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The Eight Pillars

ANCIENT RUINS AND HARSH LANDS

The world is an ancient and dangerous place: cities and villages are separated by vast plains, scorching deserts, frozen peaks and impenetrable forests. The land is dotted with crumbling fortresses and shrines devoted to deities whose names have been lost to time. Past civilizations and ages of darkness have left behind a world of powerful artifacts and cryptic legends, as well as magical (and often dangerous) places.

A WORLD IN PERIL

Villages, castles, and city-states are among the few areas that aren’t literally crawling with monsters, brigands, and hostile creatures. Far more dangerous still are Villains, powerful antagonists casting their shadow over the entire land. Cruel sorcerers, evil gods seeking reincarnation, power-hungry emperors, perhaps even alien entities: there’s a single, unspeakable terror behind the dangers of the world, and our heroes are bound to cross its path sooner or later.

CLASHING COMMUNITIES

The world may be in danger, but its inhabitants are still divided by ancient grudges: religious schisms, memories of war crimes, and the conflict between magic and science are among the most common causes of enmity. Reuniting these communities will be key to defeating the great evils of the world; the protagonists should help them overcome their hostilities and see their differences as blessings instead of obstacles.

EVERYTHING HAS A SOUL

All matter that forms the world, including its creatures, the earth, sky, sun, and stars are part of a vast flow of spiritual energy. The origin, nature, and function of this energy may vary depending on the world you create, but its presence is undeniable and anyone possessing the ability to manipulate it (be it through magic or science) is a force to be reckoned with.

MAGIC AND TECHNOLOGY

In every Fabula Ultima world, science and magic represent two different ways of studying and manipulating reality: one concerns itself with the tangible nature of matter, the other with the souls that dwell within it — two sides of the same coin. Miraculous machinery might be hidden beneath the ruins of an ancient civilization, and even the most powerful wizards will often make use of vehicles and airships. Many of these worlds also feature an unusual discipline that combines magic and technology into magitech: metal soldiers animated by the souls of the fallen, bombs that can unleash elemental mayhem, and flying machines fueled by wind spirits are only a few examples of what can be created by this hybrid craft.

HEROES OF MANY SIZES AND SHAPES

Fabula Ultima’s protagonists are full-fledged heroes, extraordinary individuals that possess unique abilities and whose actions will shape the fate of the world. While some may not be noble paladins or virtuous paragons of justice, even the thieves and dark knights among them have a fundamentally good nature and can be trusted to do the right thing when the situation gets desperate. In line with the video game genre Fabula Ultima draws inspiration from, our heroes do not follow any rule of realism: be they children with incredible magical powers or elderly warriors able to single-handedly challenge an entire army, all that matters is their strength of spirit.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HEROES

Any relevant event in a game of Fabula Ultima is tied to the heroes, either directly or indirectly. Dramatic plot twists shall happen when the protagonists are present on the scene, and the great powers (and evils) of the world shall pay them special attention. Following the same logic, the heroes’ determination will allow them to achieve the impossible, such as defeating an empire or sealing away a powerful deity.

MYSTERY, DISCOVERY, AND GROWTH

This game is built upon discovery: of ancient mysteries and forgotten powers, yes, but most of all, of the heroes themselves, of their feelings, and of what they are willing to do in order to fight against darkness. Fabula Ultima’s protagonists are complex and sometimes tragic figures, and their journey will change them forever.

Natural Fantasy

Floating amidst a lush expanse of verdant forests, snow-capped mountains, and crystal-clear lakes, small villages slumber peacefully, coexisting with the beasts and elemental forces of the wilderness. Underneath it all lie the ruins of mysterious past civilizations that once ruled this world of Natural Fantasy.

NATURAL FANTASY THEMES AND PROTAGONISTS

Tales of natural fantasy often revolve around warmth and community, harmony with nature and beasts, and the tragedy that befalls when the hearts of the people grow so dark that they twist and corrupt the very places they live in. Their protagonists are often very young and come from the same village:

• The daughter of the village chief, seeking to prove her worth.
• The apprentice blacksmith who saw a terrible creature in the forest.
• The young hermit who stumbled upon the entrance to a magical ruin.
• The witch who knows of a prophecy dating back to the Ancestors.
• The wandering warrior who mistakenly angered a local spirit.

Together they must mend the hearts of their community and confront those who stir sentiments of hatred and mistrust, to prevent this darkness from corrupting the very balance of the world around them.

NATURAL FANTASY LOCATIONS

In a natural fantasy world, every location and vista is deeply immersed in vibrant colors and populated by great beasts and monsters. There are no cities and roads, only small villages and narrow paths. But as our heroes venture into ruins or deep into the darkest forests, things change — these forbidden places are alien and magical, cold and terrifying. Things that were meant to be forgotten dwell there...

NATURAL FANTASY MAGIC

Magic is strongly tied to nature, life, and the elements: its traditions are largely oral, passed down from elder to apprentice, and a mystery to most people. The magic found in the ruins, however, is cold and artificial, a remnant of an age of golems and machinery that defied and angered the forces of nature.

NATURAL FANTASY ANTAGONISTS

In a natural fantasy world, antagonists tend to be disastrous calamities or ancient and powerful monsters. When the antagonist is a person, they are often misguided or acting for what they believed to be good for their community: most of the time, they will see reason after the heroes thwart their plans. The "true enemy", however, is generally something that cannot be reasoned with, such as the immortal embodiment of a natural disaster that will require great sacrifices to placate.

Session Zeroing

COMMITMENT AND EXPECTATIONS

The first thing you should discuss is the amount of time and effort everyone will be able to dedicate to the game. This will help set expectations and avoid issues later on during play.

• Will you play for a set amount of sessions, or are you simply going to start playing and see where the story leads you?
• How often will you play? Weekly, monthly, twice per month?
• The game is designed around sessions of approximately four hours, but how long do you expect your sessions to be? If your sessions are shorter or longer, remember to check for Experience Points approximately every four hours (see page 226).
• If there are missing Players, will you reschedule the session, or will you play nonetheless? Which solution will you adopt for the missing Players' characters? See page 143 for suggestions.

TONE AND THEMES

This is a game with a relatively broad scope: depending on the kind of world and characters you create, the campaign's tone and themes can vary quite a bit. Because this is a shared storytelling experience, you need to be on the same page or at least lay a solid foundation — you can always discuss changes later.

• What kind of tone do you expect during the narration? Would you prefer a heavily dramatic tale dealing with complex situations and emotions, or would you rather tell a fantastical story where good and evil are easily told apart?
• Are there any themes you strongly wish to explore during play?
• Will the heroes be best friends from the start, or are you okay with moments of crisis and disagreements within the party? How will you resolve these contrasts? See page 141 for suggestions.
• When describing scenes and actions, are you okay with over-the-top anime descriptions or would you prefer a heroic but more fable-like approach?

RULES AND CHALLENGE

Much like tone and themes, this game allows you to customize its rules and play it with a varying degree of mechanical challenge and optimization.

• Are you adopting any of the optional rules presented in the book? Pay special attention to optional rules for conflicts (page 82) and advancement (page 230).
• How "hardcore" do you expect your game experience to be? Are you aiming for mechanical optimization with your characters? Do you expect the Game Master to design extremely challenging adversaries? Or are you here for a relaxing experience that takes minimal focus?

SAFETY

Roleplaying games tend to get us emotionally and personally involved. It's their beauty, but it also leaves us vulnerable. Make sure to discuss whatever descriptions, situations, scenes, and story elements might make you uncomfortable. Everyone should indicate any lines and veils (page 140) that they want to apply during sessions; it can be a good idea to handle this anonymously to preserve the privacy of the participants. In particular, you should make sure to discuss:

• The depiction of violence. By default, Fabula Ultima expects little elements of gore and blood: much like in classic JRPGs, death is portrayed as a character kneeling or vanishing in a cloud of spiritual particles — but still talk about the kind of scenes and descriptions people are okay with.
• The nature of evil. Story elements such as mind control, the persecution of a minority, or violent imperialism are all common tropes in tabletop games, but for some, they are very real and tangible threats. Strive to make sure the game is a safe space.
• Romances, relationships, and sexuality. These elements are another trope of JRPG stories, which often feature romances between main characters. Discuss if people are comfortable with this and exactly to what degree.

World Creation

You will need the world sheet and the map sheet.

The flowchart on the next page describes the world creation process. If you want, give your setting a name: even something as simple as Earth, Gaia or The Planet will work fine... we do the same in our real world, after all!

As explained on page 14, all Fabula Ultima worlds share some core elements — the Eight Pillars. When creating your setting, keep those elements in mind! Pay special attention to the following:

• Souls. Everything living and unliving is connected by the stream of souls. Some worlds might feature machinery fueled by soul energy, while in other settings, spiritual corruption might give birth to monstrous creatures. Discuss what people generally know about souls in your world.
• Conflicts and struggles. The cultures populating your world haven’t been able to unite themselves under a single banner. Their motives can range from centuries-old rivalries, ideological or religious strife, misunderstandings, perhaps even the cruelties of one nation against the other. Drawing inspiration from the real world can be a good idea, as it is (unfortunately) rife with turmoil and injustice.
• A fantastical, diverse world. When creating your setting, you shouldn’t concern yourself with realism, verisimilitude, or historical accuracy. A city-state inspired by ancient Greece might be bordering with a flying fortress, guarded by warriors clad in Song Dynasty-style armor and practicing a form of alchemy similar to that of the Italian Renaissance.

What really matters is for each location's appearance to reflect the themes and emotions it will embody within your story. The flowchart presents the world creation steps in a more intuitive order, but you’re always free to go back and make adjustments when needed. The most important part is that everyone can share ideas freely. Whenever a step states that “each person should contribute an element”, that doesn’t mean they must come up with it entirely on their own: as with any other aspect of this game, dialogue and communication are key to a good experience!

1. Choose a shape for your world: is it round, flat, or are the regions floating amidst the clouds? Could it be donut-shaped, in typical JRPG fashion? You might even decide that the shape of your world is yet to be discovered!
2. Grab a map sheet that fits your concept (or draw a custom map; just make sure to leave plenty of blank space for settlements and locations). Your world can span more than one sheet, of course — but let’s keep things simple for now. Remember to establish the length of a travel day on the map (see page 106).
3. What is the role of magic and technology in your setting? Are you living in an age of industrial development, or is it more Renaissance-like? Is magic seen as a form of science, or mostly as a great mystery?
4. Create the major kingdoms and nations of your world, mark their borders on the map and discuss their relations: mutual trust, strained alliances, or open conflict? Each person at the table should contribute at least one kingdom or nation during this step, providing some details about their customs, beliefs, industry, denizens, and creatures.
5. Discuss the major historical events that shaped your world into what it is. Each person at the table should contribute at least one important event that dramatically altered the history of your setting.
6. What are the great enigmas and mysteries of the world? The questions left unanswered, and the truths that are now indistinguishable from legend? Each person at the table should contribute at least one mystery of the world that they want to explore over the course of the group’s adventures.
7. What terrible threats cast a shadow over your world? Environmental disasters, furious deities, power-hungry empires, or perhaps even clouds of corrupting miasma that are enveloping and consuming the land? Each person at the table should contribute a threat, preferably something that is endangering the future of entire nations. The Game Master will base a majority of their villains and antagonists on these worldwide threats.

Interesting World Maps?

Some interesting looking islands