Wake

[Eladris]

Good won. Or maybe evil won. Perhaps it was the forces of order or chaos.

Regardless, the victorious gods struck the fatal blow, smiting the last opposing god from the heavens.  What came next, no one expected: the universe gained consciousness and rejected singularity. Without evil, there could be no good. Without law, there could be no chaos. This inexplicable imbalance in the forces that control the universe caused a devastating cataclysm called the Shattering. The planets were destroyed, the universe was sundered and only the indomitable will of the remaining gods kept existence from an utter end. Even the gods, with their unfathomable intellect, could not grasp what they had wrought and many perished. Those gods that endured did not remain whole or sane.

No physical realms remain, now. The vestiges of each race that survived through the will of the gods find themselves adrift in an infinite, chaotic swirl of worlds called the Tangle; the hopes, dreams, memories and despair of the surviving gods. Centuries have passed and the reflections of once-great cities teem with life again, fell beasts conjured from the Nightmares of mad gods terrorize many of the worlds and intelligent races are starting to understand that they walk upon the stuff of dreams, not the solid earth of the True Planet.
[note=Contents]1. Introduction
2. Anatomy of an Aethersphere
3. Aether
4. Races
5. Classes
6. Houses
7. Gods & Religion
8. The 'Spheres: Aprati[/note]
Wake is a campaign setting in which the players assume the role of beings in the boundless Tangle, a universe of countless possibilities.  Please direct all feedback, questions, comments or concerns to the discussion thread.

[Eladris]

Anatomy of an Aethersphere

The aetherspheres, also known as 'Spheres, are the many worlds â,¬'- real or imagined â,¬'- upon which the beings of Wake reside. There is no apparent limit to the size, shape or number of the 'Spheres; perhaps even the gods do not understand the scope of their memories and dreams.

When one steps onto a new 'Sphere, one can never be sure of north or if north is even a meaningful measurement of direction. In the six hundred years since the Shattering, those who diligently map the â,¬ËSpheres have categorized the vast majority and learned that certain common rules seem to apply in each.

Aethergates

An aethergate, or 'Gate, is a doorway between two aetherspheres.  The doorways most often allow for travel in both directions, but sometimes only allow for travel in one.  Aethergates can be naturally occurring or crafted with magic.  Regardless of their method of creation, 'Gates can be closed permanently by destroying their physical representation, if one exists, or by sealing them with powerful spells.

Naturally occurring 'Gates are more likely to link two 'Spheres that were close to one another in terms of physical proximity, climate, terrain or theme on the True Planet.  Early explorers made this approximation during the Wandering, but empirical data collected over the centuries seems to confirm it.

[spoiler=System]Aethergates function identically to portals in standard Dungeons and Dragons settings.  Players interested in creating an aethergate should be encouraged to work towards the Craft Portal feat (most likely referred to as Craft Aethergate in Wake).[/spoiler]
Loci

The locus of an aethersphere is the anchor that tethers it to existence.  It is most often a physical representation of the 'Sphere's purpose, theme or location. In most Reflections, the locus of a 'Sphere is plainly visible and at its center.  Every known 'Sphere is assumed to have a locus.

It is possible, though extremely rare, for a creature to be the locus of a 'Sphere.  In Nightmares and Reveries that creature is usually bound to the 'Sphere and its departure or death will cause the destruction of the 'Sphere or worse â,¬'- the destruction of those around it. A Forged 'Sphere can generally withstand the absence of its locus, though the 'Sphere may seem a pale comparison in the creator's absence.

If the locus of a 'Sphere is destroyed or otherwise removed the 'Sphere is lost almost immediately.  The Mists blanket it, devouring everything in moments.  Those stuck without aether are driven mad or disappear and the landscape slowly crumbles to nothing more than cracked, bare earth.  Despite only one reported case of anything less than complete annihilation with the loss of a locus, Torath, rumors still circulate that forgotten ruins can be found in the Mists.

The Mists

After traveling a certain physical, logical or emotional distance from the metaphysical center of a 'Sphere a fog will slowly drift over one's awareness, dulling the senses and mind. As one progresses farther and farther away from the locus, the Mists grow thicker, blinding. With luck, those who venture too far into the unknown will turn back or stumble through the Mists into the auspice of another 'Sphere. However, the unlucky are lost forever, bereft of sense, sanity and memory â,¬'- reduced to gibbering after only a few minutes spent in space no longer defined by the laws of reality.

As the power of a 'Sphere waxes and wanes, the distance the Mists begin from a 'Sphere's center varies. A strong and heavily populated 'Sphere, like Lumin, has a relatively large distance between its locus, the Council's Forum, and the edges of the 'Sphere; nearly 20 miles. Adventurers have reported visiting 'Spheres no more than a few paces wide and containing only a single object, which they assumed to be its locus.

Only the most foolish adventurers willingly enter the Mists, but those who do are bid to carry a hunk of aether. The magical substance holds the degenerative power of the Mists at bay for a time, drawing upon the crystal's essence rather than the bearer's. Adventurers who traverse the Mists in such a way are regarded as risk-takers despite the number of 'Spheres discovered in this manner. Aprati was stumbled upon by a group of gnomes wandering the Mist â,¬'- each bearing a warded staff with an aether crystal at its apex.

Those that do not return are assumed to have had their supply of aether drained, consumed by the Mists, or to have ventured into an inhospitable 'Sphere where they met their demise. Though widely believed to be fancy, reports that creatures live in the Mists â,¬'- beings of the Mists â,¬'- have begun spreading throughout the Tangle.

Mementos

A memento is a piece of the True Planet that has survived the Shattering and persisted into modern days. Such fragments of the last universe are extremely rare and, unfortunately, dangerous. While it poses no threat on its own, a touched memento obliterates the consciousness of mortal creatures and replaces its personality and memories with a scrambled assortment of memories related to the memento.

Mementos are easily recognized despite their various shapes and sizes. Mortals within a few paces of such an object hear a din of indecipherable, whispering voices.  As they near the object the murmur becomes more urgent, louder; within arm's reach it is a cacophonic roar of panic and pain.  Those beings who possess awakened psionic powers avoid these 'Spheres, for upon entry their minds are immediately assaulted by the memento.  Psions and creatures with similar power may only pass safely through such 'Spheres if they are unconscious â,¬'- no known magic is strong enough to shield the mind of a psion from a memento.

Classification

There are six classifications under which all 'Spheres fall: Reflections, Nightmares, Reveries, Primals, Abstracts and Forged.

Reflections: These 'Spheres most commonly represent a god's memory of a particular location on the True Planet. Reflections are governed by a standard set of physics and metaphysics which appear to hold true across all realms. These "normal" aetherspheres have a fixed physical locus of variable strength and size â,¬'- from a statue to a mountain range. Aethergates linking two Reflections will most commonly be two-way and always active or trigger activated.

Nightmares: The stomping grounds of demons, devils and other creatures of evil, Nightmares often embody concepts considered evil or perverse. The landscapes are often twisted mockeries of Reflections and adventurers walking these 'Spheres are likely to meet a bloody end or find themselves enslaved to one of the great infernal or demonic lords. Any world upon which infernals or demons can enter and exit freely is categorized as a Nightmare. While mortals may move back and forth between Reflections and Nightmares freely (provided they have the means), the natural inhabitants of Nightmares may not enter other 'Spheres without being explicitly summoned.

Reveries: The home of angels and other good outsiders. Reveries often embody concepts considered good, peaceful or idyllic, though such concepts can become as dangerous as Nightmares when presented in their absolute form. The landscapes are often picture-perfect and serene, with little or no violence or hardship. Any world upon which the servants of the good gods walk is considered a Reverie. Good outsiders follow the same rules with Reveries that evil outsiders follow with Nightmares.

Primals: Primal 'Spheres represent the basic conceptual building blocks of the universe: fire, water, air, earth, light, darkness, etc.. These 'Spheres are often inhospitable to off-'Sphere life. For instance, a Primal of fire may be so hot that mortal flesh is seared by exposure to the atmosphere. Such 'Spheres are often very difficult to find, requiring the creation of a permanent or temporary aethergate to reach them. As with Nightmares and Reveries, the natural denizens of Primals can not freely travel between worlds and must be summoned to Reflections and similar 'Spheres.

Abstracts: These 'Spheres are often the most dangerous of all, but only because their elements are a mystery until fully explored (and even then things can go wrong). Abstracts can represent concepts, ideas and emotions, most often in a manner that is readily apparent to anyone standing on the 'Sphere (though some are not as apparent, such as Aprati).

Forged: Imperfect creations of gods, demigods and mortals seeking to create their own realms, Forged 'Spheres are often flawed and become unstable after a short time, making them extremely dangerous. The most powerful gods appear to be capable of forging stable 'Spheres, such as Kaaron and the Afterlife, a cluster of linked 'Spheres controlled by Macaba, who shepherds the spirits of the departed into her worlds for safe-keeping.

[Eladris]

Aether

Aether is the physical manifestation of the magical energy that permeates the Shattered Universe.  It can be found in any of the physical states, from plasma in the storms of Aprati to crystals on almost every 'Sphere.  Aether is used mainly in magical experimentation, item creation and 'Sphere exploration, but can also be used as something of a magical "battery" by those properly trained to use it.

Aether most often appears in solid and liquid forms, taking the shape of a crystal that appears in clusters similar to amethyst or in pools where magical energy lies heavy. Aether is rarely found in gas form outside of the Abstract, where it steams from planar rifts or similar anomalies. Unlike the normal elements, aether's state is not reliant on the temperature at which it occurs but on the imperceptible flux and flow of an aethersphere's magical energies.

In its solid form, aether is very hard and can be shaped only by adamantine or diamond-edged tools. Larger crystals, which can be found in deposits as big as a cottage, are prized for their use as crafted aethergates to other 'Spheres. Smaller crystals are often hoarded as currency or used in magical experiments and components in magical item creation. Some aether crystals have even been fashioned into weapons and armor by master smiths; such treasures are kingly possessions as they hold magical enchantments twice as well as standard metals.

Aether in its liquid form is quite dangerous to most living creatures. Prolonged contact or submersion in the substance disturbs the magical energies flowing throughout a living creature and can cause severe negative side effects including resistance to beneficial magic and susceptibility to malicious magic. However, properly imbued by a spellcaster of merit, aether is a potent and commonly used component in magical item creation; particularly the brewing of potions. Though rare, pools of liquid aether, called aetherwells, can sometimes serve as a 'Gate to another 'Sphere.

One can also use aether to explore the Mists simply by carrying it.  A small chunk of aether can ward off the encroachment of the Mists for as long as a day's travel.  As one moves away from the locus of 'Sphere, however, the landscape is drained of color and life, until only a bare gray plane of cracked earth or smooth water remains.  Surrounded only by still air and Mist, the adventurer operates on luck alone.

[spoiler=Item Creation]Rather than reinvent the wheel in terms of magical item creation, aether in Wake is used as the catalyst that binds magical properties to an item.  The item creation section in the DMG provides a system for applying spells to an item permanently without any explanation of the process by which an item is enchanted.  In your standard setting an item crafter purchases X gold pieces worth of "enchanting materials" and then disappears into a laboratory, reappearing X / 1000 days later with a new magical item.  In Wake, the item crafter purchases X gold pieces worth of aether.  Aether then becomes more than just "enchanting materials", but another form of currency -- one that the Houses tightly control (discussed later).[/spoiler]

[Eladris]

Races

Reserved.

[Eladris]

Classes

Reserved.

[Eladris]

Houses

The remnants of intelligent life, having almost fully recovered from the aftermath of the Shattering, are now exploring the aetherspheres. Numerous schools of thought on the nature of the 'Spheres have developed in the chaos following the birth of the Tangle. Each House has a governing philosophy on what the 'Spheres represent and how they should be interacted with and explored.  Rather than enforce their respective philosophies through strength of arms, the Houses exert control over local governments through the regulation of the aether trade â,¬'- basically, the business of magic.

House Bellisari

Arguably the strongest House, Bellisari members believe in an ordered expansion and exploration of Sensate and Abstract 'Spheres while limiting contact with Nightmares and Reveries. Most members of this House subscribe to the theory that the 'Spheres were created by the gods in order to save the universe from oblivion. Exploring the gift of the gods to mortals is no crime, but not all gods favor the interests of mortals and so there are many dangerous 'Spheres which should not be explored without caution.

House Bellisari shares its seat with House Falstaafl in the city of Luminport, though the two houses do not necessarily get along.  The Republic of Illum and several other governments rely heavily on House Bellisari for sound judgment concerning the exploration of the Tangle. The House has a reputation for tempering its best interests with prudence where exploration is concerned and, while theyâ,¬,,¢ve missed some payoffs on dangerous ventures, a Bellisari-backed expedition is a guarantee of success in the minds of most politicians.

The sigil of House Bellisari is a circle of seven navy blue stars on a white field, symbolic of the first seven 'Spheres settled after the Shattering (Lumin, Aprati, The Rift, Jidoor, Ghenne (Torath), Palanci and Jorilé).

House Falstaafl

Members of House Falstaafl believe in the ordered expansion and exploration of all 'Spheres. Unlike Houses Bellisari and Tienamon, Falstaafl explorers encourage no philosophical distinctions between the Spheres. In fact, they go to great lengths to collect information on even the most Abstract or dangerous Nightmare realms in an attempt to debunk the superstitions of other Houses.

Like House Bellisari, with whom they share a seat in Luminport, Falstaafl is often called upon by several governments to advise and organize exploratory endeavors, particularly those that anticipate travel through Nightmares, Reveries or Primals.

The sigil of House Falstaafl is a white feather on a sky blue field, symbolic of their discovery of magical flight during the exploration of Aprati.

House Tienamon

Those of House Tienamon believe in quarantining the known 'Spheres and the immediate end to the exploration of the Tangle. Several theories put forward by this House encourage people to believe that the 'Spheres, especially Nightmares and Reveries, are actually the shattered fragments of the gods' minds and are sacrosanct. Adventuring guilds in the more populated 'Spheres actively work to dispel the theories circulated by House Tienamon, as their vision of the universe would bring an abrupt end to many forms of exploration.

The sigil of House Tienamon is four red squares arranged on a white field such that a white cross is formed â,¬'- a likeness of the holy cross of Aer-That-Was.

House Jorai

Directly opposing the beliefs of House Tienamon, Jorai encourages the unrestricted exploration of the Spheres by those willing to risk life and limb to document the Tangle. The House actively recruits adventurers to explore recently discovered or opened aethergates in the hopes of finding new 'Spheres and is openly criticized for sponsoring adventurers who appear to do nothing more than use aether to wander the Mists.

House Jorai claims the lion's share in aether harvested on Aprati and is credited with being the first House to regulate aether exports, which it did in tandem with the Council of Aprati.  While the majority of Aprati's residents view the other major Houses as intruders, concessions were a necessity early in the House's history in order to expand its influence outside of its home 'Sphere.  

Jorai has strong holdings on Palanci, as well as Lumin and The Rift.  Jorai often competes with House Falstaafl when establishing trade rights over new and dangerous 'Spheres, though the two Houses do not hesitate to work together when more conservative Houses attempt to convince local governments that certain 'Gates are better off shut.

House Akura

Of all the Houses, Akura is the only one with a truly religious bent. Members of the House believe that they have been chosen by Aer, the creator of the universe before the Shattering, to destroy the current incarnation of existence. They are convinced that the willful destruction of all known Spheres will eventually resurrect the True Planet by slowly returning the shattered pieces of the universe to the singularity that birthed it. As a rule, House Akura is reviled by the other Houses; allowed to operate openly on only the least populated or most dangerous 'Spheres.

Members of House Akura will go to great lengths to frustrate the efforts of House Tienamon.  Some believe that the interference is a result of Tienamon's xenophobic policies, which would effectively bar House Akura from finding new 'Spheres to destroy, but others believe the hatred runs deeper.  Akura's open affiliation with the Mad God and Tienamon's loose affiliation with Aer-That-Was may be the source of the conflict, as well as Tienamon's philosophies concerning the sacred nature of the 'Spheres.

House Akura's sigil is a white cross on a red field, tilted 45 degrees in mockery of both Aer-That-Was and House Tienamon.  Some versions of the cross have pointed ends to each arm of the cross.

[Eladris]

Gods and Religion

Reserved.

[Eladris]

Aprati
Sphere of Invention [Abstract]

A hundred islands drift through the endless skies of Aprati, the Abstract of invention and the seat of House Jorai.

Some say Aprati is the Reflection of a fantastic empire that once sat among the clouds on the True Planet, a civilization leaps and bounds beyond any competition in magical and technological research. Truly, the hissing bursts of steam and endless whir of gears lend credibility to those myths. Aprati is a wizardâ,¬,,¢s playground; many of the laws of metaphysics are suspended and the 'Sphere is bounded below by an impassable cloudbank of aether gas, which provides an inexhaustible supply of magical energy to those who can harness it.

However, freedom of magical experimentation on Aprati is both a blessing and a curse, as many of the wonders that function here fail when taken to other 'Spheres; gold turns back into lead, wine to water and creations only possible in the mind of the inventor cease to function and often fall to pieces. The most famous exception to this rule is House Falstaaflâ,¬,,¢s discovery of magical flight, though the subsequent invention of the airship was less successful as it still malfunctions on most Reflections.

Geography & Notable Locations

The ever-shifting islands and unpredictable weather of Aprati makes it impossible to map in its entirety.

Athlatus' Workshop:  The high temple of Athlatus dominates a small satellite island of the main city. Visitors to the temple can expect to see displays of the 'Sphere's newest inventions and, if they're lucky, a glimpse of Athlatus himself, who appears most often as a golem wrought of brass and gold, puttering around the temple while working on one of his latest projects. Athlatus rarely speaks to anyone outside of his clergy.

The Beacon: The locus of Aprati, serving as the only means for navigation in the drifting landscape of the 'Sphere. The Beacon can be seen everywhere on the Sphere, though its light neither brightens with proximity nor dims with distance, except from within the aether fog that roils a mile below the floating isles. The Beacon was designed by the famous gnome explorer Paeg, who is said to have modeled it after the unreachable lighthouse visible on many coastal 'Spheres.

The Terminal: While "all roads lead to Lumin", most pass through the Terminal.  The vaulted circular chamber in the first basement of the Beacon's tower contains several dozen portals that facilitate trade and travel to the denizens of Aprati.  

Metaphysics

Aprati is unique in that distance from the locus of the 'Sphere, the Beacon, is inconsequential. The 'Sphere has no apparent end and no horizons.

Pockets of reversed gravity dot the plane, detectable only by the sudden and inexplicable shift of the Beacon in an airshipâ,¬,,¢s view. These pockets make traversing the aether fog at the 'Sphere's lower limits extremely dangerous; getting turned around in a boundless 'Sphere without the Beacon for guidance can be deadly.

Violent storms rage from the 'Sphere's lower aether fogs to the islands above. Aetherstorms, as they're called by the 'Sphere's denizens, are the only known occurrence of aether in the form of plasma â,¬'- lightning. The stormâ,¬,,¢s blasts deposit crystalline aether on the underside of Apratiâ,¬,,¢s floating islands, which is later harvested by industrious airship crews for magical research and off-'Sphere sale.

[spoiler=Lode]Lode is a material that floats when charged with magical energy.  It is what the islands of Aprati are made of.  As they lose their charge, they cool and begin to sink towards the bottom of the 'Sphere, a roiling mist and swirl of aether.  The aether reacts with lode and, at a certain height depending on the size of the lode, will arc out in the form of lightning and recharge the lode, causing it to heat up and rise once more.  For this reason, islands tend to be grouped by size and larger islands tend to have more stable altitudes than smaller ones, which get catapulted into the high atmosphere during aetherstorms or when charged.  "Stabilizing" islands on the main island have their altitude controlled by the wizards of the city, regulating the height, pitch and yaw of the main island in order to keep it stable.  Wind shields have also been erected around the island and the city's wizards are vigilant against rogue islands either falling on the city (as they cool) or being blown into the city.[/spoiler]

Government & Culture

The 'Sphere is autonomously governed by a body called the Circle, a council of arcane and divine spell-casters who make sure that Apratiâ,¬,,¢s unique magical properties are not abused by researchers or inventors. All alchemical and magical laboratories on the 'Sphere are owned and operated by the Circle; renting them generally carries a steep fee.

The laws set in place by the Circle are enforced by a small but elite police squad consisting almost entirely of wizards and golems.  The Hand of the Circle is particularly selective when choosing members, preferring those schooled in the creation and maintenance of constructs.  Shield guardians, stone golems and lode golems will usually accompany law enforcement agents when making an arrest.  Criminals are tried by the Council and often interrogated magically to ascertain their guild or innocence.

The majority of the 'Sphere's residents worship or make their prayers to Athlatus.

Commerce

Aprati is also the center for aether mining in the known Tangle and, as such, is heavily influenced by the Houses that govern its sale and trade.  Each House maintains a presence on the 'Sphere.  Even House Akura makes itself known on occasion with terrorist attacks on the Terminal â,¬' one of its regular targets.

There are few settlements other than the main city due to the difficulties inherent in keeping an island steady and compensating for drift.  The main "crop" harvested on the â,¬ËSphere is aether, which develops on the islands as a result of aether "lightning" charging an island when it drifts too low.  Harvesting the aether can be a difficult and dangerous job on smaller islands.  Remote islands are often infested with aetherlings (small wyvern-like beasts that feed off of aether).

[spoiler=Aetherling]Aetherling CR1
Always N Small dragon
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +6, Spot +6
Languages Common, Draconic

AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +3 natural)
Hp 15 (2HD)
Immune sleep, paralysis
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +4

Speed 10 ft. (2 squares); fly 50 ft. (10 squares)
Melee +5 tail lash (1d4+1) or +5 bite (1d3)
Atk Options Aether Discharge, Flyby Attack
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5ft.
Base Atk +2; Grp -2

Abilities Str 11, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
SQ Aether Absorption
Feats Flyby Attack
Skills Concentration +5, Escape Artist +8, Hide +4, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Search +6, Spot +6, Survival +3
Advancement 3-4 HD (Small)

Aether Absorption (Ex): Aetherlings regain 1 temporary hit point any time a spell or spell-like ability is used within 30 feet of them, siphoning sustenance from the magical energy exerted nearby.  An aetherling reduced to 0 or fewer hit points does not gain temporary hit points from spells cast nearby.
Aether Discharge (Su): An aetherling may discharge stored magical energy in a 5 foot radius centered on itself, dealing 1d4 points of damage to itself and all creatures within the area of affect.  All other aetherlings within the radius are healed rather than harmed.  This ability may only be used by an individual aetherling once every 1d4 rounds.

Aetherlings are distant and smaller cousins to dragons, appearing as a thick-scaled snake, 3 to 4 feet in length, with wings near the base of the head.  A bony ridge runs from the top of the head down the length of the spine, which ends in a spiked club-like tail.  Aetherlings vary in color from light purple to light blue and when â,¬Å"chargedâ,¬Â their scale color mottles and shifts rapidly.

Aetherlings are unique in that they appear to feed on aether, preferring the gaseous and plasma forms found on Aprati.

Combat and Tactics

Aetherlings generally only attack if threatened or if the source of their magical food is being depleted.  They most often come into conflict with the airships harvesting aether on Aprati immediately before or after an aethersstorm, where they dive on workers, lashing out with their tails and then soaring to safety.[/spoiler][spoiler=Lode Golem]Lode Golem CR 7
Always N Large construct
Init -1; Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Listen/Spot
Languages Common, Gnome

Coming soon![/spoiler]