Well it’s kind of necessary for Fantasy Hero. Now for those of you who don’t know, the core
Hero Game system does have a few other branching rule books available: Champions, Star Hero, and Fantasy Hero. Other rule books exists that typically are
based upon these three books and their settings.
Now in order to use these rules you are going to need at
least the Core Rule books, but I do advise getting your hands on the Fantasy
Hero rule book as it has more weapons and equipment pertaining to fantasy game
settings, not to mention character races are present in the book as well. I will only be providing stats for any new races for this setting and any common races that would be found in the Fantasy Hero book will only have notations with them that denote any changes that may exist between what is in the book and the race for this game setting.
Of course some of you may ask why not just play D&D,
or Pathfinder? The answer is simple.
I can play anything I want with Hero System. No multiclassing or anything like that since
it’s all point based. Just work with in
your points and you can have that swordsman in full plate armor who can cast a
spell or two.
Now with that said let’s get down to the brass tacks.
The World
Welcome to the planet Balthis, named after the god that
created it – Balthier. It is a world
filled with magic where anyone can learn to cast a spell. Because of magic, technology has improved at
a faster rate than it would in other realities.
Magic crystals are used in much the same way as a battery would be used;
to power peoples vehicles, their homes, and so forth.
However while it is a world of magical wonders it is also
a world of adventure. While anyone can
learn to use magic, not everyone is a powerful magic user. And life itself is not easy either as
monsters and monstrous races exist that do not wish to live in harmony with
other races.
The races of the world are broken up into three
groups. First there are the Enlightened
races. These are the races of Humans,
Dwarves, and God-Born. Next are the
races of the Fair-Folk. These are the
races of Elves, Gnomes and the Genkai.
Finally there are the Monstrous races.
These are the races of Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, Ogres, and Giants.
Finally there are Dragons. Dragons are the divine manifestations of gods
and those that serve them. If a dragon
appears they are there to set events into motion that serve their purposes.
The planet has a number of animals upon it, but it is the
monsters that exist that one has to keep an eye out for.
·
Dire
Creature: Some animals are capable
of evolving into a dire form often from prolonged exposure to ley-line magical
power or through deliberate magical enhancement. Dire creatures tend to have improved mental
capabilities, are often double to three times the normal size of the normal
creature, and often have a very bad disposition. But a Dire condition can also be applied to
monsters as well and not just animals, this creates something truly to fear.
·
Nagara: These are large serpent like beasts that can
mimic the words and sounds that they hear like a parrot, only they do this so
as to draw pray to them. They appear
mostly snake like but with a more bird like head, and four bird like legs with
strong talons.
·
Behemoth: This is a massive six legged creature akin in
size to an elephant, save that it is covered in fur, with the head that is more
bison shaped, and it has a long thick tail with a large bonelike knob at the
end making it like a hammer. The
creature is omnivorous, has a bad temper, and will eat humans.
·
Carver: This is a creature that is a cross between a
human sized ape, with the face akin to a wolf.
Its more outstanding feature is the sharp bone like blade that it can
extend out from the back of its arm and is what gives the creature its
name. After killing a target it uses the
blades to carve off chunks of flesh for ease of eating.
·
Gell: The Gell is what its name suggests; it is a
gelatinous like creature, but more akin to a land based jellyfish than some
ever changing blob. It possesses a
number of tentacles that it uses to not only move around, but to strike at its
targets with and to deliver poison to paralyze the target so that it can engulf
them and dissolve them. They are
difficult to harm with bludgeoning and piercing attacks, but are more
vulnerable to slashing attacks.
·
Drakes: While some may consider drakes to be
decedents of dragons they in fact have little in common with real dragons aside
from looks. Drakes have two legs, and
instead of having an additional set of legs or arms, they have their wings
which they can use like arms or legs to move around with. They also lack the intellect of actual
dragons and are just violet beasts that fill the roll classic dragons of
myth. They burn and eat what they like,
and have a love for shiny objects, particularly gold. Drakes are dangerous as they are quite smart,
but are still beasts.
So why not have more monsters than that? Well simply put you don’t need to over
saturate a game world with monsters of all sorts. If there were monsters of every sort that
existed in a world like there is in D&D then you have to wonder just how is
it that anyone can survive?
Undead and Demons
Aside from everything there is always the problem that
can exist with the undead and demons.
Undead come in four types: reanimates (zombies/skeletons), Grey Walkers,
Vampires, and Lich’s.
·
Reanimates are of course reanimated corpses that
are have been revivified by magic. Not
overtly tough, they don’t know pain and typically take an effort to get them to
stop moving again. Reanimates cannot use
magic.
·
Grey Walkers are something different form a
Zombie. They are what you get when a
person is bitten by a reanimate. They do
not turn into zombies per say, but are infected with a curse. The curse can be lifted, but for the most
part they act like a zombie, and should they receive a lethal hit they do not
die and require that much more effort to kill.
Lifting the curse requires killing the zombie that bit the person, which
is typically easy to do as the Grey Walker will stay near the zombie that bit
them. One other problem is that the Grey
Walker curse can become permanent which changes the person into something more
vile. These Grey Walkers, often called
Death Walkers instead, are mutated, they have the same resilience as a zombie
but have razor sharp claws, teeth, and are faster than a normal zombie. Grey Walkers cannot use magic however.
·
Vampires pretty much need no explanation. They are incredibly powerful, resilient to
harm, not completely dead, and have only a few real ways in which they can be
killed. Aside from possessing super
natural powers beyond the physical enhancements they are also retain the
ability to use magic. As for weaknesses
Vampires can be utterly destroyed in direct sunlight, though indirect sunlight
will simply burn or irritate them.
Silver alone won’t do much harm, instead a weapon must be forged from
blessed silver with the blade quenched in holy water. A wooden stake through the heart will only
paralyze a vampire. Aside from
destroying them in sunlight, a vampire cannot be killed by any other normal
means. Simply hacking them up will
disable them temporarily, which is long enough to stake them and drag the body
into the sun.
·
Finally there is the Lich. Again an undead race that needs little
introduction. The Lich is formed through
great acts of evil and specific ritual acts, 5 acts to be specific. In succeeding a Lich gains immense magical
power and is not so easily destroyed like a Vampire. The acts for becoming a lich involves the
sacrifice of an innocent; devouring the heart of an innocent; absorbing the
soul of an innocent; uttering the incantation for the ritual over the course of
24hrs; cut one’s own still beating heart out and putting the heart into
something to store it in. The steps must
be taken in the correct order over the course of the 24hrs in which the person
must chant. The one weakness for the
Lich is their still beating heart. They
must ensure that no harm comes to it or else they can be killed in a single
act. So long as no harm comes to the
heart, they cannot die. They may be
physically destroyed temporarily but they will always regenerate.
Character Creation
The following are rules that make use of the Hero System
6th Edition rule set. In
order to fully make use of these campaign rules you must at least own the 6th
Edition PHB. If you own the Fantasy Hero
rule book as well then it’s all the better since it has all the gear in it
needed for the game setting.
·
Character
Points: Player characters should be
built using between 100 and200 points.
o Complications: 15 to 25pts should be all that’s needed for
100 or 200 point characters.
·
Speed: Limited to being no higher than 3 or 4. To have speed be higher than this requires
magic.
·
Skills: Players are encouraged to apply 25pts on
non-combat based skill.
o Everyman Skills: Acting, Charm, Climb, Concealment,
Conversation, Deduction, Knowledge (Chosen Area), Knowledge (Any chosen field),
Paramedics, Persuasion, Riding, Stealth, and Survival.
·
END Use: To keep things moving, END should be limited
in the use of magic use only. Players
who want to use magic will need to purchase an END Reserve under the guidelines
for magic.
·
Equipment: Players should have 300sp to start if built
at 100 points. Every 25pts more they are
built on should have their gp amount increased by 100sp. Players can have magical equipment but must
pay gold for them.
·
Perks: Below are specific rules/perks that are in
use.
o Money Perk: Players can take the money perk as a means of
getting enough silver by which they can use to purchase additional
equipment. One point in Wealth will multiply
the characters starting wealth by 1.5, while each additional point serves to
increase that multiplier by 0.5. However
once the game starts the player is allowed to only keep half of this wealth
which is converted directly into silver.
o Fringe Benefit
§ Knight (2pts): As a knight the character has a seal in the
form of an amulet or ring that allows them the authority to perform investigations
and make arrests with in the kingdom they serve. In most kingdoms/providences/states the
knight is equivalent to a police detective.
Knights are allowed custom armor and weapons and can order anything they
need so long as the expense can be justified.
Anything they cannot justify must be attained on their own. Typically the Knight can acquire equipment
once per month equaling in value to no more than 10gp or more with a skill
roll.
·
Knights are also required to have “Military
Rank” at Lieutenant (3pts). The highest
rank a starting character can have is Captain, anything else must be earned in
game. Each upgrade in rank also improves
the gold amount of equipment they can requisition. The exact amount is dependent upon the GM
though.
§ Religious Rank (1-3pts): The highest rank a character can have from
the start is Priest.
§ Improved Equipment Availability: This is an enhancement for a Knight or member
of a religious order. Each point
improves what they can get if requisitioning equipment. Gold value is often not an issue here, but
rather the GM simply rolls to see if they get what they ask for. The use of this though should be moderated
carefully and a cumulative penalty applied for each roll made for each item the
character wants to get. The penalty
persists until new stock is gained. If a
roll is failed there is none of that item on hand.
·
Street –
Level: This allows the character
access to normal quality gear that you could buy from a street vendor. You may be a good customer and get a discount
on stuff or access to more select pieces of equipment.
·
Military: This is equipment that is of better quality
usually or usually has simple enchantments on it. This is gear that is reserved for most
knights and commanding officers. You
have better access either due to being owed favors or your good friends to the
right people.
·
Advanced
Military: This is gear is the good
stuff, gear reserved for high ranking officers and knights. This is the stuff that a general would get
for their personal use or for their commanders.
Your probably related to someone who maybe the king granted you special
privileges which allows you this level of access.
§ Membership: The player may have membership to a
particular group of organization that allows them special privileges. The minimum starting cost for this is 2pts.
·
Guild
membership: Membership to a guild
has a minimum cost of 5pts. Guilds often
have extensive privileges over other organizations.
·
Talents: It is up to the GM to decide just what
sort of talents are allowed. But there
are some that just don’t work for the setting, and some that require
limitations on them.
o Talents
that are magic like in what they can do (Universal Translator, Turning Undead)
must instead be built as a magic spell instead of as a talent.
o Stacking Talents: There are some talents that offer a stacking
benefit. These talents can only be taken
up to 3 times, but with combat related talents their effectiveness can take a
hit.
§ Combat Luck: This can be used with worn armor, however you
must choose between one score or the other (which ever is higher). After that the lower benefit only applies 1 PDr/1
EDr instead of the full amount. So even
if you have 3 levels of Combat Luck (9 PDr/9EDr) but are wearing something that
gives 10 PDr/10 EDr then the Combat Luck only grants a +1 to PDr & EDr.
§ Deadly Blow & Weapon Master: These two have bonuses to damage that apply
under certain circumstances. This can
provide staggeringly high bonuses to damage.
You are limited to no more than a +3d6 bonus to damage from your
talents, however any remaining bonus dice can be converted either into a +1 to
OCV or DCV under those applicable conditions.
These benefits cannot be added to magic however.
·
Martial
Arts: There are a number of martial
arts schools that can exist in the setting.
Normal rules apply for creating martial arts styles.
·
Worn
Armor: Armor does impose penalties
on actions that a character will take.
Armor won’t reduce OCV but will apply a -1 penalty to DCV, and Dexterity
related skills. To determine the penalty
that will be applied, divide the PD score by 3.
If this comes to less than 1 then there is no penalty. If armor weighs half or nothing then divide
by 5, or 7 (round down).
o Metal Armor: In addition to being heavy, metal armor also
makes it more difficult than normal for a spell caster to cast their spells
in. The metal inhibits a mages ability
to draw forth their magic imposing an additional -2 penalty to Spell Casting
skill rolls.
Magic
Magic is an inherent part of the setting. Most people know at least a spell or two, but
are hardly what anyone would classify as a mage. Magic all runs off the person’s END. And Spells all need to be made a specific
way.
·
Spells
Slots: A character can memorize or
know a certain number of spells equal to their INT/5. Memorizing a spell entails committing to
memory the gesture and incantation for the spell. A single spell uses up one slot.
·
Spell
Memorization Roll: To memorize a
spell the character must buy the Spell Memorization Skill. This is an INT 5/3 skill.
·
Spell
Casting: To cast a spell a spell
casting skill roll is needed. This is an
INT 5/3 skill however (that’s 5pts to buy the skill and 3pts for each +1 to the
roll).
·
Knowledge
(Magic): This skill is used when
dealing with magic, whether it’s to identify what sort of spell is being cast,
or to study up on magic in general.
·
Max AP
allowed in a Spell: This is based
upon the character’s EGO score x3. A
character cannot cast a spell with an AP cost over this. If they attempt to they suffer a -1 to the
memorization and casting skill rolls.
·
Spell
Building: Spells are required to
have a skill roll in order to be cast.
From there a spell must have Gestures, and Incantations modifiers.
o Focus:
Most spells require that a person have a wand in order to cast their
spells. Wands themselves can also be
built to provide a bonus to casting rolls (implying that they were better made
than a normal wand). A normal wand for a
person needs to be something appropriately made (it can be simple, like a
shaved down stick), that the magic user has spent time attuning to themselves
(1 hour of time needed to do this, and a successful Spell Casting roll). Better made wands are often made from special
materials, are well balanced, and might even have some enchantments on them.
o Charges: These are used in conjunction with an END
cost. The charge is built to be continuous
so that when the spell is cast you pay just the one END cost and the spell
remains on for the duration of the charge. It will also need to be recoverable
as you pay END to recover the spell as you cast it. A charge could also be used to indicate that
in addition to paying END to cast it that the spell itself can only be cast a
limited number of times.
o Extra Time: The spell requires more time than normal to
cast.
o Healing Magic: Healing spells are fairly uncommon. Those that do exist are built where they heal
BODY damage, but are painful on the person to use, draining a proportionate
amount of STUN. Additionally healing
takes time and is not instantaneous, requiring at least a minute of time for
even the less powerful healing spells.
STUN that is drained recovers at a rate of 1 per minute. The caster must also maintain their
concentration throughout the use of the spell.
§ Healing
spells that can regrow limbs/organs take 1 hour to be restored.
§ Healing
spells cannot typically raise a person from the dead. Raising a person from the grave requires a
lengthy ritual to take place and the person cannot have been dead for more than
a week. Their body must also be mostly
intact.
§ Regeneration: This magic works as it should, except that
while a person is the target of a regeneration spell all other healing magic
fails to affect them. The duration of
the spell doesn’t matter but it cannot be recast on a the same person until
24hrs.
§ There
is no limit on the number of times a body can be healed in a day, however a
person must still have STUN in order for a healing spell to work. If out of STUN a healing spell will not work
on a person until they have recovered their lost STUN. A healing spell can however be cast to
stabilize a dying person who has no STUN.
·
Spell
Cost: Spells do not cost XP to
know. Instead players have to spend
points on skills and talents.
o Expanded Spell Slots (Talent): Your characters ability to memorize spells is
better than the average person. When
determining spells that the character knows this talent adds 5 INT for figuring
the number of spell slots that are available.
INT must be bought in 5pt increments for this and the limitation is applied
anew each time. (INT Score 5, Limited
Power (only applies for figuring spell slots, -1), AP 5, RC 2).
o Heightened Power: The magic user is able to utilize spells with
more power. EGO is bought in 5pt
increments for this and the limitation is applied anew each time. (EGO Score 5, Limited Power (only applies for
figuring spell slots, -1), AP 5, RC 2).
o Eidetic Memory: An existing talent; its applications would
seem to allow one to remember a vast number of spells. This is not the case. Eidetic memory can allow one to remember the
spells in their spell book, but there is a difference between memorizing a
spell for use and knowing it. A person
can attempt to cast a spell from their Eidetic Memory, but the penalty to cast
the spell is doubled, and the length of time needed to cast the spell is 10x
longer than normal.
o Spell Book Casting: This works like having Eidetic Memory only
you have to lug out the bulky spell book.
·
Sorcery/Wizardry/Warlock: These terms don’t exist in this setting, where
magic is exceedingly prevalent. Instead
those who choose to learn magic in better detail than normal people do get
certain labels.
o Acolyte: This is a person who has decided to learn the
basics of magic and can memorize around 3-4 spells.
o Mage:
This is someone who has devoted more time and energy to learning magic. They often can memorize 5 to 7 spells.
o Kroma:
This is a person who has reached a high degree of mastery of magic. They often can memorize 8 or more spells.
o Magus: There are few people who are at
this level of mastery of magic. Those
who are Magus’s are capable of memorizing a vast number of spells (20+).
The effect of spell casting is that glyphs are seemingly
carved into the air leaving glowing shapes in a pattern. This happens rapidly based upon the
incantation and ones focus on a spell; the glyphs form on their own and one
doesn’t actually draw them out.
Precision is needed to cast the spells, thus penalties from wearing
armor will affect Spell Casting skill rolls, metal armor even more so.
Alchemy
Alchemy is a different aspect of magic different from
spell casting. Alchemical magic involves
the mixing of “agents” to create a magical concoction. Some aspects of magic are needed in addition
to having the proper agents present. A
“Transmutation” spell is needed in order to combine the various agents into a
single concoction for use. Alchemy is
used to create a number of different things that magic on its own cannot
create.
·
Alchemy
Skill Roll: This is a skill used when
attempting to perform alchemy. Every 10
AP in the potion being made imposes a -1 penalty on the skill roll. The skill is INT based, 5/3 points.
·
Knowledge
(Alchemy): This is a skill relating
to the characters knowledge of mixing agents and applying the Transmutation
spell in addition to learning new alchemical formulas.
·
Alchemists only need to be able to cast 1
spell: Transmute Material. The spell is a major transformation power. Clever uses of Transmute Material outside of
creating potions and materials are possible, but the laws of transmutation have
to be observed.
o Laws of Transmutation: There are certain rules or laws that exist that
govern if one can transmute a material, or agent. First you can combine materials and/or agents
to create something new with new properties.
Second you cannot change the properties of a thing into something
different without equivalent amounts of the new property it is meant to become
(thus creating more of the material wanted).
Third law of transmutation is equality; that which is put in must be of
equal amounts. If amounts are not equal
the excess is left and it is left in an unusable form, or whatever is created
is left corrupted and ineffectual in some way.
§ Transmutation
magic can be used to make things brittle, or repair things. This does not transform the material; it only
weakens or fixes it and is an allowable use outside of the laws.
Enchantments
Magic can temporarily empower beings and things or in
some cases they can become permanently enchanted in some way.
·
Items: Enchanted items have their enchantments
tracked separately from the item they are a part of. For example if you have a sword you will thus
have stats for the sword. Now if that
sword has a +1 to OCV then that is built as its own power, but tracked with the
sword (as a Combined Power). The more
powerful the enchantment the more costly and time consuming it is to add to the
item. Every 5AP in the enchantment costs
100silver pieces. Each additional
enchantment on the item, beyond the first initial one adds an initial
multiplier of x2 to the cost and increases by 1 for each enchantment over the
second. Items that are enchanted will
have the enchantment etched upon them in some way.
·
Persons: A person can receive an enchantment in the
form of a tattoo on their body. If this
is done the Limitation “Restrainable” – can be temporarily turned off if
dispelled or drained (-1/4). These
tattoo enchantments typically need you to touch them in order to activate and
thus bulky clothing/armor cannot be worn over the tattoo, though normal cloths
can.
·
Scroll: A scroll is a disposable magic spell. Anyone can use a scroll, they simply read the
incantation on it, and expend their own END to cast the spell. As the spell is cast, the scroll burns
away. No spell casting roll is needed
for a scroll that is being used.
Creating a scroll is different and all the gestures and incantations are
essentially infused into the scroll.
Creating a scroll requires a new skill:
Infuse Scroll (INT, 5/3). Every
10AP in the spell infused on the scroll imposes a -1 to the skill roll.
Technology
Technology does exist though it is magically
powered. The level of technology is akin
to what may exist in the 1940’s, though television does exist in color and
there is less in the ways of distortion as magic is a better conduction medium
than normal electrical & radio signals.
·
Lightning
Crystals: These are essentially like
batteries for things. Lightning crystals
vary in price depending on their size as well as storage capacity. They are created with alchemy.
o Size
often dictates the storage capacity of the crystal. A normal crystal fits in a person’s hand and
often provides 24 hours’ worth of power for a flashlight. Crystals can be recharged at a charge station
where a person focuses their energy into the crystal to repower it (essentially
transferring their END into the crystal).
·
Vehicles: There are a number of different vehicles that
exist that run off of lightning crystals.
o Runner:
This is essentially a car. There
are some that can hold several people while there are others that are built for
racing. They are called runners because
the first one built want as fast as a person could run.
o Truck:
An unchanged name, larger than a car and slower, trucks can carry/pull
more than Runners and they come in a variety of types and sizes.
o Airship: Airships come in the form of zeplins and ones
that are similar to today’s drones.
Airships tend to move fairly quickly but are complex and need a crew to
operate and maintain.
o Bolt-Tram: This is a train that runs off lightning
crystals. They can go extremely fast due
to their running on a track and the enchantments used to allow them to achieve
fast speeds with no detriment to the passengers and cargo that is aboard.
·
Firearms: The level of firearm technology is more akin
to the old west than the 1940s. Often
known as alchemy guns, firearms do exist in the Fantasy Hero Book and Core Rule
book.
o Spell-Guns: These are firearms that are used to cast
spells, that is only ranged spells.
Spell-guns are bulkier than normal firearms to a degree, but this is due
to the fact that a spell gun must be able to hold a scroll-bullet. Scroll-bullets are the things that contain
the spell. They do not require an
incantation or gestures, instead one needs only pull a trigger. However one also must expend their own END in
order to make the gun work. In all this
works very similarly to that of a scroll.
Crafting of a spell-gun is the same as crafting a normal firearm, except
that it has enchantments on it that allow it to fire off spell-bullets. Spell-bullets themselves are essentially
treated like a scroll only the difficulty of the roll to make them increases by
2.
Character Races
Noted below are the stats for the various playable races
that exist. Please keep in mind that I
will not be noting down point costs. Note
that I will not be noting down stats for every race as many races already have
stats that exist in the Fantasy Hero campaign book (starting on page 54). If you do not have that book you should be
able to figure out applicable stats based upon their description.
·
Characteristic
Maxima: These rules are in effect
for this game world.
Dwarf
The dwarfs are one of the oldest races in the world. Legends say that it was the Dwarves who were
first created. Molded from the earth,
and given life by the gods; Dwarves possess a connection to the earth that no
other race has. They can read the lay of
the land from underground or above ground as they can sense the magnetic pull
of what is north and south. Dwarves are
physically powerful, like the earth and stone legends say they are from. Though while they are strong and robust, they
are also known for being stubborn and brash.
Dwarves are also apt mechanics and stone workers who take pride in their
inventions and handiwork. Dwarfs are
short, to say the least, but are proportionately so. Men are stockier than women, and tend to grow
facial hair faster than the hair on their head.
Women do not grow beards though it is a common joke due to the fact that
Dwarven culture is similar to that of Scottish culture in several ways, like
the wearing of kilts.
·
Changes
for the setting: Dwarves are as
strong as they are tough (+3 STR instead of a +2). They are also highly creative, and options
for them include the Invent skill, Knowledge skill (Engineering), and Mechanics
skill. Bump of Direction is something
all dwarves have regardless of being underground or above ground. There is only 1 type of dwarf and there is
not difference between them.
Elf
Where the dwarves were born of stone and earth, the elves
were born of trees and light. While
lacking the durability and strength of dwarves, elves are mighty in their own
regard. Agile and swift, they move with
fluid precision. Elves live in a
different manner than other beings and see themselves as superior to all other
races. Elves tend to plan their lives
and actions in a way that looks at the long term. While not as surly and brash as dwarves,
elves are extremely opinionated and tend to have expectations that are set
rather too high – even for themselves.
Elves are artists too at heart and have no problems taking years to finish
an art project just because they don’t view the passage of time in the same way
as a normal person would. Like other
fair-folk, elves have an inherent natural grasp for using magic, specifically
spells that affect nature. Elves appear
human like save that their ears are several inches longer than that of a human
and they often move in response to the elf’s emotions. Elves are rarely ever fat and typically have
to work hard at becoming fat.
Additionally elves have no body hair except for what grows on their
head. Hair and eye colors vary and are
often vibrant and colorful.
·
Changes
for the setting: Elves have a +3 DEX
instead of a +2, and a +1 SPD. Elves
also have a Psychological Complication (superiority complex,
common/moderate). There is only 1 type
of elf and there is no difference between them (no high elves, wood elves, or
dark elves).
Genkai
They are what many would term to be were-creatures, or
lycanthropes. The Genkai are a race of
beings who possess the mythical ability to assume the shape of an animal. Able to live a longer than normal life – like
that of a dwarf – Genkai children initially age like that of a human, and upon
reaching 18 years of age must choose an animal form that they can assume. This happens by the person entering into a
sleep like state where they go on a spiritual quest to find the animal that
mimics what is in their heart. Once
their animal or totem spirit is found, they may assume its form whenever they
choose. Initially one can only assume
the full animal form, but with time and training one can assume a hybrid
form. The ability of Genkai cannot be
passed along as a curse or in any other sort of way, and it is a common
misconception that it does. Genkai often
prefer to live off the land, more so than elves though they can be found in
cities and town. They are also capable
mediums possessing an aptitude for magic that allows them to speak with spirits
that other races do not have. Genkai
appear mostly human up until their change save for their pointed ears. After the change they take on physical
characteristics of their totem animal.
When not in either of their animal forms a Genkai is physically similar
to that of a human though they may possess heightened senses and some improved
physical abilities.
·
Characteristics: Bonuses vary depending on the animal totem
chosen for them. In total the character
will have 10pts to put into their characteristics to represent any increases.
·
Multiform: The points in the multiform need to be equal
to the character’s normal point total.
They do have control over their forms, but it costs END to maintain (it
costs END per minute). END spent for the
Multiform does not recover until you remain out of the form for 1 hour.
·
Other
Powers: You have 5pts to spend on
other powers the character will have outside of their multiform (in their
normal form). You can also hold over
some points from your Characteristics to spend here instead.
·
Genkai
Lifespan: Lifesupport – Longevity:
200years
·
Complications: Distinctive Features: Because they look mostly human but have
animal features, Genkai tend to stand out more than others regardless of being
common or not.
God-Born
Sometimes referred to as half-dragons, they appear to be
the same as their mortal parent, save that they also possess the eyes of a
dragon. God-born possesses much of the
same traits and characteristics of their parent race, save that they are
amplified, double what a normal person of their parent race would have. With humans something else happens, the
dragon’s characteristics are more of what is mimicked though they outwardly do
not typically show these characteristics off beyond one’s eyes. God-born humans are often the more powerful
of the mixed races. One characteristic
that all God-born have is a resistance to magical effects, both beneficial and
harmful, however this does not inhibit the person’s ability to learn to use
magic.
·
Changes
for the setting: Take a look at the
Demigod Template in the book. However
instead of the God-Specific Abilities (and base characteristic bonuses noted),
look at the base characteristic bonuses for the mortal parental race and double
it. They also retain the various other
benefits of the mortal parent race. For
humans they see a +5 to all characteristics.
·
God Born
Lifespan – Lifesupport: Longevity: 400yrs (note if a race already has this at a
lower level use this instead, and if at a higher level then use that one
instead), AP 2/RC 2
·
God Born
Resistances – Resistant Protection:
2 PD/4 ED/4 Power Defense, AP 15/RC15
·
God Born
Magic Resistance – Resistant Protection:
5 PD/5 ED/5 Mental Defense/5 Power Defense; Only works against Magic (-1/2),
Applies against beneficial power effects (-1/2), AP 30/RC 15
·
God Born
Powers: Rather than being able to
wield magic spells some God Born instead develop more unique powers that
replace their ability to wield magic.
Those that develop God-Born powers can never learn to use magic spells.
·
God-Eyes: Also known as Dragon Eyes, a God-Born has
eyes of surprising clarity of vision and able to see things others cannot.
o +2
to PER (Sight) rolls
o Night
Vision (if they don’t already have it or Dark Vision)
o Detect
Weakness: Sight Group, Large class of
things, Analyze, 11-; Inherent (+1/4), AP 12/RC 12
·
Social
Limitation: The character’s God-Eyes
cannot be concealed with magic, only physical disguises. Their nature also cannot be concealed either
and magical spells cast to determine a person’s species and nature
automatically succeed regardless of the attempts to disguise themselves. (Frequent/Minor) 10pts
Gnome
Shorter than a dwarf, Gnomes are pretty much what you get
when you shrink a human to about ½ their normal size. Gnomes possess a natural skill toward
illusionary magic, and magic of the mind.
Aside from looking like shrunken humans, Gnomes possess an ingenuity
like that of a Dwarf, and the curiosity to explore and learn like a human. They also have a penchant for practical
jokes, telling jokes, or just putting on performances. Gnomes are well organized and studious, and
they tend to enjoy working with dwarves and humans. They find elves too stuffy and full of
themselves, though the Genkai are ok too, just a little stuffy at times. Not to mention most of them tend to shed
which gets fur all over the place.
·
Changes
for the setting: Gnomes are pretty
much the same save that they should have bonuses to using illusion based magic
spells and to a lesser extent mental magic.
Gods and their Avatars
Gods exist on two planes of existence, a higher plane,
and a lower plane. The higher plane of
existence is essentially heaven, the afterlife.
Then there is the lower plane, purgatory or hell depending on one’s
point of view.
Gods themselves are neither good or evil in terms of
absolutes. They are what they are, though
they have tendencies toward either good or evil, but are not absolute good or
evil. Necessity often is what dictates
how they act but they do tend toward one side or the other typically – some
more than others it can be said. The
gods typically often a god of “something” like a God of Light, God of Darkness,
and so on. They embody that which they
are lord of. A god of light, for example
would be responsible for the creation of the sun, ensuring its light never goes
out, giving the mortal world light every day and ensuring that its light
touches those places where it should. By
that same note the god of darkness would be responsible for light not touching
all corners and all places of existence.
They are responsible for people’s shadows, for the night time, and for
the black holes that swallow even light as there is a necessity in such things.
The gods however often embody more than one thing
however, and there are only so many of them.
And while they choose to live on planes different from the mortal realm,
they do sometimes visit. When a god
visits the mortal realm it is often for a specific reason, to guide events
against another god whom they are opposed to in a matter, playing out a sort of
game between the two – typically when one god chooses to act in the maters of
another’s there is often a prize that is offered to the winner for succeeding.
But there are other times when gods go to the mortal
realm, and its often because they are board and desire a change for a little
while. Typically the form of a god is
that of a dragon, but every so often they choose to take the form of one of the
other races, often to blend in and observe the world from a more hands-on point
of view. This desire to live as a mortal
in turn forces the god to accept mortal tendencies such as falling in love,
being drunk, or just sleeping with someone for the fun of it. This whimsy rarely lasts for more than a day
or so. The after effects of which –
children that can be born – are the only signs of them ever being present.
There are also other rules that gods must play by.
·
A god may gift power or objects as they desire,
such gifts can never be taken back by a god or any other god, but one could
destroy the object instead. A god may
not gift power or objects of power that are beyond that person’s capacity to
use. Powers gifted do not typically pass
from one generation to the next unless the god desires so.
·
An avatar is the mortal state that the god
assumes when visiting the mortal realm (their dragon form or other racial form). Their avatar form can potentially be killed
through massive effort, but it does not signify the death of the god. If anything they cannot return to the mortal
plain for 24 hours. Additionally anyone,
or group of beings who can best them are owed a boon though they may choose how
best to repay that boon.
·
Gods may readably visit only their children on
the mortal plane, but other mortals are not allowed these personalized visits;
instead mortals who desire the console of the gods must seek them out.
·
The god’s dragon form lays in slumber on the
mortal plain and will not waken on its own as the gods consciousness is not
present in them. A god is always aware
of this body and if it is killed by mortals.
A god can simply create a new dragon body over the course of a week, but
does now owe a boon to any mortal that would slay the body in a state of un-use.
·
Dragon bodies are all about the size of an
elephant and it is very uncommon for a dragon body to be bigger than this. If one does create a body bigger than this
the other gods will often intervene and destroy the body. In rare cases some gods have ignored this and
found ways to create massive bodies.
These gods – often known as mad gods – are often ones who break the
rules, they remain amongst humans for too long or decide to patron the monster
races and thus their minds become twisted by doing this. Gods these days take great care to ensure
others do not fall to madness as madness can spread like a disease amongst the
gods, and only the death of a god can stop the madness. These god-wars have happened only twice in
the history of the world.
It’s encouraged that the GM create their own gods to fit
into things here. Yes I could do the
work for you but sometimes the GM has their own mind on what gods it is they
want to have in their game, such as the group having a familiar and established
pantheon that they may use in all their games.
Its encouraged that you take a look at the Greek and
Norse gods. Yes you could look at other
pantheons that exist in other cultures, but these are the two I know somethings
about and thus would suggest them.
Balthier - God of Creation
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And that should do it for this. Now like I said, I didn’t want to do all of
the work for everyone, but I certainly did want to help folks out by providing
the ground work for a setting, so enjoy and build it up to meet your needs.
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