Another world… Another time… In an Age of Creation.
Eight hundred years ago the land was green; until the Crystal cracked. Below the surface of the world, on Thra’s inner sun, a race was blossoming. The Firelings built their castles of crystal and flame under the prismatic glow of the Dark Crystal.
This chapter presents an option for either a new campaign or the introduction of a new land, race, power, and spell into War of the Dark Crystal setting in the Field of Fire. Also included is a non-canon Skeksis, skekMar the Burnt, who may be used as an antagonist is a Gelfling/Fireling campaign or additional foil in a Skeksis campaign.
While the Field of Fire is a world unto itself with many locations and creatures, very little is currently canon and is slowly being presented in the Beneath the Dark Crystal comics. Despite the many creatures and surfaces made of fire and magma, the Firelings and Gelflings can travel in each other’s worlds and only feel some discomfort. Thra’s water as streams or rain will be painful to the Firelings, while falling into the magma of Mithra would be dangerous for a Gelfling.
Any adventures between the Gelfling or Firelings set during the War of the Dark Crystal would technically be non-canon, but not enough to “break” canon. While Jen and Kira were unaware of the inhabitants of the Field of Fire, it’s possible that adventures between the two worlds went unwritten or were not widely known.
The Field of Fire
Themes: Growing Queendoms; A World of Warmth
Threat: Territorial Disputes
Also known as Mithra, the Field of Fire is the inner sun of Thra. Few passages exist between the two worlds and travel between them is long and perilous. As such, the events of Thra have little bearing on Mithra. The queens and sages of the land felt the Crystal crack and, under the Dark Crystal, their world has blossomed. In the past 800 years they have built castles and territories, settling throughout the magma rivers and crystal mountains.
If using the War of the Dark Crystal rules to play during or after the events of The Power of the Dark Crystal the kingdoms of Mithra have merged into one since the Crystal was re-forged and the Ember Queens rule as a matriarchal council, rather than as separate territories.
New Power: Psychometry
This power allows the user to learn of events and emotions from the past, centered on an object or place. The power requires physical touch and a Will roll. The higher the roll on the Ladder the clearer the past of an object will be and any roll at or above Superb will allow the user to pinpoint on a specific time in the object’s history. Even an Abysmal roll will grant the user some information, even if it’s a muddle of emotions in the object’s history.
New Race: Fireling
The U-Mun are more commonly known as Firelings and are the people of Mithra. They resemble Gelflings in height and build, but have hair of fire and bodies that emanate heat. Firelings are immune to any sort of heat damage and regularly swim in the magma rivers of their world, but would suffer pain or injury in the waters or snow of Thra. Their technology and magic is based on the crystals mined throughout the Field and any such mines are precious to a queendom. While Firelings are largely a peaceful race, territorial disputes are not uncommon, and physical skirmishes have occurred before diplomacy is used to settle which queen is granted an area.
Free Power: Psychometry
New Song: Song of Flame
The Song of Flame is the most common spell known to Firelings, allowing the user to shape or manipulate fire. The larger the fire, the more Fate points needed. The spell can also be used to summon fire, with each Fate point producing or adding 1 foot diameter to a sphere of flame. While such a spell might be destructive on Thra it’s uses on Mithra are more often for construction or restoration.
Enchantment Examples:
- Firefly Cape – These capes, when crafted and enchanted, allow the wearer to glide along the heat currents of Mithra’s air for a scener per Fate point imbued. This cape will not work in the lighter, wetter air of Thra, but does not require wings like the Updraft Bracelet enchantment of the Song of Wind.
- Warmth Crystal – This crystal is enchanted with a warming glow that lasts for as many weeks as Fate points provided. As its primary use is to allow Firelings to travel to the surface world of Thra without feeling any ill effects of more common weather like rain, it is a rarer item amongst Firelings. Note that falling into a pond or ocean even with a Warmth Crystal would still prove painful and dangerous.
Animals
Thra’s abundant life comes in many forms, from semi-sentient plants to the varied animals that populate the world. Not all animals are peaceful or docile, and while some may offer use to the people others present challenges.
Makrak
The Makrak or Miners, are a semi-sentient race native to the mazes of caverns between Thra and the Field of Fire. They resemble giant (5′ tall), upright dung beetles and wield simple tools like hammers and picks. They use their tools to dig through the crust of the world, seeking grub-like insects and moss for food. Makrak thrive in heat and the weather of Thra causes them immense confusion and pain. Though they may use tools, they are simple creatures and Animal Soul-Soothing and Animal Soul-Speaking can be used to communicate with the Miners.
Common Aspects: Burly, Sturdy, Simple and Single-Minded
Plasmii
Plasmii are native animals to the Field of Fire and make their nests in flarefalls (magma waterfalls), built of fire they resemble large, stinger-less bumblebees, about half a foot in length. They sing and warble as they flit from fire to fire, gathering pieces of ember to feed themselves and their young.
Common Aspects: Musical, Flying, Peaceful
Schekta Fry
Swimming in the lava basins of the Field of Fire, the schekta fry are firefish that resemble perch—only made of fire. Most commonly, they are used as food for Firelings, but young Firelings learning to swim will often challenge themselves and chase the schekta fry attempting to catch them by hand.
Common Aspects: Swift, Slippery, Fishy
Tumbeloth
Native to Thra but immune to heat, the Tumbeloth resemble blue-green turtles, with shells made of multiple tactile organs which can be used to completely cover their flesh, rolling themselves in a ball. These vine-like tentacles may also be used to grab or ensnare food or shiny objects, as the creatures enjoy decorating their homes with crystal or other bits of metal.
Common Aspects: Curious, Greedy, Playful
skekMar the Burnt
High Concept: Exiled Wanderer
Trouble: Fiery Temper
Post-Separation
Quick to Anger
It didn’t take long after his creation for skekMar’s anger at another to heat up and exacerbate a situation. Not only does the Skekis’s anger flare at any provocation, it escalates and fires skekMar far beyond whatever the slight may be. This gives him inner strength, but also lands him in trouble with the other lords of the Castle of the Dark Crystal. SkekMar lacks subtlety due to his disposition towards rage. He is blunt and cruel, like the inner fire that consumes him.
Position
Redemption through Power
Exiled from the Skeksis Court, skekMar wanders through the world. SkekMar’s counterpart is urFal the Explorer; while the urRu travels Thra and Mithra to add to the knowledge of his people, skekMar seeks information or an object that will prove useful enough to undo his ostracism.
The Court
Well-Traveled
There are few places skekMar has not traveled on the overworld and the Field of Fire and he has kept maps and dossiers on all of it’s locations, as well as multiple notes on the mazes of catacombs between Thra and Mithra. Though he has much knowledge on the worlds, he does not believe this knowledge is enough to gain him re-entry in to the court and will berate or subdue any “lesser being” he believes might lead him to something worthwhile.
SkekMar is a non-canon Skeksis not mentioned in any materials outside this write-up. He can be used as an adversary for adventurers in the Field of Fire or as a surprise interloper, returning with an item of power, in a Skeksis campaign.
SkekMar was poised to become the Skeksis census taker and cartographer, but an argument with skekGra early in the reign of the Skeksis escalated quickly and led to a contest of Trial by Fire, which skekMar lost (not due to lack of conviction but because skekGra cheated). Burnt and banished, skekMar traveled throughout Thra, hoping to find something that would redeem him in the eyes of the emperor. After much travel, the Skeksis discovered an entrance to the Field of Fire. His scabs and hardened flesh prevented even the harshest heats from affecting him. Through his explorations, he made many maps of the networks two and from the two worlds, but now spends most of his time on the Field of Fire. It is in this realm he believes he will find an object of vindication.
Base Refresh: 3
Total Refresh: 2
Skills
Great: Provoke
Good: Investigate, Notice
Fair: Athletics, Fight, Physique
Average: Crafting, Enchanting, Lore, Mechanics
Powers & Stunts [-1]
Power: Stoneskin [Free Racial Power]
Power: Mysticism (Song of Flames) [Free]
Stunt: Okay, Fine! [Free] (see Provoke Stunts)
Stunt: Attention to Detail [Free]
Stunt: Tough as Nails [-1]
Stress Tracks
Physical 000
Mental 00
Social 00
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