The Immensity of Lotus Blossoms

The Undercroft #2 is finished! More or less. All that stands between it the printer is a couple of minor bits. What a to do, what a to do.

I must say, bi-monthly is looking more and more feasible. Stay tuned. Or don't, I'm just a blog post not your mum. Anyway, have some content:

The Yellow Lands

The Immensity of Sky

Climb to the top of Mt. Yatenga, the Sky Tower, without help or tools. You must climb without food or supplies, with your bare hands and feet until you reach the perfectly flat, barren top. Here you must lay down and commune with the Immensity of Sky, nowhere else are you so close to its Vastness. Each day of laying there you have a cumulative 1% chance of gaining favour. If you eat or drink the chance will reset. Every morning there is a 1 in 6 chance enough dew forms on you to count as drinking for that day (does not reset the chance of favour).

An nganga at work

1. Qadhi gives and takes away, though he has no urgency. Cure Light Wounds once per day per wisdom modifier. Each additional time this is rolled upgrade it to Serious through Critical and finally Heal.
2. Everything on A'ard's face is merely a few steps away. The nganga walks out of sight around a corner and appears elsewhere as Word of Recall, once per day.
3. The walking dead are anathema under this Immense Sky: you may Turn Undead once per day per wisdom bonus. You may do it at will while the Roof of the World is above your heads, forcing the dead to look up and see infinity awaiting them.
4. No sorcerer can lay his evil eye upon you. Witchlamp Aura once per day per wisdom bonus.
5. The Eye of the Sun burns fiercely in The People. Bless once per day per wisdom bonus.
6. After communing with the Old Leech mortals are simple creatures by comparison. Suggestion once per day per charisma bonus.
7. The Sky covers the world, not only at the peak of Yatenga. Contact Outer Sphere once per week per wisdom bonus.
8. You understand the subtle interactions of the gods and can influence their flow. Control Weather once per week per wisdom bonus.
9. You can cast out evil spirits with authority. Dispel Magic - Dispel Evil once per day per wisdom bonus.
10. We are all Children of the Sun. Speak with Animals once per day per charisma bonus.
11. Qadhi can be entreated to loosen his grip. Speak With Dead once per day per charisma bonus.
12. An Nganga speaks with knowledge of the gods and understands the deep magic, no blade may touch him. Protection from normal weapons once per day per wisdom bonus.

Llamalackelkloulothllimptishavakothvoutxikliklalpvanipvan, The Devourer

Albinos are sacred and pegged for greatness

Eating the laklishi lotus bulb is an act of holy communion directly with the spirit of the great swamp. They are, however, incredibly toxic. Save vs. posion or take 1d10xd10 damage and cannot talk for d3 months and will need help walking for a week as you have suffered what resembles a stroke- though the swamp people insist it is merely the response of a weak mind in the presence of the Devourer. +3 to your save if you are an albino. If you are successful, roll on the table below.

An alternative and altogether more risky path to enlightenment is through eating demonic flesh. The denizens of the sub-worlds can meet a final death in the belly of the Devourer. To do this one must eat the majority of the creatures, including its head and heart or nearest approximation of both. Once ingested, the diner must spiritually "wrestle" the dinee, using wisdom bonuses instead of strength. If the shaman wins, they may roll on the table (and may shift 1 point up or down per demon HD, the Devourer especially enjoys this), if the demon wins they will possess their body. The demon can then shift back to its original form or that of the priest at will. The cleric is of course dead.



1-5 - You spontaneously Commune with The Devourer with no possibility of upsetting it. The experience is immensely pleasing and produces a profound feeling of connectedness.

6 - In a world where Dutch courage isn't a thing, laklishi courage is. Cast Heroism on yourself once per day per constitution modifier.

7 - If you can quieten the blood pounding in your ears you can hear the rich undercurrent of voices. Ability to cast Augury once per day per wisdom modifier.

8 - The most holy of acts, the consumption of sentient beings, perfected into an act of singular connection. Ability to cast Last Meal once per day per wisdom modifier.

9 - The great swamp is full of dangers. You may suck out poison from others or sweat out poison in your own system thanks to a prodigious resistance to toxic effects. Works as Delay Poison once per day per constitution modifier and requires you to physically suck it or sweat it out. If this result is rolled again, the effect becomes Neutralise Poison.

10 - When they say it's just the laklishi talking you turn and tell them "I am the laklishi". Your bodily fluids will cause Feeblemindedness if consumed by others. Approximately a teaspoon will do.

11 - It takes a force of will, and you must squint just so, but you are used to mind altering situations and can Detect Illusion once per day per constitution modifier.

12 - You have seen the logic that lies beneath and can explain it if only they will listen. You may inflict Forget once per day per wisdom bonus. You must both touch and talk to them to do this.

A beautiful laklishi blossom

Some contend that The Devourer isn't a god at all, merely the hallucination of a nation of drug users. So far no ambitious theologians have taken the trek into the Great Swamp to argue their points in person, but they assure us they will get around to it any day now.