Arcane Lore

A Gods & Monsters Lorebook

Arcane Lore

A Gods & Monsters Lorebook

by Jerry Stratton

Copyright ©2008

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

http://www.godsmonsters.com/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”

July 7, 2008

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.

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.

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 Learning; 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.

Agricultural Craft: Animal Husbandry, Farming, Hunting, Fishing

Athletic Art: Basketball, Football, Soccer

Clothing Craft: Leather Work, Sewing, Shoemaking, Tailoring, Tanning

Culture: Native or Other: Common skills under Culture are: various forms of etiquette; native languages or dialects; literacy. Rituals of that culture. Contacts in that culture. Lore in that culture. Games in that culture. History in that culture.

Divine Science: Dogma, Ritual, any religion’s Hierarchy, any religion’s Lore

Education Science: Learning, Memory, Teaching, Lesson Writing

Building Craft: Masonry, Metalworking, Mining, Knots

Engineering Science: Architecture, Bridges, Cartography, Design, Management

Food Craft: Cooking, Baking, Brewing, Edible Plants, Gardening, Herbs & Spices.

Gambling Art: Bluff, Carousing, Poker, Pool

Gaming Science: Chess, Go, Poker

Gem Craft: Appraisal, Gem Cutting, Jewelry Making

Healing Craft: Healing Lore, Herbalism, Midwifery

Historical Science: Ancient history, locale history, locale lore

Language Science: any Language, Literacy

Logical Science: Algebra, Chess, Deduction, Geometry, Memory, Rhetoric

Magical Science: Astrology, Demonology, History of Magic, Rituals, Spellcraft, Spell Lore

Medical Science: Anatomy, Dissection, Medicine, Surgery

Merchant Art: Appraisal, Haggling

Metal Craft: Blacksmithing, Minting, Smelting

Natural Science: Animal Lore, Botany, Dissection, Taxidermy, Weather

Performance Art: Acting, Oratory, Prestidigitation, an Instrument, Singing, Songwriting, Storytelling

Personality Art: Bluff, Carousing, Contacts, Demagoguery, Mediation, Persuasion, any culture’s Etiquette

Political Science: Law, Mediation, Oratory, Rhetoric, any political structure’s Etiquette, any political structure’s Government

Sea Craft: Navigation, Knots, Rowing, Sailing, Weather

Survival Craft: Animal Lore, Direction Sense, Fishing, Hunting, Swimming, Knots, Spelunking, Tracking, Weather, any environment’s Survival

Visual Art: Cartography, Drawing, Painting, Sculpting.

War Art: Leadership, Tactics

War Craft: Armorer, Bowyer, Fletcher, Weaponsmith

Wood Craft: Carving

Writing Craft: Biography, Journalism, Lesson Writing, Songwriting, Storywriting

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 unfamiliar weapons, 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 unfamiliar weapons and all weapons skills are 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 unfamiliar weapons, 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.

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 somehow manage to come up 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 attack or attempt, and if they gained injury points the surprise roll will be at a penalty.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Companion

Animal Form

Aquatic Animal Form

Arcane Resistance

Assassin

Blind-Fighting

Chain Spells

Charismatic

Charismatic Healing

Circle Magic

Closed Mind

Combat Frenzy

Componentless Casting

Contacts

Counterspells

Disease Immunity

Exceptional Ability

Exemplar

Familiar

Familiar’s Eyes

Familiar’s Form

Familiar Puppet

Fast Casting

Favored

Fighting Expert

Focused Attack

Holy Weapon

Iconic Alchemy

Long Life

Magic Specialization

Martial Artist

Mental Resistance

Multiple Archetype

Multiple Spell Targets

Musician

Nature Friend

Nobility

Parry

Personal Binding

Physical Excellence

Poisoner

Power Shift

Priestly Circle

Provisioning

Psychic Warrior

Quick Healing

Reaction

Reliquary Magic

Restoration

Riposte

Ritual Magic

Scholar

Seat of Power

Sense Arcana

Species

Spellhold

Spell Preparation

Spirit Attachment

Spirit Bane

Spirit Drain

Staff of Power

Stout Heart

Stout Mind

Sworn Racial Enemy

Symbolic Alchemy

Team Attack

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 the monetary units that it would have taken to alchemically create a potion with the same spell or spirit. Alchemical bonding adds 20 monetary units 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 monetary units. 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 monetary units 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 monetary units times the spell/spirit level increase desired. Laboratories must be maintained, at the cost of spell/spirit level times 20 monetary units 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 monetary units will be required; during the third, 80 monetary units; during the fourth, 160 monetary units, (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 for one month per level of the alchemist. After this time they are worthless, and have no effect beyond their individual ingredients.

Animal Companion

The character has one very special animal for every four levels the character has. The animal will be any natural animal and will be above average in any abilities the animal has: intelligence, charisma, and survival points. For example, a warrior might have a warhorse of exceptional quality as one of their animal companions. The animal has one animal level beyond their normal level as an animal of that type.

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 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 wren or snake to a bear.

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, 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 into a bird, once into a mammal, and once into a reptile, but may not change into the same type of form more than once.

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 dolphin.

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.

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.

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 that all exemplars have.

The character may also heal 2 survival points per day per level, on a successful roll vs. Charisma.

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.

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.

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.

A character may not enter a combat frenzy more than once without sleeping for at least an hour.

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 Fortitude roll is required.

Motionless casting allows the sorceror to cast spells that normally require gestures without making the moves. A Perception roll is required.

Immaterial casting allows the sorceror to cast spells that normally require ingredients, without the use of those ingredients. A Health roll is required.

There is a bonus to the roll of the sorceror’s level, and a penalty of the spell’s level. If the roll is failed, the spell is not cast, nor is verve lost. A place of power adds the place of power’s level as a bonus if appropriate to the caster.

Note that some components will be considered essential to casting the spell. 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.

If this specialty is taken twice for the same kind of componentless casting, the sorceror gains an additional bonus of level to the reaction roll.

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 Learning roll at a penalty of the difference in casting levels. Counterspells are level one spells.

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

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 archetype ability. The character must already have an 18 in their archetype 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 character 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 character 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 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 archetype ability. Any player may take “Exceptional” endurance if their character has an 18 endurance.

Intelligence

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

Strength

Exceptional strength is a bonus of four to attack, six to damage, triple encumbrance, and triple maximum lifting ability.

Wisdom

Exceptional wisdom grants 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 divination and spirits of protection. Exemplars of Goodness 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 names of these spirits may be different in different worlds.)

Exemplars of Good may detect Evil up to twenty yards away on a Willpower roll, and are constantly surrounded by a protection spirit vs. evil for one foot. Exemplars of Evil may detect Good up to twenty yards away on a Willpower roll, and 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 Learning 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.

Familiar’s Eyes

The character may see through the eyes (or other sensory organs) of the familiar. While doing so, characters are 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 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; 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.

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; the next round, the character will gain a bonus of level to attack that opponent. The bonus lasts for one round, 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.

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 monetary units 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.

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.

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 Learning rolls to understand new spells within their specialty, and a penalty of three on Learning 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.

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.

Multiple Archetype

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

The player may “pre-choose” the archetype that their character will advance in for their next 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 may not “act as” a level higher than their character level. For example, a third-level character will all three levels in sorceror may not pre-choose sorceror for their fourth level and then act as a fourth-level sorceror while at third level.

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 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.

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 an unfamiliar instrument with their Musical Science field bonus, at a penalty of 2, if they spend one 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.

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 also maintain a noble demeanor and uphold the family name. This character is not a “black sheep”. If the character tarnishes the family name, the character may no longer use the familial benefits of nobility, and may even experience a backlash.

Those with this specialty gain two extra skills within their native culture. They gain one extra etiquette skill (which must be a noble etiquette). They also gain one of a language, local history, equestrianism, law, or noble sports.

The character gains an extra 2d6 times ten monetary units if this specialty is taken at first level. At second level and higher, the character can draw on a pool worth level times 50 monetary units. 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 generally 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 exact effects of nobility will vary from campaign to campaign and from culture to culture.

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, and soliloquies or from intuition, magic, divinity, or psychic links. The player may always ask, “will this course of 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.

Physical Excellence

The player may choose one thing that the character is very good at. This specialty may be taken more than once to acquire different versions.

Climb

The character may climb normal walls, 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.

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 in close combat--deflecting missiles must be their action for that round.

Running

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

Jumping

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.

Falling

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 take half damage from the fall.

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 does 1d6 survival 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.

Damage can apply to sleep time, an ability, or survival. Loss can apply to concentration or ability rolls.

1. Sleep time is that many rounds, after which the character can be awoken as normal.

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

3. Survival is lost per action time as normal for a poison.

4. Concentration is a roll as described under Ailments, with a bonus of 3 and a penalty of loss for the duration of the poison.

5. Ability rolls are penalized by loss for the duration of the poison, not per action time.

The more poison the poisoner creates, the more difficult it is to keep the batch clean: each additional dose adds one to the required mojo.

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.

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 spell’s effects. If a spirit is called by the circle, however, it will be dispelled 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.

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.

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 monetary units, 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 money or for larger and more expensive equipment.

Trading mojo for money results in mojo squared, times two, monetary units. Trading three mojo for money would result in the character acquiring, in some way, 18 monetary units. The acquisition will take a number of days equal to the mojo points used. In the above example, it would take three days to acquire the 18 monetary units.

Trading mojo for equipment or supplies results in ten times mojo squared monetary units worth of items. Items take a number of days equal to twice the mojo used, to acquire. If the character needs to acquire a horse and tackle, worth 85 monetary units, this will take 3 mojo (for up to 90 monetary units worth of supplies) and 6 days.

The player may spend one extra mojo point and attempt to acquire the funds or supplies in a number of hours equal to the mojo used rather than days or double days. The player must then make a provisioning roll against Charisma. If successful, the items will be acquired in mojo hours; if unsuccessful, the extra mojo point is still lost, but the player may choose to forego acquiring the funds or items, and not spend the larger mojo total.

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

If the character is a sorceror or prophet, they can use mojo to retroactively memorize spells or call spirits. 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. They can do this for up to level spell levels or spirit levels per day. They can also spend one mojo per spell level beyond this limit.

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.

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 attempt to lay a curse at the moment of their death, or may attempt the creation of a special magical item at that moment.

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 may (and probably will) also require special rituals and ingredients which will vary from campaign to campaign, person to person, and magic to magic.

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