Matovilka

When I saw Chaosium was doing a new King in Yellow themed campaign, I sorta shrugged. I have a lot of love for the King, the Chambers book was an obsession of mine when I was in high school in part because it was impossible for me to find a reprint (I did, eventually), until I found my strange, probably rebound first edition in yellow boards, which I then carried around with me everywhere. The mention of Carcosa in True Detective set my brain on fire. But in a lot of ways, my relationship with the Carcosa mythos culminated with the Delta Green campaign Impossible Landscapes. I think maybe Delta Green culminated along with it in some ways. It’s just one of those things were its greatness and the way it transcended its form was immediately apparent and largely beyond debate. So, no shade, but that’s a hard act to follow.

And then I read The Sutra of Pale Leaves: Twin Suns Rising (2025) and was impressed despite my expectations. Spoilers ahead, so let me just say that I think this is worth picking up and checking out, especially if you’re intimidated by Impossible Landscapes (which is a fair reaction). But for real, if you think you’re gonna play this, stop reading.

This book, and its companion, are set in Japan during the 1980s, which is right out of the gate a dramatic shift. The way in which the authors intertwine Japanese folklore and pop culture with the tropes of the King in Yellow mythos is impressive in its own right. Two of the scenarios here use Yokai in ways that cleverly nest with themes from Chambers’ original stories. The third scenario features manga subcultures, a comic convention and cosplay and is really rather brilliant. All the themes and topics are reinforced by art in a complimentary style, so, the character portraits in the manga scenario all look like manga.

(art by velinov on DeviantArt)

With the vast expanses of the Eternal Delve, that’s a lot of empty space to have nothing, so let’s talk about the denizens that might be found on the elemental plane of earth.

Naturally, earth elementals exist in abundance, both the generic ones in First Edition and more specific ones in both editions. Also consider that there are mud elementals and magma elementals where the plane blurs with water and fire respectively. Broadly speaking they tend to be taciturn, stubborn, and implacable, but not impossible to deal with.

Like other elements, the earth elementals of 2e go further than just “big walking hunk of rock” and tap into the various ideas and concepts associated with earth, such as crystal striders that act like living windchimes of resonant crystal, or the sinister sandmen, or hungry gluttenous geodes. We even see the strange trilateral xorns with their hunger for gemstones.

Naturally, the plane has it’s share of elemental scamps and wisps as well, being minor critters in the scheme of things.

Jabali, or Shaitans, represent geniekind on the plane. They are known for being prideful and quick to offence, but not so thoughtless as to lash out without thinking. They are also known for their love of working with the local material and their industriousness.

Another sapient species on the plane are the xiomorn, a species of insectile elementals known to have built the many vast vaults deep beneath the surface of Golarion where they conducted grand experiments. The children of Sairazul, they turned away from her after she went missing, only to be preyed upon by the culprit, Ayrzul, who twisted them into his servants. No doubt some of them seek to flee back to their mother now that she is free and returned.

Naturally, there is a species of primal dragon associated with the plane. Crystal dragons are perhaps the most vain of all dragons, but if treated politely can be strong and loyal friends.

There are of course mortals that immigrated to the plane, mainly dwarves, as well as many oreads of various ancestries as well.

Conversely, however, we also see mortal monsters as well, with many Darklands denizens finding the transition to the elemental plane exceedingly easy, including many species of oozes such as magma oozes and more.

And we can’t leave out the demideific elemental lords, of course. The first being Ayrzul the Fossilized King. This tyrant takes the form of the fossilized and radioactive gem-encrusted skeleton of a six-legged saurian beast, and while he mostly keeps to himself, he still schemes against his rival Ymeri on the plane of fire, and has a long history of greedily taking and despoiling plunder from other planes.

Conversely, Sairazul the Crystalline Queen is the gemstone termite goddess of gems, fertility, and the bounty of the earth, and many consider her one of the greatest forces of good on the plane, offering hospitality and renewal to all ever since being freed from the Moaning Diamond.

(art by ABluSkittle on DeviantArt)

Geography

And now it’s time to talk about the geography of the plane, and for once, “geography” is actually the right term!

The plane of earth, like the other infinite planes, is a functionally-infinite sphere of solid earthen matter. Rock and stone both familiar and strange make up it’s composition, and just like the rocky planets that the plane utterly dwarfs, it is rife with veins and deposits of all sorts of materials, from ores to gemstones and pretty much anything that can be found on or below the surface of an earthen world.

However, adventures on the plane would be severely hampered if it were a perfectly solid sphere. Thankfully, however, the plane of earth is rife with caverns, tunnels, and other dug-out areas. Some formed from interactions from the other elemental planes, particularly air and water, while others were carved out by gods and burrowing denizens that lack the power to earth glide, or just wanted a place where they can keep their stuff.

Additionally, the plane, while diverse, tends to be colder, wetter and muddier near the “border” with the plane of water, and hotter and more volcanic near the plane of fire. Additionally, as the plane of metal slips back into place, the number of metallic ore deposits seem to increase.

This is of course only the broadest strokes, and while there are plenty of different possible adventures, let’s go over some known locations on the plane.

Perhaps the most well-known places to visit on the plane are the various cities of the Jabali (also known as Shaitan) genies, places of great wealth and beauty, but also danger. Of particular note are the capital, known as the Opaline Vault, and Citrinide. The former is the shining jewel of the Peerless Empire, and lies near the border between Earth and Fire. It is a beautiful city of pearlescent buildings lit by enchanted gemstone suns by a shimmering lake of molten rock that glitters like gems. It is no surprise that this Rainbow Metropolis is a major trade hub that takes in goods from across the cosmos, save for the Plane of Fire.

The latter is the cavern of Citrinide, which is so massive that it contains a total of 40 city-states within it, with their own intrigues. The cavern is named for the colossal citrines that give it light and color.

The Peerless Empire is perhaps one of the richest empires in the cosmos, especially since they have such resource holdings as Goldhive, a massive gold ore deposit stretching for untold miles. The current wardens of this complex are a group of lampads that are outwardly quite friendly but also dutiful in reporting intrusion and theft.

When earth elementals go mad with rage, they are often brought to the Somnisphere, a prison and preserve for such beings. Concentric Rings of magically-reinforced glass keep elementals from wandering away and causing havoc, and many creatures of earth watch over this place to care for the residents. Chief among them is a xiomorn warden named Keevauchtum.

A path of destruction exists on the plane of earth, a massive tunnel that seems to have been chewed through with no purpose other than to remove the matter before the digger’s eyes. This is the Violent Road. When the olethrodaemon Garav, Mother of Hunger became trapped in a labyrinth of diamond walls for centuries, she went mad and has vowed to destroy the entirety of the Plane of Earth, burrowing and consuming it all no matter how long it takes. This technically does still fulfill the daemonic mission statement of destroying all life, but I also get the frustration in a weird way. Despite the path’s meandering, the tunnel does breach into other caves and tunnels, making it a useful shortcut if you can brave the fiends that have joined the daemon’s crusade against stone walls.

Perhaps even more sinister is the Deadground, a continent-sized expanse where the life and energy of the plane has been tainted, robbed of the endless potential of earth, leaving only dust and dross behind. Undead horrors such as nightshades lurk there, though they are not strong enough to have been the source of this malignant curse.

Far from the Opaline Vault lies Stonetide, a cavern of city states where the planes of earth and water collide, turning the earth to mud as the waves soak into and churn the stone. Rather than fight the tide, the cities here instead build ever-upward, abandoning lower districts to form the foundations of the next level as they sink.

The Saline Sarcophagus is a sinkhole-riddled desert of nothing but salt as fine as sand. While the salinity is enough to desiccate the living that do not prepare for the harsh conditions, it offers a boon in the form of many portals to other planes, making it useful for travel away from the Plane of Earth. Such departees are warned by the guardians of sand and salt however, not to return the same way, for they guard against any and all intruders that enter through these portals from outside.

Formerly known as Lavaloch, Buhayrat Al-Naar is a fortress of the genies from the elemental plane of fire. Officially it is meant to be a purely diplomatic structure, a peace offering of unity hoping to cool the animostity between their kind. The leadership of the Opaline Vault, however, must overcome generations of rage against their efreeti/ifrit neighbors.

The Blistering Labyrinth is the home of Ayrzul, the Fossilized King and one of the two mighty elemental lords that ostensibly rule over the plane. The name is appropriate given that the whole place is radioactive, with only select types of elementals being able to survive there, and mortals much less so. Among the glowing burning crystals are so many blackened or bleached bones, the closer to the center one gets, the bigger the bones, for only the largest and toughest creatures can venture far without magical protection.

Much less is known about the realm of Ayrzul’s counterpart, Sairazul. The Emergent Facet is a vast crystalline complex, a massive emerald hive traced with gold that is ever expanding as her servants rebuild her realm after her imprisonment in the Moaning Diamond, and travellers that come in peace can expect hospitality from her myriad children, consorts, and worshippers dwelling there.

(art by maksimll2 on DeviantArt)

Our path through the elemental planes has led up through air, through the wooden branches, into the depths of water and between the forces of metal… and now we come to where the refined metal grows from ore in the earth.

It is said that in the beginning, the plane of earth was an unbroken infinite sphere of earthen matter. However, as the creation of the cosmos churned, the vast strata cracked, melted, and was bored through with the erosion of wind and waves from the other planes, creating the Eternal Delve that we know to day. Much of it is still never ending solid rock and earth, but now there are caverns, rifts, and wonders aplenty within it’s depths, with crystals, gems, and ores aplenty in quantities that few can truly look upon and comprehend.

While most of the plane lies in darkness, other parts of the plane are aglow with magma flows, magic glowing gemstones (some big and bright enough to illuminate caverns big enough to fit planets in), and the like.

In western elementalism, earth is the element of mass, weight, and immovability. Wuxing adds things like practicality, patience, thoughtfulness, and immovability, but also stubbornness, self-pity, selfishness and being set in one’s ways.

Pathfinder’s element of earth adds the insight that while earth is resistant to change, it is not immune to being changed, and so it is also the element of endless possibility and creativity. After all, earth can be transformed and chipped away to reveal gems and other wonders. Meanwhile, even the negative space existing alongside earthen matter becomes a separate thing, like how a beautiful cavern is basically and elaborate hole where earth used to be. Meanwhile, plants grow and are nourished by the earth, which nourishes other beings in kind. In this way, earth is also defined by how it interacts with other elements and materials, both as a foundation upon which they stand and exist, but also in how those elements alter and shape earth in kind.

Ironically, despite being as vast and infinite as any other plane, the reason one can struggle to recognize that unfathomable depth is because they can only see the physical edges of it in the forms of walls, floors, and ceilings. Only burrowing and earth-gliding creatures can truly get a glimpse of it’s vast infinity, and that is only as far as their senses reach.

I suppose that is why it is called the Eternal Delve, for no matter how far one digs, you can always find something new and wondrous, even if it is not necessarily what was looked for.

The plane of course has it’s own forms of elemental life, ironically often interacting with their plane by leaving the solid rock to enter the air-filled gaps.

I used an 80 dollar manual flash with a 20 dollar diffuser from Amazon.

I didn't even have a macro lens. I just stuck a plastic spacer behind my normal lens to increase its magnification.

And I also cannot stand upright for more than 10 minutes at a time.

That is basically the "in a cave with a box of scraps" version of photography.

I say this not to brag, but to let people understand how much you can do with modest tools under challenging circumstances when you prioritize knowledge and experience.

Education is the superpower that transcends fancy gear.

This I say to brag...

This is only a fraction of my photographic power.

Beelieve it or not, this blue bee is the real deal! 🐝 Meet the blue carpenter bee (Xylocopa caerulea). This large bee can reach lengths of up to 1.1 in (2.8 cm); compare that to a European honey bee which typically grows up to 0.7 in (1.8 cm) long! Unlike honeybees, this critter doesn’t live in large hives, but instead spends most of its time alone. This insect can be found in parts of India, China, and Southeast Asia where it plays an important role in pollinating its habitat. 

Ghost of a clown who follows you around calling you mean names

Monster who gives you depression. It only knows the spell "inflict depression". This doesn't benefit it in any way. It's just an asshole.

Outsider who comes to our dimension to punch ugly people to death

BRAIN MOLE, THE MOLE IN YOUR BRAIN!

Construct made of pure elemental sadness

Thing that drinks your bones. Not eats them, drinks them. Slurp Slurp.

Graveyard someone buried a vampire in and now the whole fucking graveyard is just one big vampire. Someone's getting fired for this.

Naptime fairies who jump you and forcibly tuck you in to bed because you look all tuckered out.

Monster that can only eat the undead so it goes around killing people, reanimating them as zombies and then eating them

Summoning circle someone fucked up making hard enough it's now alive and wondering around summoning random shit.

Make your guesses! Answers after the break!

I could SWEAR you’ve made this post before, or perhaps this is such a characteristically “you” concept that I already imagined a world in which you had

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[21:09] * Topic is 'Loadouts: reactor choice | hydraulics vs. pneumatics | Balance: sprocket expert cost | you have to CRANK it | RDHA general discussion'

[21:09] * Set by cennostar on Thu April 17th 1998

[21:09] <Varilyth> yea

[21:10] <Varilyth> wrenchy knows more about it then me but

[21:10] <taNDy> hey guys

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[21:10] <Sulfur> Welcome!

[21:10] <cennostar> hey tandy

[21:10] <Zalubrio> welcome!

[21:10] <sweetums|AFK> Welcome!

[21:10] <Varilyth> you can make some DISGUSTING fixes when you can ignore chirality like that

[21:11] <Varilyth> like it should be an 8 pt ability at least

[21:11] <Varilyth> hi

[21:11] * Sulfur nods sagely.

[21:13] <Sulfur> Fair enough. I might talk to my group about house-ruling it for our next run. Nobody had any fun this session. Except the wrenchman, that is.

[21:13] <wrenchy|AFK> i had so much fun

[21:13] <Varilyth> right

[21:14] * sweetums|AFK is now known as sweetums

[21:14] <Sulfur> Not you, Wrenchy.

[21:14] <wrenchy|AFK> :'-(

[21:15] <taNDy> hey guys

[21:15] <taNDy> can I ask a rules question?

[21:16] * sweetums rolls eyes

[21:16] <sweetums> oh here we go

[21:16] * cennostar slaps sweetums upside the head with a large trout!

[21:16] <cennostar> be nice!!

[21:16] <cennostar> go ahead tandy

[21:17] <cennostar> ask away

[21:17] <taNDy> thx

[21:19] <taNDy> so im a noob and have only played one session but ive been reading the rules for playing as the chief and

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[21:20] <Sulfur> Sure.

[21:20] <taNDy> and i wanted to ask what happens when the reactor goes critical *during a jump*?

[21:20] <sweetums> lol

[21:21] <taNDy> like it says I can work any system at -1 and do any repair at -5

[21:21] <taNDy> attempt* any repair

[21:22] <Sulfur> Depends on how much of a sadist the captain is.

[21:22] <taNDy> but it also says i can only repair the system im working on right now

[21:22] <sweetums> my first run ended like that

[21:23] <taNDy> so if im working the jump drive and the reactor starts playing up i have to choose between either doing the jump and stabilizing it after, or aborting and stabilizing now, right?

[21:23] <sweetums> reactor go boom-boom, need jump and go buy new core

[21:23] <sweetums> we try jump, captain rolls, captain laughs

[21:23] <sweetums> ship got folded

[21:24] <taNDy> folded??

[21:24] <Sulfur> Folded.

[21:24] <Varilyth> lmao get folded

[21:24] <Varilyth> pwned

[21:25] <Zalubrio> lol

[21:25] <Zalubrio> tandy read tha jumps chapter in tha captain's book and ull get it

[21:26] <Varilyth> or don't

[21:26] <Varilyth> and experience the game the way it was meant to be played :-)

[21:26] <taNDy> oh

[21:26] <sweetums> yea

[21:27] <Sulfur> Seconded.

[21:27] <Sulfur> Or thirded, rather.

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[21:28] <Extronaut> fffffffffffucking dial-up

[21:28] <Extronaut> Hey guys

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[21:28] <Sulfur> Hey Naut. Hey Mrs. Naut.

[21:28] <Varilyth> lmao

[21:29] <Sulfur> :(

[21:30] * Sulfur stares melancholily out of the closest viewport.

[21:30] <sweetums> melancholily isnt a word

[21:31] <Sulfur> Buy a dictionary, sweetums.

[21:31] <Zalubrio> lol

[21:31] <Zalubrio> but yea tandy

[21:32] <Zalubrio> tha good news is that if ur reactor goes critical during a jump

[21:32] <Zalubrio> ur captain is *trying* 2 TPK u already

[21:33] <Zalubrio> so ure dead newai

[21:33] <sweetums> dead n folded

[21:34] <Zalubrio> unless it was obv precrit before tha jump

[21:34] <Zalubrio> like sweetums group

[21:35] <Zalubrio> so dont worry about it

[21:35] <taNDy> oh ok

[21:36] <Zalubrio> besides u shuld have a fields engi on tha reactor n nav on jumps newai

[21:36] <Zalubrio> most important roles 4 shure

[21:37] <Varilyth> yeah forget the reactor and the jump drive, you're forgetting about the chief's most important ability

[21:37] <cennostar> lol

[21:37] <Varilyth> +3 on the best action in the game

[21:38] <Sulfur> Uh oh.

[21:38] <taNDy> ???

[21:38] <Varilyth> hand. cranking. machinery.

[21:38] * Varilyth CRANKS it!

[21:38] * sweetums CRANKS it!

[21:39] * wrenchy|AFK CRANKS it1!

[21:39] * cennostar CRANKS it!

[21:39] * Zalubrio cRANKS IT!!

[21:39] <sweetums> llmmmaaaooooooo

[21:40] * Sulfur doesn't crank anything.

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