Slayers of Rings § Crowns

Welcome

Traverse through extraordinary journeys in SORC’s Into the Uncharted Worlds of Essentia. This tool by Ogre Adventurer will transport you through a captivating solar system, introducing you to its 13 planets, including the starting point for your epic campaigns, the 4th planet, Zailister (Zail).

Game Setting

Slayers of Rings § Crowns is a sci-fantasy TTRPG that takes Players through 13 diverse realms. SORC features exciting combat with limb-specific targeting, killing sprees, and burning streaks. Traverse planets where technology advances furthest from the main sun Adoria, and ancient magic is strongest near the sun, harnessing its magical properties. Play as one of many choices of classes and races, empower your Character, gain reputation, and define your legacy through our prestige system!

Human Cultures, Cultural Reach & Recipes

Humans carry no separate Bloodlines or Kinborns. A Human's base Traits and Stats remain the same regardless of upbringing, but Culture determines what a Character was taught, what a community can make, what traditions it protects, and what a traveler must import or learn elsewhere.

Cultural Reach: The closer a settlement, market, workshop, or household is to a culture's geographic roots, the more common that culture's food recipes, ingredients, cooking tools, armaments, accessories, and trained NPC profession roles become. Near the source, a Character can find them readily or commission them locally. Farther away, the same things become rare, imported, more expensive, or dependent on a specialist who carried the knowledge with them. This is a question of access and rarity, not a change to a Character's racial statistics.

Variants, Permissions & Prohibitions: Armaments carry one of five Variants: Telluric, earthborn craft and the only Variant that can become Magic through Enchanting; Techad (TA-Equip / TAA), Technologically Advanced Armaments organized into the separate categories TAG, TAW, and TABA; Chthonic, elemental force held around the piece; Oxidize, an Attachment joined to the bearer and drawing on the body; or Malign, Telluric craft with a curse worked into it at the forge. Culture, alignment, a Class Path, or a Higher Power may favor, permit, modify, enhance, or forbid a Variant. A Character may physically possess a forbidden item, but cannot equip it for a tradition's restricted Abilities; Basic ATTKs remain unrestricted.

Omnè and Ignis: Omnè's native armament Variant is Techad. They despise magic and are forbidden to equip Magic-type Telluric Armaments. They do not Enchant Telluric pieces; they use technological modifications on permitted Techad categories, TABA, TAW, and TAG equipment instead. The Primal of Ignis are the contrary example: their native armament Variant is Chthonic, and their culture despises manufactured technology and forbids Techad, including TAW and TABA. Their bone, stone, hide, and elemental work belongs to the Primal Chthonic tradition, not Ignis's native Telluric Variant. These are cultural prohibitions, not changes to a Character's base Traits or Stats.

Stores by Variant, inspiration, and prohibition:

• Telluric House — Zailister Free Market: Available to Humans and Zailister-origin Races, including Nordian, Eldrim, Tanu’la, and Xo’kajal Human cultures. Inspired by Village Trolls and settled Zailister makers; supplies practical civic equipment, Telluric weapons, recipes, accessories, and local professions. Magic-type Telluric Armaments are forbidden to Omnè Culture.
• Techad Circuit Exchange — Omnè: Available to Omnè and Drevane by homeworld, Humans raised into Omnè Culture, and Omnè Backgrounds. Inspired by the Omnè Cabal militia; supplies Techad Armaments, TAG, TAW, TABA, synthetic goods, pressure equipment, charge systems, modifications, and technical professions. Techad is forbidden to Primal Culture and Ignis Background Culture; Magic-type Telluric Armaments remain forbidden to Omnè Culture.
• Chthonic Ashfield Camp — Ignis: Available to Primal and Emberscale by homeworld and Ignis Backgrounds. Inspired by Primal traditions and Ignis's fire elementals; supplies Chthonic armaments, bone, stone, hide, obsidian, ritual equipment, and heat-worked goods. Techad, including TAW and TABA, is forbidden to Primal Culture and Ignis Background Culture. Emberscale has no automatic ban unless its own Culture says so.
• Oxidize Graftworks — Omnè Astral / Caelen: Available through Caelen homeworld or Background; Omnè Astral access is factional, not ordinary Omnè store access. Inspired by the Omnè Astral Cabal's graft experiments on the Caelen. Non-Caelen Characters need a compatible graft or socket to equip an Oxidize Attachment.
• Malign Reliquary — Ossein: Available to Ossein by homeworld or Background. Inspired by Ossein deathcraft; supplies cursed Telluric pieces forged as Malign. No blanket racial ban applies beyond the curse, Culture, Class, Higher Power, or alignment restriction on the specific Armament.
• Techmat Fracture Row — Tredeki: Available to Tredeki, Imperials, Leshy, and Skrath by homeworld and Tredeki Backgrounds. Inspired by Tredeki battlefield engineering and Imperial Techmat; supplies crystal-work, salvaged advanced equipment, mercenary armaments, and war-scarred professions. It is a regional Techad store, not a sixth Variant; Primal Culture and Ignis Background Culture remain forbidden from Techad.

Nordian recipe — Nord Feast: A cold-coast table of gravlax, root vegetables, and raspeballer potato dumplings. The salmon is cured with salt and time, the roots are boiled until they hold heat, and the dumplings are served with the rendered fat or broth left from the cooking pot. Nord Feast is common in Glaciera and uncommon elsewhere on Zailister unless a Nordian cook, household, or trading route brings the recipe with it.

Xo'kajal recipe — Pearl-Fire Earthpot: A Pearl Coast stew of fresh coastal fish, ground maize, ember pepper, green herbs, and earth-grown roots, cooked in a clay pot until the broth thickens. Xo'kajal cooks prepare it as a shared sea-and-earth meal, with the fire standing for transformation and the growing ingredients for fertility and renewal. It is common along the Pearl Coast and increasingly rare inland, where the fish, peppers, clay vessels, and practiced cooks must all travel together.

These recipes are examples of how Culture travels through Essentia. A Nordian cook in Glaciera may know Nord Feast as ordinary household food; a cook in Nivis may know it only through a recipe card, an imported ingredient, or a Nordian teacher. The same pattern applies to armaments, accessories, workshops, and NPC professions.

Essentia's Solar System Layout

Planet Descriptions (Summary)

• Glacies et Ignis: Elemental planet, extreme heat, home to golems and elementals, and to the Emberscale and the Primal.
• Tenue: Only barely closer to Adoria than Zailister, yet cooler thanks to the dense magical overgrowth blanketing the surface; thin atmosphere, blinding light day and night, no moon, home to all Fae, connected to Zailister through the enchanted Veilwood.
• Tribus: Habitable only below ground, ice and vapor, blind natives using echolocation.
• Zailister (Zail): Starting world, diverse and free, “police of the world.”
• Quintus Elementum: Second largest planet, "Subterranean Earth."
• Hexagonum: No native life, lies between Quintus Elementum and Citrine Candenti. Walked by the Ossein, who died there and kept going.
• Citrine Candenti: Most Earth-like, 6 seasons, 3 moons, advanced.
• Octavo: No rotation, hot and cold sides, unique agriculture.
• Angeligla: Largest planet (14,000 km), three identical triplet moons (Auralis I, II, III), swirling gases.
• Corpus Caeleste: Large moon Spectros with seasonal color shifts (red, purple, blue, auburn), inhabited by ghosts and aberrations, and home of the Caelen.
• Undeximus: Tech-advanced, near Tawdry Dwarf, home of the Futurem.
• Omnè Malum: Gas giant (6,000 km), densely saturated with population, floating cities in atmosphere, subterranean core facilities, most technologically advanced civilization. Home of the Omnè and, older than any record of them, the Drevane.
• Tredeki: Futuristic, technological pinnacle. Home of the Tredeki, the Imperials, the Leshy, and the Skrath.

Named Places of the Inner Worlds

These places belong to the first worlds of Essentia and may serve as territories, regions, areas, or adventure sites. A place's name does not determine who may live there; Background, Culture, travel, and campaign history decide that.

• Glacies et Ignis: Marshy Hot Springs; the Lava Sea and its Volcan Islands; the Boiling Marsh.
• Tenue: The Evergreen Marsh; the Triad Lagoons of black, blue, and green water; the Grassy Knoll Islands.
• Tribus: The Vile Wets of Filth and Friends; the Spectral Rockies; the Burping Sludge.
• Zailister: Red Wolf Woods; the Roaring Green river; the Thunder Blue river; the Golden Sea.
• Quintus Elementum: Canyon Hot Springs.
• Hexagonum: No native settlement is assigned here; the planet remains consistent with its established absence of native life.

Seasons in Essentia

Essentia's primary timekeeping system measures years in Eons of Adoria (EA). On Zailister, one EA year is divided into 6 distinct seasons, each lasting approximately 61 days (365 days ÷ 6 seasons = ~61 days per season). These seasons are:

Each planet has its own unique cycle of these seasons, shaping culture and environment. The current year is 10,023 EA. Characters reference specific dates using the format "Season, Day #" (e.g., "Spring, Day 15").

Seasonal Holidays & Days of Interest: Throughout the year, various festivities and observances are marked on the calendar. Lawful celebrations (Gold) honor order and community, while Evil days (Red) mark dark observances. Ambivalent days (Green) represent neutral ground, and the First Day of each season (Blue) marks significant transitions. See your character sheet calendar for the specific days.

Cosmic Dynamics & Lore

The duality of Adoria and Tawdry Dwarf shapes the fate of all life. Each planet features unique geography, climates, and challenges. Epic labyrinths, demon lords, and cosmic puzzles await those who adventure through the gates to the underworlds of Essentia.

Time is measured in Eons of Adoria (EA). The current year is 10,023 EA, the Age of Reflection.

Ages of Essentia

Essentia's history is divided into three great ages, marked by pivotal moments that shaped the fate of all life across the planets:

• Age of Creation (Ancient): The first cognitive and symbolic life forms capable of civilization emerged on Omnè Malum and Tredeki, though various life forms existed on other planets. (Undead and spiritual aberrations are excluded from this classification as they are not native life.) Civilizations rose from the void, adapting to the unique conditions of their worlds.
• Age of Prophecy (9,044 EA): Zailister witnessed a cataclysmic event where nineteen mystical crowns fell from the stars, forged from magic particles and the debris of the planet's rings. These crowns became symbols of true leadership, and the races of Zail spent centuries seeking their rightful bearers.
• Age of Reflection (10,023 EA - Present): The current era, marked by the consolidation of power among crowned leaders, the spread of knowledge, and growing awareness of Tawdry Dwarf's dwindling energy. The Omnè race accelerates technological advancement to preserve life as Tawdry Dwarf faces its inevitable fate.

Natural Disaster System (SORC)

To determine if a natural disaster occurs:
GM rolls 3d20 and combines the result (e.g., 2157). Each disaster has a value or range (e.g., 1–80). If your roll falls within that value, the disaster happens.

Probability:
1–80 = 1% chance
1–800 = 10% chance
A single number (1) = 0.0125%

Refer to the SORC Probability Loot, Crafting n Discovery System for more details.

Further Lore & Exploration

Each campaign in SORC is unique. The choices of characters and Game Masters shape Essentia for millennia to come, through conquest, exploration, and the forging of legendary reputations.

Solar System Overview

The solar system is a grand cosmic expanse characterized by the intricate dance of celestial bodies governed by the gravitational forces of two suns, Adoria and Tawdry Dwarf. At its heart lies Adoria, a vibrant and life-giving star, shining brightly and sustaining the inner planets, where diverse ecosystems and advanced civilizations thrive. The warmth and energy it provides are crucial for the survival of life, fostering an environment rich in variations, cultures, and technologies.

In stark contrast, Tawdry Dwarf is the cooler and dimmer twin, slowly dying and drifting toward its closest planet. Once a mighty hydrogen-burning star, it now exists as a white dwarf amid the remnants of its previous glory. The dramatic changes in Tawdry Dwarf have profoundly affected the outer planets, introducing significant climatic shifts and destabilizing orbits as it sheds its layers.

The collision of these two solar forces creates a unique dynamic; while the inner planets flourish under the nurturing light of Adoria, the outer planets grapple with the declining influence of Tawdry Dwarf. The gravitational interplay results in a complex system of orbital paths, shaping the movement and interactions of the celestial bodies.

The Two Suns

• Adoria (Sun One): A large and bright star, comparable to Earth's sun, providing essential energy to the inner planets. Its warmth and intensity are critical for maintaining life and supporting advanced technologies. Adoria is the primary source of magical energy across Essentia, with magic strongest near the sun and fading with distance.
• Tawdry Dwarf (Sun Two): A cooler and dimmer dying star that has entered the later stages of its life cycle. Once a hydrogen-burning star similar to Adoria, it has exhausted its fuel and transitioned through a red giant phase, shedding its outer layers to become a white dwarf. Its declining energy affects the outer planets, forcing technological and social adaptation among their inhabitants.

The Thirteen Planets (Outward from Adoria)

• 1. Glacies et Ignis (12,500 km): Elemental planet, extremely hot, home to golems and fire elementals, and to the Emberscale and the Primal. Moon: Asterok (rich in valuable elements and magic; magic extraction occurs here through elemental beings during day and night cycles).
• 2. Tenue (12,500 km): Cooler than expected due to dense magical overgrowth, blinding light day and night. Home to all Fae. No moon. Connected to Zailister through the enchanted Veilwood forest.
• 3. Tribus (10,000 km): Habitable only in subterranean depths, ice and vapor layers, blind natives using echolocation. Moon: Cavos.
• 4. Zailister (Zail) (11,000 km): Starting world for adventures, diverse races, balanced between magic and technology. Moons: Elder I, Elder II. Home of the prophecy of nineteen crowns.
• 5. Quintus Elementum (9,500 km): Also known as "Elè Quint" or "Subterranean Earth." Moon: Harmony.
• 6. Hexagonum: No native life, lies between Quintus Elementum and Citrine Candenti. Walked by the Ossein, who died there and kept going. Moons: Mercatia I, Mercatia II.
• 7. Citrine Candenti (12,000 km): Most Earth-like of the system, 6 distinct seasons, most advanced of the inner planets. Moons: Luminara (silver-pinkish glow), Emberglow (flame-crimson shimmer), Azureveil (sky-teal flicker).
• 8. Octavo (7,000 km): Tidally locked, no rotation. Hot side faces Tawdry Dwarf with glowing lava; cold side receives only reflected moonlight. The meridian supports agriculture and resource farming. Moon: Null.
• 9. Angeligla (14,000 km): Largest planet in the system. Swirling gases with a mysterious core. Moons: Auralis I, II, III (identical triplet moons).
• 10. Corpus Caeleste (13,500 km): Inhabited by ghosts, aberrations, and spiritual entities, and home of the Caelen, who took Omnè Astral Cabal vessels off the Cabal that invaded them. Moon: Spectros (large moon, changes seasonal colors, red, purple, blue, auburn).
• 11. Undeximus (12,800 km): Tech-advanced civilization, near Tawdry Dwarf, relies on advanced technology for survival. Home of the Futurem, who stand allied with the Tredeki, at war with the Omnè, and at a trading stance with the tenth planet and every world before it that will have them, Ignis excepted, whose people do not trust technology and will not deal with them. Moon: Nihilus.
• 12. Omnè Malum (6,000 km): Gas giant, densely saturated with population. Floating cities span the entire atmosphere, with subterranean core facilities exploiting the rocky core. Built to absolute maximum capacity, edge to edge, peak to peak. Technologically advanced Omnè civilization dominates, with subterranean anarchists and rebel militias hidden within underground populated zones. The Drevane were here first, older than any record the planet keeps. Atlantis-style underwater cities occupy ocean floors. Moons: Varanis (high-tech overflow metropolis housing feral and rational native inhabitants; they are rational beings who underestimated Omnè's rapid building capacity; some militia refugees seek alliance with Varanis natives, warning them of Omnè's intentions to conquer the entire moon); Krakus (mining moon rich in elements and valuable resources; only 10% developed; inhabited by feral, strong-willed, rational natives who demand Omnè stop expansion at 50% and have warned other races of Omnè's plans to eventually take the entire moon).
• 13. Tredeki (6,000 km): Futuristic and tech-focused, coldest planet, home to advanced civilizations. Home of the Tredeki, the Imperials, the Leshy, and the Skrath, and allied with the Futurem of the eleventh. Although part Human, the Tredeki are a race on their own, they share human blood. Moon: Morana (huge frozen moon, half Tredeki's size, the only moon of Tredeki).

Cosmic Principles

• Magic Distribution: Magic flows from Adoria's life-giving radiance. Magic is strongest on planets closest to Adoria (Ignis through Zailister) and fades further away. Only on Ignis does magic have a permanent storage mechanism through elemental beings extracting it from Adoria's light and Asterok's mystical properties.
• Technology Gradient: Technology advances furthest from Adoria. Inner planets rely on magic and steel; outer planets (8-13) have developed sophisticated tech. Planets 10-13, under threat from Tawdry Dwarf's decline, have achieved technological mastery in survival systems.
• Orbital Mechanics: Tawdry Dwarf lies between planets 9 and 10, providing dwindling resources to planets 8-13. The two suns create complex gravitational patterns, stabilizing orbits of all 13 planets while creating unique seasonal and climatic conditions on each.

Zailister, The Lay of the Land

Zailister is the fourth planet and the starting world. Its landmasses run Glaciera in the far north, Nivis across the centre, Terrora to the west, Natura down the eastern edge, and the Southern Arctic at the foot of the world.

Three oceans divide them. The Umbra Ocean holds the west, the Citrine Ocean the northeast, and the Titan Ocean the south. Between them lie the Isles of Aestus, the Chisel Islands, the Nivis Islands, and the scattered Wandering Wastelands.

Nivis itself carries Lakeland in its northeast, the Shadowfen across its west, Mucklore in its southeast, and the Shimmering Grasslands at its heart, with Hold's Keep Valley and Mt. Deadtooth set among them.

Three powers hold the water. Thalor is a massive, ancient oceanic horror that burrows in the seafloor, controls its currents, and traps its prey. Dunkleosteus is a colossal monster fish that tips sea ships and mauls anything that enters the Citrine Ocean. Quintus is the god of the seas, commanding the waters, shaping the currents, and reigning over the depths.

For the full geography, the notable regions, and what walks them, see The Book of Zailister.

Legion Forms

A people that marshals for war fields a Legion form, named by placing its Legion title in front of the race. The titles in use are Hell, Uber, Mighty, Elite, Burrowing, and Fiendish, as in Hell Orcus, Elite Ogres, and Burrowing Gnomes. A Legion title names the war body a people puts in the field, not a separate people, and a Legion form is not a playable race.

The Tomes of Essentia

Knowledge of Essentia is preserved in three primary comprehensive tomes:

• "Coddled By Magic: Adoria's Light" covers Planets 1-5 (Glacies et Ignis, Tenue, Tribus, Zailister, Quintus Elementum), focusing on Adoria's influence, ancient magic, and magical civilizations. Zailister and Adoria serve as the primary focus of this tome.
• "The Median Zone: Between Life & Death" covers Planets 6-9 (Hexagonum, Citrine Candenti, Octavo, Angeligla), exploring the transition zone between the two suns' influences and the diverse ecosystems that thrive there.
• "Tawdry Dwarf & Beyond: The Dying Star's Shadow" covers Planets 10-13 (Corpus Caeleste, Undeximus, Omnè Malum, Tredeki), chronicling the effects of Tawdry Dwarf's decline and the technological mastery of civilizations fighting for survival as their sun dies.

The Trinity of Powers

Across all thirteen worlds of Essentia, the divine powers shape the destinies of mortals. Adoria, as the supreme sun-god and source of all magic, holds lawful alignment and shows particular favor to Zailister. Tawdry Dwarf, once lawful like her sister, has grown bitter over millennia of slow death, developing an evil alignment as a black hole develops behind her deteriorating mass. These cosmic forces influence all pantheons, deities, and celestial beings across the realms.