KARANDUUN “They shall arrive when God dies and Heaven is destroyed. Their Names shall be heralded by exploding suns and falling stars. Moons shall in their wake, and the seas reach up to touch the hems of their clothing. They shall wield the Spear of Lies, they shall brandish the Armor of Despair, and they shall cut themselves with the all-bleeding Sword of Hatred. They shall burn brightly, a bonfire against the death of the universe, which brought about by false love and destructive hope. They shall arrive when the Universe is a corpse, and against its silence, they shall make noise.” -AHele to the Damned, Verse 2, Stanza 3 God is dead, Heaven is ruined. The Multiverse is doomed to death, but in its last gasps, it was a beautiful thing. In immortal speeches, in broken tongues, the Karanduun stand aloft. But what is the Karanduun, but a liar and an unfaithful wretch who clawed his way to the title with untruths? Signified by infernal halos, wielding weapons that dare go against the Saint Trinity. The deeds of the Karanduun stand as a bright light cast upon a fading shadow, never to be remembered. But maybe, in the dying throes of the universe, you will burn brightly, a final testament to might and majesty. Shall we begin, and make God Bleed? WHAT IS KARANDUUN? Karanduun is a heroic fantasy RPG about struggling to become heroes in a ruined heaven. Use this RPG to play as beginning heroes eventually growing into larger-than-life heroes living in a weird, multiversal fantasy world. Use this to run wuxia games, with Gahum as Qi, or anime shounen games where a character’s passions are turned into pure soulpower. Karanduun’s own setting, Paraiso, is the seventh layer of the Multiverse, once barred to all save for the Lord Creator, but now open to all creatures after the Deicide caused by the Saint Trinity. Due to this, creatures and be- ings of all forms have erupted from here to create new devil societies on the corpse of heaven. But the universe is dead, and its silence is inevitable. The setting is embedded and inspired by Filipino Myth and Folklore, both Precolonial and Postcolonial. You begin as just a bit stronger than the normal person living in Paraiso, with the ability to harness Gahum, the Dead God Breath. You must claw your way up in power to become a Karanduun, an epic hero figure worthy of song, or die trying. Probably multiple times. If you want to play a relatively rules-lite game about facing deadly chal- lenges and eventually becoming strong enough to defeat it in a world that has ended and will only vanish eventually, perhaps you will like Karan- duun. WHAT DO YOU PLAYING THE DO? GAME As an aspirant Karanduun want- The game has simple rules, and it ing to make a mark on this ruined hinges on a single thing: the conver- heaven, you hunt and kill adver- sation between thePlayer (most of saries, go out on adventures, delve the players playing around the table into places filled with rich treasure, roleplaying as a character) and the scour the wilderness, eat raw livers, Arbiter (the guy that arbitrates and and collect heads. All of this accrue facilitates the game, makes rulings, Alimaduan--soulstuff--which you and roleplays as all the other Non- use to strengthen yourself physi- Player Characters one is bound to cally, mentally, and spiritually.All to face in the broken world of Paraiso) achieve that holy sobriquet, Karan- about what your character is doing duun, and with it, the prestige to in the world the Arbiter made. change the world. The three pillars The Players play as Characters in a of Karanduun are as follows: world run and facilitated by the Arbiter. ◆ Adventure - “It is not fit for a Datu not to venture.” You must travel TESTING FATE: ROLLING across the multitudes of lands and seas and skies of Paraiso (and THE DICE maybe other lands as well) to search To begin play, you will need a for glory or wealth or love or more. number of six-sided dice, hence- ◆ Conquer - “Only when even the forth noted as d6. Around 6 or more mountains bow at my feet will I be sat- should do for each side. isfied.” Conquer challenges, risks, Then, when the Arbiter should call people and empires. Travel the war- for a roll (and only the Arbiter torn dimension of Paraiso, split into should ever call for a roll, a player’s 9 nation-mandalas all under three job is simply to narrate and say major Empires, all not yours, all ex- what the actions of his character are) isting to oppress you. Conquer to be the Arbiter will usually say which free. Trait is being tested. You pick a ◆ Collect- “Until Heaven is at the number of d6s equal to that trait’s palm of my hand.”Collect all the trea- rating, and then you roll all the dice sures and glories you can find as together.Eachd6thatcomesupas4,5, they directly feed you power, and or 6 is counted as a Hit,and every d6 make you stronger, and bring you thatcomesupas1,2,or3isaMiss. ever closer to the unachievable goal AnArbiter sets how difficult an ac- of becoming a Karanduun. tion is. There are three difficulties: ◆ Shine - “Rage against the dying Risky, Heroic, and Legendary. The Ar- light.”Heaven is ruined, and the biter will usually tell you what the Multiverse is dead. We are all walk- difficulty of an action will be before ing on a mangled corpse, spiralling rolling for it. into oblivion. But perhaps, in its fi- Most rolls areRisky tests are al- nal breaths, it was a glorious shout ways actions with consequences or into the dying night. have doubtful outcomes. Risky . needs at least 1 Hit to be considered a partial success,and2Hitstobea full success. Other rolls areHeroic , these are mandment:Thou Shalt Kill. This tests that would be difficult even to measures a Karanduun’s combat those that can manipulate Gahum. skill and acuity when in conflict or Heroic needs at least 2 Hits to be danger. This is tested for all forms of partial, and 3 Hits to be a full suc- attacks: from unarmed to ranged cess. fighting, as well as places of physi- Some rolls areLegendary, these are cal exertion, such as pushing boul- tests that would be difficult even for ders, carrying ships, and destroying the greatest of warriors and heroes. gates. Legendarytests need at least 3 Hits to Rebellion is Batala’s Fifth Com- be considered a partial success, and mandment:Thou shalt steal.Steal 4 Hits to be a full success. from the law you free will. This If you don’t get the required num- measures a Karanduun’s criminal ber of Hits for a success, youfailed, instinct or ability to deal in things the roll is afailure. You don’t get not looked upon by most moral what you want and an ( interesting) standards, as well as general forms consequence befalls you. of athletecism, itself a form of rebel- lion against the earth. This is tested AIDING when stealing, sneaking away, pick- Another Player Character can also ing locks, killing without being Aidyou when you are rolling for an seen, leaping, acrobatics, and keep- action that they can help in.When ing alert for dangers. another Character describes how Scholarshipis Batala’s First Com- they aid you to the Arbiter and the mandment:Thou shalt covet what oth- Arbiter agrees, add +1d to your ers have. Gain knowledge through roll. others. This measures a Karan- duun’s ability to learn, logic and RULE OF COOL reasoning, and occult understand- Burning brightly against the dying ing. This is tested for puzzles, un- night requires extraordinary people derstanding The Secret, and unafraid to be bold and attempt academia. larger-than-life things. Presenceis Batala’s Eight Com- Rule of Cool,or RoC,is the act of mandment:Thou shalt take my name describing any action cool enough in Vain, and make it yours. Your pres- that the Arbiter or the entire table ence shall match God’s. This mea- goes “Damn, that’s cool.” If the Ar- sures a Karanduun’s natural biter says it’s cool, add +1d to your magnetism, ability to maneuver so- roll. If the entire table does, add cial situations, ability to appeal to +2d. When you use Rule of Cool, people, and their inherent ability to you’re RoCing. lead. This is tested for social en- counters, public speaking, influenc- THE FIVE CHARACTER ing other people, or persuasion. TRAITS Spirit is Batala’s Tenth Command- In Karanduun, there are five traits ment:Thou shalt have other gods before each one important in their own me. The multiverse is filled with right, representing the prescribed powerful spirits. This measures a ways of living according to Batalang how close and intimate a Karan- Maykapal. Each Attribute goes from duun is to spirits, both other spirits 1 to 5. and his own. Combatis Batala’s Seventh Com- This attribute is important for con- Gahum can beSpent or Commit- versing with such spirits and gods. ted.Spending means that you This is tested during actions spend that Gahum and it is gone. wherein one needs to control their Committed means you can invest own soul, resist horrible, debilitat- your Gahum into something for a ing effects, or converse with the stated length of time, after which cryptic alien mentality of the spirits the Gahum returns to you. and gods of Paraiso. Gahum Flames Each character also has aConcept, There are 5 types of Gahum a punchy, two to three word de- Flames, which a PC awakens to scription of who they are. Once per once their Gahum is unlocked. scene, a Player, when rolling, can in- These arePatterning, Creating, De- voke their Concept and the Arbiter stroying, Transmuting,and Ruling. states if its appropriate. If it is, the The five Gahum Flame types also dice has a +1d bonus to the roll. make up the five Flame-Books of the game, as detailed below, which rep- GAHUM resent your characters destiny and Gahum is the Living Flame innate aptitude. Breath of Dead Batalang Mayka- pal, enveloping and burning the en- ALIMADUAN tirety of Creation. While Kaluluwa Alimaduan is the soulstuff that is the Soul, Alimaduan is the stuff makes up the animating force of all that makes up the material of the things, both animate and inanimate. soul, Gahum is the soul in action, Earning Alimaduan is integral to power coursing through their veins. the life of a Karanduun, for absorb- A person that can use Gahum is ing it and turning it into Gahum is calledGahumnon. important for the growth and ar- All people have the potential to be- rival of a hero to the Karanduun come Gahumnon. The difference is stage. You earn Alimaduan by the that only some people get the Claim their Soulssystem and turn Gahum unlocked. Similarly to gaso- it into Gahum with theFeed Your line, Alimaduan is a dormant, ig- Flamesystem. nitable state. Something powerful needs to light the Alimaduan, to ig- PUWERSA nite it. When done so, the spark Anyone can become Gahumnon, opens the metaphysical alchemy all they need is to activate the Pasik- within every souled creature, and lab. But to control Gahum is another thus a flame is born. This act of un- topic entirely. The Gahumnon then locking Gahum is known asPagsik- becomes well versed in Puwersa, lab.There are many ways to initiate the technique and discipline of ma- a Pagsiklab. Most of the time it nipulating Gahum. Puwersa comes comes when eating the cooked liver naturally to most Gahumnon as of a powerful being that has accrued they accrue experience and knowl- huge amounts of Gahum. Other edge. There are five Puwersa tech- times it done during a point of psy- niques:Hinga, Kalasag, Ramdam, chic or spiritual awakening, during Pumatay, Magpahayag. a pilgrimage, or a religious act. Sometimes it can be forced, through intense training, or eating of power- ful Alimaduan filled food.. HINGA RAMDAM When you wish to activate your Sense.Spend 1 Gahum while Gahum, Commit 1 Gahum to acti- Hinga is active to sense all crea- vate this as long as that Gahum is tures with souls within the vicin- Committed. ity.Let your Gahum feel. By doing Breathe.Let your Gahum flow. By this, the Gahumnon lets their doing this, the Gahumnon brings Gahum smoke out other beings that their body to top state that it can. have Souls. Those that have Hinga The Hinga technique is the first activated will be snuffed out by this technique to learning Puwersa. technique. This is a popular way to Hinga also lets one’s Usbong, the seek out monsters and other magi- natural color of their Gahum, shine cal creatures or things as well. through. Hinga is required to be ac- PUMATAY tive to use the rest of the Puwersa techniques. Turning it off also Kill. While Hinga is not active, makes your Gahum undetectable by Commit 1 Gahum to activate this. normal means. While this is active gain +1 when In addition, Gahum is reactive to Keeping Composure. Cannot acti- the Gahumnon’s emotional state. vate Hinga.Let your Gahum die. The more intense their emotions, This is forceful suspension of the feelings, and passions, the brighter flowing Gahum flame. By doing and more powerful it becomes (as this, the Gahumnon’s physical pres- long as Hinga is active). This can ence becomes hard to sense, their lead to powerful amounts of exer- natural scent and footsteps disap- tion. Every Gahumnon has a burn- pear. In addition, with their Gahum ing soul-color, their personal halos, gone, they become more defensible that tinges and colors their body, en- against spiritual and mental attacks, veloping them in a cocoon of spirit- as they have less open avenues for burn. This burning soulslight is metaphysical attack. called Usbong, and it appears first MAGPAHAYAG form the outermost parts of the Express.When Hinga is activated body—ie the tips of their hair, their and you wish to use your Gahum fingers, their toes, slowly making its type, use a Magpahayag Move as way to the liver. Each Usbong color stated by your Flame-Book.Let is unique for the Gahumnon your Gahum burn. This is the ex- KALASAG pression of your Gahum, and by ac- Shield.While Hinga is active, this tivating this, you can express your is also active.You gain Kalasag, a Gahum type, and manipulate the depletable barrier that protects you world according to it. from harm. The Kalasag has a rating equal to 2 + their Spirit rating. When a person using Kalasag is damaged, the damage deplets their Kalasag first. Once Kalasag is depleted, the shield shatters, and all remaining damage will inflict Wounds. tions. They roll to dodge, they roll SYSTEMS to attack, to speak, and to resist. There are little widgets of rules that trigger whenever your charac- CONFLICT ter does something. These are called “Thou shalt kill.”- The Seventh Systems,and they’re a way to in- Commandment of Batalang Mayka- form the consequences and results pal. of a specific action. In short: when Giant:Giant creatures are huge rolling something that has a conse- and physically imposing. They deal quence, and is covered by a system, +1 damage against, and they suffer use the system. -1 damage from, creatures that Most of the things that you’ll be aren’t giant or an army. rolling for are covered by the Sys- Army: Armies are huge swathes of tems. The rest of the actions must be fighters, ranging from a drunk mob arbitrated and ruled by the Arbiter. to an elite Panginoon personal Remember that Systems are only guard. They deal +1 damage there to helpguide the narrative into against, and they suffer -1 damage interesting, unknown places,one that from, creatures that aren’t giant or would take even the Arbiter off an army. guard. Armor:Armor always has a rating. Actions that trigger a System is Whenever someone wearing armor usually stated on its first line, or in is damaged, they subtract their Ar- bold.An example is the system Flut- mor rating from the damage. ter. Damage:Damage is inflicted as FLUTTER Wounds, unless the target has some form of Kalasag, then the damage When you move dexterously to subtracts from the Kalasag pool avoid danger or complication, test first. your REBELLION.On a full suc- ◆ 1 point of damage usually cess, you evade whatever was the means little cuts, accidental dam- incoming danger. On a partial suc- age. cess, you evade the danger, but an- ◆ 2-3 points of damage are sword other complication comes up. blows, falling damage, and flying arrows. The trigger forMake God Bleedis ◆ 4-6 points of damage are very “When you move dexterously to violent effects: being hit by a can- avoid danger or complication”. nonball, being crushed by a boulder This means whenever you, the destroyed by a halimaw. player, narrate that your character is ◆ 7-10 points of damage is along going to dodge a danger by moving the lines of being submerged in really quickly, perhaps by parkour- lava, or being hurled onto a moon. ing or other ninja shenanigans, this ◆ 13+ points of damage is usually system triggers and the Arbiter re- almost cosmic in scale: being solves the action according to the crushed by a violent saint, being rules presented in the System. ravaged by a secret martial art of a It is important to remember that Fallen. only the players ever roll in Karan- duun, the Arbiter simply says what happens, the consequences, and the results of a Karanduun’s ac- Range:Due to the nature of the COMBAT SYSTEMS fights of Karanduun, distances and ranges change very quickly. There MAKE GOD BLEED are four ranges:Close, Short, Far,and When you bring about physical Out. violence with a weapon or your ◆ Close Range is five feet within body, test your COMBAT.On a par- each other, facilitating close melee tial success, you exchange a flurry combat. of intense blows. Deal your damage ◆ Short range is 10 to 60 feet of upon the victim of your wrath, but each other, the optimal range for you also suffer their damage. Re- firefights. member to subtract Armor from ◆ Far Range is around 70 to 120 damage. feet of each other, usually reserved On a full success, deal your dam- for long range comat. age and choose one below: ◆ Out Range is past 200 feet al- ◆ Your attack deals an extra ready. Usually shouting range, only Wound. Out-ranged weapons can be fired ◆ The target cannot retaliate. from this range. ◆ You attack gains one of the fol- WOUNDS, KALASAG, AND lowing tags:restraining, smashing, DEATH penetrating. Each Player Character can take up On a failure, you don’t deal dam- to 3 Wounds before becoming Inca- age, and you suffer the violence that pacitated, wherein they will die you have brought upon yourself: within an hour if not given medical get damaged by an enemy’s attack. attention. If they suffer anymore This is a very versatile System: damage while Incapacitated, they grabbing an enemy and restraining die. them would use this System. One mighty advantage that the as- pirant Karanduun have is the Puw- HOLD THE SKY GATES ers technique known as Kalasag, When you defend yourself or an- wherein their Gahum envelops other person from hostility or dan- them in an invisible shield. The ger, test your COMBAT.On a Kalasag has a rating equal to 2 + partial success, hold 1, and on a full their Spirit rating. When a person success, hold 3. You can then spend, using Kalasag is damaged, the dam- 1-for-1, the points below as long as age deplets their Kalasag first. Once you are Holding the Gates of the Kalasag is depleted, the shield shat- Sky ters, and all remaining damage will ◆ Redirect an attack towards inflict Wounds. yourself. If they have 33 Gahum or above, ◆ Reduce the Wounds inflicted by their Soul awakes in Sulad, the Un- 1. derworld. They must find a way ◆ Give the character you’re de- back. fending +1 on their next test. SHAKE THE PILLARS OF HEAVEN against an enemy, test COMBAT. When entering into single combat On a partial success, your army with someone you are an even deals their Wounds equal to their match with, answer the following Strength, deducted by the target’s questions and gain +1d for each Drill or Armor, and they are open to affirmative answer, or 1 temporary retaliation. On a full success, deal Gahum for each negative answer. damage as above, but also pick one: ◆ Do you have some kind of up- ◆ Avoid retalitation. per hand? ◆ Inflict 1 extra Wound. ◆ Are you better trained than NON-COMBAT SYSTEMS them? ◆ Do you have equipment that INSPIRE will give you an advantage? When you ignite emotion and in- Afterwards, Roll COMBAT. Both still passion into a group of people, you and your opponent gain 2
RULER MOVES You gain Rule as your Gahum DEVOTION Fallen, non-Mortal, or non-Servant Your strength is hard to ignore. being, deal an additional 1 Wound When meeting a new NPC, you and gain 1 Armor against their at- may roll PRESENCE.On a partial tacks. or full success, they join you as a fol- STEEL DICTATOR REIGN lower. You can only have a number When you command a being with of followers equal to your PRES- the sheer power of your authority, ENCE trait. spend 3 Gahum.You impose a geas Followers have two traits:Skill of terror upon the individual: you andLoyalty . They begin at 2 each. state the terms and conditions of Skill is rolled when they do any- this geas of command. If they thing that is within their concept. should break it, horrible disaster Loyalty is rolled when you order will befall them. them to do anything. A partial suc- cess makes it so that they do what TO THE PROMISED LAND you ask them to, but they will de- When you spill your own blood mand something afterwards, which upon the ground, and you sanctify if you don’t fulfill, lowers their Loy- it with holy Gahum, Commit 3 alty. Afull success makes them do it Gahum.All the ground up to Far without question. Range of you is considered Batala- Each follower has one thing that blessed land: Fallen and Engkanto, they want from you when they first and other beings aligned with the agree to join you. The Arbiter must New Heaven cannot enter or suffer outline this, but usually it’s one of 3 Wounds that ignore armor. the following:Resources, Protection, Knowledge, or Fame THE HOLY VISAGE OF THE RULER ADVANCED MOVES You become a burning sun, a sym- At every odd numbered Gahum bol of overwhelming power and Tier after 1, you can choose an ad- commandment.Commit 3 Gahum. vanced move from here, a non-ad- As long as that Gahum is commit- vanced move from here, or a non- ted, all your Followers gain +3d to advanced move from another all their rolls, and all your allies are Flame-Book. considered Followers as well. THE STOPPING WORD Your word must be heeded, no TRAITS matter the cost, for that is the truth COMBAT: of the ruler.Once per scene, when REBELLION: you call out a person to redirect SCHOLARSHIP: their attention to you or someone PRESENCE: else, they must do so.If you do this SPIRIT: in combat, the next time an ally at- tacks the target in combat, they in- flict 1 extra Wound. IN THE NAME OF GOD Your ruling comes from Batala Themself, and thus you carry with you Their burning authority and holiness.When fighting with a can hide the equipment. PANOPLY Reflex:Equipment with this tag al- Equipment is one of the most im- lows rolls to be made with REBEL- portant aspects of a PCs life. Equip- LION when using it. ment is usually equippable and Ammunition:Items with this tag usable. have 3 ammo. Whenever you use that item and roll a failure, subtract TAGS 1 ammo. 1 ammo costs 1 yaman Adding Tags usually cost an addi- from appropriate sources. tional 1 Yaman. Ranged:Usually noted is their EQUIPMENT maximum range (usually Far or GENERAL EQUIPMENT Out). Ranged weapons can be at- General Equipment is usually tacked from outside Short range. equipment that can give +1d on rel- Costs no Yaman on Short Range, but evant rolls. This is easy to craft. 1Yaman on Far Range, and 2 on Out Most equipment have 3, 5, and 7 Range.ARanged weapon cannot be uses. 3 uses cost 1 yaman, 5 costs 2, Melee. and 7 costs 3. Melee:Can only be used when in Here are some example General Close range. Costs no Yaman. A Equipment: Melee weapon cannot be Ranged. • Bamboo Mentala Scrolls:+1d Thrown: This can be thrown up to when Performing Witchery. Short range. • Healer’s Medicinal Lorebook: Brutal:This weapon inflicts +1 +1d when performing Healer’s Wound. Faithful Application. Blessed:This weapon inflicts +1 • Opyo:A native form of opium, Wound against Halimaw, Aswang smells of burning gumamela. +1d and Maligno. If armor, reduces when you Make God Bleed or Shake damage taken from the same by 1. The Pillars of Heaven while in Fury Burning: Until the one hit by it re- of Trance moves it accordingly in the fiction, • Writing Implements:+1d when this weapon inflicts a continuous 1 writing the Script of God. Wound every round. • Craftman’s Tools:+1d when Penetrating:Those with this tag performing The Craft. ignores half an opponent’s Armor (rounded up). Entropic:Those with this tag are Medicineis a different kind of usually Enchanted items and ignore Equipment that removes 1 Wound all of an opponent’s Armor. when used.Enchanted Medicine heals 1 Kalasag when used. Restraining:Those with this tag can choose to reduce damage by 1 COMBAT EQUIPMENT and immobilize an enemy. Smashing:Those with this tag can The important equipment for ad- reduce damage by 1 to push an en- venturers and would-be heroes of emy back by 1 range band. Paraiso. This equipment is sought after a lot, and in a ruined heaven, Area:Those with this tag affects one that has nurtured a thriving those within Short range of the tar- economy of war and murder and get. raiding. Concealable:Those with this tag WEAPONS and turned into a dagger.Melee, Split into three categories: Medium, Brutal, Thrown (Dagger). 3 Light costs 0 Yaman as a base cost, Yaman. and inflicts 1 Wound. Here are some Heavy costs 2 Yaman and inflicts 3 example light weapons: Wounds. Some examples are: ◆ Karayom, a popular assassin’s ◆ Lantaka, a huge brass or bronze tool, thin and can be worn as a hair- cannon with the head of a dragon, pin and can have thin strands once mounted on fortresses and looped within.Light, Penetrating, ships, now used by you.Heavy, Thrown, Melee, Reflex. 3 Yaman. Ranged (Far), Brutal, Area, Ammuni- ◆ Kris, a dagger with a wavy tion, Smashing. 5 Yaman. blade, usually a sign of nobility, ◆ Panabas, a blade with a long hilt used mostly by servants or Pangi- and large, curved blade used mostly noon.Melee, Thrown, Brutal, Light. 2 for cutting crops, now used to cut Yaman. souls.Heavy, Melee, Brutal. 3 Yaman. ◆ Buntot-Pagi, a stingray tail ◆ Headhunting Axe, a huge axe turned into a whip, popular against with a huge blade.Heavy, Melee, aswang and other monsters.Melee, Brutal, Penetrating. 4 Yaman. Light, Reflex, Blessed Restraining. 3 ARMOR Yaman. Is split similarly: ◆ Bloodcaster, a pistol that fires globs of the crystallized goldblood Lightcosts 1 Yaman and grants 1 of Batala.Ranged, Light, Reflex, Am- Armor.Medium costs 2 Yaman and munition. 4 Yaman. grants 2 Armor.Heavy costs 3 Ya- ◆ Karayom-Cloudbuster, a ball of man, grants 3 Armor, but imposes - rattan that, when thrown, sends 1d on rolls to move stealthily. It’s up karayom needles into a small area. to you to describe how your armor Ranged, Light, Reflex, Ammunition, looks like. Area. 3 Yaman. YAMAN Medium costs 1 Yaman and inflicts 2 Wounds. Some examples are: Yaman is a combination of cur- ◆ Kampilan, a large blade with a rency, barter, and social standing spike used to spike decapitated that helps you buy the things that heads.Melee, Medium, Brutal. 2 Ya- you might need. Yaman can go up man. to 10, with 10 being the height of ◆ Martilyo, a hammer used for richness. forging, repurposed, of course. At the beginning of every Session Melee, Medium, Smashing. 1 Yaman. you begin with a permanent Yaman ◆ Recurve Bow, a bow made of score as dictated by your Flame- ironwood, curved for stronger Book. Permanent Yaman can rise at puncturing power.Ranged (Short), Arbiter’s discretion, usually as re- Medium, Penetrating, Ammunition. 3 wards. Yaman. You can spend a number of Yaman ◆ Rifling, a gun with a long barrel every session equal to your Perma- for further attacks, penetrates nent Yaman. You canpermanently cleanly through armor.Ranged (Far), remove 1 Permanent Yaman to gain Medium, Penetrating, Ammunition. 2 2 Yaman for spending. Yaman ◆ Sibat, a spear made of bamboo with a head that can be removed SERVICES AND SUNDRIES other people, as it is public trans- For the right amount of bulawan, it port. Gets you to and from Biringan, is easy to find all kinds of sundries as well as the other capital cities of and services, especially when in the the Trinity: Alhambra of the Ys- Enchanted City. Here are just some paranzan Empire, Lemuria of the services and sundries you can buy Inglasian Empire, and Shikyu of the while in Communes. Yurei Empire. SERVICES ARMIES Albularyo: Afolk-faith healer. Will A large fighting force is integral to remove all your Wounds for 2 Ya- warring and combat in heaven. man. Hard to haggle with. Double Armies (which don’t have to be ac- the price if they don’t like you. tual armies, but little mobs, gangs, Kawal: Once faithful to a Pangi- or militias), are groups of NPCs that noon, if they’re going around selling do battle and follow a Commander. their services, they’re less imperial They have the following stats:Size guard and more mercenaries. Out- which acts as their health, from 1 to fitted with adequate equipment. 6. With 1 being around 10+, and 6 Will serve as assets in battle when being 1,000.Strength acts as their needed, or a Follower, for 2 Yaman. Damage when attacking, from 1 to Sugo: For 1 Yaman per hour, they 5, with 1 being broken shards of will work as your diplomat and glass and iron pipes, and 5 being en- spokesperson. When testing PRES- chanted weapons and siege ENCE, you may roll with +1d as weaponry.Discipline acts as the long as the Sugo speaks for you. army’s Armor, ranging from 0 to 3. Babaylan: A spirit medium, can 0 is a quickly thrown together mob, speak for you when conversing while 3 is a tightly knit band, a with spirits, saints, and gods. Can black company. also convert Alimaduan into Gahum for you. Costs 3 Yaman per task. THE SECRET Panday: You can ask a Panday to craft or add tags to your equipment. The Secret of Blaspheming the Karakoa:A fast moving ship that Word of God is the act of using se- will get you from one heaven-isle to cret words, gestures, and heretic another, sailing across the rainbow sympathies and alchemies to sub- Sea of Collective Thought. Costs 2 vert reality and change it according Yaman. Roll 1d6. On a 1-3, some- to your will. It is something taught thing interesting happens. to a person from childhood to make sure their paradigm is changed Salimbal:A flying ship that sails completely. Those that perform the you across the sky, will get you from Secret are called Witches, some- one heaven-isle to another even times more accurately Mangkuku- faster than a karakoa. 2-in-6 chance lam, and their art is called Witchery. of something dangerous happening. Dambuhala Transport:Repur- posed mecha war machines in the shape of giant crocodiles, water buffalos, eagles, serpent dragons, and man. Costs 1 Yaman only, but you must travel with almost 100 All those initiated in the Secret can during the night, and you must perform the spellRevealing, a form have one of their personal belong- of counterspelling used to unravel ings or a part of their body.After the Witcheries. You can spend 2 orasy- night, deal damage equal to 2 + ones to dispel a Witchery, spend 4 to your SPIRIT or SCHOLARSHIP, dispel a Greater Witchery, and 6 to with theEntropic tag. dispel a Greatest Witchery. ◆ Change Wood:You can change the shape of a medium sized item WITCHERIES made of wood, as if it were clay. Simple Witcheries, or simply called Witcheries, are the lowest GREATEST WITCHERIES rungs of power, usually just manip- The Darkest Secret is the most ulating existing laws, or small-scale blasphemous of heresies, the most changes. brazen acts of lying to God. The cost Each witchery costs 1 orasyones. 5 orasyones, and cannot be used un- ◆ Ride the Lightning:The clouds less initiated in the Darkest Secret. hear your prayer to lightning. You ◆ Barang:Sorcery, meant to kill. may call upon lightning to bring Choose one victim, out of combat, you to place you’ve already been to. during the night, someone you ◆ Oropok:The accursed word of know. After the night, kill that per- pests, you summon insects, rats, son, but you can say whether they and other pests that you may use to die the next day, the next moon, or Make God Bleed. Roll using the next revolution around the sun- SCHOLARSHIP and it has the tags that-is-a-corpse. Light, Penetrating, Ranged (Short), ◆ Wave the Monsala:A Monsala Area is a kerchief filled with magic. ◆ Ironwood Skin:Your skin be- Choose one person who has died comes as hard as mangkono, the un- within 3 days. They are revived, breakable ironwood. You have fully healed. Heavyarmor, with an additional +1 ◆ Sail the Sky:Take a month, in a Armor. land. The island in which you per- ◆ Whispershade:You whisper formed the ritual is plucked out of into stone or wood, and the stone or the Sea of Collective Thought, and wood hides you within it. you fly it into Nothingness, outside of Batala. GREATER WITCHERIES ◆ The Path of the Bahaghari:The Bahaghari is the King’s Rainbow. The Darker Secret is a more arro- Use this when it is raining. The rain gant blasphemy. They cost 3 orasy- will disappear, and a burning rain- ones, and cannot be used unless bow will teleport you into another initiated in the Darker Secret. universe. ◆ Tongue of Flame:Flame erupts from your fingertip after an utter- ance of a Secret. This can be used to Make God Bleed or Shake the Pillars of Heaven. It has the tags:Blessed, Entropic, Ranged (Short), Medium, Burning ◆ Kulam:The iconic sympathetic curse. Choose one victim. This can only be used outside of combat and with those in mind. CORE ◆ The Multiverse is Dangerous and there will be blood.The killing ASSUMPTIONS of Batalang Maykapal has necessi- There are a number of Core As- tated violence into the fabric of real- sumptions that an Arbiter (and ity. Karanduun (especially the web Player) should keep in mind when serial this was based off of, Angel’s playing a game of Karanduun. Ladder) exults in violence and mar- There are four main assumptions, tial arts in all forms: physical, men- feel free to add one more. tal, social, and spiritual. There’s no more room for complacency. You ◆ The Multiverse is Dead, but have to stand and make God bleed. maybe in its final gasps, it was glo- ◆ One of your own:Write it down rious.As it stands, there is no way and tell your players. It’s important. to actually reverse the killing of Batalang Maykapal. His death brought upon entropy, and the THE ARBITER death of the multiverse. But in this TheArbiter is one of the players of post-God world, maybe the would- the game that facilitates the game, be Karanduun could make the explores the world, and finds out world a better place. It might not be the story as it happens within the redemption but the last hurrah need game. They are given the nameAr- not be one of defeat. bitersince they do exactly that: arbi- ◆ Heaven is ruined and everyone trate the actions of the players suffers together.Not just souls or according to the rules and laws of angels live in Heaven’s cosmic ar- the setting. chipelago anymore, but everyone. As an Arbiter, you haveresponsi- Take this into account. Every soul bilitiesand responses. These are means you can fit almost any your bread and butter when it mythological creature within here. comes to facilitating play. Follow This jives well with the Filipino way them to a T. of just grabbing cool things and adding it to culture. RESPONSIBILITIES ◆ Steeped in Filipino Myth, Nar- ratives and Folklore.Decolonizing, As anArbiter, you have the follow- rebellion narratives, struggling un- ing Responsibilities that you must der a feudal world, money for the adhere to when arbitrating a game family, you against the world, of Karanduun. Follow the follow- overly religious, diasporan confu- ing, and then add one or more of sion, impossible love between social your own, to make the game really classes, actual love between social yours. classes, the dream of leaving the ◆ Call them by their names.Call country, wishing what others have, the Players by their Characters’ misguided celebration of approp- names, not their real name. priated culture, dying indigenous ◆ Follow the Systems.The Sys- lands, the overwhelming power of tems are there to facilitate action, so imperialism, the greatest god that is as that a story doesn’t just become a money... use these popular Filipino “he said, she said,” and instead be- tropes common in modern Filipino comes a game. A Role-Playing pop culture to enrich the Karan- Game, if you will. duun experience, as it was written ◆ Describe the place and situa- Karanduun are not the only crea- tion.This is arguably one of the tures that live in the Multiverse, most important responsibilities, and it certainlydoes notrevolve and hardest ones. You have to around them. They have to work to present and illustrate a situation to get noticed. Things change, people your players, but additionally you move. A good way to do this is if have to present a breathing world the Players come back to a place that their Player Characters exist they’ve been to before, change and live in. Describe in detail, and some things, kill a few people, de- appeal to their five senses. When molish or build a few buildings. describing a Sigben, instead say Create a living world that the Play- “you see a strange goat-dog, with ers can believe they live in. larger hind feet than forefeet, and ◆ Urge them to be Karanduun. drooping ears, and you hear the Let them do cool things, let them sound of clapping, and you smell describe how they do things. Re- rotten eggs.” member the RoC system. Let them ◆ Put the Aspirant Karanduun RoC. in danger, make their lives excit- ◆ Let them fill in some details. ing.The heroes of the story can The Multiverse is vast, so let the only become the titular Karanduun players fill in some details, espe- if they’re put in danger and come cially with theLight a FireSystem. out victorious. Do that. It echoes ◆ Raise the Stakes.The higher the larger themes of the game as the stakes, the more exciting, and well: heroes put in a dead world, subsequently the more invested shining defiantly against a dying your players will be. Aspirant night. Karanduun are not invisible, you ◆ Respond. As an Arbiter, it’s see. your job to react to what the players ◆ Embrace the Weird.As with want to do. The players drive the above, things are weird, and dying. story forth, and you respond with Feel free to steal from Filipino folk- moves and calling out systems. lore for this, as it is very weird. Only the player uses Systems, you ◆ Tighten the Social Order.The only Respond. Turn moves back to ruined heaven is in a very horrible the players, give them the initia- neofeudal system, so go ahead and tive. You must respond with the ap- impose that even more. propriate responses, as befits the ◆ Name everyone.Grab a ran- setting, the fiction, and the actions dom name generator and name ev- of your players, in that order. Re- eryone. It’s the Multiverse, just sponses make sure that the story mix-n-match. (I mean, in the Philip- doesn’t juststop. pines, everyone mixes and matches ◆ The Karanduun are gonna be names from almost any culture cool people so cheer them on. anyway). Don’t hate them, but put them in ◆ Kill them All.Show them danger, the darkest of dungeons, what it means to make God bleed. and then just cheer for them when Outside protected communes, they try to get out. Like watching Paraiso is a realm of darkness filled an anime or reading a good fantasy with malignant monsters and hali- novel. maw. Kill them when they fuck up ◆ Make a Living World.Okay, enough. Death is an everpresent funny, because the Multiverse is consequence in the ruined heaven. dead. What I meant was: the RESPONSES Ruinous Responsesare the highest echelon, only really used sparingly, As stated, Responses are your own and during golden opportunities “Systems” and “Moves”. Imagine when a player fucks up horren- the Arbiter being a Flame-Book on dously, after a steam of questionable its own. As an Arbiter, you do not and consequence-begging actions. roll, you simply respond. This is ev- As an aspiran Karanduun, their ident in combat, where you can re- nameswill be held accountable. taliate when a Make God Bleed roll ◆ Let someone or something be comes up as a partial success. destroyed or die. One they care Withering Responsesare responses about. of retaliation and warning, a nudg- ◆ Let the Antagonists win. ing of the players in a direction. Use ◆ Severely cripple their progress these when your players look to in some way or another. you, wondering what happens now, ◆ Change a part of the setting or when you retaliate. Withering Re- somehow, according to the fiction. ponses usually don’t have immedi- ◆ Cripple a character by reducing ate consequences. The following are their Gahum Tier, according to the some Withering Responses. Feel fiction. free to remove one and replace it ◆ Let part of the world succumb with one of your own. to the Kawalan. ◆ Bring unwanted attention to the PCs. THE KAWALAN ◆ Let strange sorceries stir, things The Kawalan, oblivion, is a catch- are not as they seem. all term for the all encompassing en- ◆ Put the players at risk of harm. ◆ tropy set in motion after the death Present players something com- of God. Slowly, the Multiverse, pelling, and something they might starting with Paraiso, is slipping not understand. ◆ into nothingness, as it eats away at Endanger a person or item they the world. This Nothingness will care about. ◆ eventually eat the entire world. The Endanger a resource. Karanduun can only abate it for so ◆ Give a hard bargain. ◆ long. This catastrophe usually will Advance the antagonist’s plan. not happen during a campaign or Decisive Responsesare responses to game, unless wanted by the agreed failed answers to Withering Moves, themes and paramters of the game. when the players fuck up, or when However, remembering that the a System fails. These are hard ac- Kawalan is there and inevitable is a tions that affect the players signifi- great way to set a melancholic cantly, the immediate consequence mood, a rage against the dying of their actions. light. ◆ Inflict harm and Wounds upon a player or someone/something they care about. ◆ Split the players apart. ◆ Take away a resource. ◆ Let their rivals or enemies get away with something important. ◆ Set the players back in some way. ENEMIES COMMON ENEMIES While you can follow the detailed Paraiso is dangerous and filled creation rules, you can also choose with dangerous enemies. Here is one from here and reskin it to your how to make some dangerous ene- liking. Here are some Common Ene- mies. mies. An enemy has the following stats: Threat:Measures how much dan- THREAT 0 ger they pose to the Players, as well TAMBAY as dictates the difficulty to hit them. (Army, Size 1, Strength 1, Disci- Their threat number is the number pline 0) These are the various folk of Hits needed for a Partial Success, that lounge about Paraiso, usually with +1 of that needed for a Full Biringan, doing nothing but surviv- Success. This goes from 0 to 3, with ing and staying strong together. 4 and 5 reserved for truly powerful If fought one by one: beings. 0s are easy mooks, normal Wounds: 3 people. 1s are combatants that can Damage:1 (Rusty knives, broken hold their own. 2s are capable beasts shards of glass, stones) and dangers that even trained peo- ple have a hard time against. 3s are Armor:0 powerful beings, usually those that Responses: Withering: Hoy Tangi- can take on low level Karanduun namo! The player has to attack this without a sweat. 4s are great mytho- army. logical beasts, and Archons, with 5s TULISAN being on the same power level as Bandits that steal from others to the Trinity. preserve themselves. Name and Lore:Their name and Wounds: 2 place in Paraiso. If they have the Gi- Damage:2 (Rifles, Bows and Ar- ant or Army tag, it will say so here. rows, Swords) Wounds: How much wounds they Armor:1 (Leather paddings) can suffer. Usually this is their Responses:Withering: Backup.1 Threat + 2. Although if they are more Tulisan joins the fight. Once hardy, it would be Threat + 3. per fight. Damage:The damage they inflict COURTIER upon players. This follows the Noble seductresses and diplomats, weapon rules above, although mag- indispensable when you need ical beings deal an additional +1. someone on your side. This has tags sometimes as well, Wounds: 2 usually for more powerful beings. Damage:1 (Karayom) Armor:Same as above armor stats. Armor:0 Responses: These are the re- Responses: Decisive: Butterfly Eyes sponses that the enemy can do. Usu- Defense.The player engaged with ally they are tagged either the Courtier must Keep Steady or Withering or Decisive, to show they cannot attack the Courtier. which you can do when the player fails rolls, etc. THREAT 1 THREAT 2 KAWAL GLUTTONY DEMON The once noble knights and prote- A Fallen, possessing the corpus of cotrs of God, now mercenaries wan- a pig spirit, which burns with or- dering this ruined heaven, offering ange flame within a stone-pig cara- protection against the dangerous pace. Is constantly hungry, and world. wishes to eat Gahum. Tasty. Wounds: 3 Wounds: 5 Damage:2 (Sibat and knives) Damage:6 (Bolo cleaver, brutal) Armor:2 (Carabao horn plate and Armor:4 (Pig Carapace) hardwood kalasag shield) Responses: Withering: Pig Skin. Responses:Withering: Tactics.The Deduct whatever damage by 1.De- next attack takes advantage of cisive: Hold and Throw. The player is planned tactics, and deals +1 dam- grabbed and thrown to the Far age.Decisive: Never Miss a Beat.The range, and suffers damage + 2. Kawal deals damage in response to MAMBABARANG even a full success. An Aswang, known to send insects CHIEF to kill people, hatching eggs within Those chiefs and leaders of war- follicles of skin. Do not anger her. riors, usually riding upon enslaved Will not heal you. Prefers to live crocodile spirits across the wastes of outside of communities. Not inher- Paraiso. ently evil. Wounds: 4 Wounds: 4 Damage:3 (Lantaka, smashing, Damage:2 (insects, Entropic) area, penetrating) Armor: 3(Protective Anting-Ant- Armor:3 (Crocodile skin) ing) Responses:Withering: Charge!The Responses: Decisive: Accursed chief always has a Size 1, Strength 1, Ground.The target of this curse can- Discipline 1 Army. This attacks for not move or talk until healed by him.Decisive: Watch that.When the rubbing salt upon their feet and chief deals damage, mark the one mouth. damaged. When they fail a System, BAGUHANG DISCIPLE OF THE the Chief may deal damage auto- WAR ARTS matically, even if they are not the Also known as anAlagad, they fol- one being attacked. low the great martial art of inflicting MAGINOO violence with no weapons. This one The last vestiges of the old social is just a newbie, but has combat ex- order, the Maginoo are the nobles perience under their belt. clad in baroque jacket-robes and Wounds: 4 golden jewelry. Damage:1 (Fists, Penetrating, bru- Wounds: 3 tal) Damage:2 (Kampilan, Brutal) Armor:0 Armor: 3(Protective Anting-Ant- Responses:Withering: Violent Arts. ing) Deal an additional +2 damage when Responses: Decisive: Accuse.Ac- counterattacking.Decisive: Hablot. cuse the player of doing something Grab the player’s weapon and wrong, and everyone will believe throw it to Far range. the Maginoo. THREAT 3 overcome before they can get what ALAGAD NG SINING they want. PANDIGMA THREAT 4 This one’s not a newbie, well versed in the Secret of Violence, as This is usually reserved for truly taught by the martial artists that re- powerful beings, those of myth and side in the alleyways, in the sabong might. cockpits, in the sides of the road, BAKUNAWA drinking, the drunk, the tambays. Once a spirit in love, her spawn Wounds: 5 has become a brood of moon and Damage:2 (Rattan sticks, smash- god eaters. These cosmic serpent fly ing, penetrating, brutal) across both the firmament and the Armor:0 collective sea of thought in search of moon spirits to eat. The Bakunawa Responses: Withering: Witik Tech.A is a Giant and an Army. Its the Gahum user cannot use a Gahum length of seven moons. move on the next round. A normal person cannot move on the next Wounds: 7 round.Decisive: Awaken, War God. Damage:3 (teeth and scales, en- Unleash a flurry of blows, making tropic, brutal, area, smashing, burn- your attackentropic and dealing an ing) additional +1 Wound. Armor: 4 (Moonscales) WARRIOR KAPRE Responses: Withering: Scales of Kapres are tree giants that have Night.Negate damage once.Deci- been turned into slaves by the Trin- sive: Swallow. Double damage ac- ity, but now set free once again. cordingly. If this would fill the They like tobacco a lot, and they live target’s Wounds, that target is now in forest communities, and are affec- swallowed whole. tionate. They are Giants. DATU PRAKASH ARSIYA Wounds: 6 A powerful multidimensional Damage:4 (Huge tree) warrior who travels the multiverse Armor:3 (Natural bark skin) in search for a challenge. Responses:Decisive: House of Trees. Wounds: 6 The kapre, when near trees, can dis- Damage: 1(Fists, Brutal, Penetrat- appear into it. ing) RAHA/PANGINOON/LAKAN Armor:3 (Anting-Anting of Pro- The previous noble lords now rele- tection) gated to becoming Kings and Gang Responses:Withering: Hm? You’re Lords of either gang empires within too slow! Pick it up!The Datus at- cities or the Unconquered Isles that tacks deal +2 Wounds, and have the float about the edge of Heaven. entropic tag, and he can attack Wounds: 5 twice.Decisive: Have you ever heard these words? FIST OF GOD!This Damage: 3 (Enchanted weapon, deals +4 damage, is entropic, entropic, area) smashing, and burning. Armor:2 (Protective Tattoos/Ant- ing-Anting) Responses:Decisive: Hide.The Raha knows one thing that the play- ers want, and they can create on bar- rier that they must pass or THREAT 5 ARCHON: SHOGUN SOLEMAN An Archon of Death under Shin- seina Yueri, the Holiest Ghost. Wields the terrible Spear of Swal- lowing Fear, and prefers to fight en- emies on single combat. He fears no death for he is dead. He follows the Holiest Ghost without fear. His skin is burning red, as he is ogre, he is god of fighting. Wounds: 8 Damage:3 (Spear of Swallowing Fear, Entropic, Brutal, Smashing, Area) Armor: 4 (Ironed Skin) Responses: Withering: Disappear.Hide into shadow, Soleman disappears. Decisive: Swallowing Fear. Deal +3 damage, and the target must Stand Steady or die. Ruinous: Implacable.When the Shogun is killed, he rises again with half Wounds.
Biringan), so they chained light THE TEMPLE- spirits to the walls, filling the rooms with a gloomy green glow. (This BODY OF ARING glow can be seen from outside). SINUKUAN It has become a festering drug den where the drug Angel’s Blossom is “Your body is the temple of God.” sold, one that allows a forceful as- The Temple Body of Aring tral projection of a Soul into the Sinukuan is a huge, hundred foot Sea of Collective Thought. It has a tall ironwood statue of Aring triumvirate of head honchos that Sinukuan, a powerful war deity rule over it from the head of the stat- crowned in a huge pudong-pudong ue:Dehadong Alehandro, the head and a cascading baquero (jacket that honcho who cannot fight in hand to reaches the ankles). They wear the hand combat, but will fuck you up clothes of a man, but within they are with his cronies.Asintador , the a woman. They are never confused, sniper who serves as Alehandro’s but their followers usually are. Ar- right hand man, and is also inexpli- ing Sinukuan has two names: Aring cably connected to one of the PCs. Sinukuan and Maria Makiling. Finally,Asong Baliw, the powerful martial artist who follows the Path The statue of Aring Sinukuan has of the Many-Armed Goddess. since been hollowed out after the mountain and war spirit was killed The PCs will go in relatively safe, by the Fallen, now a place of dese- with 10 other people with them, in- cration, a devil pit, where the drug cludingHepe Locsin, who is a cor- Angel’s Blossom is being smuggled rupt police official who’s only doing and distributed.Its leader, De- this for the money (because he hadong Alehandro, controls the thinks it’s going to be easy). An- entire Southeastern edge of other is Corporal Tinoy, a Steelplate Biringan because of this. Servant who is more or less the bet- ter man, and can handle himself in a You are on a secret ops team of the fight, and is the one that filed this Biringan Lawkeepers told to raid raid to rid the proliferation of the the temple body and stop opera- Angel’s Blossom drug that has tions. You can choose to be part of ruled over the Southeastern rim of the Lawkeeper force or simply hired Biringan City. help. Arbiter Moves The giant hollows of the temple turned into rooms, and its steel Withering Moves (Use when the play- spine turned into a centerpiece for ers look to you to see what happens): which the rooms are built around. ◆ One of the patrolmen gets hurt. There are 13 floors in all, with each ◆ A room opens. floor other than the ground and 2nd ◆ A room is locked. floor having 10 rooms surrounding ◆ A stairway is opened. the spine, interspersed and running ◆ A stairway is locked. down hallways.For light, they ◆ A weapon is broken. didn’t want to pay the Devilpriests ◆ More goons are on the way. of Ribung Linti (who use Ribung ◆ Asong Baliw moves. Linti’s ever-dying body for infinite energy to power the buildings of Decisive Moves (Use when you need will die. your players to move or when they fail 12. Aroom that Asong Baliw is in. on a roll): 13. Aroom that the Asintador is in. ◆ A patrolman is killed. 14. Aroom guarded by snipers. ◆ They are pushed into a room. 15. A room that opens up to a hall- ◆ They are forced up a stairway. way that has 3 rooms in it, 1 ◆ One of the rooms is locked room being a safe place able to while they’re inside. be Rested in, and the other two ◆ Asintador aims and fires. filled with Druggies. ◆ Asong Baliw is near. 16. A powerful enemy rests within Calamitous Moves (Use when your another room. players have done something incredibly 17. Aroom that can be encountered stupid, or when they fail 2-3 rolls. Use in the highest floor only: the sparingly): room where Alehandro controls ◆ The entire group is torn apart. the functions of the statue- Only the PCs are stuck together. building. Alehandro is inside. ◆ Asong Baliw arrives. 18. A room that goes into the main ◆ Kill Corporal Tinoy. spine hall of the statue, filled ◆ Hepe Locsin kills Dehado Ale- with an Army of Goons. (Size 2, handro. Strength 1, Discipline 1) 19. Aroom with three Wrath Fallen. Rooms(The rooms of the Temple- 20. A room large enough for an en- Body, unless marked with an upside tire army. down star insignia, are in a state of constant flux, always changing, as Enemies: the space within the body is cursed Rank dictates the hits needed to be and escherian): You can roll 1d20 to a partial success, (with +1 being full randomize. success). 1. Akitchenroom,filledwithpots, Threat 0 pans, and utensils, with 1d8 en- DRUGGIES(Army, Size 1, emies inside. Strength 1, Discipline 0) 2. A small studio sized bedroom. 1d4 enemies crammed inside. GOONS 3. A room with a helpful person: Wounds: 3;Damage: 2 (Quick Doctor Randy, who offers to Martial Arts);Armor: 0 hide your players in. The play- Responses:Withering: Rapid Fist.: ers can Rest here. The next combat roll of the PC 4. A room as big as two studio suffers -1d. Once per scene.Decisive: apartment, fits 2d4 enemies. Dirty Haymaker. Deal an additional 1 5. Stairways that lead up. damage, ignoring armor. 6. Stairways that lead down. 7. An elevator that doesn’t work. 8. An elevator that works, but is Threat 1 going up. SNIPERS 9. An elevator that is filled with Wounds: 1;Damage 3 (Ignores ar- goons. mor, sniper rounds);Armor: 0 10. A room where a giant Wrath Responses: Withering: Don’t at- Fallen is chained. tack, but add +1 to the next instance 11. A room that is torn open and of damage. can be jumped down… but you LUST FALLEN ASONG BALIW Lust is the lowest order of Fallen, Unknown, but a well known mas- and they have a lust for anything: ter of the Secret of the Thousand- pleasure, blood even destruction. Armed Goddess. Can launch bar- Lust Fallen inhabit feminine cara- rages of attacks and feels no pain. paces that resemble mantises more Wounds: 4 than humans. Damage: 2 (Fists, Melee) Wounds: 4 Armor: 0 Damage: 2 (Bloodlust Claw style) Responses: Armor: 1 (Brimstone carapace) Withering: Asong Baliw ignores the Responses: Withering: Instill Lust. next instance of damage. The PC must attack the Lust Fallen Decisive: Six Billion Demon Fist: A or suffer -1d.Decisive: Unravel. Dou- barrage of attacks that deals an ad- ble the Bloodlust Claw attack’s ditional +4 damage, and has the damage and push the PC back one tags entropic, smashing, thrown. range band.
Threat 2 WRATH FALLEN (Giant) Wrath is the fifth order of the Fallen, burning with anger. They inhabit giant brimstone carapaces of boar and wrath spirits. Wounds 5 Damage: 3 (Brimstone Clubfist, Penetrating, Brutal, Smashing) Armor: 3 (Brimstone Carapace) Responses: Withering: Pin. The PC is now pinned under the Wrath Fallen’s grasp. Decisive: All beings within short range suffer the Wrath Fallen’s damage.
ASINTADOR The sniper that works for Alehan- dro, prefers to kill from afar, and wields the terrible Bow of Consum- ing Black, which fires spikes of black. She hates Servants, since her brother was killed by one. Wounds: 3 Damage: 5 (Bow of Consuming Black, Entropic, Brutal) Responses:Withering: Deal no damage, but add +1 to next damage. man. Their capital City is Lemuria, PARAISO, A the City of Wonder. Shinseina Yurei, the Holiest Ghost, RUINED HEAVEN rules over the Yurei Empire, an em- Cosmic archipelago, multiversal pire of ghosts, of walking corpses islands. Heaven's star-stratum is given life once again. They are, shattered into groups of islands, functionally, immortal. Due to this, some larger than the others. Shat- they live a very strict and feudal un- tered due to the cosmic Divine War life, worshipping angels and demon between Batalang Maykapal, the gods alike, more active in the night Lord Creator of all, and the Saint than in the day. They have strict Trinity. principles, ethics, and work zeal- Expect large archipelagos that cir- ously and tirelessly for their lord cle larger shards of heaven. All of emperor, the Holiest Ghost. Their them float on the multi-colored Sea capital city is the City of Shikyu, the of Collective Thought. Ever since Necropolis. the shattering of heaven, all souls Modern Paraiso is ruled under from every universe, even those the iron fist of the Nine Empyreal that were cursed out of it, were able Archons, three of them serving as to come back, and they did so. Pop- Archons of the Saint Trinity. Serving ulating the new Paraiso, turning it Kastilo Magalo, the God Father, el- into a post-feudal, post-apocalyptic dest of the Trinity, are Hari Juan, place of palimpsest ruins, ancient Reyna Elena, and Imperyo Fe- cultures built upon post-modern lipe. Serving under Merigoa Maga- technology. losson, the Anointed Son, youngest The Saint Trinity has trisected of the Trinity, are Duke Senesca, heaven into three halves: one for Duke Zaragoza, and Duchess each of them. Anne. Serving under Shinseina Yurei, the Holiest Ghost, the mid- Kastilo Magalo, the God Father, child, are Shogun Hachiman Tojo, rules over the Ysparanza Empire, an Tenno Jingu, and Shogun Soleman. empire of stone cathedrals and quixotic nobles, and impoverished, Biringan, the City of Cities, Holy languishing commoners. Despite City of Heaven,is no longer the this, they enjoy vast amounts of crystal cathedral spire-filled me- wealth and build grand structures tropolis it used to be. It is now a con- with money and Exploit. Their capi- gested cesspit for criminal, villainy, tal city is Alhambra, the City of and all sorts of multiversal traffick- Lights. ing and illegalities. Here, criminal ganglords rule, called Panginoon. it Merigoa Magalosson, the Anointed is a City that is, technically, under Son, rules over the Inglasian Em- the jurisdiction of the Saint Trinity, pire, an empire of technologically but due to its sheer size (almost the minded, bearing the most advanced size of North America) and popula- of military technology, and com- tion density, has been left behind, pletely shunning any use of Exploit and is now more or less ruled by the due to dogma and faith, and run- crime lords that live in it. ning completely on Trinitarian prin- ciples. However, beneath Merigoa are Oligarchs and Technocrats, cre- ators of divine tool and instrument, designed to exploit every working The Edges of the Heaven and the a scant few remain xenophobic, Unconquered Isles are the zones of even in a broken heaven. chaos, for even heaven has a hori- Heaven is filled with spirits. Spir- zon. Walking past this horizon will its walk here, corporeal, as they are make you fall down to the next only invisible when down in the layer below it, which is the Sea of Universes, below the Sea of Collec- Collective Thoughts. Many islands tive Thought. and unconquered islands lay here, however, and many of its rulers are A BROKEN HISTORY also given the names “Datu, Raha, Panginoon, or Lakan. The Uncon- As told by Brother Owl. quered Isles are not under the juris- "None of them remembered when diction of the empires of the Trinity, or how, but the four of them now so many missions are sent there. drifted across uncreated void. Many different cultures diffuse Somewhere within their ears, there. Players can begin empires Brother Owl’s voice resonated: “The and kingdoms and cultures in the four of you went through a recon- Unconquered Isles. figured Balete: a usually one way Balete trees serve as the gates of gate to the heaven of all Multi- spirit.Walking within a configured verses.All of you are now in balete tree can lead one to be tele- Paraiso: the highest layer of the ported to another balete tree within Multiverse. It has many different the same layer, or into another names: Heaven, Kalangitan, balete tree in a wholly different Empyrean, Throne, the Sky.” layer. Sometimes even straight Something coalesced into view. A down to Idalumnon, the Bottom of great sphere. With seven layers. In the Multiverse. Thus Balete Trees the middle was a layer of galaxies are sacred things. and stars and planets. “The middle Communes and Wilds are Paraiso layer is the Midworld. That is scholars' way of separating civiliza- where all the Universes lie. It is the tions and communities from the fourth layer of the Multiverse.” wild, dangerous areas of Paraiso. Above the Midworld is a gate, After the shattering, evil spirits and blocked and protected by a legion demons with no mind but for de- of bird-humans that wielded struction infiltrated all of heaven. weapons of light. “Above it is the Thus Communes are effectively fifth layer, the Sky, where individ- places that have guardian spirits ual heavens for each universe that keep them safe from the dan- gather up the trillions of souls gers of the chaotic wilds. Com- gone every second.” munes don't follow a single Even above that is a land of pure culture's view of civilization: any- color, psychedelic colors crashing thing that has guardianship-- into one another.“The Sixth Layer whether it be a human commune or above that is the Above. It is the a naga's personal nest--is consid- Astral Sea of Stars and Collective ered a Commune, as guardian spir- Thought that shamans, mediums, its hold sway against the chaotic spiritists, magicians, and much creatures of the Wild. Communes more enter to speak with the vari- are almost every village and city. ous spirits and gods that manifest They are almost always these het- in the various universes.It is from erogenous mish-mash of extradi- the Above where universes are mensional mortals and spirits. Only formed, from the Dust of God. “And above that…” The four of ated the infiniteSansinukob, a them saw the highest layer: looking many layered thing which they like a beautiful glass plate made of could call their creation.” spinning stars and galaxies, shat- “The Lonely Soul returned then, tered and now floating upon that the only God, who was known as formless Astral Sea. “Is the Seventh the Infinite Lord Creator, for from Layer, once forbidden and once him emanated the first Souls, but only the abode of God, but now in Their tongue he is called Bata- breached, cracked, broken, shat- lang Maykapal. The Infinite Lord tered. This is where we are now: Creator, now having a face and a Paraiso, the divine heaven. All Queen, the Immaculate Flower of souls, all saints, all of being and liv- Heaven, known as Bulaklak ng ing leads back to here, to Paraiso. Paraiso, then joined with the other Now anyone can enter into Paraiso, two Souls and created the Souls of provided they have calibrated Spirit the Universe. Streams.” “Languit and Tubigan made love “How did this happen, you might and birthed an infinite number of be asking? Let us make the story spirits, each one made to live within brief, for no doubt if you will hear every universe, each one with a cer- the full story, it will take seven mil- tain purpose. This first type of Soul lion hours of sitting, and seventeen had a multicolored Soul, and they billion hours of talking. were known as Spirits. The Spirits “Thus saith the wise: in the begin- serve to Create more beings in Cre- ning was only a single piece of ation, as from their dreaming came light.” the infinite universes from the Sea The view changed. There they of Collective Thought.” They saw found themselves floating in pure the alien spirits, the fey beings, that nothingness. Or was it pure dark- walked, invisible, on earth. ness? “Bulaklak ng Langit raised her “Then, theLonely Soul, the piece hand and wished protection and of light in the middle, expanded, service.And thus came from her splitting existence and non-exis- heart seven infinitely powerful tence, creating separation.” And the spirits, who were then given form light expanded, in a visualization through Baptism, and so now in- not different from the Big Bang. habit formless flame. These first “The lonely soul separated light seven spirits were called the Chayot from dark, Black from White, cre- Ha Kadesh, and were given names. ating Sky and Sea. The Lonely Soul These were called the Servants. The was alone no longer, as the Black burning flames of the Chayot Ha and White had souls of their own. Kadesh were so powerful that Spir- The Black Sea Soul was known as its could inhabit them. Those that Tubigan, and the White Sky Soul inhabited the larger flames were was known as Languit, and they more powerful and closer in power ruled in infinite kingdoms for a to the Chayot Ha Kadesh, while miniscule amount of time. They those that inhabited the smaller hated each other and loved each sparks were weaker and farther in other, so for aeons they fought and power. Thus the Choir of Servants made love, and in their fighting were born, a hierarchy of Servants they smashed the sky and sea wherein there are ten in all. The against each other, until they cre- Choir serves to Preserve.” They saw the burning bodies of And then they saw that shattered these beings, angels of stone and layer once again, floating on the As- blood. tral Sea of Collective Thought." “And then, Batalang Maykapal, using Their own face to shape it, BROAD SETTING STROKES created the Mortals, those that ◆ Paraiso, Paradise, is a war-torn would populate every multiverse, battleground of divine propor- as a way to experience the infinite tions, after the Divine Saint heresy goodness and badness of all of cre- of the Saint Trinity.That War, that ation, a way for Batalang Maykapal cosmic, universal rebellion, tore to experience Theirself, and to never Paraiso apart. It fell, metaphysically be alone again. Despite this, Bata- speaking, into the Astral Sea, and lang Maykapal wished the Mortals thus the Heaven drifts upon the Sea to be Mortal to embody the third of Collective Thought as islands lie cosmic principle: ending. Thus upon an ocean. Mortals became the Destroyers of ◆ Shattered Heaven is now basi- Creation, fulfilling the important cally a cosmic archipelago set- role of finishing the cycle." ting.This was something deliberate, “With that done, they blinked, as I wanted the main setting to be and eight infinites passed. They more or less an archipelago setting saw that the Multiverse was rising to reflect SEA/Philippines. And it up, trying to destroy the gates of did become that. Just on a much, Heaven, thanks to their advanced- MUCH grander scale. ness. To counteract this, as Batalang ◆ Prophecy states... As with all Maykapal realized they needed settings, there is a certain prophecy spiritual guidance, he emanated the that boils underneath the skin of Saint Trinity: weaker than the first modern history: that there will be four Souls, but powerful enough to one who will displace the heretic conquer the Multiverse.” And they Saint Trinity from their thrones, and saw three vaguely human shaped replace them as the Twilight Devil beings, each with weapons of mass Emperor of Creation. destruction, to enact violence and hatred. “The three did so, in the devastat- ingSoulfire Multiversal Conquest, but three-fourths of the way to it, they learned much from the Uni- verses they conquered, and thus they thought it unfair that only Batalang Maykapal be the resident of the seventh layer of Paraiso. “And so, in act ofHoly Heretic Re- bellion, they stormed heaven, shat- tered Paradise, and killed God. It was their first act, their ultimate achievement and mistake, and the three became the Masters of the Multiverse. And thus why you see what happened here. Thus why heaven is broken.” FINAL WORDS AND COPYRIGHT Thanks for getting through the book and for your interest! I can’t thank you enough. Here are some fi- nal words: Copyright:KARANDUUN is copyrighted under the Creative Commons International License CC BY-SA 4.0 to me, Joaquin Kyle Vin- cent Saavedra. Read more about the license here: https://creativecom- mons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Beta:This is in open beta, of the first version. Feedback is very much appreciated and encouraged. Ev- erything here is subject to change, so please message me on twitter @liquorcanini,or my email, [email protected] If Karanduun inspired you, please go ahead and let me know! If you make systems, settings, and more based on it, I’d love to hear about it!