The Tiles of Existance

The tiles of Existance are a form of divination used in the world of my campaign. Unlike methods such as tarot cards or palm readings they can not be used to foresee the future of a single person. The tiles are instead used to get an understanding of the current state of things on a global scale, as well as the near future.

(The root of my ideas for this has come from the fantasy series, A Malazan Book of the Fallen, one of the best I have read for years. The link takes you too its wikipedia page.)
A "deck" of tiles contains a variable number of members, this is due to changes in the balances of power in setting. All the tiles are broken down into three categories, suites is the best way to describe them, these are "The People", "The Orders" & "The Influences".
The People. This group of tiles has never been known to change in size - none have ever left or joint the deck. The tiles are: - The Oracle, The Dark Seer, The Sorcerer, The Conjurer, The Mystic, The Artificer, The Mind Dancer, The Body Mage & The Invoker. One tile for each speciality plus invocation. When both tiles from a discipline are shown on the field of a reading it is said The True Seer, The Elementalist, The Blade Mage or The Soul Mage is in play.

The Orders. This group of tiles has had the greatest number of changes over time, when a new order is created or an old one destroyed their tile enters or leaves the deck. The current tiles are: - The White Sun, The Black Moon, The Purple Dream, The Orange Flame, The Blue Wave, The Golden Sword, The Crimson Soul & The Unaligned.

The Influences. The last category of tile, these represent both the major supernatural groups, as well as key features and symbols of the setting. The tiles in this group have been known to change but the last time was hundreds of years ago. The current tiles are: - The Elemental, The Spirits, The Angelic, The Demonic, The Mundane, The Dead, The Heart Stone, The Gift, The Portal & The Circle.

A reading of the tiles is made upon a field. Each tile is placed in a fixed order upon a named location in the filed. The diagram below shows this casting space.

So in order the these locations and there general meanings are:-

1. The Focus. The tile placed here is the focus of the entire reading and it has an influence on every other tile that comes into play.
2. The Ally. This tile supports the focus.
3. The Foe. This tile has the opposite function to the ally and is at odds with the focus.
4. The Lands. This location represents reality out side of The Risen Hold and is usually considered as a positive tile.
5. The Risen Hold. This tile in this location is considered to be in a position of power, risen above the rest. Like the Lands this is usually a positive tile, but when at odds with Lands both become negative.
6. The Wastes. This is a barren location and the tile placed here is viewed in a negative light.
7. The Shattered Hold. A tile here is in a position of weakness, its power base damaged or destroyed.
8. The Ascendant. The tile that is placed in Ascendancy is rising above the field, generaly a good place to be. At least for what the tile represents.
9. The Mirror. The last tile to be placed in a casting, this tile is the mirror through which all that has come before is seen. A good way of looking of it is imagining it as a kind of filter.

And so that is the Tiles of Existance. I will leave you as an example the casting my players saw at the start of the Concord (A meeting of the mages from the orders to discuss issues). This reading confirmed the suspisions of some of them and horrified others.

The focus is the heartstone and its ally is the gift. In opposition stands the mundane. There is a war between the magical and mundane world. Moving to the lands, occupied by the White Sun and in the risen hold the Black Moon. A representation of their current conflict for these two can never be reconciled. Next in the wastes are the Angelic and the shattered hold is of the Golden Sword. The guardians and their patrons cast down! Rising ascendent above this field is the Demonic. And so the last tile the mirror through which this field of conflict and war is seen is that of the Crimson Soul, returned to the deck at this inauspicious time.

With the mirror certain things come into light, the heartstone at the focus is that of the Crimson Soul as is the gift. This means the war between the magical and mundane world is that of the Crimson Soul and the mundane world. The conflict between the lands and risen hold is to the Crimson Souls benefit as two very powerful potential foes are occupied with each other. The ancient foe and opposite of the Crimson Soul is in the shattered hold with there allies in the wastes.

Finally the Demonic is rising in ascendance. This last line means a lot as the characters discover that not only was the original order destroyed for binding a powerful war demon its members had the blood of demons running through their veins. These are the ancesters of the characters and so they too have a demonic legacy.

Wisp

UK Realm Championships

On saturday in Brumland, was the first major UK competition of the year. In the Brittania hotel just around the corner from the station over 70 players arrived for the tournement plus more for the side events. The atmosphere was Awsome, if a bit too hot by early afternoon due to air conditioning being dead!

To start every one got an EA Wraith Scythe participation card as well as a top 8 qualifier T-shirt, back dated prize support, so I have three of em!

And sometime soon after 10 the first of 7 gruelling rounds began! And I was facing Nimadus the Implacable. (Paly deck nr 1). Game one, My inspiring allies helped to keep my hand full while the board built until I had two Myriams burning the tentacle faced bubble boys face. His turn he counted the damage I would do and cast lay on hands. Yippee two turns for me! that 20 damage guarenteed but I had a glaive of the pit in hand so it was my game anyway, top decked a Fury and killed with the kitty kat instead to keep my secret weapon, well, secret. Game two was similiar myriam's & kadel's burning him quickly.
1-0 (A good start)

Round two and .... Jack .... DAMN IT! sooo typical playing a team mate so early on. Well in playtesting his desecrator deck beat me about 70% of the time. And to add insult to injury I lost the die roll. Game one I got smashed on turn 5, twig to the face > rak > twig to the face > rak > twig to the face! So game two, he got rushed to death by turn 6. Fury + Fury, go kitty go! Game three - damn was close, dropped a fury he cycloned it. And finished me off. Would of got him next turn with my 2nd fury but he had a cyclone ready, and the next card on the deck was Fury nr 3! but thats the way things go!
1-1 (Drat)

I'll admit I can't actually remember which order the following three rounds happened ..... so this may be wrong!

Round 3 or 4 or 5, And an Aleyah Dawnborn match up. Game one was quick, I laid down the rush got as far as 2 Myriams on the board. Then came my clever move! My opponent han Solanian's Belongings available and a blessing of freedom in the graveyard. So I played Chipper from my hand, then tapped Myriam nr 1, he off course completed solanian's to recover and then play the blessing. So on the chain after it resolved I blew chipper to blow the blessing! With the two myriams and a glous that put him on 28. Not finding a way out of the last point we moved onto game 2. This was a game I felt really bad about winning, after muliganing my opponent had nothing. His only none resource play was to drop Tatulla. I responded with bloody welcome and kiblered a Fury. On his turn 5 he knew I had fatal damage available and conceeded.

Round 4 or 5 but deff not 3, and time to play my 2nd team mate of the day - Jay. Another Aleyah Dawnborn deck, and two very fast games, I'd rushed him too death twice in about 20 minutes. Looks like this deck I'm using loves to play bubble boy control!

Round 3 or 4 or 5, Can't even remember this one! but I won it!

Back to a proper time line!

Round 6 and Andy Morgan, this was a matchup I had been dreading, in playtesting I was very weak against ripped decks. The first game went on until about turn 12 before he finally finished me off. Was a bad muligan, and I think my starting hand while not good would have done me much better. Then onto game two and it was flawless, the cards came as they should and he was squashed flat fast. Final game, I was no longer too worried about Andy's deck, but despite a muligan my rush never materialised and he won.
4-2 (Sigh - Get the last and its down to tie-breakers).

The final round Lionar the Blood Cursed, This match was for 5-2 my best result ever in a competition this size. Game one was over fast my opponent was rushed efficently. Game 2 I lost, my muligan was into five cards costing 3+, a bloody welcome and a single quest. The final game came soooo close. His turn 7 down came deafening shout, my field all died. as my turn 8 started I drew a fury, to go with my burn away, not enough resources to use both and claim the game, so I did the only thing I could and killed the shout. His turn, 8 to the face from self readying ferocity guy - Ras'fari Bloodfrenzy - And a glaive of the pit dropping and smacking me. Put me on 2 health left due to the weapons minus five. He was tapped so fury came down for game.
5-2 (Now the wait begins)

I had gone into the 7th round in 11th place, and I had 30-40 mins of waiting time after my match before the final placings got announced. I knew I would just miss it and get 9th, and I was correct. Jack on the other hand made it through, he started round 7 in 10th.

My best performance EVER in a comp this size so I was happy, at the same time a bit gutted to hit 9th. From now on 9th place will always be the Bittersweat one for me! No Nintendo Wii, or Ipod touch for me, but I did get my playset of EA wraith scythes, another T-shirt - getting a serious collection and 24 boosters. Which can't have come from the same box because I got 4 epics and 3 more biscuit loot cards! Overall a brilliant day and roll on Darkmoon Fair: Lyon!

Wisp

The Druids Quest

Gather around children while I tell you a great tale of two young druids on a quest for their swift farm forms. Be warned that while this is a tale of adventure and daring, it is also quite scary in parts.

And so around 9pm our tale begins out side the entrance to Sethekk Halls, where the party, Playcat had gathered from among her friends was waiting.
First there was a Restoration Druid, experienced in the ways of healing, taking time out from her adventures in SSC, TK, MH and beyond.
Second there was an Elemental Shaman also equipped to Tier 4 and above. Third there was a Mage, maker of food, water & sheep and like the two before was geared to T4 and above.
Finally there was the two young druids, both spec’d feral, both with defence scores way beneath the cap, laughable amounts of armour and barely 10k health in dire bear form!! Can you guess who was tanking!

So as one (or five actually) they passed the translucent purple barrier with the sinister and incredibly portentous skull in the middle of it.

The first set of mobs two bird man thingy guards, immune to being turned into mutton. The heroic party buffed and rearing to go! Young Playcat enrages to generate some rage and just as she attacks…
“Wait a second, I’m moving next to the entrance just in case” says our resto druid.
… charging into one monster trying to aggro both as all hell breaks lose.
“Good start” says the ghost of the other young druid.

Rebuffed and ready the group try again, and soon fall into a brilliant rhythm, except the many times they died, of dual bear tanking. Many twisted bird men fell before the teeth and claws and magic of this group until the first boss was reached. The fight is brutal and bloody but despite the little pet elementals the terrible bird fiend summons the foul monster is soon roasting over a spit! Grilled Chicken anyone?

Before the party can continue they must slay two Raven Guard.
“Beware these hit hard”
Smack smash whollop, both young druid tanks die in seconds!
“Really?”
As the ghosts run back to that sinister pink skull floating across the entrance the group make plans on how to kill the raven guard, aware that beyond there a several more pairs lurking around.

And over the next hour or so with many breaks for alcohol and food! The party changes! Our Shaman leaves to make way for a hunter, our Mage swaps to his Warrior character, our new hunter swaps to his warrior to pick up the guard that always runs past and ganks our resto druid!

“Sometime soon, Wispcat is going to come to this place with a group all equipped in T5/6 level gear and KILL EVERYTHING HERE!” says young Playcat during one of the many corpse runs.

And at this point the best quote of the epic adventure was made by the other young druid.

“That’s the PVE equivalent of swapping to your Season Three geared character, after someone ganks you in the barrens”

And so the group that finally killed the pair of raven guard consisted of our two young druid heroes, our resto druid, the warrior of the hunter and a new Druid tank (this one with actual tanking stats and gear!!!).

The journey continues as more and more groups of bird men are slain until at the top of some stairs two more raven guard, guard a door. After another death the warrior swaps back to his hunter and Playcat makes way for Wispcat. The dps was sorely needed.

The two raven guard are peppered full of arrows and the group of intrepid heroes move onwards deeper & deeper into the Halls of Sethic. Soon after killing enough bird men to keep every KFC in the country stocked for a couple of years the summoning room of the evil Raven God was clear! And the very last group of birds between here and the big bad boss bird had also been slain. And so Wisp left to make way once again for Playcat
“Almost done, soon we can actually get some sleep”

It was time, four druids and a hunter stood ready to slay Anzu. I would tell you children that this was another heroic and brutal fight, full of close shaves, desperate potion drinking, feral’s shifting out of cat form to do emergency heals but I would be lying!

At their feet lay the corpse of the raven god! Our young druids could after one last fight go and learn the ways of flying bloody fast from an instant cast spell. The final boss bird was the only thing in their way! Ok only in their way if they went on and not back.

But these are great heroes and so going back was never an option!. Another massive fight occurred was as hard as Anzu was………
“Why do we always struggle on trash and easily kill bosses?” was asked by the tanky druid.
“The bosses are never the problem on heroic” replies wise young Playcat.

And so it came to pass, at around 1am, that Playcat had completed all the quests within Sethic on heroic difficulty, where as most people do them on normal, had gained the key to the shadow labs, and with the other young druid can now herb on the wing at high speed! The AH shall never again earn money from Wisp buying flasks!

That children is the end of the epic tale “The Druids Quest”. So what have you learnt from this tale?

“That characters raiding end game instances may be able to carve their way through heroic instances as if they where warm butter, but when playing alts they need to remember gear makes a huge difference!”

“That anyone who tries to do heroics which most of there gear being quest rewards from quests going up to level 70 is nuts, and for two of the party of five to be similarly equipped makes them ALL nuts!”

“That KFC is made out of dead bird men!”

Wisp

What Lurks Out There

Now its time to describe the main groups of entities out there in the world of my Crimson Soul Chronicle. These grouping a reasonably broad, but breakdowns within the group all share common traits, and needless to say there are things that cross and blur the lines between.
The first two are probably the hardest to comprehend, which is why they are first.

The Elemental
These entities are the very essence of a thing. If you take something and metaphysically boil it down you will be left with an elemental. For example take the flames on a camp fire and within is a Fire Elemental. Take a pebble on a beach and within is an Earth Elemental. This is on the simplest level, elementals get more complicated as the thing they are the essence off becomes more complicated. Magna from a volcano, boils down to an elemental of fire & earth. Elementals are primal forces and largely without intelligence, but there are always exceptions. Living things like plants & animals do not boil down to an elemental, but the parts that make up their physical forms do. A fact that can be used to devastating effect by those with the knowledge.

The Spirits
The spirits are the metaphysical reflection of a thing, cast upon the world. A fire spirit may appear similar to a fire elemental but are very different creatures. Like elementals most spirits are mindless or without intelligence, this though is dependant on what has cast the reflection and how people view that same thing. For example a tree spirit is cast by a tree and its concerns are off a tree. But if intelligent creature view that tree as evil and malignant, the spirit comes to be evil and malignant. This is because the tree has been metaphysically altered.

The Angelic
Angels, Messengers of God(s), Mortals who ascended to sainthood. These beings are divine in nature, the move silently and almost invisibly among mankind seeking to guide and enlighten us. Those who can see them are considered blessed and the gift they give to those who work with or for them is the inspiration of a concept or idea within that mortal. Beware though for the Angelic are not a united group and what some believe is correct will truly terrify you.

The Demonic
Demons, Fallen Angels, Mortals damned to the hells. These beings are dark creatures. They feed upon the mundane world, small demonic imps feed on the flesh of animals while greater demons may feed on emotions such as hate or regret or lust. Others may feed off concepts such as murder or war. The demonic make pacts with mortals and in exchange for their “gifts” the beneficiary is required to perpetuate the ideas that feed the demon.

The Dead
The dead who will not or can not move on. All members of this group once lived as mortals do, they where born, they grew, they died. This group breaks down into two major subdivisions – Insubstantial and Physical dead. The first group are your ghost and poltergeist type beings. An argument rages between scholars as to whether these entities are actual dead people whose souls have not moved on or the spirits of dead people. Yup there is a difference, have a look at The Spirits above. The physical dead on the other hand are walking corpses from mindless rotting zombies to highly intelligent vampires.

There remains but one major group left within this world, and that is the Mundane, the mortal, us!

Wisp