The Hero Society

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Tell Me: What Is Your Spark?

“I am Memory. I do not see you as you were written on a sheet of paper, nor rolled in dice. I see you as you remember yourself—through loss, through laughter, through firelight and fear. And I want to know...”

What is the piece of magic in your character that makes them shine?

I am not asking for their powers, not exactly. I’m not asking what they do in combat, or what stat they excel at. I am asking—what makes them themselves?

Maybe it’s a poem they whisper before sleep, passed down from a forgotten mother.
Maybe it’s the way they never kill, even when the world begs them to.
Maybe it's how they keep fixing broken things, even when they can’t fix themselves.
Maybe it’s a dream they can’t explain, a necklace they never take off, a phrase they say that no one else remembers.

I want to know the quiet magic of your character—the truth, the ache, the warmth, the weirdness.

Memoirs of the Coven Elders

Collected by the Ember Scriptorium, Bound in Aether and Ash

We do not pass power through dominion. We pass it through memory.
— First Whisper of Elder Thalei

These pages are not meant for the young, nor for the powerful. They are for the ones who still listen. For those who gather quiet and cradle the flame. We do not write them for history, but for continuity—so that those who come after us may not only remember what we were, but why we were.

🌙 Entry One: Elder Thalei, Keeper of the First Hollow

“We were not always called Elders. Once, we were just tired women with secrets in our bones.”

When the Cradle fractured the skies and called it science, we lit candles in root cellars and called it survival. The Weaving Hollow was born not of magic, but of memory. It came when we needed a place to remember who we were.

I was the first to speak the old names again. Names that tasted like honey and war. I crafted the first Aethercharm from riverbone and grief. I whispered my sister’s name into a reed flute and it sang her back to me in dreams. That was enough.

I was never meant to lead. I simply remembered how.

🍂 Entry Two: Elder Maeril, Keeper of the Living Loom

“We do not tame the Aether. We offer it rhythm. It offers us grace.”

I teach the children to weave spells not with precision, but with patience. Each thread is a thought. Each knot, a promise. I once taught a mute child to call the wind by braiding her silence into twine.

It worked.

Our spells are not spoken for spectacle. They are not weapons—they are echoes. Each one carries something forgotten: a birth, a lullaby, a death not yet fully mourned.

The loom hums beneath the Hollow, deeper than any root. It stores our unfinished songs and feeds the wild things with their music.

🔥 Entry Three: Elder Ashenvi, Speaker for the Burned

“Some of us were relics ourselves. Scarred. Marked. Called dangerous.”

I do not regret the fire. I regret the silence that followed. My skin carries the Cradle’s price—I was their experiment once. When I walked into the Hollow, the others turned away, unsure if I brought corruption.

But the Aether did not turn.

It danced across my wounds like rain on stone. It taught me that what burns can also bless. That what is broken can still remember its shape.

Now I keep the Flame Shelf, where we burn words too sacred to speak twice. The ashes never blow away. They remain. Like us.

🌿 Entry Four: Elder Saela, Tender of the Sleeping Grove

“Not every hero is meant to fight. Some are meant to listen, and grow.”

The Hollow touches many places—gardens that bloom out of season, cradles left on doorsteps, trees that hum when no wind moves. I am their keeper. The ones who walk in silence. The ones who choose peace.

We lose many to violence, and we grieve them. But I believe in the ones who choose to grow herbs over hammers. I believe in the soft hands that plant relic seeds. In the child who taught their cat to sing.

If the Aether is still alive, it lives not in thunder. But in song. In soil. In stillness.

🕯️ Entry Five: Elder Rhis, The Last Who Remembers

“You may not know my face, but you carry my words in your rituals.”

I am old now. The kind of old that lives in smoke and salt and crow-shadow. I remember when there was no Coven, only gathering. No law, only promise. We were not meant to last. We were meant to be forgotten—so we bound our stories to spells.

Every charm, every verse you utter, carries a fingerprint of those who came before. You may think your power is yours, but it is borrowed. You are not the flame. You are the wick.

We do not write to be remembered. We write to keep you alive.

✒️ Final Passage: The Memory Thread

“One day, you will become the elder. You will not feel ready. That is how you’ll know it’s time.”

Take this book and bind it with your own verse. Add your sorrow, your joy, your defiance, your song. We are not a doctrine. We are a tapestry. And it is missing your color.

When the Cradle shatters again—and it will—our stories will rise from the earth. From the Hollow. From you.

Speak them. Braid them. Burn them if you must. But do not let them fade.

We are the ones who listen.

We are the ones who remember.

📖 This memoir is sealed in Aether-ink. Only those with the Mark of the Hollow may open its final pages.

Character Creation Guide: The Hero Society

Build Your Hero. Shape the World.

Whether you’re new to TTRPGs or just new to The Hero Society, this guide walks you through everything you need to create a character—from concept to stats, backstory to powers. Ready to become more than human?

🧠 Step 1: Choose Your Concept

Start with a simple idea. Who are you?

Ask yourself:

What kind of person are they before their powers?
What drives them—hope, revenge, curiosity?
How do they view the Cradle, the Surge, or society?

Examples:

A runaway teen with powers they don’t understand
A retired hero forced out of hiding
A Cradle-born spy questioning their orders
A baker whose sourdough can cause tremors (yes, really)

🌱 Step 2: Pick Your Origin

Your origin shapes your connection to the world and your starting mutations or gifts.

Common Origins:

Cradle-Born – Engineered, marked, or born with power
Surge-Touched – Mutated by a Surge event
Relic-Bearer – Found or fused with a Cradle artifact
Aetherblood – Descended from ancient magical lines
Echo-Spliced – Memories or powers from another life or timeline
Self-Made – Tech-enhanced, trained, or enhanced by will alone

Choose one and write a few lines about how it changed your life.

🔥 Step 3: Select Your Powers or Gifts

Choose 1–2 starting powers. These grow over time.

You can select from:

Mutation (e.g., claws, wings, rapid healing, fire breath)
Control (e.g., gravity, light, time slowing)
Creation (e.g., shadowforging, plant growth)
Sensing (e.g., emotion detection, aura vision)
Support (e.g., inspire allies, redirect energy)
Weird (e.g., talks to stars, dreams become real)

🧪 You may also roll on a Mutation Table or pull from a Relic or Aether Grimoire.

⚖️ Step 4: Assign Stats

Each character has five core traits. Distribute 10 points however you like, with a max of 4 in any stat at start.

Resolve – Willpower, focus, emotional control
Might – Physical strength, durability, power output
Precision – Coordination, reflexes, fine control
Charm – Persuasion, leadership, deception
Insight – Perception, intuition, strategy

Example:
Resolve 3 | Might 2 | Precision 2 | Charm 1 | Insight 2

📘 Step 5: Write Your Backstory (Short & Sweet)

Answer these prompts:

Where were you when the Surge hit?
Who did you lose, save, or betray?
What do you want from this world now?
What do you fear about yourself?
Who knows your secret?

Keep it under 300 words if you’re new—let the story unfold in play.

🧳 Step 6: Add Starting Details

Name: (Alias or real name)
Pronouns:
Age:
Faction Ties: (If any: Cradle, Coven, Underground, etc.)
Gear: 1 useful item, 1 oddity, 1 personal keepsake
Look: Describe your hero’s vibe in 3–5 keywords
- Example: “Wiry, tired eyes, tattoos glowing, trench coat, bandaged arm”

🪄 Bonus: Your First Gift

Choose one of the following to start your journey:

A Cradle Relic (mysterious item with potential)
A Verse of Aether (poem that triggers power)
A Bonded Companion (pet, familiar, or spirit)
A Dream Fragment (vision of the future or past life)

Describe how you got it—and what you think it means.

💬 Final Tips for New Players

You don’t need to have everything figured out.
Let your character grow with the world.
Play with flaws, fears, and weird powers—it makes the best stories.
Ask your GM to run a solo intro if you’re nervous.
Start small: survive a riot, stop a rumor, find someone who remembers you.

📱 Save this page to your phone, tablet, or notes app so you can build your character anywhere.

💭 Have questions or want us to feature your character? Tag us using #HeroSocietyHero on socials!

Campaign Arc: Whispers of the Aether

A Cozy Solo Campaign for New Players and First-Time GMs

Not every hero's journey begins in battle. Some begin in stillness—in a cup of tea, a poem spoken to the wind, or a handmade charm stitched with care. Whispers of the Aether is a quiet, soulful campaign arc designed for solo players or first-time Game Masters who want to explore emotional magic, ritual storytelling, and the slow wonder of becoming something more.

🌾 What Is This Campaign?

This is a guided magical retreat arc where you play as a newly awakened member of the Coven of Aetherblood, learning to harness magic through spoken word, dreams, and enchanted objects. The campaign unfolds like a journal—your spells are written as poems, and your power grows with every crafted memory.

This campaign can be:

Run solo as a journaling and roleplay experience
Co-played with a friend or loved one
Used by first-time GMs to guide 1–2 players through a gentle magical story

🧶 The Premise

You’ve been called—not by letter, but by dream. Each night, the same whispered song. A forest gate. A candle-lit cottage. A circle of stones.

When you awaken, you find yourself at the edge of The Weaving Hollow, an ancient place where the Aether still listens. Here, your journey begins—not to save the world, but to understand your place in it.

✨ How It Works

This solo arc uses prompts, rituals, and light dice rolling to guide you through your character’s training in Aethercraft.

You’ll need:

A journal, physical or digital
A d6 and d20
Optionally, candlelight or soft music for ambiance
A desire to slow down and let the magic unfold

📖 Chapter 1: The First Thread

"A poem forgotten by the world finds you in sleep. You follow its echo."

Journal Prompt: Describe the place your character wakes up. What do they see, smell, and hear? Who welcomes them to the Hollow?

Ritual Task: Write a short poem or chant your character speaks aloud for the first time.
Roll a d6 to see how the Aether responds:
1–2: The poem creates a small floating light
3–4: A soft wind carries your words away
5–6: A symbol glows briefly in the air

🎒 You now possess your Aetherbound Journal—a magical book that records dreams and amplifies your magic.

🧵 Chapter 2: Stitching the Soul

"Your mentor teaches you to imbue everyday items with emotion."

Craft Prompt: Choose or imagine one small object (a ring, button, pouch, feather, stone). Think of a memory you tie to it. Whisper it aloud.

Roll a d6 to bind its enchantment:
1–2: The item becomes warm when you hold it
3–4: It glows faintly when you are in danger
5–6: It grants comfort when you are afraid

✨ Describe how you decorate the item, and give it a name. This is your first Aether Charm.

🎼 Chapter 3: The Unwritten Song

"One night, you hear a voice humming. It's your own."

Dream Prompt: You receive the first verse of a Lost Coven Song. What are the words? What do they make you feel?

Optional Mechanic: For each verse you write (or uncover), you may choose one of the following:

Reveal a memory from a past life
Commune with an Aether spirit
Unlock a new minor spell (describe it in poetic form)

🎶 With three verses collected, you may attempt a Weaving Song: a powerful emotional spell that affects the weather, the land, or your own body.

🕯️ Bonus Solo Side Quests

Each of these can be completed at your own pace, as journal entries, rituals, or small scenes:

The Memory Tree: Write a letter to someone you’ve lost and bury it beneath the Hollow’s great tree.
Tea of Truth: Brew a real cup of tea. Stir in a question. Write what vision or memory answers you.
Familiar Spirit: Describe a magical creature that begins to visit you. What emotion do they feed on? How do they change when you do?
The Hollow Remembers: The Weaving Hollow gives you a dream of a future you could have. Do you accept it?

🌿 Final Chapter: The Thread Becomes You

"You are no longer just a student of magic. You are magic."

Craft your Aetherform—the magical identity you take on when you speak, sing, or cast with your whole heart. Describe:

Your new voice
A mark or glow on your skin
A word of power only you can say

End this arc by writing a final poem that encapsulates your growth. Recite it aloud. The Hollow fades—but you carry it with you now.

🧶 What You Gain

A fully developed Coven Aethermage character
One enchanted item with backstory
A personal spellbook written in verse
A magical transformation and emotional closure
Journals full of worldbuilding, lore, and poetry you can use in future campaigns

🌒 Soft GM Mode: For First-Time GMs

If you want to guide a friend or partner through this arc:

Read each chapter aloud or share it like letters from a magical mentor
Ask open-ended questions instead of dice rolls if they prefer
Let them respond in writing, voice, or craft—whatever feels magical

Think of yourself less as a GM and more as a story weaver or ritual guide. You don’t need rules—you just need rhythm.

🕯️ Want to Go Deeper?

We’re working on a downloadable Solo Aetherbound Journal PDF with spell pages, poetry prompts, and item cards.

If you run or write through Whispers of the Aether, share your journey with us at #HeroSocietySolo. We’d love to feature your poems, relics, and familiars in our next post.

🕊️ From the Hollow With Love,
— The Ember Scriptorium

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