2.8 KiB
Title: Spheres of Influence
Spheres of Influence
As it turns out, every one of my games ends up reinterpreting icon relationship dice as instead relationships to the forces the icons represent, somewhat filing the icons themselves off of the mechanic and pushing them and their direct agents a bit further off-stage.
In light of this, I am attempting here to codify a replacement. It borrows heavily from 13th Age Glorantha's runes.
Aether
The universe is a swirling aether of forces from which all reality has taken shape. Creation has been influenced by these forces — broken out into prominent spheres of influence — and their interplay as they ebb and flow. Whether the distant gods have created the spheres or are beholden to them is uncertain.
The vast majority of living things are not consciously aware of the one or more spheres that guide their being, and even the average sentient creature may only be able to generally observe the influence of the spheres on their life.
Prominent characters, including the PCs, are different, however. They are able to attune to the aethereal spheres, drawing on their power and using it to consciously and unconsciously shape the world. The most powerful of these beings may appear as avatars of the gods, or perfect champions of one sphere, or simply master manipulators of certain forces that make up the world.
Spheres
Below is a list of the twenty primary spheres active in the game, and possible manifestations or examples of their influence on the world.
Note: use this table for rolling a random sphere, as per rune rules.
| d20 | Sphere | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air | Wind, the skies, disruption, rebellion, storms, wandering |
| 2 | Animal | Ferocity, instincts, might, speed |
| 3 | Chaos | Disorder, individual freedom, insanity, capriciousness |
| 4 | Darkness | Shadows, the underground, caves, concealment, mystery |
| 5 | Death | Death, separation, finality, loss |
| 6 | Earth | The terrestrial world, agriculture, solidity, strength, gems |
| 7 | Evil | Demons, devils, the abyssal planes |
| 8 | Fire | Flame, purgation, stars, passion |
| 9 | Good | Angels, archons, the celestial planes |
| 10 | Knowledge | Study, lore, secrets, seekers, writing |
| 11 | Law | Order, community, promises, oaths, punishment |
| 12 | Life | Growth, birth, plenty, love, food, spring |
| 13 | Luck | Randomness, fortune and misfortune, chance, omens |
| 14 | Magic | Magical effects, divinations, aberrations |
| 15 | Moon | Cycles, balance, winter, evening |
| 16 | Plant | Plant life, wild growth, forests, herbalists, autumn |
| 17 | Sun | Morning, light, summer, clarity |
| 18 | Trickery | Theft, subterfuge, deception, illusions |
| 19 | War | Battle, destruction, conquest, victory |
| 20 | Water | The sea, purity, healing, drowning, flooding |