Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

[Guest Goradin]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Great Stuff, Lord Liaden, always read your posts eagerly.

 

Historically the disease smallpox was the conquistadores best ally. In fact, some think it devasted the Incas before Pizarro arrived killing over 200,000 before the actual conquest. In fact, Huayna Capac the Incan Emperor died in 1528 from it some 4 years before Pizarro's actual conquest. Smallpox eventually killed 60-94% of the Incan population, this is how Pizarro's force of 180 men could literally take on an empire with little or no support.

 

You may want to make the People of the Valley immune to it through some machinations with their dark gods. Or write in how the Valley was so evil the disease never made it there. It would add a nice touch to it.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Good historical suggestion, Goradin; but as I conceived it, the Night People went into isolation in the Valley centuries before Europeans arrived in the New World. Of course it's possible that some isolated wanderer carrying the virus could have stumbled on the Valley. I'll consider it.

[pinecone]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Looks very cool! I'll have to read and digest for awile though...

[Lord Liaden]

Five Fingers Of Death

 

[inspired by private discussions with Legatus]:

 

 

Since her last defeat at the hands of a small army of superheroes, Eclipsar has considered such beings one of the greatest threats to her plans. A major focus of her covert operatives is to harass and discredit superheroes, and to learn their secrets to use against them. However, the goddess recognizes that subtlety is not always as efficient, or as satisfying, as crushing her foes through direct force. It was Mother Jaguar who proposed to her the creation of her own "superhero team," gathered from the foremost among her diverse servants. Dubbed the Fist Of The Goddess (or simply "The Fist", especially among those who don't know of the Valley Of Night), this group is deployed to counter superheroes on their own level. They maintain a cover as a mercenary villain group, even though their "employers" are all secretly operatives of the Valley Of Night. Although created to counter force with force, the Fist is far from a blunt instrument. They scout their targets thoroughly before attacking, and like the Nightbringers prefer to attack from a carefully-prepared ambush. They have a wide variety of Powers, and many options for causing confusion among their opponents.

 

The team currently has five members. Since most of the people from outside the Valley Of Night that they interact with are Spanish-speaking, each member of the Fist has taken a Spanish code name.

 

El Brujo ("The Sorceror"; real name Kon) is the designated leader of the team. One of the most skilled magicians among the Brothers Jaguar despite being not yet 30, Kon is also a competent hand-to-hand combatant. The previous Mother Jaguar distrusted his ambition and kept him out of important positions, but Copacati recognized his ability. Kon became one of her consorts, and a rival of the Capac for her favor. Kon supervised the original drug-tainting operation, and became quite comfortable dealing with the outside world. When the Fist Of The Goddess was formed Kon was first choice to lead it, and he welcomed the opportunity for greater glory and status.

 

El Brujo is arrogant, but very smooth in dealing with others when necessary, which helps him hold his more fractious teammates together. In the outer world he typically wears mirrored sunglasses, and expensive suits which complement his dark good looks. His quipu is always close at hand for spell casting, and when prepared for a fight he wears it around his neck like a necklace (OIF).

 

Use the character sheet for Talisman from the Champions genre book as the basis for El Brujo's human form. Eliminate her Foul Sorcery Multipower and Helpful Witcheries Elemental Control, and substitute a 60-point Cosmic VPP, Night People Spells Only. Change the slots in Talisman's Mastery Of Hellfire Multipower to spells more appropriate to the Night People, and make the whole Multipower 90 Active Points (all bought to 0 END), OIF (Quipu). El Brujo also has about 15 points in maneuvers from the Jaguar's Trail Martial Art, also usable in his were-jaguar form (with Fangs and Claws as Weapon Elements).

 

In battle El Brujo prefers to hang back, casting various ranged spells to support his teammates; but if attacked up close El Brujo won't hesitate to change to were-jaguar form and mix it up hand-to-hand. He may try a Multiple-Power Attack against particularly tough opposition.

 

Machete (real name Illapa) is a veteran Nightbringer, and a favorite of the Capac despite being "merely human." Illapa has had more assignments in the daylight world than any other Nightbringer, and has yet to fail. He's well suited to his position as battle-commander of the Fist Of The Goddess, and even El Brujo follows his instructions during combat. Machete relishes testing his skills against super-powered opposition, particularly other martial artists.

 

Machete is tall and athletically built, but otherwise looks like a typical Night Person. He likes to wear a loose black body suit and full head covering over his armor so he resembles a ninja, a cultural stereotype of honor and subtle lethalness he identifies with.

 

Use the character sheet for Green Dragon from the Champions genre book as the template for Machete, but reduce his STR to 20, DEX to 26, and SPD to 6. Eliminate the "Iron Skin" Damage Resistance, change his CSL to "All Combat", and add Find Weakness 11- with all his weapons. When anticipating battle he will use the Nightbringer's sacred mushrooms to Aid his Characteristics (4d6 Standard Effect -- see "Dark Knights" above for more about this drug.)

 

Machete uses his namesake weapon (equivalent to a Broad Sword) and a hatchet which he can also throw, as well as a modern high-tech bow (equal to a Heavy Longbow) with a Standard Scope. Game stats for these weapons can be found in the Fifth Edition rulebook or the Equipment Guide. He coats his arrows with his people's special toxins; typically half of them carry the lethal poison, the rest the paralyzing agent. Machete also carries several vessels of the powdered hallucinogen and the Flash powder to throw at opponents. Mechanical builds for all these compounds are under "Dark Knights" above. Machete wears light Kevlar armor in battle under his body suit (5 rDEF, Activation 13-, IIF).

 

When preparing an ambush Machete will attempt to Find Weakness on his targets from concealment before attacking with his bow. In a melee he first tries to neutralize one or more opponents with his thrown drugs before closing to HTH range. He calls instructions to his teammates in the Night People dialect of Quechua.

 

Pesadilla ("nightmare"; real name Oello) was a Night Person during Mama Supay's original war with Inti. As a young girl she was raped and murdered by soldiers of the Sapa Inca although she had taken no part in the fighting. After Mama Supay's defeat Oello's spirit was consigned to the Lower World for no other reason than her allegiance to the goddess. Her resentment at this injustice, and of all those who still lived, festered into hatred during her centuries in the bleak Incan hell. When Eclipsar retook the Lower World she saw much in Oello that she identified with, and offered her a chance for vengeance on the sunlit world as one of her Fist, which Oello eagerly accepted. El Brujo and Machete were a bit uncomfortable at first relying on a woman in battle (even a dead one), but Oello's ruthlessness won them over.

 

When visible Pesadilla appears as a translucent image of a slim young girl wearing flowing, tattered garments in the Incan style. When using her offensive PRE she changes to resemble a rotting corpse, her face contorted in rage and hatred.

 

Use the Ghost character sheet from the Bestiary for Pesadilla, with the full suite of optional Powers; but eliminate her Ghost Powers Elemental Control, instead putting all her offensive Powers into a Multipower of 105 Active Points (with corresponding increase to all their AP). Add 3/4 Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant. You might also increase her SPD to 4, increase her PD and ED, and give her a few CSL.

 

In combat Pesadilla remains invisible, and will attempt to possess one of her opponents and turn him against his comrades. Sometimes she'll be instructed to use a Presence Attack or Images to disconcert the Fist's enemies.

 

Sombra ("shadow" or "ghost"; he prefers to use this name) is of the first generation of supays, fighting with his mother against the gods. After their defeat Sombra was confined to the Lower World where he tormented the spirits of the damned, but he often managed to slip out secretly to cause grief in the world of Man. When the Ban fell on South America with the arrival of the Spaniards (see The Mystic World for details) Sombra was forced to remain in the Lower World, but with the return of Eclipsar he's once more free to spread terror and death, to his great amusement.

 

Sombra is among the oldest and strongest of his kin, and no less evil than any of them, but more disciplined than most, which is why Eclipsar selected him for the Fist Of The Goddess. Sombra is the most powerful member of the Fist, but also the most divisive. He follows the orders of El Brujo and Machete because Eclipsar tells him to, but doesn't hide his contempt for these "mere mortals." His past torment of the spirits of the damned also causes friction between him and Pesadilla.

 

Sombra is a featureless mass of darkness in the shape of a muscular man, with large shadow wings.

 

You can use the character sheet for Eclipse, from Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks, as the basis for Sombra, removing the Focus Limitation from his Powers; but you should also add the Powers and other abilities from the Shadow, in the Bestiary, to Sombra's sheet.

 

Sombra enjoys striking from ambush, but in open combat will take to the air, strafing his foes on the ground. He will cast Darkness over the Fist's most dangerous enemies, particularly mentalists, and will use it to cover the Fist's retreat if they're overmatched.

 

Lurte ("avalanche"; he has no other name) is the huaca of the island on which Uca Cuzco is built. When the Night People first came to the Valley they used their magic to coerce Lurte into helping them build their city. Lurte resented their disrespect, but after the city was built they let him lapse back into inanimate contemplation of the rhythms of the Earth, except for occasional demands for repairs or additions to the city. However, Mother Jaguar determined that his great strength would be of benefit to the Fist Of The Goddess. She and the other priests cast a mighty and terrible spell to rip Lurte's spirit from the island and cast it permanently into a humanoid vessel of stone, so that he could leave the Valley. This was agonizing to Lurte, and he feels lost and alone without his spiritual connection to the world. He now hates the Night People for what they did to him, but spells placed upon him force him to obey them.

 

Lurte looks like a twelve-foot-tall, roughly hewn stone statue of a powerfully built man. His body makes crackling and grinding noises when he moves.

 

Use the Earth Elemental character sheet from the Bestiary for Lurte, adding the "Mountain Elemental" template, but changing the additional Running to "+3 with All Combat." You should also increase his SPD to 4. Don't add the extra Disadvantages for a Mountain Elemental; instead give Lurte a Psychological Limitation, Must Obey Eclipsar And Her Priests (Very Common, Total Commitment).

 

Lurte is normally held in reserve since he's practically incapable of stealth, but once combat is joined he wades into the thick of it, focussing on the opposing team's strongest brick. Sometimes he'll burst out from below ground to gain Surprise against an enemy. Lurte often tries to immobilize an opponent with an Entangle to set him up for a Haymaker.

[Legatus]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

I found some interesting stuff you might want to incorporate:

the borrachero tree, burrundanga, scopolamine!!! The world's most dangerous drug!

 

http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=1119242704

 

this ist the first of 9 videos! Take the time to look at them and be scared.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Thanks for that, Legatus.

 

There's no question that the lifeforms of South America produce some of the most potent poisons and drugs on the planet, which have been used by natives for hunting and battle, and various rituals, for hundreds if not thousands of years. I definitely wanted to incorporate that tradition with the Night People, especially since breeding unusual organisms is one of their motifs. The boracherro, like all plants, wouldn't grow in my version of the Valley Of Night, but they do produce comparable toxins.

 

The issue for me is one of game balance. Even the strongest natural poison works slowly compared to the pace of superheroic combat (as represented in HERO by the Gradual Effect Limitation). OTOH published HERO toxins are so potent (massive Active Points) that without prompt action they may be lethal even to superheroes, which changes the focus of a scenario to saving the victim's life -- which can really derail a scenario with a different purpose.

 

For combat-related effects I wanted to strike a balance with substances that worked instantly, with a significant effect on a target, but not so powerful that they'd be immediate character stoppers (or killers). OTOH in scenarios of exploration, kidnapping, and so on, dealing with the consequences of drugging or poisoning can add great suspense and urgency, so bigger, slower builds are best there.

[clsage]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

When I purchased the Fifth Edition Champions Universe sourcebook back in 2002' date=' among its many treasures was a brief mention of a "hidden land" called the [b']Valley Of Night[/b],

The following text details my conception of the Valley Of Night, starting with its history and connection to Eclipsar; its growing influence in the present-day world; the geography and ecology of the Valley, including its unique life forms and supernatural entities; the unusual nature of its human inhabitants; their society, culture, and class divisions with their distinctive abilities; their magical practices; descriptions of a few major NPCs that might be encountered; and suggested campaign use for the Valley Of Night, for Champions and other genres.

 

Nicely done.....There might be some place for all this in my Team Norfolk universe.

With some tweaks, of course, to prevent any of the players who

post here from getting too much of a peek behind the GM screen.

 

Thanks! And have some rep.

 

-Carl-

[Legatus]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

When I posted this morning, it was quite early over here, so I overlooked your post about The Fist. That is the stuff I was expecting. Great!

 

[FenrisUlf]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Great work here, LL. I love the Valley of Night myself and am sorry more wasn't made of it officially -- though that leaves room for wonders like this.

 

Myself, I thought on something involving roaming Aztecs and were-jaguar priests of Tezcatlipoca (the God of Darkness among his other titles), but your idea is far more fantastic in nature. I've got to run a copy of this off for myself.

 

I also like the Incan/Peruvian mythology idea. There's more to South America than Brazil, after all. Just about the only thing missing is a Peruvian hero (or heroine) to oppose these villains, and who can be the local guide for heroes from El Norte when they visit.

 

Rep for you, sir!

[FenrisUlf]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Great Stuff, Lord Liaden, always read your posts eagerly.

 

Historically the disease smallpox was the conquistadores best ally. In fact, some think it devasted the Incas before Pizarro arrived killing over 200,000 before the actual conquest. In fact, Huayna Capac the Incan Emperor died in 1528 from it some 4 years before Pizarro's actual conquest. Smallpox eventually killed 60-94% of the Incan population, this is how Pizarro's force of 180 men could literally take on an empire with little or no support.

 

You may want to make the People of the Valley immune to it through some machinations with their dark gods. Or write in how the Valley was so evil the disease never made it there. It would add a nice touch to it.

 

Good historical suggestion' date=' Goradin; but as I conceived it, the Night People went into isolation in the Valley centuries before Europeans arrived in the New World. Of course it's possible that some isolated wanderer carrying the virus could have stumbled on the Valley. I'll consider it. [/quote']

 

OT but there's apparently now some argument in medical and archaeological circles to the effect that smallpox was actually native to the New World (based on some translations of Aztec codexes written centuries before the Conquest which describe something very like smallpox), and that the New World pandemics were actually of some other disease altogether, a hemorrhagic fever like Lassa or Ebola Zaire.

 

If true in the game world, that could give PCs with scientific or medical connections yet another way of getting dragged into all this: a new sickness breaks out. It's terrible, but there does seem to be some information as to an actual cure. Where? In some supposedly lost valley in Peru...

[Doc Shocker]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Repped for a great plot hook

[Lord Liaden]

A Virgin In The Sun

 

I also like the Incan/Peruvian mythology idea. There's more to South America than Brazil' date=' after all. Just about the only thing missing is a Peruvian hero (or heroine) to oppose these villains, and who can be the local guide for heroes from [i']El Norte[/i] when they visit.

 

I may just be able to help you with that...

 

 

 

As the forces of Francisco Pizarro's Spaniards and allied natives stormed the walls of Cuzco, the acllas, the holy virgins dedicated to the sun, stood before the temple of Inti. In times of great need the acllas were expected to be prepared to offer their lives to propitiate the god of their people, that he might be prevailed upon to avert disaster; and the need of the Incas had never been greater. Most of the virgins trembled with fear as the priests approached with their ritual knives, but one of the youngest, Zara, stood firm and unwavering to fulfill her sacred duty. Sadly, the sacrifice of the acllas was not enough to overcome the Ban which the Spaniards had brought with their god, barring the Incan deities from intervening. Nonetheless the gods rewarded Zara for her bravery and honor, carrying her up to Hanan Pacha to dwell with the noblest of the departed.

 

Yet Zara never forgot the land and the people she had died to save. She watched with great sorrow as the European conquerors methodically erased the Incas' culture and monuments. In modern times she witnessed a renewed seeking among the peoples of the Andes for their heritage, their scholars slowly piecing together the fragments of the past, and felt hope that the Incas and those who preceded them would be remembered and revered. Yet that hope turned to fear the day she witnessed some of those scholars unearthing the prison of Mama Supay, and the terrible goddess stealing the body of the leader of the expedition that she might walk the Earth again. Zara knew what terrors would follow, and wept spectral tears that her land should suffer such an outrage.

 

"Why do you weep, little one?" said a deep voice behind her. Zara turned to face the shining figure of Manco Capac, divine son of Inti and the first Sapa Inca. "The affairs of the Four Corners of the world are no longer our concern. The people long ago turned from us to their new god, until now we are but a pale shimmer of our former glory, all but forgotten."

 

"I weep for my own weakness, great one," Zara replied, with downcast eyes but firm voice. "Once before I gave my life in hope of preventing tragedy, but I failed. Now I dwell in Hanan Pacha in peace and ease, but I would sacrifice all that for the power to protect the children of our people from the coming night."

 

"Would you indeed?" Manco Capac said softly. "You shame me, girl. I had all but forgotten that I am father to my people, and a father does not abandon his children. Yet I have abided too long in the Upper World to be able to descend. But if you so choose, brave Zara, I can send you forth as an arrow from my bow, armed with what remains of my power."

 

"Great one, I choose it gladly," said Zara. Manco Capac placed his hand upon her head, and with a surge of light and warmth she felt his power flow into her spirit form. The god faded from her sight, but Zara felt the glow of his essence deep within her. She knew he had passed on the last spark of his divinity to her, and she swore to honor his final gift.

 

Zara's invisible spirit left Hanan Pacha for the site of Mama Supay's prison, where she felt herself drawn to a soul filled with sadness and confusion. Marisol Luque, research assistant to Lucia Esquivel, had just seen her mentor transformed into a living shadow, and vanish. Zara entered Luque's body, not as a thief like Eclipsar, but as a pilgrim asking for shelter.

 

The astonished Luque found herself communing with a mind from a time she knew only from fragmentary records. As the days and weeks passed she and Zara came to understand and to like each other. They also experimented together with the amazing new powers of light that Zara's spirit had brought to Marisol's body. Zara realized that Eclipsar would strike on the approaching summer solstice, and in Marisol's body flew off to warn the authorities, in the guise of a new "superhero" called Aclla. Although they were skeptical, Aclla's impassioned pleas and arguments finally persuaded them to make preparations. When Eclipsar appeared over Lima, Peru, UNTIL and South America's premier superhero team, La Brigada de Victoria, were already mobilized, and were joined by the Justice Squadron after Eclipsar began her rampage.

 

Aclla fought valiantly with the other superheroes and UNTIL agents, her light powers helping turn the tide against the dark goddess. The incident brought Aclla to immediate prominence, and she's since become a well-respected superhero based in Lima. In the meantime Marisol Luque earned her doctorate and is gaining prominence in her own field for her archaeological discoveries -- bolstered by the knowledge of one who lived during the era in question. Marisol and Zara share one body quite amicably for the most part, as they also share a love for the past and a strong idealism. The great cultural differences between them led to some unfortunate misunderstandings and conflicts at first, but the two women have largely worked those out. Marisol usually controls their joint body in their "secret identity", while Zara dominates when they go into action as Aclla. Both of Aclla''s personalities were gravely concerned when they heard of Eclipsar's escape from UNTIL's Guardhouse, and both dread her inevitable return.

 

Aclla would make a good introductory encounter for foreign PC heroes entering Peru. Once she accepts the necessity of whatever mission brought them, her local respect would ease the PCs' dealings in the country. In particular, her unique knowledge of Incan history and culture would be valuable in dealings with the Valley Of Night. On the other hand, her origin and participation in Eclipsar's defeat could make her a target of revenge by the goddess's organization, prompting her to seek the PCs for help and protection.

 

I recommend using the character sheet for Photon, from Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks, for Aclla, with adjustments to her academic Skills, and of course to some of her Psych Lims to reflect a different attitude (although not as many as one might think for a supervillain).

[Legatus]

need explanation on that name

 

Aclla? How do you pronounce that?

 

Is that double L pronounced as in spanish? Then it would be something like ak-ya.

 

Otherwise great concept and a detailed background.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Great work on Aclla's background, LL!

[Lord Liaden]

Re: need explanation on that name

 

Aclla? How do you pronounce that?

 

Is that double L pronounced as in spanish? Then it would be something like ak-ya.

 

Otherwise great concept and a detailed background.

 

I've been operating on the assumption that "ll" in all of these Quechuan words and names is indeed pronounced as "y" is in English, based on the fact that my mother and her family (from Peru) have always pronounced native-derived words that way, e.g. "llama" as "ya-ma". Although that's common Latin American pronounciation; the Castillian version is more like "ly". But I'll go with the way the people who live there say it.

 

I think I can refine Aclla's background and potential use a bit more, though. I was kinda wiped this morning when I wrote her up -- pulled an all-nighter, and not for fun reasons.

 

Big thanks to FenrisUlf for the suggestion. As I wrote before, the feedback I've been getting about this concept has led to a number of additions and tweaks which IMHO add a lot to it.

[aylwin13]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

You weren't 100% when you wrote her up?

 

My write-ups aren't that good after 2 days research and 3 re-writes.

 

Great job.

[Lord Liaden]

For Your Reading Pleasure...

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: With considerable help from our board colleague aylwin13, I've converted the Valley Of Night material on this thread into a PDF, which I've Attached to the first post on this thread. It contains all the latest updates and expansions to the Valley and related subjects, resulting from my own sober second thought and the great input I've received from my fellow HEROphiles. It should be clearer to read and allow you to peruse this stuff at your leisure.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Thank you very much, your Lordship! I'll get your PDF onto flash drive ASAP!

[Legatus]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Praise the Lord!

 

Thanks Liaden and Aylwin, it's been a pleasure so far.

[Kirby]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Wow.

 

Man, your title of Obsessed Member really is accurate. Pardon my just glancing over it, but later tonight (when the wife and child are asleep, or at least the child) I'll read it all. Just like with Birth of RAVEN, it looks like you've produced a lot of in-depth material. One of these days I hope to match your... dedication.

 

Anyway, thanks for giving us all something to drool over.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

I've had a number of thoughts about the geography, ecology, and society of the Valley Of Night which seemed too esoteric, complex to explain, or irrelevant to gaming, for me to include in my original notes and the subsequent PDF. However, people interested in using the Valley might like to add some of these details for a little more verisimilitude and local color, so I thought I'd drop tidbits here from time to time, in case anyone's interested.

 

I'm not sure whether anyone's thought of this question yet: When do the Night People sleep? It's not as though there's a major environmental difference between "day" and "night" in the Valley. Prior to the widespread use of artificial lighting in urban centers, the primary impetus for people to sleep at night was the lack of daylight which made many tasks much more difficult; but the darkness of the Valley Of Night is constant and the inhabitants have adapted to it.

 

For that matter, how do the Night People even separate day from night? The Nightbringers keep track of the heavens as they scout the borders of the Valley, but they can hardly communicate that information to all their fellows on a continuous basis. The Incas used the equivalent of sundials, but had no mechanical timekeeping devices.

 

The majority of the Night People sleep during what are daylight hours in the outer world. This stems from a combination of an unconcious fear of being out in the open when their enemy the Sun is above them; and the fact that the ambient temperature of the air in the region is cooler at night, making it more comfortable for physical labor, which is how most Night People occupy themselves. However, because the light conditions are always the same, Night People tend to work when they need to and sleep when they feel tired. At least a quarter of the population is awake and active even when the sun is at its highest.

 

The Night People keep track of time through the bioluminescent fungi they cultivate to light the interiors of their buildings. These round, grapefruit-sized growths, popularly referred to by a name which translates as "glowballs", have two types of phosphorescent-pigment-bearing cells on their surface, blue and green. The glowballs are somehow attuned to the natural day-night rhythm of the wider world -- perhaps they respond to temperature changes, or the more penetrating radiation from the sun which passes through the shielding illusion of the Valley.

 

In any case, the light from the glowballs changes color over the course of a day cycle. When the sun is highest they're entirely blue, but that color gradually fades as the sun goes down while the green color strengthens, and they become entirely green by the middle of the night, reversing as dawn approaches. Night People can tell the approximate time of day by the quality of light emitted by a glowball.

 

The ubiquitousness of these devices has led the Night People to refer to day and night as "blue time" and "green time", respectively. When they want to specify a time of day, as to meet with someone or when a task is to be finished, they describe it in terms of waxing or waning of the dominant color, in a manner similar to how we would say "afternoon" or "evening". For example, early morning would be called "green waning"; late morning/early afternoon would be "blue waxing"; and so on.

[Lord Liaden]

Kids In The Hall

 

Continuing with my thoughts on particular elements of the Valley Of Night, below is an elaboration on one of the major areas in the setting, the Hall Of Shadows, intended to make it suitable for an adventure scenario.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

The Hall Of Shadows is a square building 50 meters on a side, fashioned all of black basalt. The walls of the building stand 15 meters high, made up of large blocks of precisely fitted stone in the classic Inca style (DEF 8, BODY 6). The walls are topped by a flat roof covered in slate tiles. A corbeled basalt dome, 14 meters across and eight meters tall, emerges from the center of the roof. Four large windows pierce the dome, the only such apertures in the entire building. In the middle of each exterior wall is a bronze-bound door of heavy fungus-wood, 4 meters high and nearly as wide (DEF 5, BODY 10), framed between two thick, rectangular stone columns, with an equally thick cross bar over the top. The exterior of the Hall Of Shadows is notably devoid of decoration, presenting a grim, brooding image.

 

The Hall stands in the center of an open circular cobbled plaza 150 meters in diameter, surrounded by a six-meter stone wall. The wall has a walkway near the top for sentries, but is rarely patrolled except during major gatherings in the plaza. The four gates in the wall, at each cardinal point of the compass, parallel the doors in the Hall Of Shadows. The only notable breaks in the pavement of the plaza are four conical mounds of packed earth 3 meters tall, covered in a growth of thick, fur-like black mold. Each of the four mounds is set midway between one of the gates in the wall and corresponding door into the Hall Of Shadows. The tops of the mounds are sculpted to resemble life-size recumbent jaguars with inset emeralds for eyes. Two tiers of small alcoves have been dug into the earth around the circumference of the mound, into which supplicants are wont to place offerings to Eclipsar, typically handicrafts of the highest quality, in hopes that the goddess will favor them. The younger apprentice priests gather these gifts at the end of each day. In the past most of them found their way into the homes of the priesthood, but in recent years Eclipsar has claimed the ones she finds most pleasing (although she has yet to grant any of the supplicants' prayers).

 

The mounds are in fact huacas of earth tasked with guarding the offerings and the way into the Hall. If a huaca spots anyone stealing an offering, or attempting to sneak across the plaza, the jaguar sculpture at the top of the mound animates and slinks after the intruder. The huaca doesn't usually attack immediately, preferring to trail stealthily behind waiting for the right moment to strike by surprise. These guards are surprisingly light-footed and lithe for huacas of their type. You can base them on the "Earth Elemental" from the HERO System Bestiary, minus their Entangle Power, but give them all the abilities of the Tiger in the Bestiary, plus the higher of each Characteristic on the two sheets. The jaguar-huacas have Fangs and Claws of razor-sharp flint (2d6 HKA and 1 1/2d6 HKA, respectively).

 

The interior of the Hall Of Shadows is much more visually interesting than the exterior. Passing through the doors one enters a primarily open space, with a ceiling nine meters high. Painted murals run the length of the interior walls, portraying the most important events in the history of the Night People: the war between Eclipsar and Inti; the escape from the kingdom of Cuzco; finding the Valley Of Night; and the building of this dark wonderland; as well as scenes of major ceremonies, famous people, and daily life of the Night People. The murals are primarily brown, grey, red, and white, with an occasional splash of yellow representing Inti -- among the few colors to be found in the Valley.

 

Each corner of the Hall has a wall about eight meters wide cutting it off, with a small heavy door, forming a triangular chamber. These chambers contain vestments and artifacts for ceremonies, supplies for cleaning and maintenance (tasks performed by the young apprentice priests before they become Brothers Jaguar), and a staircase leading to rooms above the public area. A line of two-meter-wide triangular stone support pillars marches from each of the Hall's corners to its diagonal opposite, forming an "X" across the space. At the exact center of the Hall Of Shadows, directly below the dome, is a round stone platform 12 meters across and nearly two high, with a spiral staircase cut into the outer rim. The priests, and sometimes Eclipsar herself, address assemblies in the Hall from this platform. There are no seats on the platform or the floor of the hall -- the priests usually have cushioned stools carried up for themselves when they aren't speaking, but the common folk in the Hall are expected to stand as a show of respect.

 

The ceiling over the central platform is open to the dome above, and the dome's interior has cunningly-positioned sheets of polished tin mounted on it, gathering the meager light entering from the windows and focussing it on the platform below. To a normal human viewing the platform anything on it would be slightly less obscure than typical in the Valley (-2 to Sight Perception instead of -4), but to the eyes of a Night Person the scene is brightly lit and clearly visible from anywhere in the Hall Of Shadows. As for the pillars, their shape and orientation forms a remarkable acoustical amplifier, channeling the sound from a speaker on the platform throughout the Hall and toward the outer doors. When the doors are open, as during major ceremonies and public pronouncements, the speaker's words are clearly audible throughout the plaza. On those occasions when a general assembly is called, the Hall Of Shadows and surrounding plaza have proven capable of holding most of the population of the Valley Of Night, although such occasions are very rare. Smaller assemblies are not uncommon, though, and these would be the best occasions for PCs attempting to enter the plaza and the Hall covertly to slip in by mingling with the crowd. However, most of the time the public area of the Hall is empty except for young priests cleaning it or carrying supplies.

 

During the periods when Eclipsar herself abides at the Hall her supays flock to it, flitting among the rafters of the ceiling and in and out of the dome windows like monstrous bats. Even after Eclipsar has left, one to three supays often linger, harassing the mortals in the Hall. The edifice is also almost constantly haunted by one or more of the spirits of the damned who find their way here for a brief respite from the cheerless Lower World, before the priests or Eclipsar force them back. With the various supernatural entities abiding in or watching over the Hall Of Shadows, no one sees any need for more mundane guards.

 

Above the area of public assembly is a second floor to the Hall Of Shadows, divided into a number of hallways and connecting chambers. From the outside it's not apparent that the Hall even has a second floor. Observant PCs may notice the large discrepancy between the height of the building's roof and the ceiling in the public area; or they may learn of its existance from one of the Night People familiar with it (few aside from the priesthood and those who work within it.)

 

This floor was once primarily the dormitory of the young priests-in-training who worked to maintain the Hall, as well as storage for sacred treasures and more utilitarian items. Since Eclipsar's return the function and population of these rooms has been substantially renovated. The northern and eastern sections are now luxurious personal quarters for the goddess and whomever she treats as her "guests": bed chambers, baths, dining areas, and halls for games, music, and other entertainments. However, many visitors would probably dispute the definition of "luxury" in this case, since by Eclipsar's will most of these areas mirror conditions in the Lower World. They're covered by the equivalent of a permanent Darkness Power to all sight, and a chill scarcely above freezing, equivalent to -2 Temperature Levels (see the chapter on "Environmental Effects" in the Fifth Edition rulebook). As this resembles their native habitat the goddess and the supays are not impaired by these conditions in any way. These effects have the equivalent of 40 Active Points in each hex for purposes of Suppress or Dispel, although they can't be permanently Dispelled. If as is rumored there is indeed a passage to the Lower World from the Hall Of Shadows, it would be somewhere within this area.

 

The southern quarter is now the dormitory for a new institution created by Eclipsar, her "holy virgins." In a reflection and perversion of the acllas among the Incas -- women who devoted their lives to service to the god Inti -- Eclipsar chose a score of the most attractive young men among the common Night People to be her special devotees and servants. The youths originally considered this a great honor, but over the past four years have come to feel very differently. They remain confined to the Hall Of Shadows, never again seeing their family or friends, or any of the outside world. Their lives are an unending toll of drudgery and service to Eclipsar's every whim. They are "virgins" only insofar as they're reserved for the goddess's exclusive delectation. Any who displease her, or cease to interest her, become her sacrifices, unless she kills them on the spot. Most of the holy virgins are deeply depressed but resigned to their fate, totally cowed by the goddess, but a few are desperate enough to help anyone who appears to have a chance of freeing them. They all have AK: The Hall Of Shadows 14- or better, allowing them to navigate in the darkened areas of the building.

 

The western quarter has been converted into a prison for Eclipsar's upcoming sacrifices. Here can be found those few Night People who have broken serious laws or otherwise angered their goddess or her priests, as well as outsiders captured near the Valley Of Night, or kidnapped and brought here for sacrifice. Up to thirty people may be confined here at one time, held in cells (DEF 5, BODY 5) until it's time for them to be adorned in golden sacrificial raiments, paraded through the streets of Uca Cuzco to the shore, and rowed out to the deepest part of the Well Of Tears to be drowned. The holy virgins provide enough food, water, and hygenic services to keep the prisoners reasonably healthy, so that their spirits will be strong when Eclipsar harvests them.

[Lord Liaden]

Still Waters...

 

Here is the first of two posts exploring the region of the Well Of Tears, its environment, mundane and supernatural inhabitants, and adventuring potential. The second post will come as time permits.

 

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The surface of the Well Of Tears is constantly dotted by the watercraft of the Night People. Fishermen harvest it in tapered boats made of buoyant reed-like fungi. Large rafts of lashed fungus-logs ferry goods back and forth from the island of Uca Cuzco. Several small fishing villages dot the shore of the Well, but traffic across it is focussed between the island and two other settlements, each remarkable in its way.

 

The town of Tampu lies at the southern end of the lake, at the head of the River Of Tears where it drains the Well. With a permanent population of nearly 1,000, and many travelers coming and going each day, Tampu is the largest community of the Night People outside of Uca Cuzco. It sits at the nexus of the Valley's road system and of boat traffic up and down the river. Here the products of the farms, forests, and mines of the Valley Of Night are brought to be catalogued, tallied, and bundled onto rafts for shipment to Uca Cuzco. Returning vessels bear the finished crafts produced by the city, and from Tampu they're transported throughout the Valley.

 

Tampu spans both banks of the River Of Tears. Most of the residences are built on the west bank, while the east is dominated by warehouses of goods, as well as inns catering to wayfarers, all enclosing an open square where merchants haggle over bulk prices. All exchanges are in barter, money being a foreign concept to the Night People. The two sides of the town are linked by a pair of draw bridges spanning the river, which can be raised to allow larger water craft free access to and from the Well Of Tears.

 

While the other villages in the Valley Of Night are led by respected local elders, Tampu is governed by a Brother Jaguar who bears the title of Yupanki (often translated as "accountant"). The Yupanki is responsible for seeing that all goods entering and leaving Tampu are catalogued and tallied correctly and shipped in a timely manner; that merchants assess their value equitably; that disputes are settled fairly; and that security is maintained in the community and especially over the trade items. Tampu is the only mainland settlement that maintains an armed security force, numbering about fifty, mostly to patrol the warehouse district for thieves and respond to rare violent incidents. Some of them are armed with the nonlethal chemical weapons used by the Nightbringers.

 

Yupanki is a respected and influential office, since its holder supervises most of the flow of trade for the entire Valley. The current Yupanki, Huascar, is an older man well known for impartiality, scrupulous honesty, and perfectionism, and a stern but fair task master over his underlings. Huascar has little interest in the power games among the other Brothers Jaguar, and so has small influence at the court in Uca Cuzco, but is held in high esteem by the common people. Always a conservative and pious man, Huascar is deeply troubled by the profound changes to the Valley Of Night since the return of Eclipsar, and is secretly sympathetic to those who would oppose those changes.

 

Huascar has no skill with magic and is only an average fighter even in were-jaguar form, but is an exceptional administrator, a shrewd judge of character, and difficult to impress or intimidate. He has high INT and PRE, the Skills Analyze (Value), Bureaucratics, Concealment, Deduction, PS: Yupanki, and Trading, and the Talents Eidetic Memory, Lightning Calculator, and Resistance (Hard Bargainer). As one of the perks of his office Huascar was granted a quipu which lets him command the huaca of the River Of Tears in emergencies. You can base this spirit on the "Water Elemental" from the HERO System Bestiary -- a sort of "little brother" to the huaca of the Well.

 

Despite its central importance in other areas, Tampu is not the center of the fishery in the Well Of Tears. That distinction goes to Totora, an artificial floating island north of Uca Cuzco. Here the fishermen bring their catch to be sorted, cleaned, dried, in some cases smoked, and then transported by raft to Uca Cuzco or Tampu for distribution. Totora is over 200 meters across, anchored over one of the shallower regions of the Well by thick ropes tied to massive stones on the bottom. It's home to about 150 permanent residents who make their living preparing fish and maintaining the island.

 

Totora was fashioned in a manner similar to the islands created by the natives of Lake Titicaca in the Andes Mountains. Long reed-like fungi are woven together into thick mats, with gas-filled bladders on the bottom for extra buoyancy, and then towed onto the lake and stitched together to form a single platform. The fungi of Totora are living, fertilized by the refuse from the fishery and the waste of its inhabitants. These fungi also form the houses of the inhabitants, grown and shaped like topiary huts. A single tree-like fungus sprouts from the middle of the island to a height of almost twenty meters, and is used by the inhabitants as a watch tower.

 

Totora is also a huaca, the most evolved and intelligent of the fungal spirits in the Valley Of Night. Unlike most of the other huacas who serve the Night People due to magical compulsion, Totora is treated with respect and care by its inhabitants and the visiting fishermen, and has a very amicable relationship with them. In times of need Totora animates the tree-fungus at its center as a humanoid avatar, and is quite willing to fight to protect the fisher-folk of the Well. You can use the "Treeman" character sheet from the Bestiary as the basis for Totora's avatar, but increase its DEX to 17 and SPD to 4, change its HA to a straight +15 STR (60 total, with attendant Figured Characteristics), double its Armor, give it +3 HTH, and add 6d6 Entangle, AOE (Any), 1/2 END, Only Vs. Targets Standing On Totora (-1) (animates the fungi of the island to seize enemies).

 

For heroic PCs trying to sneak into or out of Uca Cuzco, the easiest (although by no means automatic) way would be to hide amidst the bales of goods being shipped to or from the city via either Tampu or Totora, and then lose themselves among the crowd at the docks. On the other hand it may be possible for aquatically-functional characters to worm their way through the underwater tunnels which provide water for Uca Cuzco, although their openings are fairly deep and narrow, and may be home to certain dangerous creatures (see "...Run Deep" below).

[Lord Liaden]

...Run Deep

 

Continuing to explore the region of the Well Of Tears, we now plumb some of its deeper mysteries.

 

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The Well Of Tears is relatively small in terms of surface area, but surprisingly great in volume. Twenty to forty meters beyond the water's edge the landmass drops precipitously, as though the lake had been dug by a giant scoop, forming nearly sheer cliffs down to the bottom, with an average depth of 300 meters. The Night People use both nets to catch fish near the surface, and long hooked lines for those swimming farther below.

 

The meager light in the rest of the Valley Of Night drops off rapidly underwater. Visual Perception Rolls suffer a penalty cumulative with that of normal conditions in the Valley, up to an additional -4 below 64 meters, and even worse as one approaches the bottom and sediment clouds the water. (Details of the effects of an underwater environment on Perception and other factors can be found in the "Atlantis" section of Hidden Lands.) Most of the fish and other animals in the deeper portions of the lake are functionally blind, but have developed compensatory senses such as heightened smell, the ability to locate sources of vibration in the water, or even sense the electric fields in the nervous systems of living organisms. The character sheets for Sharks in the HERO System Bestiary provide example builds for such senses.

 

As with land-based life, the lack of light for photosynthesis would normally have led to the Well Of Tears being barren. In this case the lack is filled by a number of volcanic vents breaking through the lake bed. Besides warming the lower waters, sulfur and other compounds spewed from the vents are used by bacteria for food and energy, so that the bacteria replace green algae as the basis of the food chain. This same process occurs around similar vents on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and like them the vents in the Well have led to the evolution of animal species found nowhere else on Earth.

 

There is very little in the way of wildlife in the lake that's dangerous to the Night People plying its surface. Their priests long ago compelled the mighty huaca of the Well to kill all predators within it large and/or aggressive enough to threaten their people. While not perilous to the Night People, the huaca is itself a great danger to any intruders on or beneath the water. Strong light, unusually violent activity, or overt use of highly Visible Powers, will cause the huaca to manifest physically to confront the interlopers if it makes a successful Perception Roll (which takes no modifier for distance, since the spirit's senses permeate the waters of the lake). Yet in the depths below their fishing activities are perilous creatures no Night Person has ever seen. With the absence of other large predators, certain indigenous animals have mutated to fill the gap.

 

The electric eels which inhabit the rivers of the Amazon Basin and its tributaries have become one of the top carnivores in the Well Of Tears, growing much larger and able to project a stronger and farther-ranging electric charge. Like the moray eels of tropical oceans, these fish have taken to hiding in gaps among the tumbles of solidified magma around the volcanic vents, or sometimes in caves and crevices in the cliffs around the Well, waiting to ambush passing prey with their deadly bolts. Sometimes the eels dart out of the rocks to get closer to their targets. After their prey is stunned or killed the eels tear into it with sharp teeth. They may even go after man-size creatures. Despite their bulk and fearsome attack the electric eels are shy and skittish, and typically hide or flee if seriously threatened, but will fight if trapped. You can base these creatures on the "Mako Shark" in the Bestiary, but eliminate its Burst Of Speed Swimming, reduce its Jaws damage to 1/2d6 Killing, and add a 4d6 RKA, No Knockback, Reduced By Range.

 

The other dangerous prowler of the depths is neither shy nor skittish. The crayfish of the region are normally relatively small so as to hide from predators, but without that fear in the Well Of Tears have proven capable of attaining impressive proportions. Specimens as large as a human are common, and some are much bigger. For the most part they scavenge the bottom for food, but eagerly seize living creatures that come within range of their massive foreclaws. They're almost fearless due to lack of experience with anything that can seriously hurt them, although they are wary of the electric eels. The "Giant Crab" character sheet from the Bestiary works well for these crayfish, but against superhuman opposition you should remove the Reduced Penetration Limitation on its Claws, change its Damage Resistance to an equal amount of Armor, add +10 PRE, Defensive Only, add some of the Enhanced Senses from Sharks as suggested above, and give it more HTH CSL. You can also apply one of the Size templates for larger versions.

 

Since these creatures add to the other risks of plumbing the depths of the Well Of Tears, PC heroes may require further incentive for taking such a plunge. One of the deepest areas of the Well, littered with underwater vents, is the site for the Night People's sacrifices to Eclipsar, and after nearly eight hundred years the gold vestments and ornaments worn by the sacrifices have piled up into a large mound on the lake bed. While true heroes may not be greatly motivated by treasure hunting, these artifacts could have much more practical value. As noted in the earlier post on "Cat People", the were-jaguar priests of Eclipsar are Vulnerable to gold, the metal of the Sun, as more familiar lycanthropes are Vulnerable to silver. The gold beneath the lake can be remade or improvised as formidable weapons against the priests. Since these items were specially crafted for religious ritual, they may possess magical properties with which to counter the magic of the Night People. It's also possible that Eclipsar hid the obsidian disk which once imprisoned her here, buried beneath a hill of gold and a thousand feet of water.

 

One also has to wonder if there's a special reason why the Night People chose this spot in the Well Of Tears to make their sacrifices, which would be worth while for heroes to interfere with. Perhaps it's the focus of the enchantment which hides the Valley Of Night from prying eyes and the light of the heavens, fueled by the offering of human lives. Or it could be the heart of the huaca's life force, warded and/or bound to slavery by spells on the gold. Maybe Eclipsar defeated and imprisoned one of the ancient Incan gods who opposed her beneath the lake, where only the expenditure of souls and gold have managed to keep it restrained.

 

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Next up, an outline of Eclipsar's organization of worshippers outside the Valley Of Night. Stay tuned.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Champions Universe: The Valley Of Night

 

Bloody brilliant writing and concepts LL.

 

 

Damn, move to Vanocuver and join our Gaming Group please!

 

 

QM