YZ World Building: Coriolis – Wake of the Icons

Year Zero World Building creates campaign settings using Free League’s RPGs. Space intrigue and war meets Arabian Nights, the Coriolis bundle combined with Wake of the Icons provide a core rulebook and setting, and four adventures with world building extras to any GM wanting to create their own version of the Dark between the Stars. 

Background

Thanks to Free League for sending me RPGs to help in writing these articles. As a frequent customer of their kickstarters, pre-orders, and webstore I really appreciate their customer service and attention to detail. 

The newest adventure, part 3 of the Mercy of the Icons adventure trilogy, is available on its own: Wake of the Icons. The Coriolis bundle includes five products: Coriolis the Third Horizon, Map of the Third Horizon, Last Voyage of the Ghazali, Emissary Lost (Mercy of the Icons part 1), and The Last Cyclade (Mercy of the Icons part 2). I also think the Coriolis Icon Cards deck is a great addition, but it isn’t necessary for play. 

I reviewed Coriolis the Third Horizon and discussed combing several adventures both for EN World. This time around, I want to focus on the world building extras included in last two adventures of the Mercy of the Icons trilogy that a GM can combine to create their own version of Coriolis. I’m going to go in reverse order, starting with new rules and setting details in Wake of the Icons, the last adventure in the trilogy.

So Many New Options

The first thing of interest to many GMs are over 20 new ships that range from a few private craft up to a large number of warships. A few of these ships are small enough for private crews. For the rest, there are metagame rules for a specific conflict in the Third Horizon. A GM will have to do some work to extrapolate these rules to other conflicts, but doing so opens up military-style campaigns in Coriolis. Or the ongoing conflict could unfold as depicted but perhaps the PCs are not front and center but are instead either one military ship in the large conflict or a standard crew that gets caught up in battles as they try to make a living in the Third Horizon.

New mystical powers are also described for PCs who chose to merge with en-Argonnas, the Machine Icon. These new powers are in addition to the new mystical power: mercy of the symmetry. These powers can be unlocked via the ruins described for Kua as follows.

In addition to these new rule options, Wake of the Icons describes new systems as well as new adventure options. The planet of Kua has ruins that may beckon PCs to rummage around, and there are tables to help determine what they find, along with a map to aid in exploring. The Machine Icon may also be awakened and new mystical powers unlocked.

The Rimward Reach is a new area for PCs to explore with detailed descriptions of possible encounters, routes, oxygen oases, asteroid wallahs, and a space station complete with a map along with new rules to support the location. The Rimward Reach is located in Kua’s outer asteroid field.

The Sadaal System includes a map, minor events that can occur there, and the main planet of Bahram and the metropolis of Alburz, complete with maps and encounters. Additional locations and NPCs are provided for the system. There are a couple more stations and system maps and descriptions that GMs may find useful whether running the adventures as written or as additional world building details. 

And Still More Options

The Last Cyclade has entirely different options for world building GMs. In addition to new ships like a salvage vessel and patrol ship, some with deck plans, as well as NPC stats, there are entirely new rules to handle various situations and dangers. New rules include: terror, oxygen supplies, extended cold, diving, a new weapon system, an artifact: healing scarabs, fifteen new talents including to the grave and glyph armor (cybernetic), emerald discs which log ship data, factionary tech such as janhagir blades and the quela-c battle exo, new mystic powers like Thought Transference and Puppeteer, and a new weapon feature: cone.

There is also a dying god with varies powers. Even if a GM doesn’t use the adventure as written, an NPC like that might be able to be used in other adventures. Another new option is a table of Void Scars that function in a manner similar to Problems. Several new patrons are detailed as well from various factions and even from the Second Horizon. Humanites (altered humans) are also detailed with thirteen tribes with the Talents each one has. Several tribes are enslaved and an entire campaign could be built around trying to free that tribe, through law or violence or both.

The Temple City of Lotus gets a write-up. A Small community, it is well suited for campaigns focusing on small-time political intrigue and skullduggery. Several locations are detailed along with a two-page map. The ruins of Deeptown in the city could hide Nazareem temples and a sleeping Nazareem master. 

And there is still more. An entire table of poisons is included. Another smaller settlement, The City of Foreigners gets some details and a map. The Ash Belt includes a table of various dangers. Masahir Station is a Space station and is of special interest to the Order. A two page map depicts the station. The Valley of Death on Ordana also gets a two page map along with pertinent details. Many more maps of location and lots of NPCs are also included.

Should You Get Coriolis?

Just covering these two adventures shows the depth of detail available to GMs, whether they run these adventures as written or pull rules and encounters and lore out as needed. If you want to run political intrigue, criminal enterprises, or other clandestine campaigns with an Arabian Nights flair, then the Coriolis bundle and Wake of the Icons will provide ample tools and support to get your flying carpet launched into space.

Picture credit: Pixabay