New Mechanics for a New World
The Omen Shift
The Elder Ones and the influence they have on our world gives rise to thrilling and dynamic gameplay mechanics. As each of them vie for dominion of the cosmos, their will reshapes the world and the creatures that populate it.
Introducing the Omen Shift. In VoTS, your character’s, alignment counts for more than mere roleplaying guidelines. Each Elder One from the pantheon are linked to a specific alignment: Lawful, Neutral and Chaotic. At the will of the gamemaster, draw from the Omen Deck and depending on how good or evil your character is on the spectrum, see your fate altered temporarily or permanently.
Watch as the sky dances in a spectacle of otherworldly wonder as you suddenly find yourself wiser, luckier, smarter, wealthier or, when the winds of chance are against you, your attributes are lessened, and your wits are weakened. Though aligning to good does not equate to better luck, and being evil that of lesser, choose your alignment wisely and experience a unique gaming experience every session.
Deepen your character's complexity by choosing a School of Thought: fields of study like Mathematics, Engineering, Alchemy, Sociology, Philosophy, Poetry and Art, Linguistics, Religion, or Cultus Arcana.
School of Thought
Tales of the Islamic Golden Age echo through the pages of history, a time remembered for its remarkable contributions to science, medicine, mathematics, engineering, philosophy, and the pursuit of knowledge. Veil of the Twisted Sands brings that same spirit of curiosity and discovery into right into the character creation process.
The School of Thought system allows players to take part in this pursuit by dedicating their characters to a specific field of study. Through research, practice, and progression, characters may develop expertise in disciplines that open new narrative and gameplay possibilities.
Are you faced with a complex codex that your background in mathematics allows you to decipher? Does your knowledge of engineering give you the means to craft siege weapons, reinforce defenses, or solve intricate mechanical problems? Could collaboration between characters from different fields lead to discoveries none of them could achieve alone?
A travel system is built around three core ideas: engaging, narratively meaningful, and carry a real sense of fear and consequence.
An All New Travel System
In many tabletop role-playing games, travel can become repetitive or overlooked, reduced to the space between important moments. In Veil of the Twisted Sands, we wanted travel to become one of those important moments.
Player characters inhabit a hostile and deadly world. Beyond the safety of settlement walls, the wilderness is vast, dangerous, and deeply uncertain. The fear of venturing into the unknown should feel real and ever-present.
Will you charter a dhow across the Blood Sea in search of rumored ancient ruins? Will you take to the clouds, gather a crew, and pilot your own Skyship, avoiding the dangers of the land while facing eldritch incursions and terrors of the sky? Or will you join a caravan of Bedouin traders, risking the long journey across the Dread Wastes?