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Found in remote, obscure locations across the land are large shimmering fields of intense psionic energy that act as portals conveying brave travelers vast distances across Tarisia.
Known in the legends as the Discordant Paths, or the Paths of The Traveler, so-called for the story of Erra first appearing in Tarisia from one of these paths. These enigmatic mirages seem almost capricious, popping in and out of existence over time, with destinations that appear to be influenced wildly by celestial alignments. They often possess a unidirectional quality, depositing travelers into their destinations abruptly, emerging seemingly out of thin air.
Radiating with an intense, chaotic psionic energy, these fields wield such power that they incite extreme weather phenomena, and their presence causes discord among individuals and creatures in close proximity. These peculiar effects, coupled with the veils of ominous folklore surrounding them, contribute to the shrouded mystery and deliberate avoidance of many portal locations.
Discordance
Characters and creatures within a one mile radius begin to feel irritable and anxious. They may be more prone to aggressive or impetuous behavior, and must succeed at a Smarts Test with a Raise to rationalize and shield their mind from the general feeling of discordance, otherwise suffering the following effects:
- Success with Raise they identify the uneasiness, but are able to successfully disregard it.
- Success they gain the Impulsive Hindrance until leaving the area of effect, as they struggle to shake the feeling.
- Failure, they also become Distracted as they can’t seem to focus.
- Critical Failure they also become Vulnerable as they are completely overwhelmed by the energy.
Destinations & Locations
The Discordant Paths have an intrinsic and mysterious connection with the celestial bodies above Tarisia. Depending upon the orientation of the Five Pearls, and their relationship with the constellations, the portals may appear or disappear, and wax or wane in strength, sending travelers to seemingly random destinations.
There are even unsubstantiated tales of lonely travelers stumbling through a Discordant Path to the surface of the Five Pearls themselves, never to be seen again. Though, it begs the question how the tales began in the first place.
When determining the destination for a portal, draw a card from the Action Deck and consult the following table, or choose the option that best fits narratively. This table can also be used for randomly generating a path.
| Card | Destination / Location |
|---|---|
| A | TBD |
| 2 | Deep in the Obsidian Wastes |
| 3 | In a hidden ravine on the Steppes far away from any towns |
| 4 | TBD |
| 5 | In the Endless Dunes |
| 6 | TBD |
| 7 | In the Gypsum Sea |
| 8 | TBD |
| 9 | On the shores of the Defiled Lakes |
| 10 | TBD |
| J | Outside of Tarkes |
| Q | TBD |
| K | Roll again, and the result is a two-way portal located at that destination. |
| Joker | TBD – Pick Any? |