Artifacts & Kalids

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This campaign detailed the actions and exploits of a group of people who set off to change the world against killing kalids for kalid magic. The campaign ran from Febuary 2007 through May 2007.

Other Pages

• Trystell Campaign F.A.Q.
• GURPS Trystell
• Powers Spell System

The Files

• Region Background
• Cheat Sheet

The Characters

• J'onnzh'on (deceased): A shady dealer in information
• Sef: A strange elf from the Underciv
• Aesri Adai: A ship captain from Blaugh'Ock
• Kahler Sarka: A shape-shifting kalid
• Edrick Kiwanis (deceased): An ex-magic-researcher
• Lord Barak: A renegade knight from Grichom
• Mjol Nyresson (aborted): A troll fighter

About the Setting

For more information see Trystell, Magic on Trystell and Deities of Trystell.

Trystell dates back to 1998. It is a homebrew setting I created along several friends. When it first was designed it had its own homebrew role-playing mechanics system. In 2003 I revised the setting and unhappy with the old homebrew system, converted the setting to d20. We will be playing the GURPS conversion that I began over my Winter Break 2006-2007.

The Trystell setting is high fantasy with a few science fiction elements and themes. The technology level of Trystell varies in different fields, but averages out to roughly Renaissance-level technology, with military technology still being stuck in the Middle Ages and abstract economic, mathematic and political theory being just past the Victorian era.

Magic on Trystell is a resource that has to be extracted from some magical source and then expended in some magical ritual to achieve the desired effect. Furthermore, each source of magic seems to be able to produce a different range of effects. Only a few known extractable sources of magic are known; these are: Kalid magic is extracted from the preserved body parts of a magical creature known as a kalid . It is capable of a range of magical effects, from enchantments to illusions and healing. Lunar magic is extracted from small enigmatic devices, left onTrystell from a past era known as the Lunar Occupation. It is capable of a range of effects varying from raw manipulation of the elements to transmutation. Finally,magine magic is a newly discovered type of magic extracted from the elusive magine plant. It can be magic long thought impossible: teleportation, summoning and resurrection.

Common Themes

• Political Conflict: There are many countries, religions and organizations on Trystell with many competing agendas. Border skirmishes, espionage and plots are common. These--whether the characters are on one side, the other or caught in the middle--feature prominently onTrystell.
• Rebuilding in the Ruins: The last couple decades have been traumatic to much of Trystell. In many places law and order have collapsed; settlements have been abandoned. Threatening creatures have wandered out of the wastes and taken up settlement in what used to be houses or schools. But slowly people start to rebuild, trying to forge something stable out of the ruins.
• Dealing With Change: There have been man changes in the world of late: the discovery of the Underciv, the introduction of magine magic, shifts in the political balance. The characters may also change things and have to deal with those changes. Or maybe the characters themselves will change.
• Conflict with the Establishment: There are a lot of entrenched organizations and peoples that aren't too nice. Plus a number of the remaining stable empires onTrystell are repressive and injust. These often form a major point of conflict on Trystell.

Glossary

• Bastard Races: The humans and dwarves; so-called because they do not have a patron deity among the New Ones pantheon.
• Blaugh'Ock: Another moon of Zipnocii. Where the followers of the Old Ones fled to after the War of the Shattering. Also the place that invaded and ruled Trystell during the Lunar Occupation. The origin of Lunar Magic.
• Bushmen: Small hairy, chirping people that came to Trystell as stowaways during the Lunar Occupation. Seen by many on Trystell to be vermin. Not considered a recognized "race."
• Changeling Plagues: A series of magical plagues that spread at the end of the War of the Shattering, altering the races and dividing them into the different sub-races known today. Humans anddwarves were not affected by these plagues.
• Crono: The patron deity of elves and nature. Has his strongest following in the northwest of Trystell.
• Eios: The patron deity of gnomes, lover of acquisitions and knowledge. Has his strongest following in the southeast of Trystell.
• Fandikal: Another moon of Zipnocii. Little is known about it, except that it is inhabited, has alien deities and is the supposed origin of magine magic.
• Kalid: A species of sentient creatures that are not recognized as a legitimate "race" on Trystell and consequently are not given the legal protections of one. They are hunted for their body parts, which are the source of the oldest and most culturally in-grained type of magic onTrystell--Kalid Magic. They live primarily in a demiplane known as the Kalid Realm and are hostile to most other peoples. They appear as gray humanoids with elongated necks, limbs, forked tongues and cat-like eyes.
• Kalid Magic: The oldest system of magic, dating back to the War of the Shattering. It involves extracting magic from the preserved remains of deadkalids. It is capable of all sorts of subtle manipulations, from illusions to affecting people's emotions.
• Kalid Realm: An extra-planar realm connected to Trystell through an eons-old system of magical gates. The home of the kalids and a dangerous place to be.
• Linquad: The patron deity of ogres. He has his strongest following in the southwest of Trystell.
• Lunar Occupation: At the end of Dark Ages the civilization on Blaugh'Ock invaded Trystell, colonizing the world and claiming rulership. This period introduced Lunar Magic, new technologies and ended when the native peoples ofTrystell revolted and slowly overthrew the Blaugh'Ock overlords. The Blaugh'Ocks then retreated to Rouh, their last outpost on Trystell.
• Lunar Magic: A form of magic introduced to Trystell during the Lunar Occupation, it involved extracting magical energy from small, enigmatic devices. It has the ability to manipulate the raw elements and transmute materials.
• Magine Magic: A newly-discovered type of magic that is extracted from the Magine Plant. Thought to originate on Fandikal, this type of magic is capable of feats long thought impossible--teleportation, summoning and resurrection.
• New Ones: The pantheon of deities that is most commonly followed on Trystell today. It consists of four head deities--Zuriach, Eios, Linquad and Crono--and a number of lesser deities that are lead by the main four.
• Old Ones: The pantheon of deities credited with the creation of Trystell and who are in the modern day revered primarily by the kalids and the people of Blaugh'Ock.
• Quadrant: Sometimes the world of Trystell is spoken of as being divided into four quadrants--one for each of the chief deities of the New Ones pantheon: Crono in the northwest, Eios in the southeast, Linquad in the southwest and Zuriach in the northeast.
• Trystell: The fantasy world that is the focus of the setting. Actually a moon of the gas giant Zipnocii.
• Underciv: The coined term for the Underground Civilization that has existed deep beneath the surface of Trystell for eons and that has only recently made contact with the surface world. The population of the Underciv dates back to the War of the Shattering and the religion of Graeton is common there.
• War of the Shattering: A semi-mythical war that happened eons ago; it is said to be the first great conflict between the two rival pantheons--the Old Ones (who escaped their entombment insideTrystell at the beginning of the war) and the New Ones (the deities that claimed Trystell as in their in the Old Ones' absence). At the end of the war the races were supposedly shattered into sub-races and the Old Ones departed forBlaugh'Ock. This is also the supposed origin of humans and dwarves.
• Zipnocii: The "largest moon" in the sky of Trystell; actually a gas giant that Trystell orbits. Also in standard theology, the location of the afterlife.
• Zuriach: The patron deity of the minotaurs, and zealous opponent of Linquad. Has his strongest following in the northeast of Trystell.

History of the World

For more information see History of Trystell.

Here is the history of the world of Trystell--the short version.

Creation

Way back at the beginning there was this god named Monotalial who ignited a star and summoned forth four lesser gods to do his bidding. He moved on, leaving the place, but the sour lesser gods stayed. These were the Old Ones:Vonschlic, Maoh, Derich and Kalast. They decided that they wanted people to do their bidding and so they created the first people: the kalids. They set the kalids aside in a demiplane they quickly wished into existence, promising them an entire world as soon as they got done creating it.

Something went wrong. The Old Ones created the world of Trystell, but in the process trapped themselves inside, like a painter painting himself into a corner. The world stood vacant for an eon or two when along came a new set of gods: the New Ones. They saw the vacant world, claimed it as their own, crafting the surface and making people of their own: Ogres, Elves, Gnomes and Minotaur. Their children spread throughout the world.

Early Wars

Somewhere back in these early days, as the races encountered each other, there were some wars. The elves and gnomes fought a great war against each other--later known as the Inherent Wars. And the ogres and minotaur fought a great war of their own against each other--known as the Sanctioned Wars. These were the first large wars, but they were just precursors for the one to come.

The penultimate big war is the one that followed: the War of the Shattering. You see, eventually the Old Ones escaped from insideTrystell, and when they did they saw other gods had claimed the world, and they were pissed. So the Old Ones scattered gates the the demiplane where they placed the kalids--the Kalid Realm--and invited their kalid followers out to make war. They also went about making two new subject races--the humans and dwarves--also to aid in their effort. The New Ones responded by rallying their peoples and showing them kalid magic to use as a potent weapon.

Long story short, the Old Ones lost the war and retreated to the nearby moon of Blaugh'Ock, bringing their followers with them and leaving one parting girl on Trystell: the Changeling Plagues. These plagues swept through the world, altering the different races (other than the ones created by the Old Ones) and changing them into the different sub-races.

The Golden Age: 0 P.F.

The history before the Golden Age is somewhat mythical; here things enter the realm of recorded history. In fact, the Trystellian calendar system is measured from the founding of the Consortium, an at-the-time pervasive trade organization that promoted the ideals of the Golden Age and is the figurehead of the era.

The Golden Age was an era foremost of trade and cultural unification; it was also an era of relative peace. The political sentiment of the era promoted adopting intentionally designed and standardized cultural trappings. For example, the monetary system that is widespread throughoutTrystell and the Standard tongue (by far the most dominant language) are the legacy of this era. Many political traditions--such as the distinction of which species are "races" (and thus subject to inherent rights) and which are "creatures" (and thus not subject to inherent rights) also dates back to this era, a distinction almost universally inherited by countries onTrystell today.

But the Golden Age did not last; it went out with more of a wimper than a bang. As the Consortium tried to force economic standardization, there were some bad years and the increasingly unstable economy slowly collapsed in on itself. Finally, the Consortium too collapsed, marking an end to the Golden Age.

The Dark Ages: 445 P.F.

What followed were a period of fragmented empires, war and strife. Plague soon followed, too, and many of the Golden Age institutions collapsed or were torn apart. It looked as if the whole of society was going to fall apart, and then theBlaugh'Ocks invaded.

The Lunar Occupation: 734 P.F.

The general Trystellian view sees the Blaugh'Ocks as a unified tyrannical force, oppressing the native Trystellian peoples and responsible for deaths by the hundreds of thousands. This is a somewhat oversimplified view. In actuality the imperialistBlaugh'Ock forces were more like the European colonizing of Africa: a large and unorganized mix of countries and companies moving in and taking over the place with the intent to exploit the land for its resources (or more rarely, to move in colonists), imposing varying degrees of tyranny--from merely denying the nativeTrystellians a voice in government to enslaving whole towns and forcing them to work to their deaths in forced labor camps.

The Lunar Occupation left its own legacy: the introduction of Bushmen to Trystell and the practice of Lunar Magic. In the end however, there were a series of revolts across Trystell that overthrew the Blaugh'Ock colonies one by one until only the Blaugh'Ock presence in the country of Rouh remained (and even there the Blaugh'Ocks were forced to give the native population a voice in government).

The Years in the Wake: 875 P.F. to 1105 P.F.

After the Native Revolts, the different peoples of Trystell began slowly putting themselves back together. However, in the last few years (read: within the characters' lifetimes) there have been a number of events opening up new opportunities and problems across the land. Below is a more in-depthtimeline of recent years and prominent events that have occurred:

• 1093 P.F.
  • The country of Licad invades its northern neighbors, declaring war on the wild elf country of Veglial, the orcish country of Vognash and the handler gnome country of Skiptlelim.
  • Grichom--Licad's old rival--uses this as an excuse to declare war on Licad. Thus the Licad-Grichom War begins.
• 1094 P.F.
  • The Anti-Standardization Movement first becomes widespread. This is a growing movement to readopt old regional languages that date back before the adoption of the Standard tongue.
  • A series of myserious deaths are reported throughout Trystell; rumors filter in from Blaugh'Ock of an imminent peril.
  • The magine plant makes its first known appearance on Trystell.
• 1095 P.F.
  • The first contact with the surface world and the Underciv occurs and results in violence.
  • The real study of magine magic is funded, resulting in the first mages that consider themselves to be "Magine Mages".
  • Grichom gains the upper hand in the Grichom-Licad War.
• 1096 P.F.
  • Magic researches warn of an increasing mystic instability in reality.
  • The Underciv begins scattered raids of the surface.
  • The Institute for Magine Magic and the New Consortium are founded.
  • The Licad-Grichom War escalates to its highest point
• 1097 P.F.
  • The increasing power of organized crime rings are rapidly destabilizing governments in the east of Trystell.
  • The Underciv establishes several small surface colonies.
  • Militant religious fundamentalism (relating to the worship of Vonschlic) spreads through the kalids of the Kalid Realm.
  • Terrible creatures emerge from the instability in reality, with the Licad-Veglial-Vognash border at its epicenter. These creatures lay waste to the surrounding regions.
• 1098 P.F.
  • The creatures that have emerged into reality continue to advance, leaving carnage in their wake.
  • Blaugh'Ock forces enter Trystell through the Kalid Gates, killing the creatures that emerged into this reality, but angering Trystellian governments in the process. The forces cite their right to stop a threat before it reaches Blaugh'Ock.
  • Regions of Licad break away from the central government.
• 1099 P.F.
  • The country of Graundaur launches a program to expand into the Yirdril Lands.
  • The Underciv's campaign on the surface gets more ambitious as they seize three established cities.
  • A strong earthquake rocks the Cynqued Ocean, resulting in a tsunami along the shores.
• 1100 P.F.
  • The Unified Academy of Magic is founded in Galsla, making the first magic academy dedicated to the study of all three types of magic and the unified underlying theory behind all of them.
  • The Lanstrin League of Technology moves its headquarters to Gugle Island in Rouh, prompting a backlash against the League over feared Blaugh'Ock influence.
• 1101 P.F.
  • The Lanstrin League of Technology announces their acceptance of the Cult of the Old Ones, prompting further outrage against the League.
  • Lawlessness spreads in the Gulf of Cad as privateers on the payroll of New Muno'Che prey on Licad shipping.
  • The Underciv changes its warlike stance and sends missionaries of Graeton to the surface; the missionaries are rejected from most communities.
• 1102 P.F.
  • The rift between the clergy and the Lanstrin League of Technology grows, as the clergies of Linquad and Zuriach excommunicate all League members who do not denounce their membership.
  • An ancient lich--supposedly from the time of the War of the Shattering--awakens in the Bala'Umn Peninsula.
  • Tensions between Rouh and Grichom escalate due to a dispute over their shared border.
• 1103 P.F.
  • Denurheil--the lich that awakened in Bala'Umn--gathers more forces of the undead there.
  • War erupts between Grichom and Rouh over the border dispute.
  • Magic storms originating out of the Desolation sweep across the Quadrant of Crono.
• 1104 P.F.
  • The Grichom-Rouh War ends with a stalemate.
  • The Circle of Honor announces a Grand Crusade to cleanse the Desolation of the dangers living there.
• 1105 P.F.
  • The Present Day.

Races

For more information see Races of Trystell.

The following races are recognized as having rights and are found on Trystell:

Elves

There are three sub-races of elves: True Elves, Wild Elves and Sea Elves. True elves are the elves that were never affected by the Changeling Plagues, they are mostly the typical high elves seen in fantasy. Wild elves are often nomadic and live directly in nature. Sea elves can breathe both water and air and live beneath the waves.

Dwarves

There are two sub-races of dwarves, although the distinction is social more than physical. These two varieties of dwarves dislike each other and have lived separately for ages due to the enslavement of the peon dwarves by the elite dwarves in ages past.

Humans

Like dwarves, the difference between the two human sub-races is more social and than physical. The civilized humans live in stationary settlements, while the barbaric humans are nomadic in culture.

Gnomes

Three varieties of gnomes exist on the surface of Trystell: handler gnomes, aqua gnomes and tinker gnomes. Tinker gnomes like to build things, particularly technological things, they have a slightly more advanced level of technology than most ofTrystell . Aqua gnomes live in underwater bubble cities, like tinker gnomes they have a slightly higher level of technology. Finally, handler gnomes are seen by most to be pests; they are known for their curiosity and kleptomania.

Minotaurs

There are two types of minotaurs: brainish minotaur and brawnish minotaur. Brawnish minotaur are large, strong, furry people with a sense of honor. Brainish minotaur are somewhat less large and somewhat more smart than their brawnish cousins.

Ogres

There are many sub-races of ogres: True ogres, trolls, high orcs, orcs, goblins and hobgoblins. True ogres are large, brutish and not too bright. Trolls tend to be lone wanderers who are almost more beast than person. Goblins are small, fast and sneaky. Hobgoblins are their larger, bloated cousins. Finally,orcs tend to be small-in-statue versions of ogres, while high orcs are ugly, but highly intelligent.

Setting Archetypes

For more information see Trystell Archetypes.

There are man different setting archetypes in Trystell, including warriors: The burly fighting men of Trystell, warriors are a large category, coming from all walks of life. Their unifying aspect is that they are masters of arms and armaments, unparalleled in their command of their chosen weapon. Several variants of Warriors exist, including: Rangers, survivalist warriors that thrive in remote wildernesses and wastelands. Kalid Hunters, those that specialize in the locating, tracking and slaying of kalids. Barbarians, the acclaimed warriors of nomadic cultures, much revered among their tribes. And Knights, champions of a cause, whether a matter of virtue, religion or politics. Finally, Thugs are street ruffians whose tough, cool exteriors are tweaked to physical perfection in their pursuit of hedonism. Rogues are thosene're-do-wells who spend their life on the street mugging, stealing and killing for a living. Rogues come in a number of different varities , among which are: Thieves are rogues who specialize in the heist, taking from those who they will and making a living off of stolen goods. Assassins are those who make a living through hired killing, specializing in sneaking into where they can attack their prey undefended. Agents are hired spies, working for one cause or another as they collect secret information and report back to their masters. And Bards are musically-inclined wandering rogues who mix thievery with subtle magic. Mages are the magic users and powerful sorcerers of Trystell. They come in several types, three of which are each after the three types of magic. Kalid Mages specialize in kalid magic and the mystic manipulations available to those who extract magical energy from the preserved parts of kalids. Lunar Mages are those mages who extract their energy from small manufactured devices known as lunar devices. They wield blatant elemental magic. Finally, Magine Mages are those mages who gain their energy as an extraction of the magine plant. Their magic warps the fabric of space and time. Finally, not truely a type of magic, but an archetype that often dabbles in magic nevertheless, Artisans are skilled crafters who are known for their fine quality goods, many of which may have a magical nature. Clerics use magic as well, specializing in a deviant magical practice handed down and taught through the various religious institutions ofTrystell . And Demagogues are magical users who have a charismatic personality and who attract to them followers through their magical ways. Demagogues often consider themselves to be the "chosen ones" or other such grandiose ideas.

Global Organizations

For more information see Organizations in Trystell.

There are quite a few organizations that characters could be members of. Here are a few interesting ones:

• The Circle of Honor: The quintessential knighthood, the Circle of Honor stands for right and justice.
• Soldiers of the Field: The most known and widespread mercenary organization on Trystell. They are well respected for the quality of their troops and their willingness to stick to contracts.
• The Modin: The largest and most prominent organized criminal organization, the Modin has people on its payroll in any number of cities across the land.

Areas on Trystell

For more information see Trystellian Geography or Cosmology of Trystell.

There are many different regions available where the campaign can be set. Things to think about before the choice is made include: Do people want to play in a highly stable and civilized region or a region of wilderness or ruins? Do people want to set the campaign on land or underwater? Do people want a region where the people are friendly or hostile?

Character Creation

For more information see GURPS Trystell.

Standard starting characters in the Trystell setting are normally built on 150 points, with the following restrictions:

• There is a disadvantage limit of -30. Disadvantages and other things that have a negative point cost do not count against the disadvantage limit if they are part of a racial template. However, the template will count against your disadvantage limit itself if the total value is negative. Furthermore, buying down attributes outside of a racial template or buying off template-given skills and traits counts against the disadvantage limit.
• Starting attributes cannot be bought up more than Racial Attribute Level +3 or below Racial Attribute Level -1.
• Every character should have a racial template and a regional template; occupational templates are not required, but can be taken or serve as suggestions or guidelines on how to build different archetypes.
• No skill may begin with more than 4 points in it.
• No Power Talent may begin at Archmage level (must be level 3 or lower).
• No character may have more than one skill Talent. Furthermore, no custom talents are allowed. This restriction applies even during character advancement.
• No character may begin in possession of a magic item that she is not otherwise capable of creating.
• All characters begin with Luck (Points) 3 [15] on top of their 150 point build.
• Starting wealth is $1000 (10 gold pieces or 1000 bronze pieces).

Character Advancement

• 1 CP: Participating in the session.
• 1 CP: Completing a character journal.
• 1 CP: GM's Point (will often be assigned by GM to a skill used in the session)
• 2 CP: Each player gets 2 CP at the end of each session that they may award to other players who made the session the most fun for them. These points cannot be given to the same person and may not be given to oneself. They are given anonymously, preferably with comments concerning what was done that was fun and what others did that was not fun.