Ubantu - Fantasy setting based on Bantu mythology

[Mzimwi]

I'm getting started on adapting my setting to HERO. The core of my project is the idea of using RPGs to preserve vanishing cultures and mythologies. For this, I've created a world called Refugium, where cultures which on Earth got steamrolled by colonialism get a second chance on a world where magic works (and by some great coincidence, all these lands reach the Age of Sail at about the same time). The first part of this is Ubantu, a world based on Bantu mythology that repudiates the Dark Continent trope by presenting a version of sub-Saharan Africa that is on the verge of its own sui generis Renaissance.Unlike other African settings, it is centered around one group of cultures and follows them faithfully - there is nothing of Egypt or West Africa here.  Ubantu is a magnificent, powerful civilization on par with Renaissance Europe.The PDF is here. Note that you have to download it for the ToC links to work. The map is here. I've also got a bit of work on an Afro-Caribbean/South American continent, if anyone cares to see it.

 

So, I'll be posting lots of questions, newbie stuff, trying to create template for the races and later the magic system. Thanks, y'all

[Lucius]

Very much looking forward to it.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

And a reifier of palindromedaries

[Mzimwi]

I'm working on my first template, for Ubantu Ogres. I have a few questions....

 

I'm guess these are Perks. One - waZimwi have a certain amount of legal enforcement powers. Because they always keep bargains and follow through with deals, they have the legal right to enforce their deals.  Also, most humans in this setting are bound by various taboos. Breaking them makes you unclean, which affects your rolls, and you have to be purified. Ogres don't use this system. So:

 

Legal Enforcement: Deals: Fringe Benefit: Local Police Powers 2 Legal Immunity: Taboos: Fringe Benefit (0 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (-1/4) 1

 

The WaZimwi - Ogres

waZimwi have jet black skin, curly or kinky black hair, which is usually in dreadlocks, red eyes and protruding lower canines. Males are 3m tall, females around 2.75, both sexes dense with muscle. waZimwi traditionally practice ritual scarification, adding lines and chevrons on their cheeks and whorls on their foreheads. They are not as ugly as standard fantasy Ogres - their features are regular and they lack body hair, but they do have a distinct musky odor (the pheromones of young Ogresses can have a powerful effect on human males). Ogre-maidens are sometimes even beautiful by human standards, but the two races seem to be infertile. Their culture is deeply matriarchal and they are practitioners of polyandry, males being born in a 2 to 1 ratio with females.

The waZimwi have their own villages in the hinterlands of Ubantu, often magically hidden. These villages are ruled by ancient Hags with powerful magic. These Hags gain power from eating Humans and other sapients - they are very fond of elephants. The Ogre Hags are wise and foresightful. They have no intention of being left behind or crushed by advancing civilization. There are long established waZimwi families in all of the large cities throughout the Empire, where the males serve as prestige bodyguards and caravan escorts. Young females, while still beautiful, are highly paid dancers.

As a race, Ogres find humans annoying but at least honorable, as they have kept their word following the War without Hope. And though humans tend to lump Ogres together with the amaZimu races, it isn't wise to do so within earshot of an Ogre. They hate the shapeshifters with a passion, especially the waSimba. Ogre mythology is full of tales of clever Ogres turn the pride of the waSimba against them. Ogres hate Hyenas just as much as humans do. Whereas some humans have made people with the waNgwena, Ogres regard them and Leopards with superstitious dread. WaMhenga are the exceptions, often living in Ogre villages and serving a traditional support role for the village chieftainess.

Player character waZimwi are usually waZimwi wabantu, civilized Ogres who live in the cities of Milikyunjovu. The major city-states (sehemu) are about 1% Waziwmi. Civilized Ogres are just that:  civilized. They are well-spoken, immaculately clean and polite, and even courteous and respectful. They are known to sometimes eat people, but never at random. Their anthropophagous urges are satisfied by condemned criminals, and it has been found that the threat of being eaten alive by Ogres is a powerful deterrent. WaZimwi rarely lie, cheat or steal. They are not, in short, openly dangerous. On the other hand, one doesn't cheat an Ogre, and trying to steal from them is recklessly insane. WaZimwi are not interested in human justice - people who die from poison trials are foul tasting, and anyone stupid enough to wrong an Ogre gets what they deserve.  Ogres are also fond of gambling with humans, and if at the end of the game the human can't pay up, the Ogre will cheerfully take an arm or leg.

WaZimwi are genetically predisposed to find human flesh extremely tasty. It can easily become an addiction for them. Other than humans, they prefer to eat the meat of carnivores and omnivores. They don't like beef at all, but accept sheep and goat. They prefer to eat dogs in cities. Other than meat, they traditionally cook insanely spiced potgreens and mealie-bread. Fruits are eaten with peels, including types that make humans sick.

Male waZimwi who somehow get lost or isolated go feral, turning into wandering monsters that terrorize the countryside until they are hunted down. Some are born as Atavisms - these mutants are even larger than regular mZimwi and are forced to knucklewalk.

Ogre social structure is based around alliances of related alpha females. Three, five or seven sisters or first cousins rule a given community. Individual females have one to three husbands, which are not related, though preferably their brothers are married to the other alpha females.

[mhd]

Erm, is it really unavoidable to use the term "race" in this kinda setting?

[Mzimwi]

Erm, is it really unavoidable to use the term "race" in this kinda setting?

Race here specially refers to a sapient species. Is there another option? Does it bother you because it's African? Hmm - in this setting, Pygmies are a separate species that can't interbreed with H. sapiens. Largely this is for their protection - most pygmy cultures in our world were assimilated by Bantus and others taking pygmy wives. If it's about skin color, I went to a lot of trouble to define new words for the skins tones that occur in subSaharan Africa. I don't get it....Ubantu isn't about race at all, my Nef Guinee Afro-Caribbean setting is.

[Lucius]

Dense with muscle:  (Total: 19 Active Cost, 17 Real Cost) +10 STR (10 Active Points); Perceivable (Obviously large and muscular; -1/4) (Real Cost: 8) <b>plus</b> +2 PD (Real Cost: 2) <b>plus</b> +2 ED (Real Cost: 2) <b>plus</b> +2 BODY (Real Cost: 2) <b>plus</b> +6 STUN (Real Cost: 3)

 

This is assuming you want your average Ogre to be four times as strong as an average Human. If they are, say, only twice as strong, cut all values in half. (In Hero, +5 STR doubles what you can lift; if the average young adult Human male has STR of 10, and the Ogre has STR 20, the Ogre isn't twice as strong, he's four times as strong.)

 

Eats things that would make a Human sick:  (Total: 2 Active Cost, 2 Real Cost) Life Support  (Immunity: Most poisonous fruits, raw meat) (Real Cost: 2)

 

I imagine one reason they stand outside the local Human legal system is that the poison trial just doesn't apply to them...

 

Pheremones:  (Total: 9 Active Cost, 5 Real Cost) +1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters) (3 Active Points); Side Effects (Easily tracked or found by scent; -1/2) (Real Cost: 2) <b>plus</b> +1 PER with Normal Smell (Real Cost: 1) <b>plus</b> Discriminatory with Normal Smell (5 Active Points); Requires A Roll (11- roll; Must be made each Phase/use; Must roll under 12 on the Perception roll to be Discriminatory; -1) (Real Cost: 2)

 

I assume that if they are that pheremonal, so to speak, they probably have a keen sense of smell and an ability to "read" scents. I can imagine one of those bodyguards seizing an assassin whose weapon hasn't come out because "He was smiling, but smelled of Human fear and hate."

 

Like to gamble:  (Total: 11 Active Cost, 9 Real Cost) Gambling (Board Games, Dice Games, Sports Betting, Riddle Contests) 11- (Real Cost: 7) <b>plus</b> +2 with Gambling (4 Active Points); Limited Power Only to detect cheating (-1) (Real Cost: 2)

 

I threw in "sports betting" to cover foot races, spearcasting competitions, and other strenuous contests I can imagine them favoring.

 

Reputation:  (Total: 6 Active Cost, 6 Real Cost) Positive Reputation:  Honorable, but never cross one (A large group) 14-, +2/+2d6 (Real Cost: 6)

 

They don't cheat, and they better not catch you trying to cheat either.

 

A Law unto themselves, even in Human cities:  (Total: 3 Active Cost, 3 Real Cost) Fringe Benefit:  Not subject to most Human laws and customs (Real Cost: 3)

 

Example: If wronged, can exact retribution against a Human without legal consequences. Can eat dog meat without losing social status. etc.

(Note: "Local Police Powers" would be appropriate if they actually have a role in the community's law enforcement; if they just have the recognied right to right their own wrongs, I wouldn't consider that "Police Powers")

 

Psychological Complication:  Honorable: Will never willingly break the terms of a bargain or contract or wage (Common; Total) 20

 

A 20 pts Complication, as I get the impression a dishonorable WaZimwi is almost unheard of

 

Psychological Complication:  Hungers for Human flesh (Uncommon; Moderate) 5

 

Negative Reputation:  Honorable, Frequently 10

 

This is "negative" in that, since everyone knows this about them, it can be used to advantage against them. It's one reason they find Humans annoying; Humans know they can be annoying without being eaten, unless they cross certain lines.

 

Distinctive Features:  WaZimwi (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses; Not Distinctive In Some Cultures) 5

 

Kind of hard to hide in the crowd, unless it's a crowd of people who also happen to be 3 meters tall.

 

 

If anyone's interested, I also created some options for dancers, bodyguards, hags, and feral Ogres

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary reads up on Ubuntu and reflects that "going feral" might be a risk for anyone if isolated and cut off from community for long enough.

[Mzimwi]

That was really kind. Here's my first template:  MzimwiMale

 

Now, if anyone is feeling helpful, I have some serious problems with my magic systems. Ubantu is meant to be a magitech world, where everyone uses magical lights and cookstones and such. The basis of this is a set of sigils (kiGanga) that can be engraved in pots and such to give them limited enchantments. From this grew Kebushani beadwork, so effective that in Milikyunjovu warriors wear ornately beaded leather armor instead of metal. When the engraving is applied to craft skills, you get Ufundi, Craft Magic, which makes things like Signal Drums (telegraphic, unlimited distance). Here's how I did it in GURPS:

 

Ufundi - Guild Magic


Wafundi are craftsmen whose skill allows them to create enchanted items. A prime example is the Drum Society, which uses magic to turn their non-magical signal drums to a magical telegraph system. Originally they simply made magical versions of their everyday crafts, but now have developed the ability to create magical tools to enhance their crafts. For instance, ironsmiths can make hammers that shape iron without heat.

The levels of initiation mimic the age-grades found in many societies in Ubantu. The induction into the Guild proper is modelled on the circumcision ceremony. After that comes warrior, then master, then elder of however many circles there are and finally ascended elder. One ascends in the guild by adding new ritual to the Guild grimoire, thus ensuring a high place in the Guild hall in Kuzimu.
    
Most wafundi belong to a trade guild. In addition to the actual mechanics of the magic, they must learn to read the encoded grimoire(s) and pass through the various initiation ceremonies that bind them to the guild. Many of the more complex rituals involve the aid of Guild spirits, both mashave spirits that lend raw power and venerated ancestors that lend their expertise. Tutelary ancestors can increase skill levels or even lend peripheral skills, mashave can increase Magery and add energy.

Mechanics

Wafundi begin with their requisite skills. For our two examples, the primary skills are Basketweaving (DX/A) and Signal Drumsmith (DX/H). Becoming a master entails learning related skills, such as Horticulture (Vines and Canes) and Woodworking, Tanning, Leatherworking and Musical Instrument (Drums).

Because taboos are such an essential part of this setting, rather than having Pact limitations on various advantages, the character adds another 1pt Quirk.

Having demonstrated a certain ability, the prospective mfundi will be tested for magical ability. Once his basic skill reaches 12, he will be allowed to use magical tools that require input (meaning they require the Guild Mage perk [1]). If the candidate is capable of using the tools, he will be taught until his skill reaches 14, then initiated as a novice. In the initiation, a diviner will contact the candidate's msomolezi and seek permission. If this is granted, and it will be unless the candidate has some unrevealed taboo that would inhibit his ability, the candidate will be taken into the cadre of the founder spirit's community.

add:
    Guild Magery 0 [1] or Magery 0[5] and
    Patron (Guild) (Equipment:  more than starting wealth, +100%, 9 or less) [20] and
    Duty (Guild labor) (Fairly often) [-5] and
    Taboo (specific to Guild) [-1] and
    Discipline (Keep guild secrets) [-1]

The pact with the founder spirit at this point will add a new taboo specific to the guild and prevents the initiate from revealing guild secret, on pain of curses or other supernatural sanctions.

Now the novice must learn a new skill:  Guild Magic (Specialization) - IQ/VH, which enables him to cast basic spells, make charms and enchantments. In order to learn this, he must study kiGanga (IQ/H) [analogous to Symbol Drawing (Ritual Path)]. Depending on his trade, this will be associated with Engraving (Kimusso) (DX/A) or Beadwork (Kebushani) (IQ/H). Our drum maker would learn Engraving (Kimusso) so that he could engrave the mystic symbols of kiGanga on his drums, while our basketmaker would learn Beadwork (Kebushani) to add beads to his baskets.

   
Skill Cap: the Guild Magic skill cannot exceed the lower of 12+Magery or the relevant craft skill. However, for the purpose of this cap, the craft skill is at -3 if Easy, -2 if Average, -1 if Hard, and unchanged if Very Hard. For example, High Craft (Signal Drumsmith) cannot exceed the lower of 12+Magery or Signal Drumsmith-1.
    
Guild magic has special limitations. Guild mages cannot use conditional or triggered spells - but they can create an unlimited number of charms or enchanted items. When casting spells directly, rather than creating charms or items, they may use only their natural resevoir or energy lent to them by assisting spirits. Due to these restrictions, Guild Magery costs 4pts/lvl beyond the Guild Magery 0 perk.
 

An example of what a Craft Mage can do:  Wickersnake Basket Guild
Spells: Craft Spell College- Basketweaving (spells that cure cane, weave knots, stain wicker, etc)
Charms/Ephemeral Enchantments - Handle, Weave, Unknot, Clamp, Handcuff, Spirit Trap (traps a spirit in a basket), Unfolding Chair, Table (grows), Hut (transformed basket)
Permanent Enchantments - Autobalance Basket
Spillproof Basket
Lightweight Basket
Durable Basket

 

Doing it in HERO: I can't see paying for these trinkets with character points. This is all 'ordinary equipment and gear'. So I'm going with the alternate system on Fantasy Hero 285 where it costs END (long term). That won't matter for upper level Craft Mages, as they'll have spirit familiars to lend them the END. I'm thinking the spells that assist the artisan can be general, then a spell each for the Ephermeral and Permanent Enchantments.

 

High Craft Magic:  Requires background Professional skills to use (+0), all slots Extra Time (1 Hour, Character May Take No Other Actions, -3 1/4), Spell (-1/2), Requires A Skill Roll - the craft skill apart from the spell skill (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Costs Endurance , Incantations (-1/4), Foci (workshop), Gestures,

 

I'm still figuring out Multipowers, so give me time. Thanks, y'all

[Lucius]

For some reason, there's a maximum number of blocks of text I am allowed to quote.

 

That was really kind. Here's my first template: MzimwiMale

I get a blank page.

 

edit: so I am chopping up my post.

 

 

Now, if anyone is feeling helpful, I have some serious problems with my magic systems. Ubantu is meant to be a magitech world, where everyone uses magical lights and cookstones and such. The basis of this is a set of sigils (kiGanga) that can be engraved in pots and such to give them limited enchantments. From this grew Kebushani beadwork, so effective that in Milikyunjovu warriors wear ornately beaded leather armor instead of metal. When the engraving is applied to craft skills, you get Ufundi, Craft Magic, which makes things like Signal Drums (telegraphic, unlimited distance).

Then these minor, everyday magical items should not be built with points, just as in a contemporary setting you can just assume that people have eletric lights and telephones.

 

Here's how I did it in GURPS:

 

Ufundi - Guild Magic

 

 

Wafundi are craftsmen whose skill allows them to create enchanted items. A prime example is the Drum Society, which uses magic to turn their non-magical signal drums to a magical telegraph system. Originally they simply made magical versions of their everyday crafts, but now have developed the ability to create magical tools to enhance their crafts. For instance, ironsmiths can make hammers that shape iron without heat.

 

The levels of initiation mimic the age-grades found in many societies in Ubantu. The induction into the Guild proper is modelled on the circumcision ceremony. After that comes warrior, then master, then elder of however many circles there are and finally ascended elder. One ascends in the guild by adding new ritual to the Guild grimoire, thus ensuring a high place in the Guild hall in Kuzimu.

 

Most wafundi belong to a trade guild.

What's a wafundi?

 

In addition to the actual mechanics of the magic, they must learn to read

It sounds like a setting in which everyone would have basic literacy for free. Knowing the special code of a guild would probably be a matter of having the "PS" or Professional Skill.

 

the encoded grimoire(s) and pass through the various initiation ceremonies that bind them to the guild. Many of the more complex rituals involve the aid of Guild spirits, both mashave spirits that lend raw power and venerated ancestors that lend their expertise. Tutelary ancestors can increase skill levels or even lend peripheral skills, mashave can increase Magery and add energy.

 

Mechanics

 

Wafundi begin with their requisite skills. For our two examples, the primary skills are Basketweaving (DX/A) and Signal Drumsmith (DX/H). Becoming a master entails learning related skills, such as Horticulture (Vines and Canes) and Woodworking, Tanning, Leatherworking and Musical Instrument (Drums).

These would probably be Professional Skills, which can be based on various Characteristics.

 

Because taboos are such an essential part of this setting, rather than having Pact limitations on various advantages, the character adds another 1pt Quirk.

Please explain how taboos work

 

edit: maybe if I do it this way it will let me.

 

 

Having demonstrated a certain ability, the prospective mfundi will be tested for magical ability. Once his basic skill reaches 12, he will be allowed to use magical tools that require input (meaning they require the Guild Mage perk [1]).

My experience with GURPS is limited, but I believe Multipower is a good fit for translating GURPS magic.

 

If the candidate is capable of using the tools, he will be taught until his skill reaches 14, then initiated as a novice. In the initiation, a diviner will contact the candidate's msomolezi and seek permission. If this is granted, and it will be unless the candidate has some unrevealed taboo that would inhibit his ability, the candidate will be taken into the cadre of the founder spirit's community.

 

add:

Guild Magery 0 [1] or Magery 0[5] and

Patron (Guild) (Equipment: more than starting wealth, +100%, 9 or less) [20] and

Duty (Guild labor) (Fairly often) [-5] and

Taboo (specific to Guild) [-1] and

Discipline (Keep guild secrets) [-1]

 

The pact with the founder spirit at this point will add a new taboo specific to the guild and prevents the initiate from revealing guild secret, on pain of curses or other supernatural sanctions.

Patron could probably be translated as Contact. The Contact might be bought with Limitations to represent the taboos and obligations. "Magery" probably equates to the basic points in the Multipower.

 

Now the novice must learn a new skill: Guild Magic (Specialization) - IQ/VH, which enables him to cast basic spells, make charms and enchantments. In order to learn this, he must study kiGanga (IQ/H) [analogous to Symbol Drawing (Ritual Path)]. Depending on his trade, this will be associated with Engraving (Kimusso) (DX/A) or Beadwork (Kebushani) (IQ/H). Our drum maker would learn Engraving (Kimusso) so that he could engrave the mystic symbols of kiGanga on his drums, while our basketmaker would learn Beadwork (Kebushani) to add beads to his baskets.

I would represent this simply with a Power Skill.

 

Skill Cap: the Guild Magic skill cannot exceed the lower of 12+Magery or the relevant craft skill. However, for the purpose of this cap, the craft skill is at -3 if Easy, -2 if Average, -1 if Hard, and unchanged if Very Hard. For example, High Craft (Signal Drumsmith) cannot exceed the lower of 12+Magery or Signal Drumsmith-1.

Unfortunately, Hero simply doesn't make the "Easy/Average/Hard/Very Hard" distinction among Skills as GURPS does. One other thing you might notice is that if a Skill roll is required for a Power, Hero imposes a penalty based on the Active points in the Power. Keep that in mind before putting Requries a Skill roll on a Power as a Limitation.

 

 

edit: Alas, I have to fake it. What an annoying an idiotic restriction.

 

 

BEGIN QUOTE HERE

Guild magic has special limitations. Guild mages cannot use conditional or triggered spells - but they can create an unlimited number of charms or enchanted items. When casting spells directly, rather than creating charms or items, they may use only their natural resevoir or energy lent to them by assisting spirits. Due to these restrictions, Guild Magery costs 4pts/lvl beyond the Guild Magery 0 perk.

END QUOTE HERE

 

Sounds like you're using what in Hero is called ENDuance Reserve. Or maybe just END? I'm not sure what is meant by "natural reservoir."

 

 

 

 

 

BEGIN QUOTE HERE

An example of what a Craft Mage can do: Wickersnake Basket Guild

Spells: Craft Spell College- Basketweaving (spells that cure cane, weave knots, stain wicker, etc)

Charms/Ephemeral Enchantments - Handle, Weave, Unknot, Clamp, Handcuff, Spirit Trap (traps a spirit in a basket), Unfolding Chair, Table (grows), Hut (transformed basket)

Permanent Enchantments - Autobalance Basket

Spillproof Basket

Lightweight Basket

Durable Basket

 

Doing it in HERO: I can't see paying for these trinkets with character points. This is all 'ordinary equipment and gear'. So I'm going with the alternate system on Fantasy Hero 285 where it costs END (long term). That won't matter for upper level Craft Mages, as they'll have spirit familiars to lend them the END. I'm thinking the spells that assist the artisan can be general, then a spell each for the Ephermeral and Permanent Enchantments.

 

High Craft Magic: Requires background Professional skills to use (+0), all slots Extra Time (1 Hour, Character May Take No Other Actions, -3 1/4), Spell (-1/2), Requires A Skill Roll - the craft skill apart from the spell skill (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Costs Endurance , Incantations (-1/4), Foci (workshop), Gestures,

 

I'm still figuring out Multipowers, so give me time. Thanks, y'all

END QUOTE HERE

 

Hmmm.....are most Powers only going to be usable in a workshop then?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

What next, a restriction on how many palindromedaries I can put in a tagline?

[Mzimwi]

I would like to see the other templates you created. I tried again with the character sheet, RTF->PDF, here. Sorry, I meant to remove all the Swahili. Mfundi/Wafundi (sing/plural) are skilled professionals. Their magic is Ufundi aka Guild Magic. As for the reading, this kind of magic is based on a simple set of runes, called kiGanga (knowledge-ese). HERO seems to want individual runes to be meaningful, but these are more like syntactic magic where you have Nouns like Element, Person, Animal, Plant, Humour, Food and Verbs like Communicate, Weaken, Strengthen, Move, Protect, Heal, Create, Control, Transform, Sense, Protect to create an improvisational magic system. I'm not worried about detailing the sigils (to distinguish them from HERO's runes) at this point, but I picture them like the Taino pictoglyphs. You either engrave the sigils or embroider them with beads to make minor magic items. So, I have KS:  kiGanga Sigils, then either PS: Engraving kiGanga or PS: Beadwork kiGanga, one of which is required for making craft magic items.

 

Taboos, the GURPS system. The Bantu peoples have an obnoxious number of taboos, and it would be utterly boring to have players have to check to see if their pots have cracks in them, or insisting that they can't use magic because they had sex recently. Therefore, whenever a player rolls a critical failure, a 17 or 18, it indicates he has violated a taboo. In the Bantu world, there are no accidents. Bad things happen because a)you've broken a taboo or b)you're being bewitched. After the crit failure, your character is 'chafu' = unclean.  On an 18, there is an immediate 'accident' that causes some level of injury to the character. On both 17 and 18, the character will suffer ongoing bad luck, represented by a -1 penalty to any important roll. The character will realize something is up rather quickly and testing for chafu is easy. A roll of 17 indicates low level pollution that can be dealt with by ingesting munyu (holy salt) or through one of several other rituals. An 18 is much more serious and will require the services of a Diviner. If you want to know more, well, it does go on. This seems like it would work okay in Hero.

 

One of the things about Taboos that's giving me a problem is that in GURPS you have Quirks, -1 minor Disadvantages, like "Can't Eat Wild Game". In a lot of these magic systems, mages get extra points by taking on new taboos, which are linked to their power, in a "pact limitation". And idea how I'd do that?

 

Back to craft magic. One of the major limitations is that the spells/powers can only be used in a workshop, at least those that involve creating items. I'd like to have a set of High Craft Spells that are actually used in the work, like a blacksmith might have Temper Iron, Shape Iron, etc. Hopefully that can be one spell/skill - just High Craft (PS specialization). Since there are grimoires, I could work the rest of the items like Recipes. You'd start with a familiarity with 30 or so Schematics. To work your way up in the Guild, you have to develop those spells. I divide the items into Charms (ephemeral) and Enchantments (perm). Charms can be fairly useful magic, like a basket that turns into a hut.
 

As for the END cost, I found this:  END cost: Determine Real Point Cost, this is the Base Cost for an item creation spell. It is an Instant Power with no Range and costs END to use. Apply Advantages and Limitations to Base Cost - these apply to the creation process, not the item. Base time is one day per 10 Active Points, +1/2 to reduce time to one hr per. The END cost is long term END. He only regains his REC per day. or add +1/4 for regular END cost.

 

BTW, this really isn't an adventuring class. I have waGanga/Fetish Sorcerers, who use bizarre fetishes to cast spells, each fetish being the focus for 1-4 spells, waSinsimi/Elemental Sorcerers, whose powers are given by elemental familiars, waNgaka/Herbalists who talk to the plants to learn their magics and waGuzi/Oracles who channel the spirits. And yeah, I'm not making this up. Elaborating, yes, but not fabricating.

[mhd]

Race here specially refers to a sapient species. Is there another option? Does it bother you because it's African?

I wouldn't mind if the term would be eliminated from new RPGs in general. But yes, it sounds especially bad in an African context, especially if it's about preserving cultures and not some pulpy "dark continent" deal. And it's not like we don't have alternatives...

 

Sure, it's pretty much grandfathered in (like simplistic morals and bad armor & polearm terminology), but any game that is not D&D shouldn't have much difficulty in applying another term.

[Mzimwi]

I wouldn't mind if the term would be eliminated from new RPGs in general. But yes, it sounds especially bad in an African context, especially if it's about preserving cultures and not some pulpy "dark continent" deal. And it's not like we don't have alternatives...

 

Sure, it's pretty much grandfathered in (like simplistic morals and bad armor & polearm terminology), but any game that is not D&D shouldn't have much difficulty in applying another term.

Hmm - there is no other word that I know of that means 'species of sapient beings'.  Elves, Vulcans, Kappa - they are races of beings. There are three species of sapient psychic elephants in this world, what should I call them?

 

It has nothing to do with race theory, which I loathe and repudiate and don't use. My race is Human. However, in this setting, the waBantu people (a back construction that means 'real people') do not regard humans outside of their culture as being people. In particular, in Ubantu, the Maasai have become horse normads and warriors and are a holy terror. It was normal in precolonial Africa for each tribe to refer to themselves as 'the people' and to believe that their neighbours were cannibals, though I changed this when I pushed them into a trans-tribal empire. It will probably bother you more to know that the hyper evolved baboon people/the-people-who-sit-on-their-heels/!Tsharg are a slave race in the empire, working on plantations and in mines. It a phase of social and technological evolution, and the Empire is just at that stage. They also enslave Humans, for debts and crimes. They also regard breach births, twins and children who cut their upper teeth first as unnatural - Variant Births get their own section and have their own templates. In the real world, these children were normally killed, but it's one of the authentic bits I choose to leave out, along with female genital mutilation. The truth is, Bantu culture has plenty of issues without our race nonsense.

 

If it helps you any, modern Bantu people don't give a whit about American ideas of race. Wazungu (busybody foreigners) come in all colors, and the ones that pretend they have some connection to Africa are actually more annoying. It somewhat like trying to convince a Chinese, a Japanese and a Korean that they are all the same - they don't care about American race neuroses.

[Lucius]

 

I would like to see the other templates you created. I tried again with the character sheet, RTF->PDF, here.

 

I'm sorry - I can't FIND the stuff I did now. And yours is still blank to me. I've been having a lot of frustrating computer issues lately.

 

Sorry, I meant to remove all the Swahili. Mfundi/Wafundi (sing/plural) are skilled professionals. Their magic is Ufundi aka Guild Magic. As for the reading, this kind of magic is based on a simple set of runes, called kiGanga (knowledge-ese). HERO seems to want individual runes to be meaningful, but these are more like syntactic magic where you have Nouns like Element, Person, Animal, Plant, Humour, Food and Verbs like Communicate, Weaken, Strengthen, Move, Protect, Heal, Create, Control, Transform, Sense, Protect to create an improvisational magic system. I'm not worried about detailing the sigils (to distinguish them from HERO's runes) at this point, but I picture them like the Taino pictoglyphs. You either engrave the sigils or embroider them with beads to make minor magic items. So, I have KS:  kiGanga Sigils,

then either PS: Engraving kiGanga or PS: Beadwork kiGanga, one of which is required for making craft magic items.

 

In Hero, we usually represent ability to read and write in any given symbol system as "Literacy" found under Languages and costing, at most, 1 pt.

 

I would say the engraving or beadwork could be subsumed in the necessary Power Skill.

 

It's also occured to me - in GURPS, as I recall, "Magery" or "Magical Aptitude" included the ability to sense magic. In Hero, we'd usually do that as an Enhanced Sense. You could, of course, assume that the sense comes free with the Power Skill. Depends on how many points you want a character to have to spend to become a mfundi.

 

 

Taboos, the GURPS system. The Bantu peoples have an obnoxious number of taboos, and it would be utterly boring to have players have to check to see if their pots have cracks in them, or insisting that they can't use magic because they had sex recently. Therefore, whenever a player rolls a critical failure, a 17 or 18, it indicates he has violated a taboo. In the Bantu world, there are no accidents. Bad things happen because a)you've broken a taboo or b)you're being bewitched. After the crit failure, your character is 'chafu' = unclean.  On an 18, there is an immediate 'accident' that causes some level of injury to the character. On both 17 and 18, the character will suffer ongoing bad luck, represented by a -1 penalty to any important roll. The character will realize something is up rather quickly and testing for chafu is easy. A roll of 17 indicates low level pollution that can be dealt with by ingesting munyu (holy salt) or through one of several other rituals. An 18 is much more serious and will require the services of a Diviner. If you want to know more, well, it does go on. This seems like it would work okay in Hero.

 

You can just say that this is how that particular sort of Power Skill works. Or Maybe make it a mandatory Limitation on the Skill itself, at about -1/4.

 

One of the things about Taboos that's giving me a problem is that in GURPS you have Quirks, -1 minor Disadvantages, like "Can't Eat Wild Game". In a lot of these magic systems, mages get extra points by taking on new taboos, which are linked to their power, in a "pact limitation". And idea how I'd do that?

 

Depends on how detailed and concrete, or simplifed and abstract, you want to be; kind of like how you abstracted the whole comlicated tabu system into, "if you roll 17 or 18 you broke a taboo." Fantasy Hero often has priest characters in particular buy Powers with a "Must follow tenets of religion" Limitation. This looks like the same thing. The more restrictions a character has on their behavior, the more of a Limitation they have, which makes each Power cheaper, and enables buying more or bigger Powers.

 

 

Back to craft magic. One of the major limitations is that the spells/powers can only be used in a workshop, at least those that involve creating items. I'd like to have a set of High Craft Spells that are actually used in the work, like a blacksmith might have Temper Iron, Shape Iron, etc. Hopefully that can be one spell/skill - just High Craft (PS specialization). Since there are grimoires, I could work the rest of the items like Recipes. You'd start with a familiarity with 30 or so Schematics. To work your way up in the Guild, you have to develop those spells. I divide the items into Charms (ephemeral) and Enchantments (perm). Charms can be fairly useful magic, like a basket that turns into a hut.

 

I'd look into the rules for Bases. A workshop sounds like a Base, which can have its own Powers. It is also possible for multiple characters to each contribute points to a single Base, so if you have a large guild and each member contributes 1 to 5 pts (depending on how high they rank in the guild) you can have a very powerful Base for a guildhall. Those beyond a certain degree of initiation can of course spend points on a personal Base too.

 

 

As for the END cost, I found this:  END cost: Determine Real Point Cost, this is the Base Cost for an item creation spell. It is an Instant Power with no Range and costs END to use. Apply Advantages and Limitations to Base Cost - these apply to the creation process, not the item. Base time is one day per 10 Active Points, +1/2 to reduce time to one hr per. The END cost is long term END. He only regains his REC per day. or add +1/4 for regular END cost.

 

BTW, this really isn't an adventuring class. I have waGanga/Fetish Sorcerers, who use bizarre fetishes to cast spells, each fetish being the focus for 1-4 spells, waSinsimi/Elemental Sorcerers, whose powers are given by elemental familiars, waNgaka/Herbalists who talk to the plants to learn their magics and waGuzi/Oracles who channel the spirits. And yeah, I'm not making this up. Elaborating, yes, but not fabricating.

 

I'm not sure you ever explained what you meant by "natural reservoir?" The character's personal END?

 

And can you tell me which book and what page number you found that passage in? While I'm at it, which books and products do you have access to?

 

 

On the "Race" issue, I noticed

 

Whereas some humans have made people with the waNgwena, Ogres regard them and Leopards with superstitious dread.

 

I assume "made people with" means, two groups each recognize the other to be "people?" (ironically, if I understand you, the Bantu Humans of your setting have NOT necessarily made people with some other groups of Humans. I find this darkly amusing but absolutely credible.)Could be interesting if a Human, an Ogre, and a MNgwena are interacting; the Human considers both of the others to be people, each of the others considers the Human to be a person, but they don't recognize one another as people.

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I think the palindromedary ate my MaZimwi rather than make people with it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bigbywolfe]

I can see the character sheet fine, so the problem isn't on Mzimwi's end.

[mhd]

Hmm - there is no other word that I know of that means 'species of sapient beings'.

Considering that "race" doesn't mean that either, why not go with "species" if you have to stay that clinical?

 

However, in this setting, the waBantu people (a back construction that means 'real people') do not regard humans outside of their culture as being people.

Neither do drow, orcs etc., but that's in-game, which is a totally different matter entirely. It's not like the waBantu talk about "OCV", either.

 

Again, it's not like we're not used to this in RPG circles, and IIRC, the Nymabe D20 RPG also used the terms. Then again, back in Gygax' days we also didn't dare to use the female pronoun when it came to players (arguably with good reason).

 

Not trying to go all SJW/PC/Baatezu on you. Personally, this wouldn't really affect me that much, there are worse tropes out there.

[Lucius]

Please clarify this taboo against rolling a 17 or 18. Is a character "chafu" only if they roll that while attempting magic, or does that apply to ANY roll?

 

Because if it applies to any roll, and only to some characters (Humans of this culture) and the penalty is a -1 on all rolls, you might want to turn it around and say the benefit of following this taboo system is a +1 on all rolls that is lost when a taboo is broken. Those subject to taboo can buy something like this:

 

Subject to Taboo:  (Total: 12 Active Cost, 7 Real Cost) +1 Overall (12 Active Points); Conditional Power Not if Chafu (roll 17 or 18 on any roll, until "cleansed") (-1/4), Side Effects (General ill fortune if chafu; -1/4), Conditional Power Not if cursed (-1/4) (Real Cost: 7)

 

WaZimwi and the like who are NOT subject to taboo, wouldn't buy this, but it would be mandatory for most Humans in the setting.

 

Contrariwise, if you were only talking about something that applies to some Skill rolls, such as the Power Skill for magic, and those who are not subject to taboo wouldn't be using those Skills (or they would become subject to taboo if they decide to join such a guild and are accepted and learn their secret magic) - then I can see just saying it's part of how that skill works, just like the Demolitions Skill can get you blown up if you blow a roll badly at the wrong time.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Power Skill: Palindromedary Powers

[Mzimwi]

The taboos do have to be for all humans. This is an integral part of the culture. In the text, I explain that in modern times, due to the harsh restrictions on witchcraft, the poison ordeal that provides universal justice and the availability and power of diviners, "modern thinkers" believe in accidents, which is this world's progressive vs conservative. Thanks for the package, it's better than legal immunity on the other races.

[Lucius]

Whatever happened to Mzimwi?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary denies having eaten him

[Christopher R Taylor]

There's a tremendous amount of interesting stuff out there to adapt that will be very fresh to most people and hence attractive.

[Barwickian]

Seeing this thread for the first time, thanks to Lucius' necromancy.

 

It's good stuff. And my wife's Bantu.

 

Noticed a question above that went unanswered. "What's a wafundi?" - it's the plural of mfundi. Wafundi means engineers or craftspeople in Kiswahili, but Mzimwi seems to be using it to mean enchanters. Therefore ufundi is enchantment and mfundi an enchanter.

 

Bantu word construction. People generally fall under m/wa singular/plural prefixes.

 

Common prefixes for cultures and people: U- the idea or culture of something - could be a place or an abstract. M- a person of that culture or idea. Wa- a group of people of that culture or idea. Ki- the language of those people.

For example: Kiswahili, the Swahili language; Uswahili, Swahili culture; Mswahili, a Swahili person; Waswahili, Swahili people (Swahili itself is a word of Arabic origin, from suhail, meaning Coast). Likewise, Uingereza, Englishness, or England itself; Kiingereza, the English language; Mingereza, an English person; Waingereza, English people.

[L. Marcus]

How about Yorshiremen?

[Barwickian]

We had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night, half an hour before we went to bed, (pause for laughter), eat a lump of cold poison, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad would kill us, and dance about on our graves singing "Hallelujah."

[薔薇語]

Seeing this thread for the first time, thanks to Lucius' necromancy.

 

It's good stuff. And my wife's Bantu.

 

Noticed a question above that went unanswered. "What's a wafundi?" - it's the plural of mfundi. Wafundi means engineers or craftspeople in Kiswahili, but Mzimwi seems to be using it to mean enchanters. Therefore ufundi is enchantment and mfundi an enchanter.

 

Bantu word construction. People generally fall under m/wa singular/plural prefixes.

 

Common prefixes for cultures and people: U- the idea or culture of something - could be a place or an abstract. M- a person of that culture or idea. Wa- a group of people of that culture or idea. Ki- the language of those people.

 

For example: Kiswahili, the Swahili language; Uswahili, Swahili culture; Mswahili, a Swahili person; Waswahili, Swahili people (Swahili itself is a word of Arabic origin, from suhail, meaning Coast). Likewise, Uingereza, Englishness, or England itself; Kiingereza, the English language; Mingereza, an English person; Waingereza, English people.

 

 

Wow. That felt like a blast from the past. It was almost like being back in my college linguistics capstone trying to piece together Shona. I don't know what I did with all my old notes and papers but I have been looking for them for years. The Bantu languages were so interesting. 

 

Foreign Orchid. 

[Barwickian]

Wow. That felt like a blast from the past. It was almost like being back in my college linguistics capstone trying to piece together Shona. I don't know what I did with all my old notes and papers but I have been looking for them for years. The Bantu languages were so interesting. 

 

Foreign Orchid. 

 

Shona is southern Bantu, I think. I work with a couple of chaps from Zim, but I have no Shona whatsoever. My wife's Kikuyu, but the family lives in Mombasa and we have a number of friends from other tribes, so tend to use Kiswahili.

[Mzimwi]

Update:  First, I'm changing the name of the setting as a whole. 'Ubantu' is still used to mean 'civilized lands' but the setting as a whole is now 'Wajabu' from 'U'=land of and '-aajabu'=miracles and wonder. 'Alice in Wonderland' is 'Elisi katika Ncha ya Ajabu'.

 

For a while it looked like Indie Press Revolution was going to help me find a co-author and walk this through Kickstarter, but that has fallen through. Back to looking for a co-author who knows HERO well, we can Kickstart it ourselves after that.

 

Steve Long liked it - these are his comments and those of Jason Walters (in italics). I don't think I'm revealing anything private here, I certainly don't mean to.

 

 

   I spent a little time this afternoon briefly looking over Ubantu. General thoughts in no particular order:

 

--by my count it's a bit shy of 100,000 words, or roughly half the length of the Champions Beyond manuscript. So by itself it'd probably be an approx. 160 page book. However, besides reorganizing what exists there's a lot left to cover (just based on the author's notes, never mind my own thoughts about what needs to be added). For example, there are no NPCs, villains, or monsters (well, there are some monster descriptions, but not character sheets).

 

--he writes reasonably well, so it would require less textual editing than many books Hero published under my editorship -- but by no means no editing.

 

--the name's got to be changed. Ubantu is too close to Ubuntu, the well-known open-source operating system. Even adding a single syllable -- for example, Urubantu -- would probably do it.

 

I agree. Linux Ubuntu is something like the fifth most popular operating system in the world. 

 

--preparing the art list for this will probably be several days' work in and of itself. If the author can't provide extensive art references and notes to work from, it will take even longer. The enormity of this task alone makes me disinclined to want to get involved with the project.

 

So the art list will be your responsibility Byron. I'll walk you through it when the time comes.

 

--the author definitely seems to know his stuff and to put in a lot of research time -- unless he's really good at making stuff up. The book needs an extensive bibliography, and the editor/developer needs to get it from the author before any work on the project is done so the author's work can be checked. Another tedious, thankless task -- at least until enough checking's been done to convince us that this guy's not full of BS.

 

It's a fair observation Byron. We'll have to selectively double check a bit of your work. 

 

--I definitely find this to be an intriguing setting unlike any other I've seen for gaming. That's not necessarily a strong point, though -- there's a reason the gaming store shelves aren't filled with clones of Tekumel and Jorune. I suspect this is too far off the beaten path to interest most gamers unless it's priced mighty cheaply.

 

--I'd guess you're looking at a minimum of 2 months' work for an editor, more if it turns out that a lot of additional writing is necessary, the author's hard to work with, the editor's not adept at using the HERO System, or the elephant spirits take offense at the endeavor.