Ranoc

A Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting

This document copyright 2002-2013 by Ted Brock.
Powered by GURPS, a registered trademark of Steve Jackson Games.
Welcome to the world of Ranoc, a world teetering on the brink between magic and technology. In Ranoc, gunpowder and clockwork
mechanisms coexist with magic at least for now. Ranoc is a world dominated by renaissance-era nations, where you can engage in legal
rapier duels in the big cities, sail to distant lands in search of gold, knowledge, or just glory in general, hunt dinosaurs with muskets in the
remotest southern jungles, or engage in airborne combat on the backs of pegasi, gryphons, and possibly even dragons.
To play in Ranoc requires GURPS Lite or Basic Set: Characters. Fantasy, Magic, Thaumatology, and Low-Tech are recommended;
Powers, Martial Arts, High-Tech, and the Low-Tech Companions may also be helpful. Nearly all of the occupational templates from Fantasy
and Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers, with the possible exceptions of Fantasy's True King and Dungeon Fantasy's Druid, are able to be
dropped into a Ranoc game with little to no alteration, as can several from Martial Arts the Monk template from Martial Arts is especially
suited to Oriental-flavored characters from the Gehong region. Third Edition books that may occasionally come in handy, depending on the
location or flavor of the campaign, are Arabian Nights, China, Egypt, Middle Ages 1, Swashbucklers, and Vikings.
Abbreviations used in this document: B Basic Set. DFA Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers. F Fantasy. GF Gun Fu. HT High-
Tech. LT Low-Tech. M Magic. MA Martial Arts. P Powers. PUP Power-Ups 2: Perks. PUT Power-Ups 3: Talents. SU Supers.
TH Thaumatology.
Table of Contents
1. Life on Ranoc................................................2
Social Classes...............................................2
Organizations................................................3
Military Organization...................................5
Table 1-2: Military Ranks............................5
City Life.......................................................5
Rural Life.....................................................6
Calendar.......................................................7
Currency.......................................................7
Table 1-3: Currency Table...........................7
Cosmology....................................................7
Timeline.......................................................9
2. Lands and Nations......................................11
Overview....................................................11
Ranoc in the Infinite Worlds.......................11
ALLIRA'EL REGION.......................................12
Allira'el.......................................................12
NORTHERN FRONTIER REGION.......................14
Northern Raider Clans................................14
Grome the Horrible....................................15
CAERE REGION.............................................16
Redwater.....................................................16
Cardinal Hamel..........................................17
Auckland....................................................19
Marach........................................................20
Sir Kenric...................................................21
Ritaegno.....................................................22
Rinkasae.....................................................24
Gor Ansat...................................................25
Zitheral.......................................................26
The Oracle..................................................27
WYRMSPIRE MOUNTAIN REGION...................28
Ered-Dm...................................................28
THE ROCHLADASTACHT................................29
Rochlad.......................................................29
Hrigak.........................................................30
South Ford..................................................32
Iturnum.......................................................33
VAST EXPANSE REGION................................35
Freehold......................................................35
Vast Expanse Nomads................................36
UMOJAN JUNGLE REGION..............................37
New Hope...................................................37
Shakdran.....................................................38
Mohani Tribes............................................39
The Ruins...................................................39
GEHONG REGION..........................................40
Hong...........................................................40
Peljing.........................................................41
Tsiu.............................................................42
Aldhoma.....................................................43
Dusei..........................................................44
Annam........................................................45
Celebes.......................................................45
Bautai.........................................................46
3. Character Information...............................47
Character Races..........................................47
Occupational Templates.............................54
Social Background Traits............................62
Advantages.................................................63
Perks...........................................................64
Disadvantages.............................................64
Skills...........................................................65
Martial Arts Styles......................................67
Magical Styles............................................69
4. Bestiary........................................................70
Animals......................................................70
Angels and Demons....................................78
Dragons......................................................84
New Meta-Traits.........................................85
Elementals..................................................88
Faerie Folk..................................................91
Giants.........................................................92
Golems and Clockworks.............................94
Monsters.....................................................96
Undead.......................................................99
5. Magic..........................................................103
Using GURPS Magic in Ranoc.................103
Disciplines of Magic.................................103
Magical Materials.....................................104
SPELL MAGIC.............................................105
Air College...............................................105
Animal College.........................................105
Body Control College...............................107
Earth College............................................107
Fire College..............................................107
Knowledge College..................................108
Metal College...........................................108
Meta-Spells...............................................111
Mind Control College...............................112
Necromancy College.................................112
Plant College............................................112
Protection and Warning College...............113
Water College...........................................113
SORCERY....................................................114
Path of Planar Travels...............................114
The Deepest Mysteries..............................115
The Ebony Tome......................................115
6. Equipment.................................................116
Basic Equipment.......................................116
Firearms....................................................118
Table 6-1: Firearms Table.......................118
Heavy and Siege Weapons........................120
Table 6-2: Heavy Weapons Table.............120
Melee Weapons........................................121
Table 6-3: Melee Weapons Table.............121
Clothing and Armor..................................126
Table 6-4: Armor Table............................127
Vehicles....................................................134
Watercraft.................................................134
7. Religion......................................................136
Table 7-1: Religious Ranks.......................136
The Caere Pantheon..................................136
Church of the One True God.....................148
The Rochlad Pantheon..............................148
The Desert Pantheon.................................150
Credits............................................................152
Chapter I
Life on Ranoc
Social Classes
What is written in this section pertains primarily to the western
Caere region (see Chapter 2); however, regions such as the Northern
Frontier, the Rochladastacht, and Gehong are known to have similar
classes, even if the names used and some of the practices are different.
Slaves
Slavery is a social institution as old as civilization, and in general
slavery is not considered to be evil. In most places, slaves have most
of the rights of other people. The spouse and children of a slave are
not automatically slaves themselves. Slaves may own property,
including land, homes, and other slaves! Most slaves are given wages
by their masters, although this varies depending on the individuals anc
customs involved. And, if desired, a slave is often able to buy his
freedom.
There is no overt social stigma attached to being a slave, and for
some it is considered a good career move (especially if one is bought
by one of the noble houses). Furthermore, the owner of the slave is
considered responsible for the slave, legally and fiscally. If a slave
breaks the law, his owner is liable for the slave's actions, and the
owner must provide food and shelter for the slave. Slaves who are
mistreated may take legal action against their owner with no social
stigma attached. A slave is typically accorded the same respect as a
free man two steps down in status from his master; this is usually
apparent from the slave's dress.
A person can become a slave in a number of ways. In the past,
wars between nations have often resulted in an influx of slaves, as the
victor claimed the other nation's peoples as such. Nowadays, most
slaves are either voluntary, selling themselves into slavery to pay off
debts, or are convicted criminals working off their sentences.
It should be noted that the nation of Iturnum is the only nation
which does not engage in slavery, viewing the ownership of another
living being as cruel, inhumane, and evil.
In game terms, a character who owns a slave has both an Ally and
a Dependent; slave characters will have a Patron.
Commoners
The bulk of the people on Ranoc are commoners. Most commoners
live simple lives, being hard-working folk engaged in crop farming,
mining, construction, sailing, fishing, herding, or general labor.
All commoners are considered "freemen," with all the rights,
obligations, and privileges that implies. Commoners are permitted to
own property, including slaves; are required to pay taxes, whether in
currency or a percentage of grain or livestock produced, to their
barony, county, city, or duchy; and are not obligated to enter their
parents' professions although the majority still do.
Whether or not commoners are permitted to carry weaponry varies
between individual nations. Knives are universally permitted, being
primarily seen as a tool rather than a weapon. In nations where
commoners are permitted to carry weapons, the primary weapons seen
are the quarterstaff and spear, although axes, clubs, shortswords,
maces and where available firearms are not uncommon; the
average commoner cannot afford to carry a broadsword.
Craftsmen
Blacksmiths, jewelers, masons, tanners no society can survive
long without skilled laborers. Craftsmen (and merchants see below)
make up the current "middle class," a small but growing class of folk
nestled between the commoners and the nobility.
While customs vary between regions, most of the successful
craftsmen have formed craft guilds. A guild is similar in many ways to
today's labor unions guild membership can often guarantee a set
wage, favorable working conditions, and occasionally a monopoly or
better prices on goods produced. Freelancers in guild territories are
often harassed . . . or worse.
Most craftsmen begin in their early teens as apprentices, working
as menial laborers in a craftsman's shop in return for instruction. After
a few years of instruction, they are given aptitude tests by their guild
to judge their worthiness; both the student and the instructor are
expected to show proper aptitude and respect during the tests. Should
the guild approve of the apprentice's training and skills, the apprentice
is then given the rank of "journeyman" in the guild.
Following becoming a journeyman in the guild, most craftsmen
stay on with their instructor as a "junior partner" or strike out with a
fellow student of the same master to open a shop of their own.
A successful craftsman eventually attains the rank of "master" in
the guild, and can take on his own students. The head of a guild in a
city is known as the guild's Master; a guild's Grand Master is the head
of the entire guild in the nation.
Enchanters mages who specialize in the crafting of magical
goods and alchemists are considered to be part of the craftsmen
class.
Merchants
While the craftsmen and commoners are focused primarily on
producing goods for public consumption be the goods food, draft
animals, horseshoes, or clothing the merchants are focused on
transporting goods from one point to another and selling them,
preferably at a profit.
Like the craftsmen, a number of merchants are members of a guild.
However, a number of merchants who are not guildsmen often earn a
fine living by undercutting the guild prices. This happens when a
merchant is able to sell a larger amount of stock at slightly lower
prices than the guild, thereby turning a slightly higher profit. A
merchant's motto is "buy low, sell high, and hold in storage as short a
time as possible."
Merchants often hire non-guild personnel to handle everyday tasks;
caravan merchants will always be in need of drivers, guards, cooks,
and porters, while merchants who own ships will always need
carpenters and sailors.
Successful merchants often take on the trappings of nobility, and
will inevitably be referred to on the street as Lord and Lady by the
lower classes. Occasionally, a few of the successful merchants who
take on these trappings assume titles of nobility, although they are
careful to not take any title higher than "baron"; actual nobles who
hear a merchant calling himself a "baron", or worse, a "count", "duke",
or "prince", are likely to challenge the perceived offender to a duel.
Artists
Artists take all forms: painters, sculptors, dancers, theater
performers, playwrights, composers, and musicians are all common.
Many artists study more than one form of art, and many seek
patronage from the wealthy and aristocracy.
Many artists also seek a solid grounding in the sciences. Painters
and sculptors are often experts in the fields of physiology, astronomy,
physics, and architecture, while composers and musicians double as
professors of higher mathematics in the many universities across the
known world.
Warriors
Obviously, wars are fought by people. While the nations will
occasionally conscript commoners and occasionally craftsmen into
their armies, there has been a recent shift from civilian conscription
and noble-born cavalry to professional armies. In many ways, this
shift represents a change in thought striking back to the ancient days
when Aelthelwulf the Great formed the Corcoran Empire that
encompassed the entirety of the Caere and Rochladastacht regions.
Even with this shift in military thought, the nobles in charge are
wary of placing too many weapons in the hands of their populace,
fearing (real or imagined) a possible revolt. Because of this, most
nations prefer to hire mercenaries during wartime. It is said that the
largest portion of Dnulper Darkshield's multiracial army that retook
Ered-Dm was composed primarily of mercenaries.
Mercenaries have one appealing trait over conscripts for rulers and
generals: Mercenaries are already trained in the arts of warfare, and
can be sent on missions immediately upon hire instead of spending
weeks to months training them. However, their lack of loyalty can
make a difference, as some mercenaries have been known to switch
sides in the middle of a conflict when presented with a better offer.
Most of the reputable mercenaries have the personal Quirk "Stays
Bought."
Nobility
While the titles given to various nobles in the Caere region vary,
the following are the most common. The titles given are listed with the
male form first, female form second.
Spouses and children of nobles are referred to as Lord or Lady,
even those not in a position to inherit the title. In addition, Guild
Masters, Guild Grand Masters, and successful merchants who take on
the trappings of nobility are generally addressed as Lord or Lady
regardless of whether or not they possess noble blood.
Please note that, politics being what they are, the hierarchy listed
here is not absolute, but rather a workable simulation. Nations which
do not operate on the kingdom model, such as Gor Ansat and
Rinkasae, have different political structures.
King/Queen - Hereditary ruler of a kingdom. Status 7.
Grand Duke/Grand Duchess - King's oldest sibling, closest
advisor, and Viceroy. Status 7.
Crown Prince/Crown Princess - Heir to the throne, typically the
King's oldest child or sibling. Status 6.
Prince/Princess - Any child or sibling of the King or the Grand
Duke. Grandchildren of the King may also have this title, although
grandchildren of the Grand Duke normally do not. Status 6.
Duke/Duchess - Rules over a duchy, a subdivision of the kingdom.
This duchy is typically situated around a city, and the duke of the
duchy is often referred to as the duke of that city. For instance, the
duchy surrounding the Zitheral city of Penticon is headed by the Duke
of Penticon. Status 6.
Count/Countess - Rules over a county, a subdivision of the duchy.
This is typically a rural area, with a town as its political center. The
equivalent title in the Northern Raider Clans, typically indicating a
Clan chieftain, is Jarl, regardless of gender. Status 5.
Viscount/Viscountess - Rules over a portion of the county,
commonly inside the city or town. Status 4.
Baron/Baroness - Rules over a barony, a subdivision of a county.
This is commonly a rural area, situated around a cluster of villages or a
small town. Status 4.
Margrave/Margravine - A title given to military leaders, often of
noble blood themselves, who have the position of Captain of the
Guard for the Duchy. Status 3. (Note: this deviates significantly from
the historical usage of the term, which was originally a "Border
Count" or "High Count" with slightly more power than a Count but
not as much as a Duke, and which was also Status 5. I'm using the
German Margrave as opposed to the French Marquis due to the sound
of the former being easier on my tongue; the English tended to use a
variation of the French title when they used it, which was extremely
rare [I believe the English only ever had three in their entire history].)
Baronet/Baronetess - A semi-hereditary title given to landed
knights or those who serve Barons and Viscounts in official capacities.
Status 3.
Priesthood
The priesthood sits apart from the secular classes, coexisting and
occasionally overlapping with the nobility. There is an entire chapter
dedicated to the priesthood (Chapter 7: Religion), so what follows
here is simply a brief overview.
Most priests serve their deities, spending years of apprenticeship
learning their deity's dogma and codes of conduct before finally
becoming ordained. Many spend years tending at their deity's temples
before becoming the High Priest for a city. Those who attain the ranks
of High Priest or Cardinal do so primarily through political means
rather than actual religious piety.
It is interesting to note that not all priests are good; many serve
deities, openly or secretly, that are considered "evil" by the populace.
These sects are generally outlawed in civilized nations; however, they
have never been fully suppressed. Attempts at suppression have
resulted in many practices over the last few millennia that still haunt
the priesthood.
In most of the nations, the priests are the ones who run the
universities, although there has been a shift in the last hundred years or
so from religious academics to secular as graduates of the universities
take on more and more teaching positions.
Bandits, Pirates, Highwaymen, and Brigands
The criminal underclass, these are people who live on the fringes
of society preying on those in it. Most often, they are organized into
gangs. Many are commoners who have been driven to it to survive; a
select few are nobles who have lost their titles. In all cases, these men
and women are dangerous. The most successful end up with exhorbant
prices on their heads; most wind up dead.
Adventurers
A note must be made about the role of adventurers in Ranoc. There
isn't much call for the "well-armed vagrant" (what is sometimes affec-
tionately called a "murder-hobo" on the SJGames forums) in Ranoc,
apart from those venturing into the deep jungles of Umoja or the wilds
of Gemenohee. Most often, the term "adventurer" is synonymous with
"mercenary", and are usually viewed as one of the other classes as op-
posed to a distinct social class of their own. Many have noble Patrons
who fund their excursions, often with an ulterior motive in mind.
Occasionally, the younger sons of nobles and successful merchants
who stand to inherit a portion of the family fortune and none of the ti-
tle or responsibility strike out for Umoja or Gemenohee to make their
own stake in the world.
Organizations
The Eliminati
The Eliminati are a guild of duelist assassins.
Unlike other assassin guilds, the Eliminati consider themselves
honorable, only taking assignments against the upper classes who
abuse their workers or engage in questionable activities. Furthermore,
an Eliminati assassin does not strike from the shadows; instead, an
Eliminati will publicly contact their target, usually in a social setting,
deliver their notice of a contract on the target's life, and arrange for the
matter to be settled in a gentlemanly duel. This duel is to be witnessed
by other Eliminati and representatives of the target, often in a public
arena such as a town marketplace or specially designated dueling
arena. The duel is agreed to be to the death, with no legal backlash
against the winner. As can be expected, Eliminati assassination duels
draw large crowds. Should an Eliminati assassin be killed by the target
during the duel, the Eliminati will refund any advance made by the
party who made the contract and refuse to assign another assassin.
Eliminati assassins have Code of Honor (Eliminati), which is worth
-10 points. All of the Eliminati study at least three of the combat styles
listed in Chapter 3. Some are even fairly decent shots with pistols,
although they feel pistol duels are anathema to the true spirit of an
Eliminati.
Justicars
The Justicars are an order of knights in the Caere region dedicated
to upholding the laws of the Caere pantheon's various temples. The
Justicars answer to the temples of Kael, the Caere region pantheon god
of justice.
A militant order, the Justicars are organized along military lines,
with rankings equivalent to that of an Army's (see below). Each
nation has one General, who heads the order in that nation. Members
of the Justicars have the appropriate Military Rank as well as the 10-
point version of Legal Enforcement Powers.
As the Justicars answer solely to the clergy, there is a long-
standing rivalry between them and the secular town guard units. This
has led to the occasional incident where a person accused of breaking
holy law was able to call upon his town's guards for help in evading
the Justicars, as well as occasions where a Justicar is arrested for
breaking secular law in the pursuit of justice.
Lords of Chaos
The Lords of Chaos are a loose organization composed of people
dedicated to chaos. They work to promote chaos throughout the
realms, especially where they feel that laws and order are stifling. As
such, they primarily promote freedom and free will, and oppose
tyranny in all forms. It is their belief that only through the application
of chaos can beneficial change occur. There are rumors that the Lords
of Chaos have targeted the Kingdom of Redwater, specifically the
Church of the One True God, and are forming an underground
resistance. They are the patrons of freedom fighters, guerrilla warriors,
and insurrections across the known world.
As an organization, the Lords of Chaos are quite, well, chaotic.
There is no set hierarchy to the organization, no official leader, and no
set meeting places. In fact, the only thing that even indicates that the
Lords of Chaos are an organization is that the members often publicly
announce that they are, indeed, Lords of Chaos; usually when
opposing their rivals, the Lords of Order (see below).
To become a Lord of Chaos, one must first seek out an
acknowledged Lord himself, who then subjects the applicant to a
series of seemingly random tests designed to gauge the applicant's
dedication to spreading freedom and chaos.
All members of the Lords of Chaos revere Ha'all as a patron.
Lords of Order
An order of knights, wizards, and others of a lawful bent, the Lords
of Order promote the concepts of law and order. It is their belief that
society benefits from the imposition of the rule of law, and often work
where the forces of chaos have overrun the natural order of things and
need stability.
Unlike their rivals, the Lords of Chaos (see above), the Lords of
Order have a highly regimented organization, where every member
has his own place in the hierarchy. Missions are handed to lower-
ranking members from higher up in the organization.
All members of the Lords of Order revere Grangre as a patron.
Order of the Golden Wings
The Order of the Golden Wings is a knightly order which
exclusively rides giant eagles, eschewing all other mounts. They are a
renegade organization, proclaimed as heretical by both the Church of
Redwater and the priests of the Caere pantheon.
The Order originated as an order of knights dedicated to the Caeric
god Vilhelmo, the valiant war god, during the reign of Emperor
Dorendal I. To this day, they still maintain their dedication to
Vilhelmo. They only champion causes which they see as honorable.
The declaration of heresy occurred after Zitheral split from the
Empire, when knights operating in Zitheral's territory were ordered by
the King of Zitheral to serve him, rather than the Order. The Grand
Master of the Order, however, challenged the King's orders, and
proclaimed the Order to exist "at the will of Vilhelmo, beyond all
national boundaries." While some concessions have been made
towards the Order in recent decades, the major temples and nobility
intensely dislike the Order because they cannot control them. Only
sects of priests dedicated to Vilhelmo welcome them openly.
Because they champion honorable causes, they are very popular
among the lower classes. Many of the knights are of common birth
themselves.
The Order's knights don't have Status beyond Status 2; however,
they possess the equivalent of Military Rank inside their order.
Order of the Righteous Crusade
The Order of the Righteous Crusade is the only knightly order
sanctioned by the Church of the One True God in Redwater. Members
of the Order are commonly referred to as "Crusaders."
The Crusaders originated when the Church of the One True God
came to power in Redwater. The Church disbanded all of the knightly
orders dedicated to the Caeric pantheon's various gods, and decreed
that the knights either swear fealty to the Church, or be arrested for
heresy. Surprisingly, most of the knights chose to join the Crusaders
out of loyalty to their nation; only a handful fled the kingdom to seek
refuge elsewhere.
The Crusaders are, like their mother Church, composed entirely of
humans. Half-breeds (half-elves and half-orcs), while rare but
grudgingly accepted in Redwater, are forbidden by the Church from
becoming Crusaders due to their "tainted" blood.
The Order of the Righteous Crusade is an interesting tool to show
the dichotomy of Redwater. While a fair number of Crusaders are little
more than overzealous thugs who have been given leave to do as they
please in the Church's name, some of the knights in the order are the
epitome of the chivalric ideal.
The Syndicate
The Syndicate began in Redwater around the time the Church of
the One True God came into power. Fearing what would happen, the
Thieves Guild, Assassins Guild, the Temple of Akanksha, and several
smaller groups of independents decided to pool their resources to
survive. When the Church began to target mages, the Redwater
Wizards Guild swallowed their pride and joined the larger
organization.
Today, the Syndicate has their hands in nearly everything that's
illegal in the Kingdom of Redwater. In addition, they've begun
expanding their operations abroad, and several of the guilds in Marach
have started to feel pressure to join the Syndicate.
The Syndicate has at its head a committee composed of the heads
of the member guilds. Each guild master has complete control over his
own guild's activities, and the guilds have an agreement not to strike at
the other guilds in the Syndicate. Despite the presence of the Wizards
Guild and the Temple of Akanksha in the Syndicate, the true leader of
the Syndicate is a charismatic priest of Vy the Corruptor.
The Unbounded Merchants
The Unbounded Merchants are an international trade guild which
operates a large number of trade caravans and cargo ships worldwide.
The caravans are well-guarded, and the ships are armed with cannon
acquired from both Marach and Ritaegno. Unlike other merchant
guilds, the Unbounded Merchants are not shy about hiring mercenaries
for guard duty or, some fear, for more covert work.
To date, the only thing publicly known about the Unbounded
Merchants is that they do not swear allegiance to any nation. Every
ship captain and caravan master only claims allegiance to the guild.
While no action has yet to be proven to have been caused deliberately
and maliciously, a number of caravan masters and ship captains who
tried to leave the guild have had horrible, fatal accidents happen to
them.
The Guild has one overriding goal in mind, one it keeps secret
from everyone who is not part of the guild's inner circle of Guild
Masters. The Unbounded Merchants are attempting to position
themselves to regulate international trade, and by doing so become the
true world power behind the thrones. The Guild's Masters believe that
by obtaining a monopoly on international trade, they can force nations
to submit to their wills.
One of the Unbounded Merchants' less well-known tactics is the
funding of pirate havens and pirate ships to prey on the trade ships of
other guilds and nations. By doing so, they work to eliminate the
competition.
Military Organization
Over the last two hundred years, there has been a significant shift
from emergency-only militaries composed of either volunteer recruits
and/or conscripts led by knights to standing armies composed of
professional soldiers. Often, sons of nobles who are not in line for the
title themselves are able to purchase commissions, generally the rank
of either Lieutenant or Captain if in the army or Ensign or Lieutenant
if in the navy.
The ranks tend to follow simple lines; highly-detailed militaries
similar to those established by modern-day real-world nations haven't
yet come into being.
In almost every nation, women are forbidden from joining the
military or town guard. This, of course, does not stop some women
from disguising themselves as men or becoming skilled in arms.
Indeed, some areas most notably the Northern Raider Clans and
Rochlad have a cultural appreciation for "shield-maidens".
Army Ranks
These ranks are common among the ground forces of many
nations, both infantry and cavalry. The air cavalries of the nations
tend to use the same ranking structure.
General Essentially, the man in charge of the nation's army. The
army's general answers to the head of the nation, and often has some
noble blood. Military Rank 7.
Brigadier The rank of the officer commanding a brigade;
composed of 3-4 battalions. Military Rank 6.
Colonel The rank of the officer commanding a battalion;
composed of 3-4 regiments. Military Rank 5.
Major The rank of the officer commanding a regiment;
composed of 3-4 companies. Military Rank 4.
Captain or Centurion The rank of the officer commanding a
company; composed of approximately 100 soldiers. Military Rank 3.
Lieutenant The second in command of a company, or
commanding a column inside the company. Military Rank 2.
Sergeant An experienced soldier who assists the Lieutenant; is
often given command of small groups of ten to fifteen soldiers.
Military Rank 1.
Soldier An enlisted man or conscript in an army. Military Rank
0.
Navy Ranks
Merchant (and pirate) ships tend to use the same rankings, but
normally only go as high as Captain. In these cases, use Merchant
Marine Rank instead of Military Rank.
Admiral The man in overall command of the nation's navy.
Military Rank 7.
Commodore A flag officer who commands a fleet of ships.
Military Rank 6.
Captain The officer commanding the ship, usually reserved for
larger ships. Military Rank 5.
Commander The second-in-command of the ship, or a
commander of a smaller ship such as a pirate sloop. Military Rank 4.
Lieutenant An officer who is in charge of certain operations on
board a ship, such as the gun crews, or a temporary commander of a
captured vessel. Military Rank 3.
Ensign A junior officer who assists the ship's Lieutenants. On
smaller vessels, such as those captained by a Commander or
Lieutenant, the Ensign will perform the duties normally assigned to a
Lieutenant. Military Rank 2.
Warrant Officer A common rank given to a professional assigned
to the ship, despite having no military experience; common examples
of such are the cook, doctor, boatswain (bosun), and carpenter.
Merchant Marine Rank 1.
Midshipman An officer-in-training, often given the same
assignments as an Ensign, except with closer supervision. Military
Rank 1.
Sailor The hired hands on board a ship. Military Rank or
Merchant Marine Rank 0.
Cabin Boy A young boy (occasionally a girl) who acts as a
servant to the officers on board. No Ranking; but generally possesses
Status -1.
City Life
Life in the cities of the world depends greatly on one's social status.
Table 1-2: Military Ranks
Rank Army Navy
7 General Admiral
6 Brigadier Commodore
5 Colonel Captain
4 Major Commander
3 Captain, Centurion Lieutenant
2 Lieutenant, Ensign
1 Sergeant Midshipman, Warrant Officer
0 Soldier Sailor
Most commoners in the city work as unskilled laborers. While
technically "free", these folks are commonly illiterate and work long
hours for low wages.
Above them reside the skilled craftsmen, generally craft guild
members who operate their own shop, often in partnership with a few
others. Most are commonly semi-literate, capable of maintaining
records and following written directions for their craft, but rarely
capable of even reading much of what is on this page.
Merchants are a large part of city life. In a city, nearly everything
is for sale, including humanoid slaves; all that differs is the price. Most
merchants are honest folk trying to make a living by buying items that
are in surplus in one area and selling it where the item is in short
supply. Food especially grain is a common import from the rural
areas into the city. Even with the importation of grain, most people
living in a city own a chicken or two for eggs. Almost every
household has a small window garden for growing herbs.
Most cities have competing families who have earned higher status
through their accumulation of wealth. Quite often, these families
engage in brutal feuds, some feuds lasting generations. Incidents
between these feuding families have resulted in tavern brawls and all-
out free-for-alls in public squares, which leads to much loss of life and
disruption of day-to-day activities before the town guard and/or ruling
nobles are able to step in to quiet things down . . . for a short time, at
least.
Every city has a for-rent carriage service. While many of these
carriages are pulled by horses, there are a few where the carriage is
pulled by a person, sometimes an ogre.
Crime is a common occurrence in the poorer areas of the cities.
Beggars dressed in rags line the streets asking for handouts from the
more fortunate, while the more daring live a life of petty robbery, pick
pocketing, and burglary.
Rural Life
Most people living in rural areas are farmers or herders. While
technical advances such as the iron plow, three-field crop rotation, and
improvements in irrigation, not to mention the occasional hedge
wizard using plant and weather magic, have enabled the farmer to
produce more and better crops, most rural denizens still work most of
the day tending to their crops and animals.
Rural villages exist mainly as a central meeting point for the farms
and ranches surrounding it. The typical village houses a general store,
a tavern with a large common room for the locals to socialize and
occasionally a few rooms for travelers to rent for a night, a temple or
church dedicated to the region's agricultural god or goddess, and a
central square. The tavern often doubles as the local informal
courthouse, while the temple often serves as a school for children
under the age of majority (14 or 15 for humans and halflings, much
higher for elves and dwarves, and as low as 5 or 6 for orcs and
goblins) during the winter months. The central square is often used
for celebrations during the summer. Most villages also have at least
one blacksmith, although this is not an absolute, and a grain mill.
Most farmers and herders live in small one- or two-room houses
which are heated by a central hearth. Very few farmers and herders
can afford glass, so their windows are either able to be closed with
wooden shudders or are non-existent. This makes the houses very dark
even during the daytime, and particularly during the winter months.
The quality of life in rural areas is improving, however. Wood and
charcoal are slowly being replaced in common usage by coal, and
some rural houses are being built with more than two rooms, with a
fireplace in every room.
The more affluent own large estates and plantations worked by
slaves or hired farmers who commonly work for a portion of the yield
rather than or in addition to money. These estates usually have a large
manor for the estate owner's family sometimes up to four
generations live in the same manor and a series of smaller houses
built close together to house the workers. These estates sometimes sit
close to a village; typically, only one estate resides near a village. On
occasion two estates have been known to "share" a village; this has led
to a number of feuds between the estate owner families for dominance
over the region. Even if the estate owner does not have a title of
nobility, the locals refer to the estate owner and members of the
owner's family as "Lord" or 'Lady" out of respect (or occasionally
fear).
Building new houses and barns are community events, usually
taking place after a marriage but sometimes to welcome new
neighbors to the community or to replace a building destroyed by a
natural disaster (such as floods, tornados, and fires). On these days,
the entire village populace, including workers from any nearby estates
and occasionally denizens of neighboring villages up to five miles
away, gather together to build a house or barn. These buildings are
often built as framework on the ground, raised into position by ropes
and draft animals, then hammered together before the walls, floors,
and roofs are built.
Every village hosts a celebration four times a year, on or near
every solstice and equinox. The Spring Festival is commonly used to
mark the official start of the planting season, and often a cause to
announce upcoming marriages among the younger generations. The
Summer Festival is held at the height of the growing season. The
Harvest Festival usually marks either the start or the end of the harvest
season, depending on locale.
Common large-scale crops in Ranoc are wheat, barley, oats, rye,
beans, peas, lentils, and flax; less common crops include carrots,
parsnips, radishes, beets, turnips, lettuce, cabbage, and onions. In
Gehong, rice replaces wheat and barley as the staple grain; in
Gemenohee, a grain called maize is grown as the staple, supplemented
by tubers such as the potato and yam. Over in Umoja, the nation of
New Hope has transplanted their northern grains and supplemental
crops while exploiting the native citrus and banana crops. Private
gardens will always have fresh herbs for adding flavor. Excess grain
is sold to merchants who sell it in larger towns and cities. Thanks to
the prevalence of magic, crop yields are better than one might expect,
permitting more excess to be sold, which in turn allows more people to
live in the towns and cities. Every village or estate has at least one
resident hedge wizard specializing in Earth, Plant, and/or Weather
spells. Crops, particularly grain, is kept safe from rodents by raising
cats, non-poisonous snakes, or barn owls in or near the barns and
granaries.
Livestock is generally restricted to cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, and
chickens, with horses, donkeys, mules, and oxen (castrated bulls)
reserved for draft use. Most people don't eat beef, veal, or lamb, as
their cows and goats are more valuable for their milk, which is used to
produce cheese and butter that last a long time, and sheep more
valuable for wool. Pork and mutton, on the other hand, are relatively
common meats; older sheep that are losing their fur are often killed for
their meat and hides. Chickens and ducks are valued for their eggs,
but their relatively short lives mean that chicken and duck meat is still
relatively common.
Bees are also a common domesticated animal; beekeepers will
often grow plants such as clover with which to flavor the honey
produced by their beehives. Every rural village has at least one
beekeeper in its vicinity.
Occasionally, a village will spring up around a mine. These
mining towns often need to import much of their food, but their
mineral exports often mean they can afford to feed their workers with
the same quality food as their farming counterparts. Often, the mine is
owned by a single family, usually but not always a noble house, or the
barony, county, duchy, or nation directly; the miners work for money,
usually based on the amount of ore produced by the miner each shift
rather than a set salary. Among unscrupulous mine owners, the money
paid to the miners is often in the form of metal coinage made from
iron or some other non-precious metal a few even use printed notes
and useful only at the local general store, which is also operated by the
mine's owners.
The Calendar
Due to the three moons in orbit around the world, the people of
Ranoc have adopted the elven calendar, created over four thousand
years ago, as the standard calendar.
The calendar in use is, in essence, two calendars that run
concurrently.
The first calendar, referred to as the secular calendar, is divided
into six day long "weeks", which is taken off the amount of time the
smallest, fastest moon takes to cycle through its phases. At the start of
the week, this moon is fully lit, and on the night of the third day it
achieves its black state. Each day of the week is named after one of the
elements; in order, they are: Aquaket, Aeroket, Pyroket, Terraket,
Ferroket, and Arborket.
This calendar is also divided into thirteen twenty-eight day
"months", which is the cycle of the largest, primary moon to pass
through its phases. This calendar then has one extra day at the very
beginning of the year that is not part of any month, and designated by
the entire Caere, Wyrmspire Mountain, and Rochladastacht regions, as
well as much of the Northern Frontier, as the start of the new year.
Perhaps not coincidentally, this setup of the lunar calendar
corresponds exactly with the calculated solar passage of 365.25 days.
To correct this extra time, another holy day is added between the sixth
and seventh months every four years; this day almost invariably
corresponds to the summer solstice in those years, and is referred to as
"Summer Day".
From the first month through the thirteenth, the months are named
Deepfreeze, Floetide, Seedbirth, Stormwind, Goldenfield, Brightsun,
Highsun, Heatblast, Seashine, Goldenshade, Harvestide, Baretree, and
Frostland. Days are listed by the day of the month followed by the
month name. The Spring Equinox falls on 3 Seedbirth, the Summer
Solstice on 1 Heatblast when not falling on Summer Day, the
Autumnal Equinox on 10 Goldenshade, and the Winter Solstice on 16
Frostland.
Years are numbered differently depending on the region. The
Caere and Wyrmspire Mountain regions number their years from the
founding of Aelthelwulf's Empire; the Rochladastacht numbers theirs
from the founding of Rochlad as a nation, and Gehong numbers theirs
from their mythic beginning. The Gehong calendar numbering has the
largest year date, being the year 7510. The year in the Caere region is
2471, and the Rochlad calendar is in the year 2390. The Northern
Raiders and the Desert Nomads don't number their years, except in
relation to the most recent Conjunction.
The second calendar, also known as the religious calendar, is based
off the third moon's passage of 120 days, and used exclusively by the
Caere pantheon's clergy to track holy days. Because of this calendar's
cycle, it takes 70 passes on this calendar to match 23 years on the solar
calendar. This time frame coincides with a Conjunction between the
two larger moons.
Currency
Across the known world, the current currencies are weighted coins
of copper, silver, and gold. Trade between the settled western portions
of Aedes with the far eastern nations of Gehong and with the southern
Umojan nation of Shakdran have standardized the values of the coins.
The coins are commonly stamped with the amount on one side and the
seal of either the ruling house of the nation or the issuing bank on the
other; these seals signify that the metal is of suitable purity as to be
worth its stamped value. Despite this, many places may not take
coinage that originated outside their nation, especially if the nation of
origin for the coins is one considered hostile; for example, many
merchants in Auckland will refuse to accept coinage from Redwater.
In the Caere region, copper coins are known as pence (singular
penny), silver coins as sterlings, and gold coins as crowns. The
Rochladastacht nations call them pennas, silvas, and gentras
respectively; Gehong calls them kol, sul, and rul. Regardless of their
names, coins from one nation are generally accepted by others for the
same weights. Coins generally come in values of 1/2, 1, 2, 5, and 10
coin increments. The shorthand cp, sp, and gp representing copper
piece, silver piece, and gold piece are used on Table 1-3 for
convenience. One silver piece is worth the same as twelve copper
pieces (12 cp, or $12), and one gold piece is worth the same as twenty
silver pieces (20 sp, or $240). Most commoners deal primarily in
copper and silver pieces, with merchants and nobility dealing in silver
and gold.
In addition to coins, stamped bars of metals are sometimes used
when handling transactions too large for mere coins. Bars are
weighted in pounds and come in 1/2 lb, 1 lb, 2 lbs, 5 lbs, and 10 lbs; a
one pound bar of a metal is worth 100 coins of the same metal. The
shorthand cb, sb, and gb representing copper bar, silver bar, and gold
bar are used on Table 1-3 for convenience. As can be expected, gold
bars and large denomination gold coins are extraordinarily rare.
Table 1-3, below, gives the various GURPS $ values of the most
common coins and bars.
Table 1-3: Currency Table
1/2 cp $0.50 1/2 sp $6 1/2 gp $120
1 cp $1 1 sp $12 1 gp $240
2 cp $2 2 sp $24 2 gp $480
5 cp $5 5 sp $60 5 gp $1,200
10 cp $10 10 sp $120 10 gp $2,400
1/2 cb $50 1/2 sb $600 1/2 gb $12,000
1 cb $100 1 sb $1,200 1 gb $24,000
2 cb $200 2 sb $2,400 2 gb $48,000
5 cb $500 5 sb $6,000 5 gb $120,000
10 cb $1,000 10 sb $12,000 10 gb $240,000
Cosmology
Outside of the primary world described in the remainder of this
document, there are a number of additional planes of reality which are
connected to it in some way. These planes are generally grouped into
two distinct groupings: the Elemental Planes, and the Outer or Deific
Planes. Future documents may expand on these planes.
Access to these planes is possible through various Gate college
spells or sorcerous rituals designed for planar travel.
In addition, Ranoc's sky has five "planets", wandering stars whose
paths have been plotted and known for centuries. These planets have
been named Trys, Akanksha, Vilhelmo, Kaimana, and Galsus in the
Caere region, after the various gods (other cultures have other names
for the planets). Recent observations through telescopes have shown
that the planet Akanksha has two companions and that Galsus has six,
none of which have yet to be named. Many of the Bishops and
Cardinals of the various religions have claimed that these observations
are nothing more than "illusions".
The Elemental Planes
There are six Elemental Planes, each dominated by one of the six
primary mystical elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Metal, Water, and Wood.
The Elemental Plane of Air is an endless sky filled with clouds.
There is no center of gravity that is apparent, "down" is dependent on
a traveler's point of reference. This is one of the most hospitable of the
Elemental Planes; the air is breathable, the temperature is normally
comfortable to humans and humanoids, and fierce storms are few and
far between. As there is no apparent center of gravity, precipitation is
rare, although one of the more interesting meteorological phenomena
experienced on the plane is a "rainburst," where a cloud spontaneously
explodes in an omnidirectional spray of rain. Although there is no
discernible source of light, the plane has a "day" and a "night", each of
which are roughly twelve hours long. The plane's "day" is comfortably
warm and brightly lit, similar to a bright spring day; the "night" is also
comfortably warm, with a brightness similar to that of a full moon.
Frequent travelers to the Plane of Air or first-timers who have
prepared for the journey normally equip themselves with a set of
strap-on wings which use the Piloting (Zero-G Wings) skill; the Free
Fall skill is also common among frequent travelers.
The Elemental Plane of Earth is a plane of infinite dirt, rock, and
stone, through which tunnels are sometimes carved by creatures
adapted to the Plane's geology; these tunnels may be filled with air,
but the air is often stale unless refreshed from an outside source. There
is an apparent center of gravity in the plane, as travelers who appear at
different points are oriented with the same "down" direction. It is
believed that deep in the plane's "lower levels" is a great reservoir of
adamantine, although no one has yet discovered it.
The Elemental Plane of Fire is the least hospitable of the
Elemental Planes. This is a realm of blindingly hot ash, smoke, and
flames that appear to not need fuel. The ambient temperatures are hot
enough to melt iron; unprepared travelers are often incinerated within
moments of arrival.
The Elemental Plane of Metal is quite similar to the Elemental
Plane of Earth, differing primarily in its composition. The plane is
filled with veins of pure raw metals, such as iron, gold, silver, tin,
copper, lead, and even the occasional amounts of darkmetal, as well as
some exotic metals whose properties can only be guessed at. (GMs
may use this as an explanation for introducing aluminum, titanium,
and other modern metals into their games.) Rivers of quicksilver
intersect the plane, seemingly at random. No alloys, such as bronze,
brass, orichalcum, or mithril, are available on the plane. Some
creatures exist on this plane that can "eat" the metals either through
actual ingestion or through the more common practice of secreting
acid in order to create tunnels though the metals.
The Elemental Plane of Water is perhaps the third most
hospitable of the Elemental Planes. This is an infinite ocean with no
discernible top or bottom. There is no apparent light source, but the
plane has an ambient light which makes it appear a pleasant blue-
green. While travelers from Ranoc cannot normally breathe water, a
prepared traveler may obtain any number of spells or alchemical
elixirs which will enable him directly or indirectly to breathe in the
water.
The Elemental Plane of Wood is a single enormous ash tree with
no apparent earth or water to feed from. "Down" on this plane is
towards the center of the tree's trunk or the center of its branches,
depending on where one stands. Several creatures call this plane home,
most notably a giant eagle, an immense red-golden dragon, and a pair
of giant intelligent squirrels who delight in mischief. The trunk of the
tree is considered to be about two hundred miles in diameter, although
this hasn't yet been properly measured.
The Outer Planes
In addition to these, the following is known of the group of planes
commonly referred to as the Outer Planes:
Gloom Hollow is the realm of the dark, fallen gods, and ruled by
Ekchhar with an iron fist. As the name suggests, it is a dark realm,
appearing to exist as a series of underground caverns.
Dyval is the home of demons, through which flows a river of lava.
In addition, many "fiendish" creatures are found here. Dyval is
connected to Ylcor and Gloom Hollow. Demons are known to steal
souls from Ylcor, and many of the recently deceased see eternal
service to a demon as more fitting than eternal torment. Dyval is ruled
by the demon lord Kakotatos, whose name in the ancient tongue
means "the worst of the worst".
Ylcor, the Land of Torment, is connected to Thanatollis and
Dyval. Here, the souls of those who led evil lives are tortured for all
eternity.
Thanatollis is connected directly to Ranoc via the mobile volcanic
island known as Thade Island. This is the realm of Golma, god of the
dead and judge of souls. Other than Golma's palace, there are several
cities in the endless wastes that surround it, populated by the souls of
the deceased who were neither truly good nor truly evil in life. There
is a small sidereal plane connected to it: a grove where the souls of
those who led exceptionally good lives dwell.
The Great Wastes are similar to Thanatollis, and perhaps
connected to it in some fashion. Here, the shades of the Desert
Nomads who were cast out after death roam endlessly. This plane
appears as an endless desert, varying between seas of sand dunes and
places of rocky outcroppings, only occasionally giving way to fields of
scrub. The acknowledged center of the plane is the Great Oasis, a
pleasant garden where the desert gods and the faithful deceased dwell.
The occasional Djinni can be found wandering the Wastes.
The Wandering Mountains, the home of most of the other Caeric
gods, is connected to Thanatollis and Sylvania, and many suspect a
link to the Elemental Plane of Air as well. The Wandering Mountains
themselves are a series of islands floating in mid-air; each island is
home to one of the gods, and reflects its god's personality. For
instance, Suthre's island is a city centering around mining and crafting,
while Akanksha's island is a very beautiful and decadent palace. Most
of the celestial beings can be found here.
Sylvania, home of Gessa, Caeric goddess of woodlands and the
hunt, branches off the plane of Wandering Mountains. This plane
appears as an endless mist-enshrouded forest, complete with rivers,
waterfalls, and the occasional cliff from which the Wandering
Mountains can sometimes be seen. In some depictions, this plane
surrounds the Wandering Mountains in a disc extending ever outward,
yet it does not seem to have an inner edge. Those that move through
the mists towards the Mountains inevitably end up bypassing them
somehow, and end up with the Mountains behind them.
Whickersnee, home of the horse pantheon worshiped by Rochlad,
appears to be completely unconnected to the other Outer Planes, but
still considered one of them. The plane appears as an endless plain
which the herd of gods roams at will. Some depictions of the
cosmology have Whickersnee connected to Sylvania.
Timeline
The Dragon Empire
For nearly seventy thousand years, before the start of its recorded
history, and even before the first appearance of the modern races,
dragons ruled the world of Ranoc. The name "Dragon Empire" has
been coined by scholars who have studied this time period.
There is little known about this era. Only the vaguest hints are
given in the ancient chronicles as to its nature. It is not known why
the dragons gave up their power, but some historians believe that the
dragons fell to warring with each other, or with some other ancient
race that is no longer among the living.
One commonly quoted line from the chronicles gives a hint as to
what led to the end of the dragons' preeminence:
"For as the newer races came into being, the
dragons found their power waning. The ancient
wyrms, not wanting to share their power, at first
feasted on the newcomers, until the Great
Protectors put an end to this. And so it was decreed
that never again would the dragon claim lordship
over the peoples of the world."
Who these "Great Protectors" were puzzles many. Only the
creation myths of the Rochlada seem to collaborate this passage, but
some skeptics ask, "which came first, the chronicles or the
Rochlada?", as the chronicles are believed to predate the Rochlada by
several millennia.
The First Civilizations
Chione River Delta
The first known civilization resided in the Chione River Delta,
roughly where the city of Freehold currently sits in the Vast Expanse.
Records obtained from the tombs, temples, and other sources indicate
that the Chione were human and elf, although it is not clear whether
one ruled the other or if they lived and worked together as equals.
The Chione civilization predates any other civilization by nearly
2,000 years, and for the longest time was held to be a myth. The
Chione relied on magic for nearly every detail, and even the least
skilled could wield magic with ease. Using magic, they built incredible
works of architecture, including ziggurats and pyramids which still
stand today. Unfortunately, this reliance on magic led to their
downfall; as the pyramids became centers of very high mana, the rest
of the land was rendered a low-mana area. The sole exception was the
river delta itself, which has remained a normal mana region. It is also
believed that the volcanic Barrier Mountains were unusually active
about the same time, shifting climate patterns and rendering the plains
surrounding the Chione River into a desert.
The Vast Expanse Nomads claim in their tales to be descendants of
the Chione. This claim has not yet been verified, but the few scholars
who have studied the Chione ruins and the Nomads' culture have not
been able to disprove it, either.
Allira'el
The island continent of Allira'el in the Western Ocean has long
been known as the home of the elven people.
Although Allira'el is the first nation to appear in the ancient
chronicles, the nation was not founded until after the Chione ceased to
be.
According to the ancient chronicles, the nation of Allira'el was
formed when twelve of the thirteen elven tribes decided to stop
warring amongst themselves. The thirteenth tribe then left the
continent, disappearing from all knowledge. This nation is the oldest
extant nation, with a history dating back nearly 7500 years. Exact
dating, however, is impossible due to the lack of written records from
that time frame.
For further information, see the section on Allira'el in Chapter 2.
Antfortas and Khepri
The dwarves first appeared in the foothills of the Wyrmspire range.
There, they founded twin cities: Antfortas in the northwest near the
present-day location of Aukland, and Khepri in the southeast, near the
present-day nation of South Ford.
The two nations kept to themselves, only occasionally becoming
involved with the other nations of the time. This, perhaps, is what led
to their downfall.
The goblin nation of Sanir sacked Antfortas, scattering the dwarves
into the northern Wyrmspire Mountains. At the same time, Khepri
came under attack by the human nation of Phaon. The two nations,
left without a land to call their own, eventually settled the valleys of
the Wyrmspire range, becoming the united nation of Ered-Dm.
Sanir
The ancient goblin nation of Sanir existed on the coastline near the
Bay of Marach, and some scholars believe the present-day city of
Sanirdon is built upon the ruins of the goblin nation.
Sanir was not at all peaceful. They warred constantly with their
neighbors: the human nation of Corcoran and the dwarven nation of
Antfortas. The nation was destroyed over five thousand years ago by
the Corcoranese, scattering the goblins who lived there into the wild.
It would not be for several millennia until the goblins again achieved
civilization.
Corcoran
The human nation of Corcoran originated near the present-day
nation of Ritaegno, living on the borders of the forests and grasslands
of the area. At first a nomadic people, the Corcoranese settled and
throve in this region.
Not everyone agrees whether the Corcoranese were peaceful or
warlike. Certainly, they warred with the nation of Sanir, but more
often than not they traded with Antfortas and with Phaon and Khepri.
Corcoran is best known for being the birthplace of Aelthelwulf the
Great, the last King of Corcoran who forged a short-lived empire
throughout the Caere and Rochladastacht regions (see below).
Phaon
The human nation of Phaon originated in the plains of the
Rochladastacht. A fiercely independent people, the Phaonese were
only occasionally allied with their neighbors, and only when it suited
them. They were known to have been quite practical rather than
artistic in many matters; few works of Phaonese art are known to exist,
even everyday tools and weapons rarely had artistic designs on them.
The Phaon were able to briefly unite the Rochladastacht, until it
fell to Aethelwulf, and then later to the Rochlada.
The Empire of Aelthelwulf the Great
Aelthelwulf the Fifth, commonly known as Aelthelwulf the Great,
was the king of Corcoran roughly 2,500 years ago who, in his brief
life, rose from relative obscurity being simply one king among many
to being the ruler of an empire which dominated nearly the entire
western world.
When Aelthelwulf was born, hundreds of city-states had sprouted
up throughout the known world. These nations warred with each other
constantly, often over the slightest infractions. Aelthelwulf took it
upon himself to unify the world under one banner: his banner.
There are some who believe that Aelthelwulf was a Lord of Order.
While this is mere speculation, it certainly fits what is known of the
king.
When Aelthelwulf first ascended to the throne, he was only
thirteen years old; his father had died hunting a wild boar for the
birthday celebration. His first decree was the creation of a standing
army. He personally led many military campaigns in the northern
Caere region, consolidating his power. At age seventeen, he turned
south. His army swept through the southern Caere region, until he
came upon the borders of the Phaon Empire.
While many expected a war with the Phaon to result in
Aelthelwulf's last stand, he surprised everyone by annexing the Phaon
Empire without a single drop of blood being shed. He did this by
marrying the Phaon Emperor's sole offspring: a daughter, Granncyel.
There is only speculation as to whether the marriage was ever
consummated; Granncyel, only fourteen at the time of the marriage,
had only just reached childbearing age, and never produced any
children while married to Aelthelwulf. Indeed, as Aelthelwulf spent
much of his time on the battlefront, he appointed governors to
maintain order inside the empire he was forging.
Aelthelwulf met his end at age 25 in battle against the Vast
Expanse Nomads, who had refused to bow before him. Many troubles
plagued his campaign into the Vast Expanse prior to this: The area was
not well mapped, leading to the supply caravans getting lost. The
nomads knew the Expanse much better than anyone in Aelthelwulf's
army, and often ambushed him and his supply caravans without
warning. Also, the horses he brought with him were ill-suited to
desert life; the nomads' camels could travel farther with fewer stops,
and could survive the temperature extremes better.
When news spread of Aelthelwulf's death, the empire he forged fell
to infighting. His bride, Granncyel of the Phaon, personally ordered
the execution of the governor he'd imposed on them, claiming royal
privilege as the rightful heir to the throne of the Phaon. In the Caere
region, the petty infighting that Aelthelwulf hoped to prevent surged
once more, fiercer than ever.
The Barbarians Invade the Rochladastacht
Following the collapse of Aelthelwulf's empire, the Phaon people
of the Rochladastacht returned to their prior power, forcing the
governors imposed on them by Aelthelwulf to vacate, or sent them to
their deaths. Phaon was poised to become the major power of the
western world, and would have been if other factors had not come to
play.
Almost fifty years after Phaon returned to power, they were set
upon by hordes of barbarian horsemen who struck with blinding
speed. Where the barbarians came from, no one can say. Some
scholars suspect they came from the eastern reaches of the Vast
Expanse, traveling along its more inhabitable northern edges. Others
believe they came from the western plains of the Gehong region, as
records from the Gehong nations of Dusei and Peljing indicate that
several decades before the barbarians appeared in the west those
nations had fended off an incursion of horsemen from the plains.
In thirty short years, the Rochlada (as the barbarians came to be
known) had destroyed Phaon's cities and conquered their people,
imposing their rule on the remnants of the ancient civilization.
The Rise and Fall of the Great Empire of Man
The Great Empire of Man grew from the tattered remains of
Aelthelwulf's empire. It grew to be the dominant civilization of the
western world, a position it held for over a thousand years, before it
splintered from within. In the wake of its destruction, it left a legacy of
a handful of quarreling nations.
The seeds of the Great Empire were sown nearly 2,500 years ago,
when Aelthelwulf the Great forged his own empire, which united the
Caere Region, Wyrmspire Mountains, and the Rochladastacht into a
single empire. This empire, however, did not survive Aelthelwulf's
death in the Vast Expanse. The governors he had placed in charge of
the various holdings fell to fighting amongst themselves.
The most successful of these governors held the city of Sanirdon,
located on the shores of the Bay of Marach. Through a combination of
political savvy, economic leverage, and military might, the city of
Sanirdon came to be the capital of a sizable nation, roughly
corresponding to the present-day nation of Marach.
Over the next several hundred years, the territory controlled by
Sanirdon grew. In many cases, the various towns and cities voluntarily
accepted Sanirdon's rule, some even offering their loyalty. In some
major cases, however, such as the territory currently held by
Redwater, brief but brutal wars were fought. As Sanirdon's empire
grew, it became necessary to divide it into various provinces to
provide for more manageable local governments. The provinces were
then divided into duchies, which were subdivided into counties.
Ultimately, at the height of the Empire, the counties were further
subdivided into baronies.
During its time, the Great Empire was known for feats of social
changes, most notably the full integration of the Empire's goblin
population into its society, and the "civilizing", as it is called, of the
hobgoblins.
Ultimately, in hindsight, the fracturing of the Great Empire into
provinces is what led to its downfall. People stopped thinking of
themselves as citizens of a united Empire; instead, they saw
themselves as being part of their provinces. In the end, only those in
the provinces of Marach and Ritaegno saw themselves as part of the
Empire.
The province of Zitheral was the first of the provinces to officially
break from the Empire. A long, drawn-out war was fought, which
Zitheral won mainly through a combination of luck (which some
attribute to deific assistance) and the logistical problems the Empire
faced in suppressing the rebellious province. Gor Ansat, the province
directly north of Zitheral, refused to provide troops to the Empire's
army, and a series of severe storms along the coastline (often
attributed to the sea god Kaimana) sank, damaged, or otherwise forced
most of the Empire's naval forces to retreat. After ten years of
skirmishing, the Great Empire of Man was forced to acknowledge the
Kingdom of Zitheral as existing separate from the Empire.
Zitheral's success emboldened the other splinter provinces to break
away. Within a century, the only two provinces left in the Empire were
Marach and Ritaegno. The final nail in the Empire's coffin, as it is
said, came when Emperor Ahlmarric XIII died without an heir; as
Emperor, Ahlmarric was so paranoid about losing his power that he'd
had anyone who could claim the throne, including many family
members, killed several years before, and he had never taken a wife,
mistress, or concubine over fear of his child overthrowing him.
The result was that the provincial heads of both Marach and
Ritaegno the former as a hereditary position, the latter elected from
the provincial Senate had equal claims to the Imperial throne. The
war fought between the two provinces over the throne of the Empire
came to be known as the First War of Succession. Ironically, the war
failed to resolve the conflict over the throne as it served to reinforce
the concept of nationalism inside the two successor states.
Chapter II
The Lands and Nations of Ranoc
OVERVIEW
Allira'el
The First Land
Allira'el is the land of the Elves. It is referred to as the First Land
by most of the peoples, because it is the first region to be mentioned in
ancient texts. Many people erroneously believe that Allira'el was
where the humanoid races originated.
Allira'el is the smallest of the known continents, spanning one
thousand miles east to west and five hundred miles north to south, and
is situated in the middle of the Western Ocean. The terrain, moving
west to east, consists of rolling coastal plains moving into a steep
mountain range that runs the entire north-south length of the continent,
about two hundred miles in, before dropping into a well-maintained
rain forest that runs the rest of the continent's length.
Allira'el is surrounded by what has been called the Barrier Mist,
which only lifts twice per year, during the days of the summer and
winter solstices, to allow passage to the land. It is interesting to note
that ships can leave Allira'el at any time to pass out of the Barrier
Mist, but no ship that has entered the mists from the outside has ever
actually landed in port. The Barrier Mists do not surround the entire
continent; the port city of Gloredhel sits outside the Mists, permitting
year-round travel to the city and its surrounding areas.
There are those, including many who live on the island continent,
who believe that Allira'el is slowly fading from our world. They point
to the ancient legends and myths, which often indicate several
passages to and from the land, often during the spring and autumn. No
one except possibly the nation's leaders really knows when the
mists first appeared. If the elves know, they aren't telling anyone.
Whether or not the mists which block passage to Allira'el is really the
first stage of the land's removal from the world, or whether they're part
of some grand design of the elves for other purposes is left up to the
individual GMs.
The climate of Allira'el is a semi-tropical one, and well suited for
the elves that live there.
Aedes
The Settled Lands
Aedes is the largest of the four continents, as least as far as people
can tell. It spans roughly five thousand three hundred miles from east
to west, and at its widest is three thousand miles north to south. Most
of the area between the settled western regions and Gehong in the Far
East is uncharted. The settled Western region is over two thousand
miles from the Western Ocean coastline to the Barrier Mountains that
border the Vast Expanse, and the same distance from north to south;
the continent seems to "narrow" near the Vast Expanse, but gets
"wider" the farther east one travels. The Inner Ocean borders Aedes
along the land's the southern coastline.
Aedes is, ironically, a divided region. Many kingdoms, large and
small, dot the countryside. Much of the Vast Expanse and Northeast
Frontier are unexplored regions. The dominant race is human,
although halfling, dwarf, orc, hobgoblin, velvel, and half-elf kingdoms
are known to exist.
Umoja
The New Frontier
The continent of Umoja has been known for ages. However, it was
normally avoided by all but the bravest adventurers and shiploads of
convicted felons whose crimes did not warrant a death penalty. Within
the last hundred years, however, Umoja has become the fastest
growing frontier; a former penal colony has established a lasting
foothold on the northern shore of the continent, and receives monthly
influxes of settlers from across the Inner Ocean. Recently it has come
to light that there are several nations beyond the Umojan frontier
populated by the reptilian races. Umoja is broken up into several
regions: Northern Tropical Forests, Deep Forests, Spur Mountains,
Flat Plains, Eastern Jungles, Fire Mountains, Ash Desert, and the
Lower Plains.
Twenty years ago, a ship filled with political criminals sailed
across the southern sea to drop them off on the northern coast of
Umoja. Their community, named New Hope, has survived against the
monster races of the jungles, and a steady influx of immigrants from
the settled lands have increased the lands held by civilized folk.
Deep to the south, however, are ruins of a city whose inhabitants
were humanoid, but which has never appeared in anyone's history. The
original name and actual inhabitants of the city are unknown. Scholars
and adventurers of all kinds brave the jungles every year to travel to
the ruins with the intent of unraveling their mysteries. Many are never
heard from again.
Gemenohee
The Unexplored Lands
Far to the west, across the Western Ocean, lies a newly discovered
land, one relatively untouched by the people of our lands. However,
the land there is not uninhabited, for nomadic tribes of humanoids are
known to populate it. As of yet, only one race has been spotted there
a race which appears to be related to Humans but the land is greatly
unexplored. Any monster races living there will likely also be nomadic
tribes.
Thade Island
Entrance to the Land of the Dead
The exact location of this island is unknown, although most maps
place it in the Western Sea north of Allira'el and west of the Bay of
Marach. No one currently alive today claims to have ever visited the
island, although in ancient tales the heroes of old were able to visit the
island on a regular basis. Tales say that only those who need to arrive
on the island will actually find it.
The island is actually a mobile island, floating on the ocean
currents, and never in one spot for any length of time. It is a
Ranoc in the Infinite Worlds
As far as Homeline and Centrum are concerned, Ranoc is
considered a mythic parallel presently located in Quantum 6.
Because of its quantum position, Centrum doesn't have as great a
presence as Homeline does; however, Centrum agents are suspected
of having subtly influenced Redwater.
White Star Trading has established a number of storefronts in the
Caere, Rochladastacht, and Gehong regions.
Oddly enough, on a linguistic note, Caeric as a language is
similar enough to Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian that speakers of
those languages can communicate with Ranoc natives at Broken
proficiency. The same holds true for Cantonese Chinese and Hong,
and ancient Latin and Corcoranese. The Dwarven written language
is similar enough to Norse Futhark runes to be read at Broken
proficiency; however, most of the translations to either Old Norse or
Tolkienish Dwarven turn out gibberish.
mountainous island, seemingly volcanic in nature, and in fact sports
two active volcanoes! (A definite mystery for geologists, to be sure.)
On the island is a cave, which leads down into the depths of the earth.
The entrance of the cave is, in fact, a bridge between realms. Entering
the cave and heading down through the caverns, one finds himself
entering Thanatollis, the land of the dead.
Legend:
1. North Cove, Northern Raider Clans
2. Palomabeth, Ered-Dm
3. Orocelebeth, Ered-Dm
4. Riverside, Auckland
5. Veloria, Redwater
6. Sanirdon, Marach
7. Academopolis, Rinkasae
8. Porom, Hrigak
9. South Ford
10. Caer Nerthus, Ritaegno
11. Caer Jalantru, Zitheral
12. Ulrikunstact, Rochlad
13. Freehold
14. Oasis (reported location)
15. New Hope
16. Gloredhel, Allira'el
17. Synaeda, Allira'el
18. Mount Wanahocalugi
ALLIRA'EL REGION
On maps, this region encompasses the entire island continent of
Allira'el. In reality, it only encompasses the four-fifths of the continent
east of the mountains. This is a region of heavy tropical forests and
long, winding rivers, with heavy rainfall throughout most of the year.
Allira'el
Capital: Synaeda.
Population: estimated 1,270,000.
Racial Demographics: 92% elf, 4% human, 2% half-elf, 2% other
races.
Government: Monarchy.
Religions: Animism, with the Caere Pantheon popular in Gloredhel.
Imports: Mithril, orichalcum. adamantine.
Exports: Lumber, ironwood.
Ruler: Queen Usha Kesava.
Chief Advisor: Lord Usha Garuda.
Heir: Princess Kesava Shakra.
Allira'el is, perhaps, the only remaining kingdom that is purely
elven in nature. By all rights, the entire island-continent of Allira'el is
under the domain of this kingdom. However, because the island-
continent has not been thoroughly mapped by anyone, including the
elves who inhabit it, only those areas within a few well-mapped routes
are under the kingdom's direct control.
Most elves in Allira'el live in communities no larger than a village
of 500 people, often in smaller communities. Two known communities
stand apart from this norm: the ruling city of Synaeda, and the port
city of Gloredhel. These two communities make up only ten percent of
the island continent's population.
The "city" of Synaeda is not a city in anything but name, although
it is one by Elven standards. It is a large town of around 12,000
people, situated somewhere on the Tigrana River. It is a town amongst
the trees, blending in with the foliage, to the point where one is
uncertain whether he is passing through a city, or just another Elven
hamlet.
Gloredhel, on the other hand, is a city in both name and fact.
Boasting a population of over 100,000 residents, it often has up to an
additional 50,000 transients visiting the city. A port city, Gloredhel
has a sizable non-elven population, consisting predominantly of
humans and half-elves. (This, perhaps, is one reason the city sits
outside the Barrier Mists.)
The laws of Allira'el tend to be quite loose. "Do what thou wilt, but
harm none" stands as the basis of Allira'el's laws. Technically, the
nation is a monarchy, with a hereditary bloodline ruling the land. The
rulers, however, rarely exert their influence on the populace, leading
by example rather than by decree. Only four times in recorded history
have Allira'el's rulers seen a need to call the elves to war; the most
recent was to aid the dwarves in retaking their homeland.
Allira'el is the first nation to be referred to in the ancient
chronicles, and is known to predate nearly every other nation in
existence. Its longevity is attributed both to the long lives of its
populace and to its remote location. The nation dates back over seven
thousand years, formed when twelve of the thirteen elven tribes agreed
to set aside their differences and work together. The thirteenth tribe,
the so-called Lost Elves, claims the chronicles, left Allira'el to settle
elsewhere and disappeared from sight entirely.
It is unknown who wrote the ancient chronicles. Most scholars
today believe that the chronicles were recorded by others from
Allira'el's ancient oral traditions, but even this fails to account for the
breadth of the chronicles' knowledge and their style. Oral traditions
often end up with long narratives in poetic verse, but the chronicles
present things in a much less poetic format. Others believe the
composer of the chronicles was a dragon; that the oldest surviving
copy of the chronicles was written in archaic Corcoranese, not
Draconic or Elven, is written off by these scholars as "writing to an
audience, not as a diary." Although he neither admits it or denies it,
many believe the chronicles were written by the ancient and powerful
blue-black dragon named Hiranyagarbha, who is highly respected by
the nation's leadership for his wisdom. (Hiranyagarbha, being the
oldest known dragon indeed, the oldest known living being on
Ranoc, is certainly old enough to have penned the chronicles in his
youth.)
The nation of Allira'el does not engage in much trade with the
other nations of the world, preferring to remain self-sufficient. The
city of Gloredhel maintains a booming tourist industry.
Daily Life
The majority of the elves of Allira'el live a simple hunter/gatherer
existence. They live in small, one-room huts built between fifteen and
fifty feet off the ground, usually around a single large tree or
supported by a grouping of medium-sized trees. A network of
suspended wood bridges and rope ladders connects each hut to a
central platform located roughly thirty feet up a larger tree trunk.
Once a year, usually before the start of the monsoon season, the
underbrush of the forest is burnt away using controlled fires, then
plowed. Some crops are planted at this time; others are planted after
the monsoons end.
Each village has a council of elders who act as the authorities when
settling disputes between villagers. The council always includes the
village's war chief and the local shaman.
Geography
Allira'els populated areas lie along rivers in the dense rain forests
that dominate the majority of the continent. The two main settlements
both lie along rivers; the city of Allira'el lies on the northern coastline
in the river delta of the Tigrana River, while Gloredhel lies in the delta
region of the Euphrae.
Deeper into the jungles lies a large lake which is the source of the
Tigrana.
While it technically claims the mountain range and western coastal
plains as part of the nation, these areas are sparsely populated, often
with little more than a homestead every dozen miles or so. The
residents of these areas are often exiles from the more settled jungles
that decided not to leave the continent. The exceptions to this are the
iron, copper, and silver mines in the mountain range, which are
worked by the villages that have popped up around the mines.
The tallest mountain on the island continent is Mount
Wanahocalugi, a dormant volcano where Hiranyagarbha has made his
home. This mountain is not part of the range, but sits separated from
it, overlooking the lake from which the Tigrana flows.
Military
The Allira'el elves do not maintain a standing army, relying on a
volunteer militia and their seclusion for security. What soldiers they
do have the town guardsmen are usually equipped with hardened
or layered leather armor (if they wear armor at all), a spear, a short
bow, and a knife or machete. They rarely use shields; when they do,
the shields are usually small shields (occasionally medium shields)
made of wood or hardened leather. There are also a few elite archer
units that wield longbows. The Allira'el elves do not like the idea of
muskets and rifles, or even crossbows for that matter, seeing archery
as an art form and source of national pride.
Allira'el is one of the few nations that permit women to serve in the
town guard.
Naming Practices
Folks in Allira'el place their mother's name before their given
name. When traveling abroad, the names are often reversed or the
mother's name is dropped in favor of simply using the given name. In
many cases, the father of a child being named is unknown, so
following the mother's line provides the only real form of lineage.
When naming characters, Hindi and East Indian names, and those
with that flavor, are common. The names should tend to flow together
on the tongue; most have a total of five syllables.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 1; very free.
Taxation: CR 1; light and voluntary.
Weaponry: CR 1; very few restrictions.
Magic: CR 2; free with some controls. Air, Plant, Water, and
Weather spells are LC 4, with the exception of the Lightning spells
which are LC 3. Body Control, Mind Control, and Necromancy spells,
with some exceptions, are LC 1.
Laws:
Arrest: Commonly a town or village constable.
Trials: Fairly rapid, fair, and honest; in front of a judge who is
commonly a member of the clergy or nobility. Although operating on
a "guilty until proven innocent" standpoint, the accused is permitted
great leeway in his efforts to clear his name.
Punishment: Restitution, hard labor, exile, execution.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Transportation: Stirrups, ocean-going sailing
ships; TL 3.
Weapons and Armor: Steel weapons, steel mail, steel segmented
plate armor; TL 3.
Power: Heavy horses, horse collars, windmills; TL 3.
Medicine: Bleeding the sick, chemical remedies; TL 2.
Character Notes
Characters native to Allira'el have the following traits:
Languages: Elven (Native Spoken/No Written) [-3]; most of the
citizenry is illiterate, not needing to know how to read or write. Caeric
is a common second language, typically known at Accented
proficiency (4 points) among those abroad or in the port city of
Gloredhel.
Cultural Familiarity: Allira'el [0].
City of Synaeda
Population: 12,250.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 610.
City of Gloredhel
Population: 114,740.
City Guard: 1,140.
Soldiers: 5,730.
NORTHERN FRONTIER REGION
The Northern Frontier Region consists of the northwestern most
mountain ranges of Aedes, and extends eastward along the northern
side of Occam's Wall. There is little that unifies the region, save for
the language of Northern spoken throughout.
This is a very harsh region to live in. The air is very cold, with long
winters and short summers. The western coastline is dotted with
hundreds of fjords; the valleys at the farthest edges of the fjords are
the most hospitable areas in the entire region. Moving inland, across
the northern edge of the Occam's Wall range, the terrain becomes
more navigable, but the temperature drops considerably. The average
daytime temperature of the region during the summer months is
around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The vegetation is sparse and hardy, and
in the farthest northern reaches disappears completely, replaced by
glacial ice.
Northern Raider Clans
Capital: North Cove (de facto).
Population: Estimated 72,000, possibly as high as three times that.
Racial Demographics: 31% orc, 22% half-orc, 21% human; 19%
assorted other races.
Government: Tribal, evolving into a feudal system.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Gold, silver, booty.
Exports: Lumber, iron, adamantine, sapphires, mercenaries, boats.
Ruler: Grome the Horrible (de facto).
Chief Advisor: Hodr the Ear.
Heir: None named.
In the mountainous coves of the far north lives a society of orc,
half-orc, and human barbarians; sea raiders who routinely plunder the
coastlines and rivers in their long ships.
Most of these Raiders of the North lie in clan-based hamlets and
villages. Only one actual town is known, inhabited by the most
powerful and successful raider clan. This town, known only as North
Cove, is the de facto capital of the Northern Raider Clans.
The current ruler of North Cove, and hence of the Raider Clans in
general, is Grome the Horrible, an experienced half-orc of uncommon
intelligence and charisma. He has led the Raider Clans as far south as
Zitheral, and as far inland as the South Ford kingdom.
North Cove's politics resemble an expanded tribal society that is,
under Grome's leadership, slowly evolving into a feudal state. Grome
the Horrible has forced the tribal rulers of the surrounding villages,
hamlets, and thorps to pay allegiance to him. These tribal rulers,
generally called Jarls, haven't yet determined their own pecking order.
Grome's closest advisor is an old, blind orf named Hodr, who has the
epitath "the Ear" due to his exceptionally sharp hearing.
North Cove's laws are simple: anything is legal until you get
caught. If a fight breaks out in a tavern, the town watch rarely steps in
until after the dust has settled enough to place the winner or winners in
jail for the next day. Stealing is not a crime unless the victim catches
the thief in the act, or when Grome or one of his inner circle are
involved. Killing, when not done in combat or a duel, is punished by
ritual sacrifice of the murderer to one of the gods. Magic use is
tolerated, although priests and shamans get more leeway than arcane
casters.
The majority of the raider clans worship Kaimana, Golma, or
Hannass, although shrines can be found for Barsus and Hessen. Grome
himself, however, worships Rallos. For the most part, Grome allows
the raiders to worship whatever deities they wish. When once asked if
he would allow a "godless" raider or Jarl, one that did not follow any
deity, Grome replied, "I would not know if he was godless. I wouldn't
ask him." This attitude is common among all the Clans.
For the most part, the raider clans are divided into four classes: the
rulers, the raiders, the slaves, and everyone else. The rulers are the
tribal leader and his advisors, and the raiders are warriors and sailors
who engage in raiding parties along the coastlines. As can be
expected, slaves are those who have been enslaved by the raiders and
brought back to the settlements. Everyone else is just that: everyone
else. They can earn money, buy and sell goods, including slaves, and
all the rest, but are at the mercy of the raiders and the rulers.
Surrounding North Cove are a number of conifer forests, which the
inhabitants use to provide lumber for their long ships. In the mountains
are mines containing coal, iron, tin, zinc, and other metals.
Naturally, other villages, hamlets, and thorps exist in the
mountainous coastal regions of the far north. Most of these villages
pay tribute, usually in booty gathered, to North Cove.
Populations of the other villages vary. Some are primarily orc
camps; others have sizable human populations. Nearly all of them
have half-orcs in them; usually the half-orcs gain the primary positions
of power through a combination of intelligence and brute strength.
Often, the orc and human villages will wage war on each other,
sometimes decimating the loser and taking their women and children
as slaves, slaughtering the men.
While best known and feared as raiders, the Northern Clans are
also interested in trade. Their ships are capable of transporting up to a
hundred tons of cargo both over the open ocean and far upriver where
most others' ships cannot go. This enables the Clans to conduct trade
with such disparate peoples as the halflings of Auckland via the Red
River that cuts through the nation of Redwater; the inland nations of
South Ford, Hrigak, and Iturnum via the Uribe, Narfolia, and Varfenel
Rivers; the Umojan nations of New Hope and Shakdran; and the desert
nomads of the Vast Expanse, traveling up the Chione River from
Freehold. There is even a rumor circulating that the Clans' largest
"dragon ships" have been spotted in the ports of Gehong. Even so,
common knowledge in other regions claims that the only difference
between a Clan raiding ship and a Clan trading ship is how much
booty it is carrying.
Geography
Some farther south have said that the Northern Raiders live on the
sea, and this is not far from the truth. The majority of the Clans live in
the fjords of the mountains of the Northern Frontier, deep inlets of the
sea which carve into the tall mountains along the coastline, some
nearly 100 miles in length. Rivers run into the fjords, and the Clans
build their towns and farms along the rivers.
The seas surrounding the Northern Frontier can be rough,
particularly in bad weather. Even in good weather, the seas of the
Northern Frontier can be hazardous, primarily from whales, giant
squid, and the occasional sea serpent.
Cultural Values
The Northern Raider Clans value the following as virtues: Honor,
Hospitality, Honesty, Cleverness, and Luck.
"Honor" to a Northern Raider means many things. First and
foremost is the idea that a person's word is his bond; a raider who
pledges his word is honor-bound not to break it. A northerner who
breaks his word of honor is never trusted again; many who break their
word more than once are branded on their face, marking them as
dishonorable.
Hospitality is of almost equal importance to a Northerner as honor.
A man who opens his house to his friends who need aid is considered
a just man; one who opens his house to a total stranger in need is held
in high regard. Furthermore, a guest should never impose too much
upon his host, and offer to help out however and whenever possible.
Honesty (in game terms, the Truthfulness disadvantage) is also of
importance. Northerners value telling the truth; a man who
consistently tells the truth will be held in high regard by everyone.
Likewise, a man who consistently lies to his neighbors will develop a
very bad reputation, never be trusted.
Cleverness is also of value. To take spoils from a battle by brute
force is a feat to be respected, but to pull off a successful raid by
tricking the enemy into giving up any advantage held is a feat worthy
of a song of remembrance. One well-known raid on the Redwater port
city of Pira involved the crew of a ship, composed primarily of
humans with some half-orcs, pulling into the city, claiming their
captain had recently died of a debilitating illness after converting to
their religion. The crew claimed to want to give the captain a
Redwater funeral. During the funeral ceremony, the captain burst from
his coffin, sword in hand, and proceeded to slaughter the priests and
onlookers at the funeral; the ship's warriors then pillaged the temple
before returning to their longship. The captain had deliberately faked
his conversion to the Redwater religion in order to get into the temple
with minimal loss to the clan.
It may seem as though cleverness can run contrary to honesty and
possibly even hospitality. The key here is remembering that a
Northern Raider's sense of honesty and hospitality generally only
extends to others from the Northern Frontier. Furthermore, Redwater
is a prime target for the Northern Raiders for two reasons. The first is
its proximity to their home. The second, however, is Redwater's
intolerant religion persecuting orcs, half-orcs, and those who no not
adhere to their religion.
Luck is the final virtue, and the one most Northern Raiders tend to
pray for as opposed to working to possess. Luck, after all, is
something that only the gods can grant; a person may be lucky through
no fault of his own.
The Ting, Duels, and Feuds
The ruling council of every town is called the "Ting".
Should the Ting fail to settle the dispute, or if the parties involved
do not want to go before the Ting, the matter can be settled by dueling.
A duel is fought between two people, both with a broadsword and a
shield. Due to the nature of northern shields, which are cheaply made
and considered expendable, a northern duelist is allowed three shields.
The duel is generally fought until one of the parties yields or is killed
there is no dishonor in losing a duel by either method.
If a duel is an indication that normal methods failed to resolve an
issue, a feud is certainly an indication that the duel failed to. Feuds are
fought between families, and have at times been responsible for the
decimation of entire towns. A feud can be fought as open combat
between the families, but more often than not the feud is fought by one
family then the other eliminating the person in the opposing family
Grome the Horrible
275 points
Grome the Horrible began his life as the illegitimate son of a
lesser orc raider from North Cove and a human woman from the
Caere nation of Marach who was taken as a slave after a daring raid
on a coastal village.
As Grome grew to adulthood, his savagery in combat was
noticed, as was his ability to out-think his enemies and inspire those
around him. Soon, others in the Clan were turning to him for
leadership, something the rulers of North Cove at the time greatly
feared. Following one particularly brutal raid, the leadership accused
Grome of cowardice despite evidence to the contrary had him
branded with the rune for "coward" on his forehead, and banished
him into the wilderness.
Grome, however, survived thanks to several other Raiders who
were loyal to him. Withstanding the pain of a second branding, the
mark on his forehead was changed to the rune for "warrior" (this was
possible due to the difference of a single stroke between the two
brands).
Grome immediately led a contingent of warriors into North Cove,
overthrowing and slaughtering the leadership that had exiled him.
Since then, he has visited many of the other towns, villages, and
hamlets of the region, forcing their chiefs to pay him tribute.
Grome is a suitable Patron or Enemy for a PC or group of PCs.
Attributes: ST 13 [20]*; DX 12 [40]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d/2d-1; BL 34; HP 13 [0];
Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 6 [0]; Basic Move
6 [0].
Languages: Caeric (Spoken Accented; Written Semi-Literate) [3];
Northern (Spoken Native; Written Semi-Literate) (Native
Language) [-2].
Cultural Familiarities: Northern Raider (Native) [0].
Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Charisma 3 [15]; Combat
Reflexes [15]; Enhanced Parry (All Parries) +3 [30]; Fearlessness
3 [6]; Half-Orc [19]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; Hard to Subdue 2 [4];
Single-Minded [5]; Social Regard (Feared) 2 [10]; Status 4 [20];
Very Fit [15]; Wealth (Wealthy) [20].
Perks: Alcohol Tolerance [1].
Disadvantages: Bloodlust (12) [-10]; Bully (12) [-10]; Code of
Honor (Northerner's) [-5]; Megalomania [-10]; No Sense of
Smell/Taste [-5]; One Eye [-15]; Truthfulness (9) [-7].
Quirks: Dislikes Goblins; Distinctive Feature: Brand on His
Forehead; Habit: Bounces His Knee When Bored; Minor
Handicap: Bum Knee; Wants to Unite the Clans [-5].
Skills: Axe/Mace (A) DX+2 [8] - 14; Boxing (A) DX+2 [8] - 14;
Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 14; Crossbow (E) DX+0 [1] 12;
Games (Rotah) (E) IQ+0 [1] 12; Intimidation (A) Will+1 [4]
13; Leadership (A) IQ+3 [2] 15; Politics (A) IQ-1 [1] 11;
Public Speaking (A) IQ+2 [1] 14; Shield (E) DX+2 [4] 14;
Survival (Mountain) (A) Per+0 [2] 12; Survival (Open Ocean)
(A) Per+0 [2] 12; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] 12; Tactics (H)
IQ+0 [4] 12; Two-Handed Axe-Mace (A) DX+0 [7] 14.
* +1 from Half-Orc racial template.
+3 from Charisma.
Defaulted from Axe/Mace.
held to be the "best" person. Note that the "best" person may not be the
person responsible for the start or continuation of the feud, and may in
fact be someone working to end it! Upon the death of the best man,
someone in the victimized family will then retaliate by killing the best
man of the other family, and so it cycles until one side or the other
either dies out or calls for a truce and truces only last as long as no
one triggers the feud again. A feud may last generations, to the point
where neither side remembers how the feud started.
Military
Most of the Northern Raider Clans do not have a standing military.
Instead, all able-bodied men and women are expected to engage in the
frequent raids and come to the clan's defense. Most are equipped with
spears and axes and carry wooden shields (usually round medium
shields). A few, usually the clan's war chief and his lieutenants, may
wield broadswords.
Everyone in the clans is trained in shipboard operations. Generally
this is reserved for rowing and steering the ship, although a few
notable seafarers are able to navigate the open seas.
Very few clans use ranged weapons; those that do tend to use
spears and javelins. One orc clan, however, has become extremely
proficient in the use of longbows; there are tales of their chieftain
downing charging boars with one shot from his bow.
Naming Practices
Northern raiders have a given name followed by either the father's
name with a -son or -dotter suffix or a by-name. This by-name is either
descriptive or topographic, often preceded by "the" if descriptive or
"of" or "from" if topographic.
When naming Northern Raiders, names based on Old Norse,
Norwegian, Icelandic, Swedish, or Danish work best.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 0; effective anarchy.
Taxation: CR 2; Grome has started demanding tribute from the
Jarls, but intentionally keeps it light.
Weaponry: CR 0; no controls on weapons.
Magic: CR 1; very few controls. Necromancy spells are LC 1, all
others LC 4.
Laws:
Arrest: Commonly a town constable, but quite often a group of
people take matters into their own hands to apprehend someone.
Trials: Fairly rapid, often noisy and informal; trial is often in front
of a Jarl who acts as judge. Sometimes they are fair; other times, they
are nothing less than a kangaroo court with a predetermined outcome.
Trials by combat are also valid, should the defendant demand one.
Such trials by combat are handled as a duel between the accused and
the accuser; either side may use a champion.
Punishment: Beatings, public humiliation, restitution, branding,
maiming, exile, slavery, execution.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Stirrups, ocean-going sailing ships; TL 3.
Weapons and Armor: Steel weapons, steel mail, steel plate armor;
TL 3.
Power: Horses, water wheels; TL 2.
Medicine: Surgery, animal husbandry, fermentation; TL 1.
Character Notes
The following traits are standard for natives of the Northern Raider
Clans:
Languages: Northern (Native Spoken, No Written) [-3]. Those
who regularly travel abroad also know Caeric (Accented Spoken, No
Written) [2]. The majority of Northern Raiders are illiterate, as their
lives leave little time for actually learning to read and write; the secret
of "writing sounds" is commonly reserved for the few holy men and
women of the Clans. A number of Clan elders, however, have broken
this tradition in the past by learning the Caeric script.
Cultural Familiarity: Northern Raider (Native) [0].
Disadvantages: Most Northern Raiders have Code of Honor
(Northerner's) [-5] or Code of Honor (Pirate's) [-5].
Skills: Most raiders are expected to have, at a minimum,
Seamanship-10; Shield-12 (Block-9); any one Melee Weapon skill at
12 (Parry-9).
City of North Cove
Population: 14,920.
City Guard: 140.
Raiders: 740.
Standard Raider Town
Average Population: 2,000.
Town Guard: 20.
Raiders: 100.
CAERE REGION
The Caere Region extends from the southern edge of the Northern
Mountains to the corner where the Western Ocean meets the Inner
Ocean, and from the foothills of the Wyrmspire Mountains to the
shores of the Western Ocean. The region has a temperate climate, with
hilly terrain in the northern areas smoothing out into a coastal plain in
the southern part. The northern areas are dominated by mixed
deciduous and conifer forests, the central area is a grassy plain, and the
southern edge has numerous sub-tropical forests.
Originally, the Caere region was settled by numerous city-states of
varying races. In time, these city-states grouped themselves into
nations. Twice in recorded history these nations were united into an
empire, the last and most recent being the Great Empire of Man. One
hundred years ago, this empire came to an end, leaving behind a
number of warring nations. So far, three "Wars of Succession" have
been fought by two nations, Marach and Ritaegno, and the kingdom of
Redwater has become increasingly hostile to non-humans.
Redwater
Capital: Veloria.
Population: 3,740,000.
Racial Demographics: 99% human, 0.7% half-orc, 0.3% half-elf.
Government: Monarchy, with a behind-the-scenes Theocracy.
Religions: Church of the One True God.
Imports: Silks, spices, wheat.
Exports: Coal, tin, fish oil, whale oil, furs.
Rulers: His Majesty, King Antonio I; Her Majesty, Queen Isabella.
Grand Duke: His Highness, Grand Duke Lucas Sanctorus.
Crown Prince: His Royal Highness, Prince Antonio Sanctorus.
The Kingdom of Redwater is a strictly human nation known for its
numerous atrocities against non-humans. While technically a
hereditary monarchy, the rulers are simply figureheads and
spokespeople for the real power in the kingdom: the Church.
Unlike the rest of the Caere region, which worships a pantheon of
deities, Redwater worships a single deity called Yohvoh. The
Cardinal heads the church, and there is a Bishop in every town above
1,000 people in the kingdom; the current Cardinal is Cardinal Hamel.
Priests of the "One True God" refuse to even utter the name, believing
it blasphemous to mention the name of their god. It is the Church who
is responsible for the atrocities against non-humans, slaughtering non-
humans on sight; only half-elves and half-orcs are commonly spared,
being pressed into slavery with no hope of buying their freedom.
Humans, claims the Church, are the One True God's Chosen People
and set to inherit the world. Everyone else is a pale imitation, if not
outright mockery, of the Chosen People.
In addition to all this, any magic apart from the Church's priests is
strictly forbidden, under penalty of death. This includes wizards,
sorcerers, alchemists, shamans, and priests of "pagan" deities.
Herbalists are better able to hide their magic than most, and while still
persecuted do not live in constant fear like their counterparts.
Redwater's laws are very restrictive, with punishments ranging
from stiff fines to hard labor, public humiliation, and, for the most
grievous offenses, public executions by beheading. All trials, when
they happen, operate under a "guilty until proven innocent" set of
rulings.
This oppressive system has become the spawning ground for the
other thing Redwater is infamous for: organized crime. Much more
than just a mere Thieves' Guild, the criminal element in Redwater is
known to have its fingers in everything from smuggling to extortion,
racketeering, prostitution, drugs, and even arcane magic items. All of
this is done right under the noses of the priests and Bishops, usually
through bribery and blackmail of Church and city officials.
Lately, rumors have been circulating about a mysterious "Black
Vault" owned by Redwater. In their purges of "unholy" magic, they
acquired a large number of magic items. As these items were
forbidden by the Church, many were destroyed; however, a few
proved to be indestructible. The "Black Vault," as it is known, was
developed as a storage facility for these items. No one (outside the
Church's upper hierarchy) seems to know where this "Black Vault" is
located, although the rumors indicate that it is on an island. Oddly
enough, while the Crusaders and priests of the One True God tend to
deny other rumors, they do not deny this one... but they do not confirm
it, either.
On the eastern end of the kingdom, along the border with
Auckland, are a series of abandoned cities, known collectively as the
Dead Zone. Two of these cities are known to have large infestations of
intelligent undead, the third has a sizable gargoyle population, and the
fourth is currently a complete unknown, with no reports of what's
currently going on there. The leaders of the country are currently
downplaying the undead infestations, as to not alarm the populace,
while at the same time using them as a rallying point in their speeches
against non-humans. The Church leaders conveniently hide the fact
that halfling caravans have disappeared in those same regions without
a trace.
Geography
Redwater's climate is harsher than the rest of the Caere region,
having colder winters and shorter summers than its neighbors to the
south. The nation extends from the Bay of Marach to the foothills of
the Northern Frontier, with two main rivers running east to west. The
Red River runs out of Auckland, fed by the North River and the Serb
River that flow out of the Northern Frontier, and gets its name from
the high clay content which gives the river a perpetually red color. The
Floenry River runs almost parallel to the Red. During the short spring,
the melting snows of the mountains cause the North, Serb, and Red
Rivers to flood their banks, depositing a fresh layer of sediment for the
growing season.
The northern reaches of the Kingdom are home to large forests of
evergreen trees, primarily pine and fir.
Cardinal Hamel
230 points
Cardinal Hamel is the current head of the Church of the One
True God in Redwater. He is an old man, pushing 90 years of age,
but still healthy enough to continue making public appearances and
giving speeches. Cardinal Hamel is the power behind the throne and
the man most responsible for Redwater's present hostility towards
non-humans and mages.
Cardinal Hamel has one magical power: he can influence the
emotions of those who hear him. This is a power granted to all past
Cardinals of the Church through a magic ritual described in the texts
and performed by the Bishops of the Church when selecting a
Cardinal. This ability is a closely guarded secret of the Church. The
Church justifies its endowment of this ability on its Cardinal by
claiming that it comes from their God; however, because the ability
is magical and not divinely granted it is subject to all of the normal
magical countermeasures.
Cardinal Hamel is an appropriate Patron or Enemy for a PC or
group of PCs.
Attributes: ST 8 [-20]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 8 [-20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-3/1d-2; BL 13; HP 8 [0];
Will 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 8 [0]; Basic Speed 5 [-10]; Basic
Move 2 [-15].
Languages: Caeric (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Caere Region (Native) [0].
Advantages: Charisma 5 [25]; Clerical Investment [5]; Close to
Heaven 4 [20]; Indomitable [15]; Legal Immunity 3 [15]; Mind
Control (Emotion Control, -50%; Hearing-Based, -20%;
Magical, -10%) [10]; Religious Rank 7 [35]; Smooth Operator 2
[30]; Social Regard (Venerated) 1 [5]; Voice [10].
Perks: Honest Face [1].
Disadvantages: Bad Sight (Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) [10]; Chronic
Pain (Mild) (2 hours; 9 or less) [-5]; Code of Honor
(Professional) [-5]; Fanaticism (Church of the One True God) [-
15]; Hard of Hearing [-10]; Intolerance (Total Intolerance,
Religious and Racial) [-10]; Megalomania [-10].
Quirks: Alcohol Intolerance; Attentive; Chauvinistic; Horrible
Hangovers; Proud [-5].
Skills: Administration (A) IQ+1 [4] 14; Astronomy/TL4
(Observational) (A) IQ-1 [1] 12; Body Language (Human) (A)
Per+2 [8] 15; Brainwashing/TL4 (H) IQ [4] 13; Connoisseur
(Literature) (A) IQ-1 [1] 12; Connoisseur (Visual Arts) (A) IQ
[2] 13; Current Affairs/TL4 (High Culture) (E) IQ+1 [2] 14;
Current Affairs/TL4 (Politics) (E) IQ+1 [2] 14; Detect Lies (H)
Per+1 [2] 14*; Diplomacy (H) IQ+5 [8] 18; Exorcism (H)
Will [2] 13#; Heraldry (A) IQ [1] 13; Intimidation (A)
Will+4 [8] 17; Literature (H) IQ-1 [2] 12; Politics (A) IQ+7
[12] 20; Propaganda/TL4 (A) IQ+5 [20] 18; Public
Speaking (A) IQ+12 [12] 25; Religious Ritual (Church of
the One True God) (H) IQ+3 [12] 15; Savoir-Faire (High
Society) (E) IQ+4 [4] 17; Theology (Church of the One True
God) (H) IQ+1 [7] 14#.
* Defaulted from Body Language
Includes +2 from Smooth Operator
Includes +2 from Voice
# Defaulted from Religious Ritual
Defaulted from Savoir-Faire
Includes +5 from Charisma
Military
Redwater's military is divided into three groups.
The first is the navy. Galleys make up the main naval force; the
newest ones are being built with steel plating on the hulls for
protection from the cannon used on Marach and Ritaegno ships. Most
ships in the navy are equipped with scorpions on the decks, and all
ships carry a company of shipboard marines for boarding operations.
All marines are equipped with broadswords and light armor, generally
cloth or leather. Despite this, the navy is outclassed by the navies of
Marach and Ritaegno, a fact the Redwater admirality is painfully
aware of; the main duties of the Redwater navy is protection of cargo
vessels against pirates.
Second, the knights of the Order of the Righteous Crusade
comprise the cavalry of the Redwater military. All are mounted
knights, and wear chain mail, plate-and-chain, or plate armor. Most
carry medium shields and wield heavy maces, warhammers,
broadswords, bastard swords, spears, or lances.
Lastly, the average soldier makes up the bulk of the standing army.
The soldier is equipped with a mail hauberk, with officers wearing a
plate-and-chain suit. He is armed with a spear or halberd, with a
shortsword or small mace as a sidearm, and carries a crossbow or short
bow for ranged fire. The army operates in ranks; the front rank will
always carry a large shield to provide them and their comrades cover.
Because of their disdain for arcane magic, Redwater has little in
the way of magical support.
Naming Practices
People in Redwater use a given name first, followed by a surname
if upper class or the occasional by-name if middle or lower class.
Surnames are usually patronymic or topographic in origin; by-names
are usually descriptive, occupational, or topographic. Most
Redwaterians are known solely by their given name.
When naming characters, Italian and Latin names are best.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 3 for humans, CR 5 for half-humans (half-elves
and half-orcs), and CR 6 for non-humans.
Taxation: CR 4; moderate to heavy taxation.
Weaponry: CR 4; moderate to heavy controls.
Magic: CR 6; banned. Town guards who catch magic-users in the
act are authorized to execute the mage on sight.
Laws:
Arrest: Most arrests are handled by the town guard, although the
Crusaders have been given the power to conduct arrests. Anyone
resisting arrest by either fleeing or defending himself is in danger of
being executed on the spot, particularly if arrested by Crusaders or if
magic or non-humans are involved in any way.
Trials: Redwater's trials operate under a "guilty until proven
innocent" accusation, and the accused is often denied legal council,
except when the accused is of high Status (minimum Status 2 in order
to have legal council). Trials tend to be over quickly, and are always
in front of the local magistrate.
Punishment: Public humiliation is popular with the Redwater
authorities, as is hard labor. Of course, the death penalty is also
common for crimes considered "serious", including violent crimes and
those involving magic. Half-humans (half-elves and half-orcs) are
automatically put to death for any crime they may be convicted of, no
matter how minor.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Long-distance coaches, three-masted sailing ships,
and precise navigation; TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: Steel weapons, plate armor, fortified castles,
and pikes. TL 3.
Power: Improved windmills, belt drives, clockwork; TL 4.
Medicine: Crude prosthetics, anatomical science; TL 3.
Character Notes
Languages: Caeric (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarity: Caere Region [0].
Disadvantages: Characters from Redwater should have Intolerance
(Total Intolerance) [-10], aimed at mages and non-humans and often
those humans who are not followers of Yohvoh. Half-elves and
half-orcs in Redwater possess Social Stigma (Second-Class Citizen) [-
10].
City of Veloria
Population: 189,670.
City Guard: 1,890.
Soldiers: 9,480.
City of Floenricia
Population: 72,820.
City Guard: 720.
Soldiers: 3,640.
City of Pira
Population: 28,970.
City Guard: 290.
Soldiers: 1,450.
City of Londuria
Population: 21,070.
City Guard: 210.
Soldiers: 1,050.
City of Thrackia
Population: 19,220.
City Guard: 190.
Soldiers: 960.
City of Maggencia
Population: 18,470.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 920.
City of Jerindium
Population: 14,370.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 710.
City of Serbata
Population: 9,270.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 40.
Auckland
Capital: Riverside.
Population: 1,780,000.
Racial Demographics: 96% halfling, 4% other races.
Government: Feudal Oligarchy.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Manufactured goods, raw metals.
Exports: Grains, lumber, ales, clothing.
Chief: Beagan MacDoughall.
Chief Advisor: Tavis O'Rilegh, Sheriff of Riverside.
Heir: Celidh MacDoughall.
Auckland is one of the older settled regions in Aedes. Bequeathed
to the halfling race as a whole by Emperor Dordendal III of the Great
Empire of Man, Auckland is home to practically the entire halfling
race; even those that live abroad retain ties to the land.
Auckland is divided into seven townships: Riverside, Foothill,
Aelfdane, Birkhead, Northcliff, Southampton, and Easton. Each
township is presided over by a Sheriff, each of whom swears
allegiance to the Chief, who is the de facto leader of the region. In
addition to this, every town in Auckland has an elected mayor, who
runs the town and often the surrounding area in the Sheriff's absence.
The Sheriff of a township is responsible for the township's safety.
To aid him, he often has two or three deputies who act in his stead but
still answer to him. In recent years, with neighboring Redwater
becoming more and more aggressive, the Sheriffs and deputies in all
of the townships have started organizing township militias to help
defend the areas. These militias are composed of any able-bodied
volunteer, and drill on a regular basis. Should the two nations go to
war, Auckland is prepared to fight to the last person to defend
themselves.
Laws in Auckland are liaise-faire, with an emphasis on maintaining
peace, quiet, and harmony among the populace. In a lot of cases, the
law is simply a set of precedents followed by the Chief and the
Sheriffs rather than an actual codified set of laws.
While sizable portions of the halflings in Auckland have settled
into towns, villages, and hamlets, there are several notable halfling
clans that roam the countryside in wagon caravans. These clans are
welcomed in most settlements for the news they bring of the outside
world, but they never stay in one place for very long. These caravans
roam as far as Marach, Rinkasae, and the gates to Ered-Dm, but have
stopped traveling to Redwater, as they are nearly always attacked and
slaughtered by that kingdom's fanatical human army.
Geography
Auckland is divided into grassy hills, forests of evergreen and
deciduous trees, and small streams which feed into one of the three
main rivers. Two rivers, the Rhione and Danbue, flow out of the
Wyrmspire range which sits to the east, merging in the township of
Riverside into the Red River. The Floenry River flows from the
Wyrmspire range through the southern townships down to the borders
of Redwater.
Despite being situated in the northern reaches of the Caere region,
Auckland is more temperate in its climate than neighboring Redwater.
Much of this has to do with the three rivers flowing through it and the
numerous hot springs and geysers that pepper the northern townships.
The northern townships Northcliff and Aelfdane are heavily
forested and sit over a geothermal hot spot, which raises the local
temperatures to comfortable levels.
Military
The Auckland militias tend to be simple folk who have had some
training in basic weaponry. As such, they do not know how to use
many weapons used by other militaries.
Most Auckland militias are equipped with knives, spears, clubs,
axes, and maces, with crossbows and thrown rocks for ranged combat.
None of them carry shields, and few of them have any armor heavier
than leather, if they have any armor at all.
However, Auckland militias are well-trained in fighting from
concealment, and have perfected a trick to make enemies think there
are more of them. After the first volley of crossbow fire, fired from
concealed positions, a second crossbow is fired while a younger
halfling reloads the first. This enables the militia to maintain crossbow
fire twice as long as most others. It is believed that the militias would
use the same tactics if they got hold of firearms.
Naming Practices
People from Auckland use a given name followed by a hereditary
surname. Surnames have been used for thousands of years in this
region, long before most others, and are usually patronymic in origin.
The prefixes Mac- and O'-, indicating the founder of the line, are
common among surnames. The prefixes Fits- and Fitz- are also
commonly used, and was originally used to indicate a birth out of
wedlock.
When naming characters from Auckland, Gaelic, Celtic, Irish,
Scottish, or Welsh names are best.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 2; the people are essentially free to do what
they want, but are prohibited by both tradition and the written law
from engaging in actions harmful to others.
Taxation: CR 1; taxes are very light and in most cases voluntary.
Weaponry: CR 2; restrictions are generally "common sense". The
biggest restrictions on weaponry and armor are availability and price,
not legality.
Magic: CR 1; only Necromancy spells and summoning spells from
the Gate college are forbidden inside Auckland's borders and are
considered LC 1, while most Body Control, Mind Control, and
privacy-invading Knowledge spells are LC 2. All other spells are LC
4.
Laws:
Arrest: Arrests are usually done by one of the local Deputies, and
is very humane in its execution.
Trials: Very informal, usually with the Sheriff or a Deputy (not the
one that performed the arrest) acting as judge.
Punishment: Auckland prefers restitution, indentured servitude,
and exile as their standard punishments.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Long-distance coaches, precise navigation; TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: Steel weapons, plate armor; TL 3.
Power: Improved windmills, belt drives, clockwork; TL 4.
Medicine: Optical microscopes; TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Caeric (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarity: Caere Region [0].
City of Riverside
Population: 42,030.
City Guard: 420.
Militia: 2,100.
City of Foothill
Population: 40,970.
City Guard: 400.
Militia: 2,040.
City of Aelfdane
Population: 34,850.
City Guard: 340.
Militia: 1,740.
City of Birkhead
Population: 16,970.
City Guard: 160.
Militia: 840.
City of Northcliff
Population: 16,660.
City Guard: 160.
Militia: 830.
City of Southampton
Population: 14,190.
City Guard: 140.
Militia: 700.
City of Easton
Population: 11,990.
City Guard: 110.
Militia: 590.
Marach
Capital: Sanirdon.
Population: 12,040,000.
Government: Monarchy.
Racial Demographics: 72% human, 24% goblin, 4% other races.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Gunpowder,
Exports:
Ruler: His Majesty, King Richard XII of the line of Royden.
Grand Duke: His Excellency the Grand Duke Eldwyn of the line of
Royden.
Crown Prince: His Royal Highness, Prince Richard of the line of
Royden.
The Kingdom of Marach is one of the two most technologically
advanced human nations in the world, and the primary rival of the
other.
Both Marach and its rival Ritaegno are remnants of the Great
Empire, a human empire that rose to power a thousand years ago that
stretched from Redwater to Zitheral, and from the Wyrmspire
Mountains to the ocean coastline. As the Empire became too large to
sustain itself, it fell from within to infighting between various
powerful lords, and from without to the Northern Raider Clans. The
City of Sanirdon was once the capital city of the Great Empire, and
still retains its prominence in the world despite having lost most of its
Empire.
Lately, the rulers of the Kingdom of Marach, and the powers that
exist behind closed doors, have been making noises about military
expansions into currently uncontrolled areas in an attempt to recreate
the Great Empire. These noises make the rulers in Ritaegno nervous,
and are the prime source of contention between the two powers. To
date, the two nations have fought three wars (and countless minor
border skirmishes) since the breakup of the Great Empire, the last of
which utilized muskets on both sides.
Geography
The Kingdom of Marach sits along the southern coastline of the
Bay of Marach, with the Derfluss River flowing through it. Away
from the coastlines the terrain becomes hillier, alternating between
farmland, pastures, and mixed forests. The southern border of Marach
lies in an area of tall hills which run right to the coastline.
Marach's territory includes numerous rocky islands, some of which
are accessible only by shallow boats, as any ship with a draft of more
than 4 feet is subject to running into one of the many rocks that
surround the islands.
History
The first nation to exist in the region currently occupied by the
Kingdom of Marach was the original goblin and hobgoblin civilization
of Sanir. Very little is known about this civilization, as it was
destroyed millennia ago by the human Corcoran civilization. The royal
city of Sanirdon is believed to sit atop the very ruins of the ancient
Sanir.
Military
As a military power, Marach has a strong and proud naval
tradition, with modern warships and a well-trained naval infantry
force. All ships in the Marach navy are equipped with at least two
dozen cannon, with an equal number of smaller guns on the top deck.
Standard practice is to come alongside the enemy ship and open up all
cannon at once. Should the other ship survive the first two volleys, the
naval infantry commences boarding the enemy ship.
Marach's regular infantry is well trained in anti-cavalry tactics,
armed mainly with spears, pikes, bows, and crossbows, with swords as
backup weapons. Marach soldiers are typically garbed in leather or
chain armor, allowing them maximum mobility.
Marach also employs a sizable Royal Air Cavalry force, composed
of soldiers who fight astride flying mounts as pegasi, gryphons,
hippogriffs, giant eagles, and even the occasional dragon; Lord Kenric,
the current captain of the RAC, rides a roc! Most of the air cavalry are
equipped with spears and lances, but a few have been issued carbines
(shortened muskets designed to be fired from the saddle). Soldiers in
the air cavalry generally wear leather or chain armor, if they wear
armor at all, to allow them maximum mobility. A number of spell
casters, especially those who specialize in combat spells, are members
of the air cavalry.
When Rinkasae introduced Marach to gunpowder, the rulers at the
time were quick to introduce musketeers to their standing army.
Marach currently maintains four full-time companies of musketeers,
and nearly three times that many soldiers have had musket training.
While Rinkasae developed gunpowder and muskets, it is Marach
adaptability that invented the rifle. Realizing that muskets could be
made more accurate if the ball was to spin, a blacksmith set a number
of spiraling grooves down the barrel of a musket he was fixing. Upon
firing it several times at the same target, he showed the results to an
officer in the Marach military. This officer has ordered that all
muskets in storage be adapted with the new rifling. To date, the new
"Marach Rifles" have not yet been tested under combat conditions,
although they have become a favorite among hunters.
Naming Practices
People in Marach use a given name, occasionally followed by a
Sir Kenric
250 points
Sir Kenric is the Captain of the Royal Air Cavalry, He is a landed
knight in his own right, having received a land grant from the King
of Marach a few years back. He is the only person in history known
to have tamed a roc as a mount. Rumors abound about his control
over the roc; the most accurate rumors are those of him using magic
to control the beast, despite the fact that he has not shown any other
magical talents.
When Kenric was still working with his original giant eagle
mount, he was shot in his right leg by a musket enchanted by a
Ritaegno wizard. This wound has never fully healed, due to the
nature of the enchantment and a failed healing spell. Because of this,
he walks with a slight limp. Because the leg wound has not seriously
affected his performance, he still retains his position.
Due to his position and his point value, Lord Kenric is suitable as
an Ally or Patron for a PC in a low- to medium-point game, or as a
possible PC in a game starting at 250 points or higher.
Attributes: ST 13 [30]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 13 [30].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d/2d-1; BL 34; HP 13 [0];
Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 13 [0]; Basic Speed 6.25 [0]; Basic
Move 3 [-15].
Languages: Caeric (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Caere Region (Native) [0].
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Ally (Roc; 100% of starting
points; 12 or less) [8]; Animal Empathy [5]; Charisma 3 [15];
Combat Reflexes [15]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Magery 0 [5];
Magery 2 (Animal College Only, -40%) [12]; Military Rank 4
[20]; Status 3 [15]; Wealth (Wealthy) [20].
Disadvantages: Bad Sight (Farsighted; Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) [-
10]; Code of Honor: Soldier's [-10]; Duty (To Country; 12) [-10];
Honesty (9) [-15]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10];
Sense of Duty (to Country) [-10]; Truthfulness (6) [-10];
Workaholic [-5]; Wounded [-5].
Quirks: Broad-Minded; Dislikes Politics; Expression ("Time for
sweat and bad breath!"); Horrible Hangovers; Minor Handicap [-
5].
Skills: Administration (A) IQ [2] 12; Animal Handling (Raptors)
(A) IQ [2] 12; Broadsword (A) DX+2 [8] 14; Connoisseur
(Visual Arts) (A) IQ-1 [1] 11; Current Affairs/TL4 (Politics)
(E) IQ [1] 12; Detect Lies (H) Per [4] 12; Fast-Draw/TL4
(Ammo) (E) DX+2 [2] 14*; First Aid/TL4 (Human) (E) IQ [1]
12; Guns/TL4 (Musket) (E) DX+2 [8] 14; Heraldry (A) IQ
[2] 12; Intelligence Analysis/TL4 (H) IQ [4] 12; Law
(Marach) (H) IQ [4] 12; Leadership (A) IQ+2 [1] 14;
Literature (H) IQ [4] 12; Navigation/TL4 (Air) (A) IQ+2 [1]
14; Parachuting/TL4 (E) DX [1] 12; Politics (A) IQ [2] 12;
Riding (Raptors) (A) DX+2 [4] 14~; Savoir-Faire (High
Society) (E) IQ [1] 12; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ [1] 12;
Shield (E) DX+2 [4] 14; Soldier/TL4 (A) IQ [2] 12; Tactics
(H) IQ [4] 12; Two-Handed Sword (A) DX [2] 12;
Veterinary/TL4 (H) IQ-2 [1] 10; Weather Sense (A) IQ-1 [1]
11.
Spells: Beast-Soother (H) IQ [1] 12#; Bird Control (H) IQ+4 [8]
16#; Hybrid Control (VH) IQ [2] 12#; Mammal Control (H) IQ
[1] 12#.
* Includes +1 from Combat Reflexes.
Includes +3 from Charisma.
Includes +3 from 3D Spatial Sense.
~ Includes +1 from 3D Spatial Sense.
# Includes +2 from Magery.
surname. Surnames have only become hereditary in the last three
hundred years, particularly in the cities, and are generally patronymic,
occupational, or topographic in origin. Non-hereditary by-names are
still common among the rural denizens.
Characters from Marach should have traditional English or Anglo-
Saxon names.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 3; moderate laws restricting activities.
Taxation: CR 3 to CR 4, depending on the revenue needed by the
ruling class to wage war.
Weaponry: CR 3; moderate controls over weapons and armor.
Magic: CR 4; moderate to slightly strict controls over the use of
magic.
Laws:
Arrest: Commonly done by the town guard, who attempt to be
humane in their dealings with the accused. Beatings by the guard still
happen, particularly if the accused attempts to resist arrest.
Trials: Trials are held in front of a judge, and occasionally a jury of
nobles when the accused is of good standing in the community. Trials
theoretically operate on an "innocent until proven guilty" system, but
this tends to be reversed when the accused is captured at the scene of
the crime.
Punishment: Marach's laws favor fines, restitution, public
humiliation, enforced slavery, and hard labor for most crimes, with
execution reserved for offenders of violent crimes, and exile for
politically-charged crimes.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Long-distance coaches, three-masted sailing ships,
precise navigation; TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: Muskets and pikes, horse-drawn artillery,
naval broadsides; TL 4.
Power: Improved windmills, belt drives, clockwork; TL 4.
Medicine: Optical microscopes; TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Caeric (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarity: Caere Region [0].
City of Sanirdon
Population: 360,760.
City Guard: 3,600.
Soldiers: 18,030.
City of Rachwood
Population: 210,860.
City Guard: 2,100.
Soldiers: 10,540.
City of Marton.
Population: 186,660.
City Guard: 1,860.
Soldiers: 9,330.
City of Rachton
Population: 109,100.
City Guard: 1,090.
Soldiers: 5,450.
City of Riverwood
Population: 60,540.
City Guard: 600.
Soldiers: 3,020.
City of Riverach
Population: 53,340.
City Guard: 530.
Soldiers: 2,660.
City of Deneton
Population: 46,790.
City Guard: 460.
Soldiers: 2,330.
City of Dulwuston
Population: 45,490.
City Guard: 450.
Soldiers: 2,270.
City of Thuhiville
Population: 36,410.
City Guard: 360.
Soldiers: 1,820.
City of Ashdown
Population: 30,880.
City Guard: 300.
Soldiers: 1,540.
City of Attlboro
Population: 15,580.
City Guard: 150.
Soldiers: 770.
City of Foxboro
Population: 13,620.
City Guard: 130.
Soldiers: 680.
City of Ramona
Population: 12,840.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 640.
City of Dumas
Population: 12,530.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 620.
City of Yerington
Population: 11,520.
City Guard: 110.
Soldiers: 570.
City of Pahala
Population: 9,900.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 500.
Ritaegno
Capital: Caer Nerthus.
Population: 12,090,000.
Racial Demographics: 67% human, 28% goblin, 5% other races.
Government: Representative Republic.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Gunpowder.
Exports: Emeralds.
Leaders: Her Excellency, Grand Duchess Renata Lapuente of Caer
Abrecan; His Holiness, Archbishop Esteban de la Riviera, of the
Church of Vilhelmo; and Lord Enrique Ortega, Grand Master of the
Ritaegno Wizards Guild.
Marach's largest rival and fiercest opponent, this is another large
human nation, and the other nation that is considered a major power in
the region.
Unlike Marach, Ritaegno is a republic of city-states and the areas
between them. Each city-state sends representatives to a Senate in the
city of Ritaegno itself, which then elects from its members a
triumvirate to govern the nation. By law, the triumvirate consists of a
leading member of the nobility, a high-ranking religious leader, and a
guild grand master. Often, these three triums are unable to agree on
anything long enough to get anything done, leaving the individual
city-states to their own devices most of the time. However, in times of
war, the triums are overlooked as the Senate elects a dictator for the
duration of the war.
This is not to say that they're any less militant or argumentative
than their northern rivals. Like Marach, Ritaegno has both a large,
well-maintained, modern navy and troops well-trained in the use of
muskets. Where the two navies differ is in their use of naval infantry;
Marach maintains a large number of naval infantrymen on board their
ships, Ritaegno prefers to supplement their ships with more cannon,
preferring not to close to where the ships can be boarded.
Geography
Ritaegno sits in an area of hilly grasslands and forests. It is
bordered by the Western Ocean to the north and west, tall hills to the
east, and grassy plains to the south.
Military
As noted above, Ritaegno maintains a well-armed navy. Each ship
in the Ritaegno Navy is outfitted with two dozen cannon and an equal
number of smaller cannon on the top deck. They are also in the habit
of hiring privateers to supplement their navy during times of conflict.
On land, Ritaegno relies primarily on cavalry, with backup from
foot-soldiers. Ritaegno cavalrymen wear plate armor (minimum plate-
and-chain), carry medium shields, and wield broadswords, maces,
spears, or lances; they do not carry ranged weapons, preferring to
charge on horseback once the enemy is spotted.
Foot-soldiers are used to hold and maintain any territory taken by
the cavalry, and are sent in afterwards to "mop up." As such, they are
given mail or segmented plate hauberks, wield spears, broadswords, or
muskets with bayonets, and most carry small shields.
Ritaegno also maintains a sizable air cavalry of their own. As
opposed to Marach's forces, Ritaegno's air cavalry are usually seen
wearing plate armor, carrying medium shields, and wielding lances,
spears, broadswords, maces, and shields. Most do not wield ranged
weapons; they are airborne knights, not common soldiers.
Ritaegno's military leaders consider it "dishonorable" to fight for
extended periods of time from a distance. However, the power
available to the average soldier through muskets is starting to change
their minds, and they are implementing them among the foot-soldiers.
They are hesitant to issue them to the cavalry; most of the generals are
wary of putting such a "dishonorable" weapon in the hands of the
"honorable" knights in the cavalry.
Naming Practices
Men have a given name and the father's surname. Women have a
given name followed by first the father's surname and then the
mother's surname. Surnames have been hereditary for the nobility for a
thousand years, although they have not been ubiquitous throughout the
nation until only the last hundred. The majority of surnames are
occupational, descriptive, or topographic in origin.
When naming characters from Ritaegno, names with a Spanish or
Portuguese flavor are best.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 3; moderate laws restricting activities.
Taxation: CR 3 to CR 4, depending on the revenue necessary to
wage wars.
Weaponry: CR 3.
Magic: CR 4.
Laws:
Arrest: Commonly done by the town guard, who attempt to be
humane in their dealings with the accused. Beatings by the guard still
happen, particularly if the accused attempts to resist arrest.
Trials: Trials are held in front of a judge, and occasionally a jury of
nobles when the accused is of good standing in the community. Trials
usually operate on a "guilty until proven innocent" system.
Punishment: Ritaegno's laws favor fines, restitution, public
humiliation, enforced slavery, and hard labor for most crimes, with
execution and exile reserved for offenders of violent and politically-
charged crimes, respectively.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Long-distance coaches, three-masted sailing ships,
precise navigation; TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: Muskets and pikes, horse-drawn artillery,
naval broadsides; TL 4.
Power: Improved windmills, belt drives, clockwork; TL 4.
Medicine: Optical microscopes; TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Caeric (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Caere Region [0].
City of Caer Nerthus
Population: 453,450.
City Guard: 4,530.
Soldiers: 22,670.
City of Caer Abrecan
Population: 189,790.
City Guard: 1,890.
Soldiers: 9,480.
City of Caer Esolthe
Population: 126,780.
City Guard: 1,260.
Soldiers: 6,330.
City of Therro
Population: 73,220.
City Guard: 730.
Soldiers: 3,660.
City of Puertalmo
Population: 64,410.
City Guard: 640.
Soldiers: 3,220.
City of Wurwe
Population: 62,490.
City Guard: 620.
Soldiers: 3,120.
City of Rantoul
Population: 47,090.
City Guard: 470.
Soldiers: 2,350.
City of Holyoke
Population: 45,900.
City Guard: 450.
Soldiers: 2,290.
City of Juarez
Population: 32,030.
City Guard: 320.
Soldiers: 1,600.
City of Wasilla
Population: 28,080.
City Guard: 280.
Soldiers: 1,400.
City of Lahaia
Population: 17,170.
City Guard: 170.
Soldiers: 850.
City of Adelanto
Population: 16,770.
City Guard: 160.
Soldiers: 830.
City of Corona
Population: 14,190.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 700.
City of Ramoa
Population: 12,930.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 640.
City of Andalusia
Population: 12,590.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 620.
City of Maraa
Population: 12,440.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 620.
Rinkasae
Capital: Academopolis.
Population: 5,150,000.
Government: Academic Technocracy.
Racial Demographics: 44% dwarf, 39% human, 8% goblin, 8%
halfling, 1% other races.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Raw metals.
Exports: Gunpowder, books.
High Technologist: Lord Gelasius.
Chief Advisor: Lady Leitha.
Rinkasae sits on the edge of the marshes that mark the southern
edge of the Wyrmspire mountain range. Due to the large number of
dwarven inventors, this nation is the most technologically superior in
the world, and regularly provides both Marach and Ritaegno with
muskets, pistols, gunpowder, and cannon.
The accusation that Rinkasae has been providing arms to both of
the rival nations in order to keep one from gaining supremacy over the
other is true! The people of Rinkasae fear what would happen to them
if either nation were to triumph over the other, and have intentionally
kept both sides on an even footing technologically, ensuring that,
while both are powerful nations in their own right, neither would be
able to press the advantage.
Although regarded as a kingdom, the nation of Rinkasae is actually
a technocracy, led by a Council of Technologists. The head of this
Council is regarded as the High Technologist, and is elected from
within the Council every third cycle of the polar moon. Each
Technologist on the Council is the headmaster of the Academy of
Magic and Technology for each city in the nation; so, in retrospect, it
is the Academy that runs the nation. This has created a higher level of
education among the Rinkasaens than almost anyone else.
Geography
Rinkasae borders both the southern spur of the Wyrmspire
Mountains and the marshlands which sit along that spur. These
marshes stretch out for dozens of miles, ever threatening to spread to
the grasslands which surround them.
The Derfluss River flows out of the southern Wyrmspire
Mountains near the city of Academopolis.
Military
Rinkasae's military is strictly volunteer. All have training in
firearms, and many carry pistols on them as backup weapons.
Rinkasae's military is armed entirely with muskets and bayonets.
Most in the military don't wear armor, as it restricts their movement
while providing little defense against bullets; musket bullets have been
shown to punch through most armor plates.
Rinkasae's siege machines also take advantage of the
advancements in gunpowder. While other nations are adapting by
having catapults fire bombs, and the navies of Marach and Ritaegno
have cannon on board their ships, Rinkasae has mobile, horse-drawn
artillery cannon which have been shown to demolish city and castle
walls.
Naming Practices
People from Rinkasae commonly only have a given name. Many
also use a by-name, either descriptive or topographic in nature.
When naming people from Rinkasae, use Greek names and names
with a Greek flavor.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 2.
Taxation: CR 2.
Weaponry: CR 3.
Magic: CR 3.
Laws:
Arrest: Commonly done by the town guard, who attempt to be
humane in their dealings with the accused.
Trials: Trials are based solely on the evidence, which includes eye
witnesses. Alchemical truth elixirs are given to anyone taking the
witness stand; this includes the accused, should he be called upon to
testify. There is no right to avoid self-incrimination, except by
refusing to take the stand.
Punishment: Restitution, fines, imprisonment, exile. Those
convicted of violent crimes, such as murder and rape, are given an
alchemical potion, the formula for which is a state secret, which
transforms the criminal into a docile ogre with IQ 7, and led off to be
retrained as a slave laborer.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Long-distance coaches, three-masted sailing ships,
precise navigation; TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: Muskets and pikes, horse-drawn artillery,
naval broadsides; TL 4.
Power: Improved windmills, belt drives, clockwork; TL 4.
Medicine: Optical microscopes; TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Caeric (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Caere Region [0].
City of Academopolis
Population: 197,300.
City Guard: 1,970.
Soldiers: 9,860.
City of Navoropolis
Population: 89,720.
City Guard: 890.
Soldiers: 4,480.
City of Guanoopolis
Population: 84,620.
City Guard: 840.
Soldiers: 4,230.
City of Foul Sands
Population: 46,960.
City Guard: 460.
Soldiers: 2,340.
City of Twin Furnace
Population: 41,850.
City Guard: 410.
Soldiers: 2,090.
City of Char
Population: 32,920.
City Guard: 320.
Soldiers: 1,640.
City of Swampstone
Population: 12,430.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 620.
City of Brown Runs
Population: 9,230.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 400.
Gor Ansat
Capital: Ansat Tegris.
Population: 4,650,000.
Racial Demographics: 84% hobgoblin, 14% goblin, 1% human, 1%
other races.
Government: Military dictatorship.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Iron, coal.
Exports: Grain, leather, mercenaries.
Supreme General: Supreme General Sunukkuhkau.
Chief Advisor: Grand General Maskanayati.
Heir: Grand General Minganakajika.
Gor Ansat is the result of social programs instituted by the Great
Empire of Man to try and civilize the monster races. As a test run, a
hobgoblin city was founded by the Great Empire as a relocation of
hobgoblin mercenaries and their families and overseen, at least at first,
by a human administrator. As the hobgoblins were educated and
taught to be civilized, by the human definition of the Empire, they
were granted more and more self-government. Not long after Zitheral
split from the Great Empire, during the internal strife that led to the
downfall of the Great Empire, the hobgoblins declared Gor Ansat to be
independent as well.
Today, Gor Ansat sits as one of the greatest social
accomplishments of the Great Empire. Ironically, it is also seen as a
major threat to the rebuilding of the Empire by both Marach and
Ritaegno. This nation dominates the central grasslands of the Caere
region, and was seen as the breadbasket of the Empire before its fall. It
remains the breadbasket to this day, providing food to nearly every
nation in the region, including Redwater. (Redwater is ashamed to
have to rely on non-humans for grain; Gor Ansat takes pleasure in
charging them more than they do other nations.)
Gor Ansat is the one nation on Ranoc closest to a true military
dictatorship. Each city and rural region is lorded over by a general, and
all able-bodied men and women are required to serve a term in the
military starting in their fifteenth summer. The nation is led by a
supreme general, with a council of grand generals advising him.
Geography
Gor Ansat sits in an area of the Caere region which is dominated
by rolling grasslands and grain fields, fed by a number of streams,
springs, lakes, and rivers.
Military
While Gor Ansat has not yet acquired firearms, many military
experts believe that it is only a matter of time before they do so.
Despite this, Gor Ansat's military is still quite powerful.
Where other armies have learned to rely on mobility through
cavalry, Gor Ansat has perfected the use of the shield wall. While
marching in formation, the front rank of soldiers links their shields
together while the rank behind them set their pikes to brace for an
infantry or cavalry charge. Ranks farther back use massed crossbow
fire. In addition, they make extensive use of counterweight-powered
artillery (trebuchets) when laying siege to others' territories.
Gor Ansat soldiers are typically outfitted with scale hauberks, with
the officers wearing steel plate; all soldiers regardless of rank carry
medium steel shields. Most are armed with spears or pikes, with
swords and maces for when combat closes to melee range.
Having seen the effectiveness of the air cavalries of their northern
neighbors, particularly during the Third War of Succession, Gor Ansat
has started their own air cavalry. The current air cavalry is not yet at
the strength of their neighbors, but they have become quite effective.
The generals in charge of Gor Ansat are anxious to get their hands
on the muskets used by Marach and Ritaegno.
Naming Practices
The majority of people in Gor Ansat have military experience, and
are permitted the use of the last rank earned throughout their lives.
Most people have a single given name, but many also have a
descriptive by-name as well.
Names in Gor Ansat tend to be very similar to Huron, Iroquois, or
Cherokee names.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 5; repressive, as every citizen is also a soldier.
Taxation: CR 3; moderate taxation.
Weaponry: CR 4; strict controls over weapons and armor. Despite
this CR, personal weaponry is prevalent throughout the nation; again,
owing to the nation's militant stance.
Magic: CR 4; strict controls over the instruction and use of magic.
However, these controls are also quite practical-minded; many spells
which aid on the battlefield, including many necromantic spells, see
greater acceptance in Gor Ansat than in other nations.
Laws:
Arrest: Arrests are commonly performed under the watchful eye of
the company in charge of security for the region.
Trials: All trials are held in front of a military court. Often, the
accused is not given the right to talk, unless asked a direct question.
This has occasionally led to the occasional kangaroo court with a
predetermined outcome. Only after being declared guilty can the
accused appeal the decision; the appeal is always a challenge to a trial
by combat.
Punishment: Fines, imprisonment, forced servitude, or death,
depending on the severity of the crime. Gor Ansat has been known to
execute more criminals than any other nation; they love their death
penalty.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Long-distance coaches, three-masted sailing ships,
precise navigation; TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: Steel weapons, plate armor; TL 3.
Power: Improved windmills, belt drives, clockwork; TL 4.
Medicine: Optical microscopes; TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Saniri (Native) [0]. Many also speak and/or read and
write Caeric at Accented proficiency or better. The One-Way Fluency
Perk is common for both understanding and reading Caeric.
Cultural Familiarities: Caere Region [0].
Advantages: All adults have some level of either Military Rank
[10/level] or Courtesy Rank [1/level]. Remember that Military Rank
replaces Status in Gor Ansat, hence its higher point cost.
Disadvantages: All adults have a Duty to Gor Ansat. The older the
character, the lower the Frequency of Appearance; a young soldier
would have a Frequency of 15, while a retired veteran would have it at
9 or even 6.
Skills: All adults in Gor Ansat have at least one point in Soldier
(IQ/A) and at least two unarmed or weapon skills. Common weapon
skills are Spear and Shield.
City of Ansat Tegris
Population: 118,360.
City Guard: 1,180.
Soldiers: 9,510.
City of Alakanuk
Population: 101,900.
City Guard: 1,010.
Soldiers: 5,090.
City of Pahrump
Population: 47,700.
City Guard: 470.
Soldiers: 2,380.
City of Allakaket
Population: 46,000.
City Guard: 460.
Soldiers: 2,300.
City of Yukatat
Population: 34,700.
City Guard: 340.
Soldiers: 1,730.
City of Oneonta
Population: 30,870.
City Guard: 300.
Soldiers: 1,540.
City of Tal Ador
Population: 18,740.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 930.
City of Pawkatuk
Population: 17,080.
City Guard: 170.
Soldiers: 850.
City of Wetumpka
Population: 13,950.
City Guard: 130.
Soldiers: 690.
City of Alturas
Population: 12,600.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 630.
City of Orenda
Population: 11,870.
City Guard: 110.
Soldiers: 590.
City of Okahanta
Population: 11,260.
City Guard: 110.
Soldiers: 560.
Zitheral
Capital: Caer Jalantru.
Population: 5,240,000.
Racial Demographics: 65% human, 24% elf, 6% goblin, 4% half-elf,
1% other races.
Government: Monarchy.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Metals.
Exports: Artwork, music.
Rulers: His Majesty King Fredrick VII, Her Majesty Queen Fanetta.
Grand Duke: His Excellency the Grand Duke Leone d'Calabria.
Crown Princess: Her Royal Highness Princess Sarah l'Calabria.
Zitheral, situated on the southwestern corner of Aedes, is the only
kingdom that has regular contact with the elven nation of Allira'el.
Although it is counted among the human nations, it has a remarkably
high percentage of elves living in and around the nation that are
considered its subjects.
Zitheral is perhaps the one nation currently sponsoring a majority
of the arts. Painters, sculptors, playwrights, musicians, and stage
performers are all common. Indeed, Zitheral is considered the center
of the arts in the known world.
Recently, Zitheral has funded expeditions that have skirted the
barrier mists of Allira'el, discovering a small island chain that led them
to land on a completely unexplored continent. While these expeditions
have given Zitheral maps of the actual coastline of this new and
savage land, trips to date have been few and far between, and no
nation has yet established a colony on the new continent. There was
one attempt at a colony five years ago which has not been heard from
since.
Geography
Zitheral sits along the southernmost coastlines of Aedes. It is a
mixture of rivers, grasslands, and semi-tropical forests.
Military
Zitheral's military tends to be composed of civilian militias
organized by the nobles as opposed to the larger standing armies of its
northern neighbors. These militias are rarely outfitted the same way;
while some of the more affluent nobles are able to outfit theirs with
standardized armor and swords, other nobles allow their militias to
arm themselves. The most common weapons in the militias are spears
and bows; armor varies wildly, most militias don't wear armor save for
common leather jackets.
Zitheral's navy, like its army, is strictly volunteer. Many of
Zitheral's ship captains are on the payroll of a noble family.
Naming Practices
The upper classes in Zitheral have a given name and a surname,
usually followed by the House name. Surnames are prefixed by l' if the
person is male or d' if the person is female, and are commonly
patronymic, occupational, or topographic in origin. The lower classes
only use a given name, occasionally followed by the father's name (if
known) or a descriptive by-name.
Most names are French in flavor.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 2; very free, except concerning half-elves
where the laws are a repressive CR 5.
Taxation: CR 3; moderate taxation.
Weaponry: CR 3; moderate controls on weapons and armor.
Magic: CR 2; very loose controls concerning magic.
Laws:
Arrest: Most arrests are performed by the town constable, or a rural
sheriff and/or his deputies. How humanely the accused is treated often
depends upon his social status, the alleged crime, and whether he was
found at the scene.
Trials: Trials in Zitheral tend to be either quick for the lower
classes, or extravagant affairs when the accused is of good standing.
Punishment: Restitution, public humiliation, enforced servitude,
and exile are most common, with the death penalty reserved for only
the most violent and unrepentant criminals.
Technology Level:
Transportation: Long-distance coaches, three-masted sailing ships,
precise navigation; TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: Steel weapons, plate armor; TL 3.
Power: Improved windmills, belt drives, clockwork; TL 4.
Medicine: Optical microscopes; TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Caere (Native) [0]. Elven at Broken [2] or Accented
[4] is also quite common.
Cultural Familiarities: Caere [0].
Disadvantages: Despite the high number of elves in the nation,
most people in the nation are not as tolerant of half-elves. Half-elves
in Zitheral have Social Stigma (Second-Class Citizen) [-10], while
humans and elves in the nation generally have Intolerance (Half-
Elves) [-5].
City of Caer Jalantru
Population: 177,190.
City Guard: 1,770.
Soldiers: 8,850.
City of Penticon
Population: 99,680.
City Guard: 990.
Soldiers: 4,980.
City of Galendil
Population: 79,200.
City Guard: 790.
Soldiers: 3,960.
City of Boaz
Population: 42,150.
City Guard: 420.
Soldiers: 2,100.
City of Sonora
The Oracle
19 points
The Oracle in the temple of Ryl and Navor in the city of Penticon
is a spirit that has been bound to the altar, providing prophetic vi-
sions of destiny to those who fall asleep on it. She only contacts
those on the altar while they are in their dream state; when she ap-
pears, after giving them their dream visions, she takes the form of a
wise old crone dressed in brown robes. When she does speak, and
she only speaks in the dreams, she tends to speak in riddles.
Because the Oracle is a bound spirit, she is not suitable for a
player character. PCs should only consult the Oracle once per cam-
paign, and even then the Oracle will focus on the destiny of the char-
acter falling asleep on her altar. She will often depict two or three
different destinies not all of them good for the character or the par-
ty in general and will not give answers to mundane questions.
Attributes: ST 0 [-100]; DX 0 [-200]; IQ 20 [200]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-6/1d-5; BL 0; HP 0 [0];
Will 20 [0]; Per 20 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 2.5 [0]; Basic
Move 0 [0].
Advantages: Detect Sleeping People (Common; Accessibility: Only
those on the altar, -10%; Reflexive, +40%; Divine, -10%) [24];
Insubstantiality (Always On, -50%) [40]; Invisibility [40]; Mind
Probe (Invasive, +75%; Divine, -10%) [33]; Precognition (Active
Only, -60%; Directed, +100%; Divine, -10%) [33]; Telecommu-
nications (Telesend) (Universal, +50%; Divine, -10%) [27].
Disadvantages: Blindness [-50]; Deafness [-20]; Mute [-25]; No
Legs (Sessile) [-50]; No Manipulators [-50]; No Sense of
Smell/Taste [-5]; Numb [-20].
Quirks: Never Gives Answers to Mundane Questions [-1].
Skills: Dreaming (H) Will [4] - 20; Fortune-Telling (Dream
Interpretation) (A) IQ [2] - 20; Hidden Lore (Divine Lore) (A)
IQ [2] 20.
Population: 39,750.
City Guard: 390.
Soldiers: 1,980.
City of Aiea
Population: 38,780.
City Guard: 380.
Soldiers: 1,930.
City of Novato
Population: 14,380.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 710.
City of Planada
Population: 14,230.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 710.
City of Nenana
Population: 9,840.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 490.
City of Nogales
Population: 9,250.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 490.
WYRMSPIRE MOUNTAIN REGION
The Wyrmspire Mountain Region takes its name from the main
mountain range which dominates the landscape. The Wyrmspire
Mountains are a range of mountains believed to be dormant volcanoes,
running north-south from the edge of the Northern Frontier, where the
Wyrmspire meets up with the Northern Plateau and the Occam's Wall
range. Nestled in the valleys of the mountains are flowing streams and
springs that feed the rivers of the Caere and Rochladastacht regions.
Conifer forests are plentiful on the sides of the mountains, and the
region is lined with a network of caves that almost form an
underground world of its own. It is said that a person can walk the
entire length of the mountain range without once coming to the
surface; whether this is an exaggeration or not is not known.
Because of its position at the eastern border of the Caere region,
the Wyrmspire Mountains are often included in that region, instead of
being listed as its own region.
The Wyrmspire mountain range gets its name from the large
number of dragons who call the mountains home.
Ered-Dm
Capital: Palalomabeth.
Population: 2,890,000.
Racial Demographics: 93% dwarf, 6% aeralon, 1% other races.
Government: Monarchy.
Religions: Caere Pantheon.
Imports: Grain.
Exports: Iron, coal, gold, gems, darkmetal, mithril.
Ruler: King Munin Dnulperson.
Chief Advisor: Lord Mandol.
Heir: None named.
Ages ago, the dwarves carved a fabulous series of cities in the
valleys of the Wyrmspire mountains. There they mined the rarest
metals and minerals in the world: mithril, adamantine, and the
enigmatic darkmetal, which has the ability to harmlessly absorb magic
directed at it. Their riches inevitably snagged the attention of the
demon lord Nadiv, a baalrog of unspeakable terror, whose demonic
legions drove the dwarves from their homes, slaughtering and
devouring the majority of them in the process.
The dwarves settled in the forested hills between Auckland,
Marach, and Rinkasae, restoring their numbers and regaining their
strength. For ten (dwarven) generations they dwelled in exile in that
region. Fifty years ago, however, a dwarven general named Dnulper
Darkshield raised an army consisting of practically every race,
common and monster alike, and marched into Ered-Dm with the
intent of driving out the demons. This is the only time in recorded
history that such diverse races as the elves, humans, dwarves,
halflings, orcs, kobolds, minotaurs, goblins, hobgoblins, centaurs,
ogres, aeralons, velvels, and even dragons ever fought side by side
against a common enemy. Dnulper himself fought in private combat
with Nadiv, and slew the demon, but died himself shortly afterwards
legends say that he took only nine steps before finally succumbing to
his wounds.
In the in intervening fifty years since that battle, Dnulper's son
Munin has led the dwarves in restoring the capital city of the dwarven
realm. Still, while Nadiv has been slain and his legions of demons
destroyed, the occasional straggler demon or magical monstrosity
shows up from time to time, creating trouble for the nation.
Geography
While it is generally considered by the uninformed to exist beneath
the Wyrmspire Mountains, Ered-Dm in fact sits in the valleys
between the mountains. The mountains are covered in thick evergreen
forests, and the rivers are fed from mountain springs which flow into
the Rhione, Danbue, and Greatwyrm Rivers.
At the spot where the Danbue river flows from the mountains into
the Caere region, the ancient dwarves had constructed a fifty foot tall
bronze statue of a dwarf which straddled the river between its legs.
This statue has been confirmed several times by mages and architects
alike to be made of solid bronze, although the exact method used to
produce such a statue has been lost to antiquity. Many believe the
statue to have originally been intended as a golem. This statue had
been toppled by Nadiv's demons, but suffered only minor scratches.
King Munin's first official act was to order the statue cleaned and
restored to its rightful place.
Military
Ered-Dm is best known for its infantry. Each soldier in the army
carries a spear, axe, or sword, and a medium kite shield. Crossbows
are also in common use. Chain armor is the most common, often in
fine meshes that are light and flexible without sacrificing protection.
The army is trained in the use of shield wall tactics when fighting on
level ground or in caverns, and from concealment using ambush
tactics when fighting in the mountains and valleys.
A number of aeralon tribes are part of the nation, and work as
advance scouts and aerial shock troops.
Naming Practices
Most denizens of Ered-Dm have a clan name followed by the
given name. Many take on descriptive or patronymic by-names
following the given name; hereditary surnames aren't used. The clan
name is not often used in common speech, giving many the indication
that those from Ered-Dm use only a given name and by-name.
When naming characters from Ered-Dm, German or Dutch names
or names with those flavors are best. It should be noted that the accent
of those of Ered-Dm is closer to German than Scottish.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 4; society is highly structured, and the laws
exist to maintain order, limiting personal freedoms.
Taxation: CR 4; heavy taxation.
Weaponry: CR 3; moderate controls.
Magic: CR 4; strict controls.
Laws:
Arrest: Usually made by the town guard. Often, the comfort of the
accused is not a concern.
Trials: Trials are usually held in front of the accused's Clan Elder.
The Elder determines not only if the accused is guilty of the crime, but
also how the Clan was affected by the crime.
Punishment: Restitution, hard labor, enforced slavery, exile, and
death are most common punishments.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Dwarven (Native) [0]. Caeric is a common second
language, often at Accented proficiency.
Cultural Familiarities: Wyrmspire [0].
City of Palalomabeth
Population: 88,400.
City Guard: 880.
Soldiers: 4,420.
City of Orocelebeth
Population: 83,530.
City Guard: 830.
Soldiers: 4,170.
City of Amon Uialwen
Population: 39,950.
City Guard: 390.
Soldiers: 1,990.
City of Dagoth
Population: 20,530.
City Guard: 200.
Soldiers: 1,020.
City of Miredheldur
Population: 18,720.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 930.
City of Silverpeak
Population: 18,520.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 920.
City of Ramthalion
Population: 10,200.
City Guard: 100.
Soldiers: 510.
City of Signal Mountain
Population: 9,130.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 450.
THE ROCHLADASTACHT
The Rochladastacht is bordered on three sides by mountain ranges,
and on the fourth by the Inner Ocean. The area is temperate, with the
majority of the region being dominated by a large, rolling plain, fed by
the Narfolia and Varfenel Rivers before they join to form the Uribe.
The northern edge of the Rochladastacht is composed of mixed
forests, butting up against the Occam's Wall mountain range.
Originally, the region was dominated by the Phaon civilization. At
one point, the Phaon civilization was conquered by the Corcoran
Empire; however, after the collapse of that empire, Phaon formed its
own empire that dominated the entire Rochladastacht. This Empire,
however, fell to a nomadic, female-led mounted warrior culture which
wiped out all remnants of the Phaon people before settling the area
that would become the nation of Rochlad.
Rochlad
Capital: Ulrikunstacht.
Population: 3,610,000.
Racial Demographics: 76% human, 18% centaurs, 6% other races.
Government: Matrilineal theocratic meritocracy.
Religions: Rochlad Pantheon.
Imports:
Exports: Horses.
Raopacht: Zenocha Dimetrova Raopachucht Mearnstucht Kostacht.
Chief Advisor: Katarina Ludmillova Pekarovacht Lannstucht Zoracht.
Heir: Mirka Zenachova Raopachucht Ulmrikunstucht Rusalkacht.
Literally, the name "Rochlad" translates into "plains where the
horses roam free" in the ancient language of the Phaonese culture who
had originally settled the region.
Rochlad is basically the (mostly) civilized remains of a conquering
female-run barbarian horde from the other side of Occam's Wall. This
barbarian horde consisted of many races, and swept through
everything in their path before settling down in the most fertile place
they found: a high steppe at the eastern base of the Wyrmspire
mountain range. Along with survival of the fittest, fine horses remain a
primary focus culturally and economically, and a Rochladabred horse
is highly sought after anywhere. The Rochlada do not breed for
superficial characteristics like color, and culling is very strict. Only the
worst are ever sold outside the Rochladastacht; thus, stallions and
broodmares are never sold. The breed standard has been codified into
a series of tests and examinations at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 4
years. Stamina, speed, substance, agility, attitude, loyalty, and fertility
are all sought after. Even the ones sold outside the nation the worst
of the herds by Rochlad standards are highly prized above the local
breeds elsewhere.
It is Rochlada tradition to cap the incisors and canines of a prized
stallion with gold inlaid steel with a serrated back edge, and to
elaborately tattoo the face of said stallion around the eyes and muzzle
in ways that detail his pedigree and heritage. These tattoos are derived
from the ancient written language of the original barbarian horde.
A female Rochlada at age sixteen (or age of majority for non-
humans) is given her pick of her family's herd stock to make her own
start in life with. This is both a test and a privilege, as a poor choice
will seriously affect her over many years. Obviously if a family is
well-off, the daughter has a much better and wider selection. Males in
Rochlad society are regarded as firracht, a concept that roughly
translates as 'equal-but-lesser'. Basically this acknowledges that males
have often have intelligence and great strength, but greater wisdom
and true power is held by those in charge of the next generation.
In practice, this means that women are more strictly brought up and
the consequences of poor choices are often harsh; to teach from
mistakes, as it were. Thus, if a woman makes a poor choice of a horse
or a husband, it's her own fault and counted against her, lowering her
chances of later being one of the ruling council. Stupidity is very
harshly treated in either sex, but lack of foresight is worse for women.
Rochlad has an overall ruler, the Raopacht, but she rules by
acclaim, not decree. Woe to her if she too many times ignores the
advice of the council, the Diapacht. Thus the Raopacht's power is
more generally used to break logjams in the Diapacht. The Diapacht
is a council of local leaders, known as Khans. Each Khan is a leader
of a town, village, or clan, many of which are nomadic or semi-
nomadic, never staying in the same place for very long.
Geography
Rochlad, as its name suggests, is an area of rolling plains, bordered
in the east by the Barrier Mountains. The Narfolia River and its main
tributary flow through the center of it, while the Varfenal River forms
the northern boundary.
Military
As can be expected, the bulk of the Rochlad military is primarily
comprised of cavalry. Rochlada riders generally wear leather or mail,
with leaders wearing plate-and-chain and occasionally full plate, and
wield spears, broadswords, or cavalry sabers; unlike the western Caere
cavalry, lances are almost unknown in Rochlad. A number of them
carry shields, but many do not.
Having observed the air cavalries of Marach and Ritaegno in
action, some Rochlad breeders have begun herds of pegasi to
implement an air cavalry of their own. These pegasi are held to the
same exacting standards as Rochladabred horses. To date, the Rochlad
Air Cavalry is small, but growing in fame and effectiveness.
Naming Practices
People from Rochlad commonly have five names: a given name
followed by four surnames. The first surname is given at birth, and
gives the mother's fifth name with a prefix indicating "son or daughter
of". The second is given once the person is able to walk, based off the
mother's occupation. The third is given at puberty, and is topographic
based on the nearest city, town, or village. The fourth and final
surname is descriptive, based off the person's accomplishments in the
coming-of-age trials.
Rochlada names, when naming characters, are commonly based off
Slavic, Ukranian, Polish, and Russian names.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 2; people enjoy a lot of personal freedom.
Taxation: CR 2; taxes are light.
Weaponry: CR 2; very few laws concerning the regulation of
weapons exist.
Magic: CR 2; very few laws concerning the regulation of magic
exist.
Laws:
Arrest: Arrests are made by the town guard. The comfort of those
being arrested is not a concern of the guardsmen performing their
duties.
Trials: Trials for men are commonly informal hearings in front of
the constable, although the accused has the right to a trial by combat
against his accuser or the accuser's champion if he so chooses. Trials
for women, on the other hand, are formal trials in front of the town's
high priestess.
Punishment: Physical punishments, such as flogging, are common
for most light offenses. Serious offenses, such as murder and treason,
are punished by being drawn and quartered by being tied to multiple
horses who are then made to run in different directions, regardless of
the gender of the offender.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 3.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 3.
Medicine: TL 2.
Character Notes
Languages: Rochladisch (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Rochlad [0].
Advantages: It is not uncommon for characters from Rochlad to
have Rochladabred cavalry horses as an Ally.
Skills: Characters from Rochlad are expected to know either
Animal Handling (Equines)-12 and/or Riding (Equines)-12.
City of Ulrikunstacht
Population: 156,910.
City Guard: 1,560.
Soldiers: 7,840.
City of Mearnnacht
Population: 58,060.
City Guard: 580.
Soldiers: 2,900.
City of Kavunst
Population: 54,580.
City Guard: 540.
Soldiers: 2,720.
City of Nanstchunt
Population: 46,740.
City Guard: 460.
Soldiers: 2,330.
City of Mirustadd
Population: 18,240.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 910.
City of Lannstadd
Population: 17,430.
City Guard: 170.
Soldiers: 870.
City of Griestacht
Population: 9,140.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 450.
Hrigak
Capital: Porom.
Population: 4,980,000.
Racial Demographics: 88% velvel, 10% ogre, 2% other races.
Government: Matriarchal Oligarchy.
Religions: Kesuul the Primal Fang, animism, ancestor worship.
Imports: Iron, tin.
Exports: Leather, saddles.
Alpha Mother: Jeejee.
Alpha Male: Job.
Heir: None selected.
The nation of Hrigak is one of the newest players on the world
scene.
It is not known exactly when the nation of Hrigak came into being.
The area it sits in has long been regarded as a haven for barbaric sav-
ages, but there had been no actual reports of the area for hundreds of
years.
Seventy-five years ago, however, the strangest thing occurred: a
party of velvels on massive chariots appeared along the roads between
South Ford and Rochlad, bearing an unknown standard and claiming
to be from the heretofore unheard-of city of Porom in the nation of
Hrigak, and wishing to open trade relations with their neighbors!
South Ford and Rochlad could not believe it at first, but were eventu-
ally convinced of the velvels' sincerity and peaceful intentions.
Over the last three quarters of the century, some details have come
to light. It appears as though the velvels of the area had been visited
by others of a similar appearance who took them in and taught them
the trappings of civilization. Who these "others" were is as yet un-
known; the people of Hrigak call them the Great Ones, or the Chosen
of Kesuul.
Geography
Hrigak sits in an area of mixed forests and grass-covered hills,
where the Greatwyrm River flows out of the Wyrmspire Mountains
before joining into the Conowingo River. The locals occasionally refer
to it as "The Land of the Three Joinings"; interestingly enough, the
name of it's capital city, Porom, derives from the word for "complete"
in the ancient Phaonese language.
Military
Hrigak's military is composed primarily of infantry armed with
spears and wooden shields, wearing mainly hardened leather or mail
hauberks. Crossbows are also a common weapon among the infantry.
Cheap-quality short swords and even wrist-mounted blades are com-
mon sidearms among those of the nation who are not velvels.
The infantry is backed by two-person chariots drawn by horses or
ponies. These chariots are driven by one person, while the second
does all the fighting. The wheels of the chariots are made of metal-re-
inforced wood, and are often designed with blades on the wheels. Hri-
gak's military leaders prefer to use chariots, although the practice has
been discontinued elsewhere, because the velvel physiology is not
conductive towards riding mounts.
In Hrigak, the military also serves as the police force; there is no
difference between Military Rank and Police Rank here.
Naming Practices
Hrigak's names tend to be simply a given name with no surnames.
Occasionally, some people take on descriptive by-names, particularly
if there are others in the town with the same or similar name. These
by-names occasionally indicate "son or daughter of", and sometimes
indicate the clan matriarch.
When naming characters from Hrigak, Hebrew names and names
with a Hebrew flavor are preferred.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 2; people enjoy a lot of personal freedom.
Taxation: CR 2; taxes are light.
Weaponry: CR 2; very few laws concerning the regulation of
weapons exist.
Magic: CR 2; very few laws concerning the regulation of magic
exist.
Laws:
Arrest: Arrests are still fairly informal; while the town guard
occasionally gets called out to bring someone to justice, mobs of
people still arise to exact their own justice . . . or revenge.
Trials: While formal trials themselves are still rare, trials by
combat are the most common form of trial, a holdover from before the
people of the nation were civilized.
Punishment: Public beatings and humiliation are the most common
punishments, often exacted by the ones who caught the accused in the
act. These beatings occasionally result in the maiming or death of the
accused.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 1.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 3.
Character Notes
Languages: Rochladisch (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Rochlad [0].
City of Porom
Population: 118,370.
City Guard: 1,180.
Soldiers: 5,910.
City of Savoonga
Population: 90,290.
City Guard: 900.
Soldiers: 4,510.
City of Sylacauga
Population: 66,680.
City Guard: 660.
Soldiers: 3,330.
City of Baradagoth
Population: 39,470.
City Guard: 390.
Soldiers: 1,970.
City of Conowingo
Population: 36,090.
City Guard: 360.
Soldiers: 1,800.
City of Iditarod
Population: 35,000.
City Guard: 350.
Soldiers: 1,750.
City of Abawoston
Population: 28,440.
City Guard: 280.
Soldiers: 1,420.
City of Usheldel
Population: 18,780.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 930.
City of Woonsocket
Population: 18,210.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 910.
City of Amber
Population: 14,620.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 730.
City of Compton
Population: 13,100.
City Guard: 130.
Soldiers: 650.
City of Inglewood
Population: 10,070.
City Guard: 100.
Soldiers: 500.
City of Millwoods
Population: 9,350.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 460.
South Ford
Capital: South Ford.
Population: 2,310,000.
Racial Demographics: 48% half-elf, 47% half-orc, 2% other races,
1% dragons.
Government: Representative Democracy.
Religions: Caere Pantheon, Rochlad Pantheon.
Imports:
Exports:
Lord Protector: Lord Gautier d'Marseau.
Chief Advisor: Lord Vaden d'Fournier.
Lord Vice-Protector: Lord Vaden d'Fournier.
Over five hundred years ago, during the height of the Great
Empire, the first signs of the corruption that would lead to its downfall
reared its ugly head in what is now the nation of Zitheral. During that
time, there was an influx of elves onto the mainland, and marriages
between elves and humans had become rather common. However,
acceptance of the half-elf progeny was slow in coming, and what was
once pride in one's children slowly turned to resentment, eventually
giving way to hatred. The elves living in Zitheral were disgusted by
how short-lived their half-human progeny were, while the humans
grew jealous over the innate elven advantages of half-elves. Laws
were passed restricting half-elven rights, and more than one town even
went so far as to not even acknowledge that half-elves were subjects of
the Empire.
Finding themselves no longer welcome in their homeland, a band
of half-elves five hundred strong struck out into the wilderness. In the
Rochlad plains, where the Varfenel and Narfolia Rivers merge to form
the Uribe, they erected a town they called South Ford.
Not long afterwards, a caravan from the northern wildernesses
came to a halt outside the town. This caravan was primarily composed
of half-orcs who had left the orcish tribes on the northern slopes of
Occam's Wall due to similar persecution. Understanding the half-orcs'
plight all too well, the half-elves welcomed the half-orcs into their
community.
A hundred years after its founding, South Ford had to defend itself
against an army sent from Zitheral. The community almost didn't
survive, except through the intervention of the Rochlada cavalry and
one particularly ornery firedrake who was roused from her slumber by
the fighting.
The scars of persecution by their parent races have not healed, even
after the intervening centuries. Although claiming to want to practice
their ways in peace, the city of South Ford has a distinct anti-human,
anti-elf, and anti-orc attitude. While the laws of the city are fair to
almost anyone else, they are very restrictive towards the three parent
races.
Geography
South Ford sits on the far western edge of the Rochlad Plains,
where the Varfenel River and the Narfolia River merge to form the
Uribe River, which flows south to the coastline. The area is one of
rolling foothills and fertile marshes dotted with forests.
Military
South Ford's military is divided into two segments: the infantry and
the cavalry. Because of their landlocked position, they do not have a
standing navy, although their trade boats have a strong Northern
Raider influence, being shallow enough to travel upriver while stable
enough to traverse the open seas.
Because of their troubled history, South Ford requires that every
able-bodied adult serve for four years in the military. Most choose to
serve in the infantry, which relies on a mix of tactics adapted from
other nations. South Ford is known to have employed a strong shield
wall which has stood up to cavalry charges, with pikemen, archers,
and crossbowmen behind the shield wall. Their archers are forced to
train two hours a day five days a week.
Those that choose to serve in the cavalry are trained by
mercenaries hired from Rochlad. As such, their cavalry tactics mirror
those of Rochlad's.
Like many of the other nations, South Ford has a small air cavalry.
Despite their size, South Ford's air cavalry is among the most feared in
the world for one reason: they have a large number of dragons as
mounts.
During the war with Zitheral, a dragon came down from the
Wyrmspire Mountains to investigate the war which was disturbing
her. Discovering the aggression of the Zitheral army, this dragon
pledged her support to South Ford. While the dragon died in battle, her
offspring carried that pledge as their own. Dragon and rider see each
other as partners, not as owner and mount.
Naming Practices
South Ford's naming practices commonly follow Zitheral's,
although several families have started using Rochlad's practices. The
leadership has not passed any laws regulating surnames, so each
family is left to practice their own customs.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR2; the people enjoy a lot of personal freedoms,
except for humans and elves (CR 5; repressive), and, to a lesser extent,
orcs (CR 4).
Taxation: CR 3; taxes are moderate.
Weaponry: CR 2; South Ford's history has ensured that weapon
control laws are quite permissive.
Magic: CR 2; South Ford's history has ensured that magic control
laws are quite permissive. Only Necromancy spells and some
(summoning) Gate spells are forbidden.
Laws:
Arrest: Most arrests are performed by the town constable, or a rural
sheriff and/or his deputies. How humanely the accused is treated often
depends upon his race, social status, the alleged crime, and whether he
was found at the scene. Humans, elves, and, to a lesser extent, orcs
are treated much harsher than other races.
Trials: Trials are held in front of a judge, and occasionally a jury of
nobles when the accused is of good standing in the community. Trials
usually operate on an "innocent until proven guilty" system unless
the accused is a human or elf.
Punishment: Restitution, public humiliation, enforced servitude,
and exile are the most common punishments, although the death
penalty does exist for the most heinous crimes. When called for, the
death penalty usually consists of being tied behind a wild horse and
released into the wild.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Rochladisch (Native) [0]. Caeric is also common at
Accented [4] to Native [6] proficiency.
Cultural Familiarities: Caere Region [0]; Rochladastacht [1] is
also common.
Disadvantages: Many people from South Ford have the -5 point
level of Intolerance towards humans, elves, and/or (more rarely) orcs.
City of South Ford
Population: 113,090.
City Guard: 1,130.
Soldiers: 5,650.
City of Red Bay
Population: 38,330.
City Guard: 380.
Soldiers: 1,910.
City of Many Farms
Population: 24,660.
City Guard: 240.
Soldiers: 1,230.
City of Sandy Hook
Population: 17,720.
City Guard: 170.
Soldiers: 880.
City of Deerfield
Population: 14,840.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 740.
City of Beaver Dam
Population: 12,350.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 610.
City of Cave Creek
Population: 9,850.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 490.
Iturnum
Capital: Zaphalon.
Population: 4,861,000.
Racial Demographics: 25% living, 75% mummies, skeletons, or
zombies.
Government: Elected Monarchy with a ruling Oligarchy.
Religions: Ancestor worship.
Imports: Corpses.
Exports: Copper, iron, zinc.
Lord Protector: Lord Protector Asta Kask IX.
Chief Advisor: Lord Asta Kask II.
Lord Vice-Protector: Lord Vice-Protector Asta Kask X.
Iturnum is an enigma to the other nations of the world, an enigma
which bothers them more than they'd like to admit.
Iturnum is one of the most egalitarian nations on Ranoc, a nation
where merit, ability, and achievement determines one's social status.
There are very few peasants in Iturnum, as most of the jobs performed
by the peasantry in other nations primarily farming, mining, and
construction are performed by the undead, most commonly
mummies, zombies, and skeletons. This frees up the majority of the
population to pursue other pursuits. Iturnum boasts more scholars and
philosophers, natural and social, than any other nation.
Iturnum's great minds are focused primarily on the theoretical
aspects of science and magic, rather than the practical. It is not
uncommon to find philosophers in the market squares debating the
nature of divinity, magic, the world around them, and politics.
Iturnum's casual use of the undead disturbs the other nations.
Almost everyone outside Iturnum believes that the creation of the
undead even the simple ones as skeletons, zombies, and mummies
is an evil act, an unholy desecration of a person's body. Iturnum,
however, sees the issue as one of pragmatism and economics rather
than one of morality. It should be noted that the nation of Iturnum is
the only nation which does not engage in slavery, viewing the
ownership of another living being as cruel, inhumane, and evil.
Iturnum's views towards the undead must be considered in full
view of their history. The area Iturnum sits in was until recently
entirely composed of marshy wetlands, making regular funeral
practices impractical. Coffins that were buried in the ground often
resurfaced as the water table rose and drove the coffins toward the
surface. Burial mausoleums were considered by the original settlers,
until people realized that stone buildings were unstable in that area.
Finally, funeral pyres were considered the right of the royalty of the
time; the common people had no claim on the practice.
The final decision to create undead for labor purposes occurred
when four fifths of the people in the kingdom were struck down by a
debilitating plague. While the elite were safe, due to their practice of
using magic to fight disease, the peasants had no such practices; most
of them could not afford the cost of magical healing, and there were
too few hedge wizards and spellcasting clerics to handle the populace.
Iturnum found itself essentially as a nation with a pile of corpses and
no peasants. In order to survive, the court magicians turned most of the
recently deceased into zombies and put them to work in the fields and
nearby mines.
Since this plague, the nation has been ruled by the same royal
family, all of whom have taken on the title of Lord Protector.
Officially, the local priesthood elects the ruler, but to date the rulers
Give me your skeletons, your zombies,
Your huddled masses who have ceased to breathe,
The wretched refuse of your cemeteries.
Send these, the charnel-born, plague-wracked to me,
I lift mine lamp beside the ebon door!
- Lord Protector Asta Kask I
have all come from the same lineage. The Kask Dynasty is advised by
the second of the line, who has undergone a transition into an undead
lich. This lich, Lord Asta Kask II, has been the power behind the
throne for the last two hundred years.
Because of their geographical situation, the most common style of
dwelling in Iturnum is that of a wooden house built around the trunk
of a tree. Entrance to the house is through a rope ladder dropped
through a hole in the floor near the tree, or from the side where a
network of wooden and rope bridges connect the houses.
Geography
Iturnum's territory covers a large expanse of forests and marshy
woodlands, many of which have been cleared to create farmland over
the years, expanding up into the mountains of the Barrier and Occam's
Wall ranges. The marshes are fed by streams that come out of the
mountains.
Military
Iturnum's military is one of the most feared in the world, primarily
because of the undead nature of its soldiers. Mindless skeletons,
zombies, and mummies make up the bulk of the army; their undead
natures ensure that they do not feel pain or fear. In battle, they are
nothing more than mindless killing machines. Most are armed with
swords, spears, maces, or polearms; armor is almost unknown.
Necromancers spellcasters who specialize in commanding and
creating undead make up the bulk of the army's mortal commanders.
The current crop of generals are military theorists with little if any
actual battlefield experience.
Naming Practices
Native Iturnumites have a given name, a family surname, and a
larger clan name taken from the clan patriarch's surname. Those who
marry into a clan often append the clan's surname to their own.
When naming characters from Iturnum, it should be noted that
their names tend to resemble an eclectic combination of Basque,
Arabic, and Hindi names.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 1; very free.
Taxation: CR 3; moderate taxation.
Weaponry: CR 3; moderate controls.
Magic: CR 1; very free, as many spells that would be restricted
elsewhere are considered essential for daily operations.
Laws:
Arrest: Arrests are performed by the town guard, and are usually
humane in their treatment of the accused, unless the accused resists
arrest.
Trials: Trials are always formal affairs in front of a jury composed
of 50-100 of the town's male citizens. In most cases, all parties in a
trial, civil and criminal, are represented by an advocate, whose skill in
persuading the jury depends as much or more on his Public Speaking
skill as it does the evidence.
Punishment: Iturnum is fond of its death penalty, which is applied
to any crime beyond that of petty theft. The death sentence is carried
out by draining the criminal of all his blood, and then raising the
corpse as a zombie to enter the workforce. Petty crimes are generally
punished through fines and imprisonment.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 3.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Rochladisch (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Iturnum [0]. Rochladastacht [1] is also
common among those who travel abroad.
Advantages: Nearly everyone in Iturnum possesses at least either
Magery 0 or Sorcery 0, with a quarter of the population possessing
Magery 1, Sorcery 1, or better. Higher levels of Magery are usually,
but not always, aspected with One College Only: Necromancy.
Because of the high number of undead walking around the nation,
most people in Iturnum have developed Resistant to Disease (+3) [3]
or (+8) [5] as well as Resistant to Poison (+3) [5].
City of Zaphalon
Population: 168,130.
City Guard: 1,680.
Soldiers: 8,400.
City of Dicosos
Population: 100,220.
City Guard: 1,000.
Soldiers: 5,010.
City of Alithal
Population: 55,710.
City Guard: 550.
Soldiers: 2,780.
City of Lateralus
Population: 38,690.
City Guard: 380.
Soldiers: 1,930.
City of Ravennar
Population: 32,000.
City Guard: 320.
Soldiers: 1,600.
City of Sediklu
Population: 31,670.
City Guard: 310.
Soldiers: 1,580.
City of Ledorin
Population: 17,100.
City Guard: 170.
Soldiers: 850.
City of Aranath
Population: 16,010.
City Guard: 160.
Soldiers: 800.
City of Winterjade
Population: 13,950.
City Guard: 130.
Soldiers: 690.
City of Tanelan
Population: 12,620.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 630.
VAST EXPANSE REGION
The Vast Expanse is the name given to the desert which dominates
the land east of the Barrier Mountains. It is a dry land, with very little
rainfall and only one known river, the Chione. The area is mostly
uncharted, with only two towns shown on any map of the region:
Freehold and Oasis.
Many millennia ago, the Chione River was the seat of a powerful
human and elf civilization, although it is not generally known which
race was dominant. When the Barrier Mountains erupted, the climate
changed from plains to desert and the nation disappeared, leaving
behind only granite and sandstone monuments. It is believed the
remnants of the Chione civilization live on as the Vast Expanse
Nomads, but this cannot be confirmed nor successfully refuted by
anyone due to the lack of written records by either peoples.
It is generally unknown how far east the Vast Expanse extends.
Some believe the Vast Expanse gives way to steppes before coming to
the Gehong region, others say it extends into Gehong. As yet, no
definitive report has come to light.
Freehold
Capital: Freehold.
Population: 160,000.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Dictatorship.
Religions: Caere Pantheon, Rochlad Pantheon, Desert Nomad
Pantheon.
Imports:
Exports:
Caliph: Akbar ibn Akkab.
Grand Vizier: Theosonovus the Black.
Heir: None named; the oldest sons of bin Akkab's many concubines
are each maneuvering to gain power. The most likely heir is Prince
Rashid, who is well-liked by all but Theosonovus.
It is said that the civilized people of the world avoid mentioning
Freehold, considering it a wretched hive of scum and villainy rivaled
by none. Their perceptions aren't far from the truth.
Centuries before its founding, the site of Freehold was the site of
one of the ancient civilizations. It sits on a fertile river delta subject to
periodic flooding. This civilization faded into obscurity when the
surrounding area changed from grasslands to desert. The people there
turned to a nomadic way of life, becoming the Vast Expanse Nomads
(see below).
More recently, a Northern Raider Clan longship, fleeing in defeat
from an unsuccessful raid on the Zitheral city of Penticon, settled into
the cove of the river delta. The leader of this clan was an orc who had
tired of the raiders' way of life. He chose to settle in the river delta,
and most of his crew joined him. In time, others joined his small town,
and Freehold was born.
Like North Cove, the laws in Freehold are very loose, and nearly
anything is legal. The clan's leader, now long dead, passed his
leadership to his half-orc son, who since passed it onto his human
nephew. Taking the title of "caliph", the leader instituted a series of
pay-offs, bribes, and kickbacks among the town's merchants and
regularly visiting pirates.
The current caliph is a depraved, fat, old man going by the name of
Akbar ibn Akkab, who is more interested in gaining more women in
his harem than he is with running the city. The day to day work in the
city is left to his vizier, an elf wizard named Theosonovus whose heart
is as black as darkmetal. In addition, Akbar bin Akkab has fifty
wives, and over a hundred sons, at least two from each wife in his
harem, and not even a single daughter. These sons are each attempting
to outmaneuver the others through a complicated web of political
intrigue, although none has yet to commit to assassination of his half-
brothers. Theosonovus covets the throne himself, and is attempting to
arrange the elimination of those sons who he feels would not be
amenable to his manipulations; Theosonovus is willing to wait one
more human generation to see if any of the caliph's sons produce a
daughter he would then marry, to give his own claim to the throne the
veneer of legitimacy.
Geography
Freehold sits on the Chione River Delta, a fertile land amidst a
harsh, arid desert. Farther upriver, the land controlled by Freehold is a
mere twenty miles wide on average.
Military
Freehold's military is composed primarily of mercenaries and
pirates. These are people who will fight for money and to keep their
favorite place to unload booty free from outside interference; they
really don't care who runs the city so long as it doesn't interfere with
their own affairs.
Naming Practices
Freehold itself does not follow any set naming practices. Most
people have a given name, with surnames and by-names varying
wildly depending on where one's family hails from.
The peasantry working the fertile farmland along the Chione river
flood basin use only a given name, occasionally followed by "ibn" or
"bin" to indicate "son of" or "daughter of" respectively, then the name
of one of the parents.
When naming one of the Chione peasants, Egyptian and Arabic
names, and names with those flavors, are common.
Control Rating
Civil Liberties: CR 0; Freehold's civil laws are non-existent.
Taxation: CR 1; very light, since most of the revenue comes from
bribes and kickbacks rather than taxes.
Weaponry: CR 0; no weapon controls whatsoever.
Magic: CR 0; no magic controls whatsoever.
Laws:
Arrest: Unless the crime affects the ruling elite, arrests simply do
not happen. This leads to people hiring mercenaries for protection or
to exact justice (or revenge).
Trials: As arrests only rarely happen, so do trials. When they do
happen, the accused is brought before Theosonovous the Black, who
passes judgment, often harshly, in the caliph's name. There is no
appeal.
Punishment: Theosonovous is fond of his death penalty, which is
executed by chaining the criminal to a rock face along the harbor and
letting him expire to exposure and starvation. (Guards are posted to
prevent the accused from receiving help in escaping.)
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 3.
Character Notes
Languages: Shadian (Native) [0]. The ruling elite also know Caeric
at Accented [4] proficiency.
Cultural Familiarities: Freehold [0]. Desert Nomad [1] is also a
commonly known culture, particularly among the peasantry.
City of Freehold
Population: 15,920.
City Guard: 160.
Soldiers: 796.
Vast Expanse Nomads
Capital: Oasis (de facto).
Population: 45,000 (estimated).
Racial Demographics:
Government: Clan-based.
Religions: Desert Nomad Pantheon.
Imports:
Exports:
Ruler: The Shadian (de facto).
Chief Advisor: The Sedina.
Heir: The Mauru.
Not necessarily a nation per se, the desert nomads of the Vast
Expanse have developed their own culture. There are 15 to 20
nomadic tribes that roam the great wastes, more or less depending on
who is making the account. Of these tribes, only four are notable: the
Shadian, the Mauru, the Hassiem, and the Sadina. The language of the
nomads is called Shadian, after the dominant tribe; however, the
languages of Caere and Rochladisch are taught to the nomads that run
the caravans between the cities that line the edge of the great wastes.
All of the desert nomads follow the same laws and traditions, even
the tribes that claim independence from the rule of the Shadian.
The nomads pray to their deities at the rising and setting of the sun.
Adults always face to the east when praying, and children always face
to the west.
The leaders of each tribe are simply referred to as the name of the
tribe. The leaders are marked not by crowns or robes of office but by a
single braid that falls to the waist. When a leader dies his braid is
removed and woven to a handle that is anywhere from 6 inches to two
feet in length, then placed in to a very simple chest or box, only
referred to as the Keeper of the Ancients.
The Shadian is the undisputed leader of at least ten of the nomadic
tribes. The Shadian holds council over the tribes and is both high
judge and jury; the executioner is the second from the Hassiem. The
Shadian arranges all marriages between the nomads, ensuring political
equity between the tribes. Whereas in most tribes the leadership passes
from father to son, the Shadian chooses his successor, who could be
from any tribe.
The Mauru is the second house of the Shadian; if ever the Shadian
were to die without naming a successor the Mauru would become the
new Shadian; the Mauru's first son would become the new Mauru. If
the Mauru does not have a son who has passed the rites of manhood,
then the second brother would become the Mauru in his stead. The
Mauru are known as Camel Riders, they are the best at training camels
and teaching others to ride them.
The Hassiem are the third house of the Shadian; they are also the
executioners and trained assassins of the Shadian. It is widely known
that the Hassiem are the sworn enemies to the Mauru. This over an
incident that occurred so long ago neither house can remember what it
was.
The Sadina is the only tribe in the great wastes that is composed
entirely of women; male children are given to the tribes of their fathers
at the boy's first summer solstice. The women of the Sadina have
chosen mates throughout the other tribes that follow the Shadian. The
Sadina is the chosen mate of the Shadian. Her first daughter will be the
chosen mate of the Shadian's successor. They are also the only tribe
where the leader of the tribe is succeeded without the current leader's
death. However if the Sadina were to die before the Shadian, the first
daughter becomes the Sadina. The Sadina train girls to become
women, which includes not only the more common chores of cooking
and cleaning, but also the more intimate aspects. They also teach the
Art of the Hidden Blade; women are forbidden by the Shadian to use a
blade longer than their forearm, so the Sadina developed a martial art
which utilizes knives.
There are only three laws the nomads have that carry the sentence
of death, although the Shadian or any leader of a tribe can sentence
one to death for lesser offences. The laws are simple: breaking the
Oath of Oasis Peace, adultery, and failure of the Trial of the Ancients
all automatically call for the death of the accused. Each of these laws
has rituals associated with how the individual is to be put to death.
Geography
As noted above, the Vast Expanse is a wide land of sandy, stony,
and scrub deserts, littered with the occasional wellspring oasis.
Military
The Desert Nomads do not have a standing military. However,
each able-bodied man is expected to be skilled at arms. Most are
armed with scimitars, and wear hardened leather, light scale, or mail
underneath their robes when expecting trouble.
Naming Practices
The Desert Nomads have a given name followed by the tribe name.
Only rarely is a by-name used, and this is commonly a descriptive one
commemorating an achievement. Those who forsake their tribes,
either voluntarily or through exile, usually go by only their given
name; some exiles take on entirely new names.
Like the peasantry of the Chione river basin, the names of Desert
Nomad characters should be based off Arabic and Egyptian names.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 3; moderate freedom.
Taxation: CR 1; very light.
Weaponry: CR 0; weapons are a necessary part of survival in the
desert.
Magic: CR 2; a lot of magic is welcomed, while some spells are
discouraged or even banned.
Laws:
Arrest: Arrests are always informal, usually in the form of a group
of nomads grabbing the offender(s) and holding him (them) while
another person retrieves one of the clergy.
Trials: Trials are generally informal, with the clergyman asking the
accuser and the accused several questions and then conferring with the
tribe elder and the religious laws on the matter before passing
sentence.
Punishment: Theft generally results in maiming, usually the loss of
one or both hands. Cowardice in battle is generally handled by
branding the coward with a mark on his left cheek and then exiling
him to the wastes. As noted above, adultery and fighting or killing
within the town of Oasis are automatically given the death penalty.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 3.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 3.
Medicine: TL 3.
Character Notes
Languages: Shadian (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Desert Nomad [0].
Skills: Every nomad has a point in Survival (Desert). (Those who
would have Incompetence (Survival) would not have survived the
coming of age trials.)
Town of Oasis
Population: 5,920.
Town Guard: 50.
Soldiers: 290.
UMOJAN JUNGLE REGION
The Umojan Jungle Region consists of the northernmost portion of
the southern continent of Umoja. As its name implies, the region is
primarily tropical forest, dotted with the occasional clearing or river.
Umoja is known for the reptilian life living there. Scholars have
remarked that more reptile species thrive there than exist in the
northern Aedes and western Allira'el continents combined. Because of
this, scholars and adventurers from across the known world brave the
jungles every year in order to catalogue the native life and map out its
native river routes.
Deep in the jungle are the ruins of a large city which has never
appeared in anyone's histories. Even the local reptilian peoples are
unaware of its origins.
New Hope
Capital: New Hope.
Population: 180,400.
Racial Demographics: 52% human, 24% kobold, 20% goblin, 4%
other races.
Government: Feudal.
Religions: Caere pantheon.
Imports: Weapons, manufactured goods.
Exports: Sugar, tobacco, cocoa, rubber, spices, native fruits.
Ruler: Count Sebastian Strang.
Chief Advisor: Baron Wilbur Shelton.
Heir: Lord Victor Strang or Lady Victoria Strang.
New Hope was founded as a penal colony on the northern shore of
Umoja. As can be imagined, it is not the first penal colony to be
founded. However, it is currently the most successful former penal
colony.
The success of New Hope comes from the large sugar cane and
tobacco crops present in the area near the northern coast. Other local
crops include coca plants, whose leaves provide a rich, dark powder
when dried; when combined with sugar, the cocoa powder is a
delicious edible the locals call chocolate. Rubber trees, whose sap
when mixed with animal oils provides an impact-resistant material, are
also well cared for; rubber-coated wheels, called tires, have made carts
and wagons easier to handle for longer periods of time. Native fruits
such as oranges, limes, lemons, pineapples, bananas, and grapefruit
and spices have become delicacies across the ocean in the southern
Caere and Rochlad regions.
Because it is descended from a penal colony, New Hope still has a
sense of wildness to it. The original settlers were criminals whose
crimes did not warrant a death penalty; most of them were thieves, con
artists, and political prisoners (murderers, rapists, and other violent
criminals are put to death rather than exiled). As such, the laws against
thievery, smuggling, and swindling others are very loose. New Hope
has become a popular port town for pirates who are looking to get rid
of booty.
One other industry that New Hope has become involved in is in the
outfitting of adventurers heading out into the jungles, particularly
those headed for the ruins deeper in the jungle (see below).
New Hope has maintained friendly-yet-wary relations with the
kobold city-states that recently merged into the nation of Shakdran.
Their main troubles come from wandering tribes of mohani and herds
of the reptilian pack hunters, notably daggerteeth and saberclaws, that
occasionally threaten the town and its surrounding plantations.
Geography
New Hope sits on the mouth of a river which feeds into the ocean,
surrounded by a tropical rainforest. Much of the rainforest has been
cleared away for about a mile inwards on both sides of the river out to
fifty miles inland, transformed into sugar cane plantations.
Military
Because it is still very new, New Hope does not currently have a
standing military. The current leaders have instituted a militia,
requiring all able-bodied men of any race to drill and practice every
six days. In practice, however, only a third of the able-bodied people,
men and women alike, are present to drill on a given week. The drills
generally involve spear and archery training from a given formation.
Naming Practices
Because New Hope is a former penal colony with no immigration
restrictions, there are no set naming practices. Most of the nations of
the Caere region are represented in some percentage of the population,
and the naming practices often run the gamut, mixing and matching as
parents please.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 1; very free.
Taxation: CR 2; light.
Weaponry: CR 1; very few restrictions.
Magic: CR 2; light restrictions. Only the creation of the undead is
strictly forbidden.
Laws:
Arrest: While the laws are quite loose, arrests by the town guard do
occasionally happen. Often, after the arrest is made, the accused is
made to walk through the streets of the town in manacles behind a
donkey.
Trials: Trials are very informal, sometimes taking on the
appearance of mocking the established trials of the Caere Region.
Most often, the trial operates under the assumption of "guilty until
proven innocent", as it is a widespread belief that "bringing the
innocent to trial is unfair."
Punishment: Despite (or perhaps because of) being a relatively
lawless place, New Hope's punishments are quite light. Only murder
warrants the death penalty (by beheading); almost anything else is
subject to either fines, restitution, or, most commonly, public
humiliation by spending a few days in the stocks in the town square.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3/4. Gunpowder weapons are well-
known and fairly common, but must be imported.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 3.
Character Notes
Languages: Caeric (Native) [0]. Many also have Draconic at
Broken [2] or Accented [4].
Cultural Familiarities: Caere [0].
City of New Hope
Population: 18,040.
City Guard: 180.
Soldiers: 900.
Shakdran
Capital: Kaldhet.
Population: 1,793,800.
Racial Demographics: 87% kobold, 7% mohani, 6% other races.
Government: Elected Monarchy.
Religions:
Imports: Iron.
Exports: Native fruits, dragonsmoke plants, tobacco, rubber, spices,
dyes, lumber.
Ruler: Emperor Kaseko Shasa Shakir Haruni Shukuma.
Chief Advisor: Lady Shasa Johari Razi Hada Shukuma.
Heir: Prince Jelani Hasha Kaseko Hada Shukuma.
The Eternal and Undying Empire of Shakdran is the third nation by
that name the kobolds of the Umojan Jungles have founded in
recorded history. This latest version is only five years old, formed
when several towns and villages pledged their allegiance to the current
kobold king in their central city of Kaldhet.
In the past, the kobold city-states have had spotty contact with the
nations of Aedes, and it was not unknown for the kobold nobility to
send their hatchlings across the sea to be educated. During the days of
Aelthelwulf's Empire, one of these noble hatchlings decided to create
an empire of his own. Through a combination of warfare, diplomacy,
and magic, this leader, whose name is currently lost to antiquity,
formed the first kobold nation, declaring it the Eternal and Undying
Empire of Shakdran. This Empire lasted close to a thousand years
before political infighting and increased aggression from the mohani
tribes of the time destroyed it.
The second kobold nation was formed two hundred years later, as
some of the city-states banded together to hold back the mohani tribes.
This nation also called itself Shakdran, but was careful to call it
neither "eternal" nor "undying". This Empire lasted for some time,
however, being a contemporary of the late Great Empire of Man. This
version of Shakdran splintered from within just as the Great Empire of
Man did, as individual city-states declared their independence from the
nation.
Geography
Shakdran sits in the northern jungle region of Umoja, fed by a
number of rivers and streams flowing through it. Shakdran is
bordered on the eastern end by the Spur Mountains, which run right up
to the Inner Ocean. From the peaks of the Spur Mountains, the Barrier
Mountains can be seen in the far north.
A large saltwater lake, known as the Sea of Death as not even fish
are able to live in it due to its unusual concentrations of salt, sits near
the southern-most reaches of the nation. The waters and extracted salt
from the Sea of Death have been used as preservatives for millennia.
Military
Shakdran's military is composed mainly of infantry, who are
normally armed with spears and shields. Most wear leather scale,
scale, or mail hauberks as armor.
Shakdran has a number of tri-horns they have tamed as mounts.
Naming Practices
People from Shakdran usually have a long name: the given name,
followed by the mother's name, the father's name, a topographic name,
and then a hereditary surname. These surnames are often occupational
or patronymic in origin. Unlike most other surnames, these surnames
have been in use for several thousand years, being among the oldest
surnames in the known world.
In practice, however, the denizens of Shakdran tend to use just
their given name, or if necessary just the given name and surname.
This comes from a cultural belief that the full name has power over
someone; the people of Shakdran are firm believers in the power of
names when used in magic, and hence don't give as much of their
name as they could.
When naming people from Shakdran, African and African-flavored
names are common.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 3; moderate personal liberties.
Taxation: CR 3; moderate taxation.
Weaponry: CR 3; moderate weapon controls.
Magic: CR 3; moderate magic controls.
Laws:
Arrest: Most arrests are made by the town guard, who try to be
humane in their treatments of the accused. Those who resist arrest are
killed on the spot, however.
Trials: Magic plays a large part in the trials, as spells, usually in
the form of scrolls written in Draconic, from the Communication &
Empathy and Mind Control colleges are used by the town constables
to exact the truth from the accuseds' minds.
Punishment: Shakdran is actually fairly lenient in punishments,
with restitution, fines, and enforced slavery being the most common
punishments. The death penalty is rarely executed, favoring exile to
the deepest parts of the jungles.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 3.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 3.
Medicine: TL 2.
Character Notes
Languages: Draconic (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Umojan [0].
City of Kaldhet
Population: 55,160.
City Guard: 550.
Soldiers: 2,750.
City of Modth
Population: 34,670.
City Guard: 340.
Soldiers: 1,730.
City of Lohisk
Population: 29,960.
City Guard: 290.
Soldiers: 1,490.
City of Shuratika
Population: 15,440.
City Guard: 150.
Soldiers: 770.
City of Cridhad
Population: 9,150.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 450.
Town of Shokgaz
Population: 7,150.
Town Guard: 70.
Soldiers: 350.
Town of Aosxar
Population: 5,370.
Town Guard: 50.
Soldiers: 260.
Town of Shohtar
Population: 5,140.
Town Guard: 50.
Soldiers: 250.
Town of Chaukmal
Population: 4,270.
Town Guard: 40.
Soldiers: 210.
Town of Kimvar
Population: 4,070.
Town Guard: 40.
Soldiers: 200.
Mohani Tribes
Capital: N/A.
Population: Unkown, estimates run from a few thousand to close to a
million.
Racial Demographics: 99% mohani, 1% exiled kobolds.
Government: Tribal.
Religions: Animism.
Imports: Metal weapons.
Exports: N/A.
Ruler: N/A.
Chief Advisor: N/A.
Heir: N/A.
The mohani tribes are small tribes of 20 to 100 individuals who
live in the Umojan jungles, living a simple hunter-gatherer existence.
Each tribe is led by a tribe chieftain, but the real power in the tribe
resides with the tribe's shaman. The shaman fulfills the dual roles of
spiritual advisor and healer.
The religion of the mohani tribes revolves around worship of the
largest trees in the jungle. Shamans are reportedly able to talk with the
trees, whose spirits (see Dryads, p.) have long memories. In this way,
the tribe gets a sense of history and community.
Geography
The mohani tribes live deep in the Umojan jungle, almost always
on the move. Occasionally, a tribe may settle in a place with natural
shelter, but even they end up moving on eventually, following the
herds of the large herbivores.
Military
Every able-bodied person in the tribe, male and female, engages in
hunting game. Occasionally, the tribes war on each other, usually
when seeking to increase the size of the tribe by capturing females,
hatchlings, and eggs.
Most mohani armor is made from hard leather, boiled in natural
oils for stiffness. Weapons tend to be spears and knives, often made
of stone or bone. Some tribes have traded with Shakdran and New
Hope to obtain metal weapons, usually spear heads, knives, and axes.
Naming Practices
Mohani usually have two names: a given name and a secret name
known only to the person and the shaman who gave it to them. Should
the secret name become known, that person is stripped of his given
name and made a slave of the tribe.
Given names can change over time, as a new name may be given to
commemorate an achievement.
Most Mohani have names which resemble American Southwest
Amerindian names.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 1; very free.
Taxation: CR 5; appears repressive, as the food gathered, the only
form of "taxes", is communal.
Weaponry: CR 1; very few weapon controls.
Magic: CR 4; strict magic controls. The shaman and his apprentice
are meant to wield all the magical power in the tribe.
Laws:
Arrest: Very few crimes exist, so the need for lawmen to police
them is also fairly low. Only murder of another tribesmate is held as a
crime, and the "arrest" tends to be someone being brought forth before
the shaman and/or chieftain.
Trials: Trials tend to be the chieftain and shaman talking with the
accused, separately or together, as well as the accuser, before passing
sentence.
Punishment: Exile and death are the two main punishments, both
usually following a solid beating of the accused by the rest of the tribe.
The death penalty is often conducted as a ritual sacrifice to appease the
spirits, and the deceased is then ritually consumed by the tribe.
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 0. Tamed animals are used as pack and draft
animals, but are not ridden.
Weapons and Armor: TL 0/3. Native materials are stone,
particularly flint and obsidian, wood, and leather. Steel weapons may
occasionally be found among the tribes, bartered or taken as spoils
from New Hope, Shakdran, or explorers headed deeper into the
continent.
Power: TL 0.
Medicine: TL 0.
Character Notes
Languages: Draconic (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Umojan [0].
Skills: Survival (Jungle) is expected to be learned by all adults.
The Ruins
While not a nation, the ruins of a city deep in the Umojan jungle of
which no record has ever been made is a large piece of the allure of
the region. Scholars travel to the ruins on a regular basis, often hiring
mercenaries and mages for protection and assistance, as well as local
mohani and kobold guides.
The Umojan ruins cover an area of twenty five square miles;
current estimates place the original population of the city at close to a
million people, an unprecedented number even by current standards.
The city appears to have been laid out according to a strict plan, as the
main streets extend outward from the center of the city in the eight
standard compass directions, and the streets that intersect them are
curved precisely to form perfect circles. One local mohani tribe of
less than 100 individuals has settled into the northeast corner of the
ruins, using them as shelter but performing almost no maintenance on
them.
The original inhabitants are believed to have been humanoid, based
on imagery from stone sculptures that have been discovered. The
sculptures are crude, however, and do not give any indication as to the
actual race of the inhabitants. Speculation by those who have visited
the ruins and returned believe the inhabitants to have been the
ancestors of the present-day kobolds and mohani, either one or both of
those two races or a hypothetical "progenitor race" from the Dragon
Empire of ancient lore.
Dominating the center of the ruins is a large ziggurat, the top of
which peers over the jungle roof. This ziggurat has an altar at the top,
with dragon-like imagery carved into the altar. It is this altar's imagery
that lends most experts to believe the ruins date back to the mythical
Dragon Empire. Many of the mohani that live in the area don't
venture near the ziggurat, believing it to be a place of great power and
evil.
Whoever the original builders were, they were highly advanced.
While no mortar was used in the ziggurat, the granite stones used are
all the same size and are fitted so that not even a razor blade can fit
between them. A cuneiform style of writing has been discovered, one
that has no modern counterpart or linguistic descendants. To date, no
one has been able to translate this writing, not even using magic.
Scholars who have attempted to translate it using Draconic as a base
have been utterly baffled, ultimately left with nothing but gibberish for
their pains.
Geography
The ruins sit in an area of dense jungle, near the foothills of an
active volcanic range. A natural spring flows out of the mountains
towards the city; the city's builders diverted its course to pass through
the center of the town, surrounding the ziggurat with a gently-flowing,
one-foot deep pool of water.
GEHONG REGION
Situated far to the east, past the Vast Expanse, lies the Gehong
region. Many from the Caere and Rochlad regions believe this to be
one nation. However, this region is home to a half dozen distinct
nations.
Gehong nations trade heavily with the Caere nations; this trade is
usually conducted via ocean-going ships from both regions as opposed
to overland travel. It is not uncommon for Gehong junks the most
common type of ship used in Gehong to be harbored beside carracks
and galleons in either region. Because of the prominence of the nation
of Hong, the term "Hong" is often used by westerners to indicate the
people of Gehong as a whole.
Hong names are always monosyllabic, with the family name first
and the given name last. It is quite common for the same given name
to be used by both men and women. Outsiders who are uninformed
about Hong names often joke that Hong children are named by
throwing a rock and listening to the first few sounds made. In reality,
Hong naming practices are very complex, taking the season, year,
weather conditions, and the astrological cycle of the day and time of
birth into consideration to determine what elements are missing to
form a well-rounded person, and using the given name to fill any
perceived holes. This practice is universal across the Gehong region.
Players and GMs who run characters from or campaigns in the
Gehong region should remember the following guidelines:
1. Gehong is not Japan. Popular character types such as the
samurai, ninja, and shugenja are Japanese in origin, and are
not part of Gehong. Nor are popular Japanese or Okinawan
weapons such as the katana and naginata, to name some
common examples available in Gehong (or anywhere on
Ranoc, for that matter). There is nothing Japanese about
Gehong.
2. Gehong is not China. While being based off Chinese culture, all
efforts have been made to make Gehong its own distinct
culture.
3. Gehong is China, except where it is not.
Hong
Capital: Xiangyun.
Population: 5,520,200.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Hereditary Monarchy.
Religions:
Imports: Grain, metals.
Exports: Silk, spices, ships.
Ruler: Long Fai.
Chief Advisor: Zheng Shen.
Heir: Long Sun.
The Hong kingdom is the one most Westerners think of when they
talk of the Gehong region.
Four millennia ago, the famed general Long Xiao first united the
area that would become the Hong nation, becoming its first ruler, then
went on to engage in a series of military campaigns that united the
entire Gehong region into the first full-fledged empire the world has
known. Following that conquest, Long Xiao turned to administering
the Gehong Empire, giving each region the name by which it is still
known as today. During this time, he wrote the first ever treatise on
warfare, which is still studied in military circles to this day. This
treatise has also been translated into Rochladisch and Caeric by those
who have traveled between the western lands and Gehong.
After Long Xiao died of old age, at the respectable age of 103 and
after naming his grandson Long Jin as his heir (Long Xiao's sons had
died during the wars that created the empire), it was discovered that
Xiao was, in reality, a woman. As Long Jin attempted to maintain the
throne of the Empire, several other claimants to the throne stepped
forward, many of whom were descended from the rulers that Long
Xiao had defeated.
The Empire disintegrated into full-fledged civil war, with various
factions each attempting to either claim the throne or establish
breakaway empires of their own. Long Jin, while not the military
genius that his grandmother was, managed to maintain the Hong
nation under his rule through a combination of military might and
political diplomacy.
Today, the Long Dynasty still maintains its rulership of Hong. The
current ruler, Long Fai, is getting on in age (he's currently at the
venerable age of 109), but has managed to maintain his rule despite
the manipulations of his family. Tradition indicates that the throne will
move to his son, Long Sun, but Fai has reservations regarding Sun's
fitness to rule. He would much rather the throne go to his beautiful,
intelligent, and ambitious daughter, Ming-Li, especially as Sun has yet
to produce any children of his own. Long Ming-Li's sons have
inherited their mother's intelligence, but aren't old enough yet for him
to name one of them as an heir, and he is doubtful that Long Sun
would name one. He suspects that civil war will break out over
ascendancy to the throne once he leaves the mortal coil.
Hong is a major sea power, with merchant ships that traverse the
Inner Ocean to the ports of the Caere region. The nation is
strategically placed to ensure that its coastal cities are major trading
hubs between the other coastal Gehong nations and the West.
Geography
Hong dominates the coastline of the Eastern Ocean, with two main
rivers and several minor ones flowing through it. These rivers flow
through deciduous and evergreen forests. At the northern end, the
nation is bordered by the Chenliuming Mountains.
Military
The bulk of the Hong military is its Navy. Hong's navy is the
strongest in the region, and some believe the equal to that of Marach
or Ritaegno in the West.
Each Hong ship, called a "junk", is armed with about three dozen
large cannon on the lower decks, and about fifty smaller cannon in the
rear superstructure. The cannon in the superstructure are usually fitted
with chain shot rather than iron balls in order to attack the rigging of
enemy ships, much like the swivel guns on Western ships.
Hong's infantry and cavalry are also among the strongest of the
Gehong nations. Hong soldiers commonly wear segmented plate
hauberks, and carry polearms usually pudao, or what are referred to
as "horse cutters".
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 3; moderate personal liberties.
Taxation: CR 3; moderate taxes.
Weaponry: CR 3; moderate weapon controls.
Magic: CR 3; moderate magic controls.
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 4.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
City of Xiangyun
Population: 235,910.
City Guard: 2,350.
Soldiers: 11,790.
City of Hedong
Population: 87,310.
City Guard: 870.
Soldiers: 4,360.
City of Shangdang
Population: 71,570.
City Guard: 710.
Soldiers: 3,570.
City of Peihan
Population: 38,870.
City Guard: 380.
Soldiers: 1,940.
City of Rinan
Population: 37,710.
City Guard: 370.
Soldiers: 1,880.
City of Langya
Population: 26,610.
City Guard: 260.
Soldiers: 1,330.
City of Wuling
Population: 17,510.
City Guard: 170.
Soldiers: 870.
City of Chenliu
Population: 16,580.
City Guard: 160.
Soldiers: 820.
City of Dongping
Population: 10,700.
City Guard: 100.
Soldiers: 530.
City of Min
Population: 9,250.
City Guard: 90.
Soldiers: 460.
Peljing
Capital: Baipu.
Population: 8,688,600.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Hereditary Monarchy.
Religions:
Imports: Grain, metals.
Exports: None.
Ruler: Ching Liang-Do.
Chief Advisor: Zhao Ming.
Heir: None
Peljing is a country ideally situated between the coastal Hong
nation and the steppes of Dusei. Geographically, it sits between two
branches of the Chengxiantze Mountains; the Xiangtze River flows
through a gap in the mountains, heading from the steppes towards the
coastline. There is little arable land, and what veins of iron and other
metals there were in the mountains are swiftly approaching the last of
their accessible ore. This leads the populace to spend most of their
time producing only enough to get by, with little excess for trade.
Throughout most of the past three millennia, Peljing's geographic
position insured its economic stability due to tolls paid by caravans
and river barges passing through it. The problems began two hundred
years ago when the mines began to run low, necessitating increased
tolls. A political faux-pas by the then-ruler of Hong, Long Fai's
grandfather Long Cheng, resulted in the two nations severing ties and
a brief but brutal war.
While ambassadors from Dusei have attempted to get Peljing and
Hong to attempt a reconciliation (primarily for their own reasons),
Peljing's present ruler, Ching Liang-Do, age 78, is stubbornly refusing
to do so. Furthermore, Ching Liang-Do has stated that he is perfectly
willing to let his people starve before he sees a single Hong barge on
his nation's only remaining asset: the river. There are grumblings
amongst the populace of an impending revolt, particularly as Ching
Liang-Do has not produced nor named any heirs. Word of this unrest
has reached Ching Liang-Do's ears, and he has enacted strict laws
which restrict ownership of weapons only to the military and an
effective ban on the use of magic by civilians.
Geography
As mentioned above, Peljing sits in an area between two branches
of the Chengxiantze Mountains, with a single major river, the
Xiangtze, flowing through it. Very little rainfall reaches this area;
what farmlands exist are irrigated by water drawn from the Xiangtze.
This leads the land to resemble a scrub desert, with conifer trees
dotting the mountainsides.
Military
Peljing's military is composed primarily of infantry, armed with
polearms, a backup shortsword, and occasionally a crossbow. Scale
armor is common, most notably what is called the mountain scale
armor, with scales shaped like the Hong word for "mountain". The
military also doubles as the police force.
Peljing's military is known for firing exploding black powder
rockets at their enemies. These rockets are horribly inaccurate;
Peljing's siege engineers tend to use more than five times as many
rockets as necessary in order to score a single hit.
At present, only those in the military are permitted to own weapons
and armor; knives are considered tools, not weapons. This has led to a
thriving underground martial arts culture and an adaptation of various
farm tools such as the sang-jyel-bong, a grain threshing tool into
weapons.
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties: CR 5; repressive.
Taxation: CR 5; heavy and unfair taxation.
Weaponry: CR 6; very tightly controlled by the government.
Magic: CR 6; very tightly controlled by the government, and
effectively banned.
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 3.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
City of Baipu
Population: 247,760.
City Guard: 2,470.
Soldiers: 12,380.
City of Xixia
Population: 227,110.
City Guard: 2,270.
Soldiers: 11,350.
City of Liang
Population: 112,210.
City Guard: 1,120.
Soldiers: 5,610.
City of Dongzhen
Population: 75,770.
City Guard: 750.
Soldiers: 3,780.
City of Yue
Population: 52,180.
City Guard: 520.
Soldiers: 2,600.
City of Sichuan
Population: 48,060.
City Guard: 480.
Soldiers: 2,400.
City of Hubei
Population: 35,500.
City Guard: 350.
Soldiers: 1,770.
City of Chaingshan
Population: 28,980.
City Guard: 280.
Soldiers: 1,440.
City of Wuzhao
Population: 23,440.
City Guard: 230.
Soldiers: 1,170.
City of Xindu
Population: 16,940.
City Guard: 160.
Soldiers: 840.
Tsiu
Capital: Yanmen.
Population: 4,463,400.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Theocracy.
Religions:
Imports: Grain.
Exports: Iron, copper, bronze.
Ruler: Archbishop Song Jin.
Chief Advisor: Bishop Song Ho.
Heir: None.
Geography
Tsiu sits on a peninsula which juts into the Eastern Ocean. The
peninsula has a spine of volcanic mountains which stretch into coastal
plains on both sides.
Several rivers and streams flow out of springs in the mountains
down to the ocean.
Military
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties:
Taxation:
Weaponry:
Magic:
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 4.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
City of Yanmen
Population: 132,060.
City Guard: 1,320.
Soldiers: 6,600.
City of Jiangxi
Population: 69,170.
City Guard: 690.
Soldiers: 3,450.
City of Jintian
Population: 67,070.
City Guard: 670.
Soldiers: 3,350.
City of Yufufeng
Population: 38,110.
City Guard: 380.
Soldiers: 1,900.
City of Qinhuangdao
Population: 34,210.
City Guard: 340.
Soldiers: 1,710.
City of Jinan
Population: 33,900.
City Guard: 330.
Soldiers: 1,690.
City of Zuo Pingyi
Population: 28,410.
City Guard: 280.
Soldiers: 1,420.
City of Guanping Zhao
Population: 15,700.
City Guard: 150.
Soldiers: 780.
City of Daizhao
Population: 14,460.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 720.
City of Yunzhong
Population: 13,250.
City Guard: 130.
Soldiers: 660.
Aldhoma
Capital: Kenai.
Population: 5,489,400.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Caste.
Religions:
Imports:
Exports: Tin,
Ruler: Vu Tuan.
Chief Advisor: Huang Jun.
Heir: Feng Min-Ng.
The people of Aldhoma live by a strict adherence to logic.
Everyone is a member of a caste, and while movement between castes
is rare, sometimes logic dictates that the move would be of benefit to
society. The needs of society are put over the desires of the individual.
If a citizen shows promise as a priest, it is seen as his solemn duty to
Aldhoma to accept the royal transfer to the religious caste; any sign of
resistance is rebuked as not being logical, and those who continue to
not accept their position are exiled, sent ashore to the neighboring
nations and never again allowed into Aldhoma.
One might think that this strict adherence to logic would stifle the
creativity needed for invention. Aldhoma is perhaps the exception to
this thought; the most creative thinkers are moved into the inventor
caste, who are not bound as strictly to logic as the other castes. To the
inventors, logic is just the beginning, not the end, of wisdom;
Aldhoma's inventors are often known for great leaps of insight that
seem to defy logic.
Of all the technological advancements made by Aldhoma's
inventors, their crowning achievement is the dirigible, which they use
for everything from ferrying passengers among the nations of Gehong
to the art of war. It is said that bombs dropped from a lone Aldhoma
dirigible managed to sink a flotilla of Hong warships that had
blockaded Aldhoma's port city of Kenai, without being hit.
Geography
Aldhoma sits on an island several miles off the Gehong coastline
near where the Inner Ocean meets the Eastern Ocean. A volcanic
island, Aldhoma boasts three active volcanoes and a half dozen
dormant ones.
Military
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties:
Taxation:
Weaponry:
Magic:
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 4.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
City of Kenai
Population: 210,490.
City Guard: 2,100.
Soldiers: 10,520.
City of Henai
Population: 100,000.
City Guard: 1,000.
Soldiers: 5,000.
City of Yunan
Population: 54,820.
City Guard: 540.
Soldiers: 2,740.
City of Jianzhe
Population: 36,040.
City Guard: 360.
Soldiers: 1,800.
City of Tufan
Population: 34,290.
City Guard: 340.
Soldiers: 1,710.
City of Sinkiang
Population: 32,560.
City Guard: 320.
Soldiers: 1,620.
City of Yuesui
Population: 31,730.
City Guard: 310.
Soldiers: 1,580.
City of Yingchuan
Population: 19,160.
City Guard: 190.
Soldiers: 950.
City of Jiyin
Population: 17,130.
City Guard: 170.
Soldiers: 850.
City of Yaoyang
Population: 12,720.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 630.
Dusei
Capital: Huaiyang.
Population: 5,493,500.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Military Dictatorship.
Religions:
Imports:
Exports: Grain.
Ruler: Gao Yu.
Chief Advisor: Gao Guan Yin.
Heir: Gao Xue.
Geography

Military
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties:
Taxation:
Weaponry:
Magic:
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 4.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
City of Huaiyang
Population: 203,210.
City Guard: 2,030.
Soldiers: 10,160.
City of Taishan
Population: 112,230.
City Guard: 1,120.
Soldiers: 5,610.
City of Qiang
Population: 69,400.
City Guard: 690.
Soldiers: 3,470.
City of Julu
Population: 44,110.
City Guard: 440.
Soldiers: 2,200.
City of Ningbo
Population: 43,500.
City Guard: 430.
Soldiers: 2,170.
City of Qinghe
Population: 23,420.
City Guard: 230.
Soldiers: 1,170.
City of Gouwu
Population: 16,690.
City Guard: 160.
Soldiers: 830.
City of Hainan
Population: 13,900.
City Guard: 130.
Soldiers: 690.
City of Yuan
Population: 12,640.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 630.
City of Bei Zhili
Population: 10,250.
City Guard: 100.
Soldiers: 510.
Annam
Capital: Chen.
Population: 4,496,300.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Theocracy.
Religions:
Imports:
Exports:
Ruler: Li Ving.
Chief Advisor: Archbishop Zhu Xia.
Heir: None named.
Geography
Military
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties:
Taxation:
Weaponry:
Magic:
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 4.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
City of Chen
Population: 139,900.
City Guard: 1,390.
Soldiers: 6,990.
City of Tangshu
Population: 85,820.
City Guard: 850.
Soldiers: 4,290.
City of Songqi
Population: 71,820.
City Guard: 710.
Soldiers: 3,590.
City of Zichuan
Population: 41,320.
City Guard: 410.
Soldiers: 2,060.
City of Huguang
Population: 33,010.
City Guard: 330.
Soldiers: 1,650.
City of Zhongshu
Population: 26,460.
City Guard: 260.
Soldiers: 1,320.
City of Bohei
Population: 15,010.
City Guard: 150.
Soldiers: 750.
City of Qiancheng
Population: 14,870.
City Guard: 140.
Soldiers: 740.
City of Xianggu
Population: 10,880.
City Guard: 100.
Soldiers: 540.
City of Daizhao
Population: 10,540.
City Guard: 100.
Soldiers: 520.
Celebes
Capital: Xiaman.
Population: 4,850,900.
Racial Demographics:
Government: Theocratically-Elected Monarchy.
Religions:
Imports:
Exports:
Ruler: Li Feng.
Chief Advisor: Li Ming.
Heir: None.
Geography
Military
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties:
Taxation:
Weaponry:
Magic:
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation: TL 4.
Weapons and Armor: TL 4.
Power: TL 4.
Medicine: TL 4.
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
City of Xiaman
Population: 169,720.
City Guard: 1,690.
Soldiers: 8,480.
City of Nanhan
Population: 95,110.
City Guard: 950.
Soldiers: 4,750.
City of Xiangjin
Population: 69,850.
City Guard: 690.
Soldiers: 3,490.
City of Shaanxi
Population: 30,650.
City Guard: 300.
Soldiers: 1,530.
City of Liaoyang
Population: 30,220.
City Guard: 300.
Soldiers: 1,510.
City of Jingzhaoyin
Population: 20,230.
City Guard: 200.
Soldiers: 1,010.
City of Guanyang
Population: 19,020.
City Guard: 190.
Soldiers: 950.
City of Nonghuang
Population: 13,360.
City Guard: 130.
Soldiers: 660.
City of Yaohuang
Population: 12,900.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 640.
City of Lingbei
Population: 12,810.
City Guard: 120.
Soldiers: 640.
City of Lonhuangdong
Population: 11,220.
City Guard: 110.
Soldiers: 560.
Bautai
Capital:
Population:
Racial Demographics:
Government:
Religions:
Imports:
Exports:
Ruler:
Chief Advisor:
Heir:
Geography
Military
Control Rating:
Civil Liberties:
Taxation:
Weaponry:
Magic:
Laws:
Arrest:
Trials:
Punishment:
Technology Level:
Transportation:
Weapons and Armor:
Power:
Medicine:
Character Notes
Languages: Hong (Native) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Gehong [0].
Chapter III
Character Information
Character Races
Ranoc is home to almost a score of distinct races. Some of them
are the standard fantasy races, but some of them are not. Humans are
the dominant race at the present time, although others have held this
position in the past, and it is likely that other races may achieve
dominance later.
Humans
0 points
Average Height: 5' 6".
Average Weight: 125 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 80 years.
Humans are not the most numerous race on Ranoc (that distinction
goes to the goblins), nor are they the most powerful individually
(many more races are physically more powerful). What gives humans
their distinctive place as the dominant race of Ranoc are the following
factors: Humans are prolific, aggressive, organized, and adaptable.
Humans are among the most prolific races in the world; only the
goblins and velvels are known to be more prolific. Their relatively
short gestation period and their propensity to occasionally have
multiple births for most of their lifespan allow humans to have large
families. In addition, some human nations allow for polygamous
relationships; humans in those nations occasionally have more than
one spouse.
Humans are also among the most aggressive races. They are not as
aggressive as the orcs, but more aggressive, on average, than the elves,
dwarves, and halflings. Note that "aggressive" does not necessarily
mean "nasty", as there are good and evil humans of all sorts. Human
aggression is best expressed by desire; humans, both individually and
in groups, tend to be the types to go after what they desire when they
desire it.
On top of these two factors, humans are organized. Social creatures
by nature, humans tend to work well in groups. Ages ago, when
humans were still primitive tribals no better than the savage Umojan
races, humans discovered that working together for a common goal
enabled them to achieve it better than working apart. In addition,
humans have a long history of creating organizations that outlived its
founding members by several generations.
Perhaps the one thing that goes overlooked as far as humans go is
that they are also highly adaptable. This does not mean that they adapt
physically a human tossed overboard at sea will not develop gills to
breathe water, nor will he grow webbing between his fingers and toes;
a human tossed overboard is likely food for the sharks. Human
adaptability is one of mental adaptability. Humans can easily wrap
their minds around almost any concept, and interact well with such
diverse peoples as elves, dwarves, orcs, velvels, and kobolds.
According to the dogma of the priests of Galsus, it is this adaptability
that made them his favorite race. The dogma of the Church of the One
True God in Redwater claims this not the other reasons listed above
is why humans will inherit the planet from the other races.
Aeralons
45 points
Average Height: 5' 6".
Average Weight: 125 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 80 years.
Attribute Modifiers: DX +2 [40].
Advantages: Acute Vision 3 [6]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30].
Disadvantages: Vulnerability (Crushing Attacks, 2) [-30].
Quirk: Proud [-1].
Aeralons are a proud people, winged warrior folk that live in
villages high up in the Wyrmspire, Occam's Wall, and Barrier
Mountain ranges. Their own legends claim they are descended from
tribal, mountain-dwelling humans who, millennia ago, aided Galsus
the sky god when he walked the world. In exchange for their aid, he
granted the entire tribe the ability to fly via large, feathered wings.
Lending credence to their origins as a human offshoot is the
aeralon ability to interbreed with humans. The offspring of a human
and an aeralon will always take after their mother; if the mother is an
aeralon, then the offspring will be an aeralon.
Psychology
Much like the people themselves, aeralon society evolved from that
of a human one. They maintain many of the customs of the original
human tribe they are descended from. They still live primarily in
tribes, the number of which has never been calculated due to their
remote domiciles.
The tribes live in caverns high up in the mountains, and many of
these villages are considered part of a nearby nation; for instance, the
tribes that inhabit the northern Wyrmspire Mountains are said to be
part of Ered-Dm, while the tribes that live near the corner of the
Occam's Wall and Barrier Mountains are considered part of Iturnum.
Among their own kind, they are a matriarchal society, led by the
priestesses who select a chieftain every five years from the men of the
tribe. While the chieftain is often the best war leader, this is not always
the case; during a period of peace and prosperity, the chieftain will be
chosen from among the older and wiser elders.
Occasionally, a lone adventurer or family of aeralons will descend
from the mountains to live among their human forbearers. Due to their
nature, they make excellent scouts and trackers.
Combat
Against ground-based opponents, aeralons use bows and crossbows
while staying out of range of similar ground-based weapons. Many of
them also carry javelins and spears. Against aerial opponents, whether
other aeralon tribes or against the aerial cavalries of the human
nations, aeralons tend to employ similar tactics. At present, aeralons
don't use muskets for several reasons. First, most muskets have long
barrels, making them unwieldy while carried airborne. Second, the
smoke and noise from the powder going off hurt their eyes and ears.
Finally, the "kick" of the musket tends to throw them backwards while
flying. Despite this, the carbines carried by Marach's aerial cavalry
intrigues them.
Aeralons tend to wear light armor, if they wear any at all; at most,
a metal breastplate and mail coverings on the limbs. Most go
unarmored, even when facing large numbers of opponents.
Centaurs
50 points
Average Height: 6' 4".
Average Length: 7'.
Average Weight: 730 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 80 years.
Attribute Modifiers: IQ -1 [-20]; HT +2 [20].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM +1; HP +8 [16].
Advantages: Claws (Hooves) [3]; Enhanced Move (Ground) 1 [20];
Extra Legs (4 Legs) [5]; Lifting ST +8 (Size, -10%) [22]; Night
Vision 5 [5].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Impulsiveness (12) [-10].
Quirks: Personality Change (when under the influence) [-1].
Centaurs are considered among the civilized humanoids not
because of any real centaur civilization, past or present, but solely
because they have been accepted as such for a long time.
The majority of the centaurs live in the plains of the
Rochladastacht, although most feel no real loyalty to the nation of
Rochlad. The rolling plains of the region are well-suited for the
centaur's free spirited nature. They are also found in the forests that
border the plains, although they rarely venture over the mountains into
the Vast Expanse or the Northeast Frontier. Many are also found in the
hills of the southern Caere region.
Psychology
Centaurs are quite sociable around their own people. Despite their
mass, they are reputed to have a low alcohol tolerance, and are
generally crude and boorish when under the influence. They generally
survive through a mixture of hunting, foraging, fishing, agriculture,
and trade. While they distrust orcs and goblins, and welcome elves,
they view humans with mixed emotions, and often ask them to leave
the local territory when encountered.
Centaur tribes are matriarchal in nature; while the males are
primarily hunters and scouts, the females lead and administer the
tribes. Some scholars believe this has influenced Rochlad's culture.
Males often engage in ritual combats when vying for mates.
Most centaur lairs are located near running water, and often consist
of nomadic tents, huts, and lean-tos that can be broken down and
moved within hours.
Combat
Centaurs take pride in being archers, preferring to use longbows.
Most are also skilled with spears, lances, and broadswords. There are a
few centaurs that have learned to use muskets, but they rarely use
them due to the loud noise and clouds of thick black smoke created by
the guns.
Centaurs rarely provoke fights, although they will finish them.
Their normal response to aggression is flight, firing behind them to
discourage pursuit, although one who is in a bad mood is just as likely
to stand and meet the aggressor head-on or just charge forward with a
braced spear. Against creatures powerful enough to threaten their
tribe, half of the tribe's warriors circle around to flank the creature
from behind.
Dwarves
20 points
Average Height: 4' 6".
Average Weight: 165 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 30 years.
Average Lifespan: 200 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +1 [10]; HT +1 [10].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM -1; Basic Move -1 [-5].
Advantages: Absolute Direction (Accessibility: Underground Only,
-30%) [4]; Artificer 1 [5]; Extended Lifespan 1 (2) [2]; Magic
Resistance 2 (Improved, +150%) [10]; Night Vision 9 [9];
Resistant to Poisons (+8) [5].
Perks: No Hangover [1].
Disadvantages: Duty (to Clan; 9) [-5]; Honesty (9) [-15]; Increased
Consumption -1 [-10].
Quirk: Likes Strong Alcohol [-1].
Dwarves are short, stocky humanoids who possess dense muscles
and hearty constitutions. They stand on average around four and a half
feet tall, never exceeding five feet, with dark complexions. Their eye
and hair colors match human norms. They live around two hundred
years on average. They are also naturally resilient to magic. If they
have a fault, it is their love of food and beautiful things.
Almost all dwarves are master craftsmen, whether it be working
with ordinary metals, precious metals, stonework, precious and semi-
precious stones, or woodwork. Each item made is a work of art, even
if that item is just the wooden frame shoring up the mine wall to keep
it from collapsing.
All dwarves take pride in their beards; even the females have been
known to grow them. All beards are well-groomed, often braided
and/or decorated with beads, gold, silver, gems, or ivory.
While most believe that dwarves live under the ground, that is not
the case. The cities of Ered-Dm in the Wyrmspire Mountains are
built in valleys between the mountains, not under them. Dwarves are
comfortable under the ground, however, and never lose their direction
when deep in the mines.
Psychology
The first thing dwarves are taught is their duty to their Clan. In
dwarven societies, even those living in non-dwarven nations, the Clan
supersedes national interests. To emphasize this, they are taught to
obey the law, with emphasis on the Clan's laws. A Dwarf is bound to
his Clan to betray the Clan is almost inconceivable. A dwarf is
simply 'not a dwarf' if he does not have a Clan, and neither is he the
same dwarf if he switches Clans. Dwarves have honor and pride in
three things: their Clan, their work, and their beards.
A dwarf's beard is another point of honor: a dwarf would rather
lose his hand than his beard, and tugging or pulling on a beard is a
deadly insult and often the start of the not uncommon drunken duel.
While females tend to be more level-headed, if an insult on one's
honor occurs between them it is not unheard of for a female dwarf to
maliciously shave another's beard while they sleep.
Dwarves are not, despite some stereotypes, particularly warlike in
nature, nor are they overly surly. They are welcoming, if wary, to
strangers, but have a law of hospitality that extends to all guests,
especially in times of great need. They love a good tale, fellowship,
feasts, and ales, and a traveler taking shelter will find himself much
more welcome if he can provide a good story on a long night.
They tend to be secretive about their work whether it is art,
armor, or other items. They take enormous pride in their work, and are
very shrewd about selling it, knowing very well how prized good
dwarf craftsmanship is. They are usually honest, and tend to punish
thieves or troublemakers very harshly. A merchant will always be
dealt with openly: however, this doesn't mean the prices won't be
steep!
Dwarves are not an especially 'conquering' race; they are practical
minded, and tend more to be greedy over mining rights then anything
else. While dwarves are content with their caves and their valleys, and
have no particular urge to expand, other cultures have, in the past,
made the mistake of trying to take their land from them. A dwarf will
and can fight ferociously in defense of their homeland, Clan, or other
property.
Elves
25 points
Average Height: 5' 9".
Average Weight: 90 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 120 years.
Average Lifespan: 640 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST -1 [-10]; DX +1 [20].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: HP +1 [2].
Advantages: Acute Hearing 3 [6]; Eidetic Memory [5]; Extended
Lifespan 3 (8) [6]; Subsonic Hearing [5]; Ultrahearing [5].
Disadvantages: Callous [-5]; Extra Sleep -2 [-4]; Hidebound [-5].
Elves are humanoids, similar in stature and appearance to humans.
They are more slender, however, with large, pointed ears. They are
able to hear noises far outside the range of others, well into the
subsonic and ultrasonic ranges.
Elves live for an average of six centuries. Legends and myths from
long ago indicate they were once immortal, but this may be anything
from elvish arrogance to misconceptions by the other pre-historic
peoples.
Because of their longer life spans, elves must sleep on average ten
hours a day.
Psychology
Most elves find it hard to develop relationships with shorter-lived
beings. Occasionally, marriages between humans and elves have
occurred, producing half-elves, although these have become rare of
late. The most successful inter-racial friendships that elves have
established have been with dwarves, as that race is longer-lived than
humans.
Elves are patient, generally thinking long-term. They are also
clever, resourceful, and more often than not ruthlessly Machiavellian.
Their long lives make them very patient, and they are willing to make
almost cold-hearted sacrifices if it will profit in the long run. They are,
in fact, more warlike then their reputation suggests, and while most
will try to prevent damage to nature, forestland, etc, they will not
hesitate to make war on others if deemed necessary.
Many elves have developed a rather dry, cynical personality and
occasionally a black sense of humor, due to their being such a long
lived race. They are often arrogant when dealing with shorter lived
races, like the humans, and have no problem in dealing mercilessly
with them. This often extends to their treatment of others who are also
long-lived, including the dwarves and other elves.
Elves have a love of the arts, in much the same way that dwarves
love their craft. Song, dance, and art are all highly valued, and any
bard traveling through elven lands will be treated with the highest
respect provided they can carry a decent tune. Elves love beauty,
fine clothes, and fine singing, and will sometimes go out of their way
to acquire an exceptional work of art. Because they can hear in ranges
outside the human norm, their own music will occasionally venture
into these areas; a human listening to an elven musical masterpiece
may wonder about lengthy stretches of seeming silence that elves will
listen intently to.
Goblins
25 points
Average Height: 3'.
Average Weight: 64 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 8 years.
Average Lifespan: 40 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST -2 [-20]; DX +2 [40].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM -2; Basic Move -1 [-5].
Advantages: Acute Vision 2 [4]; Clinging [20]; Silence 3 [15];
Slippery 3 [6].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Unattractive (to other races)) [-4]; Bad
Back (Mild) [-15]; Easy to Kill -2 [-4]; Short Lifespan -1 [-10];
Weak Bite [-2].
Goblins are small, weak humanoids with green skin. They are
expert climbers, with microscopic claws which enable them to stick to
most rough surfaces. They are also able to move without making
noises, and excrete a clear substance which makes it difficult for
others to hold onto them. This substance, known as 'goblin slime'
among other races, also lets them move through spaces that would
normally be too small for others of the same size, such as kobolds and
halflings, to get through. This same slime is a valued, albeit very
inexpensive, alchemical component for stealth elixirs.
Psychology
Gone are the days of the goblin tribes. Goblins are the one
"monster race" that has seemingly been seamlessly integrated into
human society; it's not uncommon nowadays for entire neighborhoods
in human cities and towns to be composed solely of goblins.
Seeing that the humans and their allies were gaining dominance in
the world, the goblins decided it was better to join the humans rather
than fight against them. Still, most goblins tend to live in the slums of
human cities; millennia of being considered a "monster" race have left
most other people with the idea that goblins are inherently inferior to
most others, and the goblins as a race have yet to overcome their
feelings of persecution.
Surprisingly, goblins get along well with halflings. This is in part
because goblins and halflings can look each other in the eye rather
than needing to look up at the other race. Another is a feeling of
kinship; both are small people in a world dominated by humans.
Combat
Because goblins tend to be smaller than most others yet nimble and
agile, most favor quick hit-and-run tactics. The popular literary image
of the hero being swarmed by a horde of goblins working for the
enemy has no basis in reality. Goblins tend to work well in groups,
often using decoys and flanking tactics on their enemies.
Half-Elves
35 points
Average Height: 5' 8".
Average Weight: 125 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 70 years.
Attribute Adjustments: DX +1 [20].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: Per +1 [5].
Advantages: Acute Hearing 2 [4]; Longevity [2]; Ultrahearing [5].
Perks: Deep Sleeper [1].
Disadvantages: Extra Sleep -1 [-2].
Originally just the offspring between humans and elves, the half-
elves of Ranoc have bred true to almost become a race of their own.
Most half-elves alive today are descended from other half-elves. In
fact, the nation of South Ford was settled by half-elves escaping the
prejudices of their human and elf ancestors.
Half-elves have some of the traits of their elf ancestors. They have
pointed ears, although they are not as large as those of the elves. They
can hear sounds of a higher pitch than humans, but not the lower-
pitched noises the elves can. They age slower than humans, but are not
nearly as long-lived as the elves; most half-elves will reach an age of
around 150 years before succumbing to old age.
Because of their ancestry, half-elves need to sleep on average nine
hours a day, as opposed to the standard eight from humans or the ten
of the elves.
Psychology
Half-elves possess many of the same qualities as their human
ancestors, being social creatures with intense desires. They have much
of the patience of their elf ancestors, but this is tempered with the
reality of their shorter lifespan. Hence, most of them are not as
ruthless as their elven kin.
Most half-elves are also consciously aware of the fact they
generally don't fit into either human or elf societies, although the
humans are in general more trusting of them than the elves.
Halflings
25 points
Average Height: 3'.
Average Weight: 30 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 100 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST -4 [-40]; DX +2 [40].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM -2; HP +4 [8]; Basic
Move -1 [-5].
Advantages: Catfall [10]; Flexibility [5]; Longevity [2]; Perfect
Balance [15].
Disadvantages: Chummy [-5]; Workaholic [-5].
Halflings are short, averaging three to three and a half feet tall in
height, with human proportions. They are nimble and flexible; many
are good with their hands. They have a natural sense of balance,
enabling them to always land on their feet from any fall taller than
themselves, and giving them the ability to walk across the narrowest
beams without losing their footing.
Psychology
Halflings are well aware of their small size when compared to
almost everyone else. Many halflings admit to feelings of inferiority
when working with the "Big Folk", as they tend to call humans, elves,
and others who are generally larger than them. These feelings often
drive them to be twice as brave or clever as their larger friends. They
are social creatures, preferring to work in groups rather than alone.
Halflings tend to be suspicious of magic, although they don't have
any racial taboos against using it. While not naturally magical, many
halflings who study magic lean towards spells which can enhance their
already nimble natures.
If halflings have a fault, it's that they work themselves into
exhaustion. It is not uncommon to find a halfling that fell asleep at his
workbench wearing the same clothes he had on two days ago when he
started working. As a race, halflings tend to dislike leaving anything
unfinished, be it a pasture fence, a piece of clockwork for a pocket
watch, or a heroic quest.
Combat
Halfling combat consists of a combination of shooting from
concealment and nimble hit-and-run tactics. When prepared for an
attack, most halfling defenders can be found firing crossbows or
muskets from inside foxholes, behind rocks, or from underneath
wagons. If surprised, or without time to prepare a suitable defensive
position, halflings stay constantly in motion, often taking Move or
Move and Attack maneuvers, interspersed with Defensive Attacks or
All-Out-Defense maneuvers, until an opening for a more dedicated
attack presents itself. Their small size and natural agility helps, and
many use Acrobatic Dodges while in motion, almost teasing their
attackers.
Half-Orcs
25 points
Average Height: 5' 4".
Average Weight: 165 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 13 years.
Average Lifespan: 70 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +1 [10].
Advantages: Claws (Blunt Claws) [3]; DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3];
Rapid Healing [5]; Resistant to Disease (+8) [8]; Teeth (Sharp
Teeth) [1]; Universal Digestion [5].
Disadvantages: Easy to Read [-10].
Features: Early Maturation [0].
Like half-elves, the half-orcs of Ranoc have also bred true. Half-
orcs are a cross-breed between humans and orcs.
Half-orcs generally have the green, gray, and blue skin tones of the
orcs, but toned down some to be closer to the pinks, tans, and browns
of the humans. They have sharper teeth than humans, but lack the
large fangs of the orcs. Like the orcs, they can take a lot of
punishment. They heal rapidly, and are highly resistant to disease and
rotten food.
Psychology
Half-orcs are quite aware of their situation. They are more
intelligent than their orc ancestors, and stronger than most humans.
This has led many half-orcs amongst the Northern Raider Clans to rise
to positions of leadership. Contrary to popular beliefs, half-orcs are not
stupid; most are as intelligent as the average human. Furthermore,
their orcish heritage gives them a natural cunning.
Half-orcs who live among the orcs tend to be stronger and fiercer
than those who live among their own kind or their human kin.
Hobgoblins
35 points
Average Height: 5' 6".
Average Weight: 125 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 15 years.
Average Lifespan: 70 years.
Attribute Adjustments: DX +1[20].
Advantages: Chameleon 3 [15]; Silence 3 [15]; Slippery 2 [4].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Unattractive (to other races except
goblins)) [-4]; Easy to Read [-10]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5].
Hobgoblins are humanoids who are similar to goblins in
appearance, but much taller, standing closer to humans in height. They
are similar to goblins in that they can move silently and excrete 'goblin
slime' (see Goblins, above), although the slime of a hobgoblin is not as
potent as that of a goblin. In addition, they have the natural ability to
blend into their background.
Psychology
Hobgoblins tend to be insular, living in their own communities
rather than joining their smaller cousins in integrating with human
society. This tendency towards insulation led the Great Empire of
Man to give the hobgoblins their own province when it was decided to
try and 'civilize' them.
The hobgoblins' natural abilities let them perform as excellent
scouts, although their lack of a sense of smell leads them to misjudge
many things that would be obvious to others for example, a
hobgoblin cannot distinguish between a stew over a cooking fire, an
herbalist's bubbling concoction, or a washer-woman's laundry without
actually observing the contents.
Kobolds
10 points
Average Height: 3'.
Average Weight: 42 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 70 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST -3 [-30].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM -2; Basic Move -1 [-5].
Advantages: Claws (Talons) [8]; DR 2 [10]; Discriminatory Smell
[15]; Double-Jointed [15]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1]; Vibration
Sense [10].
Perks: Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Cold Blooded ("freeze up" below 50) [-5]; Short
Lifespan -1 [-10].
Small reptilian creatures that live along the northern shore of the
Umojan jungles, kobolds are the one Umojan race that has had the
most contact with the more civilized nations of Aedes. They are
adapted to their natural habitat, being able to feel the vibrations in the
air around them through their skin, as well as having exceptionally
sharp noses, large claws, and powerful jaws.
Psychology
Kobolds are fascinated by magic. It is not uncommon for kobold
magicians to be found in southern Aedes, where the knowledge is
more common. That the majority of kobolds visible to the people of
Aedes, particularly the southern Caere region, are mages gives the
false impression that almost all kobolds wield magic. This perception
has been lessened since the founding of New Hope, but hasn't fully
disappeared.
Their small size gives kobolds a bit of an inferiority complex when
around larger folk. Hence, despite their smaller size, kobolds tend to
be more ferocious and tenacious in combat. This also leads them to
being overachievers among larger folk.
Minotaurs
70 points
Average Height: 10'.
Average Weight: 1,000 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 9 years.
Average Lifespan: 45 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +10 (Size, -10%) [90]; IQ -2 [-40].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM +1; Basic Move +1 [5].
Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Claws (Hooves) [3]; DR 2 (Skull
only, -70%) [3]; Discriminatory Hearing [15]; Discriminatory
Smell [15]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; High Pain Threshold [10];
Longevity [2]; Regeneration (Regular: 1 HP/Hr) [25]; Striker
(Impaling) (Horns) [8].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Ugly) [-8]; Bad Sight (Nearsighted) [-
25]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore) [-10]; Semi-Upright [-5]; Short
Lifespan -1 [-10]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15].
Minotaurs are massive creatures resembling a cross between
humanoids and bulls. They stand ten feet tall, and have powerful
muscles. While they have human-like hands five fingers including
an opposable thumb their feet end in hooves. All bulls and most
cows have horns on their heads which point forwards; warriors often
sharpen or decorate these horns for effect. The horns also provide
some armor to the skull. While they generally have poor eyesight,
being naturally nearsighted, their senses of hearing and smell are
superhumanly acute.
Psychology
Minotaurs prefer wide open fields; many are found in Rochlad and
Gor Ansat, although they are known to range as far north as Auckland.
They have a largely undeserved reputation for brutality and savagery.
In truth, most minotaurs are the quintessential "gentle giants". That is,
until they are provoked to violence, at which point they become fierce
warriors.
Many minotaurs are possessed by wanderlust early in their adult
lives, and leave home for "greener pastures". During this time period,
which can last from four to ten years, minotaurs travel the world,
learning all they can. After this time, most minotaurs settle into a town
or village, often on the outskirts of a frontier settlement, content to live
life as peacefully as possible. Most minotaurs will not take mates until
their wanderlust period is over. Some scholars believe that the
wanderlust is part of the divine plan for minotaurs, compelling them to
travel until they meet desirable mates.
Despite legends to the contrary, minotaurs are decidedly
vegetarians.
Combat
A minotaur's first impulse in combat is to charge. To initiate
combat, a minotaur drops to all fours and charges at full speed towards
his opponent, intending to gouge said opponent with his horns.
Following this, should the opponent still be able to fight, the minotaur
will draw his weapon.
Minotaurs are fierce opponents. In addition to being able to
withstand about twice as much punishment as an average human, they
are very difficult to actually kill.
Mohani
50 points
Average Height: 8'.
Average Weight: 420 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 70 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +5 (Size, -10%) [45]; DX +1 [20]; IQ -1
[-20].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM +1.
Advantages: Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; DR 3 [15]; Extended Lifespan
1 (2) [2]; Infravision [10]; Nictitating Membrane 2 [2]; Teeth
(Sharp Teeth) [1].
Disadvantages: Cold-Blooded ("freeze up" below 50) [-5];
Colorblindness [-10]; Stuttering [-10]; Vow (Never Eat Plant
Matter Unless Absolutely Necessary) [-5].
Common Traits: (not part of the package) Odious Personal Habit
(Eats Sapients) [-15].
Mohani are large, semi-humanoid reptilians who dominate the
deep forests of Umoja. They are a powerfully-built race that stands
upright, with sharp claws on their hands and feet, sharp teeth, and a
short vestigial tail for balance. While unable to see colors, they are
able to see into the infrared spectrum, enabling them to hunt by
sensing body heat, which they themselves, being reptiles, do not give
off. Their skin is protected by large, bony plates, and their eyes
possess nictitating membranes enabling them to see clearly
underwater.
The "Stuttering" trait isn't true stuttering; instead, it represents the
fact that mohani speaking anything other than languages geared
towards reptilians, such as Draconic, hiss the 'S' sound, making it seem
as if they're adding at least two additional 'S'es to the word.
Psychology
Mohani exist alongside nature, and revere it. They tend to eschew
the trappings of civilization, believing that "civilization" is another
word for "detached from nature." Instead, the majority of mohani
exist in small tribes that wander throughout the Umojan jungles, living
as simple hunter-gatherers. Those few mohani who have settled into
Shakdran and New Hope are regarded with suspicion by other mohani.
The mohani way of life includes many practices that confuse and
often disgust more civilized folk. While naturally omnivorous, the
majority practice a strictly carnivorous way of life, down to the idea of
never wasting meat. This often includes the practices of cannibalism
and devouring of enemies slain in battle.
There is some evidence that mohani practices are innate, rather
than societal. Even mohani who were hatched and grew up in
civilized society, such as in New Hope and Shakdran, separated from
other mohani exhibit a tendency towards hunting and carnivorism.
Ogres
75 points
Average Height: 7' 6".
Average Weight: 1,000 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 8 years.
Average Lifespan: 35 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +10 (Size, -10%) [90]; IQ -3 [-60].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: SM +1; Will +3 [15]; Per
+3 [15].
Advantages: Acute Taste and Smell 1 [2]; DR 3 (Tough Skin, -40%)
[9]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Lifting ST +5
(Size, -10%) [14]; Magic Resistance 3 [6]; Night Vision 9 [9];
Regeneration (Regular, 1 HP/hr) [25]; Single-Minded [5]; Super
Jump 1 [10].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous (to other races)) [-20];
Bestial [-10]; Odious Racial Habit (May Eat Sapients) [-15]; Short
Lifespan -1 [-10]; Social Stigma (Regarded As An Animal or
Valuable Property) [-10]; Truthfulness (6) [-10]; Workaholic [-5].
Quirks: Alcohol Intolerance [-1].
Ogres are the largest of the common races without actually being
true "giants." Ogres stand 7 to 8 feet tall and are half a ton or more of
pure muscle. They aren't the smartest creatures, either, but are
normally able to ascertain whether or not someone trying to cheat
them.
Ogres tend to be simple in their desires: enough food to sustain
them and a comfortable place to sleep is all they really ask for.
Because of this, many ogres find themselves willing slaves,
performing grueling menial physical labor in exchange for letting
someone else take care of their needs. Many are smart enough to
figure out that the shiny pieces of metal the smaller folk use can be
used to obtain food and shelter. Some unscrupulous types will often
try and use an ogre in criminal dealings by promising bits of shiny
metals in return for performing acts of mayhem; this can backfire
when the ogre is stopped and asked who paid him, and the ogre names
his employer.
Despite their tremendous bulk, ogres cannot hold their liquor.
Fortunately, ninety percent of ogres lean towards being sleepy drunks.
Psychology
Ogres are brutally truthful; some are just terrible liars, but most
ogres are just not smart enough to know how to lie. They are simple,
direct, and tell things how they see it. Ogres are often referred to as
"talking animals" based on how they react. When hungry, they seek
out food; when cold, they seek out warmth; when they see something
they want, they generally see nothing wrong with just taking; when
confronted with danger, they exhibit the 'fight or flight' trait common
to most animals.
"Civilized" ogres have been trained to suppress some of these
instincts. While "wild" ogres see nothing wrong with eating another
humanoid, ogres who have been brought into civilization are trained to
understand that they can't eat anything else that walks on two legs.
Ogres are single-minded and determined; when an ogre puts his
mind to something, he won't let anything distract him from what he's
doing. Slave owners often like to encourage this; some ogre slaves
have been known to work themselves into exhaustion, and are
rewarded by a larger meal or an extra blanket.
Combat
When faced with a dangerous situation, the ogre's typical first
instinct is to lash out at the danger with his fists, and keep hitting it
until it doesn't move. Ogres know they are stronger and can take more
punishment than most others, so they tend to be front-line fighters.
When faced with a clearly superior opponent, such as a rampaging
giant or dragon, ogres tend to flee rather than fight, fighting only if
cornered. A cornered ogre often lashes out in a violent rage that
surprises even them, until they get far enough past the creature or
creatures that cornered them to flee.
Orcs
30 points
Average Height: 5' 2".
Average Weight: 215 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 9 years.
Average Lifespan: 45 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +2 [20]; IQ -1 [-20].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: Will +1 [5]; Per +1 [5].
Advantages: Claws (Blunt Claws) [3]; DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3];
Fit [5]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; Less Sleep 2 [4]; Rapid Healing [5];
Resistant to Disease (+8) [8]; Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Universal
Digestion [5].
Disadvantages: Easy to Read [-10]; Short Lifespan 1 [-10].
Quirks: Bloody Mess [-1].
Orcs are massive humanoids closely related to both humans and
elves. They stand an average of five and a half feet tall, weighing over
two hundred pounds on average. This weight is primarily muscle,
although orcs do possess a proportionately larger bone mass than their
human cousins. They possess green, gray, and blue skin tones, sharp
teeth with large fangs, powerful, clawed hands, and thick, leathery
skin. They are difficult to kill, healing rapidly from injuries, are highly
resistant to disease, and are able to subsist on foods that would make
the average human sick.
Orcs are shorter-lived than humans. While a human will reach
physical maturity around 15 years of age, orcs reach that maturity at
age nine. In addition, they reach old age around 45 years of age. This
accelerated lifespan enables them to require less sleep than the average
human, sleeping six hours a night instead of the usual eight.
Psychology
Orcs tend to be brutal, in and out of combat. Most have a "live fast,
fight hard, play hard" mentality. In the past, they have subscribed to a
"might makes right" mentality, and most still live in societies that
revere strength.
Orcs, like their human cousins, are aggressive and prolific. In
many ways, they are even more aggressive and prolific than humans.
They are not, however, inclined towards organization, often relying on
others to provide it.
Combat
Orcs are prized as shock troops by nearly all the nations of the
Aedes continent; Redwater being the obvious exception. They favor
weapons that cause as much damage as possible in one hit. Most prize
melee weapons over ranged ones. Companies of orcs in most nations
are often led by a half-orc, as most orcs are better able to relate to half-
orcs than they are humans.
Orfs
30 points
Average Height: 5' 6".
Average Weight: 165 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 9 years.
Average Lifespan: 55 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +1 [10]; DX +1 [20]; IQ -1 [-20].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: Will +1 [5], Per +2 [10].
Advantages: DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Longevity [2]; Rapid
Healing [5]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1]; Ultrahearing [5].
Disadvantages: Short Lifespan 1 [-10].
Quirks: Bloody Mess [-1].
Orfs are a rarity on Ranoc, a half-breed race that has one elf parent
and one orc parent. It is unknown whether orfs will breed true like the
half-elves and half-orcs have; they are so rare that no two orfs who are
not related have ever been seen at the same time.
Orfs have many of the traits of their elven and orcish parents. They
are slender, like elves, but strong and wiry, with thick, leathery skin.
They have sharp teeth, although they lack the fangs of their orc
parents. Their slightly pointed ears enable them to hear sounds in
frequencies above those of most other races. They heal rapidly from
wounds, and are longer-lived than their orc parents, although nowhere
near as long-lived as the elves. They reach maturity at 9 years of age,
like their orc parents, and while they reach old age at around 45 like
their orc parents, their elven blood prevents them from rapidly aging;
some orfs have been known to reach the age of 90, nearly as old as
their human cousins.
Psychology
If there was one word that accurately described an orf, it would be
"outcast". Orfs are painfully aware that they don't really fit in
anywhere, so many leave their homeland to try and find a home of
their own. Most have grown up painfully aware that they don't fit into
their parents' worlds; those raised by elves are seen as being
exceptionally hasty, lacking the elves' trademark patience, while those
raised by orcs are seen as being "weak", and have to be twice as
ferocious just to be accepted.
Because of their unique hybrid nature, orfs seem to be the epitome
of graceful brutality. Their elven nature gives them a natural grace,
while their orcish nature gives them a brutality and aggression that
seems unrivaled. All known orfs, save one, have channeled their
aggression into the combative arts; watching an orf in combat has been
likened to orchestrated mayhem.

Velvels
55 points
Average Height: 6'.
Average Weight: 420 lbs.
Age of Maturity: 16 years.
Average Lifespan: 70 years.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +5 [50]; IQ -1 [-20]; HT +1 [10].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: Will +1 [5]; Per +1 [5].
Advantages: Acute Hearing 3 [6]; DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3];
Night Vision 7 [7].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Colorblindness [-10]; Extra Sleep -1 [-2].
Velvels are humanoids of canine stock, physically resembling
foxes, coyotes, or hyenas who stand on their hind legs, although with a
more humanoid stance and proportions. Their faces have the snouts
and ears of their canine heritage, and their fur comes in shades of
white, brown, black, red, grey, and tan.
Psychology
Velvels are the last of the so-called "monster" races on Aedes to
have adopted the trappings of civilization. As such, they are still
learning the ropes, so to speak, and have evolved a society that fits
their species quite well.
At the center of the velvel civilization is the family unit. As many
as four generations of velvels have been known to live under one roof.
A velvel town consists of as many as sixty or seventy unrelated
families.
Velvelish society is matriarchal; the eldest female heads the family.
When velvels marry -- and they marry for life, although some velvel
females have been known to marry more than one male at a time -- the
couple is expected to move in with the bride's family, at least until
they gain a permanent residence of their own. However, only one
couple in twenty ever moves out on their own. When the family
matriarch passes on, the eldest daughter inherits the family estate, and
the other sisters move on with their children, grandchildren, and great-
grandchildren to another estate nearby.
Multiple births are the rule rather than the exception for velvels.
The usual mix of males to females is three to two; velvel women have
been known to give birth to as many as ten cubs at once.
Velvels have a reputation for being lazy and shiftless, interested
only in hunting, foraging, and fighting. However, velvels have proven
to be hard working craftsmen and farmers. They still tend to be
hunters, but are consummate conservationists who kill only what they
need to survive and always try and use even the minutest portion of
their kill.
Occupational Templates
Several of these templates have been copied out of Fantasy or
Martial Arts for the convenience of the players.
Alchemist
75 points
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0];
Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move
5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Advantages: Merchant Rank (Alchemists Guild) 1 [5]; Wealth
(Comfortable) [10]. 30 points in Absolute Timing [2], Acute
Senses [2/level], Combat Reflexes [15], Danger Sense [15],
Gadgeteer [25], Gizmos [5/level], High Manual Dexterity [5/level],
Magery [5 for Magery 0, 10/level above that], Resistant to Poisons
(+3) [5] or Resistant to Poisons (+8) [7], Single-Minded [5], or
additional levels of Merchant Rank [5/level] or Wealth [varies].
Disadvantages: -40 points from the following: Absent-Mindedness [-
15]; Bad Sight (Nearsighted) [-25], Callous [-5], Code of Honor
(Professional) [-5], Debt [-1/level], Loner [-5*], Overweight [-1],
Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5], Paranoia [-10], Stubbornness [-5],
or Workaholic [-5].
Primary Skills: Alchemy/TL4 (VH) IQ+0 [8] 12; Expert Skill
(Natural Philosophy) (H) IQ+0 [4] 12; Mathematics/TL4 (Pure)
(H) IQ+0 [4] 12.
Secondary Skills: Hazardous Materials/TL4 (Chemical) (A) IQ+0 [2]
12; Merchant (A) IQ+0 [2] 12; Poisons/TL4 (H) IQ-1 [2] 11;
Research/TL4 (A) IQ+0 [2] 12.
Techniques: 2 points each in three Alchemical Elixirs.
* Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Archer
65 points
The archer is a warrior type who specializes in ranged attacks. His
strength lies in striking from a distance with devastating speed and
accuracy; of course, having a strong physique never hurt anyone
except the archer's intended target. Most adventuring archers come
from military backgrounds. Those that do not come from the military
come from the peasantry, using their archery skills for either hunting
game or banditry.
It seems that most dedicated archers tend to be show-offs, and
archery contests, especially in cinematic campaigns, often devolve into
a contest to see who can split the most arrows in the bull's-eye.
The classic weapon of the archer is the bow; however, other
options are available, including the crossbow, sling, spear, and musket.
(Those who use the latter weapon are called musketeers.)
(Adapted and reworked from the Archer template in Fantasy, p.
F114.)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 20 lbs; HP 10
[0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [10]; Basic
Move 6 [0].
Advantages: Acute Vision 2 [4]; Fit [5].
Disadvantages: -20 points chosen from among Bloodlust [-10*];
Chummy [-5] or Gregarious [-10]; Code of Honor (Soldier's) [-10];
Duty [-2 to -15]; Overconfidence [-5*]; Sense of Duty (Comrades)
[-5]; Stubbornness [-5]; and Wealth (Struggling) [-10].
Primary Skills: Select one of the following packages:
Bowman: Bow (A) DX+2 [8] 14; Fast-Draw (Arrow) (E) DX+2
[4] 14.
Crossbowman: Crossbow (E) DX+3 [8] 15; Fast-Draw (Arrow)
(E) DX+2 [4] 14.
Musketeer: Fast-Draw (Ammo) (E) DX+2 [4] 14; Guns (Musket)
(E) DX+3 [8] - 15.
Slingman: Sling (H) DX+2 [12] 14.
Spearman: Spear (A) DX+1 [4] 13; Thrown Weapon (Spear) (E)
DX+3 [8] 15.
Secondary Skills: Hiking (A) HT+1 [4] 11; Soldier (A) IQ+0 [2]
10. One of Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2] 11 or Stealth (A) DX+0 [2]
12. One of Knife (E) DX+1 [2] 13; Shortsword (A) DX+0 [2]
12; Short Staff (A) DX+0 [2] 12; or Shortsword (A) DX-1 [1]
11 and Shield (E) DX+0 [1] 12.
Background Skills: Survival (any) (A) Per+0 [2] 10. One of
Brawling (E) DX+1 [2] 13; First Aid or Savoir-Faire (Military),
both (E) IQ+1 [2] 11; Armoury (Missile Weapons or Small
Arms) or Leadership, both (A) IQ+0 [2] 10; or Observation or
Tracking, both (A) Per+2 [2] 12.
Common Traits (not part of the template): Gunslinger [25], Heroic
Archer [20], and Weapon Master [varies] are among the most common
advantages. Arm ST and Striking ST add to an archer's damage by
increasing the effective ST to use a bow, sling, or spear, as does the
Strongbow Perk (for the bow only, though). Truly cinematic archers
learn the Zen Archery skill; Targeted Attack is a common Technique
for all weapon skills.
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
Includes +2 from Acute Vision 2.
Aristocrat
55 points
The aristocrat was born to rule, or so he believes. Typically, the
aristocrat was born into his noble station; however, there are those
who marry into the nobility or attain such rank from a grant by the
ruling elite. Aristocrats run the gamut from capable administrators to
ruthless tyrants and irresponsible socialites.
Adventuring aristocrats are rare, but many with numerous older
siblings who are set to inherit the title, take over the family business,
and/or go into the priesthood often find themselves seeking out
adventure out of sheer boredom. Other aristocrats have adventure
thrust on them when forced into the role by circumstances beyond
their control. And still others become adventurers to try and boost a
deteriorating family fortune.
Many more aristocrats become Patrons for adventurers rather than
adventurers themselves.
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0];
Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5
[0].
Advantages: Status 2 [10] (or more); Wealth (Comfortable) [10].
Disadvantages: -20 points from among Bad Temper, Bully, Callous,
Charitable, Compulsive Behaviors, Cowardice, Delusions, Duty,
Greed, Hidebound, Honesty, Impulsiveness, Jealousy,
Lecherousness, Miserliness, Overconfidence, Selfish, Selfless,
Sense of Duty, Truthfulness, or Workaholic.
Primary Skills: Acting (A) IQ+1 [4] 12; Administration (A) IQ+1
[4] 12; Politics (A) IQ+1 [4] 12; Public Speaking (A) IQ+1 [4]
12.
Secondary Skills: Body Language (A) Per+0 [2] 11; Connoisseur
(any) (A) IQ+0 [2] 11; Detect Lies (H) Per +0 [4] 11;
Diplomacy (H) IQ+0 [4] 11.
Background Skills: Current Affairs (People) (E) IQ+0 [1] 11;
Heraldry (A) IQ [2] 11; History (any) (H) IQ-1 [2] 10;
Literature (H) IQ-1 [2] 10.
Common Traits (not part of the template): Additional Status and
Wealth are commonplace, particularly among NPC Patrons. Many
also learn one of the Fencing Martial Arts.
Assassin
125 points
The assassin is a warrior who specializes in eliminating single
targets, often silently and discretely. Many are employed by the local
Assassins Guild, while others are freelance; many nobles also keep
assassins on retainer. Some assassins double as security for nobles;
who better to counter an assassin's attempts than one of their own?
Note that the Eliminati (see Chapter 2 for more details) do not use this
template, instead using the Duelist template, below.
There have been a few cases of assassins learning some spells,
primarily from the Light & Darkness and Sound colleges, to
supplement their stealth skills. Some wizards make particularly deadly
assassins.
(Copied from the Assassin template in Fantasy, p. F115.)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0];
Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 6 [0]; Basic Move 6
[0].
Advantages: Single-Minded [5]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10]; and 15
points chosen from among the following: Honest Face [1],
Absolute Direction [5] or 3D Spatial Sense [15], Claim to
Hospitality (Assassin Guild) [5], Contact or Contact Group (Go-
Betweens) [varies], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], Night Vision [1/level],
Smooth Operator 1 [15], or Striking ST [5/level].
Disadvantages: One of Callous [-5] or Code of Honor (Professional)
[-5]; Secret (Possible Death) [-30]; and -10 points chosen from
among Loner [-5*], Overconfidence [-5*], or Trademark [-5 or
-10].
Primary Skills: Holdout (A) IQ+2 [8] 13. Either Shadowing (A)
IQ+2 [8] 13 or Stealth (A) DX+2 [8] 16. One of Crossbow,
Garrote, Knife, or Thrown Weapon (Knife), all (E) DX+2 [4] 16;
or Rapier or Shortsword, both (A) DX+1 [4] 15; or Blowpipe or
Sleight of Hand, both (H) DX [4] 14.
Secondary Skills: Acting (A) IQ+1 [4] 12. One of Savoir-Faire
(High Society or Servant) (E) IQ+2 [4] 13 or Streetwise (A)
IQ+1 [4] 12. One of Armoury or Traps, both (A) IQ+2 [8] 13,
or Poisons (H) IQ+1 [8] 12. One of Guns (Pistol) (E) DX+1 [2]
15 or Cloak or Main-Gauche, both (A) DX [2] 14.
Background Skills: One of Scrounging (E) Per+1 [2] 12; Climbing
(A) DX [2] 14; Architecture or Disguise, both (A) IQ [2] 11; or
Cryptography, Forgery, Hidden Lore (Conspiracies), or
Intelligence Analysis, all (H) IQ-1 [2] 10.
* Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Bandit
75 points
Of all the outlaws, bandits and highwaymen attract the most hero
worship. Anywhere the common people resent their rulers, local or
national, a bandit can be seen as a defender of the poor. In areas
where the aristocracy has been deposed by invaders, many of the sons
and daughters of the deposed aristocrats become bandits to prey on the
invaders.
Many bandits are considerably less noble than this heroic image
would suggest; many take advantage of it for their own purposes. This
template defines an outlaw who is noble and honorable. Replace the
more heroic disadvantages with those better suited for a true outlaw
for the more brutal version.
(Revised from the Bandit template in Fantasy, p. F116.)
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11
[0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 11 [5]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: 20 points chosen from Allies [varies], Ambidexterity
[5], Charisma [5/level], Combat Reflexes [15], Contacts or Contact
Group (Fences) [varies], Daredevil [15], Fearlessness [2/level], or
Social Regard (Feared) [5/level].
Disadvantages: -30 points chosen from among (Code of Honor
(Highwayman's or Pirate's) [-5] or (Gentleman's) [-10];
Compulsive Behavior (Carousing) [-5* or -10*], (Generosity) [-
5*], or (Spendthrift) [-5*]; Enemy (Law Enforcement) [varies];
Impulsiveness [-10*]; Lecherousness [-15*]; Overconfidence [-5*];
Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Secret Identity [varies];
Sense of Duty (Comrades) [-5] or (Oppressed People) [-10]; Social
Stigma (Disowned) [-10]; or Trademark [-5 to -15].
Primary Skills: Riding (Equines) (A) DX+1 [4] 13. One of
Crossbow or Guns (Pistol), both (E) DX+ [4] 14, or Bow,
Broadsword, or Rapier, all (A) DX+1 [4] 13.
Secondary Skills: One of Navigation (Land) (A) IQ [2] 10 or Area
Knowledge (E) IQ+1 [2] 11. One of Intimidation (A) Will+1 [4]
11 or Leadership (A) IQ+1 [4] 11. One of Camouflage (E)
IQ+1 [2] 11 or Stealth (A DX [2] 12. One of Brawling (E)
DX+1 [2] 13; or Broadsword, Rapier, Shortsword, or Whip, all
(A) DX [2] 12.
Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (E) IQ [1] 10. One of Brawling
(E) DX [1] 12, Carousing (E) HT [1] 11, or Gambling (A) IQ-1
[1] 9.
* Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Barbarian
75 points
The "barbarian" in the classic fantasy sense of the word, as inspired
by Robert Howard's Conan novels and their movie and comics
adaptations, does not normally exist on Ranoc. However, there are
some peoples, such as the Northern Raider Clans, Vast Expanse
Nomads, Mohani Tribes, and any natives in Gemenohee, to whom this
template could conceivably fit.
(Revised from the Barbarian template in Fantasy, pp. F116-7.)
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 9 [-20]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs; HP 12
[0]; Will 9 [0]; Per 11 [10]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Fit [5]; Hard to Kill 2 [4]; Temperature Tolerance 1
(Specify Hot or Cold) [1]; and 15 points from among Absolute
Direction [5], Animal Empathy [5], Animal Friend [5/level],
Combat Reflexes [15], Fearlessness [2/level], High Pain Threshold
[10], Mariner 1 [10], Outdoorsman 1 [10], or improving Fit [5] to
Very Fit [15].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Pirate's or similar) [-5]; Low TL -1 [-
5]; Social Stigma (Uneducated) [-5]; and -20 points chosen from
among Alcoholism [-15]; Bad Temper [-10*]; Bloodlust [-10*];
Bully [-10*]; Compulsive Carousing [-5*]; Greed [-15*];
Impulsiveness [-10*]; Innumerate [-5]; Intolerance (Civilized
People) [-5]; Language (Native Tongue): Spoken (Native)/Written
(None) [-3]; Lecherousness [-15*]; Mundane Background [-
10]; No Sense of Humor [-10]; Overconfidence [-5*]; Sense of
Duty (Clan or Tribe) [-5]; Stubbornness [-5]; or additional
levels of Low TL [-5/level]. Low TL is limited to a total of four
levels, for a net value of [-20].
Primary Skills: Survival (Any) (A) Per+2 [8] 13. Pick one of the
following 12-point packages: Axe/Mace, Broadsword, or Spear, all
(A) DX+2 [8] 12, and Shield (E) DX+2 [4] 13; Bow (A) DX+2
[8] 13 and Knife (E) DX+2 [4] 13; Thrown Weapon (Disc) (E)
DX+2 [4] 13 and Shortsword (A) DX+2 [8] 13; Thrown
Weapon (Harpoon) (E) DX+3 [8] 14 and Axe/Mace (A) DX+1
[4] 12; Thrown Weapon (Stick) (E) DX+2 [4] 13 and Spear (A)
DX+2 [8] 13; Two-Handed Axe/Mace (A) DX+2 [12] 14; or
Two-Handed Sword (A) DX+3 [12] 14.
Secondary Skills: Pick one of the following packages:
Desert: Navigation (Land) (A) IQ+2 [8] 11; Riding (Camel or
Equines) (A) DX [2] 11; Stealth (A) DX [2] 11.
Plains: Navigation (Land) (A) IQ+1 [4] 10; Stealth (A) DX [2] 11;
Tracking (A) Per [2] 11; and one of Riding (Horse) (A) DX+1
[4] 12, Running (A) HT+1 [4] 13, or Teamster (A) IQ+1 [4]
10.
Seafaring: Navigation (Sea) (A) IQ+1 [4] 10; Seamanship (E) IQ+1
[2] 10; Swimming (E) HT+1 [2] 13; Weather Sense (A) IQ+1
[4] 10.
Woodland: Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2] 10; Climbing (A) DX [2] 11;
Stealth (A) DX [2] 11; Tracking (A) Per [2] 11; Traps (A)
IQ+1 [4] 10.
Background Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1] 11 and two of Carousing
(E) HT [1] 12, Intimidation (A) Will-1 [1] 8, or Sex Appeal (A)
HT-1 [1] 11.
* Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Bard
75 points
The bard is a storyteller, singer, musician, and performer all
wrapped up in one. He is also a storehouse of information, both trivial
and important. Many bards are restless travelers, while others are
commonplace in an aristocrat's court. Bards learn a little of everything;
they are the ultimate jack of all trades. In the still magic-rich world of
Ranoc, it's not uncommon to find a bard who has learned a little spell-
casting to supplement both his performances and his less reputable
activities. Spell-casting bards often have, at maximum, only two levels
of Magery, with either the Dance, Musical, or Song
aspects/limitations.
Perhaps the most feared ability the bard has is his ability to
influence others through his performances, especially in cinematic
campaigns. When it comes to combat, however, his skills are lacking;
any combat skill he possesses is geared for flair and impression rather
than actual combat; this is typically the relevant Combat Art skill
instead.
(Revised from the Bard template in Fantasy, p. F117.)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0];
Will 10 [-10]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Charisma 1 [5]; Musical Ability 2 [10] or Voice [10];
and 15 points chosen from among Appearance (Attractive) [4] or
(Handsome or Beautiful) [12], Bard [5/level], Cultural Adaptability
[10], Eidetic Memory [5] or Photographic Memory [10], Language
Talent [10], Legal Immunity (Bardic Immunity) [10], Status 1 [5],
or additional levels of Charisma [5/level].
Disadvantages: -30 points chosen from among Alcoholism [-15],
Bully [-10*], Chummy [-5/-10], Compulsive Behavior (Carousing)
[-5*], Impulsiveness [-10*], Jealousy [-10], Lecherousness [-15*],
or Post-Combat Shakes [-5*].
Primary Skills: Literature (H) IQ [4] 12; Poetry (A) IQ [2] 12;
Singing (E) HT+3 [2] 14.
Secondary Skills: Musical Instrument (any) (H) IQ-1 [2] 11. Either
Hidden Lore (any) (A) IQ [2] 12 or Expert Skill (Bardic Lore)
(H) IQ-1 [2] 11.
Background Skills: One of Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ [1]
12, or Public Speaking (A) IQ [1] 12. Two of Area Knowledge,
Current Affairs, or Games (Riddles), all (E) IQ [1] 12;
Connoisseur (Literature, Music, or Wine), Heraldry, or
Propaganda, all (A) IQ-1 [1] 11; Sex Appeal (A) HT-1 [1] 10;
or Diplomacy or Religious Ritual, both (H) IQ [1] 10.
* Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Includes +2 from either Musical Ability or Voice.
Includes +1 from Charisma.
Contender
100 points
You're a full-time contender at a combat sport such as boxing,
wrestling, or an arena blood sport. Chances are, you're either fighting
or training during the majority of your waking hours. Your contests
may take you across national borders, inevitably leading to adventures.
You tend to welcome the chance to test your abilities against the real
thing, provided there's an audience to speak of your exploits after all,
if word gets out of your victories, it'll mean an even bigger draw at
your next public appearance.
(Copied out of Martial Arts, p. MA32.)
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs; HP 12
[0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic
Move 6 [0].
Advantages: 20 points chosen from among ST +1 or +2 [10 or 20],
DX +1 [20], HT +1 or +2 [10 or 20], HP +1 to +3 [2/HP], Will +1
to +4 [5/level], FP +1 to +3 [3/FP], Ambidexterity [5], Enhanced
Dodge 1 [15], Enhanced Parry 1 [5 or 10], Fearlessness 1-5
[2/level] or Unfazeable [15], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], Hard to
Subdue 1-5 [2/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Reputation
(Titlist) [varies], Striker (Crushing; Limb, Shin, -20%) [4], Style
Familiarity (any) [1/style], Style Perks [1/perk], or Wealth
(Comfortable) [10] or (Wealthy) [20].
Perks: Style Familiarity (own style) [1].
Disadvantages: -20 points chosen from among Code of Honor
(Professional) [-5] or Secret (Cheater) [-5], Greed [15*], Obsession
(Win a title) [-5] or (Become the best in the world) [-10],
Overconfidence [-5*], or Workaholic [-5]. An additional -20 points
chosen from any of the above or Appearance (Unattractive) [-4] or
(Ugly) [-8], Bad Temper [-10*], Enemy (Contender of Equal Skill;
Rival; 6 or less) [-2] or (9 or less) [-5], Jealousy [-10]; Pacifism
(Reluctant Killer) [-5] or (Cannot Kill) [-15], Reputation (Fake,
deserved or not, or Predictable) [varies], or Stubbornness [-5].
Primary Skills: 30 points in the skills and techniques of a sport or
combat style (see Martial Arts Styles, below).
Secondary Skills: Pick two of Breath Control (H) HT-1[2] 11,
Lifting (A) HT [2] 12, Running (A) HT [2] 12, Sports (any) (A)
DX [2] 12, or Swimming (E) HT+1 [2] 13.
Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (Dojo) (E) IQ [1] 10. Also spend 4
points on Current Affairs (Sports), First Aid, or Games (Any), all
IQ/E; Acting, Gambling, or Streetwise, all IQ/A; Intimidation,
Will/A; or Autohypnosis, Will/H.
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
Divine Spellcaster
points
Attributes: IQ 12 [20]
Secondary Characteristics: Will 14 [10]
Advantages: Power Investiture 2 [20]. 35 points from Clerical
Investment [5], Healing (Divine, -10%) [27], Religious Rank
[5/level], or additional levels of Power Investiture [10/level].
Perks:
Disadvantages: Duty (to Deity, Church, Sect, or Cult) [var].
Quirks:
Primary Skills: Exorcism (H) Will+0 [4] 14; Religious Ritual
(Deity, Church, Sect, or Cult) (H) IQ+0 [4] 12; Theology (H)
IQ+0 [4] 12.
Secondary Skills:
Background Skills:
Spells: 10 spells from the deity's list.
Techniques:
Duelist
100 points
You've studied the fighting arts, typically a knightly or sword style,
in order to win duels, usually for profit. You're adept at remaining
cool enough to not lose your temper during these duels, no matter how
dirty the other guy fights; you may even fight dirty yourself!
(Copied out of Martial Arts, page MA34.)
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11
[0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic
Move 6 [0].
Advantages: 20 points chosen from among DX +1 [20], Basic Speed
+1 [20], Ambidexterity [5], Enhanced Block 1 [5], Enhanced
Dodge 1 [15], Enhanced Parry 1 [5 or 10], Fearlessness 1-5
[2/level] or Unfazeable [15], Hard to Kill 1-5 [2/level], Luck [15],
Rapid Healing [5], Style Familiarity (any) [1/style], Style Perks
[1/perk], Wealth (Comfortable) [10] or (Wealthy) [20], or Weapon
Bond [1].
Perks: Style Familiarity (own style) [1].
Disadvantages: -20 points chosen from among Enemy (Glory-seeker
or rival duelist; Hunter; 6 or less) [-5] or (9 or less) [-10], Enemy
(Past victim or his vengeful relatives; Hunter; 6 or less) [-5] or (9
or less) [-10], Reputation -1 or -2 (Ruthless killer) [-5 or -10],
Secret (Illegal dueling kills) [-20], or Social Stigma (Criminal
Record) [-5]. An additional -20 points chosen from among
Bloodlust [-10*], Callous [-5] or Low Empathy [-20], Code of
Honor (Professional) [-5] or (Gentleman's) [-10], Distinctive
Features (Dueling scars) [-1], Greed [-15*], Loner [-5*], or
Overconfidence [-5*].
Primary Skills: 30 points in the skills and techniques of a combat
style, commonly one of the Fencing styles, Marach Weapons
Master, or Pollaxe Fighting (see Martial Arts Styles, below).
Secondary Skills: Armoury (Melee Weapons) (A) IQ [2] 10;
Current Affairs (People) (E) IQ [1] 10; First Air (E) IQ [1] 10;
and Savoir-Faire (High Society or Dojo) (E) IQ [1] 10.
Background Skills: 4 points chosen from among Area Knowledge
(any) or Savoir-Faire (Dojo), both IQ/E; Connoisseur (Weapons) or
Merchant, both IQ/A; Diplomacy, Expert Skill (Hoplology), or
Law (Criminal), all IQ/H); or Intimidation, Will/A.
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
Guardsman
65 points
You are a member of the city guard. While not as skilled as the
mercenary or the knight, you are able to hold your own in a fight. In
addition, you fulfill many of the duties that police officers in later tech
levels fulfill, including criminal investigations.
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11
[0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Legal Enforcement Powers 1 [5]; either Police Rank 0
[0] or Military Rank 0 [0], depending on society.
Disadvantages: Duty (as guard) (12) [-10]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm
Innocents) [-10].
Primary Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 13; Shield (E) DX+2 [4]
13; one of the following: Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Main-Gauche,
Polearm, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, Smallsword, Spear, Staff,
Two-Handed Axe/Mace, Two-Handed Sword, or Whip, all (A)
DX+1 [4] 12, or Guns (Musket) (E) DX+1 [2] 12 and Spear
(A) DX [2] 11.
Secondary Skills: Current Affairs/TL (Headline News) (E) IQ+1 [2]
12; Detect Lies (H) Per-1 [2] 10; Intimidation (A) Will+0 [2]
11; Law (City/Town) (H) IQ-1 [2] 10; Running (A) HT+0 [2]
10; Streetwise (A) IQ+0 [2] 11.
Background Skills: Area Knowledge (City/Town) (E) IQ+0 [1] 11;
either Riding (Equines) or Teamster (Equines), both (A) DX-1 [1]
10.
Herbalist
points
Attributes: IQ 12 [40].
Secondary Characteristics:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Primary Skills: Herb Lore (VH) IQ+0 [8] 12; Naturalist (H) IQ+0
[4] 12.
Secondary Skills:
Background Skills:
Techniques: 2 points each in three Herbal Elixirs.
Knight
75 points
The knight is a mounted warrior who is generally regarded as
being the ideal of chivalry. He is an aristocratic warrior, able to afford
the costliest battle gear and the time to practice its use.
Some nations' standing armies have instituted cavalry forces where
the army, not the riders, own the horses and barding.
(Revised from the Knight template in Fantasy, p. F121. Lenses
added to cover Ranoc's other cavalry types.)
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11
[0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Fit [15]; Status 2 [5]*; Wealth (Very Wealthy) [30], or
Wealth (Wealthy) [20] and Signature Gear 10 [10]; and 15 points
chosen from among Charisma [5/level]; Combat Reflexes [15];
Fearlessness [2/level]; Higher Purpose [5]; Independent Income
[1/level]; Legal Enforcement Powers [varies], or increase Fit [5] to
Very Fit [15].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Chivalry) [-15]; and -25 points
chosen from among the following: Compulsive Behavior
(Carousing or Generosity) [-5]; Debt [-1/level]; Disciplines of
Faith (Monasticism) [-10]; Duty [-2 to -10]; Fanaticism [-15];
Intolerance (Commoners or Unbelievers) [-5]; Overconfidence [-
5]; Selfish [-5]; Sense of Duty (Vassals) [-5] or (The Weak) [-
10]; Stubbornness [-5]; or Vow [-5 to -15].
Primary Skills: Lance (A) DX+1 [4] 12; Riding (Equines) (A)
DX+1 [4] 12; Shield (E) DX+1 [2] 12.
Secondary Skills: Either Axe/Mace or Broadsword, both (A) DX [2]
11; Savoir-Faire (E) IQ+1 [2] 11.
Background Skills: Heraldry (A) IQ [2] 10; Leadership (A) IQ [2]
10; Two of Brawling or Jumping, both (E) DX [1] 11;
Carousing or Singing, both (E) HT [1] 11; Games (Tournament
Rules) (E) IQ [1] 10; Dancing (A) DX-1 [1] 10; Falconry (A)
IQ-1 [1] 9; Tracking (A) Per-1 [1] 9; or Religious Ritual or
Tactics, both (H) IQ-2 [1] 8.
Lenses:
Aerial Cavalry: Replace Riding (Equines) with Riding (any aerial
mount).
Professional Cavalry: Remove Status and Wealth, and add Military
Rank.
* +1 from Wealth.
Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Mercenary Warrior
100 points
As a general rule, the mercenary warrior fights for one reason: he's
being paid to fight. This isn't the same as a contender, however; the
mercenary doesn't fight for the public's amusement. The mercenary
fights because it's a job that often needs to be done, and someone is
willing to pay him to do it. Individual mercenaries often have other
motivations, but many have no other motive. Some are greedy, while
others are merely honest folks trying to make a living the only way
they know how.
Most mercenaries learned to fight while serving in a nation's
military; after their discharge, many found they had no real skills
suited to civilian life, and found themselves offering their services as
swords-for-hire. Kingdoms sometimes prefer to hire mercenaries
instead of raising a military from their own populace for several
reasons. First, the chance of a revolt from armed peasants is lessened.
Second, it is cheaper and faster to hire someone already trained than to
train someone who probably has never wielded a weapon before.
Lastly, it gets increasingly more difficult to feed the nation when
conscripting farmers to serve in the military, particularly among the
smaller kingdoms.
Mercenaries have a largely undeserved reputation for brutality. It is
true that there are those who are merciless against their assigned
enemy, but there are just as many who are as honorable as the most
stalwart paladin. It is no secret that regular military troops look down
upon mercenaries; the opposite is also often the case as well.
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d/1d+2; BL 29 lbs; HP 12 [0];
Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 6 [0]; Basic Move 6
[0].
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15].
Disadvantages: -30 points from any mundane disadvantages.
Primary Skills: Shield (E) DX+2 [4] 14; two of Axe/Mace,
Broadsword, Polearm, Shortsword, Spear, Staff, Two-Handed
Axe/Mace, Two-Handed Sword, or Whip, all (A) DX+2 [8] 14,
or Flail or Two-Handed Flail, both (H) DX+1 [8] 13, or Guns
(Musket) (E) DX+2 [4] 14 and Spear (A) DX+1 [4] 13.
Secondary Skills: Armoury/TL4 (Body Armor or Melee Weapons)
(A) IQ+1 [4] 11; Climbing (A) DX-1[1] 11; Soldier (A) IQ+1
[4] 11; Survival (any) (A) IQ+1 [4] 11.
Background Skills: Heraldry (A) IQ+0 [2] 10.
Merchant
75 points
Merchants come in many varieties. This template fits somewhere
between the fast-talking hawker at the market square and the merchant
prince whose estate is nearly a castle in itself. This merchant is rich
enough to engage in long-distance trade, but not rich enough to hire
others to do it for him in other words, the kind of merchant that
would find himself on an adventure.
(Revised from the Merchant template in Fantasy, pp. F121-122.)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0];
Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Reputation 1 (Keeps his bargains; all tradesmen; all the
time) [2]; Status 1 [0]*; Wealth (Very Wealthy) [30]; and 20 points
chosen from among Absolute Direction [5], Allies (Caravan
Guards, Sailors, or Junior Partners) [varies], Business Acumen
[10/level], Charisma [5/level], Contacts (Bankers, Guild Masters,
Innkeepers, or Foreign Merchants) [varies], Language
(Native/Accented) [5], Language Talent [10], Lightning Calculator
[2], additional levels of Status [5/level] or Improving Wealth (Very
Wealthy) [30] to (Filthy Rich) [50].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Professional) [-5] and -35 points
chosen from among Bad Temper [-10], Bully [-10], Debt [-
1/level], Gluttony [-5], Greed [-15], Jealousy [-10],
Lecherousness [-15], Miserliness [-10], Odious Personal Habit
(Ostentatious Displays of Wealth) [-5], Overweight [-1] or Fat [-3],
Selfish [-5], or Workaholic [-5].
Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (Trade Route) (E) IQ+1 [2] 13;
Merchant (A) IQ+1 [4] 13.
Secondary skills: Accounting (H) IQ-1 [2] 11. One of Hiking (A)
HT [2] 11, Riding (Any) (A) DX [2] 10, or Shiphandling (Ship)
(H) IQ-1 [2] 11.
Background Skills: Leadership (A) IQ-1 [1] 11. Two of Crossbow,
Guns (any), Knife, or Thrown Weapon (Spear), all (E) DX [1]
10; Current Affairs (Business), Gesture, Savoir-Faire (High
Society, Military, or Servant), or Seamanship, all (E) IQ [1] 12;
Scrounging (E) Per [1] 12, Carousing (E) HT [1] 11; Bow or
Staff, both (A) DX-1 [1] 9; Administration, Connoisseur (Art or
Wine), Fast-Talk, Freight Handling, Navigation, Packing, Politics,
Public Speaking, Smuggling, Streetwise, or Weather Sense, all (A)
IQ-1 [1] 11; Sling (H) DX-2 [1] 8; Diplomacy, Finance, Law,
or Veterinary, all (H) IQ-2 [1] 10, or Detect Lies (H) Per-2 [1]
10.
* +1 from Wealth.
Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Monk
100 points
You've isolated yourself from society in order to contemplate
existence and purify your soul. You practice martial arts to focus your
mind, although when pressed you prove that you can fight, and fight
well! Most of the time, you're practicing in a monastery with fellow
monks. You don't actively seek adventure, but it has a tendency to
find you at the most inopportune times.
(Copied out of Martial Arts, p. MA36.)
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11
[0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: 15 points chosen from among ST or HT +1 [10], Will +1
to +3 [5/level], Autotrance [1], Claim to Hospitality (Monasteries
of the same order) [1], Clerical Investment [5], Enhanced Dodge 1
[15], Enhanced Parry 1 [5 or 10], Fearlessness 1-5 [2/level] or
Unfazeable [15], Fit [5], High Pain Threshold [10], Less Sleep 1-4
[2/level], Longevity [2], Perfect Balance [15], Resistant to Disease
(+3) [3], Resistant to Poison (+3) [5], Single-Minded [5], or Style
Perks [1/perk].
Perks: Style Familiarity (own style) [1].
Disadvantages: -25 points chosen from among Disciplines of Faith
(Monasticism or Mysticism) [-10] or (Asceticism) [-15),
Fanaticism (Philosophical or Religious) [-15], Low TL -1 or -2 [-5
or -10], Pacifism (Cannot Kill or Self-Defense Only) [-15], Vow
(Chastity, Vegetarianism, etc) [-5], Vow (Silence) [-10], Vow
(Always fight unarmed) [-15], or Wealth (Struggling) [-10], (Poor)
[-15], or (Dead Broke) [-25]. A further -15 points chosen from
among the above traits or Charitable [-15*], Loner [-5*], Oblivious
[-5], Sense of Duty (Fellow monks) [-5], Shyness [-5 or -10], or
Workaholic [-5].
Primary Skills: Meditation (H) Will [4] 12 or Religious Ritual (H)
IQ [4] 12; Philosophy or Theology, both (H) IQ [4] 12; and 30
points in the skills and techniques of an art or combat style (see
Martial Arts Styles, below).
Secondary Skills: Pick two of Autohypnosis (H) Will-1 [2] 11,
Breath Control (H) HT-1 [2] 11, Esoteric Medicine (H) Per-1 [2]
11, Hypnotism (H) IQ-1 [2] 11, Mind Block (A) Will [2] 12,
Occultism (A) IQ [2] 12, Pharmacy (Herbal) (H) IQ-1 [2] -11, or
Savoir-Faire (Dojo) (E) IQ+1 [2] 13.
Background Skills: First Air (E) IQ [1] 12, and either Cooking (A)
IQ-1 [1] 11 or Housekeeping (E) IQ [1] 12.
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
Peasant Adventurer
75 points
Not everyone who gets into adventures is a highly-trained
specialist. Some are simply people who get involved because
adventure found them. Sometimes, these people don't look back.
Others go wandering off the farm in search of a more interesting life
not necessarily a better one, as they find out, but certainly not a life
that's boring. These folk remain simple souls, with the virtues and
vices of the common man. (This template would fit all five of the
main hobbits in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels, especially Sam Gamgee.)
(Revised from the Peasant Adventurer template in Fantasy, pp
F122-123.)
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs; HP 12
[0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 11 [5]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Fit [5]; and 15 points chosen from Alcohol Tolerance
[1], Animal Empathy [5], Animal Friend [5/level], Charisma
[5/level], Combat Reflexes [15], Goodwife [5/level], Green Thumb
[5/level], Hard to Kill [2/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Luck
[15], Outdoorsman [5/level], Rapid Healing [5], Temperature
Tolerance [1/level], or increasing Fit [5] to Very Fit [15].
Disadvantages: Language (Actual native language; Native/None) [-
4]; Wealth (Struggling) [-10]; and -30 points chosen from among
Alcoholism [-15], Berserk [-10*], Chummy [-5] or Gregarious [-
10], Compulsive Behavior (Carousing or Generosity) [-5*],
Delusion (All men are equal) [-5], Gluttony [-5*]; Ham-Fisted [-5
or -10], Impulsiveness [-10*], Intolerance [-5 or -10], Laziness [-
10], Lecherousness [-15*], Overconfidence [-5*], Pacifism
(Reluctant Killer) [-5] or Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10],
Sense of Duty (Village) [-5] or (Poor People) [-10], or
Stubbornness [-5].
Primary Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 13; Knife (E) DX+2 [4]
13. One of Axe/Mace, Spear, Staff, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace, all
(A) DX+2 [8] 13.
Secondary Skills: Hiking (A) HT[2] 12; Scrounging (E) Per [1]
11; Stealth (A DX [2] 11. Either Farming (A) IQ+1 [4] 11 or
Boating (Sailboat or Unpowered) (A DX [2] 11 and Fishing (E)
Per+1 [2] 13. One of Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace) (E) DX+2
[4] -13, Bow (A) DX+1 [4] 12, or Sling (H) DX [4] 11.
Background Skills: One of Games (E) IQ [1] 10, Carousing (E) HT
[1] 12, or Dancing or Sports, both (A) DX-1 [1] 10. One of
Carpentry, Leatherworking, or Masonry, all (E) IQ [1] 10; or
Teamster (A) IQ-1 [1] 9. One of Weather Sense (A) IQ [2] 10,
Tracking (A) Per [2] 11, or Naturalist (H) IQ-1 [2] 9.
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
Priest
60 points
Priests are ordained ministers who serve their gods. Most are
affiliated with an officially-sanctioned church or temple, although a
few are wandering priests who tend to the common people.
Note that not every priest is imbued by his or her deity with divine
powers or the ability to cast spells; in fact, such a spellcasting priest is
a rarity. Most priests are trained by the church, sect, or cult leaders,
not chosen by the deity.
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0];
Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5
[0]; Dodge 8.
Advantages: Clerical Investment [5], Relgious Rank 1 [5]; plus 30
points chosen from among Allies (Disciples) [varies], Charisma
[5/level]; Close to Heaven [10/level] or Devotion [5/level],
Empathy [15] or Sensitive [5], Language (Scriptural) (Accented)
[4] or (Native) [6], True Faith [15], Voice [10], or additional levels
of additional levels Religious Rank [5/level].
Disadvantages: -40 points chosen from among Charitable [-15*],
Disciplines of Faith [-5 to -15], Fanaticism [-15], Honesty [-10*],
Intolerance (Rival Cult) [-5], Pacifism [-5 to -30], Selfless [-5*],
Sense of Duty [-10 to -20], or Vow [-5 to -15].
Primary Skills: Public Speaking (A) IQ+0 [2] - 12; Teaching (A)
IQ+1 [4] 13.
Secondary Skills: Religious Ritual (H) IQ [4] 12; Theology (H) IQ
[4] 12. One 4-point package selected from: Detect Lies (H) Per
[4] 12; Hidden Lore (Deity's Mysteries) (A) IQ+1 [4] 13;
Mental Strength (E) Will+2 [4] 16; or Persuade (H) Will-1 [2]
13 and Sway Emotions (H) Will-1 [2] 13.
Background Skills: One of Singing (E) HT [1] 11; Dancing (A)
DX-1 [1] 9; Administration, Architecture, Poetry, or Writing, all
(A) IQ-1 [1] 11; or Musical Instrument (one class) (H) IQ-2 [1]
10. One of Expert Skill (Thanatology) (H) IQ-2 [1] 10; or
Dreaming, Exorcism, or Meditation, all (H) Will-2 [1] 12.
* Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Ranger
110 points
Rangers are expert trackers of the wilderness. Many grew up in the
wild, while others felt the wilderness's pull later in life. Rangers are
familiar with civilized society, although many do not care for such.
Many rangers live a life of hunting and trapping, only venturing
into civilized areas to sell leather and furs or to obtain new supplies.
Others become guides for overland caravans, as they know the fastest
routes and which areas to avoid.
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11 [0]; Will
11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move 5
[0].
Advantages: Outdoorsman 1 [10]; 30 points from the following:
Absolute Direction [5], Acute Hearing [2/level], Acute Vision
[2/level], Allies (animal companions) [varies], Animal Empathy
[5], Animal Friend [5/level], Combat Reflexes [15], Danger Sense
[15], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], Flexibility [5] or Double-Jointed
[15], High Pain Threshold [15], Less Sleep[ [2/level], Night Vision
[1/level], additional levels of Outdoorsman [10/level], Peripheral
Vision [15], Rapid Healing [5] or Very Rapid Healing [15], or
Temperature Tolerance [1/level].
Disadvantages: -30 points from the following: Bad Smell [-10], Bad
Temper [-10*], Callous [-5], Clueless [-10], Delusions [-5 to -15],
Gullibility [-10*], Hidebound [-5], Intolerance (City-Folk) [-5],
Light Sleeper [-5], Loner [-5*], Oblivious [-5], Odious Personal
Habit [-5 to -15], Sense of Duty [varies], Shyness [-5 to -15],
Social Stigma (Uneducated) [-5], Stubbornness [-5], Truthfulness
[-5*], Wealth [varies].
Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (E) IQ+2 [4] 13; Naturalist (A)
IQ+1 [4] 12; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4] 12; Survival (any) (A)
Per+2 [4] 13; Tracking (A) Per+2 [4] 13.
Secondary Skills: Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [1] 12; Navigation (Land)
(A) IQ+1 [2] 12; Brawling (E) DX+1 [2] 12; Wrestling (A)
DX+0 [2] 11. One of Bolas (A) DX+1 [4] 12, Bow (A) DX+1
[4] 12, Crossbow (E) DX+2 [4] 13, or Guns (Musket or Rifle)
(E) DX+2 [4] 13. One of Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Shortsword,
Spear, Staff, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, or Two-Handed Sword, all
(A) DX+1 [4] 12, or Knife (E) DX+2 [4] 13. One of Animal
Handling (A) IQ+0 [2] 11, Boating (Sailboat or Unpowered) (A)
DX+0 [2] 11, Riding (A) DX+0 [2] 11, or Teamster (A) IQ+0
[2] 11.
Background Skills: One point each in two of the following: Climbing
(A) DX-1 [1] 10, Fishing (E) Per+0 [1] 12, First Aid (E) IQ+0
[1] 11, Mimicry (Animal Sounds or Bird Calls) (H) IQ-1 [1]
10; Packing (A) Observation (A) Per-1 [1] 10; Traps (A) IQ-1
[1] 10; Veterinary (H) IQ-2 [1] 9; Weather Sense (A) Per-1 [1]
10. One of Flight, Hiking, or Running, all (A) HT-1 [1] 10, or
Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] 11.
* Multiplied by self-control number; see p. B120.
Includes +1 from Outdoorsman.
Shaman
points
Attributes:
Secondary Characteristics:
Advantages: Channeling [10]; Medium [10]; Spirit Empathy [10].
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Primary Skills:
Secondary Skills:
Background Skills:
Techniques:
Soldier
65 points
Soldiers serve in the armed forces, either as conscripts during
wartime, professional soldiers, or as part of a larger mercenary
company. They are trained in the use of various weapons while
fighting in formation, alongside other soldiers. Most nations have
standardized weapons and armor that are issued to soldiers; usually,
these are spears, small or medium shields, and a mail hauberk. After a
war, soldiers who have served with honor may be allowed to keep
their weapons and/or their armor as part of their severance package,
provided they agree to serve in the military at a later date should the
need arise.
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 12 [20]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs; HP 12
[0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic
Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Fit [5]; Military Rank 0 [0].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Soldier's) [-10]; Duty (to Military)
(15) [-15].
Primary Skills: Shield (E) DX+2 [4] 14; either Crossbow or Guns
(Musket), both (E) DX+2 [4] 14; two of Axe/Mace, Broadsword,
Polearm, Shortsword, Spear, Staff, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, or
Two-Handed Sword, all (A) DX+2 [4] 13, or Flail or Two-
Handed Flail, both (H) DX+1 [4] 12.
Secondary Skills: Heraldry (A) IQ+0 [2] - 10; Hiking (A) HT+0 [2]
10; Soldier/TL (A) IQ+0 [2] 10.
Background Skills: Brawling (E) DX+0 [1] 12; First Aid/TL (E)
IQ+0 [1] 10; Knife (E) DX+0 [1] 12.
Sorcerer
points
Attributes: IQ 12 [40].
Secondary Characteristics:
Advantages: Sorcery 3 [35].
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Primary Skills: Ritual Magic (Sorcery) (VH) IQ+3 [8] 15. Four
points each in two ritual Paths, all (H) IQ+2 [4] 14.
Secondary Skills:
Background Skills:
Techniques:
Thief
79 points
Thieves are common in the cities, particularly among the
downtrodden. There are a few basic types: First is the burglar, who
enters homes and temples in order to steal valuables. Second is the
pickpocket, who mingles in the streets lifting coin purses from
unsuspecting victims. The third type is the highwayman, who stop
coaches and remove all the valuables from the passengers at weapon-
point. Of the three, the highwayman is the most feared, while the
pickpocket and burglar can sometimes become folk heroes among the
downtrodden, particularly those that prefer really wealthy targets.
Related to the thief is the professional treasure-hunter. The
treasure-hunter doesn't go in for clearly illegal activities such as
picking pockets or burglary. His emphasis is on opening locks and in
traps, primarily their disabling, and always in ruins or enemy
strongholds. In their non-adventuring time, which is most of the time,
they hire themselves out as security experts to merchants, guilds, and
nobility. Most treasure-hunters take offense at being likened to
thieves.
(Adapted and revised from the Thief template in Fantasy, pp.
F124-125.)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0];
Will 11 [0]; Per 12 [5]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move
5[0].
Advantages: 20 points chosen from Absolute Direction [5], Acute
Hearing [2/level], Contact or Contact Group (Fences) [varies],
Danger Sense [15], High Manual Dexterity [5/level], Night Vision
[1/level], Perfect Balance [15], or Wealth (Comfortable) [10].
Disadvantages: Secret (Imprisonment or Exile) [-20], and -20 points
chosen from among Greed [-15*], Overconfidence [-5*], Pacifism
(Cannot Kill) [-5*], Trademark [-5 to -15], or Wealth (Struggling)
[-10] or (Poor) [-15].
Primary Skills: Observation or Search, both (A) Per+1 [4] 13; and
one of the following skill sets:
Burglar: Climbing (A) DX+2 [8] 14; either Forced Entry (E)
DX+2 [4] 14 or Lockpicking (A) DX+1 [4] 13.
Cutpurse/Pickpocket: Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [4] 14; either
Pickpocket (A) DX+1 [8] 13 or Knife (E) DX+1 [4] 13.
Professional Treasure-Hunter: Lockpicking (A) DX+1 [4] 13;
Traps (A) IQ+1 [4] 12.
Shoplifter: Filch (A) DX+2 [8] 14; Holdout (A) IQ+1 [4] 12.
Secondary Skills: Fast-Talk (A) IQ [2] 11; Streetwise (A) IQ [2]
11; Either Running (A) HT+2 [8] 12 or Stealth (A) DX+2 [8]
14.
Background Skills: One of Savor-Faire (High Society or Servant) (E)
IQ [1] 11; Architecture, Connoisseur, Merchant, or Traps, all (A)
IQ-1 10; Urban Survival (A) Per-1 [1] 11; or Jeweler (H) IQ-2
[1] 9. One of Brawling or Knife, both (E) DX [1] 12.
* Multiplied for self-control numbers; see p. B120.
Wizard
points
Attributes: IQ 12 [40].
Secondary Characteristics:
Advantages: Magery 3 [35].
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Primary Skills: Thaumatology (VH) IQ+3 [8] 15.
Secondary Skills:
Background Skills:
Spells:
Techniques:
Social Background Traits
Languages
Ranoc is home to a number of languages. Most of the common
languages are broken down by region; only three are considered to be
"racial" languages, and even then these three languages are primarily
spoken in various regions. For instance, while used mainly by the
dwarves, Dwarven is considered the regional language of the
Wyrmspire Mountain range; even those that are not dwarves speak it
in that region, and dwarves born and raised outside that region do not
necessarily speak the language.
A number of ancient languages are known to exist, but are no
longer spoken except by very select few scholars; these dead
languages still have written forms that may be learned.
List of Languages
Common:
Caeric, spoken by those from the Caere region.
Draconic, spoken by dragons and the reptilian races of Umoja.
Dwarven, spoken primarily by denizens of Ered-Dm.
Elven, spoken primarily by denizens of Allira'el; has no written form.
Hong, spoken by those in the Gehong region.
Northern, used by the Northern Raider Clans.
Rochladisch, spoken by those in the Rochladastacht region.
Saniri, derived from the ancient goblin language. This language is
making a resurgence in the nation of Gor Ansat, but differs
significantly from its ancient variation (see below).
Shadian, spoken by the desert nomads.
Extinct:
Ancient Saniri, the language of the ancient goblins; some Caeric and
Northern words have Saniri roots.
Chionese, the ancient language of the Chione River Valley; modern
form has evolved into Shadian.
Corcoranese, the ancient language of the Corcoran Empire; modern
form has evolved into Caere.
Kalwanese, the ancient language of the civilization of Kalwa; some
Caere words have Kalwan roots.
Phaonese, the ancient language of the Phaon Empire in what has
become the Rochladastacht; no linguistic descendants.
Extraplanar:
Aquan, spoken by extraplanar water-based creatures.
Auran, spoken by extraplanar air-based creatures.
Celestial, spoken by extraplanar creatures of the "higher" planes.
Ignan, spoken by extraplanar fire-based creatures.
Infernal, spoken by extraplanar creatures of the "lower" planes.
Sylvan, spoken by extraplanar wood-based creatures.
Terran, spoken by extraplanar earth-based and metal-based creatures.
Linguistic Relatives:
Those literate in Caeric are able to read Corcoranese at Broken
proficiency.
Those who speak and read Saniri are able to understand and read
Ancient Saniri at Accented proficiency.
Those who speak and read Shadian are able to understand and
read Chionese at Broken proficiency.
Those who speak Caeric and those who speak Northern are able
to understand each other at Broken proficiency.
Those who speak Rochladisch and those who speak Hong are able
to understand each other at Broken proficiency, lending credence to
the theory that the Rochlada originally hailed from the western borders
of the Gehong region.
Cultural Familiarities
Several cultures exist on Ranoc. Unlike other fantasy worlds, these
cultures are not divided along racial lines, but by region.
List of Cultures
Allira'el the culture of the denizens of the continent of the same
name.
Caere Region the culture shared by the people of Redwater,
Marach, Ritaegno, Gor Ansat, Zitheral, Auckland, and Rinkasae;
resembles early Renaissance Europe.
Desert Nomad the culture of the nomads of the Vast Expanse;
greatly resembles the medieval Arabic nomad caravans.
Freehold The culture of the Chione River Delta.
Gehong the culture of the Far East; patterned off medieval Chinese
culture.
Gemenohee the culture of the natives of the newly-discovered
continent to the far West; 2 points.
Iturnum the culture of the nation of the same name, in which
slavery is condemned but the creation of undead is seen as a
"practical" matter.
Northern Raider the culture of the sea-faring raider clans of the far
north; greatly resembles Viking culture.
Rochlad the culture shared by Rochlad and its neighbors; a strict,
militant culture with an emphasis on the strict breeding of horses.
Umojan the culture of the reptilian natives of the Umojan continent;
2 points. (Author's Note: This region is mostly undeveloped, and
will be expanded later.)
Wyrmspire the culture of those who live in and under the mountain
ranges; a clan-based culture, almost a caste system.
Advantages
Allies (p. B36)
A few common forms of allies are generally available:
Familiar: Spellcasters commonly have an animal through which
they can cast spells and which grant them energy to use when casting.
These animals commonly have low point costs (rarely exceeding 100
points, and commonly with negative point costs). Those wishing more
information should consult Dungeon Fantasy 5: Allies for stats for
possible familiars.
Rochladabred Warhorse: The horses of the Rochladastacht are
among the best in the world. Characters from Rochlad should buy their
highly intelligent (for animals) mounts as Allies. See the entry for the
Rochladabred Cavalry Horse in Chapter 4.
Undead Minion: Common with necromancers, undead minions are
normally those built on the Mummy, Skeleton, or Zombie templates
(see Chapter 4). These templates have negative costs, and minions
built with them will probably not have a cost exceeding 0 points. The
Ally trait should be modified with the Minion enhancement.
Gadgeteer (p. B56)
Alchemy, herbalism, and enchanting take a long time. Characters
that specialize in these and wish to be of use in an adventuring party
that doesn't get months of downtime may wish to invest in the
Gadgeteer advantage to reduce the time spent. A good rule of thumb
for Alchemy and Herb Lore is that where an elixir's description says
"weeks", the 25 point version of Gadgeteer reduces the time to "days"
and the 50 point version reduces it to "hours".
For enchanting, the advantage is only valid of the head of the
enchanting circle possesses it; if an assistant possesses Gadgeteer, but
the master does not, there is no benefit. The 25 point version reduces
the time required for Slow and Sure Enchanting by increasing the
energy spent by each mage involved by a factor of 5 (instead of
spending 1 energy every man-day, the mage spends 5), while the 50
point version lets every mage involved spend as much of his energy as
he wishes per day of enchanting. Gadgeteering has no effect on
Quick-and-Dirty Enchanting.
GMs may require (or at least encourage) alchemists, herbalists, and
enchanters to take their Gadgeteer advantage with a "One Skill Only"
Accessibility limitation, worth -20%; the skill in question being
Alchemy, Herb Lore, or Enchant, respectively.
Gunslinger (p. B58)
Due to the nature of their use, which closely resembles those of
many Guns skills, those with Gunslinger may at the GM's option
extend it to the Crossbow skill as well.
Heroic Archer (p. MA45)
This is the low-tech version of the Gunslinger advantage, detailed
in Martial Arts. To summarize, when attacking with a weapon that
uses the Bow skill, you may add the Acc of the bow even without
taking an Aim maneuver first; taking time to Aim adds additional
bonuses as per the standard Aim maneuver description. When using
the Move and Attack maneuver, you don't add the Acc bonus, but may
ignore the weapon's Bulk rating penalty. You also ignore the Bulk in
close combat with a bow.
Magery (p. B66)
Two flavors of Magery exist in Ranoc, prior to any aspecting
individual mages may have.
The first is the standard Magery described in the Basic Set:
Characters and expanded in Magic. The majority of mages only have
one level of Magery, while the most notable may have as many as
four. Magery 0 is an innate gift, normally only available at character
creation; higher levels of Magery may, at the GM's discretion, be
learned advantages. Magery should not exceed four to five levels.
Many characters have Limited-College Magery on their higher levels
of Magery.
The other flavor is called Sorcery, which is simply Magery
(Path/Book), as described in Thaumatology, renamed for the Ranoc
setting. This flavor of Magery, even Sorcery 0, is a learnable
advantage on Ranoc. As with standard Magery, Sorcery should not
exceed four to five levels, with two levels being the most common
plateau for the average sorcerer.
Patrons (p. B72)
Many so-called adventurers have patrons. Those who receive
patronage from a nobleman, merchant, or guild master in the form of
weapons, transportation, or the occasional magic item to use have the
Patron advantage, often with a Duty attached to it. Indeed, it is rare for
"professional adventurers" to appear without a patron in order to fund
their activities without being independently wealthy themselves. If
their duties take them away from their patron's regular sphere of
influence on a regular basis such as when traveling to Gemenohee
then that Patron should be bought with the Minimal Intervention,
-50%, limitation, and/or a low frequency of appearance.
Power Investiture (p. B77)
Deities are not the only beings who may grant Power Investiture.
Demons, particularly demon lords, and various spirits are also able to
grant various spells and abilities through Investiture. While the
maximum level of Investiture possible by a deity is set in that deity's
description in Chapter 7, the level set by spirits should depend on both
the type of spirit offering the power and the spells being offered. In all
cases where this trait is offered by a spirit, it should not exceed Power
Investiture 3, and should be a very narrow selection of spells at
most, a single spell college which reflects the spirit's nature.
Rank (p. B29)
The most common forms of Rank in Ranoc are:
Merchant Rank: Those who operate in a Merchants Guild but not
a Thieves or Assassins Guild have this Rank. Merchant Rank
normally coexists alongside Status. Rank 0 is an apprentice, Rank 1 is
a journeyman, Rank 2 is an experienced journeyman, Rank 3 is a Shop
Master, Rank 4 is a City Master, and Rank 5 is a National Master.
Merchant Rank 6 is reserved for International Grand Masters of the
Guilds. 5 points per level.
Merchant Marine Rank: This corresponds to Navy Rank (see page
35), with the exception that the ranks are civilian rather than military.
Ranks above Captain (Rank 5) normally do not exist, as the ship's
captain will normally also have Merchant Rank 3 in a Merchants
Guild. 5 points per level.
Military Rank: This takes the form of either Army Rank or Navy
Rank (see page 35), and operates much the same as its counterpart on
page B30. Those who have previously served in a military either as a
mercenary or for their home nation and gained Rank 2 or higher may
still claim a Courtesy Rank (see page B29). In Gor Ansat, this replaces
Status completely (10 points per level); everywhere else, it coexists
alongside Status (5 points per level).
Organizational Rank: Several organizations, such as the Lords of
Order (see Chapter 2), have their own internal hierarchies, complete
with authority over those of lower ranking in the organization. This
always coexists with Status, regardless of locale. 5 points per level.
Police Rank: Town guards and constables commonly possess
Police Rank instead of Military Rank. Most guardsmen have Police
Rank 0, while town constables generally have Police Rank 1 for a low-
level deputy to Police Rank 3 for the town constable himself. Police
Rank almost always coexists with Status, except in Gor Ansat where
the town guards are already part of the military; there, it doesn't exist.
Regardless of the Police Rank level, anyone with this trait must also
purchase Legal Enforcement Powers; guardsmen and constables
generally possess Legal Enforcement Powers 1, although some locales
have Legal Enforcement Powers 2 with the guards not obligated to
respect civil rights. 5 points per level.
Religious Rank: This always coexists alongside Status; details are
given in Chapter 7, but always requires Clerical Investment as a
prerequisite. 5 points per level.
Sorcerous Adept 10 points/level
You can ignore or reduce the need for some of the elements of the
ritual used in sorcery. Each level of this advantage, maximum three,
lets you omit one of the three elements: time, ritual space, and
material and/or symbolic components. You must choose which of
these three elements you're eliminating when you purchase each level.
This is exactly the same as the Path/Book Adept advantage as
described on page 123 of Thaumatology, simply renamed.
Talents (p. B89)
In addition to the new Talents listed below, most of the Talents
from the Basic Set, Fantasy, Mysteries, or Power-Ups 3: Talents are
common. If in doubt, ask your GM.
Artificer: Armoury, Carpentry, Engineer, Machinist, Masonry,
Mechanic, and Smith. Reaction Bonus: Anyone for whom you do
work. 5 points per level. Note: This differs from the standard
Artificer talen in the Basic Set and Power-Ups 3: Talents by
removing Electrician and Electronics Repair, two TL-based skills
that are uncommon or even unheard of prior to TL 6.
Natural Flyer: Aerobatics, Dropping, Flight. Reaction Bonus:
Aeralons, dragons, other flying creatures. 5 points per level.
Natural Swordsman: Broadsword, Forced Entry, Force Sword, Knife,
Main-Gauche, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, Smallsword, Two-
Handed Sword. Reaction Bonus: Swordsmen, swashbucklers,
swashbuckler wannabes, spectators. 10 points per level.
Perfect Throw: Bolas, Sling, Throwing, Throwing Art, Thrown
Weapon. Reaction Bonus: Skilled throwers, athletes, athletic
connoisseurs. 5 points per level. At the GM's discretion, may add
to Throwing Sport and Thrown Weapon Sport, as well as any
Sports skills that use throwing.
Perks
Partial Sorcery 1/level
This Perk can be taken up to four times, and lets a sorcerer slowly
"buy off" the -5 penalty for using sorcery without Sorcery 0. Each
level of the Perk reduces the penalty by 1; e.g. Partial Sorcery 1
reduces the penalty from -5 to -4, while Partial Sorcery 4 reduces it to
-1. Once the sorcerer is eligible (as determined by the GM) for a fifth
level of the Perk, replace this perk's levels with Sorcery 0.
Disadvantages
Addiction (p. B122)
A number of addictive drugs are available:
Alchemical Elixirs: Many alchemical substances can be addictive,
especially those that induce feelings of euphoria or fearlessness. In
most cases, the substances are expensive but usually legal, and
sometimes incapacitating (especially the euphoria elixirs); in all cases,
the addiction is psychological. Base cost: -5 for the legal but not
incapacitating elixirs, -10 for the illegal but not incapacitating elixirs,
-15 for legal incapacitating elixirs, -20 for the occasional illegal and
incapacitating elixirs.
Dragonsmoke: A cheap stimulant derived from leaves of a Umojan
plant, imported to Aedes by way of New Hope. The usual method is
inhalation of the smoke from burning dried leaves in a pipe or in rolled
paper. It is currently legal everywhere except Gehong, where it is
considered to be "polluting the soul." The addiction in game effects is
considered a psychological one. Base cost: -5 points. (Author's Note:
this is simply marijuana with a different name.)
Opium: Opium is an expensive, highly addictive hallucinogen
made from poppy seeds imported from Gehong. The usual method of
use is inhalation of a powder, which is commonly white. It is illegal in
the Caere region due to its hallucinogenic effects, but legal in Gehong,
where it is commonly used for medicinal and religious reasons. The
addiction in game effects is considered a physiological one. Base cost:
-25 points.
Unicorn Blood: Unicorn blood is a silvery substance, often
mistaken at first glance for quicksilver. The properties of this blood
make it highly prized as a component in healing potions . . . and,
secretly, a component in the potion to become a lich. Ingestion of
pure unicorn blood can keep someone alive even if they are at -5HP.
The cost, though, is a physiological addiction to the blood; the blood is
totally addictive and very expensive. This makes pure unicorn blood
highly illegal throughout the world. Base cost: -30 points. Note that
the withdrawal symptoms from unicorn blood can be as fatal as what
led the addict to ingest the blood in the first place!
Bad Sight (p. B123)
Thanks to the invention of spectacles in the Caere Region, any of
the humanoid races can take this trait with the -60% Mitigator
limitation, reducing Bad Sight to -10 points. Minotaurs, velvels, and
the reptilian races in Umoja have different facial structures which
prevent them from wearing spectacles.
Codes of Honor (p. B127)
The five codes of honor listed in the Basic Set are all appropriate
for Ranoc. In addition, the following are available:
Code of Honor (Northern Raider): Be honest with your fellows,
never break your sworn word, be hospitable to guests, do not tax
another's hospitality, and show ingenuity in combat. -5 points.
Code of Honor (Eliminati): Maintain an aura of respectability; be
skilled at arms; always challenge targets to a duel; always duel in front
of witnesses; all duels are to the death; never accept a contract on
someone who has survived a prior Eliminai duel. -10 points.
Lunacy (p. B143)
Ranoc has three moons! A character with Lunacy should determine
which moon governs his Lunacy, adjusting the price
accordingly:
Weekly Moon: You swing very rapidly between manic and lazy
phases. 2. (This is essentially the same as the Manic-Depressive trait
with a set passage of time rather than leaving it to chance.)
Monthly Moon: The standard passage as written in the Basic Set on
page B143. 1.
Polar Moon: You swing very slowly through the phases, with each
phase lasting for roughly two to three months. (Remember that on
Ranoc there are thirteen months in the year.) 1/2.
Quirks (p. B162)
Bloody Mess: When you kill something, you don't just kill it; you
obliterate it! Blood and viscera fly everywhere! Anything you kill,
especially those that reach -5xHP, dies in the most gruesome way
possible. This gives a -1 Reaction penalty to anyone who witnesses
such an act for the first time, although it might give a +1 Reaction
bonus to those with tastes for such things. Note that this is distinct
from the Rest In Pieces Perk (pp. PUP19-20) in that the deceased may
still be magically revived, but does not forbid that Perk's purchase as
well.
Stays Bought: Notable among mercenaries. You are inclined to
stay with a paying client who has treated you fairly, even when
presented with a better offer from the client's enemies. Occasionally
may give a +1 Reaction bonus if the quirk is known, similar to a
Reputation, and can give a bonus to the Control Rating of the Greed
disadvantage when a client's enemy attempts to bribe you (GM's
discretion). This is considered a Quirk because it limits your actions,
despite its positive effects.
Skills
Artist (IQ/A)
Two new specializations are listed below:
Engraving: You can engrave aesthetically pleasing wood, metal, or
stone originals that may be reproduced independently or used as
illustrations for books. Use the Printer skill (see below) to set the
plates with the type sorts.
Typography: You can design typefaces and apply type in a clear
and visually pleasing fashion. At TL 4, a lot of typefaces will closely
resemble hand-written text, so a background in calligraphy will be
common for successful typographers. Defaults to Artist (Calligraphy)
at -4.
Astronomy (IQ/H)
Current astronomical thought regarding the nature of the cosmos
the sun, the three moons, and the five wandering stars (called
"planets") whose paths across the sky have been known for millennia
is divided into two ideas. The older idea is that of a Ranoc-centric
universe, with Ranoc being the center of the universe and the sun,
moons, and planets revolving around it. A newer idea which is gaining
ground due to the application of advanced mathematics is a
heliocentric universe, with Ranoc and the planets (but not the moons)
revolving around the sun. Anyone who takes the Astronomy skill will
know of both theories, and probably have an opinion one way or
another.
Expert Skill (IQ/H)
Of the specialties listed in the Basic Set, Military Science, Natural
Philosophy, Political Science, Thanatology, and Xenology are
appropriate for Ranoc.
The Natural Philosophy specialty can be used to answer theoretical
questions concerning Alchemy, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry,
Meteorology, Physiology, Physics, and Thaumatology, but does not
convey any practical knowledge in these subjects. Some of these
theories will be quite nonsensical to modern-day (TL 8) science, but
impossible to prove or disprove except through applied logic and
even a completely logical argument can be wrong due to incorrect
assumptions. An especially knowledgeable natural philosopher will
also know Mathematics (Pure) separate from this skill.
Force Sword (DX/A)
While usually reserved for campaigns with superscience
technology, this skill is occasionally learned by mages on Ranoc who
wish to duel mano-a-mano using spells that create a handheld "blade,"
such as Flame Jet.
Games (IQ/E)
A number of games are common on Ranoc.
Boxing: The full-contact sport of boxing has been a common past
time in the Caere region for as long as recorded history. Bare-knuckle
boxing is currently in fashion, where opponents don't use any padding
to protect themselves, although loaded fist boxing, using cestuses and
brass knuckles, has been making a comeback in popularity among the
rougher parts of the cities. The boxing contests should be handled as a
combat, with each opponent using unarmed combat skills; the Games
(Boxing) skill enables one to judge such an event or predict who will
defeat who in a match.
Chess: The classic game of strategy and tactics. The aristocracy
prides itself on their knowledge of the game. In Gehong, a variant
exists which elevates the board into four different levels; this variant
should be learned as a separate specialty.
Craps: The premier dice game played in the gambling dens across
the world. Rules are identical to the modern-day game: players roll
two dice to try and get a seven, with rolls of a two (commonly called
"snake-eyes") or twelve ending a turn as a definite loss.
Jousting: The noble knightly past time of attempting to unhorse
your opponent with a blunted lance at a full gallop. While the act of
jousting is often played as a combat using the Lance and Riding skills,
as well as a Shield Block, the Games (Jousting) skill enables one to
judge such an event.
Rotah: A card game which uses a 72-card deck similar to a Tarot
deck. It has four suits of 14 cards, numbered 1 through 10 with four
noble cards (Princess, Prince, Queen, and King), and a fifth suit of 24
'trump' cards numbered 0 though 23. The rules are similar to rummy,
with cards numbered 1 through 9 worth 5 points each, the 10 and
noble cards worth 10 points each, and the trumps worth 15 points
each. The exception is the trump card marked 0, which is worth -20
points if it is in a player's hand and not 'played' when the hand ends. In
addition, there are a number of rules concerning the placement of
trump 0 in the deck, which vary by locale or possibly even the day of
the week. The origins of the Rotah deck are unknown, although many
believe they were originally created by the Vast Expanse Nomads.
Some fortune-tellers and diviners use the cards as part of their trade.
Wrestling: Like boxing, wrestling has been a popular past time for
much of recorded history. Presently, matches are not timed, with the
match ending with a pin or a submission. Like boxing and jousting
above, the Games skill allows one to judge a match, knowing what
moves and holds are legal and which are forbidden; use unarmed
grappling (and occasionally striking) skills to resolve the match itself.
Mathematics (IQ/H)
The Applied and Pure specialties in Ranoc (and for much of TL 4
in general) cover knowledge of Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry,
and Probability.
Mechanic (IQ/A)
Notable specialties include:
Machine Type: Printing Press, Millwork.
Motive Systems: Wheeled, Sail, Rowed.
Power Plant: Clockwork, Hydraulics, Water Wheel.
Vehicle Type: Sailing Ships, Wagons.
Musical Instrument (IQ/H)
A musician can make a good living playing in the symphony
orchestras and smaller ensembles in the cities of Ranoc. The following
instruments are common; they are sorted by family and specialty to
better indicate the defaults for playing between certain types. Each
specialty lists the most common instruments in the Caere and
Rochladastacht regions as examples; instruments from other regions
will be detailed in future supplements.
Woodwind Instruments: Flutes (flute, fife, piccolo, tuned bottles,
faun pipes), Single-Reed Woodwinds (recorder, clarinets), and
Double-Reed Woodwinds (oboe, shawm, bassoon, bagpipes). The
bagpipes are not normally encountered in orchestras. (Note: the
shawm is better known to us as the "English horn".)
Brass Instruments: Valve Brass (trumpet, tenor horn, baritone
horn, tuba), Slide Brass (trombone), and Bugles. (Note: the tenor horn
is better known to us as the "French horn".) The Bugles specialty
covers instruments made of natural horn, bone, and/or metal that don't
have valves or use a moving slide.
String Instruments: Viols (violin, fiddle, viola, cello, string bass),
Guitars (mandolin and guitar, as well as the lute, sitar, and similar
instruments played by strumming across the chest), and Harps (floor
harp, lap harp). Viols can be broken down further into Shoulder-Held
Viols (violin, viola, fiddle) and Floor-Mounted Viols (cello and string
bass), if the GM wants that kind of detail. The viols (except the fiddle)
and floor harps are used in orchestras and smaller ensembles, while the
fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and lap harp are preferred by street
performers and wandering minstrels.
Keyboard Instruments: Single-Row Keyboards (piano,
harpsichord), Double-Row Keyboards (most organs), and Squeeze-
Boxes (accordion).
Percussion Instruments: Melodic Percussion (xylophone,
dulcimer), Rhythmic Percussion (tympani, field snare, floor tom, bass
drum, gong, triangle), Shaken Percussion (maracas), and Concussion
Percussion (cymbals, tapping sticks, etc).
Defaults: Defaults within a specialty are -1 for very similar (ex:
clarinet and bass clarinet), or -2 for different fingerings (ex: trumpet
and baritone) or very different mouthpiece sizes (ex: trumpet to tuba).
These are essentially the same as familiarity penalties. Defaults
between specialties in the same family (ex: clarinets to flutes; violin to
harp; xylophone to field snare) are at -4. Defaults between similar
families (ex: woodwind and brass, or keyboard and percussion) are at
-6. Defaults between dissimilar families (ex: woodwind to percussion)
are at -8, if the GM even permits a default.
Professional Skill
A few of the notable Professional Skills in Ranoc are listed below:
Bookbinder (IQ/A)
You are able to produce bindings to turn pages of paper,
parchment, or vellum into books. This skill covers the use of various
glues, threads, and fabrics used to bind the books together. With the
advent of the printing press producing more pages of printed material,
your business is booming.
Lens Grinder (IQ/A)
You are skilled at producing lenses for such things as spectacles
and telescopes, including both astronomical telescopes and naval
spyglasses. This skill also permits the creation of mirrors. A lens
grinder does not necessarily understand why a properly ground lens
has the effects it does; to understand the science involved, put points
in Physics (Optics).
Miner (IQ/A)
You are able to work as a mine foreman, with knowledge of how to
brace the walls of the mines to prevent cave-ins and how to look for
signs that the air in the mine is not safe for your miners. Although this
is an IQ-based skill, ST is just as important when working in the
mines. It defaults to Engineer (Mining) at -3; the reverse is also true.
Printer (IQ/A)
You are skilled at working the printing press in order to produce
books, royal bulletins, and newspapers. This skill covers arranging the
movable type and engravings, applying the inks, and setting the paper
properly on the press; in certain circumstances set by the GM, an ST-
based skill check to use the press itself may be warranted.
Note that a printer need not be literate in order to perform these
applications; however, most successful printers are literate.
Martial Arts Styles
Listed below are a number of martial arts styles that are common in
Ranoc. In each case, the style costs include the Style Familiarity Perk
for that particular style.
In some cases, I have copied the style from Martial Arts and
changed the name of the style to better reflect the world. In this
manner, for example, "Italian-Style Fencing" is now "Zitheral School
Fencing". I have also altered many of the other styles to better fit the
world setting. In addition, I have tried to indicate in the flavor text
whether the styles are taught openly or in secret, which region sees the
style as common, and whether the style is considered a "civilian" or
"military" style.
The following styles from Martial Arts are also common in the
western regions of the setting: Bare-Knuckle Boxing (p. MA153),
Dagger Fighting (p. MA155), Late Medieval Knightly Mounted
Combat (p. MA177), Longsword Fighting (p. MA180), Foot Archery
(p. MA181), Chinese Horse-Cutter Fighting (p. MA187, known as
Halberd Fighting in the West), Glaive Fighting (p. MA187), Pollaxe
Fighting (p. MA191), Quarterstaff (p. MA192), Shortsword Fighting
(p. MA195), Viking Spear Fighting (p. MA197, common amongst the
Northern Raider Clans, where it is known as Northern Raider Spear
Fighting), Sword-and-Buckler Play (p. MA199), Sword-and-Shield
Fighting (p. MA199), and Smasha (p. MA210).
Over in Gehong, a number of styles from Martial Arts may be
viable; these include: Chin Na (p. MA154), Escrima (p. MA155),
Hsing I Chuan (p. MA162), Hung Gar Kung Fu (p. MA163), Hwa
Rang Do (p. MA163), Kuntao (p. MA178), Muay Thai (p. MA185),
Pa Kua Chuan (p. MA187), Chinese Horse-Cutter Fighting (p.
MA187), Pak Hok (p. MA188), Pentjak Silat (p. MA189), Praying
Mantis Kung Fu (p. MA191), Shaolin Kung Fu (p. MA194), Chinese
Spear Fighting (p. MA196), Tae Kwon Do (p. MA200), T'ai Chi
Chuan (p. MA200), Wing Chun (p. MA203), and Dragon-Man Kung
Fu (p. MA208). (Naturally, several of the names should be changed to
reflect the setting better; replace "Chinese" with "Gehong" or "Hong",
and "Shaolin" with $insert_dorky_name_here.)
Not to be outdone, the following styles from Martial Arts are
known among those native to Umoja: Bando (primarily Kachin Bando,
p. MA152), Ancient Greek Boxing (p. MA153, known simply as
Boxing), African Stickfighting (p. MA157), Kalaripayit (p. MA168),
Banshay (p. MA176), Krabi Krabong (p. MA176), Lethwei (p.
MA186), Pankration (p. MA188), Heroic Spear Fighting (p. MA196),
and Indian Wrestling (p. MA205).
Combat Wrestling (p. MA204) seems to be universal.
Some people in the Caere region, where guns are most common,
have independently developed a few of the styles from Gun Fu, most
notable the Double Trouble (p. GF31) and Sniper (p. GF33) styles. A
style resembling Way of the West is occasionally seen as well.
Art of the Hidden Blade
5 points
The Art of the Hidden Blade is a martial art taught by the Vast
Expanse Nomads to their women. Cultural taboos and unwritten laws
prevent Desert Nomad women from wielding any weapon longer than
their forearm. In most cases, this limits them to knives, but
occasionally a shortsword may be used. These same taboos prevent
their men from learning this art.
As the name implies, the art focuses on hiding the weapons in
addition to wielding them in combat. This makes the martial artists
who master this art very effective as assassins.
The typical practitioner will appear unarmed at the start of the
fight, but quickly draw a knife from its hidden sheath as soon as is
practical. Most start with Evaluate or Wait, then wait for an opening,
often counterattacking with a thrust into either the neck, vitals, or a
weak spot in armor.
Skills: Fast-Draw (Knife); Holdout; Knife; Judo or Wresting.
Techniques: Armed Grapple (Knife); Counterattack; Targeted
Attack (Knife Thrust/Chinks in Armor); Targeted Attack (Knife
Thrust/Neck); Targeted Attack (Knife Thrust/Vitals).
Cinematic Skills: Pressure Points.
Cinematic Techniques: Dual Weapon Attack (Knife); Dual
Weapon Defense; Pressure Point Strike.
Perks: Off-Hand Weapon Training (Knife).
Optional Traits
Advantages: Ambidexterity.
Skills: Acrobatics; Main-Gauche; Shortsword; Thrown Weapon
(Knife).
Perks: Technique Adaptation (Knife techniques default to
Shortsword).
Bayonet Training
3 points
This training is taught by the militaries of Marach, Ritaegno, and
Rinkasae to supplement the musket training provided by these nations.
The bayonet issued to the infantry in these nations is a plug
bayonet, which is designed to be fitted into the barrel of a musket.
Some regiments drill in the rapid drawing and mounting of the
bayonet onto the musket. Some are also known for their loud war
cries, which when delivered en masse can sometimes send enemy
units into a panic.
Skills: Guns (Musket); Spear.
Techniques: Feint (Spear); Retain Weapon (Musket); Targeted
Attack (Spear Thrust/Face); Targeted Attack (Spear Thrust/Neck);
Targeted Attack (Spear Thrust/Vitals).
Cinematic Skills: Kiai.
Optional Traits
Advantages: Combat Reflexes.
Skills: Fast-Draw (Knife); Knife.
Marach Weapons Master Training
12 points
The Marach Weapons Masters are civilians who are trained in the
combat arts, both armed and unarmed. Most come from a humble
peasant background, and travel the land performing and teaching
others. Occasionally, a Weapons Master is hired as a professional
duelist for a noble. Many are eager to pit their combat skills against
the fencing instructors of the Southern Caere region and their rivals in
Redwater.
Skills: Brawling; Broadsword; Knife; Polearm; Shield; Shield
(Buckler); Shortsword; Spear; Staff; Two-Handed Sword; Wrestling.
Techniques: Arm Lock; Armed Grapple (Polearm, Spear, Staff; or
Two-Handed Sword); Disarming (Any skill in style); Feint (Any
weapon skill in style); Hook (Polearm); Sweep (Polearm, Spear, Staff,
or Two-Handed Sword).
Cinematic Skills: Kiai; Power Blow.
Cinematic Techniques: Dual-Weapon Attack (Shortsword); Grand
Disarm (Staff or Two-Handed Sword); Whirlwind Attack (Staff or
Two-Handed Sword).
Perks: Form Mastery (Spear); Grip Mastery (Two-Handed Sword);
Off-Hand Weapon Training (Shortsword).
Optional Traits
Advantages: Ambidexterity; Combat Reflexes; Fearlessness;
Weapon Master.
Disadvantages: Low Status; Missing Digit; One Eye.
Skills: Judo; Rapier; any other weapon skill not listed.
Perks: Style Familiarity (any Fencing style)
Redwater School Fencing
4 points
Redwater school fencing is a highly mobile art. Eschewing a
defensive weapon in the off hand, a Redwater duelist relies solely on
his rapier and his agility for his defense.
A Redwater fencer is always on the move. He'll circle his
opponent, using Evaluate, occasionally interspersed with Defensive
Attacks, before making either an Attack or Move and Attack for the
finishing thrust. Some overconfident fencers use Committed Attack or
All-Out Attack (Determined), sacrificing their defense for a better
chance of hitting their opponent.
Like all fencing school, this style is taught primarily to civilians as
opposed to soldiers.
Skills: Games (Sport Rapier); Rapier; Rapier Art.
Techniques: Bind Weapon (Rapier); Close Combat (Rapier);
Counterattack (Rapier); Disarming (Rapier); Feint (Rapier); Retain
Weapon (Rapier).
Cinematic Skills: Flying Leap.
Cinematic Techniques: Flying Lunge (Rapier); Initial Carving
(Rapier).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Improved Basic Speed.
Advantages: Enhanced Parry (Rapier); Perfect Balance; Status;
Wealth.
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Gentleman's); Delusion ("My style
is inherently superior to all others"); Overconfidence.
Skills: Acrobatics; Broadsword; Jumping; Main-Gauche; Savoir-
Faire; Shield Art (Buckler); Two-Handed Sword Art.
Ritaegno School Fencing
4 points
Ritaegno school fencing is a highly scientific form of combat based
on mathematical principles. To the Ritaegno fencing masters, the
world is described in mathematical terms, particularly geography. By
studying these principles and utilizing them in combat, one can make
precise strikes. Some masters can even fight blindfolded without
losing their effectiveness.
Like all fencing styles, this one is commonly taught to civilians.
Skills: Expert Skill (Natural Philosophy); Mathematics/TL4 (Pure);
Rapier.
Techniques: Bind Weapon (Rapier); Counterattack (Rapier);
Disarming (Rapier); Feint (Rapier); Retain Weapon (Rapier); Targeted
Attack (Rapier Thrust/Face); Targeted Attack (Rapier Thrust/Neck);
Targeted Attack (Rapier Thrust/Vitals).
Cinematic Skills: Blind Fighting; Light Walk; Mental Strength;
Precognitive Parry.
Cinematic Techniques: Dual-Weapon Attack (Rapier); Dual-
Weapon Defense (Rapier); Initial Carving (Rapier).
Perks: Chi Resistance (Kiai); Off-Hand Weapon Training (Rapier);
Sure-Footed (Uneven).
Optional Traits
Advantages: Combat Reflexes; Danger Sense; Enhanced Parry
(Rapier); Unfazeable; Weapon Master (Rapier).
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Gentleman's); Overconfidence.
Skills: Body Language; Cloak; Main-Gauche; Philosophy; Rapier
Art or Sport; Savoir-Faire.
Perks: Weapon Bond.
Rochlad Cavalry Training
6 points
The riders of Rochlad are world-renowned for their expertise at
fighting from horseback. The basics of this martial art is taught to
nearly everyone in Rochlad's military; those who excel at it are truly
formidable mounted opponents.
This style has been copied by many of the Caere region nations,
and several have adapted it for their aerial cavalries.
Skills: Bow; Broadsword; Riding (Equines); Shield; Spear.
Techniques: Cavalry Training (Broadsword or Spear); Combat
Riding; Hands-Free Riding; Horse Archery; Quick Mount.
Cinematic Skills: Zen Archery.
Perks: Strongbow; Sure-Footed (Water).
Optional Traits
Advantages: Animal Empathy; Combat Reflexes; Gunslinger;
Heroic Archer.
Disadvantages: Duty; Overconfidence; Stubbornness.
Skills: Axe/Mace; Brawling; Fast-Draw (Ammo); Fast-Draw
(Arrow); Guns (Musket); Knife; Riding (any aerial mount);
Swimming; Wrestling.
Techniques: Mounted Shooting (Guns (Musket)/Horse; Bow/any
aerial mount; or Guns (Musket)/any aerial mount).
Zitheral School Fencing
5 points
Zitheral style fencing is based on the use of the rapier with a
secondary weapon in the off hand, usually a knife, buckler, or cloak,
but occasionally a smallsword or another rapier. The Zitheral school
emphases counterattacks in "one time", meaning a combination
defense/riposte instead of a parry-and-counterattack rhythm. This
strategy sacrifices some defensive surety for a chance to strike back
quicker.
Grappling is very much a part of the style. Some schools even
teach throws in addition to grapples and locks.
The flashiest fencers frequently augment this style with Acrobatics
and Jumping to gain additional mobility
As noted, this is primarily a "civilian" style, generally taught to the
elite nobility for self-defense.
Skills: Main-Gauche; Rapier; Shield (Buckler); Wrestling.
Techniques: Bind Weapon (Main-Gauche or Rapier);
Counterattack (Rapier); Disarming (Main-Gauche or Rapier); Targeted
Attack (Main-Gauche Thrust/Vitals); Targeted Attack (Rapier
Thrust/Face); Targeted Attack (Rapier Thrust/Neck); Targeted Attack
(Rapier Thrust/Vitals).
Cinematic Skills: Flying Leap.
Cinematic Techniques: Dual-Weapon Attack (Main-Gauche or
Rapier); Dual-Weapon Defense (Main-Gauche or Rapier); Flying
Lunge (Rapier); Grand Disarm (Rapier); Hand Catch; Initial Carving
(Rapier).
Perks: Off-Hand Weapon Training (Rapier); Technique Adaptation
(Counterattack).
Optional Traits
Advantages: Ambidexterity; Combat Reflexes; Enhanced Dodge.
Disadvantages: Overconfidence.
Skills: Acrobatics; Broadsword; Cloak; Judo; Jumping; Rapier Art;
Savoir-Faire; Two-Handed Sword.
Magical Styles
Art of Fair Weather Traders
pts
Required Skills:
Basic Spells:
Perks:
Optional Traits
Advantages:
Perks:
Skills:
Spell List:
First Circle:
Second Circle:
Third Circle:
Fourth Circle:
Fifth Circle:
Sixth Circle:
Secret Spells:
Chapter IV
Bestiary
Animals
What qualifies a creature as an "animal" as opposed to a
"monster"?
First, an animal is not truly intelligent; almost all have a racial IQ
of 5 or less. The next is their lack of anything truly magical about
them, despite the possibility of magic in their origins. Some creatures,
such as the pegasus, gryphon, and hippogriff, are considered
"hybrids", having traits common to both mammals and birds. Others,
such as the giant eagle and the roc, are simply much larger versions of
normal-sized animals.
When determining placement of the animals in this section,
remember that the southern continent of Umoja is dominated by the
reptilian races, while the northern continent of Aedes is dominated by
the mammals. Birds can appear on either continent, although most of
them prefer Aedes due to not having to compete with their southern
reptilian counterparts.
All of the animals listed below have full-fledged character write-
ups for use in determining their cost as Allies or Alternate Forms.
Acid Lizard
-145 points
Acid lizards are commonly found in the Umojan jungles; the
average acid lizard is about 18 to 24 inches long and weighs 2 to 3
pounds. They are covered with fine green scales with red spots along
the head. While carnivorous, feeding on insects, amphibians, and
rodents, they are not aggressive and will try to flee from predators.
They will, however, fiercly defend their nests and attack if cornered or
threatened. Their bite does very little damage in and of itself, but the
lizard's fangs drip a poison which can seem like acid when injected
into the wound! This trait endears them to successful merchants, who
will often acquire one as a pet and guard animal for safes and security
boxes.
ST: 3 [-70] HP: 3 [0] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 12 [24]* Will: 6 [20] Move: 3 [-15]
IQ: 2 [-160] Per: 10 [40]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: -3
Dodge: 10 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (12): 1d-6 imp, follow-up 1d-1 tox.
Claw (12): 1d-6 cut.
Kick (10): 1d-6 cut.
Advantages: Acute Taste and Smell 3 [6]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5];
Clinging [20]; Damage Resistance 2 (Flexible, -20%) [8];
Enhanced Dodge 1 [15]; Enhanced Tracking 1 [5]; Flexibility [5];
Peripheral Vision [15]; Regrowth [40]; Scales [1]; Subsonic
Hearing [5]; Super Climbing 1 [3]; Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Toxic Attack
(Poison) 1d-1 tox (Cyclic: 1 minute interval, 3 cycles, +80%;
Follow-Up: Bite, +0%) [6]; Vibration Sense [10].
Disadvantages: Bad Sight (Nearsighted) [-25]; Cold-Blooded (Stiffen
Up below 50) [-5]; Fearfulness -1 [-2]; Quadruped [-35]; Short
Lifespan -2 [-20]; Sleepy (1/2 the time) [-8]; Social Stigma
(Valuable Property or Wild Animal) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke)
[-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Climbing (A) DX+3 [2] 15; Survival (Jungle, Swampland,
or Woodlands) Per+2 [8] 12.
* Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Includes +3 from Flexibility.
Armorback
-81 points
The armorback is known as Ankylosaurus to real-life
paleontologists.
Armorbacks are a quadruped reptile, standing about 4 feet tall at
the hips, and reaching an average of 30 feet long, with a small head, a
bony backside, and a knobbed tail that it can use as a club when
threatened. They average around three and a half tons (7,000 lbs). A
number of them have sharp bony spines around the edge of their back
plating. Their underside is their most vulnerable area; anyone or
anything managing to flip an armorback on its back is almost
guaranteed to kill it, but this is often easier said than done as the
armorback's physiology makes it difficult to turn over.
Poached armorback eggs are considered a delicacy in Shakdran
and New Hope. Unlike other reptiles, armorbacks mate for life, and at
least one of the pair guards the nest at all times. A single egg is
capable of filling the stomach of a grown man, and has a unique taste
that sets them apart from other animals' eggs.
ST: 38 [56]* HP: 38 [0] Speed: 5.25 [0]
DX: 10 [0] Will: 8 [30] Move: 5 [0]
IQ: 2 [-160] Per: 10 [40]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +4
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 9/3
Bite (12): 4d-5 cr.
Claw (12): 4d+3 cr.
Kick (10): 4d cr.
Tail (12): 4d+8 cr.
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Damage Resistance 3 (Flexible,
-20%) [12]; Damage Resistance 6 (Directional: Top Only, -40%)
[18]; Peripheral Vision [15]; Scales [1]; Striker (Crushing; Tail)
(Cannot Parry, -40%; Limited Arc: Rear, -40%; Long (Only At
Full Reach): +1, +75%) [5].
Disadvantages: Cold-Blooded ("Stiffen Up" Below 50) [-5]; Color-
blindness [-10]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore; Very Common) [-10];
Quadruped [-35]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Weak Bite
[-2]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 12.
* Cost reduced for Size (-40%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Cave Bear
-17 points
This bear is the largest bear known to exist, albiet only slightly
larger than the more common brown bear, with males averaging 1,100
pounds, and females half that at 550 lbs. The cave bear lives in the
Northern Mountain, Wyrmspire, and Occam's Wall mountain ranges,
and occasionally even venturing into other areas of the Northern
Frontier, northern Caere region, and the northern Rochladastacht.
Like their brown bear cousins, cave bears are omnivorous,
subsisting on a diet of meat and fruits. Like most bears, their meat
comes mainly from fish, although cave bears also hunt deer and other
large animals. Some have even become man-eaters, developing a taste
for men, elves, dwarves, velvels, and others. Like the smaller brown
bears, cave bears occasionally venture into civilized areas to scavenge
from the trash.
ST: 23 [117]* HP: 23 [0] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 11 [12] Will: 11 [35] Move: 7 [5]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 10 [30]
HT: 13 [30] FP: 13 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 2
Bite (13): 2d+2 cut.
Claw (13): 2d+4 cr.
Kick (11): 2d+5 cr.
Advantages: Claws (Blunt Claws) [3]; Damage Resistance 2 (Tough
Skin, -40%) [6]; Fearlessness 5 [10]; Fur [1]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth)
[1]; Temperature Tolerance 4 [8]; Ultrahearing [5]; Universal
Digestion [5].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (9) [-15]; No Fine Manipulators [-30];
Semi-Upright [-5]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Wealth
(Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 13; Survival (Mountains or
Woodlands) Per+1 [4] 11.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Daggertooth
69 points
The daggertooth is known as Allosaurus to real-life
paleontologists.
This monstrous reptile thrives in the forests and plains farther into
Umoja. Occasionally, a small pack of no more than 6 members will be
found in the northern Umojan jungles, but this is rare. Farther south,
where their preferred food is more common, packs may be
encountered triple that size. Daggerteeth stand around 12 feet tall as
adults, reach lengths of 30 long, and weigh in around 3,300 pounds.
Their heads alone are three feet long, with serrated teeth 3 inches long.
Their forearms are relatively small when compared to their mass;
however, their hands end in ten inch long claws.
Daggerteeth prefer to hunt larger game, primarily hunting
thunderers, spiketails, and tri-horns. They are not picky, however, as
they will feed off any carrion they come across. They show no fear of
any other creatures, with the possible exception of dragons.
ST: 30 [120]* HP: 30 [0] Speed: 5.50 [0]
DX: 11 [20] Will: 10 [40] Move: 6/12 [5]
IQ: 2 [-160] Per: 10 [40]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +4
Dodge: 8 Parry: 9 DR: 4
Bite (13): 3d+2 imp.
Claw (13): 1d+1 cut/imp.
Kick (11): 3d+3 cut/imp.
Tail (13): 3d+3 cr.
Advantages: Claws (Talons) [8]; Damage Resistance 4 (Flexible,
-20%) [16]; Enhanced Move (Ground) 1 (Ground Speed 12/24
mph) [20]; Peripheral Vision [15]; Scales [1]; Striker (Crushing;
Tail) (Cannot Parry, -40%; Limited Arc: Rear Hexes Only, -40%;
Long, SM +1, +100%; Weak, -50%) [4]; Teeth (Fangs) [4]; Un-
fazeable [15].
Disadvantages: Bad Grip 1 [-5]; Colorblindness [-10]; Restricted Diet
(Carnivore) [-10]; Short Arms (2 Arms) [-10]; Social Stigma
(Monster) [-15]; Weak Arms (2 Arms) (1/2 ST) [-5]; Wealth (Dead
Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+3 [4] 13; Running (A) HT+2 [8] 13;
Tracking (A) Per+3 [12] 13.
* Cost reduced for Size (-40%).
Eagle, Giant
90 points
Giant eagles are similar to their smaller kin, the golden eagles, in
almost all ways; they are just larger than normal. A giant eagle is more
than capable of carrying a humanoid on its back comfortably, or in its
talons. They typically grow to be ten feet tall with wingspans over
twenty-five feet wide. They generally grow to weigh around 700
pounds, and live an average of fifteen to twenty years, with the adults
reaching sexual maturity in their fifth year.
Some of these great birds have been captured and trained to serve
as mounts in some nations' aerial cavalries. The nation of Gor Ansat
has taken to raising these great birds in captivity; they now possess the
largest number of domesticated giant eagles in the Caere region. In
addition, the heretical knightly order known as the Order of the
Golden Wings uses giant eagles exclusively as mounts.
ST: 18 [64]* HP: 18 [0] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 12 [20] Will: 11 [40] Move (Ground): 3 [-15]
IQ: 3 [-140] Per: 11 [40] Move (Air): 12/24 [0]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: +2
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (14): 1d+1 pi+.
Talons (14): 1d+2 cut/imp.
Wing (14): 1d+4 cr.
Advantages: Acute Vision 2 [4]; Appearance (Beautiful) (Impressive,
+0%) [12]; Claws (Talons) [8]; Enhanced Move (Air) 1 (Air Move
24/48 mph) [20]; Eye For Distance [1]; Feathers [1]; Flight
(Winged, -25%) [30]; Lifting ST +4 (Size, -20%) [10]; Nictitating
Membrane 1 [1]; Night Vision 4 [4]; Perfect Balance [15]; Pressure
Tolerant Lungs (Thin) [1]; Resistant to Environmental Syndromes
(+8) [5]; Striker (Crushing; Wings) (Cannot Parry, -40%) [3];
Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1]; Telescopic Vision 3 [15]; Temperature
Tolerance 3 [3]; Ultrahearing [5].
Disadvantages: Foot Manipulators (2 Arms) [-6]; Ham-Fisted 2 [-10];
No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Semi-Upright [-5]; Short Lifespan -2
[-20]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke)
[-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+1 [4] 13; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 14;
Flight (A) HT+0 [2] 12; Tracking (A) Per+2 [8] 13.
Lenses:
Domesticated (+14): Replace Social Stigma (Wild Animal) and Wild
Animal with Domestic Animal, and add Mount (A) DX+1 [4] 13.
* Cost reduced for Size (-20%).
Gryphon
79 points
Gryphons are hybrid creatures with the head, chest, wings, and
talons of an eagle, and the hindquarters of a lion. They typically grow
to eight feet long, with a wingspan of around 30 feet, and can weigh as
much as 700 pounds. They make their homes in tall mountains, but
when hunting have been known to range hundreds of miles from their
eyries. Gryphons are carnivores, often hunting live prey but settling
for carrion when hungry.
For reasons unknown to animal handlers, gryphons are
instinctively hostile towards horses, and have been known to attack
them on sight unless reined in. This has led to them being hunted to
near extinction in the Rochladastacht, but they thrive elsewhere across
Aedes.
Gryphons are prized among the nations of Marach and Ritaegno as
mounts for light scouts in their aerial cavalries. Gryphons are intelli-
gent enough to be trained to accept a rider, although this training must
be done while the gryphon is still young. For this reason, gryphon
eggs are prized by trainers in both Marach and Ritaegno, and most
trainers will pay handsomely for a single egg brought in from the wild.
ST: 18 [40]* HP: 16 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 14 [48] Will: 10 [30] Move (Ground): 6 [0]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 12 [40] Move (Air): 15/30 [4]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 1
Bite (16): 1d+2 pi+.
Talons (16): 1d+2 cut/imp.
Wing (14): 1d+4 cr.
Advantages: Acute Vision 3 [6]; Catfall [10]; Claws (Talons) [8];
Damage Resistance 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Enhanced Move
(Air) 1 (Air Move 30/60 mph) [20]; Eye For Distance [1]; Flight
(Winged, -25%) [30]; Lifting ST +5 (Size, -10%) [14]; Longevity
[2]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night Vision 4 [4]; Resistant to
Environmental Syndromes (+8) (Occasional) [5]; Silence 3 [15];
Striker (Crushing; Wings) (Cannot Parry, -40%) [3];Teeth (Sharp
Beak) [1]; Telescopic Vision 3 [15]; Temperature Tolerance 3 [3];
Ultrahearing [5].
Perks: Fur and Feathers [1].
Disadvantages: Chummy [-5]; Intolerance (Horses) [-5]; No Sense of
Smell/Taste [-5]; Quadruped [-35]; Restricted Diet (Carnivore) [-
10]; Short Lifespan -2 [-20]; Sleepy (1/2 the time) [-8]; Social
Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild
Animal [-30].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+0 [4] 14; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 16;
Flight (A) HT+1 [2] 13; Tracking (A) Per+0 [4] 13.
Lenses:
Domesticated (+14): Replace Social Stigma (Wild Animal) and Wild
Animal with Domestic Animal, and add Mount (A) DX+1 [4] 13.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Hippogriff
33 points
Similar to gryphons, hippogriffs are hybrid creatures with the head,
wings, and talons of an eagle, and the hindquarters of a horse. They
are proud, majestic creatures, omnivorous in diet, and territorial in the
wild. They prefer hilly terrains, and can often be seen skimming over
inland lakes or treetops.
Hippogriffs grow to around 9 feet long, with 30 foot wingspans.
They average 1,000 lbs. Coloration varies, but most tend towards
brown, black, and tan fur, with feathers similar to a golden eagle,
commonly brown and orange. Their semi-equine nature enables them
to be more easily trained to accept a rider than their gryphon cousins.
This makes them a common sight among the various aerial cavalries
of the world.
ST: 20 [50]* HP: 20 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 14 [48] Will: 10 [30] Move (Ground): 6 [0]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 12 [40] Move (Air): 15/30 [4]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 1
Bite (14): 2d pi+.
Talons (14): 2d cut/imp.
Hooves (12): 2d+1 cr.
Wing Strike (14): 2d+3 cr.
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) (Impressive, +0%) [4]; Claws
(Hooves) [3]; Claws (Talons) [8]; Damage Resistance 1 (Tough
Skin, -40%) [3]; Enhanced Move (Air) 1 (Air Move 30/60 mph)
[10]; Fit [5]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; Nictitating Membrane 1
[1]; Striker (Crushing; Wings) (Cannot Parry, -40%) [3]; Teeth
(Sharp Beak) [1]; Telescopic Vision 3 [15]; Temperature Tolerance
3 [3]; Ultrahearing [5].
Perks: Fur and Feathers [1].
Disadvantages: No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Proud [-1]; Quadruped
[-35]; Short Lifespan -1 [-10]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10];
Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+0 [4] 14; Braw ling (E) DX+2 [4] 16;
Flight (A) HT+1 [4] 13.
Lenses:
Domesticated (+14): Replace Social Stigma (Wild Animal) and Wild
Animal with Domestic Animal, and add Mount (A) DX+1 [4] 15.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Horse, Rochladabred Cavalry
0 points
Rochladabred cavalry horses are the best horses in the world, bred
and trained to highly exacting standards not matched anywhere else.
ST: 23 [65]* HP: 23 [0] Speed: 5.00 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 12 [40] Move: 8/16 [15]
IQ: 4 [120] Per: 13 [45]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (10): 2d-4 cr.
Foreleg Kick (10): 2d cr.
Rear Kick (8): 2d+3 cr.
Advantages: Claws (Hooves) [3]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Enhanced
Move (Ground) 1 [20]; Fit [5]; Parabolic Hearing 1 [4]; Peripheral
Vision [15].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Domestic Animal [-30]; Quadruped [-35]; Restricted
Diet (Herbivore) [-10]; Short Lifespan -1 [-10]; Weak Bite [-2];
Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+1 [2] 10; Mount (A) DX+3 [12] 12.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Leatherwing
-121 points
The leatherwings are better known as Pteranodons to real-life
paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts.
Leatherwings are flying reptiles common to the Umojan coastlines
that possess bat-like wings with wingspans stretching up to 20 feet,
long toothed beaks, and a bony skull that stretches to the rear of the
head to act as a sort of "rudder" while in flight. They are incapable of
standing upright, and should one land on the ground it will try and
climb to the tallest possible height before launching itself into the air.
Leatherwings tend to travel in flocks of up to ten members. The
males of the flock are easily distinguished from the females by their
brightly-colored scales; the females are more subdued in color. They
subsist primarily on fish grabbed from the ocean and lakes while in
flight.
ST: 6 [-40] HP: 6 [0] Speed: 6.25 [0]
DX: 14 [48]* Will: 11 [45] Ground Move: 1 [-25]
IQ: 2 [-160] Per: 11 [45] Air Move: 12 [0]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +3
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (14): 1d-5 cut.
Wing Claw (14): 1d-5 cut.
Foot Claw (12): 1d-4 cut.
Advantages: Acute Vision 2 [4]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Clinging
[20]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1].
Perks: Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Horizontal [-10]; No Fine Manipulators [-30]; Social
Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild
Animal [-30].
* Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Lightning Lizard
-119 points
The lightning lizard is another common pet and guard animal from
the Umojan jungles. Roughly the same size (3 feet long, not including
the tail which extends another three feet, and 10 to 12 pounds) and
temperament as an iguana, the lightning lizard is remarkable for its
ability to surround itself with a sheath of crackling lightning without
harming itself. This lightning field has been known to occasionally set
fires, but is primarily defensive in nature.
ST: 4 [-60] HP: 4 [0] Speed: 5.50 [0]
DX: 11 [12]* Will: 6 [20] Move: 3 [-10]
IQ: 2 [-160] Per: 10 [40]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: -2
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 2
Bite (11): 1d-6 imp.
Foreleg Claw (11): 1d-6 cut.
Kick (9): 1d-6 cut.
Lightning Aura: 1d-2 burn sur.
Advantages: Acute Taste and Smell 3 [6]; Catfall [10]; Claws (Sharp
Claws) [5]; Clinging [20]; Damage Resistance 2 (Flexible, -20%)
[8]; Enhanced Dodge 1 [15]; Enhanced Tracking 1 [5]; Flexibility
[5]; Lightning Aura (Burning Attack) 1d-2 (Aura, +80%; Damage
Modifier: Surge, +20%; Melee Attack: Reach C, -30%) [4];
Peripheral Vision [15]; Regrowth [40]; Subsonic Hearing [5];
Super Climbing 1 [3]; Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Vibration Sense [10].
Perks: Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Cold-Blooded (Stiffen Up below 50) [-5];
Fearfulness -1 [-2]; Quadruped [-35]; Short Lifespan -2 [-20];
Sleepy (1/2 the time) [-8]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property or
Wild Animal) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal
[-30].
Skills: Climbing (A) DX+3 [2] 15; Survival (Jungle) Per+2 [8] 12.
* Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Lion
-39 points
The animal known as the lion on Ranoc in the Aedes continent is
around 25% larger than its counterpart on Earth, making it about equal
to the extinct Cave Lion. In all other respects, they are identical to
Earth's lions. In Aedes, they range throughout the Caere and
Rochladastacht regions, and are occasionally spotted in the Wyrmspire
and Barrier Mountain ranges, the northern Vast Expanse, and western
Gehong. There are even reports of the lion being spotted in
Gemenohee, although this has not yet been confirmed.
ST: 18 [40]* HP: 18 [0] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 13 [36] Will: 11 [35] Move: 10 [20]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 12 [40]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 1
Bite (15): 1d+2 cut.
Foreleg Claw (15): 1d+2 cut.
Rear Kick (13): 1d+3 cut.
Advantages: Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Damage Resistance 1 (Tough
Skin, -40%) [3]; Night Vision 5 [5]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1];
Temperature Tolerance 1 [1].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Laziness [-10]; Quadruped [-35]; Restricted Diet
(Carnivore) [-10]; Short Lifespan -1 [-10]; Social Stigma (Wild
Animal) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 15; Running (A) HT+2 [8] 13;
Survival (Mountains or Plains) (A) Per+0 [2] 12.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Mammoth
-119 points
The animal known as the mammoth to the people of Aedes is a
smaller version of the animal of the same name that appeared during
Earth's age of megafauna, being closer to the Mastodon in size and
appearance.
Mammoths are large, elephantine creatures, with thick woolen fur,
long curved tusks, and a prehensile trunk for grabbing food to eat.
They inhabit colder regions, preferring to stick to the woods
surrounding the Occam's Wall range. Several attempts at
domesticating them have been attempted, with varying levels of
success.
ST: 40 [60]* HP: 40 [0] Speed: 4.25 [0]
DX: 8 [-40] Will: 11 [35] Move: 4/8 [0]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 12 [40]
HT: 9 [-10] FP: 9 [0] SM: +4
Dodge: 7 Parry: n/a DR: 4
Bite (8): 4d-8 cr.
Horn Strike (8): 4d+5 cr.
Kick (6): 4d+1 cr.
Stomp (8): 4d cr.
Advantages: DR 4 (Tough Skin, -40%) [12]; Enhanced Move
(Ground) 1 [20]; Extra Legs (4 Legs) [5]; Extra-Flexible (1 Arm)
[5]; Long Arms (1 Arm) 1 [10]; Striker (Horns; Crushing) [5].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Increased Consumption 1 [-10]; No Fine Manipulators
[-30]; One Arm [-20]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore) [-10]; Social
Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Weak Arms (1 Arm; 1/4 ST) [-5];
Weak Bite [-2]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Lenses:
Domesticated (+14): Replace Social Stigma (Wild Animal) and Wild
Animal with Domestic Animal, and add Mount (A) DX+1 [4] 9.
* Cost reduced for Size (-40%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Pegasus
30 points
Pegasi are majestic horses with large feathered wings which enable
the creature to fly through the air. Pegasi are the most common mounts
used by the various aerial cavalries of the world.
Pegasi stand six feet at the shoulder, are seven feet long, and have
wingspans around 20 feet. Their wings store mana which enables them
to fly. The color of their wings matches that of their fur; most are
various shades of brown, but shades of white, black, and chestnut are
common. They weigh around a thousand pounds.
ST: 22 [25]* HP: 22 [0] Speed: 5.00 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 11 [35] Ground Move: 5/10 [0]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 12 [40] Air Move: 10/20 [0]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (9): 2d-5 cr.
Foreleg Kick (9): 2d-1 cr.
Rear Kick (7): 2d+2 cr.
Wing Strike (9): 2d+2 cr.
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Appearance (Beautiful;
Impressive) [12]; Claws (Hooves) [3]; Combat Reflexes [15];
Enhanced Move (Air) 1 (Air Move 20/40 mph) [20]; Enhanced
Move (Ground) 1 (Ground Move 10/20 mph) [20]; Fit [5]; Flight
(Winged, -25%) [30]; Parabolic Hearing 1 [4]; Peripheral Vision
[15]; Striker (Crushing; Wings) [5].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Quadruped [-35]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore; Very
Common) [-10]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Weak Bite
[-2]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Flight (A) HT [2] - 12; Survival (Plains) (A) Per [2] - 12.
Lenses:
Domesticated (+14): Replace Social Stigma (Wild Animal) and Wild
Animal with Domestic Animal, and add Mount (A) DX+1 [4] 10.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Plains Runner
-10 points
The plains runners are hadrosaurs, bipedal herbivorous lizards that
can reach speeds rivaling those of the antelope and gazelle of the
Rochlad plains. Despite being bipedal, most prefer to walk on all four
legs, keeping the bipedal locomotion for fleeing from predators.
ST: 30 [40]* HP: 30 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 14 [48] Will: 9 [40] Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 1 [-180] Per: 11 [50]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: +4
Dodge: 10 Parry: n/a DR: 3
Bite (14): 3d-7 cr.
Kick (14): 3d cr.
Punch (12): 3d-1 cr.
Tail Swipe (14): 3d+3 cr.
Advantages: Acute Taste and Smell 4 [8]; Combat Reflexes [15];
Damage Resistance 3 (Cannot Wear Armor, -40%; Flexible, -20%)
[6]; Peripheral Vision [15]; Striker (Tail, Crushing; Cannot Parry,
-40%; Limited Arc, Rear, -40%; Long +1, +100%) [6].
Perks: Limited Camouflage (Plains) [1]; Scales [1].
Disadvantages: No Fine Manipulators [-30]; Restricted Diet
(Herbivore; Very Common) [-10]; Weak Arms (2 Arms) (1/2 ST)
[-5]; Weak Bite [-2]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal
[-30].
Skills: Running (A) HT+0 [2] 12.
* Cost reduced for Size (-40%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Roc
180 points
Almost too large to be believed, rocs are giant birds able to carry
away elephants in their talons. Each talon of its five-clawed feet is
larger than a man, and its beak is the size of an ox. They are thirty feet
long from beak to tail, with wingspans stretching over 100 feet wide,
and commonly weigh around eight tons. They are very territorial; only
during mating season will any two rocs ever be seen together, and
fortunately that season only occurs once every twelve years.
Amazingly, one roc has been captured and trained to act as a
mount, an act previously believed to be impossible. Sir Kenric, the
Captain of the Marach Royal Air Cavalry, rides a roc in battle; some
have claimed he uses magic to control the beast, but he otherwise has
not shown any magical aptitudes.
ST: 50 [80]* HP: 50 [0] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 12 [24] Will: 10 [35] Ground Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 3 [-140] Per: 11 [40] Air Move: 10/40 [-4]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: +7
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 4
Bite (12): 5d+1 pi+.
Claw (12): 5d+7 cut/imp.
Wing Strike (12): 5d+7 cr.
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Appearance (Very Beautiful;
Impressive) [16]; Claws (Long Talons) [11]; Damage Resistance 4
(Tough Skin, -40%) [12]; Enhanced Move (Air) 2 (Air Move 40/80
mph) [40]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; Hard to
Subdue 3 [6]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Lifting ST +50 (Size,
-70%) [45]; Nictitating Membrane 4 [4]; Social Regard (Feared) 3
[15]; Striker (Crushing; Wings) [5]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1];
Telescopic Vision 3 [15]; Temperature Tolerance 4 [4]; Very Fit
[15].
Perks: Eye For Distance [1]; Feathers [1]; Pressure Tolerant Lungs
(Thin) [1].
Disadvantages: Foot Manipulators (2 Arms) [-6]; No Fine
Manipulators [-30]; Restricted Diet (Carnivore) [-10]; Restricted
Vision (No Peripheral Vision) [-15]; Semi-Upright [-5]; Social
Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild
Animal [-30].
Skills: Flight (A) HT+1 [4] 13; Survival (Mountain) Per+1 [4] 12.
* Cost reduced for Size (-70%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Saberclaw
171 points
The saberclaw is the dinosaur known as Deinonychus to real-life
paleontologists.
The smaller cousin of the daggerteeth listed above, saberclaws are
fearless, cunning predators who will kill and eat any other creature that
is not of their pack they come across. They stand four feet tall and are
six feet in length from snout to the tip of the tail. Their hands and feet
possess sharp talons, and their teeth are capable of ripping the flesh off
an ogre while the ogre is still alive.
Saberclaws get their name from their sharp talons on their fore
claws. Being bipedal, these reptiles are built for running. They don't
fear most other creatures, and utilize flanking and subterfuge to bring
down their prey. They have a fondness for tri-horn meat; when
hunting a tri-horn or most other creatures, for that matter one pack
member will challenge the tri-horn from the front, drawing its
attention, while the rest of the pack closes in from the lesser-protected
sides and rear.
ST: 15 [50] HP: 15 [0] Speed: 7.00 [0]
DX: 15 [100] Will: 11 [25] Move: 9/18 [10]
IQ: 6 [-80] Per: 14 [40]
HT: 13 [30] FP: 13 [0] SM: 0
Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 1
Bite (17): 1d+1 cut.
Foreclaw (17): 1d+1 imp/cut.
Rear Claw (15): 1d+2 imp/cut.
Tail Strike (17): 1d+2 cr.
Advantages: Claws (Talons) [8]; DR 1 (Cannot Wear Armor, -40%;
Flexible, -20%) [2]; Enhanced Move (Ground) 1 (Ground Move
1836 mph) [20]; Fearlessness 4 [8]; Striker (Crushing; Tail; Cannot
Parry, -40%; Limited Arc: Rear Hexes Only, -40%; Long, SM +1,
+100%; Weak, -50%) [4]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1].
Perks: Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Restricted Diet (Carnivore) [-10]; Wealth (Dead
Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 17; Jumping (E) DX [1] 15;
Running (A) HT+2 [8] 15; Tracking (A) Per+1 [4] 15.
Sabertooth
-35 points
Sabertooth cats are relatives of the lions that live in the Rochlad
plains, living in much the same manner with a single dominant male
and a number of females in the pack. Unlike lions, male sabertooth
cats don't possess manes the way lions do.
All sabertooth cats have extremely long fangs, intended for biting
into the necks of their prey as they take it down. Some sabertooths
have been known to become man-eaters, but those are few and very
far between.
ST: 17 [35]* HP: 17 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 12 [24] Will: 10 [35] Move: 8 [10]
IQ: 3 [-140] Per: 11 [40]
HT: 14 [40] FP: 14 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (14): 2d imp.
Foreclaw (14): 2d cut.
Rear Claw (12): 2d-1 cut.
Advantages: Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Striking ST 2 (Size, -10%) [9];
Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Temperature Tolerance 2 [2].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Restricted Diet (Carnivore) [-10]; Night Blindness
[-10]; Quadruped [-35]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal
[-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 14; Survival (Plains) (A) Per+2 [8]
13.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Sewer Slug
-321 points
In every town and city, trash and sewage builds up. Most of the
raw sewage is flushed by rainfall down into the cities' sewer systems,
where it begins to fester. The stench from this sewage would normally
make it impossible for people to actually live there for long.
Fortunately for city dwellers, the sewer systems of most cities and
the larger towns are inhabited by giant slugs which feed on raw
sewage. The origin of these creatures is lost to antiquity, but most
scholars agree that magic is responsible for their existence.
Sewer slugs appear to be giant snails which have lost their shells.
They have no internal skeleton, a pair of eyes on stalks, and slide
along on their stomachs. They are normally harmless, feeding on the
raw sewage every city generates. However, they are unable to tell the
difference between the dead and the sleeping; many an adventurer who
has fallen asleep exploring a city's sewer system has woken up to find
an arm or leg missing... or not woken up at all.
Sewer slugs are almost mindless, and are impossible to train
without the aid of magic (specifically, the Control Mollusks and Repel
Mollusks spells).
ST: 8 [-20] HP: 8 [0] Speed: 4 [0]
DX: 6 [-80] Will: 6 [25] Move: 4 [0]
IQ: 1 [-180] Per: 6 [25]
HT: 10 [0] FP: 10 [0] SM: -1
Dodge: 7 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Acid (6): 1d (10) cor.
Bite (6): 1d-4 cr.
Spines: 1d imp.
Advantages: Clinging [20]; Corrosion Attack 1d (Armor Divisor (10),
+200%; Melee Attack: Cannot Parry, -5%; Melee Attack: Reach C,
-30%) [27]; Injury Tolerance (No Head; No Neck) [12]; Long
Spines [3]; Slippery 5 [10]; Vibration Sense [10].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Unattractive) [-4]; Deafness [-20];
Invertebrate [-20]; No Legs (Slithers) [0]; No Manipulators [-50];
No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Social Stigma (Vermin) [-15];
Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Spiketail
-95 points
The spiketail is known as Stegosaurus to real-life paleontologists.
Spiketails are large, ornery creatures with two rows of bony plates
on its back for protection and four very large spikes on the tail. They
are not noted for their intelligence, being in fact extremely stupid
creatures even by reptile standards, unable to be trained except
through the use of magic. They inhabit the Umojan jungles and
forests, living off the leaves of deciduous trees, and are a favorite prey
of both the mohani tribes and daggerteeth.
ST: 38 [84]* HP: 38 [0] Speed: 5.25 [0]
DX: 10 [0] Will: 10 [40] Move: 4 [-5]
IQ: 2 [-160] Per: 10 [40]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +3
Dodge: 8 Parry: n/a DR: 4
Bite (10): 4d-9 cr.
Foreleg (10): 4d-4 cr.
Rear Kick (8): 4d-4 cr.
Tail Spikes (10): 4d+4 imp.
Advantages: Damage Resistance 4 (Cannot Wear Armor, -40%;
Flexible, -20%) [8]; Striker (Impaling, Tail; Cannot Parry, -40%;
Limited Arc, Rear, -40%; Long, +1 to SM, Maximum Reach Only,
+75%) [8].
Perks: Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (6) [-20]; Quadruped [-35]; Restricted
Diet (Herbivore; Very Common) [-10]; Weak Bite [-2]; Wealth
(Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Running (A) HT-1 [1] 10.
* Cost reduced for Size (-30%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Squirrel, Attack
-94 points
Larger than the typical red or gray squirrels found in the rest of the
world, attack squirrels are rodents domesticated as guard and attack
animals by the natives of Gemenohee. Attack squirrels average one
and a half to two feet long, with equally long tails, and weigh between
1.75 and 2.6 pounds. They have long, sharp claws enabling them to
climb and descend trees, thin branches, and even houses.
Related to the attack squirrel is the flying attack squirrel, a
domesticated flying squirrel.
ST: 4 [-60] HP: 4 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 14 [48]* Will: 10 [35] Move: 4 [-10]
IQ: 3 [-160] Per: 12 [45]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: -3
Dodge: 10 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (16): 1d-4 cut.
Claw (16): 1d-4 cut.
Advantages: Catfall [10]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Clinging [20];
Combat Reflexes [15]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; Parabolic
Hearing 2 [8]; Perfect Balance [15]; Super Climbing 1 [3]; Super
Jump 1 [10]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Curious (9) [-7]; Domestic Animal [-30]; Quadruped
[-35]; Short Lifespan -3 [-30]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 16; Climbing (A) DX+1 [4] 15;
Survival (Woodlands) (A) Per+1 [4] 13.
Features: Early Maturation [0].
Lenses:
Flying Attack Squirrel (+20): Add Flight (Gliding, -50%) [20].
* Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Strix
-131 points
The strix (plural stirges) is a small bird-like predator that feeds off
the blood of others, much like a mosquito does. While feared for this
vampiric ability a lone strix can kill an unarmored man in under a
minute, if left to gorge itself the strix is also known to be a carrier of
diseases, primarily rabies. They are distinguished from normal birds
by their long, needle-like beak, which is shaped much like a
woodpecker's, and their leathery bat-like wings.
As if this wasn't enough, these bloodsuckers invariably travel in
swarms of at least 20 members. Fortunately, as far as magic is
concerned they are treated exactly as if they were birds. Also
fortunately for most people, they are only active at night, sleeping
during the day in forest or jungle trees unless otherwise disturbed.
Some more macabre spellcasters have been known to keep stirges
as pets or familiars.
ST: 5 [-50] HP: 5 [0] Speed: 7.25 [0]
DX: 17 [140] Will: 10 [35] Ground Move: 1 [-30]
IQ: 3 [-140] Per: 10 [35] Air Move: 14 [0]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: -5
Dodge: 10 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (17): 1d-5 pi+, follow-up Leech 1 HP/sec.
Claws (17): 1d-4 cut/imp.
Wing (17): 1d-5 cr.
Advantages: Claws (Talons) [8]; Flight (Cannot Hover, -15%;
Winged, -25%) [24]; Leech (1 HP/sec) (Blood Agent, -40%) [15];
Night Vision 6 [6]; Perfect Balance [15]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1];
Telescopic Vision 2 [10]; Ultrahearing [5].
Perks: Carrier (Rabies) [1]; Feathers [1].
Disadvantages: Foot Manipulators (2 Arms) [-6]; Gregarious [-10];
No Fine Manipulators [-30]; Restricted Diet (Fresh Blood) [-10];
Short Lifespan -4 [-40]; Sleepy (Asleep 1/2 the time) [-8]; Social
Stigma (Monster) [-15]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal
[-30].
Quirks: Dislikes Goblin/Hobgoblin/Orc Blood [-1]; Dislikes the Smell
of Garlic [-1]; Nocturnal [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-1 [1] 16*; Brawling (E) DX+0 [1] 17;
Survival (Jungle, Swamplands, or Woodlands) (A) Per+1 [4] 11.
* Includes +1 from Perfect Balance.
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Thunderer
-72 points
The thunderer is known as Apatosaurus to real-life paleontologists,
and better known as the Brontosaurus to the public.
The thunderer is the largest land animal known to exist, weighing
in at an average of 30 tons and reaching more than 70 feet long from
snout to the tip of the tail. Their legs are thicker than an elephant's,
being compared in fiction to ancient tree trunks; their necks and tails
both resemble extremely long snakes, although the necks are much
more flexible than the tails.
Thunderers are often domesticated as cattle in Umojan nations; a
single thunderer can provide an entire village with enough meat to last
a large town or small city an entire month, provided the meat is
preserved properly.
ST: 72 [124]*HP: 72 [0] Speed: 5.00 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 9 [35] Move: 5 [0]
IQ: 2 [-160] Per: 11 [10]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +7
Dodge: 8 Parry: n/a DR: 4
Bite (9): 8d-15 cr.
Rear Kick (7): 8d-6 cr.
Stomp (9): 8d+1 cr.
Tail Strike (9): 8d+2 cr.
Advantages: Damage Resistance 4 (Tough Skin, -40%) [12]; Striker
(Crushing, Tail; Weak) [3].
Disadvantages: Quadruped [-35]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore; Very
Common) [-10]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Weak Bite
[-2]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Running (A) HT-1 [1] 10.
* Cost reduced for Size (-70%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Tri-Horn
-67 points
The tri-horn is known as Triceratops to real-life paleontologists
and dinosaur enthusiasts.
Herds of these ornery creatures roam the coastal plains and jungles
of Umoja, and the kobolds of Shakdran have managed to domesticate
them as mounts, draft animals, and cattle despite their inherent
stubbornness.
Tri-horns are the one megafauna animal in Umoja that are closest
to being mammals. While they still lay eggs, they nurse their young as
part of the herd.
ST: 47 [74]* HP: 47 [0] Speed: 5.75 [0]
DX: 12 [24] Will: 10 [30] Move: 5/10 [0]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 9 [25]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +4
Dodge: 8 Parry: n/a DR: 6/4
Bite (12): 5d+1 pi+.
Horns (12): 5d+7 imp.
Rear Kick (10): 5d-3 cr.
Stomp (12): 5d+1 cr.
Advantages: Damage Resistance 2 (Head and Neck Only, -20%) [8];
Damage Resistance 4 (Tough Skin, -40%) [12]; Enhanced Move
(Ground) 1 (Ground Move 10) [20]; Extra Legs (4 Legs) [5]; Strik-
er (Impaling, Horns; Cannot Parry, -40%; Limited Arc: Straight
Ahead, -40%) [2]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (9) [-15]; Bestial [-10]; Cannot Speak
[-15]; Chummy [-5]; Hidebound [-5]; Horizontal [-10]; No Fine
Manipulators [-30]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore; Very Common)
[-10]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Stubbornness [-5];
Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Skills: Running (A) HT-1 [1] 10.
* Cost reduced for Size (-40%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Unicorn
-2 points
Unicorns are beautiful white horses with a single bone horn
growing from its forehead. This horn is magical in nature, and is
sought after as a magical component for both the whitest healing
magic and the darkest necromantic magic. Unicorns can use the horn
to heal anyone's injuries at will.
Furthermore, unicorns have silvery blood. Drinking a unicorn's
blood can keep a person alive even if he is an inch from death, but this
comes at a terrible price: the person becomes addicted to the blood,
and suffers horribly if he misses a dose.
ST: 17 [35]* HP: 17 [0] Speed: 5.00 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 11 [35] Move: 8/16 [15]
IQ: 4 [-80] Per: 12 [40]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 8 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (12): 1d cr.
Foreleg Kick (12): 1d+2 cr.
Horn (12): 1d+4 imp.
Rear Kick (10): 1d+3 cr.
Advantages: Appearance (Beautiful; Impressive) [12]; Claws
(Hooves) [3]; Enhanced Move (Ground) 1 (Ground Move 16/32
mph) [20]; Healing (Injuries Only, -20%; Xenohealing: All Ranoc-
Native Life, +40%) [34]; Peripheral Vision [15]; Striker (Impaling,
Horn; Cannot Parry, -40%; Limited Arc: Straight Ahead, -40%)
[2].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Quadruped [-35]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore; Very
Common) [-10]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-10]; Weak Bite
[-2]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+3 [8] 12.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Angels and Demons
Angels and demons are supernatural entities that live on other
planes and take an interest in the mortal denizens of Ranoc. While
there are exceptions, entities classified as "angels" are generally
assumed to live among the Wandering Mountains and on Sylvania,
while "demons" are assumed to live on Dyval and Gloom Hollow.
Angels take additional damage from weapons made of darkmetal and
orichalcum, while demons are vulnerable to silver and holy water.
Because of a decree handed down by the gods and rigorously
enforced, angels and demons are restricted from interfering directly in
mortal affairs unless specifically asked, and then only when certain
rituals are observed, summoning them into a mortal's presense.
Angel
283 points
Angels are the most common denizens of the divine planes,
featuring in the religious texts of nearly every religion. Most take the
form of humans of either gender with large, white feathered wings,
although they can appear as winged versions of other races if they
choose. These wings are not required for an angel to fly; most angel
wings are actually too small to actually generate lift, and are merely an
affection used to signify their presence and nature.
Angels have an inhumanly powerful presence, and glow with a
light that will illuminate a small room. When they appear, and this is
admittedly rare, they are always armed with a hefty mace and medium
shield. These weapons may be magically altered, based on how
powerful their patron deity is. For instance, an angel in the service of
Yohvoh or Golma would be equipped with a mace with Accuracy
+3, Puissance +3, and Defending Weapon +3, and a shield with
Defending Shield +3, while an angel of Kenen may at best be
equipped with simply Fine-quality weapons.
Although most are emissaries of the gods, appearing as messengers
for the gods they serve, clerics and mages may occasionally attempt to
summon them. In all cases, the summoning of the angels is successful
when the angel wishes, not because of any skill on the part of the
summoner; they are more favorable when called by devout
worshippers of their deity. (Note: In game terms, this means that any
Gate College spells or Path of Planar Travels ritual which could be
used to summon them automatically fails if the caster is not a
worshipper of the pantheon or deity he is attempting to summon an
angel from.)
Angels are unable to appear in areas where their patron god does
not have at least some underground influence; the fewer worshippers
of their patron deity, the closer to their worshippers they must stay.
ST: 20 [100] HP: 20 [0] Speed: 7.50 [0]
DX: 15 [100] Will: 16 [0] Ground Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 14 [80] Per: 14 [0] Air Move: 15/30 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: 0
Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 0
Block: 11
Bite (15): 2d-2 cr.
Kick (13): 2d-1 cr.
Mace (16): 3d+5 cr (minimum).
Punch (15): 2d-2 cr.
Shield Bash (16): 2d-1 cr (minimum).
Advantages: Appearance (Transcendent) (Impressive, +0%) [20];
Blessed (Very Blessed) [20]; Charisma 3 [15]; Dark Vision [25];
Enhanced Move (Air) 1 (Air Move 30) [40]; Flight [40];
Hermaphromorph [5]; Patron (Deity) (Frequency: 6 or less, x1/2;
Minimal Intervention, -50%) [8]; Striker (Crushing; Wings) [5].
Perks: Honest Face [1]; Illumination [1]; Penetrating Voice [1];
Sanitized Metabolism [1].
Disadvantages: Charitable (6) [-30]; Dependency (Sanctity)
(Common; Constantly, 5) [-50]; Duty (to Deity) (Freq: 15 or less;
Involuntary) [-20]; Fanaticism (to Deity) (Extreme) [-15]; Fragile
(Unnatural) [-50]; Hidebound [-5]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm
Innocents) [-10]; Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Rare Material;
Wounding Modifier 4) [-20]; Vulnerability to Orichalcum (Rare
Material; Wounding Modifier, 2) [-10].
Skills: Axe/Mace (A) DX+1 [4] 16; Shield (E) DX+1 [2] 16.
Baalrog
975 points
Baalrogs are demon lords. They are the generals of Dyval, serving
the demon overlord Kakotatos.
Baalrogs stand a good fifteen feet tall and weigh nearly 3,500
pounds, with powerful builds, muscular arms and thick legs which end
in sharp talons, and an aura of hellfire surrounding them. In addition
to this, they have powerful, leathery wings stretching from their
shoulder-blades. When engaging in combat, most will wield a flaming
sword or flaming whip.
Highly intelligent and cunning, baalrogs often study the magical
arts, particularly Fire college spells (for which they have a natural
affinity). They are sadistic and cruel, fearing only their overlord,
although they can be quite charming when doing so would amuse
them. Many have ambitions beyond serving Kakotatos; the demon
lord Nadiv who conquered Ered-Dm was one such baalrog.
Occasionally, a baalrog will answer the summons of a cleric or
mage who is attempting to summon a lesser demon, especially if the
type of demon being summoned is not named. Due to their
indomitable wills, the baalrog cannot be enslaved when summoned.
The "summoned" baalrog will then convince the summoner that he is
under the summoner's control, until such time as he sees fit to turn the
tables and make the summoner his servant . . . or his next meal (while
Baalrogs don't need to eat, they still enjoy the taste of meat, cooked
and uncooked).
ST: 30 [160]* HP: 30 [0] Speed: 4.50 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 16 [10] Move: 6 [10]
IQ: 14 [80] Per: 14 [0]
HT: 9 [-10] FP: 14 [15] SM: +2
Dodge: 8 Parry: 10/9/7 DR: 10
Bite (12): 3d+2 cut.
Claw/Punch (12): 3d+5 cut/imp.
Flame Aura: 4d burn.
Kick (12): 3d+6 cut/imp.
Wing Strike (12): 3d+6 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 4d (Always On, -40%; Aura, +80%;
Elemental: Heat/Fire, -10%; Melee Attack: Cannot Parry, -5%;
Melee Attack: Reach C, -30%) [19]; Charisma 3 [15]; Claws (Long
Talons) [11]; Damage Resistance 10 (Flexible, -20%) [40]; Doesn't
Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't Sleep [20];
Empathy [15]; Enhanced Time Sense [45]; Hard to Kill 5 [10];
Hard to Subdue 5 [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30];
Indomitable [15]; Infravision [10]; Injury Tolerance (Damage
Reduction /5) (Limited: Heat/Fire, -40%) [75]; Magery 0 [5];
Magery 4 (One College Only: Fire, -40%] [24]; Magic Resistance
5 (Improved, +150%) [25]; Recovery [10]; Regeneration (Fast: 1
HP/min) [50]; See Invisible [15]; Social Regard (Feared) 4 [20];
Spirit Empathy [10]; Status 6 [30]; Striker (Crushing; Wings) [5];
Supernatural Durability [150]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1]; Temperture
Control 3 (Elemental: Heat/Fire, -10%; Heat Only, -50%) [6];
Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Terror (Will-5) [80]; Unaging
[15]; Unfazeable [15]; Very Fit [15]; Vibration Sense [10].
Perks: Fearsome Stare [1]; Ignition [1]; Illumination [1]; Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous) [-20]; Bad Smell
(Brimstone) [-10]; Bully (9) [-15]; Callous [-5]; Dependency
(Mana; Constantly) [-25]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Duty (to
Kakotatos or Deity) (9) [-5]; Ham-Fisted -1 [-5]; Megalomania
[-10]; Sadism (9) [-22]; Stubbornness [-5]; Vulnerability to Silver
(Wounding Modifier 2) [-10]; Weakness to Holy Water (1d per
30 minutes) [-5].
Skills: Acting (A) IQ+0 [2] 14; Brawling (E) DX+3 [8] 12;
Broadsword (A) DX+1 [4] 10; Hidden Lore (Demon Lore) (A)
IQ+1 [4] 15; Intimidation (A) Will+4 [4] 20; Leadership (A)
IQ+4 [4] 18; Thaumatology (VH) IQ+2 [2] 16#; Whip (A)
DX+1 [4] 10.
* Cost reduced for Size (-20%).
Includes +3 from Appearance. Conditional +3 from Charisma
when making Influence rolls. Conditional +1 from Callous when using
threats or torture.
Includes +3 from Charisma.
# Includes +4 from Magery.
Couatl
745 points
Also called "feathered serpents", couatl appear as the least
humanoid of all the angels. Couatl are serpentine beings with large,
multicolored feathered wings; most also have bright plumage coming
from their foreheads. Believed to be servants of some unknown deity
common to the reptilian races of Umoja, they possess incredible
telepathic and magical powers. Their voices are beautiful, and must
cast their spells by singing. Their innate telepathic abilities allow
them to read other's surface thoughts and appear to "speak" to folks; in
all cases, whoever the couatl may be in telepathic contact with will
hear the conversation in their own language.
When entering combat, couatls start by remaining towards the rear
of the fight and casting at a distance. Should circumstances force
them to enter melee range, they will wrap their bodies around their
opponents and constrict, and occasionally may bite, delivering a toxic
venom.
ST: 24 [56]* HP: 24 [0] Speed: 7.00 [0]
DX: 14 [80] Will: 14 [0] Ground Move: 5 [-10]
IQ: 14 [80] Per: 14 [0] Air Move: 15 [2]
HT: 14 [0] FP: 14 [0] SM: +2
Dodge: 11 Parry: 12 DR: 3
Bite (16): 2d+2 imp, follow-up 1d tox.
Lightning (spell) (14): 1d-1 burn per point of energy.
Tail Hit (16): 2d+2 cr.
Languages: Celestial (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Appearance (Transcendant)
(Impressive, +0%) [20]; Charisma 4 [20]; Combat Reflexes [15];
Constriction Attack [15]; Damage Resistance 3 (Can't Wear
Armor, -40%; Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10];
Double-Jointed [15]; Extra-Flexible Arm (1 Arm) [5]; Flight
(Winged, -25%) [30]; Healing (Faith Healing, +20%) [36]; Mind
Reading (Reflexive, +40%; Universal, +50%) [57]; Power
Investiture 2 (Song Aspected, -40%) [12]; High Pain Threshold
[10]; Long Arm (1 Arm) [10]; Regeneration (Fast: 1HP/min) [50];
Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Toxic Attack 1d (Cyclic: 6 cycles, 15 minutes
intervals, +150%; Follow-Up: Bite, +0%; Resistible: HT-5, -5%)
[10]; Telecommunications (Telesend) (Broadcast, +50%;
Universal, +50%) [60]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15]; Unkillable
3 [150]; Vibration Sense [10]; Voice [10].
Perks: Compact Frame [1]; Illumination [1]; Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Charitable (9) [-22]; Dependency (Mana, Very
Common; Constantly) [-25]; Duty (to Deity) (15) [-15]; No Fine
Manipulators [-30]; No Legs (Slithers) [0]; One Arm [-20];
Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Selfless (6) [-10];
Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Rare; Wounding Modifier 4) [-20];
Vulnerability to Orichalcum (Rare; Wounding Modifier 2) [-10].
Quirks: Broad-Minded [-1]; Congenial [-1]; Distinctive Features [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+1 [2] 15; Body Language (A) Per+0 [2]
14; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 16; Detect Lies (H) Per+0 [4] 14;
Diplomacy (H) IQ+2 [4] 16#; Exorcism (H) Will+2 [12] 16;
Flight (A) HT-1 [1] 13; Hidden Lore (Demon Lore) (A) IQ+1 [4]
15; Lip Reading (A) Per+0 [2] 14; Public Speaking (A) IQ+5
[1] 19#; Theology (Deity or Pantheon) (H) IQ+0 [4] 14;
Wrestling (A) DX+0 [2] 14.
Spells: Air Jet (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Analyze Magic (H) IQ+1 [2] 15;
Apportation (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Armor (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Awaken
(H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Beast Summoning (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Bless (H)
IQ+1 [2] 15; Block (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Borrow Language (H)
IQ+1 [2] 15; Curse (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Deflect Energy (H) IQ+1
[2] 15; Deflect Missile (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Detect Magic (H)
IQ+1 [2] 15; Extinguish Fire (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Haste (H) IQ+1
[2] 15; Ignite Fire (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Invisibility (H) IQ+1 [2]
15; Lightning (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Plane Shift (Home Plane) (VH)
IQ+1 [4] 15; Purify Air (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Reptile Control (H)
IQ+1 [2] 15; Remove Curse (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Sense Corruption
(H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Sense Evil (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Sense Foes (H)
IQ+1 [2] 15; Sense Purity (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Sense Spirit (H)
IQ+1 [2] 15; Shield (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Stun (H) IQ+1 [2] 15;
Transform Body (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Turn Zombie (H) IQ+1 [2]
15; Warmth (H) IQ+1 [2] 15; Water to Wine (H) IQ+1 [2] 15;
Windstorm (H) IQ+1 [2] 15.
* Cost reduced for Size (-20%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Includes +2 from 3D Spatial Sense.
# Includes +2 from Voice.
All spells include +2 from Power Investiture.
Demon
335 points
The generic demon is a 9 foot tall creature with red skin; sharp,
taloned hands; cloven hooves for feet; ram-like horns on the forehead;
and leathery, bat-like wings coming from the shoulder-blades. Most
demons are able to fire an explosive fireball from their hands, mentally
guiding it to its destination.
This is the most common type of demon to appear when a generic
demon is summoned to the mortal plane. When serving a mortal,
usually a sorcerer, they engage in all sorts of mischief that they can,
twisting their summoner's orders to fit their own malicious sense of
humor.
ST: 22 [108]* HP: 27 [9]* Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 13 [60] Will: 13 [15] Ground Move: 7 [5]
IQ: 10 [0] Per: 12 [10] Air Move: 15 [4]
HT: 13 [30] FP: 13 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 5
Bite (15): 2d+1 cut.
Fireball (15): 4d burn ex.
Head Butt (15): 2d+4 cr.
Kick (13): 2d+4 cr
Punch (15): 2d+1 cut/imp
Advantages: Burning Attack 4d (Blockable: Can Be Blocked With
Shield, -5%; Damage Modifier: Explosion, +50%; Guided, +50%;
Increased Range 2, +10%; Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%;
Magical, -10%) [40]; Claws (Hooves) [3]; Claws (Talons) [8];
Combat Reflexes [15]; Damage Resistance 5 (Flexible, -20%) [20];
Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity
to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind-Affecting Magic
[30]; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction /2) (Limited: Heat/Fire,
-40%) [30]; Magery 0 [5]; Night Vision 8 [8]; Regeneration
(Regular: 1 HP/hr) [25]; Striker (Crushing; Horns) (Cannot Parry,
-40%; Limited Arc: Straight Ahead, -40%) [1]; Teeth (Sharp
Teeth) [1]; Temperature Tolerance 5 [5]; Unaging [15].
Perks: Ignition [1].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous) [-20]; Bad Temper (12)
[-10]; Bloodlust (12) [-10]; Bully (12) [-10]; Callous [-5];
Compulsive Lying (12) [-15]; Dependency (Mana; Constantly)
[-25]; Duty (to Deity, Demon Lord, or Summoner; Involuntary)
[-15]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Overconfidence (9) [-7]; Sadism
(12) [-15]; Stubborness [-5]; Vulnerability to Silver (Damage
Modifier 4) [-20]; Weakness to Holy Water (1d per minute) [-20].
Quirks: Broad-Minded [-1].
Skills: Acting (A) IQ+2 [8] 12; Body Language (A) Per+1 [4] 13;
Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 15; Detect Lies (H) Per+0 [4] 12;
Diplomacy (H) IQ+0 [4] 10; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+1 [4] 11; Innate
Attack (Projectile) (E) DX+2 [4] 15; Intimidation (A) Will+2 [1]
15; Psychology (H) IQ+0 [4] 10; Wrestling (A) DX+2 [8]
15.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Includes +3 from Appearance.
Djinni
343 points
Ancient tales from the Vast Expanse Nomads tell that the gods
created the djinn (singular djinni) from the sands of the desert and the
fire of the sun. Djinn, also known as genies, are neither angels nor
demons, but straddle the line between the two. Individual djinn can be
good or evil, and are free to worship any deities they want.
The majority of djinn are bound to containers spread throughout
Ranoc. Legends tell of ancient oaths the djinn were tricked into
swearing, forcing them to serve the owners of their containers. Some
of these containers are simple wooden boxes. Others are objects of
metal, either plain or ornately decorated; the classic djinni exists in an
oil lamp. In all cases, the container is enchanted to be indestructible.
The truth is that the djinn are bound to be summoned through their
containers, but are not in any way forced to serve the containers'
owners.
As a race, djinn appear as intangible wisps of smoke. They are
able to take the form of any of the intelligent humanoid races,
including the reptilian races, as well as the forms of animals. Most
can fly at great speeds in their natural form, and a good number are
competent in the use of magic; indeed, all djinn are said to be capable
of magic, whether they practice it or not. Djinn are also capable of
possessing a humanoid host.
What follows below are the typical traits of a djinni. Individual
djinn will have other traits, particularly in skills and spells.
ST: 10 [0] HP: 10 [0] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 12 [40] Will: 15 [10] Ground Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 13 [60] Per: 13 [0] Air Move: 12 [0]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: 0
Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0
Bite (12): 1d-3 cr.
Kick (10): 1d-2 cr.
Punch (12): 1d-3 cr.
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Flight (Lighter Than Air,
-10%) [36]; Injury Tolerance (Diffuse) [100]; Insubstantiality
(Usually On, -40%) [48]; Magery 0 [5]; Morph (Cosmetic, -50%)
[50]; Possession (No Memory Access, -10%; Specialized: Sapients
Only, -30%) [60].
Disadvantages: Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Social Stigma (Valuable
Property) [-10]; Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Rare; Wounding Mod-
ifier 2) [-10]; Vulnerability to Orichlcum (Rare; Wounding Modi-
fier 2) [-10]; Vulnerability to Silver (Rare; Wounding Modifier
2) [-10].
Erinyes
508 points
Erinyes are demons who, some believe, were once angels. Their
appearance and disposition seems to bear out this theory; they have
large, black feathered wings and carry flaming swords, attacking their
enemies with a zeal that is rivaled only by the gods' most fervent
followers. Like the angels, the erinyes' wings are not necessary for
them to fly.
Legend holds that the erinyes were originally created by Ekchhar
to serve him before his fall from grace; when he rebelled against his
family, the erinyes were torn between their loyalty to him and their
noble intentions. Loyalty proved stronger, and the erinyes descended
into the lower planes to serve their creator.
Ryl's prophecies tell of a time when the erinyes will join, or
possibly rejoin, the host of angels, but she has been quite vague as to
when this will happen. Presumably it will happen should Ekchhar ever
redeem himself and return to the light.
When summoned, an erinyes is armed with a flaming bastard
sword, a medium shield, a bow enchanted to ignite its arrows on fire,
and a quiver of 20 arrows. They take pleasure in being mistaken for
the angels they are alleged to be descended from.
ST: 20 [100] HP: 20 [0] Speed: 7.50 [0]
DX: 15 [100] Will: 16 [10] Ground Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 14 [80] Per: 14 [0] Air Move: 15 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: 0
Dodge: 11 Parry: 12 DR: 4
Block: 12
Bite (15): 2d-2 cr.
Bow of Flaming (16): 2d imp, follow-up 2 burn.
Flaming Bastard Sword:
one-handed swing (16): 3d+4 cut.
one-handed thrust (16): 2d+2 imp.
two-handed swing (16): 3d+5 cut.
two-handed thrust (16): 2d+3 imp.
follow-up: +2 burn.
Kick (14): 2d+3 cut.
Punch (16): 2d+2 cut.
Shield Bash (17): 2d-1 cr.
Wing Strike (16): 2d+3 cr.
Advantages: Appearance (Beautiful) [12]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5];
Combat Reflexes [15]; Damage Resistance 4 (Tough Skin, -40%)
[12]; Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Empathy
[15]; Enhanced Move (Air) 1 (Air Move 30/60 mph) [20]; Flight
[40]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Infravision [10]; Night Vision 5
[5]; Regeneration (Regular: 1 HP/hr) [25]; See Invisible [15];
Signature Gear (Flaming Bastard Sword, Flaming Bow, and
Shield) [5]; Spirit Empathy [10]; Striker (Crushing; Wings)
(Cannot Parry, -40%; Weak, -50%) [1]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable
[15]; Voice [10].
Perks: Ignition [1]; Illumination [1].
Disadvantages: Bloodlust (12) [-10]; Code of Honor (Pirate's) [-5];
Dependency (Mana; Constantly) [-25]; Dread (Holy Symbols)
[-10]; Duty (to Deity or Demon Lord) (9) [-5]; Fragile (Unnatural)
[-50]; Vulnerability to Silver (Damage Modifier 4) [-20];
Weakness to Holy Water (1d per minute) [-20].
Quirks: Likes to be Mistaken for an Angel [-1].
Skills: Acting (A) IQ+0 [2] 14; Bow (A) DX+1 [4] 16;
Broadsword (A) DX+1 [4] 16; Detect Lies (H) Per+2 [2] 16*;
Fast-Draw (Arrow) (E) DX+2 [2] 17; Fast-Draw (Sword) (E)
DX+2 [2] 17; Judo (H) DX+0 [4] 15; Karate (H) DX+1 [8]
16; Shield (E) DX+2 [4] 17; Streetwise (A) IQ+1 [4] 15;
Tracking (A) Per+0 [2] 14; Two-Handed Sword (A) DX+1 [4]
16.
* Includes +3 from Empathy.
Includes +1 from Combat Reflexes.
Hellcat
135 points
Hellcats are the solitary hunters of Dyval, resembling large, black-
pelted lions. Like Hell Hounds (below), Hellcats are more animalistic
than most demons, operating on instinct and training rather than
intellect. When summoned to the mortal plane, hellcats must subsist
on the brains of living creatures; any brains will do, although they
prefer the brains of those they've personally slain.
ST: 19 [45]* HP: 19 [0] Speed: 7.00 [0]
DX: 14 [48] Will: 12 [30] Move: 7/14 [0]
IQ: 6 [-80] Per: 14 [40]
HT: 13 [30] FP: 13 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 11 Parry: n/a DR: 3
Bite (16): 2d cut.
Foreleg Claw (16): 2d cut.
Kick (14): 2d-1 cut.
Advantages: Acute Hearing 4 [8]; Acute Taste and Smell 4 [8];
Animal Empathy [5]; Catfall [10]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5];
Damage Resistance 3 (Tough Skin, -40%) [9]; Enhanced Move
(Ground) 1 (Move 14/28 mph) [20]; Enhanced Time Sense [45];
Night Vision 6 [6]; Parabolic Hearing 2 [8]; Perfect Balance [15];
Regeneration (Regular: 1 HP/hr) [25]; Silence 4 [20]; Speak With
Animals [25]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1]; Ultrahearing [5]; Unaging
[15]; Vibration Sense [10]; Walk on Liquid [15].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Compulsive Behavior (Feline Behaviors) [-5];
Dependency (Brain Matter; Daily) [-15]; Dependency (Mana;
Constantly) [-25]; Dread (Holy Symbols) [-10]; Fragile (Unnatural)
[-50]; Loner (9) [-7]; Quadruped [-35]; Sleepy (Asleep 1/2 the
time) [-8]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15]; Vulnerability to Silver
(Damage Multiplier 4) [-20]; Weakness to Holy Water (1d per
minute) [-20]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 16; Climbing (A) DX+0 [1] 14;
Jumping (E) DX+2 [4] 16; Running (A) HT+1 [4] 14; Stealth
(A) DX+1 [4] 15; Survival (select one) (A) Per+1 [4] 15;
Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] 13; Tracking (A) Per+1 [4] 15.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Includes +1 from Perfect Balance.
Hell Hound
20 points
Hell hounds are the demonic pets of the demonic planes. They are
savage creatures, delighting in killing and eating their enemies. Mortal
mages often summon them as guard animals or attack creatures.
Because of their demonic nature, they can be held at bay through the
wielding of holy symbols, and can be damaged by silver and holy
water.
Hell hounds appear as large, jet-black dogs with glowing red eyes,
extremely sharp teeth, sharp claws on all four legs, and sharp, bony
spines running along their backs. Most stand about 4 feet high at the
shoulder, are around 6 feet long from snout to hindquarters, and weigh
about 150-200 pounds of pure, demonic muscle.
ST: 15 [30]* HP: 15 [0] Speed: 7.00 [0]
DX: 14 [48]* Will: 4 [0] Move: 10 [15]
IQ: 4 [-120] Per: 14 [50]
HT: 14 [80] FP: 14 [0] SM: 0
Dodge: 13 Parry: n/a DR: 2
Bite (16): 1d+1 cut.
Foreleg Claw (16): 1d+1 cut.
Kick (14): 1d+1 cut.
Spines: 1d-2 imp.
Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Acute Hearing 2 [4]; Acute
Taste/Smell 3 [6]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Combat Reflexes [15];
DR 2 (Tough Skin, -40%) [6]; Discriminatory Smell [15];
Enhanced Dodge +2 [30]; Enhanced Move 1-1/2 (Ground Move
30) [30]; Fit [5]; Flexibility [5]; High Pain Threshold [10];
Regeneration (Regular) [25]; Short Spines [1]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth)
[1]; Ultrahearing [5]; Universal Digestion [5].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Chummy [-5]; Dread (Holy Symbols) [-10]; Fragile
(Unnatural) [-50]; Frightens Animals [-10]; Impulsiveness (6)
[-20]; Lifebane [-10]; Light Sleeper [-5]; Odious Racial Habit (Eats
Enemies) [-15]; Quadruped [-35]; Supernatural Feature (No Body
Heat) [-5]; Vulnerability to Silver (Damage Multiplier 4) [-20];
Weakness to Holy Water (1d per minute) [-10]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] - 16.
* Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Imp
195 points
Imps are small, winged demons who delight in tempting and
corrupting mortals to commit evil acts. Some wizards use them as
familiars, but even these have their own agendas which may or may
not coincide with the wizard's. Most stand about 18 inches tall, not
counting the tail which can be as long as they are, and weigh about
one and a half to two pounds. All imps have leathery wings that come
off their shoulder blades.
As a rule, imps are craven creatures, fleeing instead of fighting
whenever threatened. They can, if cornered, cast a wide array of
magics as well as breathe fire. Their hands and feet end in sharp
claws, they have sharp teeth, and their tails end in a sharp barb which
secretes an inflammatory poison.
Despite all this, where an imp reveals its demonic nature most is in
its social skills. All imps delight in tempting mortals to commit more
and more acts of evil, always justifying the mortals' actions to them
with phrases as, "do to them what they would do to you," or "if you
don't, they'll never respect you again." Imps even convincingly tell the
mortals they tempt that the acts the imps are urging are not evil, just
determined or dictated by circumstances.
ST: 3 [-70] HP: 3 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 14 [80] Will: 13 [0] Ground Move: 2 [-20]
IQ: 13 [60] Per: 13 [0] Air Move: 13 [0]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: -4
Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 0
Bite (14): 1d-6 cut.
Fire Breath (14): 2d burn (1 yd).
Kick (12): 1d-5 cut.
Punch (14): 1d-6 cut.
Tail (14): 1d-4 pi, follow-up poison 2d tox (Resist HT-5).
Languages: Infernal (Native) (Native Language) [0]; One Mortal
Language of Choice (Native) [6].
Advantages: Burning Attack (Fire Breath) 2d (Cone: 1 yd, +60%;
Increased 1/2D Range (5), +10%; Reduced Range (1/10), -30%;
Elemental: Heat/Fire, -10%; Magical, -10%) [12]; Catfall [10];
Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Doesn't Eat or
Drink [10]; Doesn't Sleep [20]; Empathy [15]; Flight (Winged,
-25%) [30]; Magery 3 [35]; Regeneration (Slow: 1 HP/12 hrs)
(Magical, -10%) [9]; Regrowth (Magical, -10%) [36]; Short Spines
[1]; Striker (Piercing; Tail) [5]; Talker 4
(p. MY108)
[20]; Teeth (Sharp
Teeth) [1]; Temperature Tolerance (Heat) 2 [2]; Toxic Attack 2d
(Follow-Up: Striker, +0%; Resistible (HT-5), -5%; Magical, -10%)
[7]; Unaging [15].
Disadvantages: Callous [-5]; Cowardice (6) [-20]; Dependency
(Mana) [-25]; Dread (Cannot Enter Consecrated Ground) [-10];
Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Greed (9) [-22]; Selfish (9) [-7]; Semi-
Upright [-5]; Vulnerability to Silver (Damage Multiplier 4) [-20];
Weakness to Holy Water (1d per minute) [-10].
Quirks: Delights in Tempting Mortals to Evil [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-1 [2] 13; Body Language (Human) (A)
Per+1 [4] 14; Brawling (E) DX+0 [1] 14; Current Events/TL4
(Headline News) (E) IQ+1 [2] 14; Detect Lies (H) Per+7 [4]
20*; Diplomacy (H) IQ+4 [4] 17; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+5 [4]
18; Flight (A) HT+0 [2] 12; Hidden Lore (Demon) (A) IQ-1 [1]
12; Innate Attack (Breath) (E) DX+0 [1] 14; Lip Reading (A)
IQ+1 [4] 14; Observation (A) Per+1 [4] 14; Occultism (A) IQ-1
[1] 12; Psychology (H) IQ+4 [4] 17; Shadowing (A) IQ+0 [2]
13; Stealth (A) DX+0 [2] 14; Thaumatology (VH) IQ+2 [4]
15.
Spells:
* Includes +3 from Empathy.
Includes +4 from Talker.
Includes +3 from Magery.
Incubus/Succubus
453 points
Incubi and succubae are demons who delight in seducing mortals.
They are actually the same type of demon, with the terms "incubus"
and "succubus" indicating whether the demon is male or female. The
demon is capable of transforming into a human(oid) of the same
gender, but will always reflect their demonic form. Their demonic
form has large, leathery wings, striking red skin, sharp claws on their
hands, cloven hooves for feet, and ram-like horns coming from their
foreheads.
When they exist in the mortal realm either because they were
summoned or because they're slumming it looking for the demonic
version of "a good time" incubi and succubae must subsist on the life
force of a mortal. While they need to do so in order to heal damage
taken daily by being in the mortal realm, most of them enjoy the
"taste" not to mention watching the chaos that occurs when it's
revealed there's an incubus or succubus prowling the town.
ST: 20 [100] HP: 20 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 12 [40] Will: 16 [15] Ground Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 13 [60] Per: 14 [5] Air Move: 13 [0]
HT: 14 [40] FP: 20 [18] SM: 0
Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 1
Bite (14): 2d cut.
Horns (14): 2d+3 cr.
Kick (12): 2d+3 cr.
Punch/Claw Swipe (14): 2d cut.
Languages: Infernal (Native) [0]; One Mortal Language of Choice
(Native) [6].
Advantages: Affliction 5 (Will-4; Based on Will (Target Roll), +20%;
Incapacitation: Ecstacy, +100%; Link, +10%; Melee Attack:
Cannot Parry, -5%; Melee Attack: Reach C, -30%) [98]; Alternate
Form (pick one humanoid form) (Cosmetic, -50%) [8]; Appearance
(Very Beautiful) [16]; Claws (Hooves) [3]; Claws (Sharp Claws)
[5]; Damage Resistance 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Doesn't Eat or
Drink [10]; Empathy [15]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; High Pain
Threshold [10]; Leech 3 (Link, +10%) [37]; Mind Control
(Accessibility: Opposite Gender Only, -20%; Emotion Control,
-50%; Link, +10%) [20]; Parabolic Hearing 1 [4]; See Invisible
[15]; Smooth Operator 3 [45]; Social Chameleon [5]; Striker
(Crushing; Horns) [5]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth [1]; Unaging [15]; Very
Fit [15]; Voice [10].
Perks: Extreme Sexual Dimorphism [1]; Honest Face [1]; Perfume
[1]; Sexy Pose [1].
Disadvantages: Callous [-5]; Dependency (Mana; Constantly) [-20];
Draining (Life Force, Common; Illegal) [-10]; Dread (Holy
Symbols) [-10]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Frightens Animals [-10];
Jealousy [-10]; Selfish (9) [-7]; Supernatural Features (Always
Reflects Demonic Form) [-10]; Vulnerability to Silver (Damage
Multiplier 4) [-20]; Weakness to Holy Water (1d/minute) [-20].
Skills: Acting (A) IQ+3 [2] 16*; Body Language (A) Per+0 [2] 14;
Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 14; Carousing (E) HT+3 [1] 17*;
Erotic Art (A) DX+3 [12] 15; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+4 [1] 17*;
Sex Appeal (A) HT+11 [1] 25*; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4] 13.
* Includes +3 from Smooth Operator.
Includes +2 from Voice.
Includes +6 from Appearance and +1 from Extreme Sexual
Dimorphism.
Lillend
640 points
Lillends are angels who appear as beautiful women (occasionally
men) with brightly-colored feathered wings and a serpentine tail in the
same colors instead of legs. When manifesting on Ranoc, they
commonly stretch 20 feet, and weigh 3,800 pounds. They do not need
sustenance the way humans do; food and drink mean little to them,
except as flavors to enjoy. Both when in flight and when on the
ground, they can use their powerful tails to slam and constrict their
opponents.
Lillends are famous for their love of the arts and of natural
wilderness.
ST: 31 [168]* HP: 31 [0] Speed: 6.25 [0]
DX: 13 [60] Will: 15 [10] Ground Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 13 [60] Per: 13 [0] Air Move: 12 [0]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: +2
Dodge: 10 Parry: DR: 5/15
Bite (15): 3d+3 cr.
Punch (15): 3d+3 cr.
Tail Slap (15): 3d+7 cr.
Advantages: Appearance (Transcendent) [20]; Charisma 2 [10];
Combat Reflexes [15]; Constriction Attack [15]; Damage
Resistance 5 (Flexible, -20%) [20]; Damage Resistance 10
(Flexible, -20%; Limited: Fire/Heat, -40%) [20]; Dark Vision [25];
Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Double-Jointed
[15]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; High Pain Threshold [10];
Patron (Deity) (Frequency: 6 or less, x1/2; Minimal Intervention,
-50%) [8]; Power Investiture 3 [30]; Regeneration (Regular:
3HP/hr) [25]; Regrowth [40]; Striker (Crushing; Tail) [5]; Unaging
[15]; Voice [10].
Perks: Scales [1].
Disadvantages: Charitable (12) [-15]; Dependency (Mana;
Constantly) [-25]; Duty (to Deity) (15) [-15]; No Legs (Slithers)
[0]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Vulnerability to
Darkmetal (Rare; Wounding Modifier 4) [-20]; Vulnerability to
Orichalcum (Rare; Wounding Modifier 2) [-10].
Quirks: Holds a Grudge for a Long Time [-1]; Likes the Arts [-1];
Prefers Unspoiled Wilderness Areas [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-1 [2] 12; Artist (one of choice) (H) IQ+1
[8] 14; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 15; Captivate (H) Will+0 [4]
15; Persuade (H) Will+0 [4] 15; Suggest (H) Will+0 [4] 15;
Musical Instrument (one of choice) (H) IQ+1 [8] 14; Poetry (A)
IQ+1 [4] 14; Public Speaking (A) IQ+3 [1] 16; Shortsword
(A) DX+1 [4] 14; Singing (E) HT+4 [4] 16; Theology (H) IQ-
1 [2] 12.
Spells#: Analyze Magic (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Apportation (H) IQ+2 [2]
15; Beast Speech (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Charm (H) IQ+2 [2] 15;
Complex Illusion (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Conussion (H) IQ+2 [2] 15;
Darkness (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Detect Magic (H) IQ+2 [2] 15;
Invisibility (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Light (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Minor
Healing (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Plant Speech (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Silver
Tongue (H) IQ+2 [2] 15; Total Paralysis (H) IQ+2 [2] 15.
* Cost reduced for Size (-0%).
Includes +2 from Charisma.
Includes +2 from Voice.
# All spells include +3 from Power Investiture.
Rakshasa
points
Rakshasas are tiger-headed humanoid demons whose hands appear
to be attached backwards; their palms are on the outside of the hands,
rather than the inside.
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Valkyrie
points
Valkyries are warrior angels who travel between the planes on
celestial pegasi. They are invariably female. Unlike other angels,
valkyries do not have wings.
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Dragons
Firedrake
Firedrakes are what most people think of when they think of
dragons. They are large, majestic creatures, highly intelligent, with
large wingspans, sharp claws on all four legs, and a scorching fire
breath.
Firedrakes are hatched from clutches of five to ten eggs. These
eggs are large, five feet tall and three feet wide at the widest. The eggs'
colors often indicate what color the hatchling's scales are going to be,
although this is not always the case. Common colors are blue, green,
brown, bronze, red, and gold, although white, silver, and more exotic
colors are occasionally encountered. There is no difference between
dragons of different colors.
Firedrakes are highly intelligent. Most hatch from their eggs with a
full knowledge of their racial history and able to speak, read, and write
Draconic and whatever the local language is.
Not all dragons are firedrakes. Dragons that breathe cold and ice,
lightning, and poison exist, sharing many of the same stats.
Hatchling
115 points
This is a newly-hatched firedrake, with little knowledge about the
world around them. These dragons are roughly man-sized, not
counting their tail, which can be as long as they are, with a 12 to 15
foot wingspan, and weigh about 150 to 200 pounds.
Hatchlings are notorious for getting into trouble, and for believing
themselves strong enough to get them out of it.
ST: 14 [40] HP: 14 [0] Speed: 5.50 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 10 [0] Ground Move: 4 [-5]
IQ: 10 [0] Per: 12 [10] Air Move: 11 [0]
HT: 13 [30] FP: 13 [0] SM: 0
Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 2
Bite (11): 1d imp.
Fire Breath (9): 2d burn (2 yd cone).
Foreclaw (11): 1d+1 cut/imp.
Kick (9): 1d+1 cut/imp.
Tail (11): 1d+2 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 2d (Cone, 2 yards, +70%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/5, -20%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [17]; Damage Resistance 2 [10];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Dragon [63]; Extended Lifespan 5
(32) [10]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night
Vision 1 [1]; Parabolic Hearing 1 [4]; Telescopic Vision 1 [5];
Temperature Tolerance 1 [1].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Personal) [-5]; Curious (9) [-7];
Greed (9) [-22]; Impulsiveness (9) [-15]; Overconfidence (9) [-7];
Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Damage Multiplier 2) [-10];
Xenophilia (9) [-15].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-2 [1] 7; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 11;
Dropping (A) DX-1 [1] 8; Flight (A) HT-1 [1] 12; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+0 [1] 9; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per-1
[1] 11.
Lenses:
Ice Drake (+ points): Replace the Burning Attack with the following:
Binding 7 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced Range 1/5,
-20%) [21]; Fatigue Attack 2d (Damage Modifier: Freezing
Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Jet: Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%; Jet:
Increased Range 2, +10%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra Time 1,
-10%) [27].
Lightning Drake ():
Poison Drake ():
Young
264 points
Young dragons are dragons who have lived about 20 years, and
have matured slightly. They are still overconfident and curious, but
their fleeting experience while growing has tempered these traits
somewhat. These dragons are slightly larger, being about 9 feet in
length from snout to hip with an 18 to 20 foot wingspan. They
generally weigh about 650 pounds.
At this age, a dragon may agree to be the mount for a rider, but he's
still not strong enough to carry a human-sized rider in full plate
comfortably for any period of time.
ST: 17 [63]* HP: 17 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 11 [20] Will: 11 [0] Ground Move: 5 [-5]
IQ: 11 [20] Per: 13 [10] Air Move: 13 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 3
Bite (13): 1d+2 imp.
Fire Breath (12): 3d burn (3 yd cone).
Foreclaw (13): 1d+3 cut/imp.
Kick (11): 1d+3 cut/imp.
Tail (13): 1d+4 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 3d (Cone, 3 yards, +80%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/2, -10%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [28]; Damage Resistance 3 [15];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Dragon [63]; Extended Lifespan 5
(32) [10]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night
Vision 2 [2]; Parabolic Hearing 2 [8]; Telescopic Vision 2 [10];
Temperature Tolerance 2 [2].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Personal) [-5]; Curious (12) [-5];
Greed (9) [-22]; Impulsiveness (12) [-10]; Overconfidence (12)
[-5]; Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Damage Multiplier 2) [-10];
Xenophilia (12) [-10].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-1 [2] 10; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 13;
Dropping (A) DX+0 [2] 11; Flight (A) HT+0 [2] 15; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+1 [2] 12; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per+0
[2] 13.
Lenses:
Ice Drake (+52 points): Replace the Burning Attack with the
following: Binding 10 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced
Range 1/2, -10%) [32]; Fatigue Attack 3d (Damage Modifier:
Freezing Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Jet: Increased Range 2, +10%;
Jet: Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra
Time 1, -10%) [50].
Lightning Drake (+ points):
Poison Drake (+ points):
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Adolescent
387 points
Adolescent dragons have lived 100 years, and have enough
experience with the world to further temper their curiosity and
impulsive natures. They average 12 feet long with a 25 foot wingspan,
weighing around 1,100 pounds.
Many dragons of this age are strong and powerful enough to bear
human-sized riders in plate armor, should they wish to. Many of the
dragons in the South Ford Aerial Cavalry are adolescents or young
adult dragons.
ST: 21 [88]* HP: 21 [0] Speed: 6.75 [0]
DX: 12 [40] Will: 12 [0] Ground Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 12 [40] Per: 14 [10] Air Move: 13 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: +2
Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 4
Bite (14): 2d+1 imp.
Fire Breath (14): 4d burn (4 yd cone).
Foreclaw (14): 2d+3 cut/imp.
Kick (12): 2d+2 cut/imp.
Tail (14): 2d+4 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 4d (Cone, 4 yards, +90%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/2, -10%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [39]; Damage Resistance 4 [20];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Dragon [63]; Extended Lifespan 5
(32) [10]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night
Vision 3 [3]; Parabolic Hearing 3 [12]; Telescopic Vision 3 [15];
Temperature Tolerance 3 [3].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Personal) [-5]; Curious (15) [-2];
Greed (9) [-22]; Impulsiveness (15) [-5]; Overconfidence (15) [-2];
Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Damage Multiplier 2) [-10];
Xenophilia (15) [-5].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+0 [4] 12; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 14;
Dropping (A) DX+1 [4] 13; Flight (A) HT+1 [4] 16; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+2 [4] 14; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per+1
[4] 15.
Lenses:
Ice Drake (+72 points): Replace the Burning Attack with the
following: Binding 14 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced
Range 1/2, -10%) [45]; Fatigue Attack 4d (Damage Modifier:
Freezing Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Jet: Increased Range 2, +10%;
Jet: Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra
Time 1, -10%) [66].
Lightning Drake (+ points):
Poison Drake (+ points):
* Cost reduced for Size (-20%).
Young Adult
505 points
Young adults have lived about 250 years. At this point, they are no
longer curious and impulsive, and have started creating their treasure
hordes. These dragons are about fifteen feet long from snout to hip,
with a 30 foot or more wingspan, weighing in at around 1,500 pounds.
ST: 23 [104]* HP: 23 [0] Speed: 7.00 [0]
DX: 13 [60] Will: 13 [0] Ground Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 13 [60] Per: 15 [10] Air Move: 14 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: +2
Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 5
Bite (16): 2d+2 imp.
Fire Breath (16): 5d burn (5 yd cone).
Foreclaw (16): 2d+4 cut/imp.
Kick (14): 2d+3 cut/imp.
Tail (16): 2d+5 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 5d (Cone, 5 yds, +100%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/2, -10%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [52]; Damage Resistance 5 [25];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Dragon [63]; Extended Lifespan 5
(32) [10]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night
Vision 4 [4]; Parabolic Hearing 4 [16]; Telescopic Vision 4 [20];
Temperature Tolerance 4 [4].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Personal) [-5]; Greed (9) [-22];
Miserliness (15) [-5]; Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Damage
Multiplier 2) [-10].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+1 [8] 14; Brawling (E) DX+3 [8] 16;
Dropping (A) DX+1 [8] 15; Flight (A) HT+2 [8] 17; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+3 [8] 16; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per+2
[8] 17.
Lenses:
Ice Drake (+89 points): Replace the Burning Attack with the
following: Binding 18 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced
Range 1/2, -10%) [58]; Fatigue Attack 5d (Damage Modifier:
Freezing Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Jet: Increased Range 2, +10%;
Jet: Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra
Time 1, -10%) [83].
Lightning Drake (+ points):
Poison Drake (+ points):
New Meta-Traits
All dragons have features in common, which can be lumped
together in one trait. Those who can assume dragon forms may
use this meta-trait as the basis for their Alternate Form.
Wyverns are slightly different from dragons, having a tail
which can do impaling damage in addition to crushing. Their
meta-trait is also listed below
Dragon
63 points
Claws (Long Talons) [11]; Flight (Cannot Hover, -15%;
Winged, -25%) [24]; Ham-Fisted 2 [-10]; Horizontal [-10];
Regeneration (Regular: 1 HP/hr) [25]; Scales [1]; Striker
(Crushing, Tail) [5]; Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Ultrahearing [5]; Vibration
Sense [10], and the Feature Oviparous (aka Egg-Layer) [0].
Wyvern
67 points
Claws (Long Talons) [11]; Flight (Cannot Hover, -15%;
Winged, -25%) [24]; Ham-Fisted 2 [-10]; Horizontal [-10];
Regeneration (Regular: 1 HP/hr) [25]; Scales [1]; Striker
(Crushing, Tail) (Alternative Attack, x1/5) [1]; Striker (Impaling,
Tail) [8]; Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Ultrahearing [5]; Vibration Sense
[10], and the Feature Oviparous (aka Egg-Layer) [0].
* Cost reduced for Size (-20%).
Adult
585 points
Adult dragonss have lived about 500 years, and are considered
fully mature among dragonkind. These dragons are about eighteen
feet long from snout to hip, with a wingspan of around 36 to 40 feet,
and weighing a ton.
At this point, the dragon starts to withdraw from the world. Most
adult dragons retreat into the mountainous regions, content to build
their hordes and not taking an interest in the matters of others unless
otherwise bothered.
ST: 25 [105]* HP: 25 [0] Speed: 7.25 [0]
DX: 14 [80] Will: 14 [0] Ground Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 14 [80] Per: 16 [10] Air Move: 14 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: +3
Dodge: 10 Parry: 12 DR: 6
Bite (18): 2d+3 imp.
Fire Breath (18): 6d burn (6 yd cone).
Foreclaw (18): 2d+5 cut/imp.
Kick (16): 2d+4 cut/imp.
Tail (18): 2d+6 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 6d (Cone, 6 yds, +110%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/2, -10%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [65]; Damage Resistance 6 [30];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Dragon [63]; Extended Lifespan 5
(32) [10]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night
Vision 5 [5]; Parabolic Hearing 5 [20]; Telescopic Vision 5 [25];
Temperature Tolerance 5 [5].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (15) [-5]; Code of Honor (Personal) [-5];
Greed (9) [-22]; Incurious (15) [-2]; Loner (15) [-2]; Miserliness
(12) [-10]; Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Damage Multiplier 2)
[-10].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+2 [12] 16; Brawling (E) DX+4 [12] 18;
Dropping (A) DX+3 [12] 17; Flight (A) HT+3 [12] 18; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+4 [12] 18; Survival (Mountain) (A)
Per+3 [12] 19.
Lenses:
Ice Drake (+102 points): Replace the Burning Attack with the
following: Binding 21 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced
Range 1/2, -10%) [68]; Fatigue Attack 6d (Damage Modifier:
Freezing Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Jet: Increased Range 2, +10%;
Jet: Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra
Time 1, -10%) [99].
Lightning Drake (+ points):
Poison Drake (+ points):
* Cost reduced for Size (-30%).
Old
664 points
These are dragons that have progressed to around 1,000 years old,
and are becoming tired and ornery as a result of the changes in the
world around them. Dragons of this age average 21 feet from snout to
hip, with an equally long tail, and weigh around 2,700 lbs.
ST: 28 [126]* HP: 28 [0] Speed: 7.25 [0]
DX: 14 [80] Will: 15 [0] Ground Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 15 [100] Per: 17 [10] Air Move: 14 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: +3
Dodge: 10 Parry: 12 DR: 7
Bite (19): 3d+1 imp.
Fire Breath (19): 7d burn (7 yd cone).
Foreclaw (19): 3d+4 cut/imp.
Kick (17): 3d+2 cut/imp.
Tail (19): 3d+5 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 7d (Cone, 7 yds, +120%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/2, -10%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [79]; Damage Resistance 7 [35];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Dragon [63]; Extended Lifespan 5
(32) [10]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night
Vision 6 [6]; Parabolic Hearing 6 [24]; Telescopic Vision 6 [30];
Temperature Tolerance 6 [6].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Code of Honor (Personal)
[-5]; Greed (9) [-22]; Incurious (12) [-5]; Loner (12) [-5];
Miserliness (9) [-15]; Vulnerability to Darkmetal (Damage
Multiplier 2) [-10].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+3 [16] 17; Brawling (E) DX+5 [16] 19;
Dropping (A) DX+4 [16] 18; Flight (A) HT+4 [16] 19; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+5 [16] 19; Survival (Mountain) (A)
Per+4 [16] 21.
Lenses:
Ice Drake (+117 points): Replace the Burning Attack with the
following: Binding 25 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced
Range 1/2, -10%) [80]; Fatigue Attack 7d (Damage Modifier:
Freezing Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Jet: Increased Range 2, +10%;
Jet: Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra
Time 1, -10%) [116].
Lightning Drake (+ points):
Poison Drake (+ points):
* Cost reduced for Size (-30%).
Ancient
727 points
Ancient dragons are those rare dragons who have survived for at
least two millennia. At this point, the dragon has in fact stopped aging,
spending weeks and months, if not years, in a slumber on top of the
treasure horde it has accumulated in between brief periods of activity.
These dragons average around 24 feet in length from snout to hip, with
a 50 foot wingspan, weighing around two tons.
ST: 32 [132]* HP: 32 [0] Speed: 7.25 [0]
DX: 14 [80] Will: 16 [0] Ground Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 16 [120] Per: 18 [10] Air Move: 14 [0]
HT: 15 [50] FP: 15 [0] SM: +4
Dodge: 10 Parry: 13 DR: 8
Bite (20): 3d+3 imp.
Fire Breath (20): 8d burn (8 yd cone).
Foreclaw (20): 3d+6 cut/imp.
Kick (18): 3d+4 cut/imp.
Tail (20): 3d+7 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 8d (Cone, 8 yds, +130%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/2, -10%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [94]; Damage Resistance 8 [40];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Dragon [63]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating
Membrane 1 [1]; Night Vision 7 [7]; Parabolic Hearing 7 [28];
Telescopic Vision 7 [35]; Temperature Tolerance 7 [7].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (9) [-15]; Code of Honor (Personal) [-5];
Greed (9) [-22]; Incurious (9) [-7]; Loner (9) [-7]; Miserliness (6)
[-20]; Sleepy (Asleep 3/4 of the Time) [-20]; Vulnerability to
Darkmetal (Damage Multiplier 2) [-10].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+4 [20] 18; Brawling (E) DX+6 [20] 20;
Dropping (A) DX+5 [20] 19; Flight (A) HT+5 [20] 20; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+6 [20] 20; Survival (Mountain) (A)
Per+5 [20] 23.
Lenses:
Ice Drake (+128 points): Replace the Burning Attack with the
following: Binding 28 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced
Range 1/2, -10%) [90]; Fatigue Attack 8d (Damage Modifier:
Freezing Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Jet: Increased Range 2, +10%;
Jet: Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra
Time 1, -10%) [132].
Lightning Drake (+ points):
Poison Drake (+ points):
* Cost reduced for Size (-40%).
Petty Drake
-13 points
Petty drakes are small creatures that resemble miniature firedrakes,
about three feet long from snout to tail tip when fully grown, with half
of that length being tail. They have playful personalities when around
their masters and people they know, and tend to be likened to
housecats in temperament, switching between demanding attention
and ignoring it in favor of something interesting that catches their eye.
Some wizards use them as familiars.
ST: 4 [-60] HP: 4 [0] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 12 [40] Will: 10 [25] Ground Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 5 [-100] Per: 12 [35] Air Move: 13 [0]
HT: 14 [40] FP: 14 [0] SM: -4
Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0
Bite (12): 1d-6 imp.
Fire Breath (12): 1d burn.
Foreclaw (12): 1d-5 cut/imp.
Kick (10): 1d-5 cut/imp.
Tail (12): 1d-4 cr.
Advantages: Burning Attack 1d (Increased 1/2D Range 2, +5%;
Reduced Range 1/10, -30%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [4];
Catfall [10]; Dragon [63]; Flexibility [5].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Selfish (6) [-10];
Stubbornness [-5]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-2 [1] 10; Brawling (E) DX+0 [1] 12;
Flight (A) HT-1 [1] 13; Innate Attack (Breath) (E) DX+0 [1]
12; Survival (Mountain, Prairie, Swamplands, or Woodlands) (A)
Per-1 [1] 11.
Lenses:
Cold Breath (+21 points): Replace the Burning Attack with the
following: Binding 4 (Engulfing, +60%; Link, +10%; Reduced
Range 1/2, -10%) [13]; Fatigue Attack 1d (Damage Modifier:
Freezing Hazard, +20%; Jet, +0%; Reduced 1/2D Range 1/2,
-5%; Link, +10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [12].
Lightning Breath (+ points):
Poison Breath (+ points):
Wyvern
Unlike the firedrakes, wyverns do not possess forelegs; instead,
they have sharp claws halfway up their wings, much like bats do. In
addition, they possess a nasty spike on the end of their tail, which they
can use to impale their foes.
Wyverns are smaller and not as intelligent as their firedrake
cousins. Complicating matters is that wyverns tend to lack the sense
of honor most firedrakes have, and will not hesitate to break their
word. Fortunately, they are even more vulnerable to darkmetal
weapons than firedrakes, and lack an innate talent for magic.
Hatchling
40 points
Wyvern hatchlings are around three feet long, with an equally long
tail, with wingspans of 6 to 7 feet.
ST: 10 [0] HP: 12 [0] Speed: 5.50 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 8 [0] Ground Move: 4 [-5]
IQ: 8 [-20] Per: 10 [10] Air Move: 11 [0]
HT: 13 [30] FP: 13 [0] SM: -2
Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 2
Bite (11): imp.
Fire Breath (9): 1d burn (1 yd cone).
Foreclaw (11): cut/imp.
Kick (9): cut/imp.
Tail Slap (11): cr.
Tail Stab (11): imp.
Advantages: Burning Attack 1d (Cone, 2 yards, +60%; Increased 1/2D
Range 10, +15%; Reduced Range 1/5, -20%; Selectivity (Cone),
+10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [8]; Damage Resistance 1 [5];
Discriminatory Smell [15]; Extended Lifespan 5 (32) [10];
Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night Vision 1 [1]; Parabolic Hearing
1 [4]; Telescopic Vision 1 [5]; Temperature Tolerance 1 [1];
Wyvern [67].
Disadvantages: Curious (9) [-7]; Greed (9) [-22]; Impulsiveness (9)
[-15]; Overconfidence (9) [-7]; Vulnerability to Darkmetal
(Damage Multiplier 3) [-15]; Xenophilia (9) [-15].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-2 [1] 7; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] 11;
Dropping (A) DX-1 [1] 8; Flight (A) HT-1 [1] 12; Innate
Attack (Breath) (E) DX+0 [1] 9; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per-1
[1] 9.
Young
points
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Ground Move: []
IQ: [] Per: [] Air Move: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Bite (): imp.
Fire Breath (): burn (yd cone).
Foreclaw (): cut/imp.
Kick (): cut/imp.
Tail (): cr.
Advantages: Wyvern [67];
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Adolescent
points
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Ground Move: []
IQ: [] Per: [] Air Move: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Bite (): imp.
Fire Breath (): burn (yd cone).
Foreclaw (): cut/imp.
Kick (): cut/imp.
Tail (): cr.
Advantages: Wyvern [67];
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Young Adult
points
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Ground Move: []
IQ: [] Per: [] Air Move: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Bite (): imp.
Fire Breath (): burn (yd cone).
Foreclaw (): cut/imp.
Kick (): cut/imp.
Tail (): cr.
Advantages: Wyvern [67];
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Adult
points
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Ground Move: []
IQ: [] Per: [] Air Move: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Bite (): imp.
Fire Breath (): burn (yd cone).
Foreclaw (): cut/imp.
Kick (): cut/imp.
Tail (): cr.
Advantages: Wyvern [67];
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Old
points
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Ground Move: []
IQ: [] Per: [] Air Move: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Bite (): imp.
Fire Breath (): burn (yd cone).
Foreclaw (): cut/imp.
Kick (): cut/imp.
Tail (): cr.
Advantages: Wyvern [67];
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Ancient
points
ST: [] HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Ground Move: []
IQ: [] Per: [] Air Move: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Bite (): imp.
Fire Breath (): burn (yd cone).
Foreclaw (): cut/imp.
Kick (): cut/imp.
Tail (): cr.
Advantages: Wyvern [67];
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Elementals
What are described below are the physical forms taken by the
elemental spirits when summoned via the use of Summon Elemental
spells at the minimum energy cost of 4 (or the Summon Elemental
ritual). More energy put into the spell summons a more powerful
elemental. Usually, this simply means a larger elemental; 1 point of
energy is equal to 1 additional point of ST, 5 HP, 2 points of DR, or
any 10-point advantage. However, the GM may choose to build a
more exotic elemental, adding unusual trait to the following template
or working one up from scratch.
When interacting with elementals that have not taken corporeal
form, use the Spirit meta-trait along with the IQ, Will, and Per scores
of the appropriate elemental.
Air Elemental
points
Air elementals appear as small cyclones or tornados, hovering
about several inches off the ground.
ST: 6 [-40] HP: 8 [4] Speed: 4.00 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 8 [0] Air Move: 8 [0]
IQ: 8 [-40] Per: 8 [0]
HT: 7 [-30] FP: 7 [0] SM: -1
Dodge: 7 Parry: 7 DR: 0
Advantages: Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't
Sleep [20]; Flight (Lighter Than Air, -10%) [36]; Immunity to
Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Diffuse) [100].
Disadvantages: No Fine Manipulators [-30]; No Legs (Aerial) [0];
Vulnerability (Vacuum and Wind-Based Attacks, x2) [-20].
Quirks:
Skills:
Earth Elemental
points
Earth elementals appear as humanoids made out of stone or clay.
ST: 11 [10] HP: 11 [0] Speed: 4.50 [0]
DX: 8 [-40] Will: 6 [0] Move: 4 [0]
IQ: 6 [-80] Per: 6 [0]
HT: 10 [0] FP: 10 [0] SM: -1
Dodge: 7 Parry: n/a DR: 2
Advantages: Damage Resistance 2 [10]; Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't
Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't Sleep [20]; Immunity to Metabolic
Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous) [40]; Pressure
Support 3 [15]; Vacuum Support [5].
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Elemental Imp
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Lenses:
Air Elemental Imp (+ points):
Earth Elemental Imp (+ points):
Fire Elemental Imp (+ points):
Ice Elemental Imp (+ points):
Lava Elemental Imp (+ points):
Lightning Elemental Imp (+ points):
Metal Elemental Imp (+ points):
Mud Elemental Imp (+ points):
Slime Elemental Imp (+ points):
Water Elemental Imp (+ points):
Wood Elemental Imp (+ points):
Fire Elemental
points
ST: 8 [-20] HP: 10 [4] Speed: 4.00 [0]
DX: 9 [-20] Will: 8 [0] Move: 4 [0]
IQ: 8 [-40] Per: 8 [0]
HT: 7 [-30] FP: 7 [0] SM: -1
Dodge: 7 Parry: n/a DR: 10
Fire Aura: 2d burn.
Advantages: Burning Attack 2d (Always On, -40%; Aura, +80%;
Melee Attack, Range C, -30%) [11]; Charisma 1 [5]; Damage
Resistance 10 (Limited: Heat/Fire, -40%) [30]; Doesn't Breathe
(Oxygen Combustion, -50%) [10]; Doesn't Eat or Drink[10];
Doesn't Sleep [20]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury
Tolerance (Diffuse) [100].
Disadvantages: No Fine Manipulators [-30]; Weakness (Water,
1d/min) [-40].
Quirks:
Skills:
Ice Elemental
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Lava Elemental
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Lightning Elemental
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Metal Elemental
points
ST: 11 [10] HP: 11 [0] Speed: 4.50 [0]
DX: 8 [-40] Will: 6 [0] Move: 4 [0]
IQ: 6 [-80] Per: 6 [0]
HT: 10 [0] FP: 10 [0] SM: -1
Dodge: 7 Parry: n/a DR: 6
Advantages: Damage Resistance 6 [30]; Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't
Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't Sleep [20]; Immunity to Metabolic
Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous) [40]; Pressure
Support 3 [15]; Vacuum Support [5].
Disadvantages: Dread: Large bodies of water [-10]; Ham-Fisted [-10].
Quirks:
Skills:
Mud Elemental
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Slime Elemental
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Water Elemental
points
ST: 7 [-30] HP: 7 [0] Speed: 4.00 [0]
DX: 8 [-40] Will: 7 [0] Move: 0 [0]
IQ: 7 [-60] Per: 7 [0]
HT: 8 [-20] FP: 8 [0] SM: -1
Dodge: 7 Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages: Amphibious [10]; Chameleon 1 [5]; Doesn't Breathe
[20]; Doesn't Sleep [20]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30];
Injury Tolerance (Diffuse) [100]; Pressure Support 3 [15]; Slippery
5 [10].
Disadvantages: Invertebrate [-10]l; Vulnerability (Dehydration) [-10].
Quirks:
Skills:
Wood Elemental
points
ST: 11 [10] HP: 11 [0] Speed: 4.50 [0]
DX: 8 [-40] Will: 6 [0] Move: 4 [0]
IQ: 6 [-80] Per: 6 [0]
HT: 10 [0] FP: 10 [0] SM: -1
Dodge: 7 Parry: n/a DR: 2
Advantages: Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't
Sleep [20]; DR 2 [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury
Tolerance (Homogenous) [40]; Plant Empathy [5]; Pressure
Support 3 [15]; Vacuum Support [5].
Disadvantages: Fragile (Combustible) [-5].
Quirks:
Skills:
Faerie Folk
Brownie
points
Brownies are similar to the faeries, but are wilder and lack wings.
They generally stand about three to four inches tall, have dark skin,
and often wear clothing made of rodent hides. Most also paint their
faces using natural dyes made from various plants.
Unlike other fae, which are strict vegetarians (if they eat at all),
brownies are omnivores, hunting squirrels, field mice, and other small
game. Some tribes train hawks and owls as mounts.
ST: 1 [-90] HP: 10 [18] Speed: 5.50 [0]
DX: 12 [40] Will: 10 [0] Move: 1 [-20]
IQ: 10 [0] Per: 10 [0]
HT: 10 [0] FP: 10 [0] SM: -8
Dodge: 8 Parry: DR: 0
Advantages: Regeneration (Normal, 1 HP/hr) [25]; Unaging [15].
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Franjean: They're too fast. We will have to track them.
Rool: That'd take forever! Besides, even if we catch up to them, they'll
capture us, torture us, cook us, and then finally devour us!
Franjean: Are you suggesting we go home?
Rool: Nah. This is more fun!
Willow
Dryad
points
Dryads are spirits that are bound to either individual trees or entire
groves of trees. Some scholars believe them to be the living
embodiments of the tree's life force.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Faerie
points
Faeries are what most people think about whenever the topic of fae
comes up. They are a carefree people, fair skinned with brilliant
shades of hair ranging from platinum blond to flame red. They have
large, butterfly-like wings and drift lazily along air currents on a
whim.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Faun
points
Fauns, also known in some circles as satyrs, are forest spirits who
resemble humanoids with the hind legs and horns of a goat.
Fauns have three great passions: good food, good music, and
romance; not necessarily in that order. Most fauns are masters of flutes
and pan pipes, creating beautiful music which some critics feel lacks
the finesse of a human or elf musician but which affects listeners on a
more primal level. They are also decent cooks, and have a definite
sweet tooth.
Fauns have a not entirely undeserved reputation for lechery; if
anything, the females are more amorous than the males. A faun will
attempt to seduce anyone of any race they find attractive. They are
often seen chasing nymphs, dryads, and naiads, but may attach
themselves to a trader caravan if they take a fancy to anyone in it.
Contrary to popular opinion, a faun will not force him- or herself on
anyone, preferring to seduce their would-be partners, usually though
their music.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Nymph
points
Nymphs are spirits that inhabit places of water, be they rivers,
lakes, or the larger seas. While the lake spirits are often called naiads,
and the sea spirits nereids, the terms simply indicate where those
nymphs live.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Pixie
55 points
Pixies resemble faeries at first glance. However, pixies have wings
resembling those of flies, wasps, or hornets. They fly much faster than
their kin, and have a not undeserved reputation for jealousy and bad
tempers. They are also known for their flighty natures. It is said that a
pixie will betray their best friend in a jealous fit to his worst enemy,
and then in remorse turn around and aid him against that same enemy.
ST: 1 [-90] HP: 10 [18] Speed: 6.50 [0]
DX: 14 [80] Will: 10 [0] Ground Move: 1 [-25]
IQ: 10 [0] Per: 12 [10] Air Move: 13 [0]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 10 [-6] SM: -6
Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 0
Advantages: Appearance (Very Beautiful) [16]; Enhanced Move (Air)
1 (Air Move 26) [20]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; Voice [10].
Perks: Penetrating Voice [1].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (9) [-15]; Impulsiveness (9) [-15];
Jealousy [-10]; Short Attention Span [-10].
Quirks: Selfish [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (A) DX [2] 14; Bow (A) DX [2] 14; Dancing
(A) DX [2] 14; Flight (A) HT [2] 12; Rapier (A) DX [2] 14;
Singing (A) HT+2 [4] 16*; Stealth (A) DX+2 [8] 16.
* Includes +2 from Voice.
Giants
Cyclops
points
Ancient giants, cyclopes (singular: cyclops) are expert craftsmen,
rivaling the dwarves in their ability to create weapons, armor, and
magical items.
Cyclopes have one eye, proportionately larger than normal,
centered in their skull above the nose. Most, even the women, shave
their heads except for a single knot of hair that is often pulled into a
ponytail.
Legend tells that the first cyclops sold his second eye to an
unspecified god in exchange for the ability to see into the future.
However, while the god fulfilled his part of the deal, there was a limit
on the events the cyclops could see; a cyclops can only see the time
and circumstances of his or her own death.
Cyclopes stand an average of 20 feet tall, weigh around a ton and a
half, and are powerfully built. They are extremely long-lived, with the
oldest known cyclopes having lived around two millennia.
Because of their immense size, cyclopes require enormous
amounts of food. While many trade their services and goods for food,
some have taken to raising herds of elephants and other massive
herbivores the same way humans and their kind raise cattle.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Desert Giant
points
The desert giants of the Vast Expanse live in scattered oasis
settlements and among the nomads that make the desert their home.
They tend to be slimmer and smaller than most other giants; the
average desert giant stands around 15 feet tall. They have traits that
make them better suited to their desert homes: much like camels, they
are able to survive for extended periods of time on little food and
water.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Fire Giant
points
Fire giants are a physically powerful race of giants who live in the
volcanic Barrier Mountain range. They are master craftsmen, almost
rivaling the cyclopes. However, they are also more aggressive than
most other giants, with a natural cunning that makes them dangerous
to nearly everyone else.
Fire giants stand an average of 25 ft. tall.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Fomorian
points
Fomorians are similar to cyclopes in that they have one eye; unlike
a cyclops, a fomorian is born with two of them. As they mature, the
skin of the fomorian's eyes grows down over the non-dominant eye
typically the left eye eventually eliminating the eye altogether. They
tend to be larger overall than their cyclopes cousins, averaging 25 feet
tall and weighing around three tons.
Fomorians are aggressive and powerful, but not that well
organized; nor are they generally very bright.
Psychology
Fomorians generally think linearly: "I see, I want, I take." Their
first, and often only, response to obstructions is to demolish, not
caring about more civilized notions as the concept of personal
property.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Forest Giant
points
Forest giants are among the smallest of the true giants, generally
standing a mere 15 feet tall.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Frost Giant
points
Frost giants are a race of giants inhabiting the cold tundra wastes of
the Northern Frontier. They are rarely seen south of Occam's Wall or
the Northern Mountains due to their inability to survive in warmer
climates.
Frost giants stand between 18 and 20 feet tall, with white or blond
hair, piercing blue eyes, shaggy white beards, and are commonly
dressed in fur clothes made from polar bear hides.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Stone Giant
points
Stone giants are giants who dwell in the southern reaches of the
Wyrmspire Mountains. They are a civilized folk, preferring to
maintain peaceful relations with their neighbors than wage war.
Stone giants are among the largest of the true giants, standing
around 35 to 40 feet tall. They have a stone-like complexion and are
able to transform themselves into beings of stone for a short time.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Troll
points
The smallest of the true giants, trolls are large, hunchbacked
humanoids with extra-long arms whose knuckles tend to drag on the
ground. If it wasn't for their lack of hair, trolls could almost be
mistaken for super-large gorillas.
The average troll stands 10 feet tall and weighs around 1,500
pounds. Despite their lack of height, relatively speaking, trolls are
much stronger on average than their slightly larger cousins, the desert
and forest giants. Their skin isn't as strong as most other giants, but
they do heal a lot faster. Trolls can live twice as long as humans, on
average, but because of their violent tendencies many rarely live
longer than a century.
Trolls are not bright creatures. Most tend to think with their fists; if
they can't solve a problem by smashing something, they won't realize
it. Despite their low intelligence, they aren't lacking in willpower, nor
are their senses dulled. They may not understand what they sense, but
they don't let that stop them from hitting it.
Trolls also tend to think with their stomachs; they are always
hungry and on the lookout for food. Unfortunately for most civilized
folk, trolls are not picky about what counts as "food".
Nothing fazes a troll; they are rarely surprised at anything that
happens. Most civilized folk believe they are too stupid to realize that
something unusual is going on.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Golems and Clockworks
The creatures listed below are all constructs, usually given self-
awareness via magic through binding a minor spirit to it. Some
mages, however, have come up with an alternative method which
commonly is implemented on the clockwork models. These wizards
use what they call a "control box", a small cube consisting of dozens
of smaller pieces supporting hundreds of interlocking spells, to allow
their constructs to operate without the "necromantic shortcut" used on
the more traditional golems.
Clay Golem
points
This is the basic golem, formed from a single lump of clay into a
humanoid frame, partially baked in a kiln, and given the semblance of
life via magic.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Clockwork Cat
points
One of the newer golems to come out of Rinkasae, this is a large
feline clockwork, similar in many respects to the tigers of the
Rochladastacht plains. In a stroke of irony, these clockworks are often
granted a greater degree of independence than other such golems; they
can be trained to follow commands, but most are used by wizards and
various organizations as guard "animals".
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR: 0
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Clockwork Dragon
points
A true engineering masterpiece, this is a dragon made of metal!
The clockwork dragon debuted several years ago in the Gor Ansar city
of Tal Ador as part of an arena spectacle. The wizards and sorcerers
who came up with these have claimed to have transplanted the minds
and spirits of actual dragons into the golems in order to make them
more like their draconic cousins.
This claim may actually be true, as more than one of the clockwork
dragons escaped captivity and exhibited draconic behavior; most of
those that escaped fled into the mountains. One has reportedly even
begun building a horde of gold.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Clockwork Golem
points
This is a golem built along a humanoid frame and given mobility
through its clockwork internals rather than formed from solid metal
like its iron golem cousin.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Clockwork Hawk
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Clockwork Python
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Homonculus
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Iron Golem
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Mechanobeetle
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Mechanospider
points
A mechanospider is a common magical clockwork device usually
found as either a 'pet' or guard 'animal' in the Caere region. About the
size of a dog, the mechanospider is powered by a coilspring that has to
be wound by use of a key every day.
As its name implies, a mechanospider has eight legs, four on each
side of a wide body, with a set of pincers where its "mouth" would
normally be. The inside is a mixture of clockwork mechanisms which
move the legs, head, and pincers.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Stone Golem
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Monsters
Most of the ancient monsters spoken of in ancient tales no longer
exist on Ranoc, having been eradicated ages ago by the ancient heroes.
A few monsters, however, still roam the lands.
All monsters have various traits that separate them from the
animals. First, all monsters have at least one inherently magical trait.
Second, nearly every monster is a malevolent creature, with intent to
do harm to either a specific mortal or to mortals in general. Third,
monsters, with very few exceptions, are intelligent; a good number of
monsters are more intelligent than most mortals.
Thankfully, monsters are few and far between.
Basilisk
518 points
A basilisk is a poisonous snake which can live almost indefinitely,
growing larger with every passing year. The largest have grown to be
over 200 feet long; however, most are encountered before they reach 9
feet in length. (The stats below reflect the more common 9 foot long
basilisk.) Even so, the primary danger of a basilisk comes not from its
poison, which can kill an ogre in minutes, but from its gaze. When a
basilisk's gaze connects with another being's, the gaze can kill in an
instant; those who make eye contact with a basilisk via a reflective
surface do not die, but are petrified. This petrification is permanent
unless the subject is treated with an alchemical elixir made specifically
from freshly-harvested mandrake roots, among other ingredients.
Basilisks are uncommon on Aedes, although they are occasionally
encountered on the Allira'el and Umoja continents.
ST: 17 [35]* HP: 18 [2] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 12 [24] Will: 10 [20] Move: 6 [0]
IQ: 6 [-80] Per: 10 [20]
HT: 12 [20] FP: 12 [0] SM: +1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 2
Bite (12): 1d imp, follow-up 3d tox (6 cycles, 10 seconds each;
resistable HT-5).
Gaze (12): HT-5 aff.
Advantages: Affliction 6 (HT-5; Heart Attack, +300%; Incapacitation:
Paralysis, +150%; Extended Duration: Permanent (can be
dispelled), +150%; Malediction: Speed/Range Table, +150%;
Accessibility: Must Make Eye Contact, -10%; Sense-Based:
Vision, -20%; Switchable (Heart Attack or Incapacitation), +10%)
[498]; Damage Resistance 2 (Cannot Wear Armor, -40%; Flexible,
-20%) [4]; Extended Lifespan 4 [8]; High Pain Threshold [10];
Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Toxic Attack 3d (Cyclic, 10 seconds, 6 cycles,
Resistible, +125%; Follow-Up: Fangs, +0%; Resistible, HT-5,
-5%) [27].
Disadvantages: Cold-Blooded (Freeze up below 50) [-5];
Colorblindness [-10]; Vermiform [-35]; Wild Animal [-30].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1] 12; Innate Attack (Gaze) (E) DX [1]
12; Wrestling (A) DX [2] 12.
* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Catoblepas
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Cerastes
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Chimera
239 points
A chimera is a fearsome creature, highly intelligent, with the
hindquarters of a large goat, the forequarters of a lion, the wings of a
dragon, and three heads: a horned goat's, a dragon's, and a lion's.
Which head is in charge is usually dependent on which one is in the
center; the arrangement of the heads vary from chimera to chimera.
The dragon head is capable of firing a blast of fire. In addition, the
creature will not die unless either the heart is pierced or all three heads
are severed. Should one or even two of the heads get severed the
chimera will eventually regenerate them.
As said before, chimeras are highly intelligent. If faced with the
possibility of defeat, most will attempt to flee, usually flying into the
air, preferring to retreat until it can recover from its wounds. An
injured chimera will return to enact vengeance.
ST: 24 [56]* HP: 24 [0] Speed: 7.00 [0]
DX: 14 [48] Will: 12 [0] Ground Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 12 [40] Per: 12 [0] Air Move: 14 [0]
HT: 14 [40] FP: 14 [0] SM: +2
Dodge: 10 Parry: n/a DR: 2
Bite (14): 2d-2 cut .
Claw (14): 2d-2 cut.
Fire Breath (14): 3d burn (3 yd cone).
Tail Strike (14): 2d+1 imp.
Advantages: Burning Attack 3d (Cone: 3 yd, +80%; Increased Range,
x2, +10%; Increased 1/2D Range, x5, +10%) [30]; Claws (Sharp
Claws) [5]; Damage Resistance 2 (Flexible, -20%) [8]; Enhanced
Tracking 2 [10]; Extra Head 2 [30]; Extra Legs (4 Legs) [5]; Flight
(Winged, -25%) [30]; Regeneration (Regular: 1P/Hr) [25];
Regrowth [40]; Striker (Impaling) (Cannot Parry, -40%; Limited
Arc, -40%) [2]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1].
Perks: Fur [1].
Disadvantages: Bully (9) [-15]; Callous [-5]; Disturbing Voice [-10];
Horizontal [-10]; Loner (9) [-7]; No Fine Manipulators [-30];
Odious Racial Habit (Eats Sapients) -3 [-15]; Overconfidence (9)
[-7]; Sadism (6) [-30]; Social Stigma (Monster) -3 [-15].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1] 14; Innate Attack (Breath) (E) DX [1]
14.
* Cost reduced for Size (-20%).
Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Cockatrice
-60 points
A cockatrice is a bird, as large as a wild turkey, with bat-like wings
and a lizard's tail. They are fairly stupid creatures; the main threat
from a cockatrice is its ability to paralyze someone with a bite from its
beak. This paralysis lasts for several minutes, but is long enough for a
flock to descend on someone and eat him alive; successive bites
extend the duration of the paralysis. Cockatrices generally live in
flocks of 10-20, with 1 male for every 4 females. They are immune to
the petrifying bites of their own kind, but can still be petrified via
other means (magical spells, a basilisk's reflected gaze, etc).
ST: 5 [-50] HP: 5 [0] Speed: 5.50 [0]
DX: 11 [12]* Will: 10 [35] Ground Move: 3 [-10]
IQ: 3 [-140] Per: 12 [45] Air Move: 11 [0]
HT: 11 [10] FP: 11 [0] SM: -2
Dodge: 8 Parry: n/a DR: 0
Bite (11): 1d-5 pi, follow-up HT-5 aff.
Tail (11): 1d-3 cr.
Advantages: Affliction 6 (Petrifying Bite) (HT-5; Follow-Up to Bite,
+0%; Paralysis, +150%) [150]; Enhanced Move (Air) 1 (Air Move
22, 44 mph) [20]; Flight (Low Ceiling: 10 ft, -20%; Winged, -25%)
[22]; Striker (Crushing; Tail) (Cannot Parry, -40%) [3]; Teeth
(Sharp Beak) [1].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Ugly) [-8]; Berserk (Battle Rage, +50%)
(6) [-30]; Bestial [-10]; Bloodlust (6) [-20]; Cannot Speak [-15];
Gregarious [-10]; No Fine Manipulators [-30]; Social Stigma
(Monster) [-15]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
* Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
Doppelgnger
500 points
A doppelgnger is believed to be a spirit, but in reality is a brutal
killer. While their origins and exact natures are unknown, their
presence and abilities are well-documented. Doppelgngers are able to
duplicate the appearance and mannerisms of a person, down to minute
scars, birthmarks, and tattoos.
Once a doppelgnger assumes someone's form, it then starts to take
over that person's life. The doppelgnger often selects people who
have untapped potential; people will assume that the person the
doppelgnger is impersonating is finally achieving said potential.
However, the doppelgnger is also engaging in a killing spree, leaving
hints that will frame the person whose face the creature is wearing.
Once that person is captured - the doppelgnger is a master
manipulator and will ensure the person it is impersonating is captured
and not itself the doppelgnger moves on to another town and
identity, starting the process over again.
Only upon death will the doppelgnger reveal its true visage,
which is chalky and pasty with oversized eyes and no nose. However,
as the creatures are effectively immortal, cases of a deceased
doppelgnger are few and far between.
Doppelgngers are incredibly strong, being three times as strong as
an average human. They are also very intelligent, dexterous, and
hardy, making them fierce in combat.
ST: 17 [70] HP: 17 [0] Speed: 7.00 [0]
DX: 14 [80] Will: 17 [10] Move: 7 [0]
IQ: 15 [100] Per: 17 [10]
HT: 14 [40] FP: 14 [0] SM: 0
Dodge: 11 Parry: 10 DR: 0
Bite (14): 1d+1 cr.
Punch (14): 1d+1 cr.
Kick (12): 1d+2 cr.
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Elastic Skin [20];
Hermaphromorph [5]; High Manual Dexterity 3 [15]; High Pain
Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Smooth
Operator 3 [45]; Social Chameleon [5]; Subsonic Hearing [5];
Ultrahearing [5]; Unaging [15].
Disadvantages: Bloodlust (9) [-15]; Bully (9) [-15]; Callous [-5];
Compulsive Lying (6) [-30]; Mistaken Identity [-5]; Sadism (9)
[-22]; Uncontrollable Appetite (Murder) (9) [-22]; Vulnerability to
Iron (Wounding Modifier 4) [-60].
Skills: Acting (A) IQ+10 [28] 25; Disguise/TL4 (Human) (A) IQ+10
[24] 25; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+10 [28] 25; Observation (A) Per+8
[32] 25; Savoir-Faire (E) IQ+10 [24] 25; Stealth (A) DX+11
[44] 25.
Gargoyle
points
Gargoyles appear to be humanoids with thick, stony hides, large
bat-like wings, and vicious claws. Most are originally mistaken for
statuary until they move; gargoyles are able to stay unmoving in one
place for hours on end, waiting patiently. Legend tells that the
gargoyles are unable to move during the day because the light of the
sun changes them to rock; most people believe this is true until they
witness one moving during the day.
No two gargoyles look exactly alike. In fact, most look wildly
different. While most gargoyles have wings coming from the shoulder-
blades, some have wings that are akin to those of flying squirrels, with
the wings stretched between the arms and legs. In all cases, these
wings enable the gargoyle to glide, but not actually achieve true flight.
All gargoyles possess sharp claws which resemble a bird's talons.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Gorgon
points
A gorgon is a solitary creature that appears at first glance to be an
attractive, dark-skinned woman of human, elf, or half-elf stock. A
closer inspection, however, reveals the gorgon's monstrous traits. Her
skin is scaled, her hands end with elongated fingernails bordering on
claws, and she has a nest of snakes on her head instead of hair.
The snakes on a gorgon's head have a poisonous bite, paralyzing
their victim, but this is not the source of her strongest power. Should a
mortal make eye contact with a gorgon, that person quickly, over the
course of a few seconds, turns to immobile stone. This curse can only
be reversed by a Stone to Flesh spell or similar sorcery ritual. This
curse only works if the gorgon and her victim make direct eye contact;
the most reliable safe way of making eye contact with a gorgon is via a
reflective surface, such as a metal mirror or polished metal shield.
A few gorgons are masters of disguise, able to hide their monstrous
appearance through clever illusions, makeup, and clothing. In addition,
there exist a number of enchanted spectacles which enable the gorgon
to control her petrifying gaze.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Harpy
points
A harpy is a creature which appears as a female of one of the
common races whose legs have been replaced with those of a giant
raptor. In addition, harpies have large feathered wings coming from
their shoulder-blades, and both their hands and feet are tipped with
long talons. They are ferocious, brutal killers with no regard for
anything except tormenting others.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Hydra
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Manticore
points
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Peryton
points
Perytons, also called "demon deer", appear as deer with claws
instead of hooves, sharp teeth, and large, leathery wings. Their most
unnerving feature, however, is their human-shaped shadow.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Sphinx
points
Perhaps the least malevolent of the monsters, a sphinx is a hybrid
creature with the body of a lion, the head and breasts of a woman, and
the wings of an eagle.
ST: []* HP: [] Speed: []
DX: [] Will: [] Move: []
IQ: [] Per: []
HT: [] FP: [] SM:
Dodge: Parry: n/a DR:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Skills:
Undead
Creatures listed here as being "undead" are not alive, but neither
are they truly dead. In many cases, these are corpses that have been
given the simulation of life. Others are spirits that have survived the
death and in some cases total destruction of the physical body, but
have not passed on to the afterlife.
Many cultures see the creation of the undead as being an "evil" act.
In truth, only certain undead creatures that are possessed of free will
and engage in malicious acts can be considered evil, such as the
shadow and the vampire (see below). However, in all cases, the
undead are affected by spells and rituals that affect "corruption" (see
Chapter 5 for details).
Undead are treated as racial packages because they can be applied
to the remains of any other mortal creature.
Ghost
points
Occasionally, the souls of the deceased do not travel to the afterlife
promised by the religions... at least, not immediately. If a person dies
with unresolved issues, the soul may hang around in spirit form and
attempt to resolve them; this soul often takes the form of a ghost.
Some ghosts are able to possess others' bodies. In most cases, those
possessed by the ghost will act out some scene important to the ghost;
often how the ghost died. This can be fatal to the possessed; those who
survive will remember the events clearly, but may have no idea what
happened. The ghost is trying to change events so that things happen
differently, seeking help the only way it knows how.
If a ghost is unable to resolve its issues, it may start to lose its
sense of self. If this happens, it may become a poltergeist (see below).
Attribute Adjustments:
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments:
Advantages: Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't
Sleep [20]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Insubstantiality
(Affect Substantial, +100%; Usually On, -40%) [128]; Invisibility
(Substantial Only, -10%; Usually On, +5%) [38]; Unaging [15].
Perks:
Disadvantages: Obsession (Resolve unresolved issues; long-term) (6)
Quirks:
Skills:
Features: Can be Exorcised; Can be turned with True Faith; May
devolve into a poltergeist.
Lenses:
Possessing Ghost: Add Possession
Ghoul
-115 points
Ghouls are undead carrion eaters who roam graveyards and
battlefields, feeding off the remains of the recently deceased (and
sometimes off the living who are too injured to move).
Ghouls are gaunt creatures, with nearly desiccated skin pulled
tightly over their bodies, sunken eyes, and stringy hair (if they have
hair at all). Their teeth are sharp, designed for pulling raw meat off
bones. They are stronger than they look, able to break bones
barehanded.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +5 [50]; IQ -4 [-80].
Advantages: Claws (Blunt Claws) [3]; Damage Resistance 2 [10];
Doesn't Breathe [20]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to
Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood; No Vitals;
Unliving) [30]; Reduced Consumption 2 [4]; Regeneration
(Regular: 1HP/hr) [25]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1]; Temperature
Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Ugly) [-8]; Bad Smell [-10]; Bad
Temper (9) [-15]; Callous [-5]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Fragile
(Unnatural) [-50]; Gluttony (6) [-10]; Hidebound [-5]; Low
Empathy [-20]; No Sense of Humor [-10]; Nocturnal [-20];
Restricted Diet (Brains) [-20]; Social Stigma (Undead) [-20];
Supernatural Feature (No Body Heat; Pallor) [-15]; Weakness
(Holy Water) (1d per minute; Rare) [-10]; Wealth (Poor) [-15].
Features: Affected by Pentagram; Sterile [0].
Lich
points
A lich is a sorcerer, wizard, or priest who has performed a ritual to
turn himself into one of the undead. Part of this ritual involves
performing a ritual on an item, often but not always a container, which
will contain the soul after the body's physical death. This item, called a
phylactery, is then put someplace safe and out of the way. Another
part of this ritual is the creation of an alchemical elixir which the
would-be lich then consumes daily for a year and a day. On that day,
the physical body dies.
Following the physical death of the lich, the soul retreats into the
phylactery. Once the phylactery is brought within ten feet of a corpse
suitable to the lich's tastes, the lich's spirit is able to take control of that
corpse. This corpse is often of the same or similar race to the lich's
original body, and almost always of the same gender (unless the lich is
really not that picky). The lich's spirit inhabits this corpse until it is
destroyed. Once the body the lich inhabits is destroyed, the lich's spirit
retreats into the phylactery, at which point it must again wait for
another suitable corpse to come within range.
The only tried and true way to permanently destroy a lich is to
destroy the phylactery. For this reason, most liches tend to keep the
phylactery hidden; if they must carry it with them, they make sure it
appears as a fairly common object.
What follows below is the spirit form of the lich. When the lich
inhabits a corpse, add on the appropriate corporeal undead meta-trait:
intact, rotting, skeletal, or mummified.
Attribute Modifiers:
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Features:
Skills:
Mummy
-107 points
If a desiccated corpse is affected by the Zombie spell (p. M), it
becomes a mummy. These undead are generally mindless.
Attribute Modifiers: ST +1 [10].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP +4 [8].
Advantages: Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't
Sleep [20]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic
Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind Control) [30]; Indomitable [15];
Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Brains, No Vitals, Unliving) [35];
Single-Minded [5]; Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15];
Unfazeable [15].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25];
Automaton [-85]; Cannot Learn [-30]; Dependency (Mana;
common, constantly) [-50]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Fragile
(Combustible) [-5]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Reprogrammable
[-10]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20]; Unhealing (Total) [-30]; Wealth
(Dead Broke) [-25].
Features: Affected by Control Zombie, Pentagram, and Turn Zombie;
No mental skills; Sterile.
Poltergeist
points
Poltergeists are a form of ghost who have been unable to resolve
their issues; in many cases, it has forgotten exactly what is keeping it
from passing on. In desperation, they resort to thrashing out at the
material world. Often, this is pure frustration over its situation; other
times, it is a cry for help to those who it feels is able to help (the PCs
maybe?). Because of its situation, the poltergeist is unable to
communicate directly, and this often scares the people it is seeking
help from.
Attribute Modifiers:
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Features:
Skills:
Shadow
points
Like the ghost and poltergeist, the shadow is the incorporeal
remains of a soul which has survived the death of its physical body.
Unlike those two, however, the shadow is not concerned with
resolving any issues from its death. Instead, the shadow seeks to
torment those who are still alive.
Shadows are unable to take physical form, appearing primarily as a
dark, two-dimensional figure that skirts along walls, floors, and
ceilings. It is able to affect objects and people by manipulating the
shadows. Bright lights will reveal the creature, but do not affect it; in
fact, the shadow likes bright lights because these lights generate more
concise shadows for it to play with.
Attribute Modifiers:
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Features:
Skills:
Skeleton
-162 points
If the corpse affected by the Zombie spell has been decayed to just
a pile of bones, the result is an animated skeleton. This could be the
skeleton of anything, from field mouse to elephant, although the
majority of them are humanoid, from halfling to giant.
Because of their relatively weak nature, skeletons are generally
found doing menial labor generally reserved to peasants in Iturnum.
Attribute Modifiers: ST -1 [-10]; DX +2 [40]; IQ -2 [-40].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Basic Speed +1 [20].
Advantages: Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't
Sleep [20]; DR 2 [10]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to
Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind Control [30];
Indomitable [15]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Brain, No Eyes,
No Vitals, Unliving) [40]; Single-Minded [5]; Temperature
Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15]; Vacuum
Support [5].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25];
Automaton [-85]; Cannot Learn [-30]; Dependency (Mana;
common, constantly) [-50]; Fragile (Brittle) [-15]; Fragile
(Unnatural) [-50]; Mute [-25]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5];
Reprogrammable [-10]; Skinny [-5]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20];
Unhealing (Total) [-30]; Vulnerability (Crushing Attacks, 2)
[-30]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Quirks: Cannot Float; Sexless [-2].
Features: Affected by Control Zombie, Pentagram, and Turn Zombie;
No mental skills; Skull has only 2 total DR.
Vampire, Fledgling
-36 points
These vampires are recently created vampires, less than a century
old. These vampires are still learning the full extent of their abilities,
and are the most likely to accidentally kill their prey when feeding.
They have not yet learned to control their thirst; many are still coming
to terms with their condition.
Fledglings are often under the direct control of the vampire,
experienced or master, that created them. While all vampires have the
ability to create more of their kind, fledglings are usually forbidden
from doing so by their creators.
Fledgling vampires have many weaknesses. They cast no
reflection, enabling anyone with a mirror to determine their nature.
They incinerate in sunlight, recoil in terror when confronted with
religious symbols, and are susceptible to damage from touching
religious symbols, holy water, fire, wood, and silver. They turn to dust
if stabbed through the heart with a silvered weapon or a wooden stake.
They are required to sleep during the daylight hours, and cannot be
roused for any reason until sunset.
Shapeshifting is beyond the scope of a fledgling vampire, although
many of them are able to take the form of a fog or mist even when
severely wounded.
Attribute Adjustments: ST +4 [40].
Secondary Characteristic Adjustments: Will -2 [-10].
Advantages: Acute Vision 4 [8]; Alternate Form (Body of Air) [15];
Catfall [10]; Clinging [20]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Discriminatory
Hearing [15]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; Discriminatory Taste
[10]; Doesn't Breathe [20]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30];
Infravision [10]; Injury Tolerance (Unliving) [20]; Mind Control
(Puppet, -40%; Vision-Based, -20%) [20]; Patron (Individual,
twice the points; 9 or less) [15]; Regeneration (Fast: 1 HP/min)
[50]; Regrowth [40]; Super Climbing 1 [3]; Super Jump 1 [10];
Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Ultrahearing [5]; Unaging [15];
Vampiric Bite (1 HP/sec) [30].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Bloodlust (9) [-15];
Dependency (Blood; Very common; Daily; Illegal) [-30]; Draining
(Sunrise; Requires Blood, Common; Illegal) [-10]; Dread
(Religious Symbols, Occasional) [-10]; Fragile (Combustible) [-5];
Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Frightens Animals [-10]; Infectious
Attack [-5]; Lifebane [-10]; Nocturnal [-20]; On The Edge (9)
[-22]; Overconfidence (9) [-7]; Revulsion (Garlic) [-10]; Social
Stigma (Undead) [-20]; Supernatural Features (No Body Heat; No
Reflection; Pallor) [-25]; Uncontrollable Appetite (Blood; 6 or
less) [-30]; Vulnerability to Silver (Occasional, 3 damage) [-30];
Vulnerability to Wood (Common, 4 damage) [-60]; Weakness to
Holy Symbols (1d burn per 30 minutes; Rare) [-3]; Weakness to
Holy Water (1d cor per 5 minutes; Occasional) [-10]; Weakness to
Sunlight (1d burn per minute; Very Common) [-60].
Features: Affected By True Faith and Pentagram; Normal Vision
Centered Around Night Vision 4; Sterile; Turns To Dust When
Killed; Will Eventually Become a Mature Vampire.
That glory hound [Dracula] has done more damage to vampires than
any slayer! His story gets out, and suddenly everybody knows how to
kill us!
Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer #5.01
Vampire, Mature
points
These vampires are those who have survived for more than a
century. They are experienced in protecting themselves from mortals
who would wish to destroy them. Most mature vampires are able to
pass for human when needed.
Mature vampires have some control over their nature. They regain
their reflection, enabling them to re-enter society almost undetected.
They are able to take the form of a large bat, a wolf, a large owl, or a
horde of rats. They are also better able to withstand the presence of
religious symbols, although they still take some burning damage from
touching them. Silver also no longer has as serious an effect on the
vampire, although wooden weapons still do. These vampires also no
longer turn to dust when staked. These vampires still incinerate when
exposed to sunlight, although they are able to maintain a "normal" life
during the day provided they stay away from natural light.
Attribute Modifiers:
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Features:
Skills:
Vampire, Master
points
A master vampire, also known as a vampire lord, is easily several
hundred years old, often approaching a thousand or more. They have
survived through cunning and will. Their powers have grown, and
they often have several minions, vampire and otherwise, who they rely
on and who rely on them.
While the fledgling vampire has many weaknesses, the master
vampire has very few. A master vampire can even venture into the
daylight without severe harm, although doing so will reduce his
strength to normal human levels. Silvered weapons have no effect on
them, nor do wooden weapons; the only exception is when a wooden
stake is driven through the heart. Master vampires have mastered their
fear of religious symbols, and no longer burn when touching them.
The only sure way to kill a master vampire is to drive a stake through
the heart, cut off the head, and burn the body and head in separate
locations, scattering the ashes. Unless these precautions are followed,
a master vampire will rise again.
Attribute Modifiers:
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Features:
Skills:
Vampire, Savage
points
These vampires are little more than wild animals, hunting and
killing indiscriminately and calling attention to their kind. While they
often hunt alone, occasionally an entire "pack" of savage vampires
appear to terrorize a larger territory.
A vampire may become a savage in several ways. First, any
vampire, even a Master, who is starved for long periods of time will
fight a losing battle to maintain control. If a vampire is starved for
more than a week, make weekly Will rolls. Each successive failure
adds a -1 to the roll; on a critical failure which is ultimately
inevitable, given enough time the vampire has lost his humanity
completely and becomes a merciless killing machine.
The second way to make a savage vampire is when something goes
wrong with the conversion. Interruption of the conversion for more
than a day may lead to the resultant vampire being savage, as will
attempted turnings by more than one vampire in the same time frame.
While a savage vampire is capable of turning the people they bite
into vampires, most will simply kill their victims for their blood;
savage vampires simply lack the patience for conversion.
Attribute Modifiers:
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Features:
Skills:
Wight
points
Wights are sapient undead who are tied to ancient burial grounds.
In ancient days prior to the Aelthelwulf's Empire, kings, generals, and
other high-ranking officials were buried in elaborate, multi-chambered
tombs with ornately-decorated weapons, armor, and other goods in
order to provide for the deceased. Often, a warrior was buried alive in
these tombs to protect the deceased and the tomb from potential grave-
robbers. When these warriors died, the circumstances of their deaths
caused them to rise again as guardian wights, eternally guarding the
tomb against those who would disturb or steal from the deceased
nobles.
Attribute Modifiers:
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Advantages:
Perks:
Disadvantages:
Quirks:
Features:
Skills:
Zombie
-168 points
A zombie is the standard result on casting the Zombie spell on a
corpse. Zombies often appear as partially-decayed bodies; the extent
of decay is dependent on how long after death the spell is cast. Those
made from fresh corpses, for instance from a battlefield, can
sometimes pass for the living.
Zombies, like mummies and skeletons, are generally mindless.
Some, however, are created before the soul has departed from the
body; these zombies exhibit greater intelligence, and may attempt to
continue their lives.
Zombies decay as time goes on, eventually leaving only the
skeleton. This process can take months to years, especially for one
made from a fresh corpse. The rate of decay is magically stunted,
however, and a zombie made from a fresh corpse with little damage
will last a decade before becoming a skeleton.
Attribute Modifiers: ST +1 [10]; IQ -2 [-40].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP +4 [8].
Advantages: Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't
Sleep [20]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic
Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind Control [30]; Indomitable [15];
Injury Tolerance (No Blood, Unliving) [25]; Single-Minded [5];
Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25];
Automaton [-85]; Bad Smell [-10]; Cannot Learn [-30];
Dependency (Mana; common, constantly) [-50]; Disturbing Voice
[-10]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5];
Reprogrammable [-10]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20]; Unhealing
(Total) [-30]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Quirks: Sexless [-1].
Features: Affected by Control Zombie, Pentagram, and Turn Zombie;
No mental skills; Will become a Skeleton.

Chapter V
Magic
Magic in Ranoc is more of an art than a science. Each student of magic knows often from firsthand experience that failure when casting
a spell can have potentially dangerous side-effects.
Disciplines of Magic
Alchemy
Alchemists are not magicians in the classic sense of the word. They
do not cast spells, invoke forces of nature, or draw upon divine
powers. What an alchemist does is tap the natural magic inherent in
certain materials to produce elixirs: potions, pastilles, powders, oils,
amulets, talismans, charms, and incense which have magical
properties to them.
Alchemists rely primarily on the Alchemy (IQ/VH) skill, although
some alchemists (those with at least Magery 0) learn a few utilitarian
spells to help. Distill and Mature are excellent for speeding up the time
required, while the Essential (Material) spells provide higher-quality
materials to work with than what would be normally available.
Alchemists are rarely members of an adventuring party, preferring
to operate from shops in the business districts of most cities or towns.
This enables them to maintain an inventory of high-demand elixirs,
with as many as ten batches in various states of preparation at any one
time. They do occasionally act as employers or patrons of adventurers,
particularly when certain ingredients become hard to come by.
However, as noted elsewhere, alchemists with the Gadgeteering
advantage are able to significantly reduce the time needed to prepare
their elixirs (see p. for details).
At present in Ranoc, no alchemist has yet produced the lapis
philosopharum, or Philosopher's Stone (Magic, p. 221), although
many believe it is only a matter of time. . . .
Divine
The gods have been known to grant several of their most devoted
followers with spells and divine powers. Not every devout follower is
granted powers, and the various churches dedicated to the gods are
sometimes displeased with the gods' choices.
Divine magic often comes in the form of spells, although there are
some magical abilities that can be built as Powers with the "Divine,
-10%" power modifier (Powers, p. 26); see the individual entries for
the gods to determine which Powers the gods grant.
When building a divine spellcaster in Ranoc, the Power Investiture
advantage (p. B77) is crucial.
Herbalism
Herbalism is similar to alchemy in most respects. The primary
difference is that Herbalism uses ingredients which can be found in
nature. Herbalists are adept at making potions, pastilles, powders, and
oils, but cannot produce the amulets, talismans, and other charms the
alchemist can.
The Herbalist uses the Herb Lore (IQ/VH) skill, combined with the
Naturalist (IQ/H) skill and occasionally the Survival (Per/A) skill for
locating the ingredients. This skill enables them to produce their
potions cheaper than the alchemist, making them common healers in
the average adventuring party. Like alchemists, those herbalists who
engage in adventuring are often Gadgeteers, able to produce their
elixirs in a fraction of the time.
The Herbalist excels in producing potions for the common person.
The most common are Awakening (Magic, p. 217), Fertility (Magic,
p. 217), Healing (Magic, p. 217), Health (Magic, p. 217), Hearing
(Magic, p. 219), Keen Sight (Magic, p. 219), Pain Resistance (Magic,
p. 216)), Sleep (Magic, p. 218), Tranquility (Magic, p. 218), and
Universal Antidote (Magic, p. 218). Most of the other elixirs are
unable to be produced with herbalism, requiring magical alchemical
components.
Shamanism
The natural world abounds with spirits of all kinds. Some spirits
are tied to a location such as a tree, rock, spring, river, lake, or tomb,
while others roam the world. There are even spirits that inhabit
fountains, houses, and statues in urban areas. The shaman is a
character who is able to perceive and interact with these spirits.
The primary trait of the shaman is their ability to perceive the
spirit. The See Invisible advantage with the Astral Entities Only
limitation is essential. Other abilities, such as Medium and
Channeling, are also common traits. All these traits have the "Spirit,
-25%" power modifier. Spirit Empathy is common, but not necessarily
required.
The effects of shamanism depend on the powers granted by the
spirits. Some shamans are able to bind spirits to them, forcing them to
obey the shaman's commands in such a manner as to achieve spell-like
effects. Other shamans prefer to negotiate with the spirits, maintaining
healthy relations and asking the spirits for help as opposed to forcing
them to perform their acts.
Using GURPS Magic in Ranoc
The various magical disciplines rely on information given in
Magic or Thaumatology in one form or another. The main rules
for Alchemy and Herbalism are found in Chapter 28 of Magic,
starting on page M210, Wizardry uses the standard spell rules, and
both Sorcery and Divine Magic use variants Sorcery uses the
Path/Book rules from Thaumatology, and Divine Magic uses the
Clerical Magic rules on pp. M199-200. Shamanism is based off
the Spirit Control Power in Powers and the Shamanism Power in
Thaumatology.
When making a wizard or spell-casting priest, it is acceptable
for those who are "generalists" to ignore the prerequisite chains
without unbalancing the game. Those who specialize in one or
two spell colleges should still use spell prerequisites.
The Metal College has been lifted out of the Technology
College (Magic, pp. 175-183) and expanded. There is some
overlap with the Earth College of spells (Magic, pp. 50-55); for
the overlapping spells, the spell description in the Metal College
gives further explanation for the corresponding Earth College
spell.
The Plant College (Magic, pp. 161-165) is generally known on
Ranoc as the Wood College, and is considered one of the six
elemental colleges, alongside Air, Earth, Fire, Metal, and Water.
The spells from Magic: Plant Spells should also be available; ask
your GM.
Note that, for game effects, unmanifested elementals, non-
corporeal undead, and most fae are treated exactly like spirits.
Sorcery
Sorcery is one of the two common spellcasting methods commonly
referred to as being "arcane". Sorcery is a ritual-based magic system
which enables the mage called a "sorcerer" on Ranoc to
manipulate both his personal energy and the ambient energy around
him to create a dizzying array of magical effects.
Sorcery is built along the guidelines of Path/Book Magic from
Thaumatology (pp TH121-165). Both Paths and Books are available
in Ranoc. (Author's Note: I always felt the Effect Shaping method to
fit my vision of the world setting best, but the Energy Accumulating
method is also viable). This particular type of casting does not require
any form of Magery, although Sorcery (simply Magery (Path/Book)
renamed for the setting) is available as a learnable advantage.
The lack of a Magery prerequisite for actual casting coupled with
the recent invention of the printing press has led to a wider range of
sorcerers among the populace as books on the use of sorcery have
come into being. In some cities, the sale and distribution of books on
sorcery have been outlawed. The Magic Guilds have backed these
laws for two reasons. First, the wizards and experienced sorcerers of
the Magic Guilds don't want to deal with competition from what they
consider the "unwashed masses". Secondly, and sometimes seen as the
more important reason by outsiders, is that when a fledgling sorcerer
accidentally summons a demon during a mystic backfire of a failed
ritual, the Magic Guilds get called in to help clean the mess, as well as
getting blamed for it in the first place!
Wizardry
Wizardry is the other common spellcasting method referred to as
being "arcane". This is the standard magic system as detailed in the
Basic Set and Magic.
Every wizard in Ranoc possesses the Magery advantage. Most
never achieve higher than Magery 0; this is only available as an
inherent trait, and can only be taken at character generation. Higher
levels of Magery are available both at character generation and by
dropping earned points into them; this represents the wizard's
increased attunement to the energies of the world. Magery 3 is the
most common plateau for most mages; the most powerful wizards
perhaps one wizard in a thousand have achieved Magery 5. Wizards
who possess less than Magery 3 and study only a handful of spells
from a single college are generally known as "hedge wizards". The
number of hedge wizards in Ranoc outnumbers the dedicated wizards
at least ten to one.
Wizards study the Thaumatology (IQ/VH) skill. Many of them
specialize in one or two spell colleges, but some learn spells from a
large number of spell colleges.
Magical Materials
Adamantine
Adamantine is a stone found only in rocky areas which are also
very high mana zones. To date, the only known adamantine quarries
exist in the Northern Frontier, although some scholars believe that the
Ash Mountains of Umoja also house a great store of untapped
adamantine. The quarries of the Wyrmspire Mountains have long ago
been fully depleted.
Adamantine resembles granite, and is often mistaken as such by
those who don't possess magical aptitude. Those with magical
aptitudes find adamantine to be extremely durable, stronger than
diamond and thrice as heavy. Furthermore, adamantine is easy to
enchant, requiring only half as much energy in order to create magical
jewelry. Adamantine powerstones are highly prized by spellcasters of
all kinds, and recharge at twice the usual rate.
Darkmetal
Darkmetal is an extremely rare metal, the ore of which is found
only deep within the mines of the Wyrmspire Mountains. When
smelted, darkmetal appears as a dull black metal that seems to warp
the area around it in ways that are almost imperceptible and yet at the
same time disconcerting. It can be alloyed with steel, making a
weapon made of "darksteel" alloy stronger than normal. Items made of
darksteel weigh the same as those made of regular steel. Darksteel
does not have the visual warping effect, but appears as a glossy black.
Darkmetal has one additional property, the one for which it is best
known for: it will harmlessly absorb any magic energy directed at it or
at the person holding or wearing an item made of it. Darkmetal rings
and amulets are expensive but still popular with those who must face
magic-using opponents. However, its own properties prevent even
beneficial magic, such as healing spells, from affecting anyone
wearing or wielding anything made of it.
Because of its unique properties, darkmetal is impossible to
enchant; sorry, no darkmetal rings, amulets, weapons, armor, or
shields with additional enchantments. Any and all attempts to enchant
an item made of darkmetal or darksteel has the said item absorbing all
of the mana expended by the casters, with no results. Furthermore,
because of its nature, it is impossible to use the Create Metal spell to
create darkmetal.
Ironwood
Ironwood is a type of wood that grows only in the semi-tropical
forests on the island continent of Allira'el. The wood is extremely
resilient; items made out of ironwood have the same HP and DR as
those made of the same thickness of iron, but with weight as if it had
been made of oak or elm. This DR protects at full protection against
crushing damage, and at half protection against impaling, cutting, and
piercing damage. Ironwood is still wood, however, and is not as
effective against burning damage as items made of metal. This makes
the wood particularly useful when building ships able to withstand a
broadside of cannon from a Marach or Ritaegno warship, and while
useful in making shields is not suitable for replacing metal weapons or
armor.
Mithril
Mithril is a particularly lightweight metal with a silvery sheen to it.
It is an alloy produced through processes that have remained secret to
all but the Guild Masters of Ered-Dm.
Items made from mithril weigh half as much as items made from
steel, and possess twice the effective DR.

Orichalcum
Orichalcum is a magical metal alloy produced by some alchemists
and metal college mages. It resembles bronze in both appearance and
density, and in fact is often mistaken for bronze by the uninformed
when first encountered.
Orichalcum items have the same weight as similar bronze items,
but are easier to enchant and will not break. An item made of
orichalcum can be enchanted for 2/3 the energy as normal.
Spell Magic
These spells are expansions on the standard magic system as
presented in the Basic Set and GURPS Magic, able to be learned by
wizards and spell-casting priests.
Note that the Summon/Create (Element) Elemental spells do not
exist in Ranoc, being the providence of the Path of Planar Travels,
particularly the Summon Elemental ritual. Other spells in various
colleges also do not exist, and will be marked as such below. In
particular, the Gate College is notable in that it, like the
Summon/Create Elemental spells, does not exist in Ranoc, being the
providence of the Path of Planar Travels (see Sorcery, far below).
Air College
Lightning Sword
Regular
This spell creates a blade of any length the caster desires, from
shortsword to greatsword, in his hand; he cannot hand off the sword to
an ally. The sword itself uses the Force Sword skill (at the GM's
option, he may substitute Force Saber for the fencing parry), and does
1d burning damage with the surge modifier per point of energy placed
into the spell.
Parrying a normal weapon with this sword is considered a
destructive parry; only weapons with Flaming Weapon, Icy Weapon,
or Lightning Weapon, or are produced similarly to this spell, are
immune.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Cost: 1 to 3 to cast, same to maintain.
Prerequisites: Lightning.
Control Air Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of an air elemental, with the following changes.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and at least 8 Air College spells, or
Magery 1, any other Control (Element) Elemental spell and 4 Air
College spells.
Control Dust Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a dust elemental, with the following changes.
This is also an Earth College spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Control Air Elemental or Control Earth Elemental,
and 4 spells from the other College (Air if Control Earth Elemental or
Earth if Control Air Elemental).
Control Lightning Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a lightning elemental, with the following changes.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Same as Control Air Elemental, but at least one of
the spells must be a Lightning spell.
Animal College
The following spells expand on the more generic spells listed in
Magic, Chapter 4, being the versions studied by Ranoc's various
spellcasters or granted by several of its gods.
The magic items that can be created to control or repel individual
species of animals require a piece of the species to be controlled or
repelled. In most cases, these don't have monetary costs; a piece of
carapace, a scale, a feather, or strands of fur don't cost much, and are
covered in the general cost of enchantment. The GM is permitted to
raise the price for more exotic animals controlled/repelled.
Animal life on Ranoc is divided into Sponges, Slugs, Squids,
Insects, Fish, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, and Hybrids. As can be
expected, Sponge Control and Repel Sponges have extremely limited
utility; they are not listed below due to this reason.
These spells affect anything with a racial IQ of 5 or less; those with
a racial IQ of 6 including the great apes require Mind Control
spells instead.
Insect Control
Regular; Resisted by Will
Controls the actions of a single (large) insect or a swarm of (small)
insects. For the purposes of this spell, "insect" includes any arthropod,
such as spiders, scorpions, crabs, lobsters, centipedes, millipedes, and
the like, not just what modern science defines as an insect.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to cast, the same to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control a single species
of insect. Energy cost to create: 100.
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control any insect.
Energy cost to create: 200.
Slug Control
Regular; Resisted by Will
Controls the actions of a single slug (any size) or a single swarm of
mollusks. For the purposes of this spell, "slug" includes any mobile
invertebrate without defined legs, such as slugs, snails, starfish,
jellyfish, and earthworms (to name a few examples), excluding
cephelopods (octopi and squids). In Ranoc (and most fantasy
settings), this also includes maggots (despite maggots being larval
flies, which are more properly insects).
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to cast, 1 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control a single species
of slug. Energy cost to create: 200.
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control any slug.
Energy cost to create: 400.
Squid Control
Regular; Resisted by Will
Controls the actions of a single octopus or squid (any size) or a
single swarm of them.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to cast, 1 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control a single species
of slug. Energy cost to create: 200.
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control any slug.
Energy cost to create: 400.
Fish Control
Regular; Resisted by Will
Controls the actions of a single fish or a single swarm (school) of
fish. For the purposes of this spell, "fish" includes sharks.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 to cast, 1 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control a single species
of fish. Energy cost to create: 100.
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control any fish. Energy
cost to create: 200.
Reptile Control
Regular; Resisted by Will
Controls the actions of a single amphibian or reptile (any size) or a
single swarm (such as a swarm of frogs). This includes almost all of
the dinosaurs listed in Chapter IV, making it more expensive to cast
than the chart in Magic would indicate; the sole exception is the
saberclaw (Velociraptor), which requires Mind Control spells due to
its racial IQ of 6.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast, 2 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control a single species
of amphibian or reptile. Energy cost to create: 400.
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control any amphibian
or reptile. Energy cost to create: 800.
Bird Control
Regular; Resisted by Will
Controls the actions of a single bird (any size) or a single swarm
(flock) of smaller birds. This includes such massive specimens as the
giant eagle and the roc (see Chapter IV).
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast, 2 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control a single species
of bird. Energy cost to create: 300.
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control any bird.
Energy cost to create: 600.
Mammal Control
Regular; Resisted by Will
Controls the actions of a single mammal (any size) or a swarm of
smaller animals under a foot in body length (such as a swarm of rats).
This spell can not control dolphins, orcas, whales, chimpanzees, or
gorillas, all of whom have a racial IQ of 6 or more; use Mind Control
spells for those. (The use of this spell on elephants, who may also
have an IQ 6+, is left to the GM's discretion.)
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 5 to cast, 3 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control a single species
of mammal. Energy cost to create: 500.
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Allows the user to control any mammal.
Energy cost to create: 1,000.
Repel Insects
Area
This spell repels any and all arthropods from a given area.
Duration: 1 hour
Base Cost: 1 to cast, 1 to maintain
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Insect Control
Item
An area can be made permanently repellant to insects at a cost of
100 energy.
Repel Slugs
Area
This spell repels any and all mobile legless invertebrates from a
given area.
Duration: 1 hour
Base Cost: 1 to cast, 1 to maintain
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Mollusk Control
Item
An area can be made permanently repellant to mollusks at a cost of
200 energy.
Repel Squids
Area
This spell repels any and all octopi and squids from a given area.
Duration: 1 hour
Base Cost: 2 to cast, 1 to maintain
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Fish Control
Item
An area can be made permanently repellant to octopi and squids at
a cost of 200 energy.
Repel Fish
Area
This spell repels any and all fish from a given area.
Duration: 1 hour
Base Cost: 2 to cast, 1 to maintain
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Fish Control
Item
An area can be made permanently repellant to fish at a cost of 200
energy.
Repel Reptiles
Area
This spell repels any and all non-sapient amphibians and reptiles
from a given area.
Duration: 1 hour
Base Cost: 4 to cast, 2 to maintain
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Reptile Control
Item
An area can be made permanently repellant to non-sapient
amphibians and reptiles at a cost of 400 energy.
Repel Birds
Area
This spell repels any and all birds from a given area.
Duration: 1 hour
Base Cost: 3 to cast, 2 to maintain
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Bird Control
Item
An area can be made permanently repellant to birds at a cost of 300
energy.
Repel Mammals
Area
This spell repels any and all non-sapient mammals from a given
area.
Duration: 1 hour
Base Cost: 5 to cast, 3 to maintain
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Mammal Control
Item
An area can be made permanently repellant to non-sapient
mammals at a cost of 500 energy.
Body Control College
Boost Fertility
Regular
The subject of the spell becomes fertile for the duration of the
spell. If sexual relations with a compatable partner occur while this
spell is in effect, the female involved will become pregnant. A noted
side-effect of the spell is the occasional result of multiple births (on a
success roll that succeeded by more than 5, each multiple of 5
(rounded up) by which the roll is made results in an additional child
being born.
This is also a Healing spell, and can be used to cure anyone
stricken with Strike Barren (Magic, p. 41).
Duration: 1 week.
Cost: 5.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1, and Lend Vitality or Purify Food.
Boink Anything!
Regular; Resisted by HT
Half-Dragon Child: "Papa!"
Old King: "Darn it, I said to slay the dragon!"
The subject of this spell is able to impregnate (if male) or be
impregnated by (if female) a creature he or she should not be
compatible with! If a couple that is normally incapable of having
children together for example, a dwarf and a centaur have a
relationship while one of them is the subject of the spell, the female
will get pregnant, and be able to carry the child to term. The resulting
child will have an equal mix of traits from both parents.
This spell has been blamed for the original creation of centaurs and
minotaurs, as well as gryphons and hippogriffs. There is no evidence,
however, supporting or refuting this blame.
Duration: 1 day.
Cost: 12.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisites: Magery 3, Boost Fertility
Earth College
The Earth to Stone spell cannot be used to create metal, nor can
Stone to Earth be used to turn metal into dirt, nor can Flesh to Stone
turn someone into a metallic statue; for these effects, see the Metal
College (below).
A special note must be made for Create Earth: The earth it creates
will last for one day before disappearing. If the earth is turned into
stone or metal by magical means, it will still disappear when the one
day limit is up.
Control Earth Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of an earth elemental, with the following exceptions.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and at least 8 Earth College spells, or
Magery 1, any other Control (Element) Elemental spell and 4 Earth
College spells.
Control Mud Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a mud elemental, with the following exceptions.
This is also a Water College spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Control Earth Elemental or Control Water
Elemental, and 4 spells from the other College (Water if Control Earth
Elemental or Earth if Control Water Elemental).
Fire College
The following are in addition to the spells listed in Magic.
In addition, the spell Flame Jet is renamed Fire Sword, and is able
to parry other Fire Sword spells as well as weapons with Flaming
Weapon, Icy Weapon, and Lightning Weapon on them, as well as
spells like Acid Sword, Ice Sword, and Lightning Sword.
Control Fire Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a fire elemental, with the following exceptions.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and at least 8 Fire College spells, or
Magery 1, any other Control (Element) Elemental spell and 4 Fire
College spells.
Control Lava Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a lava elemental, with the following exceptions.
This is also an Earth College spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Control Earth Elemental or Control Fire Elemental,
and 4 spells from the other College (Fire if Control Earth Elemental or
Earth if Control Fire Elemental).
Knowledge College
For the purposes of these spells, "Corruption" is defined as
something that has been altered from its true nature, while "Purity"
reflects the opposite, how closely something matches its true nature.
"Evil" is defined as something's malevolent nature. Only beings with
a supernatural element of some type arcane, divine, or infernal can
be detected with these spells, as most of the common races waver
between them. Note that undead created with the Zombie spell, such
as mummies and skeletons, register with the spells dealing with
Corruption but not Evil.
Sense Corruption
Information
Senses whether something or someone has been altered through
supernatural means against its true nature. This could be either
physical or mental alteration.
Base Cost: 1 (minimum 2).
Sense Evil
Information
Senses whether something or someone has a supernatural and
malevolent nature.
Base Cost: 1 (minimum 2).
Sense Purity
Information
Senses whether something or someone has a supernaturally "pure"
nature.
Base Cost: 1 (minimum 2).
Seek Corruption
Information
Works like Seek Magic (Magic, p. 102), but finds strong
manifestations of supernatural corruption.
Cost: 6.
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Sense Corruption.
Seek Evil
Information
Works like Seek Magic (Magic, p. 102), but finds strong
manifestations of supernatural evil.
Cost: 6.
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Sense Evil.
Seek Purity
Information
Works like Seek Magic (Magic, p. 102), but finds strong
manifestations of supernatural purity.
Cost: 6.
Time to Cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Sense Purity.
Metal College
The Metal college is an elemental college in Ranoc. In other
settings, its spells may also be Making and Breaking or Technology
spells. Like the Making and Breaking college, the Metal college is
popular among mages, commonly those with Magery 1 or 2, whose
primary vocation is non-magical.
Seek Metal
Information
Identifies the direction and approximate distance of the nearest
significant quantity of metal. Use the long-distance modifiers. Any
particular types or known quantities of metal may be excluded if the
caster specifically mentions them before beginning.
This is also a Knowledge spell.
Cost: 3
Time to cast: 10 seconds
Item
Wand, staff, or jewelry. If seeking out a specific type of metal, an
ounce of the given metal must be attached to the item. Energy cost to
create: 60.
Identify Metal
Information
Identifies a metal's type. The caster must touch the metal to be
identified.
This is also a Knowledge spell.
Cost: 1
Prerequisite: Seek Metal
Shape Metal
Regular
Allows the caster to alter any metal he touches into any shape he
desires. These alterations are unstable, and the metal will revert back
to normal after a minute unless the caster concentrates to maintain the
change.
Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 6 (4 for soft metals). Half that to maintain.
Prerequisites: Magery 1, Identify Metal.
Item
Staff, wand, or piece of jewelry. Energy cost to create: 500.
Metal Vision
Regular
See through metal to gaze upon whatever lies beyond -- past the
door, inside the chest, etc. Certain metals (lead) resist or block this
spell outright.
This is also a Knowledge spell.
Duration: 30 seconds
Cost: 2 per 5 yards of depth (max 50 yards) to cast. Same cost to
maintain.
Prerequisite: Shape Metal.
Item
Any. Only affects the user. Energy cost to create: 400.
Stone to Metal
Regular
This spell turns an item made of stone into a simple metal, such as
copper or iron. For double energy cost, turns an item of earth or clay
into metal. Metal created in this manner remains metal for one day
before reverting to stone or earth.
This is also an Earth spell; this spell supersedes the stone to metal
functions of the Earth to Stone spell (p. M51).
Duration: 1 day.
Cost: 3 per cubic yard (minimum 3) of material to be transmuted.
Prerequisites: Magery 2, Shape Metal
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: 300.
Metal to Stone
Regular
Turns any metal excluding mithril, orichalcum, and darkmetal
to hard stone, similar to granite.
This is also an Earth spell; this spell supercedes this effect in the
Stone to Earth spell (p. M51).
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Cost: 6 per cubic yard (minimum 6).
Prerequisites: Stone to Metal or any four Metal spells.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: 400.
Smelt Ore
Regular
This spell extracts a quantity of metal ore into an ingot of the given
metal. The stone portions of the ore crumble to dirt around the ingot.
This is also a Making and Breaking spell.
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Cost: 3 per pound of metal (minimum 3).
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Shape Metal and Shape Earth.
Item
Wand or staff. Energy cost to create: 300.
Create Metal
Regular
Creates simple metals, such as copper, iron, tin, or lead, where
none existed before. This metal must be in contact with the ground; it
cannot be created in mid-air or at sea. Any metal created this way
only lasts for one day before disintegrating; it cannot be made
permanent.
Duration: 1 day.
Cost: 5 per cubic yard (twice for heavy metals, such as iron or
lead; minimum 10) to create from nothingness.
Prerequisites: Stone to Metal.
Item
Staff or wand. Energy cost to create: 500.
Flesh to Metal
Regular; Resisted by HT
This spell "petrifies" a living being as a metal statue. Note that this
is an all-or-nothing deal; a being cannot be partially converted to
metal. This spell supersedes the same function of the Flesh to Stone
spell, which no longer has that utility.
Duration: Permanent, until reversed with a Metal to Flesh spell.
Cost: 20, plus 4 for every Size Modifier above 0.
Time to cast: 5 seconds, plus 1 second for every Size Modifier
above 0.
Prerequisites: Magery 2, Stone to Metal, Create Metal.
Item
Wand or staff, usable only by mages. Energy cost to create: 1,000.
The item must touch the victim for the spell to work.
Transmute Metal
Regular
This spell converts one type of metal into another: lead to gold,
silver to tin, copper to iron, etc. Note that alloys such as bronze, brass,
pewter, and steel are not possible with this spell, nor is this spell able
to affect or inflict rust.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 6 per cubic foot of metal converted, half that to maintain.
Prerequisites: Create Metal.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: 400.
Alloy Metal
Regular
This spell refines simple metals into alloys. It requires the proper
amounts of metals commonly required for the intended alloy.
This is also a Making and Breaking spell.
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Cost: 5 per pound of metal (minimum 3)
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1, Shape Metal.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: 400.
Rust
Regular
This spell causes metals such as iron and steel to rust away at an
accelerated rate, weakening the metals. The metal in question must be
of a type that weakens in time with exposure to oxygen; copper, for
example, changes color to green but does not weaken.
This is also a Making and Breaking spell.
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Base Cost: 5 per pound of metal, minimum 3
Prerequisites: Magery 1, Change Metal.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: 400. The item must
touch the target for the spell to work.
Restore Metal
Regular
This spell causes a rusted item to reverse its oxidation,
strengthening it if it was made of iron, steel, or similar metal. Greened
copper will be restored to its proper color, but may still need polishing.
This spell reverses the effects of the Rust spell listed above.
This is also a Making and Breaking spell.
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Base Cost: 5 per pound of metal.
Prerequisites: Magery 1, Rust.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: 400. The item must
touch the target for the spell to work.
Iron Missile
Missile
Create a ball of iron and fire it from one hand, injuring anything it
hits. This spell has 1/2D 80, Max 160, Acc 3.
Cost: Any, up to your Magery level per second, up to 3 seconds.
The missile does 1d crushing damage per energy point, and disappears
5 seconds after being hurled at its target.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Create Metal.
Item
Staff or wand the missile is fired from the end of the item. Usable
only by mages. Energy cost to create: 400.
Blunderbuss
Missile
Creates a spread of pellets that fly in a cone at high speeds towards
the target; use Shotgun rules (p. B409) for determining damage and
penetrating DR. This spell has 1/2D 80, Max 160, Acc 0; treat as a
shotgun with a RoF of Nx9, where N is the number of seconds spent
casting.
Cost: Any, up to your Magery level per second, up to 3 seconds.
Each pellet does 1d-1 small piercing damage. Each second of casting
produces nine pellets. These pellets disappear five seconds after being
fired.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Iron Missile.
Item
Staff, wand, or metal tube the pellets are fired from the end of the
item. Usable only by mages. Energy cost to create: 600.
Arrow
Missile
Creates a metal-tipped arrow that flies at high speeds towards the
target. This spell has 1/2D 80, Max 160, Acc 3.
Cost: Any, up to your Magery level per second, up to 3 seconds.
The arrow does 1d impaling damage per energy point, and disappears
5 seconds after being hurled at its target.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Iron Missile.
Item
Staff or wand the arrow is fired from the end of the item. Usable
only by mages. Energy cost to create: 600.
Bow or crossbow the arrow does the spell damage as opposed to
the damage listed for the ST of the bow or crossbow. Usable only by
mages. Energy cost to create: 600.
Walk Through Metal
Regular
Pass through metal as if it were air. With this spell, the subject
could walk through the metal grates of the dungeon cell doors or the
large metal door of a bank vault. This spell does not open a passage so
that others can follow. It also doesn't reveal what is on the other side.
If the caster also knows Earth to Air, he will automatically have
breathing air during his journey, at no energy cost; otherwise, he must
hold his breath.
Should the spell end before the subject regains the open air, he is
buried in the metal, as if entombed in it. He is not automatically
harmed, but will suffocate (see Suffocation, p. B436) if he cannot
escape.
This spell supersedes the same functions of Walk Through Earth.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Cost: 6 to cast, 6 to maintain.
Prerequisites: Four Metal spells.
Item
Cloak, footwear, or silver jewelry. Energy cost to create: 1,200.
Celestial Shotgun
Area
Balls of lead, resembling those of a shotgun, rain down from the
sky onto the area, causing 1d-1 small piercing damage per second to
all within it. Characters and creatures under the rain of pellets take
damage on their own turns; if less than an entire second is spent in the
affected area, damage is halved (round down).
The spell can only be cast outdoors. Armor protects in the usual
fashion. A shield with a DB of2 or better can be held overhead to
block the shards, but it may take damage (p. B484). This requires two
hands and a Ready action, and succeeds automatically in protecting
the character once the shield is readied upward, but this unreadies the
shield from its normal protective functions!
Inanimate objects, such as buildings, protect with their DR. The
pellets that fall from the sky disappear within five minutes of the spell
ending.
Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 2 to cast (minimum 4). Same cost to maintain. For
double base cost, the spell does 2d-2 piercing per second!
Prerequisites: Magery 2, Create Metal.
Item
Wand or staff, only usable by mages. Energy cost to create: 500.
Rain of Shards
Area
Shards of sharp metal rain down from the sky onto the area,
causing 1d-1 cutting damage per second to all within it. Characters and
creatures under the rain of shards take damage on their own turns; if
less than an entire second is spent in the affected area, damage is
halved (round down).
The spell can only be cast outdoors. Armor protects in the usual
fashion. A shield with a DB of2 or better can be held overhead to
block the shards, but it may take damage (p. B484). This requires two
hands and a Ready action, and succeeds automatically in protecting
the character once the shield is readied upward, but this unreadies the
shield from its normal protective functions!
Inanimate objects, such as buildings, protect with their DR. The
shards that fall from the sky disappear within five minutes of the spell
ending.
Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 2 to cast (minimum 4). Same cost to maintain. For
double base cost, the Rain of Shards does 2d-2 per second!
Prerequisites: Magery 2, Celestial Shotgun.
Item
Wand or staff, only usable by mages. Energy cost to create: 500.
Metal to Flesh
Regular
Reverses the effects of Flesh to Metal and brings the victim back to
life (stunned). Cannot be used to animate a statue that was never alive,
nor can it be used on victim of Flesh to Stone.
This spell supersedes the same functions of Stone to Flesh.
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Cost: 10.
Time to cast: 5 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 2, Flesh to Metal.
Item
Wand or staff, only usable by mages. Energy cost to create: 1,000.
The item must touch the victim for the spell to work.
Essential Metal
Regular
Creates the magical essence of Metal. Essential Metal is three
times as strong (HP and DR), and a framework or beam of Essential
Metal supports three times as much weight. This metal is also lighter
and brighter than ordinary metals, having many of the properties of
orichalcum.
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Cost: 12.
Time to cast: 30 seconds.
Prerequisites: Six Metal spells.
Item
Staff, usable only by mages. Energy cost to create: 500.
Body of Metal (VH)
Regular; Resisted by HT
The subject becomes an animated statue of metal, temporarily
granting him the Body of Metal meta-trait (p. B262). Clothes (up to 6
pounds) also become metallic, but lose any magic powers they might
have had.
Duration: 1 minute. The spell expires if the subject loses
consciousness.
Cost: 12 to cast, 6 to maintain.
Time to cast: 5 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 2, Flesh to Metal.
Item
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Only affects the wearer. Energy cost to
create: 3,000.
Anvil Strike (VH)
Missile
A relatively silly spell developed by a mage millennia ago solely
for the purpose of making a point, this spell is best cast outside, but
can be cast inside if the caster does not care about collateral damage.
Unlike most missile spells, the spell is not held by the caster and then
thrown. Instead, an iron anvil falls from the sky with enough force that
it will pass through roofs, floors, and ceilings until it hits the ground.
(This spell may also be granted by various gods, particularly Suthre,
who appreciates the irony of it.)
The anvil itself is created through a refined application of Create
Metal and Shape Metal. The spell creates one cubic foot of a heavy
metal, usually iron, one hundred yards in the air. When it falls, it will
land on a one-hex area or an SM 1 or smaller creature. The spell can
be "held", increasing the size of the area covered by one hex for each
second the spell is cast. Calculate falling damage for the proper
weight; one cubic foot of iron weighs 500 pounds, which does 28d
crushing damage.
When cast the mage must make a roll against Artillery (Bombs) to
hit the target. On a critical failure, the mage hits himself!
Note that the "anvil" does not have to take the shape of an anvil;
the mage creates the shape of the "anvil" at casting time. Common
shapes are round balls, rectangular and pyramidal prisms, and, of
course, the obligatory anvil shape.
Duration: Instant; the anvil disappears 2 minutes after it hits.
Cost: 40 per cubic foot of anvil. This anvil is created 100 yards in
the air and does a minimum of 28d crushing damage on impact.
Time to cast: 10 seconds per cubic foot of anvil.
Prerequisites: Magery 2, Rain of Shards, Create Metal, Shape
Metal, Teleport.
Item
Staff or wand, usable only by mages. Energy cost to create: 5,000.
Extremely rare!
Steelwraith
Regular; Resisted by HT
Renders the subject intangible to the touch of metal. Swords pass
through him, he cannot hold metal keys or wear metal armor, he
passes through bars and metal floors . . .
This version of the spell supersedes the spell listed in Magic
(p. 54).
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 7 to cast, 4 to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 2 and Walk Through Metal.
Purify Metal
Area
Removes foreign objects from metal objects, including other metal
objects as nails, screws, and rivets not essential to the item, closing
holes made by those objects, and removes any tarnish, dents, or rust.
Duration: Instant and Permanent.
Base Cost: 2.
Time to cast: 30 seconds.
Prerequisites: Create Metal, Restore Metal.
Control Metal Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a metal elemental, with the following exceptions.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and at least 8 Metal College spells, or
Magery 1, any other Control (Element) Elemental spell and 4 Fire
College spells.
Meta-Spells
For the purposes of these spells, "Corruption" is defined as
something that has been altered from its true nature, while "Purity"
reflects the opposite, how closely something matches its true nature.
"Evil" is defined as something's malevolent nature. Only beings with
a supernatural element of some type arcane, divine, or infernal can
be detected with these spells, as most of the common races waver
between them. Note that undead created with the Zombie spell, such
as mummies and skeletons, register with the spells dealing with
Corruption but not Evil.
Exclude Corruption
Special; Resists attempts to cross it
Works like Pentagram (Magic, p. 124), but only bars creatures of a
supernaturally Corrupt nature. The caster must draw a circle of
protection around an area. Excluded entities trying to force their way
in use (ST+IQ)/4 in the Quick Contest with the spell's skill to cross
over, or are repelled.
Duration: Permanent unless broken.
Cost: 1/2 per square foot protected (minimum 5).
Time to cast: 1/2 second per square foot (round up; minimum 1
second). High skill does not reduce casting time.
Exclude Evil
Special; Resists attempts to cross it
Works like Pentagram (Magic, p. 124), but only bars creatures of a
supernaturally Evil nature. The caster must draw a circle of protection
around an area. Excluded entities trying to force their way in use
(ST+IQ)/4 in the Quick Contest with the spell's skill to cross over, or
are repelled.
Duration: Permanent unless broken.
Cost: 1/2 per square foot protected (minimum 5).
Time to cast: 1/2 second per square foot (round up; minimum 1
second). High skill does not reduce casting time.
Exclude Purity
Special; Resists attempts to cross it
Works like Pentagram (Magic, p. 124), but only bars creatures of a
supernaturally Pure nature. The caster must draw a circle of protection
around an area. Excluded entities trying to force their way in use
(ST+IQ)/4 in the Quick Contest with the spell's skill to cross over, or
are repelled.
Duration: Permanent unless broken.
Cost: 1/2 per square foot protected (minimum 5).
Time to cast: 1/2 second per square foot (round up; minimum 1
second). High skill does not reduce casting time.
Mind Control College
For the purposes of these spells, "Corruption" is defined as
something that has been altered from its true nature, while "Purity"
reflects the opposite, how closely something matches its true nature.
"Evil" is defined as something's malevolent nature. Only beings with
a supernatural element of some type arcane, divine, or infernal can
be detected with these spells, as most of the common races waver
between them. Note that undead created with the Zombie spell, such
as mummies and skeletons, register with the spells dealing with
Corruption but not Evil.
Loyalty of Corruption
Regular; Resisted by Will
This spell works like Loyalty (Magic, p. 136), but only against
beings of a supernaturally Corrupt nature.
Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 2 to cast. 1 to maintain. Cost is quadrupled if the subject is a
foe of the caster.
Loyalty of Evil
Regular; Resisted by Will
This spell works like Loyalty (Magic, p. 136), but only against
beings of a supernaturally Evil nature.
Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 2 to cast. 1 to maintain. Cost is quadrupled if the subject is a
foe of the caster.
Loyalty of Purity
Regular; Resisted by Will
This spell works like Loyalty (Magic, p. 136), but only against
beings of a supernaturally Pure nature.
Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 2 to cast. 1 to maintain. Cost is quadrupled if the subject is a
foe of the caster.
Necromancy College
Control Intelligent Undead
Regular
Brings a ghoul, vampire, or wight under the caster's control. The
caster must win a Quick Contest between the higher of his Will score
or this spell's skill level and the undead's own Will score. Note that,
being intelligent, the ghoul, vampire, or wight may attempt to subvert
the caster's orders, following the letter of the order but not the intent.
Duration: Permanent.
Cost: 6.
Prerequisites: Control Zombie.
Turn Intelligent Undead
Regular
Repels ghouls, vampires, or wights from the caster's immediate
area. The caster must win a Quick Contest between the higher of his
Will score or this spell's skill level and the undead's own Will score.
Duration: Successfully turned undead will avoid the caster for one
day.
Base Cost: 2. Cannot be maintained; must be recast.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Turn Zombie.
Plant College (aka the Wood College)
Control Wood Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a wood elemental, with the following exceptions.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and at least 8 Plant College spells, or
Magery 1, any other Control (Element) Elemental spell and 4 Plant
College spells.
Control Slime Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a slime elemental, with the following exceptions.
This is also an Earth College spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Control Water Elemental or Control Wood
Elemental, and 4 spells from the other College (Wood if Control
Water Elemental or Water if Control Wood Elemental).
Protection and Warning College
For the purposes of these spells, "Corruption" is defined as
something that has been altered from its true nature, while "Purity"
reflects the opposite, how closely something matches its true nature.
"Evil" is defined as something's malevolent nature. Only beings with
a supernatural element of some type arcane, divine, or infernal can
be detected with these spells, as most of the common races waver
between them. Note that undead created with the Zombie spell, such
as mummies and skeletons, register with the spells dealing with
Corruption but not Evil.
Protection from Corruption
Regular
Grants the subject of the spell +1 DR and +2 Magic Resistance
against those of a supernaturally Corrupt nature per point of energy
put into the spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to 5 to cast. Half that to maintain.
Protection from Evil
Regular
Grants the subject of the spell +1 DR and +2 Magic Resistance
against those of a supernaturally Evil nature per point of energy put
into the spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to 5 to cast. Half that to maintain.
Protection from Purity
Regular
Grants the subject of the spell +1 DR and +2 Magic Resistance
against those of a supernaturally Pure nature per point of energy put
into the spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to 5 to cast. Half that to maintain.
Repel Corruption
Regular
This spell woks like Repel (Magic, p. 147), but only against those
of a supernaturally Corrupt nature.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 per 3 ST worth of "repulsion".
Time to Cast: 3 seconds.
Repel Evil
Regular
This spell woks like Repel (Magic, p. 147), but only against those
of a supernaturally Evil nature.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 per 3 ST worth of "repulsion".
Time to Cast: 3 seconds.
Repel Purity
Regular
This spell woks like Repel (Magic, p. 147), but only against those
of a supernaturally Pure nature.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 per 3 ST worth of "repulsion".
Time to Cast: 3 seconds.
Water College
Acid Sword
Regular
This spell creates a blade of any length the caster desires, from
shortsword to greatsword, in his hand; he cannot hand off the sword to
an ally. The sword itself uses the Force Sword skill (at the GM's
option, he may substitute Force Saber for the fencing parry), and does
1d corrosive damage per point of energy.
Parrying a normal weapon with this sword is considered a
destructive parry; only weapons with Flaming Weapon, Icy Weapon,
or Lightning Weapon, or are produced similarly to this spell (such as
Flame Jet) are immune.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Cost: 1 to 3 to cast, same to maintain.
Prerequisites: Acid Ball.
Ice Sword
Regular
This spell creates a blade of any length the caster desires, from
shortsword to greatsword, in his hand; he cannot hand off the sword to
an ally. The sword itself uses the Force Sword skill (at the GM's
option, he may substitute Force Saber for the fencing parry), and does
1d fatigue damage with the freezing hazard modifier per point of
energy.
Parrying a normal weapon with this sword is considered a
destructive parry; only weapons with Flaming Weapon, Icy Weapon,
or Lightning Weapon, or are produced similarly to this spell (such as
Flame Jet) are immune.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Cost: 1 to 3 to cast, same to maintain.
Prerequisites: Ice Dagger.
Control Water Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of a water elemental, with the following exceptions.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and at least 8 Water College spells, or
Magery 1, any other Control (Element) Elemental spell and 4 Water
College spells.
Control Ice Elemental
Regular; Resisted by Will
This is the same as the spell on Magic, p. 28, used to control the
actions of an ice elemental, with the following exceptions.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental.
Half that (round up) to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Same as Control Water Elemental, except Control
Ice Elemental requires Create Ice (p. M188) as one of the Water
College spells known in the prerequisite spell chain.
Sorcery
The majority of Paths in GURPS Thaumatology (pp. TH140-162)
may be used without alteration. The exception is the Path of Gadgets,
which is not available. Common Paths among sorcerers are the Path of
the Elements (p. TH143), the Path of Form (p. TH144), the Path of
Health (p.TH148), the Path of Knowledge (p. TH151), the Path of
Nature (p. TH155), the Path of Protection (p. TH157), and the Path of
Spirit (p. TH159), as well as the Path of Planar Travels (see below).
In addition, a number of Books exist in Ranoc. Some are secretive,
holding secrets that some do not want revealed, but at least one has
seen widespread printing.
Path of Planar Travels
The Path of Planar Travels deals with rituals meant for summoning
beings from other planes to Ranoc, and for traveling to the other
planes, either astrally or physically. This includes the elusive
Dreamworld.
Astral Projection
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels -3 or Path of Spirit -5; 20
minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 8 points.
For most effects, this ritual is identical to the one in
Thaumatology, on p. TH159. In addition to the effects listed there,
the character can astrally project himself into any of the other planes;
this is perhaps the safest way to travel to hostile planes, such as the
Elemental Plane of Fire.
When the ritual's effects end, the astral traveler will awaken back
in his own body, regardless of the distance and other planes traveled.
Banishment
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-4; 1d15 minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 1 point per 5 points in the creature being
banished, minimum 5.
This ritual sends a creature which was summoned from another
plane back to its plane of origin. The creature will always sense
whenever this ritual is being cast, and may attempt to resist the
banishment, in which case if the creature wins a Quick Contest
between its Will and the ritual's effective skill it sticks around. A
creature which fails the Quick Contest, or which doesn't resist the
ritual, will automatically be sent home.
Bind
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-4 or Path of Spirits-3; 10
minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 5 points.
See Thaumatology, p. 160.
Dream Visitor
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-2; 10 minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 4 points.
See Thaumatology, p. 142.
Dreamwalk
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-1; 1 hour.
Energy Accumulating: 5 points.
See Thaumatology, p. 142.
Planar Gate
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-7; 1d30 minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 10 points.
This ritual opens a gate to one of the other planes. The GM has the
option of making this a collection of rituals, one for each known plane.
Alternatively he may have it a single ritual in which a success opens
the gate to the plane specified by the caster, while a critical failure
opens a gate to an entirely different plane selected at random (and
often releasing creatures the caster did not expect).
The gate remains open for a 3d minutes times the margin of
success (minimum 3 minutes). Anyone (or any thing) may step
through the gate in either direction while the gate remains open;
something always comes through.
This is perhaps the most hated of sorcerous rituals by wizards and
divine casters due to its unpredictable nature, as they tend to be called
in to clean up the mess made by the creatures that pass through the
gate to Ranoc.
Planar Summons
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-3; 1d15 minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 1 point per 10 points in the creature
summoned, minimum 4.
This ritual enables the caster to summon any lesser being from one
of the other planes. In short, any of the creatures listed under the
"Angels and Demons" section of Chapter 4 may be summoned, unless
specified otherwise in that creature's description.
On a margin of failure of 5 or more, the ritual simply fails. On a
margin of failure of 1 to 4, a creature of a similar type to the one being
summoned shows up (i.e. a Hellcat instead of a Hell Hound, or a
Valkyrie instead of an Angel). On a critical failure, the spell backfires
and summons a being of a completely opposite nature (i.e. an Erinyes
or Succubus instead of an Angel).
This ritual is often combined with the Bind ritual (p. TH160).
Plane Shift
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-4; 30 minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 4 points per person shifted.
This ritual sends the caster and anyone he specifies during the
ritual to another plane, specified during casting. Everyone to travel to
the other plane must be present during the ritual.
Once on the other plane, the caster and his other subjects may stay
there indefinitely. Another Plane Shift or a Banishment ritual or a
Planar Gate is required to send the travelers home.
Summon Elemental
Effect Shaping: Path of Planar Travels-3; 1d15 minutes.
Energy Accumulating: 1 point per 10 points in the elemental
summoned, minimum 4.
This ritual allows the caster to summon any type of elemental to
him. In truth, this is actually a collection of rituals, each one for a
different type of elemental. Like Planar Summons, this ritual is often
combined with Bind.
On Ranoc, this ritual replaces the Summon (Element) Elemental
spell listed on page 28 of Magic.
The Deepest Mysteries of the One True God
This Book is a secret held by the Bishops of the Redwater Church.
Physically, it is a tome of rituals written in archaic Corcoranese, bound
in thick leather, and often used to empower someone for various
effects. In addition, it contains rituals for summoning angels,
banishing demons, and communicating with spirits, including
elementals and fae.
The fact that this Book is a tome of arcane sorcery rather than
powered directly by the One True God is a secret that the Church in
Redwater does not wish to be revealed! Many Bishops in the Church
have actually deluded themselves into thinking that the Book is
powered by the One True God.
The Ebony Tome of a Thousand Wasted Lives
This Book is said to have been penned by Vy the Corruptor herself
as a repository of her black knowledge. The pages of the Ebony Tome
are said to be indestructible, and only one copy exists. At present, the
Tome's pages are spread across Ranoc, but from time to time the pages
have been collected and bound by those who would seek such power.
The majority of rituals in the Ebony Tome deal with demonic
forces, destructive elemental effects, altering bodies, and enthrallment
and enslavement of wills. However, use of any ritual studied from the
Tome has a corrupting influence on the caster; use of the Ebony Tome
is considered Black Magic (see Magic, p. 156), with the Demonic
Contract being with Vy herself. (In general, the rituals in the Ebony
Tome should be played in such a manner that they use the Energy
Accumulation model, rather than the Effect Shaping model.)
Chapter VI
Equipment
Basic Equipment
Camping and Survival Gear
Blanket (TL1). A warm sleeping blanket. $20, 4 lbs.
Brazier (TL1). A footed metal disk in which coals can burn, with a
handle or chan for easy transport. Can be used for cooking, and will
raise the temperature of a small room (up to 100 square feet) by 5F.
$65, 3 lbs.
Burning Glass (TL2). Handheld lens or mirror used to focus
sunlight to start a fire, only really good in clear sunlight. Polished
mirror or natural quartz ground into a lens (TL2): $40, 1 lb. Clear
glass lens (TL3): $20, 0.5 lb.
Candle, Beeswax (TL1). Lasts 12 hours, $9, 1 lb.
Candle, Tallow (TL1). Smoky! Also edible. Lasts 12 hrs. $5, 1 lb.
Collapsable Bed (TL1). A wooden bed frame held together by
pegs, which can be removed for rapid dismantling. Mattresses are
supported by a network of ropes which must be tied across the frame.
$560, 195 lbs.
Cord, Hemp, 3/16" (TL0). Supports 70 lbs. Per 10 yards/30 feet:
$1, 0.33 lb.
Covered Lantern (TL2). An oil lamp with the flame protected by a
sheet of glass Burns for 24 hours on 1 pint of oil. $20, 2 lbs.
Fishhooks and Line (TL0): Baisc gear for Fishing skill; needs a
pole. $50.
Flint (TL0). A piece of flint plus a piece of metal or mineral
against which it can strike a spark. Base fire-starting time: 30 seconds.
$2, 0.2 lb.
Group Basics (TL0): Basic equipment for Cooking and Survival
skills for a group. Cook pot, rope, hatchet, etc. for 3-8 campers. $50,
20 lbs.
Iron Spike/Piton (TL2). For climbing, spiking doors, etc. $1, 0.5 lb.
Oil (TL0). For lantern. Per pint: $2, 1 lb.
Oil Lamp (TL0). A stone or pottery bowl with a notch to hold a
wick, prone to being knocked over. Burns for 24 hours on 1 pint of
oil. $10, 4 lbs. Enclosed metal lamp with a spout for the wick (TL2):
$20, 2 lbs.
Personal Basics (TL0). Minimum gear for camping: -2 to any
Survival roll without it. Includes utensils, tinderbox or flint and steel,
towel, etc. $5, 1 lb.
Pilgrim's Kit (TL2). A bundle of necessities carried by someone
traveling through civilized areas but facing poor accomodations and
unpredictable food at inn and/or aboard ship: a straw mattress, a
blanket, a coat, a knife and whetstone, a jug of wine, a 5-lb sack of
flour or dried peas, a 1 lb. of spices (intended for medicinal use). $210,
40 lbs.
Pole, 6' (TL0). For pitching tents, fishing, or prodding items. $5, 3
lbs.
Pole, 10' (TL0). For things you wouldn't touch with a 6' pole. $8, 5
lbs.
Rope, Flax, 3/8" (TL0). Supports 250 lbs. Per 10 yards/30 feet:
$2.8, 1.25 lbs.
Rope, Flax, 3/4" (TL0). Supports 1,000 lbs. Per 10 yards/30 feet:
$11.25, 5 lbs.
Rope, Silk, 3/8" (TL1). Supports 700 lbs. Per 10 yards/30 feet: $14,
0.7 lb.
Rope, Silk, 3/4" (TL1). Supports 2,800 lbs. Per 10 yards/30 feet:
$55, 3 lbs.
Sleeping Fur (TL0). Warm unless wet. $50, 8 lbs.
Sulfur Matches (TL3). Sulfur-impregnated pine slivers, these
matches are not self-lighting, being closer to enhanced tinder. Divide
fire-starting time by four (with flint, above, that becomes 7.5 seconds).
Bundle of 20: $5, neg.
Tent, 1-Man (TL0). Includes ropes, no poles needed. $50, 5 lbs.
Tent, 2-Man (TL0). Includes ropes, requires one 6-foot pole. $80,
12 lbs.
Tent, 4-Man (TL0). Includes ropes, requires two poles. $150, 30
lbs.
Tent, 20-Man (TL1). Includes ropes; requires 16 poles. $300, 100
lbs.
Tent, Desert Nomad's (TL1). A large residential tent made from
breathable woolen cloth. Side walls are 5'-6' tall. The roof is flat or
slightly peaked. Gives +1 to Survival (Desert) rolls. A 15'15' tend
(DR 0,HP 20): $340, 200 lbs.
Tent, Legionary (TL2). Made from treated leather panels, this tent
is more water- and wind-resistant thna a cloth one. It covers a 10'10'
area (sleeps six to eight comfortably), and, at 6' in height, is tall
enough for stnading in the center. Gives +1 to any Survival specialty.
DR 1, HP 14, $225, 45 lbs.
Torch (TL0). Burns for 1 hour. $3, 1 lb.
Traveler's Rations (TL0). One meal of dried meat, cheese,
hardtack, and dried fruits. $2, 0.5 lb.
Yurt (TL1). A round, collapsable wooden-lattive framework,
including a domed top, covered by a heavy felt shell, favored by the
Rochlada. Yurts are more durable than tents (offering cover DR 1),
and cannot be knocked down by a single blow to a support. Yurts
insulated with tapestries or rugs, or additional layers of felt, grant 1 to
Survival (Plains), or to any Survival specialty in a cold climate, but
have double cost and 1.5 times weight. A 10' diameter yurt (DR 1, HP
20): $480, 200 lbs. A 15' diameter yurt (DR 1, HP 28): $1,200, 500
lbs.
Combat Accessories
Hip Quiver (TL0). Holds 20 arrows or bolts. $15, 1 lb.
Lanyard, Leather (TL0). Lets you retrieve a dropped weapon on a
DX roll. Each attempt requires a Ready maneuver. Can be cut: -6 to
hit, DR 2, HP 2. $1.
Shoulder Quiver (TL0). Holds 12 arrows or bolts. $10, 0.5 lb.
Whetstone (TL1). For sharpening tools and weapons.
Containers:
Backpack, Frame (TL1): Holds 100 lbs. of gear. $100, 10 lbs.
Backpack, Small (TL0). Holds 40 lbs. of gear. $60, 3 lbs.
Bottle, Ceramic (TL0). Holds 1 quart of liquid (2 lbs. if water).
$3.75, 1 lb.
Chest, Metal (TL2). 0.8 cubic foot of storage, $761, 42 lbs.
Chest, Wooden (TL0). 0.8 cubic foot of storage, $31, 6 lbs.
Jug, Ceramic (TL0). Holds 1 gallon of liquid (8 lbs. if water).
$14.50, 4 lbs.
Pouch or Purse, Small (TL1). Holds 3 lbs. $10.
Saddlebags (TL1). Holds 40 lbs. $100, 3 lbs.
Wineskin (TL0). Holds 1 gallon of liquid (8 lbs. if water). $10, 0.25
lb.
Equestrian Gear
Bit and Bridle (TL1). +2 to control a ridden animal, or +3 if using
both hands. $35, 3 lbs.
Horse Collar (TL3). A close-fitting, padded harness tailored to the
horse's anatomy, allowing full power for dragging and plowing. $64,
18 lbs.
Horseshoes (TL3). Shod horses get +2 HT on any rolls for stamina
on long rides. Per set of 4: $50, 4 lbs.
Saddle and Tack (TL2). Basic equipment for Riding skill. $150,
15 lbs.
Stirrups (TL3). Make it easy to mount a horse and give +1 to
control mount. Required to use Lance skill. With ordinary saddle:
$125, 20 lbs.
War Saddle (TL3). +1 to Riding skill to stay seated; 50% chance
rider will stay seated even when unconscious. With stirrups: $250, 35
lbs.
Medical Gear
Bandages (TL0). Bandages for a half-dozen wounds; basic
equipment for First Aid skill. $10, 2 lbs.
Crash Kit (TL1). A complete kit for treating serious injuries.
Includes bandades, splints, sutures, and several vials of laudanum. +2
to First Aid skill and counts as improvised gear (-5) for Surgery. $200,
10 lbs.
First Aid Kit (TL1). A complete kit for treating wounds, with
bandages, ointments, etc. +1 to First Aid skill. $50, 2 lbs.
Surgical Instruments (TL3/4). Includes scalpels, forceps, etc. Basic
equipment for Surgery skill. $300, 15 lbs.
Musical Instruments
Bagpipe (TL3). A popular instrument among halflings. $150, 8 lbs.
Fife (TL2). $100, 1 lb.
Harp (TL1). $600, 7 lbs.
Hunting Horn (TL3). $200, 2 lbs.
Trumpet (TL2). $200, 2 lbs.
Personal Accessories
Bathtub (TL1). A necessity after a long voyage on the road.
Earthenware tub: $160, 60 lbs. Metal tub: $1,600, 80 lbs.
Board Games (TL1): Western games are usually chess, checkers,
or backgammon; Gehong games are akin to go. $40, 3 lbs. for a basic
game with a wooden board and clay pieces.
Brush (TL1). Made from stiff animal hair, usually horsehair. $5,
0.5 lb.
Comb (TL0). Often made from wood or bone, sometimes left in the
hair as ornamentation as well as grooming. $3, 0.2 lb.
Dice (TL1): Commonly carved from wood, with 6-sided cubes
most common, but dice with anywhere from 4 to 30 sides are
available. Set of 3 dice: $6, neg.
Distilled Liquors (TL3). Brandy, whiskey, vodka, etc. $16/pint.
Luxury Kit (TL4). This compact case of luxuries carried by a
traveling aristocrat is of little use for survival for indispensible for
comfort! Includes a full set of grooming equipment (razor, brush,
comb, soap, fragrences, and cosmetics), a writing box, and serving and
drinking vessels for tea, coffee, or alcohol, all neatly arranged in a
purpose-built cabinet. Relatively plain model, with unremarkable
contents: $225, 25 lbs. Use Luxury Pricing (Low-Tech, p. 37) for
turning the unremarkable into the unmistakable!
Pipe, Clay (TL4). Disposable, used for smoking dragonsmoke leaf.
$1, 0.25 lb.
Playing Cards (TL3): With the advent of the printing press,
playing cards most notably the Rotah deck have become more
popular for gambling. $50, 0.5 lb. for a deck of 72 cards. Also used
by fortune tellers.
Pocket Watch (TL4): Must be wound twice daily, accurate to ten
minutes a day. $100, neg.
Razor (TL1). A metal blade used for shaving, usually in a half-
moon or oval shape. $18, 0.2 lb.
Soap (TL2). Made from mixing animal fats with lye, guaranteed to
get you clean. Pint of liquid soap: $20, 1 lb. Bar of solid soap: $27, 1
lb.
Spectacles (TL3): Can be used to correct nearsightedness or
farsightedness, often held by a handle or attached to the nose and held
by a chain. $100, 0.25 lb.
Tea, Coffee, and Tisanes (TL0). One pound is enough for 100 cups
of tea, 30 cups of coffee, or 25-100 cups of herbal tisanes. $36/lb.
Tweezers (TL1): Used to remove unwanted body hair. $5, neg.
Wines, Beers, Meads, Ales (TL1). Sometimes flavored with fruit
juices or made bitter with hops, but never with a concentrated alcohol
content. $5/gallon.
Tools
Alchemist's Kit (TL2). An alembic, two aludels, a brazier, two
crucibles, four cupels or scorifiers, a large pot to use as a water or sand
bath, several pieces of cloth for filtering, tongs, a balance scale, and a
small mortar and pestle. $175, 25 lbs. LC2.
Anvil (TL1). A metal block, 6"-7" across, surface-hardened and
tapered at the bottom to fit into a hole in a tree stump. It also has small
holes to assist nail production, or grooves for wise production or other
fine shaping. $1,300, 100 lbs. Larger, less-portable models can weigh
up to 500 lbs with a corresponding increase in price.
Balance and Weights (TL1). For weighing goods. $35, 3 lbs.
Carpenter's Kit (TL1). An adze, a brace and bit, four chisels, a
hammer, a hatchet, a level, a measuring rod, a saw, a square, and an
abrasive stone for sanding. $250, 21 lbs.
Climbing Gear (TL2). Hammer, spikes, carabiners. $20, 4 lbs.
Crowbar, 3' (TL2). Treat as a small mace in combat, but at -1 to
skill. $20, 3 lbs.
Fletcher's Kit (TL1). Appropriate for making and repairing arrows
and crossbow bolts (TL2) in the field from semi-prepared parts.
Making arrows from raw materials requires the carpenter's kit (above),
at minimum. Includes a small knife, a large knife, small pliers, an
arrow-straightener (a stone or bone with a long groove used to check
the shaft for straightness), and an abrasive stone for sanding. $95, 4
lbs. For parts (shafts, heads feathers, and glue), add half the cost and
the full weight of the finished arrows.
Jeweler's Kit (TL1). Same gear as a smith's kit (below), only
smaller for working jewelry. $660, 8.75 lbs.
Knitting Needles (TL3). Per pair. $5.
Lathe (TL1). A lathe spins a piece of wood with a back-and-forth
motion so that it can be shaved down or have carvins applied evenly
around it. It requires either an assistant or a foot pump with an
attachment to a sprint to provide motion. $235, 40 lbs.
Lockpicks (TL3). Basic equipment for Lockpicking skill. $50.
Loom, Treadly/Flying (TL3). A full-frame loom that automatically
adjusts sheds for faster weaving of fabric up to 6' wide. $440, 60 lbs.
Pickaxe (TL2). Improves digging speed. $15, 9 lbs.
Plow, Iron (TL2). Works rough soils. $220, 120 lbs.
Plow, Wooden (TL1). Pulled by oxen. $55, 60 lbs.
Printing Press (TL4). A rugged design that requires nothing more
than a weighty box of movable type, a large hand screw, and a wooden
frame. Can turn out 250 pages per hour on a critical success; usually
puts out about 1,000 pages per day. With typecase box: $2,500, 1,000
lbs.
Saw (TL1). A small saw for single-person use. Does sw-3(2) cut
per second. $20, 3 lbs.
Shovel (TL1). Speeds up digging. $12, 6 lbs.
Smith's Kit (TL1). Everything a metalsmith needs except the anvil.
Includes three hammers, tongs, four chisels, shears, and a file (TL2).
$330, 17.5 lbs.
Spinning Wheel (TL3). Produces yarn six times as fast. $100, 40
lbs.
Stoneworker's Kit (TL2). A large hammer, a small hammer, six
chisels of different shapes, a large crowbar, a small crowbar, a square,
a level, and an auger. $551, 42.5 lbs.
Tailor's Kit (TL0). Appropriate to working with any cloth or
leather. An awl, a pair of small knives (TL0) or scissors (TL1), four
needles with different size eyes, 20 pins, a measuring rod (TL1), a
thimble (TL2), and 100 feet of thread. $95, 2.75 lbs.
Telescope (TL4). Gives Telescopic Vision 1. $500, 6 lbs.
Wheelbarrow (TL2). Holds 350 lbs. Divide effective weight of
load by 4. $60, 18 lbs.
Writing Gear
Ink, Black (TL1). Liquid ink is most common in the west, while
Gehong dries the ink into sticks that are ground into an ink stone and
have water added. Pint: $2.50, 1 lb. Stick: $2.50, 1 oz. Double price
for red ink.
Ink Stone (TL1). A small dish, used in Gehong, into which a small
amount of water is poured and then an ink stick is ground into until the
desired shade of ink is achieved.
Paper (TL3). 100 sheets, $3, 1 lb.
Parchment (TL2). 20 sheets, $12, 1 lb.
Pen (TL1). Cheap quill that will last 20 pages: $0.25, neg. High
quality quill that can be resharpened every 20 pages, good for 100
pages: $0.75, neg. Metal pen that doesn't require sharpening: $4, neg.
Scribal Kit (TL3). A set of tools for keeping writing aligned: a
ruler, a square, and adjustable calipers. $24, 3 lbs.
Vellum (TL2). 50 sheets, $60, 1 lb.
Writing Box (TL4). Portable table that provides a sloping surface
on which to write and dwars on the sides to hold paper, ink, and
writting tools, but closes up into a small rectangular case. $50, 2 lbs.
Firearms
Table 6-1: Firearms Table
Guns (Pistol) (DX-4 or most other Guns-2)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC
4 Pocket Pistol, .33" 1d pi 1 25/300 0.7/0.008 1 1 (20) 6 -1 2 $190 2
4 Belt Pistol, .53" 2d-1 pi+ 1 50/550 2/0.035 1 1 (20) 9 -3 3 $260 3
4 Horse Pistol, .55" 2d-1 pi+ 1 50/500 2.75/0.04 1 1 (20) 10 -4 3 $250 3
4 Petronel, .60" 2d+2 pi+ 2 60/630 7.75/0.04 1 1 (40) 11 -7 3 $280 3
4 Dueling Pistol, .53" 2d-1 pi+ 2 50/550 2/0.035 1 1(20) -3 3 $455 3
Guns (Musket) (DX-4 or most other Guns-2)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC
4 Caliver, .60" 3d+1 pi+ 2 85/870 6.6/0.07 1 1 (60) 9 -5 4 $135 3
4 Carbine, .70" 3d pi++ 2 80/800 6.5/0.08 1 1 (40) 9 -4 4 $290 3
4 Carbine, Double, .70" 3d pi++ 2 80/800 13/0.16 1 2 (40i) 11 -4 4 $350 3
4 Musket, .80" 4d+2 pi++ 2 120/1,200 21/0.15 1 1 (60) 12R -7 4 $175 3
4 Wall Gun, 1.06" 5d+1 pi++ 2 120/1,200 27.5/0.3 1 1 (40) 13M -7 3 $425 2
Guns (Shotgun) (DX-4 or most other Guns-2)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC
4 Blunderbuss, .62" 1d pi 2 45/810 11.2/0.06 17 1 (40) 7 -6 1 $165 3
4 Fowling Piece, Single, 12G 1d+1 (0.5) pi- 2 15/330 9.5/0.1 1175 1 (40) 7 -7 1 $135 3
4 Fowling Piece, Double, 12G 1d+1 (0.5) pi- 2 15/330 17/0.2 1175 2 (40i) 8 -8 1 $170 3
Guns (Rifle) (DX-4 or most other Guns-2)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC
4 Rifle, .65" 3d+1 pi+ 3 65/650 11/0.06 1 1 (60) 10 -6 3 $300 3
4 Rifle, Double, .65" 3d+1 pi+ 3 65/650 20/0.12 1 2 (60i) 10 -7 2 $500 3
The spread of firearms throughout the world of Ranoc has been
slow, much slower than people expected. The reasons for the slow
diffusion of this new technology are as follows:
First, the leaders of Ritaegno, Marach, and Rinkasae have an
unspoken agreement to keep the formula for gunpowder to themselves.
The knowledge for making the powder is considered a state secret in
all three nations; this has led to a number of chemists and alchemists
attempting to duplicate it, with mixed and often damaging results.
Second, the Magic Guilds of Ranoc see gunpowder as a threat to
their power, as it places the damage potential once wielded only by
wizards in the hands of the common folk. These Guilds work to
prevent its spread outside the three nations; the more ambitious
members of the Magic Guilds attempt to convince the leaders of
Marach and Ritaegno to give up the use of the powder.
Finally, the fear from the nobles of what would happen should the
powder be duplicated by the peasantry prevents the proliferation of
firearms even inside the two human nations that use it. As can be
expected, the nobles don't want to lose their power over their subjects,
so they prevent their subjects from learning how to produce the
powder.
Despite these efforts, many believe that it is only a matter of time
before the secret of making the powder gets out and firearms become
ubiquitous across the known world.
Where it is available, gunpowder runs two silvers ($24) per pound;
usually sold in ox-horns which hold a single pound of powder or in
25-pound barrels. A one-pound powder horn has enough powder for
40 shots. (This is a slightly higher price than what is indicated in
High-Tech, page 163; the increase in price is accounted for by its
relative scarcity.)
Firearms come in various types and sizes, and are classified by
both their firing mechanism and their configuration. There are two
firing mechanisms common in Ranoc and in numerous configurations:
Firing Mechanisms
Matchlock Matchlock weapons work by lighting a fuse or
pressing a lit flame against the powder. This is the oldest form of
firearm. This adds 5 seconds to the firing of any weapon due to having
to prepare the fuse (usually already accounted for in the weapon's stat-
block). Matchlocks are still popular for cannon, but are increasingly
rare for small arms.
Wheellock Wheellock weapons make their own fire. When the
trigger is pulled, the powder pan is opened while a clockwork wheel
spins against a piece of pyrites, creating a spark which then ignites the
powder in the firearm. These "self-sparking" weapons still need to be
reloaded after every shot; however, the pyrites only has to be replaced
once every ten to twenty shots (in game-play, assume the pyrites needs
to be replaced on the first failed roll above a 15 or the gun's
Malfunction rating, should those rules be used). Replacing the pyrites
takes 20 seconds; a successful Fast-Draw (Ammo), Armoury (Small
Arms)+3, or Soldier roll reduces this to 15 seconds. The cost of the
pyrites is negligible; they are usually sold in packs of a dozen pieces
for a single half-copper piece, or can be found in five minutes with a
successful roll against Scrounging+2. This mechanism is common on
small arms.
Configurations
POCKET PISTOL A small, easily concealable wheellock pistol
designed for self-defense, used primarily by nobles, con artists, and
assassins.
BELT PISTOL The standard wheellock pistol carried by young
nobles and wannabes, it easily fits into a sash or belt without
encumbering the user. Most come with a lanyard ring on the grip,
through which a leather or chain lanyard is used to keep the pistol
from falling to the ground.
HORSE PISTOL A wheellock pistol designed for cavalry use, with
a larger round and slightly longer barrel than the belt pistol. The barrel
is sometimes wider at the mouth, to aid reloading from horseback.
Once fired, however, it can be gripped by the barrel and used as a
KNOBBED CLUB. Most cavalry carry at least two of these.
PETRONEL A two-handed wheellock pistol with a barrel roughly
the same length as a carbine, used by cavalry forces; reloading takes
the same time as a long-arm.
DUELING PISTOL A rifled wheellock pistol designed for dueling,
more accurate than the belt or horse pistol, and considered Fine quality
for Accuracy purposes (already factored into the price). Most are
ornately decorated and sold as a matched pair; the price in the table
above gives the minimum price for a single dueling pistol.
CALIVER A lighter musket for use by ordinary soldiers who aren't
strong enough to handle the heavier muskets. This happens to be the
most common type of longarm seen.
CARBINE A shorter-barreled wheellock musket designed for
cavalry use. Often comes with multiple barrels for a faster rate of fire
before reloading. The double-barrel carbine is most common, but
some have been built with up to six barrels.
MUSKET The standard wheellock musket used by troops in the
Caere region. Its price doubles outside Marach, Ritaegno, and
Rinkasae, due to its scarcity. It is a heavy weapon, requiring a musket
rest to use the weapon effectively. Musketeers tend to be large, strong
men because of this.
WALL GUN A wheellock weapon is even heavier than the
musket, usually mounted on a tripod on top of a city wall for use in
defensive fire. This weapon is also sometimes used as a longarm by
those of the giant races who may acquire a firearm.
BLUNDERBUSS A short-barreled, smoothbore, wheellock firearm
that fires small pellets instead of a single bullet. The mouth of the
barrel is wider than the barrel itself; this wide mouth aids in loading
the weapon, but contrary to popular belief does not aid in spreading
the pellets. It is also quite intimidating, and may add a slight bonus to
Intimidation checks (+1 is common, but may reach +3, depending on
how "trigger-happy" the wielder appears). The flared barrel also
makes it exempt from the Guns-2 roll to reload on horseback or a
moving vehicle.
FOWLING PIECE A very long-barreled shotgun designed for
hunting, customarily loaded with birdshot (reflected in the RoF stats).
RIFLE A wheellock rifle with a longer barrel, used by nobles for
hunting large game and by military forces, primarily Marach and
Rinkasae, as a sharpshooter's weapon. A number of them have been
smuggled down to New Hope, where they have become very popular.
Reloading a Firearm
Reloading a musket, smooth-bore carbine, or blunderbuss with a
wheel-lock or matchlock action takes 40 seconds. A successful Fast-
Draw (Ammo) roll reduces this to 30. A double-barreled weapon
doubles the time required.
Reloading a rifle with a wheel-lock or matchlock action takes 60
seconds due to the rifling. A successful Fast-Draw (Ammo) roll
reduces this to 50.
Reloading a smooth-bore pistol with a wheel-lock or matchlock
action takes 20 seconds. Fast-Draw (Ammo) reduces this to 16
seconds.
Reloading a rifled pistol with wheel-lock or match-lock action
takes 30 seconds. Fast-Draw (Ammo) reduces this to 24 seconds.
Using a self-measuring powder flask removes 5 seconds from the
final time.
Loading a muzzle-loading shoulder arm not a pistol in any
position other than standing increases the loading times by 50% (round
up). Loading while mounted requires a roll against the lower of Guns-
3 or Riding-3; loading on a moving vehicle (such as a wagon or
carriage) requires a roll against Guns-2.
Modifying Firearms
The following adjustments can be made to various firearms and
other missile weapons (such as bows and crossbows) to improve their
usefulness. Each modifier is "stackable" unless otherwise specified.
Following the method from Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers and
Low-Tech, each modifier lists a Cost Factor (CF). To find the final
cost, add up the various Cost Factors, and multiply the list price by (1
+ total CF).
Note that some of these modify only the ammunition, not the
weapon themselves.
Balanced: +1 to skill with a thrown weapon, or +1 to Acc of any
firearm, blowgun, bow, or crossbow. +4 CF.
Darkmetal: Darkmetal bullets and projectiles cannot be affected
by magic! Spells, such as Reverse Missiles, Steelwraith, etc, will not
stop it, and Shape Metal, Shatter, and the like cannot affect it. Of
course, they can't benefit from enchantments or projectile-enhancing
spells, either. Note that this only covers the projectiles and
ammunition; the weapon itself can still be enchanted, unless also made
of Darkmetal. +49 CF.
Fine*: -1 to odds for breakage, and +20% to Range for a blowgun,
bow, crossbow, or firearm. +3 CF.
Ornate: Gold, silver, jewels, etchings, etc. have been added to the
weapon to make it more decorative, giving a reaction bonus to buyers,
gullible hirelings, etc. +1 to reactions for +1 CF, +2 for +4 CF, +3 for
+9 CF, etc.
Orichalcum: Orichalcum weapons won't break, which makes it a
useful metal from which to make guns. In addition, orichalcum
weapons are easier to enchant. +29 CF.
Silver*: Metal arrows, bolts, and bullets can be made of solid
silver to exploit various Vulnerabilities, and, in the case of bullets
from firearms, have an Armor Divisor of (0.5) (treat as Hollow Point
for any firearm). +19 CF.
* Fine and Silver are mutually exclusive.
Darkmetal, Orichalcum, and Silver are mutually exclusive;
however, a Darkmetal bullet can be fired from an Orichalcum firearm
without affecting any enchantment on the firearm itself.
Heavy and Siege Weapons
Table 6-2: Heavy Weapons Table:
Artillery (Cannon) (IQ-5)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes
3 Bombard 13d+2 pi++ 1 80/550 1,550/50 1 1 (60) 55M -12 5 $21,000 0
3 Bombard 6d5 pi++ 1 130/740 16,000/430 1 1 (60) 92M -16 5 $220,000 0
3 Crapaudeau 1d+2 pi++ 1 20/170 32/0.12 1 1 (60) 17M -8 2 $440 1
3 Vauglaire 4d+2 pi++ 1 40/340 700/2.5 1 1 (60) 36M -12 2 $9,600 1
Artillery (Catapult) (IQ-5)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes
2 Onager 12d-1 cr 1 440/550 3,800/15 1 1 (60) M -15/-20 2 $95,000 1
3 Trebuchet, Small 12+2 cr 1 480/660 17,500/25 1 1 (300) M -19/-24 3 $70,000 0
3 Trebuchet, Large 17d cr 1 510/660 44,000/80 1 1 (450) M -21/-26 3 $210,000 0
Artillery (Rockets) (IQ-5)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes
4 Hwacha 3d imp 1 500 200/25 10 100 (5i) 20M -12 1 $12,000 1
plus 3d cr ex [1d+1]
Gunner (Catapult) (DX-4 or other Gunner-4)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes
2 Scorpion, 27" 3d imp 4 220/275 65/0.5 1 1 (10) 17M -9 1 $1,600 2
2 Scorpion, 36" 4d imp 4 240/300 160/1.2 1 1 (15) 21M -10 1 $4,000 2
2 Scorpion, 45" 5d imp 4 250/315 290/2.25 1 1 (24) 38M -11 1 $7,200 2
2 Scorpion, 54" 6d-1 imp 4 250/315 515/4 1 1 (35) 51M -12 1 $12,800 2
2 Scorpion, 72" 7d+1 imp 4 275/345 1,190/10 1 1 (30) 77M -14 1 $30,000 2
3 Arbalest 3d-1 imp 4 360/450 37/0.5 1 1 (30) 15M -9 1 $15,000 3
Gunner (Cannon) (DX-4 or other Gunner-4)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes
4 Cannon, 3-lb 14d+1 pi++ 2 210/1,800 1,000/4.5 1 1 (60) 39M -13 2 $14,000 1
4 Cannon, 12-lb. 6d4 pi++ 2 310/2,400 3,750/18 1 1 (60) 55M -15 2 $50,000 1
4 Cannon, 24-lb. 6d5 pi++ 2 370/2,700 6,900/36 1 1(70) 64M -16 2 $95,000 0
4 Ship's Gun, 4-lb. 6d3 pi++ 2 270/2,300 1,000/7.5 1 1 (60) 40M -12 2 $14,000 2
4 Ship's Gun, 9-lb. 6d4 pi++ 2 310/2,400 2,900/16.5 1 1 (60) 50M -14 2 $39,000 2
4 Ship's Gun, 18-lb. 7d4 pi++ 2 340/2,600 5,000/28 1 1(70) 60M -15 2 $65,000 1
4 Ship's Gun, 42-lb. 6d5 pi++ 2 380/2,800 7,300/60 1 1(90) 75M -16 4 $180,000 1
4 Swivel-Gun, 2.25" 6d+1 pi++ 1 90/900 140/2.5 1 1 (20) 27M -8 3 $1,900 2
Gunner (Rockets) (DX-4 or other Gunner-4)
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes
3 Rocket 2d+2 cr ex 0 810 1.15 1 1 (15) 6M -5 1 $23 1
ARBALEST A weapon that resembles a large crossbow, usually
mounted but occasionally used by minotaurs, ogres, and trolls as a
crossbow. Uses a built-in winch for reloading.
BOMBARD Older gunpowder artillery, usually mounted on
massive wooden frames or built into vehicles or buildings. Fires huge
stone balls.
CANNON These are cannon which are mounted on a carriage and
towed to the battlefield using draft animals.
CRAPAUDEAU A long-barreled, small-caliber breechloader firing
small stones.
HWACHA The hwacha a is matchlock device which originated in
the Gehong region, in the nation of Tsiu: a battlefield support weapon,
usually mounted on a cart, which can fire two hundred rocket-
propelled explosive-tipped arrows at once. What most rockets lack in
accuracy, the hwacha makes up for with massed fire. The hwacha's
existence predates the use of black powder in the Caere region.
ONAGER A simple design, the onager has one arm, one torsion
spring, and no string; the sling pouch or basket is fastened directly to
the end of the arm. The arm swings from horizontal to vertical, hits a
cushion, and stops, releasing the missile. The name "onager" is
derived from its recoil, which is often compared to the kick of a wild
ass. Useful for launching bombs and the occasional adventurer! It
is operated by a crew of two.
ROCKET An unguided explosive which uses its own exhaust to
propel it. Most use a wooden pole to stabilize its flight; however, the
majority of rockets are horribly inaccurate (-5 to hit and maximum
effective skill 9 regardless). It takes three seconds to reach full range
and explode.
SCOPRION A ballista that throws a bolt, rated for the length of the
shaft it propels, used primarily as direct-fire weapons when cannon are
not available. Use Artillery (Catapult) for indirect fire.
SHIP'S GUN A cannon mounted on a carriage carried on board a
ship, rated for the size of the ball it fires. Barrel length is 9' to 10' for
the larger sizes, and 7' for the 4-pounder.
SWIVEL-GUN A small cannon that can be mounted on a ship's
gunwale or a city wall, and swing about to engage attackers. Most are
breechloaders.
TREBUCHET The classic catapult, designed to smash fortification
walls with huge rocks. It uses a counterweight to propel the arm
forward. Like the onager, it is often used to launch bombs. A small
trebuchet has a crew of 25; a large one a crew of 30.
VAUGLAIRE A fairly small breechloader with a moderately long
barrel, firing stomes somewhat larger than the crapaudeau's.
Melee Weapons
Table 6-3: Melee Weapons
AXE/MACE (DX-5, Flail-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Axe sw+2 cut 1 0U $50 4 11
0 Hatchet sw cut 1 0 $40 2 8
0 Knobbed Club sw+1 cr 1 0 $20 2 8
0 Round Mace sw+2 cr 1 0U $35 5 12
0 Small Axe sw+1 cut 1 0U $45 3 10
0 Small Round Mace sw+1 cr 1 0U $25 3 10
0 Small Throwing Axe sw+1 cut 1 0U $50 3 10
0 Throwing Axe sw+2 cut 1 0U $60 4 11
1 Sickle sw cut 1 0 $40 2 8
or sw imp 1 0U - - 8
or thr-2 cut 1 0U - - 8 Hook
2 Mace sw+3 cr 1 0U $50 5 12
2 Small Mace sw+2 cr 1 0U $35 3 10
3 Pick sw+1 imp 1 0U $70 3 10
BOXING, BRAWLING, KARATE, or DX
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
1 Brass Knuckles thr cr C 0 $10 0.25 -
2 Cestus thr cr C 0 $50 1 -
BRAWLING or DX
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
1 Blackjack thr cr C 0 $20 1 7
3 Combat Fan thr cr C 0 $40 1 7 Gehong
or thr-2 cut C 0 - - 6 -2 to hit
3 Hilt Punch thr-1 cr C 0 var. var. -
3 Hilt Punch, Bladed thr-1 cut C 0 var. var. -
BRAWLING, KARATE, or DX
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
3 Bladed Hand sw-2 cut C 0 $100 1 6
or thr imp C 0 - - 6
3 Mae Sun-Sawk (Tonfa) thr cr C 0 $40 1.5 - Butt Jab
3 Piau (Shuriken) thr-2 cut C 0 $3 0.1 - Used to Claw
BROADSWORD (DX-5, Rapier-4, Shortsword-2, or Two-Handed Sword-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Light Club sw+1 cr 1 0 $5 3 10
or thr+1 cr 1 0 - - 10
0 Short Staff (Jo) sw cr 1 0 $10 2 9
or thr cr 1 0 - - 9
2 Broadsword sw+1 cut 1 0 $600 3 10
or thr+2 imp 1 0 - - 10
2 Large Falchion sw+2 cut 1 0U $625 4.5 11
or thr-1 imp 1 0U - - 11
2 Pata sw cut 1 0 $650 3.75 10 Umoja
or thr+3 imp 1 0 - - 10
3 Bastard Sword sw+1 cut 1, 2 0U $750 5 11
or thr+2 imp 2 0U - - 11
3 Dao sw+2 cut 1 0U $700 5 11 Gehong
or thr imp 1 0U - - 11
3 Estoc thr+2 imp 1 0 $500 3 10
or sw+1 cr 1 0 - - 10
3 Hook Sword sw+1 cr 1 0 $200 3 10 Gehong
or thr+1 cr 1 0 - - 10
or thr-2 cut 1 0 - - 10 Hook
3 Jian sw cut 1 0 $700 3 10 Gehong
or thr+1 imp 1, 2 0 - - 10
3 Longsword sw+1 cut 1 0 $700 4 10
or thr+2 imp 1, 2 0 - - 10
4 Backsword sw+1 cut 1 0 $550 3 10
or thr+1 imp 1 0 - - 10
4 Cavalry Saber sw+1 cut 1 0 $500 3 10
or thr+1 imp 1 0 - - 10
4 Edged Rapier sw cut 1, 2 0 $1,000 3 10
or thr+1 imp 1, 2 0 - - 10
FLAIL (DX-6, Axe/Mace-4, or Two-Handed Flail-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Bola Perdida sw cr 1 -2U $10 1 6
0 Bolas sw+1 cr 1 -2U $20 2 7
0 Thonged Club sw-1 cr 1 -2U $5 0.5 5
0 Weighted Scarf sw cr 1 -2U $10 1 6
3 Morningstar sw+3 cr 1 0U $80 6 12
3 Sang-Jyel-Bong (Nunchaku) sw+1 cr 1 0U $20 2 7 Gehong
GARROTE (DX-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Garrote spec. C No $2 neg. -
0 Weighted Scarf spec. C No $10 1 -
JITTE/SAI (DX-5, Main-Gauche-4, or Shortsword-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
3 Sai sw cr 1 0 $60 1.5 7 Gehong
or thr imp 1 0 - - 7
KNIFE (DX-4, Main-Gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Large Knife sw-2 cut C, 1 -1 $40 1 6
or thr imp C -1 - - 6
0 Short Baton sw-1 cr C, 1 -1 $10 0.5 5
or thr cr C -1 - - 5
0 Small Knife sw-3 cut C, 1 -1 $30 0.5 5
or thr-1 imp C -1 - - 5
0 Wooden Stake thr (0.5) imp C -1 $4 0.4 5
1 Dagger thr-1 imp C -1 $20 0.25 5
1 Long Knife sw-1 cut C, 1 0 $120 1.5 7
or thr imp C, 1 0 - - 7
2 Katar sw-3 cut C, 1 -1 $50 1 6 Umoja
or thr+1 imp C -1 - - 6
2 Kukri sw-1 cut C, 1 0 $50 1.5 7 Umoja
or thr-1 imp C 0 - - 7
3 Balisong sw-3 cut C, 1 -1 $50 1.5 7 +1 to Holdout
or thr-1 imp C -1 - - 5 Gehong
3 Deer Antlers thr+1 cut C 0 $75 1.5 5 Gehong
3 Knife-Wheel thr+1 cut C 0 $75 1.2 5 Gehong
or thr-1 imp C 0 - - 5
3 Rondel Dagger thr imp C -1 $40 1 6
3 Slashing Wheel thr+1 cut C 0 $60 1 5 Gehong
3 Stiletto thr-1 imp C -1 $20 0.25 5
4 Main-Gauche sw-3 cut C, 1 0 $50 1.25 6
or thr imp C 0 - - 6
KUSARI (DX-6, Two-Handed Flail-4, or Whip-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
2 Rope Dart sw-1 cr 1-4 -2U $30 0.5 5
or thr-2 imp 1-4 -2U - - 5
3 Chain Whip sw+(1-4) cr 1-4* -2U $50/yd 3/yd var
3 Weighted Chain sw+2 cr 1-4* -2U $70 5 11
or thr+2 cr 1-4* -2U - - 11
LANCE (DX-5 or Spear-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
2 Lance thr+3 imp 4 No $60 6 12
MAIN-GAUCHE (DX-5, Jitte/Sai-4, Knife-4, Rapier-3, or Smallsword-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
3 Deer Antlers thr+1 cut C 0F $75 1.5 5 Gehong
3 Knife-Wheel thr+1 cut C 0F $75 1.5 5 Gehong
or thr-1 imp C 0F - - 5
3 Rondel Dagger thr imp C 0F $40 1 6
3 Sai sw cr 1 0F $60 1.5 7 Gehong
or thr imp 1 0F - - 7
3 Slashing Wheel thr+1 cut C 0F $60 1 5 Gehong
3 Stiletto thr-1 imp C 0F $20 0.25 5
4 Main-Gauche sw-3 cut C, 1 0F $50 1.25 6
or thr imp C 0F - - 6
POLEARM (DX-5, Spear-4, Staff-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Oar sw+3 cr 1, 2* 0U $40 8 12
1 Glaive sw+3 cut 2, 3* 0U $100 8 11
or thr+3 imp 1-3* 0U - - 11
2 Ngao (Naginata) sw+2 cut 1, 2* 0U $100 6 9 Gehong
or thr+3 imp 2 0 - - 9
3 Bill sw+3 cut 2, 3* 0U $125 8 11
or thr+3 imp 1-3* 0U - - 11
or thr-1 cut 1-3* 0U - - 11 Hook
3 Dueling Bill sw+2 cut 1, 2* 0U $100 6 9
or thr+3 imp 1, 2* 0 - - 9
or thr-1 cut 1, 2* 0U - - 9 Hook
3 Dueling Glaive sw+2 cut 1, 2* 0U $80 6 9
or thr+3 imp 1, 2* 0 - - 9
3 Dueling Halberd sw+4 cut 1, 2* 0U $120 10 12
or sw+3 imp 1, 2* 0U - - 12
or thr+3 imp 1, 2* 0 - - 11
3 Halberd sw+5 cut 2, 3* 0U $150 12 13
or sw+4 imp 2, 3* 0U - - 13
or thr+3 imp 1-3* 0U - - 12
3 Heavy Pudao sw+5 cut 2, 3* 0U $150 12 13 Gehong
or thr+3 imp 1-3* 0U - - 12
3 Lajatang sw+2 cut 1, 2* 0U $100 7 10 Gehong
or thr+2 cut 1, 2* 0 - - 10
3 Light Pudao sw+4 cut 1, 2* 0U $120 8 11 Gehong
or thr+3 imp 1, 2* 0U - - 11
3 Monk's Spade sw+1 cut 1, 2* 0U $100 6 9 Gehong
or sw+2 cr 1, 2* 0U - - 9
or thr+2 cut 1, 2* 0 - - 9
3 Poleaxe sw+4 cut 2, 3* 0U $120 10 12
or sw+4 cr 2, 3* 0U - - 12
3 Pollaxe sw+4 cr 1, 2* 0U $120 10 12
or sw+3 imp 1, 2* 0U - - 12
or thr+3 imp 1, 2* 0 - - 11
RAPIER (DX-5, Broadsword-4, Main-Gauche-3, or Smallsword-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
3 Jian sw cut 1 0F $700 3 10 Gehong
or thr+1 imp 1, 2 0F - - 10
4 Edged Rapier sw cut 1, 2 0F $1,000 3 10
or thr+1 imp 1, 2 0F - - 10
4 Light Edged Rapier sw-1 cut 1 0F $700 2.25 8
or thr+1 imp 1 0F - - 8
4 Light Rapier thr+1 imp 1 0F $400 2 8
4 Rapier thr+1 imp 1, 2 0F $500 2.75 9
SHIELD (DX-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Shield Bash thr cr 1 No var var -
1 Shield Bash w/ Long Spike thr+1 imp 1 No var var -
1 Shield Bash w/ Sharp Edge sw+2 cut 1 No var var -
1 Shield Bash w/ Spike thr+1 cr 1 No var var -
SHORTSWORD (DX-5, Broadsword-2, Jitte/Sai-3, Knife-4, Smallsword-4, or Tonfa-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Baton sw cr 1 0 $20 1 6
or thr cr 1 0 - - 6
0 Short Baton sw-1 cr C, 1 0 $10 0.5 5
or thr cr C 0 - - 5
1 Long Knife sw-1 cut 1 0 $120 1.5 7
or thr imp C, 1 0 - - 7
1 Shortsword sw cut 1 0 $400 2 8
or thr+1 imp 1 0 - - 8
2 Dusack/Waster sw cr 1 0 $30 1.5 7
or thr cr 1 0 - - 7
2 Falchion sw+1 cut 1 0 $400 3 10
or thr-2 imp 1 0 - - 10
2 Large Katar sw-1 cut 1 0 $400 2 8 Umoja
or thr+2 imp 1 0 - - 8
2 Small Falchion sw cut 1 0 $200 2 8
or thr-2 imp 1 0 - - 8
4 Cutlass sw cut 1 0 $500 2 8
or thr+1 imp 1 0 - - 8
SMALLSWORD (DX-5, Main-Gauche-3, Rapier-3, or Shortsword-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Baton (Short Staff) sw cr 1 0F $20 1 6
or thr cr 1 0F - - 6
SPEAR (DX-5, Polearm-4, or Staff-2)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Spear thr+2 imp 1* 0 $40 4 10
two hands thr+3 imp 1, 2* 0 - - 9
1 Heavy Spear thr+4 imp 2, 3* 0U $90 6 11
or thr+3 cut 3 0U $0 0 11 Tip Slash
Javelin thr+1 imp 1 0 $30 2 6
1 Short Spear thr+1 imp 1 0 $30 2 6
or thr cut 1 0 - - 6 Tip Slash
2 Long Spear thr+2 imp 2, 3* 0U $60 5 11
two hands thr+3 imp 2, 3* 0 - - 10
2 Pike thr+3 imp 4, 5* 0U $80 13 12
2 Trident thr+3 (0.5) imp 1* 0U $80 5 11
or thr+4 (0.5) imp 1, 2* 0 - - 10
STAFF (DX-5, Polearm-4, or Spear-2)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
var Dueling Polearm sw+2 cr 1, 2 0U var var var Blunt Pole
or thr+2 cr 1, 2 0 - - var Blunt Tip
0 Long Staff sw+2 cr 2, 3 +2 $15 5 10
or thr+2 cr 2, 3 +2 - - 10
0 Quarterstaff sw+2 cr 1, 2 +2 $10 4 7
or thr+2 cr 1, 2 +2 - - 7
0 Short Staff (Jo) sw+1 cr 1 +2 $10 2 6
or thr+1 cr 1 +2 - - 6
3 Qian Kun Ri Yue Dao sw+1 cut 1 +2 $250 3 7 Gehong
or thr+1 imp 1 +2 - - 7
or thr cut 1 +2 - - 7
3 Ri Yue Jian sw+1 cut 1 +2 $1,110 7 9 Gehong
or thr+1 imp 1 +2 - 9
TONFA (DX-5 or Shortsword-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
3 Mae Sun-Sawk (Tonfa) sw cr 1 0 $40 1.5 7 Gehong
or thr cr C, 1 0 - - 7
TWO-HANDED AXE/MACE (DX-5, Axe/Mace-3, Polearm-4, or Two-Handed Flail-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Axe sw+3 cut 1 0U $50 4 10
0 Maul sw+5 cr 1, 2* 0U $80 12 13
0 Round Mace sw+3 cr 1 0U $35 5 11
0 Throwing Axe sw+3 cut 1 0U $60 4 10
1 Gada sw+6 cr 1, 2* 0U $100 15 16 Umoja
or thr+2 cr 1* 0 - - 15
1 Great Axe sw+4 cut 1, 2* 0U $100 8 12
1 Scythe sw+3 cut 1 0U $15 5 11
or sw+1 imp 1 0U - - 11
or thr-1 cut 1 0U - - 11
2 Long Axe sw+3 cut 1, 2* 0U $75 6 11
2 Mace sw+4 cr 1 0U $50 5 11
3 Warhammer sw+4 imp 1, 2* 0U $100 7 12
TWO-HANDED FLAIL (DX-6, Flail-3, Kusari-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
2 Flail sw+4 cr 1, 2* 0U $100 8 13
2 Three-Part Staff sw+3 cr 1-3 0U $60 5 11 Gehong
or sw+1 cr 1 0U - - 11
TWO-HANDED SWORD (DX-5, or Broadsword-4)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
0 Quarterstaff sw+2 cr 1, 2 0 $10 4 9
or thr+1 cr 2 0 - - 9
0 Short Staff (Jo) sw+1 cr 1 0 $10 2 8
or thr+1 cr 1 0 - - 8
2 Ngao (Naginata) sw+3 cut 2 0U $100 6 9 Gehong
or thr+3 imp 2 0 - - 9
3 Bastard Sword sw+2 cut 1, 2 0 $750 5 10
or thr+3 imp 2 0 - - 10
3 Greatsword sw+3 cut 1, 2 0 $900 7 12
or thr+3 imp 2 0 - - 12
3 Longsword sw+1 cut 1 0 $700 4 9
or thr+3 imp 1, 2 0 - - 9
WHIP (DX-5 or Kusaru-3)
TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Notes
1 Light Whip sw-5 (0.5) cr 1-7* -2U $20/yd 0.5/yd var
1 Whip sw-2 (0.5) cr 1-7* -2U $20/yd 2/yd var
3 Urumi sw-1 cr 1-3 -2U $400 4 8 Umoja
or sw-1 (0.5) cut 1-3 -2U - - 8
The following weapons are commonly encountered among
soldiers, guardsmen, mercenaries, adventurers, and bandits across the
known world. Items listed in SMALL CAPITALS have stats in the Basic
Set, Martial Arts, or Low-Tech. Other weapons exist, but are not as
common.
AXE A wedge-shaped blade on a wooden handle, for use in one
handand not balanced for throwing. It has a sufficiently long handle to
be comfortably wielded two-handed. A SMALL AXE, which is only
slightly larger than a HATCHET, cannot be used two-handed; the LONG
AXE must be wielded two-handed.
BACKSWORD A single edged THRUSTING BROADSWORD with a
basket hilt, common in Marach and Ered-Dm.
BASTARD SWORD A sword manageable enough to wield one-
handed but with a grip long enough for two. It can be wielded two-
handed normally. Most are THRUSTING BASTARD SWORDS.
Bayonet Presently, the only style of bayonet currently in
existence is the plug bayonet, which fits in the end of the musket or
rifle. Use in this manner converts the musket or rifle into an effective
two-handed SPEAR doing thr+3 impaling damage; when removed from
the firearm, it can be wielded as an unthrowable LARGE KNIFE. Fixing
a bayonet to a firearm takes four Ready maneuvers: one to draw the
bayonet, one to change grips, one to mount the blade, and one to ready
the firearm as a melee weapon. Fast-Draw (Knife) can reduce this to
three seconds. Cost and weight are as a LARGE KNIFE.
BROADSWORD A common one-handed straight sword. Most are
THRUSTING BROADSWORDS. Also referred to as an "arming sword" in
common usage.
CAVALRY SABER A curved one-handed sword commonly used
from the saddle, ubiquitous across the known world.
CESTUS A metal covering for the hand and occasionally the
forearm, commonly made of iron or lead, used to protect the hands and
increase damage dealt in boxing matches.
CUTLASS The cutlass is the main melee weapon used on board
ocean-going ships. It is a single-edged, broad bladed shortsword with
a sharpened tip and a basket hilt for protecting the hand during
combat. Treat a hilt punch as hitting with a loaded fist.
DAO A heavy sword from the Gehong region with a large, curved
blade and an extra-long handle used one-handed for chopping and
stabbing.
FALCHION A curved, broad-bladed chopping sword common with
the Desert Nomads, wielded one-handed. Most are shortsword sized,
but the LARGE FALCHION is broadsword size.
HUNGAMUNGA An iron or steel throwing weapon from Umoja
with a number of sharp edges along the various sides, enabling it to do
damage regardless of which side hits when thrown. In melee, it can be
used as a LARGE KNIFE or a SMALL AXE, but at a -2 penalty to skill due
to its awkward design but see the Exotic Weapon Training Perk (p.
MA50).
JIAN A straight, one-handed sword frm the Gehong region with a
long, narrow blade. While commonly used similarly to a THRUSTING
BROADSWORD, it is light enough for for fencing.
Machete A cheap-quality, broad-bladed SMALL FALCHION
common in the Umojan Jungle region, most commonly used for
clearing underbrush.
PIKE A 10-foot long HEAVY SPEAR with Reach 4, commonly used
to brace against cavalry charges. Not normally suitable for melee use;
when broken following a charge, can be used as a SPEAR of the
appropriate size. Pikes are common among infantry forces. Modern
infantry usually uses a shield wall with pikes sticking forward through
them, with archers, crossbowmen, and musketeers behind them.
QIAN KUN RI YUE DAO The name of this weapon roughly
translates into "heaven and earth, sun and moon sword." It is a 4' to 5'
metal bar with a sickle-like blade at either end, curved towards the
user. The wielder holds it across his body with his hands inside a pair
of metal handguards each with another crescent-shaped blade on it,
these pointing away from him. The weapon is complex to wield,
giving a -1 to attack with it, but see the Exotic Weapon Training Perk
(p. MA50).
RAPIER Considered by many to be the weapon of the aristocracy,
the rapier is the primary civilian weapon favored by young nobles and
those who emulate them. Also common is the EDGED RAPIER (p.
MA229), which allows for slashing as well as thrusting attacks. The
LIGHT RAPIER and LIGHT EDGED RAPIER also exist. All are suitable for
use with the various fencing styles listed in Chapter I.
Ri Yue Jian A double-bladed sword out of Gehong with straight
blades. Treat as a JO, using the Staff skill, except that swing damage
is cutting, and thrust damage is impaling. It requires a slightly
different grip than a quarterstaff, and cannot be wielded using the
Two-Handed Sword skill.
Scimitar A curved slashing sword similar to a cavalry saber used
by the Desert Nomads, occasionally used from horseback as well as on
foot. Use the THRUSTING BROADSWORD stats for a lightly curved blade,
or CAVALRY SABER stats for one sharply curved.
Modifying Melee Weapons
The following reflect various means of adapting melee weapons.
Each gives a Cost Factor (CF), as described above.
Balanced: +1 to skill with any melee weapon. When applied to
any weapon with a "U" in the Parry statistic, it essentially removes the
"U". +4 CF.
Cheap*: Any weapon can be made cheaply, being mass-produced
for armies or produced by inexperienced weaponsmiths. Cheap
weapons are +2 to break, and thrown weapons are -1 Acc (minimum
0). -0.6 CF.
Darkmetal: Darkmetal is immune to magic Steelwraith, Turn
Blade, etc, will not stop it, and Shape Metal, Shatter, and the like will
not affect it. Of course, it cannot benefit from enchantments, weapon-
enhancing spells, or magical repairs. +49 CF.
Fine*: -1 to odds of breakage, and +1 to any cutting or impaling
damage. Crushing- or impaling-only melee or thrown weapons: +2
CF. Fencing weapons and swords: +3 CF. Other cutting/thrown
weapons: +9 CF.
Ironwood: Any wooden weapon, such as a quarterstaff or baton,
can be made of ironwood, giving it a +1 per die to all crushing
damage. If a normally metal weapon is made out of ironwood, effects
are as Wooden, below, but with the +1 per die bonus to crushing
damage. +9 CF.
Mithryl: Mithryl weapons are half as light as their steel
counterparts. +19 CF.
Ornate: Gold, silver, jewels, etchings, etc. have been added to the
weapon to make it more decorative, giving a reaction bonus to buyers,
gullible hirelings, etc. +1 to reactions for +1 CF, +2 for +4 CF, +3 for
+9 CF, etc.
Orichalcum: Orichalcum weapons won't break! Non-orichalcum
weapons have +2 to odds of breakage when parrying heavy
orichalcum ones. Any metal weapon, but popular for light fencing
weapons: +29 CF.
Silver*: Metal weapons can be made of solid silver to exploit
various Vulnerabilities, but have +2 to odds of breakage; +19 CF.
Silver-coating these weapons doesn't worsen breakage, but may not be
as effective in exploiting Vulnerabilities; +2 CF.
Very Fine*: -2 to odds of breakage and +2 to damage. Fencing
weapons and swords only. +19 CF.
Wooden: Any weapon can be made of wood, but with various
effects. Modify weight by half, and -1 to ST. Cutting weapons
become crushing, and impaling weapons get an Armor Divisor (0.5).
-0.9 CF Note that some weapons, such as the quarterstaff and wooden
stake, are already made of wood and don't need this modifier.
* Cheap, Fine, solid Silver, and Very Fine are mutually exclusive.
Darkmetal, Ironwood, Mithryl, Orichalcum, solid Silver, and
Wooden weapons are mutually exclusive.
Clothing and Armor
The most common materials used for clothing in the western
regions are cotton, wool, felt, linen, leather, and fur, with a number of
items also made from silk imported from Gehong. A recent fabric
among the middle and lower classes is a mix of linen and wool,
commonly known as linsey-woolsy. Clothing made from this fabric
provides some protection from cold weather like wool, but is lighter
and lets warmer air flow through it like linen. On the downside, it is
also somewhat uncomfortable when worn for long periods of time, as
it has a tendency to itch.
Armor is a necessity among soldiers, city guards, mercenaries, and
"professional adventurers". Even those who don't normally face life-
threatening combat may wish to invest in some minor, inconspicuous
armor. The armor table, below, lists common pieces of armor found in
Ranoc. Custom armor may be made using Low-Tech: Instant Armor.
Listed below the table are the most common combinations of
armor that are found in Ranoc. Most armorers build these armors as
sets, not as pieces. The cheaper sets, particularly the leather, scale,
segmented plate, and mail armors, are normally produced to generic
designs in standard sizes (in some areas, particularly New Hope, an
adventurer may be able to buy some of these armors "off the rack"),
while those armors incorporating larger pieces of plate are generally
custom built on commission and fitted to their original wearer. The
Mail and Heavy Mail sets come standard with a cotton or linen tunic
and belt worn over the armor; these provide no additional cost or
protection, but are often decorated with heraldry. All armor sets
heavier than leather come with lightweight cloth padding underneath
for comfort at no extra price (or protective benefit).
Table 6-4: Armor Table
Body Armor
TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes
0 Padded Cloth Haubergeon torso 1* $50 6 4
0 Padded Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 1* $73 8.7 4
0 Light Layered Cloth Haubergeon torso 2* $150 12 4
0 Light Layered Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 2* $218 17.4 4
0 Layered Cloth Haubergeon torso 3 $350 20 3
0 Layered Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 3 $508 29 3
0 Heavy Layered Cloth Haubergeon torso 4 $600 28 3
0 Heavy Layered Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 4 $870 40.6 3
0 Leather Jacket arms, torso (sans groin) 1/0* $43 2.38 - [1]
0 Leather Cuirass chest 2/1* $75 9 4 [2]
0 Leather Fauld abdomen 2/1* $25 3 4 [2]
0 Heavy Leather Cuirass chest 3/2 $150 15 3 [2]
0 Heavy Leather Fauld abdomen 3/2 $50 5 3 [2]
1 Bezainted Padded Cloth Haubergeon torso 2/1* $63 7.5 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Padded Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 2/1* $91 10.88 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Light Layered Cloth Haubergeon torso 3/2* $188 15 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Light Layered Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 3/2* $272 21.75 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Layered Cloth Haubergeon torso 4/3 $438 25 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Layered Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 4/3 $634 36.25 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Layered Cloth Haubergeon torso 5/4 $750 35 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Layered Cloth Hauberk torso, thighs 5/4 $1,088 50.75 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Leather Cuirass chest 3/2/1* $94 11.25 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Leather Fauld abdomen 3/2/1* $31 3.75 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Cuirass chest 4/3/2 $188 18.75 3 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Fauld abdomen 4/3/2 $63 6.25 4 [1, 2]
1 Hardened Leather Cuirass chest 2 $94 11.3 4
1 Hardened Leather Fauld abdomen 2 $31 3.8 4
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Cuirass chest 3 $188 18.8 3
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Fauld abdomen 3 $63 6.3 3
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Cuirass chest 3/2 $118 14.13 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Fauld abdomen 3/2 $39 4.75 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Hardened Leather Cuirass chest 4/3 $235 23.5 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Hardened Leather Fauld abdomen 4/3 $79 7.88 4 [1]
1 Light Leather Scale Haubergeon torso 2* $120 15 4
1 Light Leather Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 2* $174 21.75 4
1 Leather Scale Haubergeon torso 3 $220 26 3
1 Leather Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 3 $319 37.7 3
1 Heavy Leather Scale Haubergeon torso 4 $525 35 3
1 Heavy Leather Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 4 $761 50.75 3
1 Light Scale Haubergeon torso 3/2 $320 16 4 [3]
1 Light Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 3/2 $464 23.2 4 [3]
1 Light Star Scale Haubergeon torso 3 $640 16 4
1 Light Star Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 3 $928 23.2 4
1 Scale Haubergeon torso 4/3 $550 28 3 [3]
1 Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 4/3 $798 40.6 3 [3]
1 Star Scale Haubergeon torso 4 $1,100 28 3
1 Star Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 4 $1,595 40.6 3
1 Heavy Scale Haubergeon torso 5/4 $1,100 40 3 [3]
1 Heavy Scale Hauberk torso, thighs 5/4 $1,595 58 3 [3]
2 Light Mail Haubergeon torso 3/1* $500 12 3 [3]
2 Light Mail Hauberk torso, thighs 3/1* $725 17.4 3 [3]
2 Mail Haubergeon torso 4/2* $900 15 3 [3]
2 Mail Hauberk torso, thighs 4/2* $1,305 21.75 3 [3]
2 Heavy Mail Haubergeon torso 5/3* $1,200 18 2 [3]
2 Heavy Mail Hauberk torso, thighs 5/3* $1,740 26.1 3 [3]
2 Light Segmented Plate Cuirass chest 3 $450 12 3
2 Light Segmented Plate Fauld abdomen 3 $150 4 3
2 Segmented Plate Cuirass chest 4 $675 18 3
2 Segmented Plate Fauld abdomen 4 $225 6 3
2 Heavy Segmented Plate Cuirass chest 5 $900 24 3
2 Heavy Segmented Plate Fauld abdomen 5 $300 8 3
3 Mail and Plates Haubergeon torso 5/4 $1,000 20 2 [3]
3 Mail and Plates Hauberk torso, thighs 5/4 $1,450 29 2 [3]
3 Jousting Mail Haubergeon torso 6 $1,500 30 2 [4]
4 Arming Doublet torso 0* $160 3 2 [5]
4 Light Brigandine Cuirass chest 3 $675 7.5 3
4 Light Brigandine Fauld abdomen 3 $225 2.5 3
4 Brigandine Cuirass chest 5 $1,350 15 3
4 Brigandine Fauld abdomen 5 $450 5 3
4 Light Breastplate chest 3F $375 3 3 [6]
4 Breastplate chest 6F $938 7.5 2 [6]
4 Heavy Breastplate chest 9F $1,500 12 2 [6]
4 Light Plate Corselet chest 3 $750 6 3
4 Plate Corselet chest 6 $1,875 15 2
4 Heavy Plate Corselet chest 9 $3,000 24 2
Arm Armor
TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes
0 Padded Cloth Sleeves arms 1* $25 3 4
0 Light Layered Cloth Sleeves arms 2* $75 6 4
0 Layered Cloth Sleeves arms 3 $175 10 3
0 Leather Bracers forearms 2/1* $25 3 4 [2]
0 Leather Sleeves arms 2/1* $50 6 4 [2]
0 Heavy Leather Bracers forearms 3/2 $50 5 4 [2]
0 Heavy Leather Sleeves arms 3/2 $100 10 3 [2]
1 Bezainted Padded Cloth Sleeves arms 2/1* $31 3.75 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Light Layered Cloth Sleeves arms 3/2* $94 7.5 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Layered Cloth Sleeves arms 4/3 $219 12.5 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Leather Bracers forearms 3/2/1* $31 3.75 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Leather Sleeves arms 3/2/1* $63 7.5 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Bracers forearms 4/3/2 $63 6.25 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Sleeves arms 4/3/2 $125 12.5 3 [1, 2]
1 Hardened Leather Bracers forearms 2 $31 3.8 4
1 Hardened Leather Sleeves arms 2 $63 7.5 4
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Bracers forearms 3 $63 6.3 4
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Sleeves arms 3 $125 12.5 3
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Bracers forearms 3/2 $39 4.75 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Sleeves arms 3/2 $79 9.38 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Hardened Leather Bracers forearms 4/3 $79 7.88 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Hardened Leather Sleeves arms 4/3 $156 15.63 3 [1]
1 Light Leather Scale Bracers forearms 2* $30 3.8 4
1 Light Leather Scale Sleeves arms 2* $60 7.5 4
1 Leather Scale Bracers forearms 3 $55 6.5 4
1 Leather Scale Sleeves arms 3 $110 13 3
1 Light Scale Bracers forearms 3/2 $80 4 4 [3]
1 Light Scale Sleeves arms 3/2 $160 8 3 [3]
1 Light Star Scale Bracers forearms 3 $160 4 4
1 Light Star Scale Sleeves arms 3 $320 8 3
1 Scale Bracers forearms 4/3 $138 7 4 [3]
1 Scale Sleeves arms 4/3 $275 14 3 [3]
1 Star Scale Bracers forearms 4 $276 7 4
1 Star Scale Sleeves arms 4 $550 14 3
2 Light Mail Sleeves arms 3/1* $250 6 3 [3]
2 Mail Sleeves arms 4/2* $450 7.5 3 [3]
2 Heavy Mail Sleeves arms 5/3* $600 9 2 [3]
2 Light Steel Bracers forearms 3 $250 2 3
2 Steel Bracers forearms 6 $625 5 3
2 Light Segmented Plate Sleeves arms 3 $300 8 3
2 Segmented Plate Sleeves arms 4 $450 12 2
3 Mail and Plate Sleeves arms 5/4 $500 10 2 [3]
4 Light Brigandine Bracers forearms 3 $225 2.5 4
4 Light Brigandine Sleeves arms 3 $450 5 3
4 Brigandine Bracers forearms 5 $450 5 3
4 Brigandine Sleeves arms 5 $900 10 2
4 Light Plate Arms arms 3 $500 4 3
4 Plate Arms arms 6 $1,250 10 2
Leg Armor
TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes
0 Padded Cloth Leggings legs 1* $50 6 4
0 Padded Cloth Skirt thighs 1* $23 2.7 4
0 Light Layered Cloth Leggings legs 2* $150 12 4
0 Light Layered Cloth Skirt thighs 2* $68 5.4 4
0 Layered Cloth Leggings legs 3 $350 20 3
0 Layered Cloth Skirt thighs 3 $158 9 3
0 Leather Greaves shins 2/1*F $25 3 4 [2, 6]
0 Leather Leggings legs 2/1* $100 12 4 [2]
0 Leather Pants groin, legs 1/0* $76 2.1 - [1]
0 Leather Skirt thighs 2/1* $45 5.4 4 [2]
0 Heavy Leather Greaves shins 3/2F $50 5 4 [2, 6]
0 Heavy Leather Leggings legs 3/2 $200 20 3 [2]
0 Heavy Leather Skirt thighs 3/2 $90 9 3 [2]
1 Bezainted Padded Cloth Leggings legs 2/1* $63 7.5 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Padded Cloth Skirt thighs 2/1* $29 3.38 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Light Layered Cloth Leggings legs 3/2* $188 15 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Light Layered Cloth Skirt thighs 3/2* $85 6.75 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Layered Cloth Leggings legs 4/3 $438 25 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Layered Cloth Skirt thighs 4/3 $198 11.25 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Leather Greaves shins 3/2/1*F $31 3.75 4 [1, 2, 6]
1 Bezainted Leather Leggings legs 3/2/1* $125 15 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Leather Skirt thighs 3/2/1* $56 6.75 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Greaves shins 4/3/2F $56 6.75 3 [1, 2, 6]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Leggings legs 4/3/2 $250 25 3 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Skirt thighs 4/3/2 $113 11.25 3 [1, 2]
1 Hardened Leather Greaves shins 2F $32 3.75 4 [6]
1 Hardened Leather Leggings legs 2 $125 15 4
1 Hardened Leather Skirt thighs 2 $56 6.8 4
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Greaves shins 3F $63 6.25 3 [6]
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Leggings legs 3 $250 25 3
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Skirt thighs 3 $113 11.3 3
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Greaves shins 3/2F $39 4.69 4 [1, 6]
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Leggings legs 3/2 $156 18.75 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Skirt thighs 3/2 $70 8.5 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Hardened Leather Greaves shins 4/3F $78 7.81 4 [1, 6]
1 Bezainted Heavy Hardened Leather Leggings legs 4/3 $313 31.25 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Hardened Leather Skirt thighs 4/3 $141 14.13 3 [1]
1 Light Leather Scale Leggings legs 2* $120 15 4
1 Light Leather Scale Skirt thighs 2* $54 6.8 4
1 Leather Scale Leggings legs 3 $220 26 3
1 Leather Scale Skirt thighs 3 $99 11.7 3
1 Light Scale Leggings legs 3/2 $320 16 3 [3]
1 Light Scale Skirt thighs 3/2 $144 7.2 3 [3]
1 Light Star Scale Leggings legs 3 $640 16 3
1 Light Star Scale Skirt thighs 3 $288 7.2 3
1 Scale Leggings legs 4/3 $550 28 3 [3]
1 Scale Skirt thighs 4/3 $248 12.6 3 [3]
1 Star Scale Leggings legs 4 $1,100 28 3
1 Star Scale Skirt thighs 4 $496 12.6 3
2 Light Mail Leggings legs 3/1* $500 12 4 [3]
2 Light Mail Skirt thighs 3/1* $225 5.4 3 [3]
2 Mail Leggings legs 4/2* $900 15 3 [3]
2 Mail Skirt thighs 4/2* $405 6.8 3 [3]
2 Heavy Mail Leggings legs 5/3* $1,200 18 3 [3]
2 Heavy Mail Skirt thighs 5/3* $540 8.1 2 [3]
2 Light Steel Plate Greaves shins 3F $250 2 3 [7]
2 Steel Plate Greaves shins 6F $625 5 2 [7]
2 Light Segmented Plate Cuisse thighs 3 $270 7.2 3
2 Light Segmented Plate Leggings legs 3 $600 16 3
2 Segmented Plate Cuisse thighs 4 $405 10.8 2
2 Segmented Plate Leggings legs 4 $900 24 3
3 Mail and Plate Leggings legs 5/4 $1,000 20 3 [3]
3 Mail and Plate Cuisse thighs 5/4 $450 9 2 [3]
4 Light Brigandine Cuisse thighs 3 $405 4.5 4
4 Light Brigandine Leggings legs 3 $900 10 3
4 Brigandine Cuisse thighs 5 $810 9 3
4 Brigandine Leggings legs 5 $1,800 20 3
4 Light Plate Cuisse thighs 3 $450 3.6 3
4 Light Plate Legs legs 3 $1,000 8 3
4 Plate Cuisse thighs 6 $1,125 9 2
4 Plate Legs legs 6 $2,500 20 2
Headgear
TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes
0 Padded Cloth Bascinet skull, face 1* $13 1.5 4 [7]
0 Padded Cloth Skullcap skull 1* $10 1.2 4
0 Light Layered Cloth Bascinet skull, face 2* $38 3 4 [7]
0 Light Layered Cloth Skullcap skull 2* $30 2.4 4
0 Layered Cloth Bascinet skull, face 3 $88 5 3 [7]
0 Layered Cloth Skullcap skull 3 $70 4 4
0 Heavy Layered Cloth Skullcap skull 4 $120 5.6 3
0 Leather Hat skull 1/0* $36 0.7 - [1]
0 Leather Bascinet skull, face 2/1* $25 3 4 [2, 7]
0 Leather Skullcap skull 2/1* $20 2.4 4 [2]
0 Leather Bascinet, Heavy skull, face 3/2 $50 5 3 [2, 7]
0 Leather Skullcap, Heavy skull 3/2 $40 4 4 [2]
1 Bezainted Padded Cloth Bascinet skull, face 2/1* $16 1.88 4 [1, 7]
1 Bezainted Padded Cloth Skullcap skull 2/1* $13 1.5 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Light Layered Cloth Bascinet skull, face 3/2* $48 3.75 4 [1, 7]
1 Bezainted Light Layered Cloth Skullcap skull 3/2* $38 3 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Layered Cloth Bascinet skull, face 4/3 $110 6.25 4 [1, 7]
1 Bezainted Layered Cloth Skullcap skull 4/3 $88 5 4 [1]
1 Bezainted Heavy Layered Cloth Skullcap skull 5/4 $150 7 3 [1]
1 Bezainted Leather Bascinet skull, face 3/2/1* $31 3.75 4 [1, 2, 7]
1 Bezainted Leather Skullcap skull 3/2/1* $25 3 4 [1, 2]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Bascinet skull, face 4/3/2 $63 6.25 4 [1, 2, 7]
1 Bezainted Heavy Leather Skullcap skull 4/3/2 $50 5 4 [1, 2]
1 Hardened Leather Bascinet skull, face 2 $31 3.8 4 [7]
1 Hardened Leather Full Helm head 2 $38 4.5 4
1 Hardened Leather Skullcap skull 2 $25 3 4
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Bascinet skull, face 3 $63 6.3 3 [7]
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Full Helm head 3 $75 7.5 3
1 Heavy Hardened Leather Skullcap skull 3 $50 5 3
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Bascinet skull, face 3/2 $39 4.75 4 [1, 7]
1 Bezainted Hardened Leather Skullcap skull 3/2 $31 3.75 4 [1]
1 Heavy Bezainted Hardened Leather Bascinet skull, face 4/3 $79 7.88 3 [1, 7]
1 Heavy Bezainted Hardened Leather Skullcap skull 4/3 $63 6.25 3 [1]
1 Light Leather Scale Bascinet skull, face 2* $30 3.8 4 [7]
1 Light Leather Scale Skullcap skull 2* $24 3 4
1 Leather Scale Bascinet skull, face 3 $55 6.5 3 [7]
1 Leather Scale Skullcap skull 3 $44 5.2 3
1 Heavy Leather Scale Skullcap skull 4 $105 7 3
1 Light Scale Bascinet skull, face 3/2 $80 4 4 [3, 7]
1 Light Scale Pot Helm skull 3/2 $64 3.2 4 [3]
1 Light Star Scale Bascinet skull, face 3 $160 4 4 [7]
1 Light Star Scale Pot Helm skull 3 $128 3.2 4
1 Scale Bascinet skull, face 4/3 $138 7 3 [3, 7]
1 Scale Pot Helm skull 4/3 $110 5.6 3 [3]
1 Star Scale Bascinet skull, face 4 $276 7 3 [7]
1 Star Scale Pot Helm skull 4 $220 5.6 3
1 Heavy Scale Pot Helm skull 5 $220 8 3 [3]
2 Light Mail Coif skull, face 3/1* $150 3.5 3 [3, 7]
2 Mail Coif skull, face 4/2* $270 4.5 3 [3, 7]
2 Heavy Mail Coif skull, face 5/3* $360 5.4 2 [3, 7]
2 Light Steel Pot Helm skull 3 $200 1.6 3
2 Steel Pot Helm skull 6 $500 4 3
3 Mail and Plate Coif skull, face 5/4 $300 6 2 [3, 7]
3 Jousting Mail Coif skull, face 6 $450 9 2 [4, 6, 7]
3 Light Steel Bascinet skull, face 3 $250 2 3 [7]
3 Light Steel Full Helm head 3 $300 2.4 3
3 Light Steel Great Helm head 3 $350 2.8 2 [8]
3 Steel Bascinet skull, face 6 $625 5 2 [7]
3 Steel Full Helm head 6 $750 6 2
3 Steel Great Helm head 6 $875 7 2 [8]
4 Light Brigandine Bascinet skull, face 3 $225 2.5 3 [7]
4 Light Brigandine Pot Helm skull 3 $180 2 3
4 Brigandine Bascinet skull, face 5 $450 5 3 [7]
4 Brigandine Pot Helm skull 5 $360 4 3
4 Heavy Steel Pot Helm skull 9 $800 6.4 2
4 Heavy Steel Bascinet skull, face 9 $1,000 8 2 [7]
4 Heavy Steel Full Helm head 9 $1,200 9.6 2
4 Heavy Steel Great Helm head 9 $1,400 11.2 2 [8]
Neck Armor
TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes
2 Light Lobsterback neck 3 $18 0.48 3 [9]
2 Lobsterback neck 4 $27 0.72 3 [9]
2 Heavy Lobsterback neck 5 $36 0.96 2 [9]
2 Light Scale Aventail neck 3/2 $16 0.8 3 [3]
2 Light Mail Aventail neck 3/1* $25 0.6 3 [3]
2 Mail Aventail neck 4/2* $45 0.8 3 [3]
2 Heavy Mail Aventail neck 5/3* $60 0.9 2 [3]
2 Light Mail Collar neck 3* $25 0.6 3
2 Mail Collar neck 4* $45 0.75 3
2 Heavy Mail Collar neck 5* $60 0.9 2
4 Light Steel Gorget neck 3 $50 0.4 3
4 Steel Gorget neck 6 $125 1 2
Gloves
TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes
0 Mittens, Wool hands 1/0* $8 0.5 - [1, 10, 11]
1 Gloves, Cloth hands 1/0* $15 0.5 - [1, 10, 12]
1 Gloves, Light Leather hands 1/0* $15 0.5 - [1, 10, 12]
1 Mittens, Padded Cloth hands 1* $20 1 - [10, 11]
1 Gauntlets, Padded Cloth hands 1* $5 0.6 4 [12]
1 Gauntlets, Hardened Leather hands 2 $13 1.5 4 [11]
1 Gauntlets, Light Scale hands 3/2 $32 1.6 3 [3, 11]
1 Gauntlets, Light Star Scale hands 3 $64 1.6 3 [11]
2 Gauntlets, Light Mail hands 3/1* $50 1.2 3 [3, 11]
2 Gauntlets, Mail hands 4/2* $90 1.5 3 [3, 11]
2 Gauntlets, Heavy Mail hands 5/3* $120 1.8 2 [3, 11]
3 Gauntlets, Light Segmented Plate hands 3 $60 1.6 3 [11]
3 Gauntlets, Segmented Plate hands 4 $90 2.4 3 [11]
4 Gauntlets, Light Plate hands 3 $100 0.8 3 [11]
4 Gauntlets, Plate hands 6 $250 2 2 [11]
Footwear
TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes
0 Moccasins feet 1* $40 1 - [13]
0 Sandals feet 1* $25 0.5 - [14]
1 Shoes feet 1/0* $40 1 - [2]
1 Leather Shoes feet 2/1* $45 2 - [2]
1 Light Leather Boots feet 1/0* $50 1.5 - [1]
1 Leather Boots feet 2/1* $80 3 - [2]
1 Light Scale Sollerets feet 3/2 $32 1.6 3 [3]
1 Light Star Scale Sollerets feet 3 $64 1.6 3
2 Light Mail Sollerets feet 3/1* $50 1.2 3 [3]
2 Mail Sollerets feet 4/2* $90 1.5 3 [3]
2 Heavy Mail Sollerets feet 5/3* $120 1.8 2 [3]
3 Light Segmented Plate Sabatons feet 3 $60 1.6 3
3 Segmented Plate Sabatons feet 4 $90 2.4 3
4 Light Steel Plate Sabatons feet 3 $100 0.8 3
4 Steel Plate Sabatons feet 6 $250 2 2
Notes:
[1] Split DR; use higher number vs cutting only
[2] Split DR; use lower number vs impaling only
[3] Split DR; user lower number vs crushing only
[4] Gives -1 to DX, except for the Lance skill
[5] Required for a suit of plate; light mail protects the armpits and inside the elbows
[6] Only protects from the front.
[7] Protects the face on a 1/6.
[8] Only worn over another helm, typically a pot or full helm.
[9] Only protects from the back.
[10] Protects from heat, cold, and contact poisons, but guves Bad Grip 1
[11] Gives Ham-Fisted 2
[12] Gives Ham-Fisted 1
[13] Gives +1 to Stealth
[14] DR applies to underside of foot.
Leather Scale figured from Layered Leather (p. LT105)
Civilian ($113, 4.1 lbs.) This is considered part of the standard
wardrobe everyone of Status -1 or better gets for free; price is
given for comparisons and in case of replacement.
Leather Jacket; DR 1 (vs. cutting only), $37, 2 lbs.
Leather Pants; DR 1 (vs. cutting only), $76, 2.1 lbs.
Shoes, Boots, and Gloves optional.
Padded Suit ($125, 15.6 lbs.)
Padded Cloth Hauberk; DR 1*, $50, 6 lbs.
Padded Cloth Sleeves; DR 1*, $25, 3 lbs.
Padded Cloth Leggings; DR 1*, $50, 6 lbs.
Padded Cloth Gauntlets; DR 1*, $5, 0.6 lb.
Note: Bezainting the hauberk adds $13, 1.5 lbs.; bezainting the limbs
adds $19, 2.25 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Padded armor
in the PHB.
Light Layered Cloth Suit ($380, 30.6 lbs.)
Light Layered Cloth Hauberk; DR 2*, $150, 12 lbs.
Light Layered Cloth Sleeves; DR 2*, $75, 6 lbs.
Light Layered Cloth Leggings; DR 2*, $150, 12 lbs.
Padded Cloth Gauntlets; DR 1*, $5, 0.6 lb.
Note: Bezainting the hauberk adds $38, 3 lbs; bezainting the limbs
adds $57, 4.5 lbs.
Medium Layered Cloth Suit ($880, 50.6 lbs.)
Layered Cloth Hauberk; DR 3, $350, 20 lbs.
Layered Cloth Sleeves; DR 3, $175, 10 lbs.
Layered Cloth Leggings; DR 3, $350, 20 lbs.
Padded Cloth Gauntlets; DR 1*, $5, 0.6 lb.
Note: Bezainting the hauberk adds $88, 5 lbs; bezainting the limbs
adds $132, 7.5 lbs.
Heavy Layered Cloth Suit ($1,130, 58.6 lbs.)
Heavy Layered Cloth Hauberk; DR 4, $600, 28 lbs.
Layered Cloth Sleeves; DR 3, $175, 10 lbs.
Layered Cloth Leggings; DR 3, $350, 20 lbs.
Padded Cloth Gauntlets; DR 1*, $5, 0.6 lb.
Note: Bezainting the hauberk adds $150, 7 lbs; bezainting the limbs
adds $132, 7.5 lbs.
Leather Suit ($343, 34.5 lbs.)
Leather Cuirass; DR 2/1*, $100, 12 lbs.
Leather Sleeves; DR 2/1*, $50, 6 lbs.
Leather Leggings; DR 2/1*, $100, 12 lbs.
Hardened Leather Gauntlets; DR 2, $13, 1.5 lbs.
Leather Boots; DR 2/1*, $80, 3 lbs.
Notes: Bezainting the cuirass adds $25, 3 lbs; bezainting the limbs
adds $38, 4.5 lbs.
Heavy Leather Suit ($593, 54.5 lbs.)
Heavy Leather Cuirass; DR 3/2, $200, 20 lbs.
Heavy Leather Sleeves; DR 3/2, $100, 10 lbs.
Heavy Leather Leggings; DR 3/2, $200, 20 lbs.
Hardened Leather Gauntlets; DR 2, $13, 1.5 lbs.
Leather Boots; DR 2/1*, $80, 3 lbs.
Notes: Bezainting the cuirass adds $50, 5 lbs; bezainting the limbs
adds $75, 7.5 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: The bezainted version of this suit is equivalent
to the suit of Studded Leather armor in the PHB.
Hardened Leather Suit ($437, 45.5 lbs.)
Hardened Leather Cuirass; DR 2, $125, 15 lbs.
Hardened Leather Sleeves; DR 2, $63, 7.5 lbs.
Hardened Leather Leggings; DR 2, $125, 15 lbs.
Hardened Leather Bascinet; DR 2, $31, 3.8 lbs.
Hardened Leather Gauntlets; DR 2, $13, 1.5 lbs.
Leather Boots; DR 2/1*, $80, 3 lbs.
Notes: Bezainting the cuirass adds $31, 3.75 lbs; bezainting the limbs
adds $47, 5.63 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Leather armor
in the PHB.
Heavy Hardened Leather Suit ($781, 73.3 lbs.)
Heavy Hardened Leather Cuirass; DR 3, $250, 25 lbs.
Heavy Hardened Leather Sleeves; DR 3, $125, 12.5 lbs.
Heavy Hardened Leather Leggings; DR 3, $250, 25 lbs.
Heavy Hardened Leather Bascinet; DR 3, $63, 6.3 lbs.
Hardened Leather Gauntlets; DR 2, $13, 1.5 lbs.
Leather Boots; DR 2/1*, $80, 3 lbs.
Notes: Bezainting the cuirass adds $63, 6.25 lbs; bezainting the limbs
adds $94, 9.38 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Hide armor in
the PHB.
Light Leather Scale Suit ($423, 45.8 lbs.)
Light Leather Scale Hauberk; DR 2*, $120, 15 lbs.
Light Leather Scale Sleeves; DR 2*, $60, 7.5 lbs.
Light Leather Scale Leggings; DR 2*, $120, 15 lbs.
Light Leather Scale Bascinet; DR 2*, $30, 3.8 lbs.
Hardened Leather Gauntlets; DR 2, $13, 1.5 lbs.
Leather Boots; DR 2/1*, $80, 3 lbs.
Medium Leather Scale Suit ($698, 76 lbs.)
Leather Scale Hauberk; DR 3, $220, 26 lbs.
Leather Scale Sleeves; DR 3, $110, 13 lbs.
Leather Scale Leggings; DR 3, $220, 26 lbs.
Leather Scale Bascinet; DR 3, $55, 6.5 lbs.
Hardened Leather Gauntlets; DR 2, $13, 1.5 lbs.
Leather Boots; DR 2/1*, $80, 3 lbs.
Heavy Leather Scale Suit ($1,003, 85 lbs.)
Heavy Leather Scale Hauberk; DR 4, $525, 35 lbs.
Leather Scale Sleeves; DR 3, $110, 13 lbs.
Leather Scale Leggings; DR 3, $220, 26 lbs.
Leather Scale Bascinet; DR 3, $55, 6.5 lbs.
Hardened Leather Gauntlets; DR 2, $13, 1.5 lbs.
Leather Boots; DR 2/1*, $80, 3 lbs.
Light Scale Suit ($944, 47.2 lbs.)
Light Scale Hauberk; DR 3/2, $320, 16 lbs.
Light Scale Sleeves; DR 3/2, $160, 8 lbs.
Light Scale Leggings; DR 3/2, $320, 16 lbs.
Light Scale Bascinet; DR 3/2, $80, 4 lbs.
Light Scale Gauntlets; DR 3/2, $32, 1.6 lbs.
Light Scale Sollerets; DR 3/2, $32, 1.6 lbs.
Medium Scale Suit ($1,577, 80.2 lbs.)
Scale Hauberk; DR 4/3, $550, 28 lbs.
Scale Sleeves; DR 4/3, $275, 14 lbs.
Scale Leggings; DR 4/3, $550, 28 lbs.
Scale Bascinet; DR 4/3, $138, 7 lbs.
Light Scale Gauntlets; DR 3/2, $32, 1.6 lbs.
Light Scale Sollerets; DR 3/2, $32, 1.6 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Scale Mail in
the PHB.
Heavy Scale Suit ($2,127, 92.2 lbs.)
Heavy Scale Hauberk; DR 5/4, $1,100, 40 lbs.
Scale Sleeves; DR 4/3, $275, 14 lbs.
Scale Leggings; DR 4/3, $550, 28 lbs.
Scale Bascinet; DR 4/3, $138, 7 lbs.
Light Scale Gauntlets; DR 3/2, $32, 1.6 lbs.
Light Scale Sollerets; DR 3/2, $32, 1.6 lbs.
Mail Suit ($2,700, 45 lbs.)
Mail Hauberk; DR 4/2*, $900, 15 lbs.
Mail Sleeves; DR 4/2*, $450, 7.5 lbs.
Mail Leggings; DR 4/2*, $900, 15 lbs.
Mail Coif, DR 4/2*, $270, 4.5 lbs.
Mail Gauntlets; DR 4/2*, $90, 1.5 lbs.
Mail Sollerets; DR 4/2, $90, 1.5 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Chainmail
armor in the PHB.
Heavy Mail Suit ($3,600, 54 lbs.)
Heavy Mail Hauberk; DR 5/3*, $1,200, 18 lbs.
Heavy Mail Sleeves; DR 5/3*, $600, 9 lbs.
Heavy Mail Leggings; DR 5/3*, $1,200, 18 lbs.
Heavy Mail Coif; DR 5/3*, $360, 5.4 lbs.
Heavy Mail Gauntlets; DR 5/3*, $120, 1.8 lbs.
Heavy Mail Sollerets; DR 5/3*, $120, 1.8 lbs.
Light Segmented Plate Suit ($1,620, 43.2 lbs.)
Light Segmented Plate Cuirass; DR 3, $600, 16 lbs.
Light Segmented Plate Sleeves; DR 3, $300, 8 lbs.
Light Segmented Plate Leggings; DR 3, $600, 16 lbs.
Light Segmented Gauntlets; DR 3, $60, 1.6 lbs.
Light Segmented Sabatons; DR 3, $60, 1.6 lbs.
Segmented Plate Suit ($2,430, 64.8 lbs.)
Segmented Plate Cuirass; DR 4, $900, 24 lbs.
Segmented Plate Sleeves; DR 4, $450, 12 lbs.
Segmented Plate Leggings; DR 4, $900, 24 lbs.
Segmented Gauntlets; DR 4, $90, 2.4 lbs.
Segmented Sabatons; DR 4, $90, 2.4 lbs.
Heavy Segmented Plate Suit ($2,730, 72.8 lbs.)
Heavy Segmented Plate Cuirass, DR 5, $1,200, 32 lbs.
Segmented Plate Sleeves; DR 4, $450, 12 lbs.
Segmented Plate Leggings; DR 4, $900, 24 lbs.
Segmented Gauntlets; DR 4, $90, 2.4 lbs.
Segmented Sabatons; DR 4, $90, 2.4 lbs.
Light Breastplate Suit ($2,525, 41.8 lbs.)
Light Mail Hauberk; DR 3/1*, $500, 12 lbs.
Light Breastplate; DR 3F, $375, 3 lbs.
Light Mail Sleeves; DR 3/1*, $250, 6 lbs.
Light Steel Bracers; DR 3, $250, 2 lbs.
Light Mail Leggings; DR 3/1*, $500, 12 lbs.
Light Plate Greaves; DR 3F, $250, 2 lbs.
Light Steel Full Helm; DR 3, $300, 2.4 lbs
Light Mail Gauntlets; DR 3/1*, $50, 1.2 lbs.
Light Mail Sollerets; DR 3/1*, $50, 1.2 lbs.
Note: The design of this suit gives the wearer a -1 to DX.
Breastplate Suit ($3,588, 49.5 lbs.)
Light Mail Hauberk; DR 3/1*, $500, 12 lbs.
Breastplate; DR 6F, $938, 7.5 lbs.
Light Mail Sleeves; DR 3/1*, $250, 6 lbs.
Light Steel Bracers; DR 3, $250, 2 lbs.
Light Mail Leggings; DR 3/1*, $500, 12 lbs.
Light Plate Greaves; DR 3F, $250, 2 lbs.
Steel Full Helm; DR 6, $750, 6 lbs.
Light Plate Gauntlets; DR 3, $100, 0.8 lb.
Light Mail Sollerets; DR 3/1*, $50, 1.2 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Breastplate
armor in the PHB.
Note: The design of this suit gives the wearer a -1 to DX.
Heavy Breastplate Suit ($6,250, 69.5 lbs.)
Mail Hauberk; DR 4/2*, $900, 15 lbs.
Heavy Breastplate; DR 9F, $1,500, 12 lbs.
Mail Sleeves; DR 4/2*, $450, 7.5 lbs.
Steel Bracers; DR 6, $625, 5 lbs.
Mail Leggings; DR 4/2*, $900, 15 lbs.
Steel Greaves; DR 6F. $625, 5 lbs.
Steel Full Helm; DR 6, $750, 6 lbs.
Plate Gauntlets; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Plate Sabatons; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Note: The design of this suit gives the wearer a -1 to DX.
Light Half-Plate Suit ($2,650, 33.2 lbs.)
Light Plate Corselet; DR 3, $1,000, 8 lbs.
Light Mail Sleeves; DR 3/1*, $250, 6 lbs.
Light Steel Bracers; DR 3, $250, 2 lbs.
Light Mail Leggings; DR 3/1, $500, 12 lbs.
Light Steel Greaves; DR 3F, $250, 2 lbs.
Light Pot Helm; DR 3, $200, 1.6 lbs.
Light Plate Gauntlets; DR 3, $100, 0.8 lb.
Light Plate Sabatons; DR 3, $100, 0.8 lb.
Half-Plate Suit ($5,000, 52 lbs.)
Plate Corselet; DR 6, $2,500, 20 lbs.
Light Mail Sleeves; DR 3/1*, $250, 6 lbs.
Light Steel Bracers; DR 3, $250, 2 lbs.
Light Mail Leggings; DR 3/1, $500, 12 lbs.
Light Steel Greaves; DR 3F, $250, 2 lbs.
Steel Full Helm; DR 6, $750, 6 lbs.
Plate Gauntlets; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Plate Sabatons; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Half-Plate
armor in the PHB.
Heavy Half-Plate Suit ($7,700, 73.6 lbs.)
Heavy Plate Corselet; DR 9, $4,000, 32 lbs.
Light Mail Sleeves; DR 3/1*, $250, 6 lbs.
Steel Bracers; DR 6, $625, 5 lbs.
Light Mail Leggings; DR 3/1, $500, 12 lbs.
Steel Greaves; DR 6F, $625, 5 lbs.
Heavy Steel Full Helm; DR 9, $1,200, 9.6 lbs.
Plate Gauntlets; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Plate Sabatons; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Light Brigandine Suit ($2,550, 30.2 lbs.)
Light Brigandine Cuirass; DR 3, $900, 10 lbs.
Light Brigandine Sleeves; DR 3, $450, 5 lbs.
Light Brigandine Leggings; DR 3, $900, 10 lbs.
Light Brigandine Pot Helm; DR 3, $180, 2 lbs.
Light Segmented Gauntlets; DR 3, $60, 1.6 lbs.
Light Segmented Sabatons; DR 3, $60, 1.6 lbs.
Brigandine Suit ($5,040, 58.8 lbs.)
Brigandine Cuirass; DR 5, $1,800, 20 lbs.
Brigandine Sleeves; DR 5, $900, 10 lbs.
Brigandine Leggings; DR 5, $1,800, 20 lbs.
Brigandine Pot Helm; DR 5, $360, 4 lbs.
Segmented Gauntlets; DR 4, $90, 2.4 lbs.
Segmented Sabatons; DR 4, $90, 2.4 lbs.
Light Plate Suit ($3,460, 29.4 lbs.)
Arming Doublet; DR 0*, $160, 3 lbs.
Light Plate Corselet; DR 3, $1,000, 8 lbs.
Light Plate Arms; DR 3, $500, 4 lbs.
Light Plate Legs; DR 3, $1,000, 8 lbs.
Light Steel Pot Helm; DR 3, $200, 1.6 lbs.
Light Steel Great Helm; DR 3, $350, 2.8 lbs.
Light Gorget; DR 3, $50, 0.4 lb.
Light Plate Gauntlets; DR 3, $100, 0.8 lb.
Light Plate Sabatons; DR 3, $100, 0.8 lb.
Medium Plate Suit ($8,410, 69 lbs.)
Arming Doublet; DR 0*, $160, 3 lbs.
Plate Corselet; DR 6, $2,500, 20 lbs.
Plate Arms; DR 6, $1,250, 10 lbs.
Plate Legs; DR 6, $2,500, 20 lbs.
Steel Pot Helm; DR 6, $500, 4 lbs.
Steel Great Helm; DR 6, $875, 7 lbs.
Gorget; DR 6, $125, 1 lb.
Plate Gauntlets; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Plate Sabatons; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
D&D Players' Note: This is equivalent to the suit of Full Plate armor
in the PHB.
Jousting Plate Suit ($11,135, 90.8 lbs.)
Arming Doublet; DR 0*, $160, 3 lbs.
Heavy Plate Corselet; DR 9, $4,000, 32 lbs.
Plate Arms; DR 6, $1,250, 10 lbs.
Plate Legs; DR 6, $2,500, 20 lbs.
Heavy Steel Pot Helm; DR 9, $1,200, 9.6 lbs.
Heavy Steel Great Helm; DR 9, $1,400, 11.2 lbs.
Gorget; DR 6, $125, 1 lb.
Plate Gauntlets; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Plate Sabatons; DR 6, $250, 2 lbs.
Modifying Armors
The following reflect various means of altering armors. Each gives
a Cost Factor (CF), as described above under Modifying Firearms.
Bronze: Any plate armor may be made out of bronze. This lowers
the TL of the plate armor to 1, but increases cost. This armor is not
normally sold any more, being anachronistic, but may be on display in
a nobleman's abode. On the plus side, it is easily decorated and does
not rust. +3 CF.
Cheap*: This armor is a result of mass production, not fitted for
any one user, or the work of an inexperienced armorer, or made from
low-grade materials. As a result, it has -1 DR. -0.6 CF; weight is
unchanged. Most commonly applied to padded, layered cloth, leather
scale, scale, star scale, segmented plate, and mail when produced as
munitions armor.
Dragonhide*: Any leather armor can be made from dragon hide.
This provides from +1 to +4 DR, depending on the dragons age.
(Ancient dragonhide has up to +7 DR, but isnt for sale!) It also gives
-3 reactions from dragons, with no result better than "neutral"! Weight
and cost depend on DR bonus (treat neg. weight as 0.1 lb to begin
with): +1 DR is 1.25 times weight and +37 CF; +2 DR is 1.5 times
weight and +44 CF; +3 DR is 1.75 times weight and +52 CF; and +4
DR is 2 times weight and +59 CF (expand logically for greater DR).
Darkmetal: Resists magic as for the weapon modifier (above).
Cannot be enchanted! Any metal armor: +49 CF.
Fine*: Expertly fitted, with no waste material. Offers full DR at 3/4
the usual weight. Only fits wearers whose height and build match the
original owners exactly! Any armor: +9 CF.
Mithryl: Mithryl scale and mail uses the higher DR listed for the
base armor against all damage dont reduce its DR vs. crushing
blows. Also, any mithryl armor weighs half the listed weight. Any
metal armor: +9 CF.
Orichalcum: Any plate armor, +2 DR, can be enchanted at 2/3 the
usual energy: +29 CF.
Ornate: Dress to impress, exactly as for the weapon modifier
(above). Any armor: +1 to reactions for +1 CF, +2 for +4 CF, and +3
for +9 CF. Often, but not always, combined with Fine.
Spiked: Lets the wearer roll DX-4 to stab each foe in close combat
with him for 1d-2 imp, once per turn, as a free action. Anyone who
strikes him with an unarmed attack is hit immediately and
automatically and a bite, slam, or Constriction Attack means that
attacker suffers maximum damage (4 points). Any plate armor: +2 CF.
* Cheap, Dragonhide, and Fine are mutually exclusive.
Bronze, Dragonhide, Darkmetal, Mithryl, and Orichalcum are
mutally exclusive.
Vehicles
Watercraft Brig
A brig, also known as a sloop, is a small ocean-going ship with two
masts fitted with square sails, used for both warfare and commerce.
They are relatively fast and maneuverable ships, capable of carrying
up to 18 6-pound guns, 9 on each side. The most common ships run
100 feet long with a beam of 30 feet and a draft of 9 feet, and worked
by a crew of 130. Due to its small size, the brig is a popular pirate
vessel.
Caravel
A caravel is a small, maneuverable sailing ship used as an
exploration and trading vessel. Most have a weight of around 100
tons, three masts with lateen sails, an overall length of 100 feet, and a
beam of 20 feet. Often, particularly when making long ocean voyages,
the foresail and mainsail will be outfitted with square sails rather than
lateen.
Carrack
A carrack is a larger vessel than the caravel, intended for carrying
provisions while making ocean-crossing journeys and occasionally
pressed into service as a warship. The most common carracks are
around 85 feet long with a beam of 28 feet, a draft of 7.5 feet, and
have a loaded weight of 178 tons. Most have a crew of around 60
sailors and officers; the officers and ship specialists are generally
housed in the forecastle and aftcastle, with the crew bunking in the
cargo hold. The relatively large forecastle makes the ship somewhat
unwieldy at sea, particularly during storms. When pressed into service
as warships for Marach and Ritaegno, they tend to be armed with 20
cannon; 6 in each of the castles and 8 on the lower quarterdeck.
Drakkar, the
The Drakkar (roughly translated: Sea-Dragon) is the personal
vessel of Grome the Horrible. To date, it is the largest ship ever built
by the Northern Raider Clans. The front and rear of the Drakkar are
decorated with the maws of dragons.
Galleon
Galleons are new ships that have been developed for Marach and
Ritaegno, intended as warships. They developed from the carrack,
becoming longer, lower, and narrower than their forebearers, which
increased their stability and maneuverability in the water. The ship
has three to five masts with a full rigging. The cannon were removed
from the castles, and in some cases the forecastle is removed
altogether, called "race-built".
Junk
The junk is the most common ship design of the Gehong region.
These are perhaps the largest ships in the world, with as many as nine
masts available on the largest ships. The largest junks are around 400
feet long and 165 feet wide; these ships always cause a stir among the
locals when they arrive in western ports. The most common junks
have five masts, and are 165 feet long and 70 feet wide, weighing an
estimated 2,000 tons. In all cases, the sails, made from pressed
bamboo rather than canvas, are painted red, often with Hong writing
on them.
The sails of a junk are not square or lateen, but a unique melding of
the two. While ocean-going ships of the Caere region often have
square sails in the front of the vessel and lateen sails near the rear to
help steer, junks reverse this arrangement; the larger lateen sails are
kept foreward, and smaller square sails are placed towards the rear to
provide additional thrust.
Karve
The karve is a general purpose ship mainly used for fishing and
trade by the Northern Raider Clans. The most common design is
around 75 feet long and 16 feet wide, with a single mast fitted with a
rectangular sail and 16 rowing positions, 8 on each side. These ships
are capable of ocean crossings; in addition, the karve's low draft
enables makes it capable of traveling upriver, often as far inland as
Auckland.
Snekkja
The snekkja is the most common of the Northern Raider longships.
A typical snekkje might have a length of 56 ft, a width of 8 ft, and a
draft of only 1.6 ft. It can carry a crew of around 41 men (40 oarsmen
and one coxwain). Snekkjes are so light that they have no need of
ports they can simply be beached, and even carried across a portage.
Skei
Skei ships are larger warships from the Northern Raider Clans.
Most carry a crew of some 70-80 and measure just shy of 100 ft in
length.
BChapter VII
Religion
Several major religions are
known in the world of Ranoc.
The first religion is the most
widespread, the pantheon of
deities that are worshiped in
most civilized areas (and
several areas that aren't). The
second has already been
discussed in earlier sections, the
monotheistic religion that's
come to dominate in Redwater.
A third religion originated in Rochlad, and is spreading. A fourth
religion, not as widespread or popular as the others, is the small group
of deities worshiped by the desert nomads of the Vast Expanse. The
fifth is the religion that dominates Gehong. The reptilian races of
Umoja also have their own religion, although almost no details are
known. (Author's Note: I have yet to come up with any details for
Gehong's or Umoja's religions.)
The first religion is a pantheon of closely-related deities who can
be considered a tight dual-natured pantheon, consisting of both good
and evil sides. There is a definite structure to the good-aligned side,
while Ekchhar and Vy dominate the evil-aligned side with iron fists.
Deities who could be considered "neutral" on the good-evil axis tend
to side with the good side of the pantheon, and are generally
considered part of it. Priests may choose to serve either a single deity
or one side of the pantheon.
The second religion is a relatively new monotheistic religion,
which came into being in the Redwater province of the Great Empire
of Man only two generations before the start of its collapse. The two
events are generally considered to be coincidental to each other.
Known as the Church of the One True God, it is a highly structured,
male-dominated church that currently has a 100% human priesthood.
For roughly the last hundred years, the Church has been violently hu-
man-centric; prior to that, non-humans were welcomed into the priest-
hood. As it is, there are still defrocked priests of the One True God
among the elven and dwarven populations, who were driven from their
home in Redwater.
The Rochlada religion worships a close-knit "herd" of deities who
are commonly pictured as being horses. Each horse in the pantheon
represents a virtue of the culture that worships them. This religion, like
the nation that spawned it, is matriarchial in nature, with women in po-
sitions of power within the church.
Within the temples of the Caere pantheon and in the Redwater
Church, a hierarchy has evolved which is outlined below. The temples
of the Rochlad pantheon follow a similar hierarchy.
Cardinal - International head of the church. Religious Rank 6.
Archbishop - National head of the church. Religious Rank 5.
Bishop - Head of the various cathedrals in cities and towns over
1,000 people. Religious Rank 4.
Priest - An ordained minister of the church, usually presiding in
churches and temples of smaller towns, villages, and hamlets; they
also aid the Bishop in larger towns and cities. All priests answer to a
Bishop. Depending on the religion, female priests may exist;
sometimes, a female priest is referred to as either a priestess or as a
nun, but this is not universal. Religious Rank 2 to 3.
Friar - a wandering minister of the church who tends to the
populace, often working alongside them and not tied to any set temple.
Religious Rank 1.
Acolyte - An unordained minister of the church; essentially a
priest-in-training. Religious Rank 0.
Layman A member of a church's congregation. Religious Rank 0.
The Caere Pantheon
Selected Mythology Passages
Creation of the Gods and the World
Galsus is the oldest of the gods, and is in fact considered the father
of many of the other gods. It is said by some that Galsus came into
being with the birth of the world, but others credit him with the
world's creation. What is known is that Galsus's life is tied to that of
the world, and the prophecies read that when one dies, the other will
quickly follow suit.
Not long after the creation of the world, Galsus decided he needed
help in running the place. To create a companion, he formed a woman
from the very dirt of the world, set her head with a headdress made of
leaves of every tree in every shade, and breathed life into her. Because
of her creation, being from the very nature of the world, she was
named Hassann, and elevated to godhood.
Hassann was Galsus's first wife, but the two were very different in
their approach to running the world. She created beautiful landscapes,
forest groves, and rolling grass-covered hills. Galsus, on the other
hand, created the first animals, starting with the simplest to the most
complex. Together, they shaped the world and made it a beautiful
place.
Hassann, however, grew lonely, and soon gave birth to her first
children: Fehrest, the goddess of women; Kaimana, the god of the
seas; Nyysan, goddess of the hearth and home; Ekchhar, god of law;
and Golma, the god of life. All of the gods and goddesses were eager
to aid their parents, save Ekchhar. He saw the world his parents had
created, but desired it for himself. Seeking to disillusion his father
with ruling the world, he fashioned the first sword and killed his
brother Golma, who was Galsus's favorite.
Galsus was enraged by the death of his favorite son, and fashioned
a sword of his own, seeking to end the life of his rebellious son. He
was stopped, however, when Hassann sacrificed her own life to bring
Golma back from the dead. Having been touched with death, the
resurrected Golma became the benign god of death, whose only goal
in life is to judge the recently deceased, sending them to whatever
rewards and punishments they earned in their lives. His first act was to
send his mother's soul back to another body; she became known as
Hannass following her rebirth. His second act was to refuse to accept
his brother's soul; Ekchhar would continue to live, regardless of how
deadly the wounds he received.
Galsus took his daughter Fehrest as his second wife, and with her
fathered numerous other gods: Ryl, goddess of wisdom; the twins
Navor and Vy, god and goddess of light, knowledge, and all of its
related fields; Gessa, goddess of woodlands and the hunt; Suthre, the
hard-working god of the forge; Vilhelmo, the new god of valiant war;
Akanksha, the goddess of love; and Kael, the dour god of justice,
among numerous others.
Table 7-1: Religious Ranks
Rank Position
6 Cardinal
5 Archbishop
4 Bishop
3 Temple High Priest
2 Temple Priest
1 Wandering Priest
0 Acolyte
Creation of the Mortal Races
Galsus decreed that the world be populated, but the gods could not
decide what type of race should exist. Each god and goddess had his
or her own ideas on what should constitute the ideal race.
Navor was the first, creating the elves, at that time an immortal
race and who, despite the lack of a written language, have a long oral
tradition able to recall events in great detail for thousands of years.
Suthre was the next, creating the dwarves, great craftsmen, miners,
and warriors. Gessa, the ranger goddess, fashioned the centaurs.
Nyysan claims credit for creating the halfling. But it was the race
crafted by Vy, before her fall from grace, that most pleased Galsus: the
humans, the most adaptable of the races.
The evil god Ekchhar, having the backing of several other gods and
goddesses who desired to present races of their own, stole a number of
each race from the other deities and twisted their bodies. Thus were
created the "savage" humanoids: orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, ogres, and
the giants. Because of their original natures, however, these beings
retain the same capacity for good and evil as their original
counterparts.
Galsus
King of the Gods, The Supreme Creator, The Bringer of Life, The
Law-Giver
Symbol: Royal scepter.
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains.
Portfolio: Sky, storms, law, nobility.
Worshipers: Nobility, common folk.
Galsus' Nature and Deeds
Galsus is the first among the gods, being the oldest among them
and father to several. He is credited with having created the world, and
is known as the God of the Sky, from where he surveys the world with
an ever watchful eye. He is also credited with codifying the first laws.
He is the lord of the gods, bringer of light, and patron of all life in the
world.
Galsus is generally a just, if somewhat stern, ruler who is
immensely proud of his children and grandchildren. His sole
disappointments are his son, Ekchhar, and favorite daughter, Vy, both
of who turned away from his light and embraced the darkness.
He has fathered more than other deities. Several epic heroes in the
past have been sired by Galsus, and he has been and remains the
patron of many others, some of whom are still active. As yet, none of
these mortal children have been elevated to godhood.
Every Conjunction, Galsus abdicates his rule of the gods to his
granddaughter Grangre, the goddess of order, in order to engage in an
unarmed fight against his rebel son Ekchhar. This combat is then
organized and judged by Grangre, who then by law must abdicate the
throne to the winner of the fight. To date, Galsus has always bested his
rebel son; although, in the last few Conjunctions the calls were
extraordinarily close. The gods who follow Galsus fear that Ekchhar
might one day be able to overthrow his father.
Worship
Galsus is commonly worshipped in large temples dedicated to the
entire pantheon, rather than individually. His priests have informal
authority over the priests of the individual deities being the priest of
the head of the pantheon is often translated into being a priest of the
entire pantheon.
The one day this authority is ignored is the day of the Conjunction.
Granted Abilities
Powers: Electricity (p. P126), Holy Might (p. DFA22), Order (p.
P132), Personal Holiness (p. THM205), and Weather Control (p.
P136).
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air; Seek Air; Create Air; Destroy Air;
PI2: Shape Air; Air Jet; Walk on Air; Master; Beast Speech;
Might; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Windstorm; Concussion; Sandstorm; Lightning
Sword; Rider Within; Stun; Fumble;
PI4: Earth to Air; Essential Air; Shapeshifting;
PI5: Air Vortex; Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental;
Control Lightning Elemental; Shapeshift Others; Boink Anything!;
Fehrest
Protector of Children, Queen of the Gods, Celestial Midwife
Symbol: Rolling pin lying diagonally across a frying pan.
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains.
Portfolio: Women, children, childbirth, kitchens, taverns.
Worshipers: Midwives, children, cooks, innkeepers.
Fehrest's Nature and Deeds
Fehrest is the goddess of women and the protector of children. She
is the wife of Galsus, and is generally depicted as a mature woman
with regal features and shoulder-length brown hair. She is the mother
of many of the gods and goddesses: Ryl, Navor, Vy, Gessa, Suthre,
Vilhelmo, Akanksha, and Kael.
As the queen of the gods, she is often seated to her husband's left
hand. As the goddess of women, she is often invoked during
childbirth, lending strength to the mother, the child, and the midwife.
Fehrest is happiest in the kitchen, and has the secondary aspect of
being the patron goddess of taverns and kitchens. Her kitchen is her
domain, and none may enter without her permission. Even Galsus
does not dare enter her kitchen without first announcing himself and
waiting for her invitation. The first and last time he dared, she literally
attacked him with her rolling pin and frying pan, one in each hand.
Trys witnessed the scene, and was spreading its tale, with
embellishments of course, throughout the pantheon within moments.
In times past, Galsus has proven rather indiscriminate in whom he
shared his bed with. Fehrest has granted him more children than most
others, as his passion dwindled after each extra-marital affair. A
number of his dalliances were not romantic, but part of a plan, and
Fehrest has grudgingly accepted these; she finds she is more hurt by
his flings that were not romantic in nature. She has opened her home
to many of her husband's conquests, and has consoled both mortal and
immortal many times over. She remains loyal to her husband, and
loves him with all her heart.
Worship
While Fehrest has her place in temples dedicated to the entire
pantheon or to those dedicated primarily to her husband, Galsus, the
majority of Fehrest's shrines are seen in taverns, kitchens, and
nurseries across the Caere region. Of all the Caeric deities, Fehrest
has the strongest hold amongst the populace of Redwater; the
Redwater Church has tried and failed several times to snuff out her
worship. She rarely has priests dedicated solely to her, although she
has been known to grant favors to her faithful.
Fehrest does not have any festival days dedicated solely to her.
However, she is praised at every festival.
Granted Abilities
Powers: Healing (p. P128), Life (p. P130).
Spells:
PI1: Create Air; Odor; Itch; Touch; Perfume; Spasm; Stop Spasm;
Tickle;
PI2: Breathe Air; Beast-Soother; Master; Beast Speech; Repel
Insects; Repel Slugs; Clumsiness; Hinder; Tanglefoot; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Protect Animal; Boost Fertility; Stun;
PI4: Essential Air;
PI5: Boink Anything!;
Kaimana
Lord of the Deep
Symbol: Trident.
Home Plane: Elemental Plane of Water.
Portfolio: Seas, oceans, marine life, sea storms.
Worshipers: Sailors, undersea inhabitants, fishermen.
Kaimana's Nature and Deeds
Kaimana is the god of the seas, and his very nature reflects this. He
can be as calm as the calm sea, or as dangerous as the strongest
hurricane. Those who live on, near, or under the sea generally worship
him.
Unlike the other gods, Kaimana is said to dwell on the Elemental
Plane of Water, but is believed to visit the depths of the oceans of
Ranoc quite often.
Kaimana is known for teaching the mortal races how to harvest the
sea. He taught them to fish using the hook-and-line and the net. He
inspired the elves to create the first boats. His teachings also include a
strict warning to not take more than is needed, for as the sea can renew
its bounty, such renewal takes time.
He is also known for his fierce rage. Many a storm has been caused
by the slightest hint of displeasure. Those who take more from the sea
than they need and those who needlessly dump their garbage into the
sea displease him. And Kaimana's wrath is fearsome.
When it comes to disputes involving the mortals, Kaimana rarely
takes sides. He is angry at the nation of Redwater, however, for their
slaughter of non-humans, and has been accused of subtly encouraging
the Northern Raider Clans to attack the nation. Part of his anger stems
from the fact that the capital city was founded on the site of his
greatest battle.
Millennia ago, before the Fall of Vy, Kaimana came ashore at what
is now the city of Veloria in order to do battle with the baalrog
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka. During the battle, which spread up and
down the entire Red River and lasted an entire month, both Kaimana
and Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka were mortally wounded, turning
the river blood red, which it remains to this day. Ghazghkull Mag
Uruk Thraka died just off the coastline, giving the bay the same
reddish tint as the river and creating the island that sits just a mile off
the river's mouth. Kaimana survived, but barely.
Worship
Kaimana has temples and shrines dedicated to him in every town
and city in the Caere region that enages in ocean-going trade or deep-
sea fishing. Even in Redwater, where the religion has been outlawed,
it is not uncommon to find his shrines in the docks districts.
Granted Abilities
Powers: Animal Control (but only those dealing with sea life, p.
P121), Water (p. P135), Weather (p. P136).
Spells:
PI1: Create Air; Shape Air; Air Vision;
PI2: Air Jet; Breathe Air; Breathe Water; Beast-Soother (marine
animals only); Beast-Rouser (marine animals only); Squid Control;
Fish Control; Bird Control; Mammal Control (marine animals only);
Hybrid Control (marine animals only); Beast Summoning (marine
animals only); Master; Beast-Link (marine animals only); Beast
Speech (marine animals only); Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Repel
Squids; Repel Fish; Repel Birds (marine animals only); Repel
Mammals (marine animals only); Repel Hybrids (marine animals
only); Rider (marine animals only); Beast Seeker (marine animals
only); Rooted Feet; Vigor;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Windstorm; Sandstorm; Rider Within (marine
animals only); Protect Animal; Stun; Nauseate;
PI4: Beast Possession (marine animals only); Shapeshifting; Partial
Shapeshifting;
PI5: Air Vortex; Permanent Beast Possession (marine animals
only); Permanent Shapeshifting;
Hannass
Twice-Born, Restorer of Life, Careless Soul-Keeper, Mother Nature
Symbol: Phoenix.
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains.
Portfolio: Nature, agriculture, fertility, life, restoration, rebirth,
reincarnation.
Worshipers: Farmers, nature-lovers.
Hannass' Nature and Deeds
Hannass is the twice-born goddess of nature, and represents the
natural cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Formed as Hassann by Galsus
when the world was first formed as both a partner and a mate, Hannass
can claim motherhood over the first full "generation" of gods. As
related elsewhere, she was killed by Ekchhar and reborn through
Golma's actions. As such, the world annually goes through a similar
cycle: nature blooms in the spring, flourishes in the summer, and
effectively dies in the winter, only to be reborn again the following
spring.
She is the only immortal to claim two fathers: Galsus and Golma.
At first, she was Galsus's wife, but now considers herself Golma's
daughter. Her marriage to Galsus was legally annulled when she was
reborn in another body. Fehrest claims to have carried her to term, but
even then claims she was only the midwife. As such, Fehrest is the
only goddess to claim to be both mother and daughter to Hannass.
Hannass is typically represented as a humanoid with both human
and elven features often referred to as the only half-elf goddess
with bright green eyes and golden hair, dressed in simple flowing
green gowns and sandals. Her older form, that of a humanoid with
long green hair and bark-like skin, is no longer used, having been
killed ages ago.
Hannass is the goddess of agriculture. She taught the mortal races
the basics of growing food, irrigation, and conservation. She
introduced crop rotation to the men who used to live in what is now
Gor Ansat.
As the goddess of rebirth, decreed upon her at the time of her own
rebirth, Hannass is responsible for finding new bodies for the souls
that have left their old ones. Her second father Golma occasionally
rejects souls of the dead, and it falls to Hannass to find these rejected
souls new homes. She is usually quite chaotic about her placement of
souls; many a noble knight's soul has screamed when placed in the
body of one of the "monster" races.
Ekchhar, the god of evil, has long desired Hannass, and in times
past sought to make her his mate. She resisted, fleeing across the face
of the world in many animal forms. He caught up to her near the
Barrier Mountains, where he forcibly laid with her as she changed
forms to try and get away. Ekchhar matched her form for form the
entire time. She managed to flee while he was asleep, and secretly
gave birth on the island of Athrin, where men cast no shadows.
This child she presented to Galsus as Kesuul, who became the god
of lycanthropes. She declined to answer when asked of his parentage,
although Ekchhar later made it public during the next Conjunction by
taunting Galsus about it.
Worship
Hannass has two main festivals, held on the Spring and Autumn
Equinoxes. These often indicate the start of the planting season and
the start of the harvest season. Her priestesses and temples are
primarily rural in location; she has only female priests.
Hannass also has a mystery cult. (Author's note: develop this
mystery cult more.)
Granted Abilities
Powers: Air (p. P121), Animal Control (p. P121), Earth (p. P126),
Healing (p. P128), Life (p. P130), Plant Control (p. P132), Weather
Control (p. P136).
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air; Seek Air; Create Air; Odor; Air Vision; Beast-
Soother; Spasm;
PI2: Air Jet; Walk on Air; Breathe Air; Breathe Water; Insect
Control; Slug Control; Squid Control; Fish Control; Reptile Control;
Bird Control; Mammal Control; Hybrid Control; Beast Summoning;
Master; Beast-Link; Beast Speech; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Repel
Squids; Repel Fish; Repel Reptiles; Repel Birds; Repel Mammals;
Repel Hybrids; Rider; Beast Seeker; Pain; Vigor;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Windstorm; Concussion; Sandstorm; Rider
Within; Spider Silk; Protect Animal; Boost Fertility; Stun; Nauseate;
PI4: Body of Air; Essential Air; Beast Possession; Shapeshifting*;
Partial Shapeshifting*;
PI5: Air Vortex; Body of Wind; Control Air Elemental; Control
Dust Elemental; Permanent Beast Possession; Shapeshift Others*;
Great Shapeshift*; Boink Anything!*;
* Only available to those who have been initiated into her mystery
cult.
Nyysan
The Peace-Bringer
Symbol: Handshake.
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains.
Portfolio: Hearth, home, family, diplomacy, heat/warmth.
Worshipers: Commoners, diplomats.
Nyysan's Nature and Deeds
Nyysan is the goddess of the home and hearth. Her domain is the
family, and every home has a small altar near the central fireplace with
which to offer prayers and sacrifices.
Nyysan doesn't ask for much from her worshippers. She has no
official priests or priestesses, although priests do sometimes take up
the call in her name. She teaches that, while all families may have
their good times and their bad times, blood will always be thicker than
water, and that families are to stick together, regardless.
Because of her stance, she holds no ill towards her brother
Ekchhar. She refuses to take sides in any arguments between the
deities, preferring to try and mediate between them. Because of this,
she is recognized as the patron deity of judges, referees, mediators,
and arbitrators.
Worship
As noted above, Nyysan has no official priests, and every home
has a small altar or shrine near the central fireplace in her honor.
One notable exception to the 'no official priests' is the organization
calling itself the Divine Diplomats. These Diplomats all honor
Nyysan, working to spread peace and understanding through talking
over problems and getting people to compromise when opinions differ
significantly. (They are not always successful.)
Granted Abilities
Powers: Healing (p. P128), Heat (p. P129), Life (p. P130), Light
(p. P130).
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air; Odor; Touch; Perfume; Spasm; Stop Spasm;
Tickle;
PI2: Breathe Air; Master; Beast Speech; Repel Insects; Repel
Slugs; Rider; Vigor;
PI3: Boost Fertility; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Golma
God of the Dead, Judge of Souls, The Final Judge
Symbol: Measuring scales
Home Plane: Realm of the Dead
Portfolio: Death, funerals, judgment
Worshipers: Judges, gravediggers
Golma's Nature and Deeds
Golma was once the god of life. As the god of life, he taught that
all life is precious, to be cherished and celebrated, and wherever
possible created.
Then he was killed. Through the actions of his mother, Hassann, he
was brought back to life, but the taste of death changed him. Death, he
teaches, is a normal part of life, and should not be feared. Some say it
was he who convinced Navor to strip all elves of their immortality.
In the past, Golma has manifested himself in one of two forms. The
first is that of a skeletal figure draped in black robes and carrying a
scythe, his favored weapon; this form is his best-known, the image
from which many statues of him are made. The other manifestation is
that of a dark-skinned, dark-haired woman of indeterminate race
wearing loose-fitting white robes, his/her eyes glowing bright white.
Some believe that Golma, having become the embodiment of death,
has transcended the concept of genders, and takes the latter form as a
whim. Others believe that Golma was always a woman; the oldest
extant accounts which refer to Golma use ancient unisex pronouns,
further obscuring the issue.
Golma's responsibilities are to judge the souls of the dead,
balancing their ends against their means, and sending the souls to their
punishments or rewards. He also often holds souls in stasis, should he
sense that a resurrection spell will be cast to return them to life. It is
his right to reject any soul whose death, he states, was not yet time.
Sometimes he will send those souls back to their original bodies; other
times he will send them to Hannass for reincarnation.
Golma's realm is one of the few that is directly accessible from the
Material Plane. Thade Island, the floating volcanic island in the
northern sea, has a cave there which is a permanent connection to
Golma's realm.
Upon descending into Golma's realm, either via death or by the
passage on Thade Island, the average person comes across a wide
plain with a sun that sits low on the horizon but never shifts. A castle
sits in the center of the plain, with one road entering it from the front,
and two exiting the castle from the rear. Crossing over the drawbridge
into the castle, one is met by the celestial harpy Ricnalis, who
announces the visitor's presence. The deceased are then brought before
Golma's court, where he reads off the actions and intentions of the
deceased. The virtuous are sent to a grove via the northern road, where
the heroes of legend are said to forever retell their stories of heroism.
Those who led neither virtuous nor villainous lives are sent to wander
the plains aimlessly. And those who led villainous lives are sent down
the southern road to the land of Ylcor, where they are to be punished
by various means for all eternity.
Golma doesn't care for the undead, and teaches that the undead are
an abomination, a break in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. While
he is willing to tolerate skeletons and zombies to a point (because the
soul has already left the body when these are made), intelligent undead
such as vampires, wights, and liches are anathema to him. Priests of
Golma are encouraged to destroy any intelligent undead they come
across, freeing the souls trapped in the body.
Golma's sole offspring is his daughter Su'kal.
Worship
Golma's priests preside at funerals and often act as impartial judges
in cases that deal with religious sects. For the most part, his priests are
male, but there is no discrimination between male and female priests.
Golma is also known to have a mystery cult. This cult tends to
refer to Golma by the ancient Corcoranese unisex gender pronoun zhe,
if they use a pronoun at all for the god. Rumor has it that one of the
initiation rites into the mystery cult reveals Golma's true form and
gender, and that the initiates are forbidden from referring to Golma as
either gender in order to avoid accidentally revealing the truth to non-
initiates.
One of the most disturbing facets of this mystery cult is that all
initiates are said to have come face to face with the god of death and
then sent back. What is known is that some of the initiates do not
survive this particular trial. The inner circle of Golma's mystery cult
are said to possess the ability to bring someone back to life after they
have died, a feat that clerics of other gods even those of other
pantheons have never successfully accomplished.
Granted Abilities
Powers: Death (but never any dealing with the creation of undead,
p. P125)
Spells:
PI1: No-Smell; Destroy Air;
PI2: Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Pain; Debility; Frailty;
PI3: Stun; Nauseate;
PI4:
PI5:
* These spells are only available to those with Religious Rank 3 or
hgher and who have been initiated into Golma's mystery cult.
Ryl
The Wise
Symbol: Longsword, pointed up, behind an owl's face
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Wisdom, intuition, oracles, divination
Worshipers: Diviners
Ryl's Nature and Deeds
Ryl, daughter of Galsus and Fehrest, is the wisest of all gods. It is
said that she sees beyond the present into the future, and acts as the
oracle of the gods.
She is able to see into a person's soul at birth, and can divine from
there whether a person is destined for greatness. She is often called
upon by rulers who look for wisdom beyond knowledge. Her insight
has been invaluable to everyone who asks for it.
Ryl's actions often seem to be rather chaotic, as her intuition often
seems to come to a conclusion long before anyone else has thought
things through. She often chastises her brother Navor for his
preoccupation with knowledge, while he often chastises her for not
gathering all the information before coming to a conclusion. Despite
this difference of opinion, or perhaps because of it, the two married
some time ago.
It is said that Ryl aided the epic hero Sinia Noroth when she
encountered a labyrinth of mirrors. Sinia had accepted a mission of
entering the labyrinth to slay the demon that lived there; with Ryl's aid
she was able to enter the labyrinth blindfolded, slay the demon, and
return. The mirrors had an enchantment that caused anyone who
looked into them to lose their sense of direction; being blindfolded,
Sinia was unable to trigger the enchantment.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: ESP (p. P127); Holy Might (p. DFA22), Personal
Holiness (p. THM205).
Spells:
PI1: Air Vision;
PI2: Beast Speech;
PI3: Rider Within; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Navor
Lightbringer
Symbol: Golden disc
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Light, knowledge, magic, astronomy, astrology, art,
science, music, and medicine
Worshipers: Artisans, musicians, bards, scholars, diviners, oracles,
wizards, healers, inventors
Navor's Nature and Deeds
Navor is the son of Galsus and Fehrest, the twin brother of Vy, and
the husband of Ryl. He is the most knowledgeable of all the gods
with the possible exception of his twin sister, whose knowledge Navor
is loathe to seek out. He is the creator of the elves, the inventor of
music, patron god of magic, and the first to practice the healing arts.
Navor hides it well, but he still frets over his twin's fall from grace.
The War of the Elves hurt him the most, when he had to actively
oppose her. Although he defeated her in the contest of wits, played out
by the now-mortal elves on both sides, he found himself unable to
fully complete his victory, and let her go. To this day, he still wonders,
should something similar happen again, if he would be able to do what
he could not then. Underneath it all, he still cares for her, and works in
his own ways to bring her back to the light.
Navor and Ryl share an oracle in the city of Penticon, rumored to
be the best oracular site in the known world. For centuries, heroes
from all over, even those from heretical Redwater, have consulted the
Penticon oracle.
Recently, the gods Grangre and Ha'all, Navor's children by his wife
Ryl, have taken on some of the less arcane portions of the
Lightbringer's portfolio, due to the differentiating of the disciplines
among the mortals. Grangre has taken it upon herself to look after
science, mathematics, and medicine, while Ha'all has taken on the
more creative aspects, primarily the arts.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Anti-Magic (p. P121), Healing (p. P128), Light (p. P130).
Spells:
PI1: Seek Air; Air Vision; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Beast Speech; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Rider Within; Stun; Fumble; Strike Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental;
Gessa
Silent Huntress
Symbol: Crescent moon
Home Plane: Sylvania
Portfolio: Woodlands, hunting, nighttime
Worshipers: Hunters, rangers
Gessa's Nature and Deeds
Gessa is the goddess of woodlands and the hunt. She is held to be
very beautiful, with tanned skin, an athletic build, and long, wild hair
that falls to below her waist. She is accompanied by a pair of trained
wolves, and rides upon a dark steed.
Gessa forsakes the company of all other gods, preferring to spend
time among the forests of the world rather than partake of the
festivities of the others. She is closest to Ynnada and Hannass; the
former because the moons give her light to see by, and the latter
because they both share a great love of nature. She has sworn to
remain a virgin until such time as she encounters anyone, mortal or
god, who is able to successfully beat her on a hunt. She has a friendly
rivalry with Kesuul, as he has been the most persistent in attempting
this feat.
She is feared for her temper. Once, a mortal man came upon her
bathing under a waterfall. Struck by her wild beauty, he attempted to
ravish her. In righteous anger, she drove the man insane, and then
released him into the wilds of the Northern Frontier, where he was
chased and finally devoured by a pack of wolves.
Gessa teaches that mortals should not take more from nature than
they need. Any animal that is slain must be used to the minutest
portion. A person who throws away half a carcass in the wilderness
after using part of it is not liable to draw her wrath, if that person
swears in her name that he is feeding the scavengers, but someone
who slaughters twenty animals and only uses one will.
Worship
Gessa doesn't have dedicated temples. Most of Gessa's adherents
build shrines in temples shared with other deities, or in groves that are
commonly considered "sacred". Gessa's priests are commonly female,
but there are male priests as well.
Granted Abilities
Powers: Animal Control (p. P121), Darkness (p. P125), Druidic
Arts (p. DFA22), Plant Control (p. P132), Sound (p. P133),
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air; Seek Air; Create Air; Odor; Air Vision; Beast-
Soother; Climbing;
PI2: No-Smell; Walk on Air; Breathe Air; Breathe Water; Beast-
Rouser; Insect Control; Slug Control; Fish Control; Reptile Control;
Bird Control; Mammal Control; Hybrid Control;Beast Summoning;
Master; Beast-Link; Beast Speech; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Repel
Fish; Repel Reptiles; Repel Birds; Repel Mammals; Repel Hybrids;
Rider; Beast Seeker; Hinder; Tanglefoot; Might; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Rider Within; Spider Silk; Protect Animal; Stun; Nauseate;
PI4: Body of Air; Beast Possession; Shapeshifting; Partial
Shapeshifting;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession; Shapeshift Others; Permanent
Shapeshifting; Great Shapeshift;
Akanksha
Free-Spirited
Symbol: Ankh with rays coming from the head
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Love, passion, sex
Worshipers: Prostitutes, matchmakers, lovers
Akanksha's Nature and Deeds
To call Akanksha a fertility goddess is to euphemize. She is the
goddess of sex. Passion is her nature, a passion to create.
She holds that the ability to create life is the greatest gift bestowed
by the gods on women, and that the women should not consider
motherhood a duty, but a blessing. The act of creation is to be fun, not
a chore.
Akanksha is an affirmed pacifist, and requires that her priestesses
never raise a hand against an attacker. Self-defense is expected, but
preaches that defense should never turn to offense.
Akanksha's biggest disappointment is her relationship with her
daughter, Bri'ney. When Bri'ney rebelled against her mother, joining
Ekchhar's dark pantheon, she attacked her mother with a spear (at this
time, the most phallic object Bri'ney could come up with). This was
the only time Akanksha ever fought in combat, and even then she held
to her pacifistic ideals. Akanksha never struck Bri'ney; instead, she
grabbed hold of Bri'ney's spear and twisted it from her grasp. During
the fight, the spear fell into the Western Ocean.
Worship
Akanksha's temples are well-known in the Caere region as houses
of ill repute, with her priestesses well-skilled in the erotic arts. In
addition to this, her priestesses Akanksha has no male priests are
skilled healers; in times of crisis, her temples become houses where
the sick and injured will be tended without discrimination.
During the Festival of Akanksha, which occurs monthly on the
night of the primary full moon, her priestesses lead any who are
willing in a full-blown orgy. As one priestess put it, "One of the most
common means of communicating with the divine is by inducing an
altered state of consciousness. And there is no more pleasurable means
of achieving that altered state than lots of orgasms!"
Akanksha refuses anyone to be armed or armored inside her
temples. Most temples have a storage room near the front doors for
storing any weapons and armor a visitor may be carrying.
Granted Abilities
Powers: Healing (p. P128), Illusion (p. P129), Life (p. P130),
Probability Alteration (p. P132).
Spells:
PI1: Odor; Itch; Touch; Perfume; Spasm; Stop Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Pain; Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted
Feet; Tanglefoot; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Boost Fertility; Stun; Nauseate; Fumble;
PI4:
PI5: Boink Anything!;
Suthre
Soul-Forger, Forge of the Gods
Symbol: Hammer and anvil
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Metalsmithing
Worshipers: Blacksmiths, weapon smiths, inventors, whitesmiths,
armor smiths.
Suthre's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Heat/Fire (p. P129), Machine Telepathy (p. P130),
Spells:
PI1: Stop Spasm;
PI2: Repel Insects; Might; Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost Health;
PI3: Lightning Sword; Stun;
PI4: Earth to Air; Essential Air;
PI5: Control Lightning Elemental;
Vilhelmo
The Warrior
Symbol: Longsword, pointed straight up
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: War, valor, righteousness, self-discipline
Worshipers: Fighters, soldiers, monks
Vilhelmo's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Body Control (p. P123), Holy Might (p. DFA22),
Spells:
PI1: Climbing; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Air Jet; Might; Grace; Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost
Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Concussion; Lightning Sword; Protect Animal;
Stun; Strike Dumb;
PI4:
PI5:
Kenen
All-Seeing
Symbol: Sun chariot
Home Plane: Material Plane
Portfolio: Sun, light
Worshipers: Undead hunters
Kenen's Nature and Deeds
Kenen, the god of the sun, is charged with only one cosmic task.
Every day, he rides his golden chariot across the sky, illuminating the
world.
Of all the gods, it is said that Kenen has the sharpest eyes, rivaled
only by his sister Ynnada. It is said that during the day, he sees
everything that happens as he passes overhead, and he can see ants on
the ground if he wanted to. Thieves especially are wary of his sunlight,
as are supernatural undead like vampires.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Heat (p. P129), Light (p. P130),
Spells:
PI1: Seek Air; Air Vision;
PI2: Walk on Air; Bird Control;
PI3: Rider Within; Stun; Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5:
Ynnada
Goddess of the Moons, Ever-Watchful
Symbol: Three moons in a triangle
Home Plane: Material Plane
Portfolio: The three moons, watchfulness, occult knowledge
Worshipers: Oracles, diviners, wizards
Ynnada's Nature and Deeds
Ynnada is Kenen's twin sister, and the goddess of the moons. The
calendar is her creation, using her three moons as a basis for marking
the passage of time.
Ynnada is called "ever-watchful". Her three moons, which move
across the sky in varying cycles, enable her to view anywhere in the
known world at nearly any time.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Darkness (p. P125),
Spells:
PI1: Seek Air; Air Vision;
PI2: Walk on Air;
PI3: Rider Within; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Kael
The Dour God, Dealer of Justice
Symbol: Two concentric circles with a crosspiece in the inner circle
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Justice, discipline
Worshipers: Judges, lawmen, city guards, paladins
Kael's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Good (p. P128), Order (p. P132), Holy Might (p. DFA22),
Spells:
PI1: Air Vision;
PI2: Pain; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Debility; Frailty; Might;
Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Stun; Fumble;
PI4:
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental;
Tyche
Lady Luck, The Fickle Lady
Symbol: Coin split in two; one half showing a ruler's head, the other
half showing a blank side.
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Luck
Worshipers: Swashbucklers, thieves, those wishing luck
Tyche's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Probability Alteration (p. P132),
Spells:
PI1: Odor; Climbing; Itch; Touch; Spasm; Stop Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Rider; Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot;
Roundabout; Debility; Frailty; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost
Health;
PI3: Boost Fertility; Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Fumble; Strike Dumb;
Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5:
Grangre
Lady of Order
Symbol: Three interconnected circles overlaid with a feather
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Order, science, mathematics, medicine.
Worshipers: Lords of Order
Grangre's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Order (p. P132),
Spells:
PI1: Seek Air; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Master; Beast-Link; Beast Speech; Rider; Clumsiness;
Hinder; Rooted Feet; Debility; Might; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Stun;
PI4:
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental; Permanent Shapeshifting;
Ha'all
Living Chaos, Lord of Chaos, Holy Musician
Symbol: Two arms locked for arm-wrestling
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Chaos, freedom, music, art.
Worshipers: Lords of Chaos
Ha'all's Nature and Deeds
Ha'all, son of Ryl and Navor, is a chaotic force of nature that
enjoys freedom from rules, especially society's rules. He is prone to
fits of anger and destruction, particularly when he feels he is
unnecessarily restrained. Despite this, he is a kindly soul, forever
seeking to better the lives of others. He promotes that the chaos he
brings into others' lives will ultimately result in beneficial changes.
Not everyone believes as he does.
Ha'all is the longtime companion of his younger sister, Grangre,
who is in many ways his opposite in temperament and beliefs. The two
often work together, with Grangre curbing and guiding Ha'all's more
destructive impulses.
Ha'all has recently turned his attention to the arts, as those have
recently become separate from his father's pursuits of knowledge. He
loves music, especially complicated baroque pieces, and impressionist
artwork.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Chaos (p. P124), Holy Might (p. DFA22),
Spells:
PI1: Stench; Destroy Air; Beast-Rouser; Itch; Touch; Spasm;
Tickle;
PI2: Air Jet; Walk on Air; Insect Control; Beast Speech; Rider;
Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility;
Frailty; Might; Grace; Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost
Health;
PI3: Windstorm; Concussion; Sandstorm; Lightning Sword; Stun;
Retch; Fumble; Strike Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4: Shapeshifting; Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Shapeshift Others; Great Shapeshift; Boink Anything!;
Barsus
The Wanderer
Symbol: Pile of gold coins
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Merchants, travelers, roads, commerce
Worshipers: Merchants, bards, those embarking on journeys
Barsus' Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Speed (p. SU40),
Spells:
PI1: Climbing; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Walk on Air; Breathe Water; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs;
Rider; Tanglefoot; Might; Vigor;
PI3: Protect Animal; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Kesuul
The Were-God, The Primal Fang, His Divine Fuzziness
Symbol: Furred claw
Home Plane: Sylvania
Portfolio: Lycanthropes, hunting, wildlife.
Worshipers: Lycanthropes, velvels.
Kesuul's Nature and Deeds
As noted elsewhere, Kesuul is the son of the forced union between
the goddess Hannass and the evil god Ekchhar. Due to the chaotic
nature of his conception, he was born a were-creature, the Were-God,
traditionally taking the form of a humanoid, wolf-headed being,
otherwise known as a werewolf. When he was presented to Galsus, the
great god's welcome was not a warm one, mostly because Hannass
refused to name Kesuul's father. Given time, the young god was
accepted into the pantheon, and Galsus warmed to his foster son.
When Ekchhar noticed how strong the connection was becoming,
he attempted to destroy the familial bond by revealing Kesuul's true
parentage, mocking Galsus with his crime against Hannass. The young
Kesuul, enraged with his true father's remarks, sprang at him before
the other gods could react, giving the god a disfiguring claw mark on
his chest. Both father and son were subsequently restrained, Kesuul
being leashed by the call of Galsus' voice and cowed by the call of his
mother, and Ekchhar was sent fuming from the heavens. Kesuul is not
inherently evil, but neither is he usually defined as "good".
Kesuul is not the kind of god most assume. Although he is the
shapechanger's god, and despite his violent origins and "rugged"
appearance, Kesuul has more in common with the velvel race then
people realize. He supports loyalty, the hunt, with strictures dictating
the protection of family especially. Strong companionship between
sentient beings of any race and even animals is also encouraged, due
to his shapechanging nature. The laws of the hunt and of the wild, of
survival, strength, and balance with nature echo his mother's, and
treachery or betrayal are things he frowns upon, to say the least. One
of his greatest loves is chasing, competing with, and some day
"defeating" Gessa, though it's not likely that the two rivals could ever
have a truly lasting relationship.
He has also been referred to as the "Great Dog" by Ekchhar and his
kind, unkindly, for although he is the Primal Fang and the Were-God,
his laid back nature, general friendliness, and above all his bond to
Galsus and Hannass give him more of a domesticated dog-like
personality than any priest dares note publicly. He takes the name with
private amusement, although referring to him as such will generally
earn some mild godly smiting. Clerics, priests, or other followers of
his are strong, wild, cunning, and are considered the best for
adventuring companions in those circles due to their loyal nature,
which is hard to gain, but, once earned, can be inviolate.
Unfortunately, due to the bias against were-creatures in general, not
everyone will seek out their aid or trust themselves in their care. This
is not entirely unexpected, given that some lycanthropes have earned
their evil reputation, even though most have not.
There is a rumor that he has been called "His Divine Fuzziness". It
is not encouraged to find out whether or not this is true. Strictly non-
were followers of his, especially human ones, are considered crazier
then most.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Animal Control (p. P121), Animal Function (p. SU39),
Body Alteration (p. P123), Sound/Vibration (p. P133),
Spells:
PI1: No-Smell; Odor; Air Vision; Beast-Soother; Beast-Rouser;
Beast Speech; Climbing;
PI2: Breathe Air; Breathe Water; Fish Control; Reptile Control;
Bird Control; Mammal Control; Hybrid Control; Beast Summoning;
Master; Beast-Link; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Repel Fish; Repel
Birds; Repel Mammals; Repel Hybrids; Rider; Beast Seeker; Hinder;
Tanglefoot; Might; Grace; Vigor; Stun; Nauseate;
PI3: Rider Within; Spider Silk; Protect Animal; Shapeshifting;
PI4: Beast Possession; Permanent Shapeshifting;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession; Shapeshift Others; Great
Shapeshift; Boink Anything!;
Trys
The Laughing Bandit
Symbol: Grinning theatrical mask
Home Plane: Wandering Mountains
Portfolio: Pranks, laughter, thieves, fortune hunters
Worshipers: Thieves, bandits, highwaymen, con artists, those seeking
riches
Trys's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Illusion (p. P129), Probability Alteration (p. P132),
Spells:
PI1: Stench; Odor; Air Vision; Climbing; Itch; Touch; Spasm;
Stop Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Walk on Air; Breathe Water; Repel Insects; Rider; Pain;
Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility;
Frailty; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Spider Silk; Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Fumble; Strike Dumb;
Strike Blind;
PI4: Shapeshifting; Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Shapeshift Others; Great Shapeshift; Boink Anything!;
Ricnalis
The Celestial Harpy; Herald of the Dead
Symbol: Harpy with a halo around it
Home Plane: Thanatollis
Portfolio: Announcements
Worshipers: None specific to her, although occasionally a cleric may
be called to her service.
Ricnalis's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Sound (p. P133),
Spells:
PI1: Touch; Perfume;
PI2: Bird Control; Beast Speech;
PI3: Rider Within; Stun; Strike Dumb;
PI4: Shapeshifting;
PI5: Partial Shapeshifting (Feathered Arms only);
Ekchhar
Lord of Evil, The Rebel, Prince of Lies
Symbol: Red iron gauntlet closed in a fist
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Evil, tyranny, power
Worshipers: Tyrants, warlords, evil wizards
Ekchar's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Evil (p. P127), Order (p. P132),
Spells:
PI1: Spasm; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Squid Control; Fish Control; Reptile Control; Bird Control;
Mammal Control; Hybrid Control; Beast Summoning; Master; Beast-
Link; Rider; Pain; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout;
Debility; Frailty; Might; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Windstorm; Concussion; Sandstorm; Lightning Sword;
Fumble; Strike Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4: Beast Possession; Shapeshifting;
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental; Shapeshift Others; Permanent Shapeshifting;
Great Shapeshift;
Vy
The Corruptor, The Dark Queen
Symbol: Ebony-black disc
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Darkness, knowledge, magic, power, chaos, corruption
Worshipers: Evil sorcerers, demons
Vys Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Chaos (p. P124), Darkness (p. P125), Evil (p. P127),
Spells:
PI1: Seek Air; Air Vision; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Insect Control; Slug Control; Squid Control; Fish Control;
Reptile Control; Bird Control; Mammal Control; Hybrid Control;
Beast Summoning; Beast-Link; Beast Speech; Beast Seeker; Pain;
Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility; Frailty; Boost
Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Windstorm; Concussion; Sandstorm; Rider Within; Strike
Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4: Beast Possession; Shapeshift Others;
PI5: Air Vortex; Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental;
Control Lightning Elemental; Permanent Beast Possession; Great
Shapeshift;
Su'kal
The Queen of the Damned, The Black Goddess, Fallen
Symbol: A single blood-red teardrop
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Death, undead
Worshipers: Vampires, liches, necromancers
Su'kal's Nature and Deeds
Su'kal is the only daughter of Golma and his ex-wife, the celestial
harpy Ricnalis. She generally appears as a very attractive woman of
indeterminate race, dressed in black leather outfits that vary with her
mood. She claims to be a child of a broken home, as her parents
divorced when she was still an infant, but the truth is that Golma and
Ricnalis parted on amiable terms.
Before her rebellion and subsequent betrayal, she was the guardian
of life, as her father had been before he died. In this role, she protected
many noble warriors and epic heroes of ancient times from lasting
harm, or so she thought. As more and more of her favored fell, she fell
into a deep depression.
"Never more," she swore, and turned to knowledge that would
prolong someone's life. To this end, she sought out more and more
knowledge to grant immortality to those she chose. Her cousin Navor
refused to hand anyone the secret to immortality, but word reached the
black ears of Vy.
Vy had discovered much obscure and best-forgotten knowledge.
She shared some of this knowledge, through intermediaries, with
Su'kal a little at a time. Vy promised Su'kal that, when the knowledge
was complete, she'd be able to grant immortality to anyone she
wished.
As with all of Vy's knowledge, there was a price. Much of the
knowledge in Vy's offer came with a price, and that price that of a
blood sacrifice ran contrary to Su'kal's beliefs. For years, Su'kal
struggled with the dilemma: would she be able to kill, so that her
chosen heroes could live forever?
Vy was not content to wait on the sidelines for Su'kal to respond to
her price; after all, as a goddess of life, Su'kal was a challenge for the
Corruptor. Each message she sent Vy was enchanted in such a way as
to instill new thoughts into Su'kal's mind and taint her soul, a little at a
time.
At last, as her latest champion died to a debilitating poison, Su'kal
decided that she could not let her father claim his soul. She spirited
away his body, with the soul still inside, before Golma even realized
what was going on. She fled into deep caves hidden away from the
ever-watchful eyes of both Kenen and Ynnada, under the Barrier
Mountains at the edge of the Vast Expanse and performed the ritual
intended to grant everlasting life to one whose natural life had come to
an end.
Some say her sacrifice was human, others say it was that of a giant,
and others say that the sacrifice was that of an elf, the act that stripped
the elves of their own immortality.
With her blood sacrifice, she forever turned her back on the tenets
of a goddess of life. In that instant, as her ritual dagger killed her
mortal sacrifice, she became a goddess of death, yet in a manner quite
unlike her father. What happened next, it is said, sealed her fate.
Taking her sacrifice's blood, she poured it down the throat of her
deceased champion while chanting the ritual designed to release him
from the chains of life and death. When he awoke, he had been
transformed into a vampire, an undead creature that feeds on the blood
of the living. This is the first recorded case of undead being created.
Because she willingly brought unholy beings neither living nor dead
into the world, she became the goddess of the undead.
As with all deific falls, the changes took centuries, but were
overlooked until the actual deed was done. Su'kal's whole demeanor
changed, and she joined Ekchhar's growing dark pantheon, forever
turning her back on life.
Today, Su'kal preaches that the way to immortal life is through the
creation of the undead, and to become a vampire or lich is to be
immortal. She is worshiped and revered by those who seek to create
undead, via both arcane and divine means, as well as by those seeking
protection against the undead. A word of warning to the latter, though:
Su'kal is a fickle goddess, and her demands are often punctuated by
the reality of both lesser and greater undead enforcers. He who prays
to Su'kal for deliverance from undead may find himself becoming
undead instead.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Cold (p. P124), Death (p. P125), Evil (p. P127),
Vampirism (p. P135),
Spells:
PI1:
PI2: Devitalize Air; Pain; Debility; Frailty;
PI3: Retch; Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5:
Rallos
Lord of Slaughter
Symbol: Axe head
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: War, destruction, slaughter, rage, mindless fury
Worshipers: Warriors, barbarians, soldiers
Rallos's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Body Control (p. P123), Chaos (p. P124), Holy Might (p.
DFA22),
Spells:
PI1: Itch; Spasm; Stop Spasm; Pain;
PI2: Beast-Rouser; Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot;
Roundabout; Debility; Frailty; Might; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Concussion; Lightning Sword; Stun; Fumble; Strike Dumb;
Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5: Partial Shapeshifting;
Hiini
The Betrayer
Symbol: Dagger dripping blood
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Deception, betrayal
Worshipers: Advocates of defense for the clearly guilty, crime lords.
Hiini's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Illusion (p. P129), Probability Alteration (p. P132), Sound
(p. P133), Telepathy (p. P134),
Spells:
PI1: Destroy Air; Climbing; Itch; Touch; Perfume; Spasm;
PI2: Devitalize Air; Walk on Air; Breathe Water; Pain;
Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility;
Frailty; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health; Strike Dumb;
Strike Blind;
PI3: Concussion; Spider Silk; Stun; Nauseate;
PI4: Shapeshifting; Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Shapeshift Others; Permanent Shapeshifting; Great
Shapeshift;
Nolkus
Rat-Headed
Symbol: Rat's head
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Disease, plague, famine
Worshipers: Those living in disease-infested areas
Nolkus' Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Animal Control (usually over rodents, p. P121), Animal
Function (usually rodent traits, p. SU39), Plant Control (with an
emphasis on destruction of plants, p. P132), Weather Control (p.
P136),
Spells:
PI1: Stench; Odor; Air Vision; Beast-Soother (rodents only);
Beast-Rouser (rodents and insects only); Climbing; Itch; Spasm; Stop
Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Devitalize Air; Insect Control; Slug Control; Mammal Control
(rodents only); Repel Birds; Repel Mammals; Repel Hybrids; Beast
Summoning; Beast-Link; Beast Speech (rodents only); Beast Seeker
(rodents only); Hinder; Debility; Frailty;
PI3: Rider Within; Spider Silk; Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Strike
Blind;
PI4: Beast Possession (rodents only); Shapeshifting; Partial
Shapeshifting;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession (rodents only); Great Shapeshift;
Bri'ney
The Temptress
Symbol: Spear head
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Lust, temptation, envy, jealousy, desire, obsession
Worshipers: Prostitutes, courtesans, jilted lovers, those suffering
from unrequited love
Bri'ney's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Body Alteration (p. P123), Illusion (p. P129), Probability
Alteration (p. P132),
Spells:
PI1: Odor; Itch; Touch; Perfume; Spasm; Stop Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Control Slugs; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Pain; Clumsiness;
Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility; Might;
Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Boost Fertility; Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Fumble; Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5: Boink Anything!;
Volsh
The Depraved
Symbol: Coiled whip
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Depravity, unnecessary torture.
Worshipers: Nobility
Volsh's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers:
Spells:
PI1: Stench; Itch; Touch; Spasm; Tickle; Pain;
PI2: Air Jet; Beast-Rouser; Insect Control; Slug Control; Bird
Control; Mammal Control ("pests" only); Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted
Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility; Frailty; Boost Strength; Boost
Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Concussion; Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Strike Dumb; Strike
Blind;
PI4: Beast Possession; Shapeshifting; Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession; Shapeshift Others;
Rilke
The Deranged, The Insane Goddess
Symbol: Insane theater mask
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Madmen, insanity
Worshipers: Normally none, although a cleric may be called to her
service.
Rilke's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Illusion (p. P129), Sound (p. P133), Telepathy (p. P134),
Spells:
PI1: Odor; Beast-Rouser; Itch; Touch; Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Walk on Air; Insect Control; Slug Control; Master; Beast-
Link; Beast Speech; Pain; Clumsiness; Tanglefoot; Roundabout;
Debility; Frailty; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Sandstorm; Rider Within; Stun; Nauseate; Fumble; Strike
Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4: Shapeshifting; Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Shapeshift Others; Permanent Shapeshifting; Boink
Anything!;
Luukryz
The Murderer
Symbol: Crossed daggers
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Murder, stealth, assassination
Worshipers: Murderers, assassins,
Luukryz's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Darkness (p. P125), Death (but only abilities that cause it,
p. P125), Vampirism (p. P135),
Spells:
PI1: No-Smell; Destroy Air; Odor; Air Vision; Climbing; Spasm;
Stop Spasm;
PI2: Devitalize Air; Walk on Air; Breathe Water; Beast-Rouser;
Slug Control; Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot;
Roundabout; Debility; Frailty; Grace; Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost
Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Lightning Sword; Spider Silk; Stun; Fumble; Strike Dumb;
Strike Blind;
PI4: Body of Air; Beast Possession; Shapeshifting; Partial
Shapeshifting;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession; Shapeshift Others; Permanent
Shapeshifting; Great Shapeshift;
Brosa
The Rotund, The Fat-Man
Symbol: Iron cauldron
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Gluttony, cannibalism
Worshipers: Cannibals,
Brosa's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers:
Spells:
PI1: Beast-Soother; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Slug Control; Bird Control; Beast Summoning; Master;
Clumsiness; Hinder; Tanglefoot; Debility; Frailty;
PI3: Spider Silk; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Hessen
The Cold One, The Punisher
Symbol: Bloodstain.
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow.
Portfolio: Vengeance, retribution.
Worshipers: Those seeking revenge.
Hessen's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers:
Spells:
PI1: Destroy Air; Climbing; Itch; Touch; Spasm; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Devitalize Air; Beast-Rouser; Pain; Clumsiness; Hinder;
Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility; Frailty; Might; Grace;
Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Lightning Sword; Stun; Nauseate; Fumble; Strike Dumb;
PI4: Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Shapeshift Others;
Myrg
Symbol: Pile of gold coins
Home Plane: Gloom Hollow
Portfolio: Greed, miserliness
Worshipers: Millionaires, misers, thieves, tax collectors
Myrg's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers:
Spells:
PI1:
PI2: Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Debility; Frailty; Might;
PI3: Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Kakotatos
The Worst of the Worst; Lord of Demons
Symbol: Trident surrounded in hellfire.
Home Plane: Dyval.
Portfolio: Demons.
Worshipers: None specific to him.
Kakotatos's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Dimension Travel (p. P125), Evil (p. P127), Heat/Fire (p.
P129),
Spells:
PI1: Stench; Pain;
PI2: Devitalize Air; Debility; Frailty; Might; Grace; Vigor; Boost
Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Lightning Sword; Fumble; Strike Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5:
Church of the One True God (Redwater)
Selected Mythology Passages
Creation of the World
In the beginning, God created the Heaven and the Earth. In time,
lesser beings came to admire His Work and Word, and set about
mimicking it. But their Creations were imperfect, and unable to truly
master the lands of His design. Surrounded on all sides by the children
of these great spirits, some fell away to false paths, joining these false
peoples. But those who remained faithful became His chosen people,
and He led them out of the lands of the children and worshippers of
false gods to the rich lands of Redwater.
Yohvoh
The One True God
Symbol: Seven-pointed star inside an vertical ellipse, sword pointed
down to make the 8th point
Home Plane: Unknown; possibly none, claiming omniscience and
omnipotence
Portfolio: Everything.
Worshipers: Subjects of the Kingdom of Redwater.
Yohvoh's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Divine (p. P126), Holy Might (p. DFA22), Life (p. P130),
Order (p. P132).
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air; Seek Air; Create Air; Air Vision; Beast-Soother;
Climbing; Touch; Perfume; Spasm; Stop Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Shape Air; Air Jet; Walk on Air; Breathe Air; Breathe Water;
Beast-Rouser; Insect Control; Slug Control; Squid Control; Fish
Control; Reptile Control; Bird Control; Mammal Control; Hybrid
Control; Beast Summoning; Master; Beast-Link; Beast Speech; Repel
Insects; Repel Slugs; Repel Squids; Repel Fish; Repel Reptiles; Repel
Birds; Repel Mammals; Repel Hybrids; Rider; Beast Seeker; Pain;
Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility;
Frailty; Might; Grace; Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost
Health;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Windstorm; Concussion; Sandstorm; Lightning
Sword; Rider Within; Spider Silk; Protect Animal; Boost Fertility;
Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Fumble; Strike Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4: Earth to Air; Essential Air; Beast Possession; Shapeshifting;
Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Air Vortex; Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental;
Control Lightning Elemental; Permanent Beast Possession; Shapeshift
Others; Permanent Shapeshifting; Great Shapeshift; Boink Anything!;
The Rochlad Pantheon
Selected Mythology Passages
In The Beginning
The World Egg drifted in the mists. The egg then split in two; the
upper half became the dome of the sky, while the lower half became
the earth. Out of the egg came all of the animals, followed by the
dragons, and then finally the humanoid races. But the world was still
enshrouded by the mists.
Out of the mists rode a trio of divine horses, the likes of which the
various races had not seen. The leader of the horses was named
Remarch, a powerful black stallion who taught the dragons how to
speak. Remarch instructed the dragons in the ways of civilization, and
then joined the dragons in civilizing the humanoid races.
In time, however, Remarch's sister, Raopachtat, and brother,
Firracht, were dismayed at how the dragons treated the humanoids; the
dragons treated the mortal races as if they were cattle, not equals.
Convincing Remarch to join them, Raopachtat and Firracht led the
mortals in rebellion against the dragons' rule. In a battle that lasted a
hundred years, the dragons were thrown from their lofty heights, never
again to attain their rule over the others. During the battle, Remarch
was gravely wounded by the dragon's chief, Bragnar, becoming gelded
in the process.
Following that, the three siblings briefly descended to the earth to
instruct the mortals in rebuilding civilization. Because the rebellion
against the dragons was her idea, Raopachtat was selected to lead the
herd, with Firracht and Remarch, who now sought to maintain the
balance of justice without being swayed by his emotions, as her
advisors.
Raopachtat
One Above All
Symbol: Shining horsehead
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: Wisdom, leadership
Worshipers: Rochlad's leaders
Raopachtat's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Animal Control (p. P121), Order (p. P132),
Spells:
PI1: Seek Air; Air Vision; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Beast-Soother; Fish Control; Bird Control; Mammal Control;
Hybrid Control; Beast Summoning; Master; Beast-Link; Beast
Speech; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Repel Reptiles; Rider;
PI3: Protect Animal; Stun;
PI4: Essential Air; Beast Possession;
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental; Permanent Beast Possession;
Firracht
The Lesser Equal
Symbol: Crossed cavalry sabers
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: Strength, masculinity, determination
Worshipers: War leaders
Firracht's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Body Control (p. P123), Holy Might (p. DFA22),
Spells:
PI1: Climbing; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Beast-Rouser; Master; Beast-Link; Rider; Pain; Clumsiness;
Hinder; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility; Frailty; Might; Grace;
Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Windstorm; Lightning Sword; Protect Animal;
Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Fumble; Strike Blind;
PI4: Essential Air;
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental;
Remarch
The Gelded One
Symbol: Horse head facing forward, holding scales
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: Justice, balance, level-headedness
Worshipers: Constables, judges.
Remarch's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Order (p. P132), Telepathy (p. P134),
Spells:
PI1: Stop Spasm;
PI2: Master; Beast-Link; Beast Speech; Rider; Beast Seeker;
Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Might; Grace; Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost
Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Rider Within; Protect Animal; Stun; Strike Dumb;
PI4:
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental;
Lechli
Fertile Mare
Symbol: Turquoise sash
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: Fertility, femininity
Worshipers: Single women, pregnant women
Lechli's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Life (p. P130), Light (p. P130),
Spells:
PI1: Create Air; Odor; Beast-Soother; Touch; Perfume; Spasm;
Stop Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Bird Control; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Rider; Vigor;
PI3: Spider Silk; Boost Fertility; Stun;
PI4:
PI5: Boink Anything!;
Nali
Devoted Steed
Symbol: White flower
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: Devotion
Worshipers: Married women
Nali's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers:
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air; Odor; Beast-Soother; Perfume; Spasm; Stop
Spasm;
PI2: Breathe Air; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Rider; Beast Seeker;
Vigor;
PI3: Spider Silk; Protect Animal; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Stuchal
Most Honest
Symbol: A purple thistle
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: Truth, law
Worshipers:
Stuchal's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Order (p. P132), Telepathy (p. P134),
Spells:
PI1: Spasm; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Beast Speech;
PI3: Rider Within; Protect Animal; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Parth
Fierce Stallion
Symbol: Spear
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: War
Worshipers: Warriors, soldiers
Parth's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Holy Might (p. DFA22),
Spells:
PI1: Climbing; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Air Jet; Mammal Control; Hybrid Control; Rider; Might;
Grace; Vigor; Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Concussion; Lightning Sword; Stun; Fumble;
PI4:
PI5:
Zecht
Swiftest Wind
Symbol: Pair of Horseshoes
Home Plane: Whickersnee
Portfolio: Speed
Worshipers: Couriers
Zecht's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Speed (p. SU40),
Spells:
PI1: Shape Air; Air Vision; Stop Spasm;
PI2: Air Jet; Walk on Air; Breathe Water; Bird Control; Mammal
Control; Hybrid Control; Rider; Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Wall of Wind;
PI4:
PI5: Air Vortex;
The Desert Pantheon
Selected Mythology Passages
Creation of the Gods and the World
Shaldania is the first of the gods, before her there was nothing. It
was the trimming of her hair that gave form to the world.
She gave her tears to create the waters of the world. Her eyes were
given to create both the sun (Shala), and the moons (Volmanain). In
her right hand she gathered dust and threw it into the sky to create the
stars. From the mud of the newly formed world she created
Vormanaith with her left hand.
Then she rested. When she awoke she saw the world was empty,
and she grieved. She plucked her eyelashes and created the first
people, males from her left eye, and females from her right eye. Each
race was created based on the length of the lash, humans being center
most, giants being the longest, and halflings and dwarves of the
shortest.
Again she slept, while she rested Shala, Volmanain and
Vormanaith created animals to populate the world, as the races of the
earth stood idle, neither procreating nor dying. They created animals
by their natures; to either serve the peoples that came from Shaldania
or to torment them.
When she awoke for the third and last time Shaldania decided she
wanted a mate, she walked through the world and found none worthy,
she looked to the sky and saw the three moons in conjuncture, she
spoke unto Volmanain, Be my mate. He accepted and from their
union was born a very beautiful son, Tanalorian. This union made
Vormanaith very jealous, as he felt that because she made him of her
own hand he should have been chosen as her mate. When Tanalorian
was born he saw not the beauty of the world, but a world in stagnation.
Tanalorian went forth and granted each of the animals and peoples of
the world the ability to procreate, as had Shaldania and Volmanain. As
the people and the animals of the world started to increase he saw that
was good.
Vormanaith only saw envy as the races of the earth reproduced, for
he wanted a child of his own. Shala was too hot for his tastes and
Shaldania was already mated to Volmanain. However he came across
a plan, for every so often Volmanain slept and his eyes were not in the
sky. Knowing that Shala was also jealous of her brother having his
eyes in the sky both during the night and the day while she slept at
night, Volmanain approached Shala with his plan. Vormanaith
convinced Shala to use her illusions to convince Shaldania that he was
indeed Volmanain. Shala agreed as it was a way she saw not only to
get back at her brother, but to get back at Shaldania for not giving her
the power to be awake at night also.
The next time that Volmanain slept, and none of his eyes were in
the sky, Vormanaith went to Shaldania and slept with her. Vormanaith
went away before Volmanain awoke, but not after begetting a child.
Because the union was from deceit and envy, the child also suffered
from that union. A daughter was born; she was twisted and monstrous
to see. Vormanaith could not bear to look at the monstrosity and threw
a cloak over her. When Tanalorian saw his sister, he didnt shy away,
nor turn his back. He stated for all to hear, This is my sister; she shall
always have my hand for her protection.
Shaldania looked upon her daughter, with her blind eyes seeing
neither the twisted shape nor the monstrous appearance. You are my
daughter. I name you Halnaru. There are many souls that need to be
gathered to be judged. I hand you my net to gather them as one would
gather birds from the trees. Bring them before me, least they be judged
for their actions.
Shala, seeing the love Tanalorian gave to his hideous and twisted
sister, grew in rage. Shala blasted a section of the world he loved most,
reducing the vegetation to sand, forcing the peoples there to starve.
Tanalorian seeing his beloved forest destroyed, tried to resurrect the
land, but not having the power of Shala could only create pockets of
lush vegetation. He named these islands in the sand "Oasis", and told
all peoples of the vast expanse that these are to be shared by all, and
peace will prevail or he would let them dry up and become the desert
once again.
Shaldania
The Blind One
Symbol: Scales
Home Plane: The Grand Oasis
Portfolio: Law, justice, truth
Worshipers: The Shadian, the Sadina, the majority of the clans of the
Vast Expanse
Shaldania's Nature and Deeds
Shaldania judges all souls to decide whether they will be given
paradise, be reborn, or cast out.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Order (p. P132), Sound/Vibration (p. P133),
Spells:
PI1: Stop Spasm;
PI2: Master; Beast Speech;
PI3: Lightning Sword; Rider Within; Stun; Strike Blind;
PI4:
PI5: Control Air Elemental; Control Dust Elemental; Control
Lightning Elemental;
Volmanain
God of Three Eyes, the All Seeing God
Symbol: The three moons in Conjunction
Home Plane: The sky
Portfolio: The moons, wisdom, learning
Worshipers: Scholars, clan leaders, teachers
Volmanain's Nature and Deeds
Volmanain is the all seeing god; his eyes (the moons) can be seen
day and night watching over the desert. He is called before Shaldania
to testify to the acts of a soul being judged. He tells all acts whether
large or small that have occurred under his watchful eyes.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Light (p. P130),
Spells:
PI1: Air Vision;
PI2: Walk on Air; Beast Seeker;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Rider Within; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Shala
Vile Goddess, Goddess of Deception, Goddess of Illusion
Symbol: A dripping blade
Home Plane: The Sky
Portfolio: Sun, deception, illusion
Worshipers: Thieves, murderers, adulterers
Shala's Nature and Deeds
Shala is a vile goddess; for pleasure she sends down illusions to
lost travelers. These illusions are as simple as a pond of water on still
sand, to as complex as creating an oasis of poisoned water. She thrives
on suffering and needles death. Only her hate for her brother
Volmanain is stronger than her desire to hurt mortals. She will seek
any means to turn mortals against Shaldania and Volmanain.
Shala has three servants that do her bidding while she sleeps. These
servants are Ghula, a treacherous shape changer; Afrita, a diabolical
spirit that brings sickness and disease; and Sala, an invisible spirit that
finds joy in causing havoc and dissension within a household and
between clans.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Heat/Fire (p. P129), Illusion (p. P129), Light (p. P130),
Probability Alteration (p. P132),
Spells:
PI1: Stench; Odor; Itch; Touch; Perfume; Spasm;
PI2: No-Smell; Devitalize Air; Walk on Air; Beast-Rouser; Insect
Control; Bird Control; Pain; Clumsiness; Hinder; Tanglefoot;
Roundabout; Debility; Frailty;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Windstorm; Sandstorm; Lightning Sword;
Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Fumble; Strike Blind;
PI4: Body of Air; Beast Possession; Shapeshifting; Partial
Shapeshifting;
PI5: Body of Wind; Control Air Elemental; Control Dust
Elemental; Control Lightning Elemental; Permanent Beast Possession;
Shapeshift Others; Permanent Shapeshifting; Great Shapeshift;
Vormanaith
God of Destruction, God of Vengeance, the Defiler
Symbol: A slashing scimitar
Home Plane: The Great Wastes
Portfolio: Jealousy, envy, war, destruction
Worshipers: the Hassiem, warriors
Vormaniath's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Chaos (p. P124), Evil (p. P127), Holy Might (p. DFA22).
Spells:
PI1: Odor; Beast-Rouser; Itch; Touch; Spasm;
PI2: Air Jet; Devitalize Air; Bird Control; Pain; Clumsiness;
Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility; Might; Grace; Vigor;
Boost Strength; Boost Dexterity; Boost Health;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Windstorm; Concussion; Lightning Sword;
Stun; Nauseate; Fumble;
PI4: Earth to Air;
PI5:
Tanalorian
Protector of Children, God of Peace
Symbol: Scythe
Home Plane: The Grand Oasis
Portfolio: Plants, animals, children, fertility
Worshipers: Animal handlers, farmers, children
Tanalorian's Nature and Deeds
Tanalorian looks after plants, animals, and children.
Tanalorian abhors violence in any form. He will seek a peaceful
end in any confrontation. Tanalorian will send his will down to protect
children; he has been known to even come down from the Grand Oasis
to intercede on a childs behalf when no other means is available. He
has been credited with the creation of all of the oases.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Animal Control (p. P121), Healing (p. P128), Life (p.
P130), Plant Control (p. P132), Water (p. P135),
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air; Odor; Beast-Soother; Perfume; Spasm; Stop
Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Air Jet; Breathe Air; Repel Insects; Repel Slugs; Master;
Beast Seeker; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot; Roundabout; Debility;
Grace; Vigor;
PI3: Lightning Sword; Spider Silk; Protect Animal; Boost Fertility;
Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Fumble; Strike Blind;
PI4: Essential Air;
PI5: Boink Anything!;
Halnaru
Gatherer of the Dead, the Twisted Goddess, the Cloaked One, the
Defender
Symbol: A six-corner net.
Home Plane: The Great Wastes.
Portfolio: Death, rebirth.
Worshipers: Healers, midwives.
Halnaru's Nature and Deeds
Halnaru gathers the souls of the fallen dead. She takes the souls to
Shaldania to be judged. Halnaru is the defender of the soul to be
judged and will find the least and greatest deed a soul has completed
to defend them against being cast out. Those that are judged worthy
are taken to the Grand Oasis, there to live a life of ease unless called
upon for further service. Those that have been found unworthy are
taken out into the Great Wastes to wander unless some god or goddess
calls upon them to perform a service of retribution (or revenge). There
is a third class of souls, they are neither worthy of the Oasis nor
unworthy enough to be cast out, these souls are sent back to be reborn
so that they may redeem themselves.
When Halnaru sees a need for a soul to be reborn that requires the
qualities of a wanderer she will seek the wanderer in question and
offer them a chance to redeem themselves. If the soul accepts, she will
send to soul into a new body. Halnaru loathes seeing anyone
tormented, even the unworthy cast out to wander the Great Wastes.
Halnaru seeks virtue, even in the most vile and despicable of life.
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Darkness (p. P125), Healing (p. P128), Life (p. P130),
Spirit Control (p. P134),
Spells:
PI1: Purify Air;
PI2: Breathe Air;
PI3: Spider Silk; Stun;
PI4:
PI5:
Ghula
Symbol:
Home Plane:
Portfolio: Treachery, disguise.
Worshipers:
Ghula's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Body Alteration (p. P123), Probability Alteration (p.
P132), Sound (p. P133).
Spells:
PI1: Odor; Climbing; Itch; Touch; Perfume; Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: No-Smell; Clumsiness; Hinder; Rooted Feet; Tanglefoot;
Roundabout; Debility; Frailty;
PI3: Spider Silk; Stun; Fumble; Strike Dumb; Strike Blind;
PI4: Beast Possession; Shapeshifting; Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession; Permanent Shapeshifting; Great
Shapeshift;
Afrita
Symbol:
Home Plane:
Portfolio: Disease, plague-spreading.
Worshipers:
Afrita's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Animal Control (p. P121), Animal Function (p. SU39),
Spells:
PI1: Stench; Odor; Beast-Rouser (rodents and insects only); Insect
Control; Slug Control; Itch; Spasm; Tickle;
PI2: Shape Air; Bird Control; Mammal Control (rodents only);
Beast Summoning; Beast-Link; Beast Speech; Repel Birds; Repel
Mammals; Repel Hybrids; Beast Seeker; Pain; Hinder; Debility;
Frailty;
PI3: Spider Silk; Stun; Nauseate; Retch; Strike Blind;
PI4: Beast Possession;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession;
Sala
Symbol:
Home Plane:
Portfolio: Dissension, chaos, rumor-mongering.
Worshipers:
Sala's Nature and Deeds
Worship
Granted Abilities
Powers: Chaos (p. P124), Illusion (p. P129), Sound (p. P133),
Spells:
PI1: Beast-Rouser; Climbing; Itch; Touch; Perfume; Spasm;
Tickle;
PI2: Walk on Air; Pain; Clumsiness; Hinder; Roundabout;
PI3: Wall of Wind; Sandstorm; Rider Within; Stun;
PI4: Beast Possession; Shapeshifting; Partial Shapeshifting;
PI5: Permanent Beast Possession; Shapeshift Others; Permanent
Shapeshifting; Great Shapeshift;
Credits
Main text by Ted Brock.
Rochlad section by Dr. Sarah Julicher, with additions by Ted Brock.
Vast Expanse Nomads and Desert Pantheon sections by Don Peppers, revised and expanded by Ted Brock.
Iturnum based on ideas put forth by Ningen Valleron. Iturnum Credo originally posted on the SJGames GURPS forums by
Anders (the forumite formerly known as Asta Kask).
Flavor text for Dwarves, Elves, and Velvels expanded by Elena Oorebeek.
Kesuul entry in the Religion chapter by Elena Oorebeek, edited by Ted Brock.
Ship stats provided by Icelander (note to self: get real name if possible) on the SJGames GURPS forums.
Play-Testers: Will Keith, Dr. Sarah Julicher, Don Peppers, Dan DeRosia, Jay Ramsperger, Rebecca Fish, Kevin Tyler, Ningen Valleron,
Paul DeSanto, Arwen Tyler, Arnand Kularajah, Tyler Himel, Eliot Hamilton, Jason Bernatovich, Jason Weidner, Anthony J. Turco, Denise
LaGrille, Joseph Fredrickson, Elena Oorebeek, Steven Rutter, Greg Sasaki.
Special Thanks to Will Keith, Pat Stewart, Ningen Valleron, and Kevin Tyler for their input and patience.