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. Empress Challadien III of the Pytharon Empire is known to be expansionistic, wishing to continue to spread the empire’s influence over its former lands. These plans have hardly been met with enthusiasm by those who wish to remain apart from the empire, as they currently are, and it’s rumoured that the empress has been the target of several assassination attempts as a result recently, though none have succeeded.
2. Far Brohn on the southern edge of the Pytharon Empire is protected by walls that are laced with numenera devices that cause panic and confusion in those that attempt to assault them. There are rumours, though, that the devices are no longer as effective as they used to be. Either the devices themselves are wearing out, or those who would attack the city are becoming immune to their effects.
3. Limech is a constructor who recently moved into Jargolamis in the Pytharon Empire, and is currently building a new connection between the Twins, to replace the broken and dangerous Umbil. This is an open-air skyway beneath the Umbil, and there are rumours that the building work has been plagued by setbacks recently, from accidents injuring workers or damaged Limech’s mechanised creatures, to parts of the new skyway breaking to materials going missing.
4. Rarmon, the capital of the Pytharon Empire, fell into decline and decay when the empire did the same, but is currently being restored to its former glory. There’s a rumour, though, that some of the renovations have been plagued by problems, with accidents resulting in damage to buildings, injuries and deaths amongst the workers. Such might be a sign that someone is working against the city’s renovations, or perhaps workers discovered something they shouldn’t have.
5. Rathscor Fortress guards the southern border of the Pytharon Empire. Lord Myallatur commands the fortress and its renowned soldiers, the Mahal Shards, but there are rumours that the Shards have been running into problems outside of their ability to defeat. Not because the foes they are encountering are too dangerous, but because the Shards are just not trained or equipped for dealing with them. The lord is said to be looking to hire specialists to deal with the problem.
6. Since the Umbil that connects the Twinned Cities of Jargolamis and Luigolamis in the Pytharon Empire broke, it has become a dangerous place. Perhaps even worse, there are rumours that the troubles of the Umbil are starting to spread into the Twins from the points where the corridor joins them, turning the regions around the entrances substantially more disreputable and dangerous.
7. The Grand Orrery in Rarmon, the capital of the Pytharon Empire, shows the orbits of the sun, Earth and the other six planets. The orrery can be raised into the air and the central sphere can also be used as a defensive weapon to protect Rarmon. There are rumours that the sphere has been suffering from problems recently, with it activating of its own accord, causing quite a bit of havoc, and when it is deliberately activated, the strength of the weapon is highly variable.
8. The Pytharon Empire has been casting an eye on the regions of Matheunis to its south for some time, and nobles of the land have sent raiding parties to them after slaves. There’s a rumour that the Pytharons are planning to step up their actions against Matheunis, with the intention of bringing them into the empire, but it’s also rumoured that those regions are starting to band together to defend themselves against the Pytharons.
9. The Sunken Palace in Rarmon, the capital of the Pytharon Empire, is home to the Empress and is also a numenera device. The palace is a sphere that can be rotated in any direction and it also maintains its own gravity, so no matter what angle it is rotated, those inside are perfectly comfortable. There’s a rumour that sometimes rooms of the palace are found with bloody stains on the floor, seemingly from someone being crushed by immense gravity. It’s said that this happens to those who displease the Empress.
10. The Umbil is, or was, the motorised walkway that connects the twin cities of Jargolamis and Luigolamis in the Pytharon Empire, until it broke and wasn’t repaired. Now, it is a den of thieves and worse, and a truly dangerous place to visit. There’s a rumour, though, that the walkway’s breaking was not an accident, but was sabotage, and the device that was used to sabotage it is still hidden in the Umbil somewhere.

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