About Shadow World

®

 
Beware of wooden pedestals, thrones hewn of ancient woods unbright. (five lines missing) And if there should be a stone, Run and seek safety in open light. For with a glow and a mist of rouge there will be no right. First Six, then one, then all will war, the land torn by blight. — JOURNALS OF UGUS FOST TE 4166 (LAST ENTRY)
A planet hangs in the balance between Order and Chaos, a focus of strange powers and portals to alien worlds. Sorcery clashes with ancient technology while capricious demigods make war, and the Dragonlords walk as men. Against them all rises the Unlife, a force whose dark servants seek destruction of all that lives...

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A Sixth-Pale Demon in 
its native habitat
Valaan Mahrindi 
(from Xa-ar)

The Shadow World® is a setting for the award-winning Rolemaster® system. It is a planet, a high-fantasy setting with powerful magic, but with a few twists. There are elements of ancient advanced technology from a long-dead race, interference by outside factions of the Terran Empire (via the classic Space Master™ setting) and even the infusion of a little steampunk, as certain factions of Elves have begun to develop certain early engine technologies.


But primarily Shadow World is about people: their struggles in the various lands and cultures they live in. From complex societies like Haalkitaine and Sel-kai to the barbaric conquering kingdoms of Lankanôk and into of wild rainforests of Khûm-kaan, the people of the Shadow World use whatever tools they can find to survive. Strength, guile, friendships—and magic—are all what one needs to get by on this ever-changing planet.

The City of the Dead (Jinteni Necropolis), Uj
Shard Thrones, location unknown
The Canal City of Sel-kai, a popular trade center. Above in the sky is Eidolon, the port for flying ships

The Shadow World is a complex place, inhabited by many inscrutable organizations. Among them are the seemingly benign and (sometimes) helpful Loremasters, the coldly merchantile Navigators who can transport you anwhere in the world— for a price. Then there are powers from the past acting for in seemingly inexplicable purposes. And there are other groups: cults and orders, gatherings of the powerful who have set their own agendas for the Shadow World, weaving plots in which the characters might become entangled…

Render by Craig John