The official BackerKit for The World of Alessia Kickstarter.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
TL/DR: This public update includes several free downloads and a partial preview of the Asaræ - one of Alessia's 20+ new species coming to 5e and Starfinder later this year.
Hey everyone!
March is nearly over and here in Wisconsin, that means warmer weather, longer days, and more time out of the office. I, for one, am looking forward to all of those things! Of course, that also means making the best possible use of my office time, much of which is spent writing and designing.
That's been the case with the World of Alessia Primer, too. In fact, I'm proud to announce we're making excellent time on the 5e side of the project and if all goes well, I'll be releasing the PDF earlier to backers than originally planned. I'm always hesitant to set a date, but I suspect by next month, I'll be able to do just that.
But I'll talk more about that below. For now, let's look at some fun downloads!
(Right click and save these images to download them to your computer).
This calendar takes us through the month of May!
Next month, we'll include images for months June, July, and August.
When I first started writing Alessia (nearly three years ago), I had a tall order to fill - the world Jere had built was inspired from a collective of excellent lore and pre-existing worlds. It had a lot of cool concepts, from hover bikes to floating towers to a globe-spanning order of arcanists able to tap directly into the planet's Ley Lines to accelerate peoples' evolution (that's a mouthful, isn't it).
It also has aliens, an orbital ring that that functions as an ancient magical artifact, skyships, and ninjas. While I wanted to work hard to ensure there was continuity and logic behind the setting, I couldn't help but smile - Jere had done with Wuxia the same thing I had done with Scandinavian myth. He had designed the world he wanted to play in and he was very clear about one thing - he didn't want to build a world that relied on racism to drive its challenges.
That was a concept I could get behind.
When I describe Alessia to friends, I jokingly call it "Jere's love letter to the gaming future." In a lot of ways, it's precisely that; it is - quite literally - a world built on cooperation and evolution, not war and racial hatred. None of its species have "favored enemies" and the game doesn't mechanically support that racism. Instead, Alessia relies on cooperation and teamwork to create those bonuses in combat.
We call these bonuses species synergies and they reward cooperation between the species, which brings us to the image below. Of course, it's a lot easier to just show you. So, for today's public update, we give you...
Beings infused with The Light, the very first Asaræ rose from the ashes of the War of Sovereigns like saints among men, taking on the holy charge of the Light and helping to carve out what would later become the Holy Kingdom of Asrai. Asaræ resemble humans, often with soft and symmetrical features. Naturally beautiful, these beings have no problem attuning to The Light. Some Asaræ (although not all) are born with large, angel-like wings.
Path of Light – Natural conduits for the Light, the Asaræ naturally embolden and encourage those aligned to it. While many species have learned to attune through shared struggles or focused cooperation, the Asaræs' natural aptitude for channeling the Light allows them to select a single, good-aligned ally with whom they have formed a bond (and attuned) as their charge. Provided the two attuned and allied heroes are within 30 feet of each other, the Asaræ can spend a point of resolve as a reaction to heal their ally 1d4 Hit Points. The asaræ can spend up to three points of resolve in this fashion before they need to take a short rest.
The Asaræ
Bearing visible halos of heavenly light, the Asaræ are a people whose very essence is infused with the divine essence of The Light itself. Appearing largely human, these individuals display grace and beauty bordering on the supernatural, both of which they openly credit to the Light.
Of course, the Asaræ are born of more than just beauty and grace, and many credit the circumstances of their birth (as well as the alignment of the various heavenly bodies) with the qualities they develop; few Asaræ are exactly the same. In this generality, all Asaræ share a common link; every single Asaræ was born under specific circumstances, each of which involved the manifestation of the Light.
Asaræ
Yusra moved slowly across the broken pavement, carefully picking her steps like a practiced dancer might. She wanted to skirt danger and, tonight, that meant silence. If she was going to do the Light’s work in this broken, backwater little village, she’d need to act swiftly and with perfect resolve – she was the Light’s only hope here.
While all of Alessia’s peoples enjoy the bounty of the Light, the Asaræ have a special relationship with the Light; they regard the light as a child would their parent. Connecting with the Light through multiple channels, the Asaræ have long understood their small but meaningful place in the larger world. They embrace this simplicity with a joy that allows them to touch and shape light like no others.
The very first Asaræ were born in Shiran, high in the mountains in Temples dedicated to the Light. Although there is no official record of their births, historians agree that these near-miracle births likely overwhelmed the local clerks and clerics alike, ensuring confusion would rule the day. To this day, the Asaræ can trace their roots back to several important locations (and events) in Shiran but lack precise details as to who the very first among their kind was.
Today, the Church of Light in Shiran continues to map out and identify this “first generation,” working in tandem with the Kingdom of Asrai on several fronts.
While some Asaræ are born with wings, even those who are born with wings may never gain the strength to fly. Those who do take to the skies often use arcane, divine, or even psionic means to do so, using their wings instead to guide and aid them while maneuvering difficult or dangerous skies. The rare few Asaræ who learn to fly without magic are celebrated as the A’ketta, “honored ones,” a prestigious title suggesting direct, divine influence at the time of their birth.
Asaræ Names Asaræ names are often picked from the regional cultures and peoples, but might include: Asa, Bæve, Callina, Dræna, Faussa, Jerawu, Mhama, Natica, or Sera.
Choirs Asaræ do not form normal families, but instead form choirs. These choirs are larger, extended groups that function like families, but operate more like peaceful clans training for war. Choirs range in size, but generally fall between 21 and 212 members. Choir names often match that choir’s founder and include: the Seraxi Choir, the Ketta Ka Choir, the A’Róng Choir, the Geeara Ku Choir, and the Xing Xia Choir.
Reaching Adulthood
In Alessia, it only takes the planet 244 days to complete a rotation around the sun (compared to Earth’s 365 days), meaning that the people of Alessia, while technically ‘older,’ may not be operating the same way someone on Earth wood at the same age. For instance, on Alessia, a lot of human and variant-human species may appear to be younger than they initially sounded.
On Earth, most individuals reach adulthood at 18. On Alessia, and because of the time difference, those numbers skew toward 27, 28. We’ve reflected that in each species’ entry, as well.
Your Asaræ character has wild, almost supernatural beauty that is clearly touched by the Light. You may also have wings.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Charisma score by 2 and your Strength score by 1.
Age. Asaræ age similar to humans, reaching adulthood in their late twenties. Asaræ retire when they gain their first grey feather (or hair), typically around a century. A typical asaræ lives to 160.
Alignment. Asaræ enjoy a connection to the Light that naturally aligns them to goodness. Most avoid chaos, but none are completely restricted from embracing it, either. Most asaræ are lawful or neutral, leaning towards law.
Size. A typical asaræ stands 5 to six feet in height and weighs about 180 lbs. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Graceful. Asaræ have a natural grace that enhances their natural charisma. You gain a +1 bonus on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Diplomacy) ability checks.
Halo of Fire and Light. Asaræ can spend a point of resolve to activate a powerful nimbus of light that heals nearby allies or damages nearby enemies. You can activate your halo as an Action that affects everyone within 30 feet of you. If you choose to heal, allies are healed 3d8 hit points. If you choose to harm, your enemies are bathed in fire, suffering 3d8 points of fire damage instead. You must complete a long rest before activating this ability again.
Light-Touched. All asaræ gain the ability to manifest light. You know the cantrip light; Charisma is your casting ability.
Winged. You possess wings but cannot fly naturally. You can use your wings to guide you while you descend from a fall. As long as your wings function, you can use them to glide nearly any distance downward. While descending in this fashion, you may spend a point of resolve to target yourself with the safe fall spell.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Celestia and Shiranese.
A Tale of Alessia
When next Seirye became aware of the world, she sat in a chair, hands secured behind her, shrouded in darkness. It didn’t feel like a blindfold, nor did she see the faint outline of objects around her. Magical darkness, perhaps, or—more unsettlingly—mayhap her sight was just gone. Whoever had taken her down had been a psion, after all: who knew what sort of power they wielded?
Her tentacles quirked. It smelled of dank—mildew and rich dark earth. She’d known her share of prison cells, and this didn’t seem like one. Entirely too comfortable, and without the lingering malaise of bitter, unfulfilled hope. Also, she distinctly smelled root vegetables, sour wine, and the slight tang of fish. A cellar, mayhap?
Seirye tested at her bonds, which had a little bit of give. Whoever had tied her up obviously wasn’t much of a practiced hand, because she thought she could escape without too much trouble.
“Ivy?” she asked.
No reply. Wherever her watch bot was, it couldn’t reach her.
She heard her own voice, though, which meant the only sense missing was her sight.
Somewhere, not too far away, she heard the creak of wood on stone. She strained and picked up hushed voices just beyond that sound. More than one captor, obviously. They sounded excited.
She heard the sound again, and realized it must be a door to the chamber in which she was secured, and this second sounding must be the door closing. She knew this in part because of her keen intuition—"second in keenness only to Emperor’s Edge!” she would boast to any rival buccaneer who would listen, which was of course a lie—but mostly because she could tell she was no longer alone in the chamber.
She couldn’t easily name the sensation that told her someone had joined her within. The air felt different on her skin—closer, fuller. As the other stood, Seirye’s tentacles picked up a familiar scent.
“Mistress Elath?” she asked. “You took my offer of assistance after all, I sense!”
Her companion in the darkness spoke no words, but a startled intake of breath was more than sufficient to confirm Seirye’s guess. She never forgot the scent of a beautiful lady or lad.
The elathi spoke an arcane word, and abruptly the darkness dissolved around them and light bled back into the chamber. The woman stood behind her and to the left, so Seirye couldn’t see her. She had guessed aright, and she sat bound in a small cellar stacked with boxes and smelled of sweet root and potato. Now that she could see, by the purple flame that floated in her host’s hand, she could also make out baskets of rice and see pots studded with utensils. She was in a cellar beneath an eatery, she reasoned—perhaps even the very same wayside tavern that had propelled her unceremoniously into the street. She thought she recognized the runes on some of the clothes draped over the baskets.
Then the elathi came around to Seirye’s good side, looking every bit as appealing as she had when they first met. Her expression was far less blissful, perhaps, but that only piqued Seirye’s interest. The purple ball of flame burning in the middle of the room flowed toward her hand, and she held it before her, casting deep shadows across her face. It made her look more than a little frightening.
Seirye should have known this woman would be her captor. The coincidence was simply too great that they should meet shortly before the attack. But what did she want?
“Where’s my watch bot?” Seirye asked.
The woman made no reaction to the question and proceeded as though Seirye had not spoken.
“So.” Her voice caressed the ish’ra’s ears like well-loved silk, freshly cleaned and dyed that morn. Deeper than Seirye would have expected, but every bit as lovely. “Why attack my folk?”
“Me?” Seirye, who had been distracted by the heart-shaped stretch of smooth belly at her eye-level, abruptly fixed her singular gaze up at the elathi’s face. “Oh, my good lady, you must hire better brigands! They hardly know the tricks of the trade. If you and I were to strike a deal… I…” Her head swam. The after effects of the psionics, mayhap, or else the elathi’s proximity.
“You mean your companions, I think,” the elathi said.
“You mean Ivy, my watch bot?” Seirye asked. “Yes, I’ll be wanting that back.”
The elathi went on as though she hadn’t spoken at all. “There is no honor to be had among such scoundrels. They botched their raid and left you for dead, it seems.” She brought the flame closer to Seirye’s face, where it shivered and snapped. “Use your tongue, ish’ra! Tell me of your scheme!”
“My scheme!” The ish’ra recoiled from the elathi, playing the chastened captive. To draw her in. “Have pity, mistress! I seek only to rescue she who is most precious to me in all the world!”
“Yes?” The elathi leaned even closer. “And who is this woman?”
“The Amethyst Myst!” Seirye said, as though confessing to a great scandal. “Fastest skyship in all Alessia, my heart to the Celestial Dragons!”
“And—” The elathi pulled up short and blinked. “Hold. What?”
Seirye, who had been about to seize her with her freed hands, was also caught off guard. “You’ve—you’ve not heard of the Amethyst Myst? Tragically held captive in the capital, temporarily?”
“No,” the elathi said. “I meant, why are you in Qingsham, attacking psions?”
“What?” Seirye sputtered. “That’s a fool’s errand! No credit in that—unless…” She furrowed her brow. “You aren’t the one employing those brigands?”
Now it was the elathi’s turn to be surprised again. “Hardly,” she said. “I came upon young Jocori in the alley, fighting with you. I assumed the others left in panic.”
“No!” Seirye cleared her throat. “Well, yes, but that’s not exactly how it happened! You see—”
But the ish’ra trailed off. The elathi was looking at her very directly, as though her violet-pink eyes could see right through Seirye’s flesh and skull and into her mind. And indeed, the ish’ra felt a little prickle at the front of her skull, like gentle hands massaging her brow. It was psionic magic, she thought, though she’d never experienced something quite like this.
“Let’s begin again,” the elathi said. “I am Taela Liu, protector of Qingsham and its psions. And you are?”
“Honored and charmed.” Seirye smiled wanly, but the elathi showed no sign of appreciating the humor. “Seirye Qin, Captain of the Amethyst Myst of Pasccti, sailor and privateer and buccaneer, and certainly no enemy of yours. I’m in Qingsham on business.”
“Gathering credit to get your ship out of impound,” Taela filled in, as though she’d lifted the thoughts directly from Seirye’s mind.
“That,” the ish’ra said. “Is rather accurate, my fine and alluring lady. You’ve heard of me?”
Taela put a finger to her forehead, then touched the same spot on Seirye’s brow. Magic. Of course. “Mayhap it was too much to hope,” she said, or perhaps thought.
Either way, the elathi smiled in reply. “I’d like to peer deeper, if you will allow it,” she said.
“You’re asking my permission.”
“I am.” Taela inclined her head.
“Why should I?” Seirye asked. “Not that I have anything to hide, you understand.”
“There is a threat to those I have sworn to protect,” Taela said. “Perhaps our interests are not opposed. I wish to look for the truth in your mind, that we might cooperate.”
Some deep, primal part of her rebelled at the very idea of someone in her mind. It was in her blood, passed down by ancestors enslaved long ago to the Orgothi, who used psionic magic to rend apart minds and discover buried rebellions. Seirye shivered, uneasy at the very idea of such an intrusion. But the elathi was so lovely, her eyes so full of compassion and kindness. And she had asked her permission. She had respected her, a stranger.
Also, considering Seirye had freed her hands as part of her plan to seize and incapacitate the elathi when the moment was right, perhaps a more peaceful resolution was worth a try.
“Very well,” she said. “But then you free me and give me back my bot.”
“If you are servant of the threat to Qingsham’s psions, I cannot release you.”
That got a crooked smile. “I think you’ll find, beauteous lady,” Seirye said, “that I’m not good at being anyone’s servant.”
“We’ll see.”
And before I depart, I want to share another project I'm currently involved with - Storm Bunny Studios has teamed up with The 8th Street Ale Haus to create a 5e-inspired cookbook. Our Kickstarter for Tavern Encounters: The Heroes' Feast ends in about 10 days. We'd love to have your support!
See you next month!
Cheers,
Jaye