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GAÏA BEYOND THE DREAMS
C A R LO S B . G A RC Í A A PA R I C I O
ADDITIONAL DESIGN
S ERGIO A LMAGRO T ORRECILLAS , G ONZALO
E SCUDERO I TURREGUI ,
O SCAR A LCAÑIZ M UÑIZ
ENGLISH EDITION
COVER ILLUSTRATION
LEAD PRODUCER
m
W EN Y U L I
MAP ILLUSTRATION
J AVIER B OLADO O RTIZ , S ERGIO A LMAGRO
Sa
ORIGINAL SPANISH
EDITION
LEAD DEVELOPER &
WRITER
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S TA F F
TRANSLATION
T ORRECILLAS
L AUTARO L EIVA
INTERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS
EDITING
W EN Y U L I , S ALVADOR E SPÍN ,
R AÚL R OSSELL , L UIS NCT,
J ASON S MITH
S ERGIO M ELERO , N O . K
PRODUCTION MANAGER
G ABE L AULUNEN
PUBLISHER
J OSÉ M. R EY
EDITING
S OFIÁN S ABE E L L EIL , G ONZALO E SCUDERO
I TURREGUI ,
D ARÍO A GUILAR
GRAPHIC DESIGN
C ARLOS B. G ARCÍA A PARICIO ,
S ERGIO A LMAGRO T ORRECILLAS
SPECIAL THANKS
M ICHAEL H URLEY
PUBLISHER
C HRISTIAN T. P ETERSEN
To my fathers, to Angeles and Cristobal for beign always there
to suport me, to Edge Entertainment and Fantasy Flight Games
for their eternal patience, to Wataru Kamiya, Shansyu, Kami,
Yono Hiroshi, Kaduki Kugawara, Isao Simokosi, Rucchi, No. K,
Hideyuki Matsumoto, Aoi Takehito, Masaki Hirooka, Mitsuba,
Kuma, Mituru Kida for their support in our f irst steps, and at
last but not less important to all the players who made possible
the birth of Gaïa.
Anima, Beyond Fantasy is © 2005 - 2008 by Anima Project Studio and Edge Entertainment; all artwork is © 2001 - 2008 by their original creators, all rights reserved. No part of this product
may be reproduced without specific written permission of the publisher. For additional information, visit www.animarpg.com. Fantasy Flight Games and the FFG logo are trademarks of Fantasy
Flight Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Fantasy Flight Games is located at 1975 W. County Rd B2 W., Roseville, MN 55113, and can be reached by telephone at 651-639-1905.
Retain this information for your records.
FANTASY
FLIGHT
GAMES
WWW.FANTASYFLIGHTGAMES.COM
Product Code: ANR03
ISBN 13: 978 -1-58994 - 692-7
Printed in China
WWW.ANIMARPG.COM
Today a new age begins
And Heavens will have no more tears...
Lazarus’ legacy
When did we lose our history?
And your name will be Elhazzared,
meaning ‘The Lost Paradise’
What do you wish?
Be silence on Heavens
GAÏA BEYOND THE DREAMS
CHAPTER 1
6
7
8
9
12
13
14
14
16
16
19
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General Aspects
Racial Ethnic Groups
Life and Society
Science and Technology
Economy and Commerce
Trips and Transportation
Languages of Gaïa
The Law
Diversion and Entertainment
An Entire World Ahead of You
Sa
A VISION OF GAÏA
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INDEX
CHAPTER 3
THE OLD CONTINENT
The Sacred Holy Empire of Abel
Abel
Ilmora
Helenia
Dalaborn
Alberia
Galgados
Arlan
Kanon
HISTORY AND CHRONOLOGY
20
The Age of Chaos
The Arrival
The Eleven Holy Kingdoms
The War of God
The Conclave
The Dark Day After
The Sacred Holy Empire of Abel
The Last Emperor
Chronology
20
20
22
22
24
25
26
28
30
34
39
48
53
58
64
71
77
83
The Azur Alliance
89
Togarini
Remo
Bellafonte
90
98
103
The Barren Icy Lands
CHAPTER 2
32
109
Goldar
Haufman
Hendell
110
117
124
The Dark Lands
131
Moth
Dwänholf
131
141
The Coast of Commerce
146
Gabriel
Phaion Eien Seimon
146
154
The Episcopal States
162
The Dominion
Argos
162
167
The Lands of Al-Enneth
Kushistan
Estigia
Salazar
173
174
183
189
Are you... strong?
What keeps you going, my enemy?
The end of Fairy Tales
Why did we forget?
It’s about to begin...
Once I have a dream...
YOU WILL SCREAM!
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And thou will bring with it silence and nothingness
The Eastern Lands
Lannet
Shivat
The Inner Sea
CHAPTER 6
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199
207
212
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194
TALES OF GAÏA
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Nanwe
Lucrecio
Kashmir
Baho
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The Independent States
217
222
231
240
CHAPTER 4
RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS
The Christian Faith
Lillium
Shukyokami
The Aityr
Enneath
Other Minor Religions
250
251
255
256
259
262
265
CHAPTER 5
ORGANIZATIONS
The Magus Order
The Order of Yehudah
The Consortium
The Travelers
The New Conclave
Other Organizations
266
266
267
267
268
269
270
Sylvania
The Lord of the Skies
Lazarus
Between Light and Darknesses
The Awakened
The Tree of Souls
The Shadow of the Emperor
Eljared
The Lost Logias
The Messengers
272
272
275
276
276
278
279
281
282
283
286
CHAPTER 7
OPTIONAL RULES
Background
New Secondary Abilites
Fame and Recognition
The Power of The Dragon
Business and Comerce
Trials and Legal Processes
Natura
Animals
288
288
289
290
291
293
294
295
296
APPENDIX
Glosary
298
I
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t can not end this way.” As he spoke, his tears mixed with the rain drops streaming across
his face.
Rah contemplated the dark horizon from atop of the tower of the tribute. Around him, as far
as the eye could see, only the agitated sea extended, illuminated periodically by rays of lightning. He
could not see them yet, but he felt them approach inexorably. In a few hours the boats and citadels
would reach the coasts of Tol Rauko and not even he could stop them all.
During several long minutes he remained thus, soaked in the middle of the rain like a black spot
that split the gray firmament in two. He had the cape surrounding him completely, which gave him
the aspect of a bird of bad omen between grotesque metal gargoyles. Through his head, thousands
of plans still spun, desperate plays that could upset all of this and give him back control, although
he knew that he was only lying to himself. The Brotherhood no longer existed. His armies, were
devastated. He had lost the war and the world escaped inevitably from his hands without anything
that he could do to return it. For someone who tried to destroy destiny, what awaited him in the
future was becoming very clear before his eyes.
The dream cracked like fragile crystal.
Wandering in his thoughts, he would have remained thus for hours if not for a sensation that
removed him from his lethargy. Even in the distance, hundreds of miles away, he could perceive a
different presence from the others and an ironic smile was drawn on his face.
“Zhorne Giovanni…” He murmured between half closed eyes with certain melancholy. “After
all this time, we will finally be able to meet.”
“It’s strange, you know? You and I look much alike, more than what either of us would be
willing to admit. Both of us have fought against an unknown adversary and have lost everything.
Comrades, friends, the people whom we loved…”
“What keeps you going, my enemy? What is it that makes you keep advancing towards me in
the middle of all the chaos and the storm? Is it hatred? Hope, perhaps? Or is it possible that you are
just like me…that simply, you no longer have anything else left…”
As if he had just finished waking from a bad dream, Rah raised his head slowly and watched the
skies with arrogance, which answered him with a challenging powerful thunderclap.
“Thus you think that you have won again…that in the end, as always, everything happens just
as you have planned it. I suppose that this will not have seemed to you more than a mere game. A
stupid boy trying to do something too great for him.”
“You will probably never worry about anything I did.
Or perhaps… Or perhaps you will?
Not for what I am, nor why I have been. But because of what I represent.”
Distracted by that thought, Rah lowered his head while he adopted a burlesque expression.
“Tell me. Did you fear me? Me? A simple man? Do not worry, I will still give you many reasons
to do so by far.”
And then, already on the brink of desperation and madness, he laughed, but his bitter outburst
was dragged away by the strong storm winds.
He was not going to give up.
In his soul he knew what he had to do.
In fact, he always knew.
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Illustrated by Wen Yu Li
CHAPTER 1
A Vision of Gaïa
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Anima Project Studio
Carlos B. García
0 0 6
How to use this book
This setting book is thought to be a complement to a
roleplaying game. Therefore, in case you still do not have it, it
is recommended that you get a copy of Anima: Beyond Fantasy
first so as to make the most out of the ideas that appear in these
pages. Either way, although Gaïa: Beyond the Dreams is mainly
meant to be played with the rules of the core book, it is far from
the only system that will benefit from its use. Gaïa is an immense
world, which fits perfectly into any style of game that you want.
For that reason, the choice of system is solely yours.
Naturally, as a setting book that it is, Gaïa: Beyond the
Dreams displays the most important aspects of a vast world of
fantasy, which is why it must be dealt with a different way depending on
whether you are going to be a player or the Game Master. It’s highly
recommended that the players avoid reading details from the Old
Continent chapter regarding cities or stories, since that would reveal a
great deal of the plot and would possibly ruin their fun. Similarly, they
should also avoid the Stories of Gaïa, since the tales narrated there are
meant to give the Game Master adventure ideas for future sessions. By
all means, if you are the one who is going to direct the game you do
not have to abide by any of these limitations, and you should drench
yourself in each and every one of these pages to understand Gaïa as
a whole.
Gaïa: Beyond the Dreams is divided into seven different chapters, in
which you will be able to find the following information:
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Welcome to Gaïa. The book that you have in your hands is
the first volume of a fantastic and unique world, full of mysteries,
adventures and secrets. In it is told the histories of the Old
Continent, a land that has seen the rise and fall of civilizations long
since forgotten, a place full of stories that still wait for an end.
Frankly, years ago when I embarked on the project of
creating Anima: Beyond Fantasy, I never thought that it would end
up having this repercussion. Since then, all this time has been an
incredible experience, which I would not change for anything.
And now before you, long after our first publication, the result
of all that work, spread out on more than three hundred pages is
Gaïa: Beyond the Dreams.
People often ask me how Gaïa was born and I have never been
able to give them a clear response. I suppose that the only way
to answer it correctly would be to say that it arose from all those
stories that influenced me during my childhood, added to the
advice, ideas and suggestions that were submitted by those who
collaborated in its development. Which, little by little, bit by bit and
piece by piece, have shaped the enormous universe that this world
represents and that we now show you.
At first, Gaïa: Beyond the Dreams was planned to be a single
volume in which both continents would be compiled. Nevertheless,
as we wrote each one of its cities and stories, we realized that, like
our original project, the world of Gaïa did not want to be limited
to so few pages. Ironically, with each line that I wrote, my heart
only lamented on how many things I still had left to tell. Finally we
had to make the decision to divide the book into two volumes, of
which this is first. For us it was the only way to include more of the
detail, even though it was only a half, of all those stories without
which Gaïa would never be the same.
But above all, keep in mind one very important detail: The
main objective of this book is to inspire. In no way does it tries to
be an exhaustive guide to Gaïa nor all of its elements. Each one
of its characters, stories and cities are hoping that you give them
life using your imagination. Because remember, you and only you,
are the true soul of Gaïa. Everything that appears in these pages is
made to be tailored according to your needs, whenever you deem
it to be more to your liking. In the end, it is your world, created
solely so that you may play it.
Prepare yourselves. What you now hold within your hands is the
effort of years of work in which we have poured our illusions. I only
hope that you enjoy reading it as much as we did writing it.
Welcome to Gaïa. Welcome to the fantasy.
Sa
CHAPTER I: A VISION OF GAÏA
We human beings are fascinating creatures.
We exist without knowing it in a world able to
destroy us a thousand times over and, even so, we
continue forward…
Bárnabas
Chapter 1: A Vision of Gaïa
The first chapter summarizes all the general aspects that you may
need to know to play in the world of Gaïa. It is a basic introduction to
the more essential elements, like the daily life of its inhabitants or the
most common languages.
Chapter 2: History and Chronology
In the second chapter we will see an approach to the general
history of Gaïa during last thousand years from the human perspective.
The story is focused on the period between the appearance of the
Messiah and the Fracture of the Heavens.
Chapter 3: The Old Continent
Here each of the thirty principalities of Gaïa are described with
detail. In each section its society, customs, main cities and the more
relevant geographic accidents of each territory are talked about.
Chapter 4: Religions and Beliefs
An approach to the more extended religious beliefs through the
Old Continent, beginning with the Christian Church and finishing with
the Enneath myths.
Chapter 5: Organizations
In the fifth chapter the most relevant organizations of Gaïa are
talked about, like the ancestral Order of Yehudah and the mysterious
Consortium.
Chapter 6: Stories of Gaïa
A compilation of stories and tales set in Gaïa, thought to give
a subjective approach to the world and inspire a multitude of
adventures.
Chapter 7: Optional Rules
And to end things, in the manner of an appendix there is a
compilation of general rules, thought to put into practice all the
elements that have been spoken about so far, like the Pacts of the
Dragoon or how to carry out trials in Gaïa.
Now without further ado, feel free to turn the page and begin to
enjoy the world that awaits you…