a ae OR vil aa po a4 q JQUREEBOOK FOR’ , | a iy Ke"TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4 CHAPTER Ont: THE NORTH 8 CHAPTER Two: THE EAST 20 CHAPTER THREE: THE SOUTH 34 CHAPTER Four: THE West 48 CHAPTER Five: THE SCAVENGER LANDS. 60 / CHAPTER Six: Nexus 5 98 APPENDIX One: GRouPs AND ORGANIZATION é 126 ae APPENDIX TWO: THE FAIR FOLK __ BO PBRO CreviTs SPECIAL THANKS: ‘Authors: Justin Achill, John Snead, Scott Taylor John “You Can't Kill John Chambers” Chambers, for Storyteller Game System: Mark Rein*Hagen stepping bravely into the Exalted meatgrinder. Developer: Geofirey C. Grabowski ‘Matt “You Can’t Kill Matt Milberger” Milberger, for Editor: Diane Piron-Gelman following him. Art Direction: Richard Thomas James “Easy Mouse” Stewart, forbeingat the age where ‘Artists: Leann Buckley, Richard Thomas, Melissa Uran, he does what he wants to. Tracy Yardley Justin “Cats” Achill, for hours of amusement. Cover Art: Ghislain Barbe ‘Aaron “Peltast” Voss, for letting me almost kill him a Cover Designs Brian Glass few times. Layout and Typesetting: Brian Glass Ken “Can I Go Home Now” Cliffe, for perseverance © 2001 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Al rights reserved. Reproduc- tion without the written permission ofthe publisher is expressly forbidden, except forthe purposes of eviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire, Vampire the Masquerade, Vampire the Dark Ages, Aberrant and Mage the Ascen- sion ate registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights Gane Svea reserved. Exalted, Scavenger Sons, Trinity, Werewolf the Apocalypse, ‘Wraith the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreamingand Werewolf the Wild ‘West are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc. ‘The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is nor a challenge to the trademark or copyright concermed. ‘Check out White Wolf online at htpi/wirw.whice-wolfcomy alt-gamesuhitewolf and rec.games rp storyteller PRINTED IN THE US.A.Like all men in Babylon, I have been proconsul; like al, « slave Thave also known omnipotence, opprobrium, imprisonment. — Jonge Luis Borges, “The Lottery in Babylon” The world of Exaltedis a dangerous place, especially outside the Blessed Isle. Life is cheap and death isjust as ‘easy t0 come by.’Most states are corrupt autocracies; propped up by the imperial legions and by their own secret police and security forces. The poor are subjected to crushing taxation by the rich, and the’middle class struggles co survive despite the government's best efforts to strangle the esonomy. Residents of the Threshold have other worries aswell. Iaddition to thetax manvand random violence at the hands of government security forces, they must dso fear the local spirits. Unrestrained by:the Immaculate Order, these beings mut be placated by sacrifices; lest fhey ruin the'crops, render the town infertile or simply call down curses on the beads of those. ‘who offend them. Beyond the pale of civilization lic still “other threats; Wyld-twisted barbarian Gibes, Lunar Anathema and theif nations of beastman ffspting, and the deadly Fair Folk, All of these make life in the Threshold difficult at best, impossible at worst. But life finds a way. With the fragments of the First Age and sheer determination, the people of the ‘Threshold lingto.xistence, conquer the world around them-build great cities and-éven' prosper-ar times: ‘There are many. especially amiong the Dynasty, who. ‘claim that civilization in the Threshold owes its con- | tinued existence to the imperial legions and the threat of the Reaim’s mighty defense systems. Those-argu- ments would sound much more convincing wereitnot | for the Scavenger Lands. , ‘This Teglon lies in-the-heart of the Eastyand ha never bpvved its head to.the Enipress, Proud and inde- P pendent, its people proteettheniselves rom the dangers, ‘of the world around them, or adapt to them and make |complain about their Imperial garrso | other way. Eventi no imperial garrison and the Empress would gladly let the Fait Folk take them all, che Scavenger Lands endure. Warlike, ingentous, and clinging fiercely to theit hard-won place in the world, the people of the Scavenger Lands are a constant embarrassment to an ‘empire that claims only its oppressive rule can save the world from chaos and destruction. Bue now, the Empress is no more, and che world is. tuming once again, Storms loom on the horizon, and dearly held assumptions are about to be challenged. The Solar Exalted have returned, and the Realm staggers ‘loser to civil war wich every passing day. What will the future hold: an age of war and strife, of misery, death and starvation, or will Creation begin the long, hard climb back to the glory ofthe First Age, or to what it imagines the Fist Age to have been! Destiny isin lux; heroes can remake history and change the path of nations THE THRESHOLD In this book, the term Threshold refers t0 the city- states, petty kingdoms, republies and confederacies that ring the Inner Sea, Beyond them lies a considerable territory of vast elemental wastes: and unsettled lands inhabited by tribesmen, barbarians, Fair Folk; and spirits. “Much of this land is not described in great detail, even in this book. Creation is vast, and trying to cover ‘everything in one book would have been futile. Also, we ‘wanted to leave plenty of room for Storytellers to. make the setting of Exalted their own. The game doesn’t exist for us to tell a story that you read, but for you and your players to create your own. ‘Where possible, we describe important or interest ing places to help provide a compelling setting for adventures. Take the North — the Heslanti League, small confederacy of city-states around the White Sea, ig covered in detail, while the heavily settled and ex- tremely loyal coastal strip along the Inner Seaisnot. We. made this choice because the Haslanti are young and expansionist, have not yet been ‘brought under the imperial yoke, and, possess remarkable devices that they are using to explore strange ruins in ‘the farthest reaches cof the North. The loyal states on the coast of the Inner Sea are primarily agricultural principalities wtiose rulers always pay their yearly-ribute to the Dynasty and never ‘Given that we had only so many pag ‘vise to focus on the Gotable and the except temphails skews the book's outlook somewhat — many fof the states described in ic are at odds with gr neutral tovard te Realm, eyen though such avitudgs are not thenormal state ofaifaité: Moststaresin the Threshold — are loyal to the Reali because they don’t date act any ivil war looming, moi nations are barely beginning to experiment with the idea of e 7 sf independence. The rebellious states depicted are lead- ing the pack, and like many pioneers, there will be casualties among their ranks even if the Realm's reign tends. The empite has not ruled Creation for more than 750 years because af good public relations machinery, THe SCAVENGER LANDS ‘The Scavenger Lands are more than a nest of rebels against the iton-booted empire. They representa diverse region, with a complex history dominated by Nexus and by the 7ch Legion, a military unit that survived the ‘Contagion and founded the city of Lookshy. They aren't just the good guys" —more than any other region, they are tom by strife. Kingdom fights kingdom for ideology, for arable land, for the rights to toll bridges, for access to the region's many rivers, even just to take slaves Despite the near-constant strife and curmoil, this fractious region is also a land of freedom: from the cempire’s brutal taxes, from conscription into imperial service, and pertRehaps most important, freedom fora kingdom to genuinely rule itself, answerable only ro its ‘wn people, Many might claim such freedom is mean- ingless, that the wars between the states of the Scavenger Lands consume far more resources and kill far more inhabitants than any imperial action. The people would answer that ifthey must die, as all mortal en must, they would rather do so at the order of thetr own king. Ifthey must slave and cil, as everyone does, farbetterto labor for their own profit ehan for the good of the far-off Dynasty. ‘Now the Scavenger Lands are arming for war. The Fair Folk and the barbarians are growing restless. The civil unrest wracking che empire will surely lead co attacks on the Scavenger Lands, either by a new ruler of the Dynasty eager to demonstrate power, ot by imperial commanders seeking resources to fight a prolonged civil war. Trapped between the growing curmoil in che Realm ‘and che menaces rising inthe vast forest to the East, the folk of the Scavenger Lands can see that a timeof tumult is coming and an age of trouble is at hand, Nexus No book about the Scavenger Lands would be complete without a look at Nexus, the city of vice, ‘crime and thriving business chat forms the. commercial heart of the region. As Lookshy is co the Scavenger Lands’ military power, so Nexus is to its economic strength. Who are the metibers of the city’s mysterious ‘Council of Entities, and how do they govern this anar- ~ Chic morassy What role does the Guild play, and what is day-to-day fife ike ivthe City ofa Thousand Thieves? ‘Neus s many chings to many people: Mecca for commesce, fin, and violence. Within its districts, men hhave'died fighting overa cracked plate, and othershave :risen from that poverty to become merchant princes or ‘even petty kings. No other eity in the world is so thick with sorcery, treachery, wealth or adventure. Ifthere is anyplace in the Scavenger Lands that Solar Exalted can safely hide, it is in this warren between the River Harlot’s Legs, along with so much else that cannot bear the scrutiny of more civil regions. How To Use Tis Boox Scavenger Sons covers a lot of territory, from an overview ofthe Threshold toaderailed portraicofNexus, cone of the largest, most corrupt and most prosperous Cities in Creation. In structure, it resembles an onion, h greater detail in each successive layer: beginning with the Threshold asa whole, then covering the various ScavengerLands,and finally escribingNexus,the crown jewel of the region’s bandit-states. Take from it what you wish; all of itis intended to spur your own creativity. The text is full of adventure hooks and places for players to become involved. Where you find unanswered questions, feel free to answer them. Where you find uncertainty, decide for yourself. Charac- ters in Exalted are o powerful and their possible actions so diverse that a book full of hard-and-fast facts is likely to be useless to most of the people reading it. Chapter One: The North describes the frozen North, a harsh land renowned for long and bitter win- ters. The people of this land are as enduring as its wildlife, scraping outa meager existence against a bac top of ice and hardship, ‘Chapter Two: The East covers the verdant Ea: a land of forests and fertility: conflict. This chapter deals the Scavenger Lands proper, have their own section ‘Chapter Three: The South describes the South, 2 land of bustling cities and hard-headed people where life isoften cruel to those not swiftenough to grab at Fortune ‘These kingdoms sport poverty and wealth to rival Nexus, along with tyranny and corruption unmatched anywhere in Creation, Chapter Four: The West describes the seafaring nations of the Wester Ocean. Its peoples range ftom the peaceful Wavecrest Archipelago to the nefarious Lintha Family, a gang of bloody pirates whose reach extends throughout the Threshold. ‘Chapter Five: The Scavenger Lands describes the history ofthe River Province, from the Contagion to the modern day, It also describes the major nations of the region, from the Spartan warriors of Lookshy to the sybaritic inhabitants of Great Forks to the magnificent ‘equestrians of Marukan. Chapter Six: Nexus covers the metropolis vari- ously known as the City of Yellow Fog, the Haven ofa Hundred Diseases and the City Without Rule. Here, under the autocratic leadership of the Couneil of Enti- ties, traders from actoss half of Creation come together to buy, sell, rade, swindle, and bilk one another out of magnificent fortunes. It is said that in a single day, ‘enough commerce takes place in Nexus to buy entire kingdoms and their inhabitants. ‘Appendix One: Groups and Organizations in the ‘Threshold describes various groups whose influence ex- xpdsacrossthe world, orwho canbe ound in every region. Appendix Two: The Fair Folk covers the fey, tong the most dangerous enemies of Creation. This, derable derail on the fey, but those Fair Folk who dwell princes, workers of wonders orCHAPTER ONE THE NORTH A land of harsh winters and short summers, the and beautiful carvings of unknown plants and beasts. The North is the most sparsely inhabited region of Creation. entre city is lit with glowing crystals that brighten during, Yer on its meager bounty thrive strange and wondrous theday and dim ac night. Gethamane consists of hundreds societies, fll of individuals rugged enough to overcome _ of twisting corridors connecting countless rooms. Their the bratal punishment their land deals out to them each original purposes unknown, the smaller rooms have be- and every winter. come dwellings while the larger now serve as meeting hhalls, shops and the residences of the mountain city's GETHAMANE inhabitants The only remaining traces ofthe prior iakab- Far in the northernmost reaches of this frozen itants are the three temples and the sunken gardens. region lies che mountain-city of Gethamane. No one Unlike the rest of the city, these locations remain as knows the origins of this ancient fastness; The inhab- pristine as when they were found. From the scant evi- itants tell stories of how their distant ancestors came _ dence, Gethamane's previous inhabitants were humans to Gethamane a century after the Contagion. Fleeing Whoengaged inall mannér of commerce with exoticspirits plague and starvation, they travelled north; beser by ~ and long-forgotten chthonie-entities. Nothing-more is hordes of furred, semi-human raiders similar.to.the.._known of these strange folk. Eastern Arzechk tiibe. The survivors of these raids cventaly ambled S's hig ooa-copred moun’ HE-TEMPLES = riddled with @ vast network of passages and.rooms Zcity'sthrectemple acpall large, open rooms... — a mountain gity empiyof both furaishings and srthe top of the mountain, distinguished © inhabitants, Assiiming that the prior tenantshad per- from otter chambiéts by jewel encrusted carvings of ished-during-the, Contagion; the newcomers named—mountains and enormous lying creatures-Almostev-- theirnew home Gethamane, meaningéanctuary ithe sone sight tii ba ceriesense | tongue of the Old Realm. Now, centuries later, the apes and watchfulness. =f whorspend the | ~true origin and past history of Gethamane remains lost it “elgepi + temple ‘Kaunted-by > Sco humankind. | % ee vivid, cOnfusing dreams. Most) remember only frag- “Standing as 4 eitameie to Wie plorie.of the Fist _ments ofthese oaeee of frantic searching © ‘Realm, Gethamane’s large halls are cover or de te flight are come Many dreametspend the next few nights in sleepless dread or eager anticipation, and some find new answers to problems that were troubling them, A very few whosleepina temple feel called to serve as priests afterwards. From that day onward, they leave their previous lives behind and work at the temple. ‘These acolytes keep the templesclean and well polished and make offerings of flowers and animal blood upon the altars. Late at night, they also perform odd ceremo- nies in which they cover the floors of the temples with elaborate pattems drawn in ink, colored sand, and sometimes their own blood. Chanting in unknown Tongues, the acolytes sometimes disturb the sleep of those who live nearby. The acolytes assiduously clean up the patterns afterwards; if interrupted during this {cleaning they becom exremely agitated andeg eave, vo finish their tsk, Occasionally, £01 gone who sleeps'in a temple is driven mad and flees from Gethamane, never fo return, Attempts to restrain these unfortunates hav Sena difficule--1f-bond-or-locked- Getharn ‘ats quickly revutit to Sanity Ce UE Of sight of the mountain-city, but they Consistently refuse tofreturn to _ot speak of Gethainase again, ze THE SUNKEN GARDENS ‘The sunken gardens lie at the base of the mountain. ‘These long, narrow, windowless chambers are brightly lit by dozens of large hexagonal panels fashioned from. glowing azure crystal. This chambers contain many rows: of trays carved from finely polished black obsidian and filled with edible fungt and mosses. These trays provide the inhabitants of Gethamane with @ nutritious but somewhat unsatisfying diet. Bland though it may be, this food serves as an excellent supplement to the game hunted by the inhabitants and to the berries they gather during the short summer months. ‘THe UNDERWAYS Safe from wind, cold, and snow, provided with light “and food, the inhabitants of Gethamane are perhaps the best fed end mast prosperous of the folk who inhabic the ‘Norther interior. However, dwelling in ancientmuinshas itsprice. The rock under the mountain-ctyisriddfed with passages thiciigh Gethamane are square- _ shaped, their walls and ceilings dark gray and slightly ough. The delvings that extend deep underground are~ black; rounded and faintly sick to the ouch. “Allmahner of mysterious creates del in these lightlesstunderways, and sometimes these nafieless beasts ‘creep into the comidars above ‘The of Getmane med i migrate enfin apCes PURO ae sd s, and a few lucky ones have even come Pen Seca kt Those fetch a an eee Peat eds vi cd ind I never: Phen se a) ners 7 is only a spot of blood alon ree hens Pee Rec Cea eee) cient ieee and nothing o Pe Se oc ro that looked Peat Seaton ea ne ern eons eee ec Eres eety Porn Teac os have posted guards at the several dozen entrances to these lower tunnels, to prevent the denizens of the depths from gainingaccesstothe ity. Those who wish toseeklong-lost treasures in the bowels of the earth may go down at theit own risk. fal else fail, the guards warn the inhabitants of whatever horror may have gotten loose in Gethamane. ‘Though losses are few, almost every year some beast fom the depths comes up and drags several unfortunates down to its stygian lair. CHARACTER CoNcePTS FOR GETHAMANE Dawn: City Guard, Tunnel Guard ries of che Old Temples, City Elder Scholar, Underways Explorer “Thief of Antiquities, Robber {rinetant Merchant, City Elder WHITEWALL ' The.city of Whitewall is one of the: danger ‘settle- ments in the Northlands. Located on: rocky ‘taiga, ieee several hundred miles from the fegion’s southern coast; __[ine. This prosperous metropolis of more than 700,000 me = ful spitits. Much of Whitewal’s prospetity cots from large deposits. of valuable’ ores Jocated. in, segeeeee am heonbamen 200 _Sinewhedisooncening othe alerge moral lands adjoining the city. Every year, merchants come along the ancient travelers’ road seeking to trade spices, cloth, and the bounty from dozens of distant lands for ‘Whitewall’s excellent ores and fine weapons, armor, and beautiful jewelry. However, visiting orstayingin White- wall hasits dangers. In addition to the several rich mines nearby, the cityisalso Located essthanaday'strave from a large Shadovland and only three days’ travel from 2 ‘Wyld region that abounds with predatory Fait Folk. Local stories tell of how the Shadowland and the Wyld region developed well after the city had been settled. After almosta decade of ceaseless batee with the walking dead and the Winter People, the inhuman Syndics that rule ‘Whicewall approached their enemies and made pacts with both sets of enemies THE PEACE By the conditions of the peace, the road to Whitehall is inviolate. The road itself dates from the First Realm and possesses some minor magic. Its built of virtually inde- structible, fused glassy stoneandremains lear ofsnow and ice in all but the worst weather. Anyone — living, dead, or fey —may use this road, and none may harm any other on the road. Even the Deathlords and the most powerful of the Winter Folk abide by this pact. The penalty for breaking the peace of the road is death by torture. A pair of rough-hewn stone pillars flanks the road every 40 yards. These columns mark the road and serve as gibbets for the bodies of those few who dare violate the peace. The Syndics’ pact also protects the city, buttoa lesser extent. Duringdaylighthours, che many eldritch creatures in the region leave the city and the surrounding area strictly alone. Between sunset and sunrise, these beings may freely huntanyone not behind the city wallsor on the road, Also, Fait Folk and the undead may enter Whitewall if they obtain the permission of someone inside the walls. ‘They may not use magical coercion to obtain it, but can often get it through bribes or threats. ‘Tue Synpics Little is known about the details of the Syndics' pact ‘vith the’ Winter Folland the Deathlords, but countless stories and rumorg hint at uinwholesome practices by the “pines “Though the tales of ccasional human sacti- fice a segard the face cha the Syne are em sas something of mixed Hesing. With Sureheirigeal power, Whitewall wouldundoubtedly be ‘unprotected by zhe-pact:Hawevée, being governéd by.a = triumvirate of nearly identical ifhman beings who ap- Bear to bave been seilpied fA Hee and silver Can ‘TheSynuics regard the ity'sfafety afarmore impor- tant that the life of any.particulag inhabitant, an attitude > with ealnnpeanteoceqancesTomalthel? ey 6Ro ort end ofthe pact, every year the Syndics must set wo dozen living people outside the walls for the undead and the Fair Folkcto consume. Those guilty of murderand other capital crimes form the vast majority ofthe sacrifices, tin years when few people commitserious offenses travelers unpro- tected by wealth or bonds of kinship maybe snatched from their beds by the Syndies’ elite guards. Those who openly ‘oppose the rule ofthe Syndics have joined the condemned in the past, and so dissent usually remains private The pacts make everyone inside the city relatively safe from inhuman threats, yet ao virtually imprison them in their stronghold. “Anyone attempting to live ‘outside the city’s high, whitewashed walls is easy prey. More than two-thitds ofthe city’s residents are farmers, herders, and miners who work outside itduring theday and retire to the safety ofits boundaries before nightfall. The militiamen who guard the gates during the night are an exceptionally paranoid lot. Allknow the trickeryin which the Fair Folk and che dead frequently engage, Even the ‘most innocent-seeming wretch who knocks on the gates after sunset could be the vanguard of an inhuman army, ready totorture some poor unfortunate into letting dozens of its comrades inside. ATTITUDES TOWARD TRAVELERS Asa tesult ofthe pacts, travelers who arrive at White- wall after dark must camp on the road and pray that they do not roll or stumble off of it in their sleep. Tales tell of merchants who awakened during the night to find a wolf- eared noble of the Winter Folk or a pack of grave-eaten wights crouching by the roadside, watching them. Those who panic at such sights and accidentally step off the road are never seenalive again. Inside the city, the guards patrol the walls and streets, constantly searching for evidence of monstrous incursion, Such living conditions have made the people of ‘Whitewall a suspicious lot. Strangers, especially those who have no advocate in the city, are greeted with reserve at best and open distrust at worst. The city’s considerable wealth often attracts outsiders, but most visitors regard the locals as wary and unfriendly. Grim and taciturn though they are, however, the inhabitants of Whitewall are also extremely loyal to anyone they know well. Once the local people trust a traveler; they will heartily welcome her on subsequent visits. Except for specially approved ambassa- dors, deathknights and Fair Folk are forbidden entrance into the city; even the Terrestrial Exalted ate looked on = with siispicion, as their magical powers remind many + people of the inhuman neighbors they dread. / "Despite faimpant local suspicion of thie: Dragon= Blooded. the Syndicsaréallies of the Realm,- Whitewall has a_small imperial garrison, and the Syhdics are perfecily willing to work with the Realm’s ambassadors and officials: Whitewalls tuling spirits ‘have! had ‘com> siderable practice negotiating with powerful and dan- sgerous enemies. Understandably, Whitewall is not a safe place for Solar Exalted — unless they happen to be natives of che place. Outsiders found tobe Solar Exalted and apprehended are likely to be turned over to an ambassador of the Realm. Solar Exalted native to the city are likely co be protected, by the other inhabitants if not by the Syndics. In Whitewall, personal loyalty is far more important than polities. CULTURE High stone walls dominate the city, fifteen yard tall and four yards thickatthe base. A wide path along the top allows for regular guard patrols. Reinforced by the powers ofthe Syndics, che pale wallsthatgive the cityitsname are proof against all bur che strongest magies. The difficulty of expanding the walls and the neces- sity of accommodating everyone living in the vicinity means that Whitewall is crowded place. Not even the Syndies or the most powerful merchants can boast the vast villas that house the wealthy in more hospitable regions. From rich man's townhouse to poor man'shovel,, buildings inside che city ate made from the same gray- Whitestone, most standing between three and fivestories, tall. Few have much outward ornamentation, in keeping with an inward focus imposed by the icy winters and the forixess mentality shared by the city'sinhabitants. Deco- ration i largely reserved for interiors, where the folk of Whitewall spend most oftheir ime. Heavy tapestries in rich hues line the walls of wealthier dvellings, and even the poor frequently drape their dwellings with rags in bright, inviting colors. In Whitewall, no one is ever invited into someone'shome casually. Receiving uch an, invitation isa clear sign that the reipient’s host consid cershim a long-term friend and ally. ‘The land surrounding Whitewall is rich and fer- tile, but the nearby mountains cause unusually harsh, winters. During the long snowbound months, the in- ward-facing character of the city becomes even more pronounced. From late fall until late spring, frigid temperatures and frequent blizcards render travel to and from Whitewall almost impossible. The inhabit- ants withdraw inside their homes, where most work at various crafts producing goods to sell to traders in the ‘warmer months, The exceptionally long winter nights increase fears of attack by the city'sinhuman enemies, and the cofstant tension intensifles minor conflicts and disputes. Most new visitors who stay through this season are treated with suspicion by neighbors, who generally regard hetivas possibleagents for the horrors -waiting-outside-the-walls.“The-chgking-howls-of.the- undead andthe sweetly tempting songs of theFair Folk: are often heard at night, especialy ducing he depthseens famine of winter. Such serenades cause fearsome nightmares in all who hear them. Every few yeas, a greedy or demented individual believes the promises of the Fair Folk, or attempts to practice some form of necromancy. Ineither case, the end result is an inhuman host loose in Whicewall. A few of these creatures attempt to force people to invite whole armies of monsters into the city but most are content to become solitary predators. The guard generally notices and repels large-scale incursions quickly, but lone mon- scers hunting the city’s back alleysare much more difficult tolocate. Whenever the miltafinds evidence ofsmaller- scale monstrous activites, the soldiers must spend long and leeplessnights trackingdowa theinhuman killerthat stalks the city’s streets. MONSTERS AND JUSTICE Toaid inbatcling monsters, either en masse or singly, the Syndics occasionally hire Exalted as monster-hunters. Currently, Whiewall plays host to a half-dozen outcaste “Terrestrial Exalted. Exalted willing to serve as freelance hhunterscan make substantialsum when their servicesare needed. In the aftermath of any incident involving mon- sous attack, the normally dour populace holds feast in honor of everyone who aided in destroying the invades Such festivals usually degenerate into something between wild party anda drunken brawl. The celebrants consume alcohol and other intoxicants in prodigious quantities, and large street fights are common. The festivities tend to Jeave broken windows, shattered bones, and occasionally looted shopor two behind them. These partiesare one of the few occasions during which residents of Whitewall ‘openly praise visitors they do not know well. Justice in Whitewal is ac harsh as the surrounding landscape. Crimes like thefe, fraud, or tax evasion are all punished with large fines, or by periods of indentured servitude if the offender cannot pay. Serious crimes are punishable by mutilation, usually che oss of a hand or an eye. Individuals convicted of capital erimes face an excep- tionally grim fate. Murder, treason, arson, consorting with the inhuman hordes outside, or attempting to assassinate the Synics, thei judges, or theirguards cariesa gruesome death sentence “offenders are put outside the walls; vo suffer whatever calamity-may befall. them. Convicts are dressed in specially matked clothing and exiiled from the city without supplies. Theirelathing ensures that they will be denied aid arid comfort by any traveling caravan. Instead, they seav con the travelers road dr seek food off of it and risk attack by various inhurtan predators. “A few exceptionally-hardy andividuals have managed:to” survive the several-week jourey-to the nearest city, but the vast majority become prey for the Fait Folkot the dead. The few survivors are assumed wahave ither proved thelsinngeence-¢¢ endured sofciene-pushmenttn t _betties gathered during-the brief, cither case, they may return tothe city, though fewdo.No ‘one soexiled during the long winter monthshas ever been known co survive the experience CHaracter CONCEPTS FOR WHITEWALL Dawn: CityGuard, Freelance Monster Hunter Zenith: Servant of the Syndics, Immaculate Missionary ‘Monster-hunting Sorcerer, Craftsman, ‘Thief, Street Performer Guild Merchant, Independent Trader, Ambassador to the Fait Folk or Undead THE HasLant) LeaGue ‘The northemmost govemment ofany appreciable size is che Haslanti League, a loose confederacy of city-states located along the shore of the frozen White Sea. Only the capital city of leehome contains more than 100,000 inhab. itants, but together all of the nine member cities possess considerable wealth and power. Ruled by a council of wealthy merchants, known as the Oligarchs, the League owes its success to the White Sea itself Except long its southernmost reaches, the surface of the sea remains frozen, year round. Using large, exquisitely crafted iceships with complex sails and finely made steel runners, the League transports people and goods between the variouscity-states, with great speed in even the coldest weather. ‘Thecities themselves are designed with the region's, harsh wincers in mind. All buildings stand at least two stories tall and have doors on the first and second floors. ‘The lower doors are known as winter doors, the upper cones as summer doors. A person leaving the frst floor of cone of these buildings does not walk out under the open sky, bur instead encers a warten of tunnel-like covered streets. In the depths of winter, one can walk anywhere in any city, protected from snow and cold. Some people keeptothe tunnels during the fleeting summer monthsas well, but most use the summer doorsin season to walk on the well-built roofs of the covered streets under the bright northern sunlight. — FARMING AND HUNTING. “Thatigh farmihe only posable in che Sichemriost ‘Haslanticcities, thie region boasts adequate food in all but the harsbiest years. Edible mosses ahd lichens grow inrocky ‘areas neat many of the cities, froin which the locals brew arse BEE bgt bh Leal ere pac ce ie fishing in all,butthe coldest deprhéof winter, and some fsjermen even manage to land the Back northern | ‘dolphiinsand small whales: Thie Hastantialso eat game and’: 3 summers. — Tn addition to mass éindect hunts and large-scale“ ‘rapping bf hares and other small dnimals, the Haslanci are’= exceedingly skilled at hunt age weal ‘mammoths> i : « Sem Kol/Roi out that inhabic the colder regions of the north. Some mam- moth hunters tse gliders, hurling flaming pitch bombs to panic entire herds of of steep cliff. Others stalk che beasts con the ground, hidden inside mobile frames covered with ‘mammoth hide. Inlean years special priestsuseancientand ‘exhausting magics to control the minds of the dominant rmammoths and lure the herds into pens and other traps. Such techniques gusrantee regular supplies of meat forthe League's many inhabitants, but some of the more daring young men and women still go hunting with only spears, crossbows, and skis. To these intrepid souls, killing a lone bull mammoth isa glorious contest of human versus beast. ‘The Haslanticitieskill hundredsoreven thousands of mammoths every year to feed theit residents, and so mammoth tusks and bones are widely available. Most Hoslanti regard such leavings as having litle monetary worth, and many use them to build the support pillars and gateways of their houses. In these icebound regions where tees are rare and wood is extremely valuable, bone and ivory are common substitutes. The finest pieces are traded with the Guild expeditions that visit the Haslant in the summer months, These large stocks of ivory bring the Haslanti grain, spices, bolts of cloth, bright dyes firedust, and many other valuable commodities otherwise unavail- able in their harsh clime, BARBARIAN RAIDERS Despite the relative abundance of food, lf in the far Norihisnot without peril. The WhiteSeasretchesup tothe foothillsoftheseemingly endlessnorthem mountains. Along is northernmost shores live dangerous beasts and half Thuman savages. Most of these Wyld barbarians are hairy, ‘brutish cannibals. Those touched bythe Wyld are typically Ihuge, occasionally mote than eight fee tll, and are fe- ‘quently covered with white orpale gray far. Ingood years, the beasts and barbarians remain in theit icy abodes. During ‘especially harsh winters, these marauders move south and attack the Haslanti cities, Most of the barbarian tribes use skisand crude ce-skates to erosssnow and jee athigh speeds. ‘Todefendagainstthe many dangers facing the League, all of its cities lie behind stout walls, and the League as 2 whole maintains a substantial navy of swift, well-armed ‘ceships that patrol the northem portions ofthe White Sea. “These craft constantly. swatch for signs oFinvasion by large predatorsor Wyld barbarians. Tofurtheraidin their mutual defense the cities ace all connected by anetivorkof rained cater pigeons. The metabers of the messengel corps in- stantly flay any evidence of trouble to the entite League, 1ecity, or “whet i pigeo 4 cities dispatch ewitt-ige-boatsy gliders, and the:dirigibles Known locally as air hoats to discover the problem and provide any needed assistance. The fastest gliders usually arrive witha halfa dip ofthe ear of any sro web “4 ‘The glider pilots report back to the iceships or air boats using codes flashed with hand mirrors, and then either return home or land on the larger, slower vessels to make detailed reports. By the end of the second day, any serious ‘events occurring in one Haslanti port are known toall of the League's sister cites. IcesHips AND AiR Boats Haslanti iceships and ait boats are the cornerstones of the League's complex transport and communications net- work. Iceships consist of large, low-slung frames supported by stzel runners. Equipped with large and complex sails, these vessels can carry heavy cargoes or large numbers of | troops as fast as the wind. Air boats are giant balloons fueled with burning oil. An airboat pilot'skeen knowledge ofaircurrents allows her tocatch favorable winds in almost any desired direction. These vessels are also equipped with large, pedal-driven propellers and elaborate finsand vanes that allow them to move even in dead calm, or to tack against an unfavorable wind. Hasvanti Air B Tene eens oer eee propellers. The eee! sete eens Steer re ea oe eens . cbasket of an air boat, but ee Ce a eee Pea eee craft or take it into shelter cee neces RO ee) eee geet eee ne toe eas er Eaten econo Pe ere ct tet treasure, Howeve ord eg faslant riers Peery Bienen PennsAir boats provide observation platforms, launching stations for gliders, and aerial siege engines from whicl to drop bombs of flaming pine resin or burning casks of oil. Also, when the winds are favorable, the largest ait boats can deliver up to six dozen highly trained soldiers to a city faster than even the swiftest iceship. Once in place, the troops drop down silently using ropes or gliders the color of the sky. Used at night, these sky troops have proven exceptionally effective at breaking even the most difficult sieges, In times of peace, the Haslanti air boats also func- tion as merchant vessels carrying small valuable cargoes. These vessels have enabled the Haslanti League-to- expand its trade federation beyond the bounds of the._ ‘White Sea. In the past fifty years, the League has estab- lished several settlements in high mountain valleys to the northwest of the, White Sea.. The. new. cities. of Crystal and Diamond Hearth are both located on routes with stable air caftents that allow air boats at different altitudes to sail easily to and from other League ports. These cities have already proven to be excéllent sources. ‘of high-quality ofes, ice-blue glow stones, diamonds, platinum, and similar valuable commoditiés-Located in~ remote alleys, hoth ofhesesetclementsaréproofagainst_ all but the most determined beasts and bafhariaris. Un- fortunately, their isolation also makes them dependent upon outside food sipplies shipped in by rbot. 1 om nce basen eae sich Recent DiscOVERIES Miners in Crystal recently uncovered what may be the ruinsofa large, forgotten First Realm metropolisburied in a glacier a few miles from the city. Visitors can dimly glimpse massive walls and wide streets though the many yards of clear bluish ice. No usable First Realm artifacts hhave yet been discovered, but the excavations continue. ‘Unfortunately, these explorations have proved somewhat hazardous. Several groups of ice-minershave been killedin. the ice, while others have vanished without a trace. ‘The city of Diamond Hearth has built small camps further north, from which its miners can exploit the ‘exceptionally pure ores often found in the northernmost ‘mountains. Within’ the past four decades; the ‘miners have begun. bringing back-Jarge: nuggets of.a-fine and. exceptionally light iron known as featherstect, Armor - ‘wea made rom featheritel are of exceptional quality and-very lightweight In addition, feathersteel_ has p cremely. seful in the manufacture of ai ‘boats and gliders. In recent'years, the Haslat Ss ~reduced fheirimpotisef wood for building sucheraftand + Beavn dfporting anal ingots of atherte pon price of featherstelishigh, however The depos- aR ine featherstect is only found injregions forever locked in the'depths of winter, © Miners ip. thése areas have only. Wyld-tainted beasts,» Tarbariags and the occas opp Fa Foleo a ps ee2x Ser for company. Workers in these frozen and harardous loca- sions get paid exceptionally well but few stay for more than a year, and one in seven who go to the mountain camps do not return IMPERIAL AMBITIONS: Recent Haslanti expansion has brought the League into increasing contact with other northem states. The Haslanti have a relatively peaceful history, but a faction currently exists in che council of Oligarchs that advo- cates the conquest of other northern states, including the wealthy city of Whitewall. The warmongers are led by Greyna Thold, a young and exceptionally charismatic Oligarch. While the Haslanti are currently not well- equipped for a war, residents of some nearby states have begun to worry about future aerial assaults by Haslanti commandos. League relations with Gethamane remain relatively cordial, but those with the inhuman Syndics of Whitewall were never good and have grown steadily worse. As a result of tensions with Whitewall, the pre ously neutral Haslanti states are also gradually turning against the Realm. Some of che more conservative Oli- garchs fear angering the powerful (if distant) Realm and are secking to curb this expansionist clique before theydo something rash. The FaslantiLeague maintains close ties with several large bands of icewalkers. Presently, this alliance mostly consists of mutual aid in fighting the Wyld barbarians. However, several Oligarchs have proposed asking the icewalkers for assistance in planned Haslanti conquests. TS oe nen pout outside help, che Haslanti Lea expansion are doomed. Enrag ions at Crystal that have disturbed a First artifact, large numbers of twisted beastsand Wyld barbarians descend upon this mount: rene erence cts eee ta ete ny (sce page 16). Coney sates ar on tion of-the Oligarchs no longer has the Des pee ntetg fending its present borders and keepin fe. The Ser eat uest vanish for yearsc es. Only th Stes a eco vcnat nside Sonam Perec) pooner Tees young Exalteds, the Exalted ee elves wele Recent tales of the icewalker leader known as the Bull of the North (see page 19) have worried many Haslanti, and more than a few Oligarchs fear theit current allies may soon turn against them, SuperstiTious DREAMS Many travelers have remarked thatthe people ofthe Haslanti city-states seem moody and secretive even when ‘compared to other northemers. Most Haslanti worship spirits of ice, dreams, and fate. Their beliefs in fate and in dreams are central to their culture. The Haslanti regard all