Renegades - World Bible
A How to be a Hero World.
Introduction
The world of Renegades is an original world written for the How to be a Hero Pen & Paper game system.
It is designed to allow for an overarching conflict, and thus a campaign–style progression, over the course of several sessions, while allowing complete freedom in the choice of world, character abilities or gameplay from session to session.
From the hub world of Volitis, player characters set out to explore various worlds and return after completing their missions. This main world is described in the World Bible below.
The Universe
General
Reality is a woven, living web of branching matter. It makes up the smallest details and can grow into a vast interconnected web, commonly referred to as the ‚Reality Web‘. Nodes of this web are worlds.
At the centre of the web lies Volitis, the world that connects them all. Its inhabitants serve as the web‚s immune system, but an ongoing power struggle between the five rulers of Volitis threatens to undermine the stability of all the worlds they are charged with protecting.
As the champions of one of Volitis‘ rulers, players will visit different worlds and influence the ongoing power struggle between the five rulers of Volitis during their adventures.
Worlds
Different worlds serve as different settings for the game. The rules of each world can be changed, allowing the group to play in any scenario they can imagine. As long as there is some connection to the Reality Web, even if it is never used during the game, the world can fit into the same universe.
Renegades
The Reality Web is not tangible to most people, and although there are researchers on some worlds who wish to prove the Reality Web‚s existence, it is virtually impossible without a Renegade.
Renegades are people who have been gifted with the ability to see and feel the Reality Web and to manipulate it. The term used to refer only to people who used these abilities to travel from their world to another, but has grown over time to include anyone born with the ability to see the Reality Web, even if they have never left their homeworld.
Reality Warping
In places where the Reality Web is constantly being manipulated, i.e. places with large numbers of Renegades who frequently use their abilities, the Web can become distorted.
A warped and worn reality web can cause unpredictable changes or events and is therefore highly dangerous. In extreme cases, even the rules by which a world operates, such as gravity, can be affected.
If the number of active renegades is reduced, the web can heal itself over time by growing new branches. However, depending on how well the distorted site is connected to the rest of the web, this can take thousands of years, if not millennia.
Tunnels
Thick and ancient branches of matter that connect different worlds can be used by Renegades as tunnels to get from one world to another. The number of tunnels is so high, and their paths so unpredictable, that tunnel guides and explorers are existing professions. Even on anti–Renegade worlds, such guides are sometimes tolerated.
The visual entrance to tunnels can vary from world to world, but once found, the visual is consistent within a world. Tunnels can collapse due to excessive warping. This can change the shape of the tunnel.
Volitis
Role in the Game
While the main game doesn‚t take place in Volitis, players will receive their quests from one of its five rulers. Depending on their actions, they may come into conflict with the inhabitants of the world, and are free to agree or disagree with the actions and motivations of their quest–giver.
Volitis serves as the hub of the game with three main functions:
- Coherence: Oneshots can be connected, even if they seem unrelated at first, thus reducing the time needed for exposition in future games.
- Set up: It makes it easier for the GM to create other worlds, enemies, puzzles, etc. based on Volitis‘ internal conflicts.
- Flexibility: It provides the ability to move from a one–shot based experience to a campaign, or vice versa, if the players so desire.
Introduction
Volitis is one of the oldest worlds, with connections to every other world in the web. It is close to where the Reality Web first originated and functions as a protector.
While it acts as an antibody for the Reality Web, it‚s inhabitants are unaware of this function.
The whole of Volitis is a huge collection of towers in which the inhabitants live. The towers literally grow into the sky, chasing the light of the „Goddess„, while their bases die and decay at the same time. They are connected by a vast number of bridges. There is a constant battle to keep the towers growing, otherwise they will decay and cease to exist, and with them the space for people to live.
In order for a tower to continue to grow, sacrifices must be made to the goddess in the name of the tower‚s ruler. Whoever brings her the most sacrifices will be rewarded with the tallest tower and thus the most stability.
The Priest‚s Tower, in the centre of the cluster, is the only tower that does not decay. While it can‚t decay, it can‚t grow either, and will just keep moving forward.
Priests offer Renegades to the Goddess, as they are the only accepted sacrifice. They are brought in by the tower champions (the players). Even Renegades who can only see the Reality Web, but have never manipulated it, can still be targets.
The Towers
Key concepts: The terrifying house, corpses in the „cellar“ (forest), madness on the mountaintop „artists“ (attic) – The Anatomy of Story
There are five towers with rulers in Volitis. A ruler is appointed by the goddess through a priest when a tower grows high enough. The appointed Ruler is then confined to the top floor with the task of overseeing the organisation of the tower and organising sacrifices.
Supplies such as food are brought in from other worlds by staff. Because of it‚s central location in the Reality Web, Volitis has stable connections to other worlds. For this reason, it does not cause warping, although the rulers regularly send staff to other worlds for supplies.
Outside of the five ruling towers, common towers exist. They tend to have a partnership with at least one of the five ruling towers in order to receive supplies. As ordinary towers usually don‚t have enough staff to spare for a champion, and thus can‚t organize sacrifices themselves, the only way for them to grow is to ally themselves with one of the ruling five. The ruling tower will provide the necessary supplies, such as food, clothing and materials, so that the smaller common tower can afford to appoint a champion. In return, the ruling tower gains power.
The Four Levels
Reference: Mycelium zones
Horizontal surfaces on Volitis are always man–made and heavily regulated by the Tower Brigade. Thus, life on Volitis mostly takes place within the towers and can be divided into four distinct zones.
Reference: “Growth-zone”
All towers with Rulers have wide, spacious observation decks with glass ceilings. The ruler of each tower usually lives on the observation deck. They can hire Champions or staff.
The job of the Champions is to go out, find Renegades and bring them back to Volitis. Champions are usually Renegades as well, and prefer to bring in others to avoid being sacrificed themselves.
Brought back Renegades are sacrificed to gain the favour of the Goddess.
The tower staff organises supplies from other worlds, either by going out and collecting it or by trading within Volitis. For stable towers, staff may include Renegades who were spared from sacrifice.
Reference: “Absorption-zone”
Effusio is the largest of the four levels in terms of vertical space. Administrative jobs are based here. For example, the priests, the Tower Brigade, the respectable merchants and the builders‚ guild all operate on this level.
The Tower Brigade has a strong presence here. Most of the common people will perform their duties here, if they can.
Reference: “Storage-zone”
Arriper is the level where Renegades are held until they are sacrificed. It is generally a level with fewer resources and a more alternative crowd, as it is dangerous and temporary to live so close to the decaying level below. It‚s the place for bars, open markets and shady doctors.
Reference: “Seneszenz-zone”
The prison level. People who are not fit to be sacrificed or sentenced of a crime are taken here. The prisoners have to keep building, as the edges of this level are constantly decaying. They generally use any material that falls from the upper levels.
All the rubbish from the upper levels is simply thrown down here. Materials that do not decay quickly make excellent building materials.
Vegetation, Temperature & Weather
Although gravity works as it does on Earth, there is no ground on Volitis. Nobody returns from the depths of the void below Senescet and people rarely volunteer to investigate.
The weather on Volitis is stable in temperature and generally high in humidity, allowing plants and moss to grow even in the upper levels. Variations in the weather such as rain, fog and storms can occur, but are very rare and attributed to the displeasure of the Gods.
In general, vegetation is sparse on the upper levels and increases as one approaches the lower levels.
The Ruling Five
Information for the Game
The Ruling Five act as a resource for the GM. They and their henchmen can either act as contacts for the Player Characters (PCs) or as enemies. In addition, their different tactics, strengths and alliances serve as a way of bringing life to Volitis or other worlds.
The most important of the five rulers is Mykor, who is the designated host character with whom players will first come into contact. This can be changed by the GM depending on the feeling of the game.
The other rulers are called Lichen, Endo, Ligatan and the Phyagy. Their names and tactics all derive from the ecology of fungi. For more information about each ruler, see NPCs.
| Name Origin | Reference | |
|---|---|---|
| Mykor | Short for Mykorrhiza (German) | Mykorrhiza - symbiosis between a plant and a fungus |
| The Phyagy | Combination of "Saprophagen"(Ger.) and "Saprophyten"(Ger.) | Saprophag - an organism, which destroys dead organic material Saprophyt - old name for a Saprophag |
| Lichen | English name for "Flechten" (Ger.) | See name origin |
| Ligatan | "Obligat anaerob" (Ger.) -> Obligatan-aerob -> Ligatan | "Obligate anaerobes" are bacteria, which live in areas with no air. Some fungi are specialized for this circumstance. |
| Endo | Short for "Endoparasites" | Some mushrooms act as Endoparasites, so parasites that operate inside their host. |
Tactics
| Reference | Manner of Operation | |
|---|---|---|
| Mykor | Symbiosis | Eclectic collaboration to make it work |
| The Phyagy | Decomposer | High power, high maintenance |
| Lichen | Extremely dependent Symbiosis | Scavengers, low technology, it works == it's good enough |
| Ligatan | Obligate | Selective, well planned, manipulation |
| Endo | Parasite | High initial cost, longevity |
Technology
Each tower ruler prefers to source and create technology from different types of worlds, depending on their strategy.
| Power Source | In-world use (Example: Light) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mykor | Steam | Gas lantern |
| The Phyagy | Nuclear | Glow Bulbs |
| Lichen | Water, Fire, Air | Candles |
| Ligatan | Electricity | LED |
| Endo | Solar Energy | Bioluminescence |
Social
History
It has been a long time since the Ruling Five had a different constellation.
There were two other towers in the past, both of which fell.
One was called „Nidiora„ (Reference: a combination of „Konidiophore„ and „Sporangiophore„, types of fungi that produce spores and grow in the direction of the light), the other was „Rinero„ (Reference: a combination of „Marine„ and „Xerophile„, two types of fungi that prefer extreme habitats, like lichen).
Nidiora was the ruler of the fastest growing tower in Volitis, but became too focused on growth itself rather than the stability it should bring. As a result, the tower‚s staff dwindled until there were not enough members to keep the tower running. Nidiora died of neglect and the tower fell.
Rinero, Lichen‚s brother tower, sent out too many Champions at once, who were all defeated in one event, leaving Rinero without enough members to collect sacrifices. With Ligatan‚s help, the tower shrank but did not fall. It is now an affiliated tower of Ligatan, with workshops specialising in making survival equipment for extreme worlds. No one knows what happened to Rinero, but rumor has it he was sacrificed himself.
Groups
Since life takes place mainly inside the towers, each tower has its own set of behaviours, norms and trends.
Outside the towers, social norms are unified. In Effusio, these social norms are enforced by the Tower Defence. In Senescet, people are drawn to the outside due to low resources.
The Tower Brigade
The Tower Brigade patrols both Effusio and Arriper. They follow a strict hierarchical order. The Brigade Captain takes his orders directly from the ruling five.
Their duties include:
- maintaining order in Effusio
- Transferring Renegades to the prison in Arriper
- Running the prison in Arriper
- Executive arm of the Ruling Five
The Priests
Priests are not allowed to leave their tower, and rumour has it that if a priest sets foot outside, he dies instantly. In theory they serve only the Goddess herself, but in practice they are dependent on the ruling Five for their supplies.
Renegades who turn out to be „normal„ and have been brought in by mistake can either become members of the priest tower or be banished to Senescet.
Skilled individuals who can travel worlds may be hired by the ruling five.
| Skilled | Unskilled |
|
|---|---|---|
| Renegade |
Champions |
Target/Sacrifice |
| Non-Renegade |
Priest |
Disposed of |
Other example Jobs in Volitis
- Bridge Builder
- Tower Brigade
- Equipment Manufacturer
- Tower Staff
- Champion
- Reality Web Explorer
- Reality Web Guide
- Web Researcher
- Technician
- Priest
Currency
There are official trading stations in Effusio where you can convert to the local currency. In Arriper, you can pay with anything as long as no one sees you.
Transportation
People use bridges to get from A to B. Some bridges do not lead to where they seem to. These bridges are upside down to the viewer and are always flanked by two doors on either side.
Death
Bodies are disposed off in Senescet.
NPCs
Mykor - The Mechanic
| Keyword | Fantasy |
|---|---|
| Species | Half human, half machine |
| Colors | Brown, electic green |
| Values | Teamwork, taking & giving, respect, help & provision |
| Relationship to Champions | Sees them as friends |
| Hobby | Tinkering, Writing |
| Role | Host, Quest Giver, Ally to Players |
|---|---|
| Past Events | - Was chosen as host, despite never wanting to be one - Saved groups of Champions from a dangerous situations and got punished each time by the Goddess by having body parts replaced with technology |
| Motivation | Defiance, rebellion, revenge |
| Behaviour | - Nice to staff and Champions - Feisty to Goddess, Priests, the Phyagy and Endo - Giddy when dealing with new technology |
| Ressources | Anything they can exchange for something of equal value or a service |
| Relationships | Friends with Lichen and Ligatan Foes with the Phyagy, Endo and the AI in his head |
| Voice (for Roleplay) | Deep with huge changes in pitch while talking, more dynamic when excited, more monotone when talking to enemies |
| Skills | Intelligent, creative |
| Other | - Has a mechanical AI control him with technology form different worlds - The AI can't understand sarcasm |
The Phyagy - The Destroyer
| Keyword | Manmade |
|---|---|
| Colours | Red, Ivory |
| Values | Destruction without traces left, self as first priority, dead or alive does not matter |
| Motivation | Self preservation, power |
| Behaviour | Aggressive & fast |
| Ressources | Everything they tear down can be repurposed as ressource |
| Relationships | Friends with Ligatan and Endo Foes with Mykor and Lichen |
Lichen - The Survival Specialist
| Keyword | Life |
|---|---|
| Colours | Orange & Mint |
| Motivation | World Health, safety, conflict avoidance |
| Behaviour | Only extreme worlds, dependence on inhabitants for survival, submission to hosts, but not foreigners |
| Ressources | Everything they can take from an affiliated world, without endangering or damaging anything |
| Relationships | Friends with Mykor and Endo Foes with Ligatan and the Phyagy |
Ligatan - The Spy
| Keyword | Illusion |
|---|---|
| Colours | Violet and Gray |
| Values | Longevity, delayed gratification, secret, careful planning, influence |
| Behaviour | Enters worlds with Agents and then slowly converts them, so they will search and bring Renegades to them on their own, acts like a sect |
| Ressources | Anything they either design themselves or what they get offered by manipulated individuals |
| Relationships | Likes Ligatan and the Phyagy Dislikes Lichen and Endo |
Endo - The Tyrant
| Keyword | Growth |
|---|---|
| Colours | Blue and Yellow |
| Values | very specific goals, strength in numbers, resilience, medium term results |
| Behaviour | Enter, spread out, destroy, bruteforce |
| Ressources | Anything they can take from a world before it collapses |
| Relationships | Friends with Lichen and the Phyagy, Foes with Mykor and Ligatan |