Jeff James’ rules for Realms

This is a repost of Jeff James’ rules for handling Selenim Realms. I was planning on including an adaptation of this as part of my series on adapting Anamorphosis, but decided to share it in its own post. These were originally shared on the (now defunct) mailing list on July 14, 2003. These use random generation tables (roll 1d10) and thus are appropriate for the GM to generate NPC sovereigns and their realms. If desired then these rules may represent a Nephilim’s elemental realm, too. 

Hope you enjoy!

Selenim realms

These are my rules for creating selenim realm. Their from my slow revamp of my neph-hunter crossover rules. Basically transtory selenim are on the run, residential selenim are in residence, basically. A note to the French newcommers. I know these aren't how realms are but we've never had any real english selenim rules
—Jeff James (July 14, 2003)

Transitory Selenim

A transitory Selenim (or a weak residential Selenim) has not had the opportunity to create a true realm but its Black moon ka has had its irresistible effects on the Selenim's surroundings. 

1-4 The building the Selenim occupies has not physically changed but the Selenim can control the environment inside the building at will (e.g. blood running down walls, inexplicable temperature changes, opening, closing and locking doors at will).

5-7 The Selenim can change the layout of the occupied building but the building's structural integrity must remain intact or it will collapse. Generally this means that walls and floors can move but the cannot disappear.

8-9 The occupying Selenim has complete control of the building but, while the internal dimensions conform to its wishes, the outside of the structure remains identical.

10 The Selenim has enough power to create a mini-realm that only comprises of a place and a throne. One doorway in the building acts as a threshold and gateway to the mini-realm.

Residential Selenim

Residential Selenim have the time and resources to build a Selenim realm. These realms are comprised of four components: A palace, the Selenim's throne, the palace grounds and the lands of the realm. 

To get to the realm a threshold will act as a gateway to the realm. 

Physically the Selenim is on the other side but anyone crossing the threshold is now inside the black moon world. Thus the only way to attack a residential Selenim is to either coax it past the realm's threshold or destroy its residence.

Palace

If the imago is an expression of the Selenim's personality then the palace is the expression of its power. The more powerful the Selenim, the bigger and more ornate the palace

1 The Selenim's palace built in the style of the Selenim's original culture. The most common of these are Aztec, Mayan and Egyptian though any architecture style is possible.

2-3 The Selenim's palace is built in the Classical style. The Palace is mass of white marble and a maze of columns and avenues that seem to stretch for miles.

4-5 The Selenim's palace takes the form of a medieval castle. Turrets, walls, moats, and siege defenses create ring after ring around the castles great keep. Whether or not these defenses have worked and the castle stands in all it's glory or if it's a broken ruin has to be decided.

6-7 The Selenim's palace is built as a massive Gothic cathedral. From the high vaulted ceiling blasphemous saints look down on the pews where vast numbers of nameless things must come to worship their masters altar and throne.

8 The Selenim's palace is less a palace and more an incredible Industrial Machine. Whether the Machine is a dark reflection of a Victorian poorhouse or Ford's production line, whatever purpose of the vast expenditure of energy, it's is noisy, loud and everything is shaking.

9 The Selenim's palace is constructed in some other style that takes the Selenim's fancy. In fact the palace may change upon every visit. Other styles include; Saxon long house, Roman Villa, Hollywood art deco mansion.

10 The Selenim's palace is constructed as a grim remembrance of Atlantean architecture. "The geometry of the dream-place he saw was abnormal, non-Euclidian, and loathsomely redolent of spheres and dimensions apart from ours."

Throne 

The throne is the seat at which the Selenim controls its realm

1-2 A child of indeterminate sex wears expensive clothes and sits on a large velvet cushion on top of a golden throne, fidgeting with a crown that is slightly too big.

3-4 An old person, either decrepit man or withered hag, wrapped in layers of old, moth-eaten and slightly moldering fur. It sits on an old worn wooden throne that has been upholstered with red leather.

5-6 A knight clad in heavy black armor sits on a wooden chair furnished with a fur. It leans heavily on a large broadsword. Around its throne are the trophies and banners it has accumulated over the long years.

7-8 A statue stands immobile and impervious to everything. Around the foot of the statue are offerings to the living god of this realm, incarnated as a sentinel. Closer examination of the statue reveals that ghostly images play over the surface. These images may impart knowledge, orders or madness.

9 A nearly grown fetus, wrapped in an amniotic sac hovers a few feet of the grown. While it's all too human eyes may regard any visitors. Any emotion or feeling cannot be read from its unchanging expression.

10 A monster sits in its sanctuary. The Selenim has given full form to it's imago and now, as this terrible creature, it rules the realm.

Palace Grounds

The environment that surrounds the immediate vicinity of the palace.

1-2 The palace is built on a featureless plateau.

3-4 The palace is surrounded by wild, overgrown vegetation that may have invaded the palace.

5-6 The palace has ornamental gardens laid out around it.

7-8 The palace grounds have been laid flat and featureless by artificial means like paving stones or poured concrete.

9-10 The palace is built atop a large out crop of natural rock. Paths have been worn down the side of the mountain.

Lands

The environment that stretches from the palace grounds to the edge of the horizon.

1-2 The palace looks out onto the top of a vast labyrinth. The movement of shadows indicates that there might be something trying to escape.

3-4 The palace looks out onto a desert plain. At the horizon, the plain meets a chain of jagged mountains.

5-6 The palace looks out onto a mist bound moor. The mist never approaches the palace but one might fancy seeing shapes looming towards them.

7-8 The palace and its grounds are as island in an ocean that stretches from horizon to horizon.

9-10 The palace is surrounded by ruins that were once buildings that shared the same style as the palace.

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