[Campaign World] Clockwork Fantasy

[Citizen Keen]

In this thread I'm going to start posting the details of a world I've been tinkering with. It'll be a bit sporadic, and since I don't have my copy of Hero Designer here in England with me, it'll be a bit unformatted. But it's here as a record for anyone who wants to blatantly rip it off, or use it for inspiration, or simply give advice.

[Citizen Keen]

The Nature of Technology

The Clockwork Fantasy world, which I have tentatively named Orath, is one in which the tinkerers have advanced beyond the prototype stage. The technology of guns and gears has spread to many parts of the world.

In Orath, technology exists that has not been invented yet in the real world. Gnomes in giant clockwork mechs protect gnomish cities and interests. Flying cities, build on connected zeppelins float around the world, only accessibly by those who can fly. Aritificial intelligence, powered by gears and wickets, exists in a primitive fashion.

However, magic in this world exists as well. And magic and technology have a tendency to counter each other. It is very difficult (and by very difficult I mean one must have an excellent character conception) to use both technology and magic. It can be done, but should be done so very rarely.

All characters, PC and NPC, have a MagiTechnical Orientation. This MagicTechnical Orientation is a ranking used to show how much affinity one's presence in the universe has with either magic or technology. Those affiliated with technology are generally more susceptible to it, and less susceptible to magic. Those who are infused with magic are generally less affected by technology and more so by magic.

A character's MagiTechnical Orientation can change at the GM's discretion at any time. (If a character with No Special Orientation picks up a gun, after a few minutes they will develop a Slight Technical Orientation.) Orientation does not cost character points, nor does it contribute to a character's Disadvantage Limit.


No Special Orientation: Normal Rules.

The character does not have any technology more complicated than a crossbow, and does not posess any magic items, and has not spent more than 10 Points on Magic Skills and Talents.

Slightly Technically Oriented: 25% Magic Damage Reduction (Resistant) (15 Points), 1 1/2x BODY from Technology (15 Point Disad)

The character posesses a gun, or equivalent level of technology, and does not posess any magical items or more than 10 Points of Magic Skills and Talents

Very Technically Oriented: 50% Magic Damage Reduction (Resistant) (30 Points), 2x BODY from Technology (30 Point Disad)

The character posesses technology that does not exist today (such as a Clockwork Mech) or is a mechanical being. Characters who are inventors and engineers and are surrounded by technology all the time are generally Slightly or Very Technically Oriented, even if they are naked in the middle of an empty field. It permeates you, at least for while.

Slightly Magically Oriented: 25% Technology Damage Reduction (Resistant) (15 Points), 1 1/2x BODY from Magic (15 Point Disad)

The character has not technology more comlicated than a crossbow on them, and either posesses magical items or has spent more than 10 Points on Magical Talents and Skills.

Very Magically Oriented: 50% Technology Damage Reduction (Resistant) (30 Points), 2x BODY from Magic (30 Point Disad)

The Character has either spent more than 30 Character Points on Magical Skills and Talents, or posesses a magical item of great power.


The Damage Reduction and Susceptibility both apply to positive magic as well (Aids and Heals, for example). What orientation a character has is a matter of GM Discretion(TM), with a little bit of help from Character Conception. (If a player wants to play an ArchMage with a pocketwatch, I'd let 'em.)

[Citizen Keen]

Great Races of Orath

In Orath there are 4(5) Great Races, and a number of lesser races. The Five Great Races (minus the Package Deals, as I'll throw those up at some point later when I'm prepared to play with formatting or whatever, especially upon request) are as follows:


Human

Humans are the race of flexibility. They are the race that covers the world, changing to suit their environment. Humans from neighboring kingdoms are often more different than other races from opposite ends of the world. Of all the races, humans suffer from racial infighting the most often, for while they are adaptable, they lack any strong sense of unity.

Dwarf

The Dwarfen people are the race of patience. The Dwarfen Kingdoms are well planned out and built over hundreds of years. Their magic is patient, their crafts are patient, and they have developed martial arts based on an iron will and an ability to wait. They are an honest and loyal folk, who practice their crafts with a diligence and attention to detail that surpasses that of any other race.

Titans

The Titans are often referred to as the Builders. They are a race of wise and perceptive beings. They are the oldest race, even though they only live as long as humans. But Titans view the world in terms of lifespans - they will set in motion plans that won't be fulfilled until hundreds of years after their deaths. Children frequently fulfill pledges and oaths made by their ancestors. They are the oldest race on Orath, rumored in many mythologies to be the creators of the world. Titans generally stand 12-16 feet tall.

Light Elfs

The Light Elfs or Orath are the second oldest race, one of perfection. So deidcated to perfection are they that that removed emotion from their lives, viewing it as an imperfection and a foothold for error. Graceful, powerful, and psychic, the Light Elfs are one of the most powerful races on Orath.

Dark Elfs

A long time ago in the past (purposefully vague due to an incompletely fleshed out world), there were only the Elfs. They were creatures of perfection, and of power. They were also emotionless. However, a sect of Elfs began to pursue the emotion of the other races. They began to feel. They were exiled by the other Elfs (the Light Elfs), who have cast the exiled sect as bringers of destruction and chaos in the most successful use of propaganda in the history of Orath. Most of the world distrusts the Dark Elfs, even though they are probably the friendliest and most benificent race on Orath.

[Citizen Keen]

Lesser Races of Orath

The Lesser Races of Orath are created by mixing Greater Races. Different proportions creates different subraces. (Example - Light Elfs and Humans make Half-Elfs, but whereas a 3/4 Human, 1/4 Light Elf is generally known as an Elfman (or even just as a human, generally accepted into the world of man), a 1/4 Human, 3/4 Light Elf is generally known in Light Elf society as an Impure.)


Non-Elf Combinations

Halfling: Human/Dwarf

Halflings inherit their short stature from their Dwarf parentage, and the thinner build of their Human ancestry. Urban halflings are generally very civilized, inheriting the patient and flexible qualities of the Human and Dwarf races. Those from the wild are generally very in touch with nature, and also infamous warriors.

Orlok: Dwarf/Titan

Orloks are bestial, ferocious beings. They can be honorable or vicious, savage or civilized, but they will always be simple. Any community of Orloks will always be governed in a simple manner (generally a war-chief or an elder shaman), never in a complicated manner (such as a democracy). They generally live in small communities, unless they live in the larger, more cosmopolitan cities of their ancestors.

Half-Giants: Human/Titan

In order for the giant Titans to mate with the smaller humans, the Titans must use their elemental magic to shrink (as opposed to the Orloks, who are created when the Dwarfs use their ritual magic). As such, any child of a Titan and a Human will have elemental tendencies. Depending on the power of the Titan parent, these can range from a flakiness of personality (water) or a intense passion for life (fire) all the way up to gills or stone skin. Half-Giants are generally 7-10 feet tall.


Light Elf Combinations

Half-Elf: Human/Light Elf

Your typical half-elfs, the half-elfs of Orath probably have it easiest blending into the societies of their parents. Very rarely do half-elfs create their own communities by choice (but their are exceptions), but they occasionally are forced to create their own communities when exiled by less than tolerant Light Elf communities.

Elf-Giant: Titan/Light Elf

Looking like larger than usual Light Elfs, Elf-Giants are generally incredibly powerful telekinetics, depending on their Titan ancestry. They are generally completely able to feel emotion, or completely incapable. Very rarely are crossbreeds born who have a lessened ability to feel emotion. (So, no Spocks.)

Gnome: Dwarf/Light Elf

Gnomes have their Light Elf parent's love of complexity combined with their Dwarf parent's passion and zeal. As such, gnomes generally go overboard. Their magics cause explosions, their inventions cause explosions, and their novels and plays are generally much, much too long.


Dark Elf Combinations

Goblin: Dwarf/Dark Elf

Goblins are not great inventors, but they do love toys. Frequently greedy, or at least avid collectors, goblins love big toys. However, they are the most impatient race in Orath. (NOTE: No race on Orath is inherently evil. Goblins are not evil.)

Ork: Human/Dark Elf

Orks are generally simpler versions of Humans - not as intelligent, more prone to combat, but capable of a great love of life. Almost univerally second class citizens. Unfortunately, the Dark Elf face combined with the Human face creates features of a porsine appearance.

Troll: Titan/Dark Elf

Trolls are great hunters and great shamans, and their nomadic communities, or wilderness barbarian kingdoms, are generally respected and feared throughout Orath.

[Tom Carman]

The Nature of Technology

The Clockwork Fantasy world, which I have tentatively named Orath, is one in which the tinkerers have advanced beyond the prototype stage. The technology of guns and gears has spread to many parts of the world.

In Orath, technology exists that has not been invented yet in the real world. Gnomes in giant clockwork mechs protect gnomish cities and interests. Flying cities, build on connected zeppelins float around the world, only accessibly by those who can fly. Aritificial intelligence, powered by gears and wickets, exists in a primitive fashion.

However, magic in this world exists as well. And magic and technology have a tendency to counter each other. It is very difficult (and by very difficult I mean one must have an excellent character conception) to use both technology and magic. It can be done, but should be done so very rarely.

All characters, PC and NPC, have a MagiTechnical Orientation. This MagicTechnical Orientation is a ranking used to show how much affinity one's presence in the universe has with either magic or technology. Those affiliated with technology are generally more susceptible to it, and less susceptible to magic. Those who are infused with magic are generally less affected by technology and more so by magic.
This write-up makes me suspect that you have played the computer RPG "Arcanum". If not, check it out, since it covers a lot of the same territory.

[Citizen Keen]

This write-up makes me suspect that you have played the computer RPG "Arcanum". If not, check it out, since it covers a lot of the same territory.

I did. I am borrowing from it liberally, also from The Magic of Recluce and other ideas where two opposing systems diminish each other's effects. In my campaign, morality is very gray, and the true argument is between technology and magic.

Also, for flavour, I am borrowing from the Warcraft series, the Final Fantasy series, and Palladium Games' RIFTS world.

[Captain Obvious]

Looks like a good basic framework, but what's to stop a character from gaining fantastic technology AND magical talent? It doesn't look like a character with a gun and 30 points of magical skills has a place in your ranking, and yet has no real restriction on doing so.

[Citizen Keen]

Looks like a good basic framework, but what's to stop a character from gaining fantastic technology AND magical talent? It doesn't look like a character with a gun and 30 points of magical skills has a place in your ranking, and yet has no real restriction on doing so.


It is very difficult (and by very difficult I mean one must have an excellent character conception) to use both technology and magic.

I'll explain it more when I get to magic, but...

The presence of technology can cause Skill Roll penalties to magic casting, and high levels of magic can cause complcated technology to malfunction. I will also explain how to overcome this.

[Blue Jogger]

I wonder, how far apart a Techie and Magician would have to stay to keep from interfering. I mean, there's a Romeo and Juliet story just waiting.

[Citizen Keen]

The Arcane Colleges

Here I'll present the first magic system. Each of the Great Races has their own magic system, and there isn't a lot of interchange - most casters use the system of their race.

One of the newer magics to be developed, the Arcane knowledge of the humans is a potent magic. Capable of providing the caster with great power, and more importantly, versatile power, the magic of the Arcane is an art that has proliferated across the face of Orath with amazing speed.

The magic of the Arcane gains its strength from its complex power and it's adaptability, versatility, and flexibility. What it lacks, however, is permanence, scope, and the ability to heal. Arcane magic is generally very personal, affecting a small number of targets at a time, and it is generally short, fast and flashy.

Arcane magic is taught to Humans and their Lesser kin (Orks, Half-Elfs, Half-Giants, and Halflings). However, Gnomes have been taught the art of the Arcane as well, and have become quite proficient at it. Other races need a very good character conception to know the Arcane.

The Arcane is a skill based magic divided up into eight Colleges.

The Colleges of the Arcane are as follows:


Summoning - The ability to alter spacetime, to summon things from nowhere, to teleport, and to create portals between dimensions.

Conjuration - Creating something from nothing, and also the inverse, the absolute destruction of things.

Transmutation - The altering of one thing into another.

Enchantment - The imbuing of things with magic power.

Divination - The discovery of information.

Necromancy - The magic of the dead.

Thaumaturgy - Using magic as a pure force, a powerful and volatile task.

Illusion - Creation of sensory input that is not there.

To cast spells from the Arcane, a character must have purchased a Talent indicating their power level. There are five Talents in the Arcane system, each costing 5 Points, and each having as a prerequisite the power level beneath it. The five power levels are: Apprentice, Journeyman, Wizard, Adept, and High Wizard.

All spells take as a mandatory limitation Requires a Skill Roll (College). The skill roll required depends on which College the spell belongs to (thus, there are 8 different Power Skills, one for each College). A few spells belong to multiple Colleges, and as such, one College Power Skill acts as a complimentary skill to another.

All spells come in a variety of power levels, ranging from Apprentice to High Wizard. A few are limited to only the higher Power Levels, and even fewer are those that are limited to only the lower Power Levels. A character can cast any spell he knows at any Power Level, up to the highest Power Level Talent he has purchased.

Apprentice level spells take RASR at the -1 per 20 Active Points level. Journeyman and Wizard spells take RASR at the -1 per 10 Active Points level, and Adept and High Wizard spells take it at the -1 per 5 Active Points level.

Apprentice and Journeyman level spells must take the limitation OAF - Wand or Wizards's Staff. Higher level casters must have this limitation to cast the lower level variants. Wizard level and higher spells do not require a wand or a wizard's staff, but gain a bonus to the skill roll if the caster has one. (+1 for Wizard level, +2 for Adept level, and +3 for High Wizard level).

Apprentice and Journeyman level spells take Incantations and Gestures. Wizard level spells only take Incantations.

Below is an example spell, in all five power levels.


Arcane Light


Apprentice (Illusion): Sight Group Images, 1" Radius (10 Active Points); OAF (-1), Only to Create Light (-1), No Range (-1/2), Incantations throughout (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Requires an Illusion Roll, -1 per 20 AP (-1/4). Total Cost: 2

Journeyman (Illusion): Sight Group Images, 1" Radius, +2 to PER rolls (16 Active Points); OAF (-1), Only to Create Light (-1), No Range (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Requires an Illusion Roll (-1/2). Total Cost: 4

Wizard (Illusion): Sight Group Images, 3" Radius, +3 to PER rolls (28 Active Points); Only to Create Light (-1), No Range (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Requires and Illusion Roll (-1/2) (10 Real Points) AND Dispel Darkness 5d6 (15 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Linked to Images (-1/2) (7 Real Points). Total Cost of Power: 17 Points

Adept (Illusion): Sight Group Images, 3" Radius, +5 to PER rolls (37 Active Points); Only to Create Light (-1), No Range (-1/2), Requires and Illusion Roll, -1 per 5 Active Points (-3/4) (11 Real Points) AND Dispel Darkness 15d6 (45 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Linked to Images (-1/4) (26 Real Points). Total Cost of Power: 37 Points

High Wizard (Illusion): Sight Group Images, 5" Radius, +5 to PER rolls (50 Active Points); Only to Create Light (-1), No Range (-1/2), Requires and Illusion Roll, -1 per 5 Active Points (-3/4) (15 Real Points) AND Dispel Darkness 15d6 (45 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Linked to Images (-1/2) (22 Real Points) AND Flash Sight Group 5d6, Selective 5" Radius (+1 1/2) (62 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Linked to Images (-1/4) (35 Real Points). Total Cost of Power: 72 Points

Characters do not pay points for their powers.

(NOTE: I'm not sure if I wrote up the Compund Powers correctly... Any help?)

[Citizen Keen]

Just realized I completely left out the Delayed Effect advantage and concept from all the spells and the system.

All spells require the Delayed Effect advantage. The number of spells a wizard can have memorized at any one time is as such:


Apprentice: 2
Journeyman: 5
Wizard: 9
Adept: 14
High Wizard: 20

All spells take the Extra Time: 20 Minutes Limitation as part of their preparation time. A character can cast a spell at any power level, they only have to memorize one. (Example: a High Wizard could memorize Arcane Light and cast it at any Power Level from Apprentice to High Wizard.)

I'm not going to add all this in to the Arcane Light spell right now, I'm tired and it's a lot of work. But after a nap or something, maybe. But all future Arcane spells will have that aspect built in.

[Citizen Keen]

Shamanism

Shamanism is probably the greatest of the Lesser magics. All five Great Races have their own magic, called a Great magic. Any other system of magic is known as a Lesser magic. (This has nothing to do with the Lesser Races. Many Lesser Races practice Great magics, and Great races practice Lesser magics.)

Shamanism is a wide-spread system of hedge magic. It is a rural magic, but this does not mean primitive. Many complex societies revere Shamans over other magic-wielders of great power, because Shamanism is influenced by all aspects of the world. And to be influenced by all aspects of the world is to be wise.

Shamanism is a versatile magic, in many ways more versatile than the Arcane. However, Shamanism is not necessarily a powerful magic - Shamans generally use their magic to guide communities, not to rule them.

Shamanism is broken down into the following Aspects: Elemental Magic, Nature Magic (being plant and weather magic), Animal Magic, Spirit Magic (including Healing magic), and Totem Magic. Shamanism is a skill based magic system, and to cast from any given Aspect requires a 10 Point Talent of that Aspect.

All spells take a mandatory Requires a Shamanism Skill Roll at the -1 per 5 Active Points level. All spells also require an OAF - Shaman's Staff (-1), and frequently have Incantations and Gestures. Many spells also have Expendable Focus spell components.

All spells require the Delayed Effect advantage, and characters can cast a number of spells equal to their INT/5 plus their EGO/5. This number can be doubled for 10 Points. All limitations, save for Extra Time - 20 Minutes, are Releasing limitations.

I'll post some Shamanism spells soon (I'll have to, my friend wants to play a Shaman).

[Citizen Keen]

Thoughts/comments/questions/advice/criticism welcome, by the way. And requested.

[Citizen Keen]

The Basics of Religion

On Orath, one spiritual concept dominates. That's not to say, however, that one religion dominates - far from it. In fact, religious strife is a constant source of turmoil and adventure stimulus in the world of Orath.

The world of Orath was created by one god, herein referred to by the generic name "the Creator" (each culture has their own name for the Creator, each in their own language, and frequently colored by the needs of their people). The Creator is the source of all that is good in the universe... virtue, altruism, order (when used to benefit people), and so forth.

The Creator has his opposite, the Destroyer (also with a plethora of names from each culture). The Destroyer is the source of all that is evil in the world - vice, sin, oppression, hatred, and so forth.

Neither the Creator nor the Destroyer ever have a direct influence in the world of Orath, rather, they manifest themselves through three forces in the world:

Angels/Demons: Both gods create armies of avatars of their nature. Angels are benificent, demons are malicious. They are generally the most powerful of the minions of the gods, but they lack the compelte agency of the other minions.

Spirits: All dead mortals have a spirit from the afterworld who can interact with the real world when summoned. Sometimes they are able to manifest on their own. Also, most natural objects in the world have their own spirits, but many aren't strong enough to manifest themselves. (Rocks virtually never manifest a spirit, old trees and streams frequently do.)

Saints/ArchSinners: When mortals die, and have lived a life in such accordance with a certain aspect of a god, they are frequently elevated to the status of Saint/ArchSinner. These beings have the agency of Spirits, but the sheer power of Angels/Demons. They are frequently the patron of some sort of aspect or another.


Many "religions" worship aspects of the Creator/Destroyer. Angels/Demons, the Saints/ArchSinners, and Spirit worship (groups of spirits, usually not individual one) are the most common, but other kinds are common.

Orders of religions even worship aspects of individual saints and angels/demons.

The relationship between the Creator and the Destroyer is a hotly contested one. Some view them as two powerful forces fighting each other. Other view them as siblings, fighting over the universe. And some even view them as two different manifestations of the same being.

Thanks much for the help!

[Nuke]

Plea for Help: What's an Englishesque name for the counterpart of a Saint? Every culture will have a different name for Saints and Angels and Demons, but I want an Englishesque name for an evil person elevated to immortality.

I didn't have much luck at dictionary.com looking in the thesaurus. What about a "Scoundrel"? Or using a cool sounding word in a different way, like a "Nemesis"?

[Citizen Keen]

The Isle of Thorpe

I don't know how much use this will be, but I thought I'd throw it up anyhow. This is an island I created for my characters to start on, then scrapped when there character conceptions indicated this would not be a feasible starting location.

The Isle of Thorpe is a medium island located off the coast of my primary continent in Orath. It is about eight miles wide (east-west) and two miles deel (north-south). Covered in temperate rainforest and arid farmland, the island exists as a "last stop for the next bazillion leagues", since it is two days of solid sailing away from the mainland.

The Isle of Thorpe is also a little famous as the birthplace of the man who later became Saint Tommis. It is also the place where he died and later manifested as a Saint.

The island is home to one town and a small handful of villages. The villages are:


Brightcandle: A small village of about six hundred people that has grown up around Brightcandle Keep, a tall tower on the tallest point of the island (about two miles in from the west coast), which is constantly lit as a reference point for ships.

Turbridge: Turbridge is a village of about four hundred in the middle of the Isle of Thorpe that exists solely as a home to those who choose not to live in the urban center of EnThorpe.

Scoutsdown: A small military-based village in the northeast corner of the Isle of Thorpe, Scoutsdown is maintained by the Entamik Trading League to monitor and curb pirate activity in Moth-Eaten Harbor.

In addition to the three small villages and the town of EnThorpe, the Isle is also home to Moth-Eaten Harbor. A high cliffed harbor on the northeast corner of EnThorpe, the harbor is home to an everchanign nest of pirates, who are constantly evicted (read, killed or captured) by the Entamik Trading League and Scoutsdown. The cliffs are riddled with caves, many of which connect to other caves forming a complex labyrinth that makes a perfect home for those seeking to escape the law.

The Town of EnThorpe

EnThorpe (translating to "on Thorpe" or "of Thorpe") is a town of about four thousand people on the southeast corner of the Isle. It exists mostly as a port to refill travelling ships, although many of the inhabitants live there for other reasons. It is an independent city-state, although, were it ever to be troubled by a large menace, it could easily turn to help from the Entamik Trading League for help that would most certainly be granted.

The town is ruled by the 'Crowns EnThorpe', a democratically elected council of seven who rule for seven year terms, staggered so one is elected each year. However, many of the council members hold such sway in the town (and since there are no laws regarding non-violent 'coercion', use such sway) that they are frequently reelected. All men over age fifteen may vote.

The town's flag is azure, a chevron inverted cotised brunatre. (Courtesy of the SCA website brought to my attention by Wil Hyral.)

The town is protected by the 'Swords EnThorpe', the name given to the City Watch. A force of about seventy five men, they are barely more than mustered troops who mostly exist to break up barfights and discourage padfoots.

Many a sailor song also refers to the Girls EnThorpe, for EnThorpe maintains a bustling industry of parlour girls and prostitutes. Dancing girls are an expected part of an evening's entertainment in any of the numerous pubs that exist to house the sailors on R&R, and the Brothel Quarter is a district that kicks it up at night. The Girls EnThorpe are neither especially beautiful nor talented, but are frequently the first girls the boys see after a very long voyage.

The fashion of EnThorpe (and the rest of the Isle) consists of mostly drab earth-colored clothing, browns, greys and blacks, in a wide variety of cuts and materials (mostly wool and imported cotton). The people of EnThorpe generally excercise their creative flair through their hair. Fanciful styles decorate nearly every citizen. Beads, braids and dreadlocks are very common. Shaving patterns into ones hair (such as shaving off the front half, or mohawks, or cutting one's hair really short and shaving in patterns (such as a checkerboard)) is less common, but still quite prevalent. Simply cut hair is the clearest sign of an outsider.

The people of Thorpe speak Gaurdün, a language very much like English. Naming conventions are such: take a common English name, and change it so its spelled differently, but phonetically similar. Last names are generally a variation on the person parent's occupation, and when travelling abroad, the second last name EnThorpe is added. (So, the owner of the Jug 'n' Bucket, when travelling abroad, is Georj Taverner EnThorpe.)

Places of Note


Jug 'n' Bucket: One of the more famous inns in EnThorpe, due to its location halfway between the docks and the town proper, the Jug 'n' Bucket is famous for starting an EnThorpe trend of serving ale in large earthen buckets. Owned by Georj and his new wife Maeri.

The Monastery of the Enjournaling Order of Saint Tommis: St. Tommis is the Patron Saint of Exploration, and most of his followers are intrepid explorers as well. However, on the Isle of Thorpe is the Monastery of the Enjournaling Order, a sect dedicated to the chronicling of the journeys of others. The monks, locally referred to as the 'Quills EnThorpe', make their money by buying books from traders before they reach the mainland, copying them, and selling them on the mainland at a bit of a markup. They can also be hired as scribes.

The Scarlet Stage: A dancing hall and brothel of strong reputation, the Scarlet Stage is home to the wildest shows on the island, and generally the women are the most beautiful, cleanest, and most expensive. No trip to the Isle of Thorpe is complete without a drink at the Scarlet Stage (or so the hawkers will tell you).

[tkdguy]

Off the top of my head:

Angels: Archons, Benefactors, Guardians

Demons: Tempters, Deceivers, Malefactors (see below)

Saints: Avatars, Paragons, Patrons

Perhaps you could use the term Malefactor to protray an evil saint, if one could actually exist. Actually, that also sounds like a good name for a supervillain group.

[Citizen Keen]

An Intro to Guns

Ok, I'm not going to post any guns yet, as I haven't gotten that far. What I will do, however, is post the theories I have governing guns in my Clockwork Fantasy campaign.

Guns are divided into three categories. Any people who have real experience with firearm history are welcomed (read: requested) to chime in and help me out. I'd greatly appreciate it.

Muzzle Loaders: Namely, muskets, blunderbusses and hand cannons. These technologies are reliable (as long as they are average quality or better, poor quality ones have an Activation Roll) and cheap. They do not do as much damage as barrel loaders, but they make up for this with the fact that anyone can make the lead shot bullets needed to fire, as long as they have molds, lead and heat.

Barrel Loaders: Namely, rifles, shotguns and pistols. These are equally reliable, and the pistols can be faster. The downside to these higher damage weapons is that you have to purchase the bullets, or have a Weaponsmithing: Bullets skill to make them. (Even then, GMs should impose hefty penalties for making bullets in the wilderness, if only for game balance.)

Automatic Weapons: Having stabilized the power of non-automatics, the gnomish weaponsmiths of the world have turned their minds to gatling guns. These large, bulky devices are incredibly deadly, and notoriously buggy. In addition to a high likelihood of Jamming, gatling guns frequently have side effects, like fatal explosions.

[Citizen Keen]

Great Races Package Deals

Here are some package deals for the five Great Races. These are purely Racial Package Deals - there will be many Cultural Package Deals (and even some Professional Package Deals) that will be available exclusively to certain Races. Here goes nuthin'.

Humans


Ok, granted, I could have done something original and made a package deal for Humans. I could have taken a page from FenrisUlf's thread (http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18052) and made Humans weird, or different, or not dominant, or something. But I didn't. :) I went with the standard "Humans are the default" idea presented in Fantasy Hero and Star Hero, and I went with it because it makes sense to me. Short story long, no Human package deal.


Dwarfs


Dwarfs are typically short and stocky, generally just over 1 metre tall, just like stereotypical dwarfs. Dwarf women do not have facial hair.

+3 CON: 6 pts.
+2 BODY: 4 pts.
+2 PD: 2 pts.
+6 END: 3 pts.
Nightvision: 5 pts.
Dwarven Longevity: Life Support (Longevity: lifespan of up to 200 years): 1 pt.
Resistance 2 (to Interrogation): 2 pts.
-1” Running: -2 pts.
Total Cost: 21 pts.


Light Elfs


Light Elfs are generally a little bit shorter than Humans, a bit thinner, and have skin that ranges in color from white to pale, sometimes with a slight blue tint. There hair is generally blonde, white, or blue. There is very little differentiation in Light Elfs, since they have spent years trying to perfect themselves, and as such have had many bouts of racial purification.

Light Elfs do not sleep, but rather, must engage in one hour of meditation per day (cannot go more than 24 hours without this). Light Elfs who do not take the time to meditate suffer the same effects to CON rolls and PER rolls and so forth that exhausted Humans do. If they go long enough without (say, four days), they start to go insane. The amount of time a Light Elf must meditate is equal to n!, where n is the number of days they have not meditated. So, if it's been one day, they need one hour of meditation. Two days, three hours of meditation. Three days, six hours of meditation, and so forth.

+2 DEX: 6 pts.
+2 EGO: 4 pts.
+3 PRE: 2 pts.
+3 INT: 3 pts.
+2 ED: 2 pts.
+6 COM: 3 pts.
Elven Eyes: +1 Sight Group PER: 2 pts.
Elven Meditation: “Sleeps” one hour per night: 1 pts.
Elven Longevity: Life Support (Longevity: lifespan up to 400 years): 2 pts.
Physical Limitation: Cannot Feel Emotion (All the Time, Fully): -25 pts.
-2 PD: -2 pts.
-1 STR: -1 pts.
-1 CON: -2 pts.
Total Cost: -5 pts.


Dark Elfs


Dark Elfs are generally of the same build as Light Elfs. However, their faces are generally the most elastic of any race (save possibly gnomes), for Dark Elfs admire those with passionate emotions, and the ability to facially express emotions is, at a subconscious level, something Dark Elfs consider sexy.

Dark Elfs do not have the same desire for 'perfection' that their Light Elf ancestors do. Orks are frequently 'welcomed back into the fold', and other such couplings as well. As such, Dark Elf skin tones range the whole gamut, although they tend to cluster around those with very pale or very dark skins. Pure white skin, and pure black skin, makes up about ninety-five percent of Dark Elf's skin tones. Those with other tones, such as tan or golden, can be assured of non-Elf racial stock somewhere in their parentage. (The black skin tone comes as part of the Light Elf banishment.) Their hair is generally white, silver, grey, or a very light blonde.

Dark Elfs have a reputation amongst 'those who don't know better' of being able to change peoples emotion. Although Enchantment is one of the magics practiced by the Dark Elfs, but they have no inherent ability to do so (no more so than Humans can inherently summon up the dead). The Reputation is listed as an 11-, but a GM can assume most educated, higher born people will know this to be false, whilst those less travelled, such as mud-farmers, will probably all believe this rumor.

+3 DEX: 9 pts.
+3 EGO: 6 pts.
+3 INT: 3 pts.
+3 PD: 3 pts.
+1 CON: 2 pts.
Elven Eyes: Ultralight Vision: 5 pts.
Elven Eyes: +1 Sight Group PER: 2 pts.
Elven Wakefulness: Lightsleep: 3 pts.
Elven Longevity: Life Support (Longevity: lifespan up to 400 years): 2 pts.
Reputation (11-): Able to change peoples emotions: -10 pts.
Total Cost: 25 pts.


Titans


Titans are big. Really big. Generally, they stand around 12 to 15 feet tall. (Yes, I know I'm breaking my own rule (http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=353144), but I'm not a publisher.) Other than that, they look a lot like really big Humans (or really, really big Halflings). They have complete range of hair and skin tones.

Greater Strength +15 STR: 15 pts.
Greater Mass +3 BODY: 6 pts.
Heavy Knockback Resistance –3”: Free (I don't generally use Knockback Rules in my FH campaign, so I give it to 'em for free.)
More Impressive +5 PRE: 5 pts.
Long Legs +6” Running: 12 pts.
Reach Stretching 1”: 4 pts.
Resistance 3 (to Interrogation): 3 pts.
+4 COM: 2 pts.
Physical Limitation: 4 meters tall (Infrequently, Slightly): -5 pts.
Total Cost: 42 pts.


Regarding the Normal Characteristic Maxima - adjust it by the races inherent bonuses and penalties to scores. Same goes for the Age Limitation. Light Elfs max out at 19 STR, Titans at 35 STR, and a 50 year old Titan at 30 STR. This may seem unbalanced; alter these rules according to your GM style, and to your players. My players are pretty much past the power-gaming point, and allow a lot of GM tinkering. Do what's best for your campaign.

[Citizen Keen]

A Note on Fs

Just a small note - in this campaign, I will be using the following notation for the pluralization of fs in words like Dwarf and Elf:

One Dwarf, One Elf
Many Dwarfs, Many Elfs
Something made by Elfs or Dwarfs: Elfin or Dwarfin
The languages of the Elfs and Dwarfs are known to the ignorant masses as Elfish and Dwarfish. This is not what the educated call the languages, especially since there are many languages used by the Elfs and Dwarfs.
I do not plan on using words like 'Elven' or 'Dwarvish'.
Obviously, I will still use conventional grammar like 'ourselves' and not switch to 'ourselfs'.

I haven't done this before, and I don't know if I'll do it in future campaigns. But in Orath, so it stands.

For now.

[tkdguy]

Have you considered repeating crossbows for cultures that aren't technologically advanced enough to make guns? It sounds like something the gnomes in your world would look into.

[Citizen Keen]

The way I'm viewing it right now, is that many cultures aren't technologically advanced to make guns, especially not Barrel-Loaders. They buy these in bulk from the gnomes, who maintain tight control over the production secrets of these tech marvels. However, due to guns relative fragility (can't get wet, can't get too hot), many people rely on Crossbows, and maybe even Repeating Crossbows, especially if they are a small nation far away from Gnome kingdoms. That's my thought. Thanks for the help - I appreciate it!

[Citizen Keen]

The Beastmen

One aspect of the Dark Elfs' druidic magic (which I have not finalized) is the possibility of non-humanoid offspring. The druidic magic of the Dark Elfs allows for the Dark Elf to shapechange into an animal, and sometimes the druid will breed with a normal animal. Their offspring are known as the Beastmen (dependent upon the language), and in addiiton to the wide variety of species, come in three large categories depending on the nature of their parentage.

The Mother-Born


When a female druid mates with a male animal and is impregnated, the mother gives birth to a normal looking Dark Elf. However, that Dark Elf child has the ability to shapeshift, at will, into the animal of his parentage. Fine control of this is generally not gained until puberty (around 25 years of age), frequently leading to some awkward childhood moments. However, Dark Elf children do not tease Mother-Born Beastmen - generally, these Dark Elfs are the leaders of groups of children, or are left alone.

The Father-Born


Beastmen sired by a druid and born of an animal are born humanoid, but with the heads and features of their animal mother. Their feet are frequently those of their mother, and if their mother has scales or fur, they generally do to, in parts of their body. Bull mothers bear classic minotaurs, lizard mothers bear classic lizardmen, and hawk mothers generally have humanoid children with long wings with hands at the ends. Father-Born Beastmen generally die, as their animal parent does not know how to take care of them. However, large communities of a given species of Beastmen will generally intercept and raise a Father-Born Beastman. Sometimes, though not usually, a male druid will step in and raise his own child.

The Lost Ones


Druids who spend too much time in a given form will eventually lose their personality and spend their lives as animals. Children born to these lost druids (be the druid male or female) always take the form of Father-Born Beastmen, but they have only an animal intellect - they do not have th Dark Elf intelligence of their parents. These Beastmen wander the countryside, if they live, trying to survivie as an animal. Frequently, they will return to a pack or herd if their is one, and become a member, fighting for dominance.

All forms of Beastmen can mate with their own kind, and usually do. Beastmen can generally not mate with an animal. Beastmen who mate with a humanoid will generally produce children who look normal, with no physical animal characteristics. However, they will frequently have the characteristics of animals in their personality.

Dark Elfs do not view sex with animals when in druid form cheating; however, families will usually not accept Father-Born Beastmen into their families.

[Citizen Keen]

The Shotu Daga

The Shotu Daga is a large grassland in the eastern parts of my mainland continent (I really need to come up with a name for that soon). It is bordered by other grasslands, but is distinct because it belongs to no particular nation, but rather, is split up amongst four nations. None of the nations exerts any boundaries over the land, but they do generally claim things like 'water rights' and 'grazing rights'. Also, for the most part, each of the nations respects the others burial grounds. To find out where a given nation (or clan within a nation) is at a certain time of year, one must succeed at an AK: Shotu Daga, which will tells you the migration patterns of the people.

The common language of the Shotu Daga is Ha'Mai, which means Talk of the Horse. In Ha'Mai, Shotu Daga means Bountiful Emptiness.


The Po'Mai Horse People

The Po'Mai are a nomadic horse people, of relatively primitive technological level. The Po'Mai (which means People of the Horse) believe that technology interferes with the growth of the spirit. They are a proud and noble people, who are masters of the horse and follow the great herds of buffalo that traverse the Shotu Daga. They generally hunt with Bows and Axes, and their axes are often carved from stone. Seven clans of Po'Mai wander the Shotu Daga. The Po'Mai are practicers of ancestor worship, gaining guidance from their ancestors imparted by their shamans.

The Po'Mai generally wear little in the way of clothing in the summer due to the heat of the plain. In the winter, they wear thick buffalo hides. Men generally wear short loincloths, and women wear loincloths that reach down to their ankles. Both genders generally go topless. The exception to the rule is the dress of the shaman women. These women wear painted buffalo hides in any weather. Both men and women use an elaborate system of paints to decorate and express feelings. Be it war, or a festival, or hunting, or simply a day of rest, Po'Mai use face and body paint to indicate what they plan on doing for the day, and what their general mood is.

Men are hunters and warriors, while women are homemakers and gatherers. Some women of the tribes of the Po'Mai are recognized as having the potential to commune with the spirits and are trained as shamans. (All Po'Mai shamans must take the Spirit Magic Talent.) Men cannot be shamans, ever. Even if a shaman recognizes the ability to commune with the spirits in a boy, the most he can hope for is clan leadership.


The Dak'ha Daga

The Dak'ha Daga (which means the Dogs of the Emptiness in Ha'Mai) are a violent and primitive tribe of Halflings who live in the Shotu Daga. Of the four groups who live in the Shotu Daga, the Dak'ha Daga are the only group who have any concept of territory. They are not very nomadic, and they can generally be found in the northwest part of the Shotu Daga. The Halflings of the Shotu Daga have a very different outlook on the world, and this causes them to be viewed with distrust and even hatred; most people familiar with the grasslands view them as savages. One of the differing views the Dak'ha Daga have of the world is their view on death - the Dogs of the Emptiness are cannibals. They believe that eating the flesh of their enemies gives them the virtues of their enemies. They are often called 'the Dog Children', although this is usually viewed as a mortal insult. The Dak'ha Daga ride dogs that they raise - hence their names. They generally fight with shields and short spears (being Halflings, very short spears).

The Dak'ha Daga wear buffalo skin clothes, full breaches and jackets. They wear their hair short, both genders. The Dak'ha Daga do not recognize sexual orientation. Virtually all Dak'ha Daga are what modern western society would consider 'bisexual'. Women are allowed to fulfill all the positions of the men; they are treated as equals. The Dak'ha Daga do not have anything against technology, but their perceived savageness generally prohibits them from procuring it. The Dak'ha Daga do not value education, so magic isn't very powerful in their community.


The Daga Centaurs - NPC

The Daga Centaurs are a nomadic tribe of Centaurs who live in the Shotu Daga. They are the kind of Centaurs who give all Centaurs a bad name. They are vicious, honorless murderers. They make frequent war against the Dak’ha Daga, and occasionally mount long campaigns against the Po’Mai. They do not obey the same division of the buffalo as the other peoples of the Shoto Daga – they attempt to kill the buffalo year round, and they war against the other clans for their buffalo. When they hunt the summer buffalo (when the mothers are with young), the Po’Mai and the Dak’ha Daga bring the war to them. The Daga Centaurs generally fight with javelins and short swords. (The Daga Centaurs are meant to be an NPC group.)


Va'Nihrim Invilto - NPC

The Va’Nihrim Invilto (which means the Bastard Buffalo Children of the Dark Elfs in the Illna language of the nearby Light Elfs) are a very small tribe of Buffalo Beastmen that travel after the buffalo of the Shotu Daga. They do not travel with the buffalo, but are generally a day or two behind, always. They watch over the herds, and have very potent Shaman magic. They are treated as cousins by the Dark Elfs in the Nihrim Naha (Wood Elf Woods in Illna), and as respected elders by the Po’Mai. The Dak’ha Daga do not understand them, but obey and respect their wishes. The Va’Nihrim Invilto are viewed by many as guardians of the buffalo herd, and fight the Correñolan Frontiersmen against poaching. Also intended as an NPC race, but I'd be more lenient, if the player had a good character conception.


I'll throw some Package Deals up in the vaguely near future.

[bblackmoor]

Dwarfs... Elfs... Elfin... I do not plan on using words like 'Elven' or 'Dwarvish'.

I am curious about your motivation for this. Is it that there is a certain feel you are aiming for, and you think that using the terms you have selected will better convey that feel? Would you care to elaborate on your decision making process?

[Citizen Keen]

Maybe I don't understand the finer points, but I've never understood the difference between 'Elven', 'Elvish', and 'Elfish' (I have seen all three, listed in order of frequency of occurence). I decided in this campaign, since the Elfs are going to be slightly different from the Elfs of generic Fantasy campaigns, but still Elfs, that's I'd stick to the word that my players probably see the least.

So, the 'feel' that I'm tryin to convey is that it's similar, but not the same, and I want to convey that from the physical description to the way they act, all the way down to a linguistic level.

Hope that helps!

[Citizen Keen]

Five Example Shaman Spells - At long last!


Here are descriptions of each of the five Aspects, along with five Shaman spells, one from each Aspect.

Elemental


The Elemental Magic of the Shamans is a far cry in power from the Elemental Magic of the Titans. However, the Elemental Magic of the Shamans is elemental magic, and confers the caster mastery over the four elements of the world, able to summon them up to do their bidding. Generally, Elemental magic is forceful and is used to exercise power directly. Although the Elemental Shaman Magic talent does grant the caster the ability to use all four elements, most shamans will stick to one or two.

Flame Burst: Energy Blast 4d6 (20 Active Points); Requires a Shamanism Roll, -1 per 5 Active Points (-3/4), OAF - Shaman's Staff (-1), Incantations (-1/4); Total Cost: 7 points. Range: 100", -4 to Shamanism Roll


Shoots forth a burst of fire to damage the caster's foes.


Nature


It is from the Shaman's Nature Magic that the Dark Elfs have gained there Druidic Magic. However, the Dark Elfs have taken their magic to far greater heights. Nature magic grants the shaman the ability to control plants and weather, and is generally the Aspect of Shamanism with the greatest scope.

Grasping Weeds: Entangle 6d6, Only 3 DEF, Takes No Damage From (Physical) Attacks (+1/4), Area of Effect: 6" Radius, Selective (+1 1/4) (112 Active Points); Requires a Shamanism Roll, -1 per 5 Active Points (-3/4), OAF - Shaman's Staff (-1), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures, 2 Hands (-1/2), Limited Range: 100" (-1/4), Vulnerable to Fire and Cutting (-1), Only Works When There Are Lots of Plants Around (-1/4); Total Cost: 22 points. Range: 100", -22 to Shamanism Roll


Plants such as grass and weeds grow up out of the ground and wrap around the shaman's foes. Even though it is only grass, it grows at a phenomenal rate, binding attacker's hands and feet.


Animal


Of all Shamanism Aspects, Animal is the most personal, generally affecting only the caster and people they wish to imbue with power. At earlier levels, the spells imbue the shaman with the characteristics of the animals. At later levels, shaman's can summon or even transform into different species of animals.

Bestial Roar: +25 PRE (25 Active Points); Requires a Shamanism Roll, -1 per 5 Active Points (-3/4), OAF - Shaman's Staff (-1), Incantations (-1/4), Only to Make Presence Attacks (-1), Costs END (-1/4); Total Cost: 6 points. -5 to Shamanism Roll


The shaman throws back their head and roars, invoking the spirit of the Bear, Lion or Tiger (or whatever roaring animal the shaman is familiar with).


Spirit


Spirit magic is the most nebulous and mysterious of the Shaman Aspects. Used to invoke and influence the Spirits of the world, both Dead and Natural, Spirit Magic mixes Necromancy, Divination, and other magics.

Ethereal Burst Energy Blast 3d6, BOECV w/ Range Modifiers (+3/4), AVLD: Power Defense (+3/4) (37 Active Points); Requires a Shamanism Roll, -1 per 5 Active Points (-3/4), OAF - Shaman's Staff (-1), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Side Effect: Shaman Always Takes 3d6 STUN (-1/2); Total Cost: 10 Points. -7 to Shamanism Roll. Range: 185"


A dark bolt, the collective misery of the suffering dead, bursts for from the shaman's hands, striking the victim and exposing them to the horrors of eternal suffering. However, this spell drains the shaman, and can knock them out if they're not careful.


Totem


The magic of the barbarians, Totem Magic is the ability to make Totems - carefully crafted items of great magical power. A defensive magic used to protect communities, and to augment warrior parties, Totem Magic does possess enough versatility to aid almost any adventuring party.

Screaming Totem Skull 25 PRE (for single Presence Attack), variable Trigger (+1/2) (37 Active Points); Requires a Shamanism Roll, -1 per 5 Active Points (-3/4), OAF - Shaman's Staff (-1), OAF - Skull Totem (Very Difficult Expendable, Arrangement, no Benefit for Base OAF) (-3/4), Costs END (-1/4), Increased END x5 (-2); Total Cost: 6 Points. -7 to Shamanism Roll


The shaman places a skull on top of a staff, stuck in the ground. The skull is adorned with feathers from a bird of prey, and the ground around is laced with rocks and the blood of a small grazing animal (such as a rabbit). When approached by someone who does not possess the appearance of a member of the shaman's tribe, the skull emits a high pitched wail echoing from the afterlife, and the feathers combust. Used to warn neighboring tribes of trespassment. (NOTE: I'm aware that this would also be an images, but in HERO, it's about the special effect, right?


I did not include the Delayed Effect Advantage because I did not want to raise the Active Point total, which would raise the Skill Roll penalty. To make up for this, I also did not include the Extra Time - 20 Minutes Limitation. This will apply to all further Shaman spells, and to all Arcane spells, including the "Arcane Light" spell described above.

[Citizen Keen]

Everyman Skills (8- for free)

Acting
Climbing
Concealment
Conversation
Deduction
Native Language (4 Points Worth, no literacy)
Paramedics (Healing)
Persuasion
Shadowing
Stealth
One PS at 11-
One KS at 8-
One AK at 11-



Whilst I like the idea of Everyman skills being based upon a character's background, none of the ones presented on page 84 of Fantasy Hero seem to work for me. (This is not a criticism of Steve in any way - he did a fantastic job on the whole book.) Cultural Everyman skills, for me, should be built into a Cultural Package Deal. Kingdoms, for me, are generally part of a Culture. Race doesn't work for me, also a Package Deal. And Region and Religion doesn't sit well with me, either. For me (and purely for me), if all characters in a Kingdom or Region would know how to use a boat and have TF: Small Windpowered Boats, then that should be reflected in their Package Deals. For me, Everyman Skills should be skills anyone raised in a given world should know. I think. Anyway, above is the list of Everyman Skills for my campaign.

[Citizen Keen]

Staffs for Wizards

NOTE: Yes, I know the plural of Staff is Staves. But I figure it goes along well with Elfs and Dwarfs.

Here are some staffs for wizards that I thought I'd throw out. All staffs are listed with the skills Primary Arcane Skill and Secondary Arcane Skill. Each staff has different skills, chosen from the Arcane Colleges - one Staff might have +5 Enchantment, +1 Divination, and another might have +7 Necromancy, +3 Thaumaturgy. These bonuses must be assigned to their Colleges upon creation and cannot be changed.

Characters do not have to spend points on staffs (the staffs are not built with the Independent limitation). Characters must construct the staffs themselves, and this takes one week per Power Level of the staff. Characters cannot use or construct a staff of a higher power level than they are. Characters may only use a staff they constructed.

New Talent - Arcane Staff Affinity, 3 Points

The character may use a staff not created by him. He must still possess a power level equal to or greater than that of the staff.

Staffs of the Arcane

Apprentice


+1 Penalty Skill level with Primary Arcane Skill; OAF. They require a successful KS: Arcane Magic roll to create.

Journeyman


+3 Penalty Skill Levels with Primary Arcane Skill; OAF. They require a successful KS: Arcane Magic roll at -2 to create.

Wizard


+5 Penalty Skill Levels with Primary Arcane Skill, +1 Penalty Skill Level with Secondary Arcane Skill; OAF. They require a successful KS: Arcane Magic roll at -4 to create.

Adept


+7 Penalty Skill Level with Primary Arcane Skill, +3 Penalty Skill Level with Secondary Arcane Skill; OAF. They require a successful KS: Arcane Magic roll at -6 to create.

Arch Wizard


+9 Penalty Skill Level with Primary Arcane Skill, +5 Penalty Skill Level with Secondary Arcane Skill, +1 Penalty Skill Level with Tertiary Arcane Skill, 5 Point CSL with Magic; OAF. They require a successful KS: Arcane Magic roll at -8 to create.


They staffs are generally tall and stylized to the personality of the caster, in addition they generally indicate the colleges of the staff (skulls or onyx for Necromancy, a crystal for Divination, etc.)

Other staffs exist as well.

Staff of the Battle-Magi - Adept Level


+6 Penalty Skill Level with Primary Arcane Skill, 5 Point CSL with Magic; OAF. They require a successful KS: Arcane Magic roll at -7 to create.

[Citizen Keen]

I have decided that in my Clockwork Fantasy Campaign (and probably most campaigns that are not Swords and Sorcery or Low Fantasy) that a Magic CSL is a 5 Point CSL, not a 3 Point CSL. For me, Magic is useful and broad enough that it is not a 'tight group of attacks'.

Just another house rule that is open to criticism and comment.

[bblackmoor]

Yes, I know the plural of Staff is Staves. But I figure it goes along well with Elfs and Dwarfs.

I am the last person to nit-pick your spelling, but the more words you spell incorrectly, the less it looks like a deliberate decision and the more it looks like you're illiterate. We know that it's deliberate because you told us so, but any potential players who happen across your source material may just think you flunked 6th grade.

[Citizen Keen]

I am the last person to nit-pick your spelling, but the more words you spell incorrectly, the less it looks like a deliberate decision and the more it looks like you're illiterate. We know that it's deliberate because you told us so, but any potential players who happen across your source material may just think you flunked 6th grade.

*shrug* I like the idea, and with my particular group of PCs... I'm not too worried. I'm a huge grammarian (my players haven't used quote as a noun in years), and I am well known to be easily irked by spelling errors. I'll just announce it at the beginning of my campaign-starter handout, much the same way many roleplaying games defend their choice of pronounce generalization. Especially since I'm keeping it in a theme (eff to effs, no ehves), I think it should be OK.

But thanks for the feedback. I'll make sure in any place I post this outside of HERO forums that I make it clear in the beginning my alterations to the generally accepted use of the English language.

[Citizen Keen]

The Elemental Arts

The original magic of the world, the magic of the Builders of the World - the Titans. The magic of the elements is the oldest, and perhaps even strongest, magic in the world. It draws its power directly from the natural world around it, and the world of Orath is the one of the most powerful forces in the universe, even if it is not directly sentient.

Elementalism is divided up into four Arts – Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Each Art has three Talents (called Talents in game, not just in HERO): Manipulation, Emulation, and Creation. When a character has all three Talents in an Art, he can become a Master of that Art. A character can mix and match Talents from different Arts (a character may be Earth Manipulator and a Water Creator), but a character must have all three Talents in one Art to buy the Mastery of that Art.

Elementalism lacks the ability to create spells of lasting effect - it is a system of indirect action. It cannot cause illusion or pain, but the burning sensation of fire, or the howling wind can have the same effect. Elementalism spells are short term spells – the changes the have can last a while (such as creating a mountain), but they generally cannot permanently alter things. Nor can they affect people’s minds. Elementalism cannot heal, either.

One Talent in One Art costs four points. When all three Talents in one Art are known, a character can buy a Mastery of that Art for four more points.

A Master of an Art can cast and create any spell, regardless of whether he knows it or not; he can cast it regardless of whether it exists or not. However, it is cast with a 5 Active Point RASR, even if it isn’t a Master spell. And in addition, the Elementalist makes the roll at –1 to –5, depending on how similar the spell is to one the Master has practiced with. (The GM is the final arbiter of how much practice the character has done.) For example - if a Master wants to create a burning ball of fire in his hand to throw, and he knows the ability to set his hand on fire (without taking damage, of course), and he knows how to cast a fireball, then he makes the spell at -1.

All spells require one of the three Talents - Manipulation, Emulation or Creation. Manipulation spells affect aspects of the element that already exist in the area - causing rocks to change shape, or turning a calm breeze into a gale. Creation spells create the element where there is none, and give the caster a limited control over the element - tried and true spells like fireballs or the ability to create water. Emulation spells give aspects of the element to the caster, and even his , or altering his body to become some of the element - fists of stone or fire, or the ability to fly or breathe water.

Every Spell has a Requires a Skill Roll Limitation, with the defined skill being a skill for that Art (Fire 11-, or Water 13-, for example). Some spells use aspects of multiple elements. These require the character to use whichever skill he has a higher rank in, regardless of circumstances (the limitation is not worth 1/4 less). If a character has both, then one is the complimentary of the other. All Spells have RASR at the 10 Active Point value, save Master Spells, which have them at the 5 Active Point value. Some non-Master spells have RASR at the 5 Active Point value.

In addition to RASR, most spells take Gestures, Incantations and Extra END. Elemental spells are very taxing. Elementalists frequently create END Reserves to power their spells. By default, all Elemental spells can use either the caster's END or the Reserve's END. However, at least 1/4 of the spells END must come from the caster. Most Reserves are generally built with high ENDs and low RECs.

All Elemental Spells also take an invisible Delayed Effect and Extra Time - 5 Minutes. The Extra Time is a Storing Limitation. All the other's are Releasing Limitations. An Elementalist can memorize a given number of spells at a time depending on a given characteristic:

Earth - CON/5
Fire - PRE/5
Air - INT/5
Water - DEX/5

If the Elementalist has Talents in multiple Arts, use whichever characteristic is highest. For each non-Master Talent an Elementalist has, increase this number by 1. For each Mastery the Elementalist has, increase this number by 3.

Examples:
An Elementalist who had Water Creation and Fire Manipulation, a PRE of 15 and a DEX of 20 could memorize 6 spells at any given one time.
An Elementalist who had Water Creation, Emulation and Manipulation, and Earth Emulation, and a DEX of 10 and a CON of 15 could memorize 7 spells at any one time.
An Elementalist who had Water Mastery and a DEX of 15 could memorize 9 spells at any one time.

For 10 Character Points, an Elementalist may double the total number of spells they can memorize. A Master Elementalist must dedicate 2 spell slots to a 'Universal' slot - so a Fire Master with a PRE of 10 might memorize 2 Fireballs, a Fist of Flame, a Growing Embers and two Universal slots, which can cast anything the Master Elementalist desires. (Most GMs should make the PCs create new spells that they haven't learned during downtime, not in Combat. The exception might be if an opportunity to kill the Evil Overlord presents itself with a spell the player just thought of. Think about it.)

Elemental spells (as well as Arcane and Shamanism spells) take one week of full study each day all day to learn. Once learned, they take 5 minutes to memorize (or 20 for Arcane and Shaman) spells. For Masters, this is shortened to 2 days.

[bblackmoor]

Ok, this is where I could really use some help, as I've never held a firearm in my life. I'm just going to guess, and model these after the guns in [Hero 5].

We can do better that that. :)

One of my best and oldest friends works at the Museum Of The Confederacy in Richmond, and he has a bunch of archaic firearms written up for Champions (we used to play three or four times a week, easily, before he moved). I just gave him a call and asked if he'd email them to me so I can share them with you. Assuming he can find them on his hard drive, he'll send them to me shortly, and I'll post them here.

[dbsousa]

The Basics of Religion

Plea for Help: What's an Englishesque name for the counterpart of a Saint? Every culture will have a different name for Saints and Angels and Demons, but I want an Englishesque name for an evil person elevated to immortality.

Thanks much for the help!

Lich?
Wight?
Sinner?
Accountant?

[Citizen Keen]

We can do better that that. :)

One of my best and oldest friends works at the Museum Of The Confederacy in Richmond, and he has a bunch of archaic firearms written up for Champions (we used to play three or four times a week, easily, before he moved). I just gave him a call and asked if he'd email them to me so I can share them with you. Assuming he can find them on his hard drive, he'll send them to me shortly, and I'll post them here.

Thanks! I really appreciate that a lot!

I'm not really looking for real world names, as much as real world classifications. ("Hand-cannon" and "barrel-loaders" just doesn't have the same ring as "rifle" and "musket", you know?)


Lich?
Wight?
Sinner?
Accountant?

I'm really struggling with this, as I want something that is both a noun and a title... Sinner doesn't feel like a title, but it's the closest I've come. I'm thinking of borrowing my friend's copy of Wheellock's Latin and butchering a dead language. But thanks for the help... This is killing me.

[bblackmoor]

I'm really struggling with this, as I want something that is both a noun and a title... Sinner doesn't feel like a title, but it's the closest I've come.

blackguard, scoundrel, rogue, reprobate, miscreant, knave , villain, rascal, wretch, dastard, cad, devil, creep, rascal, scamp, rat, louse, cur, wretch, bastard, heel, archfiend, demon, ghoul, fiend, jinn, incubus, malefactor, evildoer, wrongdoer

[tkdguy]

How about felon or renegade? Traitor, heathen and infidel also work in some cases.

[dbsousa]

Malefactor, Heretic, Monster, Cretin, Corruptor, Fiend?

[Citizen Keen]

After reviewing my conversation with dbsousa, I noticed something in bblackmoor's post, and I think I'm going to combine two inspirations and go with...

dramatic pause...

ArchSinner.

I've also decided that while some ArchSinner's take the title ArchSinner in pride, some ArchSinners use the title Saint, even though they are less than virtuous.

I'll change the old post. Thanks for all the help, everybody!

[bblackmoor]

One of my best and oldest friends works at the Museum Of The Confederacy in Richmond, and he has a bunch of archaic firearms written up for Champions

Here you go. I hope you find it useful for your game.

It's a an Acrobat file.

(Annoyingly, the forum will not let me upload it in OpenOffice format (*.sxw), which is perfectly safe, even though it would allow me to upload it in Microsoft Word format (*.doc), which is notorious for carrying trojans and macro viruses. I think the worst thing about Microsoft is that it makes its customers less intelligent. Forget monopolies: there should be a class action suit demanding compensation for the infectious stupidity of people who use Microsoft products.)

[Citizen Keen]

Here you go. I hope you find it useful for your game.

Thank you!

Oops! I deleted my gun post. I've never deleted a post, and I thought the post would just be replaced with my 'Reason for Deletion'. If any admins are looking, could it be put back?

I'm going to repost gun stuff once I take a more detailed look at bblackmoor's gun list. Right now I'm getting kicked off the computer by a cantankerous girlfriend.

More later.

[Old Man]

(Forget monopolies: there should be a class action suit demanding compensation for the infectious stupidity of people who use Microsoft products.)

(derail)

I've come to the conclusion that no legal remedy will ever work against Microsoft. Tactical nuclear weapons might.

(/derail)

Excellent PDF, btw. Thanks!

[bblackmoor]

Excellent PDF, btw. Thanks!

I'm just the messenger, but I'll let Lloyd know his effort was appreciated. :)