Sun Below - City On The Edge
Sun Below - City On The Edge
Sun Below - City On The Edge
Contents
Introduction page 1
Background page 1
Synopsis page 1
Getting the PCs Involved page 2
Modifying the Adventure page 3
New Rules: Mooks page 4
The Adventure page 5
The Face page 5
Portal to the Sun Below page 8
The Descent page 14
Urbamorr: The City on the Edge page 16
The Return page 46
Bestiarum Vocabulum page 48
Dh'lanns page 48
Floaters page 50
Praithians page 51
Praithian War Snake page 55
Pyronic Sentry page 56
Slithiks page 57
Numenera page 60
Extras page 60
The Sun Below
CREDITS
Writer/Designer John WS Marvin
Artists Alysha Lach, Gill Pearce, Doug Scott, Alicia Severson, James E. Shields, Justin Wyatt, Britanny Zendejas
Playtesters Nicole Borchert, Leslie Camacho, Matthew Hanson, Joshua Kidd, James Otting, Aaron Pyne, Jeff Smith,
and John Strickland
This product was created under license from Monte Cook Games, LLC.
Numenera and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other
countries. All Monte Cook Games characters and character names, and the distinctive likenesses
thereof, are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC.
City on the Edge
What if I told you there is a world below this one? A world with its own sun? Full of strange peoples,
amazing discoveries, and unspeakable horror? Finding your way down to this world is almost impossible.
Finding a way back up, well, that’s worse.
1
The Sun Below
Overcoming obstacles both real and illusionary world has its own sun, moon, weather, and
in the station, the characters find their way to the seasons. The characters discover this world, and
ceiling of the world below. There they discover a strange wonders therein, such as the bio-
bizarre bio-mechanical airship that transports mechanical airship An Domorr, strange and
them down to the praithian city of Urbamorr, unknown new peoples, a dying civilization that
where the children are being held. lives only to dream, and more.
Once in the city, the PCs meet the praithians, a
ruling class made of giant stone heads with
dreamers inside, and an underclass of two races:
The Sun Below starts just outside the city of
the dh’lann and the slithik. The dh’lann are
Uxphon in the Black Riage, but it could be moved
hermaphrodite humans and the slithik are
to take place almost anywhere in the Ninth
strange bloodsucking plants. A praithian noble,
World. The Iron Wind has just wreaked havoc on
Contessa Kyyndance, negotiates for the children’s
the main road in and out of Uxphon along the
release. But unknown to her, the king views the
Deathwater Canyon.
Uxphon (“Oosh-fahn”), surface people as potential slaves. He traps the
To set the start of the adventure elsewhere,
page 135 characters and children in Urbamorr and
simply pick any cliff face to be changed by the
eventually turns on them, attempting to imprison
Iron Wind. The stakes are higher if the cliff face is
them and implant them with mind-control
in a disruptive location, perhaps along an
devices.
important trade route or on a border between
The characters escape and run into a resistance
two kingdoms. If there are no nearby cliffs, the
led, in part, by praithian Princess Duphreen, who
power of the Iron Wind could have created a
wants her people to leave the world of dream
deep ravine.
and return to the material world.
The characters find allies and strike back at the
king. After defeating the king, all seems well until
the queen rouses her dreaming head and
GETTING THE
threatens everyone. Once again into the breach, PCS INVOLVED
the PCs confront the queen and either defeat her All you have to do is get your players to the giant
in combat or convince her to stand down. talking face. Events will proceed from there. Use
Returning to the surface of the Ninth World with one or more of the following hooks or come up
the children, they are greeted as heroes and with your own.
invited deep into the inner circle of the Order of
Truth.
3
The Sun Below
for groups with six players or more. Even in the or second-tier character. Third- or fourth-tier
toughest fights, the goal is not to kill players, but characters will need to inflict 7 points of damage,
to make players believe they are headed for while fifth-tier and above will need 9 points of
defeat unless they pull off a miracle. That’s when damage to one-shot it.
most players will step up their game and come up A simple bookkeeping trick is to list a group of
with a miracle or two and surprise you. faceless mooks by letters, say A through J. Put a
slash through the letter when the mook takes its
first hit. Do the reverse slash to make an X over
the letter when the mook takes its last hit.
If you are playing The Sun Below: City on the
For beginning tier-one characters, you should be Edge using miniatures, a penny, dragon’s tear, or
aware of how fragile some newly created other marker placed by a 2-hit mook will let
characters can be, especially a Nano with no everyone know it’s half dead.
armor. It’s perfectly OK to focus damage effects
on other characters. Speeding Combat
Remind new players they can use their single- If a combat with 2-hit mooks (or even regular
action recovery in combat. creatures) starts to drag, convert the creatures to
If the party is mostly first tier, replace all 2-hit 1-hit mooks. Mooks that have already taken their
mooks with 1-hit mooks. See the next section for first hit can succumb to their wounds, flee, or
mook rules. surrender–whatever fits the story best.
Why Mooks?
The concept of a mook is
a creature who is both NEW RULES: Optional No-Mook
easy to defeat, yet still
dangerous. Level 2 MOOKS Variant
creatures are easy to
This adventure uses mooks, but you can opt not
Mooks are minor NPCs that exist as cannon to use them. To do away with them, ignore a
defeat, but far from fodder. They show up in great numbers and are
dangerous. creature’s mook status and just use the creature’s
mowed down as fast as they show up. They can level times three as the health of the creature.
The swarm rules add
be dangerous in numbers, but are easily Divide the number of mooks in half since they will
some danger to low level
dispatched. Think about action scenes with scores take longer to kill.
creatures.
of adversaries in your favorite book or movie.
These mook rules add
more danger, and reduce
From Buffy to James Bond, mooks are part of the
the bookkeeping. Less action/adventure genre.
bookkeeping means The goal here is to be able to throw large
more time for the GM to numbers of adversaries at the player characters
worry about story without slowing the game down by needing to
instead of mechanics. manage mooks’ health points.
Don’t be afraid to throw
large numbers of mooks
at the players. And don’t
be surprised when they A 1-hit mook is quite simple and requires zero
get mowed down. bookkeeping. Just change a creature’s health to 1.
Any damage that gets past the creature’s armor
kills it.
4
City on the Edge
The characters follow the leads to the Face in the Wall and find the Iron Wind isn’t the strangest thing they
will discover in this story, for beneath their feet is another world.
5
The Sun Below
grief over the death of her husband or gets Modifying the travonis
COMBAT TIMELINE stunned by a tendril slap. If help is needed, she ul: For first-tier
remains steadfast. characters, the travonis
Surprise Round: When Mishka helps, she comes to the aid of one ul suffers from stasis
· Travonis ul bites Ellus in half, throws of the characters who is attempting to fight the sickness and only has 15
scribe at characters. creature at short or long range. She can help in health. If the characters
· Travonis ul in short range, about 40 one of three ways (player character’s choice). She are fifth- or sixth-tier,
feet (12m) from players at start. there are two full-
can heal the character for 1d6 points; or she can
· (Optional) Death of the Tans. strength travonis uls to
assist, which reduces the difficulty of whatever
contend with.
action is being assisted by one step; or she can
Round One: grant +3 to the character’s damage. Travonis ul: level 5/6/6,
· Mishka gives healing sphere, assists
Speed defense 4/5/5;
character
3 points of Armor;
· Yellow stains appear (15)30/36/36 health;
· GM Intrusion: Travonis ul grabs and Even after just witnessing her husband being Can attack up to 10 foes
crushes a character. Travonis ul bitten in half, somehow Mishka has the presence at short range with
attacks, targets one character with its of mind to slap a purple healing sphere in the tendrils for 6 points, one
mouth, the rest with tendrils. hands of a nearby character. “Use my healing attack with bite as level 5
· If the players win initiative, they may sphere! Squeeze this ball to heal yourself.” for 7/8/8 points; anyone
strike at the onrushing tendrils without ARTIFACT: HEALING struck must make a
having to take a move action. Might defense roll or
SPHERE become stunned for 1
Level: 1d6
Round Two: round; Core page 263.
Form: A healing sphere is a flexible 1-inch (2.5
· Yellow tubes inflate and take cm) diameter sphere of violet synth. GM Intrusion: The
screaming children Effect: The ball heals the same way a healing travonis ul’s target is
· Mishka loans stunner and assists sword does: restoring 1d6 to any stat Pool the overwhelmed by the
character if needed. wielder wishes without requiring an action. flurry of tendrils and
· Travonis ul attacks, targets one Depletion: 1 in 1d10 becomes lost in the
character with its mouth, the rest with crushing mass of the
tendrils. Mishka can also loan out a stunner to someone, creature’s body. The
probably a nano, working at the outer limits of victim automatically
Round Three+: the travonis ul’s range: “Take this, aim the pointy suffers 9/10/10 points of
· Mishka helps a character if needed. end, squeeze the yellow bit!” damage each round
· Travonis ul attacks, targets one Note that this stunner has a depletion: 1-3 in unless they can break
character with its mouth, the rest with 1d6. free (a Might task).
tendrils. If Mishka doesn’t have to move far, she gives her
items away as a free action and can still help in
DEATH OF THE TANS other ways. She can move short distances
Stunner, page 312
If the characters assured the old couple waiting at between characters and still help in the same
Mishka’s stunner
the skull projection that it was safe for them go round. has depletion: 1-3
ahead, a tendril whips across Twyr’s and Holai’s in 1d6
faces, breaking their necks and killing them BE MY HERO!
instantly. Local people will remember the bad The drunken couple are no longer a couple, as the
advice and react accordingly. travonis ul crushes the young man. The woman
In the first round, when the travonis ul gets to (actually a Nibovian Wife named Klaro) quickly
attack, pick one character for a GM Intrusion. scans the characters for a replacement. She picks Nibovian wife,
Good candidates include a character who was a male character, if there is one, and says, “Save page 249
missed by a tentacle or bite attack, a character me. Be my hero!”
with the escape skill so they can show off, or the She uses a cypher to shoot a beam of pink light
character who has the healing sphere. Have the at the character, granting him 6 Speed points. The
travonis ul grab the target and start crushing. extra Speed points may exceed the character’s
normal maximum, but if not used in 28 hours,
HELP IF HELP IS they go away.
If there are no male characters nearby, Klaro will
NEEDED flee the scene, desperate to find a man to replace
The travonis ul is a fearsome opponent. You can the one the travonis ul just killed.
use Mishka as a throttle for this combat. If the
characters don’t need help, she collapses with
chamber. A successful difficulty 4 task will detect Either way, Mor-Klish says: “Pay no attention to
that the sound and movement are a little out of that slithik behind the curtain!”
synch. If Mor-Klish is exposed, he will first try to pull
If the illusion fails to frighten the characters the curtain closed, but this is ineffectual, to say
away, a level-5 detonation (psy) goes off in the the least. If confronted, he will point a pincer at
chamber. his red control crystal, and state, “I am not
permitted to let you pass.” Or “I do not have the
freedom to surrender.”
Mor-Klish has been trying to free himself from
Level: 1d6+2 the control crystal for years now, and will stay
Wearable: Wristband projector (long range) within the letter of his commands but do
Usable: Explosive device (thrown, short range) or everything in his power to make it obvious that
handheld projector (long range) the crystal is responsible for his behavior. He will
Effect: Bursts in an immediate radius, inflicting not ask for help explicitly; he can’t.
Intellect damage equal to the cypher level. A Any combat hit on the crystal will destroy it, and
target can attempt to avoid damage by dodging any reasonable attempt to remove it will be a
(Speed) or resisting (Intellect). difficulty-5 numenera task. Removing it will allow
After that, Mor-Klish will use two beam emitters it to be hacked later. Good ideas are assets.
along the balcony, just beyond the spiral
staircases, for two level-5 attacks that do 4
damage. Breaking the beam emitters is difficulty
3, and using a heavy weapon counts as an asset.
10
Special: The crystal can be hacked with a “I wish I could surrender!” Just as he says that, GM Intrusion: (Use only
numenera roll, with the difficulty equal to the the red crystal embedded in his thickest neck if Mor-Klish is not yet an
level of the crystal. Hacking gives the wearer free stalk glows furiously and commences to burn his ally.) A locked door (3A
will. A hacked crystal acts as a disguise, making it skin. “It burns! Help me!” or 3B) is trapped and a
look like the wearer is still a slave. A hacked The stink of burning flesh mixed with ammonia level-6 explosive
crystal will still give immunity to the praithian fills the air as Mor-Klish’s neck bubbles. detonation goes off with
psychic whirlwind attack. If the characters save him, he will act as an ally. a roar, delivering 6 points
of ambient damage to all
A crystal can be broken open and harvested for
in immediate range.
1d3 – 1 cyphers and 1d3 shins. LOCATION 4:
Effect: Forces the subject to obey praithian
commands. Gives immunity to the praithian CHILLING WEB TRAP Mor-Klish: level 4/5/6;
psychic whirlwind attack. If Mor-Klish is an ally, he will warn the characters, 1/2/3 points of Armor;
Depletion: -- “Security protocols are being followed that will poisoned tentacle: 4/5/6
attempt to freeze you to death if you pass down plus difficulty 4/5/6
that hallway.” He is aware of the trap and if he Might test or lose 3/4/5
Mor-Klish, a slithik savant, is a mound of green Intellect, or 2 attacks w/
goes first he can deactivate it, as long as he wears
and black slime. Eight black tentacles sprout out brain fog ray (short)
or carries the red control crystal.
of the slime, two ending in bright blue metallic Intellect defense roll or
Dozens of sharp brown prisms in the ceiling glow
pincers. Erupting from the top of the slime is a lose 4/5/6 Intellect;
yellow and a level-6 honey-colored web explodes
black stalk, ending in a big black flower-shaped Slithik savant, page 59
to fill the room.
face with two black and gold eyes and a toothless
slit for a mouth. When feeding, clear tubes
dripping with mucous slithers out of his mouth to
drink blood.
Mor-Klish is mind-controlled by a red star
pyramid made of crystal that grows out of the
back of his neck. He wants to get free of his
control crystal, but he can’t act directly upon his
wishes. He attempts to give clues in the hope that
the characters will somehow destroy the crystal.
Mor-Klish speaks the Truth, but is not able to be
direct: “I’m not able to surrender.” Or “I would
like to help you but I am unable to.” He keeps
turning the back of his neck to the characters,
and has no idea they don’t recognize the device.
If Mor-Klish becomes an ally and stays with the
player characters, he attaches himself to one
character and assists that person. No one has to
roll dice for Mor-Klish, instead he is an asset
when negotiating with the slithik rebels and adds
an inability to negotiating with dh’lann.
Otherwise he gives the character he as attached
to the following benefits: the difficulty of
whatever action is being assisted is reduced by
one step. Or, if desired and in combat, +3
damage.
If the character Mor-Klish is attached to
becomes impaired, Mor-Klish becomes visibly
wounded and only gives a +1 on the die roll or a
+1 on damage. If the character becomes
debilitated, Mor-Klish falls over wounded, and
can be of no further help until he is healed.
Mor-Klish’s praithian mind-control crystal can be
broken up for cyphers or modified to allow him to
join the players in Urbamorr.
Mor-Klish is amazed anyone could have gotten
past the beast he had released from the stasis
chamber. He has no desire to die for the
Praithians, whom he hates.
11
12
The shaft on the west has a reverse gravity field Travonis Ul. “Keep it if you wish.” Quirk: Emits a
that slowly weakens to a slightly positive gravity high-pitched chime for every point healed.
field toward the top, where the PCs stand. (On If you have another artifact you’d like to put on
Discovery of the portal to
the way back, characters can step into the shaft offer, go for it. Try to match the power of these The Sun Below is worth 1
from below and fall up for kilometers, then step artifacts. In other words, make them good, but xp per character.
out into this chamber.) not game changing. The gifts from Mishka
The shaft on the east is the opposite; it has If a player character still has the stunner, Mishka are worth another 1 xp
normal gravity until just before the very bottom, asks for it back. If they argue to keep it, she’ll per character.
where it slows the descent of visitors from the agree but warn them it’s very old and running low
world above and lets them walk off onto the on power. Remember this stunner depletes on a
airship platform. 1-3 on 1d6.
Both flattened synth tubes terminate at the
eastern shaft, their open, lightweight ends Bounding boots,
hanging just 5 feet (1.5 m) down into the shaft. page 302
Before the players decide to jump in, they hear The nibovian wife clings to whichever Brain bud,
footsteps following their path to this chamber. character attracted her attention outside the page 302
face and implores, “Please, I wish to go with Cypher bag,
Mishka and Nillorv, her scribe assistant, enter
you, as your companion. I can make you very… page 303
carrying artifacts that may help the characters
comfortable.” Skill bud,
find and return the missing children. Just behind
page 311
them is Klaro (the nibovian wife) who breathlessly Disruption blade,
rushes up to “her hero.” page 303
LOCATION 7+
If you want to add more locations to this ancient
Healing sphere, page 7
Mishka allows each member to pick one item. If station, there are a lot of options. Add doors,
you want to go faster, you could pre-select an corridors, new levels, whatever strikes your fancy.
item for each character and just hand them out Anything could be behind locked doors that Mor-
Klish never opened… Zoach Floater: level
when Mishka runs up. Some players really like
5/6/7, level 4/5/6 for
choices, others like them too much and can never Speed defense; tendril
make up their minds. squeeze for 5/6/7 plus
Another option is to watch the clock, and after Leads in: Station Behind the Wall, page 8 Might defense roll or lose
10 minutes or so, let Mishka decide. Leads out: Top of the World, page 14 4/5/6 Speed; Can reach
Eventually, the characters will jump into the targets up to short
Metabolism bud Quirk: When the character rolls down shaft. If the characters balk, Mishka will range. Slashing weapons
prompt them to jump down, mentioning the +2 damage, blunt
a 1 on a Speed test, she sneezes out loud, in
urgency to save Tuctin and Tar. weapons -1 damage. Any
addition to your GM Intrusion.
As the characters free fall in the dark shaft, natural 17+ hit with a
Bounding boots Quirk: Feet feel cold after a heat- or fire-based attack
jump. allow them an Intellect (perception) test if they
will cause it to explode
Brain bud Quirk: When the character rolls a 1 on have some way of seeing in the dark. Below them
for its level in fire
an Intellect test, she calls out random numbers, in is something that looks like a cross between a
damage to all within
addition to your GM Intrusion. wagon-sized, bio-mechanical jellyfish with eyes immediate range.
Cypher bag Quirk: Outgasses a cold fog when a and a hot-air balloon. Page 50
cypher is removed from the bag. A big eye on the top of the
Skill bud Any of the skills on page 25 of the Core creature, a zoach floater, GM Intrusion: The
Book, including specific esoteries. Mishka just blinks at them, and tendrils floater grabs a character
happens to have the skill the character wants. reach around and up at the and stuffs them into its
Quirks are varied based on the skill chosen. onrushing characters. A zoach digestive sack. Each
Examples: (Repair) The character’s eyes glow soft floater has a bio-mechanical round any organic armor
red when he repairs himself. (Healing) The body as big as a house, full of loses 1 AP and the
character has to make a difficulty 3 Intellect roll gas bags and numenera. Its character takes 5/6/7
to not whistle while he heals. tendrils drape down 50 feet points of ambient
Disruption blade This may be any bladed (15m) or more and grab damage. Characters
vegetation, animals, and inside the sack when the
weapon, such as an axe. Mishka just happens to
people. floater explodes take
have the character’s favorite type of bladed
A difficulty 4/5/6 Speed test double damage.
weapon. Quirk: If the blade hits while activated, it
whistles a jaunty tune. allows a character to avoid the
Healing sphere The one Mishka loaned to the creature and fall on by it. The
character at the start of the battle with the floater will have one round to
13
14
beyond understanding. Aboard the An Domorr, She’s interested in the new guests. She has
their powers have no meaningful bounds. It’s a heard of the children, but says they left on a
mystery why their powers don’t seem to work different ship, the An Forgish. She likes to play
outside the airship (except when they do), or why house and will peer into the character’s minds
they take such delight in masquerading as people. and make dishes they loved as children.
Captain Klorsh is usually smoking his pipe. “’Tis Everything she does seems to use primitive
carved from a fine travonis ul tusk, don’t you technologies (fire, hauling water by pail, and so
know?” on), but if her work is examined closely, it has a
They do not answer questions about themselves dream-like quality, things moving and changing
in a straightforward manner. Klorsh always has a form when no one is looking.
twinkle in his eye and treats any questions as a
game. He raises his eyebrows, puffs his pipe, RIVER OF STARS
claps his hands, and changes the subject after the If Lebby is questioned about the ship, her powers,
vaguest of replies. the captain, or pretty much anything, she’ll
Lebby will rock back and forth and gush at how eventually mention the River of Stars. She can
amazing everything is. “I’m only 11” is one of her show inquiring characters the river, or if they are
stock answers. (In a playtest, one player following her around, she’ll lead them there. She
responded, “Yeah, 11 galactic rotations…”) She is often has to go down to the river with a bucket
thrilled to show off the River of Stars, but she and take it back to the engine room.
can’t be bothered to explain how anything works. Captain Klorsh is a little less forthcoming, but
Perhaps she knows that the characters minds are with a puff of his pipe and a twinkle in his eye,
too small and fragile to hold the truth. he’ll say, “Why not ask Lebby? She likes to show
When the characters ask for the airship to go off a bit, quite natural for a girl of her age.”
faster, change course, or for help outside the Across a catwalk between gas bags, down a
airship, they are told, “Sorry, we have to stick to ladder and through a hatch, is where the
the pattern.” That’s the stock answer for anything characters find the River of Stars.
the players want that you would like to withhold. The chamber seems too big to fit in this part of
It’s up to the characters to save the day, not the the airship. It’s dimly lit and smells like a
NPCs. mountain stream. A river flows in a figure 8,
The airship will pass first a violet moon and then always going downhill, which is quite a trick. And
the actual Sun Below on the way down, a 20-hour in the river there are stars, pinwheels made of
descent. Unlike the sun in the world above, this stars, and glowing gases.
sun is white. By a bend in the river hangs a swing. Lebby
jumps onto the swing and starts pumping her
KLARO, NIBOVIAN legs. “I do love it here. Anything can happen.
That’s what makes the ship go.”
WIFE Lebby will talk happily, without saying much. If
This woman wants to make babies! Three hours
Klaro has had a chance to get knocked up, Lebby
after sexual congress with her hero, Klaro will Abykos, page 230
will hint about Klaro’s pregnant state. “The
give birth to a baby abykos. Three hours after
Captain said that woman is a born breeder. What
that, the creature will be full grown and go after
do you think he means by that?”
the hero.
If anyone touches or drinks from the river, they
“Daddy must die!”
have visions of Tuctin and Tar. The children are
Unless the characters have done something to
together in a large dark room with huge stone
really annoy Captain Klorsh or Lebby, one of them
heads floating by in the darkness. The children sit
will wag a finger at the abykos, who will then be
on a softly glowing white dais.
well behaved and not try to kill its father–unless
Tuctin, the boy, says, “Don’t worry, Gran will
the creature leaves the An Domorr. Then, the
send help.”
creature will revert to its usual cheerful self.
“I am worried. The big heads are scary,” says
The Captain’s Table is a great setting for the
Tar, the girl. “Except the ‘tessa. She’s nice.”
blessed event. Lebby can bind a
Characters who stay away from the river see
creature to her will with
their friends relax and fall asleep.
LEBBY no chance of failure. She
has a small pocket knife
“I’m 11.” Lebby appears as a young human girl, CAPTAINS TABLE that does as many points
freckled, tanned face, dark red hair in pigtails.
Captain Klorsh invites the characters to dinner at of damage as she wants
She’s actually an ancient intelligence with godlike
his table. Lebby attends as well. There, served by and ignores all armor,
powers, but only aboard the An Domorr. She is but only when wielded by
the cook, a floating silver ball with multiple arms,
the mind of the An Domorr. Lebby.
everyone is treated to a sumptuous meal. Braised
15
moof roots, plinkgala puree, feebling jelly on Urbamorr is something of a sandbox. Scenes
toast (“So fresh, it’s still moving!”), and cragworm have natural entrances and exits, marked Leads In
kabobs are what the Captain is digging into, but and Leads Out, but be prepared to jump
the cook can make just about any kind of meal anywhere in response to the actions of your
the characters ask for. player characters. You should be prepared to let
If Mor-Klish is there, he gets a bowl of chilled the PCs investigate as they see fit, as long as
bubble-blood, which, true to its name, bubbles everyone is having fun.
like red champagne. If it’s time to get things moving again, you can
If Klaro is there, this is a great time for her to spring the Treachery event on the PCs anytime
give birth (if she’s had sex with a male character). you wish.
She tucks in with a vengeance, and visibly swells.
Before desert comes she leans back and births
the abykos. After nursing a bit, it turns on the
Leads in: Going Down, page 16
father until Lebby wags a finger.
Leads out: The Queen's Head Inn, page 18; King’s
“Kids,” she says, as if that explains anything.
Move, page 25
Urbamorr has obviously seen better days. The
buildings are impressive, with wide skyways and
Leads in: An Domorr, page 14 tall towers, but some have collapsed and others
Leads out: Landing, page 16 seem to be determined to do so.
Looking out a window, characters can spy a
Ordinary praithian, page
51 group of androgynous people carrying long tubes
As the bio-mechanical ship, the An Domorr,
with horns on the end, something like a cross
descends, you can see a giant, rounded shelf
between a didgeridoo and an alpine horn, lining
Royal praithian, page 52 sticking out of the wall of the lands under The
up in formation. The musicians come in varying
Sun Below.
shades of purple and wear matching uniforms.
"That's the Praithian Empire," says Captain
A successful difficulty 3 perception roll reveals a
Klorsh, pulling on his left mutton-chop. "Or
red crystal in the shape of a star pyramid growing
what's left of it anyway. Praithians used to rule
out of the back of each musician’s neck. It is the
many of the lands of The Sun Below, from wall-
same type of crystal that Mor-Klish had on the
to-wall and for thousands of miles along the
back of his neck stalk.
length of the world.
Floating next to the band are three 13-foot (4m)
"We are in a big tube. Well, more of a
tall stone heads. The heads are longer and
rounded rectangle in cross section. The
narrower than human heads, and each sports a
atmosphere is denser than up in your world
glowing third eye in the middle of the forehead
above, which accounts for a lot of the floaters
and a long, narrow chin. As the gangway is
and flyers.
"When you’re ready to go back up to your
world, just bang the gong in the landing zone.
KLARO
An airship should be by within a few days,
After giving birth to the abykos, Klaro is
weeks at the most. If you are within our
probably not the most popular NPC aboard the
pattern at the time, we'll be happy to take you
An Domorr. But she’s plucky and cheerful and
back up."
will want to “stand by her man.” Of course,
Klaro, assuming she’s both alive and free to
without Lebby to control Klaro’s children, any
act, wraps her arms around “her hero” and
future offspring will come hunting for said
whispers in his ear. "Mmmmm, I do so love
man.
seeing new places, don't you?"
“Let’s go meet the stone heads,” she says. It’s
up to the characters to keep her on the ship. If
they don’t, she’ll tag along and try to make
more babies.
And what of the child? The abykos is
URBAMORR: THE enraptured by the River of Stars, and will stay
aboard unless forced off. Since the abykos
CITY ON THE presents no threat to the crew, Lebby is happy
EDGE to let it stay aboard, keeping it from attacking
other passengers.
The praithian city of Urbamorr is where Tuctin
Perhaps the creature will lose itself in the
and Tar were taken, and getting them back will
River of Stars. Or maybe it will leave the
prove challenging to the characters.
airship one day, and come looking for its
father. Family life can be complicated.
16
lowered to the ground, the hovering head in the it will be rebuffed, and they will be insulted or
center drifts closer. worse. But if they refuse to give up, it could work.
As the characters descend the gangplank, they When the characters ask for the children, the
hear a voice in their heads. It’s the giant stone contessa reassures them that the children are
head speaking to them telepathically. It is a royal being well treated and are healthy. She confides
praithian. (The other floating heads are ordinary that she is confident that negotiations to free the
praithians.) children should not be a problem.
“Welcome to Urbamorr and the Praithian “While we’re waiting for King Umbral, who
Empire. I am Contessa Kyyndance, and these are needs to give the final approval for the release of
Blauble and Tunyafa. What brings you to our fair the children, I have arranged lodging for you in
city?” the Queen’s Head Inn. Although the outside is not
In truth, Contessa Kyyndance has been following much to look at, I can assure you the
the characters’ progress since they fought the accommodations are first rate.”
travonis ul. Her goal is to keep the characters
mollified and send them back to what she calls MOR-KLISH
“the world above” as happy as possible. Ideally, Mor-Klish would love to help the characters overthrow the praithians.
she would love to arrange for trade, since the Assuming he’s with them and his crystal has been hacked but not
machinery that runs the Praithian Empire is giving destroyed, he constantly brings up the spectre of Tuctin and Tar as mind-
out, and the slaves that support the empire are controlled slaves to try to enlist the PCs on the side of the rebels.
near revolt. But if Mor-Klish steps off the An Domorr without a control crystal, he’ll
What complicates the contessa’s plans is the be instantly declared a criminal terrorist and taken away.
madness of King Umbral. He’s in no mood to Someone with numenera or crafting skill could fake a working crystal.
surrender his new curiosities, the two children of Captain Klorsh or Lebby could conjure one up. But it’s up to the
the world above. characters to think of this.
Yet while a diplomatic solution is improbable, it On the other hand, Mor-Klish is no soldier and is happy to be free. He
could be carried off if the characters are master would not object to leaving with the airship in search of a new life
diplomats and come up with success after elsewhere. If you’re worried that your players will need all the help they
success. Let the characters try diplomacy. Initially, can get, see if you can get Mor into the party. Most of the time, he’d be a
great asset. You can always kill him off or otherwise sideline him later.
17
19
through. The amber-colored floor appears to be “He’s a King, he can do what he wants with you.
one giant piece of polished wood, 200 feet (60m) Still, the children would be free.”
in diameter. Arranged throughout the chamber Assuming the players don’t jump on this opening
are glowing ceramic bowls with intoxicating offer, they should start negotiation. Deceiving,
Praithian dream-vapor smoke. Tiny glowing slugs with gossamer wings intimidation, and persuasion skills can all be used
bowl, page 18 flitter about. to strike a better bargain. The contessa wants to
Inhaling from the red or green bowls puts make a deal, so the negotiation starts at difficulty
characters in an altered state. They lose 1 5. Good arguments count as assets. She won’t
Intellect point per inhalation. They also feel no give the children away for nothing, and any deal
pain and are immune to fear for 10 minutes per will require approval from the king. He will go
Royal praithian, page 52 inhalation. along with a successful deal, but grumble
The blue bowls are praithian dream-vapor nonetheless.
Dh'lann soldier, page 49 bowls. If a deal is struck, the contessa will look on the
Contessa Kyyndance, the royal praithian who characters as allies, no matter what direction the
met the characters upon landing, floats near the king takes. The children will be delivered to the
center of the room. Nearby is a person-sized slab queen’s Head Inn.
of what looks like black glass. There seems to be If the characters accept the opening offer, two
motion inside the glass. A dozen other shiny black of them trade themselves for the children. It’s
glass slabs are scattered throughout the room. split the party time. Run Prison (page 26) with the
Praithian dreamers appear in the glass to two; the others continue on.
communicate with the real world.
Androgynous dh’lann slaves offer drinks and DEAD BUT STILL
finger foods. They can identify the vapor bowls if
asked. “The red and green bowls are colored DREAMING
snake mist. You’ll feel no pain with those. The While the party is speaking to the king, pick one
blue bowls have the dream vapor, very strong.” character to get pulled into another conversation.
Hidden under illusions of abstract sculptures are This character hears a male voice in their head.
two squads of dh’lann soldiers, 6/8/10 per squad. “Hey, you. Turn around. Shhhh. I’m in the black
They stay hidden unless needed. glass near the back wall. See me?”
The contessa turns toward the black glass next Across the room a tall, thin, and three-eyed
to her. “Welcome. Let me show you the children.” person waves from within a black glass. “Listen,
Inside the glass Tuctin and Tar fly about, arms I’m dead but still dreaming. Can you help me?”
outstretched. They seem to be having a good If the character freaks out and alerts the king,
time, playing in the dream. the players are treated to scenes of giant knights
Before the characters get a chance to interact moving from glass to glass, rounding up
with the children, King Umbral barges in, ranting miscreants who yell, “We want life! No more
GM Intrusion: King in disjointed phrases. “Why are you working for
Umbral takes a dislike to my daughter?”
a particular character. “Perhaps I should wage war on the world above
“Feed that one to the for your impudence.”
slithik, now!” “Why are these humans not enslaved yet?”
A successful difficulty 5 “If you wake my wife, Queen Grieva, you'll really
negotiation will get him be sorry!”
to forget about it. If the The contessa offers to deal with the creatures
roll fails, the soldiers from the world above. “Sire, I can strike a bargain
appear to take the with these people that will benefit all of us.”
miscreant away to The king is not amused. “I’m tired of listening to
prison. you, spinning your mental cobwebs. I hate the
real world!”
Prison, page 26 The contessa proposes a trade to establish good
will, suggesting that two of the characters trade
themselves for the two children. They would then
stay as “guests” of the king.
“And then perhaps a slave trade from the world
above. Is that acceptable? Two of you trade
places with the children, and the king can keep
two people from the world above?”
Should they ask about the conditions in which
the king would keep the characters, she hesitates.
20
21
22
wink and smile at each other. They don’t mean to This event only happens if the characters have
confuse the characters, they just disagree about persuaded the praithians to release the children.
alliances outside of other dh’lann, yet still deeply Depending on player interest, they might be
love one another. delivered as soon as negotiations are completed,
If the characters attempt to negotiate some sort or “in a few hours,” giving the characters time to
of alliance with the dh’lann resistance, they can meet the resistance.
persuade them by winning a difficulty-5 roll. Skills If the characters are not in the Queen's Head Inn
(Intellect) that might be used include: deceiving, or The Bridge, a dh’lann slave brings a message
intimidation, and persuasion. asking them to meet Contessa Kyyndance at the
Good arguments are assets. common room on their floor of the Queen’s Head
Add 1 to the difficulty if the players wish to Inn. Otherwise she’ll just be pleased to tell them
create an alliance with the slithiks. the children are on their way. If the slave tracks
While speaking to the dh’lann, the following the characters to a rebel meeting, the rebels
clues will come to light unless things go pear- scatter, throwing dark looks at the characters.
shaped fast: Tuctin, the boy, age 7, and Tar, the girl, age 9,
· Princess Duphreen is said to be working to are both bewildered and want to get back to Gran
overthrow the Praithian Empire. She wants (Aeon Priest Mishka). Contessa Kyyndance is
the praithians to leave the world of dreams happy with her role in the negotiations and
and return to the real world. assures the characters they need not fear the
· The dh’lann are ready for a slave revolt. Praithian Empire.
· The dh’lann are divided on whether non-
hermaphrodites are just another kind of NO EXIT
people or dangerous deviants. After the contessa takes her
leave, Breesh-Vass shows up in
the guise of a slave.
“Urbamorr is still a dangerous
place. If you look outside you’ll
Leads in: Work Pit 509, page 21; Meet the see the king has ordered the
Dh’lann Resistance, page 22; The Bridge, page airship-summoning gong taken
19; away. I can hide the children on
Leads out: Work Pit 509, page 21; Meet the the outskirts of the city until you
Dh’lann Resistance, page 22; The Bridge, page are able to leave. I fear it may
19; Treachery, page 24 take more than negotiation to
get you home. If it comes to a
fight, it will be best if the children
are safely hidden elsewhere.”
Outside, the characters can see
the airship landing field guarded
by two full 10-person squads of
dh’lanns and of slithiks, each
commanded by an impressive
captain. Standing where the
gong used to be is a featureless
stone giant, 20 feet (6m) tall.
The giant holds a massive sword
of blue flame.
Breesh knows what the giant
is—a praithian knight.
If the characters have not met
either rebel faction yet, they
may wish to now. Or King Umbral might be mad
enough to come stomping out of the King's
Tower.
The Sun Below by other means, cut to The Return Form: A bio-mechanical bud that burrows under
(page 46). The princess leads a failed rebellion, the skin and attaches to the spine. It’s warm,
the city is burned to a shambles, and if the blue, and always wet and slippery.
players ever return they find a graveyard Effect: Forces the mind reader to succeed on an
inhabited by a very sad king. Others have looted Intellect attack to read the target’s mind, even if
the place, so there is not much left to discover. an attack is not normally required. Also, the bud
adds 2 to the Intellect defense of the target.
Normal thoughts are replaced with the buzzing of
insects unless the mind reader succeeds on their
Leads in: The Bridge, page 19; Work Pit 509, page
attack.
21; Meet the Dh’lann Resistance, page 22; King’s
A mind reader with the masters insects focus
Move, page 25
has an asset to understand the thoughts.
Leads out: King’s Move, page 25; Capture, page
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
26; Find Allies, page 29
MIND READERS
TIMING THE TRAITOR
If your players have The traitor may have once been a true rebel, but
access to mind-reading
This event can either be triggered by the player
characters resorting to violence, in which case the has come to believe that yet another slave
esoteries and start to use
traitor will show up to “help.” Or at a time of the rebellion will end in yet another bloody failure. At
them before the reveal,
GM’s choosing, the traitor could strike without least that’s what they tell themselves. And
give all of the rebel
warning. wouldn’t it be better to nip that doomed dream
leaders mind-shield buds
“to avoid detection from Use the latter to help move the adventure along, in the bud, and get paid well in the process?
the praithians.” once the characters have gotten a taste of The traitor is better trained and better equipped
Urbamorr. If everyone is having fun exploring the than the characters expect. Take the base stats
city, hold off a bit. If they seem ready for an for a slithik captain, slithik savant, or dh’lann
Mind-shield bud, page 24 captain depending on who you choose as the
action scene, spring it.
traitor, and then make the following changes:
CHOOSE THE make the level 7/8/9; level 8/9/10 for Initiative.
Add the following numenera:
TRAITOR Nano-needler (6) loaded with a level-6 poison
An NPC of your choice turns out to have been that drops the target 1 step down the damage
working for the praithians all along. Pick one the track.
characters have already met. Detonation (web) (8) wristband projector cypher.
One method for selecting the spy for the Detonation (matter disruption) (10) wristband
praithians is to let the players choose for you. If projector cypher.
you hear table chatter that they “don’t trust that Two Detonation (singularity) (10) wristband
one,” pick that NPC. (This gives the suspicious projector cyphers.
player the feeling they were right all along. If only Dh’lann traitors will wear liquid ceramosteel
the others had listened…) armor, level 8. Slithik traitors will be armed with a
Another GM strategy is to pick the NPC the slithik brain spike, level 10.
players trust the most, probably Mor-Klish or
Breesh-Vass. This twists the knife of treachery
even further. If Breesh-Vass “sent the children to
TACTICS
Liquid ceramosteel The traitor hasn’t been hired to kill the characters
safety” this has the added tension because the
armor, page 19 but has been given the mission of capturing
players will then fear that the children are
them. So you will want to hit the characters so
prisoners, probably locked up somewhere in the
hard they believe they are about to die, then
Slithik brain spike, page King’s Tower.
offer them the chance to surrender.
22 A choice that works well with what the
The surrender offer is a full table GM Intrusion,
characters have already experienced, is to choose
where each character is offered 1 xp if they go
Purl-Vass or Tasss-Klish. This will not only
along with the capture.
reinforce the negative emotions the antagonistic
That’s the plan, anyway. Should the traitor kill a
NPC has brought to the table, but will discredit
character in the capture attempt, consider using
the NPC’s anti-coalition position. This will make it
lasting or permanent damage as a death
much more likely the dh’lann, slithik, and the
replacement.
praithian princess will form a unified front.
strikes. Add trap door that opens under them, a This attack will almost certainly be a surprise
revolving secret door, or a new opening that the attack.
kids run through before the characters can react.
You could award the character watching over or
If none of the characters is impaired or worse, the
just closest to the children a GM Intrusion to get
follow-up attack will be the second detonation
the kids out of the way. If they refuse the
(singularity). For tier 4+, consider using the
intrusion, you might allow them to fall on the
detonation (singularity) if none of the characters
children and take the damage.
is debilitated or worse. For tier 4+ characters
Otherwise, the traitor’s area of effect attacks are
ambushed in Work Pit 509, consider setting the
likely kill the children and change the tone of the
second detonation off over the pit. The secondary
adventure. If that’s what your group wants, by all
effect will cause the characters to start
means let the consequences haunt them for
plummeting. In other locations, consider an
sessions to come.
airburst 40 feet (12m) above the players. This
allows a fall for ambient damage after the
secondary effect.
If this event happens in a meeting with the rebels, Otherwise, if some characters are debilitated
sitting around in the Queen’s Head Inn, or just and another singularity would be too much,
anywhere the characters feel safe, the traitor follow up with be detonation (massive). Even if
starts off by making an excuse, perhaps to “get some PCs are debilitated, if they are spread out in
you a map of the king’s Tower, that’s where the such a way that those who are not debilitated can
gong is…” be caught by themselves, consider using the
They drop their bag and leave the room. The detonation (massive).
first detonation (singularity) cypher is in the bag, Further follow-ons can include detonation (web)
set to go off as soon as the traitor leaves and and the nano-needler. The traitor can get off two
shuts the ceramosteel door behind them. This is a needler shots per round.
surprise attack, but since it’s a level-10 cypher, The goal is to hit the characters very hard, very
and 10 is as bad as it gets, that point is probably fast, and avoid a long, drawn-out fight that the
moot. player characters don’t feel they can win. You
Remember the detonation (singularity) cypher want to move to Capture (page 26) as soon as the
explodes for 2 effects, damage and the Might PCs are ready for it.
defense roll. If the fight started without the king and his
After the blast goes off, the traitor will smash cohort, bring them on the scene. They don’t have
open the door to attack again. to attack just yet, intimidation is the name of the
game.
25
world above just who is King of Urbamorr. Let damage track. If this would kill them, drop them
them be mind-controlled and perhaps they will down to 1 point in each non-zero stat.
be able to secure more slaves from the surface Before they leave their capture location, allow
world. characters to notice what their captors do not.
The king is not well disposed toward Choose an ally who was with the characters. The
negotiation. With groups that avoid combat at all captors pass by this ally who seems dead. The ally
costs, you can surround the characters with silently gets up and moves out of sight. Tasss-
overwhelming numbers, reveal the traitor, and Klish, Mor-Klish, Xot-Klish, Purl-Vass, and Breesh-
cut to the table-wide GM intrusion to allow the Vass are all good candidates.
characters to be captured. If the children were at the scene of the capture
If the players like and seek out combat, this and are still alive, and if it makes sense, let
event should provide plenty of it. You can another character notice them peek out of hiding
postpone the traitor’s attack to let the players and then duck down.
enjoy a good fight. Once it’s time to wrap up, let
the traitor loose.
Slithik Soldier, page 58 Leads in: King’s Move, page 25; Capture, page 26
WHEN PLAYER Leads out: Prison Break, page 27
Slithik captain, page 58 CHARACTERS GO The characters are shoved into a dark, dingy, and
stained synthsteel cage. A reek of filth and a
BAD handful of crumpled bodies greet the characters.
If the characters behave belligerently and get into One of the bodies, a slithik, moves.
King Umbral: level 7/8/9, a fight early on, allow some slave forces to soften “Greetings, I am Korlath-Klish. I’m afraid our
level 6/7/8 for Speed the players up before the king and his entourage other companions are not much for conversation,
defense ; 4/6/8 points of show up. Some players just like to fight, so let or anything else, these days.” The others are
Armor: ½ armor for blunt them beat up on their foes for a few rounds, and dead.
weapons; stabbing then send in the A-team. Korlath is a slithik soldier and rebel. He’s
weapons -1 damage; 2 The closer the characters are to the royal towers immune to all mind control, which is why he’s
attacks a round: 1) eye of
when they pick a fight, the faster the reaction: a been a guest of the king for such a long time. He’s
chill mind: (long) 7/8/9
few rounds in the queen’s Head Inn or in or next at half health, and a bit odd—understandable
Intellect damage and
to any of the royal towers, a few minutes in the given his surroundings.
move 1 level down on the
damage track; 2) psychic city, up to an hour in the hinterland. Despite his morbid humor, Korlath will do what
whirlpool: AoE (short) 3 When the guards arrive, they first demand the he can to help the newcomers. He has been using
Intellect damage/royal characters throw down their arms and surrender. his venom to weaken a corner of the floor. It’s
praithian in range, for Round 1: 3 squads of slithik soldiers with one quite close to breaking now.
every 5 praithians:+1 slithik captain. If the PCs haven't met the slithik rebels yet,
attack level; counts as 3 Round 2: The king, 2/3/4 praithian knights, a Korlath, once freed, can lead them to Work Pit
normal praithians for nest of 6/8/10 praithian war snakes 509 or to several other places where he can
whirlpool; the king can Round 3: The traitor contact the slithik rebels.
teleport to his throne If the fight is dragging, go ahead and throw the Korlath also knows how to hack control prisms,
room at will; special rest of the praithian forces in on the next round. and his advice counts as an asset. Why is this
minor and major effects; If the characters flee before the traitor is important? Well, every player character’s neck is
page 52 revealed, the traitor can join the party and lead itching, in a five-pointed star pattern. Nanites are
them directly into an ambush by the king and his growing control crystals, a process that will take
Praithian Knight: level cohort. about two weeks.
6/7/8; 6/8/10 points of GM Advice: This is a perfect place to include
Armor, armor is halved signs of an NPC from your previous adventures. A
for blunt weapons, -1
mentor, ally, contact, or rival may have spent
damage from stabbing Leads in: Treachery, page 24; King’s Move, page
hard time in this cell. The characters may find
weapons; 8/10/12 25
writing on the wall, and Korlath may remember
damage; on hit, target Leads out: Prison, page 26
makes 2ⁿ� Speed defense her/him.
Once the players accept the table-wide GM
roll or hit for 4/5/6 Regardless, one of the characters notices
Intrusion, they are disarmed and put in restraints
ambient damage and something carved in the wall:
before being taken underground to the
loss of 1 point of armor; containment cells.
minor and major effects; As the characters’ items are confiscated, they
page 53 can make a level 7/8/9 Speed roll to hide one
small article on their body. Should they fail, they
Praithian war snake, get a beating that drops them one step down the
page 55
26
27
as the hero, and has the hero find a cypher in the 1 – 3: Dh’lann patrol: 6/8/10 dh’lann soldiers
Dh’lann soldier, page 49 process. The player then comes up with a new and 1 dh’lann captain.
problem and the next player in turn comes up 4 – 5: Slithik patrol: 6/8/10 slithik soldiers and 1
Dh’lann captain, page 49 with the solution. Keep going until every player slithik captain.
has created and solved a problem. 6+: Knight patrol: 1 praithian knight and 6/8/10
Slithik soldier, page 58 For example, the first player says, “We run praithian war snakes.
around a corner and find a bottomless chasm After the characters have eluded or fought off
Slithik captain, page 58 blocking our way.” the patrol, if they interacted with Lebby aboard
The next player describes how their character the airship An Domorr and left on good terms
Praithian knight, page 53
got the group past the difficulty. (No die rolls with her, cut to Return to the River of Stars
needed.) (below).
Praithian war snake,
For example, the player could say, “We find a If not, go to Find Allies (page 29) or the Princess
page 55
storeroom full of long transparent tubes, wide Duphreen Encounter (page 30). In either case,
enough to crawl through. We lay one over the Korlath will try and make contact with the slithik
chasm and go on.” rebels.
River of Stars, page 15 You then narrate that back to the group, making
the character the hero and add a cypher.
28
29
30
result in the opposite course of action being Princess Duphreen does her best. “Father, you Throne room, page 33
agreed upon. must realize the time for dreaming is over. Our
lands are but a fraction of what they once were.
Soon they will be gone, and us with them. Return
to the living, as I have done.”
The contessa, obviously distressed, follows the
Leads in: Princess Duphreen Encounter, page 30 king’s line. “All loyal praithians would rather die
Leads out: Throne Room, page 33 than disgrace themselves by leaving the sacred
King Umbral really doesn’t want to listen to his dream. Repent and beg for mercy.” She pauses.
daughter’s ravings about returning to the land of “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”
the living. Any time he wants to listen to mad The characters can chime in. The better they do,
ravings he can just listen to himself. the more upset the contessa gets. They may well
Unless the players pull a really big diplomatic turn her to their side.
miracle out of the hat, this approach is doomed. In any case, the king attacks by surprise and we
However, if this attempt is made, it counts as an move to the action detailed in The Throne Room.
asset if the characters attempt to use diplomacy But if the characters tried diplomacy here, it will
on the queen later in this adventure. help later at the top of the Queen’s Tower.
Princess Duphreen wants the characters with
her both as bodyguards and third-party
diplomats. Leads in: Princess Duphreen Encounter, page 30;
Find Allies, page 29
ON HER OWN Leads out: Throne Room, page 33
If the princess goes alone, both she and the
contessa will die. Without the princess HOW BIG A
jamming the mind-control crystals, the
revolution will stall. In this case, if the REVOLUTION?
traditionalists haven’t joined the coalition, the A lot depends on how well the characters have
revolution will start to crumble. built a revolutionary coalition in the proceeding
events. There are five factions that might be here:
the traditionally anti-slithik dh’lann, the dh’lann
The princess and the characters march up to the who have always wanted slithik allies, the
gates of the King’s Tower, which open. Flanked by traditionally dh’lann-as-food slithik, the slithik
two praithian knights, they climb the ramp to the who always wanted to cooperate with the
throne room, there to debate with the king. dh’lann, and the princess.
There, before the king, the princess makes her
case. the king is behind a force field as described
in the Throne Room. Also present are 1/2/3
praithian knights, 2 nests of war snakes, and If all five factions are present, the characters have
Contessa Kyyndance. The traitor hides behind the an asset on all combat related rolls in this event.
throne, listening as the king speaks. With every faction present, the mood is
“I will not bother to dispute with you. Contessa triumphant, almost celebratory. The rebels sweep
Kyyndance will argue my case. I will pass the streets to the cheers of their children and
judgment when I decide to end this farce.” elders. Groups of slaves throw themselves at
praithians, pulling them down with ropes, and
using rubble and metal bars to crack them open.
GM Intrusion: Just before the group reaches Slithik and dh’lann soldiers shoot praithian war
the throne room, the corridor’s gravity field snakes down from the skies and assault praithians
reverses, the ceiling vanishes and they fall (up) and praithian knights with 50–1 odds or better.
into a trap. The ceiling above, now the floor, is Freed slaves cry in joy and hug the characters.
40 feet (12m) away, causing 4 points of The characters are more than just liberators,
ambient damage from the fall. Standing on the they are heroes.
ceiling, which is really a floor, is a praithian
knight who attacks at one level higher the first
round while the characters find their footing.
If the knight is slain, the gravity field reverses,
causing another 40-foot (12m) drop. The doors With four factions, the rebels are still optimistic,
to the throne room open and the king laughs. but it’s a real fight. Non-combatants cheer from
What a silly daughter! cover, and the revolutionaries make a
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32
"Hop on. Time to see the king and end this Praithian War Snake:
thing!" level 3/4/5; 2-hit mook
She flies the characters to the rooftop entrance (6/7/8); bite has Intellect
to throne room. poison that dazes for one
Depending on the number of factions in the round, during which time
fight, the characters may be assaulted in mid-air the difficulty of all tasks
by praithian war snake nests. the target performs is
modified by one step to
With all five factions, there will be no attack, the
its detriment; page 55
praithians are thrown back too fast to mount a
defense. For every faction less than five, throw
Nest of Praithian War
one snake nest at the flying characters. Each nest Snakes: composed of 6-
will strike at a different character. 10 snakes, attacks as
level 5/6/7 for double
damage; poison still only
WITHOUT THE PRINCESS lasts one round, but the
Most groups will enter the Throne Room target has to roll twice to
encounter with the princess as an ally. In fact, avoid it’s effects.
she’ll fly them to the top of the tower to avoid
a slog up the ramps, enabling the party to cut
right to the chase. But “most groups” doesn’t
mean all groups. Queen’s Tower, page 39
If you are faced with characters climbing the
tower, throw in some guards and copy some
of the defenders of the Queen’s Tower over to
the King’s Tower. Squads of mind-controlled
soldiers are viable without the princess. Mechanically, the character receiving the help
If play bogs down, consider a rebel infiltrator has the difficulty of all actions reduced by one
who takes the characters up a lightly guarded step and, if in combat, +1 damage.
servant’s passage that is too small for
praithians and praithian knights.
33
POOL OF DREAMS
The 40-foot (12m) diameter pool of dreams is 10
feet (3m) deep and rises 3 feet (.9m) from the
floor. If characters enter the waters, they must
succeed on an Intellect roll or be dazed for one
round.
If a character’s items were confiscated by the
praithians and not yet returned, they are sitting
at the bottom of the pool. The waters have not
damaged them.
Any character hit in combat while in the water
has to make another roll to avoid being dazed.
Each failure adds another round to the duration.
The depth counts as deep water, which quarters
movement: a short move is about 12 feet (3.7 m),
and a long move is about 25 feet (7.6 m).
Characters trained in swimming only halve their
movement while in deep water.
FORCE FIELD
The force field stops any kind of energy or mental
attack from succeeding, but lets the king and the
traitor hiding behind the throne attack out.
Physical attacks by the PCs fail unless the
characters specifically target the solid red blobs
that dance about the force field. If they do, they
must first succeed on a difficulty 6 Intellect or
Speed roll or the attack is wasted. If they succeed,
then they can then roll for their standard attack.
34
35
36
39
FIRST PLATFORM
There are many hallways opening off the
ramp as it climbs, but many of the high-
ceilinged chambers are empty but for dust.
You can add anything you like to these
rooms. The longer the characters search
without going up, the sooner the spectre
host will catch up with them.
When the characters reach the level of the
first platform, the ramp opens out into a
large circular room. One hundred feet (30m)
across the room, the ramp continues to
spiral up the tower.
This chamber is full of slabs of glossy black
synthglass, exactly like in The Bridge. Inside
the black, the characters can see the thin,
idealized giants that represent how the
praithians see themselves. If the PCs
approach the glass, they hear voices in their
minds.
"Whom do I trust? Queen or Princess?"
"Princess Duphreen claims the pillar of
souls will not hold!"
These voices are dreaming praithians in
panic. The dream engines are collapsing,
brought down by the slave revolt. Some
want to defend the queen, others want to
escape to the princess’ crystal tower and
reincarnate.
Unless the characters have stopped the
spectres somehow, they hear their moaning
as the spectral mob floats up the ramp from
below. This further frightens the praithians
in the black glass.
“What is that? What do they want? What
should we do about them?”
Clever players using Intellect and
negotiation skills will be able to get at least
some of the praithians in the black glass to
try to slow down the spectres. Set the
difficulty low, say 3/4/5, and count good
arguments as assets.
40
They then notice a ramp going up and over the Red Knight: level
SECOND PLATFORM railing of the catwalk. Leap into the void to 6/7/8; 6/8/10 points of
At the the second platform, the characters come communicate. Armor, armor is halved
to a 30-foot (9m) diameter circular chamber with If characters take the leap, they enter the dream for blunt weapons, -1
white doors set in the black walls to the left and of the floater. It’s lost in a dark cavern and the damage from stabbing
right. Directly ahead the ramp continues up. character is lost with it. Anyone staying behind weapons, cold-based
Once again, there are many ways to leave the sees the characters who jumped spiraling in attacks have an asset
path, but the spiral ramp is the most direct route and +5 damage;
toward the giant floater and beginning to orbit it.
up. Exploring the intervening levels will cause the sword: 8/10/12
In the dreamland of the floater, the characters
spectres to start catching up, but if the characters damage, aura: 5 heat
who took the leap hear it’s worried mind.
convinced the praithians in the black glass to hold damage to all in
"I'm lost." immediate range;
the spectres below, the party has a little "Where is the White Sun? I can’t find my way
breathing room. when hit, target makes
without the White Sun." 2nd Speed defense roll
If they take time to explore on the way up, they "Who commands my children to fight in my or takes 4/5/6 ambient
find a dusty room on the outer rim of the tower. name?" damage and loss of 1
It has synthsteel shutters that, if opened, prove to The last thoughts come with fuzzy perceptions point of armor; minor
be a portal to the outside world. Thirty feet (9m) of floaters attacking dh’lanns and slithiks. and major effects;
directly above are massive outer shutters, irised If the mind is freed, the queen loses the ability page 53
shut. They are the outdoor opening to the Hall of to summon new floaters, and most of those
the Floating Mind (below). already under her control will be freed. She’s able Pillar of souls, page 42
If the characters have done nothing to slow to keep half (round down) of those on the top of
down the spectres and they stay to explore this the tower because of her proximity, but no more.
level, the spectres will appear just as the The player characters may come up with all sorts
characters leave the first door they explore. If the of outlandish plans to free the floater, almost any
player characters have come up with ways to plan should work. The characters have two
slow down the spectres, they can explore what’s problems to overcome before the spectres arrive:
behind both white doors before the spectres free the mind and free the body of the giant
appear. A quick dash up the ramp will leave the floater.
spectres behind, but not deterred. To free the mind, characters in the floater’s
dream could succeed on an Intellect 5/6/7 to
connect the floater to someone on the An
Domorr or the River of Stars itself.
Characters in the dream could connect their
If any of the characters has telepathic powers, minds to the floater’s mind and succeed on an
they “hear” in their mind the thoughts of Intellect 5/6/7 to weaken the bonds and waken
something large and childlike from behind the the floater.
white door on the left. It feels lost and confused. Characters could sever the synth cables. This
Similarly, any character with an ability to use requires climbing the roof of a domed ceiling
esoteries or sense strange numenera such as (difficulty 6) and cutting through cables with an
those with the Weird descriptor, sense something armor of 4 and 4 health.
“big” is behind the left door. Once the mind is freed, the characters get a
Listening at the left door the characters can hear strong telepathic projection: Let me out!
a slight wind, as though the air inside the To free the body, the PCs could use detonation
chamber is constantly circulating. cyphers or some other destructive force to blow
Opening the door is as simple as approaching it the door to allow the floater to exit the tower.
and thinking about opening it. The door irises A successful difficulty 5/6/7 Might roll would
open to reveal the Hall of the Floating Mind. It’s a force the old door open to the outside world. A
massive circular hall with catwalks around its 5/6/7 roll is required to open the numenera lock.
perimeter that run from the entry all the way to a Both the body and the mind must be freed, or
massive door to the outside world. the floaters will still attack the characters at the
In the center of the chamber is an enormous 70- top of the tower.
foot (21m) diameter floater, which looks very
much like a giant floating brain trailing tendrils.
Thick synth cables reach from the domed ceiling
and plug into the brain-like creature. The white door on the right is locked with a
Anyone who steps onto the catwalk gets a difficulty 5 numenera lock. A white circle over the
telepathic message: Do not free the captive. door provides the guards a means of watching
anyone approach the door.
41
If someone attempts to open it, they hear a blocking the way. Flanking the knight is one
deep voice coming from the white circle. First it praithian spectre for each player character
Mastigophores, speaks in a few unknown languages, including present.
page 245 Urbamorrish, then switches to the Truth. “The art Five feet (1.5m) above a human’s reach is a
exhibit is closed. Please come back after the ladder going straight up into a circular opening in
execution of all rebels.” the 30-foot (9m) tall ceiling. Inside the opening
Once opened, the door reveals a pure white are flickering yellow lights and blinking
corridor going 30 feet (9m) and ending in a black numenera. It’s a difficulty 5 Might roll for PCs to
GM Intrusion: As the door. The door is flanked by giant praithian heads jump up and catch the ladder and pull themselves
characters stop to loot sitting on the floor. They are empty, but behind up. Running first is an asset.
the art room, one of the them lurk 1/2/3 mastigophores guarding the It’s obvious the 20-foot (6m) tall black knight
sculptures comes to life. installation. could not follow the characters into the narrow
It is a giant six-legged Behind the unlocked black door lies an shaft.
canine, level 5/6/7; 2/3/4 exhibition of art consisting almost exclusively of The characters hear the praithian spectres
points of Armor. The first sculpture made of ceramofoam. Abstract shapes approaching from behind (unless they’ve really
attack is by two levels of vie with sculptures of praithians, dh’lanns, stopped them somehow). Most tactics will only
surprise.
slithiks, floaters, and more. Many of the pieces slow them down, since the spectres can always
are enormous, 20 feet (6m) or more. However, find new ways up the tower. The characters
there are enough smaller items that the might have to deal with both the group in front
characters could loot the place and have enough and the group behind.
to sell for a fortune in a big city back on the
surface. Allow each character to carry enough to
You hear the moaning and whispering of the
sell for 500 shins when they get back (less if your
praithian specters trying to follow you into the
next adventure requires they be hungry for
Queen’s Tower. Do you do anything to slow
money).
them down?
Hidden among the sculptures is an artifact. An
Imager, page 306
Imager containing an image of each piece of art
sits upon a white circular platform. The last image Any good idea will work for a while. Otherwise,
is of Contessa Kynndance, supervising dh’lanns in the PCs will find themselves engaged with the
setting up the art exhibit. spectral host.
Black Knight: level 6/7/8; THIRD PLATFORM: As soon as the black knight sees the characters,
8/10/12 points of Armor,
THE PILLAR OF he will speak in a thundering voice: "Invaders!
armor is halved for blunt
You have trespassed on the Pillar of Souls!"
weapons, -1 damage
from stabbing weapons,
SOULS Although the black knight cannot enter the Pillar
ignore armor on natural
Characters who continue up the ramp will find of Souls, he is bound to it. He will send his war
19+; 8/10/12 damage + 1 themselves below the Pillar of Souls. snakes up after the characters. His black surface
Intellect damage; on hit, flickers, and every so often shows plain gray
target makes 2ⁿ� Speed stone beneath the blackness. He acts as a normal
defense roll or hit for Leaving the ramp and exploring the rest of the praithian knight but starts with 2 extra points of
4/5/6 ambient damage tower, the characters find little except empty armor. The black knight does an additional 1
and loss of 1 point of rooms and shuttered windows. Careful searching point of Intellect damage with his black sword.
armor; minor and major will reveal a locked door (difficulty 3) that leads to The black knight has a weakness: his flickering
effects; page 53 an access shaft with a ladder. armor is failing. Every successful hit on the black
Climbing down puts the characters just above knight with a natural 19+ ignores armor.
the roof of the Hall of the Floater, where they can Inside the stone armor, lies a praithian made
Reduced Black Knight:
destroy the level 5/6/7 controls that keep it a entirely of black shadow.
level 6/7/8; 8/10/12
prisoner and extract 1d6 cyphers from the control If the Pillar of Souls is destroyed, the black
damage; on hit, target
panels. knight’s armor goes to 0 and his sword no longer
makes 2ⁿ� Speed defense
roll or hit for 4/5/6 Directly above the control room is a hatch that does Intellect damage.
ambient damage and opens to an unlit corridor leading to another
loss of 1 point of armor; door. Behind that is a catwalk circling the Pillar of The Pillar of Souls is a major component of the
minor and major effects; Souls. praithian dream engines. Destroying it weakens
page 53 the queen and many of her forces.
Those who follow the ramp find it flattens out The top of the ladder leads via a short walk to an
into a 30-foot (9m) diameter circular chamber. opening revealing a massive chamber that
Across the chamber the ramp continues up, but a reaches from the bottom to the top of the
praithian knight made of black stone stands Queen’s Tower. Inside this chamber is a 20-foot
42
43
OBELISK: DEAD OR ALIVE? floaters attending the queen. Once combat starts,
If the characters shut down the Pillar of Souls, the floater control platform will bring another
the crystal obelisk is a dull gold, edging to orange. floater down from the storm to attack the
The clouds above are parting, and shaft of white characters every round.
light from The Sun Below moves slowly across the
tower. Take the number of characters in the
group and divide by two (round down) to get the
number of praithian spectres who are left to do While it’s possible to gain a diplomatic solution at
the queen’s bidding. this point, a lot will depend on past actions. If the
If the characters did not shut down the Pillar of characters are successful at getting the queen to
Golden Obelisk: level Souls, the obelisk shines brightly, filling the area stand down, there are two possible outcomes:
6/7/8; 4/5/6 points of with golden white light. Lightning shoots out of she will either commit suicide or form an alliance
Armor; 18/21/24 health; the obelisk up into the storm. A massive spiral with her daughter.
6/7/8 heat damage
storm whirls above the tower. One praithian To find the difficulty in getting the queen to
(short); Speed defense as stand down, start with her level: 7/8/9.
spectre for every member of the party swirls
level 1 due to immobility Each of the following factors will lower the
around the obelisk. Once combat starts, the
obelisk will bring another spectre down from the difficulty by 1:
GM Intrusion: ● Princess Duphreen is still alive and is allied
Obelisk heat blast at storm to attack the characters every round.
with the characters.
level 8/9/10 for 12/14/16 HAS THE FLOATING MIND ● Contessa Kyyndance is still alive.
heat damage (short) BEEN FREED? ● The characters attempted to parley with the
If the characters have freed the floating mind, king.
there are no remaining floaters here to serve the ● The Pillar of Souls has been shut down.
queen, and none will come to her aid. ● The floating mind has been freed.
If the characters have not freed the floating Each of these factions will increase the difficulty
mind, take the number of characters and divide by 1:
by 2 (round up) to determine the number of chy ● The princess is dead.
● The contessa is dead.
● The horde of praithian spectres engulfs the
characters during negotiations (a fine use of
a GM Intrusion if the Pillar of Souls is still
operational).
Good arguments are assets. Deceiving,
intimidation, and persuasion skills may all be
used.
Should the characters succeed, the queen nods.
“Our time is over. Let the killing end.”
Any praithian spectres vanish, knights drop their
swords, and floaters float away. The nightmare
storm breaks up.
44
● The Pillar of Souls has not been shut down looking, like a plant. The spear’s flat blade is Queen Grieva: level
yet. This gives the praithians a little ghostly and wavering. 7/8/9; Speed defense
breathing room as they line up to become Effect: When activated: Ignores Armor and does 6/7/8; 8 points of armor
embodied. its level in cold damage. The spear requires an vs. energy, 4 vs. physical
Intellect spend to add damage using effort and a attacks; 2 attacks a
Each of these factions will increase the difficulty Speed spend when using effort to lower the round: 1) eye of chill
attack difficulty. It only affects living biological mind: (long) 7/8/9
by 1:
Intellect damage and
● The princess is dead. beings and will not hurt constructs or energy
move 1 level down on the
● The characters used Intimidation on the beings.
damage track or spear
queen in the earlier negotiation. When not activated, the spear acts as a staff.
8/9/10 cold damage,
Activation lasts ten minutes. ignores armor;
Again, good arguments are assets. Quirk: The wielder’s shadow looks like the 2) psychic whirlpool: AoE
Before the die is cast, if the characters shadow of the last creature killed with an (short) 3 Intellect
attempted to talk the queen down, the princess activated spear. damage
shows up with a retinue of embodied praithians. Depletion: 1 in 1d20
This lowers the difficulty by 3 as Princess THE QUEEN’S TACTICS
Duphreen takes the queen’s hand and begs her to The knights will stand in front of the queen, Praithian Spectre: level
come back fully to life. attempting to stay within the 50-foot (15m) range 3/4/4; 1/2/2-hit mook
If the queen lives, she hands the spear, shaft of her eye of doom. (1/5/7); 3/4/5 damage;
first, to a character. “Take this away. I don’t want touch attack ignores
The praithian spectres will throw themselves at
to see this again.” physical armor; can walk
the characters. If the obelisk is still operating, not
If the queen kills herself, the princess breaks through solid objects
only will it summon a new praithian every round
down. She will pull the spear out of her mother, outside of the Queen’s
but each round 1d6 spectres show up as the Tower; page 54
and offer it to a character, using the same words, horde from below arrives.
but with a heavier tone. Any chy floaters attack. As long as both the Praithian Spectre
floater-control platform is summoning them and Swarm: composed of 6-
Sometimes it comes to a fight. If the characters the floating mind is not released, a new chy 10 spectres, attacks as
fail at negotiation, or don’t bother to try, they floater is pulled down from the sky every round. level 5/6/6; does double
must stop the queen by force of arms. The obelisk, if active, is summoning praithian damage
spectres and controlling the nightmare storm. It
QUEEN GRIEVA can shoot at one target a round at immediate
A shiny, metallic mist swirls about the queen,
range: a golden ray for 6/7/8 heat damage. Chy Floater: level 3/4/4;
giving her 8 armor against energy attacks, 4
You feel a searing pain and smell your flesh 2-hit mook (6/7/8); 3/4/5
armor vs. physical attacks.
sizzling. damage; stinging
She is armed with the spear of the frozen void.
She will use it on any who come close. Normally THE FLOATER-CONTROL tentacle has Might
PLATFORM poison that inflicts an
she uses her eye of chill mind and psychic
additional 2/3/4 points of
whirlwind, however in this situation she will try Climbing up the nearby tower to the platform is
Speed damage; page 50
her mind control as a GM Intrusion at the start of only difficulty 2. Identifying how to control the
combat. The mind-controlled character will then platform is difficulty 4, modified by knowledge of
be directed to attack an ally. the numenera. If successful, the character can
Getting into melee range with the queen is
difficult, but if a character climbs aboard the
other floating platform, it can be piloted over to
the queen with a difficulty 4 (numenera) task. If
there are floaters in the battle, they will defend
that platform, because the podium controls both
the platform and the floaters.
If the queen is losing, she’ll rail against the
characters. “Duphreen is a fool to trust killers like
you!”
If the characters spare the queen’s life, cut to
her suicide attempt above.
ARTIFACT: SPEAR OF THE
FROZEN VOID
Level: 1d6 + 4 (8/9/10)
Form: A white spear that seems to have been
grown, not forged. It is smooth and organic
45
46
47
DH’LANNS
Dh’lanns are violet-skinned hermaphroditic humans, and are common in the world of The Sun Below.
Given their hermaphroditic nature, they don’t use gender-based pronouns. In this text the singular they
is used instead of he or she.
Mook, page 4 Motive: Like other humans, dh’lanns have a variety of motives. A minority of dh’lanns find the concept
of non-hermaphrodite people offensive.
Environment: Any. They are highly adaptable, but are much more common in the world of The Sun
Below than on the surface.
Health: Named dh’lann: 6; unnamed: 1-hit mook
GM Intrusion: A spike of Armor: Usually none.
psychic energy turns an Movement: Short
ordinary dh’lann’s
Modifications: Mindslice as level 3.
mindslice into a level 6
Combat: Dh’lanns can use weapons as any human would. They often use clubs. Or they can make a
attack that does 8 points
ranged attack with their minds: mindslice (onslaught, Intellect attack only) at level 3, 2 Intellect
of Intellect damage.
damage.
Interaction: The Order of Truth has
Praithian mind-control sent Aeon Priests to the
crystal, page 10 underground world of The Sun Below
for over a century, so many dh’lanns
can speak the Truth. The more
educated the dh’lann, the more likely
they are to speak the Truth.
Use: While exploring the world of
The Sun Below, the characters see a
village in the distance. It is a dh’lann
village, and the characters can find
food, perhaps a place to stay the
night, and maybe equipment. If the
dh’lanns discover the characters are
not hermaphrodites, a few may shun
the characters.
Loot: 1d6-1 shins. Important
dh’lanns may carry a cypher or two,
or even an artifact or oddity. Dh’lann
slave: no shins and a praithian mind-
control crystal.
48
Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
City on the Edge
Motive: Follow orders, defend their homeland, stay alive, and collect loot Mook, page 4
Environment: Any.
Health: Named soldier: 9/12/15; unnamed soldier: 2-hit mook (4/5/6)
Damage Inflicted: 6/8/10
Armor: Level 2: leather jerkin (1); level 3+: beastskin armor (2) GM Intrusion: The
Movement: Short soldier or squad gets
Modifications: Dh’lann soldiers in squads use swarm rules. A squad is 5 - 10 soldiers and attacks at level another attack, at 2
4/5/6 for 12/16/20 damage. Squads use mindslice at level 6/7/8 for 8/10/12 points of Intellect levels higher than
damage. normal. A soldier will do
Combat: In melee, huge greatswords swing, high, low and in between. At range, the soldiers use double damage, a squad
mindslice, a level 4/5/6 attack that does 4/5/6 Intellect damage. quadruple. (A squad
normally does double.)
You feel cold daggers are being thrust into your head.
Interaction: Many soldiers speak the Truth.
Use: A ruin is guarded by dh’lann soldiers. They have orders to let no one pass.
Loot: 1d6 + level shins; slave soldiers: praithian mind-control crystal. Praithian mind-control
crystal, page 10
Motive: Prestige for their community or nation. Well-being of soldiers they command.
Environment: Any, though they are typically found commanding dh’lann soldiers in the lands of The GM Intrusion: The
Sun Below. dh’lann captain the
Health: 15/18/21 character just struck
Damage Inflicted: 8/9/10 wears level 8 liquid
Armor: Synth breastplate (3) ceramosteel armor (4
Movement: Short armor). Upon the armor
Modifications: Captains have 0-2 cyphers and some carry an artifact. Many dh’lann captains are partial is an active controlled
to liquid ceramosteel armor. blinking nodule cypher.
Combat: Captains can make 2 melee attacks a round, or 1 attack at range: mindslice (onslaught, The captain teleports
Intellect attack only) at level 5/6/7 for 5/6/7 Intellect damage. behind the attacker and
Interaction: Dh’lann captains tend to be pretentious, but otherwise will interact as others of their gets a free melee attack
at 2 levels higher for
community and class.
double damage.
Use: A dh’lann captain approaches the characters with a request that feels like a command. “My
soldiers need to get across this river before nightfall. Help them.”
Loot: 2d6 shins, 0-2 cyphers, and sometimes an artifact and/or oddity. Slave captains: praithian mind-
control crystal. Liquid ceramosteel
armor, page 19
Controlled
Blinking Nodule,
page 283
49
Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
The Sun Below
FLOATERS
A floating bio-mechanical gas bag about 12 feet (3.5m) across with streaming tendrils, like some mad
jellyfish of the skies.
Motive: Eat small flying creatures and easy-to-reach plants such as the foliage atop trees.
Environment: The skies under The Sun Below.
Health: 2-hit mook (6/7/8)
Damage Inflicted: 3/4/5
Armor: 0
Movement: Short
Modifications: Floats in the air, slower against the wind, faster with it.
Combat: Stinging tendril (3/4/5) + Might roll or lose 2/3/4 Speed.
Interaction: Chy floaters are beast-like and have no speech.
Use: As the characters travel in the wilderness of The Sun Below, they notice shadows from above.
Looking up, they see a group of chy floaters, dragging their tendrils across the tops of trees.
Loot: One can glean 1d3-1 cyphers from a dead chy floater.
A zoach floater has a bio-mechanical body as big as a house and is full of gas bags and numenera. It
drapes tendrils down 50 feet (15m) or more to grab vegetation, animals, and people.
Motive: Omnivorous grazing.
Environment: The air. Common in the world of The Sun Below.
Damage Inflicted: 5/6/7
Modifications: Speed defense 4/5/6 due to size and speed. Can reach targets up to short range.
GM Intrusion: The chy Slashing weapons do 2 additional points of damage, while blunt weapons do 1 less point of
floater grabs a character damage. When a floater is at half its health, it starts sinking to the surface as it deflates. A floater
and pulls them up in the cannot move against a strong wind. The creature counts as a beast and abilities that calm or
air, then lets go in 2/3/4 otherwise affect beasts will work on the floater.
rounds for a 40-foot Combat: A hit by a stinging tendril causes the target to feel as if it’s been pushed into a white-hot forge.
(12m) / 60-foot (18m) / The target must succeed in a Might defense roll or lose 4/5/6 Speed. Any natural 17+ hit with a
80-foot (24m) drop. heat- or fire-based attack on the zoach floater will cause it to explode for its level in fire damage to
Falling damage is all within immediate range. This kills the creature. Anyone inside its digestive sack will take double
ambient damage. damage and then fall, along with the flaming wreckage of the floater.
Interaction: The zoach floater is a beast, and has no language.
Use: While exploring a jungle in the lands of The Sun Below, a character is grabbed by what had
GM Intrusion: The zoach seemed to be a vine, but is really a zoach floater tendril.
floater grabs a character
Loot: There is a strange device that serves as the floater’s brain. Breaking it apart yields 0-2 cyphers and
and stuffs them into its
1d6 shins, unless it exploded, in which case only 1d3 shins and no cyphers.
digestive sack. Each
round any organic armor
loses 1 AP and the
character takes 5/6/7
points of ambient
damage. Characters
inside the sack when the
floater explodes take
double damage.
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City on the Edge
PRAITHIANS
Praithians appear to be desiccated mummies with numenera devices somehow
keeping them “alive.” Typically, they shield themselves in giant stone heads,
and few other peoples have ever seen their actual forms. They are 8 feet
(2.4m) tall and very thin. Their long heads are three eyed. The third eye is the
locus of their psychic powers.
The third eye of their stone shells protrudes from their foreheads and appears to
be a decorative stone sphere. When a praithian uses an eye attack, the stone
eye glows brightly.
Thirteen-foot (4m) tall stone heads that levitate above the ground. They have
narrow faces, long chins, and high foreheads complete with glowing third eyes.
Motive: To dream and never have to deal with the mundane world of actual
existence.
Environment: Urban, supported by massive dream engines that hold their minds
and dream worlds.
Damage Inflicted: 4/5/6
Armor: 4/6/8
Movement: Short (levitating)
Modifications: Armor is halved for blunt weapons. A praithian has a Speed defense
of 3/4/5 due to its large size. Stabbing weapons do 1 less point of damage due
to the thick ceramostone covering. If struck with a 19 or 20 for a major or
minor effect, the character can choose to strike at a crack in the stone and
ignore the praithian’s armor.
Minor effect suggestion when hit by a blunt weapon: the ceramostone rings like a bell, and the
praithian is stunned for one turn.
Major effect suggestion when hit with a blunt weapon: the armor cracks in half, dropping the armor to GM Intrusion: The
0 and revealing an 8-foot (2.5m) tall lurching mummy with a large, narrow head and three eyes. praithian uses mind
control to force a
The praithian will likely flee after this, and any attacks on the newly uncovered mummy gain an
character to make an
asset to hit.
immediate attack on
Combat: A praithian can make two attacks each round. another character of the
Eye of Doom: A searing hot beam of red energy lances out of the third eye, up to long range, doing the GM’s choice using the
praithian’s level in damage. This beam ignores 1/2/3 points of physical armor. combat between PCs
Psychic Whirlpool: This is an area of effect group attack that inflicts 1 Intellect damage per praithian in rules. Tie rolls go to the
short range. For every 5 praithians, add one to the attack level. Praithians and those with mind- uncontrolled character.
control crystals are immune to the psychic whirlpool. Every turn, the mind-
Interaction: Praithians are haughty and most believe other races exist merely to serve them as slaves. controlled character can
Most praithians are unconscious, their minds busy living in their own dreamspace shard of the attempt to break free by
datasphere. Conscious praithians tend to be arrogant and upset that they have been forced to succeeding on an
interact with the real world. Intellect defense roll
Use: As the characters explore some ruins under The Sun Below, they come upon some giant three- (4/5/6) to break free as a
eyed stone heads. The heads lie scattered about, many are covered in moss and vines. Suddenly, free action.
one of the heads levitates, its third eye pulsing with power. Only one character can
Loot: Breaking open a praithian reveals the mummy inside and 1d6 cyphers and 1d6 shins. be controlled at a time.
The praithian can
relinquish control at will.
Combat Between
PCs, page 98
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
The Sun Below
GM Intrusion: The royal Royals are encased in more ornate stone heads than ordinary praithians.
praithian uses mind Motive: Maintain the Praithian Empire, dream.
control to force a Environment: Hidden enclaves in the world of The Sun Below, the praithian shards of the datasphere.
character to make an
Health: 21/24/27
immediate attack on
Damage Inflicted: 7/8/9
another character of the
GM’s choice using the
Armor: 4/6/8 (2/3/4 vs. blunt weapons and explosions)
combat between PCs Movement: Short
rules. Tie rolls go to the Modifications: Armor is halved for blunt weapons. A royal praithian has a Speed defense of 6/7/8 due
uncontrolled character. to its large size. Stabbing weapons do 1 less point of damage on royals due to their thick
Every turn, the mind- ceramostone covering. If struck with a 19 or 20 for a major or minor effect, the character can
controlled character can choose to strike at a crack in the stone and ignore the royal’s armor.
attempt to break free by Minor effect suggestion when hit by a blunt weapon: the ceramostone rings like a bell, and the royal
succeeding on an praithian is stunned for one turn.
Intellect defense roll Major effect suggestion when hit with a blunt weapon: the armor cracks in half, dropping the armor to
(7/8/9) to break free as a 0 and revealing an 8-foot (2.5m) tall lurching mummy with a large, narrow head and three eyes.
free action. The royal praithian will likely flee after this, and any attacks on the newly uncovered mummy gain
Only one character can an asset to hit.
be controlled at a time. Combat: A royal praithian can make two attacks per round.
The praithian can Eye of Chill Mind: (long) a cyan beam which lances out of the third eye. It does 7/8/9 Intellect damage
and moves the unfortunate character down one on Damage Track.
You feel like your head is locked inside a ponderously heavy block of ice.
Psychic Whirlpool: This is an area of effect area of effect group attack that inflicts 3 Intellect damage
per royal praithian in short range, and 1 Intellect damage for every ordinary praithian in short
range. For every 5 praithians, add one to the attack level, counting royal praithian as 3 praithians.
Praithians and those with mind-control crystals are immune to the psychic whirlpool.
Interaction: Praithians speak telepathically.
Use: The characters come upon a praithian enclave. The leader is a royal, and is interested either in
trade or slaves.
Loot: 1d6 shins, 1d6 cyphers, and 1 oddity
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
City on the Edge
A praithian knight looks like a faceless 20-foot (6m) tall stone giant with an enormous sword of blue
flame.
Motive: Honor, praithian supremacy, serving the royals.
Environment: Anywhere praithians have an interest
Health: 18/21/24
Damage Inflicted: 8/10/12
Armor: 6/8/10, 3/4/5 vs. blunt weapons and explosions
Movement: Slow
Modifications: Armor is halved for blunt weapons. A praithian knight has a Speed defense of 5/6/7 due
GM Intrusion: The knight
to its large size. Stabbing weapons do 1 less point of damage due to the thick ceramostone
spins around, attacking
covering. If struck with a 19 or 20 for a major or minor effect, the character can choose to strike at all enemies in immediate
a crack in the stone that ignores all armor. range. Any hit causes
Minor effect suggestion when hit by a blunt weapon: the ceramostone rings like a bell, and the double damage, but skips
praithian is stunned for one turn. the secondary Speed
Major effect suggestion when hit with a blunt weapon: the armor cracks in half, dropping the armor to defense attack.
0 and revealing an 8-foot (2.5m) tall lurching mummy with a large, narrow head and three eyes.
The praithian knight cannot lift his sword and will likely flee after this, and any attacks on the
newly uncovered mummy gain an asset to hit.
Combat: The 10-foot (3m) long sword of blue flame does 8/10/12 points of painful burning damage. If
hit, the target must succeed on a Speed defense roll or the knight presses the flame into the
character’s armor, dropping the armor value by 1 until repaired, and the target takes 4 more
painful points of burn damage, ignoring armor. The armor damage stacks until the armor is
destroyed.
Interaction: Unless the knights are under orders to parley or converse, they
maintain a strict silence.
Use: A praithian ruin seems open to plundering, until the 20-foot (6m)
“statues” come to life.
Loot: Looting a dead knight yields 1d6 shins, 1d6 cyphers. The flaming sword
blade sputters and vanishes if the knight is killed. The hilt counts as an
asset when used a component when crafting new numenera.
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The Sun Below
GM Intrusion: A Looking like a glowing version of a praithian spectre, the queen’s projection doesn't hold eye contact.
character struck by the She doesn't hear what characters say or notice what they do. She just knows where they are and brings
queen’s projection spectres to them.
suddenly lets go of the
Motive: Harass the characters.
dead king’s eye and
Environment: Urbamorr during The Nightmare Storm.
walks away from their
Health: 1
companions and into a
crowd of praithian
Damage Inflicted: 1 Intellect
spectres, offering no Armor: 0
resistance as 4/5/6 of the Movement: Long
spectres reach out and Modifications: If “killed,” she will reappear 100 feet (30m) further away amid a crowd of praithian
touch the character. spectres. The next round she will streak up to short range.
Combat: Can drain at short range.
Interaction: The queen feels her whole world is dying, and she’s none too pleased about it. "Feel the
wrath of my people!" "You have destroyed us!"
GM Intrusion: When a These ghosts appear to be thin, translucent mummies, about eight feet (2.5m) tall, floating and flying
praithian spectre is killed, off the ground. They can float right through walls, and will do so in order to touch a living being.
it shrieks and shoves its Motive: Driven mad by the loss of their dream-world, they manifest in praithian ruins and lash out at
incorporeal form into the anyone entering their territory.
mouth of the character Environment: Praithian ruins.
who killed it. The
Health: 1/2/2-hit mook (1/5/7)
character takes 6/8/10
Damage Inflicted: 3/4/5
Intellect damage and
Armor: 0
cannot heal Intellect
through recovery rolls for Movement: Short
28 hours. Modifications: Can walk through material objects, but not through force walls and not through the
walls and floors of the queen’s Tower. There they must follow the ramp up. Spectre swarms of 6-
The spectral mummy 10 can join in a swarm that attacks at level 5/6/6 and does double damage. Since spectres can
shrieks and forces your easily pass through defenses, a large enough mob of spectres can attack each character in a party
mouth open. The ghost with their own individual swarm.
flies down your throat Combat: Their touch ignores armor, with the exception of energy-field armor.
causing a painful cold
A sickening chill grips you deep in your bones. Colors fade and the world turns gray for a moment.
shock to fly up your spine
and freeze your head. Interaction: It’s possible to reach the mad mind of a praithian spectre through telepathy. Unless there
You start to choke, then is a nearby praithian dream engine in repairable state, there is not much one can do for the
cough something up. spectre.
Use: The characters open a long-sealed vault in the lands under The Sun Below. Out pours a swarm of
praithian spectres.
Loot: A character who suffers from a GM Intrusion after killing a praithian spectre starts choking, then
coughs up a small cypher like a hairball.
Mook, page 4
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
City on the Edge
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
The Sun Below
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
City on the Edge
SLITHIKS
A slithik is a mound of green and black slime. Eight black tentacles sprout out of the slime, each ending
in bright blue metallic pincers. Erupting from the top of the slime is a black stalk, ending in a big black
sunflower-shaped face with two red eyes and a toothless slit for a mouth. When feeding, a clear tube
dripping with mucous slithers out of the mouth to drink blood.
Slithik are born engineers and tinkerers who are drawn to exploring ruins and attempting to find uses
for numenera.
Slithiks are at least as varied as humans, here are the types of slithiks found in this adventure.
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Praithian mind-control
crystal, page 10 Motive: Complete the mission, advance the nation or community, protect their soldiers.
Environment: Anyplace slithiks are found.
Health: 18/21/24
Damage Inflicted: 8/9/10
Armor: Green nimbus for 3/4/5
Movement: Short
Modifications: A slithik captain will typically carry 1 – 2 useful cyphers, and perhaps an artifact as well.
Some slithik captains favor the slithik brain spike.
Combat: Slithik captains get 2 ranged or one melee attack per round. The poisoned pincer does 8/9/10
damage. On a successful hit, the poison requires a successful Might defense roll or the victim takes
6/7/8 Intellect damage.
The pincer stabs into you and suddenly the world starts spinning.
GM Intrusion: The slithik
Green and black brain fog ray (short): requires a successful Intellect defense roll or the target
captain pulls out a level
loses 7/8/9 Intellect points.
10 slithik brain spike and
fires twice at the same A fog envelops your mind and everything seems so far away.
target.
When grouped with other slithiks, the captains will tend to seek out opponents who are
attacking at range. Often they use their brain fog rays and ranged numenera weapons.
Interaction: Slithik captains who are not actively engaged in combat with the characters are likely to
Slithik brain spike, page
engage in parleys or simple conversation. If the characters engage soldiers in conversation, they
22
are often passed up to the local captain.
Use: An airship dock is controlled by slithik soldiers. Any who wish to use the docks must first impress
the local captain, who is very fond of numenera.
Loot: Tentacle band worth 1d6 * 10 shins. 0-2 cyphers. Possible artifact. All slave captains have a
praithian mind-control crystal embedded in their neck stalk.
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
City on the Edge
Motive: Experts in numenera, savants investigate relics of past worlds and advance their own interests. GM Intrusion: When the
Damage Inflicted: 4/5/6 savant is hit with a
Armor: 1/2/3 The armor is a glowing green force screen. numenera weapon or
Modifications: +2 levels in numenera lore. esotery, the savant turns
Combat: Slithik savants can either attack with their brain fog ray or with their poisoned tentacle. out to have a (slithik
The poisoned-tentacle attack causes a feeling of hollowness in any wound. The target must only) implant that
succeed in a difficulty 4/5/6 Might task or lose 3/4/5 Intellect. reflects the damage back
as Intellect damage and
The green and black brain fog ray (short) gives the target a splitting headache. The target must adds a level of difficulty
succeed in an Intellect Defense check or lose 4/5/6 Intellect. to all future defense rolls
Interaction: Savants are likely to know a number of languages, including the Truth. by the attacker for the
Loot: A slave savant would have a praithian mind-control crystal. A free savant would have 1d3 cyphers next hour.
and possibly an oddity. Savants prefer oddities that have artistic merit. The implant requires
another GM Intrusion to
work a second time.
Praithian mind-control
crystal, page 10
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
The Sun Below
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Brian Rogers (order #6469782)
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