Some say the world began with fire, others say ice. Some say it sprung from void, others say all the world was solid until the void ate away all that did not have faith. This however, is semantic nonsense. The point is that the world was, and that there are people. And as long as people have existed the primal Gods have existed. Each God is the personification and embodiment of one of the Aspects in the mind of man. The Gods are fed by Man, and in a sense they are controlled by him, and yet if the Gods are a reflection of man then they are a reflection that can step out of the mirror.
The Gods are paired against one another,
Aestar, The God of Loyalty, Honor, and Justice.
Maar, The God of Lies, deception, and treachery.
Khamon, The God of War, disharmony, and Change.
Nalu, The God of Peace, the unchanging, and stagnancy.
Ghel, The God of Passion, chaos, and will.
Tulm, The God of Control, self-restraint, and thought.
Adar, The God of Cowardice, selfishness, and protection.
Rhavin, The God of Courage, Selflessness, and freedom.
Twenty-seven years ago Nalu, God of peace went missing. The prayers of her followers went unanswered, and the powers of her priests dwindled to nothing in a single year of fire and death. The world is changing, perhaps too much for it survive. Biomancers challenge the Gods, Ancient Dragons style themselves as deities, and the Priests of Peace scour the land in search of her lost relics.
You are a single soul, born into a tormented world. Who you are is hardly important, whether you become dust on the ground or a Hero beyond time is merely a passing concern. The beginning and the end are set from the moment of your birth, what is important is what you will do now.
Okay, first things first.
This RTD may (and probably will) move more slowly than my other RTD.
I need five players, one of whom will be special and have the plot focus. In a sense they are the 'main' character, but they are no more important than anyone else.
1. Tarran (Main)
Name: Tarran
Race: Aoul
Wealth: Comfortable
Class: Mage
Attributes: 3Str. 3Awar. 9Agl. 0Dex. 6Hrt. 0Char. 9Int.
Skills: 3 magic, 2 Life magic. 3+2 Elemental magic. 5 Blades. 3 Dodge. 2 Light Armor.
knowledge: Siphon 4KP. Imbue 2KP. Survival [Lesser] 2KP. Item Care [Lesser] 4KP. Rite of binding 2KP.
Starting Items: 1 Fine Wand (2GP 1SP). 1 Plain Wand (1GP 4SP). 1 Plain Prepared Staff (2GP). 1 Plain Small hammer and chisel (4SP). 1 Plain Leather Armor (8SP). 1 Fine Sword (1GP 5SP). 1 Plain 3 days rations (1GP).
Bio: -None-
2. Trollan
Name: -None-
Race: Keyite
Wealth: Poor
Class: Expert Security Investigator
Attributes: Str 4, Awr 3, Agi 6, Dex 6 Heart 4, Cha 3, Int 2
Skills: Skills: 3+3 Security, 4+2 Stealth, 3 Dodge, 2 Sleight of hand, 2 manipulate device, 1 Blades
knowledge: Ambidextrous, talented.
Starting Items: -See starting goods and wealth-
Bio: -Anything-
3. Talarion
Name: Marcus Zeicaust
Race: Human
Wealth: Poor
Class: Bounty Hunter
Attributes: 3 Str, 5 Awr, 5 Agi, 5 Dex, 3 Heart, 5 Cha, 4 Int
Skills: 3 Sleight of Hand, 3 Gather Information, 3 Dodge, 5 Ranged Weapon, 3 Blades, 3 Light Armor
knowledge: Trick Shooting, Horsemanship, Linguistics, Survival.
Starting Items: Bow, Arrows (20), Leather Armor, Sword, Cloak, 3 days Rations, Field Cooking Gear. (2 Silver, 20 Copper left over)
Bio: Marcus is a highly paranoid man, and always has been. He was raised in the slums, and when he was old enough, he started learning how to kill people. Eventually, it became his profession; as a Bounty Hunter.
4. Ze Spy
Name: Varmint Zero
Race: Human
Wealth: Comfortable
Class: Crow-Kin
Attributes: 12 Agility, 3 Aware, 12 dex, 3 intel, 0 heart, 0 cha, 0 Str
Skills: 5 Ranged weapons, 5 dodge, 3 rending, 4 light armor, 3 Stealth
knowledge: Ritual of conjuration, trick shooting, Hex
Starting Items: Bow, 60 arrows, Leather armor, 3 days ration, knife
Bio: None
5. wolfchild
Name: Eveyo
Race: Aoul
Wealth: Comfortable
Class: Dragon-kin
Attributes: Str 3, Awr 3, Agi 6, Dex 6, Heart 6, Cha 3, Int 3-
Skills: Stealth 1, Search 1, Focus 2, Rituals 3(+3=6), Blades 2, Dodge 2, Soak 2, Rending 2
knowledge: Rite of Passage, Ritual of blood, Survival, Linguistics, Rite of Binding
Starting Items: Advanced Ritual Kit, Sword, FIne Leather armour, Cooking equipment, 3 days rations, 2 silver pieces, 20 copper pieces
Bio: -None-
Alright, Starting in Cotris. Waiting on myself to write up all the other information.
Name: -Anything-
Race: -See Starting Races-
Wealth: -See starting money below-
Class: -See Starting Classes
Attributes: -See starting points and skills-
Skills: -See starting points and skills-
knowledge: -See starting Knowledge-
Starting Items: -See starting goods and wealth-
Bio: -Anything-
Name: Human
Description: Human's are medium sized creatures that breed rapidly, and reach maturity between 15-17 years of age. Height and weight vary wildly but a human male is on average 5' 11'' tall, and around 200 pounds. Females are in general several inches shorter and proportionately lighter. Human have no innate armor or weapons, are generally fragile, and have succeeded in carving out one of the largest kingdoms in the world.
Attribute bonuses: None
Attribute penalties: None
Special: +5 Skill points at start.
Name: Aoul
Description: The Aoul are rarer forest dwelling humanoids, spindly and pale they often reach or exceed 7' tall but rarely exceed 250 pounds. Largely carnivorous the Aoul are night hunters, blending into shadows and moonlight with ease. The Aoul are a complex people, supposedly the descendants of a tribe of forest dwellers who lost everything and were made to hunt as beasts in the wilderness.
Attribute bonuses: +1 Agility
Attribute penalties: -1 Str
Special: Nightvision, the Aoul take no penalty when in darkness.
Name: Tamir
Description: Tamir are strange creatures, they're 'face' carries nothing but a double pair of eyes. Their moth is located down lower, right above their stomach. A little shorter than humans on average Tamir usually where headwraps that conceal their lack of features. Their eyes perceive different spectrums and distances, giving them greatly heightened sense when it comes to sight. They are however, just plain funny lookin'.
Attribute bonuses: +1 Awareness
Attribute penalties: -1 Charisma
Special: Detect Hidden, on very simple detect lie or, detect hidden checks Tamir Auto-succeed.
Name: Keyite
Description: Among the strangest denizens of the City of spirits are the Keyite, who have five appendages. 2 arms, 2 legs, and 1 thing that migrates around and is used as either an arm or a leg. It's a creepy thing to watch. Around the same height as a Tamir, Keyites are more socially accepted due to their lack of completely inhuman features. Unusual creatures, and gifted in a number of ways thanks to the extra limb, but not the sharpest bricks on average.
Attribute bonuses: +1 Dex
Attribute penalties: -1 int
Special: Spare limb.
Population breakdown of Cotris,
62% Human
14% Keyite
12% Aoul
10% Tamir
2% Other
Name: Ritualist
Type: A ritual sorcerer derives energy from patterns, times, and objects.
Skill Bonus: +6 Ritualism
Starting Knowledge points: 15
Description: In Cotris being a professional ritualist is about as unusual as being a carpenter. They're called in for when people need a special bit of work done, a talisman against spiders, a ward around their house to protect it from fire, removal of a troubling spirit, that sort of thing. Ritualists have a very hard time doing magic off the cuff but with the right equipment, the right time, and the right place a talented one can set fire to solid stone, raise an army of the dead and keep it, or keep a place raining (or not raining) for years
Name: Mercenary
Type: A soldier of many talents
Skill Bonus: +2 to any defense, +3 to any weapon,
Starting Knowledge points: 8
Description: Mercs are standard soldiers for hire, traveling from place to place in search of work. Maybe just for the money, maybe to gain enough rep to start their own outfit, whatever they want to do Mercs have an incredibly short life expectancy in general.
Name: Mage
Type: A magic user who derives power from himself and the environment
Skill Bonus: +3 Magic, +2 to any specialized magic.
Starting Knowledge points: 15
Description: Mages are the general magical workhorses, they're potent in the short term but their magic is physically demanding and can easily kill them if they overdraw their limits. Unlike ritualists their magic requires no objects, a focus item can help but they don't actually need any special equipment.
Name: Bladesman
Type: A Generalist warrior
Skill Bonus: +3 weapons, +3 Defense.
Starting Knowledge points: 8
Description: Bladesmen is often the polite term for military men and women who, for one reason or another, aren't military men any more. Their training covered a broad variety of weapons and armor, enough to make them dangerous in pretty much any fight.
Name: Bounty hunter
Type: A fighter who specializes in taking down thieves.
Skill Bonus: +3 Survival, +1 Ranged weapons, +1 traps
Starting Knowledge points: 10
Description: Bounty hunters aren't a common sight in cities, but there aren't exactly rare either. There is always a good market for individuals who can do what a pack of guardsmen can't
Name: Pickpocket
Type: A thief who takes things off people, rather than from places.
Skill Bonus: +3 security, +1 stealth, +1 sleight of hand.
Starting Knowledge points: 8
Description: Pickpockets are members of a group of people who have gained a vested interest in make an illegitimate living. Instead of going through the bother of breaking into a house pickpockets take small items of value directly from the person in question...
Cotris Unique Classes:
Name: ---Kin (Dragon, wolf, sparrow, etc, etc)
Type: Animal spirit worshipers
Skill Bonus: +3 to ritualism, +3 points to spend on a relevant skill. (These must be in character with the creature you're worshiping, no dodge bonus to slug worshipers, if there are any. See below)
Starting Knowledge points: 10
Description: Kin are people who have eschewed the gods and follow animal spirits instead, everything from rabbits to dragons are followed. As Kin progress down their path of worship their bodies begin to change. The difference is never extreme, no great wings for avian worshipers, no breath of fire to dragon worshipers. Eyes, teeth, nails, texture of hair and skin change slowly, but still noticeably.
Name: Ritualist Specialist (Binder, Keeper, Finder, Slayer)
Type: A sorcerer who specializes in a single type of ritual magic.
Skill Bonus: +4 In Bindings/+4 In Wardings/+4 in Seeking/+4 Rending
Starting Knowledge points: 12
Description: Specialists are always called for, and while they lack the flexibility of standard ritualist they can do things far beyond their peers when in their element. Binders can call spirits and shackle other beings and objects to their will, Keepers specialize in protection and can make a number of wards that can confuse, harm, or merely cause an alert, Finders can find on object or person by where it has been, who had it, or better yet a piece of the object. Slayers specialize in the rituals that cause harm to another, complex and deadly to get wrong slayers have a variety of interesting tricks to kill and cause pain.
Name: Expert Security Investigator
Type: A legit thief. Most of the time.
Skill Bonus: +3 Security, +2 to any specialized security skill.
Starting Knowledge points: 10
Description: Security experts are the rare thieves who've seen a bright new way to do business in the city of Cotris. Instead doing the pasky hands on work of actually breaking into a warded house, stealing an object that's probably protected by a familial spirit, and then getting away without a Finder tracing you, Security investigators come in after some enterprising thief has already done all that. They then give condolences and make security recommendations on how to keep it from happening again, since they are usually invited in it negates a lot of those irritating wards, and so they're free to pocket a few items and add them to the list of 'objects stolen'.
Stats:
You get 30 points to spend on your attributes.
No single attribute can go above 12 at start.
Strength, Determines a character's raw muscle.
Awareness, Determines a character's perception of his situation.
Agility, Determines how fast and fluidly a character can move.
Dexterity, Determines how well and quickly character can do fine work.
Heart, Determines a character's willpower and endurance.
Charisma, Determines a character's ability to relate to other beings.
Intelligence, determines your brains and mental agility.
For every 3 points in a stat you can a +1/6th chance to get a +1 in any action that the stat governs.
Skills,
You get 15 Points to spend on your skills, you cannot put more than 5 points into a single skill at start.
Security, Magic, Ritualism, Social, Weapons, Defense are the six main skills, each contains a subgroup of four skills. For every three points in a main skill you get a single point in each of its sub skills.
Every point in a subskill increases the chance of getting a +1 to the related action by +1/6th.
Security, The parent skill of thief abilities.
-Stealth, Moving silently and blending in shadows. (Governing Attribute: Agility)
-Manipulate device, Pick locks, disarm traps. (Governing attribute: Dexterity)
-Sleight of Hand, palm a purse, or a small blade. (Governing attributes: Dexterity)
-Search, find a secret compartment, find traps. (Governing Attribute: Awareness)
Magic, The parent skill of immediate flashy magic.
-Focus, casting a complex spell in the middle of a battle. (Governing attribute: Heart)
-Elemental magic, manipulating fire, water, earth, and air. (Governing attribute: Intelligence)
-Summoning, calling and briefly controlling shadowland beings. (Governing attribute: Charisma)
-Life magic, controlling, manipulating, and altering the energy of life and death. (Governing attribute Intelligence)
Ritualism, The parent skill of prepared magic.
-Binding, Summoning and binding shadowland beings. (Governing attribute: Heart)
-Warding, rituals that protect and defend an area or person. (Governing attribute: intelligence)
-Rending, the intricate rituals to destroy and manipulate destructive energy. (Governing attribute: dexterity)
-Seeking, the art of finding lost or hidden objects or people. (Governing attribute Heart)
Social, The parent skill of interaction.
-Gather information, how well you can get something out of tricky person. (Governing attribute: Charisma)
-Bargaining, getting down to the last brass penny on a trade deal. (Governing attribute: Heart)
-Lies, making and detecting intricate lies and misinformation. (Governing attribute: Charisma)
-Intimidation, getting people to talk through the application of force. (Governing attribute: Strength)
Weapons, The parent skill of combat arts.
-Ranged weapons, using bows, crossbows, and thrown weapons. (Governing attribute: Dexterity)
-Blades, edged weapons, swords, axes, and other similar bladed weapons. (Governing attribute: Agility)
-Blunt, hammers, staves, sticks, and everything without an edge. (Governing attribute: Strength)
-polearms, hafted weapons like pikes, spears, naginata, and similar. (Governing attribute Strength)
Defense, The parent skill of keeping free of danger.
-Dodge, getting the hell out the way of whatever is coming at you. (Governing attribute: Agility)
-Light Armor, wearing and effectively using lighter armor. (Governing attribute: Agility)
-Heavy Armor, Wearing and effectively using heavy armor. (Governing attribute: Strength)
-Soak, taking whatever damage you have taken with style and skill. (Governing attribute: Heart)
Here you spend your knowledge points, you will not get a chance to spend them again, so use them or lose them.
Some of the things here (Magical and practical) can be had later in the game for a price, passive things can't. Some characters will start with one or two of these abilities, this will be noted in parentheses. Mages and Ritualists will start with a few spells and rituals in addition to these. Other things may be added to your character based on your starting skills.
The descriptions are simple descriptions, when the spell or ability is purchased you get a much more detailed version.
Magical,
-Hex 2KP
A simple offensive spell, fast to use and not terribly exhausting.
-Wrackstorm 4KP
A weak area-of-effect elemental spell, tiring.
-Invoke Name 2KP
A basic conjuration spell.
-Siphon 4KP
A life draining spell, can store the energy in an object.
-imbue 2KP
A basic spell to give an object siphoned energy.
-illusion 2KP
A simple spell to create a non-audible illusion.
-Kill [Least] 4KP
A spell that drains the life from very small creatures in an area around the caster.
-Ritual of purification 2KP
A ritual to cleanse on area of residual energy, malevolent an benign in preparation for greater work.
-Rite of passage 2KP
A ritual to allow or forbid passage through an area.
-Ritual of protection 2KP
A ritual to protect a person from harm.
-Ritual of conjuration 4KP
A summoning ritual.
-Ritual of amplification 4KP
A ritual to enhance the effects of magic.
-Rite of binding 2KP
A ritual to bind energy, or an entity to an object or place.
-Ritual of Blood 4KP
A ritual to hurt an individual using a blood trace.
Practical,
-Pick lock (Thieves start with this) [Lesser] 2KP
The ability to pick locks using simple tools.
-Survival [Lesser] 2KP
The ability to live in the wild, identify edible plants, etc.
-Trick shooting [Lesser] 4KP
The ability to pull of complex shots, magically or with a ranged weapon.
-Horsemanship [Least] 2KP
The ability to ride.
-Alchemy [Least] 2KP
The knowledge of simple alchemy.
-Blacksmithing [Least] 4KP
The ability to use a forge and make simple objects.
-Item Care [Lesser] 4KP
How to take proper care of swords, crystals, armor, silks, etc.
-Linguistics [Least] 2KP
The knowledge of other languages.
Passive,
-Ambidextrous 5KP
You can use either hand with equal aptitude.
-Learned 5KP
Your possession of odd facts and knowledge.
-Hardy 5KP
You are abnormally tough.
-Talented 5KP
You have a stunningly easy time with new tasks.
These are some of the base objects used in ritual magic, some items as you may notice can be used in multiple points. Any ritual spell will require one object of light, power, darkness, and a binding sign.
Listed in order of power, there are others, these are just a guideline.
Objects of light
1. Salt
2. Silver
3. Moonstone
4. Tears of remorse
5. Unicorn tail hair
6. Mooncalf offal
7. diamond dust
8. Moonsilver
9. Golden Holikite
Objects of darkness
1. Filth
2. Ashes
3. Forcibly taken blood
4. burned bones
5. brimstone
6. Heart of an innocent
7. Demon blood
8. live sacrifice of an innocent
9. Blackened Holikite
Objects of power
1. Fire
2. blood
3. Fossilized bones
4. Star flowers
5. Fresh sacrifice
6. dragon blood
7. Heart of a Demon/Angel
8. Holikite (either)
Binding sign materials
1. Etched Sign (Wood, Mud, dirt, other malleable material)
2. Salt, blood, or ash sign.
3. Etched sign (Stone, or similar permanent)
4. Metal sign (Anything not meteoric iron, silver, or Holikite)
5. Silver sign
6. Meteoric iron sign
7. greater blood sign (Dragon, demon, angel blood)
8. Crystal sign
9. Holikite Sign (either)
The three starting quality levels are Crude, Plain, and Fine. Plain is the base quality, Crude costs 1/2, and Fine costs 1.50 times. Crude items are around 25% worse that plain items, and Fine items are around 25% better.
Weapons
Knife 4SP
Short sword 8SP
Sword 1 GP
Greatsword (2h) 1GP, 6 SP
War Axe 7SP
Battle Axe (2h) 1 GP
Warhammer (2h) 8SP
Bow 8SP (Arrows 2SP for 10)
Crossbow 1GP 5SP (Bolts, 2SP for 5)
Iron shod Staff 4SP
Armor and clothing
Robes: 2SP
Leather Armor 8SP
Studded leather armor 1GP
Mail shirt 1GP 5SP
Breastplate 4GP
Cloak 2SP
Mail Cloak 1GP
Other
Weapon care tools 1GP
Armor care tools 1GP
Lockpicks 4SP
Field cooking gear 6SP
3 days rations 1GP
Smiths tools 1GP 4SP
Magical
Ritualists Bag, Basic 2GP
Ritualists bag, advanced 5GP
Focusing crystal 2GP
Small hammer and chisel 4SP
Wand, 1GP 4SP
Prepared Staff 2GP
At start you can be,
Beggared (1 Gold, 20 silver, 20 copper)
Poor (3 gold, 20 silver, 20 copper)
Comfortably to do ( 7 gold, 20 silver, 20 copper)
Well off (1 platinum, 2 gold, 20 silver, 20 copper)
-Money converts like so
1 platinum = 10 gold
1 Gold = 10 silver
1 silver = 10 copper
Old Hann, City of Clockwork
-A sprawling city of mechanical wonder Old Hann has the Finest Horologists and Thaumaturges in the known world. The City is guarded and kept by machines powered by springs and magic, a place of marvels, and all the horror that goes with them.
Aestar's Rest, City of Order
-Aestar's Rest is not a city for criminals, in the least. Named for the God of Justice and Honor the laws are harsh, and are enforced without leniency or regret. It is a diamond among cities, beautiful, but cold and hard. Rumors say that Aestar's rest has begun to rot from the core, and the city has been plagued by political corruption recently
Nammshir, City of the Mages
-First claimed as a testing area for experimental magic Nammshir has grown from one Mage family and their holdings and retainers into a thriving city. It is a place that is alien, beautiful, and deathly dangerous to the careless. Nammshir is a city alive with power, and it is not a place to walk at night without protection.
Ban, City of the Traders
-Originally named for the Merchant Lord who founded it the name of the city where anything could be had for a price has incited much mirth. Seated upon a major crossroads Ban deals in anything, to everyone. Want the heart of a true innocent? No problem. Want that innocent delivered to you alive so the heart is fresh? Well that's a little extra.
Cotris, City of the Spirits
-Also called the city of superstitions Cotris is a city where ever man woman and child can perform a warding ritual, read an augury, and interpret basic omens. A touchy people due to the sheer overwhelming mass of superstition and ritual pervading their culture. Cotris is a city that can supply you with a double handful of moonsilver wrapped in the wing membrane of baby dragon but still wont give you any salt past 3 in the afternoon.
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Topic: Imperfect - Siege, Evil bitches keep piling out of the clowncar. (Read 20730 times)