Sea of Stars RPG Design Journal

Gollaon and Voddick watched the ranks of warriors march by in their polished cuirasses, showing idealized forms. In perfectly dressed rank, they assembled before the archon to recieve the city’s blessing and for the lead warrior of each formation to be presented with a spear made just for them. A symbol of leadership and courage.

“I do not envy those warriors, to be the ‘point of the spear’ in the coming battle will be a place of honor and of even greater danger,” whispered  Voddick.

Gollaon nodded. “They know it too.”

Point of the Spear

Made for the City-States, these spears are designed to channel civic pride and love of their city to their leadership on the battlefield. The spears are decorated to honor their city-state, but subtly, for they are weapons of war first and foremost. Their full powers can only be accessed when the weapon is given to the wielder by the state or it representative and only in battle.

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Gollaon and Voddick watched as the noble listed to whispers from the black and white shell.

“I do not approve of this methoid of treasure hunting,” said Voddick quietly.

“Nor I, but we took the job, so we will have to live with it,” replied Gollaon, equally quietly.

“Truth,” said Voddick. “But we most be careful, such magics tend to carry dangers to one’s very soul.”

Shell of Drowned Echoes

The dead do not always lie easily in the sea, these shells provide a way to communicate with the drowned but it is not without risk. Holding this shell to your ear you might mistake the whispered voices for the susurrus of the sea. The voices speak in numerous languages, some living, some dead. Once they know someone is listening, the voices that can be understood by the listener will soon come to predominate. They petition the listener for aid, pleading for help. The listener can ask questions of the drownded dead. but by doing so, risks letting them reach into your soul as well.

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Gollaon and Voddickmoved through the well and exotically dressed crowd. Their concession to the masquerade were simple domino masks. “I like such dress-up not at all,” said Voddick. “It makes our job much harder.”

Gollaon nodded as their eyes darted around. “Truth. But at least we are being paid extra for tonight’s work.”

Voddick smiled slightly at that. “That is so, a small benefit for suffering through all this nonsense.”

Gollaon stiffened, their hand dropping to their sword hilt. “Left and forward, the trio in white masks.”

“Moon Sect,” hissed Voddick. “You get to the side of our charge, and I will keep between you and them.”

“Yes.”

Moon’s Mask

These masks were once seen as harmless frivolities but with the Moon Sect becoming proscribed, they have achieved a sinister reputation. They are usually plain porcelain but sometimes they are decorated with the phase of the moon or other Moon Sect iconography.

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