mystic empyrean - print

8/13/2019 Mystic Empyrean - Print

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Preview Gamegame by D. Brad Talton Jr.

art by Katrina Linmaps by Devin Night

layout by Dave Mattingly


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Level 99 Games Mystic Empyrean Preview Game

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IntroductionFor a thousand years Ive watchedthe mist ebb away the foundations ofEmpyrean. You are not the first withhubris enough to believe he couldundo the mistakes of the past, and Ido not imagine that you shall be thelast.

Kulbaht, Keeper of RecordsMystic Empyreanis a world shattered by a

great catastrophe. Long ago, GrandCornerstone was the foundation of a vast,wondrous paradise. However, a great

cataclysm shattered that foundation, andwithout its sustaining power the world hasbecome enveloped by a mist called Aether,which gradually unravels and devours reality.

In order to stop the spread of Aether andrebuild the world, the heroes of Empyreansearch for Cornerstonesfragments of theoriginal Grand Cornerstonewhich they canuse to heal the cracks in their shattered worldand push back the mist.

Cornerstones have an additionalpowerthe one who uses a Cornerstone is ableto reshape the world he uncovers according tohis will. The new lands that are recoveredfrom the mist by restoring a cornerstone willreflect the desires and dreams in the findersheart.

Will you reshape the world of Empyreanto your perfect vision? Will you create aparadisal utopia, or a world of boundless

danger and adventure? And will your newworld be able to fight back the forces thatdestroyed the Empyrean of the past, when thetime comes?

This GameI will play any game, should thestakes be sufficient.

Shiele, Dealer in SecretsFor this preview game, the only things you

will need are this guide, the attached charactersheets, and some 10-sided and 20-sided dice forresolution and random encounter generation.You can also use the online Mystic EmpyreanBalance Tool at www.mysticempyrean.com.All the rules you will need to play areincluded in this document. It is assumed thatyou will be using the dice variant in thisguide. However, if you wish to use the balancetool or balance cards, consultwww.mysticempyrean.com for rules on howthese work.


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Mystic Empyrean Preview Game Level 99 Games

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Player CharactersThis preview game includes 5 pre-made characters for you to use.

Enciyo An academic who is studying the old world and the reasons for itsdestruction. Enciyo is a natural gatherer of information and seeker of truth. Ableto instinctively determine truth and lies, as well as to see the natures of othercreatures, Enciyo makes an excellent tactician and explorer. Her goal is to create aworld where science governs nature, rather than leaving it to the whims of Anima.

Fargan An adaptable stoic who wishes to create a world of peace,Fargan is able to react to any situation. His powers to alter form and createtools from the world around him give him an edge in combat and puzzleencounters. He prefers to solve problems in unorthodox ways, using his

ever-changing nature to become whatever he needs to be for the moment.

Lieselotte An artist whose goal is to create a world of harmony and beauty,Lieselotte is herself a creature of image and sound, able to mask her form with anyfacade she desires. Her beauty and social grace make her an excellentspokeswoman for the party, and her ability to blend in, create resources, and makefriends in almost any situation give her an edge in social and puzzle conflicts.

Lyons A natural leader and military commander, Lyons stands headand shoulders over most Eidolons in his company. He is strong in combat,wielding powerful weapons and being nearly indestructible. His qualitiesof courage and defiance easily make him friends and enemies wherever hegoes. Lyons is interested in rebuilding the world not in order to remake it,but to fight against the tide of Aether by any means possible.

Shiele A snakelike creature of deception and darkness, Shiele is able tovanish into shadows and conceal all manner of weapons, tools, and treasureswithin his body. A wheeler and dealer by nature, he has the ability to read peopleand know exactly what they want. These traits make him excellent in socialsituations and espionage. His stated goal is not to create any particular world, butsimply to survive and make a way for himself.

The characters in this preview game have a fixed list of traits they are able to develop. In the full

game, any Eidolon is able to develop any of nearly a hundred different Persona Traits.


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The World of EmpyreanYou look out over the empty world,and see only what has been lost.When I look out over that world, Isee the opportunity for what might be

found.

Lamarck, Treasure HunterEmpyrean is a broken world, wreathed in a

terrible, all-consuming mist that threatens todestroy it. A few islands of life still exist inthis sea of emptiness. These places are calledRealms. Each realm has its own culture,legends, treasures, and wonders to explore and

experience. Within these realms, secretedaway within ruins of the old world ofEmpyrean, are the hidden fragments of GrandCornerstone, which can be used to restore theworld to its former glory.

In the world of Empyrean, Eidolons are acommon sight. They are immortal forces ofnature, living in a world populated by otherimmortal forces of nature. Aside fromEidolons, the remaining population consists ofNascenttribes of human-like creatures whoreflect the elemental balance of theirenvironment very closely. Nascent all havethe potential to become Eidolons, should theirpersonalities develop sufficient strength. Thepopulation ratio of most realms is about threehundred Nascent for every one Eidolon.

Eidolons are immortal, and those who livegreater than half a millennium are known asSages. Sages are extremely powerful Eidolonswho have vast stores of knowledge, and often

possess legendary skills and artifacts that givethem even greater gravity and power.

Though each Eidolon looks different thanthe rest, they all have an aura which makesthem distinct from wild creatures, monsters, orpure spirits. Unless an Eidolon is specificallytrying to hide his nature, it is obvious to otherswhat he is. Eidolons are generally accepted in

society regardless of their looks or traitsthereare a few exceptions to this, though.

In the world of Empyrean, the spirits ofnature, also known as the Great AnimaSpirits, watch over the balance of the worldand guide their servants towards rebuildingthe lands and fighting back the forces ofAether. Though the spirits are alwayswatching, they make contact with Eidolonsonly rarely, and their true motives and goalsare always cast in secrecy. Despite having acommon goal of rebuilding and sustaining theworld, the Great Spirits are legendary for theirinfighting and disparate ideals, and often workagainst one another just as strongly as againstthe forces of Aether.

EidolonsWe are the heart of the world, theroot of creation. All this Empyrean isour right to possess. It belongs to us,Eidolons, the children of Anima!

Lord Gharl, the DevourerOur heroes are Eidolons, beings of power

who wear their souls as a skin. Eidolons aremuch like humans, except that their emotions,personalities, virtues, and vices take root intheir immortal hearts and grant them amazingpowers. Every skill, spell, or ability an Eidolonpossesses is tied to some Persona Trait thatresides within his heart.

An Eidolon who allows himself to becontrolled by anger will gain the power tochannel his rage as a great fire. One who feels

entitled to things he which has no right willgain the power to devour others and steal theirhearts. An Eidolon who desires to impress andmystify others will gain the skill to paintillusions of light and sound. There are infinitepossibilities for what an Eidolon mightbecome, and will become, over the course ofhis adventures.


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Persona TraitsTomorrow, I will look in thismirror, at a different man standingin my place. In that moment, I willremember the man I was yesterday,and rightfully call him a fool.

Lyons, Who Slew RegretPersona Traitsgovern the development of

Eidolons. Every personality or emotionfromGreed to Purity to a love of Musichas alinked Persona Trait. The Persona Traitgrows in power as the linked personalitytakes hold within the heart of the Eidolon.

When traits are still Superficial, they havelittle power. When a trait grows to Deeplevel,it is a staple of the Eidolons personality. If atrait develops even beyond this level, tobecome All-Consuming, then it grants theEidolon incredible powerbut at a heavyprice.

In this preview game, each playercharacter sheet has 5 traits, and thedescriptions of these traits are listed on the

sheets back. Not all of these traits havereached Superficial level yet. At the gamesstart, only traits that have reached at least 7points of emergence (Superficial Level) areactive. Of course, you might develop some ofthese latent traits over the course of youradventure, if you are willing to become onething or another...

*A list of some possible actions and their governingelements are attached to the back of this document, andshould be used during gameplay as a reference. It isrecommended that you take a glance at them now to geta feel for each elements basic meaning.

AnimaUntil you discover your heart, youwill not find power in this world.

Fargan, Seeker of BalanceAnima is the power source of Empyrean,and it comes in seven flavors to match theseven governing elements: Fire, Water, Stone,Air, Light, Darkness, and Electricity.

Everything in Empyrean is composed ofand governed by Anima. All power sourcesand energy can be traced back to one form ofAnima or another. More importantly, everyaction that an Eidolon commits is governed bythe influence of one kind of Anima oranother.

The Balance is the concentration of Animawithin the Eidolons and the World. APersonal Balanceis an Eidolons own Animalevel, and the World Balanceis a record of theambient Anima in the area. An Eidolon with ahigher concentration of certain elements ismore proficient in actions governed by thoseelements. A higher world balance giveseveryone in the area a higher chances of

success with certain actions.*


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GameplayThe course of the game will occur as a

series of encounters. Each encounter is basedaround a main conflict, and is resolved bytaking the following steps.

1. Introduction2. Asking Establishing Questions3. Group Resolution4. Becoming5. Closure

MaterialsTo play this demo game, you will need the

entirety of this document, including the fiveplayer character sheets, a set of five 10-sideddice (hereafter referred to as d10s), and one20-sided die.

Rotating Game MasteryBeauty is to move in harmony withthe flow of the world.

Lieselotte, Who Sees BeneathIn Mystic Empyrean, there is no need for a

GM or single player to control all entities inthe world. Instead, GM-ship rotates aroundthe table on a per-encounter basis. Each playershould pick a character to play, including theone who is to be the primary storyteller.

The players are responsible forstorytelling, but the Primary Storyteller hasan added responsibility of knowing the game

rules and answering questions about the worldand setting.

If you wish to play Mystic Empyrean as amore traditional RPG, you can designate oneplayer to be a dedicated storyteller, and notcontrol a player character.

IntroductionIn the Introduction Phase, one player

reads the encounters context to all players,establishing the actual conflict at hand. Forexample, in the first encounter of this game,the players are going to be turned away fromthe gates of Nitar because they do not possessentry papers. This basic context is the conflictthat the rest of the encounter is based aroundresolving. Once all players understand thesituation they are in, move on to the secondstep, establishing questions.


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Establishing Questions"If you cannot understand, then it isbecause you decided what to seebefore opening your eyes."

Enciyo, Eye of the LibrariumThe Establishing Questions phase is when

the situation of the players is fleshed out ingreater detail. In the order they are seated,each player asks a question about the currentsituation to the player on his left, moving left.These questions can be yes/no questions orsimple questions that are facts or details theplayers would be able to know immediately.The player who is answering the questionshould make up an answer that he feels fitsthe situation. For example,

Fargan: What time of day is it?Lieselotte:Night. Thats probably whytheyre more suspicious of us. How many

guards are on duty?

Lyons:Two. Probably easy to overpower.How high are the city walls?

Shiele:They tower up to the clouds. This isa big city. Do we see any other ways in?

Enciyo:Theres a sewer system thatprobably gives access somewhere. Do the

guards appear to be tired, drunk, oruneducated? Any chance of deceiving them?

Fargan:Theyre tired, but you have to tryit and see if tricking them works. Do wehave some basic tools for spelunking? Like

a crowbar, rope, et cetera?

The answers given to the questions serveto build the scene and help others think abouttheir options. Establishing questions cancontinue on until all players pass on asking aquestion. Once this occurs, group resolutionbegins.

* Theoretical questions are not allowed. In theexample above, Enciyo asks any chance ofdeceiving them? this kind of theoreticalquestion isnt allowed, since (as Fargan

mentions) Enciyo wouldnt be able to knowthat for certain without trying it. Only thingsthat the party can know from simpleobservation of the scene are allowableestablishing questions.

Notes on Establishing Questions

* Establishing questions can grant the partygear and resources.Do we have common tools?Are there any henchmen in our employ? Do weknow the way back to the exit?These are allallowed questions.

* Establishing questions cannot grant theplayers new powers, magical gear, or characterchanges.For example:Are we elder gods bent onthe destruction of the world? Do I possess a tactical

nuclear weapon? Have I developed all my traits totheir maximum level?These would all be illegalestablishing questions.


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Group ResolutionTo put my fate in your hands wouldbe to give you undue honor.

Fargan, Seeker of the BalanceStarting with a randomly chosen player,

each player becomes the Active Playerfor aturn. The player sitting to the right of the firstActive Player is considered the Active GM.The Active Player is responsible forperforming some action to advance the partysgoals, while the Active GM determines theresults of that action and narrates the story.

Once the Active Player has finished

resolving an attempt to solve or advance theencounter, then Active Player-ship passes tothe left, and game play continues. Wheneverthe Active GM becomes the Active Player, hepasses his Active GM status to the right.Thus, each GM player retains this position fora complete circle around the table. It can beuseful to have a button, apple, conch shell, orsome other token to denote who is ActivePlayer and who is Active GM, and to passthese tokens around as the game goes on. The

Active GM has the final authority in allsituations, though other players are welcomeand encouraged to advise both the Active GMand the Active Player as much as they like.

During a players turn, the player shouldcome up with a course of action that attemptsto resolve the situation at hand. The ActiveGM then uses random resolution to determinethe actions success or failure. In MysticEmpyrean, every action is governed by one ofthe seven elements. Darkness governs stealthand deception, and Fire governs crafting, soEnciyos actions in the next example arealigned with Fire and Darkness.

Once the actions alignment is determined,dice are rolled.*

*Mystic Empyreans primary resolution system, The

Balance, uses a deck of specialized cards instead of dice.

To continue with the example above:

Enciyo:I want to take a few blank sheets ofpaper from one of my notebooks. With myWords Within ability, I can print things

with a touch, so Ill print us some papersthat grant entry.GM Lyons):Have you ever seen entrypapers for Nitar?

Enciyo:Probably not, actually. But Imfamiliar with what official papers look like.

GM Lyons): So youre going to try to fakeit based on what you know. Then try topass off these fake documents as your own.

Thats two separate actions, one fire

forcraftingand one darknessfor deception.

For this resolution the two relevant statsare Enciyos Fire and Darkness stats, and theFire and Darkness stats of the current region,Nitar. The higher Enciyos concentration ofthese levels, the better her chances of success.The higher the regions concentration of theselevels, the easier success is.

Enciyo has a Fire level of 1, being a mostlypeaceful creature by nature. She rolls 1 die perpoint of Fire she has. This means she will rollonly 1d10 for her resolution. If she had threepoints of Fire, she would roll 3d10 instead.

Nitar has a Fire level of 4. This means thatto succeed, at least one of Enciyos die rolls,plus 4, must meet or exceed 11. So a roll of 1-6will fail, and a roll of 7-10 will succeed. Enciyoneeds to succeed once to forge the documents,and once more to convince the gate guards

that they are genuine. So unless both rolls area success, her attempt will fail.

With The Balance, special effects, twists of fate, and

unexpected storytelling events can occur in the middle of

resolution, adding increased depth to the story. Since

demo gamers probably dont want to build or buy a

balance, the dice variant included in the core book is used

here. See the end of this guide for more information on

The Balance


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Enciyo rolls an 8 on her d10. She narratesher own success or failure, since no one elseis involved in the action.

Enciyo: I forge some pretty official-lookingdocuments, complete with the seal of theguild of law, which Ive seen once before inan old book.GM Lyons):And you approach the gatewith the papers?

Enciyo rolls another single d10, this timewith a result of 3. Since this is a Darknessroll, and Nitar has a darkness level of 3,Enciyo would need an 8 to succeed, insteadof the 7 she needed before. Because she isattempting an action that interacts withother people in the world, the GM will

narrate her ultimate success or failure.

Enciyo: I hand them the documents, andstammer something about how its good tobe home. Im not the greatest actor.GM Lyons): They seem to scrutinize thepapers and look back to you, reading the

nervousness off of your face. One of theguards whispers something to the other,and the small door at the base of the gatedoes not open. Maam, Im afraid wewont be able to grant you entry to the cityat this time. Could you and your travelingparty please step aside?

Difficulty LevelsNot all resolutions need to be attempted at

full difficulty. If the circumstances aremitigated in such a way that a check would be

easier than normal, such as the playersexecuting an especially smart plan, or havingsituational advantages to their attempt, theGM may award a bonus of +1, +2, or +3 to thehighest die roll in a check. This bonus shouldbe awarded before dice are rolled.

To further modify difficulty level, breakan action down into a longer series of checks.In the above example, Enciyo needed to maketwo checks to succeed. The GM could havedecided that the entire attempt was oneDarkness check, which would have made iteasier to succeed. Alternatively, he could haveadded an extra Darkness check--for the secondguard--to increase the difficulty.


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Types of ActionThough we tread different roads,our destinations will be the same,through all time.

Ryhl, the Dual NaturedIndividual balances mean that each

character is adept at doing things in certainways. Their social actions, combat styles, andsolutions to obstacles will all be tinged withthe elements that govern their personalbalances. Every Eidolon can accomplish thesame things, but must go about them indifferent ways to have the highest chance ofsuccess.

For example, Lyons is primarily a fire-based Eidolon, while Fargan is a water-basedEidolon. In a social situation, Fargan is able toeasily make friends, while Lyons is moreadept at intimidation and browbeating. Farganmakes a better spokesperson if the groupwants allies, while Lyons can often ensuregreater concessions from NPCs at the cost ofinvoking their anger. If Lyons wanted to makefriends with someone, he could still use fire

based actions

perhaps by intimidating theNPCs enemies or using his strength toremove some obstacle for them.

In battle, head-on attacks are Fire based,while using the environment and redirectingan enemys strength are Water based. Farganand Lyons can both fight with an equal chanceof success against enemies, but to take fulladvantage of his powers, Fargan must turn anenemys strengths against it, while Lyons can

meet his foe with sheer brute force.Depending on the current World Balance,Fargans strategy may prove even moreeffective than Lyonss strategy in combat!

Anima SurgeIf destroying myself is all it takes tosee you meet your end, then Ill do itwithout blinking.

Niall, the Flame of WrathIn order to boost the chances of success, a

player may use an Anima Surge. To do this,the player must have at least two points ofAnima of the type that matches the currentaction. A surge can be used after a normalattempt has already failed, and succeeding thesurge negates any negative effects of failingthe normal attempt.

The powers associated with Superficial-levelPersona Traits can only be used as part of anAnima Surge.When a surge is used, one point of Anima

of the corresponding type is spent. It leavesthe players personal balance. The spentAnima is added to the worlds balance,lowering the difficulty of this and all futureactions, but reducing the users own aptitudewith the element in the future. For the singlecheck where the surge is spent, the player is

able to enjoy the benefit of having the point ofAnima in both his personal balance and theworld balance. (So he has the extra dice and areduced target roll).

In the situation above, Enciyo has onlyone point of Darkness Anima. Thus, shecannot opt to use a surge. Another partymember, however, can use a Surge to assisther.

Each character has one Wildcard Anima

(listed simply as Anima on their charactersheet). This Anima can be used as any typethe Eidolon wishes to activate an AnimaSurge, but does not improve his dice rollsduring normal checks.


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Shiele: If I might jump in?Enciyo:Any help would be appreciated.Shiele: Ill spend a Darkness Anima to assistEnciyo.

GM Lyons):What do you do?Shiele: Gentlemen, issss there ssssome kind of

problem at hand?

GM Lyons): The guard responds, Well sir,we had some questions about your papers.

Shiele: Yessss? They do not sssseem genuine?GM Lyons): Well, sir, s just that we standere every day, and dont think weve ever seenthe likes of you before.

Shiele:A fine point. The truth of the matterisss thisss. We have been outsssside the ccccityfor yearsss. Only now are we able to returnfrom long travelsss. It isss underssstandablethat you would not recognize the likesss of usss.My companion here, blesssss her, issss ssssomoved by the sssight of the ccccity that sheissss ssstunned.

Shiele rolls 4d10s, since he has 4 points ofDarkness Anima. A 3, 6, 2, and 7. Since thepoint of Darkness Anima Shiele spent isadded to the Worlds balance, the difficulty ofthe action has been reduced by 1, meaning the7 is a success.

In the future, when Shiele rolls a Darkness

check, he will now have only 3 dice. However,all allies can benefit from the increased levelof Darkness in the world balance until the endof the current encounter.

After the encounter ends, the worldbalance will return to whatever it is normallyfor Nitar. Shieles single point of DarknessAnima, however, remains spent until he restsand recovers it.

In the example above, Shiele could have

waited until his turn to cut in and assistEnciyo, but by that time, the captain of theguards may have approached to question anddetain her, or someone more skilled atdetecting forgery might have examined thepapers. Using the surge and assisting Enciyospared her any repercussions from the failedattempt.


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WoundsYou would be surprised to see whatan immortal force of nature can livethrough.

Montekh Dar, the Straw ManFailing actions will often cause harmful

repercussions or wounds. Each wound takes itstoll on the body of an Eidolon. Generally,wounds that are suffered by the players arewholly at the discretion of the Active GM. Anyfailed combat attempt generally results in awound of one kind or another, though this is notnecessarily true, especially in social encounters.

Surface Woundsoccur whenever physicaldamage is dealt to an Eidolon.* All physicalinjuriesfrom losing a leg to having oneshead cut off to being scraped from a fallaresurface wounds. These wounds never kill anEidolon.Instead, the Eidolon may spend a fullturn and one Anima of any type in order toregenerate fully from all surface wounds.

While an Eidolon is never killed fromsurface wounds, he may suffer so many

wounds as to become completely incapable offighting or acting. If an Eidolon has a powersuch as Hand Cannon (which lets him firebursts of elemental energy from his hand) andloses his hand to an attack, he also loses thispower until he regenerates. Eidolons who losetheir eyes cannot see, and those who lose legscannot walk, run, or act in much capacity.Consider also that walking around town withopen wounds is generally in bad taste, andmay have social repercussions.

Eidolons have roughly human physicaltoughness, which means that a single swordstrike is all it takes to lose a limb, and a simplefall can break bones. Without certain traits,they have human tolerance for pain, whichmeans that breaking a finger will prevent anEidolon from holding a weapon just as muchas losing his entire hand will. All that to say,immortality is not a license to recklessness.

Recovering AnimaI looked at my wounds, and realizedthere was a subtle beauty in the

fleeting pain. It was a revelation forme, that the joy of living can be soclosely tied to its burdens.

Lieselotte, Who Sees BeneathPlayers recover one point of Anima after a

full night of rest.

Whenever a player would recover Anima,he also recovers from any and all surfacewounds he has suffered.

If a player acts in a way strongly alignedwith a certain element, just for the sake of it,he can recover Anima of a certain type. Forexample:

Shiele:As we step past the guards, I decideto lift one of their wallets.

GM Lyons): (sighs) Thats Darknessagain. Roll it.

Shiele rolls 3d10, with a target of 7. With aresult of 9, 8, and 1, he succeeds.

GM Lyons): You gain a measly few coins,and the guard has no idea what hashappened. He goes home later that night, tobe scolded by his wife and hungry child.You have perpetrated the ideals of deceitand sorrow in the world, and for that,Darkness grows stronger within yourheart, and et cetera. Regain your point ofDarkness Anima.Shiele: With pleasure.

*There are other kinds of wounds Eidolons can suffer,

but you will not come across anything capable of

inflicting them in this adventure.


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BecomingI heard once that drinking the bloodof my enemies would make me

stronger. I dont know if I everbelieved it, but I developed a taste forblood all the same, on the off chancethat it might be true.

Alora, the Ashen QueenBecomingis the process by which new

traits are gained and characters developadditional power. After an encounter ends,players undergo a Becoming. This isanalogous to gaining experience in most otherRPGs, except that in Mystic Empyrean, otherplayers rate the traits that each playercharacter roleplayed, and thus playercharacters develop indirectly based on the waytheir actions are perceived by their comrades,and not on the assignment of points orselection of classes.

First, determine the number of points ofEmergence that are gained during a Becoming.Normally, this amount will be 1 point for each

30 minutes of gameplay that the encountertook. In fixed encounters, the emergence levelis given for you, though players may agree toadjust this amount up or down if theencounter was especially short or especiallylong.

Secondly, each player passes his or hercharacter sheet to the left. Each player thenlooks at the character sheet in front of him,and considers what personality traits werebrought out by the actions of the player on thesheet. If the player acted deceitfully, then hemight be considered duplicitous. If he actedwith anger, then wrathful might be chosen.The player adds one point of emergence to thetrait he chooses on the sheet in front of him,then passes the sheet to the left. Thiscontinues until a number of points have beenadded equal to the encounters point level.

Finally, each player takes his charactersheet back. Each player gains 1 discretionaryEmergence point, that he can spend on anytrait he wants, regardless of how heroleplayed.

If a single trait reaches a new level ofEmergence (at 7, 14, or 21 points), then theplayer immediately gains all benefitsassociated with the higher level of the trait.

At Superficial level, traits usually havelower power, and can only be used as part ofan Anima Surge. At Deep level, they are attheir fullest utility. All-Consuming Traits areextremely powerful, but each comes with aunique drawback that the Eidolon must

endure in tandem with this power.When a character gains a new trait or

levels up an old trait, then he adds Anima tohis individual balance. One point of Anima ofthe traits governing element is added to theEidolons individual balance. No singleelement may have more than 5 points ofAnima in it at a time. For example, if Lyonsimproves his Hand CannonTrait to All-Consuming level, he gains an additional pointof Fire in his personal balance.


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CombatI am a teacher, not a warrior, but Iwill teach you regret it if you try mypatience further.

Enciyo, Eye of the LibrariumCombat in Mystic Empyrean is freeform,

just like puzzles and social encounters.Monsters do not have hit points or statistics.Instead, they possess abilities and powers justlike players. A players actions may wound amonster, which usually causes it to changebehavior, or disables some of its powers. TheGMs discretion determines what kinds ofwounds a monster suffers from player actions,and when it finally does give up or die.

Generally the rule of thumb is to keepfighting until the players come up withsomething really brilliant and climactic to endthe battle, or until it just doesnt make sensefor the monster to still be alive.

Empyreans monsters are, for the most part,quite smart. The same kind of attack or assaultnever works against them twice. If Lyons fireshis hand cannon in a burst of flame at anenemy, whether or not the attack succeeds, nosubsequent direct attack with a burst of flamewill succeed. An action that is too similar to aprevious action automatically fails.

Whenever a player acts in combat, themonster that he is attacking will likely make

some sort of counterattack. Consider theexample below:

Lieselotte: Im going slip through the monsterslegs and around to its eyes, coming up rightbetween its eyes and unleashing a blast of lightand sound with my Illusionist ability.

GM Enciyo): Why the legs?Lieselotte: I want to make absolutely sure thatI have its attention, since eye contact is

necessary for the illusion to stick. Since Im aconstruct of color and ink, that kind ofmaneuver should be fairly easy.

GM Enciyo):Alright, youre standing behindthe monster, who has Lyons in a corner, andrush in through the beasts legs. Make a Watercheck to dodge its tail.

Lieselotte rolls 3, 8, and 9 on her check,with a target of 9.

GM Enciyo):You slide up in front of thecreature and unleash a burst of light and soundthat blinds and deafens it. The monsterthrashes about madly, and gnashes its teeth at

you, since you were the last thing it saw.Lieselotte: Ugh.GM Enciyo): Dont tell me you didnt see thatone coming.

Lieselotte:Im going to try to dodge around it.Since its blinded, that shouldnt be too hard.

GM Enciyo): Since you succeeded on the lastattempt and it is stunned, Ill give you a +2 tothis check, so water again.

Lieselotte rolls 4, 3, and 6, with a target of 9.Even with the +2 bonus, she is still going to

fail.GM Enciyo):Alas, the monsters jaws clampdown over your arm, and crunch--Lyons:Im going to put up my spear to lock its

jaws open, then duck out of the corner withLieselotte. Thats a stone Anima surge, which Illuse my wild anima for.

Lyons marks the wildcard anima point off ofhis character sheet, and rolls 2d10 against atarget of 6. His rolls are 5 and 8.

GM Enciyo): Ok, so just as you feel themonsters breath on your flesh, theres a crackingsound, as its molars break against Lyons spear.Grabbing his hand, the two of your swoop outthrough the creatures legs in a blur of color andrejoin with the rest of the group.


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Preview Adventure

The Steam Vaults of Nitar


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The GameThis preview game offers an abbreviated

presentation of the realm of Nitar for you andyour allies to adventure in. You dont need to

read this section in advance of playing thegame, so long as you understand the rulespresent in the first section of the book.

ScenarioAt the start of the game, our heroes are

just outside the city of Nitar, a bastion ofcivilization surrounded on three sides by theall-consuming Aether. According to a sagethey have met in their travels, a cornerstone is

hidden in the ruins deep beneath the city ofNitarin the undercity upon which thecurrent metropolis is built.

Nitars World BalanceAbove the CityFire Water Air

Stone Light Darkness Electricity UndercityFire Water Air

Stone Light Darkness Electricity

NitarNote: Enciyo is the groups walking

encyclopedia. If you want to revealinformation in-character, then have Enciyo

read this section about the city, and brief theother party members on the citys history andconventions as necessary throughout theadventure.

Nitar is a vast metropolis that towers up intothe sky, and reaches its roots deep into the earth,and into history. One of the last places to survivethe cataclysm that tore the world asunder, Nitarhas been continually built and rebuilt atop itself forhundreds of years.

The citys upper classes live in the high spiresof the walled city, while the lower classes andriffraff inhabit the more terrestrial layers.Subhuman creatures, monstrosities, and otherhorrors are sealed away within the catacombsbeneath the city, which are off limits to ordinarycitizens.

Population:Around 1.4 millionArea: The city has 5 populated strata, thelargest of which is around 12 square miles in

area. The lower levels are of indeterminatesize.

Technology: Steam-tech in the upper layers,though the lower layers may have different,antiquated or lost technologies.

Government: Representative. Guild leadersand politicians make laws, but the guild of lawsand law enforcement has been increasing itspower disproportionately as of late, causingworry for some.

Culture: The varied strata of the city havevastly different cultures. Higher levels haveamenities like libraries, museums, andhospitals. Lower levels are dotted with militaryoutposts, arenas, and bazaars.


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Life in NitarNitar is powered by steam vents that are

driven by huge boilers in the citys lowerlayers. The boilers are fed by coal that is

mined from veins that run alongside theundercity of Nitar.

This network of boilers and plumbingprovides steam power and heat to the citizensof Nitar, and gives energy to all of their mostimportant machinery, such as elevators thattraverse the strata, industrial production, andpublic transportation.

Nitars citizens primarily work inindustrial production, building machines,

conveniences, and weapons which are tradedwithin the city and with outsiders. Clothing,jewelry, and food are produced by individualsin their home workshops, or by farmers whocultivate the plains outside of the citys walls.

NitariThe average citizens of the city are a tribe

of Nascent called the Nitari. While Eidolonsare very common in the city, the Nitari are by

far the dominant populace. These beingsappear as petite, rotund humans with tannedskin and milky white eyes. They generallyhave dark hair, and wear clothing adornedwith all manner of jewelry and anything elsethat will shine.

The Nitari have a magpie-like love ofjewels and gold, and adorn their structureswith grand statues, gold leaf overlays, andbeautiful ornaments. Though few of theirgoods, clothing, and tools have real value orpractical use, all products developed withinthe city have an exquisite and expensive look.

The Nitari have sharp ears and eyes fordetail, though they cannot see well at longdistances, and many use glasses, binoculars, orspyglasses in daily life. They are anindustrious lot, and value individual initiativeand creativity. Most of the jewelry andclothing in Nitar is created by the Nitarithemselves, working out of their homes and

trading with their neighbors. Because of this,each district of the city has its own fashionsand styles.


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Important PeopleNitar contains a vast array of NPCs which

the players may encounter. From guildmasters to hired muscle to politicians,

everyone in Nitar has something they want,and something to offer in exchange for it.

Gharl is the leader of the Guild of Lawwithin Nitar, and is a collector of cornerstoneswith ambitions to build his own world. As acollector, Gharl would happily sponsor anyexcursion to acquire a cornerstone, so long asthe stone reaches his hands in the end.

Lord Gharl, the Devourer

Though sympathetic to the plights of thepeople of Nitar, Gharls increased control overlife in the city, even for the better, has drawnsharp criticism from political rivals.

Gharls entire body is able to open like atrap, swallowing other Eidolons inside. Whilehe has an Eidolon swallowed in this way, hehas access to all of that beings powers.

Belanya is the guildmaster of the Nitariguild of defense and security. Her soldiers arein charge of the yearly culling of dangerouscreatures in the sewers, and for this event shecommonly hires adventurers to head downinto the depths of the undercity to deal withthe creatures there when they grow toonumerous.

Lady Belanya, Mistress of Blades

Though well-liked by her soldiers, Belanya

is viewed with disdain by the lower classes ofNitar, since her job also includes dispersingriots and enforcing order.

Belanya is bound with heavy chains,which are strung with hundreds of knives ofevery shape and description. She can wieldthese chains with deadly efficiency in combat,and her body is completely indestructible.

An enterprising merchant with an eye foropportunity, Lamarck is well known withinthe mercantile districts of Nitar, and in thesurrounding areas. He sees the possibility of

more realms in the world as a businessopportunity, and would gladly sponsor anyeffort which might increase the affluence ofhis city, family, and guild.

Lamarck, Treasure Hunter

Lamarck can turn things that he touches togold, and can create fireworks with a snap ofhis fingers. He loves to party, throws lavishfestivals for no reason at all, and is well likedby just about everyone in Nitar, exceptpolitical rivals who seek to curb his wealth

and influence.


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CreaturesThe undercities of Nitar are dangerous,

and filled with all manner of terriblecreatures.

These bone-thin mongrels have longtalons which they use to climb through thewalls and caverns of Nitars depths withfrightening ease. They pursue intruderswithin the caverns in packs, and fight withrelentless intensity and group intelligence,using their talons in surprise strikes topuncture and eviscerate prey, then

disappearing into the darkness while theirvictims bleed out. Single Prakk are known tohave been tamed, but groups are difficult orimpossible to control.

Prakk

Hazardous waste from the factories aboveand the sorrows of the underprivilegedworking class coagulate together with

abandoned thaumic technology of ancientNitar to create Gutslagshorrifying elementalincarnations of rage and despair. The onlyexistence of these oily masses of poison andliving death is endless pain, and the kindestmercy is to show them a swift end. Their onlyinstinct is to vent their anger upon anycreature they encounter, which they do byspitting acidic venom and hurling theirgrotesque bodies of oil and dross towardsenemies full force. Numerous gutslags in one

area can merge together, forming horrifyingmonstrosities of epic scale.

Gutslag

Wonders and TreasuresVisitors to Nitar may discover all sorts of

wondrous and powerful artifacts. A few arepresented here:

These gloves form a bond with any objectthey touch. The bonded object forms an arcand returns to the glove when thrown, justlike a boomerang would. This also means thatanything picked up with the gloves cannot bedropped until the gloves are removed. Cursedvariations of these gloves, which cannot beremoved, are not uncommon. (Lieselotte can

use Repurpose a Device to remove a curse.Lyons can Destroy Something to remove acursed object. Shiele can do the same bySabotaging Something)

Boomerang Gloves

An oil that causes instantaneousfossilization of any organic material itcontacts. Can be bought in the markets of

Nitar, and used as a weapon coating, orthrown in a vial to scatter a group of enemies.

Ancient Oil

This magic rope uncoils and floatsupwards when music is played by its owner.The rope can support any amount of weightwhile hovering in the air like this, but falls tothe ground immediately once the music stopsbeing played.

Gilt Braid


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Encounters in Nitar

Pregame: On the RoadType:Social / PuzzleNote:If you want to test out the

mechanics of the game and explore yourcharacters in an environment that will notaffect the rest of the game, this encountergives an opportunity to do so. If you want tojump straight into the adventure, thissandbox encounter can be safely skipped.

Context: Walking along the road toNitar, you and your comrades spy a cartthat is tipped over in the road. The cartsowner, a small man with a large mustache,is holding a rifle tightly and peering

nervously around into the forest and woods.It is uncertain whether he is waiting forhelp, attempting to fend off bandits thatmight still be in the area, or simply a bitparanoid.

After this encounter ends,

the party has an opportunityto rest and recover all spentAnima.

Suggested Emergence: 3

1: At the City GatesType:Social / PuzzleContext: After a long night of travel,

you find yourselves standing outside thegates of Nitar, the great city, which towershigh up towards the sky. Massive ironwalls seem to extend on forever in bothdirections, and the main gate before you isperhaps twenty stories tall.

A smaller gatehouse out front of the guard

tower houses a few guards, who appear tobe checking the credentials of everyone whoenters the city.

Unfortunately, as wanderers, you have noofficial passports or documents that would

grant you access to Nitar. As you drawcloser to the front of the line of peoplewaiting to enter the city, you have onlylimited time to think of some way to gainentry.



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2: In the CityType:Social

Context:Nitar is a colossal metropolisthat covers many square miles and manystories. You have entered in one of thelower strata of the citythe domain ofmercenaries, thieves, and poor workers.You are trying to locate a cornerstone, but

you know that you are not the only ones inthe city who would like to have thistreasure. Its likely that the ruins the sagespoke to you of are well known to certainpeople within the city, such as

guildmasters, workers, and city officials.

You must make contact with these kinds ofpeople, and find what they know aboutaccessing the ruins beneath the city. Youmust find some way to enter the undercity,as access is restricted for those not onofficial errands.


2b: Optional BranchType:VariousIf you finish encounters 1 and 2 too quickly,insert one or more optional encounters byrolling on the table below:

d10 Encounter Context1 While looking for entrances to theundercity, you are arrested for trespassingin restricted areas.2 A shady-looking merchant attempts to sell

you a map of the undercity. You cant besure if the map is a fraud or not.3 You are poking around a warehouse, looking

for clues on how to enter the undercity,when you stumble upon a fresh corpse, andhear movement in the darkness.4 A portion of the upper city collapses,trapping one of your friends in the rubble.5 The guards who suspected you earlier at the

gate have put out a warrant for your arrest,and everyone is looking for you.6 The undercity entrances are controlled by aband of mercenaries, who demand heavy

payment to grant you entry.7 There is not a direct entrance to theundercity. Instead, you must break insomehow by cutting through the citys

foundations.8 In order to reach the undercity, you willhave to use a maintenance elevator locatedin the highest strata of Nitar.Unfortunately, access to this strata is

granted only to nobles and city officials.9 A child has gone missing and was seen nearone of the entrances of the undercity. Thechilds concerned mother begs you to helpher by finding him.10 An item in your possession is confiscated bya corrupt city guard.


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3: Beneath NitarType:Puzzle

Context: You have finally made itdown into the depths of the

undercity

the forgotten ruins uponwhich Nitar has built its foundations.

The undercity is a dilapidated andcollapsing maze of worn granite andmarble, with many potential hazards

for unwary adventurers. Vast gothicarches and massive buildings loom over

you, all sealed off from the world bythe Great Citys foundation restingabove. You must be cautious as you

head down into its depths, avoidingtraps and natural hazards which mightbring you to an early demise.

In this puzzle encounter, you will bepresented with a series of small hazards,which you must use your wits andteamwork to solve. You should stillmake use of Establishing questions forthese hazards, but their establishmentand resolution can be fairly simple.Randomly select hazards from the tableon the next page. Once you haveovercome 5 to 7 different hazards, theencounter is completed. Feel free tocreate your own hazards, if you have aninspiring encounter hook in mind, orwant to resolve any loose ends created inthe previous encounters.



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Encounters for 3: Beneath Nitard20 Encounter Context1 A heavy stone door blocks your path, controlled by a strange machine with no obvious control panel.2 A small tunnel in the wall seems to be the only way forward through a dead end. However, the tunnel is

far too small for even a child to fit through.3 A vast chasm, spanned only by a crumbling bridge of natural rock, stands before you.4 A swarm of vampiric bats surround you, biting relentlessly at your exposed flesh. Hunger seems to havedriven them to a kind of madness.5 You find an old urn set upon a dais in the middle of one of the rooms of the undercity. It seems to besealed shut. However, some kind of creature is clearly inside, and speaks to you, begging to be released.6 You find a hall with hundreds of doors. Many of them seem to lead only to dead ends, or to nowhere atall. How will you proceed?7 A collapsing support fixture cracks above you. You have only moments to take cover, or you will becrushed!8 A boulder falls from above and begins rolling down the long, narrow hallway towards you.

9 You reach a wide hall with a dead end. You know there must be some kind of passageway or door here,but nothing obvious catches the eye.10 You discover a key which obviously belongs to some kind of vault or reliquary by its design. If you wereto search the area around here, perhaps you might find something of value...11 As you cross a wide, empty room, the ground under your feet begins to give. Even the slightest movewill send you all tumbling down into an unknown abyss.12 You reach a sealed door covered in brightly glowing runes. The runes appear to contain some message orclue about how to open the door, but you have no idea how to read them.13 A pack of diseased, doglike creatures leer out at you from the shadows and begin to move in,surrounding you.14 You enter a room that is swarming with snakes. The creatures snap aggressively, and cover every inchof the floor.15 You reach a subterranean chasm, probably a thousand meters across. A cable car system is evidentlydesigned to cross this chasm, but it appears to be broken.16 You encounter a dead-end room filled with skeletons and mummified corpses. There appears to be noindication of how to proceed from here, but maybe some clues are hidden within...17 A deep pool of icy cold water is the only way forward from where you stand. A few minutes in this poolwill freeze you solid, but you must dive deep beneath it to find the way forward.18 A strange, elegant and eerie music floats up hauntingly from a corridor below. Could it be that someoneis still living down here in the undercity? Perhaps this being could guide you in your search.19 You enter a chamber with vaulted ceilings of shimmering, smooth white stone. There is no apparentexitexcept for through the chambers roof. No obvious way to climb the walls presents itself to you.20 Before you stands a stone double door nearly five stories tall. It appears to be sealed by a great bar,which can be removed by turning a crank whose handle is itself two stories tall.


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4: Root of the WorldType:Combat

Context: After hours of long traveling,you make it into the deepest part of theundercitythe heart of the vaults of theancient Nitar. Here is held a piece of theroot of the worldthe source of power thathas lain dormant beneath the city for athousand years, and can push back the tideof Aether to reveal new wonders andadventures.

This circular chamber is a massive vault,easily fifty stories high and just as wide indiameter.

Before you in the vault, hovering aboutthree feet from the ground in the roomscenter is an iridescent, beautiful crystal ofradiant color. Its light reflects indimensions that cannot exist, and in every

facet of the jewel are whole worlds,existing only for a moment in a flash oflight, but fully populated and rendered tothe smallest blade of grass.

When the players take the stone, you mayproceed with the encounter below.Alternatively, if the party has partnered withan NPC (such as Gharl or Belanya), or hasgiven such a character reason to follow them,the NPC may appear instead with cohorts toundermine or betray the party. Otherwise,

read on:

You take the stone effortlessly from itsplace, and begin to head out, a slitheringsound hisses through the darkness.

A huge creature, glowing with elementalradiance, slinks down from the ceiling andeyeballs you curiously. It appears to be a

natural creature, but irradiated and infusedwith the stones power over what mighthave been centuries. Spines of crystal rise

from its back, crackling with electricity,and its long, sticky tongue lashes out andback with incredible speed. Claws strongenough to cut through solid stone adorn its

fingertips, and its body rapidly changescolors, shifting to become invisible as itmoves.

The creature attacks the party, focusingespecially on whichever player has acquiredthe cornerstone. It will give chase if the

players try to escape.Once the players have defeated the

monster, or made good on their escape, theencounter is ended, and the players havesuccessfully completed their goal! Thecornerstone acquired in this adventure can bereturned to Grand Cornerstone in order tostabilize and expand the world even further.


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LIGHT

WORDS WITHIN Academic)The words seemed to swirl about

beneath her skin, revealing andobscuring and revealing again. Her

knowledge, I knew, was a treasurewhich she guarded jealously.

Superficial:A skittering ink slithers beneath andupon the skin of the Eidolon, forming andunforming words. With milky white eyes, he canread any language and inherently understands themeaning behind forgotten and even iconographiclanguages.

Deep:The Eidolons body is a living work ofliterature, filled with words. He bleeds ink andknowledge, and can eat books in order to recoverfrom wounds.

All Consuming:Able to transform his body into aliving construct of ink and knowledge, the Eidoloncan take any shape and comprehend any riddle.However, his body is made of different stuff thanmost, and he is only able to heal from wounds byconsuming books or knowledge.

WEBWEAVER Brooding)Her spindly arms moved in a curious

pattern as she talked and paced around.When our conversation had ended, I

turned to leave, only to realize I wastrapped in an invisible net of threads.

Superficial:The Eidolon can draw a near-indestructible thread of silk from the palms of herhands, and attach it to any solid surface with atouch. Her arms become longer and slimmer, adeptat weaving and shaping the silk she creates.

Deep:The Eidolon can coat the threads of her silkwith stinging, sticky, or flammable mucus. She canalso attach webs by throwing them or shootingthem from her palms.

LIGHT

CRYSTALLINE Lucid)His whole body was covered in

crystals of perfect color and clarity,reflecting the light like a prism. A

calming light seemed to wash overme when he smiled.

Superficial:Crystals adorn the body of the Eidolon,and these can store and release light as needed. Withsufficient charge, the Eidolon can release beams ofintense, burning light, or radiate like a lantern.

Deep:The Eidolons crystalline body is resistant todamage, but is brittle and shatters with sufficientforce. By drawing in light from the sun or someother powerful source, the Eidolon can restore thesecrystals with only a few moments concentration.

ELEC

BARRIER Courteous)As the avalanche closed over us, she

calmly raised her hand. The airshimmered above us, and the snow slid

over us, cascading across an invisiblebarrier in the air.

Superficial:The Eidolons face hardens to becomemuch like a mask, though one that captures herfeatures perfectly and beautifully. Her flesh ispowdered pale, as though with makeup. With aflourish of the hand, she can create walls of force

that will repel or redirect most assaults. The airshimmers with these forces, making them apparentto intelligent creatures, but confounding tomonsters. It requires both hands to maintain thesebarriers, and the Eidolon cannot hold a barrier whereshe cannot see.

DARK

ENDLESS EYES Faultfinding)Her whole body opened up at once, a

thousand eyelids sliding open to gaze atme from every direction. Each one

glared at me with venomous disdain.

Superficial:The Eidolon can open additional eyesanywhere on her body by spending Anima. Theseeyes can see directly through walls and people, intolocked boxes, and through doors. This visionextends about fifteen feet in all directions from theEidolon. Even with this supernatural vision, she stillneeds light in order to see.

LIGHT


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WATER

LIQUID FLESH Acrobatic)Her body twisted like a spout of

water, slipping through the cracks inthe walkway as I tried to approach.

There was no hope of catching her.Superficial:The Eidolon has a sea green twinge toher skin, and smells faintly of salt and brine. TheEidolon can deform and manipulate individuallimbs to become any shape or size. She cannotdisconnect them from the rest of her body, ordeform more than a cubic foot of flesh at a time inthis way.

Deep:With an even greater control over hercontortions, the Eidolon is able to deform andreform her entire body at once. She cannot deformher heart, however, which always retains its

original size.All Consuming:The Eidolons heart swims like afish beneath her transparent skin. Any water thather heart is placed into immediately forms a brandnew body. Additionally, she can break up her limbsinto liquid that moves separately from her body.Naturally, she suffers and shrinks whenever thehumidity is low, or whenever there is a shortage ofwater.

WELLSPRING Humble)He offered me a hand, as water

seemed to seep from his sleeves andfrom between his fingers, runningdown his arms as though his heart

was an endless fountain.

Superficial:Water flows constantly from theEidolons heart, seeping off of his body at a rate ofabout a gallon per minute. The Eidolon can reduceto stop this flow as he wishes. With concentration,he can control any water that links with the flowspringing from his heart. He cannot manipulatemore water than his bodys volume.

Deep:The Eidolons eyes, ears, and mouth runwith water, though he can breathe perfectly bothwater and air. He can manipulate up to five timeshis bodys volume in water.

DARK

INVERSE Contrarian)He walked casually along the wall,

traversing the bottomless well asthough there were no danger of

falling. Bound as we were by our owngravity, there was nothing we could

do to chase him down into that abyss.

Superficial:Affected by a unique gravity all hisown, the Eidolon can choose to orient himself on adifferent surface than the ground. Using this power,he can treat walls, ceilings, or even specific objectsas down, and gravity will affect him as such.

Deep:The Eidolon is able to transfer his uniquesense of direction to any other person or objectwith a touch. The time they continue to be affectedby this power depends on how long they are in

contact with the Eidolon and how long he wishes.

TONE

WINDBORNE Capricious)The breeze began to pick up, then

lifted her into the air by the billow ofher robe. As I watched in wonder, shesailed off into the night on the summer

breeze, never to be seen again.

Superficial:Surrounded by his own personal windcurrent, the Eidolon is able to control and redirectwinds. She can unleash a burst of wind to throw

herself high into the air, or to knock down anunsuspecting foe, or accomplish anything else thatsudden gusts of wind are good for.

AIR

SANDSHAPER Resourceful)At his command, the ground grew

and formed for us a bridge. Quickly!he called, for even as we watched, the

sand began to drain from it.

Superficial:Within his immediate sphere ofinfluenceabout three feet from his bodytheEidolon can manipulate and reshape sand as will.The structures he creates with this power breakdown quickly once they leave his sphere ofinfluence, but while within this range, they are asstrong as iron.

WATER


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ELEC

ART CAST LIVING Artistic)She existed as color and sound,

painting herself into the air with eachaction or word. She appeared as a blur

of color, like she had been painted intoa scene with oil or watercolor.

Superficial:The Eidolon can flow and move asthough a liquid. When standing still, she retainsher ordinary shape and look, but when moving, shecan dart effortlessly through the arms or legs ofclumsier foes without a thought. Climbing andacrobatics are also unnaturally easy for an Eidolonwith this ability.

Deep:While standing still, the Eidolonsdimensions vanish, and she appears to become apainting on a wall or a part of the scenery. She can

alter her exterior colors to match those of hersurroundings, becoming invisible with an ever-shifting camouflage.

All Consuming:The Eidolon can freely change herappearance to anything she wishes, though shemust be careful to suppress her body of flowingcolors and sounds if she is to be passable as anotherbeing. While these Eidolons can easily frighten,inspire, and seduce others, they are more fragile,and flake away at a touch just like an oil painting.

ILLUSIONIST Exhibitionist) Her beautiful form moved towards

me with subtle grace, meeting my eyesand holding all of my senses rapt.

When I reached out to touch her, therewas nothing but smoke, and a man

with his sword at my throat.

Superficial:The Eidolon possesses a third eye that,when opened, projects illusions. Anyone whomeets the gaze of this third eye can be made to seeanything the Eidolon wishes. Looking away fromthe gaze of the Eidolons eye breaks the spell, andreveals the falsehood of these illusions.

Deep:The Eidolons spell of illusion lasts forseveral seconds after he breaks his gaze with avictim. After this point, the Eidolon no longercontrols the illusionsthey play themselves out inwhatever actions they were carrying out when theIllusionists gaze broke.

DARK

BLISSFUL GAZE Optimistic)She looked at me with a serene smile,and all my worries and anger melted.

My head was clouded with a giddy

excitement, and I was unable to thinkfor the beautiful calm in my mind.

Superficial:One or both of the Eidolons eyes glowwith a soft white light. With direct eye contact andan expenditure of Anima, the Eidolon can cause anartificial happiness to well up within another whois not extremely agitated or distracted. Thissensation causes the Eidolon to behave much likehe is intoxicated, saying or doing things that hewould not otherwise, and becoming rathersusceptible to suggestion. After a single dose ofthis, creatures develop a lifelong immunity to it.

Deep:The Eidolon can turn her calming gaze tocreate a rush of excitement and optimism-fueledadrenaline as well. This inspires an ally totemporarily forget his wounds and act with fullproficiency. Allies do not become immune to thisboost of energy, if they willfully accept it.

AIR

COSMOPOLITAN Fashionable)Before I even saw her, I knew. This

is someone that I wanted to be around.Someone worth listening to. Someone

worth supporting. All semblance of

doubt fled from my mind. I wanted tobe beside her, and hear her.

Superficial:The Eidolon possesses a jewel thatlooks similar to jewelry of one kind or another, butbuilt into her body. By turning on the charm, theEidolon makes everyone who gazes upon the lightof this jewel consider her as a friend, even if theyhave never before met. This effect doesnt work onenemies or those who have renounced the Eidolon.

AIR

GRAVEN EYE Scornful)She looked at me with such derision

and scorn as I had never seenherstony eyes glinting with terrifying

malice. And then, as my eyes met hers,everything was suddenly dark.

Superficial:For as long as the Eidolons stone eyesmeet those of another, that victim is turned to solidstone, and he is unable to move or act.

STONE


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FIRE

BANNERET Brave)Flags and banners and sigils of valor

adorned his form. When he leaptforward to meet the battle, my heartswelled with courage, and I could not

resist joining him.

Superficial:Flags and banners are a part of theEidolons body. When he joins a battle or endeavor,he can let out a rallying cry that, by spending anAnima, inspires all those around him who mightflee in fear to turn and join the battle. Allies withinsight of his banner can fight with slightly moreproficiency.

Deep: The sigils and medals of valor that cover theEidolons body reflect his power and strength. Justas he inspires allies to courage, he can inspireenemies to fear with his charge. Though this poweris weaker against Eidolons and strong mindedindividuals, those who are wavering on thepossibility of joining the battle on an enemys sidewill inevitably turn and flee at the sight of him.

TOWERING Boisterous)He stood vast and tall above us,

looking down and across the field.Who will challenge me? he asked.

Though we waited and waited nonestepped forward to meet him in battle.

Superficial:The Eidolon grows to a great size, beinghalf again as large as any ordinary person. Thisincreased size comes with additional strength, mass,and weight as well.

Deep:Growing in boastfulness and strength, theEidolon is twice as large as any ordinary person, andhas all the mass, strength, and weight that comewith this increased size.

AIR

SIMULACRUM Reputed)He stood alone on the field ofbattle, against all of our armies andweapons. We laughed at first whenwe saw the lone soldier, but blinkedand suddenly saw more. There were

thousands upon thousands.

Superficial:The Eidolon is able to create simulacra,or hollow duplicates of himself. These beings havethe same strength and mass as his true self, butshatter into nothing when struck. The simulacracannot speak or be reasoned withtheir lips arefused together, and their eyes have an eerie, glassylook to them that belies no intelligence. TheEidolon may create up to three simulacra at a time,and must arm them as necessary for any tasks theyare to carry out. Simulacra shatter and vanish ifthey move more than a hundred yards from theircreator.

LIGHT

FIRE

LIVING WEAPON Bloodthirsty)Armor and weapons were fused to

her beinga living incarnation ofwar and bloodshed. She walked

across the battlefield like a shadowof death itself, drinking in the

horrors of the war like a fine wine.

Superficial:The Eidolon possesses natural armorand weapons formed from nearly unbreakablemetal. These weapons can be wielded with expertproficiency, but she can never disarm them or sharethem with others. Her armor, similarly, is fused toher body and can never be removed.

FIRE

HAND CANNON Headstrong)He raised his hand, unleashing a

barrage of molten energy that splashedthrough our best-laid defenses.

Superficial:The Eidolons palms open up into veinsthat connect to his heart and open into the air.With a thought, the Eidolon can send a surge ofAnima through these veins, which manifests as apowerful burst of elemental energy.

Deep:With increased power, the Eidolons Handcannon can form its destructive energy intograppling hooks, ropes, acid blasts, grapeshot, andany other material object that can be reasonablyshot.

All Consuming:The destructive power of theEidolons Hand Cannon increases, such that he can

hurl explosive bursts of energy that spread over awide area. He can also maintain a continuous shortstream of energy that projects in a cone before him.The Eidolon finds himself unable to wield anyweapon in his hands, and they blister and burn atthe touch of metal.


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BalanceThough the dice variant for Mystic Empyrean is included in this preview game, dice are not

used in the full game of Mystic Empyrean. Instead, a system called the Balanceis used forresolution and event generation. The Balance allows the nature of an area to become manifest inrandom event generation, by skewing the results in a way that reflects the Anima balance in thatplace. It lets players change their own destinies by infusing Anima from their Personal Balancesinto the world, controlling event generation and making certain actions more likely to succeed.


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The BalanceThough the dice variant for Mystic

Empyrean is included in this preview game,dice are not used in the full game of Mystic

Empyrean. Instead, a system called theBalanceis used for resolution and eventgeneration. The Balance allows the nature ofan area to become manifest in random eventgeneration, by skewing the results in a waythat reflects the Anima balance in that place.It lets players change their own destinies byinfusing Anima from their Personal Balancesinto the world, controlling event generationand making certain actions more likely tosucceed.

Though the rules and charts for Balance-basedresolution are not included in this guide, youcan find these rules, plus instructions on how

to create your own balance resolution tool onthe Mystic Empyrean website,www.mysticempyrean.com.An official card-based Balance can be purchased in our onlinestore, and comes complete with rules for itsuse.
http://www.mysticempyrean.com/http://www.mysticempyrean.com/


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AfterwordI hope youve enjoyed this brief

look at Mystic Empyrean! Thispreview has been designed to

showcase some of the mostexciting aspects of thegamemost notably theability of player charactersto evolve and grow basedon roleplaying alone. Byplaying this game, youhave created a version ofyour characters and ofNitar that is whollyunique to you and your

comrades. Your actions haveshaped the world and takenyou on an adventure thatbelongs entirely to you.

The complete game book containsinformation on how to build growingpersonal backstories, construct new realms ofyour own, use the Balance to dynamicallygenerate random encounters, and develop adazzling array of nearly a hundred PersonaTraits. Not only do players create their world,but they define what rules it operates under aswell. The complete game of Mystic Empyreaninvites players to customize their world withconventions like summoning, alchemy, pets,and more to create the exact gamingexperience they desire. If youve found thissmall taste of Empyrean entrancing, thenexpect to be thoroughly awed by thepossibilities of the full game!

Thank you for playing this preview of

Mystic Empyrean, and I hope youre lookingforward to the complete games debut inSummer 2011!

D. Brad Talton Jr.


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