Beyond the Shadows

Welcome To Industrial Fantasy

Character Information - Some Flavour and Lore

Beyond the Shadows, Industrial Fantasy is being run via an unholy mishmash of various rule sets. The main RPG tropes you will find missing from this hacked together system are those of Class and Race. Industrial Fantasy has taken a page from Fate Core here and instead uses the High Concept aspect to replace Race, Class and any other statistic that might determine your character’s primary identity.

For context purposes however I have included a list of the different species that one might find in The Queendom of Lennaun and then some of the more adventurous jobs and lifestyles as well. Please don’t let this list stifle your own creativity however, in the best case scenario I want your awesome character to surprise and amaze me and be completely original. Don’t worry if your muse doesn’t strike however, anything found below should provide a fun basic idea from which we will develop an awesome and dynamic character for you to play.

Species

There are many, varied species to be found among the populace of the planet Finn. Nearly two hundred years ago, after the invention of the Clockwork Jewels, The Queendom of Lennaun successfully invaded and conquered all of the known lands surrounding the Central Seas. During their initial occupation, before the eventual emancipation and democratisation of their many colonies The Queendom of Lennaun enacted an horrific policy of relocating children during the war to subdue the populace. This involved thousands upon thousands of young children being taken from their homes and resettled in other lands, to other parents.

Besides creating a stolen generation, the wounds from which can still be felt to this day, nearly a century after the final relocations occurred, this policy had the effect of mixing and melding the peoples of all lands. While some prejudices may always remain, nowadays by and large, any person of any town or country that surrounds the Central Seas might be of any species or race. And most old conflicts between Finn’s various sentient species are a thing of the past. Some Therianthropes, especially Werewolves, Shapeshifters and Vampires are still treated with suspicion however.

Most of Lennaun’s species come under one of the below types:

The Common Peoples - As a response to the Great Relocation a very old magical invention came into widespread use and forever changed the very make up of the common species in the countries surrounding the Central Seas. Known simply as the Melding Chamber it allows biologically incompatible species to bear children with one another indiscriminately. Nowadays, what were once very distinct species, Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits and Gnomes, are now simply known as the Common Peoples. After generations of magical interbreeding most civilized people are now able to breed without the aid of magical assistance and so a change in taxonomy was demanded. There are still the so-called “Pure Blood” examples of the old common species to be found in small, isolated communities. But these are very rare indeed.

Wildlings - Visually speaking Wildlings appear as a mix of Common Peoples and animals. They are fairly normal sights to behold in any large city of the Realm and are held in much the same regard as any of the Common Peoples. They are much more common in the wild places of the world, since by and large they find cities and larger communities to be exhausting. Wildlings can include Therianthropes, such as Selkies and Kitsune however they also include Beast-men such as Centaurs, Merfolk, Catfolk, Tengus and many others.

Otherkin - Otherkin are beings that currently reside in the Material Realm but are originally from other Realms or can trace their ancestry back to beings from other Realms. No Angels, Demons or other denizens of the Divine or Infernal Realms can be found in Material Realm any longer due the events of the Final Mercy. However Aasimar and Tieflings can still be found in small numbers. Otherkin, while not overly common are still treated just the same as any member of the Common Peoples in most established communities. Some examples of Otherkin include Elementals and their more Common-like cousins Ifrits, Sylphs, Undines and Oreads but also Fetchlings from the Shadow Realm and Doppelgangers or Shapeshifters from the Mirror Realm.

Cursedfolk - Cursedfolk in The Queendom come in many shapes and sizes. Vampires are the most well known (and oft feared) example of Cursedfolk but this term extends to any species whose identity can be traced back to ancient curses. Orcs, Goblins and many others were once the products of powerful dark magic or other evil machinations, even if in the modern world, they are all very respectable by and large. Most Cursedfolk keep to themselves and are not overly welcomed by the populace of Lennaun, however this is purely an issue of perception as they are fully protected by the law of the land just as any other citizen would be. Cursedfolk can also include Dhampirs, Changelings, Ghouls and some Therianthropes such as Werewolves and Werecats.

Jobs, Roles, and ‘Classes’

The below examples should be considered the most common adventurer ‘classes’ that one might run into in the world of Beyond the Shadows. Players in this world can choose one or more of the below archetypes as part of their High Concept, or they can come up with something completely original. In either case the below examples should provide a bit of insight as to the kinds of individuals one might come up against or ally with during the campaign.

Gunslinger - Gunslingers are still a rare sight to behold in Realm. The ancient Frost Giant tradition of guncraft barely survived the final Great Blight and might have been lost forever were it not for the mysterious organisation known as the Ordo Jotun. The order managed to preserve much of the art of gunsmithing, although not much is known about how they performed this feat as the order has always been shrouded in mystery. As a result however, the few members that have left the order over the last thousand years have shared their knowledge of guns and ensured that the technology has managed to proliferate all over the world.

For hundreds of years after the discovery of the Shards of Serin those who wielded guns in combat were considered oddities at best. Any normal weapon became powerless when brought before an opponent wielding a weapon or wearing armour that had been empowered by a Shard. With no way to harness that amazing power for their own weapons, the ways of the Gunslinger fell into decline. However since the introduction of Clockwork Jewels guns have recently come back into vogue. Now any Gunslinger can imbue their shots with greatly amplified power and there is often little that a swordsman or a sorcerer can do in response to a quickly drawn Clockwork Jewel powered pistol.

Modern Gunslingers are often artisans with firearms and can end battles with lightning speed. They practice arcane rituals that enhance their reflexes and fine motor control allowing them to draw their guns in the blink of an eye. And the eldest practitioners of this fine art have been known to enter an almost trance-like state when reloading their weapons, their fingers move faster than the natural eye can see when slotting each cartridge into place. Gunslingers dedicate many years to training in their art, and as such, guns as a whole are very rarely seen in modern armies or mercenary companies. Simply because the devices themselves are so hard to acquire and their use takes far too long to master.

Duellist - The Duellist is a master of one on one combat. They are skilled with many weapons but perhaps most well known for their artful use of the rapier. Anyone can pick up a Clockwork Jewel empowered sword and become a force worthy of fear in this day and age, however a true master of the duelling arts should be treated with caution even if they only appear to be brandishing a rusty spoon.

The popularity of Duellists has risen in recent years in the Queendom of Lennaun due to the overall rise of duelling as a means of dispute settlement. In this day and age Duels may arise at the smallest of insults such as the spilling of ink upon a beautiful new dress. While not everyone wants to risk their own life for such petty matters, by the rule of law all are allowed to name a champion who may present at the duel in their stead.

Thus master Duellists are able to garner high wages and even die hard fans who come out to their every match in most cities across Lennaun. Duelling is most popular among lawyers and politicians and thus it is not uncommon for talented duellists to easily rise to stations of great power and privilege due to both their general popularity and their undeniable skill in dealing with the law of the realm.

Inquisitor - In the past, Inquisitors would serve the gods and the church utilising their grim determination to root out enemies of the faith. In the Crystal Age, with the gods having been silent for a millennia and their touch upon the realm having moved on to the stuff of myths and legends, Inquisitors could have just faded into obscurity along with their churches or perhaps devoted themselves to powerful beings of other planes like the Clerics of the realm. But now more than ever the job of the Inquisitor has become vital for very survival of entire nations.

No longer using their skills in service of deities, Inquisitors now represent the very manifestation of the will of their government. Operating largely from the shadows they are often sent deep into enemy territory as spies to destabilise entire regions single handed, softening them up before an invasion. They can also be found pulling the strings of industry, fuelling the logistics of war for Queen and Country or rooting out threats within their own lands such as criminal gangs and domestic terrorists.

While some with the skill set of the Inquisitor have been known to go rogue, the very term Inquisitor often carries with it the weight of the crown in the minds of the commoners. An Inquisitor of the crown is considered to be above the rule of law, answering directly to their sovereign and being given a free license to conduct their work however wish. Even though most Inquisitors prefer to move unseen, when the time comes that they must take the spotlight the very armies of the nation are theirs to command.

Investigator - Unlike most of the other adventuring professions in this list, Investigators don’t have a long and storied history in the lands of Finn. They are a by-product of modern times. With the advent of more complex legal systems and larger civilizations came a need for highly educated individuals who could delve deeper into mysteries and achieve greater focus on their areas of study. Part scholar, part officer of the law, Investigators fill this need both in official capacities as detectives and forensic specialists and in other capacities as field researchers and scientists.

To the commoners of Lennaun, Investigators appear as the very face of modern society. Every commoner knows that, should there be a horrible crime in the village, an Investigator shall be dispatched, and the truth will win out before long. Never in the history of the Queendom would common folk have hoped to have access to such swift and reliable justice. The same can be said when strange goings on are affecting the crops, or ancient magic is threatening to overtake the land. The commoners know that an Investigator will get to the bottom of it and things shall soon return to normal.

Investigators who have spent long years of study and field work mastering their craft are able to sense when things are amiss almost supernaturally. They will perceive important clues where an ordinary town guard or sheriff would see nothing out of place. They hold vast swaths of knowledge coming from many academic areas in their near photographic memories and can recall obscure and esoteric details in an instant. They carry with them tools that ordinary people can barely fathom ranging from modern technology such as second-accurate timekeepers, all the way to ancient artefacts of arcane significance such as the herbal substances that sharpen their senses and open their minds and the various magical lenses they slot into their goggles and scopes.

Alchemist - Despite the rise of shard-charged crystals and Clockwork Jewels, Alchemists still ply their trade in the lands of Finn. From remote huts deep in the wilderness to small shops in the heart of commercial districts, Alchemists have found that their wares are still of little interest to the average farmer but can be of great interest to those with less common goals. Alchemical substances, ranging from euphoric drugs to horrible poisons are very much still in use in the Queendom of Lennaun.

In centuries past, Alchemists would dabble in mutagens and other powerful relics that had made their way to the Material Realm during the Elemental Storm of the First Age. These days, more is known about these relics and very few Alchemists are willing to accept the risks. In the Crystal Age, the roles of the Alchemist are many and varied. From providing healing salves to those who refuse to be healed in the Chapel of Fire, for fear of being cursed, to outfitting armies with explosive devices and rage-inducing drugs, Alchemists can ply their trade anywhere.

However there do exist legends of more adventurous Alchemists discovering and experimenting with forces and substances so powerful that the very laws of reality have been bent and broken by their will. From traveling through time, to creating vast troves of wealth from naught but garbage. There are many accounts of foolish Alchemists being tormented for eternity by beings from other realms for crossing lines they did know existed. Though more recent tales have been told as well. Tales of fearless Alchemists who, disregarding the old warnings, have delved deep into the powers of mutation and have managed to control these otherworldly beings by binding them to their very essence.

Summoner - There have always been those who have dabbled with forces and entities from the other Realms of existence but only since the discovery of the Shards of Serin and the invention of the Clockwork Jewels have mortals had command over enough raw magical energy to be able to fully control and manipulate these primal beings and powers. Even with the slow proliferation of the Jewels there are still very few who fully understand the arcane incantations that are needed to summon a powerful being from another Realm into the Material Realm. And fewer still who can do so safely, keeping these eldritch powers under their command and not being seduced by their tricks and manipulations.

Those Summoners that have strived to hone their craft have been known to bring forth such horrors unto the battlefield that few have lived to tell tales of the unnatural creatures that have ravaged through their forces. But that is not to say that those who practice the art of Summoning always serve dark powers. Much to the contrary. Some of the most well known Summoners hold high ranks within the Queen’s personal Guard. For what better to stop a would-be assassin than a creature that defies all logic and presumption, does not sleep, does not eat, will fight ferociously until death while wielding powers that few of our world have ever seen before.

Most practicing Summoners believe that the heights of their art have yet to even be fully explored. A truly intrepid Summoner may one day come along and show the world such wonders that have never before been dreamed of by mortal folk. Those who have spent countless hours researching more and more powerful beings of other Realms have concluded that there are powers in the ‘verse that none have yet discovered and that appear to have more power as individuals than entire nations of our world could try to muster. But still the question remains, will anyone discover a way to connect to, let alone command these powers?

Elementalist - During the War in Heaven, when Serin the Ascended enacted her Final Mercy and severed the tendrils of the Void Web that once connected the Divine and Infernal Realms to the Material Realm thus ending the thousand year blight, the Clerics and Paladins of the Realm felt the impact of this disconnection more powerfully than most others. For they had now lost their connection to their Gods. And with it, much of their power.

The period of time after the Final Mercy became known in their circles as the Great Darkness. When once healing and blessings could be offered by those few whose who had been connected closely enough to their Gods, now nothing could be done at all. The Great Darkness came to an end as the Church of Flame rose to power. Drawing their power from the Elemental Realm of Fire, the Church of Flame could offer healing and blessings like none before it.

In modern times, many religions have sprouted up around these new found connections to the Elemental Realms. And not all of the practitioners are interested in healing and blessings. Some prefer to focus the powers that their Patrons bestow directly through their Clockwork Jewels, producing such powerful effects as can hardly be believed. There are tales of small groups of Elementalists burning down forests of nearly endless size and creating tidal waves taller than mountains to wash away their foes. Weather such tales should be believed has yet to be seen in the Queendom of Lennaun, however the rise in popularity of these religions in recent years has raised the question of how closely these new Elementalists should be watched.

Ritualist