Ulum: Storms of Fire and Ash - Setting Development

[Nolgroth]

Greetings Herophiles,

 

I've wanted to do an homage to the Dark Sun world for some time now.  I've also been hearing more about Zachariah Sitchen's Annunaki mythos. In short, Sitchen posits that ancient alien gods came to Earth, created modern humans via genetic manipulation as a slave race and then hopped on their wandering planet (Niberu) for a quick jaunt across the galaxy. I took that idea and ran with it. So first draft of back cover blurb:

 

In Ulum's pre-history, the Annuki came down from the skies and mingled their blood with the people of Uhlrum. They created Man to mine the precious ores from the planet and then left, leaving the world fresh for the conquest of self-proclaimed God-Kings . Just a few short generations later, the Sun began to heat up, destroying all but the most hardy vegetation and inexorably driving civilization northward and southward to cooler climates. Then the great serpent, Khuladine was cast from the sky and his coming brought ruin upon what was left of the world. Civilization retreated to a few strongholds, the city-states of the God-Kings.

 

Magic, long an unintended gift of the Annuki, became corrupted. The more a population used it, the more likely that Khuladine would be roused to move against it. Wherever he goes, ruin and tragedy follow. The Ashghuls rise from the dreaded ash seas to serve as his dread army and drag the souls that they slay back to the ever-burning embers. But magic is the key to power. The God-Kings have learned to use the perverted magic in ceremonies that have made them immortal. Most of them have ruled for thousands of years, distant in their towering temples and deaf to the plight of the common folk.

 

Ash Storms blow in periodically, raining fire down upon the city-states, but hope rides behind the ashes. When the ash storms come, rain follows. It is from these waters that civilization continues to toil on. Merchants travel from city-state to city-state, the blood of mercenaries stain the sands, treasure hunters seek the ruins of fallen city-states and remnants of ancient cities, and the wizards huddle in secret places, perfecting their arts away from the fear of the ignorant masses. It is a world where the bold and clever can make a mighty legacy for themselves.

 

As you may guess from the above, I am starting to construct a mini-campaign setting for Fantasy Hero as I've kind of outlined in the 2017 Gaming Projects thread. My first step was to create a map. I always like to have a map handy. It allows me to visualize the world as I go through the creation process. A map that fits the theme of the world is just invaluable.

 

This map was actually a treat to make. After some initial disappointments, I was finally able to get Wilbur (a terrain generation program) to give me something interesting to work with. Once that happened the rest just started falling into place. The texture on the map, concepts for the world, and even the coins used to represent each city-state. I want to share the creation process as I develop things and this map is the first concrete thing I've done in the process. It will be good for viewing on a computer monitor, but will not print well. When I get everything completed, I will have a fully printable product.

 

As always, I welcome constructive comments. I have a pretty good idea of the high concept and some of the (super)natural mechanisms of the world but that doesn't mean that I would not like to see your opinions.

 

Thanks,

James

[Brian Stanfield]

The timing on this is crazy. I literally just turned off the tv after binge-watching Ancient Aliens on the History Channel, and this is the first thing I read! I love the idea, although it is awfully dark. But that has some serious benefits. The drama is built right into the backstory.

 

I discovered Zechariah Sitchin years ago when a student of mind recommended The Twelfth Planet, a great alien conspiracy theory that goes off the deep end. It is fun to conjecture about the origins of the Sumerians and their influence on ancient civilization, and to ponder the possibilities of the planet Tiamat returning, etc. etc. (I may have that part wrong . . . it's been a while). Although I love it as a curious exercise in conjecture, it's historical and anthropological junk food. Which makes it PERFECT for a game setting. Sitchin is full of so many interesting ideas. They make for a great fantasy setting for sure, and probably also a Star Hero setting as well. Or both. His ancient technological explanations are fascinating, if nothing else.

 

Have fun with this!

[Nolgroth]

Thanks. My mind has been whirring like one of those little hamster wheels, after the hamster drank a Monster energy drink and snorted half a kilo of cocaine. The only problem I see is that the ideas are coming in too fast. I have a problem with burnout when that happens so I am trying to control the process a little and direct my energy. I have a basic Pre-History pretty well outlined and some momentous historical events since the God-Kings took over. I also have a basic currency/economy structure. I didn't want to go massively in depth, but I do want some level of character to it. I also have a magic system worked out in my head. I need to see it on paper and run some sample scenarios to see if it works beyond the theory. I have not done anything with other game mechanics like archetypes or packages. I'll get to that.

 

Strangely, I know all of the God-Kings. I know what makes them tick. I know who they hate and who they love. I know what drives them. Usually that is something that I only know in part, as the characters are probably not going to interact directly with them, especially not in early game. I do not know the counsel that makes up the government for Balok, the only city-state not currently run by a God-King. I will work on them later, as inspiration arises.

 

So my current plan/timeline:

Work on the Pre-History and detail my known history notes, expanding as ideas hit.

Develop the back side of the coin images that I already have and use those as fluff for a short economy chapter.

Write out the story background for the God-Kings.

Test and Tweak the Magic System

Detail where water is and how it gets distributed. Another aspect of the world that I know pretty well. Go over the general environment like the heat, ash storms, etc.

 

Once I get those done, I will start work on equipment. Like the Dark Sun world that inspired this project, I see the world as metal poor. Mines still exist but only pull out a fraction of what they used to. Metal weapons are uncommon and metal armor is very rare. I will also work on detailing the monsters and species of the world. Then I start to fill in the parts that need filling in. I'll probably go into detail on one of the city-states and leave the others for future projects. I also want to create an adventure scenario or two to kick things off.

 

Look for more things soon. I might even have some notes and rough draft kind of stuff ready this weekend. Enough rambling. Thanks again for the kind words.

[Steve]

Unless the PCs are uber-powerful, you'll need a good variety of minions and lieutenants working for each God-King for them to deal with.

 

Children of the God-Kings would make for tough opponents. Perhaps one or two daughters to act in the role of "Daddy's Little Villain" would be good too.

[Brian Stanfield]

Have you looked at the Twelfth Planet series of books? It's more historical, but his discussion of the ancient gods ranging from the Sumerians to the Egyptians and Greeks would be good material.

 

Out of curiosity, in a metal-poor world with more primitive weapons and armor, are you planning on more detailed martial arts systems, perhaps regionally varied? It seems like that would be the first place people would go if they can't get good weapons.

[Nolgroth]

Have you looked at the Twelfth Planet series of books? It's more historical, but his discussion of the ancient gods ranging from the Sumerians to the Egyptians and Greeks would be good material.

 

Out of curiosity, in a metal-poor world with more primitive weapons and armor, are you planning on more detailed martial arts systems, perhaps regionally varied? It seems like that would be the first place people would go if they can't get good weapons.

 

I've read the first one many years ago. Aside from the initial contact, uplift and abandonment, the ancient gods are not really a part of the day to day life of the Ulumites. I almost named the world Wussuru (Sumerian for "abandon") but that was putting too much stock into the Annunaki myths and not enough into the idea of a gods abandoned world that floats a little closer to their Sun, a Sun that for unknown reasons started to output more energy, than Earth does it's Sun. Literally, the only gods that the Ulumites know are the God-Kings and they are treated like sleeping dragons that could fly into a rage and have the power to utterly destroy somebody with nary a thought.

 

I will have to think about martial arts. It makes perfect sense that there would be something of the sort, especially in Zarek, which is very much a Sparta-inspired society. Any martial art would, by design, tend to resemble western boxing or pankration more than high flying Chinese Wuxia martial arts. Also, metal poor more means that things like metal weapons can be inserted in place of magical weapons (and ensorcelled steel weapons would be even more rare and valuable...and potentially dangerous for the bearer   ). Good idea though. Thanks.

[Nolgroth]

Unless the PCs are uber-powerful, you'll need a good variety of minions and lieutenants working for each God-King for them to deal with.

 

Children of the God-Kings would make for tough opponents. Perhaps one or two daughters to act in the role of "Daddy's Little Villain" would be good too.

 

Each God-King has a veritable army of bureaucrats and magistrates that deal with the common folk. I place the God-Kings on par with Dr. Destroyer vs. a low-powered Champions team in terms of power discrepancy. It would take the PCs a while to actually be tough enough to survive combat with any of the God-Kings.

 

As for scions of the God-Kings, there are a few. Most God-kings tend to be very careful, as their bloodlines could potentially bear out somebody who rival them in power. That's something a God-King could never tolerate. They intend to live forever and some are nearly as old the post Annuki civilization. They don't need nor want potential heirs. On the other hand, accidents sometimes happen....

[Steve]

I suggest mining the Mortal Kombat mythos for ideas, especially the last few games done since the series rebooted. Outworld has sort of a grim, Dark Sun feel to it.

[Manic Typist]

Brian Sanderson's Mystwraith stuff would be potentially useful, as the original trilogy is set in a world covered by ash. 


You should also consider what kind of bizarre flora and fauna would thrive in this strange world.

[Nolgroth]

I suggest mining the Mortal Kombat mythos for ideas, especially the last few games done since the series rebooted. Outworld has sort of a grim, Dark Sun feel to it.

 

Brian Sanderson's Mystwraith stuff would be potentially useful, as the original trilogy is set in a world covered by ash. 

 

Great suggestions. Thank you. If I get the mental headspace to absorb these, I might just look them up.

 

 

 

You should also consider what kind of bizarre flora and fauna would thrive in this strange world.

 

I've done a little bit of that already. Mostly I've come up with semi-supernatural to outright supernatural creatures thus far.

[Nolgroth]

After looking over the image I posted above, the Sea of Embers just annoyed the heck out of me. It seemed completely out of place. So I went back and re-did it. I think the new version fits the overall style of the map better and allows me to put that part away. The new map is attached here so that you might compare it to the first.

 

I've been working on a timeline, but quite frankly, it seems rather pedestrian. I am going to look at sprucing it up a bit before posting it. I've also been toying with a magic system concept. My goal was to have the world itself impact how the magic works. Typically, Sorcerers will have about 15-40 points for spells. It may go a little higher or a little lower. I have not thought about every permutation I am sure. Let me know what you think. 

 

Magic System Concept (I will probably need to tweak this).

The more I develop, the more I want to develop a magic system that is influenced by omens, astrological conditions, and other factors.

 

Sorcery is the ability to use magical power to alter reality in order to create effects that defy the will of reality. When casting spells, a Sorcerer has a pool of points equal to their Ego score called the Sorcery Pool. This is the maximum number of Active Points the character has available for spells. Factors like favorable omens or conditions can add points, while unfavorable omens and conditions will reduce points from this pool. Some conditions will only grant a conditional bonus to the pool for a specific spell. The character may also draw power from the environment by successfully making a Sorcery Skill (Presence based) check. Each +1 the character makes the check by, adds +5 Active Points to the pool. Some locations can further add to the Sorcery Pool. The character may then divide the pool up between a number of spells equal to Intelligence/5 (rounded down). Note that a Sorcery Skill check is not required if the character already has a large enough Sorcery Pool to cast the desired spell. 

 

Instead of writing up spells as Xd6 <Power> (5d6 Blast for example), they are just listed by their power. The Sorcerer must devote enough points from her accumulated Sorcery Pool to reach the Active Point requirement of a given power. For example, Cloak of Shadows (Invisibility to Normal Sight) requires 20 Active Points of power. If the character cannot generate enough AP to activate a spell (say 17 out of 20 for Invisibility), then the spell will simply not work. Sorcery points in excess of the minimum requirement may be used to purchase Adders and Advantages. Advantages cost 5 AP per +1/4 advantage. 

 

Spells will be a form of equipment that is purchased with in-game currency. Rituals are spells cast with Power Limitations (such as Incantations, Focus, etc.). Each -1/4 Limitation applied to the Ritual grants a +1 to the Sorcery Skill check for gathering points. Rituals and Spells are not interchangeable. A Fireball Spell and a Fireball Ritual are two different purchases. In fact, if two different Rituals have different Limitations, then they must be purchased separately. 

 

Drawbacks:

Using Sorcery may grant enormous power, but it also may extract some terrible consequence. Gathering environmental energy risks drawing the attention of capricious spirits and, if powerful enough, the Wyrm of the Ember Sea himself. For every 5 points added to the Sorcery Pool through Sorcery, roll 1d6. Every "1" rolled on the dice means that something negative happens. Treat it generally as if the character has Unluck. Wandering monsters may stumble across the character's path, etc. If 6 or more "1's" come up on the dice, the Wyrm becomes aware of the Sorcerer. Ashghuls or Emberflies may attack as a suitable warning to the Sorcerer. If those warnings are not sufficient, the Wyrm himself may make a (deadly) appearance.

 

Other: 

Charms may add directly to the Sorcery Pool without needing to tap into ambient magical energy.

 

If the GM does not have a specific idea of what omens, astrological connections, etc, the process may be simplified by a die roll. Designate one six-sided die as Positive Energy and one six-sided die as Negative Energy. Roll both dice and subtract the Negative from the Positive. If the end result is a positive number, multiply it by five and add to the pool. If negative, multiply the number by five and subtract it from the pool. If the amounts seem to variable, reduce the dice to 1d3-1d3.

 

 

Example:

Elestreia is a Sorceress trying to sneak into a merchant caravan in order to steal a small ivory box from the caravan leader. To do this, she is going to need to get past the guards that are watching his wagon. Elestreia has an Ego of 15, so her base Sorcery Pool is 15 points. Not enough for the 20 point Cloak of Shadows spell. Luckily, the GM has decided that conditions are favorable because the thin, crescent moon is waning, granting a +5 point bonus to her pool. Had the waning moon been a new moon, she might have gotten a full +10 points. The 20 points is enough and with a muttered prayer, Elestreia fades from sight.

 

Example 2

Despite Elestreia's best efforts, she was discovered. Now she is cornered by two of the merchant's guards and must fight her way out. The moon has no effect on the Fan of Flame spell that Elestreia is about to cast. She wants it to hit both of the guards, but doesn't have enough in her Sorcery Pool to spread the flames wide enough and still do damage. Having no other choice Elestreia uses her Sorcery skill to gather energy. Her Sorcery skill is 14 and she rolls a 10. She adds 20 points to the Fan of Flame for a total of 35 points. Using 20 points to buy Area of Effect Cone (+1 Advantage), she she still has 15 points left for 1d6 Ranged Killing damage that she rolls versus each of the guards.

 

Since Elestreia pulled in ambient energy, there is a chance that bad luck is going to follow her. She rolls 4d6. Luckily she rolls 3,3,4,4 so will not have any consequences...this time.

 

 

[Manic Typist]

More please.

[Nolgroth]

It's coming. Started a new job that took up all my brain space. Still, I have ideas spinning 'round up there.

[Nolgroth]

The Kurinkuv

 

The Kurinkuv are creatures of myth that are said to haunt the desolation that is Khuladin's Furnace. According to the old tales, the Kurinkuv were the messengers of the Annuki and passed to and fro on errands of great importance. When the Annuki fled Ulum, they did not just abandon the Ulumites, but also their faithful servants. It broke the Kurinkuv and drove them mad.  Where once the Kurinkuv were bold and outspoken, now they are elusive and secretive. It is said that even seeing one brings bad luck and drawing their attention is deadly.

 

Physically, the Kurinkuv look much like athletic men with large feathery wings. Instead of a human head, they have a birdlike head that resembles a falcon or perhaps an owl. The accounts differ with each telling. The fingers and toes both end in sharp talons and the feet are like a bird instead of a man. They can fly great distances and never seem to tire. It is said that they can sleep on the wind. It is by the wind that they spread their mischief for they send whispers of madness cloaked in the zephyrs and storms. Those who listen closely to the whispers become as withdrawn and paranoid as the Kurinkuv themselves.

 

The Kurinkuv are mighty sorcerers in their own right. They were taught sorcery by the Annuki and their very creation has sorcerous origins. Most of their magic is suited for those who dwell in the sky. They can cloak themselves as clouds, cast lightning down on those below them and are gifted with Sight. They hide secrets and, if one is lucky enough to escape alive and sane, he might persuade a Kurinkuv to share such secrets.

 

[stat Block to come. Mostly dealing with story and tone at this point. Also, trying to get my energy spinning up again. Seems to be working. ]

[Ninja-Bear]

Looks good so far! You even have Tengu.

[Cantriped]

Most Tengu don't have a fly speed in Pathfinder, the Kurinkuv are more like Syrinxes; which do have a fly speed, and also have an owls head like the Kurinkuv do.

[Ninja-Bear]

Most Tengu don't have a fly speed in Pathfinder, the Kurinkuv are more like Syrinxes; which do have a fly speed, and also have an owls head like the Kurinkuv do.

Well I going to say the Winged.People but I chickened out.

[Nolgroth]

Looks good so far! You even have Tengu.

 

 

Most Tengu don't have a fly speed in Pathfinder, the Kurinkuv are more like Syrinxes; which do have a fly speed, and also have an owls head like the Kurinkuv do.

 

Not sure what a dog and a set of panpipes have to do with my not-so-very-original heavenly messengers but thanks! 

[Ninja-Bear]

Dog and a set of panpipes?

[Cantriped]

Not sure what a dog and a set of panpipes have to do with my not-so-very-original heavenly messengers but thanks! 

Tengu and Syrinxes are (also) playable bird-folk races from Pathfinder. The latter even has an owls head.

[Nolgroth]

Ahhh. Not the first Google results obviously. If anything, the old Fiend Folio kenku were an inspiration, though only because they are part of my gaming background.

[Nolgroth]

First of all, sorry that it has taken me so long to get to this. See my 2017 Gaming Project post for some small detail as to why. Here are some preliminary notes on weapons used in a metal-poor world.

 

Weapon Materials

 

[Need to consider wood, which is rare, but still a good material for bows. Mostly these are translated from notes I scrawled on pieces of scratch paper when I was at work.]

 

Bone [50% Cost]

Bone is the most readily available material for making weapons. It also produces weapons that are, by and large, the most fragile. Bone weapons do -1 DC and have a Breakage (Burn Out) roll of 13-.

 

Stone [75% Cost]

Stone weapons, usually a stone head attached to a bone grip or handle, are also readily available. They do normal damage and have a Breakage roll of 13-. They can usually be reassembled pretty quickly using Weaponsmith, unless an 18 is rolled on the Breakage test. 

 

Obsidian/Glass [100% Cost]

Obsidian and the glass that was once molten slag can be used to make weapons. Usually these are small, sharp weapons like knives, spearheads or arrowheads. The blades themselves are prone to Breakage with a 13- Breakage roll and once broken cannot usually be salvaged.  Obsidian/glass edged weapons deal a secondary bleed damage if the original attack deals Body damage.

 

Bronze [100% Cost]

Bronze weapons are uncommon and tend to blunt easily. While they do not have a Breakage roll, the edge on blades diminishes quickly. Bronze blades lost 1 DC every time the Breakage 14- roll is failed, up to -2 DC (but never to 0). Blunt weapons are not affected by this rule. Bronze weapons start out at the normal damage rate for its type.

 

Iron [150% Cost]

Iron is even more uncommon than bronze. The edge on iron weapons tends to blunt after use, but at a slower and less pronounced rate than bronze. A failed Breakage 14- reduces the DC by 1, with a maximum of -1 DC. Iron weapons start out at the normal damage rate for its type.

 

Steel [300% Cost]

Steel weapon are rare and prized possessions. Typically generals, nobles and very wealthy merchants can afford to use such treasures. Steel weapons have no Breakage roll. They do the normal damage for a weapon of its type. Steel weapons also carry a Social Limitation: Coveted 8- which may cause those with few scruples to attempt to steal the weapon, even at the demise of its original bearer.

 

Annukian Steel [Reward only]

Annukian steel weapons were forged in the ancient past when the Annuki ruled. Like steel, they do no break. They also never lose their edge and, like obsidian weapons, cause a secondary bleed damage if the weapon does Body. Annukian Steel is so rare that a character will almost never find it in a market (GM plans notwithstanding) or at a forge. Only a handful of these weapons are known to exist. Of course, there are always the ruins in Khuladine's Furnace or near the Sea of Embers. Annukian Steel weapons are highly coveted and come with a Social Limitation: Coveted 11- Complication. The GM may increase that higher, depending on the exploits of the character and his or her fame/

 

 

Base Damage

 

Sample base damages. (In early stage. Going to go back and match them with official sources. Maybe just refer back to FHC.)

 

Dagger: 2 (1/2d6 KIlling) 1 Handed

Shortsword: 3 (1d6 Killing) 1 Handed

Sword: 4 (1d6+1 Killing) 1 1/2 Handed

Broadsword: 6 (2d6 Killing) 2 Handed  (Conan style)

Hammer: 3 (1d6 Killing) +1 StunX; 1 1/2 Handed

Maul: 5 (1 1/2d6 Killing) +1 StunX; 2 Handed

Handaxe: 3 (1d6 Killing) 1 Handed

Greataxe: 5 (1 1/2d6 Killing)  2 Handed

 

[sidebar: Bleeding Damage]

Hero Designer Stats

Bleed Proc:  (Total: 34 Active Cost, 17 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Ranged 1 point, Attack Versus Alternate Defense (Automaton: Does Not Bleed; +1), Does BODY (+1), Damage Over Time (6 damage increments, damage occurs every Turn, can be negated by Successful Paramedics roll or curative sorcery; +2) (25 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4), Limited Power Original attack must do Body damage to target (-1/4), Requires A Roll (14- roll; -1/4) (Real Cost: 11) plus Drain END 1 point, Damage Over Time (6 damage increments, damage occurs every Turn, +2) (9 Active Points); Linked (Bleed Proc; -1/2) (Real Cost: 6)

 

[i chose to use a special power build rather than tweak the existing Bleeding rules. I may change that and add extra Killing Damage, Only for the purpose of determining Bleeding chance/damage (-2). That seems more rules friendly but more fiddly.]

 

 

Infused and Imbued Weapons

 

Infused weapons are bound together by sorcery to remain sturdy. This is an uncommon practice as Infused weapons attract the attention of demons and spirits like the Ashghul, Kurinkuv, Chehl or others. On the other hand, the benefits often outweigh the risks as Infused weapons do not have a Breakage roll so don't break or dull like common weapons of their type. Infused weapons cost XP to obtain.

 

Imbued weapons are Infused weapons with the extra benefit of sorcerous effects added. These are rare and imbued Annukian Steel weapons are so vanishingly rare that nobody has ever actually seen one. It is a concept thought up by sorcerers and alchemists alike, but only the Sorcerer Kings have ever had access to Annukian Steel and they never share their treasures or secrets. Imbued items cost XP to obtain. Imbued weapons do not attract any more attention than Infused weapons, but once that attention falls upon the character, the reaction of supernatural entities may be more extreme.

 

[sidebar: Infused and Imbued Weapons at Character Creation]

The short version is that it would change the flavor of the game into something less gritty and more along the lines of standard Sword and Sorcery fare. That is perfectly fine if that is the type of game you wish to play. Anything I write for the setting is going to assume that Steel weapons are the pinnacle of standard treasures and Annukian Steel is going to be a one-off legendary item, especially if it is imbued. (I'll make this more flowery and prosey later.)

 

 

And finally....

This is all part of the process by which I create. Some, none, or all of this may end up in the final product. It depends on how cumbersome Breakage is or how distracting Supernatural attention is. That sort of thing. I do want to create a world where survival is a key aspect of play and that means a little bit of micro-managing resources. For some GMs and Players, that is not an attractive thought. So I also want to provide options to make it less "gritty."  All is still in development as I consider all of my options.

[Manic Typist]

Perhaps move the Breakage rolls to after the combat? You could assign penalties based on what happened during the combat. It would complicate the scenario of having a weapon break mid-combat, however.

[Nolgroth]

It might well complicate the scenario but that is sort of the point. I'm not married to the idea, but resource management is something I have the vague notion that I want to encourage. One thing that I might do is meta-rule the distinction between "free" equipment (uses in game currency) vs. point-cost equipment (uses CP). That way you can still have breakable equipment but retain your own distinctive flair. Thanks for the feedback.

[bigdamnhero]

I like the feel of the world so far; it has a nice post-apoc feel to it. A few random thoughts FWIW:

 

If the equatorial regions are uninhabitable, it might be interesting to have your map centered on one of the poles, so every direction is south (or north) and gets hotter the further you go. Beyond a certain point are the deadlands where only the heartiest dare to tread, searching old ruins for abandoned stores of metal. And who knows what the opposite pole is like, there are all kinds of rumors but no one really knows...?

 

In most worlds, cities tend to be located near water; that would seem even more critical here, tho as the seas & rivers dried up it would be more about where the good aquifers are located. I can almost see a Barsoom-like process with abandoned cities built on the edges of what used to be seas, stretching downward to chase the water as it withdrew until it was finally untenable. Of course the power of the god-kings may make that irrelevant here. If the god-kings are responsible for providing water to their cities, that alone kindof justifies/legitimizes their rule/worship.

 

If metal is so rare, would they really "waste" it on coins? Or come up with some other form of currency?

 

I like the magic system, tho +5 AP per 1 success on the Magic Roll seems awfully high/random to me, and seems like it would quickly dwarf the importance of omens/conditions. YMMV of course.

 

I like how you handled the different weapon materials. You could extend that to armor as well, where using a bone weapon against metal armor increases the Breakage Roll and so on.

 

Calling a 2-handed sword a "broadsword" might confuse some people who are more used to more standard terminology?