Numenera is a game published by Monte Cook Games. Its setting is the Ninth World, and this list has ten rumours for that setting. The rumours, which are similar to the Hearsay that can be found in the official books, can be used as adventure hooks or as simple misinformation.

1. Captain Jamson “The Liar” Connell is a retired member of the Redfleet who can often be found in Kaparin in Ancuan. It’s rumoured that Connell once killed and ate his entire crew, and his attempts to eat those who threaten him don’t exactly put a lie to this. There are rumours that a number of people have disappeared in town, with all that is found of them, if anything, being some chewed bones. Some believe that Connell is hunting and eating people.
2. In Pike’s Head is an unusual structure that juts up out of the water, known simple as “the Beast”. The structure is clearly organic, and is said to resemble a pike’s head, but it doesn’t appear to be a corpse for it doesn’t seem to rot. If it doesn’t rot, then maybe it’s not dead and, recently, there are rumours that some of the village’s residents have seen the Beast move ever so slightly.
3. Ishlav in Ancuan was rebuilt after an accident with a strange device destroyed all non-living matter, but not the ground, within 2 miles. Living creatures caught in the blast did, however, benefit from improved health, and this improved health seems to have been passed on to later generations. There are rumours, though, that there’s a dark side to this improved health. That, occasionally, individuals are transformed into something monstrous over time.
4. Kaparin in Ancuan is home to the Redfleets Museum, where the members of the Redfleets display items in what is a combination museum, library and hall of fame. There are interesting items on display, but it’s also rumoured at least some, and no-one seems to know which ones, are actively dangerous. Some visitors to the museum are said to have disappeared without a trace.
5. Rarrow in Ancuan is a city with two parts. The second part, Hidden Rarrow, is built on the other side of an interstitial rift. It’s not known where Hidden Rarrow exists; some believe that it is in the future of the world, others that it’s in a parallel universe. Recently, there are rumours of the inhabitants of Hidden Rarrow encountering strange things roaming their city at night. The things haven’t shown themselves to be hostile – at least, not yet – but nor is it known just what they are.
6. Sallian Orsay the Red, the seemingly ageless ruler of Kaparin in Ancuan and one of the founders of the Redfleets, is protected by a seemingly endless army of goons willing to fight for her. There have long been rumours that Sallian’s agelessness comes from something she discovered on one of her missions, but it’s also rumoured that the goons come from something else. That they aren’t human, or even technically alive, and that Sallian has a numenera device that produces endless replicas for her.
7. The inhabitants of Glavis in Ancuan worship sibling deities called Relia and Bianes. Offerings disappear from the deities’ altars, so most, including those who don’t believe that Relia and Bianes are gods, do believe that there is someone at the very least masquerading as them. There’s a rumour that someone was determined to prove that Relia and Bianes, whilst they exist, are frauds and not true gods. It’s said the individual disappeared and hasn’t been seen since.
8. The Monks of Mitos are an organisation in Ishlav in Ancuan founded by a man called Kollos. The monks are known for their effective fighting style, seemingly developed by Kollos, and the organisation preaches a message about creating a safer, more harmonious world. There are rumours, though, that the monks are infiltrating Ishlav at every level, both criminal and not, with the aim of gaining complete control over the city and, perhaps, beyond.
9. The Redfleets are sailors based out of Kaparin an Ancuan, ranging from scientists to thieves, who seek out natural treasures to bring back to their city. There are rumours that some of the Redfleets have been staying out far longer than is possible without returning somewhere for resupply, yet they haven’t been seen anywhere. This has led to speculation that the Redfleets have found and colonised other land somewhere.
10. There have apparently been a number of outbreaks of strange diseases in Glavis in Ancuan. Each outbreak has infected a number of people, before suddenly burning out and anyone who didn’t die from the infection has been cured. It’s not clear what’s happening, but most think this can’t be a natural occurrence, not for so many different diseases to break out and for them to then be cured.

Want some items that could be used as oddities? Check out 100 Xenoarchaeological Finds.