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The Island

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  1. The Island
  2. CYOA turned Jumpchain gauntlet
  3.  
  4. - - - - -
  5.  
  6. The Island is old.
  7.  
  8. Ancient beyond reckoning, none alive know what form it took in the beginning. Today, it is a seemingly ordinary landmass surrounded by a scattering of tiny islets, surrounded in turn by an endless ocean that stretches from horizon to horizon. A few who have studied the Island come to understand that it is a nexus point that touches innumerable locations across space and time. From across the multiverse, the flotsam of aborted timelines, celestial catastrophes and fractured dimensions have been drawn here to congeal and give this place a shape and form that could support life. The foolish, the curious, and the lost have found themselves trapped here as well, the origin of the Island's current population.
  9.  
  10. Those who risk life and sanity to delve even deeper all come to learn another truth - the Island is alive, aware, and inscrutable in desires and purpose.
  11.  
  12. And now, it is your new home.
  13.  
  14. You begin with 0cp.
  15.  
  16. -
  17.  
  18. While some groups send forth agents after finding the Island through mighty science or eldritch magic, just as many seemingly random individuals are inexplicably pulled here. Perhaps the Island desired their presence, or some one-in-a-trillion confluence of events opened a crack in reality and they were simply in the right place at the wrong time.
  19.  
  20. You now join the ranks of these Castaways, and will be marked as something to be watched closely by the Island's inhabitants if they learn of how you arrived. Because even if your only concern is returning home, the moment you set foot on the Island you were set on a course that will inevitably lead you to earning the ire of an individual, group, or phenomena. This thing, this Nemesis, will never stop hunting you until you are dead...or worse.
  21.  
  22. But there is always hope.
  23.  
  24. Every Castaway knows, deep down, that there is a way to emerge victorious against their Nemesis no matter how badly the odds are stocked against them. As if offering some small restitution for being brought to it, the Island ensures the existence of a Bane - something your Nemesis is helpless against. No matter the nature of your Nemesis, no matter the difference in strength, taking hold of it makes your victory as inevitable as your loss would be without it.
  25.  
  26. All you have to do is find it.
  27.  
  28. - - -
  29.  
  30. The location that Jumpers arrive on the Island is not immediately dangerous, a small grace granted to orient yourself before other things take notice of you. Your out-of-jump powers, perks and warehouse are sealed, and you default to your bodymod form. As a gauntlet, death here will not end your chain, but you'll lose any perks, items, and companions you may have found or purchased. The nightmares will likely last for years, though.
  31.  
  32. The island itself is quite large but not impossible for long-term residents to navigate reliably. Accurate measurement is impossible, as some areas seem to be larger, smaller, or made of sections that rearrange themselves. Time is also distorted in some places. A traveler may walk all the way to their destination under a sun that never sets, never feeling the need to sleep.
  33.  
  34. -
  35.  
  36. Location (roll 1d8)
  37.  
  38. 1 - Archipelago
  39.  
  40. Many small satellite landmasses surround the Island. Some are tiny while others are large enough to support small communities. The more eldritch entities seem reluctant to visit the Island's outskirts, but large amphibious predators exist here and it is a long and dangerous swim to the Island proper. You arrive alone on a small patch of land fertile with fruit and a spring of freshwater.
  41.  
  42. 2 - Beach
  43.  
  44. Like you, many strange things have washed ashore - the wrecks of vehicles both technological and magical, the corpses of great sea beasts, strange curios glinting in the sand...because of this, many groups make regular trips to sweep the beaches for things of value. Be cautious, for most scavengers place little value on the lives of those not of their tribe. You awake in the rotting wreck of an overturned boat.
  45.  
  46. 3 - Lowlands
  47.  
  48. Vast plains and grasslands host grazing herds and the beasts and men that prey upon them. Water is plentiful and the hunting is good, but take care not to become the prey. The open areas leave little room to hide, but at least you can clearly see your doom coming from a long way off. You find yourself on an overgrown hill overlooking a well-traveled game trail.
  49.  
  50. 4 - Ruins
  51.  
  52. None know who built these ancient structures. The area is peaceful, as few are willing to risk angering the stone guardians. These constructs can fell all but the mightiest foes, and they will ignore you so long as you do not trespass. Sadly, the areas they protect are not clearly marked and you risk their ire should you place even a single step over an invisible boundary. You've arrived in a bare stone room not considered protected ground, it sits on the very edge of a large complex where several guardians wait.
  53.  
  54. 5 - Canyons
  55.  
  56. Seemingly bottomless, these rents in the land are home to dangerous creatures and monsters that shun sunlight. Strange plants and curiosities of geology with unique properties can be found here and nowhere else. The leftover equipment of past expeditions abound. Crawling out of a crevice in the wall onto a rough staircase carved into the rock-face, taking the path to your right will lead you to the surface, while the path on your left leads down into the darkness.
  57.  
  58. 6 - Grand labyrinth
  59.  
  60. Beneath the Island there are uncountable great tunnels and passageways, tiny oubliettes, grand halls and dry cisterns. A skilled navigator could travel from here to within a stone's throw of any place on the Island, emerging from any number of entrances well-hidden by illusions or cunning stonework. Many entrances don't even exist unless you know the trick to 'find' them. You've found one such hidden door, leading deep into the earth.
  61.  
  62. 7 - Greenwood
  63.  
  64. The forests of the Island are deep and trackless. The canopy is thick, casting the forest floor into perpetual twilight. Thick with beasts, dangerous flora, and the lairs of stranger things, the depths of the Island's forests are notoriously difficult to navigate. Time and space grow fluid here, and only a very few beings will leave here at a time and place even remotely close to when and where they expected.
  65.  
  66. 8 - Free pick
  67.  
  68. You may choose where on the island you arrive.
  69.  
  70. - - - - -
  71.  
  72. Artefact
  73.  
  74. A magical, technological, or even biological item of great power and utility, these potent and singular tools are in a class of their own, above all but what the most powerful and skilled inhabitants of the Island can produce. They can protect, support, and even educate you.
  75.  
  76. Without an Artefact, what equipment you can salvage or craft is a match for only the weakest creatures that inhabit the Island, and worthless against the might of greater beings. While many powerful items exist to be found, all are either carefully hidden away, well-guarded, or traded away only for a truly ruinous cost.
  77.  
  78. By themselves, none of these items as they are when you find them will function as a Bane.
  79.  
  80. Each Artifact costs 100cp
  81.  
  82. -
  83.  
  84. The Steed
  85. A magical construct so artfully carved from marble that it is almost indistinguishable from a living creature, it responds with to your commands with fearless and absolute loyalty. Its hooves can pulverize obstacles and fleshy creatures, and it requires no rest or food, but will 'graze' on stone to repair damage. The steed can reliably navigate through mazes or areas of twisted space and time. By naming a specific person, place or thing the Steed will take you there by the safest or fastest route as you desire, but the rider cannot make general requests or ask for unknowns – ‘a safe place’ or ‘the Bane of my Nemesis’ will not suffice, nor will the steed react to guesses or erroneous information.
  86.  
  87. -
  88.  
  89. Tattoos of Power
  90. Your entire body is covered in inkwork of a variety of colors and styles. You become stronger, faster and tougher, requiring less sleep and sustenance, and more resistant to mundane injury and magical influence. You can force the tattoos to temporarily grant superhuman levels of ability, but this causes them to painfully ignite. The pain will intensify the longer you use the tattoos this way, to the point of destroying your mind and body through sheer agony. You must allow the tattoos to rest, not gaining their benefit, for at least ten times the amount of time you overcharged them, without interruption, for the tattoos to 'reset.'
  91.  
  92. -
  93.  
  94. Eyes open
  95.  
  96. Somehow your eyes came to be replaced with these mechanical substitutes. You see farther and in finer detail than any organic creature, the eyes able to track fast or erratically-moving objects almost unerringly. Your vision extends into the infrared and ultraviolet spectrum, and something in the mechanism filters out vision-based attacks on your mind - hypnotic displays won't ensnare you, stare medusa in the eye without harm, or gaze upon thing Man Was Not Meant To See...well, you can still be frightened by that last one but your head won't explode just for looking at it.
  97.  
  98. -
  99.  
  100. The Inoculation
  101.  
  102. A relic that outlived its makers, one simple injection will prevent all common diseases and bacteria from troubling you. More exotic infections may kill you, but you will have a much greater chance of surviving such things where once you had none. You will also heal noticeably faster and be much more resistant to anything that would corrupt your body, like mutagens or radiation.
  103.  
  104. -
  105.  
  106. The Keycard
  107.  
  108. An unmarked square of red plastic grants you basic user access in the eyes of every computer system on the Island. It will hack and open all but the highest-security electronic locks, temporarily override even some higher-clearance commands, and carrying it will mark you as 'friendly' when scanned by IFF systems. Intelligent machines will obey their programming and by extension you, but only up to a point - abusing them or causing mayhem with your privileges will see them writing exclusions into their programming and marking you as hostile.
  109.  
  110. -
  111.  
  112. The Spellbook
  113.  
  114. Written in an unknown language, only the illustrations give hints to each spell's nature while scribbled notes in the margins teach you how to pronounce the strange characters. Some spells are simple and straightforwards in function, while others are only a single step in a long chain to achieve some esoteric goal. Some of the spells are quite destructive, but this tome was written mainly for utility rather than combat.
  115.  
  116. -
  117.  
  118. The Sword
  119.  
  120. A simple blade without markings, it feels light and comfortable in your hand. The Sword will never dull, rust, or break, save at the hands of your Nemesis. At night you dream of past battles, learning from the Sword how to wield it skillfully against foes of infinitely varied armament and form. When you wake the blade will always be within reach, clean and intact, never allowing itself to be permanently lost or taken from you.
  121.  
  122. -
  123.  
  124. The Clockwork Spider
  125.  
  126. Obeying the one who holds its key, this machine will apply its whisper-quiet grinder-mandibles to tear apart and consume materials for its webs. All strands it spins are incredibly light, strong, and flexible, inheriting the properties of whatever material they were spun from - adorn yourself with ribbons of crystal threaded through with strands of never-melting ice, or wear armor woven of stone and steel. The Spider is extremely skilled and can construct or repair almost anything that can be spun or woven.
  127.  
  128. -
  129.  
  130. The Broken Hourglass
  131.  
  132. Hold it in your hand, turning it with desire or desperation in your heart. As the sand trickles down, time accelerates for you. Enough that the world is a blur as you run, the fastest blade a languid gesture that could only hope to strike you if you let it. But the debt of stolen time must be repaid. You'll know how. Sleep and not feel rested, make a short trip that takes far too long. Watch the sand crawl upwards, ready to be called on again. But draw on the hourglass too deeply without balance, and it will take from you at the worst possible moments - snatching momentary opportunities, slowing you as you retreat from danger, or disrupting a rhythm that your life depends on...perhaps a series of careful jumps over a deep chasm, or perhaps your own heartbeat.
  133.  
  134. -
  135.  
  136. The Cauldron
  137.  
  138. Heavy and ugly, this large pot can render down all things to their base essence. A person becomes a broth of flesh, soul, memories and lost potential, items can be separated into base elements and artistic/cultural significance extracted, and even magic can be diluted and aspects of it skimmed off. It's an art more than an automatic process, one you'll need to practice. The Cauldron itself has infinite depths, able to store and later recall an unlimited amount of dissolved materials. Strange carvings on the sides of the Cauldron show you how to craft ladles and pots to dole out the more immaterial components you've extracted.
  139.  
  140. - - - - -
  141.  
  142. Shelter
  143.  
  144. There are many nooks and crannies a person can squeeze into for the night, and locations at which you might barter for a bunk. But only a Shelter guarantees a safe night's sleep, and only the Shelters you purchase are truly yours. Each come with benefits beyond just having a place to curl up for the night.
  145.  
  146. Though it will reliably protect you for quite some time, your Nemesis will eventually find a way around your Shelter's defenses.
  147.  
  148. A shelter will cost you 200cp
  149.  
  150. -
  151.  
  152. A very odd hut
  153. This crude-looking thatched hut is utterly impervious to sources of mundane damage and able to protect its inhabitants from most supernatural threats. It seems to possess a simple intellect and a magical awareness of incoming danger, and will sprout clawed feet to flee, fight or travel. The hut is small and cramped but no matter the conditions outside the interior always maintains breathable air and a comfortable temperature. Sometimes the hut relocates to a far distant area while you sleep inside for no apparent reason, but it will never put you in harm's way.
  154.  
  155. -
  156.  
  157. Mental Retreat
  158. Close your eyes. Focus. Let the world fall away and look within. You'll open your eyes to a flat and rocky expanse, shrouded in chilling fog under perpetual twilight. There are no comforts, no supplies but what you bring. The space is limitless, but it detests attempts to be paved or defined and large structures will be swallowed by the fog, never to be seen again. Build a campsite and everything will be found again exactly as you left it, but try to pile a horde here and the fog will be reluctant to part and reveal your leavings - if it does not swallow them forever.
  159.  
  160. -
  161.  
  162. Ruins of arrogance
  163. One civilization was very persistent in its attempts to colonize the Island. Their failures litter the Island - structures great and small, vessels run aground on shore, rusting hulks of massive land crawlers...each was designed to be networked together, and somehow they've recognized you as a registered user. Built by advanced science for a hostile land, each wreck always has a few systems still running, such as communications, compact labs, micro-factories, or weapon emplacements, though you'll have to puzzle out the language and how to use such systems. All were overstocked with supplies and much remains untouched. While some equipment may be too specialized to be of much use, things like clothes, camping supplies, rations and sidearms are easy enough to recognize.
  164.  
  165. -
  166.  
  167. The Nomads
  168. The descendants of settlers and Castaways past, human and near-human beings capable of finding common ground have banded together for safety. Long exposure have taught them how to avoid the worst of the Island's space-time disruptions as they travel, and exploit the lesser wrinkles. Many bands large and small thus travel the Island almost unimpeded, skipping through distorted space to avoid danger. You've been accepted as a guest, and learned the signs and paths the nomads follow. You'll never be far from a group willing to pick you up and let you ride along, though you'll be expected to make at least token contributions to the group and will have no control over where they travel...unless you can make a very convincing argument. Though learning to communicate with them may take years, eventually they'll manage to impart to you ways to recognize space-time distortions, allowing you to avoid the worst of them.
  169.  
  170. -
  171.  
  172. Lean-to
  173. One of the few individuals to attain fame on the Island, a hedge wizard long ago created dozens of small encampments during his travels and reinforced them with magic. Leaving his name inscribed upon each log pile, dug-out hollow and tent of living branches, these hidey-holes are just large enough for an adult or two and ensure a safe and pleasant rest. The wizard himself was a Castaway, and wove spells to aid others like him. You have been found worthy of aid, and things will be whispered to you in your dreams - portents of future danger, hints on solving problems in the present, visions of distant places of import, and soothing words to calm the mind and ease the trauma of being dragged into this situation. The last is perhaps the greatest of the wizard's gifts to Castaways.
  174.  
  175. - - - - -
  176.  
  177. Island inhabitants
  178.  
  179. Over time, arrivals to the Island banded together for protection. Some groups grew in number while others were subsumed or destroyed. Eventually, the population stabilized into factions with a web of allegiances, trade and enmity among them. From these groups allies can be recruited, talented beings willing to travel with and assist you. They alone are absolutely trustworthy, and willing to stand with you against your Nemesis.
  180.  
  181. It is also from these factions that your Nemesis is drawn, and you may not have a Covenant with a Faction that your Nemesis belongs to.
  182.  
  183. Though costly, a Covenant can also be forged with a faction. You will have greater safety and freedom within their domains, and access to whatever wares and services that group can provide though nothing comes for free. Be warned, though while the treaty guarantees your relative safety while dealing with a particular group, it does not always promise anything a human might recognize as hospitality. Being on good terms with one group may not endear you to another.
  184.  
  185. An ally will cost 200cp
  186.  
  187. You must take at least one Nemesis, and each Nemesis you take will give you 500cp to spend. You may take a second for an additional 500cp.
  188.  
  189. A covenant will cost 300cp.
  190.  
  191. -
  192.  
  193. Major Factions
  194.  
  195. -
  196.  
  197. Blackbark Fey
  198.  
  199. Temperamental, spiteful, and maliciously mischievous, the Blackbark Fey have been present on the island for as long as anyone now can remember, responding with increasing viciousness as intruders approach their homes. The Island teems with freeholds of lesser fey, ruled over by nobles of impressive magical might who answer in turn to a queen of potent power. All fey are bound by their words and unable to break a promise, yet very talented at adhering to the letter of a contract while twisting the spirit.
  200.  
  201. As an Ally
  202. A lesser noble of the Blackbark fey has taken a perverse interest in you and your mission. She deigns to lend her assistance with illusions, curses, and the knowledge of the hidden places and ways of the Island. She expects deference and treats you as a lesser being, more a favored pet or lackey than a true ally, and will not hesitate to hex and vex you if you fail to show her the respect she expects.
  203.  
  204. As a Nemesis
  205. The riders of the Wyld Hunt gather, and you are marked as prey. Supernaturally skilled hunters and trackers, they appear sporadically and only at night, running down their quarry and vanishing only at victory or sunrise. Being fae, they are bound by various bans and strictures, but have great experience in working around such things and cannot be stopped long by any common trinket or spell.
  206.  
  207. With a Covenant
  208. The fey walk hidden paths between secret places scattered across the island, and you have earned the right to walk those paths and visit those places (mostly) unmolested. You are never totally free from fey pranks, and can quickly wear out your welcome should you misbehave or dally too long. But as long as you mind your manners and indulge the attention of bored fey, the goblin markets of the lesser fey will welcome your business and the Blackbark pathways can take you to many places with a speed and discretion that can confound even a Nemesis.
  209.  
  210. -
  211.  
  212. Living Machines
  213.  
  214. The Living Machines were built to tend the factories and arcologies that a group of long-dead settlers tried to establish here. While bound to uphold ancient programming they still possess free will, and in the long absence of their masters have begun to create their own strange society. They have a great fascination with organic life that can manifest in disturbing ways. Vivisections are a favorite pastime of theirs, but they are not inherently malicious or randomly destructive.
  215.  
  216. As an Ally
  217. This damaged construction drone recognizes you as its master, silently following any command you give it. It is very tough and capable of self-repair if provided with scrap metal and spare parts. It is built for industry, not combat, but will stubbornly try to disassemble designated targets with its built-in tools if you command it.
  218.  
  219. As a Nemesis
  220. One-Seven desires your death. He pursues you without rest, learning and adapting to overcome every weapon and strategy you employ against it, until you have nothing left. Even if destroyed, a new One-Seven will soon appear, each iteration becoming stronger, smarter, and housed in a more ideal form to chase and destroy you. Somewhere out there must be a foundry that produces these mechanical bodies, but even if located it is sure to be heavily guarded, its defenses also adapted to exploit your weaknesses and defeat your strengths.
  221.  
  222. With a Covenant
  223. Should the Living Machines take an interest in you their fascination with the organic will be tempered with concern for your continued function. Any damage they inflict upon you will be swiftly repaired, and you may pass through the areas they control with no fear of permanent injury, being granted basic security clearance and ignored by the automated security systems. They inhabit places thick with technology, their skills with the mechanical are unparalleled, and they are capable of understanding the concept of 'trade.' The Living Machines could even provide excellent medical care, if you are willing to endure their attentions.
  224.  
  225. -
  226.  
  227. Daemons
  228.  
  229. Daemons are otherworldly entities that pattern their physical forms off the thoughts and emotions of mortals. But do not think that this makes them human, as their emulation of humanity is a merely a mask they wear to facilitate communication and feeding. It was humanity's dreams that gave these once-mindless creatures self-awareness and form, and each and every daemon will do whatever is needed to ensure a steady supply of the emotions that sustains their particular existence.
  230.  
  231. As an Ally
  232. This glowing figure of wings, angles and flame is a parody of a guardian angel, and is bound to protect you with enormous magical and physical might. While strong enough to balk even your your nemesis for quite some time, it acts only in your defense and nothing more, and will withdraw its protection for a time if you attempt to manipulate it into action or by failing to observe seemingly meaningless taboos or perform equally nonsensical rituals. The false-angel is knowledgeable on topics eldritch and infernal, and will provide information on the various dark entities present on the island – but only to properly direct you to destroy these beings, who compete with it for 'food.' It is otherwise a constant presence that remains on the edge of your perception that does nothing but silently wait and observe until needed.
  233.  
  234. As a Nemesis
  235. You will never know that she is your enemy. She has tricked and consumed a thousand souls stronger than yours, and none thought to look back as she lead them down a dark path. She will be your friend, your lover, your confidant, even as she draws you into depravity with such subtlety that your actions will nourish her without ever fully realizing just how far you have fallen. From the moment she laid eyes on you, she knew you better than you knew yourself. She has found the cracks within the deepest, most secret places of your psyche, and is tearing them wide open.
  236.  
  237. With a Covenant
  238. Daemons demand devotion and sacrifice, and you are recognized as a bright flame whom can give them rich sustenance. Presenting yourself to one and performing the requested oblations to their demanding standards will earn you favors and trinkets. The large variety of daemons means a talented worshiper can earn equally varied rewards, but some will request tasks that are dangerous, degrading or vile. The very least of Daemons, little more than animals, will recognize your standing and stand aside or offer to serve in exchange for scraps of devotion.
  239.  
  240. -
  241.  
  242. The Horrors
  243.  
  244. From beyond known space and time, the true nature of the horrors are utterly incomprehensible to mortals. Among those that know of them, it is known that they constantly seek out weaknesses in reality through which they might invade the Island. Perhaps they seek to transform it into a place of mad un-reality more like their distant home, or perhaps it would only be a mere stepping stone on the way to those many other dimensions the Island is capable of touching.
  245.  
  246. As an Ally
  247. You don’t know why it follows you, or why it sometimes comes to your aid. All you know is that an ill-defined thing of teeth and tendril that shuns the light creeps from shadow to shadow, always staying just out of sight. You cannot command it, and it is inconsistent in the way it allows some things to have their way with you while reacting violently to the harmless or mundane. When it does act, its otherworldly nature allows it to cause grievous wounds and wreck havoc upon anything that exists without fail.
  248.  
  249. As a Nemesis
  250. A tall and slender man can be seen far in the distance, at the very edge of your perception. He is there whenever you look for him. He withdraws if you approach and follows should you flee. You cannot evoke a reaction from him. No others will notice his presence. You cannot hide from him. No door can bar his passage. And though you may not see it at first, every day, inch by inch, he draws closer to you.
  251.  
  252. With a Covenant
  253. Just as some people have given themselves to the Island, mind and soul, so too have others allowed themselves to be hollowed out by things from far distant realms. These half-empty cultists are mad yet driven, and though you are not like them, your offerings have convinced them, for the moment, that you are. In their ranting, you will come to learn that their masters desire the Island, that it is unique, a backdoor to vulnerable places rich in meat and minds for consumption. Like the Island's Keepers, they have stocks of relics and riches and will greatly reward you for tasks performed, though many of these acts seem devoid of logic and purpose, and may well be meaningless. If you must side with these hollow men, take care and perform these tasks sparingly lest you draw the attention of hungry things that do not discriminate between 'food' and 'servant.'
  254.  
  255. -
  256.  
  257. The Island
  258.  
  259. The Island is simultaneously entity and location. Everyone has a theory as to the Island’s origin and purpose, and while the greatest and most ancient of beings might know some of its secrets, the price of such information would be incalculable. A determined explorer would be better served searching the ruins and complexes that dot the land, if they could somehow evade the ancient guardians and creatures bound to its will.
  260.  
  261. As an Ally
  262. When it requires a proxy to act on its behalf, the Island sends forth the Guardians and the Keepers. The Guardians are stone constructs that stand silent vigil over ancient sites that act as places of power, vaults, or prisons. The Keepers are those mortals who offered themselves to the Island's service, trading free will and eternal service for its protection. Both have their duties and will not neglect them, but the Guardians will now forgive minor trespasses and warn you before you do something to earn their ire, while the Keepers have been directed to teach what they can of the other factions and can explain the nature of every plant, beast and stone native to the Island. On rare occasion, a door will open, a Guardian shall stand aside, and a Keeper shall present you with something once locked away. This is not a gift, but the beginning of a task the Island requires of you. Seeing it through will be difficult and taxing, but the Island will unfailingly repay you for aiding it.
  263.  
  264. As a Nemesis
  265. The Island is quite a valuable bit of inter-dimensional real estate, and to subdue or control it somehow would open certain…enticing possibilities. On the other hand, some may feel that destroying this dimensional crossroads is the only way to keep certain things away from the realities we know and love. To openly set oneself against the whole of the Island will polarize every inhabitant as enemy or ally, and even your erstwhile allies will have their own plans that are unlikely to be in line with your own. Destroying or subverting the Island is perhaps the easy part, compared to the full-scale war that will likely erupt should you ever come close to succeeding in your goal.
  266.  
  267. With a Covenant
  268. The Island itself lends you subtle aid at times – you will never want for simple things like food or shelter, as there are always edible fruits and plants to be found, and places to rest are never far when night falls, comfortable and safe from mundane danger. Hidden treasures in your path are revealed, mundane animals will not see you as predator or prey until directly threatened or harassed, root and fog and rain and distortions of time and space working to hinder your enemies but never troubling your travels. Nothing short of gross abuse of the Island or its generosity will cost you this friendship, but it will sometimes steer you in strange directions, as if making a silent request...
  269.  
  270. -
  271.  
  272. Remnants
  273.  
  274. A group of humans from a highly-advanced society that discovered the Island and is hell-bent on colonizing it. The Island and its inhabitants quickly annihilated most of the settlers and ruined much of what they had built. Their descendants now wander the Island, staying alive through scraps of lore and technology that blunt the worst of the Island’s dangers.
  275.  
  276. As an Ally
  277. This incredibly androgynous man(?) bearing advanced technology has been sent to the Island on behalf of parties unknown. He is utterly unable to refuse the orders of his distant masters, but as a Castaway you are unknown to them and the Agent retains just enough capacity for defiance that he will never reveal your existence. So long as you never impede his mission he is willing to aid you in yours, unless he is called away to perform some task. Aiding the lonely agent in his labors will endear him to you, and he has great (but not complete) knowledge of the Island's various quirks. There is no power or persuasive method that can glean even the slightest hint of the nature of his mission or superiors.
  278.  
  279. As a Nemesis
  280. The General seeks to return his people to greatness by dominating the Island and forcing all other beings into submission. Each day his army grows in skill and power, and his scavengers and scientists work ceaselessly to rebuild their technological lore. But every analysis clearly states that as long as you live, their hopes can never come to fruition. The General and his desperate followers will not question this, and you will have at least a swift end should he capture you.
  281.  
  282. With a Covenant
  283. While fearful of whatever doom follows all Castaways, the scavenger tribes now greet you with a measure of guarded trust. They will never steal from you or assault you without good cause, and they will offer fair trade for anything you bring them. An almost purely technological faction, they can offer a wide variety of professional and technical services and are the closest thing there is to what you would recognize as civilization upon the Island.
  284.  
  285. -
  286.  
  287. Chimera
  288.  
  289. An alien species that begins life as mindless spores that infest any organic life they come into contact with, Chimera mutate their host and drive it to consume new and varied organic material in order to grow and develop. With time and enough new genetic information comes sapience, with the brains of intelligent creatures instinctively hungered after. Despite their strange appearance, disturbing appetite and alien mindset, mature Chimeras are highly intelligent and can draw on a vast pool of genetic memory. They are fully able to recognize sapience in others, and prefer communication and co-existence to conflict. Traveling across the Island to seek new and unique material to absorb, the immature infested are among the most dangerous predators inhabiting the island.
  290.  
  291. As an Ally
  292. This massive beast was a normal animal before infection, now a nascent Chimera. Barely a baby, its developing mind is heavily influenced by the animal it inhabits, and that animal has recognized you as master. Until the Chimera attains full sapience, it will follow and aid you with childish glee and bestial loyalty. At that point, if you have treated it well, it may desire to stay by your side.
  293.  
  294. As a Nemesis
  295. Something has gone wrong. Some outside influence has mutated the Chimera beyond their nature and purpose, and they have become like a cancer upon the Island, twisting plants and driving animals mad. Mortal medicine can only slow the transformation, and being cleansed through magic does not prevent becoming infected again. A cure must be found and applied to whatever font of vileness is spreading the tainted spores upon the wind before your body and mind are twisted beyond recognition.
  296.  
  297. With a Covenant
  298. You have been implanted with a symbiote that marks you as Chimera-but-not-Chimera. Chimera spores will not take root within you, nor will infested animals see you as prey. You will develop minor mutations based on whatever DNA you ingest, but these are always beneficial, can be dismissed if unwanted, and you will always remain essentially yourself. With time and effort, you may even puzzle out a way to use the symbiote to communicate clearly with the Chimera and come to establish a greater rapport with their strange culture.
  299.  
  300. -
  301.  
  302.  
  303. - - - - -
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