Kulthea - the Shadow World

[KawangaKid]

Does anyone have any ready HERO material for Kulthea?

 

I only have the old 4th Edition stuff from the boxed set.

[Midhir]

Sorry I haven't converted my old Kulthea (Shadow World) stuff yet. It was a toss up to use Kulthea or the Warhammer Old World setting and Warhammer won out.

 

Although the 4th Edition information in the box set won't different much from 5th edition really.

[tkdguy]

KawangaKid, as far as I can remember, the HERO stuff on the Shadow World was pretty sparse. The gods had stats and skills (I think), but no write-ups of spells; just the total number of active points available. If you have the 4th Ed. version of FH, the rules for the realms of magic would still apply.

 

Midhir, I'd like to see what you did with the Old World.

[John Desmarais]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

Originally posted by KawangaKid

Does anyone have any ready HERO material for Kulthea?

 

I only have the old 4th Edition stuff from the boxed set.

 

Wow - someone else who remembers that Shadow World was supposed to support FH as well as RM (sort of).

 

Actually, I haven't used SW in years. What I stared up my current FH campaign I strongly considered using SW, but instead opted to build one based on M. Lackey's Valdemar novels.

 

If you decide to bite the bullet and build Kulthea material for FH5, I'd love to see it (who knows, I may decide to use SW again someday - I always liked it, even though it was really much more of a RoleMaster world than FH).

 

John Desmarais

[Hierax]

FWIW, I was working on a "Shadow Hero" website a while back:

    http://www.hierax.com/hero/shadow/

 

but it was for 4th ed. and I didn't get much content uploaded except for a draft Characteristic conversion:

    http://www.hierax.com/hero/shadow/cha.pdf

 

I've got a bunch more stuff in hard copy hand-written scribbles and on old floppy discs, but it'll be quite a while before I get back to that project and get around to putting it up online.

 

It's a great world though (actually the reason I picked up the HERO System in the first place) and I hope some one else steps up to the plate and does it for Fantasy Hero 5e...

[NuSoardGraphite]

Ah. Kulthea. My favorite published setting.

 

A lot of stuff going on in that campaign world.

 

I definately intend to use it as the basis for my FH campaigns in the future. I would love a resource for coverting SW to 5th edition...

 

It wouldn't be that difficult either. The creatures are 98% done, since SW uses mostly classic fantasy creatures, merely giving them different names sometimes (Pegasus=Steardan. Orcs=Lugroki) and the races in Kulthea are also pretty standard, though they do have an unusually high amount of variant human races.

 

The biggest project would be converting all the magic items (some of which are pretty gnarly, like the Narsaelkin) and comming up with all the cultural packages and racial packages based on the regions. NPC's would be a chore also, but one could simply concentrate on the one's who play a starring role in the campaign (the Jerak Ahrenreth of course).

 

If we had several people who were willing to work in such a project, it wouldn't necesarily be that tough.......

[MordeanGrey]

I have several of the original Kulthea game modules if anyone is looking for specific information.

 

I don't recall the titles for all of them, but I can check if anyone is interested.

[GreyGuardian]

I ran a shadow world campaign using chartmaster (rolemasters if you want to be proper) in college (campaign ended 1988ish). Generally some very good background and modules. I don't think there was ever very much hero support in the shadow world stuff. But then again it's the political situations and plot hooks etc that made the shadow world mods and settings good. Based on the other hero setting books that have come out since 5th edition I'd expect turakian age to have similar crunchy goodness. The Fantasy hero villians book MM and M and the bestiary provide an excellent starting point for converting most "things" you will need to annoy your players from Shadow World.

[John Desmarais]

Originally posted by GreyGuardian

I ran a shadow world campaign using chartmaster (rolemasters if you want to be proper) in college (campaign ended 1988ish). Generally some very good background and modules. I don't think there was ever very much hero support in the shadow world stuff. But then again it's the political situations and plot hooks etc that made the shadow world mods and settings good. Based on the other hero setting books that have come out since 5th edition I'd expect turakian age to have similar crunchy goodness. The Fantasy hero villians book MM and M and the bestiary provide an excellent starting point for converting most "things" you will need to annoy your players from Shadow World.

 

Saying that there was never much Hero Systme support is understating it a bit. I liked Shadow World as a setting, but it was very much geared towards RoleMaster. The first several books included FH stats for many (but not all) of what appeared in them, but it was obviously an after-thought.

 

Kulthea as a FH world had a very different feel than Kulthea as an RM world - mostly due to the vast differences in magic. I'm not really sure what tack I would take to handle magic now - whether I would try to build a Hero magic system similar to what the setting expects, of just say the heck with and use the Grimoire as is.

 

I bought most of what was published during the first two years, then lost interest when I stopped running FH. I would love an excuse to use thet stuff again, but my current campaign (based on Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books) is already underway - and I've written far to much material to jsut chuck in dumpster now...

 

John D

[KawangaKid]

Shadow World

 

I only have the boxed set, and no other modules or settings...

 

There was a bunch of HERO stuff for almost all the monsters and races. They were statted out.

 

The "spell lists" are a problem. I'm already into character creation with my players, and allowing them to create their own backgrounds to interweave with the defacto setting... even sticking in some Jorune stuff.

 

Thanks for the links and the PDF tho! I'll enjoy using those to convert some of the stuff...

 

Been toying with the idea that the "dimension" that the Shades from Forgotten Realms were sent to was actually Kulthea. Random thought.

[KawangaKid]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

ha! did a search for shadow world and kulthea, and found my own thread on google.

 

Must do something with Shadow World; these thoughts were buzzing around before I was married and now I've got an almost 2-year old kid!

 

Hero 6th, I think I've found my fantasy setting for you.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

I have visited this world you speak of. It was in a campaign run by none other than Bismark of these very boards. If he doesn't spot this thread himself give him a poke.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

If you have a copy of the Fantasy HERO genre book for Fourth Edition HERO System, it includes a list of Shadow World books and modules and assessments of the completeness and usefulness of their HERO stats. The most complete such stats were in the last few SW published products: Emer, the Great Continent; Jaiman, Land of Twilight; and Norek: A City-State of Jaiman. Character sheets in those lack only specific spells, making them the easiest to use or to convert to 6E.

 

As the continents of Emer and Jaiman are relatively proximate, they'd provide the basis for a pretty extensive SW campaign; while Norek is detailed enough to make a good home base/starting point.

[AlHazred]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

Oddly enough, I always thought that the RoleMaster magic system was a poor fit for Shadow World -- odd in that Kulthea was designed to be a pure RM setting they could develop materials for, in case the Middle-Earth stuff dropped off. But looking at the stuff about Essence Flow mapping and navigation, invocations to the Lords of Orhan, and so on, it just screams out for a more High Fantasy (or even Epic Fantasy) system.

[Bismark]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

As Shadowsould has noted, I did indeed run a Shadow World campaign about 3 years back.

 

There was a thread on these forums relating to Rolemaster/HERO magic conversions, to which I contributed a few characters from that campaign. It was 5ER rather than 6e HERO of course, but conversions are not that dificult.

 

Thread linky:

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/77763-Rolemaster-Magic-Conversions

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

I was also currently running a Fantasy Hero game using Shadow World as the setting. Very high powered magic. I kind of kept to the Rolemaster style of spell casting (Essence, Channeling and Mentalism) utilizing Multipowers for the spell lists. Three seperate skills for the three realms (Essence is INT based, Channeling is PRE based and Mentalism is of course EGO based). Magic turned out to be very powerful (as expected) so I might tone it down a bit in the next campaign and provide some limits to the Active Points that one can cast based on the Characteristics of the caster. (Probably a sum of the caster INT+EGO+PRE. Casting spells of a higher AP cost than this is possible but is considered "overcasting" and accrues additional penalties to the spell casting roll...and a failed roll has dire consequences, exactly as in the Rolemaster magic system)

Started out at 150pts (75/75) and by the end of the campaign, the characters were able to take on a Herald of the Night and win (barely).

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Kulthea - the Shadow World

 

Just to bump this thread, I thought I would post the stats for my take on a Herald of the Night:

 

 

Herald of the Night:

Characteristics:

STR: 27 (17) INT: 18 (8) Lift: 1120kg Damage: 5D6N

DEX: 23 (39) EGO: 15 (10) CV: 8 ECV: 5

CON: 20 (20) PRE: 20 (10) PRE Attack: 4D6

BOD: 16 (8) COM: 18 (4)

PD: 12 (7) ED: 8 (4)

MD: 8[20] (5) SPD: 5 (27)

REC: 12 (6) END: 50 (5)

STN: 75(36)

RUN: 12” [x2] (12)

LEAP: 7” [x2] (2)

SWIM: 5” [x2] (6)

Cost: 226

 

Skills: Combat Skills:

Perception (All): 18- (15) WF: Common Melee (2)

Acrobatics: 16- (7) WF: Common Missile (2)

Breakfall: 14- (3) Defense Maneuver II (5)

Analyze-Fighting Style: 14- (5) Rapid Attack: Hand to Hand (5)

Climbing: 14- (3) CSL: +2 OCV with Sweep (4)

Deduction: 13- (3) CSL: +3 with Swords (9)

Fast Draw: 15- (5) CSL: +2 with Hand to Hand (10)

Interrogation: 14- (5) CSL: +2 Defensive (10) [DCV vs All]

Navigation: 13- (3)

Persuasion: 13- (3) Magical Skills:

Riding: 15- (5) Essence: 14- (5)

Seduction: 14- (5) Channeling: 15- (7)

Shadowing: 14- (5) Perceiver Power:

Stealth: 14- (3) Meditation: 13- (5)

Survival: 13- (3)

Tactics: 13- (3)

Tracking: 13- (3)

Cost:

 

Special Abilities/Talents:

Difficult to Stun: +20 to CON (40) Not affect Figured (-1/2) Only to determine the point of Stunning (-1) (16)

Hard to Control: +12 to Mental Defense (12)

Rapid Regeneration: Healing-3D6 (30) Regeneration (+0) 0 End (+1/2) Persistant (+1/2) (60 Active)

--Self Only (-1/2) Extra Time: 1 turn (-1) 24pts. Heals 3 Body per Turn

 

Dark Paladin Powers:

Unholy Aura: +20 PRE (20)

--Only to cause Awe/Fear (-1) 10pts

This power allows the Herald to cow and impress onlookers with their very presence. This presence affects normal animals as well.

 

Unholy Assault: +3 OCV (15) Cost End (-1/2) Requires Skill Roll (-1/2)

Plus: +3 Damage Classes (15) to any Hand to Hand weapon. X2 End (-1/2)

Skill roll -3, End=5 Cost: 17 SFX: Unholy, physical (PD)

This Dark Paladin spell “blesses” the Herald’s weapon with Unholy power. The next attack receives a +3 OCV bonus and does an addition +1D6 killing damage if it connects. The weapon will “glow” with an unholy light (really it just radiates darkness) until the spell’s power is expended on its next attack.

 

Darkbolt: Ranged Killing Attack 3D6K (45)

--x2 End (-1/2) Requires Skill Roll (-1/2) Full Phase (-1/2) Incantation (-1/4) Gestures (-1/4)

Skill roll: -5, End=9, Cost: 15 SFX: Unholy, Cold (ED)

This is another offensive Dark Paladin Spell. The Herald is able to channel unholy power down the length of his weapon to strike his enemy down. The Herald must hold his weapon aloft and call to the powers of Darkness before unleashing the strike. The weapon will radiate Absolute Darkness which will then travel down the length of the weapon when the Herald points it at the intended target which then becomes a bolt that strikes swifter than light. The Darkbolt pulls the light and heat from the air as it streaks toward its target, leaving behind frost and shadow. Those few who survive its touch have reported feeling chilled to the very depths of their soul…

 

Deflections: +5 to DCV (25) Cost Endurance (-1/2), Requires Skill roll (-1/2)

Plus: 5pd/ed Force Field (10) x2 Endurance (-1/2), Requires a Skill roll (-1/2)

Skill Roll: -3, End = 4, Cost: 17pts SFX: Magical Defense

This spell is pretty much your standard defensive spell. It works like Bladeturn with the exception that it works on both Hand to Hand and Ranged attacks. Even if the attack hits, it is somewhat slowed by the spell, thus the additional Defense added. A Herald can Abort to this spell if it has not already acted in the current Phase.

 

Other Spells:

As per Evil Cleric spells. Up to 75 Active Point pool

 

Magic Items:

 

Headband: 8pd/8ed Armor (24) OIF(-1/2) Indep(-2) Only protects Loc 3-5 (-1) 5pts

This headband is enchanted to provide protection equal to that of a full helm. It protects Locations 3, 4 and 5.

 

Bracers: Missile Deflection vs All (20) +5 to Deflect (10) 30 Active

--OIF(-1/2) Indep(-2) Cost Endurance (-1/2) Charges 4 (-1) 6pts 3 End/deflect

Plus: +5 OCV to Block (25) Hardened(+1/4) 32 Active

--OIF(-1/2) Indep(-2) Cost Endurance (-1/2) Charges 4 (-1) 6pts 3 End/block

These Bracers are enchanted with Deflection and Bladeturn magic. The magic of the bracers can be activated 4 times per day and when so activated, allows the Herald to Deflect incoming missile weapons or to easily block enemy melee attacks.

 

Boots: +5” Leaping (x4ncbt)(10) OIF(-1/2) Indep(-2) 3pts

These boots allow the Herald to leap great distances at will. The typical Herald will be able to leap 10” combat or 40” non-combat when wearing these boots (they can normally leap 5”/10”)

 

Cloak of Darkness: +3 DCV (15) vs all attacks.

--OIF(-1/2) Indep(-2) 4pts

Plus: +4 to Stealth, Shadowing and Concealment (of self) (12)

--OIF(-1/2) Indep (-2) 3pts

This cloak wraps the Herald in a veil of shadow that seemingly absorbs the light around the Herald. It allows the Herald to almost completely hide in deep shadows and darkness/night. The shifting nature of the cloak makes the Herald seem to appear and disappear even as he stands before you, so it makes it difficult to target the Herald properly, even in hand to hand combat.

 

Armor: 10pd/10ed (30) Hardened (+1/4) 37 Active

--OIF(-1/2) Indep(-2) ½ mass (-1/2) Limited protection (-1/2) 8pts

This armor is in the form of Breastplate (locations 10-13) and Greaves (7-8, 15-17). The armor is capable of withstanding all but the most terrible of blows sent against it.

 

Sword of Night: SFX-Physical, Magic, Cold

2D6 HKA(30) AP(+1/2) +1 StunX(+1/4) 0 End(+1/2) 68 Active

--OAF(-1) Indep (-2) Side Effects (-1/2) 15pts

--Magic Bonus:+4 OCV (20)

--OAF(-1) Indep(-2) 5pts

--Utterdark: Darkness vs Sight group (10) +5” radius (50) ½ Endurance (+1/4) Personal Immunity (+1/2) 105Active

--OAF(-1) Indep (-2) No Range (-1/2) Full Phase activation (-1/2) 21pts, 5 Endurance

--Soulsteal: Major Transform-Steals Soul: 4D6(60) 0 End (+1/2) 90 Active

--OAF(-1) Indep(-2)Only if the sword causes a Disabling Wound(-1) 18pts

--Souldestruction: Drain Body 6D6 (60) Ranged (+1/2) recovers 5pts per week (+1 ¼) 165pts

--OAF(-1) Indep(-2) Charges 4 (-1) charges recover by stealing souls (-1/2) 16pts

--Intelligence: INT 20(10) EGO 20(20) DEX 10(-) SPD 4(20)

--Mind Control vs Wielder: 10D6 (50) +5 to ECV (15)

--Attacks with ECV 12 against the wielder.

--Essaence Battery: +120 Endurance Reserve (12) Rec= 120(119)

--OAF(-1) Indep(-2) Channeling only (-1) Recover 1/day (-1) 22pts

 

The Sword of Night is the Heralds main weapon. They are built as Bastard Swords made of Black-tinted Laen with flecks of silver found throughout the crystalline material. In essence, they are a mockery of Valris’s holy StarSword. These blades are anything but holy. In the hands of a Herald of the Night, they are true weapons of mass destruction;

Each weapon radiates irresistible cold from the blade as it absorbs the heat from the very air around it. Creatures vulnerable to cold will suffer extra damage from these blades. In addition, the blade causes extraordinarily painful wounds (due to the frostbite effect of its cuts) and can slice through armor with apparent ease.

At will, these blades are capable of unleashing an Utterdark effect which covers a 6” radius centered upon the blade in complete and total darkness. This darkness effects the entire Sight Group and can only be countered with an Utterlight spell (or appropriate dispel attempts), however the holder of the sword is immue to the effects of the spell for the duration. It can be cast at the wielders command as often as desired.

If that wasn’t enough, the blades are Soulstealers, capable of devouring the souls of those it gives greivious wounds to. If the weapon causes a disabling wound to an opponent, the Transform dice are automatically rolled, and if successful (x2 Body) the soul is devoured. If the attack was a critical success, the maximum rollable effect is generated. Multiple soulsteal attempts are cumulative.

The Weapon can fire a soul that it has absorbed at an enemy. The effect is that the targets soul is disrupted with the potential for destruction. If the target isn’t killed by the attack, the wounds generated by this dark assault take weeks to heal.

The Swords of Night are all very intelligent artifacts with the capability of controlling their wielders thoughts and actions. If the wielder wants to do something against the wishes of the Unlife, the sword can exert its influence. The swords prefer subtle usages of this ability…make the Herald think that the change of heart is natural…however they are not above simply taking control if the wielder if that is whats necessary to complete their goals.

Finally, the swords work as Essaence Battery for evil Channeling users providing 120 END to power Channeling Spells.