Vermus and Ley-risen only.)

You loathe the hierarchy and the pecking order that the humans have put in place. Youre treated as a second class citizen despite your talents, despite your intelligence, despite the fact youre better than they will ever be. You will be sure to tell those elitists exactly what you think of them. Penalty: As a character with the unequal trait, you will occasionally be subjected to your own inequality. Anyone who treats you as unequal will taste of your wrath. You will shout, curse, insult and maybe even attack anyone who thinks themselves better than you. You may make WIL checks to resist these, but if you only insult the target, you will take an additional -15 to social checks with them.

Traumatic Visions (Major)

A single reminder of your horrific past can trigger traumatic flashes within your mind. The traumatic visions take on the form of a living nightmare. Its a feeling youre all too familiar with, but it still gets you even now, potentially years after the dread spawning experience. Penalty: You suffer from distressing flashes from your past when triggered by certain stimuli. Your flashes will incapacitate you for 1-5 turns (roll a d10 and halve the result, rounding up). If it happens out of combat, you will simply drop on the floor and scream while, potentially attracting unwanted attention for up to a minute.

Touchy Feely (Minor)

You never settle for just a handshake. Even when meeting strangers for the first time, you invade their personal space and offer them hugs and kisses. You probably feel compelled to give people unrequested massages, in addition to other forms of physical contact. Penalty: You may alienate yourself from people by invading their personal space too quickly and making them uncomfortable. You take a -10 to all social rolls to anyone you upset with your invasive behaviour. You may also be rewarded plot points for being particularly inappropriate in some situations.

Wanted (Minor/ Major)

You are branded, wanted by the law for crimes you either did or did not commit. You may just be a petty criminal but somehow youve caught The Pacts attention. Your face may appear on wanted posters, and you may be tracked down by bounty hunters, or worse, wranglers. Penalty: You may have difficulty walking through Wolfbane Pact controlled towns. As a minor trait, youre only slightly wanted. A guard may make a perception roll to identify you if he suspects you are who he thinks. You may also get bounty hunters on your tail, but only low class hunters without a lot of experience. As a major trait, youve really caught the laws attention. Guards will only have to make an easy perception check to identify you, youll be tracked down by tougher, more ambitious hunters, and, if youre truly a threat to the kingdom, you will get the wranglers after you too.

Unadapted (Minor/ Major)

Youre just not built for Rime. Most folk would laugh at you for how unprepared you are for the wilderness of Sovreignous. Rime is an unforgiving and dangerous place, and you have not adapted even a little bit for living beyond your cushy home and sleeping upon a downy mattress. Penalty: As a minor trait, you lose 4D10 exposure points whenever you fail your resistance check in the cold. As a major trait, you take 5D10 exposure points at failure, potentially resulting in death in minutes if trapped in a blizzard.

Unappreciated Status (Minor)

Youre part of a group or organisation which makes people think twice before talking to you. Your group perhaps has a reputation to alienate or con people, and their reputation rubs off on you, making you seem untrustworthy. Penalty: Choose a faction or group. Certain people will react negatively to your place within this group upon discovering it. You will take -10 to all social rolls when interacting with these individuals.

Unequal (Natural)
If you are a vermus or ley-risen, you are likely not considered equal to the rest of the general population. There will of course always be many people who will treat you with the kindness and respect you deserve, but elitism is not rare on Rime, and you will always find folk who are willing to brand you as a second class citizen if it means a nice boost for their ego. Penalty: When interacting with people who think themselves superior to you, you have a -15 penalty to deception and diplomacy skills. Not intimidation, as theyll quite happily believe youre capable of savagery.

Unfit (Minor)
Youre just unhealthy, or perhaps youve got something wrong with your respiratory organs. You run out of breath easily, and are usually one of those guys that walk across the finishing line of a marathon once night has fallen. Penalty: You take a -10 modifier to all attribute strength rolls, and -10 to all free running and potentially other physical activities that require a level of fitness to perform.

Unfortunate (Minor/ Major)

Youre pretty sure lady luck is watching you, and screwing you over whenever she can. Your luck just seems to be atrocious. You cant get through a day without some ridiculous unlikely event occurring Penalty: As a minor trait, the GM can order you to re-roll a successful check once per session. As a major roll, the GM can do this twice per session. As an additional role-play point, you may also find that unlikely, unlucky things occasionally happen to your character, or to the entire party that youre in.

Vice Grip (Minor)

You dont know your own strength. On multiple occasions youve found people cursing as you shake their hands, or shattering ornate/fragile objects in your grip as your pick them up to investigate. Penalty: Your grip can be uncontrollably strong. In some circumstances where this trait will apply, you will be asked to roll double STR attribute. If you succeed, then your strength is applied to whatever it is youre holding, potentially damaging it.

Vigilante (Minor)
Youre the hero that Rime deserves, but not the one it needs right now.... Or something. Youre pretty sure they need you, as wherever you look, you see crime and injustice. It is your moral duty to stop it, if those weak-willed Wolfbane Pact fools wont. Penalty: You must make WIL checks to prevent yourself from stopping even petty crimes or acts of immorality. The worse the crime is, the harder the WIL check will make. A player can of course

decide to not take the check and save the individual. You only make the WIL check if you are trying to resist.

Weak Willed (Minor/ Major)

Youre easily scared and your will is easily broken. You struggle to stop yourself from performing certain acts, and do not resist torture or intimidation well. Penalty: As a minor trait, you take -10 to all WIL checks, be they to resist stability damage or stop yourself from being influenced by another negative trait. As a major trait, you take -30 to these checks.

World Naivety (Minor)

Youre new to this world. Perhaps you once lived in some sort of secluded tribe, or as a separated hermit. Either way, upon entering the strange sprawls of civilisation, youre immediately overwhelmed and confused. Everything is new to you, and so you see everything as simply as you can to help you handle it. Penalty: Youre very naive and easily impressed by new things. You will perceive metaphors as literal, read right past subtext and never register passive aggression. When someone says someone is sleeping with the fishes you assume this to be some sort of bizarre custom. You may also be confused by simple objects such as windows. This is a roleplay trait, and will earn plot points if played well.

Final Touches
Now that your character has their attributes, their concept, their skills and their traits, its time to perform the final few touches that will allow your starting character to survive on Rime. Remember to do your derived attributes after your concept grants you additional core attributes. At this point, you may have a character whos absolutely brutal but terrible at talking to people, or a character who seems a little flimsy, but can dual wield weapons with elegance and grace.

Starting Gear
If your concept granted you some gear (such as the Wolfbane Pact faction granting you a steel weapon) then you gain that in addition to anything else you want from here. The clothes section covers a list of things that arent included in, or can be worn over armour. None of the clothes grant you any armour value, but a creative player might find a use for specific items of clothing if they take them. All races can pick any of the starting weapons, clothing, armour or tools, including ley-risen. If a ley-risen has a sword or a long coat however, and they are a vampire syse, they will probably be incapable of using it. Clothing and armour can be modified and shrunk down or scaled up to fit leyrisen in character generation, but you likely wont find any ley-risen armour as loot during the game itself. It is up to players to dress their ley-risen by requesting a personal fitted piece of armour from a crafter, or crafting some themselves. The stats for weapons and armour are later on in the document, but for now, you can pick from the following options: Armour

Fur Armour, boots, gauntlets, helm. Clothing (Examples) These clothes all cost around 30 sancs. General citizen attire fenrye, human, vermus. Cloak/ Cape Trench coat Poncho Hood Scarf Shoes Hat Bandolier Hair accessories Weapons Iron Swords, blade caps, daggers, maces, staves, pole arms, axes, warhammers, special weapons, etc. Ranged Wooden Long bow, wooden short bow, slingshot. Ammo Iron arrows. Iron bolts. Other- Special weapons, whips, garrottes, etc. Tools These tools all cost around 10 100 sancs. Tinderbox Fishing Rod Basic tools- hammer, screw driver, pliers Musical Instrument Basic snare Pestle & Mortar Waterskin/flask Lunchbox Cutlery Handful of drugs Compass Clippers Lock picks Doctors bag Writing implements Simple Pickaxe Map Hatchet Mask Belt- tool belt, utility belt Shawl Simple robes Harness Apron Jewellery rings, necklace, circlet Jacket Trophy Skulls on shoulder pads, etc Tabard

Identity
Your character needs a name to go by. This could be a traditional name, following the lores naming conventions, or it could be a more interesting or minimalist name. If your character does not have a name, then what is he or she known by? Perhaps Vagrant, or Wanderer. They also need a gender. Your sex can vastly alter the way other players and NPCs interact with you. What is your role within the party? Are you their doctor? Their heavy tank? How are you useful to your allies, and why should they include you?

Back-story
Rime is a game with a heavier focus on role-playing than some others. Providing your GM and the other players in your party with a back story can make your character much more interesting. It also

gives the GM opportunities to take your past and bring it up as a plot detail. The back-story is optional though, of course.

Motive
Why does your character do what they do? Youll find your gameplay experience much more satisfying if you see you have a reason to be carrying out the objectives.

Game Mechanics
The games mechanics are its core rules. Like in most RPGs, these rules are more guidelines than actual rules. If the GM or players dont like a certain rule, then it should be changed or even removed. The ultimate goal is to have a fun and immersive experience, and rules can occasionally restrict that. The main thing we dont want GMs to say is You cant do that. If the action is feasible for one such as your character, you should be able to at least attempt it. Sections Checks The first game mechanic section covers the type of dice used in Rime, the types of rolls or checks you will be making, the types and thresholds of success and failure for certain actions and using defaulting rather than your skills. Actions The types of action you can carry out, branching over every possible action a sapient being can perform. Damage and Depletion This section covers damage bonuses and what will happen as your characters health depletes, and the possible outcomes of going into negative figures in a table known as critical damage.It also covers stun and stability damage. Plot and Shift Points You need something to keep you one step ahead of the baddies. This section will tell you all about plot points and how they are used and rewarded. It will also cover the much rarer but devastating Shift Points. Evolution This section informs readers of the levelling up system, and a little bit about ascending through the various tiers of equipment.

Checks
Checks are the names given to any action in which you roll a dice to determine the outcome. Rolling the dice gives a sense of risk and realism to every challenging act you perform. Checks will not be required for simple actions, such as walking or climbing a ladder, but will be when performing anything with a definite chance of failure, such as shooting a target, or tracking an animal.

Dice

Rime uses a percentile D100 system. This means practically all checks will be out of 100. Typically, to roll a D100, players will take two d10s and designate one of them as the multiples of ten dice, and one as the single unit dice. When the dice is rolled your 10 designated die may roll a 4, and your single unit dice may roll 8, meaning you rolled 48. Simple. Using this system, you can roll anywhere between 00 and 99. (Double 0 counts as 00, not 100). On occasion, you will be asked to roll just a single d10, or maybe 2 or 3d10. These are usually for damage rolls where a d100 would be too much, but also for your initiative rolls too. A player shouldnt need more than 2 d10s, but having extras could be useful. On even rarer occasions, you may be asked to roll a d5 or a d2. If rolling a d5, roll a single d10 and halve the number, always rounding up. If asked to roll a d2, roll a d10. 1-5 counts as 1, and 6-10 counts as 2.

Skill Checks
So what are the dice for? Lets start with an example; Rick wants to track a beast through the woods so he can trap it and sell its pelt. He walks into the forest and begins searching for tracks. This action has a chance of failing, so he makes a roll. In this instance, Rick is making a perception roll. During character generation, he had Awareness of 25, and added thirty points to his perception skill. With a perception skill of 55, Rick must roll under this number in order to succeed. The higher your skill, the easier it will be to roll a number that is below it, thus making you more effective. Rick rolls a 42, a success. He finds some paw prints in the snow, and sets about trying to track them. He has Survival: Tracking skill at 70, but he rolls a 94, a failure. As he follows the tracks, he loses his way, and the beast has eluded him, for now. Essentially, skill checks are d100 rolls in which you try to get below the skill you are relying on in order to perform your desired action. If you want to shoot someone with a gun, you roll Ranged: Powder. If you want to dodge an attack, you roll Fray. If you want to successfully interrogate a prisoner, you roll discipline. A roll of 00 is always considered a success. 99 is always considered a failure. Sometimes its not all that simple, as modifiers can be applied to the check in order to make it easier or more difficult to succeed. These modifiers are usually decided by the GM, once he or she has assessed the situation, and decided how difficult your desired action truly is.

Check Modifiers
Lets use the same example again, only with some modifiers. Modifiers may or may not make a certain appearance in your game, but they are helpful when defining a difficult action from an effortless one. Rick wants to track a beast through the woods so he can trap it and sell its pelt. He walks into the forest and begins searching for tracks. Now snow has fallen, so the GM decides this is probably easy enough. The GM grants Rick a +20 modifier on his perception roll, meaning he can roll up to twenty above his skill and still succeed. With a perception skill of 55, Rick only needs 75 or under to beat the check, which he does, rolling a 51. The beasts tracks are faint, and gentle. The creature has clearly

moved with extreme grace and caution. It is difficult to track, so the GM adds a -10 modifier, meaning Rick needs to roll at least 10 points below his skill in order to succeed. The modifiers never go higher than +30, or lower than -30. Narrative modifiers may be applied to certain situations where the player describes their action in detail and performs something cool or brilliant. A GM might reward an ambitious but descriptive player with a +10 or so modifier for the effort injected. Difficulty Level Effortless Simple Easy Average Tricky Challenging Hard Check Modifier +30 +20 +10 0 -10 -20 -30

Attribute Checks
There will occasionally be checks in which your skills simply wont apply. Actions such as lifting heavy weights rely purely on strength, while resisting the mental trauma potentially caused by something horrific will rely solely on your willpower. As your attribute are mostly below 30, these would normally have a high chance of failure. To avert this, rather than rolling under your attribute, your roll under double your attribute. If you have strength of 25, you would need to roll under 50 to succeed. Modifiers can of course be applied depending on the situation and difficulty. Attribute checks are quite rare, but here are some potential examples below: Brute Strength The character wishes to lift a heavy object, or force one aside with his or her muscles alone. Roll under double your strength (STR X2) to succeed. Failure will not Mental Composure Your character is trying to resist being horrified, disgusted or traumatised. Roll under double your willpower (WIL X2) to succeed. Failure will result in loss of stability. Characters with the steady calm trait may find they dont have to do this as much as other characters. Catching Object/ Resisting Disarm / Extracting Delicate Objects Your character is trying to save a falling vase, or catch a lit bomb to hurl back at his or her enemy. Roll double dexterity (DEX X2) To succeed. Failure will simply not result in a catch, and the object will hit the ground. You can also catch your weapon as it slips from your hand after a disarm attempt. Double dexterity is also required to retrieve delicate plants and materials without damaging them. Recollection or Having an Idea Sometimes players might need assistance from the GM to push things forward. If a player forgets something accidently which they think the character probably would have too, they can make a

memory check by rolling double intelligence. Similarly, if a party is totally stumped on what to do next, they can roll double intelligence (INT X2) for the GM to drop a hint to act as an idea.

Defaulting Checks
If you have no skill points in shooting a crossbow, but you really want to shoot it anyway, thats possible. Every single skill has a base attribute which you start from. If you have no points in ranged: mechanical, and you fire a crossbow, you instead default to the base attribute. In this example, dexterity is the base attribute. If you have 15 dexterity, and no points in ranged mechanical, you would have to roll below 15 to succeed. Naturally, this would be quite difficult, which is understandable, since you are totally untrained in this field. If you are trying to swing a melee weapon you dont understand well, you default to strength. If you are trying to persuade someone without any skill points in diplomacy, you default to charisma. These are not attribute checks, so you do not double the attribute. The base attribute for each skill is listed beside it in the skills section and on your character sheet. Some skills cannot be defaulted to at all, such as demolitions, and any specialisation skill.

Margins of Success
Sometimes you dont just succeed, you REALLY succeed. If youre trying to roll under 60, and you roll a 10, youve not only performed you skill adequately enough to pass the check, but also well enough to maybe earn some additional bonus. If you assume the dices number represents how competently you perform the skill, rolling a 1 would result in a resounding and impressive success, while rolling a 97 would result in an abysmal and potentially embarrassing failure. A GM decides the outcome of the action depending on the number you roll. Usually the margin of success will be below whatever your skill or attribute is, but this is sometimes altered by modifiers. Rolling very far over or under the margin of success will yield some interesting and exciting results. In combat, every 10 you roll below your attack skill will result in two additional points of damage being added to your damage dice. This is an optional feature, however, depending on how quickly you want combat to start and end. With this threshold damage, damage is extreme, and characters will die very quickly.

Excellent Success/Severe Failure

If you roll 30 below the margin of success, (E.G, roll a 20 when you were trying to roll under 60) then your action will be considered an excellent success. A GM may reward you with a little extra description and occasionally sway things in your favour. For example, Rick is trying to shoot a bandit with a simple bow and arrow. He rolls 10, an excellent success. The arrow flies clean through the eye of his target, sending the bandit flying back into one of his allies and trapping him beneath his dead weight for a turn. The trapped bandit may even have to make a willpower check or become terrified and harmless.

Similarly, but on the reverse scale, if Rick rolled a 95, it would be considered a severe failure. The arrow would not even let fly and would find its way into Ricks foot due to a catastrophic misfire. With these margin of success conditions, the game becomes more dynamic. Extreme successes become more rewarding, and brutal failures become a thing to be feared.

Criticals: Doubles
If you roll double of any number, such as 44 or 77, that roll counts as a critical roll. Note this means that you can be subjected to critical failures just as you can deliver critical successes. A critical is much rarer than an exceptional success, with usually less than a 7 in 100 chance. Criticals, like exceptional successes, grant additional bonuses and penalties which escalate in severity depending on how far over or under the margin of success it is. Criticals should be exciting, and should yield catastrophic, incredible or sometimes just ridiculous results. Using the previous example with Rick firing the bow, rather than just pinning the other bandit down with a corpse, its possible Ricks arrow goes straight through the target and impales the man behind him, killing them both. Similarly, a critical failure could result in the arrow flying off course and smashing a distant beehive. The insects, now infuriated, fly after Rick and deal damage over time with vicious stings. Critical hits in combat do full weapon damage, meaning they can result in one hit kills. This is a brutal rule, especially when it comes to the survival for players, so it may be worth only applying this rule to the players and not allowing their enemies to utilise the critical hit rule. The margin of success rule also applies, meaning if you roll a 00, and your ranged skill is 60, you deal full weapon damage plus 12 additional points of damage.

Actions
Once youre in initiative, most actions you perform will take a turn to do so. A turn typically lasts from 3 to 5 seconds, which is enough time for you to do multiple simple/quick actions, or one slightly more complex one. Here is a list of the type of actions you can perform both in and out of combat, and how long they take to do so:

Automatic Actions
Automatic actions are the sort of actions that are passively always occurring, such as breathing or simply seeing in a direction, hearing loud noises, etc. These actions are always present, and require no effort or roll from the character.

Minor Actions
You can perform a few minor actions per turn (the number is up to the GM), but basically, minor actions are quick, simple acts which require little effort, but take a small amount of time. Such actions include talking, ducking down or standing up and some light, quick movement. While minor actions do not usually require a roll, some may apply a negative modifier to your complex actions if

you try and perform them simultaneously; E.G; running and shooting at the same time. If you have the combat artist trait, you can perform minor actions with complex actions without penalty.

Complex Action
Most combat and non-combat skill based actions are complex actions. A complex action is the name given to an action that takes an entire turn to perform, such as attacking, full-out sprinting, detailed examination, bandaging wounds, tracking creatures, skinning your catch, etc. Complex actions usually require a skill check, but there are exceptions, such as sprinting. When using powder weapons, reloading takes an entire turn, and is considered a complex action. If you have two pistols however, you can fire them both in a single turn, although to reload them both, it will take two turns. There are rules for multiple attacks later on in the combat section.

Task Actions
Task actions are actions that take much longer than a few seconds to perform. Actions such as major surgery, or crafting an intricate mechanical item could take hours, maybe even days. To decide how long this action takes, and whether or not it succeeds, the GM picks a number. Typically its 100 for an easy action, 150 for an average one, and 200 for a difficult one. The player performing the task action makes a series of rolls, attempting to roll under their skill, but as high as they can. The total of their rolls is added until they reach the target score the GM named. Each time the player rolls the dice, this consumes half an hour of time (Maybe an hour if the action is particularly tricky). If the player rolls above their skill, they fail that roll, and no progress is made on that individual roll. If they roll a critical success, the number is doubled and added to the value. If they roll a critical failure, the task action fails completely, and the materials may be wasted. So lets give an example: Tish has a crafting: leatherworking skill of 75. She wants to make a piece of leather armour for herself. She initiates the average task action, and must reach a score of 150. She rolls the first dice and scores 65. A good start. She now has 65 out of 150, and only half an hour has passed. She rolls again, scoring 8. She adds 8 to the 65, getting 73. She rolls again, scoring 90. This roll is above her skill, so she makes no progress, but spends another half an hour working, bringing the work time up to an hour and a half. She rolls a fourth time, scoring 55; a critical. This is doubled to 110 and added to 73, making a complete total of 183, 30 over the required number. The armour is created successfully, and in only two hours, as only four d100s were rolled.

Opposed Actions
An opposed action is something thats mainly used in combat, but also in some other situations as well. Essentially, an opposed action is an action in which there are two actors opposing one other. For example, trying to hit a man while he dodges is an opposed action, as your strike is opposed to his dodge. Opposed actions also apply when youre trying to sneak up on someone. Your victim may make a perception roll to see or hear you approaching, which is opposed to your covert roll. In an opposed action, there is usually an active actor, and a defensive one: The active actor performs an action initially, and the defensive actor tries to prevent it. The active actor always rolls first, and if they fail, the opposition will likely never occur. Opposed actions work a little differently to most other actions in the game. In order for your skill level to be taken into account fully, one perhaps should not simply take the lowest number. The

rules for opposed actions are: If the active actor fails the initial roll, nothing will happen. If the active actor succeeds the initial roll, and the defensive actor fails their roll, the roll continues as normal and the damage bonuses and critical success narrative modifiers are applied. If both actors succeed however, rather than taking the lowest number, you take whoever was furthest under their skill. Using this system, people with a higher number of skill points in a skill will naturally have a higher chance of success, while still occasionally being the victim of pure bad luck. E.G; Rick and 80 points in his cutlass skill, and he slashes at a bandit with only 60 points of fray. Rick rolls a 10, a good roll. The bandit performs his fray check, and hits a 6, a success. However, since Rick is 70 points under his skill, and the bandit is only 54, Rick wins, and slashes the bandit a new one. Once the attack has succeeded, modifiers are applied normally. If either of the actors roll a critical double, then the critical double will always win, unless matched. If two critical are rolled, a deadlock is engaged (see deadlock in the combat section)

Damage and Depletion

On Rime, you have three bars that you need to keep an eye on: Your health points, your stun points, and your stability points. Your stun points and health points will start off equal to one another, derived from strength and willpower, while your stability is derived from your intelligence and willpower attributes (See Derived Attributes.) When you get hit by something sharp or hard, you take damage. The type of damage depends on the type of weapon, and the quality of your armour. Getting bonked on the head with a mace will do a lot more physical injury to you than it would if you had a helmet on, but even with a helmet, youd still feel a concussive blow.

Health Points
Whenever you are slammed, stabbed, shot, burned, crushed, poisoned, bitten, clawed or start freezing to death, you take damage. Damage is given to you via a GM in the form of a number and this number is deducted from your health points. This number is either determined by the condition in which your damage is received, or from the rolled damage value of an enemys attack. If you take a single bulk of damage that surpasses your wound threshold, you take one wound, and a penalty to all actions while the wound remains untreated. Your intent should always be to stay as healthy as possible, with as many health points as you can keep, as dropping down to 0 hp will usually have you lying on the floor, bleeding out until someone helps you. Note that being on 0 hp does not kill you, but as you start going into negative figures, you will be subjected to critical damage, which could result in permanent disabilities or disfigurements for your character. You will regain health points very slowly without medical assistance, at a rate of about one every three days.

Stun Points
Not all injuries are life threatening. A sharp punch to the nose or a sedative in your drink will not cause physical injury, so much, and will instead deliver stun damage. Your stun points are separate to your health points, but many attacks may see you losing chunks from both bars simultaneously (A mace to the head or a nearby explosion would definitely cause both stun damage and normal damage). You have a chance of falling briefly unconscious or becoming heavily dazed when you take large bulks of stun damage at once(This number must surpass your stun threshold). If you reach 0 stun points, you fall unconscious. As you go into negative figures, youre at risk of permanent mental

damage, and at risk of a potentially permanent coma. Youll regain stun points at a rate of one per hour when out of combat. Stun points are the only type of point that regenerate even after you go into negative figures.

Stability Points
Your mental integrity is represented by a separate point pool. Your maximum stability points are determined by adding your intelligence and your willpower together. On rare occasions, your character might witness something harrowing, and will be asked to make a double willpower attribute check to compose themselves. If they succeed this willpower check, they will be fine, and will lose no stability points. If they fail, they will take either 1d10, 2d10 or 3d10 stability damage, depending on the magnitude of the event they witnessed. A GM may even decide to push it up to 4 or 5d10, but this could get ugly. If you take enough stability damage in one go and you surpass your trauma threshold, you will contract a random temporary mental disorder from the disorder table. Going into negative figures will result in long term mental disorders being applied, as well as certain personality negative traits. Stability points recover over time at a rate of one per day. A psychologist can help increase this faster.

Thresholds
During character generation, you will have gained a wound threshold, a stun threshold and a trauma threshold, in the form of a single number, which is likely anywhere between 5 and 20 (could be higher). The purpose of these thresholds is to represent when you take a significant hit to your wellbeing, it being a physical injury, a concussive blow or a traumatic experience. Lets say you have a wound threshold of 10. If you take 5 points of damage from a single attack, you lose hp, but are able to shrug it off, since it is below your wound threshold. If you take a hit which deals 12 damage, this is over your wound threshold, and you sustain a wound. A single wound applies a -10 modifier to all of your characters actions, and can also result in infection if it remains untreated. (More on infection later). A GM may or may not force a wounded player to make a willpower check to resist experiencing shock, and taking 1d10 stun damage. There is no cap on how many wounds you receive, but chances are receiving more than three will usually result in enough damage sustained to incapacitate you. Similarly, if you have a stun threshold of 10 (stun and wound thresholds always match) then taking a large number of stun points that go beyond your threshold will temporarily daze or knock you unconscious. If you take more stability damage than your threshold, then rather than gaining a physical wound, you gain a random short term mental disorder from the disorder table. These are usually temporary, although if the stability damage is severe enough, you may have to see a psychologist to restore your points and rid yourself of the disorder. You gain long term disorders through critical failures of willpower resistance, or through critical damage in stability.

Incapacitation

In your perilous adventure, not everything will go the way you wanted it to. On the occasion your characters health points, stun points or stability points reaches 0, do not fret; youre still alive, for now. When you reach 0 points on any of your bars, you will become unable to perform most actions for a time, and will often be relying on the assistance of your teammates to get you back on your feet and to safety again (although this could be a lengthy process with a low priority, if people are shooting at them.) If your health points reach 0, youve likely been hit with ranged projectiles or beaten down with a sword or club. Youre injured and likely bleeding out, either internally or externally. If youre on negative figures, for health points and not stun, you will still be conscious with the ability to drag yourself one square per turn. You cannot attack or perform complex actions like this. Maybe an adrenaline shot will help? If you reach 0 stun points, you are incapacitated via being knocked out. You slowly regain stun points over time and once you go back up to 1 again, youll wake up without needing medical assistance. If you reach 0 stability points, your character will start to hallucinate or scream wildly, running around in a very unstable manner, temporarily stripping control of the character and turning them into an NPC. Stability points also recover over time, but can be restored much quicker with a medical professional or just simple, normal character interaction.

Death
On Rime, you do not die unless your health points reach a number of -10. Anywhere between 0 and 10 will result in potentially horrific injury, and you will bleed out over time until you reach -10, but unless the attack is brutal enough to reduce you to -10 health points, or you are attacked again while already on 0 hp, then your character will die, and there will be nothing that can bring them back. You will have to create a new character in order to continue playing the game. Death is a severe consequence usually of ill-considered actions or just incredibly bad luck, but most GMs are discouraged from killing their players, especially early on, but it can happen. You will have your plot points and shift points to help you in situations and give you the upper hand in fights, however. A common bandit will have no way of stopping a well aimed bullet going through his skull.

Comas
If you reach -10 stun points, your character will slip into a coma. This could be the result of physical internal trauma or an overdose of a certain sedative drug, but either way, your character has fallen into a state of seemingly permanent unconsciousness. As with real comas, there are things that can be done. A medical professional may be able to awaken you, and if your lucky stars shine bright, you may even recover without aid. Once you reach -10 stun, you stop gaining stun points back over time and your fate is in the hands of the GM. You may be asked to re-roll a new character, but it is possible you will regain control of your old one at a later date. A combination of multiple shift points (three or four) should be enough to awaken a comatose party member.

Breakdown
If you reach -10 stability points, your character will descend either into absolute madness, or stunned, inactive shock. They will be conscious, but will either be a threat to you and your party, or a threat to themselves. Upon reaching -10 stability points, your character is deemed unplayable, and is given to the GM. They may attack your fellow party members, and this could result in their death. If you are able to, you may haul your broken ally to a psychiatric expert, and they may be able to identify and fix the problem. This could take some time, however, and your character may be confined within a mental institute, forcing you to roll a new one until his or her treatment is complete.

Critical Damage
So you may be wondering; what happens to your character all the way from -1 to -9 if 0 is just incapacitation and -10 is removal from the game? Thats where critical damage fits in. Critical damage is applied to you and your enemies when a hit is devastating enough to reduce you into negative figures on any of your bars. Depending on what number your points land on after you take the damage, that numbers critical damage effect is applied to your character (E.G, if you have 5 health points, and you get shot for 7 damage, you go to -2 health points, the -2 critical damage effect is applied.) GMs and players will be provided with a number of critical damage tables below which apply to certain weapons and situations. Critical damage can take the form of serious, crippling and permanent injuries, severe psychological disorders and permanent dulling of the senses and attributes. As you start to reach higher critical damage numbers, like -7 and -8, youll be starting to lose limbs or even the ability to see, so be cautious. If you are hit down onto -2 health points, the -2 critical damage effect is applied. If you are hit AGAIN, and reduced to -9, the -9 critical damage effect is applied in addition to the first one. Most minor critical damage effects can be cured by a doctor or psychologist, but once you start getting more severe effects, a bioborn will be the only thing that can help you, and good luck finding one of those... Many of these critical damage effects apply negative traits. If your character already has this negative trait, then there are 3 possible options for the GM to choose from. You can make this critical damage effect stack with the current one, you can apply a different critical damage step (one step down, so instead of -3, you apply -2) or to simply allow the player to continue without sustaining any additional penalties other than the damage. GMs may wish to apply the critical damage effects to enemies as well as the players, but sometimes its more fun to let the players decide what they do to their opponent and create quick penalties and types of death based on their description.

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8

Critical Damage Effect Sharp (+ Unarmed with claws/fangs) The blade slashes through a semi major artery as they go down, and they gradually start to bleed out. The characters face is cut deeply but sensory organs are missed. A permanent scar will be the end result. The sore thumb trait is added. The blade slashes open an enormous wound across the chest or back. If cured, the scar will be huge and unnerving to anyone who sees it. Applies disgusting presence trait (minor) to anyone who spots the wound. The blade runs the character through, impaling a lung or kidney (a claw can stab through the ribs too). The character is fatally wounded without assistance. If they recover, the unfit trait is applied. The characters off hand is cut off. Ambidextrous characters lose the left hand. Dual wielding becomes impossible. The amputee trait is applied. The characters main hand is sliced off. Ambidextrous characters lose the right hand. Dual wielding becomes impossible and the amputee trait is applied. An entire arm is removed with a strong slash. The amputee trait is applied. The characters throat is cut, and their life flashes before their eyes. The harrowing experience requires a hard willpower check to resist severe mental trauma, even after recovering. If the character fails, a long term disorder should be applied from the table. A horizontal slash across the eyes blinds the character. The blind trait is applied. The character is stabbed through the heart, cut in half or decapitated. They do not survive.

-9 -10 +

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9

Critical Damage Effect - Bullets The bullet shatters a bone in the legs, crippling the character and temporarily applying the amputee leg trait. The characters lung is punctured by a bullet, giving them breathing difficulties and causing blood to trickle from their mouths. The bullet rips through multiple internal organs causing life threatening ruptures and agonising, incapacitating pain. The character is unable to move, and will shout, attracting attention. The bullet strikes through the characters hand before going into their chest, destroying two of their fingers and applying -5 to all future sleight of hand and crafting rolls. The bullet cleanly tears off one of the characters ears, applying a -10 to all future hearing rolls. The bullet rips through the characters face, disfiguring them permanently and making them easily distinguishable. The sore thumb trait is added. The characters eye is cleanly removed by the shot, applying a -10 to all sight rolls. The bullet slashes through the characters throat, obliterating their voice box and permanently muting them. They will bleed out quickly. The mute trait is applied. The bullet shreds a vertebrae or nerve cluster, removing the ability to use one or both of the characters legs and sending them to the ground, bleeding to death. Paralysis trait is added. (minor or major, depending on GMs decision) The bullet penetrates and destroys a vital organ, such as the heart or brain. The character does not survive.

-10 +

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 -10 +

Critical Damage Effect Blunt (+ Unarmed with Steel fists) The character is struck in the head and goes down. In addition to the damage, they also take 1d10 stun. The strike causes a ringing in the characters ears, and they are unable to hear what is going on around them for 1d10 days. The blunt strike shatters several ribs of the character, dealing life threatening injuries. The blunt weapon snaps the offhand arm of a character like a twig. The amputee trait is temporarily applied until the character recovers. The characters head is smashed hard. They are concussed, but in addition their vision goes blurry for 2d10 days. The character takes 1d10 stun. The blunt weapon or a brutal kick shatters the shin bones, temporarily applying the amputee leg trait. The blunt attack shatters your characters jaw, making it impossible to talk until it is treated and fixed over time. The mute trait is temporarily applied. The character takes 1d10 stun. A blunt hit impacts your head with such force that your brain takes the most of it. A long term mental disorder is applied from the table. The character takes 2d10 stun. The cranial hit gives you permanent brain damage. Make a willpower check. If you succeed, you gain the minor insanity trait. If you fail, you gain the major insanity trait. The character also takes 3d10 stun. The blunt instrument or unarmed technique snaps your neck, breaks your body or just explodes your head. The character, unsurprisingly, does not survive. Critical Damage Effect Siege and Explosive Weapons, Heavy Shredders The impact sends a cluster of rubble at the characters face, bringing them down and dealing 1d10 stun. The impact damages the characters ear drums, making them deaf for 1d10 days. They also take 1d10 stun. The character is torn by shrapnel and starts to bleed out, with a high chance of infection. The character takes a glancing blow from the heavy projectile or detonation itself. Their offhand shoulder is shattered, granting the amputee perk temporarily and sending them flying 1d10 squares. The explosion or impact is very close. Fire or rubble scars the targets face in multiple areas, removing the ability to taste and applying the sore thumb trait. The bombardment or detonation temporarily grants the victim shellshock, making them incomprehensible and taking a -20 to all actions for 1d10 days. The impact is inches from the characters body. They are thrown 2d10 squares away (potentially out of cover) and one of their legs is broken, temporarily applying the amputee leg trait. The blast catches the characters body, scarring the entirety of one of their sides and throwing them 2d10 squares away. The sore thumb and disgusting presence traits are applied. The detonation or impact hits the character. In addition to being thrown 2d10 metres, and taking 2d10 stun, their ear drums are destroyed and you are permanently deaf. The detonation or impact hits the character directly. They are torn apart violently, squashed or impaled. The character does not survive.

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 -10 +

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 -10 +

Critical Damage Effect Arrows and Bolts (Potentially throwing weapons) The projectile embeds in the characters chest, going deep enough to require careful extraction to prevent bleeding out. The projectile goes through the characters body or limb, pinning them to an adjacent surface or to the ground. They are unable to move or act at all until assisted. The projectile lodges in your neck, but misses the core artery by a few centimetres. The attack punctures the characters kidney, disrupting it permanently. They gain the lightweight trait. The characters lung is punctured. After recovering, they gain the unfit trait. The projectile destroys one of the characters eyes and embeds itself in their face. -10 to all future perception sight rolls The projectile not only sticks in the characters chest, it also snaps from the head. -15 to all medical rolls to help them. The projectile splits the characters throat, and they start to bleed out. A single long term mental disorder is applied from the table upon recovery. The projectile cracks the characters skull, dealing 4d10 stun damage. If the character falls unconscious, upon awakening, the amnesia trait will be applied. The projectile impales an extremely vital organ, potentially pinning its target to the wall. The character does not survive.

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 -10 +

Critical Damage Effect Improvised/Special/Ley Gun weapons guideline. 1d10 stun is applied or Minor bleed out is applied. 1d10 stun in addition to a sense being dulled. More serious wound with a chance of infection and heavy bleeding. The character is thrown a distance of 1d10 metres, gains a minor negative trait, or a visible but small scar. The character is immobilised in some way or the offhand limb is broken or removed. The character takes either a permanent penalty to a sense or physical action, or has a leg temporarily broken. The character is thrown a distance of 2d10 metres with a negative trait applied, or a major negative trait is temporarily applied (E.G, jaw breaking; mute) The character is scarred or disfigured seriously, or a traumatic hit applies a long term mental disorder. This may also throw the character 2d10 squares. The character receives a permanent major negative trait, such as blind, deaf, amnesia, paralysis, etc. This may also apply 2d10 stun, and throw the character 2d10 squares. The character is killed.

This table is more of a guideline for GMs to use. Since some players may choose to wield weapons which do not fall into any of the above categories, these effects can be applied to other weapons too, such as whips, garrottes, lassos and anything else that doesnt deliver either sharp damage or blunt damage. You should pick just one or two of the effects rather than all of them in one number.

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7

-8 -9 -10 +

Critical Damage Effect Stun damage The character is knocked out. Upon waking, they will have difficulty hearing due to ringing in their ears for 1d10 hours. -10 to hearing checks. The character is knocked out. Upon waking, their vision will be blurred for 1d10 hours. -10 to sight checks. The character is knocked out. Upon waking, the character will struggle to remember where they are for 1d5 hours. The character is knocked out. Upon waking, the character will feel dazed and fatigued for 1d10 hours, taking -15 to physical actions. The character is knocked out. Upon waking, the character has difficulty balancing, and must make dexterity attribute checks periodically to prevent falling. This lasts for 1d10 hours. The character is knocked out. Upon waking, the character is nauseated and numb. They take -20 to all checks for 1d10 hours. The character is knocked out. Upon waking, the character is unable to move for 1d10 hours, and must be carried. They take 1d10 stability damage when considering the prospect of permanent paralysis. The character is knocked out, viciously. Upon waking, the characters senses are all dulled for 1d10 days, applying a -20 modifier to all perception checks. The character is knocked out, brutally. Upon waking, a hard willpower check must be made to prevent sustaining a long term mental disorder from the physical trauma. The character is knocked out, and slips into a coma. They stop gaining stun points over time and the character becomes unplayable.

This stun damage only applies to stun points that are physically removed. If you are drugged with a sedative, you will simply fall unconscious and no critical damage effects will be applied.

Critical Damage -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8

-9 -10 +

Critical Damage Effect Stability Damage The character becomes temporarily unplayable, curling up into a ball. Upon recovery, a short term disorder is applied. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, freezing on the spot in horror. Upon recovery, a minor negative personality trait is applied. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, uncontrollably fleeing from the scene. Upon recovery, a minor negative trait is applied. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, spouting gibberish and becoming totally incomprehensible for 1d5 days. A short term disorder is applied. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, screaming loudly and repeatedly, attracting the attention of others for miles around. A short term disorder is applied. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, aggressively attacking the first person they see for 1d5 hours. A long term mental disorder is applied once they snap out of it. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, seeing wild hallucinations and forgetting where they are, potentially endangering their own life. A long term mental disorder is also applied. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, shouting nonsense, charging at harmless individuals and seeing things that arent there for 1d10 hours. A long term mental disorder is applied once the time has expired. The character becomes temporarily unplayable, and the major insanity trait is permanently applied, in addition to a long term disorder. The character is thrown into a fit of violent rage or defensive assault. They attack anyone and everyone until they are incapacitated. They gain the major insanity trait, a long term disorder, and will likely have to undergo extensive psychiatric treatment before they are playable again, meaning a player may have to roll a new character.

Alternative Damage
Sometimes players will injure themselves by accident by falling from a high ledge or setting themselves on fire (It happens, seriously.) In these cases, the alternative damages have very simple base damage and critical damage tables. Fall Damage When falling from a high ledge, you take both stun and health damage simultaneously and equally. Without free running, you will start taking one point of damage for every metre beyond six you fall. If you fall twenty metres, you will take 14 stun and 14 health damage. If you fall thirty, you will take 24 of each. If you make a successful free running check, you can totally avoid damage up to ten metres by agilely rolling upon impact, and from that point, you take half damage. If the fall pushes stun into critical damage, apply the critical damage effect from the stun table.
Critical Damage - 1-5 - 4-9 Critical Damage Effect - Falling One of the characters legs breaks, temporarily applying the amputee trait. Both of the characters legs break. They require a wheel chair to get around. Apply the paralysis trait effects. The character does not survive the fall, and splats rather ungracefully.

- 10 +

Fire Damage If the character catches on fire, they take 1d10 damage per turn. This damage can be negated by armour like any other physical damage, but your armour may be destroyed if the fire is not extinguished. If you are not in combat, you take 1d10 damage per every ten seconds you are

burning. Flames can be instantly extinguished by water, or by rolling in the dirt or snow for a few turns. When you roll, you throw a d10. Anything above 5 will extinguish the flames. Your friends can assist you and roll their own dice to get the same result.
Critical Damage - 1-5 - 4-9 Critical Damage Effect - Fire The flames singe off most of your hair and cause minor burns on your body. The flames horribly burn your characters skin and remove all of their hair. They gain the disgusting presence trait. The character is cooked alive, and ends up as a smouldering pile of ash.

- 10 +

Poison Damage If a poison or drug inflicts stun or health damage, then thats what it is designed to do, and the effects are always predictable. Poison damage has no base or critical damage table. The damage output for poisons and sedatives can be found later on in the gear section. Executions Executions are player only complex actions which can be performed upon any enemy target once it enters critical damage. Executions require no roll, however, meaning players can be as creative or brutal as they wish to finish off their enemy. Particularly detailed or interesting executions may reward you with plot points.

Plot and Shift Points

Players need something to keep them ahead of the game. If they are to fight scores of bandits and hunt Rimes deadliest beasts, they need something that can give them a special edge, and make it so not everything relies purely on luck. Thats where plot and shift points come in; points rewarded to players by the GM which have the ability to transform the outcome of an action, or even shift the environment and setting to your needs.

Plot Points
At the start of every game, each player is initially given a pool of 6 plot points. These points will be your lifeline should anything go horribly wrong. A plot point is a currency which you can spend at any time to change what has just happened; E.G, if you are shot for 15 damage, you can use 4 plot points to nudge that down to 11 damage. Some positive traits allow you to use plot points to directly increase your roll for certain actions, but all players can use plot points to slightly decrease damage, slightly increase their own damage output, ignore difficulty modifiers and flip a pair of d10s, so you can turn 91 into 19. When spending plot points in bulks, you can also make minor alterations in the world and to your belongings. For example, you may wish to pick a lock, but realise you have no lockpicks to do it with. You spend 3 plot points and suddenly remember a hairpin you keep in your back pocket, which would not have been there without the plot point intervention.

Plot Point Cost 1 per 1 damage 1 per 1 damage 1 1 3 5

Effect Reduce the damage of an attack Increase the damage of your attack Flip the dice (74 becomes 47, etc) Ignore difficulty modifiers. Must be spent before the roll. Minor change in reality (finding object, remembering you ate already, etc) Average change in reality (Forging a history with an NPC. Remembering suppressed knowledge)

Shift Points
Shift points are the plot points bigger brother. A GM may decide to give players 1 shift point to start off with, but from this point on, they should be hard to earn. You can only have a maximum of 1 shift point at a time. The purpose of a shift point is to allow players to dynamically effect the world with powers beyond their own character. Shift points shift the environment and totally alter the fate and power of an attack or character, although only briefly. Similarly to plot points, shift points can be spent after damage is sustained or after you make an attack. Unlike plot points, shift points can be used to alter the weather or make ruptures in the land itself to use as an advantage. If there is a miniscule chance of something occurring at any time, a shift point can make that happen. Perhaps a bandit is moving in for the kill on a dark, cloudy evening. The player uses a shift point and states he wants the bandit to be struck by lightning as he raises his weapon. The bandit is fried and promptly explodes as a bolt of lightning surges through him. Perhaps you are fighting in a volcanic tundra. You use a shift point to open a geyser beneath your enemys feet. They are sent flying into the distance and into an early grave. Players will be rewarded for their creative descriptions and ideas when using shift points, but they can also use them to simply save their own hides or power up a single attack. You will likely do more damage with an environmental shift than you will with a powered up attack, however.
Shift Point Cost 1 1 1 1 Effect Totally nullify an attacks damage with either luck or skill Your attack does maximum and double damage. Kills any minor enemies in one hit, and severely damages strong ones. Automatic critical success on a single complex, opposed or task action. Twist the environment and setting to your will. Can kill multiple opponents or shift a situation in your favour by manipulating the world around you.

Rewarding Plot and Shift Points

Players will be rewarded plot and shift points when they complete milestones and objectives, but will also receive them when performing something a player might describe as cool or awesome. An exciting, descriptive, narrative act will reward you points, as will acting despicable due to your negative traits. You may also be rewarded points for intelligent conversation with npcs and making your party members and the GM laugh with a good in character joke is a good way to earn points too. You will also be rewarded points for any additional material you create for the campaign, such as back stories and session write ups. Shift points do come rarer than plot points, but since you can only have one at a time, do not feel discouraged to use them. The sooner you use it, the sooner you can get a new one.

Evolution
As with most RPGs, you occasionally get the chance to level up and upgrade your attributes and skills. When you complete objectives, in addition to some plot and shift points, you will also be given a fairly large number (between 10 and 20, probably) evolution points. EVO points are what you use to level up your skills. They can either upgrade your skills beyond the character generation cap, they can increase your attributes beyond the character gen cap, or they can even remove negative traits at the GMs discretion and a decent in character reason. Here is a table which shows the cost of upgrades using your adaptation points
Evolution Point Cost 1 2 15 or 50 for 5 points. 35 - 65 Upgrade A skill point for any of your skills from level 1-70. A skill point for any of your skills from 71 to 90. A single attribute point or bulk purchase of 5. Removing a minor major negative trait.

Remember, when upgrading any of your attributes, many of your derived attributes may change. When you add attribute points also, the base attribute for some reliant skills will increase, resulting in a small increase of all of your skills. E.G, if you add 5 to STR, you will also gain 5 points in climbing, melee combat, swimming, etc. It is unlikely you will gain EVO points in the same way you gain plot points (By doing cool/fun stuff in role playing) but you will always get them at the end of a tough mission, and occasionally just little side quests. While your characters abilities may improve however, their gear will not, and without upgrading your weapons, your damage output isnt going to improve much. You gain new gear through other means.

Upgrading Gear
Rime has quite a traditional system when it comes to gear upgrading, in that youve got to go out and look for upgrades rather than have them fall into your lap. There will be some blacksmiths and crafters that can possibly provide you with new weapons in exchange for a quests completion or a heap of gold sancs. Mostly though, youll find your new weapons and armour in the hands of your enemies or in the form of loot when dungeon crawling. Some people will gift you gear if you do favours or missions for them. If youre feeling ambitious, you could turn against the kingdom and attack town guards for their weapons (this is not advised but perfectly possible. If you down a wrangler, you could get all sorts of neat stuff.) You will also have opportunities to prospect and extract ores, skin hides, gather plants and amass other bits and bobs for crafting. With a decent enough skill level and a good few rolls, you or your party member could craft new gear from raw materials. The full list of gear, including rarity, price, and crafting reagents required will be later on in the document, under gear.

Trainers
All over Rime are people with exclusive patents and valuable knowledge that can be passed on to players, given the right amount of time and cash is invested into them. Trainers are NPCs with the ability to teach your character new schematics, recipes and combat techniques and secrets which can give you the upper hand in survival and conflict scenarios. For a trainer to teach a character how to do something, or create something, the character must pay a hefty sum and then spend 5 medium task action sessions with them over a period of several months. The GM may extend or reduce the time required based on the complexity of what youre trying to learn Using a trainer, players can learn how to craft new objects that could be technologically advanced to the setting itself. They may also be able to learn how to perform certain techniques and manoeuvres in shooting, melee and free running without penalty and additional effects (ricocheting bullets around corners, sleeper holds to knock people out, running along walls, etc) All trainers will have attribute restrictions, meaning people with low INT will not be able to learn the secrets of a powerful new weapon, and people with low DEX will never master trick shots. Trainers should be catered to players depending on what it is they want to learn. They can ask the locals if anyone possesses the knowledge they wish to gain and locate the man for the job. Skills, recipes and new pieces of gear should have effects and stats built over the training period, ready for the player to use once the sessions are over.

Combat Mechanics
Combat is likely going to be crucial at some point during your game. The rules of combat in Rime are simple to follow with fairly obvious features, such as you are harder to hit if behind cover, but there are also restrictions to prevent you from steamrollering your foes or indeed being slaughtered by inexperienced bandits. This part of the document covers how to protect yourself in combat, how weapon damage works, the various types of attacks and actions you can perform during a single turn and healing damage.

Sections
Initiative and Movement Your characters initiative rating will contribute to their reaction speed in combat. The initiative round at the start of a combat situation decides which order the characters will act in. Your movement in combat will always be a set number, either standard at 6 squares or modified with positive or negative traits. Combat Sequence These are the various steps you will go through when engaging in a single combat turn. Dont worry, its not as complicated as it looks. Defence When bullets start flying your way, youre going to need a way to prevent you being riddled with holes. When youre surrounded by three bandits with swords, you require knowledge of the best way to survive until your team can assist you.

Offence This section covers the various attacks you can perform and the sort of penalties youll be expected to receive in certain situations. Damage and Armour Value This will help you understand the significance of stats on weapons and armour, and how they are implemented within the game. Healing Sometimes you get messed up in combat, and you require urgent medical assistance. A series of tables and information in this section will help and budding doctors out there keep their party alive. Special Conditions/Combat Modifiers Sometimes combat occurs in strange places or in undesirable conditions. This section covers a bunch of them, and how you or your enemies can use them to an advantage.

Initiative and Movement

Initiative
Combat in Rime is like combat in all table top RPGs; turn based. The first thing that is decided before you engage your enemy is the turn order. This is decided through the initiative phase and initiative rolls. Your initiative stat is in your derived stats, and will likely be anywhere between 5 and 20 or so. To get your initiative score, roll a single d10 when the GM tells you to, and add the dices number to your initiative stat. If your initiative is 7, and you roll eight, your initiative for this combat or dungeon sequence will be 15. The higher your initiative, the sooner in the turn youll act. Once everyone has had a single turn from the highest number to the lowest, it loops back around to the highest again. Initiative is usually called right before combat starts, or when commencing any sort of scenario that would be broken down into 3-5 second turns. All players will roll initiative, as will all NPCs that youre facing or aligned with. Once into this turn based system, you are simply described as being within initiative. Initiative score = Your initiative derived attribute + 1d10.

Turns
The players and NPCs go in the turn order decided by their initiative score. A player can briefly delay their turn to allow another character to act first, before reclaiming their turn manually before the end of the round. (More on this below) Once every player has had a single turn, the round is over, and the next one begins, using the same order as before. Whoever went first last time goes first again, and so on. The cycle continues until you defeat your enemies, or you run the hell away.

Turn Delay
Sometimes, your turn arrives, but the time to strike is not ideal. Should this occur, you may delay your turn until after your friends or indeed your enemy has acted. Note, this will permanently change the turn order, which would have been established during the initiative phase. When a

player delays their turn, they gain no penalties to attack or defence. Its simply a way of willingly changing the turn order by slowing yourself down. It can also be used to position your turn alongside an allys in order to use a combo attack.

Movement
Movement can be done in a few ways once youre within initiative. Normally you can move around without restriction but when within initiative, you only have a few seconds of real time to move your character, meaning the distance you can move is limited. Unless your character has traits (either negative or positive) that say otherwise, your character is capable of moving up to 6 squares per turn as a minor action, or sprinting 7 - 12 squares per turn as a full complex action. Note that without the combat artist trait, making minor actions in a turn will grant you a small penalty to skill checks within the same turn. You may wish to make a few steps and fire, or spend an entire turn running for cover. Some players will likely have traits that increase or decrease their walk and sprint speed. If the character is capable of flight, they can traverse over difficult terrain and objects without moving around them and without making climb checks. Normal Speed (6 12) 1 3 squares movement = -10 penalty to actions 4-6 = squares movement = -20 penalty to actions. 7-12 squares movement = Full turn, no other actions taken. Amputee/Minor Paralysis (4 8) 1-2 squares movement = -10 penalty to actions 3-4 squares movement = -20 penalty to all actions 5 8 squares movement = Full turn, no other actions taken. Snails Pace/ Blind in unfamiliar area/ Major paralysis with wheeled assistance. (3 6) 1 square movement = -10 penalty to all actions 2-3 squares movement = -20 penalty to all actions 4-6 squares movement = Full turn, no other actions taken. Minor Speedy (7-14) 1-4 squares movement = -10 penalty to all actions 5-7 squares movement = -20 penalty to all actions 8-14 squares movement = Full turn, no other actions taken. Major Speedy/Flight (9 18) 1-5 squares movement = -10 penalty to all actions 6-9 squares movement = -20 penalty to all actions 10-18 squares movement= Full turn, no other actions taken.

Note again, with the combat artist trait, these negative modifier penalties are removed. A square is the equivalent of a metre. If the GMs and players do not wish to use a squared grid map, they can also use metres.

Combat Sequence
There are a series of rolls and numbers to consider when you engage in combat. Refer to the opposed actions section earlier if it confuses you here. Lets construct a quick combat scene. Wyatt is facing off with a bandit. Theyve both drawn their swords and are ready to engage. They are only two squares away from each other. Step 1: Initiative As previously mentioned, the initiative round comes first. Both characters make a d10 roll and add the number to their initiative stat. Whoever has the highest number goes first. Wyatt rolls an 8, adding it onto his initiative of 11 and gaining 19. The bandit only rolls a 3, adding it to his initiative of 10. With only 12, Wyatt goes first. Step 2: Offence + Modifiers The character going first declares his or her action. This can be any sort of complex action, or a mixture of minor actions and a complex action. In this case, were assuming the opening character chooses to attack by charging. Wyatt raises his sword and rushes towards his target. He takes a -10 modifier due to his movement, but brings down his sword on the bandit, rolling 45 out of 60; a success. The bandit has a chance to defend himself. Step 3: Defence +Modifiers If the attack is successful, you go onto step 3, in which the defensive actor chooses how they want to defend. They can use their melee weapon skill to parry or block, or use their fray to dodge aside. The bandit rolls an impressive 19 out of 50. An exceptional success. Step 4: Opposed Action If both players succeed their rolls, it goes into an opposed action check, and the winner is determined by whoever is further from their acting skills level. In this case, the bandit rolled 31 less than his skill, while Wyatt only rolled 15 less. The bandit wins. The roll may also be subjected to modifiers for either the attacker or defender which vary depending on the circumstances and conditions of the attack and fight. Dodging a bullet for example will be much more difficult, as will hitting someone behind cover. The bandit agilely dodges aside, and Wyatts turn is over.

In this case, the turn only got to step 4. The steps are terminated whenever the active actor fails, or whenever the defensive actor succeeds or gains the upper hand. Lets reassess this and assume that this time, the bandit only rolls a 59 out of 60, and Wyatt wins the opposed action. Step 5: Damage Every weapon has a set damage bonus upon it. In this case, Wyatts iron sword has a 1d10 + STR/10 on it. His STR divided by 10 is 3, so he gets 3 additional points of damage on top of his d10 roll. Wyatt rolls an 8, adding his strength bonus to make a total of 11. He slashes the bandit across the torso, drawing blood. Step 6: Armour While every weapon has a damage bonus, many weapons will also have an armour penetration value. This AP value is used to break through your opponents armour value. Every armour piece has a simple numbered value. The bandit is wearing leather armour with an armour value of 2. In this case, Wyatts sword has no armour penetration, so the bandits armour stops two points of physical damage, and converts 50% of the blocked damage into stun damage, meaning he loses 1 stun point and 9 health points. If Wyatts blade had -2 AP, there would have been no protection at all. When halving the blocked damage and converting to stun, you always favour the stun rather than total damage negation, meaning if you block 7 damage, you take 4 stun and negate 3 damage points. The bandits armour catches only a fragment of the cut. The bandit stumbles back, clutching the wound that has opened across his chest. Step 7: Thresholds With the damage dealt, its time to see if the attacks number surpassed any of the bandits thresholds. He only took 1 stun, so hes not got a problem there. However, with his wound threshold only at 7, the 9 points of damage inflicts a single wound upon him, giving him a -10 check to all actions until it is cured and leaving him at risk of infection should he escape. The GM may make the bandit take an additional 1d5 stun damage that represents shock. Thats the turn over, although there are other ways it can be carried out. Applying negative modifiers to the accuracy of your own attacks, you can make multiple in one go, potentially dealing masses of damage, if your rolls are lucky enough.

Defence
Fray and Parry
Most of the time you wont even have to announce your defence in order for it to be triggered in at least some way. When you want to avoid the club swinging for your head, you can make a fray check to dodge away or to block it with your shield (assuming you have one) You may also make a melee weapons check to try and parry it with your very own weapon (You cannot parry with your fists, but you can parry with blade caps). The basic defence checks you make in an opposed action arent the only kind of defences you can make, however.

Shield Block If a character equips a shield, they get a small passive fray modifier, and a chance of stopping some damage with their shield when it is inflicted upon them. If in the opposing test, the attacking character only wins by 20 or less points, you instead block with your shield.

Cover
It is possible to duck behind cover to conceal your body and make it damn near impossible to hit from ranged weapons. There are four different types of cover; light, medium, heavy and total. Light cover means youre ducked behind a flimsy wooden chair, or maybe even just lying on the floor. Medium cover means most of your body is covered, possibly behind a desk or a table. Heavy cover almost completely hides you from view; you may be ducked in a crater or crouched behind a stone wall. Total cover is anything from entire buildings to a charcoal burner mound. In total cover, the enemy cannot see you at all and has no chance of hitting you. Cover will only help you from being struck by ranged and explosive weapons. Melee weapons can simply reach over or around cover.

Cover Type Light Cover (Chairs, carpet, flimsy wood) Medium cover (Tables, desks, fence) Heavy Cover (Walls, hay bales, carriages) Total Cover (Buildings, hills)

Attack Modifier -10 -30 -50 -70

Cover is necessary when engaging foes in ranged combat. If youre exposed to multiple ranged weapons, you could go down in seconds. When trying to projectiles bullets out of cover, you must use fray (shields can help). You cant slash them out of the air with your sword unless you use a shift point. Dodging ranged projectiles is -20 for force projectiles, -30 for mechanical and -40 for bullets. When making an opposed check, youre still trying to get below your skill, but if trying to dodge a bullet, you assume your skill is 40 points lower.

All Out Defence

As opposed to making an attack check during your turn, you can use your turn to declare all out defence. This will add +30 to all defensive rolls you make until your next turn comes around, meaning if 3 bandits are attacking you, you can parry them all much easier in exchange for 0 damage output. Its a good technique if youre waiting for your team to help you. If you use a shield, you gain an additional +10, meaning all out defence grants +40 to rolls.

Receiving a Charge
Offensive actors can initiate a charge attack by moving 4 squares or over in a single turn and attacking. The character will take the accuracy penalty as mentioned in the movement section above, but if his or her attack lands, it will deal an additional 1d10 damage. If you see someone charging towards you, you can spend your turn to receive the charge. Receiving the charge grants you a +20 modifier to defending yourself from it, and rewards you with an instant counter attack. An exceptional success over their failure might result in you brutally clothes-lining them to the ground. This is increased to +30 when using a shield.

Multiple Source Attacks

Sometimes youll be attacked from multiple angles, by multiple assailants. When this happens, you take a -10 to your fray and parry checks in rising instalments for each additional source of damage. For example, if two people attack you in the same turn, then when the second attacker strikes, you take -10 to fray/parry. If youre then attacked again by a third enemy, you take -20 to your fray/parry. These multiple source attack penalties can be reduced or negated by the Crowd Controller trait. You do not take fray/parry penalties if your attacker misses; only if you are forced to roll fray/parry. Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant.

Offence
Weapon Skill checks
Attacking your opponent is a complex action, which means it requires a skill check. Depending on the weapon you are using, you roll your skill that relies on it. If you want to hit a baddie with your warhammer, you roll you Melee Weapons: Blunt; Warhammer skill. A success will give your opponent a change to defend themselves, and from there it simply goes through the 7 steps covered earlier. Most attacks will require a weapon skill check, but some of them have interesting or fun conditions and modifiers that can be applied depending on how specifically you fight. Here are a few of the techniques you can use.

Aimed Shot
Aiming is a full complex action that takes a turn. If you choose to aim for a turn, you steady yourself and carefully pick out your target. You may attack with your aimed shot the following turn with a +30 modifier, but while youre aiming, you will likely only be in medium or light cover, or maybe even none at all. This can only be applied to ranged weapons.

Called Shot
A called shot is a type of shot in which you tell the GM which part of the body specifically youd like to aim for. This may be an attempt to exploit a weakness in armour, or to simply torture someone you dont like. Called shots can be applied to both melee and ranged weapons, and has a scaling difficulty depending on how small or vital the part of the body youre aiming for is. Essentially, you can give yourself a negative modifier to potentially get some extra results from a successful shot in the desired area. Called shots can be used to cripple, wound, torture, pin, or even disarm your opponents. Disarming is a little trickier as even if your opponent is hit by the attack, they can still roll a tricky double DEX to hold onto their weapon.

Called Shot Area Large body part/Limb (-20) Vital Area; Head, groin, armour exploit (-30) Critical Area; Heart, eye, tiny exploit (-50)

Potential Effects Disarming, winding, pain infliction, stun/nonlethal damage, removing limbs, pinning limbs to wall. Potential incapacitation, huge stun damage, ignore armour. 1 additional d10 damage and 1d10 stun. Potential 1 shot kill or applying major negative trait. 2 additional d10 damage for both stun and physical damage.

Charging
If you want to go all barbarian on your enemies, you can initiate a charge attack. A charge attack requires you moving at least 3 squares beforehand, and you must be at least 3 squares away to initiate the attack. The movement penalty modifier will be applied to your attack roll, but if you succeed and breach their defences, your attack will deal an additional 1d10 damage. Characters with the combat artist trait can initiate charges without a negative modifier. A defender may choose to spend a turn to receive your charge and counter it. If they spend a turn receiving your charge, they gain a +20 modifier to avoiding your savage attack and gaining an instant counter attack. Charges can only be initiated with melee weapons. Note that when you perform a charge, you are not permitted to perform multiple attacks. However, you can perform a called shot charge, and an All Out Attack charge, potentially bringing your damage bonus up fatal levels.

All Out Attack

You can initiate an all out attack on a single opponent in combat. When you do this, roll your attack as normal (If youre dual wielding, you should attack with both hands). Assuming you hit, add up the results for the one or two attacks and separately double the results. This includes STR bonus and Bullet bonus. Your attack(s) will deal double damage. Once youve initiated an all out attack, however, you are exposed, and cannot make any defensive or opposed rolls if anyone else attacks you. Furthermore, you may make yourself easier to strike, giving the enemies a +20 positive bonus to their attack rolls. Note, you cannot perform multiple attacks when doing an all out attack, but you are permitted to attack with your offhand weapon once along with your main hand. Note, dual wielding and striking once each with both weapon does NOT count as a multiple attack action.

Grapple
Sometimes you dont just want to hit your opponent, you want to grab onto them, throw them, strangle them, push them, or knock them to the floor. When executing a grapple in melee combat, you spend a minor action to snatch hold of them by making an unarmed check. If you get a firm hold of him or her (they dont succeed in fray) you have grabbed onto them. You then make a complex action when deciding what you want to do with your catch. Everything you do will have a chance of

being resisted with attribute rolls. Opposed double STR rolls can be made if you wish to strangle your opponent or restrict their movement. The same applies if you wish to pick up your opponent and throw them. If your STR or unarmed roll fails, or theirs beats yours at any point, the grapple fails and your turn is expired. If you grapple successfully and carry out a follow-up attack, the GM will likely add a bonus to your regular unarmed attack since it is a little harder to execute, and deserves more reward. If you throw them, they will be prone for a turn, as will another enemy if you hit them too. Hurling them off a cliff or into an environmental hazard could deal extreme damage, if not instantly kill them. You can throw your opponent as many squares as your strength/10, always rounding up. Strangling your opponent requires you to be able to grab their neck, and deals your unarmed damage with full armour negation, along with removing as many stun points as health points you hit for. Strangling can continue over multiple turns, but you must make opposed rolls each time to continue. On the opponents turn, he may also try to break free by initiating another opposed STR roll. If you just want to kick out your opponents legs and floor them, you can do this without penalty and knock them over for a single turn, only dealing 1d10 stun damage. If you can think of any other follow up moves for your grapple, describe it to the GM and they will make an effect accordingly.

Sneak Attack
Using the covert skill, you can occasionally sneak up on your enemies without them being aware of your presence. Assuming they fail to detect you in opposed covert/perception rolls, when you are within range, you can attack Sneak attacking with a ranged weapon will completely negate the opponents chance to defend themselves, and you will only have to successfully roll to hit. Sneak attacking with a melee weapon is harder, but much more rewarding. Successfully sneaking up upon an unaware enemy and performing a successful, easy melee attack will result in your weapon dealing full damage and bypassing all armour. Just remember that moving applies a -10 modifier, or a -20 modifier if you move even further. These also apply to your covert rolls, so if you want to maximise your sneaking ability, youre best off keeping under the -20 modifier.

Thrown Object
While throwing knives and darts are quite a feasible weapon choice on Rime, there may also be incidents where you end up throwing objects that werent really meant to be thrown (swords, guns, hammers). If you throw a weapon or object that was not designed to be thrown, you make a challenging (-20) check on the weapon you are throwing (Or ranged weapons; thrown if you have no skill in the object youre flinging, or a simple base DEX check if you have no skill in either). If its a melee weapon, it will deal its dice damage and AP, but not the STR bonus. If its a blunt object that does not work at all as a throwing weapon (pistol) then you make the same check, but the likely outcome will be a single d10 of stun damage. Exceptional or critical successes with throwing house hold objects could result in dealing more than that.

Threatening
So someone might not respond the way you wanted to your threats. See how they feel after you put a bullet in their leg and a sword to their throat. When attacking and non-lethally felling an opponent

in combat, you gain a +10 modifier to intimidation if they are slightly injured, or +20 to intimidation if they are severely injured (in critical damage).

Multiple Attacks
You can choose to attack more than once as a single complex action, at the cost of accuracy. You can focus your multiple attacks on a single target, or pick out multiple targets individually. With each additional attack, you take a -20 modifier to your weapon check. If you attack three times, for example, each of these 3 attacks will require you to roll at least 40 points below your skill. You can do multiple attacks in both melee and ranged combat; however, pistols and rifles and other flintlock weaponry require a single turn to reload. If you have 2 pistols, you can fire them both off with a single multiple attack or dual wield action. Mechanical and force weapons can only attack up to 2 times, unless you justify the reasoning behind more than this (Firing three arrows in a fan at 3 different enemies could be cool, but very tricky). An intelligent crafter or engineer may be able to make a rapid feed system for a ranged weapon to increase its firing rate at the discretion of the GM. All ranged weapons have an action limit. You can find this in the Gear section later in the book. Melee weapons do not have an action limit, and your multiple action count is restricted only by negative penalties applied to each swing. Multiple attacks are not the same as dual wield attacks, but can be combined with them. 1 attack: No penalty. 2 attacks: -20 to both attacks. 3 attacks: -40 to all attacks. 4 attacks: -60 to all four attacks. 5 attacks: -80 to attacks. 6 attacks: -100 to all attacks.

Reloading
As previously mentioned, a flintlock weapon is awkward and time-consuming to reload. It has a high damage output, but can only be fired once before it requires a non-rolling complex action to reload (You cant fail a reload.) Heavy crossbows and glaive throwers also require a turn to reload. Heavy sunderers require two turns to reload. Reloading counts as a complex action. You can move and reload in the same turn.

Dual Wielding
When you dual wield weapons, there are a few things you consider, such as weight, balance, your main hand and your offhand. When making attacks with dual wielding, you can strike twice with a single attack, which means when moving into multiple attacks, you can hit 4, or even 6 times if youre lucky with rolls. Your offhand attacks will usually have a -40 penalty to them, however, unless you have the ambidexterity perk, in which case, offhand actions only have a -20 penalty. Most characters will be expected to have one medium weight weapon and one light weight weapon to avoid going off balance, but if your STR is 40 or over, you can wield two medium weight weapons without difficulty. If your STR is over 80, you can dual wield heavy two handed weapons. Attacking with both hands in a single turn does not count as a multiple attack. This means if a weapon has an action limit of 3, and you have two of them, you can potentially attack six times in one turn. Even with ambidexterity however, youll be facing a -60 on all offhand attacks if you wish to do this. Note, dual wielding and striking once each with both weapon does NOT count as a multiple attack action. You will not take a penalty to your first main hand attack if you wish to attack with your offhand weapon in the same turn, unless you wish to attack more than once with each.

1 attack with both weapons: No penalty on main hand. -40 on offhand. (-20 with ambidexterity) 2 attacks with both weapons: -20 penalty on main hand. -60 on offhand. (-40 with ambidexterity) 3 attacks with both weapons: -40 penalty on main hand. -80 on offhand. (-60 with ambidexterity) 4 attacks with both weapons: -60 penalty on main hand. -100 on offhand (-80 with ambidexterity) 5 attacks with both weapons: -80 penalty on main hand. -120 on offhand (-100 with ambidexterity) 6 attacks with both weapons: -100 penalty on main hand. -140 on offhand (-120 with ambidexterity)

Deadlock
During a combat opposed action, theres a very slim chance that both parties will roll a critical success. In this case, the opponents enter a deadlock; a clash of weapons or techniques with a cinematic feel. After a brief description provided to you by the GM of the actions occurring, the two characters locked enter a wagering state. Each of them wagers a number of their health points which they will lose if they fail the deadlock. Whoever wagers the most health points wins, but your opponents hp and wager is kept in secret, meaning there is a risk/reward factor. You could wager all of your hp, but then so could your opponent. If they have more than you, then they will still win. You could only wager a small amount and hope your opponent has done the same, or you could meet half way with a believable chance of winning, but no life threatening damage. It is up to you if you want to live on the edge, or play it safe. You can wager a minimum of 5 hp and a maximum of whatever you have remaining.

Combo Attacks
If your average combat round only takes a few seconds, then sometimes you can expect players to team up and perform complex combos together to maximise damage and efficiency. Should the GM enable this powerful mechanic, a combo attacks are a system that allows two or more players to attack simultaneously, resulting in devastating damage. A combo attack is executed by two players announcing they want to work with one another, or potentially a player announcing they want to work with an ally NPC. Players can work with any ally provided the acting parties have unspent turns remaining in the round, undivided in order by an enemy. In other words, if your friends turn is after yours, you can combo with him/her. You can even work with them if several of your allys turns are in-between yours and your combo partners. If an enemy has a turn between your turn and your partners turn, however, then you cannot perform the action. You can delay your turn to combat this (See Turn Delay). A combo attack, once executed, is relatively simple. First, it is announced by all participants. Secondly, all of the participants must successfully roll under their attack skill, as usual, and the enemy must not dodge. The enemy may make a single dodge check to avoid the entire combo, but cannot dodge more than once. He only needs to dodge the worst attack to almost fully botch the entire combo, and then every combo participant has spent their turn, and cannot act until next round. If any of the participating players fail their attack check, the combo fails. If the enemy successfully dodges an attack, you negate the damage of all but one participant (the highest damaging) and deal damage as per usual. There are no multipliers if the enemy dodges, and it will still spend the turn of all those taking part in the combo. If the enemy fails to dodge, and all players succeed, then all participating players roll their damage dice and bonuses as usual. The result is

added up, and then multiplied by the amount of players taking part in the combo, almost guaranteeing lethal damage on any minor enemy in the game. If the player weapons have different levels of armour piercing, then the highest AP is taken. If a leyborn participates in a combo attack, then armour is ignored completely, as per usual. If this is confusing, heres an example below: Lets say two players want to perform a combo attack. Their turns are adjacent, meaning they dont have to worry about an enemy division. The players both have 60 in swords, and they both roll their weapon skills. One gets 43, and the other gets 21. The enemy, with a fray of 40, tries to dodge. He needs at least 17 below his skill to succeed and avoid the combos weakest link. He rolls 38. Not good enough. The players both hit, and roll their weapon damage, as per usual. Together, the two players score 15 and 22 damage, adding up to 37. As two players are participating in the combo, this total is then multiplied by 2, adding up to 74 damage. One player is using a zealite sword, the other an iron one. Only the armour piercing value of the zealite sword is taken into consideration, as its the higher of the two. The final result is 74 damage with an AP rating of 4. If the enemy had dodged the attack, wed simply take the 22 and apply those damage points to the enemy with the AP of the weapon used. If all players succeed in their attack checks, damage is guaranteed. It is however brutally reduced should the enemy dodge.

Damage and Armour Value

Weapon Damage
Every single weapon or gauntlet (if using unarmed) in the game has a base damage value, which will be anywhere from 1d10 to 5d10. When you attack, you roll however many dice the weapon has on its damage value. A weapon may occasionally have a small additional bonus, such as 1d10 +2. In these cases, add 2 to whatever number your d10 rolls.

Strength Bonus
Your STR attribute comes into play a little when using melee weapons. Your STR bonus will be a division of your STR attribute. It may be your strength divided by ten, or your strength divided by five. In some exceptional cases, the division may be lower, resulting in more damage. If you have strength of 25, for example, and your weapon has an STR bonus of STR/10, you would gain an additional 2.5 damage to your attack (rounded up to 3. You always round up.)

Armour Penetration
In addition to your weapons damage, it may or may not also have an AP rating. The weapons armour penetration number how much damage negates and pierces the armour of your opponent. If your opponent has an armour value of 7, and your weapon has AP of 2, your attack will ignore 2 points of the armour, reducing it to 5. If the opponent has an armour value of 2, and your weapon has AP of 7, the armour is totally negated. Note that AP that goes over the armour rating will gain no additional benefits.

Armour Value
Every piece of armour has an armour value. The armour value on your hands, feet, helmet and body armour do not come together and form a cumulative total, rather they have individual values which

protect from attacks on specific body parts. If your armour piece has an armour value of 7, then assuming the weapon attacking you has no armour penetration, you will be saved from taking 7 points of physical damage from the attack. When armour value stops you losing life points, it takes half of the stopped damage and totally negates it, and takes the other half and converts it into stun damage. For example; Wyatt attacks a town guard with a dagger. The dagger has an armour penetration rating of 3, but the guard is wearing armour with a value of 5. Wyatt deals 9 damage with his roll and bonuses. The guards armour stops 2 of the damage, as the AP rating reduces the armour by 3 points. The 2 damage that the armour stopped is converted into 1 totally negated point of damage, and 1 point of stun damage. The guard takes the remaining 7 damage as normal. The damage that the armour stops is converted equally into damage negation and stun damage, always favouring a point of stun over negation if the number is uneven.

Exposure Protection
Your armour will also likely have an exposure protection rating. It works very similarly to armour value. When you take hits to your exposure metre, your exposure rating will reduce the hit by as many points as it has. Unlike armour rating, your exposure protection from separate pieces of armour do all add together and make a single total.

Healing
More often than not, you wont have a bioborn healer to fix you up when you take injuries. All of your metres will replenish slowly overtime, but that may not be enough. There are plenty of medicinal implements, procedures and drugs which can be used to help fix an injured or sickened character. The gear will be available later, but here are some of the procedures a doctor can perform, and the amount of damage they can heal.

Natural Healing
In some cases, youll only get a few scratches or become a little dazed. You likely wont require a doctor, and can instead rely on your ability to heal naturally over time. You regain stun points at a rate of 1 every 2 hours, and stability points at a rate of 1 per day. Health points take a little longer to regenerate, usually taking 3 days to heal 1 point. You do not regenerate anything while in combat. If you starve yourself of your basic needs (sleep, food, etc) then you will take further penalties to your natural healing. A good sleep can help you recover stun points much faster, at a rate of 1 per hour.

Patch Up
A patch up is a very quick medical procedure that takes a full round to complete. If the doctor initiates a patch up on a player, that player will only receive the full benefits of the patch up if they do not move until the doctor has completed their work. Patch ups can be anything from hitting a character with a syringed drug, using a bandage, slapping a character out of a simple psychotic episode, pouring cold water on someone to wake them up, or applying some sort of salve or ointment to the skin. Patch ups are a full complex action, and require either survival training for basic first aid, or, for better results, a specialisation skill or two in medicine. They receive a penalty if you have to perform minor actions in the same turn, or run to the injured characters side. There is

no opposition with a patch up roll, and you simply need to get under your skill for the procedure to work. Critical successes will grant additional bonuses, determined by the GM. Note that a single wound or the fallout of a single battle can only be healed by a patch up once. It has a sort of cool down. If people dont get fixed fully by a patch up, theres a strong chance they need more medicinal aid. A patch up does not fix wounds, and cannot be used on a character in critical damage. A list of patch up gear will be available in the gear section. A character with only survival basic first aid will have their healing result halved in a patch up.

Extended Treatment
Extended treatment cannot be performed within combat, as it can take around ten to twenty minutes. Extended treatment includes basic surgical procedures, such as pulling an arrow or bullet from a wound, stitching up a serious cut, basic psychotherapy, making a cast, sling or splint, pushing a bone back into its socket, realigning a broken joint, etc. Extended treatment can be done in safe and calm conditions by executing a medicine roll. Extended treatment requires materials just like all medical procedures, but if you have the right ones, you can cure wounds and several d10 damage. Extended treatment, like patching up, can only be used once per ailment. Extended treatment will not be enough to pull people out of critical damage, but can maybe be used to stop rapid bleeding and prevent infection. Extended treatment includes some simple psychotherapy and can be used to cure short-term disorders.

Surgery
Surgery is a task action, meaning it can take hours depending on how well or badly you roll. Task actions are covered earlier in the game mechanic section. The GM should decide whether the surgery is an easy, average or hard task action depending on the severity of the injuries received. A surgical procedure can pull characters out of critical damage, but should not be attempted unless absolutely necessary. Sedatives or anaesthesia is highly recommended, as having surgery performed on you while youre awake is akin to torture, and can cause massive hits to stability. Surgery needs to be performed in order to; extract multiple bullets or arrows, repair huge ruptures on the skin, fix damaged internal organs, reattach limbs (this hardly ever works), etc. Surgery will go well unless you critically fail at any point. Critically failing will inflict an additional 2 points of damage on your patient. If the surgery is successful, the patient is stabilised, brought to 5 health points, and their regeneration abilities are restored. Further treatment should be considered extended treatment as mentioned above, and you can do this as often as the GM allows it.

Emergency Psychiatric Session

If a character is dangerously low on stability points (into critical damage), a doctor can attempt to sooth, calm or reason with them in a psychiatric session. This is also a task action, and you may be asked to role play some of the session as well. Consider this surgery for the mentally broken, as it works in essentially exactly the same way. If you critically fail, 2 extra stability points are deducted. If you succeed, the character is brought up to five stability points, and their regeneration is enabled. With solid rolls, these sessions can also be used to focus on major long term mental disorders, and remove them.

Waking the Unconscious

More often than not, you can wake up unconscious people with relative ease. Stun points are the only damage type that regenerate even after they fall into critical damage at the same rate of 1 per hour (since being unconscious counts as sleeping). You can instantly restore a character to 1 stun point if they are on negative figures by using things such as smelling salts, or throwing cold water over them. Smelling salts are more ideal for this, and almost always succeed. Other, less conventional methods involve the unconscious character rolling 1d10 and if that roll adds enough points to get them onto 1 point of stun, they wake up. E.G, throwing a bucket of water onto someone with -4 stun points means the unconscious person rolls 1d10. They roll a 7, and wake up with 3 stun points. They would retain the -4 stun critical damage effect, feeling dazed and fatigued for 1d10 hours and taking a -15 to all actions during this time.

Resuscitation
There may be some rare conditions, perhaps if they die through illness, drowning or bleeding, where you can bring the character back with the right medical procedure. The doctor decides what they are going to do, and the GM says whether or not it is possible. The doctor rolls the appropriate skill for the check, and if they succeed, the dead character can roll double willpower and be restored to life. They may need instant medical attention soon after though, or theyll simply die again.

Special Conditions and Combat Modifiers

Charging Reach advantage Multiple Attack Called Shot Thrown Object/Melee Weapon All Out Attack Sneak Attack Receiving Charge Combo Attack Defender is behind cover Point Blank shot Aimed Shot Called Shot All Out Attack Multiple Attack Sneak Attack Blind Firing/Indirect Firing Shooting from melee combat Target out of range Target moving Combo Attack Offhand Actions

Melee Modifiers + 1d10 damage. +2d10 with charger major trait. +10 -20 per extra attack -20, -30, -50 -20 Damage doubled. Cannot defend for a round. Negates armour. Full damage + margin bonus +20 to defensive rolls. Counter attack upon success. Damage dealt multiplied by number of participants. Ranged Modifiers -10, -30, -50, -70 depending on cover type. +10 +30 -20, -30, -50 Damage doubled. Cannot defend for a round. -20 per extra attack No defence roll for victim. -30 -30 -20 -10 Damage dealt multiplied by number of participants. General Modifiers -40 (-20 with ambidexterity) -30 -10 +10 -20 +20 -40 -10 -20 -10 to all actions per wound -10 +30 to defensive rolls -20 to melee, -10 to ranged -10 -20 -30 -50

Character is off balance (STR not high enough to dual wield 2 medium weapons) Hitting Small Target Hitting Large Target Hitting Tiny Target Character has Vantage Point Two handed weapon in one hand Sun glare in eyes, slightly dark or smoky conditions Very dark conditions, obscuring smog, thick blizzard. Character is wounded Unstable conditions, shaking ground All Out Defence Attacker Prone Dodging Thrown Weapon Dodging Force Weapon Dodging Mechanical Weapon Dodging Powder Weapon

Exposure and Survival

With the combat and core mechanics out of the way, theres only a little bit more to talk about before youre ready to take your generated character and send them into the frozen wastes. The Exposure and Survival rules covers the aspects of the game that make it unique. While many games would overlook the characters need to survive, eat, maintain warmth and sleep, Rime has rules that will murder you if you dont adhere to your needs.

Sections
Exposure Your exposure metre is something that everyone starts with at 0. You gain exposure points over time as you are exposed to the elements of Glacenox. The cold of Rime is a constant danger for a large portion of the year, and players will be expected to take precautions and measures to avoid freezing to death. Resources For people who want materials for their arts and crafts, but cant afford to buy them, most materials can be found on adventures in the wilderness. If youre starving to death in the tundra, there may be plenty of edible food all around you; you just need to know how to get it. Crafting Sometimes, when you need a job done right, you gotta do it yourself. This section covers the very basics of crafting. Crafting should be left up to player description and ambition, but there will be some basic material needs and recipes which you can use. Needs Your character needs to eat, sleep and drink. Without adhering to your needs, you will start to take negative modifiers to your actions, and eventually collapse. Disease and Infection While many of Rimes diseases and afflictions have cures, very few have inoculations. Your character may need to keep an eye on their own health, and your doctor may want to hold onto a plentiful supply of medicine. Infected wounds are also life threatening without treatment and antibiotics. Mental Disorders If a characters stability loss goes over their trauma threshold, they critically fail a willpower resistance roll, or they fall into stability critical damage, characters will be granted a short term or long term mental disorder.

Exposure
For six months of Rimes year, snow blankets the world, the temperatures plummet to -35 to -50, and occasional heavy winds kick up vicious blizzards, making quick work of any unprepared traveller. Every character starts off with 0 exposure points which rise in cold conditions and very quickly deplete in warm ones (Twenty minutes in front of a taverns fireplace can get you from 80 to 0 quickly). When youre at 0 exposure points, you have not been exposed to the elements and are there for quite warm and comfortable. When you reach 100 exposure points, you succumb to the cold, and your character collapses. Without aid, they will die. There are certain conditions, weather types and temperature levels which affect the rate in which you gain exposure points. Exposure points are forced upon the player periodically when exposed to

cold conditions. The frequency of these forced points depends on the conditions youre trekking through. As you start to reach higher numbers, you start to take penalties to your actions. Your body goes through stinging pain, before going numb, and eventually your mind starts to be affected as well as you catch hypothermia. Extreme exposure may lead to frostbite, and loss of fingers, or even entire hands and feet. Exposure Level 09 10 19 20 29 30 39 40 49 50 59 60 69 70 79 80 89 Effect Youre perfectly comfortable and warm. Cold is the last thing on your mind. You feel fine. Not quite toasty, but youre content. Youre a little chilly. Goosebumps are starting to sprout on your skin. Your breath comes up in clouds and you start to shiver slightly. You start to feel genuinely cold and uncomfortable, but youre in no danger yet. You breathe on your hands and need to wrap up warm. Various body parts start to sting. -10 to all actions. The cold reaches your bones and you start to feel its effects more severely. -15 to all actions. The cold within you reaches dangerous levels. Your body temperature drops and you start to feel your limbs and face going numb. -20 to all actions. You lose the feeling in all of your body, your vision blurs and your mind plays tricks on you. You catch hypothermia, and gain all its effects, including -30 to all skills and mild delirium. (see diseases for more) The cold starts to affect you visibly. In addition to all hypothermia, you start to develop frostbite on parts of your body. The cold consumes you, and you collapse on the spot, unconscious. Your stun is reduced to 0 and wont regenerate until you are at least below 80 exposure again. Without assistance, you will die the next time you fail a called resistance check.

90 99 100 +

Exposure Conditions
Cold can strike you lightly, or with great haste depending on the conditions you are exposed to. If you are dripping wet, your exposure points will rise much faster. In heavy, freezing winds and blinding blizzards, your points will also hastily increase. There are negative modifiers, and positive ones too. These modifiers mostly increase the frequency in which you make resistance checks, as failing a resistance check will subject you to the same dice roll every time; usually 3d10 unless you have the adapted or unadapted trait. The exposure protection rating on your armour can reduce the amount of exposure points you gain. Without these conditions, every six hours you are exposed, you will have to make a resistance check, or receive 3d10 exposure points. GMs are encouraged not to stack these effects too much, and not go over -5 hours unless several conditions apply.

Condition Strong Winds Blizzard Cold Night Freezing Rain Character is damp

Effect -1 hour -3hours -2 hours -1 hour -2 hour

Character is soaking wet Character is naked Character is sheltered (Cave/tent) Character is near a fire during cold conditions Shared Body Heat/Cinderstones Warm food/drink Inside recently dead corpse

-5 hour -3 hour +3 hour Stops exposure increase while it burns. +2 hour +1 hour +3 hour (Corpse is only warm for 3 hours)

Warming up
Warming up is as simple as you can imagine. If staying in cold conditions makes you cold, then staying in warm conditions makes you warmer. Lighting a fire in a blizzard might provide you with enough heat to stop your exposure points from rising further, but it wont be enough to warm you up. To warm up, you need to get inside, out of the wind and light a fire there. Alternatively, you could travel to a village or a local farm and take refuge there. Most houses on Rime are well equipped to deal with extremely low temperatures, and can maintain a toasty ambience with roaring fires. If you have 79 exposure points or below, warming up is a simple matter of entering one of these warm areas, and your modifiers will go as soon as youve spent half an hour or so warming up. If you are anywhere from 80 to 100, warming up will still occur, but youll retain some of the negative conditions. Hypothermia may linger for several hours or even days, and should be managed by slowly heating the afflicted character. Rapid heating can exasperate the conditions further. Frostbite may need to result in amputation.

Resources
For any aspiring crafters out there, or indeed people just looking for a good payout, or even just trying to survive, there are many resources scattered across the continent which can be gathered, harvested, used, sold or eaten. Gathering resources is not a core part of the game, and will at the very most just be a little bonus for any players looking for materials they can make use of. If players walk by a mine or a cave, they may choose to look inside for ores and minerals. If they are moving through a forest or scrub, they may wish to identify and harvest plants. If they make a clean kill on an animal, they may wish to skin it and claim the useful parts.

Minerals
Minerals can be mined up from ore deposits and extracted from river beds and the ocean floor. Minerals can be metals or stones which usually need to be carefully pulled from their resting points and refined in smelters or treated with certain techniques or tools. Mineral deposits can be found all over the world; simple metal ores such as iron and fossil fuels like coal can be found in caves, mines and occasionally on the surface, while rarer metals, such as ivoryon, can only be found in very isolated and difficult to reach areas. Characters who find mineral deposits can mine them up with a pickaxe or dig them up with a trowel or shovel. Some very soft minerals may even be possible to scoop up with your hands. Some stones will require advanced tools or pickaxes to extract. Unless it says otherwise, all of these metals require an unmodified perception check to find, or a profession mining/knowledge minerals check to identify. If you dont have a mining ability to extract the ore, you make a challenging base STR or DEX check to do so.

Coal: Coal can be mined with a simple pick and treated with chisels. It can be burnt for hotter fires. Coal is found everywhere. Iron: Iron can be mined with a simple pick, and must be smelted into ingots or moulds before crafting. Iron can be found all over the world, in subterranean and occasional surface deposits. Euhedrac: Euhedral crystals have to be delicately mined and extracted. Dexterity check and mining check required. Euhedrac is found in glacial caves in cold regions, but also in volcanic areas. Zealite: Zealite can be mined with a strong pick, and needs to be smelted, cleaned thoroughly and handled carefully to gain its flammable properties. Zealite is found in rare, deep deposits, and can only be found in mines and caves. Blight Iron: Blight Iron can be mined with a simple pick, but requires a mask and gloves to extract and handle. Without protective gear, make a resistance roll or become poisoned with blight iron. Must be smelted into ingots or moulds before crafting is possible. Blight Iron is rarely located on the surface, and can usually be found in mountainous regions, but has also be found in the ocean. Amber: Amber must be carefully extracted with chisels. It cannot be smelted, and instead must be sculpted with additional materials to make flexible joints. Amber is only found in Iceplane six metres below the ground. Extracting amber is time consuming, and considered a task action. Dryon: Dryon can be delicately extracted with chisels or pickaxes to avoid shattering. It can be smelted into moulds, such as cast balls or bullets. Dryon is found in shallow deposits all over Rime. Lumitek: Lumitek is a soft metal, and if located, it can be extracted from stone with a knife, chisel or even a sword or sharp trowel. Lumitek is found in common deposits all over Rime. Lumitek requires a challenging perception check to find, as it blends with common stone very well. Lilikine: Lilikine is a liquid metal, and can be mined from a rock and stored in vessels quite easily. Lilikine is hard to find, but has several large mines dedicated to its extraction around Sovreignous. It can be used in various inoculations when mixed with taepah extract. Aquaplume: Aquaplume is an alkali metal that reacts violently with water once damp for roughly ten seconds. Its found in dry deposits, mostly below forests and fields where the soils moisture can be drained by plantlife. Aquaplume is soft, but volatile. You can cut it from a deposit with a sword, chisel or pick, but make a double or base dexterity check to extract it depending on if you have a mining skill or not. Ivoryon: Ivoryon requires a strong pick to extract, and is only found atop the tallest snowy peaks. Ivoryon is almost invisible, but it makes a distinctive humming noise. A successful listening check can bring you closer to a deposit. Once mined, ivoryon can be smelted into moulds and ingots. Ebonstone: Ebonstone is very strong, and can only be cut by itself. Ebonstone requires an ebonstone pick to extract. Naturally youll need to find or purchase this. Ebonstone requires an extremely hot forge to shape and an even hotter smelter to melt. Ebonstone is only found in deposits on The Ebon Stand. Noctium: Noctium is incredibly hard to find with no predictable patterns of deposit location. It can be extracted carefully extracted with a chisel by digging around it. This is time consuming and a task action. Cast: Cast is a firm river mud that can be extracted from lake beds and river beds with just a shovel or your bare hands. When dried in the sun, or an oven, cast has a clay-like property, only with less tendency to crack. Soft cast can be applied to broken bones to create a cast, as it dries, but also moulded into pots and other ceramic objects. Gold: A desirable metal known for its value, gold can be melted down and made into jewellery. It can be extracted from deposits usually found in mines and rarely found in caves. It only needs a

simple pick, due to its soft properties. Silver: Another sought after metal (although not as pricey as gold) silver is a fairly common metal used for fancy cutlery, jewellery and decorative pieces of pottery and crockery. Silver can be found in silver mines and mountainous veins, and can be extracted with a simple pick.

Botany
An abundance of flora can be found all over the world. More often than not, the plants will have properties that are totally useless to a sapient being, and are best off being left alone. On occasion you will find beautifully coloured plants which could look wonderful in a bouquet. In rarer occasions, you will find plants and trees which have properties useful for alchemy, recreational drug use, quenching your thirst, or simply sating your hunger. Characters can extract plants and plant parts using their hands, clippers, hatchets and trowels. Characters without the botanist/herbalist profession, or at least knowledge in the field will roll challenging dexterity checks to recover delicate plants. Unless it states otherwise, a perception check is required to spot these plants, although some of them may be involved in an ambient descriptive setting by the GM. Most of these plants will be easy to rip away with your hands, but some require a botany skill. If you have no skills relevant, you make base dexterity checks where it asks you to make double dexterity checks. Pines: Pines are all over Rime, and many of them have properties that can be tapped by a herbologist. Most pines have a sticky resin that can be scraped off the bark, and some pines have a layer of cambium to eat, which can be reached by hacking the bark away with a hatchet or similar tool/weapon. Pines also occasionally grow fruit and nuts. They are not ideal for burning, but plenty of other trees are. Hardwood Trees: Trees such as oak can be ideal for collecting kindling at the foot off or collecting bark or branches for a good fire. A hatchet or sharp weapon will assist in harvesting wood from a hardwood tree. Honeysweets: A good sweetener for foods, and very easy to extract. Honeysweets are found only during Lumina, but they attract a lot of insects, and so will you, after handling them. Rotswells: Youll smell rotswells before you see them. Make an easy smell check to locate them. Rotswells smell awful, but if you wish to take one, you must carefully dig them up with a trowel, or they may burst. This requires a double dexterity check. Vayli Pods: Vayli pods are easy to pluck from the ground, but a little tricky to spot. -10 to spotting them. They are good sweeteners and dont attract insects. They can boost the quality of your meal. Crimberries: Crimberries are tasty bright red berries that only grow during Glacenox. Their sharp colour makes them relatively easy to find, but its advised to pick them with gloves, or you might get bitten by a berry beetle. Pepberries: Pepberries grow all year around (although struggle during Glacenox.) They grow on bushes and are not hard to find. Eating too many can cause digestive distress. They are good for seasoning and spices. You can occasionally find quish stashes of pepberries if you are in desperate need of food. Taepah: Taepah grows in grassy regions and resembles a large stalk. The stalk contains threads which can be used at a loom to create rope and braid. Relatively easy to find but difficult to make use of without an expert. Extract can also be used for medicinal purposes. Rustoak: Found exclusively in The Statuary, Rustoak is the name given to huge, frozen trees. They

can be felled/cut with any tool/bladed weapon stronger than rustoak. Blossomers: Blossomers are the group name given to the huge variety of useless but pretty flowers that grow during the warmer months around Sovreignous. They are ideal gifts and make superb flower arrangements and bouquets. They are found all year round in Haven. Vegetables: With a keen eye, a character may be able to spot vegetables sprouting from the ground. Most vegetables are edible, such as yams. Fruit: Fruit grows in pine trees, if you know which pine trees to look at. If you look up in a forest, you may have a chance of finding fruit, such as pine peaches, pinannas, pine apples, etc. Pine peaches have a poisonous compound in the stone that can be used to make a deadly toxin. Mushrooms: There are many edible mushrooms and other fungi, although some of them must be cooked first. Easy to extract with your hands. Lichen: Lichens grow mostly in tundra landscapes. Some lichens are edible, and some might contain some simple alchemical properties. Some of these lichens include the muddy lichen, the capracus moss, the scrub tripe and the Glascadian moss. Wheat: Wheat is usually found in cultivated fields. Wheat grains can be ground up at a mill to create flour, which can then be used in bakery. Milkstem: Milkstems are bamboo sized and shaped canes that grow mostly at riversides, but also occasionally in forest clearings. They require a hatchet or other sharp blade to cut down. Once cut, their milky sap-like substance is used in skin, hair and fur care products. The milksap is usually mixed with other ingredients for this effect. Thraybell: Thraybell is a thorny, ugly looking plant that grows during Thaw in forested regions. Ironically, despite the fact its thorns and needles can cause great pain if touched, the stem beyond the leaves can be ground up and mixed with pollup oil to make a perfect painkiller. Double dexterity check to trim it without being stung. Cleanweed: Cleanweed is a weed that mostly grows on fertile farmlands and in peoples gardens. From a glance it looks like a normal weed, but closer inspection reveals purple veins across the leaves. Cleanweed when ground up and mixed with water is a good antibiotic salve that can be applied to wounds to stop infection. Fraygray: Fraygrays are known for their illustrious smell. They are a vivid pink in colour, and their alluring scent can be detected from dozens of metres away. They grow from Thaw to Glaze in grassy/forested areas. They are easy to snip from the ground and make great perfumes. Blue Dash: Blue dash is found in mountainous regions around the world, and can be difficult to reach. If within range, it clips away fairly easily. It increases stamina for a short time when eaten, restoring 1d10 stun points. Grey Rise: Grey rise grows on coastal cliffs, and is thought to be related to blue dash. While fairly mundane and useless on its own, when mixed with blue dash, it can make a shot of adrenaline capable of fighting off the effects of severe allergies and blight iron. Tran-quill: A tran-quill is a quill-like stem found near lake and riversides. Some people chew on tranquills to fight off insomnia, as it has a mild calming effect, inducing 1d10 stun. It is one of the ingredients for azophene, along with taepah extract and pollup oil. Tran-quills grow for most of the year, and can be yanked from the soil with ease. Pollup: A rounded, bloated mushroom that grows on dead wood. It can be plucked away quite easily. Its oil has several properties that mix well with other recipes to enhance them. It is used in azophene/dozophene, some perfumes, soaps and a few medicines. Easer: The easer plant is a scrub growing shrub that can be a little tricky to spot and identify (-10 to

both rolls.) Many things are not made for eating, and eating certain plants and animal parts can cause digestive distress. Easer mixed with pollup oil creates an effective remedy for these stomach pains and problems. It also serves as an indigestion medicine. Blinker: Blinkers are orange flowers that emit a savoury smell. They have a similar effect to onions, as airborne acids given off react with the water in peoples eyes, causing a slight sting and shed tears. Their extract can be used to make scars less prominent, although this doesnt always work. Blinkers grow rarely around swampy areas like Mistgrove. They are easy to de-root with your hands. Wild Parket: Wild parket resembles a large, inconspicuous leaf that grows on forest floors mostly during Lumina and Glaze. It has a curious effect on some chemicals, neutralising them when mixed in. Wild Parket paste mixed with an animal venom and left for several days, it becomes an antidote for the venom you left it with. Bale Root: Baleroot can be found all year round creeping at the roots of hedges and trees. The body and seeds can be squeezed and ground up to extract shriek, a hallucinogenic poison. Witherack: Witherack is a wide coral plant found off the western coast of Sovreignous. When powdered and condensed into a pill, it can be sold as a contraceptive drug. Popshrooms: Popshrooms are pale purple mushrooms that grow in damp conditions. They can be used as a recreational drug, as eating them results in wild, exciting visions and colours. Jerryrig: A plant found on the roots of strong trees, it can be retrieved by prying it from its host with a flat object. When dried and powdered, jerryrig can be smoked as a recreational drug. Histax: Histax can be found anyway, but is incredibly rare and usually resembles just a dark blade of grass. -50 to perception checks when finding histax. Histax can be eaten or injected once ground up to create horrifying illusions, extreme addiction and potentially sending its taker on a rampage.

Hunting
Hunting can be performed in a number of ways, some of which are very effective and some of which are just stupid. Rime isnt a place where you can expect tough game to go down with one shot all the time. If you shoot a saberl for sport, he will come after you and chew your limbs off. Players wishing to hunt certain animals will need to carefully think about how they will gain the upper hand; how to stop the beast from escaping, or tearing you a new one. Players can use traps and baits of varying sizes to cater to the situation. Players can track animals with their survival specialisation skill. They can also take trapping as a field, and become adept at creating advanced snares, clap traps and rope snags. The survival skill is important for hunting, as without it, you will have difficulty trapping and tracking most animals. If your catch takes more than a single attack to kill, their hide is usually ruined, and some of the potential reagents from their bodies will be destroyed. Recovering parts from a dead animal requires the skinning survival skill, tanner profession skill, or something similar. Without a dependent skill, skinning requires a challenging base dexterity check. Here are a few general parts that can be acquired, along with some more specialised ones; Small Hide: Creatures such as hopflops, sledders and cazak yield small hides when they are skinned. Small hides can make helmets and boots and gloves, and can fetch a small price depending on quality. Medium Hide: Animals like jurnice, bekapi and squill have medium sized hides. These hides can just about make a set of hide armour when several of them are collected.

Large Hide: Large hides can be acquired from saberls, sleepers, basks, thermotus and other large animals. Large hides are expensive, but can make full cloaks and protective clothing/armour thats perfect for fighting off the cold. All hides can be treated by a tanner and turned into leather. Fur: Fur can be delicately cut from most furry or fluffy animals. It provides very little in the way of protection from attacks, but can be very warm and light, and is favoured by most citizens of Rime. Skin: The actual skin of some animals can be removed and turned into things like gelatine when boiled. Organs: Organs are mostly used in cooking, but they occasionally have other uses; bladders and stomachs can be used for containers and waterskins, for example. A lot of people can find at least one use for an organ, so they fetch a basic price at market. Blood: Blood is mostly useless in medicine, but can be used in dyes, cooking (blood sausages, etc) and can invoke fear if used in creative ways. Bones: Bones are used in a fair few crafting fields. Bones can also be melted down into a jelly like substance, or make for excellent trophies. If anyone wishes to make bone armour pieces, they should be given the same armour value as fur. Bone weapons are same as iron, minus all AP and -3 points of damage. Meat: To be expected from most kills, meat is ideal for eating. Some meat requires longer cooking than others, and may grant diseases if not prepared properly, but very few types of meat are poisonous. Meat goes bad in eight days if it is not dried. Sinew: Sinew is the tough tissue that connects muscles and bones. It is often used in bowstrings and other tools that require a flexible material with high tensile strength. Sinew bowstrings are not as effective as braid bowstrings. Pheromone Glands: Pheromone glands are the glands some beasts use to attract mates or ward away others from their territory. It can be used as bait in traps, or deterrent for your camps. Some of these glands can be combined with taepah to create aphrodisiacs (not scientifically proven). Squillstone: Squills possess an incredibly strong resistance to toxins, particularly cyanide. Their livers contain curious stones with neutralising properties. These stones can be used to create an antidote for the deadly poison; dusk. Venom: Some animals, such as serephin, have venomous bites, stings or skin. These venoms can be extracted and used to create an antidote for itself when mixed with wild parket. Blubber: Creatures with blubber, such as loomers and clubbers, can have their blubber extracted, turned into oil, and then used in soaps, candles, as fuel for lanterns, and as cosmetic products. Fat: Fat has limited uses, but is very good for frying food in for extra flavour, for making a more pleasing texture or making things crispy when cooked. When cooked in alkali solutions, it can yield glycerol. Acids: Stomach acids (hydrochloric acid) may have some alchemical use to those who possess the knowledge. Gloves are advised and a container to put it in. Flammable coloured gels can be made with the substance, for example. Feathers: Bird feathers are mostly used for arrows to give them more aerodynamic capabilities. They are also used for quills and clothing accessories. Carapace: Serephin, deadtropedes and other insectoid monsters can have their plated carapaces yanked from their dead body with a double STR check or skinning check. Carapace plates can make carapace armour and weapons, along with other, less combat orientated objects. Antlers: Antlers are mostly used for mounted trophies and in artistic sculpting. You can make some tools from antlers, such as simple pickaxes.

Horns: Some animals have horns which can be broken off and sold as useless alternative medicine for idiots. On some occasions, horns can be used for crafting tools and weapons. Antler and horn weapons use the same rules as bone. Charms: Some superstitious people believe that some animal parts will give them luck. You can sell things like hopflop feet, saberl teeth chains and pretty much any body part of a scrub reicher to some people for a decent price. Hooves: Hooves found on ungulates can be cut from the animals body and boiled down to make an effective glue.

Traps
There are a number of different mainstream traps that can be found in shops or crafted with ease. Creative players and characters may find new kinds of trap to use in both hunting and combat. Traps can be spotted with a -30 perception check. Clap Traps: The traditional but brutal clap-trap (bear trap when bears dont exist) is a pressure triggered trap which snaps closed around the leg of its victim with bladed metal teeth. Clap traps use is frowned upon, due to the crude, brutal nature, and the pain inflicted upon the animal caught. Clap-traps deal 2d10 damage and restrict movement until assisted release. Snare: Snares are wire traps that rely on the panicking and struggling of animals to tighten around the limb or body part that goes through the traps loop. Snares can be suspended at head level to act as a sort of hangman noose, but usually they are hidden within foliage to snare large animals feet, or small animals entire bodies. Snares are usually made from sinew, braid or iron wire. They dont deal damage to people, who rarely struggle, but animals that panic usually deal 1d10 damage to their limbs, or choke to death if the snare stops them breathing. Sapients can locate the snares root and remove it with a double STR check. Spring Tree Noose Trap: Spring noose traps are made with nooses and trip sticks rigged up to bent, tensioned branches in the trees above. When triggered, the branch snaps up and the noose on the ground tightens, dragging anyone or anything into the air and dangling them by the snared body part. Spring noose traps do no damage, but fall distance should be considered when freeing yourself. Trip Wire Trap: Trip wire traps use nearly invisible wires triggered to release counter weights tied to a loop. When the wire is pulled, a counter weight drops, and the loop at the victims feet rises as it the counterweight forces it upwards, tightening around obstruction. This ultimately has a similar effect to spring noose trap, suspending a victim. The trap is more effective, and can work in environments other than forest ones, but harder to set up, as getting a heavy counterweight up to an elevated position can be difficult.

Other Materials
Sulphuric Acid: Sulphuric acid can be carefully extracted from acidic pools in volcanic areas. These pools are usually very corrosive, and youll want to avoid falling in. Eggs: Eggs can be found in chicken coops, but also in bird nests. They are good for cooking. Egg yolks

mixed with a coloured pigment also makes for good paint. Water: You can find mostly impure water in rivers and lakes. Its not ideal for drinking until distillation. Sand: Sand can be used in sandpaper to file down objects, but also melted into glass. It is found in coastal regions and The Dry Divide. Brine/Salt: You can extract salt from salt water found in oceans and seas. Salt is used for seasoning, leatherworking, and in other professions too. Brine can also be used as a mildly effective disinfectant. Fish: While being a fisherman can greatly help in your ability to cast a line, pick a good bait, and know where to look, it is not necessary to attempt fishing. Without fishing skill, you make a base awareness check to detect a bite. Naturally you need a fishing rod and some bait. Some fish have alchemical properties. Shellfish: On some rocks and coastal areas, you can forage for shellfish; such as mussels, clams and oysters. There may be plenty more resources to locate, but it is up to the GM and the player to decide how they are found, what skill youll depend on, and what the use of the resource will be.

Crafting
Players and NPCs are able to craft items, assuming they have the specialisation skill for it. Crafting is something that should be improvised for the most part; using player knowledge, reagent and resource properties and creativity. However, some crafting recipes do have set requirements. Items such as weapons and armour fall into this field. The properties of many reagents can be found above in the resources section. There will likely be plenty more potential crafting recipes that are not covered in this document for you to experiment with at the discretion of the GM. Fur/Leather/Hide armour Helmet/Boots/Gauntlets: Hide scraps or a single leather sheet. Body: Full large skin or two leather sheets. Braid Armour Helmet/Boosts/Gauntlets: 1 braid rope. Body: 4 braid ropes. Iron/Steel/Zealite/Ivoryon/Ebonstone/Noctium light armour: Helmet/Boots/Gauntlets: 3 ingots each, leather. Body: 6 ingots, leather. Iron/Steel/Zealite/Ivoryon/Ebonstone/Noctium heavy armour: Helmet/Boots/Gauntlets: 4 Ingots each, leather. Body: 8 Ingots, leather. Iron/Steel/Zealite/Ivoryon/Ebonstone/Blight Iron/Noctium Weapons: Light Weight: 2 ingots, (hilt material) Medium Weight: 3 Ingots, (hilt material) Heavy Weight: 5 Ingots, (hilt material)

Amber/Rustoak/Carapace Light Armour: Helmet/Boots/Gauntlets: 3 chunks, leather (One big chunk will suffice.) Body: 6 chunks, leather (One big chunk will suffice.) Amber/Rustoak/Carapace Heavy Armour: Helmet/Boots/Gauntlet: 4 chunks (Or one big chunk) and leather. Body: 8 chunks (Or two big chunks) and leather. Amber/Rustoak/Carapace Weapons: Light Weight: 2 chunks Medium Weight: 3 chunks Heavy Weight: 5 chunks Euhedral Gear Growth Small: Mould, crystals, crystal powder, lilikine, leather, 1 month. Medium: Mould, crystals, crystal powder, lilikine, leather, 2 months. Large: Mould, crystals, crystal powder, lilikine, leather, 3 months. Ammo 1 chunk/ingot per 15 shots/arrows/bolts 1 chunk/ingot per 5 throwing knives/axes/darts All previous items mentioned in the entire document can be crafted. Many of them have fairly obvious materials and reagents. Lots of them are covered in the resources section and in the technology of Rime section. Things that people can build include: Weapons, armour, ammo, medicine, food, tools, traps, utilities, artwork, containers, poison, compounds, dyes, pigments, clothes, cosmetics, bait, components, devices, apparatus, etc. Materials that exist in Rime that possibly havent been mentioned yet include: Glass, clay, silk, linen, wool, yeast, marble, brass, flint, chalk. Simple picks can be made with anything below the 2nd metal tier (Iron to rustoak.) Tough picks are anything above this (amber to ivoryon).

Needs
All sapient races share something similar. While some are better at enduring the cold, and some are more dexterous, all of them need to eat, drink and sleep. Going without your characters basic needs results in discomfort, then fatigue, then sickness, then death. Fortunately, theres plenty of ways to keep yourself healthy, plenty of food to find, and most sapient races have perfected distillation techniques for safe to drink water.

Hunger
Everyone needs to eat. Rime is under populated with sapient beings, and mostly belongs to nature. As tragic as this can sometimes seem, it does mean theres not a lot of competition for food and the chances of overhunting and overfishing are non-existent. There are many fruits, vegetables and nuts

to be foraged in the wilds, along with cultivated wheat and other edible foodstuffs at farmyards all over the more rural areas. Dried meat is always sold somewhere in every town and keeps for a very long time, meaning it can stay in your bags without fear of it going off; very useful when you cant find anything while hunting or foraging. While some ley-risen can go for longer without eating, they prefer not to. They have a sapient instinct seeded into them during the ley-rising process that gives them the same basic needs as others, but many of them have the capability to live without food for months. As for fenrye, vermus and humans, all of them are omnivores (although fenrye much prefer meat). You can avoid eating for two days and still be perfectly content. When you reach 3 to 10 days, youre starting to feel uncomfortable. Youre likely experiencing painful aches in your stomach, but your life isnt under threat yet. Even so, the pain makes it hard to focus and you take -20 to all actions. From 11 to 20 days of no eating, the stomach pains are almost unbearable, and you start to become malnourished and sick. All physical actions incur a 1d5 stun damage penalty, and all actions suffer a -30 modifier. From 21 to 27 days without food, you cannot focus on anything other than the prospect of soon eating again. Youll likely become desperate enough to attack citizens at the chance of a meal, although you wont be very good at it. All straining actions inflict 1d10 stun damage, and you take -50 to all actions. From 28 to 29 days, you cannot move. You can barely speak. You drift in and out of consciousness, struggling to understand anything that happens around you. You require urgent assistance and nutrition. On the 30th day, and from that point onwards, every passing 12 hours, you must make a resistance check, or you die. This resistance check increases in difficulty by 10 points after each success. When you eat in the later stages of starvation, it will take roughly two hours for your fatigue and sickness to pass, and you will likely have to start off with very small portions, or easy to digest food, like soup. If your character chooses to eat high quality foods and remain absolutely healthy, then they will be more capable of performing strenuous actions. Players who spend a bit of extra cash on high quality food/ingredients, or visit a restaurant, will be granted temporary plot points which they can use while they are still sated from their meal.
Hunger Level 0-2 days without food. 3-10 days without food. 11-20 days without food. 21- 27 days without food. 28-29 days without food. 30+ days without food Effect Youre content and fine. Youre starting to feel hunger pains. -20 to actions. Youre in a lot of pain and malnourished. -30 to actions. 1d5 stun for strain. Youre starving. You snatch at opportunities to get food. -50 to actions and 1d10 for strain. Youre unable to act, move, or comprehend whats happening around you. You make resistance checks every 12 hours. Failing one will kill you.

Thirst
Thirst is more of a problem than hunger for the most part. While fenrye and ley-risen can quite easily drink from lakes and rivers without risk of disease or infection, humans and vermus are not as well suited to this. Water can be found quite easily, especially in the frozen months in which melted

snow will provide you with all the water you need. There may be conditions in which a fresh water supply is unavailable, however. Characters other than fenrye and ley-risen can drink from rivers, lakes, and other potentially dirty bodies of water, but they suffer a slight risk of illness after doing so. More often than not, humans and vermus will distil water by heating it until the point of evaporation and cooling the steam in a separate, connected container. The water vapour condenses and comes out pure, leaving the silt and impurities in the heated container. The water can also simply be boiled. Boiling water kills and bacteria and microbes living within it, but might not necessarily deal with harmful chemicals or minerals. Filters made from birch bark cones filled with grasses and possibly sand will help remove any larger impurities. Adding charcoal to the filter cone also helps remove chemical impurities. A character can just about remain active for three days without water, before collapsing on the forth. Many survivalists carry flasks with them with pre-purified water ready for a quick swig if there arent any bodies of water available. One day without water doesnt faze you too much. Your throat is dry and you feel slight discomfort. As you reach the later parts of the second day, you start to feel a little dizzy from dehydration, especially if you are active throughout this time. You take -30 to all actions in this state. As you come to the third day, you stumble about, losing the ability to speak and loss of some bodily functions. -50 to all actions. On the fourth day, you collapse, and similarly to hunger, you must make a resistance check every 6 hours(rather than twelve), or you will die. This resistance check scales with difficulty after each success.
Thirst Level 0-1 day without water. 1-2 days without water. 2-3 days without water 4+ days without water. Effect Your throat is a little dry, but you can manage. Dehydration strikes you quickly, and you need water soon. -20 to all actions You cant focus. You become dizzy. -50 to all actions and 1d10 stun damage for straining. You collapse, and must make a successful resistance check every 6 hours or face death.

Fatigue
While its highly unlikely that lack of sleep will be your end, going without rest can cause some serious problems to your mental health. All animals and sapient beings require sleep. Some birds can sleep with one half of their mind at a time to keep themselves in the air during long distance travelling, but its likely your character will lack the means to do this. Lack of sleep can kill in extremely rare cases with mentally degrading illnesses, but most of the time, your body will shut down into microsleeps on regular intervals once you are in the later stages of sleep deprivation, thus just about maintaining you. Going without sleep for four or five days however will start to result in potentially permanent damage being caused. Characters will see hallucinations, experience extreme depression or other alterations in their personality. Microsleeps happen subconsciously, and often the person experiencing them doesnt realise they happened. Everything just moves around suddenly as if thrust forward in time. This can be extremely disruptive and dangerous in combat situations, for example. When you havent slept for two days, you dont take any penalties but your body is yelling at you to get some rest. You have a constant urge to lie down or curl up, and even menial tasks become

something of a tour to consider. When you reach the third day, after the 48 hour mark, you start to show evident changes in your personality. You become depressed, anxious, paranoid or short tempered. You want sleep more than you can imagine, but the feeling is so unique that youll likely be unable to describe or recall it once it has passed. You take -20 to all actions and 1d10 stun for straining ones. Day four is where you start to hallucinate. Cob webs will form in your field of vision, and all your senses will defy you to create living nightmares as the result of tiny microsleeps. You take -30 to all actions, including willpower resistance rolls to reduce stability damage when you witness harrowing visions. From five days and onwards, you will remain in a level condition as your body periodically shuts down for potentially minutes at a time. You cant think straight or act competently, and you take -50 to all actions. Every 24 hours after the fifth day, you need to make a willpower check with a -50 modifier to resist 3d10 stability damage. If, for some reason, you are totally disallowed sleep in every possible form, you will eventually succumb and die after around twenty days. This is unlikely, however.

Fatigue Level 0-2 days without sleep 2-3 days without sleep.

4 days without sleep.

5+ days without sleep

Effect Youre tired and a little cranky. You really could use a rest, but suffer no modifiers yet. Your personality shifts. You become depressed, paranoid, anxious or short tempered. You also take -20 to all actions, and suffer 1d10 stun damage for straining. You start to witness waking nightmares and hallucinations. -30 to all actions and periodic willpower checks avoid 1d10 stability damage. 1d10 stun damage for straining. You cant think of anything other than sleep, and your body periodically shuts down for minutes at a time, causing disorientating time jumps. You take -50 to all actions, and every 24 hours you make a willpower check or take 3d10 stability damage

Diseases and Infection

While a sturdy immune system is something the people of Rime have grown over the generations, there are still plenty of diseases that can ruin their days. Some of these sicknesses are easy to shrug off, and just cause exhaustion, minor pains and fevers, while some are much more serious, and could lead to death if not treated properly. Most diseases in Rime are not airborne; and are usually the result of bacteria and microorganisms entering the body through other means. Most diseases will have cures which you can either craft yourself or visit a doctor to have fixed. There are exceptions to this, which will be mentioned in the overview: Bloodfever: Bloodfever is contracted from bloodsucking parasites that have previously fed on other wild animals. Bloodfever is rarely fatal, but for around fifteen days, the victim will have fierce headaches, a burning fever and will be at the constant threat of dehydration. Characters with bloodfever take -30 to all actions, and must drink twice as much to stay healthy. Bloodfever can be cured or hit with a pre-emptive strike with a simple injection. Food Poisoning: If you badly prepare some meats, particularly poultry meats, you may suffer from food poisoning. Bacteria in your stomach makes you vomit and experience severe cramps for two days. -20 to all actions while sick. Food poisoning can be aided with digestive distress medicine.

Chollax: Chollax is contracted from drinking dirty water filled with microbes. Chollax will lie dormant in you for a few days after drinking, before striking with painful muscle cramps, and dehydrating your body in every fathomable way, including sweating, vomiting and diarrhoea. The main threat of chollax is death by dehydration. Characters with symptoms need a medicinal ingested cure, and lots of water. They also take -30 to all actions, in addition to any penalties applied by the dehydration table. Without treatment, chollax can be fatal, and very rarely goes away on its own. Filthclaw: Filthclaw usually finds its way into the body via claw scratches from animals that have walked through swamps, dung and other highly bacterial substances. Filthclaw typically results in fatiguing symptoms and a mild fever, along with headaches and nausea. It can be prevented with antibiotic salves if application is quick. An injected cure if required if left too long. Without treatment, filthclaw lasts about seven days, and applies -20 to all actions, and 1d10 stun for straining. Hypothermia: Hypothermia is contracted when your body temperature drops to low. Hypothermia mainly affects your mind, causing delirium, hallucinations and movement restrictions. Characters with hypothermia will require aid, as they will often be incapable of aiding themselves. The conditions will fade as the character slowly warms up, but some mental damage may linger permanently. Willpower checks and stability reductions are made accordingly. Frostbite: Frostbite is the name given to the event in which parts of your body are literally killed by the cold; frozen to death. The afflicted body part goes black and blue, losing all feeling. The part then becomes infected soon after, with potentially life threatening spreads that can reach internal organs. Severe Frostbite cannot be repaired, and the only viable course of action is amputation to stop the spread. Cognobane: All fungi reproduce with spores. Some larger fungi produces entire clouds of spores, which can be accidently inhaled to cause cognobane. Cognobane is never fatal, but there is no cure, meaning the character afflicted must wait for their own antibodies to remove the spores or bacteria riding on them. Cognobane causes minor breathing difficulties initially, and a few minutes after inhalation, you take 1d10 stun damage. After this however, the bacteria affects your ability to think, and you become slower to react, and slower to think. You take -40 to knowledge and INT checks, and your initiative is reduced by 4 for the five days you are afflicted. You will earn plot points if you act profoundly stupid in reaction to the illness. Pox: Pox can be contracted from certain fruits. When a tree is parasitically drained by either jerryrig or baleroot, its fruit can often become infected with bacteria as a side effect. If this fruit is eaten, the character contracts Pox two days later. Pox makes itchy rashes and bumps appear all over your skin, but other than the slight irritation, it does not affect your ability to act. Pox is however transferrable to other sapient beings once its contracted, meaning others will shy away from you and shoo you away. You take -40 to most charisma based checks until it wears off after roughly five days. Pox has an inoculation vaccine, but no cure once contracted. Seize: Seize is contracted from necrotic bacteria that lives on corpses, but can also be caught from rotting animal organs or meat which you should have thrown away. Seize is a tough microorganism that will endure most conditions. If afflicted, the characters joints lock up and swell, and all movement becomes painful and awkward. If untreated, seize can escalate further, completely restricting all movements and making it impossible to eat and drink, thus killing you. There is a cure for seize, but no inoculation. Seize takes about two months from contraction to kill its victim. Pneumoconiosis: Pneumoconiosis is usually referred to as an occupational lung disease, as the only people really at threat to it are miners. The lung damaging condition is the result of breathing in the

dust of various minerals and metals. Coal mines and gold mines for example can have airborne dust which is easy to inhale. The condition causes shortness of breath for around three months, but requires long term exposure to the dust to make an impact. If you are afflicted with pneumoconiosis, you take 1d5 stun damage from straining activities. Calcocis: Calcocis is an organism that attacks calcium deposits and reliant body parts, such as teeth and bones, making them more brittle. Naturally this can be extremely dangerous as your limbs and even your ribs become fragile, but if the illness is cured, the bones will repair themselves. Calcocis is contracted from animals that are afflicted by it. Animals are afflicted by calcocis if exposed to very unclean conditions and chemicals leaking into their food chain. It is clear when animals have Calcocis, as their eye whites become more dominant, and their irises and pupils almost disappear. Calcocis can be cured by doctors, but the cure involves injecting bones with a thick needle, and is incredibly painful. The disease takes around a month to kill its victim if not treated, however. Quake: The quake bacteria thrives on rusty surfaces and ill-kempt metals. If you are cut by an inhabited piece of metal, quake will find its way into your wound and start to spread. Quake takes a few days to manifest itself into shakes and uncontrollable jitters that make most dexterous or delicate actions very difficult. You take a -20 penalty to all DEX based actions, including shooting, covert, sleight of hand, etc. Quake usually wears off after 15-20 days, but has an injected cure. It can be caught early with antibiotic salves on the wound. Nutrient Deficiencies: If you dont eat enough vitamins, youre likely to catch something bad. A lack of vitamin D can cause rickets, which softens your bones similarly to calcocis. A lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy, a disease that can cause dozens of symptoms from fever, to gum disease, to death. Vitamin A deficiency can reduce your ability to see. If your character undergoes any vitamin deficiencies, then they initially take a -10 to all actions roughly after fifteen days without it. From that point on, more and more symptoms will start to crop up until eventual death. Deaths Bite: The bite from a few reptiles, including thermotus, cazak, basks and others, includes a high concentration of bacteria that festers within their mouths from previous meals. The reptiles are immune to it, and some have even learnt to weaponise their infectious bite. Some reptiles have been known to stalk their bitten prey for days on end, waiting for the bacteria within them to bring them down. Deaths bite, as the bacteria is named, is a deadly bacteria that will induce vomiting, fevers, disorientation and delirium. It has an antibiotic cure that must be applied quickly to rid the bacteria from its hosts system. Deaths bite will kill even a fully grown human or fenrye in three days. They take a -20 to all actions just one hour after contraction, which increases to -40 on the second day and -60 on the third day. From the 3rd day onwards, resistance checks must be made every 12 hours or the character falls dead.

Infection
Wounds inflicted upon your character when an attacks damage surpasses your wound threshold are liable to infection if left untreated for more than a day. Infection can be resisted like any disease with a resistance check, but failing this your wounds become infected. When your wound becomes infected, you start to feel sick. You become feverous, the wound becomes excruciatingly painful. For each infected wound, you take an additional -10 on top of the base -10, making -20 to all rolls. Three days after the infection is sustained, you start to hallucinate and experience delirium, and penalties go up to -30. Seven days after contraction, you become too sick to move, and your wound becomes gangrenous and putrid. It may require amputation if

antibiotics are unavailable or ineffective. Infected wounds can kill you if you fail a periodic resistance roll after the 8th day. Curing an infection in early stages or preventing one outright can be done with antibiotic salves. If you wait too long, and the infection starts to spread through the body, you will require antibiotic internal medicine instead.
Infection Level Wound is received 2 days after wound is sustained 3-6 days after wound is sustained. 7 days after wound is sustained. Effect You receive a crippling bleeding injury. -10 to all actions per wound. The internal or external wound becomes infected. You catch a fever and are in a lot of pain. -20 to all actions per infected wound. Hallucinations and delirium plague your mind, and you previous symptoms worsen. -30 to all actions per infected wound. Youre very sick. You become unable to comprehend the world around you and cannot act or move without assistance.

8+ days after wound is sustained.

You must make a resistance check every 12 hours, or die. These resistance checks increase in -10 modifiers after each success.

Mental Disorders
When your character fails willpower checks after witnessing or experiencing harrowing or traumatic events, they take stability damage. If this damage is greater than your trauma threshold, then you sustain a short term mental disorder. Long term mental disorders are usually the result of stability critical damage, but can also be the result of exceptionally critically failing a willpower roll. When a character is afflicted with a non-specified mental disorder in the tables and rules, you simply go down to the selections below and pick either one at random, or one that is suitable for the situation.

Short Term Disorders

Foetal Curl: You are horrified and traumatised by what you just witnessed. The image is magnified within your mind and you are unable to blank it out. The world shuts itself out and reality becomes the horror you are trying to elude. You curl up into a ball and quiver silently for one hour, or until someone can snap you out of it. Hysteria: You scream and shout and flail and generally display gestures of pure fear. You cant stop your voice from reaching full volume, potentially attracting enemies from a fair distance away. Your voice quickly goes hoarse and youre unable to scream anymore after 1d10 minutes. Flight Instinct: You witness something horrible and something in your mind just clicks. You stop, turn and run in the opposite direction as far as your legs can carry you without any sense of fatigue. You blank out all sounds, all threats, and concentrate purely on the distance between you and the thing that frightened you. You run for 1d10 minutes, or until someone tackles you to the floor. Fight Instinct: You witness something horrible, and something in your mind just clicks. You stop, roar and charge at whatever has startled or frightened you, determined to destroy it. You will not stop your reckless aggression until either the thing is destroyed, or you are incapacitated. If the thing cannot be destroyed, you will eventually give up after 1d10 minutes. Blackout: You are so stunned by what you see or experience that you simply pass out. You wake up after 1d10 minutes, or when woken up forcibly by a party member.

Hallucinations: The harrowing images you genuinely witness are amplified greatly by mentally constructed ones. You see things that arent there for an entire hour, unable to determine reality from mental illusion. Monophobia: Your fear makes it impossible for you to function by yourself for 1d10 hours. You will do anything, find any excuse to make sure youre near your friends so they can protect you and so youre not alone. If you are forced to be alone, you take more short term disorders until it wears off. Shock Paralysis: You are trapped in your own body like an animal before approaching light. You cannot move, no matter how much your mind screams at you to. You freeze in whatever position you were in upon taking the disorder for 1d10 minutes. You can be pulled to the ground by party members if necessary. Chills: The spectacle viewed chills you to the core. Its the kind of feeling one might expect if the blood was suddenly drained from their body. You cannot get warm, no matter what you do for 1d10 hours. Mood Swings: For the next 1d10 hours, you suffer from violent mood swings as a result of trauma. You can be ecstatic one minute and in tears the next. The slightest stimuli can set you off.

Long Term Disorders

Paranoia: Youre sure whatever you saw will come back for you. You struggle sleeping and you try to keep one eye on everyone around you. Trust becomes a thing of the past. No one is safe. No one is friendly. You struggle to converse with anyone at the fear that you might release delicate information. You must make WIL checks to try and converse with people you dont trust. (so most people) Depression: Youre feeling very depressed, all the time. You fail to see the point in continuing on occasion, and may even consider drastic actions such as suicide. Youre generally sad, although sometimes you may try to hide it behind a smile. You must make WIL checks to bring yourself to act in certain situations. Denial: Youll always deny theres something wrong with you, or that anything is wrong at all. Youll be incapable of seeing the bad in all situations, as your mind forces you to blank it all out to compensate for the horrors youve seen. You must make a WIL check to understand and register a situations true danger or severity. Multiple Personality Disorder: You fabricate a second, entirely new identity to handle situations you no longer wish to take into your hands. The real you is still in there, somewhere, but can often be dominated by a second completely different personality. GMs can decide whether or not to make this personality an NPC or not, and whether or not you should make willpower rolls to resist its influence when you want to. Hypochondria: Youre sick. Well, at least you think youre sick... all the time. A mental condition drives you into believing that even the slightest twinge or itch could be something life threatening. You will find excuses to claim you have a certain illness, and will never be comfortable with the idea of claiming you are in perfect health. Your mind is a powerful thing however, and it can make a fictional illness seem very real indeed. Make a WIL check to fight off the effects of a non-existent illness. Megalomania: Something about your trauma made you understand one thing. No one else matters. Its all about you. The world revolves around you. Everyone else are pawns in your game, and they

must obey your commands as peons should. You will expect people to know who you are, and will be outraged if they insult you. Make WIL checks to avoid ferocious outbursts to innocent strangers who dont recognise you, or to avoid throwing tantrums when things dont go your way. Night Terrors: In addition to occasionally now being afraid of the dark, you also struggle sleeping as every night you are plagued by terrible nightmares that have you bolt up from your bed in a cold sweat. Sleep after such an event will seem incredibly uninviting, but a successful WIL check can help you drift off again, peacefully with any luck. You will sleep easier if you are with company. Happy Place: The character subconsciously constructs a peaceful, exciting, fantastical place in which their mind can retreat to and relax in stressful conditions. In stressful times, you must make a WIL check to avoid being transported to your happy place. While in your dream world, you will be fairly unreceptive to sensory stimuli in reality, and must be slapped out of your daze. Cryomania: Rime has planted a clear idea in your mind: it is what it is; a frozen wasteland. Why treat it as anything other than such? As a cryomaniac, you feel compelled to restore Rime to its frozen roots whenever you get the opportunity. You extinguish fires, confiscate warm clothing, and potentially pose a huge risk to others and yourself. Make a WIL check to resist the urge to make life a little colder. Substance Dependency: You drown your sorrows whenever you get the opportunity as feeling sober makes you remember just how crap everything is. Youre content within your defocused, inebriated life, and whether its recreational drugs or alcohol, you go through the stuff in unhealthy dosages. When sober, youre miserable. You must make a WIL check to perk up and get stuff done. When inebriated, youre happy to do what needs to be done, but suffer penalties from the substance youve consumed.

Curing Mental Disorders

Short term disorders wear off after either a few hours or a few minutes, but in some cases you can slap or talk people out of their condition to bring them back to normality even faster than this. Long term disorders do no wear off, and require professional psychiatric advice and multiple sessions for you to get through it. Every session you attend is to be considered a medium level task action, and you need to attend at least 5 sessions spread out over several months before your disorder can be considered fully abolished.

Ley
Leyborn are powerful individuals born atop one or more leylines. A leyline is part of the ley-weave, the mesh that the Divines netted the world within to hold it in stable orbit. The ley-weave has lost its primary purpose since the Divines disappearance, but leyborn still exist today. Since The Necroley War, a war in which an army of necroborn senselessly and remorselessly wiped out half of the already dwindling population, leyborn are considered a threat and a menace by the kingdom of Sanctus. Specially trained enforcers known as wranglers are sent to capture or dispatch leyborn wherever they crop up, believing their powers over fire, water, earth, air, cold, life and death to be of huge threat to the remainder of humanity.

Sections

Leyborn After reading some of the lore regarding leyborn in the lore sections, you may be wondering how leyborn have been balanced to become viable for combat. Well tough luck, they havent. Life isnt fair. Fortunately, they are rare and players cannot choose to become them. A characters birthplace determines whether or not they are a leyborn Focus and Casts Leyborn require an extraordinary amount of focus to unleash their abilities. This section covers the rules regarding a leyborns ability to wield his or her casts in the heat of battle. Ley-Traits The ley was not meant for mortals to harness, and can have diverse effects on their personality. Here are 7 unique traits each for the 7 separate ley types. Repercussions Being a leyborn should be a secret. The kingdom will hunt you ruthlessly if they find out about you. Heres a few hints and tips for staying out of the spotlight, and what might happen if you dont.

Leyborn
Leylines cover the known world, although they are invisible to mortals. Sometimes entire towns are built upon a cluster of leylines, blissfully ignorant to their blunder until the next generation of children reach adolescence. Babies of any species, or indeed saplings of any plant that are birthed or grown upon leylines become leyborn. There are seven types of leyborn: Pyroborn, Hydroborn, Geoborn, Aeroborn, Cryoborn, Bioborn and Necroborn. These in turn possess the abilities to control fire, water, earth, air, cold, life and death in unfathomable and powerful ways. A leyborn in full control of their abilities is a fearsome opponent in combat, capable of reducing people to cinders in seconds, or sending them flying into the distance with an impossible strong gust of wind. Player Leyborn Players do not choose to become leyborn unless in extreme circumstances (because lets face it, who would not want to be a leyborn?) Instead, leyborn are chosen in exactly the same way that a leyborn would be born in real life; you choose a tiny point on the map where your character was given birth to, and the GM cross references this with a leyline chart to see if you are a leyborn. Simple. The leylines are small however, as is your drawn dot. The chance of becoming a leyborn through this technique is slim, but thats the whole point of it. On the off chance you do become a leyborn, you will not be told and your powers will manifest at some point during the campaign. You will become much more powerful, capable of dealing more damage per turn than party members with extremely powerful weapons, and youll also be capable of other wondrous feats, such as flight (if youre an aeroborn) shape shifting (if youre a bioborn) and total environmental shifts (if youre crazy.) There are points all over Rime where two or more leylines intersect in a sort of crossroad formation. If you are born upon one of these intersections, you gain the ley-traits and cast abilities of both leytypes. You are Leyborn So lets assume in this case you are indeed a leyborn. Does that change anything? Are your skills removed to balance you with other players? No, no they are not. If you are a leyborn, you get exactly

the same bonuses and capabilities as everyone else, plus the ability to warp aspects of reality with your mind. If your Willpower is incredibly poor, a GM might give you a few extra points, as Willpower is the attribute that lets you harness your abilities, and resist the personality altering effects that the ley will have on you... More on that later in ley-traits.

Focus and Casts

The core part of being a leyborn is focus. Without focus, you cannot create a cast or make use of your abilities. Focus Your ability to concentrate and clear your mind is essential when using your powers. Naturally this can be difficult in the heat of battle, but by all means possible. In some situations, it will be harder than usual, and in some it will be a piece of cake. To gain focus, and unlock your abilities, you must succeed a double willpower check. This takes one turn, if you are within initiative, and you can do it behind the safety of cover with your eyes closed. In a friendly village where youre perfectly content and relaxed, the willpower check may have a +20 modifier to make it easier for you. Once your abilities are activated, you can then go on to perform casts. If at any point you are distracted (leytraits are good at distracting, as is pain) then you are locked out of your abilities. You may attempt to tap them again the next turn by making another willpower check. If at any point you fail the willpower check, you are locked out of your abilities completely until certain circumstances are met; such as people stop shooting at you, or youve had time to relax further and meditate. In situations where you act purely on instinct, in self defence, for example, a GM may allow you to make a single roll to save yourself with the ley. Instinct leycasts are only triggered when you are in extreme danger, and they are usually the means of discovering you are a leyborn. Casts Depending on the type of leyborn you are, you will have access to different cast types. The casts are not restrictive in anyway, however. A talented leyborn could find defensive and offensive means of every ley type. Note that you are not given a specific set of skills/casts that you are able to use; merely the player describes what they want to do, and it happens, so long as their ley is capable of doing what they say. Youll be rewarded with additional points of damage if you are creative and interesting with your leycasts. Plot points may be granted as well. Once youre focused, and your casts are activated, you make attack rolls in the form of perception sight rolls. Leyborn are only capable of affecting things they can see and focus on (if you are blind, you may be able to learn to do it by sound). A successful perception roll is treated as a successful attack roll. You succeed, and then state what you do with your cast. Depending on the creativity and brutality of your cast, the GM decides the outcome. A leyborn cannot make multiple attack actions, but they can use a single action to attack several grouped enemies at once. Heres a quick overview of the sort of abilities each leyborn can do

Pyroborn: Pyroborn can conjure and control flames with lethal precision and unnatural heat. They can fry enemies in an instant, set fire to houses to smoke people out, cauterise wounds to stop infection and keep people warm in freezing weather. With shift points, they can unleash devastating infernos, reducing large areas to ash. Hydroborn: Hydroborn can manipulate water in the air or nearby lakes/rivers/seas to create torrents and gushes to wash away their foes. They can also control the fluid in peoples bodies to break or incapacitate them, purify water in seconds without the need of boiling, and have some control over the weather. With shift points, a hydroborn can conjure a tsunami or a vicious flooding monsoon. Aeroborn: Aeroborn possess the ability to manipulate winds and air currents to blast away or crush their opponents. They can accelerate airborne particles and clash them together to create bolts of lightning. They can also fly using the wind to carry them and manipulate the weather with wind. E.G; blowing away stormy clouds. With shift points, an aeroborn can ravage an area with devastating storms and powerful tornados. Geoborn: Geoborn control the earth. They can tear open fissures beneath the feet of their enemies or impale them with sharp rocks. They can conjure almost any weapon and armour using a special kind of stone called leyrock, but this rock only stays stable while they focus. Using shift points can lead to cracking open large chasms or forcing volcanoes to erupt. Cryoborn: Cryoborn can flash freeze groups of enemies and place themselves or their allies in cryostasis to preserve and protect them. They can create flurries of snow and aggravate blizzards to suit their needs. With shift points, a cryoborn can flash freeze large spaces in an instant. Bioborn: Bioborn control plants and empathise with wild beasts. They possess healing and restorative capabilities, sometimes with miraculous results. In combat, bioborn can use nature to snatch up or destroy their foes. They can also learn how to shape shift, although this is incredibly difficult and dangerous to attempt. When a shift point is used, bioborn can turn entire forests against their enemies, or take on a form much larger or smaller than their default. Necroborn: Necroborn possess the ability to strip the life from any living entity they see with a single gesture of their hand. They can communicate with and view the spirit realm known as The Pale, meaning they can interrogate people even after their death. With shift points, necroborn can unleash a wave of death and madness, afflicting everything in a cone before them. Damage If the GM decides against allowing an attack to straight out one-shot-kill an enemy, it is encouraged to do damage that penetrates most if not all armour, and have it around 5d10 for a single person attack, and 3d10 each when attacking multiple targets. Necroborn should deal around 10d10 damage. These damage dice can be increased or decreased accordingly depending on the situation, and modifiers and bonuses can also be added for creative and humorous descriptions. Ley- Shifts Ley-shifts are the result of using a leyborn cast combined with a shift point. While non-leyborn players use shift points to amplify their abilities briefly, or to trigger unlikely environmental shifts (such as a meteor falling, or a lightning bolt from the sky striking your enemy,) leyborn can use shift

points to amplify their casts, directly causing massive environmental, scenic shifts. A pyroborn could reduce an entire bandit camp to cinders with a powerful ley-shift blast, a bioborn could return a town to nature by forcing vines to creep in, or a cryoborn could summon an aggressive blizzard to mask their approach. Shape Shifting If your character is a bioborn, theres a small chance you could learn how to change your shape. Advanced bioborn users will be able to transform into beasts and characters of a similar body mass to either shroud their identity or grant themselves new combat capabilities. Players transforming will gain bonuses to all stats within a certain attribute group. Combat beast transformation: +20 to STR Attribute. All STR skills are raised by 20. Character deals 3d10 + STR/5 per unarmed attack, with AP of 5. Disguise transformation: +20 to CHA Attribute. All CHA skills are raised by 20. Character can fool NPCs by taking on the appearance of those they know. Deception checks are very effective. Should the character transform into a creature with natural abilities, such as natural armour, natural toxin, flight, gliding membrane or enhanced vision, then the player temporarily gains those traits and abilities. Failing a transformation check may have disastrous consequences, trapping you in a bestial form, or warping your body horribly.

Ley Traits
Each of the seven ley types have certain effects upon their host. They alter personality in quite a predictable and detectable way. These personality shifts are often used by wranglers to detect a leyborn before their powers manifest. Bioborn are the only leyborn to have two traits, but one of them is very small.

Fiery Personality (Minor/ Major) - Pyroborn

Youre passionate, sharp and occasionally lustful. Your fiery personality is quite distinctive. Youre bold and the prime example of an extrovert. You love arguments, you love a bit of conflict, and you love physical intimacy. Penalty: You have a fiery personality. As a minor trait, you make WIL checks in some conditions to resist being too much of an extrovert, to resist amorous desires, and to discourage conflict. As a major trait, you cant use plot points to fix these resistance rolls, and they take a -20 modifier.

Tidal Consistency (Minor/ Major) - Hydroborn

Youre rather inconsistent. Your mood can twist as fast as the waves over a stormy ocean can change. Youre incredibly short tempered, but your anger can also be very short lived, switching back out for joyful smiling once again. Penalty: You have violent mood swings. The slightest thing can make you furious or even aggressive if you fail a WIL resistance roll. As a major roll, the resistance roll is -20 harder, and you cant use plot points to help fix it.

Drifting Whimsy (Minor/ Major) Aeroborn

Youre... strange. You often find yourself speaking in cryptic sentences and can come across as a little crazy. Youre easily distracted, and very playful. You have a particular fondness for small, furry, cute things. Penalty: You have quite a juvenile and easily entertained mind. As a minor trait, youre distracted easily, especially by cute things. Some people are irritated or daunted by your ability to derail conversations or speak in cryptic terms. Make a WIL check to resist distraction, or becoming playful in situations where it would not be useful. As a major trait, these checks suffer a -20 modifier, and cannot be fixed with plot points.

Patient as the Earth (Minor/ Major) - Geoborn

You are slow to anger, slow to feel, occasionally slow to react. You are patient, calm and relaxed at almost all times. Your lack of passion can occasionally be frustrating, and you sometimes have difficulty motivating yourself for more menial actions. Penalty: You are unnaturally patient. As a minor trait, you must make WIL checks on occasion to motivate certain actions. It will not obstruct certain goals, but it will be hard for you to strong emotions. As a major trait, you take a -20 to these rolls, and cannot use plot points to fix them.

Cold Logic (Minor/ Major) - Cryoborn

Your logic is undeniable. You only believe in one thing; cold, hard facts. You seek to further your knowledge and can often be a little narcissistic, and come across as just plain arrogant. Those who get to know you know your wisdom has merit, but your need to correct people can lose you friends, quickly. Penalty: Youre cold and logical. As a minor trait, you need make a WIL check to avoid criticising peoples illogical beliefs, and WIL checks to perform some illogical actions. As a major trait, these checks take a -20 modifier, and cannot be fixed with plot points.

Maternal Instinct (Minor/ Major) Bioborn

Despite the name, this trait applies to both genders. You are so at one with nature that aspects of it become like children to you. Those you love, or even just care about slightly fall under your wing, and you will fight tooth and nail to protect them with almost parental rage. Penalty: You are very protective of those around you, and of nature itself. As a minor trait, you make WIL checks to resist flying into maternal/paternal rage and brutally attacking whatever is harming your children. As a major trait, you take -20 modifier to these checks, and cannot fix the result with plot points.

Pheromones (Minor) - Bioborn

As a bioborn, you are incredibly attractive to the opposite sex, thanks to a pheromone effect given off from your body. Benefit: You gain a +15 modifier when performing friendly charisma based checks with a member of the opposite sex.

Morbid Fascination (Minor/ Major) - Necroborn

You are fascinated with death. Death is the one certainty of life, the one true mystery, and the most powerful thing imaginable. Conversations with you often end up turning morbid very quickly, and you ward people away with your creepy and sometimes even frightening topics and mannerisms. In extreme cases, you may even use your necroborn abilities to experiment with death and gift it unto others without motive. Penalty: You have morbid obsessions which make talking to you frightening and uncomfortable. As a minor trait, you must make a WIL check to avoid slipping into your favourite subject during conversation and alienating everyone around you. As a major trait, you take -20 to these rolls, and these checks can also expand to casting death upon innocent people by way of thanks or kindness. They cannot be fixed with plot points. All ley traits start off as minor traits, but have a chance to upgrade to major traits as time goes on, and as you use your casts more and more.

Repercussions
So youre a leyborn, and you probably feel unstoppable. Well, think again. Leyborn have been hunted and persecuted for over three hundred years. There are many individuals who know exactly how to deal with leyborn, and have brought down dozens if not hundreds just like you. So what do you do to avoid this? You try to keep your leyborn identity a secret. Restrict usage of your abilities to minimise the chances of eye witnesses, and try to contain your distinctive outbursts granted unto you by your ley traits. People are scared of leyborn, especially in western Sovreignous. The fenrye have no fear of leyborn and respect them greatly, but humans and other members of the Wolfbane Pact will inform the guards of your status because theyve been indoctrinated into a society where thats the normal thing to do. If youre unable to keep your powers hidden, you will be hunted, and you will not be hunted by amateurs. The wranglers are the most deadly non-leyborn fighting force the world has ever seen. They are trained from very young ages to become masters of combating those with powers that could annihilate them in seconds. They know all your weaknesses, they can predict how you will act and react if they know what ley type runs through you. They will initially try to capture you alive, and give you the chance of surrender (unless youre necroborn, they kill those on sight.) If you resist arrest, however, thats it. Your one chance is exhausted, and they will not hesitate to bring you down in any way necessary. Wranglers possess extensive training in weapons and martial arts, sensory dampening technology beyond what most people on Rime have ever witnessed, and a cold, dutiful attitude which makes them almost impossible to break. Be wary of who you tell youre a leyborn. One mistake, and the wranglers will know your name. Theyll know your family. They will cross lines and break rules to make sure you are no longer a threat to the kingdom. Being a leyborn is not all fun and games. Feel free to test your luck, however.

Gear
So you have the rules to use the equipment, but so far you dont know what equipment is available. If it has been mentioned in the lore, or indeed in the rules section, it is available to find, either through exploration, looting or shopping. Every item has a base price, but this price can be subjected to modifiers, depending on whether or not its illegal, or second hand, or falling apart, or in pristine condition, etc. Well start off talking about what most players will be immediately interested in: Weapons and armour.

Weapons
There are three types of melee weapons in the game, all of which have multiple fields within. The three standard types are light weight weapons, medium weight weapons, and heavy weight weapons. Daggers, batons and short swords (such as tantos) will fit into light weapons. Long, one handed weapons, such as maces, long swords and whips are medium weight weapons. Heavy weight weapons are weapons that require two hands to wield, such as bastard swords, warhammers, halberds, etc. Light Weight Weapons Light weapons are easy to use and can be dual wielded by an ambidextrous character without worry of your strength not being high enough to maintain balance. Light weapons typically have more armour piercing capabilities than medium weight, but deal less base damage as they rely less on your strength bonuses. Iron Dagger example: 1d10 damage +STR/15. AP: 2 Medium Weight Weapons Medium weapons are one handed, but heavier than their light weapon counter parts. Dual wielding them requires a STR rating of 40 to avoid balance issues and take a negative modifier. Medium weight weapons have slightly less piercing capabilities, but deal more base damage overall, and have a higher strength bonus. Iron 1-handed Sword example: 1d10 damage +STR/5. AP: 1 Heavy Weight Weapons Heavy weight weapons are large, two handed blunt and bladed weapons, such as warhammers, great swords and polearms. Using heavy weapons, you arent able to leave one of your hands free and take heavy penalties when trying to use a two handed weapon in one hand. Since dual wielding these weapons are impossible (unless you have STR of 80) they have an increased damage output to compensate. Heavy weapons have a much higher STR bonus, a passively higher damage base, but their armour piercing is similar to medium weapons. Iron Great Sword example: 1d10 damage+2 +STR/3. AP: 1.

Armour
There are three types of armour, again with categories within them. These three armour types are light armour, heavy armour and shields. Light and heavy armour contain body pieces, helmets, gloves and boots. Shields are just shields and can be used with a free hand for those who want dont want to dual wield. Armours purpose is, naturally, to decrease damage. The higher the armour rating on the struck piece of armour, the more damage will be negated. Light Armour Light armour provides moderate protection from damage and no penalties to any other stats. Light armour can be made of anything from any tier or material. Some armour types have certain bonuses and traits that make it unique or useful in some way. The armour value on each set piece does not add together, and instead applies the armour value only of the body part thats struck. It is possible to have a mixture of different armour tiers and create a suit from them. Light armour includes helms, bodies, gloves and boots. Iron Armour example: 6 AV, 2 EP. Heavy Armour Heavy armour is the bulkier version of light armour which provides more protection from all attacks, but restricts your movement slightly with its weight. When wearing small pieces of heavy armour, such as the helm, gauntlets or boots, you take -10 to free running, climbing, and other athletic or strenuous actions. For heavy body armour, they take an additional -30 to these checks, and -1 movement when within initiative. Heavy armour cannot include braid, leather, fur or hide. Heavy Iron Armour example: 10 AV, 2EP Shields Shields require a spare hand to be held in, and act as minor fray modifiers. Shields provide more protection and negate more damage if they successfully block an attack. Fray works as normal when using a shield, but if the attacker beats your defence by 20 points or less, you can save yourself from some of the damage by deflecting the attack with your shield. Shields also apply bonuses to receiving charges and committing to all out defence. Shields can also all do a base 1d10 +STR/5 stun damage when using them as a blunt weapon in a shield bash. Critically defending an attack with a shield grants you a free immediate shield bash without exhausting a turn. Iron Shield example: 14 AV +5 Fray.

Tiers
Tiers are the groups which sets of armour and weapons fall into. As you progress through the game, your gear will upgrade as it moves through tiers. The first tier of weapons is iron, the second is steel, the third is rustoak, and so on. Some tiers contain multiple material types with the same armour value, but a different aesthetic style, or applied bonus (blight iron can poison people, for example.)

Weapon Tiers: Tier 0 Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier3 Tier 4 Tier 5 Tier 6 Tier 7 Tier 8

Materials Cast, Clay, general craft items. Wood, Bone Iron Steel Rustoak Amber, Carapace, Zealite, Blight Iron, Euhedrac Ivoryon Ebonstone Noctium

The armour sets have a few more tiers before they start going into metallic materials; namely leather, hide and fur. Only armours from iron onwards can become heavy armour. Armour Tiers: Tier 0 Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 Tier 6 Tier 7 Tier8 Materials Cast, Clay, general craft items. Fur, Hide, Leather, Wood, Bone Iron Steel Rustoak, Braid Amber, Carapace, Zealite, Euhedrac Ivoryon Ebonstone Noctium

Tier 0 Tier 0 weapons are mostly blunt, improvised tools which deal no serious damage, but can deal 1d10 stun damage +STR/5. These items will quite possibly break after a single strike, such as ceramic jars or bottles, and can be handy if a bar fight breaks out and you dont want blood on your hands. Tier 0 armour protects you from a single attack with the same armour value as fur. It breaks afterwards. Tier 1 Tier 1 weapons and armour are still fairly inferior to metal, but can be an ideal choice for peasants, hunters, rogues, etc who want to move around without clinking and clanking. The armour includes fur, hide and leather, three conventional choices with leather providing the most protection, but also wood and bone armour pieces for quick and fairly useless protective measures. Fur and hide have 2 AV, while leather has 4. Wood and bone also have 2 AV, but provide no exposure protection. Tier 1 weapons are just wood and bone, and do 1d10 damage with a STR bonus depending on the weapons weight, but with a -3 modifier and no armour piercing capabilities. Tier 2 Tier 2 is where weapons and armour start to get serious. Tier 2 is iron; a metal made from iron ore mined from veins beneath the ground or occasionally in mountainous or rocky areas. Iron weapons deal around 1d10 damage plus STR and occasional base modifiers. Iron armour provides decent

protection; around 6 AV, and heavy armour provides 10. Iron weapons and armour will make you much more viable on combat, and iron can also be used to craft the next tier up. If iron equipment gets wet and is not dried hastily, a GM may decide it gets rusty. Tier 3 Steel weapons and armour make up tier 3. Steel armour provides additional protection from damage and also increased damage modifiers upon weapons. Steel is made from carbonated iron, meaning the crafting ingredients include coal, leather and iron. It resists rust and other deteriorations. Tier 4 Rustoak armour and weapons are the next step up from steel which a sizable boost in performance. Rustoak can negate an additional 3 points of damage on top of what steel could as armour, and also possesses a powerful damage bonus. Rustoak can occasionally be found in specialised merchant stores, but can only be harvested in the statuary with a tool of a higher tier. Tier 4 also contains braid, a tough woven material thats ideal for light weight characters. With a slight sacrifice of armour value, you can take bonuses to covert and athletic checks. Tier 5 Tier 5 is the milestone that players will want to reach to remain fully competitive. Tier 5 contains five separate armour types, all with unique bonuses, but all with similar armour value and damage output. Tier 5 weapons are the first that go up to 2d10 damage, along with additional modifiers and the usual STR bonus. Tier 5 contains Carapace, Amber, Euhedrac, Blight Iron and Zealite. Blight iron is not ideal for armour, however. Tier 6 Tier 6 contains the ivoryon armour. Ivoryon is one of the divine metals and is very rare and valuable, but deals high amounts of damage, going as high as 3d10 +9 with heavy weapons. The armour is decorative and enhances leyborn abilities, but also provides a small bonus to AV on top of tier 5. Ivoryon also has higher armour piercing capabilities. Tier 7 Ebonstone is the hardest known material to man, and possesses the ability to cut through almost anything. It has a higher AP value than its predecessors and deals high amounts of damage, while simultaneously protecting you from it. Ebonstone is hard to come by and can be tricky to craft with, as it requires extreme temperatures to melt. Tier 8 Noctium is not really designed for armour, but it could be, in theory. Noctium is an unnatural divine metal that disrupts the atomic structure of anything it touches, reducing its AP to 0 and shattering most solid objects with a single attack. Noctium is the rarest known metal and makes a character extremely powerful, but also poses a risk to mental integrity with strange whispers and behavioural altering properties. Scale Tier

The scale tier is a hidden tier that contains six incredibly rare materials, all of which share the same stats as tier 6, but have other interesting properties. The scale tier contains metals and weaves made of each of the divines scales. With ivoryon being the only one available in the public sector, the others are practically mythical in nature, with no solid evidence of their existence. Melee Weapon Table Meanings The base damage is how many dice you roll when making a successful attack with the weapon. If you are a character using unarmed attacks, this base damage is added to your gauntlets. Gauntlets count as a medium weapon, but have no AP. They can perform 2 attacks in a single turn with an offhand penalty, similarly to dual wielding. The bonus is the passive amount of damage thats always added on automatically to your dice rolls total. The STR division is an additional damage bonus derived from your STR stat. If the STR division is; say /5, then your STR divided by 5 is added to your dice roll and to your bonus. If you have 30 STR, you inflict an additional 6 damage. The AP rating is your weapons armour piercing capabilities. This number is subtracted from your opponents armour when making a successful attack. The cost/legality section tells you whether or not the weapon is illegal in normal society, and how much it costs. If a (I) icon is displayed, this weapon is illegal and will be confiscated by enforcers of the law. You may also receive a fine, or even a prison sentence if seen with an illegal weapon.

Armour Table Meanings The armour value is how much damage is negated/converted into stun points when an attack is received. This can be removed or reduced by armour piercing weapons. These do not add together to form a single total. The EP rating is the exposure protection. These points protect you from the cold and from snowy/stormy weather. All pieces of worn armour have EP which add together to form a single total. The Fray bonus applies to the shields instead of EP. This just adds to your fray skill. The costs of armour pieces are varied so as to realistically divide the prices for large body/leg covering armour pieces, and the smaller pieces that cover your head, hands and feet. As with before, an (I) symbolises illegality.

Ranged Weapons Table Meanings The base damage is the same as in melee weapons. You roll the dice prompted, and add the bonuses. With ranged weapons, an additional bonus comes from the type of ammo you are using. The weapons range. Weapons firing out of their range suffer a penalty. Your reload time determines how many turns it takes to reload your weapon. If your weapon does not have a reload time, it can be fired multiple times in one turn. The action limit on a weapon determines how many times it can be fired per turn. Each additional shot will incur a -20 penalty to all attacks that turn.

The cost of the weapon itself.

Note, ranged weapons can be upgraded in ways melee weapons cannot. These upgrades will require craftsmanship and creativity, but can add extra damage dice, a better range, or a better damage bonus. Ammunition Table Meanings The ammo provides a passive damage bonus to your weapon. The force and mechanical weapons ammo take these bonuses. Depending on what weapon youre using, you add this value to the weapons base damage and rolls. If the damage says stun conversion, then all the damage from the base attack is converted into stun points. When powder weapons are used, they fire bullets. The bullet bonuses go in the bullets column. Thrown weapons also have their own damage column. The cost covers the prices of ammo when bought in bulks of 20 shots. Throwing weapons come in packs of 5.

Melee Weapon

'tier'

Type

Any Small Medium Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Small Medium Large

0 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8

Cast/Clay Bone/Wood Bone/Wood Iron Iron Iron Steel Steel Steel Rustoak Rustoak Rustoak Carapace Carapace Carapace Amber Amber Amber Blight Iron Blight Iron Blight Iron Euhedrac Euhedrac Euhedrac Zealite Zealite Zealite Ivoryon Ivoryon Ivoryon Ebonstone Ebonstone Ebonstone Noctium Noctium Noctium

Base Damage 1d10 STUN. Breaks after use. 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 2d10 3d10 3d10 3d10 4d10 4d10 4d10 5d10

Bonus

STR Division

AP

Cost/Legality

0 -3 -3 0 0 2 2 3 3 4 5 7 3 4 8 3 4 8 3 4 8 3 4 8 3 4 8 6 7 9 4 5 10 5 8 5

/5 /15 /5 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3 /15 /5 /3

0 0 0 2 1 1 3 2 2 4 3 3 6 4 4 6 4 4 6 4 4 6 4 4 6 4 4 9 8 8 12 10 10 Absolute Absolute Absolute

Trivial Trivial Trivial 30 S 50 S 70 S 80 S 130 S 180 S 400 S 550 S 700 S 550 S 700 S 800 S 700 S 850 S 950 S 800 S(I) 1000 S(I) 1250 S (I) 2000 S 2500 S 3000 S 1500 S 1900 S 2300 S 8000 S 9000 S 10,000 S 7000 S (I) 8000 S (I) 9000 S (I) N/A (I) N/A (I) N/A (I)

Armour Any

'tier' 0

Type Cast/Clay Bone/Wood/ Fur/Hide Leather Bone/Wood Iron Iron Iron Steel Steel Steel Braid Rustoak Rustoak Rustoak Carapace Carapace Carapace Amber Amber Amber Blight Iron Blight Iron Blight Iron Euhedrac Euhedrac Euhedrac Zealite Zealite Zealite Ivoryon Ivoryon Ivoryon Ebonstone Ebonstone Ebonstone Noctium Noctium Noctium

Armour Value 2. Breaks after use.

EP Rating/ Fray Bonus +0 Fray 4 for fur and hide. 0 for others. 1 +0 Fray 2 2 +5 Fray 2 2 +5 Fray 3 2 2 +5 Fray 3 3 +5 Fray 2 2 +5 Fray 2 2 +5 Fray 5 5 +5 Fray 3. 8 when burning 3. 8 when burning +5 Fray 1 1 +10 Fray 5 5 +10 Fray 7 7 +15 Fray

Cost/Legality Body Trivial

Cost/Legality Head/Gloves/Feet Trivial

Light Leather Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield Light Heavy Shield

1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8

2 4 6 6 10 14 8 12 16 10 11 15 19 14 18 22 14 18 22 14 18 22 14 18 22 14 18 22 16 22 26 20 26 30 24 30 34

50 S 100 S 30 S 110 S 170 S 100 S 210 S 280 S 200 S 550 S 550 S 750 S 500 S 600 S 800 S 550 S 900 S 1100 S 850 S N/A (I) N/A (I) N/A (I) 4000 S 5500 S 2000 S 2000 S 2500 S 1500 S 12,000 S 15,000 S 8000 S 10,000 S (I) 13,000 S (I) 7000 S (I) N/A(I) N/A(I) N/A(I)

Trivial Trivial N/A 40 S 70 S N/A 80 S 110 S N/A 200 S 200 S 350 S N/A 250 S 300 S N/A 300 S 450 S N/A N/A (I) N/A (I) N/A (I) 1200 S 1750 S N/A 750 S 950 S N/A 5000 S 7000 S N/A 4000 S (I) 5500 S (I) N/A N/A (I) N/A (I) N/A (I)

Ranged Weapon Longbow Shortbow Blowpipe Sling Hand Crossbow Crossbow Heavy Crossbow Glaive Thrower Rifle Pistol Sunderer Heavy Sunderer Repeater Canon Knives Spears Nimbus Bolas

Type Force Force Force Force Mechanical Mechanical Mechanical Mechanical Powder Powder Powder Powder Powder Powder Thrown Thrown Thrown Thrown

Base Damage 1d10 1d10 1d10/2 1d10 Stun 1d10 2d10 2d10 4d10 2d10 2d10 5d10 8d10 6d10 7d10 1d10 2d10 1d10 0

Weapon Bonus 6 5 0 5 Stun 3 0 11 8 10 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0

Reload Time 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0

Action Limit 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 50 1 3 2 3 2

Range Medium Short Short Short Short Long Medium Medium Long Medium Very Short Very Short Long Long Short Medium Medium Short

Cost/Legality 70 S 80 S 60 S 30 S 700 S 550 S 2800 S 4000 S (I) 3000 S 2500 S 5000 S (I) 8000 S (I) 12,000 (I) 6500 S Ammo Cost Ammo Cost Ammo Cost 500 S

Ammo

Tier

Cast/ Dummy Bone, wood Iron Steel Rustoak Amber Carapace Blight Iron Zealite Euhedrac Ivoryon Ebonstone Noctium

0 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 7 8

Force & Mechanical Damage Stun conversion. -1 1 3 5 9 9 9 9 9 13 17 21

Powder Damage Stun conversion 0 2 4 6 10 10 10 10 10 14 19 22

Thrown Damage Stun conversion -1 2 4 5 9 9 9 9 9 13 17 21

AP

Cost/Legality

0 0 1 2 4 6 6 6 6 6 9 12 Absolute

Trivial Trivial 50 S 120 S 350 S 450 S 400 S 900 S (I) 950 S 1200 S 2000 S 4000 S (I) N/A (I)

Additional Information and Effects

The different tiers of weapon material, and the various ranged weapons occasionally have certain bonuses, or even weaknesses which players need to be aware of. Metals/Materials Iron Iron is a simple metal that provides no additional effects to defending or attacking. Iron needs to be well maintained, however. Using an iron blade too much will cause it to become blunt, and it will require sharpening. If iron gets wet, and is not dried by hand, it may start to rust, causing joints to lock up and the metal to become fragile. Iron must be crafted into ingots before it is used. Steel Steel is effectively iron but without the negative effects mentioned above. Steel ingots can be made by carbonating iron during the smelting process. Mixing it with charcoal or coal will do this. Braid Braid is harvested from taepah, a plant found in grassy regions of Sovreignous. Braid is only technically braid once it has been braided. The threads are not braided when they are pulled from the plants, and must be put through a sewing process on a loom before braided into thin or thick strings. It can be perfect for bow strings to make it a bit more powerful, but its also a desirable substitute for leather for hunters, scouts and assassins. Braid is tougher than metal if crafted by a master, and doesnt provide any of the hindrance or restrictions metal or leather would. Its also very quiet. People wearing braid armour gain a +10 to athletic rolls, and +20 to covert rolls. Rustoak Rustoak is a type of hardwood found in the frozen jungle area; The Statuary. Rustoak is harder than steel, but if kept in very hot conditions for too long, it will wither slightly and become possible to snap. Rustoak weapons must be carved with a woodworker. It cannot be turned into ingots, as it is organic material. Carapace Carapace is shiny and reflective with a solid structure that does not deteriorate in rough conditions. Carapace armour and weapons can be crafted from insect carapaces. Deadtropedes and serephin have proven to be the most viable options for carapace selection. Carapace is traditionally cut by a crafter and sewn into leather, or tied onto metal with rope. Stone serephin and snow serephin both have camouflaged carapace which possess properties of snowy or rocky environments. Wearing it in environments that match the patterns can make you much harder to spot. Amber Amber is only found in large deposits in Iceplane. It cannot be smelted and must be carved by an amber expert into the desired shape, and then fitted onto a thin armature to make suits or weapons. If exposed to very hot conditions, amber will turn sticky, and eventually melt into an irredeemable

sap-like substance. Amber is smooth and glassy, and doesnt generate much friction. Its hard to grip onto, making grappling an amber-clad warrior quite difficult. Amber weapons allow a fair amount of control, and called shots are 5 points easier. Blight Iron If any organic creature touches a piece of blight iron equipment, they must make an easy resistance roll or fall into anaphylactic shock. The character is incapacitated, stricken by life threatening seizures that can be halted by a shot of adrenaline. While in shock, a character will take 2d10 damage every time their turn comes around. If out of combat, they will be in shock for 5 minutes before eventually dying. Blight iron can be mined and melted into ingots like normal iron, but handling it is dangerous and requires protective equipment. Euhedrac Euhedrac is the name given to crystals that grow in volcanic areas and in glacial caves. To make your own euhedral gear, you must locate some of these crystals and harvest them. Next, you need a mould in the shape of the piece of gear you want to make. You grind up some of your crystals into powder, and fill your mould with it, along with enough water to totally submerge it. Once this is done, you add one or two large, unbroken crystals of the same variety to the solution. The large crystals act as catalysts for the growth. The process can take several months. Once the gear is grown, you can fill it with a lilikine and sawdust mix to give it the liquid metal effect euhedral armour is so famous for. This will also provide it with much more strength and a near constant warmth, providing more exposure protection than even fur. Euhedral weapons can be used in two different ways: if you sacrifice control and balance, you can make violent swings, causing the lilikine within to slosh to the weapons point and give it more force (+2d10 damage) but this also puts your footing at risk (If you miss, or are parried, you fall over and must spend a turn getting up.) You can also use euhedral weapons normally, and without this penalty or bonus. You can change your style at any time by asking the GM. This cannot be done with euhedral bullets or arrows, but can be done with thrown weapons. Zealite Zealite is a metal that can be mined up from areas starved of oxygen. It must be treated carefully, as once it is filed and cleaned, it creates a permanent chemical reaction in the air that transmutes it into a flammable material. Zealite ingots will be removed from the furnace, burning violently, and must be extinguished with water. Zealite weapons and armour can be ignited by the smallest spark, and will burn permanently until starved of oxygen or submerged in water or snow. Anyone stricken by or touching a piece of burning zealite gear will let alight if they make exceptional failures to fray or attacking you, or you make exceptional successes to attacking them. Characters set on fire take 1d10 damage per turn, and must make extinguishing actions to put themselves out. These have a 50% chance of succeeding. Ivoryon (Frost Scales) Ivoryon is the singing metal supposedly made from the scales of Glace himself. Ivoryon is surprisingly easy to smelt down into useable ingots, but perilously hard to locate. Ivoryon is always cold, even when it comes out of the smelter. Its also incredibly light, and whenever disturbed by anything so

much as a light breeze, it lets out a harmonic, beautiful hum. When wearing light ivoryon armour, your movements feel fluid and somehow easier. Your athletic skills are increased by 20 points while wearing it. Since ivoryon sings, however, it makes covert checks much more difficult. When using ivoryon weapons, you have absolute control and grace when using it, and called shots are 10 points easier. Ivoryon can also force leyborn powers to unwillingly manifest into defensive forms. Ebonstone Ebonstone is capable of cutting anything that isnt it, and stopping anything that isnt noctium. Ebonstone is an almost unnaturally hard volcanic glassy material with high armour piercing and damage capabilities, along with heavy intimidation value in combat and some social situations. It must be heated to extreme temperatures to melt, and can be poured straight into moulds when in liquid form or turned into ingots like the other metals. Noctium Noctium is the unnatural navy blue metal that seems to crop up in deposits beneath leylines. While noctium possesses incredible properties, and the ability to destroy almost any solid structure in a single strike by disrupting its molecular integrity, it also has its dark sides. Noctium is just short of being a living entity; a parasite that needs a host to manifest. Wielders of noctium often become slaves to it, following unheard orders and drifting in and out of insanity. Noctium warps its hosts personality, and rarely for the better. If noctium ore is mined up, it can be melted, poured into a precise mould and treated that way. You cant hammer it into a shape like you can with other metals, as the hammer shatters upon impact. You have to work with whatever it dries into. Scale Metals With ivoryon being the only scale metal publically known of, it has its own tier; six. There are however six more scale types to craft gear from, one from each of the seven divines. Should these scale weapons/armour ever become available to the players, they will share the same base stats as ivoryon. The major differences come from their properties: Sylph (Wind Scales): When wearing either two small pieces of sylph armour, or one chest piece, the character gains the ability to glide when leaping from a height. When jumping from a ledge, the character gains flight-level speed for 1 round. The armour will also negate all fall damage. When using sylph weapons, any attack that does more than six points of damage has a chance to throw your opponent 1d5 squares away, (roll a d10 then half the result, always rounding up.) Sylph is milky white in colour with swirling patterns across the surface. Trydan (Sea Scales): Thin-weave trydan garbs can be thrown over normal armour. Trydan has no armour rating, and will use the rating of whatever is worn beneath it. A piece of trydan armour, when struck, has a 30% chance to deflect all incoming damage (Roll below 30 with d100 when taking damage). Trydan weapons can create a watery field to convert all outgoing damage into stun points. Trydan resembles layers of blue scales with a flowing animated texture. Pyron (Flame Scales): Pieces of pyron gear are completely resilient to fire and can absorb flames completely to extinguish them. The absorbed flames can later be released as explosive damage, with additional d10s being added for every fire absorbed. The flames can be released as a defensive

action with armour, and an offensive action with weapons. Pyron is a dark red in colour with heat distortion waves perpetually billowing from its surface. Braknium (Stone Scales): Braknium is a very hard material that changes density when required. Pieces of braknium armour can make the wearer impossibly heavy without damaging effects on the one wearing it. Braknium weapons can be used to shatter weaker materials. A successful called shot to a weapon or other pieces of scenery will cause much more damage than a normal weapon would. Motherward (Life Scales): Motherward scales, when made into armour, will passively display the health of its wearer through coloured hues and pulses. When detecting problems with health, the armour will take its time to heal the user gradually over time. Anyone wearing a piece of armour over a wound will replenish 1d10 of hp every twenty four hours. Motherward weapons are ideal for training as they refuse to inflict harm. Motherward scale pieces are glassy and green by default, but they change colour depending on the health of the one using them (from yellow, to orange, to brown, like leaves.) Havoc (Death Scales): Havoc armour pieces constantly emit a spooky smog, in which frightening shapes writhe and form. In addition to this, the armours reflective surface will often display horrifying images within the reflections themselves. It is incredibly unnerving to behold, and those fighting someone suited in havoc armour must pass a Willpower check, or receive -20 to all actions for two rounds. Havoc weapons can inflict temporary mental disorders when cutting an enemy. When taking damage, the opponent must make a successful willpower check or be temporarily incapacitated by a random mental disorder. Havoc requires periodic willpower checks from its wielder as well, or they may find themselves a victim to the metal too.

Ranged Weapons Some ranged weapons contain bonuses other than the ones mentioned in their table. In addition to the stats, here are the bonuses some of the weapons have. Shortbow Short bows have short range, but they are the only weapon that can be used during melee combat without suffering the -30 shooting from melee combat penalty. Blowpipes Blowpipes do very little damage, but can be used stealthily and can inject poisons much more effectively than any other weapon. Resistance rolls invoked by a blowpipe dart take a -20 modifier. Blowpipes can only 2 types of dart; iron or wood. Hand Crossbows Hand crossbows are the only mechanical weapons that are one handed, meaning they can be dual wielded and fired 4 times per turn.

Glaive Throwers Glaive thrower glaives can only be made from steel, iron or ivoryon, and can always be recovered. Glaives cost the standard ammo amount, but for only 1 glaive at a time. Sunderers and Heavy Sunderers Sunderers use dryon shots, and cannot be given any other type of ammunition. Each sunderer shot costs 120 S to buy, while heavy sunderer shots cost 250 S to buy. They can be crafted manually for a cheaper price, if you buy dryon ingots. Repeater Repeaters are huge, usually bolted down turrets. They are mostly used for town or city defence, and likely could not be carried by a single person. If players wanted to purchase one and move it around with them, however, it requires STR of 30 to push around, STR of 70 to lift, and STR of 80 to use as a hand held gun. Multiple players could assist each other in moving repeaters around. Throwing knives, spears and nimbus discs Throwing weapons are the only weapon type other than repeaters that can be fired more than 2 times per hand. Knives and nimbus discs have a multiple action rating of 3, meaning you can throw up to 6 of them per turn. You can only throw 2 spears, however. Bolas Bolas are hurled projectiles consisting of metal balls and constricting string. Upon contact, they wrap around targets limbs and restrict their movements. A character thats successfully hit by bolas will be either unable to attack for two turns, unable to move for two turns, or both, depending on if you throw multiple at a single target. Explosion Damage Some clever player might make use of the demolitions skill and use explosive materials or weapons to attack. Explosions vary in power depending on the charge used, but typically, those caught in the blast will take 5d10 damage non armour piercing damage, which can be negated by armour. A GM may grant additional damage dice or bonuses, or remove them, depending on how well the bomb was crafted. Bombs also have an area of effect which can be 4 squares, all the way up to maybe eight or ten. Characters entering critical damage due to explosions have the siege/explosion effects applied. Poisons Serephin/ Skathe Venom: Venom extracted from serephin/skathe fangs. Administration: Via blood. Cure: Venom extract mixed with wild parket antidote. Effect: Target makes resistance check. If fails, target paralysed for 1d10 turns. Result: Effect wears off on its own if not treated after 20 mins. Price: 200 Sancs per 1 use.

Shriek: Hallucinogen extracted from baleroot Administration: Via blood or ingestion. Cure: None Effect: Target makes resistance check. If fails, target is haunted by hallucinations and cannot act for 1d5 turns. They scream, flee, and generally make a scene. Result: Effect wears off after 10 mins. Target possibly makes WIL check to avoid stability loss Price: 150 Sancs per 1 use Dream: Hallucinogen secreted from dream toads. Administration: Contact Cure: None Effect: Target makes a resistance check, if willing. If fails, the target is carried into a realm filled with happy thoughts and surrounded by things they love. They will generally try to interact with these visions, but in reality, they will be touching and talking to nothing but air. For 1d5 turns, everything they do is influenced by the poison. Result: Effect wears off after 10 mins. Target may have to make WIL or resistance check to avoid gaining an addiction. Price: 100 Sancs per 1 use. Blight Iron Dust: Filing or dust of blight iron mixed with water Administration: Via blood, inhalation or contact. Cure: Adrenaline shot. Effect: Target makes resistance check. If fails, target falls into anaphylactic shock and takes 2d10 damage per turn until death. Result: Without treatment, character will die. Price: 400 sancs per 1 use. Dusk: Cyanide extract from pine peaches Administration: Ingestion Cure: Squillstone extract Effect: Character succeeds in hard resistance check, or is overcome with excruciating pain in their stomach which quickly spreads to heart and lungs. Character dies after several minutes, or 3 turns. Result: Without the cure, the character will die. Price: 1000 Sancs per 1 use. Azophene: Sedative made from taepah extract, tran-quills, and pollup oil. Administration: Via blood or ingestion Cure: Blue dash extract may help. Effect: Target makes resistance roll. If fails, target takes 2d10 stun every turn until falling unconscious. Result: The character can fall asleep for up to two hours. Overdosing azophene can be lethal. Price: 450 Sancs per 1 use. Dozophene: Mild sedative made from watered down azophene. Administration: Via blood or ingestion Cure: None required.

Effect: Target feels sleepy. If the sedative gets into their system stealthily, they will assume their tiredness is natural, and will go home to sleep. Result: Character will want to sleep. Price: 90 Sancs at some shops, free when prescribed by doctor as sleep aids. All of the above are considered illegal except azophene and dozophene. Azophene is acceptable if you have a licence for it; usually given to hunters and animal handlers who want to sedate beasts. Players can craft their own brand new poisons if discussed with the GM.

Medicine Antibiotic Salve: Salve made from cleanweed paste. Administration: Apply to affected area. Effect: Wounds caught early will not become infected once closed. Price: 50 Sancs per 1 use. Free if prescribed by doctor. Painkillers: Small pills or mixes made from thraybell Administration: Ingestion: Effect: Pain is lessened. Characters can briefly ignore wound and infection penalties. Can be used in patch ups. Price: 40 Sancs per 1 use. Free if prescribed by doctor. Bandages: Linen or braid wraps. Administration: Wrap around wound. Effect: bleeding is slowed. Can be used in patch ups to heal 1d10 damage. Price: 20 Sancs per 1 use. Free if prescribed by doctor. Digestive Aid: Stomach pain deterrent made from a plant called easer Administration: Ingestion: Effect: Can remove the effects of food poisoning. Price: 20 Sancs per 1 use. Free if prescribed by doctor. Insomnia Aid: Chewable tran-quills Administration: Ingestion Effect: Makes characters with night terrors or insomnia have a +10 modifier when resisting their condition. Price: 30 Sancs per 1 use. Free if prescribed by doctor. Adrenaline: Pulse accelerating life saving medicine required to stop serious allergic reactions or give people a chance of recovering from shock induced deaths. Administration: Injection Effect: Fights off anaphylactic shock, and can pull people from death if used quickly. Can be used in patch ups. Price: 100 Sancs per 1 use. Doctors may prescribe if you suffer from serious allergies.

Pep Pills: Simple condensed pills made from blue dash extract. Administration: Ingestion Effect: Returns some stun points and fights off the effects of fatigue for an hour. Price: 40 Sancs per 1 use. Venom Antidote: Venom extract mixed with wild parket. Administration: Injection Effect: Ceases the effects of the venom. Can be used in patch ups. Price: 60 Sancs per 1 use. Dusk Antidote: Antidote made from a squillstone. Administration: Ingestion Effect: Ceases the effects of dusk, and saves your life. Price: 120 Sancs. Free if rushed to you by doctor. Anaesthetic: Extract of sleight spider venom. Administration: Injection Effect: Numbs an area to prevent pain during surgery. Price: 45 sancs per use. Free if used by professional doctor. Cure: Disease cures Administration: Depends on the disease. Effect: Abolishes the disease. Price: Only available from doctors for free. Object Dryon Ingot Lilikine vial Lumitek Pouch Aquaplume chunk Cast Pot Wool Bag Charcoal Bag Coal Sack Thermal flask Clocks Blasting Charge Box of matches (20) Telescope Compass Waterskin Cinderstone Glowsticks (5) Low Quality Food (3) Medium Quality Food (3) High Quality Food (1) Cooking Ingredients Purpose Makes shattering bullets. Makes atmometers and euhedral gear. Makes glowsticks. Alkali metal that explodes when wet. A pot of cast to sculpt with. A bag of wool for filling or tailoring. Bag of charcoal to burn or make a forge with Sack of coal for furnaces and smelters. Stores heated soup or liquid. Time keeping device thats still rarely used. Charge made from gunpowder for mining. Makes fire. Allows far away things to appear closer. Always points magnetic north. Water storage pouch made from animal organ. Heat storing stone that can be worn on person. Glowing sticks used for cave and ruin exploration. Glowsticks last 3 hours each. Stale, bad or poorly farmed food. Dried meat, fruits and vegetables, baked goods. Delicacies, fresh meat and exotic fruits and vegetables. Gives temporary plot points. Spices, flavourings, cooking oil, honey, etc Cost/Legality 100 S 200 S 50 S 250 S 50 S 50 S 100 S 200 S 90 S 300 S 550 S 20 S 80 S 60 S 20 S 250 S 150 S 5S 10 S 25 S 5S

Simple tools

Advanced Tools Simple Clothing Noble Clothing Drugs Lumber Tinder Feathers (20) Bait Glue Small Animal Parts Medium Animal Parts Large Animal Parts Rare Animal Parts Common Reagents Rare Reagents Leather sheet Sledder Sled Woolorth Carriage Clap Trap Snare Trap Crockery Soap Oil Flask Oil Lantern Wax block Caged Ember Shrike Starl Cosmetics Sleep Sheathe Hide tents Paints and Dyes Rope Braid Rope

Simple pickaxes, pestles, mortars, writing implements, hatchets, vials, tinderboxes, fishing rods, musical instruments; Etc. Tough picks, expert crafting kits, looms, blacksmithing appliances, alchemical appliances. Simple practical outfits; hoods, cloaks, bandoliers, shirts, boots, etc. Expensive, luxurious clothing; robes, silk garments, fancy suits, jewellery etc. Popshrooms, jerryrig, histax, witherack. Hardwood or softwood lumber for crafting. Easy to ignite scraps of wood and other flammable materials. Feathers for tailoring or fletching. Fishing or animal bait made from food or pheromone glands. Sticky adhesive made from hooves or resin. Hopflop parts, syse parts, sledder parts, etc. Jurnice, bekapi, squill, etc Sleeper, saberl, thermotus, bask, etc Vex-Eye, Presider, Whale Squid, etc. Reagents common to the area containing the shop. Reagents rare to the area containing the shop. Sheet of treated leather to cut and craft with. Faithful sledder companion. Can pull sleds. Wooden means of pulled transport. Large ridable mount animal. Small, medium or large woolorth drawn cart Brutal fanged trap that snaps shut on legs. Trap that ties down a catch. Pots, pans, general kitchen equipment Soap made from blubber. Used for cleaning. Oil made from blubber. Used for burning. Oil burning hand held lantern. 1 oil lasts 1 hour. Used for crafting various things, like candles. Bird that glows when night falls. Pet starl to train and love Shaving equipment, skin care products, hair care products, etc. Comfy sleeping bag lined with down and fur. Small, medium or large hide tents for shelter. Coloured mixtures made with pigments. Simple coil of rope. Stronger, sturdier rope for exploration and climbing. Can also be used to make braid armour.

20 100 S

100-200 S 30- 60 S 100 300 S 100 -600 S (I) 120 S per log 20 S per fire. 30 S 20-70 S 40 S 30-50 S 40-70 S 150-300 S 600- 1000 S 25 S 75 S 60 S 450 S 250 S 1000 S 750-2500 S 100 S 30 S 30 S 20 S 60 S 80 S 30 S 250 S 500 S 30- 60 S 40 S 50 150 S 35 S 30 S 100 S

Services Taxi Service Blacksmithing ForgeWorks Smith Restaurant Tavern Tailor Trainer Mercenaries Assassins Alchemist Doctor Tamer Psychologist Herald Servant Escort Veterinarian

Purpose Guides that will cart you around the world. Ask a smith to make something for you. Ask a well equipped blacksmith to make something more exotic for you. High quality food without the crafting. Serves drinks and lets beds. Fitted clothes made for you. A character who can teach you new skills. Fighters who will do anything for money. Professional assassins who will attempt to dispatch your target for a price. Ask an alchemist to create a remedy or poison for you. Medical professional who will help fix you up. Someone who trains your animals for you. Someone who helps you with your mental trauma Someone who will spread news for you. A servant who will carry your equipment, polish your shoes and tend to your animals. Brothel dwelling courtesans there to satisfy any amorous desires. Someone who will help your injured animals.

Cost/Legality Distance Based 100 S service charge on top of items cost 200 S service charge on top of items cost. 30 S 2 S per drink, 15 per night. 50 S service charge + materials. 500-2000 S 500 S each 1000 S 100 S service charge on top of items cost. Free 100 S per session. 150 S per session. 150 S 40 S per day 100 S(Illegal with birth control) 250 S

If players can think of any other things theyd like to buy that are not on these lists, which could be extremely likely, then just ask, and the GM will use all of the tables above as reference to decide a price. If you wish to buy the metal ingots that make up a piece of armour, the GM is encouraged to take a division of the armours price and use that figure as the price of a single ingot. Crafting or harvesting your own items or materials should always be cheaper than buying them. Houses on Rime are very cheap to buy, but not that cheap to build. Since Rime is so under populated, many houses lie empty, abandoned, waiting for someone to come along and move in. Fancy houses will cost considerably more than shacks and such, but in comparison to most worlds, fictitious or otherwise, houses are incredibly cheap. Homes Small Cottage Medium Cottage Large Cottage Shack Small Manor Purpose Small 2 bedroom house. Quaint and pleasant. 3 bedroom house with decent sized living area and kitchen. 4 bedroom house with all the facilities a family, or indeed a group of adventurers would need. Tiny single roomed shack with small kitchen area. A luxurious 2 bedroom manor house with a scenic layout and ideal location. Likely owns a small amount of ground to expand upon too. Cost/Legality 3000 S 5000 S 7000 S 1200 S 10,000 S

Medium Manor

Large Manor Simple Furniture Decorative Furniture

Antique Furniture

Garden

Extensions Forge Smelter Lab Concealed Room Defensive Wall Stables Armoury

A 4 bedroom manor with impressive architecture and decorative beams/columns to support it. Owns a little more ground than a small manor. A huge eight bedroom manor with acres of land, cutting edge plumbing and expensive facilities. A simple piece of furniture; bed, table, chairs, cushions, desks, wardrobes, etc Expensive decorative furniture to give a home a more regal, gothic or generally stylised feel. Includes claw footed baths and desks, grandfather clocks, large elegant double beds, etc Very pricey and interesting furniture that dates back before recorded history. No one really knows how made it, or if they were even human, but they exist and can be found in some antique shops. A small to large garden filled with flower beds or vegetable patches. You need to own land to have a garden. Extensions upon your house include; more bedrooms, conservatories, greenhouses, towers, etc. Blacksmiths forge to craft tools, weapons and armour. Large smelter to melt metals. Alchemy lab with cutting edge appliances. Concealed room to hide yourself or objects in. A wall to defend your home from beasts and bandits A place to house your woolorths. A room to display your weapons, armour and trophies.

16,000 S

30,000 S 50-200 S per piece. 200-500 S per piece.

600- 1200 per piece.

400 S to fill with flowers and create allotments. 2000-6000 S 500 S (plus charcoal) 900 S (plus coal) 3000 S 3500 S 1500 S per house size 750 S 2500 S

Campaign Add-ons
Rime has a series of add-on campaigns and full expansions to play around with. These additional features add onto the games current mechanics. Every one of Rimes mechanics are kept the same, but in the add-ons and expansions, you can find new weapons, new playable races, entirely new branches of technology, new prehistoric creatures and plants, a host of new enemies to destroy and a league of heroes to utilise. Add-ons are small campaign packs that use Rime mostly as it is. Expansions transform the world, placing the players during The Amber Reckoning (Skaal invasion, future) or The Rift War (Lysus Era, past), among other crucial times in Rimes history.

The Gods That Bled

The Gods That Bled add-on is a series of stats, descriptions and rules/mechanics for all known members of the Genesis Clutch and items relating to them in the Rime setting. These rules can be used for the Timeless War, where the divines served as soldiers or after the Leyweave when they were seen as gods. All of the Divines share the same race, background and origin. Theyre also all capable of flight (except for Solei) and theyre all ambidextrous. Race Evolved Lysus: A genetically enhanced member of the once powerful lysus species. Characters with this race have far more attribute points (150-170) than their mortal counterparts, along with powerful ley abilities. Origin The War Room: Emerging from a suspension fluid capsule into the Divines war room, the character immediately has access to unique high tier weapons and armour. Background The Prime Directive: All evolved lysus were built for the soul reason of combating the formless. An urge to fight must always be suppressed, but when they fight, they fight with unique abilities inaccessible to humans/vermus/fenrye and other races. Role-playing a Divine The Divines of Rime are not what they initially seem. One might assume theyre wise and perfect like every other God-like being in every other fantasy setting, but this is far from the truth. The Divines are in fact, not divine. Theyre not omnipotent or all-powerful. Theyre physical beings with bodies and minds, dragged into a conflict before theyd even hatched. Each Divine is a genetic experiment, a super soldier, designed with the one sole purpose of eradicating the Prime Directive. But with each manifestation of the Divines, the genetic source has degraded. Over the millions of years of warfare, each reincarnation is a little more flawed, a little weaker, and a little more unpredictable. It is only though dozens of deaths that they became who they are now, and they are far from perfect. Theyre real people, with real problems, concerns, faults, loves, hates and relationships. Their bond with one another has only grown stronger in war. Theyve lived and died together for longer than they can remember, and they would never ever consider turning on one another. When playing as a Divine, youre a member of a family first and a powerful death-dealing machine second.

Hyde (The Deep One, Torrentmeygol)

Weapon: The Tide Turner (Trident)

Hyde is the Divine of water. Imbued with the powers to manipulate almost any form of liquid, Hyde is a powerful force to behold. His primary weapon is the trident, but during the technological advances, he was seen to carry a number of different ranged weapons, eventually wielding a set of flintlock pistols. Hyde was often seen as a role of authority, directing the other Divines as he saw fit. His mood was brutally inconsistent, however, and even the most insignificant stimuli could cause severe swings. STR 40 HP/SP 50 DEX 40 STA 65 INT 30 INI 16 45 70 0 70 75 75 80 70 80 0 0 80 80 40 120 AWA 40 WT/ST 17 CHA 40 TT 13 WIL 35 RES 20 0 40 70 70 40 50 0 40 80 80 40 40 60 60 70 ADA 10 Weapon Trydan Trident 3d10 +8 +STR/3 AP 4 4x Flintlock pistols 2d10 +4 Bul Dam 14 AP 9 Armour Head None Body 8 AV, 5 ER Hands None Feet 8 AV, 5 ER

(ADA)Animal Handling (STR)Climb (INT)Crafting (INT)Demolitions (WIL)Discipline (DEX)Fray (CHA)Intimidation (STR)Melee Blade (STR) M- Spec/Imp- Polearm: (INT)Performance (DEX)RW Force (DEX)RW Powder (AWA)Riding (DEX)Sleight of Hand (STR)Swim

(INT)Artistry (DEX)Covert (CHA)Deception (CHA)Diplomacy (DEX)Disable (DEX)Free-Running (INT)Medicine (STR)Melee Blunt (AWA)Perception (INT)Profession- Sailor: (DEX)RW Mechanical (DEX)RW Thrown (WIL)Sense (ADA)Survival Navigation: (STR)Unarmed

(INT) Knowledge The High Seas: 90. Aquatic Life: 80 Positive Traits Combat Artist (Major) Flight (Natural) Leadership (Major) Disciplined (Minor) Nature Lover The Ocean (Major) Hydromancy (Major) Further information below

Negative Traits Tidal Consistency (Major) Hate The Prime Directive (Major) Unadapted (Major) Sore thumb (Minor) Emotional Attachment Ship (Minor) Greedy (Minor)

Unique Combat Ability Hydromancy allows Hyde to deliver enormous amounts of damage when in the vicinity of bodies of water. When water is within line of sight, Hyde is able to deliver 5d10 damage to every target he can see per turn. This is the most powerful AoE in the game.

Luma (The Skyguard, Lunelatek)

Weapon: The Setting Sun (Staff)

Luma is the Divine of Flame and generator of the pyroley. Shes a fiery and enthusiastic socialite, often spending time with the mortal races when she could. Unlike Driff, Luma preferred a more mature crowd. She engaged in several activities the others would avoid like the plague. For example, shes the only divine who enjoys alcohol, and the only one who was sexually active before the war hit. Confident, aggressive and quick to react, Luma was the burning torch of the Seven. STR 45 HP/SP 50 DEX 35 STA 65 INT 35 INI 13 AWA 30 WT/ST 17 CHA 40 TT 13 WIL 30 RES 50 0 70 80 80 45 50 70 45 70 0 35 35 60 60 90 ADA 25 Weapon Pyron Staff, 3d10 +8 +STR/3 AP 5 Pyron Gauntlets 3d10 +3 +STR/15 AP 8 Armour Head None Body 2 AV, 4 ER Hands 14 AV, 3 ER Feet None Negative Traits Amorous (Minor) Addiction- Socialising, fun, etc (Major) Unadapted (Major) Sore thumb (Minor) Fiery Personality (Major) Anger Issues (Major)

(ADA)Animal Handling 35 (STR)Climb 75 (INT)Crafting 0 (INT)Demolitions 0 (WIL)Discipline 40 (DEX)Fray 70 (CHA)Intimidation 80 (STR)Melee Blade 45 (STR)M- Spec/Imp Staff/Improv:70 (INT)Performance Flame Show 70 (DEX)RW Force 0 (DEX)RW Powder 35 (AWA)Riding 30 (DEX)Sleight of Hand 70 (STR)Swim 60

(INT)Artistry (DEX)Covert (CHA)Deception (CHA)Diplomacy (DEX)Disable (DEX)Free-Running (INT)Medicine Surgery: (STR)Melee Blunt (AWA)Perception (INT)Profession(DEX)RW Mechanical (DEX)RW Thrown (WIL)Sense (ADA)Survival Navigation: (STR)Unarmed

(INT) Knowledge Culture: 80. Lysus Technology: 70 Positive Traits Combat Artist (Major) Flight (Natural) Lightning Reflexes (Major) Steel Fists (Minor) Alluring Presence (Major) Exploit Brawler (Major) Further information below

Unique Combat Ability Exploit Brawler allows Luma to make use of her additional limb in combat; in this case, her tail. Luma can use her tail in a third attack per multiple attack action with the same penalties as an ambidextrous offhand attack. This means she can attack with her right hand with no penalties, her left hand with a -20, and her tail with a -20. With a potential of 3 full attacks per turn, Luma has a possible output of 9 attacks per turn.

Driff (The Great Storm, RasshaMey)

Squall & Storm (Dual Swords)

Driff is the divine of air, and creator of the aeroley. Driff is a naive but often brilliant individual. Whilst she may come across as dim-witted, her innocence is usually more to blame rather than her lack of intelligence. Shes a creative genius, able to create outstanding works of art, most of which the world has never seen. Shes an incredibly kind and passionate soul, very loyal and slightly fragile. During the Divines Reign, Driff was often considered the favourite, despite her inability to fix her attention or understand some rather important aspects of life. STR 25 HP/SP 33 DEX 45 STA 70 INT 45 INI 16 AWA 45 WT/ST 11 CHA 45 TT 14 WIL 25 RES 20 ADA 10

(ADA)Animal Handling 40 (STR)Climb 25 (INT)Crafting 0 (INT)Demolitions 0 (WIL)Discipline 25 (DEX)Fray 80 (CHA)Intimidation 50 (STR)Melee Blade 1hSwords:60 (STR) M- Spec/Imp 0 (INT)Performance Music: 100 (DEX)RW Force 0 (DEX)RW Powder 45 (AWA)Riding 45 (DEX)Sleight of Hand 70 (STR)Swim 35

(INT)Artistry Painting, Sculpting:100 (DEX)Covert 50 (CHA)Deception 45 (CHA)Diplomacy 80 (DEX)Disable 45 (DEX)Free-Running 75 (INT)Medicine 0 (STR)Melee Blunt 25 (AWA)Perception 80 (INT)Profession0 (DEX)RW Mechanical 45 (DEX)RW Thrown 80 (WIL)Sense 60 (ADA)Survival Navigation: 60 (STR)Unarmed 70

Weapon 2x Sylph Shortsword 3d10 +5 +STR/5 AP 5 Armour Head None Body 14 AV, 3ER Hands None Feet 14 AV, 3ER

(INT) Knowledge People: 85. Art: 85 Positive Traits Creative Genius (Major) Flight (Natural) Lightning Reflexes (Major) Perpetual Smiling (Minor) Animal Empathy (Major) Zephyr (Major) Further information below Negative Traits Drifting Whimsy (Major) Hate The Prime Directive (Major) Unadapted (Major) Sore thumb (Minor) Squeamish (Minor) Cowardly (Minor)

Unique Combat Ability Zephyr allows players to choose whether or not to knock back a target when successfully striking them with a ranged or melee attack. If the player would like to knock back a target, they roll a d10 and half the result. The target flies that many squares in a direction of Driffs choosing.

Korl (The Quaker, KrenNuus)

Weapon: Braknium Constructs

Korl, the Divine of Stone, Earth and creator of the geoley, is the purest embodiment of patience and calm. Korl was slow to act, but his actions were often final. He never engaged in menial aspects of life, forsaking luxuries such as breathing and moving. When there was no situation that immediately required his input, he would simply stop, standing perfectly still for sometimes years at a time. Entire settlements were constructed around these pause points in Korls life. Korls power was formidable, but he needed the perfect reason to act. STR 50 HP/SP 67 DEX 15 STA 85 INT 35 INI 10 50 50 70 70 90 15 40 85 0 0 0 45 45 15 0 AWA 35 WT/ST 22 CHA 5 TT 14 WIL 50 RES 100 100 15 45 35 15 15 0 85 80 0 45 15 80 60 70 ADA 50

(ADA)Animal Handling (STR)Climb (INT)Crafting Masonry: (INT)Demolitions (WIL)Discipline (DEX)Fray (CHA)Intimidation (STR)Melee Blade Swords: (STR)M- Spec/Imp (INT)Performance (DEX)RW Force (DEX)RW Powder (AWA)Riding (DEX)Sleight of Hand (STR)Swim

(INT)Artistry- Sculping (DEX)Covert (CHA)Deception (CHA)Diplomacy (DEX)Disable (DEX)Free-Running (INT)Medicine (STR)Melee Blunt Maces: (AWA)Perception (INT)Profession(DEX)RW Mechanical (DEX)RW Thrown (WIL)Sense (ADA)Survival Navigation: (STR)Unarmed

Weapon Braknium Constructs 3d10 +8,5,3 +STR/3, 5, 15 AP 4,5,8 Natural Armour Head 15 AV Body 15 AV Hands 15 AV Feet 15 AV

(INT) Knowledge Geography 85. News: 75 Positive Traits Heavy Tolerance (Minor) Flight (Natural) Natural Armour (15, Natural) Unfazed (Major) Gut Instinct (Major) Shaper (Major) Further information below Negative Traits Patient as The Earth (Major) Brutal Honesty (Minor) Vice Grip (Minor) Humourless (Minor) Snails Pace (Major) Stone Buoyancy (Minor)

Unique Combat Ability Shaper allows Korl to create any item available in the game provided it doesnt have advanced mechanics. Furthermore, he can do this as a minor action during combat. Korl can also increase his own mass, dealing lethal damage to those hes stood upon or striking. When succeeding in both attack and cast, Korl can defeat most enemies in a single swing. For boss characters, the GM is encouraged to issue around 8d10 armour negating damage. This is a single target per turn attack

Glace (The Pale Master, Krosinox)

Weapon: Dark Prognosis (Sword)

Glace is the logical and calculating master of the cryoley, and Divine of cold. Glace is extremely intelligent, and he knows this more than well. He can come across as narcissistic or arrogant when talking, but ultimately he works to better the future. Unlike the others, however, Glaces mind is still firmly set upon destroying The Prime Directive and bringing back the people which created him. He is fascinated by all things lysus, especially their technology and scientific wonders. Late in his existence, Glace became the master of The Palecallers, and dedicated his life to preserving The Pale. STR 35 HP/SP 50 DEX 35 STA 100 INT 60 INI 15 20 50 80 70 90 15 40 70 0 0 70 70 40 35 35 AWA 40 WT/ST 17 CHA 20 TT 20 WIL 40 RES 20 ADA 10 Weapon 1H Ivoryon Sword 3d10 +5 +STR/5 AP 5 Armour Head None Body AV 14, ER 3 Hands None Feet AV 14, ER 3

(ADA)Animal Handling (STR)Climb (INT)Crafting Ancient Tech: (INT)Demolitions (WIL)Discipline (DEX)Fray (CHA)Intimidation (STR)Melee Blade Swords: (STR)M- Spec/Imp (INT)Performance (DEX)RW Force - Bows (DEX)RW Powder (AWA)Riding (DEX)Sleight of Hand (STR)Swim

(INT)Artistry 0 (DEX)Covert 35 (CHA)Deception 45 (CHA)Diplomacy 45 (DEX)Disable 70 (DEX)Free-Running 45 (INT)Medicine Disease, Cures: 95 (STR)Melee Blunt 35 (AWA)Perception 75 (INT)Profession- Technician: 95 (DEX)RW Mechanical: Leygun 70 (DEX)RW Thrown 70 (WIL)Sense 75 (ADA)Survival Navigation: 60 (STR)Unarmed 35

(INT) Knowledge Technology 95. War: 95. History: 95 Positive Traits Eidetic Memory (Minor) Flight (Natural) Controlled (Major) Technologically Adept (Major) Combat Artist (Major) Combat Calculations (Major) Further information below Negative Traits Cold Logic (Major) Narcissism (Minor) Unadapted (Major Traumatic Visions (Major) Socially Awkward (Minor) Sore Thumb (Minor)

Unique Combat Ability Combat Calculations allows Glace to carefully run simulations and projections in his mind as a minor action. Following this, Glace is able to ricochet ranged projectiles around corners and behind cover, negating cover bonuses. In addition to this, Glace also gains +10 to called shots. This stacks with the + 5 bonus from the controlled trait, meaning he has +15 to all called shots.

Matern (The Den Mother, Eonfeygorl)

Weapon: None

Matern is the graceful but fearsome Divine of life. With the abilities to cure practically any ailment, drag people from the threshold of death, and even create new life forms, Matern is arguably the most powerful of the Seven. Unlike the others, Matern was not able to shrug off the catastrophic results of the Faith War. Angered and alone, she fled the continent of Sovreignous to the Scarred Lands, where she created a new race that would never, ever betray her; the fenrye. She guards her children with ferocity, and would do anything to ensure their safety. STR 30 HP/SP 50 DEX 30 STA 85 INT 40 INI 14 60 50 80 0 80 65 75 30 0 75 75 0 60 50 50 AWA 40 WT/ST 17 CHA 40 TT 17 WIL 45 RES 30 ADA 15 Weapon None Armour Head None Body None Hands None Feet None

(ADA)Animal Handling (STR)Climb (INT)Crafting (INT)Demolitions (WIL)Discipline (DEX)Fray (CHA)Intimidation (STR)Melee Blade (STR)M- Spec/Imp (INT)Performance Speeches: (DEX)RW Force - Bows (DEX)RW Powder (AWA)Riding (DEX)Sleight of Hand (STR)Swim

(INT)Artistry 0 (DEX)Covert 30 (CHA)Deception 80 (CHA)Diplomacy 80 (DEX)Disable 30 (DEX)Free-Running 50 (INT)Medicine All Fields: 95 (STR)Melee Blunt 30 (AWA)Perception 75 (INT)Profession- Den Mother: 95 (DEX)RW Mechanical 30 (DEX)RW Thrown 30 (WIL)Sense 85 (ADA)Survival All Fields: 60 (STR)Unarmed 50

(INT) Knowledge Flora 95. Fauna: 95. Positive Traits Negative Traits

Blender (Minor) Maternal Instinct (Major) Flight (Natural) Promise Protect the mortals (Major) Love (Fellow Divines, Fenrye) (Major) Hate The Prime Directive (Major Leadership (Major) Unadapted (Major) Pheromones (Minor) Emotional Attachment Divines, Fenrye (Minor) Limitless Transformer (Major) Further information below Unique Combat Ability Limitless Transformer allows Matern to take on forms greater or smaller than her own body mass. Covert Transformations: +10-50 to all DEX checks. Tiny stature trait can be gained. Combat Transformations: +10-50 to all STR checks. +2-8d10 damage. Huge stature can be gained Charisma transformations: +10-50 to all CHA checks. Deception checks are vastly improved. Matern can also gain AWA bonuses when transforming, but is always cold blooded. ADA remains low

Nox (The Ender, Noctahmork)

Weapon: Ruin (Scythe)

Nox, the creator of the necroley, is the psychotic but docile divine of death. Nox was always difficult to converse with. When he wasnt going off on bizarre tangents relating to his morbid fascinations, he was making inappropriate jokes and cackling at them, manically. Whilst Nox has the ability to strip the life from any victim he can see, he remained passive throughout known history. What came before then, however, is anybodys guess. Nox often teased his fellow Divines with cruel jokes and insults, but even in his insanity he was able to comprehend how much he needed them. STR 45 HP/SP 57 DEX 35 STA 75 INT 35 INI 17 -32 55 76 Boom 75 60 9999 30 85 75 35 70 80 53 60 AWA 45 WT/ST 19 CHA 25 TT 15 WIL 40 RES 20 ADA 10 Weapon 2H Havoc Scythe 3d10 +8 +STR/3 AP 4 Armour Head None Body AV 14, ER 3 Hands AV 14 ER 3 Feet AV 14, ER 3

(ADA)Animal Handling (STR)Climb (INT)Crafting - Totems: (INT)Demolitions (WIL)Discipline (DEX)Fray (CHA)Intimidation (STR)Melee Blade (STR)M- Spec/Imp Scythe: (INT)Performance Theatre: (DEX)RW Force (DEX)RW Powder (???)Giggling (DEX)Sleight of Hand Meat (STR)Swim

(INT)Artistry Tuesdays: 87 (DEX)Covert (CHA)Deception 55 (CHA)Diplomacy (DEX)Disable 50 (DEX)Free-Running 50 (INT)Medicine Dissection: 1 (STR)Melee Blunt 45 (AWA)Perception 80 (INT)Profession- Number Picker:100 (DEX)RW Mechanical- Leygun:65 (DEX)RW Thrown 35 (WIL)Sense 85 (ADA)Survival Survivings for wimps (STR)Unarmed 75

(INT) Knowledge Philosophy 80. Psychology: 95. Positive Traits Combat Artist (Major) Flight (Natural) Intimidating Presence (Major) Leadership (Major) Heavy Tolerance (Minor) Death Walks (Major) Further information below Negative Traits Morbid Fascination (Major) Death Wish (Major) Clown (Minor) Inappropriate (Minor) Unadapted (Major) Insanity (Major)

Unique Combat Ability Death Walks is a powerful necroley ability that emanates from Nox like an aura. If Noxs enemy is within his line of sight for 2+ turns, Nox can immediately kill that target as a minor action when his turn arrives. Furthermore, Nox can use either perception or sense to detect his victims and make a cast, meaning darkness will not help.

Solei (The Beacon, Fayshalei)

Weapon: Feather (Hammer)

Solei is the Divine of Light. She emerged during The Beast War after her birthing chamber was attacked. Solei is a loyal and committed soldier, dedicated to the eradication of the Prime Directive. As a sign of her duty, her primary weapon (her hammer) is bound to her wrist by an ebonstone chain. Solei is obsessive and stern, totally and utterly focused on the true goal, even when challenged with alternative threats. She will do whatever it takes to defeat The Formless, even if that costs her this life. Solei was born with genetic defects however, and is therefore the weakest Divine. STR 45 HP/SP 57 DEX 40 STA 75 INT 35 INI 15 AWA 35 WT/ST 19 CHA 25 TT 15 WIL 40 RES 20 ADA 10

(ADA)Animal Handling 10 (STR)Climb 45 (INT)Crafting 0 (INT)Demolitions 0 (WIL)Discipline 75 (DEX)Fray 70 (CHA)Intimidation 55 (STR)Melee Blade 1HSword: 70 (STR)M- Spec/Imp Improv: 70 (INT)Performance 0 (DEX)RW Force 40 (DEX)RW Powder 0 (AWA)Riding 60 (DEX)Sleight of Hand 50 (STR)Swim 45

(INT)Artistry 0 (DEX)Covert 40 (CHA)Deception 25 (CHA)Diplomacy 25 (DEX)Disable 40 (DEX)Free-Running 40 (INT)Medicine 0 (STR)Melee Blunt- Hammers: 85 (AWA)Perception 70 (INT)Profession- Soldier: 70 (DEX)RW Mechanical- Leygun 75 (DEX)RW Thrown- Hammers 30 (WIL)Sense 75 (ADA)Survival First Aid: 45 (STR)Unarmed 70

Weapon 1H Hammer. 3d10 +5 +STR/5 AP 5 Thown 3d10 +8 AP 4 Armour Head None Body AV 14, ER 3 Hands Feet AV 14, ER 3 Negative Traits

(INT) Knowledge The Lysus 80. The Prime Directive: 75. Positive Traits Combat Artist (Major) Lightning Reflexes (Major) Speedy (Major) Needless (Minor) Unfazed (Major) Light Speed (Major) Further information below

Colour-blind (Major) Photosensitive (Major) Vigilantism (Minor) Hatred The Prime Directive (Major) Odd Compulsion Solei always brings up the Prime Directive, and always fights it. (Major) Unadapted (Major)

Unique Combat Ability Light Speed is an ability exclusive to Solei. Using Light Speed, Solei can travel any distance on the battle map as a minor action, and move between attacks. She can attack up to three enemies per turn with standard multiple attack rules , and then end her turn at any point on the map. She can also sprint up walls and run across bodies of water without needing to make checks.

Roleplaying Assets: Luma Luma enjoys attention. She has a sharp wit and warm presence, but can never shake off aspects of desire that boil within her. Shell try to break away from the mundane in favour of something more exciting. She enjoys the simple pleasures in life, and struggles to properly function without them. Luma will happily put herself first if shes able to get some enjoyment or satisfaction when proceeding. Deep down, however, she wants to help the mortals, and strives to do so. Roleplaying Assets: Hyde Hyde, whilst never truly being perceived as villainous, sometimes came across as such. He was often quick to temper, and following the humans betrayal against him in the Faith War, he developed a prejudice against them. He respects his fellow divines, but often attempts to assert authority over them, usually without much effect. After the Faith War, he became leader of the skitaxie people. Roleplaying Assets: Driff Driff was kind hearted and innocent, but often to such extremes that it was hard to perceive as a good thing. She had a weak spot for her friends, often prioritising them over more important, pressing issues. Driff loved to play and create, but struggled to comprehend mature topics. Roleplaying Assets: Korl Korl was eternally patient, which presented its own problems. Korl would only act when he himself deemed acting totally necessary. He spoke very slowly and calmly with little to no emotion, but only spoke when he really needed to. Korl spent a large percentage of his existence simply standing still in a single location, waiting for something to come along that would require his assistance. Roleplaying Assets: Glace Glace was extremely intelligent and calculating, often focusing on sums and simulations internally during most conversations and fights. He would never act spontaneously, always judging his actions based on logic and sense. He never let emotions cloud his judgement, and rarely displayed any sort of charisma, but occasionally shards of sharp wit and humour came into play. Roleplaying Assets: Matern Matern is stern, motherly and protective of almost all life forms. To her, the world is something that needs a guardian, even if that guardian has to resort to harsh discipline and despicable acts at times to keep it safe. Shed do anything if it was ultimately for the greater good of the planet. Matern was also a formidable but loving leader, and often developed a weak spot for her fenrye alphas. Roleplaying Assets: Nox Nox was often perceived as straight-up psychotic. Nox always had a hood pulled over his eyes, and it was a wonder how he could even see, but however that lizard saw the world, it wasnt the same as the mortals. He found the funny side in everything, and even in his pursuit of a perfect death, he never stopped grinning like a maniac. His insane cackle was something that lingered in the mind. Roleplaying Assets: Solei Solei, despite her genetic faults, is determined, steel-willed and dedicated to her purpose; The Prime Directive. Her entire life is about war and victory. She cant go off on tangents or even properly rest, as she must always be fighting or planning to fight. She cant help but bring up the Prime Directive in even menial conversations. Without the fight, she doesnt know who she is.

The Mists
The Mists is an add-on for all leyborn and casts. The add-on expands upon all leyborn rules in the game, distributes casts into various skill levels, adds difficulty factors, and adds five new types of ley.

Basic Casts Basic casts are abilities that leyborn can use without any extensive training. Theyre able to cast these abilities without any practice. Basic casts are available from the first tier of leyborn: That is, theyre available before the leyborn develops his/her leys negative trait. As usual, a character has to activate their abilities with a double WIL check. The cast then requires another WIL check or a perception check, depending on whether or not it requires a focal point. Non-focused check: WILx2 Focused Check: Perception or Sense Single Target Damage/Heal: 5d10. Often armour negating. If not, 9AP. Multiple Target Damage/Heal: 3d10 per target. 3x3 radius/3 square line/1-3 cone projection. 9AP. Debuff Single Target: Target is blinded/rooted/frozen/etc. Lasts 1d2 turns. Debuff multiple target: Same radius as target AOE. Targets are debuffed for 1 turn. Terrain Alteration: 1d10/2 squares radius, or in a line, depending on cast. Constructs: Lasts 1d2 turns. If attacks, deals 4d10 on single target. Gear use tier 6 stats. Advanced Casts Advanced casts are abilities that become available once you reach the first tier of your negative leyborn trait. Theyre slightly more powerful than basic casts, and require a harder check to pull off. Once a character has activated their ley, they must announce that they wish to perform an advanced cast for greater effect. The cast may automatically be advanced, depending on what it is. Non-focused check: WILx2 -20 Focused Check: Perception or Sense - 20 Single Target Damage/Heal: 7d10. Often armour negating. If not, 12AP. Multiple Target Damage/Heal: 4d10 per target. 4x4 radius/4 square line/1-4 cone projection. 12AP Debuff Single Target: Target is blinded/rooted/frozen/etc. Lasts 1d5 turns. Debuff multiple target: Same radius as target AOE. Targets are debuffed for 1d2 turns. Terrain Alteration: 1d10 squares radius, or in a line, depending on cast. Constructs: Lasts 1d5 turns. If attacks, deals 6d10 on single target. Gear use tier 7 stats. Expert Casts Expert casts are the pinnacle of leyborn abilities. Theyre only accessible once the leyborn reaches the second tier of their leyborn negative trait. Theyre even more difficult to cast that advanced techniques, but they are much more powerful. Some of these casts may warrant the use of a shift point at the discretion of the GM. Non-focused check: WILx2 -40 Focused Check: Perception or Sense - 40 Single Target Damage/Heal: 10d10. Often armour negating. If not, 15AP. Multiple Target Damage/Heal: 5d10 per target. 5x5 radius/6 square line/1-6 cone projection. 15AP Debuff Single Target: Target is blinded/rooted/frozen/etc. Lasts 1d10 turns. Debuff multiple target: Same radius as target AOE. Targets are debuffed for 1d5 turns. Terrain Alteration: 2d10 squares radius, or in a line, depending on cast. Constructs: Lasts 1d10 turns. If attacks, deals 8d10 on single target. Gear use tier 8 rules.

Ley: Old and New

Pyroley The Pyroley is the ley of fire. It grants wielders over the power of flame and warmth. Pyroborn are able to create, manipulate and project fire at their enemies. More powerful pyroborn are capable of maintaining fiery constructs, such as phoenixes, or using their abilities with enough care and precision to perform cauterisations or weld a piece of metal together. Basic Casts: Project flame from your hands. Hurl fireballs great distances. Heat the area around you. Ignite flammable objects. Crudely manipulate fire in the local area. Extinguish fires. Advanced Casts: Cauterise a wound. Weld with nothing but your fingers. Perform devastating fiery attacks. Incinerate a target from within. Maintain small flaming barriers or traps. Expert Casts: Maintain and control a flaming construct. Unleash balls of raining fire. Increase ambient warmth to dangerous levels. Hydroley Hydroley is the ley of water. Hydroborn can possess water in all forms, including the water that makes up the human body. As they grow in power, hydroborn are able to create watery constructs, manipulate local bodies of liquid, and eventually puppet other living beings. Basic Casts: Blast water youve located at enemies. Extract water from snow and plants. Create simple watery constructs. Advanced Casts: Manipulate the water within people, damaging them. Blast water at steel-cutting pressure. Extract water from the air. Start or stop rain in local areas. Use water for disable checks. Expert Casts: Puppet people by controlling the water within them. Manipulate bodies of water to create dangerous waves. Create torrential downpours. Extract water from living beings, acquiring water and damaging targets at the same time. Aeroley Aeroley is the ley of air. Aeroborn can control currents of air, manipulate the wind and accelerate airborne particles to create bolts of lightning. Advanced aeroborn users can fly, and create dangerous storms above their enemies. Basic Casts: Throw or knock back your enemy with powerful air attacks. Toss objects around. Knock over constructs with fierce gusts of wind. Advanced Casts: Blast bolts of lightning from your hand. Cast sharp shockwaves of air itself to cut victims. Make careful called shots of air to break bones or knock enemies unconscious. Expert Casts: Create hurricane level winds in an area. Call down bolts of lightning from the sky. Gain the ability to carry yourself on the winds, effectively being able to fly. Geoley The Geoley is the ley of earth. Geoborn are able to manipulate the ground they stand upon and the rocks that surround them. Geoborn can cause the terrain to swallow their opponent, or simply make the ground impassable. Expert geoborn can even call magma from below to devastating effect. Basic Casts: Create simple stone constructs. Slam rocks into your enemies. Root your opponents to the ground. Create small blocks of impassable terrain. Advanced Casts: Open chasms at your enemys feet. Cause the earth to explode beneath them. Create more impressive constructs and barriers. Quake a local area, making those within tumble. Expert Casts: Bring magma to Rimes surface. Shake and sunder the earth in large areas. Create expensive jewels with extreme pressure. Create animated, deadly constructs.

Cryoley The cryoley is the ley of cold. Cryoborn are capable of drastically reducing the temperature in local areas, and within their victims. They can use this ability on virtually anything they can target, and those more attuned with the ley are capable of directing their powers on the ambient atmosphere, causing blinding blizzards. Basic Casts: Flash freeze a target. Create a small patch of fog. Fire icy projectiles from your hand. Make simple snowy constructs. Advanced Casts: Enter a state of cryostasis to prevent deteriorating health. Place your allies in this same state. Passive immunity to cold. Use ice for precise techniques and disable checks. Expert Casts: Reduce the ambient temperature to dangerous levels. Call down localised, blinding blizzards. Flash freeze large areas. Bioley Bioley is the ley of life. Bioley wielders are mostly famed for their ability to miraculously heal almost any condition or injury. However, advanced users of the bioley are capable of manipulating plant life in the immediate vicinity. Experts can alter their own shape entirely, becoming something else. Basic Casts: Heal basic to mild injuries. Enthral small animals and use pheromones to win over members of the opposite sex. Advanced Casts: Control the plant life in the local area and have it serve you. Heal severe to potentially life threatening conditions. Control larger creatures and potentially anothers pet. Expert Casts: Shape shift into another form. Control large areas of plant life. Manipulate mighty beasts with your mind. Pull people back from certain death. Necroley Necroley is the frighteningly powerful ley of death. Necroborn are capable of stripping life from their targets with nothing but a mere gesture. This is almost the extent of their abilities, but more powerful necroborn can induce tormenting pain as a form of torture, and experts can affect the sanity of their victims. Most necroborn never reach beyond a basic level of understanding, however. Basic Casts: Immediately kill a target with nothing but a glance, at the cost of your sanity. Advanced Casts: Unleash a small area of effect attack which strips the life of all within. Inflict extreme pain upon select targets. Expert Casts: Control ghosts of the Pale. Instantly end a multitude of targets with minimal effort. Reduce a target to a babbling wreck. Become practically immune to death by simple means. New Leys and Ley Engineering The five new ley types do not have corresponding divines, and therefore do not have corresponding leylines. Leyborn of these new five types have to be manually manufactured using the mists. As with the others, however, the casts can still be performed using mists engineering. Whilst Solei is the equivalent of the Divine of Light, there is no leyline for the lumoley. Creating a leyborn with the new leys will require exceptional circumstances to be met and will need to be orchestrated by the game master. Using mist engineering and tuning, lysus characters or characters with extensive knowledge of lysus technology will be able to create machines and weapons capable of all of the effects listed above and below, and more. The mist engineering feature will be expanded upon later in the Rime: Rift expansion add-on.

Lumoley Lumoley is the ley of light, only available in mist form and within Solei. Lumoborn, should they exist, are capable of emitting and extinguishing light. They can drain the light from a space, or blast it to blind their enemies. Advanced techniques include concentrating light into deadly lasers, whilst expert techniques allow lumoborn to become light itself and travel at extreme speeds. Basic Casts: Blast your targets with a blinding light. Extract the light from a local area, bathing your foes in darkness. Advanced Casts: Concentrate light into a laser capable of sundering metal and flesh. Imbue objects with a luminescence that doesnt require your presence. Strip objects of their luminescence. Expert Casts: Travel at extreme speeds and traverse the entire globe in mere seconds. Run up walls and along bodies of water. Use clear sunlight or moonlight itself as an orbital cannon. Ley Trait: Black and White (Minor/Major): The Lumoborn perceives everything in black and white, metaphorically speaking. They only fully understand good and evil, and always work with absolutes. Ferroley Ferroley is the ley of solid elements and metals. Ferroborn can manipulate the atomic structure of metals, bending them, reshaping them and reducing them into liquid with waves of their hands. Ferroborn can also control magnetic fields as an advanced ability, and expert ferroborn can manipulate elements on a subatomic level, creating nuclear reactions. Basic Casts: Warp, twist, break, repel or attract all forms of metal within a reasonable weight limit. Detect certain metals in the environment, and use it to sense an enemys approach or prospect. Advanced Casts: Create and manipulate magnetic fields. Turn any object into a magnet. Stop bullets mid flight. Use your powers for delicate procedures, like surgery or lock picking. Expert Casts: Use volatile metals to create nuclear reactions. Lift incredibly heavy objects with ease. Draw up rare, inaccessible materials from deep within the earth. Ley Trait: Bronze, Silver, Gold (Minor/Major): The ferroborn has a fierce desire to compete, and an even fiercer one to win. Theyll go out of their way to compete with and defeat others. Neuroley Neuroley is the ley of the mind. Neuroborn are capable of supernatural deception and mental control. At a basic level, they can communicate with others telepathically and siege a targets mind with simple or hostile illusions. As they grow in power, theyre capable of outright controlling a victim, or simply shutting down their mind so they fall unconscious. Basic Casts: Hound targets with illusions. Speak to others via telepathy. Shroud an objects presence from view with perception filters. Advanced Casts: Make a target susceptible to suggestion. Cause spikes of mental pain and neural damage. Force your targets into states of dizzy confusion, extreme anger or great joy, etc. Strip an unconscious target of their memories, or implement new ones. Control weak willed beasts. Expert Casts: Break the steeled minds of ferocious beasts and sapient beings, making them your slaves. Knock an enemy unconscious with the click of a finger. Ley Trait: Dominator(Minor/Major): The neuroborn is desperate to remain in control. They will strive to make situations theirs, and will attempt to maintain authority even if they have none. More info below

Novoley Novoley is the ley of space. Novoborn are capable of warping elements of reality. With the ability to control space, basic level novoborn are able to teleport short distances and transport small objects instantaneously. As they grow in power, novoborn are able to open up two way wormholes and eventually dangerous singularities that crush their enemies. Basic Casts: Warp yourself to a location within line of sight. Teleport small objects to your allies or bring them to you. Advanced Casts: Create two-way wormholes which you and your allies can use to move from A to B. Teleport yourself to areas outside of your line of sight. Expert Casts: Open dangerous singularities which pull in characters and deal massive crushing damage. Teleport large and heavy objects. Transport other characters to areas you cant see. Ley Trait: Agrophobia(Minor/Major): The novoborn has a minor to major fear of large open spaces, as only he/she truly understands its potential. They will prefer staying indoors, if possible. More info below Chronoley Chronoley is the ley of time, and counterpart to Novoley. Chronoborn can, at a basic level, predict small elements of the future, but only up to a fifty percent probability. As they grow in power, chronoborn can manipulate time fields, freezing, speeding up or slowing down everything within isolated areas. Expert chronoborn can reach into parallel timelines and pull objects through to theirs. Basic Casts: Predict aspects of the future with a fifty percent success rate. Reduce an object or character to its form identical to that of ten minutes ago. Advanced Casts: Target areas and individuals with casts that can speed up, slow down or freeze. Witness the history of an isolated area to gather information. Expert Casts: Pull objects from alternative timelines into your world. Increase or decrease the age of a target. Effectively gain immunity to aging and immortality. Ley Trait: Chaos Theory(Minor/Major): The chronoborn is unable to stop predictions of their own death in almost any situation. They see the danger in everything, as there is always a timeline where they die during an imminent event. More info below

New Ley Traits

Black and White (Minor/ Major) - Lumoborn
You see the world as it is; a place of radiant light and grim darkness. Based on your alignment, you may deal in absolutes differently, but ultimately, you either see something as good or bad, as angelic or as evil. Penalty: You have no comprehension of middle ground or grey areas. As a minor trait, you must make WIL checks to avoid perceiving something as either straight out correct, or horrifically immoral. As a major trait, you take a -20 to these WIL checks, and plot points cannot help.

Bronze, Silver, Gold (Minor/ Major) - Ferroborn

Youre in life for the competition, and actively seek it out when you can. Once youve found your match, however, losing is something you simply cannot handle. You will do whatever is necessary in

order to snatch victory from your foes... No matter the cost. Penalty: You will resort to cheating or outright violence in order to emerge from a competition victorious. As a minor trait, you must make a WIL check to resist resorting to extreme measures if victory looks like its slipping from your grasp. You must always make WIL checks to prevent yourself from challenging others. As a major trait, you take -20 to these checks, and cannot use plot points to fix the result.

Dominator (Minor/ Major) Neuroborn

You try to make sure youre in charge. Youre the puppeteer here, and you know whats best. Whilst you may or may not use your powers to get your ways, youll throw tantrums if you dont, and may resort to aggression to remain in a position of authority. Penalty: You want to be the leader, and no one else is as capable as you. You will attempt to be the boss of your own group, and maybe even the boss of others too. You must make WIL checks to avoid trying to take control, and WIL checks to avoid getting aggressive when things dont go exactly as you wanted. As a major trait, you take -20 to these rolls and cannot fix them with plot points.

Agoraphobic (Minor/ Major) - Novoborn

As a disciple of space itself, youre often unnerved by its presence. In large, open areas, youre surrounded by something that could be perceived as volatile. Youd rather stay indoors where its nice and cozy. Penalty: Youre afraid of large, open spaces, and typically want to remain indoors. As a minor trait, when heading outside, you must make a WIL check to avoid taking minor phobia penalties (-10 to all rolls). Succeeding will negate all penalties. As a major trait, you take -20 to these WIL checks, receive major phobia penalties (-30 to all rolls) and you cannot fix the WIL check with plot points. You must only make this check once a day. The result, whether success or failure, wears off after 24 hours.

Chaos Theory (Minor/ Major) - Chronoborn

As an entity of time control, you perceive all possibilities, sometimes when you dont want to. Theres always a timeline where you meet your end during even the most trivial of activities, and on some days, you witness these deaths before you engage in the task at hand. This can alter your means of approach, or outright stop you from approaching a situation altogether. Penalty: You forecast your own death, frequently. When a task is presented, and a plan of approach is formed, theres a chance youll be hit with a vision of your death. If this occurs, you must make a WIL check to proceed as normal. Failing will mean you have to take an alternative approach. As a major trait, you cant fix the result with plot points, and the WIL check receives a -20 penalty.

Rime: Rift