Around the turn of the century, however, an unknown person or group masterminded the construction of underground railways beneath many of the world’s largest cities. Unbeknownst to almost anyone, the tracks of these railways were laid out in ancient patterns – similar to runes, mandalas, or spirit paths. Normally, an individual shaman walking such a path would generate a small amount of magical energy. The trains, carrying countless individuals around the paths continuously, ended up generating enough magical energy to hold the loss of magical radiance at bay.

The advent of subways led to the survival of the last remaining magical realm in the world – Evermore. Located beneath the subways and sewers of the world, Evermore is a land populated by the freaks, the homeless, the outcasts, the mad, and the lost. It is a place where lost dreams are given form by those who still dare to believe in them. It is also the last vestige of myth and legend and a refuge for the creatures, gods, and heroes no one believes in anymore. Unlike more traditional magical realms, however, Evermore is built upon the dreams of countless ages – both historical and modern. It is, therefore, a place where Urban legends such as the hook-handed killer can exist side by side with the orphaned girl who always fancied herself a princess. If it was once a dream, it can be reality in Evermore. Since Evermore is built in the cracks of the world, however, there is almost always a dark sense of the second-hand and decay. There are many wondrous things in Evermore but they are rarely pristine. Although every city with a subway shares a piece of Evermore, this game will take place in the Underground kingdom beneath the streets of New York.

Domains
Although Evermore is a single realm, it is divided into various domains. Each domain is ruled by a lord or lady who provides protection and prosperity for those who agree to follow them. Most denizens pledge themselves to a domain and remain there. Every three years in the spring, during the Beltane Festival, individuals may leave their old domain for a new one. This typically requires the permission of the lords of both domains as well as a tribute to one’s old liege. The transition is completed and formalized when the new denizen openly swears fealty to their new liege at the Beltane Festival.

Like the kingdoms of old, the domains of the underworld forge alliances, trade in goods and services, and (at times) make war on one another. The rulers each govern their domain as they see fit. Some are benign and others despotic. A key to survival in Evermore is awareness of the mood and temper of the various domain’s rulers. Although there are countless domains, the following is a list of the ones figuring prominently in the present game.

• Vaudeville: There is a place where the dreams of hopeful thespians go to die. It is a junkyard of nostalgia and an outpost of simpler times and happier days. Although those who visit Vaudeville are in constant danger of falling prey to the domain’s overwhelming ennui, many brave it in the hopes of finding the remains of Vaudeville’s power to move hearts and expand minds. Many of those who dwell here are the lost and the homeless who once aspired to be actors/actresses, poets, writers, etc . The current monarch of the domain is a former silent movie star known as the Queen of Rags and her throne is within the Palace of Silver and Silence – a monument to the long gone era of silent pictures.

• The 13th Floor: This realm consists of all the places that were forsaken by surface dwellers and have fallen through the cracks into the underworld. The realm is a grave for everything New York has ever forgotten. Old billboards and neon signs, trolley cars, ancient pinball machines, rusted tractor trailers and graffiti covered subway cars lay stacked and forgotten in the halls of abandoned tenement buildings and abandoned churches. Within the domain are a variety of other locals including the island of forgotten toys and the lost mailroom. The 13th Floor has few denizens for it is a favorite place for various monsters to hunt. Those who do dwell here are mostly homeless individuals forgotten by society, no longer loved feral pets, and long forgotten legendaries.

• The Tapestry of Webs: Deep beneath Riker’s Island lies a twisting series of tunnels known as the Tapestry of Webs. This domain was founded by the Silken Widow, a Lost woman who found her way into Evermore after she was locked away and forgotten. It is a realm forged around the dream of freedom, the sensual nightmare of bondage, and the harshness of justice. More so than most fiefs, the population of the tapestry of Webs is somewhat diverse. It includes those who were wrongly imprisoned, those who have been hurt by their social contracts (abused wives and children for example), and those who have been persecuted for their social status or sexuality. When people are forced from the world above for these reasons, they invariably find their way to the Tapestry of Webs. Spiders are sacred in this realm and none are allowed to harm them.

• Old Amsterdam: Under what was once the old center of the city (i.e. Wall Street and City Hall) lies the domain now called Old Amsterdam. It is filled with some of the oldest places in the underworld (old Dutch homes and the abandoned City Hall station) as well as more modern curiosities (the secret bomb shelters of the New York Stock Exchange). Most who dwell here are individuals who prefer the luxury of the old sites or those who value the pursuit of knowledge. Old Amsterdam was once considered the stately capitol of the New York Underground. For all of existing memory, the leader of Old Amsterdam has been an elderly librarian known as The Athenian. Although he had no official power over other domains, The Athenian’s wisdom bought him clout with many of the other rulers. So long as he remained strong and wise, they were happy to follow his lead in most matters. The Athenian, however, has been getting older and, some would say, weak. Old Amsterdam has been slowly losing territory and influence to the more militaristic domain of the New Port Authority. The only thing that has saved Old Amsterdam from a full scale invasion is the labyrinth of corridors and traps surrounding the domain.

• The New Port Authority: The area beneath the Port Authority is one of the most notorious domains in Evermore. These half flooded and cavernous sewers have been claimed by the strict and despotic rule of the domain’s leader – A Freak Bravo named Aerestes. Tired of living under the thumb of others, Aerestes gathered together a small army of those who also believed in the doctrine of “might makes right.” Together, they laid claim to the New Port Authority and declared it open to anyone strong enough to live there. Possibly due their highly visible and deformed ruler, the domain has become a haven for many Freaks shunned from the Upworld because of their own deformities. The population has been growing at an alarming rate and Aerestes has been using that as opportunity to expand aggressively into other domains – particularly the prestigious Old Amsterdam. Many fear that, if successful, Aerestes will not stop until the entire underworld is united under the New Port Authority.

• Mhyurrtown: There is a legend amongst the Ferals of a city beneath New York where all animals are safe from the oppression of humans. This is, in fact, the case. Long ago, a group of Homeless humans tried to enslave a group of ferals. They rebelled and enslaved the humans instead. Now the domain is ruled by a Mastiff, a raven, and a one-eyed ally cat.

Other Locations of Note
Although they are not technically domains, the following are some important locations most denizens of Evermore would know something about.

• Crooklyn: The area of Crooklyn lies beneath High Street, Jay Street, and Clark Street. Since it has not been formally recognized by the rulers of Evermore, Crooklyn is not technically a domain. Instead, it is a lawless zone where those who are in exile even within the underworld have gone to ground. Most of those who dwell here are Outcasts from the guilds. Unable to get legitimate work, they tend to result to robbery, theft, and other forms of illegal activity to survive. Most denizens of Evermore avoid Crooklyn. A few desperate individuals, however, have journeyed to Crooklyn to hire people for jobs reputable Guild members would never accept. Crooklyn really has no leader per se'. Its most prominent citizen, however, is a thief and a crime lord name Elijah, the Ratling prince.

• Carthage Opera House: During the construction of the subway lines, the foundation of the Carthage Opera House was destabilized and the building slid off its foundations into the bottom of a trench. It was subsequently buried and forgotten. As such, it became a part of Evermore. It is currently one of the centers of entertainment in Evermore. The Carthage Opera House exists in Vaudeville and has become the traditional site for the Beltane Festival.

• Old Bones: Below Penn Station and Madison Square Garden is a cavern worn away by erosion and construction. This chamber is a junction in Evermore that connects several tunnels. The entire junction is filled with crossing bridges and girders that make it a confusing tangle of paths. It is nearly impossible to navigate and a popular saying in Evermore is “Old Bones sets you on the path it wants… whether you like it or not.”

• The Hundred Candle Vault: According to legend, a formless horror awoke in Evermore nearly a century ago. This living breathing darkness stalked the passages of the underground slaying all in its path. Various individuals gathered together to defeat the darkness. Even with their assembled might, these heroes could not destroy the darkness. So they imprisoned it within a ring of 100 candles hidden deep in the tunnels below the city. As long as the candles remain burning, the Darkness can not escape. According to the legends about the Vault, the lone survivor of the encounter with the darkness – an ancient woman known only as the Sister – tends the candles to insure they never falter. To date, no one has been willing to verify the existence of the Sister and no Delver who has gone looking for the Vault has been able to find it. Many people believe the entire story to be nothing but a tale invented to frightened children at bedtime.

Denizens
The denizens of Evermore are a wide and colorful lot. Most are, essentially, humans. They are the madman, the homeless, and others who have slipped through the cracks of reality and found themselves in the realms down below. Some of Evermore’s citizens, however, are distinctly unusual and are not found in the Upworld. The following is a brief description of some of the more unusual kinds of people found in the various realms.

• Ferals: Ferals are animals who have acquired sentience and intelligence by dwelling in areas of magical radiance. They are often bitter about their maltreatment by humans and, as a rule, tend to avoid contact with most other breeds. Almost all Ferals live in Mhyurrtown.

• Freaks: Freaks are side-show oddities and mutants who been forced to seek refuge in Evermore because of their obvious physical deformities. Some freaks are bitter about their lot in life, some melancholy, and others are at peace. The only truth about the freaks is that each one is unique.

• Myths: It is rumored that Evermore is a place where dreams go to die. Although no one has been able to prove it, some librarians believe many figures from traditional mythology and folklore are alive and well in the realms of Evermore.

Guilds
As in the Upworld, the denizens of Evermore typically have professions. Individuals with similar skills who offer particular services group together into guilds. Interestingly, every domain respects the sanctity of the guilds, regardless of the whims of individuals lords and ladies. The traditions maintained by the guilds, similar to those of renaissance Europe, govern and control the practice of certain professions. Although anyone can technically perform the services governed by guilds (i.e. fighting, trading, research, etc), only guild members can be compensated for their work. Individuals who break this rule are commonly declared as Outcasts and are often considered Pariahs by those who are still in guilds. Outcasts are in a lot of trouble since they have no legal right to perform services in the Underworld. They are often forced to resort to criminal work or begging in order to survive. The following is a brief list of recognized guilds in the Underworld and the services they are allowed to charge for.

• Weavers: Weavers are the most unusual and eclectic of the guilds. They are a collection of magicians and mad scientists. The one thing they all have in common is that they are able to make use of Dross and raw radiant magic to perform powerful rituals, create relics, build bizarre machines that shouldn’t work in the modern world, etc. Each weaver subscribes to a specific tradition of working magic through which their abilities are manifested. Traditions include mad science, alchemy, witchcraft, numerology, etc. Weavers are generally respected and feared since they all tend to be at least a little mad. Weavers are the only ones legally allowed to accept Dross or services in return for casting spells for someone.

• Bravos: These are the soldiers, body guards, and assassins of Evermore. They are, as a rule, highly trained combatants. Although anyone in Evermore can fight to defend themselves, Bravos are the only ones who are allowed to fight in return for Dross or services. As long as they have a formal contract, Bravos are considered to have a legal right to act as body guards, mercenaries, or even assassins. Anyone else who commits an act of violence in someone’s domain is subject to discipline from the ruler of the domain in which the act occurred.

• Librarians: Librarians are brokers of knowledge. They are lore masters and keepers of secrets. If they don’t know a particular piece of information, they often have the resources at hand to uncover it. Librarians are the only ones who can ask for Dross or services in return for information.

• Mendicants: Mendicants are doctors, healers, leeches, and social workers. They often travel the underworld begging shelter and food in return for services rendered. It is generally considered bad form to refuse a mendicant or to harm him/her. Mendicants are the only ones who can ask for Dross or services in return for healing.

• Navigators: Navigators are scouts and explorers who specialize in learning and memorizing the various paths and trods that lead through Evermore. They are the only guild capable of leading someone reliably and safely from one domain in Evermore to another. They practice a unique art form of “tagging” which allows them to communicate information about particular routes and passages. Navigators are the only denizens of Evermore who can accept Dross or Services in return for acting as a scout or guide.

• Traders: Traders are individuals who specialize in obtaining Upworld items, artifacts, food, and/or dross for individuals. They are also paid to broker deals and/or find items people need but are too busy to look for themselves. They also are valued for their skills in negotiation that have helped bring an end to multiple conflicts between domains. Traders are the only ones who can forge binding contracts between two individuals and they will often charge individuals Dross or services in return for doing so. Traders usually offer discounts to one another to facilitate the flow of goods throughout the realm.

Artificers and Savage Technology
In Evermore, there are a few individuals who are capable of abusing the rules of science to build incredible devices out of junk yard remnants. Although they are not a formal guild, these individuals are typically referred to as Artificers. Most Artificers tend to be Librarians or Weavers who use weird science as a focus for their “magic”. The devices they construct are typically known as Savage Technology. These “Steam Punk” style devices are relatively rare and highly valued.

Economy
Unlike the Upworld, the denizens of Evermore do not pay for goods and services with money. In fact, formal currency has little or no value to anyone in Evermore save the occasional trader who has dealings with Upworlders. The closest thing to “coinage” in the realm of Evermore is Dross. Dross, technically speaking, are sentimental objects (old wedding rings, graduation photos, children’s stuffed animals, etc.) which have been imbued with radiant magical energy via the emotion invested in them by former owners. These items are highly valued by the denizens of Evermore because they can be used in magical rituals or as “fuel” sources for unusual abilities. Unfortunately, Dross items used in this way are consumed and can no longer be used.

The Denizens of Evermore will also freely trade services or favors in return for things they need. This is one reason why the Guild structure is so important. Individuals can “legally” offer different services depending on what guild they belong to (see GUILDS above). Most individuals will make informal contracts. When a deal is very important, however, denizens of Evermore will often pay a Trader to negotiate and draw up a formal contract for them.

Individuals who break deals are often marked as Oathbreakers. Oathbreakers have a hard time in Evermore because Trader law prevents any guild member from bargaining with them. Since trade and cooperation are essential for survival in Evermore, most people are very dedicated to keeping the promises and deals they make (even when they get the short end of the stick). Formal deals are, by their very nature, easy to enforce. Even individuals who break informal deals can be labeled Oathbreakers, however, if the right person believes the wronged party...

Common Prices
Evermore operates on a Barter economy. By definition then, nothing is worth anything more than someone is willing to pay for it. Having said that, decades of trading have resulted in common items and services being seen as having a “standard” price that most are willing to pay. Below is a rough guide of prices most denizens of Evermore would trade for their wares and services. Individuals interested in trading favors for goods will often offer a service with a comparable cost to that of the object they are seeking. Traders will often offer a 1 Dross discount to other members of their guild for items costing more than 1 Dross.

The Rules of the Realm
In Evermore, there are very few rules. The ones that exist, however, are extremely important. The ruler of a Domain has the right and responsibility to punish individuals who break rules in their domain. In addition, any domain ruler has the right and responsibility to punish an individual from their domain who breaks one of these rules. Sometimes this can lead to one individual being punished twice for the same crime. A common punishment is labeling the offender as an Oathbreaker or Outcast. Other punishments tend to be medieval in nature and related to the crime. For example, a ruler may force a year of servitude on someone who broke a contract or cut off the hand of a thief. The following are the key rules that govern all denizens of Evermore:

1. You shall not accept payment for a service provided by a guild unless you are a member of that guild.
2. You shall not harm a mendicant nor refuse them food or shelter provided they are a guild member in good standing.
3. You shall not spill blood in another’s hall unless a Bravo sanctioned by contract.
4. An oath, once uttered, is binding and shall not be broken.
5. What is yours can only be given, not taken.

The Beltane Festival
The Beltane festival is a celebration of spring, birth, and new beginnings that occurs once every three years. In Evermore, it is also the celebration of the creation of the realm. Beltane is the one day where all of the different domains gather together under a flag of truce. Although this truce only officially covers the site of the festival, the day generally tends to be a peaceful one throughout the realm. Beltane is the only day when individuals can be officially recognized as denizens of Evermore or officially ask to be accepted in a different domain. It is also the only day when new domains can be recognized by the leaders of existing domains. Traditionally, denizens of Evermore who wish to marry do so on this day to add power and strength to their marriage.

The Beltane Festival is treated by most as an opportunity to drink, socialize, and flirt. There are, however, certain rituals which are always performed. First, a king and queen are always selected by the ruler of the domain which hosts the festival. These two individuals are symbolically married during the day to recognize the unity of the realm. Second, a candle is always lighted to symbolize the fire that gave life to Evermore. Finally, the host is always required to sacrifice Dross to the future prosperity of the realm.

Most denizens of Evermore consider the rituals to be a necessary evil. Many, however, pay them lip service. There are always rumors something bad will happen if the ritual isn’t completed. Since the ritual is painfully simple to enact, however, no one has ever had the opportunity to find out.

So eat, drink, and be merry friends! The celebration of spring is upon us!

Radiance
Magical energy is, in many respects, like water. It flows, it leaks, and (thanks to the advent of subways) it pools in the depths of the underground. These radiance pools are the source of Evermore’s strength. They provide the “fuel” that powers magical rituals and artifacts as well as the savage technology invented by artificers. The ambient energy is all that makes it possible for inherently magical beings such as Legendaries to exist at all. As such, Radiance is the most treasured natural resource in Evermore. Most domains spring up around Radiance pools and they are guarded savagely by their owners.

Time in Evermore
Time is much like a river. It always flows downstream, but more rapidly in some places than others. It is also influenced by Radiance. When in the presence of strong sources of radiance, time sometimes develops strong currents. These currents can occasionally carry someone downstream so quickly that they effectively end up in the future. It is, therefore, possible for people, places, or things, to enter Evermore from times before the kingdom technically existed. Once there, however, they can not return because the river always flows downstream.

Monsters
One of the dangers of living in Evermore is there are nightmares as well as dreams that take form there. Deep in the tunnels of the city, countless monsters lurk and prey upon the unwary. The following is a brief list of some that might be encountered by individuals traveling between domains during the game.

• The Faceless Dark: Every child has nightmares about a variety of hungry monsters that dwell under the bed or in the closet. The strong belief of these children has given birth to a terrifying monstrosity known in Evermore as the Faceless Dark. This creature has no true form. It takes the shape of something it believes may be frightening to its prey and then begins to stalk them. Once it catches up with its terrified prey, it falls upon them and feeds. The Faceless Dark can never really be killed, although it can be temporarily defeated.

• Morlocks: There is a legend about a group of inbred homeless who dwell outside the political and social structure of Evermore. These depraved and lost souls live in total darkness and feed on the flesh of their fellow human beings. Sometimes called Morlocks, these individuals are described as pale skinned, hunchbacked, and brutally savage. They are rumored to hunt in packs and cannot be reasoned with.

• The Late Train: There is a rumor in Evermore that the radiance has given sentience to a lost subway train. The train is said to be extremely malicious. Whether this is because it is simply tired of years of abuse by humans or because it is dangerously deranged no one knows. The Late Train apparently haunts the tracks of the New York Subway, looking for humans wandering the tracks. When it finds one, it tries to chase them down and run them over. Some brave souls have also talked about “riding the late train” in order to reach somewhere in the Underground quickly. Essentially they summon the train and ride it like a bucking bronco to their destination. This, however, is an extremely dangerous proposition since the Late Train never forgets those who abuse it in this way.

• The Will o’Wisps: Sometimes, denizens of Evermore will hear voices or see lights when they travel the tunnels. There are stories these voices attempt to lead unwary travelers into the depths of Old Bones where they can become lost and starve to death. Other say the voices and lights have tried to lead them unwittingly into the third rail. The oldest denizens of Evermore have called these phantoms “Will O’Wisps” and have warned their subjects to follow them at their own peril.

A Brief Glossary
The following are several slang terms used throughout Evermore. You may find them helpful for finding means to make your character’s speech more colorful.

• Baggered (adj): Scared, terrified – from the Dutch phrase “bagger schijten”, to shit mud.
• Bounce (v): To get out, leave.
• Climbing the down (n): To kill time. Based on the results of trying to climb a down escalator.
• Crow-Ho (n): Derogatory term for anyone wearing “Goth” accoutrements.
• Domain (n): Political territory of Evermore governed by one ruler.
• Flush Hour (n): See High Tide.
• Hellenback (v): To travel a long way. For example, “we hellenbacked all the way to the Forsaken Hall.”
• High-Tide (n): Time from 5 AM to 8 AM when most Upworlders are having their morning showers.
• Jack Roll (v): To rob, usually someone who is helpless.
• Kissed the Light (v): Killed, as if hit by a train.
• Oathbreather (n): Someone who has violated a sacred contract. They cannot be trusted and Guild members may not trade with them.
• Outcast (n): Someone who has broken Guild Law or lives outside the guilds. They are not to be trusted.
• Push (n): Gossip or advanced word, as in the strong wind that heralds the arrival of a train.
• Third Rail (n): a derogatory term for a dangerous person to be around.