[Suzerain of Sheol]

Setting Information

Introduction

It should have been the end of the world. All the signs were present: the Beast came from the sea to sack Rome, the angels sounded their trumpets and went to war, the dead roamed the earth in ravenous hordes... but something went wrong.

The fallen angel, Semyaza, who once stole the knowledge of the Name of Almighty, put that knowledge to use, and commanded the Almighty to destroy himself. He has left the world a devastated ruin, overrun with demons, insane angels, and legions of the living dead.

But humanity has not gone extinct, and they will do all they can to survive the Eschaton.

World Organizations

The Beatified Legion: The saints who once dwelt before the throne of the Almighty, now exiled to Earth. They have rallied beneath Saint Georgius and taken up arms against the various enemies of mankind. They make their headquarters in Avignon, France, but they have chapters all over the world. They numbered 10,000 originally, but have lost members over the years since the Calamity and now stand at just under 8,000.

The Aery Alliance: A remnant of the world's militaries joined together to provide transportation and protection to mankind. They maintain bases in most of the surviving major cities of the world. They field only armored gunships, given the number of powerful winged demons who can strike unwary vessels. They are also one of, if not the only remaining institution in the world both in possession of nuclear weapons and with the ability to use them.

The Artificers: A scientific brotherhood dedicated to enriching the life of the survivors of the Calamity. They employ psychics and theurgists who mingle their magicks with the brotherhood's knowledge of science and engineering to produce technology unheard of before the Eschaton. They have no formal headquarters, but instead are dispersed throughout the world in small research teams, so that they can never be completely wiped out. They were responsible for launching the Aether satellite that permits the technomantic communications network, Amorpha, to function.

Forces in the World

Theurgy: The power that pervades the Empyrean Heaven. With the weakening between planes, it can be channeled by mortals who are particularly in touch with the heavenly world. It also has a dark reflection, in the essence of Sheol, the Realm of the Dead, which can be likewise channeled by those with the will to withstand its horrors.

Psychosis: With the bonds of reality so tenuous, many humans have manifested psychic abilities since the Calamity. All other-worldly creatures possess these, usually to very high degrees. This skill can be learned by anyone, but natural Talents are much more adept at manipulating their mental energies.

The Amorpha Network: An information database maintained by the Artificers, powered by the psychoactive Aether satellite. It holds the entire accumulated knowledge base of pre-Calamity mankind in it, as well as a growing encyclopedic registry of information about the post-apocalyptic world. It is essential for communication, and can be accessed either through specialized terminals (small enough for personal transportation and use) or directly through a psychic interface.

Spiritual Realms

The Empyrean Heaven: The desolated realm that was once the holy dominion of the Almighty. It is now nearly empty, save for those few angels who have remained true to their faith.

Perdition: The Prison of the Damned. Once the realm of demons, fallen angels, and condemned souls, its gates are now open and its denizens may walk the earth at will.

Sheol: Realm of the Ancient Dead, also called Hades. It was the resting place of the souls of mankind (save for saints, who were permitted entry to Heaven) before the Calamity. Now, its borders are open to the earth and the dead escape constantly to haunt the living, most joining Abaddon's legions beneath Sinai.

Environmental Features

The Moon: The moon now shines with its own light and paints the night sky the color of blood.

The Sun: A third of the sun has gone black, and it hangs like a broken vase in the sky. The days are a third shorter, but hotter, while the nights grow terribly cold.

Wormwood: Much of the Earth's water is poisoned by Wormwood and will kill any who drink it. It must be purified (either by science or theurgy) to be safe to drink.

Places

Alexandria: One of the few cities with remaining infrastructure, despite the cataclysms that were called down upon it by the Witnesses of Woe. They are there, still, hiding in the devastated slums, helpless and hunted for the destruction they unleashed upon the city. Alexandria is the headquarters of the Aery Alliance, the only surviving air-travel agency in the post-apocalyptic world. Compared to the destitute conditions of most remaining settlements, Alexandria is a paragon of civilization. It is also the site of a large chapter of the Beatified Legion, with over 100 of their knights stationed there.

Babylon: The City of Corruption. It was struck again and again by the wrath of Heaven and is little more than a burnt-out wreckage. Despite this, it is home to several thousand people, all followers of the Sibyl, Jez'ebel.

The Infernal Sea: Once, the Black Sea bordering northern Turkey, it was transfigured by the Wrath of the Almighty into a bed of magma. It constantly spews clouds of ash, making air-travel over it impossible. The fumes it emits are lethal for miles around, making travel in the area extremely difficult. It is speculated that it is a portal to Perdition, given the high numbers of demons that infest the surrounding regions.

Megiddo: An ancient fortress that has stood for over 8,000 years. More generally, Megiddo refers to the vast plains surrounding the fortress where Armageddon was fought. It is now the headquarters of the Sons of Megiddo who serve the False Prophet, and they have transformed it from a decaying ruin to a nearly impenetrable fortified bastion.

New Jerusalem: The city/fortress of the False Prophet, which rests upon the resting pit of the Beast. Its walls are crafted from precious jewels and the buildings within are made from a radiant golden glass. And yet, for all its beauty, it is a place of woe. Empty hangs eternal over the dominions of the city, and it is fed by rivers and fountains of blood. The people who live there are wracked by horrible skin diseases. Instead of rain, flaming hail periodically falls from the sky, burning any caught without shelter. The lands for miles around are lifeless and desolation, the great rivers empty troughs of scorched clay. Within the great temple from where the False Prophet rules, a hideous, animate icon of stone speaks the will of the Beast. Outside the walls of the city, the Sons of Megiddo patrol the desert relentlessly, killing any they happen upon.

Rome: The Mother of Cities, which suffered the wrath of the Beast when it first crawled from the sea. It has been completely destroyed, its buildings leveled and its ancient walls thrown down. However, it is often the haunt of looters and treasure hunters seeking the vast wealth of the Cathedrals and the sacred artifacts they once houses.

The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse: Seven churches in what used to be western Turkey, each given an artifact from the Almighty as reward for their faith through the Tribulation. They are:

Ephesus: Sanctuary of the Fruit of Life, ruled by Abbot Ezra Divinitus, who has eaten of the Fruit since the Calamity and is now immortal.

Smyrna: Sanctuary of the Crown of Eternity, ruled by Prior Jethro Pontice, who wears the Crown since the Calamity, but is trapped in a dreamless sleep.

Per'gamum: Sanctuary of the Whispering Stone which is scribed with a mysterious Name, ruled by Friar Melech Alvah, who obsessively guards the Stone and has been driven nearly mad by the temptation to speak the Name written upon it.

Thyati'ra: Sanctuary of the Iron Rod of Morning, ruled by Prelate Zaccheus Celestrine, who wields the Rod as a sovereign dictator and has gathered a large army to his service through its power.

Sardis: Sanctuary of the Chastening Raiment, not ruled but instead a monastery of ascetic monks who take vows against every earthly province and worship the Raiment, dedicating their lives to one day becoming worthy of wearing it.

Philadelphia: Sanctuary of the Pillar of Solomon, ruled by Nicodemus the Vicar, who has made it the purpose of his life to build a temple worthy of the Pillar, which once held up the Holy of Holies in Old Jerusalem. The Vicar is thought by many to be the spirit of Solomon come again.

Laodicea: Sanctuary of the Burnished Icon, ruled by Shemaiah the Confessor, who has closed the Church to all pilgrims, claiming that only the worthy may look upon the Icon. As a result, the precise nature of the Icon is a mystery.

Sinai: The fabled mount where the Commandments were passed down to mankind. Now, it is the domain of Abaddon, the Angel of the Abyss, and he makes him home in its cavernous depths, which house a portal to Sheol. The mountain is aswarm with the Dybbbuk, Abaddon's great armies of the slain, as well as his mighty Rephaim.

World Map