TLDunn213

It is worth noting that the transmutative properties of the Liminal probably originate in the Plane of Dreams. But by being combined with the other aspects that form the Liminal, we arive at a significantly different set of rules governing the types of transmutations that are possible here. By using Runes and infusing the transmuted object with magical energy it is possible to make permanent useful items that remain stable even if taken out of the Liminal. Something that is not possible in most of the other Planes where Transmutation is possible. While I was regarding this as just an unusual propertie of the Liminal, the question about the Yun-Xi and Yuuxath, leaves me wondering if they might have had a lot more to do with the creation of the Liminal than was previously believed. 🤔

It does have entraping and transforming properties. So it is entirely possible that one of the Hearts of the Liminal was an attempt by the Fae to expand or recreate their Realm. After all they came to what is now the Fae Realms from the Far Realms during the Great Migration. And it's not entirely clear what Realm or Realms were used in the creation of the Fae Realms. The main flaw in this idea is that the Liminal is mostly abandoned buildings and such while the Fae tend to favor more woodland/nature environments. Of course the woodlands could be there as a way to keep the Liminal at bay if they started with cities and then abandoned them to get further away from Yuuxath. The fact that Yuuxath and the Yun-Xi are not particularly present in the Liminal is actually a bit odd now that I think about it. I'll have to give that problem some more thought.

I do have a post about the Demosidhe. And if you still have questions, ask them there and I will try to explain.

Mirror Link: This spell (ritual?) Allows the caster to link Mirrors that would otherwise have no connection so that they can be used for communication and travel by way of the Demiplane of Mirrors. The improved version: Greater Mirror Link, works even if one of the Mirrors is on a lower level of one of the Outer Planes.

Some interesting features of the Liminal includ Optional Gravity. Due to some versions having been started in the Deep Ethereal; Gravity is Simi Optional. It does take a bit of concentration and some amount of resonance; and, of course, you have to know that it is possible in the first place. But if you meet these conditions it is possible to walk up walls, across ceilings and even float/hover/fly. The flying requires concentration and you only move at about half of your normal walking speed. Still useful for reaching places that you otherwise can't. The slow flight speed only applies to those using the optional gravity effect of the Liminal, if you are flying by other means then the rules for that method will apply normally. Weak Ethereal Border. People who are aware that they can are able to shift into and out of the Border Ethereal of the Liminal simply by willing it to happen. Takes concentration at first but with practice, the amount of concentration needed drops to the same level as walking.

The Liminal borders several different planes and has some unusual properties that likely come from the different places where the Ritual for its creation was preformed. Among these are: several different Prime Material Planes; The Plane of Shadows; The Astral Plane; The Ethereal Plane; The Plane of Mirrors(some notes to follow) The Plane of Dreams. There are rumors of connections with various other Demi Planes; including the Living Demi Plane Zool.(more about Zool later or elsewhere) Notes about the Plane of Mirrors. It is not entirely clear if the Plane of Mirrors is a single Plane or a loosely connected group of Demi Planes. After all most travelers to the Plane of Mirrors report only having access to a rather small group of related Mirrors. Now given that the thing that provides the relationship can vary it is possible that a hub point could be created. For example a castle with Mirrors by several different makers could serve as a hub by Relationship: same Castle allowing access to Relationship: same Maker. In any event all known reports related to the Mirror Plane as accessed from the Liminal agree that it seems to only connect to other Mirrors in the Liminal and that the Mirror version of the Liminal is directly connected to the Liminal to the point that they are effectively the same place. With Mirrors only serving as shortcuts. Making it very much an open question as to whether or not the Mirror Plane can serve as a way in and out of the Liminal. An odd detail about the Liminal being on both sides of the glass is that stepping through a Mirror doesn't require any spell, just an act of will. And probably a certain amount of magical energy for resonance. I should probably clarify here. No spell, beyond the initial enchantments that allow the Mirror to function as both a scrying tool and a means of travel.

The Liminal is my take on where the Backrooms came from, why they exist, and what sort of things you might find there. The Liminal was actually created several different times by different beings in slightly different places but all of these pocket dimensions and Demi-plains are similar enough that over time they have been drawn together and merged. Now it is not known for sure if the heart of each version has merged with the others; or if The Liminal has several Hearts, each with its own powerful artifact, all just rather close to each other. In any event some of the suspected creators included:The Arch Litch Vecna, presumably as a hiding place for his Phalactry. Varque, as a hiding place for a few copies of his Tome. The Litch King Angmar, for his Phalactry. You may be noticing a pattern here? Anyway, much as the Demiplane of Dread aka Ravenloft is composed of several different places where horrific things have happened The Liminal is composed of abandoned and forgotten places. It is unknown if The Liminal is alive and/or aware. The general consensus on that point is Simi-Alive and Aware, with the debate being mostly about to what degree. Most reports on The Liminal agree that it has Entraping and Transformative properties related to the food that can be found there and to just staying too long. These reports are at odds with other reports of people who seem to be using The Liminal as a base of operations while still being able to venture into neighboring realms without any apparent difficulties. One posable explanation for this is that if one embraces The Liminal it allows you to venture forth but with some time limit or other restrictions and the people who are doing so simply know the limits and stay well within them. Another possible explanation involves some form of shielding/purification arrangement that filters out the entrapping elements from the local environment. And of course it is entirely possible that both explanations are in play just for different groups.

Alurins are a group of Demosidhe (and eventually their descendants) who have been transformed from non-corporial beings into corporial ones. This was accomplished by the Gnomish Magus Gwixal with the help of some of his Goldblood students. For context, the Demosidhe in question were of the make alliances group. And were hidden away in Crystals to keep them safe. Which worked for them, but, not so well for those that did the hiding. While it is unknown who they were, or what exactly happened to them. The fact that the stasis spell on the Crystals was beginning the fail is a pretty strong indicator that it was not good. A researcher named Thomas who was working on power transmission technology stumbled onto the basic ideas needed for Gate technology. Which lead to his acquiring some of the Crystals housing the Demosidhe. Which lead to his being possessed by some of them. Don't judge them too hard they were in a rather desperate situation at the time. The presence of Demosidhe caused a pair of dormant Goldbloods to activate. Ok Quick side notes on Goldbloods They were created by "The Gods" (Which Gods exactly is up for debate as no one seems to want to take credit/blame for creating them) When danger is near Goldbloods appear. Or When Goldbloods appear Danger is near. How happy people are to learn that Goldbloods are around really does depend a lot on whether they are already dealing with a problem or not. For some reason people would rather be rescued from a disaster than be told to prepare for one. Go figure 🤔 Anyway the Golden blood has amazing healing properties and a Goldblood who has been properly trained can do amazingly powerful healing magic. They can do some pretty powerful magic just in general, but healing/restoring/creating ect is what the Goldblood Magic is intended for. The Alurins are active Goldbloods because they are living in a wasteland that needs restoring. Just noticed I haven't described what Alurins look like. Sorry about that. I'll get to it with my next edit of this.

*"Be not alarmed."* a voice said in his mind. Throkmorton wasn't sure which of them had spoken, but assumed it was the one in the middle, and focused his attention on that one *"OK ?"* he said/thought. Waiting to see what the fungusmen would do next. *"Your friends have reached the far side of this cavern. We have told them to wait for you there. Before you go to them, we offer you a trade. You have coins ? Yes ?"* Each sentence seemed to be a slightly different voice leaving Throkmorton totally confused as to Who was actually talking. Not that it mattered much. The important part was that they seemed willing to let him go after making some trade. *"Some. What are you offering, and how much do you want?"* he asked *"5 Gold. For one basket of Brain fungus, For when the Hunger comes; One bag of Spawn, for growing your own later; and one Memory Crystal, with instructions on how to grow your own Brian fungus."* They said, showing him each item as they named it. Throkmorton felt a hunger stirring at the sight of the Brian fungus. 5 Gold would leave him with only a few Silver and Copper pieces. But for his freedom and some useful supplies he'd have paid a Platinum if he had too. With the deal made Throkmorton looked into the basket and allowed his Thulien nature to rise. As the Hunger filled his mind his tentacles reached out and wrapped around one of the small brain fungi pulling it quickly to his mouth. Psi-energy flowed through his mind which he directed through his body fueling and restoring it. He returned to normal awareness unsure how much time had passed. No long, he decided; as the fungusmen were still there watching him. *"Much better and safer to meet your friends well sated than still hungry from your transformation."* They said *"If you don't over exert yourself, that should keep you feed for about a week."* "Good to know." he said counting the fungi in the basket. Twelve. Twelve weeks of food. So probably about eight weeks to get back to normal or find a place to start growing his own Brian fungus. *"Stay on the path that follows the wall of the Cavern and you will reach your friends in an hour or so."* The fungusmen said walking past him. Throkmorton hung the handle of the basket over his arm and set off down the path. Once he was out of sight of the Sporanids he stopped and closed his eyes, concentrating on reestablishing his mental link to Yeriko. Her face appeared in his mind almost instantly. A quick mental exchange and it was agreed that they would wait for him where they were. And with that decision made Throkmorton set off at a brisk walk.

For those wondering. An Eldrabus and Eldritch Mageshot are posable. The Yun-Xi were known to have made and used them during the Druid Necromancer Wars. Not a huge surprise given that they worship Yuuxath who draws a large portion of his power from the Far Realms. Mismatching Arcane and Eldritch weapons and ammo will lead to more rapid deterioration of the weapon and increase the risk of spell failure. But you can get away with it for a few rounds if you are in a situation where you don't really have a choice.

Ok If you reread the Enscrolled Blunderbus section. It says at the start that they are a type of Arcabus and can use Mageshot. The main difference is that the Blunderbus can fire whatever; While the typical Arcabus is designed specifically for Mageshot and Munds. Mageshot is basically a solid potion/spell that triggers on impact. They can be made a few different ways. Such as, by starting with a potion and crystalizing it. Or by carving Runes into a breakable object. Munds are typically fired ceramic that can be filled with a Potion or have Runes etched on to. And, yes you can do both for a double whammy effect. Assuming of course that the spells are ones that can work together. The crystals on the stock are to provide the energy to propell the round to the target. The energy for the spell is already in the round. And yes you can just throw them like a grenade. The spell will still go off on impact. Just make sure you throw it hard enough. Both to ensure breaking/detonation and that you are not in the blast radius. It is possible to make safety rounds that require the gun or the shooter to provide the energy for the spell as well as the propulsion. It's just not done very much, being seen as impractical in most situations. Imprinters are the most common way of putting spells into Munds. Load a round. Channel the spell through the imprinter. Mageshot ready to use. And yes there are Imprinters designed for loading potions. Most Imprinters are just an extra setting or two on the Arcabus. Very useful in situations where you need extra spells.

I'm going to be putting stuff here as I think of it. So there isn't going to be much order to this. Might try sorting/organizing later. Arcabus: general term used for a number of items that are all basically guns designed to fire spell containing ammunition; typically referred to as Mage Shot. Munds is a term used to refer to the ammo before any spells have been added. Munds can be fired from most types of Arcabus for about twice the damage of a heavy crossbow at the same range. In theory any spell can be converted into an Arcabus round. In practice there are any number of spells where doing so would make no sense. **************************************** Enscrolled Blunderbus: while able to function as an Arcabus and fire Mageshot rounds. This item gets it's own entry because it is more generic and basic in its design and purpose. Drop whatever smallish objects you have down the barrel,( rocks, nails, broken glass, ect.) Turn the locking ring, aim and pull the trigger. And whatever you put in there will come flying out at amazing speed. A crossbow bolt will have about half again as much power behind it as it would if fired from a typical heavy crossbow. The Sipow crystals on the stock are usually the power source providing 12 shots on average. Now if you are a spellcaster, one point of Mana per shot. And other power sources can be converted without too much trouble, assuming you know how. **************************************** Skree: a living Biograft weapon resembling a scorpion except the "stinger" is the mouth that it uses to attach to it's host/user. The "head" is the business end of the weapon along with the claws. The Skree can fire in several modes. A web line up to 100 feet of sticky silk like rope able to support up to 1000 pounds. A web/net 10 feet across when it's fully deployed at 100 feet away. It expands in a cone, becoming wider as it travels. Shock claws: The claws of a Skree are able to deliver a Bio-electric jolt similar to that produced by the Shocking Grasp spell or the Psi Abilitie Bio-Curent. Plasma blast: by creating an electrical arc between the claws a Skree can ignite the silk it is firing creating either a stream of burning plasma or a ball of it.

He reached the cavern containing the grove without encountering anything more interesting than a few oddly colored outcropings of of rock along the way. The cavern was far larger than he was expecting. The map from the sentry post only noted that a grove of Chaos fungus was there and didn't bother extending beyond that. Understandable given that the Thuliens would have little reason to go there or expect anything to come from there. At least without making rather a lot of noise. Given the size of the cavern there was a good chance that his friends would be reaching the other side of it about now. Throkmorton checked his surroundings and then closed his eyes. Reaching out along the link to Yeriko. The fact that she had been able to maintain it was a good omen for how things were going on her end. Contact came almost immediately. An updated image of the two maps appeared before his mind's eye. "I think we're at the far side of the Chaos fungus cavern" Yeriko said. "I think you're right. Now how do I get to where you are without disturbing these things?" "Very carefully." She replied. "There seems to be a path around the edge of the Grove. If it continues all the way..." "Worth a try. If this isn't just a wild patch, but something that the Sporanids are tending to..." "As long as you stay on the path and don't disturb the fungus, they should have no reason to bother you." "One way to find out." He said opening his eyes and starting off down the path. The Fungus people worked for the Thuliens in the Compound of their own free will. But how loyal they were beyond that; or even how friendly they might be in their own territory... These were things that the Thuliens didn't seem to think about much. For that matter, why did the Sporanids work for the Thuliens ? They didn't seem to be enslaved but they were also not employed. At least his Thulien memories didn't contain anything about paying them or keeping them under control. The Sporanids just worked for the Thuliens and no one bothered questioning it. Throkmorton's musings were interpreted at this point as he came around a bend in the path and found himself face to face with a group of five medium sized Sporanids coming from the other direction.

Throkmorton was busy thinking as he walked. On the one hand Yeriko's mental beacon was very useful to him and finding a way to let her know that would make finding his fellow adventurers much easier. On the other hand how many other creatures of the Underdark could hear that beacon? Maybe not that many. After all she was mentally calling out to him specifically. So, how to let her know without broadcasting his own location to whatever might be able to hear him ? Thuliens were telepathic. Did that mean he was now ? One way to find out. He stopped walking, took a quick look around, and closed his eyes. Concentrating on reflecting her signal back to her. Not only would this let her know he was hearing it, it would also give her a direction to focus on. Further reducing the chance of anyone else noticing. After a moment he felt a flash of surprise along the beacon. Then Yeriko's face appeared in his mental view. "Throk ? Is that you ?" She asked. "Sort of. " He said wondering if she was seeing him as he was now or as he remembered being. "A bit of both." She said, "So you're a Kull now. That explains how we're talking." "Didn't know if I could. But when I felt your call I had to try." An image of a map appeared in his mind. It was the one he'd been drawing before his capture, with a few more chambers added. "Are you on this?" She ask. "I'm on this." He replied projecting the map from the sentry post wall. Adding a dot for his location. "I think this leads to this." He went on adding arrows at the ends of the tunnels he hopped connected the two maps. "We'll start heading that way." She said, "I'll try to keep a link for us to follow. But if we run into trouble I'll probably have to drop it." "Unerstood. If we lose contact I'll keep going until I need to check my direction and try to reestablish it then." The link faded and he opened his eyes. Yes. His friends were in the same direction as the grove of Chaos fungus he'd been heading for. So with renewed hope adding a spring to his steps Throckmorton hurried off down the corridor.

I'm mostly using D&D 3.0 with whatever Shard Scape specific mods I've already posted. As to a glossary; I've been meaning to try making a list of all the stuff I've got so far with just a line or two summary mostly as a way of remembering what I need to search for if I want to find the full thing. I might even try setting it up with links and such. Assuming I can find the time energy and motivation to do something that big. Maybe once I'm finialy able to retire in another 6 years or so 🤔

After rereading what I have so far, I have to agree that some sort of glossary would need to be included for those not already familiar with the Shard Scape. Although people who know about mindflayers from D&D would probably pickup on the basic thread. Added a few things to the notes section at the top for those interested in technical details and such. ************************************ After about half an hour of walking Throkmorton came to a disused sentry post. It was far enough from the main entrance that he could stop, rest, and plan his next move. A map on the wall of the main room was somewhat useful in this respect. While not perfectly connecting with his original map, the tunnel leading to a grove of Chaos fungus was the most likely route by which the Thuliens could have brought him to their Compound. It was also the only path that didn't show any other sentry posts. With a path chosen and minimal chance of encountering any Thuliens, Throkmorton decided that it was time to change his look to something more likely to cause his fellow adventurers to pause before striking. To that end the robes were packed away and his regular clothes doned. Sword at the hip, where it could now be drawn. Daggers in all their usual places. Harp...he paused holding it. Looking at his now three fingered hands with long, almost claw like nails. Only one way to find out he decided positioning the harp and moving his nails in a plucking/strumming motion. The harp responded with soft notes, that after a few rather minor adjustments could be called music. Not his best, but the effort needed to adapt to his new hands would not be nearly as great as he had feared. He played on for a little while trusting the furniture in the room to contain the sound. As his mind wandered he felt a gentle yet insistent tugging at his mind. He paused his playing and concentrated on this new sensation. Yeriko ? Yeriko ! It was her. The others were alive. And Yeriko was using her morning meditation to send out a meal signal for him to follow. He focused on the map he'd copied from the wall. Yes. The path through the grove of Chaos fungus did lead in the right general direction. He slung his harp over his shoulder, picked up his other gear, and with map in hand set off at a brisk walk.

Fortunately it was a rest period so there wasn't anyone around for Throkmorton to avoid. Also fortunately, his job was overseer for a new fungus farm located rather close to the Morphoses Chambers with his assigned quarters being next to the entrance of the tunnel that lead to the cavern containing the farm itself. And as a final bit of good fortune, there was a smallish tunnel at the far end of the farm leading to the greater Underdark that had not been sealed up yet. Throkmorton struggled to contain his elation. A mental shout of joy could be every bit as disastrous as mental screams of panic. Amazingly he encountered no one on his trip. Only spotting a couple of Sporanids at the far end of the farm as he passed through the cavern, and they seemed to take no notice of him. Upon reaching the greater Underdark Throkmorton found it rather easy to contain his elation as he realized that he had no idea where he was or which way to go. As the Illith memories did not include anything beyond what was needed for the job it was to do. Which did not include going beyond the Compound. Then he remembered the map he'd been making before his capture. If the Thulien Compound wasn't too far from where he'd been captured then maybe he could get his bearings and use the map to find his way. The small tunnel from the fungus farm ended at a larger tunnel giving him two choices. One, actually; as he managed to orient his mental map of the Compound and realized that going right would lead to the main entrance. So, left should lead in the direction he needed to go. If his fellow adventurers had escaped and were still down here, would he be able to convince them that he was who he was before they killed him? A rather important question that. "Oh, well. One disaster at a time." He thought as he headed off down the tunnel.

Some people and places of interest in the City of the Shademakers. Grayhall Academy. Because of the number of living people in the City it was decided that a school system was needed. Along the way the Academy grew from a basic school into an Adventurer's Guild. Anne of Grayhall. Head mistress of Grayhall Academy. And wife of Jonathan Appleblack. Jonathan Appleblack. The current Supreme Shadow. It is worth noting that Jonathan has been the Supreme Shadow for a few hundred years now. And that Anne married Jonathan because she wanted to be with him. His being Supreme Shadow was just a job he had as far as she was concerned. It's also rumored that Anne does as much of the job of Supreme Shadow as Jonathan. Jonathan manages to remain Supreme Shadow mostly by ruling with a firm and fair hand. And organizing things so that he has to as little ruling as possible.

I was just rereading this and noticed that I never actually got around to saying what Varna look like. Now obviously while a Varna is wearing a husk you don't get to see it. That is rather the point after all. But when a Varna is out on its own Type ones look like a floating brain with a bunch of jellyfish like tendrils dangling beneath it. It's not entirely clear what the tendrils are for. Given that it has a psi-blast ability for defense and offense if needed. And telekinesis for moving objects. Type twos also look like a floating brain just larger. Type ones are the size of a normal brain while type twos are about 3 feet long by about 2 feet high and wide. Main body, with octopus like tentacles about 3 feet long hanging below. Type twos also have a stinger like appendage at the rear near the brainstem. Type twos are able to produce spawn by injecting a victim with whatever compounds are produced by their stinger. While it was previously believed that type twos were basically type ones who had grown too big to continue wearing a husk. This seems to no longer be the case as there are now reports of type twos (hereafter refered to as Grees ) displaying the body compression ability similar to that seen in Seku. More on this as information becomes available.

Let's start out in the wilderness where you have roaming bands of Barbarians and maybe a small village now and then. Out here it's mostly a bartar system and the closest thing to money is wampam beads. One Bead is equal to a Copper pice in terms of buying power. A String of 10 Beads; A Silver And a Bundle of 10 Strings; A Gold You won't find anything for sale at more than 5 Bundles . Or at least not very often. People out here want things they can use. An odd qwerk of this is that you might be able to trade a couple of well polished Copper pieces for a String while not being able to get more than a Bead or two for a tarnished Silver piece. And on the flip side of this you might be able to sell a single Bead for a couple of Gold. To the right Collector. Such trades are rare and typically not repeatable, but well worth keeping in mind if you get the chance. In Towns on the edge of the Wilds you can usually find someone who will be able to swap Coins for Beads and back again at the Bead for Copper rate. For a small service fee of course. Another place where you are likely to encounter off beat Money is in the Goblin Quarter of Cities that are large trading hubs. Here you might encounter Iron Bits, Iron pieces (8 Bits to the Piece ) Ceramic pieces, Guild Marks, etc. Pieces and Marks are usually about the same value as a Copper pice. If you venture into these places keep your Silver close and don't let anyone even think you have Gold unless you are so obviously powerful that no one would dare mess with you. In Civilized places the Money goes like this: 10 Copper pieces to the Silver 10 Silver to the Gold 10 Gold to the Electrum 10 Electrum to the Platinum 10 Platinum to the Krystal (Yes the 1K piece being 1000 Gold is totally on purpose.) So basically standard D&D/Fantasy world Money with the Krystal pice being the notable addition. Krystal pieces are made from Gem jell mixed with diamond dust a catalyst and a bit of magic to trigger the reaction.

By the Light of the Witch Moon Under Eldritch Skys By Balefire's Glow To Ride the Neither Winds. To Plant the Dragon's Teeth. Title ideas for stories linked to the Finial Days of Horkuna. The basic idea is an Earth like world Magic or maybe Psi Abilities are rare and mistrusted in most places This world has a second Moon. Small with an odd orbit and little effect on the tides and such. Barley visible to most people. But to those who have the Mage/Witch sight a full Witch Moon is as bright as a regular full Moon. Nights when the Witch Moon is full and the regular Moon is Dark are seen as Ill-omened by most. Which becomes a self fulfilling sort of thing. Because a night when honest folks stay home is naturally a night when those up to no good are going to be more active. General outline is one or more Gifted/Cursed as the main character and somewhere along the way they discover something that is a major threat to their world and because of their abilities they are the only ones who can stop it and save the world.

While exploring an abandoned house You find a research lab belonging to someone who has been exploring the Backrooms. Notebooks, Maps, Weapons, Supplies, and Gear for finding your way in, out, and around. The last entry in the main Notebook is dated three weeks ago. What do you do? I've been toying with some ideas as to what the Backrooms could be used for if someone had a way of finding/opening/closing entry/exit points both from the "real" world side and from within the Backrooms themselves. There are Lurkers. But I'm still working out what they are. Where they come from. Why they are there. Ect. Use ideas include hiding, smuggling, making just about anything one could need a reason to keep hidden.

Some notes about the City itself. As noted elsewhere The City of the Shademakers is located in the Plane of Shadows. It's not entirely clear just when, why, how the place got started but the general drift of the story goes something like this. A group of scholars/sages/lore masters ect who were all interested in Shadow Magic, Necromancy and other such related topics worked together to establish a research area free from distractions. Just when they discovered the process enabling the transformation into a Shade is not recorded but it was long ago and over time others learned of the Umbral Archives and came to join the group. Then others came not wishing to become permanent members of the group but wishing to visit and consult with the resident scholars. This created a need for the compound to grow into more of a regular city. For while the Shades don't need to eat or sleep, visitors who were mostly still among the living most definitely did. And anywhere there is a need that can be satisfied for a profit, sooner or later someone is going to start a business satisfying that need. And so all the usual business turned up. There was already some need for transport to and from the Umbral Archives as many of the Scholars needed research materials, add to that the needs of a growing city. This lead to the creation of the Shadow Fleet. There are actually several ships that are all The Shadow. As the ship is believed to be an Ill omen it never makes port as itself but takes on the aperance of some other ship. Quite probably the ship it was before joining the Shadow Fleet. Just how a ship joins the Shadow Fleet is a secret known only to the Captains and the Supreme Shadow. There are likely a few others who have figured it out, But they are not likely to be sharing that information unless they are offered a good reason typically in the form of a rather large amount of treasure or possibly information that is valuable enough. It is worth noting that because it started as a city of scholars, information and research materials are as much a form of money as actual coins and gems. As to the matter of food and lodging it depends on your personal taste and available funds. If you are broke and/or don't care about quality you can find a place about two streets back from the harbor. Or you can try camping in one of the empty warehouses right along the waterfront. If you happen to have some coin to spend and want a good deal try looking about five to six streets back from the docks. This is also the point at which you are most likely to find merchants with goods that are actually worth buying. If you are rich and/or looking for magic items and such you will need to go twenty streets in and get a guard to let you in. The walls and gates here mark the start of the city proper. This is where a city watch actually bothers with patrolling and such. Before this you are in Thieves Guild territory. Not that the Guild doesn't have a presence in the walled parts of the city. But outside the walls they are the ones running things. Inside the walls, they keep a much lower profile.

Upon first sighting the Shadow you will likely see it maneuvering in a way that is only possible with a full crew. Any attempts at communicating from this range will receive no direct response. The ship will however take up station keeping once you have signaled your intention to come alongside or otherwise board. If the ship doesn't do this or disappears, return to port and get a new time/location to try again. Once you are within range to do so, you will see absolutely no one on the Shadow. Magical items, spells, etc that enable seeing invisible beings will probably allow you to see the crew. It is generally considered a bad idea to do this. The Shadow disappearing or sailing away are the most common results. There are some reports of the crew of the Shadow attacking. This is largely unconfirmed, but all such reports agree that this happens only if you are already alongside. As to what the crew of the Shadow look like; I'll cover that a bit later. Never set foot on the deck of the Shadow until you have asked permission to come abroad. You will know if it was granted by nothing happening. There are no reports of the request being denied if you were allowed to come alongside in the first place. There are no confirmed reports of anyone being stupid enough to not ask permission. So what exactly would happen is unknown. The most likely reactions are the Shadow disappearing or the offending individual being tossed over the side. In any event once on board find a spot on the deck that is out of the way of the crew and stay there. Unless you feel like you are being asked to get out of the way, then get out of the way. Do not interfere with the operation of the ship. Do not go below decks. Do not go into the galley. And especially don't sit down and eat when there is a meal on the table. Unless you want to join the crew. More on what happens if you do in a bit. Do not enter the captain's cabin. Some say you can enter if you ask permission and have a good reason for being there. Make sure you have a good supply of food and water. If you follow the rules the trip can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks. When you arrive at the Umbral Archives. Thank the captain and crew for their hospitality, and get off. For those who lack common sense and want to push their luck. Here are the likely results of breaking the rules. You will be attacked by the crew, and the ship itself, if you are holding your onw against the crew. They will either throw you over the side, or kill you and then throw you over the side. Assuming that the ship doesn't just vanish. If you are still in the normal world, pray that there is an island nearby. In any case you are in the ocean, good luck. If you have crossed into the Plane of Shadows, you are stranded there in a random location. Good Luck. Or you have landed in some random Demiplane. You will probably need all the luck you can get. If you fight the captain and somehow manage to win. Whoever landed the killing blow is now Captain of the Shadow. Everyone else in your group is now part of the Crew. Any surviving members of the original Crew are now as loyal to you as they were to the former Captain. And you are now bound to the service of The Supreme Shadow, Lord of the Umbral Archives, and whatever other titles that notable might happen to have. In theory you can take that Title by winning a duel or otherwise conquering the current Supreme Shadow. There are no confirmed reports of anyone ever having managed to do it. The Crew of the Shadow are Shades with the ability to turn invisible and stay that way even when attacking. They are also able to heal themselves as per Vampiric Ring of Regeneration channeled through their weapons. The Captain has the Crews abilities as well as the ability to Animate Object anything that is part of the Shadow as a free action. And is almost always a Magic User of some sort. I might try to work out more exact stats for these guys later.

Quest for the Umbral Archives. Or any other names you want to use here. (Umbraheim.) (Finialy came up with a name for the city) This is an outline/framework that you can use to build a quest for an RPG group or as a starting point/outline for a story if you want. I might try building a story with this later. Anyway to undertake this Voyage/Quest you will need a few things. Being insane is often listed. Although there is some debate about this actually being a requirement. An individual or group with some reason to make the trip. So, let's take a moment to consider reasons for wanting to go there. Which in turn requires knowing what the place has to offer. Mostly it offers knowledge. Including the knowledge of how to become a Shade. A rather surprising number of sages and scholars have sought this knowledge; for actual use and not just academic coursity; over the ages. Or maybe it's not so surprising if you think about it. Of the various types of undead one might consider becoming Shades are the best suited to the purpose of continuing academic activities free from the distractions of being alive. No need to eat or sleep. No worries about getting sick or dieing of old age before you finish studying your chosen subject. This has inturn lead to the creation of the Umbral Archives. All that research and knowledge has to be stored somewhere. And that somewhere is on the Demiplane of Shadow. Where exactly? Well, that's rather hard to say as things on the plane of Shadows tend to wander around, rather a lot actually. Fortunately there is a way to travel directly to the Umbral Archives. A few different ways actually. If you have the aid of someone who knows the place well and/or has made the trip often. They can lead you there by way of the Plane of Shadows or a Teleport spell. Unfortunately people who know the way and are available to act as guides are extremely hard to find. However there is another option. Apart from just blundering about the Plane of Shadows and hoping. And that option is a ship known as the Shadow. The Shadow is said to make port at the Umbral Archives regularly. However it is not known to make port anywhere else. And finding a captain willing to take you out to meet the Shadow is not exactly easy. The Shadow, the Umbral Archives, anyone who wants to go there, or even talk about it, are all things most people consider to be bad luck. Or rather, talking about it: bad luck, actually seeing the Shadow: BAD LUCK. Although enough money, including the price of Blessings from a Priest and many lucky charms and talismans, can convince some captains to make the trip. Make sure you have a reliable way of determining a person's true intent. As more than half the captains who say that they will take you to the Shadow are going to try to kill you and toss you overboard as soon as you are out of sight of land. One of the other challenges is finding an Orical who can tell you when/where the find the Shadow. I'll cover the details of how to board and travel on the Shadow later.