The Vast in The Dark - Expanded (Digital) [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

Charlie Ferguson-Avery

D6 Terrain 6 Miles

Regional Scale

1 - Wastes

2-4 - Ruins

5-6 - Pillars Locations

Local Scale

6 Miles

Locations

D6 1 2-4 5 6

Ruins

Wastes

Wastes Ruins

Wastes

Occupied Ruins

Ruins

1 Mile

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Chapters The Vast in the Dark Features of the Vast You are a Traveler The Harrowing Exploring the Vast Generating the Vast The Wastes Factions of the Wastes The Pillars Generating the Pillars Settlements Travelers and Denizens Settlement Factions The Ruins Ruin Rooms Factions of the Ruins Ruin Encounters Ruin Treasures The Deep The Minotaur Trials of the Deep Escaping the Vast Magic of the Vast The Crawl Further Inspiration

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2 3 4 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 20 27 28 29 30 31 32 35 36 38 40

The Vast in the Dark

The sky is black as night, a tectonic rumbling can be heard overhead; the ruins sprawl out with a fractal madness, their shapes incoherent and puzzling; a vast sea of colorless sand stretches out into the darkness, broken only by the titanic pillars that disappear impossibly into the lightless sky. This is The Vast, a liminal realm hidden far away from our own. Always waning and on the verge of collapse, it is host to countless lost souls and alien treasures hidden within its crumbling ruins. The Vast in the Dark is an exploration setting for the world’s most popular roleplaying game and takes place in a crumbling alien wasteland filled with brutalist mega-structure ruins. It includes tools for generating massive areas to explore as well as unique player options and gameplay changes to keep the focus on player choice and ingenuity over dice-rolling and chance.

Using this Zine While The Vast in the Dark can be used as a setting location and an interesting place to explore, the focus of this zine is to provide a framework for Referees to quickly generate massive amounts of area to explore with little to no set up. This is done by giving tools for generating maps and areas in regional, local, and small scale, as well as populating them with various features. In addition to these tools there is a series of setting specific content to use including: player options to choose, hazards to overcome, societies and factions to interact with, and terrifying mysteries to explore. The Vast in the Dark was made with the intention of being modular and easily adapted into any game.

Recommended Systems - Dungeon Crawl Classics - Knave - Old School Essentials

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Troika! Pathfinder Black Hack Mork Borg

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Bastards The Vanilla Game Mothership Down We Go

Features of the Vast Life in the Vast

Biomes

Society

No Light: There is no light to speak, only a dim ambient illumination, as if illuminated by a half moon. Attempting to see further than 30ft is difficult at best and only vague shapes can be picked out at a distance more than 60ft.

Sea of Sandy Wastes: A wind battered wasteland made of dust and bits of rubble. Dunes rise and fall as extreme weather strikes without warning. The remains of hastily built shelters pepper the more popular routes, sometimes still occupied by a desperate few.

Travelers and Culture: Mortals trapped, surviving best they can. Traders barter supplies and information for lodestone, prospectors establish settlements and camps near precious resources, and some fervently search for a way out of The Vast. Many have forgotten how they came to this place, many more have even forgotten their names.

Wildlife: Small and pitiful lifeforms scurry in the dark. These creature are strange in shape, ranging from blind transparent eels that drift in pools of stagnant water, small crabs with shells of calcified bone and stone, or swarms of diminutive insects with sucking mouths and spiral bodies. They all bear uncanny resemblance to mortal flesh and limbs… Ruin Wells: Stagnant pools of unspoiled water that are occasionally found within the ruins. Settlements spring up around these spots and move once the water is depleted. Beyond Death: Nothing ever truly dies in the Vast. Mortals and creatures can be effectively “slain,” but only in the sense that they are incapacitated or rendered incapable of action and thought. Even the most insubstantial pieces of a being retain sparks of fell life…

Titanic Pillars: Enormous lodestone structures that hold up an unseen sky. They show signs of wear and decay from the wastes, threatening to topple in cataclysmic fashion. Caverns pepper their bases, homes to threatening forms of life... Alien Ruins: Sprawling cities of crumbling mega-structures. Their shapes are strange, rigid and geometric, they appear as edifices at first, but their insides are wrong and unnerving. Much can be found within their darkened depths; food, water and strange treasures, but only if you make it out safely...

Settlements: Travelers congregate in some of the abandoned ruins, setting up shelter and threadbare civilization. Some settlements find purchase, establishing crafts and support networks, but their existence is tenuous and scarce. All live in fear of an inevitable disaster. Lodestone Currency: Coin is traded freely and fairly, along with the smaller pieces of lodestone that make up the Pillars and Ruins. Many risk their lives to mine and scavenge the lodestone from the titanic structures, while others are more than happy to kill for it.

Dangers of the Vast The Harrowing: Decay and erosion are accelerated here, even the soul and mind is not safe. Mortals and sentient beings who find themselves spending too much time within The Vast begin to lose traits of their personality, memory, and eventually their drive to escape. Innumerable Perils: Ruins collapse, dust-storms rise, and food runs scarce; the common dangers within The Vast are innumerable. Yet rumors speak of something more. Things that crawl and stalk in the dark, shapes that skitter out from the pillars when no one is watching, monsters that hide within the ruins, waiting for their chance to strike...

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You are a TraveLer… 1 2 3 4

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6 7 8 9

10 11 You are a Traveler, one of the unlucky few who, through action or accident, has found their way into The Vast. Quickly adapting to life among the wastes and ruins, with only your wits and memories to keep you sane. For now, you are not alone; banding together with other Travelers to shoulder the hardships, pool resources, and work together to survive this crumbling purgatory. Time will tell if it is enough...

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Traveler Quirks

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“Stare into The Vast long enough, and The Vast stares back.” Those who spend enough time as Travelers tend to pick up odd quirks and abilities. During character creation or advancement, you may randomly select one of the quirks listed.

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1d20 TRAVELER QUIRKS Ruin Plucker - You gain an extra inventory slot, always loathe to leave things behind. This can be taken multiple times. Enigmatic Paranoia - You can sense when you are being followed and tracked, you whisper it out loud without realizing it. Hollow Fortitude - There is a 3-in-6 chance you do not suffer exhaustion when you normally would, your body detaching from its needs. Labrinthiosis - While in a structure, if you meditate for 10 minutes, you can reliably predict what the next 1d6 rooms will contain; the fractal language of the ruins beginning to make sense. Magnetoception - If you meditate in a location for 1 hour, you are capable of locating and navigating to it again no matter the distance. Using this ability in a new place removes the old location. Vacant Amygdala - You are incapable of feeling fear, supernatural or otherwise. Distant Appetite - You may go without food for up to 1d6 days, the food offers you little pleasure. Vampyr - You may drink 1d6 HP worth of fresh blood in place of a meal. You begin to crave the subtle warmth of blood. Vicious Abandon - You may sacrifice a weapon to automatically hit and deal maximum damage to an assailant. The frenzied strikes betray a terrified hopelessness. Wind Seer - You can predict weather in the Vast perfectly. The wind of the dark sounding like a mirthless dirge to your ears. Dreamless - You only need sleep every 1d6 days. Your dreams slip away from you, replaced with a silent darkness. Unreadable - People cannot read your motives or emotions. Your body betrays no expressions or visual tics. Psychitabolism - You may eat brains to acquire simple memories. People provide names and secrets, while animals provide locations of shelter and food. Psionherd - You can hypnotize small creatures of the Vast. So long as they are not hostile, you may command them to hold still, follow, or leave. Long-walker - You can travel 6 extra miles each day with no ill-effect. Your body seemingly walking of its own accord. Gentle Presence - Non-hostile Travelers are friendly or helpful. A curious warmth seems to surround you, felt by all except yourself. Candles in the Dark - See in the dark for up to 1d6 hours after light is gone. Light remains trapped in your vision, burning away the dark. Cold Blood - You suffer no harm from cold weather and half damage from cold attacks. Your blood pumps slowly and your skin feels corpse-like. Dull Psyche - You have advantage on resisting charms or mental compulsion. Your thoughts are eroded and leave little room for ego or imagination. Memetic - You can duplicate the ability or quirk of another traveler you have observed for more than a day. You may only duplicate one ability at a time.

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3 0 4 5 1 2

Rather than Hit Points, each Traveler has Grit and Flesh, a representation of superficial harm and pain tolerance versus serious injuries.

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Grit

9

Flesh

Grit is equal to 1d8 per level + Constitution bonus Grit is lost before Flesh and heals 1d6 each day, or 2d6 if taking a full day of rest.

Level 1

Grit

6 9 Flesh

Flesh is equal to Level + Highest ability bonus If Flesh is lost, a Traveler cannot heal until they make it to a Settlement or a medical practitioner. Once safe, Flesh is healed at a rate of 1 per day.

( (

se

Defen

3

Broken Arm

Dex CON Sickened

WIS

Delirious

Torch

Explor

5

6 7

8

(

When this happens, the Traveler selects one random stat and records a pertinent injury next to it. So long as this injury exists, all rolls made with that stat are at disadvantage. Each full day of rest without travel removes one level of exhaustion.

CHA

Helmet

Rations Rations

9 Shovel

The true harm Travelers face within The Vast is rarely of the flesh & blood variety. More common is the slow erosion of their faculties from starvation, insomnia, and infection. Exhaustion is a form of damage that represents the Traveler’s sustained injuries and harm. A Traveler gains a level of exhaustion when they: - Lose a night of sleep - Are severely wounded - Go a day without food - Push themselves too hard

INT

{

ation

4

al

Each Traveler can carry a number of items equal to their Constitution bonus (referred to as “slots”), with some items requiring more than one inventory slot. This represents an abstract way of tracking space and weight. Additionally, rather than buy and equip items, anytime you arrive safely in a settlement you may assign a number of inventory slots to a specific purpose (First Aid, Navigation, SelfDefense, etc.) and pay 10 coins per slot filled. After assigned, at a given point during a journey, you may draw any relevant common item from these dedicated slots (Referee’s discretion), record it in your inventory, and fill in the appropriate amount of slots. Unique and magical items must be recorded in their own slots. While abstract, this allows play to move quickly, cut down on inventory micromanagement, and allow players to make broad strategic choices about their supplies on the journey.

Exhaustion

Injury

CON 1 Longsword 2

Surviv

Inventory

STR

{

Grit and Flesh

) )

)

Additional Slots Packs Packs provide extra slots but must be purchased from a settlement. Bindle - +2 slots, 20 coin Sack - +6 slots, 80 coin Backpack - +10 slots, 120 coin Cargo Transports Larger supply transports exist, but require a team effort to move. Pulk - 10 slots, overland speed reduced to 12 miles a day if being pulled alone. Sleigh - 20 slots, overland speed reduced to 12 miles a day if being pulled by two or fewer people.

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Example Items and Number of Slots ♦ Spiked boots, Water Jug, Net, Chisel, Spyglass, Soapstone, 50ft. Rope, Torch ♦♦ 10ft. Ladder, Lock-box, Tent, Portable Stove Weapons and Armor ♦ Shield, Gambeson, Brass Knuckles, Club, Knife, Bolts or Ammunition ♦♦ Piecemeal Armor, Axe, Mace, Spear, Sword, Bow ♦♦♦ Chainmail, Claymore, Great Axe, Maul, Crossbow ♦♦♦♦ Splintmail, Arquebus

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The HarRowing Metal rusts, stone crumbles and food petrifies at an accelerated rate within the Vast, as if the place itself is cursed with decay and erosion in all forms. Most troubling is that this is not just reserved for the physical, as mortals who spend too long in The Vast and suffer great hardships begin to have their spirits and psyches ebb like dust in the wind. This is called The Harrowing and it is an erosion of memory, drive, and desire. When a Traveler first enters The Vast they select 5 memories or drives that guide them.

Each time a Traveler suffers some terrible hardship, there is a chance that they lose one of these pieces of their personality. Possible hardships include: - Dropping to 0 hit points. - Gain a 7th level of exhaustion. - Effect of an object or place. - Experiencing a great tragedy. When the 5th and final memory is lost, they are either slain, become an NPC or wander aimlessly towards the darkest recesses of the Vast…

Memories _ _ _ 1 The smell of books

2 Hunger for knowledge 3 My first kiss

4 A need to escape � My name-

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Exploring the Vast A majority of the players’ time in The Vast will be spent traveling the wastes and exploring the ruins that pepper the impossible landscape. Mechanically, traversing The Vast follows these guidelines: - Travelers on foot can average 18 miles a day/24 hours before needing rest. - Travelers can move an extra 6 miles a day for a level of exhaustion. - 1 ration must be consumed per day or suffer a level of exhaustion. - Encounters and weather occur based on the terrain. - Compasses don’t work normally, only pointing towards the nearest Pillar (pg. 12).

Navigating the Vast

Becoming Lost

Without celestial bodies, compasses, or even light to navigate with, Travelers in the Vast must use a primitive form of orienteering based on landmarks, spoken directions, and lodestones. Every day the Travelers attempt to traverse the Vast, they must make a Navigation Roll (d6), with 6 being a successful navigation and 1-5 meaning they are lost. Travelers can decrease their chances of becoming lost by preparing certain navigational assets.

If the Travelers fail their Navigation Roll they are considered Lost. The effects are determined by their original chances of becoming lost and any navigational assets they came prepared with.

6 Navigation Assets X Asset 5 4 X 3 X X 2 1 Lantern (light)

Spyglass (tool)

Lost Effect Utterly lost - Continue to roll until you are successful, this is how many days you travel before finally returning to where you started.

Directions from Gerx

Dangerously off course - As below but 12 miles away.

North Ruins (landmark)

Off course - 6 miles away from destination in a random direction.

Each asset lessens their chances of becoming lost by 1 (down to 0-in-6) Landmark - Visual point of reference, typically pillars. Directions - Written maps or spoken words from other travelers. Tool - Lodestone pendants, spyglasses or divining magic. Light - Torches, lanterns or magic. Dead Reckoning - You have successfully made the journey to your destination before.

Late - 6 miles short of destination In the example above, the Travelers only become lost on a Navigation Roll of 1, and in doing so only ever suffer the “Late” lost effect.

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Generating the Vast The following section details methods for quickly generating a hexcrawl map with little to no prep. This is done by generating areas at a regional scale (landscape and terrain features) and local scale (a 6 mile environment with roaming hazards) as the travelers interact and explore the world.

Regional Scale

Local Scale A six mile environment 1. Select one of the hexes at a regional scale.

Landscape and Terrain features 1. Bring up a hex map, each hex will represent 6 miles of distance.

2 2.Create a six mile hex (example shown) and drop a handful of dice into it, each one of these hexes represents 1 mile.

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3

2. Drop a handful of dice onto the map. 3. Record the terrain based on the face-up number.

Terrain

D6 1

Wastes - Barren swaths of grey dust and sand, prone to sandstorms and filled with little.

2-4

Ruins - Hives of erratic and crumbling architecture, sometimes populated with life…

5-6

Pillars - Enormous towers of stone that stretch miles across and reach up to an unseen ceiling.

4. All remaining hexes are wastes. Each one of the hexes within the Regional Scale can be subdivided into 1 mile hexes and populated in a similar fashion. To do so, follow the steps for the Local Scale (sidebar).

Amount of Dice More dice means more ruins and more locations. As a suggestion: 1 die per 6 hexes - Barren, little can be found within this wasteland 1 dice per 3 hexes - Sparse, yet enough worth exploring. 1 die per hex - Plentiful, a labyrinth of ruins to delve and lose yourself in.

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3 3.Record the terrain based on the face-up number and regional hex. All remaining hexes are wastes (Example - Ruin hex)

D6 1 2-4 5 6

Ruins

Wastes

Wastes Ruins Settlements

Pillars

Wastes Ruins

See pg. 12 Pillar hexes are considered to be filled entirely with the massive cyclopean columns. However, that does not mean they are beyond exploring...

Roaming Hazards 1.Drop up to 6 six-sided dice on the 6-mile hex map.

1 Warband – 5d6 Cutthroats lead by a Demagogue. What were once disparate bands of cutthroats and bandits have united into a dangerous and organized group of raiders. The warband attacks on sight, but will not pursue anyone into Ruins or a Settlement. Slaying the Demagogue destroys this hazard.

2 3

1 6 2.If there is a die on the hex, this hex has a dangerous hazard that will need to be avoided or dealt with. 3.These dice stay on the map and move each day, representing a mobile disruption or dangerous event that can be tracked, predicted, and navigated around.

1 4.Each day, roll 1d6 for each die on the map to see what direction each one moves.

1d6 Roaming Hazards

6 5

3

2 3

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5.If one die bumps into another or goes off the edge, re-drop it onto the map.

Demagogue A being draped in rags and lodestone charms, their movements unnaturally calm, and a voice that sounds hollow and alien. What was once a mortal is no more; all that remains is an avatar of the inescapable dark... HD 5 | HP 30 | Move: Standard Defense: As Plate | Lodestone Blade 1d10 Magic: The Demagogue knows 1d3 random spells. Voice of the Dark: Save v. Charm anytime the Demagogue speaks or become frightened. Artifact of Power: Each Demagogue carries a random artifact (pg. 29) and wields it to command respect and power. 2 Maelstrom – Columns of violent swirling air scour the dunes like faceless howling giants. Those caught in the storm are flung 1 mile in a random direction and suffer 3d20 damage. Hiding in ruins or a sufficiently strong shelter for the duration of the maelstrom avoids this fate. 3 Crawlherd – 1d20 random Crawl. A horde of writhing and seething Crawl haunt the wastes and ruins of the vast. Settlements have defenses and countermeasures to avoid monsters. Slaying the Crawl that make up this herd destroys this hazard. 4 Collapse - An earsplitting crack and tremendous roar from above. A mile wide chunk of ceiling falls from above, every Traveler must gain a level of exhaustion running or be crushed. Any Ruins or Settlements on the hex have a 2-in-6 chance of being reduced to Wastes. 5 Void Lightning – The air grows heavy, pinpricks of cold dance across uncovered skin, and bolts of jet-black lightning flash across the wastes. Those wearing or wielding any form of metal have a 3-in-6 chance of being struck by a bolt of black lightning for 10d6 damage. Those killed by the lightning are disintegrated with a piercing shriek, leaving behind only dust. Stripping off any metal or hiding in ruins avoids this hazard. 6 Singing Sand – A low and undulating noise calls from deep below the ground, causing the dust to shudder and then dance. Any non-solid or rocky ground begins vibrating, turning into quicksand. Those caught on the dust when this happens must Save v. Breath or disappear into the ground. Seeking high or solid ground avoids this hazard.

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The Wastes Vast swathes of dust and sand, punctuated by crumbling foundation and collapsed ceiling. Travelers are quick to leave it behind as they are prone to freak, dangerous storms. Roll 2d6 for weather and 1d12 on the encounter table every day spent in the wastes.

1-5 6 7

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2d6 WEATHER 1-6 Calm - Nothing, chill gusts of wind and the settling of dust...

The Wastes

7 Dust Storm - Dust is whipped into a blinding frenzy. Your travel is reduced by 6 miles and it is impossible to make out landmarks. 8 Wind Blast - Vicious wind strikes at the unsuspecting. Unprotected lights and fires are blown out and any Traveler caught in the open risks being blown away for 3d6 damage. 9 Stone Hail - The ceiling rumbles and stone rains down. Unprotected Travelers must Save versus Breath or suffer 3d6 damage. 10 Pillar Fog - The caverns belch a chill and ominous mist. Add +6 to the encounter roll for the day and it is impossible to make out landmarks. 11 Grit Slide - The dunes shift and collapse like avalanches. Save versus breath or suffer 3d6 damage and lose 6 miles of progress. 12 Dune Wave - A tectonic shift from below sends waves across the wastes. Every Traveler must gain a level of exhaustion running from the waves or be buried.

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1d12 ENCOUNTERS AND 1d6 MOOD Nothing, you are alone for now… 1d6 Lost Travelers, desperate for food and shelter. Helpful if assisted. 1d6 Nomads, braving the weather of the wastes. Mood: 1 Cautious, hostile if disturbed. 2-4 Curious, peaceful if hailed. 5-6 Friendly, gives directions and warns of nearby dangers. 1d3 Merchants, carrying wares and supplies on a heavy pulk, willing to trade, buy, or sell. Limit 100 coin. 1d6 Bandits, prowling for an easy score. Mood: 1-2 Crazed, attacks to kill and loot. 3-5 Tribute, demands 100 coins or a ration from each traveler. 6 Curious, lets characters join in a raid. 2d6 Pilgrims, on their way to the nearest ruin or pillar. Devoted to a random faction; friendly if the characters join them, hostile if stopped or contested. 1d6 Lodestone Prospectors, carrying 1d20 raw lodestone (pg. 12) on a sleigh. Cautious of strangers, hostile if harassed. Caravan of 1d6 Merchants and 2d6 Nomads, carrying wares and supplies on a heavy pulk, willing to trade, buy, or sell. Limit 1000 coin. 1d6 Cutthroats, out for blood and plunder. Mood: 1-3 Crazed, attacks to kill and loot. 4-5 Tribute, demands 1000 coins or all rations. 6 Recruit, demands characters fight each other, the survivor joins the cutthroats. 1d6 Cyclops, clustered tightly together for warmth, smelling the air for unwary mortals. 1d3 Harpies, circling above or buried under the dust, patiently waiting. 1d3 Medusa, curled into the corners and hidden spots, listening for the sound of steps. Shade, drifting through the air and across the dust, vibrating with hunger. Griffon, resting on the highest point, the remains of its latest victim are nearby.

1d20 CURIOSITIES 1 Ruin outcropping. Provides shelter, 1-in-6 chance of encounter. 2 An abandoned camp, signs of violence… 1d3 rations and a random tool. 3 Stone totem of geometric designs, offerings of effigies at its base. 4 Desiccated corpses of nomads, one utters one word before expiring… 5 Burial cairn, partially buried. Loot for a random weapon and tool. 6 Cache of 1d10x5 lodestone, hidden under a stone with an illegible note. 7 Nomad in black, silent and still. Hand points to the nearest pillar. 8 Collapsed tower, all that remains of a vast ruin. Provides shelter. 9 Lodestone obelisk, etched with symbols. Mine for 1d20 Raw Lodestone. 10 Traveler tied to stone pillar. Helpful if freed, no memory of before… 11 Unearthed road. Leads to nearest ruins, counts as landmark. 12 Swarm, stinging whirring insects buffeted by the wind. 1d3 rations. 13 Lonely graves, carefully laid bodies, obscured by the sand. 14 Nest, eyeless worms or small crabs burrow in the soft dust. 1d6 rations. 15 Crawl corpse, rotten and massive, many mouths feed on its remains. 16 Secret Tunnel. Provides shelter, travels 1d6 miles in random direction. 17 Message, carved into stone slab, illegible from wear and wind. 18 Lost Caravan, corpses and goods buried by dust. 1d20 rations or tools. 19 Bereft Swordsman, blade is nearly rust. Only says “There is no way out.” 20 Forgotten treasure, buried and lost. Roll Treasure (pg. 29).

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Factions of the Wastes Lodestone Brokers

Candlekeepers

Dust Anglers

Sled caravans of merchants and traders, loaded down with wares and wealth for each settlement they visit. They are cunning deal-makers, always fair but typically thinking far ahead to their next mark. They desire a steady supply of goods and resources to sell and barter. They usually hire travelers to protect their caravans from raiders or Crawl.

Servants of the flickering light, these nomadic warrior poets seek out those in need. To them there is no burden too great to bear. Dour and crowned in candles, their words betray a hint of hope and their altruism is never in question. Like a flickering candle, their numbers grow and wane as their quests meet violent ends. Thus, they are always on the lookout for new members with martial skill.

Trappers and hunters, laden in weathered cloaks and masks, hunting gear and trophies draped across their frames. Silent and surly, they stalk the wastes and hunt for easy game. What is not eaten is traded, making them a lifeline to disparate survivors. Trading skins, flesh, and bone for tools and lodestone they welcome only those who prove themselves to be competent into their circles.

If you join them on a call to action, they will show you how to bear the burdens of others.

Hunt and survive a week with the Dust Anglers and you will never go hungry in the wastes.

A Burden Shared: A pain riposted. When an ally in arm’s reach would gain a level of exhaustion or lose a memory you may instead take a level of exhaustion.

Plenty From Nothing: Bounty even in the wastes. While traveling the wastes and equipped with appropriate tools, you may spend a day to hunt and trap 1d6 rations worth of small game.

If you assist one of their caravans on a full trade route, they will teach you their ways. What’s Fair is Fair: A good deal is always respected. When trading, you may freely barter common items for common items and magic items for magic items at no cost, no matter the value difference.

Pillar Worms Miners and craftsmen with weathered skin and bodies. They march with tools, lodestone, and little else. Slaves to an unnatural desire, they march from pillar to pillar, harvesting lodestone as they chant songs of loss and toil. They want for little, save for food and water to carry on their work. Even as their tools break they continue their work by hand, bearing the injuries just to keep working. Delve three separate Pillars and you shall learn their burden. Grit and Bear It: The body is a tool. You may gain a level of exhaustion to perform a task as if you had a required/useful tool equipped.

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The Pillars The titanic decaying columns of lodestone that stand like lonely crumbling gods. The fissures and caves that ring their foundation appear as horrid black scars.

Mining the Pillars You may choose to gather the precious lodestone of the pillars or mine it directly (if you brought the proper tools). However, doing so risks unwanted attention... For each hour spent: Gathering - 1d2 Raw Lodestone and +1d6 to the encounter roll. Mining - Requires tools. 1d6 Raw Lodestone and +2d6 to the encounter roll. Each Raw Lodestone takes up 1 slot of inventory and must be broken down and refined at a settlement. Each one yields 1d10x10 value in coins.

1d6 ENCOUNTERS AND 1d6 MOOD 1-2 Nothing, you are alone for now… 3 1d6 Lost Travelers, desperate for food and shelter. Helpful if assisted. 4 1d6 Lodestone Miners, gathering and mining. Mood: 1-2 Territorial, hostile if disturbed. 2-4 Curious, peaceful if hailed. 5-6 Friendly, gives directions and warns of nearby dangers. 5 1d3 Merchants, carrying wares and supplies on a heavy pulk, willing to trade, buy, or sell. Limit 100 coins. 6 1d6 Cyclops, clustered tightly together for warmth, circling the pillar as they search for mortals. 7 1d6 Bandits, prowling for an easy score. Mood: 1-2 Crazed, attacks to kill and loot. 3-5 Tribute, demands all raw lodestone or a ration from each traveler. 6 Curious, lets characters join in a raid. 8 1d3 Harpies, circling above, attracted by the sound of prey. 9 1d6 Cutthroats, out for blood and plunder. Mood: 1-3 Crazed, attacks to kill and loot. 4-5 Tribute, demands all lodestone or all rations. 6 Recruit, demands characters fight each other, the survivor joins the cutthroats. 10 1d3 Medusa, slithering out from the dark, humming . 11 2d6 Cyclops, tumbling out from the cracks in the pillar, they howl and shriek with violent abandon. 12 Ogre, lurching out from the pillar, its limbs feeling for life. 13 2d6 Harpies, closing in, frenzied with hunger. 14 Shade, its dark form spills out from the pillar. 15+ Griffon, its shriek echoes from the pillar as its beating wings stir the dust into swirling clouds.

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Delving the Pillars The countless tunnels and fissures that cover the pillars are free to be explored. There is no end to the lodestone within, but to stand in the mouth of these fell structures for too long means annihilation…

Enter

Generating Tunnels

Depth 1

6

Depth 2

3

Roll a d6 when entering the Pillar to determine the shape and size of the tunnel. Then roll on the Loot table to see what the characters find. Going Deeper – If the characters wish to go deeper into the pillar, repeat the process, but add +1 to the roll for the Loot Table. Set the tunnel dice next to the first to show the path of the tunnels. Events – Roll on the Event Table every time the characters enter a new tunnel or search a room and add +1 for every previous roll. Tunnel Split – If two tunnels share the same number, roll a second dice and set it next to the previous one to show the tunnels have split. The characters may take either route.

PILLAR LOOT (1d6 + DEPTH) 1-3 Forgotten Corpse, 1d3 random tools and 1d20 coins. 4-6 1d10 Raw Lodestone, loose and scattered. 7 1d10 Lodestone Idols, the shape and size of your heads, worth 100 coins each. 8 Abandoned Supplies, their owners long forgotten. 1d6 random tools, 1d10 rations, and 1d6x10 coins. 9 2d10 Raw Lodestone, felled from the crumbling walls in a pile. 10 Lone Survivor, whispers a dangerous secret of the Vast before expiring. 11 Lodestone Mural, geometric carvings allude to some obscure truth. 12 Corpse Pile, anguished expressions paint their many faces. Tools of the character’s choosing, 1d20 rations and 1d6x50 coins. 13 Artifact (pg. 29) 14+ Hoard of 2d20 Raw Lodestone

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Time Traveling from tunnel to tunnel takes 10 minutes, the passages are sometimes flat and cavernous, other times jagged chasms that must be crawled through with care. Searching a tunnel takes 30 minutes since the spaces are twisted and filled with debris. These speeds are assuming the characters are moving slowly and carefully.

Depth 3 (Split)

3

5

Depth 4

4

1

Depth 5

2

TUNNEL SHAPE AND SIZE 1 Constricting Squeeze - Single file, travlers are considered prone. 2 Sheer Drop - Must be climbed, tools help with safety. 3 Tight Halls - Single file travel. 4 Winding Tunnel - Loops back and forth, easy to get lost… 5 Jagged Ascent - Must be climbed, tools help with safety. 6 Cavernous - Massive and dark…

PILLAR EVENTS (1d6 + NUMBER OF PREVIOUS ROLLS) 1-3 Chill Fog – The tunnels flood with a freezing vapor. Save v. Poison or suffer 1d6 cold damage, heavy clothes or fire prevents this. 4 Wind Blast – An echoing boom followed by a blast of wind. Save v. Breath or use a tool, or be violently tossed for 2d6 damage. 5 2d6 Cyclops emerge from the dark, their faces sing with hollow notes. 6 Decay – Walls and tools crumble as the impermanence of the dark is felt strongly here. Lose a random item or erase an unused inventory slot. 7 1d6 Medusa creep forward, a terrible voice rises from their form. 8 2d6 Harpies cling to the walls, their labored breaths begin to quicken. 9 Collapse – The tunnel has caved in and requires tools to proceed further. It takes 1 hour to clear out the debris, roll an event if excavated. 10 Hallucination – Psyches and perceptions begin to violently twist. Save v. Madness each round or violently lash out at your companions, your perception making them appear as monsters. 11 Harmonics – A dull hum fills the space here, a frequency not heard but felt. Save v. Poison or gain a level of exhaustion as your mind clouds and ears begin to bleed. 12 The pulsing mass of an Ogre squeezes forward, hungry and desperate. 13 Ego Sink – An impossible stillness in the dark causes the mind to slip away. Save v. Charm or gain 1d3 levels of exhaustion. 14 The air buzzes with movement, black shapes of a Shade swarm with violent abandon. 15+ Call of the Dark – The will of the pillar calls and you must answer... Gain a level of exhaustion. If you cannot gain any more, lose a memory.

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Settlements

Tucked away among the alien structures are the occasional camps and settlements. Here wayward souls gather to re-cooperate and survive to the best of their ability. Some find peace and purpose in their new life, others struggle and remain haunted by their vanishing memories. Travelers may rest, recover exhaustion, and resupply while here. Each time Travelers discover a new settlement, roll for Population, Scarcity, and Atmosphere to determine the factions within, available goods and prices, and mood of the environment. 1d6 POPULATION 1-3 Barren – No more than a dozen survivors working together. 1d3 Locations, 1 Faction 4-5 Middling – Community of a few dozen from disparate corners. 1d6 Locations, 1d3 Factions 6 Overcrowded – Over a hundred souls, perhaps too many… 2d6 Locations. 1d6 Factions

1d6 SCARCITY 1 Desperate – You cannot make purchases, only sell. 2 Limited Inventory – You may only buy 1d6 items collectively. 3 Steep Prices – Items cost double what they normally do. 4 Difficult Bargains – Anytime you make a purchase, you must give up at least 1 item in barter. 5 Middling – Prices and availability as normal. 6 Bountiful – When buying supplies, you may purchase one extra item for free.

1d6 SETTLEMENT ATMOSPHERES 1 Hidden – Silent figures quickly dart out of sight and disappear into hidden blinds, betraying the seemingly empty passages and plazas. A quiet anxiety hangs over this place, folks only revealing themselves when they know it’s safe and only ever speaking in whispers. Most live and work in the crawls and tunnels, hidden from assailants and monsters in claustrophobic dark. 2 Piety – The ruins and towers echo with the sound of whispered prayers, while every wall and alcove is adorned in fervent symbols and scripture. Flagellants, orators and proselytizers walk the streets, praying to nameless powers and spirits for solace or protection. Each home appears as a shrine, complete with icons or altars to whatever alien belief has taken hold. 3 Mirth – Shadows of revelers dance across ruins adorned in graffiti while the sound of raucous merriment fills the air. Ragged dwellers cavort with reckless abandon; laughing, singing, and fornicating to spite or distract from the horrors of the Vast. The hedonistic denizens make their homes and work in communal spaces, most growing anxious or frightful at the prospect of being alone. 4 Despair – Crumbling walls scrawled with curses and portents of doom, while hollow cries of anguish ring out from the dark. The broken and scattered souls languish in the decaying ruins, waiting or hoping for annihilation. Some manage to find the will to live and resist the dark, but such will comes and goes like wind, the horror and futility of this place haunting their every action. 5 Stoic – A peaceful quiet permeates the clean and empty spaces of the megastructures. The ascetic dwellers live lives of quiet contemplation and acceptance of their place in the Vast; their movements calculated and speaking only when necessary. The homes and workshops here are spartan save for a handful of keepsakes, personal effects bring back too many painful memories for the dwellers. 6 Primal – Curious charms, frightful effigies, and abstract symbols adorn outskirts and tunnels of this eclectic space. The denizens speak with motions and half-remembered words, communicating only in broad terms that will assist with survival or basic needs. Their homes are decorated with charms and trophies, artistic effects when thoughts beyond survival are permitted to manifest.

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1d12 Settlement Locations

5

Each settlement has a number of locations based on its population. They can provide Travelers with boons or opportunities as they explore the wastes and ruins.

1

2

3

Storyteller – Tucked away in an alcove, an orator spins tales from their cracked lips for those that would listen. Tales of woe and warning, of triumph and humor, and of quiet hope in the dark. Stories: Each day, 1-in-6 chance of recovering an additional level of Exhaustion while resting here. Scrap Smithy – Warmth and light radiate from a makeshift forge and anvil, while a soot-laden blacksmith hammers and curses over scraps of glowing metal. Repair: You may trade two metal tools, arms, or armor, for a single new item of equal weight. Broken items can be used. Renew: Ingots of metal may be traded for items of equal weight. Apothecary – Robed figures process cracked bone and pungent herbs into curious remedies. Tinctures and salves to offer salvation or suffering. Medicine: Alchemical tools may be purchased here with specific material components.

6

7

8

Magus Sanctum – In a quiet and hidden chamber lies rows of moldering vellum tucked away in cracked walls and crumbling alcoves. A venerable being protects these scrolls, their power threadbare but still dangerous... Magic Scrolls: Raw Lodestone may be traded for a Magic Scroll. Each contains a single spell and dissolves to dust after use. Reservoir – A damp and slimy pit descends into the lightless depths, leads and angler lines circling its mouth like dying snakes. The twisted crustaceans and eyeless fish dredged from the well are meager quarry but offer little resistance. Add +1 to the Scarcity Roll. Bazaar – Merchants and nomads line the stairs and passages, their hopeful wares laid out on tattered rags and broken pedestals. Barter: You may trade common items in place of purchasing them with coin or lodestone. Cartographer Roost – A crumbling windblown lookout sits high above the dunes below, while a seasoned nomad scrawls images of distant ruins and paths to hidden dwellings upon every surface. Wayfinder: Directions and maps may be purchased as an item.

Remedy: Skin and meat melds together as if it were slip and clay. Recover 1d6 Grit or 1d3 Flesh. Requires: A skinned Harpy. Malady: Seething poison with a mind of its own. 1d3 on contact: 1 Blinded, 2 2d6 damage, 3 Paralysis, 1 hr. Requires: Glands from a Hydra.

4

Pyromancer Foundry – Acrid fumes leak out from a hollow filled with soot, brimstone, and sulfur. A pyromancer with charred limbs and features feverishly works over bubbling vats carved into the stone. Jarred Fire: Special tools may be purchased here with specific material components. Hellfire: Ignites when thrown, sticks to anything it touches. Burns white hot and fast for 3d6 damage. Crawl flee when used. Requires: Blood from a Griffon and the hollow head of a Cyclops. Hearthfire: Burns low and slow when struck. Provides gentle warmth and torchlight for 6 hours. Requires: Fat and bones from a slain Crawl.

15

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Lodestone Carver – A dwelling covered in shifting magnetic dust, as a silent artisan meticulously carves chunks of lodestone into alien charms and patterned beads. Expertise: Raw Lodestone can be exchanged here for 100 coins. Memorial Shrine – A humble stone monument, etched with symbols and names in long-dead tongues.Tributes and offerings adorn its surface and lie strewn about its base. Remember: When a companion dies, you may write their name on the stone and replace a lost memory with the memory of them. Paddock – A broad and shallow pit encloses a space teeming with life. Diminutive creatures buzz and scurry in the dark, as trappers hunt with bow and spear. Add +1 to the Scarcity Roll. Nomad Hold: A collection of stones for sitting and a gentle fire for warmth. Disparate and hardened souls wait by the fire for a sign or purpose. Companions: Hirelings, travelers and companions may be recruited or paid to join your party.

Travelers and Denizens Nod

Old Tune

Pale and roguish creature with a pristine knife, smiles but never speaks. A bandit and cutthroat in any other land, they reek of foul deeds and danger. Yet, the Vast is no place of honor, so they find plenty of work. Dirty Work: Can find anyone in the Vast and bring them back for a price. Works only for Raw Lodestone and the teeth of a Crawl.

A thin and aged mortal with eyes white as milk, a tarnished silver flute in hand. Older than many who call the Vast their home, they have all but forgotten who they were before. They are known for their flute, the music seems to draw back familiar memories. Music of the Deep: They ask for a song, a music that can only be found in the depths of the ruins, sung by the Crawl and echos of the dark. If found and returned, they will gift you a flute that always seems to play a comforting and familiar tune...

Masque Darkly dramatic figure in an ornate mask of many faces, speaks in graven whispers. Perhaps a spymaster in another life, they now deal in curious rumors and secretive information. They know many things of the Vast and its denizens, perhaps some that shouldn’t be known. Secrets: If ever you tell them a piece of information that should not be known or is dangerous to have, they will reward you with an equally potent piece of information.

Hool Shriveled and impish figure, they speak with a brazen gusto and are beloved by many. A Waste-Crier by trade, they travel from settlement to settlement reporting news and warnings with a dramatic flourish. Herald: They need protection in their travels, a band of competent wastewalkers as they travel between settlements. Those who do so are always met with lodging, food, and small gifts.

Flayed Dervish An imposing warrior with a cloak of slashing blades. Their broken skin hides behind serrated armor and tightly bound gauze. In peace they are distant and quiet, almost meek; in combat they are a storm of unrelenting violence. Hunter’s Bargain: The Flayed Dervish’s original companions were slaughtered by seven bandits, now notorious and powerful cutthroats. The unstoppable Dervish will fight at your side, but only if you help them hunt down these murderous cutthroats.

Skitter Gaunt and tall, their face hidden under a towering head-wrap. A practitioner of alchemy, they distill potions and remedies to soothe the mind and open one’s psyche. They speak slowly and cryptically, their mind often in many places at once. Curious Alchemy: Skitter seeks a way out of the Vast, an exit made by the collective psyche of its travelers. They are not the first, ancient labs and workshops are scattered throughout the Vast, their formulas and reagents still viable. Bring them back and the grand work may begin.

Sindr Ragged and lonely pyromancer, their cloak black with burns and soot. Brilliant but reckless, they work tirelessly on new and potent fires, seeking some grand truth hidden in burning light. Their mind moves quicker than their words and their every action is fueled by a manic energy. Burning Schema: The Vast loathes the mortal flame. Sinder is not the first pyromancer to understand this truth but they plan to follow its ultimate end. They seek the five Holds of Fire, great workshops hidden by the Vast and with knowledge that may usurp it.

Dive A hunched delver with a sturdy brass lantern, their eyes are black and without shine. Once a delver, they fled to the surface when their companions chose to descend into the deep, a choice that haunts them to this day. They despise the surface and wish to return to the dark below. Below: They will pay for safe passage into the depths of the ruins. Each depth they will grant a more handsome reward, all while growing more obsessed with the dark.

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Settlement Factions Black Helms

Partisans of Flame

Adherents in the authority of violence and might in the Vast. The harrowing merely allows room for a hollow strength to fill the void. Their monstrous frames covered in armor the color of night. Their hands clasp cruel weapons, tarnished with blood and rust. They respect only the “strong,” be it in cunning survival or martial might. They rarely ask and often only take.

Obsessive pyromancers and alchemists, lighting and maintaining fires perpetually. Their task of firekeeping is seen as a holy quest. Clad in brass helms and singed robes, their bodies reek of ozone and smoke as they feverishly toil with their alchemical fires. Their work is never done, seeking curious artifacts or reagents, paying delvers handsomely for such finds.

Defeat a Black Helm in ritual combat, soon you will understand their ways. There is Only Darkness: The dark now within. For every memory lost, gain 1d6 Grit and an additional attack in combat.

Gift an artifact to a pyromancer and they shall teach their craft. Novice of the Fire: May you burn bright. You may craft Jarred Fire (pg. 15) in 1d3 hours so long as you have the materials.

Seeker Keepers

Grafters Ghoulish figures of scars and seeping wounds, their touch is tender and ragged voices warm with comfort. Their closest resemblance is that of nurses and apothecaries, mending wounds by binding disparate flesh together. They believe all flesh is part of a single being, a colony of bodies that make a single organism. For this, they are always on the lookout for willing bodies to donate flesh and blood for their healing practices. Assist the Grafters with their arts on three occasions to learn that mending one mends the whole. One Body: All are of the same flesh here. Sacrifice or take 1d6 Grit from a willing host, heal 1 Flesh on yourself or another.

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Every inch of their bodies is laden in charms or trinkets. Curious eyes and hands peek out from beneath their countless layers of scrap and rag. Collectors and catalogers, they seek out items from the world beyond the vast, ensuring the memories of that distant realm are not forgotten. Trading and bartering items that came from outside the Vast, they are one of the few sources of such goods in this realm. Gift them something important from before you arrived, you shall find other things in return. Inscrutable Pockets: You have it somewhere. Once per day, you may produce a single common tool or item from your person. The tool is of poor quality and always breaks after it serves its purpose.

The Ruins The enormous and decaying megastructures that pepper the wastes and seem to draw Travelers to them. Their insides are mazes of strange geometry and hostile architecture. They are the only reliable sources of food and water, in addition to the strange and dark treasures that lie waiting in their depths...

Generating Ruins

1 35 4 6

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1.Roll a d6 and record the 5 visible faces (top, north, south, east, west)

5 2.Starting with the face-up number, draw a cluster of points equal to that number and connect them with lines. 3.Each point represents a Room and each line a connecting passage.

54 4.With the next visible number, draw an equal number of points in a line (horizontal or vertical) next to the original cluster of points and connect each one with lines.

1

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4 6

5.Repeat with the remaining visible sides, creating lines of points that connect back to the original cluster.

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Exploring the Ruins

Depth Depth is a measure of how far into the ruins Travelers have gone and affects the treasures and dangers they encounter. Occasionally a room will feature a passage that leads to a deeper level. Each time this occurs, the Travelers have gone one level of Depth. Create a new layout when this occurs and mark where the point of descent leads to on the maps.

Time Traveling from point to point in a hallway takes 10 minutes, the halls are sometimes wide with odd geometric features, other times so tight that Travelers must squeeze through to move ahead. Traveling from room to room takes 10 minutes, sometimes the transition is a gradual change in architecture, other times it is clearly divided with an entryway. Searching a room takes 30 minutes since the rooms are massive and oddly shaped. These speeds are assuming the characters are moving slowly and carefully.

Depth 1

Depth 2

Depth 3

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Ruin Rooms Each time a room is entered: Roll two 1d6 for the room 1d20+current depth for the feature 1d10+current depth for encounter The “Room” The “rooms” within the Ruins are puzzling and seemingly designed without mortal intent, Traveler’s therefore describe them with the closest architectural object they resemble.

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1

You Enter a...

(D20) Plaza - A wide expanse of tiled 11 floor stretches out into the dark. If there is a ceiling above it is too high to be seen. Occasionally populated with strange “sculptures” these open spaces also tend to be ambush spots for more conniving individuals. 1 Statue Garden - Odd geometric stones crowd this area, making direct ravel difficult and unnerving. There is a 2-in-6 chance Ambushers prowl here. As Bandit 2 Obelisk - towering and foreboding, a single obelisk rests in the center of the plaza. Seen as an object of worship, some have left offerings behind. (2d10 coins and 1d6 random tools) 3 Eerily Empty - It is uncannily barren. Voices travel far and echoes return as whispers.

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Graveyard - Countless identical plinths sit arranged in dozens of ordered rows. A solemn atmosphere permeates this area. Those with more macabre sensibilities see the grave-like similarities right away. Some go so far as to turn the place into a makeshift cemetery. Hollow Coffers - The plinths are hollow and crack open with a blow from a sledge. Doing so draws attention, roll on the encounter table. Inside each coffer is a single silver “coin.” Charnel House - Skulls and remains have been carefully stacked on the plinths, names and epitaphs scratched into them. Some are ancient... Quiet - The air is still here and demands reverence of some form. Archive - Row after row of towering structures are arranged like the shelves of some massive library. They stand dozens of feet tall and stretch thrice that in length. The structures here appear imposing, but time has taken their toll and some are close to collapse. Carved - The sides of these shelves are patterned with geometric forms like some alien mural, they are quite easy to climb. Teetering - the shelves stand precariously and could be toppled with a strong push or two. Doing so causes them to domino in catastrophic fashion, dealing 10d6 to anyone caught underneath and alerting all in earshot, roll on the encounter table.

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Kennel - Small claustrophobic rooms are arranged like cabinets along a massive shear wall. Skittering can be heard far above. The kennels tend to attract life, both mortal and not. Climbing up to the rooms reveals remains of refuges and hideouts, along with more dangerous life... d6 You Find... 1-3 Nothing 4 A random tool 5 A terrified traveler 6 One of the Crawl (pg. 23)

Oubliette - The floor of this room is a steep and sleek funnel that leads to a single hole just large enough for a mortal to slip into. Walking across this room is difficult, save versus Breath or slide into the hole and drop 1d6x10 feet. The pit is never empty... 1 Corpse Pile - The crumbling remains of previous victims. There are 1d10 random tools if you dig them out. 2 Hidden Treasure - Buried among the pile of dust and dried bone at the bottom is something of value. (roll on the treasure table pg. 21) 3 Someone Trapped - They cry out weakly to be rescued from the pit. Close to death, they will perish without immediate assistance. They will be a helpful companion if saved.

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Temple - A gateway leads into a lengthy room with a vaulted ceiling and terminates into a sanctum. The sanctum ceiling spirals up into the dark, defying your eyes. This place has an odd effect on the minds of pious travelers. Drawn like moths to the flame to worship this space. 1 Altar - An enormous geometric sculpture of strange and wicked shape sits as some grim centerpiece. It is engraved with veins of precious metal worth 1d6x50 coins if stripped. 2 Throne - A singular pedestal sits upon a wide and regal base. Akin to some seat for a massive being, an object of importance has been left upon it. (Roll on the treasure table) 3 Worshipers - 1d20 penitent and troubled souls gather here in the dark. They feverishly worship with desperate whispers. Attack if disturbed. As Bandit.

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Vault - A short room terminates with an enormous gate of some kind. A wall of rusted iron acts as a featureless and imposing door. A gentle hum can be heard on the other side. There is treasure here, for those forceful or cunning enough to pilfer it. The “door” of rusted iron is as thick as a fist and will be difficult to break into. Those who find a way in will be rewarded with blocks of identical lodestone worth 1d10x100 coins and 1d3 treasures.

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Atrium - A massive open space lies below an imposing ceiling of crumbling structural supports. Ahead is a grand entryway further into the ruins, as if this is some transitional area. Travelers gather at this precipice. Perhaps a subconscious will of the ruins or some long forgotten tradition. A makeshift camp with 1d6 Travelers, willing to trade goods and information.

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Pit - The floor gives way, in its place lies a cavernous pit that drops into the dizzying dark. There is no bottom in sight. A vertical descent that leads deeper into the ruins. 1 Tiered - Series of stair-like tiers descend into to dark. Descent and ascent is easy. Depth +1. 2 Distressed - It appears as a collapsed sinkhole at first, yet the walls of the pit are strange geometric patterns. It can be climbed, albeit with some difficulty. Depth +1. 3 Shear - A smooth square pit descends down into the dark. It will require climbing gear to rappel... Depth +1d6.

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Tower - A vertical chimney travels up to frightful heights, the ceiling of which is beyond sight. Echoes seem to linger in the dark space far above. This room leads to the surface if it appears at a Depth greater than 1, otherwise it just leads to a ceiling hundreds of feet up. There is a 2-in-6 chance the tower has something akin to stairs, otherwise it must be scaled with some difficulty.

21

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Ossuary - A long and winding tunnel with smooth cracked walls is peppered with small handsized holes. The holes burrow deep and seem to go on forever. The holes here are not empty. Filled with curious trinkets as well as curious dangers. Roll 1d6 anytime a Traveler searches a hole. d6 You Find... 1 Bone - Broken bits or teeth. 2 Oil - Flammable, burns 1 hour. 3 Coin - A flat silver disk. 4 Lodestone - A perfect sphere. 5 Bite - Suffer 1d6 damage. 6 Keepsake - Something small from home...

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Great Hall - Identical sequoiasized pillars stand in perfect rows, holding up the ceiling of this titanic room. Rumbling can be heard above as the pillars creak with the impossible weight they bear. Noise travels quickly here, sometimes alerting unwanted attention... Roll twice for the encounter.

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Maze - The walls close tightly here, twisting and turning in uncomfortable directions both vertical and horizontal. The path splits in places, a hellish fractal maze. With no pattern or sensible layout, it is far too easy to get lost in this maze... Travelers must roll 3 successful Intelligence checks in a row to make it through this area. Failure: 1d6 hours of time have been lost and roll an encounter.

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Bathhouse - Deep circular basins are carved into the floor of this room. Each is filled with water and sediment including chunks of stone from the fractured ceiling. The filthy water replenishes here from the countless cracks and fractures after a day. It is drinkable but only after being distilled or sanitized. There is a 1in-20 chance of treasure hidden in the detritus at the bottom of one of the basins.

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Amphitheater - A massive semicircular room, the floor is nothing but rows of concentric steps that lead to a singular small stage against a flat decaying wall. 1 False whispers - The acoustics are strange here. Whispers are heard from all angles... 2 Observers - There are 2d6 mortals diligently watching the “stage.” They are enthralled by “the show” and demand silence, growing violent if the Travelers cause a scene. 3 The Thespian - A tall jet-black figure stands silently in the center of the “stage.” They speak only when spoken to and answers with elegant, theatrical flourishes of their body. They know more about the Vast than anyone else, and are more dangerous than the oldest of the Crawl...

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Cellar - Angled channels lead into tight, claustrophobic rooms. They are cold, like a graveyard in winter. The cold is unbearable after several hours, yet the rooms have an odd quirk: Nothing rots, decays or ages so long as they stay in one of the rooms.

Planetarium - A titanic domed room, large enough to house a castle, echos with every step. Strange coiling cosmic designs cover the ceiling, the detail impossibly intricate. This room has odd effects on the psyche of mortals. Those who dare to meditate or to dream within this room are visited by its power... Roll 1d20+WIS, INT, or CHA 1 You dream of the Crawl, their pain, their anguish, their hate. Lose a Memory (pg. 22). 2-10 Senseless visions, dreammazes of impossible geometry. Gain a level of exhaustion 11-15 A vision of things yet to pass. You may make one roll at advantage the next day. 16-18 The fractal geometry spreads before you. You know what the next 1d6 rooms will contain. 19-20 You dream of home, of the life before the Vast. You regain one memory (pg. 22). 21+ You dream of the Schema. The Wyrm will arrive shortly, defeat it and you will be rewarded with a great treasure.

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Dormitory - Slabs of oblong stone lie in perfect rows like mortuary tables. The air is still, breathing seems difficult. This place has not earned its name for just looks. Travelers who rest upon the slabs fall into a deep, unbreakable sleep. They remain unchanged in a form of stasis until they are awoken by an outside source. There is a 1-in-6 chance that someone is asleep upon one of the slabs. Their age is uncertain as are their motives. Dump - Channels from the walls and ceiling rhythmically dump mounds of detritus into the recessed floor of this room. Broken architecture, soiled water, graveled sand, it all ends in the floor of this room. Many things find their way into this great dump, some are even useful. For every hour spent searching the mounds of garbage in this room there is a 3-in-6 chance of finding: A random tool 1d6x10 lodestone. 1d3 unspoiled rations. However, there is also a 3-in-6 chance of suffering: Cuts and bruises, 1d6 damage. A serious injury, 1 exhaustion. A hidden enemy, roll encounter.

44 Nave - Lengths of hallway lined

1 2 3

1 2 3

with cracked and toppled columns. The ceiling is formed of strange and twisted shapes that change in the flickering light. Those attuned to magic can meditate upon the eldritch shapes of the architecture. For every hour spent meditating there is a 3-in-6 chance of gaining: Visions of the nearest 1d6 rooms A fortifying calm, gain 1d3 grit for the day. Learn a random spell. However, there is also a 3-in-6 chance of suffering: Fading memories, lose a random spell. Terrible visions, 1 exhaustion. A hidden enemy from above, roll encounter.

45

Reliquary - A circular room with a towering cracked alcove set into its far wall. Something sits in the alcove, its presence felt through the air. 1 Crawl Effigy – Pieces of slain Crawl are arranged into a ghoulish totem. A reminder or warning perhaps? Loot for 1d6 remains and materials. 2 Oracle Skull – A skull sits patiently, its teeth form a fell grin while pieces of dry skin cling like lichen. Once per day, the skull may be asked a question about the Vast, which it answers with a voice like dust dancing in the wind. 3 Magus Bones – A single withered bone, wrapped in rags of a once noble vestment, heavy to hold and hard to look at. Once per day, the bone may be used to cast a random spell. As well, the bone may be devoured by a spellcaster to learn a spell of their choosing, the spell appearing in a feverish nightmare of a life that is not theirs...

45

Fountain - The floor of this open room descends into a wide circular basin, with a single 3-foot drain hole in its center. A hole in the ceiling directly above the drain pours a constant stream of: 1 Frigid Water 2 Steaming Blood 3 Fine Dust

46 Colonnade – A cavernous room

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Pyramid - Gargantuan and imposing, a massive multifaceted pyramid sits like some terrible beast. Closer inspection reveals it is crafted from a singular piece of stone... 1 Glimmering Capstone - Made of lodestone and engraved with fractal veins of gold. Weighing 500 lbs. it is worth 1d6x200 coins if safely transported. 2 Maddening hum - Every hour spent here requires a Save versus Charm or gain a level of exhaustion. 3 Crumbling - The sides if the pyramid are unstable, like a mountain before an avalanche. Disturbing the pyramid causes a landslide of rubble to come rolling down, dealing 5d6 to all caught in its path.

filled with identical repeating columns. The columns stretch in all directions, as if standing in a forest of withered stone trees. Shadows and shapes seem to dart between the countless pillars… Roll two encounters.

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51

Canyon - A great rift severs this room in two. The ravine measures a hundred feet across, with a descent into the abyssal dark below. 1 Bridge - A decaying bridge of twine, chain and metal offers a way across. Only one can cross the bridge at a time and it takes 10 minutes to do it safely. Any more and the bridge immediately collapses. 2 Hidden Path - Careful eyes will see a secret way across the canyon, by scaling the stone of the room and cliffs. Climbing gear is needed, else travelers risk falling into the dark below. 3 Fishery - Teetering docks covering in sagging line and netting, jut out from the cliffs like limpets. Spending 1d6 hours manning the lines and nets gives you 1d3 rations in twitching bugs or spindly crustaceans. However, there is a 1-in-6 chance your line snags a random Crawl... Those who wish to descend into the canyon require climbing gear or expertise. Those who make it successfully down the canyon cliff descend +1d10 Depth.

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Kiln - Rounded tunnels of halfmolten stone, transfixed and solidified. An uncomfortable heat seems to cling in the air. Fires lit or started in this room do not go out on their own, only stopping if they are snuffed out intentionally.

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Well - A single geometric pit punctuates the drifts of dust and grit that cover this room. Wide enough to fit a traveler, the walls of the pit are lined with scratches of claw and tool… If a hook or similar trawling device is dropped down the well on a line, there is a 1-in-6 chance that one of the following is snagged: Something Useless - Trash or detritus, soggy and torn. Something Dead - Corpse of a monster or traveler. Something Useful - A random tool, GM decides. Something Edible - 1d6 rations of slithering eels or twitching centipedes. Something Precious - A random treasure (pg. 29). Something Moving - Roll an encounter.

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Corridor - A singular passageway, the high walls are terribly smooth and ground is always miraculously free of dust. 1 Squeeze - The walls are tight and constrictive like a vise. Travelers must march in single file. 2 Hollow - The ceiling stretches up into an unseen dark, every noise seems to echo twice as loud as it was. Loud noises cause a roll on the encounter table. 3 Twisted - The passage makes sharp twists, drops, and ascents; seemingly doubling back on itself… Traveling through this room sends the characters in a random direction.

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Mosaic - Against a titanic facade, its surfaced cracked and marred, clings a panorama of twisted shapes and bevels. The geometric patterns grow impossibly fine, and yet hold a striking familiarity... Those who study the mosaic can see the abstract patterns within. Rubbings or copies of the mural count as maps of the wastes. As well, the mosaic can be harvested with tools. For each hour spent, gain 1d10x10 lodestone and roll an encounter for the noise.

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Garden - A lengthy room, filled with undulating rows of repeating slabs and columns, their shapes like abstractions of sculpture. Shadowy figures walk the rows of slabs in silence. There are 2d6 figures who tend the Garden at all time, they attack anyone who harms the sculptures. As Delvers.

61

Scriptorium - Cracked and crumbling walls surround a pristine floor, its surface is inset with countless twisting filaments and etchings. Those who attempt to read or study the etchings find themselves hypnotized, their bodies go limp and mind catatonic. Save versus magic, a strong blow ends the hypnosis. There is a 1-in-6 chance of a Delver in the room, currently transfixed. They have no memory from before the incident...

62

Oasis - A humble room of broken slabs surrounding a small pool of clear water. A gentle trickling of fresh water can be heard from the nearest wall. No encounters occur in this room. What’s more, no harm befalls anyone so long as they sit by the pool; blades and cudgels find no purchase, while magic and harsh words seem to fizzle into the quiet ether of the Oasis.

63

Quarry - A cavernous room, the floor gives way to a stepped cliff of collapsing stones, each one identical in shape and size. The ground far below is piled with broken slabs, with new ones crashing upon them with the sound of thunder. Crossing the room is dangerous as the floor gives way and great stones topple from high above. Save v. Breath or suffer 5d6 damage, climbing gear or tools negate this.

64 Coliseum - A great circular pit

65

Lighthouse - A cylindrical and domed room, resembling the inside of a great lantern, a small beam warm light trickles down from a fissure in the ceiling. Travelers who leave a person effect in the light and whisper a memory to the room may will themselves to return to it. The next time the traveler sleeps, they may dream of the room; when they awake, they will find themselves in the room and their items missing.

66 Observatory - A gnarled and

twisted room made of platforms and ramps. The walls are lined with stone pipes the pierce the space like lances. Travelers who place their ears to the pipes will hear everything from frantic whispers, monstrous screams, and crunching bones as if they were happening next to them. Studying the sounds allows travelers to predict the next 1d6 encounters.

sits in the shattered floor of this room. The pit’s floor is covered in a deep layer of fine gravel sand and chips of broken bone. Wounds made in this room are bolstered with a murderous energy, all attacks deal maximum damage. Additionally, monsters or assailants killed here invigorate the slayer with a malicious glamour, healing 1d6 Grit per HD of slain creature.

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Ruin Room Features 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 25 26 27 28 29 30

31+

RUIN FEATURES 1D20 + DEPTH Warning - Cryptic and foreboding, scratched hastily into a surface. Bug Nest - Buzzing diminutive life gathers in the dark. Can be harvested for 1d3x1d3 rations. Effigies - Small carved figures of travelers and monsters dot the alcoves and corners. Tunnel - A fissure opened with tools and claw, barely wide enough to crawl through. Leads to a random nearby room. Abandoned Camp - Scattered remains and supplies. 1d3 tools and 1d6 rations. Map - Scratched and carved with ragged haste. You can see what the next 1d6 rooms will be. Devastation - Broken, collapsed and crumbling. This room takes twice as long to cross. Stash - Tucked away by someone for later use. 1d6 random tools and 1d6 rations. Crevasse - A cracked scar runs the length of the room. 3-in-6 chance of +1d3 Depth Pool, Spoiled - Deep puddles of foul-smelling water. Pool, Stagnant - A basin of clear, tasteless water. One week’s worth. Pool, Spawning - Puddles of sludge filled with squirming eyeless life. 1 ration a day, or deplete for 1d6 rations. Dead Traveler - Petrified and desiccated, a mournful look on their face. There is a 2-in-6 chance they have a random tool. Shaft - A small vertical descent into the dark. Requires tools to scale down. +1 Depth. Caved-In - A collapse has rendered this room impassable. There is no way forward, remove additional entryways and exits. Stairs Down - Unsteady, geometric protrusions lead down. +1 Depth. Loot - Tucked away in the shadows is something useful or valuable. Roll on the Treasure Table. Bone Pile - Like gravel across a trail, the floor is littered with countless broken bones. Freezing - Frost clings to the walls, breaths are rendered into chill mist. Gain a level of exhaustion if lingering or searching the room without fire or cold weather gear. Excavation - Someone or something has been digging. 1 An unearthed cavern, roll a random room adjacent. 2 A raw lodestone deposit (pg. 12), 3 Deeper, +1 Depth Ration Stockpile - Enormous, neatly stacked blocks of pemmican and dried jerky, enough to feed a settlement for months. Howling Wind - A vicious draft pummels the room with screaming wind wind. Only shouting can be heard, unprotected lights are blown out. Totem - Bones, body parts and broken tools are bound together in a monstrous display. Vein of Metal - Vast sections of rusted iron or corroded copper. It can be mined and sold as raw lodestone (pg. 12) Hideout - 1d6 Delvers and their base of operations are hidden in the room. 1-in-6 chance they are hostile and ambush, otherwise neutral. 1D6 treasures. (1d6 delvers, random or friendly) Ancient Dwellings – Constructions and crafts of a long-gone settlement, now buried and lost to the dust and ruins. Vein of Precious Metal - Streaks and accents of shimmering metal. Can be mined and sold as raw lodestone but twice the value. Treasure - Hidden among the corners and recesses is something of value. Roll on the Treasure Table. A Familiar Room - This place is calm and strangely familiar. Do you know what it is? Unstable – The ceiling rumbles, the walls quake, the room is on the brink of collapse. Any damage to the room with tools or explosives cause the room to collapse (removing it and its pathways from the map), travelers must flee the room or be crushed. Entrance to the Deep (pg 30)

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FACTIONS of the Ruins Irretrievable Scribes

Scholars and students of forgotten era. They delve the crumbling ruins of the Vast for signs of a higher purpose. Bearing scrolls and tablets, these robed explorer-academics remain curious even in danger. They hunt the ruins for something greater, signs of past attempts to habitate the Vast, clues to a possible purpose of the realm, signs that all are not trapped and lost... Assist the Scribes in their delving to see the secrets of the depths. Ruin Remnants: There has to be more. Each time you enter a room, roll 1d20+Depth. On a 20+ you discover something from a foregone or precursor civilization. 1d6 DISCOVERIES 1 Inscrutable Art – Totems carved with mortal hands, paintings of faded pigment, statues with curious likenesses. Comforting. Recover 1d3 exhaustion. 2 Esoteric Records – Words and pictographs written in stone. Languages unseen and unheard of, all point to a coming doom. Re-roll next encounter roll and take the lower value. 3 Curious Currency – Beads, trinkets, charms all made with a utilitarian purpose. Faces, shapes and motifs of fallen power. 1d100 coins. 4 Lost Architecture – The walls and passages are carved with intent and beauty. Attempts to chip away at the alien structure. Choose the next room feature. 5 Lost Habitation – The remains of an ancient home, now desolate and empty. Who called this home, how long ago must it have been… You may rest here safely and undisturbed for 1d3 days 6 Dangerous Artifact – Something dangerous has been hidden here, its owners hoping it remained forgotten… As Treasure, Something Great and Terrible

Devotees of the Waning Lodge

Eschewers of the Night Sky

Heavy tattered cloaks and bodies that betray a terrible change, the Devotees congregate in the dark of ruins and pillars to chant sermons while they work. They believe The Vast a “great lodge” that has been abandoned to ruin and seek to bring its collapse with haste and zeal. Tools, explosives and willing hands are welcomed and compensated. Attempting to halt their progress is met with swift violence.

Delvers and cavers who have forsaken the surface for a life of tunnels and darkness. They are the greatest guides to the ruins and their depths. Draped in ropes, climbing spikes and shadowy garb, they are wraith-like guides and explorers of the ruins. Supplies of food and tools are appreciated just as much as tales from above. They listen wistfully, as if the surface is a distant land beyond their reach.

If you assist their demolitions they will gift you with their unfettered devotion. Devotion of Ruin: There is peace in embracing the end. When taken you lose 1 memory. You do not suffer the effects of exhaustion or injury. You can still lose memories from too much exhaustion.

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Remain with the Eschewers in the Ruins for a week to discover their wisdom. A Life Below: The night is not home. You cannot recover from exhaustion in settlements, instead you regain it by spending a full day in the ruins.

Ruin Encounters 1-5 6 7 8

9 10 11

12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22+

ENCOUNTERS AND 1D6 MOOD | 1D12 + DEPTH Nothing, you are alone for now… 1d6 Lost Travelers, desperate for food and shelter. Helpful if assisted. 1d3 Merchants, carrying wares and supplies on a heavy pulk, willing to trade, buy, or sell. Limit 100 coin. 1d6 Bandits, prowling for an easy score. Mood: 1-2 Crazed, attacks to kill and loot. 3-5 Tribute, demands 100 coins or a ration from each traveler. 6 Curious, lets travelers pass if they answer questions. 2d6 Travelers, Searching the ruins for supplies or treasure. Friendly if the characters join them, hostile if stopped or contested. 1d6 Cyclops, crawling in unison through the dark, smelling the air for unwary mortals. 1d6 Waning Lodge Devotees, in the act of demolishing the room. Friendly if the characters join them, hostile if stopped or contested. If they are not stopped, the room will be collapsed next time the characters return to it. 1d6 Harpies, clinging to the walls, their damp breaths betray hunger. 1d3 Medusa, curled into the corners and hidden spots, listening for the sound of steps. 1d8 Delvers, haven’t seen the surface for a long time. Mood: 1 Vicious, the dark of the ruins have taken their minds, attack. 2-4 Curious, cautiously allow strangers into their camp. 5-6 Helpful, willing to trade, buy, or sell. Limit 2000 coin. Ogre, its bulging form slithers across the walls and floor. 1d4 Shades, scouring the tunnels for food, vibrating with hunger. Lone Survivor, a hollow look in their face, warns of something terrible ahead... Centaur, many searching limbs carry it across the ceiling. 1d3 Sirens, still and silent, waiting for their prey Griffon, hungrily watching from above, its wings twitch in anticipation. Hydra, twisting screaming limbs echo through the halls and rooms. Wyrm, arrives in all of its terrible splendor…

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Short Statblocks

Bandits 2HD | 10HP | Armor as Hide Attack as Weapon Retreats at half health. Traveler or Cutthroat 3HD | 18HP | Armor as Scale Attack as Weapon Magic: 1-in-6, knows a spell Loot: 1-in-20, carries a random treasure (pg. 29) Retreats at half health; 2-in-6 chance, fights to the death. Delvers 5HD | 20HP | Armor as Scale Attack as Weapon Magic: 1-in-6, knows 1d3 spells Treasure: 1-in-20, carries a random treasure (pg. 29) Fights to the death.

1d20 Ruin Treasures For treasure, roll 1d20 + Depth to determine magnitude, then choose or randomly roll a treasure from the appropriate list.

1-10 Something Useful 1 Seer Stone - A beautiful orb of cut glass. Reveals fissures of light on the ceiling if looked through. Allows for navigation even when landmarks are invisible. 2 Spell Eater - A octagonal plate of hardened green metal. Once per day, the plate may absorb one spell that targets you, growing painfully hot when it does so. 3 Dowsing Charm - A tri-pointed star made of pearl-stone. Points to the nearest source of water. 4 Bleeder - Jagged sharpened stone the color of coal. Can be wielded as a blade, wounds made with it do not heal quickly and weep black ichor for 1d6 damage every day. 5 Torch Stone - A luminescent cylinder that is warm to the touch. Glows like a lantern when fed blood, 1 HP for 1 Hour of light. 6 Alarm Band - A circlet that seems made of woven bone. Vibrates intensely when Crawl are near. 7 Hearth Charm – A smooth coal charm, carved in the shape of a burning traveler. The wielder may resist cold as if they were wearing a heavy winter coat, touching the charm to kindling causes it to light like a tinderbox. 8 Grim Spirits – A foul liquor made from bonemeal and aged in the ruins. Dulls the psyche, provides advantage against fear, charm, and other psychological effects. 9 Grindsaw – A hand-held tool, made from the chipped and shaped bone of a Crawl. Can cut through rock and metal with ease. 10 Grenado – Ceramic pot, sealed with fat and bound with a wick. When lit and thrown the object detonates, dealing 2d6 piercing and fire damage to all within 30ft. 11 Crimson Salt – Dose of acrid smelling salt the color of dried blood. When ingested, ignore exhaustion on an ability of your choice for 24 hours. 12 Foul Lure – A jar, tightly sealed and emblazoned with a hideous face. When opened, the jar emits a horrific smell that attracts Crawl within vicinity.

11-19 Something Special

1 Dreamless - A bead that seems to swirl with color. You no longer need to sleep, your appearance grows haggard with time. 2 Stone Dance - Grey powder that feels like needles to the touch. Anything coated in this powder passes through stone like water. 3 Weigh No More - A stone crescent, weightless and azure. As long as it is held in hand, the wielder is weightless. 4 Unmoved - A cube of iron with tarnished gold lines. When held in place and struck with force the cube will be immovable until verbally released by the wielder. 5 Lying Coin - An octagonal lead disk, painfully cold to the touch. The coin hums when lies are told. 6 Melder - Fused and broken jade, sticky like scabs. Touching the fresh dead heals you for 1d6 HP a minute as they are absorbed. 7 Whispering Glass – Appears as a chunk of broken glass with concentric shear patterns. When held in the mouth, the user may communicate telepathically with anyone within 30ft of them. 8 Twisted Sliver – A loop of corroded copper wire, twisted into mesmerizing patterns. When held, the wielder may contort their bones and body into any shape, down to 6 inches in diameter. 9 Empty Gasp – A shriveled piece of lung, tightly bound in sinew cord. The wielder no longer needs to breath, their voice reduced to a pained whisper. 10 Shivers – A pale eight-pointed gemstone, freezing to the touch. Liquids touched by the gemstone begin to freeze at a rate of a gallon an hour. 11 Sever – A stone cylinder coated in jagged, crystalline spindles. The wielder may detach their limbs from their body, the sensation is like pulling a sapling from the ground. The limbs can be controlled normally, but must be reattached within an hour or die. 12 Sunder – A block of wrought iron, hums erratically as its surface folds and pinches. When thrown with intent, the block shatters with a roar; the room or building collapses 1d3 minutes later.

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20+ Something Great and Terrible

1 Transference - Two plates of tarnished gold. Can bring back the dead, but only if another life is taken and placed in one plate. 2 Forgotten - A tablet of soapstone and a stylus of iron. Thoughts and ideas carved into this tablet are forgotten, spreading like a virus from mortal to mortal. 3 Annihilation - A heavy staff of chipped and broken obsidian. When something is slain by this staff, it is utterly annihilated, stricken from the memory of the world and mortals. 4 Incineration - A single pale flame, utterly colorless. It burns and spreads like any other flame, but can never be put out. 5 Transmutation - A simple sphere of polished lead. Anything this orb directly touches turns to lead. 6 Command - A tiara-sized ring of glittering bismuth. All who can hear and understand this wielder will follow their commands without question. 7 Lament – A pointed prism of black glass, heavy like lead, filaments of gold suspended within. You may plunge the object into another, stealing one of their memories and transferring it to yourself. 8 Observance – A pair of silver orbs, slick with saline and rough like a whetstone. You may remove your eyes and replace them with the objects; doing so blinds you, but you may instead see from the vision of anyone you have knowledge of or are aware of. 9 Power – A thin needle of pristine gold, tiny filaments coat its outside like veins. You may plunge the needle into your heart, permanently reducing your Grit to 0 and Flesh to 1; however, you may cast spells without any material or sacrificial component. 10 Commune – A heavy stone bowl of granite, dizzying labyrinthine patterns cover its surface and permeate its form. When held aloft, a wielder may wish for a single thing; the wielder disappears but the wish is always granted.

The Deep Far below the Ruins, where few have seen and fewer dare speak of it, there is the Deep. The Deep is a place where reality seems to break down, where the will of the Vast begins to truly manifest. It is a dangerous an alien realm that should only be explored by the experienced or the foolhardy. The Deep is the final stretch of the Vast. It is a dangerous series of trials, set in a place where reality breaks down and a monstrous entity shadows every step of the journey. Travelers must come prepared and be willing to make sacrifices. The trials of The Deep, in order:

scale

Repetition

Change

Emptiness

Gifts of the Deep The mortal form was not meant to be this close to the heart of the Vast. Just coming in contact with the Deep changes and warps the physiology and psyche of travelers. Each time the Travelers enter the Deep or a new level of it, they gain one of the following quirks. 1d10 GIFTS OF THE DEEP 1 Torpor – As long as you don’t move, you do not need to eat and expend no energy. Your metabolism freezes when you remain still, allowing days or weeks to pass without harm. There is no limit to how long you can remain in this torpor. 2 Voice of the Crawl – You may speak to the Crawl, attempting to dissuade them from violence or call them to action. The voice is a painful screaming noise to all else, dealing 1d6 damage to mortals who can hear it. 3 Grafted Limbs – Once per day, you may sever one of your own limbs and attach the limb of a freshly slain being to the stump. The process costs all of your Grit and 1d6 Flesh. Once healed, the limb grants you the attacks and physical abilities that the being had in life (Referee’s discretion). 4 Gift of the Cyclops – The middle of your face caves in, leaving only a dark void that hums. You may call to anyone with the same change, no matter the distance. Cyclops bow to you, never daring to strike one of their own. 5 Taste for Flesh – You may recover 1d6 Grit or 1 Flesh by eating the body of a Crawl. The flesh of the Crawl is the flesh of many, and so you are rejuvenated by the countless forgotten. 6 Void of Presence – Once per day, you may disappear from perception for an hour per level. You may only be seen if you announce your presence, all sentient beings ignoring you as if you were a ghost. 7 Lodestone Hunger – You may eat 1d10 Lodestone in place of a meal. The humming stone flows through your body, nourishing you as it decays. 8 Unhollow Cannibal – You may eat another Traveler or mortal to regain a memory. The memory is not yours but that of your victim, like a misplaced stranger adrift in your psyche. 9 Melder – Your skin adheres like glue to other beings’ flesh. Once attached, you deal 1d3 damage and heal 1d3 grit each turn. You must be forcibly torn away or cut off to stop. 10 Gravity Spider – Your personal gravity is relative to where you are standing, allowing you to walk walls and ceilings perfectly.

Sacrifice

Lies

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The Minotaur The Minotaur Each time the Travelers enter a room or a new area in The Deep, there is a 1-in-6 chance The Minotaur arrives. A wall of writhing opaque darkness rises from the unseen corners and halls. A towering obelisk of night, its form seems to squirm and surge with countless limbs and bodies that hide within its form. A dull and grinding howl reverberates through the crumbling walls and skulls of those who bear witness to its terrible form. The Minotaur is the horrors of the Vast given physical form. It exists only in the Deep, where reality is thin and the will of the Vast is strongest; a towering and crawling monster that appears to hunt and devour even the strongest of Travelers. It is slow in its approach, but it is intelligent, and persistent. HD 20 | HP Cannot be harmed Move: Half Standard Attack: Touch of the Minotaur Touch of the Minotaur: If the limbs of the Minotaur manage to find purchase on a Traveler or mortal one of the following occurs: 1d6 TOUCH OF THE MINOTAUR 1 Wither Tools – 1d6 non-magical tools or weapons decay into dust. 2-3 Erode Body – 3d6 damage. 4 Break Spirit – Gain 1d6 levels of exhaustion. 5 Drink Flesh – 1d3 Flesh permanently lost. 6 Devour Memory – Lose a memory.

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Trials of The Deep 1. Scale

2. REPETITION

Tight and claustrophobic crossshaped rooms, each of its four halls end in a narrow passage deeper into the dark. There is no ceiling, the walls stretch into the silent dark and produce only ominous echos. The Danger: Each time an unexplored room is entered, a second room is created directly behind the travelers, doubling the distance traveled. This means for every room they travel, they must backtrack twice that distance on the return.

Rooms with pristine walls of polished stone. They twist and wind like jagged, broken halls, yet their fractured construction seems intentional. An uncanny sensation of being watched permeates the space. The Danger (x): Rooms marked with an (x) have rooms with walls that reflect like mirrors. Hiding in these rooms are Simulacra of the travelers, identical naked copies of them that attempt to kill the travelers and take their place.

Start �

�

�

�

� � The Way Out: The travelers must return to the room they originally entered from, they will find a spiraling descent further into the deep along with the original entrance. 1

2

3

4

5

6

1d6 ROOMS Buried – Mounds of cold grit and dust piled deep, like drifts of colorless snow. Remains – Broken tools and crumbling garb, unusable, scattered like garbage. Desiccated Corpse – Remains of a traveler curled up on the floor, their skeletal body naked and face twisted in a scream. Partially Collapsed – the walls slant inward and stone debris coats the ground. Eerie Totem – A column of chipped stone is wrapped with bone, twine and painted like a howling face. It seems to say “turn back.” Blocked Path – A flimsy barricade has been erected of loose stone and debris. It provides little resistance, its purpose unclear.

�

�

Exit

The Simulacra have the same HD, HP and abilities of the travelers, appearing and acting as them in every way. While the Simulacra have no weapons or tools, they are armed with broken mirror (as knife) and fight with a reckless abandon. If a Simulacrum kills their traveler counterpart, they assume their place and act as if they are the real version. The player may take on their role if they wish. 1d3 ROOMS 1 False Reflection – Strange shapes decorate this room, they resemble objects of a past world, a world familiar to the traveler... 2 Broken – The walls are covered in scratches and tool marks, attempts to reduce their pristine quality. 3 Pillars – Curious pillars line the walls, traces of mortal features and geometry disturb you...

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3. Change

4. Emptiness

5. SACRIFICE

A perfectly cube room, measuring 15 feet in each direction. Set into the center of the four walls are square passageways, just big enough for a traveler to squeeze through. The Danger: Every time someone enters a room, the entire area rotates clockwise by 90 degrees, but not the individual rooms themselves. The rotation is imperceptible, the only clues being the changes in the rooms. Peeking out through a passage that doesn’t connect reveals a sheer drop into utter darkness.

You stand upon a geometric slab of stone, seemingly adrift in a lightless void. Other slabs can be seen drifting in the dark, while a faint and nearly imperceptible light glints in the distance. The Danger: There is no gravity in this space, a mistimed jump or wrong move sends a traveler into the dark. Once they drift out of view, they disappear. Proper tools and rigging can prevent this.

A titanic, cylindrical room rises up into the dark. The stone floor is covered with spiraling concentric patterns, all leading to a central point in the center of this room. Something stirs at the point of convergence. Danger: A single being lies in the center of this room, a delver of impossible age who has been left behind as part of this room’s cruel power. Once the travelers approach, the delver flees for the way out, laughing maniacally as they do so. The room can only be exited so long as a single mortal remains behind.

� � �

Start

�

The Way Out: Reaching the centermost room reveals a pit that descends further into the Deep.

�

�

�

� � �

�

The Way Out: The glinting light is a passage further into the Deep. It is 1000 feet away from the starting point. It can be reached by jumping directly towards it (dangerous), or by hopping across the other slabs that are spaced 100 feet apart.

1d6 ROOMS 1-3 Empty – There’s nothing here... 4 Map Scrawl – A spiraling and nonsensical map painted in ancient blood covers the walls and floor. 5 Corpse – The mummified corpse of a traveler sits curled up in a corner, hands clutching their face. 6 Floor Spiral – A great clock-wise spiral has been painted onto the floor with blood. The center is marked with a ragged cross.

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�

The Way Out: A narrow passageway appears at the far end of the room and remains open so long as someone remains behind.

6. Lies There are no walls to speak of here, only a ground of fine dust and a path to a sliver of warm light in the distance. Movement can be seen coming from the light, comforting and familiar shadows. The Danger: Entering the light transports the travelers back to their place of origin. Some time may have passed, but the world is as they remember it. IT IS A LIE. When a traveler dies, via violence, accident or old age, the false world is broken and they reawaken on the floor of this room. The Way Out: There is no way out, only back the way you came…

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Escaping the Vast

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Magic of the Vast Travelers of the Vast become attuned to the strange forces and magics that seem to dwell within it. Those willing to harness these powers can become powerful Magi, yet, the cost of such power has a habit of stripping its wielders of their humanity; leaving them as hollow shells who crave the embrace of the dark...

Casting Spells The magic of the Vast requires casters to perform actions or sacrifice things in order to cast spells. Doing these actions or sacrifices earns the caster Rites, a currency which can be spent to cast spells. Spells cost a single Rite to cast and casters can hold any number of Rites.

Gaining Rites The following are ways to earn to Rites within the Vast. Referees may offer additional ways to earn Rites if the table prefers. Motions of the Labyrinth - gain a Rite after entering Pillars or descending in a Ruin for the first time. Shunning Light – Sacrifice a tool or week’s worth of rations to gain a Rite. Embracing Dark – Consume Raw Lodestone to gain a Rite. Erosion of Self – Gain a level of exhaustion to gain a Rite, this exhaustion cannot be healed until the Rite is spent.

Labyrinth

Dark

The patterns and motions of the infinite crumbling geometry laid out like a grand maze. To walk it’s twisted paths eroded with impossible age is both salvation and destruction… Wild Seeking – You transport yourself to a random nearby room. After meditating for 10 minutes you and anyone in contact with you are transported into a random area 1d6 rooms (or points) away. The sensation is like being slowly submerged and then pulled from a pool of ice-water. Fickle Descent – You are randomly transported higher or lower within a structure. When cast, flip a coin and say a number less than or equal to your level. If face-up, you and anyone in contact with you ascends that many levels (up to the surface); facedown and you descend that many levels. The transport is abrupt and unsettling, like falling in a dream. Waste Whispers – You lose function of your body to gain navigational insight. When cast, your mind swims with the hidden geometry and paths of the Vast, allowing you to perfectly navigate to any landmark or structure. However, your body seizes up, making you unable to move or defend yourself, leaving just enough movement to whisper your directions. The spell lasts until you choose to end it. Mazewalk – You return to a place you have been at the cost of severe exhaustion. Once cast, you and anyone in contact with you falls into a deep slumber filled with dreams of a shifting, decaying labyrinth. When you awake, you are transported to a place you have visited in the past week. Everyone transported suffers 1 level of exhaustion, while the caster suffers 2d3 levels of exhaustion.

The all-encompassing dark, a force that touches and embraces all in some degree. To allow its embrace is to commune with its suffocating size and terrible strength… Bolt of Night – You lash out at another and cause them to go blind or deaf. Once cast, you point at someone or something you can see and curse them to lose their vision or hearing. They remain blind or deaf until you cast the spell again. Presence Blank – You become imperceptible and intangible to all. Once cast, you disappear from any observable sense and leave no trace of your presence for 1 minute per level. While in this state, you cannot interact, harm, or affect the physical world in any way; however, you are still affected by its dangers as normally. While cast, the caster is unable to breath, the air seems to pass through an unseen hollow within them. Chance Solitude – You are miraculously passed over by dangerous encounters. When cast, you and anyone in proximity is ignored by the next random or wandering encounters, as if you were looked over or never there to begin with. Wanderer’s Snare – You curse another to be perpetually lost. Once cast, you point your finger at another within earshot and speak a fell word; they are now incapable of navigating or tracking on their own. Anytime they attempt to lead the way or track something on their own, they will either head in the wrong direction or wander aimlessly in circles. The curse remains until you cast the spell again.

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Harrow

Miracle of Sparks

There is no such thing as annihilation; rather, entropy, change and reconfiguration are merely misunderstood as such. Everything changes and decays painfully in the vast, and there is a power in embracing that pain. Like Clay – You change your form and mind into something more suitable. After resting for a day and a night, you may swap two of your ability scores. This lasts until you cast the spell again. Your dreams the nigh before are haunted with visions of flesh and nerves being severed and re-spun like thread. Sunder to Dust – Your touch causes inorganic material to crumble into dust. Once cast, anything you touch, including the ground and your clothes, crumbles to dust and gravel. This spell lasts for 6 secs. per level. One Flesh – You bind your flesh and form to another. Once cast, you point at someone or something you can see, anytime you suffer or recover from damage, they receive the same. This effect goes both ways, causing you damage anytime they receive harm and healing you when they recover from it. The spell lasts until you choose to end it. Grim Transpose – You transfer your memories and psyche into an unwitting cadaver. When cast, you touch a mortal body that has expired or lost all of its memories and remove any number of your own memories. The memories are transferred into the body, causing it to shakily resurrect into a new living traveler. The resurrected traveler has no memories save for the ones you gave it, it can be a willing companion if it is convinced to do so...

A foreigner to the Vast, an abnormality brought forth by its mortal migrants. An unwelcome power that finds hosts in the travelers who struggle and rage against the dark.

Rite of Sparks The Miracle of Sparks do not require Rites to cast, instead they are powered by burning away the caster’s body. Spellcasters sacrifice 1d6 Grit or 1 Flesh each time they wish to cast one of the following spells. Cinderhowl – You unleash a gout of cinders from your mouth. Once cast, everything within However, the noise from the spell is unbearably loud and there is a 1-in-6 chance that a wandering encounter is alerted by the sound. Bright Hand – Your hand burns like a candle or torch. Once cast, your hand alights like a torch, or finger like a single candle, providing an equal amount of light and heat. If using just a finger, the spell only requires 1 Grit to cast. Heart Furnace – You are recklessly fortified by an internal flame. Once cast, you become immune to fear and psychological effects, move twice your speed, and perform twice as many actions as you normally could. However, you are compelled to continue the spell, and must save versus Magic or immediately cast it again (suffering the associated damage). The feeling is tremendous and addictive, even as your body and mind burn away into cinders...

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The CRawl

Don’t look too closely, you might see something you recognize... They are called the Crawl. Who gave them that name originally has long been forgotten. They creep out from the fissures and caves of the pillars and seek the deepest recesses of the ruins for some unknowable reason. They are nightmare monstrosities, chimeras of mortal bodies warped and wrapped into each other. They hunt Travelers and the lost with reckless abandon, motivated by some dark and sadistic need. No one truly knows how the Crawl are propagated, yet many swear they see the terrified likeness of their lost companions in their twisted forms...

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Centaur

Hydra

Shade

Legs and hands without face or body. Its serpentine shape spasms and writhes like a dying snake… HD 6 | HP 24 | Move: Climb Double Defense: As Leather Attack: 1d6 Limbs 1d4 Blinding Speed: Erratic and terrifyingly fast. When harmed, the Centaur may move its full speed. Dodge: The Centaur automatically passes any Save v. Breath.

Skin and muscle, shaped like dozens of enormous flatworms, coil and snap around each other. Twitching fingers crown their snapping, sucking jaws… HD 10 | HP 55 | Move: Standard Defense: As Hide Attack: 1d4 Bites 1d8 and Venom Frenzy: A fury propels the creature to acts of violence. When harmed, 1in-6 chance the Hydra gains 1d6 additional attacks this turn. Venom: Save v. poison. Success: Gain a level of exhaustion. Failure: 1d3 levels of exhaustion and paralyzed for 1d3 hours.

A shadow of twisting, sinuous filaments whip through the air. Swarming and gliding effortlessly, they trill with ravenous hunger... HD 4 | HP 36 | Move: Fly Standard Defense: As Chain-shirt Attack: Swarm 2d6 Vulnerable to fire and explosions Swarming: Attacks by the Shade automatically hit. Eye-bite: They strike the vulnerable parts first, maiming then killing. 1-in-6 chance of being blinded for 1d3 days after being struck by the Shade.

Medusa

Siren

Cyclops Bodies twisted as if grappling, a single caved head that thrums with hollow notes. They are never alone... HD 2 | HP 10 | Move: Standard Defense: As Hide Attack: Fist and Claw 1d4/1d4 Call in the Dark: They cry for each other in the dark. Every round they are aware of the Travelers, there is a 1-in-6 chance another Cyclops will appear.

Griffon Dozens of hands writhe in the guise of wings and a face. Fingers twitch hungrily around drooling jaws... HD 8 | HP 50 | Move: Fly Standard Defense: As Hide Attack: Maw 1d8 and Devour Devour: The fingers snare and drag victims to its maw. Save versus Hold or become trapped in its mouth and suffer 2d6 damage every turn. When a player suffers 15 damage in this fashion, Save versus Hold again or be swallowed whole.

Harpy Several wings of stretched skin from a twisted and whipping spine. A skate-like mouth drools hungrily… HD 2 | HP 8 | Move: Fly Standard Defense: As Leather Attack: Whip 1d6 and Meld Meld: Save v. Breath or the Harpy attempts to stick to exposed skin or flesh. Spend a whole turn to keep the Harpy away, if not, Harpy adheres to your skin, dealing 1d6 damage a turn and healing 1d3. Once adhered, must be killed or cut off. Covering yourself entirely protects from this.

Appears as a trio of screaming lovers, its head both terrible to behold and pulsing with frightening harmonic power... HD 5 | HP 25 | Move: Standard Defense: As Hide | Attack: Bite 1d8 Petrifying Scream: Their shrieks tense muscle and freeze the mind. As Attack, all within sight must save versus charm. Success: No effect, advantage on subsequent saves. Fail: stunned for 1 minute.

Ogre Broken bodies, crushed and fused into one. Its surging form grasping and searching to add more... HD 10 | HP 100 | Move: Half Defense: As Hide Attack: Slam 2d6 or Engulf Engulf: As Attack, Save v. Hold or be covered by the Ogre. Cut or force your way out, or suffer 3d6 damage each turn as you are crushed. Split: When reduced to 10 HP, the Ogre divides into 1d6 smaller versions of itself Ogre Spawn: 1HD | 5HP | Attack 1d6

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A pillar of oozing calcified bones, an alluring aroma surrounds it, the sound of grinding teeth rumbles within… HD 8 | HP 40 | Move: None Defense: As Plate Attack: Crushing Maw Alluring Mist: All in room, Save v. Charm or Poison, or slowly walk towards the Siren. Effect is broken if the affected is harmed. Crushing Maw: A mouth hides within, springing forth when prey is near. As attack, 3d6 damage, gain a level of exhaustion and lose a random item.

WyRm A draconian slithering monster that is seen only in the deepest pits of the ruins. Few ever escape it... HD 15 | HP 150 Move: Fly Double Standard Defense: As Scale Attack: Claws 1d8/1d8 and Maw 2d10 or Howl Mimicry: It prefers to ambush, luring with its many tongues. The Wyrm can perfectly imitate the voice of any mortal it has heard. Howl: Every one of its mouths bellow in a scream. As Attack, all within sight must Save versus Breath. Success: Half damage Fail: 3d6 sonic damage and become deafened for 1d6 hours.

Further inspiration From the Creator The Vast in the Dark was originally written in 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, as I was trapped in home, and while I was dealing with some other scary things in my personal life. I mention this because, while I didn’t intend for Vast to be some sort of cathartic project, I believe it was certainly colored by the crushing anxiety of that time. However, I refuse to say that the driving force behind Vast was this anxiety and suffering; good work does not come from pain, good work comes from hot meals and stability. Instead, Vast was built by a love for architecture, world generators, and places that are terrifyingly big. It was a weird personal world that I had no wish to be a part of, but a terrible curiosity of its hidden corners and inner workings. Despite the Vast being a terrifying and unforgiving setting, I hope it is enjoyed both mechanically and thematically. Working on the expanded edition it has become very personal to me and far more expressive than I had planned. I don’t know what’s next (maybe a megadungeon), but I hope I can continue to make off-beat pieces of fiction and art that I both enjoy and find some deeper meaning within. - Charlie P.S. There IS a way out of the Vast, you just gotta find it.

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Blame! - Tsutomu Nihei Annihilation - Jeff Vandermeer Piranesi - Susanna Clarke Gormenghast - Mervyn Peake Anti-Sisyphus 4 - Jared Sinclar Dorohedoro - Q Hayashida Uzumaki - Junji ito Works of brutalist architecture Trying to walk in a snowstorm Hiking in Iceland Caving in Wind Cave - Pequa, PA Exploring empty buildings Feeling lonely Being utterly drained Being trapped somewhere Knowing you don’t understand Wanting to go home Hoping things get better

Name

Level

STR Dex

Injury

The Vast

Grit

Armor

Flesh

Quirks/Abilities

CON

Exhaustion A Traveler gains a level of exhaustion when they: - Lose a night of sleep - Are severely wounded - Go a day without food - Push themselves too hard So long as this injury exists, all rolls made with that stat are at disadvantage. Each full day of rest without travel removes one level of exhaustion.

WIS INT CHA

DaRk

in the EXPANDED

Memories

1 2 3 4 �

Inventory CON 1 2

Grit and Flesh

Coin & Lodestone

Grit is equal to 1d8 per level + Constitution bonus Grit is lost before Flesh and heals 1d6 each day, or 2d6 if taking a full day of rest. Flesh is equal to Level + Highest ability bonus If Flesh is lost, a Traveler cannot heal until they make it to a Settlement or a medical practitioner. Once safe, Flesh is healed at a rate of 1 per day.

Bindle

3 4 5 6

Sack

Example Items and Number of Slots

7 8 9 10

6 Navigation Assets 5 Asset 4 3 2 1

Backpack

Lost Effect Utterly lost - Continue to roll until you are successful, this is how many days you travel before finally returning to where you started. Dangerously off course - As below but 12 miles away. Off course - 6 miles away from destination in a random direction. Late - 6 miles short of destination

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♦ Spiked boots, Water Jug, Net, Chisel, Spyglass, Soapstone, 50ft. Rope, Torch ♦♦ 10ft. Ladder, Lock-box, Tent, Portable Stove Weapons and Armor ♦ Shield, Gambeson, Brass Knuckles, Club, Knife, Bolts or Ammunition ♦♦ Piecemeal Armor, Axe, Mace, Spear, Sword, Bow ♦♦♦ Chainmail, Claymore, Great Axe, Maul, Crossbow ♦♦♦♦ Splintmail, Arquebus

The sky is black as night, a tectonic rumbling can be heard overhead. the ruins sprawl out with a fractal madness, their shapes incoherent and puzzling. a vast sea of colorless sand stretches out into the darkness, broken only by the titanic pillars that disappear impossibly into the lightless sky... This is The Vast, a liminal realm hidden far away from our own. Always waning and on the verge of collapse, it is host to countless lost souls and alien treasures hidden within its crumbling ruins. • Brutalist Alien Flavor: a lightless wasteland populated by brutalist megastructures. Small societies of and factions have cropped up and settled within the various ruins attempting to survive and remain sane. • No-Prep World Generation: provides Referees a toolbox to build massive hex-crawl maps, a local areas within each hex, and dungeon complexes within those smaller local areas quickly and easily enough that you can do it on the fly (no prep work needed). • Become a Traveler: 20 feats and perks with flavor, from Psionherd to Vacant Amygdala; designed to give weird tools for the player to use and exploit. • Explore and Survive in the Vast: simple and quick rules for navigating, exploring and surviving the wastes of the Vast. Run games without worrying about micromanagement and instead focus on cunning choices and calculated risks. • Commune with Survivors: Settlements and their factions lie scattered across the vast, each offering unique opportunities for exploration or exploitation. • Delve the Dark: Mine or spelunk the titanic lodestone Pillars, crawl the twisted megastructures of the Ruins, or breech the unknowable edges of the Depths; each setting holds their own quirks, dangers, and treasures. • Beware the Harrowing: The Harrowing is a form of ego-decay, a slow erosion of the psyche that befalls all who find themselves trapped within The Vast. Linger too long and you will lose memories, joys, and even the drive to leave. It is only a matter of time before you become one of the Crawl... • Discover: 10 Monsters with horrific quirks and abilities, 34 Artifacts to offer dangerous gifts, 15 Spells if you can stomach their price, and more... All written system-neutral for use with most TTRPG rule-sets.

“I WISH TO SEE THE VAST IN THE DARK”

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