The

Silver Road
A TROIKA! ADVENTURE

By Matrox Lusch and

Random Addison

NOTE: The Silver Road is an independent production by Direbane Publishing

and is not affiliated with Melsonian Arts Council.
An early release of this scenario used material from  Axes & Orcs
Compendium: Volume Two: Science-Fantasy Potpourri Backgrounds for
Troika! by Ian Woolley at https://axesnorcs.blogspot.com/. Ian does great
work for the game and you should check him out. 

Foreword, Scenarios, and All Art (unless otherwise indicated)

© 2020 – DIREBANE PUBLISHING

Printed in U.S.A.

(Cover art image by A. B. Woodward taken from page 117 of “Red Apple
and Silver Bells,” 1897. Slight stretch and coloration by Matrox Lusch)

INQUIRIES REGARDING RULES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

[email protected]
 FOREWORD
Joy shared is doubled... One of my bestest friends, Random Addison, and I last October took a detour
from Giant In the Room RPG (actually our home game switched for Advanced Labyrinth Lord) to
game Troika! once each week... most Wednesdays... round about 1:00pm... at Panama Bay coffee
house in Livermore, California... out front weather permitting... (Please visit by as our guest.)
We started out with Daniel Sell's kind of “test” City of Troika blog posts, then used our City Running
Troika! booklet based on stuff from Logan Knight (www.lastgaspgrimoire.com), and started winding
our way through pieces of the Melsonian Arts Council catalogue ( Fever Swamp with a splash of Fungi
of the Far Realm, winding in the direction of Crypts of Indormancy). Well all through these months I
had a kinda monkey on my back regarding The West Coast's Premier Game Convention, DunDraCon!
All of my knucklehead friends and I have attended this convention since it arrived in San Ramon from
Oakland nigh on twenty eight years ago. These were not “tum dee dum, let's get some kids together
and run Keep On the Borderland games. Very first year we borrowed some room with an “official”
game scheduled that had vacated, pretended to be that game, smoked so much weed filling the hall
with smoke that two poor dudes couple doors down got busted (we were smart enough to lock the
door), and left the commandeered hotel room littered with liquor and beer bottles. Ha, the expression
of that DM arriving early for his 8:00am game...
We left a trail of bottles, cigarette butts, vomit, stacked furniture, and fucking hellacious games.
Game sessions designated with proper nouns: aforementioned Flower People ('92), Pee-Wee Herman
Jambicon ('93), methamphetamine-fueled Jitterycon ('94), insanely drunk dungeon mastering
Revenge of the Son of Greg ('95), Porno Matt's Wild Turkey 101 Executive Decision ('96).
Now I wouldn't recommend drinking, drugs, insanity to anyone. And eventually they exact their
pounds of flesh. After Dark Times from 1997 through 2004, our group began running somethings
where sessions were more, say, congruent? As an utterly level-headed supremely stable (and humble,
sooo humble) meat suit I began in 2012 to run a Friday night “official” games of mine own each year.
(Necessity, attending litigation trickster school and passes were unaffordable to me.)
Well back on May 1st DunDraCon announced the convention had outgrown the San Ramon Marriott
Hotel. After 29 years DunDraCon 44 would be the final in San Ramon and in 2021 the convention will
move south to the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel. Dang, after running games for 7 of the prior 8 years I
could not pass the chance to run a final “official” game. What to run???
The answer, my friends, is blowin' in the Troika!
Simple yet robust rules, only two six-sided dice to play, three core attributes: Skill, Stamina & Luck,
innovative initiative system, you travel from sphere to sphere engaging in quixotic pursuit. Given that
Troika! is a relatively new “art-core”-style game, and that Random and I had become fairly familiar
with it to kind of meddle, we were ready to go have at it. Thus birthed “The Silver Road” as a planar
romper room for which to play around with vary ideas adventuresome and philosophical.
EXCEPT, this is a convention game so there were some parameters for single use with strangers.
After nearly a decade of running these “official” convention one-offs here is my guess at a formula:
1) Not too many players, so's everyone feels they've good opportunities to game;
2) DO NOT spend more than an hour (tops) on PC generation or acquainting with pre-gens;
3) Have some goal that provides direction to the adventuring party; and
4) Reach climactic obstacle 50-75% into the game, spend remaining time on resolution.

That tale bringing us to this one, we hope you and your friends enjoy sharing part in The Silver Road.
~Matrox Lusch, Direbane Publishing Editor, January 15, 2020
(http://knightsoftheallmind.blogspot.com/)
 INDEX
FOREWORD …........................................................................................................ 2
Weather Table ….................................................................................................... 4
FLATLAND ….......................................................................................................... 5
DUST RING AND THE SILVER ROAD …................................................................. 5
EARTH …………..…….…………………….………………………………………………………. 6
SPHERES ……………………….…………………………………………………………………… 8
WIND …………..….................................................................................................... 9
WATER …………..….................................................................................................. 10
FIRE …………..…....................................................................................................... 12
RETURN TO EARTH …............................................................................................. 13
WE SLEEP, WE DREAM, WE EAT OUR DREAMS .................................................... 13
DENOUEMENT …..................................................................................................... 16
DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED ……………………………………………………………………… 16
BACKGROUNDS …………………………....................................................................... 18

*** SPECIAL NOTE: Each player must be given a tchotchke at beginning of play.
(We used for our game wooden nickels.)

(Image by A. B. Woodward taken from page 49 of “Red Apple and Silver Bells,” 1897.)
A weather table. Pick a starting spot and move through it randomly to generate the
weather day by day. When you bump up against an edge slide along it or stay put,
depending on the table. Dead ends are Xs, where if you bump up against them just
stay in that season. If there is no X (or no clear dead end with no angular preference),
then slide in the direction indicated as closely as possible.

Inspired by Daniel Sell's Six Dimensional Weather

(whatwouldconando.blogspot.com/2017/04/five-dimensional-weather.html)
 THE TOWERS
FLATLAND
The landscape's anomaly are The
Flatland is pretty much horizontal as Towers, a grouping of twelve multi-hued
far as the eyes can see. Flat dirt, low-lying
stone columns connected between each
brownish grasses and olive drab shrubs, other by walkways at various heights. The
shallow slow moving mud-colored waters.
Towers seem to have punched up through
Each inhabitant has a can of baked beans. the brown dirt
THE MOONS The towers are apparently inhabited,
Two Moons, a smaller and a larger, as baskets are passed down with ropes
remain constantly in the sky to the with various curios, gadgets, and bits of
northeast. The smaller revolves twice as lore in return for foodstuff and other
fast as the larger resulting in mostly organic matter. Folks yell out what they
asynchronous, but predictable, phases seek and if a basket descends it is stuffed
FEET ON THE GROUND by the seeker once or many times until
some unknown price is satisfied and what
Folks who journey a week or so is sought lands within the basket.
following the dirt, the low-lying grasses
and shrubs, and the shallow, mud-colored Scaling a tower from the outside is
waters, returned to report the horizontal simply unheard of by folks, being that
world just on it goes. consequence for even short-distance falls
are certain pulverized death.
Many who've traveled out more than
a week most often don't report back at DUST RING AND
all. And no one, not a single person that
anyone can remember, has returned after THE SILVER ROAD
month-long absence.
The dust ring appears one morning.
BENT Folks notice a gray-brown haze
There is a lack of comprehension why completely encircling them around
gravity bends for physical things away Flatland’s horizon from ground level to a
from contact with Flatland. However, the height of several hundred feet.
effects are understood all too well. The Silver Road appears the same
Anything loosing complete contact day. A thin, silver ribbon ascending from
with something holding that thing the ground, twisting and curving up until
physically aloft has its inertia immediately it disappears into the sky.
and irrevocably bent straight down,
velocity exponentially more fast until –
WHAM! That thing re-interfaces with the
horizontal to immense destructive effect.
There remains one type of device
with ability to propel a small projectile,
albeit only for up to a dozen feet: A
firearm. Several of these artifacts exist,
along with small amounts of ammunition,
But knowledge to manufacture firearms
and ammunition is lost.

5
 EARTH There is virtually no stopping the
The Dust Ring is raised by consuming ravenous hordes of swarming giant
giant locusts devouring Flatland in a locusts.
massive swarm that extends a width of If players either wait for the giant
miles and above the edge-ground level
locusts to consume Flatland, or somehow
flying for more than 100 feet. A find a way to traverse over and behind the
gargantuan giant locust Standing wave.
giant locusts, then there is only
The giant locusts swarm starts out a nothingness, The Silver Road, and, when
two-week walk from town, completely the Two Moons are phased appropriately,
surrounding the horizon, and moves 1 day view of either an adjacent spheres or all
closer after the first 24 hours, 2 days of them. Here, the Two Moons phase over
closer the second 24, 4 days the third, a 10-day cycle.
and 8 closer days the fourth, Whereupon MOON PHASES
the creatures consume the last of
1. All Spheres Open
Flatland, leaving only The Silver Road. |
|
2.
|
3.
|
4. Adjacent Spheres
Open Inward Only
|
|
5.
|
|
6. Adjacent Spheres
Open 2 Directions
("Swarm of Locusts In Southern Russia" W. French, 1872) |
Giant Locusts |
Skill 7 MIEN 7.
Stamina 7 1 Dormant |
Armour 2 |
2 Probing 8. Adjacent Spheres
Initiative 2
Damage as Modest Beast 3 Flighty Open Outward Only
|
4 Recoiling
Giant Locusts are the 9.
5 Aggressive |
swarming phase of pony-
sized grasshoppers. They 6 Intent 10.
ravenously consume any |
organic materials, not metal or stone. |
Giant locusts move as fast as a humanoid, 1. All Spheres Open
and fly twice as fast.

6
 While walking along The Silver Road The net effect of time passing faster
will always take a player from sphere to is that everything around you seems to be
sphere along the road, off of The Silver moving at an accelerated rate, while you
Road the barriers between spheres only to others appear to be moving with
fall in certain ways according to the extremely more slowness than normal.
phases of the Two Moons. The net effect of time passing slower
The phases of the Two Moons as is that everything around you seems to be
indicated on the preceding “MOON moving at a decelerated rate, while you to
PHASES” chart not only indicates an others appear to be moving fantastically
ability to see beyond the nothingness more quickly than normal.
behinds each sphere. The phases also As players climb The Silver Road in
indicate when players (and other beings the Earth Sphere higher and higher above
or matter) can move between the spheres. Flatland, their main antagonist is the
Should players follow The Silver Road weather.
they soon discover, by walking its twists There are 7 weather types and related
and loop, that The Silver Road has its own effects (see Weather Table page 4):
subjective gravity, which is always down
toward the “top” surface of the road. CLEAR: No obstruction to vision, can
see miles around during day and the stars
The Silver Road is 8 feet wide and at night.
only a few inches thick. The road is made
of an indestructible silver material that CLOUDS: Obstructs vision and leaves
descends down into the earth of Flatland a thin patina of moisture on the road’s
as well as ascending to the sky. surface where it passes through a cloud.
No matter how far players dig into BLUSTERY: Variable strength wind
the earth along the road’s descent there, (1d6 for power and 1d6 for direction)
they will NEVER come to an end. pushes against the players each turn.
However, should giant locusts consume all RAIN: The players become saturated
Flatland, then The Silver Road would be with water and the road becomes slippery.
seen to lead off to an adjacent sphere. GALE: Combined effects from
Walking up along The Silver Road the blustery and rain.
players will learn the road’s grade is STORM: Combined effects from
approximately 5%, meaning for every 20 blustery and rain, except blustery wind is
miles along The Silver Road the players 1d3+3 for power blows in a sustained
will rise 1 mile up above the ground. direction for 4d6 hours.
Also, anyone who walks up The Silver SNOW: Variable strength snow
Road ½ mile will discover a cellophane- flurries (1d6 for intensity of flurry, 1d6
covered pack of “Marble 99s,” containing for power of wind, and 1d6 for direction)
16 individual paper-wrapped cigarettes, falls against the players for 4d6 hours.
and a functional “Zippy” butane lighter.
Air is freezing cold as the road
A Marble 99s cigarette has the becomes icy and very slippery. Players
following properties when smoked: must take precautions or exercise extreme
Smoked Fast: Time passes 4x faster. care not to slip off the road. After snow
Smoked Slow: Time passes 4x slower. passes road becomes wet.

7
 Adjacentcies of Elemental Spheres
are as follows:
Earth is adjacent to Fire and Wind.
Wind is adjacent to Earth and Water.
Water is adjacent to Wind and Fire.
Fire is adjacent to Water and Earth.
The Silver Road, wherever is passes
between the spheres, is traversable at all
times along the road’s surface regardless
of the moons phases.
Note: An Elemental Sphere is technically
adjacent to the Clockwork Center.
However, creatures may only pass to
Clockwork Center when the phases of
SPHERES both moons are full or by traveling along
The Silver Road where it intersects with
This pocket universe is defined by the the Clockwork Center.
Elemental Spheres: Earth, Wind, Water,
and Fire, that are arranged surrounding a SPHERE APPEARANCES
Clockwork Center. Above and to the north Apart from the always visible Two
east are always viewable the Two Moons. Moons which never move from their
A large moon, and to the large moon’s location in the north east sky, inside each
right, a smaller moon that phases twice as Elemental Sphere, a creature can only see
fast as the larger, slower moon. the apparently infinite expanse of that
Interactive phases between the Two sphere’s topography. Cycles of daylight
Moons indicate 4 instances when travel and night pass within a 24-hour period
between Elemental Spheres is possible absent any sun or stars.
(See Moon Phases page 6): Outside or between the Elemental
Both Moons Full: Creatures and Spheres, the spheres appear to be floating
matter may pass either way through any within an infinite void of pitch black
sphere, even non-adjacent spheres. nothingness.

Slow Moon ¼ Waning Fast Moon New: Each sphere has its own appearance:
Creatures and matter from an adjacent Earth: Floating platter of dried-mud
sphere can pass into your sphere, but you covered with dull green and brown plants
cannot pass out of your sphere. on top, roots and dirt below.
Slow Moon New Fast Moon New: Wind: Silver-blue globe of swirling clouds.
Anyone or any matter can pass to and Water: Fish bowl half-full of blue-green
from adjacent spheres. water with white-capped waves dancing
Slow Moon ¼ Waxing Fast Moon New: across the surface.
You can pass out of your sphere, but Fire: Round ball of molten lava with a
creatures and matter from an adjacent rocky bits bursting through and
sphere cannot pass into your sphere. occasional swirling fiery smoke.

8
 WIND
Another interesting feature of the
After marching 5 days along The Wind Sphere, here time is stopped. The
Silver Road (5 days x 20 miles per days =
phases of the Two Moons both remain at
100 miles x 5% slope = 5 miles high), the full no matter what phase from the
players will begin to find the air difficult
previous sphere and never change.
to breathe and begin to suffer from
altitude sickness. On the Wind Sphere there is no need
to eat, sleep, and even death cannot
Virtually all players will begin to
overcome a creature (although those who
experience shortness of breath, fatigue, received "death blows" and then move to
vomiting, rapid heart rate, insomnia,
another plane immediately succumb to
nausea, and headache. their blood-spurting wounds!).
Up ahead the players will see The Unfortunately the fringes of the
Silver Road passes through particularly
sphere are beset with horrendous
wide and dense cloud formations. All hurricanes and twisters that are beginning
players must then make a stamina check
to threaten all who make their home on
to avoid serious symptoms including skin the clouds here.
discoloration (blue, pale or gray),
shortness of breath at rest, confusion, The number and strength of Strong
decreased consciousness, not being able Force Winds are increasing. Inhabitants of
to walk in a straight line, chest tightness, the Wind Sphere fear that eventually the
and coughs with bloody mucus. winds will occupy the entirety of this
sphere.
Pushing forward through the dense
clouds any and all symptoms of sickness When the players approach the edges
suddenly abate. The road continues on of this sphere to depart, either levitating
through a comfortable, airy sky. Except in the weightless atmosphere or walking
that upon looking down there is nothing along The Silver Road, they will be
beneath them except more of this sky. buffeted by the Strong Force Winds.
The players have entered the Wind Strong Force Winds
Sphere, and, while their feet are firmly Great strength is required MIEN
planted on The Sliver Road as is normal, if to move through Strong 1 Wrathful
the players move off of The Silver Road Force Winds. Trying to
2 Virulent
they will discover here there is no gravity. oppose this raging blast
requires a skill roll 3 Spiteful
Among the creatures who wander this
against 20 or a test of 4 Nauseating
sphere are inscrutable floating tentacled
luck. A failure and the
Ekodat (on a 1-2 in 6); crusading tribes of 5 Acquisitive
player will be knocked
fundamentalist Feathered Folk from their
aside in a random 6 Imperious
cloud temple-fortresses (on a 3-5 in 6);
direction (1d6) and lose 2
and a few solitary and bitter Manticore
stamina points. Success and the player
(on 6 in 6). ***
will still lose 2 stamina points, but
maintain footing or position for 2 rounds
*** All found in Troika! Numinous Edition until needing to test again.
Bestiary pages 78, 78, and 84 respectively. Strong Force Winds cannot be defeated.

9
 The first thing levitating players will
WATER discover is that gravity has returned,
First, after passing from the Wind albeit in the opposite direction than that
Sphere and before entering the Water of The Silver Road.
Sphere, the players, as a result of being While the road still maintains its
between the spheres during the Wind
subjective gravity holding travelers upon
Sphere’s double full moons, are able for a its top surface, the turquoise ocean of the
turn to view all 4 spheres and the
Water Sphere spreads far above the
Clockwork Center. travelers’ heads.
During this turn each player privately Anyone (or thing) that looses contact
will have a mental Vision. If a player
with the top of the road will immediately
chooses to attempt an action during this fall “up” to the ocean, 111 feet to 666 feet
turn, they must test their luck to do so. If
below (d666).
successful the player may act without
experiencing a mental vision, otherwise Striking against the surface of the
all players will experience the vision and ocean will almost certainly result in
then appear in the Water Sphere. instant death (lose 1 stamina per 10 feet
or test your luck for half), but there are
VISION (1d6, duration 1d6 rounds)
several humongous shadows moving
1. Locked within a clear-topped beneath the water. On a 5 in 6 one of
padded coffin. See curved torus-structure them jumps up to snatch a falling
extend off in two directions, covered with creature, it is a hungry Cahrybdis!
hundreds more clear-topped coffins.
(Interstellar Voyage)
Charybdis
2. Lying on a padded table with 4 MIEN
bright lights overhead. Tubes inserted 1 Mewling
down throat. Various needle-tipped tubes
stuck in arms and legs. Strapped down. 2 Childish
(Hospital Coma) 3 Playful
3. Frozen within viscous liquid inside 4 Mischievous
a dark metal tube unable to move. 5 Hungry
(Cryogenic Preservation)
6 Starving
4. Floating on your back in darkness
Skill 12
(actually body-temperature salt water)
Stamina 46
and complete silence. There is a latch on
Armour 3
roof to open, but light will be blinding.
Initiative 7
(Sensory Deprivation Chamber)
Damage as Gigantic Beast
5. Feel under feet a padded floor. You
wear a darkened plastic mask covering Charybdis are humongous sea monsters
eyes and ears, and complex wired gloves. hundreds feet long with adroit snatching
(Virtual Reality Game) beaks at the end of their quickly-moving
6. Sit before a wood fire at night elongated necks. Anything swallowed
beneath a starry sky wearing a poncho. whole (5 in 6, no other damage) suffers in
(Psychotropic-Induced hallucination) a Charybdis stomach for 1d6 months.

10
 Once the situation settles somewhat Carnivorous Mermaids
for players, they will notice the Two
Moons in their familiar spot.
Except now Two Moons spin at a rate MIEN
10-times faster. The slow moon cycling 1 Happy
through its phases in a single 24-hour
2 Playful
day, and the fast moon cycling through
phases twice in the same time period. All 3 Hungry
the attendant effects from phases of the 4 Quizzical
moons still occur, only more frequently.
5 Aggressive
In addition to vast schools of 6 Paranoid
mundane sea critters, there are two
factions that may compete for the players’ Skill 10
attentions: Chaos Pirates and Carnivorous Stamina 9 6 Swim
Mermaids. Armour 0 3 Wailing
Initiative 2 2 Knife
Chaos Pirates Damage as Knife
MIEN
1 Industrious Carnivorous Mermaids love to eat
barbecued animal flesh, a sumptuous
2 Confused delectable not often afforded in the sea.
3 Homesick Helpful allies if properly and prudently
4 Angry plied, especially with sauce. Also can
5 Frustrated tickle swallowed things from Charybdis.
6 Violent Should players find themselves
Skill 9 hundreds feet below The Silver Road they
Stamina 10 may be hard-pressed to escape Water
Armour 1 Sphere as direct exit leads either back to
Initiative 2 the buffeting winds of Wind Sphere or on
Damage as Longsword to the inhospitable flames of Fire Sphere.
Allied carnivorous mermaids may
Chaos Pirates are notoriously vicious and provide an alternative.
hairy humans plying the Water Sphere on During Two Moons phase when the
their 6-man felucca gun-boats. spheres interact one-way from Water
While creatures can never count on being Sphere to Fire Sphere, the mermaids have
more than a meal to these vengeful men, seen the chaos pirates’ felucca boats wash
upon occasion they grow wistful for the with sea water into the planes of lava
giga-sized floating cities from whence whereupon resultant steam carries the
they were kidnapped. Alas, such cities boats hundreds of feet into the air – most
seem to have vanished from Water Sphere. often with expected hilarious, at least to
Gun-boat ranged Cannons fore and aft: the mermaids, slapstick conclusions.
Should players decide to attempt this
Damage Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7+
venture, the mermaids could guide them
Cannon 2 2 3 5 10 15 20 to the proper portal with wailing song.

11
 When the players approach the outer Players will soon discover that
limits of Water Sphere they will notice in gravity here is variable. Roll 1d6 every 10
the water a yellow-orange sheen. minutes for Gravity’s direction. Fire giants
This is poisonous Orange Tide, a are unharmed and bound every change.
sentient hive-mind detergent algae Players who end up on the Fire
scrubbing the ocean barren and leaving Sphere ground will be unable to breath
death through suffocation and starvation and suffer effects as drowning. (Troika!
to all ocean dwellers. Numinous Edition rule 7.9, page 47.)
Should players enter the water where Such a player’s probably only hope is
there is Orange Tide, the only ill effects to somehow entice or coerce a fire giant
will be stinging eyes and blurred vision to hurl the player up through the air to
for 2d6 turns. Otherwise they will exit The Silver Road or, if Two Moons phases
such waters with their clothes stain free. are right, through to another sphere.
The multiplying Orange Tide will Fire Giant
transform Water Sphere to be completely
sterile within 3d6 days. MIEN
FIRE 1 Belligerent
2 Obstinate
Fire Sphere is a bleak and hellish
landscape. The ground covers the entire 3 Petulant
interior of the globe, black igneous rock 4 Insolent
split with rivulets of red-hot magma.
5 Sullen
Bulging witches-hat peaks emerge all
6 Smug
directions hundreds of feet tall (d666)
with 1d6 always within range to spew Skill 10
volcanic lava, hot rocks and ash through Stamina 20
the air against players (1 in 6 chance Armour 2
every 10 turns, 1d3 stamina damage). Initiative 3
Damage as Large Beast or as Weapon
If players are able to cross the Fire
Sphere along The Silver Road they should
Fire Giants are powerful giants who relish
suffer no ill effects. The road is too far up
fighting, particularly wielding greatswords
for travelers to attract the attention of
(one-handed) and chucking boulders long
fire giants, and high enough to avoid soot
distances. They have red skin, jet black
and deadly heat.
hair and are completely adapted to heat.
If players attempt to ride steam on
Damage Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7+
the pirate gun-boats they will become an
inviting target for the fire giant boulders. Boulder 4 5 8 8 9 12 20
When water from the Water Sphere All around the Fire Sphere is a
hits this red-hot terrain the huge mass glowing green radiation. It will cause 1
will instantly turn to steam and lift a gun- stamina damage per round within. The
boat hundreds of feet (d666). Skill checks width of the radiation is presently 100
will be required with sails to maneuver a feet and grows 10 times each hour (next
boat to land on The Silver Road. hour 1,000 feet; then 10,000; 100,000,…).

12
 There is also another extreme problem Time Dragon
on Fire Sphere, the Two Moons phases
cycle 10 times slower. Slow moon cycles
through its phases in 100 days, and fast
moon cycling through phases in 50 days.
As a result of the slow time players
may soon decide The Silver Road is their
only realistic means of escaping this (From Visionary Dragon by Android Jones, used without permission.)

sphere. Skill 16
Stamina 666 MIEN
RETURN TO EARTH Armour 4 1 Tormented
Initiative 6
Passing from Fire Sphere, either by 2 Writhing
Damage as Gigantic Beast
direct crossing from sphere to sphere or 3 Envious
using The Silver Road, players return to Time Dragon is a 300- 4 Phlegmatic
what they would expect to be Earth foot-long immortal snake
Sphere, but only a dense mass of insect 5 Rancorous
creature of hyper-light,
legs and wings remains. Water Sphere is scales appear as rainbow- 6 Malevolent
a half-globe of orange water with floating tinted mirrors basked by
dead charybdis. The Silver Road leads on, some inner illumination. The Time Dragon
reaching up into Clockwork Center. is conflicted by its own violence.
This time there are no visions when Once per round it may douse a 24 foot
the players view Clockwork Center – a area in sparkling age-blast. Everyone in
loose set of gears, wheels, needles, and area is automatically hit but may test luck
springs stationed completely motionless to reduce the Damage Roll by 1.
in the center of rapidly deteriorating
spheres. Damage Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7+
This is the lair of the Time Dragon. Age-Blast Years 6 8 12 16 18 24 36

WE SLEEP, WE DREAM, WE EAT OUR DREAMS

Players have been given a tchotchke It is the game judge’s responsibility
to assist them in this conflict. to implement the magic or special item to
Each player’s goal is within a set the best understanding of what the
amount of time seek someone outside the outside person has written.
game and trade the tchotchke for this No magic or special item shall be
outside person to write down the details rejected so long as the player adhered to
of a magic or special item. the only rule.
The only rule is that each player may Otherwise players are outmatched for
describe as best they understand the this conflict. The battle will play out over
elements of the situation, but the player the multi-layers of Clockwork Center. To
must not dictate or otherwise suggest to overcome or be defeated by Time Dragon
this outside person what the magic or is the only way for players to proceed to
special item will be. the next encounter.

13
14
15
 DENOUEMENT DAYS OF FUTURE
At the conclusions of their conflict PASSED
with Time Dragon there is a new setting
Provide each player with another
presenting to the players.
index card. Instruct the players, without
Regardless of whether the players consulting each other, to write a brief
defeat or are defeated by Time Dragon, description of how the new setting they
the characters all experience themselves are presented with should play out. Carry
falling through space to inhabit the on accordingly.
personage of each player’s earlier VISION MIEN
from page 10. 1 Hungry
Yet, after a brief moment, they Airship
2 Confused
continue falling through a starry space to Skill 12
a sun and past two moons orbiting a Stamina 100 3 Protective
darkened, smokey planet onto a blasted, Armour 4 4 Patient
denuded and mountainous landscape of Initiative 5
5 Watchful
ruins, poisoned water, and radiation. Damage as Gigantic Beast
6 Evasive
Here, the two moons and sun are
completely obscured by the miles-high Airships are 600-foot-long lighter-than-air
layers of smoke and debris from aircraft that can be directed using rudders
generations of war. Strange airships patrol and propellers and can ram targets.
through the smoke slicing the darkness Once per round an airship may use 1d6
with high-powered searchlights. blasters to hit targets. Anyone hit may
Great winged lizards flit through the test luck to reduce the Damage Roll by 1.
smokey sky, or may be seen slithering Damage Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7+
between mountains or smoldering ruins.
Blaster Damage 4 8 12 14 16 25 33
Close by a flying lizard has grabbed
an airship, blasting the ship with fiery MIEN
breath while a softly glowing squid-like 1 Deceptive
creature (Air Squid) attached to the ship Air Squid
snatches some airship crew scrambling to 2 Fearful
Skill 12
extinguish the fires. Stamina 36 3 Suspicious
Should Time Dragon have been Armour 2 4 Aggressive
defeated by the players, the players are Initiative 5
5 Cruel
each a dragon (Found in Troika! Damage as Large Beast
Numinous Edition Bestiary pages 76) 6 Vicious
flying in the area. Air squids are 75-foot-long helium-filled
Should Time Dragon be defeated by squids that “swim” through air. Luminous
the players, the players are each a Man- gray scavengers with dull-white eyes.
Beast (Found in Troika! Numinous Edition They attack with their beak or 2d6
Bestiary pages 84) either all on an airship tentacles, constricting targets upon a hit.
or on the ground patrolling nearby ruins. Damage Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7+
Feel free to tack on player Beak Damage 3 6 10 10 14 18 35
backgrounds as might be enjoyable.

16
(Part image taken from page 203 of "Hartmann the Anarchist, etc.” by Edward Douglas Fawcett, 1893)

17
 BACKGROUNDS
11/41 Giant of the Wastes
You are a stoneworker giant fond of long journeys and stories.
Possessions
• A pocket barometer for forecasting the weather (5 in 6 accuracy).
Advanced Skills
4 Strength 4 Crafting (stone)
3 Astrology 2 Run
2 Climb
Special
Non-magical fire does not damage Giants of the Wastes.

12/42 Outlaw
You are a Brigand or bandits who kills only when necessary, preferring ransom.
Possessions
• Crossbow and 18 Bolts.
• Roll of Lock Picks.
• Grappling Hook.
Advanced Skills
2 Sneak 2 Tracking
2 Locks 1 Awareness
1 Climb 1 Trapping
1 Knife Fighting 1 Crossbow Fighting
Special
You may Test your Luck to find and get in with thieves and slavers should they exist.

13/43 Spectral Psychic

You are spawned beneath the desert sky and receptive to powers behind the third
dimension. Your second sight shows with your grossly enlarged head and membranous
skull.
Possessions
• Fusil.
• 2d6 Plasmic Cores.
• Sword.
• Velare.
Advanced Skills
2 Fusil Fighting 2 Astrology
2 Second Sight 2 Awareness
2 Spell – Random 2 Spell – Random
1 Spell – Random 1 Sword Fighting

18
 14/44 Key Master Techno
You fathom the workings of all locks, fascinated with chests, doors, and gates,
although you are most excited by metaphysical barriers.
Possessions
• Festooned with Keys (counts as Modest Armour).
• A Distinguished Sledgehammer (Damage as Maul).
• Lock Picking Tools.
Advanced Skills
4 Locks 3 Strength
3 Trapping 2 Mathmology
2 Spell – Open 1 Spell – See Through
1 Maul Fighting 1 Spell – Lock

15/45 UNDER CONSTRUCTION

16/46 Gnome
You are a short, hairy, weed dependent creature. You fully commit yourself to the
important Gnomey endeavors of searching out unusual metals and gems.
Possessions
• Masonry Hammer.
• Roll of fine paper.
• Weed.
• Mecha-ostrich.
Advanced Skills
3 Awareness 2 Sculpting
2 Gem cutting 2 Metalworking
2 Construction 2 Strength
2 Fist Fighting 2 Wrestling
2 Ride 1 Hammer Fighting
Special
Gnomes use their bipedal mecha-ostriches as mounts, the mecha’s claw-like feet useful
for clinking to and traversing many various terrain.
(Mecha-Ostrich, Stamina 5, Armour 2, if rider uses to attack - damage as Small Beast.)

19
 21/51 Witch Hunter Warrior
You are a cabalistic religious fanatic specifically “holier than thou” toward just about
anyone and everything in your pursuit of demonic conspiracies.
Possessions
• A Weird & Wonderful Weapon.
• Strange Clothes.
• Exciting Accent.
• A tea set or 3 pocket gods or Astrological Equipment.
Advanced Skills
6 Language – Exotic Language 3 Fighting in your Weird Weapon
2 Language – Local Language 2 Spell – Random
1 Astrology 1 Second Sight

22/52 Journeyman Assassin

You are an assassin in training.
Possessions
• Black Clothes of the Apprentice.
• Garrotte.
• Curved Sword.
• 3 Vials of Poison.
• Crossbow and 6 Bolts.
Advanced Skills
1 Poison 1 Sneak
1 Locks 1 Knife Fighting
1 Climb 1 Awareness
1 Crossbow Fighting 1 Swim
1 Disguise
Special
You have a second, or “cover”, identity, and is thus a “dual” character type. Role again
for the appearance and possessions of another character, but not Advanced Skills or
Special.

23/53 D’anth
You're a 7-foot tall ebon humanoid with flaming red eyes.
Possessions
• Eye-patch.
• 2 Longswords.
• Crossbow and 12 bolts.
Advanced Skills
4 Sword Fighting 3 Acrobatics
2 Awareness 2 Climb
2 Run 1 Tracking
Special
You can attack twice on your turn with your swords as easily as wielding one.
3 in 6 chance to resist any magic you wish to.

20
 24/54 UNDER CONSTRUCTION

25/55 College Sorcerer

You partied too much at your sub-dimensional academy, but learned enough to be
dangerous. Now you are out in the world.
Possessions
• Pointed Wizard Hat you received at graduation.
• Pocket Full of Wizard Biscuits (2d6, each counts as a Provision).
• Wand kept for sentimental reasons.
Advanced Skills
4 Secret Signs – Witching Words 2 Run
1 Climb 1 Sleight of Hand
1 Swim 1 Sneak
1 Second Sight 1 Spell – Jolt
1 Spell – Amity 1 Spell – Mirror Selves
1 Spell – Protection from Rain 1 Spell – Helping Hands
1 Spell – Purple Lens 1 Spell – Random

26/56 True Temple Paladin

You are a fanatical warrior set to maintain constant, vigilant martial readiness in
preparation for the end times. You are always prepared and never unready. You also
adhere strictly to the basic tenets of your religion, and detest others who do not (and
are quick to say so). You preach your religion constantly, and never give up in trying to
“convert the heathens.”
Possessions
• Plate mail armour (Counts as Heavy Armour).
• 6 Swords of your choice.
Advanced Skills
3 Awareness
3 Sword Fighting
2 Greatsword Fighting
2 Blacksmithing
Special
The blessing of your temple protects you from magic 2 in 6 chance.

21
 31/61 Saint
You are a wandering miracle worker, the depths of your clothes filled with pouches of
unguents, holy icons and herbs. You NEVER uses arms or armor because of your
complete and total belief in your god(s).
Possessions
• Thaumaturgic Fez.
• Staff, bedecked with charms and bells. May reroll one die on the Oops! Table if using
this staff, however, may never sneak up on anyone because of the ringing and
clattering it makes.
• Curled Shoes.
• Voluminous Robes.
Advanced Skills
3 Spell – Undo 2 Spell – Assume Shape
2 Spell – Thunder 2 Spell – Random
1 Spell – Brittle Twigs 1 Spell – Random
1 Second Sight 1 Astrology
Special
You may Test your Luck to just so happen to have exactly the (common) mystic bauble
the situation requires.

32/62 Barbarian Hobbit

You take umbrage with the world and wield an oversized Sword.
Possessions
• Too-Large Sword that provides +1 to Longsword Fighting and Damage while using it.
• Hunting Bow and 12 Arrows.
Advanced Skills
3 Longsword Fighting 1 Awareness
1 Climb 1 Bow Fighting
1 Run 1 Swim
1 Vengeance
Special
You have a 2-in-6 chance of placing an arrow shot hit exactly where you want it.

33/63 UNDER CONSTRUCTION

22
 34/64 Wizard Slaver
Wizards are the most dangerous prey, but you yearn for the capture and sale of them
as slaves to the highest bidder.
Possessions
• Large Sack.
• Witch-hair Rope.
• Crossbow and 12 Bolts.
• Sword.
• 1d6 Pocket Gods.
• Ruby Lorgnette.
• Net (entangle 3 small beasts or 1 medium or partially 1 large).
Advanced Skills
2 Tracking 2 Disguise
2 Crossbow Fighting 1 Sword Fighting
1 Sneak 1 Locks
1 Etiquette

35/65 Apocryphal Hillwalker

You are an experienced hiker, survivalist, and outdoor-person who can remember all of
the apocryphal legends, myths and gossip—which you are happy to share with anyone
you encounter whenever the opportunity presents itself. Snow-Pee Calligrapher.
Possessions
• Large Backpack.
• Bright Headlamp with Crank (crank may be positioned over either side of head).
• Fire-starter.
• Magical Firkin (1-3 fresh water, 4-6 quality brandy, refills when the cap replaced).
• Over-sized Multi-tool (knife, awl, scissors, magnifying glass).
Advanced Skills
3 Survival 2 Camping
2 Close Combat 1 Drinking

36/66 Garden Golem

You are 14-foot-tall anthropomorphic soil, heart of crystal teeming with produce.
Melon-patch helmet and cactus form shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles. Beet &
carrot greens emerge from your armpits. Worms aerate you. Bees pollinate you. The
telekinesis holding your form together can levitate cactus needles and other items.
Possessions
• Assorted Produce
• Collection of Blue Ribbons
Advanced Skills
4 Gardening 2 Anytime Farmer’s Market
2 Apothecary 2 Psychic Ranged Combat
2 Deep Ecology 1 Spell - Telekinesis
1 Spell - Green Thumb

23
NOTES:

24