Arcane Lore

A Gods & Monsters Lorebook

Arcane Lore

A Gods & Monsters Lorebook

by Jerry Stratton

Copyright ©2012

http://www.godsmonsters.com/Game/Lore/

http://www.godsmonsters.com/Game/Lore/Lore.pdf

“So you would study the Art,” he said.

“Master,” the young man answered him, “I would.”

“Know then,” the magician said, “that all those exercises that men call arts, and all wisdom and all knowledge, are but humble branches of that worthy study that is justly named the Art.”

--Lord Dunsany, “The Charwoman’s Shadow”

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License Version 1.1, published by the Free Software Foundation. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled “GNU Free Documentation License”

February 5, 2012

Equipment

Weapons

Firearms

The hand gun and arquebus are two-handed weapons, as is any matchlock-style firearm. A wheel-lock firearm could be used one-handed, although rifle-sized weapons would still require two hands to steady. Firearms require a supply of gunpowder, which must be kept dry. Early firearms also require a match to light the gunpowder, and matchlocks have this match built in. The match must also be kept dry.

Gunpowder: Gunpowder is a powdered, explosive mixture made from 75% sulfur, 15% charcoal, and 10% saltpeter. Sulfur is generally found as brimstone in volcanic areas, or mined from underground deposits. Saltpeter is usually recovered from urine and manure, in a time-consuming and unpleasant manner. The best charcoal comes from softwoods such as willow, soft pine, redwood, and cedar. Each ingredient must be powdered separately: grinding them together is a mistake usually not made more than once. When dry, gunpowder is easily set off even by the friction of grinding together.

Hand Gun: The simplest form of firearm and the earliest. The earliest firearms were simply tubes with a handle, and required that the powder be lit through a “touchhole” with a lit match cord also held in the hand. The rate of fire of a hand gun could be increased to once per three rounds with the use of an assistant.

Arquebus: While it eventually came to mean a gun of fine workmanship, originally the arquebus was simply a heavy matchlock. The Arquebus was first heard of in the late fourteenth century, though were much more common in the seventeenth century. The “matchlock” style of firearm continued to use a match cord to light the powder, but the cord was attached to a mechanism which could lower the lit match to the pan to light the powder. With an assistant to refill the pan and reload, the arquebus rate of fire can be increased to once per two rounds. The Arquebus tends to be about the size of what is today a rifle, although the barrels were not rifled and were thus not nearly as accurate.

Wheel Lock: A “wheel lock” firearm uses flint or pyrite which rubs against a rough-edged wheel to create a spark to light the gunpowder in the pan. The wheel lock pistol was generally about eighteen inches to two feet long and could be fired with one hand, though more accurately than the hand gun.

Match Cord: Early firearms required that their powder be lit by a match in the pan. The match cord would be made of slow-burning material and could be carried in the hat or from the belt. Care must be taken to keep the match dry in moist or rainy weather.

Match Pipe: Those who carried firearms which required a burning match would also often carry a “tube” or “pipe” in which to carry the burning match. The box would be about a foot long, pierced with holes, and designed in such a way that the lighted matches would not betray the whereabouts of the bearer.

Crossbow

Where the longbow was the weapon of the yeomanry, the crossbow could be used by anyone. Much like the firearm today, it leveled the military playing field between commoner and knight or other trained soldier. The larger crossbows were more powerful than the longbow, although (at least for hand-carried crossbows) the arrow (called a “bolt” or “quarrel”) was much shorter and did not have the range of the longbow. Crossbows also could not be fired as rapidly. Lighter crossbows had to be pulled back and locked by hand, then aimed and fired. Larger crossbows had to be pulled back by foot as well as hand, using a special stirrup attached to the front of the crossbow. Crossbows were more difficult than bows to protect from dampness as well.

Crossbows were developed throughout the world, from Europe to China and Japan, to Africa, Burma, and even the Pacific islands.

One advantage of crossbows is that they are easy to use as unmanned traps. Also, an assistant can double the rate of fire of a normal or heavy crossbow if the assistant is also skilled in the crossbow’s use and two crossbows are available, by readying one crossbow while the shooter is firing the other.

Martial Arts

“Martial Arts” can be any form of unarmed combat requiring heavy training, with a little bit of mystique on the side. Kung fu, Karate, Ju-Jitsu, and Tai Chi are classic Asian examples. African Capoeira is a perhaps less well-known example.

Attacks with Martial Arts are handled as any other weapon attack. Strength bonuses apply. Damage is d4.

Spear

The spear is one of the earliest bladed weapons. At its simplest, it is a blade attached to a long shaft of wood. Spears tend to be eight to ten feet long, although they may be as short as six feet and as long as twelve feet. Spears can be used in melee combat and as a thrown weapon.

Spears do not offer as much opportunity for ornamentation as swords, but both blades and shaft have been known to be embellished. The blade is most commonly metal, but can be bone, stone, or shell.

The javelin is a smaller form of spear, about four feet long, and lighter to carry. One of the more useful features of the javelin (although outside of game rules) was its tendency to stick to an enemy’s shield, making the shield too difficult to use.

Sword

The sword is the quintessential arm. Until the invention of the firearm, “sword” was the word that meant “powerful weapon”, and still appears in many of our sayings. “The pen is mightier than the sword.” “Lay down your sword and follow me.” The sword’s victory as penultimate weapon comes from its relative ease of carry, relative ease of use, effectiveness, and the fact that it can be made to look cool.

While the ‘sword’ is a fairly generic bladed weapon with no clear delineation from knives on one end and glaive on the other, for our game purposes there are three kinds of swords: the ‘long sword’, the ‘short sword’, and the ‘great sword’. These swords are designed both for cutting and for thrusting. They are double-edged. The great sword requires two hands to use effectively. It may be used one-handed, with a penalty of 2 to attack and damage.

The blade of a long sword ranges from about three feet to four feet. The short sword is about two to three feet long (any shorter is a dagger). The short sword (gladius) was used with devastating effectiveness by the Roman armies.

The scimitar is a variation on the sword. It is curved, with a single edge. The blade ranges from 30 to 40 inches long. It is designed mostly for cutting.

Armor

Throughout history and across cultures there have been many different kinds of armor. The armor types presented in the rules are a vast simplification. They provide an interesting choice of protective clothing without too much confusion. Within any game world, however, Adventure Guides may make more types of armor available.

Shields and Helmets

Like other kinds of armor, shields and helmets come in a bewildering number of styles. For game purposes, shields can be divided into three basic types: normal, small, and large.

The normal shield is the one that will be used most often. It is not too bulky, but provides good protection against multiple foes.

Small Shield

The small shield, such as some of the smaller bucklers, requires more skill than other shields because it is so small. It weighs very little and provides no agility penalty. It can, however, only be used against a single opponent at a time. It is often used in ceremonial combat or single combat, where the warrior knows that they will only be facing a single opponent.

Because they are most often used in ceremonial combat, small shields are often more heavily stylized and decorated than other shields.

Large Shield

The large shield is commonly around four feet tall, semi-cylindrical, and about two feet wide. They can weigh upwards of 20 pounds but provide the skilled warrior with significant protection. The large shield is large enough that, when many warriors get together they can form a shield wall and hide behind it for strong cover.

Full Helmet

The full helmet is usually metal, and covers the entire head. It provides significant protection but at the expense of a constricted visual range and a commensurate loss of hearing.

Basic Armor

Most armor is in the form of shirts, leggings, and long sleeves all of similar material. Leather armor usually includes simple leather headgear, and chain mail usually includes chain mail headgear.

Cloth

Cloth armor consists of padded and hardened cloth. While not particularly protective, it was better than nothing, was inexpensive, and did not significantly inhibit other types of movement.

Leather

Leather armor is made from leathered hides: tanned and hardened animal skins. Very effective, not particularly bulky, leather armor is the most common armor used by non-warriors.

Banded Leather

“Banded” leather armor is a softer leather interwoven with metal (usually iron) plates in bands across the front and over the shoulder and laced at the back. Banded leather is probably the most common armor worn by veterans in mobile armies, as it provides a solid balance between expense, maintenance costs, maneuverability, comfort, and protective capability. This was the typical armor used by the Roman legions. It weighs about twenty pounds. Roman armor of this type is called “lorica segmentata”.

Chain Mail

Chain mail is perhaps the most highly advanced of all armor types, and one of the more expensive. It is difficult and time-consuming to manufacture, but it is very protective and the most easily maneuvered of the true metal armors. Use of chain mail is generally limited to the upper classes and those with the economic resources to commission it and maintain it.

Warrior Armor

Scale

Scale mail is given its name from the appearance of small scales: the metal scales or rings are sewn onto a leather backing and often overlap each other, much like scales. It is less expensive than chain mail but also less maneuverable. Scale mail can look extremely impressive when polished, but requires more maintenance lest the wearer end up like Tolkien’s dragon. It could also be extremely hot. To the Romans, the wearer of such armor was nicknamed “clibanarius,” or “oven man”. Scale mail weighs around 60 pounds.

The “scales” of scale armor are sometimes actual scales of metal, and are sometimes metal rings. They are always sewn onto a hardened cloth or leather backing. Some more decorative scale armor used scales embossed with symbols, and some even used coins.

Scale armor is a very early form of armor and is likely to be present in any warring culture that has both tanning and metalworking skills.

Splint

Splint armor is an early form of plate mail. Metal plates were riveted together, or to a backing of cloth and leather. Similar to banded leather splint armor provided more complete protection but was usually abandoned when plate mail became available.

Plate

Plate armor is an advanced form of armor that is not always available. While more maneuverable than it looks, plate armor is still heavy, hot, and difficult to get around in. More than the technical skill required to make it, plate armor is unlikely to be used unless there are advanced weapons or weapon techniques that need to be defended against in such a fashion. Plate armor is less likely to be available before the invention of the stirrup, for example, as it was the stirrup that allowed for heavier lances to be used on horseback.

Plate mail comes in three basic types: normal plate mail, full plate, and ceremonial plate. Normal plate mail is a combination of chain mail with plates protecting the more important locations such as the chest, shoulders, outer arms, hamstrings, and knees. Places that need maneuverability, such as hands, midriff, and neck, were often protected only by chain mail. Normal plate armor is sometimes called “transitional” plate.

Full plate requires higher quality construction. It is designed for full coverage and for maneuverability in chaotic combat conditions. Because of the greater care that goes into its design, field plate can place plate armor on parts of the body that would normally have only been covered in chain mail.

Ceremonial plate mail was usually reserved for ceremonial combat, as it was extremely expensive to create and maintain and limited the ability of the wearer to respond to chaotic combat conditions. Ceremonial plate mail is specialized to protect against the particular concerns of ceremonial combat, such as jousting.

Plate armor is well suited to decoration, with plates being painted and embossed, and with extra metal parts added to provide a good show or an intimidating appearance.

General equipment

Flint, steel, and tinder

In a world without matches, starting fires can be very difficult, especially in damp climates or damp weather--precisely the time when you most need a fire. The hardest part about getting a fire started is getting the initial spark, or ember. This kit includes a steel striker, a piece of sharp flint, and some tinder or charcloth. The steel is designed to be held and then struck against the flint. The flint shaves tiny pieces off of the steel, tiny enough that when they oxidize they create a spark of fire.

The spark is struck so that it lands on the charcloth. Charcloth is specially prepared to light even from just a spark. When the charcloth forms an ember from the spark, the ember is transferred to kindling. Kindling must be gathered from local materials. The kindling must be some light, easily-flammable material such as dry leaves, very small dry twigs, pine needles, or other dry material easily lit by a small fire. Once the kindling forms a flame, it can be transferred to the real fire, which will probably be formed of larger twigs and then logs atop them.

Tinder must be replaced regularly, and must be kept safe from moisture.

Bibliography

Besides the following books, web searches for museum displays on any particular piece of equipment were often useful, but too numerous to list here.

Cambridge Encyclopedia of Archaeology: Andrew Sherratt, editor.

Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: George Cameron Stone. This is a fascinating and comprehensive work, though annoyingly lacking in some of the more mundane details such as weights.

History and Conquests of Ancient Rome: Nigel Rodgers. This is an incredible selection of a wide array of topics regarding the history of Rome. Each topic generally takes two or four pages to describe, which provides a breadth of coverage; the format provides a surprising depth of detail as well. It is focused on the military aspects of Rome.

Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe: George Holmes, editor.

Treasury of the Gun: Harold L. Peterson.

Fields and skills

Your characters had some sort of occupation before they became adventurers. Your character may yearn for the simpler life they previously had, or may be glad to be free of its drudgery, but their past life will give them some skills.

Each skill is part of a field. The field is what gives the character a bonus when using their skills. In Gods & Monsters, characters are not specialists; they are doctors and scientists rather than surgeons and chemists. Any new skill within a field is just a few mojo away.

When a character gains a new skill within a field, they gain the full benefit of their field bonus. A historian with Historical Science + 4 who learns the Frankish History skill will immediately gain a bonus of 4 to rolls involving Frankish history.

Where does a particular skill belong?

Some skills may fit within more than one field. For example, Elvish might be learned as a skill under Language Science, or as a skill under Elvish Culture. In some cases, the usefulness of a skill will vary depending on which field the character has it with.

It is up to the player to choose which field they learn their normal skills under, even their automatic ones such as their native tongue. For example, if a player wants their character to be a linguist, they will likely get the Language Science field for their character. If they wish it, they can place their native tongue under Language Science rather than under Native Culture. This will give them their Language Science field bonus with their native tongue; it will also help them read their native tongue if they add literacy to their Language Science field.

Such a choice will, however, affect the usefulness and character of the skill. In the example above, the linguist will likely be more precise in their use of their native tongue. Their fellow speakers may find them a bit pedantic; they may miss out on some of the cultural implications of the language, such as slang.

A player can move an automatic skill out of its default field any time they acquire a field that the skill could fit under.

Arts, Crafts, and Sciences

There are four basic kinds of fields: Arts, Sciences, Crafts, and Cultures. Arts will have a tendency to use Charisma or Perception; Sciences will have a tendency to use Intelligence or Reason; and Crafts will have a tendency to use Wisdom or Willpower. However, it is only a tendency. The action determines the ability rolled against or the reaction made. For Survival Craft, for example, tracking is likely to be always a Perception roll. For the Athletic Art, many of the rolls are going to be against the physical abilities.

Culture fields can contain any culturally relevant skills such as languages, etiquettes, and lores.

The Fields are numbered to make it easier to randomly determine fields in earlier stages of character creation.

You can add new fields, but they should be appropriate to the setting.

Special fields and skills

Some special fields and skills are available only to a single archetype. The Monk and Thief archetypes have several fields and skills available only to them. Warriors are the only ones with weapon fluency, for example. Such special skills often bring with them specific benefits. But these skills are also normal skills in the sense that they can be used for ability rolls or reaction rolls. A warrior trying to determine the function of an unfamiliar weapon can use their Fighting Art field bonus because they have that skill.

Special skills will usually be described in the archetype or specialty that provides access to them.

Fighting Art

The most common special field is Fighting Art. Every player character has it, but they cannot improve it except under special conditions: gaining a new level. Characters can add new weapons as skills to their Fighting Art field, but will be limited to either basic or simple weapons if they are not Warriors.

The weapon fluency skill is available only to warriors. The skill basic weapons is available only to thieves unless the character has a specialty that allows it.

The unarmed combat skill is a simple skill.

Warriors, who have weapon fluency, can use an unfamiliar weapon with their field bonus, at a penalty of 2.

Thief Fields

There are eight special fields open only to Thieves. These fields act the same as standard fields. However, because they are likely to play a central role in any game with thieves, some guidelines are necessary.

Burglary Science: Locks & Traps, Search

Impersonation Art: Acting, Disguise, Forgery

Memory Science: Cram, Understand Languages

Misdirection Science: Camouflage, Concealed Item, Prestidigitation

Murder Craft: Backstab, Poison

Thief Culture: Bribery, Criminal contacts, Thief’s Cant, Underworld Etiquette

Scaling Craft: Climb Walls, Tightrope

Stealth Art: Hide, Silence, Pick Pockets

The skill table provides a default ability, major contributor, and difficulty level for thieving skills. The Adventure Guide may call for, and the player argue for, different abilities, reactions, contributors, and difficulties, depending on the circumstances.

“Time” is the usual action time or movement modifier, and may vary according to conditions. Some abilities, such as backstab and pick pockets, will also require that the character take time getting into position.

If the “Time” is a movement modifier, then the distance moved is counted for obstacle size when determining penalties. That is, if the character’s movement is twelve yards per round, and the modifier is one third, the standard obstacle size is four yards.

These skills are treated as any other skill. Unless otherwise noted, characters can take more time to gain the standard bonus for a careful attempt. The agility penalty for wearing armor applies to agility-based thieving skills. Penalties for multiple attempts accumulate as normal.

Acting: Acting is not a restricted skill.

Backstab: If the thief can attack an opponent with the opponent remaining unaware of the attack, the thief can carefully choose their method so as to kill or incapacitate their opponent. While called ‘backstab’, it does not require coming up from behind. If the thief can attack from the front without being detected, a backstab may be performed in place of a normal attack. On a successful backstab, the thief does damage as normal for their weapon. Up to the number of points equal to their backstab field bonus will be directly applied to the target’s injury points. (The rest go to survival points as normal.) The target’s armor or other defenses apply, and situational bonuses also apply, to the thief’s backstab roll as normal for an attack roll. A thief is more vulnerable after a backstab attempt: during the next round, attacks against the thief are at a bonus of 2. Note that victims may be surprised by the backstab, and if they gained injury points any surprise roll will include that their injury penalty.

Bribery: Bribery is not a restricted skill.

Camouflage: Camouflage is not a restricted skill.

Climb Walls: The character can scale walls fairly easily, usually to gain access to walled-in courtyards or to buildings. The character can climb normal, relatively smooth, stone walls almost as easily (and as quietly) as if they were walking, though at a lower movement. Some special surfaces, such as glass or obsidian, will present penalties to the “Climb Walls” roll, as well as reduce the character’s movement rate. Easier walls, such as log walls with many handholds, will present bonuses.

Conceal Item: The character can quickly conceal an item so that it is less likely to be found. Anyone looking for the item will have a penalty on their perception roll of half the amount the thief succeeded by on the “Conceal item” roll. The normal item size is a bulk of one half.

Cram: The character can temporarily learn a new skill. After cramming, the character may use the skill for the next full day before forgetting it. If the character wishes to retain the skill on subsequent days, the player must make a successful cram roll each day. For each skill the character currently has retained there is a penalty of one on concurrent attempts to cram or retain.

Criminal contacts: Criminal contacts is not a restricted skill.

Disguise: The character is a master of disguise and mimicry. The thief may mimic a human or humanoid creature of either gender, within a height of three inches shorter or five inches taller than the character. For every inch beyond that, there is a penalty of one to the disguise roll. When attempting to perpetrate a disguise on a non-player group of one or more people, the group’s leader can make a perception roll, with a penalty equal to half the amount the thief made their disguise roll by. There is a bonus of one each if the thief is mimicking another archetype, species, or gender. Player characters may take their own Perception roll to penetrate a disguise, if they request one, and circumstances may afford additional opportunities for “victims” to penetrate the disguise. It takes ten minutes to an hour to create a disguise, depending on the materials available, and often much longer to research a disguise.

Forgery: The character can duplicate another person’s handwriting. It requires studying that person’s handwriting. Someone familiar with the person’s handwriting is allowed a Perception roll, with a penalty equal to half the amount by which the forger succeeded. Forgery time varies according to the research material available and the amount of copy being forged. It will usually take about a day to study a victim’s handwriting, and then four times the time it would normally take to write the item.

Hide: The character may hide using shadows, corners, and other means as the opportunity presents itself. Obviously, the thief will have more trouble hiding in well lit areas with no cover than in dark areas with lots of large pieces of junk. In the former case, there will be a penalty to the roll. In the latter case, a bonus. Characters or creatures looking for the hidden thief will have a penalty on their perception roll of half the amount the thief succeeded by on the “Hide” roll.

Locks & Traps: The character may find, disable, or open locks and traps. Finding, picking, and disabling each require a separate roll. A character may be able to find a lock without being able to pick it, for example. In some cases three rolls may be required, as a hidden lock might also be trapped. The player might roll to find the trap, to disable the trap, and to open the lock. If the character wishes a greater chance of success, they may spend extra time on a careful attempt.

Pick Pockets: One of the more dangerous thieving skills, as failure often means detection and it is impossible to pick a pocket without being in sword reach! Victims are allowed a Perception roll to detect a successful or unsuccessful “pick pockets” attempt. The thief may make a more conservative attempt, reducing the chance of success but also reducing the chance of being caught: for each penalty point the thief takes on the “pick pockets” roll, the victim has the same penalty on their perception roll.

Poison: On a successful roll, the character will recognize poison symptoms and ingredients. While they can’t create the serious poisons that the poisoner specialty allows, they can know about herbs or other materials which are naturally poisonous. They can also know how to create antidotes on a successful roll. Poison is not a restricted skill.

Prestidigitation: Prestidigitation is not a restricted skill.

Search: The character may search for hidden items or listen for faint conversation, such as beyond doors. It takes about five minutes for a normal search of a 3 by 3 yard area. Characters may increase the search time for a careful attempt.

Silence: The character may move on normal surfaces extremely quietly. The character moves at normal walking speed minus two while remaining silent. Characters or creatures listening for the silent thief will have a penalty on their perception roll of half the amount the thief succeeded by on their silence roll.

Thieves’ Cant: In many campaigns there will be a patter, lingo, or thieves’ cant that helps thieves discuss capers in less than private conditions. The lingo is based on the area’s native language, if spoken (and often otherwise) but will use similar words or odd rhyming techniques to discuss loot, easy pickings, and the tricks of the trade. A thieves’ cant may also include drawings or markings (such as the hobo signs in the United States) that warn fellow thieves away from liquor-free areas and armed husbands.

Non-verbal thieves’ cants often transcend national boundaries. The extent of the cant’s usefulness, verbal or non-verbal, will depend on the world that the Guide has created. Most non-thieves will not recognize the patter for what it is, unless they are suspicious and make a perception roll. They are still unlikely to understand what is being discussed.

Tightrope: The character may attempt to cross thin wires, lines, or walls. Anywhere that extreme balance is required, the “tightrope” skill may be used. There is a bonus of 2 to the roll if the thin line the character is attempting to cross is firm (such as a wall). If the line the character is attempting to cross is two inches or wider, there is a bonus of 1 to the roll; if four inches or wider, a bonus of 2; if six inches or wider, a bonus of 3, etc. High winds might give penalties to the roll. A player might be required to roll again if, for example, their character is hit by a called shot from an arrow or other missile attack.

Understand Languages: Thieves run across all sorts of strange things and people, and can often pick up bits and pieces of foreign languages. A successful use of “Understand Languages” does not confer exact understanding of the document or conversation, but only a general understanding. Take the amount the roll was successful by, and multiply by five, for the percentage of specifics the character can glean from the document or conversation. Even at 100%, this means only that the thief understands all of what the document or person is trying to say, not that the thief knows what all of the words in the document specifically mean. This skill generally only works for “modern” languages currently in use somewhere by nations or groups within the thief’s sphere of travel or contacts. It usually takes the character about two to four times as long to understand such an unknown language as it would for the character to understand a known language.

Underworld etiquette: Underworld etiquette is not a restricted skill.

Specialties

Specialties provide the character with special abilities that further define the characters role in the story. While the character may not know the justification for receiving the specialty, some justification must be made; there must be some reason that the character has learned, gained, or always had these special abilities. This reason may have to do, for example, with new-found wisdom, ancestral inheritance, or special training. In some cases, for reasons of story or realism, the character will need to quest to acquire the desired specialty.

Specialty Tracks

The player may choose any combination of specialties (given the correct prerequisites and requirements) as the character progresses in level. Some common “tracks”, however, may be of interest.

Specialty List

Alchemical Bonding

Alchemy

Animal Ability

Animal Companion

Animal Form

Aquatic Animal Form

Arcane Resistance

Assassin

Blind-Fighting

Cantrips

Chain Spells

Chameleon

Charismatic

Charismatic Healing

Circle Magic

Classical Sorcery

Climbing

Closed Mind

Combat Frenzy

Componentless Casting

Contacts

Counterspells

Deflect Missiles

Disease Immunity

Exceptional Ability

Exemplar

Fall Safely

Familiar

Familiar’s Eyes

Familiar’s Form

Familiar Puppet

Fast Casting

Favored

Fighting Expert

Focused Attack

Foresight

Holy Weapon

Iconic Alchemy

Knight’s Charge

Knight’s Steed

Knight’s Sweep

Leaping

Long Distance Running

Long Life

Magic Specialization

Martial Artist

Master’s Voice

Mental Resistance

Merry Band

Multiple Archetype

Multiple Spell Targets

Musician

Nature Friend

Nobility

Noble Pet

Parry

Personal Binding

Poisoner

Power Shift

Prehensile Tail

Priestly Circle

Provisioning

Psychic Warrior

Quick Healing

Reaction

Reliquary Magic

Restoration

Riposte

Ritual Magic

Scholar

Seat of Power

Sense Arcana

Sidespell

Species

Speedy Movement

Spellbook Exchange

Spellhold

Spell Preparation

Spirit Attachment

Spirit Bane

Spirit Channel

Spirit Drain

Staff of Power

Stout Heart

Stout Mind

Sworn Racial Enemy

Symbolic Alchemy

Team Combat

Tiny Combat

Topical Alchemy

Tough Upbringing

Turn Undead

Two-Weapon Blitz

Two-Weapon Fighting

Understand Basic Weapons

Vigilant Sleep

Weapon Specialist

Specialty Descriptions

Alchemical Bonding

The Alchemist may bond spells or spirits to items. Simple possession of the item suffices to use the effects so bonded. As with potions or scrolls, however, the spell disappears once used.

It takes twice spell (or spirit manifestation) level, plus level of effect, mojo to alchemically bond a spell or spirit to an item.

Monetary costs are twice what it would have taken to alchemically create a potion with the same spell or spirit. Alchemical bonding adds 20 silver coins to the cost of laboratory setup (30 to the cost of upgrades) and 2 to the maintenance costs, per spell or spirit level.

When bonding an item, any effects choices that may be made by the user add spell (or spirit manifestation) level to the mojo costs.

Spells and spirit manifestations can be set to “replenish” after they are used, either on a monthly basis, a weekly basis, or daily. Replenishment always occurs at the same time, whether it be midnight, noon, the full moon, or each Sunday. Bonding in a manner that replenishes is more difficult than normal bonding: it costs more money and more mojo.

There must be a single command word, phrase, or action which activates the item. If deactivation ability is desired, this adds spell level/spirit level to the mojo costs for creating the item; there can then be a single command word, phrase, or action which dispels the effect.

The bonding remains for three months times the alchemist’s level. After this time, the bonding falls apart and the item is once more normal.

Alchemy

The Alchemist may brew potions that, when quaffed, mimic the effects of spells or spirit manifestations that the alchemist knows. Such effects must have a specific target (which will be the creature drinking the potion), and cannot require aiming or choosing a target on drinking. The spell or spirit manifestation must have a duration--it cannot be instantaneous. If there is a choice of forms or actions, the choice must be pre-made by the caster. Thus, a potion of “Change Shape” must be a potion of “Change Shape to something,” for example, “Change Shape to Frog” or “Change Shape to Bear.”

Potions will require special ingredients appropriate to the spell. Higher level spells and spirits will require even more special ingredients. Notwithstanding the ingredients which may have to be adventured for, each potion will require an outlay of spell/spirit level times level of effect silver coins. Ingredients (if available at all) will generally multiply the outlay by ten times spell/spirit level. Ingredients can, however, be acquired by other means (such as adventuring for them).

Potions require mojo to create. The mojo total required to create a potion is equal to the spell (or spirit manifestation) level plus the level of effect. An alchemist normally creates one “dose” of potion on each attempt; they may create multiple doses by adding two per dose to the mojo requirement.

The alchemist may gain a bonus of one to the mojo requirement by leaving the duration random, a bonus of one by leaving the range random, and a bonus of one by leaving the area of effect random, if the effect has a duration, range, or area of effect. If the spell/spirit has a numerical effect, the alchemist may gain a bonus of one by leaving the spell or spirit’s effect(s) random. Randomness is generally rolled with either one or two dice (alchemist’s choice) that most closely approximate one to the maximum.

An alchemist must maintain a laboratory. It costs level times 200 silver coins to “set up” a laboratory that is useful for creating potions of spells/spirits up to that level. An existing laboratory may be upgraded for 300 silver coins times the spell/spirit level increase desired. Laboratories must be maintained, at the cost of spell/spirit level times 20 silver coins per month. For every month that the laboratory has not been maintained, there is a penalty of 1 to both rolls on potion creation. Maintenance costs can spiral: if the laboratory is not maintained, then during the second month 40 silver coins will be required; during the third, 80 silver coins; during the fourth, 160 silver coins, (until it will soon become cheaper to create a new laboratory from scratch).

Potions take effect in about a second, which, in combat, will be on an advantage count 1d4 greater than the imbiber’s advantage roll.

Potions last one month per level of the alchemist. After this time they are worthless, and have no effect beyond their individual ingredients.

Animal Ability

The character can partially change shape in order to gain the ability of an animal they could otherwise fully change into. For example, if the character wants to be able to fly like an eagle, they can change to have eagle’s wings. If they want to be able to fight like a bear, they can change their hands into bear claws. If they want to run like a deer, they can change their legs into deer legs and hooves.

Animal Companion

The character has one very special animal for every four levels the character has. The animal can be any natural animal and will be above average in any abilities the animal has, including intelligence, charisma, and survival points. For example, a warrior might have a warhorse of exceptional quality as an animal companion. The animal has one animal level beyond their normal level, and all survival dice that are below average are rerolled until they are above average.

The animal will understand simple instructions and can reliably be sent to known locations and return. It can communicate its basic (one-word) fears, needs, and other concerns to the character. At any time, the character can decide that they need their animal companion, and the animal will arrive as soon as possible from wherever it was.

If an animal companion dies, the character will likely find another animal companion during the next level.

Animal Form

The character may change shape into land animal once per day: either a reptile, bird, or mammal. When changing into animal form, the player may spend one mojo to restore all missing survival points. The change occurs immediately, and can be done during the same round as an attack, but not the same round as casting a spell or manifesting a spirit unless the effect requires no words or gestures.

The character gains all the new form’s abilities, including movement, defense, and attacks. The character may only change to natural forms in size from a wren or snake to a bear.

The character may only ‘take’ worn clothing and one item per hand into the new form. Spells and spirits may only be used in the new form if they do not require words.

Two levels after taking this specialty, the character may change form twice per day, and four levels after taking this specialty the character may change form three times per day. The character may only change once per type, however. A character that can change three times a day can change once to a bird, once to a mammal, and once to a reptile, but may not change to the same type of form more than once a day.

Aquatic Animal Form

The character may change shape into a water animal once per day: either an amphibian or a fish. When changing into aquatic animal form, the player may spend one mojo to gain back all missing verve points..

The character gains all the new form’s abilities, including movement, defense, and attacks. The character may only change to natural forms in size from a toad to a seal.

The character may only ‘take’ worn clothing and one item per hand into the new form.

Two levels after taking this specialty, the character may change form twice per day. The character may only change once per type, however. A character that can change twice a day can change once into an amphibian and once into a fish, but not twice as a fish or twice as an amphibian.

Arcane Resistance

The character is especially resistant to magical effects against the character. Characters with “Arcane Resistance” gain a bonus of two to reactions against most spells. This does not affect physical after-effects of a spell, nor things summoned or created by the spell. Thus, the character gains no bonus against a summoned creature, nor against the effects of most Conjuration spells, such as Balls of Fire or Darkness. Arcane resistance also affects demonic powers.

Arcane resistance will usually manifest in some physical manner, such as a lightly glowing aura or a physical mark that changes when the resistance comes into play.

Assassin

The assassin gains access to a new thief skill called assassinate in the murder craft field. Assassinate rolls are against Intelligence, with Wisdom as a major contributor and a penalty of 1. On a successful backstab, the thief can make an assassinate roll. On a successful assassinate roll, the victim potentially has to face death, regardless of their current survival point total. If the victim’s level is less than their current survival, compare the victim’s injury point total to their level, rather than their survival, to determine whether the victim faces the possibility of death.

Blind-Fighting

The character can use sound, touch, and skill to fight without seeing. The character negates one penalty due to an inability to see their target, and may negate an additional penalty for each level since taking Blind-Fighting.

Cantrips

When you have a spell impressed on your mind, it wants nothing more than to get out again. You can use any impressed spell for lesser tricks of similar magic without loosing the spell. For example, if you have fan of fire impressed, you can create a tiny flame from the end of your wand. If you have great ball of fire impressed, you can create a tiny globe of flame that explodes in tiny, harmless fireworks. If you have dust wand impressed, you can clean a small table. If you have open impressed, you can open an unlocked door. Each without expending the spell in question.

Casting the cantrip form of a spell requires a wand of ash, cherry, hawthorn, holly, oak, willow, or yew, taken from a place of power. The character is assumed to have a wand when they first take this specialty, but if they ever lose their wand they’ll need to acquire a new one.

Cantrips also require the same ingredients as the full form, however, the ingredients are not used up and may be re-used later. Cantrips do not cost any verve, and you can repeat them for as long as you have a version of the spell impressed. Once you loose the spell’s full form, however, and no longer have that spell impressed, you can no longer use its cantrip form.

Cantrips are at most one-tenth of the full spell’s power. They can’t take effect more than three yards away from you; if three-dimensional, they can’t affect more than a one-foot radius sphere, and if two-dimensional they can’t affect more than a one-yard radius plane. They cannot last longer than ten minutes. Cantrips cannot directly cause injuries or survival point loss. For example, a cantrip of great ball of fire will not directly hurt a person--but if they’re wearing a paper hat covered in oil and it catches fire, that might cause problems for them.

If it doesn’t make sense for a spell to have a cantrip form that doesn’t cause damage, then it can’t be used as a cantrip. There’s no cantrip version of a mage bolt, for example, because all mage bolt does is use pure magic to blast an opponent.

This specialty is unavailable to classical sorcerors; the spell must be impressed in the sorceror’s mind, not just memorized.

Chain Spells

The sorceror may “chain” spells when they memorize them or learn them, combining multiple spells into a single spell that must be cast at the same time. The total of the chained spells’ levels cannot be greater than the caster’s level. The casting times of the spells are added together for the casting time of the ‘chained’ spells. The spells must be cast at the same time. If memorized (or learned, for classical sorcerors) ‘chained’, they cannot be split later.

For example, a mnemonic sorceror might ‘chain memorize’ Mage Bolt and Shield, two first level spells. The sorceror must be at least second level, and the casting time of the two spells will be 2 (each has a casting time of 1, adding them together gives 2). The ‘chained’ spell will take up two slots, since individually they each take up one slot. When cast, both Mage Bolt and Shield will take effect at the same time.

The verve cost for the spells is determined normally, as if the chained spell were a level equal to the combined levels of the spells. So if a classical sorceror were to chain learn Mage Bolt and Shield, the verve cost would be 2 (for the levels) plus the level of effect.

The chained spells must all have the same target if there is any choice of target.

Chameleon

The saurian can alter their body color at will to blend in with their surroundings. This grants the saurian a bonus of three to attempts to hide or surprise. Anyone trying to see the saurian while the saurian is attempting to hide will be at a penalty of three to their roll.

The chameleon can also communicate soundlessly using their color shifting ability. Anyone within sight who understands chameleon color-talk will understand the chameleon; many other saurians of the same culture will know the color-talk; anyone with the ability to see colors can learn the language the same as any other language.

Charismatic

This is sort of a demagogue, but the net is wide, including writers, poets, storytellers, preachers, musicians, diplomats, politicians, courtesans, military leaders, and just about anyone who relies on affecting other people’s emotions through non-magical means. Examples of Charismatics might include Warren Zevon’s “The Envoy”, Huey Long, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon. Hunter S. Thompson’s Raoul Duke. The Brown Buffalo. Joan of Arc, perhaps.

Because the Charismatic must maintain at least partial detachment to promote their causes in the Charismatic style (anyone can be a demagogue, Charismatics are effective demagogues), their moral code must contain only a single part. They may be Ordered, Chaotic, Good, or Evil.

Any skill roll against Charisma is a specialty of the Charismatic. The character gains a bonus of up to half level on any such roll, or may penalize the opponent by up to half level, or any combination thereof. Thus, a sixth level Charismatic could decide to gain a bonus of 1 on Oratory and penalize target reactions by 2.

The Charismatic may also inspire allies. Where oratory or demagoguery can increase the morale of combatants and convince them that their cause is just, the Charismatic can inspire to such an extent that targets enter a higher level of consciousness. This can give targets a bonus of 1 to hit in combat, a bonus of 1 to Defense in combat, a bonus of 1 to advantage, a bonus of 1 to ability rolls, and a bonus of 1 to reaction rolls of any kind.

For each five levels of the Charismatic, this bonus increases by one. At fifth level and higher, the bonus applies to damage, at one half the other bonuses, round down.

The character may affect up to level, squared, targets. At least half of the targets must be able to hear and understand the Charismatic, and those who don’t understand or can’t hear count as two targets.

Inspiration lasts for as long as the Charismatic continues inspiring, and for a number of minutes afterwards equal to five times the level of the Charismatic. Inspiration can only be used on any target or group once per day. It takes three rounds to effect Inspiration. Higher level Charismatics can rush the Inspiration by reducing the bonus: a fifth level Charismatic could Inspire to a bonus of 1 in two rounds. A tenth level Charismatic could Inspire to a bonus of 1 in one round, or two in two rounds. A fifteenth level Charismatic could Inspire to a bonus of 2 in one round, or 3 in two rounds.

“Inspiration” is similar to a controlled adrenaline rush. The target sees more clearly their place in the world for the duration of the inspiration. The targets are “in the groove” for whatever action they are attempting. If you’ve ever been in “the sweet spot” playing ball or entertaining in front of a crowd, you’ve an idea of what this is like.

The Charismatic must choose the direction of the inspiration. The bonuses will only apply to attempts to go in that direction. For example, if the Charismatic is attempting to influence the outcome of a battle, rolls on basket-weaving will not be affected. Likewise, if the Charismatic is attempting to influence the outcome of a chess game, rolls to hit in a physical battle started over cheating will not be affected.

The Charismatic can turn this skill around and try to demoralize. The targets are allowed a Willpower roll.

The Charismatic must have an appropriate Art to base the Inspiration on. This can be anything from oratory to entertainment to etiquette. If it uses a Charisma roll, it can probably be used to inspire. The Guide will adjudicate based on culture and skill interactions.

Charismatic Healing

The character’s charisma is applied as a major contributor to any reaction against disease, disfigurement, or just plain getting dirty. (This is in addition to the minor bonus all exemplars have, if the character is also an exemplar.)

The character may also try to heal 2 survival or injury points per day per level; a Charisma roll is required for each try to be successful.

The character can cure diseases. This may be tried once per week for every five levels (first through fifth, sixth through tenth, etc.), and requires a successful roll vs. Charisma.

Circle Magic

The sorceror can join other sorcerors together in a ritual circle to impress and cast spells at a higher level than any of the individual sorcerors. The circle mage controls the learning and casting of the group’s spells. The group learns and casts spells at a level equal to the circle mage’s level added to half the total of the other mages’ levels (round up). Levels greater than the circle mage’s level are “clipped”: if a first level circle mage ritualizes with a fourth level sorceror, the group will learn and cast at second level.

Classical sorcerors pool their verve points in the same way, with each mage losing a verve point in a round-robin fashion: if there are four sorcerors in the circle, each mage loses one verve point for every four points used from the pool.

Circle mages may only join with as many mages as their sorceror level. A third level circle mage may join a circle with three sorcerors (four including the circle mage).

Spells that are already known by a member of the group may be cast by the group if the member makes it available.

Classical Sorcery

The classical sorceror memorizes spells once and then never forgets them. The spell does not disappear from the classical sorceror’s mind after casting, as it does with mnemonic sorcerors. Classical sorcerors may know only as many spells as a mnemonic sorceror could memorize.

It costs level+1 verve to cast a spell. Spells cannot be cast at a lower level than the spell’s level.

Classical sorcerors memorize spells by spending mojo, as the mnemonic sorceror does to research new spells. If they have the mnemonic formula in a language they understand, the cost to learn the spell is only two mojo per spell level.

Classical sorcerors cannot use cantrips.

Climbing

The character may climb normal walls and steep inclines, vertically, at a movement of 1 per character level, up to a maximum of their normal movement rate. Easier walls allow faster movement, harder (slicker or smoother) walls will impede movement. They may fight (one handed weapons only) from walls at a penalty to attack equal to the difference between 8 and their wall movement rate. If there is no difference, or their wall movement rate is greater than 8, the penalty is zero. There is no bonus.

Closed Mind

The character is resistant to psychic powers. The character gains a bonus of two to all reactions against psychic effects.

The character gains a bonus of one to reactions against telepathic-like spells, such as mind-reading spells or illusionary spells.

Combat Frenzy

The character may enter a “berserk rage” or other special focused state of mind which enhances the character’s ability to inflict pain, ignore pain, and single-mindedly attack the enemy. The frenzy will last for the duration of combat, or the character’s life, whichever ends first. When the frenzy ends, any points left in the temporary pool are lost. “Combat” means that the character is in combat (with combat movement) or moving towards combat and nothing else.

The character gains a temporary survival point pool of twice level. Any survival points lost in combat are lost to these points first. Damage with hand-to-hand weapons is increased by two points. Combat movement is increased by level.

A character may not enter a combat frenzy more than once without sleeping for at least an hour. Coming down from a combat frenzy requires two rounds (one round if the character’s willpower is 10 or higher). During the coming down period, the character will crow, stomp, and brag about their exploits.

Componentless Casting

There are three kinds of componentless casting, and the player must choose one. The player may choose this specialty for their character multiple times to take more than one type.

Nonverbal casting allows the sorceror to cast spells that normally require words without speaking. A wisdom of 13 is required..

Motionless casting allows the sorceror to cast spells that normally require gestures without gesturing. A charisma of 13 is required.

Immaterial casting allows the sorceror to cast spells that normally require ingredients, without ingredients. An agility of 13 is required.

Some components are essential to casting the spell, because without it there’s no place for the spell to form or come from. For example, Inscription will still require expensive ink, and Eternal Flame will still require a pointed object. Ingredients that are destroyed only at the end of the spell’s duration are also usually essential to the spell.

Contacts

Characters who take this specialty will have some important specific contacts. For every level the character has reached, the character gains one important contact which the player will need to name and describe. These contacts will generally provide reliable information within their sphere of knowledge and will be reasonably trustworthy. Characters with this specialty also automatically gain the skill contacts in the personality art field. They’ll gain a +1 to their personality art field (or they’ll gain the field at +1 if they don’t yet have it). Their general contacts can also span many subcultures.

Counterspells

The sorceror understands and can create counterspells to counter other cast spells. There is one counterspell for each spell type. A counterspell can counter any spell of its own spell type (including another counterspell of that type). Because all counterspells are also metamagic spells, the metamagic counterspell can counter counterspells of any type.

A counterspell will automatically counter any of the sorceror’s own spells, as well as any spell cast at a level lower than the counterspell’s casting level. For spells cast at a higher level than the counterspell’s casting level, the sorceror must make a Reason roll at a penalty of the difference in casting levels. Counterspells are first level spells.

Characters with the counterspells specialty gain a bonus of two to spellcraft skill rolls.

Deflect Missiles

The character is able to grab or knock away normal missiles, such as arrows, javelins, spears, or daggers. The player must roll a successful Evasion roll. If the weapon has magical bonuses, there is a penalty to the roll equal to the highest of the damage or attack bonus. Characters may not deflect missiles while engaging in close combat--deflecting missiles must be their action for that round.

Disease Immunity

The character is immune to natural diseases, and gains a special bonus (based on character level) on reactions against magical diseases.

Exceptional Ability

The character has “exceptional” ability in their archetypal ability. The character must already have an 18 in their archetypal ability to take advantage of this specialty. Once per session, the player may choose to take advantage of the exceptional ability. This lasts for ten minutes.

The character may do this an extra time per game session, for every four character levels.

The character gains a bonus of one to the reaction corresponding to that ability, as well as to any skill rolls that use the ability, at any time, and a bonus of three while “taking advantage” of the exceptional ability.

Agility

The thief gains a bonus of four to defense, reaction adjustments, and missile attack rolls, and a bonus of 2 to hit with melee weapons and bare hand attacks.

Charisma

Exceptional charisma grants the monk a bonus of three to any d20 rolls for leadership, such as commanding an army. Alternately, the character may “command” any creature or group of creatures to do one thing. The creatures are allowed a Willpower roll to refuse the command, and the creatures must understand the command. The creatures gain a bonus to the roll of up to five, depending on how much obvious personal harm is likely to come to them if they follow the command, and a penalty of up to five depending on how inclined they were to do the thing anyway. There is also a bonus on the roll according to the size of the group; see the Mass Combat Chart for that bonus. This “command” ability ends this incarnation of the character’s exceptional ability.

Endurance

The non-player character temporarily gains level times 4 survival points. Damage taken comes out of these temporary survival points first, and only after the temporary survival points are gone do real survival points get lost.

Note that there is no archetype that has endurance as its archetypal ability. Only creatures whose archetypal ability is endurance can use “exceptional endurance”.

Intelligence

Exceptional intelligence allows the sorceror to study and learn as if each minute were a day.

Strength

Exceptional strength gives the warrior a bonus of four to attack, six to damage, and triples the amount they can carry per slot.

Wisdom

Exceptional wisdom grants the prophet a bonus of three to reactions against temptations, as well as reactions to see through deceptions that attempt to confuse good and evil choices.

Exemplar

The Exemplar is an exemplar of a particular moral code. Usually, the exemplar will be a fervent worshipper of a local deity, however, the exemplar has an even higher calling: their moral code. The character must maintain a strict moral code. The exemplar may apply Charisma as a minor contributor to all reactions.

All Exemplars may take prophet levels with no roll required. They may only use certain spirits, however. All exemplars may use spirits of prophet and spirits of protection. Exemplars of Good may use spirits of healing. Exemplars of Order may use spirits of war. Exemplars of Chaos may use spirits of peace. Exemplars of Evil may use spirits of death. The exemplar-prophet may not use spirits of any other type, unless they were a prophet before they were an exemplar, or they have some other means of taking levels as prophet.

Exemplars may detect their opposing moral code(s) up to twenty yards away for a cost of one mojo. For example, an exemplar of Order may detect Chaos up to twenty yards away; an exemplar of Chaotic Good may detect Order and/or Evil up to twenty yards away. Non-player characters don’t have mojo; they must make a Willpower roll to detect their opposite(s).

Exemplars of Good are constantly surrounded by a protection spirit vs. evil for one foot. Exemplars of Evil are constantly surrounded by a protection spirit vs. good for one foot.

Exemplars will never retain wealth, including special and magical items, beyond what is needed personally for furtherance of the greater cause. All excess must be donated for use in furtherance of their greater cause.

Exemplar of Goodness and Order

This exemplar chooses to further order and goodness at all personal cost, and must maintain a strict Ordered Good moral code. Examples of these Exemplars include Arthur in the movie Excalibur, Joan of Arc, maybe Samson, and, if you’re a comic-book reader, Captain America.

As an Exemplar of Goodness and Order, you may have been trained by your religion. You may not have been. Regardless, you are a deeply religious person. You have a personal relationship with your deity that others find unnerving.

You also feel there is more. Whether consciously or not, you believe that beyond law and heresy, beyond ally and enemy, there is a deep and abiding Order in the world. A fundamental Goodness that goes beyond mere laws and dogma. And you also see a tangible Evil in the world, a howling Darkness that bites at the soul and tries to drag it down to an endless abyss. You have a physical sense of Good and Evil and every choice that you make is a choice for Goodness.

Every step that you take is a step away from the Abyss.

Exemplar of Goodness and Freedom

This exemplar chooses to further chaos and goodness at all personal cost, and must maintain a strict Chaotic Good moral code. Many times, however, the character may appear to be working with Order, as long as doing so ensures individual rights and reduced governmental or other organizational power.

As an exemplar of goodness and freedom, you see the puppet strings that bind man from cradle to grave. Your life is trailblazing through a maze of restrictions, exploitation, and slavery, seen and unseen by the slaves. You see it all. You want to clear those restrictions away and help the people, the individuals, of the world reach their full potential as free creatures.

All order corrupts, and the greater the order, the more “compromises” must be made against goodness to maintain that order.

Alan Moore’s “V” is an example of a Chaotic Good exemplar, and perhaps Lao Tzu from Chinese history.

Exemplars of Evil

The evil exemplars are more difficult to play, as evil is selfish and normally has no desire to be an exemplar for other creatures. Exemplars are not just the epitome of their moral code; they are also someone who fights to advance that moral code for its own sake, not for any benefit for the exemplar. It requires a sense of a moral grand design. Evil isn’t very good at that. Evil tends to get bogged down in the selfish present. That’s what makes Evil so popular--it is preferred by those who want their benefits in the short run. It is very difficult to create an evil character who still cares selflessly about other evil entities and about evil in general. But without that sense of a greater cause they aren’t an exemplar. They’re just an evil person who happens to be more evil than others.

An exemplar of Good wants other people to be Good. An exemplar of Evil doesn’t just want other people to be Evil. They want other people to fail to be Good.

Familiar

The character gains a special animal companion which is specially tuned to the character’s mind and background. The “familiar” is almost always a small, normal creature, either a bird or small animal. Cats, dogs, falcons, snakes, lizards, ferrets, robins, rats, toads, ravens, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, coyotes, and bats are common examples of familiars.

A familiar has 2 plus 1d4 survival points, and acts as a first level creature of four (low) intelligence, wisdom, and charisma. When near or under the control of the character, a familiar may use the character’s reactions and charisma, and may draw from the character’s survival points and attack bonus; and the character may draw from the familiar’s survival points. Attack bonuses drawn from the character may not be used by the character; and drawn survival points are used up as normal.

A familiar can “discuss” its observations with the character, and can relate things that have happened since the familiar last slept. A Reason roll, at a penalty equal to the number of days, will allow the familiar to relate even earlier events. The observations will be from the familiar’s point of view.

The familiar and the character will have some general idea of each other’s direction, and each can let the other know that they need it to come to them.

The familiar’s intelligence will grow with the character’s level. At every even level, overall, that the character has, add one to one of the familiar’s mental abilities (the familiar’s wisdom, intelligence, and charisma may not exceed the character’s). Also, add one to the familiar’s level (which will bring with it an additional d6 survival points).

If a familiar dies, a new one will not be found until after the character reaches the next level.

Fall Safely

Subtract 1 yard per character level from the distance the character has fallen, for the distance to use for determining damage. Also, the player may make a Fortitude roll to either take half damage from the fall or take no injuries, as the player wishes.

Familiar’s Eyes

The character may see through the eyes (or other sensory organs) of the familiar. While doing so, the character is unaware of their own surroundings. The character may also “nudge” the familiar to a desired direction or action. It takes one full round to begin sensing via the familiar’s senses. Familiar’s Eyes work across any distance, and even across planes or dimensions.

Familiar’s Form

The character may take the same form as their familiar. They maintain their own survival points, reactions, and other abilities, although spellcasting may be limited due to inability to perform vocalizations or hand movements. Items worn by the character, including clothing, are not carried over into the animal form. The character gains the attack forms of the animal, if any. It takes two full rounds to change into the familiar’s form or back into their normal form. The change may be performed as often as desired.

Familiar Puppet

With Familiar Puppet, the sorceror, monk, or prophet gains full control over their familiar. The character may control their familiar’s movement and actions while using the Familiar’s Eyes.

The character may cast spells, manifest spirits, or use psychic powers through the familiar. Requirements for performing the formula, rite, or power remain the same, which may keep some abilities off-limits for some familiars depending on vocalizations and hand movements required.

When controlling their familiar in this manner, any survival points lost by the familiar are also lost by the controller. Any injury points gained by the familiar are also gained by the controller. If the familiar goes unconscious, dies, or is affected by consciousness-stealing effects such as being turned to stone, the controller will go unconscious. The controller will also need to make any unconsciousness/death rolls as normal for injury points gained in addition to the risk of going unconscious because the familiar goes unconscious.

Favored

The character is favored by fate, destiny, or some deity. The character has twice level favor points each level. These points may not be saved from level to level. A first level character has two favor points. A second level character has four, and no more. The player can choose to use those points for any roll anywhere in the game; the points are not lost unless the adjusted roll is successful (or unsuccessful, if the player is trying to make a roll fail); and only the number needed for success are lost. For example, Toromeen’s player rolls a 14 to attack a gryphon; Toromeen is favored. Tony tells the Adventure Guide that he’s willing to burn up to two favor to get a success. Toromeen needs only a 13, so the Guide tells him he just lost 1 favor, and has successfully hit the gryphon. The next round, the gryphon hits Toromeen on a 9 and does 8 points of damage. Tony tells the Guide that he’s willing to burn 4 favors to not get hit by the gryphon. The gryphon needs a ten or lower to hit Toromeen, so he just lost 2 favors and did not lose 8 survival.

Players of favored characters may also, once per level, choose to overturn any one roll anywhere in the game; they may make a successful roll unsuccessful, or an unsuccessful one successful, no matter the odds.

Fighting Expert

The fighting expert may choose one broad class of fighting style and gain a bonus of 1 to the attack roll with that style. The styles are slashing weapons, thrusting weapons, bludgeoning weapons, bows, crossbows/firearms, and thrown/slung missiles.

Fighting experts gain one combat bonus every even level after taking this specialty, which can only be used for additional actions when using a weapon within their fighting style(s).

Focused Attack

Once per day, the character may focus their attack in a way that takes advantage of their opponent’s weaknesses and blindspots. The player must make a Perception roll while in combat with the opponent; that round, the character will gain a bonus of level to attack that opponent. The bonus lasts for two rounds, plus one round for every three levels of the character.

The Perception roll may be attempted over as many rounds as necessary to succeed. Once successful, the focused attack may not be used for the rest of the day. Often, especially when in combat with Fantastic creatures, the bonus will apply to all creatures of that type. When fighting against non-player characters with archetypes, however, the bonus will only apply to that one opponent.

Foresight

The character has the foresight to plan far ahead. The character can retroactively have had a discussion with anyone or any group of people that they reasonably could have had contact with, at the cost of one mojo for every five minutes of discussion.

Sorcerors can have retroactively cast a spell, or prophets retroactively manifested a spirit, at the cost of one mojo per level of the spell or spirit manifestation (the level of the spell or manifestation, not the level it was cast or manifested at). If it was retroactively cast today, it will probably involve retroactively switching out some spells or spirits; this doesn’t cost extra mojo. If the caster is a higher level now than they were when they cast or manifested the spell or spirit, they use their current level, not their previous level.

Sorcerors and prophert can use one mojo to retroactively memorize a spell or call a spirit. They must either have “slots” that have always been free since their last chance to memorize or call, or be willing to switch out with another spell or spirit that hasn’t been used.

Retroactive changes must not contradict anything that’s gone before. Retroactive encounters can be roleplayed or summarized, but remember that mojo must be useful.

Holy Weapon

Somewhere in the world or worlds exists a holy weapon (often a “Holy Sword” or “Holy Spear”) which enhances the ability of the Exemplar. The power object increases the power of the protection spirit to a three yard radius, and will usually have other special powers also.

The character will need to undergo great adventures to acquire the holy weapon.

Iconic Alchemy

Iconic scrolls require neither the ability to read the language it was written in, nor even the ability to read at all. Any archetype may ‘read’ an iconic scroll. The ‘victim’ or recipient does require the ability to see the icons placed upon the scroll.

All iconic scrolls take effect on the reader; area effect spells and spirit manifestations center on the reader.

Iconic scrolls can be made automatic, so that they take effect immediately on being viewed. This adds two to the spell’s level for purposes of alchemically creating the scroll. When an alchemist creates an automatic scroll, they run the risk of setting it off themselves. The alchemist must make a Perception roll (with Intelligence as a minor contributor) to avoid accidentally setting off the spell on themselves during the creation process. If an accident occurs, it occurs at a random point during the creation process. Each accident increases the mojo cost by one point.

Iconic alchemy adds 20 silver coins to the cost of laboratory setup (30 to the cost of upgrades) and 2 to the maintenance costs, per spell or spirit level.

Otherwise, iconic scrolls have the same mojo and other requirements as for making items of symbolic alchemy.

Knight’s Charge

The character, when mounted on a warhorse, can charge opponents for greater damage. The character must start the charge from ten yards or more away from their target. If the attack is successful, damage is doubled, including both dice and bonuses. Other bonuses or penalties for movement apply as normal for anyone other than the target. The charging character has no penalties to defense vis-à-vis whoever they charge.

Knight’s Steed

The character, when mounted on a warhorse, can control the steed almost as if it were an extension of their own body. No attacks can target the horse without also targeting the rider. The horse will never be frightened or panicked unless the knight is also affected, and even then the horse gets its own reaction roll.

The horse can attack separately from the rider, effectively giving the player an extra attack. The player makes all rolls for the steed, and may use their combat pool on the steed’s attacks. If the character has other mounted specialties such as Knight’s Charge or Knight’s Sweep, the steed can also take part in those actions.

Knight’s Sweep

The character, when mounted on a warhorse, can make a sweeping attack against a mass of first level or lower opponents. The player rolls one attack, and the damage rolled is applied to the player’s choice of up to level opponents. The opponents must all be within movement yards of each other, using the movement of the steed, the character must start the sweep at least ten feet away from the first target, and the space between the character and the first target must be clear. Bonuses or penalties for movement apply as normal for anyone other than the targets. If the character’s attack roll is successful, the targets have a penalty of three to attack the character.

When performing a sweep, the character can attack individuals even if they are part of a group effort. At eighth level, the character can perform sweeps against second level or lower opponents; at twelfth level, against third level or lower, and at sixteenth level against fourth level or lower.

Leaping

The character can leap greater distances than normal through the combination of physical excellence and advantageous use of the environment.

Add 1 to the number of feet the character can jump up, or to the number of yards the character can broad jump, per character level.

Long Life

The character’s lifespan, probably through lineage to a higher ancestry or special dispensation from the gods, is ten times normal for their species. The character gains a bonus of 1 on reactions against disease, and on reactions against death due to injury points. More than most other specialties, this specialty and its justification are likely to require approval from the Adventure Guide.

If the player chooses to make their character older, the character will gain the field and skill benefits of their age. The player may save their age-based field and skill bonuses and use them during play to gain relevant skills and fields.

Long Distance Running

The character is able to move long distances quickly, without tiring. Increase movement by 1 per character level for purposes of daily movement. The character need not rest when they keep their daily movement at normal (including their bonus). They can also choose to move double normal--by staying on the move for twice the normal time in a day--and then make Health rolls the same as a normal person moving normally.

Magic Specialization

The sorceror character may specialize in one type of magic. Specialists gain a bonus of two on reactions against cast spells in their specialty, but no bonus against spells outside their specialty.

Specialists gain a bonus of three on Reason rolls to understand new spells within their specialty, and a penalty of three on Reason rolls outside their specialty. Specialists cannot understand any spell in their opposing type.

When casting spells within their specialty, sorcerors cast the spell as if they were two levels higher. For classical sorcerors, the spell’s effects are all as if the caster had chosen a level two levels higher than they paid verve for, up to two levels higher than the sorceror’s level.

The specialist may impress or learn spells outside of their specialty only at a memorization slot cost of one greater than the spell’s normal cost.

Martial Artist

Martial Artists gain the Martial Arts fighting art skill automatically. They gain a +1 to attack when using martial arts.

The Martial Artist gains a bonus of 1 to defense and to Evasion rolls when not wearing armor, and a further bonus of 1 every three levels thereafter.

The Martial Artist may convert their attack bonuses when using Martial Arts into a combat pool even if they are not a warrior (see the Warrior archetype). They may use this pool as if they were a warrior, but only for Martial Arts actions.

Master’s Voice

The character may speak intelligibly while in the form of an animal. If the animal has hands or feet, the character can also grasp items of appropriate size and shape and manipulate them almost as if they were a human of the same size as the animal.

This can allow sorcerors and prophets to cast spells and manifest spirits.

Mental Resistance

Mental Resistance gives the Monk the mental craft field at +1, and one mental resistance skill. The skills are resist attacks, resist control, resist perception, and detect intrusion.

The character can use their mental craft field bonus on reactions against their chosen form of mental intrusions.

Resist attack grants a reaction bonus against any mental attacks meant to cause mental or physical damage. Resist control grants a reaction bonus against any attempts to take control of the character. Resist perception grants a reaction bonus against any attempts to detect or otherwise perceive the character or the character’s power in an extrasensory manner. Detect intrusion gives the character a chance (Perception) to recognize that an intrusion is being attempted, if they have the appropriate resist skill.

The character must be aware that mental intrusion is being attempted in order to gain a reaction bonus from their resist skills. Mental Resistance may be used against both magical and psychic mental intrusions.

Merry Band

You have attracted a band of followers devoted to you. They may be a gang, a band of brothers, fanatics, disciples, henchmen, sidekicks, or viziers, but whoever they are they look to you for leadership, guidance, and support. The band consists of warriors, thieves, and/or experts, but not sorcerors, psychics, prophets, or monsters. Only species that are already part of the player character group can be followers. Your character must have at least two followers, and can have as many as you want as long as the total levels of your character’s followers are less than or equal to your own level, modified by Charisma as a major contributor. No one follower’s level can meet or exceed your own.

For example, Will Stratford is seventh level and gains a Merry Band. He decides on Doc Laramee (a 2^nd level thief), Whisky McBain (a 3^rd level warrior), Lucky Glover (a 1^st level warrior), and Buttermilk McGuire (a 1^st level warrior). (For full effect, followers should be given nicknames rather than real names.) Will has seven levels of followers, the maximum Will is allowed.

The cost of living for a character with a Merry Band is double normal. It also costs one mojo per follower to take a band on an adventure (the entire band does not need to come). If the character wishes to call a follower who did not come on the adventure, it costs one mojo and the player rolls d100 to see how many hours it takes the follower to arrive. Practical mojo may be used for either of these costs.

The character can spend their mojo on any action by the band (as a group effort) or by any individual follower.

Improving and changing followers

No changes to followers are allowed except for once per level (usually after each level increase).

When your character’s level increases, you can attract new followers, discharge existing followers, replace dead, traitorous, or discharged followers, and/or increase the levels of your existing followers, as long as, at the end of the changes, you have at least two followers and their total levels are less than your own.

Discharged followers will initially be nearly as supportive of your character as they were when in your band, but are from then on handled as a normal non-player character by the Adventure Guide.

Follower abilities

The player can roll abilities for any follower using 3d6, assigning them as desired, or the player can use the set 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. A follower’s charisma and wisdom cannot exceed that of their leader.

Followers have verve, and they gain maximum survival and verve for their first level as a player character does. They do not have mojo of their own. They do gain 6 points of practical mojo per level that can be used to gain fields, skills, and equipment as if it were mojo. Equipment is gained at the rate of ten coins per point. Their six points of first-level mojo can use first-level mojo costs for fields and skills. Their other mojo uses normal costs for fields and skills. A follower’s equipment is only available if the follower is available, and, while it can be stolen, it cannot be sold or otherwise converted into money.

Followers do not gain specialties. However, the player can spend one mojo at any time to grant a follower--or a group effort involving followers--one of the character’s specialties. The follower or group effort must meet the requirements for the specialty (prerequisites are met by the player character). Once granted, use of this specialty lasts for the rest of the adventure.

Experts

An expert is a leveled follower that is not one of the real archetypes. Experts designate one intelligence-based field in which they are an “expert”. Rather than gaining a level bonus to the Fighting Art, experts gain a level bonus to that field. They can also apply mojo to this field bonus and to gaining skills within the field.

An expert’s archetypal ability is intelligence, and their archetypal reaction is reason. Their verve contributor is wisdom.

Betrayal

If followers are treated poorly, they may turn on the object of their devotion. They are unlikely to directly confront the player character, but rather will betray the character, feel guilty about it, and run away. Betrayal can come in the form of stealing (especially if the follower feels they’ve not been given their fair share of loot--a good rule of thumb is 10% of the character’s share divided up among the merry band); desertion in time of danger (especially if the character uses followers callously as monster fodder); or even betrayal to the character’s enemies.

After betrayal, a follower will disappear and become a non-player character.

The player is allowed a charisma roll, probably with modifiers, to forestall a disgruntled devotee. On a successful charisma roll the follower(s) forgive their errant leader’s past transgressions.

Multiple Archetype

On advancing in level, the player may choose any archetype in which to place that level. A player with a fourth level Warrior may, on taking this specialty, decide to place their fifth level in Monk, as long as the character has a 10 or higher in Charisma, the archetypal ability of the Monk.

If this specialty is taken at first level, the player may “pre-choose” the archetype that their character will advance in for their second level. The character will gain the special abilities of that archetype. The character’s “real” archetype(s) are the ones that provide reactions, attack bonus, and survival or verve points.

Special abilities include restricted fields, spell-casting ability, and the ability of warriors to convert attack bonuses into combat bonuses.

For example, a first level character with 16 strength and 12 agility might choose to be a Warrior, and pre-choose “Thief” for second level. The character will react, attack, and have survival points as for a Warrior but will also be able to learn thief fields as if the character were a first level thief. On reaching second level, the character must place that level in the Thief archetype. At that point, the character will be a full first level each in Warrior and Thief, and will gain the survival points (or in this case verve points), reaction bonus, and attack bonus (if any) for a first level Thief.

The character must still meet any requirements for the archetype(s) in question.

Characters only gain their initial resources at their first character level, not for each first archetype level. Likewise, characters who multi-type to sorceror do not automatically acquire spells for their spellbook. Characters who multi-type to thief do not gain the first level thieving fields, but rather the general field increase for level advancement.

Players whose characters have more than one archetype can use their mojo to affect rolls for any of their archetypes. Their costs for gaining or improving things such as fields or skills are according to the archetype they gained their current level in. Verve can be used in place of survival if the damage is archetypal for any of the character’s archetypes.

A player may not choose an archetype that violates the restrictions in the main rules for creating a new group, until at least two levels after the game starts. If the game starts at first level, as is normal, a player can only choose a forbidden (because other player characters already have it) archetype at third level or higher.

Multiple Spell Targets

The sorceror may cast chained spells at more than one target. The sorceror must otherwise be able to cast the spell on the target.

Musician

The character is an exceptional musician, and may play any musical instrument passably given a few days of study, and can play any instrument within a general style immediately, even if they’ve never used that particular instrument before.

The Musician gains the Musical Science field at +1 with one instrument style (Wind, String, Percussion, Keyboard, Vocals) as well as the skill play unfamiliar instrument: a Musician can play unfamiliar instruments with their Musical Science field bonus, at a penalty of 2, if they spend an hour studying the instrument.

The Musician can gain one field bonus or one new style every three levels after taking this specialty, and can also apply mojo to the field as normal. Musical skills are archetypal for the Musician.

Nature Friend

The character may learn the languages of animals. They gain the field Nature Friend at +1 with the skills calm animal and discern qualities (usually a perception roll). They gain a further bonus of 1 to this field every third level.

The character may add skills to this field as normal. Skills available within this field include woodcraft, the five animal languages (mammals, birds, snakes and lizards, fish and water-creatures, and insects), the forest language of the Faerie, and nature stealth. Nature stealth combines the thief skills hide and silence but only within a natural realm.

The character gains a bonus of 1 to perception in the wild.

The character may befriend any domestic or non-hostile animal automatically. They may also calm a wild or attack animal. The animal must make a Willpower roll, with a penalty of the character’s nature friend field bonus. A failure indicates that the animal’s reaction category is shifted one level in the direction the character desires. The character must approach the animal fearlessly to exercise this ability.

The reaction categories are: bloodlust, anger, wariness, no reaction, happiness, friendliness.

The character may choose to multi-type as a prophet, but will be limited to the prophet, plant, animal, weather, and water spirits.

Nobility

The character is from a noble family, and may reap the benefits of nobility. The character must maintain a noble demeanor and uphold the family name. If the character tarnishes the family name, the character may no longer use the familial benefits of nobility, and may even experience a backlash.

The character gains the Art field Noblesse Oblige at +1, with two skills. They gain one noble etiquette skill, such as an etiquette for all nobility in a specific culture, or an etiquette for an activity that nobility engage in, such as courting, fashion, ruling etiquette, or chivalry. They also gain one of a noble language, a royal history, equestrianism, law, heraldry, a fine art, or a noble sport such as jousting, dueling, falconry, or hunting. At the time they gain this specialty, they may choose to move any appropriate existing skill into the Noblesse Oblige field. (This will probably change that skill’s scope.)

The character gains an extra 2d6 times ten silver coins when they take this specialty. The character can also draw on a pool worth level times 50 silver coins. This pool is not available as money, but as things the character’s family owns and that the character may use. The pool may not be saved from level to level. It refreshes itself to the new higher amount whenever the character gains a new level. The character will usually need some means of picking the stuff up from the family or the family’s holdings. The player and Guide can work together to determine the means, which will vary depending on what the character is acquiring.

The character gains a bonus of 1 on interactions with other members of the nobility of their culture. This benefit is not lost if they tarnish the family name, even against members of the nobility participating in a backlash. They’re still part of the in-group, even if the in-group doesn’t like them. An “interaction” is pretty much any roll except an attack roll. Even reaction rolls against spells cast by nobles (of their culture) are at a +1. The other person must know that the character is a noble for the character to gain this bonus. (As a member of the nobility, the character is also affected by this, but only when the other noble has the Nobility specialty.)

The exact effects of nobility will vary from campaign to campaign and from culture to culture.

Noble Pet

The character has a “pet” traditional to nobility, such as a horse, falcon, or dog. The animal is exceptional for its species. It has a 4 intelligence and 9 charisma, and a +1 on all survival dice. Its first survival die is the maximum for that die. Its Perception is the same as its owner’s. The animal has either been in the character’s family for a long time, or comes from a pedigree with a long history with the character’s family.

The animal will never be confused as to its owner or its family, even by supernatural means. It is completely reliable, and may be given simple instructions to carry out in the character’s absence. The animal can reliably be sent to known locations and (if instructed) return. When at all possible, the animal will be able to track and find its owner, though it will not do so if that puts its owner in danger, unless the character wants it to.

When within twenty yards the animal can respond to its owner’s silent commands and communicate silently with its owner, giving its owner a bonus of 1 to all Perception rolls. The animal can communicate its basic (one-word) fears, needs, and other concerns to the character.

If the animal dies, it will be replaced with another in its line during the character’s next level.

Parry

The character with the parry specialty may choose any of their own successful attacks and convert them to parries. Each parry negates one incoming attack, chosen by the parrying character.

If a character parries an attack against an attacker who is using multiple attacks per round, the parrying character can (if they have any available) use combat points to increase the number of attacks parried. One combat point adds one parry to the number of parries against a single attacker. No extra roll is required.

Parries can only be performed with weapons that the character is familiar with and may only be performed with and against close combat attacks.

Personal Binding

The character is “bound” to an item, person, or place. The Adventure Guide is forbidden from permanently removing that thing. If an item is stolen, for example, it must be retrievable. Persons may not be killed, nor places destroyed.

When a bound thing is missing, the character will always know how to find it. This knowledge need not be paranormal but it must exist. The knowledge may come from clues, confessions, or soliloquies; or from intuition, magic, divinity, or psychic links. The player may always ask, “will this action lead me closer to the item compared to not taking this action” and the Adventure Guide must answer yes or no truthfully.

All actions which lead the character closer to the bound item compared to not taking those actions are archetypal. When the player chooses to bid mojo on such an action, they will receive free mojo, up to what they bid, if it is needed to succeed. These free mojo will give the character experience as normal. A player who bids three mojo but needs five, for example, will spend their three as well as two free; the character will receive experience as if five mojo were spent. If they bid three mojo but need seven, however, it will still fail, because they need four extra mojo beyond their bid, and they only bid three.

Poisoner

The Poisoner automatically gets the poison skill in a relevant field of their choice. They gain a bonus of two to the “poison” skill roll. Poisons require mojo to manufacture.

The base mojo required is the strength of the poison. The action time and effects of the poison also affect the mojo cost to manufacture. The penalties are additive: a poison that causes 1d6 injuries and has an action time of 2 rounds will have a mojo cost of 12. Strengths below zero can offset the mojo cost, but the mojo cost will never be less than one.

1. Sleep (or paralysis) time is that many minutes, after which the victim can awaken as normal. Paralysis which resembles death costs two extra mojo. Paralysis that leaves the victim conscious costs two extra mojo.

2. The chosen ability (or concentration) will be penalized by that much for the duration of the poison, not per action time.

3. Injuries are gained once and then the poison is done.

The poisoner can create multiple doses of the poison at an extra cost of half the base cost; each extra dose costs a minimum of one mojo extra.

Creating a chronic poison (one which causes cumulative ability loss or injuries) doubles the mojo cost.

Poisoners may also manufacture antidotes to known poisons or poisons for which they have a sample. The cost is half as much as the poison would have been, but also requires a poison roll with a penalty equal to the new (halved) cost. If the poison roll is failed, only one mojo is spent and the antidote is not created.

Power Shift

The character with Power Shift is aware of the hidden veins of power feeding the world. They can sense places of power and draw forth moments of power. Drawing forth the moment of power requires a pattern of lost things, forgotten and dry: a chain of flowers, dried and pressed between the pages of long-unread books hung from a dead tree; letters from long ago, carefully kept in a room no one visits and lain out in a spiral upon the ground; hard candy dusty and brittle from an ancient tin strewn through the ashes of an ancient fire.

The character can cause a place of power (including moments of power) to wax or wane, and can create moments of power, using mojo. The character can double the radius of a place of power, double the duration of a moment of power, or increase or decrease the level of a place of power by one, for 1 mojo. The character can create a zero-level moment of power for one hour at a one-yard radius, for 1 mojo. Moments of power created by the character are centered on the character and the pattern that the character has created, and have the character’s moral code. The pattern is only needed for creating the moment (or extending the place). If the pattern is destroyed after the moment of power is created, the moment of power remains.

Characters must be within half the radius of the place of power to affect it; that is, they must be near its center. For example, if a place of power is three miles wide, they must be within the center one and a half miles to affect the place. It takes about five minutes to create a pattern. Creating or shifting a place of power takes one round.

The character can also sense places of power on a Perception roll, at a bonus of the level of the place of power. The character must be within the place of power and must actively attempt to sense the place of power.

Rituals require a significant sacrifice, a drawn symbol of power, and a chant, all of which must be related to the results of the ritual. The Adventure Guide has more information about performing rituals.

Prehensile Tail

A prehensile tail gives the saurian the ability to do almost anything with their tail that they can do with their hands. A prehensile tail gives the saurian a bonus of 2 to climbing and to walking in unstable situations such as a tightrope. The saurian can have a weapon ready from the front or back, though they may use only one per action. They can use a two-handed weapon and still use a shield. They may ready one weapon without dropping their current weapon. If a thief, they can pick pockets and pick locks (locks and traps) while doing other things, such as fighting.

Prehensile tail makes more sense at early levels, because it is something the character always had.

Priestly Circle

Prophets with “Priestly Circle” may join with others of their faith to empower spirits to greater ability than the prophet could normally call. The prophet with this specialty is the “center” of the circle. Each other priest or worshipper in the circle adds half their level to the total level. Any spirits held by a member of the circle may be used by the circle. The circle may also call forth spirits, at the higher level of the circle. The circle’s total level may not be more than double the center’s level.

Once an individually-held spirit is made manifest, the circle may disband without losing the manifestation. If a spirit is called by the circle, however, it will be lost when the circle disbands. If its effects are permanent or have a duration, these effects will not disappear when the circle disbands.

Note that the others in the Priestly Circle need not be prophets, and probably won’t be, since prophets are usually rare. They must be a priest or fervent worshipper of the prophet’s faith, however.

Provisioning

The character is an expert at acquiring supplies, equipment, and funds at short notice, and at planning ahead for what items will be necessary. The player may retroactively choose to have purchased small, inexpensive items as long as there has been a reasonable opportunity to purchase or acquire them in the last level weeks. (And as long as the character’s pack, pouch, or other carrying device hasn’t been replaced or emptied since then.)

The small, inexpensive item must be worth less than level silver coins, and the character must have room for the item in their pouch, pack or other carrying device. The character’s funds are reduced by the amount the item costs or would have cost when acquired.

The player may also trade mojo for larger and more expensive equipment. Trading mojo for equipment or supplies results in ten times mojo squared silver coins worth of items. Items take a number of hours equal to the mojo used, to acquire. If the character needs to acquire a horse and tackle, worth 85 silver coins, this will take 3 mojo (for up to 90 silver coins worth of supplies) and 3 hours.

The worth of supplies is measured by how much they would cost in the general community near where the character is searching for them.

Psychic Warrior

The Psychic Warrior is a master of psychic combat, in the same way that Warriors are masters of physical combat. The Monk’s psychic combat bonus is the Monk’s level, and the combat bonus may be used for various things during psychic combat just as Warriors can. The psychic warrior may also vocalize and move at one-half movement with only a penalty of 1 to psychic attack and defense.

Quick Healing

The character heals more easily than others. For each night’s healing roll, the character automatically makes their health roll to restore survival or heal injury. The character must rest at least three hours. If the character rests for a full day, they will regain twice the normal amount of survival points.

Reaction

The player can choose a specific reaction to a specific ‘triggering’ event. The character will always react in that manner if at all reasonably possible. Both the trigger and the reaction must be specific. The reaction must be the kind of action that the player would tell an Adventure Guide that they are doing. For example:

* Whenever I see an Orc, I will attack it with my sword.

* Whenever I am surprised in the forest, I will cast mage bolt at whatever surprised me.

* Whenever I fall into a more than ten foot fall, I will cast slow fall.

* Whenever I enter a room, I will search for exits.

Whenever the character could reasonably have perceived the trigger (“Whenever I...”), the character will immediately initiate the reaction (“I will...”).

Surprise penalties do not affect the reaction. If the character attempts any actions other than the reaction, however, surprise penalties apply as normal. If the reaction requires any “stuff”, such as a sword or spell components, that stuff must be reasonably available to the character but in general it is assumed that the character does keep them available and easily accessible.

Players will want to be careful what they choose. In the second example, that sorceror is likely to end up casting mage bolt at friends and allies. The reaction will occur unless the player says otherwise immediately before the trigger becomes known.

Reliquary Magic

The character understands, in some way, the means of ritual curses or sacrificial magic. The character gains a bonus of one to any attempt to use a place of power.

The character also may, at the moment of their death, attempt to lay a curse or create a special magical item.

If the character attempts a curse, the target of the curse (if an individual) is allowed a Willpower roll to avoid the curse, at a penalty equal to the level of the dying character.

Curses or magic items may also be created through some sacrifice similar to personal death within a place of power. Such ritual magics will almost certainly require special rituals and ingredients which will vary from campaign to campaign, person to person, and magic to magic.

Restoration

The character who always seems to take a beating before summoning a reserve of strength? That’s you. Your character can restore lost verve points. Restoration costs one mojo point. If the character is unconscious, they are restored to consciousness automatically.

For example, if a character with a normal maximum of 19 verve points is at 3 verve points and uses a mojo point on restoration, they are immediately restored to 19 points.

Restoration requires no action on the character’s part, but it helps to say something ironic or heroic.

Riposte

The riposte specialty allows a character with the parry specialty to attack immediately following a successful parry if the parrying character’s attack/parry roll was lower than the attacker’s attack roll. The parrying character’s attack occurs as normal.

Ritual Magic

The sorceror can cast spells directly from their spell book, without preparing it ahead of time. Ritually preparing a spell for casting requires uninterrupted casting time for ten minutes per level of the spell. The player must make a Reason roll to successfully ritualize the spell. The character may gain a bonus of 1 by taking twenty minutes per level, and a bonus of 2 by taking thirty minutes per level. Beyond those requirements, the spell is cast as normal and requires the same components and additional casting time as for normal casting.

A place of power grants a bonus to the Reason roll of the place of power’s level, if appropriate to the caster.

Sorcerors with the Ritual Magic specialty can use it even to cast incompatible spells.

Scholar

The character is a scholar, a seeker of knowledge. Scholars automatically gain the skill “Literacy” in either their native culture field or the Language Science field. If they are in a culture that does not have a written language, they will devise their own notation scheme.

The character has a wide array of general knowledge; the player may make a Reason roll to know any specific piece of scholarly knowledge. What constitutes “scholarly knowledge” will be up to the Guide, but will generally cover any of the standard book-learning fields such as science, history, and math. The Guide may assign penalties or bonuses to the roll depending on the knowledge in question.

On taking this specialty, the character also gains one extra language skill and one extra Science skill, in a relevant field of the player’s choice.

Seat of Power

The character comprehends the ritual required to construct and use a throne or high seat that enhances magical energies. A seat of power must be installed on and linked to a place of power. It grants a bonus of that place’s level to casting level for all spells cast while seated within the seat of power. (Spells must be cast at a minimum of their level.)

A sorceror can only use (and create) seats of power in places of power with a moral code that partially matches and does not conflict with the sorceror’s moral code. An Ordered sorceror, for example, could use a seat of power in a place of power that is Ordered, Ordered Good, or Ordered Evil. A Chaotic Good sorceror could use a seat of power in a place of power that is Chaotic, Good, or Chaotic Good.

A seat of power may not be moved without breaking its link to the place of power on which it was constructed.

A seat of power requires eight mojo to build.

Sense Arcana

The character is able to sense the use of their type of arcane power around them. A sorceror can sense magic, a prophet can sense divine power such as spirit manifestations, and a monk can sense psychic powers in action.

The character is allowed a Perception roll at a bonus of the level of effect and a penalty of one for every ten yards away the arcane power is being used.

Any character with Sense Arcana can sense a ritual being performed at a place of power. For such rituals, the penalty is per mile rather than per ten yards.

Demonic power is perceptible to both prophets and monks.

The character senses only that arcane power is in use and the relative strength of that power, but not direction or kind of power (magic school, divine sphere, or psychic field). Relative strength depends on both level of effect and distance. As a rule of thumb, if the combined modifier for level of effect and distance is zero or less, the relative strength is weak; if the modifier is one or two, strength is moderate; for three to five, strength is strong, and for six to nine, strength is powerful. Any higher is very powerful.

Sidespell

The sorceror can cast one spell into their staff of power, and then loose that spell later. Verve and components are used when the spell is cast into the staff. The target of the spell is chosen when the spell is loosed. When loosed, a sidespell’s casting time is 1. The sorceror can use a sidespell even when surprised.

A staff of power can bear only one sidespell at a time. Any current sidespell must be loosed before another sidespell can be stored.

The sorceror must be holding their staff to loose the sidespell. Further, the player must choose an action their sorceror must perform to activate the sidespell, such as one of:

The sorceror must raise the staff vertically at least a foot up.

The sorceror must stamp the base of the staff against the ground or other horizontal flat surface.

The sorceror must rap the tip of the staff against a wall or other mostly vertical service.

The sorceror must extend the staff horizontally, pointing the tip or base towards the target of the sidespell.

Species

The character is an elf, dwarf, halfling, gnome, or other character race, and gains benefits and penalties according to their species.

The character may advance among multiple archetypes. At any level advancement, the player may roll vs. the archetypal ability of any archetype to be able to choose that archetype (depending on the archetype and the world, some training may be required). The roll has a penalty of the character’s current level in that archetype.

If the chosen archetype is a preferred one, no roll is required. An Elf character can advance in warrior or sorceror with no roll required, for example. They may multi-type at first level as described under the “Multiple Archetype” specialty, within their preferred archetypes (both archetypes must be a preferred archetype).

As long as the character has only one archetype and their new level is also in that archetype, no roll is required to advance. Once the character has or will have multiple archetypes, any advancement not within a preferred archetype requires a roll.

A player may not choose the archetype of another player character until at least two levels after the game starts. If the game starts at first level, as is normal, a player can only choose another player character’s archetype at third level or higher.

Aging affects the character’s base starting age and the number of dice rolled for starting age. Elves generally start at 150 plus 10d6 years old, for example. Aging also affects the age at which a character begins to feel the affects of age, and the rate at which aging affects the character. A Dwarf, for example, will begin to “get old” at 360 years, and will get worse every forty years thereafter.

If the player chooses to make their character older, the character will gain the field and skill benefits of their age. The player may save their age-based field and skill bonuses and use them during play to gain skills and fields relevant to the adventure.

Special Vision

The non-human species have both normal vision and either “night” or “heat” vision. “Night” vision is the ability to see more clearly in darkness, as long as there is some ambient light around, from stars or a tiny sliver of a moon. This ability will not ‘kick in’ if there are bright light sources around. A character with night vision suffers fewer, if any, penalties due to darkness.

“Underground” vision is more of a combination of senses, with the character able to see differences in heat and feel from the motion of air and triangulate from sounds and echoes. The character with “Underground” vision is able to see and work with no light at all within enclosed spaces. In the open and outdoors, this vision is less useful. The default penalty for using underground vision in the outdoors is increased by 3. Determining fine differences with “underground” vision is difficult if not impossible. It may not be used to read normal text, for example.

Special vision is rarely as good as daylight vision, and characters will have a penalty to perception rolls, as shown in the above table. If circumstances indicate that the special vision is less useful, the penalties will be greater, and at the extreme will not function at all. If there is no ambient light whatsoever, night vision will not function. If the character is in a wide open space such as a desert, underground vision will fail to function.

Thieving Modifiers

Certain species gain bonuses or penalties on thieving skills that fall within their racial purview. Dwarves, for example, tend to be very good at lock mechanisms, and Halflings at keeping silent and hidden,

Dwarf

Dwarves live deep in dark caverns in the mountains. They live for mining and metalwork, and deeds of bravery in battle. They tend to be individualists (thus tending towards the moral code of chaos) and do not always work as well with others as they should, even others of their own kind. They have a competitive nature.

Dwarves gain a bonus of two to Health rolls. They gain a special bonus based on endurance against any magical items or spells, and may not themselves use magic (should any Dwarf gain the ability to cast spells, they lose their bonus against magic).

Dwarves receive the Spelunking skill in native culture or any relevant field, at no cost.

Elf

Elves live in natural above-ground “remote” areas, usually forests or lakes. Even their denser cities are not always obvious to humans. Elves are as in tune with nature as Dwarves are with their mines and caverns. Elves tend towards the good moral code.

Elves gain a bonus of two to Perception rolls. They also gain a special bonus based on wisdom against any sleep and mind control effects. If Elves travel alone or in a group of other Elves, unarmored, their opponents have a penalty of 3 to any surprise rolls.

Gnome

Gnomes live wherever they please, although usually in remote areas, wooded and hilly.

Gnomes may make a perception roll to know that an item is cursed. Like Halflings and Elves, they may, unarmored and in groups with only other Gnomes, surprise more easily, giving their opponents a penalty of 3 to any surprise rolls. Gnomes gain a special bonus based on Intelligence to perception rolls.

Goblin

Goblins are not commonly player characters, occupying a different niche than most player species. They are sort of an evil version of gnomes, although player character Goblins are not required to be evil. Goblins live in dark and dense wooded areas, often near the foot of mountains where there are shallow caves. When unarmored and in groups of only other goblins they surprise more easily, giving their opponents a penalty of 2 to any surprise rolls. Goblins gain a special bonus based on endurance to reactions against disease, sickness, and poison.

Halfling

Halflings live in hill-burrows, or in small, long houses set into the sides of hills.

Known in some parts of the world as “Hobbits”, the Halflings are perhaps the race that, except for their size, most resemble humans. Halflings tend to be very conservative, and tend towards the ordered moral code and the good moral code. Etiquette plays a large role in Halfling society.

Halflings, like Dwarves, are resistant to magic and may not themselves cast magical spells. They gain a special bonus based on endurance against any magical items or spells. Should a Halfling manage to learn to cast spells, they lose this bonus. They also gain a bonus of 1 to Health rolls. If Halflings travel alone or in a group of other Halflings, unarmored, their opponents have a penalty of 3 to any surprise rolls.

Half-Elf

Half-Elves, while rare, will be found equally in human and Elven society. Their slower aging can make them distrusted in human society, and garner condescension in Elven society, although the extent of this will depend on the half-elf and on the community.

Half-Elves gain a bonus of 1 to perception rolls and a bonus of 1 against any sleep and mind control effects.

Half-Orc

Half-Orcs tend to be quick-tempered, though not to the extent of their Orc father. Half-Orcs pretty much only result in the aftermath of war between Orc and Human, and are almost always born of female humans. Half-Orcs are rarely accepted by other humans if their lineage is recognized. They are at best grudgingly tolerated. Because half-Orcs are almost always born of human women, they are almost always found in human society, or at least on the fringes of it.

Pixie

Pixies are common enough but prefer to live far from any civilized lands, and are generally not player characters. They tend to be unaligned morally, not caring one way or another about morality. Their social structure tends to be quite alien to the other civilized races. They may fly, as long as they have a free radius equal to twice their height; otherwise, they must walk at their slower speed.

Pixies gain a bonus of 1 to perception, a penalty of 1 to willpower, and a special bonus based on wisdom against any sleep or mind control effects. Pixie characters may choose Herbalism and Acrobatics with no out-of-type penalty. Pixie thieves must use their slower (walking) speed to gain the bonus of 3 to silence.

If a Pixie is a warrior, they can only increase their combat movement by 2 per combat bonus point.

Saurian

Saurians are bi-pedal lizard-like creatures, with long forking tongues, bulbous eyes, and ears behind eye-lid-like membranes. Their shiny, iridescent scales reflect green and blue in sunlight, and also make them appear wet or slimy even in dry conditions. They have underground vision. They are suited to warmer temperatures than other species, and withstand any temperature as if it were ten degrees cooler than it really is. Because of this, they prefer not to be out at night when the temperature is cooler.

They can move quickly on all fours, using their long arms as legs. Their larger base movement rate is their all-fours movement.

Saurians will regrow arms, legs, and tails if they lose them. After a scene where a Saurian gains injury points, they can make an Evasion roll at +8. On a successful Evasion roll, all injuries were to a single limb; they don’t then have to worry about unconsciousness or death from that injury. They may choose which limb is lost; they will then automatically heal one injury point per day in addition to any other healing rolls (which won’t apply to that limb). Until their limb heals, its injuries will only contribute a penalty of three, and only to actions involving that limb. (Movement involves their tail as well as their legs and possibly arms.) Let the player choose which limb was injured, or roll d5 (arm, arm, leg, leg, tail) if they can’t decide. The minimum injury level is three; if their injuries were less than that, they are increased to three when the limb is removed. Thus, it takes at least three days to restore a lost limb.

Saurians gain a bonus of two to any death rolls, as well as to unconsciousness rolls brought on by gaining injury points. Saurians don’t feel pain in the debilitating sense that other creatures do, so they’ll also gain a bonus of four to any rolls against physical torture.

When the temperature goes below 70 degrees, movement drops by 2. For every additional five degree drop, movement is reduced by 1.

Because they are large creatures, Saurians do not have to roll for unconsciousness or death until they reach two injuries. Their Fortitude bonus also comes from being Large.

Speedy Movement

The character is able to get from place to place quickly, by running quickly, using shortcuts, and avoiding the obstacles that normally get into people’s way.

Add 1 to the character’s movement per character level.

Spell Preparation

The caster can perform their spells up to the point of casting but wait to loose them. The level of effect is chosen when the character starts casting the spell. The target and voluntary effects of the spell are chosen at the time the spell is loosed. Ingredients must be kept available until the spell is loosed.

The caster can change their mind and not loose the spell. Verve is not lost, nor is the spell lost from memory, if the character chooses not to loose it.

The caster may not cast another spell while keeping a previous one prepared. The preparation is then lost. If the character loses consciousness in any way (including sleeping), preparation is also lost.

Spellbook Exchange

The sorceror can read a spell from their spellbook directly into their mind, replacing a spell that they already have memorized with another spell of that level or lower. Swapping a spell requires one minute and one verve, per level of the spell being swapped in.

Spellhold

The caster can concentrate to hold a spell and loose it well after casting. Loss of concentration means that the spell goes off. The character may have to make a Willpower roll to maintain concentration if surprised, if they lose survival in an attack, or are otherwise shocked enough to possibly lose concentration.

The caster must choose all aspects of the spell at casting. Only the actual effects of the spell are delayed. The target, for example, must be chosen at casting, and it then doesn’t matter if the target leaves the range of the spell after casting. The spell is cast, but is held in abeyance until the sorceror lets it loose. Any reactions are made at the time the spell is cast.

A caster can choose to quench a held spell. This takes spell level rounds. On a loss of concentration during the quenching period, the caster’s Willpower roll to control the spell is at a bonus of the spell level and a penalty of the number of rounds to go.

The caster can change their mind about quenching, but must make a Willpower roll at a penalty of the number of rounds spent quenching to successfully keep the spell (a failure means that the spell was already quenched).

Whether quenched or loosed, a held spell is used up, and uses verve and other resources at the time of casting.

Spirit Attachment

The prophet may attach spirits to a place or person. Once attached, spirits are only removed if triggered or if the prophet wills it. The prophet does not “lose” that spirit until that spirit is triggered or otherwise used. For example, if a prophet can hold four spirits of third level, and attaches one spirit to a dwelling to protect the dwelling, that prophet still has four spirits ‘held’, and may not call another one. The prophet can at any time recall the spirit; the spirit attachment ends immediately, and it will take 2d20 minutes for the spirit to return to the prophet’s use. The prophet knows when a spirit is triggered and when it is available.

The spirit’s trigger may, at first level, be a single command word or a single, simple thing (sword, the color red). At higher levels, the trigger may use as many words as the character’s level. A second level character might have it triggered on a “red sword”, a third level character on “three attacking Orcs”, etc. The trigger and the target must be the same at first level. At second level and higher, the words to describe the trigger may be divided between trigger and target. For example, at first level the trigger and target might be described by “human”. If any human (as the sorceror would perceive it) enters the range of the spirit, the spirit is triggered, and that human is the target of the spirit. At second level, the prophet might say that the trigger is “human”, but the target is “tree”. If a human comes within range of the spirit, the spirit’s effect is triggered but the target will be the tree (if there is only one tree within range, or the prophet doesn’t care which tree is targeted).

Spirit Bane

The character is marked with divine protection. The character has a bonus of two to reactions against any divine or spiritual effect. Divine creatures must make a willpower roll to attack the character. Spirit bane also protects against demonic power.

Spirit bane will usually manifest in some physical manner, such as a lightly glowing aura or a physical mark that changes when the resistance comes into play.

Spirit Channel

When any of the prophet’s spirit attachments are triggered, the prophet will see, hear, and otherwise perceive what is happening in the area of the spirit as if the prophet were at that location. The prophet can move their point of perception from that location at level yards per round. They can use any spirit manifestations, specialties, or other special powers that affect themself to improve their ability to perceive what is happening.

The effect lasts for level minutes after the triggered spirit manifestation ends. They cannot physically affect the location, but they can choose to speak and (if they wish) manifest a ghostly presence.

Spirit Drain

The prophet may “drain” their called spirits, using them to less than their full potential. A sixth level spirit could be manifest as a third level effect, for example, without losing the entire spirit, only the levels needed. Thus, a sixth level spirit that manifests a third level effect would become a third level spirit: three levels lost for the manifestation.

Spirit Drain works when burning spirits as well; a prophet can choose to burn less than the full spirit. Burning a spirit in this manner is treated the same as if burning a full spirit of the lesser level.

Staff of Power

The sorceror comprehends the rituals required to create and link a special staff that focuses their magical energies. A staff of power needs to be constructed via special ritual, and it needs to be linked to the sorceror via special ritual at a place of power. The rituals requires an hour in a place of power.

A staff of power, when held and displayed by the sorceror, grants a bonus of one to the sorceror’s casting level for all spells cast. (Spells must be cast at a minimum of their level.)

A staff of power requires four mojo to create.

Stout Heart

The player may roll two dice instead of one for survival point increases, and take the highest roll. Any rolls of 1 (on either die) may be re-rolled.

This specialty may be taken more than once; each extra use increases the roll which may be re-rolled. Taking it twice means that any rolls of 1 or 2 may be re-rolled, three times means that any rolls of 1, 2, or 3 may be re-rolled, etc.

Stout Mind

The player may roll two dice instead of one for verve increases every even level, and take the highest roll. Any rolls of 1 (on either or both dice) may be re-rolled.

This specialty may be taken more than once; each extra use increases the roll which may be re-rolled. Taking it twice means that any rolls of 1 or 2 may be re-rolled, three times means that any rolls of 1, 2, or 3 may be re-rolled, etc.

Sworn Racial Enemy

The character’s community or race are sworn enemies of another species. The character gains a bonus of 4 to attack vs. the racial enemy, and has a penalty of 4 to reaction rolls in regards to the racial enemy.

Symbolic Alchemy

The Alchemist may create scrolls which allow the reader to cast spells or manifest spirits. The reader must be of the appropriate archetype, and must be able to read the language used. Symbolic alchemy adds 10 silver coins to the cost of laboratory setup (15 to the cost of upgrades) and 1 to the maintenance costs, per spell or spirit level.

Unlike potions and topical ointments, scrolls can allow some choice for the reader. The alchemist chooses which effects are preset and which are chosen by the reader. For example, a scroll of “Change Shape” may allow the reader to choose the shape, or it may have the shape pre-set by the alchemist. Each choice that the reader is allowed increases the mojo costs by spell level or spirit manifestation level. The mojo costs are the same as for a potion created using the alchemy specialty. If the scroll allows for choice, it may only be used by characters of the same archetype that uses that spell or spirit.

Scrolls penalize the reader’s advantage roll by one per level of the spell. Scrolls last for two months per level of the alchemist before the ink degrades. After this time, the scroll will have no effect (though, if readable it may be useful for someone researching that particular spell).

Team Combat

The character can build a team that fights more effectively together. The character can team multiple characters in an attempt to synchronize their attack and defense maneuvers. Each person attempting to ‘join the team’ must make a Perception roll. Anyone with the Team Combat Fighting Art skill gains their Fighting Art field bonus as a bonus on the roll.

Characters with the Team Combat specialty automatically gain the Team Combat Fighting Art skill.

The character with this specialty is the coordinator of the attack. If their player does not make their roll, the team does not form.

The ‘team’--everyone who made their Perception rolls--pools all of their attack bonuses together as combat points, which can be allocated by the leader as normal. The team has one attack by default, and the leader can allocate points for extra attacks as normal. The members of the team are not subject to normal facing rules: even if there is limited room for opponents to attack, if even one of the team members can attack then all will be able to, because the team is working together.

The team leader can attempt to team as many as charisma (as a special bonus) other characters (beyond the team leader) together. So, for example, a team leader with a charisma of 13 could create a team of four: the team leader plus three others.

Potential team members who fail their Perception rolls, or everyone if the leader failed their Perception roll, may not act during the first round.

The ‘team-up’ lasts for one round for every warrior level of the leader. The leader can end the team-up at the beginning of any round. Anyone leaving the team removes their part of the pool.

So, for example, a fourth level warrior with this specialty and a 12 charisma, a second level thief, and a second level warrior decide to team up. Each player makes their perception roll. The total pooled combat points are four (for the first warrior), one (for the thief), and two (for the second level warrior), for a total of seven. The fourth level warrior was the ‘leader’. As a fourth level warrior, she can divert up to eight attack bonuses into combat bonuses. She converts two points of the combat pool into a bonus to defense and leaves the rest on attack. Of the three characters, only one will act (chosen by the team leader), and that person will gain a bonus of five to attack. All three of the characters gain a bonus of two to their defense for this round. The team-up lasts for up to four rounds.

Tiny Combat

Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes, and other “small” species may use their size to their advantage in fighting larger creatures, as well as use their race’s long lives and lasting enmity with other races to fight members of those races more effectively.

The character with this specialty will gain a bonus of 1 to attack rolls against up to four levels of other races or creatures (use the creatures’ normal levels from the Encounter Guide, though the bonus will apply to any creatures of that type). The character will also gain a bonus of 4 to defense against the attack rolls of large, humanoid creatures such as trolls, ogres, and giants.

When trying to escape any larger creature, the smaller creature with Tiny Combat will gain a bonus according to the difference in size if the smaller creature is not fighting. A Small creature trying to escape a Large creature will gain a bonus of 2 to defense. This does not combine with the +4 defense bonus against large, humanoid creatures.

Topical Alchemy

The Alchemist may create salves, oils, and powders which may be applied to the skin instead of taken internally. Creating topical magic items is slightly more dangerous to the alchemist than potions: the alchemist must make a Perception roll (with Intelligence as a minor contributor) to avoid accidentally setting off the spell on themselves during the creation process. If an accident occurs, it occurs at a random point during the creation process. Each accident increases the mojo cost by one point.

Topical items may also be applied to living and non-living targets or other targets unable to drink potions.

Topical items require the same mojo and other monetary costs as do potions.

Tough Upbringing

The character has had a tough upbringing, and is exceptionally good at survival for a first level character of that archetype. They may roll an extra d6 (d10 for warriors) for survival points at first level, and add that to their survival point total. Endurance modifiers apply to the extra die. This specialty makes most sense at first level, but may be taken any time. If the player rolls less then 3 (less than 5 for warriors) their character gains 3 (or 5) extra survival instead of what was rolled.

Turn Undead

The character may repel and destroy undead creatures. The player rolls a Willpower roll. If the roll is successful, the character has repelled all undead of first level or lower.

If the roll is successful by at least two, the character has repelled all undead of second level or lower. If successful by at least four, the character has repelled all undead of third level or lower, and so on.

The character can only turn undead they can see. The character must have and display their holy symbol.

Unintelligent undead who are ‘turned’ will flee from the character. Intelligent undead will probably flee, but may hover in the shadows cursing the character. ‘Turned’ undead will not in any case advance within easy line of sight of the character or within four yards of the character.

Intelligent undead are allowed a Willpower roll to avoid being repelled. If the undead makes their reaction, they are not repelled, but they will also not attack the character. The player can choose to reduce their character’s success level and penalize intelligent undead’s reaction rolls by the same amount.

The character can also “destroy” undead. If the success level is more than five beyond that necessary to turn the undead, the undead will gain one injury for every point the success level is greater than that. (Remember that while injuries will affect an undead’s actions and reactions, undead are not normally susceptible to unconsciousness.)

Turned undead will avoid the area the character is in for the duration of the scene (often, the duration of a combat encounter) plus 2d6 minutes. Unintelligent undead will flee at normal speed for that entire time. Intelligent undead often will, too. If the only reasonably available direction to flee is toward the character, then the undead will be able to approach and pass the character. In that case, they may also choose to make one attack as they flee past the character.

Two-Weapon Blitz

The restrictions for Two-Weapon Fighting also apply here. However, instead of merely an extra attack the character with Two-Weapon Blitz fights almost as two characters. If a Warrior, the character can apply their combat bonus completely separately on each weapon. For example, a Warrior with a combat bonus of six and Two-Weapon Blitz fighting with a long sword and a short sword could apply two points to attack bonus and four points for extra attack for the long sword (gaining two attacks at a bonus of 2 to hit), and all six points to extra damage with the short sword (for a single attack at a bonus of 3 to damage).

The character may perform separate special actions with each weapon. A character might choose to attack with one weapon and to counterattack with another, for example.

The character with Two-Weapon Blitz is not limited to melee weapons. Thrown and missile weapons may also be used, though they must still be single-handed weapons, such as a dagger.

Two-Weapon Fighting

The character may fight with two close combat weapons at the same time--even targeting different opponents with each weapon. The weapons must be single-handed weapons, and the character’s strength must be at least the total of the die sizes used by the weapon. For example, two-weapon fighting with a short sword and a long sword would require at least a 14 strength. The character must be familiar with each weapon’s use.

The character basically receives one extra attack, as if spending the points for that attack as a Warrior. The extra attack must be performed with the “extra” weapon (the one in the character’s off-hand). There are no penalties for off-hand use.

Understand Basic Weapons

The character may gain weapon familiarities with “basic” weapons. This specialty will normally only be useful to the Prophet, Monk, and Sorceror archetypes as it grants nothing Thieves or Warriors don’t already have.

Vigilant Sleep

The character’s senses are nearly as aware while sleeping as while waking. The penalty of six to surprise rolls when sleeping is reduced by 1 per level, until at sixth level the character has no penalty to surprise rolls while sleeping.

The character can choose ahead of time to awake if certain conditions are met. If those conditions occur, the player makes a Perception roll; if successful, the character awakes. The condition must be specific, and apply to something that can be sensed specifically. For example, “an enemy approaches our camp” is not specific, but “a goblin approaches” or “anyone approaches” is.

Any penalties that would apply to the Perception roll while awake also apply while sleeping.

Weapon Specialist

The specialist may specialize in the use of specific weapons of a particular style. That style counts as a special fighting field. The styles are slashing weapons, thrusting weapons, bludgeoning weapons, bows, crossbows/firearms, and thrown/slung missiles.

The styles cost mojo just as for any field, and the bonus may be increased as for any field. Weapons within the style cost mojo just as for any skill. The character must already have that weapon as a skill in their Fighting Art field.

The bonus for the character’s specialized field and their Fighting Art field are combined. A character with a +2 in slashing weapons and a +3 in Fighting Art will have a +5 to attack if their weapon is in both fields.

A specialist’s total specialist bonus across all weapon styles cannot be greater than their Warrior level (or overall level if they have the Fighting Expert specialty).

If a non-Warrior with Fighting Expert takes this specialty they may only choose a style that they have also chosen as a Fighting Expert.

Within the campaign world, specializations will usually be recognized as a specific style: those who witness the warrior use the specialization will, if they are familiar with the style, know where the warrior studied.

Psychic Fields

Psychic techniques

Techniques improve the effectiveness of a skill or of all skills in a field. Psychic techniques cost two mojo if they apply to one skill, and four mojo if they apply to an entire field.

If the Monk already has the technique in one skill in a field, they can spend three mojo to make that technique apply to all skills in the field. If the Monk already has the technique in two skills in a field, they can spend two more mojo to make that technique apply to all skills in the field.

Some Techniques may be learned in any field or skill. Some techniques are specific to a field, but may be learned for any skill in that field. And some techniques are only available to a specific skill.

When the mass of the target matters, the psychic’s own mass counts as one tenth its real mass.

See the ‘Monk’ archetype for more information about psychic fields and skills.

Corporeal Field

Healing

Healing requires one round of concentration per injury point healed, and ten minutes of concentration per ‘level’ of limb restored. These times may be controlled according to the “Reduced Time” effect.

Limbs may be restored by corresponding the level of effect in “Limb Restoration”.

Self-Control

Increasing physical or mental abilities only gains the psychic the immediate benefits of the higher abilities. For example, increasing endurance increases the character’s Health and Fortitude but does not increase the character’s survival.

“Immunity to Body Magic” provides enhanced reactions against any magic that affects the body, such as transmutations, death magic, or summonings.

“Slow bodily functions” slows every part of the character’s metabolism. Probably at about 1/8 or more, unobservant others might consider the character dead, and at 1/64 or more, even observant others might consider the character dead. The slowed metabolism also slows the effects of bleeding, ailments, hunger, and anything else which is part of the target’s metabolism.

“Stun opponent” requires a called attack to succeed (and also requires the ‘Targets’ effect).

Morphinesis

“Enhanced senses” grants increased ability to see, hear, or smell. A character with five levels of effect in “Enhanced sight” would be able to see things as if they were a sixth of the distance away. “Enhanced Senses” might also give a bonus to perception of up to 1 per level applied to that effect, if the Guide rules that the enhanced sense applies.

Dimensional Field

These techniques can be learned for use within the Dimensional field.

A “portal” is a physical circle through which the powers manifest themselves. For example, with “sensitive”, a portal allows characters other than the psychic to see the “vision” or “impressions”. With “dimensional shift” or “temporal shift”, the portal allows travel to occur without specifying a number of targets or mass of targets: as long as the objects or creatures can fit through the portal, they will be shifted if they go through the portal. Invisible portals are difficult to see except on a Perception roll.

Sensitive

“Sensitive” gives the psychic general impressions about things that are happening that affect or relate to the target. Adding “future” or “past” effects gives impressions about things that will or have happened in relation to the target during the time frame specified. Adding “Use Senses” allows actually seeing and hearing a ‘vision’ that is clearer than the normal ‘general impressions’. Adding “proxy target” allows the psychic to sense things affecting the owner of the target, if the target is a prized or important possession and if the psychic makes a successful Perception roll.

Dimensional Shift

“Dimensional Shift” allows the psychic to shift objects or creatures out of phase with our normal three dimensions. The effect “Travel Distance” allows moving the object while it is out of phase. The effect “Mass of Targets” specifies the maximum mass of each target.

“Blink Time” is the amount of time the target stays “out of phase”. Without this effect, the blink time is immediate (to the traveler, the out-of-phase time remains immediate no matter how long it appears to take to outside observers). “Directional Shift” allows the psychic to “bend” directions through the shift. So, for example, if the psychic were to dimensionally shift an object that was moving, the object would be moving in a different direction after being shifted. “Affect Magical Creatures” allows the Monk to attack creatures that otherwise would require a magical weapon to attack. The Monk does not gain a bonus to attack; the effect is the magical bonus needed to attack.

Temporal Shift

Temporal shift allows the psychic to temporarily shift the target backwards or forwards in time. When the psychic lets up concentration, the target automatically “snaps back” to the original time, plus however much time the psychic maintained concentration.

“Stretch Time” allows the psychic (or the target) to move quickly compared to the rest of the world. This makes it easier for the psychic to hit opponents and avoid being hit by opponents.

“Compress Time” places the psychic (or the target) in a sort of “stasis” where time passes more quickly. If four levels are placed in “Compress Time”, the target would “age” at a thirty-secondth the rate of the ‘real world’. An hour would be about two minutes to the character. This also makes it difficult to damage the target. All damage done is reduced by the “armor” of the target. In the above example, all damage would be reduced by 8.

Psychokinetic Field

Pyrokinesis

The character has the power to cause flammable objects to burst into flame, and raise the temperature of non-flammable objects. Non-flammable objects will take damage, if their melting point or damage point is reached, of 1d6 per ten minutes, per level placed in the ‘temperature’ effect.

“Area of Effect” allows creation of a ‘sphere’ of high temperature.

‘Damage’ allows for an immediate attack form which causes that damage. It also requires the “targets” effect.

Telekinesis

The psychic may move objects through mental power. A “telekinetic punch’ capable of causing immediate damage may also be used, and of course the “targets” and “range” effects will be required (“range” can be dropped if the psychic uses a range of none and physically touches the target). Telekinetic Shield also requires “target” and “range” to defend against attacks.

“Telekinetic Glide” increases movement and jump by that percentage for Medium-sized targets. The percentage halves or doubles as the target moves up or down the size range.

Spiritual Field

Spirit Aura

Ghosts and death leave remnants of their passing. With Spirit Aura, the Monk--or targets that the Monk designates as normal--can sense and possibly even affect those remnants. At its most basic, the Monk can sense the remnants of powerful moral codes; if the area is “filled with evil” or “has an aura of good”, the character can sense this. For each additional level placed in the effect, the character gains one extra sense, in order: smell, hearing, and sight. If there are ghosts or powerful impressions of the dead, the Monk will sense (smell, hear, and possibly see) them. Normally they seem to be far away, but the more powerful they are, the stronger the senses will be.

Affect Magical Creatures allows the Monk to attack creatures that normally require a magical weapon to attack. Each additional level lets the Monk affect a creature that needs +2 to hit, +3 to hit, etc. The Monk does not receive an actual attack bonus.

Spirit Host

A conversation depth of 1 means indirect conversations such as yes/no answers on a ouija board. A depth of 2 allows for indirect means such as ouija boards and indirect writing (where the psychic’s hand writes the answers the spirit gives). At depths of three and above, the spirit can speak through the psychic, although conversations will be limited to as if to a person with an intelligence equal to the “conversation depth” (and no greater than the spirit’s true intelligence).

The psychic must normally make a Willpower roll to regain control once the séance is over. This roll may be made every round.

“Spirit Host” may only be used to contact spirits that are present in the area unless “proxy target” is used. The proxy target must be something prized or important to the spirit to be summoned. The psychic must make a Perception roll to successfully use the proxy to host the desired spirit.

Spirit Summons

The “Elapsed Time” is the amount of time since the spirit was last “here” or last held or was part of the proxy target. Corpses are common proxy targets for newly dead creatures. If the spirit to be summoned is not present, the psychic must use a proxy target, something prized or important to the desired spirit. The psychic must make a Perception roll to successfully use the proxy.

Conversation depths of one or two bring back insubstantial spirits at best who will speak in thumps or shakes. Conversation depths of three or more allow speaking as if with an intelligence of the conversation depth, and no more than the spirit’s actual intelligence.

Spirit Travel

“Spirit Travel” is the power to remove the astral form from the body and travel about invisibly, without physical substance. Without the effect of “Clear Senses” things in the physical world are difficult to see, as if through a thick fog. Perception rolls are required to see, hear, or otherwise sense things happening in the physical world.

Telepathic Field

Telepaths manipulate the minds of other creatures. There are two techniques that all telepaths may learn. “Area of Effect” allows telepathic powers to affect all minds within the area of effect, whether the telepath knows about them or not. If there are minds within the area of effect that the telepath does not wish to affect, the ‘non-targets’ effect can remove them as targets.

All creatures within the area of effect are allowed their own reaction.

Catalyst

The Catalyst can augment or diminish other psychics’ powers, or act as a conduit to join multiple psychics together into one more powerful psychic. “Increase Resistance” grants a bonus to reactions against psychic powers. “Inhibit Psychics” gives a penalty to all of the target’s psychic success rolls. “Join Psychics” allows the psychic to ‘join’ the effect levels of multiple psychics together. The Catalyst may be included in this group. The effect of “Join Psychics” is the number of levels that each member of the group may contribute to the whole. The Catalyst’s levels all come through.

“Transfer Verve” allows the psychic to transfer verve points to or from the target, or between multiple targets.

“Trigger Power” allows the Catalyst to trigger another psychic’s power(s). With enough levels in “Trigger Power” the Catalyst may even choose targets or apply other enhancements to the manifested power.

Domination

“Control” is the amount of control that the dominator has over the dominated. Agility, Strength, and any skills can be used at up to that score. “Duration” means that the domination continues after the telepath stops concentrating.

Empathy

“Complexity” is the depth of the emotion discerned. At ‘1’, the complexity is only the most obvious, which could probably be deduced from looking at the target (if the target’s culture is familiar). At ‘2’, the most immediate underlying emotion is also available. At ‘3’ and above, emotional complexity may be discerned as if in a conversation with a creature of intelligence equal to the Complexity effect.

“Fake Emotion” is the ability to cause the target to think that the psychic or another target is feeling a specific emotion. The effect level is the strength of that emotion, with ‘1’ being very faint, ‘5’ being a good average, and ‘10’ being very strong. ‘Force Emotion’ is similar, except that the target feels the emotion towards the psychic or another target.

“Convince” can convince the target of the truthfulness of a simple statement. At low levels it is not likely to result in an action on the part of the convinced, but it can result in inaction. A guard can be convinced to let a small group pass, for example. Each level in “Convince” allows the psychic to convince the target(s) of more and more complex or unlikely statements. The words used to convince may often be prefaced with “you will” or “you should”, but do not have to be. The meaning is the same. Generally, once a target is convinced they are convinced from then on that their action was justified, unless something happens or is said to convince them otherwise. If the psychic wishes the target to take action instead of pass on taking action, an extra level in Convince is required.

“Forget” causes the target to forget the past five seconds or more.

Illusion

For every sense that is clearly missing, there is a bonus of 2 to the target’s reaction. “Independent Items” is the number of independently moving objects or creatures in the illusion. Without this, only stationary illusions may be created. There can be motion within the stationary illusion, but no items within the illusion can actually change their location.

Illusions can cause damage to the target’s survival, up to a maximum per target of the “Damage Potential” effect. This damage lasts until the target disbelieves or falls unconscious. One third of that damage (round down) remains even after disbelief or unconsciousness. Note that the “Damage Potential” is merely the maximum. The damage done is what the target ‘expects’ from the game rules for that weapon.

“Trick” allows the illusionist to slightly alter one or more of the target’s senses with regards to one item or to a group of similar items acting reasonably in concert. For example, the illusionist could affect sight and cause a band of humans and elves to appear as a band of Orcs to the target(s), or change the sound of a waterfall to a thunderstorm. “Trick” cannot change the basic shape or nature of what the target perceives. A Halfling could be “changed” into a Goblin, but not into an Orc, for example. Voices could be changed into growls but not into hoof beats or an earthquake. The feel of sword thrusts could be changed into painful heat, but not into a loving caress. The illusionist does not control the actions of the illusion (which conform to the actions of the real thing) or the specific appearance of the illusion (which are created by the targets). If the illusionist “tricks” multiple targets, each target may well see, feel, hear, taste, or smell things slightly differently.

“Insert Memory” allows the illusionist to give the target an illusory memory: the target will remember something that has not happened. The memory cannot cause damage. Once inserted, a memory is usually there forever if recalled before the psychic stops concentrating or the duration ends. Under some circumstances, however, a target may have reason to doubt their own memory and be allowed another reaction roll. The psychic may add senses to the memory if desired. The memory cannot interfere with short-term memory, which basically means that it cannot affect the target’s memory of whatever is currently happening.

“Duration” allows the illusion to continue after the psychic stops concentrating.

Telepathy

“Depth” is the depth to which the telepath may go into the target’s mind for information. Depth 1 means only surface thoughts that are directed externally. Anything the target says out loud, or would like to. Depth 2 means any surface thoughts: what the target is thinking about what they are doing or saying. Depth 3 and higher allow the telepath to “rummage around” in the target’s mind for things that the target previously saw or did. It can be considered a “conversation” with an intellect of intelligence equal to the Depth.

The “Speak” effect allows the psychic to speak telepathically as well. Loudness 1 is a whisper, loudness 5 is normal conversation, loudness 10 is yelling.

“Combat Bonus” gives the telepath a combat bonus against the target(s), by giving the telepath advance warning of what the target is going to do in combat.

“Mental Blast” causes 1d6 points of damage to the target. Adding one level increases the damage to d6. Adding three levels, to 2d6. In between, damage is increased by d3, but every ‘2d3’ becomes ‘d6’.

Spells

Many spells, especially the more unique ones, will be known only by a single order or individual researcher. The order or individual sorceror is likely to jealously guard their personal spells. Trading of spells between orders might occur, but is likely to be the subject of long negotiation and treaty ceremonies. Spells that are known only by their original researcher might be given to the order that the researcher belongs to, or it might be kept private until the researcher’s death, when the order searches their lost member’s spell books. In the case of unaffiliated sorcerors who die, original spells might be lost for years until an adventurer recovers the lost spell books. Such lost spellbooks are likely to be the stuff of legend among sorcerors.

Of course, any individual sorceror may choose to share their private spells with any other sorceror. Orders and guilds are unlikely to condone such actions with respect to spells that are unique to the order. Depending on the importance of the spell, sharing may be forbidden on penalty of death--or worse. Sorcerors have strange imaginations. Orders might consider private spells of members which have not yet been shared with the order to still be subject to their rules on sharing or trading spells.

Formulas: words, gestures, and ingredients

Spells require the recitation or performance of a specific spell formula on the part of the caster. These formulae can generally be constructed from words, gestures, and ingredients.

When a formula requires words, the words must be pronounced clearly and said firmly and at a conversational loudness. They may not be whispered, for example.

When a formula requires gestures, the gestures will require freedom of movement of arms, hands, and fingers. Some spells will specify gestures that require further freedom of movement.

Spells which require ingredients usually result in the destruction of those ingredients. Unless otherwise noted, ingredients may only be used once for any spell which requires them.

Reverse spells

Some spells can be cast in two forms: a normal form, and a “reversed” form. For example, Light may also be cast as Darkness. Often, the reversed form will require different ingredients than the normal form.

Spells that have a “reverse” may be cast as either form, assuming that the sorcerer has the appropriate spell components at the time of casting.

Duration

Some spells are instant. They act immediately and are done. Other spells are permanent. The magic acts immediately, but the non-magical effect remains behind. Some spells have a duration of “concentration”. These spells remain in effect for as long as the caster maintains concentration on it. See the main rules for what it means to be concentrating.

Most spells have a limited duration that varies according to the level the spell is cast at. The sorceror need not concentrate to keep these spells going: once cast, the spell lasts for whatever its duration is, and the sorceror can go on to other things.

Some spells are instead dependent on a verve binding. The sorceror must “promise” a certain amount of verve to the spell’s effects. If an effect is dispelled, or its necessary ingredient(s) destroyed, the sorceror loses that verve. A sorceror cannot bind more verve than they have; however, the verve remains available for normal use. If the verve binding comes due and the sorceror doesn’t have enough verve left, the points are lost to survival instead and one of every ten points are added to injuries (if the sorceror doesn’t have enough survival, of course, then more will be added to injuries). Verve (or survival or injuries) are restored as normal once lost. Non-player characters (that don’t have verve) have a verve-binding limit equal to their survival.

Any spell with a non-permanent duration may be ended at any time by the caster.

Range

Spells with a range of “self” may only be cast upon the caster or the caster’s familiar. Spells with a range of “touch” require that the caster touch the spell recipient. In combat, a successful attack roll is required, and the target is allowed an Evasion roll.

Reactions

For most spells with a reaction listed, the target is allowed a reaction as long as the target is conscious. The target can choose to forego the reaction. If the reaction is listed with “active”, this means that the recipient must choose to attempt to resist, or no reaction is allowed.

Physical reactions are generally at a severe penalty if the target is unconscious. Any reactions against physical effects are at a penalty of six when the target is sleeping, or ten when the character is unconscious.

If the spell’s target is an item another creature is carrying, that creature is generally allowed an Evasion roll to keep the item safe.

Levels of Magic

There are up to eighteen levels of spells, possibly more in some campaigns. Spells in games like Dungeons & Dragons, that run from levels one to nine, may often be used with Gods & Monsters by doubling their spell level and then possibly subtracting one.

First Level

Angular Reformation

Aura of Confidence/Desperation

Charisma

Clean Slate

Control Mist

Enlarge/Shrink

Eternal Flame

Eyetrick

Fan of Flame

Farseeing

Fire Darts

Flash

Fool’s Magic

Ghost Lights

Ghost Walkers

Guardian

Hair

Indestructible Object

Inscription

Leaping

Light/Darkness

Mage Bolt

Rainbow Fan

Secret Message

See Whole

Sense Magical Aura

Shield

Slow Fall/Quickfall

Suggestion

Understand/Confuse Languages

Ventriloquism

Second Level

Animal Undead

Armor

Cleanse/Soil

Crawl

Dancing Wood

Dead Night

Delay Passage

Dreams

Drowsiness

Ephemeral Backdrop

Fan Flames/Dampen Flames

Fan of Frost

Fast Friend

Illusory Self

Last Sight

Magic Table

Minor Phantasm

Sand Blast

Sensory Assurance

Shadows

Sleep

Slipknot

Slippery Surface

Smoky Stairs

Strength/Weakness

Sulfuric Spray

Third Level

Aura of Innocence/Guilt

Bar Passage

Dark Bubble

Dream Omen

Dust Wand

Fire Blast

Group Suggestion

Hide Item

Immovable Object

Intelligence/Stupidity

Lesser Ball of Fire

Levitate

Locate Origin

Mend Wounds

Mnemonic Transferal

Mutual Understanding/Confusion

Open

Secret Conference

See Parasite

Silence

Sleepfall

Sleepwalking

Spell Shade

Unravel Bonds

Wizard Mark

Fourth Level

Agility/Clumsiness

Animate Corpses

Diagnose Disease

Elemental Ward

Ephemeral Stage

Find Item

Glue

Invisibility

Lost Corner

Magic Box

Personal Alteration

Riddleshield

Stinging Guardian

Sulfuric Burst

Wave Action

Web

Fifth Level

Aura of Nobility/Depravity

Bottle of Dreams

Dispel Magic

Endurance/Sickly

Ephemeral Reflection

Fighting Prowess

Find Location

Flame Ward/Inflame

Great Ball of Fire

Illusory Transport

Lasting Suggestion

Magic Door

Seek Item

Shade Effects

Snap Trick

Veil

Sixth Level

Angular Path

Clear Portal

Cold Flame

Demonic Clarity

Dreamwalk

Find Magic

Raise Undead

Tracer

Wraithshape

Seventh Level

Aura of Invincibility/Weakness

Dampen Magic

Dweomerburst

Enchanted Weapon

Ephemeral Play

Illusory Terrain

Magic Halls

Magic Transport

Protection from Dispel

Eighth Level

Delay Spell

Dreamhold

Ghostshape

Magic Hole

Reverse Spell

Spell Key

Ninth Level

Escape

Ethereal Wall

Magic Portal

Spell Loop

Tenth Level

Great Balls of Fire

Teleport

Undead Guardians

Eleventh Level

Astral Wall

Bestow Spell

Duality

Twelfth Level

Contingency

Ghost Ship

Promise

Fourteenth Level

Target Contingency

Sixteenth Level

Area Contingency

Permanent Enchantment

Teleportal

Schools of Magic

Conjuration

Angular Reformation

Cold Flame

Dark Bubble

Ephemeral Backdrop

Ephemeral Play

Ephemeral Reflection

Ephemeral Stage

Eternal Flame

Fan of Flame

Fan of Frost

Fire Darts

Flash

Great Ball of Fire

Great Balls of Fire

Lesser Ball of Fire

Light/Darkness

Mage Bolt

Sand Blast

Shadows

Sulfuric Burst

Sulfuric Spray

Web

Divination

Clear Portal

Diagnose Disease

Dream Omen

Find Item

Find Location

Find Magic

Guardian

Hide Item

Last Sight

Locate Origin

See Parasite

See Whole

Seek Item

Sense Magical Aura

Tracer

Understand/Confuse Languages

Mental

Aura of Confidence/Desperation

Aura of Innocence/Guilt

Aura of Invincibility/Weakness

Aura of Nobility/Depravity

Charisma

Demonic Clarity

Dreams

Drowsiness

Eyetrick

Fast Friend

Illusory Self

Illusory Terrain

Illusory Transport

Intelligence/Stupidity

Minor Phantasm

Mutual Understanding/Confusion

Promise

Rainbow Fan

Riddleshield

Secret Conference

Sensory Assurance

Sleep

Sleepfall

Sleepwalking

Suggestion

Understand/Confuse Languages

Wave Action

Metamagic

Area Contingency

Bestow Spell

Contingency

Dampen Magic

Delay Spell

Dispel Magic

Dweomerburst

Fool’s Magic

Inscription

Mnemonic Transferal

Permanent Enchantment

Protection from Dispel

Reverse Spell

Sense Magical Aura

Shade Effects

Spell Key

Spell Loop

Spell Shade

Target Contingency

Wizard Mark

Summoning

Angular Path

Animal Undead

Animate Corpses

Armor

Astral Wall

Bar Passage

Bottle of Dreams

Cleanse/Soil

Dancing Wood

Delay Passage

Dreamhold

Dreamwalk

Duality

Dust Wand

Elemental Ward

Enchanted Weapon

Escape

Ethereal Wall

Flame Ward/Inflame

Ghost Lights

Ghost Walkers

Guardian

Last Sight

Lost Corner

Magic Box

Magic Door

Magic Halls

Magic Hole

Magic Portal

Magic Table

Magic Transport

Raise Undead

Secret Message

Shield

Snap Trick

Stinging Guardian

Teleport

Teleportal

Undead Guardians

Veil

Ventriloquism

Transmutation

Agility/Clumsiness

Clean Slate

Crawl

Control Mist

Dancing Wood

Dead Night

Endurance/Sickly

Enlarge/Shrink

Fan Flames/Dampen Flames

Farseeing

Fighting Prowess

Fire Blast

Ghostshape

Ghost Ship

Glue

Hair

Immovable Object

Indestructible Object

Invisibility

Leaping

Levitate

Mend Wounds

Open

Personal Alteration

Silence

Slipknot

Slippery Surface

Slow Fall/Quickfall

Smoky Stairs

Spell Shade

Strength/Weakness

Unravel Bonds

Wraithshape

First Level

Angular Reformation

Angular Reformation modifies shadows and corners to make an area or distance appear larger or smaller. Within the area of effect, any line can be modified upwards by 50% per level, or downwards by one plus .25 per level.

A fourth level sorceror could make a 10 by 10 by 10 room appear to be 40 by 40 by 40, or could make it appear 5 by 5 by 5 (ten divided by 2).

If targets wander around the room, a Perception roll at a bonus of six will tell them that something is wrong. If they specifically try to measure things out, they will realize that the visible dimensions are incorrect.

Aura of Confidence

The target exudes confidence, as if they could do anything. Those under the spell’s effect (a Willpower roll is allowed) are likely to let the character take control of whatever enterprise is at hand. Anyone (other than the target) attempting a skill while within the area of effect is at a penalty of one; there isn’t much point in their trying hard when an expert is available.

The reverse, Aura of Desperation, makes those under the spell’s effect feel the target is floundering, desperate, not capable of much of anything at all. Any success the target does have is luck at best, and probably not reliable. The target will have a penalty of 1 to any skill roll for the spell’s duration. The ingredients for the reverse is a tarnished brass ring.

Unwilling targets are allowed an Evasion roll to avoid the effects of the spell.

Charisma

The target’s charisma will increase by 1 per casting level.

The reverse, Antisocial will reduce the target’s charisma by 1 per level. Charisma cannot be reduced to zero. Charismas lower than 3 are non-sentient and will find it difficult to perceive any social cues or have any self-will.

Clean Slate

Clean Slate completely erases text, writings, or drawings from the target paper. Up to level normal-sized pages may be erased. If the target is not paper, only a single glyph or sigil may be erased. If the document is an inscribed spell or magical sign, the caster must make a Perception roll to successfully clean the target.

Control Mist

The sorceror may control the movement of mist or vapor within the area of effect. If the sorceror chooses to disperse mist, it will take one round to completely disperse. If the sorceror chooses to move the mist, it can move six yards per round. The spell can affect fog, water mist, cloud, visible gases, and any other visible, vaporous, otherwise uncontrolled manifestation.

Enlarge

Enlarge or Shrink multiplies or divides the size of the target by one plus an additional 25% (.25) per level. At fourth level, the target’s size and mass will double (or half). The target’s mass before casting cannot exceed one hundred pounds per level. All of the target must be within range.

At a 50% increase in size, targets gain a bonus of 1 to damage; at a 100% increase (a doubling), targets gain a bonus of +2. At 200%, 400%, and each doubling of size thereafter, another damage bonus is gained. Movement increases by 1 per level of effect.

When the target’s size is divided by 2, the target is considered one size lower (medium-sized creatures will be considered small). When divided by 4, the target is considered two sizes smaller; divided by 8 means three sizes smaller, and so on for each doubling of the reduction. Movement is reduced by 1 per level of effect.

Eternal Flame

Eternal Flame creates a tiny, non-consuming flame (about the size of a small, modern match) which cannot be extinguished. It may be completely encased and will continue burning for the spell’s duration. The spell must be cast on the point of a pointed object made of a flammable material. The object does not burn, however, and is not consumed by the spell.

Eyetrick

The Eyetrick causes the victim to “see”, for a split second, an obstacle, attack, or other surprising thing that requires immediate action. The split-second illusion can be anything that could occur out of the corner of the victim’s eyes. Overly complex illusions will simply not register, and thus will have no effect. The illusion will cause no damage directly. It can distract the victim, or cause the victim to trip while avoiding imaginary dangers. The illusion can cause a defense penalty of up to 2 vs. a single attack (depending on the distraction) as well as a penalty of 2 to hit on whatever attack, action, or attempt is in progress, or require an Evasion roll to avoid tripping (for an obstacle). Distractions or obstacles might include a surprise attack, a child, a spider, a hole in the ground, a rope, a small animal, a large stone, something rolling by or flying by, for example.

Fan of Flame

The Fan of Flame fans out from the caster’s outstretched fingers, and causes a point of damage per level to anyone who is in the spell’s area of effect.

Flammable items will need to make reactions or catch fire.

Farseeing

Farseeing gives the target keen vision. Things are seen as if they were only one third the distance, and the target receives a bonus of 2 to ranged combat rolls, though this bonus cannot be greater than the penalty due to range.

The target also receives a bonus of 2 to Perception rolls.

Fire Darts

Fire Darts shoots a single fire dart for each level of the sorceror from the sorceror’s fingers.

The dart causes one survival point loss and will ignite any flammable object it hits. It will hit any object it is aimed at.

Flash

Flash creates a bright flash of light that blinds the target for one round. The target’s vision is degraded for another two rounds afterwards, giving them a penalty of 2 to attack rolls and other rolls requiring sight.

The penalty only applies to creatures that use sight for seeing and attacking.

Fool’s Magic

Fool’s Magic places a magical aura on an object or creature (creatures are allowed an Evasion roll). Anything that detects magic will detect the Fool’s Magic spell.

The target may not exceed level cubic feet in volume.

Ghost Lights

Ghost Lights creates a vaguely man-sized blob of white, gauzy light, which can be formed by the caster into very simple shapes. Ghost lights give off light as a torch, and may be broken into one piece for every three points of the caster’s intelligence.

Ghost Walkers

Ghost Walkers creates the noise of something moving, either walking, crawling, slithering, running, or otherwise moving. The sound is as if up to four medium creatures per level of the sorceror are moving. The caster can choose how they sound, whether the creatures are hooved, booted, slippered, barefoot, etc., and whether they are running, walking, flying, or crawling, or something else.

If a hearer chooses to “disbelieve” the sound, a successful reaction roll means that they recognize that there is something not quite right about the sound.

Guardian

Guardian gives out a loud noise of the sorceror’s choice when any creature enters the warded area or touches the warded location. The sorceror may create a password for the guardian, and any creature which speaks the password may pass without incurring the guard noise.

The noise can be heard for up to twenty yards in open area, less if there are intervening walls or other obstacles. It lasts for one minute, then stops making the noise but continues guarding the location.

Hair

Hair increases or decreases the length of the target’s facial hair to any natural length. The caster may control whether beard, head, mustache, or any combination grow or fall. The spell may be cast on any Medium sized or smaller creature at first level, on any Large sized or smaller creature at third level, and any Huge sized or smaller creature at seventh level.

Indestructible Object

The Indestructible Object gains a bonus of the casting level to reactions against breaking or other destruction, as well as a bonus of level to defense. The effects of age are reduced by a factor of level times 10 for the duration of the spell (though this will likely only be useful for permanent durations). The object may be up to level feet in diameter and weight up to level times five pounds.

The reverse, Brittle Object, applies a penalty of level to reactions for breakage or destruction.

Inscription

Inscription prepares a spell for impression on the sorceror’s mind. Usually, this takes the form of writing the spell in a spellbook, but different cultures may use different forms of inscribed spells. The precious metal is used in the construction of the inscription (for example, inlaid into the pages of the spellbook). It takes 30 minutes per level of the spell being inscribed to inscribe a spell, and the precious metal or other material must be worth 10 silver coins per level of the spell.

Inscribed spells may only be used by the sorceror who inscribed it. However, other sorcerors may, if they gain access to the inscription, copy it to their own “spellbook” through use of “Inscription” if they understand the spell.

Leaping

Leaping allows the target to leap great distances, even in confined spaces. The creature may leap ten yards plus one yard per level of the caster, horizontally, and one third that vertically. When jumping horizontally, the target requires vertical clearance of only a yard plus a tenth the distance jumped.

Light

Light and Darkness may be cast on a location or on a target creature or object. Creatures are allowed an Evasion roll. If the light or darkness is attached to something that moves, the spell’s effect moves also. If the sorceror attempts to attach this spell to a creature and that creature makes its reaction roll, the spell takes effect just beyond the target creature.

Light is reasonably bright and uniform within the area of effect, as of a very good lantern. It extends evenly in all directions from the center of effect. Light falls off as quickly as a normal lantern outside of the area of effect, creating a sort of light “bubble” on that area. Darkness is near pitch black in the area of effect. Creatures within the darkness cannot see out of the darkness. The darkness affects normal sight only.

Mage Bolt

Mage Bolt creates a bolt of energy that causes a d4+1 survival point loss in the target creature. The caster gains an extra bolt at third level and every two levels thereafter. The bolts may be sent out all at once to any targets in the area of effect, or may be sent out one at a time. The caster can “hold” the bolts for as long as the spell’s duration, and may even cast other spells in rounds when they are not sending out bolts. Mage bolts are diffuse attacks and cannot be used as called shots.

Rainbow Fan

Rainbow Fan creates a brilliant, rainbow-like fan of intense color that causes affected creatures to become stunned for a short period of time. The caster can affect up to one target, plus one target at third level and every odd level thereafter. The area of effect is a cone a half yard wide at the caster, and half level yards wide, level yards away from the caster. Those within the cone (up to the maximum) are allowed a Perception roll to avoid the stunning effects of the rainbow. Targets whose level is lower than the casting level are not allowed a Perception roll: they are automatically affected.

Affected targets are stunned for 2d4 rounds if their levels are less than or equal to the caster’s; for 1d4 rounds if their level is within one or two of the caster’s; and for one round if they are three or more levels higher than the caster.

If there are more than the maximum number of targets in the cone of effect, the first targets, up to the maximum, are affected. Blind or otherwise unseeing targets are unaffected by the Rainbow Fan.

Secret Message

Secret Message gives the caster and target the ability to converse in whispers; there must be an unobstructed line-of-sight path between the caster and target. Only the intended recipient may hear the message on the recipient’s end. Whether anyone hears it on the speaker’s end depends on how loudly the message was spoken.

See Whole

See Whole shows the caster a fleeting image of the entirety of a piece of a broken object, as it appeared when it was last whole. The object, when whole, must be containable in a sphere of less than 1 yard radius per casting level. The object’s pieces must, for the most part, be contained in a sphere of less than 2 yards radius per casting level. The state of degradation does not matter; all that matters is that at least three quarters of the object must be available and some small amount must be identifiable by the caster as part of the whole.

Sense Magical Aura

This allows the caster to detect if an object or person in range is magical. The caster is allowed a Perception roll to determine the school of magic if they concentrate for a minute on any one item.

Shield

The “shield” provides full frontal protection from spell level 1 magicks such as mage bolt or fire dart. It provides a bonus of 1 to all reactions from frontal attacks, a bonus of six to defense against hand-thrown weapons, a bonus of five against propelled weapons, and a bonus of four to defense against melee or other weapons. All shield benefits apply only to attacks that arrive from the front of the spell’s recipient.

Slow Fall

Slow Fall reduces the speed of falling to one yard per second, and no survival points are lost on impact. The spell’s duration lasts for up to one round per level; it does not affect the target’s movement on the ground. If the spell’s duration runs out before the target hits ground, the distance fallen is measured from the point that the spell ran out.

Quickfall increases the speed that the target falls during the duration of the spell. Damage from falling is as if the height were twice what it would have been at the point the spell was cast, and maximum damage is doubled.

Suggestion

Suggestion causes the victim to internalize a suggestion of the caster. Suggestions may not have a reasonable chance of death or harm to the target; such suggestions always fail. Suggestions must be basically reasonable, something that the target might remotely consider doing. The suggestion must be able to be made in ten seconds.

The suggestion must be spoken by the caster in a language that the target understands. The victim must be able to hear the suggestion. If the victim falls prey to the suggestion, they do not remember the caster making the suggestion.

Hostile creatures gain a bonus of up to three on their reaction. Extremely reasonable suggestions result in a penalty of up to two on the reaction.

Understand Languages

Understand Languages gives the sorceror the ability to understand the target’s speech or one piece of writing.

Confuse Languages makes the target creature or piece of writing incomprehensible to anyone. Speaking sounds like babble, and writing looks like random scratchings.

Ventriloquism

Ventriloquism makes the caster’s voice come from the target. Ventriloquists can also make their voice sound like the other creature, to the extent that the caster knows the correct language and at a volume and kind of sound the caster could speak. Listeners are allowed a Perception roll to recognize that the voice has been faked.

Second Level

Animal Undead

The sorceror may animate a single kind of animal corpse, up to twice level corpses for small creatures, four times level corpses of tiny creatures, level corpses of medium-sized creatures, and nothing larger than that. Tiny undead animals have one level and d4 survival points, small undead one level and d6 survival points, and medium undead two levels and 2d6 survival points. The undead creatures have the same claw and bite attacks that they had when alive, but none of their organic abilities such as poison. Flying creatures may fly, even if they have no skin.

Prophets who can turn undead gain a bonus of two to rolls to turn these undead.

Armor

The “armor” provides all-round protection from physical attack, or magical attacks that do physical damage and require an attack roll. It is not cumulative with existing armor, normal or magical, but otherwise provides a bonus of five to defense, including to reactions.

When defensible attacks get past the armor, this hastens the armor’s demise. After more than three plus twice level points of damage get past the armor, the magic is destroyed.

Cleanse

Cleanse cleans the surface of the target of all dirt, grime, or other dirty, unliving material, or tiny creatures embedded in such unliving material. The caster may cleanse one target if that target fits into a sphere of up to one foot diameter per level.

Soil mucks up the surface of the target with a thin layer of smelly, grimy, vaguely organic slime and dirt. Victims will be unable to surprise any creature with a sense of smell until cleansing themselves or otherwise neutralizing the odor.

Crawl

Crawl allows the target to crawl up and down walls like an insect. The target may even crawl upside down on ceilings. Movement while crawling is halved, but in any case cannot be greater than twice casting level. Also, the target’s carry and lift ratings are halved while crawling.

While crawling, the target’s hands and feet must actually touch the surface to be crawled. No gloves, shoes, or armor may be worn, for example.

Dancing Wood

Through this spell, the sorceror grants suppleness to any item made of wood. The item can bend jerkily under the control of the caster. If the form of the wooden item allows it, the item can grab, attack, or even walk.

Items can attack as a sorceror of half the casting level. They do damage according to their form. An arrow does damage as an arrow, a club-like form as a club, a quarterstaff as a staff. The item’s defense is the same as its inanimate form, with a bonus of two.

The sorceror may animate up to level minus one targets. The sorceror may animate either living wood or unliving wood, but not both. Living wood (such as trees) must be less than level yards tall and less than level yards in radius. Unliving wood must be less than level times ten pounds each, and must each fit within a box half level yards to a side.

Rooted plants may not uproot themselves, and items may not change their basic shape. An arrow could not walk, but could move like a snake.

Dead Night

Dead Night may be cast on a location or on a target creature or object. Creatures are allowed an Evasion roll. If the Night is attached to something that moves, the darkness moves also. If the sorceror attempts to attach this spell to a creature and that creature makes its reaction roll, the spell takes effect just beyond the target creature.

The darkness of Dead Night is pitch black, and blocks all forms of vision: normal, underground, and night vision.

Delay Passage

Delay Passage magically locks doors, chests, windows, anything that can be opened. Such items will be openable or passable only through breaking the item or through magical means, such as dispelling the magic.

The door cannot be larger than two yards radius per level.

Dreams

The caster can cause a specific description to enter an already sleeping creature’s dreams. The caster may use one word per level to describe the thing that will be a part of their dream. The creatures must know what the words mean for it to enter their dream. A first level caster might say “Jessup”, and if the target knows either a person or thing named “Jessup”, this “Jessup” will become in some way a part of their dreams for that night. A third level caster might have three targets dream of a blond female elf, or a giant war machine. In the latter case, the targets might all dream of different kinds of giant war machines, but (as long as they understand the caster’s language) they will all dream of something that could be a giant war machine.

Drowsiness

For the duration of the spell, the target is drowsy and feels the need to sleep. Even during combat the target is likely to nod off, although there will be a bonus of 2 to reactions. Each minute of the spell’s duration, the target is allowed a Willpower roll to avoid falling asleep. Once asleep, the target is unlikely to awaken during the spell’s duration, although loud noises or rough motion may allow the target a Perception roll, at a penalty of from one to five. After the spell’s duration ends, sleep is as normal.

Ephemeral Backdrop

Ephemeral Backdrop creates a flat but extremely realistic “painting of light”. The “painting” does not respond in any way to surrounding events, such as light sources. It is, however, otherwise extremely convincing, and may portray any scene that the caster remembers or could reasonably imagine. The scene will be completely static: no motion is allowed.

The backdrop is extremely thin. If viewed from behind, the image is reversed.

Fan Flames

Fan Flames causes all fires within the radius of the spell to drastically increase in intensity, providing double the light and heat without causing the fuel to burn any quicker. Fires burn brighter and hotter, and coals or embers burst into flame.

Dampen Fire reduces the intensity of any fires in the radius to mere coals or embers. Dampen Fire can also, after one round, put out all fires in the area of effect, although since that removes the spell’s ingredient it also ends the spell’s duration.

The sorceror may control the intensity of effect in either version of the spell.

Fan of Frost

The Fan of Frost fans bitter white cold from the caster’s outstretched fingers. The Frost causes a point of damage per level of the caster to anyone who is in the spell’s area of effect.

Items affected by the frost may break more easily for the next round: any reactions against breaking, fracturing, or otherwise cracking are made at a penalty of half the level of the Fan of Frost.

The Frost can also freeze over the top of water, creating an 8^th inch of ice for every level of the Frost.

Fast Friend

Fast Friend causes the target to believe that the caster is their best friend, someone they would do anything for. Additional reactions are allowed if the caster asks them to do something really stupid that makes it plain they are not really friends. They are also allowed another roll after a number of days equal to the caster’s level, plus the number their reaction roll was missed by. This latter roll may be repeated. The victim of this spell must be an intelligent person, such as a human, an elf, a goblin, a dwarf, etc.

Illusory Self

Illusory Self alters the appearance of the caster. The caster’s basic form remains the same, but the caster can make themselves appear shorter or taller by up to six inches plus one inch per level. They can appear fatter or thinner in a similar manner. They can alter their own appearance considerably, within the constraints of a human-like creature: a human sorceror could appear as an armored Orc or a green-clad Elf, for example.

The spell alters only appearance. The caster gains no special abilities, and it is the caster’s responsibility to mimic any mannerisms. Failure on those points may grant reaction rolls to see through the illusion. If the caster’s gear and clothing do not match the illusory gear and clothing, touching the caster may also grant a reaction roll.

Last Sight

Last Sight shows the sorceror what the corpse saw in the level seconds before dying.

Sight attacks that affected the victim, such as a gorgon’s gaze, may affect the sorceror. A reaction roll is required, at a bonus of 4.

Magic Table

Magic Table creates a magical, moving table anywhere within the area of effect. The Table will follow the caster anywhere. It is one yard in diameter and will carry 100 pounds per level. The table is slightly concave; if items roll, they will roll to the center of the table. The table always remains horizontal, and can move along with the caster at a movement rate of up to level plus 5. It will move with the caster automatically at the distance at which it was created, but can be commanded to move anywhere the caster desires in the area of effect. The table’s surface will remain at about mid-level to the caster at all times.

When the spell’s duration expires, the table lowers itself to the ground (over a round) and disappears. If the caster moves too fast for the table and the table thus leaves the area of effect, the table disappears immediately, tumbling everything it carried to the ground.

Minor Phantasm

A Minor Phantasm attacks the victims’ minds through visual illusions. It relies on the victims’ minds for the other senses. The sorceror will be most successful at creating illusions of things they have studied extensively. The sorcerer must make a Reason roll to create a well-designed illusion; on a failed Reason roll, the victims automatically receive an initial reaction to see the illusory nature of the phantasm. The sorcerer receives a bonus of 4 to this roll if they have studied the proposed illusion extensively; a bonus of 2 if they have studied it generally or have seen it recently, and a penalty of 2 if they have never seen the thing they’re creating.

If any of the victims strike the illusion they receive an automatic reaction roll at a bonus of 4, unless the sorceror successfully has the illusion react believably. This requires an Evasion roll by the caster. Merely touching the phantasm does not generate a reaction roll, as the victim’s mind creates the appropriate tactile feel.

All victims must be within the area of effect of the spell. The spell affects any number of victims, as long as they are within the spell’s area of effect. The phantasm can cause damage as normal for phantasms.

Victims who “see through” the illusion still see the visual effects, but the illusion then has no audible, tactile, or other sensory effects. The phantasm does not throw off light: light must already be present for the potential victims to see it and trigger the rest of the sensory effects.

Sand Blast

Sand Blast creates a blast of sand that reduces visibility to nil for the spell’s duration. Anyone in the area of effect must make an Evasion roll or be blinded for d4 rounds after the spell ends.

Sensory Assurance

The character under the influence of Sensory Assurance will take at face value that whatever they perceive is how they perceive it. They will believe that sleight of hand tricks are real, and that ventriloquist’s dummies really are speaking. The character will ignore less direct evidence to the contrary.

Sensory Assurance is also useful when used along with visual spells such as Angular Reformation and Ephemeral Backdrop.

When someone under the power of sensory assurance tries to physically test their perceptions, another reaction roll is allowed to realize something is wrong.

The reverse, Sensory Uncertainty, causes victims to mistrust everything they see. Distances are uncertain, familiar faces might well be someone else, and everything must be taken cautiously and with care.

Shadows