Strangeness

From high enough up, all details fall away, and simplicity reigns.
-- Common Eyriefolk Proverb

Disambiguation: This article is about the general concept of Strangeness. For the skill governing understanding and manipulating these forces, see Strangeness (Skill).

Strangeness is the colloquial term used by the Folks of Howl Basin (and often points beyond) to refer to the paranormal events, effects, creatures, and similar phenomena and situations that crop up from time to time around the Basin. This Strangeness is tied in deeply to the folklore of the Basin, where it seems to be a more powerful force than throughout much of the rest of the World, though perhaps not being uniquely isolated to the basin, either.

Of course, one could write a thousand words on Strange Creatures, Strange Occurrences and Strange Powers and never fully exhaust or explain the realm of possibilities under this umbrella term. For the most part, Strangeness is rare enough that there are plenty of good, God-fearing folk in the Basin (and especially outside of it) who dismiss the concept of Strangeness entirely, but common enough that the tales get around and player characters in particular are likely to run up against it, or harness it for their own ends.

You, can, however, make a few broader strokes.

Strange Creatures

Main Article: Strange Creatures

The Basin is home to the rare strange creature, but the line can be thin between what does and doesn't qualify. A Lago of the Crowned Lagos subtype is no more a creature than an ordinary Lago is, but legends tell of a mythical Salamander Wolf in the Proctor Erg which borders on sounding like a dragon; if they're real they would certainly count.

In general, a Strange Creature is any creature which, by their very nature, is preternatural. A flying horse, a fire-breathing Salamander Wolf, reality-warping Moon Bats and all manner of similar creatures populate the folklore of the Basin. Most Strange Creatures are more than merely extremely rare or quasi-legendary and instead have some property that goes back into Strangeness, or some aspect of their biology that violates the conventional scientific understanding.

Strange Occurrences

Main Article: Strange Occurrences

Strange Occurrences are magical, or at least, paranormal, localized phenomena. They are different from Strange Locations in that they are commonly localized in time as well. The San Cucaracha Lights are one such effect, occurring irregularly on single nights under unknown conditions. Strange occurrences are therefore good fodder for adventures.

Strange Powers

Main Article: Strange Powers

Strange Powers are the primary way in which most characters are going to learn to harness strangeness. These are the ability-traits that couple to the Strangeness (Skill), using TarnishedTale's Magic Rules. Strange powers are exceptionally rare. Most characters should never expect to obtain any, and even on a Strangeness-rich campaign, they should likely never acquire more than a few. Many more claim to posses Strange Powers than actually have them; four or five charlatans in the world, at minimum, for every true sorcerer.

A character may not even necessarily understand why their Strange Powers work. Most Strange Powers draw on the Force of Will (Pool), an empowered character imposing their will on the universe in a conscious or unconscious way. This Willpower-derived pool is found in all characters and ebbs and flows over the run of their adventures regardless of whether they are consciously (or unconsciously) making use of Strange Powers.

Strange Locations

Main Article: Strange Locations

Some physical locations are especially advantageous (or disadvantageous) for Strange Powers, Strange Occurrences, and Strange Creatures. This effect is so pronounced that it is commonly said that the forces which one manipulates using Force of Will (or other forces manipulated by Strangeness) are somehow geophysical, though the explanations are as myriad as the culture of the basin; hauntings, psychic echoes of ritual sites, buried profane or sacred artifacts, or even concepts like Ley Lines all collectively taking the blame.