Shadows of Winter
The Clammy Hands
The Dead remember. The Dead linger on, beyond the ken of mortal consciousness. Past the Shroud dwell the Restless Dead, wraiths and ghosts of fearsome disposition and unquenchable passions. They are the spirits of the deceased, locked into this world still for personal reasons and needs that must be fulfilled.
In Oulu, the Restless Dead are already accustomed to the cold. Passing out of the Skinlands and waking up in the gray, grim Underworld is just an unfortunate transition. Existence in this place demands perseverance of will, not of the body. Fortunately, Stygia is here to provide the bulwark average ghosts need. For those who are beyond mediocre, this part of the Underworld provides plenty of hazard and risk. The Tempest bubbles and boils out of the ground all over. False Far Shores lure wraiths to their doom. Whittismu monsters lurk in the dark, dead forests. Spectres rise from the hate that birthed their death and threaten the stability and security of all. In the Skinlands, Oulu has become a hub of technological innovation. In the Shadowlands, the Artificers play a key role in everyday unlife. So always, beyond the chattering whispers of the dead, the steady clang of hammers on death-forges ring out. It’s as if Ilmarinen himself dwells here. The eerie echoing noise serves as a constant reminder of what fate awaits the average wraith.
Skinlands
Because of the Hierarchy’s strict governance of the necropolis, little contact with the Skinlands is permitted. The Dictum Mortuus is the law.
Shadowlands
The Shadowlands in and near Oulu are starker than even the Skinlands’ polar climate. The ground is covered always with what appears to be dirty snow, but it turns out to be thick ankle-deep ash. The Tempest flows along the rivers, pooling in hazardous lakes before traveling out into the Sea of Shadows beyond. Many of the islands off the shore are spots of torment by spectres and Demonics who create false harbors or paradises to lure in the unwary. Such illusory scenery is temporary, so attempts to end the problem by Stygia have long failed. The city itself contains no particularly tall structures but instead of a number of squatter buildings strangely shaped like medieval longhouses. Stygian officials occupy most of them or appoint them to loyal citizens for shelter. Minor Maelstroms frequently boil up out of Bothnian Bay.
Special Events
Special events are annual (or more frequent) holidays or special ritual days that the main group or groups observe as a whole community. Attendance and participation are often expected of all members, and sometimes required.
All Saints’ Day
All Saints’ Day is the beginning of November. It bears special observation for the Restless Dead. The Iron Legion asks its citizens to pause and remember all those legionaires who gave their souls to defend the necropolis from its enemies. This is the only day of the year that the soul-forges fall silent.
“Do you have what it takes? If not, we can arrange your own personal…upgrade and renovation.”
-- Valde Ukkonen, Master of the Artificers
