The Strange is a game published by Monte Cook Games. It is, at least in part, set in the normal world, but there are other worlds out there, in the Strange. This list has ten rumours for that setting, similar to the various different adventure hooks in the books, and these can be used as adventure hooks or simple misinformation.
- Apostle Warad-chel, of the Church of the Embodiment in Harmonius, is one of the highest-ranking apostles in the hierarchy of the Church, and has been implicated in a number of incidents that nearly led to disciplinary action being taken against the faction, but First Apostle Ah-kalla always stands by his favoured Servitor. Some claim that the First Apostle’s statement that the True Code is stronger in Warad-chel than anyone else means that Warad-chel is a literal embodiment of the True Code and, as such, possibly the First Apostle’s superior.
- Gardens can be found in Harmonius, some merely ornamental but the fruits of others rivals those products created by Zal and other factions. It’s rumoured that Zal in particular is not happy about this, as it means people buy less goods from them. It’s said that the faction has been looking into ways of damaging the gardens so that they are no longer as productive and what they produce is not as good.
- Harmonius has pneumatic elevator tubes stretching to the surface below that can be used to travel to and from the city. The tubes could once be retracted for defensive purposes, but this hasn’t been tested in some time. It’s rumoured that the city has been quietly checking the mechanisms to see if they work, which does suggest that there’s a fear they may be needed at some point in the not-too-distant future.
- It’s said that occasionally defensive mechanisms on Harmonius decide someone approaching the city by airborne means is a threat, and one that needs dealing with quickly and efficiently. Those it decides are a threat never make it anywhere else. It’s also said that in truth it’s not the city deciding who and what to eliminate, but someone in control of said mechanisms.
- Most of Harmonius floats above the surface of Ruk using massive and ancient technological engines. It’s rumoured that there have been problems with those engines recently, and that no-one seems to know how to fix the problem, due to their age. Should this be true, and should a solution not be found, Harmonius may have to settle back down to Ruk, else risk falling from the sky.
- The Ankaseri faction was destroyed after attempting to sway Maru-shtal, the Arbiter of Harmonius, but there are rumours that it was never completely destroyed, despite appearances. Some say that a residue of the faction remained and it has been slowly building its strength back up and plotting its return, and its revenge on Maru-shtal and everyone else.
- The Market Tri-Tower of Harmonius is constantly bedecked with lights that can be seen from some distance away. It’s rumoured, though, that there have been problems with the lights recently, with some of them cutting out for no discernible reason. Nothing serious has happened as yet, but some are said to be concerned by this.
- The Office of the Arbiter is used by the Factol Council of Harmonius to decide close decisions, but there are rumours that the Office is not always as independent of the factions as it should be. Some claim that at least one faction has the ability to sway the Arbiter, Maru-shtal, to make decisions that are in their favour, though this ability is used rarely to prevent it from becoming obvious.
- There are pneumatic elevator tubes leading up into Harmonius from the ground below, one of the ways of getting to the city. Some say that these elevator tubes can be risky to use, because some of them have hidden diversions in them, where those who are unlikely to be missed are diverted away so that they can be experimented upon in hidden labs, where new flesh is always needed.
- Those who become apostles of the Church of the Embodiment in Harmonius can take communion, and those who eat a wafer of the bread gain a benefit, said to be because their ties to the True Code are strengthened. Some whisper that this communion has another effect, and that those who take it are subtly influenced by First Apostle Ah-kalla in their actions and choices afterwards.