Ultraviolet Grasslands and the Black City

200 Pages·2020·53.933 MB·English

by  Luka Rejec

Time is the essence
Time is the season
Time ain’t no reason
Got no time to slow
Time everlasting
Time to play B–sides
Time ain’t on my side
Time I’ll never know
Burn out the day
Burn out the night
I’m not the one to tell you what’s wrong or what’s right
I’ve seen suns that were freezing and lives that were through.
—Burnin’ For You, Fire of Unknown Origin, Blue Öyster Cult
Art & writing copyright © 2019 Luka Rejec
Art, writing & design: Luka Rejec
Editing: Fiona Maeve Geist and Jarrett Crader (MoonRat Conspiracy)
Crucial Backing: The Stratospheric Kickstarters
Infinite Support: The Heroes of the Stratometaship
Additional Volunteer Proofreading: The Typohunters
Development: WizardThiefFighter Studio
Publishing: Exalted Funeral Press
ISBN: 978-1-951419-02-8
www.wizardthieffighter.com
www.exaltedfuneral.com
Srečno pot, Ati.
Fortunate journeys, Dad.
in memoriam
Lucijan Rejec
*1943 — †2019
Acknowledgments
September 26, 2016, I drew one the first illustrations in this book. manuscript and helped create SEACAT. Saker Tarsos listened kindly
Because of my clerical error it is now called ]7654 ,.jpg. You can see it while also creating an incredible digital aid. Finally, Matt and Cristin
on page 133. Now, three years and an unexpected funeral later, the Kelley of Exalted Funeral, who made the kickstarter success possible
Ultraviolet Grasslands are complete. and kept the whole project on track. Thank you all.
It was hard and rewarding work that would have been impossible At the home table, the Golden Goats who co-created the
without countless people. I shall try to thank some of them. Rainbowlands around that small kitchen table. The Lagniappe
Gamers who became the closest of playtesters. Online, the
First, the heroes of the stratometaship, who made writing the first Rainbowland Raiders, who tested half-baked ideas. Thank you all.
draft possible and cheered all the way. Second, the kickstarter
backers who made this edition possible and showed incredible Finally, all my friends and family who accepted my absence behind
patience as we blasted past our deadline like a seven-cylinder glowing screens and paper sheaves. Sadly my father passed before
autogolem. Third, the volunteer Typohunters, who labored to pluck the book was complete, but the UVG finally helped him understand
stray commas and weird typos from the manuscript. Thank you all. what art meant to me, and that is good enough. Thank you all.
Closer to production, the Hydra Cooperative, especially Robert, Finally, the person most responsible: my wife, Youjin. She
Trey, Humza, Chris, and Jason, whose discussions encouraged and understood and encouraged me, until I finally believed I could.
excited. Skerples introduced me to washing machine and theme Thank you, Youjin.
park design. Fiona Geist and Jarrett Crader tirelessly edited the —Luka, Seoul, October 2019
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tYou have in your hands a roleplaying adventure setting designed to help a traditional rpg referee take
their friends’ heroes on a long strange trip across a mythic steppe filled with remnants of space and time
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and fuzzy riffs. It is inspired by psychedelic heavy metal, the Dying Earth genre, and Oregon Trail games.
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The first two thirds of the book, from pages 6 to 132, covers thirty-two strange locations scattered from
east (the Violet City) to west (the Black City), becoming progressively stranger as the journey continues. I
have presented them first and in sequence for easier reference during campaign play.
The last section of the book, from pages 156 to 193, covers general information for running games in the
setting. Things like maps, sample caravans, factions, equipment, trade goods, a history generator, some
spells, and a glossary.
Finally, in the center, from pages 133 to 155, is a section explaining the rules and mini-games that I’ve
developed for this setting. We’ve carefully written and edited the UVG to be light and easy to adapt to any
d20-based game of your choice. These rules are not presented necessarily for running the setting as-is, but
rather to help you understand our design choices and adapt the setting to fit.
I’ve also tried to design the UVG to resist repetition and canon, so I encourage you to make it your own, to
use the parts you like, and have an incredible and unique adventure with your friends.
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The World’s Edge....................................................................6 6. Trail of Vomish Dreams ....................................................32
Who Is This Hero? (D40) ..................................................7 Discoveries on the Trail ....................................................33
1. Violet City: A Last Eerie House ...........................................9 Vomes and Vome Nests ..................................................34
Townships of the Violet City, Halls of the Graceful Cats ...10 7. Grass Colossus ...................................................................36
Debauchery in Shades of Purple ......................................12 Clansfolk and Celebrations ..............................................37
Hiring Help in the Violet City ..........................................15 8. The Last Serai ....................................................................38
2. The Low Road and the High ............................................16 Sectors of the Serai .........................................................40
Discoveries High and Low ................................................17 9. The Way Stone Graveyard ...............................................42
Other Gates ....................................................................18 Discoveries by the Way Stone .........................................43
3. Steppe of the Lime Nomads ...........................................20 10. The Death-Facing Passage ............................................44
Discoveries Among the Nomads ......................................21 Discoveries under the Face of Death ................................45
Lavender Cliffs: City of Nomads ......................................22 11. The South-Facing Passage..............................................46
4. Porcelain Citadel .............................................................24 Discoveries in the Alpine Meadows .................................47
Porcelain Princes ............................................................25 12. Fallen Umber ..................................................................48
Places of Polished Porcelain (d14) ....................................26 Discoveries in the Umber Lands ......................................49
5. Potsherd Crater .................................................................28 Cerulean Five Oasis ........................................................50
Discoveries in the Potsherd Crater...................................29 13. Long Ridge .......................................................................52
Glass House of a Dead Prince ..........................................30 Discoveries on the Long Ridge ..........................................53
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14. Behemoth Shell ..............................................................54 32. Black City .......................................................................120
Discoveries Among Calcite Corpses ..................................55 The Last Camp ..............................................................122
15. Serpent Stone Marker .....................................................56 The Grand Observer ......................................................124
Discoveries in the White Grass Ocean ..............................57 The Five Portals.............................................................126
16. Moon-Facing Ford ...........................................................58 The Pre-City .................................................................129
Fordite Kraals and Old Songs ..........................................60 The Black City...............................................................130
Other Crossings to Discover (d6) ......................................61 Heroes and the Cat .............................................................133
17. The Near Moon................................................................62 Hero Superbasics ..........................................................134
Discoveries on the Ground ..............................................64 Character Sheet: Hero of the UVG .................................135
The Surface of the Near Moon ........................................65 Making a Hero ..............................................................136
Heart of the Moon: Cold Crust ........................................67 Wonderful Creatures ....................................................138
Deeper in the Heart: the Warm Mantle ..........................68 The Mechanical Skeleton ..............................................140
Heart's Center: the Crystal Core .....................................70 Conflict ........................................................................142
Playing with the Crystal Ship .........................................72 Magitech and Fantascience ..........................................144
18. Glass Bridge .....................................................................73 Biomagical Corruption ..................................................145
Village and Bridge .........................................................74 Expanding on Experience ..............................................146
Cold Lake Culture ...........................................................75 Time, What is Time .......................................................148
Discoveries near the Glass Bridge ....................................76 Inventory and Sacks ......................................................149
19. Three Sticks Lake .............................................................78 Misfortune ...................................................................150
Two Villages Left: Baobab and Pike .................................79 Encounters ...................................................................151
Discoveries Along the Red River ......................................80 Destinations and Discoveries .........................................152
Discoveries of the Cholan Wood .......................................81 Starvation and Thirst....................................................153
20. The Gall Grass .................................................................82 Death and Hakaba in the UVG ......................................154
Discoveries in the Gall Grass ...........................................83 Caravans .............................................................................156
The Ruin of Three Sticks .................................................84 Caravan Sheet ..............................................................157
Discoveries Around the Ruin of Three Sticks ....................85 Sample Caravans ..........................................................158
The Copper Hulls: Time's Batteries ..................................86 The Big Map ........................................................................159
Discoveries on the Wine River .........................................88 Factions of the UVG ............................................................164
21. Spectrum Run ................................................................89 Cat Lords of the Violet City (Cats) ..................................164
Discoveries of the Spectrum Cross ...................................90 Humans (Rainbowlanders) ...........................................165
22. Refracting Trees ..............................................................92 Porcelain Princes (Para Humans) ..................................165
Discoveries Refracted .....................................................93 Spectrum Satraps (Para Humans) .................................166
23. Ribs of the Father ...........................................................94 Steppe Nomads, Steppelanders (Humans) .....................166
Discoveries Among the Ribs ............................................95 Ultras (After-Humans) .................................................167
Marmotfolk, the Humans thus Called ............................96 Vomes (Violent Mechanisms) ........................................167
Discoveries in the Marmotfolk Halls ...............................97 Other Voyagers ...................................................................168
24. The Cage Run .................................................................98 UVG Equipment .................................................................170
Discoveries in Terranova .................................................99 Transport: Mounts and Wagons ....................................171
25. Spectrum Palace ..........................................................100 Weapons: Guns, Wands, and Steel .................................172
Spectrum Myth-Symbol Complex (d10) .........................101 Armors .........................................................................174
Place and Power in the Palace .......................................102 Strange Items or Soap-Sized Treasures ..........................175
Discoveries Beyond the Satraps .....................................103 Trade & Goods ....................................................................176
26. The Iron Road ................................................................104 Thirty Ultraviolet Trade Goods (d30) .............................177
Discoveries on the Iron Road ..........................................105 Trade Routes (Milk Runs) ..............................................178
27. The Ivory Plain ..............................................................106 Trade Obstacles (d12) ....................................................179
Discoveries on a Plain ....................................................107 The World Around ..............................................................180
28. Dead Bridge ..................................................................108 In Lieu of Histories .......................................................180
Degenerate Immaculate Quarter-lings .........................109 Discoveries and Historic periods.....................................182
Discoveries at the Dead Bridge ......................................110 Climate, Geography, Weather .......................................183
Down in the Chasm .......................................................111 Languages of the UVG and the Rainbowlands ................184
29. Dark Light Path ..............................................................112 Fragments of a Glossary .....................................................186
Discoveries in the Darkest Light ....................................113 Synopsis of Spells ................................................................191
30. The Endless Houses ......................................................114 Thank You ...........................................................................194
Discoveries in the Ruinland ...........................................115 The Last Indexing ...............................................................195
Endless Houses Generator .............................................116
31. The Forest of Meat ..........................................................117
Discoveries in the Forest ................................................118
Carnibotanic Generator ................................................119
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The World's Edge
A world begins when it emerges from the mists of time. So it
is with the civilizations of the Rainbowlands—which mark
their count from when the Long Ago ended and the Now
began.
The Rainbowlanders are the humans of a later era,
undisputed masters of the fertile lands around the Circle
Sea, dwellers in the Eye of Creation. They come in many
shapes, colours, creeds, and faiths. They pile unkempt
technology and misremembered lore together into a
teetering whole. They rule the settled lands under their
polychrome deities of ill-repute.
This story is not theirs. This story begins at the edge of their
world, at the Left End of the Right Road. At the westernmost
outpost of humanity, the Violet City: bastion against the
hordes, entrepôt to the exotic sunset lands, and last port
of civilization before the trackless steppe studded with the
detritus of the Long Ago.
The last glimmer of the Rainbow before the skin-blistering
glow of the Ultraviolet Grasslands.
The Hero put the cat coffee in the samovar and rubbed the sleep sand out
of their eyes.
On the other side of the hotrock the Dwarf rubbed magitechnical ointment
into the joints of his golem armor. That meant it was half an hour to sunrise.
Same thing, every day like clockwork. Perhaps he was clockwork. Everyone
said those Salters weren’t human anymore.
The Demon-Talker sat down beside the Hero, noiseless as always yet
somehow comforting. The Hero passed her a cup.
“Ah,” she gurgled, “you make the best brew. It almost warms my bones.”
“We’ll all be warm soon,” rumbled Eater-of-the-Dead from its sleeping sack,
“we’re nearly at the Violet City.”
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No Rules, but Seacat Rules
If you’re just reading for the weird world, imagine a character,
turn the page and begin reading with the Violet City of the
cats. A few rules will be explained in boxes like this one.
But! Though the UVG plays fast-and-loose, there is a
solid, metal roleplaying game skeleton behind the simple
notation—SEACAT. The name of the game comes from
the basic stats describing characters: Strength, Endurance,
Agility, Charisma, Aura, and Thought. If you want to start by
making an explorer, building a caravan, and heading off into
the wild and weird, go to Heroes and the Cat (p.133).
WHO IS THIS HERO? (D40)
d40 Who are you? Why are you on the road? Starting with …
1 Decapolitan ambassador Sent by a grim corporation One black metal vertebra
2 Redland district folk hero Dreams of a world ending Half a white porcelain skull
3 Hexad enforcer militant Blood memories of a great patrimony Green brick with the light and warmth of a candle
4 Safranian merchant adventurer Tracking a missing ledger Pink bottle with a singing spirit
5 Emerald City preacher Seeking new converts Three machine beetles with gem eyes
6 Redland bourgeoise botanist Rumors of a fabulous autofac Precious yellow plastic tablet with four truths
7 Oranjetic traveling entertainer Found clue to abmortality Silver book proclaiming revolution
8 Greenlander nomad herdsfolk Ordered by an ominous disembodied voice Cabochon ruby with a regal hologram inside
9 Exiled pirate liberal Map to an unclaimed aerolith Intaglio red pearl of a lingish trader
10 Salt dwarf prospector Soul of loved one stolen by a horror Violet bone crystalized in soulfire
11 Yellowlander climate migrant Stories of a secret healing vegetable Copper star incised with naughty limericks
12 Undercover rainbow inquisitor Portents of a deadly machine demon Four brassy cogs from a soul mill
13 Undergraduate purple wizard Paintings of a gorgeous cyan seaside Dusty positronic rat brain in a crystal case
14 Dilettante noble tourist Pursued by loving enemies Small lavender plant that cannot die
15 Exiled Bluelander noble Grandmother’s lost autowagon Translucent dinner plate-sized force disk
16 Secret azure cultist Brother was stripped into a ba-zombie Grey healing lichen culture in ceramic jar
17 Violet revolutionary emigré Master boneworker sent an invitation Manual of the vechs, annotated with scribbles
18 Oranjist courtesan singer Delivering a letter of inheritance to a count Stainless steel thermos of blood wine
19 Metropolitan accountant monk Cure for a plague that killed your son Glass tub of vampire-grade sunscreen
20 Volkan diesel dwarf Biomantic bible in a lost library Platinum necrogoggles that reveal undead
21 Woodlander elf-touched trapper Repaying debts to the butcher bank Small furry brown vome that giggles when petted
22 Settled Steppelander engineer Visions of a world ending in falling fire Machine horse in dappled shades of rust
23 Wine vampire priest Bearing a priceless pearl for a princess Crystal personality box to create ka-zombies
24 Purplefolk doghead anarchist Tracking a vile intruder from the void Yellow-orange weightless rock—an aerolith
25 Half-Ling lunatic seer Mind entwined with a dying sentience Blue and white mechanical hand
26 Scrubland barbarian hero Nightly dreams of a lost world Quartzite tooth of a space worm
27 Black gold industrialist Seeking a prosthetic body for mother Animate furry chitin kite
28 Violet City mendicant healer Ordered by the clan quest golem Carmine cactus that secretes drops of blood
29 Independent freehold archaeologist Keeping tabs on a rival explorer Cogwheel monocle with small pits
30 Old city tutor Exploring clues to the great forgetting Seven strands of unbreakable silver wire
31 Exotic wastelander summoner Possessed by a demon in childhood Citrine soul stone with a third of a hero’s soul
32 Tumult fisher wizard Seeking allies for a revolution Gourd fetish with cowrie teeth
33 Safirian ruins scavenger Looking for new lands for lost tribe Teal warlock helmet with three white stripes
34 Wildfolk demon hunter Compulsion after meeting a seer Yellow cape of pure steel silk
35 Cogflower necromancer lawyer Sheer industrial greed Unaging plastic travel cutlery
36 Pueblo heretic rancher Determined to end a crippling disease Rainbow unicorn horn
37 Dessicated slaver spy Found the testament of a dead god Grey cube that weighs five times more than lead
38 Moon mountain witch Pursued by furies and a dark fate Lime green onion-and-skull cup
39 Half-island syndicalist tinker Visions of glory and rebirth Clear crystal heart of a vile (see glossary, p. 192)
40 Union machinehunter general A queer unease after reading a metal book Red staff made of fused ancient pistols
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Reading the Ultraviolet
“Think of them more as guidelines, not rules per se.”
—Skittens Three-Horned, councilor & machine whisperer
The dice are not your masters
At the heart of roleplay in the UVG is a conversation between
players, which creates a shared world. When common sense,
or uncommon, dictates a result, don’t bring dice into it. When
outcomes are uncertain, the referee suggests a probability
and lets the player decide to roll or not for their hero.
However, once the dice do go rolling on the table, they are the
oracle and they determine outcomes.
Classic polyhedral dice
UVG assumes a couple of sets on hand, from d4 (4-sided) to
d20 (20-sided). Sometimes it mentions strange dice, like a
d40. Use a digital die roller or a creative combination of dice.
Glorious d20
The twenty-sided die is the core die of the UVG’s descriptive
mechanical skeleton because it is my favorite polyhedron and
because it has a comfortable, flat spread of probabilities.
High is good, low is bad
Throughout the text, from encounters to random results.
The stat test (the core mechanic)
Whenever the d20 comes out to determine uncertain
outcomes, that’s a test. It means d20 + stat + skill over target.
A common format is “easy Charisma test”—this means
rolling a d20 then adding Charisma and a relevant skill to
beat an easy target. What’s a relevant skill? Anything that
makes sense in the context. Archaeology might help with
deciphering old runes in a tomb while tea-leaf reading might
well apply in a tea ceremony test.
The difficulty of a test is described in the text as trivial, easy,
moderate, difficult, or extreme. A hero rolls over a target
number to succeed. The referee chooses whether a given
target number is fixed or a little bit random.
Target Fixed Random Percentile Example Procedure
Trivial 3 1d6 15% Routine, but some risk.
Easy 7 1d8+3 35% A bit unusual.
Moderate 11 1d10+6 55% Not common at all.
Difficult 15 1d12+9 75% Rare and dangerous.
Extreme 19 1d12+12 95% Last ditch effort only!
Remember! Only use tests when they make sense, when
possible outcomes make a meaningful difference.
Relevant test
Sometimes you’ll spot the phrase “a relevant test,” this means
that a hero can use any combination of stat and skill that
makes narrative sense in the circumstances.
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