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Player Knowledge and Spoiler Policy
This wiki is a player-facing reference for the Thesalon campaign.
Its purpose is to help players understand the world, create characters, prepare for Session One, and track what the party has learned without revealing hidden campaign information before it appears in play.
The campaign begins aboard the Azure Aviary, a Maritheli ship traveling through Windrider Gulf waters.
Players should know that starting frame.
Players should not be given hidden answers about why every event matters, what factions secretly want, what threats are waiting, or what deeper mysteries are true.
This page explains the difference between player knowledge, character knowledge, rumor, public fact, and spoiler information.
Core Rule
Player-facing pages should help players make good choices without confirming hidden truths.
A page may explain public knowledge.
A page may present rumors.
A page may describe what most people believe.
A page may give character-building options.
A page may explain what a sailor, scholar, healer, cleric, refugee, or local Maritheli character might reasonably know.
A page should not reveal DM-only secrets, hidden events, secret villains, unrevealed faction plans, surprise encounters, concealed shipboard developments, or the true nature of campaign mysteries before the players discover them in play.
What Players Are Allowed to Know Before Session One
Players can know the campaign’s public starting frame.
| Player-Safe Fact | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The campaign begins aboard the Azure Aviary. | The opening situation is shipboard. |
| The Azure Aviary is traveling through Maritheli waters. | The starting region is maritime. |
| Windrider Freeport is expected to be the first major hub. | It matters early, but the party does not begin there. |
| Marithel is the starting continent. | Ships, freeports, sea roads, law, refugees, and factions matter. |
| The current era is the Crownless Age. | Old authorities are damaged, mistrusted, or contested. |
| The world has several major continents. | Characters may come from different lands and cultures. |
| Names, papers, law, and testimony matter. | Identity can be practical, legal, and dangerous. |
| Refugees, exiles, sailors, merchants, scholars, healers, and privateers move through Marithel. | Many character concepts fit the opening. |
| Factions are active. | Harbors, temples, merchants, privateers, advocates, pilots, and foreign powers have interests. |
| The campaign includes mystery. | Not every question has a public answer yet. |
These facts are enough to build a character.
They are not spoilers.
What Characters May Know
A player and a character do not always know the same things.
Your character’s knowledge depends on background, homeland, profession, faith, faction, class, languages, travel history, and personal experience.
Common Knowledge
Most characters can know common public information such as:
- the broad reputation of the continents;
- the basic meaning of the Crownless Age;
- that Marithel is a maritime continent;
- that Windrider Freeport is a major harbor;
- that ships are workplaces, homes, legal spaces, and social worlds;
- that Blue Lantern law concerns hearing people before they are seized or surrendered;
- that false names may be protective, fraudulent, or both;
- that refugees and exiles often seek Maritheli passage;
- that privateers and corsairs blur the line between law and violence;
- that temples, shrines, burial rites, and oaths still matter to daily life.
Background-Specific Knowledge
| Character Type | Knowledge They Might Have |
|---|---|
| Sailor | Ship routines, weather signs, route warnings, bells, crew roles, cargo handling. |
| Shipborn character | Ship families, route kinship, harbor identity, crew customs, ship names. |
| Refugee or exile | Survival routes, false names, claimants, protection systems, fear of registries. |
| Healer | Triage, shipboard injury, mercy law, patient privacy, disease fear, clinic networks. |
| Scholar or scribe | Records, maps, testimony, languages, names, archives, legal documents. |
| Faction-tied character | Contacts, obligations, rivalries, public faction goals, rumors. |
| Cleric or pilgrim | Public rites, gods, shrines, burial practices, mercy traditions, vows. |
| Privateer or guard | Armed ship protocol, boarding fear, letters of marque, escort work, prize claims. |
| Merchant or trader | Cargo, prices, contracts, debt, seals, market rumor, port fees. |
| Local Maritheli | Harbor etiquette, ship law basics, freeport reputation, sea rites, local prejudice. |
| Outsider | Homeland knowledge, foreign custom, unfamiliarity with Maritheli assumptions. |
A character does not automatically know everything because a page exists.
Use the wiki to support character knowledge, not replace character perspective.
What This Wiki Will Not Reveal Before Play
The player-facing wiki should not confirm hidden campaign information.
Do Not Reveal in Pre-Session Player Pages
| Hidden Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Opening surprises | Specific first-session hostile actions, surprise boardings, hidden encounter beats. |
| Hidden ship matters | Secret cargo, concealed legal disputes, undisclosed ownership issues, hidden betrayal. |
| Secret faction plans | What a faction is truly trying to accomplish behind public action. |
| Hidden villains | Unrevealed antagonists, disguised enemies, secret sponsors, concealed conspirators. |
| Deeper mysteries | True causes of strange events, ancient compacts, supernatural truths, hidden failures. |
| DM-only maps | Secret routes, hidden locations, unrevealed dungeon sites, concealed faction bases. |
| Encounter details | Enemy stats, tactics, location surprises, planned complications. |
| Secret NPC information | Hidden loyalties, false identities, unrevealed relationships, private motives. |
| Outcome assumptions | What must happen in Session One or what the party is expected to choose. |
A player-facing page may say:
Some sailors distrust certain routes.
It should not say:
This route is secretly unstable because of a hidden campaign mystery.
A player-facing page may say:
There are rumors about cargo, claimants, and unusual legal pressure.
It should not confirm what the cargo is, who the hidden claimant is, or why the ship matters.
Spoiler Levels
Every page should use spoiler metadata.
| Spoiler Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
none | Safe before Session One. |
light | Safe after the campaign premise is understood or after early play confirms context. |
session-revealed | Safe only after the relevant session or discovery. |
dm-only | Not player-facing unless rewritten later. |
Pre-Session-Safe Pages
Pages safe before Session One should usually say:
player_safe: true
spoiler_level: none
campaign_phase: pre-session-one
Session-Revealed Pages
Pages that discuss information discovered during play should use:
player_safe: true
spoiler_level: session-revealed
campaign_phase: post-session
DM-Only Pages
DM-only pages should use:
player_safe: false
spoiler_level: dm-only
campaign_phase: dm-prep
DM-only pages should not be linked from the normal player navigation.
Page Safety Categories
Use these categories when deciding whether a page is safe.
| Category | Player-Safe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public world overview | Yes | Safe if it presents public knowledge only. |
| Character creation guidance | Yes | Safe if it avoids secret campaign answers. |
| Starting situation | Yes | Safe if it gives frame without revealing surprises. |
| Rumor pages | Yes, with care | Rumors should remain unconfirmed. |
| Faction public pages | Yes | Public reputation, known locations, and rumors are safe. |
| Deep faction motives | No | Hidden plans are DM-only or session-revealed. |
| Maps | Sometimes | Player-safe maps only; hidden routes stay off page. |
| Session recaps | Yes after play | Include only what players have learned. |
| Active quests | Yes after play | Do not reveal hidden resolutions. |
| NPC pages | Sometimes | Public NPC info is safe; secrets are not. |
| Encounter plans | No | DM-only. |
| Mystery explanations | No | Session-revealed or DM-only. |
Public Knowledge vs. Rumor vs. Secret
The wiki should distinguish three kinds of information.
Public Knowledge
Public knowledge is something most relevant people could reasonably know.
Example:
Windrider Freeport is known for Blue Lantern law, legal hearings, refugee movement, and harbor trade.
Public knowledge can be stated plainly.
Rumor
A rumor is something people say, but it may be false, incomplete, exaggerated, or misunderstood.
Example:
Some sailors say a ship that changes its name too often invites trouble.
Rumors should not be written as confirmed truth unless players have confirmed them in play.
Secret
A secret is hidden information the players should not know yet.
Example:
The true cause of a mystery, the concealed motive of a faction, or the hidden reason a ship matters.
Secrets should not appear in player-safe pages before discovery.
How to Write Rumors Safely
Rumors are useful because they create texture without revealing the truth.
Safe rumor language:
- Some sailors say...
- A common dockside story claims...
- Refugee kitchens whisper...
- A pilot may warn...
- Old records disagree about...
- People argue whether...
- No one agrees if...
- A story told in Low Lantern says...
Avoid spoiler-confirming rumor language:
- This is secretly true.
- This foreshadows the real cause.
- This refers to the hidden villain.
- The rumor is planted by the faction that will attack later.
- Players will discover this in Session One.
Rumors should invite play, not solve it.
Character Secrets
Character secrets are allowed, but they require DM approval.
A character secret may involve:
- a false name;
- a hidden homeland;
- a disputed family tie;
- past service to a faction;
- former privateering;
- a debt;
- a claim against them;
- a stolen or inherited object;
- a missing person;
- a vow;
- a concealed faith;
- a legal problem;
- a secret reason for boarding the Azure Aviary.
A character secret should not automatically reveal campaign secrets.
Good Character Secret
I am traveling under a false name because a merchant factor believes I owe a debt I never agreed to.
Risky Character Secret
I know the true cause of the campaign’s central supernatural mystery.
The first creates playable pressure.
The second may spoil the campaign and should be avoided unless the DM specifically approves it.
Player Knowledge vs. Character Knowledge
Sometimes a player knows something because they read it, but their character may not.
That is normal.
Use this guideline:
| Situation | How to Handle It |
|---|---|
| Page gives common knowledge | Your character can probably know it unless their background makes ignorance more interesting. |
| Page gives homeland-specific knowledge | Your character knows it if they are from there or have reason to know. |
| Page gives profession-specific knowledge | Your character knows it if their profession fits. |
| Page gives rumor | Your character may know it if it fits their background. Treat it as uncertain. |
| Page gives faction reputation | Your character may know public reputation; not secret plans. |
| Page gives session recap | Your character knows it if they were present or were told. |
| You as player infer a hidden truth | Do not assume your character knows it. Let play reveal it. |
If uncertain, ask the DM:
Would my character know this?
Spoiler-Safe Writing Standards
Player-safe pages should use careful language.
Use
- Most people believe...
- Publicly, the faction is known for...
- A common rumor says...
- Characters from this region may know...
- Some records suggest...
- This is not confirmed...
- Before Session One, characters may know...
- Ask the DM if your character has deeper knowledge.
Avoid
- The truth is...
- Secretly...
- The villain plans...
- This will happen in Session One...
- The hidden cargo is...
- The real cause is...
- The faction’s actual agenda is...
- Players will later discover...
- The correct answer is...
Player-facing writing should preserve uncertainty where uncertainty is part of play.
What Is Safe About the Azure Aviary
The following is safe before Session One.
| Safe Fact | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The campaign begins aboard the Azure Aviary. | The ship is the opening location. |
| It is a working Maritheli vessel. | It has practical shipboard life, not royal spectacle. |
| It travels through Windrider Gulf waters. | The starting region is maritime. |
| Characters may be crew, passengers, guards, specialists, refugees, couriers, or witnesses. | Many character roles fit. |
| Shipboard routines matter. | Meals, watches, bells, cargo, passengers, and crew are part of the start. |
| Windrider Freeport is likely the first major hub. | The voyage has a meaningful destination. |
The following should not be revealed before play unless the DM chooses otherwise.
| Not Safe Pre-Session | Reason |
|---|---|
| Specific surprise events aboard the ship | These belong to the opening session. |
| Hidden ship claims | These are plot information. |
| Secret cargo | This would spoil discovery. |
| Hidden ownership disputes | These are DM-only until revealed. |
| Secret faction involvement | This would reveal mystery structure. |
| Supernatural explanations | These should emerge through play. |
| Internal betrayal | This would spoil tension and discovery. |
| Exact encounter timing | This is DM prep, not player-facing. |
What Is Safe About Windrider Freeport
The following is safe before Session One.
| Safe Fact | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Windrider Freeport is a major Maritheli harbor. | It matters early in the campaign. |
| It is the first major hub, not the opening location. | The party begins aboard the Azure Aviary. |
| It is known for Blue Lantern law. | Hearings, claims, and protected procedure matter. |
| It has refugee moorings and aid networks. | Low Lantern and similar spaces matter. |
| It has docks, markets, registries, temples, shipyards, and factions. | It is a practical hub. |
| Many people go there seeking papers, work, protection, medicine, trade, or passage. | It supports many character motives. |
The following should not be revealed before play unless discovered.
| Not Safe Pre-Session | Reason |
|---|---|
| Hidden local faction plans | They are plot information. |
| Specific events waiting for the party | They belong to play. |
| Secret enemies in the city | Reveals future threat. |
| Hidden consequences of the Azure Aviary’s arrival | Spoils the opening arc. |
| DM-only maps or safehouses | Removes discovery. |
What Is Safe About Factions
Faction pages may include:
- public summary;
- common reputation;
- common locations;
- player-facing relationships;
- common services;
- character connection options;
- public rumors.
Faction pages should not include:
- secret leaders;
- hidden agendas;
- unrevealed conspiracies;
- planned betrayals;
- future encounter plans;
- secret relationship maps;
- full hidden positions on campaign mysteries.
A faction can be morally complicated without revealing its hidden plan.
What Is Safe About Maps
Maps should be player-safe.
They may show:
- known continents;
- major public regions;
- major harbors;
- public sea roads;
- common routes;
- player-known locations;
- approximate geography;
- discovered locations after play.
Maps should not show:
- hidden bases;
- secret routes;
- unrevealed encounter sites;
- hidden ancient sites;
- DM-only paths;
- future ambush points;
- concealed faction infrastructure;
- locations the party has no way to know.
A map can include uncertainty.
Sometimes the right player-facing note is:
Map reliability varies by region. Some routes are approximate, disputed, seasonal, or intentionally incomplete.
What Is Safe About NPCs
NPC information should be handled carefully.
Safe NPC Information
- name;
- public role;
- public reputation;
- known location;
- what the party has learned;
- visible relationships;
- publicly known faction tie;
- known services;
- rumors clearly marked as rumors.
Unsafe NPC Information
- secret allegiance;
- hidden identity;
- betrayal plans;
- stat block;
- private motives;
- concealed relationship;
- unrevealed role in future events;
- true knowledge of hidden campaign mysteries.
For active campaign tracking, use player-known information only.
Player Notes and Inferences
Players may infer things.
That is part of play.
However, the wiki should not confirm those inferences early.
If players suspect a mystery, the campaign should let them investigate through scenes, witnesses, choices, danger, and consequences.
The wiki should not function as an answer key.
Use the wiki to remember what is known.
Use play to discover what is true.
If You Accidentally Read a Spoiler
If you accidentally read something that seems like DM-only information:
- Stop reading that page.
- Tell the DM privately.
- Do not share the information with the group.
- Do not build character choices around it unless the DM approves.
- Let the DM decide whether the information should be ignored, reframed, or brought into play.
Accidents happen. The goal is to protect the table’s discovery.
If You Want Your Character to Know More
Ask the DM.
A character may be allowed deeper knowledge because of:
- homeland;
- profession;
- faction tie;
- class;
- religion;
- research;
- noble or legal status;
- shipboard experience;
- old war service;
- secret backstory;
- approved character hook.
The DM may answer directly, give partial information, offer rumors, require a skill check in play, or suggest a safer version.
Summary
Before Session One, players should know:
- the campaign begins aboard the Azure Aviary;
- the starting region is Marithel;
- Windrider Freeport is the first major hub, not the opening location;
- each character needs a reason to be aboard;
- public world knowledge is safe;
- rumors are not confirmed truth;
- secrets require DM approval;
- hidden campaign answers should remain hidden until play reveals them.
The goal is not to keep players confused.
The goal is to let players begin with enough context while preserving mystery, discovery, and consequence.
Related Pages
- Welcome Page
- Welcome to the Campaign
- How to Use This Wiki
- Recommended First Reads
- Campaign Tone and Themes
- What You Need Before Session One
- Quick Start for Character Creation
- Player-Safe Glossary Starter
- Wiki Navigation Index
- Campaign Start Overview
- The Azure Aviary
- Why Your Character Is Aboard
- What Your Character Knows Before Session One
- What Most People Know About the World