Tuala Morn
Tuala Morn
Tuala Morn
STEVEN S. LONG
A Fantasy Hero Realm Of Celtic Wonder And Magic Author: Steven S. Long Editing and Developing: Darren Watts Layout & Graphic Design: Andy Mathews Interior Illustration: Peter Anckorn, Andrew Cremeans, Storn Cook, Keith Curtis, Peter Deluca, Brian and Brendan Fraim, Je Hebert, Tom Miskey, Cara Mitten, Walter Simon, Greg Smith, Chris Stevens, Mack Sztaba
SPECIAL THANKS:
Id like to thank Sean Fannon and Jared Nielsen, who gave me a reason to put Tuala Morn, a land that had long existed in my mind, down on paper... and who gave it back to me when the Shards Of The Stone project faltered.
Hero SystemTM is DOJ, Inc.s trademark for its roleplaying system. Hero System 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Champions 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Fantasy Hero 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Dark Champions 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Pulp Hero 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Tuala Morn 2007 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Western Hero 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher: DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102. Printed in the Canada. First printing January 2007 Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. Stock Number: DOJHERO512 ISBN Number: 978-1-58366-100-0 http://www.herogames.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................. 4
Black Annis ........................................... 226 Black Dog ............................................. 228 Boggart ................................................ 230 Brollachan ............................................ 231 Brownie ................................................ 232 Buggane ............................................... 234 Cailleach Bheur ..................................... 235 Daoine Sidhe......................................... 237 Duergar ................................................ 238 Dwarf, Tualan ........................................ 240 Fachan ................................................. 241 Firbolg .................................................. 242 Fir Darrig .............................................. 244 Fomorian .............................................. 245 Giant, Tualan ......................................... 247 Gwragedd Annwn .................................. 248 Jack-In-Irons......................................... 249 Jenny Greenteeth .................................. 250 Leanan-Sidhe........................................ 251 Leprechaun........................................... 252 Llamhigyn Y Dwr ................................... 253 Merrow ................................................. 254 Nuckelavee ........................................... 256 Phouka ................................................. 257 Redcap ................................................. 259 Selkie ................................................... 260 Spriggan ............................................... 261 Troll, Tualan ........................................... 262 The Wild Hunt ....................................... 264 OTHER ADVERSARIES................................ 266 Cataran ................................................ 266 Knight ................................................... 267 Pictoi Warrior ........................................ 268 Vulkring Raider ...................................... 270 Witch.................................................... 271
INTRODUCTION
A land of wondrous adventure amid green hills and dark forests awaits.... In Dunrioga, the seat of the High King has sat empty for ten long years since the death of Davaine the Strong. While his queen Nuala tries to maintain a regency for their son, young Aillin, no one unites the people against the threat of Vulkring raiders from the north, or brings a halt to the longstanding feud between Crogher of Conhaile and Sitric of Seanclough. And without a High King, nothing stems the tide of the ambition of the Cormac of Mar Cormac, who wants a throne he does not deserve and would sacrice all the world to obtain it. And the land suers for lack of a leader. As if political turmoil werent enough, religious strife besets the land. The druids who worship the Dronnach Lanva, the Hundred Children, continue to propitiate the spirits of stream and wood, but all the while the priests of the Golden Temple cry the ascendancy of their strange faith to the skies, seeking to win converts to their shrines. Some wise men whisper that such disputes on Earth must surely mirror a dispute in the heavens, and if the matter cannot be resolved only the dark gods of the witches will remain to rule over the Tualans. Even worse, there are those who claim that these dark gods, or something akin to them, have already cast a shadow over the land. Of the source and power of this shadow they know naught, but its intentions are surely evil. Prophecy foretells that unless a true hero nds the Basilisk Orb, fabled talisman of the ancient wizard Coruch Crotha, the High Kings realm will fall to dust and ashes. Are you that hero? Welcome to Tuala Morn, an Irish-/Celticthemed Low Fantasy realm of bold warriors, wise wizards, capricious faeries, and a thousand dierent types of adventure! As your characters travel the elds, forests, and mountains of the Ten Kingdoms in search of brave deeds to do that they might win glory and honor for themselves, theyll encounter wonder, danger, and excitement at every turn. Chapter One, The Chronicles Of The Tualans, relates the history of the Tualans how they came to the land they call Tuala Morn, and the battles they had to ght to claim it as their own and hold it against many perils. Chapter Two, King And Commoner, describes the culture, customs, and society of the Tualans. It covers cailshaen, the system of Tualan feudalism; the Dremir Veith, or social hierarchy and political positions; the seasons and holidays; warfare; law; religion; trade; and much more. Chapter Three, The Ten Kingdoms: The Realms Of Tuala Morn, discusses the geography and physical features of Tuala Morn, then provides a thorough kingdom-by-kingdom review of the ten realms and other areas within the land. If you want to know who rules a kingdom, who his prominent nobles are, what happens there, and what perils that realm faces, this chapter tells you. Chapter Four, The Board Of Notables, covers character creation. It has Package Deals for the standard Tualan professions (and some Racial Package Deals as well), plus notes on how various Skills, Perks, Talents, and Disadvantages function in the Tuala Morn setting. It also includes rules for Feats, special (even magical) powers that spearmen possess, as well as price and equipment tables and a list of names appropriate for Tualan characters. Chapter Five, Tualan Magic, describes what magic is and how it works within Tuala Morn. Besides covering the Draichta spells of druids, wizards, and witches, it discusses the Miracles of the Golden priests and the secrets of Smithcraft. Theres also a section on enchanted items your characters might find. Chapter Six, The Tualan Bestiary, contains dozens of adversaries for your PCs. Besides discussing the faerie-folk and their behavior in general, it provides character sheets for many specic types of faeries (or related monsters) and generic character sheets for enemies like witches and Pictoi warriors. Chapter Seven, Beyond Tualan Shores, describes the rest of the Northlands as theyre known to the Tualans: Logres, trading partner to the east; rich Acquitaine, barbarous Vulkringland; and many others. Chapter Eight, The Bards Portion: Gamemastering Tuala Morn, provides advice and information for GMs running Tuala Morn campaigns. In addition to guidelines for Heroic and Superheroic campaign styles, it has a GMs Vault of secret information about the setting only the GM should know, and a generous selection of plot seeds to get the GMs creative juices owing. The book concludes with an Appendix containing an English-Tualan and Tualan-English dictionary, and a Bibliography. In addition to the subject-matter Index at the end, check the Free Stu page at http://www.herogames.com for The Encyclopaedia Tuala, a comprehensive encyclopedic index of people, places, and things in the setting.
T uala Morn
AUTHORS NOTE: ON HISTORICAL AND MYTHIC REALISM While Tuala Morn is heavily inuenced by my love of Northern European myths and legends, primarily those of Ireland/the British Isles and the Celts in general, the setting is not historically or culturally accurate Ive taken the feel of early medieval Ireland as ltered through history texts, folklore, legend, and ction and leavened it with a generous dose of things I like from British, Scottish, and Welsh legends as well, plus bits and pieces of Fantasy gaming favorites like necromancers, knights, dukes, and witches. My intent is to capture a certain atmosphere or ambience or feel, not to accurately portray a historical setting. Ive also used words and terms in dierent ways than theyre used
in real life and re-arranged other things as I see t. For example, the Tualan holiday of Samhain takes place in the equivalent of early September, even though the real Samhain occurred in late October; Annwn is the Welsh underworld, not the Irish, but it works just ne for Tuala Morn in general. Similarly, Tuala Morn isnt mythologically accurate either. This is not a HERO System supplement on how to use the rules to model the characters, events, and abilities of Irish legends and heroes like Finn MacCumhal or the Tin b Cailnge its a Fantasy setting inuenced by those things. Theres a lot of material in Tuala Morn that you could use to run a Celtic Myth Hero campaign if you wanted to, but thats not the purpose of the book.
chapter one:
s any bard worthy of his harp can tell you, the Tualans have not always lived in Tuala Morn. There was a time, long ago, when they dwelt in another land far across the sea a place so ancient not even the wisest druid knows its name. It was a peaceful land and good, well-suited for hunting and the raising of crops, until another people came into it. The forefathers of the Tualans called them the Storm Tribes, for they worshipped strange sky-gods. Fierce and mighty were the Storm Tribes, and they fought with the Tualans fathers, making war upon them in the plains and hills and forests of that land. With great force of numbers and the powerful dark magics of their wizards, the Tribes defeated the Tualans many times. At Athcray Kaloch, the Ford of Five Stones, they slew the great chieftain Tuala Tensha, son of Burada, son of Darail, and many of his stout heroes besides. When the people heard of Tualas fall, their lamentations were long and loud, and the sky and stones wept with them. But the axemen of the Storm Tribes did not slay the three sons of Tuala Callahan the Bold, Slevin the Clever, and Feoras the Stone. Strong in war the brothers were, proud ghting men who could stand against a dozen warriors each and slay them without suering so much as a scratch. Yet for all their might of arms, the Three Brothers could not triumph over the Storm Tribes, nor drive them from the shores of their land. So Slevin took counsel with the wizard Coruch Crotha and bethought himself of a plan for his people to build great longships and depart the land of their forefathers for other lands, where the Storm Tribes could not reach them and they could live in peace. Though they ill-liked the thought of eeing from any foe, or taking to the storm-tossed seas, Callahan and Feoras knew well their brothers wisdom and agreed to his plan. Gathering the chieftains, they told them of Slevins proposal, and the chieftains thought it good. While the Three Brothers and their warrior-hosts fought valiantly to hold the Storm Tribes at bay, the people built vast ships to ride the wave-road to a new home. With the power of his talisman, the Basilisk Sta, Coruch Crotha hid the Tualans design from the enemys wizards, that they would not destroy the ships with lightning and re. After many long days of eort, the ships were nished nine proud wave-steeds, three under the command of each brother. At the Black Stone of Mortara they boarded the ships and embarked on their great journey, Callahans ships in the van. Coruch Crotha called down a great storm behind them, using the Tribes namesake to hold back the
PRONOUNCING TUALAN
For the most part, you can pronounce Tualan words much as you would if they were English words. There are just a few exceptions. First, the letters GH are pronounced as Y thus, the name Bartlaigh is pronounced BART-lay, not BART-laig. This does not apply when GH occurs at or near the beginning of a word, in which case its pronounced like a G (as in ogham, OG-um). G, C, and CH are almost always hard, as in get, cat, or loch. One notable exception is the name of the goddess Brigit, where the G is soft, like a J. KN is pronounced like N. In some cases, S followed by EA is pronounced like SH. Thus, the name Seanclough is SHAWN-cloy, not SEEN-clog. In some cases, W serves as a vowel (such as Annwn, the Tualan underworld). Its pronounced like the OO in book. A U between two consonants is pronounced OO as in tool; thus, dun rhymes with spoon, not with fun. Accent marks indicate stress; they do not change the pronunciation of a word. Thus, Duvrach is pronounced doov-AR-rack, not DOOV-ar-rack. See the Appendix for an English-Tualan TualanEnglish dictionary.
THE ARRIVAL
Once again the Tualans found themselves on the wave-road, with only the stars and moon to guide them. But now they were in gentler seas, and they proceeded at greater speed. Some days later they saw on the horizon several islands, and then beyond them a still larger land. Sailing past the islands and around a great headland, they came at last to a shore where boulders and sand formed an ideal place to land their ships. After all the people were ashore, the Three Brothers and their herobands went out into the new land, leaving several chieftains to guard the ships against such dangers as this place might hold. Though they ventured not far, the Three Brothers soon learned they had found a land well-suited to themselves and their people. Its green elds, rolling hills, deep forests, and rushing rivers teemed with sh and game, and Coruch Crotha sensed no great evil as he had once before. Taking counsel among themselves, the three sons of Tuala Tensha decided they had had enough of journeying; this land would become their new home. They returned to the place of landing to carry the report of their decision to all the Tualans, who greeted their words with loud cheers. To prove the strength of his words, and to remove from the minds of the people any temptation to leave their new home, Callahan the Bold took the nine black longships and sailed with them three heros spear-casts from shore. There he sank them, gifting them to the sea-gods who had seen the Tualans safely to the new land, Tuala Morn. As the last ship sank, with powerful strokes he swam back to the place of landing to rejoin his people. But to this day, a man who dares the stormy seas near Duvrach can gaze into the waters and see the ruins of the nine ships beneath the waves, mute testimony to the bravery of his forebears. In the place of landing, Tacht Tuala, the people erected a great pillar of stone, and set about it three iron bands. Coruch Crotha inscribed upon the bands, in letters of Ogham, the tongue of the druids which is older than Man, the names and deeds of the three chieftains. The pillar stands still on the shore of the Northern Sea, and from that day to this, no spot of rust has touched the Three Iron Chronicles.
aking a third of the people, each of the Three Brothers set forth to build kingdoms in the new land. One of the tribes of Callahan, tired of so much journeying and well satisfied with the mountainous land where the ships came ashore, chose not to travel further. Within the mountains of the Sleve Daireanne they built their homes, and in time called their new realm Duvrach. The rest of the Tualans fared south, hunting as they went, until they came to Faine Clairoch, on the shores of a great lake they called Kilkarry. At the Faine, a trance came over Coruch Crotha, so powerful that neither his magic nor the Basilisk Sta could protect him against it. He began to walk west and south, tirelessly, as the Three Brothers trailed behind him. When he came to the great river that Slevin named Mointarc, he crossed it by magic, walking on the waters while the brothers struggled to follow him. Eventually Coruch Crotha came to a high hill overlooking a bend of the river, surrounded by pleasant elds and forests. There he struck his Sta against the ground, and a spring poured forth. Here shall be the holy seat of the High King, for so long as he succors the land and keeps it safe, and men shall call it Dunrioga, he said, and then the trance fell from him. As steely-eyed Callahan summoned his people to build a great hall on the hill of the spring, Slevins people went east and west, and Feorass south, to nd places to establish kingdoms of their own.
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THE FIRST BATTLES At Magroshs command, the trolls poured forth from the mountains and the forests, taking the Tualans by surprise. Leaving great slaughter behind them, the Tualans retreated to Dunrioga, where the Three Brothers assembled their hosts to meet the new threat. Scorning Tualan heads and weapons as trophies, the trolls kept the white-skinned corpses for their stew-pots. The Tualans found themselves caught between two great trollish armies: the trolls of the Sleve Daireanne, led by Magrosh himself; and the trolls of the Sleve Fergairon, commanded by Gortak GapTooth, a fearsome warrior who drank the blood of his slain enemies from an enormous golden cup. The Three Brothers decided Slevin, Coruch Crotha, and several minor chieftains would lead their hosts against the northern trolls while Callahan and Feoras fought the enemy to the south. In their war-chariots, the Tualans led by Callahan and Feoras came against the trolls on the shores of Loch Sheel. So erce was the onslaught that the hills and woods near the lake were stained red with the blood of the slain; ever since, the leaves of the trees there turn blood-red in the autumn to honor the dead. Gortak Gap-Tooth slew Illadan son of Feoras and Senach son of Callahan, then impaled their bodies with their own swords to tree-trunks, that the Tualans might see the death-agonies on their faces and be dismayed. Overmatched, the Tualans fell back into the Plains of Briaga, harried by goblins as they went. After taking counsel with Coruch Crotha, Slevin decided to challenge Magrosh Iron-Fist to single combat, in the hope that if the troll-king
were defeated he would abide by tradition and have his forces leave the field. The son of Tuala issued the challenge, and Magrosh accepted. At Ath na Shinna, the Ford of the Fox, they met, Slevin pitting his spear Knavtraigh (BonePiercer) against the troll-kings enchanted sword Balcaebur. They came together in midstream, and Knavtraigh rang off Magroshs iron shield with a sound like a thunderclap. Again and again the warriors attacked, but Slevin could not score a telling blow through Magroshs armor and leathern skin, while Magroshs powerful sword could not touch the swift-limbed Slevin at all. Then an underwater root tangled Slevins feet, and the brave hero measured his length in the waters of the ford. As Magrosh raised Balcaebur to strike off Slevins head, Coruch Crotha conjured a mist that spirited Slevin away from the battle. Magrosh roared his outrage and urged his army on to battle, while the Tualan warriors moved forward to meet them. Soon the field was strewn with the bodies of trolls and men. But even when Slevin returned to the battle, the skill of the Tualans could not overcome the size and strength of the trolls and the wickedness of the goblins. They retreated west and south, toward Faine Clairoch.
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Lonnaithe Rae
fter Feoras returned to Dunrioga and was healed of his wounds, he and his two brothers made to settle the lands of Tuala Morn which they had won with so much blood and pain. Callahans people, as bold as their captain, took for their portion the northern reaches, where trolls and other dangers threatened them. Clever Slevin took for his portion the central lands (save for Dunrioga itself), the largest region of Tuala Morn. Feoras and his people journeyed south to take the lands promised them by Coruch Crotha. For many years, the Three Brothers ruled over their people. The Tualans built raths and homes, and later duns, and walked the elds and forests of Tuala Morn. They had many children, and each of the Three Brothers sired many sons to become chieftains and druids and bards to rule over them and see to their welfare. The land prospered, and the high hall at Dunrioga frequently rang with the laughter of feasting hero-bands as the brothers came together for celebration and ceremony. THE DEATHS OF THE THREE But Time spares not even heroes, and there came a day when steely-eyed Callahan, weary with the weight of years, knew his age had passed. Calling his brothers to meet him at Dunrioga, he found that they, too, had seen their end approaching. Taking leave of their chief retainers, together the three of them rode off to the west, into the Ross Rioga, and were never seen again by man. The bards say they journeyed to the Otherworld, to the realms of Faerie. They now sleep beneath Kady Tine, the Bonfire Hill of Dunrioga, along with their hero-bands until the time comes when they must awaken and defend Tuala Morn against her greatest enemies.
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riors to bits with their massive clubs and axes, but still fell before the greater numbers in Malrudans army. After hours of ghting, a handful of surviving Fomorians broke away and ed south and east into Duneane to join their fellows. The Tualans built a massive pyre of the slain giants; as far away as Faine Clairoch people saw its ames, and the gods themselves complained of its heat. To this day the grass around Craig Crovan is blackened and burnt; nothing grows there, and no birds sing within sight of it. After the pyre was done, the largest part of the Tualan army pursued the Fomorians into Duneane. But Malrudan sent two bands of warriors to burn the Fomorian ships, that the enemy could not ee and return in greater numbers. The Tualans found the Fomorians in the ruins of Cathair Duneane, enjoying the fruits of their pillaging. The giants gave battle briey, killing King Malrudan but losing many of their own warriors. They ed through the Sleve Lieg to Inver Cullaeven, hoping to reach their ships, but met instead another band of Tualan warriors. Caught between hammer and anvil, a few chose to ght, slaughtering as many Tualans as they could before they themselves were overwhelmed and destroyed. But others ed. Some dove into the ocean and swam to Inish Angalach or Inish Ollarba; others went east and scattered into the hills, forests, and mountains where the Tualans could not nd them. Never again have the ships of the Fomorians come to the shores of Tuala Morn; among the wise, some say that no more Fomorians live across the sea. But still Fomorians dwell in the dark, wild places of the land, working their evil as they may. A few have wormed their way into the deep mountains and allied themselves with trolls, becoming kings of troll tribes. While their threat to all of Tuala Morn has ended, they still remain dangerous.
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Ardri Rae
he combined might of the kings of Tuala Morn defeated the Fomorians, but it was a narrow victory bought at the cost of much blood and destruction. All knew that if the Fomorians came again in force to the Tualan realms, the kings, caught up in their own petty wars, might lack the chance or power to resist another invasion. But no one of them was powerful enough to turn away from his Tualan foes and prepare his realm against threats from without. The kings who had led the Tualan forces during the war, with Malberath of Lenamore taking the place of his father Malrudan, met at Dunrioga to discuss the matter. Swiftly they agreed that a king greater than any of them, but supported by each of them a High King, as prophecied long ago by Coruch Crotha was needed to rule all of Tuala Morn. But none could agree who should sit upon a High Kings throne. Each thought himself the man best suited to the task. At last, after much bitter argument and the threat of bloodshed, the kings agreed to the proposal of King Loclinn that Traglethan, the druid of Dunrioga, should decide who would be king. As one the ten kings went to Traglethans grove on Kady Tine and besought his aid to resolve their diculties. I shall help you, Traglethan said, only if each of you swears, on his honor and the honor of his fathers, to abide by my decision, however I choose to make it, and to swear true fealty and loyalty to the man I make High King. And one by one each of the kings gave his solemn word that he would heed Traglethans decision. So be it, said the druid. With his right hand he summoned a raven black as midnight from the skies above Dunrioga, and with his left a whitefurred, red-eared dog from the woods surrounding Kady Tine. The raven alit on the shoulders of Ardal Falcon-Eye, and the dog lay at his feet. The Children have spoken, said Traglethan. Ardal Falcon-Eye shall be High King over all Tuala Morn! And then and there the other kings swore fealty to him, though some did so with ill grace.
THE LOGRENS
Not all ships that came to Tualan shores bore invaders. During Ardals reign explorers and traders came from the east over the sea. Landing rst at Inver Carlow near Rath Torvan in Dratha, and as time went by at many another coastal town (particularly Dun Brec in Seanclough), they called themselves Logrens and their land, Logres. They brought wondrous new goods and lore, including metal armor made of plates and worn by men the Logrens called knights. In time strong trade developed between the two realms (and through Logres, with other lands beyond), though nearly always with merchants coming to Tuala Morn rather than the Tualans journeying to distant lands, since the Tualans are not mariners.
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laeven and Cretha. Crossing the Cretha at Ath Asca and the Laune at Ath Fatha, they nearly made it back to their own lands, but the war-bands of King Drogaeda caught up to them before they could enter the hills of the Sleve Donn and destroyed them. In the midst of the battleeld Drogaeda erected the Boundary Stone, proclaiming he would destroy any Barbathans who traveled north of it. From that day to this, any Barbathan host that passes the Boundary Stone has met with misfortune and defeat. Some say that Drogaedas spirit lingers on in Tuala Morn, helping the warriors of later days fulll his oath.
Parlan ran all the way back to Kilteerney to alert Thane Bregaire that an attack was coming. Thus warned, the men of Kilteerney met the invaders on equal ground and drove them o with much loss of life on both sides. The High King himself came to Kilteerney to speak with Parlan and see the tall, thick-thewed bodies of the dead attackers. With him was his bard, Murdach Silver-Throat, and it was he who recognized the invaders. I know them from the old tales of the wanderings of the Tualans, he said to his king. These are Vulkrings, men from the chill lands far across the northern seas. It was a shadow from the Tualans past come to life to harry them once more. Yet knowing who his foes were, Ilbrech found it no easier to come to grips with them. He lacked the warriors to garrison the entire coast of Conhaile and Duvrach. His men had few ships, and few of them were mariners. He could not beseech the wizards and druids to churn the Northern Sea against the reavers, for the storms of magic are capricious, and would aect Tualan shermen as well as Vulkrings. With no foe to ght, the High King returned to Dunrioga, counselling vigilance on the part of the nobles who held lands along the coast. Sometimes this strategy proved eective, but many times it did not. Thus it has remained to this day. The Vulkrings raid where they will, going as far south as Rathmarda or rounding Inish Ayona to strike at Parlas Rosleigh. Betimes a wary watcher sees them coming, and sounding the alarum brings bold Tualan warriors to ght and destroy them. But more often the raiders strike, steal, and fade back into the mist, leaving only the bodies of the slain to mark their passage.
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ne after the other, for many generations the High Kings have ruled Tuala Morn, some powerful, others less so. Although they made the land more tranquil than before, petty wars and cattle-raids still marred the Kings Peace on occasion, and the dark dangers of wood and eld waited always, as they wait now, to harm an unwary man. Ten years ago, during the Winter of Seven Snows, the last High King, Davaine the Strong, died in a hunting accident, horribly gored by an enormous boar in Ross Rioga. As custom dictated, he was laid to rest three days later in a barrow on Tor Rehgion, the Hill of Kings in his beloved Parlas Rosleigh. At Dunrioga the ten kings of Tuala Morn assembled to choose one from among them to take Vedrigon as the new High King. But for the rst time, the law failed them. Torn by their ancient feuds and ghts, by anger over the questions created by the Golden Temple and the Vulkring raids, they could not agree who was to reign as their next liege. One by one each of them revealed his ambition, arguing why he, and he alone, should become High King. And one by one, each was rejected by his fellows. After a week of shouting, crafty bargain-
chapter two:
Dremir Veith
ife in Tuala Morn is, for many, a rich, vibrant, passionate tapestry of adventure and wonder, an existence marked by dangers faced and overcome, pleasures taken and given, triumphs large and defeats hopefully small. Though often perilous, if lived to the fullest it becomes, for those who survive and thrive, immensely satisfying. Tualan society encompasses nobles, peasants, kings, slaves, free warriors, druids, and many other types of people. All of them, despite their many dierences, t seamlessly into the dremir veith. Literally meaning the climb of rank, dremir veith is the elaborate social hierarchy the Tualans have developed over the centuries, combining their own longstanding cultural ideas and customs with inuences taken from Logren traders. Every Tualan knows his place on the social ladder, and how high he can climb up it or how low he can fall.
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must decide disputes between the kings of Tuala Morn, and between clans or high-ranking nobles in some circumstances, rendering fair and impartial judgment. If his decisions are just, the realms prosper; if they are not, the talav nasc causes a similar corruption of the land. Of a High Kings many servants, the greatest are the Ard Fion, his hand-picked band of heroes. Living with him at Dunrioga, the warriors, bards, wizards, and other heroes of the Ard Fion protect him, ght alongside him, and do his bidding. Sometimes the High King sends them out into the land, to wander Tuala Morn and redress the grievances of the people by slaying foul monsters, disposing of tyrannical nobles, and undertaking great quests. The position of High King is not hereditary; one who seeks it must earn it. When a High King dies, the kings of the ten realms of Tuala Morn assemble in counsel in Dunrioga to elect a new High King. They may consider anyone for the throne, even the lowest-born commoner or a slave, but in practice they choose from amongst their own number and the ranks of the greatest heroes of the land. Normally the kings reach agreement on who should become the new High King swiftly, after just a day or two of sometimes rancorous debate. If two or more candidates have equal support, the matter often turns on a duel between them, with the victor receiving the throne. Ten years ago, after the death of Davaine the Strong, strife and pride entered the council-hall as they never had before. Each of the ten kings of Tuala Morn felt he was most t to become High King, and none of them would relinquish his claim to the throne despite days of quarreling and bargaining. Abandoning Dunrioga for their own castles, they left the Tualans without a High King. Since then the land has suered terribly. Without a High King to mediate their feuds, the kings ght and raid each other, and the dark things of mountain and forest prey upon the Tualans unchecked. A shadow has fallen across Tuala Morn, and without a High King to dispel it, it may soon engulf all the Tualans in its evil and despair.
KINGS
Ranking just below the High King are the kings of the ten realms of Tuala Morn. From Rathmarda in the east to Parlas Rosleigh in the west, kings wield great power within their kingdoms. Their land-binding is strong, so they must rule well and remain unblemished and mighty, lest their subjects force them from the high seat in favor of a more suitable man. Tualans expect generosity from their kings. Within the kings hall, every meal is a feast, accompanied by the songs of bards, the teachings of druids, and many other forms of entertainment. The king should give gifts freely, and lavishly, to his valued retainers (and they, in turn, often give him gifts in return). Stinginess in any regard earns a king scorn and may cause the bards to satirize him.
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Dukes
The highest ranking of the Tuatha Darthaira nobles are dukes a title taken from the Logren, but which to Tualans really means duchas (guratively heritage, but more literally blood rule). Dukes owe allegiance directly to kings, and throughout their individual lands have more or less the same power as the king himself does. Even the poorest dukes have a rath, dun, or cathair of their own, and at least a few warriors who serve them. According to Tualan law, a duke is a noble who can provide one hundred trained warriors to serve his king in time of need. As with so many other things, this denition is exible; some dukes provide the equivalent in food, services, or goods in place of warriors. Wealthy or powerful dukes may actually provide far more than a hundred men; impoverished dukes often become so dependent on their own vassals to meet their obligations that true control of the duchy vests in the underlings instead of their duke.
Thanes
Below barons on the Dremir Veith is a rank of lesser nobles thanes, sometimes disparagingly referred to as lordlings by members of the Tuatha Darthaira. A thane must be able to raise four to ten trained warriors (including himself) when his liege calls for men. Thane is the highest rank a person not of noble birth can attain to; a baron or other noble can name a commoner to this rank to reward valor on the battleeld, repay a debt or obligation, or the like.
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THE FIONTARA
Within Tualan society, but standing largely outside the Dremir Veith, is a group of people known as the ontara (singular, onta). The ontara are restless heroes, mercenaries, treasure-seekers, rebels, and do-gooders who roam the lands of Tuala Morn, participating in quests and adventures rather than undertaking honest hard work. Some are solitary, but most prefer to group together in bands similar to the warrior-bands maintained by noblemen. Some take service with a noble temporarily, if the price is right; others maintain no such ties to society, choosing to remain as free as possible (with all the benets and disadvantages such status implies). The ontara occupy an unusual position in Tuala Morn. Most nobles and commoners scorn them, regarding them as reckless adventurers who precipitate strife and disaster and leave destruction and despair in their wake. Though they willingly take ontara coin for food and goods, they look down upon them and fear them. But on the other hand, the independent, often nomadic lifestyle of the onta appeals to many Tualans, particularly peasants and slaves, who may run o to join one of the adventurer bands if given the chance. Fiontara seem to place an even greater importance on personal honor and fame than most warriors and nobles. Since they rarely own much property, their only way to make a mark on society is to become known for their deeds, and for this reason they go on quests and adventures even the Ard Fion hesitates to undertake. As part of their honor, most ontara hew to a loose code of conduct whose tenets include:
Be generous to all, especially women and children; gold prots a man nothing when hes dead. Keep all oaths you swear, for no matter how odious they may come to seem, the name of oathbreaker is more odious still. Be
ever-ready for battle; put not your weapons aside from you, unless the law of the hall demands it.
Talk little, and when talking, speak honorably; liars, gossips, and mockers are dishonorable folk. Give no insult and make no boast unless it is deserved, and be always ready to back your words with strength and blood. Accept no dishonor or insult from anyone, regardless of station; better death than a poor name.
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WARFARE
rom personal disputes, to cattle-raids, to battles between enemy kings, it often seems as if the men and sometimes women of Tuala Morn ght constantly. In truth, combat often occurs among the Tualans, and between Tualans and their enemies, making battle-skills important ones. The Tualans exalt their brave, fearsome warriors as strongly as they do their men of wisdom and learning. A WARRIORS HONOR To Tualan warriors and nobles (and, indeed, Tualans in general), the most important thing of all is to maintain ones honor and reputation. Without honor, a man amounts to nothing. Of the Three Tualan Virtues (honor, hospitality, and bravery), honor is the highest-regarded. The Tualan concept of honor encompasses many things. First, a warrior must not lie; he must always tell the truth. Though sometimes a warrior can shade the truth with eloquence and clever words, usually he should avoid even half-truths or hiding the truth by omission. Second, a Tualan warrior should always abide by common sense rules of fair play. Single combats should take place between roughly equal opponents, for example, and a warrior should charge right into the ght, not maneuver for tactical advantage or to exploit an enemys weaknesses. Nor should he attack from a standpoint of signicant numerical advantage if an attacker outnumbers a defender by ve to one, the attackers honor requires that he leave most of his soldiers behind (even meeting the defender in single combat, if hes but one man) to even the odds. If necessary, the defender can put a geas (see page 50) on him to force him to abide by this obligation of honor. Similar concepts apply to sporting competitions, games, and any other contest, as well as to the conduct of life in general. Third, keep all of ones oaths, bargains, and promises. To agree to something, and then fail to live up to ones words, is the height of dishonor. When swearing an oath or making a promise, most Tualans call down extravagant disasters upon themselves should they break the bargain for example, May the seas with all their freezing waters fall on me if I do not keep this oath. Fourth, remain scrupulously loyal to ones lord even to the extent of not allowing others to insult or belittle him. However, loyalty remains secondary to ones personal honor; a warrior need not commit dishonorable acts out of devotion to a king.
Fifth, if a warrior cannot prevent a wrong to himself, his clan, or his lord, he must take vengeance upon the person or clan that committed that wrong. He must take his vengeance openly, though for example, by calling the wrongdoer out for single combat. Using deception, stealth, or subterfuge lacks honor. Sixth, a warrior should protect his reputation. To suer scorn, ridicule, or laughter is a terrible thing; most Tualans will do whatever they must to avoid having others laugh at them. This is why bards power of satire is so eective. Living life by the tenets of Tualan honor has many benets, but also many drawbacks. Enemies can often turn a warriors honor against him by putting him in a position where all of his options involve doing something dishonorable. For example, a rival may threaten to expose the warrior to satire or laughter unless he breaks an oath (or commits some other dishonorable deed). Similarly, a warrior who serves a less-than-honorable lord (such as the Cormac of Mar Cormac) may nd himself torn between his oaths to that lord, or general obligations of loyalty, and his desire to behave honorably at all times.
COMBAT
Combat in Tuala Morn takes many forms.
Battles (Caths)
When Tualans come together in pitched battles caths their armies are not large. Some longstanding border feuds have never seen a battle with more than twenty warriors on a single side at once. Even the most powerful noble likely has, at most, about a hundred warriors loyal to him, and a powerful king might have several hundred. An army of a thousand men would be enormous, able to carry the eld in almost any Tualan battle. Only in times of direst need, when all Tuala Morn unites to ght some dread foe, have so many warriors assembled at one time for one purpose. Usually, opposing clans or lords select a battleeld in advance. Many leaders prefer to choose fords as the scene of combat. This works to the advantage of the unarmored warrior, who has little diculty moving in the water, but can cause problems for knights, who sometimes drown if a blow stuns them and they fall into the river. Before the initial charge, each side shouts insults at the other and hurls spears and slingstones at the enemy (the Tualans do not generally use the bow as a weapon of war, reserving it mainly for hunting). Sooner or later, one of the sides believes it has obtained an advantage (perhaps because an important foe fell to a missile) and charges. After the charge, the battle breaks down into a chaotic melee as each warrior tries to outdo his fellows by killing as many enemies and earning as much glory and honor as he can. If a battle occurs between sides that are roughly equal in terms of size, skill, terrain, and other factors, the loser and his brother nobles and kings all over Tuala Morn accept its outcome without complaint. But if one side had an unfair advantage say, because it used magic on a foe that had no wizard to support it then few, if any, Tualans regard the matter as decisively settled, thus giving the loser the chance to come back and avenge his loss.
CHARIOTS
Most Tualan warriors ght on foot, using horses only to get to the scene of the battle. Some, including the Barbathans, maintain the ancient custom of ghting from chariots. Tualan chariots are light, swift vehicles usually made from wood and wicker, though some kings and chieftains have iron, bronze, or silver chariots. The wheels are made from stout wood and bound in iron, and may have sharp spikes or blades projecting from the hub with which to cut and slash enemies. Since a warrior must have both hands free to ght, he has a charioteer to drive his chariot. A skilled charioteer often spells the dierence between victory and defeat, since the warrior has to rely entirely on his charioteers ability to drive swiftly and agilely without throwing the warrior out of the chariot. Charioteers also help their warriors before battle, performing minor tasks for them and keeping their courage up. The Barbathans use chariots extensively; no Barbathan chieftain comes to a ght without his best chariot and horses if he can help it. They often decorate their chariots by hanging heads captured in battle from the chariot rim. Eventually the esh wears o, leaving only skulls to make a ghastly rattle as the chariot thunders across the battleeld.
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Duels (Cavlanns)
In Tuala Morn, personal combat cavlann, or equal blades is commonplace. In such a battle, only the two who agree to ght may participate, and the outcome of their duel decides the result of the entire confrontation. A warrior who intereferes in a cavlann, or a king who does not abide by its result, earns a terrible reputation. The warrior who issues the challenge to duel may set the terms and conditions of the duel, including what the victor receives for winning. Duels do not even have to involve ghting a cavlann could feature a race (or other sporting contest), a battle of wits or skill, or the like. If the challenge is one of skill and endurance (for example, I challenge you to a ght against wolves, barehanded), then the challenger has to go rst; if he fails, the other person automatically wins. The person challenged may refuse, and loses no honor if obviously outmatched by the challenger (for example, if the challenger is a known expert dchell player challenging an average player). If the two are roughly equally matched, though, turning down the challenge is dishonorable. A combat cavlann usually begins with an exchange of brags and insults. The combatants taunt each other as skillfully as possible, with the laughter of the two opposing armies indicating just how deeply their insults have struck home. Eventually one of the warriors loses his cool under this barrage, and true combat begins. The winner receives the oered prize, and if the combat was to the death, keeps the losers head, preserved in lime, as a trophy. To have legally binding force, a cavlann must take place between equal warriors (unless the inferior warrior issues the challenge). If necessary, the superior warrior handicaps himself to eliminate any advantage. For example, when duelling a onearmed foe, a warrior would bind up one of his arms so he has no advantage over his opponent.
Cattle-Raids (Tains)
Though not exactly a form of warfare, perhaps the most common type of conict in Tuala Morn is the tain, or cattle-raid. A cleverly executed cattle theft earns its participants praise and honor, and provides fodder for many reside tales of (oft-exaggerated) derring-do. Either for fun, or as a way to conduct a feud, a small band of men from one clan or territory sneaks into another clans or territorys elds and thieves cattle. If the two parties are on relatively friendly terms, a demand for the return of
the cattle (or appropriate compensation) resolves the situation in a spirit of relative goodwill. If the two parties are enemies, one theft of cattle leads to another, until both sides start keeping armed guards in the elds, inevitably resulting in ghting and fatalities. Sometimes a seemingly innocent tain can lead to the outbreak of a full-scale war. Tains provide an excellent background for many game scenarios. Since theyre important missions performed by small bands of skilled men, theyre perfectly suited for groups of player characters.
TU ALAN LAW
he Tualans govern themselves with an extensive body of laws, many so ancient not even the druids remember when they rst arose. People have great respect for the law, and even the kings and High King remain bound by it at all times.
BRINGING A LAW-SUIT
In most situations, a person with a legal dispute rst takes it to the king (even peasants and slaves have the right to do this) though he may instead choose to go to a lesser noble to save travel. If the dispute involves a noble, or if the noble to whom its brought feels hes not wise enough to adjudicate the matter, it passes to a brehon, a druid who specializes in judging legal disputes. The brehons ruling, once tendered, is nal (he receives 10% of the compensation, paid by the victor, as a fee). In the event both sides in a law-suit present equally compelling cases, a king or brehon normally rules in favor of the party with the most einach in his favor (counting his einach and that of his witnesses). For example, if Evin (a betag with einach 13) brings a case and has two witnesses (with einach 9 and 11, respectively), he has a total of 33 einach in his favor. If the person against whom he brought the case is a noble with einach 34 or higher, or can muster enough einach between himself and his witnesses to equal 34 or higher, Evin loses his case if the evidence supports him. GLAM DICIN, THE DRUIDS BAN Anyone who fails to follow the law, or to abide by the legal rulings laid down by the druids, becomes subject to the glam dicin, or Druids Ban, making him an outlaw. An outlaw cannot bring legal claims, enter into contracts, participate in religious ceremonies, or claim hospitality. If an outlaw doesnt mend his ways, rulers often put a price on his head for anyone (usually a fionta) to claim. See page 142.
EINACH
Tualan law aims not to establish guilt or mete punishment, but instead to provide compensation for victims. Every person has his einach, or honor price, that measures his worth. The greater a persons station and/or value to his community, the greater the einach his spouse and clan receive if hes unfairly killed (injuries merit an appropriate portion of ones einach). Matters of dishonor or grievous insult increase the einach the oender must pay. If the matter involves the theft or destruction of property, the compensation usually equals the value of the item(s). A person may refuse to accept a compensation he considers unfair, but once he accepts compensation should not, as a matter of honor and law, hold a grudge or seek vengeance for the wrong done to him.
SUGGESTED EINACH S
Gamemasters who want to work the Tualan legal system into their scenarios should use the following einach amounts as guidelines for cases. The amounts indicate the number of healthy milk cows the persons life is worth. Adjust the amounts up or down depending upon the reprehensibility of the oense, whether it involves dishonor or insult, and so forth. Einach Amount Person 75-100 High King 50-74 King; member of the Aise Tathra; member of the Ard Fion 30-49 Nobles of the Tuatha Darthaira (dukes, earls, barons) 20-29 Lesser nobles (thanes) 10-19 Boryas, betags, some Fiontara 6-9 Peasants, most Fiontara 5 Female slave (cuwal) 1-4 Male slave
TROCLAIGH
As a final resort, a person with a grievance against his noble or king, but who has not obtained satisfaction from the law, can declare a troclaigh, or fast, against his liege. He goes to the offenders residence and begins fasting, which impinges upon a rulers duty of hospitality to his subjects. The offender can respond in one of three ways. First, he can simply ignore the fasting man, but this brings dishonor upon him. Second, he can begin fasting too; the person who starves himself the longest without dying wins the case. Third, he can concede the case and pay compensation, thus preserving his honor and health at the cost of admitting his responsibility.
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TRADE
uala Morn possesses a rich and vibrant economy. From one end of the land to another, merchants, dressed in halfcloaks of dusky yellow, carry goods and supplies of a hundred dierent sorts from market to market, earning a valuable prot on each transaction. Craftsmen, farmers, and shermen all contribute their share, keeping the coers of the kings well-lled.
INDUSTRIES
Tuala Morn is mostly an agricultural society. Peasant clansmen grow wheat, barley, millet, and other staple crops; maintain apple and pear orchards; and raise cabbages, turnips, and other vegetables in large gardens. Typically a clans tashac and his advisors keep a close eye on whos growing what to ensure that the clan as a whole has enough food, and enough varieties of food, to last through the winter and meet other needs. Herding is also an important part of the Tualan economy. Listed in rough order of prestige and value, Tualans raise pigs, cattle, horses, sheep, bees, and some fowl. Occasionally a lucky herdsman receives a faerie animal from the Good Folk that improves his stock. Fishing and hunting supplement many a Tualans diet and add to his purse on occasion. Rivers and lakes throughout the land teem with salmon, trout, pike, and many other species; the seas oer cod and herring, though Tualan shermen rarely venture far from shore. Clan chieftains and noblemen control many of the most valuable hunting lands, restricting access to them and punishing poachers harshly. In the mountains and hills, the Tualans mine iron, copper, tin, silver, gold, and sometimes gemstones. Most miners are peasants working on behalf of some lord or king, but sometimes clans or freemen own mines and work them for their own prot. Since most mining regions arent well-suited for farming or herding, the miners trade ore to the lowlands for foodstus. Many Tualans, particularly those who dwell in towns and cities, work as craftsmen painters, woodcarvers, basketweavers, potters, carpenters, and many other types. Greatest of all is the blacksmith, who ranks with the Aise Tathra and is regarded as much as a wizard as a simple craftsman.
HOSTELS
As an expression of their devotion to the Tualan laws of hospitality, most Tualan kings maintain a few hostels (bruiden) in their realms. Hostels are places where travelers can spend the night and eat and drink for free from the kings larder. While this may seem like a tremendous gift and it is the same laws governing conduct in the kings hall apply to his hostels. Thus, visitors may not bring weapons inside (save to turn them over to the hosteler), and may not ght within the hostel. Subjects of the king operate the hostel, receiving pay from him for their work, and often gifts from those who pass through their establishments. Because they meet so many merchants, adventurers, and traveling nobles, hostelers often become a prime source of information for bards and spies. Many also become prosperous. For example, Lavras MacFerla, who runs MacFerlas hostel in Conhaile, is as wealthy as most merchants. He has made a lot of his money challenging visitors to arm-wrestling contests and other feats of strength, for there are few men of Tuala Morn as strong as he.
EXCHANGE
The Tualans use two basic units of exchange. The rst, found mostly in cities and towns, consists of a system of coinage. The king of each realm mints coins in copper, silver, and gold, with all coins throughout the land having roughly the same size and thickness, and thus roughly the same value. In most places, people refer to copper coins as pennies, silver ones as nobles, and gold ones as royals. A single copper penny buys a mug of beer at a tavern; a single silver noble a room for the night at a city inn, or a generous meal at that inn; one gold royal can usually support a typical family for about a month. The second, recognized everywhere throughout Tuala Morn, is the cuwal, or the value of one female slave ten gold royals (which equates to ve healthy milk cows). Most large trades, including those between merchants, use this unit of value. In a few places, particularly Mar Cormac and Parlas Rosleigh, freemen and traders sometimes deal in iarclavs, or short iron bars suitable for working into swords. A single iarclav is worth about half a cuwal, or approximately two and a half cows. Tualan warriors often scorn to concern themselves with matters of exact value, regarding that sort of thing as the province of women, merchants, and freemen. When they make exchanges, they do so on a barter system, trading like for like (in their estimate), or buying what they want with items of jewelry, such as silver armbands or torcs (neck-rings). If necessary, they chop a piece of jewelry in two to get the right amount to trade with, giving rise to the term hacksilver to describe that medium of exchange.
MERCHANTS Making a living off of all this trade are hundreds of merchants, most of whom wear distinctive half-cloaks of dusky yellow. Belonging to the borya caste, they often own substantial property (though they tie much of their wealth up in trade-goods during the late spring to late autumn trading season). They travel extensively, often knowing the roads and cities better than the lords and warriors who build and patrol them. Though not fighting men themselves, they often hire unaffiliated warriors to guard them and their wagons on the dangerous roads, creating a steady market for the Fiontara. Tualans regard merchants with mixed feelings. On the one hand, they seem lazy, since they contribute nothing to society, instead making money by moving goods from place to place. Moreover, some merchants are little better than thieves, mixing illicit commerce with their legitimate business. But on the other hand, the Tualans need those goods, and its dicult to argue with a successful traders prosperity. Nobles, in particular, tend to appreciate merchants, since they pay tolls and taxes but dont linger in the vicinity and use up valuable local resources. TRADERS FROM OTHER LANDS Not all Tualan trade takes place within Tuala Morn itself. Merchants from other lands, primarily Logres, visit the Land of the Three Brothers bringing goods from distant places to exchange for those things uniquely Tualan that the outside world desires. Mostly they land at Dun Brec in Seanclough, Rath Torvan in Dratha, and Rath Fintaire in Mar Cormac, giving each of those cities a bustling, cosmopolitan feel lacking elsewhere.
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he Tualans have a profound appreciation for art in all forms. From a song to lift the spirits after a hard days work, to epic tales of ancient heroes, to beautiful sculptures and tapestries, art surrounds them and infuses their lives with wonder.
By far the most common forms of art in Tuala Morn are songs and tales. Written literature is rare; the only written words most Tualans see during their lives are standing stones carved with the laws, which exist in most druidic groves. Only the priests of the Golden Temple, and some wizards and witches, have extensive libraries. Bards maintain the oral traditions of the Tualans. A bards standard repertoire includes songs dating back to before the arrival in Tuala Morn. Most bards craft their own songs and tales to relay the news of the day and provide new entertainment for their audiences, but rst and foremost they must master the ancient classics, such as the Lay Of Journeying and the Lay Of The Three Brothers. A bard who cannot give an heart-stirring rendition of a beloved ballad suers mockery and rejection. (See page 119 for more information on bards.) For simple entertainment, often preceding meals, most Tualans prefer lighthearted songs revolving around current events and ribald lays about their favorite folk heroes. During and after meals, bards oer more serious fare in the form of poetry, epic songs and tales, and the like. By switching between romantic ballads and poems, songs and tales of heroism, rollicking adventure stories, and humorous lays, a skilled bard can keep his listeners entranced for an entire evening.
VISUAL ARTS
Skilled artists and craftsmen are renowned and admired throughout Tuala Morn. Their creations bring color and inspiration into the life of even the poorest Tualan. After all, everyone can have an ordinary clay pitcher or wooden cup, but one with special coloring or carved designs along the side somehow serves so much better. Weavings and tapestries are perhaps the most common visual arts in Tuala Morn, since almost all women know how to weave, and use their skills to decorate their houses when time allows. Typical themes include elaborate geometric and knotwork designs, natural objects such as plants and animals,
ARCHITECTURE
Most Tualan houses are made from wood, wicker, and/or undressed stone, thatched with sod or various grasses and reeds. In many places traditional round designs, with a hearth in the middle of the oor and a smoke-hole at the apex of the conical roof, remain commonplace. In other regions, particularly those with readily available stone, square and rectangular designs adapted from Logres, sometimes with small interior walls to create multiple rooms, predominate. Stone buildings are also more common in cities and towns. Stone buildings usually have hearths along one wall so the chimney helps to hold the structure up.
Places Of Strength
The nature and construction of fortresses and seats of power diers considerably from ordinary structures in many places. There are four types of such buildings in Tuala Morn. The largest and strongest type of fortication is the cathair, or castle. Built of dressed stone, and usually containing multiple levels and up to several dozen rooms or attendant structures, cathairs reect the great power and wealth of the builder. Protected by moats, tall stone walls, and the like, theyre hard for attackers to breach. Most Tualan cathairs feature round stone towers about fty to seventy feet tall, with conical roofs; thick walls connecting the towers, and main gates protected by large, iron-bound wooden doors.
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eligion holds a place of prominence in the lives of the Tualans. To many of them, propitiating the gods and ensuring that the cycle of life proceeds as it should is the most important thing they do. Without the gods, men would fall into barbarism, becoming no better than beasts. For several centuries a profound religious conict has raged across Tuala Morn. When the priests of the Golden Temple arrived, bringing with them the doctrine of Varkulan the Most High and a erce will to convert others to his worship, diculties arose. The ancient, unied faith of the Tualans was shattered, with a few people and villages turning to the worship of the Golden sun-god often after the Temples priests saved them from some curse or creature against which the druids magic had proven ineective. Where once tranquility prevailed, religious strife arose, pitting lord against vassal and neighbor against neighbor. Mysteriously, while the priests inveigled against the unholy worship of the druidic demons, few druids spoke out against the Golden Temple. Temple adherents claim the druids simply recognize the correctness and inevitable triumph of their faith, but most people know the druids see no need to ght against the interlopers, with words or otherwise. If the gifts of the Dronnach Lanva do not suce to maintain a persons faith, the druids are content to see that person go. They remain condent the Golden Temple cannot topple the worship of the true gods and so far, their faith has been justied. Though the Golden Temple has found its way into many parts of Tuala Morn, most Tualans reject the priests, preferring to follow the gods of their fathers. Only time will tell whether the fervor of the priests and perhaps the strength of their sword-arms can win out over the magic of the druids and the power of the Hundred Children.
Druids
The holy men of the Dronnach Lanva are called druids. Men of the Golden Temple describe them as nature priests, but in scorn and derision that term fails to comprehend the truth of the oce. Because the Hundred Children manifest so frequently through the natural world and its processes stone and leaf, stream and eld, hill and branch nature works its way into the doctrine and deeds of the druids, and their magic has a strong natural feel. For example, the druids hold certain trees, such as oak and ash, sacred, refusing to harm or cut them except in accordance with special rites and customs. They do so not because they worship trees, but because those trees are holy to certain of the Hundred Children, who have admonished men not to harm them unnecessarily. (See page 122 for more information about druids.) But the lore and powers of the druids have as much to do with protecting the Tualans from nature as anything else. Tuala Morn is a wild and dangerous place, home to fell beasts, malicious faerie-folk, and much else of great peril to the people. The druids stand as a bulwark against these threats, interceding with them on the Tualans behalf when they can, opposing them when they must. Druids possess potent magical powers. Able to beseech, and sometimes command, the forces of eld, forest, and stream, they are dangerous men to insult or cross. They are the only people in Tuala Morn whom
Sacred Sites
Druids maintain the sacred places of Tuala Morn. Most of these are nemeds, or sacred groves, where revered trees grow in patterns of mystic signicance and sacred pools and streams ll the air with watery music. Within a nemed, a druids power increases, giving him the ability to protect the grove and all who shelter within it. The same applies to other holy sites druids guard sacred tarns wherein water-gods dwell, rock formations that display the touch of the divine, circles of standing stones erected according to the will of the Hundred Children, and many others.
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According to the druids, the spirit of the deceased goes to one of two places when he dies. Most people go to Annwn, the underworld. Annwn is little different from Tuala Morn itself, they say, though life there is perhaps somewhat easier for peasants and other such folk. Kings, warriors, druids, and heroes go to another place altogether Tir na nOg, the Land of Youth, a wondrous paradise (where, some legends say, the kings and queens of the Good Folk live as well). In Tir na nOg, they reside in splendor and ease, pursuing whatever pleasures they wish. The druids say that, in time of need, the dead of Tir na nOg sometimes return to Tuala Morn to aid the living (particularly their descendants). A person murdered, who dies with some important goal unattained, or who experiences an improper burial may not go peacefully to the lands of the dead. Instead, his spirit lingers in Tuala Morn as a ghost or shade, haunting the living until someone gures out how to lay him to rest. The most malicious of these beings join the Sluagh, the Host of the Restless Dead, that at times goes ravening over the land like a black cloud. In recent years, as a strange shadow has crept across the land, more and more spirits have become ghosts, and the ranks of the Sluagh have increased. Tualans often plant rowan trees near graves or grave-mounds. They believe the rowan has special properties both for preserving the dead from harmful influences (including necromancers), and for protecting the living against ghosts and other spectres.
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them from the face of the land. A sort of holy serenity and condence surrounds them, convincing those nearby of the power of Most Highs word. SWORDS OF THE MOST HIGH Though most of Varkulans priests are quiet men of learning who oppose evil only with the strength of their faith, others are far more direct in their eorts. Wearing armor and wielding sword and shield, knights devoted to the word of the Most High confront demons, dragons, trolls, faerie-folk, and other fell creatures, banishing them with muscle and blade. In times of strife, the Ard Coharba is expected to lead his priests in battle. He wields a blade, the Hammer of Varkulan, made of solid gold, but lighter than an iron sword and with the cutting power of the nest steel.
Usually the large stone temples are rectangular in shape. Worshippers enter at one end and seat themselves on benches lling most of the building. At the far end a raised dais, lit by dozens or hundreds of candles, contains the large, circular altar of the Most High. An eternal sun-re burns upon the altar without consuming it or any other fuel. If the temple possesses sucient wealth, the priests gild the altar and many other parts of the interior, or decorate them with precious stones. Smaller temples, including most town and village temples, lack the ostenatious beauty of the major temples, but possess a dierent beauty all their own. Like most other Tualan buildings, theyre round, with conical roofs. The altar, which may or may not have a sun-re, occupies the center of the building, and worshippers sit on benches lining the walls (or on the oor). MONASTERIES In addition to temples for public worship, the Golden Temple often builds monasteries in dicult to reach (and often dangerous) locations. Monks live in them, taking advantage of the detachment from the rest of the world to contemplate the word of Varkulan and reach new heights of faith. Examples include the Blackwall Monastery on Ayle Gloneen (said to be the largest in Tuala Morn) and Naev Mahons Abbey on Inish Farne. Typically, a monastery consists of a temple large enough to hold the assembled brothers, plus several other buildings kitchens and refectories, stables, barns, crafthalls, scriptoria, and the like. The monks live in tiny cells in austere halls, or in clochans (buildings shaped like beehives, large enough
Sacred Places
The focus of Varkulans faith in any village, city, or region is his temple. Temples are buildings, sometimes large and ornate ones, specially consecrated by the priests. The walls are painted gold and the furnishings are also gold-colored as much as possible. In cities, such as Cathair Duneane or Dunrioga, the priests usually construct the Temple of the Most High with stone, embellishing the ordinary rock with carvings, statuary, and other decorations meant to exalt Varkulan or frighten evil spirits away. If possible, a temple has large windows of glass to allow Varkulans light to ll the temple with his holy presence.
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excruciating death in which the priests bind the sinner to a stone, then kill him by having daggers slowly inserted in his body).
failure to pray to the Most High at least once per day idleness consuming the meat of dogs, certain kinds of sh, and any animal killed with a sword
Additionally, most acts that violate the law (such as theft, rape, or murder) also constitute sins under Varkulanic doctrine. Those who commit sin merit punishment. The Temple takes pains to ensure the punishment fits the sin, so minor transgressions (not praying at crossroads, idleness) receive modest punishments, while major sins (practicing magic, cursing the Most High) may lead to corporal punishment, exile from the community and the Temple, or even execution by the slow blade (an
ased on the observances and calculations of druids and wizards from the earliest days, the Tualan year consists of 365 days lasting 24 hours each. The calendar divides those days into 12 months of 30 days each, with ve additional days at the end of the year (these ve days, the Drochlara, are considered unlucky and the domain of evil spirits). Each month has three ten-day weeks; the last two days of the week are a day of leisure and rest both by ancient Tualan custom and the dictates of the Golden Temple. The twelve months, from rst to last, are: Ildath; Corwis; Remansech; Tavall; Balcu; Uthacar; Adna; Dovarr; Gamal; Linr; Scolan; and Edru.
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Lugnasa leads o the summertime. In special ceremonies devoted to Lugna and Brigit, the people thank them for their protection and bounty. Immense feasts are held, with every king and lord trying to outdo his rivals in a good-natured show of generosity. Warfare continues through the summer, though it often slows down, since few warriors enjoy ghting in the heat of the sun (or in the rain, for it storms frequently in the summer, especially in the south). Hunting and sporting competitions begin to ll more of their time, and nobles and clan-leaders frequently hold feasts. For most, even the men of Duvrach, life in summertime is easy. AONACHS In addition to the season-starting holidays, once per year each clan holds a special holiday called an aonach. An aonach, almost always held near a holy site of some sort, is a feast, festival, court, competition, and political rally all rolled into one. Though the main purpose is to bring the clan and its allies and friends together to celebrate the prosperity of the past year, the event also features
bardic competitions, gaming competitions, single combats between willing warriors, sacrices to the gods, and a law-court at which lords and brehons decide disputes and pronounce new laws. It also provides a forum for clan leaders to discuss and announce trading ventures, declarations of war, and the like. Many young people also declare their marriages at the aonach.
THE ZODIAC
Druids have the ability to read the skies, determining from the passage of the stars what is to come in the future. Their chief guides in their journeys among the stars are the twelve members of the Tualan zodiac. By observing the movement of celestial bodies within the houses of the zodiac, and other astrological phenomena and related omens, the druids can chart the course of a persons life, determine the likely outcome of a battle, or engage in other forms of prophecy. The accompanying table describes the symbols of the Tualan zodiac and their signicances.
GEASA
ne of the most important, and unusual, aspects of life in Tuala Morn is the geas (GAYSH, plural geasa [GAY-shuh or GEE-shuh]), a form of magical stricture, taboo, compulsion, and/or obligation. Ordinary people generally dont have to worry about geasa, but heroes do; rare is the Tualan hero who doesnt have one and sometimes many geasa. Geasa can range from the relatively benign (you must not eat venison) to the perilous (you may not bear weapons) to the useful (you can only be killed by a silver sword while you ride a white horse through Dunrioga). For more information on geasa in game terms, see Chapter Four.
ACQUIRING A GEASA
Although all geasa have some drawbacks, in general terms Tualans divide them into two types: tarvach-geasa (geasa which benefit the possessor in some way) and mivuntas-geasa (geasa which only harm the possessor, or place him at some disadvantage). Almost all beneficial geasa relate to how the possessor will die, or how others can kill him. For example, the geas can only be killed with a spear means the hero knows he can walk through a hail of arrows, or fight a swordsman barehanded, and survive. Other attacks can still hurt him, of course, but they cannot kill him. The more unusual or attenuated the conditions of his death, the more the geas protects him. Can only be killed with a spear or can only die during Dovarr still leave plenty of ways for a hero to join Arawns host, but can only be killed by a red pig, on a feast-day, while asleep in your bed makes it much harder to kill him. Heroes typically possess benecial geasa from birth; they cannot gain them during their lifetimes like they can harmful geasa. Druids, wizards, fate, or the force of draicht may bestow them, and the hero may not even know what geasa he possesses. Many heroes spend a great deal of time and eort trying to learn their tarvach-geasa. They also devote a lot of eort to keeping them secret if an enemy doesnt know the only way to kill a hero, the hero is much safer. Sooner or later, though, the secret always becomes known (often when someone tricks the hero into demonstrating the conditions, just so Ill know what not to do...).
On the other hand, heroes can acquire restrictive or harmful geasa at any point throughout their lives. In the right circumstances anyone, from the lowliest peasant to the High King himself, can lay a geas upon a hero (though a person cannot place a geas upon himself), but most geasa are imposed by druids, wizards, other high-ranking persons, or persons of great dramatic importance. Usually a person lays a geas in anger, to compel the hero to do something the person desperately wants, to rectify an insult given (accidentally or intentionally) by the hero, in exchange for a favor, or after defeating the hero in war or some sort of competition (geasa are serious matters, not to be laid down lightly). The drawback is that, once laid, a geas cannot be undone even if the person changes his mind later, the hero remains burdened by the geas. For example, a father might lay a geas upon his son that the son cannot refuse a challenge to single combat. If an enemy later tricks the father into challenging his son to ght, the father cannot withdraw the geas. While many geasa are long-term things that aect a character throughout his life, they dont all have to be. Some are far more transitory, intended to compel specic behavior in the short term. Examples include meet me in single combat or defeat that man and bring his helmet to me or help me run away from my tyrannical father.
FULFILLING A GEASA
Some geasa have time limits or conditions. Examples include, you cannot lay with a woman until the next Samhain, for ve years, you cannot set foot in Rathmarda, or you cannot bear weapons until you see the sun rise at Henga Bairoga. When the hero fullls these conditions, the geas ceases to aect him. Similarly, some geasa are short-term or transitory in nature. For example, a chieftains wife whos fallen in love with a hero may lay a geasa on the hero to elope with me. That geas requires the hero to run away with her until they reach reasonable safety. After that, he can choose to remain with her, abandon her, return to the chieftain and seek his forgiveness, or do anything else he wants. (As with contracts, the precise wording of a geas is of great importance.) Escaping a geas by fullling it doesnt necessarily mean the hero gets o scot free, without suffering any negative consequences. Often the actions required to meet the terms of the geas force the
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hero to commit dishonorable acts or expose him to legal penalties. To use the above example, if the hero elopes with the chieftains wife, hes fullled the geas she laid upon him but brought terrible dishonor upon himself by violating his loyalty (or guest-duty) to the chieftain. If he has to kill two warriors to escape the chieftains rath, then their clans will seek vengeance on him and his clan.
Similarly, cleverness and trickery often provide a character with a way to get around a geas. For example, suppose a king puts a geas on a faithless retainer that the retainers son can never have a name until the king himself gives him one. The king, whos obviously angry at the retainer, will never voluntarily give the boy a name but the retainer could disguise the boy as someone else and introduce him to the king, then wait until the king says something, anything, complimentary about the boy that will serve as a name. Then the retainers son has been named and the geas ends. However, even the wiliest hero cannot interpret the terms of his geasa so as to avoid them forever. Eventually the spectre of violating one will raise its ugly head. This often occurs when two geasa trap the hero, forcing him to violate one to keep from violating the other. Violating a geas may not incur any immediate consequences, but inevitably it brings misfortune and disaster on the character. Often the consequence is nothing the hero or anyone else has foreseen, and it may have fatal results or cause the character to suer from some horric curse. At the very least, violating a geas usually brings dishonor to the character in some degree, and may start a clan war. Refusing a geas constitutes violating it. A hero cannot escape the the dictates of fate by not getting involved; once someone pronounces a geas upon him, he must fulfill it, or live with the fruits of his decision not to.
chapter three:
The T en Kingdoms
The Realms Of T uala Morn
green and wondrous land of towering mountains, enchanted fields, dark forests, rolling hills, and countless rivers and lochs, Tuala Morn contains many features both ordinary and strange. It encompasses everything from chill northern mountains to bright southern fields, stormy eastern seas to pleasant western islands. From circles of stones standing against the grey sky on a high moor, to lonely towers by the sea, to tarns inhabited by the faerie-folk, it offers many opportunities for adventure and magic.
THE NORTH
Mountains such as the Sleve Daireanne and Sleve Gullion dominate the northern reaches of Tuala Morn. Between the higher elevations and the winds blowing o the Northern Sea, kingdoms like Duvrach and Conhaile remain cooler than the central or southern regions throughout the year, and winters are particularly harsh. The peaks of the Daireanne are the highest and sharpest in Tuala Morn, save only for Knoc Corrin far to the south. Except for the Balag Vathtar in Duvrach, they are impassable to any save the most skilled hunters. Even worse, the interior regions of the Sleve Daireanne are home to trolls, Fomorians, goblin-folk, and many dangerous beasts. The Sleve Gullion, on the other hand, is a range of low, green mountains, many of them barely greater than a large hill. Only three peaks Knoc Ganog, Knoc Carthen, and Knoc Lamorgen qualify as true mountains. Legends say a terrible wyrm lairs on Knoc Ganog. He sleeps on a great golden bed of treasure stolen from the folk who once lived in these mountains and their king, Colbran, whose shattered bones grace the path leading to the dragons den. Some Tualans claim Colbran once had in his possession the Basilisk Orb itself, and that it now belongs to the dragon, who values it above all else in his hoard. The north also has a generous share of forests, mostly of pine and spruce. Northern woodcrafters carve aromatic furniture and decorations from the sweet-smelling red pine, and the curved boughs of the moon spruce cover many a druidic stone. However, those who would harvest wood or travel on the woodland paths had best beware, for trolls abound in the northern forests, and many other faeries and fell creatures call them home as well.
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THE SOUTH
The sunniest and warmest region of Tuala Morn, the south is home to the kingdoms of Mar Cormac and Dratha, and Tir Barbatha, the lands of the Barbathan warriors. Despite its milder climes, it experiences its share of rain and fog, and snow and ice to boot in wintertime. In Tuala Morn, warmest is often a relative thing. The Doom of Coruch Crotha, pronounced with the dying wizards last breath, protects the southern realms. It states that the southern lands can conquer each other or realms to the north, but no northern realm can ever conquer a southern one. To this day, the Doom has held true; northern war-bands who ght southern ones usually fall in inglorious defeat, and even those who triumph rarely gain anything from their victory. But like any other geas or prophecy, it can be interpreted away by a clever man; for example, a northern king could take possession of a southern realm through marriage, agreement, bribery, or treachery none of which involve conquest. According to most Tualans, the southlands begin at the northernmost point of the Sleve Fergairon, the largest range of mountains in that region. Highlighted by the massive Knoc Corrin (highest mountain in Tuala Morn) and Knoc Bradden (where lies the tomb of Coruch Crotha, prepared by hands unknown before the people of the Three Brothers set foot in the land), the Sleve Fergairon create an impenetrable barrier to trade and travel. They also shield the Cormac of Mar Cormac, who hatches his plots of conquest within the shadows of Fergairons peaks.
Water
RIVERS AND FORDS From the deep-owing Mointarc to the rocky Cullaeven, many rivers cross Tuala Morn, often making travel dicult. However, most Tualan rivers run shallow, in places no deeper than a tall mans hips at most (though in the reaches nearest the sea, all rivers broaden and deepen). Thus, except for the likes of the Mointarc, travelers do not need bridges to cross most Tualan rivers they cross them on foot or horseback at fords. The Tualans have three words for ford: ath; scarva; and snava. Ath refers to the normal type of ford a shallow place where almost anyone can cross without much diculty. A scarva is dierent. The word means a shallow but rocky ford, one where travelers either have to step on stones for at least part of the crossing, or where there are many stones underfoot. In either case, the footing at a scarva is often treacherous, and most folk choose aths if possible. A snava barely qualies as a ford at all; its a deep swimming ford, where one who wishes to cross must swim for at least part of the journey. Fords hold special signicance for the Tualans. In a land crisscrossed by countless rivers and deep streams, places where people can cross with little trouble have strategic value. A king or lord who controls a ford can exact tolls for its use, or prevent his enemies from crossing into his territory easily. For these reasons, Tualan war-bands often ght at fords. Sometimes warriors on both sides simply wade halfway into the ford and meet their enemies, staining the waters red with blood. Many single combats also take place at fords. Rivers and streams provide a home for rivergods, faerie-folk, and malevolent beings like the fuath (see below). A wise traveler shouts a warning before crossing, stating that he will honor no obligation to the spirit of the ford unless that spirit makes its presence or desires known to him. If he hears no response, he may cross freely. But if the god of the river or some mystic guardian appears to him and demands tribute or service in exchange for using its ford, the traveler must be prepared to pay the price or nd another way to cross. LOCHS AND SPRINGS In many places throughout Tuala Morn, particularly in the south, rivers and streams pool into lochs, tarns, and meres. In other locations, springs bubble up out of the ground or the stones, often creating streams of their own that feed bodies of water below. To walk through the woods or hills and suddenly come across a small pool rarely surprises a Tualan... ...but it may frighten him. While some lochs are inhabited by nothing more than sh and perhaps a minor water-god, many malevolent faeries and creatures live in the water. So numerous are these beings that the Tualans have a collective name for them the fuath. Tualans warn their children to stay well clear of strange pools, for many of these monstrous things (such as the aughiskey, nuckela-
THE EAST
The last great area of pure wilderness in Tuala Morn is the Eastern Wilds, hard upon the towering and impassable Sleve Balla east of Rathmarda and Mar Cormac. Few men live there; it remains the unsullied home of birds, beasts, the faerie-folk, and more than a few trolls, goblins, and Fomorians.
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Forests
The woods and forests of Tuala Morn are often places of danger where monsters, wicked faeries, trolls, and Pictoi live, but theyre also places of power and sacred signicance as are specic noteworthy trees. Trees with twisted trunks or branches, which have grown together in double forms, which are wind-cut (permanently bent over by the wind), and which are lightning-struck (often called stag-headed because of the way they look when they grow back) are all particularly powerful; wizards and druids make stas and wands from their branches when possible. Oak, ash, and rowan have special signicance.
DUNRIOGA
eat of the High King and the most beautiful city in all of Tuala Morn, Dunrioga and the lands surrounding it belong to the ruler of all Tualans and his clan. Though ownership of the land changes from time to time, as one High King succeeds another, the profoundly sacred nature of the city, and its place in the hearts of all Tualans, has remained the same across the centuries.
HISTORY
More years ago than anyone remembers, on a high and forested hill overlooking the River Mointarc, Coruch Crotha caused a spring to burst forth from the ground. He named that hill Dunrioga, and proclaimed that it would be the domain of the High Kings of Tuala Morn in times to come. The Three Brothers recognized that this was a holy place, a place of power from which they should found their new kingdoms. Steely-eyed Callahan built him a feast-hall near the spring, a grand house where the lords of the Tualans could gather in fellowship and power. And so it stayed for many a year, through wars with troll and Pictoi, the feuding of clans, and all manner of storm and strife. A town grew up around the feast-hall, with a broad square surrounding the spring. Howsomuch ever water was taken from the spring by the Tualans, it never ran dry, even in high summer, and the taste of the water was always sweet. Many years later, the Fomorians came to Tuala Morn. With great anguish the warriors of the Tualans repulsed them, but the lords knew they might not once again succeed if the ill-shaped giants returned in force. Gathering at the feast-hall of Dunrioga, they realized they needed a High King, one man to rule over them all, as Coruch Crotha had prophecied long ago. With the help of the druid Traglethan, they chose Ardal Falcon-Eye as the rst High King. Strong and proud, Ardal was yet also a man of far sight and deep vision. He created a wondrous city in place of the small hilltop town. Where Callahans feast-hall stood he built the cathair Temrach, largest castle in all Tuala Morn, and walled it and the spring round with stone blocks so large wise men say he had the help of the Good Folk to do it. Other buildings he builded as well, topping them with shingles of copper, such that men to this day talk of green-roofed Dunrioga. The streets of the city spread out from the castle and central square
like rays from the sun, all the way down the hill to the banks of the Mointarc itself. Not for nothing did Ardal receive the nickname, the Builder. Since Ardals day, every High King has left his own stamp upon the City of the Green Roofs. Some have built upon Temrach, making it the grandest palace in the land. Others have strengthened the walls around cathair and city, or improved the roads, or erected new buildings and towers. The High Kings city is a source of pride for all Tualans, and even the priests of the Golden Temple must admit to its magnicence. But in recent days, Dunrioga has become somber and dark. Since the death of Davaine the Strong ten long years ago, no man has sat on the throne Vedrigon, leaving the High Kings lands bereft of leadership. The people have faltered, looking for a lord to lead them but nding none. Queen Nuala tries to rule on behalf of her son Aillinn, but she has no right to the throne, and everyone knows this but her. Unless a true High King steps forward soon to claim the purple and gold mantle of leadership, it may be that Dunriogas grandeur will soon dim for-ever.
Green-Roofed Dunrioga
The city of Dunrioga occupies only a small portion of the High Kings lands, though it looms much larger in the minds and hearts of the Tualans. It starts at the very banks of the River Mointarc, where sher-folk build their modest huts and piers, and some merchants have larger docks so boats plying the river can tie up to deliver or buy goods. Many farmers from the surrounding areas use coracles, and sometimes larger boats, to bring their grain and fruits to the High Kings market.
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Holy Places
Twenty leagues from Temrach lies the holiest place in all of Tuala Morn: Faine Clairoch, the Stones of the Sun, a stone-ring so ancient the Tualans found it already standing when they came to this land. Sixteen stones of bluish granite, each more than twice the height of a tall mans reach, ring a broad, at lawn. In the center of the lawn rests another stone, at and broad, large enough for a man to lie upon spreadeagled. Grey, with strange ecks and veins of golden hue shot through, it glistens with a strange glow each day at noon when Lugna sits high above it, and at midnight when Seleeras soft light shines down upon it. A man needs not the gifts of druid or wizard to sense the holy power within the ring; not even the most churlish outlaw dares profane this sacred place. To reach the Faine with ease, the High Kings constructed a broad, paved road, the Belach Moinu, and Drocade Dareg, the Red Bridge, where road meets river. The bridge takes its name from its thick supporting beams, hewed from the red pines of the Kylle as Lochar. So strong and well-made is the bridge that even in years of heavy snow and rain when the Mointarc floods its banks the timbers of the Drocade Dareg have remained unmoved and undamaged. Of scarcely less importance than Faine Clairoch is Kady Tine, the Bonre Hill not far from Dunrioga itself. At Samhain, on the top of this broad, at hill, druids light the rst re in all of Tuala Morn, banishing ghosts and evil spirits from the High Kings domain and bringing ame back to the people. They hold other ceremonies there as well, as tradition and the stars dictate.
THE PEOPLE
Compared to other kingdoms, Dunrioga has few people. Except for the city itself, where several thousands live, most of the lands remain open and unsettled, so the High King and his men may hunt them. But towns and villages exist along the shores of Loch Kilkarry and the banks of the rivers, and isolated houses dot the Plain of Crows and the Plains of Briaga. By law, no one may live within a league of Kady Tine, Ross Rioga, or Faine Clairoch. Normally Temrach bustles with people of all sorts, from lesser nobles, to ladies in waiting, to the Ard Fion, to servants and dozens of others. These days, with no High King to support them and relatively little tribute pouring into the coers from the ten kings, many of these people have departed for greener pastures. But enough remain to create a wan semblance of true court life. Feasts still take place (though they are less grandiose than those of a dozen years past), bards still play at night, and people still carry out some of the functions of court, but Temrach remains much more somber and empty than when a High King rules.
Ross Rioga
West of Dunrioga and across the Mointarc lies Ross Rioga, the Kings Wood. Here the High King and his men hunt, or at times simply walk among its green boughs to savor its beauty. It teems with deer and boar, and salmon gambol in its streams and tarns. The birds nesting within its trees sing so sweetly the bards themselves come to listen. Somewhere deep within the forest lies a clearing with a small hill, where the moon oft seems to shine brighter than normal. Although to mortal eyes it seems little more than an ordinary forest clearing, this is Ballymore Shee, home to the faerie-folk ruled by the beautiful Queen Orlagh. Though they little like it when men intrude upon their home, and may punish such interlopers most grievously, the faeries of Ballymore are friends to the High Kings. More than one King of the Tualans has supped at Queen Orlaghs table and emerged from the shee in the morning unscathed a feat few other men can boast of. The bards even say the folk of Ballymore helped build the wall around Temrach.
Prince Aillinn
Aillinn ConDavaine, still referred to as Prince since no other High King has taken up the mantle of rulership, is the only son of the former High King. Now a boy of twelve, he is fair-haired, blue-eyed, and strong. He plays hurly with the boy-band of the Ard Fion, and receives warriors training from his fathers best fighters. Already he shows signs of growing up to become a formidable spearman. Though trained in manly skills, Aillinn still falls too much under his mothers inuence. He was sweet-tempered as a young child, but from her hes learned haughtiness and high-handedness, two qualities that suit him not at all. Siaran and some members of the Ard Fion have repeatedly pressed Nuala to foster Aillinn out to some king or noble, so that he may complete his training and grow to manhood free of her, but she has resisted their importunings at every pass. Losing Aillinn means losing what power she still has, so she keeps him close, defying all tradition and sense. In addition to his budding warriors skills, Aillinn has a fine voice and enjoys singing with the court bards. Many people privately wish he would pursue that vocation, thus removing himself from consideration for the High Kingship and smoothing away some of the difficulties surrounding the succession.
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Though all among the Ard Fion are equals, among themselves the heroes always look to one or a few of their number for leadership and direction. Even before Davaine died, that role fell to Labraid of Clan Tathaile in Lenamore. Hes known far and wide for possessing in abundance those qualities that best make a spearman: honor, courage, wit, skill. He shirks not one whit from any task he sets himself, or from the many duties he has taken on during his time at the head of the Ard Fion. Though he would prefer the life of adventure that so many of his comrades have adopted, he remains in Dunrioga, guarding Temrach and its occupants to the best of his abilities. Even among the mighty ghting men in the Ard Fion, Labraids war-skills are the stu of legend. Many a night the Temrach court bards have entertained the audience with songs of how Labraid defeated the giant of Knoc Togar in single combat; or how he ran the terrible witch Gatrala through with his sword Moralach and killed her, disrupting all her enchantments; or how he defeated twelve other spearmen in single combat at the ConDonntar aonach. Labraids ne countenance, with its black hair and moustache, attracts the longing gaze of many a lady of court, though he has eyes only for his wife, Lady Rina, and their three children. He dresses well, though without ostentatious display, and conducts himself at all times with grace, honor, and restraint.
CONHAILE
the rest of the Moy Conroy and the glens and hills north of Balag Dornoch. Though men had long ago gone north, into the Sleve Gullion, the three lords left the men of that wild peninsula to fend for themselves. They contended with one another through border skirmishes and cattle-raids, but not one of them wished for true war with his neighbors. Compared to many Tualan lands, the region remained peaceful. CONROY TRIUMPHANT When the Pictoi Wars came, all three lords sent men to fight alongside their fellow Tualans. Cantigern chose to accompany his warriors, and Conroy joined him, but reluctantly, for he feared what Mac Baldreen might do with both of them gone. But his choice proved a good one, for in battle against the Pictoi, Cantigern fell. Having only young daughters, with his dying breath he willed his lands to Conroy, asking only that his old adversary rule them and their people fairly and justly. With three druids to witness, Sernach Conroy so swore. Conroy returned to the north with the full support both of his and Cantigerns men and married Cantigerns oldest daughter, Ethne. This left Mac Baldreen and his clansmen in an unenviable situation. Facing a single enemy now twice as powerful, Lord Ruad sought alliance with the men of the Sleve Gullion, but they rebued him, having no interest in lowland feuds. For a decade he used his strong right arm and wily mind to resist the Conroy, but nally fell to Sernach in single combat at Ath Torca, the Boars Ford. With one of Ruads daughters married to Sernachs oldest son and heir, and Ruads young sons fostered to Dun Conroy as hostages, Conroy felt condent and powerful enough to proclaim himself king of the new realm of Conhaile. THE WAR WITH KING COLBRAN For many years, Conroys descendants ruled Conhaile, expanding north into the Glamorgan Hills and into the lands north and west of the Kylle Dreenan. Soon the men of Conhaile met up with their brethren in the Sleve Gullion only to discover they had a king of their own. From a dun high in the Gullion peaks, not far from Knoc Ganog, Colbran MacMaeleon ruled over the men of the mountains, and they wanted no other king. Gothan Conroy, an arrogant and sti-necked man for all his learning and experience, could not tolerate the MacMaeleon deance. Beginning with cattle-raids, and progressing to sharper border skir-
he Land Between the Mountains, the bards call it. Nestled in the lowlands between the sharp peaks of the Sleve Daireanne and the less lofty mountains of the Sleve Gullion, Conhaile is a land of bitter winters, mild summers, difficult travel, and self-reliant nobles who arent always as loyal to their king as he might like. With its extensive coastlines, the mines and quarries in both mountain ranges, and many forests (including the Kylle Dreenan right in the center of the realm), Conhaile possesses much wealth, and its ruler plays an important role on the Tualan stage when not distracted by his longstanding feud with Seanclough.
HISTORY
Men rst entered the lands now beholden to Conhaile in the wake of the Troll Wars. Though wary of the dangers posed by the trolls of the Sleve Daireanne, they could not resist the rich elds and forests north of the mountains. A group of warriors and their families, led by Carlen son of Callahan, worked their way through the Balag Dornoch and into what men would later call the Moy Conroy. Impressed by the lush meadows, they pressed east, soon encountering bands of men coming west from Duvrach. Forming communities, the two groups ceased their travels and began to work the land. As they prospered and their families grew, younger sons went west and north around the Kylle Dreenan, seeking lands of their own where they could raise children. Carlen ruled the people of the northwest well, but died childless. For many years the land had no single rulers, with the tashacs of the clans exercising authority over the regions they lived in. Some styled themselves king, but their kingdoms didnt extend much further than they could see from the doors of their raths. By the Time Of Struggles, three of these chieftains had risen to prominence, attracting enough men to their war-bands to call themselves kings for true. East of the Kylle Dreenan and west of the River Sulvain, Ruad Mac Baldreen controlled the land from the coast and the Murrisk na Fil Tirech almost all the way down to Loch Gavra. From Loch Gavra west, halfway across the Moy Conroy, and south to the mountains, Sernach Conroy held sway, enriching his men through raids on troll-dens in the Daireanne and the Glamorgan Hills. Cantigern the Bald, a giant of a man with sts powerful enough to smash down doors, held
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mishes between warrior-bands, he began to pressure King Colbran. But what Colbrans men lacked in numbers, they made up in knowledge of the rills and fells of the Sleve Gullion; Conroys warriors found it dicult to root them out of the coombes they knew so well. The coming of the Fomorians brought some ease to King Colbran. Conroy recognized the threat the hideous giants posed, and in honor and justice could not leave his fellow Tualans to ght them alone. At the head of almost his entire war-band, he journeyed south, meeting up with the other kings to assemble the greatest army the Tualans had ever seen. After he helped destroy the Fomorians, Conroy joined with the other kings to choose Ardal Falcon-Eye as the rst High King. One of the promises Ardal made to his fellow kings was to help them defeat their enemies at home, and he kept that promise. One of the rst he helped was Gothan Conroy, who needed the extra men provided by the High King to root King Colbrans people out of their places of strength. Colbran gathered his forces near the mouth of the River Colebrande, close by Ath Cathor Fathach the Ford of the Giants Chair. Near the great at rock that gives the ford its name, he sent out a herald to challenge Gothan to single combat. Gothan accepted, and they joined battle at the ford. After many erce hours of ghting, Colbran fell to
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DALRIADA
etween the River Glos and the haunted hills of the Drimnarth lies the kingdom of Dalriada. As the elds of the Moy Murtheme slowly give way to low hills and then to the Drimnarth, so do the people of Dalriada go from farmers and townsfolk to hillsmen and mountain-folk who must guard themselves well against the many threats that come from the Drimnarth. Only the boldest and strongest dare to live in the dark hills, and usually then only within the shadow of Belrics mighty wall.
HISTORY
The Tualans settled in the Moy Murtheme and the lands surrounding Loch Arhael early, nding them lush and comfortable. Many sh-lled streams poured out of the hills, often forming lochs such as Shinn, Laigin, and Thrinvair. But it didnt take them long to learn that trolls, goblins, the Unseelie, and many other fell creatures lived within the tangled Drimnarth hills, not to mention the Sleve Fuath. Soon their villages and towns were clustered around raths, duns, and crannogs so they could protect themselves from the dangers of their new home. With this threat to unite them, the clans came together much more readily than in other realms; cattle-raids and feuds were fewer (though by no means absent). Eventually one lord, Belric Mac Brega, tashac of Clan Brega, emerged as the most powerful warrior and leader in the region. When he led his warriors against the terrible troll-band of Fethcar of the Fiery Eye and saved the people of Echleith from the trolls depredations, it became apparent that, in all but name, he was the true king of the region. Before long the other lords corrected this oversight, naming him their king and swearing fealty to him (though some with only slight grace). THE WALL North of the Drimnarth, Angus Rosleigh had come to power in similar fashion. Rather than contend with internal feuds and problems, Mac Brega and Rosleigh turned their attention to one another, each hoping to expand his realm to encompass the entire western peninsula. Though they dared not lead their men through the Drimnarth to raid or attack the foe, they could go around the hills, since the coastal plains and the Plains of Briaga made such journeys easy. Time and again the men of Parlas Rosleigh rode down the elds to attack towns and farms loyal to Dun Brega.
By the time Belric Mac Brega was old and grey, the feud with Parlas Rosleigh had become a grave problem. No longer could he lead his men in battle against the northern enemy, but they still needed the protection he once provided. Despairing that those who came after him could defend the Dalriadans, he conceived of a great wall, from Knoc Morgen all the way to the Sea of Storms. With such a wall in place, the Rosleigh warriors could not attack Dalriada unless they went the long way around the Drimnarth which required them to pass by Dun Cranmore and Dun Brega. Calling together craftsmen from across Tuala Morn, Belric began building the wall. While his warriors protected them, the builders slowly worked their way across the elds, laying stone upon stone, erecting towers here and there to house defenders. When it became apparent to Belric that he would die before he nished the wall, he summoned to him Naelan and Olvar, two brother wizards. For a great price of gold and gems, they cast spells upon him, lengthening his life that he might oversee the building to completion. Their necromancy had the desired eect; Belric lived on, undying, as the wall progressed towards Knoc Morgen. He was there when the great blue stone Gormcloch was laid at Glen Dortha to anchor the rst turn of the wall, and again when his druids consecrated the Stone of Trochora, Gallan Trochora, at the foot of Knoc Morgen to mark the completion of the wall. And as the last word of prayer was said, Belric Mac Brega clutched his chest, fell over, and died, the terms of the spell having been fullled. THE FAERIE CURSE With the threat of Parlas Rosleigh blunted, the kings and lords of Dalriada could concentrate on strengthening and improving their own realm. New fords were found, new raths and bridges built, and new towns and cities took shape as Dalriadan children grew and had children of their own. Misfortune befell the Mac Brega kings about thirty years after Belrics death. While hunting, King Sian intruded upon the territory of Gohartha Shee, insulting the Good Folk there all unintentionally. Caring not for his apologies, they cursed him and his line, saying his descendants would have short lives and inglorious deaths, until one of you builds something greater even than the Wall. Horried, Sian returned to Dun Brega, where his druids and wizards suggested many interpretations of the curse and ways to avoid it. But their counsel was for naught; King Sian died a few days later when he fell from his horse and broke his neck.
Similar misfortune dogged Sians son, King Dalhu, and the kings who came after, though many built duns and towers most grand. It was not until the time of King Cathal, who joined with the other kings to repulse the Fomorians and make Ardal Falcon-Eye the High King of Tuala Morn that the curse was lifted for the high kingship and unity of the Tualans was by far a greater thing than Belrics Wall. THE WAR WITH LENAMORE A few decades ago, during the rein of King Callum, some men of Clan Dathraine crossed the River Glos at Ath Scaya, and the River Craigleith at Ath Gedra, in a tain against Clan Maelrian, which was beholden to the Earl of Moscragh. They made o with a goodly number of cattle, but when Maelrain men tried to stop them, ghting broke out, and
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DRATHA
he central realm of the south, Dratha finds itself in an unenviable position between barbarian raiders on the west, and the powerful warbands of the Cormac to the east. Indeed, the Cormac has already claimed some Drathan lands for his own, and King Brenaine fears an invasion from Cormac may soon follow.
HISTORY
After Coruch Crotha pronounced his Doom, giving all the southlands to Feoras the Stone and his descendants, Feoras ruled the south nobly and well for many years. Before his death he bestowed the hilly region between the Kylle Gransha and the River Cullaeven on his son Dratha. After King Dratha died, his sons kept his name as the name of their land in eternal memory of their noble father. From the rst, Dratha was anything but a quiet realm. Filled with hills, it had much less arable land than most Tualan realms, making it suitable primarily for hunting and herding and in Tuala Morn, where there are cattle, there are cattle-raids. The dozens of small Drathan clans, each with a hill or glen to call its own, raided each others herds with relish, sometimes also kidnapping women for brides or stealing trophies from lords halls. Most of this activity reected little more than friendly rivalry, but sometimes raids gave rise to bitter, long-lasting feuds. KING FORBENN Forbenn, known as the Red for his amecolored hair and equally ery temper, was the most popular and powerful king of early Dratha. As a young man he singlehandedly slew the Brown Bull of Carlow, which had wreaked havoc among the herds of Torvan. After his father Barru died and he ascended the throne, he fought against the Barbathans several times, once defeating a much larger barbarian force near the eastern border of the Derva Marechta. His skills as a warrior served him well when the Fomorians invaded Tuala Morn. He learned Fomorian ships had landed at Inver Cullaeven and went to meet them with his vassals and war-bands at his back. Though he could not defeat the enormous, mis-shapen, mystically powerful giants, Forbenn fought hard enough to turn them north, thus saving the lands of Dratha from destruction at the Fomorians hands. Since this led to the destruction of Cathair Duneane, the nobles of Duneane have ever since mistrusted the Drathans, believing them capable of any evil to save themselves from harm.
In the great battle at Craig Crovan, King Forbenn held his own against the fearsome Fomorian war-chieftain Velgarr Blackst, performing the edge-feat with his sword to take Velgarrs head from his body. Holding Velgarrs severed head by its hair, Forbenn strode among the Fomorian host. The look of terror on their dead chieftains face unmanned them, leaving them weak and helpless before the mighty Tualan warriors. Forbenn later helped to choose Ardal FalconEye as the rst High King of Tuala Morn. Having few enemies in his own land, where he was wellloved by his vassals, he devoted himself and his war-bands to helping Ardal and his allies pacify their own realms. After he died in battle against Barbathan invaders when he was 67 winters old, the Red King was buried in the mound of Duan Forbenn not far from Dun Dratha, the ancestral seat of the Drathan kings. Though much wealth was laid to rest with him as well, no one has ever dared to pillage his resting-place, for the bards say those who do fall under a powerful curse... and must face the wrath of Forbenns spectre itself before they can win through to his treasure! THE BARBATHAN INVASION The Drathans have always suered raids from the Barbathan tribes to the west; many a time Barbathan chariots have crossed the Ath Ulade to harry Malin, Torvan, and realms further east. But in the time of High King Dovlech, the Barbathans united under the leadership of Garthu Trelg and the druid Rengar Bloodhand and attacked their Tualan enemies. Though he met the rst Barbathan hordes with his war-band, King Engan of Dratha could not stem the barbarian tide. He retreated to Dun Dratha as Rengars tribesmen stormed north around the Sleve Lieg, laying waste the Duchy of Kilbarra as they went. With only small bands of warriors opposing them, the Barbathans ravaged south across the lands of the Duke of Mornath into the Arran Marches, where they destroyed Rath Arran and killed its lord. Then they turned north into Duneane, where the Tualans nally defeated them. The destruction wrought by the Barbathans in Dratha had signicant consequences. King Engans ineectual eorts against the invaders led his nobles to turn against him; they deposed him in favor of his younger brother, Brensha MacCorbarel. Brensha had distinguished himself in battle, slaying the Barbathan chieftain Laergu Korshalt. Brensha weathered several challenges, both from his elder
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DUNEANE
ocated in the center of Tuala Morn, Duneane is a well-settled land of gentle rains, swift rivers, and green hills beneath cloudecked skies. Its boundaries, established by many treaties and pacts over the centuries, are: to the south, the River Talaran; to the east, the headwaters of the River Shanra; to the north, the boundary line six leagues south of Temrach, marked by a line of dwarf-carved stones; and as far west as a clear-eyed man can see on a sunny day from Fornocht Ochlaren, the Eight-League Hill.
HISTORY
Duneanes place in the center of the Tualan realms makes it a crossroads, not just for travelers and merchants but for invaders and other enemies. Though the kingdom is fair and strong, its nobles know many people envy them their prosperity, and would take it from them if they could. Duneane takes its name from Duneane of the Far Spear, a hero of the Tualan migration and settlement of Tuala Morn. He had ve sons, each a proud warrior in his own right. After their fathers death, the sons gathered their men about them and built, high on the River Cullaeven, a large, well-fortied dun. They laid claim to a large territory that included part of the Plains of Briaga, the forests and hills north of the Sleve Fergairon, and most of the Kylle Gransha. But their claim, though strong and backed by their valor at arms, did not go uncontested. Many other nobles sought those lands, or part of them, for their own. To the south, Glorren Mac Marne had taken the Oriel Hills, using his sword Reldanach to drive trolls and monstrous things south and west into the mountains and forest. North of Dun Duneane, Umbr of Briaga had named himself an earl and built a dun of his own to control part of the Moy Briaga. To the east, Ogmore the Strong and his band of hearty highland warriors held sway over the hills north of the Sleve Fergairon. The sons of Duneane made war upon Mac Marne, meeting him on the shores of Loch Trenai at the fields of Ithedris. After several days of fierce fighting, Mac Marne called for single combat to settle the matter. Milor, eldest son of Duneane, accepted his challenge. With a single blow of his powerful fist, Milor shattered Mac Marnes five-layered shield and laid his foe low. Shaking his head in amazement, Glorren declared himself defeated, and to honor his valor and wisdom, Milor named him Duke of Oriel.
Ogmore the Strong proved far more intractable. After the Duneane men defeated his war-band at Marden Mor, he took to the hills he knew so well, refusing to meet his enemy in open battle. For many years he eluded the Duneane warriors, until Braethach, the third son of Duneane, brought him to bay in Coomb Duvcar. Not all of Ogmores vaunted strength could save him from the shining-sharp spears of Braethachs men, who slew him and all his warriors. But the hearts of the sons of Duneane were large, and to commemorate Ogmores valiant stand, they named the lands he loved after him. The self-styled Earl Umbr crossed the River Cobar with dozens of men at his back, intending to cast Dun Duneane down. But when he came against Cadoc, Duneanes second son, the two lords were so taken with each other that they cast aside their weapons and clasped arms, pledging alliance. Cadoc declared that the lands Umbr claimed would be his forevermore, to be held in fealty to the sons of Duneane. From that day to this, the lords of Umbr have been faithful vassals and true friends to the Duneane throne. THE BUILDING OF CATHAIR DUNEANE After the Pictoi crossed the River Berna to attack villages in Duneane, sparking the Pictoi Wars, King Moladran and his warriors drove them back into the Kylle Duvtach and destroyed their chief settlement. Moladran realized his realm occupied a place in Tuala Morn that exposed it to attack from many dierent enemies. To protect himself and his people, he needed more than a dun, however strong that dun might be. So, in place of Dun Duneane, he declared he would build a great castle to serve as the seat of his power and the defense of the clans owing fealty to him. King Moladran hired the wizard Cothar to oversee the building of Cathair Duneane. With stone quarried from clis along the River Cullaeven, Cothar laid the foundation of the castle, casting upon it spells of strength and sturdiness. Slowly, over the course of ten years, the castle took shape, its elegant and graceful interior spaces contrasting with the hard and durable walls protecting it from attackers. To honor Clan Duneane, Cothar carved from the heartwood of a great red pine tree a leaping stag, the clans symbol, and hung it above the throne. Finally, when he was nished, Cathair Duneane was the grandest, and strongest, palace in Tuala Morn, and remained so until High King Ardal built Temrach.
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DUNEANE FIEFS
THE EARLDOM OF PREDEGAR The southwest part of Duneane, from the Scarva Morrel and Brug na Berna south and the edge of the Kylle Gransha west, falls under the rule of Earl Arvin of Predegar. His fortress of Dun Predegar was built centuries ago on the site of a famous victory by the Predegar warriors over an invading clan from Lenamore. Earl Arvin, a gru yet friendly lord, guards the Ath na Fedroch (the ford Lenamore clans most often use when raiding into Duneane) and Ath na Derclogan, the Ford of the Red Stepping-Stones (which links Duneane to Dratha). Fearing the Cormac might try to invade Duneane through the Derclogan after he conquers eastern Dratha, instead of trying to force his way through the steep Oriel Hills, Earl Arvin has built a large tower, Toros Grentath, near the ford. He has also sent two of his sons, both strong spearmen, to the town of Tawnamore. THE DUCHY OF UMBR North and east of the kings lands around Cathair Duneane, the Duchy of Umbr is the largest efdom in Duneane. Bounded by the Rivers Glasten and Cobar, Nechtas Road, the Brug na Berna, borders dened by clan treaties, and the Kylle Duvtach, it varies from hills in the southwest (including Cor Calliach, home of a fearsome hag), to marshy land near the Glasten, to elds and plains in the north. Umbrs proximity to the dark forest of Duvtach causes it some problems. Trolls, Pictoi, Unseelie faeries, and other dangers live beneath Duvtachs shadowy boughs, and sometimes creep out at night to waylay the Dukes subjects and travelers on his roads. People living near the forest, such as the inhabitants of the town of Roscador, have a reputation in the rest of Duneane for being strange, or even possessed of spiteful witch-powers. Sitting on his throne Ronclaine in the castle of Cathair Umbr, located in the very heart of his realm, Duke Garvan of Umbr rules his realm with a rm hand. From the cobbled streets of the town surrounding Cathair Umbr, to the farthest reaches of the hills along the River Cretha, every one of his subjects can expect justice when he comes before the Duke. Those evils he cannot eradicate, such as the hag of Cor Calliach or the trolls of Kylle Duvtach, he guards against as best he may. His band of ghting-men, led by his son Sir Rhorec, is one of the nest in Tuala Morn. In addition to Rhorec, Duke Gavran has three children, all daughters: Riona, the eldest, who deed his wishes and became a wandering bard; Granna, the middle daughter, presently aanced to Aulie MacLeith of Delgan; and the youngest, Devnet, still but a child and the very apple of her fathers eye. His wife, the Lady Rhianne, is a wise and capable leader in her own right and a true helpmeet to her husband.
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ar to the northeast of Tuala Morn, amid the peaks of the Sleve Daireanne, lies Duvrach, the High Land a mountain realm of strange speech, strange customs, and hardy warriors. Though they prefer to isolate themselves in the high meadows, far from their southern kin, the Duvrachans are Tualans still, possessed of the same singing souls, strong arms, and open hearts as their lowland kin.
HISTORY
Bards from outside Duvrach often say the mountains have no history, and compared to other realms theyre not far wrong. Duvrach has experienced little of the turmoil and upheaval that has beset the other Tualan kingdoms since the time of the Three Brothers. Its never gone to war against another kingdom, participated only marginally in the Pictoi and Barbathan conicts, and has suered no plagues or evil enchantments. The only events of note occurring in Duvrach are the constant cattle-raids and clan feuds, be they lighthearted or deadly serious. Duvrachans sometimes seem to trace the years not based on who was tasach of their clan, or who their king, but which clan was feuding with which, and who stole from whom. Beyond the mountains, these events are meaningless, but within the High Land they have deadly import. Feuds determine who can marry whom, which clans have the right to use which grazing lands or shing streams, the politics of choosing the king, and many other things besides. Duvrachan riddle-masters know by heart dozens of saicht (lore-riddles) about these events that are inconsequential to anyone from another realm for a people who supposedly have no history, the Duvrachans certainly enjoy discussing the events of their past in great detail. The only story bards from other lands tell of Duvrach, besides tales of a few heroes and some well-known feuds, is how the Duvrachans established the method for choosing their king. According to the most popular version of the story, when the Tualans fared south to establish kingdoms and homes, some remained in the north, preferring the quiet solitude of the mountains to the more pleasant climes of the central and southern plains. As they raised families and established clans, they spread out more and more, until some clans herding-lands and hunting-lands butted against another clans domain. Strife and ghting followed, to the benet of no one save the Morrigan and her ravens.
SCALTMAINE
Heres a writeup for the famed Sword of Eight Notches: HKA 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (60 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Minimum (15; -), Two-Handed (-) (total cost: 18 points) plus +1 OCV (5 Active Points); OAF (-1), Two-Handed (-) (total cost: 2 points) plus +2 OCV (10 Active Points); OAF (-1), Two-Handed (-), Only Versus Trolls (-) (total cost: 3 points) plus Reputation (deadly weapon that can kill any troll [among Tualans and trolls] 14-; +3/+3d6) (9 Active Points); OAF (-1) (total cost: 4 point). Total cost: 27 points.
MacSlevan, and Alderleigh controls enough land to constitute a duchy or barony in some other kingdom. Within each clans lands live lesser clans who owe fealty and services to the tashac, thus creating a semblance of the cailshaen system used elsewhere in Tuala Morn. Its a much looser and more freewheeling method of governing, though, and thats just the way the Duvrachans like it.
has created in it by cutting through hard trollish armor to cleave trolls bodies. Trolls recognize the blade on sight and fear it. For all of King Alasdairs renown, and his duties to arbitrate clan disputes and represent Duvrach at court in Dunrioga, he has little power compared to other Tualan kings. The true rulers of Duvrach, or at least their own parts of it, are the tashacs of the major clans, some of whom also style themselves king. Each of these clans Rannoch, Stevar, Inverness, Carshalton, Glenverna, MacCavan, MacConnell, Selkirk, ConBracklin, Tavish,
CATARANS
In Duvrach, where folk possess a erce streak of stubborn independence, some men forced to obey laws they do not agree with choose instead a dierent route: they abandon their homes and lands for a life of outlawry. To a certain extent, Duvrachans expect this, and even sing ballads in praise of clever outlaws of legend who outwitted foolish and tyrannical lords. But some outlaws turn from supporting themselves in the wilds to malicious and evil crimes, such as murder, rapine, and needless butchery of cattle. When this happens, they become known as catarans, or bandits (some also call them wolf sheads). Anyone who captures a cataran, or tells a lord where to nd one, earns himself a rich reward. Bringing the king the head of a truly infamous cataran, such as Grogar Gap-Tooth or Keshlen the Badger, would earn someone enough gold to make his fortune. See page 121 for more information and a Package Deal for catarans.
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LENAMORE
land of sunny fields and shadowy, forested hills, Lenamore has long been a quiet, stable realm, a kingdom that served as a bulwark between Tir Barbatha and the rest of Tuala Morn. But today, with a king who has no heir and contentious nobles vying to take the throne after he dies, it threatens to dissolve into chaos and clan warfare, leaving itself, and thus all of Tuala Morn, vulnerable to barbarian attack.
some of them were not content; for years afterward, his son, and his sons son, had to contend with unruly nobles and a troublesome kingdom. Eventually, though, the recalcitrant clans were mollified by gifts of land and titles, or through marriage into Clan MacLena or other loyal clans. But even though they put aside their differences with the king in favor of outward expressions of loyalty, many clans continued to harbor secret desires for the throne. THE MASTER OF BONES In the time of King Amergin, many decades after King Nevan, foul necromancy threatened the land. A strange, twisted man in a black cloak entered the Claer lands, east of the Sleve Namman. Some say he came from the Kylle Duvtach, others from the Drimnarth; still others claimed he was some sort of malicious faerie. Walking with the aid of a sta of bones topped by a skull from no known creature, he came to Dun Claer, to the barrows near the town where the Claer buried their lords and tashacs. Sensing his evil magical powers, the Claer druids opposed him, and Claer warriors tried to impale him with their bright spears, but all their eorts were for naught. With a word and a gesture he froze them where they stood. Then he burst asunder the stone doors of the barrows and called forth from them the eshless skeletons of Sedras the Fierce and his descendants. People ran screaming in fear as he led his war-band of skeletons south from the town and into the Sleve Namman. He continued to the south, pausing only at tombs and graveyards to create more skeletal warriors. Those who tried to ght him discovered his magic was strong too strong to oppose and that his entourage of skeletons was dicult to stop with spear and sword. He left many brave warriors dead on the elds behind him as he continued his journey to Cathair MacLena. King Amergin received word the Master of Bones was coming, and called together his warleaders, druids, and such wizards as he could to find a way to stop the powerful necromancer. None of them knew a way to defeat the Master. But then Dobar of Locmuir, a young druid barely initiated into the Lanvan mysteries, had a vision. He said a charm obtained from the faerie-folk living beneath the waters of Loch Laune would destroy the necromancer and his undead army. Taking his fastest horse, Amergin rode to Loch Laune to beseech the faeries aid. After several trials and challenges, he won their favor, and they gave him the charm.
HISTORY
Lenamore was settled soon after the Tualans defeated Magroshs trolls, for its wide elds were attractive to farmers, herdsmen, breeders of horses... and those who would rule over them. Many prominent warriors, such as Kerill MacLena, Sedras the Fierce of Clan Claer, Godarel of Moscragh, and Heilyn ConGorann built raths and set about to establish their clans, and themselves, as powers in the region. Gradually, by dint of warfare and clever diplomacy, Kerill MacLena and his sons rose to a superior position. While none of the other lords would concede that Kerill should become king over them, all of them respected his honor and valor. Someone was needed to lead the nobles against the trolls of the Sleve Donn and Kylle Duvtach, not to mention the growing threat of Barbathan raids, but the lords could not agree on who should be that leader. Nearly thirty years after the death of Kerill MacLena at the hands of the troll warrior Storgad, the eldest MacLena son, Nevan, called all the lords to a tournament and fair in the Moy Griannon, on the shores of Loch Mathir. He proposed that there they should compete against each other, with the winner of the most events to receive the crown and the right to name the kingdom. Each of them, convinced of his ability to defeat his rivals, agreed. After much argument, the lords agreed on a list of events. Nevan won the tournament easily, proving himself stronger, faster, smarter, and more skilled than any other single lord. With honor, though sometimes poor grace, the other lords named him king over them. He named his new realm Lenamore, in honor of his clan. King Nevans early years were not easy ones. Many of the lords, dissatisfied by the loss of the kingship, challenged him repeatedly. In his court, and sometimes on the battlefield, King Nevan had to prove himself again and again. Even then,
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MAR CORMAC
rom the River Brechta to the edge of the Kylle Gransha, the Kingdom of Mar Cormac occupies all the lands south of the Sleve Fergairon. Under the Cormac kings, it has become a powerful realm, one with an ambition to match its might. And the present Cormac of Mar Cormac is, so men say, the most covetous of power of any in his proud line. The day may come when he poses a greater threat to Tuala Morn than all the trolls of the mountains.
Cormac lords. Cattle-raids and clan feuds were common enough, but powerful nobles did not contend for rulership of the kingdom, as they so often did in other lands. None of them ever questioned the Cormacs right to rule. THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST RATHMARDA After the Pictoi wars, but before the coming of the Fomorians, the Cormac conceived a plan of conquest. Since he was fullling his geas and thus could not lose his throne, he thought perhaps the time had come to expand the borders of his realm. The Doom of Coruch Crotha prevented a northern realm from conquering his kingdom, so he stood to lose nothing save the good-will of his fellow kings (for which he cared nothing). Thinking Duneane and Dratha too powerful to attack at that time, the Cormac set his sights on Rathmarda. Taking his hero-band and many warriors from friendly clans, he crossed the River Brechta at Ath Clodan and struck north into the Sleve Gabra, hoping to take the lands around Loch Mairog. At rst he succeeded, cutting down the men of Gabra, Cavan, and Radnor like wheat before a scythe. But then King Bevan of Rathmarda brought his own war-band to the eld. For all the Cormacs might, he was ghting on strange ground, and Bevan trapped him. In the glen of Corleth, by the banks of a mere, he surrounded the Cormacs men, slaying many of them. Though the Cormac and his warriors survived, so great were their losses that they had to give up the lands theyd won and retreat back to Mar Cormac to lick their wounds. Ardal Falcon-Eye, great-grandson of King Bevan, heard many a tale of the Cormacs treachery and defeat as a boy, and learned great hatred of his powerful neighbor to the south. Thus he hesitated little when the Coman-Brasel feud gave him the chance both to enforce his new rule as High King and to humble the Cormac (see page 18). THE GOOD GIANT OF KNOC BRADDEN Nearly three centuries ago, the line of Salmor finally failed, when Forgall of the Cairn fell in battle with a snow-troll. Though the Cormacs war-band was strong, he little wished to send one of his best warriors to guard the Wizards Cairn, for that would deprive him of a good fighting man. He decided to visit the Cairn himself, to see what might be done and perhaps seek guidance from the spirit of the old wizard. Accompanied only by ve of his warriors, he rode north into the mountains. As he was traveling, he rounded a bend and came upon a bridge over a
HISTORY
The kingdom of Mar Cormac was one of the first founded in Tuala Morn. When Feoras the Stone, youngest of the Three Brothers, lay on his deathbed, he made dispensation of his lands to his three sons. To Cormac, the eldest, he gave the lands south of the Sleve Fergairon. But upon him, and his children, he laid this geas: he must keep his people safe from the trolls and other monsters of the mountains, and he must likewise keep safe the Wizards Cairn on Knoc Bradden. So long as the Cormac of Mar Cormac does these things, his line shall never fail, nor his rule falter but if trolls or other fell creatures ravage over Mar Cormac in numbers, or if they do any harm to the Cairn, the Cormacs line will fail, and the throne be lost to him. With this gift and its potential consequences in mind, Cormac established a powerful kingdom, naming it Mar Cormac after himself. He called the boldest and mightiest heroes to form his war-band, and sent them out into the land to ght trolls, drive away the Sluagh, destroy nests of goblins, and keep the people safe. He charged the bravest of these heroes, Salmor of Macalla, with the duty of protecting the Wizards Cairn. He pledged that so long as Salmor and his sons guarded Coruch Crothas tomb, they would have riches and fame, and the favor of the tasach of Clan Cormac. For over a century, Cormac and his sons who ruled after him, each of whom called himself simply the Cormac, strove to keep the people safe and they succeeded. By the time of the eighth Cormac, the king and his followers had driven the trolls from the Eskar Drennath and the foothills surrounding Loch Cosrach and Loch Barnnach into the deeps of the mountains, where no Tualans lived. And the sons of Salmor kept safe the Cairn. Thanks to this unity of purpose, and the strong hand with which the Cormacs ruled their kingdom, very little strife arose between competing Mar
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THE CORMAC
The present Cormac is a notably powerful and ambitious ruler from a long line of powerful and ambitious rulers. Trained by the best ghting men in all his kingdom, he has become a powerful warrior who combines strength, skill, and swiftness into one nigh-matchless ghting style. Wielding his ancestral greatsword Carcholann instead of a spear, and garbed like a knight in the Dragon Armor forged for his house by the wizard Sherval ap Gweth, he strikes fear into the hearts of even the bravest warriors. But his greatest weapon is his mind. Intelligent, crafty, and clever, the Cormac is always thinking, seeking ways to turn his disadvantages into advantages or to discommodate his enemies. Most nobles of Tuala Morn believe he makes extensive use of spies and other deceptions, and guard themselves against his wiles as best they can. THE ROYAL FAMILY The Cormacs wife, Queen Relaighn, is the daughter of a prominent clan from the Duchy of Veldran. In the sixteen years since she wedded the Cormac, she has borne him four children: one daughter (Edran) and three sons (Malroane his heir, Kevinn, and Felan). The Cormacs sons are much like him: tall and strong for their ages, with a commanding presence and arrogance he regards as betting them. The oldest, Malroane, is 14, and has just joined his fathers councils to learn the Mar Cormac art of kingship. Edran is a willowy 16-year-old, well-suited for marriage. Unfortunately for her, while many men would like to woo her because of her beauty, no Tualan king trusts the Cormac or wishes to ally with him, and so she has far fewer suitors than she would otherwise. The Cormacs hopes of using her for political advantage seem likely to founder. CATHAIR CORMAC The Cormac rules from his castle, Cathair Cormac, located in the very center of his realm and surrounded by a large, bustling city. A large, imposing, powerfully-built keep of grey stone, Cathair Cormac perfectly embodies the strength of the Cormac kings. Visitors to Cathair Cormac rst must cross its drawbridge and then pass through the heavy gates blocking the broad, well-protected tunnel cut through its thick outer walls. From the tunnel they emerge into a large courtyard where the kings men practice their war-skills and keep a close eye on any strangers. A set of broad stone steps leads up to the main doors of the castle. The doors, also made of stone, balance carefully on thick iron hinges that allow a single man to open them with little eort. Dwarves of the Sleve Fergairon made them many centuries ago to honor a Cormac who slew a fearsome troll-mage threatening their home. The doors lead into an opulently-decorated corridor that takes the visitor into the Cormacs enormous throne-room, where the ornate woodand stonework, high vaulted ceiling, and banners and trophies cannot fail to impress. At the far end
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etween the Drimnarth and the sea lies Parlas Rosleigh, a kingdom of bold and resourceful men. Facing threats from the hills, the Slough of Airith, and their ancient enemy Dalriada to the south, the nobles of Parlas Rosleigh must remain ever alert, ready to protect their subjects from almost any danger.
PARLAS ROSLEIGH
In the time of Angus Rosleigh, grandson of Duald and an even wiser ruler than he, the men of Parlas Rosleigh met the men of Dalriada. The kings of both realms wished to rule the entire peninsula, and their conflict led to warfare and bloodshed. To protect his people, King Belric of Dalriada built Belrics Wall. Though the warbands of Parlas Rosleigh harried him, forcing him to use magic to extend the span of his life, he eventually finished the great task. Since then the conflict between the two kingdoms has slowed, but never ceased, and to this day cattleraids and border skirmishes occur frequently. THE TREACHERY OF BARON ODRAN Not long before the coming of the Fomorians, the throne of Parlas Rosleigh was betrayed by one of its vassals, the Baron Odran of Dechara. A man of little honor but great aspirations to power, Baron Odran desired the kingship above all other things. One day he heard of a crone with strange powers who lived with her daughter in a cottage deep within the Drimnarth. Determined to learn the truth of this story, he passed through many dangers and found the cottage. Taken with the daughters beauty, he married her, and they lived with the crone for a year and a day. During that time the Baron studied the hags witchcraft, selling his very soul for the arcane power to make himself a warlock. Baron Odran emerged from the hills with awesome powers of magic. Calling on the evil spirits he commanded, he led an infernal army against Cathair Rosleigh and besieged it. Warriors used to ghting other warriors found themselves unmanned in the face of such supernatural foes, and it seemed as if the great castle of Clan Rosleigh might at long last fall. But then, all unlooked for, the druid Camarlin came to King Kinnaid to give him the magical might he needed to defeat his attackers. Calling upon the very powers of land and air and sea, Camarlin summoned forth a storm so great it swept away the Barons army while leaving Cathair Rosleigh untouched. The King Kinnaid, with Camarlins blessing upon him, opened the castle gates and rode forward to ght Baron Odran singlehandedly. Seeing the king thundering toward him on a proud warhorse, the Barons courage faltered, and he turned to run, only to have the king spit him with a spear. As the Barons body died, his soul was dragged away shrieking by the very spirits he had once commanded and Parlas Rosleigh was safe once more.
HISTORY
After Coruch Crotha created the Spring of Dunrioga and the Tualans began to explore their new home, Eoghan Mac Slevin took with him a band of hearty warriors and set out to sail down the River Mointarc. Their boats survived the journey downriver, passed through the river meadows that are now the Slough of Airith, and entered Blacksod Bay. They sailed down the southern coast a few days more, finally landing on a sandy beach a few leagues west of the cliffs men now call the Faill Caball. Though the land they settled in at first appeared green and peaceful, they soon learned that trolls, Pictoi, and other strange creatures of the Drimnarth claimed it as their hunting grounds. The Tualans found themselves beset by attackers almost every night. One terrible, moonless night, the trolls came against them in force at Achad Devish. Eoghan and his two sons were slain, and many other Tualans besides. A young warrior named Duald Rosleigh rallied the dispirited men, leading them east and north away from the battlefield to a steep hill. There he ordered them to build a strong rath. They built well, and soon the trollfolk learned the Tualans would not be such easy prey as they had first thought. The Tualans had finally gained a foothold, and soon other warriors, hearing of their plight, came to join them. Eventually Duald, to whom one and all now looked for leadership, began granting fiefdoms to his best, most faithful warriors and bestowing other honors on any man who had stood beside him during the early days. Slowly but surely, the Tualans spread throughout this new realm, which they called Parlas Rosleigh after their new ruler. With so many dangers lurking in the hills for them to fight, they had little need to fight each other. King Dualds realm, for all its roughness, was a place of camaraderie.
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THE LORDS STRIFE The only other time civil war disrupted the peace of Parlas Rosleigh was but a few years ago. When the kings of the ten realms chose Davaine MacUrbal to be the High King, the throne of Parlas Rosleigh was left vacant. At that time, Davaine had no sons, and his uncle Fergal and cousin Baird both declined the kingship the former because he considered himself too old to rule, the latter to continue his studies to become a druid. Davaine bestowed the crown on the tashac of Clan Glanbeigh, Flinn, to whom he bore distant relation. The nobles of the kingdom, many of whom desired the throne for themselves, accepted this choice but only until Davaine left for Dunrioga. Then fighting broke out, with clans and warriors supporting King Flinn arrayed against challengers such as Duke Toalne of Fincros and Duke Scell of Cormalen. The other nobles aligned themselves with whomever they judged most likely to triumph. Fighting raged across the Duchy of Drumcavnar and throughout the lands around Loch Leene for over a year before King Flinn achieved a decisive victory over Duke Toalne in a battle near the village of Ballawin. Duke Toalne, genuinely ashamed of his betrayal, took his own life, and his son Lugaide pledged fealty to the king. With the Fincros forces to bolster his own, King Flinn had no difficulty making Duke Scell surrender. After executing the duke and his captains, Flinn restored the land to peace though an uneasy peace it has been, with wrongs from the war still vivid in the minds of many Rosleigh men. In recent years, as despair and evil have seemed to grip the land more and more strongly, feelings of discontent have increased among the Rosleigh nobles, and it may only be a matter of time before one of them makes his own bid for the throne.
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RATHMARDA
amed for a clan now long dead, Rathmarda is a kingdom where the cattleraid and clan feud dominate life in much the same way as they did hundreds of years ago. This has bred disunity and weakness, leaving the realm vulnerable to outsiders who see it as a rich prize to be conquered.
HISTORY
The rst Tualans to settle in the region now called Rathmarda came under the banner of Ardan Mac Marda, a bold warrior and adventurer who fought beside the Three Brothers against the trolls. He built a large and ostentatious rath on the shores of Loch Langren, and thus Rathmarda got its name. Ardan ruled his realm as king for many years, and his sons after him. But the high-handed and arrogant ways of the Mac Mardas bred resentment among their once-loyal allies. Finally, resentment gave way to hatred, and a cabal of nobles conspired to kill Broskey Mac Marda, Ardans great-grandson. They assassinated him in the feasting-hall of his own rath, slaying him with daggers while he was drunk rather than giving him the chance to earn an honorable death on the battleeld. But treacherous men make poor allies. Soon the conspirators turned against one another, each seeking the crown for himself. After many years of ghting, Callough ConAillech, a powerful knight who controlled much of the Moy Corom west of Rath Marda, defeated enough of his enemies to declare himself king. Though his peers grudgingly accepted this, the nobles of Rathmarda remain a fractious lot to this day, often dicult to control. KING ARDAL The only king who ever inspired true loyalty from most of the nobles of Rathmarda was King Ardal, known as Falcon-Eye for his penetrating, far-seeing gaze. The bards say King Ardal could stand atop the tallest tower of Cathair Marda (for Ardans ancient rath had long ago been made a castle) and see to the far side of Loch Mairog. It was during King Ardals time that the Fomorians came to Tuala Morn, and though the Rathmarda kings often have little to do with the rest of the land, Ardal recognized the seriousness of the threat. He called the Rathmardan warbands to him and led them to battle. So valiant did he prove in combat, so deadly and masterful of feats, that all the other Tualan kings chose him to be their first High King.
THE FAERIE WAR It seems that the Good Folk who make their homes in Rathmarda are as contentious a lot as their human neighbors. More than once a group of faeries has kidnapped some knight or burly peasant to help them win sporting contests or battles against some other shee. A few generations ago, the faeries of Darshaeghla Shee went to war against their brethren of Bellivar Shee. No druid or wizard has ever learned what dispute causes the princes of those shees to marshal their forces, but many people witnessed the awesome spectacle of the ghting. Unfortunately for King Ailbe and his court, Cathair Marda is located between the two shees, and so the battle was fought above the castle. One night the king and his men watched in awe as the skies above them were lit by terrible faerie magics as the swiftly-itting knights of the Daoine Sidhe fought each other among the clouds. None could tell which side won, but eventually the ghting came to an end, leaving behind only one token of the battle a broken half of a faerie blade, which fell from the sky to land at King Ailbes feet. The blade remains a relic of Clan ConAglish, though it has never displayed any powers.
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SEANCLOUGH
prosperous and pleasant realm between Dunrioga and the Glasgaren Sea, Seanclough is one of the most powerful kingdoms in Tuala Morn. King Sitric, who has ruled for over thirty years, has assembled a large war-band of mighty heroes from among the many clans who owe fealty to him. Unfortunately, hes wasted much of his strength on a long and bitter feud with Conhaile, leaving him fewer men than he should have to protect his people from Vulkrings, trolls, and other dangers.
HISTORY
After the battle of Tonag Statheen, Donnan Mac Slevin, a young man of great wisdom, led a band of followers east to settle a new land. Coming to a loch they named Tallacht, they built a large dun nearby and established farms and villages. Gradually they explored their new home, learning the feel of the wind over the Moy Lamlara, the shape of the paths through the Kylle Dorach, and the perils of the Shrona Ivruss and Loch Corra. By the time of the Pictoi Wars, the new land, now called Seanclough, was well settled. When the Pictoi rose up against the Tualans, tribes living in the Kylle Dorach and the Shrona Ivruss came out of their hidden strongholds and attacked the men of Seanclough, killing dozens of peasants and lesser nobles. With his war-band around him, King Crevan ODonnan crossed the River Rosgaire at Ath na Shinna and went north, meeting the Pictoi host at Parga Macken. Pretending to have fewer warriors than he truly did, he lured the Pictoi into a trap, killing almost all of them. The Pictoi who escaped the slaughter ed deep into the Kylle Dorach, from which they have never emerged to trouble the people of Seanclough the more. The line of Slevin came to an end in Seanclough when King Mulcahy and all his family perished during a plague that struck the kingdom during the reign of High King Dovlech. Thereafter the crown passed to Clan Donduvaine, whose arms, the serpent-nowed sword, are the symbol of Seanclough to this day. THE CONHAILE FEUD Three centuries ago a feud arose between Seanclough and Conhaile when the kings of those realms blamed each other for the loss of the chance to become High King. Rather than recount all the events of the feud, this chronicle connes itself to one memorable victory of Seanclough: Crithroughs Ride.
Some years after the feud began, but while Devin ConRingabar was still king of Seanclough, a band of Conhaile men crossed the Plain of Crows, intending to make a sneak attack on some rich holdings in the Sleve Statheen. It happened that a hermit who lived in the hills near the headwaters of the River Rosgaire saw the Conhaile warriors pass into Seanclough. Using strange magical powers, the hermit sent a sparrow with a message of warning for the king. The sparrow flew swiftly to Dun Tallacht, only to find that King Devin was away to the south, near Ath Grellach. Commanding Tallacht in his stead was Strahan Crithrough, a noble warrior. Astonished to hear a bird speak, he nevertheless heeded its message. Taking what men he could with him, he mounted his Lamlaran steed Carrigorn and rode north as if the Sluagh were on his heels. He and his men rode without sleeping until they found the invaders, then despite their exhaustion fought the enemy until the Conhaile warriors fled west. When King Devin returned to Dun Tallacht and heard the tale, he rewarded Strahan with rule of the lands which he had saved, naming him duke over the new Duchy of Crithrough. And the ford near where the hermit lived became known as Ath na Foraire, the Lookouts Ford. THE BATTLE OF TREY CARRICLAITH For the past several decades, Vulkring raiders have attacked the coast of Seanclough again and again, burning villages and farms and stealing anything of value. On many occasions the local thane has arrived with a band of fighting men too late to do more than bury the dead and comfort the grieving. The clans living along the shore have learned to watch the sea carefully for the blood-red sails of the northron warriors. One time, at least, their vigilance paid off in vengeance for Seanclough. A young boy keeping watch saw three Vulkring ships making for Trey Carriclaith (Shore of the Grey Rocks), where they could land and raid several nearby towns and settlements. While the boy ran several miles to the house of his thane, Driscoll OConleth, a fortuitous storm kept the Vulkring ships offshore, unable to land for fear of being dashed to pieces on the rocks that gave the place its name. Thane Driscoll and his war-band rode to the shore, hiding in a nearby wood to keep the Vulkrings from seeing them. Though the raiders outnumbered the Tualans nearly two to one, Thane Driscolls men had the element of surprise
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TIR BARBATHA
n the far southwest of Tuala Morn, past the Sleve Donn, is a peninsula known to the Tualans as Tir Barbatha the Land of the Barbarians. There live a people who call themselves as Gasur Foraxta, the Children of Feoras, after the youngest of the Three Brothers who is their ancestor. Feoras bequeathed this land to his son, the druid Nerach. Thanks to the Doom of Coruch Crotha Nerachs descendants have held the land ever since, even though they abandoned much of their Tualan heritage, interbred with Pictoi, and have repeatedly attacked their more civilized brethren.
BARBATHAN CULTURE
Barbathan society is based not on clans or small families, but on tribes (traiva, in Barbathan). A tribe resembles a clan to some extent, but the Barbathans regard all members of a tribe as being closely related to each other. Every girlchild is the sister of every boy-child, and the daughter or grand-daughter of every woman; every mans wife is the wife of all men in the tribe. (Because of this, Barbathan men can only seek wives among the women of other tribes, obtaining them by paying an agreed-upon brideprice, or simply kidnapping them and then fighting off their relatives.) Similarly, to some extent, everyone in the tribe owns all of the tribes property, though each mans war-gear is his own. The leader of a tribe carries the title of chieftain (daisech). He must be the strongest and cleverest man in the tribe, for at any time any other man in the tribe can challenge him to single combat for the chieftaincy, and he cannot refuse the challenge (though he has the right to dictate its terms). The chieftains word is law, but by ancient tradition he must consider the advice of two bodies of elders, the Council of Men and the Council of Women, when deciding important matters. Unlike ordinary Barbathan men, who can marry only one woman, a chieftain can have up to four wives. Each tribe claims a territory for its own as much land as it can, by strength of arms or wits, hold against the other tribes. Most tribes territory has remained the same for decades or centuries, but occasionally one tribe gains or loses land through warfare, or a new tribe forms and stakes out a claim. Tribes name themselves after the territory they control (the Southern Raheen tribe), their chieftain (the tribe of Bargott Blackhair), or some tribal totem or event in the tribes history (the Red Hawk tribe). Barbathan women have few rights or privileges. The Barbathans regard them as the property of their fathers or husbands, and they must take a subservient role in all things. But when the tribe goes to war, women ght alongside their men; many Barbathan men say, in all seriousness, that their wives are far ercer warriors than they.
HISTORY
The Tualans know little of the history of the Barbathans. Not only are the southern barbarians isolated, wishing to have no contact with the northerners, but they do not keep written records. Almost all Barbathans are illiterate; only their druids know how to write, and that in a strange script descended from the ogham of the northern druids but so debased few northerners can understand it anymore. They incise their chronicles on the walls of sacred caves whose location they so zealously protect that Tualan raiders have only found two of them in centuries. From what the Tualans know, Barbathan history is little more than a tapestry of tribal chieftains, each competing with his fellows for greater power and prestige through warfare and, to a lesser extent, athletic contests. Only one chieftain Garthu Trelg ever united his entire people, and he died when he led them against the Tualans during the time of High King Dovlech (see page 19). Barbathan historical records also mention many shooting stars, strange natural phenomena, and other events the druids regard as omens.
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THE LAND
Tir Barbatha is much more untamed than the rest of Tuala Morn. Each tribe stakes out its territory, often building a crude rath or other simple structures, but makes little effort to develop the land beyond primitive farming. There are no causeways over marshy ground, no formal roads, no watchtowers, no marker stones. Travel through Barbathan lands takes much more time and effort than travel in most other parts of Tuala Morn.
Sacred Sites
Nerach MacFeoras chose the southwest peninsula to become his lands because that region contained many places of sacred significance. Three of these Henga Curawn in the south, Henga Bairoga on the northern coast overlooking the Dragons Mouth, and Henga Mathaile near the Sleve Donn contain circles of standing stones, sometimes in pairs or groups with lintels, that were in place when the Tualans arrived. Who built the circles, and why, remains a mystery, but any druid, bard, or wizard can feel the sacred power of these place easily. Many other sites throughout Tir Barbatha have standing stones (some carved with a strange, unreadable script), sacred wells, or the like. For example, at Ath na Dair (Ford of the Oaks) on the River Etric, a powerful river-god holds sway. Local Barbathans journey to the ford every new moon to sacrice a goat to him and give him gifts, so that he will ensure that they catch many sh throughout the next month. Anyone who crosses the ford without making a similar gift suers great misfortune or so the Barbathans say.
Raths
Barbathans usually build small, wooden forts, but three tribes have done more, creating large fortresses with stone foundations and sturdy construction. Near Loch Getra, the tribe of the Roga chieftains, which traditionally grants the leadership from father to son if the son passes certain tests of strength and endurance, established Rath Roga at the top of a large kady. With the rath to support it, the tribe has become the pre-eminent power in the area. On the northern end of the Ben Lannag, Rath Lannag has served as home to several tribes over the centuries. When one occupant weakens, a stronger tribe invades, taking the rath for its own until it, too, weakens and loses hold. Several excellent shing-streams and woods for hunting keep the rath provided with food. In the heart of the Drum Geltraig, Kordag the Horse-Tamer built himself a mighty rath several years ago. By its very presence and the size of the beams with which his tribe built it, Rath Kordag boasts of Kordags wealth and power, as if daring lesser tribes to attack him and try to take it.
Lochs
Tir Barbatha contains several important lochs. In the very center of the peninsula, Loch Morar takes in waters from the Rivers Cratha and Etric, as well as several smaller riverlets and streams, making it one of the largest lakes in all of Tuala Morn. Many tribes live along its shores, hunting waterfowl, shing, or stalking the game that lives in the marshes and woods that border it. Loch na Craig, to the north, takes its name from the large mound of stone that juts out of the middle of it, like some sun-petried troll shaking his st at the sky. Barbathans regard the stone, and to a lesser extent the lake, as sacred; sometimes they take boats out to the stone to leave sacrices or perform worship ceremonies. A Barbathan strong enough to swim to the stone, make his devotions, and then swim back earns great renown in the eyes of his fellows; most who try drown in the attempt.
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long the coast of Tuala Morn are several groups of islands (inish in Tualan, a word having both singular and plural meanings; the term ayle also refers to a single small island). Some the Tualans have settled, some they leave alone, and some merely serve as waystations for Tualan mariners.
MAPGARS TEETH
Southwest of Tir Barbatha are ve small, rocky islands known to the Tualans as Mapgars Teeth. The Tualans say that Mapgar was a fearsome giant who dared to attack Lugna, hoping to capture the sun and keep it as part of his golden treasurehoard. He and Lugna fought, and the king of the gods prevailed against the foolish giant. So hard did he strike Mapgar that he knocked Mapgars body into the sea. Five of Mapgars teeth, loosed from his head by the blow, oated to the surface and became islands. No Tualans live on the Teeth permanently. However, some nobles occasionally take ship to them, to hunt the wild boars living there. No king claims the Teeth.
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According to the Vorrag, a man called the Overking rules them from a vast palace near the center of the island. Warrior, wizard, and priest all at once, he possesses unquestioned authority. Slaves and retainers by the hundreds serve him, willing to sacrice their life at a moments notice from him. However, some Tualans believe the Vorrag exaggerated their monarchs might to frighten their visitors. Though some Tualan merchants have pressed the Vorrag to expand their trade with Tuala Morn, as yet the Vorrag seem reluctant, and desire little the Tualans have to oer them (Tualan clothes and whiskey are the most heavily-traded items). Whether relations between the two realms will ever grow remains in doubt.
INISH CORMAC
Four large islands Inishorren, Inish Lascarn, Inish Maele, and Inish Arl belong to the King of Mar Cormac. The Cormacs of long ago allowed men to settle on them, granting each island to a thane or other lord. To protect the realm from attack by sea, the Cormacs built a series of watchtowers along the islands southern coasts, using signal res to alert the rest of the islands and the mainland of possible attack. Thanks to this safeguard, very few Vulkring raiders have attacked the Cormac coast successfully. Nor are those the only towers on the islands. Many years ago, a wizard named Lugaid MacArlyn, seeking solitude in which to study, journeyed to Inishorren and with his wizardry builded there a great tower for himself and his ve beautiful daughters. Since he sealed the tower doors, neither he nor his daughters have ever been seen by another Tualan. Whether they live there still, ignoring the passage of time through Lugaids magics, or have met some terrible fate, remains unknown.
ISLANDS OF WONDER
Beyond Tir na Vorrag the seas become strange, and few Tualan mariners venture into them. Those who have sailed into the sunset and returned to their homeland bring back tales of many wondrous islands, where bizarre men and creatures live and magic lies thick upon the land. Some of the islands they have described include: The Island Of The Silver Palace: On this isle, a powerful monarch named Beldarios rules from a palace built of silver bricks. His wealth, the sailors say, exceeds that of all the nobles of Tuala Morn combined. The Island Of The Shining Giants: Here live a race of tall, powerful men, like unto giants, garbed in enchanted armor that glows like the setting sun. The Island Of The White Enchantress: The only inhabitant of this island is a woman of great beauty who possesses great magical powers. Those who visit her island had best beware, for she is easily oended, and transforms those who insult her into deer or hounds. The Island Of The Serpent King: On this island live a race of men like serpents, with scaly skin, fangs, and sinuous tails. Their ruler, the most mighty of them all, wears a golden crown set with large red gems that seem to have powers of fascination. The Island Of The Shrieking Stones: The very stones of his island make noises, ranging from low muttering and humming to ghastly, terrifying shrieks. Try as they might, the Tualans who visited here could never understand what the stones were saying. The Island Of The Feasters: The Tualans who came to this island encountered a race of men and woman of great beauty and seeming honor, but who actually desired to butcher travelers and feast upon their bodies.
TIR NA VORRAG
Several days travel west of the Hags Head lies the largest of the islands near Tuala Morn, Tir na Vorrag the Land of the Vorrag. Adventurous Tualan mariners discovered it centuries ago, but it has little contact with Tuala Morn, save for occasional trade-journeys. The Vorrag are a strange people bearing no relation to the Tualans (who have no idea where they came from, or whether they lived on the island prior to the Tualans arrival in Tuala Morn). Tall, but not so tall as the Tualans, with oddly beautiful reddish-gold skin, they dress in elaborately tailored, brilliantly colored robes. Both men and women wear their hair long (men bind theirs into ponytails with carved clasps), and the men almost never have facial hair. They speak an eerie, musical language, and prefer to learn Tualan rather than teach visitors their tongue. Tualan visitors to Tir na Vorrag have seen several small cities, filled with tall, delicate-looking towers, domed temples built of dark stone to gods who seem to have winged cat-creatures as servants or pets, and large palace complexes where their rulers and nobles live. The Tualans left with the impression of an ancient civilization of might and power, apparently able to fulfill all of its own needs, desiring little or no contact with the outside world. Some Tualans believe the Vorrag possess a great talent for magic. Several of the largest towers the visitors saw were described to them as the homes of puissant wizards, and the very mention of magery inspired fear and wonder among their Vorrag guides. Several times enchanted rings were mentioned; it may be that Vorrag wizards craft such rings and use them to augment their powers.
chapter four:
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fter you nd out what type of game the GM wants to run, the rst step in the Tualan character creation process is choosing a race, as represented by a Racial Package Deal. Given the nature of the setting, this tends to be an easy choice unlike High Fantasy settings such as The Turakian Age, in Tuala Morn most characters are humans, which means they dont need a Racial Package Deals. Only if you choose certain variant types of humans is a Racial Package Deal even necessary. The choices for variant humans are Barbathan, Duvrachan, fae-blooded, and troll-blooded.
Barbathan
Although most definitely Men, the Barbathans have little in common with other Tualans. A cruder, harsher people, they have a far more primitive culture (though by no means a lack of culture). A Barbathan raised in his home lands according to his peoples native traditions could become a Spearman, Hunter, or Warrior, though hes far more likely to take the Barbarian Package Deal (page 118). He cannot be a Knight without the GMs permission and an appropriate background that explains how he could spend enough time among the Tualans to learn the ways of knighthood and be accepted as a knight. If gifted with a talent for things mystic, he might become a Druid, or more rarely a Wizard or a Smith; he cannot be a Bard. Barbathans cannot become priests of the Golden Temple (at least, not without the GMs permission and a good explanation) they despise that faith.
The Barbathan Package Deal includes a Social Limitation. This assumes the character spends most of his time outside Tir Barbatha. If he spends a lot of time there, reduce the frequency, and if the campaign takes place almost entirely in that land eliminate the Disadvantage altogether.
Duvrachan
Though far closer to the typical Tualan than a Barbathan, a Duvrachan still has many dierences from his southern, lowlander, brothers. He never uses a chariot in war, since such contrivances have little use in his mountainous land, and often scorns horses as well, preferring his own two strong legs. Rather than wielding a spear, hes more likely to carry just a sword and dagger, or perhaps an axe, into battle instead. Strong and tough from years spent among the peaks of the Sleve Daireanne, he may consider lowland Tualans weak and even foolish, for it takes a crafty mind to evade
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the wolves, trolls, and other threats found in the mountains, hills, and deep glens of Duvrach. But his heart is as big as the mountains themselves, and once he befriends someone, only treachery can make him turn away from that person. Duvrachans ghting men usually become Warriors or Hunters; theyre rarely Spearmen or Knights. Duvrachan Bards typically favor the bagpipe, and sometimes the ute, over the harp thats so popular elsewhere in Tuala Morn. Most Duvrachans follow the Lanvan faith of their fathers, and their fathers fathers father; very few of the Most Highs temples are found in their land.
The Fae-Blooded
Sometimes the Good Folk breed with the Tualans. Perhaps some prince of the Daoine Sidhe becomes infatuated with a beautiful human maiden, and gets her with child; or maybe a man sees a female selkie bathing, then steals her seal-skin and wont give it back until she becomes his wife. Whatever the cause, children born of the union between human and faerie are known as fae-blooded. The fae-blooded generally resemble ordinary men, but in almost all cases possess a certain unearthly beauty (or, rarely, repellent ugliness) that marks them as having faerie blood in their veins. Likewise, their faerie ancestry often gives them both a certain nobility, and a certain capriciousness; many of them enjoy pranks and games immensely. Because of the magical nature of the Good Folk, the fae-blooded often possess an unusual talent for wizardry (particularly sorcery), druidry, or the bardic life. Many fae-blooded have other anities relating to the precise nature of their ancestry; for example, the fae-blooded child of a selkie might be an excellent swimmer, while one sired by a forest-faerie would make a skilled Hunter. The faeries usually (but not always) have a much higher regard for fae-blooded humans than normal men theyre more likely to talk politely with the fae-blooded, or to grant them favors and gifts. However, a few faeries dislike fae-blooded more than pureblooded men, regarding the stink of their human ancestry as a delement of faerie nature. The fae-blooded tend to live longer than normal Humans, with lifespans of as much as 200 years.
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The Troll-Blooded
As they do with faeries, men sometimes breed with trolls. A man may wed the beautiful daughter of a troll-king (after he kidnaps her from her fathers underground palace, of course!), and trolls may cruelly use women they capture. A child of man and troll is known as troll-blooded.
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than where Tualans live), so they develop the skills needed to survive and thrive in such regions. Barbarians cannot buy Feats. Equipment: Barbarians can wear armor usually furs or leather, but up to chainmail if appropriate. (They cannot wear plate armor.) They tend to favor the axe, spear, and sword as weapons, though some use the bow for combat (unlike the Tualans). Starting equipment: heavy leather armor (DEF 2); one weapon of the characters choice.
Barbarian
Barbarians are ghting men from the uncivilized cultures of the world. In Tuala Morn this includes the Barbathans and the Pictoi; Vulkring axemen might also take this Package Deal (though most are simply Warriors). Typical Goals And Motivations: Compared to more civilized warriors, the Barbarians desires are simple. Hes a rough-and-tumble, aggressive, blunt person who enjoys ghting, feasting, women, and the other basic pleasures of life. If he has a family, he may be ercely devoted to protecting them (contrary to popular Tualan belief), and may similarly support his tribe or clan. Typical Abilities: Though lacking in some of the ner military skills, Barbarians nevertheless are able ghters who inspire fear in their enemies. They tend to favor oense-oriented styles of combat; some can even send themselves into a berserk fury that improves their ghting prowess but leaves them vulnerable to counterattack. Outside of combat, Barbarians tend to function well in the wild about as well as a Cataran, but not as well as a Hunter. They tend to live in wilderness areas (or at least areas far less settled
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Bard
Bards are musicians, poets, tale-tellers, and keepers of lore. Whether they travel the land, stopping at taverns and cathairs to earn their bread with songs and news, or attach themselves permanently to the court of a noble, they provide entertainment, memorialize important deeds in verse, and advise lords. They also serve as heralds and diplomats, when necessary; to bring about peace between warring nobles and kings is considered one of the most important endeavors (and if he succeeds, greatest accomplishments) of a Bard. Many lords do not consider an important event (such as a wedding) to have occurred unless a Bard witnesses it and composes a poem or song about it. A bards training typically takes a dozen years, but can be completed in as few as eight or require as many as twenty. His rst title, earned in the second year, is fochluc, from a Tualan word referring to a young tree. In his third year he becomes a mac fuirmid, and in his fourth year a dos. In his fth year he earns the title cana, and in his sixth cli. Sometime during the seventh to ninth years, depending on his progress, he becomes an anruth (noble stream). Finally, at the end of the full twelve year course of study, he earns the title of ollav (professor). At that point he can buy this Package Deal in full (including the Aise Tathra Perk); a character who leaves training before that can only buy a few KSs and PSs and is not entitled to call himself a bard. At that rank hes expected to know at least 350 tales and epics and recite them from memory at any time, to know the rights and powers of kings and nobles (and their geneaologies), and many other things. More than just a poet, musician, and storyteller, hes a historian and a custodian of customs, culture, and tradition. Most Bards are men, but women can be bards too; female Bards wear the same garb as male Bards. Some people think female Bards are even more skilled, and their satires more powerful, than those of their male counterparts.
Typical Goals And Motivations: Varies there are as many motivations among Bards as there are among lesser men. The stereotypical Bard tends to be at least a touch lighthearted, loves music and beautiful things, and enjoys the companionship of others (particularly attractive members of the opposite gender). Most have a healthy (or sometimes unhealthy) level of curiosity they love to learn, and just as important they like to teach others what they know and thus pass on their wisdom. Typical Abilities: The Fili, to use the Tualan word, begin their training as young men. A prospective Bard spends eight to twenty years learning from other bards, druids, and sometimes other folk. Only when hes mastered the appropriate knowledge and skills to his teachers satisfaction and passed a test (in which he must compose a song on a specied subject while undergoing some physical challenge) does he receive the coveted title of Bard. Many people can play musical instruments or sing; only a few have the skills, wisdom, special abilities, and respect that makes a Bard. As such they rank among the Aise Tathra, equal to a king, and he who harms or insults a Bard does so at his peril. Besides entertaining people and transmitting news and lore, Bards can use their musical gifts for several other purposes. First, they can inspire people, granting them condence and courage. This most often occurs in battle, but can help with noncombat activities as well in many cases. Second, a Bard can satire someone, exposing him to ridicule and scorn.
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BARDIC ABILITIES
Bardic Inspiration: Aid PRE 1d6, Area Of Eect (voice Radius; +1), Selective (+); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Full Phase; -), Incantations (voice range; -) plus +1 Overall, Usable As Attack (+1), Area Of Eect (voice Radius; +1), Selective (+); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Full Phase; -), Incantations (voice range; -), Others Only (-), Skill Level Only Lasts For One Use, And Must Be Used During Bards Singing Or Within One Phase Of When He Stops Singing (-1) Satire: Multipower, 160-point reserve; all Concentration ( DCV throughout use; -), Extra Time (minimum of 5 Minutes, and often more; -2), Incantations (complex, throughout use; -1), Must Be Performed In Public Before A Large Crowd (-1), Only Works Once Per Season Per Target (-1), Requires A Skill Roll (typically with appropriate PS pertaining to composing or playing music, no Skill Roll penalty; -0) 1) Scorn And Derision: Drain PRE 4d6, Area Of Eect (One Hex Accurate; +), MegaScale (hex is large enough to cover all of Tuala Morn; +1), Indirect (aects target regardless of direction or intervening barriers; +), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); common Limitations described above, plus Presence Reduction Only Applies Versus The Subjects People/Followers (or similar appropriate targets, like a hostel-keepers customers; -1) 2) Curse Of Misfortune: Major Transform 2d6 (inict Unluck 3d6 on target; heals back normally), Area Of Eect (One Hex Accurate; +), MegaScale (hex is large enough to cover all of Tuala Morn; +1), Indirect (aects target regardless of direction or intervening barriers; +), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); common Limitations described above
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The usual target is a king or nobleman the Bard has taken a dislike to for some reason, but a Bard could choose to, for example, satire a hostel-keeper he felt treated him badly, or anyone who hired him and then refused to pay him properly. Typically Bards only satire someone to expose evil, corruption, and duplicity for example, to force nobles to act properly and alleviate their subjects suerings. But more than once a Bard has used his power to satire as a form of blackmail, extorting something from a nobleman as the price for not satiring him. Additionally, some Bards, though not all, can achieve mystical effects with their songs. The best known of these are the three strains of laughter, sorrow, and sleep with which to incapacitate a foe, but others are possible (particularly in a Superheroic campaign).
Bards receive a small amount of training in the arts of war; they can wield a sword or spear if need be (and a few are highly skilled at such things). Even when they carry weapons, they rarely wear armor any heavier than leather. In most cases, theyd rather watch a battle and compose a song about what happens, rather than participate directly. Because theyre so often lavishly paid for their performances (or can use the threat of satire to exact tribute), bards tend to be wealthy. Equipment: Bards can wear leather armor, but not any metal armors (unless the GM so permits). They typically prefer situations where armor is unnecessary. Instead, they often have several sets of clothes suitable for the various places they perform in for example, a fancy set of clothes for playing before noblemen, and a set of sturdy travel clothes for walking the highroad and playing for ones keep at hostels. Bards can use swords, daggers, stas, clubs, and slings, but not other weapons unless the GM permits them to.
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Cataran
Also known as wolf s-heads or simply as bandits, Catarans are outlaws typically men (and sometimes women) whove committed some crime and ed into the wilderness to avoid the consequences of their acts. But on occasion a man becomes a Cataran for more noble reasons, such as to escape the oppression of an unjust lord; its these types of bandits who are most likely to become player characters. Typical Goals And Motivations: While an ordinary Catarans motivations tend to revolve around greed, a Cataran PCs usually involve rebellion, or at least escape from some unpleasant situation. Thus, the Cataran may have an abiding hatred for the lord who oppressed him (and/or for noblemen in general) or a strong desire to help people in a similar situation. For example, a female Cataran who became an outlaw to avoid being forced into a marriage she didnt want might make a point of rescuing other women who nd themselves in the same straits. Typical Abilities: Catarans abilities revolve partly around wilderness living things like Tracking and Survival and partly around ghting, since they often tend to get into conicts (whether with other Catarans, or against the forces of the law). To go along with this they usually have higher-thannormal STR, DEX, CON, and INT. Unusual abilities like deadly accuracy with the bow (which, unlike most Tualans, they sometimes use for warfare) or the skill of ghting with a weapon in each hand arent unknown. Equipment: Catarans typically wear leather armor, and can wear slightly tougher armors (studded leather or brigandine, for example) with the GMs permission. They cannot wear chain or plate armors. Catarans can use any type of Tualan weapon, though the sword, dagger, and bow are their favorites. (One good way to tell many Catarans apart from a Hunter, Warrior, or Spearman is that the latter three professions never use bows in combat; Tualans rely on spears as their missile weapons in warfare.) Starting Equipment: Leather armor of some sort (DEF 2-4); two weapons of the characters choice; int and steel Suggested Disadvantages: At least one more Hunted is the obvious choice, since a Cataran PC is usually hiding from an enemy, and makes more enemies during the course of his career in banditry. A Rivalry with another Cataran in his band also makes sense, as does a Psychological Limitation or two explaining his major motivations. Distinctive features in the form of scars and the like relics of old ghts are also common. Progression: Unless the GM runs an all-Cataran campaign, the Cataran character needs to decide what to do with himself when a life of banditry is no longer an option. Most become more warriorlike, delving into the Hunter or Warrior professions for more ghting abilities.
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Starting equipment: two musical instruments of characters choice; dagger Suggested Disadvantages: If a Bards curiosity tends to get him in trouble, it might make a good Psychological Limitation. His satires or amorous activities may have earned him enemies that now Hunt him. If hes in competition with another bard, it could develop into a Rivalry. Progression: A Bard with an active adventuring career may need to learn more ghting skills to protect himself, becoming something of a Warrior. One with mystic inclinations may study druidry in greater detail, or perhaps wizardry.
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Druid
Druids (from the Tualan words for deeply knowledgeable) are the holy men, seers, healers, and mystics of Tuala Morn. As the priests of the Dronnach Lanva, theyre best known for seeing to religious and social observances (such as the propitiation of an angry god or the crowning of a king), performing rituals to honor the gods, and protecting the Tualans from the faerie-folk and the dangers of forest, eld, and river. They can also be powerful spellcasters, and far more socially acceptable ones than wizards or witches. See page 39 for more information about druids and the Tualan faith in general. Women can become Druids (Druidesses), but this is rare. Most druidesses focus their worship and services on one of the goddesses of the Dronnach Lanva, such as Brigit or Seleera. Typical Goals And Motivations: A Druids main motivation is to serve the gods and the people in his congregation. The years of training he undergoes to become a Druid condition him to fulll the important functions society expects him to. Typical Abilities: Druids possess potent magical powers. Able to beseech, and sometimes command, the forces of the natural world, theyre also the only Men in Tuala Morn whom the Good Folk consistently seem to have any respect for, and thus the only ones who can meet and converse with the faeries on a regular basis. (Though they have no greater luck than anyone else requesting aid from those capricious beings.) As members of the Aise Tathra, Druids have great social prominence and power. Insulting or harming a druid is the equivalent of doing the same to a king. Most druids accept this as their due and do not abuse the inuence they have, but some selfishly exploit their position for personal gain. Some Druids have a gift for getting along with animals. Beasts respond to their word and touch much more readily, and they may even have an animal companion or two. Druids are not trained as ghting men. They typically know how to use a club or sta (their favored weapons), and sometimes a dagger. Equipment: Most Druids carry a sta or shillelagh when they feel the need to protect themselves. They rarely (if ever) wield heavier weapons, and dont wear armor. They usually wear robes, including white ritual vestments when performing ceremonies, and often have a pouch containing herbs, spellcasting paraphernalia, and other useful things. Starting equipment: Sta, club, ritual robes Suggested Disadvantages: Besides their standard devoted to the gods Psychological Limitation, some Druids have additional Psychological Limitations representing similar loyalty to a lord, king, or village. (And if so... what happens when the two forms of devotion conict?) A few become misanthropic, powerhungry, or greedy. More than one Druid has fallen in love with a beautiful faeriewoman and pined away for desire of her.
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DRUID SPECIALTIES
Each of these sub-Package Deals is bought in addition to the standard Druid Package Deal. Diplomat Conversation High Society KS: Kings And Nobles Of Tuala Morn 11Persuasion Trading Healer +3 to Paramedics (Healing) roll KS: Herbs And Healing-Lore (INT) Healing Circle (see page 172; requires Perk: Beltane-Draichta 18 or higher) Healing Waters (see page 172; requires Perk: Beltane-Draichta 12 or higher) Judge KS: Tualan Law (INT +2) Mystic 20 more Character Points worth of magic Perks and spells KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 11Seer Taiscelath Druidechta (see page 175; requires Perk: Beltane-Draichta 6 or higher)
Progression: Druids rarely veer away from their chosen path in life. As they become more experienced, they dont adopt other professions, they expand their knowledge of druidic lore and magic. Some take on additional responsibilities, such as being a brehon (see below).
DRUID SUBTYPES Some Druids are specially trained to possess certain skills, or have special powers, in addition to those of the standard Druid Package Deal. They include: Diplomat (Tathlor) Some Druids serve their lords as ambassadors, diplomats, and heralds as tathlors, in Tualan. They know whos who among the nobility, both by personal qualities and symbols (so they can identify them on the battlefield by those symbols). Theyre trained to mediate disputes and prevent wars by negotiation. And they know that a soft word can often turn aside wrath. More than once in Tualan history a Druid walking out onto the battlefield between two armies has been enough to stop a war in its tracks. Healer (Liaig) Most Druids have healing-powers of some sort, but this type of Druid is renowned for his skills as a leech (a liaig, in Tualan). He knows special healing techniques, has studied medicinal herbs, and may even have special curative spells. Judge (Brehon) Druids are also known as the keepers and interpreters of the law an important role in Tuala Morn, where even the lowliest man can bring a law-suit to resolve his grievances with his lord, if necessary. Druids with special knowledge of the law, known as brehons or brethaivs, are the judges in Tualan courts. When ruling on a case, they usually must cite a fasnach, or precedent of some sort, justifying the decision... and typically that decision, once rendered, is nal with no right of appeal. Anyone who refuses to accept a brehons ruling has the glam dicin imposed on him.
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Mystic Some Druids are particularly skilled at druidic magic, or possess greater arcane power than their brethren. Seer (Flaith) A few Druids, many of them also Mystics, have the power of imbas forasnai the light of foresight (though that term can also mean a specic form of divination). Through various means (described in more detail under Taiscelath Druidechta on page 175) a Seer, or aith in Tualan, can foresee events to come.
Hunter (Seilgar)
A Hunter, or seilgar in Tualan, is a something like a Warrior (see below), but with a slightly dierent focus. Taken in by the lure of the wilds and the thrill of the chase, he prefers to devote his martial skills to hunting wild game (and thus keeping his clan supplied with food) rather than combat. Hes highly skilled at surviving (even thriving) and traveling through wilderness areas. He can track the swiftest deer or wiliest troll over rocky ground, bring down a ying pheasant with a single bowshot, and avoid Pictoi traps with ease. Typical Goals And Motivations: On a daily basis a Hunters main goal is to find and kill game, thus ensuring that his family and clan eat well. Beyond that, like the Druid he often serves as a protector of the Tualan people. When trolls, Pictoi, or other threats that lurk in wild places prepare to attack Men, often its a Hunter who discovers whats going on and has the chance to warn the Tualans so they can prepare. Typical Abilities: Hunters are highly adept at woodcraft at Skills like Tracking, Survival, Stealth, and Navigation (Land), in other words. Theyre typically excellent archers, though like all Tualan ghting men they dont use the bow for combat just hunting. Some favor the sling instead, since its easy to nd ammunition in the wild (or even to make a replacement sling, if necessary). Equipment: Hunters prefer to carry a minimum of gear so they can move quickly and easily over the land, but some equipment is essential. In addition to a melee weapon (usually a sword, but sometimes an axe or spear) and a missile weapon (bow or sling), plus leather armor if desired, they often carry little besides a waterskin and remaking tools. Starting equipment: one melee weapon of the characters choice, bow and 20 arrows (or, if preferred, a sling and 20 stones), leather armor (DEF 3), waterskin, int and steel
Suggested Disadvantages: Some Hunters get a little too obsessed with the joys of the hunt and ignore other duties to take to the forest (a Psychological Limitation) or to out-do another Hunter (a Rivalry). Some dont like to spend much time with people and have difficulty socializing with others (a Psychological or Social Limitation). Some particularly loathe Pictoi or trolls and hunt them fanatically (a Psychological Limitation), while others have the same burning desire to find and kill a particular animal, such as a white hind or a fearsome dragon (a Psychological Limitation). Sometimes they suffer injuries at the hands of their quarry that leave them scarred or crippled (which, in Tualan society, also prevents them from being rulers or leaders of men) (a Distinctive Feature or Physical Limitation). Progression: Hunters who decide they want to ght men as much as animals may become Warriors or even Spearmen. A few with the right mystic gifts and willingness to undergo years of training could become Druids. But most are content to remain Hunters, improving their suite of skills more and more as the years go by.
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Knight
A knight (ridir in Tualan) is a type of ghting man whos become part of Tualan culture since contact with the Logrens (among whom Knights are the chief warriors, the way Spearmen are in Tuala Morn). Capparisoned in steel armor, wielding sword and lance from horseback, and following his own unique code of honor, hes denitely not your typical Tualan ghting man. Typical Goals And Motivations: Tualan Knights follow a code of honor known as chivalry that they adopted and adapted from Logren Knights. To them it means: death before dishonor allegiance and obedience to a lord (if appropriate) or the Golden Temple (if appropriate) (many Tualan knights are unattached to a lord of any sort; they simply ride in errantry, doing good deeds and going where adventure takes them) deference and respect for women, and for ones peers scorn for the ignoble and dishonorable striving to attain personal glory in all endeavors (particularly combat) Tualans often think of Knights in general as being associated with the Golden Temple, since like the Golden priests Knights are a Logren institution thats become part of Tualan society in the centuries since the Tualans rst made contact with their neighbors to the east. But while its true that the percentage of Temple worshippers is higher among Knights than the average population, theyre not all followers of the Most High. Some are just regular Tualan followers of the Dronnach Lanva who nd something appealing in the knights code of honor and method of ghting. Knights usually seek adventure, and to nd it they in errantry riding out into strange or wild areas in search of challenges with which to test themselves. This might include anything from encountering and jousting with other Knights, to slaying dragons, to rescuing kidnapped maidens, to saving villages from fearsome beasts. Typical Abilities: A Knight is rst and foremost a ghter, so he needs great strength, stamina, and speed in addition to skill with arms. He usually ghts from the saddle, so he must be an accomplished equestrian as well. Many Knights are the lesser sons of noblemen, and thus well-used to interacting with the upper ranks of society. A highly successful or well-regarded Knight may have his own lands, or even a castle, though thats far more common in Logres than Tuala Morn. Equipment: Compared to the typical Tualan ghting man, a Knight depends more on his weapons and equipment than on any special abilities; in some ways hes dened by it. A Spearman wears no armor, has just one type of weapon, can perform a variety of powerful Feats in battle, and ghts on foot. A Knight dons protective plate armor, wields the lance and usually the sword (but sometimes battleaxe, or possibly even a foreign weapon like a
warhammer), and usually ghts from horseback. A Spearman can throw spears at his foes; a Knight rarely uses any missile weapons at all, since he considers them dishonorable. Starting equipment: Two melee weapons of the characters choice; lance; plate armor (DEF 8); shield (+2 DCV); medium warhorse Suggested Disadvantages: Most, but not all, Knights take one or more of the Disadvantages listed under Options. A rare few take opposing Disadvantages, such as scorn for the code of chivalry and those who follow it, but the black knight is more a feature of Logren society than Tualan. A GM might allow a Knight to take his heraldic symbols as a Distinctive Feature. Progression: Knights are such well-rounded individuals that they usually devote their Experience Points to increasing their existing abilities. Unlike in Logres, where a Knight of sucient talent can become a renowned commander or nobleman, in Tuala Morn the Knight stands a little aside from society and the dremir veith, pursuing adventure and his destiny in his own way.
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Noble
The lords and noblemen of Tuala Morn are a diverse lot, with many opinions, perspectives, and ambitions among them. Most are Spearmen or Warriors, though a few follow other professions. But despite their dierences they do have a few qualities in common, which are represented by this Package Deal. A Noble buys this Package Deal in addition to any other Professional Package Deals he takes. One thing that all Tualan noblemen have in common is the talav nasc, or land-binding, which is discussed in greater detail on page 25. In game terms this consists of several interrelated abilities. First, the Noble has a Detect that allows him to perceive the general state of his lands whether theyre prospering or failing, if theyve been cursed or blessed, whether some foul corruption has fallen upon them, and to some extent whether the people are generally content or not. This ability generally only works when the Noble is in his realm; if hes outside it the feelings are much, much weaker (at best). Second, the Noble has a Danger Sense that covers his realm and applies only to general threats to it (not to himself or any specic person in the realm, just to the overall realm itself). Third, the Noble has a Physical Limitation that reects the connection between himself and the land. If the land is in at least reasonably good shape, he suers no problems. But if something goes wrong a drought, a major ood, a famine or epidemic, a curse, an invasion the ills within the land are mirrored within him. Typically this takes the form of sickness-like symptoms that result in minor reductions of the appropriate Characteristics, but its up to the GM to determine the exact eects based on whats happening in the realm. The talav nasc cuts both ways: as the Noble is bound to the land, the land is bound to him. Should he suer some harmful eect a long-lasting or severe illness, a debilitating injury, a curse, or the like the land experiences similar problems (again, the GM determines the exact eects, but a general blight upon the land is always appropriate). This is why sickly, maimed, or blemished men cannot be Nobles in Tuala Morn and are removed from their positions when misfortune strikes them.
This Package Deal assumes the character is an Earl. You can adjust the cost of the Social Rank Perk and the talav nasc abilities up or down for nobles of higher or lower rank. As noted on page 25, below the rank of Baron the talav nasc is weak enough that it has little effect; characters who are Thanes can remove that ability from the Package Deal altogether, or significantly minimize its power.
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Typical Abilities: Priests possess various powers conferred on them by the Temple, such as the ability to conduct marriage ceremonies. Beyond that, their devotion to the Most High gives them the power to combat his foes, including the gods of Tuala Morn and their lesser imps. Their Banish The Faerie-Folk power is the same as the Turn Undead Talent on page 108 of Fantasy Hero, but applies against the faeries rather than the undead. Typically it works on the generic type of faerie described on page 212 and related types (such as phoukas, pixies, and the like); it does not work on monstrous faerie creatures like ogres, trolls, giants, dragons, and fachans, nor on bestial faeries (such as aughiskeys or black dogs). (Alternately, the GM may allow it to work against such creatures, but at lesser eect.) The GM determines which faeries the Banish can aect, and how. Since Banishing faeries tends to make them angry, Priests also have defenses against their powers. Additionally, some truly devout priests (which almost certainly includes any PC Priest, of course!) can invoke the power of Varkulan to create what the Temple calls miraculous happenings. See the Miracles section of Chapter Five for more information on these powers. Priests are not typically trained as ghting men most know how to use a club or sta, and sometimes a dagger, but nothing more. Others of more crusading bent learn how to wield sword and shield so they can take the ght directly to the foe. Most priests wear no armor at all; crusading priests can wear leather or chain armors.
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Equipment: Most Priests are simple men who need little in the way of material possessions. They wear distinctive robes, wear their sun-disk holy symbols, and carry the Levran Corraile. Starting equipment: one weapon of characters choice (sta, club, or dagger); sun-disk holy symbol; priests robes; copy of the Levran Corraile Suggested Disadvantages: All Priests are devoted to the purposes of the Most High and his Temple, but beyond that they can vary tremendously. Some have a burning hatred for anyone not of their faith, while others feel pity; some want to build temples and monasteries and show the Tualans the power of the Most High through their good works; others take to the eld to destroy faeries, trolls, and other monsters directly. Progression: Priests almost never progress to other professions. They remain Priests for all their lives, becoming more and more learned, more and more skilled, and perhaps more and more likely to perform miracles.
Smith
Possessing might of both muscle and mind, the Smith is one of the most intriguing members of the Aise Tathra. Although his mystic power to forge metal weapons and implements, even enchanted ones, may seem limited compared to the powers of Druid or Wizard, the people of Tuala Morn depends on him as much or more as they do on more esoteric spellcasters. Typical Goals And Motivations: Most Smiths are craftsmen rst and foremost, interested not in adventure but in perfecting their skills and making ne objects at their forges. But he who crafts the sword must at times use it, and so a Smith may nd himself drawn into an adventure whether he wants it or not! Some Smiths deliberately go on adventures to acquire star-iron or other rare ores and substances for use in their work. Typical Abilities: Tualans Smiths have magical powers. Not only is the ability to shape iron and other metals into weapons and tools a mystic talent in and of itself, one that confers social status on the Smith, some Smiths are so skilled that they can forge weapons and armor with enchanted powers. See Smithcraft in Chapter Five for details on Smiths powers. Smiths are not truly fighting men, but one cannot know how to forge a good sword without knowing how to wield it! Some Smiths even use their hammers as weapons in battle, though most prefer not to run the risk of damaging them with such crude work. Smiths can wear leather or chain armors.
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Spearman (Slefear)
A Spearman, or Slefear in Tualan, is the most honored type of ghting man in Tuala Morn. Known for his tremendous ghting skills, his erce bravado, and the amazing Feats he can perform, hes a terror to his enemies on the battleeld and a pillar of support for his lord and clan o it. Typical Goals And Motivations: The motivations of Spearmen are as varied as the colors of the leaves in autumn. Some are noble and true, serving a king or lord with great loyalty, or perhaps becoming heroic adventurers. Others are cruel or selsh, using their martial skills for personal gain by becoming buannacht (sell-swords), raiders, bandits, or the like. Typical Abilities: A Spearman is extensively trained in the arts of war, favoring (obviously) the Heros Spear (croisech) and throwing spears as his main weapons. In addition to his standard war arts, he can perform one or more astounding, even mystical, abilities known as Feats; see page 137 for more information and HERO System descriptions of Feats. (Spearmen are the only profession that can buy Feats; no other type of character can learn them.) Spearmen are the only profession in Tuala Morn that can buy Combat Luck (see page 135). Unless the GM permits otherwise, they can only take the 3 PD/3 ED of it found in their Package Deal; they cannot increase the amount of defense they gain from it.
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Equipment: All Spearmen carry the spears that give their profession its name, and usually also a sword as well. They do not wear armor. Starting equipment: Croisech; six throwing spears; sword; large shield (DCV +3) Suggested Disadvantages: A Spearman who serves a lord may have a Psychological Limitation reflecting his loyalty, or a DNPC representing his family (or perhaps a hostage the lord holds to compel his service). Battle-injuries may leave him with Distinctive Features such as scars. Enraged/Berserk is an obvious choice for many warriors (and perfectly appropriate for Tuala Morn), as are Hunted and Rivalries representing the unwelcome attentions of adversaries. Progression: A Spearman generally wants to get better and better at what he does to prove his superiority over his fellows and his right to the Heros Portion at feasts. As such he usually spends his Experience Points on more Feats, Combat Skill Levels, and other abilities rather than looking to another profession.
Warrior
If the Spearman is the elite ghting man of Tuala Morn, the Warrior is the common front-line ghter. Although not necessarily as powerful as a Spearman, he makes up for it with a greater breadth of skills and, oftentimes, more cleverness and practicality. Typical Goals And Motivations: Like Spearmen, Warriors can have nearly any motivation, ranging from seless kindness to utter cruelty and selshness. Typical Abilities: Warriors are trained in many different ghting arts. Besides the use of weapons, theyre often versed in tactics, charioteering, and other martial skills. Equipment: Warriors carry a variety of weapons, favoring the sword, spear, and axe for HTH Combat and the throwing spear or sling for Ranged Combat. They carry shields, and can wear leather and chain armors. Starting equipment: Two melee weapons of the Warriors choice (typically sword, spear, or battleaxe); one missile weapon of the Warriors choice (throwing spear or sling); shield (DCV +2) Suggested Disadvantages: Similar to Spearmen (see above). Progression: Some Warriors gain enough skill and power to become Spearmen, while others abandon standard warfare for the pursuits of the Hunter. But most are content to remain Warriors, honing their skills so that theyre even deadlier on the battleeld.
Wizard
Wizards, known in Tualan as Asarlai or Corguinech (both terms are singular and plural), are spellcasters similar in some respects to Druids... but very dierent in others. Druids learn their lore from elder Druids and keep their secrets locked entirely within their own minds. Wizards, on the other hand, are men with a talent for the Arcane Arts who develop their powers by studying mystical grimoires and the like. They may have the help of a master wizard to whom they apprentice (in fact, most do), but their study of magic is a far more scholarly and bookish pursuit than the Druids. Typical Goals And Motivations: The typical Wizard seeks more and more mystic power and knowledge. Hes a delver, digging deep among crumbling tomes, ancient ruins, and even faerie shees for the information and spells he seeks. He tends to prefer an isolated, solitary lifestyle so he can pursue his studies in peace but the desire to learn more, and the unavoidable needs of the people and world around him, often draw him out of his shell and into adventures. Typical Abilities: Wizards are most noted for their spells (see Chapter Five for details). For the most part Wizards spells and Druids spells are eectively the same, though they may look dierent or require dierent methods of casting. However, Wizards do possess some lore that Druids lack (and vice-versa). Beyond that, a Wizard may be well-versed in all sorts of scholarly subjects ancient languages, the
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Suggested Disadvantages: Wizards are often reclusive, arrogant, suspicious, superstitious, cruel, condescending, or the like, any of which may constitute a Psychological or Social Limitation. An enemy Wizard may curse the character, creating any one of a host of Disadvantages (Dependence, Physical Limitation, Susceptibility, Vulnerability...). Other spellcasters may be Rivals, or Hunt the Wizard to steal his magic or his life. Evil Wizards may have Reputations. Progression: Wizards usually remain Wizards throughout their careers. After all, there are always more spells, Skills, and abilities to spend their Experience Points on! WIZARD SUBTYPES Besides the typical Wizard, there are several types of more specialized spellcasters in Tuala Morn. They include: Necromancer A Necromancer is a Wizard who specializes in Samhain-Magic, particularly magics pertaining to death and the dead. Justly feared and loathed by all right-thinking Tualans, hes cruel and evil, warped by the very nature of the magics he studies so intently. To qualify as a Necromancer, a character has to take either of two Disadvantages: if hes known to be a Necromancer, he must take Reputation: Necromancer (Extreme); if hes not, he must take Social Limitation: Harmful Secret (is a necromancer). Other, related, Disadvantages are certainly possible for example, more than one necromancer mirrors the evil in his soul with physical blemishes or maladies such as palsy, warts, or a limp (Distinctive Features, Physical Limitation). Additionally, anyone known (or discovered) to be a Necromancer will be placed under the Glam Dicin. Sorcerer A Sorcerer is a Wizard whos particularly skilled at the use of glamours spells of illusion, thought-sending and -reading, and domination of the mind. Only a fool looks a Sorcerer in the eye, for doing so allows the Sorcerer to steal a mans will and soul. To qualify as a Sorcerer, a character has to take either of two Disadvantages: if hes known to be a Necromancer, he must take Reputation: Sorcerer (Extreme); if hes not, he must take Social Limitation: Harmful Secret (is a sorcerer). Other, related, Disadvantages are certainly possible. Additionally, anyone known (or discovered) to be a Sorcerer will almost certainly be placed under the Glam Dicin. Witch A Witch is a type of Wizard (usually female) who tracks in various types of so-called lesser or petty magics, ranging from potion-brewing to the foul curses and hexes of black magic. Many Witches are little more than village wise-women working their craft to make their way in the world, but some are powerful forces for evil. Male witches, known as warlocks, are rare.
lore of plants and herbs, astrology, the histories of the Conhaile kings.... Like Bards and Druids, Wizards rank among the Aise Tathra. However, compared to those two professions, who earn their rank from respect for their learning and accomplishments, Wizards owe their social position as much to fear of their powers as anything. The Tualans call on Wizards for help if they must, but most prefer to avoid them whenever possible. Wizards are not trained as ghting men. Typically a wizard at most knows how to use a club or sta, and sometimes a dagger, but nothing more. They cannot wear armor. Equipment: Wizards equipment usually consists of a staff (or similar weapon/tool) and paraphernalia for casting various spells (bats eyes, mandrake root, strange crystals, dragonstones....). In their sanctums Wizards usually have much more equipment books, cauldrons, monsters skulls/skeletons, and so forth thats too bulky to carry around on an adventure. Starting equipment: Sta; wizards robes
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SKILLS
CHARACTERISTICS
Standard rules for Characteristics apply in Tuala Morn. Characters in Heroic campaigns are subject to the Normal Characteristic Maxima rules automatically, for no points. Characters in Superheroic campaigns are not, though their Characteristics rarely rise above 30 (at the most).
kills are an important aspect of Tuala Morn campaigns theyre the main abilities most characters rely on to get things done, even in Superheroic campaigns. This section discusses some special applications for Skills in Tuala Morn. EVERYMAN SKILLS Here are the Everyman Skills for Tualan characters: Tuala Morn Everyman Skills Acting Climbing Concealment Conversation Deduction AK: home area or region KS: My Tuath 11KS of players choice 11KS of players choice 8Tualan (4 points worth, no literacy) Paramedics (Healing) Persuasion One PS at 11- (representing the characters job, hobby, or the like) Shadowing Stealth TF: Horses
HIGH SOCIETY While this Skill retains its usual functions (knowledge of whos who in Tualan society, how to act toward a noble or king, and so forth) in Tuala Morn campaigns, it has other uses. In many ways its more of a Tualan Society Skill than just High Society, since it lets a character know how to act toward anyone of a different social station. A Tualan character with High Society knows the proper way to behave before a king... or a betag. Tualan royal courts arent always the highly rened and culturally sophisticated courts found in other lands like Logres and Acquitaine. For a Tualan, High Society includes not only proper manners at court, but such things as how to take (and give) lighthearted insults without causing oense, knowledge of the customs surrounding the Heros Portion, how to apologize to nobles hes inadvertently oended, rules and customs regarding hospitality (including weapons and dueling), and the like. Many faerie-folk have this Skill as well. For them it typically represents a knowledge of the faerie hierarchy (such as who rules which shee) and how to conduct ones self before a powerful faerie to prevent oending him. KNOWLEDGE SKILL Many KSs are appropriate for Tualan characters. Some of the ones they often buy include: KS: Faerie Lore: Knowledge of the different types of faerie-folk what theyre like, what they do, how they tend to react to Men and their activities, and even their quirks and weaknesses. The GM may apply a penalty to the roll based on how rare a particular type of faerie creature is, or how well-known to humans. While this KS should often prove helpful to PCs, the GM shouldnt treat it as a free pass to know every faeries Disadvantages or flaws... after all, sometimes common knowledge about these things is wrong, or the faeries let Men think they know something about them thats actually not correct. KS: Legends And Lore: A character with this KS has a general knowledge of the lore, legends, and history of Tuala Morn and its people. He knows how the Bloody Stone of Knoc Lorreg got its name, the hand-sign to make to ward o curses and misfortune, and how Ailell of Seanclough tricked the Four Troll Brothers to save himself and his wife from being eaten.
ARMORSMITH Tuala Morn campaigns use the rules for the Armorsmith Skill on page 85 of Fantasy Hero. Only Smith characters can buy this Skill (which they receive as part of their Package Deal); the knowledge of how to work metal in general, and create armor with it in particular, is a carefullyguarded form of mystical knowledge among their brotherhood. COMBAT DRIVING: CHARIOTEERING Tualan characters can buy Combat Driving as Charioteering the ability to drive a chariot successfully in combat or crisis conditions. A character who buys Charioteering receives TF: Chariots for free (and already has TF: Horses as an Everyman Skill). Except among the Barbathans, who still regularly use chariots in battle, Charioteering is no longer a common Skill in Tualan circles. But its still necessary on occasion, and ghters admire a man who has the Skill. See page 292 for a character sheet for a typical chariot.
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TUALAN SPEARFIGHTING
Maneuver Block Charge Phs Pts OCV DCV Damage/Effect 4 +2 +2 Block, Abort 4 +0 +2 Weapon + v/5 Strike, FMove Jab 5 +1 +3 Weapon Strike Shaft Strike 4 -1 +1 2d6 NND(1) Strong Thrust 5 -2 +1 Weapon +4 DC Strike Thrust 4 +0 +2 Weapon +2 DC Strike
Used with Spears; Spears Weapon Element is Free
Skills KS: Tualan Spearghting Elements Weapon +1 Use Art with Sta (for using weapons shaft)
Characters cannot use the weapons shaft to strike targets unless they buy the Sta Weapon Element; this includes the Shaft Strike maneuver, performed with the butt end of the weapons shaft.
Common Melee Weapons: Unarmed Combat; Axes/ Hammers; Blades; Clubs; Spears; Two-Handed Weapons Uncommon Melee Weapons: Lances; Stas; Whips; Gae Bolga (see page 209) Common Missile Weapons: Thrown Rocks; Bows; Javelins And Thrown Spears; Slings; Thrown Knives And Axes WEAPONSMITH In Tuala Morn, the optional rules for Weaponsmith from pages 96-97 of Fantasy Hero are used, but with the following categories: Arrows, Bolts, And Darts Axes Bows* Hammers Spears (includes javelins, lances) Swords And Daggers Categories marked with an asterisk (*) can be learned by any character. Categories marked with a cross () can be learned by any character, but the metal parts (spearheads, arrowheads, and the like) must be made by a Smith. All other categories can only be learned by Smith characters (they receive it as part of their Package Deal); the knowledge of how to work metal in general, and create weapons with it in particular, is as carefully-guarded a mystic secret as the lore of armorsmithing.
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RELIGIOUS RANK
Value Druids Druid Druid Coll Druid Dair Druid Corann Ard Druid Golden Temple Sagar (Priest) Coharba Ard Coharba Rank 2 3 4 5 8 2 5 8
REPUTATION The Reputation Perk is both common and important in Tuala Morn, particularly among Spearmen and Warriors. Part of being a great hero is being renowned for ones deeds or positive qualities, so its rare to nd a hero who doesnt have at least one Reputation Perk, if not more. Reputation is a mark of distinction that gives a character social importance and inuence. At the very least, a hero could have a Reputation for honor, bravery, or honesty. In fact, the GM might even consider giving each PC a certain amount of Character Points worth of Reputation for free. Its not at all uncommon for two or more characters to have the same Reputation (such as greatest warrior in all of Tuala Morn). This inevitably leads to Rivalries, fights over the Heros Portion, and other activities the GM can exploit as plot hooks.
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SOCIAL RANK
Value Slave Peasant Betag Borya Tashac Thane Baron Earl Duke Prince; Tarnashta King Member of the Aise Tathra Member of the Ard Fion High King Rank Social Limitation Social Limitation 0 0 0-2^ 2 4 6 8 9 10 10* 10 15
^: depends on clans size and importance *: If a king or other high-ranking noble is also a member of the Aise Tathra, the GM may choose to reduce the value of Aise Tathra (perhaps to just another 2-3 points), since the character already has more or less equivalent social prestige and power. : If a character already has Social Rank equal to 10 (because hes a King or one of the Aise Tathra), belonging to the Ard Fion costs him just another +2 Character Points. The GM may also, in his discretion, reduce the cost of Ard Fion membership for other high-ranking nobles, such as dukes and princes.
SOCIAL RANK Social Rank is a form of the Lordship Perk from Fantasy Hero that encompasses all of Tualan society. In Tuala Morn, where a man stands on the Dremir Veith is crucial for his status, inuence, and importance in society, and this Perk reects that. See the accompanying table for Perk values based on social position. However, theres one caveat, particularly as Social Rank pertains to members of the Aise Tathra: if such a person chooses to place himself in harms way, typically by attacking someone, his Social Rank offers him no protection. For example, if a bard takes up weapons against a foe, that foe wont suffer any legal or social penalties for killing him.
TALENTS
Characters in Tuala Morn campaigns can buy Talents, though many are rare (at best) and a few (like Simulate Death and Universal Translator) are virtually non-existent. COMBAT LUCK In Tuala Morn campaigns, only Spearmen may buy this Talent, and only 3 PD/3 ED worth of it. The GM may change this rule, but doing so may alter the game balance between dierent classes who do and do not use armor. For example, if any ghter can buy lots of Combat Luck, theres not much point to being a Knight (who has the advantage of being more heavily armored than any other Tualan warrior). EIDETIC MEMORY This is a common Talent for Bards and Druids. Both of them undergo years of training that involve memorizing enormous amounts of information presented to them orally, which conditions the mind to have intense powers of recollection. ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT Due to their predilection for ghting while standing in rivers or at fords, Tualan ghters often buy a 2 Character Point version of this Talent called Riverghting (no penalties suered while standing in water up to hip deep; deeper water imposes standard penalties).
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OTHER ABILITIES
BENEFICIAL GEASA
As discussed on page 50, characters sometimes have benecial geasa, which usually pertain to how they can be killed or will die. Since this helps a character, a benecial geas has to be paid for with Character Points. Typically theyre bought as Damage Reduction and Armor that protect the character from death-blows involving various attacks. (The Absolute Eect Rule applies so that this power automatically stops any death-blow regardless of the amount of damage rolled for that attack the character typically takes no damage at all from the attack, but see below.) A death-blow in this case is dened as any blow that would either (a) reduce a character to 0 or negative BODY so that he bleeds to death, or (b) that occurs when hes already in negative BODY. The important thing to remember here, as indicated by the Limitations in the examples below, is that a benecial geas only prevents dying via methods other than the listed one it does not prevent injury. For example, if a character has a benecial geas that he can only be killed with a spear, other forms of attack axes, sts, re, spells, being trampled by horses cannot kill him (in other words, they cant deliver the death-blow that nally slays him or puts him in a position where hell bleed to death). But any of those things can injure him, right up to the very point of death. As noted above, typically an attack covered by the geas that could kill the character simply does no damage to him at all but at the GMs option, the character has to apply the geas defenses to the attack, and takes any remaining damage, to the point of reaching no less than 1 BODY. Below 1 BODY attacks covered by the geas defenses cannot take him. LIMITATIONS FOR BENEFICIAL GEASA Benecial geasa come with several common Limitations. The rst is Only Works Against Limited Type Of Attack. The value of this Limitation depends on how common the attack that can kill the character is: if its very common (such as any weapon, or dying during the daytime), its typically worth -; if its common (such as a spear, or dying on a specic day of the week), its typically worth -1; if its rare (such as can only be killed by a man wielding a golden spear while riding a white pig), its worth -2 or more. Second, benecial geasa defenses Only Works Against Death-Blows (as dened above). This is worth -4 in Tuala Morn campaigns. EXAMPLE BENEFICIAL GEASA Some example benecial geasa include: Character can only be killed with [a particular type of weapon] (a spear, an axe, a bulls horn...): Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, 75% , Resistant (120 Active Points); Only Works Against Limited Type Of Attack (for purposes of this example, make this a -), Only Works Against DeathBlows (-4) (total cost: 22 points) plus Armor (20 PD/20 ED), Hardened (+) (75 Active Points); same Limitations as above (total cost: 14 points). Total cost: 36 points. Character can only die [during a specic time period] (during Dovarr, on a Wednesday, in the morning): Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, 75% , Resistant (120 Active Points); Only Works Against Limited Type Of Attack (for purposes of this example, make this a -), Only Works Against Death-Blows (-4) (total cost: 22 points) plus Armor (20 PD/20 ED), Hardened (+) (75 Active Points); same Limitations as above (total cost: 14 points). Total cost: 36 points. Character can only die [during a specic event] (while eating, during the Samhain re ceremony, while asleep): Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, 75% , Resistant (120 Active Points); Only Works Against Limited Type Of Attack (for purposes of this example, make this a -1), Only Works Against Death-Blows (-4) (total cost: 20 points) plus Armor (20 PD/20 ED), Hardened (+) (75 Active Points); same Limitations as above (total cost: 14 points). Total cost: 34 points. Character cannot be slain by the point or edge of any weapon (i.e., only blunt weapons or the like can kill him): Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, 75% , Resistant (120 Active Points); Only Works Against Limited Type Of Attack (for purposes of this example, make this a -1), Only Works Against Death-Blows (-4) (total cost: 20 points) plus Armor (20 PD/20 ED), Hardened (+) (75 Active Points); same Limitations as above (total cost: 14 points). Total cost: 34 points. Character can only die [as the result of some incredible combination of events/factors] (only during Dovarr by a man riding a red pig and wielding a blue sword): Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, 75% , Resistant (120 Active
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FEATS
Spearmen can buy special abilities called Feats (or clessa in Tualan). Feats represent astonishing, often magical or nigh-mythical, powers of ghting prowess or sometimes just impressive tricks that show o a Spearmens general strength, agility, and skill. The Feats listed here are organized into two categories: Heroic and Superheroic. Heroic Feats are suitable for any Tuala Morn campaign; they represent the lower-powered, more easily-learned types of abilities. Superheroic Feats are fantastical, mythical, or even magical powers suitable only for Superheroic campaigns. Performing a Feat properly and skillfully usually gains the character a bonus of +1 to +3 (sometimes more) to his Presence for purposes of using Interaction Skills or making a Presence Attack against anyone who witnesses the feat. On the other hand, failing a feat reduces his Presence by -1 to -3 (sometimes more). These eects last for a minute (at most; often less). As mentioned above, only Spearmen can buy Feats. However, the GM can permit characters to buy similar abilities, if appropriate. For example, just because the Sword And Scabbard Feat involves buying the Fast Draw Skill doesnt mean that only Spearmen can buy that Skill, and perhaps a Bard could buy PS: Juggling as a Skill without calling it the Apple Feat.
Heroic Feats
The Apple Feat: The ability to juggle nine apples. Buy as: PS: Juggling (DEX +5). Total cost: 8 points. The Ascent by Rope: A hero with this feat can climb ropes much more quickly than normal. Buy as: Clinging (Normal STR) (10 Active Points); Only To Climb Ropes (-2). Total cost: 3 points. The Binding of a Noble Champion: A character with this feat knows how to entangle an enemys weapon so that he cannot use it. Buy as: +2 OCV with Bind. Total cost: 4 points. (At the GMs option, only Spearmen who buy this Feat can use the Bind Combat Maneuver [Fantasy Hero, page 154] at all.)
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The Return-Stroke: Also called the Counter-Blow, this Feat allows a hero to strike back quickly and accurately when an enemy hits him. Buy as: The Counterstrike Martial Maneuver (see The Ultimate Martial Artist, page 9), but redened so that it works not after a Block but after any attack that hits the character. Total cost: 4 points. (Characters can buy this Feat even without having 10 total Character Points worth of Martial Maneuvers.) Rope Feat: This Feat allows a character to ght on a tightrope or any other similarly narrow surface. Buy as: Breakfall (total cost: 3 points) plus Environmental Movement (Supreme Balance) (total cost: 3 points). Total cost: 6 points. Salmon Feat of a Chariot-Chief: A character performs this Feat by leaping out of the car of his chariot onto the yoke between the horses, thus allowing him to strike a foe he could not otherwise reach this round. If he fails to perform it successfully, he lands badly and doesnt get to make an attack that Phase; if he fails badly (by 4 or more), he misses the yoke altogether, falls under the horses, and gets trampled by his own chariot (ouch!). Buy as: Acrobatics (DEX +4) (11 Active Points); Only To Perform This Feat (-2). Total cost: 4 points. (Alternately, if the character already has Acrobatics [unlikely, but possible], he can simply buy this Feat as +4 to the roll with the Limitation.) Sloping-Feat: A character using this Feat obtains more advantage from his shield an additional +1 DCV if he executes the maneuver correctly. Buy as: +1 DCV (5 Active Points); Only When Using A Shield (-), Requires A DEX Roll (assumes a DEX Roll of 12- or 13-; -). Total cost: 2 points. The Stroke with Measure: Also called the Precise Stroke, this Feat allows the character to strike a designated part of his target precisely. Buy as: Targeting Skill Levels: +6 versus Hit Location penalties in HTH Combat. Total cost: 12 points.
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Superheroic Feats
The Bellows-Dart: A character who knows this Feat can hurl a dart at an enemy with nothing but his breath! Buy as: RKA d6 (10 Active Points); Range Based On STR (-), Charges (varies). Total cost: 8 or fewer points, depending on the number of Charges taken. Breath Feat: This is like the Apple Feat (and requires the character to already know that Feat), except that the character has to keep the apples in the air with just his breath! Buy as: Telekinesis (5 STR); Only To Juggle (-4). Total cost: 1 point. Gae Bolga Feat: This Feat represents the characters ability to use the gae bolga, a type of enchanted spear (see page 209). Buy as: WF: Gae Bolga. Total cost: 1 point. The Heros Scream Feat: Also called the Three-District Shout, the Heros Whoop Feat, the Noise-Feat, the Noise-Feat of Nine, or the Ardor of Shout, this Feat allows a hero to bellow so loudly that others can hear his voice over great distances. Buy as: Images to Hearing Group, +4 to PER Rolls, Increased Size (64 radius; +1) (42 Active Points); No Range (center of area is characters hex; -), Set Eect (only amplies characters voice; -1). Total cost: 17 points.
Salmon-Leap Feat: This Feat grants a character the ability to make prodigious leaps. Buy as: Leaping +8. Total cost: 8 points. Spear Throw-and-Catch Feat: To perform this Feat, also called the Javelin-Feat, the character throws his spear and then runs and catches it before it hits the target. Buy as: Teleportation 30, Trigger (after character throws a spear and wants to use this power; +) (75 Active Points); Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-), Set Eect (see text; -2). Total cost: 33 points. Spear Feat: To perform this Feat, a warrior throws three spears at three opponents other than the enemy hes targeting with the Feat. Then he leaps from spear to spear as theyre in mid-air, landing right next to his main target and plunging his weapon into him with devastating force. Buy as: RKA 2d6, Area Of Eect (10 Radius; +1), Selective (+) (100 Active Points); OIF (four spears of opportunity; -), Can Only Hit Four Targets In Area (-0), Range Based On STR (-) (total cost: 57 points) plus Leaping +40, Trigger (when uses RKA of this power; +) (50 Active Points); Only To Move To In Front Of Main Target (see text; -1) (total cost: 25 points). Total cost: 82 points.
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Spear-Walking Feat: Also called the Twisting Around Spear Points Feat, the Running Up a Lance and Righting the Body On Its Point Feat, or the Straightening of the Body on a Spear-Point Feat, this Feat allows a character to jump up onto spearpoints (or run up a spear and stand on them) without harming himself. Buy as: Flight 12 (24 Active Points); Only To Run Up And/Or Stand Atop Spears (-1), No Noncombat Movement (-). Total cost: 11 points. (Note: the number of inches should generally be double the characters Running, so that he can y straight up his normal Running distance. This example assumes a character with Running 6.) The Stunning Shot Feat: The character res a single sling bullet into a ock of birds, killing 2d6 of them with a single cast. Buy as: RKA 1d6+1, Area Of Eect (One Hex; +) (30 Active Points); OIF (sling and slingstones of opportunity; -), Only Versus Flocks Of Birds (-2). Total cost: 9 points. Swiftness Over Water Feat: The character can run so quickly that he can run on the surface of rivers and lochs! Buy as: Running +5 (total cost: 10 points) plus Flight 11 (22 Active Points); Only In Contact With The Surface Of Water (-) (total cost: 15 points). Total cost: 25 points. (Note: the number of inches of Flight should equal the characters Running; this example assumes a character with Running 6, to which the additional 5 adds.)
The Ten-At-A-Blow Feat: This Feat allows a character to throw his spear with such force that it runs through as many as ten men! Buy as: RKA 2d6, Area Of Effect (24 Line; +1) (67 Active Points); OIF (spear of opportunity; -), No Range (-), Only Works Against A Maximum Of Ten Targets (-0). Total cost: 33 points. Throw of the Staff Feat: The character can throw a sta as if it were a spear, doing spear damage even though theres no head on the sta. Buy as: RKA 1d6+1 (20 Active Points); OIF (sta of opportunity; -), Range Based On STR (-). Total cost: 11 points. Thunder Feat: The character bashes his weapons on his shield and shouts with such vigor that anyone near him dies from the concussive impact of the sound. Buy as: RKA 3d6, Area Of Eect (6 radius; +1), Personal Immunity (+) (101 Active Points); OIF (weapon and shield of opportunity; -), No Range (-). Total cost: 50 points.
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Ristrath: The character may enter a state of ristrath, or battle-frenzy, in combat. When this happens (i.e., when his Enraged [or Berserk] In Combat activates), the character becomes stronger and tougher. Typically there are visual indications that the character has entered ristrath his eyes may bulge out, or his pupils whirl; his skin may change color; his hair may stand on end; his features may become distorted and horrifying; and so forth. Buy as: Aid STR and PD 2d6, two Characteristic simultaneously (+), Continuous (+1), Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 per Minute; +), Trigger (becoming Enraged/Berserk; +) (40 Active Points); No Conscious Control (cannot activate power on his own, but can use the Characteristics freely once its activated; -1), Self Only (-), Points Fade Immediately If Character Recovers From Being Enraged/Berserk (-), Visible (-). Total cost: 12 points.
GIFTS
Tualan characters sometimes possess what bards call gifts special abilities or skills that distinguish them from other people and make their heroic activities and/or lives easier. In some cases gifts are innate abilities (like particularly keen eyesight or great beauty), in others theyre learned abilities that Tualan culture places high value upon. Here are some example gifts that Tualan characters can buy. Any character can buy them; theyre not restricted to a particular kingdom or profession. Some, however, are primarily associated with women (see below). The GM may wish to restrict each gift to no more than one PC to keep them special.
General Gifts
Far Sight: The character can see clearly over greater distances than other men. Buy as: Telescopic (+8 PER versus Range Modier for Normal Sight). Total cost: 4 points. Fierce Gaze: The character can look at someone so fiercely that the subject is likely to faint dead away! (This gift is most common among Spearmen and Warriors.) Buy as: Energy Blast 8d6, NND (defense is Flash Defense or not meeting the characters gaze somehow; +1) (80 Active Points); Eye Contact Required (-). Total cost: 53 points. Hearing: The character has particularly acute hearing. Buy as: +3 to PER Rolls with Normal Hearing. Total cost: 3 points. Horn-Skinned: The characters skin is unusually tough so much so that he can sometimes turn blows that would pierce an ordinary man! Buy as: Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED). Total cost: 2 points. Judgment: The character possesses a ne sense of judgment in all matters. This is also known as the gift of prudence. Buy as: +3 INT and +3 EGO. Total cost: 9 points.
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DISADVANTAGES
eres some information on how various Disadvantages work in Tuala Morn campaigns. Unless noted otherwise, a Disadvantage has no special or unusual applications in Tuala Morn, but that doesnt necessarily mean its appropriate for the setting. For example, Tualan PCs rarely have Susceptibilities or Vulnerabilities. DISTINCTIVE FEATURES Typical Distinctive Features like scars and other blemishes have particular significance in Tuala Morn because possessing them generally makes a character ineligible for positions of rulership or leadership his personal flaws will carry over to the land he would rule or the enterprise he would command. Thus, if a character would otherwise be eligible for those sorts of responsibilities, scar/blemish Distinctive Features may count as major reaction or extreme reaction because of the way other people invoke them to restrict the character. (This also applies to flaws defined as Physical Limitations, such as loss of a limb or an eye.) If a character is placed under the glam dicin (the Druids Ban; see page 34), he automatically acquires a Distinctive Feature, Under The Glam Dicin (Not Concealable, Causes Extreme Reaction). Anyone he meets can tell hes subject to the Ban and reacts to him appropriately. (See Social Limitation, below, for more information, and page 34.) ENRAGED/BERSERK As discussed on page 140, some ghting men can enter a state known as ristrath, or battlefrenzy. In game terms this partly means taking an Enraged (or Berserk) In Combat. PSYCHOLOGICAL LIMITATION The most common Psychological Limitation for Tualan characters, particularly Spearmen and Warriors, is Tualan Honor. See page 31 for details on the Tualan code of honor. Typically this is Common, Strong (15 points). Similarly, the ontara often have their own loose code of honor, described on page 29. This is usually a Common, Strong Psychological Limitation (15 Character Points), but some adventurers follow it more strictly than others.
REPUTATION Social Disadvantages have particular signicance in Tuala Morn due to the tightly-knit nature of society. A mans reputation is especially important, since it often serves as his introduction to strangers and determines how people react to him in general. Possible negative Reputations that characters can take as Disadvantages include:
being being being being
SOCIAL LIMITATION Here are some of the common Social Limitations characters may encounter (or take) in Tuala Morn campaigns: Glam Dicin As discussed on page 34 and elsewhere in this book, a character who grievously breaks the law, disobeys a Druids legal ruling, or assaults or deliberately harms a Bard or Druid, will be placed under the glam dicin, or Druids Ban. This is a Very Frequently, Major Social Limitation worth 20 Character Points if taken at character creation. A character subject to the glam dicin is an outlaw. He cannot bring legal claims, enter into contracts, participate in religious ceremonies, or claim hospitality. Anyone who kills him, even deliberately, owes no einach to his family or clan. Merchants and tradesmen often refuse to sell to him or have any dealings with him, and people in general shun him. If the character doesnt take steps to mend his ways and successfully appeal to the druids to lift the Ban, the local ruler usually puts a price on his head. If a character takes Glam Dicin as a Social Limitation at the beginning of the campaign, he receives 20 Character Points for it, and taking steps to mend his ways involves spending Experience Points to buy the Disadvantage o. Usually he must spend a minimum of 1 Experience Point
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GEASA AS DISADVANTAGES
While characters have to buy beneficial geasa as powers (see page 136), most geasa, particularly those received after the campaign begins, are negative they hinder or restrict the character in some way. That makes them Disadvantages, even if PCs dont receive any Character Points for them. Geas is a special type of Disadvantage for Tuala Morn campaigns. The value of a restrictive geas depends on (a) how often it aects the character and (b) how severely it aects the character, as summarized in the accompanying table. Dangerous and Very Dangerous Geasa are usually ones that put a character at risk for insulting, or drawing the unwanted attention of, ghting men, nobles, the Aise Tathra, and other powerful people. The consequences of obeying a geas vary. In some cases the nature of the geas lets the GM determine the eects by roleplaying. For example, if a character has a geas that he must challenge at least one man to ght every day, then the GM roleplays out how the challenge (and any resulting combat!) resolves itself. In other cases obeying a geas may only expose a character to ridicule, embarrassment, or the like. If a character fails (or refuses) to obey or fulll a geas (depending on its wording and requirements), he suers Unluck 4d6 until he puts the situation to rights. Hes also considered to be acting dishonorably, a great burden to any Tualan. Sometimes this means giving in and doing what the geas requires of him (a common result when an NPC puts a geas on a character to force him to do something, like when a princess obligates a handsome hero to run away with her). In other cases the character may have to seek out a druid or the person who gave him the geas to perform a penance of some sort. Some geasa never end they affect a character for his entire life. Others have conditions built into them that indicate when they end. For example, consider the geas You cannot wield weapons until I [the person imposing the geas, who dislikes the character] give them to you with my own hand. Once the character finds a way to trick or compel that person into giving him weapons, the geas ends. If this occurs, the character must pay Experience Points to buy off the geas as soon as possible.
GEAS DISADVANTAGE
Value 5 10 15 Frequency Occasionally (8-) Frequently (11-) Very Frequently (14-)
Value Severity +0 Mild (causes inconvenience or annoyance for character) +5 Dangerous (puts the characters health, well-being, or social status at risk) +10 Very Dangerous (puts the characters life at risk)
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EXAMPLE GEASA Here are a few example geasa: Never wear red (Occasionally, Mild; 5 Character Points) You may never shut the door to any room youre in (Occasionally, Mild; 5 Character Points) Never eat X food (or drink X drink) (Occasionally, Mild; 5 Character Points) Never enter graveyards or tombs (Occasionally, Mild; 5 Character Points) You must always go barefoot (Occasionally, Mild; 5 Character Points) Do not hunt the deer of the Kylle Duvtach (Occasionally, Mild; 5 Character Points) Never enter X region or kingdom (Occasionally, Dangerous; 10 Character Points) Never obey commands from X person (Occasionally, Dangerous; 10 Character Points) You may never stay in a room with a shut door (Occasionally, Dangerous; 10 Character Points) Never refuse or disobey the commands of X (Occasionally, Dangerous; 10 Character Points) You must refuse hospitality to any single person who asks; only groups of two or more can obtain hospitality from you (Occasionally, Dangerous; 10 Character Points)
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10 copper pennies (cp) = 1 silver noble (sn) 10 silver nobles = 1 gold royal (gr) 10 gold royals = 1 cuwal (c) (the value of one female slave, equal to ve healthy milk cows) Copper and silver coins are most often used; gold is comparatively uncommon, and plenty of trading takes place in the form of barter as well. The accompanying Tuala Morn Price List includes commonly-available goods with their prices, weights, and other useful information. The prices listed in the table are averages; they may vary from place to place and time to time. Furthermore, advanced crafted items (particularly weapons and armor) arent usually available o the rack; a character cant go into an armor shop and buy a suit of armor right then and there. Instead he has to visit a smith, leatherworker, or other craftsman and commission the work, usually paying at least half (and often more) in advance. Then he leaves, coming back days or weeks later when the works done. At times a craftsman may have something ready (or nearly ready) that he can sell a character more quickly, but the GM should make sure the characters work their way through the Tualan economy properly (which may give them a chance to roleplay a little and use the Trading Skill to obtain better deals for themselves). STARTING INCOME Unless the GM rules otherwise (based on the character having the Money Perk or Disadvantage, for example), every Tuala Morn character starts the game with 5 gold royals to spend. As indicated in his Package Deal, he gets certain equipment or other resources for free; those he does not have to buy with money.
eroic attitudes and actions arent enough to triumph in an adventure the heroes need weapons and other equipment to help them succeed. Heres how currency works in Tuala Morn:
Leather Armors Soft Leather 3 gr Studded Soft Leather 36 sn Heavy Leather 5 gr Studded Heavy Leather 8 gr Cuir-Bouilli (Boiled Leather) 8 gr Studded Cuir-Bouilli 10 gr Plate Armor 40 gr SHIELDS Medium Shield Large Shield Tower Shield 25 sn 3 gr 4 gr
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Wine (1 bottle) Poor quality 5 sn Average quality 1 gr High quality 3 gr MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Barrel (wooden) 8 sn Basket (wicker) 1 sn Camping/Outdoor Gear Bedroll Blanket Tent, canvas Candle Chest Large, Metal Large, Wooden Small, Metal Small, Wooden Cooking Gear Kettle, iron Pan, iron Pot, iron Flint and steel Goblet Crystal Glass Gold Silver Mirror, Small Silver Silvered glass Steel Musical Instruments Bagpipes Drum, Large Drum, Small Harp, Large Harp, Small/Lapharp Pipes, Metal Pipes, Wooden/Recorder Any Stringed Instrument Rope (8) Sack, leather Shovel/spade Slave Female Male Torch Whetstone 2 sn 1 sn 10 sn 3 cp 6 gr 3 gr 35 sn 2 gr 3 gr 15 sn 2 gr 5 cp 15 gr 4 gr 12 gr 9 gr 4 gr 3 gr 2 gr 23 sn 18 sn 10 sn 16 gr 9 gr 22 gr 4 sn 2 sn 15 sn 15 cp 20 sn 10 gr 5 gr 1 cp 5 cp
.5 cp 1 cp 5 cp 1 cp 6 cp
1 1 1
0 0 0
Inn, room (1 person for 1 day) Space in the common room 2 cp Poor quality 5 cp Average quality 1 sn High quality 3 sn Meal (for one person) Poor quality Average quality High quality Meat (1 shoulder) Rations (1 day) Whiskey (1 drink) Poor quality Average quality High quality 2 cp 5 cp 1 sn 3 sn 1 sn 5 cp 1 sn 4 sn
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Price: The price of the item in silver nobles (sn), gold royals (gr), or copper pennies (cp). See the text for information on the values of these coins. BODY and DEF: The BODY and DEFENSE of the item. In the case of items made primarily of one material, the DEF usually depends on the objects material, and the BODY on its size. In the case of items made of two or more materials, the DEF usually represents an averaging or balancing of the materials DEF, and the BODY depends on the objects size. Mass: The objects weight in kilograms (1 kg = 2.2 pounds), unless some other unit of measure is noted. Notes: Any additional information about the object. For items not listed here, the GM can extrapolate a price based on the price list in Fantasy Hero or any other method or source that seems good to him.
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2H
Only on horseback Set Set, Can Be Thrown Can Be Thrown 2H 3 Range, can Grab
Adding Damage: #: Add +1 DC of damage per full +6.25 points of STR used above the STR Minimum. KEY 1 H: One-And-A-Half-Handed Weapon 2H: Two-Handed Weapon Can Be Thrown: The weapon has the Range Based On STR (+1/4) Advantage. N: Normal Damage (all other weapons do Killing Damage), bought as a Hand-To-Hand Attack (but to which characters add damage only by exceeding the STR Minimum) Only on horseback: Characters can only wield this weapon while mounted (a - Limitation) Set: Characters can use this weapon to perform the Set Versus Charge Combat Maneuver Unhorse: Characters can use this weapon to perform the Unhorse Combat Maneuver : STR Minimum Doesnt Add To Damage All HTH Combat weapons are built as HKAs (or HAs) with the Advantage Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) and the Limitations OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4), and Strength Minimum (varies). Many also have the Required Hands Limitation. OCV: This is applied as a bonus or penalty against all attacks made with the weapon. OCV bonuses are bought as 5-point Combat Skill Levels with the OAF, Required Hands, and Real Weapon Limitations. OCV penalties are a minor Side Eect (automatically occurs; -) for the weapon. STUNx: This is the STUN Multiplier for Killing Damage weapons (a 0 means no modication; use the standard 1d6-1 STUN Multiplier). Apply the STUNx modier to the STUN Multiplier roll (or to the STUNx for the Hit Location struck, if the campaign uses Hit Location rules). For example, if a character with a War Flail (STUNx +1) hit an opponent in the Head, the total STUNx would be 6. STR Min: STR Minimum. See pages 478-79 of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised for rules. Remember to apply the rules in Adding Damage, page 405 of that book, when using STR to increase the damage of a weapon bought with Advantages. BODY: The weapons BODY. DEF: The weapons DEF. Mass: The weight of the weapon in kilograms. A/R Cost: The Active Point/Real Point cost of the weapon. Length: The weapons length Short, Medium, or Long. L2 indicates a weapon with 2 Stretching that a character can use to strike from the second rank. See pages 179 and 186 of Fantasy Hero for more information on weapon lengths. Notes: This catch-all category includes any information not listed elsewhere.
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TU ALAN NAMES
FEMALE NAMES
Aife Bethaigh Bethan Blodwen Branwen Bronwen Camma Cathlean Cliona Consend Dechtine Deirdre Dervorgil Dorvaile Eilith Elasaide Fedelm Fial Finnabair Fiona Glenda Gwendolyn Gwyn Iuchna Kaitrin Macha Madoc Maireade Medana Morag Morrin Muirne Nuala Olwen Rairiu Rhiannon Rhianwen Richis Ronaide Rowena Sadb Seridwen Sheevaun Shianne Shusaide Sonag Shinaide
If youre having trouble coming up with a proper-sounding name for your Tualan character, try this list. Most Tualan surnames derive from a characters immediate ancestry (father or grandfather), his clan, or some combination thereof. The prexes Mac and Con indicate son of ; O indicates grandson of ; Cona means daughter of ; and Ban indicates wife of. Thus, Conor Mac Loegaire (or MacLoegaire or ConLoegaire) is Conor son of Loegaire; his son will bear the surname MacConor, ConConor, or OLoegaire, depending upon desire, family tradition, and other factors.
MALE NAMES
Abban Agnoman Aibellan Aidan Ailbe Ailill Aillin Alastair Aloys Alwyn Amergin Andala Angus Anluan Antoin Arca Ardal Ardan Artur Arval Aulie Badwaer Baglan Baird Barra Bartlaigh Barvin Beachan Benian Bera Berach Berchan Bevan Birog Boyd Bran Brasel Bregaire Brendan Brennan Bret Brion Bricru Brody Cadoc Cadwallen Cairbre Callahan Calvaigh Cantigern Calatin Cannach Carbaid Carlin Carroll Cassidy Caswallon Cathal Cathbad Cathmur Cathor Cedric Colbran Colin Colla Colm Coman Conaire Conall Conan Conley Conn Connad Connla Conor Conroy Coscra Cowan Crannacar Crodan Cullan Curran Dair Darail Daray Darren Dathi Davaine Declan Dectan Delano Dempsey Dermot Derry Desmond Devaine Devin Devlin Dobar Donahue Donahy Donal Donald Donnan Donnelly Dovlech Dovnal Doyle Drogaeda Drudechta Duer Du Dugal Duglas Duncan Dunham Durthacht Dylan Eamon Earnan Echbel Edan Edard Edric Egan Eivar
Enchard Enan Engan Eogan Ervin Evan Ewan Farchar Farrall Fathach Felan Feery Fellim Feoras Fergus Fiacal Fineen Finnian Finnley Fintan Finvar Fionn Flann Flynn Forbenn Forgall Fossgrim Gairade Galen Gannon Garad Garech Garrett Garvan Gavin Gilkris Gilvareigh Glasny Glen Glendower Gordon Gothan Grady Gregaire Grethir Guy Hogan Hugh Hurley Ian Ilbrech Ildanach Ildathach Iliach Illadan Innis Iocade Iovar Irgalach Irloth
Iubar Jarlath Kane Kearney Keefe Keegan Keirnan Kelan Kellach Kenelm Kern Kerry Kerwin Kevan Kian Kinnaide Kire Kyle Kynan Labraid Lachlan Lathabar Lavras Leary Liam Lloyd Lochlann Loclinn Logaire Logan Loman Luath Lugaid Mahon Mainech Malachlin Malbareth Malrone Malrudan Martaine Matach Moladran Morgan Morven Murcad Murdach Murray Neal Neese Nemran Nessan Nevan Nevin Niall Nolan Nyle Odran Orren Oscar Owen
Owney Padraic Parlan Partholan Pedar Piaras Ragnal Randal Rectamar Reglan Revlin Ringabar Rocard Roland Ronan Rory Rothlan Ruad Ruard Sainglen Salmor Sarlas Sarvra Scell Scolang Seamus Sean Sedach Sedras Sefra Seltcar Senach Sencha Senedig Sernach Sethern Shane Siann Siaran Sitric Slevin Sorsa Tador Taig Tarlach Tarnach Teague Tiernan Tinammor Tirech Torin Torrance Traglethan Trescath Ulick Ullaime Vaune Wynne
chapter five:
T ualan Magic
TU ALAN MAGIC
agic is a subtle, yet powerful, thing in Tuala Morn. Magic power what wizards and druids call Draicht suffuses the entire land. But despite the stories sometimes told about them, Tualan wizards cannot fly through the air or throw enormous balls of fire at their enemies. Their spells are subtler things, suited to a variety of tasks and situations. But they are not weak, and those who can master them receive respect, not scorn. As the Tualans say, Only a fool mocks a wizard.
SMITHCRAFT Smiths of great skill have the power to craft enchanted weapons and armor. A Smith who wants to know how to make a particular type of enchanted metalwork must pay the full Real Cost for that spell in Character Points. He cannot buy it in a Power Framework; he must pay for each one individually. OTHER RULES Tualan magic generally does not involve Required Skill Rolls (Smithcraft is an exception). If a character knows how to cast a spell, he can cast it at any time, subject to its Limitations (which may include Activation Roll, if its a dicult spell to use for some reason). However, virtually all spells cost END (and many cost a lot of END) and take a long time to cast.
TYPES OF MAGIC
Excluding priestly Miracles and the powers of Smithcraft (which are discussed in their own sections on pages 196 and 200, respectively), spells and magical powers fall into one of four categories based on the sheashar, or seasons of the year and the special days that mark them. SAMHAIN-DRAICHTA (AUTUMN-MAGIC) Samhain-Draichta, or Autumn-Magic, involves phenomena such as beginnings, earth, animals, the west, death, decay, secrets and hidden things, the colors red and orange, and change/transformation in general. If cast during the autumn season (the months of Ildath, Corwis, and Remansech [corresponding to the modern September, October, and November]), Samhain-Draichta spells cost only half END; if cast on Samhain itself (the Tualan new years day, in early Ildath [September]), they cost only 10% of their normal END cost. On the other hand, if theyre cast in the springtime (the months of Adna, Dovarr, and Gamal [corresponding to the modern March, April, and May]), they cost 50% more END (for example, a spell that normally costs 6 END would cost 9 END), and if cast on Beltane itself they cost double END. IMBOLC-DRAICHTA (WINTER-MAGIC) Imbolc-Draichta, or Winter-Magic, involves phenomena such as the air, wind, the weather, clouds and mists, lightning, the north, negativity, the left, coldness, the moon, the colors black and purple, nighttime, and darkness.
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DRAICHT SPELLS
Options: 1) Curse Of Agony: The caster can inict agony on someone no matter where that person is in Tuala Morn. Add Area Of Eect (One Hex Accurate; +) and MegaScale (hex is the size of Tuala Morn; +1), and change Limited Normal Range (-) to No Range (-). 75 Active Points, total cost 19 points. Spell ranks: Druid 22; Wizard 18; Witch 12. Effect: Target: Casting Time: Duration: Range: END Cost: Spell Rank: BLIGHT RKA 1d6, Only Versus Crops/Plants 16 Radius 1 Minute (Attack Action) Instant No Range 4 Druid: 15 Wizard: 15 Witch: 8
ere are the spells that Druids, Wizards, and Witches learn and cast. See below for Necromancy and Sorcery spells (both of which are intended primarily for evil NPCs and the like) and pages 196 and 200, respectively, for priests Miracles and the powers of Smithcraft.
SAMHAIN-DRAICHTA SPELLS
Samhain-Draichta, or Autumn-Magic, spells involve phenomena such as beginnings, earth, animals, the west, death, decay, secrets and hidden things, the colors red and orange, and change/ transformation in general. In addition to the spells listed here, all the Necromancy spells (page 183) belong to this category.
Description: This spell allows a witch to lay a warrior low with agonizing pain pain so great it can actually kill him. Sores and wounds may erupt spontaneously on his body, which may be considered blemishes that preclude him from being a ruler. This is a spell of Witchcraft, and thus usually only learned by witches. A druid or wizard whos known to have learned or used it may suer a blow to his reputation (at the very least). Game Information: Ego Attack 2d6, Does BODY (+1) (40 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Extra Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), Limited Normal Range (20; -), Spell (-). Total cost: 10 points.
Description: Also known as a Murrain, this spell allows a witch to cause crops to wither and die. If a man offend a witch, she may get revenge on him by sneaking onto his farm at night and casting this spell. Druids sometimes learn a spell to counteract Blight, known as Renewal. Its bought almost the same as Blight, but as a Healing BODY 1d6 with no No Range Limitation. It has a spell rank of 8 for druids and N/A for other types of spellcasters. This is a spell of Witchcraft, and thus usually only learned by witches. A druid or wizard whos known to have learned or used it may suer a blow to his reputation (at the very least). Game Information: RKA 1d6, Area Of Effect (16 Radius; +1), MegaScale (1 = 10 wide and deep; +) (45 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout casting; -), Extra Time (1 Minute; -1), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Gradual Effect (6 Hours, up to 1 point per Hour; -1), Incantations (throughout casting; -), No Range (-), Only Works On Crops And The Like (-1), Spell (-). Total cost: 6 points.
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Effect: Target: Casting Time: Duration: Range: END Cost: Spell Rank:
Description: This spell causes the victim to feel intense fear. How the victim reacts to that fear isnt under the casters control, but he can usually accompany the spell with some action sucient to make the target ee. Game Information: Drain PRE 6d6, Limited Range (20; +) (75 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Full Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Spell (-). Total cost: 27 points.
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SHATTERING STAFF Effect: RKA 2d6, Damage Shield, Requires A Successful Block Roll, Only Works Against Weapons Target: One weapon Casting Time: N/A (see text) Duration: Constant Range: No Range END Cost: 3 Spell Rank: Druid: 6 Wizard: 4 Witch: 8 Description: Wizards sometimes must protect themselves against warriors. When attacked with a weapon, a wizard can raise his sta to block the attack, calling upon his arcane powers to shatter the weapon as he blocks it. This spell has no casting time; its essentially an ability the caster can call on at any time, provided hes paying the END to keep it active. Game Information: RKA 2d6, Continuous (+1), Damage Shield (+), Reduced Enduranc ( END; +) (82 Active Points); OAF (wizards sta or the like; -1), Only Works Against Weapons (-1), Requires A Successful Block Roll (-). Total cost: 23 points. VEIL Effect: Invisibility to Sight Group, Only Versus Clairsentience Target: Self Casting Time: 1 Minute Duration: Constant Range: Self END Cost: 2 Spell Rank: Druid: 4 Wizard: 2 Witch: 4 Description: This spell shields the caster from Scrying and similar magical methods of spying on him a caster trying to use one of those spells simply cant perceive him. Game Information: Invisibility to Sight Group (20 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout casting; -), Extra Time (1 Minute; -1), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Only Versus Clairsentience (-1). Total cost: 4 points.
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Game Information: Telepathy 4d6, Area Of Eect (One Hex Accurate; +), MegaScale (hex is the size of Tuala Morn; +1) (55 Active Points); Broadcast Only (-), Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (1 Turn to cast, plus see text; -1), Incantations (message must be spoken, and thus can be overheard; -), No Range (-), Physical Manifestation (-). Total cost: 14 points.
Spells Of Shapechanging
One of the powers that druids and other Tualan spellcasters are best known (and in some cases most feared) for is that of shapechanging. FORM OF ANIMAL Multiform (125 animals built on up to 200 Character Points each) Target: Self Casting Time: 1 Turn Duration: Persistent Range: Self END Cost: 7 Spell Rank: Druid: 7 Wizard: 10 Witch: 10 Effect: Description: This spell, the most commonly used of the shapechanging spells, allows the caster to assume the form of any animal native to Tuala Morn. Changing from human to animal form, or back again, takes 1 Turn. The caster cannot change from one animal form to another directly; he must shift back to human form and then change to another animal shape if desired. Game Information: Multiform (125 animals built on up to 200 Character Points each) (75 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout change; -), Costs Endurance (to change forms; -), Extra Time (1 Turn to change shape or revert to human shape; -), Cannot Change From One Animal Form To Another (see text; -). Total cost: 25 points. Option: 1) Druid Rod: Some druids use their Druid Rod (see Forced Form, below) as part of this spell, making it easier to transform themselves. Add OAF (-1). Total cost 19 points. Spell ranks: Druid 6; Wizard 9; Witch 9.
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Options: 1) Many Animals: Increase to any 16 animals built on up to 170 Character Points. 81 Active Points; total cost 18 points. Spell ranks: Druid 4; Wizard 8; Witch 8. 2) Druids Call To Faerie: Instead of calling an ordinary creature, the druid calls a faerie creature, such as a faerie bull to sire strong calves for a lords herd, a faerie horse for a knight, or the like. Change to Summon one animal built on up to 300 Character Points Expanded Class (faerie animals; +). 90 Active Points; total cost 20 points. Sepll ranks: Druid 6; Wizard 10; Witch 10. EYES OF THE BEAST Effect: Clairsentience (Sight Group), Mobile Perception Point, Only Through The Senses Of Local Animals Target: Self Casting Time: Full Phase (Attack Action) Duration: Constant Range: 500 END Cost: 3 Spell Rank: Druid: 3 Wizard: 3 Witch: 3 Description: This spell allows the caster to see through the eyes of any animal within 500 of him. (Typically this means a mammal or bird of some kind; sh are possible, but rare, and insects far rarer still.) While casting the spell, he reaches out with his mystic senses to determine if theres an animal at or near his desired perception point. If not, he has to choose another perception point or stop casting the spell. If so, he selects the animal and can see out of its eyes. If the animal moves, so does the spells perception point. If the caster wishes to shift the perception point to another animal, he must stop the spell and re-cast it. If the animal moves beyond the spells 500 range, the spell automatically ends. Game Information: Clairsentience (Sight Group), Mobile Perception Point, 4x Range (500) (35 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout use; -), Extra Time (Full Phase to cast and to use; -), Incantations (-), Only Through The Senses Of Others (local animals; -). Total cost: 13 points.
Animal Spells
BEAST COMMAND Effect: Mind Control 8d6 (Animal class of minds) Target: One animal Casting Time: Full Phase (Attack Action) Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 4 Spell Rank: Druid: 3 Wizard: 4 Witch: 4 Description: By whispering a magic word and a command in the ear of an animal, the caster persuades the animal to do what he asks. Usually this is a simple task that causes the animal relatively little trouble or harm; getting an animal to put itself in danger is dicult (at best). Game Information: Mind Control 8d6 (Animal class of minds) (40 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Full Phase; -), No Range (-), Spell (-). Total cost: 14 points. DRUIDS CALL Effect: Summon one animal built on up to 170 Character Points Target: One animal Casting Time: 1 Minute Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 5 Spell Rank: Druid: 2 Wizard: 5 Witch: 5 Description: With this spell a caster can call to him a single animal built on up to 170 Character Points (sufficient to cover a bear, boar, wolf, bird of prey, or any other Tualan animal). It may take the animal a little while to arrive, if it lives in the area at all. Its moderately friendly toward the caster, but not overly so if mistreated it will attack the caster or flee. Game Information: Summon one animal built on up to 170 Character Points Expanded Class (animals; +) (51 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout casting; -), Extra Time (1 Minute; -1), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Arrives Under Own Power (-), Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale (-). Total cost: 11 points.
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-), Extra Time (takes a Half Phase Action to maintain each Phase; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -) 3u 2) Dispersing Mists: Dispel Mist Powers 16d6, any one Mist Power (+); Extra Time (Full Phase to cast; -), Incantations (during casting; -), Limited Range (130; -) Total cost: 44 points. Options: 1) Greater Mist: Some druids can create clouds of Mist big enough to hide entire armies! Change slot 1 to to 64 radius and a cost of 2u. Total cost 46 points. Spell ranks: Druid 4; Wizard 6; Witch 5. 2) Necromancers Shadow: Necromancers learn their own version of this spell, which causes the casters own shadow to grow and darken so that it obscures sight within the aected area. Change to: Change Environment 8 radius, -4 to Sight Group PER Rolls (29 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase to cast; -), Extra Time (takes a Half Phase Action to maintain each Phase; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -). Total cost 15 points. Spell ranks: Druid N/A; Wizard 5; Witch N/A. Effect: Target: Casting Time: Duration: Range: END Cost: Spell Rank: DARK DRUID WIND Telekinesis (20 STR), Only To Disarm 6 Radius Extra Phase (Attack Action) Constant 20 7 Druid: 8 Wizard: 8 Witch: 8
IMBOLC-DRAICHTA SPELLS
Imbolc-Draichta, or Winter-Magic, spells involve phenomena such as the air, wind, the weather, clouds and mists, lightning, the north, negativity, the left, coldness, the moon, the colors black and purple, nighttime, and darkness.
Description: This spell creates a dark wind that sweeps over groups of ghting men and disarms them! The wind is so strong that it literally snatches the weapons right out of their hands and scabbards. This spell is only appropriate for Superheroic campaigns. However, the GM might consider allowing characters in Heroic Tuala Morn campaigns to use it against a single target at a time. Game Information: Telekinesis (20 STR), Area Of Eect (6 radius; +1) (67 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout use; -), Extra Time (Extra Phase to cast; -), Gestures (throughout use; -), Incantations (throughout use; -), Only To Disarm (see text; -), Spell (-). Total cost: 17 points.
DIMINISHED MIGHT Effect: Drain STR and PRE 8d6, Limited Reduction Target: One character Casting Time: Extra Phase (Attack Action) Duration: Instant Range: 20 END Cost: 16 Spell Rank: Druid: 18 Wizard: 16 Witch: 18 Description: With this spell a caster can sap the strength and bravery of a ghting man, reducing both by two-thirds. Game Information: Drain STR and PRE 8d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 20 Minutes; +), Limited Range (20; +) (160 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Extra Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Limited Reduction (can at most reduce STR and PRE to one-third of normal; -), Spell (-). Total cost: 49 points. Options: 1) Diminished Army: The caster is so powerful he can weaken an entire army! This spell is only appropriate for Superheroic games. Add Area Of Eect (16 Radius; +1) and change Limited Range to 200. 240 Active Points; total cost 74 points. Spell ranks: Druid 26; Wizard 24; Witch 26.
GAITH DRUIDECHTA (THE DRUIDS WIND) Effect: Succor or Suppress Swimming 6d6 Target: One sailing ship Casting Time: 1 Turn (Attack Action) Duration: Constant Range: 150 END Cost: 3 Spell Rank: Druid: 6 Wizard: 6 Witch: 5 (see Options) Description: With this spell a caster can control the winds. Typically he does this to make a sailing ship go faster, or to impede a ships movement. The GM may allow the caster to accomplish other minor eects, such as blowing out (or perhaps helping to spread) a small re, if he makes an EGO Roll at -3. Game Information: Cost Power 9 Gaith Druidechta: Multipower, 45-point reserve; Concentration ( DCV throughout casting; -), Extra Time (1 Turn to cast; -), Extra Time (requires a Half Phase Action to maintain each Phase; -), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Only For Vehicles With The Sailed Limitation (-1), Spell (-) 1u 1) Strengthen The Winds: Succor Swimming 6d6, Ranged (+); common Limitations listed above 1u 2) Restrain The Winds: Suppress Swimming 6d6; common Limitations listed above Total cost: 11 points
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BELTANE-DRAICHTA SPELLS
Beltane-Draichta, or Spring-Magic, spells involve phenomena such as water, the faerie-folk, the east, plants, trees, the colors blue and green, dreams, the mind/thought, and healing/birth/ regrowth in general. In addition to the spells listed here, all the Sorcery spells (page 184) belong to this category; sorcerers often buy related Beltane spells in addition to their Sorcery spells.
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Game Information: Healing BODY 3d6, Can Heal Limbs (35 Active Points); OIF Immobile (stone circle or the like, see text; -1), Concentration (0 DCV throughout casting; -1), Extra Time (20 Minutes; -2), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x5 END; -2), Ritual (8 casters; -). Total cost: 4 points. HEALING WATERS Aid REC 2d6 to speed healing of wounds; Healing Characteristics 2d6 to cure sickness Target: One character Casting Time: 20 Minutes Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 5/4 Spell Rank: Druid: 12 Wizard: N/A Witch: N/A Effect: Description: In Tuala Morn, water taken from a natural hollow on top of a stone, or dust scraped from such a stone, has healing powers when prepared by a druid. (The same applies to water from certain sacred wells and springs.) After the water has been prepared in a special ceremony, its given to the victim to drink, bringing relief from disease or making wounds knit more quickly. Game Information: Cost Power 10 Healing Waters: Multipower, 60-point reserve; all OIF (waters/dust from hollowed stone of opportunity; -), Concentration (0 DCV throughout casting; -1), Extra Time (20 Minutes; -2), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -) 1u 1) Speed Healing Of Wounds: Aid REC 2d6, Delayed Return Rate (all points fade after 1 Month; +2); common Limitations described above plus Points Fade Immediately If Subjects Wound Heals (-) 1u 2) Cure Sickness: Healing 2d6, any four Characteristics at once (+1) (40 Active Points); common Limitations described above plus Only To Heal Characteristics Lost To Disease (-1) Total cost: 12 points.
Healing Spells
HEALING CIRCLE Effect: Healing BODY 3d6, Can Heal Limbs, Ritual Target: One character Casting Time: 20 Minutes Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 15 Spell Rank: Druid: 18 Wizard: N/A Witch: N/A Description: When a group of powerful druids gathers together at a stone circle or similarly sacred site, they can perform a ritual that heals wounds, even to lost limbs.
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SOOTH Effect: Major Transform 4d6 (diminish/cure mental disturbance) Target: One character Casting Time: 1 Turn (Attack Action) Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 16 Spell Rank: Druid: 8 Wizard: 8 Witch: 12 Description: Tualan spellcasters of great sympathy and compassion have the gift of soothing minds troubled by madness and fear. To use this ability they must spend a few minutes speaking with the hapless soul and uttering incantations. When the spell is done, the caster touches the subject on the forehead, and the cloud of madness lifts... if not totally, then at least partway. Game Information: Major Transform 4d6 (person with Psychological Limitation indicating madness or mental disturbance to person without that Disadvantage, or with it at a lesser level of eect; heals back by being subjected to spells or phenomena that cause the madness), BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1), Works Against EGO Not BODY (+), Partial Transform (+) (165 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout casting; -), Extra Time (1 Turn; -1), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Limited Target (humans suering mental impairment; -), No Range (-), Spell (-). Total cost: 35 points.
Effect: Target: Casting Time: Duration: Range: END Cost: Spell Rank:
Description: By gazing deeply into a persons eyes, a caster using this spell can perceive his inner self, what lies within his heart his hopes, fears, dreams, aspirations, goals, and general attitude and outlook. He can determine one such fact per Full Phase of eye contact. Game Information: Detect Inner Feelings (INT Roll) (Mental Group) (10 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout use; -), Costs Endurance (-), Extra Time (Full Phase; -), Eye Contact Required (throughout; -). Total cost: 3 points.
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Taghairm: The caster wraps himself in the hide of a freshly-killed bull and sits near a waterfall or precipice, waiting for the spirits to give him a vision of the future.
divination by sneezing
divination
birdsong, the movement of clouds, the winds, or other natural phenomena Game Information: Clairsentience (Sight Group), Precognition (40 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout; -), Extra Time (5 Minutes to cast; -1), Extra Time (Full Phase to maintain; -), Gestures (throughout; -), Incantations (throughout; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), No Range (-), Precognition Only (-1), Time Modifiers (-), Vague And Unclear (-). Total cost: 6 points. Options: 1) Dichedal Cennaive (Divination From Heads): Necromancers often learn this form of divination, which involves the use of a severed head. By performing a ceremony over the head, the necromancer summons its ghost, who answers questions about the future. Add OAF (severed head; -1). Total cost 5 points; spell rank Druid N/A; Wizard 6; Witch 8.
interpreting
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LUGNASA-DRAICHTA SPELLS
Lugnasa-Draichta, or Summer-Magic, spells involve phenomena such as re, heat, the sun, daytime, the colors yellow and white, light, life, positive qualities, the right, passion, and endings.
FLARING FIRE Effect: RKA 2d6 and Change Environment (-3 to Sight Group PER Rolls), both OIF (existing res of opportunity) Target: 2 Radius Casting Time: Full Phase (Attack Action) Duration: Instant Range: 10 END Cost: 4 Spell Rank: Druid: 8 Wizard: 7 Witch: 8 Description: This spell allows the caster to manipulate an existing re for oensive eect. First, he can cause the re to are up temporarily, sending out a shower of sparks and cinders to burn anyone nearby (i.e., within 2 of the re). This causes damage up to RKA 2d6, based on the size and intensity of the re a candle does at most 1 point of damage, while a bonre does the full 2d6. (See pages 444-45 of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised or pages 359-60 of Fantasy Hero for suggested damage ranges for res.) Second, instead of making the re are and spark, he can make it emit an enormous cloud of thick, blinding smoke. The smoke can cover up to a 2 radius around the re, but the size of the cloud depends on the re involved it takes at least a campre to get the full 2, whereas a torch provides 1 at most and a single candle barely enough smoke to blind one man (until he moves his head). Game Information: 13 Flaring Fire: Multipower, 45-point reserve; all OIF (appropriate existing res of opportunity, see text; -), Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Full Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Limited Range (10, and center of radius must be the OIF; -), Spell (-), Target Hex Is Hex Fire Is In (-0) 1u 1) Shower Of Sparks: RKA 2d6, Area Of Eect (One Hex Doubled, Nonselective; +); common Limitations listed above, plus Varying Damage (damage depends on locallyavailable sources of ame; -), Target Hex Is Hex Fire Is In (-0) 1u 2) Blinding Smoke: Change Environment 2 radius, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls, LongLasting (smoke lingers for 2d6 Segments after spell is cast); common Limitations listed above, plus Varying Size (size of area lled by smoke depends on locally-available sources of ame; -) Total cost: 15 points.
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Description: This spell causes a rain of re to fall down on the faces of the casters enemies. This spell is only appropriate for Superheroic campaigns. Game Information: RKA 2d6, Area Of Eect (12 Radius; +1) (75 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Extra Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), Limited Range (50; -), Spell (-). Total cost: 20 points.
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GENESIS OF UNLIFE Effect: Summon up to 125 skeletons or zombies built on up to 179 Character Points Target: N/A Casting Time: 5 Minutes Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 14 Spell Rank: Druid: 20 Wizard: 15 Witch: 18 Description: This, perhaps the most basic of Necromancy spells, allows a necromancer to bring a skeleton (navarlach) or body (draukr) back to a hideous semblance of life to serve him. He must perform a foul ceremony over the bones or body using a Necromancers Sceptre a length of human bone (typically dug up from an old grave or tomb) carved with necromantic runes. A necromancer can have as many as 125 navarlach or draukr servants at a time, but he must create each one individually (unless the GM rules otherwise for dramatic purposes). See pages 123 and 126 of The HERO System Bestiary for character sheets for skeletons and zombies. Game Information: Summon up to 125 navarlach or draukr built on up to 179 Character Points, Expanded Class (skeletons or draukr; +), Slavishly Loyal (+1) (142 Active Points); OAF (length of human bone carved with necromantic runes; -1), Concentration (0 DCV throughout; -1), Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Must Have Body Or Bones (-1), Must Create Each Skeleton Or Zombie One At A Time (-). Total cost: 19 points. MASTERY OF UNLIFE Mind Control 12d6, Only Versus Undead One undead Extra Phase (Attack Action) Instant 25 6 Druid: 15 Wizard: 6 Witch: 12
NECROMANCY
Necromancy is a type of Samhain-Draichta that involves study and use of evil and unholy magics pertaining to death and undeath. Usually only necromancers (a type of wizard) learn these spells (see page 131 regarding qualifying to be a necromancer). A druid, wizard, or witch whos known to have learned or used Necromancy will suer the same penalties as a necromancer, including being placed under the Glam Dicin. CALL BEYOND THE GRAVE Summon one ghost built on up to 500 Character Points, Friendly Target: N/A Casting Time: 5 Minutes Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 12 Spell Rank: Druid: N/A Wizard: 12 Witch: 12 Effect: Description: A necromancer can call up a ghost to perform services for him. To do this he must perform an evil ceremony using a Necromancers Sceptre a length of human bone (typically dug up from an old grave or tomb) carved with necromantic runes where the person was buried or died, or where the ghost currently haunts. (The Specic Being Advantage is not applied because its assumed the necromancer typically picks any old ghost to Summon; if he wants to Summon the ghosts of specic noteworthy people, rewrite the spell to include that Advantage.) When it appears the ghost is kindly disposed toward the necromancer, but not slavishly so; he may need to cast Mastery Of Unlife (see below) to make it do what he wants. Game Information: Summon one Ghost built on up to 500 Character Points, Friendly (+) (125 Active Points); OAF (length of human bone carved with necromantic runes; -1), Concentration (0 DCV throughout; -1), Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Must Be At Persons Grave, Place Person Died, Or Place Ghost Haunts (-1). Total cost: 18 points.
Effect: Target: Casting Time: Duration: Range: END Cost: Spell Rank:
Description: Besides creating navarlach, draukr, taives, and the like, a necromancer can also command those he encounters. Game Information: Mind Control 12d6 (60 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV; -), Extra Time (Extra Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Limited Normal Range (25; -), Only Versus Undead Beings (-1), Spell (-). Total cost: 13 points.
SOULSTEALING Effect: RKA 6d6, Penetrating Target: One character Casting Time: Extra Phase (Attack Action) Duration: Instant Range: 10 END Cost: 26 Spell Rank: Druid: 40 Wizard: 25 Witch: 35 Description: One of the most powerful, and feared, spells in Tuala Morn is this one, which allows a necromancer to literally rip the life out of a living being. Few survive the attack, and those who do are always weak and injured. It does not work against soulless beings, including inanimate objects, most faerie-folk, and the like. Game Information: RKA 6d6, Penetrating (+) (135 Active Points); Concentration (0 DCV; -), Extra Time (Extra Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), Limited Range (10; -), Not Versus Soulless Beings (-), Spell (-). Total cost: 36 points.
SORCERY
Sorcery is a type of Beltane-Draichta that involves magics that manipulate or trick the mind or its thoughts. Usually only sorcerers (a type of wizard) learn these spells (see page 131 regarding qualifying to be a sorcerer). A druid, wizard, or witch whos known to have learned or used Sorcery will suer the same penalties as a sorcerer. DREAMWEAVING Mental Illusions 12d6, Only To Alter Dreams Target: One character Casting Time: 1 Minute (Attack Action) Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 6 Spell Rank: Druid: 10 Wizard: 6 Witch: 10 Effect: Description: Sometimes the easiest way to manipulate a persons behavior is to do so indirectly, by altering his dreams to show what the caster wants him to see or do a particularly eective tactic in Tuala Morn, where dreams are often regarded as having prophetic meaning. To cast it, the sorcerer must be right next to the sleeping victim. Incantations are required, but they can be whispered or muttered and so do not qualify as a Limitation.
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Effect:
Description: Another way that a sorcerer can take control of someones will is to force him to stand still. Game Information: Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, BOECV (+1), Takes No Damage From Physical Attacks (+), Works Against EGO Not STR (+) (75 Active Points); Cannot Form Barriers (-), Concentration (0 DCV; -), Extra Time (Extra Phase; -), Eye Contact Required (-), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), Spell (-). Total cost: 17 points.
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Bridge Of Fog* Imbolc Bright Flare Lugnasa Call Beyond The Grave% Samhain Calling The Thunderbolt Imbolc Clear Path, The Beltane Co Druidechta (Druids Mist) Imbolc Curse Of Ugliness# Dark Druid Wind* Death-Candle Dichedal Cennaive (Divination From Heads)% Dicheltair (Druids Covering) Diminished Might Dream Messenger Dreamweaving$ Druid Army Druids Call Druidic Sleep Envenoming The Wound Eyes Of The Beast Faerie Ward Fall Of The Mountain* Farspeaking Fascination$ Fear Fetters$ Fires Of Might, The Flaring Fire Forced Form Forgetfulness Form Of Animal Form Of Man Friend In Peril, A Gaith Druidechta (Druids Wind) Genesis Of Unlife% Glamour$ Healing Circle Healing Waters Samhain Imbolc Samhain Beltane Imbolc Imbolc Beltane Beltane Beltane Samhain Beltane Samhain Samhain Beltane Samhain Imbolc Beltane Samhain Beltane Lugnasa Lugnasa Samhain Beltane Samhain Samhain Beltane Imbolc Samhain Beltane Beltane Beltane
Precognition 176 Invisibility to Sight Group 168 Drain STR and PRE 8d6, Limited Reduction 166 Mind Link (any one willing target), Only Via Dreams 174 Mental Illusions 12d6, Only To Alter Dreams 184 Summon up to 125 warriors, OIF (natural materials of opportunity) 170 Summon one animal built on up to 170 Character Points 163 Mind Control 8d6; EGO +10 maximum 170 Drain BODY 1d6, Delayed Recovery Rate (5 points per Month) 157 Clairsentience (Sight Group), Only Through The Senses Of Animals 163 Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/10 MD/10 PowD), Only Versus Faerie Magic 172 RKA 10d6, OIF (mountain of opportunity) 157 Images to Hearing Group, anywhere in Tuala Morn 168 Mind Control 12d6, Eye Contact Required 185 Drain PRE 6d6, Ranged 157 Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, BOECV, Eye Contact Required 185 Aid STR and PRE 2d6, Maximum Of 20 STR 178 RKA 2d6, CE (-3 to Sight Group PER), OIF (res) 178 Major Transform 8d6 (human into animal), OAF 162 Minor Transform 8d6 (lose memories) 170 Multiform (125 animals built on up to 200 Character Points each) 161 Shape Shift (any humanoid shape) 162 Detect Designated Persons Cries For Assistance 173 Succor or Suppress Swimming 6d6 166 Summon up to 125 skeletons or zombies 183 Mental Illusions 12d6; Images to Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups 186 Healing BODY 3d6, Can Heal Limbs, Ritual 172 Aid REC 2d6, Healing Characteristics 2d6 172
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Name: The name of the spell. A * indicates a Superheroic spell. A # indicates a Witchcraft spell. A $ indicates a Sorcery spell. A % indicates a Necromancy spell.
Precognition 175 Multiform (125 animals built on up to 200 Character Points each) 161 Shape Shift (any humanoid shape) 162 Shape Shift into tree form 162 Drain 2d6, any Characteristic, Delayed Return Rate (5 points per Month) 159 Telekinesis (20 STR), 6 Radius, Only To Disarm 165 Mind Control 8d6; EGO +10 maximum 170 Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/10 MD/10 PowD), Only Versus Faerie Magic 172 RKA 2d6, CE (-3 to Sight Group PER), OIF (res) 178 Life Support (Expanded Breathing: Breathe Underwater) 177 Healing 1d6, Only On Crops 264 Flight 6, Only Along The Surface Of Calm Water 177 RKA 3d6, Only Versus Objects 159 Major Transform 4d6 (diminish/cure mental disturbance) 173 +20 PRE, Only For Impressiveness/Fear Presence Attacks 181 Telekinesis (open/shut doors) and Lockpicking 164 Mental Illusions 12d6, Only To Alter Dreams 184 Aid STR and PRE 2d6, Maximum Of 20 STR 178 Summon serpent, Slavishly Loyal 164 Telekinesis (20 STR), Only For Fire; RKA 2d6, Indirect 179 Retrocognition, Time Modiers, Side Eects 182 RKA 3d6, Indirect 165 Drain PRE 6d6, Ranged 157 Aid COM 3d6, Delayed Return Rate (5 points per Hour) 176 Aid REC 2d6, Healing Characteristics 2d6 172 Mental Illusions 12d6, Set Eect (disorient and confuse) 180 NND 4d6 + Mind Control 6d6 (get something to drink) 181 Major Transform 8d6 (person into person with Unluck 3d6) 167 Succor/Suppress Swimming 6d6; Change Environment (-12 Running) 171 Ego Attack 2d6, Does BODY 155 RKA 1d6, Only Versus Crops/Plants 155 Major Transform 8d6 (human into animal), OAF 162 Detect Designated Persons Cries For Assistance 173 Mind Control 12d6, Only Versus Undead 183 Aid STR 4d6, 32 Radius, Maximum Of 26 STR 171 Change Environment (alter the weather) 169 Flight Usable By Other, Restricted Flight Path 168
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Precognition 175 +20 PRE, Only For Impressiveness/ Fear Presence Attacks 181 RKA 2d6, CE (-3 to Sight Group PER), OIF (res) 178 Life Support (Expanded Breathing: Breathe Underwater) 177 Telekinesis (20 STR), Only For Fire; RKA 2d6, Indirect 179 Drain 2d6, any Characteristic, Delayed Return Rate (5 points per Month) 159 Detect Geasa 175 Telekinesis (20 STR), 6 Radius, Only To Disarm 165 Mind Control 8d6; EGO +10 maximum 170 Aid STR and PRE 2d6, Maximum Of 20 STR 178 Flight 6, Only Along The Surface Of Calm Water 177 Major Transform 4d6 (diminish/cure mental disturbance) 173 Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/10 MD/10 PowD), Only Versus Faerie Magic 172 Drain PRE 6d6, Ranged 157 Multiform (125 animals built on up to 200 Character Points each) 161 Shape Shift (any humanoid shape) 162 Detect Designated Persons Cries For Assistance 173 Shape Shift into tree form 162 Summon serpent, Slavishly Loyal 164 Retrocognition, Time Modiers, Side Eects 182 NND 4d6 + Mind Control 6d6 (get something to drink) 181 Summon ghost, Friendly 183 RKA 3d6, Indirect 165 Ego Attack 2d6, Does BODY 155 Aid COM 3d6, Delayed Return Rate (5 points per Hour) 176 Mind Control 12d6, Eye Contact Required 185
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Luck 2d6, Usable By Other 182 Dispel Fire 12d6 179 Armor (8 ED), Usable By Other, Only Works Against Fire 181 Sight Group Flash 4d6 178 Drain 2d6, any Characteristic, Delayed Return Rate (5 points per Month) 159 Ego Attack 2d6, Does BODY 155 RKA 1d6, Only Versus Crops/Plants 155 Telekinesis (20 STR), 6 Radius, Only To Disarm 165 RKA 2d6, CE (-3 to Sight Group PER), OIF (res) 178 Detect Inner Feelings 174 Telekinesis (open/shut doors) and Lockpicking 164 Mind Control 20d6, OAF, Set Eect (fall in love) 170 RKA 2d6, Damage Shield, Only Against Weapons 160 Retrocognition (Sight & Hearing), Requires Sucient Unworked Stone 161 Detect Geasa 175 Precognition +20 PRE, Only For Impressiveness/ Fear Presence Attacks Mind Control 8d6; EGO +10 maximum 175 181 170
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Name Dreamweaving$ Faerie Ward Fear Form Of Animal Form Of Man Kelpies Kiss Oakenform River-Path, The Shaping The Flame Shatter Bewitchment# Call Beyond The Grave% Calling The Thunderbolt Fires Of Might, The Mastery Of Unlife% Solas Sidhe (Faerie Light) Sooth
Category Beltane Beltane Samhain Samhain Samhain Beltane Samhain Beltane Lugnasa Samhain Beltane Samhain Imbolc Lugnasa Samhain Lugnasa Beltane
Teive Loithta (The Fire Chant) Lugnasa Tuaithe (Curse) Imbolc Raise The Waves Thirst Friend In Peril, A Sending# Curse Of Ugliness# Forgetfulness Blood Sacrice# Bridge Of Fog* Diminished Might Fascination$ Forced Form Genesis Of Unlife% Spirits Of The Faine Sleep$ Stormcalling Fetters$ Shapetrading Shower Of Fire* Thoughtreading$ Thoughtsending$ Druid Army Glamour$ Sleep Of Truth Hex# Poisonous Spell, The Revolving Fortress* Fall Of The Mountain* Soulstealing% Death-Candle Beltane Lugnasa Beltane Samhain Samhain Beltane Samhain Imbolc Imbolc Beltane Samhain Samhain Beltane Beltane Imbolc Beltane Samhain Lugnasa Beltane Beltane Beltane Beltane Beltane Imbolc Samhain Samhain Samhain Samhain Samhain
Description Page Mental Illusions 12d6, Only To Alter Dreams 184 Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/10 MD/10 PowD), Only Versus Faerie Magic 172 Drain PRE 6d6, Ranged 157 Multiform (125 animals built on up to 200 Character Points each) 161 Shape Shift (any humanoid shape) 162 Life Support (Expanded Breathing: Breathe Underwater) 177 Shape Shift into tree form 162 Flight 6, Only Along The Surface Of Calm Water 177 Telekinesis (20 STR), Only For Fire; RKA 2d6, Indirect 179 RKA 3d6, Only Versus Objects 159 Major Transform 4d6 (free-willed male into witchs willing slave) 169 Summon ghost, Friendly 183 RKA 3d6, Indirect 165 Aid STR and PRE 2d6, Maximum Of 20 STR 178 Mind Control 12d6, Only Versus Undead 183 Mental Illusions 12d6, Set Eect (disorient and confuse) 180 Major Transform 4d6 (diminish/cure mental disturbance) 173 Retrocognition, Time Modiers, Side Eects 182 Major Transform 8d6 (person into person with Unluck 3d6) 167 Succor/Suppress Swimming 6d6; Change Environment (-12 Running) 171 NND 4d6 + Mind Control 6d6 (get something to drink) 181 Detect Designated Persons Cries For Assistance 173 Drain END 7d6, Gradual Eect (1d6/day for a week) 159 Drain COM 3d6, Delayed Return Rate (5 points per Year) 156 Minor Transform 8d6 (lose memories) 170 Aid Magic 4d6, any Magic spell or power one at a time 156 Flight Usable By Other, Restricted Flight Path 168 Drain STR and PRE 8d6, Limited Reduction 166 Mind Control 12d6, Eye Contact Required 185 Major Transform 8d6 (human into animal), OAF 162 Summon up to 125 skeletons or zombies 183 Aid STR 4d6, 32 Radius, Maximum Of 26 STR 171 Ego Attack 6d6, 20 range 186 Change Environment (alter the weather) 169 Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, BOECV, Eye Contact Required 185 Major Transform 8d6 (two humans to look like each other) 162 RKA 2d6, 12 Radius 180 Telepathy 12d6, Receive Only, No Range 186 Telepathy 12d6, Broadcast Only, 50 range 186 Summon up to 125 warriors, OIF (natural materials of opportunity) 170 Mental Illusions 12d6; Images to Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups 186 Precognition, UAA + RKA 6d6, If Subject Lies 175 Major Transform 8d6 (person into person with Unluck 3d6) 167 RKA 6d6 158 Telekinesis (60 STR), Only To Revolve Fortress 160 RKA 10d6, OIF (mountain of opportunity) 157 RKA 6d6, Penetrating 184 RKA 6d6, NND, Does BODY, Gradual Eect (1 Hour) 156
MIRACLES
iracles are the special abilities that priests of the Golden Temple sometimes possess. Although theyre superficially similar to some of the spells cast by druids and wizards, the priests claim theyre very different indeed that they come directly from the Most High himself, not any foul sorcery. They say Varkulans power flows through them, enabling them to accomplish things no man otherwise could without trafficking with demons. Druids and wizards scoff, opining that the miracles are just spells cast in a slightly different way. One important dierence between Miracles and Draichta spells is that Miracles have the Limitation Only When Serving Varkulans Purposes (-). This means that if the priest is not following the will of Varkulan, or commits a sin in the casting, or is involved in blasphemous or heretical practices, his Miracles wont work. Its up to the GM to decide when and how to invoke this Limitation; for example, if a priest starts to stray from the straightand-narrow, perhaps his Miracles rst become weaker (as a warning)... and if he doesnt change his ways then he cannot use them. After a priest loses the power to use Miracles, he must atone before he can use them again; either the Golden Temple or Varkulan himself will specify how he has to atone. In game terms, Priest characters can buy any Miracle they want they simply pay the full Real Point cost for each Miracle they want to learn. They cannot buy Miracles in Power Frameworks; they must buy each one individually.
BLESSING +1 Overall Self One character 1 Turn Uncontrolled (duration of 1 Minute) No Range 8
Description: Most priests blessings are relatively ordinary things, conferring at best the kind intentions of the priest and Varkulan toward the blessee. But some priests can channel Varkulans power more directly, lling themselves and up to seven other people with the warmth and power of the Most High in a way that inspires condence and competence. The Appropriate Uses Only Limitation is a generic way of saying a recipient can only use the Overall Level for actions Varkulan approves of. The GM decides what uses of the Overall Level are valid ones in the eyes of the Most High. Game Information: +1 Overall, Usable Simultaneously (up to eight people at once, cast on each one individually; +), Uncontrolled (duration of 1 Minute; +0) (17 Active Points); Costs Endurance (to cast; -), Extra Time (1 Turn to cast on each recipient; -), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1), Only When Serving Varkulans Purposes (-), Appropriate Uses Only (-). Total cost: 3 points. DRIVING BACK DEMONS +30 PRE; Only Works With Banish The Faerie-Folk Target: Self Casting Time: Full Phase Duration: Constant Range: Self END Cost: 6 Effect: Description: All priests have the power to drive o the faerie-folk by invoking the power of the Most High (see their Package Deal in Chapter Four). But some priests are particularly strong in this, able to drive o demons powerful enough to resist the exhortations of an ordinary priest. Game Information: +30 PRE (30 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV; -), Costs Endurance (-), Extra Time (Full Phase; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), Only Works With Banish The Faerie-Folk (-1), Only When Serving Varkulans Purposes (-). Total cost: 6 points.
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LIGHT OF THE MOST HIGH Effect: Images to Sight Group, +4 to PER Rolls, Only To Create Light Target: 1 Radius Casting Time: Full Phase (Attack Action) Duration: Constant Range: No Range END Cost: 4 Description: When the darkness presses in and despair and fear seem to take command, a priest can call on the Most High to provide him with a tiny spark of the suns light to drive back the shadows. Game Information: Images to Sight Group 1 radius, +4 to PER Rolls (22 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout; -), Extra Time (Full Phase to cast; -), Gestures (-), Incantations (-), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), No Range (-), Only To Create Light (-1), Only When Serving Varkulans Purposes (-), Spell (-). Total cost: 4 points.
MULTIPLY Effect: Minor Transform 3d6 (food into larger amounts of food) Target: Self One character Casting Time: Half Phase (Attack Action) Duration: Instant Range: No Range END Cost: 6 Description: If famine threatens or an adventuring group is about to run out of rations, a priest can use this Miracle to demonstrate the Most Highs bounty. In game terms, this spell turns a small amount of food into a larger amount of food. For every 5 BODY achieved on the Transform roll the priest can double the amount of food he has already. This wont work on more food than the priest can easily hold with his two hands/arms. Game Information: Minor Transform 3d6 (food into larger amounts of food) (30 Active Points); Concentration ( DCV throughout casting; -), Extra Time (1 Turn; -1), Gestures (throughout casting; -), Incantations (throughout casting; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -), Limited Target (food; -), No Range (-), Only When Serving Varkulans Purposes (-), Spell (-). Total cost: 5 points.
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SMITHCRAFT
eyond the ability to create ordinary weapons and armor, which in and of itself is regarded as a mystical power by the Tualans, some Smiths have the skill and lore to create actual enchanted armor and weaponry. Compared to the enchanted items found in a typical High Fantasy setting these items are not highly powerful, but in Tuala Morn they are regarded as mighty things, and any warrior who receives one treasures it. Smithcraft diers from other types of Tualan magic in one important way: it involves a Skill Roll. The Skill in question is either Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing, or PS: Blacksmithing, depending on whats being created. If the character fails his roll, all his time, preparatations, and work are wasted; he has to melt his awed creation down and start over if he still wants to create the item. Unless the GM permits, a weapon can never have more than one enchantment from a Smith. In game terms, creating enchanted weapons and armor in Tuala Morn is done with the alternate magic item creation rules on page 279 of Fantasy Hero. Because the items themselves have the Independent Limitation, whenever a Smith makes one the Real Point cost of the Creation Spell for that item must be paid permanently the points are forever lost if the item itself is lost, stolen, given away, or the like. Those points can come from one of three sources:
the the
a weapon or armor: ore or ingots of metal, any substances the Smith must work into the metal as part of enchanting it, and so on. These are considered Difficult to get since a Smith whos crafting an enchanted item uses only the best, purest substances. If there is a Smith PC in the game, the GM should carefully oversee his use of these powers. Its only fair to allow the Smith to use the abilities that make him distinctive and special, but loading down every character in the game with lots of enchanted weapons and armor is contrary to the feel of the setting and campaign as well as simply posing game balance problems.
WEAPONS
SPEAKING SWORD Effect of item: HKA 1d6+1 that can speak Target: One character Time To Create: 4 Days Duration of items powers: Instant Range of items powers: No Range Skill Roll Penalty to create: -2 END Cost to create: 6 Long-Term END Description: The most basic enchantment found on Tualan swords, one possessed by nearly every noteworthy blade, is the power to speak the tales of the deeds that have been performed with that sword. Game Information: Item: HKA 1d6+1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (22 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2), STR Minimum (12; -) (total cost: 5 points) plus Images to Hearing Group 1 radius, +2 to PER Rolls, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (16 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2) (total cost: 4 points). Total cost: 9 points. Creation Spell: 17 Active Points; OAF Expendable (item creation supplies, Dicult to obtain; -1), Concentration ( DCV throughout creation; -), Gestures (throughout creation; -), Incantations (throughout creation; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), Requires A Skill Roll (see text; -). Total cost: 3 points.
Smith himself person for whom the Smith makes the item
an enchanted or mystic substance that provides raw mystical power (such as a dragonstone or some l sidhe; see the Enchanted Items section, below, for more information)
Smith characters can buy any Smithcraft ability they want they simply pay the full Real Point cost for the Creation Spell for each Smithcraft ability they want to learn. They cannot buy Smithcraft abilities in Power Frameworks; they must buy each one individually. Weapon abilities typically have a sword and spear version, each of which the character has to buy separately; similarly, he has to buy the chain and plate versions of the armor powers individually. You can easily devise similar versions of these powers for axes and other weapons, if desired. All Smithcraft items have an OAF Expendable, item creation supplies. This includes not only the Smiths forge, anvil, and tools (which are not expended), but the materials needed to create
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ARMOR OF NOBILITY Effect of item: Armor (6 PD/6 ED or 8 PD/8 ED) plus +10 PRE Target: Self Time To Create: 3 Days Duration of items powers: Persistent Range of items powers: Self Skill Roll Penalty to create: -1 END Cost to create: 4 Long-Term END Description: This enchanted armor is made with an eye toward beauty and grace that enhances the wearers bearing in the eyes of those who see him. He becomes more noble, condent, and impressive, able to command the attention (and even obedience) of others. Game Information: Item (Chainmail of Nobility): Armor (6 PD/6 ED) (18 Active Points); OIF (-), Independent (-2), Mass (Half Mass; -) (total cost: 4 points) plus +10 PRE (10 Active Points); OIF (-), Independent (-2) (total cost: 3 points). Total cost: 7 points. Creation Spell (Chainmail of Nobility): 16 Active Points; OAF Expendable (item creation supplies, Dicult to obtain; -1), Concentration ( DCV throughout creation; -), Gestures (throughout creation; -), Incantations (throughout creation; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1), Requires A Skill Roll (see text; -). Total cost: 3 points. Item (Plate Armor of Nobility): Armor (8 PD/8 ED) (24 Active Points); OIF (-), Independent (-2), Mass (Half Mass; -) (total cost: 6 points) plus +10 PRE (10 Active Points); OIF (-), Independent (-2) (total cost: 3 points). Total cost: 9 points. Creation Spell (Plate Armor of Nobility): 19 Active Points; OAF Expendable (item creation supplies, Dicult to obtain; -1), Concentration ( DCV throughout creation; -), Gestures (throughout creation; -), Incantations (throughout creation; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1), Requires A Skill Roll (see text; -). Total cost: 3 points.
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SHIELD OF WARNING Effect of item: +2 DCV; HA +2d6; Danger Sense Target: Self One character Time To Create: 1 Day Duration of items powers: Constant/Instant/Persistent Range of items powers: Self Skill Roll Penalty to create: -1 END Cost to create: 4 Long-Term END Description: This enchanted shield utters warnings to its wielder when danger threatens. The example given is for a medium shield, but you can easily extrapolate to large and tower shields if necessary. Each type counts as a separate spell. Game Information: Item: Cost Power 2 Medium Shield Of Swift Avoidance: Multipower, 10-point reserve; all OAF (-1), Independent (-2), STR Minimum (10; -) 1u 1) Defense: +2 DCV (10 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2), STR Minimum (10; -) 1u 2) Shield Bash: HA +2d6 (10 Active Points); OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-), Independent (-2), STR Minimum (10; -), Side Eects (OCV penalty equal to DCV bonus, always occurs; -) 6 Moaned Warnings: Danger Sense (self only, out of combat, sense) (INT Roll +3); OAF (-1), Independent (-2) Total cost: 10 points.
Creation Spell: 12 Active Points; OAF Expendable (item creation supplies, Dicult to obtain; -1), Concentration ( DCV throughout creation; -), Gestures (throughout creation; -), Incantations (throughout creation; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1), Requires A Skill Roll (see text; -). Total cost: 2 points.
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he chronicles of the Tualans, and the grimoires of wizards, record the existence of many dierent types of enchanted and wondrous items. Some were forged by wizards or druids, some were gifts from the faerie-folk, and some simply are heroes nd them from time to time in magical or sacred places, and who put them there none can say. In addition to the Smith-made ones described above, here are a few examples of Tualan magical items. ANGUINAM An anguinam, also known as a druids egg or serpents egg, is a greenish crystal about the size of a small apple. It brings good fortune in law-suits. Anguinam: Luck 4d6 (20 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2), Only Applies To LawSuits (-1). Total cost: 4 points. THE BASILISK ORB Perhaps the most powerful enchanted item ever known in Tuala Morn is the Basilisk Orb (Sfar Piast). In times past it was possessed by Coruch Crotha, and formed the basis of much of his power; at his death, it was lost, and to this day it remains lost. The Orb is a sphere of strange greenish crystal carved with nine interwoven basilisks. Each basilisk provides the Orbs owner with a different magical power, if he can learn how to unlock those powers. A few wizards grimoires, some dating from the time of Coruch Crotha, describe some of the Orbs powers. But no one text lists them all, and a few of them arent mentioned in any tome or scroll. When a character uses a particular Orb power, the carved basilisk representing that power glows, and sometimes seems to come alive, rise up from the Orb, and aect the target directly, much as if the character and target were experiencing a very vivid mutual dream. Other persons rarely witness this. The powers are: Anord (Chaos): Anord is the power of sundering, of unmaking that which is. When used, it disperses a person or thing back into the elemental chaos-stu from which he was formed. RKA 6d6, Line Of Sight (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (180 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total cost: 45 points.
ENCHANTED ITEMS
Camstail (Deception): Camstail creates illusions waking dreams so real that one can touch them, speak with them, and sometimes even be slain by them. Mental Illusions 18d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (135 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total cost: 34 points. Creidav (Faith): Creidav inspires others to have faith in the character who possesses the Orb. No matter how outrageous his statements, no matter how dangerous the tasks he asks them to perform, they will believe them or do them, all out of unshakeable faith in the character. Mind Control 18d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (135 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total cost: 34 points. Egar (Order): As Osraltach enhances magical powers, Egar weakens them by opposing them with the energies of unvarying Order. Drain Magic 6d6, all Magic spells and powers at once, Range (+), Line Of Sight (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (150 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total cost: 37 points. Egla (Fear): Egla protects the owner of the Orb against all types of fear and anxiety. He need not activate this aspect of the Orb to obtain the benets (they apply as long as he has the Orb on his person); if he activates Egla, its aects protect those near him as well. Mental Defense (25 points + (EGO/5)) (25 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2) (total cost: 6 points) plus Power Defense (25 points) (25 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2) (total cost: 6 points) plus Usable Simultaneously (up to eight people at once; +1) for Mental Defense (25 Active Points); Persons Aected Must Remain Within 4 Of Character Or Power Stops Working For Them (-) (total cost: 17 points) plus Usable Simultaneously (up to eight people at once; +1) for Power Defense (25 Active Points); Persons Aected Must Remain Within 4 Of Character Or Power Stops Working For Them (-) (total cost: 17 points). Total cost: 80 points.
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A boulder-sized dragonstone has an Endurance Reserve with 40-60 END and 0 REC, and can provide 8 Character Points toward making an enchanted weapon or armor with Smithcraft. DRUID WAND Druids and other spellcasters can change shape on their own using spells. With this wand, anyone can change his own shape. Druid Wand: Multiform (125 animals built on up to 200 Character Points each) (75 Active Points); OAF (-1), Costs Endurance (to change forms; -), Extra Time (1 Turn to change shape or revert to human shape; -), Cannot Change From One Animal Form To Another (-), Independent (-2). Total cost: 14 points. FIL SIDHE (FAERIE BLOOD) Sometimes the faeries of one shee go to war against the faeries of another. When this happens, faerie blood is spilled, and sometimes it falls to the ground. There it may linger and crystallize as l sidhe, or Faerie Blood. Fil si is magically potent. If carefully scraped up, a handful of it has an Endurance Reserve with 30 END and 0 REC for powering spells, or can provide 4 Character Points toward making an enchanted weapon or armor with Smithcraft.
THE GAE BOLGA The Gae Bolga (Bag Spear) is one of the most potent enchanted weapons found in Tuala Morn. Possessed of mighty enchantments, it never misses, and it does nine times the damage of an ordinary croisech. But it has several signicant drawbacks. First, due to its spear-ardor, a Hero can only use it while ghting in a ford (or other shallow water). He keeps it below the water and thrusts it with his foot (thus, it requires a special Weapon Familiarity to use). Second, and far worse, whenever a character uses the Gae Bolga, somehow he accidentally kills a relative or friend. Maybe a fragment of the targets armor ies o and impales a comrade, or killing the target creates a chain of events that quickly results in a brothers death. But inevitably, someone the wielder cares for dies. Gae Bolga: HKA 15d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) (337 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2), STR Minium (15; -), Can Only Be Used While Fighting In Shallow Water (-1), Requires Special WF (-0), Side Eects (using the Gae Bolga results in the death of one of the wielders friends or relatives, always occurs; -1). Total cost: 50 points.
chapter six:
FAERIES
efore you read about the specic types of faeries described later in this book, heres some information about a typical or generic faerie, and the faeriefolk in general. The descriptions of the various types of faeries and faerie creatures in this chapter include information on where they originate in the real world (such as Ireland, Scotland, or the Isle of Man) so that you can use this information in games not set in Tuala Morn if you like. The Campaign Use section of each character sheet includes information about using the creature in Tuala Morn specically, if needed.
FAERIE Val Char Cost Roll Notes 5 STR -5 10- Lift 50 kg; 1d6 [1] 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 10 CON 0 1110 BODY 0 1120 INT 10 13- PER Roll 1320 EGO 20 13- ECV: 7 25 PRE 15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6 14 COM 2 125 5 5 10 60 18 PD 4 ED 3 SPD 20 REC 14 END 20 STUN 0 Total: 5 PD (5 rPD) Total: 5 ED (5 rED) Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 Total Characteristics Cost: 133 (+25 with NCM)
OTHER MONSTERS
For other appropriate monsters and creatures for Tuala Morn campaigns, see The HERO System Bestiary (and, to a lesser extent, Monsters, Minions, And Marauders). Just be sure to restrict yourself to monsters that t the feel of the setting. For example, the dragons in the HSB work just ne for Tuala Morn, but the vampires dont.
Movement:
Cost Powers END 250 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 100 base + 50 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 30 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 60 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% 0 11 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (15 points total) 0 15 Faerie Form: Power Defense (15 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 45 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 60 Vanishing: Teleportation 20, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 3 3 5 3 3 Skills Concealment 13High Society 14AK: local area where the faerie lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 13Stealth 13-
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A quantity of either presented strongly will drive them away or ward an area against them (and earn their enmity for the user), and weapons of iron can kill them permanently. Campaign Use: See below for more information about the faerie-folk. The information presented here often applies, to one degree or another, to many other creatures and monsters in this book. In Tuala Morn, the typical faerie living in a shee (such as Ballymore Shee or Gohartha Shee) uses this character sheet. The faerie nobility and notables use the Daoine Sidhe character sheet (see below). Appearance: As masters of illusion and shapechanging, faeries can look like nearly anything they want to from tall, beautiful, noblelooking elves like the Daoine Sidhe, to ugly, misshapen goblins, to the tiny winged sprites of Victorian fancy. They may go naked or wear clothes; in the latter case they favor colors like green, red, white, and brown. SPECIFIC TYPES OF FAERIES Some types of faeries are basically identical to, or minor variations of, the generic faerie described above, but deserve special mention. Bendyth Y Mamau This is the name given to the faeries in Glamorganshire; it means Mothers Blessing. Theyre usually described as short and ugly; some stories claim theyre actually a crossbreeding of more typical faeries and goblins. They live underground. They engage in many of the usual faerie practices, like stealing children and cows, playing pranks, and
elf-riding horses; many of them hate humans and treat them very badly. Housewives put bowls of milk outside the door to placate them. Daoine Beaga Ruadh These faeries, the Little Red Men, live on the Isle of Skye. The males dye their clothes red using lichen; the females wear green clothes. Feeorin The Feeorin are faeries of Lancashire. Theyre tiny men dressed in green coats and red caps, and have green skin. Like many faeries they love music and dancing. Ferier These Suolk faeries have sandy-colored skin and long hair and wear green coats, golden belts, and yellow satin shoes. They sneak into human homes through cracks in the oorboards to inspect them; if the house is neat and tidy they leave gifts and rewood. This generosity continues until the householders tell someone where theyre getting all these things, at which point the Feriers abandon the house. Ferrishyn The Ferrishyn are faeries of the Isle of Man. They often troop, but unlike the Daoine Sidhe or most other trooping faeries have no nobility or royalty to lead them. Theyre short (one to three feet tall), wear green caps and coats, and love to hunt using faerie hounds and horses. Guillyn Beggey These faeries from the Isle of Man are just six inches tall. They have pale faces, tiny eyes and ears, and no beards. They wear blue coats which they use to fly.
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THE FUATH
Fuath (or vough) is a general term for dangerous or evil water-faeries. Examples include Jenny Greenteeth, many Urisks, various waterhorses like the Aughiskey, the Fideal, the Nuckelavee, the Shellycoat, and many others.
FAERIE CREATURES
Wondrous versions of many creatures exist in Faerie, and sometimes they nd their way into the mortal realms. The famed white hart is one example, as are the gigantic wild boars that hero-bands sometimes have to hunt before they lay waste to entire duchies or kingdoms. Many, though by no means all, faerie creatures have similar markings. They tend to be white, with red or reddish-brown ears and/or spots. In some cases, Men can capture them, using them to improve breeding stock or for other purposes. Faerie cattle, horses, pigs, and hounds all serve Men admirably this way though sometimes their faerie masters come to take them back! Some faerie creatures dont always have an unusual appearance, but possess unusual abilities. Most often theyre intelligent and can speak as well as any man. Some act to hinder heroes, others bear messages to them or provide assistance when they need it the most.
Faerie Lore
The tales and legends of the British Isles feature extensive lore about the faeries, their activities, and how they interact with humans. THE FAERIE COURTS Broadly speaking, faeries divide themselves into two courts: the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court. As men characterize them, the Seelie Court consists of the good faeries, and the Unseelie Court of evil faeries. But this is not to say that Seelie faeries like humans. A few do seem to, but for most of them its more accurate to say that they tolerate humans, or regard them neutrally. They may help men on occasion, but they also ignore their pleas frequently and often play (relatively harmless) pranks on them for fun. To Seelie faeries, men are slow, clumsy, and serve quite well as the butt of jokes. Unseelie faeries, on the other hand, bear distinct malice and ill-will towards men. They resent their bumbling natures, crude ways, intrusive
FAERIE GROUND
Faerie lore speaks of foidin mearai or foidin seachrain, translated as confusing clump or stray sod. This refers to a faerie spell on a particular piece of ground so that a human wandering into either (a) thinks hes continuing to move forward, when in fact he stands on that one spot, walking in place, or (b) walks around confusedly, unable to nd his way out of the area even if he normally knows it well. Even turning ones clothes doesnt oer protection against this power (which you can simulate with Mental Illusions). Far gortach, or hungry grass, is a similar phenomenon. Anyone stepping on a patch of it becomes consumed by a hunger so erce that he quickly dies of starvation unless he has food with him. In game terms this is an RKA, NND, Does BODY, with the defense being having food one can eat right away. Faerie lore also mentions trods, or straight paths in the grass that are of a deeper, richer green than the surrounding grass. Animals avoid trods, but walking on one is said to cure rheumatism and other maladies... provided one doesnt meet a faerie whos walking the path at the same time. If that happens, the faeries likely to become angry... perhaps even angry enough to kill the hapless human.
FAERIE ACTIVITIES The faeries have many ways to amuse themselves besides playing tricks on humans. They frequently engage in competitions with each other, ranging from games (such as riddling or faerie chess), to various sports, to duels of magic and power. Sometimes disputes grow between them and one noble leads the forces of his shee in battle against another. Though mortals rarely see any sign of these battles, they can rage unchecked across Faerie (or through the skies), as faeries use their blades and spells to take the lives of their fellows. Knowing that men are much stronger and sturdier than they, the faeries of a particular shee sometimes bribe or coerce bold warriors to compete on their team or ght with them against their enemies. Even a single human warrior aiding the forces of a shee can be enough to turn the battle in that shees favor. Many faeries enjoy music and dance immensely. Their own, as mentioned above, can bewitch and entrance human beings, but they also appreciate a skilled human musician. A bard who pleases them may nd himself gifted with greater lore or items of power... or may end up kidnapped, a prisoner of the faeries who dont want to let him go because they like his music so much. Faerie rings of mushrooms often show where faeries like to dance. Other faeries enjoy participating in craftwork. They bake faerie bread, cobble faerie shoes, or forge enchanted blades with their seemingly delicate anvils and hammers. Goods produced by the faeries rarely break or wear out, no matter how hard-used, and often possess minor magical properties; any human who gets one as a gift treasures it. Some faeries enjoy herding faerie cattle, sheep, or pigs (or participating in tains cattle-raids against other shees); breeding faerie hounds; or participating in faerie hunts for enchanted creatures through the mystic woods of Faerie. If a mortal can obtain one of these beasts for his own herds, it will greatly improve his stock. But most faeries guard their herds jealously and rarely part with even a single animal. On the other hand, faeries often like human horses, and may borrow one from a humans stable to elf-ride it ride it all over the elds and moors until the poor beast is exhausted, then return it to its home. On nights when the moon is full, sometimes the courts of the nobles of the Daione Sidhe go forth from their underhill halls on rades, elaborate and usually solemn processions in which they ride their faerie steeds across the land to enjoy the sights. On most occasions they ride along the ground like mortal folk, but if the mood takes them they may spur their horses up into the air, riding among the clouds like birds. This is also known as trooping, and faeries who engage in it as trooping faeries. Sometimes the faeries go in ying companies known in Scotland as oiteag sluaigh (peoples pu of wind) that snatch up people and carry them through the skies on a dangerous, dizzying journey. They eventually return the victim to his house so disoriented and confused he doesnt recognize it or anyone in it.
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a cross, Bible, holy water, churchyard mold, or other holy/sacred object (in some cases a traveler sprinkles one of these substances in his path as he goes) (in a Fantasy setting such as Tuala Morn, some other religious symbols or substances would be used instead)
wearing
carrying
carrying certain plants or herbs, such as a fourleaf clover, red verbena, St. Johns wort, daisies, wood or berries from any tree with red berries (especially rowan and mountain ash), ground ivy, or pearlwort leaping across running water, particularly a stream that ows south (though this doesnt work with all faeries, particularly ones who live in fresh water) tossing a glove inside a faerie ring to make the faeries there run away scattering ax on the oor of a room to keep the faeries from entering burying a witchs bottle (a glass bottle containing sharp objects, salt, rowan wood, and ashes) buried in front of the doorstep keeps the faeries out of the house; properly banking a re or putting a broom next to the replace stops them from coming down the chimney putting up a mirror anywhere the faeries might see it (they dont like to see reections of themselves) a
ring of re
sprinkling oatmeal on ones clothes, or carrying it in ones pocket sprinkling stale urine on doorposts and walls every quarter keeps the faeries out of a building; sprinkling it on cattle prevents the faeries from stealing them a mulberry tree in the garden keeps faeries away from it
In game terms, a faeries Capricious Faerie Nature Psychological Limitation, or other Disadvantages such as its Susceptibilities, accounts for its dislike of these substances and practices. However, despite all these methods, characters in myths and folktales constantly fall victim to faerie tricks and depredations, so the GM may forbid PCs to use any of these methods until they learn of them through in-game experience, or can otherwise restrict them (for example, by minimizing the strength of the Psychological Limitation so its easier for a faerie to make its EGO Roll).
Movement:
Running: 6/12
Cost Powers 5 Fangs: HKA 1 point (d6 with STR) 15 2 Skills +3 HTH WF: Common Melee Weapons
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Movement:
Cost Powers END 10 Sharp Teeth: HKA d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 1 10 Kick/Rear: HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand Attack (-) 1 22 Stuck In The Saddle: Telekinesis (30 STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Only To Force A Rider To Stay In The Saddle (-2) 0 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 8 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -4 0 42 Faerie Consumption: Life Support (Total, except for Diminished Eating) 0 12 Water Horses Legs: Running +6 (12 total) 1 2 Water Horses Legs: Swimming +2 (4 total) 1 5 Water Horses Eyes: Nightvision 0 6 Sharp-Eared And Keen-Nosed: +2 PER with all Sense Groups but Sight Group 0 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills +1 with Sharp Teeth, Kick/Rear Riding 13-; Complementary To Riders Skill Only (-1) Stealth 13-
3 1 3
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 132 Total Cost: 235 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Large (4m; -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: Very Limited Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) 15 Psychological Limitation: Call Of The Sea (see text) (Uncommon, Total) 165 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 235
An each-uisge (ech-OOSH-kya) can change shape into a handsome young man to come ashore and seduce women, but a clever girl can recognize it for what it is because it always has a strand or two of seaweed in its hair. It can also take the form of a boobrie (a large carnivorous faerie water-bird). Glastyn The glastyn (or glashtin) is a Manx form of the aughiskey. It often takes the shape of a dark-haired, handsome man to try to lure female victims to come closer to the sea with it before it transforms back into horse, seizes them, and drags them o. It can be identied on close inspection by the fact that it has tiny horses ears (it arranges its hair to hide them). Like the cabyll-ushtey it has backward hooves. According to some tales the only way to kill a glastyn is with a baodhag (fury of the quiver), a special type of arrow. (In game terms, a glastyn with that power would have Damage Reduction that did not apply against baodhags.) Kelpie This Scottish water-horse is like the each-uisge, except that it lives in streams and rivers instead of the sea or still bodies of fresh water. It can take the form of a shaggy-haired man, in which shape it sometimes leaps up on the saddle behind riders
of ordinary horses to grab and crush them (or just scare them). When it leaps into the water with a victim theres a sound like a thunderclap. Just seeing a kelpie is considered dangerous a portent of death or disaster to come via drowning or ooding. Noggle The noggle (or neugle) is the kelpie of Shetland, though its less harmful when it takes its victim into the water it then turns into a blue ame and dances away, leaving the victim terried but unharmed. It also stops millwheels from turning at night (it can be driven away by thrusting a burning brand or a steel blade through the mills vent-hole). It looks like a beautiful grey Shetland pony with its tail curved up over its back like a half-wheel. Shoopiltee The shoopiltee is another Shetland water-horse. Tangie Native to the Orkney and Shetland islands, the tangie is similar to the aughiskey in most respects. In addition to its normal form (a rough-haired pony) it can take the shape of an old man covered in seaweed. Sometimes a tangie teams up with an outlaw or raider, serving him as a riding-horse so they can commit greater evils together than they could separately.
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Movement:
Cost Powers END 10 Terrifying Wail: +20 PRE; Only To Make Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 0 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 30 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 7 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0 10 Faerie Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 45 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 60 Vanishing: Teleportation 20, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 3 6 2 2 3 Skills Concealment 12AK: local area where she lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 11KS: lore of the family she belongs to 11Stealth 11-
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 248 Total Cost: 286 75+ Disadvantages 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 171 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 286
OTHER BANSHEES The legend of the banshee takes many forms across the British Isles. Some similar faeries include: Bean Nighe The bean nighe (ben NEE-yuh, or Washer Woman) is a Scots Highland version of the banshee. Some say shes the ghost of a woman who died in childbirth. She looks similar to the banshee in most respects, but has only one nostril, a large, protruding front tooth, red webbed feet, and long, pendulous breasts. She wears green clothes. She usually appears by lonely streams, washing the bloodstained clothes of a person whos about to die. If someone sees a bean nighe and can get between her and the water before she can enter the stream, she is compelled to answer three questions (or in some tales, grant three wishes). However, she asks three questions in return, and if theyre not answered truthfully shell attack or withdraw the wishes. Anyone who grabs one of her breasts and suckles it becomes her foster child and earns her favor.
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Movement:
Running: 6/12
Cost Powers END 11 Blood-Drinking: RKA 1 point, NND (defense is not having blood or having protective skin; +1), Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Skin-To-Skin Contact Required (-1) 0 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 7 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 15 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 0 7 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0 10 Faerie Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 20 Raven Form: Multiform (assume 100-point raven form; see The HERO System Bestiary, page 139) 0 3 3 3 5 3 5 3 Skills Concealment 13Conversation 13High Society 13AK: local area where the faerie lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 13Seduction 14Stealth 13-
Origin: Scotland Other Names: Baoban Sith, Bavanshee, Boabhan Sith Pronunciation: BAA-van shee Ecology: An evil faerie akin both to vampires and succubi, the baobhan sith subsists on human blood, preferably taken from a handsome young man. They typically live in the wilds and attack young shepherds and huntsmen out on the moors. Personality/Motivation: Baobhan sith are thoroughly evil and cruel. They prey on humans the way humans prey on wild game. Powers/Tactics: The baobhan sith has the power to leech the blood from a man by touch (she has to be able to touch her skin with his). She prefers to do this with a kiss, but other touches, such as through dancing, work perfectly well. With her beauty she tempts men to dance with her and kiss her... and as he does, she drinks his blood! An observant onlooker may be able to see tiny drops of blood fall to the ground around her, thus revealing her for what she is. A baobhan sith can assume the form of a raven, and often uses this power to escape pursuit, hide, or follow potential prey. Campaign Use: A baobhan sith makes an ideal adversary for a game with a lot of social aspects. Just move the baobhan sith out of the wilderness and into the kings court or, say, a coee shop in an Urban Fantasy setting and let her wreak her havoc. Appearance: The baobhan sith usually resembles a beautiful maiden, and though she has deers hooves for feet hides them beneath her long white or green dress.
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 150 Total Cost: 205 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Malicious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 70 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 205
Movement:
Running: 6/12
Cost Powers END 207 Maddening Sight: Major Transform 8d6 (sane person to person with the Psychological Limitation Utterly, Gibberingly Insane [Very Common, Total]; heals back through application of this spell or a like spell), BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1), Works Against EGO, Not BODY (+), Area Of Eect (4 Radius; +1), Trigger (when barrow-wight chooses to activate, activation takes no time, Trigger immediately automatically resets; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); All Or Nothing (-), Limited Target (sentient humanoids; -), No Range (-), Only Works On Targets Looking At Barrow-Wight (-) 0
3 7
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 432 Total Cost: 501 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Must Guard Barrow (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 25 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from sunlight (Very Common) 341 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 501 Origin: England Ecology: Barrow-wights are evil spirits, ghosts, or faeries that live in or haunt barrows (grave mounds). They have no need to eat or drink, and are almost always solitary (one wight per barrow). Personality/Motivation: A barrow-wights goal is to prevent anyone from disturbing the barrow it lives in particularly the treasure buried within it. If anyone enters the barrow, or worse tries to take the treasure, the enraged barrow-wight attacks with all the power and guile it can muster. Powers/Tactics: When it confronts people breaking into its barrow, a barrow-wight uses its Faerie Powers VPP to ght. It may grow claws and fangs for a physical confrontation, use Images or Mental Illusions to trick the invaders, or lull them to sleep with Ego Attacks. But if it must, it unleashes the full horric force of its appearance, which drives mad anyone within 4 of it who looks at it. (Of course, since this ability to drive men insane could easily aect every PC with one attack, the GM should be wary about using it.) Perhaps the most amazing power the barrowwight possesses is the ability to return from the dead! Adventurers who kill a wight will be sur-
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Movement:
Cost Powers END 18 Lightning Blast: RKA 2d6, +1 STUN Multiplier (+); Extra Time (Full Phase; -), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -) 8 20 Jaws: HKA 1d6+1 (2d6 with STR) 2 12 Claws: HKA 1d6-1 (1d6 with STR) 1 8 Reptilian Skin: Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED) 0 3 Water Faerie Nature: Swimming +3 (5 total) 1 5 Water Faerie Nature: Life Support (Expanded Breathing: can breathe underwater) 0 6 Bestial Senses: +2 to PER Rolls with all Sense Groups 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills +2 HTH AK: local area where beithir lives 11Stealth 12-
10 2 3
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 90 Total Cost: 202 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Reduced Leap, can only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: Very Limited Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) 107 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 202
Movement:
Running: 6/12
Powers END Iron Claws: HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 1 Long Teeth: HKA 1 point (d6 with STR) 1 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 30 base + 15 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (8 points total) 0 Faerie Form: Power Defense (8 points) 0 Faerie Consumption: Life Support (Total, except for Diminished Eating) 0 Skills Concealment 13AK: local area where the faerie lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 13Stealth 12-
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 214 Total Cost: 309 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Malicious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 15 Susceptibility: takes 1d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 15 Susceptibility: takes 1d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 184 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 309
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Movement:
Running: 9/18
Cost Powers END 30 Black Dogs Blast: Multipower, 60-point reserve; all Only Works On Persons Who Strike Or Talk To Black Dog (-1) 2u 1) Wounds: Energy Blast 8d6; Limited Range (3; -), Only Works On Persons Who Strike Or Talk To Black Dog (-1) 4 2u 2) Death: RKA 2d6; Limited Range (3; -), Only Works On Persons Who Strike Or Talk To Black Dog (-1) 4 3u 3) Paralysis: Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF, Takes No Damage From Attacks (+); Limited Range (3; -), Only Works On Persons Who Strike Or Talk To Black Dog (-1) 6 15 Black Dogs Bite: HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 1 5 Terrifying Aspect: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 30 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 3 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (5 points total) 0 5 Faerie Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 6 Swift Runner: Running +3 (9 total) 1 60 Vanishing: Teleportation 20, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 3 5 5 Skills Concealment 12AK: local area where the black dog lives 13Stealth 13-
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green eyes instead, or just a single eye; a few have no heads at all, with their eyes floating in mid-air ahead of their bodies. OTHER BLACK DOGS Stories of the black dog are so pervasive throughout parts of England that variations on the theme have become known. Some similar creatures include: Black Angus Black Angus is a specic black dog with yellow eyes and horns. Hes said to roam the English-Scottish border in search of victims. Black Shuck, Old Shuck In East Anglia, the black dog is known as Black Shuck and usually looks either like a shaggy black donkey with huge, ery red eyes (or a single red eye that emits sparks of green and red re), or like a monk with the head of a hound. Just seeing it can cause sickness and death.
Movement:
Cost Powers END 30 Faerie Power: Endurance Reserve (150 END, 15 REC) 0 150 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 60 base + 30 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 30 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 7 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0 10 Faerie Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 45 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 60 Vanishing: Teleportation 20, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 82 Shapechanging: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, any shape), Imitation, Instant Change, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 3 3 5 3 7 Skills Concealment 12High Society 12AK: local area where it lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 12Stealth 14-
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 505 Total Cost: 556 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Malicious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 421 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 556
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Movement:
Cost Powers END 57 Formlessness Into Form: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Radio, Smell/Taste, and Touch Groups, any form), Imitation, Instant Change 6 400 Formed Powers: Variable Power Pool, 200 base + 100 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed As A Zero-Phase Action (+1), No Skill Roll Required (+1); Linked (to Shape Shift; -), Only For Abilities Of Shape Shifted Forms (-) var 7 Fearsome: +15 PRE; Only For Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 0 2 Tough Form: Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED) 0 60 Hard To Harm: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) plus Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 10 Shifting Form: No Hit Locations 0 5 At Home Underwater: Life Support (Expanded Breathing: breathe underwater) 0 2 Strong Swimmer: Swimming +2 (4 total) 1 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 543 Total Cost: 609 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Malevolent And Wicked (Common, Total) 514 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 609 Origin: Scotland Other Names: Boneless Ecology: Sometimes said to be the child of a fuath (evil water faerie), a brollachan (shapeless thing) typically lives in millstreams or other bodies of water. It kills and eats men for its sustenance, and also thrives on inicting terror. Personality/Motivation: Brollachans are malign and wicked. As members of the Unseelie Court, they care nothing for humans, looking upon them as food, playthings, or the like.
Powers/Tactics: Scottish folklore and legends describe a brollachan as being without form except for having eyes and a mouth; some tales liken it to a fog-cloud or puddle of muck with a few human aspects, such as hands. In a gaming context a brollachan is a shapeless mass of esh that can transform itself into whatever shape it likes. One of a brollachans favorite tricks is to disguise itself to look like one of its victims loved ones and lure him into a lonely spot so that it can feast undisturbed after it kills him. Campaign Use: A brollachan works well in several roles, and can perhaps play several of them in the space of a single scenario. It might start out spying on the PCs, curious about who and what they are... then introduce an element of potential danger by trying to join them in human form, or even worse kill one of them and take his place. Ultimately, when its found out, it can revert to a sort of Lovecraftian horror-form as a thing with countless eyes, tentacles, and mouths that can fight all the PCs at once. Appearance: A brollachan is a formless mass of esh able to change its shape into that of people, animals, or monsters.
Movement:
Cost Powers END 20 Faerie Power: Endurance Reserve (100 END, 10 REC) 0 100 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 40 base + 20 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 4 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (4 PD/4 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 30 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 9 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (12 points total) 0 12 Faerie Form: Power Defense (12 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 45 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 30 Vanishing: Teleportation 10, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 10 3 3 3 5 3 2 7 Skills Hard To Hit: +2 DCV Concealment 13Easily Hidden: +2 to Concealment; Self Only (-) High Society 12AK: local area where the brownie lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 13PS: House And Farm Chores 11Stealth 15-
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Powers/Tactics: Brownies have the usual range of faerie powers, but they use them for the purpose of performing chores. A little extra STR, SPD, or the like can make even the tedious tasks the brownie does go quickly and easily. If confronted with force for some reason, a brownie simply leaves. Campaign Use: While few PCs settle down long enough to attract a brownie of their own, they might visit an inn or home that has one and inadvertently insult it. Then they have to go on an adventure to nd it and convince it to return! Appearance: These friendly, beloved, and helpful household faeries look like small (three foot tall) men with brownish skin, shaggy brown hair, and ragged brown clothes (though some are described as wearing no clothes at all). Their faces are usually at, their eyes large, their nostrils tiny, their skin a bit wrinkled. OTHER BROWNIES Brownie-like faeries are common throughout the British Isles. Some of them include: Bwbachod This Welsh domestic faerie (pronounced BOO-bak-kod), also called a bwbach, is similar to the brownie in most respects, but is much more (good-naturedly) mischievous. It loves to play pranks on the householders. It dislikes teetotallers
Movement:
Running: 6/12
Cost Powers END 20 Bugganes Claws: HKA 1d6+1 (2d6 with STR) 2 5 Terrifying Aspect: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 200 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 80 base + 40 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 6 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (6 PD/6 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 30 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 7 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0 10 Faerie Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 82 Shapechanging: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, any shape), Imitation, Instant Change, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 3 3 5 3 3 Skills Concealment 12High Society 13AK: local area where the buggane lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 12Stealth 13-
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Movement:
Running: 7/14
Cost Powers END 42 Winter Weather Control: Change Environment 4 radius, -10 Temperature Levels, Multiple Combat Eects, Varying Combat Eects, Varying Eect (+1), MegaArea (1 = 1 km broad and wide; +), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); No Range (-), Can Only Alter Existing Weather, Not Create Weather (-), Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2) 0 13 Blight Crops: RKA 1d6, Area Of Eect (16; +1), MegaScale (1 = 10 wide and deep; +); Extra Time (1 Minute; -1), Only Works On Crops And The Like (-1) 4 125 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 50 base + 25 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 8 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 30 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 8 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (12 points total) 0 12 Faerie Form: Power Defense (12 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 2 Long Legs: Running +1 (7 total) 1 48 Rock Form: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, into a rock), Instant Change, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +), Persistent (+) 0 3 5 3 3 Skills High Society 13AK: local area where the cailleach bheur lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 13Stealth 12-
but she also looks after wild cattle and goats, pigs, and wolves. In some places shes also regarded as a guardian of wells and streams. Powers/Tactics: A cailleach bheur is immensely strong; some legends claim various islands were created when she dropped some stones from loads she was carrying in her apron (or basket). If forced to ght she use her sts, and perhaps her sta. According to some stories a cailleach bheurs sta brings death to anyone it touches. If anyone can nd it while shes in her stone form, its said it will give him power over the destiny of all mankind. Campaign Use: The Cailleach Bheur of legend is a singular being who personies winter and is said to live in a cave beneath Ben Nevis. This writeup treats her as a species so the GM can use her repeatedly and in dierent places if desired.
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Movement:
Cost Powers END 50 Faerie Power: Endurance Reserve (250 END, 25 REC) 0 500 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 200 base + 100 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 6 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (6 PD/6 ED) 0 30 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 60 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% 0 15 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (20 points total) 0 20 Faerie Form: Power Defense (20 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 45 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 12 Swift As The Wind: Running +6 (12 total) 1 90 Vanishing: Teleportation 30, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 82 Shapechanging: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, any shape), Imitation, Instant Change, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 3 3 3 5 3 3 3 3 Skills Concealment 14Conversation 16High Society 16AK: local area where the faerie lives 16KS: Legends And Lore 14Persuasion 16Seduction 16Stealth 14-
Movement:
Cost Powers END 125 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 50 base + 25 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 107 Pishogue: Multipower, 107-point reserve 10u 1) Personal Pishogue: Mental Illusions 14d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 11u 2) Group Pishogue: Images to Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, and Touch Groups, -6 to PER Rolls, Increased Size (16; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 8 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 30 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 6 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0 10 Faerie Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 45 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 45 Vanishing: Teleportation 15, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 82 Shapechanging (Any Form): Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, any shape), Imitation, Instant Change, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 3 5 3 3 Skills Concealment 13AK: local area where the duergar lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 13Stealth 13-
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Running: 5/10
Cost Powers END 8 Dwarven Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0 10 Dwarven Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 5 Dwarven Sight: Nightvision 0 2 Dwarven Longevity: Life Support (Longevity: lifespan of up to 400 years) 0 1 Adapted To The Underground: Life Support (Expanded Breathing: Thin Air) 0 -2 Short Legs: Running -1 (5 total)
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 76 Total Cost: 108 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Small (1m; +3 KB) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Psychological Limitation: Grasping And Greedy (Common, Strong) 10 Psychological Limitation: Admire Fine Stone-, Metal-, And Craftwork (Common, Moderate) 10 Vulnerability: 1 x Eect from Sight Group Flashes based on bright light (Common) Total Disadvantage Points: 115 Ecology: Related to the Good Folk, but not truly part of either court, Dwarves resemble short, doughty, bearded men. Possessing a great anity for stone, they dwell deep in the mountains, in vast warrens and halls carved out of the living rock. Though very strong, and powerful warriors at need, they dislike Men and prefer to remain hidden from them as much as possible. Only druids, and occasionally great heroes, have any contact with them most of the time. According to scholars, there are two great clans of Dwarves, the black dwarves and the red dwarves. Hair and beard color distinguish members of the two clans. Other than that, dwarves of either group are the same, though red dwarves do occasionally dwell in forts they build aboveground, and have greater skill at woodworking than their blackbearded brothers. Personality/Motivation: Dwarves are well-known for their greedy, grasping nature they covet gold, silver, gems, and other riches, and obsessively hide and protect those they own. Those who steal from the Dwarves, or fail to keep bargains made with them, earn the Dwarves undying wrath, and will soon taste the keen and unforgiving blade of dwarven vengeance. Because they possess great skill at such crafts themselves, the Dwarves admire ne smithwork and stonework more than almost anything. A
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Cost Powers END 8 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED) 0 7 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 15 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 0 5 Faerie Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0 -12 One Leg Only: Running -6 (0 total) 6 One Powerful Leg: Leaping +6 (12 total) 1 5 1 3 2 Skills AK: local area where the fachan lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 8Stealth 12WF: Common Melee Weapons
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 40 Total Cost: 137 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Brutish And Cruel (Very Common, Strong) 42 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 137 OPTIONS Cost Power 22 Enchanted Flail: HKA 3d6, +2 Increased STUN Multiplier (+) (67 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Minimum (25; -1) Origin: Scotland, Ireland Other Names: Direach, Fochan Ecology: Fachans are solitary faeries who typically live in deserted places dark forests, caves, wastelands, bogs, and the like. They consume primarily meat, and prefer human esh if they can get it. Personality/Motivation: Fachans are monstrous, evil, and cruel, with no redeeming personality features to speak of. Powers/Tactics: Fachans are brutes with little tactical sense. They chase down their enemies (or prey)
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with great leaps and then smash them to death with blows from their weapon. Typically a fachan wields an ordinary club, morningstar, or ail (use the appropriate information from Fantasy Hero), but sometimes its weapon is unusual or magical in nature. One fachan is described as carrying a ail with twenty chains, each chain having fty balls on it, with a venomous spell on each ball. Campaign Use: Despite their odd appearance, fachans are more like a traditional Fantasy gaming monster than many of the faerie-folk. You could even make them non-solitary so bands of them can waylay groups of powerful PCs. Be careful, though between their strength and their weapons they could easily kill many a hero. Appearance: The fachan is a hideous brute of a creature with one leg in the center of its body, one eye in the center of its head, and one arm projecting from the center of its chest. (Some have only one ear as well.) Its ears are pointed, its skin greenish-grey, and theres just one tuft of tough hair on top of its head. It usually wields a club, flail, or other crude weapon. Some fachans bodies are covered with feathers. Its much larger than a normal human, but not large enough to qualify as a true giant.
Cost Powers END 25 Sweeping Blow: Area Of Eect (One Hex; +) for up to 50 STR 2 6 Firbolg Form: Damage Resistance (6 PD/6 ED) 0 10 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -5 0 16 Long Legs: Running +8 (14 total) 0 6 Giantish Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0 4 Reach: Stretching 1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Always Direct (-), No Noncombat Stretching (-), No Velocity Damage (-) 0 2 2 4 2 Skills AK: local area where the rbolg lives 11KS: Legends And Lore 11Survival (Mountains, Underground) 12WF: Common Melee Weapons
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 77 Total Cost: 256 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Reduced Leap, can only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Large (4m; -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Malicious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 131 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 256 OPTIONS Cost Power 125 Firbolg Magical Powers: Variable Power Pool, 50 base + 25 control cost, Cosmic (+2) +17 Firbolg Wizard: Increase INT and EGO to 20
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toppled from power, an ancestral enemy of a PC race, or the like there are many ways to preserve the idea of a fallen or defeated race lurking in the shadows and wild places, eager for a chance to strike back, or perhaps even return to power.... Appearance: A rbolg is a grotesque, ugly giant.
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Cost Powers END 40 Faerie Power: Endurance Reserve (200 END, 20 REC) 0 200 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 80 base + 40 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 107 Pishogue: Multipower, 107-point reserve 10u 1) Personal Pishogue: Mental Illusions 14d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 11u 2) Group Pishogue: Images to Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, and Touch Groups, -6 to PER Rolls, Increased Size (16; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +)
3 3 5 3 9 3
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 629 Total Cost: 717 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Small (1m; +3 KB) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Capricious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 577 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 717 Origin: Ireland Other Names: First word Fear or Far, last word Darig, Dearc, Dearg, Dearig, Dhearga Pronunciation: feer derg, feer ya-RA-ga Ecology: Despite the fact that they possess the typical faerie resilience, some r darrigs like to warm themselves beside human houseres. When the mood takes them, they knock on the door and ask to be allowed to come in. Its a wise resident who agrees, for it so the r darrig will sit quietly near the re until hes ready to go, and may even bring some luck to the inhabitants (Major Transform to grant them Luck for a while). If they refuse, hell curse everyone in the house with bad luck (Major Transform to impose Unluck on them). When not visiting human homes, r darrigs tend to live in swamps, bogs, cemeteries, along coastlines, or in ruins (especially ones in the aforementioned areas). Some tales claim they like to eat carrion, particularly sh and if so, they may not have qualms about arranging for a supply of manesh with their tricks.
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Cost 10 15 20 8 6 5 12 2 4
Powers END Claws: HKA d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 1 Fangs: HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 1 Sweeping Blow: Area Of Eect (One Hex; +) for up to 40 STR 2 Fomorian Form: Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED) 0 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -3 0 Sea Giant Nature: Life Support (Expanded Breathing: breathe underwater) 0 Long Legs: Running +6 (12 total) 0 Sea Giant Nature: Swimming +2 (4 total) 1 Reach: Stretching 1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Always Direct (-), No Noncombat Stretching (-), No Velocity Damage (-) 0 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills AK: local area where the fomorian lives 11KS: Legends And Lore 11Survival (Marine) 11WF: Common Melee Weapons
2 2 2 2
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 93 Total Cost: 259 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Reduced Leap, can only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Large (4m; -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Psychological Limitation: Malicious And Cruel (Common, Strong) 159 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 259
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Cost Powers END 22 Sweeping Blow: Area Of Eect (One Hex; +) for up to 45 STR 2 4 Resilience: Damage Resistance (4 PD/4 ED) 0 30 Giantish Form: Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 0 6 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -3 0 12 Long Legs: Running +6 (12 total) 0 3 Giantish Senses: +1 PER with all Sense Groups 0 4 Reach: Stretching 1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Always Direct (-), No Noncombat Stretching (-), No Velocity Damage (-) 0 10 2 4 Skills +2 HTH Survival (choose environment) 11WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 97 Total Cost: 248 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Reduced Leap, can only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Large (4m; -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 163 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 248 OPTIONS Cost Power 75 Giantish Wizardry: Variable Power Pool, 30 base + 15 control cost, Cosmic (+2) +7 Clever Giant: Increase INT to 18 and COM to 12 Ecology: Tualan giants usually live in the hills, mountains, or forests. They often nd a spacious cave and make that their lair. Giants with magical powers may live in magic castles that they hide from mortal eyes with their spells.
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Cost Powers END 40 Faerie Power: Endurance Reserve (200 END, 20 REC) 0 200 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 80 base + 40 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 30 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 60 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% 0 11 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (15 points total) 0 15 Faerie Form: Power Defense (15 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 40 Vanishing: Teleportation 20, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Only Between/ Within Bodies Of Water (-) 0 4 Water Faerie Nature: Swimming +4 (6 total) 1 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills Concealment 13High Society 13AK: lake, pond, or loch where the gwragedd annwn lives 15KS: Legends And Lore 13Seduction 13Stealth 13-
3 3 5 3 3 3
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Cost Powers END 15 Sweeping Blow: Area Of Eect (One Hex; +) for up to 30 STR 2 6 Giantish Form: Damage Resistance (6 PD/6 ED) 0 6 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -3 0 12 Long Legs: Running +6 (12 total) 0 4 Reach: Stretching 1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Always Direct (-), No Noncombat Stretching (-), No Velocity Damage (-) 0 2 1 2 Skills AK: local area where the Jack-In-Irons lives 11KS: Legends And Lore 8WF: Common Melee Weapons Origin: England Ecology: A Jack-In-Irons is a solitary creature who lives in wild areas near roads, possibly in a cave or similar shelter if ones available. It attempts to waylay travelers along the road, sometimes just for the fun of frightening them, at other times to catch them to eat. Personality/Motivation: A Jack-In-Irons is cruel and monstrous. It has no kind or merciful thoughts toward other beings, the way some wise giants do; it only enjoys causing misery, pain, and destruction. Powers/Tactics: A Jack-In-Irons is brutish in many ways, including its combat style. It ghts using its sheer strength and hardiness, without any particular thought for tactics or the like. However, it is cunning enough to be skilled at planning ambushes along the roadside but it has to move into position in advance, since the chains draping its body make it impossible for it to move quietly. Campaign Use: In folklore, Jack-In-Irons seems to be a unique Yorkshire monster. This writeup assumes hes a race of creatures that could appear in any appropriate locale, but the GM can convert him back to a singular being haunting a specic location if preferred. Appearance: Jack-In-Irons is a hideous giant wearing furs and wielding a club. Clanking chains wrap around his body.
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 48 Total Cost: 165 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Reduced Leap, can only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Large (4m; -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Cannot Be Stealthy (always makes noise when he moves) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Psychological Limitation: Wicked And Cruel (Common, Strong) 60 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 165
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Cost Powers END 5 Fangs: HKA 1 point (d6 with STR) 1 2 Hideous Strength: +5 STR; Only With Grab (-1) 1 4 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (4 PD/4 ED) 0 3 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (5 points total) 0 5 Faerie Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0 42 Faerie Consumption: Life Support (Total, except for Diminished Eating) 0 4 Fuath Nature: Swimming +4 (6 total) 1 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills Fuaths Lunge: +2 OCV with Grab; Only When Lunging Out Of The Water To Attack Someone On The Riverbank (-0) Concealment 12AK: river where the Jenny Greenteeth lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 11Stealth 14-
4 3 5 2 7
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 89 Total Cost: 127 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Wants To Kill And Eat People, Especially Children (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 12 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 127
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Running: 6/12
Cost Powers END 5 Life Force Leeching: Drain BODY 1 point, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Month; +2), Invisible Power Eects (fully invisible; +1); Extra Time (1 Minute; -1) 2 17 Inspire Creativity: Aid INT and PRE 2d6, two Characteristics simultaneously (+), Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1); Extra Time (1 Minute; -1), Others Only (-) 2 1 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (1 PD/1 ED) 0 2 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (5 points total) 0 5 Faerie Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0 42 Faerie Consumption: Life Support (Total, except for Diminished Eating) 0 30 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Does Not Work Against Her Intended Victim (-) 0 3 3 3 5 3 3 5 5 Skills Concealment 12Conversation 13High Society 13AK: local area where the leanan-sidhe lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 12Persuasion 13Seduction 14Stealth 12-
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 132 Total Cost: 180 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Predatory Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 45 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 180
Movement:
Cost Powers END 40 Faerie Power: Endurance Reserve (200 END, 20 REC) 0 250 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 100 base + 50 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 15 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 555 Total Cost: 634 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Small (1m; +3 KB) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 10 Physical Limitation: cannot escape a captor who keeps his eye on him (see text) (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Capricious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 484 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 634 OPTIONS Cost Power -1 Ugly Leprechaun: Reduce COM to 7 Origin: Ireland Other Names: Leipreachn, Lepracaun, Lubrican, Luchorpin, Lugh-Chromain, Lracn, Luchragn, Luricane, many others Pronunciation: LEP-ruh-kawn Ecology: Leprechauns are solitary faeries. They typically live under the roots of trees, in abandoned castles, and the like. They love whiskey and beer; a leprechaun often has a jug to hand. Personality/Motivation: Leprechauns possess the usual faerie capriciousness. Sometimes theyre helpful if approached correctly, but more often they play pranks or do their best to avoid mortals. Powers/Tactics: Leprechauns possess powerful faerie magic, though they typically use it only if forced to (see below). Theyre known for their skill
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Cost Powers END 5 Jaws: HKA 1 point (d6 with STR) 1 5 Terrifying Shriek: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 0 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 3 Water-Leaper Form: Swimming +3 (5 total) 1 2 Water-Leaper Lunge: Leaping +2 (5 forward, 3 upward) 1 4 Water-Leaper Wings: Flight 3; Restrainable (-) 1 -10 Water-Leaper Form: Running -5 (1 total) 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills +3 OCV with Grab Hard To Hit: +2 DCV Concealment 11Easily Hidden: +2 to Concealment; Self Only (-) AK: body(ies) of water where the llamhigyn y dwr lives 14Stealth 14-
6 10 3 3 5 7
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 51 Total Cost: 96 75+ Disadvantages 15 Physical Limitation: Very Limited Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Small (1m; +3 KB) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Hates Mortals, Especially Fishermen (Very Common, Strong) Total Disadvantage Points: 115
Movement:
Origin: Wales Other Names: Water-Leaper Pronunciation: thlam-HEE-gin er doorr (with the oo pronounced as in book, not boot) Ecology: Water-leapers are solitary creatures who live in lakes, rivers, and other bodies of fresh water. Theyre carnivorous, preferring the esh of men (whom they drag into the water, drown, and devour) or sheep (whom they trick into coming close to the waters edge and then grab, or wait until an unwary sheep falls into the water). Personality/Motivation: Although in some ways a typical predator, a llamhigyn y dwr seems to be motivated by malice as much as hunger. It particularly dislikes shermen, and often breaks their lines even when it isnt hunting them specically. Powers/Tactics: A llamhigyn y dwr usually attacks from ambush. If it can it grabs a shermans line and drags him under with it; otherwise it utters a terrifying shriek that startles and temporarily immobilizes its prey so it can grab him and drag him under. Campaign Use: If a single llamhigyn y dwr isnt enough of a challenge for your heroes, make them pack animals (at least temporarily) instead of solitary predators. While one might not pose a threat to a well-armed group of PCs, ve or six of them will... especially if they attack while the PCs are in a boat far from shore. Appearance: The water-leaper looks like an enormous frog with a serpentine tail instead of back legs and two wings sprouting from its back.
Cost Powers END 75 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 30 base + 15 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 3 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (3 PD/3 ED) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 5 Water Faerie Nature: Swimming +5 (7 total) 1 -12 Fish-Like Tail: Running -6 (0 total) 5 Aquatic Eyes: Nightvision 0 5 Aquatic Eyes: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 0 43 Shapechanging (Limited Forms): Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/ Taste Groups, four predened shapes [self with two ordinary legs, a small hornless cow, and two others chosen by GM]), Instant Change, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills Concealment 11High Society 12AK: local seas where she lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 12Seduction 12Stealth 13Survival (Underwater) 11-
3 3 5 3 3 3 2
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 199 Total Cost: 235 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: cant return to the water if red hat is taken (see text) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Capricious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 135 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 235
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Total Characteristics Cost: 101 (+10 with NCM) Running: 12/24 6/12 Swimming:
Cost Powers END 75 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 30 base + 15 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 7 Powerful Fighter: HA +2d6; Hand-ToHand Attack (-) 1 70 Blight And Sicken: Drain 2d6, any one Characteristic (DEX, CON, or BODY) one at a time (+), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Week; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 5 Terrifying Aspect: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 47 Disgusting Stench: Change Environment 2 radius (stench), -4 to CON Rolls (see text), -6 to Smell/Taste Group PER Rolls, Multiple Combat Eects, Personal Immunity (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +), Persistent (+); Always On (-), No Range (-) 0 30 Disgusting Stench: Add to Change Environment -2 OCV, -2 to DEX-based Rolls, -2 to INT-based Rolls, and -2 to PRE-based Rolls, Personal Immunity (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +), Persistent (+); Always On (-), No Range (-) Only Applies If Victim Fails CON Roll (see text; -) 0 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 3 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (5 points total) 0 5 Faerie Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0 42 Faerie Consumption: Life Support (Total, except for Diminished Eating) 0 12 Horses Legs: Running +6 (12 total) 1 4 Water Faerie Nature: Swimming +4 (6 total) 1 4 Reach: Stretching 1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Always Direct (-), No Non-combat Stretching (-), No Velocity Damage (-) 0 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water)
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Total Powers & Skills Cost: 318 Total Cost: 419 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Large (4m; -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Evil, Cruel, And Destructive (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 35 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Segment from fresh water (Very Common) 264 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 419 Origin: Scotland Pronunciation: nuk-uh-LAY-vee Ecology: Nuckelavees live in sea, though they frequently come onto land to commit mayhem and murder. Despite their aquatic nature they cannot stand fresh water (its touch burns them), will not cross running streams and rivers, and never come ashore when its raining. They eat esh, preferably that of humans if they can get it. Personality/Motivation: Nuckelavees are among the most evil and destructive of faerie-folk. They often come onto land for the express purpose of killing people and cattle, destroying things, terrifying people, and spreading disease. Powers/Tactics: Nuckelavees rarely have to ght their appearance is so horrendous that most people ee from them in terror but if they do they use their strength to deal out powerful blows. Nuckelavees emit an odor so awful that it often weakens their foes. Anyone who comes within 2 of a nuckelavee must make a CON Roll at -4. If he fails, he suers a -2 penalty to CV and all Skill Rolls because of gagging and retching. He may make another roll each Phase; the -2 penalty remains in eect until he succeeds. The GM may lower the CON Roll penalty over time (-3 the second roll, -2 on the fourth roll, -1 on the eighth roll, and so on) to reect how the character becomes used to the odor. Additionally, the smell makes it dicult to perceive other smells (on the other hand, it also reduces the nuckelavees ability to use Stealth). Campaign Use: Nuckelavees are powerful monsters to ght and kill. Theres no trickery to them as with so many faerie-folk, just a deadly foe to oppose with all the strength the heroes can muster. Appearance: A nuckelavee looks like a man riding a horse, but its all one creature. It has no skin; the exposed esh and muscles are apparent on the surface of its body, and black blood runs through yellowish arteries and veins. The horse-legs sometimes have ns instead of hooves, and its arms are sometimes said to reach the ground. The human head may be unusually large, and always has a large mouth. Sometimes a nuckelavees human head has only one eye, and all of the monsters eyes are ery red. It emits a horrible stench.
Movement:
Cost Powers END 40 Faerie Power: Endurance Reserve (200 END, 20 REC) 0 250 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 100 base + 50 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 107 Pishogue: Multipower, 107-point reserve 10u 1) Personal Pishogue: Mental Illusions 14d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 11u 2) Group Pishogue: Images to Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, and Touch Groups, -6 to PER Rolls, Increased Size (16; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 30 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 60 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% 0 11 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (15 points total) 0 15 Faerie Form: Power Defense (15 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 45 Faerie Concealment: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 6 Fast: Running +3 (9 total) 1 60 Vanishing: Teleportation 20, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 82 Shapechanging (Any Form): Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, any shape), Imitation, Instant Change, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 3 3 5 3 3 3 3 3 Skills Concealment 13High Society 13AK: local area where the phouka lives 15KS: Horses 13KS: Legends And Lore 13Riding 13Stealth 13Trading 13-
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Running: 6/12
Cost Powers END 50 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 20 base + 10 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 10 Claws: HKA d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 1 5 Fangs: HKA 1 point (d6 with STR) 1 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 3 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (5 points total) 0 5 Faerie Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0 30 Redcap Vanishing: Teleportation 30, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Only When Confronted With Religious Symbols (see text; -2) 0 10 3 5 1 5 2 Skills +2 HTH Concealment 11AK: local area where the redcap lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 8Stealth 13WF: Common Melee Weapons
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 134 Total Cost: 209 75+ Disadvantages 20 Psychological Limitation: Predacious And Cruel (Very Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Fears And Hates Religious Symbols And Readings (Common, Strong) 99 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 209
Movement:
Cost Powers END 75 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 30 base + 15 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 2 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED) 0 3 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (5 points total) 0 5 Faerie Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0 8 Water Faerie Nature: Life Support (Expanded Breathing: breathe underwater; Safe Environment: Intense Cold, High Pressure 4 Water Faerie Nature: Swimming +4 (6 total) 1 12 Seal Form: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); OAF (enchanted sealskin, cant be taken away from character once he changes form; -), Extra Time (requires an Extra Phase to don or remove skin; -) 0 3 Talents Environmental Movement: Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water) Skills High Society 12AK: local seas where the selkie lives 14KS: Legends And Lore 11Seduction 12Stealth 12-
3 5 2 3 3
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Movement:
Cost Powers END 8 Gigantic Size: Growth (spriggan goes from 1m tall to 4m tall +15 STR, +3 BODY, +3 STUN, -3 KB, 800 kg, -2 DCV, +2 PER Rolls to perceive character); Lockout (prevents use of DCV Levels and other abilities based on normal short stature; -), Side Eects (reduces Stealth roll to 12- and eliminates bonus to Concealment roll; -) 3 8 Gigantic Legs: +6 Running (9 total); Linked (to Growth; -) 1 150 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 60 base + 30 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 7 Faerie Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%; Does Not Work Against Iron Attacks (-1) 0 15 Faerie Form: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 0 7 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0 10 Faerie Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total, including Longevity: Immortality) 0 60 Vanishing: Teleportation 20, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0 -6 Short Legs: Running -3 (3 total) 1 28 Stone Form: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, into a stone), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0
10 3 3 1 5 2 3 7
Skills Hard To Hit: +2 DCV Concealment 12Easily Hidden: +2 to Concealment; Self Only (-), Does Not Apply When Using Growth (-0) High Society 8AK: local area where the spriggan lives 14KS: Hidden Treasures 11KS: Legends And Lore 12Stealth 14-
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 376 Total Cost: 453 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Small (1m; +3 KB) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Capricious Faerie Nature (Very Common, Strong) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from iron (Common) 20 Susceptibility: takes 2d6 per Turn from salt (Common) 313 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 453
Movement: Cost 15 6 6 6 5 6 4
Running: 9/18
Powers END Claws: HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 1 Trolls Hide: Armor (2 PD/2 ED) 0 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -3 0 Trolls Legs: Running +3 (9 total) 1 Trolls Eyes: Nightvision 0 Trolls Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0 Reach: Stretching 1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Always Direct (-), No Noncombat Stretching (-), No Velocity Damage (-) 0 Skills Survival (Mountains) 11WF: Common Melee Weapons
2 2
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 52 Total Cost: 171 75+ Disadvantages 5 Physical Limitation: Large (-2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 91 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 171 OPTIONS Cost Option 10 Fangs: HKA d6 (1d6+1 with STR) Many-Headed Troll: Add the following (total cost 21 points): 6 Multiple Heads: +2 PER with all Sense Groups 10 More Eyes Better: Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) for Sight Group 5 Extra Heads: Extra Limbs (heads), Inherent (+); Limited Manipulation (-) 25 Troll Magic: 25 points worth of magic Perks, spells, and abilities -40 Susceptibility: to direct sunlight, takes Major Transform 3d6 (troll to stone) per Segment of exposure (Very Common)
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Cave-Trolls Cave-trolls dwell even deeper in the mountains than ordinary trolls often inside caves, sometimes in vast palaces they build themselves. Cave or palace, most troll-lairs have lavish appointments, for cave-trolls are the most powerful and wealthy of their kind. Some have hoards rivalling those of dragons, perhaps including gold and gems from before the arrival of the Tualans. As ugly as they are to the eyes of Men, cave-trolls sometimes have daughters the size and shape of human women, as beautiful as the finest Tualan lass. Many a hero has dared the wrath and magics of a powerful cave-troll not to thieve from his hoard, but to spirit his daughter away and wed her. Conversely, trolls sometimes kidnap maidens for use as food or servants; they particularly enjoy having womens soft hands scratching their shaggy heads. Cave-trolls cannot withstand the light of the sun. If the suns rays ever touch their bodies, they turn to solid stone, never to move again! Thus, they only come out during the night, spending the daytime hidden within their homes. A clever hero who chances to meets a cave-troll outside at night may be able to attract and hold the trolls attention with tales and jokes... and thus trick it into staying outside too long, until dawn catches and kills it. Forest Trolls Some trolls live deep within the forests of Tuala Morn, in caves, or perhaps in steadings or
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Cost Powers END 20 The Huntsmans Spear: HKA 2d6 (3d6 with STR); OIF (-) 3 125 Faerie Powers: Variable Power Pool, 50 base + 25 control cost, Cosmic (+2) var 110 Fear Powers: Multipower, 110-point reserve 5u 1) Evoke Fear: Mind Control 14d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Only To Control/Inict Fear (-1) 0 5u 2) Images Of Fear: Mental Illusions 14d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Only To Confront Target With Things He Fears (-1) 0 11u 3) Susceptibility To Fear: Drain PRE 4d6, Area Of Eect (7 Radius; +1), Ranged (+), Personal Immunity (+) 11 5 Faerie Form: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) 0 60 Faerie Form: Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 10 Faerie Mind: Mental Defense (16 points total) 0 10 Faerie Form: Power Defense (10 points) 0 50 Faerie Nature: Life Support (Total; includes Longevity: Immortality) 0 18 Faerie Swiftness: Running +9 (15 total) 2 30 Faerie Swiftness: Flight 15 3 30 Vanishing: Teleportation 15 3 22 Terrorsense: Detect Persons Fears 15(no Sense Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Range, Sense 0 3 3 Skills Power: Fear Powers 15Stealth 15-
OTHER ADVERSARIES
Val 13 13 13 10 10 10 13 8 5 4 3 6 26 24 Char STR DEX CON BODY INT EGO PRE COM PD ED SPD REC END STUN Cost 3 9 6 0 0 0 3 -1 2 1 7 0 0 0 CATARAN Roll Notes 12- Lift 150 kg; 2d6 [2] 12- OCV: 4/DCV: 4 121111- PER Roll 1111- ECV: 3 12- PRE Attack: 2d6 11Total: 5 PD (0 rPD) Total: 5 ED (0 rED) Phases: 4, 8, 12 Total Characteristics Cost: 30 END Description: As discussed on page 121, a cataran is a Tualan bandit. This character sheet represents a typical cataran that the PCs might encounter one whose Skills have been chosen with an eye toward combat and opposing adventurers. EXAMPLE: MORRIN FIRETRESS Morrin Firetress, a daughter of Clan MacCraylin of Duvrach, grew up wild and free, proving her ghting talent early by brawling with her brothers and cousins. Her family often said, and with good reason, that she had a temper as ery as her hair; no one, it seemed, could make her do something she was dead set against doing. Thus, when her father decided it was time for her to become a lady and prepare for marriage to the son of Clan Inverness (to whom the MacCraylins owed fealty), she ran away from home rather than submit to his hated orders. Before long she was captured by catarans commanded by the feared outlaw Anshlaes MacReerdon. Things might have gone badly for her then, had she not killed two bandits and badly injured a third when they attacked her. Anshlaes, no fool he, chose to make her a member of his band rather than simply use her and toss her aside. Morrin became a cataran herself, learning much about both ghting and living in the wild. When he was killed in an ambush laid by Glenverna men, she took over control of the outlaw band. But Morrin is not as cold-hearted and greedy as most of her kind. For example, once she saw a group of trolls attacking the tashacs of three clans. With no thought for her own safety, she threw herself into the battle, killing two trolls and wounding several others, thus giving the chieftains men time to regroup and nish their attackers o. On several other occasions shes helped people in need with nothing to gain for herself... though at heart she remains a bandit and a leader of bandits.
Shots 12 12 STR Min 1 RC Notes
Movement:
Running: 6/12
Climbing 12Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 12Mimicry 11-; Animal Sounds Only (-) Riding 12Stealth 12Survival (Temperate or Mountains) 11Tracking 8WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 28 Total Cost: 58 75+ Disadvantages 20 Hunted: local lord or the like 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill) 15 Social Limitation: Outlaw (Frequently, Major) Total Disadvantage Points: 110
EQUIPMENT Weapon Longsword Spear OCV +0 +0 RMod +0 Dam 1d6+1 1d6 STUN 1d6-1 1d6-1
Armor Leather armor (DEF 2-4) Gear: Flint and steel, bedroll, possibly a tent, possibly a horse Clothing: Typical peasants or hunters garb, usually patched and worn through hard use and poor maintenance Clothing: See Appearance
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Movement:
Running: 6/12
Cost Skills END 10 +2 HTH 6 Riding Skill Levels: +2 OCV versus Mounted Combat penalties with all attacks 3 3 2 2 7 3 3 Climbing 12High Society 12KS: Knights 11PS: Knight 11Riding 14Stealth 12WF: Common Melee Weapons, Lance
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 39 Total Cost: 90 75+ Disadvantages 15 Psychological Limitation: Code Of Chivalry (Common, Strong) 5 Rivalry (with another knight) Total Disadvantage Points: 95
EQUIPMENT Weapon Longsword Battleaxe Lance OCV +0 +0 +0 RMod Dam 1d6+1 2d6 1d6 STUN 1d6-1 1d6-1 1d6-1
Armor Plate armor (DEF 8) Shield (+2 DCV) Gear: Medium warhorse and tack, tent and bedroll, pennant bearing his symbol Clothing: Tabard, armoring garb, court clothes
Movement:
Running: 6/12
Climbing 12Combat Driving (Charioteering) 12Concealment 11AK: home territory 11Riding 12Security Systems 11Stealth 12Survival (choose one category) Tracking 8WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons, Sling
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 43 Total Cost: 86 75+ Disadvantages 10 Social Limitation: Pictoi (Occasionally, Severe; Not Limiting In Pictoi Culture) 1 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 86 OPTIONS Cost Power +19 Pictoi Chieftain: Increase PRE to 15 and SPD to 4, and add a 4-point Social Rank Perk +100 Pictoi Shaman: Reduce STR and BODY to 10; increase INT and EGO to 15; add Oratory, Paramedics (Healing), Persuasion, and Trading; add Perk: Religious Rank (4 points); and add Magic Perks (SamhainEQUIPMENT Weapon Longsword Spear Sling Bow, Medium
OCV +0 +0 +0 +0
RMod +0 -1 +0
Shots 1 8 9
STR Min 12 12 10 10
Armor Heavy Animal Hides (DEF 3) Medium Shield (DCV +2) Gear: Flint and iron, trap-making materials Clothing: Furs, stolen clothing
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ness. Having experienced thorough defeat at the hands of the Tualans in pitched battles, they now fight from the shadows, attacking lone travelers or small groups from surprise and then melting away into the dark forests and glens if their victims mount a counterattack. The Pictoi have a strange type of magic, similar to witchcraft but with some druid-like powers as well. They worship their totems and various naturespirits, propitiating them with sacrices to keep the tribe safe and ensure victory in battle. Their shamans usually have skill with plant-lore, the brewing of poisons, and stealthy attacks, making them dangerous assassins if crossed. Pictoi shamans use the Witch spell rank for their Draichta spells. The Pictoi are even less likely than the Barbathans to mingle with normal Tualan society. In fact, a Pictoi walking the streets of a Tualan village or town would cause a nine-days wonder at best, and more than likely bring forth some local warrior to slay him. Appearance: Even more primitive than the Barbathans, the Pictoi are so little like the Tualans that many Tualans wonder if they are Men at all. Theyre dusky-skinned and dark-haired where the Tualans have fair skin and hair, short and squat where the Tualans are tall and slender. They have almost no clothmaking skills, relying entirely on furs, animal skins, and stolen garb to cover their bodies. They carry bows and int-tipped arrows, clubs, and weapons stolen from their foes.
Movement:
Running: 6/12
Climbing 12KS: Vulkring History And Lore 11KS: Whos Who In Vulkring Society 11Navigation (Marine) 11PS: Sailing 11Riding 12Survival (Temperate) 11Stealth 12Tracking 8WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 39 Total Cost: 90 75+ Disadvantages 15 Psychological Limitation: Thinks Of Other Peoples As Weak And Suitable Targets For Raiding (Common, Strong) 0 Social Limitation: Doesnt Fit Into Civilized Societies (Occasionally, Minor; Not Limiting In Some Cultures) Total Disadvantage Points: 90 Description: This character sheet represents a typical Vulkring raider.
EQUIPMENT Weapon Longsword Battleaxe OCV +0 +0 RMod Dam 1d6+1 2d6 STUN 1d6-1 1d6-1
Armor Leather armor (DEF 2) Shield (+2 DCV) Gear: Flint and tinder, whetstone Clothing: Wool tunic and leggings, waterproof cape, leather boots
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-6 18 18 12 12 9 3 3 3 3 1 2 1 2 3 Powers Old And Slow: Running -3 Perks Magic: Magic: Magic: Magic: Samhain-Draichta 18 Imbolc-Draichta 18 Beltane-Draichta 12 Lugnasa-Draichta 12
Skills +3 with Spells Concealment 12Deduction 12Inventor (Spell Research) 12KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 12KS: Faerie Lore 8KS: Legends And Lore 11Literacy PS: Witch 11Stealth 11-
Movement:
Running: 3/6
Cost Spells Samhain-Draichta 1 Agony 1 Blight 1 Blood Sacrice 1 Curse Of Ugliness 1 Fear 1 Invoking The Host 1 Sending 1 Serpent Guardian 1 Sickness 1 Stormcrow Sending 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Imbolc-Draichta Co Druidechta Diminished Might Farspeaking The Three Knots Tuaithe Beltane-Draichta Beautify Bewitchment Love-Draught Scrying Lugnasa-Draichta Flaring Fire Kindle May Fortune Guide Your Footsteps Quench Fire Solas Sidhe Witchlight
EQUIPMENT Weapon Knife Armor None OCV +0 RMod +0 Dam d6
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 109 Total Cost: 130 75+ Disadvantages 5 Age: 40+ 15 Psychological Limitation: Wicked (Common, Strong) 35 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 130 OPTIONS Cost Power +8 Beautiful Young Witch: Increase COM to 12 and remove Age Disadvantage Description: This character sheet represents the typical witch a group of PCs might encounter an evil, hideous old crone. Witches often group themselves into covens of thirteen people twelve members and a leader. Covens with less than the full complement of thirteen often work hard to ll out the roster, searching high and low for potential members and wooing them with promises of wealth and power. Almost all witches are women. Men who study witchcraft are known as warlocks; most Tualans despise and fear them. Neither witches nor warlocks receive the social benets other spellcasters do; the law regards them as ordinary persons of their birth-rank.
Shots 1
STR Min 4
Gear: Cauldron, various ingredients to be put in cauldron, gnarled old walking-stick Clothing: Peasants clothes or robes
chapter seven:
LANDS AFAR
ew Tualans travel beyond their native shores, and so far few outsiders have chosen to visit the Ten Kingdoms. Every year a handful of trading-ships visits some of the major coastal cities, like Dun Brec in Seanclough, Rath Torvan in Dratha, and Rath Fintaire in Mar Cormac. Most of them are from Logres, the land immediately to the east, but a few come from farther afield the glittering courts of Acquitaine, the hill-steadings of the Kelmark, the wind-swept plains of Hrusland. And of course with each passing year, raids by the terrible Vulkrings become more and more frequent....
LOGRES,
THE LAND OF NINE DRAGONS
East of Tuala Morn lies the kingdom of Logres. Known as the Land of Nine Dragons for its nine powerful former kingdoms, its a realm thats been in the grip of an uneasy peace for the past twenty-five years under the rule of King Baldagor the Conqueror. THE LAND Logres is a land much like Tuala Morn in most respects. Its fields are green, its mountains low, its hills frequent, its forests dark, its rivers and lakes many. The main difference a clever man would notice is that some feeling of the special, the wondrous, has gone from the land. While there remains much that is sacred and mystical in Logres, the advances of the Golden Temple here (see below) have weakened peoples bond with the land and its spirits. In more than one place old stone-rings and sacred sites have been left to the weeds, and druids must practice their faith in secret at night, in distant woodland groves. In others the old ways hold on more strongly, but somehow the land itself seems able to sense that they are passing, slowly but steadily. The faerie-folk seem to feel this too, for fewer of them are seen with each passing year, and those who make their presence felt most often seem to be the darker faeries of the Unseelie Court, and their kin boggarts, fachans, trolls, and more. The dragons, once so common that they gave the land its name, have been harried so well by Baldagors knights that the ones who survive are either the most powerful and dangerous of their kind, or adept at hiding in wild places.
But let no one think that the magic has gone from Logres entirely, for it has not. Still the lakemaidens dwell within the waters and streams, still wizards and druids practice their strange craft, and still a peasant woman may awaken to find that the faeries have left a changeling in place of her beautiful baby. The great stone circle at Imbolcar, larger even than Faine Clairoch, remains the most sacred site in all the land. But if the Golden Temple has its way, perhaps all that will one day come to an end. The Scaithe The far northern peninsula of Logres is the Scaithe, a rocky, mountainous land of short summers and harsh winters. For centuries it was the home of barbarian peoples, known simply as the Scaithans, who raided into the lowlands as the mood took them and harried the lands of northern Logres unmercifully. But two hundred years before King Baldagors reign the great King Lofword united the other kings under his leadership and conquered the Scaithe, imposing harsh laws and burdens of tribute on its clan chieftains. Since then military service in the Scaithe has become a popular occupation for the lesser sons of noblemen seeking a way to put their military training to use. The Scaithans, while bitterly resentful of Logren rule (and willing to strike back at it whenever they get the chance), have slowly but surely adjusted to the situation in many respects, even adopting some features of Logren politics and culture. The druidic faith remains much stronger in the Scaithe than in Logres proper. What few temples the Golden priests have built there tend to be isolated, monastery-like things, as much fortresses as places of worship. But they are patient men, and slowly but surely their preaching wins them converts, and thus does the magic of druid and faerie make way for their own more harsh and sterile lore. The Scaithan capital is Stenmoth, a city built with Logren help and largely according to Logren ideas at the mouth of the Stenmoile River, where theres a ne harbor. Farmers and herdsmen from all over the Scaithe travel there periodically to sell furs, wool, and other goods in its bustling, noisy marketplace. The Scaithans speak Logren, but in a distinct dialect that many Logrens nd almost unintelligible. Their accents are obvious to all, and often considered melodic. Scaithan bards have ne, rich singing voices, and prefer the harp and bagpipe as their instruments.
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THE KELMARK
East of Logres and the Scaithe, across the choppy, serpent-haunted waters of the Murtath, lies the Kelmark. A vast nger of land pointing north, its the home of a proud people who once ruled much of the Northlands. According to the Chronicles of the Kellings by the wizard Viselin, a copy or two of which have made their way to Tuala Morn and the libraries of Tualan mages, centuries ago the Kelmark included most of northern and western Turonia and western and southern Vulkringland. Tribute poured into the coers of the king, who claimed descent from the hero Kelling, son of the sky-god Durron. But in time, so the Chronicles say, the kings of the Kelmark grew soft and lazy. One by one their conquests were taken from them by the erce Vulkring and Turonian warriors, and even their own vassals at times rebelled against them. Today, the Kelmark is a sparsely-settled land mostly content to keep to itself. The rough terrain, marked by many steep hills and deep valleys, often makes farming and herding difficult. Settlements tend to cluster in liveable areas and center around a defensible steading where the local lord lives. As in Tuala Morn, large extended families and clans control social life. Often one clan comes together with another in vast festivals known as hengats where they trade, arrange marriages, and compete at sports and games. But all is not merriment, more than one of the Kelmarks famous heiptr, or blood-feuds, has resulted from some insult given, intentionally or accidentally, by one family to another at a hengat. The Kellings, even the nobles and kings, live in buildings made of wood, for the stone in the Kelmark is of poor quality for building or too dicult to quarry and the forests are thick. For a freeman a house of rough planks will do, but for a chieftain or king huge whole logs are cut into proper lengths to build steadings as secure as any Tualan rath or Logren castle. Grandest of them all is Hrelcreft, where King Regner rules. Renowned as wise and just, he is old now, and pained by a lifetime of battle-wounds; his headstrong son Esbern, whos thought to harbor dreams of war, conquest, and glory, will succeed him. Its said the Kellings reject the teachings of the Golden Temple, and in fact disembowel any Golden priest who enters their lands. Instead they worship a pantheon of gods led by Durron, lord of sky and thunder, and his wife Farra, goddess of the earth and fertility. Their magic is similar to that of the Vulkrings, involved carved or painted runes of power, though some believe their bards, known as skalds, have mystic powers as well.
ACQUITAINE,
REALM OF THE SUMMER KING
Hundreds of miles across the stormtossed seas from Tuala Morn lies the Empire of Acquitaine, a land of great power and wealth. From his glittering capital Teshiana the legendary Summer King, Helsicar III, rules over a vast realm. It began as a minor kingdom in his great-great-great-grandfathers day, but brutal conquest, clever diplomacy, and the occasional subtly-poisoned drink allowed it to grow into what it is today. Its said the King has a hundred palaces and a separate wife for each palace. According to Logren merchants, in Acquitaine the Kings rule is absolute and unquestioned in a way unknown to their land or Tuala Morn. Many nobles owe fealty to Helsicar III, but none has a coterie of knights so large, bold, and powerful as his own. A thousand chevaliers capparisoned in golden armor ght and die for the King, obeying his commands without hesitation. When they take the eld the sunlight reected from their armor and shields blinds the foe. Traders visiting Acquitaine sail up a broad river anked by rolling green elds and farms as far as their eyes can see. O in the distance they sometimes see hills or mountains, and the Acquitainians say that far to the east and south their land becomes very mountainous. One source of the Kings wealth are rich mines he owns in those mountains; nobles who control the few passes through the mountains have likewise grown wealthy from trade. Whispers have reached the ears of the Logren traders that Acquitaine is currently at war with another great realm to its south, Essania, but they say theyve seen no sign that King Helsicar plans to go to battle.
VULKRINGLAND
Far to the east of Tuala Morn lies a realm the Tualans speak of either in fearful whispers or with bitter hatred: Vulkringland, home to the Vulkring raiders that have terried coastal towns and cities throughout the Northland for many years. Very little is known about the Vulkrings, for they guard their land well and admit few outsiders. Logren merchants permitted to trade there are conned to small trading-towns on the coasts, where they bargain for furs, leather, semi-precious stones, and other Vulkring commodities. From what the traders can gather, Vulkringland itself is not rich the bitter weather makes farming dicult, forcing the people into more of a herding lifestyle that has given rise to a long tradition of cattle-thieving similar to that of the Tualans, but harsher. Seeking greater wealth and adventure, every year bands of Vulkrings put to sea in long ships to raid other lands instead of their neighbors herds. Despite the fact that they are often thought of (and rightly so) as brutal butchers, the Vulkrings are not wholly dislikeable, according to the Logrens. For example, they have a strong sense of honor. Its said that a Vulkring will never lie to you, and that if he gives you his word he will keep it, even if he must die to do so. If one makes a friend of a Vulkring (a rare thing, since they tend to consider other peoples weak), one has a friend for life.
Vulkringland seems to have no king, or at least no king in the Logren or Tualan sense of the word. By Vulkring law, all Vulkrings are free men (their thralls are captives from other peoples taken in battle), none answerable to another for anything save his own deeds. Leadership is provided by local chieftains who obtain their position by strength of arm and will in other words, by becoming a Vulkring other Vulkrings look up to enough to want to follow them and their advice. Such men earn the wealth to fund raiding expeditions which make them wealthier still. But one of the virtues the Vulkrings most admire in their leaders is generosity, so even the richest booty mostly goes into gifts that the chieftain and his warriors give to others. Sometimes a chieftain becomes so renowned, rich, and powerful that he in eect becomes king of the Vulkrings, but such a realm rarely lasts long, and almost never beyond his lifetime. Every attempt to establish a hereditary kingship has failed miserably. The Vulkrings worship many gods, chief among whom are Yggval, god of war, and his sons Troron (god of storms) and Forsen (god of honor, justice, and proper conduct). Yggvals symbol, the eagle, is often drawn in blood on buildings sacked by Vulkring raiders. Vulkring magic, a thing often scorned by warriors as a tool of the wicked, the weak, and women, involves mystic runes carved or painted onto objects and people. Its said that Hrodr, god of wisdom and magic, himself gave the runes to the Vulkrings so they could match the arcane powers displayed by the wizards of other peoples.
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TURONIA
East of Acquitaine (and largely separated from it by vast ranges of mountains and hills) and south and west of Hrusland lies Turonia, a wide land of thick forests, swift, deep rivers, and snowcapped peaks. Its inhabited by a people outsiders call Turons, but who think of themselves only as belonging to a specific tribe that controls its lands under a king, chieftain, or in whatever other way it sees fit: the fierce Velgai; the Dracori, with their demon-carved houses; the brutish Thurings; the Uglichs, who trade their souls for magical power; the Krivichi, renowned for their oracular wise-women; the coastal-dwelling Novgars, who do much of the regions trading from their small city Skellingard; the skilled horsemen of the Veletai; and many, many more. All of them are brave fighting people, as willing to go to war with each other as with invaders.
KARELLIA
North and east of Vulkringland lies the northernmost realm in the world, Karellia, a land so cold theres snow on the ground even in summertime. The Karellians have thick fur on their bodies, like that of a bear, and ride large deer instead of horses. Even stranger, its said theyre ruled by women! Instead of a king they have a queen, and within a household the husband obeys the wife. This is because the Karellian women possess a strange song-magic, like and yet unlike the powers of Tualan bards, that gives them all the inuence and control in society. Some wealthy women even have two, three, or more husbands!
HRUSLAND
Separated from Karellia by an inland sea as large as all of Tuala Morn is Hrusland, a place scarcely warmer than its neighbor to the north. Its so far away that few Logrens (and even fewer Tualans) have ever visited there, but the Hrus are great traders and their land possessed of much wealth, so a few merchants have dared the stormy (and often pirate-infested) waters of the Turonian Sea and the Gulf of Petseri to visit the Hrus city of Kev and exchange Logren furs, cloth, and craftworks for Hrusan goods.
chapter eight:
ith its unusual culture, strange magic, faerie-folk, and general ambience, Tuala Morn denitely isnt your typical generic European medieval Fantasy roleplaying game setting. This can make running games in it a little more dicult than in a more ordinary Fantasy world. This chapter contains background information, suggestions, and scenario ideas to help you run games as well as a GMs Vault full of secret information for your eyes only. But as youre free to change anything you want, or add to whats presented here, to make your campaign better. If youre not a GM, READ NO FURTHER! Doing so will only spoil your enjoyment of a Tuala Morn campaign and make the GMs job harder.
CAMPAIGN TYPES
Tuala Morn campaigns fall into two categories, Heroic and Superheroic. The typical Tuala Morn campaign is a Heroic campaign with PCs typically built on 75 Base Points plus up to 75 points from Disadvantages, and to whom the Normal Characteristic Maxima rules automatically apply. Its intended to simulate a relatively Low Fantasy setting in which the heroes are important characters perhaps ones wholl save the world, in fact but not supermen. They cannot buy Feats or spells designated Superheroic. The GM should adjust the starting Character Point totals and other parameters as he sees t to give the campaign the feel he wants it to. On the other hand, a Superheroic Tuala Morn campaign simulates the fantastical elements and feel of Celtic myth and legend. Characters are built on 200 Base Points plus up to 150 points from Disadvantages; the Normal Characteristic Maxima rules do not apply. They can buy any spell or Feat in this book, and should be built and played with an eye toward incredible adventures and fast-paced action featuring characters of great power. A single Superheroic spearman might be able to take on an army singlehandedly (or at least frighten it into backing down with the strength of his reputation and Feats); a Superheroic wizard or druid can work the mightiest of magics.
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his section contains additional and/or secret information about Tuala Morn thats for the GMs eyes alone. If youre playing in, or plan to play in, a campaign based on the Tuala Morn setting, do not read this section!! The GMs Vault is organized by chapter and page number. If the Vault doesnt comment on some part of the main text, its usually safe to take whats written there as accurate (or as left for each GMs individual interpretation). As always, youre free to change anything in this book to suit your own preferences or campaign.
CHAPTER TWO
PAGE 40 DARK DRUIDS The rumors of dark druids who engage in human sacrice are true, though such evil cults are not common. In place of the Dronnach Lanva they worship but one god, Crom Cruach (the Bloody Bent One), who strives to cast shadow and pain over all the world. Their holy places are special stone circles with a single large monolith representing the god, surrounded by a ring of twelve lesser stones representing evil spirits that serve him. In some cases the central monolith is replaced by a golden idol depicting the god. PAGE 44 KINGDOMS OF FAITH In the following realms, where the Golden Temple is less tolerated, reduce the power of priests Banish The Faerie-Folk ability to +40 PRE, and cut their Mental Defense and Power Defense versus faerie powers in half: Conhaile Lenamore Mar Cormac Rathmarda Seanclough
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But they are wrong. Margaess Prophecy refers to Darray, an illegitimate son of the last duke, Sorla ConLadhar. Not wishing to acknowledge the boy, Duke Sorla fostered him with Malachlin ConSellan, a lord of Mar Cormac with whom he was good friends. Though Duke Sorla told no one of this, by asking the right people and examining his personal eects, someone could gure out the truth. The Drathans must discover Darrays existence, invade Mar Cormac, and snatch him back at spear-point. If they do so, he will become the new duke, and Mar Cormacs invasion of Dratha will falter soon after it begins. Otherwise the invasion will almost certainly succeed. PAGE 81 SIR RHOREC The identity of the man (or being) who gave Sir Rhorec his sword is left up to the GM. So are the swords powers, with this exception: if anyone but Sir Rhorec tries to wield it, the thorns on the roseand-vine decoration that twine the hilt and guard grow larger and sharper, piercing the hand and causing 1 BODY damage and -2 OCV. PAGE 81 PRINCE DECLAN Declans bitterness over the fact that his brother Callahan will inherit the throne rather than he is no act. Hes so angry about it he might even turn against his family (allying, perhaps, with the Cormac...) to obtain the throne for himself. PAGE 81 THE HAG OF COR CALLIACH In the Duchy of Umbr in Duneane, there is a hill, Cor Calliach, the Hill of the Witch. In a cave near its summit lives a fearsome hag possessed of great magical powers. She likewise possesses
a strange object a block of stone larger than a saddle, yet light enough that a child can pick it up with a single hand. The stone, across which ever-shifting colors play, increases the strength of the hags witchcraft. Use the Witch character sheet on page 271 for her, but increase all of her Magic Perks to 18 and give her another 1015 Character Points worth of spells. The stone functions as an Aid Magic 2d6, all Magic spells and powers simultaneously, that only applies to Witchcraft and Necromancy. PAGE 82 A GET OF THE GREY A get of the Grey is like an ordinary horse but has Running +1, +1 CON, +1 BODY, and +1 COM. PAGE 82 EARL ANMIRE Earl Anmire has not begun studying wizardry; thats a vicious rumor spread by his rivals and enemies. He has as yet expressed no preference over who will succeed him to the throne. PAGE 82 DUKE RONAL Duke Ronals plans and dreams extend beyond the boundaries of the hills; he sees himself wearing the Wind Crown and seated on a throne in Cathair Duneane. Although he dissembles well, the Ogmore has little love for the royal family. But his dislike of the royal family and his desire for the throne are not strong enough to lead him into treachery. Hell engage in sharp dealing and perhaps skirt the edges of honorable conduct, but he would never directly violate his oaths of fealty... as much as hed like to.
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An incredibly ancient arch-druid named Ushalec leads the cult. The rest of the druids, almost all of whom are old men, remember well when they joined the cult, and Ushalec was aged even then. They wonder if hes bargained with some unknown dark god, trading his soul for immortality. To obtain sacrices, the druids and debased laymen of the cult must haunt the roads and elds, seeking unwary victims to capture. Sometimes they even range north of the Boundary Stone to claim Tualans for their altar. All Barbathan chieftains who know of them have outlawed them and their cult, making membership a crime punishable by beheading. PAGE 109 THE WINTER ISLANDS The Tualans suspicions that the Vulkrings have temporary settlements on the northern coasts of some of the Winter Islands are correct. PAGE 111 TIR NA VORRAG The stories of the Overkings might are not exaggerated he rules with an iron st and enjoys the complete loyalty of his people, who both love him and fear his vast powers. PAGE 111 ISLANDS OF WONDER The existence and nature of the islands described in the main text are generally left to your endish imagination. One exception: the Island of
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the Serpent Kings. The beings who live there are Ssujala, strange serpent-men whove survived many ages of the world (see The Turakian Age for more information about them). Their kings crown is one of the lesser crowns forged by Kal-Turak as he worked to create the Crowns Of Krim.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Some of the information in this chapter is exaggerated or outright travelers tales containing more lies than truth. For example, the Karellians dont have fur (they simply wear heavy fur coats most of the time) and Acquitainian knights dont wear golden armor (it may have gilt decorations, but its steel, just like Tualan armor).
PAGE 274 LOGRES Very few Tualans, and only slightly more Logrens, realize the two lands are actually part of one large island. The Sleve Balla in eastern Tuala Morn (or western Logres) forms an impassable barrier; the mountains are high, with no passes at all through them. PAGE 276 WULFRED OF CARMARTHEN The rumors about Wulfred are true he is a wizard, and he plans to use his powers to cause King Baldagors downfall... and his own ascension to the throne.
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The Battle Of High Kilkarry: Two factions in the dispute among the Daoine Sidhe have nally come to blows. As they so often do, they recruit mortal men, strong and erce, to help them ght their battles. This time, one of the factions oers many fabulous treasures and gifts to recruit the characters to come ght for it on the cloud-battleelds above Loch Kilkarry. But who has the other side recruited and can the characters really count on the faeriefolk to keep their promises? Into The Kylle Draichta: In their quest for treasure, glory, and perhaps even the Basilisk Orb itself, the characters dare to venture into Kylle Draichta, the Enchanted Forest, where most men fear to travel. There, capricious faeries, evil hags, trolls and ogres with many strange mystic powers, and other unusual dangers all threaten to keep them from their goal. The Cormacs Mighty Drill: Rumors reach the ears of the player characters (or their patron) that the Cormac has received a wondrous gift from the faerie-folk a magical engine powerful enough to drill through castle walls! Concerned about this threat, they go to investigate it and get caught up in one of the Cormacs plots. The Palace Under The Waves: They say that far beneath the waters of Loch Laune exists a wondrous faerie palace, and that on moonlit nights you can see it if you stare deeply enough into the water. But do not stare too long! If you do the faeries will call you down, and nevermore shall you see the world of men. Thats what happened to Adamnan OCullen. His young wife Maeve has begged the characters to get him back. They must descend to
the palace, treat with the faeries who live there (a delicate task under any circumstances!), retrieve OCullen, and somehow get out with their souls and minds intact (and without being drawn into the faerie wars). Alternately, perhaps the Master of Bones (page 86) has become a lich, and the characters have to go to the faeries of Loch Laune to obtain the faeriecharm King Amergin used to slay him before... and then nish the job he started. Night Of The Tarasc: With his foul sorceries, the Undying King seeks to awaken a dread monster of the Drimnarth the tarasc, an enormous, powerful, ravening creature who could lay waste the whole of Tuala Morn. The characters learn that somethings going on (though not whos behind it), and must stop it before the monster awakens. In the process they may gain some clues regarding the existence and nature of the Undying King. The Hag Of Knoc Traiben: For all the prayers spoken in the halls of Greymont Abbey, many strong evils still lurk among the hills of Donegore. Chief of these, the wicked Hag of Knoc Traiben, is a witch of such power that no priests mouthings can do aught but blunt her evil powers. No one knows who the Hag is, or where she came from. For many generations she has lived on Knoc Traiben, often snatching sheep or even children to make her meals. Adventurers who have sought to stop her have always met their doom, but occasionally a village maiden seeking a potion with which to win her true love has stirred the Hags sympathy and left the caves of Knoc Traiben with the philtre she sought. The Donegore dukes have always worried about
her presence there, and what it might mean should the warriors of Parlas Rosleigh seek to cross Belrics Wall, but as yet have found no way to dislodge or slay her. The hero who ends her malicious life would surely earn great reward from Clan Gardal. The Fires Of The Northmen: Vulkring raids along the coast of Conhaile and among the islands just o its coast have left many villages and monasteries naught but smoking ruins. Why this sudden upsurge in Vulkring activity, and what can the characters do to stop it? The Hermit Of Inish Doaga: Deep in the forests and high among the hills of Inish Doaga there lives a hermit. Some say this old man holds to himself a fragment of the legendary Basilisk Orb. Will the characters brave the dangers of the journey there to seek the truth of the rumor and if they do, what will they nd? Against The Bandits: Bringing a king the head of a truly infamous cataran plaguing his kingdom, such as Grogar Gap-Tooth or Keshlen the Badger, will earn a character enough gold to make his fortune. The Poisoned Goblet: The Cormac is trying to undermine the political stability of Duneane by poisoning the Earl of Orbaill and planting evidence to make it look like his familys ancient rival and enemy, the Earl of Dinismere, is to blame. If his plot succeeds, the entire kingdom could be torn apart by war, giving the Cormacs warriors the chance to swoop in and conquer one of the richest realms in Tuala Morn. The characters have to unravel the plot and put things aright. The Brothers Of Ayle Gloneen: On the tiny island of Ayle Gloneen, o the coast of Dratha, stands a monastery of the Golden Temple maintained by a sect that advocates a much more aggressive approach to stamping out the Lanvan faith. There the brothers have made a startling mystical discovery that could provide a signicant advantage in their war to destroy the Hundred Children. When the characters nd out about it, what will they do to help or hinder the monks? Corruption Of The Blood: By playing on the superstitions, fears, and insecurities of Nuala the Proud, an insidious agent of the Undying King strives to bring young Prince Aillin under the corrupting inuence, even control, of his undead father. Can the characters uncover the scheme and put an end to it before the Princes soul is forever lost? The Terror Of The Kylle Duvtach: Not for nothing did the Kylle Duvtach earn its name the Forest of the Black Child. Peasant folk who dwell near the forest live in terror of it, not daring even to walk beneath its boughs to chop rewood. Who or what is the Black Child an immortal Pictoi wizard, a corrupted Unseelie prince, an ancient god long thought dead? and what danger does he pose to Tuala Morn? The Hunt For The White Hart: Someone sees a white hart near some fort or castle, and a merry hunt ensues. The characters pass into and out of the Faerie realms during the chase, and perchance encounter the Wild Hunt itself!
Movement:
Abilities & Equipment Cost Power END -12 Not Self-Mobile: Ground Movement -6 (0 total) -2 Ground Vehicle: Swimming -2 (0 total) 4 Towed Wheeled Vehicle: Gliding 15; OAF Bulky (-1), Towed (-), Costs Endurance (towing creatures END; -), Only On Appropriate Terrain (-) 1 3 Metal-Banded Spoked Wooden Wheels (5 DEF, 3 BODY) 0 Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: -7 Total Vehicle Cost: 25 Value Disadvantages None Total Disadvantage Points: 0 Total Cost: 25/5 = 5 Description: Chariots were used by many ancient peoples, including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Irish as well as the Tualans. They consist of semi-circular carriage open at the back (so the driver and passenger can easily climb in and out) with an axle beneath and a pair of wheels (one to each side), and a tow-pole at the front to which one or more horses were tied. When no horses are attached, the vehicle tips forward so the tow-pole rests on the ground and prevents the vehicle from moving. One type of Tualan chariot, the carpat serrda or scythe-chariot, has blades projecting from the hubs of its wheels. This allows the driver to make lethal sideswipes against people and other chariots. The carriage itself, typically made of wood or wicker and sometimes reinforced with metal, is open to the air, and its sides and front only come up to about the level of a persons waist. Its DEF is bought with the Does Not Protect Occupants Limitation, but at the GMs discretion, the DEF might protect against attacks that hit an occupant in Hit Locations 13-18. Some chariots carried only one person the owner, who both drove and fought from it. Others had two people, a driver and the owner, thus leaving the owner free to concentrate on ghting or watching the passing scenery. Some chariots could carry as many as four people.
T uala Morn
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Appendix One:
his appendix provides a short English-Tualan dictionary focusing on the elements of place-names and the like. Its primarily intended for GMs, who can use it to create place-names consistent with those presented in this book, but players may enjoy incorporating some of these words into character names as well. See page 8 regarding how to pronounce Tualan.
ENGLISH-TUALAN DICTIONARY
Abbey: mainster Alder: fearn, navarn Angle: cule Apple: uvall Ash tree: inshin, unshan Assembly place: nas Badger: broc Badger warren: brocky Bank: see sand bank Battle: cath Battleeld: parga Beast: piast Bed: lebba, labby Bend (in a river): brug Between: eder, ader Birch: beith Birches, place with: beithach, beha Bird: en, ain Birds nest: nead Black: dub, duv Blackbird: lon Blackthorn: dreen Blind or one-eyed: keagh Blood: l Blue: gorm Boar: torc Boat: baud Boat, small: cot, cotty Bog: moin, mone Borough: burris Bottom (of anything): bun Branch (of a tree): creeva Bridge: drocade Bull: tarv Burial ground, old: caltrach, calurach
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Fawn: os Field: achad, moy Field, green: tonag, tavnach Field, level, near residence: faha Field, tilled: gort, gart Fine (adj): min, meen Fire: tenn, tinny, tenny Fish (n.): iasg Flagstone: lac Fleet of ships: covlach Ford: ath, bel Ford, shallow and rugged: scarva Ford, swimming: snava Forest: kylle, ros, ross Forest, oak: derva Forge: carda, cartan Fork in a river: gaval Fork formed by glens: ladar Fort, fortied (or a rath on a hilltop): dun Fort, circular: rath Fort, circular earthen: lass, lassa Fort, circular stone: ailach, cashel Fortress: dangan, lonart Fortress, cow: bawn Fox: shinna Front: can, ken Furze: aiten Gable: bann, bannaher Gallows: croch, shallan Gap: bern, barna Gapped: bernach Garden: garra Giant: fathach Glen: glen Glen, side of: alt Goat: gavar Goose: geth Gorge: bragad Grave: ferta, navart, labba Grave, for plague-dead: tavlecht Great: mor, more Green: glas Grey: laith Grey shrubbery: liathvone Habitation: convail, conwal, connell Half: leath Half height: lahard Hangman: crochaire Hangmans rope: shallan Hawk: savac, shoke Hazel: col Head: an, kan Heath: freagh Height: alt Henge: henga Hermitage: dysart Heron: cor Highest point: bar, baur, can Hill: bri, bree, goolan Hill, bare/naked/exposed/bald: fornocht
T uala Morn
Mountain: knoc, sleve Mountain at, coarse: reith Mouth: bel Mouth of a river: inver Oak: dair, dar Oak forest: darva Oak grove or wood: daira Oak-plain: darvagh, durrow Of: na Old: sean, shan, shanna Orchard: avall Palace: brug, greenan Palace, faerie: breen, breena Pass: balag, slee Pass, mountain, elevated: matham Path: casan Peak: benn, ban Peaks: bennchar, bannahar Peninsula: leithin, ross People: munter Pig: muc Pillar stone: cairthe, carra, carha, legan Pinnacle, pointed: staic Place: ait Plain: clare, moy, mahaire Plover: fadog Point of land: rinn, rin, reen Pool: lin, linn Prayer, prayer-house: urnaigh Priest: sagar(t), taggart Province (a fth part): cogath Quagmire: sheskin Quarter of land: carrow Rabbit: coneen Rabbit warren: coneer, conigar Race (of people): kinel Raven: bran, ach Red: derc, derg, derga Ridge, long hill: drum, drim River: av, avaine River mouth: inver Road: belach Road, little: bohereen Rock: carrick, craig Rock, jutting out: stoc Rock, large: bwaren Rock, sharp: sker, skerry Rock, tower-like: tor Rocky district or land: borren Rough: garva Ruin (n.): mothar, moher Sallow (n.): salach Sand bank, in a river: farsad Seagull: faileanne Seasons of the year: sheashar Seat: see Seed: corca Serpent: piast Sheep: caraigh Ship: long Shoulder: guala Shrine: scrin, screena Shrubbery: garran, garn Sidhe: faerie Site: ait, lathair, lathrach, laragh Sixth part of: shesha Slaughter: ar, aur, air Sloe: airne, arneg Small: min, meen Smith: gova, govan Smooth: min, meen Spring: fovair Spring, cold: fuaran Stone: cloch Stones, monumental heap of: carn, carna, lacht Stones, sacred ring of: faine Stone, standing: gallan; cf. Henge Stones, stepping-stones across a river: clogan Strait: colas Strand: trey Stream: trone Streamlet: fadan Street: sraid, straid Strong: dur Summer house: grianan Summit: mullach, mulla Sun: grian, gren Table: tabla The: an Thicket: scart Thicket along a river: gartha Third part of: trian, treen Throat: bragad Throw (n.): urchur, urcher Tilled ground: capach Top: bar, baur Tower: tor Town: baile, bally Town with one street: sravaile Tree: cran Tree, branchy: creeva Tree, large ancient: bile, billa, bella Trees, cluster of: mothar, moher Trench: clash, navart Tribe: clan Troll: vathtar Two: da, daw, a Valley: glen Valley, enclosed: coom, coombe Village: graig, grag Water: iska, isky Water channel: esk Waterfall: ess Well (n.): tobar, tipra White: vaun, bawn Whitethorn bush: skey Wilderness: fasach Wind: gath Wolf: brach, micteera Woods: kylle, ros, ross
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Worm: piast Yellow: bweth Yew: yochail, aughal Young: og, ock
TUALAN-ENGLISH DICTIONARY
A: two Achad: eld Ader: between Aglish: church, small Ailach: fort, circular stone Ain: bird Air: slaughter Airne: sloe Ait: place Ait: site Aiten: furze Aith: kiln Alt: glen, side of Alt: height Amry: hill, long An: denite article (the) An: head Anach: cattle fair Anna: marsh Ar: slaughter Arigal: church, small Arneg: sloe Ath: ford Augh: horse Aughal: Aur: slaughter Av: river Avaine: river Avall: orchard Ayle: island Baile: town Balag: pass Bally: town Ban: hill, pointed; horn; peak Bann: gable Bannahar: peaks Bannaher: gable Bar: highest point Bar: top Barna: gap Baud: boat Baur: highest point; top Bawn: cow fortress; white Beha: birches, a place with Beith: birch Beithach: birches, a place with Bel: entrance; ford; mouth Belach: road Bella: tree, large and ancient Ben: hill, pointed Benn: horn; peak
T uala Morn
Clogan: stepping-stones across a river Clogh: stone castle Clon: meadow Cloon: meadow Cnap: hill, round Cnap: knob Cogath: province (a fth part) Col: hazel Colas: strait Con: hound Coneen: rabbit Coneer: rabbit warren Conigar: rabbit warren Connell: habitation Convail: habitation Conwal: church; habitation Coom, coomb, coombe: enclosed valley or dell Coome: hollow Cor: crane Cor: heron Cor: hill, round Corach: marsh Corca: seed Cot: boat, small Cotherne: cauldron Cotty: boat, small Covlach: eet of ships Craig: rock Cran: tree Crannog: articial island; lake dwelling Creeva: branch (of a tree) Creeva: tree, branchy Croagh: hill, round and stacked up; a rick Croch: gallows Crochaire: hangman Crotta: hill, round little; a hump Cruach: hill, round and stacked up; a rick Cu: hound Cuas: cave Cule: angle Cullen: holly Da: two Dair: oak Daira: oak grove or wood Dangan: fortress Dar: oak Darc: cave Darva: oak forest Darvagh: oak-plain Daw: two Derc, derg, derga: red Derva: oak forest Dolluid: enchanted place Draicht: magic, magic force Draichta: enchanted place; magic force; arcane Dreen: blackthorn Drim: long hill; ridge Drocade: bridge Drum: long hill; ridge Dua, duan: burial mound Dub: black Dun: fort; fortied place; a rath on a hilltop; a kingly residence Dur: strong Durrow: oak-plain Duv: black Duvha: burial mound Dysart: hermitage Eden: the brow of a hill Eder: between Eilit: doe Elt: doe En: bird Ennis: meadow, low, beside a river Esk: water channel Eskar: sheer and/or steep cli Eskrae: hill, sand Ess: waterfall Ester: desert Fada: long Fadan: streamlet Fadog: plover Faha: level eld near a residence Faileanne: seagull Faill: cli Faine: stones, sacred ring of Farran: land Farsad: sandbank in a river Fasach: wilderness Fathach: giant Fearn: alder Feer: man Feera: men Ferta: grave Fiach: raven Fiath: deer Fil: blood Fir: man Fornocht: bare/naked/exposed/bald hill Fovair: spring (of water) Freagh: heath Fuaran: spring, cold Gallan: standing stone (see also henga) Garn: shrubbery Garra: garden Garran: shrubbery Gart: tilled eld Gartha: thicket along a river Garva: rough Gath: wind Gaval: fork in a river Gavar: goat Gavhan: calf Gavnach: cow Gavnach: crow (the bird) Geth: goose Glas: green Glen: glen Glen: valley Goolan: hill
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Gorm: blue Gort: tilled eld Gova, govan: smith Grag: village Graig: village Greagh: marshy place Greenan: palace Grellach: clayey place Gren: summit Grian: summit Grianan: summer house Guala: shoulder Henga: henge Iasg: sh (n.) Ilra: eagle Imlach: marsh next to a river or lake Inagh: ivy Inish: island Inshin: ash tree Inver: mouth of a river Inver: river mouth Iolar: eagle Ishart: desert Iska: water Isky: water Kady: a hill that level and smooth at the top Kan: head Keagh: blind; one-eyed Ken: front Kil: church Kinal: descendants Kinel: descendants Kinel: kindred Kinel: race (of people) Knap: round hill; knob Knoc: mountain Kyle: church Kylle: forest; woods Labba: grave Labby: bed Lac: agstone Lacan: side of a hill Lacht: monumental heap of stones Ladar: fork formed by glens Lahard: half height Lahard: gentle hill Laith: grey Lan: house Lara: mare Larach: mare Laragh: site Largan: hill, side of Lass: fort, circular earthen Lassa: fort, circular earthen Lathair: site Lathrach: site Leath: half Leav: elm Lebba: bed Leem: leap (n.)
T uala Morn
Rinka: dance Rinn: point of land Ros: forest; woods Ross: forest; woods; peninsula Rusk: marsh Sagar(t): priest Salach: sallow (n.) Savac: hawk Scalp: cleft Scart: thicket Scarva: ford, shallow and rugged Screena: shrine Scrin: shrine Sean: old See: seat Shallan: gallows Shallan: hangmans rope Shallog: hunting Shan, shanna: old Sheashar: seasons of the year Shee: faerie; faerie hill or mound Shellig: hunting Shesha: sixth part of Sheskin: quagmire Shinna: fox Shoke: hawk Shrone: hill, nose-like Sidhe: faerie Sker, skerry: rock, sharp Skey: whitethorn bush Slee: pass Sleve: mountain Sloe: host (n.) Sluagh: host (n.) Snava: ford, swimming Sraid: street Sravaile: town with one street Staic: pointed pinnacle Stoc: a rock thats jutting out Straid: street Stran: nose-like hill Tabla: table Taggart: priest Tara: elevated place with a good view Tarv: bull Tavlecht: grave for the plague-dead Tavnach: green eld Tenn: re Tenny: re Tevaire: elevated place with a good view Tine: re Tinny: re Tipra: well (n.) Tobar: well (n.) Tochar: causeway Tonag: green eld Toome: burial mound Tor: tower-like rock; tower Torc: boar Totaun: burning; conagration Treen: third part of Trey: strand Trian: third part of Trom: elder tree Trone: stream Troom: elder tree Trough: district Tulach: little hill Turlach: lake that dries up in summer Unshan: ash tree Urcher: throw (n.) Urcher, urchur: cast (n., a throw) Urchur: throw (n.) Urnaigh: prayer, prayer-house Uvall: apple Vathtar: troll Vaun: white Vethon: middle Yochail: yew
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Appendix Two:
BIBLIOGRAPHY
MYTHOLOGY AND HISTORY Arrowsmith, Nancy. A Field Guide to the Little People Bord, Janet and Colin. The Enchanted Land Briggs, Katharine. An Encyclopedia of Fairies Colum, Padraic. The Children of Odin Cross, Tom and Clark Slover, eds. Ancient Irish Tales Curtin, Jeremiah. Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland DAulaire, Ingri and Edgar. DAulaires Norse Gods and Giants Trolls Dames, Michael. Mythic Ireland Dubois, Pierre. The Complete Encyclopedia Of Elves, Goblins, And Other Little Creatures The Great Encyclopedia Of Faeries Ellis, Peter Berresford. The Druids Franklin, Anna. The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Fairies Froud, Brian and Alan Lee. Faeries Gregory, Lady. A Book of Saints and Wonders Gods and Fighting Men Karr, Phyllis Ann. The Arthurian Companion, 2nd Edition Keightly, Thomas. The Fairy Mythology Kinsella, Thomas, trans. The Tain Lady Gregory. Gods And Fighting Men Lover, Samuel and Thomas Crofton Croker. Myths and Legends Series: Ireland Mackillop, James. The Oxford Dictionary Of Celtic Mythology McCoy, Edain. A Witchs Guide to the Faery Folk O Hogain, Daithi. Myth, Legend, and Romance O Riordan, Sean. Antiquities of the Irish Countryside Otway-Ruthven, A. J. A History of Medieval Ireland Pennick, Nigel. Celtic Sacred Landscapes Rees, Alwyn and Brinley. Celtic Heritage Rolleston, T. W. Myths and Legends Series: Celtic Squire, Charles. Celtic Myth and Legend Toulson, Shirley. The Celtic Year White, Carolyn. A History of Irish Fairies Various and sundry Arthurian tales and legends NAMES AND WORDS Bowers, Malcolm. Gary Gygaxs Extraordinary Book Of Names The Collins Gem Irish Dictionary Coghlan, Ronan, Ida Grehan, and P. W. Joyce. The Book of Irish Names: First, Family, and Place Names Ellefson, Connie. The Melting Pot Book of Baby Names, 2nd Ed. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. The Writers Digest Character Naming Sourcebook Renton, R.W. and J.A. MacDonald. Scottish GaelicEnglish/English-Scottish Gaelic Dictionary OTHER GAMING BOOKS Carnahan, John. Pagan Shores Davis, Graeme. Celts Campaign Sourcebook (AD&D Historical Reference Series) GURPS Faeries Walton, Ken and Jo. GURPS Celtic Myth FICTION Asimov, Isaac, Martin H. Greenberg, and Charles G. Waugh, eds. Isaac Asimovs Magical Worlds of Fantasy: Faeries Isaac Asimovs Magical Worlds of Fantasy: Spells Isaac Asimovs Magical Worlds of Fantasy: Wizards Isaac Asimovs Magical Worlds of Fantasy: Witches Barnitz, Charles. The Deepest Sea Coyne, John. Hobgoblin Dann, Jack and Gardner Dozois, eds. Little People! deCamp, L. Sprague and Fletcher Pratt. The Land Of Unreason Dunsany, Lord. The King Of Elands Daughter Garner, Alan. The Weirdstone of Brisingamen The Moon of Gomrath Kay, Guy Gavriel. The Last Light Of The Sun Lewis, C. S. The Chronicles of Narnia McKillip, Patricia. The Three Stars (or Riddlemaster) trilogy (The Riddlemaster Of Hed, Heir Of Sea And Fire, Harpist In The Wind) Taylor, Keith. The Bard series (Bard, Bard II, etc.) Vance, Jack. The Lyonesse Trilogy (Lyonesse, The Green Pearl, Madouc) Windling, Terri. Fairy! The Faery Reel MOVIES Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King Excalibur The Thirteenth Warrior
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INDEX
This is a subject-matter index to Tuala Morn. It does not include people, places, things, and events for those, please visit the Free Stu page at http://www.herogames.com and download the Encyclopedia Tuala, a comprehensive guide to the world of Tuala Morn (with page references and a pronunciation guide). Also it does not include the spells in Chapter Five, which are indexed and summarized in the summary tables on pages 187-95 (or are easily accessible on pages 196-206).
Acquitaine ................................ 277 Adulthood, age of .......................30 Afterlife, the ...........................40, 47 Andegorre ................................. 276 Appendices ........................293-300 Architecture ................................38 Armorsmith (Skill) .................. 132 Arms .......................................... 145 Arts ...............................................37 Athach ....................................... 218 Aughiskey ................................. 219 Baldagor, King of Logres ........ 276 Banshee ..................................... 221 Baobhan Sith ............................ 223 Barbarian Package Deal .......... 118 Barbathan Package Deal ......... 115 Bard Package Deal ................... 119 Bards.............................................26 Barons ..........................................28 Barrow-Wight .......................... 224 Basilisk Orb ................ 13, 207, 282 Battles ...........................................32 Beithir ....................................... 225 Beltane-Draichta spells ........... 169 Benecial geasa ........................ 136 Bestiary ................................211-72 Bibliography ............................. 300 Black Annis .............................. 226 Black Dog ................................. 228 Boggart...................................... 230 Bogs ..............................................57 Brollachan................................. 231 Brownie ..................................... 232 Buggane .................................... 234 Burial ......................................40, 47 Bythainia ................................... 279 Cailleach Bheur........................ 235 Calendar ........................48, 152-53 Campaigns ................................ 282 Carlion ...................................... 276 Casting spells ........................... 154 Castles ..........................................38 Cataran Package Deal ............. 121 Catarans .............................. 84, 266 Catbone Charm (enchanted item) ................... 208 Cattle-raids ..................................33 Cauldron of Knowledge (enchanted item) ................... 208 Cauldron of Plenty (enchanted item) ................... 208 Caves ............................................57 Changelings ...................... 117, 217 Character creation ..............113-50 Characteristics ......................... 132 Charioteering (Skill) ............... 132 Chariots .......................................32 Children .......................................30 Clanless ..................................... 143 Clans.............................................30 Clothing .......................................37 Combat Driving (Skill) ........... 132 Combat in Tuala Morn ..............32 Combat Luck (Talent) ............. 135 Common Folk .............................29 Contests .......................................33 Craftwork.....................................35 Creatures of Faerie .................. 215 Croisech .......................................31 Culture .........................................23 Currency ......................................35 Cwmbria ................................... 276 Daoine Sidhe ............................ 237 Disadvantages .......................... 142 Distinctive Features (Disdvantage)......................... 142 Dragonstones (enchanted item) ................... 208 Draicht spells.......................155-95 Draichta Spell Summary Tables .................................187-95 Druid Package Deal................. 122 Druids ........................... 26, 39, 122 Druids Ban ......................... 34, 142 Druid Wand (enchanted item) ................... 209 Duels ............................................33 Duergar ..................................... 238 Dukes ...........................................27 Duvrachan Package Deal ...... 115 Dwarf, Tualan ........................... 240 Earls ..............................................28 Earth .............................................57 Economy, the ...............................35 Eidetic Memory (Talent) ........ 135 Enchanted items ...................... 207 Enraged/Berserk (Disdvantage)......................... 142 Environmental Movement (Talent) ................................... 135 Equipment ................................ 145 Essania .............................. 277, 279 Events in Tuala Morn campaigns............................... 282 Everyman Skills ....................... 132 Fachan ....................................... 241 Fae-Blooded Package Deal ..... 116 Faerie Favor (Perk) .................. 134 Faeries ................................212-217 Family life ....................................30 Feats........................................... 137 Feudalism, Tualan.......................24 Fiontara ........................................29 Fir Darrig .................................. 244 Firbolg ....................................... 242 Fomorian .................................. 245 Fords.............................................56 Forests ..........................................57 Fortications ...............................38 Fosterage of children ..................30 Freemen .......................................29 Gamemastering Tuala Morn .. 281 Games ..........................................33 Gear ........................................... 145 Geasa ............................. 50, 36, 143 Generosity ...................................25 Geography ...................................54 Giant, Tualan ............................ 247 Gifts (given to others) ................25 Gifts (noteworthy qualities) ... 140 GMs Vault ................................ 284 Gods .......................................39-47 Golden Temple, the ....................44 Ground, faerie .......................... 216 Gwragedd Annwn ................... 248 Helsicar III, King of Acquitaine ................ 277 Heros Portion, the ......................48 High King (Ard Ri) ....................25 High Society (Skill) ................. 132 Hills ..............................................57 History .....................................7-22 Holidays .......................................48 Holy texts .....................................47 Home life .....................................30 Honor ...........................................31 Horn of Wine (enchanted item) ................... 210 Hospitality ...................................27 Hostels..........................................35 Hrusland ................................... 279 Hunter Package Deal............... 124 Imbolc-Draichta spells ............ 165 Industries .....................................35 Introduction ..................................4 Jack-In-Irons ............................ 249 Jenny Greenteeth ..................... 250 Karellia ...................................... 279 Kelmark, the ............................. 277 Kingdoms of Tuala Morn ..53-112 Kings ............................................25 Knight (character sheet) ......... 267 Knight Package Deal ............... 125 Knowledge Skill (Skill) ........... 132 Landscape ..............................54-57 Language ................................8, 293 Language (Skill) ....................... 133 Law ...............................................34 Leanan-Sidhe ........................... 251 Leprechaun ............................... 252 Llamhigyn Y Dwr .................... 253 Lochs ............................................56 Logres ........................................ 274 Lugnasa-Draichta spells.......... 178 Magic ..................................151-210 Magic (Perk) ............................. 134 Magic items .............................. 207 Martial Arts (Skill) .................. 133 Mercenaries .................................70 Merchants ..............................35-36 Merrow ..................................... 254 Miracles..................................... 196 Monasteries .................................45 Money ..........................................35 Money (Perk) ........................... 134 Monsters ..............................211-72 Names ....................................... 150 Necromancy ............................. 183 Noble Package Deal ................. 126 Nobles ..........................................27 Northlands, the ...................273-80 Nuckelavee................................ 256 Other Adversaries .................... 266 Painting ........................................37 Peasants............................... 29, 143 Perks .......................................... 134 Phouka ...................................... 257 Pictoi Warrior (character sheet) .................... 268 Plot seeds .................................. 290 Price list .................................... 145 Priest Package Deal ................. 127 Professional Package Deals .... 118 Pronunciation of Tualan words ..8 Protection from faeries ........... 217 Psychological Limitation (Disdvantage)......................... 142 Racial Package Deals ............... 115 Raids, cattle ..................................33 Realms of Tuala Morn .......53-112
302 p Index
Redcap....................................... 259 Regner, King of the Kelmark .. 277 Religion ........................................39 Religious Rank (Perk) ............. 134 Reputation (Disdvantage) ...... 142 Reputation (Perk) .................... 134 Riddles .........................................33 Rivers............................................56 Sacred landscape, the ...........56-57 Sacred sites ............................40, 45 Samhain (the Champions Universe villain) .................... 265 Samhain-Draichta spells ......... 155 Scaithe, the ................................ 274 Seasons .........................................48 Selkie ......................................... 260 Sin .................................................47 Skalbard Islands ....................... 276 Skills .......................................... 132 Slaves ................................... 29, 143 Smith Package Deal ................. 128 Smithcraft ................................. 200 Smiths ..........................................26 Social Limitation (Disdvantage)......................... 142 Social Rank (Perk) ................... 134 Society ..........................................23 Songs ............................................37 Sorcery ...................................... 184 Spearman Package Deal.......... 129 Spears .....................................31-32 Spells ..................................155-206 Spell Summary Tables ........187-95 Spriggan .................................... 261 Springs .........................................56 Stenmoth .................................. 274 Stone .............................................57 Stonecarving................................37 Storylines in Tuala Morn campaigns.................... 282 Talents ....................................... 135 Tales ..............................................37