The Poisonous Pact of Falsenight’s Favor

The Call to Adventure

Once upon a time you were tasked to find the Key to the Foglands by your correspondence course teacher. It seems so long ago now, but now you have the Key, and yet you still aren’t done! The Key won’t work! This isn’t a regular key of course, its filled up with story magic. And one can’t simply use the key simply by putting it into a lock.

No, a would be user of the Key must first attune it. And now you have to dive back into the Depths of the Shadowlands and search through the now ruined wreckage of the Ring to discover how one attunes the Key to the Foglands.

The Problem is that the Ring’s previous apocalypse is the result of the Prince and Princess of the Hungry Empire going missing, somehow aided by the Dreamwalker. And this has caused the Hungry Empire to miss the tribute it has been giving to sustain its Empire. As its story fails, the world around it pays the price. The Men of Black and White are still desperately trying to put the apocalypse back in the box and the world has literally fallen apart.

No pressure.

Storyteller Synopsis

Hook

The Psychonauts learn about the Locust King and his bargain with Falsenight.

Path

Having convinced the DreamWalker to help them, the Princess and Princess flee the Glass CIty. And without the Princess to offer in place of the missing Tribute, the Empire falls as madness descends upon the land and the Hound runs wild.

Plot

Having convinced the DreamWalker to help them, the Psychonauts previously found the Key, but the key cannot be used without first being charged by the Psychonauts enacting the Flight from Glass Tower.

Ultra Simple Overview

This is meant to give the Storyteller a bird’s eye view of the Incursion and how the story should flow.

Setup

The DreamWalker has told the Psychonauts that the fourth piece of the Glass Tower Tapestry is found in the Guide Room in the Heart of the Lotus Garden. That it will reveal itself when the key is returned to its place there.

Act 1

The Psychonauts arrive in the Ring to find themselves pursued by the Bone Man who believes they know the location of the Prince and Princess. They encounter the Fortuneteller who gives them an ominous prophetic version of the Flight from Glass Tower as their future.

Act 2

Upon besting or escaping the Bone Man, crumbles to dust before the Psychonauts as the Empire’s power continues to waste away. But the dying fragments of the Empire’s power and the guardians of the Maze itself present significant challenges to the Psychonauts

Act 3

The Gorgonite guards the way to the Guide Room and the Psychonauts must best it, befriend it, or get past it to obtain the fourth fragment of the Glass Tower Tapestry.

Resolution

The four pieces of the Glass Tower Tapestry which the Psychonauts now possess illustrate the basic plot of the Flight from Glass Tower and, coupled with the fortunteller’s prophecy, give a rough outline of how the Psychonauts must enact the Flight from Glass Tower.

The Deck of Fire used in 1.1 Act by Act

Blood Red Dreaming uses two decks of cards in play: The Deck of Void and the Deck of Fire. The Deck of Void is used for action resolution, taking the place that dice occupy in most tabletop games. The Deck of Fire is used to clarify story elements and help guide the action. Unlike the Deck of Void, the Deck of Fire features expansions and most Incursion Books will include new cards for the Deck of Fire. Storytellers can create their own Incursions by using the existing card for the Deck of Fire to create new Incursion templates quickly and easily.

Narrative Cards

Mythos Cards

The Fortuneteller

Prophecy is a difficult thing. Often the truth of the words is only obvious in retrospect. Often seeking to subvert a fate will cause it to occur.

The Grey

Order permeates any system with rules. The Grey seeks more order, always more. Child of a future where as is ordered a still, the Grey seeks that order again.

Falsenight

The second of the Broken Fair Folk, but arguably the strongest, Falsenight draws power from the burning of ancient sunlight. Fear the skeletal serpent and his venom.

Scenario Cards

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

The reversal so common in action and horror movies. One moment the predator, the next moment the prey. But where do you stand? And for how long?

The Weight of the World

Heroes and villains alike are called to carry the weight of the story. On their shoulders rests the weight of plot and the expectations of a satisfying story.

A Prophecy Foretold

Stories are thick with prophecy, like clouds of flies, and always useless until after they’ve come true. But to use a prophecy, to MAKE it come true…

Challenge Cards

Water Bears, Swarming Scavengers

Some Water Bears are sterile, and instead of bursting to spread spores, they grow to the size of large dog, with a scorpion tale with a fange maw.

The Oil Mirror, A False Face

Beware the oil skin that forms where the Hunger spreads. It can infect a psychonaut and crush their mind and their heart. A cursed mask to wear.

The Bone Man, Pitiless Pursuer

The Bone Man is not a flawless tracker, as the Hound is, but he does not stop and he does not tire. Once he starts, legend says he will always be following you.

The Eye of the Grey, Sinister Sight

Few Elders manifest openly, more idea than form, but the Grey does manifest itself as the surveillance of the police state. The idea of being watched.

Gorgonite, Larval Spawn

Mazes breed monsters. The Larval Spawn don’t reach the knees of most psychonauts. At least not at first, but once the little monsters start chewing…

Gorgonite, Lesser Horned Horror

Mazes need guardians. And the Gorgonites are happy to serve that role. Medusa and Minotaur both owe their existence in the stories to the Gorgonite.

Setting Cards

Major Setting Cards

Void House

Home and Mauseleum to Man of Void, and also the Hound (they he tends to stay in Stellar House) and the Grey as well. Tread these cold halls cautiously.

The Lotus Garden

A Fractal map of the Major Realm of Arcadia, the Lotus Garden is a twisting confusing maze filled with dangers and wonders. Treadly carefully.

Minor Setting Cards

The Maze

Although the Lotus Garden is more than the great maze, that twisted labyrinth certainly dominates the geography of the garden, blocking sight lines and hiding dangers.

The Guide Room

At the heart of the Lotus Garden sits the Guide Room, lost space age technology whose Holographic AI can answer all manner of queries, with proper security clearance.

The Compass Bridges

Four Bridges connect the Lotus Garden to the Rest of the Ring. Massive arches stoneworks, open and easily blocked by opposing; resulting in many pitched battles and more ambushes.

The Sanctuary of the Hollow

Home to Man of Void, the Sanctuary looks like a museum to the history of space exploration built in a gothic cathedral where the Grey itself also feels at home.

The Den

The Hound resides in Stellar House, sleeping at the altar of Lady of Fire. But its den, where it feeds, is a small confessional booth in Void House.

A1-Sc1 Mythos: The Fortuneteller Scenario: A Mystery Unfolds	A1-Sc1 Challenge: Water Bears, Swarming Scavengers Challenge: The Oil Mirror, A False Face	A1-Sc1 Major Setting: Void House Minor: The Den
A2-Sc1 Mythos: The Grey Scenario: The Hunter becomes the Hunted	A2-Sc1 Challenge: The Bone Man, Pitiless Pursuer Challenge: The Eye of the Grey, Sinister Sight	A2-Sc1 Major Setting: Void House Minor Setting: Sanctuary of the Hollow
A2-Sc2 Mythos: The Grey Scenario: The Weight of the World	A2-Sc2 Challenge: The Oil Mirror, A False Face Challenge: Water Bears, Swarming Scavengers	A2-Sc2 Major Setting: Void House Minor Setting: Sanctuary of the Hollow
A2-Sc3 Mythos: The Grey Scenario: The Hunter becomes the Hunted	A2-Sc3 Challenge: Gorgonite, Larval Spawn Challenge: The Bone Man, Pitiless Pursuer	A2-Sc3 Major Setting: The Lotus Garden Minor Setting: The Compass Bridges
A3-Sc1 Mythos: Falsenight Scenario: A Mystery Unfolds	A3-Sc1 Challenge: Gorgonite, Lesser Horned Horror Challenge: Water Bears, Swarming Scavengers	A3-Sc1 Major Setting: The Lotus Garden Minor Setting: The Maze
A3-Sc2 Mythos: Falsenight Scenario: A Prophecy Foretold	A3-Sc2 Challenge: Gorgonite, Lesser Horned Horror Challenge: The Bone Man, Pitiless Pursuer	A3-Sc2 Major Setting: The Lotus Garden Minor Setting: The Guide Room

Incursion 1.3 Act by Act

Set Up

Needed Materials

• Deck of Void: the Ugly Deck is available free as a printable download online
• The Incursion Session: The Incursion Book is available free as a printable download online
• The Incursion Deck of Fire: the Ugly Deck is available free as a printable download online
• The Campaign Book: You make this yourself. Either a physical book or an online document or some sort. You will need it.
• Incursion Sheets for the Psychonauts: These are available free as a printable downloads online
• The Story Progression Sheet: available free as a printable download online
• The Quick Reference Guide: available free as a printable download online
• Pencils and some tokens as well.

Act One – The Bazaar

Scene 1 – The Call

• Mythos: The Fortuneteller
• Scenario: A Mystery Unfolds
• Major Challenge: Water Bears, Swarming Scavengers
• Minor Challenge: The Oil Mirror, A False Face
• Major Setting: Void House
• Minor: The Den

Storyteller Opening Narration

Stage Direction

You have returned to the Den, and the DreamWalker is here. You needn’t worry about the Hound while the DreamWalker is present, but the Water Bear Scavengers are still swarming about. You have the Key to the Foglands, but it’s useless until you’ve attuned it. And you need all five fragments of the Glass Tapestry to attune the Key.

Storyteller Transition Narration

So, again, you have the key and you need to attune it. To do this you need all five fragments of the Glass Tapestry. The DreamWalker has explained you obtain the fragments by enacting the Flight from Glass Tower, and lucky you have done it three times just searching for the stupid key! The DreamWalker says the next piece is obtained by replacing, and then removing the key from its home in the Guide Room, at the center of the Lotus Garden Maze.

Act Two – The Pursuit

Scene 2 – The Threshold

• Mythos: The Grey
• Scenario: The Hunter becomes the Hunted
• Major Challenge: The Bone Man, Pitiless Pursuer
• Minor Challenge: The Eye of the Grey, Sinister Sight
• Major Setting: Void House
• Minor Setting: Sanctuary of the Hollow

Storyteller Opening Narration

Stage Direction

You’ve left the Den and made your way out into the Sanctuary on your way to the Guide Room to temporarily return the key and obtain the fourth of five needed fragments of the Glass Tapestry. But the scattered pieces of the Hungry Empire are everywhere and you are not alone.

Storyteller Transition Narration

The eye of the Grey, the Oil Mirrors, the Bone Man, tattered bits of the Hungry Empire oppose you at every turn as you try to reach the Guide Room. You still haven’t even made it out of Void House, in the Sanctuary of the Hollow as you try to overcome the opposition. What do you want to do?

Scene 3 – The Crossing

• Mythos: The Grey
• Scenario: The Weight of the World
• Major Challenge: The Oil Mirror, A False Face
• Minor Challenge: Water Bears, Swarming Scavengers
• Major Setting: Void House
• Minor Setting: Sanctuary of the Hollow

Storyteller Opening Narration

Stage Direction

You are making your way through Void House, trying to reach the Guide in in the Center of the Lotus Garden. But between the scattered forces of the Hungry Empire and the stray vermin of the Ring itself, this is proving difficult. Pushing against the resistance is testing your resolve and you risk losing hope as you try to push on.

Storyteller Transition Narration

Success! Sort of. You have made it out of Void House and the Compass Bridge into the Lotus Garden is before you. But you can hear the bellow of some great beast from within the Maze, and the stray ear piece at your feet crackles with instructions from the Bone Man to the remaining Men of Black and white. Reaching the Guide Room will not be easy. What do you want to do?

Scene 4 – The Twist

• Mythos: The Grey
• Scenario: The Hunter becomes the Hunted
• Major Challenge: Gorgonite, Larval Spawn
• Minor Challenge: The Bone Man, Pitiless Pursuer
• Major Setting: The Lotus Garden
• Minor Setting: The Compass Bridges

Storyteller Opening Narration

It’s easy to forget how big each compass bridge is, a place all its own rather than simply a gateway to other locations.

But you can see a Bull Headed humanoid with serpent hair stepping from the Maze to block the entrace.

Stage Direction

You are on the Compass Bridge into the Garden now. Beyond lies the Maze, and at the center of the Maze is the Guide Room, you objective during this Incursion as you try to act out some part of the Flight from Glass Tower. A Lesser Gorgonite blocks you way.

Storyteller Transition Narration

You are past the Gorgonite, and the entrance to the Maze is before you, and beyond that, the Guide Room. Remember though, after this, you still need to enact one last part of the Flight from Glass Tower to obtain the final Fragment, and you are not even sure how the Story of the Flight from Glass Tower goes.

Act Three – The Showdown

Scene 5 – The Ordeal

• Mythos: Falsenight
• Scenario: A Mystery Unfolds
• Major Challenge: Gorgonite, Lesser Horned Horror
• Minor Challenge: Water Bears, Swarming Scavengers
• Major Setting: The Lotus Garden
• Minor Setting: The Maze

Storyteller Opening Narration

Stage Direction

You have entered the Maze, The Gorgonite still pursues you as you try to reach the Guide room, and the Maze is overrun with Water Bear scavengers. And apparently all you have to do is replace the key and then remove it, if you believe what you’ve been told.

Storyteller Transition Narration

Before you is the entrance to the Guide Room, the last step to this Incursion. Slip inside, replace the key, then remove it again and the story should bestow the fourth fragment of the Glass Tapestry upon you- if you’ve been told the truth.

Scene 6 – The Confrontation

• Mythos: Falsenight
• Scenario: A Prophecy Foretold
• Major Challenge: Gorgonite, Lesser Horned Horror
• Minor Challenge: The Bone Man, Pitiless Pursuer
• Major Setting: The Lotus Garden
• Minor Setting: The Guide Room

Storyteller Opening Narration

Stage Direction

It really shouldn’t be possible for the Gorgonite to have entered the Guide Room ahead of you. But it’s there. Stupid story, stupid dramatic finale. And now, with the Gorgonite in front and the Bone Man blocking you in, you have to replace the key, and then get it back, without all of your Aura’s shattering like cheap wine glasses. No pressure.

Storyteller Transition Narration

You’ve done it. You’ve got the fourth fragment of the Glass Tapestry! One more and you’ll have charged the Key to the Foglands. But, of course, you don’t know how to get the last fragment, and the failure of the Tribute is causing everything to crumble, so next Incursion will definitely be interesting.

Resolution

The key to finishing the Session is to end on both a cliff hanger while also giving a sense of closure. The Psychonauts need to feel as though the simple little mission they started has ballooned into a much large quest.

They now have four fragments of the Glass Tower Tapestry needed to charge and attune the Key to the Foglands. The last fragment is obtained by enacting the Flight from Glass Tower, which itself is also necessary to attune the Key. The Psychonauts will almost certainly start planning their enactment.

But them cut them short as they start to brainstorm and plan their next move. Tell them that all shall be revealed (or not) in THE NEXT CHAPTER! Or episode, or session, or whatever method suits your style.

And remember to add your notes to the Campaign Book so the next Storyteller can remember the big moments, especially the ones that moved the story along.

Transition to 1.4

You’re now halfway through the first Incursion Story. And again, its time to give somebody else the reins.

Transitioning should be getting pretty routine by now. Back up the Campaign book if you haven’t already, if its a physical book. Scan it or retype it, whatever is easiest. But you don’t want to lose that thing. You can manage without it, but it would be a pain.

Outgoing Storyteller Duties

• The Psychonauts will have had interactions with a number of the denizens and the outgoing Storyteller should remind the Incoming Storyteller of interactions with the Following:
  • the Men of Black and White
  • Bobby Indra
  • The Hound
  • The Dreamwalker
• The Psychonauts may have earned a Glyph during the last session, and the Storyteller should note this in the Campaign book (or whatever document or file is being used)
• The Outgoing Storyteller should never try to tell the Incoming Storyteller how to handle the next Incursion. Each Storyteller will have their own style, nobody takes precedence in that regard.

Incoming Storyteller Duties

• The Incoming Storyteller should confer with the Outgoing Storyteller regarding the events and relevant events from the last session.
• The Incoming Storyteller should review the campaign book and read the Session Notes in the Incursion Book for the next session ONLY
• The Incoming Storyteller should NOT read ahead in the incursion book. Obviously this is impossible if you are taking new Psychonauts through an Incursion you have previously played. That’s fine.

Threads to Retain

The necessary threads here are the Key to the Foglands, and the Flight from Glass Tower. The Storytellers should keep track of both what the psychonauts know about the location (and status) of the Key to the Foglands. The Storytellers should also keep track of what the Psychonauts have learned about the Flight from Glass Tower.

Information that the Psychonauts ought to have about…

The Key to the Foglands

• The Psychonauts have the Key to the Foglands.
• All Psychonauts have it, and yet none of them do- The Key is Holographic.
• The Key is not charged and not attuned to the Psychonauts and cannot be used until it is charged and attuned.

The Flight from Glass Tower

• The Crown Prince and the Last Princess of the Hungry Empire have gone missing, and the Dreamwalker helped them escape.
• Because the Crown Prince and the Last Princess have escaped, the Tribute has been missed and the Hungry Empire has fallen.
• The Men of Black and White are looking for the Prince and Princess and blame the Dreamwalker for their escape.