Wells
A Well is the name given to a phenomenon in which power from the In-between leaks through a thinness in the fabric of reality, into the Here-and-now. The formation of a Well represents both danger and opportunity, and is likely to attract those who seek its power.
Wells themselves are wholly incorporeal, with no visible trace and no mass, though they do seem to have a stationary epicenter.
Wells and their immediate environs also act as a pathway for Denizens of the In-between to creep across the barrier, to infest and ravage the peoples of this land. Indeed, a Farungai aphorism declares, “When a Well springs forth, death follows.”
Wells as Objects
In game terms, a Well is an incorporeal object with a single core attribute: Depth.
The depth of a Well describes the strength of its emanations as a rated value, with 1 being relatively weak and 5 being immensely strong.
Wells also have a single derived attribute, Radius, which determines the distance from the Well's epicenter to its boundary.
Radius = Depth × 5 meters
Wells are three-dimensional phenomenon. It's important to remember that a Well's boundary may appear smaller than its radius when measured at a higher or lower altitude. Well's needn't always form on the surface of the ground.
Actors receive a bonus of one or more additional dice to the test pool for any action involving Channel Power or Channel Life while within a Well’s radius. This bonus increases with the Well's depth. The number of bonus dice is equal to the Well’s depth.
Thanmore finds a well.
Well Formation
While some Wells appear to form naturally, it is an open secret among Spellweaver and Lifecaller circles that certain practices can lead to the creation of a Well. There are two ways an actor may influence the creation of a Well.
Wearing Thin the Boundary
When power or life-force is channeled at a location that is not within the radius of an existing Well, there is a small chance that drawing on the In-between may wear the boundary thin enough for a Well to form. Drawing more heavily on the In-between in a single location increases this chance.
Whenever one or more actors spend 5 or more AD to channel power or life-force or maintains a continuous test involving channeling power or life-force at a single location, the GM should roll a dice pool consisting of the total number of AD spent on these tests at that location in consecutive rounds. If the number of successes is 5 or more, a Well is formed at that location.
#AD → 5S
The depth of the newly formed Well is equal to the success margin of the roll.
When a Well is formed, the GM should immediately test for a manifestation.
Dowsing
Some Lifecallers have chosen to follow a path of darkness and have discovered ways of deliberately opening Wells for the purpose of increasing their power and drawing forth and controlling denizens of the In-between to do their shadowy bidding. Others sometimes pejoratively refer to these as “Dowsers.” The Call » Depth and Call » Denizen skills describes this process.
This is a high-risk path to power, as once a Well is opened it is beyond the caller’s control, and losing control of denizens of the In-between brought through to the Here-and-now is common. Also, Dowsers have no way to directly close these Wells.
Once a Dowser creates a Well it behaves like any other, and the Dowser’s actions within its radius may increase the risks of growth and manifestation.
Manifestation & Growth
Whenever a well is formed, or when power or life-force is channeled within the radius of a Well, there is a chance that drawing on that power will cause an increase in the depth of the Well or that a denizen of the In-between may be pulled through, manifesting in the Here-and-now.
Each time an actor uses the Channel Power or Channel Life ability within a Well’s radius, the GM rolls a number of dice equal to the #AD spent by the actor plus the depth of the well:
#AD + Depth
The result of this roll depends on the number of successes:
Well Manifestation & Growth
| # Successes | Result |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | No effect |
| 3 | Well Depth increases by 1, to a maximum of 5 |
| 4 | 1 Minor Denizen spawns at the Well’s epicenter, or nearest available location |
| 5 | 1 Medium Denizen spawns at the Well’s epicenter, or nearest available location |
| 6+ | 1 Major Denizen spawns at the Well’s epicenter, or nearest available location and the Well closes |
Closing a Well
While discovery of Wells has led to attempts to possess and control them as sources of power, it has also, understandably, given rise to attempts to “close” or destroy them.
Some Wells seem to close on their own, while others have been known to grow deeper with time. No general rules are provided to manage this behavior as it is likely to be either central to the narrative of a given adventure, or random.
Spellweavers have developed a complex and difficult spell formulation that is capable of closing (or ”exsiccating”) a Well. This spell requires extensive effort and mastery to accomplish. Some Spellweavers achieve this mastery through years of dedication to their craft, while others have chosen to focus specifically on this skill, devoting all their attention to specialize in this practice. These individuals often call themselves Exsiccators.
Exsiccators’ skills are often in demand throughout the lands, as the emergence of Wells is unpredictable and dangerous. They often can command a high price for their services.