Alliance

Live Action Role-Playing

Rule Book

version 1.2
1
 Dedication
John Finnegans first encounter shorts and tennis shoes. He also tended
with LARPing was eventful: he gath- to be a lot more forgiving to players
ered his supplies, walked out into the who mess up or played bad guys. I
night and saw some other players walk- wanted to raise the bar for costuming
ing towards him. and role-playing, and wanted there to
Good eve, fellow travelers! How be real consequences for players who
are you? made mistakes. After some debate, I
The other players were from the asked him to step down as General
court of Capulus in Ravenholt, and they Manager (but not Head of Plot) and
immediately struck this new player John instead resigned from both.
down for his twelve coppers, showing This hurt me a lot, but I am happy
no remorse. to report that we did settle our differ-
John soon afterwards struck a ences soon thereafter. I told him that if
friendship with Baroness Aurora he ever wanted to come back to the
Blakeney, from the good guy barony Plot Committee, the invitation was al-
of Westmarch, who took him in and saw ways open. I asked John to serve as
his potential. Aurora Blakeney was General Manager of the Alliance,
played by my wife, Heidi Hooper, who which he accepted.
introduced me to her new court mem- As General Manager of the Alli-
ber. Im sure his experience with both ance, he helped me soothe many an-
baronies influenced his attitude toward gry chapter owners and work out prob-
what the game should and could be like. lems, and had a way of talking to them
This was in the very early days of the game Johns Baron later became the Duke, and that I just dont have to get things done. As a
NERO, of which Heidi and I were founders. we both learned something important at that member of the Alliance Rule Committee, he
NERO later split into NERO International and time: you need to have your most powerful brought his years of experience to bear and
the NERO Alliance (which has now become noble in-game be an NPC. As a PC, it just helped to bring about exciting changes and im-
merely The Alliance. Long story.) wasnt fair for me to give him extra money or provements to the game.
Around this time, I was running weekend armies that other PCs didnt get, but it also I cannot overstate the importance John
modules at a site in Cambridge, Massachusetts, didnt make sense in-game either. He was con- brought to the Alliance game. He was indeed
and John submitted a module to run which was stantly frustrated that the bad guys could get there from before the start, had more influence
full of great puzzles and encounters. I immedi- away with stuff because he didnt have the in- over it than anyone else (even me sometimes),
ately saw his skills and imagination, and we sat game power to challenge them like he should. and made his mark on the world in that way.
down and worked on the module together. So John decided that the best thing for the On St. Patricks Day 2008, John was found
Why are all these puzzles here? I asked. game would be for him to step down and run dead in his bed from a heart attack. He was only
Who made them, and why? You have to ex- Plot exclusively. We named an NPC Duke, 37 years old.
plain those things. Together, we rewrote it so which proved to be the right decision. This is Friends he had not seen for years heard
that the crazy dragon mage known as the something we have followed since and which I the news and expressed their sorrows on the
Chessmaster was behind them. It proved to be encourage all my chapters to follow as well. Alliance Bulletin Board. His funeral was so well
one of the most popular modules we ran at that When problems started arising between us attended that there was no room to sit, and
site. and the NERO establishment which tried to kick people were forced to listen from the hallways.
In 1992, Heidi and I decided that we had me out even though I was one of the founders, He had touched so many who remembered him
been too discouraged by the direction in which it was John who arranged meetings and tried to fondly and who wanted everyone to know what
the Ravenholt game was progressing and moved work out the problem, which he did quite ex- he meant to them.
to New York to start the Ashbury chapter. John cellently. I still find myself thinking, I need to talk
helped us move and helped form the Ashbury When it became clear that we were not to John about this problem, or John would
game. He wrote much of the background of the going to be able to resolve our differences, I know the best plot solution for this, and then
lands, joined the Plot Committee, and created had long discussions with John about what we catching myself a second later. John had been
memorable plotlines and characters that kept should do. John, along with Scott Kondrk, be- my friend for so long. When I moved to New
the players entertained. came my closest advisors, and we all decided York, he did too. When I moved to Stroudsburg,
John had one of the greatest senses of hu- to become the NERO Alliance at that point, Pennsylvania, he did too. We talked by phone
mor of anyone I knew and a massive knowl- separate from the other NERO. about once a week and often through e-mail.
edge of show music which he would sing at a John then helped create much of the new The game would not be where it is today
moments notice. world of Fortannis (along with his brother-in- were it not for John Finnegan. Everyone who
One time at the module site we ran in law Patrick Capuano, Jesse Grabowski, Scott, has said that is correct. No one is exaggerating.
Brooklyn, a local reporter came by to interview and others). John became the Head of the Plot Perhaps the best way to remember him is
us for an article. I had the reporter speak to John, Committee and helped to train and encourage through the quote from St. Augustine he used
one of the nicest and most eloquent members others in a way no other could. on his profile on the Alliance Bulletin Board
we had, who laughed and told her that he hoped He also later became my General Manager, which proved so appropriate:
to meet a nice girl through the game. That very and that unfortunately caused some problems The key to immortality is not having a
same day, he met Colleen, and their subsequent down the line when we argued over the direc- life worth living, but living a life worth remem-

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marriage ceremony was filled with joyous play-
ers wishing them both well.
tion we wanted the game to go. John, for all his
great talents, still liked to play while wearing
bering.
John Finnegan is immortal.
 Acknowledgments & Introduction
by Michael A. Ventrella Moon, John Pariury, Rob Sachs, Chris
Although most of the words in this book Thetford, James Trotta, Christine Velderman,
are mine, I cannot take credit for writing all of Matt Watkins, Rebecca Watson, and John
the rules that over the last twenty years or so Wrobel.
have evolved into the current game. This is defi- There are so many other players who have
nitely a group effort, and the years I have lost contributed to previous editions of this book
in Rules Committee meetings is a good testa- and to all chapters over the years that I am afraid
ment to that. Thats why I always list myself as to specifically name a few for fear of missing
editor rather than writer. many many others. You all know who you are,
Rather than thank every single person who so please accept the thanks of me and all the
has contributed to the games development over players who benefit from your contributions.
the years, many of whom have fallen by the Its the behind-the-scenes people who make it
wayside or been eaten by trolls, I will instead happen.
concentrate on thanking those individuals who Finally, as always, I want to thank my wife,
have contributed to this edition of the Rule Heidi Hooper, who did a lot of the grunt work
Book. that no one else wanted to do, some of which
The late great John Finnegan was the while fighting cancer. She has been an inspira-
General Manager of the Alliance through much tion to many, and her enthusiasm, love, and
of the development of this version of the rules, support has made everything in my life worth-
and his ideas and vision helped to shape the while.
Alliance since its early years. He will never truly
be replaced. Some people look at this book and think
Along with John Finnegan, Scott Kondrk Too many rules! However, you should real-
has been the driving force behind the founding ize that much of the book contains advice and
of the Alliance and the overall feel of the game. examples. After all, there is no way we can write
Scotts emphasis on raising the bar on our stan- a rule to cover every single instance that may
dards has greatly improved the game, from in- occur; something will always happen to make
creasing costuming and props to never accept- someone think Well, now what? This isnt
ing the same old cliched plotlines. He and I have clear.
a lot in commonwe dont suffer fools and that have been added to the back of this book, So our Alliance Rules Committee has to
incompetents well, we demand perfection, and and deserves full credit for his tireless work in make rulings. And weve tried to include as
when we say we will get something done, we taking a rules system meant for LARPing to many of these clarifications in this edition as
get something done. (Scott gets the vast major- make it also acceptable for a more standard form possible.
ity of the credit for the Alliance Monster Data- of gaming. I hope that those of you who decide In real life, Im a lawyer so I see this ev-
base, for instance.) Scott has been my second- to continue playing your characters around a ery day. Thats what happens. No matter how
in-command and primary counsel for the re- table post some of your modules and send us well the law is written, something will happen
cent past, and his contributions should not be your comments about these rules so we can con- that needs a referee or a judge to determine what
overlooked. tinue to improve upon them. the rule means in that circumstance.
Previous members of the Rule Committee More thanks go to the many Alliance mem- But this isnt easy. Sometimes I have to
who added so much to the game include Scott, bers who posted their ideas and comments on fight with my own players over the rules.
Mike Hynes, Dan Lineaweaver, Mike Luther, the Alliance internet Bulletin Board. We do read Many gamers are so enamored with writ-
and James Pocklington. all players comments and appreciate them. ing rules systems that they forget that the rules
The most recent members of the Alliance Keep up the good work. are only there to enable the plot to proceed. It
Rules Committee (ARC) have worked their Thanks also go to those players who con- doesnt matter if you have the worlds most-
collective butts off helping to get this latest tributed pictures for this book from many Alli- thought-out and well-researched rules system
edition ready, and everyone reading this should ance chapters. Unfortunately, I dont know who if no one cares about or is bored by your plot.
thank Bryan Gregory, Sean Metzler, and JMike most of them are, as they were copied from When I played tabletop games, I some-
Chagnon for all their hard work. various Alliance web pages and sources. Please times found myself with gamemasters who were
Along with the ARC, there were many who know that we appreciate them. (A few people I more interested in the statistics of the game than
helped proofread this edition, especially Luke can name who contributed are Kristie Bianchi, what the game was actually about. They would
Goldsmith, Barbara Martin, and John Pariury. Holly Pariury, Mandy Sevetsky and me!) have charts, graphs, miniatures, and represen-
However, the Rules Committee can do And of course, there are the many players tations for every movement of the characters
nothing without the support, votes, and contri- who served on various Alliance National com- under their control, and the simple act of hit-
butions of the various owners of the Alliance mittees. This is an incomplete list, so please ting something with a sword would require fif-
chapters, some of whom went far beyond their dont be upset if youre not on it; I cant list all teen minutes worth of die rolling and chart
requirements to contribute to this process. the wonderful players who have helped!: Tom consultation. By the time the battle was over,
Michelle Stagnitta is the current Alliance Andary, Brian Bender, Seth Bird, Jessica we had forgotten what we were fighting about.
General Manager, and has done a teriffic job Brown, Matthew Byers, Mike Chagon, Rich These Rules Gnomes are the minority, but
coordinating between the chapters. Ditzler, Scott Edwards, Cory Fliegel, Paul often they present themselves as experts on
I want to especially thank Matt Watkins Foisy, David Glaeser, Jesse Grabowski, Robb the rules. They try to convince me that their
(Logistics Committee chair).
Mark Monack developed the tabletop rules
Graves, Jesse Hennessey, John Leino, Gary
Marvel, Tab Merkel, Mike Meeker, J. Cymryc
complicated system is necessary for the game
to run smoothly and to close loopholes. They3
mean well, but I take their advice only as sug- referees as unnecessary as possible. stead finding loopholes in the rules that will
gestions (After all, sometimes they are right). Information should always be obtained give them what they want.
A good rules system should be as abso- through role-playing means and not magical It is important that we dont let these Rules
lutely simple as possible. If you make the rules ones. Trials become very boring if you can use Lawyers control the game. They will be having
too complicated, players tend to spend their time magical or mental skills to determine who is a grand old time, but the rest of the players will
playing the rules instead of playing the plot. telling the truth, and valuable information be unhappy. Remember that the spirit of the
Marking each part of the body and deciding how needed to solve a plotline becomes fairly worth- rule is more important than the letter of the
many hit points each part has may be more ac- less if it is easy to obtain with a crystal ball. rule.
curate and realistic, but players are so busy con- At the same time, whenever possible a Let me clarify here before someone reads
centrating on what they have hitor arguing game should avoid rules that require players to into this more than what I am intending: I am
over whether the hit was in exactly the right play stupid. It leads to arguments about what a discussing rules, not plot. Players doing things
spot or notthat they might as well be sitting character knows as opposed to what the player I dont like plotwise is something I have learned
around a table rolling dice. knows, and more importantly is just not that to deal with. If the players all decide they dont
A rules system should be easy to learn. A much fun. like the king and they kill him, then they should
new player shouldnt have to study as if pre- Then, no matter how airtight you may think be able to do so. If they destroy the big bad guy
paring for an exam, but should be able to dive the rules are, there will always be Rules Law- before the Plot Committee had planned, noth-
right in and start playing. yers who will find loopholes in it and will at- ing should stand in their way. The Plot Com-
If you have a hundred people playing a tempt to use them to their advantage. (Rules mittee should always let the players do what
game, you will have a hundred different con- Lawyers are different from Rules Gnomes. they want (although there may be consequences
cepts on which rules are sacrosanct, which ones Gnomes want to create and build more rules, for doing so). It is imperative to never reverse
should be changed, and in which direction the and Lawyers want to take what the Gnomes action, say that never happened or try to re-
game should progress. The Rules Gnomes, if have built and find weaknesses in the structure.) write what has already occurred to make it more
given their way, will tinker with the mechanics Standing up to the Rules Lawyers is one to the Plot Committees liking. Players have to
of the game until it becomes unrecognizable of the most important lessonsand one of the know that their actions can affect the game.
and every time they create something new, it hardestI have had to learn. And it is a diffi- Its been over twenty years since I first
will affect the other sections so that patches have cult balance to meet. On one hand, if the play- starting running an earlier version of this game
to be applied and new connections have to be ers do something unexpected (like solve a prob- and we have gone through a lot of rules changes,
made, and you will eventually find yourself lem in a way that wasnt planned for), then they especially in the first few years when we were
shimmying down the jeffries tube trying to pre- should be allowed to do so. On the other hand, just figuring out how to this! I am very happy
vent a core breach. if the unexpected thing they are doing is inter- with this new edition of the book, and hope
Another main point with the rules is that preting a rule in a new way to their benefit, then that you will be too.
they should be written to prevent game holds they probably should not be allowed to do so. Post your comments and questions on the
unless absolutely necessary. Teleportation, The Rules Lawyers will play the rules and Alliance Bulletin Board, accessible from our
polymorphing, and scrying, for instance, all re- not the plot. They will attempt to solve prob- main web page: www.AllianceLARP.com.
quire players to hold and get a marshal. The lems that should be solved through plot means (Hey, did you know that Michael A. Ventrella
game should be self-regulating and make the (role-playing, fighting, puzzle solving) by in- is an anagram for The Alliance Marvel?)

Version 1.2
This edition of the Alliance LARP Rule Book is 2013 by Michael A. Ventrella, Esq.
ISBN #0-9669844-9-8

The Alliance LARP name, logo, and servicemark are the property of Michael A. Ventrella, Esq.

This book is for use in official Alliance games only.

This book is not designed as a stand-alone game system, but only as a supplement for the player in an Alliance-sponsored game.
Use of these rules by purchaser in any unsanctioned game where admission is charged is prohibited.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in whole or in part, by any means

4
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) for the purpose of sale.
Purchase of this book implies acceptance of the above terms. So there.
Introduction 7
Role-playing
A Guide to Role-playing 13
How to be an NPC 25
The Game World 29
The Alliance Code of Conduct 34
Character Building
Races 38
Classes 48
The Skill System 49
Production Skills 55
Skills 57
Special Abilities 70
Mental Abilities 74
Items
Possessions 78
Armor 79
Weapons 81
Game Mechanics
Logistics 86
In-Game Limitations 87
Matters of Life and Death 90
Combat 93
Effects and Deliveries 96
Magic 99
Alchemy 107
Effects 110
Formal Magic 127
High Magic 134
Rituals 140
Traps 145
Stealing and Searching 147
Helping the Alliance
Goblin Points 149
Writing Adventures 150
Table Top Gaming Rules 156
Glossary 161
Index 5
163
 cover photo by
Erick Ingersoll
Stroudsburg Foto (570) 421-2830

cover design by
Alison Buntemeyer

Alliance LARP
PO Box 349

6 Tannersville, PA 18372
www.AllianceLARP.com
 Welcome to the Alliance!

only by the Amulet of Xylar. I was to meet The I screamed in pain as I felt the dagger en-
Stop, thief! Black Fox behind the Alchemists Shop where ter my side. My life was being sucked out of
The thick fog rolling off the lake made the he would take the Circles tabard from me and me! There was no escape!
dirty and uneven cobblestones slippery and provide me with a new disguise and an alibi. Unless...
treacherous that evening as I dashed past the Behind me, I could hear the assembled
Manor Hall. All the years of training with the mob becoming most unruly and arguing with Hold! I yelled. I need a rules marshal.
Thieves Guild were being tested at this point, the guards about which path I had chosen for My captors blinked and looked around.
and as I slipped from shadow to shadow, my my escape. I recognized the voices of many of Sometimes it takes a second or two to reorient
feet made little sound. my fellow guild members causing a majority of yourself after being your character for so long.
I darted past the Mages Guild hall and the distractions. I know where Bob is, said Dame Perisaor
tried to ignore the misty and mysterious scents I smiled as I turned the corner. This was rather Barbara now. She ran off as we smiled at
calling me in. Next door, the weaponsmith going to be easy! each other and waited.
peered through his window, so I flashed my Ah, here he is now! Bob arrived and came to me. Hes one of
cloak his way, covering my face in the process. A trio of nasty-looking longswords sur- the marshals who can make interpretations of
Behind me, I could hear the sounds of rounded me as I wisely skidded to a halt. Be- rules and can resolve disputes.
pursuit as the Town Guard gathered in force. It fore I could react, I heard a spell being cast and Bob, I softly whispered, Does the Dag-
seemed that a crowd of the local townsfolk, I felt the impact as my arms and legs refused to ger of Morganna actually drain my life if I have
eager for excitement and the possibility of re- move. A Web! a Shield spell?
ward, had also joined in the chase much to the The red tabards of my captors told me that Bob smiled. No, the dagger will only
annoyance of the Captain of the Guard. they were some of the local knights. Were they drain you if it gets to your Body Points. A Shield
He went that way! going to arrest me? Their smiles held no clue. spell counts as armor, not body.
Is there a reward for his capture? The Baroness raised an eyebrow slyly as I turned back to my captors, and as the
What happened? she advanced. I knew I had no chance to fight. marshal said Lay on! I laughed at their inef-
Hes stolen the Dagger of Morganna! I felt someone dig through my cloak and pull fectiveness and taunted them with some infor-
It was one of the Circle! out the dagger. Here it is, my liege. mation I knew could grab their attention to try
So far, all was going to plan. The Circle of I knew that voice. It was the Black Fox! to bargain my way out of this mess...
Aln would be implicated, and we of the Thieves That double-crosser!

7
Guild would finally have the Dagger of Thank you, the Baroness said to me as
Morgannathe magic item rivaled in power she took the weapon. Now lets see if it works.
 There is nothing to compare with the feel-
Be All That You Cant Be! ing of playing for an entire weekend, twenty-
In Alliance games, you create a character four hours a day, along with possibly hundreds
concept for a fantasy story and actually play of other players, each with their own desires,
the character. It is much like improvisational fears, and aspirations.
theater in that you have a framework created As your character continues to adventure,
by the props and supporting characters and must you gain abilities and influence, and may one
develop your part as you progress through the day gain a noble title or great fame and wealth.
story line. Your characters attitudes, ambitions, Tales of your adventures may some day be sung
and history are yours to define. by bards, or retold time and again by storytell-
If the adventurous life is your calling, you ers sitting by the fire with a cup of spiced cider.
may play the part of a wanderer, meeting with What your character does is entirely up to
some friends in the tavern. Perhaps your party you. You decide what you want and where you
will get hired by a farmer in desperate straits, want to be. The future is yours to define and
and spend the afternoon slaying a foul necro- create.
mancer and his undead abominations.
If the epic life is not your style, then you
can play the part of a town merchant. You can
An Overview
make your money selling your waresand in- A lot of what you will read in the upcom-
formationfor the right price. ing pages may be confusing; there seems to be
Or perhaps you wish to be one who inves- a lot of rules, and they all rely on each other to
tigates the magical arts, selling your scrolls and a degree that understanding one makes no sense
potions to earn the money you need to continue until you understand the otherbut how can
your studies. you do both at the same time?
Or would you rather try and become leader Dont be discouraged. Its really a lot easier
of the Mages Guild? Maybe you want to be- than it seems. Here is a very basic overview to
come a ritual caster and control the elements? get you started:
The choice is yours. You, the player, will be portraying a char-
We are dedicated to the legendary days of acter for the duration of the event. Your char-
high fantasy, while running a fun and safe game. acter has certain skills. Some of these are us-
We have fierce warriors, crafty scouts, able constantly (such as your skill in a specific
powerful mages, loyal knights, and benevolent weapon) and some are usable only once a day
healers. There are smelly goblins, blood-chill- (like the ability to cast a spell). In order to learn
ing spectres, evil necromancers, villainous spies The Hold Rule: If you hear someone yell more skills, you will have to gain experience.
to fight ... and your very own legends to cre- Hold! stop everything you are doing and drop You will receive Experience Points (XP)
ate. to one knee. Holds should only be called if there for attending each event. These XP are then
is a real need, and are usually only for safety transferred into Build Points (BP). Build Points
are what you use to build your character and
The Four Most reasons. (page 36)
buy new skills. The number of XP needed to
Important Rules The Sneaking Rule: If you wish to sneak equal one BP changes as you get more power-
into a building or tent, you must have a mar- ful and gain levels.
This book has many rules and require- Your character also has a specific class
shal present. (page 148)
ments and for new players it can sometimes be (such as fighter, rogue, or scholar) which de-
overwhelming. However, some rules are much termines how much BP has to be spent for each
There are other important rules, but to in-
more important than the others. skill. This way, you can choose to be a special-
clude too many here would de-emphasize these
The rules listed below are required for us ist or a jack-of-all-trades.
top four. These particular rules are important
to continue to be a safe game, and there are no Your character also is of a specific race,
for safety and legal reasons.
exceptions to these rulesthey apply to all such as human, elf, or dwarf. Each race has its
Please follow these rules and report any-
players and NPCs. Breaking these rules may advantages and disadvantages.
one who does not.
require your removal from the game. Your character will start off with 6 Body
Points. These are the amount of points of dam-
The Body Contact Rule: Alliance games How It Works age you can take before your character is dead
prohibit all body contact during combat. All or unconscious. As you earn more experience,
In Alliance games, a cast of non-player
combat must take place with approved safe you will gain more Body Points (based upon
characters (NPCs) are used to set the tone and
weapons, and certain parts of the body (head, your class and race). You will also get Armor
provide background for the player characters
groin, hands) are not allowed to be hit. (page Points based on what type of armor you are
(PCs). They often serve important town func-
93) wearing.
tions (such as guild leaders or nobility) and oth-
erwise help to propel the plot and action. Much Sometimes you will get into battles. When
The Alcohol Rule: Alcohol, illegal drugs, swinging a weapon, you will call out the amount
of what happens at an event, however, is com-
and prescription drugs that affect your abilities of damage your weapon will do. A standard long
pletely decided by the PCs and the actions they
are absolutely forbidden, and you cannot use sword does 2 points of damage. When you get
take.
these off site and then come to the game drunk hit, you will subtract your Armor Points and
We use padded weapons to simulate ac-
or high. (page 35) your Body Points until you are at zero or be-
tual combat, and a magic system that uses
packets made of fabric and bird seed to rep- low. Your opponent will do the same.

8 resent the hurling of spells. Medieval costum-

ing and armor enhance the atmosphere.
Spells may be cast during battles, and they
can affect the battle in many ways. You need to
know the spells in order to get the most out of
your gaming experience.
Spells are represented by small beanbags
filled with birdseed. You must say the special
words associated with the spell (such as I call
forth a Flame Bolt!) and hit your target with
the beanbag for the spell to work.
You have a sheet which lists all your skills
and spells and you are required to keep track of
what you have used up for the day. There are
tags for potions, scrolls, and magic items. Ev-
erything is documented, and we rely strongly
on an honor system to make it all work.

Your First Event

Once you have established your charac-
ter, you check in for a weekend at the Logistics
Desk.
A character card which lists your current
skills and other pertinent information is pro-
vided. You will get a new card for every event
in order to keep this information accurate and
up to date. This allows you, other characters,
and the game marshals to keep track of your
abilities should any disputes arise.
You should have a pen with you to keep
track of what skills and spells you have used.
A marshal will evaluate the costume you
are wearing and will assign Armor Points. The
more armor you wear (and the better made it
is) the more points of protection you will have.
You will then be given a tag to represent the
amount of points the armor is worth. (All of
your possessionsarmor, weapons, potions,
scrollswill be represented by tags you must
keep.)
This is the only time you will ever be given
Armor Point tags from Logistics. After that, you
will have to purchase more armor tags in-game
from other players or make the armor yourself too secure either. Life could be easierbut it the goblin doesnt know is that one of the skills
using the Blacksmith skill. could also be boring. you bought with your Build Points is a Critical
You have only a basic medieval shirt and You adjust your boots, make sure your Attack which allows you to do an extra point of
pants which are not worth any Armor Points, dagger is handy, and start walking at a leisurely damage against one opponent.
but you do have on a nice medieval hat and pace over to the tavern, but only get a few steps The battle begins. Each of you calls out
boots, so the marshal assigns you two Armor before something jumps out at you. Its a gob- what damage you are doing so the other player
Points for being in genre. lin! You can tell by the ugly green face. can keep track. Two Normal! yells the gob-
You then get your weapon checked. Even Goblins and other monsters are some of lin. Two Normal! you reply, using your Criti-
players who go to every event have to get their the non-player characters (NPCs) you may cal Attack in the hopes of finishing off the gob-
weapons checked; weapons do break down and meet. Members who want to play monsters get lin before he finishes you!
become unsafe. special benefits for that event but must do what The goblin lunges at your chest, but you
The marshal then gives you a weapon tag the Monster Marshal tells them to do. The jump aside just at the last moment! As he passes
for your dagger and twelve coppers, the only makeup or masks are sometimes uncomfortable, by, you jab at his back with your dagger.
measly possessions your character has to start but not having to worry about your character Ow! screams the goblin. Dat hurt! Me
the game with. You dont feel too bad, because dying is a relief. no like you!
every other character starting the game gets the The goblin advances and swings his You grin and swing out again, just to tease
same thing. sword. You pull out your trusty dagger. and torment the creature. He advances. Me
The game begins. You make sure youre Weapons are soft boffer weapons. They now teach you lesson!
carrying all your tags, and then you step out are soft representations of weapons made from With a lightning quick thrust, he swings
into the night. soft foam or latex. No one has ever been seri- at your chest. You try to block with your dag-
Its Friday night and the town is buzzing. ously injured using thesea game of touch ger, but its just too short. Your now ruined shirt
Guilds are having meetings, adventuring football is more dangerous than our combat. tells you that it might be a good idea to be a bit
groups are planning strategy, the elves are hav- A dagger only does one point of damage more careful with this foe. You make a mental
ing a ceremony, and the tavern is packed. while a long sword (which the goblin has) does
Rumors of a zombie attack are floating
about and the political situation doesnt look
two. The goblin knows this and smiles (or at
least you think he does behind his mask). What 9
note to find someone to teach you how to fight Good evening, you say. Might you be of information you have heard, you finally de-
with a long sword as soon as possible. a healer? cide that they can be trusted.
You now have both taken two points of Yes I am, she replies. I am Darlissa. I have some information that may be use-
damage. Since youve never fought a goblin be- Are you in need of help? ful, you admit. Is there somewhere private
fore, you dont know how many total points he I am Terin, you reply. You tell her about around where no one can overhear?
has. Will the next hit bring him down? your encounter with the goblin and ask if she You travel to Belthivis cabin where you
Give up, smelly human? can spare a Cure Light Wounds spell. She states show the box to Finther, who happens to be a
Never! you reply, jumping in and tak- that such a spell would cost five copper pieces. locksmith. He smiles at the challenge and
ing the foul creature by surprise. His yelp of Coins come in four denominations. A plati- pulls out his tools.
pain as your dagger slices his chest is very sat- num piece is worth ten gold pieces; a gold piece In the world of Alliance games, real locks
isfying. . .but hes still up! is worth ten silver pieces; and a silver piece is are used. Buying the required Legerdemain skill
Perhaps running away might be a good worth ten copper pieces. Thus a copper piece does not guarantee successit only allows you
option. is 1/100 of a gold piece and 1/1000 of a plati- to make the attempt. Likewise, boxes are really
The goblin senses your apprehension and num piece. The coins are metal tokens, prop- trapped with electronic buzzers or other noise-
follows with a flurry of attacks. You are able to erly colored, and with their value embossed on makers. To check for traps you must actually
block most of them, but one lands its target, one side. They jingle nicely in your pouch. do just that by opening it slightly, seeing where
cutting through your torn shirt and releasing a I cant afford that much, you reply sadly. any wires or devices may be inside, and some-
spray of blood. The goblin laughs triumphantly. She glances at you and sighs. Very well, how defusing the trap before opening the box.
That does it! This really sparks your an- she says. I have to make a living, but I took Finther picks the lock. He knows the box
ger and you lunge in like a mad man, is not trapped because you told him
hacking away at the green-skinned the goblin had been carrying it, and
creature. This is more than he can take, traps cannot be moved more than five
and he falls to the ground. feet without being set off. Inside the
You stand there breathing heavily box, he finds an unusual amulet, some
for a minute, and then you lean over coins, and a map written in a strange
him and search him. language. He looks at the amulet for
I search you, you say. He hands a few minutes and declares that he
you three copper pieces and a strange thinks it is worth at least five silver
locked box. pieces. Thats fifty coppers! Half a
You then have to adjust your card. gold!
You show the NPC that you are cross- Later, you will go to the Mages
ing off your Critical Attack skill since Guild and have the amulet checked
you have used that skill for the day. to see if its magic. However, you and
You took four points of damage, so your new companions decide that a
your armor needs to be refit. You will current priority is to decode the map,
need to find someone with the skill and you begin that arduous task.
Blacksmith to do that for you. You also While this is going on, Ena, who has
lost two of your Body Points. the skill Blacksmith, adjusts your ar-
You only have four Body Points mor so that it is back up to its maxi-
left! Better find a healer and get a Cure Light an oath to help those in need. I will cure you, mum level.
Wounds spell. but you will owe me a favor in the future. Suddenly outside, the sounds of battle echo
If you die either in battle or by execution, Agreed, you reply. She calls up her through the hills. Peeking out the window, you
your character can then be resurrected by the power and touches your shoulder. cower as you discover that an evil liche has
Healers Guild, If you have died more than I call upon the earth to cure light called forth his undead to destroy as much of
twice, then you will have to pick from the Bag wounds, she says. A burst of warmth fills your the town as possible. You consider the situa-
of Chance. The more deaths you have suffered, body and you can feel the wound healing itself. tion for a while and then decide that perhaps
the more likely your next one will be your last. She marks her card to show that she has you had better helpafter all, if the liche takes
You walk into the tavern which is busy as used that spell for the day, and you mark yours over town, everything else is rather meaning-
usual. Some local bards are playing quietly in to show that you are now back to your maxi- less.
a corner and look over there! Its the local mum Body Points. Later, after the town is saved (thanks to
Baron himself, sitting with the Magistrate and A venerable mage then comes up to both your assistance), you finish decoding the map.
the Sheriff! They seem to be arguing over some- of you. With him is a barbarian warrior in chain At the bottom is a small note which says, See
thing and it must be important given how many mail and a rather shifty-looking hobling. a marshal when youre ready to go on this ad-
other people are sitting nearby trying to pre- Pardon me, says the mage. My name venture.
tend theyre not listening. is Belthivis, and this is Ena and Finther. We You decide to rest for the night to start out
You find a spot and sit. The gypsy tavern- were just wondering if youve heard anything at mornings light. You head to bed with visions
keeper dances over to you and brings you an about a goblin treasure map. Wed be willing of treasure and adventure in your dreams!
ale for two coppers. (Its actually a soft drink, toFinther! Put that back!Wed be willing This is one way that a group may get into
of course; alcohol is not allowed.) to pay for information that proves to be true. a weekend module. Some modules are repeat-
A woman sits nearby and pulls out a book You try not to show any reaction as he ing in that more than one group can go through
and begins reading. By the glow of her hands, speaks about a rumor he had heard involving it at different times, and others are one-time-
you can tell that she is a spellcaster. You walk a map kept in a small box. Better find out more only. The one-time-only events are usually
over. about these people before making any commit- major affairs, and can affect the whole story
ments. line.

10 After spending some time discussing your

pasts and talking about other rumors and bits
So welcome to the Alliance role-playing
game, where you can be all that you cant be!
 Food: Some games provide meals, either
Camping Advice as part of the admission fee or for an extra fee.
Sample Packing Checklist:
Sleeping bag / bedding / pillows / air mat-
Keep in mind that Alliance games are not Even if your site provides meals, you may tress
played in a fancy hotel; you will be at a camp- want to bring snack food on your own. If so, Lantern / light sticks / flashlight
site, and should prepare accordingly. bring energy food (trail mix and fruit are good). Toiletries
The Alliances Headquarters chapter runs Junk food like twinkies and potato chips will Toothbrush / toothpaste
its game at the Faire Play site in the Endless only weigh you down. Soap / shampoo
Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Faire Much of the game is physically intensive, Face cloth / towels
Play is owned by Alliance players (including like a sport. Eat and drink accordingly, like an Toilet paper (just in case we run out)
this books editor) and as such, the site is de- athlete would. Prescription medicine / tampons
signed specifically for LARPing events. Their A bit of advice is to not imbibe soft drinks, Bug spray
web page is www.FairePlay.org. Other LARP despite the caffeine rush. Believe it or not, these Garbage bags (also to keep things dry)
groups also run events there. drinks can dehydrate you and will not aid you Emergency and repair items
A few of the other Alliance chapters have in any way. The best things to drink are water, Duct tape / weapon making supplies
also purchased their own land for their games juices and sports drinks like Gatorade. Batteries
as well. However, most chapters rent camps for Matches / lighter
their events, and may be limited in what they Packing: Always pack as if it is going to Spare shoelaces
can provide because of it. be colder than it is. Bring extra blankets and First aid kit / band aids
In any event, no matter which chapter you long johns, because even in the summer, it can Game items
attend, you should first check to find out what get chilly at night. Its always better to have Tags / spell books / alchemy books
you will need to bring. Some sites have mat- more than enough clothing and blankets for Game money / Game items / jewelry
tresses and some dont; some require you to those occasions. Remember: Players Need Packets (spell, alchemy, arrows)
bring a tent and others provide cabins; some Layers. Lots of layers of clothing (and blan- Weapons
provide a food service and some ask you to kets at night) will keep you warmer. When mak- Costume
bring your own. Some have electricity avail- ing your bed, put half of your blankets under Armor / Shield / Helmet
able for electric blankets, and some do not even you as well as on top of you, because heat es- Jewelry
have lighting so you have to bring flashlights. capes in both directions. Change your under- Make up
Some have limited space, and you may have to clothes before going to bed, because otherwise

11
preregister in a timely fashion in order to get a the sweat in your clothing may freeze and make
bed. you uncomfortable.
 Spare Clothes When you start a new character, you must
Socks / shoes / boots
About The Alliance list that characters home chapter. This is the
Pants / Shirts The Alliance is a group of LARP (Live only place where you can have certain things
Underwear / long johns Action Role Playing) chapters that have joined done for your character such as buying back
Jacket / cloak together to provide the service of the best LARP deaths with your Goblin Points. (Were getting
Gloves / raincoat games possible. These chapters are located in to that, just be patient!)
Paper / pen / pencil the United States and Canada. Each Fortannis campaign is also limited
Scotch tape (for taping tags to weapons) Within these chapters there may be indi- in the amount and type of treasure they are al-
Deck of cards / dice vidual campaigns. For instance, the Fortannis lowed to put into game at each event. This is to
Garlic / wolfsbane (you never know ...) campaign is the main campaign for the Alli- provide a consistent economy from game to
ance, named for the in-game world in which game.
Keeping clean: Running around and play- the game takes place. Each game also has the right to create Lo-
ing our game can get you all sweaty and smelly, If you play in a chapters Fortannis cam- cal Chapter Only items (or LCO items).
even in the winter. paign, then your character can transfer to any These items are intended for use only in the
You may not think that you need to shower other chapters Fortannis campaign, meeting chapter which is named on the tag of the item,
during an event, but you will very likely be new people and having new adventures, with- and are usually plot-related items. Coins and
completely wrong. out having to worry about learning any new Production Point items can never be LCO.
The problem is that you cant tell when rules. You can even take your treasure with you
you smell most of the time because you get ac- and earn experience in this new chapter and Traveling Between Chapters: If you plan
customed to your body odor. However, every- bring that back with you to your original chap- on playing your character in another chapter
one else can tell. ter. running the same campaign, you must first con-
Please, if youre one of those people who This book contains the rules for the Alli- tact that other chapter. Each chapter reserves
says I never need deodorant! or I just spray ance Fortannis campaign. Any chapter that runs the right to set limits on character levels and
myself with lysol and Im good as new! then a game in the Fortannis campaign will follow in-game items, and you must abide by that
you are probably fooling yourself. Even if you these rules, without any variances. chapters rules and policies when visiting.
are not sure if this section is referring to you, Chapters may also run other campaigns, In-game, Fortannis is a huge planet and
isnt it better to be safe than sorry? taking place in other worlds, which will use the each chapter in the Fortannis campaign is situ-
After a long day, shower before you go to basic rules in this book but may have some vari- ated on its own continent, far from the other
bed so that you dont just transfer your smell ances (for instance, different magic systems or chapters. Players can travel between chapters
into your sleeping bag to linger all day. provisions for guns, or a range of new skills through magical mists which teleport them to
For the consideration of your fellow play- and spells). You will not be able to transfer char- their destination (sometimes against their char-
ers, please help clean up at the events ... and acters, experience, or items from one campaign acters wills). These mists prevent large groups
we mean you! into a different campaign. from traveling through, thus preventing one
Remember that were trying to create the While each Fortannis game abides by the chapter from declaring war on another or send-
days of yore as we like to imagine they were as rules listed in this book, this does not necessar- ing in large amounts of off camera NPCs to
opposed to the way they really were. Re-creat- ily mean that every single spell or elixir or magic influence another chapters plotlines.
ing the smell of the dark ages is something wed item is available in every chapter. For instance, This also explains why some items do not
rather avoid. you may discover upon entering a specific For- transfer from chapter to chapter, because the
tannis chapter that your Vertigo elixirs are use- magical mists do not allow them to.

12 less there. This allows each game to provide

variations that can affect their local plotlines.
For more information, visit our web page
at www.AllianceLARP.com.
 A Guide to Role-Playing
Alliance games are all about role-playing, me and my twin brother to die. They captured ter all, you cant just say youre the son of a
and were going to be reemphasizing this all my beautiful sister and sold her to Eastern bar- god with superhuman abilities with a million
throughout this book. Role-playing requires you barians where she now serves in the harem of gold pieces and expect us to allow it. Every new
to create a new persona, acting and reacting as their evil leader Konad. character starts out the same, with basic provi-
your character would. My brother was later kidnapped by gyp- sions and a few copper pieces. You cannot have
It is up to you to decide how your charac- sies and I had to fend for myself. I proved my any ritual effects upon you (such as race
ter would react to certain situations that he or worth and strength at an early age when I killed changes, spirit forges, or marks) nor can you
she will encounter during the game. You should an armed troll with my bare hands. have a noble title or a claim to a noble title.
imagine yourself in a fantasy medieval world I taught myself to be the best swordsman You cant belong to an elite organization or
full of magic, monsters, and adventure and act in the kingdom. However, I keep my abilities guild, and you cant be the leader of a clan or
accordingly. secret as I do not wish for my enemies to find an army. All of these things you can eventually
When hit with a magical spell, react prop- me. do as your character, but they must be done in-
erly. When hacked at with a weapon, act hurt. I now travel mysteriously from town to game once you are playing.
This is a live action game, and the more you town, dressed all in black. I appear without a Start with a creative name. It doesnt have
put into it to make it more believable, the more sound and disappear as a mere shadow flick- to sound all mystical and fantastic. There is
you will get out of it. ing through the night. When I enter the tavern, nothing wrong with being Eric the Wanderer.
If you take enough damage that your char- the crowd grows silent as I sit alone in the cor- Pulling out a map of the world is a good way to
acter is dying or unconscious, then fall down ner with my back to the wall. find interesting names, or just play with some
and look it! Kneeling down and saying, Well, I do not have many friends but I do have letters and try to make a name from an ana-
I guess Im dead now adds nothing to the game the respect of all. Although I do not seek per- gram. Dont use names from popular books and
and is not what Alliance games are all about. manent female companionship, I secretly en- films. Remember, youll be playing in a game
Remember, the purpose of our game is to joy the lavish attention that the women give me. where many of the other players like the same
tell a story. You are a character in that story and I search for my long-lost brother who I literature you do, so if you go naming yourself
the more real you make that character, the bet- know can help me regain my birthright, rescue Rand alThor or Frodo Baggins, youre going
ter the story will be. my sister and wreak my vengeance against all to see a lot of rolling eyes.
barbarians. I will be able to recognize him and Note that a well fleshed-out and detailed
my sister by our distinctive family birthmark character history need not be filled with adven-
Consider NPCing a scarlet rose on our left elbow. ture and excitement. Its primary purpose should
No amount of advice can guarantee that Oh yeah, I am also searching for my be to establish your characters personality
your first try as a PC will end you up with ex- fathers sword Doomblade which will only work why does your character act and feel the way
actly what you want. Try being an NPC first. for members of my family. This sword was cre- he or she does?
If you NPC, you might end up as a zom- ated by the finest dwarven craftsmen specifi- Think about your own life as a guideline.
bie, a sorcerers apprentice, a bodyguard, a cally for my father after he single-handedly What is it in your past that has made you what
death rogue, a winemaker, a veterinarian, an saved the dwarven kingdom from the attacking you are today? What is your family like? Your
ogre, a mercenary spy, a spider, a walnut farmer, hordes of mountain trolls and death elemen- schooling? Your friends? The type of places you
or even a statue. Every part you play will give tals who once plagued the peaceful people. This have lived? Your jobs? After all, every experi-
you experience in spellcasting, fighting, disarm- sword allows me to double any proficiencies I ence you have shapes your personality.
ing and setting traps, or solid generic role-play- may already have (Plot Committee: Can I have
ing. this?). Know your limitations. Many of the
We encourage players to NPC their first Although I have often been asked to join things you will do in our game require real life
event as a way to experience the rules and styles with other adventuring groups, I keep to my- skills that, to be honest, some players just do
quicker. Youll have seasoned players at your self and to mine own self I am true. I do adven- not have. You dont roll dice in our game to see
side to help you learn the rules, youll get to try ture from time to time when the cause is wor- if you have the charisma necessary to pull a
different fighting and casting styles, and youll thy. great con, the dexterity to hide in shadows, or
discover how the game is organized. Youll be the intelligence to figure out the secret code.
doing a lot more as an NPC than as a first level Thus reads a character history that is lack- You have to actually do it.
PC, so its a great way to get that experience ing in creativity and originality. Who would Dont create a character who is the worlds
you need to help you when you start playing name their kid Deathbringer Bloodblade Dark- greatest bard if you cant carry a tune. Dont
your character. shadow, anyway? And more importantly, if this decide to be the duchys sneakiest thief if you
Also, you will be rewarded with Goblin person has done all these great heroic things, constantly trip over your own two feet. Dont
Points, which you can then use to buy experi- then why in the world is he entering the game write about how you outran a powerful troll if
ence for your character so your first game as a at first level? you get winded after a 50 yard dash. Dont tell
PC wont be as a lowly first level adventurer! Creating a believable and fun character how you gave a great speech and roused the
history is a significant key to enjoying an Alli- town to battle if in real life you freeze and clam
ance event. Knowing your characters persona up with nerves whenever you have to speak in
Creating a Character can give you wide ranging role-playing possi- public.
My name is Deathbringer Bloodblade bilities and can provide the Plot Committee with Sometimes you have to be humble and
Darkshadow. My father was a Count and my many ideas. realize your own personal limitations when
mother was the heir to the throne of the Elven Understand that the Plot Committee has
Kingdom. the right to overrule your character history if it
When I was but a baby, my parents were
killed by a marauding band of bandits who left
would violate game rules or give your charac-
ter too much of an advantage in the game. Af- 13
writing your character history, especially since a new country, you may submit your idea to the taste and its not something we want to write
you may be called upon during the game to do Plot Committee, and after they approve it, you plot about. This includes My mother was a
the very same things you mentioned in your may submit a character history from there. All slave dancer and concubine against her will
history. such countries become intellectual property of and anything of that nature. We dont want to
the Alliance, and may be used as the Plot Com- see it, and if it falls under the heading of rape
Know the rules. You couldnt have es- mittee sees fit. You have to capture the Plot even vaguely it will get rejected. Avoid this topic
caped from the dragon by using your magic in- Committees imagination for them to place you as if it didnt exist. It happens to people in real
visibility ring because there is no invisibility in on the mapbecause these places will be for- life and there is no need for them to be reminded
our game. You cant be a half-elf/half-goblin ever. of it when they play our game. Its one thing to
because there are no such things. You cant be read about it in a fantasy novel and another to
an apprentice cleric to a long-forgotten god be- have it confront you personally in a live action
cause there are no clerics or gods. Know the game.
rules and save yourself and the Plot Committee One of the quickest ways to get your char-
some time, because otherwise the history is sure acter history rejected is to draw too heavily on
to be rejected. religion or religious themes. Many people de-
Keep in mind the skills with which your cide to name their characters after obscure pa-
character will start. Dont have your character gan gods or lightly gild a myth for their charac-
history mention how you studied the Ancient ter histories. This is not appreciated, and some-
Texts of Noonah if you didnt buy the skill Read times it can be offensive.
and Write. The Alliance attempts to remain religion
If your character is older, you may have to free as much as possible, and we do not wish to
think of a reason why your character is only add elements that would offend anyone. This is
first level. Perhaps you have been a farmer or a especially problematic, for many people con-
trapper for many years and now you have been sider much of folklore to be fair game, but un-
kicked out of the family / mistreated by an evil knowingly and ignorantly trod over religions
bad guy / stirred into action by some injustice that are actively practiced (in particular pagan-
and have decided to become an adventurer. Or ism) because they mirror fantasy gaming. While
maybe you just never liked to study. its less likely to cause a problem in a tabletop
Dont forget that this is a fantasy world in game, with more people playing in a LARP you
which we are livingone in which people can have to keep in mind there are more things that
resurrect after death. A common mistake people can be offensive to a larger number of players.
have in their character histories is to have their
entire family killed off or a loved one murdered;
however, in our game, they would most likely
Getting Plot
have resurrected and remembered how they So given all of this, what is the best way
died. to write a character history that will get the best
Along these same lines, remember that our plot follow-ups?
fantasy world contains many races, and unless First of all, when writing a character his-
you were raised in a racial enclave, your his- tory, simple is better than elaborate. If you fill
tory should contain people from many differ- in all the details about the people in your life,
ent races and backgrounds. We also have a game the Plot Committee will have very little open
where women hold power the same as men in space to work with. When writing about your
most of the in-game cultures, so dont make all How to Get Your History Rejected: The past, leave some mysteries and some unexplored
the important people in your history men. Plot Committee reserves the right to reject char- areas that the Plot Committee can make use of
acter histories that violate their conception of to give you more entertainment.
Find out about the world. The lands can any personae of an NPC that you may include Write about how as a child you encoun-
help determine your character history and con- in your personal history. Dont write a charac- tered something strange in the woods that you
cept. Read the campaigns newsletters, in-game ter history that has the NPC Duke killing your could never explain and give us some details.
history, and their Players Guide and new ideas father, because that may go completely against Or describe a dream you had that was vivid yet
may spring from there. what the Plot Committee has established for the obtuse. We can take these loose ends in your
You may not have your character be a per- Dukes personality, and may even contradict history and tie them into our plots.
son already established in the in-game history. other facts that you may not be aware of. In For example, take this excerpt from a char-
All names you may read in your chapters other words, if you write that the Duke killed acter history:
Players Guides or newsletters are either NPCs your father in the year 597 but we have already One day while traveling with my father,
controlled by the Plot Committee or other ac- established that the Duke was stuck in the realm we happened to encounter a man standing on
tual players who did something on past events of the fey that entire year, then obviously a forest trail, holding a blood-covered axe. My
and got themselves mentioned. somethings wrong. father screamed for me to run as the man
The in-game history will contain countries This is not to say that you cant write a charged towards us. I escaped but my father
and lands for your character to be from. Dont character history where you believe that the resurrected and refused to speak about it for
create your own country. The reason for this is Duke killed your father, even when he didnt. years. On his death bed, he finally told me to
to prevent a multitude of countries all out there A common theme in fantasy literature in- beware of the man with the red axe, for he will
somewhere and to prevent conflicts among volves mom getting taken advantage of by bar- come for me someday.
character histories. If you have a great idea for barians in one of their summer raids and the This loose end allows us to include you in
character is the result. We reject all character another plot (which just happens to have an axe

14 histories involving rape. Its a fantasy game,

but frankly this is beyond the realm of good
wielding lunatic in it) or write a new plot for
you.
 Note that a loose end could be just about have many fine memories of afternoons spent town. It was boring work but it brought in the
any simple little mysterya strange arrow with with my father practicing sparringI never money my family needed. It was during this time
iridescent feathers shooting through your win- could beat him! (I could, however, beat my that I became fascinated with magic, for next
dow; seeing a unicorn crying over the corpse brothers and sisters, and I gained even more door to the coopers was the local Healers
of a horrid monster; encountering a ghost ship experience playing with them). Guild. The healers there noticed my interest in
that appeared mysteriously in your village; hav- My mother knew a few healing spells their activities, and onea nice old biata lady
ing a blind beggar speaking ominously of your which came in useful when we kids hurt our- named Hindyoften delighted me with her tales
part in a prophecy. selves in our games. She tried to teach us to of adventures in Ashbury where she had fought
Do not explain these things in your char- read and write, but only I took an interest. many monsters in her younger days.
acter history! You should be as clueless about At the young age of ten, while on a picnic It was she who finally taught me how to
what this means as your character. It will make with my family, I found a cave and began ex- perform first aid, and it was she who taught
it all the more fun for you if you have no idea ploring. I soon was lost in the darkness and I me my first spell.
what it means, because then you can One day when I was with her,
find out at the same time your char- she received a missive which
acter does. caused her to drop everything and
Here is what we do not want: My suddenly leave. Even her husband
father and I were attacked on a road did not know what had happened
when I was younger by a man with a or why she had left, but I did hap-
bloody axe. The mans name was pen to see that the note had in large
Lukas Buck and he was a servant of letters the word Viktaria.
the Black Mastiffs, a group of merce- Whether this is a person or a place
naries that hired out to necromancers I do not know, but I often worry
and other nasty guys. My dad fell on about her and wonder what hap-
hard times in his youth and served pened to her.
three years as a cook for the Black My father died permanently
Mastiffs, where he saw many bad when I was 14. It was a very trau-
things including the killing of a noble- matic experience for all of my fam-
man and his family. He fled and hid, ily. He had died previouslya few
working in a tavern. Lukas tracked times while in the army and once
him down and killed him and he res- when a large boulder fell on him,
urrected successfully. . . (etc.) but he had been successfully res-
You have just solved the mys- urrected each time. This time he
tery yourself and left the Plot Com- had a terrible disease, and the
mittee little to work with. Dont be Healers Guild could do nothing
surprised if there is no follow-up to for him. I cried myself to sleep ev-
this character history. ery night as he lay in bed in pain
Include a dozen or so little un- as the disease took over his body.
explained events or major family mys- Finally, I could take no more, and
teries and you are likely in for a lot of I placed a pillow over his head and
fun stuff in your future. held it down until he stopped
But even then, the next thing you breathing. I finally put him out of
have to do is preregister for events and let us was certain that every sound was a goblin or a his misery. I have never told anyone of this and
know you are coming! The Plot Committee will troll out to get me. I spent a few hours crying I feel very guilty about it. I made a vow to my-
not waste a lot of time preparing a great en- in the darkness before a strange light appeared self that I would never kill again, and that any
counter for you if they have no idea whether before me and a large glowing woman led me enemy I would ever encounter would be cap-
you will be attending the event. to the exit, saying, This is not yet meant to tured if at all possible, and if dying would be
be. I asked her what she meant but she only first-aided.
A Sample History replied, We shall meet again. When the sun-
light hit her as we left the cave, she simply faded
When I turned 16, I felt that it was time to
strike out on my own. I have begun traveling,
Here is an example of a good character away. and who knows where that may take me? I hope
history: Ever since, I have had a great fear of caves soon to obtain a job and maybejust maybe
and extreme darkness even though I know my find some adventure!
My name is Trin Hallison. I am the eldest fears are unfounded. I still wonder what the
son of Lorin and Frinda Hallison. I have two glowing woman meant, and I havent seen any- Notice how this history establishes a few
younger brothers and two older sisters. The thing similar since. character traits with which the player can have
boys are named Wellis and Horik and the girls When Stewart Medicia became Baron, lots of funa dislike and mistrust of nobility, a
are named Elysa and Shon. things changed a bit in Descantethe town fear of enclosed spaces and darkness, and a de-
I was born in the mining city of Descante guards became more surly and some of the sire never to kill. Imagine the complications in-
in the barony of Trellheim in the duchy of Ash- nobles he appointed cared more for fattening game when his views and desires run up against
bury. My father was a gemcutter in one of the their pockets than for the commoners they were situations which require him to confront his
mines in the area and my mother worked for supposed to be helping. I believe that all nobles fears. It also contains a few mysteries which he
the exchequer. They held different shifts so that in their hearts are the same even if they pre- is trying very hard to solve. A good Plot Com-
at different times I was raised by both my fa- tend to be caring. I would never work for no- mittee will take these things and use them in
ther and my mother. bility.
My father had served in the army under
Powell Songbringer as a short-swordsman. I
When I was old enough, I became appren-
ticed to a local cooper, making barrels for the 15
the future. Perhaps the answer to his questions game is I am here to be entertained by the you put into it.
can only be obtained by venturing into a dark NPCs, then youre not going to be having as Above all, remember that this is acting
cave with a knight who has vowed to kill any- much fun as the other players who know that where the audience is also the cast; the more
thing that stands in her way... they are as much of the show as the monsters. everyone puts into it, the more fun there is. For
This history also explains how he got the Dont go into the game with the goal of some people, this means finding a group of
skills with which he will be entering the game: winning, because really there are no winners staunch allies to hang out with in the hope of
One Handed Edged, Healing Arts, First Aid, in the traditional sense of the word. You should becoming rich and famous; for others, it means
Read and Write, and a spell. go in with the goal of creating a believable char- becoming the best individual in town at some-
It is also obvious that the writer has con- acter and reacting as that character would to thing so others will seek you out.
sulted the in-game campaign history and has the other players and the NPCs. The goal of the Imagination is the magic behind it all, and
written his character history based on what was game is experiencing adventures, and not kill- its one thing that gets stronger with use.
happening in the lands as he was growing up, ing all the monsters and taking their loot.
thus providing for more realism and allowing This is not a computer game where you, Remember teamwork. It is practically im-
him to comment upon these things knowingly the hero, go through dungeon after dungeon, possible for you to be the hero all by yourself.
when they arise during in-game conversations. gathering treasure and just working your way In order to accomplish any great goals, you have
It could also unwittingly allow him to be tied up in power, never having your characters ex- to make allies and work with others. They will
to other characters histories. periences affect his or her personality. Our game have skills and information you dont have. The
In fact, if you have not read all about your is all about telling a story. Its about creating game is designed to promote complementing
campaigns in-game history, its probably not a characters that affect the story and who are af- characters working together to solve problems.
good idea to have your character come from fected by the story. The fun is in not knowing Look at it from a practical matter if noth-
there. Otherwise, you might end up looking where that story will lead. ing else: The Plot Committee is trying to enter-
foolish when you dont know the name of the Some players tend to get bored when there tain all of the players at the event, not just you.
King or are not aware of recent activities. are no monsters to hunt and kill. Dont let that Therefore, plots are almost always written to
So go to it! happen to you. The game doesnt stop when involve as many people as possible. Informa-
the NPCs are resting or preparing for the next tion and clues are spread out and if there are
encounter; there is never a reason for your char- tasks that need to be performed in order to
Attitude acter to say theres nothing to do! As you play, achieve the final goal of the weekend, they are
Having the proper attitude and understand- you will meet other players who will have the set up in such a way to make sure that one group
ing about the game will increase your enjoy- exact opposite claim: There is not enough time doesnt monopolize them and go on them all at
ment of the game tremendously. for me to do everything I want to do! These the expense of the other players. Further, these
The Alliance is a game where you get as are the players who understand what the game tasks (called modules) almost always require
much out of it as you put into it. You are as is all aboutthey have followed up on every a certain number of players to go on them be-
much of a part of the direction and feel of the piece of information out there, are talking to cause it would be impractical and a waste of
game as any NPC. If your attitude towards the other players, are staying in character and in- resources to have an adventure for one player
teracting with PCs and NPCs, have written to that uses up a number of NPCs and marshals.

16 Plot Committee with their character histories,

and realize that you get out of the game what
Realize that if you decide to play a char-
acter who does not work well with others, you
will limit your possibilities in the game. If you the thick of things. important and be hired as part of his or her en-
want to be a lonely and mysterious dark elf who This is not an exaggeration; ask any expe- tourage. Start an adventuring group and make
distrusts all other races and stays to himself, rienced player. Role-play and get involved and a name for yourself through your costumes and
then you wont have the same opportunities as you will soon be having so many adventures role-playing skills. Strive to put together all of
someone who is outgoing and speaks to every- you wont know what to do next! the pieces of the weekend plot and impress the
one. nobles with the information you have gathered.
This is a choice you have to make based Most importantly, have the right attitude
on your character conceptjust dont get up- when doing these things. Introducing yourself
set when people or plotlines are passing you as the greatest fighter on the planet or other-
by. Think about these things before you create wise pumping up your ego will only alienate
your character and you will have a much better others, make enemies, and hurt you badly in
time. the long run. Be humble and prove yourself
through your actions ... and then when you are
powerful and mighty later, you can honestly
Preparation brag about your skills.
Role-playing: Bashing something with Now dont take this sections advice to
plumbing supplies may be good exercise but it mean that as a first level adventurer, you can
may not always be the best way to get ahead in never be involved in the major plotlines of that
the world. Not every problem can be solved by event. Quite often, its not the most powerful
beating it into the ground. Remember at all characters who get to be the heroes.
times that we are a role-playing game. Another true example: An evil villain and
Heres a true example: A family of vam- his legion of undead entered said that unless
pires had captured some babies that they the town surrendered to them by midnight Sat-
planned on using in their grand feast. The play- urday, they would destroy everyone. The high
ers knew this but had no idea where the feast level players immediately began preparations
was to be held. During the weekend, some un- for a great war, but some low level players re-
dead were killed, and six invitations to the party membered rumors they had heard, spoke to
were discovered. The Plot Committee wrote the some NPC farmers who had come into town,
module in such a way that a group of six PCs and learned the location of the bad guys en-
would bring the invitations, pose as vampires campment. They snuck in and discovered that
themselves, and be able to figure out a way to the head bad guy was being controlled as a pup-
snatch the babies and run back to town. Instead, pet from that location to protect himself from
the entire town gathered its forces and stormed the high level battle to come. So that night,
the building. Many died fighting the vampires when all the undead left the encampment with
minions who guarded the place, and the vam- only a few guards behind, the spies entered the
pires inside simply killed the babies, turned gas- encampment, took out the few guards, and de-
eous, and got away. stroyed the puppet, thus ending the battle in
To reiterate: some problems cant be town and saving everyone.
solved with weapons or spells. They require Realize too that the game is scaled, mean-
subtlety, guile, intelligence and role-playing! Set reasonable goals for your character. ing the Plot Committee will often take into ac-
This emphasis on role-playing is impor- Some new players come into the game imagin- count who is doing what when deciding what
tant not only in a module or other quest, but ing themselves as Conan the Invincible, beat- kind of NPCs to place in an encounter. Its the
also when youre just hanging around town. If ing down all the evil monsters, becoming the Plot Committees job to make the game chal-
you are the worlds best fighter but you dont toast of the town, and winning the affections of lenging and fun, but not impossible. In that last
care a bit about making a believable character, commoner and noble alike. Others think they example, for instance, the Plot Committee was
acting appropriately to situations, or even wear- will be the worlds greatest assassin, sneaking aware that low level players were doing the spy-
ing a decent costume, you will never get very through the woods, stealing from everyone, and ing and adjusted the monsters in the spy camp
far in status in any in-game group. becoming rich and powerful. When due to their accordingly. Had the higher level players found
Staying in character is the key. Dont make lack of experience they fail to accomplish these the spy camp instead, you can rest assured they
references to out-of-game situations. Dont say things in their first weekend, these players then would have been facing a lot more than just
I just bought my second proficiency, say I get upset. This isnt any fun! they think. zombies. (Now, dont read this and get overly
have been training and can now do twice as In order to get power in our game, you cocky, eitheryou should never ever feel con-
much damage as I once was able. If someone have to be patient. No one starts off the game fident that every battle is winnable. Perhaps you
asks your level (an out-of-game question since as a nobody and ends up three days later being werent meant to destroy that puppet yet ...)
levels are not in-game), respond by saying appointed a knight or becoming the head of the The bottom line is this: dont just assume
something like Well, I can now cast 5th level thieves guild. It doesnt work that way. that as a new player you cant have a major ef-
spells, is that what you are asking? The Alliance game gives every character fect on the game.
Become your character during an event. the potential to make a name for themselves. It
This point cant be overemphasized. New play- is not a guarantee. You have to start off small Learn the local food chain. Probably the
ers who put some time and effort into their cos- and earn your rewards. All those powerful char- most embarrassing way to get into deep trouble
tumes, try to constantly stay in character, and acters you see in the game started off the same is to insult, attack, or trust the wrong person. If
put a serious concern into role-playing will find way you did. youre new in town, act like a tourist. Stay at
that it wont be long until the old-timers will You can get a lot of gratification from play- the fringes of things until you have a feel for
notice, perhaps hire them for a quest, take them ing as long as you set reasonable expectations
on as bodyguards, or otherwise get them in-
volved. Then before they know it, they are in
from the start. Vow to pass all tests to become a
member of a guild. Aim to impress someone 17
who the important people are and who you want can be solved by hitting it with a sword. out with too many people, you may miss the
to collect as friends and allies. Always remember your quest. Perhaps you module hook (because the NPCs are avoiding
Make sure that your character knows the may have to treat an evil person nicely so that you). This is of course a generality and does
consequences of all of your actions first. Find you may get the information you need. Some- not apply in all cases, but for the majority of
out what you can and cannot get away with, or times you just have to grit your teeth and put the time, if just wandering around, go in small
youre liable to run afoul of the local laws or up with the obnoxious shoe salesman because groups.
step on the wrong toes. If you just walk on in he knows which path to take. And remember
and start your own thieves guild, its certainly that the person you kill may just resurrect and Start a Group. Get a good mixture of char-
not going to make the current guild very happy come back for revenge. acter classes. Dont wait until the middle of an
with you. Dont go insulting the nasty undead adventure to suddenly discover that you need a
you see coming towards you only to learn that thief in order to get into a certain room. An un-
it is the most powerful liche in the kingdom.
Getting Involved balanced party has been the downfall of many
Find a mentor. There are many veteran The best way to get involved is to be ac- a group.
players who are willing to advise new players, tive. Dont wait for things to happen to you Once youve established a group, dont
from telling them how to avoid being poisoned make them happen yourself! fight among yourselves. Pick a leader. The
to telling them where to go for training in vari- leader should not be a dictator, but instead lis-
ous skills. You can often tell who these people ten to all suggestions and pick the wisest ac-
are by the large number of people they greet tion. Having a leader is most important in stress-
and are greeted by as they wander through town. ful situations. There is no time to call a com-
Anybody who does not look foul tempered or mittee meeting to decide whether to retreat from
Terribly Important is usually willing to answer a battle. The group should delegate the author-
questions about the latest gossip, grudges and ity for snap decision making to one person, and
adventures. A good place to start would be to then follow that persons orders. If it turned out
check out the local guilds. that person was wrong or made a mistake, that
Dont be afraid to ask questions; Most can be dealt with later.
people are willing to answer. There is a com- Most parties that fail do so because of poor
mon misconception among new players that the leadership. If the group wishes to be success-
nobility want nothing to do with the new folk ful, it must have someone to give them direc-
in town, but you may be surprised at how well tion. Nobody likes to be bossed around, but
you are received. Everyone is always looking some carefully worded instructions in a friendly
for new allies and sources of information, and tone of voice can carry a lot of weight.
if they are too busy to help, they just might rec- This only works if everyone is willing to
ommend someone who can. follow the leader. A character who insists on
doing things their own way and who runs off
Dont assume everyone is your enemy. on their own will usually die because of it. You
Be suspicious and careful, yes, but realize that need to put aside differences in order to accom-
sometimes more can be accomplished through plish your goals. If youre constantly running
cooperation. Often groups have failed because off or arguing with your group, it wont be long
they distrusted everyone. Look for adventure. Adventures rarely before no one will invite you to join them and
Heres an example: A group of adventur- just come up and bite you on the nose (although no one will help you out.
ers found a deaf girl tied up and being held goblins may do so). There are no neon signs This is not to say that you should sacrifice
hostage by goblins. They killed the goblins, and saying Adventure Here! You have to look for your individuality or your personal role-play-
then took the girl along but refused to untie her. them. ing quirks. It simply means that youve got to
As it turned out, she was the only one who could Some are easier to find than others. If you remember that you are not the only one in-
get through a magical barrier that caused great hang around the tavern a lot, sooner or later volved. If you go wandering off in the middle
damage due to sound. Because the group treated someone might come in looking for mercenar- of a module, you not only risk serious harm to
her so badly, she refused to help and the group ies to help on a quest or an NPC will come in yourself but also to the success of your group
could not complete its quest. with valuable information. Joining a guild, the as a whole.
Remember, if you screw up, no one is go- royal army, the town guard, or a noble court is Have a battle strategy for your group. Any
ing to come along and make things all better. a good way to immediately get involved in lots plan for fighting should include protecting your
You lost, and later, another group that wont of interesting plots. healers and mages. The plan that seems to work
fail will take the treasure and the credit. Another way to find adventures is to walk best for most groups is a sort of fighting wedge,
Sometimes in modules, key encounters are through the woods. Monsters are known to where two fighters protect the mage behind
placed at a crossroads. If you treat the NPC at camp out in the woods, and often you can even them who can then cast spells over them. Heal-
the encounter unfairly, then the NPC may tell find hidden caves worth exploring or other ers should stay in the rear and throw healing
you the wrong path to take or may not tell you strange goings-on. Dont just hang around wait- spells at the partys backs. Necromancers should
the information you need. ing for adventure to come to you. be up front throwing damage causing spells with
Use common sense here! Not every evil It is a good idea to never go out in the the mage (unless there are witnesses around).
thing should (or can) be killed outright. Some- woods with more than six people or so, for large Most importantly, stay together and cover each
times a powerful being is sent into town merely groups scare away monsters. Our wandering others arses. Running off after monsters and
to frighten you. Maybe it is there to provide monsters are usually scaled for groups of six splitting up the group is the quickest way to
you with information, or maybe its just there or less, and our NPCs are generally instructed die.
for your role-playing fun. And not every plot to run away from large groups if they think If you dont have your own group with
theyll be slaughtered. (Who wants dumb which to adventure, align yourself with an al-

18 NPCs?) Further, many weekend modules are

written for groups of six or so, and if you go
ready existing groupor have your small group
align itself with another group. The nobles
sometimes need adventurers to act as spies or
messengers so that they wont get caught do-
ing the dirty work. The Mages Guild is always
looking for apprentices. The Royal Army may
be looking for recruits. The tavern almost al-
ways needs guards, entertainers, and servers.
All of these ways will lead to adventure and if
not, maybe at least youll get paid!

Write your own plots. Some things you

will encounter on a weekend are completely
invented by the Plot Committee, but quite a few
actions are started by players. Players are al-
ways surprised when they discover that an in-
teresting plot twist was created by another
player in-game. So make your own plotsuse
your imagination! For example:
Sell in-game items such as potions, scrolls,
alchemical solutions, and armor repair.
Sell a service. Start a bodyguards guild.
Open a massage parlor and sell backrubs. Be-
come a sage. Open a funeral parlor. Tell for-
tunes. Bring cookies and open a bakery.
Start a competitive guild. There is no rea-
son why you cant start a second armorsmith
shop or alchemy guild or thieves guild.
Start a school. Every player needs other
players to teach them skills they need. Maybe
you can train people in real skills as well as
game skills. It is one thing to teach someone an adventure where he gets fifteen magic You may have to spend in-game money
the in-game skill Legerdemain but it is another swords, becomes 33rd level in one weekend, to accomplish your goals.
thing entirely to teach them out-of-game how and rules the world, but when he shows up on Your failure or success will depend on a
to pick locks and disarm traps. the next Alliance adventure, none of it has hap- number of things. For instance, if you are do-
Be an entertainer. Tell stories in the tav- pened. (Gee, it was all a dream!) Go ahead, ing research and have a Craftsman skill in that
ern. Juggle. Play guitar. Start an acting troupe. use our rules, we dont mind (as long as you area, your chances of getting a good result are
Blackmail somebody. Well leave this idea dont charge admission, advertise, or present much better than if you cannot even read and
to your own devices. yourself as an official Alliance LARP game). write.
Become a Robin Hood stealing from the Your own in-game modules (for infor- Remember that we are a live role-play-
rich (Hey, compared to peasants, all adventur- mational purposes only) can be performed with- ing organization, with the emphasis on live.
ers are rich.). You can decide later whether to out our approval and can be allowed in-game Whenever possible, we attempt not to write out
give it to the poor. as affecting plot. For example, if your group personal encounters but to have them happen
These minor little things may not seem like arranges a meeting with another group to dis- in-game instead. If you make a submission to
an exciting way to spend an entire event, but cuss an alliance or to plan some strategy, then the Plot Committee saying I am going to go
that wont happen. Instead, because you are that is perfectly allowable and encouraged. Ob- and speak to Kelanor (the NPC) you will prob-
making yourself known for something in the viously, no NPCs are allowed to be present ably receive the response Kelanor is aware you
game, PCs and NPCs will soon be coming to without the Plot Committees approval, and are looking for him and promises to meet you
you as an expert in your field, and you will once more, no treasure or Experience Points in a few weeks (i.e: live, during an event).
be meeting a lot more people than you would can be obtained. So then what is a Plot Submission good
have done just sitting around waiting for some- On-line conversations and meetings are for? Primarily for studying, researching, and
thing to happen. This pretty much guarantees very limited in the ways they can affect the over- gathering basic knowledge. Traveling to other
that you will be gathering important informa- all plot. (We are a live role-playing game, after places to gather information is acceptable; trav-
tion, making new contacts, forming new alli- all). See page 36 for more information. eling to other places to have adventures or find
ances, and getting new adventures. treasure is not.
The plot can go racing off in all sorts of Send in a Plot Submission. Most chap-
unpredictable ways, so the key is to remember ters will allow you to submit a proposal to the
that if something more interesting comes along, Plot Committee about what your character is
Getting Information
dont be tied to your idea of what you had doing between events. Your local chapter will The person who first said Knowledge is
planned for that event. Go with the flow and have their own specific guidelines for this. power wasnt kidding. Consider information
grab the opportunities when they arise. However, keep these restrictions in mind: as a type of treasure to be obtained, for in our
Your character cannot travel all over the game it is as valuable as gold.
Have your own adventures. Get your place in a short period of time. Do not send a It could make the difference between life
group together on off weekends and run your submission saying how you plan on traveling and death. Characters have died in the past be-
own adventures for practice. If you want to write the entire kingdom in the three weeks between cause they didnt prepare well enough by ask-
an adventure module for your own group to events.
have, thats finebut it cannot affect regular
plot. In other words, your character can go on
You should not offer more than one sub-
mission per month. 19
ing the right people the right questions.
Be smart about it. Too often, new players
walk up to the tavernkeeper or a guild leader
and say Know of any adventure hereabouts?
which if you think about it is a pretty silly
question. Theres adventure everywhere
around here! is the usual answer. Instead, ask
if they have any work they need done or if they
know anyone who does. Ask if anything un-
usual has been happening lately. Take a news
item you have heard about or a piece of gossip
and start a conversation. Most importantly, of-
fer something in return. Nothing is free! Be pre-
pared to pay for important information, either
with money or with information of your own.
There are lots of people in-game who can
give you all sorts of help. It is surprising how
infrequently people take advantage of informa-
tion easily available. Often NPCs will be given
important plot clues but told not to give them
out unless the players specifically ask. Other
times information will be sold by other NPCs.
Even more importantly, other players may have
information that you need but you dont realize
it because you never talked to them about it.
Along these same lines, dont hog the in-
formation you have. Unlike regular treasure, been characters who were left alone when they Keep notes of your adventures and the in-
you can give away information and still pos- first came to town because they were rumored formation you obtain in them; you never know,
sess it. to be an agent of a very powerful Lord who they may be important some day. Players who
Not sharing information has hurt many would take revenge if they were harmed. Other keep notes are already step ahead each time a
players. Often major plot events for the week- players let rumors spread that they had no need new game begins. When Barinor the dwarf
end require the putting together of clues ob- to go about heavily armed or armored for un- comes to town, the smart player can check his
tained in various modules, each obtained by dif- specified reasons. In both cases, the players or her notes and know that he appeared in town
ferent groups. Sometimes the groups think that started their own rumors and stayed alive be- a year and a half ago, was looking for his long
sharing the information means that they will cause of them. lost brother, had the key to the Mystic Orb, was
not get to go on the ultimate module they theo- The more you know about the people and the cause of the ogre riots, and had the first line
rize will end the weekend event and so they the world in which the game takes place, the of a riddle that would lead to great wealth.
dont talk to anyone about what they discov- better you will be able to quickly understand Remember that in our game, plots do not
ered. Whenever that happens, the weekend plot what information is important and what isnt. always start and end at an event but run con-
goes unsolved, and everybody loses. (And in Read your in-game history and pay attention to stantly, and the player who has the information
case it hasnt been clear all along, yes, you can any updates you may learn through newsletters, can take advantage of it. Usually, the Plot Com-
lose. Our plotlines are written in such a way Rumor Sheets, and in-game by talking to oth- mittee will introduce information about a plot-
that if you do not resolve the plotline, it could ers. line long before the actual plotline will run so
cause bad consequences or go unresolved until Once again, remember that everything you that the players who follow up on the informa-
next time. We will not have the NPCs come in read or hear isnt necessarily true. There is no tion they receive have a head start and usually
and fix things for you if you arent able to solve such thing as an unbiased history. Like histo- get to be the weekend heroes when the big
the weekend plot. Whats the fun in that?) ries in the real world, our in-game histories have plot finally arrives.
To reiterate: The best way to get lots of been written by people with viewpoints which Get as much information as you can as
important information is to talk to everyone you may skew perceptions of various events. Fur- often as possible. The largest cause of boredom
meet, especially if it is someone new. Hail, fel- ther, there may be facts of which the writer is among new players is not assuming that every-
low! What brings you to our fine town? is a not aware. There are bound to be biases and thing they see and hear is potentially impor-
good way to get the ball rolling. If it seems that mistakes. Dont believe everything you read. tant.
certain players always seem to be at the center Further, dont believe everything every Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it
of many plots, it is mostly because they actively NPC tells you either. Just because the nice man also got her involved in lots of adventures along
greet every new person they see (PC and NPC) tells you what you need to do in order to com- the wayand you have the potential of having
and they find out everything that is going on plete a quest doesnt mean he has your best in- even more lives than the cat!
around town. (This also explains why gypsies terests at heart. Perhaps hes really not so nice,
are usually almost always involved in the ma- and he is telling you what to do so he can Pay attention to rumors. Some games
jor plots around town, being the outgoing folk double-cross you later, or perhaps he thinks hes will even give you a sheet at check-in filled with
they are.) doing the right thing when from an objective rumors. Youll also be sure to meet a few NPCs
Keep in mind that players can also start point of view hes a complete loon. in town whispering other rumors and tidbits.
their own rumors. Some of these will drive you Wise advice is to always be cautious and The rumors may say things about other
nuts and others will save your life. There have cynical when getting information while at the players (gathered from their character histories),
same time getting as much as you possibly can. about political intrigue, about monster abilities,

20 You can later try to determine which informa-

tion is true.
or the local history. There may also be rumors
about things happening at that event which
could lead to an adventure or perhaps even give battle, the battle will be scaled according to who The Plot Committees of the various games
you a clue as to how to get past a certain en- shows up to the battle. are always reviewing monster statistics to give
counter in a module. Sometimes, in games with larger atten- you the most fun and excitement and sharing
For example, once a Rumor Sheet had the dances, large scale battles will even be split up ideas. Realize that there may be variances in
statement: Wizard Glick has been seen walk- accordingly. I see that the liches henchmen the local breeds: a goblin from one game may
ing around town carrying a large sponge very are coming from the north trail, so Baroness not have exactly the same statistics as a goblin
protectively. A module that weekend took place Darlissa, take your troops that way. The liche from another game.
in Wizard Glicks home. In the module, a note has sent his skeleton army down the south trail, So take that chance against that monster
was found that told the players that in order to so those of you in the Adventurers Guild, take that looks tough, and you may be surprised to
get through a certain door, they needed a skel- that trail! find that it wasnt as hard as you thought it
eton key. The sponge found in a washroom in However, it must also be pointed out that would be.
the module was the key needed (since a there are such things as unscaled encounters.
sponge is essentially a skeleton). Players who Sometimes the NPCs are unreasonable or
remembered the rumor about how important the practically impossible to kill. This is usually
Playing Fair
sponge was to Wizard Glick had a head start in done for one of two reasons: (1) The NPC has Dont whine! If you have an active char-
figuring out this puzzle, and realized that the valuable information that you need, and killing acter, some other character will eventually want
sponge was more than a mere atmospheric prop. the NPC would prevent that information from to kill/capture/arrest you. The good guys and
(Yes, that was an extremely hard puzzle. No, the bad guys are always at odds, and both
theyre not usually that hard, but on the other sides have had their share of successes and fail-
hand, dont expect to be spoon-fed.) ures.
Information on Rumor Sheets are also If you decide to play the worlds sneakiest
split up onto more than one sheet so that no assassin, understand that there will be other
one person gets all the information. This re- players out to stop you. If you are the most hon-
quires you to role-play with other players to orable knight, there will be dishonorable people
find out what you need. For example, if the Plot out to put you in your place. Dont take it per-
Committee wants you to learn that Cerik the sonally and dont get upset if they get you.
vampire lives in a cave on the edge of town and Youll just have to try harder next time.
that a strange old hermit vampire hunter named A problem some players seem to have is
Phil has information about the caves where- that they want instant gratification from a plot,
abouts, this information is going to be placed and if the plotline requires hardships or sacri-
in many different rumors spread out on many fices, they will complain and want nothing to
different Rumor Sheets. You will see There is do with it. Understand that sometimes you have
a vampire living in a cave near town, A crazed to go through hell to get to heaven in order to
hermit lives in the woods, The hermit knows earn your reward.
all about vampires, The hermits name is For example, if your character finds a pow-
Phil, Cerik the Vampire hates Phil, and so erful magical sword that has the unwanted side
on, each on a separate Rumor Sheet. In order effect of attracting death knights who all want
to find all the information you need to go on to kill you, dont go whining about it. Look at
this particular adventure, you will have to talk the bright sidewhen the death knights arent
to as many people as you can to see what ru- around, youve got a magical sword! Most im-
mors they have heard. portantly, the chances are this sword will even-
Other clues and rumors will be dropped tually lead to some long-term plot that you
into game in in-game ways, and will often be would not have received any other way. You
aimed at new adventurers who are not as expe- getting to you, so the NPC is scaled at an un- may get to go on a personal module in order to
rienced at finding the plot. Remember, dont reasonable level; or (2) The NPC is there for get rid of the curse, or this may be a special
think that just because you are new, you role-playing reasons onlyperhaps just to scare sword attuned to one person and you will end
shouldnt be getting involved in the plotlines. the pants off of youand its not there as a up being the only one in town who can kill the
Grab that plot! You deserve it just as much as fighting encounter. These NPCs have specific big bad guy in next years plot.
the more experienced player. functions and are not your standard ordinary Remember that plot doesnt arise from
Take the initiative; do it yourself! Only one wandering monster or field battle monster. peaceful situations. Plot comes from conflict.
person can make you a hero and thats you. The Sometimes you will encounter monsters Some conflicts may be physical, some may be
more you know, the more you can get out of that seem unkillable, but perhaps you are just emotional, and some may last a long time be-
the game. not trying enough. If you discover a form of fore being resolved. Certainly let the Plot Com-
attack doesnt work against a monster, try some- mittee know if you are not enjoying a plot, but
thing new. There are often rewards for being be a good sport about it. We cant make you
Scaling creative! Perhaps this is a strange monster who happy if you dont keep us informed just keep
Scaling refers to the Plot Committee ad- takes 20 points of damage from Dominates or in mind that a plot that one person hates could
justing the power levels of the NPCs to take can only be affected by ice damage. If noth- be loved by another.
into account the PCs levels. You should un- ing seems to work, experiment!
derstand that the Plot Committee will scale en- Hesitation is often the biggest problem for Dont cheat! We have kicked out cheat-
counters so that its the most fun. Theyre not players newer to combat. Always make sure you ers in the past. Dont think it wont happen to
out to kill you with every battlewhats the have the initiative. No matter how weak the you.
fun in that? monster, if you dont stand to fight, you may
If its a low level event, and you see a troll end up taking a dirt bath. Even goblins can
or an undead, chances are it is not a bone troll
or a liche. If the entire town is going into a field
kill you if you arent ready and let them get the
advantage over you. 21
 If you find a rules loophole that seems too event to event and do evil acts. Only do those
good to be true, then it is. Dont bend the rules acts which further your goal and no others. Just
to your liking, and dont make us have to kick because an opportunity to do something evil
you out. presents itself doesnt mean its a wise idea to
do it.
Reverse Metagame to help the game. Second, to all outward appearances, act
If you metagame you are using your out-of- like the good guy. Wearing a dark cloak over
game knowledge for in-game benefit. This is your face at all times, lurking behind cabins,
cheating. giving yourself a name like Doombringer
At the same time, for the good of the game, Blackheart or otherwise calling attention to
sometimes we need you to reverse metagame your evilness just puts everyone on guard,
when it will help everyone have more fun. watching your every move until they can finally
For instance, if a poor farmer comes into catch you. Instead, do the exact opposite and
town and says I need to hire a small group of portray yourself as a valiant hero, righting the
adventurers to help me get rid of the giant rats wrongs in the world, and above reproach.
infesting my barn, its pretty clear that this is a This includes avoiding in-game complain-
hook for a module. I can only afford to pay ing when you get caught. Angry letters to the
about six people, he may say, and even then, editor of the in-game newspaper protesting your
only a few coppers apiece. Obviously, this then innocence, public notices attacking your en-
is a module meant for low-level players. emies, and constant complaints about being per-
If you are a more powerful player, dont secuted or treated unfairly only opens the can
ruin the fun of the lower level players with your of worms again and reminds everyone why you
attempts to go on this module. If you are a low- were found guilty in the first place. Move past
level player, dont insist on bringing twenty of it, admit you made a mistake, and do every-
your friends when obviously this was designed thing in your power to dispel that image. Most
for a small group. characters are willing to forgive if you are will-
Of course it doesnt make in-game sense ing to swear that you have changed. If you want
that the farmer would turn down more help. Of to be a successful bad guy, this point is a must.
course there is no real in-game reason why the To get involved in the evil plots out
entire town couldnt volunteer to help the guy there, you have to be clever. Dont go looking
for free. But will that provide the most fun for for the thieves guild because you wont find it.
the players? Although thieves guilds are a mainstay in
Reverse metagame. Use your OOG knowl- fantasy fiction, we are trying to make a game
edge about how the game works to allow all playing chaotic evil characters who rob any- where people act a bit more realistic.
players to have fun and have a shot at the ad- one whenever they get the chance, kill randomly This is not to say there arent groups out
ventures. Its all a part of being a good sport, with little or no reason, commit necromancy there serving the functions of thieves guilds,
and you dont even have to be playing a good just for the fun of it, and are basically nothing with evil tasks and quests to perform while pro-
guy to do this. more than thugs. Sooner or later, thugs get viding training for young thieves. They just usu-
caught, tried, and convicted. ally arent stupid enough to call themselves
This is just like real life. The successful The Thieves Guild and bring unwanted at-
Playing a Bad Guy evil guys end up as politicians, Wall Street bank- tention to themselves.
Believe it or not, its harder to play a good ers, and tobacco company executives. They In fact, there will probably be more than
guy than a bad guy. Good guys just dont have a long term plan, and they dont necessar- one of these organizations, just like in the real
have as many tools at their disposal to solve ily act like evil guys. world. These groups may fight among them-
the problem as bad guys do. No necromancy, Dont think of your character as evil. Most selves for territory and control of the under-
no lying, no stealingwell, you can see the evil people in the real world dont think of them- world and you may wish to do a bit of investi-
limitations. selves as such. gation before you decide which one(s) to join.
On the other hand, playing the bad guy Have a reason for your actions. Having a So how do you find them? There is an old
also means you take more risks when you do character history that involves you being a mas- saying: If you cant find the thieves guild,
these things, especially if you get caught by ter thief is incomplete if it doesnt say why you youre not good enough to join.
those good guys just mentioned. If you get are a master thief. What was it in your past that It is disturbing to see new players pub-
caught, you must play fairly and take your pen- made you this way? Are you so self absorbed licly asking others where the thieves guild is.
alty without (OOG) complaint. Thats the cost that you care nothing about the property of oth- This will definitely backfire on you: First, it
of doing business when you are a bad guy, and ers? Are you addicted to the adrenaline of do- lets the good guys know to keep an eye on you,
you need to understand that before you go down ing bad acts that you cant help yourself ? Are and secondly, it tells the bad guys that you are
that path. You need to remember that this is you actually a citizen of a foreign land here as not subtle enough to be invited into their little
just a game and you, the player, should be a a spy? Were you mistreated as a child and have group yet.
good guy even when your character is evil. decided to declare revenge on the rest of the Think logically about these groups, how
So how do you create a successful bad world in some way? Are you a member of a they would be organized, who would lead them,
guy? Sometimes its easier to discuss what not race who feels that all other races are mere ani- who would know about them, and where they
to do. mals and so anything you do to them is justi- would hang out, and go from there. (And those
One problem is that many of the players fied? Think of the reasons why you are acting are all the hints were going to give you.)
out there who want to play evil characters are this way and it will help you decide when and Realize as well that when these people give
how to do your evil acts. you tasks, they will not come right out and tell

22 In other words, have a plan. Set a goal for

yourself which is more than I will go from
you so. Baron Finther has many enemies, they
will say. I hope nothing serious were to hap-
pen to him. (Meaningful glance). Or I am very often players have walked right into a trapped ture takes place in the daytime doesnt mean
concerned about Terin the Adventurer and have room, stepped on pressure plates hidden under that you wont enter a darkened room or need
heard that someone is out to kill him. If this rugs, walked right into trip wires, and other- to look into a dark box. And dont forget
happens, I want to be the first to know about it wise doing exactly what they are not supposed matches to go along with that! (Make sure you
and I will pay handsomely for this ... informa- to do. Or they see the trap, step over it, forget know your games fire rules beforehand.)
tion. (Wink, wink.) its there, and hit it on the way out. (Youre the
If you cannot complete their tasks, or if thinking thief! Let the fighters act stupid!) Gloves: Be sure to check every surface for
you get caught while doing them, you will prob- contact poison (represented usually by petro-
ably not be given another chance. And you may Think in three dimensions. Dont forget leum jelly). It is always a safe idea to wear
even have them deciding to teach you a lesson that the traps (and the treasure) may be located gloves at all times in a dangerous situation.
for your failure. Remember that when dealing on the ceiling, under chairs, or in any location.
with the underworld, you are playing with fire Dont simply look at the floor and search for Rope: Rope can be used not only for
and taking great risks. boxes. In one thieves module, the box that play- climbing out windows (and tying up waylaid
The bottom line here is that nothing is ers were searching for was hidden behind a se- enemies) but also for opening drawers or chests
handed to you by the Plot Committee, just as cret door, in a closet, and up in the rafters of from a distance. Remember that we do not mime
nothing is handed to the good guys. You need the closet. props. You must actually possess any gear you
to earn all of your rewards and this takes real wish to use. If you have no rope, you cant tie
talent and an understanding of the game. Practice when you can. Buy a few cheap someone up with it.
Do your best, be smart, and you can rise locks, get your tools, and work at picking the
far in the underworld and get lots of rewards; damn things as you watch TV. Get to the point Pole: A retractable pole (like a tent pole
however, go it on your own, take chances, and where it comes completely naturally. Make your perhaps) can be used in much the same way as
go beyond your limitations, and you will even- own trap boxes which will give you practice on rope in opening doors from a distance.
tually get caught. disarming. Trade these boxes with friends and
each of you practice on each others. You cant Light-colored string: A bright string or
get good at something unless you practice. Leg- ribbon is not heavy enough to set off trip wires
Playing a Thief erdemain is an art where your sense of touch is but will bend when it hits one. Dangle it in front
Anyone can be a thief in our gameAll just as important as a keen eye. Practice makes of you as your check hallways.
you have to do is steal something. You dont all the difference in the world.
even have to buy a skill. Scrolls and Potions: Assuming that you
However, some players want to play a real Dont panic. Keep an open mind. If some- as a thief will not constantly travel with a spell-
professional cat-burglar-like thief. The thought thing goes wrong, think of other possibilities caster, you should learn to read magic as soon
of sneaking into a heavily guarded place, find- and be creative. Always have some believable as possible and should invest in the following
ing and disarming every trap, picking every lies prepared in case you get caught and make scrolls and potions which are especially use-
lock, and running off with all the treasure be- sure anyone with you knows the lies too in case ful:
fore anyone even knows youve been there is youre separated (you dont want to contradict Light: And dont forget your light phys rep
an exciting challenge. each other!). or else the spell is useless.
Many players think that thieving skills are Poison Shield: To protect yourself against
not useful for good characters, but you dont Dont feel trapped by the module. For poison traps.
have to be evil to use those skills. We have run instance, in one thief module, one group that Purify: To cure yourself from poison traps.
modules that require someone who can pick forgot its Light spell groped around in the dark Keep this easy to get to so that if a poison be-
locks and disarm traps to search the room of a for half the module, setting off trap after trap, gins to take effect, you may be able to negate it
suspected spy looking for incriminating evi- until they realized they could leave the mod- before you are completely under its control.
dence. Or maybe youll need to get past the traps ule, get a candle, and then come back. This op- Antidote: A good way to protect yourself
to rescue someone who has been kidnapped. tion isnt always available, but unless you think as well. Some alchemical effects can be quickly
Not every thief skill will be used for an evil logically, you wont even consider it. (And dont countered with an all-purpose antidote.
end. expect any hints from the marshal!) Shatter: To destroy unpickable locks.
So here are some golden rules for would- Wall of Force: In case you are discovered,
be thieves: Know the trap rules. It is fine to cut you can block the door for at least 10 minutes.
strings and fishing wires to disarm a trap, but
Be prepared. Being unprepared is a killer you may never cut electrical wires. All electri- Trap Disarming Tools: There are a num-
to many would-be thieves. Stepping into a dark cal devices are out-of-game and are merely there ber of useful tools you should have:
room without a light source or trying to undo a to represent gears or other items that may set Scissors: A very small pair of scissors (es-
complicated trap without the proper tools is a off the trap. You cannot pretend to cut these pecially if they have a long reach) can be very
waste of time. Its also very embarrassing when wires. useful in cutting trap strings.
you fail. Your adventuring group will be look- You must disarm the trap by cutting some- Dentists Tools: Believe it or not, these
ing to you when these sorts of things come up thing it is legal to cut (ask the marshal if you things are very useful! Sometimes a long thin
and you are expected to be ready. are unsure), unhooking any battery clip (repre- metal stick with a small hook on the end is ex-
senting a proper disarming) or moving wires actly what you need. And that little round mir-
Be patient. Another problem many thieves or other things that will keep the trap from buzz- ror (especially if it has a telescoping handle) is
have is being too anxious. Often in a module ing or otherwise going off. always handy. They can also sometimes be used
there is a time limit or guards checking the area as lockpicks.
every few minutes or so or some other reason With these rules in mind, lets look at what A small flat piece of metal: This is used
to hurrybut there is such a thing as going too the well-dressed thief will be bringing on this primarily to slip in between the top lip and bot-
fast. When you enter a strange room, check thor- adventure (and why).
oughly for traps. Its worth the minute or so
you should spend looking for trip wires. Too
Candles (or a Light spell or a Liquid Light
elixir): Dont be stupid. Just because an adven- 23
tom of the box without opening the box. You Take good notes. You dont want to go to
can sometimes use it to hold down triggering report your information and not know exactly
devices or just to sweep for protrusions. who was there, and what they said, and what
Lockpicks: Obviously, right? It is always names were mentioned. No one will pay for a
surprising how many thieves bring nothing and bunch of guys were talking about killing some-
somehow expect the locks to open themselves. one sometime! The important thing here is to
The best thing is to have a key ring with a se- have a good memory and write down every-
ries of lockpicks. A good basic one can be made thing as soon as you can get out of range. (You
by yourself, and you may also be able to find certainly dont want to be caught writing down
some from certain disreputable people in-game. notes as you spy!)

Heres some extra advice for those who Organize your contacts. Let those who
want to increase their intake in the most effi- you trust know that you are looking for infor-
cient way: mation about certain things. Check with them
If you notice a weapon being disarmed and often and pay them for information they gather
then that person is killed or runs away to find a for you. Keep them loyal and quiet. In the same
new weapon, pick up the weapon, toss it into vein, if you discover some information that you
the woods, and come back a few minutes later. know one of your contacts would be interested
Chances are it will still be there. in, offer it to them to keep their loyalty. Some-
When people fall in battle, search them times spies need to work together.
quickly for anything you can get, give them a
healing potion, and then run off to help oth- Find reliable clients. You cant just spy
ers. for yourself now can you? Usually the people
If you have a cloak, drop it on a chair in who want spies the most are the nobles. They
the tavern on top of someones pouch. (This want to know whats going on in other nobles
works well if someone has fallen asleep with courts, in some of those seedy adventuring
their items next to them.) Later, pick up your groups wandering around town, and want to
cloak while grabbing everything under it, and know what the commoners really think of them.
simply walk out. However, nobles arent the only people look-
Look for people who have left things un- just plays cards all day? The typical adventurer ing for information; as you play, you are cer-
attended. Many people will leave a pouch, knap- who just happens to travel with lots of differ- tain to come into contact with visiting emissar-
sack, weapon, or even coins just laying around ent groups at different times? Guess how they ies and racial elders who may be looking for
on the ground or on a table. earn extra income. information. Most importantly, these clients
Dont forget to search common places must pledge to you that they will not reveal the
when no one is around. While the battle is rag- Dress appropriately. You should always source of their information.
ing, you should be checking the ground for any have a good set of all black clothing for when It is imperative that you find clients who
treasure that may have been dropped. Be the you need to sneak around. You dont want to can be as secretive as you can be, both in-game
first person up in the morning and check the wear this all the time (see above) but when the and out-of-game, or else all your spying is for
area, because people drop things during the occasion does rise when you will need to sneak, naught.
night but dont see them. And keep an eye on you dont want to be wearing jingling chain mail
the weapons and possessions people leave in or a brightly colored cloak. Protect your anonymity. If your informa-
the tavern. tion is such that it could be used to convict
Know how to eavesdrop. Obviously, the someone of a crime, you may be asked to tes-
trick is to look like youre busy doing some- tify before a magistrate or a noble. Demand that
Playing a Spy thing else. An accomplice is useful here, as you the person accused not be present and insist that
Some players want to be spies. Thieving can pretend to be deep in conversation while those present keep their mouths shut about the
skills come in very useful to those who go this actually listening intently. source of the information. If these provisions
route, but are not absolutely necessary. Being a Knowing where to hide is also important are met, cooperate fully. You do want them to
spy has more to do with your role-playing skills sometimes you can crawl under cabins and hear hire you again, dont you?
than your lockpicking or trap disarming skills. everything that is going on inside.
If you would prefer the profitable profes- Never lie about your information. If you
sion of spy, consider these pieces of advice. Always have an alibi ready. You will want to keep the assignments and money com-
need help here, preferably someone who will ing in, your information must be accurate and
Dont look like a spy. This is the most always say you were with them no matter what truthful. The first time your information is found
important aspect of being a spy: Not looking and who wont ask you questions about where to be faulty or you are caught lying will be the
like one. Wearing that hood over your face, you actually were. Along these same lines, al- last time anyone hires you. Your reputation is
sneaking around town, refusing to talk to people ways have a story prepared in case youre the product you are selling, and if your guaran-
and otherwise acting as suspicious a possible caught in the act. tee of truthfulness and accuracy is not upheld,
will not encourage people to hire you to get your clients will be demanding more than their
information for them. Keep your trap shut! No one will hire a money back.
The best spies dont look like spies. See spy who is known to tell the wrong people the
that loud inane gypsy who never shuts up? The information, and no one will hire a spy who Demand Payment. You are taking risks
drunk who sits in the corner of the tavern and talks about information, either in-game or out- here and you deserve compensation. Make sure
of-game. You may feel tempted to brag about you get the payment up front, but give a guar-

24 your spy jobs, but you will have to fight the

urge if you want to stay employed.
antee that your information will be worth it
and then make sure it is.
 How to Be an NPC
The risks of playing your PC and getting ing else, you are probably aware that when your Ham it up! Give every part you play a
killed off from ignorance dont appeal to you fellow monsters go into town they rarely re- unique personality so that the PCs remember
any more? You feel like you need to get out of turnit must be a pretty dangerous place for you. And then keep that personality consistent.
a rut? monsters! (Alternatively, one wag suggested Youll have more fun and so will the players
Welcome to the wild world of NPCing that these same monsters may deduce that the you encounter. In NPCing, there is rarely such
part wild freedom, part volunteerism, part slave town is a wonderful place and the non-return- a thing as an overactor.
labor, and as much fun as you care to make it. ing monsters have decided to stayand as such
The following rules, guidelines, and sug- we will soon be seeing swarms of vacationing Get Everyone Involved. When perform-
gestions will help you be the best at what you monsters coming to town with picnic baskets, ing as your NPC, try your best to get as many
are, whether it is an apprentice zombie or a blankets and beach balls in tow. Hmph.) players involved as possible. If you are a mes-
Death Lord, a farmer or a foreign spy. senger coming into town, yell out your mes-
Not all of these suggestions will apply in sage so lots of people can hear it. If you are the
all situations; if you are an NPC on a module, major Bad Guy for the event entering with your
you will not have as much freedom as a wan- minions, dont ask to speak privately to the
dering NPC on a weekend. Still, these are ba- nobles in townyell out your demands so that
sic guidelines that will enable both you and the everyone there can be a part of the plot and
players to have the best time possible. know what is going on. Dont be shy, just walk
This is the primary NPC rule: You are there up to PCs and start talking to them in order to
for the PCs to have fun. Your job is not to kill get them involved.
all the PCs. You are not the opposing team Remember that the goal is to entertain as
against the team of PCs. Your purpose is to many PCs as possible. Whenever it is logical
entertain the PCs. This means making every and possible, do everything in your power to
part you play exciting, unique, and memorable. involve many players.
Following the guidelines below will assist you
in meeting this goal. Know your character. When someone
deals with you as an NPC, they are looking at
Make sure you know the rules. The fact part of your characters life. It helps to give your
that you are reading this book gives you the character a life for them to see, and it makes
heads up on some players who show up having role-playing more fun and more natural.
only the vaguest idea of what to expect. If you are playing something with an in-
You are not expected to be a rules expert telligence enough to talk, you need to have some
at your first event even with this book, so when background information prepared in case the
in doubt, be careful and dont do anything if players question you. It is very important that
you are not sure whether it is allowed. you are ready to answer the questions without
If it is your first event, be sure to tell the hesitation or looking to the marshal for help. If
Monster Marshal so he or she can provide you you pause before every question, the players
with some training and then make sure you will easily figure out that what you are telling
travel with more experienced players at first. them is not important.
Follow their examples and you wont make a Have a name for your character. Whether
fool of yourself! its supplied to you or not, every character has
a name. It is awkward to greet Who goes
Behave as your character should. Act there? with Uh, can I get back to you on that?
logically and always have a reason for your If you dont have a name assigned, try to come
actions. Think about what you are and what you up with one that sounds distinctive and shows
want to accomplish. Simply wandering around a little imagination; if you use Fred the Bold
waiting for someone to kill you makes no sense, Remember that even stupid animals know you may find some PC yelling You cant be
and we want all of our NPCs to make sense. enough to hide in the bushes and surprise their Fred the Bold because I am!
Not all monsters (or people) act alike. prey, and will run away if the battle is going Think of your characters history. A mod-
Know how your particular monster acts and against them. As a monster with an intelligence ule script or weekend write-up may explain the
thinks. Goblins are stupid and easily tricked. that is probably greater than a fox or wolf, purpose of the encounter youre in, but will
Zombies move slowly and dont hit anything shouldnt your NPC do the same? Dont stand often tell you nothing of the character youre
that falls to the ground or remains motionless. in the middle of the road and say Come and playing beyond mages bodyguard. If you
Lizardmen speak with a lisping hiss and hate get me! and then fight until everyone in your intend to role-play at all as an NPC, you need
the cold. Mindless undead creatures cant talk. NPC party is completely dead. Yes, youre sup- more. Where are you from? What do you love
Know what your character is and how it acts posed to be there for the players to kill, but if and hate? What kind of training do you have?
before you go out and it will not only make you treat your NPCs as something other than What are your non-game skills? Why are you
your NPC more real to the player but will also fish-in-a-barrel, the players will have a lot more where you are?
let you have more fun as well. fun and you will too. If outnumbered or about Know the script. As an NPC you always
This rule also applies to where your char- to die, surrender or run away. Be logical. Mon- have some sort of guide to your role. It may be
acter travels. Have a reason for being where sters who run into town screaming and attack-
you are. If you are a monster, you probably have
absolutely no reason to go into town. If noth-
ing for no apparent reason until they are cut
down by surprised players are no fun. 25
a quick briefing from the Monster Marshal, but acter; change the way you walk, act and move. Die when youre dead. Your role-play-
it may sometimes be a more detailed script to Do everything you can to make each part you ing should continue through your death. If your
the weekend or a module. Read the whole write- play unique. NPC died, lie there until the party goes away.
up to understand how you and your encounter The only time you should even talk is if some-
fit in, and read your own encounter until you Answer What do I see? questions one is doing a described search on you. Never
know that you can do your part. The success of properly. Because it is hard to tell certain mon- walk around, congratulate the party on their
the adventure often depends on everything fit- sters apart simply because of the make-up, play- good fighting skills, read over the marshals
ting together completely, and knowing what ers are allowed to ask, What do I see? shoulder, or otherwise get in the way. Youre
youre building is the start. If you have to respond, give the basic de- dead!
scription as written on the Monster Card: Skel-
Be creative with every character. Too of- etal figure and not Liche with 145 Body Return the props. In many encounters,
ten NPCs will go to the Monster Marshal and Points and seven rituals. Remember to just give there will be some sort of prop used. Unless
say I have an idea! How about if I go out as a a description; dont identify what you are. you or the other NPCs bring your own, these
practically unkillable high level mage with are Alliance property, and you may be asked to
Dragon Magic and seven permanent magic sign out for them. Afterwards, try to make cer-
items(etc.) This causes a red flag to pop up tain that all props get back where they belong
in the Monster Marshals mind and will prob- and all private gimmicks are returned to their
ably do the exact opposite of what you want owners. Disappearing props are an expense that
that is, it will get you demoted to less powerful drains money we could be putting into improv-
positions with a more experienced NPC baby- ing events.
sitting you. You dont want that.
The way to get to play more powerful char- Wear your headband when not in-game.
acters is to first prove that you can handle the A white headband is how we tell players that
lower level characters. If you cant make a gob- you are not there in-game. If you are out-of-
lin interesting, why should the Monster Mar- game, be sure to have a white headband on.
shal trust you with a more important character? However, try not to make that happen too
If you want to play the bigger, more powerful often. If you are NPCing on a weekend and you
parts, you have to convince us that you can role- wish to travel from the NPC camp to the town
play and that you can be trusted with this power. to get a bite to eat, rather than show up in the
Remember that there is no such thing as a tavern with a white headband on, play a farmer
dull NPC unless you play it that way. Even a or traveler who is heading into town for a meal.
boring farmer selling his apples in town can be Ask the Monster Marshal and maybe there will
a memorable character. even be some information you can give out
while you are there.
Look good and feel good. The more you
look the part, the easier it will be for you to get Never improvise skills or creatures.
into the part and easier it will be for the players While creativity in performance is welcome,
to treat you as the part. taking major liberties with your NPC is not.
Wear your masks and makeup. Look at it There have been cases where a bored NPC has
from the players viewpoint: How do they know decided to become Supertroll with double the
youre a troll when all they see are three quick normal hit points and an enchanted blade that
lines of makeup on your cheeks? The makeup slays on every blow. In these cases the same
doesnt hurt, and the fun you will give players thing always happens: an adjudicator is in-
who will then talk about who great the battle formed, the massacre is declared to have never
was (instead of how cheesy the monsters happened somehow, everyone gets mad, and the
looked) is worth the time it takes. NPC gets a lecture and demoted to menial mon-
This is especially important if you are play- ster parts (Barney the one-armed goblin for
ing different NPCs during the weekend. If you Sometimes though, players metagame by you this event!).
havent changed your look between the time asking, What do I see? when they really cant It is fine to use your imagination within
you went out as the evil assassin and the time see anything. If asked What do I see? and the confines of your NPC character, such as
you went back to town as the innocent waif, you think they cant see you well (because its finding new ambush sites, playing new tricks
you are certain to be mistakenly identified and dark, or you are wearing a hood), you can re- on the players, or otherwise role-playing as your
ruin the fun for lots of players. spond Describe to me what you see. If they character would. It is quite another thing to give
Wear your costume. Your costume is as can prove that they can see you by saying some- yourself new skills, powers or treasure.
important as your face. Its the thing people will thing like You have white face makeup on It also includes not adding new plots. If
notice first. Bring a few things of your own to then you can give a better description such as your assignment was to go to the tavern and
augment the costumes you can use in NPC skeletal figure but if they say a hooded fig- sell some potions, dont create a backstory
camp. Jewelry, hats, sashes, belts, and armor ure then you respond then that is all you see where youre actually enslaved to do so and
all make distinctive changes in your appearance, at this point. your evil master is just outside of town.
and thus in your character. This all assumes that you are playing a bi- Doing these sorts of things is the quickest
Use accents and mannerisms. Your char- pedal creature. If you are playing a monster with way to never be allowed to NPC again.
acters can also be distinctive in other ways. Use a much different than human shape (bear, snake,
a different voice each time you play a new char- unicorn, etc.), then you should read the what Never target players. Your NPC probably
do I see description even if they dont ask first. does not know anyone in-game and therefore

26 This includes things like insects, animals, gi-

ant worms, and oozes.
should treat all players the same.
Walking around town looking for your
friends to interact with (or for your enemies to baddie captured a baron and held up his magic sters hang out. Try your best to avoid these
attack) is a certain way to get demoted and re- sword in front of the entire town. I will punish wimps.
moved. Keep your NPC neutral (unless the this baron for attacking me with this sword by Some players treat non-monster NPCs dif-
Monster Marshal specifically tells you to tar- using my Dragon Magic power to destroy it! ferently from PCs. These players will kill a
get someone). he said, and he began to start the incant. Just human NPC quicker than they would a human
then, from the back of the crowd, someone PC. This is metagaming and should be discour-
Dont see the players as the enemy. Too threw a lowly Disarm spell which sailed over aged. If a player asks you the out-of-game ques-
often, NPCs forget that their primary purpose everyones head and hit the NPC square in the tion Are you an NPC? you should lie and say
is to provide the players with a fun and chal- no. They shouldnt be asking that question
lenging encounter. An unwinnable battle that in the first place. If they kill you, you should
cant be run away from is no fun. NPCing is check with the Monster Marshal to see if your
not your excuse to be the powerful being your NPC would resurrect in the local Healers
PC character is not. Guild. If the Monster Marshal approves it, then
As an NPC you should never give a Kill- do what your NPC would logically doeither
ing Blow unless you have been instructed to do try to exact revenge or bring charges up to the
so by the Monster Marshal. In any event, every local law authority.
time a Killing Blow is given it should make
sense. Players generally do not object to taking Report bad players to a Marshal. If you
a death if they have done something wrong or encounter a cheater or a metagamer, do not at-
if they lost a winnable battle through their own tempt to argue the point with the player. Your
incompetence but they do object if there was recourse is to ask for the players name, not to
nothing they could do about itand that usu- lecture. Let the marshals straighten out conflicts.
ally happens when the Killing Blow doesnt Thats what theyre there for.
make in-game sense. Similarly, if that player is upset with you
Dont overkill. Imagine this scenario: the and wants to know your name or player num-
Monster Marshal has sent you out roaming the ber, you must give it. Dont argue. Remember
town as an immensely powerful vampire. A poor that everyone in our gameboth players and
inexperienced first level fighter runs up to you, NPCsalways has the right to ask the out-of-
and attacks without realizing what hes getting game names of other players. You should not
into. Dont immediately destroy him with one feel insulted if someone asks you.
blow or spellthats no fun for the player. You Also: report good players! Players who are
should instead parry him a bit while yelling out excellent role-players, never cheat, and help
the huge amount of damage you will inflict upon make a fun game for everyone should be ac-
him if he doesnt wise up and run away. Taunt knowledged and thanked. Tell a marshal (and
him. Role-play with him. If he insists on fight- when youre a player, be sure to report good
ing you even after this warning, then teach him NPCs too).
a lesson. Stupid should hurt as the saying chest. The Dragon Mage, of course, had all sorts Remember, your job as an NPC is to be
goes. of spell protectives on, but the NPC playing the actor the players meet to make the game
Heres a true example: An evil liche and the part saw how cool this would be for the more enjoyable for them. You are not merely
his minions were traveling through the town storyline, and he dropped the sword. The crowd battle opponents. Think of every character you
late one moonless night when they came upon cheered and lunged into battle, and it became a play as being unique and interesting and make
a lone adventurer on a bridge. Be careful! great tale players would recall for years to come. them so. Be proud of your work!
said the player, I hear theres a liche out to- So basically, while its wrong to give your- You are here for the PCs enjoyment. But
night! The NPC walked towards the player un- self extra powers to make a cool story, there is dont think its all workIf you abide by these
til the deaths-face make up identified him as no problem with ignoring some of your powers guidelines, you too will have great adventures
the liche in question, and as the player shiv- for the same reason. and fun.
ered in his boots, the NPC smiled and whis-
pered, Yes, I know. Giving an evil laugh, he Dont let the players bully you. Some
and his minions then continued across the players on a weekend will try to follow you
NPC Documentation
bridge. The player in this example had a ter- around when you are out-of-game, waiting for Every NPC is required to have documen-
rific encounter that he can tell everyone about you to put on your mask so they can rush in tation (usually in the form of a monster card)
over and over again. and attack you. Or they may merely hang out to prove that he or she has the powers, spells,
And that is what the game is all about near the NPC camp waiting for you to come and items they are using in an encounter. If a
having fun encounters! Imagine how little fun out. Do not play with them. They are cheating. group of NPCs are out together and all have
that player would have had if the NPC had If they attack you, yell Hold and then tell them the same abilities, then only one is required to
merely attacked and killed the poor fellow. that you refuse to acknowledge them. If they have the documentation.
continue to do such things, be sure to report The documentation may also be held by a
Let the players do cool things. Along the them to the Monster Marshal. marshal who is overseeing the encounter.
same lines as the last point, if the players do To a lesser extent, this also applies to high The documentation can only be adjusted,
something really interesting that would make a level players who hang around town waiting changed, or approved by an authorized mar-
great story, you should probably let them do it. for low level NPCs to wander by. These play- shal and never by the NPC.
Were all in this together to make the best story ers jump in before any low level players can A player can challenge an NPC and re-
we can, and sometimes it helps the game to let arrive, knock these NPCs down with one or two quest to see the documentation. If a marshal is
the players get away with something even if the quick blows, and then collect the loot. They
NPC could have stopped them.
Heres another true example: The evil
should be picking on someone their own size
outside of town where the higher level mon- 27
nearby, the NPC can refuse to show the card A monster may also have different skills estimate as to the power of the monster in PC
and show it to the marshal instead. Any prob- and abilities depending on which chapter and level terms. This number does not include any
lems should be brought to the attention of a campaign you play. So never get too confident PC skills that may be added to the monster, as
marshal so that it can be verified that the NPC that you know every monster out there. certain monster skills are not easily equitable
is playing the correct part and using the correct Remember: The information on the NPC into Build Point costs.
skills. documentation and in this section is out-of-
NPCs are only allowed to give Killing game. Even though you saw a monster card that What do I See?: This is what the NPC
Blows if the documentation gives them that said a monster was immune to sleep, your char- should answer if a PC asks, What do I see?
ability. This includes taking actions that are acter would only know that your Sleep spell
equivalent to forcing a resurrection such as had no effect when you tried it or when you Appearance Notes: This is the minimum
pulling a dead or unconscious character behind were told in-game that it would not work. To makeup requirements for an NPC playing that
enemy lines, placing that character in a Circle do otherwise would be metagaming, which is monster.
of Power or behind a Ward or Wizard Lock, or considered cheating.
otherwise hiding that character in such a way Total Points: This is the total amount of
as to prevent other players from finding the points the monster can take before it is reduced
body. This does not include standing over the
Monster Cards to zero. This will include the monsters Body
body to prevent the person from being saved, Every NPC you play should have a mon- Points and natural armor.
which is perfectly allowable. ster card. A sample card is above. The card con- If the monster is wearing armor or has a
NPCs are also only allowed to search and/ tains the following information: Shield, Bless, or has additional Body Points
or steal from players if the documentation added due to having PC levels, then these
clearly states so. Moreover, they may only Monster Name: This is the name com- should be added to total points.
search and/or steal to the degree to which the monly used to refer to the monster.
documentation allows them. Armor: This field is the type and/or num-
For example, an NPC may only have the Monster Type: This tells you what cat- ber of Armor Points the monster is entitled to.
right to steal anything obvious (such as weap- egory the monster falls into and is a good way If the field says Must Wear Rep, the monster
ons or other hand held possessions) but not to sort monsters. must wear actual armor and have an armor tag
necessarily to search through pockets or (which can be obtained as treasure) to get Ar-
pouches; an NPC may have the right to break Monster Rank: There are six ranks of mor Points.
into cabins and search through possessions monsters and this quickly lets you know how If the field says Natural Armor #, then
(with a marshal nearby of course); an NPC may these monsters rate in regards to toughness, the monster automatically has natural armor of
have the right to search only for specific items especially concerning monsters of the same that number.
(such as healing potions it can use on itself). type. This rank is especially important for un- Natural armor can be refitted if the NPC
The extent to which the NPC can steal or search dead, where the lesser undead can be controlled kneels down for an uninterrupted 60 seconds.
should be documented. by the effect Control Undead. The rank des- This does not require the PC skill blacksmith.
Note that occasionally a monsters abili- ignations may also correspond to various ritu- If this field says None, the NPC may
ties may change from event to event or even als. not benefit from any armor.
during an event. This can be the result of many The ranks in order are:
things, from mutation to strange magics to a Fodder (Lesser) Threshold: A monster with a threshold is
new tribe moving into the area. Just because a Lackey (Lesser) immune to any weapon attacks that are equal
monster had an ability or skill one time you Servant (Lesser) to or less than its threshold number.
met it does not guarantee it will be exactly the Minion (Greater) If the monster is hit for body damage, it
same every other time. Overlord (Greater) will call No effect to all weapon attacks that
Master (Greater) do damage equal to its threshold or less.

28
Magic Armor spells, armor (including
ACE: ACE stands for Average Charac- natural armor), and Shield spells are all affected
ter Equivalent. This number provides a rough before a monster can call No effect.
 The Game World
The Alliance is trying to create and repre-
sent a fantasy world based primarily on medi-
eval Europe. However, this is merely the start-
ing point: the game encompasses much more,
and you will find as you play that there are so-
cieties in the game that are a mixture of real
world cultures and purely fantastic ones.
Remember that we are creating a world
here as we want it to be and not how it really
was, so dont be picky about historical inaccu-
racies. We have people wearing costumes that
would have been worn from 600 to 1600; we
have weapons that did not exist during certain
periods; we have laws and systems of govern-
ment that are modern in concept.
And thats how we want it. Lets face it,
once you bring magic into it, you have already
moved away from historical accuracy anyway.
Always keep in mind that the Alliance LARP is
not a re-creation game, but a fantasy game.

Discrimination
There is no discrimination allowed against
players in our game. You cannot be denied a
position as a noble, a member of the army or
any other plot-sponsored group on the basis of The highest noble in the land (usually a
your out-of-game race, religion, gender, age (as
Science king or queen) owns all of the land in the king-
long as youre old enough to play), handicap, How advanced is science? Well, scholars dom but may grant land to others in exchange
sexual orientation, or country of origin. are aware that our planet is not the center of the for fealty and promises to support the crown,
However, this does not mean that the in- solar system and that the world is not flat. They provide troops in times of war, pay taxes, and
game world is a egalitarian paradise. There are are also aware of the existence of real elements otherwise obey their liege. These people are the
countries and people who will discriminate (as opposed to the traditional magical elements vassals who in turn have vassals of their own.
against your in-game race, for instance. of Earth, Air, Water and Fire) and of basic These vassals, all of whom have titles ap-
For example, Untok the high orc hates all nonmagical healing techniques. Lenses for eye- propriate to their station (duke, baroness,
dwarves. He thinks they are the lowest form of glasses and telescopes are in existence but are knight, etc.) are nobles. All others are common-
life and he kills them whenever he gets the generally of poor quality. There are compasses ers. Commoners are the backbone of the soci-
chance. Players who have dwarven characters and navigational materials for traveling. ety. They are the farmers, craftsmen, healers,
that are killed by him cannot claim that they In general, scientific evolution in the world soldiers, and workers.
are being discriminated against, because this has been stunted by the prevalence of magic. Somewhere between the nobles and the
is an in-game discrimination only. Astrology and magic are considered scientific commoners are the adventurers. Adventurers get
All players should try to distinguish be- facts. their respect from the deeds they accomplish
tween in-game prejudices and out-of-game In most campaigns, you will find that the and usually because they have a fair amount of
prejudices. Steer clear of the issue altogether if science will be right at the verge of the renais- money (compared to the lowly commoner at
possible. sance, on the tail end of the Dark Ages. least).
Further, you should try to avoid making a Being an epic fantasy game, most of our
character history that may rely on real world players are nobles and adventurers, not com-
racial or cultural stereotypes. For example, if
Government moners. Although a real medieval town would
you want to play a wild elf based on an Ameri- Our present-day concept of democracy is have many commoners walking the streets sell-
can Indian culture, please make sure that you a foreign idea to the people of Fortannis. There ing their goods, tending the fields, and doing
know something about that culture. If you walk may be some places that have a very limited the other day-to-day tasks that a society needs,
around saying ugh and how and calling version of democracyfor example, the nobles no player wants to spend their time doing these
people keemosabe then you may be asked to are allowed to vote on certain issuesbut that roles. For game purposes, assume that all of
stop. Even if no insult was intended, the result is the extent of it. Even peasants who revolt these support people are out there doing their
could be taken that way, so if you are not sure, against unfair nobles never think to replace their jobs. You will meet NPCs playing these parts.
avoid it. government with a democracy, but only to re- Each noble owes responsibilities to the
The most important thing is to prevent place it with a fairer monarch. commoners as much as the commoners owe
your character from being insulting to other Most Alliance games will take place in a responsibilities to the noble. In return for taxes
players who, in real life, are from that culture. form of a medieval feudal society. This means and other services, the nobles are expected to
At the risk of saying we want PCPCs (Politi- that there is a strongly observed hierarchy. This
cally Correct Player Characters), please be care-
ful. Just think first.
is not a system of equality, but a system of duty
to ones superior in exchange for support. 29
protect the commoners from monsters, crimi-
nals, and invaders, to provide for their well-
being, health, and education, to promote jus-
tice, and to use their skills and income for the
betterment and protection of the people.
In exchange, the commoners are required
to pay their taxes, serve in the militia in times
of need, report criminal activity, and address
and treat all nobles with the respect they are
due.

Societal Conventions
The following four laws form the basic
customs of the society and are obeyed by all,
from the highest noble to the lowest peasant.
These laws are so ingrained that they are rarely
challenged. Any person found to have dis-
obeyed these laws would be shunned by all as
an untrustworthy villain.

Hospitality: Any person who is invited

into your home or holdings accepts your hos-
pitality and will be treated as a guest with the
respect due their class and station. This person,
even if an enemy, will be given protection while
in your home from you and your household. If
any harm were to befall your guest, you would ing someone not related to them as their suc- Knights are addressed as Good Sir Knight or
be responsible. By accepting your hospitality, cessor. Good Dame Knight.
your guest also agrees to give you respect where This is not historically accurate of course,
it is due, to not take any aggressive action, and but in our game, you must earn everything, in- Lord/Lady: A Lord or Lady is usually the
to not take advantage of your goodwill. cluding noble titles. spouse or child of a noble. They deserve re-
spect as a noble but cannot perform any noble
Loyalty: A person who swears fealty to duties or own an estate. They are addressed as
you as their liege will obey you and be loyal to
Titles and Rankings Your Lordship or Your Ladyship.
you, and you must in turn be loyal to them. The following lists the most common titles
you are likely to encounter. Magistrate: Magistrates are granted the
Kinship: A member of your family must right to try commoners and dispense justice in
be loyal to you and you must be loyal to them. King/Queen: This monarch is the final the lands of their liege. Their decisions can be
Because they are family, they are worthy of your word on all matters and that word is literally overturned by any noble of their liege. Although
trust. the law. They would be addressed as Your Maj- not usually noble, they are treated with respect
esty. due a noble and are addressed as My Lord Mag-
Honor: Each individual is considered to istrate or My Lady Magistrate.
be able to defend their honor by the use of arms Prince/Princess: These are the children
or magic. This type of activity is governed by of the King and Queen. They are addressed as Guildmaster/Guildmistress: Though not
local laws that may differ between nobility and Your Highness. a noble title, the head of a chartered Mages
commoner. This law does not mean, however, Guild or Healers Guild is often accorded the
that every slight must be met on the Battle- Duke/Duchess: This title is granted by the same respect as a knight, though obviously
field of Honor. crown and carries with it a duchy, which can without the knights duties or powers. They
then be divided into counties, baronies, and es- are addressed as Guildmaster or Guildmistress.
Titles and Inheritance tates. They are addressed as Your Grace.
Sheriff: The Sheriff is appointed by the
All noble titles that are obtainable by char- Count/Countess: This title grants sover- Magistrate and is responsible for appointing and
acters must be earned. Simply because your eignty over a portion of the lands, usually en- maintaining the Town Guard. They are com-
character history has your father as the duke compassing a number of baronies. They are moners but with special duties. They are ad-
does not automatically mean that you will be- addressed as My Lord Count or My Lady Count- dressed as MLord, MLady, or Sheriff.
come duke. You must first work your way up ess.
the chain of command by becoming a squire Guard: A guard is a person granted the
and then passing the rigorous tests of knight- Baron/Baroness: This title is inherited or right to uphold the laws and settle minor dis-
hood. granted and has sovereignty over a number of putes within the lands of their immediate liege
Then, even after you do all of that, you estates grouped together into a barony. They only. They are addressed as MLord, MLady,
may still be denied being named as heir. There are addressed as My Lord Baron or My Lady or Guard.
is nothing preventing a nobleperson from nam- Baroness.
Squire: A squire is a knight in training.

30 Knight: A knight is a person who is

granted sovereignty over at least one estate.
They hold no power and are not considered no-
bility. They are addressed as Squire.
 Adventurer: Adventurers are not nobles
but get respect from merchants and common
townsfolk, if for no other reason than they fight
against the monsters that plague the land. Ob-
viously, the more powerful you are as an ad-
venturer the more respect you get. They are ad-
dressed as MLord or MLady.

Merchant: A merchant is an upper class

or wealthy commoner who may even own some
land if granted to them by their liege. They are
addressed as Good Merchant, MLord, or
MLady.

Common Townsfolk: These are the regu-

lar citizens who do the daily work a society
needs, from farming to bookkeeping. They do
not own land. They are addressed as Goodman
or Goodwoman.

Noble Powers
Nobility carries with it power and respon-
sibility. If you are able to work your way up the
chain of command to obtain a noble title, take
this seriously. Your actions will affect the game
greatly, and if you abuse your power (or fail to
show up for many events) you may find your
title removed.
Power is hierarchal. Everyone on the list
must obey the lawful orders of all nobles above
them on the list. For instance, a knight must
obey a baron, countess, prince, or king; how- would also owe fealty to all those to whom that Becoming a Noble
ever, an adventurer is not required to obey the knight swore.
orders of a squire, because a squire is not a If someone higher than you gives an or- Becoming a noble is a goal for many play-
noble. der, you are required to obey it unless that or- ers. Nobility offers many benefits, not the least
However, there is more to this than mere der contradicts an order already given to you of which is being in the midst of a number of
obeyance of orders: This is a list of status and by your liege. interesting plots. Nobility also provides in-game
respect, and all those lower on the list are ex- For example, Sir Terin has sworn fealty power and, in some games, an automatic in-
pected to show respect to those above it. By to Baron Finther. Baroness Darlissa walks by come.
that standard, an adventurer should always show and orders Sir Terin to accompany her as a Because this position provides such ben-
respect to a squire and should obey the squires bodyguard. Sir Terin is required to obey be- efits, it is not easy to obtain. To become a knight,
orders (but is still not required to). cause she is higher in the hierarchy that he is. you will have to prove your worth through a
Commoners owe respect to the nobles be- This is true even though he has not sworn fe- series of tests and challenges.
cause nobles protect them against marauding alty to her. Being a noble has little to do with your
monsters, ensure that there is a flowing If, however, Baron Finther had earlier fighting or spellcasting skills and everything to
economy, strengthen the lands ties to the given him a command to wait there for a visit- do with your role-playing skills. Stay in char-
throne, and generally maintain a status quo to ing dignitary, then Sir Terin could refuse Bar- acter, wear a great costume, and most impor-
keep the citizens one step away from anarchy. oness Darlissas command, explaining his rea- tantly, act like a noble.
Because of all this hard work, if a noble gives a son in the process. Earning your knighthood is a reward. Its
commoner an order, that person is obligated to A good example of this chain of command a quest. Its not a right. Take it seriously. All
obey it. Although there is no Oath of Fealty can be found in the modern day army of nearly players should respect you for all the hard work
between the commoner and the noble, the rela- every country. A private who is a member of you did to achieve knighthood even if their char-
tion is implied because of the services the noble Company A must still obey orders given by a acter doesnt respect your character.
provides to the commoner. sergeant of Company B. It is assumed that this
Does this mean that the nobles have free power will not be abused or misused. The Laws of the Land
reign over the commoners? Of course not. A To summarize then, all commoners (in-
noble who orders commoners to take suicidal cluding adventurers) must obey all nobles of There is a gray area in dealing with the in-
actions or who pushes them around for no rea- any rank, and must obey magistrates, sheriffs, game laws. Because of our modern ideas of jus-
son places himself or herself at risk of losing and guards when they are acting in their capac- tice, we cant use the traditional medieval ways
their noble title. The nobles lieges are obligated ity to make arrests and prosecute crimes. All of determining guilt or innocence, nor do we
to investigate any charges of wrongdoing by nobles must obey any nobles of a higher rank want to. In those days, trial-by-combat was seen
the nobility. provided those orders are not contradictory to as just because the hand of god guided the
Note that all Oaths of Fealty (even implied orders already given by their lieges. Serious
ones) extend up the chain of command. Thus a
squire who swore an Oath of Fealty to a knight
consequences could befall those who do not do
so. 31
righteous and made sure the good guy won. Ob- Here is where the role-playing can come
viously, in a religion-free game as ours this in. The suspect must produce witnesses and evi-
Economics
would not be acceptable. dence to convince the magistrate that maybe You will be earning game money in vari-
In some fantasy worlds, truth spells or the wrong person was arrested or that they didnt ous ways. You can sell the items you make with
other magical means can be used for determin- do it. your Production Points; you can earn money
ing guilt. However, these things cut role play- Think of it as the balancing scales of jus- from your Craftsman skill; you can beg, bor-
ing out of the equation. What need is there of a tice. We cant put exact numbers on this, but row or steal; and of course, you can find trea-
trial if a simple spell can solve the problem? imagine that the sheriff is giving the magistrate sure on monsters and in modules.
No matter how smart the criminal, he or she all of the evidence he or she has collected. Each For anything to be valuable it has to be
would always be caught, and thats not much piece of evidence pushes the scales farther and scarce. Diamonds would be worth little if they
fun. farther to the right, indicating guilt. It is practi- were as common as quartz. Monetary treasure
If you take truth spells and real medieval cally impossible to amass enough evidence to is limited for that reason. All chapters abide by
justice options such as trial-by-combat out make the scales tip completely to the right, but a strict treasure policy that limits what they can
of the equation, we are left only with role-play- once it has tipped more than 50%, it is certainly provide per event, based on the number of at-
ing as a way to determine guilt or innocence. worth the questioning of the main suspect. tendees and their average level.
We do not have at our disposal fingerprinting, If the suspect has a criminal record or a So what can you do with your money once
DNA sampling, lie detector tests, or any mod- seedy reputation, the scale tips a little more to you earn it? There are a number of things.
ern ways of gathering evidence. We cant even the right. (This of course happens in our mod- First of all, you will always need to pay
alchemize blood to tell what race the blood ern system as well.) for spells, potions, armor and other items you
came from! Now the suspect is brought in. If the sus- can buy from your fellow players. You may also
Therefore, absent crimes committed in pect is a good liar, perhaps the scales can be be paying fellow players for Formal Magic ritu-
front of witnesses, our chances of proving a tilted back to the left a bit. If the suspect has als to be performed, or for bodyguarding, or
criminal guilty beyond a reasonable doubt some reliable witnesses with good reputations for other services.
(the modern standard) are practically nil. who will testify on his or her behalf, perhaps Some players prefer to save their money
This doesnt make sense from a gaming the scales tip back a bit more. If the suspect is for late night gambling sessions in the tavern,
perspective. The chance of getting caught and able to tip the scales back enough so that there or for hiring bards to perform for them or write
being found guilty must be present in the game is sufficient doubt (not beyond a reasonable stories about them.
for two reasons: doubt) then it is likely that the charges will And then there will almost always be mer-
First, the characters who commit crimes not be pressed. chants coming through town from time to time
need to face a risk for them to have fun. The This is all assuming the suspect is actu- selling their wares or holding an auction of
adrenaline rush and the plot associated with ally guilty. If the suspect is innocent, it should magical items.
committing the perfect crime and getting not be too difficult to really produce reliable The Guilds usually have items for sale as
away with it are exciting, but greatly lessened evidence and witnesses to prove itunless of well, from ritual components and magic items
if the chance of getting away with it is too course the suspect is being framed. to spells, potions, and scrolls. And of course,
easy. Bungee jumping is exciting too but not The bottom line is that your game will in- you will have to pay for your resurrections and
so much if youre only jumping a few feet and clude a legal system that provides the greatest identifications (usually a gold or so for each).
know that you have no chance of getting hurt. amount of role-playing without being unfair to You may also have to pay bribes to get
It would be like only fighting goblins all the either the accused or the lawgivers. information you receive, and you may wish to
time no matter how high level you are. contribute your wealth to a worthy cause such
Without a challenge and a risk, there is no as an orphanage or healing center.
excitement.
Transportation You can also buy items that will help you
Second, and related to the first, the play- Moving through the fantasy world of For- round out your character history concepts as
ers whose characters try to capture and expose tannis is slow, as it was in the medieval days. well as help you with plot submissions, such as
the criminals need to know that they have some Your character may decide to travel between horses, homes, ships, and other out-of-play
chance of success as well. No one wants to feel events and see the country, and a good horse or items. These items are meant to be for role-play-
like they have wasted their time or that they are cart can greatly affect your travel time. ing purposes only, such as for plot submissions.
fighting an unwinnable battle. Generally speaking, a caravan or single You will receive a tag for each of these items.
Therefore, the legal system in most Alli- rider with provisions can travel about 30 miles You can lend or sell the item to your friends by
ance games system has to be fair to the players a day cross country. This assumes good weather giving them the tag.
while at the same time (a) making sense in-game on good roads. Bad weather and bad or no roads Note that you will not be given a tag for
given our medieval fantasy world and (b) al- can cut that in half easily. every bloody item you have! We dont want to
lowing there to be a chance that characters who A single rider dressed light without many have to make tags for every lamp in your house
commit crimes might actually get caught. provisions can travel maybe ten to twenty more. and every stray cat you take in. The tags are for
The obvious solution is, especially since A messenger pushing a horse can do about 80 items that could affect your character in mean-
we do not have modern investigative tools at miles a day, but the horse will not be good for ingful ways.
our disposal, not to use modern standards. much use for quite some time afterwards. Following are some of the things you can
We instead turn the burden of proof around A hiker with provisions can travel up to buy. Your campaign may have other items as
in dealing with in-game justice. 25 miles without a horse, but there will be plenty well and prices may vary in your game based
Instead of the sheriff having to prove a sus- of resting the next day. on local economics.
pect guilty, if there is a preponderance of the Traveling by water is similar, depending These items can be purchased at Logistics
evidence against the suspect, then the burden on the type of ship, the water being traversed, or through in-game merchants, or may be given
is on the suspect to prove his or her innocence. and whether one is traveling upstream or down- as rewards or found as treasure.
(This is also a lot more historically accurate.) stream or against the currents or with the cur- All costs are in coppers and are the basic
rent. costs for these items. By spending more than

32 Keep these times in mind when deciding

what your character does between events.
the base cost, you can make your item larger,
better, fancier, or more to your liking.
 and is not seaworthy, but meant for calm rivers Wooden
Item Costs only. 3 room cottage 1,500
Animals A Small Boat holds one to three people Additional room 500
Animals such as horses will help with your and can only hug coasts or travel in small lakes. Stone
travel time. This list is only for trained animals, This is basically a small rowboat or a canoe. 3 rooms 3,000
which of course are expensive. A Long Boat holds six to thirty people and Additional room 1,000
Riding Horse 300 can travel in harsher waters. A small Viking Keep 25,000
Draft Horse 400 rowing boat is a good example of a Long Boat.
War Horse 1,000 A Small Merchant Ship holds twelve to Hirelings
Dog (Guard/war) 200 eighteen people plus cargo. It will usually have NPC hirelings can sometimes be obtained
Dog (Hunting) 100 sails. at the rate of their Craftsman level of profi-
Hawk/Falcon 100 A Large Merchant Ship holds 24 to 36 ciency.
people plus cargo. It will definitely be a sailing For example, if you wish to hire someone
Ground Transport ship. with the skill Craftsman: Artisan 1 to paint your
Wagon prices do not include horses or Remember, the pricing does not include portrait, it will cost you one silver per day
fancy decorations/additions, such as spikes on additions like ballistas and harpoons, nor does the same as a player character would make per
the wheels or ballista out of the back door or a it include a crew. day for their craftsman skill. If you want to hire
roof. Barge/Raft 10 Michelangelo with Craftsman: Artisan 30, then
Open wagon: Boat, Small 200 it will cost you 30 silver pieces per day. The
1 horse 10 Boat, Long 600 - 3,000 more talent, the more you have to pay. Materi-
2 horses 20 Merchant, Small 6,000 als are not included.
4 horses 40 Merchant, Large 12,000 Hirelings will never have Production Point
Covered wagon (cloth): skills or spellcasting ability. Such items and
1 horse 30 Housing spells must be acquired in-game.
2 horses 60 These prices and the descriptions are the Note that availability of these hirelings is
4 horses 120 absolute minimum. They can be augmented to determined entirely by the Plot Committee. If
Covered wagon (wood): include extra rooms, more towers, artwork, se- you want to hire 100 miners to search for gold,
1 horse 100 cret passages, etc. These prices do not include but only 23 are looking for work right now, then
2 horses 200 any furnishings other than the bare minimum. you will just get what is available. And there is
4 horses 400 A keep is defined as a small castle with no guarantee that they wont keep some of the
10 rooms, 4 guard towers, a small moat and a gold for themselves, either...but then, without
Water Transport drawbridge. You can build from there. conflict, there is no plot!
Before giving the prices, let us define our Players who buy houses might wish to
terms.
A Barge or Raft holds one to two people
submit floor plans and other descriptions to the
Plot Committee. 33
 The Alliance Code of Conduct
the call, Two Disintegrate! you have the right
The Good Sport Rule to refuse to accept that call since there is no
There is an underlying principle behind disintegrate in this book.
all of the many rules in this book. This prime With all that said, let us point out that there
directive is actually very simple: We expect may be exceptions to all of this. If a marshal is
you to be a good sport. present and overseeing the encounter and ex-
Some PCs have taken advantage of the plains to all what the powers are, then you
rules, bullied other players, and made the game should accept the word of the marshal.
not fun for others and then claim in their de- For instance, there are no specific rules
fense Hey, I havent violated any rules and here for magical portals that can transport you
besides, its all in-game. This is not good through space and time, but you may still run
sportsmanship. across them in your game, controlled com-
The idea here is that you should play your pletely by the local Plot Committee.
character concept, whether good or evil, while There may also be special powers that are
at the same time keep the good of the game and unique to your particular event. However, even
the interests of your fellow players in mind. these special powers must always be docu-
Dont be a bully. Allow everyone to have fun. mented.
Example one: Terin is walking along the
No Cheating: The Alliance LARP system road when suddenly a monster jumps out and
is set up to allow players to have as much free- throws a packet at him, saying Arcane True
dom as possible, able to do things without su- Sight! The monster then disappears. The NPC
pervision. We rely on the honesty of all players with it and dont question the marshals ruling then hands Terin an official document from the
in order to make it work. the marshal may have been aware of facts Plot Committee which explains that he now has
Therefore, we take cheating very seriously unavailable to you or may be making a deci- the ability to tell whether any monster in town
and take action against players who are not tak- sion based on what was intended by the rule. is actually a doppelganger. The documentation
ing their damage, using spells and items they If you feel the marshals decision was in- is signed by the proper person in charge and
dont have, or otherwise are ignoring our rules. correct or unfair, you may bring this to the at- explains exactly how the skill works. Whenever
The way to make the system work best is tention of an adjudicator after the event. You Terin uses this skill, he must show the card to
through peer pressure. You, the player, need to must announce your intention of adjudicating whoever asks.
watch other players to make sure they are obey- before either the end of the event or before res- Example two: At the start of the event, the
ing the rules and you need to check up on it urrecting in the case of a death. All adjudica- Plot Committee announced out-of-game that
and report it if you think they are not. tions should be submitted in writing within a the players may meet some monsters which call
The Alliance LARP is basically a club, month of the incident. out ennui as damage. They then explain ex-
with membership fees and member require- Do not nitpick on the details of the situa- actly how players are to react when hit with
ments. You dont have a right to play our tionunderstand and follow the intent of the this call and what can defend against it. They
game. If you are violating the rules or the Code rules. If you play fair and be considerate of ev- then provide a write up so that anyone who en-
of Conduct and are ruining the fun of other play- eryone elses enjoyment of the game, your com- counters such a monster when there are no mar-
ers, then we can prohibit you from playing. ments will be taken more seriously and will be shals present can check the documentation to
better respected. make sure there are no disputes.
Note that any such attack, skill, or power
Spirit of the Rules which does not exist in this book does not trans-
Remember that in all cases where there
Checking Tags fer from one chapter to another without express
seems to be a conflict, it is the spirit of the rule If someone seems to have extraordinary permission from both chapters.
and not the literal meaning of the rule that powers, you have the right to challenge them
should guide you.
If you find a loophole in a rule that obvi-
for proof of what they claim. No one should
have an item or a power that is not documented
Regulated Behavior
ously goes against the rules intention, then you somewhere. If the person you challenged can- Arguing with marshals over rules calls.
should bring this to your local Rules Commit- not produce a tag, monster card, character card, PCs who constantly argue with marshals over
tee. Knowingly trying to take advantage of this or other official proof of the powers, then the every rule call or who constantly try to worm
unintended loophole is cheesy at best and could abilities do not exist. You are not required to information out of a marshal are not playing as
be considered cheating at worse if your inter- accept anything that is not documented. good sports. This is not to say that every mar-
pretation is gravely in contrast. Checking tags and skill cards is a neces- shal is always right, nor that you dont have the
If there is a dispute over a rules interpre- sary part of the game and should be done even right to disagree with a marshals ruling; only
tation between players, a marshal should be if you trust the other player. Even our most ex- that excessive arguments will seem like poor
called to act as an arbitrator. When dealing with perienced players have been known to make sportsmanship. Keep your disagreements rea-
a marshal or other game representative, you can mistakes about which skills they have, how they sonable and keep your voice down, and if you
help by presenting your case calmly and by an- are used, and whether they have used up that disagree with a ruling, file an adjudication later.
swering all of the marshals questions as directly skill that day. By always checking, these mis-
as possible. Once a decision is made, play along takes can be limited. Breaking Character. This includes PCs
You should not accept skills or effects that who dont even make an attempt at a costume,

34 are not in this book without proper authoriza-

tion. For instance, if a monster hits you with
continually talk out-of-game, walk through the
game out-of-game and talk to other players who
are in-game (even if they have a white head- alcohol in the parking lot or anywhere on the
band on), smoke in non-smoking areas, and oth- premises, even before the game begins; nor
erwise show no respect for the PCs who are can you go offsite to drink and then return to
trying to stay in-game. play.
Note that this also includes prescription
Threatening, taunting or teasing other drugs which may limit your ability to react or
PCs out of game. Once the game is over, your think clearly. You need to be of a clear mind to
characters feelings should be over too. Saying play or else you may be placing the safety of
things OOG to other players like When were others in jeopardy.
in game, my PC is going to murder your PC We will remove any member who we sus-
over and over until you dont resurrect any pect is intoxicated or high.
more falls under this category. This works both
ways and also includes the victims. Whining Real Weapons. If you bring a real weapon
and complaining about what happened to your into a game, you will be told to put it away.
character and bothering the players who did it Real weapons can never be carried on your per-
to you is just as bad. Its just a game. son. (Swiss army knives, small thieves tool
knives and other such devices are acceptable.)
PC Bashing. This is a tough call. Gener- Daggers may be carried for eating/utility pur-
ally speaking, PC bashing is when a character poses, but they must be peace bonded (tied
kills a much lower level character for no real in a sheath) when not at the table.
in-game reason other than I felt like it. This
really doesnt happen that often in this game, Smoking. Smoking is only permitted in
fortunately. Most PC to PC deaths do have a more coins, thus using up real money that could designated smoking areas. This is for the con-
reason, even if the reason was minimal (I dont have been spent elsewhere. sideration for the other players, for fire safety,
like him; weve been arguing for months and I and because it takes away from the medieval
wanted to teach him a lesson). PC bashing re- Gossiping. Gossip can ruin our game. feel of the games. Carrying an unlit pipe and
fers mostly to cases where a powerful PC kills Hearsay and innuendo are not wanted. pretending to be smoking it is allowed.
a low level PC just because they can. If you think someone is cheating or meta-
There is no challenge in it, no sport, no gaming, dont whine and complain to your Torches and Flames. The rules on
reason, and, like the bully who beats up the little friends about itreport it to a marshal! And if candles, torches and flames vary based on each
kids on the playground, is a sign of immaturity. a marshal comes to you and asks about a pos- sites rules. They are generally not allowed, but
We dont need that kind of attitude in this game. sible cheating situation, please cooperate and there may be exceptions, so check with the game
dont take it personally. before lighting any flames. Even if allowed,
Plot Bashing. Generally speaking, there If someone makes an accusation against flames are never to be left unattended.
is nothing wrong with your character trying to someone else in your presence, ask How do In order to use a flashlight for in-game pur-
destroy the plot. For instance, if you and your you know that? If they have firsthand infor- poses, you must have someone cast a Light
friends decide to help the evil bad guy open the mation, ask Why havent you reported this to spell. The flashlight must be diffused by either
rift and destroy the entire city, more power to a marshal? If they dont have firsthand infor- taping a cloth over the end or using a red filter
you. The game is designed to be open-ended mation, refuse to listen to them. and must be pointed towards the ground or up
enough so that it is not always clear whether Only by working together and trusting in the air. A flashlight can never be pointed near
the good guys or the bad guys will win. each other enough to give each other the ben- or at a persons face.
Plot Bashing refers to PCs who bash efit of the doubt can we keep this game run- If you want to use your flashlight to rep-
plots for no in-game reason, much like the bul- ning fairly for everyone. resent a candle or a small torch, you must have
lies who PC Bash. in your possession somewhere a real candle or
For example, a group of PCs are about to Not reporting violations. If you know of torch that the flashlight represents.
go on a module that is specifically for them (a someone who is cheating, you should immedi- It should be noted that flashlights are
follow up to a plot submission or a character ately report this to a Marshal. Failure to do so highly discouraged, as they distract from the
history) and a Plot Basher who doesnt even only allows it to continue, impugns your own medieval feel of the game. Camping lights that
know the PCs comes along and kills the hook honor and integrity, and is considered a viola- look like lanterns are a much better choice.
or otherwise prevents the PCs from going on tion of the Good Sport rule. Liquid Light elixirs are encouraged and are
the adventure and having fun. Its another form usually represented by chemical light sticks.
of bullying that we dont need. Sexual Harassment or other forms of Matches exist in the world of Fortannis so
Discrimination. This is pretty obvious, and is that you do not have to bring flint and tinder
Props Bashing. OK, maybe bashing a direct violation of the Code of Conduct. No with you everywhere. Lighters are discouraged
isnt the right word. Generally, this refers to PCs one in our game is to be harassed or discrimi- but can be used to represent flint and steel.
who hog the props we give out, preventing us nated against based on race, sex, sexual orien-
from recycling them and costing us real money tation, country of origin, or religion. Anachronisms: Some anachronisms can-
to replace them. The bottom line is that we are trying to not be avoided (glasses, modern shoes, etc.).
For instance, some players have decided run a fair, fun game for as many players as pos- However, please make every attempt to avoid
that they hate getting copper pieces as treasure, sible and this requires PCs to respect other PCs. modern trappings whenever possible. Dont talk
so they hoard them, thus preventing the money on your cell phone during the game, and keep
from circulating, thinking that this will prevent your soda cans and candy wrappers hidden
monsters from giving them out. Unfortunately, Regulated Items away in your cabin.
we need coppers in-game to pay for Produc- Alcohol and drugs. Neither alcohol nor
tion Point items and for other minor things, so
what happens instead is that we have to order
any drugs that affect your ability to participate
are allowed at any Alliance event. This includes 35
 You are not allowed to use modern elec-
tronic gadgetry such as infrared seeing devices,
electronic listening devices, or any other tech-
nological anachronistic mechanism. In effect,
by using these things, its as if you have a pow-
erful magical item and it would hardly be fair
to the rest of the players.
Players should if at all possible refrain
from wearing modern wristwatches or should
at least cover the watches with wristbands or
bracers. In addition, if you do wear a watch,
remember that you are not allowed to look at it
when on a timed module unless you have pur-
chased a timepiece in-game and have the tag.

The Hold Rule

This is the single most important rule in
this entire book. Read it and take it to heart.
Anyone who sees an unsafe situation hap-
pening or about to happen can call a Hold in a
fight. Hold! should be yelled so that every-
one in battle can hear itotherwise, it may be power that you cannot believe, please wait un- are beyond the borders of the gaming area, but
followed by another flurry of swings. When a til after the battle is completed to question it. If you must have Plot approval to do so before-
Hold is called, stay exactly where you are and the person was wrong or was cheating, a mar- hand.
drop to one knee. Do not look around you or shal can be called and, if necessary, an adjudi- For example, Terin finds the Legendary
talk to people about anything not connected cation can be requested. Wand of Noonah and wants to hide it to make
with the Hold. This is not a time to study some- If you see a crowd of people kneeling sure it is not stolen before he can use it next
one and see if they are an NPC or a PC, nor is it down, then they are probably in a Hold. Do not month in the war against the hobgoblins. He
a chance to look behind you and see if anyone approach the group until the Hold is over. goes to the Plot Committee and says I want to
is sneaking up on you. Please play fair and try go out-of-game to hide this in my house out in
not to gather information while the Hold is be-
ing sorted out.
Out-of-Game the country until the next event. The Plot Com-
mittee may say yes, but then decide that the
You can use this time to update your When someone takes themselves out of the house is broken into and the item stolen. (Why
battleboard or check your item tags. You can action for their own convenience, they are out- should your house out in the country be safe
also pick up spell packets from the ground or of-game. In order to go out-of-game, you should from thieves while your lodging in-game dur-
from your pouch as long as you return to your wear a white headband. This signifies to others ing an event not be?) The Plot Committee might
original spot before the game is resumed. that your character is not there. Please do not also say no for other reasons, including logis-
When the reason the Hold was called is abuse this! tical ones. (Lets see the tag showing that you
resolved, then the person calling the hold should Bathhouses or similar facilities are out-of- have a house in the country. No tag? So sorry.)
call a Lay-on. First, ensure that everyone is game. You may not, however, run into one if The point is that when you decide to lock
ready to resume play, then call, Three . . . two monsters are chasing you. Anyone traveling to your items in your car or to hide them in out-
. . . one . . . Lay-on! and from the showers may be out-of-game if of-game areas, you are preventing the plot from
A Hold can also be called for excessive they so choose. If they are out-of-game, though, progressing logically. You have taken a piece
zeal on the part of an opponent. The infraction they should have no game items on them and of the game out-of-game, unable to be obtained
should be reported to a marshal. Repeated com- should be wearing a white headband. by any other player, and your decision could
plaints will get a player removed from combat. affect the game in many ways.
A Hold can also be called if you are un- Out-of-Game Items In essence, you are cheating because you
sure about a rule that has an immediate effect If you go out-of-game during an event, are using out-of-game means to accomplish
on the battle. Do not call a Hold for minor rules then any items you were carrying also go out- something in-game.
clarifications; usually you can just ask some- of-game (because in-game, your character has
one while the battle rages on around you. How traveled beyond the borders of the gaming area).
much damage does that do? and questions of You may store these items in the approved out-
On-Line Role-Playing
that sort are encouraged. Holds should be rare. of-game area in your cabin (such as under the The Alliance web page is located at
Understand that the game rules have been bed) but once you return in-game, these items www.AllianceLARP.com. You should check
written in such a way to try to prevent Holds must be carried or placed in an in-game area. there often for the latest news. There is a Bulle-
from being necessary except in rare out-of-game You cannot store in-game items in out-of- tin Board where you can ask questions you
situations. Do not abuse this rule. game areas when you are in-game and then re- might have or just talk about your favorite
Collecting treasure or adjusting your trieve them during the event. All items which events.
battleboard are not legitimate reasons for call- you wish to use during the event must remain There are also in-game sections of the
ing a Hold. Bookkeeping should be done after in-game whenever you are in-game. You can- Bulletin Board where you can discuss IG is-
the battle is over, not during it. If someone is not lock them in your car, then go out-of-game sues and post notices.
claiming to have an outrageous amount of to retrieve them, claiming that you were travel- When leaving messages or discussing
ing to another area in-game where you had the things in-game on line, understand that these

36 items hidden.
It is possible to hide items in areas that
discussions can affect the plot that can later
occur during a game.
 Here are some rules for participating in
these on-line conversations:
Infractions Role-playing Infractions
Role-playing Infractions are not as com-
1. In-game, when your character sleeps, Infraction warnings may be given by a mon as Combat Infractions, and only apply
he or she can enter this dream world and com- marshal when a dangerous situation is observed. when there are blatant violations which harm
municate with others who may be many miles Warnings are given to inform players of the atmosphere of the game to such a degree
away. Whatever your character says or hears in their actions in an effort to improve a players that you are ruining the fun of other players.
this world can affect the live action game world. attention to becoming a safer and better player. Examples include:
Players are allowed to use whatever informa- They are not given to humiliate or embarrass a Talking loudly about OOG things in an
tion is obtained within these conversations later player but merely to make everyone more aware IG area
when they meet live. This also allows players of the requirements of the game. Smoking in a prohibited area
from all campaigns to discuss their plotlines, Infractions are classified into Combat In- Not wearing the appropriate costume (for
no matter how far away they may be. fractions and Role-playing Infractions. There example, wearing jeans and tennis shoes)
2. Characters may not act anonymously or are two specific types of Combat Infractions: Refusing to role-play effects upon you (for
with a false identity without prior permission Dangerous Combat Infractions and Illegal Com- example, walking away yawning while under
from their home chapters Plot Committee. bat Infractions. These may also be seen as forms the effect of a Fear)
Characters must always sign their name to posts of cheating, especially if they reoccur. Even in- Role-playing your race incorrectly or not
made to these lists. This is very important be- dividually, they may be considered as grounds wearing the required racial makeup and/or
cause many players have more than one char- for disciplinary action. costume
acter. If the Plot Committee cant tell what char- Were not here to be your drama coaches
acter posted the message, then it didnt get Dangerous Combat Infractions and you will not be punished for bad acting.
posted in-game. Any intentional misuse of ano- A Dangerous Combat Infraction is any- The purpose of this is to ensure that you show
nymity or a characters identity may result in thing that results or could result in an injury to respect to your fellow players and not destroy
your immediate removal from the Bulletin a player. their game enjoyment.
Board and consequences for your Alliance Dangerous Combat Infractions include:
membership. Doing this may be considered
cheating.
Throwing packets too hard in such a way
as to result in personal injury
Adjudications
3. We want to encourage online commu- Charging In any game, especially one as complex
nication in general but disallow communica- Shield bashing as a live-action role-playing game, rules mis-
tion that would allow a character an unfair ad- Use of a weapon that has not been safety takes and misinterpretations are always an is-
vantage; for example, if your character has been checked sue. Because of this, the Alliance has the policy
kidnapped and is being held prisoner some- Use of packets that are too large or filled that any player may ask for an adjudication of
where, you cant go online and post a message with illegal packet materials IG results of such problems.
saying, Here I am in Greystone, come get me! Dangerous acrobatics which may harm Such adjudications must be written up and
4. Remember that this is not an online others (sliding, rolling towards players, not turned in to the Rules Committee of the game
game. It is an in-game Bulletin Board where paying attention to others around you) where the incident occurred within 30 days of
messages can be posted. You cannot see any- Hitting too hard with a weapon the incident. Occasional exceptions to the 30-
one there, so dont ask What do I see? or type Striking opponents at full combat speed day rule are allowed, such as when the player
something like An elf in chain mail walks in and strength while they are known to be inca- was not aware of the rules question until a later
the door. There are no battles that can take pacitated (webbed, paralyzed, etc.) date. Adjudication requests should include a
place in this dream world, and if you have never Repeated or deliberate striking of illegal complete description of the incident, the people
met a character who has posted something, you areas (head, hands, groin) involved, and the contested result.
will have no idea what that character looks like. Throwing items in anger Once submitted, the Rules Committee then
Basically, the bottom line is that this is for Screaming at other players, intimidating either makes a decision or chooses other staff
information exchanging only. or dangerous behavior members to decide if a possible bias is present
Finally, please understand that we do not (for example, if a Rules Committee member was
wish to police any of the boards or mailing lists. Illegal Combat Infractions involved in the incident). The player is then in-
Just keep in mind that this is a live action game Illegal Combat Infractions are behaviors formed of the ruling, and the situation recti-
which takes place at the events. The on-line and habits that are explicitly indicated as in- fied.
chats are there to enhance your role-playing fun correct in the Rule Book, but typically are not Because of the nature of the game, the
and not replace them. performed intentionally. They do not cause a original event is never deletedPlot events
Email can also be used as a way for you risk of injury, but are mistakes that can affect are often used to explain the change in the final
and your friends to submit plot write-ups and the game significantly. Examples include: outcome. For example, if your character died
decide what your characters are doing between Failure to finish an incant before releas- her permanent death and then had it adjudicated,
events. You can decide to travel to some other ing a packet the Plot Committee will write some way for
place or meet with other characters and even Failure to call damage clearly your character to return to the living without
have adventures (of course, no XP or treasure Failure to use a 45 degree arc when swing- having to make everyone else in-game pretend
can be rewarded). Contact your local Plot Com- ing, or swinging too quickly (machine gunning) that the death never happened.
mittee for details. Failure to call off defenses within the des- Note that adjudications are for rules vio-
What you cant do is expect the Plot Com- ignated time lations and misinterpretations, not plot deci-
mittee to follow up on such things if they are Not taking attacks, or failing to properly sions. You cannot adjudicate because you think
not privy to the information. If its not copied take effects that the Plot Committee didnt scale the encoun-
to them for approval, they reserve the right to Casting scrolls, using potions, or other- ter properly or because you thought the puzzle
ignore it and say, That didnt happen. Please wise using items for which you have no tag and/ they wanted you to figure out was too hard.
understand the Plot Committee never wants to or no physical representation
have to say that, but will in certain circum-
stances.
Using scrolls incorrectly, with or without
proper light 37
 Races
The human race is not the only race in the Role-playing requirements: We expect Humans are not listed here because, in
world of Fortannis. There are many mythical you to play your characters race properly. High essence, they are the default race. Humans have
and unusual races, such as elves, dwarves, orcs should be slow witted, barbarians should no advantages over the other races, but then
hoblings, sarr, and other more exotic races. act uncouth, and dark elves should shun the again they have no disadvantages either. If you
Within each race, there are various cultures that sunlight whenever possible. are playing a human, you never have to worry
define the race even further. This provides for You must abide by your racial character- about whether you are playing your race cor-
the widest possible amount of character devel- istics. You cannot write your history to be the rectly. Since youve been a human in real life
opment. outsider of your race and be the one barbar- for so many years, youre pretty good at it by
Playing your race means knowing and un- ian who is a elocution professor, the one gypsy now!
derstanding your races culture and society in who is quiet and shy, or the one biata who hangs
your particular campaign. (Not all elves are out in the Mages Guild.
alike any more than all humans are alike.) Some There is no such thing as a true half race.
Monster Characters
races have their culture based on certain soci- If your character history has your father as an Many players have the dream of playing
eties in our own world and other races are purely elf and your mother as a gypsy, that is fine, but monster characters as their PCs. The thought
fantastic like sarr or hoblings. Others are based you can only take the attributes of one of those of playing a goblin PC or werewolf PC or vam-
on popular mythology or folklore. Other races races. You can tell everyone youre half elf/ pire PC can be lots of fun for the player, but is
such as the biata have been created from scratch, half gypsy if you want, but in our game, you not allowed by the Alliance rules.
providing a unique aspect to our game. are one race or the other. You must then take The Alliance game system is designed to
Descriptions of each race follow. There are all the advantages, disadvantages and physical be fairly balanced between all of the classes.
more detailed race packets available to down- characteristics of that single race and none of Monster abilities were never meant to be given
load from the Alliance Bulletin Board, and your the unique characteristics of the other. It should to players, because it would certainly throw that
local campaign will have information on the always be very clear to everyone exactly what balance off.
local culture(s) of that race. race you are. PC monsters only foster unwanted con-
Nor can you be raised by another race and flicts between players. PCs playing these mon-
Make up Requirements: If you wish to thus take on the characteristics of that race. A sters are bound to be attacked or hunted down
play one of these races, you must wear the ap- hobling raised by gypsies will still act, look, by other players, and the hard feelings that erupt
propriate makeup to distinguish yourself. All and dress like a hobling. After all, a dog raised from players who are trying to play true to their
exposed skin must be covered with the appro- in a house full of cats may become more toler- monster form often turn into out-of-game ar-
priate makeup. If you dont want to paint your ant to felines, but he will never meow or ask guments.
hands, gloves are a good substitute. for a saucer of milk. PC verses PC conflicts are important to
Any props (such as elf ears) must be worn Remember, the Alliance uses the word the game, but when one PC is seen as having
at all times, even under a hood or when hidden race differently from the real world meaning. an unfair advantage due to powers that cannot
by hair. You cannot use makeup to represent Races in the game are unique species, evolving be achieved by other PCs, then the OOG argu-
biata eyebrows, high ogre and high orc teeth, (or being created) in vastly disparate ways. They ments ensue.
or hobling sideburns. If you have a real beard are not merely minor variants of the same crea- Most importantly, it should be noted that
and wish to play a dwarf, the beard must be ture. A biata is not a human with feathers. monsters are all controlled by the Plot Com-
braided so that it is clear you are a dwarf and These role-playing rules are put in place mittee. This allows us to monitor and properly
not just a bearded human. (If your beard isnt to allow players to make assumptions about the scale events to make sure that the challenges
long enough to braid, then you will have to wear races. When you see someone wearing pointed out there are proper for the level of the player
a fake beard over your real one.) ears, you know that they may have certain abili- base. It also allows us to decide when NPCs
The rules were specifically designed to ties such as Resist Command and that may are to enter the game and how they will act,
take into consideration the relative discomfort change your strategy with dealing with them. and when to pull them if things are getting out
and bother these things will give you and to You can conclude that every biata you see will of control or if the direction of the game needs
compensate you accordingly with beneficial dislike celestial magic and every dwarf will ap- tweaking.
skills and plot for your race. Thus, if you want preciate and study well-made weapons. Every PC monsters throw all that out the win-
the benefits of your racial skills, you must take race must act like and be identifiable as that dow, because unlike NPCs, PCs have free will.
the disadvantages (which include the make-up) race by all other players. By adhering to racial With PC monsters out there, the Plot Commit-
as well. You cannot be a gypsy all dressed in characteristics, this fantasy world of ours be- tee spends all its time trying to deal with these
black or a high orc without protruding teeth. comes much more real. wild cards instead of running its own plots.
You must not only act the race, you must also This adds up to more fun for you as well. (Believe us, this is not just a worry; its based
look the race. If you do not, you will not be By playing your race properly, other members on experience. Weve learned from our mistakes
allowed to continue playing the race and will of that race (and the NPCs of that race) will be in the past.)
be forcibly changed into a boring human. more willing to role-play with you, get you in- If you become cursed to turn into a vam-
You cannot wear makeup to disguise your- volved in their plots, and otherwise include you pire or werewolf in-game, you will be com-
self to appear as a race you are not, nor can you in the goings-on of that race. pletely under the control of the Plot Commit-
act in such a way as to mislead others as to your tee for the time when you are cursed. You will
race. If you are not playing a barbarian or a The chart on the next page gives a brief only be allowed to change into your new form
gypsy, for instance, you cannot dress, talk and overview of the advantages and disadvantages when the Plot Committee tells you. Once
act like one. of each race. It does not list makeup and pros- changed, you are a temporary NPC under the
thetic requirements as disadvantages because control of the Committee and must act as the

38 they are not skills; however, they are definite

requirements.
Plot Committee instructs you, even if it is harm-
ful to your character.
 RACE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
+2 Body Points to start Double cost for Read and Write
Barbarian Resist Element: 3 BP Double cost for Read Magic
Resist Fear: 2 BP
Break Command: 2 BP
Biata Resist Command: 4 BP Cannot use Read Magic
Mental Abilities
Resist Command: 4 BP -1 Body Points to start
Dark Elf Resist Magic: 5 BP Cannot use Two Handed Blunt
Half cost for Archery Cannot use Two Handed Sword
Resist Binding: 4 BP Maximum Armor: 2 per location
Dryad Half cost for Herbal Lore Can only use Blunt weapons,
Staff, Thrown Weapon and/or Bow
+1 Body Points to start Double cost for Read Magic
Dwarf Resist Element: 3 BP Cannot use Two Handed Blunt
Resist Poison: 4 BP Cannot use Two Handed Sword
-1 cost for Blacksmith Cannot use Polearm or Staff
Resist Command: 4 BP -1 Body Points to start
Elf Half cost for Archery Cannot use Two Handed Blunt
Cannot use Two Handed Sword
Gypsy Gypsy Curse: 2 BP
+2 Body Points to start Double cost for Read and Write
High Ogre Racial Proficiency: 10 BP Double cost for Read Magic
Resist Necromancy: 4 BP
+2 Body Points to start
High Orc Racial Proficiency: 10 BP Double cost for Read and Write
Racial Slay: 6 BP Double cost for Read Magic
Resist Fear: 2 BP
-1 Body Points to start
Racial Dodge: 10 BP Cannot use Two Handed Blunt
Hobling Resist Poison: 4 BP Cannot use Two Handed Sword
Half cost for Legerdermain Cannot use Polearm
Cannot use Staff
Cannot be a Fighter
Break Command: 2 BP -1 Body Points to start
Mystic Wood Elf Resist Command: 4 BP Must buy one Craftsman skill per level
-1 cost for Craftsman (up to 5th level)
Cannot use Archery
Claws: 8 BP Cannot use One Handed Blunt
Sarr Racial Assassinate: 4 BP Cannot use Two Handed Blunt
Resist Poison: 4 BP Cannot use Staff
Scenting Ability Cannot use Thrown Weapon
Cannot use Waylay
Break Command: 2 BP -1 Body Points to start
Stone Elf Resist Command: 4 BP Cannot use Two Handed Blunt
Half cost for Archery Cannot use Two Handed Sword
Mental Abilities
Wylderkin Any two racial abilities
Scenting Ability
Double cost for Read and Write
Double cost for Read Magic
39
 Barbarians generally fear and distrust ce- They will not do things on a whim and are
Barbarian lestial magic and will dislike having celestial always working towards some goal. Biata never
Barbarians come from nomadic tribes and protective spells cast upon them. see themselves as performing bad or evil
are unused to civilized society. They are a Honor plays an intrinsic role in everyday acts; they feel that the things they do are neces-
very superstitious lot and may often perform barbarian life. Every member of the tribe, from sary for a greater good. That greater good may
unusual small ceremonies to rid themselves of the aristocracy to the common folk, has what is be the ascension of that biata to a position of
a curse. (Oh-oh! Seven hoblings just crossed called an Honor Price. An Honor Price is the power so that some deed or deeds may be per-
path! Bad luck! Now I must walk backwards value in cattle or gold of a person according to formed, but it is never for the sake of chaos or
for an hour!) status within the tribe. Crimes against a person power itself. There always is a reason.
This is not to imply that barbarians are are dealt with by the offender paying the Honor
stupidthey are merely uncultured and some- Price of the victim to the victim or the victims
what primitive. family. Otherwise, criminals are dealt with as
Barbarians do not refer to themselves as the tribal leaders see fit.
such, and usually take being called a barbar- The ancient system of justice known as the
ian as an insult. Honor Price is used only for serious crimes,
Barbarian society is one of living harmo- such as murder against an individual.
niously with the earth. They tend to be nomadic Oaths are very sacred and important things
in nature, following the great migrating herds in Barbarian society. They are never made
of wild beasts that are the sources of food, cloth- lightly. Once given, an Oath is kept or the bar-
ing, materials and shelter for their people, or, barian faces shame and is marked as honorless
during harvest season and the first melt of snow, by the tribe. Each village, tribe or traveling
group of barbarians possesses an iron ring that
is considered sacred and is known as The Oath
Ring. Oaths are sworn on it and must never be
broken, for it is the highest form of oath mak-
ing. The Oathmaker takes hold of the ring and
swears her or his oath.
Hospitality is also highly valued among
Barbarians and part of ones honor is deter-
mined by their hospitality. Barbarians consider
it bad form to refuse a traveler shelter and food,
even an enemy, and will not bring any harm to
that person while under their roof. Though the Biata have a strong sense of secrecy with
next day, after breakfast, it is quite acceptable regard to all things that relate to their racial
to ask that person to leave. heritage. Their traditions are held highly sacred,
Barbarians have the same life expectancy the details of which are never shared with other
as a human. In order to be identifiable as a bar- races. To do so would be an extreme disgrace,
barian, you should talk poorly, dress in furs, with dire repercussions for those with loose lips.
and otherwise look primitive. Decorative face This is somewhat perpetuated by a biata sense
paint may also be applied based on the of superiority and personal honor. While not
barbarians local customs. having to be snobs, all biata view their race as
Barbarians are very strong and thus start a higher life form than others. Close behind
off with two extra Body Points. Their hardy con- would be other long lived races, like the elves,
stitution allows them to buy the skill Resist El- but their celestial nature tends to lead to obvi-
in their famous longships, raiding the coastline. ement and their fierce heritage allows them to ous problems.
They erect longhouses in their permanent win- learn the skill Resist Fear. They have to pay Another role-playing perk is that biata
ter camp and live in large tents or temporary double for Read and Write and Read Magic. dont get drunk off of alcohol. They do have a
huts during the warmer nomadic seasons. Hunt- weakness thoughsarr may have mint, but
ing, fishing, and surviving in the wilderness are biata have (believe it or not) fudge. It acts as
the way of life for barbarians.
Biata both an intoxicant and/or an aphrodisiac de-
Some barbarians are berserkers who, in Legend says that biata were created by pending on how you want to play it. Remem-
the heat of a fight, go a bit mad with battlelust. gryphons from stone elves, and biata certainly ber that Intoxicant elixirs will work on every-
This is a role-playing aspect of being a barbar- have characteristics of each. one, no matter what their race.
ian and provides no in-game benefits or skills. Remember that gryphons are half eagle Each biata carries with them at all time a
Once the battle is over, the barbarian will spend and half lion, so dont go thinking that biata small hematite stone which records their
some time calming down and may be unable to are simply cute little budgie-people. Whatever memories. When they die, the stone is taken to
do much more than sit still for a while. birdlike qualities they may have come from a large homestone watched over by the biata
Barbarian tribes are often very competi- birds of prey, which are imposing indeed. elders of an area, and the memories can then be
tive and not too friendly with each other. Lead- All biata have feathery eyebrows and of- viewed by others visiting the homestone.
ers are usually chosen by their battle skills. ten grow feathers in their hair as well. Some- Biata feel that certain colors represent
These tribes are very earth friendly and usually times, older biata may also grow one claw. emotions, and this is based on the fact that the
do not like celestial magic because it is not This claw is decorative in nature and cannot be colors of a biatas feathers relate to the biatas
natural. used as a weapon; it is merely a feathery glove individual personalities. The colors can change
with long claw-like fingernails. over the years as the biatas personality changes,

40 Biata tend to be very orderly in their phi-

losophy of lifethey always act with a purpose.
and a biata may have more than one color
feather at a time, but no more than three.
 Black: stubbornness / lawful and so treat them with honor appropriate to that although it is considered excessive to weep too
Blue: tranquility / passive relation. Regardless, dark elves will never be- much. It is a sign of weakness if a dark elf al-
Brown: isolationism tray their race or prefer another race to their lows him or herself to be completely overcome
Gray: neutrality / shy / passive / kind own if there is ever a choice. by emotion.
Green: hatred / jealousy / cruel Dark elves as a whole admire beauty, but
Orange: rigidity / firm emotions the things they consider beautiful do not always
Purple: calculating / serious appeal to the tastes of other races. Silence, the
Red: anger / fierce emotions / mood swings dark, jagged or sinuous lines and unsettling col-
Tan: mercenary ors appeal to their aesthetic senses. Things that
White: mischief / lust / impulsive seem particularly appropriate to their culture,
Yellow: love / honesty / trust whether actions or music or clothing, are con-
Having celestial protective spells cast upon sidered beautiful even if they might otherwise
biata causes great discomfort. Many will refuse seem strange or violent to others.
to sleep behind Wards and will not use celestial The sun is uncomfortably bright to this
magic items. Biata who accept celestial magics race, although it does not damage them. Given
or sleep behind celestial protectives find that a choice if they are above ground, they would
other biata will shun them, and may find that rather sleep during the day and come out at night
their ability to use their mental skills will stop when Its nice out. If someone casts a Light
working temporarily until they cleanse them- spell nearby, a dark elf will often find it mo-
selves from the celestial taint. mentarily painful to the eyes and be rather an-
Biata live a very long time, like the stone noyed.
elves from which they are descended. Biata, like Dark elves are capable of living for great
stone elves, have spent years honing mental lengths of time. They are not sure themselves
skills and as such can perform certain mental how long they might live if left to it; however,
mind abilities. These abilities are all completely due to the often deadly nature of their exist-
role-playing in nature. For more information ence, and their lack of fear toward death, ac-
Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
about these skills, see Mental Abilities on tual numbers arent likely to be acquired any-
page 74. time soon.
Biata can buy the skills Resist Command When dark elves are outside of their own Dark elves start off with one less Body
and Break Command. Biata are attuned to earth lands, they do their best to follow the local laws Point. They pay half price for Archery but can-
magics and as such, cannot learn Read Magic. rather than to bring dishonor upon themselves not purchase the skills Two Handed Blunt or
and their family. Two Handed Sword. They can purchase the
Dark elves do not fear death. To them, an skills Resist Command and Resist Magic.
Dark Elf honorable and sometimes beautiful death is
Dark elves are a mysterious race that as important as a well-lived life. Many people
mostly live underground, shunning sunlight. misinterpret this attitude as meaning that dark
Dryad
When role-playing a dark elf, you should feel elves throw their lives away, or love death more The dryad are the newest race on the world
uncomfortable in the bright daylight and should than they love life. This is not the case; they of Fortannis, though they claim to be the old-
prefer traveling at night. simply put as much care into the manner of their est.
Dark elves have jet black skin, white or death as they do in every other aspect of their According to their stories, they were once
silver hair, and pointed ears. They rarely so- lives, and they do not understand why other the caretakers of a great forest. When First For-
cialize with other races and keep to themselves, races seem to fear such a natural and inevitable est told them to sleep, they gave stewardship
generally considering themselves to be supe- event. over to the elves under the condition that they
rior to all other races. There are occasions where death is pref- would wake once again if the Forest called to
The primary requirement for the dark elf erable to life. One of them is when a dark elf them. Having recently woken from what they
is a dedication to honor. Their laws and culture has disgraced himself or herself in some way. now call the Great Sleep, these plantlike people
are based around this concept in very rigid and True remorse followed by a brave and formal are remembering more of their culture each day.
labyrinthine ways, and are largely incompre- suicide can do much to revoke some of the Although they all share the same racial
hensible to the other races. Once their word is grievances caused by the individuals life, or at skills, dryads are classified into four different
given, or a promise made, a dark elf will stick least make the best of a bad situation. Also, if a subtypes. There are the Thorns, the most com-
to it to the letter. Because of this, they do not very heroic act will result in death, particularly mon of the four, resembling flowers or leafy
give their word lightly. Swearing upon their if it benefits the dark elf race as a whole, a true plants; the Barkskins, most akin to the trees of
honor, or particularly by the honor of their fam- dark elf will embrace the opportunity as they the forest; the Reeds, who dwell in swamps,
ily, is the most solemn of dark elf oaths. will find no better or more glorious end to their ocean shores, and rivers; and the Spores, fun-
This does not mean that dark elves cannot lives. Again, this is not the same as wandering gal types who prefer the damp darkness of
lie. What is important in the consideration of through life hoping to die and dwelling upon caves. Spores are the youngest, living only a
honor is the intent and the result that the dark the idea of death. few mere decades. Thorns and Reeds average
elf is trying to achieve. In their opinion, there Although dark elves appear to be serious life-spans tend to be about a century, while
are times when lying is the honorable thing to and dour much of the time, they are not with- Barkskins lifetimes are closer to those of the
do, considering the result that will come. out a sense of humor. They are not flighty and elves.
Dark elves are absolutely certain that their jovial, but they are passionate and when some- It is possible to find dryads asleep in nearly
race is superior to all others, and they display thing does amuse them greatly (usually things any environment. Because the presence of one
absolute dedication to the protection and fur- other races might consider sick or weird), they helps to wake others, they wake their brethren
thering of their race. This does not mean that will laugh. Some races say the laughter is even
dark elves treat other races unfairlyjust never
as equals. Dark elves often ally with other races
worse than their usual dour demeanor. In the
same token, they are quite capable of sorrow, 41
simply by wandering. Once woken, they gravi- shy away from metal weapons or metal armor.
tate towards forested areas. Dryads (who often A few gold coins in a pouch may not be much
refer to themselves as the Children of Au- of a bother, nor would metal rivets in leather,
tumn) consider all forests to be descendants but a metal bracer wrapped around the forearm
of First Forest and will defend them to the last. would feel extremely, distractingly uncomfort-
able. It is not just the iron content of any par-
ticular metal that bothers the dryads. Its the
manipulation of the mineral through heating,
melting and forging that throws off its energy,
generating discord to any dryad who is near it.
The level of discord becomes unmanageable
when the quantity of metal is large enough to
serve as armor.
It must be noted that dryads are not plant
wylderkin. You may not play a pine tree dryad
or a sunflower dryad. Think more in terms of
the natural environment the dryad comes from
or the general type of plant to which the dryad
has an affinity.
To play a dryad, you must use makeup and
costuming appropriate for the type. All must
have some sort of leafy prosthetic, such as flow-
ers in the hair or vines around the body. Makeup elves are pompous, humans are impatient,
can be as simple or as creative as you wish, as hoblings are troublemakers, and barbarians are
long as it is nature-inspired. The makeup and incapable of understanding the finer things in
costuming can change with the seasons; thus a life (like a well made weapon and a fine dwar-
barkskin dryad could be primarily gray in the ven ale).
winter, green in the spring and summer, and When it comes to trolls, ogres and orcs,
They are an egalitarian people who tend orange in the fall. dwarves have a notoriously legendary intense
to group together in small unnamed tribes. All Due to their connection with the lands, hatred for all them and will seek them out and
consider one another brothers and sisters and dryads can purchase Herbal Lore at half price destroy them whenever they can. All of these
live in remarkable harmony with each other. (rounded up) and Resist Binding. Because of monsters often savagely compete with dwarves
They tend to avoid confrontation with those of their aversion to metal, they cannot have more for basic resources, and attack dwarven cave
their own race and often agree to disagree in than two points of armor in any one location. systems in order to take them over for
strained situations. themselves. Trolls are considered to be the
Dryads are unaware of their own oddity worst of the lot and are often shown the most
and will take no offense to staring, often think-
Dwarf malice. No respectable dwarf would ever trust
ing it some sort of game. They are childlike in Dwarves are sturdy individuals who usu- a troll, and if at all possible, would never allow
their happy demeanor, with a tendency to be ally live in mountainous regions, and are not one to walk away alive.
mischievous. They love playing innocent pranks necessarily short. Remember that all players and In short, dwarves make for noble stead-
and tricks on those around them so long as no monsters are the same size as the person play- fast allies and dreadful unrelenting enemies.
one is harmed. ing them. Dwarves go out of their way to take care
Dryads will often claim an area to be the Dwarves all have beards of which they are of their own. This kind of clan loyalty will even
First Forest and they protect it as if this is fiercely proud, although female dwarves some- find itself expressed by certain individuals who
fact. It is their belief that one of their kind will times prefer a long goatee. join up with adventuring parties that prove
find it, and since none of them can be sure, they Dwarves are a very proud race of fierce themselves to be exceptionally trustworthy and
all treat their forest as the true First Forest. warriors that absolutely refuse to take any guff honorable. To have a dwarf as a friend is a hard
All dryads hate the wanton destruction of from anyone. Since their life span is much task to accomplish, but to have one as a friend
their lands, but do not see a problem with the longer than that of humans and other races (up is to have a true steadfastly loyal friend for life.
judicious use of plants for housing and food. to five hundred years or so), they often approach Their history is very lengthy and mostly
They believe it is their duty and calling to pro- and take on tasks at a somewhat slower pace comprised of stories and legends of great dwar-
tect their land against the forces of chaos, which than others. They are meticulous about detail ven heroes. Some of these stories can take hours
would destroy it. almost to the point of obsession, a fact that or even days to tell completely, and no self-
All dryads hate necromancy and the harm sometimes infuriates the other races. respecting dwarf would consider telling an
it can cause to the Forest. While some dryads Despite this, they are quick and decisive abridged version.
take a more fanatical view, the majority find when it comes to any type of warfare, for to Dwarves can purchase the skill Resist
those who cast it worthy of great pity and dis- them battle is the very stuff of which glory is Poison. This is primarily due to their lengthy
dain. They would first seek to reeducate some- madeespecially when it is in defense of their exposure to certain harmful trace mineral poi-
one charged with necromancy, but failing that race, their friends, or their ideals. sons and gasses that commonly waft about the
would have little regret punishing or executing Dwarves greatly pride themselves in their shafts of their beloved mines. This has caused
them. craftsmanship, be it smithing or anything else. their biological make-up to evolve to the point
Processed metal of any type generates dis- Their creations rank among the best in all of where they can readily resist nearly all poisons
cord within dryads and they therefore tend to Fortannis and they are not amused by any un- in single doses.
warranted criticism done of their handiwork. The downside to this natural form of pro-

42 The generally peaceful dwarves have no

problem with other racesalthough they think
tection is that it has interfered with their ability
to cast celestial magichence their double cost
penalty to learn the scholar skill Read Magic. them. Solstices, equinoxes, phases of the moon,
Its not that they have trouble reading the words; harvests, seasons, and the like are carefully
Gypsy
they have trouble manipulating the meaning of noted by elves and given special attention in Unlike other races that are distinguished
the words. their culture. by physical features, gypsies are defined by cos-
Due to their rigorous physical regimens, Related to this is the seemingly unflagging tume, behavior, an accent, and culture.
dwaves are also hardier than other races, giv- need of elves to celebrate. The form their cel- Being a gypsy means being a member of
ing them an innate extra Body Point ebrations take vary a great deal, but often are the largest extended family in the world. Every
bonus. Their continual exposure to varying de- related to the natural patterns they have ob- gypsy is a member of the same family, whether
grees of stone, heat, cold, and other elemental- served, as well as the social patterns of the elves immediately related or not, even gypsies who
based phenomenon makes them able to pur- themselves. If there is some excuse to have a might belong to different tribes.
chase Resist Element as well. Unfortunately, cultural ritual or a celebration, elves will rarely
they are unable to wield two-handed weapons pass it by.
with any marked success, and are thus banned An elven tribe or groups atmosphere will
from purchasing Polearm, Staff, Two Handed depend heavily on the natural features surround-
Blunt or Two Handed Sword. ing it. They are less likely to force nature to do
They can also purchase Blacksmith for one their bidding as they are to bend and conform
Build Point less than any other race. to nature.
Elves also have very long life-spans. They
mature at the same rate as humans until they
Elf reach their late teens, and then they age much
Elves are the second most common race more slowly and remain in maturity for many
after humans. They are long-lived people with years. An elf that appears old is very old in-
pointed ears. deed.
There is almost as much variety in elven Due to their long life-spans, elves live at a
culture as there is in human culture. There are different pace than humans. They are less likely
mountain elves and desert elves and sea elves to hurry, unless it is necessary, taking the time
and wild elves and just about every variety one to savor and enjoy everything that happens. The
could conceive, each with their own views and human drive to achieve greatness quickly and
beliefs on life. pass it on to their family is much less common
In general, no matter where they come among elves, who feel (rightfully so) that they
from, elves consider themselves to be the most have all the time in the world to achieve their
civilized race; all others are barbaric in com- goals. Those elves who harbor a desire for
parison. To some degree this is trueelves usu- power or other machinations will create very This does not mean that all gypsies get
ally have the oldest culture, the greatest cities, long term plans, often beyond the comprehen- along with each other. On the contrary, imag-
and the most learned scholars. Indeed, it is rare sion of the shorter-lived races. This leads to a ine the sibling and generational rivalries that
to encounter an elf who does not know how to subtlety that is difficult for the other races to can emerge in a family made up of thousands
read and write and probably even be able to counteract or foresee. of members. Nevertheless, gypsies, as a whole,
cast a few spells. However, elves can often appear lazy or try to keep these intra-familial disputes within
Elves vary in their cultures and traditions, frivolous due to their relaxed concept of time the familia. Sometimes these rivalries become
but not in how their bodies and minds work and achievement. so intense that Gypsies prefer traveling with
nor in their abilities. Due to these long life-spans, elves typi- gaje (non-gypsies) just so they can spend time
All elves are very interested in the natural cally have two ways of bonding in marriage. with people they dont feel are always compet-
patterns of life. Whether they live on moun- These include some form of temporary partner- ing with them.
tains, in swamps, sail the seas, or wander the ship, and a permanent bonding. The latter is Many gypsy tribes may coexist in the same
deserts, they are very aware of natural events obviously invoked more rarely due to the fact area, each being ruled by its own Bandoleer or
and pattern their celebrations and lives around that elves know they will live a very long time, Prince/Princess. There is a Gypsy King or
and circumstances (and people) change. They Queen but quite often this figure is far removed
are typically more likely to accept an arrange- from normal gypsy life and has no great influ-
ment that allows for this change. ence over the local tribes. Usually a gypsy tribe
Elves will mingle fairly often with the will have its own distinctive predominate color,
other races, but generally feel that these people used to differentiate itself from other tribes in
cannot really understand elves. This often leads the area.
other races to perceive that elves keep a benign Most gypsy communities have a Code of
distance at best, and cold disinterest at worst. Honor. Unlike Codes of Chivalry and civil
Most elven groups discourage marriage with laws, the Gypsy Code of Honor is not a manda-
non-elves due to the heartbreak of losing a much tory code of behavior for gypsies. Rather, it is a
shorter-lived spouse. florid manner of describing the customs and
When fighting, they tend to prefer bow and expectations that the gypsy family places on all
short swords, but even then, fighting is seen as of its members. A traveling gypsy always seeks
a last resort when peaceful negotiations are un- to determine the specifics of the Code of Honor
successful. in any new land through which the gypsy trav-
Elves start off with one less Body Point. els so that he does not inadvertently bring shame
They pay half price for Archery but cannot pur- or dishonor to the family.
chase the skills Two Handed Blunt or Two
Handed Sword. They can purchase the skill Re-
sist Command. 43
 The Gypsy Code of Honor requires that a High ogres see feebleness as the ultimate that a high ogre may do some pretty suicidal
gypsy be always honest and trustworthy among curse of life. Better to die in the glory of battle things in order to attack that undead creature
members of his or her own tribe. The gypsy than to waste away in some obscure way. If an or necromancer.
will support the other tribe members and will elderly high ogre feels hes become too much a Because of their hatred and feelings about
do whatever it takes to help (including lying burden on his household and tribe, he or she undead, high ogres often become experts in the
to, stealing from, cursing or killing non-tribe will travel deep in the woods to find a troll or types of undead that exist and what are the best
members). ways to destroy them.
The gypsy is the only race in the game that High ogres are constantly trying to prove
is based (albeit loosely) on a culture that can to other high ogres their abilities in strength
be found in the real world. The gypsies (who and combat. When approached by a high ogre
prefer to be called romani) of the real world they had never seen before, they are compelled
have a rich and varied culture and heritage. Ac- to prove themselves to be the dominant high
cordingly, it is incumbent on all players to try ogre. The duel must then take place, regardless
to portray gypsies in a way that is not offensive of whether or not one high ogre obviously out-
to their real-world counterparts. Gypsies who classes another. The fight is never to the death
kidnap babies, poison drinking wells and steal but only until one of the high ogres acknowl-
for no reason other than I am gypsy are only edges the others superiority. There is never any
playing into the worst stereotypes of this an- cheating nor are there sneak attacks in this sort
cient and honorable people. of battle; there is great honor at stake in the
In the Alliance, a gypsy is generally rak- high ogre community. The defeated high ogre
ish, outgoing, irrepressible, friendly, smart, must treat the victor as a superior until one day,
quick-witted, loyal and free-spirited. A gypsy they can fight as well or better than their supe-
can also be shrewd, deceptive, cunning, treach- rior and perhaps take his or her place. Re-
erous (to non-gypsies), overly defensive, wild matches do not happen that often, and usually
and unruly. It is rare that a gypsy hides his or a whole season passes by before one is decreed.
her emotions. High ogres have a very short life expect-
The most difficult aspect of the gypsy to ancy compared to other races, and they mature
role-play is the Gypsy Curse. On the one hand, faster, so that your starting player may only be
the Gypsy Curse is unique in that it cannot be four years old!
dispelled, resisted or even dodged. On the other goblin in order to die fighting until they no They start with two extra Body Points and
hand, the Gypsy Curse cannot be used to affect longer resurrect. must pay double for Read and Write and Read
combat or other in-game skills. High ogres eat all kinds of food. Fructose, Magic. High ogres can purchase the skills Ra-
It is generally believed that the Gypsy the natural sugar in all fruits, makes their blood cial Proficiency and Resist Necromancy.
Curse should only be used for family affairs. In sugar rise in their body to astronomical heights.
other words, if someone cheats at cards against If they dont fight soon after eating an apple or
a gypsy, a Gypsy Curse would be considered orange, theyll be crawling up the walls in agi-
High Orc
inappropriate. If the person were cheating only tation. Often whole tribes eat lots of fruit be- High orcs have green skin and protruding
because he was playing against a gypsy, then fore going out into big battles. lower fangs or teeth. They are tougher than av-
the Gypsy Curse would be more appropriate. There is a common misconception that erage and are almost always fighters. They are
Gypsies are very vigilant in making sure the high ogres are dumb. This is due to the fact that related to the monstrous orcs but are not in any
Gypsy Curse is used only for family business. their racial intelligence makes it very difficult way compatible. There is no interbreeding be-
Gypsies who use them for personal profit or to comprehend scholarly skills. They find it tween the monster orcs and any PC race. There
petty revenge that has nothing to do with the difficult to grasp abstract concepts like the Code are no half orcs.
family are often punished severely. of Chivalry, nobility, and political intrigue. High orcs enjoy being bossy, loud, out-
Gypsies must wear loud colorful clothes High ogres make up for this with a strange spoken, and picking fights. It is their nature to
and must speak in an appropriate accent. form of lateral thinking and an innate under- express their great strength and show all of those
standing for the ecology of the land. They can around them just how powerful they are. They
often tell when something is going to shift the tend to be rather blunt, and rarely is a member
High Ogre balance of naturethings such as natural di- of this race shy or soft-spoken. Tactfulness is
High ogres are a race apart from the mon- sasters, man-made disturbances, magical rifts, not a quality known among high orcs. Although
strous ogres, although like ogres they have yel- plagues, and animal, plant and creature imbal- they may not mean to be disrespectful, their
low skin and protruding lower fangs. ance (when the delicate balance of predator/prey society and culture often make etiquette a for-
High ogres are perhaps one of the bravest is way off due to migrating creatures, plants or eign concept.
of all sentient species. They live for good com- animals). This means they can also sense when All high orcs love battle. A high orc will
bat, and seek any opportunity to prove their there is too much necromancy around, and prefer battle to surrender and an honest fight to
prowess in the battlefield. They are very proud will react accordingly. an underhanded trick.
of their deeds and often brag endlessly on past Necromancy and undead are more than A high orc is not much of a forward-thinker
victorious battles in which theyve participated. just taboo to a high ogre. These things just feel or a schemer. Once they develop a not-too-in-
At the same time, they often willfully try to for- wrong and the presence of such abominations volved plan, they usually stick to it. Also, high
get their defeats as well and when these embar- makes the high ogre itch and squirm in discom- orcs use physical means to accomplish their goal
rassing defeats are brought up in conversation, fort. This sort of thing has no place corrupting whenever possible. In high orcish culture
the high ogre will feel uncomfortable and agi- the lands. Might Makes Right is not a philosophy; it is
tated and try to change the subject. Consequently, high ogres hate any type of a fact.
undead or necromancy and will do everything Many high orcs are very superstitious. If

44 in their power to destroy such beings as well as

those who would use necromancy. This means
there is a soothsayer or an astrologer around
who believes themselves to have the power to
 member though, once the skill is bought you For many hoblings (and most of the
can use it as well as anyone else from any other hobling player characters), the get-rich-quick
race. scheme is adventuring. Hoblings basically hate
adventuring and the risks it involves, but the
possibility of earning rewards or finding trea-
Hobling sure in some long-forgotten dungeon is often
Hoblings are peaceful people and gener- just too tempting to resist. However, it will be
ally are smaller than average. Both male and rare for any hobling to desire to be an adven-
female have bushy sideburns. turer for too long, and the plan will be to do so
Primary among all other considerations, just until Im rich. (Then again, you can never
hoblings love comfort. They enjoy a pleasant be too rich...)
home, a warm fireplace, good food, fancy cloth- Since the business of hoblings is business,
ing, fine wine, and excellent distractions. fair dealing is important. Hoblings who cheat
Hoblings love a good story, play, book, or bard, or steal are shunned by their society. They al-
and will actively seek out entertainment when ways keep to their promises once madehow-
it is available. ever, youd better read any contract with a
Their love of living well means that most hobling very carefully, as they know all the
hoblings are businesspeople first. Living well loopholes.
costs money! The thought of doing something But, when it all boils down, hoblings are
for free is appalling to them, and hoblings con- generally simple folks. They dont want others
sider this common sense. Hoblings, with their disturbing their comfort and relaxation so their
read the future, the high orc will listen care- doctrine of mutual self-interest, believe that code is written to encourage noninterference
fully and give respect to the individual. The is just how the world works. This does not mean with everyone. They tend to stay neutral in po-
future holds everything, and they live by these they are all unkind or selfish; they just think litical affairs and mind their own business (in
superstitions. everyone always acts in their own self-interest more ways than one).
Curiosity is also a large part of the high and its foolish to deny that. Hoblings begin with one less Body Point.
orcs nature. A high orc may interrupt a con- In many hobling societies, there is an ex- Hoblings cannot be fighters and cannot use two
versation, no matter how important, just for the pression that explains their culture a bit better: handed weapons. They can buy Legerdemain
sake of understanding what a word means. You can judge worth by wealth. Hoblings be- at half price (round up) and can buy the skills
The high orc society is clan-based, where lieve that you rise in society due to your hard Resist Poison and Racial Dodge.
families and blood relations are regarded as work, business dealings, and wise investments.
most important. Individual high orcs may leave If you are poor, it is your own fault. In real world
the family to adventure with other races in or- terms, this is Social Darwinism taken to the
Mystic Wood Elf
der to establish glory and a name for themselves. extreme. The opportunities are out there for Mystic Wood elves are a strange race. It is
When one high orc meets another, gener- everyone, hoblings believe, so if you are poor not clear if they are related to elves; they have
ally they greet each other warmly. High orcs it is because you are not taking advantage of elven ears but also small horns on their fore-
realize that they are a minority and feel that they the situation. heads, pointing more to a satyr parentage.
must make good with all their kind. It is not Mystic Wood elves are very strong believ-
unusual, after only ten minutes, for two high ers in freedom, and as such are opposed to sla-
orcs that have just met to behave as if they are very and anything that removes free will. This
old friends. does not mean that they object to the effect in
Depending on a characters personality, a and of itself. For instance, a Mystic Wood elf
clanned high orc would either show an may not object to someone taking a Sleep ef-
unclanned high orc pity (they were raised with- fect if they requested it, or the use of a Domi-
out the advantages and knowledge of clan life) nate effect to free someone from a Charm. Play-
or with indifference (they have no clan and, ers may choose to play this aversion to greater
therefore, are nothing). Unclanned high orcs, degrees if they so desire. Similarly, a Mystic
on the other hand, would either regard their Wood Elf may suffer under the same racial
brethren with suspicion (those monsters from prejudices of any other character and define
the hills) or curiosity (they are my people). Most some creatures as inhuman and therefore have
likely they would seek out friendship with their no problem with the use of these effects on
kindred. them.
They start with two extra Body Points and It is inconceivable that any Mystic Wood
must pay double for Read and Write and Read elf would ever knowingly take advantage of
Magic. High orcs can purchase the skill Racial another person against their will, although there
Proficiency. This skill is not a role-playing abil- are many spirited debates among them as to
ity; it only grants the player +1 damage with a whether it is fine to do so against obvious en-
one handed weapon or +1.5 with a two handed emies and monsters.
weapon (rounded down). It confers no other Mystic Wood elves are innately curious be-
skills, and does not confer greater strength, even ings, and they enjoy learning a great deal. In-
for role-playing. They can also purchase Ra- Of course, for every society to exist, some- sofar as they are somewhat preoccupied with
cial Slay and Resist Fear. one has to be at the bottom of the ladder, wash- learning and trying new things, they enjoy craft
The extra cost for scholarly skills repre- ing the dishes and working the fields. Hoblings making off all sorts. Those who are masters of
sents the extra time a high orc must spend in who take these jobs see them as investments
order to comprehend scholarly subjects such
as reading and skills that rely on reading. Re-
towards their future, and always have some get-
rich-quick scheme at the ready. 45
their craft are highly regarded in Mystic Wood
elf society.
Sarr
In general, the gaining of knowledge of Sarr are a race of felinoids, but should not
all types is a habit and preoccupation of all be played as an ordinary domesticated house
Mystic Wood elves. Some enjoy specializing cat; to do so would debase oneself. Sarr will
and mastering one art first before moving on to rarely purr and they do not meow. Growling
the next thing, but dabbling in many different before a kill, or letting out a blood curdling roar
skills is also generally acceptable in their cul- to terrorize the enemy is looked upon as the
ture. spirit of the hunter.
Mystic Wood elves also tend to have a The sarr are a bloodthirsty people who pre-
somewhat hedonistic view of life, indulging ac- fer claws, swords and other edged weapons to
tively in wine, women/men, and song. They pos- all others. This may be tied to the sarrs acute
sess no cultural taboos in regard to sex and gen- sense of smellthe release of their preys blood
der preference, as long as everything is com- fills the air and confirms the valiant kill of the
pletely consensual. Individual Mystic Wood warrior. They are primarily carnivorous and will
elves may vary from prim to promiscuous, based often eat what they have killed in battle, but
upon their character concept. many sarr also supplement their diets with fruits,
Mystic Wood elves have no official docu- vegetables, and bread.
Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
mented life span. For all intents and purposes, Though the sarr have excellent vision, they
they seem to be immortal. They never seem to are handicapped by the fact that they are color-
blind. They see the world in a myriad of grey sarr choose to eat such a lowly creature as a
shades. The entire concept of color is lost on goblin, they would seldom partake of its heart,
them, since they rely more strongly on their instead eating other choice organs. A sarr would
sense of smell. be more likely to offer such a creature a chance
Sarr also have Scenting Ability. After ex- to surrender.
amining a substance for a minimum of three The sarr, as a race, can live for as long as
seconds, a sarr can detect whether the substance eighty years. Due to their society, however, very
is alchemical in nature. This skill will not de- few live past the age of forty. For this reason
termine the identity of the substance. the elderly are revered, as they have mastered
This ability also plays upon the olfactory the arts of survival to outlive their children and
senses when the natural ingredients of the mint sometimes grandchildren. They reach physical
family (such as catnip and peppermint) are maturity however at the tender age of six
smelled. Catnip causes the senses of a sarr to meaning at this point, a sarr is completely
intensify. Everything looks more vivid and grown and can reproduce. The sarr are con-
small topics seem to be groundbreaking. The sidered by their own kind to be mentally ma-
effects of catnip last for about fifteen minutes ture by the age of sixteen.
before wearing off completely. Peppermint is Gnolls are the racial enemies of the sarr.
a completely different substance. It will make No self-respecting sarr would ever trust a gnoll
the sarr intensely hyperactive and physical. or even allow it to continue to live if the sarr
They will forcibly attempt to take the pepper- could do something about that.
mint from any who carry it, demanding it at Sarr must wear makeup and/or prosthet-
first before attacking outright. ics to appear as one of the large hunting cats.
Sarr are angered when other races attempt The bottom of the nose should be dark. Whis-
to get them to smell peppermint, because it low- kers, stripes or spots may be added if appropri-
die of old age, but instead of accidents, battles ers their self esteem. It takes away much of the ate. If you play a black panther sarr, you must
and other causes. However, remember when self-control they possess, filling them with battle wear a prosthetic cat nose, cat ears, or other
starting a new Mystic Wood elf character that lust. Some sarr have become addicted to the additions to make it clear to all that you are not
you should probably be quite young, for other- leaf, as it gives them a rush of adrenaline and a dark elf.
wise you would have gained many skills. supposedly increases their fighting prowess. Sarr cannot buy the skills Archery, One
Mystic Wood elves tend to share their pos- Once again, the sarr society tends to frown Handed Blunt, Staff, Thrown Weapon, Two
sessions with others who may need them, and greatly upon this as a whole. The effects of pep- Handed Blunt, or Waylay. The only small
do not understand the preoccupation with permint wear off after several minutes. weapon allowable is a dagger or hatchet. All
money that other races have. As long as they Sarr believe only the strong will survive. weapons must be edged.
have enough to get by on and lots of friends, Races which do not hunt are looked upon as Sarr can purchase the skills Racial Assas-
they are happy. inferior. In combat, to surrender is considered sinate, Resist Poison and Claw.
Mystic Wood elves must purchase a very dishonorable. On the flip side, offering a
Craftsman skill at every level until five crafts- worthy opponent a chance to surrender is looked
man skills at a minimum have been obtained. upon as dishonoring the opponent. The most
Stone Elf
They only pay one Build Point per craftsman insulting thing a Sarr can do in combat is offer Stone elves have white skin, pointed ears,
skill. They can buy Resist Command and Break a chance to surrender. To allow someone to sur- and black lips. Their legends claim that they
Command. They start off with one less Body render and walk away from them is to say they were once carefree and selfish elves who were
Point. are not even worthy to be taken as a slave. magically cursed, but they now accept their lives
If victorious in combat, a sarr will often as an improvement over the emotion that had
eat choice parts of his or her opponent (the heart previously led to their ruin.

46 being the most favored). In this way, the sarr

pays honor to the recently departed. Should a
Stone elves show no emotion, and have
the appearance of being eternally calm. Their
discipline and their mental strength have made Stone elves start off with one less Body starve and die. A wylderkin can always survive.
it possible to suppress or rid a stone elf of such Point. They pay half price for Archery but can- Wylderkin possess a special advantage
a burden. not purchase the skills Two Handed Blunt or over the other races. A wylderkin can purchase
On average, stone elves live to be approxi- Two Handed Sword. They can purchase the two racial abilities accessible to any other race
mately 1200 years old, and as such they have a skills Resist Command and Break Command. (as long as these skills require a Build Cost; in
different view on matters than humans and other other words, they cant buy mental abilities
short-lived races. Patience is easier to learn for or half cost for archery). This means no two
them, and it is a common belief that most con-
Wylderkin wylderkin, even of the same kin, are necessar-
flicts resolve themselves with time. Wylderkin is a generic term used for any ily alike.
Few stone elves experience the desire to character creature not covered by the other There are limitations: The racial skills must
leave their home community, but often the quest races. They are humanoids with animal-like be announced and placed in the character data-
for knowledge takes one all over the lands. characteristics (rat, badger, skunk, snake, etc.). base at the time the character is created, and
These quests can take several hundred years. A wylderkin cannot be based on a fictional crea- the skills must make sense based on the type of
ture (no dragon, centaur, or goblin wylderkin). wylderkin being played. For example, a mon-
Players are free to use their imagination key wylderkin may wish to purchase a Racial
in creating a wylderkin as long as makeup is Dodge; a snake wylderkin a Resist Poison; an
worn and it is obvious that the player is not owl wylderkin a Resist Command; a polar bear
playing another player race. (For example, you wylderkin a Resist Element.
cannot be a cat wylderkin because there This choice can be vetoed by your games
would be no way out-of-game to differentiate Plot Committee if it is inappropriate, and other
you from a sarr.) Alliance games have the right to refuse your
Wylderkin do not refer to themselves as characters skills if they are not reasonable.
such; instead they tend to use the suffix kin
to whatever animal to which they are related:
raccoon-kin, bear-kin, fox-kin, and so on.
The most important part of role-playing a
wylderkin is in understanding the animal type
you are emulating. Do research; look up the
qualities of the creature, and find ways to in-
corporate that into your role-play. Some ani-
mals are cunning, some are slow-witted, some
are solitary, some live in groups, some are noc-
turnal, some are playful.
Although survival is a core element of
wylderkin role-play, different animals survive
Most stone elves follow the career path of using different tactics. A wolf-kin is very likely
one parent, with the goal of contributing to the to enjoy cooperating with others to bring down
community as a whole. prey, for example. A rabbit-kin runs and hides
The specifics of a stone elf society will when in danger, while an armadillo-kin hunkers
differ, however it is always based upon a logi- down and relies upon his or her armor.
cal format. Typically, the culture will arrange Due to their lack of a social structure,
itself into houses and elders, which can man- wylderkin tend to look for security within them-
age parts of the community rather than every selves or perhaps within a small group of com-
issue requiring the attention of every adult; this panions. They are likely to make little patterns
particularly happens in any stone elf commu- of behavior concerning themselves or their
nity that reaches any real size. group in order to gain a sense of belonging and All racial skills chosen by the wylderkin
Marriages are carefully considered, and stability. The patterns and habits often make no have the same limitations as their associated
require compatible traits and logical reasons for sense to other people, but are comforting to the race. If a racial skill can only be bought once
the pairing that can work to the couples ad- wylderkin. by any race, then it can only be bought once by
vantage their entire lives. This is essential, be- There are certain aspects of wylderkin that a wylderkin as well. For instance, Racial Dodge
cause during the marriage, the two bond men- are consistent, however. Due to their solitary can only be purchased once by a hobling; there-
tally in a way that can never be broken. outcast natures, they are very uncivilized. This fore, it can only be purchased once by a wylder-
Role-playing a stone elf is no easy task; in does not mean they are rude and obnoxious; kin.
fact, it is probably the hardest race to play. It simply that civilization is unfamiliar to them. As they do not have the upbringing and
can be mentally draining to watch yourself for Money seems highly artificial and social struc- education of other races, wylderkin must pay
any sign of emotion and repress it. tures more complex than I can beat you up, so double cost for Read and Write and Read
Stone elves have a natural affinity for ce- do what I say seem nonsensical. Magic.
lestial magic and make excellent celestial cast- Wylderkin are survivalists. Their bottom Wylderkin also have Scenting Ability.
ers. Although there are of course healers in their line is living from day to day, not gathering im- After examining a substance for a minimum of
society, most stone elf casters are celestial. mense wealth or political power, or other things three seconds, a wylderkin can detect whether
Stone elves, like biata, have spent years that people whose basic needs are looked after the substance is alchemical in nature. This skill
honing mental skills and as such can perform can contemplate. To the typical wylderkin, will not determine the identity of the substance.
certain mental mind abilities. These abilities are people from organized cultures are out of touch
all completely role-playing in nature. For more with what is really important; if such civilized
information about these skills, see Mental
Abilities on page 74.
folk fell into bad circumstances, and were not
supported by their artificial network, they would 47
 Classes

Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads

Classes are used to describe your to become an expert at damage from any direc- studies. Spells are a bit harder for them than
characters natural talents. This may or may not tion. They may not be able to do as much as Scholars and weapons a bit harder for them than
have anything to do with your characters pro- Fighters and Rogues at their level but versatality Fighters, but at higher levels, Templars are a
fessionfor example, not all rogues are thieves can make up for that. Scouts can avail them- good match for either of those two classes.
and not all scholars are spellcasters. selves of skills available to rogues at a reason-
Your own physical characteristics and able price and at the same time learn basic fight- Artisan: The Artisan class is exception-
abilities need not match those of your chosen ing skills which can be useful, making them a ally tuned to the manufacturing and sale of trade
character but it can help you in your adventur- threat from front and back. items. The Artisan has power not through spells
ing career if your actual physical skills are con- or weapons but through wealth. Artisans do not
gruent with your characters fantasy skills. Still, Rogue: Rogues have a natural bent to- excel in weapon use or spellcasting, but can be
you are encouraged to be all that you cant wards dexterity based skills. The lower Body excellent merchants, craftsmen, and pure alche-
be in the Alliance. Points, lighter armor and relatively high costs mists.
The three main classes are Fighter, Rogue, for combat skills does not make them well suited
and Scholar. Then there are the three hybrid for front line combat roles, but Rogues always
classes: Scout is a cross between Fighter and find a way to make up for this injustice. If you
Changing Your Class
Rogue, Adept is a cross between Rogue and wish to play a sneaky, backstabbing, and cun- These classes are out-of-game categories
Scholar, and Templar is a cross between Scholar ning character, this is the class for you. to determine the amount your character will
and Fighter. Finally, there is Artisan which is a have to pay for their skills. As such, they can
class all by itself. Adept: When it comes to skills required change so long as the skills themselves stay the
Choosing which class you wish to play to get a task done, the Adept is most likely to same. At any time prior to the start of an event,
should be based upon what skills you wish to use the fastest and most expedient means avail- you can choose to change your characters class
purchase, as your class is out-of-game. able. Their ability to cast spells, use alchemy, by speaking to the appropriate staff member of
backstab, and use many other skills makes them your characters Home Chapter. Your actual
very, well, adept in adventuring. They are most skills will not change; only the amount you have
Classes successful when using a combination of spell- spent to obtain them.
Fighter: Fighters take naturally to the casting and backstabbing. Additionally, a character may swap their
physical combat arts and rely mainly on strength choice of Primary and Secondary schools if they
and stamina to accomplish their goals. They can Scholar: Scholars are good at many men- reach a point where doing so would work to
wear any type of armor and can learn a number tal skills and the magical arts. You will find their advantage in terms of build point alloca-
of interesting battle skills to aid them with their Scholars in the midst of battle throwing their tion.
chosen weapons. If being on the frontline and spells, on the outskirts healing those in need, You must have enough Build Points avail-
bashing in the enemy is what you want, this and deep in study in the guilds researching ar- able to make the change, and cannot go into
class will give you the most power to accom- cane texts and documents. Scholars cannot wear negative Build Points. Therefore, if you wish
plish that goal. heavy armor, and weapon skills are difficult for to change your class, you may have to wait until
them, but for sheer spell power, none can com- you have enough free Build to make the change.
Scout: The swashbuckling Scout can learn pare. It is easier to change to and from related
both fighting and rogue skills easily and so tends classes (fighter to templar or scout) than it is to
Templar: Templars are spellcasting fight- go from one of the primary classes to another

48
ers who can use a weapon as easily as they can (fighter to scholar or rogue).
throw a spell. Their combat training leaves them Individual chapters may have additional
better able to fight but takes away from their out-of-game requirements not listed here.
 The Skill System
Personal skills still come into play, of
Gaining Skills courseif you just stand there holding your
Game Abilities
This is literally a fantasy game. It is a com- weapon, you are going to lose every battle. Even As you read this book, you will see refer-
pilation of rules and policies by which we al- if you buy the skill allowing you attempt to dis- ences to Game Abilities. This refers gener-
low people to simulate doing things that they arm a trap, you still have to disarm the trap. ally to the skills you buy for your character with
cannot really do. And having powerful spells does you no good Build Points.
You should not be fooled into thinking that if you cant hit your target with your throws. This is important because some effects can
your personal skill equates to the character skill Still, the purpose of our game is to be all prevent you from using your Game Abilities.
it represents. Your characters skill may be far that you cant be by buying skills for your char- If you are under the effect of Nausea, for in-
greater or far less than your own real life skills. acter. stance, you cannot cast any spells, fight, or
For instance, you must have the One You can purchase these skills with Build throw any gas globes since all of these are
Handed Edge weapon skill before you are al- Points to help enhance your character. As you Game Abilities. However, you can still talk,
lowed to use a sword. If you do not have this gain Build Points, you can then buy more skills. drink a potion, activate a magic item, or per-
skill, then you cannot even use the sword to The learned skill allows you to perform a form other actions that are not specific skills.
block blows. This skill represents an ability that particular task or group of tasks. Many can only The only exception to this is Read and
your character has spent hours of practice a day be used a limited number of times per day. Some Write. Although this is a skill purchased by
for months to gain. When such an individual is skills allow you to improve your abilities when Build Points, once you know this skill, you can
faced with a person totally unskilled in weapon the skill is bought multiple times. always read things like potion vials even when
use, they would easily strike the person down. In any case where a skill can be used only under an effect which removes your Game
Similarly, the proficiency system repre- a certain number of times per day (such as a Abilities.
sents a level of skill that the player might never Slay or spells), you must keep track of your skill Game Abilities (for items not otherwise
obtain. We use it as a way to artificially give a use per day. defined under PC-obtainable abilities and skills)
character an advantage over another character On a full weekend event, the day runs also covers anything that is usable a certain
not as skilled, regardless of the players skill 24 hours from when the game starts (approxi- number of times per day.
with the weapon. mately) and so the time you may pick up new
If this were not the case, a talented and card with your new skills is usually at 6 p.m. NPC Game Abilities
experienced player with a 1st level character This is known as the start of the game-day. This rule also applies to NPCs even though
could easily defeat a player with a 20th level On an adventure day module, the game- most do not buy skills with Build Points.
character, and thats not what the game is about. day starts before the module in which you par- For NPCs, Game Abilities would include:
It is the skill of your character that you will be ticipate. An adventure day module that runs for Duplicates of PC Game Abilities (such
role-playing after allnot your own personal more than one real day is considered the same as Dodge or One-Handed Edge)
skills. game-day. Times per day abilities which they may
choose whether or not to activate, such as Phase
or Entangle.
The ability to strike or block with Claws.
The ability to rip from various binding
effects.
It does not cover any abilities an NPC
might have which are not activated a certain
number of times per day, or which they have
no choice when to use or not to use.
For example, NPC Game Abilities do not
include:
Times per day abilities which auto-
matically activate, such as Magic Guard or Ven-
geance
Monster strength
Threshold
Natural Armor
Immunities
Vulnerabilities
Effects delivered via the Magic and Ar-
cane qualifiers and the mechanism of activat-
ing a Magic Item are both exempt from nega-
tive effects which restrict Game Abilities. For
both, you must be able to at least move your
mouth to vocalize (though the Magic and Ar-
cane qualifiers may be used while under the
effect of a Silence).

49
 Point. As you can see, the higher level you get, tions used for scaling encounters and figuring
Experience Points the more XP you will earn per event but at the out how many XP equal a BP. In-game, your
Experience Points (XP) are used for the same time the more XP it will take for you to character should never refer to his or her level.
advancement of a players character. earn one BP.
Whenever you attend an event, you will These BP are calculated individually based
receive Experience Points. The XP you receive on the XP and not as a group. For example:
Learning Skills
is determined by your current total Build Points Fred Player has a character named Terin who Your character will start with 15 Build
(see below), including the initial 15. has 24 BP. He goes to an event and earns 48 Points, which you can use to buy whatever skills
If you currently have 40 Build Points, then XP (24 per game-day). Since he is at 1st level, you want. In order to learn a new skill after
you will receive 40 XP for each game-day. On the first 3 XP equals 1 BP. That extra BP now that, you will have to find another character with
a typical weekend, which consists of two game- puts him at 25 BP total, meaning he is now 2nd the skill Teacher and the skill you want to learn.
days, you will receive 80 XP. On long week- level. Now it takes 7 XP to equal 1 BP. He has The teacher will get one Teaching Card per
ends (three game-days), you will receive 120 45 XP left, so that gives him 6 more BP plus 3 game-day for each time the skill is purchased.
XP, and for an Adventure Day module, you will XP left over, which will be saved. Terin thus When teaching a skill, the teacher will fill out
receive half of a game-day reward (or 20 XP in started the event with 24 BP and ended with the card and give it to the student who can then
the example). 31, with 3 XP remaining. turn in the card at the end of the event.
Note that levels are out-of-game descrip- Skills that can be purchased multiple times
do not have to be taught separately. These skills
Build Points are listed with an asterisk in the Skills chap-
Total BP Level XP / BP
Experience Points are automatically con- ter.
verted to Build Points (BP), which you then 15 - 24 1 3 Example One: Darlissa has a 2nd level
use to buy skills for your character. Each skill 25 - 34 2 7 Spell Slot. She wants to buy another 2nd level
you buy costs a certain number of Build Points. 35 - 44 3 12 Spell Slot. She does not need to find anyone to
The amount of Experience Points needed 45 - 54 4 18 teach it to her.
to buy a Build Point is based on your level. Example Two: Rendal has the skill Criti-
55 - 64 5 25
Your level is determined by how many Build cal Attack. He does not need a teacher to learn
Points your character has. It takes 10 Build 65 - 74 6 33 more Critical Attacks, but when he is ready to
Points to gain a level. All characters start with 75 - 84 7 42 learn a Weapon Proficiency, he must find a
15 Build Points that are used for initial skill 85 - 94 8 52 teacher.
purchase. Therefore, 1st level is from 15 to 24 95 - 104 9 63 Example Three: Finther has Alchemy 1.
BP. 105 - 114 10 75 He can keep buying levels of Alchemy for as
You do not have to spend all of your Build long as he wants without having to procure
115 - 124 11 88
Points at any one time, and you do not lose your another teacher.
BP if you do not spend them. After all, some 125 - 134 12 102 Fighting skills are not weapon sensitive
skills require saving up BP to be able to pur- 135 - 144 13 117 for teaching purposes. A fighter with a Weapon
chase them. 145 - 154 14 133 Proficiency in One Handed Edge can teach the
All classes start off at 1st level with 6 Body 155 - 164 15 150 skill Weapon Proficiency to a student who wants
Points. Your total Build Points determine your 165 - 174 16 168 to use it in Archery. Weapon skills, however,
Body Points thusly: are weapon sensitive. You cannot teach the skill
175 - 184 17 187 One Handed Edge if you do not have it. If you
Fighter: 1 Body Point every 5 BP 185 - 194 18 207 have Weapon Master, you may teach any
Scout: 1 Body Point every 7 BP 195 - 204 19 228 weapon included within.
Rogue: 1 Body Point every 8 BP 205 - 214 20 250 Racial skills are separate skills that can-
Templar: 1 Body Point every 9 BP 215 - 224 21 273 not be taught as regular skills. A hobling with
Adept: 1 Body Point every 10 BP the skill Racial Dodge, for example, cannot
225 - 234 22 297
Artisan: 1 Body Point every 12 BP teach the skill Dodge.
Scholar: 1 Body point every 15 BP 235 - 244 23 322 You cannot combine Backstabs and Pro-
245 - 254 24 348 ficiencies in order to meet a prerequisite. To
Thus, a fighter would receive an extra 255 - 264 25 375 learn Riposte for instance you must have four
Body Point at 20 Build, a Templar at 24 Build, 265 - 274 26 403 Backstabs or four Weapon Proficiencies, not a
and an Artisan at 27 Build. 275 - 284 27 432 combination of the two. Further, for skills that
require a certain number of prerequisites (As-
285 - 294 28 462
Levels 295 - 304 29 493
sassinate, Disarm, Dodge, Evade, Eviscerate,
Parry, Riposte, Shatter, Slay, Stun Limb, and
Your level determines how many Experi- 305 - 314 30 525 Terminate), the prerequisites are required for
ence Points you need to get a Build Point. The 315 - 324 31 558 each purchase of the skill.
table to the right shows the characters level 325 - 334 32 592 For instance, Rendal purchased his first
based on the total BP. It also shows the number Parry after he got Weapon Proficiency +2. He
335 - 344 33 627
of XP needed for the next BP. cannot purchase his second Parry until he has
For example, at first level, for every three 345 - 354 34 663 Weapon Proficiency +4.
Experience Points you earn, that will translate 355 - 364 35 700 It is very unusual to not be able to find
into one Build Point. At second level, it will 365 - 374 36 738 someone in-game able to teach you any skill
take seven Experience Points to equal one Build 375 - 384 37 777 you want. There are always at least a few NPCs
385 - 394 38 817 who have the skills needed. Sometimes they are

50 395 - 404
405 - 414
39
40
858
900
one-time only NPCs traveling through town for
that specific purpose.
 If completely lost as to where to go to learn yet have the capacity to use. first have two more Spell Slots on the level
a skill, your character should always start with For example: Belthivis heads to the below in order to support it. Imagine the pyra-
the appropriate guilds. Keep in mind that these Mages Guild and pays them to copy the spell mid as needing the proper support to keep it
people may require in-game compensation or Prison into his spell book. Even though it is in from collapsing from being top heavy.
favors for teaching you the skill. his book, Belthivis will not be able to cast that Basically, you have very little choice in
There are two exceptions to all of these spell until he learns a 9th level Spell Slot the manner in which spells may be purchased
rules: The skill Craftsmen does not have to have and a Spell Slot is a skill that must be taught to when you are starting out; if you have three 1st
a teacher because it is primarily a role-playing him using the system described next. level Spell Slots and two 2nd level Spell Slots,
skill and there are so many possible crafts to the next Spell Slot you will have to buy is 3rd
learn. Similarly, racial skills (such as Resist level. Your ability to vary wont occur at low
Command) do not have to be taught. However,
Spell Slots levels.
in-game, your character should still try to learn There are special rules for spell acquisi- Once you have purchased four Spell Slots
these skills from someone elsewe are a role- tion that are unlike most other skills in the game. of any particular level, you need not buy any
playing game, after all. What you actually do is learn the ability to cast more Spell Slots of that level. Imagine now the
Note that even though a skill is taught a spell of a particular level, and not the specific pyramid being an obelisk like the Washington
in-game, the character will not be allowed to individual spell. Monument.
use the skill or teach it to others until the char- This is known as a Spell Slot. You can You may buy more than four Spell Slots
acter has been updated in the database and you then fill that Spell Slot with any spell you can per level but there must always be at least as
are given a character card showing that skill. In memorize of that level. many Spell Slots below that level in order to
essence, this means that you should choose your For example: Belthivis purchases a 1st support the new amount. Further, the pyramid
skills and find a teacher even before you earn level Spell Slot. He has a spell book with three must be constantly building, which means that
the Build Points. 1st level spells in it. He picks one spell at that the level above must have only one less than
If you have a skill taught to you before level and memorizes it for that day. The Logis- the amount you are buying.
you have enough Build Points, it will be on tics staff checks his spell book to make sure he So in order to buy a fifth 2nd level Spell
your character card but have a value of 0 has the spell in front of him to memorize and Slot, you must have a fifth 1st level Spell Slot
where it will remain until there are enough Build then gives him a tag for that particular spell. and a fourth 3rd level Spell Slot.
Points for it to be purchased. You may not use Belthivis later learns another 1st level For example: Belthivis has a 3rd level
any skill with a value of 0. Spell Slot. He can now cast two 1st level spells Spell Slot, two 2nd Spell Slots, and three 1st
These teaching rules do not apply to spells from his spell book or can memorize that same level Spell Slots. His pyramid is fine (see figure
and alchemical recipes. To use a spell or al- spell twice. one).
chemical recipe, you must have the proper spell Spell Slots are purchased in a proportional

51
book or recipe book. You can actually have pyramid as described in the examples below. If
spells and recipes in your book that you do not you wish to buy a particular Spell Slot, you must
 be proficient in and four Critical Attack skills.
3 5 To learn Alchemy, you must first know how to
2 2 4 4 Read and Write and must know Herbal Lore.
1 1 1 3 3 3 These charts are organized based on the
(figure 1) three main classes (Fighter, Rogue, Scholar) and
2 2 2 2 the classes that come between them. Since a
1 1 1 1 Scout is a cross between a Fighter and a Rogue,
He wants to learn a 4th level Spell Slot (figure 4) it is listed between those two classes, and since
eventually. He must build the foundation of the an Adept is a cross between a Rogue and a
pyramid so it can support a 4th level Spell Slot. Scholar, it is placed accordingly. A templar is
First he buys another 1st level Spell Slot level Spell Slot, in that order. between a Scholar and a Fighter, and Artisan
and another 2nd level Spell Slot. He must next If Belthivis has all of the Spell Slots listed stands alone.
purchase another 3rd level Spell Slot (see fig- in figure four and then decides that he wants a Each class is the best at something. Fight-
ure two). fifth 2nd level Spell Slot, he must first buy an- ers specialize in Weapon Proficiency. Rogues
other 1st level Spell Slot to support the 2nd level specialize in Backstabs and Waylays. If you
Spell Slot. After that, he must buy the 3rd level want both Proficiencies and Backstabs, the
3 3 Spell Slot (see figure five). Scout is the best. Scholars are the best at spells,
2 2 2 and Adepts are best at a combination of spells
1 1 1 1 and Backstabs. Templars are best at a combi-
5 nation of spells and Weapon Proficiencies, and
(figure 2) 4 4 Artisans are the best at Alchemy.
3 3 3 3 Your character will probably be more well
Now his pyramid is ready for the new Spell 2 2 2 2 2 rounded and take more than one basic skill, so
Slot. The foundation of support for the 4th level 1 1 1 1 1 the best thing to do is to pick the skills you
Spell Slot has been made by making sure there (figure 5) would really like to eventually have for your
are two 3rd level Spell Slots below. He can now character and then figure out which class is best
buy his first 4th level Spell Slot (see figure for you.
three). Note that the pattern is very set as to which Remember: This is not a computer game
Spell Slots have to be purchased unless you or a battle game; its a role-playing game. Dont
wish to buy more than four Spell Slots of any create your character based on what statistics
4 one level. will give you the most power. Decide what kind
3 3 There is potentially no limit as to the num- of character you would enjoy playing first and
2 2 2 ber of Spell Slots per level that can be purchased then decide which skills to buy. Choose a race
1 1 1 1 as long as this pattern is maintained. and a personality and it will help you decide
(figure 3) You can have a pyramid with nine 1st level the skills that would go along with that charac-
Spell Slots, eight 2nd level Spells Slots, seven ter.
3rd level Spells Slots, and so on up to one 9th If you are choosing many types of skills,
If Belthivis wants to buy a 5th level Spell level Spell Slot. you may end up with numbers which show that
Slot, he can do so without buying any more 1st there is not much difference between the classes.
For instance, if you are making a character that
level Spell Slots because four is the maximum
required. He must support the 5th level Spell
Skill Costs is a good fighter, can throw spells, is good at
Slot by buying a 2nd, 3rd and 4th in that order Below and on the following pages are the backstabs, and can throw alchemy, you may not
to make the pyramid (see figure four). charts listing the Build Point costs for each skill be able to tell which class is best for you until
Belthivis now has a perfect pyramid and based on each class. Note that any class can you decide how you will eventually start spe-
is the envy of all his friends. If he wants, he can buy any skill; they just might have to pay more cializing in one of these things. Just keep pick-
stop buying 2nd level Spell Slots, as four is the BP for it. ing skills until it is obvious that one class is
minimum required. His pyramid will then When buying skills, be sure to check the better than the others, and then when you cre-
progress with the purchase of a 3rd level Spell prerequisites. For instance, to buy Weapon Pro- ate your character at 1st level, you will know
Slot, then a 4th, 5th and finally his first 6th ficiency, you must first have a weapon skill to which class is best for your long term goal.

TRADES & CRAFTS Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Alchemy 6 5 3 4 4 6 3 Herbal Lore
Blacksmith 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 none
Craftsman (Type) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 none
Create Potion 6 6 6 4 3 4 3 Earth spell slot
Create Scroll 6 6 6 4 3 4 3 Celestial spell slot
Create Trap 6 4 3 4 6 6 3 Legerdemain
Herbal Lore 6 5 3 4 4 6 3 Read and Write
Legerdemain 10 8 4 8 10 10 8 none
Merchant 3 2 1 2 3 3 1 none
Teacher 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 none
Wear Extra Armor 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 none

52
RACIAL SKILLS Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Break Command 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Biata, MWE, Stone Elf
Claws 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 Sarr
Gypsy Curse 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Gypsy
Racial Assassinate 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Sarr
Racial Dodge 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 Hobling
Racial Proficiency 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 High Ogre, High Orc
Racial Slay 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 High Orc
Resist Binding 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Dryad
Resist Command 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Biata, Dark Elf, Elf
MWE, Stone Elf
Resist Element 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Barbarian, Dwarf
Resist Fear 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Barbarian, High Orc
Resist Magic 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Dark Elf
Resist Necromancy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 High Ogre
Resist Poison 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Dwarf, Hobling, Sarr

WEAPONS Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE

Archery 6 6 6 8 12 8 8 none
One Handed Blunt 3 4 4 5 6 5 5 none
One Handed Edged 5 5 5 7 10 7 7 none
One Handed Master 7 8 8 10 14 10 10 none
Polearm 8 12 12 12 16 12 12 none
Small Weapon 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 none
Staff 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 none
Thrown Weapon 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 none
Two Handed Blunt 6 8 8 8 12 8 8 none
Two Handed Sword 8 12 12 12 16 12 12 none
Two Handed Master 10 16 16 16 20 16 16 none
Two Weapons 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 Florentine

FIGHTING SKILLS Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Assassinate 8 3 3 4 8 8 8 Backstab x2
Back Attack 6 3 3 3 8 6 6 weapon skill
Backstab 6 6 3 6 8 6 6 Back Attack x4
Critical Attack 3 3 5 6 8 3 6 weapon skill
Disarm 2 2 2 3 8 3 8 Backstab or
Weapon Proficiency
Dodge 8 6 5 6 8 8 8 Backstab x2
Evade 8 3 3 4 8 8 8 Backstab
Eviscerate 5 7 14 14 14 7 14 Weapon Proficiency x4
Florentine 4 6 6 6 8 6 6 none
Parry 4 4 8 8 8 5 8 Weapon Proficiency x2
Riposte 5 5 5 6 8 6 8 Backstab x4 or
Weapon Proficiency x4
Shatter 3 3 3 4 8 4 8 Backstab x3 or
Weapon Proficiency x3
Shield 6 10 10 10 12 10 10 none
Slay 4 4 8 8 8 5 8 Weapon Proficiency x2
Stun Limb 3 3 3 4 8 4 8 Backstab x3 or
Weapon Proficiency x3
Style Master 10 15 15 15 20 15 15 weapon skill
Terminate 12 6 4 6 12 12 12 Backstab x 4
Waylay 12 8 6 8 12 12 12 none
Weapon Master 15 20 20 20 25 20 20 none
Weapon Proficiency 3 6 6 6 8 6 6 Critical Attack x4

53
SCHOLARLY SKILLS Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Read and Write 6 6 6 3 3 3 3 none
Read Magic 8 8 6 4 4 4 6 Read and Write

HEALING SKILLS Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
First Aid 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 none
Healing Arts 6 6 4 2 2 2 4 Read and Write, First Aid

CELESTIAL (Primary) Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Celestial Level 1 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 Read Magic
Celestial Level 2 3 3 2 1 1 1 2 Celestial Level 1
Celestial Level 3 6 6 4 2 2 2 2 Celestial Level 2
Celestial Level 4 6 6 4 3 2 3 3 Celestial Level 3
Celestial Level 5 9 9 6 3 3 3 4 Celestial Level 4
Celestial Level 6 9 9 6 4 3 4 4 Celestial Level 5
Celestial Level 7 12 12 8 5 4 5 5 Celestial Level 6
Celestial Level 8 12 12 8 5 4 5 6 Celestial Level 7
Celestial Level 9 15 15 10 6 5 6 6 Celestial Level 8
Formal Celestial 12 12 8 4 3 4 4 Celestial Level 9

CELESTIAL (Second.) Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Celestial Level 1 6 6 4 2 2 2 2 Read Magic
Celestial Level 2 6 6 4 2 2 2 4 Celestial Level 1
Celestial Level 3 12 12 8 4 4 4 4 Celestial Level 2
Celestial Level 4 12 12 8 6 4 6 6 Celestial Level 3
Celestial Level 5 18 18 12 6 6 6 8 Celestial Level 4
Celestial Level 6 18 18 12 8 6 8 8 Celestial Level 5
Celestial Level 7 24 24 16 10 8 10 10 Celestial Level 6
Celestial Level 8 24 24 16 10 8 10 12 Celestial Level 7
Celestial Level 9 30 30 20 12 10 12 12 Celestial Level 8
Formal Celestial 24 24 16 8 6 8 8 Celestial Level 9

EARTH (Primary) Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Earth Level 1 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 Healing Arts
Earth Level 2 3 3 2 1 1 1 2 Earth Level 1
Earth Level 3 6 6 4 2 2 2 2 Earth Level 2
Earth Level 4 6 6 4 3 2 3 3 Earth Level 3
Earth Level 5 9 9 6 3 3 3 4 Earth Level 4
Earth Level 6 9 9 6 4 3 4 4 Earth Level 5
Earth Level 7 12 12 8 5 4 5 5 Earth Level 6
Earth Level 8 12 12 8 5 4 5 6 Earth Level 7
Earth Level 9 15 15 10 6 5 6 6 Earth Level 8
Formal Earth 12 12 8 4 3 4 4 Earth Level 9

EARTH (Secondary) Fighter Scout Rogue Adept Scholar Templar Artisan PREREQUISITE
Earth Level 1 6 6 4 2 2 2 2 Healing Arts
Earth Level 2 6 6 4 2 2 2 4 Earth Level 1
Earth Level 3 12 12 8 4 4 4 4 Earth Level 2
Earth Level 4 12 12 8 6 4 6 6 Earth Level 3
Earth Level 5 18 18 12 6 6 6 8 Earth Level 4
Earth Level 6 18 18 12 8 6 8 8 Earth Level 5
Earth Level 7 24 24 16 10 8 10 10 Earth Level 6
Earth Level 8 24 24 16 10 8 10 12 Earth Level 7
Earth Level 9 30 30 20 12 10 12 12 Earth Level 8
Formal Earth 24 24 16 8 6 8 8 Earth Level 9

54
 Production Skills
To create game items such as potions,
scrolls, elixirs, weapons, traps, and armor, you
must first buy the appropriate skill with your
Build Points. Each time you buy the skill, you
get five Production Points to spend each
game-day.
Production Points do not carry over from
day to day or event to event. You cannot trans-
fer or combine your Production Points with an-
other player.
To make an item, go to Logistics with your
character card showing your skill level. You
must also pay a copper piece per Production
Point. This game money represents the raw ma-
terials and other costs associated with making ties of a Journeyman plus the abilities of a Workshops: It is possible to become more
the item. Master. productive in making Production Point items
After you have purchased ten levels of any The charts here and on the next page show if you have access to a workshop that special-
skill, you are considered a Journeyman, and what can be made with Production Points in izes in making them. A workshop will double
after twenty levels, you are a Master. These lev- specific skills. To actually make an item on these your base Production Points, thus making it
els will provide extra bonuses, such as being lists, you will have to determine the item you possible to produce more of an item than nor-
able to make items at a reduced cost or being wish to make and then make sure that you have mally possible.
able to identify them quicker. The skills are the Production Points and coins necessary to There are specialized workshops for (a)
cumulative; at Master level, you gain the abili- do so. making alchemical items, (b) making and re-

ALCHEMY Contact Elixir Gas Weapon SCROLLS

Alchemical Solvent 5 Disarm 5
Cause Light Damage 5 10 Light 5
Cure Light Damage 5 Stone Bolt 5
Intoxicate 5 Lightning Bolt 10
Liquid Light 5 Magic Armor 10
Paranoia 5 10 15 Pin 10
Vorpal Coating (Light) 5 Repel 10
Cause Damage 10 15 Shield 10
Hallucinate 10 Bind 15
Quicksilver 10 Ice Bolt 15
Love 15 Lesser Investment 15
Oil of Slipperiness 15 Shatter 15
Paste of Stickiness 15 Wall of Force 15
Vorpal Coating 15 Awaken 20
Weakness 15 20 25 Flame Bolt 20
Antidote 20 Shun 20
Cause Serious Damage 20 25 Release 25
Laugh 20 25 30 Spell Shield 25
Poison Shield 20 Stone Storm 25
Vorpal Coating (Serious) 20 Web 25
Nausea 25 30 35 Elemental Shield 30
Feeblemind 30 35 40 Lightning Storm 30
Sleep 30 35 40 Sleep 30
Vertigo 30 35 40 Destroy 35
Dominate 35 40 Ice Storm 35
Paralysis 40 45 Dispel 40
Amnesia 45 Dragon's Breath 40
Berserk 45 Reflect Magic 40
Death 45 Wizard Lock 40
Enslavement Antidote 45
Euphoria Antidote
Love Potion #9
45
45
55
pairing armor and weapons, (c) creating po- cannot use your workshop at a particular event. counts his change and decides to create an-
tions, (d) creating scrolls, and (e) making traps. For example: Belthivis uses his workshop on other 40 Production Points worth of scrolls (us-
You can purchase these specialized workshops Friday night at Logistics, but on Saturday ing his workshop again), but this time he pays
for ten gold each. morning the plot has everyone teleported to a Logistics 80 coppers.
For example: Belthivis the Mage has Cre- battlefield 50 miles away from the town in which A third batch may be made at triple cost, a
ate Scroll four times. Each level of the skill gives the workshop is located. Belthivis will not be fourth batch at quadruple cost, and so on. There
him 5 Production Points, so he has a total of able to use his workshop at Saturdays Logis- is no limit to how many batches can be made
20 Production Points in which to make scrolls. tics session. except available funds, of course.
Belthivis decides to buy a scroll workshop. Af- You can buy a number of workshops lo- Production Points from different batches
ter doing so, he now can double his capacity cated in all of the towns in which the game may may never be combined. In other words, you
and create 40 Production Points of scrolls, possibly take place. This is indeed a limitation cannot combine your two 40 Production Point
meaning that instead of merely making a Shun of workshops, but on the other hand, unlike all batches to make one item worth 80 Production
scroll, he can now make a Wizard Lock scroll. your other treasure, your workshops cannot be Points. You are always limited by your skill and
You must still pay the proper amount in stolen. your workshop.
copper in order to get your Production Point The workshop can be sold to another char-
items even with a workshop. 40 Production acter but can never be used more than once per POTIONS
Points of anything made will cost 40 coppers Logistics period. In other words, you cannot
Cause Light Wounds 5
whether done in a workshop or not. use the workshop, sell it to someone else, and
These workshops are personal in nature then have the buyer use that same workshop. Cure Disease 5
and cannot be used by anyone else. Your work- The new owner must wait until the next Logis- Cure Light Wounds 5
shop tag will list your characters name and the tics session. Disease 5
location of the workshop. The workshop can The selling of a workshop must be done Endow 5
only be used when the game takes place in that at Logistics with both the seller and the buyer Bless 10
location. For instance, if you buy a workshop present to confirm the sale. A new tag with the Cause Wounds 10
in in-game location A, you will not be able to new owners name on it will then be issued
Cure Wounds 10
use it in in-game location B. You can, of course, while the old tag will be destroyed.
buy a new workshop. Magic Armor 10
Further, there may be plot reasons why you Batches: Another way to increase the Remove Weakness 15
amount of items you can create in any one game- Weakness 15
WEAPONS day is by making large batches. Batching Awaken 20
gives a character a new set of production points Cause Serious Wounds 20
Arrow 0.5
(at double cost) to be used as they see fit. It Cure Serious Wounds 20
Bolt 0.5 does not need to be spent identically to earlier
Silvering an Arrow 1 Release 25
batches. After you use your normal Production
Silvering a Bolt 1 Points for the day (whether with or without a Remove Silence 25
Bludgeon 5 workshop), you can then create a second Silence 25
Dagger 5 batch at double the cost. The same limita- Spell Shield 25
Hatchet 5 tions apply as per the first batch. You can use Cause Critical Wounds 30
your workshop for each of these batches. Cure Critical Wounds 30
Staff 5
For example: Belthivis uses his workshop Elemental Shield 30
Throwing Dagger 5 and creates 40 Production Points worth of
Javelin 10 Restore 30
scrolls. He pays Logistics 40 coppers. He then
Light Crossbow 10 Sleep 30
Shield 10 ARMOR Wither 30
Short Bow 10 1 - 5 Armor Points 10 Destruction 35
Heavy Crossbow 15 6 - 10 Armor Points 20 Remove Destruction 35
Long Bow 15 11 - 15 Armor Points 40 Cause Mortal Wounds 40
Short Hammer 15 16 - 20 Armor Points 60 Cure Mortal Wounds 40
Short Mace 15 21 - 25 Armor Points 80 Drain 40
Silvering a Weapon 15 26 - 30 Armor Points 100 Purify 40
Spear 15 31 - 35 Armor Points 120 Remove Paralysis 40
Long Hammer 20 36 - 40 Armor Points 140 Reflect Magic 40
Long Mace 20
Short Axe 20 TRAPS Noise- Flame/ Mechan-
Long Axe 25 Damage Gas maker Weapon Acid Explosive ical
Short Sword 25 25 2
Long Sword 30 2 2
Polearm 40 5 5
Two Handed Blunt 40 10 10
Two Handed Sword 45 15 20 20
Strengthening 50 20 30 30 40 20
30 50 40 60 30
56 50
100
50 100 50
80
 Skills
Skills listed with a * can be bought mul-
tiple times to improve or increase the skill. Read
the description carefully.

Alchemy*
Alchemy allows the character to create
non-magical elixirs, poisons, oils, and solvents.
For each time Alchemy is bought, the character
gets five Production Points as detailed on page
54.
In order to mix a substance to be ingested
into a food or drink, or to apply a contact gel or
weapon coating, you must have Alchemy 1.
Anyone can use an ingested substance if
not mixed into food or drink. In other words,
anyone can drink an Intoxicant elixir straight
from the bottle, but you must have Alchemy 1
in order to mix that elixir into a drink or food.
To employ a gas requires at least Alchemy
3. All gas packets must be orange to differenti-
ate them from spell packets (which cannot be
orange).
Alchemy cannot be used to determine the
presence of an alchemical substance or magi-
cal potion in a creatures bloodstream.
The list of substances that can be made
with the skill Alchemy and their Production
Point cost is on page 55. The Alchemy chapter
starts on page 107.

Advanced Use: A character with 10 or An Assassinate can only be inflicted from You may announce special qualifiers that
more levels of Alchemy is considered a Jour- behind but can be blocked by a Parry, a Dodge, your weapon may possess, such as Silver,
neyman, and only spends 4 copper for every 5 or a Riposte. A Magic Armor spell also pro- Magic, or Flame.
production points of Alchemy. A character with tects the wearer from an Assassinate.
20 or more levels of Alchemy is considered a Using an Assassinate with a hand that has
Master and gains the ability to identify alchemi- a Prepare to Die skill active will immediately
Back Attack*
cal substances (with the Herbal Lore skill) in expend the Prepare to Die skill. This skill allows the character to inflict two
30 seconds as opposed to the usual 60 seconds. The back includes the buttocks, rear of extra points of damage against any one oppo-
the arm (triceps area from shoulder to elbow) nent from behind for the duration of the battle
Archery and rear half of the calves and thighs from heel
to buttocks. You must be behind the victim to
(which is defined as Line of Sight as ex-
plained on page 98) once per day for each time
This skill allows the character to use a inflict an Assassinate; you cannot reach around the skill is taken.
simple bow and a crossbow. from the front. By its nature, an Assassinate This bonus applies to any weapon in which
For safety reasons, real bows and cross- cannot be held active nor may it switch targets; the character has the skill. When used with a
bows are not used in our game. Instead, archers it can only be used for one strike. It does not thrown weapon, bow or crossbow, the attack
use padded physical representations for the have to be by surprise. only does one extra point of damage but does
bows and crossbows, and blue packets to rep- An Assassinate inflicts base damage of 10 not have to be from the rear.
resent arrows and bolts. plus 20 times the number of Assassinates the The back includes the buttocks, rear of
character has. For example: Finther has bought the arm (triceps area from shoulder to elbow)
Assassinate* 3 Assassinates. When he uses his Assassinate
skill, he will call 70 Assassinate. This amount
and rear half of the calves and thighs from heel
to buttocks. You must be behind the victim and
This skill enables the character to inflict is figured by first taking the number of Assassi- be able to see the victims shoulder blades to
one powerful attack of damage in one blow once nates he has (3) and multiplying it by 20, giv- inflict a Backs Attack; you cannot reach around
a day for each time the skill is bought. Assassi- ing him 60. Then he adds the base damage of from the front.
nate may be used with any weapon in which 10. After a character has earned the fourth
the character has the skill. It can be purchased When calculating the amount of damage, Back Attack, the character can trade them in
once after every two Backstabs a player has. you do not add weapon damage, Endows, and buy a Backstab (see below). The character
When used with a bow, crossbow or thrown Vorpal Coatings, or any other modifiers. An

57
weapon, the attack does not have to be from Assassinate will always be a round number like
the rear. 30 or 50.
may then begin learning Back Attacks again.
For example: Finther the Rogue has
worked his way up to the point where he has
learned Backstab. He now inflicts two extra
points of damage for every hit from behind with
any weapon he can use. He then begins to learn
Back Attacks again. For each Back Attack he
learns now, he can inflict another two points of
damage to one opponent, so when he uses these
skills, he adds four points of damage.

Backstab*
This skill allows a character to do an extra
two points of damage to any foe they can hit in
the back while standing behind the person. The
back includes the buttocks, rear of the arm
(triceps area from shoulder to elbow) and rear
half of the calves and thighs from heel to but-
tocks. You must be behind the victim and be
able to see the victims shoulder blades to in-
flict a Backstab; you cannot reach around from
the front.
It applies to any weapon in which the char-
acter has the skill. When used with a thrown
weapon, bow or crossbow, the attack only does
one extra point of damage but does not have to
be from the rear.
You can purchase a Backstab for every Logistics 25 copper pieces and Logistics gives Strengthening a weapon, shield, or
four Back Attacks you possess. When you pur- him the tags. wand: Strengthening a weapon, shield, or wand
chase a Backstab, you must trade in your Back allows it to withstand Shatter, Destroy, and
Attacks. Refitting: Refitting a suit of armor takes Acidic Skin effects as well as explosive traps.
The skill can be bought multiple times and a complete uninterrupted minute during which Once strengthened, the item will withstand two
the effects are cumulative. you can perform no Game Abilities and cannot such attacks. When hit with one of these ef-
walk around. The player must kneel or crouch fects, the person with a strengthened item must
and adjust their armor to represent the act of say Resist.
Blacksmith* refitting. If you are refitting someone elses ar- A weapon, wand or shield can only be
This skill allows the character to create mor, both players will have to kneel. This should strengthened once, giving it two resists to these
weapons and shields as well as forge and refit be role-played out, perhaps by pulling out a effects. After those resists are used, it can be
suits of armor. (Technically, this skill can also small bag of tools and accessories, or at least strengthened again but can never have more
be used to create regular clothing and leather by pounding at your chest or otherwise taking than two resists at any one time.
armor since those are also covered under the actions to make it clear that you are repairing To strengthen an existing weapon, wand
Armor Point tag rules.) armor and not just kneeling down. or shield, the smith must pay an extra 50 Pro-
For each time this skill is bought, the char- For example: Rendal and Ena each have duction Points and 50 silvers.
acter gets five Production Points as described suits worth 15 Armor Points. They are attacked
on page 55. The person with this skill can then by an evil ogre and each take 20 points of dam- Advanced use: A character with 10 or
either make weapons or armor or any combi- age before the ogre is defeated, thus reducing more levels of Blacksmith is considered a Jour-
nation of both up to their maximum Produc- their armor values to 0. Rendal, who has the neyman, and only spends 4 copper for every 5
tion Points. skill of Blacksmith, kneels over, gets out his production points of Blacksmithing. Silvering
Example one: Finther has Blacksmith 4, repair kit, and spends a minute refitting his ar- and strengthening do not benefit from this re-
giving him 20 Production Points per game-day. mor while Ena stands guard. When he is done, duction in cost.
He checks the chart in the Production Points he spends another minute refitting her armor. A character with 20 or more levels of
section on page 56 and sees that he can make a When the two minutes are done, both have suits Blacksmith is considered a Master and gains
9 point suit with his 20 Production Points. He that are good as new and worth 15 Armor the ability to refit armor in 30 seconds as op-
goes to Logistics and pays 20 copper pieces Points again. posed to the usual 60 seconds.
and is given a 9 point armor tag.
Silvering a weapon: Silvering a weapon
Example two: Finther has Blacksmith 5,
giving him 25 Production Points per game-day. allows the weapon to harm monsters than can
Break Command*
He tells Logistics that he wants a 5 point suit only be hurt by silver, such as certain undead. With this skill, a character can break all
of armor, a staff, and a shield. A 5 point suit To silver an existing weapon, the blacksmith active Command effects on another creature
will cost him 10 Production Points, the staff must pay 15 Production Points and 15 silver once per day for each time the skill is taken.
will cost him 5 Production Points, and the shield pieces. Silvering an existing arrow or bolt costs The Command effects are Berserk, Domi-
will cost him 10 Production Points. He pays 1 silver per arrow or bolt and 1 Production nate, Fear, Love, Shun, Sleep, and Vampire
Point. (Note that these costs are separate from Charm.

58
the costs of the actual creation of the weapon It does not include Greater Command ef-
itself.) Once applied, the silver can never be fects such as Enslavement, Euphoria, or Love
removed to be reused. Potion #9; however, it does include Terror.
 You must be close enough to touch the
affected person (actual physical contact is not
necessary and may very well be unsafe), and
must spend ten seconds of role-playing con-
versation with the victim to remove the effect.
If you perform any other Game Abilities
during this time, if the victim is attacked, or if
the conversation is halted, then the Break Com-
mand is unsuccessful.
Attempting this action on a character that
had not been under the effects of a Command
will still result in the ability being used for the
day.
You cannot use this skill upon yourself.

Celestial Magic*
This skill allows the character to cast a
celestial magic spell of whatever level has been
bought. This skill is a Spell Slot as described
on page 51.

Claws
This skill allows a character to use a one-
handed claw. The base damage for a claw is cannot be destroyed. During the time he was thing as Herbal Lore, and Craftsman: Leather-
two points. This skill only allows the use of getting the phys reps, he was completely in- smith is covered under Blacksmith.
one claw unless the character also has Two game and could not call a Hold or refuse to Be logical in your choice. Dont take
Weapons or Style Master, at which point the take any damage that may have hit him. He Craftsman: Calligrapher if you havent pur-
character can use either two claws or a claw will be calling two normal with his claws chased the skill Read and Write, and dont take
and a weapon. unless he has a Proficiency, in which case he Craftsman: Formal Magical Research if you
You may use any fighting skill with the will call the appropriate damage. If hit with a cant even cast a Pin spell.
claw (such as Weapon Proficiency, Evade, Evis- Disarm spell, he will say no effect (unless, Craftsman skills include (but are not lim-
cerate, etc.). However, the claw cannot be used of course, he has a Spell Shield active, which ited to) actor, architect, artist, astrologer, baker,
to perform a Waylay. would then be used up). bard, barrister, bookbinder, bookkeeper,
All claws must be short sword length and This skill is not the same thing as the mon- brewer, builder, butcher, calligrapher, candle-
must abide by all weapon construction rules. ster ability Base Claw/Body Weaponry. maker, carpenter, cartographer, cartwright,
They must be covered with red colored tape. cobbler, farmer, farrier, fisher, fletcher, forester,
Claws cannot be silvered or strengthened
by the Blacksmith skill. The claws may not be
Craftsman (type)* gambler, glassblower, gravedigger, hatter,
hunter, innkeeper, jeweler, lenscrafter, lumber-
disarmed, shattered, stolen, confiscated, or de- This skill is used to add flavor to your jack, mapmaker, mason, masseuse, money-
stroyed. character. It cannot be used to give a character lender, musician, miller, miner, navigator,
Characters who are hit in their claws with any extra power in-game nor does it guarantee painter, potter, rat catcher, sage (specify field
weapons, bows, or arrows do not take damage any information from the Plot Committee, al- of study), sailor, scout, scribe, sculptor, silver-
from the attack. In this sense, claws are treated though the Plot Committee may take it into con- smith, singer, tailor, tavernkeeper, tracker, trap-
as weapons and can receive weapon coatings sideration when distributing information or per, undertaker, veterinarian, and weaver.
and be used with Blade spells. plotlines. For instance, if you have Craftsman:
The claws are retractable and can be re- Sailor and a module involves capturing a boat
tracted and activated without a count. The time from pirates, your skill could come in handy.
Create Potion*
it takes a player to acquire the phys reps out- For every Craftsman skill bought, a char- This skill allows the character to create an
of-game is the time it takes the character to ac- acter will receive one silver piece at check-in earth magic based potion. The character must
tivate the claws in-game. for each game-day. This represents income you have access to the spell in a spell book but does
You are not allowed to call a Hold to re- receive from your skill. Therefore, Craftsman not have to be able to actually cast the spell.
trieve your claws or to pick up a claw that you skills must be skills that would provide an in- Making a potion costs Production Points
have dropped from your hand during combat. come. Craftsman: Good Looking or Craftsman: and in-game money and falls under the rules
The time it takes you to obtain them is the time Lazybones would not be acceptable. set forth in the section on Production Skills on
it takes you to be able to use them, just as if You can buy multiple levels in any Crafts- page 55.
they had been retracted. If there is no replace- man skill. If you have Craftsman: Astrologer, You receive 5 Production Points for every
ment available, then you cannot use the skill you can earn a living at it, but if you have pur- time you purchase this skill.
until a replacement is obtained. chased that particular Craftsman skill ten times,
Carrying a claw phys rep and a weapon then youre one of the top astrologers around; Advanced Use: A character with 10 or
phys rep in the same hand is not allowed. after all, you earn a gold a day just from that more levels of Create Potion is considered a
For example: Aslahe the sarr is in a battle skill!
and his sword is destroyed. He can then reach When choosing a Craftsman skill, you
into his backpack and pull out his red phys reps
to continue fighting, using them as claws, which
cannot duplicate or imply other in-game skills.
Craftsman: Herbalist is pretty much the same 59
Journeyman, and only spends 4 copper for ev-
ery 5 production points of Create Potion.
A character with 20 or more levels of Cre-
ate Potion is considered a Master and gains the
ability to identify a potion (using the Healing
Arts skill) in 30 seconds as opposed to the usual
60 seconds.

Create Scroll*
This skill allows the character to create a
celestial magic based scroll. The character must
have access to the spell in a spell book but does
not have to be able to actually cast the spell.
Making a scroll costs Production Points
and in-game money and falls under the rules
set forth in the section on Production Skills on
page 55.
You receive 5 Production Points for every
time you purchase this skill.

Advanced Use: A character with 10 or

more levels of Create Scroll is considered a
Journeyman, and only spends 4 copper for ev-
ery 5 production points of Create Scroll. for each time the skill is taken. Battle duration Example: Terin runs into battle and strikes
A character with 20 or more levels of Cre- is defined as Line of Sight as per spells. at a gnoll, saying Prepare to die, Disarm
ate Scroll is considered a Master and gains the It can then be used with any weapon with sword! The gnoll manages to prevent Terin
ability to cast from any level Celestial battle which you have the skill. from landing a blow by blocking with its shield
magic scroll (regardless of the highest level After a character has earned the fourth and otherwise jumping out of the way. Terin
celestial spell he or she has). Critical Attack, the character can trade them in continues to shout Disarm for each swing.
A Master can also cast from any Celestial and buy a Weapon Proficiency. The character Suddenly, the gnoll dies from a spell thrown by
battle magic scroll without sufficient light to may then begin learning Critical Attacks again. Belthivis the Mage. Terin has not yet used his
read the scroll (but the scroll still must be held Example: Terin has worked his way up to Disarm, so he turns and begins fighting another
before you and in a location from which it could the point where he has learned Weapon Profi- gnoll, however, this gnoll is using a polearm,
be read were there sufficient light, following ciency. He now inflicts +1 damage for every so he says Active Disarm polearm as he ap-
all normal scroll reading rules). hit. He then begins to learn Critical Attacks proaches his foe. (Note that he does not say
again (but does not need a teacher). For each Prepare to die again as those words are only
Critical Attack he learns now, he can do an- used at the very beginning to indicate that the
Create Trap* other point of damage once per day per oppo- skill is being attempted.) Terin hits the second
This skill allows the character to make a nent, so when he uses these skills, he inflicts gnoll and this gnoll drops her polearm and runs
trap as per the trap rules on page 145. +2. When he has enough Build Points, he can off looking for another weapon she can pick
Making a trap costs Production Points and buy Weapon Proficiency again and he will in- up. Terin has now used up his Disarm, so when
in-game money and falls under the rules set flict +2 constantly. And the pattern continues he turns to face the next gnoll in line, he will be
forth in the section on Production Skills on page indefinitely. calling his regular damage.
55. If ten minutes had passed from the time
You receive 5 Production Points for every Disarm* Terin called out Prepare to die, and he did
not have a chance to use his Disarm, then the
time you purchase this skill.
This skill allows the player to disarm a pos- Disarm would be used up. He would not be able
Advanced Use: A character with 10 or session of the target after a valid weapon blow. to just run around indefinitely looking for some-
more levels of Create Trap is considered a Jour- This skill has the same effect as the Disarm ef- thing else to hit. The Disarm has become inac-
neyman, and only spends 4 copper for every 5 fect and follows all rules for that effect. A landed tive, and he must mark it as being used.
production points of Create Trap. A character blow does no damage. A Magic Armor, Parry, Riposte, or Dodge
with 20 or more levels of Create Trap is con- This skill can be purchased every time a protects against a Disarm and expends the Dis-
sidered a Master and gains the ability to set a character has purchased a Weapon Proficiency arm.
trap (with the Legerdemain skill) in 30 seconds or Backstab. Once declared, this skill must be called
as opposed to the usual 60 seconds. The Disarm applies to only one landed with every swing, or thrown weapon/arrow/
blow, and will remain active until the blow is bolt, including when wielding two weapons
landed or ten minutes pass. When first activat- or swapping out weapons, or it is considered
Critical Attack* ing the skill, the character must say Prepare to expended.
This skill allows the character to inflict one die, Disarm <item>! Once declared, this skill Using other skills that do not involve
extra point of damage against any one oppo- must be called with every swing (or thrown swinging your weapon (such as casting a spell)
nent for the duration of the battle once per day weapon/arrow/bolt, including when wielding does not interrupt an active Prepare-To-Die
two weapons or swapping out weapons) or it is skill.
considered expended. Using other skills that do Using a Disarm with another Prepare-to-

60 not involve swinging your weapon (such as

casting a spell) do not interrupt this skill.
Die skill active will immediately override and
expend the previous Prepare-to-Die skill.
 ing an effect or whether it is successful. Heal-
Dodge* otherwise preventing Terin from hitting him.
Terin continues to shout Eviscerate for each ing Arts must be used to determine the success
The use of this skill allows the character swing. Suddenly, the ogre dies from a spell of failure of First Aid.
to once a day dodge and thus avoid any single thrown by Belthivis the Mage. Terin has not yet The player with this skill should role-play
weapon attack or any packet delivered attack used his Eviscerate, so he turns and begins the First Aid by pulling out some bandages and
for each time the skill is purchased. fighting another ogre, saying Active Eviscer- otherwise concentrating on helping the patient.
It does not protect against traps (except ate as he approaches his foe. The user must role-play this skill for the
weapon traps), Waylay, or Killing Blows. Dodge Terin hits the second ogre who immedi- full minute and it must be obvious to anyone
cannot be used if a character is completely im- ately falls and is at -1 Body Point. Terin has looking that First Aid is being performed. In
mobilized, such as when under the effect of a now used up his Eviscerate, so when he turns other words, you cannot lie on the ground next
Confine or even simply being tied up. to face the next ogre in line, he will be calling to your victim with your hand on your victims
Using a Dodge when having a Prepare to his regular damage. torso and be performing this skill.
Die skill active will not void the Prepare to Die If ten minutes had passed from the time A player who is being given First Aid and
skill, which will remain active. Terin called out Prepare to die, and he did does not wish to have body contact must tell
Dodge may be bought once for every two not have a chance to use his Eviscerate, then the player with the First Aid skill. This does
Backstabs a character has purchased. the Eviscerate would be used up. He would not not mean the First Aid is being refused in-game.
be able to just run around indefinitely looking
for something else to hit. The Eviscerate has
Earth Magic* become inactive, and he mark is as being used.
Florentine
This skill allows the character to, once per A Magic Armor, Parry, Riposte, or Dodge This skill allows the character to hold and
day, cast an Earth Magic spell of a specified protects against an Eviscerate and expends it use two weapons in combat, one in each hand.
level. This skill is a spell slot as described on in the process. Neither weapon can be a two handed weapon,
page 51. Once declared, this skill must be called and one of the weapons can be no longer than a
with every swing, or thrown weapon/arrow/bolt, dagger.
including when wielding two weapons or swap- If different damages are being delivered
Evade* ping out weapons, or it is considered expended. with each weapon, then you must call out dif-
Evade can be used to evade any weapon Using other skills that do not involve swinging ferent damages when swinging the weapons.
attack that has scored a valid hit, including ar- your weapon (such as casting a spell) does not
rows, bolts and thrown weapons. interrupt an active Prepare-To-Die skill. Using
Evade cannot be used to nullify a Waylay, an Eviscerate with another Prepare-to-Die skill
Formal Magic (School)*
Assassinate, Terminate, or any Prepare to Die active will immediately override and expend the This skill allows you to read and use for-
effect. It is only used to block weapon damage previous Prepare-to-Die skill. mal magic scrolls and High Magic of your par-
such as 10 Normal, 15 Drain, 3 Weak- ticular school (Earth or Celestial).
ness Poison, etc. The scrolls are individual and unique mag-
When one is the recipient of a valid hit
First Aid ics in and of themselves and a list can be found
they must state Evade loudly and clearly. First Aid allows the user to stabilize a dy- on page 140. This skill does not require the
Using an Evade when having a Prepare to ing creature (at -1 Body Points), bringing the building of a second spell pyramid, but is
Die skill active will not void the Prepare to Die recipient to zero Body Points. The person will bought in a linear fashion like Create Scroll.
skill, which will remain active. then regain consciousness in ten minutes with A person with Formal Magic 1 can read
Evade may be bought once for every one Body Point (the one on the Life Tag). and cast any formal magic scroll of his or her
Backstab a player has purchased and can be This skill only works with humanlike school but the chance of success in casting the
used once per day for each time purchased. physiologies (which includes all PC races and ritual improves with each purchase of the skill.
most other bipedal creatures such as goblins, See the section on Formal Magic on page
gnolls, orcs, ogres, trolls, etc.). It will not work 127 for more details.
Eviscerate* on creatures with no metabolism (such as un-
This skill allows the character to knock a dead or golems), on certain monsters which are
target to -1 Body Points after a valid weapon completely alien, or on animals or other non-
Gypsy Curse*
blow. This damage may be healed and/or first humanoid creatures (although, at a Plot team's For each time this skill is bought, a gypsy
aided as normal. This blow reduces the victims discretion, an appropriate Craftsman skill might may bestow or remove one Gypsy Curse per
armor to 0 and removes any Bless or Shield assist in this type of situation). day. (Be warned, however, that there is a strong
spells. This skill cannot save a creature hit with a cultural bias among the gypsy tribes about re-
The Eviscerate applies to only one landed Killing Blow or a Death spell. Note that the moving other gypsies curses without express
blow, and will remain active until the blow is skill Healing Arts is needed to determine if the permission from the curser or the tribes leader.)
landed or ten minutes pass. When first activat- creature is dead (unless it is painfully obvious A gypsy should not bestow a curse on an-
ing the skill, the character must say Prepare to to everyone, like the creatures head has been other unless he or she feels that the offending
die, Eviscerate! Once declared, this skill must removed). being has somehow insulted them or threatened
be called with every swing (or thrown weapon/ The skill requires a full uninterrupted their well-being.
arrow/bolt, including when wielding two weap- minute. If interrupted while giving First Aid, This curse is intended to entertain through
ons or swapping out weapons) or it is consid- then the one-minute Death Countdown con- humor or drama. If it becomes overly burden-
ered expended. Using other skills that do not tinues where it left off when the First Aid was some or embarrassing out-of-game, it is not en-
involve swinging your weapon (such as cast- started. tertaining. At the time the Curse is cast, a player
ing a spell) do not interrupt this skill. You cannot apply First Aid to more than who would suffer out-of-game embarrassment
Example: Terin runs into battle and strikes one person at a time, nor can you perform any or difficulty with role-playing the Curse may
at an ogre, saying Prepare to die, Eviscer- other Game Ability while applying First Aid
ate! The ogre manages to prevent Terin from
landing a blow by jumping out of the way and
other than Healing Arts. The recipient can make
no response as to whether the First Aid is hav- 61
 Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads

negotiate out-of-game for a different Curse. non-gypsies look foolish is a favorite gypsy trip, giggle or sneeze uncontrollably, or will oth-
However, he or she must eventually accept one pastime.) The character who needs the Curse erwise abide by the requirement of the curse.
of the listed Curses. removed should probably not be aware that all
In order to bestow a Curse, the gypsy must of these things are unnecessary, for what gypsy Deformities: (Individual Prefix) if you
be able to see the victim and must be able to would reveal a secret like that? do not _______! Fill in the blank with some-
speak. Note that this skill is not packet-deliv- Spell defenses do not block Gypsy Curses, thing along the following lines: Grow a pigs
ered. nor can they be Dodged or Resisted. Gypsy tail, grow warts upon your face, sprout the mane
You may not bestow a Curse if Silenced, Curses are not magical, and so cannot be re- of a lion, etc.
unconscious, or blindfolded. The gypsy can moved by a Dispel Magic, or even the Destroy Effects: The player must wear the appro-
even be bound or magically held and still be Magic effects of Formal Magic. priate makeup or mask to simulate the change
able to cast a Curse as long as they can still talk Gypsy verbals are unlike spell verbals, al- of appearance. These items must be supplied
and see the victim. The Curse will pass through though like spell verbals they must be stated in by the gypsy bestowing the Curse.
a Ward, Wall of Force, Wizard Lock, Circle of a voice that is heard and understood by every- A player may refuse to wear a mask or
Power, or any other magical barrier since the one. They all begin with a little personalized appendage if he or she feels it may be a hin-
curse is not magical. prefix of the gypsys choice, such as May a drance in combat or a safety hazard, and can
The Curse takes effect immediately upon thousand ills befall me if. . ., May my favor- refuse to wear makeup in the case of allergies
the completion of the Curse verbal. The victim ite horse break all his legs if. . ., May I suffer or similar reasons. In these cases, the gypsy may
has to hear the Curse being given by the gypsy. a long and painful death if. . . and so on. Gyp- replace the Curse with another from the Curse
(Unconscious victims cannot be Cursed.) The sies are encouraged to come up with their own list, such as an Uncontrollable Action or Per-
effects arent noticeable until the victim is given colorful prefixes. sonality Change.
all applicable props, instructions, etc. A Hold Gypsy Curses are all role-playing Curses A Deformity curse may not be used to
should not be called unless absolutely neces- only. The Cursed player should not allow the simulate the appearance of another race or
sary. Curse to hinder or prevent the use of any Game monster (no vampire fangs, no elf ears, no
The Curse will remain in affect until re- Ability in any way. You can still fight, cast, use ghouls claws, etc.). It may only be used to simu-
moved by a Remove Gypsy Curse or by the res- alchemy, perform ritual magics, and use any late the features of real life animals or deformi-
urrection of the victim. skill while Cursed. The Curse is not intended ties. No such deformities can ever be used of-
In order to remove a Curse, a gypsy must as a combat effect and should never affect safety fensively as weapons.
simply touch the Cursed character and state in combat. This Curse cannot be used to disguise
Your Curse is Removed. The Cursed charac- The Cursed player should try to act out someone. Anyone affected by the Curse should
ter must be willing and conscious. Note that the effects of the Curse as often and completely still be recognizable as their character.
this uses one of the characters Gypsy Curses as possible. The Curse is intended as an in-game
for the day. One Remove Gypsy Curse will rid nuisance, embarrassment, and hindrance. Personality Changes: The following two
the victim of all active Gypsy Curses. Following is a list of Curses that are al- Curses can affect how your character thinks or
Ideally, removal of the Curse should be lowed. You are not allowed to create your own acts in-game. It is entirely up to the affected
role-played out with the kind of great theatrical curses. player to decide how to properly role-play a
spectacle that gypsies love. Lots of bell ring- given Curse, not the gypsy who bestowed it.
ing, incense burning and requiring the person Uncontrollable Action: (Individual pre- 1. (Individual Prefix) if you do not help
who is having the Curse removed walk back- fix) if you do not ______ with every thing you those less fortunate than yourself!
wards or do other silly things fits right in with do and say! Fill in the blank with some incon- Effects: The affected character will attempt
the gypsy character even if these things do not sequential but annoying action like the follow- to aid any non-hostile player they see in trouble
actually remove the Curse. (After all, making ing: Rhyme, bark, laugh, jump, sing, sneeze, or that requests help.
skip, cough, whistle, limp, trip, spin, cry, etc. 2. (Individual Prefix) if you do not be-

62 Effects: The Cursed character must attempt

to make all sentences rhyme, will constantly
come the opposite of yourself!
Effects: The affected character should take
some significant facet of their personality and body)? Are you dying (at -1 body)? Are you Healing Arts may use Healing Arts on another
reverse it. A greedy character may become a dead (need a Life spell)? How much time until naga effectively, but may not use Healing Arts
philanthropist, a cowardly character might you <wake up, become conscious, stop being on a giant spider.
charge bravely into conflict, and a normally terrorized, become unparalyzed, die, resur- Creatures with no metabolism may never
peaceful and reasonable character might be- rect>? have Healing Arts used on them effectively,
come aggressive and short-tempered. Note that A player representing a permanently dead even by other similar creatures with the skill
this should be an important aspect of your char- body should respond to Are you Dead? with Healing Arts. For example, an undead death
acter that changes. Saying before I was cursed, yes, and How long until you resurrect? with knight with the skill Healing Arts cannot use
my favorite color was blue, but now that I have either Never or Not applicable. that skill on another death knight.
been cursed, its green is certainly not in the You may not ask questions like the fol- Creatures with Animal Metabolism
spirit of this rule. lowing: What is your maximum amount of Body should never have the skill Healing Arts, as this
This Curse does not act as a Dominate ef- Points? Were you killed by necromancy? Were refers only to true real world animals.
fect; it does not necessarily turn the antagonis- you killed by celestial spells? Were you poi-
tic Cursed victim into the gypsys best friend. soned? Was that guy running away the one who Identifying Potions: This skill also allows
Remember, it is the affected players choice as killed you? the user to detect and identify magical potions.
to how his or her characters personality is af- If this skill is used to ask an inexplicable This process must be role-played accordingly,
fected. answer (such as asking a living person How by scrutinizing the bottle, holding it up to the
long until you resurrect?), the recipient should light, shaking the contents, and otherwise in-
answer no effect. vestigating the mysterious liquid.
Healing Arts You cannot use Healing Arts on a con- After three seconds (which out-of-game
This skill, which represents basic medical scious person without their knowledge. It is al- is usually spent reading the tag on the item), a
knowledge, is required to learn any Earth spells. ways obvious that you are using your skill. character with this skill can tell whether a liq-
A character with Healing Arts can deter- uid is a magical potion, and after an uninter-
mine if someone is diseased, sleeping, para- rupted minute of this role-playing, can deter-
lyzed, dead, dying, unconscious, or merely fak- mine which magical potion it is.
ing injury upon examining them. The exact This skill will not allow a character to de-
extent of injuries can be determined as well. termine whether a liquid is alchemical in na-
A person with Healing Arts examining a ture.
hurt body can tell exactly how many points of For example, Darlissa the healer has three
healing are necessary for complete recovery. unidentified vials of liquid before her. One is a
(Asking How many Body Points are you Cure Wounds potion, one is an alchemical Ber-
down? is an out-of-game question; you should serk elixir, and one is orc blood. She spends
ask it quietly and then in-game you can say Ah, three seconds examining each one. After nine
I see that a Cure Light Wounds is all you need.) seconds (three for each), she can tell that one
This skill will not allow you to tell if a is a magical potion (the Cure Wounds vial).
creature is under the effects of an alchemical She also knows that the other two are not magi-
substance or if the creature has any in their sys- cal potions, but has no idea whether the other
tem. It will not allow you to determine death two are alchemical or something else. She then
by poison, necromancy, or the use of spells or spends a minute examining the magical potion,
similar inobvious means. It will, however, al- at the conclusion of which she is able to deter-
low you to determine if the damage was caused mine that it is a Cure Wounds potion.
by an edged or blunt weapon, or by claws. Some potions you find will already be la-
Since this skill represents checking pulse beled. Others will be unidentified. These are
and otherwise examining the body, it cannot be usually marked as such but will say out-of-game
done instantly. whether the unidentified item is magical or al-
In order to use this skill, the person must chemical. Once a character with this skill spends
touch the subject and role-play an examination. the minute to identify the potion, the uniden-
The amount of time it takes to perform the ex- Shaking hands or touching someones shoul- tified tag may then be removed, revealing the
amination is determined by the length of the der will not give the results that a real check-up real tag below.
questions being asked but in no case less than would. A conscious person thus can prevent
three seconds. Healing Arts from being performed unless
Before asking any questions, you must say bound or similarly restrained.
Herbal Lore
Healing Arts so that the recipient is aware Healing Arts can be performed through This skill is a prerequisite to creating any
that the questions being asked are not actually Binding effects such as Confine and Pin but alchemical substances.
being said in-game and thus must be answered. not through Eldritch Force effects such as This skill also allows the user to detect and
Since these are out-of-game questions, they can Prison. identify alchemical substances present in a
be asked and answered while under the effects Certain creatures are not affected by Heal- bottle or otherwise used accordingly (such as
of a Silence. ing Arts. Creatures that have No Metabolism mixed in food or affixed as a contact gel). This
These out-of-game questions can only in- or Alien Metabolism or Animal Metabo- process must be role-played accordingly, by
clude the following: How many Body Points lism on their monster card should state no scrutinizing the bottle or substance, holding it
are you down? Were you damaged by edged effect when someone attempts to use Healing up to the light, shaking the contents, and other-
weapons or claws? Were you damaged by blunt Arts upon them. wise investigating the mysterious liquid.
weapons? Were you waylaid? Are you dis- If a creature has an alien metabolism and After three seconds, a character with this
eased? Are you sleeping? Are you terrorized? the skill Healing Arts, it may use Healing Arts
Are you paralyzed? Are you drained? Are you
regenerating? Are you unconscious (at zero
and may also use Healing Arts upon creatures
of the same type. For example, a naga with 63
skill can tell whether it is alchemical in nature,
and after an uninterrupted minute of this role-
playing, can determine which alchemical sub-
stance it is.
This skill will not allow a character to de-
termine whether a liquid is magical in nature.
This skill cannot be used to identify blood
types, detect the presence of poison in the blood-
stream, identify a type of monster or a race from
a blood sample, or otherwise do modern chemi-
cal observations.
You cannot use the skill Herbal Lore on a
character to determine if that character is under
the effects of an alchemical substance.
Unidentified liquids are usually marked as
such but will say out-of-game whether the uni-
dentified item is magical or alchemical. Once a
character with this skill spends the minute to
identify the item, the unidentified tag may be
removed, showing the real tag below.

Legerdemain
This skill allows the character to attempt sold in-game. Merchanting only recovers the Weapon Proficiencies.
to arm a trap, disarm a trap, or pick a lock. It production point value of an item, not its entire Parry may be used with any weapon in
does not guarantee success. crafting cost. which the user has the appropriate skill. It can-
You must have this skill to even attempt not be used with a crossbow, thrown weapon
to set a trap, disarm a trap, or pick a lock. You or shield. You may not use a Parry if you do not
may not even cut an obvious trip wire without One Handed Blunt have a weapon in your hand or if your weapon
this skill. This skill allows the character to wield a is not free. A two handed weapon must be held
A person without this skill can detect one handed blunt weapon. This includes any in both hands to be able to use a Parry. A bow
whether a trap is present but will have no idea blunt Small, Short, or Long close combat is considered a one handed weapon when us-
how to disarm that trap. For example: Rendal, weapon. A blunt weapon cannot be used for ing this skill.
a big strong fighter, does not have the skill Leg- thrusting, and any thrust with the tip of the You may only Parry a blow you could logi-
erdemain. He sees a trip wire crossing the path weapon does no damage. cally parry at the point where the strike is given.
which is attached to a mouse trap. Out-of-game, Your weapon must be able to reach the
it is plainly obvious how to disarm this trap attackers weapon, otherwise the strike is too
but in-game, Rendal is stumped. One Handed Edged far away to parry. If you actually interpose your-
This skill allows the character to wield a self between your mage and a fighter trying to
slay him or her, you may call a Parry and nul-
Merchant one handed edged weapon. This includes any
lify the attackers blow. However, you cannot
edged Small, Short, or Long close combat
This skill allows the character to place an weapon. It also allows the use of a one-handed call a Parry while standing at the other end of
accurate value on certain in-game items. It will spear which may only be used as a thrusting the battle, nor can you parry a blow meant for
not identify whether those items are magical, weapon. someone else if you were at that time engaged
but only how much they might fetch on the open in a fight with a third person. You also may not
market. use a bow to Parry a blow intended for some-
This is usually accomplished by consult- One Handed one else at a distance.
Using a Parry when having a Prepare to
ing an out-of-game list that your chapter will
keep. The list will contain the in-game items
Weapon Master Die skill active will not void the Prepare to Die
that have a game number, along with their mon- This skill allows the character to use all skill, which will remain active. You must say
etary value. Obviously, items that are not from one handed edged and one handed blunt weap- Parry when using this skill.
that chapter will not be on the list, and so a ons. When buying this skill, you must sell For example: Terin is walking through
character finding such an item will be perplexed back any skills that are included within it. town when suddenly he is attacked by Vorin
by the material or technique and thus unable to the Assassin who says 70 Assassinate! Since
identify its worth.
This skill also allows the character to sell
Parry* Terin did not have a Magic Armor spell on him,
this amount would kill him, so he decides that
game items (potions, scrolls, alchemical sub- A Parry allows the character to defend this would be a good time to use that Parry.
stances, armor, weapons, and traps) to Logis- against any one physical weapon delivered at- Parry! he announces, thus letting the assas-
tics during normal Logistics periods for their tack, including arrows, bolts and thrown weap- sin know the attack was unsuccessful.
Production Point value in game money. Items ons, but not a Waylay. Using a Parry against a
swing for Massive will not stop the character
that are not produced through the Production
Point system (components, ritual scrolls, magic from taking damage. It cannot be used against
Polearm
items, etc.) cannot be traded in, and must be traps (except for weapon traps) nor can it be This skill allows the character to wield any
used against a packet delivered attack except hafted two handed weapon with a blade on the

64
arrows and bolts. far end (a meat cleaver on a stick). This includes
A Parry may be purchased for every two weapons like two handed axes and halberds.
 scrolls up to the characters highest level of call Resist when struck by the attack.
Racial Assassinate celestial spell ability plus four. The character must be conscious to use this
This skill functions in the same way as the Thus, if you have the skill Read Magic skill and it is obvious to all that the skill was
skill Assassinate, except that it may only be pur- and have no celestial spells, you can use up to used. You may not say Resist (an out-of-game
chased once ever. It is considered cumulative and including 4th level magic scrolls. If you statement) and then have your character pre-
with any other Assassinates for purposes of cal- know one celestial spell level, you can now use tend to fall affected in order to fool your at-
culating damage, although it is not factored scrolls up to and including 5th level, and so on. tackers.
when determining how many Assassinates may To use a magical scroll, you must actually
be purchased. hold the scroll before you, have enough light
to be able to read it, actually read the scroll, say
Resist Element*
the verbal incant out loud, touch the spell packet With this skill, a character may resist one
Racial Dodge to the scroll, and then throw the spell packet. elemental effect no matter how delivered for
This skill functions in the same way as the each time the skill is purchased.
This includes anything with the words
skill Dodge, except that it may only be pur-
chased once ever. It is not factored when deter-
Resist Binding* flame, stone, ice, lightning or elemen-
mining how many Dodges may be purchased. With this skill, a character may resist one tal in the verbal as well as flame-based traps.
Binding effect no matter how delivered for each It also includes the spell Dragons Breath.
time the skill is purchased. If the elemental effect is one that would
Racial Proficiency The Binding effects are Bind, Confine, normally trigger a spell defense, then the spell
This skill functions exactly like the skill Entangle, Pin, Release, Repel, and Web. defense will be lost before the Resist.
Weapon Proficiency and is considered a Profi- If the Binding effect is one that would nor- For example, Barinor the dwarf has a
ciency when determining prerequisites for Slays mally trigger a spell defense, then the spell de- Spell Shield active but it is his last one and he
and other such skills. It can only be purchased fense will be lost before the Resist. You cannot is hoping not to have need of it any time soon.
once. save your spell defense because you would not He is hit by a Flame Bolt spell. Even though he
have been affected by the Binding effect. would prefer to use his Resist Element ability,
For example, Dina the dryad has a Spell the Spell Shield will be used first. All spell de-
Racial Slay Shield active but it is her last one and she is fenses are used as soon as applicable, and you
This skill functions exactly like the skill hoping not to have need of it any time soon. cannot decide when to use them.
Slay, except that it may only be purchased once. She is hit by a Pin spell. Even though she would In order to use this ability, the player must
It is considered cumulative with any other Slays prefer to use her Resist Binding ability, the Spell call Resist when struck by the attack.
for purposes of calculating damage, although Shield will be used first. All spell defenses are The character must be conscious to use this
it is not factored when determining how many used as soon as applicable, and you cannot de- skill and it is obvious to all that the skill was
Slays may be purchased. cide when to use them. used. You may not say Resist (an out-of-game
Using a Racial Slay with a Prepare-to-Die In order to use this ability, the player must statement) and then have your character pre-
skill active will immediately override and ex- call Resist when struck by the attack. tend to be affected in order to fool your attack-
pend the Prepare-to-Die skill. The character must be conscious to use this ers.
skill and it is obvious to all that the skill was
Read and Write used. You may not say Resist (an out-of-game Resist Fear*
statement) and then have your character pre-
A character without this skill will not be tend to be affected in order to fool your attack- With this skill, a character may resist one
able to read even the simplest written signs, ers. Fear or Terror effect no matter how delivered
scrolls, or numbers. A character may be able to for each time the skill is purchased. This in-
cludes anything with the word fear or ter-
interpret a map based on drawn landmarks but
not read any writing on the map.
Resist Command* ror in the verbal.
With this skill, a character can read any- With this skill, a character may resist one If the Fear effect is one that would nor-
thing except magical writing on Formal scrolls, Command effect no matter how delivered for mally trigger a spell defense, then the spell de-
which requires the skill Formal Magic (school). each time the skill is purchased. fense will be lost before the Resist.
It does not allow a character to compre- The Command effects are Awaken, Ber- For example, Ena the barbarian has a
hend foreign languages they do not know, nor serk, Charm, Dominate, Fear, Love, Shun, Spell Shield active but it is her last one and
does it decode coded messages. It does how- Sleep, and Vampire Charm. she is hoping not to have need of it any time
ever allow the character to try to decode or It does not include Greater Command ef- soon. She is hit by a monster calling Magic
translate the message. fects such as Enslavement. Fear. Even though she would prefer to use
Note that if you have this skill, you can If the Command effect is one that would her Resist Fear ability, the Spell Shield will be
still read even if you are prohibited from using normally trigger a spell defense, then the spell used first. All spell defenses are used as soon
Game Abilities. For instance, you can read defense will be lost before the Resist. You can- as applicable, and you cannot decide when to
potion labels even if you are under the effects not save your spell defense because you would use them.
of a Nausea. not have been affected by the Command. In order to use this ability, the player must
For example, Darlissa the biata has a call Resist when struck by the attack. The
Spell Shield active but it is her last one and character must be conscious to use this skill
Read Magic she is hoping not to have need of it any time and it is obvious to all that the skill was used.
This skill is required for anyone wishing soon. She is hit by a Sleep spell. Even though You may not say Resist (an out-of-game state-
to learn celestial magic spells, use a wand, or she would prefer to use her Resist Command ment) and then have your character pretend to
cast magic scrolls. ability, the Spell Shield will be used first. All be afraid in order to fool your attackers.
It does not allow you to read Ritual Magic spell defenses are used as soon as applicable,
scrolls.
With this skill, a character can use magic
and you cannot decide when to use them.
In order to use this ability, the player must 65
 A Riposte may be purchased once for ev-
Resist Magic ery four Weapon Proficiencies or Backstabs.
This skill allows a character to resist one Riposte may be used with any weapon in which
effect delivered by incanted spell, Magic <ef- the user has the skill. It cannot be used with a
fect>, Spell Strike <effect>, Activate <ef- crossbow, thrown weapon or shield.
fect> or Magic weapon damage calls. This You may not use a Riposte if you do not
skill does not allow you to resist arcane deliv- have a weapon in your hand or if your weapon
ered effects, potions, formal ritual magic or any is not free. A two handed weapon must be held
other effect not delivered by one of the five in both hands to be able to use a Riposte. A
qualifiers listed above. bow is considered a one handed weapon when
If the magic effect is one that would nor- using this skill.
mally trigger a spell defense, then the spell de- You may only Riposte a blow you could
fense will be lost before the Resist. You cannot logically parry at the point where the strike is
save your spell defense because you would not given. Your weapon must be able to reach the
have been affected by the spell. attackers weapon, otherwise the strike is too
For example, Nala the dark elf has a Spell far away to riposte. If you actually interpose
Shield active but it is her last one and she is yourself between your mage and a fighter try-
hoping not to have need of it any time soon. ing to Slay him or her, you may call a Riposte
She is hit by a Prison spell. Even though she and reflect the attackers blow. However, you
would prefer to use her Resist Magic ability, cannot call a Riposte while standing at the other
the Spell Shield will be used first. All spell de- end of the battle, nor can you riposte a blow
fenses are used as soon as applicable, and you meant for someone else if you were at that time
cannot decide when to use them. ing ingested elixirs) as well as all monster at- engaged in a fight with another person.
In order to use this ability, the player must tacks that use the word poison. It does not You also may not use a bow to Riposte a
call Resist loudly and clearly when struck by include Oil of Slipperiness or Paste of Sticki- blow intended for someone else at a distance.
the attack. ness. The riposted attack can be blocked by a
The character must be conscious to use this If the poison effect is one that would nor- Parry, Dodge, or Magic Armor, or be Riposted
skill and it is obvious to all that the skill was mally trigger a spell defense, then the spell de- back to the original target of the swing. How-
used. You may not say Resist (an out-of-game fense will be lost before the Resist. You cannot ever, you cannot use this skill twice on the same
statement) and then have your character pre- save your spell defense because you would not weapon attack. Using a Riposte when having a
tend to be affected in order to fool your attack- have been affected by the poison. Prepare to Die skill active will not void the Pre-
ers. This skill can only be purchased once. For example, Aslahe the sarr has a Poi- pare to Die skill, which will remain active.
son Shield active but it is his last one and he is You must say Riposte when using this
skill.
Resist Necromancy* hoping not to have need of it any time soon. He
is hit by an alchemical gas globe. Even though For example: Terin is walking through
With this skill, a character may resist one he would prefer to use his Resist Poison abil- town when suddenly he is attacked by Vorin
necromantic effect no matter how delivered for ity, the Poison Shield will be used first. All spell the Assassin who says 70 Assassinate! Since
each time the skill is purchased. defenses are used as soon as applicable, and Terin did not have a Magic Armor spell on him,
If the necromantic effect is one that would you cannot decide when to use them. this amount would kill him, so he wisely de-
normally trigger a spell defense, then the spell In order to use this ability, the player must cides that this would be a good time to use that
defense will be lost before the Resist. call Resist when struck by the attack to let Riposte. Riposte he announces, reflecting the
For example, Lido the high ogre has a the attacker know. blow back upon Vorin. Vorin says Magic Ar-
Spell Shield active but it is his last one and he The character must be conscious to use this mor and is unharmed by the Riposted blow.
is hoping not to have need of it any time soon. skill and it is obvious to all that the skill was
A necromancer throws a Drain spell at him. used. You may not say Resist and then have
Even though he would prefer to use his Resist your character pretend to be affected in order
Shatter*
Necromancy ability, the Spell Shield will be to fool your attackers. This skill allows the player to shatter a
used first. All spell defenses are used as soon possession of the target after a valid weapon
blow. This skill has the same rules as the Shat-
as applicable, and you cannot decide when to
use them.
Riposte* ter effect. A landed blow does no damage.
In order to use this ability, the player must A Riposte allows the character to defend This skill can be purchased once a char-
call Resist when struck by the attack. The against any one physical weapon delivered at- acter has purchased three Weapon Proficiencies
character must be conscious to use this skill tack, including arrows, bolts and thrown weap- or Backstabs.
and it is obvious to all that the skill was used. ons, but not a Waylay. Using a Riposte against The Shatter applies to only one landed
You may not say Resist (an out-of-game state- a swing for Massive will not stop the charac- blow, and will remain active until the blow is
ment) and then have your character pretend to ter from taking damage. landed or ten minutes pass. When first activat-
be affected in order to fool your attackers. It cannot be used against traps (except for ing the skill, the character must say Prepare to
weapon traps) nor can it be used against a packet die, Shatter <item>! Once declared, this skill
delivered attack except arrows and bolts. must be called with every swing (or thrown
Resist Poison* A Riposte will reflect all damage and/or weapon/arrow/bolt, including when wielding
With this skill, a character can resist one effects from the blow back onto the one who two weapons or swapping out weapons) or it is
poison effect for each time the skill is bought. swung the blow, in a similar fashion to a Re- considered expended. Using other skills that do
This includes all alchemical substances (includ- flect Magic spell. A Riposted Disarm, Shatter, not involve swinging your weapon (such as
or Stun Limb retains the originally called tar- casting a spell) do not interrupt this skill.

66 get. If that target is not valid on the new victim,

the victim should call No Effect.
For example: Terin runs into battle and
strikes at an orc, saying Prepare to die, Shat-
ter sword! The orc manages to prevent Terin
from landing a blow by blocking with its shield
and otherwise jumping out of the way. Terin
continues to shout Shatter for each swing.
Suddenly, the orc dies from a spell thrown by
Belthivis the Mage. Terin has not yet used his
Shatter, so he turns and begins fighting another
orc, however, this orc is using a polearm, so he
says Active Shatter polearm as he ap-
proaches his foe. (Note that he does not say
Prepare to die again as those words are only
used at the very beginning to indicate that the
skill is being attempted.) Terin hits the second
orc and this orc drops its shattered polearm
and runs off looking for another weapon to re-
place the unusable polearm. Terin has now used
up his Shatter, so when he turns to face the next
orc in line, he will be calling his regular dam-
age.
If ten minutes had passed from the time
Terin called out Prepare to die, and he did
not have a chance to use his Shatter, then the
Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
Shatter would be used up. He would not be able
to just run around indefinitely looking for some-
thing else to hit. The Shatter has become inac- For example: Terin has bought 2 Slays. he turns to face the next troll in line, he will be
tive, and he must give up the tag from his skill When he uses his Slay skill, he will call 50 calling his regular damage.
ring. Slay. This amount is figured by first taking If ten minutes had passed from the time
A Magic Armor, Parry, Riposte, or Dodge the number of Slays he has (2) and multiplying Terin called out Prepare to die, and he did
protects against a Shatter. that by 20, giving him 40. Then he adds the not have a chance to use his Slay, then the Slay
Once declared, this skill must be called base damage of 10. would be used up. He would not be able to just
with every swing, or thrown weapon/arrow/bolt, When calculating the amount of damage, run around indefinitely looking for something
including when wielding two weapons or swap- you do not add the weapon damage, Vorpal else to hit. The Slay has become inactive, and
ping out weapons, or it is considered expended. Coatings, Endows, or any other modifiers. he must give up the tag from his skill ring to
Using other skills that do not involve swinging You do announce any special qualifiers the NPC playing the troll upon whom he at-
your weapon (such as casting a spell) does not that your weapon may cause, such as Silver, tempted to use the Slay.
interrupt an active Prepare-To-Die skill. Using Magic, Flame, or Poison. A Magic Armor, Parry, Riposte, or Dodge
a Shatter with another Prepare-to-Die skill ac- For example: Terin is using a magic protects against a Slay.
tive will immediately override and expend the sword. He is fighting a vampire, which can only Using a Slay with another Prepare to Die
previous Prepare-to-Die skill. be harmed by silver or magical weapons. He skill active will immediately override and ex-
calls out 50 Magic Slay. pend the previous Prepare to Die skill.
A Slay may be bought once for every two A player hit by a Slay whose character
Shield Weapon Proficiencies. (After Weapon Profi- takes the damage but does not die must an-
This skill allows a character to use a shield. ciency +2, +4, etc.) nounce that the Slay was successful by saying
Shield use in our game is unrealistic, as The Slay applies to only one landed blow, hit. This informs the player using the Slay
shields are practically indestructible. To com- and will remain active until the blow is landed that he or she must again begin calling normal
pensate for this, shield use is somewhat re- or ten minutes pass. When first activating the damage.
stricted. skill, the character must say Prepare to die!
Once declared, this skill must be called with
Note that a shield is not considered a
weapon. You cannot use a shield to perform every swing (or thrown weapon/arrow/bolt, in-
Small Weapon
weapon-based skills such as Parry or Riposte. cluding when wielding two weapons or swap- This skill allows the character to wield any
If hit with a Summoned Force effect that refer- ping out weapons) or it is considered expended. small weapon, which includes bludgeon, dag-
ences a weapon (such as Shatter, Destroy, Using other skills that do not involve swinging ger, hatchet, or any other small close combat
etc.) the shield will not be affected. However, your weapon (such as casting a spell) do not weapon, as defined in the chapter on weapons.
I summon a force to shatter your shield will interrupt this skill. (See page 81) It does not include small thrown
work. Example: Terin runs into battle and strikes weapons.
at a troll, saying Prepare to die, 50 Slay! Since this skill includes both edged and
The troll manages to prevent Terin from land- blunt weapons, it cannot be sold back when
Slay* ing a blow by blocking with its shield and oth- purchasing One Handed Edge or One Handed
This skill enables the character to do one erwise jumping out of the way. Terin continues Blunt.
powerful attack of damage to one opponent to shout 50 Slay for each swing. Suddenly, However, since all of the weapons in-
once per day for each time the skill is bought. the troll dies from a spell thrown by Belthivis cluded in this skill are also included in One
This skill may be used with any weapon in the Mage. Terin has not yet used his Slay, so he Handed Weapon Master, you can sell this skill
which the character has the appropriate weapon turns and begins fighting another troll, saying back when purchasing that new one.
skill. Active Slay as he approaches his foe (instead

67
A Slay does base damage of 10 plus 20 of Prepare to die). 50 Slay! he says as he
times the number of Slays the character has. swings. He hits the second troll and this troll
dies. Terin has now used up his Slay, so when
 swing. By its nature, a Terminate cannot be held
Staff lar damage.
If ten minutes had passed from the time active nor may it switch targets; it can only be
This skill allows the character to wield a Terin called out Prepare to die, and he did used for one strike. It does not have to be by
staff. Staff use is restricted for safety reasons, not have a chance to use his Stun Limb, then surprise.
so a player using a staff must keep both hands the Stun Limb would be used up. He would not The user must announce any applicable
gripped within the middle three feet of the staff. be able to just run around indefinitely looking special qualifiers (such as silver, magic or
You cannot trip people with a staff or per- for something else to hit. The Stun Limb has flame) with this skill.
form many other staff moves that would be used become inactive, and he must give up the tag
in real life. Thrusting with a staff is not allowed. from his skill ring.
A staff has two edges for the purposes of A Magic Armor, Parry, Riposte, or Dodge Thrown Weapon
Weapon Coatings. protects against a Stun Limb and uses it up in This skill allows a character to use hand-
the process. thrown missile weapons which must abide by
Once declared, this skill must be called
Stun Limb* with every swing, or thrown weapon/arrow/
the rules in the Weapons chapter for safety.

This skill allows the character to stun the bolt, including when wielding two weapons
limb of the target after a valid weapon blow. or swapping out weapons, or it is considered
This skill has the same effect as Wither and fol- expended. Using other skills that do not in- Two Handed Blunt
lows all rules for that effect; however, a Stun volve swinging your weapon (such as casting This skill allows a character to wield a two
Limb is obviously not necromantic in nature. a spell) does not interrupt an active Prepare- handed blunt weapon.
A landed blow does no damage. To-Die skill. Using a Stun Limb with another
This skill can be purchased once a char- Prepare-to-Die skill active will immediately
acter has purchased three Weapon Proficien- override and expend the previous Prepare-to- Two Handed Sword
cies or Backstabs. Die skill. This skill allows a character to wield a two
As in the effect Wither, only the arms and handed sword, and only a two handed sword.
legs can be affected, and if not healed through
a Restore spell or potion, the stunned limb will
Style Master Any other two handed edged weapon falls un-
der the Polearm skill.
recover on its own in ten minutes. If the limb is With this skill, a character gains use of the
not indicated in the call, then it is up to the Shield, Florentine, and Two Weapon skills.
victim to decide which limb was stunned. You When buying this skill, you must sell Two Handed
do not actually have to hit the limb in order for back any skills that are included in Style Mas-
the skill to be effective. ter.
Weapon Master
The Stun Limb applies to only one landed This skill grants the character the ability
blow, and will remain active until the blow is to wield all two handed weapons covered un-
landed or ten minutes pass. When first activat-
Teacher* der the skills Two Handed Sword, Two Handed
ing the skill, the character must say Prepare to This skill is required in order to teach an- Blunt, Staff, and Polearm.
die, Stun <limb>! Once declared, this skill other character one of the skills you already When buying this skill, you must sell
must be called with every swing (or thrown know. See page 50 for more details. back any skills that are included in Two
weapon/arrow/bolt, including when wielding Handed Weapon Master.
two weapons or swapping out weapons) or it is
considered expended. Using other skills that do
Terminate*
not involve swinging your weapon (such as This skill allows the character to knock a
Two Weapons
casting a spell) do not interrupt this skill. target to -1 Body Points after a valid weapon This skill allows the character to hold and
Example: Terin runs into battle and strikes blow from behind. This damage may be healed use two weapons in combat, one in each hand.
at a bugbear, saying Prepare to die, Stun Right and/or first aided as normal. This blow reduces Neither weapon can be a two handed weapon,
Arm! The bugbear manages to prevent Terin the victims armor to 0 and removes any Bless and one of the weapons must be a Short or Small
from landing a blow by blocking with its shield or Shield spells. weapon.
and otherwise jumping out of the way. Terin Terminate can be purchased once for ev- If different damages are being delivered
continues to shout Stun for each swing. Sud- ery four Backstabs. with each weapon, then you must call out dif-
denly, the bugbear dies from a spell thrown by Terminate can be blocked by a Parry, ferent damages when swinging the weapons.
Belthivis the Mage. Terin is getting pretty sick Dodge, or a Riposte. A Magic Armor spell also If an archer has the Two Weapon skill and
and tired of Belthivis taking away all his tar- protects the wearer from a Terminate and ex- is using a short bow, then they may use it with
gets but has not yet used his Stun, so he turns pends it in the process. a Long weapon or with a one handed spear.
to Belthivis and says, Active Stun Left Leg! Like a Back Attack, Terminate must be per-
formed from the back. The back includes the
(Note that he does not say Prepare to die
again as those words are only used at the very buttocks, rear of the arm (triceps area from
Waylay
beginning to indicate that the skill is being at- shoulder to elbow) and rear half of the calves This skill allows the character to attempt
tempted. Note as well that Terin is allowed to and thighs from heel to buttocks. You must be to sneak up on another character or monster
switch his target from arm or leg or from left to behind the victim to inflict a Terminate; you and knock him, her or it unconscious. This is
right at any time, even on the same victim.) Terin cannot reach around from the front. usually done with the padded hilt of a weapon
successfully hits Belthivis, who hops away When used with a thrown weapon, bow (see below) but a foam phys rep of a rock or
screaming like a little girl. Terin has now used or crossbow, the attack does not have to be from bludgeon can be used as well.
up his Stun Limb, so when he turns to fight the rear. The victim of a Waylay will be uncon-
another opponent, he will be calling his regu- Using Terminate with a Prepare to Die scious for ten minutes unless given an Awaken
skill active will immediately override and ex- spell or potion.

68 pend the previous Prepare to Die skill. You do

not have to call Prepare to Die before your
The damage from a successful Waylay will
bypass Armor Points and will affect Body
 Killing Blows still apply; for example, you must
wait for the unconscious body to come to rest.
It is impossible to Waylay non-humanoid
monsters that have no necks, and certain other
monsters may also be immune due to alien
physiology or lack of metabolism. Magical
constructs such as golems are likewise immune
as they are not life forms in a true definition of
the term. Undead are all immune.
Using a Waylay with a hand that has a Pre-
pare to Die skill active will immediately over-
ride and expend the Prepare to Die skill.
And just in case it isnt blatantly obvious,
you cannot Waylay yourself.

Waylays and Armor Protection: Armor

that protects and covers the back of the neck
provides limited protection from a Waylay. A
leather coif will protect against a 1 Waylay
and a metal coif or helmet will protect against a
2 Waylay or a 3 Waylay. No armor will pro-
tect against a Waylay of 4 or higher.
For example: Ena has a metal helmet
which gives her protection against a 3 Way-
lay. Finther surprises her with a 3 Waylay from
Points. A Magic Armor spell will protect some- Waylay! and tapping Vorin lightly on the behind. Her helmet provides protection against
one from a Waylay, although it will then be ex- shoulder blade. Vorin has no Magic Armor spell the attack and she takes no damage, and must
pended. so he falls unconscious. respond no effect.
This skill can be performed with any of Example two: Terin and Finther are both
the following weapons: one handed edged, one
handed blunt, crossbow, small weapon, thrown
sneaking up on two trolls in order to waylay
them. Terin calls 1 Waylay! while Finther
Weapon Master
weapons, and any object made entirely of open- calls 4 Waylay at the same time. The trolls This skill allows the use of all non-ranged
cell foam that is not a thrown weapon. It may have a threshold of 3, so Terin does not affect weapons.
not be used with two handed weapons, spears, his troll. Finthers troll, however, takes the dam- It does not allow the use of Shield, Flo-
staves, bows, bolts, arrows, claws, or shields. age and falls to the ground. rentine, or Two Weapons.
This skill may only be perfomed by a A player using this skill may also call out When buying this skill, you must sell
weapon which includes a safe and valid Way- Zero waylay. This allows a victim to be back any skills that are included.
lay Tip. It is the responsibility of the person knocked unconscious but still be at the same
performing the Waylay to ensure the weapon number of Body Points upon awakening.
they are using has a Waylay Tip. If the target knows that the attacker is com-
Weapon Proficiency*
In order for the waylay to be successful, ing and announces it by saying I know youre This allows the character to do a constant
the attackers weapon must be within 6 inches back there, or otherwise showing that he or extra point of damage with one weapon for each
of the contact point. In other words, you can- she is/was aware of the waylayers intentions, time this skill is purchased. If using a two-
not hold your sword by the blade end and way- then the Waylay does not work. The victim will handed weapon, the amount of damage is 1.5
lay someone from a distance. of course still take normal damage from the (rounded down). This includes polearms, staffs,
This is not a standard weapon attack. The blow. Walking around all day randomly saying two handed blunt, two handed swords, bows,
character performing the Waylay must use the I know youre back there will not stop a Way- and crossbows.
butt end of the weapon, lightly tapping the tar- lay. A Weapon Proficiency works with any
get on the shoulder blades (do not hit their Waylay can be used in combat if the target weapon with which the character has the ap-
spine!). is caught by surprise, such as being unaware propriate weapon skill. When attacking with a
The character using this skill must call out that the waylayer was involved in the combat. proficiency, you should merely call out the ex-
the attack verbal by stating <damage> way- A victim who is unconscious, willing, or under tra point(s) of damage as regular damage.
lay. Damage is determined by starting with a a Web, Confine, or Paralysis effect is automati-
base of one and adding one for each Backstab cally surprised for purposes of this skill. It is
purchased. A Back Attack may also be utilized also possible to Waylay a target the waylayer is
Wear Extra Armor*
to add one more point of damage, but will be talking to if the victim looks away or if the at- With this skill, a character can get one ad-
used up in the process. An Endow spell will tacker gets behind the target. ditional Armor Point beyond their class limita-
add two points and will also be used up in the A person who is successfully waylaid will tions for every time this skill is bought.
process. The following skills do not add any not know who the attacker was (it is, after all, a For example: Darlissa is a scholar. Her
benefits to the Waylay skill: Damage Aura, As- surprise attack). They cannot later identify him maximum Armor Points are just 15. She has a
sassinate, Critical Attack, Terminate, Weapon or her as the attacker, although the victim may wonderful suit of armor she wants to wear that
Proficiency, Slay, any Blade spell, and any have suspicions if they were just talking to is worth 16 Armor Points. She purchases Wear
Vorpal Coatings. someone before being knocked unconscious. Extra Armor and now can get the full amount.
Example one: Finther the rogue has pur- Once the target is unconscious and has
chased three Backstabs and the Waylay skill.
He sneaks up and surprises Vorin, calling 4
fallen to the ground, the attacker may give a
Killing Blow if so desired. The regular rules of 69
 Special Abilities
Many of the creatures you may find on
Fortannis have strange and unusual powers,
effects, and abilities.
The following attacks and defenses are
used mainly in combat by NPCs, and most of
them require that the creature do body damage
in order to affect you.
The few that do not are labeled as such in
their description. Some, such as Superhuman
Strength, modify the monster instead of the
monsters chosen prey.
This list is not complete, as monsters may
also possess and deliver any of the effects listed
in the Effects chapter, delivered by any of
the deliveries in the Effects and Deliveries
section.

Acidic Skin/Acidic Blood: Some mon-

sters are covered with a corrosive material that
will slowly eat away at any material that comes
in contact with the creature. When hit for Body
Point damage, the monster should state Acidic
Skin. After the battle is over, the NPC will take
all weapons tags for weapons which it was Control <monster> by Voice: Deadly Spittle: Some monsters have a
struck with, as the acid has destroyed them. This skill allows the monster to control toxic spittle that they can shoot at characters.
Unshatterable items are not affected by this the type of monster named by voice commands. This attack will be represented by the NPC
attack. A weapon that has been strengthened The control exerted is as Enslavement, but may throwing a gas packet at the player and calling
can withstand attacks in the same way as if a not be cured or avoided. This skill is a Greater out the attack type (usually Poison or Acid).
Shatter or Destroy effect was cast at the weapon, Command effect. If the verbal contains the word poison,
expending one strengthening for the entire Creatures with this ability may not be con- then the Poison Shield spell defense will block
battle. This is on top of any strengthenings ex- trolled by another creature with the same type it, as will the racial ability Resist Poison.
pended for actual Shatter or Destroy effects. of control ability. For example, a greater liche
with Control Greater Undead by Voice could Detect Magic: This ability allows certain
Base Claws/Body Weaponry: Monsters not control another greater liche or a dread lord. monsters to be able to detect (but not identify)
with this ability can strike with large claws or A tengu could not control a goblin king, be- the presence of magic. Any visible items car-
fists. cause they both have Control Goblinoid by ried or worn by the subject will be revealed.
The phys reps will always be covered in Voice. Items hidden under clothing or in bags or boxes
red duct tape or cloth; however, you cannot tell Control Undead by Voice can be used to will not be. This will cover an entire person or
the difference between claws and real weapons control lesser undead only, as denoted by their a door sized area.
unless you can actually see the red tape. rank. The subject must out-of-game tell the NPC
The claws cannot be Disarmed, Shattered, Monsters with the Control Undead by which magic items are visible.
or Destroyed. The NPC cannot call a Hold to Voice ability may not command greater undead.
pull out claws. The Control Greater Undead ability will allow Damage from <damage type or effect>:
Claw phys reps must follow all weapon a creature to control greater or lesser undead. Some creatures take double damage or extra
rules. For example, a polearm length claw must damage from certain effects. All damage of that
follow all the weapon rules as a polearm ex- Curse of Transformation: Some mon- type that would normally affect the creature is
cept that it must be covered with red duct tape, sters (notably werewolves and vampires) have doubled.
and if using two claws, you must follow the the ability to curse their victims so that they For example, some golems will list Takes
two weapons skill rules (one claw can be no will turn into versions of themselves under ap- 30 damage from Destroy, which means the
longer than a short sword). propriate circumstances. Werewolves can turn monster will take 30 points of damage from any
their victims into werewolves who will then Destroy effect that affects them.
Bottles: Some creatures have a bottle change when the appropriate trigger occurs Some monster cards will state Takes dam-
that holds the monsters spirit separate from (usually on the full moon). Vampires can turn age from healing or Takes double damage
their body. their victims into lesser vampires. Both curses from healing. This means the monster will take
These creatures can die many times and can be reversed if appropriate steps are taken. damage from spells that normally heal body
will resurrect at the location of their bottles. Note that if cursed to become a vampire points in the amount that the spell would nor-
Bottled creatures are not affected by Life or werewolf, you will be under the control of mally heal or twice the amount in damage as
or Death spells. the Plot Committee whenever you transform, the spell would normally heal. The creature will
and you will only transform when the Plot Com- also be affected by a Cure Disease, Purify, or
mittee tells you to do so. These things are meant Restore as undead are, but will not be affected

70 to be curses for you to work to remove and not

goals for your character to achieve.
by Destroy Undead, Harm Undead or Turn Un-
dead unless they are undead (see Monster
Type to tell if they are undead). cretion of the local Plot Committee. They are Gaseous form does not permit the mon-
Please note that undead Monster Cards say always Local Campaign Only and do not trans- ster to walk through walls, Wards or Circles of
Double damage from healing as a reminder fer to other campaigns unless agreed upon by Power.
only. You do not quadruple the total damage. the Plot Committees of the campaigns involved. Gaseous creatures can be seen but cannot
Example: A Cure Mortal Wounds spell will in- Lesser fey curses generally follow the speak or make any sounds; however, they are
flict 60 points of damage to an undead, not 120. types of curses allowed by gypsy curse rules aware of their surroundings and can hear and
An Earth Storm spell will inflict 10 points of and greater fae curses can be very powerful plot understand conversations.
damage per packet, not 20. effects. How these curses are administered, re- A monster may not take anyone else gas-
moved and carried out is up to the local Plot eous with them, even if that person is dead
Engulf: Some monsters have the ability Committee. (needing a Life spell or a resurrection). A per-
to engulf or absorb an unconscious character manently dead body, however, may be taken
in preparation of digesting them. This acts as a gaseous with a creature just like any other pos-
Killing Blow. session.
The creature will have to be slain in order
to recover the body so that it may be given a Group Mind: Some types of creatures
Life spell. If you are engulfed by such a mon- (notably some giant insects) have a group mind.
ster, you must walk around with the creature Each creatures mind is but part of a larger
out-of-game until you are beyond the help of a whole. What one of them sees or experiences,
Life spell. You may then proceed to the resur- they all know; however, Holds cannot be called
rect point. for the NPCs to converse.
In order to save someone who has been This ability makes the creature immune to
Engulfed, you must give a Killing Blow to the all Command and Greater Command effects un-
creature and then afterward cut open the crea- less their monster card states otherwise.
ture with a three-count.
If the Engulfed victim has already gone to <Type> Guard: This monster ability will
resurrect, his or her items will be recoverable stop the first applicable attack that would af-
at this time. fect the creature. This is a dumb defense in
A creature with this ability may engulf any- that the monster cannot choose when to use it.
one that is asleep, unconscious, dead, entangled, Any attack that falls under the listed Effect,
webbed, confined or paralyzed on a three- count Delivery, or Qualifier will be stopped.
of I engulf you one, I engulf you two, I engulf For example, a Poison Guard would stop
you three. a Laugh Gas Poison or a 30 Nausea Poi-
The creature may also engulf a victim that son, while a Nausea Guard would only stop
it has Prisoned with a three-count of I engulf the latter of the two. A Magic Guard would
you one, I engulf you two, I engulf you three, stop either a Flame Bolt or a swing for 2
prison down. Magic, while a Spell Guard would only stop
The victim must immediately begin their the Flame Bolt.
five-minute Death Countdown once Engulfed. It cannot be used as a defense against
If the victim was already dead, they must con- touch-casting. When used, the monster should
tinue their death count from the same point it call <Type> Guard.
was already at; in other words, the Engulf does
not reset the five-minute Death Countdown. Harmed by <damage type or effect>:
Gaseous Form: Some creatures will sim- Some creatures take damage when struck by
Escape Binding: Some creatures can rip ply turn into a gaseous form when they are certain spells or effects.
free from all binding spells. This is a three-count killed, and all possessions of the creature will
action with the phrase I rip out one, I rip out fall to the ground. More powerful creatures have Heal from <damage type or effect>:
two, I rip out three. While the creature is do- the ability to turn into a gaseous form at will. Some creatures are healed by certain types of
ing the three-count, it is vulnerable to attack. These creatures can take their possessions with spells or effects (For example, air, earth, flame,
While ripping free, the creature may not use them. ice). Creatures with this ability cannot be healed
any skill requiring movement, such as Dodge. To become gaseous, the NPC must do a by carrier attacks, but can be healed by elemen-
A creature with this ability can break them- three-count of I turn gaseous one, I turn gas- tal packet attacks, by spells (packet or spell
selves free of all binding effects, not just spells. eous two, I turn gaseous three. The monster strike), by Magic <effect> or by Arcane <ef-
This includes Entangle and Paste of Stickiness. can be affected by attacks while doing this three- fect>.
The act of escaping will automatically interrupt count and if it uses any Game Abilities such as A creature that is healed by an effect is
a Killing Blow. Phase or Resist Magic, the three-count is blown also immune to that effect in carrier attack form.
A list of which bindings the monster can and one use of the gaseous form skill is ex- For example, a zombie that is Healed double
escape from will be defined on its monster card. pended along with the Game Ability. by necromancy would be immune to the car-
A creature with this skill does not take To come out of gaseous form, the NPC rier attack 2 disease.
damage from the act of ripping free when rip- should state I solidify one, I solidify two, I
ping out of binding effects, but is of course still solidify three. The monster is vulnerable to Immune to/from <damage type or ef-
vulnerable to all other attacks. attack while solidifying. fect>: Many creatures have immunities to cer-
This skill cannot be used to remove some- While gaseous, they can use no skills and tain effects. Creatures must call no effect
one else from a binding effect. are immune to all attacks except Solidify. They when using this ability.
may move at a normal walking rate (no run-
Fey Curses and Fey Marks: Lesser and
greater fey curses and marks are left to the dis-
ning). They cannot fly, nor can they move ob-
jects they arent already carrying. 71
 Immune to <Type> Weapons: Some For example, a zombie that is Healed double which will be noted on the monster card. A
monsters are immune to certain types of weapon by necromancy would be immune to the monster with this skill may choose to accept
attacks in addition to its regular immunities. Any weapon attack 2 disease. touch-cast spells, but will always reflect thrown
attack that has the verbal of what the monster spells.
is immune to in it will not affect the monster. Infection: Some creatures have the abil-
Examples: ity to infect helpless victims with material that Massive: Some creatures may swing for
Immune to normal weapon attacks (ex- will turn the person into a version of the crea- Massive. This weapon carrier represents a blow
ample: some lesser undead) ture. Unlike a werewolf or vampire curse, this with immense strength behind it, so much so
Immune to normal and silver weapon at- is only a physical transformation of the victims that no protective ability may stop it.
tacks (example: some greater undead) body. Players will be told of specific triggers if A weapon strike made with the Massive
Immune to silver and magic weapon at- necessary. Victims will lose all memory of their carrier will cause damage even if it is physi-
tacks (example: some fae) former lives, and the player must follow the cally blocked by a weapon or shield. A Parry or
Some monsters require special weapons commands they are given by the Monster Mas- Riposte will not stop the damage, though these
in order to be affected by a weapon attack. In ter until the character is slain. The spirit may skills may be used to take the damage on be-
these cases, the weapon attack must include the then proceed to be resurrected as normal. half of another character within range as per
verbal the monster is affected by, or the mon- Infection is inflicted just as a Killing Blow, the constraints of those skills (note that Riposte
ster calls no effect. Examples: with a count of 1 Infection, 2 Infection, 3 In- will not return the damage to the attacker).
Only affected by earth, silver or magic fection. An infected character will remain so Massive will still take away Armor Points
weapon attacks. (example: some lesser undead) even if killed and then given a Life spell. before Body Points, and may be stopped by
Only affected by earth or magic weapon Infection may be removed by various Evade (with its normal constraints still apply-
attacks. (example: some greater undead) methods depending on the type of infection. The ing), Dodge, or Phase.
Only affected by silver weapon attacks. cure may vary based upon the plot of the event, The Massive carrier will affect other de-
(example: a werewolf) and may possibly be discoverable only through fensive abilities in different manners depend-
Only affected by normal weapon attacks. in-game methods. A resurrection will always ing on the ability. An expendable defense such
(example: some fae) cure an Infection. as Magic Armor will not stop the attack, but
Only affected by magic weapon attacks. will still be lost. In this case, Magic Armor,
(example: a bone golem) Innate Pyramid: Some monsters possess taken should be called. Defenses which are
Only affected by magic or death weapon innate pyramids. This means the monster does not expendable (such as Prison, Threshold, or
attacks (example: a life elemental) not have to study their spells from a book, but Protection Aura) will not stop a Massive attack,
Keep in mind that other immunities also still must choose spells and write them down but will not themselves be taken down by the
play into this. For example, a life elemental that on their monster card or get tags. This also blow.
is affected by death weapon attacks would still means that the spell is delivered as Magic
be unaffected by a 10 death poison attack if <spell name> instead of the whole incant. Natural Armor: Some monsters have skin
it is immune to poisons. Also keep in mind, a If a monster has additional PC skills, ad- that acts like armor. It can be refit in sixty sec-
creature that is healed by an effect is also ditional PC spell pyramids are not innate. onds. It cannot be Shattered or Destroyed nor
immune to that effect in weapon attack form. can it be salvaged after the creature is killed.
Innate Reflect Magic: A monster with this Creatures with natural armor can never
skill will reflect all spells and magic <effect>. wear physical armor nor Arcane Armor at the
72 Some monsters have weaknesses to particular
spells and can not reflect those particular spells,
same time. Natural Armor is not subject to the
restrictions for physical armor.
 Non-Corporeal Form: Some monsters
are non-corporeal, having no physical form but
composed mainly of magic or energy. While
they are in this form they are immune to nor-
mal weapons, and cannot be affected by most
binding magics. They may move at a normal
walking rate, and may pass through objects if
the object is not living matter (wooden walls
are fine, but trees are living and cannot be
passed through).
While walking through an object, they may
not change directions. They cannot float down
through floors, walk through walls at an angle,
nor stop inside a wall or walk backwards
through a wall. They cannot fly or move up
through an object. They cannot carry or move
objects they arent already carrying.
Creatures with this ability are immune to
all binding effects.

Phase: Some creatures can become non-

corporeal for an instant, avoiding an attack as
the Dodge skill, and announcing Phase. Un-
like Dodge, Phase can be used even if the crea-
ture is completely immobilized, such as if in a stead of dissipating and going to resurrect, the The amount of superhuman strength will
Confine, Entangle or a Paralysis. creature rises with full Body Points. be defined by a number on the monster card.
The creature will either have a limited This number will be added to any damage swing
Reduced Damage: Some monsters take number of uses of this ability or there will be of the monster, including waylay damage, re-
less than full damage from physical weapons some special method of preventing the crea- gardless of whether it is using a one handed or
or types of eldritch damage. Some monsters can ture from reviving; for example, some creatures two handed weapon.
even take a maximum amount of damage (a can be prevented from using this skill by ap-
damage cap) from every blow. plying a Killing Blow with a silver blade. Threshold: Some monsters have a very
The NPC must call reduced when using tough hide that will allow them to ignore at-
this ability to each new attacker but not neces- Rift: Some creatures can open a rift to an- tacks that do only small amounts of damage. A
sarily to each individual attack. other plane or time to allow for entrance or exit. monster with a threshold of 10, for instance,
This is a three-counted action. (I rift in one, I would only be affected by damage of 11 or
Regeneration: Some creatures can regen- rift in two, I rift in three.) When rifting, the more.
erate Body Points by spending time to regener- creature may also be able to take items and oth- If you are striking the creature, the NPC
ate, much like refitting armor. The time it takes ers along, even against their will. will tell you no effect to indicate that you are
to regenerate is most often one minute but this You need to be conscious, able to make hitting it but do not seem to be hurting it. If
may vary from creature to creature. decisions, and not be completely immobilized you can exceed the limit of the hide, then the
If the regeneration time is interrupted by a in order to Rift. Opting to expend a smart de- creature will take full damage from your blow.
weapon blow or a spell that affects the crea- fense will interrupt it. A Killing Blow can always go through a
ture, the process must begin again. If the pro- Threshold. Spell Defenses and suits of armor
cess is completed, then the creature regains all Suicide Ability: Some creatures have the are affected by all blows, even if the creature
lost Body Points. ability to destroy themselves if they are cap- wouldnt normally be affected. However, armor
tured. This ability is the equivalent of a Killing and spells must be taken into consideration as
Renew skills: This ability allows a crea- Blow. In some cases, it can be triggered by a they are counted before the Threshold.
ture to renew one or more abilities or skills that Group Mind even if the creature itself is inca- For example: Fangthorn the troll has a
have limited uses by fulfilling some condition pacitated. Threshold of 4, a suit of armor worth 10, and a
defined by that creatures abilities. Shield spell and a Bless spell active, giving him
The most common condition is to take a Superhuman Strength: Any creature with 20 points of protection before damage will be
minute to reset the ability in a manner similar superhuman strength can do more damage with given to his body. He is attacked by Terin, who
to resetting armor, where any interruption pre- any particular weapon than can a normal hu- is calling three normal. The first few hits from
vents the abilities from returning. Some crea- man. Creatures with Superhuman Strength may Terin will remove Fangthorns Shield spell, the
tures may also renew skills when entering an also throw boulders and smash down doors. next few will breach Fangthorns armor, and
area or even if they use another power like Re- Walls may never be smashed. the next will remove his Bless spell. After those
vive. This ability can also be used to perform 20 points are lost, Fangthorn will begin say-
certain limited role-playing tasks such as drag- ing no effect to the rest of Terins blows since
Resist: This ability is similar to an Immu- ging an unconscious or debilitated creature for they are now affecting only his body.
nity except it is for a limited number of times ten seconds. It cannot be used to throw other Some monsters may even have a reverse
per day. Unlike an <Effect> Shield, the crea- creatures or jump long distances. threshold where any damage above a certain
ture with this skill can decide when to use it. A creature with this ability can rip out of amount has no effect.
the Entangle effect and perform other feats. It
Revive: A creature with this skill can rise
back up after five minutes of semi-death. In-
is a greater skill than what is represented by the
Endow spell. 73
 Mental Abilities
Some races and NPCs can perform men-
tal abilities such as mind melds. These abili-
ties are all completely role-playing in nature.
Generally speaking, a creature with these
abilities can instill or remove role-playing in-
sanity or otherwise cure mental damage.
A player always has the right to refuse to
role-play any of these abilities and can at any
time decide to break off the contact or be
cured. A player who is a recipient of these abili-
ties has the right to see the character card or
monster card of the person performing the abil-
ity to confirm that indeed they have the skills
necessary to perform that skill. (A marshal may
be called if the player does not wish to show
his or her card to the recipient.)
Note that the character on whom these
abilities are being performed may be completely
unconscious at the time of the use of these abili-
ties, and thus be unable to resist. Once more, it
is the player who decides whether to accept.
These abilities cannot be used to disrupt
or harm someones character unless all parties
agree out-of-game. Even so, the harmed party
can choose to change his or her mind at any
time, thus freeing himself or herself from the
mind ability. However, the player so deciding
cannot suddenly remember who did this to him
or her if the character was previously unaware.
You cant have your cake and eat it too.
In order to use this role-playing ability, the
players must be touching each other and be Enslavement. Darlissa cannot use her mental Block/Remove Block and Trap/Remove
concentrating completely by either staring in abilities to remove Terins memory of his En- Trap are the only two Mental Abilities that can
each others eyes or having their eyes closed. slavement instructions or give him new con- be used by biata and stone elves on themselves.
You cannot perform any Game Abilities while trary instructions or otherwise attempt to get All other Mental Abilites can only be performed
role-playing this. This is performed with out- around the rules concerning Enslavement. on others.
of-game conversation between the two. The same is true of any skill purchased All mental powers should be taught in-
The conversation establishes what com- in-game with Build Points: These mental abili- game whenever possible from someone who
munication is being transmitted mentally and ties can never override any of them. already has that ability. This is a role-playing
should be performed very quietly. Players who These abilities should all take a minimum game, after all.
observe this ability being used must be careful of a few minutes, and even longer for the more Your Plot Committee may restrict you
not to listen to the conversation or else they complicated and role-playing intensive ones. from using these abilities if you are not playing
may be accused of metagaming. It is up to the They are not meant to be quick fixes on the your race properly. If, for instance, you are a
players involved to make sure that any observ- battlefield (like a Break Command skill, for in- biata who carries around celestial magic items,
ers know that the conversation is out-of-game. stance). sleeps behind Wards, and is invested in the
The bottom line is always: this is a role- Players who have biata or stone elf char- Mages Guild, expect to be told that such ex-
playing ability only and the recipient can de- acters should also keep in mind that for the good posure to celestial magic has destroyed your
cide at any time, and for any reason, that the of the game as a whole, not every NPC will be power to perform these abilities. This also ap-
mind affecting ability does not work or that the susceptible to these abilities and most will re- plies if you refuse to role-play negative results
effects have worn off. No player can ever be sist your attempts. We cannot spare the time it of some of these skills (for instance, deciding
forced against their will to have their character would take to give every single orc on the field that setting off a Trap in someones mind only
accept one of these role-playing only effects. of battle a backstory and information, nor can makes you uncomfortable for a few seconds).
Further, these abilities can never be used we stop the game to grab a Plot Committee If you want the racial role-playing advantages,
to tell if another character is lying or to have member who can marshal you going into the you have to take the disadvantages as well.
that character remember events forgotten due mind of every goblin there to try to determine Each ability below lists the minimum level
to an Amnesia elixir or otherwise get around the location of the goblin camp so you can get the character must reach (to represent ones life
any Alliance rule. a personal module. NPCs who have not been experiences) and the minimum number of ra-
For example: Darlissa the biata has just given specific information beforehand should cial abilities needed. For instance, in order to
discovered that Terin is under the effect of an always resist the mental abilities. have the ability Mind Reading you need to
It should also be emphasized that not ev- be second level and have at least one Racial

74 ery creature has a brain that is developed enough

or familiar enough to be entered.
Skilleither a Resist Command or a Break
Command.
 Racial Skill Level: Some skills make ref- tion to what is seen should be the same as if be disarmed. (This should be role-played prop-
erence to your Racial Skill level. This is that character had experienced it. The biata does erly, of course.) If the one setting the trap is of
merely the number of Racial Skills you have. not receive the recipients emotional response a higher Racial Skill level, the Trap will be set
For instance, if you have three Break Com- (thats for stone elves) but should have an emo- off, and the Trap and the Block will still re-
mands and six Resist Commands, then your tional response as if they had seen it themselves. main.
Racial Skill Level is nine. For example, if you witness horrific scenes of If a trap is set off, all parties involved feel
The Racial Skill level is important if you death on a battlefield, your character should the effects, including the Trapped individual.
are placing mental Blocks or Traps and such in react as if they are on that battlefield. The length The setting off of the Trap will cause both par-
someones mind. You must tell the recipient and depth of the role-play response is up to the ties to be weakened, upset, and suffering from
your OOG Racial Skill level when doing this. player involved. terrible headaches which could last hours de-
Later, if someone tries to remove or repair what pending on the differences in Racial Skill lev-
you have done, they will compare their Racial Mind Meld els. A very high difference could even cause
Skill level with yours. Level needed: 4 the biata and the recipient to become uncon-
The character trying to remove or change Racial skills needed: 2 scious for a short period.
the Block or Trap must have more Racial Skills Mind melding is when two people with Like a Block, it is important for any re-
than the person who placed it. Thus, if a biata this skill (either biata and/or stone elf) exchange cipient of a Trap to find out the Racial Skill
with a Racial Skill of 10 placed the Trap, one thoughts without allowing others to know what level of the biata (or stone elf, or the type of
with a Racial Skill of 11 or more would be they are thinking. Its a way of communicating NPC monster) performing the Trap.
needed to get past it or remove it. without being overheard. Otherwise, the com- It should be noted that biata can remove
The recipient will not know anyones Ra- munication is only one way, from the biata to Traps placed by stone elves and vice versa.
cial Skill levels in-game. This is purely out-of- the recipient (of any race).
game information used to determine the suc- Cause Pain
cess or failure of future actions. Block / Remove Block Level needed: 10
The Racial Skill level that applies is the Level needed: 6 Racial skills needed: 4
one at the time of the using of the skill. For Racial skills needed: 2 This ability will cause the recipient to suf-
example: Darlissa places a Block in the mind This is the setting up of a defensive bar- fer tremendous pain, but does not leave any last-
of Terin at a time when she has a Racial Skill rier in order to prevent tampering with a mind. ing damage. The recipient will writhe around
level of 8. Two years later, Xapano the biata Anyone attempting to perform another mental and scream in agony but will not be able to break
attempts to remove it. By this time, Darlissa ability (Repair, Wipe, etc.) who cannot get past the connection. The recipient will not lose any
has a Racial Skill level of 20. However, Xapano the Block will be unsuccessful. Body Points. All biata and stone elves are im-
will compare his Racial Skill level with one of The Block can also be labeled so that any- mune to this ability.
8, not 20, as the Block was placed by someone one else going into the recipients mind can see
with a skill of 8. the label. For instance, a biata may place a mes- Alteration
NPC creatures (other than NPC biata or sage or a warning sign on the barrier, or per- Level needed: 12
stone elves) are not limited by the Racial Skills haps a symbol which could mean something to Racial skills needed: 4
restrictions. a specific person. Alteration changes a memory in a small
When the Block is created, it is at the Ra- way while not removing or changing the un-
cial Skill level of the biata. To remove the Block derlying memory. (For example, changing the
Biata Abilities will take a biata of a higher Racial Skill level. memory as to who did something from one per-
Biata mental abilities are related to memo- In other words, if a biata with 10 Racial Skills son to another, or changing the meaning of
ries (as opposed to stone elf abilities, which are creates a Block, a biata with a Racial Skill of something that was said.) This must be per-
related to emotions). 11 or more is needed to get past it or remove it. formed within 24 hours of the incident.
Keep in mind that memories are not al- It is therefore important for any recipient of a
ways completely true, and that two people can Block to find out the Racial Skill level of the Repair
observe the same event and have different biata (or stone elf, or the type of NPC monster) Level needed: 13
memories about that event. performing the Block. Racial skills needed: 5
These abilities never allow you to find out It should be noted that biata can remove This is the fixing of any mental memory
exactly what happened, but only what the re- Blocks placed by stone elves and vice versa. problem except for Blocks and Traps. Like any
cipient thinks happened. repair, the result will not be as strong as the
Trap / Remove Trap original untouched mind. All repairs are seen
Mind Reading Level needed: 8 and felt as a scar being sewn together, just like
Level needed: 2 Racial skills needed: 3 a flesh wound. Both the biata and the recipient
Racial skills needed: 1 This is the setting up of a defensive/offen- will have very bad headaches for the next few
This ability allows a biata to go into the sive trapped barrier to prevent tampering with minutes after completion. Repairs always leave
mind of the recipient to observe the recipients a mind. It is essentially a Block with protec- visible scars to anyone with mental abilities
memory of a specific event. This is a one-way tion. who goes into the recipients mind.
exchange of a memory (story) in someones A biata must have at least 3 Racial Skill To repair effects like Alterations and
head. It takes as long to read the memory as it levels in order to detect a trap; however, the Twists, the biata must be of a higher Racial Skill
takes to talk it out between the players involved. biata will not be able to detect the level of the level than the one who performed the ability.
The recipient cannot lie about what is seen; biata or stone elf who set the trap. Upon ob-
however, the recipient may only provide a part serving the Trap, a biata can back away and Restore
of the information, meaning that section of their not set it off, but will then be unable to get past Level needed: 14
mind is just too complicated or hard to pen- the Block. Racial skills needed: 6
etrate. Biata learn quickly not to fully trust this Alternatively, the biata can attempt to re-
ability.
When viewing a memory, the biatas reac-
move the Trap. If the biatas Racial Skill level
is higher than the one who set the Trap, it will 75
 Restore is a complete restoration of a dam- acter, the Plot Committee must have this in elfs reaction to what is seen should be the same
aged area of memory. This is a rebuilding to writing within 30 days or it will reverse itself. as if the character had experienced it. The stone
make it as good as new, without any visible Like a Restore, this gives both parties a elf will receive the recipients emotional re-
scars. The restoring gives both parties a ter- terrible migraine headache for at least an hour sponse and should have an emotional response
rible migraine headache for at least an hour and and will leave both under the effects of a Drain as if they had seen it themselves. Usually, the
will leave both under the effects of a Weakness for ten minutes, which cannot be cured by nor- stone elf will be able to resist the emotions but
for that hour, which cannot be cured by normal mal means (and which is, obviously, not necro- if the emotions are particularly strong, the stone
means. It takes at least five minutes to role-play mantic in nature). It takes at least a half an hour elf may react against his or her will. The length
and is very emotionally draining. Having a stone to role-play and is very emotionally draining. and depth of the role-play response is up to the
elf nearby is probably a good idea. Having a stone elf nearby is probably a good players involved.
To restore effects like Alterations and idea.
Twists, the biata must be of a higher Racial Skill Mind Meld
level than the one who performed the ability. Wipe Level needed: 4
Level needed: 20 Racial skills needed: 2
Repair Blast Racial skills needed: 10 Mind melding is when two people with
Level needed: 15 This is the removal of ones memory, leav- this skill (either biata and/or stone elf) exchange
Racial skills needed: 6 ing nothing in its place just a blank empty void. thoughts without allowing others to know what
This is the repair of ones mind against This is equal to ripping out memories with a they are thinking. Its a way of communicating
their will. (Their will being the characters machete. Its very messy and painful, and the without being overheard. Otherwise, the com-
will, not the players will. Remember that a recipient is left with no memory of the period munication is only one way, from the stone elf
player can always refuse to accept the mental being wiped. to the recipient (of any race).
skill.) This is extremely painful to both parties, The amount of time it takes to wipe a
who will each take 1/2 of their current Body memory is equivalent to the time spent perform- Remove Emotions / Restore Emotions
Points as damage. The biata doing the forced ing the wipe. To take out five minutes of Level needed: 5
repair suffers the effects of a Drain for ten min- memory will take five minutes of role-playing. Racial skills needed: 2
utes which cannot be cured (and which is, ob- Thus it is impossible to take out a lifetime of This is the fixing of any emotional scars
viously, not necromantic in nature). memories with this ability. that a person may have as a result of a terrible
To repair effects like Alterations and This skill can never be used to take away experience. A person who is constantly de-
Twists, the biata must be of a higher Racial Skill a recipients Game Abilities or learned skills. pressed or scared, for instance, could have those
level than the one who performed the ability. In the end, both parties will have severe emotions that are directly related to the cause
headaches for the same amount of time as the of the depression or fear removed.
Twist wipe. Both the stone elf and the recipient will
Level needed: 16 have very bad headaches for the next few min-
Racial skills needed: 7 utes after completion. This ability will always
This is an advanced form of Alteration that
Stone Elf Abilities leave visible scars to anyone with mental
allows for more than just a small change. A Stone elf mental abilities are related to abilities who goes into the recipients mind.
Twist can change up to 30 minutes worth of a emotions (as opposed to biata abilities, which This ability can also restore emotions that
memory into something completely different. are related to memories). had previously been removed by this method.
It must be performed within 24 hours of the
incident. Calm Block / Remove Block
Level needed: 1 Level needed: 6
Advanced Alteration Racial skills needed: 0 Racial skills needed: 2
Level needed: 17 This allows a stone elf to go into the mind This is the setting up of a defensive bar-
Racial skills needed: 8 of a willing recipient to remove instant emo- rier in order to prevent tampering with a mind.
This is the same as Alteration but can be tional trauma and calm the person. It is a tem- Anyone attempting to perform another mental
done at any time after the incident. porary fix and will not permanently remove long ability (Repair, Wipe, etc.) who cannot get past
term emotional scars. the Block will be unsuccessful.
Advanced Twist The Block can also be labeled so that any-
Level needed: 18 Mind Reading one else going into the recipients mind can see
Racial skills needed: 8 Level needed: 2 the label. For instance, a stone elf may place a
This is the same as Twist but can be done Racial skills needed: 1 message or a warning sign on the barrier, or
at any time after the incident. This ability allows a stone elf to go into perhaps a symbol which could mean something
the mind of the recipient to observe the to a specific person.
Freeze recipients memory of a specific event, with a When the Block is created, it is at the Ra-
Level needed: 19 stronger emphasis on how the recipient felt cial Skill level of the stone elf. To remove the
Racial skills needed: 9 about the event than the biata version of this Block will take a stone elf of a higher Racial
This is the removal or altering of ones ability. This is a one-way exchange of a memory Skill level.
memory up for to one year of time, replacing (story) in someones head. It takes as long to In other words, if a stone elf with 10 Ra-
even Alterations and Twists. In this instance, read the memory as it takes to talk it out be- cial skills creates a Block, a stone elf with only
one memory is removed and another is put in tween the players involved. 5 will not be able to get past it or remove it. It
its place. The recipient cannot lie about what is seen; is therefore important for any recipient of a
The fixer must have a biata lodestone in however, the emphasis here is to relate emo- Block to find out the level of the stone elf (or
use. Since this is so major to someones char- tions as opposed to memories of the event. The biata, or the type of NPC monster) performing
recipient may only provide enough of the facts the Block.

76 necessary to convey the emotions felt.

When viewing these emotions, the stone
It should be noted that stone elves can re-
move Blocks placed by biata and vice versa.
 rible migraine headache for at least an
hour. It takes at least a half an hour to
role-play and is very emotionally drain-
ing. Almost no recipient of this ability
will allow his or her emotions to be de-
stroyed willingly.
This ability can also be used to re-
turn the recipient to normal. However,
ironically, almost no recipient of this abil-
ity will allow his or her mind to be re-
turned willingly, because logically, they
would think they were better off without
these base emotions.
The Racial skill level of the stone
elves involved is irrelevant to this skill,
so long as it is above the minimum.

Destroy Moral Code / Return

Moral Code
Level needed: 16
Racial skills needed: 8
The stone elf employing this ability
totally removes all sense of morality in
the recipients mind, but otherwise leaves
the recipients personality intact. The
character with the destroyed moral code
will no longer have any sense of morals,
guilt, or selflessness. Furthermore, they
will be incapable of being taught any new
Trap / Remove Trap Plant False Emotions / Repair Emotions sense of morality while this is in effect. These
Level needed: 8 Level needed: 10 characters will act only to fill their own wants
Racial skills needed: 3 Racial skills needed: 4 and needs, with no thought of others.
This is the setting up of a defensive/offen- With this ability, a stone elf can plant false Use of this ability gives both parties a ter-
sive trapped barrier to prevent tampering with emotions in the minds of their recipients. These rible migraine headache for at least an hour. It
a mind. It is essentially a Block with protec- false emotions can be limited to specific causes: takes at least a half an hour to role-play and is
tion. For instance, the stone elf could plant a false very emotionally draining. Almost no recipient
A stone elf must have at least 3 Racial Skill fear of snakes in someones mind, or a false of this ability will allow his or her moral code
levels in order to detect a trap; however, the sense of love toward someone. This is, of to be destroyed willingly.
stone elf will not be able to detect the level of course, almost always performed against the This ability can also be used to return the
the biata or stone elf who set the trap. Upon will of the recipient. recipient to normal. However, ironically, almost
observing the Trap, a stone elf can back away This is extremely painful to both parties, no recipient of this ability will allow his or her
and not set it off, but will then be unable to get who will each take 1/2 of their current Body mind to be returned willingly, because they
past the Block. Points as damage. The stone elf planting the would think they were better off without these
Alternatively, the stone elf can attempt to false emotions suffers the effects of a Drain for pesky moral codes.
remove the Trap. If the stone elfs Racial Skill ten minutes which cannot be cured (and which The Racial skill level of the stone elves
level is higher than the one who set the Trap, it is, obviously, not necromantic in nature). involved is irrelevant to this skill, so long as it
will be disarmed. (This should be role-played This skill can also be used to remove these is above the minimum.
properly of course!) If the one setting the trap false emotions.
is of a higher Racial Skill level, the Trap will The Racial skill level of the stone elves Cure Insanity
be set off, and the Trap and the Block will still involved is irrelevant to this skill, so long as it Level needed: 20
remain. is above the minimum. Racial skills needed: 10
If a trap is set off, all parties involved feel This is the most difficult of the stone elf
the effects, including the Trapped individual. Destroy Emotions / Return Emotions abilities, because the mind is such a compli-
The setting off of the Trap will cause both par- Level needed: 13 cated thing that insanity is often more of a physi-
ties to be weakened, upset, and suffering from Racial skills needed: 6 cal ailment than a mental one. As such, use of
terrible headaches which could last hours de- The stone elf employing this ability totally this ability is often unsuccessful, and even if
pending on the differences in Racial Skill lev- removes all sexual and aggressive drives in the the insanity is seemingly cured, it may reap-
els. A very high difference could even cause recipients mind, making the recipient act, for pear at any time.
the stone elf and the recipient to become un- all intents and purposes, like a stone elf. The Since there are so many types and degrees
conscious for a short period. character with the destroyed emotions will no of insanity which could be affecting a charac-
Like a Block, it is important for any re- longer feel a sense of pleasure in any activity, ter, it is up to the stone elf and the recipient to
cipient of a Trap to find out the level of the nor will they feel any sense of aggression, an- role-play it accordingly based on the type and
stone elf (or biata, or the type of NPC monster) ger, or hostility. This ability allows the pure degree of insanity involved.
performing the Trap. reason of the mind to exist without any of the
It should be noted that stone elves can re-
move Traps placed by biata and vice versa.
animal instincts.
Use of this ability gives both parties a ter- 77
 Possessions
phys rep wears out, then another must be built
that looks just like the original. Permanent
magic items can never be modified and must
always look the same.
If you have a very expensive or personal
item that gets turned magical (say, a very nice
suit of armor) and the item is stolen in-game,
you have the right to refuse to turn over your
personal item. You must still, of course, turn
over the tags for that item. In exchange for keep-
ing your own item, you forfeit your right to rec-
ognize your special armor later when the thief
wears it in-game (using your tags with his or
her own physical representation).

Costuming
A good costume is an easy way to help
you establish the personality of your character
and to stay in character. Once you look the
Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
part, it doesnt take much to become the part.
Your costume need not be elaborate, but
Starting Items Physical you must have one. Cutting a hole in a sheet
and throwing it over your shoulders like a tab-
When you play your first event as a new Representations ard is not sufficient and your lack of enthusi-
character, you are given certain starting mate- asm will certainly have an effect on how other
rials that your character should have in-game. If you acquire any potions, scrolls, poi-
sons, or alchemical substances during your ad- players will treat you.
After that, youre on your own. If your armor Blue jeans, t-shirts, and white tennis shoes
gets destroyed (for instance) youll have to get ventures, they will have a tag attached. If you
create your own through the Production Points are prohibited. Black jeans and black tennis
new armor tags in-game by buying, stealing, or shoes are accepted but discouraged.
making new armor. system, then you must supply a physical repre-
sentation (phys rep) for the item, and the tag Theres really no excuse for not putting a
You start with twelve copper pieces and small effort into looking the partthere are
tags for the armor you are wearing. must be attached. This physical representation
can be stolen, at which point the thief will take many inexpensive and wonderful places where
You are also given one weapon tag for you can buy costuming cheap. You can get a
every weapon skill you possess. For instance, the tag and the item.
The tag by itself is not the item. If some- nice flowing shirt for under $50, and your lo-
if you buy the skill One Handed Edged, you cal department store will have tights for $10 or
will get one tag for a one handed edged weapon one hands you an out-of-game potion tag and
says Here, drink this! you should reply Drink so. These will also be a lot cooler in hot weather
of your choice; if you buy the skill Florentine and much more comfortable than jeans and a t-
or Two Weapons, then you will get two tags what? since nothing is being shown to your
character in-game. This rule exists because af- shirt. At the very least, get black sweat pants
since those skills need two weapons. You will and long sleeved shirts and cover those with a
not be given a tag for every physical weapon ter all, these things take up room and add
weight. You cant carry around a hundred po- nice tabard.
representation you bring into game. Hats are also a great way to look good
For archery, you will be given a tag for a tions as easily as you could a hundred tags.
However, it should be noted that the tags cheaply. A good medieval cap can add tremen-
bow or crossbow and for one quiver full of ar- dously to your costume and help you get into
rows or bolts. themselves are stealable even if they are tech-
nically out-of-game. This is because it is not character, and thats what its all about, isnt it?
You will also be given a spell book with Keep in mind that your costume must be
as many spells in it as Spell Slots you have. For fair to punish the thief for the disobeyance of
the phys rep rule by the thiefs victim. practical as well. Youre not going for a nice
instance, if you have two 1st level Spell Slots, walk through the Ducal Mansion hereyoull
your spell book will have two 1st level spells Thus, if you have a bunch of tags that you
have not attached to phys reps and someone likely be doing some running around in the
in it of your choice. woods. Fancy silk shirts are probably not a good
If you have the skill of Alchemy, you will searches you, you must turn them over. Fur-
ther, these tags can be destroyed by traps even idea when playing our game (although there
be given an alchemy book with recipes of your may be times, like during a fancy ball, that such
choice up to the amount of Production Points though they are not attached to a phys rep.
The bottom line is that there are absolutely a thing would be wanted).
in Alchemy you have. For instance, if you have Please dont wear your watches, cell
Alchemy 2, which gives you 10 Production no advantages (but lots of disadvantages) for
not having phys reps for each of your tags. It phones, or other anachronistic devices. (You
Points, then your recipe book will contain reci- can sometimes hide a watch under an arm
pes worth up to 10 Production Points (that is, can never work in your interest to not have phys
reps for all of your items. guard.)
either one recipe worth 10 Production Points Eyeglasses are obviously allowed for
or two recipes worth 5 Production Points each). You must provide your own phys rep for
magical weapons as well, although there may safety reasons if nothing else, and in fact, they
be times that it will be provided in-game. Once have been around since the 13th century.

78 it is in-game, you cannot alter the weapon in

any way except to repair it when needed. If the
Dress the part and you will be astounded
at how easy it becomes to act the part.
 Armor
an inner diameter 5/8" or smaller (can vary de-
Armor pending on gauge), and heavy metal plate mail
The costume and armor you wear deter- 18 gauge or thicker. Failure to cover at least
mines the maximum amount of Armor Points half of the Armor Location in these materials
that you can use. This is known as your Armor results in only 2 points being awarded.
Rating and is assigned by a marshal. Failure to cover at least one third of the
To determine your Armor Rating, the mar- Armor Location results in no points being re-
shal must look at the nine body locations stated warded for that area. This level of armor on the
below and assign each one a value of 0, 1, 2, or head provides protection from Waylay 3.
3. The sum of all these values and any bonus Note that Light Metal is defined as alu-
points you are awarded becomes your Armor minum or any of its alloys and Heavy Metal
Rating, with a maximum amount of 40. is defined as steel, copper, or bronze. The
Obviously, this Armor Rating can change marshals decision as to this distinction is fi-
during an event as you change clothes. nal.

Armor Locations Bonus Points

Each of the following Armor Locations re- The following bonuses are awarded if the
ceives a value of one Armor Point multiplied costume or suit of armor meets the following
by the material value and coverage. No loca- criteria. Some bonuses can confer more than
tion can be assigned a value lower than zero. one additional Armor Point, but the total Bo-
nus Points that may be earned cannot exceed
Hands/Forearms: This includes the area six. Even with the bonus Armor Points, the
from the tip of the fingers to elbow. Covering maximum may never exceed 40.
each Armor Location. If more than one mate-
only one hand/forearm lowers the number of
rial covers the same area only the one worth
points awarded by one, as described below. In Genre: No jeans, sneakers, watches,
the most points is used.
or other obvious anachronisms. Modern foot-
Upper Arms/Shoulders: This includes the wear (such as hiking boots) and glasses may be
0 points: Costume. Costume is any sort
area from the elbow to neck. Covering only one used for safety reasons without being penalized.
of period costume made out of cloth or any other
upper arm/shoulder lowers the number of points This gives up to two bonus points.
material that does not at all resemble armor.
awarded by one, as described below.
Master Crafted: Finely crafted costumes,
1 point: Light Non Metallic Armor. This
Feet/Lower Legs: This includes the area real armor, or armor that is visually impressive.
level is awarded for the following types of ma-
from the toes to the knee. Covering only one- This gives up to four bonus points.
terials: leather, leather scale, padded cloth,
foot/lower leg lowers the number of points
naugahide, suede, doeskin, vinyl, heavy can-
awarded by one, as described below. For Example: Terin wears a simple tunic,
vas, bone, rope and wood. Failure to cover at
tights, and boots most days. Before the start of
least half of the armor location results in no
Upper Legs/Groin: This includes the area the game, he has a marshal evaluate his ar-
points being rewarded for that area. This level
from the knee to the waist. Covering only one mor. The marshal rates his armor at 2 points
of armor on the head provides protection from
upper leg lowers the number of points awarded because Terins costume is considered in-genre.
Waylay 1.
by one, as described below. Afterward, Darlissa comes to the marshal
wearing a leather vest with attached metal
2 points: Light Metallic Armor or Heavy
Each of the following Armor Locations re- plates on both sides. She is also wearing a
Non Metallic Armor. This level is awarded for
ceives a value of two Armor Points multiplied single leather gantlet and a pair of sneakers.
the following types of armor coverage: leather
by the material value and coverage. No loca- She is given an Armor Rating of 12 because
10 oz. or heaver, a material with a minimum of
tion can be assigned a value lower than zero. the vest gives her 4 points (2 for material, x2
" wide metal studs 1" apart or less, a material
for location) in each of the following locations:
with at least 14 gauge metal rings spaced 1"
Belly: This includes the area from the belly, upper chest and back, but she is given no
apart or less, chain mail, non metallic plate mail,
waist to the bottom of the sternum. points for the gauntlet because she is only wear-
light metal scale mail, and light metal plate mail.
ing one and no bonus points because she is
Failure to cover at least half of the Armor
Upper Chest: This includes the area from wearing tennis shoes.
Location in these materials results in only 1
the bottom of the sternum to the neck. Lastly, Ena comes to get her armor evalu-
point being awarded. Failure to cover at least
ated. She is wearing a suit of 14 gauge heavy
one third of the Armor Location results in no
Back: This includes the entire back from chain mail that covers from her neck down to
points being awarded for that area. This level
the waist to the neck. her mid thigh and covers both arms down to
of armor on the head provides protection from
her elbows. She also wears sneakers but has
Waylay 2.
Head: This includes the area from the back covered all but the bottoms with metal studded
of the neck to the forehead. leather. On her head she wears an 18 gauge
3 points: Heavy Metallic Armor. This level
is awarded for the following types of armor
Armor Materials
79
coverage: heavy metal chain mail 14 gauge
American Wire Gauge (AWG) or thicker with
The following defines what is assigned to
steel helm. She is given an Armor Rating of 35. You can never have more Armor Points A buckler shield (a small shield that is
She gets 6 points (3 for material, x2 for loca- on your tag than the actual armor you are wear- strapped onto the arm) must still follow all
tion) in each of the following locations: head, ing, and never can this amount be more than shield rulesin other words, you cannot have
belly, upper chest and back. She gets 3 points allowed by your class limit and skills. If needed, a buckler on your left arm and still hold any-
for her upper arms/shoulders. She also gets 2 you may remove extra points from an Armor thing in your left hand. There is really no ad-
points for covering slightly less than half of her Tag by ripping them off in order to use the tag. vantage in the game for a buckler, so it is ad-
upper leg/groin, and gets 6 total bonus points For example: Finther is wearing armor vised that regular shields be used instead.
for in-genre and master crafted. Ena could have that has been evaluated for 10 points, but he The best shield for a reasonable price can
gotten additional points if the metal studded does not have any armor tags. He fights with a be made with 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch plywood.
leather covers she put over her shoes covered goblin and kills him, and as treasure is given Thicker plywood can be used, but tends to be
at least 1/2 of her feet/lower legs. Most likely, an Armor Tag worth 16 points. Since Finther too heavy. Aluminum is great but expensive.
she doesnt wear more armor so that she has a is only wearing 10 points of armor, he cannot Sheet metal is also fairly good but to make it
chance of dodging spells. use that 16 point tag unless he immediately rips thick enough to not flex under attack, the cost
off 6 points from the tag (in-game, this repre- and weight will rise. Foam insulation shields
are extremely light but break easily.
Class Limitations sents throwing away some armguards or a hel-
met or beating the armor in order to make it Shields are strictly for defense. They are
All classes are limited in how many Ar- fit). Alternatively, he can sell the 16 point suit not considered weapons in any way, and can-
mor Points they can have. These maximum Ar- in game and then use the money to buy himself not be used offensively.
mor Points are as follows: a good 10 point suit. You cannot use a shield for any weapon-
based skill such as Parry or Riposte, nor will
Scholars are limited to 15 points. your shield be affected by a Summoned Force
Adepts are limited to 20 points.
Shields effect which targets a weapon. (In other
Artisans are limited to 20 points. Shields can be very useful in our game. A words, I summon a force to shatter your
Rogues are limited to 25 points. weapon attack that lands on a shield will not weapon would have no effect on your shield;
Templars are limited to 25 points. count (but alchemy, spells, arcane attacks, and however, I summon a force to shatter your
Scouts are limited to 30 points. boulders will). Shields can be made of almost shield would work.)
Fighters are limited to 35 points. any strong material such as plastic, wood, and Shields cannot be used with two-handed
aluminum, or can be made out of light ridgid weapons. You may not wield a weapon with
The skill Wear Extra Armor allows classes materials such as foam insulation. the hand or arm holding the shield.
to wear one point of armor above their maxi- Safety is the prime consideration when
mums for each time the skill is purchased, but constructing a shield. All edges of the shield Shield Bashing is the intentional use of a
no class may wear more than 40 Armor Points. must be padded with at least 5/8 inch thick pipe shield to gain physical out-of-game advantage
insulation. Bolts or protuberances are not al- over an opponent. Shield Bashing is a serious
lowed. The longest dimension of a shield can- violation of the safety rulesit is similar to
Safety not exceed 36 inches. The maximum area of a Charging. The potential for injury is great. Ex-
Armor cannot be taped together. It must shield is 531 square inches (a 26 inch diameter cessive use of Shield Bashing will result in
have integral fastenings. Any metal plates must circle). This rule is enforced! Any recesses or warnings and possible loss of the Shield skill.
have round-filed edges or the edges must be voids in the shield silhouette will be ignored
covered to avoid injury. Jutting edges on sheet for calculating total surface area. Turtling or hiding behind an impen-
metal armor should be avoided. Shields do not protect the owner from any etrable shield (with little more than your head
Any armor that is deemed unsafe cannot kind of trap other than a weapon trap, which showing) is not allowed. The moves that in real
be used. Any head protection must be padded uses a weapon blade or missile weapon to de- life would be used to neutralize a Turtle are
to prevent injury while being worn. liver its damage. against the rules, so Turtling is also banned.
Failure to follow these safety guidelines
results in you being banned from combat until
the offending piece of armor is removed.

Armor Points
Once a marshal has assigned your Armor
Rating, you may use an armor tag with up to as
many Armor Points as you have Armor Rating.
If you remove a piece of armor at any time
during the game, your Armor Rating is reduced
by the appropriate amount.
Armor may be damaged during a battle.
You must have the skill of Blacksmith to be
able to refit armor. (See page 58 for more de-
tails.)
Head armor provides protection from the
Waylay effects even if armor is breached but
the armor wont provide protection from the
damage caused by the Waylay.

80
 Weapons
ticular weapon will or will not pass in their
chapter.
If your weapon phys rep breaks during an
event, then in-game, your weapon has broken
as well. You cannot call a Hold to go get an-
other phys rep, and you must turn over the
weapon to a marshal. If, however, the weapon
was unshatterable in-game, then a short Hold
can be called to replace the phys rep if another
is immediately available.
All exposed core must be rendered safe
with tape and padding. In a melee, it is pos-
sible to accidentally hit someone with the pom-
mel or crossguardso even these parts must
be protected. The only exception to this is the
grip, which may be left unpadded if desired
though you may use tape, leather or other ma-
terials to provide a more comfortable and se-
cure grip. A weapons unpadded grip should
only extend to parts of the weapon which are
never expected to come in contact with oppo-
There is no combat with anything other provide your own phys rep for the weapon if nents. In general, a good rule of thumb is to
than a weapon in any Alliance LARP game. you wish to use it. leave no more than one-quarter of the length of
Safety is the main concern here; we are using If you disarm a weapon or shield from an the weapon unpadded for a grip, though this
our weapons to represent battles, not to actu- NPC during a battle, you can pick up that depends on the specific type of weapon. For
ally cause damage. weapon or shield and use it for the duration of example, polearms will often have a longer
Therefore, every weapon must be in- that battle even if there is no weapon tag at- length of core left unpadded, but keep in mind
spected and approved by a duly appointed Mar- tached. (This assumes of course that you have that padding should exist on significant por-
shal before every event. It is your responibility the skill in that particular weapon.) Once the tions of the core below the head as those parts
to make sure your weapon has been approved battle is completed, you must return the phys of the weapon will often come in contact with
before you start playing. If anyone is hurt from rep to the NPC. others. You must always wield cored weapons
your unsafe weapon and you did not get it Please be fair about thisdont go taking by their designated grip. Remember that safety
checked and approved beforehand, you will be all of the NPC weapons in order to prevent the is our main concern here.
held responsible. NPCs from coming back into the battle as other All weapons which are intended to allow
monsters. If you are not using the weapon, you thrusting must have a thrusting tip. A thrusting
must give it back to any NPC who is out-of- tip consists of at least two inches of open cell
Weapon Tags game and needs a weapon to come back into foam padding beyond the end of the pipe insu-
Every weapon must have a tag that shows game as another monster. lation. If the foam tip is too small, opponents
that the weapon is in-game. When you purchase could get hurt with a stiff thrust. If the tip is too
a weapon from a blacksmith or from Logistics large, it could easily break off or fold over,
with your Production Points, you will be buy- Weapon Construction making it useless. A thrusting tip may not be
ing this tag to place on your own weapon. All weapon construction is viewed with longer than its diameter and should collapse
Some weapons can be strengthened to the idea of safety foremost. The weapon design about half of its length when pressure is ap-
withstand Destroy or Shatter effects. When you specifications are intended to represent the bare plied.
have this done to your weapon, you will be minimum necessary for a weapon to pass safety A player may choose to add or not to add
given a specific tag which must be placed on inspection. Be aware that even the safest a Waylay Tip to their weapon. This follows the
your weapon. weapon could cause injury if improperly used. same rules as a thrusting tip and is put on the
Therefore, in addition to weapon construction, pommel end of the weapon. A weapon without
practice in the use of the weapon is needed. a Waylay Tip may not be used with the Waylay
NPC Weapons Every weapon must be checked for safety skill. Latex weapons follow the same rules
Most NPC weapons are useless as trea- by a Marshal at every event it is brought to. they may only be used to Waylay if they have a
sure, because otherwise the game economy Weapons break down over time, and a weapon valid Waylay Tip.
would be ruined. After all, if all of the goblins which is safe at one event may not be safe at All crossguards must be below the blade
you were fighting had valuable weapons that the next. Local marshals may, at their discre- or shaft of the weapon. Crossguards can be
could be used, then of what use is the skill tion, require additional measures be taken to made of open cell or closed cell foam. All
Blacksmith? ensure a weapon is safe for Alliance use. It is weapon heads or protuberances above the
Youll just have to pretend that most NPCs always best to consult your local marshals to crossguard must be made of foam with no core
use crappy weapons. determine their expectations when you are regardless of size. As always, safety is para-
However, sometimes you can find NPC designing or looking to purchase a new

81
weapons that can be taken as treasure. You weapon. Since specifics on weapon safety
should take the tag and leave the physical rep- might vary chapter to chapter, only a marshal
resentation (phys rep) with the NPC and then from a specific chapter can verify that any par-
mount and protuberances which are Overall Length Base
found to be unsafe will be rejected. Weapon
Min Max Damage
All striking surfaces of the weapon
Ranged
must be protected with at least 5/8" thick
closed cell foam. If 5/8" foam is not avail- Short bow 25 in / 63.5 cm 33 in / 83.8 cm 2
able two layers of thinner foam may be Long bow 33 in / 83.8 cm 58 in / 147.3 cm 3
used if the combined thickness is greater Light crossbow 14 in / 35.6 cm 25 in / 63.5 cm 3
than 5/8". In addition, all non-striking Heavy crossbow 25 in / 63.5 cm 32 in / 81.3 cm 4
surfaces which may come into contact Thrown weapon 2 in / 5.1 cm 40 in / 101.6 cm 2 or 3
with another player (such as the shaft of One Handed
a blunt weapon or polearm, crossguards,
and the flats of sword blades) must be
Small weapon 20 in / 50.8 cm 28 in / 71.1 cm 1
protected with sufficient closed cell foam Short weapon / Claw 28 in / 71.1 cm 36 in / 91.4 cm 2
to ensure safety should accidental strikes Long weapon 36 in / 91.4 cm 48 in / 121.9 cm 2
happen with those areas of the weapon. Spear 48 in / 121.9 cm 58 in / 147.3 cm 2
Weapons which do not have sufficient Two Handed
padding on non-striking surfaces will Polearm 62 in / 121.9 cm 72 in / 182.9 cm 3
absolutely be disallowed from play. If Staff 60 in / 152.4 cm 72 in / 182.9 cm 2
you are unsure what qualifies, its always
best to stick with a minimum of 5/8" thick
Two handed blunt or edged 48 in / 121.9 cm 62 in / 157.5 cm 3
foam on all sections of the weapon above
the grip. the weapon is safe. This is often the case with use paisley prints or other silly colours. The
Take this point very seriously! If you do metal pipes or when the pipe diameter is too cloth should be sewn very tightly and not be a
not have your weapon checked and you hit large for the weapon type. If the pipe insula- loose covering.
someone and your weapon breaks and hurts tion on the shaft is too compressed, the weapon Note that if a sword is to have a weighted
them, it will be your responsibility. The legal will hit harder than desired and will fail a weap- pommel, that pommel must be thickly padded
release you sign does not cover you if you do ons check. since it could potentially do more damage than
not follow our safety rules. One common mistake is to use foam of a a normal weapon blade.
smaller diameter than the pipe being used, forc-
Weapon Construction ing the foam over the pipe. This makes the
weapon too hard. Another common mistake is
Weapon Guidelines
Weapon construction requires some prac- to wrap the duct tape around the foam too Thrown Weapons can be of many differ-
tice, and it is very likely that your first few at- tightly, or even in a spiral pattern up the blade. ent shapes and sizes. They must be constructed
tempts will be rejected by your local marshals. This tends to make the insulation too stiff and with no core and may not be internally weighted
Although we endeavour to have weapons avail- gives unwanted weight. The insulation should with hard materials. These weapons can never
able for loan or sale, we cannot guarantee that slide easily over the pipe, but fit snugly so that be used as a melee weapon in a fight; they must
any will be available. Be sure to bring extra the weapon will not rattle if the pipe is shaken. be thrown. Because they can be odd sizes and
weapon building materials with you so that you The foam should be taped lengthwise, us- shapes, they must be approved on a case-by-
can repair your weapon in order to get it passed. ing 2 inch wide duct tape and overlapping about case basis. All Thrown Weapons may be used
Weapons are generally made with a PVC inch. This will use the least amount of tape, to Waylay.
pipe core covered with pipe foam. Alternative keeping the weapon light and safe. Vinyl elec- Thrown Weapons with any single measure-
cores made of fibreglass, graphite or carbon trical tape has less give than duct tape; how- ment over 24 in. / 61 cm. should be tagged as a
such as fishing poles or kite spar are sometimes ever, it is acceptable for use in noncontact ar- Heavy Thrown Weapon and will have a base
used, but this is at the discretion of each chap- eas of the weapon as decoration or grips. damage of 3 instead of 2.
ter. Light aluminium can be used for two handed In addition, you may want to cover your Chapters may rule that some specific
weapons (except staffs) but never for one weapon with cloth after it is completed. You Thrown weapons, called Boulders, may only
handed weapons. Aluminium is not flexible should keep in mind that it is a weapon and not be lifted by creatures with Superhuman Strength
enough for shorter weapons. Heavy aluminium and the skill Thrown Weapon. Boulders are
pipe, wood and metal wire are never accept- usually represented by garbage bags full of
able weapon making materials. wrinkled paper or open cell foam and will be
All weapons must be fairly rigid so as not tagged appropriately.
to act as a whip when swung quickly. Because
of this rule, inch PVC tends to be unaccept- Claws must be primarily red. While small
able for weapons over 32 inches long in total decorations of other colors are allowed, all
length. Under most circumstances, a weapon claws must be easily recognizable as red from
tip should not bend more than 6 inches from a distance without asking whether the weapon
true when a moderate weight is applied to the is a claw. Other weapons may not use red as
tip and the grip is held level. their predominant color and should leave no
All weapons must also have some give to question that they are not claws when seen from
them when contact is made. The core should any range.
flex somewhat. If the core does not flex, then Claws usable by the PC skill Claw must
you may be required either to use a smaller di- be of short weapon length. Some monsters may
ameter pipe or add more padding to insure that have long claws or even two handed claws, but
must follow the rules standard rules for fight-

82 ing with two weapons (including length restric-

tions) or a two handed weapon.
 Blunt weapons, axes, one handed spears
and pole arms must have a padded head that is
shaped appropriate to the weapon type. This
padded head must be made out of foam and it
must be placed over the 5/8" pipe insulation
that covers the core. The head must be notice-
ably thicker than the pipe insulation and should
squash easily. Everything above the grip area
must be paddedlike all weapons, any part that
might come into contact with your opponents
should have foam padding. Note that blunt
weapons may never be used to thrust.

One handed spears can only be used to

perform thrusting attacks, and can never be
thrown. A character hit by any part other than
the thrusting tip takes no damage.

Staffs may only be handled in the middle

3 feet. This distance should be marked off so it
is easily identifiable. You must have both hands
on the staff to attack, but you may block with
only one hand on the staff, or in conjunction
with a short weapon for the purposes of the Two
Weapons skill. Note that for safety reasons,
padding may be required on the grip section of
the staff depending on how it is designed.

Two handed weapons must be used with

both hands at all times. If you lose the use of
one arm (such as from a Wither spell), then you
cannot wield the weapon at all.

Archery
Archery is represented with a packet de-
livered attack. Each packet must be blue.
Using the skill: When using a bow, the smaller than 1". A foam phys rep of a quiver
Bows are made of a curved phys rep, pad- arm holding the bow must be held straight out may also be used. For each multiple of the maxi-
ded like a regular weapon. No string is attached. and aimed at the target. A crossbow may be held mum quiver volume, a quiver can hold an ad-
It is considered a Two Handed Weapon for at- with arm bent, but must still be aimed at the ditional 20 arrows or bolts.
tacking purposes; in other words, both hands target. The arrow or bolt packet must be touched You may carry as many quivers as you are
and both arms must be free to utilize a bow. to the bow/crossbow and then brought up to able.
The grip of the bow must be in the bows the chin/shoulder area before being thrown. The
center and the bow may only ever be utilized packet may be held at the chin/shoulder area Ammunition: Arrows are used exclusively
while holding the grip. A Bow phys rep is not for as long as desired and then thrown. If the by bows. Bolts are used exclusively by cross-
required to have open cell tips on its ends. How- packet leaves the chin/shoulder area, it must be bows. Arrows and bolts are treated exactly the
ever, as with all weapons, sufficient padding touched to the bow/crossbow again. same as far as the rules are concerned, except
must be in place that the core of the weapon The archer must finish the damage verbal that they may only be used with their respec-
may not be felt and a marshal judges the weapon before throwing the packet. If the packet is not tive weapon. Arrows and bolts are on tags simi-
to be safe in combat. thrown, it is still consumed. Shields and weap- lar in design to armor tags, and when used, you
The bow phys rep can be used for block- ons will block an archery attack. must rip off the amount of arrows or bolts used
ing defense with one hand. If the archer has the Head shots from archery packets do not in the battle.
Two Weapon skill and is using a short bow, then count. Hand shots do not count if a usable
they may use it with a long weapon or with a weapon is in that hand, as the hand is consid- Arrow and Bolt Loss: Arrows and bolts
one handed spear. A bow may not be used for ered part of the blocking weapon. Shots to a are consumable. Once the verbal is stated, the
melee attacks or waylays. hand without a weapon in it, or a weapon that arrow or bolt is lost even if it is not thrown, and
the target cannot use, or one hand on a two the appropriate number of arrow or bolt tags
Crossbows are made of closed cell foam handed weapon, are considered hits. must be given up after each battle. Like spell
onlyno PVC core is allowed. No string is packets, you can retrieve arrow or bolt packets
attached. A crossbow cannot be used for block- Quivers: An archer may not have more in a Hold but you cannot call a Hold in order to
ing. It is considered a Two Handed weapon for arrow or bolt tags on them than they have room retrieve them.
attacking purposes; in other words, both hands for in their quivers. One quiver may hold up to
and both arms must be free to utilize a cross- 20 arrows or bolts. A quiver is defined as any
bow. In our game, the crossbow is meant to be
a lighter, more portable counterpart to the bow.
pouch or container whose dimensions are a
minimum volume of 64" with no dimension 83
 spears, polearms, and two-handed swords). 3: Cut a piece of open cell foam that is
How to Build a Tape over the open ends of pipe to remove the two inches square and at least two inches tall.
Basic Weapon sharp edges and to prevent foam from packing
into the tube.
Materials you will need:
or inch PVC pipe
5/8 inch wall pipe insulation
Two 2 inch or larger cubes of open cell
foam
Hacksaw, scissors, knife, marker, tape
measure
Duct tape or cloth tape
Electrical tape (optional)

This section will walk you through build-

ing a long sword. These directions can be ex-
trapolated to most other weapons by making
minor adjustments for their type. Remember to
minimize the amount of tape that you are using
when possible. Often times a half-width piece
will do the same job as a full-width piece.
Before cutting anything, make a quick
sketch of the weapon you intend to build, in- Trim off four edges so that you have a tall cyl-
cluding dimensions. Double check that all of inder the same width as your blade. Secure the
your proportions will meet the requirements Cut your pipe insulation for your blade and open cell foam to the top of your blade with a
listed on the weapon specification chart as well pommel. The blade piece should be two inches cross of tape.
as any additional rules listed in the construc- shorter then the total blade length you desire.
tion section. Mark your materials so that you Unless you are making a bow, you should have
are certain they are the correct size. a pommel piece that is about three inches. If
you are making a bow, you should have two
blade pieces of about equal length.

Be certain that the tip is not compressed

more than two inches. Once the tip is secure,
encircle the region where the two pieces meet
1: Use the hacksaw to cut your core to the with a strip of tape.
desired length. 2: Take two inch-long pieces of pipe in-
sulation foam (about a quarter circle each) and
secure one tightly to each end of your core.
Slide the blade foam onto the core, stop-
ping when you reach the foam plug you just
affixed. Tape over the end so that the foam can-
not slide down.

It should be six inches shorter than the fin-

ished length of the weapon (six and a half for

84 4: Cross four strips of tape from the blade

foam to the core to fasten them together.
 6: Take the pommel piece and slide it onto 9: If you are going to sew a cloth cover for
the butt end of your sword so that it is flush your weapon, skip this step. Otherwise, cover
with the plug you placed in step 2. Repeat steps the blade lengthwise with long strips of tape.
3 and 4 for this piece. Do not spiral wrap your weapon! You may cover
your crossguard and any other surfaces you have
left exposed if you like.
10: Poke a few holes in the tape of the
open cell foam parts of your weapon.

A ring of tape around the core and at the

base of the blade will prevent these strips from
peeling up later.
5: If you are not making a weapon with a
crossguard, skip this step. Cut a piece of pipe
insulation four to six inches long for a
crossguard. Split it in half length-wise and cut
a hole a little smaller then your core in the cen-
ter. Slide the piece onto your core so that the
flat side is against your blade foam.
If the foam has been left open to the air
(or is only covered by cloth) you may not need
to do this step. Thrusting and waylay tips should
collapse to half their height easily and spring
back into shape very quickly. Heads on weap-
ons like axes, blunts, and polearms should have
plenty of give to them.
11: Use electrical tape, duct tape, or sport
7: If you havent already done so, double- grip to cover the exposed core of your handle.
check the length requirements for everything
youve built. Measure the weapon tip to tip,
along its curve if it has one; it should be ex-
actly as long as you wanted.
8: If you are building a weapon with a head
secure it to the blade (now the haft) of your
weapon. It is best to have a few strips that wrap
completely around the head and secure directly
Using a cross of tape as in step 4, secure to the haft for stability.
the crossguard to both the blade and to the core. Once you feel the head is secure, test it
out, and if it remains attached, cover the head
with tape.

Your weapon should now be complete.

Evaluate it for safety. It shouldnt be too whippy,
too stiff, or have exposed pipe. Remember that
most peoples first weapon fails safety check.
However, most weapons are salvageable. You
should bring some extra materials along so that
you can try to fix any problems that a marshal
may find or in case your weapon breaks during
an event. Keep in mind that weapons wear out
over time and that crushing, heat (like being
left in a car in the sun), and other abuse will
drastically reduce the life of your weapon.

85
 Logistics

The Alliance is a game that relies upon physical representation. Logistics will cross off
honesty. Your character can be the most rot-
Tags all spells from the list that you do not have,
ten, cheating, scum of the planet, but you must All items are represented by tags. This al- leaving the ones available for you clear.
be absolutely honest and trustworthy. We rely lows you to buy, sell, steal, or trade items with New spells can be added to your book by
upon the honesty of our players to make the other players. paying money to the appropriate Guild, at which
game run efficiently, and other players rely upon When you use your item, you must then time they will give you a new spell book tag.
you to keep track of your skills and spells so turn over the tag to an NPC or marshal, or oth- They can also be obtained as treasure.
that no one is getting an unfair advantage. erwise destroy it.
You will be given a character card when Each tag lists which game you are playing Alchemy recipe book tags work in a simi-
you check in. On that card will be your skills. in. (It may be the name of the chapter or the in- lar way, except that you do not have to pay to
Attached to that is a Battle Board. game name of the campaign.) add new recipes.
Here are some examples of the tags you
will see: Weapon tags are taped directly to your
Battle Boards weapon. The tag type must match the weapon
You will be given a new Battle Board Armor Point tags list the points your ar- being used exactly. If a weapon does not have
for each game-day. All the skills and spells your mor is worth. one of these tags, it cannot be used (except by
character possesses that are expendable will be You can never have more Armor Points NPCs).
printed on it. You must carry that card with you than the points the marshal has assigned to the A regular weapon that is not magic, sil-
at all times and must update it whenever it armor you are currently wearing. If your armor vered, or unshatterable will have those sections
changes by filling in the bubbles next to the was assigned 12 points and someone gives you crossed off. If a weapon is silver, then the sil-
skill or spell used. A marshal can always ask to a tag worth 15, you cannot use it unless you ver section will be circled.
see your Battle Board at any time to make sure trade it in for a tag worth 12 points (usually at
you are properly keeping track of your spells logistics). Trap card tags will list the type of trap,
and skills. the amount of damage done, and, if a gas trap,
These Battle Boards are unique and per- Item tags will only have one use, as the will have gas globe tag(s) attached as well.
sonal for each character so they will not all look tags are meant to be attached to the physical These must all be signed by a marshal, and can
alike. representation of the item. A potion tag or elixir be made by anyone with the skill or found as
If your character does not possess physi- tag must be inserted into the potion vial or se- treasure.
cal skills, the spells will be spread out across cured in some other manner (tape, rubber band).
the entire board. If your character has celestial Workshop tags represent alchemy labs,
spells, the battle board will also have bubbles Gas globe tags are not kept on the pack- scroll libraries, blacksmith forges, and the like.
that will show up under the wand charges sec- ets that we use to represent alchemical gas They are purchased at Logistics and will state
tion. Elementally and Magically Augmented globes for safety reasons, but may instead be the in-game owner of the workshop, the in-game
spells will appear on your characters battle kept on a tag ring. After a battle, you must turn location of the workshop, and the signature of
board just like regular spells, but will say over the tags that were used. the Logistics marshal who approved the sale.
Magic or Elemental next to the spell name. These tags are stealable items even though
In the above example, the player has cho- they are not on a physical representation. Other tags are there to represent posses-
sen to take a Magic Augmentation on a spell. Further, if someone steals your gas globe sions not covered by the other tags: horses,
This requires two High Magic points to do, so physical representations, you must turn over the ships, houses and other items with value. They
the player will crossed off both of the bubbles appropriate number of tags to represent that are sellable in-game (if you can find a buyer).
next to the characters formal magic levels. which has been taken.
There are other tags you will encounter in

86 Spell Book tags are specific to each school

of magic and must be kept with your spell book
your game but they are easy to understand as
they follow the same basic rules.
 In-Game Limitations
New players to the game often make ar- For example, Cerik the vampire is turn-
guments about some of the limitations of these ing gaseous. During the three count, he is hit
rules, saying Well, this doesnt make any logi- with a Cure Light Wounds spell. He takes the
cal sense! Why should only some liches have damage from the spell but it is not enough to
essences that I can use for components? Why destroy him, so he can continue his three count.
cant necromancy be legal? Why shouldnt I be Example two: Cerik gets hit with a De-
able to create a Ward scroll? stroy Undead spell. This would destroy him, so
The fact is that every rules limitation has he uses his Phase skill. The use of that skill has
a reason, and usually that reason is game bal- interrupted his three count, so the Gaseous
ance. We cant have every monster be useful as Form skill has been used up, and unless he has
a component or else the components become that skill twice, he cannot attempt it again.
too common and the ritual systems economy The three count is used primarily when the
is ruined. We cant make certain spells into po- NPCs are right there next to the players who
tions or scrolls because then they lose their spe- can then try to affect the monsters. It should
cial nature and may make the goal to rise to only be used when it has to be made clear that
higher levels to be able to cast those spells the NPC is phasing in or otherwise taking some
meaningless. We cant have necromancy legal sort of action that the player would not be able
because then everyone would want to play an to observe otherwise.
earth caster (plus wed lose a really cool role- Monsters coming out from the woods or
playing plotline). from behind buildings should not announce
If you come across a rule that you think their presence with a three count. Why let the
doesnt make sense for our game world, sit back player know you are sneaking up on them? As
and consider before complaining. There is a long as you are far enough away that it will
reason it is limited. Ask yourself how it could take at least three seconds to reach the player,
unbalance the game if the rule were different you should not announce your presence. And
or how some players could abuse it. if you are closer than that, you should be mov-
Understand as well that the game is spe- ing farther back.
cifically designed to promote teamwork. You In other words, NPCs should not, in the
cant be an expert in everything all by yourself. presence of players, suddenly take off their
If you are a celestial spellcaster, dont complain white headbands and just appear.
because there are no celestial healing spells. If Please keep in mind to remember the spirit This rule was never meant to mean that
you are an alchemist, dont complain that you of the rules. These abilities are meant to allow you, the player, should count off every action
cant affect undead with your alchemy. These players to do things that would be impossible you do.
limitations are by design, to encourage players in the real world, and some suspension of dis- You do not have to count off drinking po-
to work together and complement each others belief is thus required to allow them to func- tions, repairing your armor, or doing anything
abilities. tion as intended. As always, should people else that requires game time to perform.
The bottom line to all of this is that the manipulate the rules to circumvent their spirit, Basically, counting actions is out-of-game
rules are only here to support the plot, and not it is expected that Marshals will deal with the and discouraged unless (a) you are performing
the other way around. You should be looking situation appropriately. a monster ability that has to be counted, such
for plot solutions to the problems your charac- as rifting in; or (b) you are in-game perform-
ter has to face, not rules solutions. Use the tools
at hand and dont complain if lack of certain
Counted Actions ing an action that you are not really performing
out-of-game and you are aware that you may
tools makes your job more difficult. Some actions cannot actually be performed be attacked while performing this action.
Remember, nobody gets to be a hero by for reasons of safety or reality, but must be con- To better explain (b), imagine that you
taking the easy way out! sidered as taking some time to complete. Such want to climb out a window. If you really are
actions will have a specific count, usually three, going to climb out the window, no count is nec-
and a definite phrase to indicate what is hap- essary because you really are performing the
Carrying People pening. act. If you are in a module and the marshal says
Certain effects like Endow and Strength For example, to simulate a ghost coming to pretend there is a window there and you have
allow a player to physrep things that are nor- through the wall, the NPC playing the ghost to walk outside and pretend to have come
mally impossible to do, like grab another per- could say I come through the wall one, I come through it, then you are doing the action in-
son (regardless of comparative weights) and run through the wall two, I come through the wall game only and probably should count.
for a short time. To facilitate this, and in the three. Note that if you are NPCing and are in-
spirit of Be all you cant be, this means that During the time in which the player is say- structed by the marshal of the encounter to do
the player with the Endow or Strength must only ing this, he or she is completely vulnerable to a three count, do so. There may be specific rea-
indicate to the other player that they are being attack and cannot use any game skills except sons for it. But in general, lets do all we can to
picked up and transported. They do not need to Bane, Cloak, Dodge, Evade, Phase, and Re- keep all our actions in-game and count free as
specifically wait for the person to clamber to sist. These skills cause the counted action to be much as possible.
their feet and follow along (though clearly the interrupted. The skill is used up, and the count
person being transported should make their best is aborted and must be started again.
effort to get to where they should be as soon as
possible).
Spell defenses such as Spell Shield or
Magic Armor do not interrupt a counted action. 87
 game atmosphere. Make up some in-game
Multiple Characters Language curses and see how much more fun it is. By
If you are attending your first event ever, We ask that you try your best to not use Kelanors Beard! Mud and Moon!
afterwards you are allowed to change your char- modern colloquialisms and terms in your gam- Gunthers Knee! By the Stars!look at
acter and not lose any of the Build Points you ing. You dont need to use old English thee your local games culture and racial back-
earned at that event. This is only done for your and thou like a Shakespearean play, but you grounds and you are sure to find some appro-
first event as a playernot your first event as a should make every attempt to give your words priate things that will make wonderful medi-
new character. that renaissance flair. eval curses.
For instance, Terin attends his first ever Imagine this conversation: If you wish to be able to speak another
event as a fighter. After the event, he realizes Hail and well met! I am a merchant of language in character (such as elf or sarr), then
he would much rather be a spellcaster. He is fine goods! you must actually learn it. When you wish to
allowed to re-spend his Build Points, but after Cool beans, Dude! You got any elixirs? talk in the other language, then you must talk
that he can never change any of his characters Aye, that I do. Tis one of my specialties. in the other language. This is to prevent some-
again this way. Are you interested in healing elixirs or mayhap one from overhearing you talk in English pre-
You cannot play more than one character something more exotic? tending that it is another language only to have
on a weekend (unless your character dies per- Man, I need some Amnesias in case I you say You didnt understand that; its in an-
manently and you start a new one). Otherwise, wanna kack someone. OK? other language.
it would be too confusing to other players. Is Now the player buying the elixirs in this You do not have to spend any Build Points
this really your character in another guise, they example was in-game the entire time but he cer- to learn another languageyou just have to find
will ask, or is it actually a new character as you tainly didnt do much to help the in-game at- someone who knows the language and then
say? mosphere, did he? learn it.
If you do create a second character, please We dont expect you to speak like a refu-
have that character be as different from your gee from a renaissance faire, but please, at least
original character as possible: your new char- make an effort.
Magic
acter should have a different adventuring party, Try at all times to use aye or nay and Eldritch Power: Many of the spells call
different costumes, and hopefully be of a dif- see how easy it is to slip into character. Use upon an energy called eldritch power. This is a
ferent race and class as well. tis instead of it is and otherwise try your type of energy that only affects beings that are
Multiple characters belonging to the same best to not sound anachronistic and you too may alive or animated.
player may never directly interact in any way. be surprised by the improvement in the game. If you cast a Flame Bolt spell at someone
You cannot have one character sell, donate, or In addition, please try to refrain from us- and miss and hit a tree, the tree will not catch
will items to your other character; nor can you ing foul language; not because we are prudes on fire. Nor can you use an Ice Bolt spell to
use an intermediary to do this for you by giv- or your mommy but because it really ruins the keep your ice cream cold. These spells can only
ing them your possessions only to have them affect creatures that are alive or animated. In-
give them to your new character. game, they feel like fire or ice when they hit
and you should certainly role-play that out when
you are the subject of one.
Disguises
You are not allowed to disguise your char- Healing: Why need anyone ever suffer if
acter using any sort of makeup to change your there are healing spells? Well, the answer is that
appearance, since makeup is the only way that healing spells cannot do everything.
players can represent another race or physical If you are damaged (or dead) and you are
characteristics that the players themselves do then magically healed to your maximum (or res-
not have. If you wish to have your character urrected), then you are returned to the state your
travel incognito, you must use costume and body was in before the damage was taken. If
mannerisms. you had a limp before you were healed, you
After all, if there really were elves and orcs still have a limp. If you were dying of old age,
and hoblings, you would be able to easily dis- then you are still dying of old age. If you were
tinguish between a real dark elf and someone pregnant, you are still pregnant.
disguised as a dark elf, wearing fake ears and How to explain limps, handicaps, and
face paint. scars? Healing spells (or resurrection) heals you
Certain distinguishing characteristics of a up to the state you were in last before you took
race can never be changed. If you are a barbar- any recent damage. In other words, if your body
ian, you must dress in furs and talk barbaric. If healed normally after a battle (that is, without
you are a biata, you cant shave off your feath- the aid of magic) and you ended up with scars,
ery eyebrows. If you are a gypsy, you must speak any future healing would not correct that old
with a gypsy accent. injury.
You are allowed to disguise yourself in Body parts cannot be restored, regrown,
limited waysfor example, an elf can wear a or mended with Cure spells, potions, or elix-
hat to hide his ears or a dark elf can wear a irs, which only replenish lost Body Points. To
hood to cover her face. You can also wear a restore a body part that has been withered,
mask over your face (provided it is a Zorro- stunned, amputated or broken requires a Re-
type of mask and not a monster mask). store spell, a Life spell, or a resurrection.
Breaking or removing a body part requires
at least three seconds. You do not have to do a

88 three count but you must role-play the break-

ing to make it clear what you are doing.
 (unless prevented by an appropriate effect, of
course). A page can be given a Killing Blow.
All other rules concerning healing and res-
urrections apply; and of course, all in-game
ramifications do as well.
The bottom line is that we are attempting
to run an adult oriented game with mature
themes and an emphasis on role-playing, and
we have found that if players are too young,
they have not yet reached the maturity level we
require. (This is a generalization of course;
there are certainly players over the minimum
age who are not as mature as we want and some
under the age who are.)
Further, we have found that the younger
the player, the smaller they are as well, and this
can be dangerous when dealing with combat
situations. Page rules also help to keep our in-
surance rates down.
Sometimes, a player is allowed to become
a page for medical reasons, and in those cases,
these same rules usually apply.

A Cure Disease spell will only cure the page even until you are 18. Some chapters do
Time
game effect Disease. It will not cure cancer, get not allow pages at all. In Alliance games, time passes in-game at
rid of athletes foot, or hide your bald spot. This Most chapters have Page policies similar the same rate as it does out-of-game. If a month
gives some players fun at role-playing frustra- to the following: has passed between events, then a month has
tions of being sick: You mean they can bring 1. This must be pre-approvedno passed in the in-game world.
me back to life after dying but they cant cure showing up at the door and asking to be a page. Strange how life can be so boring for a
the common cold?!! 2. The pages parent or legal guardian few weeks, then suddenly all the monsters start
Pregnancies in-game are completely a role- must be present and must be a PC or NPC dur- attacking on Friday nights, isnt it?
playing issue controllable by the player in- ing the entire event. Legal guardian is a legal Actually, in-game, there are monsters at-
volved. The most important thing is to follow term and does not include older brothers or sis- tacking all the time, and though things might
all rules of good taste! Being pregnant in-game ters. be heightened during an event, life still goes
will not change in any way any of the rules in 3. The parent or legal guardian is re- on.
this book. Using healing skills to detect the ex- sponsible for the pages actions and must re- It is assumed that your character is still
istence of a pregnancy is also up to the player move the page from the site if asked. The par- fighting monsters and doing adventurous deeds
involved, although one should remember the ent or legal guardian must keep track of the between events. Where does the money go that
limitations of medieval medicine. Healing Arts page. your character earns during this period? Why,
is not a magical skill and cannot be used to de- 4. Any page who is disruptive, does not it pays for all the food, lodging, and healing
termine an unborn childs sex, race, or heritage. obey these rules, or in any other way is deemed your character needs during these off times!
A doll used to represent an infant is con- to be harmful to the game will be asked to leave.
sidered a personal possession (if carried) in There is no appeal.
regards to the rules. 5. All pages must wear an orange head-
Weather
band with the word page written on it promi- Sometimes the weather at an event can
nently.
Monster Size 6. Pages cannot enter combat in any
make the wearing of armor impractical or even
dangerous. Hot weather can cause heat exhaus-
All monsters are the size of the NPC or way, including pouring healing potions in un- tion and dehydration, while wearing metal ar-
phys rep playing the part. There are no nine- conscious bodies during a battle. (After a battle mor in extremely cold weather greatly increases
foot tall trolls unless there is a nine-foot tall or way off on the sidelines is fine.) the chances for hypothermia. Under these con-
NPC playing the part or nine-foot tall appara- 7. Pages cannot purchase any combat, ditions those running the game may declare a
tus built for that purpose. weapon, or casting skills. Pages can purchase No Armor Day.
For that matter, all players are the same role-playing skills such as Read and Write, Until the No Armor Day is ended, play-
size as their characters as well. A six-foot tall Healing Arts, Craftsman and such. Alchemy can ers may use Armor Point tags as if they were
player with a dwarven character in-game is a be purchased but no gasses may be thrown. wearing the armor that they would have nor-
six-foot tall dwarf. Pages cannot carry weapons at all. mally worn that day. The player is then consid-
8. Pages can carry in-game items (ex- ered to be wearing that armor and get all of its
cept weapons) and can be searched.
Pages 9. In order to kill a page, a player must
benefits except for waylay protection.
At any time, a marshal may ask you to pro-
Each Alliance game is allowed to set its stand near the page and call out their effects duce the armor that you would have normally
own age limits to play. Underage players are and weapon damage but cannot hit the page been wearing to verify that you are using the
called pages. directly in any way. It is assumed that every correct amount.
In most Alliance games, a page is some- weapon and packet attack hits the page. The

89
one who is at least 14 years old and less than page can call out any protective spells the page
16 years old. In some chapters, you must be a has and can yell for help or try to run away
 Matters of Life and Death
Unconscious: If you are reduced to ex-
No Killing Blow Killing Blow
actly zero Body Points, you are unconscious.
You will regain consciousness (at one Body Unconscious Dying
Point only) after ten minutes. Minutes (at 0) (at -1)
For example: Terin has a total of 14 First Aid brings to 0
Points, including his Armor Points, Body 1 (unconscious); Any
Points, and all protective spells. He is in a fierce
battle and takes exactly 14 points of damage.
healing will work
He falls to the ground unconscious. Nobody 2 Life spell needed
gives him any curing, so he awakens in ten min- 3
utes with just one Body Point. 4 Any healing Life spell needed
You cannot make sounds at all while un-
5 will work
conscious or dying. If people do not notice that
you are on the ground, they do not see you ly- 6
ing there in-game as well. You cant moan or 7
say Well it looks like Im unconscious. 8
If you wish, your character may opt to stop 9
struggling to regain consciousness and die.
Upon being reduced to zero Body Points, you
10 Must be Must be
can declare that you are choosing to die (this Regains resurrected resurrected
is an out-of-game statement). At that point, your 11 consciousness
Body Point total drops to -1 and you begin dy- with 1 Body Point
ing. This option is to allow you to not be cap-
tured by your enemies who probably will not at zero Body Points (unconscious) and will survive death are Gypsy Curse, Vampire Charm,
want to waste a Life spell on you. wake in ten minutes with one Body Point (the Amnesia, Enslavement, Entangle, Euphoria,
If you are unconscious, all effects that may one represented by the Alive flag on your Life Love Potion #9, Paste of Stickiness, and some-
be on you will still affect you and any new ones Ticket.) times, a Curse of Transformation or an Infec-
will as well. For example: Terin takes 20 points of dam- tion. Note as well that a dead body is still sub-
For example, Terin gets hit with a Con- age in the battle and falls to the ground. He is ject to magical and non-magical barriers such
fine spell in battle and then gets hit with ex- now dying with -1 Body Points. He begins as a Ward and Circles of Power.
actly enough points to reduce him to uncon- counting down in his head the minute before Only a Life spell (or effect) delivered
sciousness. He remains confined while uncon- his death. Before he gets to 60 he is reached within five minutes of death can restore a dead
scious. He is then hit by a Drain spell. Sud- by Darlissa who gives him First Aid. After a person. Even if a Life spell is administered, all
denly his friend Darlissa notices him and gives complete minute of receiving First Aid, he will your active spells, alchemical substances and
him a Cure Light Wounds spell. He is now at 2 no longer be dying and will now merely be other effects (except those listed above) are lost.
Body Points but is still confined and under the unconscious. In ten minutes, he will awaken If the five minutes pass without a Life spell,
effects of a Drain spell. at one Body Point. then you must immediately become a spirit and
A curing spell will immediately bring you can only be brought back by a resurrection.
Dying: Any time you are reduced below to consciousness without the minute needed for For example: Terin takes 20 points of dam-
zero Body Points, you drop to -1 and no fur- First Aid. age and, being at -1 Body Points, begins the
ther, even if the last blow on you would have For example: Terin takes 20 points of dam- death countdown. One minute goes by and no
reduced you to -48. Once you are reduced to age and falls to the ground. He is now at -1 one gets to him with First Aid or any curing.
-1, your character is dying. You will die unless Body Points. He begins the death countdown He now begins a five minute countdown in
given First Aid or curing within one minute. but almost immediately is hit with a Cure hopes that someone casts a Life spell on him.
This one-minute is referred to as your Wounds spell (worth 5 Body Points) from If no Life spell arrives within the five minutes,
death countdown. Darlissa. Since he has no Spell Shield defen- he becomes a spirit and must be resurrected.
The skill First Aid takes a complete unin- sive, he is affected by the spell, and he jumps It should be noted that a Life spell will
terrupted minute to be successful. Once First back up and runs back into battle. He now has only work on the physical representation of the
Aid has begun, the one-minute death countdown 4 Body Points. body needing the spellnamely, you. If your
freezes. While you are dying, you are still under character is in need of a Life spell, another PC
If you receive more damage while in this any effects that were affecting you before, and cannot cut your characters hand off and go
condition, then the First Aid is interrupted and Spell Protectives will always go off. running off pretending to hold a severed hand
you will continue the death countdown from and get the Life spell cast on the hand. The spell
where it was interrupted. Dead: If you are reduced to -1 Body Points must be cast upon you, and if they want to drag
Another attempt of First Aid will again and you are not given either First Aid or some your sorry body all over the place to get a Life
freeze your death countdown, but another full sort of curing spell before your death count- spell cast for it, they will have to abide by the
minute will need to be spent to complete it. down reaches 60 seconds, or if you have been rules for carrying another body (no running
If the First Aid is completed, you will be given a Killing Blow, you are dead and need a except for a few seconds with an Endow spell,
Life spell. etc.).
All of your active spells, alchemical sub- It is generally impossible to burn or oth-

90 stances, and other effects will immediately dis-

appear once you are dead. The only effects that
erwise completely destroy the body before the
five-minute Life spell requirement is used up.
 Resurrections
When your character dies (after the point
at which a Life spell will no longer work), you
must become a spirit. You must put on a white
headband and head immediately and directly
to your campaigns resurrection point (usually
the Healers Guild) to register your death.
The spirit is completely invisible to the
world around it and may not interact in any
manner with other characters. Spirits travel only
as fast as the player walks (no running to the
Healers Guild).
Upon entering the Healers Guild, the spirit
remains unable to interact with characters, but
anyone inside the Greater Circle of Power and
Invested in the Circle will sense a presence
and will know the identity of that presence if it
is someone they know. They may then resur-
rect that spirit, and after ten minutes, the body
will be restored to the spirit. The healer does
not need to know the identity of the spirit to
resurrect it.
You must be Invested in the Circle to be
able to start the resurrection, but once it is be-
gun, anyone with the skill of Healing Arts can
complete it. If no one is available with Healing
Arts, then the spirit can resurrect on its own
once the Invested member has begun the resur-
rection. However, in-game, this is emotionally
painful to the recipient.
For example: Darlissa is in a quandary.
It seems the entire town is fighting a huge battle Healing Arts can tell if the person probably died
against Destructo the Chaos Elemental, and from weapon wounds and whether the weapon
Choosing a Circle
she has been left alone in the Healers Guild. was edged or blunt, but cannot tell if the per- A spirit can reject a specific healer but stay
Over ten spirits have arrived and are waiting son was killed by spells or poisons. Once the in the Circle waiting for another person to per-
to be resurrected. If she tried to resurrect them resurrection begins, though, there is only a form the resurrection. The rejected healer will
all personally, it would take over an hour! In- spirit, and all of this evidence is no longer dis- be aware that the spirit is refusing to resurrect
stead, she does the best she can under trying cernible. Determining the method of death at but will not be able to tell which healer the spirit
circumstances and goes to the first spirit (a poor that point is no longer possible. is requesting or waiting for.
human named Terin), starts the resurrection, Role-playing out a resurrection usually in- The spirit is not aware of any character
moves onto the next one, starts that one, and volves the healer telling a calming story to the plans to resurrect in specific Circles based on
so on down the line. Ten minutes after she person being resurrected. This is usually tai- the means of death. Thus you cannot say to your
started Terins resurrection, he will awaken. His lored toward the characters race. Each and ev- friends If I resurrect in Bristol, thats my sig-
mind is confused and angry as if he had just ery story should abide by all rules and any prob- nal that I was killed by Vorin; but if I resurrect
risen from the most hideous nightmare he had lems should be reported to a Marshal. in Wildwood, that means I was killed by
ever experienced. For example: Terins spirit heads to the Fangthorn.
Whenever a spirit appears at the Circle, it Healers Guild Circle once again. Upon enter- The spirit will normally go to the closest
appears intact and whole, even if the body had ing the Guild, Darlissa, an invested healer, Greater Earth Circle of Power to resurrect. A
been hacked to bits and separated. All body senses that a spirit is present. She has met Terin spirit can choose to go to a different Circle than
parts remaining will disappear when the resur- before, so she knows the identity of the spirit the closest one if the closest Circle is hostile,
rection is completed. (Thats why many mon- and begins the resurrection. While doing the but the character, once resurrected, will not be
sters dont like to eat adventurersten minutes resurrection, she tells Terin a story, describing aware of this decision.
later and theyre hungry again.) the feeling of a ship traveling through a storm Hostility is defined by the resurrecting
However, none of the bodys possessions and then safely into a harbor. The player play- player and can include enemies in town, en-
appear, so that the body is completely naked ing Terin may then choose whether Terin re- emies in the guild, or enemies inside and out-
(You cant take it with you!). This can provide calls the experience of her story or not. side the Circle. As the spirit approaches the
some amusing role-playing possibilities, but Once a character is resurrected, a charac- Circle, it can change its mind. A seemingly safe
please, dont really take off your clothes; we ter will have his or her maximum Body Points. Circle can later be judged hostile if, for instance,
dont need that much realism. Usually, your All remaining effects that were present on the the spirit sees enemies in the area. The spirit
fellow adventuring companions will bring your character will be gone, including Gypsy Curse, could then move on to the next closest Greater
clothes and items back from where they lay on Entangle, Enslavement, Euphoria, Love Potion Earth Circle.
the battlefield. #9, Paste of Stickiness, Vampire Charm, Curse
It is impossible to tell how someone died of Transformation and Infection. Note that the
by looking at his or her spirit. When looking at
a body that has just died, a person with the skill
lost memories from Amnesia poisons are not
restored by resurrection. 91
 If your character decides to go to another After that, there is a chance of dying perma- Have one more life: You may choose to
Circle other than the designated in-game Circle nently and not coming back. keep your character and give them one final
during a weekend event, you must still go to When you show up to the Greater Earth chance at life. The character resurrects success-
the resurrection point out-of-game to record the Circle to resurrect, they will update your death fully as though they had chosen a Life Stone,
death and let them know what you are plan- total and then will ask you to choose from the but the next time they die, they do not draw
ning. An OOG Death Log will be maintained Bag of Chance. In the bag will be ten stones. from the Bag of Chance and instead they re-
where character deaths will be recorded by a There will be one Death Stone for each time main where they died.
chapter-appropriate representative when the you have died beyond the two free resurrec- This permanent death may not be evaded
death is reported. For many chapters, this is tions. There will also be a number of Life Stones or extended by means of any additional ritual
maintained in their in-game Healers Guild. Af- put into the bag so that the total number of such as Regenerate, Controlled Spirit Store, or
ter an event, chapter Logistics staff will use the stones is always ten. If you choose a Life Stone, Sacrifice, and once this option has been cho-
Death Log to update their character database then you can be successfully resurrected. sen, the character may not be retired as per the
for reported deaths. following section Killing off Your Character
You may be required to stay out-of-game nor can you choose the second option above
to represent the amount of time it would take (Die but create a half-build character).
for your spirit to travel to the next closest The character is aware that this will be their
Greater Earth Circle and for your body to then last chance at life, but no one else will know
travel back. in-game. The healer doing the resurrection will
Example one: Terin is killed by his arch only know that the resurrection worked. It is
enemies, a group known as the Axes of Evil. then up to the character whether to tell every-
He lies there, hoping someone with a Life spell one that their next death will be their last.
walks by, but no one does. He puts on his white For example: Terin dies and heads to the
headband and heads to the closest Greater Healers Guild where he pulls a Death stone.
Earth Circle, which is at the Healers Guild. The player considers his options and decides
Inside, the Guild is a friendly and inviting place. that he would like to keep playing Terin. He
Outside of the Guild, he sees members of the tells the marshal keeping the Death Log and
Axes of Evil waiting for him to resurrect so they resurrects. Once he resurrects, he tells all his
can follow him and kill him again. He can friends that he feels his spirit has grown weak,
choose to resurrect elsewhere. and he knows his next death is his last. Terins
Example two: Terins spirit goes to the friends try to keep him safe but a few months
Guild and discovers that the person who will later, he dies again. The player remains where
be resurrecting him will be Vorin, a member of he died and does not go to the Healers Guild
the Axes of Evil. Terin can decide to take his to pull from the Bag of Chance.
chances with Vorin (after all, would Vorin re-
ally try anything with all these witnesses
around?) or, if he chooses, he can go to the
Killing off Your Character
next closest Greater Earth Circle. He may also Sometimes you just want to get rid of an
refuse to be resurrected by Vorin, in the hope old character you dont play any more. Or per-
that some other healer will then come by and haps you really want to start a new one but dont
perform the resurrection. However, once an in- feel like beginning at 1st level again.
vested character begins the resurrection, and Players who wish to kill off a character
the spirit accepts the resurrection, it must be currently in the database and start a new one
completed. can do so under the following conditions:
Example three: Poor Terin is wanted by If you pick a Death Stone, then you have Your new character will have half the
the Town Guard for crimes he has committed. three choices: build of the character you trade in (rounded
He has been hiding out in the woods, but his down).
luck ran out and he was killed by trolls. He Permanently die. Your body will reform Your new character will have half the
feels that if his spirit were to resurrect in the where it died. However, lying out in the middle number of deaths of your old character (rounded
Healers Guild, he would be immediately ar- of the woods all night hoping someone finds up).
rested. He can choose to go to another Greater your body is no fun. It is completely accept- All of your characters items must be
Earth Circle. able to leave a note saying (for instance), You turned in before this is done. You will be com-
Example four: Terin is killed by the Axes see Terins permanently dead body here. pensated with their goblin point value, and can
of Evil in their very own Greater Earth Circle If your character permanently dies during spend these goblin points to buy items for your
hidden deep in the woods. Terin does not want an event, you can be an NPC for the rest of the new character (with the current cap of 100 GS
to be resurrected there and can choose to go to event, you can start a new character, or play per regular event). Magic items that are not ar-
the next closest Circle. one of your other characters for the rest of the tifacts will be redistributed through the trea-
event. sure policy.
In-game, your character will die some
The Bag of Chance Die but create a half-build character: heroic permanent death and all of his or her
Each time your character dies, he or she You may also have your character permanently items will be taken by the persons/monsters who
adds another death to their death total. Every die as above but start a new character with half did the killing. Giving away all of your items
character gets two guaranteed resurrections. the Build Points (rounded down) and half of to your friends before taking advantage of this
the deaths (rounded down) of your dead char- policy is considered cheating.
acter (including the final death). You cannot combine characters or trade

92 Your body will reform where it died (as

above).
in more than one character to get more BP for
your new character.
 Combat

Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads

battle actions except through weapons; shov-

Safety Concerns ing or charging in order to escape is not allowed.
of the damage called by the spectre.
Example three: Ena is fighting with her
Safety is a primary concern in all our Any weapon shaped in such a way as to favorite two handed sword when she hears I
games. Not following these rules is the quick- trap weapons (whether accidentally, or by de- call upon chaos to wither your right arm! She
est way to be removed from the game. sign) is expressly forbidden. drops her right arm to her side and holds her
weapon with her left hand. Any strikes against
Body Contact: The only contact allowed Legal targets: Legal targets include the the weapon will affect her since you cannot use
during battle is by weapon. Any other type of entire body except the head, neck, throat, hands a two handed weapon with one hand.
fighting contact such as grabbing someone, hit- from the wrist out, and the groin. A player ob- You may not hold more than one weapon
ting, or kicking is strictly forbidden. served to be hitting restricted areas repeatedly in a hand and have the ability to use those weap-
is subject to disciplinary action. ons. If you are holding more than one weapon
Charging: During combat, you must You may not intentionally block a hit with in a hand and one of those weapons is hit with
never come into physical contact with your op- an illegal target. a weapon blow, then you must take the dam-
ponent. If you are crowding your opponent so For example: Belthivis the mage is sud- age. For this purpose only, a shield is consid-
much that he or she must step back to avoid denly jumped by his arch enemy Vorin. Vorin ered a weapon.
body contact with you, you are charging. swings at the weaponless Belthivis who blocks You may hold other small non-weapon
If you have moved so close to your oppo- the swing with the palm of his hand. Belthivis items (such as gas globes, spell packets, coins,
nent that he or she can hold out a hand and cant claim that the hit had no effect because it potions, etc.), either IG or OOG, in your weapon
touch you, you are probably charging. hit an illegal target (his hand); he has to take or shield hand and utilize that weapon or shield
Anyone who is reported for excessive the damage from the swing. normally. This must be done safely. You may
charging will be pulled from combat for being If you do not have the skill to use a weapon not hold a bottle, piece of wood, a mug, or any-
unsafe. As previously stated, any contact in you are carrying, or if you are presently unable thing that would be large and unsafe. If a mar-
combat must be with weapons. to use a weapon in which you are skilled, you shal feels your combat has become unsafe be-
must either immediately drop the weapon or cause of what you are holding in your weapon
Pinning Weapons: Pinning refers to a take any damage that hits your weapon. or shield hand, they may require you to empty
fighting tactic where you trap your opponents Example one: Belthivis Disarms Vorin and your hand of the item during combat.
weapon so that it is unusable. Although pin- grabs Vorins weapon even though Belthivis For example: Finther is using a shield and
ning weapons is a mainstay of many swashbuck- does not have the skill to use that weapon. Stinky in the same hand is holding three throwing
ling movies, it is dangerous in combat and as the goblin then jumps up and strikes at Belthi- daggers. A troll hits Finthers shield with 5
such there are many restrictions as to its use. vis. Belthivis blocks with Vorins weapon. Stinky normal. Because he is holding more than one
Pinning of weapons can only be done with hits the weapon for 3 points. Belthivis must take weapon in one hand, Finther must take the
another weapon, and only in areas where it is the damage from that hit. damage. In his other hand he has his sword
possible for the victim to escape by backing up Example two: Ena fights against a spec- and a spell packet. He may use that sword with-
and getting away. You cannot pin the weapon tre and is Drained. According to the rules for out any problem.
of someone backed to a wall or in a corner, Drain, she can no longer use her skills. The
because that player becomes unable to defend
himself or herself because the rules prohibit any
spectre strikes at her many times and hits both
her weapon and her shield. She must take all 93
 Weapon Attacks
The key to the Alliance combat system
working is to fight with out-of-game honor,
even if your character has no honor in-game. If
you dont count hits on yourself, soon your op-
ponent will stop counting his or her own hits
as well. Its a self-correcting system. Give your
opponent his or her due and die gracefully.
Dont take being reduced to zero hit points or
dying so seriously that you refuse to accept what
happens to you. Its only a game!
Weapon attacks must be done in a specific
way. If you are holding a weapon in a way that
is not allowed by the skill, you will take the
damage.
Blocked and deflected shots do not count.
If the block was weak and the swing hit with
about half or more normal force then the hit
should count.
Here is where we start getting into judg-
ment calls by the players on themselves: Was
that hit on the neck or the shoulder? Did I re-
ally get hit? (You often cant feel hits at all if Clear damage verbals will be enforced. nent knows what damage to take. If under the
you have good armor.) If the victim cannot understand the damage effects of a Gypsy Curse that require you to stut-
In combat, a light tap is just as effective as called, he or she does not have to take the dam- ter or otherwise speak differently, you must still
a heavy swing. You do not actually have to hurt age. Warriors must pronounce their verbals call out your damage normally.
your opponent in order to cause damage to the just like spellcasters must pronounce their spell In-game, the damage calls represent the
character. You only need to apply enough pres- incants. sound the weapons make in battle. This allows
sure to make sure your opponent is aware of Remember that Alliance battles are repre- you to hear damage being called and respond
the attack. Hitting an armored person from be- sentations of battles and are not meant to be re- in-game: It sounds like a battle is going on
hind may need more vigor than a standard tap, creations of real battle. These battles are our behind that building! You can even tell whether
and if it appears that your opponent is not tak- way of determining the winner of a battle with- a weapon is magical or silver by the sound it
ing all of your damage it may be because your out using dice or rock/paper/scissors. Real makes during the battle.
hits are not being felt under all that armor. medieval battles, with their heavy weapons, did Although most monsters can be hurt by
You should mention to your opponent not happen as quickly, nor were they as clean normal weapons, there are some creatures that
when you think you got a hit in, and all players and blood-free. can only be hurt by spells or special weapons
should acknowledge hits upon themselves (such as silver or magic). Thus it is very impor-
tant that you announce your damage clearly and
whenever possible.
If you are swinging so fast that you can-
Packet Attacks in a strong voice.
not announce the damage fast enough to keep All packet-delivered attacks are effective If you have no special attributes on your
up with the swings, then you are Drum Roll- on contact with the target or any of the targets attack, then you must call Normal. If you have
ing or Machine Gunning. Your opponent immediate possessions, such as a shield or a silvered weapon, then you must call Silver.
should count all of that as one or maybe two cloak. If you have a magic sword, you may call out
hits. Packet attacks include spells, gas globes, Magic.
A weapon swing should progress between and certain monster abilities. Note that unlike If you use an Elemental Blade, you should
45 to 90 degrees. If you are merely moving your the weapon rules, a packet attack will count if call out the appropriate element (stone, light-
wrist back and forth to cause your damage, then it hits nonlegal targets such as the head or ning, ice, or flame).
you are not fighting correctly and may be sub- groinbut thats not to say you should aim at If your weapon has more than one effect,
ject to disciplinary action. these illegal targets. The only exception is ar- you must only call one. For instance, if you are
Consecutive hits upon the same spot on chery packets, which follow weapons rules. using a silvered magic sword with an Elemen-
the body only count as one hit. You must vary You may not throw a packet with any other tal Blade spell active, you may choose to call
your hits on your target in order to prevent in-game or out-of-game item in your throwing one of the elements, Magic or Silver de-
machine gunning. For instance, a double hit hand. You may touch-cast on yourself or an- pending on the type of monster you may be
upon the right shoulder requires that the victim other with an item in your hand, but this must fighting, but you cannot call a combination of
take damage only once. However, if more than be done safely and courteously. the three.
two seconds elapses between two scored hits, If you have the skill Florentine or Two
Weapons, you must call out the damage of each
or if a different location has been hit, then the
damage is taken. For instance, if a warrior
Calling Damage weapon individually when using both to fight.
quickly hits the right shoulder, then hits the Whenever you swing a weapon, you must You may at any time choose to pull your
shield, and then hits the right shoulder of his call out the amount of damage you will do with blow and call less damage than you are actu-
victim, the victim is required to take damage that weapon, followed by the attributes your ally capable of. This includes all skills, includ-
twice. attack may have. ing Waylay, Slay, Assassinate, etc.
These calls are out-of-game. Even if un- Effects that only add damage (Endow,

94
der the effects of a Silence spell, you must still Vorpal Coatings) can be used with a Blade spell.
call out any damage you deliver so your oppo- However, if you have any other type of Weapon
Coating poison (such as a Weakness poison)
and you choose to use a Blade spell instead,
then the poison is lost and you cannot use the
poison as part of the weapon swing verbal. Re-
member, you can only call one type of damage
per swing.
If you use an effect such as Endow or
Vorpal Coating to add damage to a weapon,
then the effect is used up regardless of whether
the blow was successful. You add the amount
the spell would add to the damage. You do not
have to announce the spell or coating.
For example, Terin has a long sword
which does 2 points of damage, so he calls out
2 Normal! with every hit. When he adds a
Light Vorpal Coating, it is still normal dam-
age, so he now calls 4 Normal!
Utilizing any damage call other than the
one associated with a specific Prepare to Die
skill will cause the Prepare to Die skill to be
immediately expended.
Note that like spells, alchemy, and every-
thing else, you can never fake your weapon
calls. You cannot swing your dagger in the air
and call out 15 Magic when in reality all it much confusion, but in any case, this should sufficient. The blow cannot be struck on a mov-
can do is 1 Normal. always be attempted to assure fair playing by ing target.
all. If you have Waylaid someone, you must
Calling Defenses wait for the body to come to rest before you
can deliver the Killing Blow.
You must always call your defensive spells
Killing Blows A Killing Blow can be delivered by any-
and skills immediately when used, and may only There are many ways in our game to ren- one, whether they have a weapon or not. You
ever use one of a particular defense against a der an opponent completely helpless. These in- can do this with your bare hands.
single attack. clude effects like Web and Paralysis, tying them Some creatures are immune to normal
For example: Terin has two Ripostes and up physically (thus making them immobile from weapons. To be effective, the Killing Blow must
one Parry every day. He is attacked by a hid- the neck down), or just hitting them until they be applied with a weapon that can damage the
eous monster swinging for 12 Chaos. He drop unconscious. creature. A carrier from a Wand may not be used
uses a Riposte to turn the creatures blow back Once a person has been incapacitated, it to apply a different type of killing blow, nor
on itself, calling Riposte! Unfortunately for is not too difficult to kill them. This is repre- may a per-day ability (unless it changes the car-
Terin, his enemy also has a Riposte, and sends sented by a Killing Blow. rier type of a weapon, in which case a weapon
the attack back at poor Terin, calling Ri- To give a Killing Blow, you must stand may be used to apply that carrier).
poste! to do so. Terin cannot use his second over the victim, placing your weapon or your For example, if a creature is affected by
Riposte at this point, since he has already used hand on their torso, and remain that way while silvered or magical weapons but not normal
a Riposte against this attack. He can, however, you recite Killing blow one; killing blow two; weapons, the Killing Blow must be applied with
call his Parry, since thats a different defense to killing blow three. This should be done in a a silvered or magical weapon. In such a case,
use on this attack. normal speaking style and should take at least using a hand to perform the Killing Blow would
Most defenses that are used at the three seconds. This is to allow others to try to not work. When using such a weapon on such
characters discretion (Evade, Parry, Dodge, Ri- stop you from giving the Killing Blow. a creature, you must state the weapon type; for
poste, Cloak, Bane, Phase) can be used where If anyone strikes you during the count instance: Killing blow one, killing blow two,
applicable before expending a first applicable (even if the strike does not affect you), or knocks killing blow three Silver.
effect defense, such as Spell Shield, Reflect your weapon away, then the Killing Blow is A Killing Blow cannot be Dodged, Par-
Magic, Poison Shield, Elemental Shield, or interrupted and fails to kill the intended vic- ried, or otherwise avoided through Game Abili-
Magic Armor. Resists such as Resist Poison, tim. Most spell attacks will also prevent the ties or spells. It will bypass all protectives such
Resist Binding, Resist Charm or Resist Magic killing blow from succeeding. (Damage caus- as Magic Armor. However, a Killing Blow may
can only be used after such defenses are ex- ing spells definitely will, but a Disease will not, be defended against with a Cloak or Bane verses
pended or bypassed (such as with a consumed for instance.) the carrier (such as a Cloak verses Necromancy
poison). If more than one person attempts to give a against someone performing a Killing Blow
Killing Blow, it is the person who starts first with a Drain carrier), assuming all other rules
Calling Hits who will get the credit for the kill. The sec-
ond person cannot come along, say the Killing
are followed; for instance, you cannot call a
Cloak if you are unconscious.
Calling hits against yourself is strongly Blow faster, and then claim to be the victor. Administering a Killing Blow while you
encouraged by saying got it or ouch! If you are given a Killing Blow by some- have a Prepare-to-Die skill active will immedi-
Acknowledging which hits you are accept- one who was not aware that you had already ately expend the Prepare-to-Die skill.
ing and which ones you feel you blocked will been given one, do not say no effectjust
help reduce disputes from your opponent. In remain silent.
large melees this is not always possible, as there
are too many swings coming at you and too
A Killing Blow must be struck on the torso
of the victiman arm, leg, or shoulder is not 95
 Effects and Deliveries
Every call in our game is based on two spell and a Poison Shield active from an elixir. For example: Ena is still fighting undead
things: The effect and the delivery. The effect You can, however, have one of each Blade when another runs up and attacks, saying
describes how your character will react and the spell active, as well as one of each reversible Spell Strike Bind! This undead also hits her
delivery tells how that effect was given to you. spell (such as a Chaos Blade and an Earth sword, but since her sword is one of her pos-
Deliveries are important for defensive pur- Blade) since they are separate effects. sessions, the spell affects her.
poses. Certain effects will negate certain deliv- The newest identical effect will always As with any weapon strike, all weapon
eries. For instance, A Spell Shield will negate a override the older ones. This resets the dura- safety rules must be followed.
magical delivery and a Magic Armor will ne- tion of the effect if it had a timed duration. When this power is used, the player will
gate a weapon delivery. For example: Rendal is hit with a Paraly- call Spell Strike <spell name> and will de-
However, once the effect affects you it does sis gas thrown by a troll. Five minutes later, he liver a safe hit. In all ways, this skill works like
not matter how it was delivered. is hit with a Paralysis spell from a goblin. Even the ritual Channel.
For example: Finther is hit by a Weak- though one was from a gas and one was from a The ability can still be used even when
ness gas and now suffers from a weakness ef- spell, the effects are the same. Rendal will have Silenced. This call is out-of-game but in-game,
fect. He can have that effect removed by a Re- to restart counting the ten minute duration from the effect is recognizable to all who hear it.
move Weakness, a Purify, or a Dispel. The fact the time he was hit by the spell. Since Spell Strike is a weapon delivered
that the effect was caused by a gas and not a spell attack and not a weapon damage attack, it
can be countered with a Spell Shield, Spell
spell makes no difference to the treatment.
Deliveries Parry, Dodge, or Phase but not a Magic Ar-
Packet: All packet attacks are delivered
Effects by throwing a packet or by touching a packet
mor.
You cannot Evade a Spell Strike attack.
There are a lot of effects, from monster to a target. This includes spells, gas globes, and Parrying or Riposting a Spell Strike attack will
abilities to spells to alchemy, and the sheer num- some arcane attacks. The packet only needs to always cause the attack to affect you.
ber may seem overwhelming to new players. touch the target or any possession of the target A Spell Strike can never be touch-cast.
However, these effects are consistent and fol- to have an affect. Archery packets obey the Some creatures can generate unusual dam-
low easy to understand patterns. weapon rules (see below). age by using body weaponry or claws which
Some effects can be Resisted, Cloaked, or Poison attacks (whether through alchemy will affect a victim if the attack does body dam-
Baned depending on the delivery, qualifier, and or from a monster) are represented by orange age. The effect is called with the weapon strike
effect group. If the effect is Reflected or Baned, packets. Arrows and bolts are represented by instead of the usual normal verbal. The crea-
the one who used the Reflect or Bane is now blue packets. Spell packets, therefore, can never ture will call out the carrier attack with every
the official caster. Bane will act as a Cloak be orange or blue. swing, even if the power may not affect you on
when used against Ingested delivery, a trap, or that particular swing.
a Killing Blow. Weapon: This includes all blows from all These attacks do not work unless the dam-
For example: Belthivis has a magical item weapons including arrows, bolts, thrown weap- age they do is applied to your Body Points. In
that gives him the power to Cloak Binding once ons, and claws. other words, the monster must get through all
per day. If he is hit by any Binding effect from If a weapon attack includes a damage num- of your Armor Points and all of your defensive
the Binding group, the Cloak will negate it. It ber or is a fighting skill that requires the words spells and damage your Body Points with their
makes no difference how the effect was deliv- Prepare to Die, then the blow needs to hit a claws to be effective.
eredit could have been through a spell, a valid target. If the monster only has claws, the carrier
monster attack, alchemy, or a magical weapon For example: Ena is fighting against a attack must be channeled through the claws. For
attack for instancehe will be able to Cloak group of undead. that are calling 4 Normal example: A ghoul with claws and the carrier
it. so she takes all damage that hits a valid target. attack Nausea may only swing Nausea. It may
Most effect defenses are simple Protective One undead swings at her saying Prepare to not swing Normal.
spells. If you are hit with an attack and have Die, 50 Slay! She blocks the swing with her If the monster can use weapons, the mon-
more than one automatic Protective that could sword, and so takes no damage because her ster may call either the carrier attack or the
protect you from the attack, you may choose sword is not a valid target. weapons properties. For example: A death
which Protective to call. Prepare to Die calls such as Slay and knight with the carrier attack Magic and a sil-
For example: Darlissa has a Magic Ar- Eviscerate are not considered effects and ver longsword may call 10 magic or 10 sil-
mor and a Poison Shield spell active. Accord- should be called even when using another ef- ver. It may not call 10 normal.
ing to the rules, these will be used up auto- fect. If the monster has claws and can use weap-
matically if she is hit with the appropriate type Example 2: Ena has a Sleep Poison on ons, the monster must channel its carrier attack
of damage. She is hit by her enemy Vorin swing- her weapon and decides to slay a troll with it. through the claws, but may call either the car-
ing a sword and calling 5 weakness poison. She would say Prepare to die, 30 Sleep poi- rier attack or the weapons properties when us-
She can choose which protective to call (al- son slay! ing a weapon. For example: A vampire with
though note that she must call one of them). Example 3: Ena knows the monster she is claws has the carrier attack Drain. It also has
Identical effects do not stack. No person fighting is only affected by magic, so she de- a normal longsword. With its claws, it must call
may have a second copy of the same effect ac- cides to use her Disarm skill with the Magic 5 drain. If it uses its sword, it may call 5
tive at the same time, whether caused by a spell Blade spell that was cast on her. She would say drain or 5 normal.
or alchemy or any other source. Therefore, you Prepare to die, Magic Disarm. If a character has multiple carriers that
cannot have both a Poison Shield active from a Weapons can also be used to deliver cer- could be applied, such as Normal (for the
tain effects such as a ritually created spell weapon), Magic (for a Damage Aura), and

96
strike. In these cases, the weapon needs only Stone (for an Elemental Aura), the character
to touch the target or any possession of the tar- may choose which carrier to apply to their
get in order to have an effect. swing.
 weapons (such as Sleep or Disease) only affect
the target if damage is done to Body Points.
A target will take a maximum of four times
damage from any single attack no matter how
many effects they currently have that may
double damage.

Skill: These can be blocked by a Magic

Armor, and can be Resisted, Cloaked, or Baned
depending on the effect. This includes all of
the Prepare to Die skills.
When delivering skills, only one effect can
be used at a time, and the effect can be chosen
at the time of the attack. While the effect is ac-
tive and until it is used, no other skills may be
activated.

Body, Earth, and Chaos carrier at- through the woods when a strange monster
Effect Durations
tacks bypass all Armor Points (including Shield jumps out at her and hits her shield with a All effects have specific durations. Some
spells) and do damage only to the Body Points weapon, saying Spell Strike Confine! She are instant, some last 10 minutes, some require
of the victim. (Other carrier attacks do not.) knows that her Spell Shield will protect against a caster to concentrate, and so on.
When struck by these specific carrier attacks, that, so she says Spell Shield and starts fight- These durations are the same no matter
the damage indicated is subtracted directly from ing back. what caused the effect. For instance, the dura-
your Body Points with no damage to your ar- tion of a Weakness is not dependent on whether
mor or Shield spells. Poison: Effects delivered this way are it was caused by a spell or a gas.
If you are incapacitated or unconscious, blocked by Poison Shield or Resist Poison and The use of the word caster in the ex-
then they merely have to touch you for the at- can be Cloaked or Baned (depending on the amples that follow includes anyone who caused
tack to affect you. effect). the effect to come into use; for instance, a mon-
Characters can never benefit from carri- These can be delivered by alchemical sub- ster swinging 4 Web would be the caster
ers, including High Magic Augmentation ef- stances such as gas packets, elixirs, contact poi- for purposes of the effect.
fects. For example, a creature healed by flame sons, and weapon coatings, or through mon-
cannot be healed by a creature swinging 12 ster abilities with the word Poison in the ver- Concentration: This effect lasts as long
Flame. bal. as the caster maintains concentration. While
concentrating, the caster cannot run or use any
Ingested: All ingested attacks are deliv- Elemental: Effects delivered this way are Game Abilities. Examples of Concentration ef-
ered by placing a potion or elixir phys rep next blocked by an Elemental Shield. They may also fects include Chaos Storm and Repel. If a char-
to the mouth of the target or by having the tar- be stopped by a Cloak or reflected by a Bane, if acter loses the ability to use Game Abilities
get consume a prepared item. Ingested deliver- the Cloak or Bane is applicable to the attack. while they have a Concentration effect active,
ies always ignore protectives, even if taken Examples of Elemental attacks are 12 Elemen- the Concentration effect is broken.
while unconscious. They cannot be Dodged or tal Ice and Elemental Sleep. This means that such things as Prison,
Evaded but can be Resisted, Cloaked, or Baned. Sleep, Nausea, Paralysis, will all break a Magic
Arcane: Effects delivered this way can- Storm, Repel, or other Concentration effect.
Radius: Radius deliveries include traps, not be blocked by any protective but can be For the purposes of this rule, refitting ar-
contact poisons, and monster abilities such as Resisted, Cloaked, Dodged, or Baned. mor (whether physical or Arcane/Celestial)
eye contact or sound of voice. Usually a Hold This is a monster ability only, unavailable should be considered a Concentration effect.
is called when a radius attack takes place and to PCs, and will be represented by the word The recipient of a Concentration spell that
everyone partially within the radius is affected. Arcane in the verbal. requires physical requirements (such as arms
Radius attacks can never be Dodged or Evaded. crossed or in the air) may choose to decline the
Damage: These are effects that cause dam- spell simply by not applying the physical re-
age that reduce the Armor Points and Body
Qualifiers Points of the victim. This is the most common
quirements. All normal spell defenses must be
used first.
Qualifiers specify the type of effect given form of attack, usually delivered by a weapon. For example: Vorin throws a Desecrate
by any of the above Deliveries. These can be blocked by a Magic Armor, spell at Terin. Terins Spell Shield goes off.
and can be Resisted, Cloaked, or Baned (de- Vorin angrily throws another one at him. This
Magic/Spell: Effects delivered this way pending on the accompanying effect). one is effective, but Terin chooses not to have it
are blocked by Spell Shield, Resist Magic, or When delivering damage attacks, only one affect him simply by refusing to cross his arms
Cloak and can be reflected by Reflect Magic effect can be used at a time, and the choice as over his chest as required by the spell.
or Bane. All spells come under this category, to which effect to use can be made at the time In no cases can these spells be used to force
as well as abilities with Magic <effect>, of the attack. an unwilling target to break another spells
Spell Strike <effect> or Activate <effect> For example: Rendal has a magical sword physical requirements.
in the verbal. that has been silvered. He also has an Earth For example: Terin has a Repel active
Note that the Spell qualifier works ex- Blade spell active. When in battle, he can against Vorin. He holds his hand before him as
actly as the Magic qualifier except that it does choose to call either Magic, Silver or
not cover Magic Carrier attacks.
For example: Darlissa is wandering
Earth but not a combination of the three.
Note that any additional effects on these 97
required by the spell. Vorin throws a Desecrate The caster or victim cannot close his or her eyes Damage: Cause Damage, Cause Light
at Terin, knowing he has no Spell Shield, in an or hide behind someone else to break Line of Damage, Cause Serious Damage.
attempt to disrupt the Repel. Terin merely Sight.
chooses not to accept the Desecrate, and his If the caster or victim breaks Line of Sight Eldritch Force: Banish, Circle of Power,
Repel is still active. by imposing a very large object such as a build- Fortress, Lesser Investment, Light, Prison, So-
Unlike most spells, Storm spells (Magic ing or large tree between the caster and the vic- lidify, Subjugate, Wall of Force, Ward, Wizard
Storm, Chaos Storm, and Earth Storm) involve tim for longer than five seconds, the spell is Lock.
throwing multiple packets for a single casting broken. If the view of the character is resumed With eldritch force I (build a) <effect>
of the spell. For those ritual enchantments which before the five seconds is up, then the spell con- (you).
will hold a spell (such as Enchant, Expanded tinues.
Enchantment and Spell Store), a Storm must These effects will cease immediately if the Evocation: Dragons Breath, Elemental
be cast directly into the item to charge it. This caster falls unconscious, including being af- Blast, Flame Bolt, Ice Bolt, Ice Storm, Light-
does not allow someone to both charge such fected by a Sleep or a Waylay. ning Bolt, Lightning Storm, Magic Storm, Stone
an enchantment and throw multiple packets Examples of Line of Sight effects include Bolt, Stone Storm.
from the same casting. In addition, due to their Bind, Confine, Pin, and Web. I call forth a(n) <effect>.
unique casting style, these spells do not switch
casters when Baned or Reflected. Only the
single packets worth of damage will be sent
Effect Groups Gift: Death, Life.
I grant you the gift of <effect>.
back to the caster. Effect groups are important because cer-
tain defenses can block any effect from its re- Greater Command: Amnesia, Love Po-
Timed: Timed effects will end in a spe- lated group. tion #9, Enslavement, Euphoria, Terror. These
cific predetermined time, anywhere from five For example, a Resist Command can block can only be removed by the appropriate anti-
seconds to five days. If hit by two timed ef- any effect from the Command group, whereas dote (if it exists), although Terror can be re-
fects, both will run at the same time. a Resist Fear only blocks the Fear effect. sisted by a Resist Fear and removed by a Break
For Example: Finther is hit by a Paralysis A Purify will remove all harmful effects Command. All except Amnesia are removed by
gas that will last ten minutes. Five minutes later, upon the spirit, which includes everything in resurrection.
he is hit by a Drain spell which also lasts ten the effects groups Alteration, Binding, Com-
minutes. He is still paralyzed, but once the Pa- mand, Curse, and Necromancy. It does not cure Healing: Antidote, Cure Critical Wounds,
ralysis wears off, he will be affected by the any damage caused by any of these effects. Cure Disease, Cure Light Wounds, Cure Mor-
Drain for five more minutes. A Dispel will remove all effects, even ben- tal Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Cure
You cannot have two of the same effect eficial ones, except those in the Greater Com- Wounds, Destroy Undead, Earth, Earth Blade,
on you at the same time, so the most recent one mand group and the effects Circle of Power and Earth Storm, Harm Undead, Healing, Purify,
will always prevail. Ward. Restore, Sanctuary, Turn Undead.
For example: Finther is hit with a Shun, An Antidote will remove all effects from I call upon the earth to <effect>.
which holds him at bay for ten minutes. Nine the Alteration group. Other cures not mentioned
minutes into the spell, he is hit with a second here are listed within each individual group. Necromancy: Cause Critical Wounds,
Shun. The timer begins all over again. The following lists all of the Effect Groups. Cause Disease, Cause Light Wounds, Cause
Examples of Timed effects include Circle After each group, if applicable, is the spell ver- Mortal Wounds, Cause Serious Wounds, Cause
of Power, Disarm, Hallucinate, Paralysis, and bal for that group. Wounds, Chaos, Chaos Blade, Chaos Storm,
Ward. Control Undead, Create Undead, Desecrate,
Alteration: Feeblemind, Hallucinate, In- Drain, Help Undead, Wither. These can all be
Instant: The duration of this effect is in- toxicate, Laugh, Nausea, Paranoia, Vertigo. resisted with the Resist Necromancy skill.
stantaneous, but its effects may be permanent. These are all cured by an Antidote. I call upon chaos to <effect>.
Thus, any damage is permanent until cured.
Examples of Instant effects include Binding: Bind, Confine, Entangle, Pin, Protection/Enhancement: Bless, Detect
Awaken, Cause Damage, Death, Flame Bolt, Release, Repel, Web. Magic, Dispel, Elemental Shield, Elemental
and Ice Storm. With mystic force I <effect> you. Blade, Endow, Magic Armor, Magic Blade, Poi-
son Shield, Reflect Magic, Shield, Spell Shield.
Indefinite: An effect which is Indefinite Coating: Alchemical Solvent, Liquid I grant you the power of a(n) <effect>.
remains permanent until the effect is used up Light, Light Vorpal Coating, Oil of Slipperi-
or the victim dies. All Spell Defenses are in this ness, Paste of Stickiness, Quicksilver, Serious Remove Curse: Remove Destruction,
category. Vorpal Coating, Vorpal Coating. These can all Remove Paralysis, Remove Silence, Remove
Examples of Indefinite effects include be removed by an Alchemical Solvent and are Weakness.
Bless, Elemental Shield, Quicksilver, and Spell unaffected by a Poison Shield or a Resist Poi- I rid you of your <effect>.
Shield. son.
Remove Greater Command: Enslave-
Line of Sight: This effect lasts as long as Command: Awaken, Berserk, Charm, ment Antidote, Euphoria Antidote.
the caster could see the victim from wherever Dominate, Fear, Love, Shun, Sleep, Vampire
the caster is located. It also lasts if the victim Charm. These are all removed by an Awaken Summoned Force: Disarm, Destroy,
could see the caster. Basically, if you can draw or with the Break Command skill. They can all Enflame, Shatter.
a straight line between the caster and the vic- be resisted with the Resist Command skill. I summon a force to <effect> your <item>.
tim without the line being obscured by any ob- I command you to <effect>.
stacles, then the Line of Sight is still in effect. Other: Acid, Assassinate, Body, Eviscer-
Curse: Destruction, Paralysis, Silence, ate, Explosive, Flame, Ice, Lightning, Magic,

98 Weakness.
I curse you with <effect>.
Massive, Mechanical, Normal, Silver, Slay, Stone,
Stun Limb, Terminate, Waylay.
 Magic
What would a fantasy game be without allows someone to memorize a spell for cast- of spell packets. In-game, he sees magic en-
magic? Theres more to life than hitting your ing at a time of the readers choosing. A scroll ergy floating around her fingertips and knows
enemies until they fall down, you know! allows the reader to immediately cast the spell that she has called up the powers within her
Even if you are playing a stupid fighter written on it if they choose to do so. to be ready to cast at a moments notice if
who cant tell the difference between a magic needed. Hey, stop that! says Finther. Darlissa
spell and the proverbial hole in the ground, you,
the player, need to know how magic works in
Spell Packets frowns but puts the packets back in her pocket.
In-game, Finther has seen her turn off the magic
Alliance games. You are certain to be hit by Spell packets are constructed with bird energy. She can still reach into her pocket and
these spells during your time adventuring, and seed and fabric. The bird seed should be the pull them out, but the extra time it will take her
you want to play fairly while at the same time small variety, with no large sunflower seeds or represents the channeling of energy needed to
not take damage from something you didnt other heavy or sharp items that could hurt. cast the spell.
have to unnecessarily. Example two: A foul and evil liche has
captured our heroes and has placed them in a
Spell Books cell. He sees Belthivis, the partys mage, with
magic energy floating around his fingers. If
As a spellcaster, you will have a spell book you dont call back that energy, says the liche,
that lists the spells you can memorize. Within I will kill my captive. Belthivis grudgingly
this spell book is a card from Logistics that lists pulls the energy back (by putting the packets
every spell. Each spellcasters individual book back in his pocket.) The liche cannot take the
will have the spells that the caster does not know packets away from the mage as they are not in-
crossed off the card. This book must be taken game.
to Logistics when you choose your spells for You can not carry more spell packets in
the game-day. your hand than you can actually cast at that
This card must be kept with a real spell moment (although you can have plenty of ex-
book physical representation. Spell books must tra packets in your pouches or pockets). In other
be bound; a sheet of paper is not sufficient. You Do not use replacements! Rice, for in- words, you cannot have a cauliflower hand
must provide your own spellbook phys rep. stance, can get wet and turn into a hardened with forty-two spell packets between your fin-
Someone who steals a spell book may keep ball. If you are caught using something other gers if you only have the ability to cast three
the card but bring the book to Logistics for re- than bird seed, you will have your packets con- spells at that time (including magic items or
turn to the player (unless otherwise stated by fiscated and will lose your spells for the rest of scrolls at the ready).
the player on the same page as the card). The the day.
out-of-game book is personal property. The birdseed is placed in the center of the
If you do not have a spell book with you fabric, and the fabric is gathered around it and
Casting Spells
when you study for your new spells at the start held together with tape or a rubber band or sewn To cast a spell, the caster must have a spell
of the game-day, then you will have to borrow shut. If there is a tail, it must not have sharp packet in hand. The hand and arm with the spell
someone elses or ask the respective guild for tape extending past the end of the tail, and no packet in it must be free. Hands that are hold-
the use of theirs. Be prepared to pay game metal or plastic tie wraps may be used. ing something else, are broken, or are tied or
money for the use of the book. Packets should be loosely packedtight bound either physically or with a binding spell
You cannot make your spell book unsteal- balls of birdseed can hurt! You should never are not free.
able by writing it in a different language or in use so much material that the resulting packet The caster must then correctly recite the
code; the tag can be taken and placed in a new cannot fit into a 35mm film canister (Remem- short phrase associated with the spell in a voice
book easily enough. ber those?). Packets that are larger than that will loud enough to be heard by the intended target.
Some guilds allow their members free use be confiscated by a marshal. Within two seconds after finishing the verbal,
of the guilds book for studying, but guild mem- The spell packet may be of any color ex- the caster must then throw the packet and hit
bership and guild policy are handled in-game. cept orange or blue. (Orange packets are used the target or the targets direct possessions, in-
The inks used in the writing of a spell book to represent alchemical gas globes and blue cluding cloaks, shields, weapons, pouches, or
will cost approximately two coppers per level packets are for arrows and bolts.) a carried object.
of the spell that you are copying. This may vary You may want to personalize your spell You must finish the verbal before throw-
based on your local campaigns economy. You packets in some way by using a distinctive cloth ing the packet, otherwise the spell is blown.
cannot get your spell(s) authorized until you or writing on the packets. This is a good way to The short phrase or incantation of the
pay the requisite game money. make sure you can get your packets back after spell is spoken in plain English. In-game, these
You must have the original from which you a battle without arguing with other spellcasters words are understood by anyone, but have a
are going to make the copy (either another book about whose packets are whose. magical effect associated with them that makes
or the guild book), as well as the book into Spell packets are visible in-game as an them different from normal speech.
which you want the spell copied. opaque colored aura of energy only when held Even though you can speak the language,
The magical ink is not school specific. For in the hand. In-game they are visible but they you cannot fake a spell incantation or other-
example, ink bought in the celestial Mages do not produce any light. They are not in-game wise bluff the casting of a spell. You also can-
Guild can be used to scribe healing spells. items and cannot be stolen, disarmed or re- not start the incantation to a spell you do not
You cannot cast spells directly from your moved. have memorized.
spell book, nor may you copy scrolls into your Example one: Finther is walking down the
spell book. Spell books and scrolls are two in-
dependent ways to record spells. A spell book
road when he sees Darlissa the healer coming
towards him. He notices that she has a handful 99
 fine, Paralysis, Prison, or Web. You are allowed
to touch-cast when your feet are bound, or un-
der a Pin effect, since you have at least one
hand free enough to perform the casting. This
includes touch-casting on yourself.
For example, Belthivis is hit with a Bind
spell which forces his arms to his sides. He has
a Release spell in memory but he cannot cast it
(or even touch-cast it) so hes just plain stuck.
If he had been hit by a Pin spell, he would still
be able to cast.
Touch-casting can only be used for an in-
canted spell, a magic item, or for skills with the
verbals of magic, elemental, or arcane.
It cannot be used with gas globes or the poi-
son attack.

Schools of Magic
Whenever your character begins learning
magic, either Celestial or Earth, you must se-
Spellcasters lose the power to cast a spell fense and then later realize that you did, it is lect which of the two is your primary school of
as soon as the incantation has begun. You can- still used up. This is to prevent cheaters from magic. The other will be the secondary, costing
not start the incantation for a spell, change your conveniently forgetting to use their Spell more to learn. There is nothing preventing you
mind, and then still have that spell. You must Defenses except when they really need them. from learning both Earth and Celestial magic
wait until the following game-day to restudy but a separate spell pyramid must be built for
and store the mystic power to cast the spell
again.
Touch-Casting each school.

A spellcaster can continue casting spells To touch-cast, hold a packet and place it
even while being hit and taking damage. Thats against the target you wish to affect. Touch-cast- Spell Rules
why it is often a wise idea in any battle to take ing thus avoids the chance of missing your tar- The spellcaster is not immune to his or
out or Silence the spellcaster first! get. her own spells. A spell that is reflected back
The recipient of a touch-cast spell may will affect the caster.
choose to accept the spell, thus letting it past
Spell Defenses their Spell Defenses such as Spell Shield or
Nor can a caster automatically dispel or
deactivate their own spells, unless specifically
There are a few spells and effects that will Reflect Magic. (You have no choice but to ac- noted in a spells description. (For instance, a
protect the recipient from incoming spells or cept a thrown spell; it will always set off your mage can drop his or her Prison or Circle of
attacks. Each can protect against one spell or Spell Defenses.) Power.)
effect only. They are cast upon the recipient in The recipient must be conscious to accept Example: Darlissa casts a Web spell at
advance and stay with the recipient until acti- a spell. An unconscious persons Spell Defenses Vax the goblin. She then questions him while
vated by the effect they are meant to prevent. will always go off. he is webbed. She cannot at the end of her ques-
The Spell Defenses are Elemental Shield, For example: Terin falls in battle and tioning say I hereby cancel the spell. She
Magic Armor, Poison Shield, Reflect Magic, drops to -1, but since he was not hit by any must cast a Dispel, Purify, or Release spell or
and Spell Shield. In-game, you are always aware spells, he still has an active Spell Shield. Dar- must leave the area as required by the spell.
of what Spell Defenses are active on you and lissa runs over, touches him, and casts a Cure
should note them on your Battleboard. Wounds upon him. Because he is unconscious, Spell defenses carry over from adven-
Once a Spell Defense is active, then it will he cannot consciously accept this spell. His ture to adventure. A character who has a Shield
affect the next applicable incoming effect, re- Spell Shield is now used up and he remains spell active at the end of an adventure weekend
gardless of whether or not you would have been unhealed. will still have that spell at the beginning of the
affected by it. It will then be used up. The decision to accept a spell through next event. This rule applies only to spell de-
For example: Terin is hit by a Control touch-casting is made immediately after the fenses that are active upon you and are indefi-
Undead spell. Not being an undead, it would spell is cast. This is to prevent a caster from nite in duration. There can be no Wards or
have no effect upon him. However, it will still tricking an unsuspecting victim. Wizard Locks active at game start.
use up his Spell Shield. The recipient of a touch-cast spell can al-
If a Spell Defense activates while the vic- ways refuse the spell by saying refused. This Many effects are visible to those observ-
tim is sleeping normally (not from a Sleep ef- will use up the spell, but have no effect what- ing them. Bind, Confine, Entangle, Paralysis,
fect), the victim will wake and be aware that soever on the recipient. Pin, Prison, and Web are all visible while they
the Spell Defense is gone. For example: Terin is Confined by his arch are in effect to any viewer who takes the time
All Spell Defenses must be called correctly enemy Vorin. Vorin laughs and approaches and to observe them. This means you have to ask
(for example Reflect Magic or Magic Ar- touches Terin with a packet and says snottily the person who is standing there things like Are
mor) to be effective and must be called within I grant you the gift of death! Since this was you paralyzed? This is an out-of-game ques-
two seconds. touch-cast, Terin can accept this spell or refuse tion and answer, so both parties can ask and
If you forget you have a valid spell de- it. He wisely chooses to refuse the spell. answer this even if affected by Silence. You can-
You may not touch-cast if both of your not ask What do I see? You must ask if you

100
hands are bound in any way, either physically observe each individual effect until you get the
or through binding effects such as Bind, Con- right one or are stumped.
 Note that Bind, Confine, Entangle, Pin,
and Web do not affect the head, so the affected
person can yell out things in-game like Help!
I am pinned! However, if you are affected by
Paralysis or Prison, you cannot speak at all in-
game and cannot volunteer to people nearby
that you may be under the effects of a Paraly-
sis or a Prison. They must notice you standing
still and then ask you out-of-game.
In addition, the spells Wall of Force, Wiz-
ard Lock, Ward, and Circle of Power are also
visible, provided that the physical representa-
tion can be seen and the viewer takes the time
to observe them.
You cannot call a Hold to determine
whether any visible effects are present on some-
one.
The amount of time it takes to ask if your
character sees the effect is the amount of time
it took your character to notice the effect.
For example, Finther sees Rendal stand-
ing perfectly still. He runs up to him and exam-
ines him, represented by asking him out-of- Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
game questions such as Are you prisoned?
and Are you paralyzed? Rendal may answer
out-of-game yes or no. He can not stand there casting necromantic spells such as Create Un- The most accepted in-game explanation is
and say something like I am paralyzed! over dead, youd better be ready to face the serious this: Imagine the planet going through its sea-
and over again to let people know, because the in-game consequences if caught. (The penalty sons normally from year to year. Healing spells
effect that is on him must be observed by oth- for casting necromancy is almost always at least go with the flow of this cycle and do not dis-
ers and cannot be brought to their attention by one death.) rupt the orderly process of living and dying that
his words. are part of this orderly system. Necromancy
goes against the flow of this cycle by tapping
This applies only to the effects listed here.
You will not see any effects from someone who
Healers vs. Undead into the chaotic forces that are not part of this
is Charmed, for instance. In the battle against the foul undead, the system. Creating undead, for example, requires
healer has a very powerful weapon. Undead that a spirit behave in ways that are contrary to
Spell Defenses are visible in-game as a creatures are the reverse of living beings, and the orderly flow of the cycle.
flash when they are used. so are affected by healing spells in a reversed This in-game theory has been used in the
In-game, it is obvious to anyone looking manner. Any curing spell cast upon an undead past to explain large numbers of undead ran-
at you that you were protected from an attack- will instead do damage to them equal to double domly appearing (The chaos in this area is so
ing spell. You must state what the defense is at the amount of healing. Any damage-causing strong that the cycle is being completely dis-
the time by saying Reflect Magic or Spell necromantic spell will heal the undead for rupted!) as well as aberrant weather (This cold
Shield, for example, thus informing all observ- double effect. wave this time of year can only be caused by
ers that the spell was unsuccessful. Thus a Cure Light Wounds spell will do 4 too much necromancy being cast!).
Saying flash or no effect is not al- points of damage against an undead, and a Of course, there are many scholars who
lowed. (Bless and Shield, which merely add Cause Wounds spell will heal the undead for believe that this theory is a load of goblin dung
Body or Armor Points, do not have to be an- 10 points. and that bad weather and undead rising are all
nounced.) Note that this does not work in the oppo- part of the normal cycle. It is up to you to de-
site way: It only applies to undead, who take cide as your character how you feel about the
double damage from healing and get cured issue.
Reversible Spells double from necromancy. Your character will Assume for game purposes that there are
Many earth magic spells are reversible (for not take double damage from necromancy. A many learned treatises on both sides and that
example, Destroy Undead and Create Undead). Cause Light Wounds spell cast upon you will people have been arguing the point for many
These spells do not have to be learned or do 2 points of damage, not 4. thousands of years (although the people argu-
memorized separately. In fact, there is no way ing in favor of necromancy not being harmful
usually have, shall we say, ulterior motives).
to separate the two spells. If you know the spell
Cure Wounds, you automatically also know
Necromancy Characters debate this issue often, and we en-
Cause Wounds. You cannot forget how to cast Is necromancy evil? Not every person on courage this; gray areas are always more fun
necromantic spells or otherwise honestly claim Fortannis thinks soin fact, it is perfectly le- than black and white issues.
to only know one side of a reversible spell. gal in some places. Necromancy may be legal in some of the
You can decide at the moment of casting However, necromancy is illegal in most NPC countries that exist on the world of For-
which spell effect you will use (with the proper parts of the world because many people believe tannis, but it will always be illegal in the main
incantation, of course). it draws upon the decaying and dying aspects area in which the game takes place. The main
The reverse of many healing spells are nec- of the earth and thus prevents the earth from reason necromancy is illegal is for game bal-
romantic, identifiable by the word chaos in acting naturally. Further, those who cast nec-

101
their incant. Beware however, that in-game laws romancy often tend to get, shall we say, power
exist against necromancy; if you are discovered mad.
ance; if characters were allowed to throw these
powerful spells without restriction, well, why
wouldnt everyone be a healer, able to harm bet-
ter than a celestial caster and be able to heal as
well?
In-game your character can try to get your
local authorities to make necromancy legal, but
you the player must understand that out-of-
game, this will never be done.
The existence of laws against necromancy
are an unalterable rule of the game. Further,
you cannot complain if your character is caught
casting necromancy and is sentenced to a death
(or worse) because of it. You have been warned,
and its the risk you decide to take on your own.

Potions and Scrolls

Potions and scrolls give the spellcaster a
tremendous advantage. With a good number of
these, you should not have to worry about be-
ing ineffective after your memorized spells are
gone.
A healer should keep a huge stockpile of Potions cannot be mixed into food or drink
healing potions so they can use their binding or diluted or mixed together in any way. If they
Wands
spells in battle and yet still be able to heal. A are some poured into the same container, both One of the celestial scholars more potent
mage with a pile of scrolls is a much more for- potions are ruined and provide no effects when weapons in their arsenal is their ability to craft
midable opponent than one with just spells in consumed. and use wands, which can provide a healthy
memory. The most successful casters are the All potions affect the drinker only, and by- dose of elemental damage above and beyond a
ones who know that having scrolls and potions pass any protective spells such as Spell Shield mages general spellcasting abilities.
at their side can double and triple their effec- or Reflect Magic. They can, however, be resisted At Logistics, a character with the Read
tiveness, usefulness, and fun. by racial abilities (such as Resist Poison or Magic skill can pay two silver per wand they
The effects of potions and scrolls are the Resist Necromancy). wish to craft. At the time of creation, the mage
same as for a cast spell. chooses which one of the elements they wish
A scroll or potion physical representation Scrolls: All scroll phys reps must be at attuned in the wand (stone, lightning, ice or
(phys rep) is not valid unless it has an actual least 16 square inches (For example, a scroll flame). A dated wand tag will be issued listing
scroll or potion tag attached to the phys rep. that is 2 inches tall by 8 inches long would be the type of damage the wand can do (stone,
Likewise, a scroll or potion tag without a physi- fine, which will give you five scrolls out of a flame, ice or lightning).
cal representation is also invalid. standard piece of paper). The two silvers expended at logistics cov-
If you use or receive tags without physi- To use a scroll, you must pull out the scroll, ers the cost of creating the wand. Charging it is
cal representations (for example, after using hold it before you, have enough light to be able free.
your Production Points at Logistics to create to read it, touch a spell packet to the scroll, ac- A mage can purchase more than one wand
items), then it is your responsibility to provide tually read the scroll out loud, and then throw each logistics period of any type. The number
the appropriate physical representation and the packet. of charges available to use with wands is deter-
make sure the tag is attached. If your scroll is attached to a weapon or mined by the number of celestial spell slots the
shield, you may not be swinging it while read- mage has. It is up to the caster to choose which
Potions: All potion phys reps must be large ing the scroll. wand they wish to use with their available
enough to hold at least a minimum of a quarter The entire scroll must be visible for it to charges. However, all charges that can be used
ounce of liquid. The phys rep does not actually be used. You cannot write the incant in very with a casters wand will last only one game-
have to contain any liquid to be valid. small letters in the top left corner and then hold day.
To use a potion, you must role-play the a bunch of scrolls like a hand of playing cards Each logistics period allows a caster to
proper drinking motions, and this must take at with only the incant visible; nor can you over- recharge their elemental energies. At Logis-
least three seconds. You should not count it out lap the scrolls and attach them to the back of tics, the mage will receive a new set of charges
loud. Only one potion may be quaffed at a time. your shield, fitting twelve scrolls in an area that they can use with their wands. If you have not
A potion may be force fed to an uncon- should only fit four. used up all the charges in your wand by the end
scious or sleeping person by someone else, but After the scroll is used, the tag is removed of the game-day, they will expire on their own.
such a character cannot accidentally drink but the paper remains. The magical writing is Wands can be used by any character with
one. You cannot attach a potion or elixir to your inert although anyone with Read and Write can the Read Magic skill as well as having at least
collar or shield and bite into it to get its ef- tell what spell used to be on the scroll. one celestial spell slot.
fects while bound or in battle. You must be able You must have an actual scroll phys rep Wands are subject to all current spell rules
to actually hold one in your hand, motion re- for each scroll tag. and may be disarmed or shattered. Wands may
moving a cork or cap, and then mime drinking Note that scrolls can only be used by some- also be strengthened by a blacksmith. They can
it. one with a Read Magic skill of the appropriate be used only by the spellcaster.
level. Wands do up to a base damage of 1 <stone/

102 Anyone with the skill Read and Write can

identify a scroll and know what spell is on it.
lightning/ice/flame>, with every 9th level Spell
Slot in your celestial spell pyramid adding an
additional 1 point to your overall base damage. These magic items may have a specific that item, he has to say Activate: I call upon
You may call less than this amount. spell active within them which you can acti- the earth to Cure Light Wounds.
For example: Belthivis has five 9th level vate as if you had cast the spell yourself, even Finally, he finds an earth item which con-
celestial Spell Slots. He pays 2 silver for a wand, if you are not a caster. tains the spell Magic Armor. He cannot cast
telling Logistics he wants it to be attuned to All items created through the ritual sys- any earth spells, but he has the ability to cast
the element of flame. He receives his tag. With tem that last for one year or longer are consid- 2nd level celestial spells, and Magic Armor is
each packet he throws, he can do 6 points of ered to be indestructible following all rules a spell that is available at that level for both
flame damage (1 for the wand plus 5 for the listed on the render indestructible scroll (other earth and celestial casters. When he uses this
number of 9th level Spell Slots he has). then times ever items and items created through item, he merely has to say Activate: Magic
Damage is packet-delivered. The wand high magic or spell crafting). Armor.
must be held in one hand. The caster must say Golems and summoned creatures will still Magic items in your possession can be
<number> Elemental <element>, touch the follow all effects listed on their monster card; used when bound or otherwise incapacitated so
packet to the wand, and throw long as you are able to speak.
the packet at the target. Obviously, they cannot be
For example: Belthivis, used when Silenced, gagged,
flame wand in hand, runs into or otherwise unable to speak
battle against Vorin the nec- (such as when under the ef-
romancer. With his left hand, fects of a Prison).
he holds his wand out. 6 el- Under normal circum-
emental flame! he announces stances, you must be the only
while touching a packet to the conscious person having sole
wand. He then throws the clear possession of an item to
packet at Vorin and hits him. activate its abilities. The item
Vorin will take the damage un- need not be in a hand to acti-
less he has an Elemental vate; it may be in a pouch or
Shield active or can otherwise other container, so long as it
avoid the damage. is clearly possessed by a single
The total number of pack- individual with the ability to
ets available to be thrown per activate the item.
game-day is the total number It is also possible to acti-
of Spell Slots you have in your vate a magic item that is in an-
celestial spell pyramid. other persons possession, so
For example: Belthivis long as all rules for safety are
has a spell pyramid consisting of four spell slots for example, golems will still take damage from abided by (i.e., you may not tackle or grab some-
at every level up to 6th, three at 7th, two at 8th, Shatter and Destroy. This in no way implies that one that you are currently or about to be in com-
and one at 9th, giving him 30 total spell slots. ritually summoned or created creatures cannot bat with and activate their items, but if your
He can therefore have 30 wand charges. These be killed. Effects listed on the magic item tag friend Bob is dead, and you know he is in pos-
30 charges can all be used with one wand, or (or in the case of transforms, summons, and session of a Life item, you can activate the Life
may be spread among up to four wands (one created creatures, the monster card) may alter while carrying him away). You should make it
for each element). this effect. clear to the player out-of-game that you are ac-
For the purposes of combat, wands are Some may be times per day items which tivating their magic items rather than your own.
considered a two handed weapon in this sense: allow you to cast a specific spell so many times
You cannot hold any weapons or shields while in a game-day. You can then recharge the item
using your wand. Wands also cannot be used at Logistics for the next game-day. Other items
Magic Charts
for blocking, parrying, or attacking purposes may be times ever items that have a certain The charts on the next two pages list all
in melee combat. number of charges and once they are used up, the spells arranged by Effect Group. C stands
Wands, just like weapons, must be checked the item loses its magical ability. for celestial and E stands for earth.
in during Logistics. Wands should be between In order to use a magic item, you must say The verbals for each Effect Group are con-
9 and 16 inches long measured from tip to tip, Activate: <spell verbal> and then throw a sistent for all the spells in that group.
with a diameter between 1/4 inch to an inch. packet (or touch-cast), following all other rules The chart also shows the level of the spell,
They can be made from most materials (PVC, concerning spellcasting. whether it can be made into a potion or a scroll,
CPVC, graphite or decorative wood). They can If you have the ability to cast the spell and the spell duration.
be decorated, painted, and otherwise personal- contained in the magic item on your own, you For curing spells, the amount of Body
ized as you please. A visit to your local craft merely have to say Activate: <spell name>. Points to which it will cure is shown with a
store will provide inspiration. This is true even if the magic item is not in your positive number.
Wands should be free from sharp edges particular school of magic. For the damage causing spells, the amount
with the ends rounded and/or filed to a smooth For example: Belthivis finds a magic item of damage is shown with a negative number,
edge so as to not pose a safety hazard. Local which contains the spell Flame Bolt. As a ce- keeping in mind that the necromantic spells will
chapters have a right to refuse the use of a wand lestial caster, he has the ability to cast 4th level cause this damage straight to Body Points, by-
if they deem it unsafe in their chapter. celestial spells, so when he uses the item, he passing armor.
says Activate: Flame Bolt and throws a On the third page following is the spell
chart arranged by spell level.
Magic Items packet. He can do so even if he does not have
that particular spell in his spell book.
With the Formal Magic skill, you can cre- Later, he finds an item that contains a Cure
ate magic items which contain spells. You may
also find some as treasure.
Light Wounds spell. He does not have the skill
to cast 1st level earth spells, so when he uses 103
BINDING: With mystic force I
CE 2 Pin you Scroll Line of Sight
CE 2 Repel you Scroll Concentration
CE 3 Bind you Scroll Line of Sight
CE 5 Release you Potion & Scroll Instant
CE 5 Web you Scroll Line of Sight
CE 7 Confine you Line of Sight

COMMAND: I command you to

CE 4 Awaken Potion & Scroll Instant
CE 4 Shun me Scroll 10 Minutes
CE 6 Sleep Potion & Scroll 10 Minutes
CE 7 be Charmed 10 Minutes

CURSE: I curse you with

E 3 Weakness Potion 10 Minutes
E 5 Silence Potion 10 Minutes
E 7 Destruction Potion 10 Minutes
E 8 Paralysis 10 Minutes

ELDRITCH FORCE: With eldritch force I

C 1 build a Fortress 10 Minutes
C 1 build a Light Scroll 5 Days
C 3 build a Lesser Investment Scroll 5 Days
C 3 build a Wall Scroll 10 Minutes
C 4 Banish you Instant
C 7 Subjugate you 10 Minutes
C 8 Solidify you Instant
C 8 build a Wizard Lock Scroll 5 Days
CE 9 build a Circle of Power 1 Hour
C 9 build a Prison 10 Minutes
C 9 build a Ward 5 Days

EVOCATION: I call forth

C 1 a Stone Bolt -5 Scroll Instant
C 2 a Lightning Bolt -10 Scroll Instant
C 3 an Ice Bolt -15 Scroll Instant
C 4 a Flame Bolt -20 Scroll Instant
C 5 a Stone Storm -25 Scroll Instant
C 6 a Lightning Storm -30 Scroll Instant
C 7 an Ice Storm -35 Scroll Instant
C 8 a Dragon's Breath -40 Scroll Instant
C 9 a(n) <element> Blast -45 Instant
C 9 a Magic Storm -10 each Concentration

GIFT: I grant you the gift of

E 9 Death Instant
E 9 Life Instant

HEALING: I call upon the earth to

E 1 Cure Disease Potion Instant
E 1 Cure Light Wounds +2 Potion Instant
E 2 Cure Wounds +5 Potion Instant

104
 E 3 Harm Undead Instant
E 3 grant you Sanctuary 10 Minutes
E 4 Cure Serious Wounds +10 Potion Instant
E 4 Turn Undead 10 Minutes
E 6 Cure Critical Wounds +20 Potion Instant
E 6 grant you an Earth Blade 10 Minutes
E 6 Restore your limbs Potion Instant
E 7 Destroy Undead Instant
E 8 Cure Mortal Wounds +30 Potion Instant
E 8 Purify you Potion Instant
E 9 summon an Earth Storm Concentration

NECROMANCY: I call upon chaos to

E 1 cause Disease Potion 10 Minutes
E 1 Cause Light Wounds -2 Potion Instant
E 2 Cause Wounds -5 Potion Instant
E 3 Desecrate you 10 Minutes
E 3 Help Undead Instant
E 4 Cause Serious Wounds -10 Potion Instant
E 4 Control Undead 10 Minutes
E 6 Cause Critical Wounds -20 Potion Instant
E 6 grant you a Chaos Blade 10 Minutes
E 6 Wither your <limb> Potion 10 Minutes
E 7 Create Undead 10 Minutes
E 8 Cause Mortal Wounds -30 Potion Instant
E 8 Drain you Potion Instant
E 9 summon a Chaos Storm -10 each Concentration

PROTECTON/ENHANCEMENT: I grant you the power

E 1 of an Endow Potion Indefinite
E 2 of a Bless Potion Indefinite
C 2 of a Shield Scroll Indefinite
CE 2 of a Magic Armor Potion & Scroll Indefinite
C 4 of an Elemental Blade 10 Minutes
E 4 of a Poison Shield Indefinite
CE 5 of a Spell Shield Potion & Scroll Indefinite
CE 6 of an Elemental Shield Potion & Scroll Indefinite
C 6 of a Magic Blade 10 Minutes
C 8 to Dispel Scroll Instant
CE 8 of a Reflect Magic Potion & Scroll Indefinite

REMOVE CURSE: I rid you of

E 3 Weakness Potion Instant
E 5 Silence Potion Instant
E 7 Destruction Potion Instant
E 8 Paralysis Potion Instant

SUMMONED FORCE: I summon a force to

CE 1 Disarm your <item> Scroll 5 Seconds
CE 3 Shatter <item> Scroll Instant
C 6 Enflame <item> -20 5 Seconds
CE 7 Destroy <item> Scroll Instant

105
 Level Celestial Earth
Disarm Cure Disease / Disease
Fortress Cure Light Wounds / Cause Light Wounds
1 Light Disarm
Stone Bolt Endow
Lightning Bolt Bless
Magic Armor Cure Wounds / Cause Wounds
2 Pin
Repel
Magic Armor
Pin
Shield Repel
Bind Bind
Ice Bolt Harm Undead / Help Undead
3 Lesser Investment
Shatter
Sanctuary / Desecrate
Shatter
Wall of Force Weakness / Remove Weakness
Awaken Awaken
Banish Cure Serious Wounds / Cause Serious Wounds
4 Elemental Blade
Flame Bolt
Poison Shield
Shun
Shun Turn Undead / Control Undead
Release Release
Spell Shield Silence / Remove Silence
5 Stone Storm Spell Shield
Web Web
Elemental Shield Cure Critical Wounds / Cause Critical Wounds
Enflame Earth Blade / Chaos Blade
6 Lightning Storm
Magic Blade
Elemental Shield
Restore / Wither
Sleep Sleep
Charm Charm
Confine Confine
7 Destroy
Ice Storm
Destroy
Destroy Undead / Create Undead
Subjugate Destruction / Remove Destruction
Dispel Cure Mortal Wounds / Cause Mortal Wounds
Dragon's Breath Paralysis / Remove Paralysis
8 Reflect Magic
Solidify
Purify / Drain
Reflect Magic
Wizard Lock
Circle of Power Circle of Power
Elemental Blast Earth Storm / Chaos Storm
9 Magic Storm
Prison
Life / Death

Ward

106
 Alchemy

Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads

though they cannot be made by characters can ings, which do not affect the metabolism, are
Creating Alchemy still be used. not effected by a Poison Shield or a Purify and
Characters with the skill Alchemy can use For example: Finther kills an alchemist can only be removed by an Alchemical Solvent
and create alchemical substances. and discovers a potion phys rep with a tag for or a Dispel.
Creation of any alchemical substance is Vertigo contact gel and a Death gas tag. These You cannot have more than one active
based on the Production Points system as de- tags are all signed by a marshal and are la- contact gel or Vorpal Coating on your weapon
scribed on page 55. In order to make the sub- beled as LCO (Local Chapter Only). Finther or any other item at any one time, and only the
stance, you must have a recipe book and the can use these but cannot make new ones. most recently applied will be effective.
specific recipe for that substance.
Your recipes must be in a book similar to
the type of book used by spellcasters and must
Alchemy Rules Mixing Elixirs
abide by the same rules. Anyone can drink an elixir or feed one to Only elixirs from the Alteration, Com-
This book is an in-game item and can be someone else. One level of the Alchemy skill mand, Curse, Damage, or Gift effects groups
stolen. If you lose your book, you lose all the allows you to mix elixirs into food or drink or can be mixed into food or drink.
formulas within. You will have to find some- to apply contact gels or weapon coatings. Three Mixing two elixirs does not cancel them
one with the recipes and recopy them into your levels of the Alchemy skill allows you to use all. If a food or drink has more than one elixir
book again before you can create any new al- gasses. present, all elixirs will affect the victim.
chemical substances. Note that unlike spell Characters can be affected by alchemical Contact gels, however, cannot be mixed
books, you do not have to pay game money to substances in various ways, but the effects are with each other.
use a special ink to write the recipes into the always instantaneous. Cause poisons do body When a container of food or drink is so
book, although the person from whom you get damage only, since they bypass armor, whereas poisoned, all food in that container will remain
the recipes may demand payment in-game. certain Weapon Coatings must get through ar- poisoned for the next ten minutes. Anyone in-
Recipes are not specific to the form of the mor to be effective. gesting any of the food or drink during that ten
alchemy. In other words, if you learn the recipe Alchemical substances that affect metabo- minutes will be affected.
for weakness you can then make a weakness lism will have no effect on certain creatures such Poisoned food does not heal or provide
gas, elixir, or weapon coating. as undead or golems. any beneficial effects such as increasing Body
It is impossible to determine the recipe for Many substances can be reversed by a spe- Points or removing other effects.
an alchemical substance by studying the sub- cific antidote if taken after exposure to the sub- For instance, a group of creatures who are
stance. You cannot, for instance, alchemize a stance. healed by the Sleep effect do not gain any ben-
Paralysis elixir and determine the recipe. The spell defensive Poison Shield will not efits from drinking a bottle that has been poi-
It should also be noted that there are some stop ingested substances from taking effect, but soned by a Sleep elixir.
alchemical substances which can never be made will stop all other attacks with the word poi-
by characters. For instance, your character will son in the verbal. One use of the racial skill

107
never find a recipe book containing Enslave- Resist Poison will block all alchemical sub-
ment or Euphoria. It is possible, however, to stances present.
find unusual gas globes or elixirs which al- Note that contact gels and Vorpal Coat-
 Alchemy Types
Contact gels: Contact gels can be repre-
sented by a gel-like substance that can be
smeared on the object to be trapped. (Petro-
leum jelly works fine.) The tag must also be
applied to the item.
Contact gels will last until used or until
the phys rep disappears (in the case of petro-
leum jelly). Once touched and thus activated,
the effect will last for the normal duration for
that type of effect. A Sleep contact gel, for in-
stance, would last ten minutes while a Death
contact gel would be instantaneous.
The minimal time needed to apply a con-
tact gel is the actual time to apply the petro-
leum jelly or tape the tag onto the item, but never
less than three seconds.
If only the tag is placed on the item, it must
be prominently placed in such a way that a per-
son inspecting the item could see it and know
that there was something on the item. If petro-
leum jelly is used, the tag can be hidden, but
the contact gel will not be active after the gel
dissipates. Out-of-game, the petroleum jelly can
be reapplied if the contact gel has not been
touched; the important thing is that the contact
gel must be observable by someone taking the
time to look, either through a prominent tag
taped to the item or a good amount of petro-
leum jelly.
For example: Finther sees two locked
boxes in front of him. The first one has a promi-
nent Oil of Slipperiness tag placed upon it. This
tag represents the contact poison on the box.
Since Finther has Herbal Lore, he can inspect
this gel tag for a minute and tell that it is an
Oil of Slipperiness. He doesnt see a tag on the
second box so he picks it up and then feels the
petroleum jelly. Oops! He looks closer at the then it is used up. If you call something else is used up.
box and sees, taped to the back, a Paste of instead, the weapon coating is still used up. A character with Alchemy 1 and an al-
Stickiness tag. He immediately realizes that his You must have Alchemy 1 in order to ap- chemy lab workshop can place weapon coat-
hands are stuck to the box for ten minutes. ply a weapon coating. To apply a weapon coat- ings on arrows/bolts at the rate of two arrows/
If the person applying the substance comes ing, you must tape the tag to the weapon after bolts per weapon coating. This must be done at
in contact with it, he or she will be affected by ripping off the unused flag. This takes time Logistics but does not cost any Production
the substance. to apply. It cannot be done with a quick touch Points. The logistics person will initial the al-
in the middle of battle. The taping of the tag chemy weapon coating tag and staple it onto a
Weapon Coatings: Some substances can onto the weapon represents the time it takes, tag of two arrows/bolts, ripping the unused
be applied to a weapon to affect the type or which may never be less than three seconds. If flag from the alchemy tag. If your missiles are
amount of damage the weapon will inflict for you do not have the tag taped to your weapon, stolen, shattered, or lost, the tags for the coated
the next strike. This only applies to the striking the weapon coating is not effective. A new tag missiles must be turned over first.
surface of any weapon, so that a weapon coat- must be put on the weapon each time a new Some weapon coatings affect the weapon
ing cannot be used with Waylay. weapon coating is applied and there can never itself (Quicksilver, Vorpal Coatings). When
Weapon coatings will remain active on the be more than one active coating on a weapon at using these, you merely call the extra damage
weapon until used. If a weapon is Destroyed or any one time. If using a staff, you must indicate or replace the word normal with silver.
Shattered, the coating is also destroyed. You which end of the staff has the weapon coating Other weapon coatings merely use the weapon
must have the weapon skill in order to use a by attaching the tag to that end. as the delivery device for the poison.
weapon thus coated. A swing in the air does To place a weapon coating on an arrow or In order for a target to be affected by these
not use up the weapon coating but hitting a tar- bolt, you must rip the unused flag off the tag weapon poisons, the strike must do body dam-
geteven a shield or a sworddoes. You can- and then attach the tag to your skill ring next to age to the target. This effect is for one strike
not save the weapon coating for a good hit. your arrow or bolt tags. This represents that one only and can be resisted or blocked by a Poi-
If the coating is not called on the first swing, of your arrows or bolts has been covered with son Shield or a Magic Armor (or in the case of
the weapon coating. Once a missile has been certain races, possibly by racial Resists). If a
so coated, it can be used at any time. Each coat- Poison Shield, a Magic Armor, or a racial Re-

108
ing will cover only one missile. If you do not sist stops the weapon poison, the target will not
call the coating in your verbal, then the coating take any damage from the weapon blow. When
 Substance Effect Group Antidote
Alchemical Solvent Coating
Amnesia Greater Command Dispel, Purify (either within 10 minutes)
Antidote Healing
Berserk Command Awaken, Dispel, Purify
Cause Damage Damage
Cause Light Damage Damage
Cause Serious Damage Damage
Cure Light Wounds Healing
Death Gift Life (within 5 minutes)
Dominate Command Awaken, Dispel, Purify
Enslavement Greater Command Enslavement Antidote
Euphoria Greater Command Euphoria Antidote
Feeblemind Alteration Antidote, Dispel, Purify
Hallucinate Alteration Antidote, Dispel, Purify
Intoxicate Alteration Antidote, Dispel, Purify
Laugh Alteration Antidote, Dispel, Purify
Liquid Light Coating Alchemical Solvent, Dispel
Love Command Awaken, Dispel, Purify
Love Potion 9 Greater Command
Nausea Alteration Antidote, Dispel, Purify
Oil of Slipperiness Coating Alchemical Solvent, Dispel, Paste of Stickiness
Paralysis Curse Dispel, Purify, Remove Paralysis
Paranoia Alteration Antidote, Dispel, Purify
Paste of Stickiness Coating Alchemical Solvent, Dispel, Oil of Slipperiness, Release
Poison Shield Protection/Enhancement Dispel
Quicksilver Coating Alchemical Solvent, Dispel
Sleep Command Awaken, Dispel, Purify
Vertigo Alteration Antidote, Dispel, Purify
Vorpal Coating Coating Alchemical Solvent, Dispel
Weakness Curse Dispel, Purify, Remove Weakness

using these weapon poisons, the correct call is and every bite will cause the effect anew for as game, can be disarmed, destroyed, shattered,
<damage> <poison name> Poison. long as the food or drink is poisoned and stolen. If you steal someones gas globes,
For example, Finther, who has Alchemy One use of the racial skill Resist Poison you may then either go out-of-game to the per-
1, applies a Weakness contact gel to his dag- will block all elixirs, even if mixed, and one son from whom you stole the globes in order to
ger by taping the tag to the weapon and rip- Purify or a Dispel will remove all effects. get the tags, or you can get a Marshal to do it if
ping off the unused flag. He runs into battle you wish to remain anonymous. If you have
with his short sword in his right hand and his Gasses: Gasses are delivered by an orange more tags than the gas globe phys reps that were
dagger in his left. He hits at his arch enemy packet. Unlike a spell packet, gas containers stolen, the tags must be turned over in a ran-
Vorin with his short sword until he is certain are in-game. All gas packets work on a single dom fashion.
that he has gotten past Vorins armor and then target only, indoors or outdoors. They are only Note that all of the tags you are carrying
strikes with his dagger, saying 1 Weakness effective against creatures with a metabolism. around with you are considered in-game even
Poison. Vorin has a Poison Shield however, Before throwing the packet, the user must if there is no corresponding gas globe physical
so the poison has no effect and Vorin will take announce <Type> gas poison for example representation. See page 78 for more details on
no damage from that blow. Sleep gas poison. This phrase simulates pre- phys reps.
paring the gas. Gasses can also be put into gas traps by
Elixirs: Elixirs can be administered or The verbal is not in-game so even a si- someone with the skill of Legerdemain. See the
consumed by anyone; a skill in Alchemy is not lenced or mute character may use one. If the section on traps on page 145 for more informa-
required. verbal is not said properly then the attack is tion.
A person with one level of Alchemy can unsuccessful as the gas was not prepared prop-
mix elixirs in food or drink. This is signified
by either attaching the tag to the underside of
erly. (Imagine preparing a hand grenade.) Even
though the verbal is not in-game, the effect
Alchemical
the food vessel, placing a token in the food, is recognized by anyone who hears it. (In-game, Substances
pouring food coloring into a drink, or having a assume each gas has a different color and tex-
The chart above shows the alchemical sub-
marshal witness you make pouring motions over ture associated with it to allow for identifica-
stances that are available. For more details on
the food or drink. tion.)
each, see the Effects chapter.
If the food or drink has more than one The packet must hit the target or the
elixir present, all elixirs will affect the victim. targets possessions and otherwise must follow
One bite of food or sip of a drink is suffi-
cient for any elixir that is mixed to take effect,
all spell packet rules.
Note that gas globes, since they are in- 109
 Effects
This chapter lists all of the effects in the on the ground and plays with daisies. While he
game except for weapon effects. is on the ground, a ghoul hits him for 3 Nau-
Some are spells, some are alchemical sub- sea. He is now vomiting while playing with
stances, some are monster abilities, and some daisies. Finally, someone throws a Paralysis
are all of these things. spell at him and he becomes paralyzed.
Below the name of the effect are the fol- Darlissa runs over and feeds Finther an Anti-
lowing symbols, indicating whether an effect dote. Both the Feeblemind and the Nausea are
can be made by a Player Character into a spell, removed; however, this does not cure the dam-
alchemical substance, elixir, gas, and so on. age caused by the weapon nor does it remove
Note that just about any effect can be a mon- the paralysis.
ster ability, and some of these can only be NPC
abilities (such as Enslavement or Vampire
Charm).
Awaken
s spell s p c
p potion
Command Instant
This effect awakens the recipient from a
Waylay and removes all Command effects but
c scroll
not Greater Command effects.
e elixir I command you to Awaken.
Celestial 4 Earth
g gas

c contact gel
Banish
w weapon coating s
Next listed is the Effect Group followed Eldritch Force Line of Sight
by the effects duration. This spell forces a creature not native to
After the description of the effect will be the current plane to return to its home plane or
a verbal if the effect is a spell, and following expend a significant amount of energy remain-
that will be an indication whether the spell is ing where it is. Creatures already on their home
Celestial, Earth, or both. Between these is the Victims can be aware that they cannot re- plane are immune to the Banish effect.
spell level. member anything for that period and may rea- This spell usually only affects elementals,
Some descriptions here use the word sonably assume that they have been given an fey, and extraplanar creatures (NPCs should
spell when the effect is primarily a spell; how- Amnesia elixir. check the creature type on the monster card),
ever, this should not be interpreted to mean that For the first ten minutes, beginning at the but may affect other types at the discretion of
the effect is only a spell. time of the Amnesias administration, the Am- the Plot Committee. PCs may be affected by
nesia elixir may be countered and memories of this spell in certain circumstances to be an-
the period returned by either a Dispel or a Pu- nounced beforehand by the Plot Committee.
Alchemical Solvent rify. Lesser elementals, lesser fey, and lesser
After the ten minute period, Amnesia be- extraplanar creatures affected by this spell in-
c comes incurable and the recipient permanently stantly dissipate as if slain, leaving behind any-
Coating Instant loses their memory of the 60 minute period. thing carried. An affected creature with the abil-
This solvent, covering one square foot per Biata and stone elf role-playing racial skills ity to Rift In or Rift Out may not use that abil-
dose, will remove everything in the Coating cannot remove the effect of an Amnesia elixir, ity until the next game-day.
effect group. nor can any NPC mind abilities. For example: Sparky is a Lesser Flame
It can also release a victim of an Entangle. Neither a Life spell nor a Resurrection will Elemental who has decided to visit his
Once used, the entire dosage is consumed. restore the memory of the recipient even if it friends on Fortannis on Friday night. Belthi-
occurs during this ten minute period. vis thinks little of this and casts a Banish at the
creature, who dissipates instantly, unable to
Amnesia visit Fortannis again until the next game-day
Antidote
e e
(usually the next night, after Logistics).
Greater elementals, greater fey, and greater
Greater Command Instant extraplanar creatures affected by this spell take
Victims of this elixir cannot remember Healing Instant 50 points of damage. If slain by this damage, the
anything that occurred 60 minutes prior to its One dose of an Antidote will remove all affected creature cannot Rift In or Rift Out un-
administration. lasting effects in the Alteration effect group til the next game-day.
In the place of the now inaccessible memo- (Feeblemind, Hallucinate, Intoxicate, Laugh, This spell usually has no effect on normal
ries is a blank spot within the memory. Nausea, Paranoia, and Vertigo). It does not living or undead creatures, but, like all spells,
matter how those effects were caused. will still remove a Spell Shield or Reflect Magic.

110
For example: Finther is hit by a Feeble- With eldritch force I Banish you.
mind gas thrown by his enemy Vorin. He sits Celestial 4
 dividual must be at 1 Body Point or higher. If
Berserk not, the player should say No Effect. This
Cause Serious
e spell cannot be used to revive an unconscious Damage
person.
Command 10 Minutes
This effect drives the victim into an in-
A Bless spell will be ineffective if cast
upon a character who does not have at least one
e g
sane mindless killing fury, causing the victim Damage Instant
Body Point, causing the target to call No Ef-
to attack all creatures in the vicinity, starting This substance inflicts 10 points of body
fect as they are an invalid target. The Body
with the closest, friend or foe. damage. It does not affect armor.
Points added by a Bless spell act in all other
The victim will use no daily Game Abili- ways as per normal Body Points (including in-
ties except basic weapon skills (including teraction with other carrier effects). Cause Serious
shields and claws). A character with no weapon I grant you the power of a Bless.
skill will simply scream in rage and run around 2 Earth Wounds
with fists clenched.
The victim of a Berserk will not throw
spells or alchemy and will not use Resists, Cause Critical Wounds s p
Necromancy Instant
Dodges, Banes, Cloaks, Parrys, or any other
defensive skill. Spell Protectives will still work s p This spell inflicts 10 Body Points of dam-
age. It does not affect armor.
as normal. Necromancy Instant Against undead, this spell cures 20 Body
A person under the effects of a Berserk This spell inflicts 20 Body Points of dam- Points.
will not stop to give a Killing Blow or search a age. It does not affect armor. I call upon chaos to
victim, but will immediately turn to find some- Against undead, this spell cures 40 Body Cause Serious Wounds.
thing else to attack once an attack victim falls. Points. 4 Earth
For example: Ena is hit by a Berserk ef- I call upon chaos to
fect thrown by a monster. Ena uses her weapon Cause Critical Wounds.
to attack the nearest person. She is able to use 6 Earth Cause Wounds
her proficiencies but is so mindless that she
cannot think to take advantage of any Critical
Cause Damage s p
Attacks, Slays, or other daily skills that she Necromancy Instant
could use. She is hit by a troll for enough dam-
age to take her down, but cannot think to use
e g This spell inflicts 5 Body Points of dam-
age. It does not affect armor. Against undead,
her Parry against it. Damage Instant this spell cures 10 Body Points.
It lasts ten minutes and like all Command This substance inflicts 5 points of body I call upon chaos to
effects can be resisted by a Resist Command or damage. It does not affect armor. Cause Wounds.
removed by Break Command, Awaken, Dispel, 2 Earth
or Purify. Only one Command effect may be Cause Light Damage
active on the victim at any one time. The most
Chaos Blade
recent Command effect takes precedence.
e g
Bind
Damage Instant
This substance inflicts 2 points of body
s
Necromancy 10 Minutes
damage. It does not affect armor.
s c
This spell allows the recipient to transform
a weapon into a temporary chaos-enchanted
Binding Line of Sight Cause Light Wounds blade.
This spell snares the arms of its victim, The recipient chooses when to use the
binding them straight to its sides. The victim
may talk freely, but may not use any Game
s p Chaos Blade, and announces the total damage
of the swing while saying chaos instead of
Abilities requiring the use of arms, including Necromancy Instant normal or silver.
using a weapon or shield, casting a spell, or This spell inflicts 2 Body Points of dam- It may be used on any weapon, even bows
activating a gas globe. The victim may walk, age. It does not affect armor. and crossbows.
run or leave the combat area as desired. Against undead, this spell cures 4 Body This spell lasts until dispelled or ten min-
This spell does not prevent the victim from Points. utes pass, whichever is first.
being searched or being given a Killing Blow, I call upon chaos to Note that this spell only affects creatures
although a moving victim is unlikely to allow Cause Light Wounds. who are harmed by chaos and does not heal
either action. 1 Earth those normally healed by chaos. Damage by-
With mystic force, I Bind you. Cause Mortal Wounds passes any armor on the target and does direct
Celestial 3 Earth Body Point damage.
s p I call upon chaos to
Bless Necromancy Instant
grant you a Chaos Blade.
6 Earth
This spell inflicts 30 Body Points of dam-
s p age. It does not affect armor.
Against undead, this spell cures 60 Body
Protection/Enhancement Indefinite
This spell gives the recipient 5 extra Body Points.
Points beyond the characters maximum. These I call upon chaos to
points are the first Body Points lost to damage.
In order to be affected by a Bless, the in-
Cause Mortal Wounds.
8 Earth 111
 the victim into a mindless robot, but does re- pleted Circle. This spell cannot be cast until
Chaos Storm quire the victim to stay by his or her new the phys rep is complete. Anyone who steps on
s friend and follow all suggestions given by
the caster. Unlike Enslavement, the victim is
the phys rep while it is being raised will be
pushed inside or outside of the Circle (players
Necromancy Concentration unaware of the effect. choice), along with all possessions.
At the time of casting, the caster plants Victims cannot refuse to obey orders with The phys rep does not have to make a per-
both feet. As long as both feet remain planted, the explanation that they wouldnt do that even fect circle, but if the phys rep is too big, or if
the verbal is stated, and the spell is not disrupted for my best friend. This spell overwrites the the ends are not almost touching, then the spell
as per normal spell rules, the caster may throw logic of the brain. If your new best friend tells is blown.
packets. While the spell is in effect, the caster you to hand over all your items, you will do so A Circle of Power stretches up to 6' in ra-
can perform no other skill nor cast any other without question. dius and 10' tall and is a cylindrical dome with
spell. a flat bottom. The Circle has about the same
Each packet thrown counts as a separate amount of friction as a normal wall or floor,
spell which causes 10 points of chaos damage, although objects and creatures cannot lean
which goes directly into Body Points and is not against, rest against, or be placed on top of the
blocked by armor. The caster must say Chaos Circle.
Storm with each packet thrown. Larger Circles can be made by having
This spell will only damage creatures who multiple spell casters casting the spell simulta-
are damaged by chaos and may not be used to neously. For example, a Circle up to 12' radius
heal undead creatures. Like all spells, this spell and up to 20' height may be made by two cast-
will use up a Spell Shield or Reflect Magic even ers. The casters must say the incant at the exact
if the target is immune to the spells effect. same time for this to be effective.
I call upon chaos to summon a It is possible to surround a Circle with a
Chaos Storm, Chaos Storm, larger Circle, but a smaller Circle can not be
Chaos Storm... placed inside an already existing Circle. A
9 Earth Circle inside of another Circle is considered its
own space; you are not considered to be inside
Charm the exterior circle.
Nothing may enter or leave the Circle once
s it is cast, including spells, thrown gasses, weap-
ons and creatures. Traps placed near the Circle
Command 10 Minutes will not affect anyone or anything inside; simi-
This spell makes the victim view the caster larly, traps within the Circle will not affect any-
as his or her best friend in the world. No amount one outside the Circle.
of logic or role-playing will convince the vic- Spells may be cast within the Circle, but
tim that they are indeed charmed, and any or- cannot be thrown through the Circle. Air may
der given will be justified and make perfect pass through, but other gasses may not.
sense in the mind of the victim. The victim will When the spells duration ends, the vic- A gaze attack such as a Vampire Charm
not remember the casting of the spell. tim remembers everything that happened ex- can be effective through a Circle of Power. A
An attack on the victim by the casters cept the actual casting of the Charm spell, and Gypsy Curse can also be used through the
companions will not immediately break the will almost always realize that he or she had Circle. Creatures inside a Circle are still con-
charm but if the caster does not attempt to stop been charmed. sidered inside Line of Sight.
it and if no good reason is provided for the at- This effect can be removed by an Awaken, The spell lasts for one hour, but may be
tack, the charm may be broken. A direct attack a Break Command, a Dispel, or a Purify. Note dropped by the caster at any time if he or she
by the caster will always break the charm, as as well that only one Command effect may be touches the Circle and states circle down. If
will attempting a Killing Blow. An order to kill active on the victim at any one time. The most there is more than one caster in a larger Circle,
yourself would also break the spell. recent Command effect takes precedence. This any one of the casters may drop the Circle. The
A victim of this spell will not do anything spell is not strong enough to override any statement circle down is out-of-game, al-
absolutely contradictory to their own race or Greater Command effect such as Enslavement. though any observers who hear the statement
nature (such as cast necromancy). If given an I command you to be Charmed. are aware that the Circle was dropped, and they
order to attack their own party, the victim would Celestial 7 Earth might know who dropped it.
have to also be given a very good and convinc- The Circle will also go down if the caster
ing reason. (The victim will, however, protect leaves the Circle magically or dies (needing a
the new friend from attacks, no matter who Circle of Power Life spell). If there is more than one caster, the
from.)
This spell only works on creatures that s Circle will remain up until all of the casters
leave or die.
have a mind as defined by the game. Many crea- Eldritch Force One Hour The Circle is not affected by a Dispel.
tures (such as lesser undead, golems or insects) This spell allows the caster to inscribe a This spell can also be used to create a
do not have a mind that can be affected by this Circle of protection against harm. Before cast- Circle that can be used for the casting of a For-
effect. Further, the victim must understand the ing the spell, a visible, physical representation mal Magic ritual. If a ritual is started within
language of the caster in order to follow the of the Circle must be drawn in the dirt or repre- one minute of the Circle being cast, the dura-
orders. sented by something physical like chalk, a rib- tion of the Circle of Power is extended to one
Unlike Dominate, this effect does not turn bon, or some string. This physical representa- hour and one minute.
tion is in-game and can be erased, moved or With eldritch force I build

112
stolen at any time before the spell is cast. a Circle of Power.
The caster must be fully within the com- Celestial 9 Earth
 Confine
s
Binding Line of Sight
This spell snares the arms of its victim,
binding them straight to its sides, and immobi-
lizes the victim completely. The victim may talk
freely, but may not use any Game Abilities re-
quiring the use of arms or legs, including using
a weapon or shield, casting a spell, or activat-
ing a gas globe. The victim may not walk, run,
or be moved in any way. This victim can be
searched and can be given a Killing Blow.
The main distinction between a Confine
and a Web is that certain monsters that can break
free from a Web cannot necessarily do so from
a Confine.
With mystic force, I Confine you.
Celestial 7 Earth

Control Undead
s age with any weapon attack. It cannot cast spells against a necromancer and his undead abomi-
Necromancy Ten Minutes nor converse (although it may be commanded nations. He is at -1 Body Points. He lies there
This spell allows the caster to control one to parrot a particular phrase given it by the for a minute but no one comes to him with First
lesser undead for ten minutes. Tasks may not caster). Aid. (Terin is keeping track of the time.) At the
involve anything a trained animal could not be If the newly created zombie has no end of the minute, he is now dead and all of his
taught: Guard this is fine, but Count all the weapon, then it will be able to attack with Spell Protectives gone. The necromancer sees
leaves on the tree requires sentience and will claws (short sword-sized weapons covered Terin and then casts a Create Undead spell on
not work. This spell will also remove all Turn in red duct tape) doing two points of damage him. Terin rises as a zombie. He attacks his
Undead effects. When used on an undead of each. The caster must provide the physical rep- party, and the battle lasts more than two min-
higher than low intelligence, it will force the resentations for the claws. utes. During this period, they throw Life spells
affected undead to become temporarily able to The zombie created will have half the at him, but they have no effect because he is a
understand only simple commands. Body Points the victim had in life (not includ- zombie. Finally, they knock him back down to
The most recent Control Undead effect ing enhancement spells such as Bless), as well zero Body Points. He is no longer a zombie and
takes precedent if there is a conflict. as any armor that is left on the corpse. Any miss- is merely a dead body. Since the five minutes
This spell will not affect a living target, ing or withered limbs will also be temporarily since the time of his death are not up, a Life
although it will remove a living targets Spell regenerated for the duration of this spell. spell will still save Terin, but because the one
Shield or Reflect Magic. The zombie is considered Undead in ev- minute period for First Aid has expired, he can
I call upon chaos to Control Undead ery way, and has the standard immunities and no longer be saved by First Aid or a curing spell.
4 Earth vulnerabilities of Undead. These include being The death countdown did not stop when Terin
immune to Alteration, Command, Death, Ice, became a zombie.
Poison, Paralysis, and Waylay. The ten-minute spell duration cannot be
Create Undead In addition, the creature will take double extended by any means, even by Formal Magic.
s damage from healing and be healed double by
necromancy. The zombie will have no metabo-
I call upon chaos to Create Undead
7 Earth
Necromancy Ten Minutes lism and will be affected by undead-specific
This spell only works on a corpse that has spells such as Turn Undead and Sanctuary.
neither previously been animated nor is perma- The creatures visual appearance does not
Cure Critical Wounds
nently dead. It will pull the characters spirit
back to reanimate its former body. The result-
change immediately, but the victim will move
slowly, shambling along, as a zombie should.
s p
ing zombie will then follow the casters com- (A zombie fights with normal speed but cannot Healing Instant
mands as if a Control Undead spell had been move fast enough to chase anyone who runs This spell restores up to 20 Body Points
cast upon it. away.) but never more than a characters maximum.
Note that this spell must be cast within the If the zombie is reduced to zero Body It restores an unconscious or dying char-
five-minute period between a characters death Points, or if the ten-minute duration of the spell acter but does not resurrect a dead one. It in-
and the point where the spirit heads to the Earth is met, then the body and the spirit return to the flicts 40 Body Points of Damage to undead crea-
Circle for resurrection. condition they would have been in had the Cre- tures.
This spell will not affect a living target, ate Undead not been cast. I call upon the earth to
although it will remove a living persons Spell If during the five-minute Death Count- Cure Critical Wounds.
Shield or Reflect Magic. down you are killed as the undead and then 6 Earth
If you are raised, you cannot then choose given a Life spell, you will reawaken alive but
to die.
113
with no knowledge of your time spent as an
The zombie uses none of the skills that undead.
the character has. It inflicts two points of dam- For example: Poor Terin falls fighting
 Desecrate
s
Necromancy 10 Minutes
This spell will remain in effect as long as
the subjects hands are crossed over the chest
and no body damage is taken, or ten minutes,
whichever is shorter. The recipient is protected
against all weapon attacks from living creatures,
including arrows and bolts. It does not protect
against Spell Strikes.
You cannot run while affected by a Des-
ecrate. You can not do anything that requires
the use of your hands, such as cast spells, use
weapons, use poisons, feed someone a potion,
or pick up items. The only exception to this is
touch casting on yourself or activating a magic
item.
You can be fed a potion and you can con-
tinue to hold things that were in your hands at
the time the Desecrate began.
I call upon chaos to Desecrate you.
3 Earth

Cure Disease Cure Serious Wounds Destroy

s p s p s c
Summoned Force Instant
Healing Instant Healing Instant
This spell will utterly destroy any object
This spell will cure a character infected This spell restores up to 10 Body Points
up to the size of a normal door, rendering it
with Disease. If cast upon an undead, it will but never more than a characters maximum. It
useless. It cannot be used to create a door-sized
make it unable to run. restores an unconscious or dying character but
hole in an object larger than a door. Once de-
I call upon the earth to Cure Disease. does not resurrect a dead one. It inflicts 20 Body
stroyed, the phys rep will become unusable but
1 Earth Points of damage to undead creatures.
not unrecognizable. A Destroy cast at a door
I call upon the earth to
will not totally destroy the door, but will dam-
Cure Light Wounds Cure Serious Wounds.
4 Earth
age it enough to allow passage through the
doors frame.
s p e Cure Wounds
This spell can target a suit of armor and
will destroy the armor completely. The armor
Healing Instant
cannot be refit and is ruined forever. The spell
This effect restores up to 2 Body Points
but never more than a characters maximum. It s p Shield will be unaffected.
The spell will not work on a permanent
restores an unconscious or dying character but Healing Instant
does not resurrect a dead one. It inflicts 4 Body This spell restores up to 5 Body Points but magic item or a magically protected item such
Points of damage to undead creatures. never more than a characters maximum. It re- as a Wizard Locked door. Destroying a trapped
I call upon the earth to stores an unconscious or dying character but item will set off and destroy the trap as well.
Cure Light Wounds. does not resurrect a dead one. It inflicts 10 Body The target item must be named, and only
1 Earth Points of damage to undead creatures. the target item will be Destroyed. Items that are
I call upon the earth to Cure Wounds. contained within or attached will not be af-
2 Earth fected. If there are two or more items that fit
Cure Mortal Wounds the description of the incant, then a hand-held
item will be affected before one simply carried
s p Death on ones person; thus if a caster says I sum-
mon a force to destroy your weapon then the
Healing Instant
This spell restores up to 30 Body Points s e sword that is being carried will be destroyed
rather than the dagger strapped to the back.
but never more than a characters maximum. It Gift Instant
restores an unconscious or dying character but This effect causes the spirit of any victim If the item that is being carried is protected
does not resurrect a dead one. It inflicts 60 Body with a metabolism to flee its body. Any armor against the Destroy (such as by being strength-
Points of damage to undead creatures. the character was wearing is still intact, but all ened or by being a magic weapon), then the
I call upon the earth to spells active on the victim will disappear. spell is used up and will not affect another simi-
Cure Mortal Wounds. This acts as a Killing Blow, and the only lar item in the possession of the target.
8 Earth thing that will save the victim from resurrec- A shield is not considered a weapon for
tion is a Life spell. the purpose of Destroy.

114
I grant you the gift of Death. I summon a force to Destroy <item>.
9 Earth Celestial 7 Earth
 If a Paste of Stickiness was applied to the
Destroy Undead item up to ten minutes prior, the item will re-
Dispel
s main in your hand, but the Paste of Stickiness
will be used up in the process. The Paste of
s c
Healing Instant Stickiness tag must be taped to the item. The Protection/Enhancement Instant
This spell will destroy any one lesser un- proper call to use in this circumstance is no This effect will dispel all active effects on
dead creature. Greater undead will take 50 Body effect. a given creature or object whatever the cause,
Points of damage. A Spirit Linked item will not be dropped, whether beneficial or harmful.
This spell will not affect a living target, but cannot be used for five seconds. The victim It will not remove Wards, Circles of Power,
although, like all spells, it will remove a living must place the weapon behind his or her back or anything from the Greater Command effects
persons Spell Shield or Reflect Magic. for the five seconds. group (Amnesia, Love Potion #9, Enslavement,
I call upon the earth to Euphoria or Terror) with the exception that it
Destroy Undead. will remove the effect of Amnesia if adminis-
7 Earth tered within the first ten minutes.
Dispel will remove Wizard Locks, Walls
of Force, and Prisons.
Destruction A Dispel thrown at a person will not re-
s p move effects on any items held by that person.
For instance, Belthivis is hit by a Dispel. All of
Curse 10 Minutes his spell protectives are now gone. However,
This spell will cause the victim to take the Weakness Weapon Coating he has on his
double damage from all attacks that would af- dagger is still active.
fect them, either physical or magical. This ap- A Dispel thrown at a caster will not stop
plies only to damage causing attacks; for in- already existing effects of that casters spell.
stance, a Bind spell would still affect the vic- For example: Darlissa casts a Shun at a gob-
tim normally. lin. She is then hit with a Dispel. All active spells
This effect is not cumulative; if a victim is on her are now gone, but the Shun is still in
hit by two Destruction spells, the second one effect.
will have no effect except to restart the time I grant you the power to Dispel
period before the Destruction expires. Celestial 8
This spell will not affect a creatures
threshold or other defensive mechanisms, nor
does it make a creature vulnerable to attacks Dominate
that would normally not affect it.
This effect will last for 10 minutes or until e g
removed by a Remove Destruction, a Purify, or Command 10 Minutes
a Dispel. This effect makes the victim subject to
I curse you with Destruction. specific commands of the person who admin-
7 Earth You cannot avoid this spell by borrowing istered the effect. For the elixir, it would be the
a weapon and thus claiming that the spell person who administered the elixir, which
would include placing it within food or drink,
Disarm doesnt affect you because the weapon isnt
even if that person is not in view at the time.
yours. Nor can you avoid it by dropping the
s c weapon to the ground or throwing your weapon
up in the air just before the packet is about to
The target of a Dominate will not attack
the person who administered the Dominate
Summoned Force 5 Seconds while it is in effect.
hit you, thus claiming that the weapon was not
This spell causes the target to drop one The administrator can give the target mul-
in your possession at the point of contact of the
specific hand-held item. The dropped item may tiple commands within the ten minute period,
spell.
not be picked up by the victim for five seconds. but the victim will only follow the last one
I summon a force to
The caster decides what the item is that is given.
Disarm your <item>.
to be disarmed. A general description like While following these commands the tar-
Celestial 1 Earth
weapon is fine, although if the target is hold- get is in a trance and performs the last order
ing two items that match the description, it is until that order has been completed. Afterward
the targets choice as to which to drop. If the Disease the target will stand and await the next order.
target is only carrying one thing, then item is After ten minutes (or after the effect is
sufficient.
Shields, arrows, and bolts are not consid-
s p countered), the victim comes out of the trance
Necromancy 10 Minutes and acts as normal, and has full knowledge that
ered weapons for purposes of this spell, al- This spell will infect the recipient with a he or she was dominated and what was done
though a bow or crossbow is. If the caster debilitating disease. The infection is not conta- during that time.
wishes to disarm a shield, arrow or bolt, then gious, but makes the victim unable to run. While dominated, the victim must perform
the specific item must be stated in the verbal. Against undead, this spell will remove the actions to the best of his or her ability and
Spell packets cannot be affected by this effects of a Cure Disease spell. knowledge, including the use of spells and
spell, but gas globes can be. This spell might not be effective against skills. The victim does not have the ability to
Disarm is strong enough to overcome any creatures without a metabolism. pick and choose less effective abilities to use,
rope or chain that may be attached to the hand. I call upon chaos to
If the chain is unshatterable then it will become
115
cause Disease.
unrung. You cannot avoid this spell by tying 1 Earth
your weapon to your hand.
nor may they choose to not perform certain
commands due to their personality or race. For
example, if the victim knows that the person
who Dominated them is undead, and that per-
son commands the victim to heal them, they
will not only cast necromancy on that person
but will not be able to choose to use less pow-
erful spells if they have more powerful ones
available that are needed. Similarly, if a Flame
Elemental Dominated someone, and that char-
acter knew that Flame Elementals are healed
by Flame, they would do their best to use Flame
to heal the Elemental if commanded.
The victim can defend themselves from
any attackers, but if the caster attacks the vic-
tim the Dominate effect ends.
This effect can be removed by an Awaken,
a Break Command, a Dispel, or a Purify. Note
as well that only one Command effect may be
active on the victim at any one time. The most
recent Command effect takes precedence. This
spell is not strong enough to override any This spell lasts until dispelled or ten min-
Greater Command effect such as Enslavement.
Dragons Breath utes pass, whichever is first.
The death of the administrator will not nec-
essarily end the Dominate. For instance, s c Note that this spell only affects creatures
who are harmed by earth, but does not heal those
Darlissa is Dominated to Vorin who commands Evocation Instant normally healed by earth. Since all players are
her to heal him. She stands behind him and This spell allows the caster to throw a bolt not undead, they will not be affected by any
throws healing into him as he needs it in battle. of magical flame which inflicts 40 points of fire creature calling earth damage. However, this
Vorin is killed by Rendal, and Darlissa imme- damage to the victim. The flame is eldritch in spell will set off a Magic Armor even if the tar-
diately throws a Life spell at Vorin and then origin and will not otherwise set anything alight. get is immune to the spells effect.
heals him up. Vorins death did not stop the I call forth a Dragons Breath. Damage bypasses any armor on the target
Domination. Celestial 8 and does direct body damage.
This spell only works on creatures that I call upon the earth to grant you
have a mind as defined by the game. Many crea-
tures (such as lesser undead, golems or insects)
Drain an Earth Blade.
6 Earth
do not have a mind that can be affected by this
effect.
s p Earth Storm
The only valid commands that a caster can Necromancy 10 Minutes
This effect will introduce impurities into
give a target while they are dominated are listed
below. Note that the wording of a command the victims blood. The victim is left extremely s
does not need to exactly match the following weak, and unable to fight or move faster than Healing Concentration
but it should be similar enough to it so that the normal walking speed. The victim becomes un- This spell allows the caster to throw earth-
target can understand what is meant. able to use any Game Abilities. based damage spells.
Defend me: The target must protect the It can be removed by a Purify or a Dispel At the time of casting, the caster plants
caster from all attacks to the best of their abil- or by the death of the victim. both feet. As long as both feet remain planted,
ity, even if it requires using spells and magic If this spell is cast upon an undead crea- the verbal is stated, and the spell is not disrupted
items. During this time, the target will not at- ture, it will have the same effect as a Purify has as per normal spell rules, the caster may throw
tack anyone who is not attacking them or the on a living creature. In this capacity, Drain will packets. While the spell is in effect, the caster
caster. remove Healing effects instead of Necromancy can perform no other Game Ability nor cast any
Follow me: The target must follow the effects. other spell.
caster. The target will not attack anyone who is It may be ineffective on certain creatures Each packet thrown counts as a separate
not attacking them. that have no metabolism. spell which causes 10 points of earth damage,
Give your <item> to me: The target must I call upon chaos to Drain you which goes directly into Body Points and is not
give the named item to the caster. 8 Earth blocked by armor. The caster must say Earth
Heal me: The target must make every at- Storm with each packet thrown.
tempt to heal or Life the caster. During this time Earth Blade This spell will only damage creatures who
the target will not attack anyone and will do are damaged by earth and may not be used to
everything possible, including fighting their
allies, to prevent the healing from being
s heal. Undead will thus take 10 points of dam-
age per packet (not 20!), while most living crea-
stopped. Healing 10 minutes tures will not take any damage. However, like
Return to normal: This command ends the This spell allows the recipient to transform all spells, this spell will use up a Spell Shield or
Dominate effect. a weapon into a temporary earth-enchanted Reflect Magic even if the target is immune to
blade. The recipient chooses when to use the the spells effect.
Earth Blade, and announces the total damage I call upon the earth to summon an Earth

116
of the swing while saying earth instead of Storm, Earth Storm, Earth Storm...
normal or silver. It may be used on any 9 Earth
weapon, even bows and crossbows.
 break free, or to break someone else free, from You cannot be enslaved to ignore other
Elemental Blade an Entangle. However, doing so immediately effects; in other words, the enslaver cannot or-
s expends the benefit of the spell. You must state
Endow, I break you free when doing so. This
der you to never be affected by Fears or Domi-
nates or Intoxicates or any other effect that
Protection/Enhancement 10 Minutes is an out-of-game statement and can be made would normally affect you. The victim contin-
This spell allows the recipient to transform while under the effects of Silence. ues to obey the commands until cured. Enslave-
a weapon into a temporary elemental-enchanted This spell can also be used to perform cer- ment can only be removed by the specific anti-
blade. tain limited role-playing tasks such as quickly dote or through resurrection.
The recipient chooses which element and dragging an unconscious or debilitated creature Characters cured of Enslavement will re-
when to use the Elemental Blade, and an- for five seconds without having to literally per- member having been enslaved. This does not
nounces the total damage of the swing while form the task out-of-game. You must state En- override any applicable Amnesia effects.
saying <element> instead of normal or sil- dow when doing these actions. This is an out-
ver. of-game statement and can be made while un-
Available choices are ice, flame, lightning, der the effects of Silence.
Enslavement Antidote
or stone. It may be used on any weapon, even
bows and crossbows.
Endow does not allow you to break a lock
or other item, throw creatures, break down
e
This spell lasts until dispelled or ten min- doors, or jump long distances. It does not al- Remove Greater Command Instant
utes pass, whichever is first. low you to hurt a monster that can only be dam- This antidote is the only thing that releases
I grant you the power of aged by magical weapons. a victim from the effects of an Enslavement ef-
an Elemental Blade. I grant you the power of an Endow. fect other than resurrection.
Celestial 4 1 Earth It will not remove role-playing-only biata
or stone elf mental affects.
Elemental Blast Enflame
Entangle
s s Binding 10 Minutes
Evocation Instant Summoned Force 5 Seconds Some monsters can shoot a substance that
This spell allows the caster to affect a tar- This effect causes any hand-held item to uses a physical means to trap victims (such as
get with a bolt of magical stone, lightning, ice, flare with painful magic, causing 20 points of sticky strands of silk). The effect of this is like
or flame, doing 45 points of eldritch damage. damage to the person or creature carrying the the effect Web except that it is not normally
The caster of the spell may choose which item. It will also act as a Disarm effect towards magical in any way. Unless otherwise specified
type of damage to throw at the time of the cast- that item if the creature is affected by the dam- by an explicit delivery type, it is entirely a physi-
ing, signifying such through the verbal. age. Since this effect is in the Summoned Force cal effect and as such is not stopped by any Spell
I call forth a(n) <flame, ice, effect group, only defences against Summoned Protections.
lightning, or stone> Blast. Force are applicable. An Oil of Slipperiness applied to the body
Celestial 9 If you are not holding a hand-held item, less than ten minutes beforehand will protect
then this spell will do no damage to you (al- against one such attack.
Elemental Shield though, like all spells, it will remove your Spell
Shield or activate a Reflect Magic). Claws are
A Release spell, an Alchemical Solvent, or
an Oil of Slipperiness will free a victim. It can
s p c not considered a hand-held item.
I summon a force to Enflame <item>.
also be removed by a Dispel. A Purify will not
release the victim, as this is not an effect on the
Protection/Enhancement Indefinite Celestial 6 spirit.
This spell protects the recipient from the The victim can be cut by someone using
next effect with the word elemental in the
verbal. It is then immediately used up. Enslavement an edged weapon, but this takes at least three
seconds (One I cut you out, two I cut you out,
This spell cannot be used to protect the Greater Command Indefinite three I cut you out.).
recipient from a flame or acid trap or from el- The victim of this effect is enslaved to the You can use an Endow to break free, ex-
emental-based Evocation spells. person administering the effect and obeys ab- pending the spell or skill in the process. Some-
I grant you the power of solutely any and all commands given by the per- one else with an Endow effect can likewise
an Elemental Shield. son to whom they are enslaved. break you free.
Celestial 6 Earth If administered by a poison, the victim will
be enslaved to whoever did the poisoning, even
Euphoria
Endow if that person is not in view at the time.
The victim will even commit suicide, cast Greater Command Indefinite
s p necromancy, or otherwise act out of character
in pursuit of the commands.
This elixir is highly addictive. It gives the
victim a feeling of euphoria that lasts about an
Protection/Enhancement Indefinite An enslaved person will never attack the hour. Any time the addicted character does not
This spell endows the recipient with the person who enslaved them unless ordered by get one dose of Euphoria in a 24 hour period,
ability to inflict two extra points of damage if the enslaver to do so. one Body Point is temporarily deducted from
the swing hits the target. If enslaved and given an order through a that characters maximum Body Points.
The total damage must be announced Charm, Dominate, or through any other effect The 24 hour period is calculated from the
while swinging. which contradicts an order given by the en- time of the initial ingestion of the Euphoria
Once called, the spell is used up whether slaver, the Enslavement will always take pre- elixir.
the blow succeeds or not. cedence. If there is no conflict then the enslaved
The recipient may choose when to use an
117
victim must still obey all rules of other control-
Endow. ling magics. The most recent Enslavement ef-
An Endow will also allow a recipient to fect takes precedence if there is a conflict.
 This maximum Body Point deduction can- the victim will stay as far from the attacker as
not be cured as long as the person is still under possible. Even if Line of Sight is broken, the
Flame Bolt
the effects of the drug. The cumulative maxi-
mum Body point deduction damage will not
effect lasts ten minutes or until the creature is
dead.
s c
take place between events or at events not at- For example, Ena gets Feared by a vam- Evocation Instant
tended. pire. She runs screaming around a corner and This spell inflicts 20 points of eldritch
A victim who reaches -1 Body Points will five seconds later (as per the Line of Sight flame damage to the victim.
die, needing a resurrection (a Life spell will not rule), she feels calm again. She reaches into I call forth a Flame Bolt.
work, as their maximum Body Point total is still her pouch to pull out an Awaken potion but the Celestial 4
-1). vampire then appears around the corner. Ena
The grip of Euphoria can only be broken is once more feared to the point where she can Fortress
if the character is given the specific antidote, do nothing but run screaming again, trying to
or by resurrection. Receiving the Antidote will
allow for healing up to the victims maximum
break Line of Sight, as the ten minutes are not
up.
s
amount of Body Points before the Euphoria. The racial abilities Resist Command and Eldritch Force 10 Minutes
Resist Fear can be used as a defense against This spell provides its target with limited
this ability and an Awaken, Dispel or Purify will immunity to weapon attacks. The spell will last
Euphoria Antidote free someone who is Feared. The fear can also ten minutes or until the target breaks the spells
physical requirements.
e be broken by a Break Command.
Note as well that only one Command ef- The target of the spell must plant his or
Remove Greater Command Instant fect may be active on the victim at any one time, her feet and raise both arms above the head
This antidote is the only thing other than and the most recent Command effect takes pre- without crossing them. Moving either foot or
resurrection that releases a victim of Euphoria. cedence. lowering an arm ends the spell.
It will restore the victims normal Body Point Any body damage taken also breaks the
maximum but does not cure any Body Points Fortress.
lost during the addiction. Feeblemind The target may touch-cast spells (on them-
selves only) but may use no other Game Abili-
Fear
e g w ties without breaking the protections of the For-
Alteration 10 Minutes tress.
Command 10 Minutes This effect lowers a characters intelli- While the Fortress lasts, the target is im-
Some creatures have the ability to invoke gence to that of an idiot for ten minutes. mune to weapon blows of 10 or less.
a magical fear. A Feebleminded person is still smart For example: Belthivis finds himself sur-
The feared victim must attempt to break enough to run away from obvious danger but rounded by undead. He holds his hands over
Line of Sight and cannot perform any Game too stupid to use any Game Abilities (even Read his head and casts a Fortress. An undead hits
Abilities while trying to escape. and Write) or use potions, scrolls, elixirs or him for 9 Death and Belthivis says no ef-
If breaking Line of Sight is impossible, magic items. fect because it is less than his Protection Aura
A Feebleminded person can never take ac- of 10. Another undead hits him for 11 nor-

118
tions to cure the Feeblemind. It can be removed mal but that only affects his armor, and so the
by an Antidote, a Dispel, or a Purify. Fortress is still active. Belthivis touch-casts an
Armor spell and a Spell Shield on himself while
 ture to one Body Point and the creature is not
still in the Fortress. After ten minutes the For-
tress will expire if he does not lower it himself
Ice Storm forced to resurrect. Only this spell can save
or take any body damage.
With eldritch force I build a Fortress.
s c someone who has been given a Killing Blow
or hit by a Death effect.
Celestial 1 Evocation Instant This spell will not normally affect a living
This spell inflicts 35 points of eldritch cold target or an undead creature, nor a permanently
damage to the victim. dead character. Like all spells, it will remove a
Hallucinate I call forth an Ice Storm living person or undead creatures Spell Shield
e Celestial 7 or Reflect Magic.
This spell must be cast upon the players
Alteration 10 Minutes
This alchemical substance causes the vic-
Intoxicate body to be effective. Once the spell is cast, the
entire body reforms and any parts elsewhere will
tim to hallucinate. They will see pink elephants
and other strange things for ten minutes. The
e dissipate. See page 92.
I grant you the gift of Life.
victim will probably be aware that they are un- Alteration 10 Minutes 9 Earth
der the effects of a poison but will be unable to This acts as a strong alcoholic drink yet is
do much about it. odorless and tasteless. It will render the victim
Hallucinate is a role-play effect which af- quite drunk and will affect all characters and Light
races, even those that for role-playing reasons
fects all of the users perceptions, not just their
sight. A blindfold might block out visual hallu- are immune to alcohol. It can be removed by s c
cinations (or it might not), but it would not block an Antidote, a Dispel, or a Purify. Eldritch Force 5 Days
out the characters other senses, which are also This effect produces a glowing light and
affected by the Hallucinate. Laugh allows the person activating the effect to kindle
When under its effects, Game Abilities can a light wand. The light can then be used by any-
be used, but the player will most likely use them
against imaginary creatures, and may even read
e g w one.
This will not work without a phyical rep-
potion labels and scrolls incorrectly in their de- Alteration 10 Minutes resentation. You cannot cast a Light spell at a
lirium. This effect will cause the victim to laugh person or tree and have the person or tree glow.
It can be removed by an Antidote, a Dis- and giggle repeatedly for ten minutes, during There must be a flashlight or other out-of-game
pel, or a Purify. which time no Game Abilities can be used. light source provided.
The victim can still run from the area and If using a flashlight for this spell, the lens
can still speak between giggles and thus call of the flashlight must be covered by a cloth,
Harm Undead for help, activate a magic item, or drink an An- tissue paper or a gel to diffuse the light. Do not
tidote.
s It will affect all characters, even stone
shine the light in anyones face.
This spell (like all spells) will remove a
Healing Instant elves. It can be removed by an Antidote, a Dis- Spell Shield or Reflect Magic.
This spell inflicts 20 Body Points of dam- pel, or a Purify. With eldritch force I build a Light.
age to an undead creature. Celestial 1
This spell will not affect a living target, Lesser Investment
although it will remove a living creatures Spell
Light Vorpal Coating
Shield or Reflect Magic.
s c
I call upon the earth to Harm Undead.
3 Earth Eldritch Force 5 Days
This spell must be cast by a caster who is
w
Coating Indefinite
invested in a Ward or Wizard Lock. While in- Putting this contact gel on a weapon makes
Help Undead side that Ward or Wizard Lock, the caster may the weapon inflict 2 extra points of damage once
use this spell to invest others into the Ward or
s Wizard Lock. Any who are inside when the spell
for the very next strike.
The tag must be taped to the weapon.
Necromancy Instant is cast are invested and may enter and leave at This cannot be combined with any other
This spell will heal an undead creature for will or recognize others into the Ward or Wiz- weapon contact gel such as other vorpal coat-
20 Body Points of damage. ard Lock. ings.
This spell will not affect a living target, In no event will this spell last longer than
although it will remove a living creatures Spell the Ward or Wizard Lock to which the person is
Shield or Reflect Magic. invested. If a Ward is created on Day 1 and a Lightning Bolt
Lesser Investment is cast on Day 4, both will
I call upon chaos to Help Undead.
3 Earth expire on Day 5. s c
With eldritch force I build Evocation Instant
a Lesser Investment. This spell inflicts 10 points of eldritch
Ice Bolt Celestial 3 lightning damage to the victim.
s c
Life
I call forth a Lightning Bolt.
Celestial 2
Evocation Instant
This spell inflicts 15 points of eldritch cold
damage to the victim.
s
I call forth an Ice Bolt. Gift Instant
Celestial 3 This spell must be cast within five min-
utes of a creatures death. It restores the crea- 119
 Magic Blade
s
Protection/Enhancement 10 Minutes
This spell allows the recipient to transform
a weapon into a temporary magic-enchanted
blade, allowing damage against certain creatures
which can only be harmed by magic. It may be
used on any weapon, even bows and crossbows.
The recipient announces the total damage
of the swing while saying magic instead of
normal or silver.
I grant you the power of a Magic Blade.
Celestial 6

Magic Storm
s
Evocation Concentration
At the time of casting, the caster plants
both feet. As long as both feet remain planted,
the verbal is stated, and the spell is not disrupted
as per normal spell rules, the caster may throw
packets. While the spell is in effect, the caster
can perform no other skill nor cast any other
spell.
Each packet thrown counts as a separate
tance. This potion is not an aphrodisiac.
Lightning Storm It lasts ten minutes and like all Command
spell which causes 10 points of damage. The
caster must say Magic Storm with each packet
s c effects can be resisted by a Resist Command or
Resist Poison and removed by a Break Com-
thrown.
Like all spells, this spell will use up a Spell
Evocation Instant mand or an Awaken, Antidote or Purify. Shield or Reflect Magic even if the target is
This spell inflicts 30 points of eldritch Note as well that only one Command ef- immune to the spells effect.
lightning damage to the victim. fect may be active on the victim at any one time, I call forth a Magic Storm,
I call forth a Lightning Storm. and the most recent Command effect takes pre- Magic Storm, Magic Storm
Celestial 6 cedence. Celestial 9

Liquid Light Love Potion #9 Nausea

c e e g w
Coating Until Daybreak Greater Command 5 Days Alteration 10 Minutes
This substance will allow for the use of a This potion acts the same as the regular This elixir will cause the victim to be vio-
cyalume light stick or other light phys rep to be Love Poison except that it cannot be cured or lently ill for ten minutes, during which time no
used in-game. resisted. It will expire on its own in five days Game Abilities can be used. The victim can walk
It lasts until daybreak or until the phys rep or upon resurrection. slowly from the area and can still speak between
stops working, whichever is shorter. It cannot heaves and thus call for help, drink an elixir or
be applied to a tree or other object to make it
glow. Magic Armor potion, or activate a magic item. It can be re-
moved by an Antidote, Dispel, or a Purify.

Love
s p c
Protection/Enhancement Indefinite Oil of Slipperiness
e This spell will protect the wearer from the
next single weapon strike. The recipient must c
Command 10 Minutes state Magic Armor. Coating 10 Minutes
This causes the victim to fall deeply in love The attack and the Magic Armor are then When this contact gel is placed on an item
with the next member of the appropriate sex expended. no larger than a weapon, it prevents that item
seen. This does not protect against a Killing from being held for ten minutes from the time
The victim will not act out of character Blow or a fall, nor does it work against any the item is first touched. This can be counter-
while in love; he or she may flirt, ask the new traps other than weapon traps. acted by an Alchemical Solvent or a Paste of
love out for a romantic dinner, write bad po- A Magic Armor will be used even if the Stickiness. If placed upon the body or clothing,
etry, or perhaps merely pine away from a dis- amount of damage called is zero. this substance will resist one Entangle attack,
I grant you the power of a Magic Armor. after which it will be expended.
120 Celestial 2 Earth For example: Terin is getting ready to go
into a battle against giant spiders. He is aware
that they can throw entangles, so he takes out now used up, so the next Disarm spell will af- Any creature sealed within a Prison will
his Oil of Slipperiness and applies it to him- fect him as normal. call No effect to all effects (except Dispel and
self. This is represented by taking the tag, rip- A victim hit with an Enflame spell will still the Massive carrier), nor will they take any dam-
ping off the unused flag. He runs into battle say resist to the disarming magics of the spell age from physical attacks or traps. Healing Arts
and is hit by an entangle. Resist, he replies. but will still take the physical damage from the or First Aid will not work through a Prison. A
The Oil is now used up so any other such at- spell. creature within a Prison cannot be searched.
tacks will affect him as normal. If used on a weapon and the weapon is No Game Abilities, including High Magic
Note that this will not protect against a destroyed or shattered, the holder will be stuck abilities, may be used while under a Prison ef-
Pin, Bind, Web, or Confine spell. with the weapons pommel in his or her hand fect.
for the duration of the Paste of Stickiness and However, the Prison does not provide
cannot hold anything else in that hand during complete and absolute protection against harm.
Paralysis that time. Out-of-game, you should drop your The victim will suffocate if placed underwater
s e g weapon phys rep but hold your hand in a fist
for the remainder of the ten minutes.
(assuming the victim needs to breathe to sur-
vive). The Prisoned creature may also be in-
Curse 10 Minutes jured or slain from overwhelming damage such
This effect completely immobilizes the as falling from a great height, at the judgement
victim. The target cannot move any part of their Pin of a Marshal or Plot member on the scene.
body and may be given a Killing Blow while
thus trapped. s c A Vampire Charm or other gaze attack will
still work provided the Prisoned creatures eyes
This can be removed by a Remove Paraly- Binding Line of Sight were open at the time the Prison was cast.
sis, a Dispel or a Purify. A Release spell will This spell will instantly root the targets As with a Ward, no gasses other than air
not remove the effect. right foot in place. If the targets foot was off can get inside. The barrier is not a frictionless
This spell only works on creatures that the ground at the time the packet hit, then the surface, and has as much friction as a normal
have a metabolism. foot will be forced to the ground. The target creature.
Some creatures, such as undead, golems may pivot their body 360 degrees but may not A victim of the Prison is completely aware
or some elementals, are not affected by this move their right foot. of his or her surroundings and unless uncon-
spell. It can be removed by a Dispel, a Purify, or scious or otherwise impaired will remember all
I curse you with Paralysis. a Release. that occurred while Prisoned.
8 Earth With mystic force I Pin you. Only the caster may deliver a Killing Blow
Celestial 2 Earth to the recipient. The caster must say Prison
Paranoia Down after delivering a Killing Blow. (Kill-
Poison Shield ing Blow one, Killing Blow two, Killing Blow
e g w s e
three, Prison Down.) If the Killing Blow fails
(for example, the creature inside is immune to
Alteration 10 Minutes the casters attack), then the Prison will drop
This causes the victim to think that every- Protection/Enhancement Indefinite as soon as the Killing Blow is completed and
one is conspiring and plotting against them. This effect protects the recipient from the the creature may then defend itself.
Players should react as they think their charac- next attack with the word poison in the ver- A Killing Blow delivered with the Mas-
ters would to this knowledge. Paranoia will bal. It is then immediately used up. It will not sive carrier will still take a Prison down,
never force a player to cast necromancy or oth- protect against ingested elixirs, Weapon Coat- whether it succeeds or not, and whether per-
erwise act out of their true nature. ings, or Contact Gels such as Oils of Slipperi- formed by the caster of the Prison or not.
It can be removed by an Antidote, Dispel, ness or Pastes of Stickiness. For safety reasons, you are never allowed
or a Purify. I grant you the power of a to lay the Prisoned victim on the ground, re-
Poison Shield. move the Prison, and then beat the victim to -1
4 Earth
Paste of Stickiness points.
With eldritch force
c Prison
Celestial
I build a Prison.
9
Coating 10 Minutes
When this contact gel is placed on an item s
no larger than a weapon, it causes anyone touch- Eldritch Force 10 Minutes Purify
ing it for more than three seconds to become This spell seals the victim into a rigid,
stuck to it for ten minutes.
This can be counteracted by an Oil of Slip-
form-fitting and unbreakable barrier, trapping
him or her within. The victim cannot move,
s p
Healing Instant
periness, an Alchemical Solvent, or a Release speak, or perform any Game Abilities, includ- This effect will remove all harmful effects
spell. ing High Magic abilities. from the spirit, leaving protectives. Harmful
A Killing Blow will not remove this effect It lasts for ten minutes, but may be dropped effects includes everything in the effects
but a resurrection obviously will. by the caster at any time if he or she touches groups Alteration, Binding, Command, Curse,
If placed upon a weapon or item, this sub- the victim and states Prison down. This state- and Necromancy.
stance will resist one Disarm or Enflame at- ment is out-of-game, and can be used even if It will not remove effects in the Greater
tack, after which it will be expended. the caster is Silenced or inside the Prison. Any Command group even though those effects are
For example: Terin is getting ready to go observers who hear the statement are aware that on the spirit. It will not cure any damage pre-
into a battle, so he places a Paste of Stickiness the Prison was dropped, and might know who viously wrought by any effect.
on his weapon. This is represented by taking dropped it.
the tag, ripping off the unused flag. Terin A Dispel will bring down the Prison, but
runs into battle and is hit by a Disarm spell.
Resist, he replies. The Paste of Stickiness is
will not dispel any other effects on the creature
inside.
121
 Purify will not remove effects that are not cliff or walk towards a magical rift or do any
on the spirit (such as Entangle, Prison, Wizard
Remove Destruction other action which would cause harm.
Lock, or Walls of Force).
This spell will affect an undead as a Drain
s p This spell does not create a ten foot magi-
cal circle around the caster which is effective
affects the living. It is also a very good in-game Remove Curse Instant only upon the victim; if the victim has to come
cure for an in-game hangover. This spell will cancel all Destruction ef- closer than ten feet in order to get away (for
I call upon the earth to Purify you. fects. example, to pull close to the caster in order to
8 Earth It will not restore any lost Body Points. get to an exit), then that is permissible.
I rid you of Destruction. While within that ten foot area, however,
7 Earth the victim can take no in-game actions against
Quicksilver the caster.
w Remove Paralysis With mystic force I Repel you.
Celestial 2 Earth
Coating Indefinite
Putting this contact gel on a weapon makes
s p Restore
the weapon inflict silver damage once for the Remove Curse Instant
This spell will cancel all Paralysis effects.
very next strike. The damage call is <damage>
silver. I rid you of Paralysis. s p
8 Earth Healing Instant
This spell causes the targets limbs to be-
Reflect Magic
Remove Silence come restored. One casting of this spell can
s p c
s p
restore all affected limbs.
This spell is also the only way short of a
Protection/Enhancement Indefinite Life spell or a resurrection to restore a limb that
This effect will reflect the next effect de- Remove Curse Instant has been severed or amputated, or to restore a
livered by the spell qualifier cast at the re- This spell will cancel all active Silence broken hand or arm.
cipient back upon the caster, after which it is effects. When cast upon undead, it has the same
used up. The recipient must say Reflect Magic I rid you of Silence. affect as a Wither has on living victims.
to inform the caster that the spell was returned. 5 Earth I call upon the earth to
This spell lasts until used or Dispelled, and Restore your limbs.
cannot be used in conjunction with a Spell Remove Weakness 6 Earth
Shield. If you have a Reflect Magic active, you
may still accept spells that are touch-cast.
When you Reflect, Bane, or Riposte an
s p Sanctuary
Remove Curse Instant
effect that has already been Reflected, Baned,
or Riposted, the target of the effect is once again This spell will cancel all active Weakness
effects.
s
the original target. You may never Reflect, Bane, Healing 10 Minutes
or Riposte an effect more than once from the I rid you of Weakness. This spell will remain in effect as long as
same effect. 3 Earth the subjects hands are clasped above the head
I grant you the power of a
Reflect Magic. Repel
Celestial 8 Earth
s c
Release Binding Concentration
This spell requires the caster to hit a tar-
s c get with a spell packet and hold the hand used
to throw the packet palm out, facing the recipi-
Binding Instant
This spell will release a creature caught in ent. The victim and the target should then stay
a Bind, Pin, Web, or Confine effect as well as at least ten feet apart while the spell is in effect,
negating all active Paste of Stickiness effects and the caster must keep the hand held out to-
upon the creature. It will not free someone un- ward the target.
der the effects of a Paralysis or a Prison. The outstretched hand cannot be used for
This spell will remove all active binding any other purpose, although the caster may use
effects, including Entangle, as well as hand- the other hand for in-game skills.
cuffs, ropes, stocks, etc. When the spell is first cast, the recipient
It will not unlock a door. must move ten feet away from the caster. After
A Hold can be called if you are physically that, neither the recipient nor the caster may
tied up and need time to remove the item con- approach within ten feet of each other; the caster
stricting you. cannot approach the recipient any easier than
With mystic force I Release you. the recipient may approach the caster. Either
Celestial 5 Earth could back away.
If the victim is within ten feet when the
spell is cast, the victim must move away, but
never in a manner that will endanger the victim

122 or cause direct harm to the victim. In other

words, the victim cannot be made to jump off a
and no body damage is taken, or ten minutes, against the Shatter (such as by being strength-
whichever is shorter. The recipient is protected ened or by being a magic weapon), then the
Silence
against all weapon attacks from undead crea-
tures, including arrows and bolts. It does not
spell is used up and will not affect another simi-
lar item in the possession of the target.
s p
protect against Spell Strikes. A shield is not considered a weapon for Curse 10 Minutes
You cannot run while affected by a Sanc- the purpose of Shatter. The victim of this spell cannot talk, acti-
tuary. You can not do anything that requires I summon a force vate magical items, or cast any spell. The player
the use of your hands, such as cast spells, use to Shatter <item>. must still call out the damage points his or her
weapons, use poisons, feed someone a potion, Celestial 3 Earth weapons inflict if combat ensues while the spell
or pick up items. However, you can touch-cast is in effect, as well as any out-of-game phrases
on yourself or activate a magic item. such as Reflect Magic, Parry or Prepare
You can be fed a potion and you can con-
Shield to Die.
tinue to hold things that were in your hands at
the time the Sanctuary began.
s c
The silence can be removed by either Re-
move Silence, Purify or Dispel.
I call upon the earth to Protection/Enhancement Indefinite I curse you with Silence.
grant you Sanctuary. This spell gives the recipient 5 extra Ar- 5 Earth
3 Earth mor Points.
These extra points are the first Armor
Points lost due to damage.
Sleep
Serious Vorpal Coating This spell is not limited by Armor Point
sp c e g w
w limitations. A scholar, for instance, can wear
the maximum 15 point suit of armor and still Command 10 Minutes
Coating Indefinite have this spell active. This spell causes the target to instantly fall
Putting this contact gel on a weapon makes I grant you the power of a Shield. into a deep sleep. Not even strong shaking or
the weapon inflict 10 extra points of damage Celestial 2 yelling in the victims ear will rouse them from
once for the very next strike. this magical sleep.
The tag must be taped to the weapon. An Awaken, Purify or Dispel will wake
This cannot be combined with any other
Shun the victim immediately.
weapon contact gel such as other vorpal coat-
ings.
s c
This effect will not work on some crea-
tures without a metabolism, such as undead
Command 10 Minutes creatures, golems, or some giant insects.
This spell causes the victim to feel great This is a Command effect and can be re-
Shatter discomfort around the caster. The victim will sisted by creatures with a Resist Command abil-

s c
not initiate attack on the caster while the spell
is in effect, and the victim will immediately
ity and removed with a Break Command. Note
as well that only one Command effect may be
Summoned Force Instant move at least ten feet away from the caster and active on the victim at any one time, and the
This spell will destroy any weapon, shield stay at least that far away while the spell is in most recent Command effect takes precedence.
or any object up to the size of a shield, render- effect. I command you to Sleep.
ing it useless. It cannot be used to create a If the victim is within ten feet when the Celestial 6 Earth
shield-sized hole in an object larger than a spell is cast, the victim must move away, but
shield. The phys rep will not become unrecog- never in a manner that causes direct harm or
nizable, only unusable. endangers the victim.
Solidify
This spell can target a suit of armor and
will destroy the armor completely if the suits
In other words, the victim cannot be made
to jump off a cliff or walk towards a magical
s
maximum value is 20 points or less. The armor rift or do any other action which would cause Eldritrch Force Instant
cannot be refit and is ruined forever. Should harm. This spell forces a gaseous form to become
the armor have a maximum value of greater than This spell does not create a ten foot magi- immediately solid. The creature may be able to
20 points, it will be unaffected by the Shatter cal circle around the caster which is effective turn gaseous again if it has the skill.
(and the owner should call No Effect). only upon the victim; it merely makes the vic- This spell will not work on certain crea-
The spell will not work on a permanent tim attempt to stay at least ten feet away. tures who are gaseous normally, such as
magic item or a magically protected item such If the victim has to come closer than ten noncorporeal undead or air elementals.
as a Wizard Locked door. feet in order to get away (for example, to pull With eldritch force I Solidify you.
Shattering a trapped item will set off and close to the caster in order to get to an exit), Celestial 8
destroy the trap if the trap was set. then that is permissible. While within that ten
The target item must be named, and only foot area however, the victim can take no in- Spell Shield
the target item will be Shattered. Items that are game actions against the caster.
contained within or attached will not be af-
fected.
This spell is a Command spell and can be
resisted with the racial ability Resist Command,
s p c
If there are two or more items that fit the and it can be cured with an Awaken, Dispel, Protection/Enhancement Indefinite
description of the incant, then a hand-held item Purify, or Break Command. Only one Com- This spell will cancel the next effect de-
will be affected before one simply carried on mand effect may be active on the victim at any livered by the spell qualifier cast at the re-
ones person; thus if a caster says I summon a one time, and the most recent Command effect cipient, including beneficial spells, after which
force to shatter your weapon then the sword takes precedence. it is used up. It will also protect against attacks
that is being carried will be shattered rather than I command you to Shun me.

123
the dagger strapped to the back. Celestial 4 Earth
If the item that is being carried is protected
that have the word magic in their incant. get is under complete control of the caster and Return to normal: This command ends the
It does not protect the recipient from a performs the last order until that order has been Subjugate effect.
magic weapon blow. For example: Finther is completed. Afterward the target will stand and With eldritch force I subjugate you
hit by Vorin who is using a magical weapon. await the next order. Celestial 7
4 Magic says Vorin. Finthers Spell Shield After ten minutes (or after the effect is
countered), the victim comes out of the control
will not protect him from this blow.
You must say Spell Shield immediately and acts as normal, and has full knowledge that
Terror
when this spell is used. Spell Shield cannot be he or she was Subjugated and what was done Greater Command 10 Minutes
used in conjunction with a Reflect Magic. during that time. The target of a Terror effect is over-
If you have a Spell Shield active, you may While Subjugated, the victim must per- whelmed by fear and confusion. These emo-
still accept spells that are touch-cast. You can- form actions to the best of his or her ability, tions are so intense that the character will at-
not accept spells that are thrown at you, nor including the use of spells, skills or innate abili- tempt to flee the area and break Line of Sight,
can you accept spells when you are uncon- ties. Note that this spell cannot force a target to then fall down and curl up with fear. The char-
scious. cast or use items that are not in his or her na- acter is unable to make any conscious decisions,
I grant you the power of ture or ability to use. including activating magic items or using skills.
a Spell Shield. The victim can defend themselves from For all intents and purposes, they are helpless.
Celestial 5 Earth any attackers, but if the caster attacks the vic- Terror is a Greater Command effect that
tim, the Subjugate effect ends. lasts ten minutes. It can be resisted only through
This effect can be removed by a Dispel. the Resist Fear racial skill, and is cured only
Stone Bolt The death of the caster will end the spell effect. through a Break Command or character death.
s c Only one Subjugate effect may be active
on the target at any one time. The most recent
For Example: Terin attacks a powerful
undead creature which throws a packet at Terin
Evocation Instant effect takes precedence. with the call Arcane Terror. Terin is defense-
This spell inflicts 5 points of eldritch stone Subjugate is an Eldritch Force effect, and less against this attack and runs away scream-
damage to the victim. as such does not counter or override any Com- ing until he can no longer see the undead crea-
I call forth a Stone Bolt. mand or Greater Command. Note as well that ture. Terin then falls to the ground moaning,
Celestial 1 all golems are immune to Command effects. role-playing the intense fear his character has
For instance, Belthivis has managed to been gripped by. After ten minutes, he will come
Stone Storm have himself Spirit Stored into an iron golem to his senses.
body. He is hit with a Subjugate spell by his
s c arch enemy Vorin and is ordered to guard Vorin
and his party. Belthivis immediately does ev-
Turn Undead
Evocation Instant
This spell inflicts 25 points of eldritch
erything he can to comply. A member of Belthi-
vis party then kills Vorin and the spell effect
s
stone damage to the victim. ends, freeing Belthivis. Healing 10 Minutes
I call forth a Stone Storm. Greater elementals may have the ability to This spell will affect one lesser undead
Celestial 5 resist the effects of the Subjugate spell. creature, causing it to run from the caster as if
The only valid commands that a caster can affected by Fear (see page 118). The undead
Subjugate give a target while they are Subjugated are listed will immediately attempt to break Line of Sight
below. Note that the wording of a command and can use no Game Abilities while trying to
s does not need to exactly match the following
but it should be similar enough to it so that the
escape.
If breaking Line of Sight is impossible,
Eldritch Force 10 Minutes the undead will stay as far away from the caster
target can understand what is meant.
This effect allows the control of either a as possible. Even if Line of Sight is broken, the
Guard: The target must protect the caster
golem or elemental who is subject to specific effect lasts ten minutes or until the creature (or
or any person or object he is told to guard from
commands of the person who administered the caster) is dead. The undead will defend itself if
all attacks, theft or harm to the best of their
effect: In the case of the spell, this would be cornered and unable to escape.
ability, even if it requires using spells, skills,
the caster. A Dispel or Control Undead will rid the
magic items or innate abilities, as long as it
The target of a Subjugate spell will not creature of this spell, allowing it to return. One
doesnt go against their nature. During this time,
attack the person who administered the Subju- casting of Control Undead will remove all Turn
the target of the Subjugate will not move un-
gate while it is in effect. The administrator can Undead effects.
less to protect the object or person theyre
give the target multiple commands within the Greater undead are not affected by this
guarding.
ten minute period, but the target will only fol- spell in the same manner, although they will
Follow: The target must follow the caster
low the last one given. The caster of the spell be affected as if a Shun were cast at them.
or anyone the caster wishes followed. The tar-
may order the target to stop any command once This spell will not affect a living target,
get will not attack anyone who is not attacking
it has been given without explicitly ordering although it will remove any creatures Spell
them.
the target to return to normal. For example, a Shield or Reflect Magic.
Attack: The golem or elemental will at-
caster could order a target to Carry that per- I call upon the earth to Turn Undead.
tack a chosen target of the casters choosing,
son, and then Stop carrying that person. 4 Earth
even if it requires using spells, magic items or
Creatures who are spirit stored in golems
innate abilities. Once the target of the attack
as defined by the game are also affected by the
spell. This includes Player Characters.
command is on the ground, the golem or el- Vampire Charm
emental will not attack and will wait for its new
While following these commands, the tar- Command 10 Minutes
orders.
Carry/lift: The target will carry or lift ob- A creature with this ability can charm a

124 jects and or people if it has the necessary person if they can maintain eye contact for five
strength to do so. seconds. This power does not require body con-
tact.
 It may also be delivered by other means or Shattered. Normal traps will not affect it. must be an actual unmovable structure such as
as well (for example, it could be packet deliv- Nothing may pass though the Wall once a building, a tent, or an unmovable wagon.
ered). the Wall is cast, including spells, thrown gas- When the spell is cast, a magic barrier will
If you are charmed by such a creature, then ses, weapons and creatures. Air may pass then appear enclosing the area. All portals into
you must obey all commands the creature gives through, but other gasses may not. A gaze at- the area are sealed by the barrier, including win-
you. These commands are absolute and are tack such as a Vampire Charm can be effective dows.
much more powerful than a Charm spell; in- through a Wall, as will a Gypsy Curse. Nothing may enter or leave except for air
stead, it is comparable to an Enslavement. If a itself. No gaseous forms, gases, weapons, spells
vampire tells you to commit suicide, you will nothing.
do so unquestioningly. If you are asked to cast This spell allows only one portal into the
necromancy, you will. structure when cast by a single caster. To indi-
Spell defenses will not stop a Vampire cate the presence of a Ward and the location of
Charm; however, the racial skill Resist Com- any portals, a large W must be placed on each
mand will protect the character from this effect portal which allows access in and out of the
and the skill Break Command will remove it, Ward.
as will Awaken, Dispel, and Purify. A Ward may be enhanced by multiple si-
Unless stated differently on the monster multaneous castings. These castings must be
card, the effect lasts ten minutes. The vampire performed by separate individuals and the spells
can renew the Vampire Charm within that pe- cast at the same time. When multiple casters
riod. are involved in a Ward, the spell is affected in
Only one Command effect may be active two different ways. First, each caster beyond
on the victim at any one time. The most recent the first may designate an additional portal
Command effect takes precedence. through which the Ward may be accessed, us-
ing the same rules as for the initial portal. Sec-
ond, additional casters will increase the size of
Vertigo the Ward as follows: A single Ward may cover
e g w a building up to the size of a small home or
large cabin. Larger buildings, as determined by
Alteration 10 Minutes the local chapters staff, may require multiple
This effect will cause the victim to lose Wards to be cast to cover the entire building.
balance and be unable to remain standing for Players are encouraged to check with their lo-
ten minutes, during which the victim can not cal staff beforehand to determine if multiple
use any Game Abilities. Wards will be required. You cannot mix a Ward
The victim can still speak and thus call with a Wizard Lock in this fashion.
for help or activate a magic item but cannot The W must be placed on the portal prior
walk away. It can be removed by an Antidote, to casting this spell, and this must be performed
Dispel, or a Purify. in-game. Any observers will thus be aware that
you are attempting to place a Ward or a Wizard
Vorpal Coating Lock on the building.
As soon as the spell is cast, the names of
w the persons who are invested must be written
on the marshals notes attached to the back of
Coating Indefinite the door.
Putting this contact gel on a weapon makes All persons within the Ward when it is cast
the weapon inflict 5 extra points of damage once are invested into the Ward. They may then en-
for the very next strike. The tag must be taped ter and leave the Warded building at any time
to the weapon. while the Ward is in effect. Once the Ward is
This cannot be combined with any other cast, an invested member can, within the 5 days,
weapon contact gel such as other vorpal coat- cast Lesser Investment to invest other people
ings. The wall will last for ten minutes, but may into the Ward.
be dropped by the caster at any time if he or In order to allow others to pass into or out
Wall of Force she touches the phys rep and states Wall of the Ward, they must be recognized by an
down. This statement is out-of-game, although invested member of the Ward. The invested
s c any observers who hear the statement are aware
that the wall was dropped, and they might know
member must clearly gesture, touch, or name
the subject creature and must state the Ward
Eldritch Force 10 Minutes
who dropped it. recognizes you. This is an out-of-game state-
This spell creates an invisible barrier that
The Wall will also drop if hit by a Dispel. ment, so it can be made while Silenced. The
will stretch no more than ten feet across. This
With eldritch Force I build a Wall. effect is understood in-game by all who hear it.
spell must be cast on a doorway or other portal
Celestial 3 Upon being recognized, a person must
of up to ten feet across and 25 feet high.
immediately enter or exit the Ward. If the rec-
The floor of the Wall of Force must be
ognized person does not immediately act upon
marked in some way (such as by a rope, chalk Ward the recognition, then the recognition will ex-
mark, or ribbon) to indicate to all observers that
a Wall of Force is in place.
Once the Wall of Force has been cast, the
s pire.

125
Eldritch Force 5 Days
physical representation cannot be moved. Nei- This spell magically seals a single room
ther the Wall nor the frame may be Destroyed or an entire building. The object so affected
 Invested members who are unconscious
(or conscious, yet unwilling) will not pass
through the Ward unless recognized by some-
one else.
When using combat skills or spells, you
must be completely inside or outside of the
Ward. For example, you cannot begin a spell
incant while inside the Ward, and then step out
and throw your packet.
If the Ward is somehow destroyed and re-
placed with a new one, an out-of-game notice
must be placed upon the Marshals Notes on
the door.
It is possible to Ward or Wizard Lock a
smaller room within the Ward as long as the
two rooms do not share the same portal. The
outer Ward or Wizard Lock must be cast first.
Wards are not affected by Dispel. The only
way to remove a Ward is through ritual magic.
The only way to tell if a building has been
Warded or Wizard Locked is to observe the W
on the portal. The people inside a Ward will
not know that the Ward has been removed until
they observe that the W is no longer on the
portal.
With eldritch force I build a Ward.
Celestial 9

Weakness
sp e g w
Curse 10 Minutes
This effect will curse the victim to inflict
5 points less damage with every weapon attack
(minimum damage being zero, of course). It will tim from being searched or being giving a Kill- limbs but will also remove all other magics upon
first reduce strength bonuses, then weapon pro- ing Blow. the recipient.
ficiencies. With mystic force I Web you. If this spell is cast upon an undead crea-
It affects all weapon damage in the same Celestial 5 Earth ture, it will have the same effect as a Restore
way, including ranged attacks, and regardless has on a living creature.
of whether the weapon is used with one hand
or two.
Wither I call upon chaos to
Wither your <limb>.
This effect lasts for ten minutes or until
removed with a Remove Weakness, Dispel or
s p 6 Earth

Necromancy 10 Minutes
Purify.
I Curse you with Weakness. This effect causes the targets limb to be- Wizard Lock
3 Earth come aged and infirm. The limb should be
specified by the caster (right or left leg or arm). s c
If the caster does not specify, or if the ef- Eldritch Force 5 Days
Web fects are from a potion, it is the victims choice This spell is identical to a Ward spell ex-
as to which limb to have withered; however, cept that it is cancelled by a Dispel.
s c you may not choose a limb that has already been If you wish to upgrade your Wizard Lock
Binding Line of Sight withered. into a Ward, you must first dispel the Wizard
This spell snares the arms of its victim, You can have up to four Wither spells ac- Lock. In all other respects, this spell follows
binding them straight to its sides and immobi- tive upon you at a time. If further Withers are all of the rules for a Ward, including the use of
lizing the victim completely from the neck cast upon you, then the earliest Wither will be Lesser Investment.
down. replaced and you must start counting the ten The building must be visibly marked with
The victim may talk freely, but may not minutes from that point. a large W to indicate the presence of a Ward
use any Game Ability requiring the use of the No weapon may be wielded by that limb or Wizard Lock.
arms, including using a weapon or shield, cast- nor may the limb be used for locomotion or There is no way to tell the difference be-
ing a spell, or activating a gas globe. spellcasting. Only an arm or leg can thus be tween a Ward or a Wizard Lock just by looking
The victim may not walk, run, or be moved withered. Tentacles or similar appendages are at it; the only way to tell is to cast a Dispel at
in any way. This spell does not prevent the vic- considered arms for this purpose. The head, the portal and see if it remains. You must have
tongue, or any other such organs do not count a marshal present in order to do this.

126
as limbs. With eldritch force
A Restore or a Purify will heal all with- I build a Wizard Lock.
ered limbs. A Dispel will likewise restore all Celestial 8
 Formal Magic
You have mastered the power of battle known as necromancy. A spellcaster focuses the player convenience. A ritual scroll may actu-
magic, and now it is time to delve into the higher raw elements of magic into a specific, under- ally constitute several pieces of paper with a
realm of what is called Formal Magic. standable aspect, which produces a specific ef- coded top sheet that prevents people without
Each time the Formal Magic skill is pur- fect. the Formal Magic skill from reading it. Players
chased, it increases the chance that any ritual Formal magic, however, has four aspects: should not look into the scroll sheets within
you cast will be successful. More purchases of celestial, earth, necromancy, and general. A the laminated pouch unless they possess the skill
the skill also affects your High Magic abilities caster uses ritual magic to focus the raw ele- Formal Magic.
(see page 134). ments of magic into one of these specific as- Although ritual scrolls do not expire, al-
Characters who have reached the point pects. most all ritual scrolls are consumed immedi-
where they can cast Formal Rituals often give When a caster learns the skill Formal ately after use. Those that do not will be so noted
themselves a title of Wizard. Some wizards Magic, that skill is identified with a specific on the scroll.
add a personal bit to this title such as Wizard aspect: either celestial or earth. In order to cast After use, the ritual marshal will take the
of Earth Magics or Wizard of Might and a ritual with a celestial aspect, the caster must ritual scroll to Logistics to verify its validity.
Power or Wizard of Life Healing. It is up to possess the Formal Magic skill with a celestial The use of an invalid scroll will cause a ritual
each character to decide how pretentious this aspect. In order to cast a ritual with either an to immediately fail and may subject the caster
title should be. Some refuse to use the title at earth or necromancy aspect, the caster must pos- to disciplinary proceedings.
all, and prefer Sorceress or Warlock or sess the Formal Magic skill with the earth as- All ritual scrolls are for use in the local
some other title of their own making. pect. Any caster with either aspect of the For- chapter and campaign only. The use of a ritual
Most people dont bother wizards about mal Magic skill may cast rituals with a general scroll outside its chapter of origin is strictly for-
their titles; after all, it isnt a good idea to have aspect. bidden to ensure that a chapter can properly
a spellcaster that can cast rituals mad at you. Some general aspect rituals affect the per- validate its own ritual scrolls as genuine.
formance of other rituals (for example, by ex- Every scroll contains the following infor-
The Most Important Ritual Rule: The tending the other rituals duration). Upon cast- mation:
Formal Magic system can provide fun, excite- ing, the caster must decide which aspect of other
ment, and enjoyment to all players. It is not de- rituals shall be affected. If the caster chooses Validating information: Ritual scrolls are
signed to provide players with an excuse to un- an earth aspect, for example, any celestial as- always signed by at least two members of a
balance, destroy, or otherwise ruin an Alliance pect rituals within the rituals area of effect will chapters staff and may have a specific code to
game. The Ritual Marshals, adjudicators and not be affected. If the caster chooses to affect be used by the chapter to ensure its validity.
other chapter staff have the final word as to the earth aspected rituals, necromantic rituals will
results of all rituals and their effects within their also be affected. Name: The rituals name may not ad-
chapter as they see fit, particularly where there For example: Belthivis the Wizard has a equately describe the effect, so casters and mar-
are disputes about the meaning of a rule. weapon with two separate rituals cast upon it: shals should always refer to the description of
While they may not violate the spirit of an earth aspect damage aura and a celes- the effect, rather than just the name. For ex-
the rules (just as the players are bound by the tial aspect Spell Strike Ice Storm. Both ritu- ample, a Conjuration scroll might conjure any
word and spirit of the rules), the decision of a als will expire in one months time. When type of elemental, even if the ritual name says
staff member who feels that the ritual rules are Belthivis attempts to cast a Permanent Dura- only Summoning.
being abused must be obeyed. tion ritual on the rituals on his weapon, Belthi-
Some examples of behavior by players that vis must first designate an aspect for the Per- Aspect: This lists whether the ritual is
often require staff members to intercede include: manent Duration. If he selects earth aspect general, celestial, earth, or necromancy.
Players who try to force their interpre- (and the ritual is successful), his Damage
tations of a rule on other players; Aura ritual becomes Permanent. If he selects Difficulty Rating: Unmodified, this num-
Players who try to use technical defini- celestial aspect (and the ritual is successful), ber represents the level of the ritual, which is a
tions of the rules to obtain advantages not in- his Spell Strike ritual becomes permanent. number between 1 and 10. This number might
tended by the Alliance or chapter staff and Necromantic aspected rituals are visually be adjusted at the time of casting by the actions
which therefore violate the spirit of the rules; recognizable as necromantic, even if the invo- of the ritual caster or other factors, as specified
Players who perform actions that could cation does not use the word chaos. Any in- in the description of the effect.
be harmful or damaging to the plot or back- dividual observing a ritual may ask the out-of-
story of the local campaign or its players. game question, Does this ritual look necro- Type: This indicates where and on what
Moreso than other rules, Formal Magic mantic? The Ritual Marshal should answer the ritual can be cast.
allows much room for interpretation. This in- yes or no and may provide an in-game de- Body: cast on individuals with spirits, but
terpretation is done by the Plot Committee, not scription such as Dark flows of energy can be affects only the physical body. When the indi-
the player. Players who argue with or harass seen swirling within the Circle of Power. All vidual resurrects, the effect vanishes.
staff members with whose interpretations of items that are created using a necromantic as- Physical: cast on items but not on people.
Formal Magic rituals they disagree may have pect are given earth aspect tags. Spirit: cast on individuals with spirits, but
the Formal Magic skill removed. affects only the spirit. The effect survives the
individuals resurrection.
Ritual Scrolls Location: cast on a specific location. Staff
Aspects All formal magic requires a ritual scroll, members must approve any adjustments to the
Battle magic (the magic cast by spell- which contains the description, directions and location of a ritually active area (such as the
casters who have not yet mastered Formal limitations for the specific ritual. The ritual

127
Magic) is separated into three aspects: celes- scroll will typically appear in a laminated pouch
tial, earth, and the perversion of earth magic that can be easily inserted into a notebook for
 Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads

location of a Healers Guild Circle) due to out- order to give other players enough time to at- Reagents required for a specific ritual are
of-game concerns. For instance, if a cabin as- tempt to stop its invocation. usually generated randomly so no two ritual
signment must be changed due to out-of-game Some rituals refer to a batch of rituals. scrolls are ever identical, even if they have the
considerations, rituals cast on the cabin should This is defined by the character casting the ritu- same name. Even copies of a scroll will require
transfer to the new assignment. als, which are all of the same Aspect and cast different components (and thus the wording on
Universal: cast on either an item or an in- no more than five minutes apart. If more than the copy will change). If a scroll can be spell-
dividual. On an item, the ritual is deemed to five minutes passes between rituals intended to crafted, the scroll will specify how many of the
possess the Physical Type. On an individual, be part of the same batch, the batch is closed specified reagents listed on this entry (usually
the ritual is deemed to possess the Body Type. and a new batch must be started. one to three) are required for spellcrafting.
Extenders may be cast at any time during
Duration: The categories of durations are: the ritual batch. If an extender is cast as the Failure: This specifies the possible flaws
Instantaneous: the effect occurs immedi- last ritual in a batch, the Difficulty/Reagent Cost and backlashes that might occur if the casting
ately after casting and then ceases. is calculated off of the previous rituals which fails.
Until Used: the effect is in abeyance until were successful and on the item. Every scroll has completely different flaws
invoked, according to the description of the ef- If a ritual is cast at the beginning or any and backlashes. The ritual marshal will write
fect. Sometimes, a time limit is placed on the time in a batch other than as the last ritual, the any long-term negative effects on the players
effect, within which the effect must be invoked. Difficulty and Reagent cost of the extender is character card. Some backlashes and flaws may
Five Days/One Year/Five Years (etc.): the based off the intended number of rituals in the simply say See Plot. Others may have effects
effect lasts the specific time from the casting of batch and is not modified by failing rituals that will only appear in that particular chapter.
the ritual. which occur after the extender is placed. Backlashes are always detrimental, and
Permanent: Permanent rituals last until the may even include the casters death. Backlashes
item, body or spirit is destroyed or other speci- Ritual Instructions: This explains the ef- can affect the caster, those inside the Circle
fied criteria occurs. fect of the ritual and how Logistics will be re- during the casting, and even those watching the
quired to resolve the effect in-game, as estab- ritual. All possible results are printed on the
Casting Time: If no casting time is listed lished by the Plot Committee. It will also indi- ritual scroll itself, so a caster knows in advance
on the ritual scroll, the casting time is five min- cate if the ritual can be spellcrafted and whether what the risks of casting the ritual are.
utes. No ritual will have a casting time exceed- the ritual requires Plot Committee approval or Flaws are not always negative in nature.
ing one hour. Ritual scrolls with a casting time notification before invocation. Sometimes a flaw may even enhance the effect
of one hour are rare and are usually that long in of the ritual.
Components: This identifies the specific Flaws and Backlashes that affect a char-

128 reagents and catalysts required for the ritual, acter count as targeting the characters spirit
which is never less than three. only if the source ritual were targeting a spirit.
Otherwise, Flaws and Backlashes are consid- Cariosus (also known as Ghoul Truesilver (also known as Lodestone):
ered to be targeting the characters body. Grease): Cariosus can be found in a powder, Truesilver is a substance with a mysterious ori-
Note that Destroy Magic backlashes tar- or in a greasy, or gaseous form on many ani- gin. It is said that truesilver might be some form
geting the caster will destroy all rituals on the mated dead creatures. Called the essence of of quicksilver or a form of silver that has be-
casters body and/or spirit. unlife, cariosus is frequently found in grave- come magic upon the blessing of an ancient
yards and on the bodies of the undead. Cariosus ruler. Truesilver adds purity to many rituals. It
can be very delicate, and it is sometimes even can be found within and on many stones and
Ritual Components necessary to preserve the entire decaying limb, rocks, and even small traces of truesilver can
Ritual components are the fuel for ritual hand, or finger to preserve the cariosus upon it. endow common stones with power.
casting and spellcrafting. The ritual scroll will It can often be found in vials as a liquid or gas,
designate the specific type of ritual components as its states are extremely chaotic. However, Wands: Certain types of wooden and even
needed. Substitution is not allowed. The fail- cariosus is not necromantic. metallic crafted items possess an innate power
ure to use the exact ritual components listed on for channeling the power of magic during ritual
the scroll will cause the ritual to automatically Fangtooth (also known as Blood- casting. Wands are found from these innately
fail and to backlash. thorn): Fangtooth components vary wildly, magical substances. This is not to be confused
Components are easily recognizable by the and are often found from a diverse group of with the magical wands used by celestial cast-
civilized races as well as savage races and mon- carnivorous creatures. Any predatory creature, ers.
sters alike. Any person who picks up a ritual including civilized races and even the thorns
component can immediately see a clear and dis- of some dangerous plant creatures, can produce
tinguishable pulsing soft glow and hear a mild a fangtooth.
The Circle of Power
hum. Circles of Power can be generated through
Out-of-game, this power is represented by Feyander: Feyander are plants that grow the use of the ninth-level battle magic spell
a popsicle stick attached to the component along in natural settings abundant with magic or con- Circle of Power or through the use of a formal
with documentation needed by the ritual mar- nected with the faerie world, such as near se- ritual. Ritual casting must be conducted within
shal. The popsicle stick will also identify the rene ponds, near mushroom rings, or verdant a Circle of Power and will automatically fail if
type of component it is. Anyone who finds one forests. Many races often gather feyander for attempted anywhere else. If a Circle of Power
can identify what it is and that it is a ritual com- its magical properties. Any plant can be is destroyed or otherwise ends during the ritual
ponent (although not which rituals in which it feyander if it is naturally infused with magic. casting, the ritual will automatically fail.
may be used). Once the ritual begins, no individual may
After a ritual has been completed, the ritual Heartstone: Heartstone is typically asso- enter the Circle of Power (except through the
marshal officiating over the ritual will collect ciated with gems and other forms of rare met- rituals Spirit Walk or Spirit Recall, or through
any components used and return them to Lo- als. The magical transformation of a gem or appearing as a spirit needing a resurrection) or
gistics to be compared against the list of com- metal into heartstone is fairly rare, making these else the ritual will automatically fail. If more
ponents that have been distributed by the cam- items known for their value even if they were than one ritual is cast inside a Circle of Power
paign so their authenticity will then be verified. not infused with magic. Heartstone is the es- simultaneously, the ritual that was commenced
Any player who uses components of du- sence of the earth itself. later will automatically fail.
bious origin may be disciplined. A battle-cast Circle of Power will last for
There are two types of ritual components: Jetsam (also known as Hydrite): Jet- one hour, which is often more than enough time
reagents and catalysts. sam is the essence of the ocean, typically found for a wizard to cast several rituals before it ex-
Reagents do not hold their magic forever, in shells and other waterborne and blessed ar- pires. Ritually cast Limited Circles of Power
and will expire after approximately five years. ticles that have spent a long time in the sea or and Greater Circles of Power can last anywhere
Any ritual using an expired reagent will fail. beneath the water. from days to years, or even be permanent.
The expiration date is clearly marked on the Limited or Greater Circles of Power al-
popsicle stick. Nightshade (also known as Goblin- ways possess either an earth or celestial aspect.
In certain specific cases, a catalyst may be bane): Nightshade is typically found in the When one of these Circles of Power is ritually
required, which is a very rare component dis- form of poisonous mushrooms cultivated on the cast, the caster determines the aspect of the re-
tributed with very close supervision by the Plot darkest nights, within places where many liv- sulting Circle of Power according to the aspect
Committee. While reagents are transferable be- ing creatures have died. One may find night- of Formal Magic that the caster possesses. A
tween all Alliance chapters within the specific shade on battlefields, graveyards, or even in fal- caster who possesses both earth and celestial
campaign, catalysts may only be used in the low fields. Nightshade also includes semi-poi- Formal Magic may choose the aspect of such a
chapter in which they are distributed. Catalysts sonous substances such as belladonna, man- Circle of Power.
do not expire. drake, and wolfsbane. Only rituals possessing a general or celes-
Catalysts typically have unique names tial aspect may be cast in a Circle of Power with
such as Essence of a Falling Star or Shard Penna (also known as Windkiss): a celestial aspect. Only rituals possessing a gen-
of a Heros Tomb. Each ritual that requires a Penna are feathers kissed by the wind. Some- eral, earth or necromantic Aspect may be cast
catalyst has a specific catalyst assigned to it, thing magical happens when the wind strikes in a Circle of Power with an earth aspect. Ritu-
designated on the specific ritual scroll. the feathers of magical creatures, causing them als of the wrong aspect will not begin in a Circle
to become endowed with a mystical quality. of Power of the wrong aspect.
Penna can be found in nearly any location where
Reagents avian creatures frequent. Penna is frequently Investment: Investiture is a ritual that
There are ten categories of reagents, al- called the essence of the wind. must be performed upon a person while present
though the physical representation of each cat- in the Circle of Power into which the person is
egory may take different forms. For example, Pyrotis (also known as Lastember): to be Invested.
Feyander is a magical plant. It could come in Pyrotis is a black substance typically found near
the form of a flower or even an acorn. The ten
categories of reagents are:
areas of great fires or where intense heat con-
verts a substance into the very essence of fire. 129
 An Invested member of a Circle of Power Points. During the ten minutes, it is apparent to Gather Resources: The caster should take
can walk in and out of the Circle unimpeded at all observers that a resurrection is occurring, the time to make sure all of the required re-
any time, unless that member is unconscious but the exact identity of the person being resur- sources are ready. Failure to have any of these
(or conscious yet unwilling). An unconscious rected will be unknown to all but the Invested prerequisites available at the time of ritual cast-
or unwilling member of the Circle of Power member performing the resurrection. ing means the ritual cannot be conducted, and
will not pass through the Circle unless recog- For more on resurrections, see page 91. the ritual marshal may confiscate and break one
nized by another Invested member, even if the ritual component in the casters possession. The
member requires a Life spell. caster is responsible for ensuring that the fol-
Individuals who are not Invested may not lowing items are available when a ritual mar-
enter or exit a Circle of Power unless recog- shal is sought to officiate:
nized by an Invested member of that Circle of A physical representation for the Circle
Power. The Invested member must clearly ac- of Power (if the caster is not using a Greater
knowledge that permission to enter or exit the Circle of Power);
Circle of Power has been given, by gesturing A copy of this Rule Book;
to and saying recognized. This is an out-of- A 10-sided die;
game statement, and it can therefore be made The ritual scroll or scrolls to be used.
even when Silenced. Upon recognition, the in- The caster must have at least a one in ten chance
dividual must immediately enter or exit the of successfully casting the ritual;
Circle of Power. The recognition expires almost The ritual components required for each
immediately after being recognized. ritual scroll;
An individual who seeks to use combat- Valid recipients for each ritual, whether
related Game Abilities (such as while fighting items or persons. Any item to receive a ritual
or spellcasting) must be completely inside or casting must already be an in-game item, either
outside of the Circle of Power throughout the marked with a chapters item number or an in-
action. For example, a player may not begin a game weapon, armor, or other approved item;
spell incantation while within the Circle of Any additional players or NPCs required
Power and then step outside to throw the packet; for the ritual;
nor can a player stand within the Circle of Power The casters player card, as well as the
and swing a weapon at a target located outside player cards of any ritual casters aiding in the
the Circle of Power. ritual casting.
Wizards need not be Invested in order to
cast a ritual in a Circle of Power, although ob- Obtain Ritual Marshal: A ritual marshal
viously they must be recognized in. is a staff member approved by the chapter in
which the ritual is to take place. It is important
Greater Circles of Power: Greater Circles to remember that ritual marshals can be very
of Power are usually found only in Healers busy, so it is the casters responsibility to take
Guilds and Mages Guilds. Raiding a Circle of the time to make sure everything is ready to
Power requires the player to adhere to all of the proceed before obtaining a ritual marshal and
rules applicable to raiding a cabin. to minimize the amount of time a ritual mar-
An Invested member of a celestial Greater shal will be needed. Depending on the ritual,
Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
Circle of Power may perform an Identify on the caster may also need to request a magic
items or individuals an unlimited amount of item temporary tag from the ritual marshal.
times per day, as long as the item or individual Players should be quick, professional and cour-
to be Identified is completely within the Circle teous when conducting a ritual.
at the time. If performed on an item, Identify
Ritual Casting
tells the caster whether the item has any magi- Ritual casting is a complicated process. If Get Ritual Ready: Upon arrival, the ritual
cal properties and how the item works. If per- every component, if every element, if every marshal will take the following steps, with
formed on an individual, Identify tells the caster action is not taken properly, the ritual will fail. which the players involved should cooperate:
what active effects or rituals are present and Any player seeking to cast a ritual must follow Ritual marshal identifies the primary
will also Identify any magic items the individual the following steps and have the appropriate caster and any additional casters who will as-
is carrying or wearing. (Note: some powerful staff member(s) present: sist in the ritual;
magical creatures cannot be Identified.) Iden- Ritual marshal reviews the casters player
tify does not reveal background, race, age, class, Inform Plot: If possible, casters who in- cards to note how many levels of the appropri-
skills, monster abilities, favorite color, or any tend to ritual cast at an event should alert cam- ate school of Formal Magic they possess. Note
other information other than what has previ- paign staff well in advance that a ritual may that a Ritual Caster may choose to not use all
ously been mentioned. occur at the event. Some rituals require the of their Ritual Levels when casting if they so
An Invested member of an earth Greater campaigns Plot Committee be notified, espe- desire;
Circle of Power is capable of performing an cially if the ritual requires NPCs to perform ac- Ritual marshal reads the first ritual scroll
unlimited number of Resurrections each day, tions, or if the ritual requires a member of the thoroughly, asking relevant questions. For ex-
as long as the member and the spirit to be res- Plot Committee to provide information or other ample, if the scroll has the ability to cast a more
urrected are completely within the Circle of support. Some ritual scrolls require the notifi- powerful form of the ritual, the marshal should
Power. A resurrection requires ten minutes to cation of the Plot Committee prior to ritual cast- ask the player what level of the ritual the caster
complete and brings the recipient to full Body ing, and failure to do so many mean that you is attempting;
will not be allowed to perform the ritual that Ritual marshal confirms that all the re-

130 event or else that the ritual will automatically

fail.
quired components and recipients are present
within a valid Circle of Power;
 Ritual marshal calculates and informs the
players of the Difficulty Rating of the ritual;
Ritual marshal calculates and informs the
players of the chance of success of the ritual as
follows: The Success Number used for the ritual
roll is ten plus the primary casters Formal
Magic levels minus the rituals Difficulty Rat-
ing. If using secondary casters to aid in the
ritual, add one to the number of caster formal
levels for each valid secondary caster partici-
pating;
Ritual marshal repeats this process for
each ritual the players intend to conduct;
Ritual marshal informs the players they
may begin the first ritual;
The caster casts the Circle of Power spell
if a permanent Circle of Power is not being used.

Conduct the Ritual: The caster begins the

ritual casting by stating the words Begin ritual
casting. The caster must be able to read the
scroll and must be able to use Game Abilities Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
throughout the casting. The caster must touch
a valid recipient for the ritual within thirty sec-
onds of beginning the ritual, or the ritual auto- The caster does not have at least a one in leave the Circle of Power;
matically backlashes. So long as the target of a ten chance of successfully completing the ritual The caster becomes unable to use Game
Formal has been signified by touching it within without a flaw or backlash; Abilities;
the first thirty seconds of the Formal, the target The Circle of Power representation is not Any individual enters the Circle of Power
remains valid despite any other steps taken to properly set up as per the Circle of Power spell by any means other than Spirit Walk, Spirit
prevent the caster from touching the target (such rules prior to the beginning of the ritual; Recall, or resurrection;
as the target suffering a Prison effect). The caster fails to possess a ritual scroll The recipient, caster, or any individual
A dead (not permanently) body may be the for the ritual to be attempted; aiding in the ritual leaves the Circle of Power;
target of a ritual; however, if it leaves the circle The caster fails to follow any prepara- The Circle of Power expires or termi-
before the Formal is complete (such as dissi- tory requirements indicated on the ritual scroll nates for any reason;
pating to go resurrect), the Formal will back- prior to stating Begin ritual casting. The caster or those aiding the caster re-
lash. ceive a weapon or packet delivered attack, even
Once touched, the caster may not desig- Failure With Automatic Backlash if the attack would not normally harm the indi-
nate a new recipient for the ritual. During the A ritual will automatically backlash if any vidual;
ritual casting, the caster cannot do much of any- of the following conditions occur after the caster Any additional requirements of the ritual
thing but speak and fulfill the actions required states Begin ritual casting and before the ritual listed on the ritual scroll are not met;
in the ritual scroll. is complete: The caster uses a Game Ability other than
No spells or Game Abilities may be used, Another ritual casting has previously Formal Magic, Read and Write or a Game Abil-
from the point the caster states Begin ritual been commenced and not completed in the same ity, spell, or magic item specifically indicated
casting until the ritual ends, except Formal Circle of Power when the caster states Begin on the ritual scroll.
Magic, Read and Write, and any skill or spell ritual casting; If an automatic backlash occurs, a die roll
specifically set forth on the ritual scroll. A reagent provided for the ritual has ex- is made upon the backlash list. Any ritual that
If a person is casting a ritual that stores a pired; suffers an automatic backlash is assumed to
spell or ability, then a person with the ability to The caster does not touch a designated immediately fail. All ritual scrolls, catalysts and
use that ability or cast that spell must, at the recipient within thirty seconds of starting the reagents within the Circle of Power during a
appropriate point in the ritual, touch the recipi- ritual, if such a designation is necessary; ritual that generates an automatic backlash are
ent and declare the name of the spell or ability The caster designates an invalid recipi- destroyed.
to be stored. ent for the ritual after stating Begin ritual cast-
The recipient is not affected by the spell ing; Process of Ritual Casting
or ritual being stored and the person with that The caster, intentionally or inadvertently, After the caster states Begin ritual cast-
skill or spell should only utter the name of the after having touched a designated recipient for ing, the following steps must occur before the
skill or spell, not the verbal that invokes the the ritual, designates a new recipient of the ritual is deemed complete:
effect. The spell or ability tag must then be at- ritual; 1. The ritual marshal calls a Hold;
tached to the ritual tag and carried by the re- The caster or other person designated in 2. If the recipient of the ritual is an in-
cipient person or attached to the recipient item. the ritual scroll fails to touch the recipient when dividual, the ritual marshal will ask the recipi-
declaring a skill or spell to store in the recipi- ent, A ritual is being cast on you. Do you ac-
Failure Without Backlash ent; cept it? (Note that a player must accept the
A ritual will fail without backlash if, at the The caster cannot read the ritual scroll rituals Banish to Other Plane, Divestiture, and
time the caster states Begin ritual casting, any due to poor lighting or other obscuring factors; Obliteration.) If the player says no, the ritual
of the following conditions are met: The caster loses possession or sight of

131
The caster, ritual scroll and all required the ritual scroll or any of the components;
components are not in a Circle of Power; The ritual scroll or ritual components
marshal must follow the rules set forth below
under the heading Unwilling Targets;
3. The ritual marshal makes sure that ev-
eryone in the Circle of Power is awake out-of-
game;
4. The ritual marshal assures that the
ritual can properly begin;
5. If the ritual has not yet failed or au-
tomatically backlashed, the ritual marshal tells
everyone in the Circle of Power, There is magic
all around you;
6. The ritual marshal calls Lay on;
7. The ritual marshal rolls the ten-sided
die once where the caster can observe the die
roll. As the die roll takes place before the ritual
completes, the caster has in-game knowledge
of whether something is not going well with
the casting and may use Terminate Casting to
abort the ritual based on the die roll;
8. The ritual marshal determines if the
ritual fails for any reason other than the die roll;
9. The ritual marshal waits the duration
of the ritual casting, in case a condition occurs
that would cause an automatic backlash;
10. Assuming the ritual has not automati-
cally backlashed, the ritual marshal announces
either You have successfully completed the
ritual (if the ritual succeeded) or Something
has gone dreadfully wrong (if it does not).
The Ritual has now ended.

Determine Success or Failure

Assuming no automatic failure or back-
lash occurs, the success or failure of the ritual
is determined using a ten-sided die as follows:
If the number is less than or equal to the
Success Number and is not 0, then the ritual
succeeds.
If the number is greater than the Success
Number or is 0, then the ritual marshal rolls
a second ten-sided die. Any result but a 0 on
the second die roll indicates a flaw. A 0 on
the second die roll indicates a backlash, which
requires the ritual marshal to roll a third ten- Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
sided die and look on the backlash table on the
ritual scroll to determine the form of the back-
lash. rituals name, duration, recipient, effect of the als affected.
A successful ritual follows the procedure ritual, and any other pertinent information. The Casters are expected to role-play and re-
set forth in Success, below. A ritual that fails temporary tag should should be signed by the solve their flaws and backlashes without com-
or backlashes follows the procedure set forth ritual marshal. If any skills or spells were placed plaint for the duration listed on the ritual scroll.
in Failure, below. within the recipient, the tags for those skills and Local chapters also have the discretion to gen-
Success: The ritual marshal either awards spells should be attached to the temporary tag. erate a unique plot effect or encounter based
the successful caster a temporary tag for the Recipients should make sure the temporary tag on a ritual gone awry that may not be specified
ritual conducted or makes sure the ritual effect has accurate information and is signed by the on the ritual scroll.
is carried out by informing the Plot Committee proper staff member(s).
or by personally overseeing the rituals effect. Please note that the Plot Committee re- Clean-up
A temporary tag allows the ritual marshal to serves the right to assign plot effects that may Once success or failure has been resolved,
write down the rituals conducted and indicate not be set forth in the ritual scroll. When this the ritual marshal should collect all ritual com-
that a permanent tag for the ritual should be occurs, the Plot Committee will likely desig- ponents and ritual scrolls consumed in the ritu-
awarded at the end of the event or at the begin- nate such plot effects effective only in the local als. These will be turned into the Logistics staff
ning of the next event that the recipient of the chapter. to be registered in the campaigns database. If
ritual attends. Failure or Backlash: If the ritual fails or there are more components in the casters pos-
The temporary tag should indicate the backlashes, a ritual marshal will determine the session than were needed to cast the ritual, the
effect, if any, of the failure or backlash based caster may designate which components were

132 on the scrolls charts. Any lasting effects will

be written on the player cards of any individu-
consumed as long as they meet the requirements
set forth in the ritual scroll.
 Multiple Casters the item taken in-game, you must turn over the for its proper duration and then the ritual mar-
Multiple casters may participate in the tag but waive the ability to recognize in-game shal checks for failures normally. Any failures
casting of the same ritual. One, and only one, your item when it used by someone else. that could have a detrimental effect on the re-
of the participants must be designated the pri- A specific item may not contain more than cipient of the ritual are ignored, and the fail-
mary caster. The other casters are known as twenty rituals. Some rituals that can increase ures affect the caster or others in the Circle nor-
the secondary casters. effects on a specific ritual may count as more mally.
Each secondary caster must have the same than one ritual towards this twenty ritual maxi- A recipient of a ritual cannot choose to
aspect as the primary caster and at least one mum. Some items may be exempt from this rule. die in order to avoid the affects of an Oblitera-
level of the Formal Magic skill. For example, Enchanted items sometimes have a lim- tion, Banish to Other Plane, or Divestiture.
only secondary casters with a celestial aspect ited life span. When a ritual expires, the items Remember that a caster cannot waylay, cast
can aid a primary caster with a celestial aspect. owner is expected to turn the tag over to the spells upon, or otherwise restrain a person in-
The ritual marshal should review the player campaigns staff. Enchanted items immediately side the Circle of Power once the ritual casting
cards of each secondary caster before the ritual return to their normal state upon expiration. begins.
begins.
For each qualified secondary caster aid- Staff
ing in the ritual casting, the primary caster is Many ritualsparticularly rituals that
deemed to have an additional level of Formal summon the undead, extraplanar creatures,
Magic for purposes of the ritual being cast. No magical creatures, or that create constructs like
matter how many levels of the Formal Magic golemsrequire the cooperation of NPCs to
skill each secondary caster possesses, the pri- play the summoned or constructed creatures.
mary caster gains no more than one level per Some rituals have specific effects that occur im-
secondary caster present. mediately and require a staff member to imple-
Moreover, the primary caster must have ment, like a Whispering Wind that allows the
at least a one in ten chance to successfully com- caster to send a message to another individual.
plete the ritual before the effect of the presence These effects are executed by the NPCs, the
of any secondary casters is determined. No more ritual marshal or chapter staff. Such rituals will
than one secondary caster may aid a primary never last longer than a single event, and often
caster for each level of the Formal Magic skill no longer than an hour.
possessed by the primary caster. A chapters staff may require the caster to
No matter how may secondary casters as- provide individuals to play these NPCs if the
sist a primary caster, the chance of successfully staff does not have NPCs available. The caster
completing a ritual cannot exceed nine in ten. should give the staff advance warning of the
A flaw or backlash is always encountered on a casting of such a ritual so that NPCs can be
die roll of 0, regardless of the assistance of sec- scheduled if the staff is willing and able to do
ondary casters. so. The caster has the burden to ensure there
Secondary casters must follow all the same are NPCs available that have been approved
rules with respect to the conduct of rituals as by staff at the time of casting. Proper arrange-
the primary caster, except that secondary cast- Recipient Characters ments should be made prior to undertaking the
ers do not have to possess their own ritual scroll Some rituals can transform or change a tar- ritual. If the caster provides NPCs for these roles
or ritual components, do not have to be able to geted player into undead, another race, or an- and the NPCs are not otherwise participating
see or read the ritual scroll, and do not have to other class. The player must follow the instruc- in the event or are a paying player character for
touch the recipient during the ritual casting. Sec- tions on the ritual scroll after the ritual is com- that event, the chapter staff may charge the
ondary casters may not withdraw their support plete and the players new character informa- NPCs a fee for their attendance.
for the ritual after the ritual has begun. tion will be changed in the chapters database. The caster is also primarily responsible for
In case of failure or backlash, secondary Such players are expected to provide their own any make-up, costuming and weapons for the
casters are subject to the same effects as if the make-up for any transformation, if necessary. NPCs and if the staff does not have or is un-
primary caster. Sometimes the staff may be able to lend sup- willing to provide such materials, the caster
plies for transformations. must provide them. Monster cards will be pro-
Players who change classes or skills are vided for the NPCs.
People and Props required to get teaching cards before the change. The creatures that have been summoned
Props As with items, individuals cannot possess or created are not player characters. They are
Some rituals allow the enchantment of more than twenty rituals, including Regener- not as smart as player characters and campaign
specific items. These items must be approved ate, Vengeance, and Spirit Link. If the individual staff can limit their capabilities and personal-
before enchantment. Weapons typically require dies, some rituals may expire upon resurrec- ity. All NPCs must work within any limits the
a safety check. Jewelry needs to be entered into tion. campaign staff sets, including limitations on the
the chapters database and assigned an item Unwilling Targets: Sometimes rituals are administration of Killing Blows, and on the
number before the ritual casting. The item must cast on unwilling recipients. The player of an casters commands that the NPCs will follow.
always have a surface large enough to engrave unwilling recipient may inform the ritual mar- The NPCs may not even be required to do the
a number upon it. Only after the item has been shal that he or she wishes her character to res- casters bidding at all.
approved is it ready to be used in a ritual. urrect rather than accept the ritual. In the case Only approved members of the chapter
After the ritual, assuming success, the item of ritual effects delivered outside the context staff or their assigned proxies may role-play
immediately becomes property of the game. of a ritual casting, the player may choose to very powerful creatures. Personal friends of the
Therefore, you should not use items you wish have their character immediately dissipate and caster are not allowed to play such creatures.
to keep. Alternatively, if you enchant your ar- head to the nearest earth circle for ressurection,
mor or a special item that you do not wish to
make an in-game item, if you are searched and
following the normal rules.
In such cases, the casting still continues 133
 High Magic
Characters who have reached the point have additional criteria that a character must
where they can utilize the power of Formal meet in order to allocate their points to have
High Magic Effects
Magic and cast ritual scrolls find a greater un- access to the skill. These may be limited by Bane
derstanding of their ability to use magic to aug- Formal Magic aspects, possession of other game Each time this ability is selected it pro-
ment their control over their battle magic spells, skills, or other limitations based on the plot. vides protection against all attacks of a specific
their weapons, and even their own bodies. Characters possessing battle magic spells Effect or Effect Group chosen by the caster (but
High Magic effects give the character ac- in both schools can only use High Magic to not the Effect Group other). The Bane will
cess to a variety of magical augmentations to augment spells from the school in which they reflect the specific effect from among those in
enhance, alter, or manipulate their existing possess the Formal Magic skill. its Effect Group back upon the attacker as if it
skills, or to harness the power of formal magic Characters possessing Formal Magic lev- were an effect encountering a Reflect or Riposte.
rituals, as discussed below. els in both the earth and celestial aspects must Bane does not alter the delivery type of
Note that rituals are not effects and unless allocate their High Magic points separately for the effect. A Nausea gas poison that has been
they duplicate a defined effect in an effect group each aspect. These points cannot be combined Baned is still considered a poison for the pur-
in the rulebook they cant be Cloaked or Baned in any way. poses of delivery-based defenses such as Poi-
or be subject to a No Effect due to <effect The chart on the next page lists the cost of son Shield or Resist Poison.
group> Immunity. all available High Magic effects and the pre- The Bane effect is on the casters body for
requisites. Some skills have additional require- the purpose of targeting. The effect will always
ments a character must meet in order to use that be on the body part containing the spirit if parts
High Magic Rules ability. Be sure to read the effect descriptions of the body are separated. When the body is
Formal casters receive at Logistics a spe- below and do not rely solely on the chart, which reformed through resurrection, the Bane will
cific number of points to spend on High Magic is meant only as a quick reference. immediately expire. The aspect of this effect
effects for an event. The Formal caster need not will always be the same as that of the ritual
spend his or her total points all at the first Lo- caster.
gistics period but can divide them during the Bane will act as a Cloak when used against
course of the event during each Logistics pe- Ingested delivery, a trap, or a Killing Blow.
riod. This ability may be purchased once for
To calculate how many points a caster gets every three 9th level spell slots a caster can
total, the break down is as follows: Formal lev- memorize.
els x 0.5 x number of Logistics periods per event
(rounded down). Celestial Armor
Basically, this means that for a regular This High Magic ability allows the For-
event consisting of two game-days with two mal Caster to construct a powerful barrier of
Logistics periods, you will get the same num- protection similar to an invisible suit of armor.
ber of points as Formal Magic levels you have. Each time Celestial Armor is purchased it pro-
For example: Darlissa has grown in power vides 5 points of armor to the caster for a maxi-
over the years and now has 13 levels of Formal mum protection of 15 points.
Magic. When she arrives at check-in for a regu- If reduced to zero or below, this magical
lar weekend (consisting of two game-days) she armor can be restored to its full protection with
can spend 13 points divided up between the one minute of concentration. This magical pro-
days in any way she chooses (6 one day and 7 tection cannot be combined with other suits of
the next, for instance). armor or suits created through the ritual Arcane
Later, she attends a long event, consisting Armor.
of three game-days. She uses the formula (13 x Please note: High Magic effects are avail-
0.5 x 3) which gives her a total of 19.5, which able to all magic users with the skill of Formal Channel Earth/Chaos
is rounded down to 19 points to use through Magic but access to some High Magic effects Each time this ability is selected, the earth
the event. may vary from game to game due to local plot- Formal Caster caster chooses either earth or
High Magic points can be allocated each lines. These subtle in-game differences reflect chaos. This augmentation allows the character
Logistics period from the available High Magic how the magical energy between different lands to channel this element through those weapons
effects. Characters may choose how they wish varies and the knowledge of local wizards be- in which they have the skill for the duration of
to allocate their High Magic points at each Lo- ing able to manipulate these energies. the Logistics period.
gistics period. All High Magic effects last until used or This ability may not be purchased more
Characters using High Magic effects may for five days (whichever comes first) or until than once in a single Logistics period. The ele-
only allocate points to augment their own abili- the character resurrects (unless otherwise ment selected to be channeled must be declared
ties; they may not be donated to other char- stated). If a skill states that it can only be pur- at the time of selection in Logistics.
acters. High Magic cannot be used to create chased a limited number of times, that limit
physical items or effects to be used by other applies to how many can be purchased simul- Channel Foundation Element
characters. taneously, not over the length of an event. For Each time this ability is selected, the caster
Note that some High Magic effects may example, if you are limited to purchasing one chooses one of the four foundation elements
Bane at a time due to having only three 9th level (stone, lightning, ice, or flame).
spells, you could repurchase this Bane at a Lo- This augmentation allows the character to
134 gistics after you have expended it if you have
sufficient High Magic points remaining.
channel this element through those weapons in
which they have proficiency for the duration of
 High Magic Points Prerequisites
General High Magic
Must be able to cast three 9th level spells from memory for
Bane <effect group name> 2
every purchase of Bane <effect>

Must be able to cast two 9th level spells from memory for every
Cloak <effect group name> 1
purchase of Cloak <effect>
Foresight 3 Formal Magic level 4
Formal Link 1 Formal Magic level 1
Must be able to cast one 9th level spell from memory for every
Magic Augmentation 2
purchase of the Magic Augmentation

Formal Magic level 1, Must have ritual scroll you wish to

Ritual Manipulation 1
spellcraft from plus required reagents

Formal Magic level 1, Must have ritual scroll you wish to

Spellcraft 1
spellcraft from plus required reagents
Celestial High Magic
Celestial Armor 3 Celestial aspect only, Max 3 purchases
Celestial aspect only, Character must be proficient in a weapon
Channel Foundation Element 5
skill to deliver Channel effect.

Selected spell can only be from the Evocation group, Must be

Elemental Augmentation 2 able to cast one 9th level spell from memory for every purchase
of the Elemental Augmentation

Celestial aspect only, Must be able to cast four 9th level spells
Elemental Burst 1
from memory

Requires weapon skill <staff> and the ability to

Oak of the Arcane 4
cast one 9th level spell
Spirit Store 5 Celestial aspect only
Earth High Magic
Earth/Necromancy aspect only, Character must be proficient in
Channel Earth/Chaos 5
a weapon skill to deliver the effect
Earth's Bounty 3 Earth aspect, only Max 3 purchases
Healers Resolve 1 Earth Aspect only
Rebirth 5 Earth Aspect only, requires Life spell from memory

the Logistics period. specific effect from among those in its Effect Earths bounty
Characters must possess levels in celes- Group as if the effect were encountering a Spell This ability grants an earth caster an in-
tial Formal Magic to use this ability. This abil- Shield or Magic Armor. crease by 5 of total maximum Body Points.
ity may not be purchased more than once in a The Cloak effect is on the casters body These points are the first Body Points lost due
single Logistics period. The foundation element for the purpose of targeting. The effect will al- to damage. This ability can be purchased a maxi-
selected to be channeled must be declared at ways be on the body part containing the spirit mum of three times, providing 15 additional
the time of selection in Logistics. if parts of the body are separated. When the Body Points to the caster. These points can be
body is reformed through resurrection, the healed to maximum by normal healing means.
Cloak Cloak will immediately expire. The aspect of In all respects, this ability is as if the caster
Each time this ability is selected it pro- this effect will always be the same as that of the was of a higher level with the extra Body Points.
vides protection against all attacks of a specific ritual caster. This ability may be purchased once

135
Effect or Effect Group (but not the effect group for every two 9th level spell slots a caster can
other). The Cloak will completely nullify the memorize.
 Elemental Augmentation Foresight When Oak of the Arcane is chosen, the
This skill is only available to those with When this ability is chosen, it allows a caster must choose an element which the packet
the Formal Magic (celestial) skill. Those with caster to re-roll one backlash on a failed ritual attacks can channel (stone, lightning, ice or
only Formal Magic (earth) cannot purchase this attempt for each time this skill is purchased. flame). Base damage for Oak of the Arcane is
skill even if they have evocation spells. Multiple purchases of Foresight may be used one plus an additional one for every 9th level
Each time this ability is selected, the caster all at once (and the final result taken) or split spell slot a caster can cast from memory.
chooses one of their battle magic spells from up as desired. The number of packets available for use
the evocation Effect Group that has already been You must have at least four levels in For- with Oak of the Arcane is shared with the total
memorized for that Logistics period. mal Magic of one aspect in order to purchase number of packets the celestial caster has avail-
This augmentation changes the verbal re- this ability. able when using wands under the wand rules.
quired to deliver this single spell, which can Having a staff shattered, lost or stolen does
now be delivered as Elemental: <spell name>. Formal Link not end the Oak of the Arcane effect. A caster
An Elementally Augmented spell which is Spell Each time this High Magic ability is cho- would need to find or purchase another staff to
Stored is later a normal Activate <spell>. This sen, it adds one additional formal caster level continue to use this High Magic ability.
will follows all effects and deliveries rules. The to another ritual caster of the appropriate school
augmented spell must be declared at Logistics (Earth or Celestial) in helping to assist in the Rebirth
and marked appropriately on the spell tag. casting of their rituals. (When Formal Link is This provides a personal Life spell for the
The Augmentation will persist up to five not chosen, a caster trying to assist another char- caster in extreme emergencies. An earth caster
days until used or otherwise expended, so long acter performing a formal ritual only provides sets aside a Life spell from his or her memory
as the caster does not swap out the Augmented just one level of their formal casting ability to at Logistics. This Life spell can no longer be
spell from their spell selections. the primary ritual caster.) used except for use with the Rebirth skill and
This ability may be purchased once for ev- Bonus levels added through Formal Link must be stapled to the Rebirth tag.
ery 9th level spell slot a caster can memorize. are cumalative and last throughout the dura- A Rebirth will automatically activate the
Note that this is for one spell only for each tion of the purchase. Life spell on the caster as if it had been touch-
time it is purchased. A caster who has memo- cast and accepted during their death count at 4
rized five Flame Bolts and buys this skill once Healers Resolve minutes 59 seconds. However, the caster always
for a Flame Bolt does not have the power to This High Magic ability grants a caster the has the option to resurrect as normal and forgo
cast all of the Flame Bolts in this manner. ability to heal either living or unliving targets using this High Magic ability in order to save it
by touch-cast. For every purchase of this abil- for a later time.
Elemental Burst ity the earth caster gets 15 points of healing If a Rebirth is used while Engulfed, your
This High Magic ability allows a formal into her healing pool. The caster may pull death count may be reset. If a Rebirth is used
caster to use and create a single packet attack from this pool to affect targets by touchcast only, while under the effects of a Create Undead, the
in one of the four elements (stone, ice, light- choosing one of the following incants: X Life spell is wasted.
ning, or flame). Magic Healing or X Magic Chaos. Each use The proper call for using rebirth is Acti-
For every purchase of this ability the ce- may have its type and amount (in a multiples of vate Rebirth.
lestial caster gets 25 points of damage into his 5) chosen at the time of use. The amount may
burst pool. The caster may pull from this dam- not exceed 5 times the number of 9th level spells Ritual Manipulation
age pool to throw elemental damage with the the caster is capable of memorizing. In order to use this ability, you must have
following incant, X elemental <element>. Note that since it uses the Magic quali- ritual scroll you wish to manipulate, all reagents
Each elemental packet may have its element, fier, this ability may be used even when under required to cast it, the catalyst (if required), and
and damage number chosen at the time of use, a Silence effect. the appropriate amount of formal levels.
with the following restrictions. Each time this ability is taken, the caster
Element types are limited to Flame, Ice, Magic Augmentation will receive one tag with the name of the ritual
Lightning, and Stone. Each time this ability is selected, the caster to be manipulated, the specific manipulation,
The damage number must be a multiple chooses one of their battle magic spells already the name of the caster, and the expiration date
of 5 (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.), and may not exceed memorized that Logistics period. This augmen- of the effect (which is the end of the event).
ten times the number of 9th level spells the tation changes the verbal required to deliver this This tag must be handed to the ritual marshal
caster is capable of memorizing. single spell. This spell can now be delivered as along with all other requirements for casting
You may augment an Elemental Burst from Magic: <spell name> and follows all effects the ritual when it is cast. The prerequisite for
the ritual by the same name with damage from and deliveries rules. The augmented spell must each type of manipulation must be met indi-
your pool up to your maximum value for a be declared at Logistics and marked appropri- vidually on a scroll to caster basis.
single attack. ately on the spell tag. The Augmentation will The types of manipulations and their pre-
The burst pool also has the following persist up to five days until used or otherwise requisites are listed below and are arranged
effects when it is at or above the following val- expended, so long as the caster does not swap according to the number of levels needed of
ues: out the Augmented spell from their spell selec- Formal Magic above the ritual to be cast.
100: +1 Damage on all wands tions.
200: +2 damage on all wands This ability may be purchased once for Casters Mark: This allows the caster to
300: +3 Damage on all wands every 9th level spell slot a caster can memo- add a small sigil or rune on the target of the
+3 is the maximum. rize. ritual. This can be no larger than 3" on a side.
A celestial caster must have the ability to This Mark will remain as long as the ritual with
cast four 9th level spells before being able to Oak of the Arcane this ability remains on the item, and cannot be
use this High Magic ability. Oak of the Arcane allows a celestial caster removed from the item while any rituals of this
to use elemental energies in a similar fashion batch remain.
in which they do with wands, but instead with This ability may only be taken once. Plot

136 a staff. The caster must be proficient in the use

of the staff skill for this ability to be used.
must approve the design of the sigil to be placed
on the Item.
 The caster must have five levels of For-
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.

Improved Chance: This will add 1% suc-

cess chance to the ritual being cast. This ability
can only be used five times per ritual and never
for a greater chance than 95%.
This is accomplished by rolling either two
ten-sided die (with one representing the ten
column and one representing the ones col-
umn) or rolling one die twice first for the tens
digit then again for the ones digit.
The caster must have five levels of For-
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.

Insert Component: This allows the caster

to substitute one component for a different one
listed on the Ritual scroll. The caster needs to
have at least one each of the components listed
on the scroll; this allows for additional re-
agents for higher casting.
The caster must have five levels of For-
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.

Lore Answer: This ability allows the caster

to enter a note on the magic item tag which dic-
uses a point of High Magic for Ritual Manipu- or until the next Logistics Period, whichever is
tates what information, if any, the caster of a
lation: Conservative Casting on the ritual. shorter. This cannot be extended by any means.
Lore ritual will receive.
When he casts it, he has all four reagents as After this period, these items return to their base
For each purchase of this ability, the caster
specified on the scroll to begin the casting. Once ritual stats as the magic settles down.
may stipulate one answer which will be the
the ritual is complete, he decides to not have The exact nature of how a ritual is more
first answer the caster of the Lore Ritual will
the Heartstone consumed. effective is up to the local Plot team. The more
receive from Plot. It is up to the discretion of
The caster must have ten levels of Formal impressive role-playing and ritual casting per-
Plot how much, if anything, the caster of the
Magic from the appropriate school above the formed, the greater the Empowerments.
Lore ritual will receive beyond this answer.
difficulty of the ritual to be cast. This ability cannot be stacked with other
The caster must have five levels of For-
Empowerment abilities.
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
Disguised Casting: this ability renders a The caster must have ten levels of Formal
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
ritual so that observers and creatures in the area Magic from the appropriate school above the
are not informed they feel magic all around difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
Second Chance: This allows the caster to
them thus preventing the magical emanations
make a second die roll if the first fails. For ev-
which would alert creatures to the presence of Choose Flaw: The caster may choose to
ery purchase of this manipulation, the caster
the ritual caster. In addition, anyone studying add a flaw to the item from one of the follow-
gains a 10% chance to avoid failing the ritual
the ritual is unable to determine if the ritual is ing flaws. The caster may purchase this manipu-
(up to a maximum of 50%).
Earth, Celestial or Necromantic in nature. lation multiple times to add more flaws on
This can only be used once per ritual.
The caster must have ten levels of Formal items.
Points for this must be allocated prior to
Magic from the appropriate school above the Limit the items use to a specific race or
casting the ritual.
difficulty of the ritual to be cast. prohibit a specific race from using this item
The caster must have five levels of For-
Require a specific Build Skill to use or
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
Quicken Casting: This will reduce cast- requiring the user not have a specific Build Skill
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
ing time by 20% with a maximum time reduc- Require a certain action, phrase or ges-
tion of 80% (with four purchases). The target ture before, during or after activating
Conservative Casting: This allows the use
of this ritual may refuse to allow the time re- Require the item be worn or held or
of one less component. This ability cannot be
duction to work. This ability will not work with manipulated in a certain way
combined with any other skill that allows a re-
any ritual which is listed as unavoidable such The item will only function under spe-
duction in component cost and may only be
as Obliterate, Divestiture, or Banish to Other cific conditions (such as time of day or in spe-
purchased once.
Plane. cific weather)
All components as specified on the scroll
The caster must have ten levels of Formal The bearer of the item takes half dam-
must be present at the time of casting. After the
Magic from the appropriate school above the age from <stone, lightning, ice, or flame> while
ritual has been successfully cast, the caster may
difficulty of the ritual to be cast. taking double damage from <stone, lightning,
choose and retain the component(s) which were
ice, or flame>. (Note: this can never affect
not consumed due to this Ritual Manipulation.
Spark of Empowerment: With this, a caster
For example: Belethevis wants to cast a

137
can supercharge the ritual they are casting,
Spirit Link which requires 4 reagents: a True-
granting a greater effect for twenty-four hours
silver, a Wand, a Penna, and a Heartstone. He
healing).
If contradictory flaws exist, the item is ren-
dered unusable. Flaws are applied to an item,
not to specific rituals. Thus, so long as an item
retains any rituals (and thus a Magic Item tag),
all flaws on that item remain.
The caster must have fifteen levels of For-
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
Note: Flaws do not apply if a player does
not know about them, however, any communi-
cation about the items powers (such as Identi-
fication or handing an item off from one per-
son to another) must include an OOG commu-
nication detailing the flaws.
For example: Terin picks up an unidenti-
fied item. He doesnt know the flaws or ben-
efits yet. Later he goes and gets it Identified. At
this time, hes given the tag and the flaw is told
to him (You take double damage from effective is up to the local Plot team. The more True Empowerment: This allows the caster
Flame). Terin then sells the item to Ena, tell- impressive role-playing and ritual casting per- to supercharge the ritual they are casting,
ing Ena only about the benefits in-game (Look, formed, the greater the Empowerments. granting a greater effect for a maximum of five
this does a Purify twice a day!), but when he This ability cannot be stacked with other days, which cannot be extended by any means.
hands over the tag he also is required to tell Empowerment abilities. After the five day duration, these items re-
Ena OOG about the flaw. The caster must have twenty levels of For- turn to their base ritual stats as the magic settles
The intent of this clarification is that play- mal Magic from the appropriate school above down.
ers with knowledge of any powers of the item the difficulty of the ritual to be cast. The exact nature of how a ritual is more
should also (even if only OOG) be informed of effective is up to the local Plot team. The more
the flaws of the item. True Conservation: This allows the caster impressive role-playing and ritual casting per-
to use two less components. All components as formed, the greater the Empowerments.
specified on the scroll must be present at the Different kinds of Empowerments cannot
Obvious Power: This allows the caster to
time of casting. After the ritual has been suc- stack on an item. Only one type of Empower-
create an item which has a flaw added to it where
cessfully cast, the caster may choose and retain ment (Spark of Empowerment, Touch of Em-
anyone who inspects the item is able to iden-
the component(s) which were not consumed due powerment or True Empowerment) can be on
tify the Aspect of the magic (Earth, Celestial or
to this Ritual Manipulation. any one item at a time. Also, only one Empow-
Necromantic) without the need for a Greater
For example: Belthivis wants to cast a erment of the same type can be on one item at a
Celestial Circle of Power or a Lore ritual.
Spirit Link which requires four reagents: a time.
If an Obfuscate ritual exists on an item or
Truesilver, a Wand, a Penna, and a Heartstone. If a flaw duplicates a ritual effect (such as
is added to the item at any later time while this
He uses a point of High Magic for Ritual Ma- Cloak, Bane, <Effect> per day or times ever,
ritual is still active, this ability will be removed.
nipulation: Conservative Casting on the ritual. etc.) it must be counted against the twenty ritual
The caster must have fifteen levels of For-
When he casts it, he must have all four reagents limit of an item. Flaws which do not duplicate
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
as specified on the scroll to begin the casting ritual effects will not count against the twenty
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
(as per the rulebook). However, after he suc- ritual limit of an item.
cessfully casts it, he can pick one reagent of his Unlike other Empowerment abilities, when
Terminate Ritual: This ability allows the
choice which is not consumed in the casting. a True Empowered ritual fades back to normal,
caster to voluntarily end the ritual casting with
This can only be purchased once and can- it will leave behind a beneficial Flaw on the
no ill effects. At any time during the ritual, the
not be combined with any other skill that al- item subject to the discretion of the Plot Com-
caster may activate the ability, ending the cast-
lows a reduction in component cost. mittee.
ing and retaining possession of all the ritual
The caster must have twenty-five levels This Flaw will remain with the ritual for
components and scrolls as if the ritual had not
of Formal Magic from the appropriate school its entire duration and is not subject to the five
been started.
above the difficulty of the ritual to be cast. day expiration.
The caster must have twenty levels of For-
The caster must have thirty-five levels of
mal Magic from the appropriate school above
Alternate Component: The caster may add Formal Magic from the appropriate school
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
one additional base component to the scroll, above the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
allowing them to gather resources easier.
Touch of Empowerment: This allows the
For example, Belthivis has a scroll requir- Casting Insight: This ability allows the
caster to supercharge the ritual they are cast-
ing three components: Wand, Pyrotis and Jet- caster to roll twice to determine the success
ing, granting a greater effect for a maximum of
sam. With this skill, he can now add Feyander chance of their ritual. The caster can then
five days, which cannot be extended by any
to the list. He needs twenty-four components choose whichever die roll result they prefer of
means. After the five day duration, these items
total for the ritual, so now he can mix and match the two. These results are taken before any other
return to their base ritual stats as the magic
from these four reagents as long as there is at Manipulations or High Magic abilities are used.
settles down.
least one each of the Wand, Pyrotis and Jetsam This ability may only be purchased once
The exact nature of how a ritual is more
listed on the scroll. per ritual.
The caster must have thirty levels of For- The caster must have forty levels of For-

138
mal Magic from the appropriate school above mal Magic from the appropriate school above
the difficulty of the ritual to be cast. the difficulty of the ritual to be cast.
 Spellcraft crafting tag is lost. If a ritual casting is placed shows the person behind the desk his ritual
Each time this ability is chosen it provides on a recipient who has already received a scrolls. He is then given a signed tag for each
one point of spell crafting power for a caster to spellcrafted ritual, the spellcrafted ritual imme- ritual studied and goes in-game.
use with ritual scrolls that allow spellcrafting. diately expires. Only the most recently spell- Wishing to let Belthivius use his limited
The ritual scroll must be studied before crafted ritual is active on an individual recipi- Circle of Power, Vorin casts a spellcrafted In-
an event just as a spell caster would study battle ent. vest ritual on him and hands him the
magic spells. However, the caster must study If a person is spellcrafting a ritual that spellcrafting tag. Belthivius is now invested in
the ritual scroll itself rather than the casters stores a spell or ability, then a person with the the Circle until the next Logistics period.
spell book. Like spell books, ritual scrolls are ability to use that ability or cast that ritual must, Later, Vorin wants to cast his Create Mi-
not consumed after studying (with a few ex- immediately after the spellcrafting, touch the nor Undead (Skeleton). He tells Plot and NPCs
ceptions that will be noted on the scrolls). recipient and declare the name of the spell or are made ready. Vorin then casts it while inside
At Logistics, the caster hands the required ability to be stored. his cabin using the floor as the target. Because
reagents to the Logistics staff, as specified on The recipient is not affected by the spell he did not target a graveyard as required by
the ritual scroll. The caster must also give the or ritual being stored and the person with that the spellcrafting rules, the casting fails.
ritual scroll to the Logistics staff, who will verify skill or spell should only utter the name of the
that the ritual scroll is valid. Logistics will then skill or spell, not the verbal that invokes the Spirit Store
give the player one tag for each ritual studied. effect. The spell or ability tag must then be at- This High Magic ability functions in a
The tag states the ritual studied, the casters tached to the spellcrafting tag and carried by similar manner as the Spirit Store ritual. It only
name, and the last date of the event. The caster the recipient person or attached to the recipient works if there is no spirit already present in the
then has until the end of the day written on the item. golem. The primary caster and any other caster
tag to cast the ritual. If the player does not cast If the casting is successful, it can take up who assisted by using their Formal levels in
the ritual before the end of that event, the abil- to one hour for a summoned or created crea- the create golem rituals may use this High magic
ity is lost until it can be studied again. ture to appear. The spellcrafted ritual does not effect to store themselves in a ritually created
Spellcrafted ritual scrolls are cast like expire until one hour after the NPC comes in- golem. Once stored within the golem body, the
battle magic scrolls. All spellcrafted rituals must game. When casting any of the spellcrafted ritu- caster gains that bodys full abilities in addi-
be cast in-game. als that last one hour or less, the scroll is con- tion to the casters own. Memories, skills and
The verbal for casting a spellcrafted ritual sumed and should be immediately torn in half knowledge are transferred with the spirit.
is: I call upon the power of <type> magic to and given to a ritual marshal. When the spirit is stored within a golem
craft the ritual. When spellcrafting an item, the caster must body it will impose its features upon it, so a
Example One: Belthivius the mage spell- attach the spellcrafting tag to any item upon spirit within a golem will be recognizable as
crafts the Cloak ritual against command effects. which a ritual is cast. The ritual expires if the the spirit within.
I call upon the power of celestial magic to item is destroyed, the spellcraft duration expires Characters stored in a golem are still con-
craft the Cloak Command ritual, he says. naturally, or the spellcrafting tag is lost. Only sidered to have all of the attributes of their char-
Example Two: Darlissa the earth mage the most recently spellcrafted ritual is active on acter card in addition to the bonuses for being
spellcrafts the Investment ritual. I call upon an item. a golem. A living character in a golem is still
the power of earth magic to craft the Invest- Any rituals that summon, create, or ani- considered living for the purposes of Des-
ment ritual, she says. mate creatures require Plot approval before they ecrate and Domain of the Defiled. A sarr char-
Example Three: Vorin the earth mage can be cast and the casting will consume the acter in a golem is still affected by the sarr Ra-
spellcrafts the Summon Undead ritual. I call ritual scroll. This ensures that NPCs and ap- cial Reaver, and a kobold stored in a golem is
upon the power of chaos magic to craft the Sum- propriate monster cards are available. still affected by a kobold Slayer.
mon Undead Skeletal Warrior ritual, he cack- The Plot Committee may decide that a The casters spirit being stored and the
les evilly while rubbing his hands together. spellcrafted ritual automatically fails if NPCs golem body into which the spirit is being stored
When casting, the ritual scroll must be in and/or monster cards are not available at the must be within a Circle of Power to activate
the hands of the caster and a packet must be time of casting. Under that circumstance, the this High Magic ability. At the end of the dura-
touched to the scroll before it is used. All ritual scroll should not be consumed and the tion of the Spirit Store (or if the Spirit Store
spellcrafted rituals must be touch-cast onto a Plot Committee and the caster should work out effect receives a Destroy Magic effect), the
valid target. If that target has a spirit, the indi- a more convenient time for the invocation of stored spirit will return to its original body with-
vidual must state accept or refuse. Spell- the ritual. out the occurrence of a death.
crafted rituals are treated as battle magic spells Players who are to role-play the sum- If the original body has been destroyed,
in all other ways. moned, animated or created creatures need to or if the golem body into which the spirit is
Any special rules for casting specified in see a member of the Plot Committee prior to stored is destroyed anytime before the duration
the description of the effect must be followed entering the game to establish the creatures per- of the Spirit Store has ended, the spirit must
for the spellcrafting to be successful. For ex- sonality and reactions. proceed to an Earth Circle and attempt resur-
ample, in order to Invest someone in a Circle When creating undead, a Plot-approved rection.
of Power, the caster must already be Invested graveyard is the only proper recipient of the A Spirit Store will temporarily override a
and the caster and the recipient must be in that ritual. Undead creation may also involve the Controlled Spirit Store, moving the spirit out
Circle of Power. consumption of some coins. Any such require- of the characters bottle to the golem.
Spellcrafted rituals generally expire afrter ments are listed on the ritual scroll. Due to the nature of storing ones spirit in
five days. Spellcrafted rituals cannot be ex- For example: Vorin has five levels of earth a body not your own, this High Magic ability
tended in any way. Formal Magic. He decides to study four ritu- lasts only until the Logistics period following
The recipient of a spellcrafted Ritual must als to spellcraft during the event. He selects the time you stored your spirit inside your
carry the tag throughout the duration of the two Invest rituals, one Minor Channel, and one golem.
ritual. The ritual ends if the person resurrects Summon Undead (Skeleton). These rituals to-
(unless the ritual is of the Spirit Type), the du- tal four levels of Formal Magic. At Logistics,
ration expires naturally, the recipient receives
a subsequent spellcrafted ritual, or the spell-
he hands over the appropriate number of ritual
components as set forth on the scrolls and 139
 Rituals
Player Rituals
The following rituals are available for
players, assuming you can find the scrolls and
components. More details of each ritual are
found on each individual scroll.

Arcane Armor
The Arcane Armor ritual allows the for-
mal caster to construct a powerful barrier of
protection similar to a suit of armor around a
target. This armor may be bonded to the spirit
of the individual or made into an item.
Refitting Arcane Armor does not require
a blacksmith. To refit Arcane Armor, the indi-
vidual must kneel for one minute and concen-
trate. They may not utilize Game Abilities while
refitting and if interrupted must restart their
minute of concentration.
The recipient of an Arcane Armor ritual
does not need to wear a physical representa-
tion of the protection the ritual bestows.
If cast upon the spirit, the ritual continues
to exist on the possessors spirit for the dura-
tion of the ritual even after resurrection.
The Arcane Armor grants protection based
upon the number of components used and the tective, or whenever the user desires to utilize Chaos Aura
Difficulty Rating attempted by the caster. its protective power. It applies to a specific type A Chaos Aura bestows a weapon with the
Whether cast upon a spirit or an item, the of effect (binding, command, evocation, etc.). chaos carrier attack, which inflicts body dam-
Arcane Armor will not function for an indi- When used, the recipient must state age upon any creature with a metabolism.
vidual if its protection value is greater than the Bane instead of Reflect Magic.
sum of the maximum armor permitted by their Circle Lock
class plus their wear extra armor skill plus one Banish to Other Plane This ritual, when cast upon an item, pre-
point for each Formal Magic level they pos- This ritual will banish one or more beings vents the item from being removed from the
sess. to another plane of existence for a minimum Circle of Power by any means. (This is a good
Arcane Armor cannot be utilized at a lower duration of one years time. You must contact way to create an in-game non-circulating li-
level of efficiency. the Plot Committee prior to casting this ritual. brary.) Only the destruction or expiration of the
For example: Belthivis the scholar creates Circle will allow this item to be removed.
an Arcane Armor 30, but unless he possesses a Boost Duration
significant amount of Wear Extra Armor skills This ritual extends the time you have be- Cloak
and/or Formal Magic levels, he may not utilize tween rituals in a given batch. Cloak is a protective ritual acting exactly
this item. like the effect Spell Shield, with the exception
Multiple Arcane Armor rituals may never Channel Spell that you can choose when to use the Cloak.
be combined. Only one Arcane Armor ritual A Channel Spell ritual is also referred to Cloak thus can be called before any pro-
may be active upon a possessor at one time. as a spell strike. This ritual places a spell into tective, or whenever the recipient desires to use
a weapon and allows the spell to be delivered its protective power. It applies to a specific type
Audible Projection by the weapon instead of by packet. The user of effect (binding, command, evocation, etc.).
This ritual allows the caster to create an must call Spell Strike <spell name> and at- When used, the recipient must state
enchantment upon a target that will deliver a tempt to hit a target. Missing a target consumes Cloak instead of Spell Shield.
specific verbal message in a certain predeter- the channel. This cannot be combined with any
mined manner under certain predetermined other skill.The spell placed inside the channel Cloak of Darkness
conditions. ritual is chosen at time of casting. Cloak of Darkness is a ritual that, when
Note that even though the effect is deliv- placed upon a target, allows the recipient to
Bane ered by weapon instead of packet, this is still walk during the hours of daylight without any
Bane is a protective ritual acting exactly considered a spell attack and not a weapon at- ill effects.
like the effect Reflect Magic, with the excep- tack. Weapon defenses such as Magic Armor
tion that you can choose when to use the Bane. or Parry do not protect against it, whereas magic ConjureArtifact
Bane thus can be called before any pro- protectives such as Spell Shield or Reflect Magic This ritual allows the caster to summon
do. an artifact of amazing power from the mists.
Using a Spell Strike with a Prepare-to-Die The caster determines who may use the artifact

140 skill active will immediately override and ex-

pend the Prepare-to-Die skill.
and it may remain spirit linked to that indi-
vidual for a duration no longer than five days.
 At expiration, the artifact disappears again DamageAura components are required and the higher the
into the mists. Damage Aura, when cast upon a weapon, Difficulty Rating of the ritual.
This ritual requires prior permission from augments its damage capabilities and bestows
the Plot Committee. the magic carrier attack. Extend Battle Magic Duration
This ritual extends the duration of a battle
Construct Destroy Magic magic spell to one year. Be forewarned that the
Construct is a ritual that allows the caster This ritual, once completed upon an item battle magic spell will still be removable with
to fashion a golem for a limited duration of time or individual, can destroy all magic upon it or Dispel or any other specific counter spell or ac-
to do their bidding. The golem fashioned can it can destroy specific effects or flaws. tion, and that a spell that is normally used up
be powerful or weak depending on the amount such as a protective will still be used up nor-
of components used and the Difficulty Rating Divestiture mally. Note that extending the duration of a
the formal caster is willing to attempt. You A Divestiture ritual can be used to remove Circle of Power spell beyond its original dura-
cannot Spirit Store into this type of construct. an Investiture. tion does not cause the Circle to recognize the
caster or allow investiture or any abilities asso-
Contact Other Plane Domain of the Defiled ciated with Permanent Circles.
This ritual allows the caster to attempt to Domain of the Defiled is a necromantic
contact a being on another plane in order to ritual that prevents any living creatures from Gift of Life
communicate. However, the being may refuse entering a designated area. Buildings and rooms This ritual purifies undead creatures, re-
contact or terminate communication at any time. that are under the effects of this ritual must be turning them to their living form (if applicable).
The Plot Committee must be contacted marked with a large D on the door.
prior to casting this ritual. Greater Wand
Earth Aura This ritual enchants a previously created
Controlled Spirit Store An Earth Aura bestows a weapon with the wand providing it with a bonus to damage. The
Controlled Spirit Store allows one to bottle earth carrier attack, which inflicts body dam- damage caused by the wand (and its difficulty)
their spirit in a vessel outside of their body. age upon any creature vulnerable to the earth. are determined by the number of reagents ex-
The vessel the player chooses is a tagged pended. Once enchanted, the wand will retain
item and must be checked in at Logistics. The ElementalAura its magical quality (ability to be charged) for
tag from this vessel is to be turned in at the end Placing an Elemental Aura upon a weapon one year. The enchant wand ritual does not ren-
of every event. If a player does not submit this allows a player to use an elemental attack from der a wand indestructible; however upon cast-
vessels tag at the end of the event they attended, the evocation Effect Group (stone, lightning, ing, it is considered strengthened (as per
they will receive a death and the vessel will re- ice, or flame). Some creatures take a signifi- strengthen weapon rules) A strengthened tag
form with them at the Earth Circle upon resur- cant amount of damage from some types of el- will be granted by the ritual marshal at the time
rection. emental attacks. Elemental Aura does not grant of casting.
This ritual grants immunities to certain the ability to affect creatures that require magic The wand can resist two Shatter, Destroy
spells, but the vessel remains vulnerable to to be harmed. A single element is chosen at the or Acidic Skin effects. Once the resists are used,
many forms of attack if not protected from those time of ritual casting but multiple castings can the wand may be strengthened again.
who would do the person harm. be performed on the same weapon.
The Controlled Spirit Store ritual may not Haven of the Living
be the target of a Transfer Enchantment ritual. Elemental Burst Haven of the Living is a ritual that pre-
Elemental Burst allows the user to hurl vents any undead from entering a designated
Copy Formal Scroll attacks of elemental damage. The damage can area. A building or room under protection of
This ritual allows the caster to copy a ritual be 30, 50, 70 or 90. The type of element to be this ritual must be marked with an H on the
scroll in their possession without consuming used (stone, lightning, ice, or flame) is chosen door.
the copied scroll. The new ritual scroll takes at the time the damage is hurled.
time to be fashioned, and will likely not have Heal Golem
the same component requirements as its origi- Enchant This ritual provides up to three charges
nal. The Enchant ritual allows a battle magic that will restore body to the target and remove
spell to be placed upon a valid target to be used all negative effects.
Create Limited Circle of Power up to three times ever. The more powerful the
This ritual allows the creation of a Circle spell, the more components are required. Investiture
of Power which will last five years; however Investiture allows the target access to and
the Circle does not possess the powers of Iden- Enhance Wand the ability to recognize individuals into the Lim-
tification or Resurrection. The Limited Circle This ritual enhances a previously created ited or Permanent Circle of Power in which it
must be either of celestial aspect or earth as- wand, allowing it to produce additional types was cast.
pect, and the aspect of the formal caster deter- of elemental damage.
mines the nature of the Circle. Item Recall
Expanded Enchantment This will allow one person, if that person
Curse of Undeath The Expanded Enchantment ritual allows has a spirit, to establish a connection between
This ritual must be cast in conjunction with a battle magic spell to be placed upon a valid their spirit and an item. The target of the ritual
a Transform to Undead ritual or it will immedi- target. A spell stored within an Expanded En- establishes a link with the item in question, and
ately expire. chantment ritual can be used once per day until may recall the item if it is lost.
The ritual creates a spirit bottle and com- the duration of the ritual expires. Unlike En- This ritual cannot be placed upon an item
pels the target to regenerate in undead form at chant, it is not consumed when used, and be- that is already spirit linked. When the owner of
the bottle, up to twelve times. This ritual may comes available again during the next logistics
not be the target of a Transfer Enchantment
ritual.
period.
The more powerful the spell, the more 141
a lost item attempts to recover their item, the vidual. It does not offer additional protection that suit from being destroyed by normal means,
Item Recall must be conducted from a Limited from elemental based attacks. but it does not prevent the suit from being
or Permanent Circle of Power, and the indi- breached to 0 in the normal course of battle.
vidual recalling the item must remain in the Planar Gate This ritual will last one year. Many rituals
Circle from the time of activation until the item This ritual opens up a portal between that extend the duration of rituals upon items
is recalled or the recall fails. planes to a random location of a chosen plane. automatically bestow this ritual upon the item
This ritual requires Plot Committee ap- extended.
proval before casting. Preserve Duration
The Preserve Duration ritual extends the Render Indestructible Improved
Lore duration of all rituals upon a target for five years. This ritual is identical to Render Indestruc-
The Lore ritual grants the caster intimate The Difficulty Rating of completing the tible except that it is permanent in duration.
knowledge of all magic items placed inside the ritual is based upon the amount of rituals being
Circle of Power at the time of casting. You must Preserved. Resist Destroy Magic
contact the Plot Committee prior to casting this This ritual places a barrier over the target,
ritual. Proscribe protecting it from a single Destroy Magic ritual.
This ritual, when cast within a certain area,
Mark prevents specified creatures from entering the Reverse Life Force
This ritual allows a caster to place a mark designated area. This necromantic ritual, when cast upon
upon its target, like a tattoo. the target, can reverse the life force within the
ProtectionAura target making it appear to be undead or living
Master Construct Protection Aura grants the target a barrier based upon its original state. This can grant
This ritual creates a golem that can be around them, preventing harm from blows equal additional immunities and vulnerabilities to the
Spirit Stored into. The level and abilities of the to or less than the Protection Aura granted. target.
golem created are determined by the difficulty This ritual can provide barriers from
and reagents used in its creation. strikes to a maximum of 4. Ritual of Woe
The amount of components consumed and The ritual of woe grants a limited number
Monster Slayer the Difficulty Rating of the ritual is dependent of individuals within the Circle of Power abili-
The Monster Slayer ritual provides aug- upon the Protection Aura attempted. ties to aid in the destruction of vampires.
mentation to damage on any weapon it is cast
upon as well as allowing the wielder to use the Racial Reaver Sacrifice
magic carrier attack but only against a spe- The Racial Reaver ritual provides augmen- This ritual allows the bearer to sacrifice
cific type of monster (construct, elemental, etc.). tation to damage on any weapon it is cast upon their life to another by taking their place in a
If placed upon a weapon with a Damage as well as allowing the wielder to use the greater Earth circle and attempting resurrection.
Aura, the damage augmentation will not be cu- magic carrier attack but only against a spe-
mulative. cific character race (human, elf, biata, etc.) Spell Parry
specified by the ritual. Keep in mind that a Race This ritual is cast upon a weapon. The
Obfuscate Reaver against a high orc or high ogre does not wielder of the weapon may utilize the Spell
Obfuscate provides protection from all affect orcs and ogres. Parry in combination with the skill Parry to
forms of magical identification and attempted If placed upon a weapon with a Damage counter one effect delivered by incanted spell,
location. Aura, the damage augmentation will not be Magic <effect>, Spell Strike <effect>, Ac-
cumulative. tivate <effect>, dragon magic or shadow
Obliteration magic. This is a times per day effect.
This ritual will inflict three deaths upon Racial Transform
the target, immediately sending them to attempt This ritual allows the target to transform Spell Store
to resurrect. There is no possibility of a Life from one character race to another character The Spell Store ritual targeted upon an
spell. The target of this ritual must only pull race. Failure to role-play the race transformed item gives the item the ability to store spells
from the Bag of Chance once for the three to could lead to losing the privilege of playing within it. Unlike Expanded Enchantment, the
deaths inflicted upon them, but the number of a new race. Spell Store ritual creates slots within the item
black stones in the Bag will take into consider- There are significant rules regarding this where any spell can be stored.
ation all three of the deaths. ritual, and review of the ritual scroll should be The Difficulty Rating is based upon the
reviewed carefully before this ritual is under- amount of levels the item can store.
Permanent Duration taken. For example, if a Spell Store 9 is fash-
The Permanent Duration ritual extends the ioned, up to nine levels of spells in any combi-
duration of all rituals upon a target indefinitely. Regenerate nation can be stored into the item and used at
This is one of the most difficult rituals for any The Regenerate ritual allows the target to any time.
caster to attempt. The Difficulty Rating of com- avoid having to pull from the Bag of Chance
pleting the ritual is based upon the amount of when they die; however, the recipient now only Spirit Forge
rituals being permanenced. has a certain number of predetermined deaths. The Spirit Forge ritual is a difficult ritual,
The Regenerate ritual may not be the tar- allowing a target to relearn their skills and abili-
PlanarAsylum get of a Transfer Enchantment ritual. ties. Any skill taught to a player the day in which
This ritual, when bestowed, allows the tar- they are Spirit Forged can be immediately
get individual with a spirit to survive on alter- Render Indestructible learned and placed within the database.
nate planes that would normally kill the indi- This ritual prevents an item from being
affected by normal destructive means, such as Spirit Link

142 Shatter and Destroy spells or physical damage.

If cast on a suit of armor, it will prevent
The Spirit Link ritual binds an item to a
person so it cannot be stolen or taken from them.
When Disarmed, a spirit linked weapon must power of the elemental is determined by the determined by the amount of components used
be placed under the arm or behind the back. A amount of components used and the Difficulty and the Difficulty Rating attempted by the
spirit linked item must remain in contact with Rating attempted by the caster. To have an el- caster.
its user at all times. emental perform a duty for the caster, additional The pantherghast is a creature who is dedi-
Upon permanent death, the spirit linked compensation is often required. cated to destroying a race selected by the ritual
items will attach themselves to the next person There are significant rules involving this caster.
who touches them. ritual, so you must review the scroll carefully There are significant rules involving this
before casting it. This ritual requires approval ritual, so you must review the scroll carefully
Spirit Lock from the Plot Committee prior to casting. before casting it. This ritual requires approval
This ritual is a greater form of Spirit Link, from the Plot Committee prior to casting.
in that upon the permanent death of the user,
the Spirit Locked item is taken with them in Summon: Undead
death and cannot be claimed by another. This ritual is necromantic in nature, and
summons undead for a limited duration of time
Spirit Recall to do the bidding of the caster. The type and
Spirit Recall allows a target of this ritual amount of undead summoned are based upon
to, with a three count, return to the Circle of the Difficulty Rating and the ritual components
Power in which it was cast. You must be con- consumed.
scious, able to make decisions, and not be com- There are significant rules involving this
pletely immobilized in order to do this. ritual, so you must review the scroll carefully
Only Spirit Linked items will travel before casting it. This ritual requires approval
through a Spirit Recall; all other possessions from the Plot Committee prior to casting.
will remain at the spot where the Spirit Recall
was used. Transfer Enchantment
This ritual allows for the transfer of magic
Spirit Store from one item to another. This ritual may re-
This ritual allows the caster to place a spirit quire Plot Committee approval based on the
into a golem body that has been created through item being transferred.
the Master Construct ritual. If the Spirit Store
ends the stored spirit will return to its original Transform to Greater Undead
body. If the golem body is destroyed before This necromantic ritual allows the trans-
the ritual ends the spirit must attempt resurrec- formation of a target into a powerful undead
tion. creature.
Undergoing this transformation immedi-
SpiritWalk ately places the target under control of the Plot
Spirit Walk allows the recipient to walk Committee.
via spirit form from one Circle of Power to an- Summon: Magical Creature
other. This ritual summons a magical creature to Unmark
The target of this ritual must have seen appear from the mists. The power of the magi- This ritual will allow the caster to remove
the Circle of Power they are traveling to before cal creature is based upon the amount of com- a mark.
attempting this ritual. ponents used and the Difficulty Rating at-
While in spirit form, the person can use tempted by the caster. Vengeance
no Game Abilities whatsoever and can travel To have a magical creature perform a duty This ritual places a powerful magical pro-
only as fast as the person walks. for the caster, additional compensation is often tection upon the target, inflicting tremendous
required. There are significant rules involving damage against any being administering a Kill-
Store Ability this ritual, so you must review the scroll care- ing Blow. This damage cannot be resisted,
This ritual allows for the storing of spe- fully before casting it. This ritual requires ap- dodged, or avoided in any way.
cific skills into an item so as to allow them to proval from the Plot Committee prior to cast-
be used at an alternate time. ing. Vision
This ritual allows one person to have a
Summon: Extraplanar Creature Summon: Magistarium Elemental prophetic or fact revealing vision of a general
This ritual allows the conjuration of a crea- This ritual allows the conjuration of an nature on a topic designated at the time of the
ture of extraplanar origin. The power of the crea- elemental of Death, Life, Chaos, or Order. The casting.
ture is determined by the amount of compo- power of the elemental is determined by the Be forewarned that the contents of the vi-
nents used and the Difficulty Rating attempted amount of components used and the Difficulty sion will never reveal specific information and
by the caster. To have an extraplanar creature Rating attempted by the caster. To have an el- may even fail to reveal anything. The target must
perform a duty for the caster, additional com- emental perform a duty for the caster, additional have a spirit for this ritual to be effective. You
pensation is often required. compensation is often required. must contact the Plot Committee prior to cast-
There are significant rules involving this There are significant rules involving this ing this ritual.
ritual, so you must review the scroll carefully ritual, so you must review the scroll carefully
before casting it. This ritual requires approval before casting it. This ritual requires approval Warder Glyph
from the Plot Committee prior to casting. from the Plot Committee prior to casting. This ritual allows for a symbol to be placed
upon a doorway that will discharge various ef-
Summon: Foundation Elemental Summon: Pantherghast
This ritual allows the conjuration of an
elemental of stone, lightning, ice, or flame. The
This ritual allows the conjuration of a
pantherghast. The power of the pantherghast is 143
fects upon those entering and not using a speci- Expanded Enchantment, the Greater Spell Store Endure Elements
fied password. A Warder Glyph may never be ritual creates slots within the item where any This ritual grants the ability to survive in
used as healing of any type. For example, a spell can be stored. inhospitable conditions.
mercury golem cannot be healed by a Light- The Difficulty Rating is based upon the
ning Storm glyph nor could a Purified undead amount of levels the item can store. Eternal Forest
be cured by a Drain glyph. For example, if a Spell Store 9 is fash- This ritual creates an area where the trees
ioned, up to nine levels of spells in any combi- and plant life grow as if ten years had passed in
WhisperingWind nation can be stored into the item and used at one years time.
This ritual causes a message to be deliv- any time. A Greater Spell Store item may inter-
ered on the wind to anyone who meets the fol- cept a thrown spell in specific circumstances. Foresee the Weather
lowing conditions: (1) that person has a spirit; This ritual grants the caster a vision of the
(2) they are not permanently dead; and (3) they Ownership weather for the next few days.
are presently on this plane of existence. This ritual allows the caster to manipulate Given the weather, it cannot be 100% ac-
You must contact the Plot Committee prior the abilities that are on an item. curate no matter what.
to casting this ritual.
Ritual Channel Illumination
This ritual is also referred to as a spell This ritual creates a light source that can
NPC Only Rituals strike. This ritual places a ritual into a weapon be turned on and off.
These rituals are not available to players. and allows the ritual to be delivered by the
weapon instead of by packet. March of the Untiring
Copy Formal Permanent Scroll This ritual subtly changes the flow of time
This ritual allows the caster to copy a ritual Spirit Home to allow anyone who was in the Circle at the
scroll in their possession without consuming This ritual places the spirit of an individual time of casting to travel at third of the time it
the copied scroll. Any scroll fashioned with a into an item. would normally take.
Copy Formal Permanent Scroll will not be
consumed when it is utilized. The new ritual Spirit Vessel Mist Sense
scroll takes time to be fashioned, and will likely This ritual allows the ritual caster to place This ritual allows the caster to know the
not have the same component requirements as a spirit into an item or body, if there is no spirit location of the nearest bank of Fortannis Mist
its original. already present. in order to attempt travel.

Create Permanent Circle of Power

This ritual allows for the creation of a Per-
Role-play Only Resonance
This ritual gives the caster a memory of
manent Circle which possesses the ability of The following rituals are provided for role- the location the ritual is cast in. Plot should be
Resurrection or Identification depending on playing fun only. They cannot affect combat in notified in advance when attempting to cast this
whether the aspect is celestial or earth. Selec- any way. This list is not complete; your local ritual.
tion of its aspect is done when the Circle is cast Plot Committee may introduce others.
and must be the same as the caster attempting Seek the Whole
to construct it. Blighted Crop This ritual aids the caster in finding a miss-
This ritual creates an area where the crops ing person, place or object that has been bro-
Enchantment Ritual within produce as little or no food. ken as long as the caster has a piece to start
This ritual allows another ritual to be with.
placed upon a valid target to be used at a later Blighted Forest
time. This ritual creates an area where all the Spirit Farewell
trees and plant life sicken, wither and die. The Spirit Farewell ritual summons the
Expanded Enchantment Ritual spirit of a permanently dead person within the
This allows a ritual to be placed upon a Blissful Rest boundaries of the Circle of Power for a limited
valid target. A ritual stored within an Expanded This ritual enchants a structure with a duration of time.
Enchantment Ritual can be used once per day calming effect that allows the occupants to get The spirit thus summoned can not leave
until the duration of the ritual expires. Unlike a good nights sleep. the Circle and can use no Game Abilities what-
Enchant Ritual, it is not consumed when used, soever.
and becomes available again during the next Bound Shard The spirit does not remember the last hour
logistics period. This ritual allows the conjuration of an of its life and thus cannot report how it died.
Elemental that is bound into service within a This ritual requires approval from the Plot
Greater Obfuscate physical object. Committee and can only performed once upon
This ritual provides protection from all a given character.
forms of magical identification and attempted Bountiful Harvest
location. Greater Obfuscate is unaffected by De- This ritual creates an area where the crops Stable Foundation
stroy Magic. within can create up to three times the amount This ritual surrounds an existing structure
of food normally produced. in a magical barrier that makes it immune to
common damage from natural disasters.
Greater Spell Store Cosmetic Transformation
This ritual targeted upon an item gives the This ritual modifies the physical appear- Universal Speech
item the ability to store spells within it. Unlike ance of a target creature. This ritual allows anyone who was in the
Circle of Power at the time of casting to com-

144 Darkening
This ritual renders a building incapable of
being illuminated by any means.
municate with each other as if they spoke the
same language. It does not allow for speech with
creatures without a language.
 Traps
You may find traps that need disarming
while playing the game, but you can also make
your own traps. In order to make a trap, you
must have the skills Legerdemain and Create
Trap. Create Trap is a Production Point skill
as described on page 55.
All trap designs must be checked and ap-
proved by a properly authorized marshal. All
traps must make a noise or flash of light or oth-
erwise be constructed so that it is obvious when
the trap is set off.
All traps are meant to be immobile and
cannot be used in combat as a weapon. You
cannot create traps to use as hand grenades, nor
can you trap yourself, even if you are standing
really, really still.

Areas of Effect
Most traps will affect a five foot radius
from the trap container. Anyone within that ra-
dius will take the effect. This includes any pos-
sessions being held by the person or clothes
worn by the person. off and may be re-armed by anyone with the ger must always connect to the trap in some
For example, Finther tries to disarm a trap Legerdemain skill without paying the cost to way.
and fails. Terin is standing more than five feet rebuild them. These traps destroy all fragile items
away; however, he is holding is weapon in such Weapon coatings may be applied to the within their radius, unless they are protected
a way that the weapon is within the five feet weapon used in a weapon trap. These coatings within a sealed metal container. Common frag-
radius as is Terins cloak. Terin will take all of are consumed as normal when the trap is set ile items include scrolls, potions, papers, glass
the damage from the trap. off and must be re-applied when the trap is re- items, ritual components, and other non-metal
It might help to imagine a trap sending out armed. non-weapon/shield/armor items. Ritual scrolls
packets in a five foot circle, and, like a spell, if Weapon Traps may not be blocked by a are not destroyed. Only in-game items are de-
a packet hits your possessions, it will affect you. weapon or shield, but can be Evaded, Parried, stroyed by this effect.
Similarly, if you are affected by a trap, all ob- Riposted, Dodged, or stopped by the Magic Flame and Acid traps are not elemental in
jects on you are subject to the rules for being in Armor spell. nature, and therefore are not stopped by an El-
the traps radius. emental Shield. However, flame traps may be
For example: Rendal extends a ten-foot Mechanical Traps: Mechanical traps rep- resisted with a Resist Element, Cloak Flame or
pole into a room and sets off a fire trap. Rendal resent collapsing ceilings, rockfalls, giant Bane Flame.
takes all of the damage from the trap even scythes, and other such contraptions. They are This trap is destroyed when it detonates.
though he may have been more than ten feet completely immoveable once set and have a
away. The pole is destroyed, as are any non- minimum size of 3' by 3' by 3'. Explosive Traps: Explosive traps repre-
metal items in his possession, and hesuffers the Anyone struck by any part of the trap when sent a container filled with a volatile substance.
appropriate amount of damage. it goes off takes the full damage of the trap. When set off, this trap will destroy all destruct-
Mechanical traps must be rebuilt after they are ible in-game items within a five foot radius (as
set off and cannot be re-armed. the Destroy spell.) This includes armor, weap-
Types of Traps Mechanical traps are usually represented ons, coins, scrolls, potions, etc.
Weapon Traps: A weapon trap contains with pillows, plastic trash bags filled with news- Sealed containers will not protect items
a weapon on a spring mounted mechanism. This papers, and other soft items. from explosions unless the container itself is
must be mounted on a large or heavy object, indestructible. Explosive traps cannot be
such as in a crate or a trunk, or onto a door. Flame/Acid Traps: A flame or acid trap avoided by Cloak Summoned Force or Bane
Once armed, a weapon trap cannot be moved. represents a container, which when detonated Summoned Force.
Out-of-game, the trap merely has to have sprays a burning or caustic liquid in a five foot This trap is destroyed when it detonates.
a standard trap trigger (a light or noisemaker) radius. Anyone inside this radius when it deto-
and a weapon with a valid item tag must be nates takes the full damage of the trap plus the Gas Traps: The Production Point cost for
attached. additional effects listed below. creating a gas trap does not include the cost of
The weapon does not have to actually In addition to a trigger and detonating the gas itself. The trap builder must include a
spring forward and hit you for the trap to be mechanism, there must also be a physical rep- dose of the gas poison in the trap itself. The
effective. Weapon traps do not have an area of resentation of the oil/acid container. The deto- trap must contain both a trap card and the gas
effect and will only do damage to the person nation mechanism must be attached or adjacent poison tag(s).
who triggered the trap. The mounted weapon to the container. The radius effect is measured
must be any standard approved weapon.
Weapon traps are not destroyed when set
out from this container even if the trap trigger
is in a different location. However, the trap trig- 145
 tion is held by the marshal, must contain a trap
card.
A trigger can be something as simple as a
mouse trap with a thread going across a hall-
way that, when tripped, sets off the mouse trap.
A better trap can be made with a springed
clothespin, two tacks, some thread, two pieces
of wire, a nine-volt battery, a cheap electric
buzzer, and a small piece of cardboard.
Attach wires to the base of each tack. Pull
the clothespin apart and push a tack through
each part of the clothespin so that when the
clothespin is closed, the two tacks will touch
each other and make a connection.
Attach the wires to the buzzer mechanism
and a battery and you will hear the buzzer go
off.
Next, take a small bit of cardboard and
poke a hole in it. Tie the thread through the
hole and then place the cardboard between the
jaws of the clothespin, thus preventing the tacks
from touching each other.
The other end of the string can be run as a
tripwire or attached to the top of a box so that
when the thread is pulled, the cardboard is re-
moved and the tacks connect, causing a con-
nection, which makes the buzzer go off.

Multiple Cause gasses (Cause Damage,

Cause Light Damage, Cause Serious Damage)
Arming the Trap Legerdemain
can be placed into a single gas trap in any com- Arming a trap takes at least sixty seconds. Legerdemain is the Game Ability needed
bination but no other gases can be stacked to If it takes you less than sixty seconds to arm to arm and disarm traps and pick locks. You
increase their damage potential. the trap out-of-game, you must still keep both must have this skill in order to even attempt
Gasses contained in a gas trap can never hands on the trap and roleplay arming the trap doing these things. Anyone without this skill
be removed or salvaged once the trap is armed. for the remainder of the sixty seconds. During who tries to disarm a trap or pick a lock will
If the trap is successfully disarmed, the trap may those sixty seconds, if either hand is removed automatically fail.
be re-armed again, but in no case may the gas- from the trap, or if you are hit by a physical If you do not have this skill, you must role-
ses be taken from the trap to be used in other blow or packet attack, the trap will be set off, play ignorance in figuring out how to remove a
traps or as thrown gasses. affecting only the person setting the trap. This trap. Your character can still detect the pres-
These traps have a five foot radius. Any- applies even if the physical blow or packet at- ence of the trap by noticing trip wires and such,
one inside this area (or whose clothes or per- tack would not have caused damage or would but will be completely unable to figure out how
sonal possessions are within that radius) when have had no effect. to disarm it.
the trap goes off will be affected as if they had After the trap has been armed, it can be A trap may be disarmed by any means
been struck by a gas poison of the same name. moved no more than five feet in any direction which does not permanently destroy the trap
The effects of any gas trap, even traps with before detonating, even if the person carrying which prevents the trap from producing a noise
multiple Cause gasses, will be blocked by a the trap has the skill Legerdemain. Picking up or a light. For example, popping a battery clip
single Poison Shield or Resist Poison. If two a trapped box, moving it three feet, and then off a battery or moving a mouse trap bar slowly
or more traps have the same trigger, then they turning around and putting it back will set it so that it does not snap shut represents the dis-
are all set off at once and one Poison Shield or off. arming of the trap.
Resist Poison will block them all. Any armed trap that is shattered or de- Permanent damage means treating the trap
stroyed, whether by a spell or by another trap in such a way that a marshal cannot fix the dam-
Noisemaker: Alarms and noisemakers are within the radius, will always be set off. age within ten minutes or needs a tool. For in-
traps that do no damage but set off loud alarms. Shattering or destroying a box containing stance, removing the top of a box by taking the
an armed trap will also detonate the trap. Shat- screws out of the hinges is not allowed. Its a
tering a disarmed trap still destroys the trap, nice lateral way of solving the problem, yes,
Containers but it is not set off. but it requires the marshal to have to use tools
Flame/Acid, Explosive, and Gas traps to put the box back together and is not what the
must have a container representing their explo- Triggers: All traps must have a real, physi- Legerdemain skill is all about.
sive or liquid contents. Each container must be cal trigger. This trigger could produce a light Note that, like weapons used by NPCs,
a minimum of 32 cubic inches, with no less (such as from a flashbulb) or a sound (such as traps found in modules cannot always be har-
than one inch on any particular side. For ex- from a mouse trap). This trigger must always vested as treasure. Just because you disarm a
ample: a 3" by 3" by 4" bottle or a 5" x 7" x 1" be detectable by an impartial observer. Every trap in a module doesnt mean you will get a
box. trap must be disarmable, even though it may be trap card.
difficult to do so. You may use your own locks in-game with

146 All traps must be approved by a marshal

and, if not in a module where the documenta-
permission of your local game so long as you
can prove the lock is pickable.
 Stealing and Searching
Stealing refers only to the in-game steal-
ing of in-game items. Obviously, this means you
must be very careful when attempting to steal
anything in-game.
You are never allowed to destroy anything
in order to steal something (no cutting of purse
strings, no breaking windows to get into a home,
no harming real property).
If you can somehow manage to open
someones pouch and take the game items
within without that person noticing, then that
is fine.
There are special rules for each type of in-
game item and you are required to know them.
If you are caught stealing something incorrectly,
then you are cheatingand ignorance of the
rules is no excuse!

Game Money, Magic Items and Jewelry:

You are always allowed to take whatever game
money you can find in-game. When taking jew-
elry or an item, always check to make sure there
is a number scratched into it. If there is a num-
ber, then the item is now yours. If there is no to the designated area to get your phys rep back. Gas Globes: If you steal gas globes from
number, then the item is personal property and You can do this out-of-game since this is only someone (or if those globes are destroyed some-
not a game item. a Logistical function. Once you have your how), the owner of the globes must randomly
If you are unsure, you may find a marshal weapon phys rep back, you will then have to give up the appropriate amount of tags for the
with a game item list who can check to make buy a weapon tag from someone in-game in globes. A marshal may be called to oversee this.
sure that it really is a game item. The major order to use that weapon again.
guilds will usually have this list. Some monsters will have weapons that are Other in-game items: the Alliance often
If you have a magic weapon or item sto- stealable. However, for logistical reasons, these provides props such as maps, notes, books, and
len, you must immediately head to the Mages monsters will simply hand you a tag instead of other informational items. If you find these in a
Guild and turn over the magic item tag. Since the actual weapon since they need the phys rep module or on an NPC, theyre yours. If you
this is a Logistical requirement that has to be for later. Most monster weapons are not steal- steal them from another player, you should ei-
performed, you can go to the guild out-of-game. able simply because to allow that would be to ther contact the person you stole it from out-
Not turning in a magic item tag from something ruin the in-game economy and make the skill of-game and make sure that they were steal-
that has been stolen or lost is considered cheat- of Blacksmithing useless. able, or alternatively, see a marshal to make sure.
ing.
Armor and other expensive items: Since
If you have a piece of jewelry or other
game item that you wish to make into a steal- everyones armor is personal and usually a bit
Searching a Person
able item, you must contact your chapter be- expensive, you have the right to refuse to turn If you waylay, kill, or control a person or
fore the event begins. They will assign a num- over the phys rep if someone steals your armor. monster, you may search that being. Simply say
ber to the item and figure out its monetary value. However, by refusing to turn it over, you for- I search you. All game items must be turned
You will then be required to pay the in-game feit the right to later recognize it later on the over at that point.
amount that the item is worth. person who stole it from you. Note that it is impossible to completely
If instead, you allow the thief to take your hide something on your body. If you are
Weapons: You must actually take the armor, it must obviously be returned to you at searched, you cannot claim that something was
weapon you are stealing. Be reasonable about the end of the event, as it is your own personal really, really well hidden.
itif these weapons were real, they would property. If you are searched, you also have the op-
weigh quite a bit. You cannot grab piles of heavy This holds true for expensive jewelry, tion of saying, Describe your search. The
weapons and walk through town with them. fancy latex weapons, and other personal items. searcher then must describe what he or she is
Once you have stolen a weapon, you doing to search (I am looking through your
should then head immediately to the designated Spell Books and Recipe Books: In order pockets, I am searching your cloak, etc.) This
area for stolen weapons (usually the NPC camp to steal a spell book or an alchemical recipe is not only to help you hide items, but it also
or an NPC blacksmith shop). You cannot actu- book, you should take the card that is attached takes up the time that the search should take.
ally keep that particular weapon phys rep since to the book. The actual book is the private prop- When the searcher asks about a place where an
it is the personal property of the player from erty of the player. Some players will mark their item is hidden, you must turn over the item at
whom you stole it, but the marshal in charge spell books with a note saying this spell book that point.
will give you the tag from that weapon which is stealable. In that case, you must take the You must really have the item hidden
you can then attach to your own weapon phys actual book itself and not just the card, nor can
rep.
If your weapon is stolen, you should head
you take the card out of that book and place it
into a different book. 147
where you say it is. In other words, you cant the door or window. Destroying property such
say Im pretending to have a secret compart- as window screens or door hinges is not al-
Securing Your Cabin
ment in my shoe, and you didnt ask about se- lowed. The world of Fortannis can be an unsafe
cret compartments there! Remember: you can search anywhere in a place, so its always a wise idea to guard your
If someone steals your magic item, do not cabin except for bags marked personal or be- valuables. There may be places in-game where
give them the magic item tag. Immediately go hind dividing curtains or under beds. However, you can buy or rent a lock for your cabin. Some
to the appropriate logistical site (usually the not everything in game play is stealable. Make of these places will also install it for you for a
Mages Guild) and turn over the tag. It is up to sure there is a number on the item you want to small fee. Of course, these locks can be picked
the person who stole the item to find out what steal. by a good thief, but at least it will slow the ras-
the item is and how it works. This applies to For example: Finther wants to break into cal down.
magical weapons as well. Not turning over a Belthivis cabin. (A marshal is nearby of If you want to put a lock on a door, you
magic item tag after the phys rep has been sto- course.) Finther picks the lock on the cabin must either use an approved lock or you must
len or lost is considered cheating. You must turn door but, not having searched for traps, did use your own lock after getting it approved by
over these tags immediately. not notice the trip wire on the trap until it goes a marshal. Generally speaking, if you can dem-
off. The marshal reads the note left by the trap onstrate that you can pick your lock, then it will
probably be allowed.
Searching a Cabin setter and tells Finther how much damage was
taken. Finther then heals himself and enters. Remember though that we prefer easy to
In order to search a cabin, you must have There is a tapestry dividing the room, be- pick locks, as it is the in-game skill itself that is
a marshal present (unless the cabin is occupied). hind which there is a bed and personal prop- supposed to be used and not the out-of-game
We cannot overemphasize this point! If you erty belonging to the player who plays Belthivis. skill of actually picking a very difficult lock.
enter a cabin with- Combination
out a marshal, you locks are not al-
are not only cheat- lowed to be used
ing but may be by players but
subject to OOG le- may be found in
gal action as well. modules (where
The marshal part of the mod-
does not have to ule is discover-
actually be right ing the combina-
next to you (after tion).
all, how can you You can
sneak around with also buy or make
someone else tag- traps for your
ging along be- cabin. Each trap
side?), but the mar- must be accom-
shal must be aware panied by a trap
and within sight card (see the
somewhere. section on
Once you traps).
have managed to Take your
successfully open personal items
the door, the mar- and put them un-
shal will then der your bed.
check the Any items
Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
marshals notes placed under the
that will be affixed bed are consid-
to the inside of the ered to be out-
door. The list will include any magic items that Finther can not go there. of-game, so dont cheat and put game items
are in-game, any magic spells that may be ac- On a table in front of the tapestry is an there. If you like, put a dividing curtain up in
tive in the cabin, and what damage the thief amulet, a ring, two books, and a box. Finther your cabin, and place all the beds and your per-
may have just taken from traps on the door. looks at the amulet and notices that it has a sonal items behind it. Put any game items in
You must actually search the cabin your- number on it, so he takes it. The ring does not front of the divider.
self. The marshal will not simply look at the have a number so he leaves it. Any special security precautions you take
notes and go and retrieve items for you. The box does not have a number so he must be entered on the marshals notes on your
Do not take any items marked personal cannot steal it but he can try to open it. He cabin door. Make any appropriate entries there,
or any items stored under a bed. In-game items picks the lock on the box and takes the game with the spell labels and/or trap cards neces-
may not be put under a bed. When you leave money and potions inside and any other items sary. That way, anyone marshaling a thief
the cabin, you must show all items you have that have numbers. through your cabin can dole out any damage
taken to the marshal. Only game items can be The books do not have numbers but that the villain may take. If no precautions have
stolen! The marshal will return non-stealable Finther can still search them. He opens the first been entered on the marshals notes, then there
items. book and notices that it has the players notes is nothing protecting the cabin in-game.
The marshal is also there to make sure that about out-of-game rules in it. It is obviously Anyone who does not reside in a particu-
you properly disarm any traps that may be on an out-of-game book, so Finther leaves it where lar cabin caught reading the marshals notes will
it is. The second book has Belthivis notes about be subject to disciplinary action. These notes

148 an adventure he knows about. Since this is all are for marshals only, and only when marshal-
in-game material, Finther can steal the book. ing a thief into the cabin.
 Goblin Points
The Alliance is staffed with volunteers, so work done at a rate of at least one per hour (more worth 20, and a short sword worth 25.
the more you put into it, the better it is! for more stressful, responsible, or undesirable How did your character get all these things
Think of your own skills. You probably jobs). You may also earn Goblin Points by do- all of a sudden? Maybe you inherited them;
have something to offer in real world skills that nating or making props. The amount of Goblin maybe you found them on a dead goblin; maybe
you have. Are you a carpenter? You can make Points you will receive for donating items will you stole them from the Sheriff of Notingame.
boxes and props for us. An electrician? Make be determined by the Props Committee. It will We do not provide the physical represen-
some interesting traps. A writer? Come up with not be an outrageous amount. We cannot allow tations for any of these things, only the appro-
some modules. A computer nerd? Help us with richer people to simply buy their way to Gob- priate tags. You must supply the actual scroll,
our web page. Let us know what you can offer. lin Point heaven. potion vial, armor, or weapon.
Here are some suggestions as to things we Goblin Points can be collected and used Note that you cannot use your Goblin
always need done. Always check with the staff at your convenience with certain limitations. Points to purchase a silvered or strengthened
first before making, purchasing, or donating The database keeps track for you when you earn weapon or to have your own weapon silvered
anything to be sure it is needed and wanted. and spend them. or strengthened.
You can spend your Goblin Stamps in the Since a Production Point is worth one cop-
Write events. And help run them. We are ways listed below. Your local chapter may also per, you may also turn in your Goblin Points
always looking for writers who can produce have some additional ways not listed here. for coins. One hundred Goblin Points would
good plotlines and modules for our players. then be worth a gold piece.
Resurrections: You may trade in Goblin
Help us find cheap stuff. We always have Points to buy back a resurrection that your Event Points: You may trade in your Gob-
to buy trap materials, batteries, paper for the character has experienced. This will reduce your lin Points to receive Experience Points for any
computer, makeup, masks, and other supplies. risk of permanent death. In other words, the event your character did not attend. These Ex-
amount of black stones in the Resurrection Bag perience Points can only be awarded if your
Make or donate props. Generally speak- of Chance will be reduced by one. player did not receive any XP at that event.
ing, we can always use weapons, spell packets, There are some limitations on this use of For example, if you were an NPC for a
and basic costuming (tabards, shirts, sweat Goblin Points: First, you can never buy back weekend event, you may use your Goblin Points
pants). your first two resurrections. (In other words, to buy Experience Points for your character for
See what junk you may have sitting around you have to wait until you have at least one that event. You cannot do this if you were a PC
in the attic. Furniture, old clothing that could black stone in the bag.) Second, you may not there.
be used for NPCs, large piles of moneywe buy back a resurrection once your character has The Goblin Point cost for Event Points is
will gladly take them off your hands. pulled a black stone. Third, you cannot buy back sixty per regular event. A long weekend will
a resurrection once your character has been re- cost ninety Goblin Points. Remember that you
Help us publicize the Alliance. Let us generated. Finally, no character may ever buy can only get these Event Points if your charac-
know if there is any sort of medieval faire or back more than ten deaths in this manner. ter did not attend the event.
other event in your area where we can hand out For logistics purposes, you can only buy Example one: Fred Player comes to a
our literature. If you are going to a science fic- back resurrections in your home campaign. weekend event and plays NPCs all weekend.
tion or gaming convention, take some of our The cost of buying back resurrections with He earns 60 Goblin Points for doing so. He
flyers. If you know of a gaming club, see if we Goblin Points is as follows: 40 Goblin Points may then apply all 60 to buy Experience Points
can make a presentation to them. to buy your first resurrection, 80 for your sec- for his character as if his character were there.
If you are going to school, let us know if ond, 160 for your third, and so on. The price Example two: Fred Player has his char-
there is a festival or fair at the campus that we doubles for each additional resurrection. acter go through an Adventuring Day module
can use to hand out flyers. See if your local and get Experience Points from it. The next day
comic book store or gaming supply store will Production Points and/or Coins: For he shows up and plays an NPC in that same
let us put our flyers there. If you have connec- each Goblin Point turned in, you can receive module (which is running for two days). He can-
tions in the media, use them for us. You can one Production Point which can then be used not apply the Goblin Points he has earned to
also help by talking us up on the internet, mak- to purchase coins, scrolls, potions, elixirs, that event as he has already used that event.
ing your own web page for your character or gasses, traps, weapons, or armor. During check- These Goblin Points are non-transferrable.
group, and otherwise keeping the Alliance in in, state what you wish to use the Goblin Points You cannot use your Goblin Points to buy Event
the public eye. for and Logistics will provide the item(s). Points for a friend. Further, you can only spend
You cannot spend more than one hundred Goblin Points in the chapter in which you
Be an NPC. Obviously! We always need Goblin Points per regular event (two game- earned them.
NPCs. There is a definite correlation between days). For modules (25% Experience) you can You may only purchase Event Points three
good events and a large number of NPCs. You spend twenty-five; for long weekends (worth months prior to the current date, and may not
can never have too many NPCs! 150%), thats one hundred and fifty. purchase events for the same date from two dif-
Note that you will not be given random ferent chapters, even if you attended one of the
Be creative. Youve probably already Production Points that you can store away to events as a player. For example: Fred Player
thought of something we havent. Let us know! be used any way you want in the future. In ac- PCs an event in the Minnesota chapter. He can-
tuality, no Production Points will be handed out. not then use his Goblin Points from the New
If you turn in 100 Goblin Points, Logistics will
Compensation say Thats 100 Production Points worth of
Jersey chapter to buy XP for an event that took
place the same weekend.
People who work for the Alliance are com- something. What do you want? You can then
pensated for their efforts with Goblin Points.
Goblin Points are usually rewarded for
say Ill take a Death elixir worth 45, a Cure
Wounds potion worth 10, a Flame Bolt scroll 149
 Writing Adventures
Writing live action games is unlike any- rid of the giant rats in her barn; it could be a
thing else you may have written in the past, treasure map that is hidden in the tavern just
mostly because in a live action game, you are waiting for someone to find it; it could be in-
not the only writer. Every single player can formation a monster has that it will give you if
shoot the storyline off in a different direction, you promise not to kill it. These hooks are ba-
and sometimes all you can do is watch and sically available for all players. Some hooks are
scratch your head in amazement as the plotline targeted to specific players or groups. For in-
you developed evolves into something com- stance, the Mages Guild may be seeking guild
pletely different. members to investigate a strange rift that has
We are always looking for good writers, opened in the woods; the local sarr leader has
but you need to know what you are getting into gathered all the sarr adventurers to help her
before you submit anything. destroy a local gnolls lair; the local under-
The advice in this chapter is to help you ground is seeking thieves to help rob the house
get started by writing weekend encounters and of a particular merchant who is causing trouble;
modules (set adventures). Once you have had a an NPC is coming into town in search for a
few of these accepted by the Plot Committee, specific player to follow up on something writ-
then you can start on the harder stuffweek- ten in a character history.
end long adventures and long term plotlines. These modules may encompass many
But lets start off slow, shall we? NPCs and use lots of props and special effects.
A weekend encounter is a simple plot that There is a definite plot and a quest involved
usually only requires a few NPCs and very little and it may sometimes be something that has an
setup. These encounters are always in demand, effect on the main plot.
and are very important because they give the Because of these reasons, there are more
NPCs reasons to be out there instead of merely restrictions on modules. Here then are some
go out and find some players and fight with pieces of advice for writing these modules (al-
them. The Plot Committee is always looking though in general the same advice goes for en-
for weekend encounters, and they can be as counters). These are not rules, but guidelines.
short as a paragraph or two. Here are a few ex- You may come up with a new twist or way of
amples: doing a module that goes against one or more
Example one: As a party nears the grave- of these suggestions, and that is finebut dont
yard late at night, they hear cries for help. As pin your hopes on having it accepted. When in
they get closer, they see that a group of four doubt, dontespecially if its your first mod-
goblins is fighting six zombies and losing. The Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
ule.
party can do nothing, wait to see who wins and
then go after the winners, or jump in to help. If Think of a plot first. Sounds simple, but
they help the goblins, the goblins will not at- down lots of names. As soon as you have as you may be surprised at the amount of modules
tack the humans. If after the zombies are killed many as you think safe, or as soon as the Town we get that are well written except for one thing:
the goblins are not attacked, they will thank Guard starts to eye you, you will hightail it out They have no real plot. They are simply a se-
the party for their help, allow them to keep the of town to run your scam somewhere else. ries of encounters or fights with no real con-
treasure on the zombies and offer to give the Example three: You are a ritual caster who tinuing thread. A good module should have each
party some old chicken bones they have (they has gone mad. You will take your two iron encounter build on the one previous. Every
have nothing of value). If however the party golems into town and demand that the town encounter should be there for a reason.
attacks, the goblins will of course defend (or surrender to you. Of course, they will not, and Imagine a module as a short story, with
run away). If the party takes a lot of damage in you will then give the iron golems the order to motivations for the characters and the NPCs,
the battle and the goblins think they may be attack anything that moves! The first thing unexpected plot twists, and a build towards an
able to beat the party, they will attack the party they see moving is you, so they will beat you exciting conclusion. If there is an encounter in
despite what the party has done for them. down quickly then go after the players. If the your module that does not build toward your
Example two: You are a poor old beggar players stand completely still, the golems will ending, then it would probably be better off
walking through town asking for coppers. If walk past them and look for moving targets. being removed.
someone gives you a silver or more, say Ah, Writing encounters is a good way to start The question to always ask yourself when
you are very kind. I will grant you one wish. off your Alliance writing career. It shows the writing a module is Why? Why did the bad
Take out a piece of paper and write down the Plot Committee your creativity and gives them guy act this way? Why is this puzzle here? Why
characters name and the wish, and tell them easy to run encounters that can be used when- do these monsters stay in this room waiting for
that their wish will be granted in the morning. ever there is a lull in the action. players to enter? If you dont have an answer
(Do not write the players name; this must be Modules are a bit more complicated, usu- to every why then you have some more writ-
completely in-game.) Soon that person will ally containing more than one encounter. Mod- ing to do. Have a reason for everything and the
probably tell his or her friends and you will ules usually take place in separate buildings and module will be a lot more fun.
soon be getting lots of silvers and be writing areas away from the rest of the players. Players Dont forget that there must be motiva-
will find the hook to the module and a small tion for the party to go on the module as well.
group will then be able to participate. Players find it very frustrating when they have

150 The hook may be someone coming into

town looking for adventurers to help her get
to think of some lame excuse for their charac-
ter to go on the module.
 For example, one module began with the the quest should be avoided. (This assumes of King Snotnose got away or not.
players receiving an invitation to a party. It was course that the module is an open one that could Along these same lines, dont base the
not a bad module overall but many characters be attended by any playerif the module is tar- module on the existence of some great magic
said, Why should I go to a party of someone geted towards a specific person or group, then item that the players will encounter. Some
Ive never heard of out in the middle of no- this could be completely acceptable.) player out there will figure out how to get it
where? Another module offered the party a few This does not mean that you cant write and then the balance of the game is ruined; and
silvers for performing a task. Richer groups just modules that challenge players morals and since the module will be repeating, soon many
said, Three silver? Bah! I dont need money. beliefs. For instance, a module containing a groups may have this unique item.
Try to avoid clichd NPCs. The evil nec- monster that is only hurt by necromancy can be
romancer who wrings his hands and goes quite a moral dilemma for the good player. Put in a time limit. You may have to write
Muhahahaha! gets very tiring after a while. Just make sure that there is another solution in a time limit to allow as many groups to go
Give your NPCs real motivations and reasons such as a way to avoid the monsterso that through the module as possible. Time limits on
for their being. No one in the real world con- the module doesnt just end right there. modules are often unrealistic in-game but nec-
siders themselves evil. Theyre either power Even though you shouldnt write modules essary out-of-game, especially if you have other
mad, completely selfish, fanatics, or have some that require players to do evil acts, you can write players you want to run through the module as
sort of mental problembut even then, have a module that require player to do good acts. well. You dont want one group figuring they
you ever really heard anyone laugh maniacally? That may sound contradictory, but look at it have forever and hogging it all.
Even Hitler didnt laugh maniacally. (Although this way: Evil characters are not completely and Try to be creative in your limit. For ex-
the world would be an easier place to live in if constantly belligerent. The player has made a ample, the party must reach the final encounter
all bad guys laughed maniacally: As your new conscious choice to play a violent or obnox- by midnight or the big bad guy will finish his
boss, I am sure we will have a profitable work- ious character. You can write an encounter that evil ritual. Maybe the module takes place in a
ing relationship, Muhahahaha! This used car requires the group to be civil. cave that is experiencing earthquakes and is due
is guaranteed not to give you any problems, Heres an example: The players on a mod- to collapse. If nothing else, if the time limit is
Muhahahaha! That country has weapons of ule meet a merchant who is carrying some items almost up and the party shows no sign of leav-
mass destruction, Muhahahaha!) People do not of value. If they attack the merchant for the ing, have waves and waves of progressively
really act that way except in bad books and bad money, he will not give the party the informa- more dangerous monsters attack until they ei-
movies. tion they need to complete their quest. In fact, ther get the hint and retreat or die trying (Obvi-
Another point is that evil people do not he may even tell them a complete lie so that ously in this last example, the party must be
necessarily get along. If you have a necroman- they spend the rest of the module wandering allowed to retreat and escape).
cer in your module and a player comes up to aimlessly in the wrong direction. This is per-
him and says Hi, Im a necromancer too, is fectly acceptable. Even evil characters (unless Make sure its scalable. Never write a
there any reason why your NPC should trust they are insane murderous characters) can co- module that requires a greater vampire or other
this guy? Make your NPCs as smart as the PCs operate and be nice for a long term goal. And if high level monster to be the main NPC because
and they will face a real challenge, and have a the player chooses to play an insane character that immediately prohibits lower level groups
lot more fun! who murders everyone who gets in his way, from going on the module. The module should
Dont limit your inspiration to fantasy thats not your problem. be written in such a way that for lower level
plotlines. Plots can come from anywhere. It is groups, the bad guy could be an evil human,
more important to think of an interesting idea Make it repeatable. In many cases, your the higher the level you go up the scale, the
and then find a way to make it work in our fan- module will be run many times so that as many worse it gets until it is a vampire.
tasy medieval game than it is to start with the people as possible may enjoy it, especially if it If there is no way to write the module with-
limitations of the medieval world. Any sort of requires a major set up, props or special effects. out using the high level NPC, then a way out
conflict can produce a plot. Basing the plot on something that can only be should be provided for low level parties; per-
done once is a waste of materials. Besides, dont haps the vampire just happens to be away at
Look for every possibility. A LARP is not you want every player to go on your module the time the party arrives and they have to at-
as controllable as tabletop role-playing games and see how much fun it is? tack some of his minions and then destroy his
you may have played. If the players do some- Try to make up new bad guys rather than coffin. Rewriting for different levels is diffi-
thing completely unexpected, you cant just stop use established plot bad guys. After all, we dont cult to do, so it is better to avoid modules that
and rewrite the module in the middle of it. want five groups claiming to have captured the require the use of a specific high level monster.
Therefore you have to think of every possibil- wanted criminal Necro Abominatio and seven
ity when writing the module. This also means others claiming he got away. Dont worry about monster statistics or
trying to imagine how players with a different If at all possible (and this is difficult) make treasure. Our Monster Manual is not made
slant on the game will play it. your repeating module non-repeating. Have the public. After all, your character should have to
encounters be the same, but have a different learn thorough experience and talking to oth-
Dont write modules that punish char- name for the bad guys in each run, and have it ers in-game what powers certain monsters have
acters. Some modules have been written in such take place in a different place each time. and what their weaknesses are.
a way that they require characters to do things For example, instead of writing a module Therefore, when you write a module, you
that arent very nice in order to complete the about a mad goblin king in a cave, write it so should submit it in very basic terms for mon-
module. This punishes players who are trying that there are a series of mad goblin kings now sters (Goblins should go here until the party
to role-play good characters. (Even though working together, and the only way to rid them gets high enough level and then it should be
there are no alignments in this game, players of their power is to send a number of groups orcs or other similar creatures.) All modules
often consider themselves good, evil or neu- off to different caves to fight different goblin go through the Plot committee who will do the
tral, and for the purposes of this point, we will kings. Give each goblin king a completely dif- monster scaling for you.
use those expressions.) ferent name and maybe even a different piece You could, however, scale any player race
Modules that require players to steal items of a puzzle. The module is the same, but this
from homes, torture people to get information,
or do questionable acts in order to complete
allows for players to talk about the adventure
without contradicting each other as to whether 151
NPC, as those statistics are available in this Rule end. This enables us to have more NPCs than J then sends the party off to their location
Book. normal and also have more time to set up the by giving them an invitation. He tells them that
When scaling for an NPC, a general rule module. they will be compensated for their time and
of thumb is that the NPCs should average out Finally, you should note that there are trouble and that their reward will be better if
at approximately the players level. So if you some magic items in this module that have ef- they complete the quest.
have a celestial templar, buy his or her skills fects that are not in this Rule Book. Modules
based on that level, and be reasonable about it. sometimes use strange magic which is allowed Gadgets
Buy a few skills like Alchemy or Craftsman that in rare circumstances as long as there is always Each has only one charge.
the NPC really would have and dont overload a marshal present and the item can never leave Time Stop. This allows the person in pos-
the NPC with nothing but battle skills or spells. the module. session to yell Hold and while the marshal
Also remember that some spellcasters would counts backwards from ten to 3, 2, 1, Lay On,
have cast protective spells on themselves at the the person with the item can move outside of
beginning of the day and these would take away
Sample Module time but everyone else remains still.
from other spells available. Give your NPCs On His Majestys Secret Service Duplicate Key. This piece of metal will
real personalities and logic and the character By Heidi Hooper and Michael A. Ventrella copy a key when one is placed on top of it.
becomes more real. Quill of Copying. This magical quill can
Keep in mind that the players will go Introduction copy up to five 8 1/2 x 11 pages by placing the
through more than one battle in the average The adventuring party is invited to the quill first to the pages to be copied and then to
module, so if you scale all your battles at party Ducal Manor House where they are introduced blank paper. It will take a few seconds but is
level, it will be too difficult for the players, be- to a man known only as J. J tells them he still faster than copying by hand. There must
cause by the last battle they will have already works for the secret service answerable only to be a bottle of ink nearby.
expended most of their spells, skills and items. the King and he shows his papers to prove it. Disappearing Ink. This magical ink will
Dont worry about treasure unless its cru- J says that there are a number of high class disappear after an hour of use. It can be used
cial to the plot. You may want to add points gambling casinos spread throughout the duchy with the Quill of Copying.
such as The treasure should be all on the that are suspected fronts of activities for the un- Wand of Distraction. This is a magical
leader or mention treasure that needs to be derworld organization known as the Fist. The wand which, when activated, will cause some-
there for later encounters: The box must have players mission, if they wish to accept it, is to thing to happen. The marshal will roll a die to
a Flame Bolt scroll within it. create phony identities as upper class merchants determine what sort of thing happens. All have
Once more you should be logical. Why and to enter the establishment in order to gain a five foot radius of effect as per trap rules.
would your zombie have treasure? Make it all information. Feeblemind
make sense. J warns the players that stealth and subtlety Sleep
Finally, be aware that anything you write are key for this operation. J also tells the play- Dispel
for the Alliance becomes the intellectual prop- ers that the gambling house checks all weap- Paralyze
erty of the Alliance. After all, what you create ons at the door. Of course, if captured, the play- 12 flame (as trap)
will affect the plot of the game, perhaps in mean- ers must deny all knowledge of the Kings se- Hallucinate
ingful ways. It would not be fair to the Alliance cret service.
or to its players if you were to create a new J gives them the basic rundown, describ- At the Door
monster or NPC or country and then, after it ing the casino for them and telling them about The party is greeted at the door by a Burly
has been established and other players are rely- the owner, a fellow named Ivan a/k/a The Man Bodyguard in very expensive clothes. He checks
ing upon it, to have you say that we can no with the Golden Sword. He does not know the party up and down and is very friendly when
longer use your creation. what Ivan looks like, and in fact is not even presented with the invitation, but insists on the
sure if Ivan exists or is just a name used to throw weapons being checked. The party will prob-
Now lets look at a very popular module people off. The partys task is to find the paper- ably object to this a bit, when suddenly, just
that has already run. This module was run more work which lists Ivans contacts. This paper- like in a James Bond movie, a fight breaks out
than once for a number of groups, and although work will certainly help bring down the Fist. in the first five minutes! Burly Bodyguard goes
only a few succeeded in accomplishing their Ivan is very clever and has recently stolen running back into the casino (hopefully with
quests, all had a good time. a list of the Secret Services agents, so he would the party behind). He sees Ivan being held pris-
Note that this module is not based on a instantly recognize any of Js own people and oner (Webbed) by an evil bad guy who demands
traditional fantasy medieval plotin fact, it was thats why J needs new blood. If the party his share of the cut.
written after watching too many James Bond wishes, they can certainly use their own names, The bad guy is named Guido and he has
movies. Obviously, we dont want a bunch of but J advises against it as Ivan will certainly be henchmen who are holding the other guests at
James Bond modules, but something different looking for revenge once he discovers his pa- the casino with daggers they smuggled in and
every now and then is fun. pers are missing. spells at the ready. The patrons are all pretty
Note the format of the module and the time J also gives the party a few gadgets to scared by this. Other burly bodyguards are al-
limits put in place by the plot. Most importantly, help them in their quest. Each of these gadgets ready on the floor bleeding.
note that the point of the module is the plot. All has a limit of five days and are not renewable Ivan will deny that he owes Guido any-
battles are secondary to that. In fact, it is pos- and actually not creatable under any current thing. Guido notices the party and demands they
sible to go through this entire module without known ritual (Well, the Kings Secret Service retreat. Ivan begs for the party to help and of-
having a single battle. should have the latest technology now, fers a reward.
Understand as well that this particular shouldnt it?). In fact, the five days are about to If the party does not help (because they
module was arranged beforehand and players expire that very night. Note that many of these are afraid of blowing their cover or some-
signed up for specific runs of this module on a gadgets would never pass the Rules Commit- thing) the burly bodyguards will awaken and
module day as opposed to on a regular week- tee as regular items but in the context of this start the fight themselves, taking Guido and his
module, with a marshal handy, they can work. henchmen out. The players will not get any re-

152 The players must get a marshal whenever they

plan on using these gadgets.
ward and Ivan will not treat them with any great
deference.
 If the party does help, Ivan will tell the lier come in as different people). The place bination is needed for the chest, they can at-
party that as part of their reward, they can take should be as crowded as we can make itthe tempt to open it. It is trapped of course (gotta
all possessions from the bad guys. He then or- more NPCs the better. give the thief something to do). The trap is a
ders the bad guys first aided and shoved out Note that the NPCs mentioned below will Paralysis gas. The papers are in the chest along
naked into the cold. Im no murderer, he says. get into fights only if they are personally at- with some treasure.
Besides, Id rather humiliate them. Itll make tacked, and even then only as a last resort There are people in the casino who know
them think twice next time. He will deny he they dont want to blow their cover. where the key is, what the Audible Projection
owes Guido anything. password is, and what the combination is, but
Ivan gets introductions all around, and The rooms the players will have to role-play with them to
then gives the party a bunch of free gambling There are a few pleasant sitting rooms off find out. That is the goal of the module, after
chips for the games and tells Monique the wait- to the side where people can relax. Players can all.
ress to give them any drinks they wish on the take NPCs in here for private talks and vice The NPCs must drop hints about the fact
house. versa. One of the rooms has a door to the Of- that they know this stuff if the players are too
If the bad guys are questioned, they say fice which has an unpickable lock. The papers dense to figure it out, but the NPCs should not
that Ivan owes them money for services ren- the players want are in that room. Since the of- offer the solutions. The NPCs should also try
dered but will not admit what those services fice door is located in one of the sitting rooms, to target different people on the players team
were. If they are questioned further by the play- it isnt very well watched, giving the players an so that all the information doesnt go to one
ers they will refuse to talk. One may admit that opportunity to sneak in once they can get the person.
they are with the Dockside Conglomerate (a key.
rival thieves guild) and that they are upset Once the party gets the key, they can open The Guests
with how Ivan has been cutting into their fenc- the door and check out the office. The office The more NPCs available the better. Ev-
ing operation. doesnt have much in it but it does have a little ery single NPC should have a name, a story
Ivan will still insist that the players check black book (empty) and a piece of jewelry and a background, even if its not written down
their weapons at the door, but if pressed, he (Moniques). The little black book is empty but here. The players must figure out who can help
will allow one PC bodyguard to carry a it looks just like the one that Colonel Randolph them and who cant. Other NPCs may be added
weapon. carries with him. depending on the group; for instance, we may
The party is then invited to sit down and On the other side of the office is a large use this opportunity to introduce people from
play games or mill about. They will not be chest with a combination lock and an Audible character histories.
watched too closely (so that they can do their Projection ritual. There is a sign posted that says
sneaking around). At least one adventurer Any employee setting off that damned Audible Ivan
should always stay with Ivan to keep him dis- Projection will be subject to a reduction of Ivan has a golden sword hung over his
tracted, but it doesnt have to be the same one wages! Ivan This is to let the players know

153
all the time. what they are dealing with.
Later, other patrons will come to the bar Once the players know what password gets
(the NPCs who were playing the bad guys ear- them past the Audible Projection and what com-
favorite seat in the casino. It is only a decora-
tive sword but it looks like it is worth a lot. It is
firmly attached and anyone trying to remove it
will have to spend at least a minute doing so,
and it will be painfully obvious to anyone who
looks that way.
The sword can be Shattered or Destroyed.
It is not really worth much (Its just gold paint).
Ivan has a long and somewhat boring story
to tell about how he got it, and while telling the
story he can be fairly distracted about what else
is going on around him. The story itself has
nothing to do with the module.
At one point early on, Percival must tell
Ivan that he needs some more money from the
office. Ivan must then loudly proclaim that he
is going to get it (to give the players a chance
to get out of the way), pull an obvious key out
of his pocket, walk to the office door, and then
eventually go back to his seat. This is to estab-
lish to the party that he has the key in his pocket.
Ivan is a minor operative in the Fist. He is
not as powerful as the Secret Service believes.
He is, however, a major money laundering cen-
ter and his place of business services as a
fence for Fist steals. less to her once the ink disappears. Of course, convince him to go to another room. He didnt
Candy may come back for revenge at a later get where he is by being too trusting.
Candy Came date Note also that Randolph has to be the vic-
Candy is a traditional James Bond girl. tim of a waylay as the module begins; other-
She loves fast men, money and danger. She will Colonel Randolph wise, he would be fighting those Dockside
attach herself to the handsomest man in the party The Colonel is a military man, upper class, members alongside the players.
and flirt with him constantly and will attempt stuffy, been in the military since he was a boy.
to put a Love poison in his drink. He likes to gamble, but doesnt care much for Monique
What she wants is the little black book held the ladies, so Candy has been unable to get him Monique is a little French waitress who
by Colonel Randolph. If the players ask about since her Love poisons seem to only make him flits from place to place with her tray and who
the book, she will try to change the subject but swoon over the handsome gypsy card shark at is often seen dusting high places much to the
if pushed will state that Randolph is a slaver the next table. Plus he distrusts her and rightly delight of Gino. Players will assume that her
and the book lists his slave routes. She must thinks shes out to get something from him. dumb demeanor and attitude is really a cover,
emphasize that merely stealing the book is cer- Randolph supplements his income by hav- butsurprise!she really is what she seems
tain to get the Colonels attention and this would ing the army look the other way when the slaves to be.
cause everyone in the place to be searched, but come through. Hes not a nice guy. Monique dislikes Ivan because Ivan mis-
she has no idea how to go about getting the He always keeps his lucky black book next treats her. A few days ago, Ivan took a piece of
damned thing. to him on the table but keeps a wary eye on it, jewelry from Monique that was given to her by
She will not admit who she works for but and often places his cards on top of it. He never a gambler at the Casino who she really cares
will do everything she can to convince the play- opens it though, so will be unaware that some- about. Monique knows that the jewelry is in
ers that she is working for anti-slavers. one has replaced his book with another (like the Office. She doesnt know the combination
She tells her victim that she will do a the one from Ivans office!) or the Audible Projection word. It is important
favor for him in return. If her victim asks about He doesnt know anything about whats that Monique does not mention the piece of jew-
the Casino office, she will admit that she knows in the office or the safe. He likes Ivan but has elry until after Ivan and Percival have done their
the combination. She cares nothing about Ivan. no business dealings with him and is unaware bit with the key.
If the players refuse to turn over the book, that Ivan has anything to do with the Fist. If the party makes it known that they need
she will refuse to give them the combination. He is an elf and has six Resist Commands, the key, Monique will offer to help them get it
Once she gets the book, she will leave immedi- so if the players try to Dominate him to give up if they promise to give her the piece of jewelry.
ately, giving them some treasure as a reward. If his book, he will merely resist and call for the Its not worth much and its not magical so even
the party follows, they can attempt to take her guards. Candy will of course disavow any the greediest party should have no problem
down right outside the Casino, but if they dont knowledge of the players or the book if that handing it over to Monique.
act fast she will be seen getting into a carriage happens since she doesnt want to be questioned If the party does not make it known that it
that was waiting nearby. If the party does at- by the guards. wants the key, Monique will go to a likely mem-
tempt to get her, she will scream for help and If the party doesnt replace the black book ber of the party who looks helpful and will cry
otherwise attract the attention of those inside. with another that looks just like it, he will no- out her troubles to him or her. She will com-
One option for the players is to try to copy tice and demand the return of the book, and plain about how Ivan treats her and will ask the
the book for her with the Quill and the disap- everyone will then be searched. Even if the book player to help get the piece of jewelry back from
pearing ink, thus making the information use- is not found on the players, it is sure to make the Office. If the party looks lost she can drop
everyone watch the players with a bit more cau- hints and will say Only Ivan has the key and

154 tion from now on. Nothing will make Randolph

leave his gambling seat. The players cannot
keeps it in his pocket.
More than any other NPC, Monique has
to give the party lots of clues if theyre dense, a Burly Bodyguard will take the chips to
for otherwise the module ends here. No other Percival who will then exchange the chips for
NPC should help as much as she should, and money. This character is there for two reasons:
she should help only if the party seems clue- (1) So the players cannot get to the huge amount
less. Even so, she should not solve the module of money that the Casino should have; (2) To
for them. She should make suggestions if act as a witness if the party tries to give Amne-
needed but if the party does not act on them, sia elixirs to everyone in the module.
that is their problem.
For instance, if the party cant think of a Burly Bodyguards
way to get the key, Monique will offer to get it The players should feel afraid of the body-
for them by accidentally spilling something guards. In actuality, the party could probably
on Ivans lap and then apologizing and offer- take down everyone in the place, but then theyd
ing to clean his pants for him. If a players spills never get the Projection word or the combina-
something instead, Ivan will call over Monique tion and would not complete their quest (as well
and have her take his pants; he will not hand as destroying their cover). If for some reason a
them over to someone he doesnt know very fight does break out, the NPCs will try to sub-
well. due the players and then strip them down and
Monique will grab Ivans robe from a throw them out into the cold. Module over.
hanger nearby and hand it to him and he will
pull off his pants (silly underwear needed for The Ending
props) and hand them to Monique. Monique Early on, Ivan will mention that the Ca-
can then give the players the key but will de- Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
sino will be closing in about an hour and a half,
mand that they give it right back because Ivan so this places a time limit on the party. This
is certain to remember that it is missing soon. Felicia but nothing to the players. Yes, she is a closing should be enforced. Guards will chase
In fact, in about five minutes, Ivan will spy. (This code should change for each group the players out once the time is up.
remember and ask for it back if it hasnt al- that goes through the module).
ready been given to him. If the party asks about the Audible Pro- Timing
The players only have to have the key for jection, she will admit that she knows the word This is a list of the order in which events
a few secondslong enough to make the du- and will tell them if they solve her puzzle. (She should occur but this may change based on
plicate using the magic item. knows because one of the Big Burly Body- player actions. It is important that these events
guards who is not there right now knows the do not happen too quickly!
Gino word, and he talks in his sleep.) If the party 1. PCs arrive and the fight with the bad
Gino is a gypsy card shark whose main solves the puzzle for her and doesnt ask for guys breaks out.
purpose is to gamble with the players and lose the Audible Projection, she should offer it any- 2. Gambling games begin; PCs use this
from time to time (to make sure the players get way or else the module ends there. She might time to find out a little about the NPCs. NPCs
some treasure). He knows all of the regulars wait a few minutes while the party tries to think make no reference to Audible Projection or
and can tell the players about their personali- of what it wants in return, but eventually she combination lock.
ties, but he doesnt know any of their secrets, should give the word to them. The word should 3. Candy asks PC for help in exchang-
like whether they are actually spies or who they change for each run of this module. She knows ing black book; promises to help the party but
might work for. nothing about the key or the combination lock. does not offer anything specific.
4. Monique talks to different PC about
Velar Khendar Greenwood wanting jewelry; player asks for help in obtain-
Velar the Stone Elf dealer never cheats; Khendar is a rich merchant who has had ing key.
Ivan makes sure of that. It would lose business! too much to drink. He should pick out the big- 5. Felicia approaches party with puzzle
He knows about the safe, the key and the Pro- gest, toughest fighter in the group and insult to solve.
jection but does not know how to get past them. him or her a lot and otherwise decide not to 6. Monique helps get key; PCs make
He is, of course, unemotional and will take like him or her. About an hour and a half or so duplicate key, enter office.
no sides. He enjoys the logic behind the games into the module, he will take affront at some 7. PCs search and find black book in
and delights in figuring out the odds of each slight the player made and will challenge the office; notice Audible Projection sign and com-
hand. He knows all of the regular patrons but player to a duel. bination lock.
does not know anything about them other than Ivan will jump in and start taking bets right 8. Candy will offer combination in ex-
the public persona they project. For instance, then and there. The players should realize this change for black book.
he knows nothing about the Colonels slave is a perfect opportunity for a distraction and 9. Khendar starts a fight; PCs may use
trading. encourage this. Perhaps Khendar will fight for chance for subterfuge
He has worked for Ivan for one year, three an item the players have and offer his item in 10. PCs change black book, Candy gives
months, sixteen days and thirty seven minutes. return, thus getting some of the treasure out combination
assuming he loses. This will have to be decided 11. PCs solve Felicias puzzle; Felicia
Felicia Expert on a case by case basis. The loser will be first gives Audible Projection word
Felicia (another Bond girl) will approach aided. If Khendar loses, he will apologize, hu- 12. PCs get to combination and steal
the groups caster or most obvious scholar and miliated, and then leave. items
ask for their help in solving a word puzzle she 13. PCs return jewelry to Monique and
is trying to figure out. Oh, its meaningless Percival Patterson leave just as the place closes for the night. Mis-
really, she will say. Just a little something I Percival is the bookkeeper. He sits in a sion accomplished!
do for fun. The code says something like The room off to the side which is Warded. Only he
big eagle flies at midnight at the place where
the gazelle grazes. It means something to
is invested in the Ward. At the end of the mod-
ule when the players need to cash in their chips, 155
 Table Top Gaming Rules
The Alliance LARP is a game that was Face: This represents the players social gin with a value of 1. Characters then receive
designed for live-action role-playing; not for abilities. Whenever a player attempts to per- 18 points, with which they can purchase
playing around a table with dice. However, what suade another, a Face check is required. Face higher traits, as follows: A 2 costs 1 point, a
are you to do during those weekends when no does not necessarily describe the characters 3 costs 2 points, a 4 costs 3 points, a 5
event is scheduled in your area, and you really attractiveness. Many people with beautiful faces costs 5 points, and a 6 costs 7 points.
want to play your character? Well, you and your are socially inept and many people who lack Method Four (Random): Roll a die six
friends can relive the experience with Alliance classic beauty are quite adept at getting other times and record the results. Assign each roll
Tabletop. people to do what they wish. to one Trait. If you have more 1s than 6s or if
The rules for Alliance Tabletop are kept you have no Traits with a value of 4 or more,
as simple as possible and are designed to mimic Feet: This represents a players nimble- reroll your Traits.
the experience of live-action role-play. There ness and balance. This trait is used to establish Method Five (Freeform): The Director
are no Effects or Monster Abilities that do not speed, reactions, as well as defensive maneu- assigns Traits to the characters based on the
exist in the live-action format for the game. All vers on the battlefield. Directors own assessment of the players abili-
the durations and areas of effect are the same ties when LARPing. While this has the benefit
for the live-action and tabletop formats. Hands: This represents the players of most accurately modeling the players own
In order to play Alliance Tabletop, each manual dexterity and is used for weapon-based performance in the Alliance, it runs a risk of
player should have a six-sided die and a char- attacks as well as any use of Legerdemain. hurt feelings and arguments.
acter sheet. The Director will need a copy of
this Rule Book, at least one six-sided die, one Heart: This represents the players men- Race, Class, and Skills: Once the Traits
ten-sided die (for determining resurrections and tal and physical stamina. Any physical exertion have been set, the characters should choose race
ritual magic), character sheets or notes for each is represented by this Trait. NPCs also use this and class just as they would were they creating
NPC to be encountered, and notes (and/or Trait to check morale and to resist attempts at a live-action character. Characters begin the
maps) of the encounters for the players. intimidation. game with zero Experience and 15 Build Points,
The players may also want the Players just as any other starting character in Alliance
Guide for the campaign world in which they LARP. The Director may choose to play a
play (or the Director may create a homespun
Character Creation higher-level game and assign players a starting
campaign world for the Tabletop campaign). Traits: First, players should select their Build of more than 15.
When players attend a live-action event, Traits. Following are five methods of generat- Each day of tabletop gaming earns player
there are NPCs, marshals, Logistics and a Di- ing those traits. The first three methods are the characters the same experience as they would
rector overseeing the Event. In the Tabletop ver- most recommended because they ensure that garner during a Faire Day, whether a day, a
sion, the Director plays all these roles. The Di- characters are balanced. The fourth method is month or even only a few hours of time have
rector has the job of writing the adventure, set- random, which can be fun for a short game, but passed in-game. A Director may decide to award
ting the characteristics for the NPCs to be en- runs a high risk that some characters will per- additional XP if a session is extraordinarily
countered, rolling the dice, role-playing the form much better than other characters in the long. Obviously, XP does not transfer from a
encounters, describing the world and doing same party. The fifth method is freeform and Tabletop game to a live-action campaign.
anything else that might normally be accom- the least recommended of the methods.
plished by the Staff of a live-action Alliance Method One (Array): Characters assign Possessions, Spells and Recipes: All char-
LARP campaign. The Director is the arbiter of the values 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to the six Traits. acters begin the game with basic possessions
all rules disputes and must approve all charac- Each value can be assigned to only one Trait. as per the Alliance LARP rules unless the Di-
ters to be played in the game. Method Two (Paired Traits): Characters rector determines otherwise.
assign seven points to be divided each amongst
three paired traits. The paired Traits are: Brain Skils and Spells: Like the live-action
Traits and Face, Eye and Heart, and Feet and Hands. game, characters in Alliance Tabletop take the
Each character (player or non-player) pos- So, for example, if the player chooses a Feet time to study their spells, refresh their spirits
sesses six Traits. The Traits simulate the physi- rating of 5, the Hands rating must be 2. Brain and otherwise gain sustenance each game-day.
cal and mental attributes that an Alliance LARP and Face are paired because Brain represents
player may use out-of-game in a live-action situ- a persons introspective qualities. Such people Example: Victor agrees to be Director in
ation. The Traits represent the following: tend not to be extroverts, which is the quality a game of Alliance Tabletop with his friends
associated with Face. For game balance pur- Judy and Terry. Judy decides to play a human
Brain: This is the mental acuity of the poses, these attributes are linked (even though celestial artisan named Dorothea that special-
player and is used to determine when a player there are very charismatic geniuses in the world izes in scroll making. She spends her initial 15
can solve puzzles or succeed in games of wit, as well as idiot social misfits). Eye and Heart Build Points on the following Skills: Read and
such as chess when the Director decides not to are paired because Eye represents a persons Write, Read Magic, Celestial Level 1, Create
actually play out the game. openness and receptiveness to experiences, Scroll, and Small Weapon. As she has one
while Heart represents a persons ability to weapon skill (Small Weapon), she starts the
Eye: This represents the perceptive abili- endure and ignore the often painful stimuli that game with a dagger. She also receives 12 cop-
ties of the player and is used to determine the life can dish out. Feet and Hands are paired per pieces and a spell book containing a single
players accuracy at a distance, as well as the because Feet represents a person whose ten- first level spell (she chooses Stone Bolt). She
players ability to search a room or a victim. dency is to prefer defensive maneuvers, while starts the game with 6 body points and 2 ar-
Hands represents an affinity for more aggres- mor points.

156 sive hands-on action.

Method Three (Point Buy): All Traits be-
Next Judy chooses her Traits. The Direc-
tor decides that Traits should be assigned us-
ing Method Two (Paired Traits). She decides Actions are wholly within the discretion of the requiring three Rounds): (1) removing the vial
Dorothea has a very congenial personality, and Director. Some of these Actions for which a Di- from the pouch, (2) unstopping the vial, and
sets her Face at 6. This means her Brain is 1. rector might require a roll are detailed below. (3) consuming the liquid. The Director is the
She believes that Dorothea should be brave, final arbiter as to how many Rounds a declared
Action might take.
and sets her Heart at 5, making her Eyes 2.
Finally, she sets her Hands at 3 and Feet at 4.
Combat Characters with Florentine or Two Weapon
Terry decides to be a dog wylderkin Combat in Alliance Tabletop is not cin- Skills can take the Strike Action twice in a
Fighter named Tto. His Initial Build Points are ematic. There are no back flips, roundhouse Round, if they have valid weapons in each hand
spent on Claw, Critical Attack 2 and Teacher. kicks or people tossing swords through the air. and are using them for their respective Actions.
He also begins the game with 6 Body Points Rather, Alliance Tabletop tries to capture the Characters who have not been incapacitated (by
and 2 Armor Points for period clothing. He has flavor of live-action role-play by making use Effect or by damage) always get to oppose any
one Weapon Skill and chooses to carry only of Alliance LARPs live-action rules and mini- Action made against them.
his one claw as a weapon, in addition to his mizing dice.
starting 12 copper pieces. Surprise: Before combat, occasionally
Now Terry chooses Traits for Tto. He de- Time: For ease of reference, Aliance there is a chance that some characters may be
cides that Tto is neither fearsome nor brainy Tabletop uses seconds, minutes, hours, days, surprised. This is particularly true when some
and sets Brain at 3 and Face at 4. He decides weeks, months and years. However, Alliance opponents are Concealed or in Hiding, or if an
that Tto is very brave and sets Heart at 5, Tabletop adds one new measure of time: the opponent is preparing to Waylay. In such cases,
meaning his Eyes are 2. Finally, Terry decides Round. A Round represents about six sec- the characters who may be surprised must roll
Tto is more defensive than offensive, and sets onds or one-tenth of a minute the time needed Notice (Eyes), opposed by the surprisers sus-
his Feet at 4 and his Hands at 3. to perform a single Action and is usually ap- pended Conceal/Hide/Waylay roll. Only an os-
Victor reviews the characters and, decid- plied only in combat situations. Most Actions tensible victim who fails to Notice any of the
ing they are appropriate for his campaign, ap- spellcasting, swinging a weapon, drinking a hidden surprisers will be surprised. A surprised
proves them. He then works with his players to potion, etc. take one Round. All three-count character cannot Act, move or speak for the next
come up with character histories that fit the actions are presumed to require one Round to Round, but may roll appropriate opposition
campaign world he has conceived accomplish. Traits in response to the surprisers Action dur-
Characters can only take one Action in any ing that Round.
given Round. While taking an Action, they may
Mechanics not move more than five feet (unless that ac- Initiative: At the beginning of combat, any
d6 + players Trait (+ allys Trait, if ap- tion is dedicated wholly to movement, such as character that has the ability to take an Action
plicable) > d6 + opponents Trait or Target + Climbing, Jumping and Sprinting). Each sepa- must roll d6 + Feet. Each player then gets to
Directors Modifiers rate diagnosis performed pursuant to the Heal- take Actions in descending order (i.e., Actions
All dice-rolling in Alliance Tabletop is ing Arts Skill takes one Round. (For example, go from highest modified Feet roll to lowest).
resolved using the formulas set forth below. it takes one Round to determine if the target is Tie rolls are presumed to occur simultaneously.
Any character who attempts an Action (see be- asleep, an additional Round to determine how
low) rolls a d6 and adds the appropriate Trait. many Body Points the target has lost, etc.) Death, Dying and Unconsciousness:
If the characters Action is being opposed, then Some Actions require multiple Rounds. Characters who are bleeding out do not die until
the sum of the die roll and the characters roll Obviously, a ten-minute Formal Ritual would everybody in combat has resolved their Actions.
must equal or exceed the sum of the opponents take 100 Rounds to cast. Similarly, somebody Characters at zero Body Points do not wake up
die roll and the opponents trait. If the who is reduced to 1 Body Points would take until everybody in combat has resolved their
characters Action is unopposed, then the sum ten Rounds to die, and then 50 Rounds to re- Actions. Any Effects whose duration is longer
of the die roll and the characters roll must equal ceive a Life spell. Gypsy Curses require two than five seconds and which expires in a given
or exceed a target established by the Director. Rounds to invoke (but only one to remove). Round does not expire until everybody in com-
If the character is trying to aid an ally, then the Refitting armor requires ten Rounds. bat has resolved their Actions. In other words,
allys Trait is added to the characters roll. The Some Actions that appear to be a single any event that is not an Action occurs only af-
Director may also apply additional modifiers Action are, in fact, multiple Actions that require ter all the characters have Acted.
based on the specific circumstances. multiple Rounds. Removing a potion or elixir
Not every Action for which a Director may
require a roll can be enumerated here. Such
from a pouch or other container and consum-
ing it, for example, is in fact, three Actions (thus 157
 Persevere (Heart): Any time a character
Noncombat Actions is performing an Action over a long period of
Unopposed Actions
Conceal (Brain): This Action represents time (i.e., long-distance running, counting Most unopposed actions require no roll
a character who is attempting to conceal an grains of sand, etc.) the Director may require a (such as applying a Killing Blow to an uncon-
object or person from view. The person must Heart roll, which is modified negatively by the scious opponent); the Director can safely as-
have sufficient time to properly conceal the item number of prior Persevere checks made on this sume the action succeeds.
or person. If the person is not given enough Action. The result of the Heart Roll represents Some unopposed actions, however, will
time, then they must Stow the item. Conceal- how many minutes the character can continue still require a roll. These actions usually involve
ing yourself, however, is handled with the Hide the action without having to make another the character attempting to affect an object, or
(Feet) action, below. Heart Roll. As soon as the Heart Roll is zero to cover some distance.
or less, the character must rest. These are always considered unopposed
Deceive (Face): This Action represents a actions, even though the action can be inter-
character who is attempting to deceive another Poison (Hands): Sneaking an elixir into rupted by another character. The relevant Trait
character, whether bluffing at cards, or lying someones drink without being spotted requires for these actions is in parentheses after the name
about where the treasure is Stowed. It is op- a Hands Roll, which is opposed by Notice of the Action.
posed by Notice (Eyes). (Eyes) Rolls of any witnesses in the area.
Build (Hands): Director assigns the
Hide (Feet): Hiding others requires Con- Puzzle (Brain): Assuming the Director project a total Target representing how labor
ceal (Brain). Hide is a Suspended Action and simply does not want to play out the riddles, an intensive such a project would be. The charac-
therefore may require periodic Heart Rolls to opposed d6 Roll may be used. The Brain of ters then roll d6 + Hands every minute, hour
ensure the character doesnt become lax and the person offering the puzzle opposes the or day, depending on how long the Director be-
accidentally reveal a foot or hand. Hide is op- Brain or Brains of the character or characters lieves the project should take. When the sum
posed by Notice (Eyes). Each potential spotter trying to solve it. This also works for games of of the characters rolls equals or exceeds the
should roll Notice (Eyes) against the Hide roll intelligence, such as chess. Target, the project is complete. In order to Build
the hider has already rolled; in other words, the a project, however, someone on the project team
hider does not re-roll for every person. Ritual (Brain): Formal casting can get must have knowledge of how to construct the
complicated. Many things can go wrong. The project. A character who does not know how to
Inspire (Face): This Action allows a char- caster must roll Brain, opposed by the level of design a catapult, for example, cannot build one.
acter to inspire players, giving those who are the ritual (no d6 added), which represents a me- Relevant Craftsman skills may apply here at the
inspired a +1 bonus for their next action. Only chanical error in casting. The d10 for the ritual Directors discretion.
one person may attempt to Inspire a crowd be- must still be rolled as in the live-action game to
fore a battle. Inspire requires at least a full determine the outcome if the Brain Roll suc- Climb (Heart): The surface being climbed
minute. Each Ally adds their Heart Trait to the ceeds. The Brain roll is modified by +1 for each serves as the opponent here, and should be given
Actors roll to see if that Ally is Inspired. The level of Formal Magic the character possesses. an appropriate Trait based on the Directors
Target for an Inspire roll is sum of 10 and any evaluation of the surfaces distance, smooth-
Conditional Modifiers the Director imposes. Sneak (Feet): This allows a character to ness and incline.
Generally, the Conditional Modifier for an In- move without being noticed and is used to de-
spire check is determined by how formidable termine whether a character can get into posi- Heft (Heart): This Act represents lifting
the foe appears. tion to Waylay an opponent. Sneak is always something heavy or forcing ones way into a
opposed by Notice (Eyes). location, as for example, through a crowd. This
Intimidate (Face): This is the inverse of Action should not be used to replace the Shat-
Inspire. It allows a character to put fear into an Stow (Hands): This Action occurs when ter spell. The Director should assign an oppos-
opponent, causing the next action the opponent a person tries to Conceal an item with insuffi- ing Trait based on the strength of the item or
takes to be subject to a 1 modifier. Only one cient time. There is always a 2 modifier be- person being Hefted.
person may attempt to Intimidate opponents be- cause of the rushed nature of the Action.
fore a battle. At least one full minute must be Example: The Director opens the Cam- Jump (Feet): Characters can jump a num-
spent on Intimidate. Intimidate is opposed by paign by telling the players that the Mists have ber of feet equal to (d6 + Feet)/2 upwards for a
Heart. taken Dorothea and Tto from their comfort- vertical standing jump, d6 + Feet horizontally
able home to a colorful distant land. In fact, for a standing long jump, and 2 (d6 + Feet)
Legerdemain (Hands): Any of the non- the Mists deposit the pair along a road. horizontally and half that distance vertically for
combat Actions allowed by Legerdemain or In truth, the PCs are right in the middle of a running jump.
Alchemy trap disarming, lockpicking, etc. a cleverly hidden hobling village, but the Di-
are governed by Hands. The roll is always op- rector doesnt tell the players that yet. He waits Sprint (Feet): Characters can run a maxi-
posing the Hands of the trapmaker or locksmith to see that the PCs do. Dorothea and Tto dis- mum of 5 (d6 + Feet) in feet/Round unless
who originally built the lock or trap. cuss which direction along the road they should blocked or stopped. The Director may apply
walk, when Tto decides to investigate the area other modifiers based on encumbrance, terrain,
Notice (Eyes): This Action is used for any for signs of life. The Director asks Tto to roll a weather, lighting, etc. Each Round a character
time a character may notice or tries to notice Notice (Eyes) check. Tto rolls a 2, which is Sprints after the first, the character must first
something of importance. A 2 modifier should increased to 4 due to his Eyes Trait, for a total make a successful Persevere (Heart) roll
be added if the character is not actively search- of zero. (The Director had previously deter- against a difficulty equal to 1 + the number of
ing. This Roll is used to oppose Conceal, Hide mined that the village had a Conceal of 5.) minutes spent Sprinting.
and Stow Rolls. It is also used to determine if a The Director tells Tto he sees nothing.
person is sneaking up to perform Waylay. Dorothea decides to make her own search and Walk: Characters walk normally at ten feet
rolls a 6 (increased to 8 due to her own Eyes a Round, modified upwards or downwards by

158 Trait), and that is sufficient to detect the

hoblings village.
the Director based on the circumstance (i.e.,
encumbered, brisk walking, uphill, etc.).
 Example: Dorothea and Tto come across
a straw golem that has been hung on a high
post. The golem informs the PCs that he is an
elf named Bolger. He has been placed into this
frail golems body as punishment for betraying
the sorceress Margaret. He agrees to lead the
pair to Margarets castle if they will help re-
store him to his original elven body.
Dorothea and Tto begin by trying to re-
move Bolger from the post. The Director asks
each of them to roll Heft (Heart) and the Di-
rector assigned an 8 to the difficulty. Tto rolls
a 2, and with a Heart of 5, it is insufficient.
Dorothea, however, rolls a 5, which, combined
with her Heart of 5 is enough to free Bolger
from the post. He thanks the pair and leads them
on towards Margarets castle.

Suspended Actions
Some Actions are not opposed until much
long after they have been taken. For example, a
rogues trap is not opposed until someone at-
tempts to disarm it. Someone who Conceals
himself may not have a chance of being No- 5 (modified to 7). Bolger rolls a 4 and Haley for another target. If successful, the opponents
ticed for minutes or hours. In such circum- rolls a 2 (both Bolger and Haley have Eyes attack hits the characters weapon (which usu-
stances, the character should roll the d6 nor- Traits of 3). Accordingly, nobody spots the hid- ally results in a foiled attack). Any attempt to
mally at the time of taking the Suspended Ac- den sarr. deflect a packet-based attack (whether it repre-
tion, and add the appropriate Trait and other Lahr leaps menacingly from the brush and sents a missile, spell, alchemy or monster abil-
modifiers to the roll. The Director should note demands the travelers they drop their gold and ity) incurs a 2 penalty. Deflect is opposed by
the result. Later, when the Action is opposed, flee. He summons aura into his hand to encour- the opponents Hands for a weapon-based at-
the opponent should roll the d6 and add the age the travelers to think he might be ready to tack and Eyes for a packet-based attack. A De-
appropriate Trait and modifiers. Only then can cast necromancy. The Director rolls Lahrs In- flect is not the same as the Parry Skill and its
it me determined whether the Action succeeds. timidate (Face). he Director rolls a modified use precedes any need to call defensive Skills
If the Suspended Action is one that re- 6. Since PCs cannot be intimidated with dice, like Evade, Parry or Dodge. Deflect may only
quires the characters attentiveness (for ex- neither Dorothea nor Tto need roll the oppos- be used against attacks from the front or from
ample, Hide), the Director may require peri- ing Trait of Heart. However, he does roll for the same flank as the arm wielding the deflect-
odic Heart checks to see if the character can both Bolger and Haley. Bolger rolls a modi- ing weapon.
maintain the concentration needed to preserve fied 2 and Haley rolls a modified 4. Both of
the Action. them fail to successfully oppose and the Direc- Pull (Face): A character may choose to
tor has them quake in their boots. If they had draw an opponent out of its ranks (thus allow-
Example: Bolger has led Dorothea, Tto, money, they would drop it and run! ing the characters allies to break the opponents
and a young stone elf knight named Haley that Dorothea notes that Lahr did not cast any lines, or for any other reason). Pulling is op-
they have befriended, into the middle of a dark spells and thinks that a bit odd. She decides to posed by the opponents Heart. Success causes
forest. Along the way, Bolger tells his compan- try to confront Lahr. Dorotheas plea is effec- the opponent to move five feet forwards. An
ions that the forest is known to be the home of tive, and soon Lahr is tearily apologizing to opponent cannot be lured into a Ward, through
a pride of necromantic sarr. Nevertheless, this the party and begging for their help in saving a Wall of Force, or into the range of a Shun or
is the only way to Margarets castle. his kingdom. Soon they realize they have a com- Repel.
Unknown to the PCs, there is a sarr earth mon enemy when Lahr reveals that the necro-
scholar lying in wait for them. His name is Lahr, mantic Sarr are lackeys of a certain High Orc Push (Heart): A character may try to force
and he is not a part of the necromantic pride. wicked sorceress an opponent backwards (to break a line, or to
He is in fact the rightful ruler to kingdom in force an opponent into a corner, or even into a
perilous situation, such as over a cliff or into
which the forest sits. The necromantic sarr have
usurped his throne and turned all his court into
Combat Actions quicksand). Pushing is opposed by the
undead. Only he escaped but, friendless, he has There are a number of things a character opponents Feet. An opponent cannot be forced
been reduced to banditry to survive, while he can do during an Action. Including the Actions to enter a Ward, through a Wall of Force, or
tries to formulate a plan to get his kingdom specified above (that can be performed in a into the range of a Shun or Repel. If successful,
back. single Round), following are some of the more the opponent moves five feet backwards.
Lahr has previously hidden himself. The common Actions taken during combat:
Director had previously rolled Lahrs Hide Strike (Hands): This is the roll applied
(Feet) and he rolled an 11 (Lahr has Feet of Deflect (Hands): A character may choose for any non-thrown weapon-based attack,
5). When the party approaches, they are each to hold his Action and use a weapon to deflect whether it is for damage, or to deliver a
asked to roll a Notice (Eyes) check. If any one another characters attack. The deflected attack spellstrike, or to deliver a specialized weapon
of them rolls a natural 6 (which always suc- need not even be directed against the Deflect-

159
ceeds) or a modified 11, Lahr will be spotted. ing player, if it is within reach. A Deflect may
Dorothea rolls a 1 (modified to 3). Tto rolls a also be used to catch a thrown packet intended
Skill such as Eviscerate, Disarm or Stun Limb. learn the system as a single cast of the die is all takes damage!
This Action is opposed by Feet. An opponent that is needed for any Round.) Lahr Throws (Eyes) another Pin at Mar-
with a defensive Skill, such as Evade, Parry or Finally, Dorothea, Tto, Bolger, Haley and garet (Feet). Lahrs 9 loses to Margarets 12!
Dodge need not invoke use of this Skill until Lahr have stolen into Margarets castle and Haley Strikes (Hands) the third guard
after it is determined if the Strike succeeds. Use have come upon Margaret herself and six Orc (Feet). Haleys 4 loses the guards 6.
of such defensive Skills does not count as a guards. The hallway in which they fight only Margaret Throws (Eyes) a Dragons
characters Action for that Round. Most com- allows three people to stand abreast. Tto, Haley Breath at Bolger (Feet). Margarets 6 loses to
batants in Alliance LARP are able to swing more and Bolger make the front line, with Dorothea Bolgers 7.
than once in a six-second interval. Accordingly, and Lahr in the back. They face two rows of Dorothea spends her action retrieving the
the Strike Action assumes the character is guards, with Margaret behind them. The two scroll. Since it is within five seet, she can pick
swinging multiple times. The damage inflicted sides spend a few moments taunting each other, it up with one action. It is a scroll of Ice Bolt.
by a successful Strike (unless it is a Spellstrike) but it is clear that this encounter will not be Again, the Director narrates the action,
should be doubled. This does not apply to avoided without the shedding of blood. When as orcs and allies grunt in pain and magic con-
ranged attacks. Margaret summons aura to her hands, every- tinues to fly. On to Round 3!
one else draws claws and weapons. Bolger Strikes (Hands) the first guard
Throw (Eyes): This is the roll applied for The Director asks everybody to roll Ini- (Feet). Bolgers 4 loses to the guards 6.
any Thrown Weapon or packet-based attack, tiative (Feet). The Director decides to roll a Tto Strikes (Hands) the second guard
whether it is a spell, alchemy, missile or mon- single initiative for the guards. In descending (Feet). Ttos 7 beats the guards 6. The guard
ster ability. This Action is opposed by Feet. An order, the modified initiative rolls are Bolger takes damage!
opponent with a defensive Skill, such as Evade (9), Tto (9), guards (8), Lahr (8), Margaret (8), The first guard Strikes (Hands) Bolger
or Dodge need not invoke use of this Skill until Haley (4), Dorothea (4). Combat proceeds as (Feet). The guards 4 beats Bolgers 6. Bolger
after it is determined if the Strike succeeds. Use follows (all numbers are modified): takes damage!
of such defensive Skills does not count as a Bolger Strikes (Hands) the first guard The second guard Strikes (Hands) Tto
characters Action for that Round. A negative (Feet). Bolgers 8 beats the guards 7. The guard (Feet). The guards 8 beats Ttos 5. Tto takes
modifier of 1 is added to the Throw roll for loses Magic Armor. more damage! Hes in bad shape.
every five feet that a packet is thrown over ten Tto Strikes (Hands) the second guard The third guard Strikes (Hands) Haley
feet (i.e., a 3 modifier is applied to a throw of (Feet). Ttos 4 loses to the guards 6. (Feet). The guards 7 loses to Haleys 9.
25 feet). No throw over 40 will ever succeed. The first guard Strikes (Hands) Bolger Lahr Strikes (Hands) Tto with a Cure
(Feet). The guards 6 loses to Bolgers 7. Light Wounds. Since Tto is within reach of
The second guard Strikes (Hands) Tto Lahr, and Lahr accepts the spell, the Director
Combat Modifiers (Feet). The guards 8 beats Ttos 5. Tto loses rules it operates automatically. Tto thanks
While the application of any modifiers Magic Armor. Lahr for the healing.
rests in the firm and absolute discretion of the The third guard Strikes (Hands) Haley Haley Strikes (Hands) the third guard
Director, following are modifiers that are not (Feet). The guards 9 beats Haleys 6. Haley (Feet). Haleys 7 beats the guards 5. The guard
uncommon in combat. loses Magic Armor. takes damage!
Lahr Throws (Eyes) a Pin at Margaret Margaret Throws (Eyes) a Dragons
Modifier Condition (Feet). Lahrs 8 beats Margarets 7. Margaret Breath at Bolger (Feet). Margarets 9 beats
-3 Actor attacks opponent bearing a loses her Spell Shield. Bolgers 8. The spell utterly depletes Bolgers
shield from the front or from the flank Haley Strikes (Hands) the third guard Body Points, reducing him to -1! Bolger
bearing the shield, where the shield (Feet). Haleys 7 beats the guards 7. The guard screams in pain and collapses to the floor.
is not a valid target for the attack. loses Magic Armor. Dorothea Throws (Eyes) the Ice Bolt at
-2 Opponent takes cover behind object Margaret Throws (Eyes) a Disarm at Margaret. The Director rules that as she had
(like a tree or table). Bolger (Feet). Margarets 7 beats Bolgers 5. to move five feet back to retrieve the scroll, the
-1 Opponent flees field rather than Act. Bolger loses his Spell Shield. throw is subject to an additional 1 modifier.
-1 Actors second attack due to Dorothea Spots (Eyes) for anything to Dorotheas 8 beats Margarets 7! The Director
Florentine or Two Weapons Skills. help. Dorotheas 8 beats a prior Stow (Hands) checks Margarets NPC card and notes that she
+1 Opponent affected by Pin or Bind. and she spies a scroll tucked under a bucket on has a special vulnerability to ice-based attacks,
+2 Opponent affected by Feeblemind or the window sill. which cause her double damage. The ice bolt
otherwise unable to use game The Director narrates the action as blows causes her 30 Body Points of damage, killing
abilities. are exchanged, spells course through the air her. Screaming in pain, she drops to the floor.
+3 Actor attacks opponent bearing a and magical defenses fall to the wayside. Now Dorothea asks the Director if she can
shield from the front or from the flank for round two! speak in response to this and the Director
bearing the shield, where the shield Bolger Strikes (Hands) the first guard agrees. Dorothea demands the orcs surrender.
is a valid target for the attack (Feet). Bolgers 8 beats the guards 7. The guard Normaly, a Face check opposed by the orcs
+3 Target affected by Nausea. takes damage. Heart might be warranted, but the Director had
+4 Target is unable to move (i.e., affected Tto Strikes (Hands) the second guard already decided that Margarets defeat would
by Confine, Sleep, Vertigo or Web), (Feet). Ttos 9 loses to the guards 6. The guard demoralize the Guards. In fact, they always
but attack is thrown. loses Magic Armor. secretly hoped someone could end Margarets
The first guard Strikes (Hands) Bolger cruel rule. Huzzah! shout the orcs, Mar-
Example: (Please note that the following (Feet). The guards 6 beats Bolgers 6. Bolger garet is dead! Long live Queen Dorothea!
description of combat may seem a bit drawn loses Magic Armor. (Meanwhile, Lahr quickly begins performing
out. In fact, combat in Alliance Tabletop should The second guard Strikes (Hands) Tto First Aid on the scorched Bolger.)
move swiftly once the Director and players (Feet). The guards 8 beats Ttos 7. Tto takes
damage! A Tabletop Character sheet can be found

160 The third guard Strikes (Hands) Haley

(Feet). The guards 9 beats Haleys 9. Haley
at the end of this book so that you can remove
it and make copies.
 Glossary
The following are a list of mostly OOG most powerful NPC characters will ever pos- Full Boat: Having every Spell Defense
terms you may hear when playing the game. sess it. possible active on you. We have no idea where
this phrase originated.
Adjudicator: A judge to whom you may Drawing a Black Stone: When you go to
appeal if you feel wronged by a marshals call- the Healers Guild to be resurrected, you will Goblin Munchies: Food for monsters.
ing on a rule. reach into a bag with ten stones. White stones Some goblins, for instance, are very bribable.
mean you are resurrected and black stones rep- Offering a goblin some candy or other food to
Basher: A player who cares only about resent a permanent death. This is an in-game as keep it from killing you usually works (espe-
fighting and not role-playing. well as an out-of-game phrase; In-game, char- cially if the NPC behind the mask is hungry).
acters are referring to the old myth that Death Lots of players carry around a small pouch full
Battle Board: the card given to you when makes you choose from a bag of stones when of goblin munchies for such an occasion.
you sign in that shows all of your daily skills you die. (Aw, you dont really believe that old
and spells. This is how you keep track of what fable, do ya?) Goblin Points: Also known as Gobbies.
you have and what you have used. Goblin Points are given to our volunteers for
work performed and can be turned in for game
Battle Magic: Spells that are not Formal items and experience.
Magic.
Hack and Slash: Either a player who cares
Blade Spells: Spells that affect the type nothing about roleplaying and is only interested
of damage you can do. The Blade Spells are in fighting; or a module adventure that only pro-
Chaos Blade, Earth Blade, Elemental Blade, vides fighting encounters.
and Magic Blade. They are called Blade Spells
even if you cast them on blunt weapons. Hawley-Smoot Tariff: An important piece
of legislation that, in 1930, established strict
BP: Build Point. You buy in-game skills controls on imports into the United States. Ac-
for your character with these. You earn Build tually has nothing at all to do with the game;
Points by trading in Experience Points. we just like the way it sounds.

Cauliflower Hand: Somebody endowed Hook: The thing that gets the players into
with so much aura that the spell packets in their a module. It could be an NPC hiring them, or a
hand seem like a stalk of cauliflower. treasure map found, or any number of interest-
ing plot devices.
Character Card: Your character card lists
your current skills and all other important stats. Huzzah!: The medieval version of hoo-
Keep your Character Cards after each event like ray! Usually cheered by crowds at tourna-
a receipt and that way you can keep track of ments.
your characters progress.
IG: In-game
Cheese: To be a rules cheat by insisting
upon the letter of the rule instead of the intent In-Game: What really happens to your
of the rule or to otherwise try to bend the rules character. Not everything on a weekend or a
to fit what you want. module is in-game. During a battle, the dam-
Effect Groups: Every effect in the game age you call is out-of-game but the damage
Death Countdown: When your character falls into a group. For example, in the effect caused to the character is in-game. Two play-
reaches -1, you start your Death Countdown. group Binding you will find effects like Con- ers may talk between weekends, say something
For the first minute, any healing spell or heal- fine, Pin, and Web. This provides consistency incriminating, and decide for the fun of it to
ing elixir can bring you back to consciousness. for spell verbals, specific defenses, and cures. treat it in-game as if their characters had said
After that minute, you are dead and need a Life it. In-game also refers to knowledge your
spell. After five minutes with no Life spell, you Experience Points: These are points you character has as opposed to you the player. Out-
must attempt to resurrect. This Death Count- trade in for Build Points. You earn these every of-game, you can read and write but in-game
down continues even if you are raised as a zom- time you play. you cant, for instance.
bie and only stops if you are healed or given
First Aid. Fishbowl: When random weekend NPCs In the Bag: A character who already has a
need a reason to be out there, pre-written en- chance of drawing a black stone from the Bag
Doughnut: A player without a clue. Ap- counters can be pulled from a fishbowl to fill of Chance. I cant afford to die! Im already in
parently began when one monster said to a clue- the need. the bag!
less PC I eat people like you for breakfast!
Youre a doughnut! Fizzrep: See Phys Rep. LARP: Live Action Role Playing.

Dragon Magic: A spellcaster who can cast FOIG: Find Out In-Game. Said fre-
Formal Rituals as if they were standard spells.
PCs may never possess this skill and only the
quently to players who ask in-game questions
while out-of-game.
161
 Logistics: Logistics is where you get your game. Certain areas may be out-of-game as well, Scaling: Modules are often scaled so
tags, spend your Production Points, update your such as the bathrooms, the module set-up ar- that different party levels will be properly chal-
character, and take care of all the out-of-game eas, and the NPC camp. lenged. A group of goblins may challenge a first
paperwork that must take place for the game to level group but be a big yawn to a tenth level
run smoothly. Phys Rep: Short for Physical Represen- group so the higher level groups will encoun-
tation. There must be a Phys Rep for every ter monsters and traps appropriate to their level.
Machine gunning: A machine gunner item your character possesses. In other words,
stands next to his or her victim and moves the you must have a small bottle or container and Shadow Magic: This skill is similar to
weapon only with the wrist, bringing the not merely the potion tag in order to use a po- Dragon Magic, but the caster may only cast
weapon back a few inches and striking repeat- tion. Formal Rituals of one school as a regular spell.
edly while yelling damage as fast as possible. This skill is also NPC only.
This is not allowed.
Spell Defense: Spell defenses are spells
Marshal: A staff member who is versed that are cast upon you for protection and stay
in the rules and can make decisions on rules upon you until used up. The spell defenses are
interpretations when there are questions or con- Bless, Elemental Shield, Magic Armor, Poison
troversies. Marshals are certified on a chapter- Shield, Reflect Magic, Shield, and Spell Shield.
by-chapter basis. Sometimes they are also called Protectives.

Mee Wee: A Mystic Wood elf. Stats: Your characters statistics, which in-
clude level, skills, number of deaths and the
Metagame: To use out-of-game knowl- like and are found on your character card (or
edge to help your in-game character. This is on a Monster Card).
cheating!
Stick Jockey: A player who only cares
Module: A set adventure. On an adven- about fighting.
ture day, the module takes up your day as you
go through several encounters. On a weekend, Sword and Board: Fighting with a sword
a module may be only one encounter. and shield.

Mundania: The real world. (You know Tag Hold: A Tag Hold is held after a battle
where we go when were not playing Alliance PC: Player character. Everyone who is not for the purpose of collecting the many tags and
games.) an NPC (see above). adjusting each players Battle Board. The game
continues on for purposes of role-playing, first
Mundane: A person who does not play PC Basher: A player who earns game aiding, armor repair, and so on, but NPCs may
Alliance games; especially one who does not money and items primarily by killing and rob- be walking around out-of-game collecting used
understand why people enjoy these thingslike bing other players. Not a very well-liked per- tags. This is different from a regular Hold where
our bosses and teachers. son. everything stops and you cant even role-play
or first aid.
Newbie: A new player, usually identified Popcorn Battle: Sometimes a group of
by the Gosh Wow expression on his or her NPCs is sent out for a battle. Each NPC is given Ten Percent Club: A club no one wants
face at the first event. This is not meant to be a certain number of lives. When they die, they to join, consisting of characters who have per-
an insulting term. Everyone was a newbie once. wait to be searched (if applicable) and then they manently died on their first draw from the Bag
go out of the battle area OOG and come run- of Chance.
Nounverber: A character with a typical ning back in as another monster. The players
fantasy name such as Dreamseeker or are surrounded with enemies coming at them Time Bomb: An NPC who sneaks into
Shadowwalker or Deathbringer. from all directions and feel like they are in a town and attacks for no in-game reason, sud-
popcorn popper. denly exploding. This is bad. Do not do this.
NPC: A non-player character. NPCs are
all controlled by the Plot Committee. NPCs in- Prepare to Die Skill: Certain battle Turtling: Crouching down and hiding
clude all monsters. A few people who serve im- skills require you to concentrate, and when us- behind a shield so that no legal targets are avail-
portant functions in the town may also be NPCs, ing those skills, you can use no others until the able for your opponent to hit. This is not al-
such as the major nobles and guild leaders. To blow is successfully landed or countered. The lowed. Do not do this.
all outward appearances, all non-monster NPCs Prepare to Die skills are Disarm, Eviscerate,
should look and act just like PCs. Shatter, Slay, and Stun Limb. Unslept: A player who has stayed up all
night playing, powered by caffeine or adrena-
OOG: Stands for Out-of-Game. Not to Reversible Spell: Some spells are revers- line, and now looks half dead. Not as bad as a
be confused with the sound you make when hit ible. A spellcaster learning Cure Wounds also Greater Unslept (usually identified by their staff
too hard in the stomach by a barbarian with a automatically knows Cause Wounds. However, cards).
huge club. not all reversible spells have a necromantic
counterpart. Wave Battle: Battles that simulate hav-
Out-of-Game: Information obtained by a ing more participants than NPCs by having
player (as opposed to a character) is out-of- Rumor Sheet: An out-of-game sheet of NPCs attack in waves. Its the opposite of a
paper containing in-game rumors that your char- popcorn battle.

162 acter has heard. It can contain clues and other

important information. XP: Experience Point.
 Index
A Bless
Blighted Crop
111
144
Combat Verbals
Command effect group
94
98
Domain of the Defiled
Dominate
141
115
Acid Traps 145 Blighted Forest 144 Commoner 31 Double From <Effect> 70
Acidic Blood 70 Blissful Rest 144 Compensation 149 Doughnut 161
Acidic Skin 70 Block 75 Components 128 Dragon Magic 161
Activate 103 Boats 33 Concentration duration 97 Dragons Breath 116
Actor 59 Body Contact 93 Confine 113 Drain 116
Adept 48 Body Weaponry 70 Conjure Artifact 140 Drawing a Black Stone 161
Adjudication 37 Bolt 83 Conservative Casting 137 Drum Rolling 94
Advanced Alteration 76 Bonus Points, Armor 79 Construct 141 Dryad 41
Advanced Twist 76 Book, Recipe 107 Contact Gels 108 Duchess 30
Adventurer 31 Book, Spell 99 Contact Other Plane 141 Duke 30
Advice, Bad Guy 22 Boost Duration 140 Container, Traps 146 Dwarf 42
Advice, NPC
Advice, Player
25
13
Bottles
Bound Shard
70
144
Control <Monster> by Voice
Control Undead
70
113 E
Advice, Spy 24 Bountiful Harvest 144 Controlled Spirit Store 141 Earth Aura 141
Advice, Thief 23 Bow 83 Copper Piece 10 Earth Blade 116
Alarms 146 Break Command 58 Copy Formal Permanent Scroll 144 Earth Magic skill 61
Alchemical Solvent 110 Breaking character 35 Copy Formal Scroll 141 Earth Storm 116
Alchemical Substances 107 Buckler 80 Cosmetic Transformation 144 Earths Bounty 136
Alchemy 107 Build Points 50 Costs 33 Economics 32
Alchemy skill 57 Bulletin Board 36 Costume, Armor Points 79 Effect Durations 97
Alcohol
Alliance Bulletin Board
35
36 C Costuming
Count
78
30
Effect Groups
Effects
98
110
Alteration effect group 98 Cabin, searching 148 Counted Actions 87 Eldritch Force effect group 98
Alteration mental ability 75 Calling Damage 94 Countess 30 Eldrtich Power 88
Alternate Component 138 Calling Defenses 95 Craftsman 59 Elemental Augmentation 136
Amnesia 110 Calling Hits 95 Create Limited Circle 141 Elemental Aura 141
Animal Intelligence 28 Calm 76 Create Permanent Circle 144 Elemental Blade 116
Antidote 110 Camping Advice 11 Create Potion 59 Elemental Blast 116
Antidote, Enslavement 117 Candles 35 Create Scroll 60 Elemental Burst, High Magic 136
Antidote, Euphoria 118 Cariosus 129 Create Trap 60 Elemental Burst, Ritual 141
Arcane 97 Carrier Attacks 96 Create Undead 113 Elemental Qualifier 97
Arcane Armor 140 Carrying People 87 Critical Attack 60 Elemental Shield 117
Archery 83 Casters Mark 137 Crossbow 83 Elf 43
Archery skill 57 Casting Insight 138 Cure Critical Wounds 113 Elixirs 109
Armor 79 Casting Rituals 130 Cure Disease 114 Email 36
Armor Protection, Waylay 68 Casting Spells 99 Cure Insanity 77 Enchant 141
Armor, Arcane 140 Catnip 46 Cure Light Wounds 114 Enchantment Ritual 144
Armor, Refitting 58 Cauliflower Hand 161 Cure Mortal Wounds 114 Endow 117
Armor, Stealing 147 Cause Critical Wounds 111 Cure Serious Wounds 114 Endure Elements 144
Arrow 83 Cause Damage 111 Cure Wounds 114 Enflame 117
Artisan 48 Cause Light Damage 111 Curse effect group 98 Engulf 71
Aspects 127 Cause Light Wounds 111 Curse of Transformation 70 Enhance Wand 141
Assassinate 57 Cause Mortal Wounds 111 Curse of Undeath 141 Enslavement 117
Attacks, Packet 94 Cause Pain 75 Curse, Fey 71 Entangle 117
Attacks, Weapon 94 Cause Serious Damage 111 Curse, Gypsy 61 Escape Binding 71
Audible Projection
Awaken
140
110
Cause Serious Wounds
Cause Wounds
111
111 D
Axe 83 Celestial Armor 134 Damage Aura 141
B Celestial Magic skill
Channel Earth/Chaos
59
134
Damage effect group
Damage, Calling
98
94
Back Attack 57 Channel Foundation Element 135 Dame 30
Backlash 131 Channel Spell 140 Dark Elf 41
Backstab 58 Chaos Aura 140 Darkening 144
Bad guy 22 Chaos Blade 111 Dead 90
Bag of Chance 92 Chaos Storm 112 Deadly Spittle 70
Bane 134 Character Card 161 Death 114
Bane ritual 140 Character Goals 17 Defenses, Calling 95
Banish 110 Character History 14 Deformities, Gypsy Curse 62
Banish to Other Plane 140 Character, Creating 13 Deliveries 96
Barbarian 40 Character, Killing Off 92 Desecrate 114
Bard 59 Charging 93 Destroy 114
Barkskins 41 Charm 112 Destroy Emotions 77
Baron 30 Cheating 34 Destroy Magic 141
Baroness 30 Cheese 161 Destroy Moral Code 77
Base Claws 70 Choose Flaw 137 Destroy Undead 115
Basher 161 Choosing a Circle 91 Destruction 115
Bashing, Shield 80 Circle Lock 140 Detect Magic 70
Batches 56 Circle of Power 112 Difficulty Rating 128
Battle Board 86 Circle of Power rules 129 Disarm 115
Battle Magic 161 Class Limitations, Armor 80 Disarm skill 60
Becoming a Noble 31 Classes 48 Discrimination 29
Berserk 111 Claws skill 59 Disease 115
Biata 40 Cloak 135 Disguised Casting 137
Biata mental abilities 74 Cloak of Darkness 140 Disguises 88
Bind 111 Cloak ritual 140 Dispel 115

163
Binding effect group 98 Coating effect group 98 Divestiture 141
Blacksmith skill 58 Code of Conduct 34 Documentation, NPC 27
Photo courtesy of Creative Crossroads
Blade Spells 161 Coins 10 Dodge 61
Eternal Forest 144 Heal Golem 141 Light Vorpal Coating 119 Obliteration 142
Euphoria 117 Healers Resolve 136 Lighters 35 Obvious Power 138
Evade skill 61 Healers Verses Undead 101 Lightning Bolt 119 Oil of Slipperiness 120
Event Points 149 Healing Arts 63 Lightning Storm 120 One Handed Blunt 64
Eviscerate skill 61 Healing effect group 98 Line of Sight Duration 98 One Handed Edged 64
Evocation effect group 98 Heartstone 129 Liquid Light 120 One Handed Spear 83
Expanded Enchantment 141 Heavy Metallic Armor 79 Local Chapter Only 12 One Handed Weapon Master 64
Expanded Enchantment Ritual 144 Help Undead 119 Locations, Armor 79 On-Line Roleplaying 36
Experience Points 50 Helping 149 Lodestone 129 OOG 162
Explosive Traps 145 Herbal Lore 63 Lord 30 Other effect group 98
Extend Battle Magic Duration 141 High Intelligence 28 Lore 142 Out-of-Game 36
Extraplanar Creature, Summon 143 High Magic 134 Lore Answer 137 Overlord 28
Eyeglasses 78 High Ogre 44 Love 120 Ownership Ritual 144
F High Orc
Hirelings
44
33
Love Potion #9
Low Intelligence
120
28 P
Fangtooth 129 Hits, Calling 95 Loyalty, Law of 30 Packet Attacks 94
Fear 118 Hobling 45 Lumberjack 59 Packet Delivery 96
Feeblemind
Fey Curse
118
71
Hold rule
Honor, Law of
36
30 M Packets
Packing for events
99
11
Fey Mark 71 Hook 161 Machine Gunning 94 Page 89
Feyander 129 Hospitality, Law of 30 Magic Armor 120 Pantherghast 143
Fighter 48 Hostile Circle 92 Magic Augmentation 136 Paralysis 121
First Aid 61 Housing 33 Magic Blade 120 Paranoia 121
Fishbowl 161 Huzzah 161 Magic Items 103 Parry 64
Flame Bolt 118 Hydrite 129 Magic Storm 120 Paste of Stickiness 121
Flame Traps
Flames
145
35 I Magical Creature, Summon
Magical Qualifier
143
97
PC Bashing
Penna
35
129
Florentine 61 Ice Bolt 119 Magistarium Elemental, Summon 143 Permanent Duration 142
Fodder 28 Ice Storm 119 Magistrate 30 Personality Changes 62
FOIG 161 Identical Effects 96 March of the Untiring 144 Phase 73
Food at events 11 Identify 130 Mark 142 Phys Rep 162
Food chain 18 Identifying Potions 63 Mark, Fey 71 Physical Representations 78
Foresee the Weather 144 IG 161 Marshals 34 Pin 121
Foresight 136 Illumination 144 Massive 72 Pink Elephants 119
Formal Link 136 Immune to <Type> Weapons 72 Master 28 Pinning Weapons 93
Formal Magic 127 Immune to/from <Damage Type > 71 Master Construct 142 Planar Asylum 142
Formal Magic skill 61 In Genre Armor 79 Master Crafted Armor 79 Planar Gate 142
Fortannis 12 In the Bag 161 Matches 35 Plant False Emotions 77
Fortress 118 Incantation 99 Materials, Armor 79 Platinum Piece 10
Foundation Elemental, Summon 143 Indefinite Duration 98 Matters of Life and Death 90 Plot Submissions 19
Freeze mental ability 76 Infection 72 Mechanical Traps 145 Plot, Getting 14
Full Boat 161 Infractions 37 Medical Page 89 Poison Qualifier 97
G In-Game
In-Game Limitations
161
87
Mee Wee
Mental Abilities
162
74
Poison Shield
Polearm
121
83
Gas Traps 145 Ingested Delivery 97 Merchant skill 64 Polearm skill 64
Gaseous Form 71 Inheritance 30 Merchant, title 31 Popcorn 162
Gasses 109 Innate Pyramid 72 Metagame 162 Potions 102
Genius 28 Innate Reflect Magic 72 Mind meld 75 Potions, Identifying 63
Getting Information 19 Insert Component 137 Mind reading 74 Preparation 17
Getting Plot 14 Instant Duration 97 Mindless 28 Preserve Duration 142
Ghoul Grease 129 Intoxicate 119 Minion 28 Prince 30
Gift effect group 98 Introduction to rules 8 Mist Sense 144 Princess 30
Gift of Life 141 Investiture 141 Mixing Elixirs 107 Prison 121
Globe, Gas 109 Investment 130 Module 150 Production Points 55
Glossary 161 Item Recall 141 Monster Card 28 Props Nashing 35
Goblin Munchies 161 Items, Out-of-Game 36 Monster Characters 38 Proscribe 142
Goblin points
Goblinbane
149
129 J Monster Size
Monster Slayer
89
142
Protection Aura
Protection/Enhancement group
142
98
Gold Piece 10 Jetsam 129 Most Important Rules 8 Protectives 100
Good Sport Rule
Goodman
34
31 K Muhahahaha
Multiple Characters
151
88
Purify
Pyrotis
121
129
Gossip
Government
35
29
Keep
Killing Blows
33
95
Mundania
Mystic Wood Elf
162
45 Q
Gravedigger
Greater Circles of Power
59
129
Killing off your character
King
92
30 N Qualifiers
Queen
97
30
Greater Command effect group 98 Kinship, Law of 30 Natural Armor 72 Quicken Casting 137
Greater Obfuscate 144 Knight 30 Nausea 120 Quicksilver 122
Greater Spell Store 144
L Necromancy 101 Quivers 83
Greater Wand
Group Mind
141
71 Lackey 28
Necromancy effect group
Nightshade
98
129 R
Guard 30 Lady 30 Nobility 30 Races 38
Guidelines, Weapon 82 Languages 88 Noble Powers 31 Racial Assassinate 65
Guildmaster 30 Lastember 129 Noble Titles 30 Racial Dodge 65
Guildmistress 30 Laugh 119 Noisemakers 144 Racial Proficiency 65
Gypsy 43 Laws 31 Non-Corporeal Form 73 Racial Reaver 142
Gypsy Curse 62 LCO 12 Nonlegal Targets 94 Racial Slay skill 65

H Learning Skills
Legal Targets
50
93
Normal Intelligence
Nounverber
28
162
Racial Transform
Radius Delivery
142
97
Hack and Slash 161 Legerdemain 146 NPC Advice 25 Ratcatcher 59
Half Race 38 Legerdeman skill 64 NPC Only Rituals 144 Read and Write 65
Hallucinate 119 Lesser Investment 119 NPC Weapons 81 Read Magic 65
Harm Undead 119 Levels 50
O Reagents 129

164
Harmed by <Effect> 71 Life 119 Real Weapons 35
Haven of the Living 141 Light 119 Oak of the Arcane 136 Rebirth 136
Heal from <Effect> 71 Light Metallic Armor 79 Obfuscate 142 Recipes 107
Recognized
Reduced Damage
130
73
Shield, Not a Weapon
Shield, Strengthening
80
58
Thrown Weapon
Thrown Weapons
68
82 W
Reeds 41 Shields 80 Time 89 Wall of Force 125
Refitting Armor 58 Shun 123 Time Bomb 162 Wand, strengthening 58
Reflect Magic 122 Sight, Line of 98 Timed Duration 98 Wands 102
Regenerate 142 Silence 123 Titles, Nobility 30 Wands (ritual components) 129
Regeneration 73 Silver Piece 10 Torches 35 Ward 125
Release 122 Silvering a Weapon 58 Touch of Empowerment 138 Warder Glyph 143
Remove Block 75 Sir 30 Touch-Casting 100 Wave Battle 162
Remove Curse effect group 98 Skill Costs 52 Transfer Enchantment 143 Waylay skill 68
Remove Destruction 122 Skills, Learning 50 Transform to Undead 143 Weakness 126
Remove Emotions 76 Slay 67 Transportation 32 Weapon Attacks 94
Remove Greater Command group 98 Sleep 123 Trap Containers 144 Weapon Coatings 108
Remove Gypsy Curse 62 Small Weapon 67 Trap mental ability 75 Weapon Construction 84
Remove Paralysis 122 Smoking 35 Trapping Weapons 93 Weapon Delivery 96
Remove Silence 122 Societal Conventions 30 Traps 145 Weapon Master 69
Remove Weakness 122 Society 29 Travel Time 32 Weapon Proficiency 69
Render Indestructable 142 Solidify 123 Traveling Between Chapters 12 Weapon Traps 145
Render Indestructable Improved 142 Spark of Empowerment 137 Triggers 146 Weapon, Silvering 58
Renew Skills 73 Spell Books 99 True Conservation 138 Weapon, Strengthening 58
Repair Blast 76 Spell Chart 104 True Empowerment 138 Weapons 81
Repair Emotions 77 Spell Defenses 100 Truesilver 129 Weapons, Pinning 93
Repair mental ability 75 Spell Packets 99 Turn Undead 124 Weapons, Real 35
Repel 122 Spell Parry 142 Turtling 80 Weapons, Stealing 147
Resist 73 Spell Rules 100 Twist 76 Weapons, Trapping 94
Resist Binding 65 Spell Shield 123 Two Handed Blunt 68 Wear Extra Armor 69
Resist Command 65 Spell Slots 51 Two Handed Sword 68 Weather 89
Resist Destroy Magic 142 Spell Store 142 Two Handed Weapon Master 68 Web 126
Resist Element 65 Spell Strike 96 Two Weapons 68 Werewolves 70
Resist Fear
Resist Magic
65
66
Spellcraft
Spells, Casting
139
100 U What Do I See
Whispering Wind
26
144
Resist Necromancy 66 Spirit Farewell 144 Unconscious 90 Windkiss 129
Resist Poison 66 Spirit Forge 142 Uncontrollable Action 62 Wipe mental ability 76
Resonance 144 Spirit Home 144 Undead, Summon 143 Wither 126
Restore 122 Spirit Link 142 Underage Players 89 Wizard Lock 126
Restore Emotions 76 Spirit Lock 143 Universal Speech 144 Workshops 55
Restore mental ability 75 Spirit of the Rules 34 Unmark 143 Writing adventures 150
Resurrections 91 Spirit Recall 143 Unslept 162 Wylderkin 47
Resurrections, Buying Back
Return Emotions
149
77
Spirit Store
Spirit Store Ritual
139
143 V X
Return Moral Code 77 Spirit Vessel 144 Vampire Charm 124 XP to BP chart 50
Reverse Life Force
Reverse Metagame
142
22
Spirit Walk
Spores
143
41
Vengeance
Verbal
143
100 Y
Reversible Spells 101 Spy 24 Vertigo 125 Your First Event 9
Revive
Rift
73
73
Squire
Stable Foundation
30
144
Visible Spells
Vision
100
143 Z
Riposte 66 Staff 83 Vorpal Coating 125 Zombie 113
Ritual Casting 130 Staff skill 68
Ritual Channel 144 Starting Items 78
Ritual Manipulation 136 Stats 162
Ritual of Woe 142 Stealing 147
Ritual Scrolls 127 Stealing Advice 24
Rogue 48 Stick Jockey 162
Role-Play Only Rituals 144 Stone Bolt 124
Rules, Spirit of 34 Stone Elf 46
Rumors 20 Stone Elf mental abilities 76
S Stone Storm
Store Ability
124
143
Sacrifice 142 Strengthening a Weapon 58
Safety, Armor 80 Stun Limb 68
Safety, Combat 93 Style Master 68
Safety, Shields 80 Subjugate 124
Sage 59 Suicide Ability 73
Sanctuary 122 Summon 143
Sarr 46 Summoned Force effect group 98
Scaling 21 Superhuman Strength 73
Scholar 48 Sword and Board 162
Schools of Magic
Science
100
29 T
Scout 48 Tabletop rules 156
Scrolls 102 Tag Hold 162
Scrolls, Ritual 127 Tags 86
Searching 147 Tags, Weapons 81
Second Chance 137 Tavernkeeper 59
Seek the Whole 144 Teacher skill 68
Serious Vorpal Coating 123 Teaching Skills 50
Servant 28 Teamwork 16
Shadow Magic 162 Templar 48
Shatter 123 Ten Percent Club 162
Shatter skill 66 Terminate Ritual 138
Sheriff 30 Terminate 68
Sheriff of Notingame 149 Terror 124

165
Shield 123 Thief Advice 23
Shield Bashing 80 Thorns 41
Shield skill 67 Threshold 73
 Werewolves, barbarians, and misguided gob-
lins stand in the way of Terin's attempt to resolve
three contradicting prophecies.
If he can live that long...
Accompanied by his fellow squires, Rendal, an
expert swordsman, and Darlissa, a biata spell-
caster, Terin sets out to obey his Duke's orders
orders that go against everything he believes. Can
fulfilling the barbarian prophecies help him find a
way to morally obey the Duke's orders as well?

Here Michael A. Ventrella takes up the mantle

of Christopher Stasheff. Terins exploits are as en-
tertaining as those of Rod Gallowglass, and fans
of The Warlock in Spite of Himself will hugely en-
joy The Axes of Evil. - Gregory Frost, author of
Shadowbridge and Lord Tophet

Humor, danger and a twisted tangle of unlikely

prophecies make for a page-turning adventure. -
Gail Z. Martin, author of The Chronicles of the
Necromancer series

The Axes of Evil is a taut nail-biter of a thriller.

Edgy, funny and dark. - Jonathan Maberry, mul-
tiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The
Dragon Factory and Rot & Ruin

And be sure to read the first novel in the series:

The prophecy said that the hero would save the duchy of
Ashbury from the evil gryphons that were about to escape from
behind the magical arch.
Too bad they got the wrong guy.
When cowardly young bard Terin Ostler is called before the
Duke and told that he fits the description of the hero of the proph-
ecy, he is certain there has been a grave mistake. When the
Dukes own men later try to kill him and he is forced to go into
hiding, he realizes that it may be his own grave that is in ques-
tion.

This is a tightly written and plotted work that will keep the
reader enthralled until the last word is read. - Christopher
Hoare, Muse Book Reviews

A late twist lends the entire novel a surprisingly tight narra-

tive. - Pat Ferrara, Mania.com

Clever, funny and suspenseful. Normally, I would rather eat

166 bees than read fantasy novels, but this one is great. - Mark
Waid, author of Kingdom Come and Birthright
 This is the second collection of short stories tak-
ing place in Fortannis by noted authors Davey
Beauchamp, Jon Cory, Roy C. Booth and Brian
Woods, Tera Fulbright, Jesse Grabowski, Henry
Hart, Laurel Anne Hill, Mark Mensch, Bernie Mozjes
and Bob Norwicke, Mike Strauss, and Michael A.
Ventrella.

Magic. Knights. Werewolves. Doppelgangers.

Elves. Theres no telling what will pop up in Michael
A. Ventrellas Fortannis fantasy series when he in-
vites other writers to play in his sandbox. No need
to wait for any extended editions. These stories
are good to go now. Daniel M. Kimmel, author
of the Hugo-nominated Jar Jar Binks Must Die and
Shh! Its a Secret.

A very fun anthology of tales in a world both

expected and very different indeed! Michael
Ventrella and others revisit the world of Fortannis
and emerge with tales to astound, amuse, and be-
muse; here is sword-and-sorcery to stand well next
to that of Leiber and Moorcock, and ordinary people
swept up into events far larger than they which can
still be addressed with some common sense and
cleverness. A fun book, well worth reading! Ryk
Spoor, author of Phoenix Rising and Grand Cen-
tral Arena.

And be sure to read the first collection in the series:

This collection of short stories taking place in Fortannis (the world of

the Alliance games) features contributions by noted authors Davey
Beauchamp, Danny Birt, Nick Bond, Jon Cory, Roy C. Booth and Brian
Woods, Tera Fulbright, Laurel Anne Hill, Ron F. Leota, Mark Mensch,
Bernie Mozjes, Matthew C. Plourde, J. Thomas Ross, Mike Strauss, and
Michael A. Ventrella.

A Bards Eye View is a varied collection of adventures, whimsies,

variously grim, grand and comedic; this book will appeal to fans of gam-
ing and fantasy alike. - Jay Lake, Campbell Award-winning author of
Green and Mainspring

You dont need to know the background material to enjoy the range
of stories from the talespinners assembled here. It has plenty of adven-
tures that end with a twist that leave you shaking your head in pleased
surprise. Ill be happy to look for many of these writers in days to come.
- Jody Lynn Nye, author of View From the Imperium and Dragons Deal
Available in paperback, e-book, nook, and kindle format
through Amazon and other retailers
Double Dragon Publishing www.MichaelAVentrella.com 167
 ALLIANCE TABLETOP CHARACTER SHEET
Player:____________________________________________________ Character:________________________________________________
Race:__________________________________ Class:__________________________________ Level:_______________________________
Build:_____________ XP:________________ Armor Points:________ Body Points:_____________
Left Damage:________ Right Damage:_______ 2-Handed Damage:_________ Throw Damage:_________

TRAITS
Brain () () () () () () Eyes () () () () () () Face () () () () () () Feet () () () () () () Hands () () () () () () Heart () () () () () ()
DEATHS: () () () () () () () () () () () ()

RACIAL SKILLS ACADEMIC SKILLS WEAPON SKILLS FIGHTING SKILLS SPELL PYRAMID
Break Command__________ First Aid________________ Archery_________________ Assassinate______________ Celestial Earth
Claws___________________ Healing Arts _____________ Florentine _______________ Back Attack _____________ Formal__________________
Gypsy Curse_____________ Herbal Lore______________ One Handed Blunt_________ Backstab________________ 9th_____________________
Racial Dodge_____________ Legerdemain_____________ One Handed Edged________ Critical Attack____________ 8th_____________________
Racial Proficiency_________ Merchant________________ One Handed Master________ Disarm_________________ 7th_____________________
Racial Slay______________ Read and Write___________ Polearm_________________ Dodge___________________ 6th_____________________
Resist Binding____________ Read Magic______________ Shield__________________ Evade__________________ 5th_____________________
Resist Command__________ Teacher_________________ Small Weapon____________ Eviscerate_______________ 4th_____________________
Resist Element____________ Staff____________________ Parry____________________ 3rd_____________________
Resist Fear______________ PRODUCTION SKILLS Style Master______________ Riposte_________________ 2nd_____________________
Resist Magic_____________ Alchemy________________ Thrown Weapon__________ Shatter__________________ 1st_____________________
Resist Necromancy________ Blacksmith______________ Two Handed Blunt_________ Slay____________________
Resist Poison ____________ Create Potion_____________ Two Handed Edged________ Stun Limb_______________
CRAFTSMAN SKILLS
Create Scroll_____________ Two Handed Master________ Terminate_______________
________________________
Create Trap______________ Two Weapons____________ Waylay_________________
________________________
Weapon Master___________ Weapon Proficiency________
________________________

CELESTIAL SPELL BOOK EARTH SPELL BOOK

1st LEVEL 6th LEVEL 1st LEVEL 6th LEVEL
Disarm________________________ Elemental Shield________________ Cure Disease*__________________ Cure Critical Wounds*___________
Fortress________________________ Enflame_______________________ Cure Light Wounds*_____________ Earth Blade*___________________
Light__________________________ Lightning Storm________________ Disarm________________________ Elemental Shield________________
Stone Bolt_____________________ Magic Blade___________________ Endow________________________ Restore*_______________________
Sleep_________________________ Sleep_________________________
2nd LEVEL 2nd LEVEL
Lightning Bolt__________________ 7th LEVEL Bless__________________________ 7th LEVEL
Magic Armor___________________ Charm_________________________ Cure Wounds*__________________ Charm_______________________
Pin____________________________ Confine________________________ Magic Armor___________________ Confine______________________
Repel__________________________ Destroy________________________ Pin____________________________ Destroy________________________
Shield_________________________ Ice Storm______________________ Repel__________________________ Destroy Undead*______________
Subjugate_________________________ Destruction*__________________
3rd LEVEL 3rd LEVEL
Bind__________________________ 8th LEVEL Bind__________________________ 8th LEVEL
Ice Bolt_______________________ Dispel_________________________ Harm Undead*__________________ Cure Mortal Wounds*__________
Lesser Investment________________ Dragons Breath________________ Sanctuary*_____________________ Paralysis*______________________
Shatter_______________________ Reflect Magic__________________ Shatter_________________________ Purify*________________________
Wall of Force____________________ Solidify________________________ Weakness*_____________________ Reflect Magic__________________
Wizard Lock___________________
4th LEVEL 4th LEVEL 9th LEVEL
Awaken________________________ 9th LEVEL Awaken________________________ Circle of Power__________________
Banish_________________________ Circle of Power__________________ Cure Serious Wounds*____________ Earth Storm*__________________
Elemental Blade________________ Elemental Blast__________________ Poison Shield__________________ Life*_________________________
Flame Bolt____________________ Magic Storm____________________ Shun__________________________
Shun__________________________ Prison__________________________ Turn Undead*___________________ * = reversible
Ward__________________________
5th LEVEL 5th LEVEL
Release________________________ Release________________________
Spell Shield____________________ Silence*________________________
Stone Storm____________________ Spell Shield_____________________
Web__________________________ Web__________________________

ALCHEMICAL RECIPE BOOK

Alchemical Solvent________ Cause Serious Damage_____ Feeblemind_____________ Love Potion #9___________ Poison Shield____________
Amnesia_______________ Cure Light Wounds________ Halluincate______________ Nausea________________ Quicksilver_______________
Antidote________________ Death_______________ Intoxicate______________ Oil of Slipperiness________ Sleep_________________
Berserk________________

168
Dominate_______________ Laugh________________ Paralysis_______________ Vertigo__________________
Cause Damage____________ Enslavement Antidote______ Liquid Light_____________ Paranoia________________ Vorpal Coating__________
Cause Light Damage_______ Euphoria Antidote_________ Love___________________ Paste of Stickiness_________ Weakness________________