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 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.

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 Learning 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 Learning 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 Learning 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 a person. Once attached, a spirit will only be removed if it is triggered or if the prophet dispels it in line of sight. 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 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 (hopefully 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 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 spirit. For each partial manifestation, the spirit loses one level. Thus, a sixth level spirit that manifests a third level effect would become a second level spirit: three levels lost for the manifestation, and one level lost for partial manifestation.

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.

In a place of power of the same moral code as that which created the staff, the staff instead grants a bonus equal to the place of power’s level to the casting level for all spells cast using the staff.

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 monetary units 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 Arts skill gains their Fighting Arts field bonus as a bonus on the roll.

Characters with the Team Combat specialty automatically gain the Team Combat Fighting Arts 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.

Those who failed their Perception rolls, or everyone if the leader failed their Perception roll, may not attack 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, 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 attack (if you need to know who it was, choose randomly or let the leader decide), 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.

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 turn (and at higher levels, dispel or destroy) undead creatures. The level at which the character Turns is the highest of the character’s Prophet level or the character’s total levels minus the level the “Turn Undead” specialty was taken.

The player rolls a Willpower roll, with a bonus of level times 3 and a penalty of the undead’s creature level times 3. If the roll needed is greater than 20, no turning is possible. If the roll needed is zero or less, turning is automatic. For every three less than zero needed, the character may choose to destroy 1d6 undead, or turn an additional 1d6 undead. By default, 2d6 undead are turned.

The character must have their holy symbol to turn undead, and intelligent undead are allowed a Willpower roll to avoid being “turned”.

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.

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 si