"The portal shimmers before you. Through it, you glimpse impossible geometries, hear whispers in Partisan, smell ozone and honey. The Count stands beside you, crown tattooed on his forearm, and smiles. 'Your Ledger is empty,' he says. 'For now.' Do you step through?"
Scenario Overview
The Partisan Market is the first scenario for NOWHERE LAND, designed to introduce travelers (and their players) to the core concepts of the game:
- Portals as gateways between realities
- Domains as living reflections of concepts
- The Count as mysterious benefactor and record-keeper
- The Ledger and the weight of debt
- Partisan as the language that shapes reality
Recommended for: 3-5 players, 2-3 hour session
Tone: Mystery, wonder, slight unease
Structure: Five Room Dungeon format—Entrance (Arrival), Puzzle (Memory Trade), Red Herring (Kael's Fade), Climax (Portal Crisis), Reward (Revelation)
The Setup
The travelers have just crossed their first portal with The Count's guidance. They find themselves in The Partisan Market—a Domain that embodies the concept of exchange. Everything here is currency: words, memories, promises, time itself.
Environment: The Partisan Market
The Partisan Market exists in the liminal space between domains. It's where travelers from countless realities come to trade, bargain, and make deals. The Count has brought you here because every traveler must learn: in the spaces between worlds, nothing is free.
PASSIVE FEATURES:
- Debt Accumulation: Every hour spent in The Market adds +1 Ledger Debt (automatic)
- Reality Flux: Objects phase in/out; Drop + Forma (Tricky) to maintain grip on items
- Partisan Whispers: Constant murmur of deals in the language of reality itself
ACTIONS (GM triggers 1 per scene):
- Forced Bargain: Market demands immediate payment for recent action (negotiate or pay)
- Stall Collapse: Random merchant's location begins fading (creates urgency)
- Portal Shift: Exit portals change destinations unpredictably
REACTIONS (Triggered by player actions):
- When traveler refuses fair deal → Market's Displeasure (Disadvantage on next roll)
- When traveler makes generous offer → Market's Favor (Advantage on next roll)
- When traveler lies → Reality hiccup; everyone nearby notices the deception
IMPULSES (GM Questions):
- • What does The Market covet from these travelers?
- • Which merchant is actually a manifestation of the Market itself?
- • What happens if someone tries to steal instead of trade?
Interactive Market Map
Click on locations to learn more about each area of The Partisan Market.
The Partisan Market
Click on a location to explore
🌀 Drift Mechanics in The Market
The Partisan Market takes place in The Passage—the domain where all Travelers first arrive in Nowhere Land. Drift mechanics apply here, but The Passage is gentler than most domains.
Starting Drift:
- • Outsiders (first time in Nowhere Land): Begin at Drift 1
- • Travelers (returning visitors): Begin at their existing Drift
- • Crossing the portal to arrive: +1 Drift (already applied to Outsiders)
Drift Changes:
- • Spending a full week in The Passage: +1 Drift
- • Using 3+ Potentials in one session: +1 Drift
- • Accepting major gift from The Count: +1 to +3 Drift
- • Mapping a section of the Market (downtime): -1 Drift
- • Documenting Market creatures/phenomena: -1 Drift
Drift Substitution:
At Drift 1+, players may substitute their Drift rating for any Essence once per scene. The Market itself seems to assist them—stalls shift to help, crowds part, prices adjust. This is the territory recognizing them as partially "belonging."
See: Drift rules for full mechanics.
Scene One: Arrival
The portal deposits the travelers in a cobblestone square. Above them, the sky ripples like water—multiple suns and moons overlap in impossible configurations. Around them, stalls and shops materialize and fade like breath on glass.
The Count stands beside them, impeccably dressed, one hand resting on a leather-bound ledger.
"Welcome to The Market. Here, every transaction is recorded, every debt honored. You have questions. Good. Questions are valuable. Spend them wisely."
GM Guidance: First Impressions
Give each player a chance to describe:
- What they notice first about The Market
- How their character reacts to crossing worlds
- What Essence they feel stirring (Forma, Anima, Umbra, or Reverie)
This establishes their relationship with the setting and their primary Essence. Reward descriptive answers with small details.
Tiered Observations (Investigation Check)
Players can investigate their surroundings with Drop + (Any Essence):
REGULAR SUCCESS (10+):
- • Notice overlapping suns/moons creating impossible shadows
- • See stalls phasing in and out of reality
- • Observe The Count's ledger glowing faintly with their names
- • Hear Partisan whispers offering deals in unknown tongue
HARD SUCCESS (15+):
- • All Regular info PLUS:
- • Identify which Essence each stall resonates with (guide later choices)
- • Notice temporal inconsistencies (same merchant in two places simultaneously)
- • Spot one stall that appears specifically drawn to a party member
EXTREME SUCCESS (20+):
- • All Hard info PLUS:
- • Glimpse your own name written in a distant stall's ledger (foreshadowing)
- • Recognize an object from your past displayed for sale
- • The Count pauses writing and glances at you knowingly
Key NPCs
The Count
Type: NPC - Authority | Tier: Beyond Rating | Domain: Ledgers & Debts
Appearance: Elegant, ageless, with a crown tattooed on their forearm. Speaks in riddles but always truthful. Eyes like liquid gold.
FEATURES:
- Ledger Sight (Passive): Sees all debts, promises, and obligations as glowing threads
- Truth Binding (Passive): Cannot lie; recognizes all lies spoken in their presence
- Debt Enforcement (Action): Can call debts due at any moment (triggers scenarios)
Motivation: Maintain balance of debts across all domains
Knows: Everything about The Market, portal networks, Partisan language basics
Doesn't Know: Anything about travelers' home worlds (finds this fascinating)
Secret: The Count is bound by rules even they don't fully understand
Mirelle, the Word-Trader
Type: NPC - Merchant | Tier: Standard | Domain: Memory & Language
Appearance: Wrapped in scarves covered in shifting text. Eyes like ink wells. Voice echoes with multiple languages at once.
FEATURES:
- Memory Weaver (Passive): Can see travelers' strongest memories as colored auras
- Partisan Fluency (Passive): Speaks all languages; words shimmer with reality-warping power
- Empathy Drain (Action): When accepting a memory, experiences it fully (shows emotion)
Offers: Partisan words in exchange for memories
Motivation: Collecting "home" memories to remember her own origin
Secret: She's from The Null—imagined into existence by previous travelers; has no true home
Knows: How Partisan words reshape reality; The Market's true nature as living entity
Wants: A memory powerful enough to anchor her permanently to reality
BARGAINING RATES:
- • Minor memory → 1 Partisan word + Debt 1
- • Significant memory → 1 word + its "echo" (emotional resonance) + Debt 2
- • Defining memory → 3 words + permanent Market access token + Debt 3
Scene Two: The Memory Trade
The Count leads the travelers to Mirelle's stall. She offers to teach them the Partisan word for "Passage"—essential for navigating portals—in exchange for a memory of home.
Memory Trade Mechanics
Players must decide: What memory do they offer?
This is their first entry in The Count's Ledger:
- Minor memory (a favorite meal, a childhood song): Debt 1
- Significant memory (first love, a parent's voice): Debt 2
- Defining memory (why they left home, their greatest fear): Debt 3
The Count records this in their Ledger. The memory isn't erased—it becomes distant, dreamlike.
What You Receive:
- • The Partisan word "Passage" (allows portal navigation)
- • Understanding that words shape reality here
- • First-hand experience with debt accumulation
Tiered Trade Outcomes (Investigation)
If players investigate Mirelle's reaction or the trade itself with Drop + Anima:
REGULAR SUCCESS (10+):
- • You learn the word "Passage" and feel its power
- • Your memory becomes hazy but not lost
- • Mirelle seems satisfied with the exchange
HARD SUCCESS (15+):
- • All regular info PLUS:
- • You understand the word's deeper meaning and emotional resonance
- • You can use "Passage" to sense portal destinations before entering
- • You notice Mirelle experiences your memory fully—tears in her eyes
EXTREME SUCCESS (20+):
- • All hard info PLUS:
- • You glimpse Mirelle's hidden truth: she has no memories of her own origin
- • Gain permanent advantage when dealing with Mirelle in future
- • Learn two additional Partisan words from emotional overflow
Alternative Paths (If Players Decline Mirelle)
Not all players may want to trade with Mirelle. Offer these alternatives:
PATH 1: Ancient Texts (Exploration)
- • Search The Market for Partisan dictionaries or scrolls
- • Drop + Umbra (Challenging) to find hidden text dealer
- • Cost: Debt 2 (less personal but still costs)
PATH 2: Market Whispers (Creative)
- • Listen to Market's Partisan whispers and decode meaning
- • Drop + Reverie (Risky) to understand alien language
- • Success: Learn word but it's unstable; Disadvantage on first use
- • Cost: No Ledger Debt but Market takes interest in you
PATH 3: Steal Knowledge (Dangerous)
- • Attempt to steal Partisan word from another traveler
- • Drop + Umbra (Risky) contested by target
- • Cost: Market's Displeasure (Disadvantage on all Market rolls)
- • Consequence: The Count marks you as "untrustworthy"
Scene Three: Kael's Fade
As the travelers explore, they hear a commotion: a merchant's stall is unraveling—literally fading from existence. The merchant, Kael, is panicking. His debt has come due, and he cannot pay.
Kael: "Please! I need three tokens of Forma—anchor-weight—or I'll fade with my stall! I owe The Market itself!"
Kael, the Fading Merchant
Type: NPC - Victim | Tier: Helpless (currently) | Domain: Forma (weakening)
Appearance: Half-transparent, flickering between solid and ghost-like. Items fall through his hands. Voice echoes as if from far away.
CONDITION: Debt-Induced Fade (Stage 2 of 3)
- → Stage 1: Translucent, stuttering speech (happened yesterday)
- → Stage 2: (Current) Half-present, items fall through hands, losing memories
- → Stage 3: Complete erasure from reality (will happen in 3 rounds if not saved)
FEATURES:
- Desperate Plea (Action): Advantage on social rolls to gain help
- Fading Knowledge (Passive): Knows Market secrets but forgets mid-sentence
- Debt Anchor (Passive): Tied to his stall; cannot leave Market until debt paid
What He Owes: 3 Forma tokens to The Market (payment for permanent stall license)
How He Failed: Gambled his anchor-weight on bad deal with time merchant
CLUES HE PROVIDES (Tiered):
- Regular (Automatic if saved): Portal tampering started three cycles ago
- Hard (Drop + Anima 15+): Saw shadowy figure near exit portals at odd hours
- Extreme (Drop + Anima 20+): The tamperer's essence felt "familiar but wrong—like memory of future"; had distinctive feature matching a PC
Fade Radius (Environmental Hazard)
FADE RADIUS (Active Environmental Feature)
Difficulty: Tricky | Range: 10 feet around Kael
EFFECT:
Anyone within 10 feet of Kael must make Drop + Forma (Tricky) each round or gainTranslucent condition.
TRANSLUCENT CONDITION:
- • Disadvantage on all physical tasks (hitting, lifting, grabbing)
- • Advantage on stealth and phase-related checks
- • Items have 50% chance to fall through your hands
- • Lasts until you leave The Market or Kael is saved/fades
This creates urgency: players must act quickly or risk partial fading themselves. Even if they leave Kael behind, the experience teaches them about The Market's dangers.
Multiple Solutions
The travelers can help Kael through various approaches. Reward creativity!
PATH 1: Direct Aid (Exploration + Forma)
- Action: Search The Market for anchor-stones/Forma tokens
- Check: Drop + Forma (Tricky) to identify genuine Forma sources
- Time: Takes 1-2 rounds of searching per attempt
- Cost: Time pressure (Kael fades in 3 rounds total)
- Success: Find 3 Forma tokens; Kael stabilizes immediately
- Reward: Kael's Gift—Forma Charm (+1 Forma for one future roll)
PATH 2: Social Negotiation (Anima)
- Action: Convince another merchant to lend Forma tokens
- Check: Drop + Anima (Challenging) to persuade skeptical merchant
- Time: One round of negotiation per merchant
- Cost: Incur favor-debt to lending merchant (future complication)
- Success: Merchant loans tokens; Kael saved; you owe favor
- Reward: Merchant ally for future Market visits
PATH 3: Debt Transfer (Sacrifice)
- Action: Take on Kael's debt yourself
- Check: No roll required—automatic success if willing
- Time: Instant
- Cost: +3 Ledger Debt (transferred from Kael to you)
- Success: Kael saved immediately
- Reward: The Count respects selflessness; Kael eternally grateful
PATH 4: Creative Solution (Reverie)
- Action: Imagine Kael's stall stable and anchor it with willpower
- Check: Drop + Reverie (Risky) to impose imagination on reality
- Time: One round of intense concentration
- Cost: Spend 2 Reverie; take 1 Harm from mental strain
- Success: Temporary stabilization (1 hour); Kael must find permanent solution
- Failure: You partially fade (gain Translucent condition)
- Reward: Kael owes life-debt; teaches secret about Market's nature
PATH 5: Shadow Investigation (Umbra)
- Action: Investigate Kael's original deal; find loophole to void debt
- Check: Drop + Umbra (Challenging) to uncover hidden contract clauses
- Time: 2 rounds of intense investigation
- Cost: Time pressure (may fade before you finish)
- Success: Find technicality; Market grudgingly releases Kael
- Failure: No loophole exists; must use another method
- Reward: Learn how Market contracts work; Advantage on future deals
GM NOTE: Accept player-proposed solutions outside these paths! If their approach makes narrative sense, assign difficulty and let them try. Reward ingenuity.
Scene Four: The Exit Portal
With their business concluded, The Count leads them to an exit portal. But as they approach, it flickers unstably—someone has been tampering with portals.
A shadowy figure flees into the crowd. The Count's expression darkens—the first sign of genuine emotion they've shown.
The Count: "Portal instability. Dangerous. And expensive to fix. This will cost you."
Environmental Boss: Unstable Exit Portal
Type: Environmental Hazard (Elite Threat) | Difficulty: Challenging | Rounds Until Collapse: 5
PASSIVE FEATURES:
- Temporal Bleeding: Glimpses of past/future destinations flicker through portal
- Reality Tears: Random objects pulled through from other domains (3d6 damage if hit)
- Essence Drain: All travelers within 20 feet lose 1 point of their highest Essence per round
ACTIVE THREATS (GM rolls d6 each round):
- 1-2: Gravity Reversal → All travelers make Drop + Forma (Tricky) or "fall" upward 10 feet (1d6 damage when gravity returns)
- 3-4: Memory Flash → Target traveler makes Drop + Anima (Tricky) or lose focus (Disadvantage on next roll; see traumatic memory)
- 5-6: Future Echo → Glimpse your own death through portal; Drop + Reverie (Challenging) or gain Fear condition (Disadvantage on Reverie checks until scenario ends)
STABILIZATION REQUIREMENTS:
Must succeed at 3 of 4 essence-based checks within 5 rounds. Each PC should tackle one approach:
- Forma (Physical Anchor): Drop + Forma (Tricky) - Use material objects to weight portal edges; prevent reality tears
- Anima (Emotional Calm): Drop + Anima (Tricky) - Soothe portal's chaotic resonance; stop memory flashes
- Umbra (Find Source): Drop + Umbra (Challenging) - Trace tampering to its origin point; reveals who/what caused instability
- Reverie (Imagine Stability): Drop + Reverie (Risky) - Impose mental image of stable portal onto reality; most powerful but dangerous
OUTCOMES:
- SUCCESS (3-4 checks passed): Portal stabilizes; gain clue about tamperer; +1 Debt to Count
- PARTIAL (2 checks passed): Portal stabilizes but damaged; random destination; +2 Debt
- FAILURE (<2 checks): Portal collapses; must find alternate route; +3 Debt; lose 1 day
Revelation: The Tamperer's Identity (Node-Based Discovery)
Players need to discover 2 of 3 clues to deduce the truth about the portal tamperer. This uses the Alexandrian "Three Clue Rule"—multiple paths to the same revelation.
CLUE NODE A: Mirelle's Stall (Essence Analysis)
- Action: Return to Mirelle and ask her to analyze temporal residue on portal
- Check: Drop + Umbra (Challenging) to identify essence signature
- Reveals: "The essence signature matches one of you... but older. Worn. Desperate."
- GM Note: Don't reveal WHICH PC yet—let players debate and deduce!
CLUE NODE B: Kael's Testimony (If Saved)
- Action: Ask Kael for details about the shadowy figure
- Check: Drop + Anima (Regular) to help him remember clearly
- Reveals: Figure had [distinctive feature PC described in Session 0]—scar, tattoo, missing finger, unique gait, etc.
- GM Note: Use something memorable from character creation. Make it personal.
CLUE NODE C: Count's Ledger (Investigation/Social)
- Action: Convince Count to show Ledger entries OR sneak a peek
- Check: Drop + Anima (Challenging) to persuade OR Drop + Umbra (Risky) to steal glance
- Reveals: Entry dated "tomorrow" in handwriting matching one PC's style
- GM Note: If players ask to compare handwriting samples, it matches perfectly
REVELATION SCENE (When 2+ Clues Connected):
The Count appears, having watched your deduction with interest:"You've discovered something the Market hoped you wouldn't. The tamperer isn't sabotaging portals—they're searching through them. Desperately. Looking for something or someone."
The Count's expression is unreadable.
"The signature is yours, [PC name], but not from now. From when, I cannot say. Three cycles hence? Three hundred? Time is... negotiable in the spaces between worlds."
"Perhaps you'll ask them what they seek... when you meet your future self."
IMPLICATIONS FOR CAMPAIGN:
- • Time travel exists in NOWHERE LAND (non-linear causality)
- • PC's future self is desperate enough to risk reality breaking
- • The Count knows more than they've revealed (as always)
- • This hooks into future campaigns: "What breaks time?" "What are you searching for?"
- • The identified PC gains "Temporal Marked" condition (plot significance)
As the travelers step through the portal back to their world (or onward to a new domain), The Count offers final words:
Scene Five: Departure & Rewards
As the travelers step through the (now-stabilized) portal back to their world or onward to a new domain, The Count offers final words:
"You've taken your first steps. Your Ledger is no longer empty. Remember: every door opened is a debt owed. Every debt paid is a door closed. Choose wisely which you wish to remain open."
Tiered Rewards (Based on Performance)
Rewards scale based on how travelers handled the scenario:
OUTCOME A: Exemplary (Stabilized Portal + Saved Kael + Discovered Tamperer)
- Count's Favor: Reduce Ledger Debt by 1 (rare gift)
- Kael's Gift: Forma Charm (+1 Forma for one future roll)
- Market Access Token: Permanent ability to return via memory/meditation
- Knowledge: Understand that future-self's timeline is changeable
- Reputation: Market merchants recognize you; +1 to social rolls in Market
OUTCOME B: Competent (Stabilized Portal + One Major Accomplishment)
- Count's Acknowledgment: Respectful nod (no mechanical benefit but narrative weight)
- Market Access: Can return but must find portals (no token)
- Knowledge: Partial understanding of time travel mechanics
- Kael OR Mirelle: One becomes recurring ally (if you helped them)
OUTCOME C: Survival (Basic Completion)
- Count's Rescue: +2 Ledger Debt (Count fixed portal; service costs)
- Partisan Word Learned: At least gained "Passage" knowledge
- Alive: Most important—can try different approaches next time
- Lesson: Clear understanding that choices have weight here
OUTCOME D: Complications (Portal Collapsed or Major Failures)
- Alternate Route: +3 Ledger Debt; arrive at unexpected domain
- Lost Time: 1-3 days pass; something changed at home/destination
- Market Ban: If you stole or broke major rules; 1-month exile
- But: Gained valuable (harsh) lessons about consequences
Hooks for Future Sessions
Based on choices made, plant these seeds for ongoing campaigns:
IF HELPED KAEL:
- → He sends word through Market about opportunities in other domains
- → Future scenario hook: "Kael's Debt" where he repays favor in dramatic fashion
- → He can provide Market gossip and intelligence
IF DISCOVERED TEMPORAL TAMPERER:
- → Count mentions "The Chronomancer's Guild" in passing
- → Future scenario: Meet your future self; learn what they seek
- → Other time travelers may contact the "Temporal Marked" PC
IF TOOK ON EXTRA DEBT:
- → Count: "Interesting. Most don't volunteer for burden..."
- → "The Ledger's Weight" scenario comes sooner (10+ debt accumulated faster)
- → Other entities notice your debt; some want to buy it
IF IGNORED KAEL:
- → Market NPCs are notably cooler toward party
- → Future scenario: Must prove trustworthiness to regain Market favor
- → Kael's family/friends remember what you didn't do
IF CONNECTED WITH MIRELLE:
- → She whispers: "I remembered something about home... thank you."
- → Future storyline: Help Mirelle discover her origin (she's from The Null)
- → She becomes recurring ally and information source
ALWAYS PLANT (Regardless of Outcome):
- → Mention of "The Five Domains" (Jungle, Desert, Mountains, Tundra, Ocean)
- → Rumor of a "Trickster" who breaks rules even The Count respects
- → Reference to "The Undreaming City" (foreshadow Ledger's Weight scenario)
Post-Session Debrief
After the session, ask your players these questions to shape future sessions:
Character Reflection:
- • What memory did you trade, and why does it matter to your character?
- • How do you feel about the debt in your Ledger? Manageable? Concerning? Terrifying?
- • Which NPC resonated with you most? Why?
Player Experience:
- • What was your favorite moment in The Market?
- • Did you feel like your choices mattered? How?
- • Was there a moment where you felt genuinely uncertain about what to do?
Future Direction:
- • What do you want to explore next in the domains?
- • Are you curious about the temporal mystery? (If discovered)
- • What questions do you have about The Count, The Market, or Partisan language?
GM NOTE: Use their answers to shape future sessions. NOWHERE LAND thrives on player-driven narrative. The domains should reflect what interests and terrifies your specific group.
Download Scenario Materials
Includes: NPC portraits, Market map, pre-generated travelers, handouts with Partisan words, Count's Ledger tracking sheet, Environment Feature cards, Tiered Information reference
PDF materials coming soonDesign Notes for GMs
This scenario uses professional TTRPG design principles adapted from Call of Cthulhu, Daggerheart, Five Room Dungeon, and Alexandrian Theory. Key innovations:
- Tiered Information: Every investigation offers Regular/Hard/Extreme success tiers, ensuring progress while rewarding excellent rolls
- Environment as Adversary: The Market itself has Features (Passive/Action/Reaction) making locations feel alive and dangerous
- Node-Based Design: Three Clue Rule ensures players can discover the temporal mystery through multiple paths
- Multiple Solutions: Every challenge has 3-5 valid approaches rewarding different play styles (combat, social, creative, investigation)
- Failure as Story: Failed rolls don't stop progress—they create complications and narrative branches
- Structured Adversaries: NPCs use Daggerheart-style stat blocks with Types, Tiers, and Features for consistency
See SCENARIO_DESIGN_GUIDE.md for complete framework and apply these principles to your own scenarios.
Additional Resources
This complete scenario includes all acts as presented. Additional downloadable resources: