I. OVERVIEW
BnB characters are fairly simple, comprising only of four primary stats, four secondary stats, and a few skills. Stats represent the basic nature of a character, while skills measure abilities like fighting, sorcery, and craftsmanship.
Players begin with a certain amount of character points with which to build their in-game persona. The number of points players start with is up to the game master (known hereafter as "The Bastard"), and depends upon how powerful He wishes for beginning characters to be.
As the characters adventure, the Bastard will occasionally give out experience points for character successes. These experience points function identically to character points, allowing characters to grow more powerful by adding to their stats and skills.
An average peon has about fifty character points total, while an above average person of competent skill might have around one hundred. A veteran adventurer can have two or three hundred, while a magnificent hero might have one thousand or more.
If the Bastard wishes for new characters to be unskilled but promising beginners, he can assign different amounts of character points for stats and for skills, perhaps letting the players make characters with above average stats but apprentice-level skills.
More about character creation can be found in the following chapters.
Central to the rules of the game is the skill roll. All actions in the game are resolved in much the same way, whether one is building a table, picking a lock, swinging a sword, or casting a spell. The differences between various actions come from the stats and skills of characters and various situational modifiers, not from different rules for different types of actions. Here it is -- the basic, fundamental roll of the entire game:
That is, roll a pair of six-sided dice, add them together, and multiply the result by the sum of the character's stat and skill levels. If this roll is equal to or higher than the challenge number, then the act is successful.
Example: Sly the Rogue has a dexterity of 3 and an acrobatics skill of 6. To make an acrobatics roll, he adds his stat to his skill (3 + 6 = 9) and multiplies this number by a roll of 2d6. He rolls an 8, giving him a skill roll of 72 (8 * 9).
The following table will give the Bastard some idea of what rolls should be required of players to succeed in certain tasks.
Task Difficulty Skill Roll required for success Simple 10 Easy 20 Moderate 40 Difficult 80 Impossible 160
This is a basic outline, and should only be used when the character is not in conflict with another and The Bastard is unsure about the difficulty involved. When two characters are conflicting, their skills are rolled against one another.
Note that high rolls are always better than low rolls.
The numbers above assume that the character has at least an average tool for the job in question - i.e., if a thief is trying to pick a lock, then he is using a standard lockpick. If the thief was trying to pick a lock with something nonstandard, like a dagger, then the Bastard should assign an appropriate penalty (make the challenge number higher). If the character has an exceptional set of tools at his disposal, then he should receive some bonuses (a lower challenge number).
The numbers also assume that the character is taking a normal amount of time to perform the task. What this amount of time is depends upon the task in question - perhaps six seconds for picking a lock, and six days for smithing a weapon. The Bastard may wish to assign bonuses for extra time taken and penalties for rushed work. He may halve the challenge level if the character takes twice as long as necessary, or double it if the character tries to succeed in half the normal time. Et cetera.
Example: Lanky the thief wants to pick a lock on a treasure chest. Lanky has a Dex of four and a Burglary skill of six. To make the attempt, he rolls 2d6 and multiplies the result by ten (Dex + Burglary = 4 + 6 = 10). If this roll is higher than the Locksmithing roll of the person who designed and built the lock, then Lanky succeeds. If the Bastard does not know the Locksmithing roll of the designer, then he can simply assign a number that seems reasonable for the quality of the lock.Example: Chuck the Barbarian wants to crush the skull of Lothar the Unlucky. Chuck has a Dex of two and a Striking skill of five. To attack, he rolls 2d6 and multiplies the result by seven (Dex + Striking = 2 + 5 = 7). Lothar, not wanting to have his skull crushed, decides to dodge the attack. Lothar has a Dex of three and a Defense skill of six, so he must roll 2d6 and multiply the result by nine (Dex + Dodge = 3 + 6 = 9) if he wants to avoid being hit. If Chuck's roll is higher than Lothar's, the attack hits; if Lothar's roll is equal to or higher than Chuck's, the attack misses.
There are times when it is nearly impossible to succeed at a task. A greased tightrope may be too slippery to walk on, or an opponent too quick to hit. Conversely, there are times when it is impossible to fail. Swinging an axe at an unmoving foe is a good example.
A cinematic Bastard may wish to allow characters to have a chance for success or failure at almost any endeavor, no matter how ridiculous. To this end, there is The Critical.
Using this rule, any natural roll of 12 (boxcars) on 2d6 is an automatic success, regardless of the difficulty involved. If the skill is being used in competition with another character, then it is an automatic win regardless of the opposing character's roll unless this roll is also a critical success.
Any natural roll of 2 (snake eyes) on 2d6 is an automatic (and spectacular) failure. In addition to failing in his task, the character should experience some additional misfortune in relation to the skill. If the character was swinging a sword, he may accidentally throw his weapon several yards away. If the character was casting a magic spell, it might blow up in his face. Be creative.
There are some things in life that are simply not possible. In situations like this, the Bastard may rule that the actions of the character fail, with no need for a roll - even a critical will not succeed. In a situation as one-sided as this, the conflict may as well be roleplayed without the dice.
Example: A brave warrior (str 5) spies a big dragon (str 100). In an attempt to impress his female companions, he rushes forward to wrestle the creature to the ground with his bare hands. Even if the warrior's roll is perfect and the dragon's roll terrible, there is no possibility of the warrior pinning the dragon - it simply shrugs him aside as if he does not exist (and possibly eats him).
II. STATS
There are four primary stats: Strength, Dexterity, Will, and Intelligence.
These are the most fundamental attributes of a character. They affect a character's proficiency with skills, combat ability, talent at sorcery, and overall performance as an adventurer.
Strength is a measure of physical power. The mass and muscle of the individual, the amount of weight he can carry, and the amount of damage he can inflict are all determined by strength. A character can lift 100 pounds for each level of strength.
Dexterity is a measure of physical speed. Quickness, perception, balance, and coordination are all facets of dexterity. It affects both how easily an individual can hit others in physical combat and how difficult it is for enemies to hit him.
Willpower is a measure of the strength of the mind. Courage, patience, and self-control are facets of will. It allows a character to resist interrogation, torture, and fear, and determines the amount of supernatural energy that a sorcerer can channel.
Intelligence is a measure of quickness of thought. Memory, IQ, and cleverness are facets of intelligence. It allows a character to learn quickly and to apply knowledge in useful ways. It allows a sorcerer to cast spells more effectively.
Average humans have levels ranging between 1 and 3 in each of the four main stats. Small children, frail elders, and diseased individuals may have physical stats lower than one, while fools and madmen may have mental stats lower than one. Mythic heroes and villains may have stats of five, six, or even higher. Monsters and horrors may have stats of ten, twenty, or beyond.
Stats have a cubic growth curve -- the higher your stat, the more difficult it is to make it better. The amount of character points necessary to achieve a particular level of a stat is given by the following formula:
points = level * level * level
So, if a starting character wants a strength of 3, it will cost him 27 character points (3 * 3 * 3). If that same character later gains some experience and wishes to raise his strength to 4, he will need to spend an additional 37 points (4 * 4 * 4, minus the 27 points already spent to achieve level 3). Fractions are rounded down, so if the character spent only 30 additional points on strength, he would see no benefit until he spent the final 7 points to raise all the way to level 4.
Stat levels are open-ended. There is no hard limit to how high a normal human character can raise his stats, only the limitation of cost in experience points.
stat level cost description 1 1 feeble 2 8 average 3 27 good 4 64 great 5 125 heroic 6 216 7 343 8 512 9 729 10 1000 mythic ... ... L L*L*L
There are four secondary stats: Constitution, Initiative, Stamina and Health. These stats are not bought with character points, but are calculated from the character's primary stats.
Constitution represents a the overall toughness of a character, both physical toughness and the will to live.
Constitution = Strength + Willpower
Initiative represents a character's reflexes and reaction time.
Initiative = Dexterity + Intelligence
Stamina represents how much punishment a character can take before falling unconscious.
Health represents how much punishment a character can take before dying.
The stamina and health of a character are equal to his constitution multiplied by twenty.
Stamina = Health = Constitution * 20
Physical skills are based on dexterity. Mental skills are based on intelligence.
Skills follow a quadratic growth curve, making them require fewer character points than stats. The amount of character points necessary to achieve a particular skill level is given by the following formula:
points = level * level
Thus, a character who wants an archery skill level of 4 would need to use 16 character points (4 * 4). If that same character later wants to raise his archery level to 5, he will need to spend an additional 9 points (5 * 5 = 25, minus the 16 points already spent to reach level 4).
Skill levels are open-ended. There is no hard limit to how high a normal human character can raise his skills, only the limitation of cost in experience points.
skill level cost title 1 1 apprentice 2 4 3 9 4 16 5 25 6 36 journeyman 7 49 8 64 9 81 10 100 master ... ... L L*L
Average peons with average lives will probably have no skill level higher than five or six. Talented craftsman could have skill levels of ten or greater, making them very competent at their professions even if their attributes are completely average.
For some skills, characters with a skill level of 0 may still attempt to use the skill. They simply get no bonuses to their base dex or int. Other skills require at least a level of 1 to use. For example, anyone can pick up a sword and try to hit someone - without training, they are simply inferior. Sorcery, on the other hand, cannot be used without training.
Which skills can be used without training are at the discretion of the Bastard.
A character with apprentice status or greater in any skill that cannot be used without training may increase his ability in that skill naturally by expending experience points. It is assumed that the character has spent time in study and practice in order to gain the required knowledge and ability. A character with a skill level of zero, however, may not begin to gain levels in that skill simply by spending experience -- he must first find a text or teacher to set him on the right path. This does not apply to skills that anyone may attempt - swing a sword or strum a harp long enough, and one is bound to get better.
Below is a list of skills that players might wish to add to their characters, listed by attribute. The list is not exhaustive. It focuses on adventuring skills that many characters will wish to have, leaving others (such as job, art, or athletic skills) to the imagination of players.
Skill lists are volatile. Bastards should feel free to add or drop skills from any list to make it fit their game world, and players who wish to have a skill not on the list should propose the new skill to the Bastard.
The list below is divided into Dex skills, Int skills, and Sorcery. Sorcery is listed seperately from the other Int skills because only one who has been "touched" by the gods can use these abilities. Other than this, they function identically to other skills.
Acrobatics
Archery
Burglary
Climbing
Craftsmanship
Defense
Grappling
Perception
Pickpocketing
Riding
Stealth
Striking
Throwing
This skill allows a character to perform flips, cartwheels, rolls, tumbles, and the like. At higher levels, a character can swing on trapezes and walk tightropes.
This is the ability to use missile weapons such as bows and crossbows.
This is a favorite skill of thieves and spies. It is used to gain unauthorized access to places that are normally forbidden.
This skill lets the character pick locks, whether ordinary keyed locks or fancier combination or puzzle locks.
It also allows a character to set or disarm small traps. This can be used to protect locked a chest with a poison dart, to protect a hallway with a cocked crossbow, or to protect a door with a levered scythe - or to disarm any protections set by others.
Last but not least, having this ability means that the character knows how to force doors or shutters in the most effective and quietest way possible.
This covers a wide range of activity, from trees to cliffs to castle walls. The more difficult the surface (the less friction and handholds and whatnot), the higher the challenge. The higher the roll above the required difficulty, the more ground that has been covered. A failed roll usually means no progress, though a spectacular failure could mean a fall.
This is the ability to make, build, and repair useful items. It can allow the character to build a house, carve some arrows, or make minor repairs to damaged weapons and armor.
Master craftsmen can create works of great beauty and utility, though the Bastard may rule that the character must specialize in a particular field (such as blacksmithing, woodworking, etc) in order to realize this level of quality.
This is the art of avoiding harm by blocking and dodging. It can be used to evade any physical attack that is possible to evade.
This is the skill used in close combat, when opponents are locking limbs and most weapons are useless.
This skill represents both the quality of a character's natural senses and his general attentiveness to the world around him. This important skill can prevent the character (or his entire party) from being taken by surprise.
This skill allows a character to filch keys and pick pockets. It is rolled against the Perception of the intended victim and, to a lesser extent, the Perception of others nearby.
This can also be used to less nefarious purposes, such as performing minor magic tricks (such as making small objects appear or disappear from one's sleeve.
This is the skill of using an animal for transport, usually a horse. Normal travel does not require riding rolls, though a completely inexperienced rider may find his travel slower than it could be. The riding skill is mainly for tricks, leaps, or mounted combat.
This is the art of moving silently and without being seen. To move unseen requires some amount of shadow - the darker, the better. It also helps to have dark clothing.
This skill represents to ability to hit opponents in melee combat.
This is the skill of hitting a target with hurled objects, such as rocks, knives, axes, or spears. It also covers the use of slings. A high skill level can allow the character to juggle - to toss and catch rags, balls, and such. Skilled jugglers can use more impressive items such as knives and swords, but this can get ugly if a roll is failed. Multiple jugglers can work in tandem for a splendid show.
Animals
Concealment
Disguise
Engineering
Forgery
Gaming
Healing
Navigation
Observation
Resistance
Scholarship
Shadowing
Survival
Tactics
Tracking
Trading
This skill represents how good the character is with animals. It can be used to train animals to perform work or tricks, and to effectively handle such domesticated animals. It can also be used, at higher levels, to befriend wild animals, or even to calm enraged beasts.
Concealment is the art of hiding things, whether in a room or on one's person. Those trying to find the hidden objects will have to make Perception rolls greater than the concealment roll of the hider.
This skill lets a character appear physically different. It is rolled against the Observation of anyone who might see through the disguise. Minor cosmetic changes are simple, while major cosmetic changes are more difficult. A master of disguise could even pretend to be of a different race or gender, but it is almost impossible to change one's height by more than a few inches.
This is the skill used for constructing and operating siege engines such as catapults, ballistae, and trebuchet. It can also be used for undermining defenses through sapping. The skilled character does not have to do all of the building or digging; it is enough to draw up a plan and hand it off to skilled laborers.
The art of forging documents, seals, crests, and the like. The skill is rolled against the knowledge of the person trying to determine the authenticity of the item. Scholarship can help with this.
The gambler's skill, such as it is. It lets characters win at games more often, but luck is always a factor.
This is the skill of primitive medicine. A character can bind wounds, set bones, and move companions without doing further harm. The seriousness of the injury will determine the difficulty of the roll.
This skill also grants the possessor knowledge of useful plants and herbs that can be made into salves to speed healing, prevent infections, fight off diseases, or cure poisons.
Finally, this skill represents, at higher levels, the ability to perform acupuncture and minor surgery (namely, amputations). Acupuncture can be used to eliminate pain and certain types of disease, and to quicken the natural healing process. Minor surgery might be required to cut out an infection, in order prevent the spread of toxins to the vital organs.
Individuals in the care of a competent healer will recover Health at twice the normal rate.
Navigation is the ability to determine location and heading by watching the sun and the stars. It is particularly useful at sea. Master navigators may even have a sixth sense about time of day and the direction they are heading.
This skill is similar to Perception. Whereas Perception is used to detect things that might go unheard or unseen, Observation is used to detect things that are obvious but may go unnoticed. A character's observation could allow him to notice that someone was wearing the wrong clothes, behaving strangely, etc. It is especially useful for spotting those in disguise. Bonuses can be given if the character has some reason to suspect that the disguised person is not who they appear to be.
This skill represents the ability of a character to resist attacks on his mind, such as fear, torture, or sorcery. It is the mental equivalent of the Defense skill.
It does not matter whether assaults are aimed directly at the character or at everything his general area. When using Resistance, the character does not actually move - he focuses his concentration to prevent the attack from harming him.
Any sorcery can be resisted, no matter how large or powerful. The defender need only roll higher on his Resistance than the attacker rolls with whatever socery he is using.
If a spell is of continuing duration, the Resistance roll must be made every round.
Resistance to sorcery is not supernatural, nor is not limited to those who practice sorcery. Anyone with a quick mind can evade its effects.
This is a catchall for academic skills. It represents knowledge of subjects such as astronomy, cartography, geography, heraldry, history, languages, philosophy, politics, and religion. It also lets the character write with flourish, using proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and perhaps stylistic calligraphy.
Master scholars and sages are highly prized by their patrons, and a visit to one can be expensive. Many choose to specialize in one of the above subjects.
This is the art of following someone in a crowd without the subject realizing that they are being followed. It relies upon the shadower being inconspicuous in dress and behavior - if everyone in town wears white clothing, someone will notice a black-cloaked figure following them no matter what the shadowing roll.
To notice that he is being followed, a character must make an Observation roll versus the Shadowing roll of the follower.
Survival is the ability to live in the wilderness without much in the way of equipment or supplies. All that is usually needed is a trusty knife and some warm clothing. Additional items, such as a bow and arrow for hunting, make the task that much easier.
This is the art of war. This skill can give a character a good idea of what local terrain is the most defensible, what formations are best for a battle, and what an opponent seems to be planning. If an opponent tries a ruse, Tactics can be rolled against Tactics to see if the deceit was detected.
Tracking lets a character follow another creature through the wilderness. Some creatures are easier to track than others, and some terrains are easier to track through than others (soft mud easier than packed ground). Some terrains, like rivers or solid rock, are impossible to track through - the only hope is to pick up the trail on the other side of the obstacle.
This skill allows a character to appraise the worth of non-obvious treasure, from simple earthenware pots to rare works of art. Exotic objects are more difficult to appraise. The higher the roll, the closer the character is to the real value.
Amelatu
Mahasu
Nabu
Nekelmu
Sabatu
Seheru
Talamu
This sorcery allows the user to open supernatural gateways to other worlds. These gateways allow the sorcerer to observe events from afar, to journey to exotic places, or to gather allies from other realms.
This sorcery is the art of manipulating the physical energies of the world, such as heat, light, sound, and lightning. It allows the sorcerer to unleash powerful magics of destruction to harm his enemies. It is the magical equivalent of the Striking skill.
These energies can cause fires to erupt. They can be used against people or obstacles, but Mahasu spells do not have as much direct force behind them as Sabatu spells, relying more on energy for damage.
This is a catchall for mystical abilities that are used to learn the unknown. The diviner may hear the whispers of spirits of the dead, read the future in the stars, or simply know things that he has no business knowing.
This also allows a character to sense the presence of nearby disembodied spirits, and to communicate with them.
This can also be used by the Bastard as a plot device. He could allow a character to sense danger, receive visions of the future, or anything else that he feels would add to the game.
This sorcery is for manipulating minds. It can be used to read minds, to project thoughts, and to control mindless beings.
This sorcery allows the sorcerer to grasp or move physical objects with his mind. It can be used to attack persons or objects. It is the magical equivalent of the Grappling skill.
This sorcery allows a magician to diminish or destroy the sorcery of others. It functions much like Resistance, except that it works at range, destroys spells instead of evading their effects, and each use of Seheru is considered a major action.
This is, in essence, anti-sorcery. It allows the user to nullify spells or to set up magical wards.
This sorcery gives the user control over the forces of life and death. It allows the transfer of Stamina and Health from one individual living creature to another.
It also allows the sorcerer to feel the emotions of creatures that are near. This is a sense, much like perception, observation, or divination.
Talamu is very limited in range.
IV. EQUIPMENT
Let us begin with the foundation of all nonprimitive societies: money.
Primitive peoples have no concept of money. Individuals create most of what they need with their own hands. Trade, when it exists, takes the form of barter - one villager might trade another villager five apples for four oranges, or two bows for one tepee, or one animal skin for two sides of beef.
The drawback of barter is that one cannot be guaranteed that a person will be willing to trade what they have (and you want) for what you have, even if they don't need what they have. If the person you want to trade with does not value what you have to offer, then the only (nonviolent) way to get what you want from them is to first find out what they want, and then go and try to find someone who has this and is willing to trade it for what you have. You may have to conduct many trades for the sole purpose of obtaining something to trade for what you are really after. This is inefficient, and can be frustrating.
Money solves this problem. Money is nothing more than a good which everyone wants in infinite quantity. Because of this, individuals are always willing to trade things that they don't want or need for some amount of money - not necessarily because they value the money itself, but because they know that the money can later be used to obtain something that they desire more than what they currently have.
In the game, money is usually in the form of precious metals, namely copper, silver, and gold. The reasons for this are simple: precious metals are useful, scarce, durable, portable, divisible into smaller parts, and so on. This gives them significant advantages as money over things like oranges or cattle.
Though the game takes place in a primeval world without the science of economics, the laws of supply and demand still apply. The value of any good or service will differ greatly from time to time, from place to place, and from person to person. For two individuals to trade, they must agree on some ratio of exchange, or price. This price depends upon the relative value of both goods to each individual, values which derive from individual desires and the relative scarcity of both goods.
All of this is merely background information. It is intended to give the Bastard some idea of why trade can be profitable. Iron may be common in a mining town, and thus cheap, but rare in a coastal town, and thus expensive. Buying a load of iron in the mountains and selling it at the coast will generally get the merchant more money out than he put in.
The price lists later in this chapter, therefore, should be taken as a reasonable estimate of prices in an average town at the junction of two or more trading routes. The master should feel free to adjust prices to reflect the relative scarcity of goods as the players travel to different places. On the wild frontier, for example, gold and silver may be next to worthless compared to the necessities of survival. This would mean that the price of everything (as measured in gold) would be much higher than in a safer place.
The prices also assume that the quality of the item is good. Poor items can be found for half the cost, while items of excellent quality can be far more expensive.
Though not perfectly realistic, it is useful (for game purposes) to consider copper, silver, and gold as trading at fixed rates of ten to one: 1 gold coin = 10 silver coins = 100 copper coins. This will result in a stable monetary system, and keep both players and the Bastard from becoming confused. One copper coin should be thought of as the primeval equivalent of a modern US dollar in buying power.
All prices from here on are given in copper coins.
gear weight cost backpack 1 40 bedroll 5 20 blanket 3 60 caltrops (10) 1 100 candle - 1 chest 25 200 flint and steel - 10 grappling hook 4 50 lamp 1 10 lantern 2 120 lock 1 200 lockpicking kit 2 300 mirror (steel) * 20 per square inch musical instrument 3 400 oil flask 1 10 parchment - 20 per sheet pouch 1 10 rope 1 per 2 yards 10 per yard sack 1 10 spike (5) 1 50 torch 1 1 trail rations (1 day) 1 50 waterskin 4 90 whetstone 1 2
quality cost peasant grub 5 per meal decent meal 10 per meal fine dining 50 per meal drink 4 per serving
type weight cost (per change of clothes) peasant garb 2 10 travelling clothes 5 100 noble attire 10 1000
type cost (per person, per night) inn - common room 10 inn - private room 30 inn - high quality 100+
Weapons allow the user to slay his enemies. Bows and melee weapons add to the strength of a character for purposes of determining the damage of an attack. Mechanical weapons, such as crossbows and catapults, do not gain damage from strength.
The exact particulars of a weapon are not very important for game purposes. An axe, sword, or flail can all do the same amount of damage, provided that they have the same disadvantages. Larger weapons do more harm, but are also heavier and more difficult to conceal. Spiked or bladed weapons should do significantly more damage than blunt ones.
A character with a strength of 2 can use any regular melee weapon without difficulty. A character with a strength of 1 may be limited to smaller weapons, at the whim of the Bastard.
Swords are more expensive because they are generally more difficult to make. Wearing a sword is a sign of wealth or prestige.
The table below provides some guidance.
type damage weight cost light club 1 1 10 medium club 2 2 20 heavy club 3 3 30 two handed club 5 4 40 quarterstaff 5 4 40 light mace 7 3 100 light flail 7 3 100 morningstar 8 5 200 heavy mace 8 5 200 heavy flail 8 5 200 two-handed maul 10 10 400 handaxe 7 3 100 battleaxe 8 5 200 warhammer 8 5 200 two-handed axe 10 8 400 two-handed hammer 10 8 400 dagger 6 1 200 short sword 7 3 1000 long sword 8 5 2000 bastard sword (2h) 9 6 3000 two-handed sword 10 8 4000 spear 7 3 100 halberd 10 8 400 pike 10 8 400 shortbow 7 2 6000 longbow 8 3 9000 arrows (20) - 3 100 light crossbow 9 6 12000 heavy crossbow 10 9 15000 bolts (10) - 1 200
Armor protects the wearer from physical harm in combat. Armor adds to the strength of the character for purposes of enduring damage from attacks.
Armor can be a lifesaver in combat, but it is also heavy and uncomfortable. It adds greatly to encumbrance, which will slow the character down. It makes many actions very difficult (climbing, stealth) or even impossible (swimming).
The mass and material of the armor determines the protection. The type of the armor is not important for game purposes. If the character wants the highest protection possible, it does matter whether he wants his character to be wearing plate mail or just extra-heavy chainmail, so long as the weight and discomfort are the same. The Bastard has the final say on this - a player should be hard pressed to explain how his character wears fifty pounds of padded cloth in order to get the best protection possible.
The list below is a general guideline.
type endurance weight cost padded 3 10 500 soft leather 3 10 500 hard leather 4 20 1000 scale mail 5 30 5000 chain mail 6 40 10000 plate mail 7 50 20000
Shields help the user block incoming attacks. The defensive bonus is added to Defense skill of a character when he attempts to block with his shield. The prices assume that the shield is made of heavy wood banded with iron - solid steel shields cost ten times as much.
type defense bonus weight cost small shield 1 5 100 medium shield 2 10 200 large shield 3 20 300
Foci allow sorcerers to channel more energy. The power of the focus is added to the willpower of the character to determine how much energy the character can channel per round.
A focus can be anything - a simple staff, an elaborate scepter, or even a sword. The larger the focus, the greater the power. Some magicians create massive foci out of areas of their temples or towers. There is a limit, however. Every part of the focus must be within touching distance of the magician.
Foci must be inscribed with numerous magical runes which glow brightly when the focus is in use.
Magical craftsmen are rare, and creating a focus is no simple task. Thus, they tend to be expensive.
type power weight cost small wand 2 1 10000 short staff 4 3 12000 long staff 6 4 16000 sanctuary 20+ immobile 100000
Charms protect the wearer from magics much like armor protects the wearer from physics. The power of the charm is added to the willpower of the wearer for purposes of enduring magical attacks. To be effective, the charm must be worn in plain view. Multiple charms do not work in tandem.
Charms are usually small trinkets, such as rings or amulets. The larger the charm, the greater the endurance.
Charms must be inscribed with numerous arcane runes to work. These runes glow brightly whenever the charm absorbs sorcerous energy.
type power weight cost ring 1 - 20000 amulet 2 - 30000 crown 3 - 50000 sanctuary 10+ immobile 100000
To create a focus, charm, or sanctuary requires carving the necessary runes and symbols in the proper places in the right order. This action imbues the ready items with the supernatural energies necessary for them to perform their function. The items to be imbued should be sturdy and well-crafted, but there is nothing to prevent a nature-loving mystic from using a simple piece of rough-hewn wood for his staff.
Adventuring gear and loot can get pretty heavy. Characters are limited in how much crap they can carry on their person by both weight and volume.
The strength score of a character determines the maximum amount of weight the character can lift - one hundred pounds for every point of strength. If a character is hauling a large amount, he will have penalties to movement and to any skills which require agility. He should be penalized by an amount similar to the ratio of how much weight he is carrying to how much weight he can lift.
For example, a character with a strength of 2 can lift 200 pounds. If the character is carrying one hundred pounds worth of gear or treasure, he can only move half as fast as if he were unencumbered. Furthermore, any skills requiring whole body agility should be penalized by a similar amount. It is difficult to climb a tree or perform acrobatics when one is weighted down.
For purposes of simplicity, this rule should only be used if the character is carrying at least 20% of his maximum heft. Rough estimates of penalties are usually better than detailed accounting, but discretion is left to the Bastard.
V. ENCOUNTERS
All encounters in the game are resolved in a similar, simple manner. Conflict is resolved in one of two ways: roleplaying... or dice.
Depending on the game and the Bastard, some or all of the encounters in the story may be resolved without picking up a single die. Players simply interact with npcs and with each other to determine the outcome. Negotiations and conversations should always be handled through roleplaying rather than with dice. Combat can be handled with roleplaying as well if the players wish to sacrifice the tactical elements of the game for the sake of plot, continuity, or time.
A few notable exceptions aside, no roleplaying game is really complete without a few rolls of the dice. Ideally, dice should only be used when roleplaying is unable to solve conflicts to the satisfaction of the players. The use of any skill (including combat skills) is the prime example of this.
How often dice are used compared to roleplaying is more a matter of personal preference than exact science. The rules are not designed to decide this to a great extent - this decision is up to the consensus of the players. Players and the Bastard should use roleplaying as much as possible - if conflict can be resolved through roleplaying alone, then it probably should be. Negotiation and conversation were mentioned above as areas where dice should never be used. Logic and reasoning are normally in this category as well, though exceptions could be made if the intelligence of a character is supposed to far exceed the intelligence of its player. Conflicts almost always resort to dice, though dice can be skipped on occasions when the odds are incredibly uneven and the outcome blindingly obvious to all involved.
In general, dice need only be used when a character is using a skill in opposition to some other force. Specific rules are laid out for these cases in the following sections.
Perception and Observation are important skills that deserve special mention in this section.
Perception is used whenever the Bastard wants to see whether a character notices something, such as images, sounds, or smells that are hard to notice because they are small, faint, or far away. It is not used to determine whether a character notices the obvious, such as a person standing directly in front of him and speaking. It is used to determine whether a character will notice subtle sensory input, like someone sneaking up behind him.
Various factors can affect a perception check. Bright light or pitch darkness could hamper vision, loud noise could hamper hearing. The challenge level for any given situation is up to the Bastard.
Unconscious characters get no perception rolls for anything -- they are senseless. Being asleep is not the same as being knocked out, however; sleeping characters get normal Perception rolls for hearing to see if they wake up if any unusual noises occur in their sleeping presence. If the noises are very soft, such as someone sneaking toward the sleeper, the Perception roll is far more difficult.
Observation is used when the Bastard wants to see whether a character notices something subtle that is right in front of them, such as an enemy wearing a disguise or someone following them through a crowd. Factors that can affect an Observation roll are similar to (but not identical to) those that affect Perception rolls. Anything that distracts the character from paying careful attention to detail could cause a penalty (a higher challenge roll).
Shadowing is to Observation what Stealth is to Perception.
Nabu functions as supernatural awareness.
Special attention needs to be given to those times when characters are using skills in competition.
Conflict is handled by dividing time and space into discrete units. Time is measured in rounds, with each round being equal to about six seconds. Space is measured in yards (distance), square yards (area), or cubic yards (volume).
There are two types of actions in combat: major and minor. Major actions are things that can have a great effect on the outcome of a conflict, such as attacking a foe, picking a lock, running across a battlefield, or casting a spell. Minor actions, on the other hand, are actions that are incidental to the situation, such as moving a few paces or drawing a weapon.
Normally, characters can perform only one major action per round. A character may perform multiple major actions, but at a penalty - any skills used during a combat round must be divided by the number of major actions taken that round. Fractions are rounded down.
Example: Bob the Fighter has a Striking skill of 5 and a Defense skill of 6. He wishes to attack this round, but also to defend. For performing two actions, his skills are halved for the round - his Striking becomes 2, and his defense becomes 3. If Bob had wished to run 15 yards as well, his skills would have been divided by three to become 1 and 2.
Characters are limited in the number of major actions they may perform in a single round. If the actions are physical, characters are limited to a number equal to their Dex. If the actions are mental, characters are limited to a number equal to their Int.
Minor actions, on the other hand, do not cause a loss of skill. At most, they might give a penalty to the character's initiative.
The Bastard has the final say over whether an action is major or minor.
Defensive actions are a special case. How they are handled will have a dramatic effect on the flavor of the game. Whereas each attack is considered a major action for purposes of skill loss, the Bastard may handle defensive actions (the use of Defense and Resistance) differently.
If the Bastard considers each defensive action to be a major action, then both heroes and villains will have a very difficult time defending themselves against more than one attacker. While this is somewhat realistic, a more cinematic game might be desired. To this end, the Bastard may wish to rule that the use of a defensive skill is only one major action per round, regardless of how many attacks are evaded.
If a character is performing some engrossing action, such as balancing a pot on his head or lifting something really heavy, he may get no no defensive actions at all.
A character cannot use both Dex and Int skills during the same round - he must concentrate on one or the other. One side effect of this is that individuals engaged in physical combat will not have the concentration necessary to resist sorcerous attacks, and individuals concentrating on sorcery will not be able to evade physical attacks.
Some actions may require more than one round to complete. If the character is even slightly injured during this time (1 point of stamina or health), the action fails and must be attempted again.
Initiative
The first step in any round is to roll Initiative. This roll determines order of action that the combatants follow. Whoever rolls the highest Initiative gets to go first on this round, followed by the person with the second highest Initiative roll, then the third, and so on.
2d6 * Initiative
Environmental factors (such as surprise) or minor actions (such as darting a few yards or drawing a weapon) may give bonuses or penalties to Initiative, at the whim of the Bastard.
Action
The next step is the action phase. Participants carry out their movement, attacks, or other actions in the order of their initiative rolls. If a character is knocked out or killed before his turn, he gets no action.
A character does not have to decide whether to use physical or mental skills on any given round until it is his turn to act. A character could, for example, be planning to cast a spell, only to decide to Defend instead when he sees an arrow flying toward him.
When it is a character's turn to act, he may choose to move or to wait with no penalty. Once a character is required to make a skill roll, however, he must then declare all of his actions for the round so that he knows how much to divide his skills by.
Whenever a character is attacked, he may choose to take a defensive action. This is true even if the character is attacked before his initiative. He simply declares all of his actions for the round, which will then be binding upon him when it becomes his turn to act.
Recovery
Any character who has taken no actions during the round may recover some Stamina at the end of the round. If a character is injured during the round (takes even 1 point of Stamina or Health), the character gets no recovery. See the chapter on pain and suffering for more.
The further away a target is from an attacker, the harder it is to hit. The following table gives a list of ranges and the suggested challenge numbers for each range. If the attack is against a living target, these challenge numbers will be added to the defensive roll.
point blank 10 short 20 medium 40 long 80 extreme 160
The meanings of each range differ depending upon what weapon or sorcery the attacker is using. The following table gives a basic guideline, showing the range increments for a number of weapons and spells (in yards). Each full range increment increases the range by one level.
Range penalties do not figure into melee combat.
attack type range increment thrown weapons strength short bow 20 + strength light crossbow 25 long bow 30 + strength heavy crossbow 40
sorcery type range increment Talamu 1 Amelatu 1 Nekelmu 10 + will Mahasu 30 + will Sabatu 30 + will Seheru 60
For example, a heavy crossbow has a range increment of 40 yards. Less than 40 yards from a target is point blank range, from 40 to 79 yards is short range, from 80 to 119 yards is medium range, from 120 to 159 yards is long range, and 160 yards and beyond is extreme range.
Senses are also limited in range.
sense range increment smell 1 hearing 10 vision 100 Nabu 1000 *
* The range limitation on Nabu is for determining whether the diviner notices the use of sorcery in his immediate area.
Each of the following movements are considered major actions:
Standing from a prone position Moving ten yards on foot Mounting or dismounting a horse Riding a horse up to its full movement * LeapingA character gets one free movement action per round. Each action after this counts toward the total number of actions a character may perform, and causes skill levels to be reduced.
Example: Fred the Swift is lying prone on a battlefield. He wishes to stand up, run sixteen yards, jump a trench, and attack a foe on the other side. The first action (in this case, standing up) is free. Running sixteen yards counts as two major actions (one for every ten yards or fraction thereof), and jumping is one more major action. The attack at the end brings his total to four major actions for the round, the maximum possible for his Dex of 4. His Striking skill will be divided by four (his number of actions) for this attack.
Falling to a prone position on the ground is a free action.
If the ground is not level, the game master may give a character bonuses or penalties to his movement, depending on whether the character is going uphill or downhill. If the terrain is especially treacherous, the master may require an Acrobatics roll (base Dex for those without the skill).
The above assumes that the character is relatively unencumbered (carrying less than 10% of his maximum weight). The rate of movement for a character is inversely proportional to the amount of weight the character is hauling (see Encumbrance in the previous chapter).
If the character is mounted, then using any amount of movement that the mount is capable of requires only one major action, and possibly a riding roll.
Characters may sometimes need to jump over things. A character can perform a standing long jump for a number of yards equal to his Strength. This is doubled after a running start.
The Bastard may, as an optional rule, allow a character to add his momentum from a charge to the damage of an attack. This works both ways, however -- a charging character will take the same additional damage from any enemy melee weapon that hits him on that round.
Example: A knight charges a line of soldiers atop his mount. His lance does 11 damage (7 for the lance + 4 for Strength). He rolls a 6, giving him a damage of 66. The knight has moved 40 yards on horseback, , however, and so adds his movement to the damage roll for a total of 106.Unfortunately, the knight is hit by one of the braced pikemen, whose pike gives him a damage of 12 (2 for Strength, 10 for the pike). He rolls a 5, giving him a damage roll of 60, then adds the knight's momentum to this to get a final damage of 100.
* A good horse can move sixty to ninety yards per round. An amazing horse can move one hundred and twenty yards in a round.
A character who is still unsure of what to do upon reaching his Initiative may wait to see what others are doing before declaring any action. He may choose to take his actions after the action of any individual whose initiative roll was lower than his own.
A waiting character may take his action at any time, even within the action of another character. Take the following example: Chuck the Barbarian sees Mace the Ugly on a hilltop across the battlefield. Chuck wins initiative for the combat round, but decides to wait and see what Mace will do before he acts. Mace chooses to charge at Chuck and attack. Chuck, however, won the initiative, so he may choose to attack first, even after Mace has covered the distance between them - he was only waiting for his enemy to get close enough to strike. If Mace survives the attack, he may then take the rest of his action.
A waiting character may also choose to hold his action over into the next round, in which case he automatically gets the Initiative for that round without needing to roll.
This rule simulates scenes in books and movies in which two opponents stop and stare one another down, taking no actions, right in the middle of a fight.
If two characters both decide to wait for the other to act and there are no other characters with actions left, then both waiting characters get a recovery and the action passes to the next round. This can even involve more than two characters, so long as everyone decides to wait at once.
All characters involved in the waiting game get the initiative over characters who acted in the previous round. The relative initiatives of the waiting characters remain as they were until someone finally decides to act.
Round zero marks the beginning of any conflict. Whoever acts first automatically gets the initiative, regardless of his speed or the speed of his opponents. This usually applies to a single individual, but can apply to a group if the action is set to occur on a prearranged signal. After the initial round zero activity, conflict progresses to round 1, and participants roll initiative as normal.
If the initiating individual or group has taken their opponents completely by surprise, then the opponents may take no actions at all on round zero - not even defensive ones. This simulates situations such as a knife thrown by a hidden assassin, or an ambush where the attackers were lying in wait. The only defense against such sneak attacks is to not be caught off-guard.
Characters lose small amounts of stamina when they exert themselves. This means that characters who run, fight, or cast spells for very long will get tired, rather than being able to keep up the effort all day. The amount of stamina lost to exertion is not huge - 1 stamina per round in most cases, perhaps 2 if the character is heavily encumbered.
This rule can be safely ignored most of the time. It should only be used when characters are forced by circumstances to exert effort for long periods of time.
A character may choose to sacrifice Stamina for a temporary boost of Strength or Willpower. Each point of Stamina expended will give the character one extra point of Strength or Willpower for a single round. The maximum amount that a character can push his Strength or Willpower to is double the normal level.
Thus, a character with a strength of four could push his strength to eight for four points of stamina, but could not push his strength to nine or ten.
Example: A mighty warrior with a strength of 5 is trying to keep open a massive door while his weaker friends slip through. He trades 5 points of stamina for 5 extra points of strength, giving him a total strength of 10 for the round. At the end of four rounds of exertion, he is down 20 Stamina. He can continue this exertion from round to round until his stamina reaches zero, at which point he will collapse from exhaustion.Example: An insane wizard with a willpower of 5 is trying to keep open a massive portal to The Abyss so that one of the Great Old Ones can travel through. He trades 5 points of stamina for 5 extra points of willpower, giving him a total will of 10 for the round. At the end of four rounds of exertion, he is down 20 Stamina. He can continue this exertion from round to round until his stamina reaches zero, at which point he will collapse from exhaustion.
VI. SWORDS
This chapter describes the rules for physical combat.
The rules in this chapter will sometimes call for a player to roll damage. This is rolled much like a skill roll, only based on the Strength and/or weapon of the attacker rather than Dexterity and skill.
The damage that is rolled is the amount of Health done by the attack. To determine the amount of Stamina done by the attack, multiply the amount of Health by two.
Punches, kicks, and grabs use base Strength for damage:
damage = 2d6 * Strength
Melee weapons, thrown weapons, and bows use Srength and weapon for damage:
damage = 2d6 * (Strength + weapon)
Mechanical weapons, such as crossbows, ballista, and catapults do not benefit from strength:
damage = 2d6 * weapon
After the attacker rolls damage, the victim gets to roll to endure the attack:
endurance = 2d6 * (Strength + armor)
This endurance roll is subtracted seperately from the Stamin and Health of the attack.
There are a number of combative actions that a character may perform during a round.
To determine whether an attack hits, the attacker rolls his effective skill level with whatever attack he is using. The skill to be used for the attack is simple to determine (a fist or sword uses Striking, a bow uses Archery, etc).
If the character is attacking a stationary person or object, the Bastard should assign an appropriate challenge level based on the range, plus or minus any random environmental factors (favorable wind, cover, etc). If aiming at a living target, this same challenge level should be subtracted from the attack roll before it is compared to the target's defensive skill roll.
To avoid an attack, the target must make a Defense skill roll. A character who is attacked automatically gets the chance to defend, even if he has not yet reached his Initiative. If the character has already acted, however, and one of his actions was not to use Defense, then the character gets no chance to evade.
If the adjusted roll of the defender is equal to or higher than that of the attacker, then the attack is unsuccessful and the defender takes no damage.
If the attacker rolls higher than the defender, then the attack hit home.
The effect of the attack depends upon the skill used. Below is the list of combat maneuvers.
Maneuver Description Strike attack another character with force Grapple grab and hold a foe, to injure or restrain Defend evade an attack by blocking or dodging
A strike is a direct attack. It can be done with melee weapons, thrown weapons, missile weapons, or bare hands.
If the strike is successful, then the attacker gets to roll damage.
Thrown weapons and melee attacks use the strength of the attacker plus the power of the weapon. The simplest thrown attack is a good-sized rock, which does the base Strength damage of the attacker (like a punch, only farther). Larger rocks will add more damage, but have less range.
Strength may not be a factor if all of the power comes from machinery, as with crossbows. Bows may or may not take the Strength of the user into account, depending on their craftsmanship.
Any object may be thrown, but most are not designed for that purpose and thus have limited range and penalties to hit. Those that are designed to be thrown, such as knives, spears, hand axes, and warhammers, have a normal chance to hit and do the same damage as they would in melee.
A strike can also be used to disarm an opponent. The attacker makes a normal attack roll, but directed at the object in his opponent's hand rather than at the opponent's body. This attack can be defended against as normal. If the attacker's roll is higher, the defender is disarmed and the object is knocked a few yards away. If the defender rolls equal to or higher than the attacker, he keeps the object. Note that an object may be destroyed by this action.
If one of the characters in melee is far stronger than the other (like an ordinary man fighting a giant monster), the Bastard may rule that certain methods are not useful. It may not be physically possible for the weaker combatant to disarm the iron grip of his foe, to to block an earth-shattering attack with his shield.
Ideally, the Bastard should assign an appropriately difficult challenge level rather than rule out the action altogether.
A grab is used to initiate close combat. To make a grab, the attacker must roll his Grappling skill versus the defensive skill of the target. If the grab succeeds, the attacker can restrain the target, preventing him from performing any actions, and may choose to do some damage as well. This damage can be either base Strength, or damage from a small weapon such as a blackjack or dagger. Larger weapons are useless in close combat.
Skills that can be used to defend against a grab are Defense, Grappling, or base Strength. Though strength is not normally used as a skill, this reflects the fact that it is very difficult to move someone who is far more massive than yourself.
If the target successfully defends with Strength or Grappling, close combat is still initiated. If the character defends with Defense, the attacker has been warded off and melee combat continues.
Once opponents are locked in close combat, Strength and Grappling skill are all that matter. Grappling is used for offense, while either Grappling or Strength can be used for defense. If two or more allies are ganging up on an opponent, they can add their Strength or skill together.
Upon reaching his Initiative while engaged in close combat, a character can attempt to either gain control of an opponent or to escape from the grapple. Attempting to gain control is handled identically to a grab.
To attempt an escape does no damage to an opponent. To make an escape, the character rolls either his Grappling skill or his base Strength against the Grappling skill of his opponent. If successful, the character has escaped the fracas.
A grab can also be used to disarm an opponent, rather than harm. If this type of grab is successful, the attacker manages to wrench an object out of an opponent's grasp. This action does not initiate close combat.
This maneuver uses the Defense skill to avoid harm in combat. There are two ways to defend: blocking, or dodging.
To block is to stop an attack with force.
Not every attack can be blocked. Melee attacks can be blocked by most other melee equipment, though the Bastard may assign a penalty to a warrior who tries to block a sword with his bare hands. The Bastard may also assign bonuses or penalties if the weapon of one fighter has a significantly longer reach, depending on the flavor of the game.
One can not generally block thrown weapons, arrows, or crossbow bolts without a shield. This, again, depends on the flavor of the game. Shields can be used to block almost any attack, save save those that are just too huge to be withstood. If facing siege engines or an axe-wielding giant, characters are advised to dodge instead.
Characters can also choose to block attacks aimed at a friend, so long as that friend is not more than a few steps away. Each one of these "assisted blocks" count as a major action, however.
To dodge is to evade an attack with speed (by moving out of the way).
Dodging requires no particular equipment and is useful against any attack, so has less limitations than blocking. The only requirement for a dodge is that there is actually room to move out of harm's way. There may be rare occasions where a character could use a block to evade harm, but not a dodge (a hail of arrows, perhaps).
Whether a character is blocking or dodging is usually not important, in game terms - the character simply rolls his Defense skill. It only matters when one type of defense is possible, and not the other.
Most attacks are directed at a single individual. The attacker aims, fires, and hits or misses based on rolling his offensive skill versus the defensive skill of his target. Some attacks, however, are not directed at any person in particular, but at a certain place. Attacks such as these are called area attacks.
To hit a particular area, an attacker need only roll greater than the range level (plus any random bonuses or penalties) to hit.
If a character is hit by an area attack that covers more than one square yard, one of two events can occur: If there is an area adjacent to the character that is not hit by the attack, then the character may attempt a Defense roll to dodge out of the way and avoid damage. The difficulty of the roll is 10 for every yard that must be dived in order to avoid the attack (6 yards maximum).
This assumes that the attack was directed at the general area, not the individual - area attacks directed at an individual are resolved as normal attacks, but with bonuses to the attack roll for the size of the area.
A character who is entirely surrounded by an area attack (greater than six yards on all sides) gets no chance to dodge -- there is simply nowhere to go. The attack hits him, and damage is rolled.
Note that, while normal land-based creatures can be engulfed by any attack that affects a wide enough area, creatures with three dimensional movement (flying, swimming) would be able to dodge an attack unless the areas above and below it were hit as well.
Animals are characters just like any other. They have stats, maybe skills, and natural weapons. They often have better movement rates than humans.
Animals are controlled by the Bastard, even those that are on the side of the player. If a character with the Animals skill has spent time training an animal, then it should obey his commands in most cases. Combat, however, is a chaotic environment, and it may be necessary to make Animals skill rolls in order to get the animals to do what you would like. It helps if the animal has been specifically trained for fighting.
Mounts, namely horses, allow characters to move much faster than they could on their own two feet. Movement rules are the same for mounted characters as running characters, except that horses can move twice as fast as human beings, and can haul much more gear without being slowed.
If a horse is spooked or otherwise reluctant to obey, the Bastard may require an Animals roll to be made.
The Riding skill is equally important, but for different reasons. Whereas the Animals skill lets the character persuade his mount to do what he wants, Riding allows a character to stay on his mount in difficult circumstances (leaping, bucking, being attacked).
If a character is hit by an attack while mounted, he must make a Riding roll to keep his seat. The challenge level should be roughly equal to the amount of Health damage done by the attack (before defenses are applied).
Note that it is very difficult for a mounted person to perform any acts that require whole-body agility. This makes dodging impossible unless the character wishes to dive out of the saddle. If the character is unable to block an attack, he may opt to use Riding as a substitute for dodging, but should have a substantial penalty based upon the room to maneuver and the contrariness of the animal.
Note also that a mount can be attacked as easily as the rider. This is a useful tactic for foot soldiers facing mounted opponents. For this reason, riders often purchase armor for their horses.
When two generals square off, it is tactics and numbers that matter.
Rounds do not necessarily last six seconds in tactical combat. The length of a round depends largely upon the sizes of the armies involved. When two armies of 100 face off, a round might be a full minute; when two armies of 1000 face off, a round might be six or ten minutes; two armies of 10000 might take an hour to fight a full round. Exact timekeeping is left to the Bastard.
strength = numbers damage = numbers * (weapons|training|dicipline)/10 endurance = numbers * (armor|position|dicipline)/10 2d6 * damage - 2d6 * endurance Tactics success doubles damage *or* endurance for one round.
The first step on any round of tactical combat is to decide on the relative strength of the armies. The most obvious metric for this is numbers - if one side has three times the soldiers as the other, it will be three times as strong. There are other factors, however.
The power of an army is determined as follows:
Divide the number of soldiers in the army by 100.
If one side has superior equipment,training, or morale, this should be reflected. The Bastard may rule that, though an undiciplined barbarian horde is five times the size of a group of diciplined, armored, and mounted knights, it is only twice as strong when all variables are accounted for.
This is measured by adjusting the power of each side. It is generally better to lower the power rating of the army with inferior equipment/training/morale than to increase the rating of the superior side, as there is only so much damage that can be done by a single soldier.
After power ratings are decided upon, each side makes Tactics rolls. The side that rolls lower has its power rating divided by ten for the round.
To determine damage, each side rolls 2d6 and multiplies the roll by its power. The result is the number of enemies killed.
The battle is over when one or both armies have been beaten down to a strength of zero. This does not necessarily mean that the losing generals are killed or captured, however. Once their army has been defeated, the action returns to a more personal level of roleplaying and combat. Individual characters may still have the opportunity to fight or flee.
If multiple tacticians are cooperating, all of them may make tactics rolls each round. Whoever is actually in charge can then choose which roll to use. Obviously, the wisest choice would be to use the tactics roll that is highest, but this may not always happen - personal pride (if the leader is one of the tacticians) or favoritism may lead the commander to make foolish decisions.
VII. SORCERY
This chapter describes the rules governing sorcery.
There is symmetry between magics and physics. Physical actions use Dexterity for skill and Strength for power; magical actions use Intelligence and Willpower, respectively.
Spellcasters often use a focus to channel magical energy. A focus is an enchanted object covered with runes that glow when energy is channelled through the focus (the runes must be uncovered for the focus to work). This is usually a wand or staff of some sort, but it could just as easily be a place of power, such as a church, a tower, or a circle of stones. Such enormous foci must have a focal point of some kind, such as an altar or a pentagram, where the runes are inscribed. This is where the magician must stand in order to use the focus. If this focal point is damaged or desecrated, the place of power ceases to act as a focus.
A focus is not required for the use of sorcery, any more than a weapon is required for a warrior to hit an enemy - it simply makes the act more effective.
In addition to foci - the magical equivalent of weapons - sorcerers can use charms, which are the magical equivalent of armor. More on foci and charms can be found in the chapter on Equipment.
Every sorcerer has a power level. This is based on his willpower and on any focus he is using, and represents how much supernatural energy the sorcerer can channel in a single round.
Every spell has an energy level. To cast a spell of a certain energy, the sorcerer must channel that amount of energy and make a skill roll. This may take more than one round, if the energy level of the spell is higher than the power level of the sorcerer. For most spells - those cast within the course of a single round without extra time or effort - the energy level will be identical to the power level of the sorcerer.
To successfully cast a spell, the caster must roll greater than the energy level of the spell on his skill roll. Failure is usually nothing more than a gasp and puff of smoke, but critical failures can be quite bad.
If a sorcerer is not confident in his ability to complete a spell successfully, he may choose to take extra time and precaution to gain bonuses to his skill roll (as with any other skill).
A caster may take as long as is necessary to complete a spell, even hours or days. The skill roll for the spell is performed at the end of the casting. However, the caster will lose 3 points of stamina for each hour of casting. These points can only be recovered by sleep.
Example: Nik the Wise has a willpower of 4, and a staff of power 6. His total power level is 10 (will + focus).If Nik wants to cast a spell of energy 4, he must roll greater than 4 on his skill roll. With his willpower of 4, he can cast this spell in one round even without his staff.
If Nik wants to cast a spell of energy 10, he must roll greater than ten on his skill roll. Without his staff, this would take three rounds. With his staff, he can cast in a single round. If Nik is not confident in his ability to succeed, he could opt to take extra time in the casting - he could halve the challenge level by taking ten rounds without the staff or two rounds with the staff.
If Nik wants to cast a massive spell of energy 400, he must roll greater than 400 on his skill roll - a daunting task for the most learned master. Without his staff, this spell would take a minimum of 100 rounds. With it, the spell still requires forty rounds. If Nik is not confident in his ability to succeed, he could opt to take extra time in the casting - he could divide the challenge level by twenty by taking 2000 rounds (3hr, 20 min) without the staff or 800 rounds (1 hr, 20 min) with the staff.
In order to use sorcery against a person or object, the user must be able to sense the subject in some way. This usually means being able to see or touch the target.
The Bastard may also allow a sorcerer to affect anyone who is currently using sorcery on him, even if the sorcerer has no way of sensing his attacker.
Most spells are directed at a single individual. This is not mandatory, however. A sorcerer may choose to divide a spell amongst two or more individuals. He makes one skill roll as normal, which each target then gets a defensive roll against. Any target that fails its defensive roll receives an amount of energy equal to the energy of the spell divided by the number of targets. Basically, this means that a sorcerer can attack two targets with half the power, three targets with one third the power, four targets with one quarter the power, etc.
The sorcerer may not divide a spell between a greater number of individuals than his level of intelligence, however. This requires too much concentration. What can be done, if he desires to assault an entire army, is to spread the energy of a spell across a certain area of space. This has the disadvantage of possible waste - some parts of the area may be empty of foes - but it does allow the caster to attack enemies on a large scale.
The area to be occupied by a spell in this way must be simple, like a cone, circle, or sphere. The energy of the spell is equally divided amongst every point (cubic yard) within the area.
Most sorcery is fleeting - spells are thrown, defended against, endured, and effected instantaneously.
If the sorcerer wishes to cast a spell that lasts for longer than a single round, he simply decides upon the duration of the spell at the beginning of casting. The energy of the spell is then divided evenly amongst each of its rounds of existence.
Alternatively, the sorcerer may choose to cast a spell continuously rather than choose a set duration ahead of time. With this option, the caster must constantly supply the proper amount of skill and energy - skill rolls are made every round, based on the amount of energy channeled that round.
The defense against direct supernatural attacks is always mental, but such attacks may have physical side effects that require physical defenses. A lightning bolt created by Mahasu could be evaded by the Int and Resistance of a character, yet turn the forest around that character into a very physical inferno. A telekinetic Sabatu attack can be evaded evaded by Resistance, destroyed by Seheru, or endured by willpower and charms, but if the attack were made against a nearby boulder instead, the target the target might have to use Dexterity and Defense or Strength and armor.
Magical forces do not allow for fine control, however. A physical phenomenon created as the result of a magical force cannot be aimed at a character with any sort of precision. Thus, most should be easier to avoid than a direct assault.
It is possible for multiple sorcerers to cooperate in the casting of a single spell. This is uncommon, as it requires all of the spellcasters (save one) to voluntarily subordinate their will to that of the one chosen to lead the casting. This is dangerous, as it gives the leader the power to control the subordinates like automatons until he chooses to relinquish command. To engage in a group ritual is to have limitless faith and trust in the leader.
Needless to say, this activity is more common among hierarchical religious orders or restless cults than among individualist scholars or adventurers.
When conducting a group ritual, the leader may cast spells as if his willpower were equal to the sum of the group. He may gain the benefit of any focus he is using, but may not gain the benefit of any foci in the hands of his followers.
Group rituals give the leader access to vast amounts of power, but do not add anything to the leader's skill. Thus, leaders must be very cautious in their casting - a particularly bad failure could very well erase the leader, all his followers, and his immediate area from the map.
For this reason, group rituals are usually scheduled as full day (or night) events.
The rules in this chapter will sometimes call for a player to roll the energy of his spell. This is rolled much like a skill roll, only based on the willpower (and possibly enchanted items) of the attacker rather than intelligence and skill.
Some spells use the base willpower of a character:
energy = 2d6 * will
Some spells are aided by the use of enchanted foci:
energy = 2d6 * (will + focus)
If a spell is directed at an opponent, the victim gets to roll to endure the attack:
endurance = 2d6 * (will + charm)
This endurance roll is subtracted from the energy of the attack.
The effect that any remaining energy has upon the target depends upon the type of spell that was thrown.
In the case of direct attack spells, this is handled identically to physical attacks - the remaining energy is the amount of Health subtracted from the victim. The energy of the spell is doubled before endurance is subtracted to find the Stamina done by the attack.
There are a number of ways that a sorcery may be used to harm a foe.
To determine whether an attack spell succeeds, the attacker rolls his skill level with whatever sorcery he is using. The skill to be used for the attack is simple to determine (a lightning bolt uses Mahasu, a telepathic invasion uses Nekelmu, etc).
If the character is attacking an unaware person or an object, the Bastard should assign an appropriate challenge level, perhaps equal to the range level plus or minus any random environmental factors (fatigue, cover, unexplained supernatural activity in the vicinity, etc). If aiming at a living target, this same challenge level should be subtracted from the attack roll before the offensive multiplier of the combat style is applied.
To avoid an offensive spell, the target must make a defensive skill roll. A character who is attacked automatically gets the chance to choose a defend, even if he has not yet reached his initiative.
There are two ways to evade sorcery. The usual way is Resistance, a non-sorcerous skill that measures mental defenses. Another method is Seheru, a type of anti-sorcery that nullifies other kinds. Because of this, it can be used to protect one's friends as well as one's self. The disadvantage is that, unlike Resistance, it can only be used once per round.
Once the offensive and defensive skills as decided upon, attacker and defender make their skill rolls.
If the adjusted roll of the defender is equal to or higher than that of the attacker, then the attack is unsuccessful and the defender is not affected by the spell at all. The spell may still have an effect on others or on the environment, however, unless destroyed entirely by Seheru.
If the attacker rolls higher than the defender, then the attack hit home. The effect of the attack depends upon the type of sorcery used.
Below is the list of the branches of sorcery, with details on the things that can be done with each kind.
This sorcery allows the user to open mystical doorways to other realms.
A portal must have a simple shape, like a circle or an ellipse. The amount of energy required to create a portal is determined by the size of the portal and the duration for which the portal will stay open. Size is a measure of area - a portal one yard across would be size 1, a portal two yards across would be size 4, a portal three yards across would be size 9, etc. These portals would require 1, 4, and 9 energy per round, respectively.
The size of a portal must be large enough for whatever the magician wishes to transport. Sights and sounds require only small portals. Normal humans can squeeze through a portal of size 1 or walk upright through a portal of size 4. Larger objects or creatures will require larger portals.
Upon casting, the sorcerer may choose the size of the portal and the realm that it will connect to. If the caster chooses to keep the portal open continuously, he can vary the size of the portal from round to round. The worlds connected, however, are fixed when the spell is cast.
The difficulty of an Amelatu spell depends not only on the energy of the spell, but also on the "distance" between the two worlds connected by the spell. This distance is not physical, but metaphysical and metaphorical. This distance is ultimately decided by the Bastard, as he must choose how much travel between worlds he wishes to allow in his campaign.
When creating a portal, the caster can easily connect the portal to any world with which he is familiar (i.e., he has been there). To connect the portal to a realm that he has never visited, he will face a greater difficulty - the less familiar the realm, the higher the challenge. In order to shift the farside of a portal to a completely unfamiliar place, the caster may have to first seek answers through research or Nabu divination.
Portals created by conjuration are symmetric. When a portal is created, individuals in both worlds will see a glowing gateway and a glimpse of what lies on the other side, and anyone who can physically reach the portal in either world may travel through it. Not only that, but the portal in each world is two-sided -- for example, if a portal is opened from dry land to a place that is underwater, water will begin to spew in two opposite directions, not one.
Portals can be affected from either side. Sorcerers on either side of the portal may try to take control of it using their Amelatu skill. Whoever rolls the highest on any given round gains control of the portal, and can decide its size the next round, but they are then required to supply the necessary skill rolls and supernatural energies necessary to maintain the spell.
Portals can also be dispelled, from either side, by Seheru.
Amelatu can be used to gather allies from other worlds. The ability to locate exotic creatures, however, does not automatically allow the sorcerer to make friends with them. If one wants an otherworldly servant, then one should be prepared to bribe, bully, or beg - and things from another world often do not speak your language.
Note that these portals are not very useful for travelling from place to place within our world. If a sorcerer steps through a portal into another world, walks ten miles, and then steps through another portal to get back to our world, he will find himself ten miles from the spot where he stepped through the first portal, in the same direction that he was walking in the other realm. Thus, Amelatu may be used to avoid certain physical barriers or known dangers of our world, but it will not save much time. It goes without saying that other worlds often have dangers of their own.
Note also that this sorcery does not confer any special life support upon a traveller - if the user opens a portal to a place filled with a harmful substance (lava, acid, or the pressurized water at the bottom of an ocean), he will probably destroy himself and his immediate area.
There is an infinite number of realms parallel to our world. The sorcerer who plans on exploration ought to have some knowledge of the place to be reached (gained from books, fellow travellers, or Nabu divination) before attempting to travel there - to open a portal to a random world that the caster knows nothing about is suicidal.
Mahasu is the art of manipulating the energies of the world, such as heat, light, sound, and lightning. It allows the sorcerer to unleash powerful magics of destruction to smite his enemies.
This can be used to blast a foe from afar. This can come in the form of heat, cold, lightning, wind, or anything else that the caster can come up with. The amount of energy channeled into the spell will determine the amount of damage rolled against the enemy. Each point of energy represents 1 level of damage that will be applied against an opponent's will if the spell is successful. This is the magical equivalent of a smack in the face.
Mahasu can also be used to create blinding light or deafening noise. Each point of energy represents one level to be rolled against an opponent's will. For every ten points of energy remaining after the victim subtracts his endurance roll from the damage roll of the attacking sorcerer, the victim's targeted sense is neutralized for one round.
Nabu is a catchall for mystical abilities that are used to learn the unknown. The user may hear the whispers of spirits of the dead, read the future in the stars, or simply "know" things that he has no business knowing.
Nabu allows a magician to know whether a person, place, or thing is supernatural - and, if so, what that nature might be. This is a passive power, a sixth sense. It serves the same purpose with regards to sorcery and the spirit world as the Perception skill serves in regards to the physical world.
If a spell is cast anywhere near a Nabu user, the Bastard should have the player roll his skill to see if he senses it. More powerful spells will be "louder" and "brighter," so the Bastard should subtract one point from the challenge level for each level of energy in the spell.
Note that this check is made the moment that any supernatural energy is channeled. A sorcerer who is trying to cast an enormous spell may take several hours to do so, during which time the amount of energy in the spell grows steadily. Any diviners in the area should get regular skill checks to see if they notice it (though if a spell is large enough, it really is more a question of "when" than "if").
Nabu also allows a character to sense the presence of nearby disembodied spirits, and to communicate with them on a primal level. The diviner does not receive coherent thoughts from the ghosts, but urges, feelings, and desires.
Nabu can also be used by the Bastard as a plot device. He could allow a character to sense danger, receive visions of the future, or anything else that he feels would add to the game.
Nekelmu is the art of manipulating minds. It can be used to read minds, to project thoughts, and to control lesser beings.
The user can read the surface thoughts of intelligent creatures with a successful skill roll. The challenge level depends upon how familiar the mind is to the mentalist.
Familiarity Challenge Level a good friend 10 - 20 an acquaintance 20 - 40 a complete stranger 40 - 80 an alien creature 80 - 160
Anyone who is aware that his mind is being read may try to use Resistance to stop it from happening.
The user can read surface thoughts - thoughts that the target is having at the present moment - without the subject being aware of the intrusion. Reading deeper, like into the subject's memory or subconscious, is more intrusive and instantly makes the subject aware that his mind is being probed.
The user may also project thoughts into the minds of others with a successful skill roll (determined and resisted much like mind reading). This allows the sorcerer to communicate things to others without speaking. The recipient knows that he is being contacted by another mind, but does not automatically know who the mind belongs to. Only the use of his own Nekelmu or Nabu can tell him for certain who sent the message.
Users of Nekelmu may charge up their thought projection to a level that causes physical pain and damage to their subject, if they so desire. This is like any other magical assault - roll the energy level of the spell to get the Health, double this to get the Stamina, and then subtract the victim's endurance roll (will + charm) from both to get the damage taken.
It is not uncommon for two enemy masters of this skill to resolve their hatred by an honorable duel - the two sit down across from one another (perhaps in comfortable chairs), and simply stare at each other until one of them is unconscious or dead. The average person would not notice that anything was happening unless the masters used foci in their duel.
Finally, Nekelmu can be used to control mindless automatons. If more than one user is vying for control of the same automaton, the higher roll wins for the round.
This gives the sorcerer the power to move physical objects with his mind. This can be used to grab, push, or throw things (including enemies). It functions, for most practical purposes, like Strength that can be used at a distance.
If the user wishes to attack a foe directly, he rolls his Sabatu skill versus the defensive skill of his opponent (Resistance or Seheru), with penalties for range, cover, etc. If the attack is successful, the aggressor does damage to his opponent based on his willpower and whatever focus he is using. Armor does not protect against this damage, but charms do.
Once a character has been successfully attacked by Sabatu, the character is paralyzed. He will not be able to move or perform any physical actions until he breaks the hold or the aggressor ends the spell. Resistance or Seheru can be used to break out, of course, but the victim could also use his own Sabatu skill. This is the magical equivalent of close combat. Thus, if the victim has an enormous Willpower, then the Sabatu aggressor may not be able to affect him at all (it would be like a man trying to hold down a giant).
If a user of Sabatu wishes to attack a foe indirectly, by throwing a rock or tipping over a pillar or something similar, he may do so. The target then faces a choice: he may try to prevent the attacker from succeeding in his spell via Seheru or his own Sabatu skill, or he may let the attacker complete his task and then try to avoid the physical danger with his Dexterity and Defense skill. The first case is resolved as any normal sorcerous contest. In the second case, the defensive roll required of the victim is independent of the skill roll made by the attacker. The Bastard should simply assign a challenge level appropriate to dodging a large boulder or falling tree or whatever.
This is the skill of magical protection. It allows the user to nullify spells or to set up magical wards.
Seheru cannot be used to negate the physical effects of spells that have already taken place. If a magical fire has roasted a character, Seheru will not heal the burn. If a sorcerer has blinded a foe with Mahasu, Seheru will not restore the person's sight.
To nullify an existing magical spell, a magician must make a Seheru skill roll that is higher than the skill roll that was used to create the spell. If successful, the spell is nullified and its effects immediately disappear.
Seheru can be used as a defensive action, the mental equivalent of a block. If the sorcerer sees a magical attack in progress, he can attempt to dispel the attack before it has any effect. The attack need not even be aimed at the user himself (though range penalties may apply if the attack is aimed at a friend who is at a distance).
Seheru can be used to set up magical wards. This is nothing more than a normal dispel with additional area and duration. Any magical spell or entity that enters the area will be hit with the dispel. The skill roll, made when the spell is first cast, is then compared to the skill roll of whatever magic has entered the area. If the Seheru roll is higher, the other magic is nullified (at least for the duration of the Seheru spell, or for as long as the invading magic remains in its area).
The Bastard may wish to rule that Seheru can only be used to dispel magic that is of roughly equal in power to, or less powerful than, that of the user. This is similar to the limitations placed on melee fighters when blocking - the Bastard may allow a fighter block a massive sword with a small dagger, but will probably not let the fighter block a catapulted boulder, not even with a large shield. Alternatively, He may rule that larger magics are weakened by an amount equal to the energy of the Seheru caster, but not totally destroyed. This option should only be used when the sorcery in question is far greater than that of the Seheru user.
This sorcery gives the user control over the forces of life and death. It allows the transfer of Stamina and Health from one individual living creature to another.
Such transfers can be voluntary or involuntary. Those who transfer their own life force to willing recipients are regarded as compassionate healers, while those who steal the lifeforce of others for their own purposes are seen as vile necromancers.
Talamic transfers are rolled as normal attacks, the Talamu skill against the Resistance or Seheru of the target. If the aggressor succeeds in overcoming the target's Resistance, he rolls the energy of the spell to get the Health, then doubles it to get the Stamina. The victim then rolls his willpower (plus any charm he wears) and subtracts this from the Health and Stamina rolled by the aggressor. Any that remains is subtracted from the victim and added to the Talamu user's chosen beneficiary (which may be himself).
Nothing can absorb more stamina or health than it normally has, however - if a user drains life from a victim without transferring it to a suitable beneficiary, then the extra lifeforce is lost to the winds.
Note that creatures are not required to resist Talamic sorcery. An individual could volunteer to sacrifice some of his Stamina and Health to aid a dying friend, thus lowering his defenses for the purpose of the spell. Conversely, an injured person could choose to try and resist receiving Stamina and Health (for whatever reason).
Transfers of lifeforce between creatures of different species are not so effective. Transferring between similar species, such as humans and non-human (but intelligent) aliens, would divide the benefits in half. The victim still loses the full amount of Stamina and Health, but the recipient can only benefit from half of it. When transferring between dissimilar species, such as humans and animals, the penalty is even greater - the recipient may get only a third, a quarter, or a tenth of the lifeforce drained from the victim, depending upon just how different the animal is from a human being (mammals are closer to humans than reptiles, reptiles are closer than fish, etc).
Talamu also allows the user to feel the emotions of creatures that are near. This is a sense, much like Perception or Nabu.
Talamu is very limited in range. In addition, if the user is trying to transfer life energy from one individual to another (not himself), then the ranges from the empath to each individual are added together to determine the total range penalty.
VIII. PAIN AND SUFFERING
There are two types of injury: Stamina and Health.
A character loses Stamina by taking damage or through heavy exertion. When the Stamina of a character is reduced to zero, he falls unconscious.
An unconscious individual is senseless and can take no action whatsoever. Any attacks directed against him need only hit the spot where he is lying (which means that melee attacks nearly always hit). The character gets no defensive actions (but does still get the benefits of his Strength and armor).
Stamina is recovered by rest. A character will recover an amount of Stamina equal to his Constitution for every round (six seconds) of complete rest. A resting character cannot move or take any action, not even defensive ones; he must sit still and catch his breath.
An unconscious character recovers Stamina at a normal rate and wakes up when it is greater than zero. However, there is no limit to how far negative Stamina can fall -- a character who has taken massive amounts of damage may go into a coma and take a very long time to recover.
A character loses Health through injury or disease. When the Health of a character is reduced to zero, the character dies and is gone forever.
Health is recovered slowly, by days of rest. A character will recover an amount of Health equal to his Constitution for every day of complete rest. Rest must be in a comfortable environment with adequate warmth, sleep, food, and water. Less than comfortable circumstances will slow the rate of healing. Light exertion, such as travelling, will slow the rate of healing significantly (probably by one half). Strenuous activity, such as fighting or spellcasting, will prevent any meaningful healing at all.
Exertion is measured from day to day, so a character who fights on a Monday will recover nothing on that day but could still recover at his full rate on Tuesday if he spends the day in bed.
Health can be recovered twice as quickly if in the care of skilled healers.
When a character is knocked out, the Bastard may rule that the character is bleeding. This is most appropriate when the character is unconscious due to damage from bladed weapons or puncture wounds.
Bleeding is treated as a slow loss of Health. The Bastard decides how much Health the character will lose per round, and how long the bleeding will last - perhaps indefinitely. Ideally, it should take several minutes for a character to bleed to death, so that friends who are otherwise occupied get the chance to save their companion.
Bleeding can be stopping by a successful Healing skill roll or by the proper application of Talamu sorcery.
A poison is any harmful substance that does damage to a character internally.
How a character becomes poisoned varies. Some poisons must be eaten, injected, or inhaled. Others take effect simply by direct contact with the skin.
In game terms, a poison drains a certain amount of stats per unit of time (rounds, minutes, hours, or even days) for a limited duration. If a character survives until the duration runs out, he fought the poison off.
Some poisons work more slowly than others. Most diseases can be treated as poisons, for game purposes.
If a character is deprived of air, he will lose six points of stamina per round. When he runs out of stamina, he will fall unconscious and will begin to lose six points of health per round until he is dead.
Characters who cannot sense their opponents will find themselves at a distinct disadvantage.
When characters are unable to see, any skill that requires sight will have its skill level halved. This applies whether a character is somehow blinded or just surrounded by darkness.
For situations that are dim, but not completely dark, the Bastard should assign a difficulty number - the lower the light, the higher the number. Any character who can make a Perception roll higher than this number is able to see for that round.
These rules apply also to other senses - any skill that requires hearing will be halved if the character cannot hear.
Of course, these rules do not apply to Perception itself - if a character is blinded or deafened, he cannot perceive anything with that sense.
IX. MONSTERS AND HORRORS
If a player wishes for his character to be such a creature, great. He will have no tribe or homeland to go to for help, however. He will be virtually unique in the world. While it is not impossible that some others of his race also travelled to this world and set up a colony somewhere, such activities are difficult and rare, and any such places would need to be well hidden to protect themselves from humankind.
For example: if a player wants his character to be creature known as a "dwelf," then that is fine. He should construct the character as he would any other. The player may argue that dwelves should get a bonus to strength or dexterity or something, but this is unnecessary - if dwelves are supposed to be stronger or faster or smarter than human beings, the player just needs to put more of his points into these stats than he would have otherwise. If the player thinks that dwelves should fly and have infrared vision and regenerate wounds, the Bastard can feel free to tell the player to go to Hell. If he wishes to allow it, however, he can simply require an amount of points that seems fitting for the level of advantage granted by the power, with the promise to revise it upward if the power seems to give more of an advantage than initially thought.
Whether any particular breed of monster is native or alien is up to the discretion of the Bastard.
When creating monsters, the Bastard should not feel restrained by the character creation rules. Monsters and horrors are often far larger and more powerful than the heroes, and there is no reason why otherworldly creatures cannot have powers unavailable to the players.
Below are some pointers for creating interesting monsters.
Normal player characters are considered to be human, or at least vaguely so. The size and density of monsters is measured relative to this standard, with humans being of Size 1 and Density 1.
Monsters, on the other hand, are often very big and tough. This makes the monsters more frightening to the players, which is a good thing.
Size is used to reflect the fact that having great strength does not necessarily make one any less vulnerable to harm - an elephant may be very strong, but can still be chopped into small pieces if hit with an axe enough times. Strength is multiplied by Size for purposes of lifting or doing damage, but not for purposes of enduring damage.
Note that Size is a measure of volume, not height. A creature twice as tall as a human would have roughly eight times the mass, assuming similar density. Such a creature would be a size 8, not a size 2.
Example: The bastard creates a giant that is human in most respects, only twice as tall. This giant should have roughly eight times the mass of a normal human, and thus eight times the strength. The Bastard assigns a strength of 2 and a size of 8. The giant has a strength of 16 for lifting or doing damage, but only a 2 for enduring damage.
Sometimes a monster is made of sterner stuff than humans. A stone golem could be the same size as a normal human, yet made of rock and thus far stronger and tougher. Increased density is usually represented simply by making a monster with massive strength without taking any sort of size modifier.
Some creatures have tough outer shells, while others are tough through and through. If the Bastard wishes to create a monster that can take damage even better than it can dish it out, he can make armor a natural part of its anatomy. This is effectively the opposite of spending points on size. The level of armor should cost the same as a skill, the level squared.
There is no reason why extraplanar horrors need to be limited to two arms, two legs, and one head. Use your imagination. Nothing wrong with making your players fight an otherworldly octopus monster with eight heads and sixty-four tentacles. How this translates into game terms (such as improved dexterity and multiple attacks per round) is up to you.
There is no reason why monsters have to be limited to normal human sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste. Monsters could very well see infrared light, "see" via ultrasonic waves (like a bat), or even have some sort of supernatural spatial awareness. A thing that cannot be blinded has a great advantage over things that can.
Monsters need not be earthbound like the heroes. A monster could have great wings that allow it to glide or fly, or it could levitate via unknown forces.
The rate at which monsters age is also up to the Bastard. He could even rule that certain creatures are virtually immortal.
Monsters and horrors may have rates of recovery far superior to the natural healing of a human. Instead of recovering an amount of health equal to its constitution for one day of rest, a monster could recover the same amount in one round of rest - or even without rest. This makes monsters harder to kill, which makes them more frightening to the players (which is a good thing).
There is no reason why monsters need to be limited to the same magics as humans. While some monsters may indeed have Mahasu or Nekelmu powers, some might also have special abilities such as shapeshifting, invisibility, or mind control. Some monsters may even be immune to physical or magical attacks (but not both, unless the Bastard wants a monster to be literally unbeatable).
For that matter, there are supernatural arts appropriate for human antagonists that are not listed in the chapter on sorcery. This is because these skills are not available to player characters. It may seem unfair that npcs can have magical abilities that players cannot, but the fact is that certain activities are not well-suited for adventure roleplaying. Skills such as alchemy and necromancy are classic fantasy fare, but are usually the province of strange cults or hermetic mages working feverishly in isolation for weeks and months at a time. This fact makes them better suited as skills for foes or plot devices than as skills for player characters.
It is fine for the Bastard to make use of golems, undead, potions, and the like - players simply should not be able to make them. In a way, this puts the mystery back in Sorcery, as players don't know quite how these things are done.
Example: The Bastard wishes for his players to be attacked by a horde of undead terrors. These creatures are immune to reason or passion and obey orders without question.He decides on two types: ghosts and skeletons. Ghosts are immune to physical attacks, and attack the players by draining Health and Stamina. Skeletons are immune to sorcery, and attack the players with rusted swords and armor. Both ghosts and skeletons can be driven away or destroyed by the Seheru skill, which affects undead much like Mahasu does the living.
The spirit world is not a separate realm, but rather a metaphor for that subset of the physical world that is hidden from the perceptions of normal humans. The restless ghosts of dead beings travel within our world alongside other, more exotic nonphysical entities. Some of these spirits can manifest themselves in the physical world to communicate with the living, while others cannot be contacted without the aid of Nabu sorcery.
Spirits are not constrained by walls or borders, and so can often obtain information unavailable to the living. Getting this information from them, however, can be a daunting task. Aside from the difficulty in communication, there is no reliable way to determine the identity or honesty of any particular spirit. One must take them at their word.
Faerie is a world much like our own, only brighter. It is home to all manner of elves, goblins, sprites, giants, and other creatures of folk tales. Some of these creatures are kind and generous, others are mischievous, and still others are malevolent. All are of an alien character to humanity.
Some faeries are willing to travel to our world out of curiosity or spite, while others would prefer to lure humans into their realm for their own purposes.
Faerie is not so distant from our world. The challenge level required for sorcerers to open a portal to Faerie should be around 50.
Hell is a hot and barren realm, dimly lit by a huge red sun that takes up a third of the violet sky. The air here is thick and dry, and the rocky deserts are inhabited by some of the most savage creatures in existence. Brutal demons, cruel devils, immense dragons, and hordes of strange, vicious beasts roam about in this infernal prison.
Those who have intelligence are often willing to take any opportunity to leave. Such creatures are known to make deals with sorcerers in exchange for their freedom, though this means setting their evil loose upon the world.
Hell is not close to our world. The challenge level required for sorcerers to open a portal to Hell should be around 100.
The Abyss is a black void at the very edge of creation. Cold, slimy things slither here in wet darkness lit only by faint stars. The creatures of the Abyss, called "horrors" by sages, are powerful and alien beyond comprehension. There is no communicating with such things - they take no more notice of humans than humans do of insects or germs.
Only fools and madmen attempt to bring creatures of The Abyss into the world. Fortunately for humanity, this is a very difficult task. Horrors are so immense that it is almost impossible to create a portal large enough to allow the passage of more than a fraction of one. Even this, however, can be grave - a single appendage of a horror can wreak vast destruction upon an area.
There are rare lunatic cults that dedicate their lives to bringing Horrors into the world.
The Abyss is far from our world. The challenge level required to open a portal to the Abyss should be around 200.
Humans are not the only creatures who can use sorcery to travel between worlds. Some monsters encountered may have come to this world of their own ability, rather than having been summoned. A monster who travels to this world by its own power is the most frightening of opponents - it is alien, it understands sorcery, and it has its own reasons for being here.
A. THE WORLD
In the beginning, the world was quiet. There were fish and birds and beasts, but no men or monsters - then the gods came.
First came the great god UR, the creator. He mixed his own blood with the blood of the beasts who walked the land to create a new race of being, part god, part beast - the race of men.
Men worshipped UR as father and master, and served him for a time. When UR was finished with this world, he left his children to care for themselves.
Life was peaceful for a time, for there were no gods and few men in the world, and plenty of wealth and bounty for all. This was not to last, however, for other gods soon came and discovered what UR had done.
Some thought that the work of UR was monstrous - that men should never have been created. Others thought it fine that men were made, but thought that they should have been destroyed when UR was finished with them. These gods dedicated themselves to the annihilation of mankind.
Others thought the work of UR to be useful, and set about claiming various tribes of men for their own.
Still others thought the work of UR to be wondrous, and thought it vile for men to be made into slaves to serve the whims of gods. They demanded that the other gods reward men for their service, and a war was fought in heaven.
Mankind's benefactors won the war. From this time on, man would have free will. Gods would have to offer their own services in exchange for those of men.
This is what the legends say. Whether they are accurate or not, what is undeniably true is that gods exist today, and that their influence is felt in every aspect of world affairs.
Gods have the ability to raise men above their station, to bring the godhood out of the beast. Men who have been "touched" in this way have access to the powers of sorcery.
Some gods touch their favored followers, who are then expected to serve faithfully for the rest of their days.
Some gods demand sacrifices of gold or other wealth in exchange for their touch.
Some gods give their touch freely to anyone who is capable of passing a test.
Some gods are tricksters, and give their touch to newborn children at random.
Being risen by a god is not a simple thing. The process is painful and dangerous, and some do not survive.
Even contacting a god is an act requiring great amounts of effort and patience. The most devoted follower may spend a lifetime speaking to his god and get nothing in reply.
After the Firmament War, gods began to make deals with men for various reasons of their own. Some wanted gold, some wanted service, some wanted to encourage the development of certain kinds of men, and others wanted only the unconditional love of devoted followers.
Competing for scarce numbers, the gods began to order their followers to go forth and convert other men to their cause - or, failing this, to kill them. Many wars were fought in the name of faith.
There was a lesser god who was jealous of the wealth in followers of others, and his name was UTUK XUL. Desperate for servants, UTUK XUL was the first god to lay his touch upon a man and grant him the use of sorcery. This man was named Telal, and he became the first priest of UTUK XUL.
This action horrified many of the gods. In their eyes, it gave to men powers that should be possessed by the gods alone. UTUK XUL was made a pariah, and attacked by a host of enemies both in heaven and on earth. He lost the war in heaven, but, thanks to the powers of Telal, won the war on earth. UTUK XUL came down from heaven to form the kingdom of Keph, and reigned over it personally for hundreds of years before he was able to reclaim his place above.
To oppose the armies of UTUK XUL, other gods were forced to grant similar powers to their followers. So began the ascendence of sorcery in the world.
North of Keph was a cold and rugged land, and in this land dwelled a tribe called the Kothans. The Kothans valued dicipline, order, heirarchy, and uniformity. This value system caught the eye of a patron god, JURA, who set up a system whereby any man who passed a rigorous test would be touched by the god and receive great power.
The test was designed so that it could only be passed by men of great mental fortitude. It was also designed to destroy any challenger who did not believe in the value of order in all things.
Thus would the philosophy of the Kothans come to dominate the sorcerers of the region and, through their power, the land itself. This land would become the kingdom of Koth.
Many wars have been fought between Koth and Keph. It is not a great difference in philosophy between the gods or peoples that causes the conflict, but more the shared belief that there is room for only one religion and one culture in the world.
Some wars are won by Keph, some by Koth. Territory is gained and lost, but the borders never vary by too much. The land between the two kingdoms, south of the Dergroll river and north of the Lalassu, has become known as The Midlands, or just Midland. Though claimed by both kingdoms, it never stays in the hands of either for very long. It has its own people and culture, a mix of Kothan, Kephite, and a dozen smaller tribes, all hardened by centuries of war and deprivation. It is a land of xenophobic clans, bandit gangs, and outlaws.
East of the old kingdoms is a vast, tormented ocean. Sea travel is difficult and dangerous, making trade with the outside world uncommon. There is one island, however, whose inhabitants are skilled enough in seamanship to travel all over the world. They are merchants and explorers, and their skill has made their island very prosperous. This has led to the island being called Richland by the outside world. It lies sixty miles or so from the mainland, closer to Koth than to Keph.
West of the old kingdoms lies a range of enormous mountains known as the Hursagmu. Except for a few well-known passes, they are all but impassable. Legends say that some of the elder gods had homes up in these mountains, and rumors persist of strange things lurking in lonely places.
Across the Hursagmu range lies the barbarian lands. The only civilized kingdom in the West lies in a heavily wooded area directly across the mountains from Koth. It was originally settled by a tribe called the Kirks, so it became known as Kirkland. The Kirks mixed with other tribes, as well as outlaws and dissidents from the Eastern lands, to create a unique culture.
Beyond Kirkland, to the west and south, there is nothing but warring tribes of barbarians.
Koth
Koth is a highly ordered society. Everyone is assigned a specific rank and station, from the highest lord to the lowest serf.
Beneath the veneer of order, however, lies a little chaos. To most Kothans and outsiders, the land is ruled by a hierarchy of nobles - the local lord runs day-to-day operations such as farming and mining, a higher lord oversees several local lords and is, in turn, controlled by an even higher lord, and so on all the way up to the king. Local titles are hereditary, but higher honors are appointed by superiors based on merit. Kings are chosen by an assembly of all lords in the land, and are granted their title for life.
The true rulers of Koth, however, are the sorcerers. They control the nobles, and compete for them like the gods compete for followers. The sorcerers like to keep their machinations in the shadows, acting as the secret controllers. This way, they are never subject to acts of vengeance such as an assassin's dagger or a commoners' revolt.
JURA does not much care who is in charge of what, so long as everything is controlled by someone and order remains.
Worship of the god JURA is the official religion of Koth, and observance is strictly enforced. Believers are expected to attend service once per week and to donate ten percent of their income to the church (this is on top of what is already taken by the state).
Keph
Keph is a society organized around a religion. UTUK XUL ruled the kingdom in person for centuries, and this direct contact left a mark on the land.
The priesthood rules Keph. Priests are leaders of the material as well as the spiritual. The Kephite order is hierarchicial, much like the Kothan, but with priests and temples in place of lords and estates.
Some priests are granted the use of sorcery. These are generally the ones of higher rank and stature. The high prest of UTUK XUL has great power, especially in his own temple.
Observance of worship is lax. The priesthood does not concern itself with the spiritual development of its subjects, so long as they pay their taxes. Wealthy Kephites tend to live hedonistic lifestyles.
Midland
The Midlands are home to uncounted individual clans. These clans are based on roots and family ties, and tend to be very distrustful of outsiders - some are outright hostile. The clans work the land for whatever wealth they can manage, and often war with their neighbors over borders or water rights. Clans band together only when there is a threat large enough to unite them, and then only until the threat is finished or some clans find that they can benefit more by siding with the outside threat against their neighbors.
The armies of Koth and Keph move through the Midlands with impunity, taking what they want from the locals and killing anyone who opposes them. Clans survive by taking the side of whatever force is nearest, or by living in areas so remote or unwanted that they are beneath notice.
In addition to the clans and warring armies, there are large gangs of brigands that roam the countryside. Most of these men are deserters from one side or another, though some were simply locals who lost all they had or found that the life of a thug was preferable to an honest living.
The religions of Midland are as varied as the people. Each clan tends to have its own patron god, real or imagined, and paganism is the rule rather than the exception.
Richland
Richland (or Havlande, as the locals call it) is a society based on exploration and trade. Farming is difficult on the cold and rocky island, so the people must rely on the outside world for much of their needs. This has benefited them, however, as it has forced them to master the sea to such an extent that they now act as merchants and go-betweens for a large part of the known world. This has brought the island great wealth.
The government of Richland is informal. Order is maintained in the major cities by councils of the richest merchants, who raise money for the city watch by taxing commerce. The countryside is sparsely populated, so order here is maintained by the people themselves. It is a relatively free and peaceful society.
Religion is not a large part of life in Richland, as most people are too busy engaging in material persuits to concern themselves with the spiritual. There are occasional houses of worship dedicated to various gods, but religion does not permeate life to the extent that it does on the mainland.
Kirkland
Kirkland is an oasis of civilization in a desert of barbarism. To the north lie the frozen wastes; to the west and south, legions of savages with little knowledge of anything.
The society of Kirkland is unique. The distinct differences between the various peoples who settled the area required that they devise a different form of governance than the hierarchical model. Kirkland is a federation of independent city-states, rather than a bureaucratic empire. Each mini-state governs its own affairs in its own way - some with influence from the old kingdoms, some based on barbarian tribalism, and others based on individuality and equality. They join together only for the purposes of free trade and common defense.
Kirkland has no offical religion. Some of the states do, while others allow each individual to follow their own conscience.
Others
The lands to the west and south of Kirkland are uncivilized. Numerous small tribes compete against one another for the resources of survival.
Some tribes have advanced beliefs based on honor, generosity, kinship, or courage, while others are little better than predatory animals.
Tribesmen do make excellent hunters and fierce warriors, and those of the plains make excellent horsemen.
These lands have no societies to speak of, save the familial society of the local tribe. Religion generally consists of primitive nature worship, though some tribes are known to commune with gods.