BRidge Worlds:
Soterion
The Official Roleplaying Game
Copyright, 2013, Lamplight Media LLC All rights reserved
All content is the sole property of Lamplight Media. LLC. Any. Any unauthorized recreation of this material is strictly prohibited.
All Rights Reserved
Art Director: Jin Kim Lamplight Media Logo Design: Christy Marshall
Concept Artists: Jin Kim Steven Mitchell Rushelle Kucala Grady Williams Matthew Ebisch Eric Cody Cortez Maronie
Illustrators: Jin Kim David Hovey Aaron Holley Melody Waller Katheryn Glade Trevor Smith Cory Trego-Erdner Megan Yoder Bart Willard Dan Ungureanu Jeffrey Kimbler Chelsea Gaither
Introduction Here at Lamplight Media we are devoted to creating Christian Media including video games, short stories, and tabletop games. The current gaming market offers few good, clean alternatives within this scope. We are here to provide such an alternative. The word “tabletop game” in this context is used to differentiate role-playing games from role-playing video games. Soterion is a table top game. Soterion is a fantasy, roleplaying game that encourages application of Bible knowledge, learned skills, acting abilities, imagination, and teamwork. Each player of this game will act the part of a fictional character in the world of Soterion. Players’ characters must work together in order to accomplish quests throughout the game. The quests will have either rich spiritual symbolism (from the Bible) or will teach Biblical concepts while making it fun to learn.
Bible Many of the names of the characters, races, and kingdoms of Soterion have been taken from the original Hebrew and Greek copies of the Bible. This world is also filled with Biblical symbolism, which players discover as they progress through the game. This use of symbolism encourages players to play with a Bible close at hand.
Evangelism There is a Christ figure (the Shepherd) in Soterion. Also, there is an interactive Bible hidden in the world of Soterion. Our hope is that this game will be appealing not only to Christians, but also to non-Christians who play some of the dark role-playing games currently on the market.
Team building This game is for 2-5 players. Working together in a group, the players (as their characters) must defend their lives, and at the same time solve puzzles to finish each quest. During the game they will learn to rely on each other.
Teaching This book is the shell that introduces the world, the races (and their respective classes), the characters, and the rules to play Soterion. Operators of the game (Narrators) can be teachers, youth leaders, or parents. The Narrator (though given several sample plots in this book) creates his own plots to teach the players the lesson he wants them to learn. Our Lord Jesus Christ used parables to teach his followers, and our concept follows along that same idea. The goal of the game is for the players to have an enjoyable, Biblical learning experience.
Imagination
Everyone uses imagination throughout his life in many different ways. The power of imagination and its uses are largely ignored in the classroom. Children are born with wonderful imaginations. Cultivation of imagination can lead to the development of future creators and inventors. Tabletop games are to video games as books are to movies. Recent research has found that movies require little creative activity on the part of the watcher. Books, however, require the reader to engage his creative imagination. Thus we apply this reality to tabletop games. Although video games may have good qualities, a tabletop game expands the ability to fully engage the players with the game. With his character, a player can do almost anything he can imagine (within the limitations of the Operator/Narrator). The advantage of this idea over a book is that the players write the story through their decisions and actions.
Role Playing The essence of roleplaying is that the player not only participates in but also makes the story. Each player has direct input on the story progression. Players spend a large part of the game describing character actions and decisions. Each player rolls dice to determine the outcome of his character’s actions. We have found that there may be intense moments of role-play from time to time between different characters (in certain situations) while interacting with each other and their world.
PROCESS
Narrator
The Narrator of the game sets the background, plot, and mood of the story. The Narrator also represents any non-player characters (NPCs) that the characters encounter. Ad- ditionally, the narrator referees the rules set for abilities and combat fighting. Finally, he helps the players create their characters and introduces the players to the fantasy world.
Organization Chapter 1 provides the basic backdrop for Soterion. Here, the player learns of the world’s history and is introduced to the many races. Chapter 2 provides information on classes, such as warrior or bard, which represent the character’s chosen profession. Chapter 3 shows how to create a character, and the mechanics of the world. Chapters 4 and 5 describe the skills characters use within the game. Chapter 6 describes common equipment that characters access to complete quests. Finally, Chapter 7 provides assistance for the Narrator to play the game.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 ………………. Soterion, Kingdoms and Races
Chapter 2 ………………. Guilds
Chapter 3 ………………. Nuts and Bolts
Chapter 4 ………………. Skills
Chapter 5 ………………. Sleight of Science
Chapter 6 ………………. Arms and Equipment
Chapter 7 ………………. Narrator Section
………………. Lexicon/Index Related novels from the worlds of Musterion and Soterion available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Kindle and for a signed copy from the author go to forgottenportals.com:
COMING SOON...
FORGOTTEN PORTALS SERIES SEQUEL TO RISE OF THE MAGI (NAME TBD) EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE BY 8/30/13)
KEEP SOLSTICE (DATE TBD)
Musterion Musterion is a world made of brick tunnels. From space it would look much like a rubber band ball. Musterion is a link to all of the Bridge Worlds including Earth. Those who enter Musterion find that there aging has slowed dramatically. At the “core” of Muste- rion is an entire civilization made of many cities. Pneauma Carpos and Sarx Ergon are only two of these cities. The core is stable but the tunnels are ever shifting and changing providing puzzles to be solved. The only people who can make it from Musterion to Soterion are humans. Others can follow but the party must be lead by humans. The only people who can make it from Musterion to Earth are Katken. Time is very relative on Musterion. You could enter Musterion from a portal on Earth in the year 2020 and come back to eath the year 1876.
There will be an expansion pack made for those who want to play in the world of Musterion featuring a timeline and the cahracters who live there.
Soterion The world of Soterion is home to a vast diversity of citizens. It is comprised of seven kingdoms: The Emerald Forest, Marasimlah, Suchikos, Caelsis, Philos, Loefel Meren, and Drakonge. Five of the seven can trace their beginnings back to the rise and fall of Soterion’s first civilization, Emerailda. Emerailda was ruled by Soterion’s first Monarch, known as The Elder, who lives to this day.
No one knows the origins of Soterion except the Elder. He is known to be the wisest of all. It is even said that he knows the origins of every race. Dates are reckoned from the Battle of Epher, a large battle which killed over seventy percent of Soterion’s inhabitants. A vast amount of knowledge was lost, because most lore at that time was passed down by bards in song and story. Written history was unknown. Thus, much of what was once common knowledge is so no longer.
.
What follows is a brief history of Soterion. The history is divided into th
ree sections: lost knowledge, arcane knowledge, and common knowledge. Lost knowledge is known by a select few (those named). Arcane knowledge can be found by searching through tomes of recorded history. Common knowledge, though, is generally available to those who make some effort to seek it.
The history is further divided by each respective kingdom and the residents thereof. This background should provide enough information for basic game play. Further detail on the kingdoms will follow to provide more knowledge of city statistics, characters, and resources. For now, though, the following information should provide the necessary information for game play.
Map of the Seven Kingdoms (Charted lands of Soterion)
The Kingdom of the Emerald Forest
Emerailda, now called the Emerald Forest, is Soterion’s densest and largest forest . It is known as the jewel of the Northern Crown (referring to the northern crest of mountain ranges) by loggers and hunters brave enough to enter.
Though a beautiful place, the Emerald Forest can be dangerous. Wild animals have become more aggressive over the years. Wolf packs roam the woods in precision and once docile plant life has mutated into ingenious hunters. One example of this evil is the Raeb, vicious man- eating plants. They kill their prey by spraying deadly poison on their victims.
The Elder (once ruler of the Emerald Forest) set up a “boundary” many years ago and forbade any from entering the center of the forest. An unknown evil, bent on all things malevolent, exists there. None but Prince Seux of Caelsis is known to have returned from “The Core.” While this malevolence has yet to move directly into the forest, its minions stalk within the shadows. The forest is now populated by the Yaarma (tribal Malakadam, guardians of the forest who can speak to animals) and Remmys (one-foot tall faeries who wear animal skins and mushroom caps for hats).
The Yaarma
Description: 6 feet tall, Black Orange or Brown hair and eyes, Tan to Dark Brown Skin, Average Muscular or Thin Body Type
Enemies: Kalat and Drakoni
Racial Dislikes: Miyka
Natural Abilities: +4 health attribute, -1 knowledge attribute, Animal Speak (the ability to speak to all natural animals), immune to demoralization. Cultural Facts: The Yaarma are very tribal.
There are several chiefs that rule over the people of the Emerald Forest. Most Yaarma live in tent houses or in the trees. They are able to speak to animals and have great endurance in combat. Yaarma are a sturdy lot, but have sacrificed education for simplicity.
Origin: The Yaarma are descendants of great guardians from an ancient garden. In the beginning, they guarded the tree of life from those who wished to destroy it or abuse its power. The location of this garden is long forgotten and but a child’s tale amongst the Yaarma. A famous Raphad Warrior
“I fought a Yaarma once. I pummeled him many times with my fists… more times than I could count. My fists were the size of his entire body. He kept getting back up no matter how hard I pummeled him! Yaarma are passionate. I made a rule not to fight a Yaarma unless I absolutely have to.”~ Gurth
Culture: In general terms, the Yaarma are a stoic society. Often seen as constantly serious to outsiders, Yaarma focus on the duty of the here and now. They tend to be logical, with a great emphasis on their honor. The typical Yaarma would rather die than break an oath. While there are always exceptions, the norm is for an even-keeled individual with the inward desire to protect. They see themselves as guardians of the forest and of life. Occupations lean towards bodyguards and protectors.
The Yaarma soldier always commands respect. He does not waver and is immune to demoralization.
Yaarma life is focused on simplicity. Those who live on the outskirts of the forest live in tents called chanah. These tents are quick to set up and disassemble to allow them nearly unlimited mobility. While not nomadic in the truest sense of the word, these Yaarma will often migrate in order to guard the forest better.
Yaarma who are determined to live in a specific location can continue to use the chanah as a home or may utilize the trees. For the larger trees, Yaarma have found a way to carve out dwellings at the base of the tree. Others have set up entire communities in elaborate tree houses called ‘ets bayith. Some ‘ets bayith are simple dwellings that can be reached by rope ladder. More established ‘ets bayith are linked together by rope or wooden bridges.
Average life span: The average Yaarma lives 560 years. Child – 0 through 13 years
Adolescent – 14 through 20 years
Young Adult – 21 years through 199 years Mature Adult – 200 years through 314 years Older Adult – 315 years through 415 years Senior Citizen – 416 years through 499 years
The Remmys
Description: Height: 1 foot tall, Brown and Orange hair and eyes, peach skin, Thin Average Muscular or Heavy body type
Enemies: None
Racial Dislikes: None
Natural Abilities: +2 agility attribute, +4 dexterity attribute, +2 health attribute, +2 cognizance attribute, Remmys can find any person or place in as little as a day (this makes them natural adventurers, : see below),
1d8 physical strength attribute
Cultural Facts
Most Remmys are descendants of The Elder, the oldest creature on Soterion. The Elder is a is the leader and spokesperson for all Remmys. Remmys do not start with a given name until they perform a naming quest. Until that point they are given a new derogatory name every day by their parents. Remmys also have a yearly prank war in the Emerald Forest that can become dangerous. They ride small animals such as blue jays and squirrels. They commonly wear animal skins for clothing and a mushroom for a cap. The males have long wizened beards .
Origin: Remmys were once guardians of a great garden with the Yaarma. Queen of Caelsis
Caelsis would not be the wonderful charming place that it is now without the Remmys. They add fun and adventure to Caelsis unmatched by the other races of Soterion. ~Queen Ariana
Remmys are an inquisitive folk often times at odds with other races. They make up one half of the tiny folk and have a quirky demeanor all their own. They are fun loving. Often seen as mischievous, they have an affinity for the practical joke, both giving and receiv- ing. They are serious only when necessary, but make no mistake, a Remmy on a mission can be quite determined.
They are curious about everything. To their detriment, though, they have a hard time leaving a secret alone. If you want to keep a Remmy around, just tell him that you have a secret and that you’re not going to tell him. He will follow you doggedly to discover the mystery. Be warned, though, if the secret isn’t juicy enough then he will continue bugging you because he thinks you are keeping something more from him.
There is no explanation on how a Remmy may find any person or object. To do this, the Remmy must be familiar with the person or object. He must have seen or handled what is to be located.
Life span: Average life span: The average Remmy lives 420 years. Child – 0 through 13 years
Adolescent – 14 through 20 years
Young Adult – 21 years through 99 years Mature Adult – 100 years through 199 years Older Adult – 200 years through 299 years Senior Citizen – 300 years through 349 years
An Abbreviated History of the Emerald Forest
LOST KNOWLEDGE 2314 B.E (Before Epher)
Emerailda formed as an organized Kingdom by The Elder (under the direction of the
Creator)
The Life Tree
In the beginning, all of Soterion’s races (excluding the Adam) lived inside what was called the Life Tree in Emerailda. The Life Tree’s fruit, a gift to all creatures of Soterion from the Creator, kept the races from aging past 33 years (the appropriate age of adulthood). It is said that its branches covered an eighth of the continent and towered far into the clouds.
2043 to 2025 B.E: The Zophors Wars Peace in Emerailda lasted for 271 years. On the 6th day of Nisan, a reddish mist consumed Emerailda. Shadow figures from within the mist seized scores of citizens never to be seen again. By morning’s l
ight, the mist dispersed and the toll was counted. One out of every three citizens had disappeared. The Elder, broken hearted, sought his Captain of the Guard, Magus Meren of the Miyka, for assistance. The Elder knew that this sub-race of Malakadam (sometimes referred to as the Elegant Ones because of their angular features) had a special gift to generate radiance constantly. This gift could be used in fighting the unknown enemy within the mist.
The mist returned multiple times over the next 18 years. With the aid of the Miyka, bestial humanoid figures were discovered in the mist. Luck was on the side of The Elder when one of the creatures was captured alive. Labeled Shadow Beast, this creature was unresponsive to all attempts to communicate with it. It was a mindless automaton which obeyed simple commands. The Elder knew that the Shadow Beasts were tools of another creature.
Who this Master was or his purposes remained a mystery. Ultimately, the beasts were defeated in the Final Battle of Tolemon’s Clearing.
1387 B.E The Master behind the Shadow Beasts returned in what would usher the Malakadam’s banishment from Emerailda. It is still unknown what could seduce a large contingent of Miyka to rebel. What is known is that a Miyka named Sothseneas Malakalatah led a rogue element in an attempt to kill the Elder and take his crown. The Nepsah (a faerie race naturally invisible) learned of their plans and informed the Elder. The Elder then called all of Emerailda together for a mass gathering. Sothseneas was brought before the gathering to expose his plot. He was given an ultimatum, : he and all of his followers were to leave by morning or be executed for treason.
The Day of the Tainted Root. Magus Meren was incensed that some of his own ilk would contemplate such open rebellion. All of the Miyka splintered into two factions. Most sided with Magus, known for his wisdom, while 25,000 Miyka followed Sothseneas, drawn to his strength. Fighting ensued. Sothseneas forced his way through tunnels leading to one of the Tree’s roots. There he coated the root in black shadowy bile given to Sothseneas by the Master of the Beasts. With the help of Raphad (towering humanoids of 25 feet) and Nepsah trickery, Sothseneas was captured.
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